Introductory material (continued 13)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 195 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 72 under 914 m: 120 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 3 (2003 est.)

Military France

Military branches: Army (includes Marines, Foreign Legion, Army Light Aviation), Navy (including naval air), Air Force (including Air Defense), National Gendarmerie

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 17 years of age with consent for voluntary military service (2001)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 14,487,165 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 12,044,827 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 394,413 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $45,238.1 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.6% (2003)

Transnational Issues France

Disputes - international: Madagascar claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan de Nova Island; Comoros claims Mayotte; Mauritius claims Tromelin Island; territorial dispute between Suriname and French Guiana; territorial claim in Antarctica (Adelie Land); Matthew and Hunter Islands, east of New Caledonia, claimed by France and Vanuatu

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for and consumer of South American cocaine, Southwest Asian heroin, and European synthetics

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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@French Guiana

Introduction French Guiana

Background: First settled by the French in 1604, French Guiana was the site of notorious penal settlements until 1951. The European Space Agency launches its communication satellites from Kourou.

Geography French Guiana

Location: Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Brazil and Suriname

Geographic coordinates: 4 00 N, 53 00 W

Map references: South America

Area: total: 91,000 sq km water: 1,850 sq km land: 89,150 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Indiana

Land boundaries: total: 1,183 km border countries: Brazil 673 km, Suriname 510 km

Coastline: 378 km

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

Climate: tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain: low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Bellevue de l'Inini 851 m

Natural resources: bauxite, timber, gold (widely scattered), petroleum, kaolin, fish, niobium, tantalum, clay

Land use: arable land: 0.14% permanent crops: 0.05% other: 99.81% (90% forest, 10% other) (2001)

Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: high frequency of heavy showers and severe thunderstorms; flooding

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: mostly an unsettled wilderness; the only non-independent portion of the South American continent

People French Guiana

Population: 191,309 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 29.6% (male 28,959; female 27,657) 15-64 years: 64.5% (male 66,388; female 57,020) 65 years and over: 5.9% (male 5,736; female 5,549) (2004 est.)

Median age: total: 28.3 years male: 29.4 years female: 27.2 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.25% (2004 est.)

Birth rate: 21 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate: 4.82 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate: 6.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.16 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 12.46 deaths/1,000 live births female: 11.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 13.3 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.89 years male: 73.57 years female: 80.38 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.05 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: French Guianese (singular and plural) adjective: French Guianese

Ethnic groups: black or mulatto 66%, white 12%, East Indian, Chinese, Amerindian 12%, other 10%

Religions: Roman Catholic

Languages: French

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 83% male: 84% female: 82% (1982 est.)

Government French Guiana

Country name: conventional long form: Department of Guiana conventional short form: French Guiana local short form: Guyane local long form: none

Dependency status: overseas department of France

Government type: NA

Capital: Cayenne

Administrative divisions: none (overseas department of France)

Independence: none (overseas department of France)

National holiday: Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system: French legal system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Ange MANCINI (since 31 July 2002) elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; presidents of the General and Regional Councils are appointed by the members of those councils head of government: President of the General Council Joseph HO-TEN-YOU (since 26 March 2001); President of the Regional Council Antoine KARAM (since 22 March 1992) cabinet: NA

Legislative branch: unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a unicameral Regional Council or Conseil Regional (31 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) elections: General Council - last held NA March 2000 (next to be held NA 2006); Regional Council - last held 15 March 1998 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PSG 5, various left-wing parties 5, independents 7, other 2; Regional Council - percent of vote by party - PS 28.28%, various left parties 22.56%, RPR 15.91%, independents 8.6%, Walwari Committee 6%; seats by party - PS 11, various left parties 9, RPR 6, independents 3, Walwari Committee 2 note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 27 September 1998 (next to be held NA September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; 2 seats were elected to the French National Assembly on 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP/RPR 1, Walwari Committee 1

Judicial branch: Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel (highest local court based in Martinique with jurisdiction over Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French Guiana)

Political parties and leaders: Guyanese Democratic Action or ADG [Andre LECANTE]; Guyanese Socialist Party or PSG [Marie-Claude VERDAN]; Guyana Democratic Forces or FDG [Georges OTHILY]; Popular National Guyanese Party or PNPG [Jose DORCY]; Socialist Party or PS [Paul DEBRIETTE]; Union for a Popular Movement or UMP [Muriel ICARE]; Walwari Committee (aligned with the PRG in France) [Christine TAUBIRA-DELANON]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: UPU, WCL, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas department of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas department of France)

Flag description: the flag of France is used

Economy French Guiana

Economy - overview: The economy is tied closely to the larger French economy through subsidies and imports. Besides the French space center at Kourou (which accounts for 25% of GDP), fishing and forestry are the most important economic activities. Forest and woodland cover 90% of the country. The large reserves of tropical hardwoods, not fully exploited, support an expanding sawmill industry that provides sawn logs for export. Cultivation of crops is limited to the coastal area, where the population is largely concentrated; rice and manioc are the major crops. French Guiana is heavily dependent on imports of food and energy. Unemployment is a serious problem, particularly among younger workers.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.551 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: NA

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $8,300 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA industry: NA services: NA (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.5% (2002 est.)

Labor force: 58,800 (1997)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 18.2%, industry 21.2%, services, government, and commerce 60.6% (1980)

Unemployment rate: 22% (2001)

Budget: revenues: $225 million expenditures: $390 million, including capital expenditures of $105 million (1996)

Agriculture - products: corn, rice, manioc (tapioca), sugar, cocoa, vegetables, bananas; cattle, pigs, poultry

Industries: construction, shrimp processing, forestry products, rum, gold mining

Industrial production growth rate: NA

Electricity - production: 455 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption: 423.2 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2001)

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

Oil - consumption: 6,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports: NA (2001)

Oil - imports: NA (2001)

Exports: $155 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities: shrimp, timber, gold, rum, rosewood essence, clothing

Exports - partners: France 62%, Switzerland 7%, US 2% (2001)

Imports: $625 million c.i.f. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities: food (grains, processed meat), machinery and transport equipment, fuels and chemicals

Imports - partners: France 63%, US, Trinidad and Tobago, Italy (2002 est.)

Debt - external: $1.2 billion (1988)

Economic aid - recipient: NA (1995)

Currency: euro (EUR)

Currency code: EUR

Exchange rates: Euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications French Guiana

Telephones - main lines in use: 51,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 138,200 (2002)

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: fair open-wire and microwave radio relay system international: country code - 594; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 14 (including 6 repeaters), shortwave 6 (including 5 repeaters) (1998)

Radios: 104,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (plus eight low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 30,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .gf

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)

Internet users: 3,200 (2002)

Transportation French Guiana

Highways: total: 722 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (1996)

Waterways: 3,760 km note: 460 km navigable by small oceangoing vessels and coastal and river steamers, 3,300 km by native craft (2004)

Ports and harbors: Cayenne, Degrad des Cannes, Saint-Laurent du Maroni

Airports: 11 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Military French Guiana

Military branches: no regular military forces; Gendarmerie

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 52,294 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 33,914 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues French Guiana

Disputes - international: Suriname claims area between Riviere Litani and Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa)

Illicit drugs: small amount of marijuana grown for local consumption; minor transshipment point to Europe

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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@French Polynesia

Introduction French Polynesia

Background: The French annexed various Polynesian island groups during the 19th century. In September 1995, France stirred up widespread protests by resuming nuclear testing on the Mururoa atoll after a three-year moratorium. The tests were suspended in January 1996.

Geography French Polynesia

Location: Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from South America to Australia

Geographic coordinates: 15 00 S, 140 00 W

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls) water: 507 sq km land: 3,660 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 2,525 km

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

Climate: tropical, but moderate

Terrain: mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Orohena 2,241 m

Natural resources: timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 0.82% permanent crops: 5.46% other: 93.72% (2001)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: occasional cyclonic storms in January

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: includes five archipelagoes (4 volcanic, 1 coral); Makatea in French Polynesia is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and Nauru

People French Polynesia

Population: 266,339 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 27.5% (male 37,372; female 35,818) 15-64 years: 66.9% (male 92,594; female 85,455) 65 years and over: 5.7% (male 7,616; female 7,484) (2004 est.)

Median age: total: 27.1 years male: 27.4 years female: 26.7 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.57% (2004 est.)

Birth rate: 17.34 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate: 4.58 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate: 2.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 8.61 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 9.92 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.67 years male: 73.29 years female: 78.18 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.09 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: French Polynesian(s) adjective: French Polynesian

Ethnic groups: Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4%

Religions: Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 10%, no religion 6%

Languages: French (official), Tahitian (official)

Literacy: definition: age 14 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98% (1977 est.)

Government French Polynesia

Country name: conventional long form: Territory of French Polynesia conventional short form: French Polynesia local short form: Polynesie Francaise local long form: Territoire de la Polynesie Francaise former: French Colony of Oceania

Dependency status: overseas territory of France since 1946

Government type: NA

Capital: Papeete

Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 5 archipelagic divisions named Archipel des Marquises, Archipel des Tuamotu, Archipel des Tubuai, Iles du Vent, and Iles Sous-le-Vent note: Clipperton Island is administered by France from French Polynesia

Independence: none (overseas territory of France)

National holiday: Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system: based on French system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Commissioner of the Republic Michel MATHIEU (since 24 October 2001) head of government: President of the Territorial Government of French Polynesia Gaston FLOSSE (since 9 October 2004); President of the Territorial Assembly Lucette TAERO (since 17 May 2001) cabinet: Council of Ministers; president submits a list of members of the Territorial Assembly for approval by them to serve as ministers elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the Territorial Government and the president of the Territorial Assembly are elected by the members of the assembly

Legislative branch: unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (57 seats - changed from 49 seats for May 2004 election; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 23 May 2004 (next to be held NA May 2009) note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on NA September 1998 (next to be held NA September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; two seats were elected to the French National Assembly on 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP/RPR 1, UMP 1 election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 28, Union for Democracy 27, New Star 1, This Country is Yours 1

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Court of the First Instance or Tribunal de Premiere Instance; Court of Administrative Law or Tribunal Administratif

Political parties and leaders: Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia (Tavini Huiraatira) [Oscar TEMARU]; New Fatherland Party (Ai'a Api) [Emile VERNAUDON]; People's Rally for the Republic of Polynesia or RPR (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) [Gaston FLOSSE]; The New Star (Te Fetia Api) [Philippe SHYLE]; This Country is Yours (No Oe E Te Nunaa) [Nicle BOUTEAU]; Union for Democracy or UPD [Oscar TEMARU]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: FZ, ICFTU, PIF (observer), UPU, WMO

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

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

Flag description: two narrow red horizontal bands encase a wide white band; centered on the white band is a disk with blue and white wave pattern on the lower half and gold and white ray pattern on the upper half; a stylized red, blue and white ship rides on the wave pattern; the French flag is used for official occasions

Economy French Polynesia

Economy - overview: Since 1962, when France stationed military personnel in the region, French Polynesia has changed from a subsistence agricultural economy to one in which a high proportion of the work force is either employed by the military or supports the tourist industry. With the halt of French nuclear testing in 1996, the military contribution to the economy fell sharply. Tourism accounts for about one-fourth of GDP and is a primary source of hard currency earnings. Other sources of income are pearl farming and deep-sea commercial fishing. The small manufacturing sector primarily processes agricultural products. The territory benefits substantially from development agreements with France aimed principally at creating new businesses and strengthening social services.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $4.58 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $17,500 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6% industry: 18% services: 76% (1997)

Population below poverty line: NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.5% (2002 est.)

Labor force: 70,000 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 13%, industry 19%, services 68% (1997)

Unemployment rate: 11.8% (1994)

Budget: revenues: $1 billion expenditures: $900 million, including capital expenditures of $185 million (1996)

Agriculture - products: coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits; poultry, beef, dairy products, coffee

Industries: tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts, phosphates

Industrial production growth rate: NA

Electricity - production: 428.3 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption: 398.3 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2001)

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

Oil - consumption: 4,750 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports: NA (2001)

Oil - imports: NA (2001)

Exports: $244 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities: cultured pearls, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat

Exports - partners: France 66.3%, Japan 16.1%, US 9.1% (2003)

Imports: $1.341 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities: fuels, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment

Imports - partners: France 59.9%, Australia 11.9%, New Zealand 6%, US 6% (2003)

Debt - external: NA (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $367 million (1997)

Currency: Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)

Currency code: XPF

Exchange rates: Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 105.73 (2003), 126.72 (2002), 133.26 (2001), 129.43 (2000), 111.93 (1999) note: pegged at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications French Polynesia

Telephones - main lines in use: 52,500 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 90,000 (2002)

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: country code - 689; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios: 128,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 7 (plus 17 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 40,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .pf

Internet hosts: 5,123 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)

Internet users: 35,000 (2002)

Transportation French Polynesia

Highways: total: 2,590 km paved: 1,735 km unpaved: 855 km (1999)

Ports and harbors: Mataura, Papeete, Rikitea, Uturoa

Merchant marine: total: 10 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 17,537 GRT/15,150 DWT by type: cargo 3, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 3, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1 (2004 est.)

Airports: 49 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 37 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.) 914 to 1,523 m: 23

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 8 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 1 (2003 est.)

Military French Polynesia

Military branches: no regular military forces; Gendarmerie and National Police Force

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues French Polynesia

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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@French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Introduction French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Background: The Southern Lands consist of two archipelagos, Iles Crozet and Iles Kerguelen, and two volcanic islands, Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul. They contain no permanent inhabitants and are visited only by researchers studying the native fauna. The Antarctic portion consists of "Adelie Land," a thin slice of the Antarctic continent discovered and claimed by the French in 1840.

Geography French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Location: southeast of Africa, islands in the southern Indian Ocean, about equidistant between Africa, Antarctica, and Australia; note - French Southern and Antarctic Lands include Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul, Iles Crozet, and Iles Kerguelen in the southern Indian Ocean, along with the French-claimed sector of Antarctica, "Adelie Land"; the US does not recognize the French claim to "Adelie Land"

Geographic coordinates: 43 00 S, 67 00 E

Map references: Antarctic Region

Area: total: 7,829 sq km note: includes Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul, Iles Crozet and Iles Kerguelen; excludes "Adelie Land" claim of about 500,000 sq km in Antarctica that is not recognized by the US water: 0 sq km land: 7,829 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly less than 1.3 times the size of Delaware

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 1,232 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm from Iles Kerguelen (does not include the rest of French Southern and Antarctic Lands)

Climate: antarctic

Terrain: volcanic

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Ross on Iles Kerguelen 1,850 m

Natural resources: fish, crayfish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul are extinct volcanoes

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: islands component is widely scattered across remote locations in the southern Indian Ocean

People French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Population: no indigenous inhabitants (July 2002 est.) note: in 2002, there were 145 researchers whose numbers vary from winter (July) to summer (January) (July 2004 est.)

Government French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Country name: conventional long form: Territory of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands conventional short form: French Southern and Antarctic Lands local long form: Territoire des Terres Australes et Antarctiques Francaises local short form: Terres Australes et Antarctiques Francaises

Dependency status: overseas territory of France since 1955; administered from Paris by Administrateur Superieur Michel CHAMPON (since 20 December 2004), assisted by Secretary General Jean-Yves HERMOSO (since NA)

Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 3 districts named Ile Crozet, Iles Kerguelen, and Iles Saint-Paul et Amsterdam; excludes "Adelie Land" claim in Antarctica that is not recognized by the US

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

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

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

Flag description: the flag of France is used

Economy French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Economy - overview: Economic activity is limited to servicing meteorological and geophysical research stations and French and other fishing fleets. The fish catches landed on Iles Kerguelen by foreign ships are exported to France and Reunion.

Communications French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Internet country code: .tf

Transportation French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Merchant marine: total: 70 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 3,092,387 GRT/5,056,658 DWT by type: bulk 4, cargo 2, chemical tanker 19, container 11, liquefied gas 7, petroleum tanker 14, roll on/roll off 11, vehicle carrier 2 foreign-owned: Denmark 2, France 49, Japan 4, Monaco 5, Norway 5, Sweden 5 (2004 est.)

Airports: none

Military French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Disputes - international: French claim to "Adelie Land" in Antarctica is not recognized by the US

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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@Gabon

Introduction Gabon

Background: Only two autocratic presidents have ruled Gabon since independence from France in 1960. Gabon's current President, El Hadj Omar BONGO - one of the longest-serving heads of state in the world - has dominated Gabon's political scene for almost four decades. President BONGO introduced a nominal multiparty system and a new constitution in the early 1990s. However, the low turnout and allegations of electoral fraud during the most recent local elections in 2002-03 have exposed the weaknesses of formal political structures in Gabon. In addition, recent strikes have underscored the popular disenchantment with the political system. Presidential elections scheduled for 2005 are unlikely to bring change since the opposition remains weak, divided, and financially dependent on the current regime. Despite political conditions, a small population, abundant natural resources, and considerable foreign support have helped make Gabon one of the more prosperous and stable African countries.

Geography Gabon

Location: Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea

Geographic coordinates: 1 00 S, 11 45 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 267,667 sq km water: 10,000 sq km land: 257,667 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Colorado

Land boundaries: total: 2,551 km border countries: Cameroon 298 km, Republic of the Congo 1,903 km, Equatorial Guinea 350 km

Coastline: 885 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate: tropical; always hot, humid

Terrain: narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Iboundji 1,575 m

Natural resources: petroleum, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 1.26% permanent crops: 0.66% other: 98.08% (2001)

Irrigated land: 150 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: deforestation; poaching

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

Geography - note: a small population and oil and mineral reserves have helped Gabon become one of Africa's wealthier countries; in general, these circumstances have allowed the country to maintain and conserve its pristine rain forest and rich biodiversity

People Gabon

Population: 1,355,246 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 2004 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 42.2% (male 286,819; female 285,184) 15-64 years: 53.7% (male 362,311; female 365,132) 65 years and over: 4.1% (male 23,157; female 32,643) (2004 est.)

Median age: total: 18.5 years male: 18.3 years female: 18.8 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.5% (2004 est.)

Birth rate: 36.4 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate: 11.43 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 54.34 deaths/1,000 live births female: 44.23 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 64.15 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 56.46 years male: 54.85 years female: 58.12 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.8 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 8.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 48,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 3,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases: typhoid fever, malaria overall degree of risk: very high (2004)

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

Ethnic groups: Bantu tribes including four major tribal groupings (Fang, Bapounou, Nzebi, Obamba), other Africans and Europeans 154,000, including 10,700 French and 11,000 persons of dual nationality

Religions: Christian 55%-75%, animist, Muslim less than 1%

Languages: French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 63.2% male: 73.7% female: 53.3% (1995 est.)

Government Gabon

Country name: conventional long form: Gabonese Republic conventional short form: Gabon local short form: Gabon local long form: Republique Gabonaise

Government type: republic; multiparty presidential regime (opposition parties legalized in 1990)

Capital: Libreville

Administrative divisions: 9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie, Nyanga, Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem

Independence: 17 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday: Founding of the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG), 12 March (1968)

Constitution: adopted 14 March 1991

Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President El Hadj Omar BONGO (since 2 December 1967) head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Francois NTOUTOUME-EMANE (since 23 January 1999) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held 6 December 1998 (next to be held NA 2005); prime minister appointed by the president election results: President El Hadj Omar BONGO reelected; percent of vote - El Hadj Omar BONGO 66.6%, Pierre MAMBOUNDOU 16.5%, Fr. Paul M'BA-ABESSOLE 13.4%

Legislative branch: bicameral legislature consists of the Senate (91 seats; members elected by members of municipal councils and departmental assemblies) and the National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (120 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: National Assembly - last held 9 and 23 December 2001 (next to be held NA December 2006); Senate - last held 26 January and 9 February 2003 (next to be held by January 2009) election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDG 86, RNB-RPG 8, PGP 3, ADERE 3, CLR 2, PUP 1, PSD 1, independents 13, others 3; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDG 53, RNB 20, PGP 4, ADERE 3, RDP 1, CLR 1, independents 9

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme consisting of three chambers - Judicial, Administrative, and Accounts; Constitutional Court; Courts of Appeal; Court of State Security; County Courts

Political parties and leaders: Circle of Liberal Reformers or CLR [General Jean Boniface ASSELE]; Democratic and Republican Alliance or ADERE [Divungui-di-Ndinge DIDJOB]; Gabonese Democratic Party or PDG, former sole party [Simplice Nguedet MANZELA]; Gabonese Party for Progress or PGP [Pierre-Louis AGONDJO-OKAWE,]; National Rally of Woodcutters-Rally for Gabon or RNB-RPG (Bucherons) [Fr. Paul M'BA-ABESSOLE]; People's Unity Party or PUP [Louis Gaston MAYILA]; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Pierre EMBONI]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Pierre Claver MAGANGA-MOUSSAVOU]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jules Marius OGOUEBANDJA consulate(s): New York FAX: [1] (202) 332-0668 telephone: [1] (202) 797-1000 chancery: Suite 200, 2034 20th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Kenneth P. MOOREFIELD embassy: Boulevard de la Mer, Libreville mailing address: Centre Ville, B. P. 4000, Libreville telephone: [241] 76 20 03 through 76 20 04, after hours - 74 34 92 FAX: [241] 74 55 07

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue

Economy Gabon

Economy - overview: Gabon enjoys a per capita income four times that of most nations of sub-Saharan Africa. This has supported a sharp decline in extreme poverty; yet because of high income inequality a large proportion of the population remains poor. Gabon depended on timber and manganese until oil was discovered offshore in the early 1970s. The oil sector now accounts for 50% of GDP. Gabon continues to face fluctuating prices for its oil, timber, and manganese exports. Despite the abundance of natural wealth, poor fiscal management hobbles the economy. Devaluation of its Francophone currency by 50% on 12 January 1994 sparked a one-time inflationary surge, to 35%; the rate dropped to 6% in 1996. The IMF provided a one-year standby arrangement in 1994-95, a three-year Enhanced Financing Facility (EFF) at near commercial rates beginning in late 1995, and stand-by credit of $119 million in October 2000. Those agreements mandate progress in privatization and fiscal discipline. France provided additional financial support in January 1997 after Gabon had met IMF targets for mid-1996. In 1997, an IMF mission to Gabon criticized the government for overspending on off-budget items, overborrowing from the central bank, and slipping on its schedule for privatization and administrative reform. The rebound of oil prices in 1999-2000 helped growth, but drops in production hampered Gabon from fully realizing potential gains. In December 2000, Gabon signed a new agreement with the Paris Club to reschedule its official debt. A follow-up bilateral repayment agreement with the US was signed in December 2001. Short-term progress depends on an upbeat world economy and fiscal and other adjustments in line with IMF policies.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $7.301 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 1.2% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $5,500 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 8.1% industry: 48.8% services: 43.1% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed): 22.7% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line: NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.5% (2003 est.)

Labor force: 610,000 (2003)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 60%, industry 15%, services 25%

Unemployment rate: 21% (1997 est.)

Budget: revenues: $1.771 billion expenditures: $1.413 billion, including capital expenditures of $310 million (2003 est.)

Public debt: 31.5% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products: cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber; cattle; okoume (a tropical softwood); fish

Industries: petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, and gold mining; chemicals; ship repair; food and beverage; textile; lumbering and plywood; cement

Industrial production growth rate: 1.6% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production: 798.4 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption: 742.5 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production: 301,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption: 13,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports: NA (2001)

Oil - imports: NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves: 2.45 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production: 80 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption: 80 million cu m (2001 est.)

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

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

Natural gas - proved reserves: 66.47 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance: $-101 million (2003)

Exports: $2.891 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities: crude oil 77%, timber, manganese, uranium (2001)

Exports - partners: US 51.5%, France 8.7%, China 7.5%, Japan 4% (2003)

Imports: $1.079 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, construction materials

Imports - partners: France 49.9%, US 5.3%, UK 4.6% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold: $201.9 million (2003)

Debt - external: $3.284 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $331 million (1995)

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

Currency code: XAF

Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 581.2 (2003), 696.988 (2002), 733.039 (2001), 711.976 (2000), 615.699 (1999)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Gabon

Telephones - main lines in use: 38,400 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 300,000 (2003)

Telephone system: general assessment: adequate service by African standards and improving with the help of the growing mobile cell system domestic: adequate system of cable, microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, radiotelephone communication stations, and a domestic satellite system with 12 earth stations international: country code - 241; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Radio broadcast stations: AM 6, FM 7 (and 11 repeaters), shortwave 4 (2001)

Radios: 208,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 4 (plus four low-power repeaters) (2001)

Televisions: 63,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .ga

Internet hosts: 93 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2001)

Internet users: 35,000 (2003)

Transportation Gabon

Railways: total: 814 km standard gauge: 814 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)

Highways: total: 8,464 km paved: 838 km unpaved: 7,626 km (2000 est.)

Waterways: 1,600 km (310 km on Ogooue River) (2003)

Pipelines: gas 210 km; oil 1,385 km (2004)

Ports and harbors: Cap Lopez, Kango, Lambarene, Libreville, Mayumba, Owendo, Port-Gentil

Airports: 56 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 11 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 45 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 23 (2004 est.)

Military Gabon

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Police

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service (2001)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 314,434 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 162,847 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 13,462 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $149.3 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2% (2003)

Transnational Issues Gabon

Disputes - international: creation of a maritime boundary in hydrocarbon-rich Corisco Bay with Equatorial Guinea is hampered by dispute over Mbane Island, administered and occupied by Gabon since the 1970s

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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@Gambia, The

Introduction Gambia, The

Background: The Gambia gained its independence from the UK in 1965; it formed a short-lived federation of Senegambia with Senegal between 1982 and 1989. In 1991 the two nations signed a friendship and cooperation treaty. A military coup in 1994 overthrew the president and banned political activity, but a 1996 constitution and presidential elections, followed by parliamentary balloting in 1997, completed a nominal return to civilian rule. The country undertook another round of presidential and legislative elections in late 2001 and early 2002. Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH, the leader of the coup, has been elected president in all subsequent elections.

Geography Gambia, The

Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and Senegal

Geographic coordinates: 13 28 N, 16 34 W

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 11,300 sq km land: 10,000 sq km water: 1,300 sq km

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

Land boundaries: total: 740 km border countries: Senegal 740 km

Coastline: 80 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm contiguous zone: 18 nm continental shelf: not specified

Climate: tropical; hot, rainy season (June to November); cooler, dry season (November to May)

Terrain: flood plain of the Gambia River flanked by some low hills

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 53 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 25% permanent crops: 0.5% other: 74.5% (2001)

Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: drought (rainfall has dropped by 30% in the last 30 years)

Environment - current issues: deforestation; desertification; water-borne diseases prevalent

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

Geography - note: almost an enclave of Senegal; smallest country on the continent of Africa

People Gambia, The

Population: 1,546,848 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 44.7% (male 347,349; female 344,264) 15-64 years: 52.6% (male 403,297; female 410,382) 65 years and over: 2.7% (male 21,459; female 20,097) (2004 est.)

Median age: total: 17.5 years male: 17.4 years female: 17.7 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.98% (2004 est.)

Birth rate: 40.3 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate: 12.08 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate: 1.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 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: 1.07 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 73.48 deaths/1,000 live births female: 66.62 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 80.14 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 54.79 years male: 52.76 years female: 56.87 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.46 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 1.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 6,800 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 600 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases: typhoid fever, dengue fever, malaria, yellow fever, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, schistosomiasis overall degree of risk: very high (2004)

Nationality: noun: Gambian(s) adjective: Gambian

Ethnic groups: African 99% (Mandinka 42%, Fula 18%, Wolof 16%, Jola 10%, Serahuli 9%, other 4%), non-African 1%

Religions: Muslim 90%, Christian 9%, indigenous beliefs 1%

Languages: English (official), Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, other indigenous vernaculars

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 40.1% male: 47.8% female: 32.8% (2003 est.)

Government Gambia, The

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of The Gambia conventional short form: The Gambia

Government type: republic under multiparty democratic rule

Capital: Banjul

Administrative divisions: 5 divisions and 1 city*; Banjul*, Central River, Lower River, North Bank, Upper River, Western

Independence: 18 February 1965 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 18 February (1965)

Constitution: 24 April 1970; suspended July 1994; rewritten and approved by national referendum 8 August 1996; reestablished January 1997

Legal system: based on a composite of English common law, Koranic law, and customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH (since 18 October 1996; note - from 1994 to 1996 he was Chairman of the Junta); Vice President Isatou Njie SAIDY (since 20 March 1997); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH (since 18 October 1996; note - from 1994 to 1996 was he Chairman of the Junta); Vice President Isatou Njie SAIDY (since 20 March 1997); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; the number of terms is not restricted; election last held 18 October 2001 (next to be held October 2006) election results: Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH reelected president; percent of vote - Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH 52.9%, Ousainou DARBOE 32.7%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (53 seats; 48 elected by popular vote, five appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 17 January 2002 (next to be held NA January 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - APRC 45, PDOIS 2, NRP 1,

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction or APRC [Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH]; Gambian People's Party-Progressive People's Party-United Democratic Party or GPP-PPP-UDP Coalition [Ousainou DARBOE]; National Convention Party or NCP [Sheriff DIBBA]; National Reconciliation Party or NRP [Hamat N. K. BAH]; People's Democratic Organization for Independence and Socialism or PDOIS [Sidia JATTA] note: in August 2001, an independent electoral commission allowed the reregistration of the GPP, NCP, and PPP, three parties banned since 1996

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Lena Manga Sagnia SECK chancery: Suite 905, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005 FAX: [1] (202) 785-1430 telephone: [1] (202) 785-1379

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jackson McDONALD embassy: Kairaba Avenue, Fajara, Banjul mailing address: P. M. B. No. 19, Banjul telephone: [220] 392856, 392858, 391971 FAX: [220] 392475

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue with white edges, and green

Economy Gambia, The

Economy - overview: The Gambia has no important mineral or other natural resources and has a limited agricultural base. About 75% of the population depends on crops and livestock for its livelihood. Small-scale manufacturing activity features the processing of peanuts, fish, and hides. Reexport trade normally constitutes a major segment of economic activity, but a 1999 government-imposed preshipment inspection plan, and instability of the Gambian dalasi (currency) have drawn some of the reexport trade away from The Gambia. The government's 1998 seizure of the private peanut firm Alimenta eliminated the largest purchaser of Gambian groundnuts; the following two marketing seasons have seen substantially lower prices and sales. A decline in tourism in 2000 has also held back growth. Unemployment and underemployment rates are extremely high. Shortrun economic progress remains highly dependent on sustained bilateral and multilateral aid, on responsible government economic management as forwarded by IMF technical help and advice, and on expected growth in the construction sector.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $2.56 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 46.8% industry: 9.3% services: 43.8% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed): 20% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line: NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 14% (2003 est.)

Labor force: 400,000 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 75%, industry, commerce, and services 19%, government 6%

Unemployment rate: NA (2002 est.)

Budget: revenues: $58.63 million expenditures: $62.64 million, including capital expenditures of $4.1 million (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products: rice, millet, sorghum, peanuts, corn, sesame, cassava (tapioca), palm kernels; cattle, sheep, goats

Industries: processing peanuts, fish, and hides; tourism; beverages; agricultural machinery assembly, woodworking, metalworking; clothing

Industrial production growth rate: NA

Electricity - production: 85.33 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption: 79.36 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2001)

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

Oil - consumption: 1,900 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports: NA (2001)

Oil - imports: NA (2001)

Current account balance: $-42 million (2003)

Exports: $156 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities: peanut products, fish, cotton lint, palm kernels, re-exports

Exports - partners: UK 26.7%, Belgium 6.7%, China 6.7%, Germany 6.7%, Italy 6.7%, Malaysia 6.7%, Thailand 6.7% (2003)

Imports: $271 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, manufactures, fuel, machinery and transport equipment

Imports - partners: China 24.9%, Senegal 8.9%, Brazil 6.8%, UK 6.6%, US 5.6%, Netherlands 5%, India 4.9% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold: $118 million (2003)

Debt - external: $476 million (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $45.4 million (1995)

Currency: dalasi (GMD)

Currency code: GMD

Exchange rates: dalasi per US dollar - NA (2003), 19.9182 (2002), 15.6872 (2001), 12.7876 (2000), 11.3951 (1999)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Gambia, The

Telephones - main lines in use: 38,400 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 100,000 (2002)

Telephone system: general assessment: adequate; a packet switched data network is available domestic: adequate network of microwave radio relay and open-wire international: country code - 220; microwave radio relay links to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2001)

Radios: 196,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (government-owned) (1997)

Televisions: 5,000 (2000)

Internet country code: .gm

Internet hosts: 568 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2001)

Internet users: 25,000 (2002)

Transportation Gambia, The

Highways: total: 2,700 km paved: 956 km unpaved: 1,744 km (1999)

Waterways: 390 km (on River Gambia; small ocean-going vessels can reach 190 km) (2004)

Ports and harbors: Banjul

Merchant marine: none (2004 est.)

Airports: 1 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Gambia, The

Military branches: Gambian National Army (GNA) (including Naval Unit), Presidential Guard

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2001)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 350,256 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 176,733 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $900,000 (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.3% (2003)

Transnational Issues Gambia, The

Disputes - international: attempts to stem refugees, cross-border raids, arms smuggling, other illegal activities, and political instability from separatist movement in southern Senegal's Casamance region

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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@Gaza Strip

Introduction Gaza Strip

Background: The Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements (the DOP), signed in Washington on 13 September 1993, provided for a transitional period not exceeding five years of Palestinian interim self-government in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Under the DOP, Israel agreed to transfer certain powers and responsibilities to the Palestinian Authority, which includes the Palestinian Legislative Council elected in January 1996, as part of the interim self-governing arrangements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. A transfer of powers and responsibilities for the Gaza Strip and Jericho took place pursuant to the Israel-PLO 4 May 1994 Cairo Agreement on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area and in additional areas of the West Bank pursuant to the Israel-PLO 28 September 1995 Interim Agreement, the Israel-PLO 15 January 1997 Protocol Concerning Redeployment in Hebron, the Israel-PLO 23 October 1998 Wye River Memorandum, and the 4 September 1999 Sharm el-Sheikh Agreement. The DOP provides that Israel will retain responsibility during the transitional period for external and internal security and for public order of settlements and Israeli citizens. Direct negotiations to determine the permanent status of Gaza and West Bank that began in September 1999 after a three-year hiatus, were derailed by a second intifadah that broke out in September 2000. The resulting widespread violence in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Israel's military response, and instability within the Palestinian Authority continue to undermine progress toward a permanent agreement. Following the death of longtime Palestinian leader Yasir ARAFAT in November 2004, the election of his successor Mahmud ABBAS in January 2005 could bring a turning point in the conflict.

Geography Gaza Strip

Location: Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Israel

Geographic coordinates: 31 25 N, 34 20 E

Map references: Middle East

Area: total: 360 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 360 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 62 km border countries: Egypt 11 km, Israel 51 km

Coastline: 40 km

Maritime claims: Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be determined through further negotiation

Climate: temperate, mild winters, dry and warm to hot summers

Terrain: flat to rolling, sand- and dune-covered coastal plain

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Abu 'Awdah (Joz Abu 'Auda) 105 m

Natural resources: arable land, natural gas

Land use: arable land: 28.95% permanent crops: 21.05% other: 50% (2001)

Irrigated land: 120 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: droughts

Environment - current issues: desertification; salination of fresh water; sewage treatment; water-borne disease; soil degradation; depletion and contamination of underground water resources

Geography - note: there are 25 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the Gaza Strip (February 2002 est.)

People Gaza Strip

Population: 1,324,991 note: in addition, there are more than 5,000 Israeli settlers in the Gaza Strip (July 2004 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 49% (male 332,582; female 316,606) 15-64 years: 48.3% (male 326,450; female 314,098) 65 years and over: 2.7% (male 14,847; female 20,408) (2004 est.)

Median age: total: 15.5 years male: 15.3 years female: 15.6 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.83% (2004 est.)

Birth rate: 40.62 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate: 3.95 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate: 1.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 23.54 deaths/1,000 live births female: 22.31 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 24.71 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.59 years male: 70.31 years female: 72.94 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.04 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: NA adjective: NA

Ethnic groups: Palestinian Arab and other 99.4%, Jewish 0.6%

Religions: Muslim (predominantly Sunni) 98.7%, Christian 0.7%, Jewish 0.6%

Languages: Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers and many Palestinians), English (widely understood)

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

Government Gaza Strip

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Gaza Strip local long form: none local short form: Qita Ghazzah

Economy Gaza Strip

Economy - overview: Economic output in the Gaza Strip - under the responsibility of the Palestinian Authority since the Cairo Agreement of May 1994 - declined by about one-third between 1992 and 1996. The downturn was largely the result of Israeli closure policies - the imposition of generalized border closures in response to security incidents in Israel - which disrupted previously established labor and commodity market relationships between Israel and the WBGS (West Bank and Gaza Strip). The most serious negative social effect of this downturn was the emergence of high unemployment; unemployment in the WBGS during the 1980s was generally under 5%; by 1995 it had risen to over 20%. Israel's use of comprehensive closures decreased during the next few years and, in 1998, Israel implemented new policies to reduce the impact of closures and other security procedures on the movement of Palestinian goods and labor. These changes fueled an almost three-year-long economic recovery in the West Bank and Gaza Strip; real GDP grew by 5% in 1998 and 6% in 1999. Recovery was upended in the last quarter of 2000 with the outbreak of violence, triggering tight Israeli closures of Palestinian self-rule areas and a severe disruption of trade and labor movements. In 2001, and even more severely in 2002, Israeli military measures in Palestinian Authority areas resulted in the destruction of capital plant and administrative structure, widespread business closures, and a sharp drop in GDP. Including West Bank, the UN estimates that more than 100,000 Palestinians out of the 125,000 who used to work in Israel, in Israeli settlements, or in joint industrial zones have lost their jobs. In addition, about 80,000 Palestinian workers inside the Territories are losing their jobs. International aid of $2 billion in 2001-02 to the West Bank and Gaza Strip prevented the complete collapse of the economy and allowed Finance Minister Salam FAYYAD to implement several financial and economic reforms. Budgetary support, however, was not as forthcoming in 2003.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $768 million (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4.5% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $600 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 9% industry: 28% services: 63% (includes West Bank) (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line: 60% (2003 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.2% (includes West Bank) (2001 est.)

Labor force: NA (1997)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 13%, industry 21%, services 66% (1996)

Unemployment rate: 50% (includes West Bank) (2003 est.)

Budget: revenues: $676.6 million expenditures: $1.155 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (includes West Bank) (2003)

Agriculture - products: olives, citrus, vegetables; beef, dairy products

Industries: generally small family businesses that produce textiles, soap, olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs; the Israelis have established some small-scale modern industries in an industrial center

Industrial production growth rate: NA

Electricity - production: NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Israel

Electricity - consumption: NA kWh

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports: NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Israel (2001)

Exports: $603 million f.o.b., includes West Bank

Exports - commodities: citrus, flowers

Exports - partners: Israel, Egypt, West Bank

Imports: $1.9 billion c.i.f., includes West Bank

Imports - commodities: food, consumer goods, construction materials

Imports - partners: Israel, Egypt, West Bank

Debt - external: $108 million (includes West Bank) (1997 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $800 million (includes West Bank) (2001 est.)

Currency: new Israeli shekel (ILS)

Currency code: ILS

Exchange rates: new Israeli shekels per US dollar - 4.55 (2003), 4.74 (2002), 4.21 (2001), 4.08 (2000), 4.14 (1999)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Gaza Strip

Telephones - main lines in use: 95,729 (total for Gaza Strip and West Bank) (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 320,000 (cellular subscribers in both Gaza Strip and West Bank) (2002)

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: rudimentary telephone services provided by an open-wire system international: NA

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

Radios: NA; note - most Palestinian households have radios (1999)

Television broadcast stations: 2 (operated by the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation) (1997)

Televisions: NA; note - most Palestinian households have televisions (1997)

Internet country code: .ps

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 3 (1999)

Internet users: 60,000 (includes West Bank) (2001)

Transportation Gaza Strip

Highways: total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km note: small, poorly developed road network

Ports and harbors: Gaza

Airports: 2 (2001) note: includes Gaza International Airport (GIA), inaugurated on 24 November 1998 as part of agreements stipulated in the September 1995 Oslo II Accord and the 23 October 1998 Wye River Memorandum; GIA has been largely closed since October 2000 by Israeli orders and its runway was destroyed by the Israeli Defense Forces in December 2001 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 1 (2003 est.)

Military Gaza Strip

Military branches: in accordance with the peace agreement, the Palestinian Authority is not permitted conventional military forces; there are, however, a Public Security Force and a civil Police Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure: NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA

Transnational Issues Gaza Strip

Disputes - international: West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be determined through further negotiation

Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 922,674 (Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA)) (2004)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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@Georgia

Introduction Georgia

Background: The region of present-day Georgia contained the ancient kingdoms of Colchis and Kartli-Iberia. The area came under Roman influence in the first centuries AD and Christianity became the state religion in the 330s. Domination by Persians, Arabs, and Turks was followed by a Georgian golden age (11th to the 13th centuries) that was cut short by the Mongol invasion of 1236. Subsequently, the Ottoman and Persian empires competed for influence in the region. Georgia was absorbed into the Russian Empire in the 19th century. Independent for three years (1918-1921) following the Russian revolution, it was forcibly incorporated into the USSR until the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991. Despite myriad problems, some progress on market reforms and democratization has been made since then. An attempt by the government to manipulate legislative elections in November 2003 touched off widespread protests that led to the resignation of Eduard SHEVARDNADZE, president since 1995. New elections in early 2004 swept Mikheil SAAKASHVILI into power along with his National Movement Party.

Geography Georgia

Location: Southwestern Asia, bordering the Black Sea, between Turkey and Russia

Geographic coordinates: 42 00 N, 43 30 E

Map references: Asia

Area: total: 69,700 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 69,700 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries: total: 1,461 km border countries: Armenia 164 km, Azerbaijan 322 km, Russia 723 km, Turkey 252 km

Coastline: 310 km

Maritime claims: No data available

Climate: warm and pleasant; Mediterranean-like on Black Sea coast

Terrain: largely mountainous with Great Caucasus Mountains in the north and Lesser Caucasus Mountains in the south; Kolkhet'is Dablobi (Kolkhida Lowland) opens to the Black Sea in the west; Mtkvari River Basin in the east; good soils in river valley flood plains, foothills of Kolkhida Lowland

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Black Sea 0 m highest point: Mt'a Shkhara 5,201 m

Natural resources: forests, hydropower, manganese deposits, iron ore, copper, minor coal and oil deposits; coastal climate and soils allow for important tea and citrus growth

Land use: arable land: 11.44% permanent crops: 3.86% other: 84.7% (2001)

Irrigated land: 4,700 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: earthquakes

Environment - current issues: air pollution, particularly in Rust'avi; heavy pollution of Mtkvari River and the Black Sea; inadequate supplies of potable water; soil pollution from toxic chemicals

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

Geography - note: strategically located east of the Black Sea; Georgia controls much of the Caucasus Mountains and the routes through them

People Georgia

Population: 4,693,892 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 18.7% (male 461,967; female 416,898) 15-64 years: 65.8% (male 1,480,217; female 1,607,509) 65 years and over: 15.5% (male 290,534; female 436,767) (2004 est.)

Median age: total: 37 years male: 34.5 years female: 39.2 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.36% (2004 est.)

Birth rate: 10.1 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate: 8.98 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate: -4.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.16 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.11 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 19.34 deaths/1,000 live births female: 16.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 21.5 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.62 years male: 72.35 years female: 79.44 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.4 children born/woman (2004 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 3,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality: noun: Georgian(s) adjective: Georgian

Ethnic groups: Georgian 70.1%, Armenian 8.1%, Russian 6.3%, Azeri 5.7%, Ossetian 3%, Abkhaz 1.8%, other 5%

Religions: Georgian Orthodox 65%, Muslim 11%, Russian Orthodox 10%, Armenian Apostolic 8%, unknown 6%

Languages: Georgian 71% (official), Russian 9%, Armenian 7%, Azeri 6%, other 7% note: Abkhaz is the official language in Abkhazia

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 100% female: 98% (1999 est.)

Government Georgia

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Georgia local long form: none former: Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic local short form: Sak'art'velo

Government type: republic

Capital: T'bilisi

Administrative divisions: 9 regions (mkharebi, singular - mkhare), 9 cities (k'alak'ebi, singular - k'alak'i), and 2 autonomous republics (avtomnoy respubliki, singular - avtom respublika) : regions: Guria, Imereti, Kakheti, Kvemo Kartli, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, Samegrelo and Zemo Svaneti, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Shida Kartli : cities: Chiat'ura, Gori, K'ut'aisi, P'ot'i, Rust'avi, T'bilisi, Tqibuli, Tsqaltubo, Zugdidi note: the administrative centers of the 2 autonomous republics are shown in parentheses : autonomous republics: Abkhazia or Ap'khazet'is Avtonomiuri Respublika (Sokhumi), Ajaria or Acharis Avtonomiuri Respublika (Bat'umi)

Independence: 9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day, 26 May (1918); note - 26 May 1918 is the date of independence from Soviet Russia, 9 April 1991 is the date of independence from the Soviet Union

Constitution: adopted 17 October 1995

Legal system: based on civil law system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Mikheil SAAKASHVILI (since 25 January 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government for the power ministries: state security (includes interior) and defense elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 4 January 2004 (next to be held NA 2009) election results: Mikheil SAAKASHVILI elected president; percent of vote - Mikheil SAAKASHVILI 96.3%, Temur SHASHIASHVILI 1.9% cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers head of government: President Mikheil SAAKASHVILI (since 25 January 2004); Prime Minister Zurab ZHVANIA (since 9 February 2004); note - the president is the chief of state and head of government for the power ministries: state security (includes interior) and defense; the prime minister is head of the remaining ministries of government

Legislative branch: unicameral Supreme Council (commonly referred to as Parliament) or Umaghiesi Sabcho (235 seats - 150 elected by party lists); members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 28 March 2004 (next to be held spring 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - National Movement-Democrats 67.6%, Rightist Opposition 7.6%, all other parties received less than 7% each; seats by party - National Movement-Democrats 135, Rightist Opposition 15

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges elected by the Supreme Council on the president's recommendation); Constitutional Court; first and second instance courts

Political parties and leaders: Burjanadze-Democrats [Nino BURJANADZE]; Georgian People's Front [Nodar NATADZE]; Georgian United Communist Party or UCPG [Panteleimon GIORGADZE]; Greens [Giorgi GACHECHILADZE]; Industry Will Save Georgia (Industrialists) or IWSG [Georgi TOPADZE]; Labor Party [Shalva NATELASHVILI]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Bachuki KARDAVA]; National Movement Democratic Front [Mikheil SAAKASHVILI] bloc composed of National Movement and Burjanadze-Democrats; National Movement [Mikheil SAAKASHVILI]; New Right [Levaii GACHECHILADZE]; Republican Party [David BERDZENISHVILI]; Rightist Opposition [Davit GAMKRELIDZE] bloc composed of Industrialists and New Right Party; Socialist Party or SPG [Irakli MINDELI]; Traditionalists [Akaki ASATIANI]; Union of National Forces-Conservatives [Koba DAVITASHVILI and Zviad DZIDZIGURI]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Georgian independent deputies from Abkhaz government in exile; separatists in the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia; supporters of the late ousted President Zviad GAMSAKHURDYA

International organization participation: BSEC, CE, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GUUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MIGA, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Levan MIKELADZE FAX: [1] (202) 393-4537 telephone: [1] (202) 387-4537 chancery: Suite 602, 1101 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Richard M. MILES embassy: #25 Atoneli Street, T'bilisi 0105 mailing address: 7060 Tbilisi Place, Washington, DC 20521-7060 telephone: [995] (32) 989-967/68 FAX: [995] (32) 933-759

Flag description: white rectangle, in its central portion a red cross connecting all four sides of the flag; in each of the four corners is a small red bolnur-katskhuri cross; the five-cross flag appears to date back to the 14th century

Economy Georgia

Economy - overview: Georgia's main economic activities include the cultivation of agricultural products such as citrus fruits, tea, hazelnuts, and grapes; mining of manganese and copper; and output of a small industrial sector producing alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages, metals, machinery, and chemicals. The country imports the bulk of its energy needs, including natural gas and oil products. Its only sizable internal energy resource is hydropower. Despite the severe damage the economy has suffered due to civil strife, Georgia, with the help of the IMF and World Bank, has made substantial economic gains since 1995, achieving positive GDP growth and curtailing inflation. However, the Georgian Government suffers from limited resources due to a chronic failure to collect tax revenues. Georgia also suffers from energy shortages; it privatized the T'bilisi distribution network in 1998, but collection rates are low, making the venture unprofitable. The country is pinning its hopes for long-term growth on its role as a transit state for pipelines and trade. The start of construction on the Baku-T'bilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline and the Baku-T'bilisi-Erzerum gas pipeline will bring much-needed investment and job opportunities.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $12.18 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 5.5% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,500 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 20.5% industry: 22.6% services: 56.9% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed): 18% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line: 54% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.3% highest 10%: 27.9% (1996)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 37.1 (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.8% (2003 est.)

Labor force: 2.1 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 40%, industry 20%, services 40% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: 17% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $603.5 million expenditures: $700.5 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products: citrus, grapes, tea, hazelnuts, vegetables; livestock

Industries: steel, aircraft, machine tools, electrical appliances, mining (manganese and copper), chemicals, wood products, wine

Industrial production growth rate: 3% (2000)

Electricity - production: 7.27 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption: 7.611 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports: 850 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production: 2,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption: 31,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports: NA (2001)

Oil - imports: NA (2001)

Natural gas - production: 60 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption: 1.16 billion cu m (2001 est.)

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

Natural gas - imports: 1.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Current account balance: $-365 million (2003)

Exports: $615 million (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities: scrap metal, machinery, chemicals; fuel reexports; citrus fruits, tea, wine

Exports - partners: Russia 17.7%, Turkey 17.3%, Turkmenistan 12.2%, Armenia 8.6%, Switzerland 6.9%, Ukraine 6.3%, UK 5.9% (2003)

Imports: $1.25 billion (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities: fuels, machinery and parts, transport equipment, grain and other foods, pharmaceuticals

Imports - partners: Russia 14%, UK 12.9%, Turkey 9.9%, Azerbaijan 8.3%, US 8%, Germany 7.3%, Ukraine 7%, France 4.9% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold: $190.7 million (2003)

Debt - external: $1.8 billion (2002)

Economic aid - recipient: ODA $150 million (2000 est.)

Currency: lari (GEL)

Currency code: GEL

Exchange rates: lari per US dollar - 2.1457 (2003), 2.1957 (2002), 2.073 (2001), 1.9762 (2000), 2.0245 (1999)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Georgia

Telephones - main lines in use: 650,500 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 522,300 (2003)

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: local - T'bilisi and K'ut'aisi have cellular telephone networks; urban telephone density is about 20 per 100 people; rural telephone density is about 4 per 100 people; intercity facilities include a fiber-optic line between T'bilisi and K'ut'aisi; nationwide pager service is available international: country code - 995; Georgia and Russia are working on a fiber-optic line between P'ot'i and Sochi (Russia); present international service is available by microwave, landline, and satellite through the Moscow switch; international electronic mail and telex service are available

Radio broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 12, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios: 3.02 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 12 (plus repeaters) (1998)

Televisions: 2.57 million (1997)

Internet country code: .ge

Internet hosts: 5,160 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 6 (2000)

Internet users: 150,500 (2003)

Transportation Georgia

Railways: total: 1,612 km (1,612 km electrified) broad gauge: 1,575 km 1.520-m gauge (1,575 electrified) narrow gauge: 37 km 0.912-m gauge (37 electrified) (2003)

Highways: total: 20,363 km paved: 19,038 km unpaved: 1,325 km (2000)

Pipelines: gas 1,697 km; oil 1,027 km; refined products 232 km (2004)

Ports and harbors: Bat'umi, P'ot'i, Sokhumi

Merchant marine: total: 144 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 855,908 GRT/1,288,812 DWT by type: bulk 20, cargo 95, chemical tanker 1, container 11, liquefied gas 1, multi-functional large load carrier 1, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 9, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 2, short-sea/passenger 1, specialized tanker 1 foreign-owned: Albania 2, Belize 2, British Virgin Islands 2, Bulgaria 1, Cyprus 5, Ecuador 1, Egypt 3, Estonia 1, Germany 1, Gibraltar 1, Greece 13, Israel 1, Italy 1, Latvia 4, Lebanon 3, Liberia 2, Madagascar 1, Malta 1, Netherlands 2, Norway 1, Panama 8, Romania 6, Russia 10, Saint Kitts and Nevis 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4, Saudi Arabia 1, Syria 31, Turkey 10, Ukraine 16, registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports: 31 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 17 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 under 914 m: 2 (2003 est.) 914 to 1,523 m: 2

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 2 (2003 est.)

Transportation - note: transportation network is in poor condition resulting from ethnic conflict, criminal activities, and fuel shortages; network lacks maintenance and repair

Military Georgia

Military branches: Ground Forces (including National Guard), Air and Air Defense Forces, Maritime Defense Force

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 18 months (2004)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,156,302 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 906,400 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 39,570 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $23 million (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.59% (FY00)

Military - note: a CIS peacekeeping force of Russian troops is deployed in the Abkhazia region of Georgia together with a UN military observer group; a Russian peacekeeping battalion is deployed in South Ossetia

Transnational Issues Georgia

Disputes - international: about a third of the boundary with Russia remains undelimited, and none of it demarcated, with several small, strategic segments remaining in dispute; OSCE observers monitor volatile areas such as the Pankisi Gorge in the Akhmeti region and the Argun Gorge in Abkhazia; Meshkheti Turks scattered throughout the former Soviet Union seek to return to Georgia; boundary with Armenia remains undemarcated; ethnic Armenian groups in Javakheti region of Georgia seek greater autonomy from the Georgian government; Azerbaijan protests Georgian construction at the Red Bridge crossing and several other small segments of boundary, which remain unresolved until delimitation

Refugees and internally displaced persons: IDPs: 260,000 (displaced from Abkhazia and South Ossetia) (2004)

Illicit drugs: limited cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for domestic consumption; used as transshipment point for opiates via Central Asia to Western Europe and Russia

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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@Germany

Introduction Germany

Background: As Europe's largest economy and most populous nation, Germany remains a key member of the continent's economic, political, and defense organizations. European power struggles immersed Germany in two devastating World Wars in the first half of the 20th century and left the country occupied by the victorious Allied powers of the US, UK, France, and the Soviet Union in 1945. With the advent of the Cold War, two German states were formed in 1949: the western Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) and the eastern German Democratic Republic (GDR). The democratic FRG embedded itself in key Western economic and security organizations, the EC, which became the EU, and NATO, while the Communist GDR was on the front line of the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact. The decline of the USSR and the end of the Cold War allowed for German unification in 1990. Since then, Germany has expended considerable funds to bring Eastern productivity and wages up to Western standards. In January 1999, Germany and 10 other EU countries introduced a common European exchange currency, the euro.

Geography Germany

Location: Central Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, between the Netherlands and Poland, south of Denmark

Geographic coordinates: 51 00 N, 9 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 357,021 sq km water: 7,798 sq km land: 349,223 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Montana

Land boundaries: total: 3,621 km border countries: Austria 784 km, Belgium 167 km, Czech Republic 646 km, Denmark 68 km, France 451 km, Luxembourg 138 km, Netherlands 577 km, Poland 456 km, Switzerland 334 km

Coastline: 2,389 km

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

Climate: temperate and marine; cool, cloudy, wet winters and summers; occasional warm mountain (foehn) wind

Terrain: lowlands in north, uplands in center, Bavarian Alps in south

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Neuendorf bei Wilster -3.54 m highest point: Zugspitze 2,963 m

Natural resources: coal, lignite, natural gas, iron ore, copper, nickel, uranium, potash, salt, construction materials, timber, arable land

Land use: arable land: 33.85% permanent crops: 0.59% other: 65.56% (2001)

Irrigated land: 4,850 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: flooding

Environment - current issues: emissions from coal-burning utilities and industries contribute to air pollution; acid rain, resulting from sulfur dioxide emissions, is damaging forests; pollution in the Baltic Sea from raw sewage and industrial effluents from rivers in eastern Germany; hazardous waste disposal; government established a mechanism for ending the use of nuclear power over the next 15 years; government working to meet EU commitment to identify nature preservation areas in line with the EU's Flora, Fauna, and Habitat directive

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note: strategic location on North European Plain and along the entrance to the Baltic Sea

People Germany

Population: 82,424,609 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 14.7% (male 6,197,490; female 5,879,052) 15-64 years: 67% (male 28,119,536; female 27,132,713) 65 years and over: 18.3% (male 6,096,106; female 8,999,712) (2004 est.)

Median age: total: 41.7 years male: 40.4 years female: 43.2 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.02% (2004 est.)

Birth rate: 8.45 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate: 10.44 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate: 2.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 4.2 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 4.64 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.54 years male: 75.56 years female: 81.68 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.38 children born/woman (2004 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 41,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 1,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality: noun: German(s) adjective: German

Ethnic groups: German 91.5%, Turkish 2.4%, other 6.1% (made up largely of Greek, Italian, Polish, Russian, Serbo-Croatian, Spanish)

Religions: Protestant 34%, Roman Catholic 34%, Muslim 3.7%, unaffiliated or other 28.3%

Languages: German

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% (1997 est.) male: NA female: NA

Government Germany

Country name: conventional long form: Federal Republic of Germany conventional short form: Germany local short form: Deutschland former: German Empire, German Republic, German Reich local long form: Bundesrepublik Deutschland

Government type: federal republic

Capital: Berlin

Administrative divisions: 13 states (Laender, singular - Land) and 3 free states* (Freistaaten, singular - Freistaat); Baden-Wuerttemberg, Bayern*, Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hessen, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Niedersachsen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Saarland, Sachsen*, Sachsen-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein, Thueringen*

Independence: 18 January 1871 (German Empire unification); divided into four zones of occupation (UK, US, USSR, and later, France) in 1945 following World War II; Federal Republic of Germany (FRG or West Germany) proclaimed 23 May 1949 and included the former UK, US, and French zones; German Democratic Republic (GDR or East Germany) proclaimed 7 October 1949 and included the former USSR zone; unification of West Germany and East Germany took place 3 October 1990; all four powers formally relinquished rights 15 March 1991

National holiday: Unity Day, 3 October (1990)

Constitution: 23 May 1949, known as Basic Law; became constitution of the united German people 3 October 1990

Legal system: civil law system with indigenous concepts; judicial review of legislative acts in the Federal Constitutional Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Horst KOEHLER (since 1 July 2004) elections: president elected for a five-year term by a Federal Convention including all members of the Federal Assembly and an equal number of delegates elected by the state parliaments; election last held 23 May 2004 (next to be held 23 May 2009); chancellor elected by an absolute majority of the Federal Assembly for a four-year term; election last held 22 September 2002 (next to be held September 2006) head of government: Chancellor Gerhard SCHROEDER (since 27 October 1998); Vice Chancellor Joschka FISCHER (since 17 October 1998) cabinet: Cabinet or Bundesminister (Federal Ministers) appointed by the president on the recommendation of the chancellor election results: Horst KOEHLER elected president; received 604 votes of the Federal Convention against 589 for Gesine SCHWAN; Gerhard SCHROEDER elected chancellor; percent of Federal Assembly vote 50.7%

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Federal Assembly or Bundestag (603 seats; elected by popular vote under a system combining direct and proportional representation; a party must win 5% of the national vote or three direct mandates to gain representation; members serve four-year terms) and the Federal Council or Bundesrat (69 votes; state governments are directly represented by votes; each has 3 to 6 votes depending on population and are required to vote as a block) elections: Federal Assembly - last held 22 September 2002 (next to be held NA September 2006); note - there are no elections for the Bundesrat; composition is determined by the composition of the state-level governments; the composition of the Bundesrat has the potential to change any time one of the 16 states holds an election election results: Federal Assembly - percent of vote by party - SPD 38.5%, CDU/CSU 38.5%, Alliance '90/Greens 8.6%, FDP 7.4%, PDS 4%; seats by party - SPD 251, CDU/CSU 248, Alliance '90/Greens 55, FDP 47, PDS 2; Federal Council - current composition - NA

Judicial branch: Federal Constitutional Court or Bundesverfassungsgericht (half the judges are elected by the Bundestag and half by the Bundesrat)

Political parties and leaders: Alliance '90/Greens [Angelika BEER and Reinhard BUETIKOFER]; Christian Democratic Union or CDU [Angela MERKEL]; Christian Social Union or CSU [Edmund STOIBER, chairman]; Free Democratic Party or FDP [Guido WESTERWELLE, chairman]; Party of Democratic Socialism or PDS [Lothar BISKY]; Social Democratic Party or SPD [Franz MUENTEFERING]

Political pressure groups and leaders: business associations, employers' organizations; expellee, refugee, trade unions, and veterans groups

International organization participation: AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS, CDB, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 5, G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMOVIC, UNOMIG, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Wolfgang Friedrich ISCHINGER consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco FAX: [1] (202) 298-4249 telephone: [1] (202) 298-8140 chancery: 4645 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel R. COATS embassy: Neustaedtische Kirchstrasse 4-5, 10117 Berlin; note - a new embassy will be built near the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin; ground was broken in October 2004 and completion is scheduled for 2008 mailing address: PSC 120, Box 1000, APO AE 09265 telephone: [49] (030) 8305-0 FAX: [49] (030) 8305-1215 consulate(s) general: Duesseldorf, Frankfurt am Main, Hamburg, Leipzig, Munich

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and gold

Economy Germany

Economy - overview: Germany's affluent and technologically powerful economy- the fifth largest national economy in the world - has become one of the slowest growing economies in the entire euro zone, and a quick turnaround is not in the offing in the foreseeable future. Growth in 2001-03 fell short of 1%. The modernization and integration of the eastern German economy continues to be a costly long-term process, with annual transfers from west to east amounting to roughly $70 billion. Germany's ageing population, combined with high unemployment, has pushed social security outlays to a level exceeding contributions from workers. Structural rigidities in the labor market - including strict regulations on laying off workers and the setting of wages on a national basis - have made unemployment a chronic problem. Corporate restructuring and growing capital markets are setting the foundations that could allow Germany to meet the long-term challenges of European economic integration and globalization, particularly if labor market rigidities are further addressed. The government is also starting long-needed structural reforms designed to revitalize the country's economy. In the short run, however, the fall in government revenues and the rise in expenditures have raised the deficit above the EU's 3% debt limit.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $2.271 trillion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: -0.1% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $27,600 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1% industry: 31% services: 68% (2002 est.)

Investment (gross fixed): 17.7% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line: NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.6% highest 10%: 25.1% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 30 (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.1% (2003 est.)

Labor force: 42.63 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 2.8%, industry 33.4%, services 63.8% (1999)

Unemployment rate: 10.5% (2003 est.)

Budget: revenues: $1.079 trillion expenditures: $1.173 trillion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)

Public debt: 64.2% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products: potatoes, wheat, barley, sugar beets, fruit, cabbages; cattle, pigs, poultry

Industries: among the world's largest and most technologically advanced producers of iron, steel, coal, cement, chemicals, machinery, vehicles, machine tools, electronics, food and beverages; shipbuilding; textiles

Industrial production growth rate: 0.2% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production: 544.8 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption: 506.8 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports: 43.9 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports: 44 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production: 85,860 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption: 2.813 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports: 404,300 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports: 3.081 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves: 327.3 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production: 22.16 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption: 94.34 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports: 6.674 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports: 78.73 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves: 298.3 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance: $57.24 billion (2003)

Exports: $696.9 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities: machinery, vehicles, chemicals, metals and manufactures, foodstuffs, textiles

Exports - partners: France 10.6%, US 9.3%, UK 8.4%, Italy 7.4%, Netherlands 6.2%, Austria 5.3%, Belgium 5.1%, Spain 4.9%, Switzerland 4% (2003)

Imports: $585 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery, vehicles, chemicals, foodstuffs, textiles, metals

Imports - partners: France 9.2%, Netherlands 8.4%, US 7.3%, Italy 6.3%, UK 6%, Belgium 4.9%, China 4.7%, Austria 4% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold: $96.84 billion (2003)

Debt - external: NA (2000 est.)

Economic aid - donor: ODA, $5.6 billion (1998)

Currency: euro (EUR) note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code: EUR

Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Germany

Telephones - main lines in use: 54.35 million (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 64.8 million (2003)

Telephone system: general assessment: Germany has one of the world's most technologically advanced telecommunications systems; as a result of intensive capital expenditures since reunification, the formerly backward system of the eastern part of the country, dating back to World War II, has been modernized and integrated with that of the western part domestic: Germany is served by an extensive system of automatic telephone exchanges connected by modern networks of fiber-optic cable, coaxial cable, microwave radio relay, and a domestic satellite system; cellular telephone service is widely available, expanding rapidly, and includes roaming service to many foreign countries international: country code - 49; Germany's international service is excellent worldwide, consisting of extensive land and undersea cable facilities as well as earth stations in the INMARSAT, INTELSAT, EUTELSAT, and INTERSPUTNIK satellite systems (2001)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 51, FM 787, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios: 77.8 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 373 (plus 8,042 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions: 51.4 million (1998)

Internet country code: .de

Internet hosts: 2,686,119 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 200 (2001)

Internet users: 39 million (2003)

Transportation Germany

Railways: total: 46,039 km (20,100 km electrified) standard gauge: 45,801 km 1.435-m gauge (20,084 km electrified) narrow gauge: 214 km 1.000-m gauge (16 km electrified); 24 km 0.750-m gauge (2003)

Highways: total: 230,735 km paved: 230,735 km (including 11,515 km of expressways) unpaved: 0 km (1999)

Waterways: 7,300 km note: Rhine River carries most goods; Main-Danube Canal links North Sea and Black Sea (2004)

Pipelines: condensate 325 km; gas 25,293 km; oil 3,540 km; refined products 3,827 km (2004)

Ports and harbors: Berlin, Bonn, Brake, Bremen, Bremerhaven, Cologne, Dresden, Duisburg, Emden, Hamburg, Karlsruhe, Kiel, Luebeck, Magdeburg, Mannheim, Rostock, Stuttgart

Merchant marine: total: 278 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,721,495 GRT/6,810,631 DWT by type: cargo 71, chemical tanker 14, container 169, liquefied gas 3, multi-functional large load carrier 1, passenger 3, petroleum tanker 5, rail car carrier 2, roll on/roll off 3, short-sea/passenger 7 registered in other countries: 2,295 (2004 est.) foreign-owned: Finland 4, Iceland 1, Netherlands 3

Airports: 550 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 331 over 3,047 m: 13 2,438 to 3,047 m: 51 914 to 1,523 m: 71 under 914 m: 134 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 62

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 219 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 under 914 m: 185 (2004 est.) 914 to 1,523 m: 31

Heliports: 34 (2003 est.)

Military Germany

Military branches: Army (Heer), Navy (Deutsche Marine; including Naval Air arm), Air Force (Luftwaffe), Joint Support Service, Central Medical Service

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age (conscripts serve a nine-month tour of compulsory military service) (2004 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 20,468,942 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 17,338,435 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 484,837 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $35.063 billion (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.5% (2003)

Transnational Issues Germany

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: source of precursor chemicals for South American cocaine processors; transshipment point for and consumer of Southwest Asian heroin, Latin American cocaine, and European-produced synthetic drugs; major financial center

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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@Ghana

Introduction Ghana

Background: Formed from the merger of the British colony of the Gold Coast and the Togoland trust territory, Ghana in 1957 became the first sub-Saharan country in colonial Africa to gain its independence. A long series of coups resulted in the suspension of the constitution in 1981 and the banning of political parties. A new constitution, restoring multiparty politics, was approved in 1992. Lt. Jerry RAWLINGS, head of state since 1981, won presidential elections in 1992 and 1996, but was constitutionally prevented from running for a third term in 2000. He was succeeded by John KUFUOR, who defeated former Vice President Atta MILLS in a free and fair election.

Geography Ghana

Location: Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote d'Ivoire and Togo

Geographic coordinates: 8 00 N, 2 00 W

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 239,460 sq km land: 230,940 sq km water: 8,520 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries: total: 2,094 km border countries: Burkina Faso 549 km, Cote d'Ivoire 668 km, Togo 877 km

Coastline: 539 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate: tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast; hot and humid in southwest; hot and dry in north

Terrain: mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Afadjato 880 m

Natural resources: gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish, rubber, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 16.26% permanent crops: 9.67% other: 74.07% (2001)

Irrigated land: 110 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: dry, dusty, northeastern harmattan winds occur from January to March; droughts

Environment - current issues: recurrent drought in north severely affects agricultural activities; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; poaching and habitat destruction threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water

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

Geography - note: Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake

People Ghana

Population: 20,757,032 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 2004 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 38% (male 3,988,800; female 3,904,989) 15-64 years: 58.3% (male 6,030,151; female 6,071,725) 65 years and over: 3.7% (male 359,042; female 402,325) (2004 est.)

Median age: total: 20 years male: 19.8 years female: 20.3 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.36% (2004 est.)

Birth rate: 24.9 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate: 10.67 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 52.22 deaths/1,000 live births female: 49.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 55.1 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 56.27 years male: 55.36 years female: 57.22 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.17 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 3.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 350,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 30,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases: typhoid fever, malaria, yellow fever, schistosomiasis overall degree of risk: very high (2004)

Nationality: noun: Ghanaian(s) adjective: Ghanaian

Ethnic groups: black African 98.5% (major tribes - Akan 44%, Moshi-Dagomba 16%, Ewe 13%, Ga 8%, Gurma 3%, Yoruba 1%), European and other 1.5% (1998)

Religions: Christian 63%, Muslim 16%, indigenous beliefs 21%

Languages: English (official), African languages (including Akan, Moshi-Dagomba, Ewe, and Ga)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write female: 67.1% (2003 est.) male: 82.7% total population: 74.8%

People - note: there are 9,500 Liberians, 2,000 Sierra Leoneans, and 1,000 Togolese refugees residing in Ghana (2002)

Government Ghana

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Ghana conventional short form: Ghana former: Gold Coast

Government type: constitutional democracy

Capital: Accra

Administrative divisions: 10 regions; Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra, Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Western