Introductory material (continued 14)

Independence: 6 March 1957 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 6 March (1957)

Constitution: approved 28 April 1992

Legal system: based on English common law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President John Agyekum KUFUOR (since 7 January 2001); Vice President Alhaji Aliu MAHAMA (since 7 January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President John Agyekum KUFUOR (since 7 January 2001); Vice President Alhaji Aliu MAHAMA (since 7 January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers; president nominates members subject to approval by Parliament elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 7 December 2004 (next to be held December 2008) election results: John Agyekum KUFUOR reelected president in election; percent of vote - John KUFUOR 53.4%, John Atta MILLS 43.7%

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (230 seats; note - increased from 200 seats in last election; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 7 December 2004 (next to be held December 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NPP 128, NDC 92, other 10

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: Convention People's Party or CPP [Nii Noi DOWUONA, general secretary]; Every Ghanaian Living Everywhere or EGLE [Owuraku AMOFA, chairman]; Great Consolidated Popular Party or GCPP [Dan LARTY]; National Convention Party or NCP [Sarpong KUMA-KUMA]; National Democratic Congress or NDC [Dr. Huudu YAHAYA, general secretary]; New Patriotic Party or NPP [Samuel Arthur ODOI-SYKES]; People's Convention Party or PCP [P. K. DONKOH-AYIFI, acting chairman]; People's Heritage Party or PHP [Emmanuel Alexander ERSKINE]; People's National Convention or PNC [Edward MAHAMA]; Reform Party [Kyeretwie OPUKU, general secretary]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Alan J. KYEREMATEN consulate(s) general: New York FAX: [1] (202) 686-4527 telephone: [1] (202) 686-4520 chancery: 3512 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mary Carlin YATES embassy: 6th and 10th Lanes, 798/1 Osu, Accra mailing address: P. O. Box 194, Accra telephone: [233] (21) 775-347, 775-348 FAX: [233] (21) 701-813

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green with a large black five-pointed star centered in the yellow band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the flag of Bolivia, which has a coat of arms centered in the yellow band

Economy Ghana

Economy - overview: Well endowed with natural resources, Ghana has roughly twice the per capita output of the poorer countries in West Africa. Even so, Ghana remains heavily dependent on international financial and technical assistance. Gold, timber, and cocoa production are major sources of foreign exchange. The domestic economy continues to revolve around subsistence agriculture, which accounts for 35% of GDP and employs 60% of the work force, mainly small landholders. Ghana opted for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) program in 2002. Policy priorities include tighter monetary and fiscal policies, accelerated privatization, and improvement of social services. Receipts from the gold sector should help sustain GDP growth in 2004. Inflation should ease, but remain a major internal problem.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $44.44 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4.7% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,200 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 35.4% industry: 25.4% services: 39.2% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed): 24.5% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line: 31.4% (1992 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.2% highest 10%: 30.1% (1999)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 40.7 (1999)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 26.7% (2003 est.)

Labor force: 10 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 60%, industry 15%, services 25% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: 20% (1997 est.)

Budget: revenues: $1.943 billion expenditures: $2.192 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products: cocoa, rice, coffee, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, corn, shea nuts, bananas; timber

Industries: mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum smelting, food processing

Industrial production growth rate: 3.8% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production: 8.801 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption: 8.835 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports: 300 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports: 950 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production: 7,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption: 38,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports: NA (2001)

Oil - imports: NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves: 8.255 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - proved reserves: 11.89 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance: $110 million (2003)

Exports: $2.642 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities: gold, cocoa, timber, tuna, bauxite, aluminum, manganese ore, diamonds

Exports - partners: Netherlands 11.2%, UK 10.7%, France 7.7%, Germany 6.2%, Japan 5.2%, Italy 4.6%, Turkey 4.4%, US 4.3% (2003)

Imports: $3.24 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities: capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs

Imports - partners: Nigeria 13.2%, China 9.3%, UK 7.2%, US 6.1%, Germany 4.8%, France 4.5%, South Africa 4% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold: $1.469 billion (2003)

Debt - external: $7.398 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $6.9 billion (1999)

Currency: cedi (GHC)

Currency code: GHC

Exchange rates: cedis per US dollar - NA (2003), 7,932.7 (2002), 7,170.76 (2001), 5,455.06 (2000), 2,669.3 (1999)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Ghana

Telephones - main lines in use: 302,300 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 799,900 (2003)

Telephone system: general assessment: poor to fair system; Internet accessible; many rural communities not yet connected; expansion of services is underway domestic: primarily microwave radio relay; wireless local loop has been installed international: country code - 233; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); microwave radio relay link to Panaftel system connects Ghana to its neighbors; fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 49, shortwave 3 (2001)

Radios: 12.5 million (2001)

Television broadcast stations: 10 (2001)

Televisions: 1.9 million (2001)

Internet country code: .gh

Internet hosts: 407 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 12 (2000)

Internet users: 170,000 (2002)

Transportation Ghana

Railways: total: 953 km narrow gauge: 953 km 1.067-m gauge (2003)

Highways: total: 39,409 km paved: 11,665 km unpaved: 27,744 km (1999 est.)

Waterways: 1,293 km note: 168 km for launches and lighters on Volta, Ankobra, and Tano rivers; 1,125 km of arterial and feeder waterways on Lake Volta (2003)

Pipelines: refined products 74 km (2004)

Ports and harbors: Takoradi, Tema

Merchant marine: total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 19,086 GRT/26,185 DWT foreign-owned: Brazil 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Spain 1 (2004 est.) by type: petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 5

Airports: 12 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Ghana

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force

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

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 5,391,378 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 2,994,600 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 244,809 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $44 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.6% (2003)

Transnational Issues Ghana

Disputes - international: Ghana must still deal with refugees and returning nationals escaping rebel fighting in Cote d'Ivoire

Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 42,466 (Liberia) (2004)

Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; major transit hub for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin and, to a lesser extent, South American cocaine destined for Europe and the US; widespread crime and corruption have made money laundering a problem, but the lack of a well-developed financial infrastructure limits the country's utility as a money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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@Gibraltar

Introduction Gibraltar

Background: Strategically important, Gibraltar was ceded to Great Britain by Spain in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht; the British garrison was formally declared a colony in 1830. In referendums held in 1967 and 2002, Gibraltarians ignored Spanish pressure and voted overwhelmingly to remain a British dependency.

Geography Gibraltar

Location: Southwestern Europe, bordering the Strait of Gibraltar, which links the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southern coast of Spain

Geographic coordinates: 36 8 N, 5 21 W

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 6.5 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 6.5 sq km

Area - comparative: about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 1.2 km border countries: Spain 1.2 km

Coastline: 12 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm

Climate: Mediterranean with mild winters and warm summers

Terrain: a narrow coastal lowland borders the Rock of Gibraltar

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Rock of Gibraltar 426 m

Natural resources: none

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

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: limited natural freshwater resources: large concrete or natural rock water catchments collect rainwater (no longer used for drinking water) and adequate desalination plant

Geography - note: strategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea

People Gibraltar

Population: 27,833 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 18% (male 2,554; female 2,452) 15-64 years: 66.2% (male 9,460; female 8,965) 65 years and over: 15.8% (male 1,939; female 2,463) (2004 est.)

Median age: total: 39 years male: 38.8 years female: 39.2 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.19% (2004 est.)

Birth rate: 10.99 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate: 9.05 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 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: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 5.22 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 5.81 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 79.52 years male: 76.65 years female: 82.54 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.65 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: Gibraltarian(s) adjective: Gibraltar

Ethnic groups: Spanish, Italian, English, Maltese, Portuguese, German, North Africans

Religions: Roman Catholic 76.9%, Church of England 6.9%, Muslim 6.9%, Jewish 2.3%, none or other 7% (1991)

Languages: English (used in schools and for official purposes), Spanish, Italian, Portuguese

Literacy: definition: NA total population: above 80% male: NA female: NA

Government Gibraltar

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

Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK

Government type: NA

Capital: Gibraltar

Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of the UK)

Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday: National Day, 10 September (1967); note - day of the national referendum to decide whether to remain with the UK or go with Spain

Constitution: 30 May 1969

Legal system: English law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal, plus other UK subjects who have been residents six months or more

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor and Commander-in-Chief Sir Francis RICHARDS (since 27 May 2003) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed chief minister by the governor head of government: Chief Minister Peter CARUANA (since 17 May 1996) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed from among the 15 elected members of the House of Assembly by the governor in consultation with the chief minister

Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly (18 seats - 15 elected by popular vote, one appointed for the Speaker, and two ex officio members; members serve four-year terms) elections: last held 27 November 2003 (next to be held not later than February 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - GSD 58%, GSLP 41%; seats by party - GSD 8, GSLP 7

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders: Gibraltar Liberal Party [Joseph GARCIA]; Gibraltar Social Democrats or GSD [Peter CARUANA]; Gibraltar Socialist Labor Party or GSLP [Joseph John BOSSANO]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Chamber of Commerce; Gibraltar Representatives Organization; Women's Association

International organization participation: Interpol (subbureau), UPU

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

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

Flag description: two horizontal bands of white (top, double width) and red with a three-towered red castle in the center of the white band; hanging from the castle gate is a gold key centered in the red band

Economy Gibraltar

Economy - overview: Gibraltar benefits from an extensive shipping trade, offshore banking, and its position as an international conference center. The British military presence has been sharply reduced and now contributes about 7% to the local economy, compared with 60% in 1984. The financial sector, tourism (almost 5 million visitors in 1998), shipping services fees, and duties on consumer goods also generate revenue. The financial sector, the shipping sector, and tourism each contribute 25%-30% of GDP. Telecommunications accounts for another 10%. In recent years, Gibraltar has seen major structural change from a public to a private sector economy, but changes in government spending still have a major impact on the level of employment.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $500 million (1997 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: NA

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $17,500 (1997 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA industry: NA services: NA (2002 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% (1998)

Labor force: 14,800 (including non-Gibraltar laborers) (1999)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture negligible, industry 40%, services 60%

Unemployment rate: 2% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $307 million expenditures: $284 million, including capital expenditures of NA (FY00/01 est.)

Agriculture - products: none

Industries: tourism, banking and finance, ship repairing, tobacco

Industrial production growth rate: NA

Electricity - production: 100 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption: 93 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2001)

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

Oil - consumption: 42,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports: NA (2001)

Oil - imports: NA (2001)

Exports: $136 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities: (principally reexports) petroleum 51%, manufactured goods 41%, other 8%

Exports - partners: Germany 25.6%, France 24.8%, UK 14.3%, Turkmenistan 9.4%, Switzerland 7.5%, Spain 5.6% (2003)

Imports: $1.743 billion c.i.f. (2002)

Imports - commodities: fuels, manufactured goods, and foodstuffs

Imports - partners: Spain 26.5%, UK 14.8%, Russia 8.2%, Italy 6.6%, Netherlands 6.5%, France 5.3%, Germany 4.6%, Romania 4.2% (2003)

Debt - external: NA (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: NA

Currency: Gibraltar pound (GIP)

Currency code: GIP

Exchange rates: Gibraltar pounds per US dollar - 0.6661 (2002), 0.6944 (2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998); note - the Gibraltar pound is at par with the British pound

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Communications Gibraltar

Telephones - main lines in use: 24,512 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 9,797 (2002)

Telephone system: general assessment: adequate, automatic domestic system and adequate international facilities domestic: automatic exchange facilities international: country code - 350; radiotelephone; microwave radio relay; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

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

Radios: 37,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (plus three low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 10,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .gi

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)

Internet users: 6,200 (2002)

Transportation Gibraltar

Highways: total: 29 km paved: 29 km unpaved: 0 km (2002)

Ports and harbors: Gibraltar

Merchant marine: total: 133 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 980,636 GRT/1,254,661 DWT by type: bulk 3, cargo 69, chemical tanker 14, container 27, multi-functional large load carrier 3, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 13, roll on/roll off 2 registered in other countries: 4 (2004 est.) foreign-owned: Belgium 1, Cyprus 3, Denmark 1, Estonia 1, France 1, Germany 92, Greece 11, Hong Kong 2, Iceland 1, Monaco 4, Norway 6, Spain 1, United Kingdom 6, United States 2

Airports: 1 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Gibraltar

Military branches: Royal Gibraltar Regiment

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK; the last British regular infantry forces left Gibraltar in 1992, replaced by the Royal Gibraltar Regiment

Transnational Issues Gibraltar

Disputes - international: since Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by referendum in 2003 against a "total shared sovereignty" arrangement, talks between the UK and Spain over the fate of the 300-year-old UK colony have stalled; Spain disapproves of UK plans to grant Gibraltar greater autonomy

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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@Glorioso Islands

Introduction Glorioso Islands

Background: A French possession since 1892, the Glorioso Islands are composed of two lushly vegetated coral islands (Ile Glorieuse and Ile du Lys) and three rock islets. A military garrison operates a weather and radio station on Ile Glorieuse.

Geography Glorioso Islands

Location: Southern Africa, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, northwest of Madagascar

Geographic coordinates: 11 30 S, 47 20 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 5 sq km note: includes Ile Glorieuse, Ile du Lys, Verte Rocks, Wreck Rock, and South Rock water: 0 sq km land: 5 sq km

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

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 35.2 km

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

Climate: tropical

Terrain: low and flat

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 12 m

Natural resources: guano, coconuts

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (all lush vegetation and coconut palms) (2001)

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: periodic cyclones

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: the islands and rocks are surrounded by an extensive reef system

People Glorioso Islands

Population: no indigenous inhabitants note: there is a small French military garrison along with a few meteorologists; visited by scientists (July 2004 est.)

Government Glorioso Islands

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Glorioso Islands local short form: Iles Glorieuses local long form: none

Dependency status: possession of France; administered by a high commissioner of the Republic, resident in Reunion

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

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (possession of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (possession of France)

Flag description: the flag of France is used

Economy Glorioso Islands

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Communications Glorioso Islands

Communications - note: 1 meteorological station

Transportation Glorioso Islands

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Airports: 1 (2003 est.)

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

Military Glorioso Islands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Glorioso Islands

Disputes - international: claimed by Madagascar

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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@Greece

Introduction Greece

Background: Greece achieved its independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1829. During the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, it gradually added neighboring islands and territories, most with Greek-speaking populations. In World War II, Greece was first invaded by Italy (1940) and subsequently occupied by Germany (1941-44); fighting endured in a protracted civil war between royalist supporters of the king and communist rebels. Following the latter's defeat in 1949, Greece was able to join NATO in 1952. A military dictatorship, which in 1967 suspended many political liberties and forced the king to flee the country, lasted seven years. The 1974 democratic elections and a referendum created a parliamentary republic and abolished the monarchy. Greece joined the European Community or EC in 1981 (which became the EU in 1992); it became the 12th member of the euro zone in 2001.

Geography Greece

Location: Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey

Geographic coordinates: 39 00 N, 22 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 131,940 sq km water: 1,140 sq km land: 130,800 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Alabama

Land boundaries: total: 1,228 km border countries: Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km, Turkey 206 km, Macedonia 246 km

Coastline: 13,676 km

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

Climate: temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers

Terrain: mostly mountains with ranges extending into the sea as peninsulas or chains of islands

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Olympus 2,917 m

Natural resources: lignite, petroleum, iron ore, bauxite, lead, zinc, nickel, magnesite, marble, salt, hydropower potential

Land use: arable land: 21.1% permanent crops: 8.78% other: 70.12% (2001)

Irrigated land: 14,220 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: severe earthquakes

Environment - current issues: air pollution; water pollution

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, 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 signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds

Geography - note: strategic location dominating the Aegean Sea and southern approach to Turkish Straits; a peninsular country, possessing an archipelago of about 2,000 islands

People Greece

Population: 10,647,529 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 14.5% (male 792,938; female 746,119) 15-64 years: 67% (male 3,563,703; female 3,566,549) 65 years and over: 18.6% (male 873,540; female 1,104,680) (2004 est.)

Median age: total: 40.2 years male: 39.1 years female: 41.3 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.2% (2004 est.)

Birth rate: 9.73 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate: 10.08 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate: 2.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 5.63 deaths/1,000 live births male: 6.19 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.94 years female: 81.59 years (2004 est.) male: 76.44 years

Total fertility rate: 1.32 children born/woman (2004 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 8,800 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality: noun: Greek(s) adjective: Greek

Ethnic groups: Greek 98%, other 2% note: the Greek Government states there are no ethnic divisions in Greece

Religions: Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7%

Languages: Greek 99% (official), English, French

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write female: 96.5% (2003 est.) total population: 97.5% male: 98.6%

People - note: women, men, and children are trafficked to and within Greece for the purposes of sexual exploitation and forced labor

Government Greece

Country name: conventional long form: Hellenic Republic conventional short form: Greece local short form: Ellas or Ellada former: Kingdom of Greece local long form: Elliniki Dhimokratia

Government type: parliamentary republic; monarchy rejected by referendum 8 December 1974

Capital: Athens

Administrative divisions: 51 prefectures (nomoi, singular - nomos) and 1 autonomous region*; Agion Oros* (Mt. Athos), Achaia, Aitolia kai Akarmania, Argolis, Arkadia, Arta, Attiki, Chalkidiki, Chanion, Chios, Dodekanisos, Drama, Evros, Evrytania, Evvoia, Florina, Fokidos, Fthiotis, Grevena, Ileia, Imathia, Ioannina, Irakleion, Karditsa, Kastoria, Kavala, Kefallinia, Kerkyra, Kilkis, Korinthia, Kozani, Kyklades, Lakonia, Larisa, Lasithi, Lefkas, Lesvos, Magnisia, Messinia, Pella, Pieria, Preveza, Rethynnis, Rodopi, Samos, Serrai, Thesprotia, Thessaloniki, Trikala, Voiotia, Xanthi, Zakynthos

Independence: 1829 (from the Ottoman Empire)

National holiday: Independence Day, 25 March (1821)

Constitution: 11 June 1975; amended March 1986 and April 2001

Legal system: based on codified Roman law; judiciary divided into civil, criminal, and administrative courts

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch: chief of state: President Konstandinos (Kostis) STEPHANOPOULOS (since 10 March 1995) elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term; election last held 8 February 2000 (next to be held by February 2005); according to the Greek Constitution, presidents may only serve two terms; president appoints leader of the party securing plurality of vote in election to become prime minister and form a government head of government: Prime Minister Konstandinos KARAMANLIS (since 7 March 2004) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister election results: Konstandinos STEPHANOPOULOS reelected president; percent of Parliament vote - 90%

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Vouli ton Ellinon (300 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: elections last held 7 March 2004 (next to be held by March 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - ND 45.4%, PASOK 40.6%, KKE 5.9%, Synaspismos 3.3%; seats by party - ND 165, PASOK 117, KKE 12, Synaspismos 6

Judicial branch: Supreme Judicial Court; Special Supreme Tribunal; all judges appointed for life by the president after consultation with a judicial council

Political parties and leaders: Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) [Alekos ALAVANOS]; Communist Party of Greece or KKE [Aleka PAPARIGA]; New Democracy or ND (conservative) [Konstandinos KARAMANLIS]; Panhellenic Socialist Movement or PASOK [Yiorgos PAPANDREOU]; Popular Orthodox Rally [Yeoryios KARATZAFERIS]

Political pressure groups and leaders: General Confederation of Greek Workers or GSEE [Khristos POLYZOGOPOLOS]; Federation of Greek Industries or SEV [Odysseas KYRIAKOPOULOS]; Civil Servants Confederation or ADEDY [Spyros PAPASPYROS]

International organization participation: Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, G- 6, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UPU, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Yeoryios SAVVAIDIS consulate(s): Atlanta, Houston, and Tampa consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco FAX: [1] (202) 939-1324 telephone: [1] (202) 939-1300 chancery: 2221 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Charles RIES embassy: 91 Vasilissis Sophias Avenue, 10160 Athens mailing address: PSC 108, APO AE 09842-0108 telephone: [30] (210) 721-2951 FAX: [30] (210) 645-6282 consulate(s) general: Thessaloniki

Flag description: nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with white; there is a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white cross; the cross symbolizes Greek Orthodoxy, the established religion of the country

Economy Greece

Economy - overview: Greece has a mixed capitalist economy with the public sector accounting for about 40% of GDP and with per capita GDP 70% of the leading euro-zone economies. Tourism provides 15% of GDP. Immigrants make up nearly one-fifth of the work force, mainly in menial jobs. Greece is a major beneficiary of EU aid, equal to about 3.3% of annual GDP. The Greek economy grew by about 4.0% for the past two years, largely because of an investment boom and infrastructure upgrades for the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. Despite strong growth, Greece has failed to meet the EU's Growth and Stability Pact budget deficit criteria of 3% of GDP since 2000; public debt, inflation, and unemployment are also above the eurozone average. Further restructuring of the economy include privatizing several state enterprises, undertaking pension and other reforms, and minimizing bureaucratic inefficiencies.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $213.6 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4.7% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $20,000 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6.7% industry: 22% services: 71.2% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed): 25.5% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line: NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3% highest 10%: 25.3% (1993 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 32.7 (1993)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.6% (2003 est.)

Labor force: 4.39 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 20%, industry 20%, services 60% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: 9.4% (2003 est.)

Budget: revenues: $76.84 billion expenditures: $79.48 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)

Public debt: 100.9% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products: wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, olives, tomatoes, wine, tobacco, potatoes; beef, dairy products

Industries: tourism; food and tobacco processing, textiles; chemicals, metal products; mining, petroleum

Industrial production growth rate: 0.7% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production: 49.79 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption: 48.8 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports: 1.062 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports: 3.562 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production: 5,992 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption: 405,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports: 84,720 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports: 468,300 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves: 4.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production: 35 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption: 2.021 billion cu m (2001 est.)

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

Natural gas - imports: 2.018 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves: 254.9 million cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance: $-11.33 billion (2003)

Exports: $5.899 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities: food and beverages, manufactured goods, petroleum products, chemicals, textiles

Exports - partners: Germany 12.6%, Italy 10.5%, UK 7%, US 6.5%, Bulgaria 6.2%, Cyprus 4.8%, France 4.2%, Turkey 4% (2003)

Imports: $33.27 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

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

Imports - partners: Germany 12.5%, Italy 12.2%, France 6.6%, Russia 6.1%, South Korea 5.4%, US 5.2%, Netherlands 5.2%, Japan 4.3%, UK 4.2% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold: $5.802 billion (2003)

Debt - external: $65.51 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $5.4 billion from EU (1995)

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), 365.399 (2000), 305.647 (1999)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Greece

Telephones - main lines in use: 5,205,100 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 8,936,200 (2003)

Telephone system: general assessment: adequate, modern networks reach all areas; good mobile telephone and international service domestic: microwave radio relay trunk system; extensive open-wire connections; submarine cable to offshore islands international: country code - 30; tropospheric scatter; 8 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 26, FM 88, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios: 5.02 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 36 (plus 1,341 low-power repeaters); also two stations in the US Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (1995)

Televisions: 2.54 million (1997)

Internet country code: .gr

Internet hosts: 208,977 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 27 (2000)

Internet users: 1,718,400 (2003)

Transportation Greece

Railways: total: 2,571 km (764 km electrified) standard gauge: 1,565 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 961 km 1.000-m gauge; 22 km 0.750-m gauge dual gauge: 23 km combined 1.435-m and 1.000-m gauges (three rail system) (2003)

Highways: total: 117,000 km paved: 107,406 km (including 470 km of expressways) unpaved: 9,594 km (1999 est.)

Waterways: 6 km note: Corinth Canal (6 km) crosses the Isthmus of Corinth; shortens sea voyage by 325 km (2004)

Pipelines: gas 1,166 km; oil 94 km (2004)

Ports and harbors: Alexandroupolis, Elefsis, Irakleion (Crete), Kavala, Kerkyra, Chalkis, Igoumenitsa, Lavrion, Patrai, Peiraiefs (Piraeus), Thessaloniki, Volos

Merchant marine: total: 793 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 30,186,624 GRT/52,943,968 DWT registered in other countries: 2,443 (2004 est.) foreign-owned: Belgium 1, Cyprus 1, Israel 1, Italy 1, Liberia 3, Malta 1, Marshall Islands 1, Norway 2, Panama 3, Singapore 1, Sweden 1, United Kingdom 2, United States 5 by type: bulk 298, cargo 57, chemical tanker 38, combination bulk 5, combination ore/oil 3, container 49, liquefied gas 5, passenger 10, petroleum tanker 267, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 19, short-sea/passenger 38, specialized tanker 3

Airports: 79 (note - new Athens airport at Spata opened in March 2001) (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 66 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 16 under 914 m: 9 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 20

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 7 (2003 est.)

Military Greece

Military branches: Hellenic Army, Hellenic Navy, Hellenic Air Force (EPA), National Guard

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; during wartime the law allows for recruitment after reaching January of the year of inductee's 18th birthday, thus including 17 year olds; 17 years of age for volunteers; conscript service obligation - 12 months for the Army, 14 months for the Air Force, 15 months for the Navy (April 2003)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 2,638,949 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 2,004,343 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 63,496 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $7,288.9 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 4.3% (2003)

Transnational Issues Greece

Disputes - international: Greece and Turkey have resumed discussions to resolve their complex maritime, air, territorial, and boundary disputes in the Aegean Sea; Cyprus question with Turkey; dispute with the Republic of Macedonia over its name

Illicit drugs: a gateway to Europe for traffickers smuggling cannabis and heroin from the Middle East and Southwest Asia to the West and precursor chemicals to the East; some South American cocaine transits or is consumed in Greece; money laundering related to drug trafficking and organized crime

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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@Greenland

Introduction Greenland

Background: The world's largest island, Greenland is about 81% ice-capped. Vikings reached the island in the 10th century from Iceland; Danish colonization began in the 18th century and Greenland was made an integral part of Denmark in 1953. It joined the European Community (now the European Union) with Denmark in 1973 but withdrew in 1985 over a dispute over stringent fishing quotas. Greenland was granted self-government in 1979 by the Danish parliament. The law went into effect the following year. Denmark continues to exercise control of Greenland's foreign affairs.

Geography Greenland

Location: Northern North America, island between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Canada

Geographic coordinates: 72 00 N, 40 00 W

Map references: Arctic Region

Area: total: 2,166,086 sq km land: 2,166,086 sq km (410,449 sq km ice-free, 1,755,637 sq km ice-covered) (2000 est.)

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

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 44,087 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line

Climate: arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters

Terrain: flat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a narrow, mountainous, barren, rocky coast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Gunnbjorn 3,700 m

Natural resources: coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, molybdenum, gold, platinum, uranium, fish, seals, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas

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

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island

Environment - current issues: protection of the arctic environment; preservation of the Inuit traditional way of life, including whaling and seal hunting

Geography - note: dominates North Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe; sparse population confined to small settlements along coast, but close to one-quarter of the population lives in the capital, Nuuk; world's second largest ice cap

People Greenland

Population: 56,384 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 25.5% (male 7,344; female 7,029) 15-64 years: 68.5% (male 20,894; female 17,715) 65 years and over: 6% (male 1,585; female 1,817) (2004 est.)

Median age: total: 33.5 years male: 34.8 years female: 31.9 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.01% (2004 est.)

Birth rate: 15.96 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate: 7.7 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate: -8.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.18 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 16.31 deaths/1,000 live births female: 14.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 17.62 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 69.32 years male: 65.75 years female: 72.98 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.42 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 100 (1999)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Greenlander(s) adjective: Greenlandic

Ethnic groups: Greenlander 88% (Inuit and Greenland-born whites), Danish and others 12% (January 2000)

Religions: Evangelical Lutheran

Languages: Greenlandic (East Inuit), Danish, English

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA male: NA female: NA note: similar to Denmark proper

Government Greenland

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Greenland local short form: Kalaallit Nunaat local long form: none

Dependency status: part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1979

Government type: parliamentary democracy within a constitutional monarchy

Capital: Nuuk (Godthab)

Administrative divisions: 3 districts (landsdele); Avannaa (Nordgronland), Tunu (Ostgronland), Kitaa (Vestgronland) note: there are 18 municipalities in Greenland

Independence: none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; foreign affairs is the responsibility of Denmark, but Greenland actively participates in international agreements relating to Greenland)

National holiday: June 21 (longest day)

Constitution: 5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)

Legal system: Danish

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Peter LAURITEEN (since NA 2002) note: government coalition - Siumut and Inuit Ataqatigiit election results: Hans ENOKSEN elected prime minister head of government: Prime Minister Hans ENOKSEN (since 14 December 2002) cabinet: Home Rule Government is elected by the Parliament (Landstinget) on the basis of the strength of parties elections: the monarchy is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by the monarch; prime minister is elected by Parliament (usually the leader of the majority party); election last held 3 December 2002 (next to be held December 2006)

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Landstinget (31 seats; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms) note: two representatives were elected to the Danish Parliament or Folketing on 20 November 2001 (next to be held 8 February 2005); percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Siumut 1, Inuit Ataqatigiit 1 election results: percent of vote by party - Siumut 28.7%, Inuit Ataqatigiit 25.5%, Atassut Party 20.4%, Demokratiit 15.6%, Katusseqatigiit 5.3%; seats by party - Siumut 10, Inuit Ataqatigiit 8, Atassut 7, Demokratiit 5, Katusseqatigiit 1 elections: last held on 3 December 2002 (next to be held by NA December 2006)

Judicial branch: High Court or Landsret (appeals can be made to the Ostre Landsret or Eastern Division of the High Court or Supreme Court in Copenhagen)

Political parties and leaders: Atassut Party (Solidarity, a conservative party favoring continuing close relations with Denmark) [Augusta SALLING]; Demokratiit [Per BERTHELSEN]; Inuit Ataqatigiit or IA (Eskimo Brotherhood, a leftist party favoring complete independence from Denmark rather than home rule) [Josef MOTZFELDT]; Issituup (Polar Party) [Nicolai HEINRICH]; Kattusseqatigiit (Candidate List, an independent right-of-center party with no official platform [leader NA]; Siumut (Forward Party, a social democratic party advocating more distinct Greenlandic identity and greater autonomy from Denmark) [Hans ENOKSEN]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: NC, NIB, UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a large disk slightly to the hoist side of center - the top half of the disk is red, the bottom half is white

Economy Greenland

Economy - overview: The economy remains critically dependent on exports of fish and substantial support from the Danish Government, which supplies about half of government revenues. The public sector, including publicly-owned enterprises and the municipalities, plays the dominant role in the economy. Despite several interesting hydrocarbon and minerals exploration activities, it will take several years before production can materialize. Tourism is the only sector offering any near-term potential, and even this is limited due to a short season and high costs.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.1 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 1.8% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $20,000 (2001 est.)

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

Population below poverty line: NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.6% (1999 est.)

Labor force: 24,500 (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: 10% (2000 est.)

Budget: revenues: $646 million expenditures: $629 million, including capital expenditures of $85 million (1999)

Agriculture - products: forage crops, garden and greenhouse vegetables; sheep, reindeer; fish

Industries: fish processing (mainly shrimp and Greenland halibut), handicrafts, hides and skins, small shipyards, mining

Industrial production growth rate: NA

Electricity - production: 245 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption: 227.9 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2001)

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

Oil - consumption: 3,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports: NA (2001)

Oil - imports: NA (2001)

Exports: $388 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities: fish and fish products 94% (prawns 63%)

Exports - partners: Denmark 64.7%, Japan 14.2%, China 4.4% (2003)

Imports: $445 million c.i.f. (2002)

Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, petroleum products

Imports - partners: Denmark 82.6%, Norway 7.5%, Sweden 3.5% (2003)

Debt - external: $25 million (1999)

Economic aid - recipient: $380 million subsidy from Denmark (1997)

Currency: Danish krone (DKK) is the official legal tender.

Currency code: DKK

Exchange rates: Danish kroner per US dollar - 6.5877 (2003), 7.8947 (2002), 8.323 (2001), 8.083 (2000), 6.976 (1999)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Greenland

Telephones - main lines in use: 26,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 16,747 (2001)

Telephone system: general assessment: adequate domestic and international service provided by satellite, cables and microwave radio relay; totally digitalized in 1995 domestic: microwave radio relay and satellite international: country code - 299; satellite earth stations - 12 Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 2 Americom GE-2 (all Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 12, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 30,000 (1998 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 1 publicly-owned station, some local low-power stations, and three AFRTS (US Air Force) stations (1997)

Televisions: 30,000 (1998 est.)

Internet country code: .gl

Internet hosts: 2,642 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: 20,000 (2002)

Transportation Greenland

Highways: total: NA (there are no roads between towns) (2003)

Ports and harbors: Aasiaat (Egedesminde), Ilulissat (Jakobshavn), Kangerlussuaq, Nanortalik, Narsarsuaq, Nuuk (Godthab), Qaqortoq (Julianehab), Sisimiut (Holsteinsborg), Tasiilaq

Merchant marine: total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,593 GRT/3,640 DWT foreign-owned: Denmark 1 (2004 est.) by type: cargo 2, passenger 1

Airports: 14 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 9 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Greenland

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Denmark

Transnational Issues Greenland

Disputes - international: uncontested dispute between Canada and Denmark over Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel between Canada's Ellesmere Island and Greenland

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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@Grenada

Introduction Grenada

Background: One of the smallest independent countries in the western hemisphere, Grenada was seized by a Marxist military council on 19 October 1983. Six days later the island was invaded by US forces and those of six other Caribbean nations, which quickly captured the ringleaders and their hundreds of Cuban advisers. Free elections were reinstituted the following year.

Geography Grenada

Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates: 12 07 N, 61 40 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 344 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 344 sq km

Area - comparative: twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 121 km

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

Climate: tropical; tempered by northeast trade winds

Terrain: volcanic in origin with central mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Saint Catherine 840 m

Natural resources: timber, tropical fruit, deepwater harbors

Land use: arable land: 5.88% permanent crops: 29.41% other: 64.71% (2001)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: lies on edge of hurricane belt; hurricane season lasts from June to November

Environment - current issues: NA

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

Geography - note: the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada

People Grenada

Population: 89,357 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 34.5% (male 15,580; female 15,212) 15-64 years: 62% (male 29,321; female 26,104) 65 years and over: 3.5% (male 1,467; female 1,673) (2004 est.)

Median age: total: 20.9 years male: 21.4 years female: 20.4 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.14% (2004 est.)

Birth rate: 22.61 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate: 7.31 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate: -13.92 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.12 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female total population: 1.08 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 14.62 deaths/1,000 live births female: 15.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 14.18 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 64.52 years male: 62.74 years female: 66.31 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.41 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: Grenadian(s) adjective: Grenadian

Ethnic groups: black 82%, mixed black and European 13%, European and East Indian 5% , and trace of Arawak/Carib Amerindian

Religions: Roman Catholic 53%, Anglican 13.8%, other Protestant 33.2%

Languages: English (official), French patois

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98% (1970 est.)

Government Grenada

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

Government type: constitutional monarchy with Westminster-style parliament

Capital: Saint George's

Administrative divisions: 6 parishes and 1 dependency*; Carriacou and Petit Martinique*, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick

Independence: 7 February 1974 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 7 February (1974)

Constitution: 19 December 1973

Legal system: based on English common law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Daniel WILLIAMS (since 9 August 1996) head of government: Prime Minister Keith MITCHELL (since 22 June 1995) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (a 13-member body, 10 appointed by the government and three by the leader of the opposition) and the House of Representatives (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held on 27 November 2003 (next to be held by NA November 2008) election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NNP 8, NDC 7

Judicial branch: West Indies Associate States Supreme Court (an associate judge resides in Grenada)

Political parties and leaders: Grenada United Labor Party or GULP [Herbert PREUDHOMME]; National Democratic Congress or NDC [leader vacant]; New National Party or NNP [George McGUIRE]; People Labor Movement or PLM [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Denis G. ANTOINE consulate(s) general: New York FAX: [1] (202) 265-2468 telephone: [1] (202) 265-2561 chancery: 1701 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: the US Ambassador to Barbados, Ambassador Mary E. KRAMER, is accredited to Grenada embassy: Lance-aux-Epines Stretch, Saint George's mailing address: P. O. Box 54, Saint George's, Grenada, West Indies telephone: [1] (473) 444-1173 through 1176 FAX: [1] (473) 444-4820

Flag description: a rectangle divided diagonally into yellow triangles (top and bottom) and green triangles (hoist side and outer side), with a red border around the flag; there are seven yellow, five-pointed stars with three centered in the top red border, three centered in the bottom red border, and one on a red disk superimposed at the center of the flag; there is also a symbolic nutmeg pod on the hoist-side triangle (Grenada is the world's second-largest producer of nutmeg, after Indonesia); the seven stars represent the seven administrative divisions

Economy Grenada

Economy - overview: Grenada relies on tourism as its main source of foreign exchange, especially since the construction of an international airport in 1985. Strong performances in construction and manufacturing, together with the development of an offshore financial industry, have also contributed to growth in national output.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $440 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 2.5% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 7.7% industry: 23.9% services: 68.4% (2000)

Population below poverty line: 32% (2000)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.8% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 42,300 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 24%, industry 14%, services 62% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: 12.5% (2000)

Budget: revenues: $85.8 million expenditures: $102.1 million, including capital expenditures of $28 million (1997)

Agriculture - products: bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, mace, citrus, avocados, root crops, sugarcane, corn, vegetables

Industries: food and beverages, textiles, light assembly operations, tourism, construction

Industrial production growth rate: 0.7% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production: 138 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption: 128.3 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2001)

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

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

Oil - exports: NA (2001)

Oil - imports: NA (2001)

Exports: $46 million (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities: bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, fruit and vegetables, clothing, mace

Exports - partners: US 14.9%, Germany 12.8%, Netherlands 8.5%, Saint Lucia 8.5%, Antigua and Barbuda 6.4%, UK 6.4%, Belgium 4.3%, Dominica 4.3%, France 4.3%, Saint Kitts and Nevis 4.3%, Trinidad and Tobago 4.3% (2003)

Imports: $208 million (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities: food, manufactured goods, machinery, chemicals, fuel

Imports - partners: US 30%, Trinidad and Tobago 26.8%, UK 5.2%, Japan 4.4% (2003)

Debt - external: $196 million (2000)

Economic aid - recipient: $8.3 million (1995)

Currency: East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code: XCD

Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002), 2.7 (2001), 2.7 (2000), 2.7 (1999)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Grenada

Telephones - main lines in use: 33,500 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 7,600 (2002)

Telephone system: general assessment: automatic, islandwide telephone system domestic: interisland VHF and UHF radiotelephone links international: country code - 1-473; new SHF radiotelephone links to Trinidad and Tobago and Saint Vincent; VHF and UHF radio links to Trinidad

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 57,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 2 (1997)

Televisions: 33,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .gd

Internet hosts: 18 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 14 (2000)

Internet users: 15,000 (2002)

Transportation Grenada

Highways: total: 1,040 km paved: 638 km unpaved: 402 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors: Grenville, Saint George's

Merchant marine: none

Airports: 3 (2003 est.)

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

Military Grenada

Military branches: no regular military forces; Royal Grenada Police Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure: NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA

Transnational Issues Grenada

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: small-scale cannabis cultivation; lesser transshipment point for marijuana and cocaine to US

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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@Guadeloupe

Introduction Guadeloupe

Background: Guadeloupe has been a French possession since 1635. The island of Saint Martin is shared with the Netherlands; its southern portion is named Sint Maarten and is part of the Netherlands Antilles and its northern portion is named Saint-Martin and is part of Guadeloupe

Geography Guadeloupe

Location: Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates: 16 15 N, 61 35 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 1,780 sq km note: Guadeloupe is an archipelago of nine inhabited islands, including Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Marie-Galante, La Desirade, Iles des Saintes (2), Saint-Barthelemy, Iles de la Petite Terre, and Saint-Martin (French part of the island of Saint Martin) water: 74 sq km land: 1,706 sq km

Area - comparative: 10 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 10.2 km border countries: Netherlands Antilles (Sint Maarten) 10.2 km

Coastline: 306 km

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

Climate: subtropical tempered by trade winds; moderately high humidity

Terrain: Basse-Terre is volcanic in origin with interior mountains; Grande-Terre is low limestone formation; most of the seven other islands are volcanic in origin

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Soufriere 1,484 m

Natural resources: cultivable land, beaches and climate that foster tourism

Land use: arable land: 11.24% permanent crops: 3.55% other: 85.21% (2001)

Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: hurricanes (June to October); Soufriere de Guadeloupe is an active volcano

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: a narrow channel, the Riviere Salee, divides Guadeloupe proper into two islands: the larger, western Basse-Terre and the smaller, eastern Grande-Terre

People Guadeloupe

Population: 444,515 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 24.4% (male 55,386; female 52,977) 15-64 years: 66.6% (male 146,772; female 149,314) 65 years and over: 9% (male 16,730; female 23,336) (2004 est.)

Median age: total: 31.4 years male: 30.6 years female: 32.3 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.96% (2004 est.)

Birth rate: 15.79 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate: 6.05 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.15 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: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 8.83 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 10.07 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.71 years male: 74.56 years female: 81.03 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.91 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: Guadeloupian(s) adjective: Guadeloupe

Ethnic groups: black or mulatto 90%, white 5%, East Indian, Lebanese, Chinese less than 5%

Religions: Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and pagan African 4%, Protestant 1%

Languages: French (official) 99%, Creole patois

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 90% male: 90% female: 90% (1982 est.)

Government Guadeloupe

Country name: conventional long form: Department of Guadeloupe conventional short form: Guadeloupe local short form: Guadeloupe local long form: Departement de la Guadeloupe

Dependency status: overseas department of France

Government type: NA

Capital: Basse-Terre

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 Paul GIROT DE LANGLADE (since 17 August 2004) election results: NA 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; the presidents of the General and Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils head of government: President of the General Council Jacques GILLOT (since 26 March 2001); President of the Regional Council Victorin LUREL (since 2 April 2004) cabinet: NA

Legislative branch: unicameral General Council or Conseil General (42 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the unicameral Regional Council or Conseil Regional (41 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) elections: General Council - last held 22 March 1998 (next to be held by NA 2004); Regional Council - last held 28 March 2004 (next to be held NA 2010) note: Guadeloupe elects two representatives to the French Senate; elections last held NA September 1995 (next to be held NA September 2004); percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPR 1, FGPS 1; Guadeloupe elects four representatives to the French National Assembly; elections last held 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPR 2, PS 1, different right parties 1 election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - left-wing candidates 11, PS 8, RPR 8, PPDG 6, right-wing candidates 5, PCG 3, UDF 1; Regional Council (second round) - percent of vote by party - PS 58.4%, UMP 41.6%; seats by party - PS 29, UMP 12

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel with jurisdiction over Guadeloupe, French Guiana, and Martinique

Political parties and leaders: Communist Party of Guadeloupe or PCG [Mona CADOCE]; FGPS [Dominique LARIFLA]; Left Radical Party or PRG [Flavien FERRANT]; Progressive Democratic Party or PPDG [Henri BANGOU]; Socialist Party or PS [Marlene MELISSE and Favrot DAVRAIN]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Marcel ESDRAS]; Union for a Popular Movement or UMP [Robert JOYEUX]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Christian Movement for the Liberation of Guadeloupe or KLPG; General Federation of Guadeloupe Workers or CGT-G; General Union of Guadeloupe Workers or UGTG; Movement for Independent Guadeloupe or MPGI; The Socialist Renewal Movement

International organization participation: 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 Guadeloupe

Economy - overview: The Caribbean economy depends on agriculture, tourism, light industry, and services. It also depends on France for large subsidies and imports. Tourism is a key industry, with most tourists from the US; an increasingly large number of cruise ships visit the islands. The traditional sugarcane crop is slowly being replaced by other crops, such as bananas (which now supply about 50% of export earnings), eggplant, and flowers. Other vegetables and root crops are cultivated for local consumption, although Guadeloupe is still dependent on imported food, mainly from France. Light industry features sugar and rum production. Most manufactured goods and fuel are imported. Unemployment is especially high among the young. Hurricanes periodically devastate the economy.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $3.513 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: NA

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $8,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 15% industry: 17% services: 68% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA (2003 est.)

Labor force: 125,900 (1997)

Labor force - by occupation: NA

Unemployment rate: 27.8% (1998)

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

Agriculture - products: bananas, sugarcane, tropical fruits and vegetables; cattle, pigs, goats

Industries: construction, cement, rum, sugar, tourism

Industrial production growth rate: NA

Electricity - production: 1.155 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption: 1.074 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2001)

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

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

Oil - exports: NA (2001)

Oil - imports: NA (2001)

Exports: $140 million f.o.b. (1997)

Exports - commodities: bananas, sugar, rum

Exports - partners: France 60%, Martinique 18%, US 4% (1999)

Imports: $1.7 billion c.i.f. (1997)

Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, fuels, vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods, construction materials

Imports - partners: France 63%, Germany 4%, US 3%, Japan 2%, Netherlands Antilles 2% (1999)

Debt - external: NA (yearend 2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $NA; note - substantial annual French subsidies (1995)

Currency: euro (EUR); French franc (FRF)

Currency code: EUR; FRF

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 Guadeloupe

Telephones - main lines in use: 210,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 323,500 (2002)

Telephone system: general assessment: domestic facilities inadequate domestic: NA international: country code - 590; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); microwave radio relay to Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, and Martinique

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 17, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 113,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 5 (plus several low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 118,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .gp

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 3 (2000)

Internet users: 20,000 (2002)

Transportation Guadeloupe

Highways: total: 2,467 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (1998)

Ports and harbors: Basse-Terre, Gustavia (on Saint Barthelemy), Marigot, Pointe-a-Pitre

Merchant marine: total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,240 GRT/109 DWT registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.) foreign-owned: France 1 by type: passenger 1

Airports: 9 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 8 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)

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

Military Guadeloupe

Military branches: no regular military forces

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Guadeloupe

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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@Guam

Introduction Guam

Background: Guam was ceded to the US by Spain in 1898. Captured by the Japanese in 1941, it was retaken by the US three years later. The military installation on the island is one of the most strategically important US bases in the Pacific.

Geography Guam

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

Geographic coordinates: 13 28 N, 144 47 E

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 549 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 549 sq km

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

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 125.5 km

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

Climate: tropical marine; generally warm and humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season from January to June, rainy season from July to December; little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain: volcanic origin, surrounded by coral reefs; relatively flat coralline limestone plateau (source of most fresh water), with steep coastal cliffs and narrow coastal plains in north, low hills in center, mountains in south

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Lamlam 406 m

Natural resources: fishing (largely undeveloped), tourism (especially from Japan)

Land use: arable land: 9.09% permanent crops: 16.36% other: 74.55% (2001)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare, but potentially very destructive typhoons (June - December)

Environment - current issues: extirpation of native bird population by the rapid proliferation of the brown tree snake, an exotic, invasive species

Geography - note: largest and southernmost island in the Mariana Islands archipelago; strategic location in western North Pacific Ocean

People Guam

Population: 166,090 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 29.8% (male 25,577; female 23,850) 15-64 years: 64% (male 54,220; female 52,026) 65 years and over: 6.3% (male 4,912; female 5,505) (2004 est.)

Median age: total: 28.2 years male: 28 years female: 28.4 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.5% (2004 est.)

Birth rate: 19.31 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate: 4.35 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

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

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 7.15 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 7.8 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.12 years male: 75.08 years female: 81.34 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.61 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: Guamanian(s) adjective: Guamanian

Ethnic groups: Chamorro 37%, Filipino 26%, white 10%, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and other 27%

Religions: Roman Catholic 85%, other 15% (1999 est.)

Languages: English, Chamorro, Japanese

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (1990 est.)

Government Guam

Country name: conventional long form: Territory of Guam conventional short form: Guam local long form: Guahan

Dependency status: organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy relations between Guam and the US under the jurisdiction of the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior

Government type: NA

Capital: Hagatna (Agana)

Administrative divisions: none (territory of the US)

Independence: none (territory of the US)

National holiday: Discovery Day, first Monday in March (1521)

Constitution: Organic Act of 1 August 1950

Legal system: modeled on US; US federal laws apply

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; US citizens, but do not vote in US presidential elections

Executive branch: chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001) election results: Felix P. P. CAMACHO elected governor; percent of vote - Felix P. P. CAMACHO (Republican Party) 55.4%, Robert A. UNDERWOOD (Democratic Party) 44.6% elections: US president and vice president elected on the same ticket for a four-year term; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year term; election last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held NA November 2006) head of government: Governor Felix P. P. CAMACHO (since 6 January 2003) and Lieutenant Governor Kaleo MOYLAN (since 6 January 2003) cabinet: executive departments; heads appointed by the governor with the consent of the Guam legislature

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislature (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms) elections: last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held 2 November 2004) note: Guam elects one nonvoting delegate to the US House of Representatives; election last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held 2 November 2004); results - Madeleine BORDALLO (Democratic Party) was elected as delegate; percent of vote by party - Democratic Party 64.6%, Republican Party 35.4%; seats by party - Democratic Party 1 election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 9, Republican Party 6

Judicial branch: Federal District Court (judge is appointed by the president); Territorial Superior Court (judges appointed for eight-year terms by the governor)

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party (controls the legislature) [speaker, Vicente (Ben) PANGELINAN]; Republican Party (party of Governor CAMACHO) [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU

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

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

Flag description: territorial flag is dark blue with a narrow red border on all four sides; centered is a red-bordered, pointed, vertical ellipse containing a beach scene, outrigger canoe with sail, and a palm tree with the word GUAM superimposed in bold red letters; US flag is the national flag

Economy Guam

Economy - overview: The economy depends on US military spending, tourism, and the export of fish and handicrafts. Total US grants, wage payments, and procurement outlays amounted to $1 billion in 1998. Over the past 20 years, the tourist industry has grown rapidly, creating a construction boom for new hotels and the expansion of older ones. More than 1 million tourists visit Guam each year. The industry had recently suffered setbacks because of the continuing Japanese slowdown; the Japanese normally make up almost 90% of the tourists. Most food and industrial goods are imported. Guam faces the problem of building up the civilian economic sector to offset the impact of military downsizing.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $3.2 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: NA

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $21,000 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 7% industry: 15% services: 78% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line: 23% (2001 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0% (1999 est.)

Labor force: 60,000 (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: private 74% (industry 10%, trade 24%, other services 40%), federal and territorial government 26% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: 15% (2000 est.)

Budget: revenues: $340 million expenditures: $445 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2000 est.)

Agriculture - products: fruits, copra, vegetables; eggs, pork, poultry, beef

Industries: US military, tourism, construction, transshipment services, concrete products, printing and publishing, food processing, textiles

Industrial production growth rate: NA

Electricity - production: 830 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption: 771.9 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2001)

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

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

Oil - exports: NA (2001)

Oil - imports: NA (2001)

Exports: $38 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities: mostly transshipments of refined petroleum products; construction materials, fish, food and beverage products

Exports - partners: Japan 70.1%, South Korea 17.9%, Singapore 6% (2003)

Imports: $462 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities: petroleum and petroleum products, food, manufactured goods

Imports - partners: Singapore 35.8%, Japan 22.2%, South Korea 17.5%, Hong Kong 11.4% (2003)

Debt - external: NA (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: Guam receives large transfer payments from the US Federal Treasury ($143 million in 1997) into which Guamanians pay no income or excise taxes; under the provisions of a special law of Congress, the Guam Treasury, rather than the US Treasury, receives federal income taxes paid by military and civilian Federal employees stationed in Guam (2001 est.)

Currency: US dollar (USD)

Currency code: USD

Exchange rates: the US dollar is used

Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

Communications Guam

Telephones - main lines in use: 84,134 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 32,600 (2001)

Telephone system: general assessment: modern system, integrated with US facilities for direct dialing, including free use of 800 numbers domestic: modern digital system, including cellular mobile service and local access to the Internet international: country code - 1-671; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); submarine cables to US and Japan (Guam is a trans-Pacific communications hub for MCI, Sprint, AT&T, IT&E, and GTE, linking the US and Asia)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 7, shortwave 2 (2003)

Radios: 221,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 5 (1997)

Televisions: 106,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .gu

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 20 (2000)

Internet users: 50,000 (2002)

Transportation Guam

Highways: total: 885 km paved: 675 km unpaved: 210 km note: there are also 685 km of roads classified non-public, including roads located on federal government installations

Ports and harbors: Apra Harbor

Merchant marine: none

Airports: 5 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

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

Military Guam

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Guam

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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

@Guatemala

Introduction Guatemala

Background: The Maya civilization flourished in Guatemala and surrounding regions during the first millennium A.D. After almost three centuries as a Spanish colony, Guatemala won its independence in 1821. During the second half of the 20th century, it experienced a variety of military and civilian governments as well as a 36-year guerrilla war. In 1996, the government signed a peace agreement formally ending the conflict, which had led to the death of more than 100,000 people and had created some 1 million refugees.

Geography Guatemala

Location: Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El Salvador and Mexico, and bordering the Gulf of Honduras (Caribbean Sea) between Honduras and Belize

Geographic coordinates: 15 30 N, 90 15 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 108,890 sq km water: 460 sq km land: 108,430 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Tennessee

Land boundaries: total: 1,687 km border countries: Belize 266 km, El Salvador 203 km, Honduras 256 km, Mexico 962 km

Coastline: 400 km

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

Climate: tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands

Terrain: mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling limestone plateau (Peten)

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Volcan Tajumulco 4,211 m

Natural resources: petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 12.54% permanent crops: 5.03% other: 82.43% (2001)

Irrigated land: 1,250 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and other tropical storms

Environment - current issues: deforestation in the Peten rainforest; soil erosion; water pollution

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

Geography - note: no natural harbors on west coast

People Guatemala

Population: 14,280,596 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 42.6% (male 3,118,396; female 2,970,729) 15-64 years: 54% (male 3,898,939; female 3,817,435) 65 years and over: 3.3% (male 221,154; female 253,943) (2004 est.)

Median age: total: 18.4 years male: 18.1 years female: 18.6 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.61% (2004 est.)

Birth rate: 34.58 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate: 6.79 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.67 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: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 36.91 deaths/1,000 live births female: 36.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 37.71 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 65.19 years male: 64.3 years female: 66.13 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.6 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 1.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 78,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 5,800 (2003 est.)

Nationality: noun: Guatemalan(s) adjective: Guatemalan

Ethnic groups: Mestizo (mixed Amerindian-Spanish or assimilated Amerindian - in local Spanish called Ladino), approximately 55%, Amerindian or predominantly Amerindian, approximately 43%, whites and others 2%

Religions: Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Mayan beliefs

Languages: Spanish 60%, Amerindian languages 40% (23 officially recognized Amerindian languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi, Mam, Garifuna, and Xinca)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 70.6% male: 78% female: 63.3% (2003 est.)

Government Guatemala

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Guatemala conventional short form: Guatemala local short form: Guatemala local long form: Republica de Guatemala

Government type: constitutional democratic republic

Capital: Guatemala

Administrative divisions: 22 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Alta Verapaz, Baja Verapaz, Chimaltenango, Chiquimula, El Progreso, Escuintla, Guatemala, Huehuetenango, Izabal, Jalapa, Jutiapa, Peten, Quetzaltenango, Quiche, Retalhuleu, Sacatepequez, San Marcos, Santa Rosa, Solola, Suchitepequez, Totonicapan, Zacapa

Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution: 31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986; note - suspended 25 May 1993 by former President SERRANO; reinstated 5 June 1993 following ouster of president; amended November 1993

Legal system: civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal (active duty members of the armed forces may not vote and are restricted to their barracks on election day)

Executive branch: chief of state: President Oscar Jose Rafael BERGER Perdomo (since 14 January 2004); Vice President Eduardo STEIN Barillas (since 14 January 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Oscar Jose Rafael BERGER Perdomo (since 14 January 2004); Vice President Eduardo STEIN Barillas (since 14 January 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 9 November 2003; runoff held 28 December 2003 (next to be held NA November 2007) election results: Oscar BERGER Perdomo elected president; percent of vote - Oscar BERGER Perdomo (GANA) 54.1%, Alvaro COLOM (UNE) 45.9%

Legislative branch: unicameral Congress of the Republic or Congreso de la Republica (158 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 9 November 2003 (next to be held NA November 2007) note: for the 9 November 2003 election, the number of congressional seats increased from 113 to 158 election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - GANA 49, FRG 41, UNE 33, PAN 17, other 18

Judicial branch: Constitutional Court or Corte de Constitutcionalidad is Guatemala's highest court (five judges are elected for concurrent five-year terms by Congress, each serving one year as president of the Constitutional Court; one is elected by Congress, one elected by the Supreme Court of Justice, one appointed by the President, one elected by Superior Counsel of Universidad San Carlos de Guatemala, and one by Colegio de Abogados); Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (thirteen members serve concurrent five-year terms and elect a president of the Court each year from among their number; the president of the Supreme Court of Justice also supervises trial judges around the country, who are named to five-year terms)

Political parties and leaders: Authentic Integral Development or DIA [Eduardo SUGER]; Democratic Union or UD [Rodolfo PAIZ Andrade]; Grand National Alliance or GANA [Oscar BERGER Perdomo]; Green Party or LOV [Rodolfo ROSALES Garcis-Salaz]; Guatemalan Christian Democracy or DCG [Vinicio CEREZO Arevalo]; Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity or URNG [Alba ESTELA Maldonado, secretary general]; Guatemalan Republican Front or FRG [Efrain RIOS Montt]; Movement for Guatemalan Unity or MGU [Jacobo ARBENZ Villanueva]; Movement for Principals and Values or MPV [Francisco BIANCHI]; National Advancement Party or PAN [Leonel LOPEZ Rodas, secretary general]; National Unity for Hope or UNE [Alvarado COLOM Caballeros]; New Nation Alliance or ANN, formed by an alliance of DIA, URNG, and several splinter groups most of whom subsequently defected [led by three co-equal partners - Nineth Varenca MONTENEGRO Cottom, Rodolfo BAUER Paiz, and Jorge Antonio BALSELLS TUT]; Patriot Party or PP [retired General Otto PEREZ Molina]; Progressive Liberator Party or PLP [Acisclo VALLADARES Molina]; Reform Movement or MR [Alfredo SKINNER-KLEE, secretary general]; Unionista Party [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Agrarian Owners Group or UNAGRO; Alliance Against Impunity or AAI; Committee for Campesino Unity or CUC; Coordinating Committee of Agricultural, Commercial, Industrial, and Financial Associations or CACIF; Mutual Support Group or GAM

International organization participation: BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, ONUB, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Guillermo CASTILLO chancery: 2220 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Francisco FAX: [1] (202) 745-1908 telephone: [1] (202) 745-4952

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John R. HAMILTON embassy: 7-01 Avenida Reforma, Zone 10, Guatemala City mailing address: APO AA 34024 telephone: [502] 2331-1541/55 FAX: [502] 2334-8477

Flag description: three equal vertical bands of light blue (hoist side), white, and light blue with the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms includes a green and red quetzal (the national bird) and a scroll bearing the inscription LIBERTAD 15 DE SEPTIEMBRE DE 1821 (the original date of independence from Spain) all superimposed on a pair of crossed rifles and a pair of crossed swords and framed by a wreath

Economy Guatemala

Economy - overview: Guatemala is the largest and most populous of the Central American countries with a GDP per capita roughly one-half that of Brazil, Argentina, and Chile. The agricultural sector accounts for about one-fourth of GDP, two-thirds of exports, and half of the labor force. Coffee, sugar, and bananas are the main products. The 1996 signing of peace accords, which ended 36 years of civil war, removed a major obstacle to foreign investment, but widespread political violence and corruption scandals continue to dampen investor confidence. The distribution of income remains highly unequal, with perhaps 75% of the population below the poverty line. Ongoing challenges include increasing government revenues, negotiating further assistance from international donors, upgrading both government and private financial operations, curtailing drug trafficking, and narrowing the trade deficit.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $56.5 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 2.1% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $4,100 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 22.5% industry: 18.9% services: 58.5% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed): 15.2% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line: 75% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.6% highest 10%: 46% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 55.8 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.5% (2003 est.)

Labor force: 3.84 million (2003 est.)

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

Unemployment rate: 7.5% (2003 est.)

Budget: revenues: $2.741 billion expenditures: $3.316 billion, including capital expenditures of $750 million (2003 est.)

Public debt: 30.8% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products: sugarcane, corn, bananas, coffee, beans, cardamom; cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens

Industries: sugar, textiles and clothing, furniture, chemicals, petroleum, metals, rubber, tourism

Industrial production growth rate: 4.1% (1999)

Electricity - production: 6.237 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption: 5.559 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports: 336 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports: 95 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production: 21,080 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption: 61,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports: NA (2001)

Oil - imports: NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves: 263 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - proved reserves: 1.543 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance: $-1.106 billion (2003)

Exports: $2.763 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities: coffee, sugar, bananas, fruits and vegetables, cardamom, meat, apparel, petroleum, electricity

Exports - partners: US 56.7%, El Salvador 10.8%, Nicaragua 3.6% (2003)

Imports: $5.749 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities: fuels, machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, grain, fertilizers, electricity

Imports - partners: US 34.1%, Mexico 8.8%, South Korea 7.8%, El Salvador 6.4%, China 4.6% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold: $2.843 billion (2003)

Debt - external: $4.957 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $250 million (2000 est.)

Currency: quetzal (GTQ), US dollar (USD), others allowed

Currency code: GTQ; USD

Exchange rates: quetzales per US dollar - 7.9409 (2003), 7.8216 (2002), 7.8586 (2001), 7.7632 (2000), 7.3856 (1999)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Guatemala

Telephones - main lines in use: 846,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 1,577,100 (2002)

Telephone system: general assessment: fairly modern network centered in the city of Guatemala domestic: NA international: country code - 502; connected to Central American Microwave System; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 130, FM 487, shortwave 15 (2000)

Radios: 835,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 26 (plus 27 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 1.323 million (1997)

Internet country code: .gt

Internet hosts: 20,360 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 5 (2000)

Internet users: 400,000 (2002)

Transportation Guatemala

Railways: total: 886 km narrow gauge: 886 km 0.914-m gauge (2003)

Highways: total: 14,118 km paved: 4,871 km (including 74 km of expressways) unpaved: 9,247 km (1999)

Waterways: 990 km note: 260 km navigable year round; additional 730 km navigable during high-water season (2004)

Pipelines: oil 480 km (2004)

Ports and harbors: Champerico, Puerto Barrios, Puerto Quetzal, San Jose, Santo Tomas de Castilla

Merchant marine: none

Airports: 452 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 441 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 109 under 914 m: 323 (2004 est.)

Military Guatemala

Military branches: Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 30 months (2004)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 3,421,682 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 2,233,562 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 156,865 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $202.6 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.8% (2003)

Transnational Issues Guatemala

Disputes - international: Guatemalan squatters continue to settle in Belize border region; OAS brokered Differendum in 2002 creating small adjustment to land boundary, large Guatemalan maritime corridor in Caribbean, joint ecological park for disputed Sapodilla Cays, and substantial US-UK financial package, but agreement was not brought to popular referendum leaving Guatemala to continue to claim the southern half of Belize intact; numbers of Guatemalans enter Mexico seeking work or transit to the US

Refugees and internally displaced persons: IDPs: 250,000 (government's scorched-earth offensive in 1980s against indigenous people) (2004)

Illicit drugs: major transit country for cocaine and heroin; minor producer of illicit opium poppy and cannabis for mostly domestic consumption; proximity to Mexico makes Guatemala a major staging area for drugs (particularly for cocaine); money laundering is a serious problem; corruption is a major problem; remains on Financial Action Task Force Non-Cooperative Countries and Territories List for continued failure to address deficiencies in money-laundering control regime

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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@Guernsey

Introduction Guernsey

Background: The island of Guernsey and the other Channel Islands represent the last remnants of the medieval Dukedom of Normandy, which held sway in both France and England. The islands were the only British soil occupied by German troops in World War II.

Geography Guernsey

Location: Western Europe, islands in the English Channel, northwest of France

Geographic coordinates: 49 28 N, 2 35 W

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 78 sq km note: includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other smaller islands water: 0 sq km land: 78 sq km

Area - comparative: about one-half the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 50 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm

Climate: temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of days are overcast

Terrain: mostly level with low hills in southwest

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Sark 114 m

Natural resources: cropland

Land use: arable land: NA permanent crops: NA other: NA (2001)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port

People Guernsey

Population: 65,031 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 15.6% (male 5,161; female 5,013) 15-64 years: 66.7% (male 21,497; female 21,897) 65 years and over: 17.6% (male 4,812; female 6,651) (2004 est.)

Median age: total: 40.6 years male: 39.6 years female: 41.5 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.31% (2004 est.)

Birth rate: 9.16 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate: 9.87 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate: 3.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 4.78 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 5.35 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 80.17 years male: 77.17 years female: 83.27 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.38 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: Channel Islander(s) adjective: Channel Islander

Ethnic groups: UK and Norman-French descent with small percentages from other European countries

Religions: Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational, Methodist

Languages: English, French, Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts

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

Government Guernsey

Country name: conventional long form: Bailiwick of Guernsey conventional short form: Guernsey

Dependency status: British crown dependency

Government type: NA

Capital: Saint Peter Port

Administrative divisions: none (British crown dependency); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 10 parishes including Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson, Vale, Castel, Saint Saviour, Saint Pierre du Bois, Torteval, Forest, Saint Martin, Saint Andrew

Independence: none (British crown dependency)

National holiday: Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)

Constitution: unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

Legal system: English law and local statute; justice is administered by the Royal Court

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief Lt. Gen. Sir John FOLEY (since NA 2000) election results: Laurie MORGAN elected chief minister, percent of vote of the States of Deliberation NA elections: the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed by the monarch; chief minister is elected by States of Delibertion head of government: Chief Minister Laurie MORGAN (since 1 May 2004) cabinet: Policy Council elected by the States of Deliberation

Legislative branch: unicameral States of Deliberation (45 seats; members are elected by popular vote for 4 years); note - Alderney and Sark have their own parliaments elections: last held 21 April 2004 (next to be held NA 2008) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - all independents

Judicial branch: Royal Court

Political parties and leaders: none; all independents

Political pressure groups and leaders: none

International organization participation: UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (British crown dependency)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (British crown dependency)

Flag description: white with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England) extending to the edges of the flag and a yellow equal-armed cross of William the Conqueror superimposed on the Saint George cross

Economy Guernsey

Economy - overview: Financial services - banking, fund management, insurance, etc. - account for about 55% of total income in this tiny Channel Island economy. Tourism, manufacturing, and horticulture, mainly tomatoes and cut flowers, have been declining. Light tax and death duties make Guernsey a popular tax haven. The evolving economic integration of the EU nations is changing the environment under which Guernsey operates.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.3 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 5.7% (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $20,000 (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3% industry: 10% services: 87% (2000)

Population below poverty line: NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 31,320 (2000)

Unemployment rate: 0.5% (1999 est.)

Budget: revenues: $381.3 million expenditures: $368.8 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2000 est.)

Agriculture - products: tomatoes, greenhouse flowers, sweet peppers, eggplant, fruit; Guernsey cattle

Industries: tourism, banking

Industrial production growth rate: NA

Electricity - production: NA kWh

Electricity - consumption: NA kWh

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2002)

Exports: NA

Exports - commodities: tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, other vegetables

Exports - partners: UK (regarded as internal trade)

Imports: NA

Imports - commodities: coal, gasoline, oil, machinery and equipment

Imports - partners: UK (regarded as internal trade)

Debt - external: NA

Economic aid - recipient: NA

Currency: British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Guernsey pound

Currency code: GBP

Exchange rates: Guernsey pounds per US dollar - 0.6661 (2002), 0.6944 (2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998); note - the Guernsey pound is at par with the British pound

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Guernsey

Telephones - main lines in use: 55,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 31,500 (2001)

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: 1 submarine cable

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

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)

Televisions: NA

Internet country code: .gg

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA

Internet users: NA

Transportation Guernsey

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

Ports and harbors: Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson

Merchant marine: none

Airports: 2 (2003 est.)

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

Military Guernsey

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Guernsey

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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@Guinea

Introduction Guinea

Background: Guinea has had only two presidents since gaining its independence from France in 1958. Lansana CONTE came to power in 1984, when the military seized the government after the death of the first president Sekou TOURE. Guinea did not hold democratic elections until 1993 when Gen. CONTE (head of the military government) was elected president of the civilian government. He was reelected in 1998 and again in 2003. Unrest in Sierra Leone and Liberia has spilled over into Guinea on several occasions over the past decade, threatening stability and creating humanitarian emergencies.

Geography Guinea

Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone

Geographic coordinates: 11 00 N, 10 00 W

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 245,857 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 245,857 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries: total: 3,399 km border countries: Cote d'Ivoire 610 km, Guinea-Bissau 386 km, Liberia 563 km, Mali 858 km, Senegal 330 km, Sierra Leone 652 km

Coastline: 320 km

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

Climate: generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds