Introductory material (continued 19)

Exports: $22.29 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities: oil and refined products, fertilizers

Exports - partners: Japan 21.3%, South Korea 14.9%, US 11.5%, Singapore 9.8%, Taiwan 9.3% (2003)

Imports: $9.606 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities: food, construction materials, vehicles and parts, clothing

Imports - partners: US 14.7%, Japan 10.3%, Germany 9.6%, China 6.6%, UK 6.1%, Saudi Arabia 5.5%, Italy 5%, France 4.2% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold: $7.685 billion (2003)

Debt - external: $12.18 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: NA (2001)

Currency: Kuwaiti dinar (KWD)

Currency code: KWD

Exchange rates: Kuwaiti dinars per US dollar - 0.298 (2003), 0.3039 (2002), 0.3067 (2001), 0.3068 (2000), 0.3044 (1999)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Communications Kuwait

Telephones - main lines in use: 486,900 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 1.42 million (2003)

Telephone system: general assessment: the quality of service is excellent domestic: new telephone exchanges provide a large capacity for new subscribers; trunk traffic is carried by microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and open-wire and fiber-optic cable; a cellular telephone system operates throughout Kuwait, and the country is well supplied with pay telephones international: country code - 965; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; linked to Bahrain, Qatar, UAE via the Fiber-Optic Gulf (FOG) cable; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean, 2 Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean), and 2 Arabsat

Radio broadcast stations: AM 6, FM 11, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios: 1.175 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 13 (plus several satellite channels) (1997)

Televisions: 875,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .kw

Internet hosts: 3,437 (2001)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 3 (2000)

Internet users: 567,000 (2003)

Transportation Kuwait

Highways: total: 4,450 km paved: 3,587 km unpaved: 863 km (1999 est.)

Pipelines: gas 169 km; oil 540 km; refined products 57 km (2004)

Ports and harbors: Ash Shu'aybah, Ash Shuwaykh, Kuwait, Mina' 'Abd Allah, Mina' al Ahmadi, Mina' Su'ud

Merchant marine: total: 38 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,319,082 GRT/3,768,828 DWT registered in other countries: 5 (2004 est.) foreign-owned: India 1, Saudi Arabia 1 by type: bulk 1, container 6, liquefied gas 5, livestock carrier 4, petroleum tanker 21, roll on/roll off 1

Airports: 7 (2003 est.)

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

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

Heliports: 3 (2003 est.)

Military Kuwait

Military branches: Land Forces, Navy, Air Force (including Air Defense Force), National Guard

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

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 880,461 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 531,556 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 18,849 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $2,500.4 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 5.8% (2003)

Transnational Issues Kuwait

Disputes - international: Kuwait and Saudi Arabia continue negotiating a joint maritime boundary with Iran; no maritime boundary exists with Iraq in the Persian Gulf

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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

@Kyrgyzstan

Introduction Kyrgyzstan

Background: A Central Asian country of incredible natural beauty and proud nomadic traditions, Kyrgyzstan was annexed by Russia in 1864; it achieved independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Current concerns include: privatization of state-owned enterprises, expansion of democracy and political freedoms, interethnic relations, and combating terrorism.

Geography Kyrgyzstan

Location: Central Asia, west of China

Geographic coordinates: 41 00 N, 75 00 E

Map references: Asia

Area: total: 198,500 sq km water: 7,200 sq km land: 191,300 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than South Dakota

Land boundaries: total: 3,878 km border countries: China 858 km, Kazakhstan 1,051 km, Tajikistan 870 km, Uzbekistan 1,099 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: dry continental to polar in high Tien Shan; subtropical in southwest (Fergana Valley); temperate in northern foothill zone

Terrain: peaks of Tien Shan and associated valleys and basins encompass entire nation

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Kara-Daryya (Karadar'ya) 132 m highest point: Jengish Chokusu (Pik Pobedy) 7,439 m

Natural resources: abundant hydropower; significant deposits of gold and rare earth metals; locally exploitable coal, oil, and natural gas; other deposits of nepheline, mercury, bismuth, lead, and zinc

Land use: arable land: 7.3% permanent crops: 0.35% note: Kyrgyzstan has the world's largest natural growth walnut forest (2001) other: 92.35%

Irrigated land: 10,740 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: water pollution; many people get their water directly from contaminated streams and wells; as a result, water-borne diseases are prevalent; increasing soil salinity from faulty irrigation practices

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

Geography - note: landlocked; entirely mountainous, dominated by the Tien Shan range; many tall peaks, glaciers, and high-altitude lakes

People Kyrgyzstan

Population: 5,081,429 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 32.3% (male 835,599; female 804,384) 15-64 years: 61.6% (male 1,535,447; female 1,594,972) 65 years and over: 6.1% (male 120,555; female 190,472) (2004 est.)

Median age: total: 23.1 years male: 22.2 years female: 24 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.25% (2004 est.)

Birth rate: 22.13 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate: 7.19 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate: -2.45 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: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 36.81 deaths/1,000 live births female: 31.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 42.23 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 67.84 years male: 63.84 years female: 72.05 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.71 children born/woman (2004 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 3,900 (2003 est.)

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

Nationality: noun: Kyrgyzstani(s) adjective: Kyrgyzstani

Ethnic groups: Kyrgyz 64.9%, Uzbek 13.8%, Russian 12.5%, Dungan 1.1%, Ukrainian 1%, Uygur 1%, other 5.7% (1999 census)

Religions: Muslim 75%, Russian Orthodox 20%, other 5%

Languages: Kyrgyz - official language, Russian - official language note: in December 2001, the Kyrgyzstani legislature made Russian an official language, equal in status to Kyrgyz

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 99% female: 96% (1989 est.)

Government Kyrgyzstan

Country name: conventional long form: Kyrgyz Republic conventional short form: Kyrgyzstan local short form: none former: Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic local long form: Kyrgyz Respublikasy

Government type: republic

Capital: Bishkek

Administrative divisions: 7 provinces (oblastlar, singular - oblasty) and 1 city* (shaar); Batken Oblasty, Bishkek Shaary*, Chuy Oblasty (Bishkek), Jalal-Abad Oblasty, Naryn Oblasty, Osh Oblasty, Talas Oblasty, Ysyk-Kol Oblasty (Karakol) note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)

Independence: 31 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day, 31 August (1991)

Constitution: adopted 5 May 1993; note - amendment proposed by President AKAYEV and passed in a national referendum on 2 February 2003 significantly expands the powers of the president at the expense of the legislature

Legal system: based on civil law system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Askar AKAYEV (since 28 October 1990) head of government: Prime Minister Nikolay TANAYEV (since 22 May 2002); note - Prime Minister Kurmanbek BAKIYEV resigned on 22 May 2002 when five demonstrators were killed in a clash with police in March of 2002; First Deputy Prime Minister Kubanychbek JUMALIYEV (since 19 March 2004) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister election results: Askar AKAYEV reelected president; percent of vote - Askar AKAYEV 74%, Omurbek TEKEBAYEV 14%, other candidates 12%; note - election marred by serious irregularities elections: president reelected by popular vote for a five-year term; elections last held 29 October 2000 (next to be 30 October 2005); prime minister appointed by the president; note - President AKAYEV has publicly stated that he will not seek reelection when his current term expires in 2005

Legislative branch: bicameral Supreme Council or Jorgorku Kenesh consists of the Assembly of People's Representatives (70 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the Legislative Assembly (35 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - in accordance with a 2003 referendum, the Parliament is slated to become unicameral with 75 deputies after the 27 February 2005 elections election results: Assembly of People's Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; and Legislative Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; note - total seats by party in the Supreme Council were as follows: Union of Democratic Forces 12, Communists 6, My Country Party of Action 4, independents 73, other 10 note: the legislature became bicameral for the 5 February 1995 elections; the 2000 election results include both the Assembly of People's Representatives and the Legislative Assembly elections: Assembly of People's Representatives - last held 20 February and 12 March 2000 (next to be held NA February 2005); Legislative Assembly - last held 20 February and 12 March 2000; elections for the new unicameral body or Jorgorku Kenesh are to be held 27 February 2005)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed for 10-year terms by the Supreme Council on the recommendation of the president); Constitutional Court; Higher Court of Arbitration

Political parties and leaders: Adilet (Justice) Party [Toychubek KASYMOV]; Agrarian Labor Party of Kyrgyzstan [Uson SYDYKOV]; Agrarian Party of Kyrgyzstan [Erkin ALIYEV]; Alga, Kyrgyzstan (Forward, Kyrgyzstan) [Bolot BEGALIYEV]; Ar-Namys (Dignity) Party [Emil ALIYEV]; Asaba (Banner National Revival Party) [Azimbek BEKNAZAROV]; Ata-Meken (Fatherland) [Omurbek TEKEBAYEV]; Communist Party of Kyrgyzstan [Klara ADZHIBEKOVA]; Democratic Movement of Kyrgyzstan or DDK [Jypar JEKSHEYEV]; Erkin Kyrgyzstan Progressive and Democratic Party [Bektur ASANOV]; Erkindik (Freedom) Party [Topchubek TURGUNALIYEV]; Future of Kyrgyzstan [Balbak TULEBAYEV]; Jany Kyrgyzstan (New Kyrgyzstan) [Dosbol NUR UULU]; Kairan El [Dooronbek SADYKOV]; Kyrgyz National Party [Bakyt BESHIMOV]; Kyrgyzstan Kelechegi [Ruslan CHYNYBAYEV]; Manas El (Party of Spiritual Restoration) [Chingiz AITMATOV]; Moya Strana (My Country Party of Action) [Joomart OTORBAYEV]; Party of Communists of Kyrgyzstan or KCP [Bakytbek BEKBOYEV]; Party of Justice and Progress [Muratbek IMANALIEV]; Party of Peasants [Esengul ISAKOV]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Council of Free Trade Unions; Kyrgyz Committee on Human Rights [Ramazan DYRYLDAYEV]; National Unity Democratic Movement; Union of Entrepreneurs

International organization participation: AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SCO, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMIL, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Bakyt ABDRISAYEV FAX: [1] (202) 338-5139 consulate(s): New York telephone: [1] (202) 338-5141 chancery: 1732 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen M. YOUNG embassy: 171 Prospect Mira, Bishkek 720016 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [996] (312) 551-241, (517) 777-217 FAX: [996] (312) 551-264

Flag description: red field with a yellow sun in the center having 40 rays representing the 40 Kyrgyz tribes; on the obverse side the rays run counterclockwise, on the reverse, clockwise; in the center of the sun is a red ring crossed by two sets of three lines, a stylized representation of the roof of the traditional Kyrgyz yurt

Economy Kyrgyzstan

Economy - overview: Kyrgyzstan is a poor, mountainous country with a predominantly agricultural economy. Cotton, tobacco, wool, and meat are the main agricultural products, although only tobacco and cotton are exported in any quantity. Industrial exports include gold, mercury, uranium, and natural gas and electricity. Kyrgyzstan has been fairly progressive in carrying out market reforms, such as an improved regulatory system and land reform. Kyrgyzstan was the first CIS country to be accepted into the World Trade Organization. With fits and starts, inflation has been lowered to an estimated 7% in 2001, 2.1% in 2002, and 4.0% in 2003. Much of the government's stock in enterprises has been sold. Drops in production had been severe after the breakup of the Soviet Union in December 1991, but by mid-1995 production began to recover and exports began to increase. Kyrgyzstan has distinguished itself by adopting relatively liberal economic policies. The drop in output at the Kumtor gold mine sparked a 0.5% decline in GDP in 2002, but GDP growth bounced back to 6% in 2003. The government has made steady strides in controlling its substantial fiscal deficit and aims to reduce the deficit to 4.4 percent of GDP in 2004. The government and the international financial institutions have been engaged in a comprehensive medium-term poverty reduction and economic growth strategy. Further restructuring of domestic industry and success in attracting foreign investment are keys to future growth.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $7.808 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 6.7% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,600 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 38.7% industry: 22.9% services: 38.4% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed): 17.6% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line: 50% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 27.7% (1999)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 34.6 (1999)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.5% (2003 est.)

Labor force: 2.7 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 55%, industry 15%, services 30% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: 7.2% (1999 est.)

Budget: revenues: $371.5 million expenditures: $387.1 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products: tobacco, cotton, potatoes, vegetables, grapes, fruits and berries; sheep, goats, cattle, wool

Industries: small machinery, textiles, food processing, cement, shoes, sawn logs, refrigerators, furniture, electric motors, gold, rare earth metals

Industrial production growth rate: 6% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production: 13.45 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption: 10.46 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports: 2.25 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports: 200 million kWh (2001)

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

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

Oil - exports: NA (2001)

Oil - imports: NA (2001)

Natural gas - production: 16 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption: 2.016 billion cu m (2001 est.)

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

Natural gas - imports: 2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Current account balance: $-108 million (2003)

Exports: $548 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities: cotton, wool, meat, tobacco; gold, mercury, uranium, natural gas, hydropower; machinery; shoes

Exports - partners: UAE 24.7%, Switzerland 20.3%, Russia 16.7%, Kazakhstan 9.8%, Canada 5.3%, China 4% (2003)

Imports: $601 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities: oil and gas, machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs

Imports - partners: Russia 24.7%, Kazakhstan 24%, China 10.3%, US 6.7%, Uzbekistan 5.5%, Germany 5.3% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold: $399.3 million (2003)

Debt - external: $1.5 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $50 million from the US (2001)

Currency: Kyrgyzstani som (KGS)

Currency code: KGS

Exchange rates: soms per US dollar - 43.6484 (2003), 46.9371 (2002), 48.378 (2001), 47.7038 (2000), 39.0077 (1999)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Kyrgyzstan

Telephones - main lines in use: 394,800 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 53,100 (2002)

Telephone system: general assessment: poorly developed; about 100,000 unsatisfied applications for household telephones domestic: principally microwave radio relay; one cellular provider, probably limited to Bishkek region international: country code - 996; connections with other CIS countries by landline or microwave radio relay and with other countries by leased connections with Moscow international gateway switch and by satellite; satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik and 1 Intelsat; connected internationally by the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line

Radio broadcast stations: AM 12 (plus 10 repeater stations), FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios: 520,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: NA (repeater stations throughout the country relay programs from Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Turkey) (1997)

Televisions: 210,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .kg

Internet hosts: 12,299 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA

Internet users: 152,000 (2002)

Transportation Kyrgyzstan

Railways: total: 470 km broad gauge: 470 km 1.520-m gauge (2003)

Highways: total: 18,500 km paved: 16,854 km (including 140 km of expressways) unpaved: 1,646 km (1999 est.)

Waterways: 600 km (2004)

Pipelines: gas 367 km; oil 13 km (2004)

Ports and harbors: Balykchy (Ysyk-Kol or Rybach'ye)

Airports: 61 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 17 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 under 914 m: 2 (2003 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 44 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 37 (2003 est.)

Military Kyrgyzstan

Military branches: Army, Air and Air Defense, Security Forces, Border Troops

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

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,347,312 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,091,548 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 59,759 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $19.2 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.4% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Kyrgyzstan

Disputes - international: boundary with China is fully demarcated; delimitation with Kazakhstan is largely complete with only minor disputed areas; disputes in Isfara Valley delay completion of delimitation with Tajikistan; delimitation is underway with Uzbekistan but serious disputes around enclaves and elsewhere continue to mar progress for some 130 km of border

Illicit drugs: limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy for CIS markets; limited government eradication of illicit crops; transit point for Southwest Asian narcotics bound for Russia and the rest of Europe

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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

@Laos

Introduction Laos

Background: Laos was under the control of Siam (Thailand) from the late 18th century until the late 19th century when it became part of French Indochina. The Franco-Siamese Treaty of 1907 defined the current Lao border with Thailand. In 1975, the Communist Pathet Lao took control of the government, ending a six-century-old monarchy. Initial closer ties to Vietnam and socialization were replaced with a gradual return to private enterprise, a liberalization of foreign investment laws, and the admission into ASEAN in 1997.

Geography Laos

Location: Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam

Geographic coordinates: 18 00 N, 105 00 E

Map references: Southeast Asia

Area: total: 236,800 sq km water: 6,000 sq km land: 230,800 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Utah

Land boundaries: total: 5,083 km border countries: Burma 235 km, Cambodia 541 km, China 423 km, Thailand 1,754 km, Vietnam 2,130 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season (December to April)

Terrain: mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mekong River 70 m highest point: Phou Bia 2,817 m

Natural resources: timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones

Land use: arable land: 3.8% permanent crops: 0.35% other: 95.85% (2001)

Irrigated land: 1,640 sq km note: rainy season irrigation - 2,169 sq km; dry season irrigation - 750 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: floods, droughts

Environment - current issues: unexploded ordnance; deforestation; soil erosion; most of the population does not have access to potable water

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

Geography - note: landlocked; most of the country is mountainous and thickly forested; the Mekong River forms a large part of the western boundary with Thailand

People Laos

Population: 6,068,117 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 41.9% (male 1,277,152; female 1,265,761) 15-64 years: 54.9% (male 1,642,895; female 1,688,175) 65 years and over: 3.2% (male 87,995; female 106,139) (2004 est.)

Median age: total: 18.6 years male: 18.3 years female: 19 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.44% (2004 est.)

Birth rate: 36.47 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate: 12.1 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

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

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 87.06 deaths/1,000 live births female: 76.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 97.05 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 54.69 years male: 52.71 years female: 56.75 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.86 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 1,700 (2003 est.)

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

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

Nationality: noun: Lao(s) or Laotian(s) adjective: Lao or Laotian

Ethnic groups: Lao Loum (lowland) 68%, Lao Theung (upland) 22%, Lao Soung (highland) including the Hmong and the Yao 9%, ethnic Vietnamese/Chinese 1%

Religions: Buddhist 60%, animist and other 40% (including various Christian denominations 1.5%)

Languages: Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 66.4% male: 77.4% female: 55.5% (2002)

Government Laos

Country name: conventional long form: Lao People's Democratic Republic conventional short form: Laos local short form: none local long form: Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao

Government type: Communist state

Capital: Vientiane

Administrative divisions: 16 provinces (khoueng, singular and plural), 1 municipality* (kampheng nakhon, singular and plural), and 1 special zone** (khetphiset, singular and plural); Attapu, Bokeo, Bolikhamxai, Champasak, Houaphan, Khammouan, Louangnamtha, Louangphrabang, Oudomxai, Phongsali, Salavan, Savannakhet, Viangchan*, Viangchan, Xaignabouli, Xaisomboun**, Xekong, Xiangkhoang

Independence: 19 July 1949 (from France)

National holiday: Republic Day, 2 December (1975)

Constitution: promulgated 14 August 1991

Legal system: based on traditional customs, French legal norms and procedures, and socialist practice

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Gen. KHAMTAI Siphadon (since 26 February 1998) and Vice President Lt. Gen. CHOUMMALI Saignason (since 27 March 2001) head of government: Prime Minister BOUNGNANG Volachit (since 27 March 2001); First Deputy Prime Minister Bouasone BOUPHAVANH (since 3 October 2003) Deputy Prime Minister Maj. Gen. ASANG Laoli (since May 2002), Deputy Prime Minister THONGLOUN Sisolit (since 27 March 2001), and Deputy Prime Minister SOMSAVAT Lengsavat (since 26 February 1998) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved by the National Assembly elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term; election last held 24 February 2002 (next to be held in 2007); prime minister appointed by the president with the approval of the National Assembly for a five-year term election results: KHAMTAI Siphandon elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - NA%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (109 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms; note - total number of seats increased from 99 to 109 for the 2002 election) elections: last held 24 February 2002 (next to be held in 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LPRP or LPRP-approved (independent, non-party members) 109

Judicial branch: People's Supreme Court (the president of the People's Supreme Court is elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the National Assembly Standing Committee; the vice president of the People's Supreme Court and the judges are appointed by the National Assembly Standing Committee)

Political parties and leaders: Lao People's Revolutionary Party or LPRP [KHAMTAI Siphandon, party president]; other parties proscribed

Political pressure groups and leaders: noncommunist political groups proscribed; most opposition leaders fled the country in 1975

International organization participation: ACCT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador PHANTHONG Phommahaxay FAX: [1] (202) 332-4923 telephone: [1] (202) 332-6416 chancery: 2222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Patricia M. HASLACH embassy: 19 Rue Bartholonie, B. P. 114, Vientiane mailing address: American Embassy, Box V, APO AP 96546 telephone: [856] (21) 212581, 212582, 212585 FAX: [856] (21) 212584

Flag description: three horizontal bands of red (top), blue (double width), and red with a large white disk centered in the blue band

Economy Laos

Economy - overview: The government of Laos - one of the few remaining official Communist states - began decentralizing control and encouraging private enterprise in 1986. The results, starting from an extremely low base, were striking - growth averaged 7% in 1988-2001 except during the short-lived drop caused by the Asian financial crisis beginning in 1997. Despite this high growth rate, Laos remains a country with a primitive infrastructure; it has no railroads, a rudimentary road system, and limited external and internal telecommunications. Electricity is available in only a few urban areas. Subsistence agriculture accounts for half of GDP and provides 80% of total employment. The economy will continue to benefit from aid from the IMF and other international sources and from new foreign investment in food processing and mining.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $10.32 billion (2003 est.)

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

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

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 49.4% industry: 24.5% services: 26.1% (2003 est.)

Population below poverty line: 40% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 30.6% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 37 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 15.3% (2003 est.)

Labor force: 2.6 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 80% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate: 5.7% (1997 est.)

Budget: revenues: $298.5 million expenditures: $429.9 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products: sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, tobacco, cotton, tea, peanuts, rice, water buffalo, pigs, cattle, poultry

Industries: tin and gypsum mining, timber, electric power, agricultural processing, construction, garments, tourism

Industrial production growth rate: 9.7% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 1.317 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption: 824.7 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports: 400 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2001)

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

Oil - consumption: 2,750 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports: NA (2001)

Oil - imports: NA (2001)

Current account balance: $-58 million (2003)

Exports: $332 million (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities: garments, wood products, coffee, electricity, tin

Exports - partners: Thailand 20.7%, Vietnam 15.9%, France 7.3%, Germany 5.3%, Belgium 4% (2003)

Imports: $492 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, consumer goods

Imports - partners: Thailand 59.4%, China 12.8%, Vietnam 10.2% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold: $201 million (2003)

Debt - external: $2.49 billion (2001)

Economic aid - recipient: $243 million (2001 est.)

Currency: kip (LAK)

Currency code: LAK

Exchange rates: kips per US dollar - 10,443 (2003), 10,056.3 (2002), 8,954.58 (2001), 7,887.64 (2000), 7,102.02 (1999)

Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

Communications Laos

Telephones - main lines in use: 61,900 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 55,200 (2002)

Telephone system: general assessment: service to general public is poor but improving with over 20,000 telephones currently in service and an additional 48,000 expected by 2001; the government relies on a radiotelephone network to communicate with remote areas domestic: radiotelephone communications international: country code - 856; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 12, FM 1, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios: 730,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 4 (1999)

Televisions: 52,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .la

Internet hosts: 937 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: 15,000 (2002)

Transportation Laos

Highways: total: 21,716 km paved: 9,664 km unpaved: 12,052 km (1999 est.)

Waterways: 4,600 km note: primarily Mekong and tributaries; 2,897 additional km are intermittently navigable by craft drawing less than 0.5 m (2003)

Pipelines: refined products 540 km (2004)

Ports and harbors: none

Merchant marine: total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,370 GRT/3,110 DWT by type: cargo 1 (2004 est.)

Airports: 46 (2003 est.)

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

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 35 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)

Military Laos

Military branches: Lao People's Army (LPA; including Riverine Force), Air Force

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 15 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - minimum 18 months (2004)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,456,500 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 783,800 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 68,563 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $10.9 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.5% (2003)

Transnational Issues Laos

Disputes - international: demarcation of boundaries with Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam is largely complete, but with Thailand several areas including Mekong River islets remain in dispute; ongoing disputes with Thailand and Vietnam over squatters; concern among Mekong Commission members that China's construction of dams on the Mekong River will affect water levels

Illicit drugs: world's third-largest illicit opium producer (estimated cultivation in 2003 - 18,900 hectares, a 19% decrease over 2002; estimated potential production in 2003 - 200 metric tons, a 11% increase from 2002); potential heroin producer; transshipment point for heroin and methamphetamine produced in Burma; illicit producer of cannabis; growing methamphetamine abuse problem

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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

@Latvia

Introduction Latvia

Background: After a brief period of independence between the two World Wars, Latvia was annexed by the USSR in 1940. It reestablished its independence in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union. Although the last Russian troops left in 1994, the status of the Russian minority (some 30% of the population) remains of concern to Moscow. Latvia joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.

Geography Latvia

Location: Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and Lithuania

Geographic coordinates: 57 00 N, 25 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 64,589 sq km water: 1,000 sq km land: 63,589 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than West Virginia

Land boundaries: total: 1,150 km border countries: Belarus 141 km, Estonia 339 km, Lithuania 453 km, Russia 217 km

Coastline: 531 km

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

Climate: maritime; wet, moderate winters

Terrain: low plain

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m highest point: Gaizinkalns 312 m

Natural resources: peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, wood, arable land

Land use: arable land: 29.67% permanent crops: 0.47% other: 69.86% (2001)

Irrigated land: 200 sq km note: land in Latvia is often too wet, and in need of drainage, not irrigation; approximately 16,000 sq km or 85% of agricultural land has been improved by drainage (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: Latvia's environment has benefited from a shift to service industries after the country regained independence; the main environmental priorities are improvement of drinking water quality and sewage system, household and hazardous waste management, and reduction of air pollution; in 2001, Latvia closed the EU accession negotiation chapter on environment committing to full enforcement of EU environmental directives by 2010

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

Geography - note: most of the country is composed of fertile, low-lying plains, with some hills in the east

People Latvia

Population: 2,306,306 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 15% (male 177,223; female 169,241) 15-64 years: 69.2% (male 772,496; female 823,410) 65 years and over: 15.8% (male 118,035; female 245,901) (2004 est.)

Median age: total: 38.8 years male: 35.6 years female: 41.9 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.71% (2004 est.)

Birth rate: 8.87 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate: 13.73 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate: -2.23 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: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.48 male(s)/female total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 9.67 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 11.45 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 70.86 years male: 65.91 years female: 76.09 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.25 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.4% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 5,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 500 (2003 est.)

Nationality: noun: Latvian(s) adjective: Latvian

Ethnic groups: Latvian 57.7%, Russian 29.6%, Belarusian 4.1%, Ukrainian 2.7%, Polish 2.5%, Lithuanian 1.4%, other 2% (2002)

Religions: Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox

Languages: Latvian (official), Lithuanian, Russian, other

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.8% male: 99.8% female: 99.8% (2003 est.)

Government Latvia

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Latvia conventional short form: Latvia local short form: Latvija former: Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic local long form: Latvijas Republika

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Riga

Administrative divisions: 26 counties (singular - rajons) and 7 municipalities*: Aizkraukles Rajons, Aluksnes Rajons, Balvu Rajons, Bauskas Rajons, Cesu Rajons, Daugavpils*, Daugavpils Rajons, Dobeles Rajons, Gulbenes Rajons, Jekabpils Rajons, Jelgava*, Jelgavas Rajons, Jurmala*, Kraslavas Rajons, Kuldigas Rajons, Liepaja*, Liepajas Rajons, Limbazu Rajons, Ludzas Rajons, Madonas Rajons, Ogres Rajons, Preilu Rajons, Rezekne*, Rezeknes Rajons, Riga*, Rigas Rajons, Saldus Rajons, Talsu Rajons, Tukuma Rajons, Valkas Rajons, Valmieras Rajons, Ventspils*, Ventspils Rajons

Independence: 21 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day, 18 November (1918); note - 18 November 1918 is the date Latvia declared itself independent from Soviet Russia; 4 May 1990 is when it declared the renewal of independence; 21 August 1991 is the date of de facto independence from the Soviet Union

Constitution: 15 February 1922; an October 1998 amendment on Fundamental Human Rights replaced the 1991 Constitutional Law, which had supplemented the constitution

Legal system: based on civil law system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens

Executive branch: chief of state: President Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA (since 8 July 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Aigars KALVITIS (since 2 December 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and appointed by the Parliament elections: president reelected by Parliament for a four-year term; election last held 20 June 2003 (next to be held by June 2007); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA reelected president; parliamentary vote - Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA 88 of 94 votes cast

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Saeima (100 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 5 October 2002 (next to be held NA October 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - New Era 23.9%, PCTVL 18.9%, People's Party 16.7%, ZZS 9.5%, First Party 7.6%, LNNK 5.4%; seats by party - New Era 26, PCTVL 24, People's Party 21, ZZS 12, First Party 10, LNNK 7

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by Parliament)

Political parties and leaders: Alliance of the Greens and Farmers Union or ZZS [Augusts BRIGMANIS (Farmer's Union); Indulis EMSIS (Green Party)]; First Party of Latvia [Ainars SLESERS]; For Human Rights in a United Latvia or PCTVL [Jakovs PLINERS]; For Our Latvia or ML [Rihards Jablokovs]; Latvian National Democratic Party or LNDP [Jevgenijs Osiopovs]; Latvian National Front [Aivars GARDA]; Latvian Social-Democratic Workers Party (Social Democrats) or LSDSP [Alfred RUBIKS]; Latvia's Way Union or LC; Light of Latgale or LG; New Era Party or JL [Einars REPSE]; New Politics Party or JP [Sergejs DOLGOPOLOVS]; People's Harmony Party or TSP [Janis JURKANS]; People's Party or TP [Atis SLAKTERIS]; Social Democratic Union or SDS [Egils BALDZENS]; Union for the Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK or TB/LNNK [Janis STRAUME]; United Social Democratic Welfare Party or SLP [Juris ZURAVLOVS]; United Republican Party of Latvia or LARP

Political pressure groups and leaders: Headquarters for the Protection of Russian Schools (SHTAB) [Aleksandr KAZAKOV]

International organization participation: Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Maris RIEKSTINS FAX: [1] (202) 726-6785 telephone: [1] (202) 726-8213, 8214 chancery: 4325 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Catherine Todd-Bailey embassy: 7 Raina Boulevard, Riga LV-1510 mailing address: American Embassy Riga, PSC 78, Box Riga, APO AE 09723 telephone: [371] 703-6200 FAX: [371] 782-0047

Flag description: three horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width), and maroon

Economy Latvia

Economy - overview: Latvia's transitional economy recovered from the 1998 Russian financial crisis, largely due to the SKELE government's budget stringency and a gradual reorientation of exports toward EU countries, lessening Latvia's trade dependency on Russia. The majority of companies, banks, and real estate have been privatized, although the state still holds sizable stakes in a few large enterprises. Latvia officially joined the World Trade Organization in February 1999. Preparing for EU membership continues as a top foreign policy goal. The current account and internal government deficits remain major concerns, but the government's efforts to increase efficiency in revenue collection may lessen the budget deficit.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $23.9 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 7.4% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $10,200 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4.5% industry: 24.5% services: 70.9% (2003)

Investment (gross fixed): 27.1% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line: NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 25.9% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 32 (1999)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.9% (2003 est.)

Labor force: 1.18 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 15%, industry 25%, services 60% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: 8.6% (2003 est.)

Budget: revenues: $3.691 billion expenditures: $3.871 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)

Public debt: 14.4% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products: grain, sugar beets, potatoes, vegetables; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish

Industries: buses, vans, street and railroad cars, synthetic fibers, agricultural machinery, fertilizers, washing machines, radios, electronics, pharmaceuticals, processed foods, textiles; note - dependent on imports for energy and raw materials

Industrial production growth rate: 8% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production: 4.365 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption: 6.046 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports: 703 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports: 2.69 billion kWh (2001)

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

Oil - consumption: 44,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports: NA (2001)

Oil - imports: NA (2001)

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

Natural gas - consumption: 1.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)

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

Natural gas - imports: 1.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Current account balance: $-955.9 million (2003)

Exports: $3 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities: wood and wood products, machinery and equipment, metals, textiles, foodstuffs

Exports - partners: UK 15.6%, Germany 14.8%, Sweden 10.5%, Lithuania 8.2%, Estonia 6.6%, Denmark 6%, Russia 5.4% (2003)

Imports: $4.921 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, vehicles

Imports - partners: Germany 16.1%, Lithuania 9.7%, Russia 8.7%, Finland 7.4%, Estonia 6.4%, Sweden 6.3%, Poland 5.1%, Italy 4.4% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold: $1.535 billion (2003)

Debt - external: $6.793 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $96.2 million (1995)

Currency: Latvian lat (LVL)

Currency code: LVL

Exchange rates: lati per US dollar - 0.5715 (2003), 0.6182 (2002), 0.6279 (2001), 0.6065 (2000), 0.5852 (1999)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Latvia

Telephones - main lines in use: 653,900 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 1,219,600 (2003)

Telephone system: general assessment: inadequate, but is being modernized to provide an international capability independent of the Moscow international switch; more facilities are being installed for individual use domestic: expansion underway in intercity trunk line connections, rural exchanges, and mobile systems; still many unsatisfied subscriber applications international: country code - 371; international connections are now available via cable and a satellite earth station at Riga, enabling direct connections for most calls (1998)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 8, FM 56, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios: 1.76 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 44 (plus 31 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions: 1.22 million (1997)

Internet country code: .lv

Internet hosts: 51,758 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 41 (2001)

Internet users: 936,000 (2003)

Transportation Latvia

Railways: total: 2,303 km broad gauge: 2,270 km 1.520-m gauge (257 km electrified) narrow gauge: 33 km 0.750-m gauge (2003)

Highways: total: 73,202 km paved: 28,256 km unpaved: 44,946 km (2000)

Waterways: 300 km (2004)

Pipelines: gas 1,097 km; oil 409 km; refined products 415 km (2004)

Ports and harbors: Liepaja, Riga, Ventspils

Merchant marine: total: 11 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 53,153 GRT/37,414 DWT foreign-owned: Germany 1, Greece 1, Ukraine 1 registered in other countries: 96 (2004 est.) by type: cargo 6, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 1, short-sea/passenger 1

Airports: 51 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 27 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 16 (2003 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 24 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 20 (2003 est.)

Military Latvia

Military branches: Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, Border Guard, Home Guard (Zemessardze)

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 19 years of age for compulsory military service, conscript service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for volunteers; Latvia plans to phase out conscription, tentatively moving to an all-professional force by 2007 (August 2004)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 594,596 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 466,659 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 19,209 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $87 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.2% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Latvia

Disputes - international: the Russian Duma refuses to ratify boundary delimitation treaty with Latvia; the Latvian Parliament has not ratified its 1998 maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, primarily due to concerns over oil exploration rights

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for opiates and cannabis from Central and Southwest Asia to Western Europe and Scandinavia and Latin American cocaine and some synthetics from Western Europe to CIS; vulnerable to money laundering despite improved legislation due to nascent enforcement capabilities and comparatively weak regulation of offshore companies, exchange firms, and the gaming industry; organized crime (including counterfeiting, corruption, extortion, stolen cars, and prostitution) accounts for most laundered proceeds

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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

@Lebanon

Introduction Lebanon

Background: Lebanon has made progress toward rebuilding its political institutions since 1991 and the end of the devastating 15-year civil war. Under the Ta'if Accord - the blueprint for national reconciliation - the Lebanese have established a more equitable political system, particularly by giving Muslims a greater say in the political process while institutionalizing sectarian divisions in the government. Since the end of the war, the Lebanese have conducted several successful elections, most of the militias have been weakened or disbanded, and the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) have extended central government authority over about two-thirds of the country. Hizballah, a radical Shia organization, retains its weapons. Syria maintains about 16,000 troops in Lebanon, based mainly east of Beirut and in the Bekaa Valley. Syria's troop deployment was legitimized by the Arab League during Lebanon's civil war and in the Ta'if Accord. Damascus justifies its continued military presence in Lebanon by citing Beirut's requests and the failure of the Lebanese Government to implement all of the constitutional reforms in the Ta'if Accord. Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon in May 2000, however, encouraged some Lebanese groups to demand that Syria withdraw its forces as well. The passage of UNSCR 1559 in early October 2004 - a resolution calling for Syria to withdraw from Lebanon and end its interference in Lebanese affairs - further emboldened Lebanese groups opposed to Syria's presence in Lebanon.

Geography Lebanon

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

Geographic coordinates: 33 50 N, 35 50 E

Map references: Middle East

Area: total: 10,400 sq km water: 170 sq km land: 10,230 sq km

Area - comparative: about 0.7 times the size of Connecticut

Land boundaries: total: 454 km border countries: Israel 79 km, Syria 375 km

Coastline: 225 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet winters with hot, dry summers; Lebanon mountains experience heavy winter snows

Terrain: narrow coastal plain; El Beqaa (Bekaa Valley) separates Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon Mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Qurnat as Sawda' 3,088 m

Natural resources: limestone, iron ore, salt, water-surplus state in a water-deficit region, arable land

Land use: arable land: 16.62% permanent crops: 13.98% other: 69.4% (2001)

Irrigated land: 1,200 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: dust storms, sandstorms

Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; air pollution in Beirut from vehicular traffic and the burning of industrial wastes; pollution of coastal waters from raw sewage and oil spills

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

Geography - note: Nahr el Litani only major river in Near East not crossing an international boundary; rugged terrain historically helped isolate, protect, and develop numerous factional groups based on religion, clan, and ethnicity

People Lebanon

Population: 3,777,218 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 26.9% (male 517,356; female 496,888) 15-64 years: 66.3% (male 1,197,430; female 1,305,339) 65 years and over: 6.9% (male 117,930; female 142,275) (2004 est.)

Median age: total: 26.9 years male: 25.9 years female: 27.9 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.3% (2004 est.)

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

Death rate: 6.28 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: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 25.48 deaths/1,000 live births female: 22.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 28.21 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.35 years male: 69.91 years female: 74.91 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.95 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.09% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 2,800 (2003 est.)

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

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

Ethnic groups: Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1%

Religions: Muslim 59.7% (Shi'a, Sunni, Druze, Isma'ilite, Alawite or Nusayri), Christian 39% (Maronite Catholic, Melkite Catholic, Armenian Orthodox, Syrian Catholic, Armenian Catholic, Roman Catholic, Protestant), other 1.3% note: seventeen religious sects recognized

Languages: Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 87.4% male: 93.1% female: 82.2% (2003 est.)

Government Lebanon

Country name: conventional long form: Lebanese Republic conventional short form: Lebanon local short form: Lubnan local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Lubnaniyah

Government type: republic

Capital: Beirut

Administrative divisions: 6 governorates (mohafazat, singular - mohafazah); Beyrouth, Beqaa, Liban-Nord, Liban-Sud, Mont-Liban, Nabatiye

Independence: 22 November 1943 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration)

National holiday: Independence Day, 22 November (1943)

Constitution: 23 May 1926, amended a number of times, most recently Charter of Lebanese National Reconciliation (Ta'if Accord) of October 1989

Legal system: mixture of Ottoman law, canon law, Napoleonic code, and civil law; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 21 years of age; compulsory for all males; authorized for women at age 21 with elementary education

Executive branch: chief of state: President Emile LAHUD (since 24 November 1998) head of government: Prime Minister Omar KARAMI (since 21 October 2004); Deputy Prime Minister Issam FARES (since 23 October 2000) cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with the president and members of the National Assembly elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a six-year term; election last held 15 October 1998 (next election date NA); note - on 3 September 2004 the National Assembly voted 96 to 29 to extend Emile LAHUD's six-year term by three years; the prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president in consultation with the National Assembly; by agreement, the president is a Maronite Christian, the prime minister is a Sunni Muslim, and the speaker of the legislature is a Shia Muslim election results: For 15 October 1998 election: Emile LAHUD elected president; National Assembly vote - 118 votes in favor, 0 against, 10 abstentions

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Majlis Alnuwab (Arabic) or Assemblee Nationale (French) (128 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis of sectarian proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 27 August and 3 September 2000 (next to be held spring 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by sect - Muslim 64 ( of which Sunnis 27, Shia 27, Druze 8, Alawite 2), Christian 64 (of which Maronite 34)

Judicial branch: four Courts of Cassation (three courts for civil and commercial cases and one court for criminal cases); Constitutional Council (called for in Ta'if Accord - rules on constitutionality of laws); Supreme Council (hears charges against the president and prime minister as needed)

Political parties and leaders: political activity is organized along largely sectarian lines; numerous political groupings exist, consisting of individual political figures and followers motivated by religious, ethnic, clan, and economic considerations

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ABEDA, ACCT, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Farid ABBOUD consulate(s) general: Detroit, New York, and Los Angeles FAX: [1] (202) 939-6324 telephone: [1] (202) 939-6300 chancery: 2560 28th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jeffrey D. FELTMAN embassy: Awkar, Lebanon mailing address: P. O. Box 70-840, Antelias, Lebanon; PSC 815, Box 2, FPO AE 09836-0002 telephone: [961] (4) 542600, 543600 FAX: [961] (4) 544136

Flag description: three horizontal bands of red (top), white (double width), and red with a green cedar tree centered in the white band

Economy Lebanon

Economy - overview: The 1975-91 civil war seriously damaged Lebanon's economic infrastructure, cut national output by half, and all but ended Lebanon's position as a Middle Eastern entrepot and banking hub. Peace enabled the central government to restore control in Beirut, begin collecting taxes, and regain access to key port and government facilities. Economic recovery was helped by a financially sound banking system and resilient small- and medium-scale manufacturers. Family remittances, banking services, manufactured and farm exports, and international aid provided the main sources of foreign exchange. Lebanon's economy made impressive gains since the launch in 1993 of "Horizon 2000," the government's $20 billion reconstruction program. Real GDP grew 8% in 1994, 7% in 1995, 4% in 1996 and in 1997, but slowed to 1.2% in 1998, -1.6% in 1999, -0.6% in 2000, 0.8% in 2001, 1.5% in 2002, and 3% in 2003. During the 1990s, annual inflation fell to almost 0% from more than 100%. Lebanon has rebuilt much of its war-torn physical and financial infrastructure. The government nonetheless faces serious challenges in the economic arena. It has funded reconstruction by borrowing heavily - mostly from domestic banks. In order to reduce the ballooning national debt, the re-installed HARIRI government began an economic austerity program to rein in government expenditures, increase revenue collection, and privatize state enterprises. The HARIRI government met with international donors at the Paris II conference in November 2002 to seek bilateral assistance restructuring its domestic debt at lower rates of interest. While privatization of state-owned enterprises had not occurred by the end of 2003, massive receipts from donor nations stabilized government finances in 2002-04.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $17.82 billion (2003 est.)

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

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $4,800 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 12% industry: 21% services: 67% (2000)

Investment (gross fixed): 24.8% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line: 28% (1999 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.5% (2003 est.)

Labor force: 1.5 million note: in addition, there are as many as 1 million foreign workers (2001 est.)

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

Unemployment rate: 18% (1997 est.)

Budget: revenues: $4.414 billion expenditures: $7.026 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)

Public debt: 185.1% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products: citrus, grapes, tomatoes, apples, vegetables, potatoes, olives, tobacco; sheep, goats

Industries: banking; food processing; jewelry; cement; textiles; mineral and chemical products; wood and furniture products; oil refining; metal fabricating

Industrial production growth rate: NA

Electricity - production: 6.728 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption: 7.44 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports: 1.183 billion kWh (2001)

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

Oil - consumption: 107,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports: NA (2001)

Oil - imports: NA (2001)

Current account balance: $-2.865 billion (2003)

Exports: $1.359 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities: authentic jewelry, inorganic chemicals, miscellaneous consumer goods, fruit, tobacco, construction minerals, electric power machinery and switchgear, textile fibers, paper

Exports - partners: Switzerland 10.8%, UAE 10%, Saudi Arabia 7.5%, US 7.3%, Turkey 5.5%, Jordan 4.4% (2003)

Imports: $6.073 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities: petroleum products, cars, medicinal products, clothing, meat and live animals, consumer goods, paper, textile fabrics, tobacco

Imports - partners: France 13.4%, Germany 11.7%, Italy 10.7%, Syria 5.3%, China 5.2%, UK 4.9%, US 4.5% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold: $16.35 billion (2003)

Debt - external: $20.79 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $3.5 billion (pledges 1997-2001); $4.2 billion in soft loan pledges November 2002 Paris II Aid Conference (2002)

Currency: Lebanese pound (LBP)

Currency code: LBP

Exchange rates: Lebanese pounds per US dollar - 1,507.5 (2003), 1,507.5 (2002), 1,507.5 (2001), 1,507.5 (2000), 1,507.84 (1999)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Lebanon

Telephones - main lines in use: 678,800 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 775,100 (2002)

Telephone system: general assessment: telecommunications system severely damaged by civil war; rebuilding well underway domestic: primarily microwave radio relay and cable international: country code - 961; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean) (erratic operations); coaxial cable to Syria; microwave radio relay to Syria but inoperable beyond Syria to Jordan; 3 submarine coaxial cables

Radio broadcast stations: AM 20, FM 22, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios: 2.85 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 15 (plus 5 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions: 1.18 million (1997)

Internet country code: .lb

Internet hosts: 6,998 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 22 (2000)

Internet users: 400,000 (2002)

Transportation Lebanon

Railways: total: 401 km standard gauge: 319 km 1.435-m note: rail system was unusable because of damage during the civil war in the 1980s; short sections are operable (2003) narrow gauge: 82 km 1.050-m

Highways: total: 7,300 km paved: 6,198 km unpaved: 1,102 km (1999 est.)

Pipelines: oil 209 km (2004)

Ports and harbors: Antilyas, Batroun, Beirut, Chekka, El Mina, Ez Zahrani, Jbail, Jounie, Naqoura, Sidon, Tripoli, Tyre

Merchant marine: total: 49 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 198,602 GRT/248,313 DWT registered in other countries: 52 (2004 est.) foreign-owned: Greece 7, India 1, Netherlands 4, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Spain 1, Syria 2 by type: bulk 5, cargo 23, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk 1, container 2, liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 8, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 4, vehicle carrier 3

Airports: 8 (2003 est.)

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

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

Military Lebanon

Military branches: Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF; includes Army, Navy, and Air Force)

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18-30 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 12 months (2004)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,049,097 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 643,050 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $541 million (2002)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 4.8% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Lebanon

Disputes - international: Syrian troops in central and eastern Lebanon since October 1976; Lebanese Government claims Shab'a Farms area of Israeli-occupied Golan Heights

Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 394,532 (Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA)) IDPs: 300,000 (1975-1990 civil war, Israeli invasions) (2004)

Illicit drugs: cannabis cultivation dramatically reduced to 2,500 hectares in 2002; opium poppy cultivation minimal; small amounts of Latin American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin transit country on way to European markets and for Middle Eastern consumption

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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

@Lesotho

Introduction Lesotho

Background: Basutoland was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon independence from the UK in 1966. King MOSHOESHOE was exiled in 1990. Constitutional government was restored in 1993 after 23 years of military rule. In 1998, violent protests and a military mutiny following a contentious election prompted a brief but bloody South African military intervention. Constitutional reforms have since restored political stability; peaceful parliamentary elections were held in 2002.

Geography Lesotho

Location: Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa

Geographic coordinates: 29 30 S, 28 30 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 30,355 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 30,355 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries: total: 909 km border countries: South Africa 909 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers

Terrain: mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 m highest point: Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m

Natural resources: water, agricultural and grazing land, some diamonds and other minerals

Land use: arable land: 10.87% permanent crops: 0.13% other: 89% (2001)

Irrigated land: 10 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: population pressure forcing settlement in marginal areas results in overgrazing, severe soil erosion, and soil exhaustion; desertification; Highlands Water Project controls, stores, and redirects water to South Africa

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

Geography - note: landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 meters above sea level

People Lesotho

Population: 1,865,040 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2004 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 37.3% (male 350,288; female 345,815) 15-64 years: 57.2% (male 521,434; female 545,183) 65 years and over: 5.5% (male 41,903; female 60,417) (2004 est.)

Median age: total: 20 years male: 19.5 years female: 20.6 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.14% (2004 est.)

Birth rate: 26.91 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate: 24.79 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 85.22 deaths/1,000 live births female: 80.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 90.19 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 36.81 years male: 36.81 years female: 36.81 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.44 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 28.9% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 320,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 29,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality: noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural) adjective: Basotho

Ethnic groups: Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%,

Religions: Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20%

Languages: Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 84.8% male: 74.5% female: 94.5% (2003 est.)

Government Lesotho

Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesotho conventional short form: Lesotho former: Basutoland

Government type: parliamentary constitutional monarchy

Capital: Maseru

Administrative divisions: 10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohale's Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka

Independence: 4 October 1966 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 4 October (1966)

Constitution: 2 April 1993

Legal system: based on English common law and Roman-Dutch law; judicial review of legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: King LETSIE III (since 7 February 1996); note - King LETSIE III formerly occupied the throne from November 1990 to February 1995, while his father was in exile head of government: Prime Minister Pakalitha MOSISILI (since 23 May 1998) cabinet: Cabinet elections: none; according to the constitution, the leader of the majority party in the Assembly automatically becomes prime minister; the monarch is hereditary, but, under the terms of the constitution, which came into effect after the March 1993 election, the monarch is a "living symbol of national unity" with no executive or legislative powers; under traditional law the college of chiefs has the power to determine who is next in the line of succession, who shall serve as regent in the event that the successor is not of mature age, and may even depose the monarch

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (33 members - 22 principal chiefs and 11 other members appointed by the ruling party) and the Assembly (120 seats, 80 by direct popular vote and 40 by proportional vote; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms); note - number of seats in the Assembly rose from 80 to 120 in the May 2002 election elections: last held 25 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - LCD 54%, BNP 21%, LPC 7%, other 18%; seats by party - LCD 76, BNP 21, LPC 5, other 18

Judicial branch: High Court (chief justice appointed by the monarch); Court of Appeal; Magistrate's Court; customary or traditional court

Political parties and leaders: Basotho Congress Party or BCP [Tseliso MAKHAKHE]; Basotho National Party or BNP [Maj. Gen. Justine Metsing LEKHANYA]; Lesotho Congress for Democracy or LCD [Phebe MOTEBANO, chairwoman; Pakalitha MOSISILI, leader] - the governing party; Lesotho People's Congress or LPC [Kelebone MAOPE]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Charles MOFELI]; Marematlou Freedom Party or MFP and Setlamo Alliance [Vincent MALEBO]; Progressive National Party or PNP [Chief Peete Nkoebe PEETE]; Sefate Democratic Party or SDP [Bofihla NKUEBE]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Molelekeng E. RAPOLAKI FAX: [1] (202) 234-6815 telephone: [1] (202) 797-5533 through 5536 chancery: 2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Robert G. LOFTIS embassy: 254 Kingsway, Maseru West (Consular Section) mailing address: P. O. Box 333, Maseru 100, Lesotho telephone: [266] 312666 FAX: [266] 310116

Flag description: divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner; the upper half is white, bearing the brown silhouette of a large shield with crossed spear and club; the lower half is a diagonal blue band with a green triangle in the corner

Economy Lesotho

Economy - overview: Small, landlocked, and mountainous, Lesotho relies on remittances from miners employed in South Africa and customs duties from the Southern Africa Customs Union for the majority of government revenue, but the government has strengthened its tax system to reduce dependency on customs duties. Completion of a major hydropower facility in January 1998 now permits the sale of water to South Africa, also generating royalties for Lesotho. As the number of mineworkers has declined steadily over the past several years, a small manufacturing base has developed based on farm products that support the milling, canning, leather, and jute industries and a rapidly growing apparel-assembly sector. The economy is still primarily based on subsistence agriculture, especially livestock, although drought has decreased agricultural activity. The extreme inequality in the distribution of income remains a major drawback. Lesotho has signed an Interim Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility with the IMF.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $5.583 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,000 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 15.3% industry: 43.3% services: 41.4% (2003)

Investment (gross fixed): 34.1% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line: 49% (1999)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.9% highest 10%: 43.4%

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 56 (1986-87)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.1% (2003 est.)

Labor force: 838,000 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation: 86% of resident population engaged in subsistence agriculture; roughly 35% of the active male wage earners work in South Africa

Unemployment rate: 45% (2002)

Budget: revenues: $625.4 million expenditures: $675.2 million, including capital expenditures of $15 million (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products: corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock

Industries: food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts; construction; tourism

Industrial production growth rate: 15.5% (1999)

Electricity - production: 0 kWh NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2001)

Electricity - consumption: 40 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports: 40 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2001)

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

Oil - consumption: 1,500 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - exports: NA (2001)

Oil - imports: NA (2001)

Current account balance: $-112 million (2003)

Exports: $450 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities: manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animals (2000)

Exports - partners: US 97.6%, Canada 1.5%, France 0.5% (2003)

Imports: $661 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities: food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products (2000)

Imports - partners: Hong Kong 36.6%, Taiwan 36.2%, China 12%, Germany 9.9% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold: $460 million (2003)

Debt - external: $735 million (2002)

Economic aid - donor: ODA $4.4 million

Economic aid - recipient: $41.5 million (2000)

Currency: loti (LSL); South African rand (ZAR)

Currency code: LSL; ZAR

Exchange rates: maloti per US dollar - 7.5648 (2003), 10.5407 (2002), 8.6092 (2001), 6.9398 (2000), 6.1095 (1999)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Communications Lesotho

Telephones - main lines in use: 28,600 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 92,000 (2002)

Telephone system: general assessment: rudimentary system domestic: consists of a few landlines, a small microwave radio relay system, and a minor radiotelephone communication system; a cellular mobile telephone system is growing international: country code - 266; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

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

Radios: NA (2002)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (2000)

Televisions: NA

Internet country code: .ls

Internet hosts: 119 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: 21,000 (2002)

Transportation Lesotho

Highways: total: 5,940 km paved: 1,087 km unpaved: 4,853 km (1999)

Ports and harbors: none

Airports: 28 (2003 est.)

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

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 25 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)

Military Lesotho

Military branches: Lesotho Defense Force (LDF; with Army and Air Wing)

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 465,827 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 253,974 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $32.5 million (2003)

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

Military - note: the Lesotho Government in 1999 began an open debate on the future structure, size, and role of the armed forces, especially considering the Lesotho Defense Force's (LDF) history of intervening in political affairs

Transnational Issues Lesotho

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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

@Liberia

Introduction Liberia

Background: In August 2003, a comprehensive peace agreement ended 14 years of civil war and prompted the resignation of former president Charles TAYLOR, who was exiled to Nigeria. The National Transitional Government of Liberia (NTGL) - which is composed of rebel, government, and civil society groups - assumed control in October 2003. Chairman Gyude BRYANT, who was given a two-year mandate to oversee efforts to rebuild Liberia, heads the new government. The United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), which maintains a strong presence throughout the country, completed a disarmament program for former combatants in late 2004, but the security situation is still volatile and the process of rebuilding the social and economic structure of this war-torn country remains sluggish.

Geography Liberia

Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone

Geographic coordinates: 6 30 N, 9 30 W

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 111,370 sq km water: 15,050 sq km land: 96,320 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Tennessee

Land boundaries: total: 1,585 km border countries: Guinea 563 km, Cote d'Ivoire 716 km, Sierra Leone 306 km

Coastline: 579 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 200 nm

Climate: tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to cold nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers

Terrain: mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling plateau and low mountains in northeast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Wuteve 1,380 m

Natural resources: iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 3.95% permanent crops: 2.28% other: 93.77% (2001)

Irrigated land: 30 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to March)

Environment - current issues: tropical rain forest deforestation; soil erosion; loss of biodiversity; pollution of coastal waters from oil residue and raw sewage

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

Geography - note: facing the Atlantic Ocean, the coastline is characterized by lagoons, mangrove swamps, and river-deposited sandbars; the inland grassy plateau supports limited agriculture

People Liberia

Population: 3,390,635 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 43.4% (male 742,508; female 730,677) 15-64 years: 52.9% (male 875,951; female 918,570) 65 years and over: 3.6% (male 61,867; female 61,062) (2004 est.)

Median age: total: 18.1 years male: 17.7 years female: 18.4 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.7% (2004 est.)

Birth rate: 44.81 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate: 17.86 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population note: at least 200,000 Liberian refugees are in surrounding countries; the uncertain security situation has hindered their ability to return (2004 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 130.51 deaths/1,000 live births female: 123.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 137.32 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 47.93 years male: 46.9 years female: 48.99 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.16 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 5.9% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 100,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 7,200 (2003 est.)

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

Nationality: noun: Liberian(s) adjective: Liberian

Ethnic groups: indigenous African tribes 95% (including Kpelle, Bassa, Gio, Kru, Grebo, Mano, Krahn, Gola, Gbandi, Loma, Kissi, Vai, Dei, Bella, Mandingo, and Mende), Americo-Liberians 2.5% (descendants of immigrants from the US who had been slaves), Congo People 2.5% (descendants of immigrants from the Caribbean who had been slaves)

Religions: indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20%

Languages: English 20% (official), some 20 ethnic group languages, of which a few can be written and are used in correspondence

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 57.5% male: 73.3% female: 41.6% note: (2003 est.)

Government Liberia

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Liberia conventional short form: Liberia

Government type: republic

Capital: Monrovia

Administrative divisions: 15 counties; Bomi, Bong, Gbarpolu, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado, Nimba, River Cess, River Gee, Sinoe

Independence: 26 July 1847

National holiday: Independence Day, 26 July (1847)

Constitution: 6 January 1986

Legal system: dual system of statutory law based on Anglo-American common law for the modern sector and customary law based on unwritten tribal practices for indigenous sector

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Chairman Gyude BRYANT (since 14 October 2003); note - this is an interim position until presidential elections in 2005; the chairman is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: Chairman Gyude BRYANT (since 14 October 2003); note - this is an interim position until presidential elections in 2005; the chairman is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate; note - current cabinet positions are divided among groups participating in the Liberian peace process elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (renewable); election last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held NA October 2005) note:: a UN-brokered cease-fire among warring factions and the Liberian government resulted in the August 2003 resignation of former president Charles TAYLOR; a jointly agreed upon replacement, Chairman Gyude BRYANT, assumed office as head of the National Transitional Government on 14 October 2003 election results: Charles Ghankay TAYLOR elected president; percent of vote - Charles Ghankay TAYLOR (NPP) 75.3%, Ellen Johnson SIRLEAF (UP) 9.6%, Alhaji KROMAH (ALCOP) 4%, other 11.1%; note - Taylor stepped down in August 2003

Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (26 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve nine-year terms) and the House of Representatives (64 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NPP 21, UP 3, ALCOP 2; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NPP 49, UP 7, ALCOP 3, Alliance of Political Parties 2, UPP 2, LPP 1 elections: Senate - last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held NA 2006); House of Representatives - last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held NA October 2005)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: Alliance of Political Parties (a coalition of LAP and LUP) [leader NA]; All Liberia Coalition Party or ALCOP [Peter KERBAY]; Liberian Action Party or LAP [C. Gyude BRYANT]; Liberian People's Party or LPP [Koffa NAGBE]; Liberia Unification Party or LUP [leader NA]; National Patriotic Party or NPP [Cyril ALLEN] - governing party; United People's Party or UPP [Wesley JOHNSON]; Unity Party or UP [Charles CLARKE]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Aaron B. KOLLIE chancery: 5201 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 consulate(s) general: New York FAX: [1] (202) 723-0436 telephone: [1] (202) 723-0437

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John William BLANEY III embassy: 111 United Nations Drive, P. O. Box 10-0098, Mamba Point, 1000 Monrovia, 10 Liberia mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [231] 226-370 through 226-380 FAX: [231] 226-148

Flag description: 11 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; there is a white five-pointed star on a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner; the design was based on the US flag

Economy Liberia

Economy - overview: Civil war and misgovernment have destroyed much of Liberia's economy, especially the infrastructure in and around Monrovia. Many businessmen have fled the country, taking capital and expertise with them. Some have returned, many will not. Richly endowed with water, mineral resources, forests, and a climate favorable to agriculture, Liberia had been a producer and exporter of basic products - primarily raw timber and rubber. Local manufacturing, mainly foreign owned, had been small in scope. The departure of the former president, Charles TAYLOR, to Nigeria in August 2003, the establishment of the all-inclusive National Transition Government of Liberia (NTGL), and the arrival of a UN mission are all encouraging signs that the political crisis is coming to an end. The restoration of infrastructure and the raising of incomes in this ravaged economy depend on the implementation of sound macro- and micro-economic policies, including the encouragement of foreign investment, and generous support from donor countries.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $3.261 billion (2003 est.)

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

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,000 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 76.9% industry: 5.4% services: 17.7% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line: 80%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 15% (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 70%, industry 8%, services 22% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: 85% (2003 est.)

Budget: revenues: $85.4 million expenditures: $90.5 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2000 est.)

Agriculture - products: rubber, coffee, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, sugarcane, bananas; sheep, goats; timber

Industries: rubber processing, palm oil processing, timber, diamonds

Industrial production growth rate: NA

Electricity - production: 468.8 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption: 435.9 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2001)

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

Oil - consumption: 3,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - imports: NA (2001)

Exports: $1.079 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities: rubber, timber, iron, diamonds, cocoa, coffee

Exports - partners: Germany 43.3%, Poland 10.9%, Greece 9.1%, US 6%, France 5.5%, Thailand 4.9%, China 4.1% (2003)

Imports: $5.051 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities: fuels, chemicals, machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods; foodstuffs

Imports - partners: South Korea 39.2%, Japan 16.2%, Singapore 12.4%, Germany 9.9%, Spain 4.1% (2003)

Debt - external: $2.1 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $94 million (1999)

Currency: Liberian dollar (LRD)

Currency code: LRD

Exchange rates: Liberian dollars per US dollar - NA (2003), 61.7542 (2002), 48.5833 (2001), 40.9525 (2000), 41.9025 (1999)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Liberia

Telephones - main lines in use: 7,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 2,000 (2001)

Telephone system: general assessment: telephone and telegraph service via microwave radio relay network; main center is Monrovia domestic: NA international: country code - 231; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 7, shortwave 2 (2001)

Radios: 790,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (plus four low-power repeaters) (2001)

Televisions: 70,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .lr

Internet hosts: 14 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2001)

Internet users: 1,000 (2002)

Transportation Liberia

Railways: total: 490 km standard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 145 km 1.067-m gauge note: none of the railways are in operation (2003)

Highways: total: 10,600 km paved: 657 km unpaved: 9,943 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors: Buchanan, Greenville, Harper, Monrovia, Robertsport

Merchant marine: total: 1,449 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 50,555,752 GRT/79,125,329 DWT registered in other countries: 35 (2004 est.) foreign-owned: Argentina 9, Australia 3, Austria 16, Belgium 8, Bermuda 1, Brazil 5, Chile 7, China 40, Croatia 11, Cyprus 4, Denmark 4, Estonia 1, France 3, Germany 510, Greece 142, Hong Kong 56, Iceland 1, India 3, Indonesia 1, Israel 4, Italy 8, Japan 81, South Korea 7, Latvia 22, Isle of Man 5, Mexico 1, Monaco 59, Netherlands 11, Nigeria 2, Norway 54, Panama 1, Poland 2, Portugal 6, Russia 68, Saudi Arabia 23, Singapore 43, Slovenia 1, Spain 1, Sri Lanka 1, Sweden 9, Switzerland 7, Taiwan 36, Turkey 3, Ukraine 3, United Kingdom 36, United States 95, Uruguay 3 by type: bulk 278, cargo 67, chemical tanker 161, combination bulk 10, combination ore/oil 20, container 388, liquefied gas 77, multi-functional large load carrier 3, passenger 3, petroleum tanker 317, refrigerated cargo 62, roll on/roll off 14, short-sea/passenger 3, specialized tanker 13, vehicle carrier 33

Airports: 53 (2003 est.)

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

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 51 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 38 (2004 est.)

Military Liberia

Military branches: Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL): Army, Navy, Air Force

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

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 752,943 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 406,293 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $10 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.3% (2003)

Transnational Issues Liberia

Disputes - international: domestic fighting among disparate rebel groups, warlords, and youth gangs in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone have created insurgencies, street violence, looting, arms trafficking, and ethnic conflicts and refugees in border areas; the Cote d'Ivoire Government accuses Liberia of supporting Ivorian rebels

Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 13,941 (Sierra Leone), 38,325 (Cote d'Ivoire) IDPs: 500,000 (civil war from 1990-2004; IDP resettlement began in November 2004) (2004)

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for Southeast and Southwest Asian heroin and South American cocaine for the European and US markets; corruption, criminal activity, arms-dealing, and diamond trade provide significant potential for money laundering, but the lack of well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a major money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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

@Libya

Introduction Libya

Background: From the earliest days of his rule following his 1969 military coup, Col. Muammar Abu Minyar al-QADHAFI has espoused his own political system, the Third Universal Theory. The system is a combination of socialism and Islam derived in part from tribal practices and is supposed to be implemented by the Libyan people themselves in a unique form of "direct democracy." QADHAFI has always seen himself as a revolutionary and visionary leader. He used oil funds during the 1970s and 1980s to promote his ideology outside Libya, supporting subversives and terrorists abroad to hasten the end of Marxism and capitalism. In addition, beginning in 1973, he engaged in military operations in northern Chad's Aozou Strip - to gain access to minerals and to use as a base of influence in Chadian politics - but was forced to retreat in 1987. UN sanctions in 1992 isolated QADHAFI politically following the downing of Pan AM Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. Libyan support for terrorism appears to have decreased after the sanction imposition. During the 1990s, QADHAFI also began to rebuild his relationships with Europe. UN sanctions were suspended in April 1999 and finally lifted in September 2003 after Libya resolved the Lockerbie case. In December 2003, Libya announced that it had agreed to reveal and end its programs to develop weapons of mass destruction, and QADHAFI has made significant strides in normalizing relations with western nations since then. He has received various Western European leaders as well as many working-level and commercial delegations, and made his first trip to Western Europe in 15 years when he traveled to Brussels in April 2004. QADHAFI also finally resolved in 2004 several outstanding cases against his government for terrorist activities in the 1980s by paying compensation to the families of victims of the UTA and La Belle disco bombings.

Geography Libya

Location: Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Tunisia

Geographic coordinates: 25 00 N, 17 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 1,759,540 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 1,759,540 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Alaska

Land boundaries: total: 4,348 km border countries: Algeria 982 km, Chad 1,055 km, Egypt 1,115 km, Niger 354 km, Sudan 383 km, Tunisia 459 km

Coastline: 1,770 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm note: Gulf of Sidra closing line - 32 degrees, 30 minutes north

Climate: Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior

Terrain: mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Sabkhat Ghuzayyil -47 m highest point: Bikku Bitti 2,267 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, gypsum

Land use: arable land: 1.03% permanent crops: 0.19% other: 98.78% (2001)

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

Natural hazards: hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to four days in spring and fall; dust storms, sandstorms

Environment - current issues: desertification; very limited natural fresh water resources; the Great Manmade River Project, the largest water development scheme in the world, is being built to bring water from large aquifers under the Sahara to coastal cities

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

Geography - note: more than 90% of the country is desert or semidesert

People Libya

Population: 5,631,585 note: includes 166,510 non-nationals (July 2004 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 34.2% (male 983,050; female 941,603) 15-64 years: 61.7% (male 1,794,396; female 1,679,828) 65 years and over: 4.1% (male 113,391; female 119,317) (2004 est.)

Median age: total: 22.4 years male: 22.5 years female: 22.2 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.37% (2004 est.)

Birth rate: 27.17 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate: 3.48 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: 1.07 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 25.7 deaths/1,000 live births female: 23.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 28.04 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.28 years male: 74.1 years female: 78.58 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.42 children born/woman (2004 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 7,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Libyan(s) adjective: Libyan

Ethnic groups: Berber and Arab 97%, Greeks, Maltese, Italians, Egyptians, Pakistanis, Turks, Indians, Tunisians

Religions: Sunni Muslim 97%

Languages: Arabic, Italian, English, all are widely understood in the major cities

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 82.6% male: 92.4% female: 72% (2003 est.)

Government Libya

Country name: conventional long form: Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya conventional short form: Libya local short form: none local long form: Al Jumahiriyah al Arabiyah al Libiyah ash Shabiyah al Ishtirakiyah al Uzma

Government type: Jamahiriya (a state of the masses) in theory, governed by the populace through local councils; in fact, a military dictatorship

Capital: Tripoli

Administrative divisions: 25 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ajdabiya, Al 'Aziziyah, Al Fatih, Al Jabal al Akhdar, Al Jufrah, Al Khums, Al Kufrah, An Nuqat al Khams, Ash Shati', Awbari, Az Zawiyah, Banghazi, Darnah, Ghadamis, Gharyan, Misratah, Murzuq, Sabha, Sawfajjin, Surt, Tarabulus, Tarhunah, Tubruq, Yafran, Zlitan; note - the 25 municipalities may have been replaced by 13 regions

Independence: 24 December 1951 (from Italy)

National holiday: Revolution Day, 1 September (1969)

Constitution: 11 December 1969, amended 2 March 1977

Legal system: based on Italian civil law system and Islamic law; separate religious courts; no constitutional provision for judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch: chief of state: Revolutionary Leader Col. Muammar Abu Minyar al-QADHAFI (since 1 September 1969); note - holds no official title, but is de facto chief of state elections: national elections are indirect through a hierarchy of people's committees; head of government elected by the General People's Congress; election last held 2 March 2000 (next to be held NA) election results: NA cabinet: General People's Committee established by the General People's Congress head of government: Secretary of the General People's Committee (Prime Minister) Shukri Muhammad GHANIM (since 14 June 2003)

Legislative branch: unicameral General People's Congress (NA seats; members elected indirectly through a hierarchy of people's committees)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: none

Political pressure groups and leaders: various Arab nationalist movements with almost negligible memberships may be functioning clandestinely, as well as some Islamic elements; an anti-QADHAFI Libyan exile movement exists, primarily based in London, but has little influence

International organization participation: ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer), WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US: Libya does not have an embassy in the US but maintains an interest section under the protective power of the United Arab Emirates Embassy in the US

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US suspended all embassy activities in Tripoli in May 1980, resumed embassy activities in February 2004 under the protective power of the US interests section of the Belgian Embassy in Tripoli, then opened a Liaison Office in Tripoli in June 2004

Flag description: plain green; green is the traditional color of Islam (the state religion)

Economy Libya

Economy - overview: The Libyan economy depends primarily upon revenues from the oil sector, which contribute practically all export earnings and about one-quarter of GDP. These oil revenues and a small population give Libya one of the highest per capita GDPs in Africa, but little of this income flows down to the lower orders of society. Libyan officials in the past three years have made progress on economic reforms as part of a broader campaign to reintegrate the country into the international fold. This effort picked up steam after UN sanctions were lifted in September 2003 and as Libya announced in December 2003 that it would abandon programs to build weapons of mass destruction. Libya faces a long road ahead in liberalizing the socialist-oriented economy, but initial steps - including applying for WTO membership, reducing some subsidies, and announcing plans for privatization - are laying the groundwork for a transition to a more market-based economy. The non-oil manufacturing and construction sectors, which account for about 20% of GDP, have expanded from processing mostly agricultural products to include the production of petrochemicals, iron, steel, and aluminum. Climatic conditions and poor soils severely limit agricultural output, and Libya imports about 75% of its food.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $35 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3.2% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $6,400 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 8.6% industry: 46.1% services: 45.3% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed): 15% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line: NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.8% (2003 est.)

Labor force: 1.51 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 17%, industry 29%, services 54% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate: 30% (2001)

Budget: revenues: $10.28 billion expenditures: $7.86 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)

Public debt: 16.6% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, olives, dates, citrus, vegetables, peanuts, soybeans; cattle

Industries: petroleum, food processing, textiles, handicrafts, cement

Industrial production growth rate: NA

Electricity - production: 20.18 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption: 18.77 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production: 1.429 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption: 216,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports: NA (2001)

Oil - imports: NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves: 29.75 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production: 6.18 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption: 5.41 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports: 770 million cu m (2001 est.)

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

Natural gas - proved reserves: 1.321 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance: $6.641 billion (2003)

Exports: $14.32 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities: crude oil, refined petroleum products (1999)

Exports - partners: Italy 38.8%, Spain 13.4%, Germany 13.4%, Turkey 7.1%, France 6.1% (2003)

Imports: $6.282 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery, transport equipment, food, manufactured goods (1999)

Imports - partners: Italy 27.8%, Germany 10.5%, Tunisia 7.6%, UK 7.1%, France 6%, Turkey 4.6% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold: $19.78 billion (2003)

Debt - external: $4.194 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $15 million (2000)

Currency: Libyan dinar (LYD)

Currency code: LYD

Exchange rates: Libyan dinars per US dollar - 1.2929 (2003), 1.2707 (2002), 0.6051 (2001), 0.4994 (2000), 0.3936 (1999)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Libya

Telephones - main lines in use: 750,000 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 100,000 (2003)

Telephone system: general assessment: telecommunications system is being modernized; mobile cellular telephone system became operational in 1996 domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, cellular, tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations international: country code - 218; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat, NA Arabsat, and NA Intersputnik; submarine cables to France and Italy; microwave radio relay to Tunisia and Egypt; tropospheric scatter to Greece; participant in Medarabtel (1999)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 16, FM 3, shortwave 3 (2002)

Radios: 1.35 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 12 (plus one low-power repeater) (1999)

Televisions: 730,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .ly

Internet hosts: 67 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2002)

Internet users: 160,000 (2003)

Transportation Libya

Railways: 0 km note: Libya is working on 7 lines totaling 2,757 km of 1.435-m gauge track; it hopes to open a 191 km line by the end of 2004 (2003)

Highways: total: 83,200 km paved: 47,590 km unpaved: 35,610 km (1999 est.)

Pipelines: condensate 225 km; gas 3,611 km; oil 7,252 km (2004)

Ports and harbors: Al Khums, Banghazi, Darnah, Marsa al Burayqah, Misratah, Ra's Lanuf, Tobruk, Tripoli, Zuwarah

Merchant marine: total: 20 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 129,627 GRT/105,110 DWT by type: cargo 8, liquefied gas 3, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 4, short-sea/passenger 4 foreign-owned: Algeria 1, Kuwait 1 (2004 est.)

Airports: 140 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 59 over 3,047 m: 23 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 23

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 80 under 914 m: 18 (2004 est.) over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 41 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14