Introductory material (continued 11)

Political pressure groups and leaders: Dominica Liberation Movement or DLM (a small leftist party)

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

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Swinburne LESTRADE chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 364-6781 FAX: [1] (202) 364-6791 consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Dominica; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Dominica

Flag description: green, with a centered cross of three equal bands - the vertical part is yellow (hoist side), black, and white and the horizontal part is yellow (top), black, and white; superimposed in the center of the cross is a red disk bearing a sisserou parrot encircled by 10 green, five-pointed stars edged in yellow; the 10 stars represent the 10 administrative divisions (parishes)

Economy Dominica

Economy - overview: The Dominican economy depends on agriculture, primarily bananas, and remains highly vulnerable to climatic conditions and international economic developments. Production of bananas dropped precipitously in 2003, a major reason for the 1% decline in GDP. Tourism increased in 2003 as the government sought to promote Dominica as an "ecotourism" destination. Development of the tourism industry remains difficult, however, because of the rugged coastline, lack of beaches, and the absence of an international airport. The government began a comprehensive restructuring of the economy in 2003 - including elimination of price controls, privatization of the state banana company, and tax increases - to address Dominica's economic crisis and to meet IMF targets. In order to diversify the island's production base the government is attempting to develop an offshore financial sector and is planning to construct an oil refinery on the eastern part of the island.

GDP (purchasing power parity): $384 million (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: -1% (2003 est.)

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

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 18% industry: 24% services: 58% (2002 est.)

Labor force: 25,000 (1999 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 40%, industry and commerce 32%, services 28%

Unemployment rate: 23% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 30% (2002 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $73.9 million expenditures: $84.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2001)

Agriculture - products: bananas, citrus, mangoes, root crops, coconuts, cocoa; forest and fishery potential not exploited

Industries: soap, coconut oil, tourism, copra, furniture, cement blocks, shoes

Industrial production growth rate: -10% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production: 68.41 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 47.1% hydro: 52.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption: 63.62 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2002)

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

Oil - consumption: 600 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports: NA

Oil - imports: NA

Exports: $39 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities: bananas, soap, bay oil, vegetables, grapefruit, oranges

Exports - partners: UK 21.6%, Jamaica 14.8%, Antigua and Barbuda 8.8%, Guyana 7.5%, Japan 5.4%, Trinidad and Tobago 4.8%, US 4.3%, Saint Lucia 4% (2004)

Imports: $98.2 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

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

Imports - partners: China 20.4%, US 16.8%, Trinidad and Tobago 12.3%, UK 6.9%, South Korea 4.6%, Japan 4.3% (2004)

Debt - external: $161.5 million (2001)

Economic aid - recipient: $22.8 million (2003 est.)

Currency (code): East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code: XCD

Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002), 2.7 (2001), 2.7 (2000)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Communications Dominica

Telephones - main lines in use: 23,700 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 9,400 (2002)

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: fully automatic network international: country code - 1-767; microwave radio relay and SHF radiotelephone links to Martinique and Guadeloupe; VHF and UHF radiotelephone links to Saint Lucia

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios: 46,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (2004)

Televisions: 6,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .dm

Internet hosts: 681 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 16 (2000)

Internet users: 12,500 (2002)

Transportation Dominica

Highways: total: 780 km paved: 393 km unpaved: 387 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors: Portsmouth, Roseau

Merchant marine: total: 32 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 13,771 GRT/19,736 DWT by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 19, chemical tanker 2, container 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 5, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 21 (Estonia 6, Greece 3, Pakistan 1, Russia 2, Singapore 6, Syria 2, UAE 1) (2005)

Airports: 2 (2004 est.)

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

Military Dominica

Military branches: no regular military forces; Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force (includes Coast Guard)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA

Transnational Issues Dominica

Disputes - international: joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under UNCLOS, which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large portion of the Caribbean Sea

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe; minor cannabis producer; anti-money-laundering enforcement is weak, making the country particularly vulnerable to money laundering

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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@Dominican Republic

Introduction Dominican Republic

Background: Explored and claimed by Columbus on his first voyage in 1492, the island of Hispaniola became a springboard for Spanish conquest of the Caribbean and the American mainland. In 1697, Spain recognized French dominion over the western third of the island, which in 1804 became Haiti. The remainder of the island, by then known as Santo Domingo, sought to gain its own independence in 1821, but was conquered and ruled by the Haitians for 22 years; it finally attained independence as the Dominican Republic in 1844. In 1861, the Dominicans voluntarily returned to the Spanish Empire, but two years later they launched a war that restored independence in 1865. A legacy of unsettled, mostly non-representative, rule for much of its subsequent history was brought to an end in 1966 when Joaquin BALAGUER became president. He maintained a tight grip on power for most of the next 30 years when international reaction to flawed elections forced him to curtail his term in 1996. Since then, regular competitive elections have been held in which opposition candidates have won the presidency. The Dominican economy has had one of the fastest growth rates in the hemisphere over the past decade.

Geography Dominican Republic

Location: Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Haiti

Geographic coordinates: 19 00 N, 70 40 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 48,730 sq km land: 48,380 sq km water: 350 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly more than twice the size of New Hampshire

Land boundaries: total: 360 km border countries: Haiti 360 km

Coastline: 1,288 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 6 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate: tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation; seasonal variation in rainfall

Terrain: rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys interspersed

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Lago Enriquillo -46 m highest point: Pico Duarte 3,175 m

Natural resources: nickel, bauxite, gold, silver

Land use: arable land: 22.65% permanent crops: 10.33% other: 67.02% (2001)

Irrigated land: 2,590 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: water shortages; soil eroding into the sea damages coral reefs; deforestation

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

Geography - note: shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti

People Dominican Republic

Population: 8,950,034 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 32.9% (male 1,505,964/female 1,438,809) 15-64 years: 61.7% (male 2,815,544/female 2,703,012) 65 years and over: 5.4% (male 226,372/female 260,333) (2005 est.)

Median age: total: 23.88 years male: 23.68 years female: 24.09 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.29% (2005 est.)

Birth rate: 23.28 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate: 7.35 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate: -3.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 32.38 deaths/1,000 live births male: 34.81 deaths/1,000 live births female: 29.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.44 years male: 69.94 years female: 73.03 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.86 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 1.7% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 88,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 7,900 (2003 est.)

Nationality: noun: Dominican(s) adjective: Dominican

Ethnic groups: white 16%, black 11%, mixed 73%

Religions: Roman Catholic 95%

Languages: Spanish

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 84.7% male: 84.6% female: 84.8% (2003 est.)

Government Dominican Republic

Country name: conventional long form: Dominican Republic conventional short form: The Dominican local long form: Republica Dominicana local short form: La Dominicana

Government type: representative democracy

Capital: Santo Domingo

Administrative divisions: 31 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 district* (distrito); Azua, Baoruco, Barahona, Dajabon, Distrito Nacional*, Duarte, Elias Pina, El Seibo, Espaillat, Hato Mayor, Independencia, La Altagracia, La Romana, La Vega, Maria Trinidad Sanchez, Monsenor Nouel, Monte Cristi, Monte Plata, Pedernales, Peravia, Puerto Plata, Salcedo, Samana, Sanchez Ramirez, San Cristobal, San Jose de Ocoa, San Juan, San Pedro de Macoris, Santiago, Santiago Rodriguez, Santo Domingo, Valverde

Independence: 27 February 1844 (from Haiti)

National holiday: Independence Day, 27 February (1844)

Constitution: 28 November 1966; amended 25 July 2002

Legal system: based on French civil codes; undergoing modification in 2004 towards an accusatory system

Suffrage: 18 years of age, universal and compulsory; married persons regardless of age note: members of the armed forces and national police cannot vote

Executive branch: chief of state: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16 August 2004); Vice President Rafael ALBURQUERQUE de Castro (since 16 August 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16 August 2004); Vice President Rafael ALBURQUERQUE de Castro (since 16 August 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the president elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 16 May 2004 (next to be held in May 2008) election results: Leonel FERNANDEZ elected president; percent of vote - Leonel FERNANDEZ (PLD) 57.1%, Rafael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez (PRD) 33.7%, Eduardo ESTRELLA (PRSC) 8.7%

Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Senate or Senado (32 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (150 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 16 May 2002 (next to be held May 2006); Chamber of Deputies - last held 16 May 2002 (next to be held May 2006) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PRD 29, PLD 2, PRSC 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PRD 73, PLD 41, PRSC 36

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are appointed by a the National Judicial Council comprised of the President, the leaders of both chambers of congress, the President of the Supreme Court, and an opposition or non-governing party member)

Political parties and leaders: Dominican Liberation Party or PLD [Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna]; Dominican Revolutionary Party or PRD [Vicente Sanchez BARET]; Social Christian Reformist Party or PRSC [Enrique ATUN]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Collective of Popular Organizations or COP; Citizen Participation Group (Participacion Ciudadania); Foundation for Institution-Building (FINJUS)

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

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Flavio Dario Espinal JACOBO chancery: 1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-6280 FAX: [1] (202) 265-8057 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Mayaguez (Puerto Rico), Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Hans H. HERTELL embassy: corner of Calle Cesar Nicolas Penson and Calle Leopoldo Navarro, Santo Domingo mailing address: Unit 5500, APO AA 34041-5500 telephone: [1] (809) 221-2171 FAX: [1] (809) 686-7437

Flag description: a centered white cross that extends to the edges divides the flag into four rectangles - the top ones are blue (hoist side) and red, and the bottom ones are red (hoist side) and blue; a small coat of arms featuring a shield supported by an olive branch (left) and a palm branch (right) is at the center of the cross; above the shield a blue ribbon displays the motto, DIOS, PATRIA, LIBERTAD (God, Fatherland, Liberty), and below the shield, REPUBLICA DOMINICANA appears on a red ribbon

Economy Dominican Republic

Economy - overview: The Dominican Republic is a Caribbean representative democracy which enjoyed GDP growth of more than 7% in 1998-2000. Growth subsequently plummeted as part of the global economic slowdown. Although the country has long been viewed primarily as an exporter of sugar, coffee, and tobacco, in recent years the service sector has overtaken agriculture as the economy's largest employer, due to growth in tourism and free trade zones. The country suffers from marked income inequality; the poorest half of the population receives less than one-fifth of GNP, while the richest 10% enjoys nearly 40% of national income. Growth turned negative in 2003 with reduced tourism, a major bank fraud, and limited growth in the US economy (the source of about 85% of export revenues), but recovered slightly in 2004. Resumption of a badly needed IMF loan, slowed due to government repurchase of electrical power plants, is basic to the restoration of social and economic stability. Newly elected President FERNANDEZ in mid-2004 promised belt-tightening reform. His administration has passed tax reform and is working to meet preconditions for a $600 IMF standby arrangement to ease the country's fiscal situation.

GDP (purchasing power parity): $55.68 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 1.7% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $6,300 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 10.7% industry: 31.5% services: 57.8% (2003)

Labor force: 2.3 million - 2.6 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 17%, industry 24.3%, services and government 58.7% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate: 17% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line: 25%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.1% highest 10%: 37.9% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 47.4 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 55% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed): 18.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget: revenues: $2.625 billion expenditures: $3.382 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.1 billion (2004 est.)

Public debt: 61.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products: sugarcane, coffee, cotton, cocoa, tobacco, rice, beans, potatoes, corn, bananas; cattle, pigs, dairy products, beef, eggs

Industries: tourism, sugar processing, ferronickel and gold mining, textiles, cement, tobacco

Industrial production growth rate: 2% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 9.583 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 92% hydro: 7.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0.4% (2001)

Electricity - consumption: 8.912 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2002)

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

Oil - consumption: 129,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports: NA

Oil - imports: 129,900 bbl/day (2003)

Current account balance: $762.2 million (2004 est.)

Exports: $5.446 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities: ferronickel, sugar, gold, silver, coffee, cocoa, tobacco, meats, consumer goods

Exports - partners: US 80%, South Korea 2.1%, Canada 1.9% (2004)

Imports: $8.093 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics, chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Imports - partners: US 48.1%, Venezuela 13.5%, Colombia 4.8%, Mexico 4.8% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $426 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external: $7.745 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $239.6 million (1995)

Currency (code): Dominican peso (DOP)

Currency code: DOP

Exchange rates: Dominican pesos per US dollar - 42.12 (2004), 30.831 (2003), 18.61 (2002), 16.952 (2001), 16.415 (2000)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Dominican Republic

Telephones - main lines in use: 901,800 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 2,120,400 (2003)

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: relatively efficient system based on island-wide microwave radio relay network international: country code - 1-809; 1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 120, FM 56, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios: 1.44 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 25 (2003)

Televisions: 770,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .do

Internet hosts: 64,197 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 24 (2000)

Internet users: 500,000 (2003)

Transportation Dominican Republic

Railways: total: 1,743 km standard gauge: 375 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 142 km 0.762-m gauge note: additional 1,226 km operated by sugar companies in 1.076-m, 0.889-m, and 0.762-m gauges (2004)

Highways: total: 12,600 km paved: 6,224 km unpaved: 6,376 km (1999)

Ports and harbors: Boca Chica, Puerto Plata, Rio Haina, Santo Domingo

Merchant marine: total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 11,230 GRT/17,011 DWT by type: cargo 3 (2005)

Airports: 31 (2004 est.)

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

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 18 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)

Military Dominican Republic

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force

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

Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 2,108,197 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 1,420,693 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually: males: 91,597 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $180 million (1998)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.1% (1998)

Transnational Issues Dominican Republic

Disputes - international: increasing numbers of illegal migrants from the Dominican Republic cross the Mona Passage each year to Puerto Rico to find work

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe; has become a transshipment point for ecstasy from the Netherlands and Belgium destined for US and Canada; substantial money-laundering activity; Colombian narcotics traffickers favor the Dominican Republic for illicit financial transactions

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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@East Timor

Introduction East Timor

Background: The Portuguese began to trade with the island of Timor in the early 16th century and colonized it in mid-century. Skirmishing with the Dutch in the region eventually resulted in an 1859 treaty in which Portugal ceded the western portion of the island. Imperial Japan occupied East Timor from 1942 to 1945, but Portugal resumed colonial authority after the Japanese defeat in World War II. East Timor declared itself independent from Portugal on 28 November 1975 and was invaded and occupied by Indonesian forces nine days later. It was incorporated into Indonesia in July 1976 as the province of East Timor. An unsuccessful campaign of pacification followed over the next two decades, during which an estimated 100,000 to 250,000 individuals lost their lives. On 30 August 1999, in a UN-supervised popular referendum, an overwhelming majority of the people of East Timor voted for independence from Indonesia. Between the referendum and the arrival of a multinational peacekeeping force in late September 1999, anti-independence Timorese militias - organized and supported by the Indonesian military - commenced a large-scale, scorched-earth campaign of retribution. The militias killed approximately 1,300 Timorese and forcibly pushed 300,000 people into West Timor as refugees. The majority of the country's infrastructure, including homes, irrigation systems, water supply systems, and schools, and nearly 100% of the country's electrical grid were destroyed. On 20 September 1999 the Australian-led peacekeeping troops of the International Force for East Timor (INTERFET) deployed to the country and brought the violence to an end. On 20 May 2002, East Timor was internationally recognized as an independent state.

Geography East Timor

Location: Southeastern Asia, northwest of Australia in the Lesser Sunda Islands at the eastern end of the Indonesian archipelago; note - East Timor includes the eastern half of the island of Timor, the Oecussi (Ambeno) region on the northwest portion of the island of Timor, and the islands of Pulau Atauro and Pulau Jaco

Geographic coordinates: 8 50 S, 125 55 E

Map references: Southeast Asia

Area: total: 15,007 sq km land: NA water: NA

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Connecticut

Land boundaries: total: 228 km border countries: Indonesia 228 km

Coastline: 706 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: NA exclusive economic zone: NA continental shelf: NA exclusive fishing zone: NA

Climate: tropical; hot, humid; distinct rainy and dry seasons

Terrain: mountainous

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Timor Sea, Savu Sea, and Banda Sea 0 m highest point: Foho Tatamailau 2,963 m

Natural resources: gold, petroleum, natural gas, manganese, marble

Land use: arable land: 4.71% permanent crops: 0.67% other: 94.62% (2001)

Irrigated land: 1,065 sq km (est.)

Natural hazards: floods and landslides are common; earthquakes, tsunamis, tropical cyclones

Environment - current issues: widespread use of slash and burn agriculture has led to deforestation and soil erosion

Environment - international agreements: NA

Geography - note: Timor comes from the Malay word for "East"; the island of Timor is part of the Malay Archipelago and is the largest and easternmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands

People East Timor

Population: 1,040,880 note: other estimates range as low as 800,000 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 37.1% (male 196,108/female 189,753) 15-64 years: 59.9% (male 318,173/female 305,479) 65 years and over: 3% (male 15,353/female 16,014) (2005 est.)

Median age: total: 20.41 years male: 20.46 years female: 20.35 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.09% (2005 est.)

Birth rate: 27.19 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate: 6.3 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 47.41 deaths/1,000 live births male: 53.71 deaths/1,000 live births female: 40.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 65.9 years male: 63.63 years female: 68.29 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.61 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Timorese adjective: Timorese

Ethnic groups: Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian), Papuan, small Chinese minority

Religions: Roman Catholic 90%, Muslim 4%, Protestant 3%, Hindu 0.5%, Buddhist, Animist (1992 est.)

Languages: Tetum (official), Portuguese (official), Indonesian, English note: there are about 16 indigenous languages; Tetum, Galole, Mambae, and Kemak are spoken by significant numbers of people

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 58.6% (2002)

Government East Timor

Country name: conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste conventional short form: East Timor local long form: Republika Demokratika Timor Lorosa'e [Tetum]; Republica Democratica de Timor-Leste [Portuguese] local short form: Timor Lorosa'e [Tetum]; Timor-Leste [Portuguese] former: Portuguese Timor

Government type: Republic

Capital: Dili

Administrative divisions: 13 administrative districts; Aileu, Ainaro, Baucau, Bobonaro (Maliana), Cova-Lima (Suai), Dili, Ermera, Lautem (Los Palos), Liquica, Manatuto, Manufahi (Same), Oecussi (Ambeno), Viqueque

Independence: 28 November 1975 (date of proclamation of independence from Portugal); note - 20 May 2002 is the official date of international recognition of East Timor's independence from Indonesia

National holiday: Independence Day, 28 November (1975)

Constitution: 22 March 2002 (based on the Portuguese model)

Legal system: UN-drafted legal system based on Indonesian law remains in place but will be replaced by civil and penal codes based on Portuguese law (2004)

Suffrage: 17 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO (since 20 May 2002); note - the president plays a largely symbolic role but is able to veto some legislation; he formerly used the name Jose Alexandre GUSMAO head of government: Prime Minister Mari Bin Amude ALKATIRI (since 20 May 2002) cabinet: Council of Ministers elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 14 April 2002 (next to be held in April 2007); after the first legislative elections, the leader of the majority party was appointed prime minister by the president, suggesting a precedent for the future election results: Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO elected president; percent of vote - Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO 82.7%, Francisco Xavier do AMARAL 17.3%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Parliament (number of seats can vary, minimum requirement of 52 and a maximum of 65 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - for its first term of office, the National Parliament is comprised of 88 members on an exceptional basis elections: (next to be held August 2006); direct elections for national parliament were never held; elected delegates to the national convention named themselves legislators instead of having elections; hence the exceptional numbers for this term of the national parliament. election results: percent of vote by party - FRETILIN 57.37%, PD 8.72%, PSD 8.18%, ASDT 7.84%, UDT 2.36%, PNT 2.21%, KOTA 2.13%, PPT 2.01%, PDC 1.98%, PST 1.78%, independents/other 5.42%; seats by party - FRETILIN 55, PD 7, PSD 6, ASDT 6, PDC 2, UDT 2, KOTA 2, PNT 2, PPT 2, UDC/PDC 1, PST 1, PL 1, independent 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice - constitution calls for one judge to be appointed by National Parliament and rest appointed by Superior Council for Judiciary; note - until Supreme Court is established, Court of Appeals is highest court

Political parties and leaders: Associacao Social-Democrata Timorense or ASDT [Francisco Xavier do AMARAL]; Christian Democratic Party of Timor or PDC [Antonio XIMENES]; Christian Democratic Union of Timor or UDC [Vicente da Silva GUTERRES]; Democratic Party or PD [Fernando de ARAUJO]; Liberal Party or PL [leader NA]; Maubere Democratic Party or PDM [leader NA]; People's Party of Timor or PPT [Jacob XAVIER]; Revolutionary Front of Independent East Timor or FRETILIN [Lu OLO]; Social Democrat Party of East Timor or PSD [Mario CARRASCALAO]; Socialist Party of Timor or PST [leader Avelino COELHO]; Sons of the Mountain Warriors (also known as Association of Timorese Heroes) or KOTA [Clementino dos Reis AMARAL]; Timor Democratic Union or UDT [Joao CARRASCALAO]; Timor Labor Party or PTT [Paulo Freitas DA SILVA]; Timorese Nationalist Party or PNT [Abilio ARAUJO]; Timorese Popular Democratic Association or APODETI [Frederico Almeida-Santos DA COSTA]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Popular Council for the Defense of the Democratic Republic of East Timor or CPD-RDTL [leader Antonio-Aitahan MATAK] is largest political pressure group; it rejects current government and claims to be rightful government; Kolimau 2000 [leader Dr. Bruno MAGALHAES] is another opposition group; dissatisfied veterans of struggle against Indonesia, led by one-time government advisor Cornelio GAMA (also known as L-7), also play an important role in pressuring government

International organization participation: ACP, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICCt, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (observer), ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, MIGA, OPCW, PIF (observer), UN, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jose Luis GUTERRES chancery: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: 202 965-1515 FAX: 202 965-1517 consulate(s) general: New York (the ambassador resides in New York) (2004)

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Grover Joseph REES embassy: Avenida de Portugal, Praia dos Conqueiros, Dili mailing address: Department of State, 8250 Dili Place, Washington, DC 20521-8250 telephone: (670) 332-4684 FAX: (670) 331-3206

Flag description: red, with a black isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) superimposed on a slightly longer yellow arrowhead that extends to the center of the flag; there is a white star in the center of the black triangle

Economy East Timor

Economy - overview: In late 1999, about 70% of the economic infrastructure of East Timor was laid waste by Indonesian troops and anti-independence militias, and 300,000 people fled westward. Over the next three years, however, a massive international program, manned by 5,000 peacekeepers (8,000 at peak) and 1,300 police officers, led to substantial reconstruction in both urban and rural areas. By 2003, all but about 30,000 of the refugees had returned. Growth was held back in 2003 by extensive drought and the gradual winding down of the international presence. The country faces great challenges in continuing the rebuilding of infrastructure, strengthening the infant civil administration, and generating jobs for young people entering the workforce. One promising long-term project is the planned development of oil and gas resources in nearby waters, which have begun to supplement government revenues ahead of schedule.

GDP (purchasing power parity): $370 million (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 1% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $400 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 25.4% industry: 17.2% services: 57.4% (2001)

Labor force: NA

Labor force - by occupation: NA

Unemployment rate: 50% (including underemployment) (1992 est.)

Population below poverty line: 42% (2003 est.)

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

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 38 (2002 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4% (2003 est.)

Budget: revenues: $107.7 million expenditures: $73 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products: coffee, rice, maize, cassava, sweet potatoes, soybeans, cabbage, mangoes, bananas, vanilla

Industries: printing, soap manufacturing, handicrafts, woven cloth

Industrial production growth rate: 8.5%

Electricity - production: NA kWh (2002)

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

Electricity - consumption: NA kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2002)

Exports: $8 million (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities: coffee, sandalwood, marble; note - the potential for oil and vanilla exports

Exports - partners: Indonesia 100%

Imports: $167 million (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities: food, gasoline, kerosene, machinery

Imports - partners: NA

Debt - external: none

Economic aid - recipient: $2.2 billion (1999-2002 est.)

Currency (code): US dollar (USD)

Currency code: USD

Exchange rates: the US dollar is the legal tender

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Communications East Timor

Telephones - main lines in use: NA

Telephones - mobile cellular: NA

Telephone system: NA

Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: NA

Televisions: NA

Internet country code: .tl; note - ICANN approved the change from .tp in January 2005

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA

Internet users: NA

Transportation East Timor

Highways: total: 3,800 km paved: 428 km unpaved: 3,372 km (1995)

Ports and harbors: Dili

Airports: 8 (2004 est.)

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

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

Heliports: 1 (2004 est.)

Military East Timor

Military branches: East Timor Defense Force (Forcas de Defesa de Timor-L'este, FDTL): Army, Navy (Armada) (2005)

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

Manpower available for military service: NA

Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: NA

Manpower reaching military service age annually: NA

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $4.4 million (FY03)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA

Transnational Issues East Timor

Disputes - international: UN Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET) has maintained about a thousand peacekeepers in East Timor since 2002; East Timor-Indonesia Boundary Committee continues to meet, survey, and delimit the land boundary, but several sections of the boundary especially around the Oekussi enclave remain unresolved; Indonesia and East Timor contest the sovereignty of the uninhabited coral island of Palau Batek/Fatu Sinai, which prevents delimitation of the northern maritime boundaries; many of 28,000 East Timorese refugees still residing in Indonesia in 2003 have returned, but many continue to refuse repatriation; East Timor and Australia continue to meet but disagree over how to delimit a permanent maritime boundary and share unexploited potential petroleum resources that fall outside the Joint Petroleum Development Area covered by the 2002 Timor Sea Treaty; dispute with Australia also hampers creation of a southern maritime boundary with Indonesia

Illicit drugs: NA

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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@Ecuador

Introduction Ecuador

Background: The "Republic of the Equator" was one of three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others are Colombia and Venezuela). Between 1904 and 1942, Ecuador lost territories in a series of conflicts with its neighbors. A border war with Peru that flared in 1995 was resolved in 1999. Although Ecuador marked 25 years of civilian governance in 2004, the period has been marred by political instability. Seven presidents have governed Ecuador since 1996.

Geography Ecuador

Location: Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator, between Colombia and Peru

Geographic coordinates: 2 00 S, 77 30 W

Map references: South America

Area: total: 283,560 sq km land: 276,840 sq km water: 6,720 sq km note: includes Galapagos Islands

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Nevada

Land boundaries: total: 2,010 km border countries: Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km

Coastline: 2,237 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 200 nm continental shelf: 100 nm from 2,500 meter isobath

Climate: tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher elevations; tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands

Terrain: coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands (sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente)

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Chimborazo 6,267 m

Natural resources: petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 5.85% permanent crops: 4.93% other: 89.22% (2001)

Irrigated land: 8,650 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; floods; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution; pollution from oil production wastes in ecologically sensitive areas of the Amazon Basin and Galapagos Islands

Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world

People Ecuador

Population: 13,363,593 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 33.5% (male 2,282,252/female 2,195,942) 15-64 years: 61.5% (male 4,094,146/female 4,130,096) 65 years and over: 4.9% (male 310,336/female 350,821) (2005 est.)

Median age: total: 23.27 years male: 22.82 years female: 23.74 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.24% (2005 est.)

Birth rate: 22.67 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate: 4.24 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate: -6.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 23.66 deaths/1,000 live births male: 28.36 deaths/1,000 live births female: 18.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.21 years male: 73.35 years female: 79.22 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.72 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.3% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 21,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 1,700 (2003 est.)

Nationality: noun: Ecuadorian(s) adjective: Ecuadorian

Ethnic groups: mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 65%, Amerindian 25%, Spanish and others 7%, black 3%

Religions: Roman Catholic 95%, other 5%

Languages: Spanish (official), Amerindian languages (especially Quechua)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.5% male: 94% female: 91% (2003 est.)

Government Ecuador

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Ecuador conventional short form: Ecuador local long form: Republica del Ecuador local short form: Ecuador

Government type: republic

Capital: Quito

Administrative divisions: 22 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Azuay, Bolivar, Canar, Carchi, Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, El Oro, Esmeraldas, Galapagos, Guayas, Imbabura, Loja, Los Rios, Manabi, Morona-Santiago, Napo, Orellana, Pastaza, Pichincha, Sucumbios, Tungurahua, Zamora-Chinchipe

Independence: 24 May 1822 (from Spain)

National holiday: Independence Day (independence of Quito), 10 August (1809)

Constitution: 10 August 1998

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal, compulsory for literate persons ages 18-65, optional for other eligible voters

Executive branch: chief of state: President Alfredo PALACIO (since 20 April 2005); Vice President Nicanor Alejandro SERRANO Aguilar (since 5 May 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government; former President Lucio GUTIERREZ was removed from office by congress effective 20 April 2005 head of government: President Alfredo PALACIO (since 20 April 2005); Vice President Nicanor Alejandro SERRANO Aguilar (since 5 May 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: the president and vice president are elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a four-year term (no immediate reelection); election last held 20 October 2002; runoff election held 24 November 2002 (next to be held October 2006) election results: results of the 24 November 2002 runoff election - Lucio GUTIERREZ elected president; percent of vote - Lucio GUTIERREZ 54.3%; Alvaro NOBOA 45.7%; note - Vice President Alfredo PALACIO assumed the presidency on 20 April 2005 after congress removed Lucio GUTIERREZ from office

Legislative branch: unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (100 seats; members are popularly elected by province to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 20 October 2002 (next to be held October 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PSC 25, PRE 15, ID 16, PRIAN 10, PSP 9, Pachakutik Movement 6, MPD 5, DP 4, PS-FA 3, independents 7; note - defections by members of National Congress are commonplace, resulting in frequent changes in the numbers of seats held by the various parties

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (according to the Constitution, new justices are elected by the full Supreme Court; in December 2004, however, Congress successfully replaced the entire court via a simple-majority resolution)

Political parties and leaders: Concentration of Popular Forces or CFP [Averroes BUCARAM]; Democratic Left or ID [Guillermo LANDAZURI]; National Action Institutional Renewal Party or PRIAN [Alvaro NOBOA]; Pachakutik Movement [Gilberto TALAHUA]; Patriotic Society Party or PSP [Lucio GUTIERREZ Borbua]; Popular Democracy or DP [Dr. Juan Manuel FUERTES]; Popular Democratic Movement or MPD [Gustavo TERAN Acosta]; Radical Alfarista Front or FRA [Fabian ALARCON, director]; Roldosist Party or PRE [Abdala BUCARAM Ortiz, director]; Social Christian Party or PSC [Leon FEBRES CORDERO]; Socialist Party - Broad Front or PS-FA [Victor GRANDA]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador or CONAIE [Luis MACAS, president]; Coordinator of Social Movements or CMS [F. Napoleon SANTOS]; Federation of Indigenous Evangelists of Ecuador or FEINE [Marco MURILLO, president]; National Federation of Indigenous Afro-Ecuatorianos and Peasants or FENOCIN [Pedro DE LA CRUZ, president]; Popular Front or FP [Luis VILLACIS]

International organization participation: CAN, CSN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant) chancery: 2535 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 234-7200 FAX: [1] (202) 667-3482 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Jersey City (New Jersey), Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Kristie Anne KENNEY embassy: Avenida 12 de Octubre y Avenida Patria, Quito mailing address: APO AA 34039 telephone: [593] (2) 256-2890 FAX: [593] (2) 250-2052 consulate(s) general: Guayaquil

Flag description: three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double width), blue, and red with the coat of arms superimposed at the center of the flag; similar to the flag of Colombia, which is shorter and does not bear a coat of arms

Economy Ecuador

Economy - overview: Ecuador has substantial petroleum resources, which have accounted for 40% of the country's export earnings and one-fourth of central government budget revenues in recent years. Consequently, fluctuations in world market prices can have a substantial domestic impact. In the late 1990s, Ecuador suffered its worst economic crisis, with natural disasters and sharp declines in world petroleum prices driving Ecuador's economy into free fall in 1999. Real GDP contracted by more than 6%, with poverty worsening significantly. The banking system also collapsed, and Ecuador defaulted on its external debt later that year. The currency depreciated by some 70% in 1999, and, on the brink of hyperinflation, the MAHAUD government announced it would dollarize the economy. A coup, however, ousted MAHAUD from office in January 2000, and after a short-lived junta failed to garner military support, Vice President Gustavo NOBOA took over the presidency. In March 2000, Congress approved a series of structural reforms that also provided the framework for the adoption of the US dollar as legal tender. Dollarization stabilized the economy, and growth returned to its pre-crisis levels in the years that followed. Under the administration of Lucio GUTIERREZ - January 2003 to April 2005 - Ecuador benefited from higher world petroleum prices, but the government has made little progress on economic reforms necessary to reduce Ecuador's vulnerability to petroleum price swings and financial crises.

GDP (purchasing power parity): $49.51 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 5.8% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,700 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 8.7% industry: 30.5% services: 60.9% (2004 est.)

Labor force: 4.53 million (urban) (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 8%, industry 24%, services 68% (2001)

Unemployment rate: 11.1%; note - underemployment of 47% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line: 45% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2% highest 10%: 32% note: data for urban households only (October 2003)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 42 note: data are for urban households (2003)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed): 20.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget: revenues: $7.9 billion expenditures: planned $7.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.6 billion (2004 est.)

Public debt: 49.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products: bananas, coffee, cocoa, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca), plantains, sugarcane; cattle, sheep, pigs, beef, pork, dairy products; balsa wood; fish, shrimp

Industries: petroleum, food processing, textiles, wood products, chemicals

Industrial production growth rate: 10% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production: 11.54 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 81% hydro: 19% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption: 10.79 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports: 57 million kWh (2002)

Oil - production: 523,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption: 129,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports: 387,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - imports: NA

Oil - proved reserves: 4.408 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production: 160 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption: 160 million cu m (2001 est.)

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

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

Natural gas - proved reserves: 106.5 billion cu m (2004)

Current account balance: $261.1 million (2004 est.)

Exports: $7.56 billion (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities: petroleum, bananas, cut flowers, shrimp

Exports - partners: US 42.9%, Panama 14.3%, Peru 7.9%, Italy 4.6% (2004)

Imports: $7.65 billion (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities: vehicles, medicinal products, telecommunications equipment, electricity

Imports - partners: US 16.5%, Colombia 14.1%, China 9.2%, Venezuela 7.1%, Brazil 6.5%, Chile 4.6%, Japan 4.5%, Mexico 4.3% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $1.436 billion (December 2004 est.)

Debt - external: $16.81 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $216 million (2002)

Currency (code): US dollar (USD)

Currency code: USD

Exchange rates: 25,000 (2004), 25,000 (2003), 25,000 (2002), 25,000 (2001), 24,988 (2000)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Ecuador

Telephones - main lines in use: 1.549 million (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 2,394,400 (2003)

Telephone system: general assessment: generally elementary but being expanded domestic: facilities generally inadequate and unreliable international: country code - 593; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 392, FM 35, shortwave 29 (2001)

Radios: 5 million (2001)

Television broadcast stations: 7 (plus 14 repeaters) (2001)

Televisions: 2.5 million (2001)

Internet country code: .ec

Internet hosts: 3,188 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 31 (2001)

Internet users: 569,700 (2003)

Transportation Ecuador

Railways: total: 966 km narrow gauge: 966 km 1.067-m gauge (2004)

Highways: total: 43,197 km paved: 8,164 km unpaved: 35,033 km (2002)

Waterways: 1,500 km (most inaccessible) (2003)

Pipelines: extra heavy crude 578 km; gas 71 km; oil 1,386 km; refined products 1,185 km (2004)

Ports and harbors: Esmeraldas, Guayaquil, La Libertad, Manta, Puerto Bolivar

Merchant marine: total: 31 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 241,403 GRT/391,898 DWT by type: chemical tanker 2, liquefied gas 1, passenger 8, petroleum tanker 20 foreign-owned: 3 (Germany 1, Greece 1, Paraguay 1) (2005)

Airports: 205 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 62 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 19 under 914 m: 18 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 143 914 to 1,523 m: 30 under 914 m: 113 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Ecuador

Military branches: Army, Navy (includes Naval Infantry, Naval Aviation, Coast Guard), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Ecuatoriana, FAE)

Military service age and obligation: 20 years of age for conscript military service; 12-month service obligation (2004)

Manpower available for military service: males age 20-49: 2,792,770 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service: males age 20-49: 2,338,428 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually: males: 133,922 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $655 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.2% (2004)

Transnational Issues Ecuador

Disputes - international: organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia penetrate across Ecuador's shared border and caused over 20,000 refugees to flee into Ecuador in 2004

Illicit drugs: significant transit country for cocaine originating in Colombia and Peru; importer of precursor chemicals used in production of illicit narcotics; attractive location for cash-placement by drug traffickers laundering money because of dollarization and weak anti-money-laundering regime, especially vulnerable along the border with Colombia; increased activity on the northern frontier by trafficking groups and Colombian insurgents

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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@Egypt

Introduction Egypt

Background: The regularity and richness of the annual Nile River flood, coupled with semi-isolation provided by deserts to the east and west, allowed for the development of one of the world's great civilizations. A unified kingdom arose circa 3200 B.C. and a series of dynasties ruled in Egypt for the next three millennia. The last native dynasty fell to the Persians in 341 B.C., who in turn were replaced by the Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines. It was the Arabs who introduced Islam and the Arabic language in the 7th century and who ruled for the next six centuries. A local military caste, the Mamluks took control about 1250 and continued to govern after the conquest of Egypt by the Ottoman Turks in 1517. Following the completion of the Suez Canal in 1869, Egypt became an important world transportation hub, but also fell heavily into debt. Ostensibly to protect its investments, Britain seized control of Egypt's government in 1882, but nominal allegiance to the Ottoman Empire continued until 1914. Partially independent from the UK in 1922, Egypt acquired full sovereignty following World War II. The completion of the Aswan High Dam in 1971 and the resultant Lake Nasser have altered the time-honored place of the Nile River in the agriculture and ecology of Egypt. A rapidly growing population (the largest in the Arab world), limited arable land, and dependence on the Nile all continue to overtax resources and stress society. The government has struggled to ready the economy for the new millennium through economic reform and massive investment in communications and physical infrastructure.

Geography Egypt

Location: Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Libya and the Gaza Strip, and the Red Sea north of Sudan, and includes the Asian Sinai Peninsula

Geographic coordinates: 27 00 N, 30 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 1,001,450 sq km land: 995,450 sq km water: 6,000 sq km

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

Land boundaries: total: 2,665 km border countries: Gaza Strip 11 km, Israel 266 km, Libya 1,115 km, Sudan 1,273 km

Coastline: 2,450 km

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

Climate: desert; hot, dry summers with moderate winters

Terrain: vast desert plateau interrupted by Nile valley and delta

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Qattara Depression -133 m highest point: Mount Catherine 2,629 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, manganese, limestone, gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead, zinc

Land use: arable land: 2.87% permanent crops: 0.48% other: 96.65% (2001)

Irrigated land: 33,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: periodic droughts; frequent earthquakes, flash floods, landslides; hot, driving windstorm called khamsin occurs in spring; dust storms, sandstorms

Environment - current issues: agricultural land being lost to urbanization and windblown sands; increasing soil salination below Aswan High Dam; desertification; oil pollution threatening coral reefs, beaches, and marine habitats; other water pollution from agricultural pesticides, raw sewage, and industrial effluents; very limited natural fresh water resources away from the Nile which is the only perennial water source; rapid growth in population overstraining the Nile and natural resources

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

Geography - note: controls Sinai Peninsula, only land bridge between Africa and remainder of Eastern Hemisphere; controls Suez Canal, a sea link between Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea; size, and juxtaposition to Israel, establish its major role in Middle Eastern geopolitics; dependence on upstream neighbors; dominance of Nile basin issues; prone to influxes of refugees

People Egypt

Population: 77,505,756 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 33% (male 13,106,043/female 12,483,899) 15-64 years: 62.6% (male 24,531,266/female 23,972,216) 65 years and over: 4.4% (male 1,457,097/female 1,955,235) (2005 est.)

Median age: total: 23.68 years male: 23.31 years female: 24.05 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.78% (2005 est.)

Birth rate: 23.32 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate: 5.26 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 32.59 deaths/1,000 live births male: 33.31 deaths/1,000 live births female: 31.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71 years male: 68.5 years female: 73.62 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.88 children born/woman (2005 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 12,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 700 (2003 est.)

Nationality: noun: Egyptian(s) adjective: Egyptian

Ethnic groups: Eastern Hamitic stock (Egyptians, Bedouins, and Berbers) 99%, Greek, Nubian, Armenian, other European (primarily Italian and French) 1%

Religions: Muslim (mostly Sunni) 94%, Coptic Christian and other 6%

Languages: Arabic (official), English and French widely understood by educated classes

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 57.7% male: 68.3% female: 46.9% (2003 est.)

Government Egypt

Country name: conventional long form: Arab Republic of Egypt conventional short form: Egypt local long form: Jumhuriyat Misr al-Arabiyah local short form: Misr former: United Arab Republic (with Syria)

Government type: republic

Capital: Cairo

Administrative divisions: 26 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Ad Daqahliyah, Al Bahr al Ahmar, Al Buhayrah, Al Fayyum, Al Gharbiyah, Al Iskandariyah, Al Isma'iliyah, Al Jizah, Al Minufiyah, Al Minya, Al Qahirah, Al Qalyubiyah, Al Wadi al Jadid, Ash Sharqiyah, As Suways, Aswan, Asyut, Bani Suwayf, Bur Sa'id, Dumyat, Janub Sina', Kafr ash Shaykh, Matruh, Qina, Shamal Sina', Suhaj

Independence: 28 February 1922 (from UK)

National holiday: Revolution Day, 23 July (1952)

Constitution: 11 September 1971; amended 22 May 1980

Legal system: based on English common law, Islamic law, and Napoleonic codes; judicial review by Supreme Court and Council of State (oversees validity of administrative decisions); accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch: chief of state: President Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK (since 14 October 1981) head of government: Prime Minister Ahmed NAZIF (since 9 July 2004) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for six-year term; note - a national referendum in May 2005 approved a constitutional amendment that changed the presidential election to a multicandidate popular vote; previously the president was nominated by the People's Assembly and the nomination was validated by a national, popular referendum; last referendum held 26 September 1999; first election under terms of constitutional amendment held 7 September 2005; next election scheduled for 2011 election results: Hosni MUBARAK reelected president; percent of vote - Hosni MUBARAK 88.6%, Ayman NOUR 7.6%, Noman GOMAA 2.9%

Legislative branch: bicameral system consists of the People's Assembly or Majlis al-Sha'b (454 seats; 444 elected by popular vote, 10 appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms) and the Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura - which functions only in a consultative role (264 seats; 176 elected by popular vote, 88 appointed by the president; members serve six-year terms; mid-term elections for half the members) elections: People's Assembly - three-phase voting - last held 19 October, 29 October, 8 November 2000 (next to be held October-November 2005); Advisory Council - last held May-June 2004 (next to be held May-June 2007) election results: People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NDP 388, Tagammu 6, NWP 7, Nasserists 3, Al-Ahrar 1, independents 37 (2 seats determined by a later byelection, 10 seats appointed by President); Advisory Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA

Judicial branch: Supreme Constitutional Court

Political parties and leaders: Al-Ahrar Party [Helmi SALEM]; Nasserist Arab Democratic Party or Nasserists [Dia' al-din DAWUD]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK (governing party)]; National Progressive Unionist Grouping or Tagammu [Rifaat EL-SAID]; New Wafd Party or NWP [No'man GOMAA] note: formation of political parties must be approved by the government

Political pressure groups and leaders: despite a constitutional ban against religious-based parties, the technically illegal Muslim Brotherhood constitutes MUBARAK's potentially most significant political opposition; MUBARAK tolerated limited political activity by the Brotherhood for his first two terms, but moved more aggressively since then to block its influence; civic society groups are sanctioned, but constrained in practical terms; trade unions and professional associations are officially sanctioned

International organization participation: ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, BSEC (observer), CAEU, EBRD, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, ONUB, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador M. Nabil FAHMY chancery: 3521 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 895-5400 FAX: [1] (202) 244-4319 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, New York, and San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador designate Francis J. RICCIARDONE, Jr embassy: 8 Kamal El Din Salah St., Garden City, Cairo mailing address: Unit 64900, Box 15, APO AE 09839-4900 telephone: [20] (2) 797-3300 FAX: [20] (2) 797-3200

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black; the national emblem (a gold Eagle of Saladin facing the hoist side with a shield superimposed on its chest above a scroll bearing the name of the country in Arabic) centered in the white band; design is based on the Arab Liberation flag and similar to the flag of Syria, which has two green stars, Iraq, which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white band, and Yemen, which has a plain white band

Economy Egypt

Economy - overview: Lack of substantial progress on economic reform since the mid 1990s has limited foreign direct investment in Egypt and kept annual GDP growth in the range of 2%-3% in 2001-03. However, in 2004 Egypt implemented several measures to boost foreign direct investment. In September 2004, Egypt pushed through custom reforms, proposed income and corporate tax reforms, reduced energy subsidies, and privatized several enterprises. The budget deficit rose to an estimated 8% of GDP in 2004 compared to 6.1% of GDP the previous year, in part as a result of these reforms. Monetary pressures on an overvalued Egyptian pound led the government to float the currency in January 2003, leading to a sharp drop in its value and consequent inflationary pressure. In 2004, the Central Bank implemented measures to improve currency liquidity. Egypt reached record tourism levels, despite the Taba and Nuweiba bombings in September 2004. The development of an export market for natural gas is a bright spot for future growth prospects, but improvement in the capital-intensive hydrocarbons sector does little to reduce Egypt's persistent unemployment.

GDP (purchasing power parity): $316.3 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4.5% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $4,200 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 17.2% industry: 33% services: 49.8% (2004 est.)

Labor force: 20.71 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 32%, industry 17%, services 51% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate: 10.9% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line: 16.7% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.4% highest 10%: 25% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 34.4 (2001)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 9.5% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed): 15.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget: revenues: $15.42 billion expenditures: $20.76 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.7 billion (2004 est.)

Public debt: 102.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products: cotton, rice, corn, wheat, beans, fruits, vegetables; cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats

Industries: textiles, food processing, tourism, chemicals, hydrocarbons, construction, cement, metals

Industrial production growth rate: 2.5% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production: 81.27 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 81% hydro: 19% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption: 75.58 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production: 740,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption: 562,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports: NA

Oil - imports: NA

Oil - proved reserves: 2.7 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production: 21.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption: 21.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

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

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

Natural gas - proved reserves: 1.264 trillion cu m (2004)

Current account balance: $2.113 billion (2004 est.)

Exports: $11 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities: crude oil and petroleum products, cotton, textiles, metal products, chemicals

Exports - partners: Italy 11.9%, US 10.8%, UK 7%, Syria 6.2%, Germany 4.7%, Spain 4.2% (2004)

Imports: $19.21 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, wood products, fuels

Imports - partners: US 12.2%, Germany 7%, Italy 6.6%, France 5.7%, China 5.4%, UK 4.7%, Saudi Arabia 4.1% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $14.03 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external: $33.75 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: ODA, $1.12 billion (2002)

Currency (code): Egyptian pound (EGP)

Currency code: EGP

Exchange rates: Egyptian pounds per US dollar - 6.1963 (2004), 5.8509 (2003), 4.4997 (2002), 3.973 (2001), 3.4721 (2000)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Communications Egypt

Telephones - main lines in use: 9.6 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 8,583,940 (2005)

Telephone system: general assessment: large system; underwent extensive upgrading during 1990s and is reasonably modern; Internet access and cellular service are available domestic: principal centers at Alexandria, Cairo, Al Mansurah, Ismailia, Suez, and Tanta are connected by coaxial cable and microwave radio relay international: country code - 20; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean), 1 Arabsat, and 1 Inmarsat; 5 coaxial submarine cables; tropospheric scatter to Sudan; microwave radio relay to Israel; a participant in Medarabtel

Radio broadcast stations: AM 42 (plus 15 repeaters), FM 14, shortwave 3 (1999)

Radios: 20.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 98 (September 1995)

Televisions: 7.7 million (1997)

Internet country code: .eg

Internet hosts: 3,401 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 50 (2000)

Internet users: 4.2 million (2005)

Transportation Egypt

Railways: total: 5,063 km standard gauge: 5,063 km 1.435-m gauge (62 km electrified) (2004)

Highways: total: 64,000 km paved: 49,984 km unpaved: 14,016 km (1999 est.)

Waterways: 3,500 km note: includes Nile River, Lake Nasser, Alexandria-Cairo Waterway, and numerous smaller canals in delta; Suez Canal (193.5 km including approaches) navigable by oceangoing vessels drawing up to 17.68 m (2004)

Pipelines: condensate 289 km; condensate/gas 94 km; gas 6,115 km; liquid petroleum gas 852 km; oil 5,032 km; oil/gas/water 36 km; refined products 246 km (2004)

Ports and harbors: Alexandria, Damietta, El Dekheila, Port Said, Suez, Zeit

Merchant marine: total: 77 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,194,696 GRT/1,754,815 DWT by type: bulk carrier 14, cargo 34, container 2, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 14, roll on/roll off 8 foreign-owned: 10 (Denmark 1, Greece 6, Lebanon 2, Turkey 1) registered in other countries: 34 (2005)

Airports: 87 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 72 over 3,047 m: 13 2,438 to 3,047 m: 38 1,524 to 2,437 m: 17 under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 15 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Egypt

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Command

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for conscript military service; 3-year service obligation (2001)

Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 18,347,560 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 15,540,234 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually: males: 802,920 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $2.44 billion (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3.4% (2004)

Transnational Issues Egypt

Disputes - international: Egypt and Sudan retain claims to administer the two triangular areas that extend north and south of the 1899 Treaty boundary along the 22nd Parallel, but have withdrawn their military presence; Egypt is developing the Hala'ib Triangle north of the Treaty line; since the attack on Taba and other Egyptian resort towns on the Red Sea in October 2004, Egypt vigilantly monitors the Sinai and borders with Israel and the Gaza Strip; Egypt does not extend domestic asylum to some 70,000 persons who identify as Palestinians but who largely lack UNRWA assistance and, until recently, UNHCR recognition as refugees

Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 70,215 (Palestinian Territories) (2004)

Illicit drugs: transit point for Southwest Asian and Southeast Asian heroin and opium moving to Europe, Africa, and the US; transit stop for Nigerian couriers; concern as money-laundering site due to lax financial regulations and enforcement

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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@El Salvador

Introduction El Salvador

Background: El Salvador achieved independence from Spain in 1821 and from the Central American Federation in 1839. A 12-year civil war, which cost about 75,000 lives, was brought to a close in 1992 when the government and leftist rebels signed a treaty that provided for military and political reforms.

Geography El Salvador

Location: Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and Honduras

Geographic coordinates: 13 50 N, 88 55 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 21,040 sq km land: 20,720 sq km water: 320 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Land boundaries: total: 545 km border countries: Guatemala 203 km, Honduras 342 km

Coastline: 307 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 200 nm

Climate: tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to April); tropical on coast; temperate in uplands

Terrain: mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Cerro El Pital 2,730 m

Natural resources: hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land

Land use: arable land: 31.85% permanent crops: 12.07% other: 56.08% (2001)

Irrigated land: 360 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes very destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity; extremely susceptible to hurricanes

Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution; contamination of soils from disposal of toxic wastes

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

Geography - note: smallest Central American country and only one without a coastline on Caribbean Sea

People El Salvador

Population: 6,704,932 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 36.5% (male 1,250,901/female 1,198,589) 15-64 years: 58.3% (male 1,860,084/female 2,051,140) 65 years and over: 5.1% (male 153,133/female 191,085) (2005 est.)

Median age: total: 21.57 years male: 20.44 years female: 22.69 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.75% (2005 est.)

Birth rate: 27.04 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate: 5.85 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate: -3.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 25.1 deaths/1,000 live births male: 27.98 deaths/1,000 live births female: 22.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.22 years male: 67.61 years female: 75.01 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.16 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.7% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 29,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 2,200 (2003 est.)

Nationality: noun: Salvadoran(s) adjective: Salvadoran

Ethnic groups: mestizo 90%, white 9%, Amerindian 1%

Religions: Roman Catholic 83%, other 17% note: there is extensive activity by Protestant groups throughout the country; by the end of 1992, there were an estimated 1 million Protestant evangelicals in El Salvador

Languages: Spanish, Nahua (among some Amerindians)

Literacy: definition: age 10 and over can read and write total population: 80.2% male: 82.8% female: 77.7% (2003 est.)

Government El Salvador

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

Government type: republic

Capital: San Salvador

Administrative divisions: 14 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Ahuachapan, Cabanas, Chalatenango, Cuscatlan, La Libertad, La Paz, La Union, Morazan, San Miguel, San Salvador, Santa Ana, San Vicente, Sonsonate, Usulutan

Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution: 23 December 1983

Legal system: based on civil and Roman law, with traces of common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez (since 1 June 2004); Vice President Ana Vilma DE ESCOBAR (since 1 June 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez (since 1 June 2004); Vice President Ana Vilma DE ESCOBAR (since 1 June 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 21 March 2004 (next to be held March 2009) election results: Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez elected president; percent of vote - Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez (ARENA) 57.7%, Schafik HANDAL (FMLN) 35.6%, Hector SILVA (CDU-PDC) 3.9%, other 2.8%

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (84 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve three-year terms) elections: last held 16 March 2003 (next to be held March 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - FMLN 31, ARENA 28, PCN 15, PDC 5, CD 5

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are selected by the Legislative Assembly)

Political parties and leaders: Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Rodolfo PARKER]; Democratic Convergence or CD (formerly United Democratic Center or CDU) [Ruben ZAMORA, secretary general]; Democratic Party or PD [Jorge MELENDEZ]; Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front or FMLN [Medardo GONZALEZ]; Liberal Democratic Party or PLD [Kirio Waldo SALGADO, president]; National Action Party or PAN [Gustavo Rogelio SALINAS, secretary general]; National Conciliation Party or PCN [Ciro CRUZ ZEPEDA, president]; National Republican Alliance or ARENA [Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez]; Social Christian Union or USC (formed by the merger of Christian Social Renewal Party or PRSC and Unity Movement or MU) [Abraham RODRIGUEZ, president]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Juan MEDRANO]

Political pressure groups and leaders: labor organizations - Electrical Industry Union of El Salvador or SIES; Federation of the Construction Industry, Similar Transport and other activities, or FESINCONTRANS; National Confederation of Salvadoran Workers or CNTS; National Union of Salvadoran Workers or UNTS; Port Industry Union of El Salvador or SIPES; Salvadoran Union of Ex-Petrolleros and Peasant Workers or USEPOC; Salvadoran Workers Central or CTS; Workers Union of Electrical Corporation or STCEL; business organizations - National Association of Small Enterprise or ANEP; Salvadoran Assembly Industry Association or ASIC; Salvadoran Industrial Association or ASI

International organization participation: BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Rene Antonio LEON Rodriguez chancery: 2308 California Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-9671 FAX: [1] (202) 234-3834 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York (2), San Francisco, and Washington, DC consulate(s): Boston

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador H. Douglas BARCLAY embassy: Final Boulevard Santa Elena Sur, Antiguo Cuscatlan, La Libertad, San Salvador mailing address: Unit 3116, APO AA 34023 telephone: [503] 278-4444 FAX: [503] 278-5522

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL; similar to the flag of Nicaragua, which has a different coat of arms centered in the white band - it features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; also similar to the flag of Honduras, which has five blue stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band

Economy El Salvador

Economy - overview: GDP per capita is roughly half that of Brazil, Argentina, and Chile, and the distribution of income is highly unequal. The government is striving to open new export markets, encourage foreign investment, modernize the tax and healthcare systems, and stimulate the sluggish economy. Implementation of the Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement, ratified by El Salvador in 2004, is viewed as a key policy to help achieve these objectives. The trade deficit has been offset by annual remittances from Salvadorans living abroad - 16% of GDP in 2004 - and external aid. With the adoption of the US dollar as its currency, El Salvador has lost control over monetary policy and must concentrate on maintaining a disciplined fiscal policy.

GDP (purchasing power parity): $32.35 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 1.8% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $4,900 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 9.2% industry: 31.1% services: 59.7% (2004 est.)

Labor force: 2.75 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 17.1%, industry 17.1%, services 65.8% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate: 6.3% - but the economy has much underemployment (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line: 36.1% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.4% highest 10%: 39.3% (2001)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 52.5 (2001)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.4% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed): 16.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget: revenues: $2.491 billion expenditures: $2.782 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)

Public debt: 41.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products: coffee, sugar, corn, rice, beans, oilseed, cotton, sorghum; shrimp; beef, dairy products

Industries: food processing, beverages, petroleum, chemicals, fertilizer, textiles, furniture, light metals

Industrial production growth rate: 0.7% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production: 4.158 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 44% hydro: 30.9% nuclear: 0% other: 25.1% (2001)

Electricity - consumption: 4.45 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports: 91 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports: 473 million kWh (2004)

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

Oil - consumption: 39,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports: NA

Oil - imports: NA

Current account balance: $-880.5 million (2004 est.)

Exports: $3.249 billion (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities: offshore assembly exports, coffee, sugar, shrimp, textiles, chemicals, electricity

Exports - partners: US 65.6%, Guatemala 11.8%, Honduras 6.3% (2004)

Imports: $5.968 billion (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities: raw materials, consumer goods, capital goods, fuels, foodstuffs, petroleum, electricity

Imports - partners: US 46.3%, Guatemala 8.1%, Mexico 6% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $1.888 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external: $4.792 billion (September 2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $125 million of which, $53 million from US (2003)

Currency (code): US dollar (USD)

Currency code: USD

Exchange rates: the US dollar became El Salvador's currency in 2001

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications El Salvador

Telephones - main lines in use: 752,600 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 1,149,800 (2003)

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system international: country code - 503; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave System

Radio broadcast stations: AM 61 (plus 24 repeaters), FM 30, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 2.75 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 5 (1997)

Televisions: 600,000 (1990)

Internet country code: .sv

Internet hosts: 4,084 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 4 (2000)

Internet users: 550,000 (2003)

Transportation El Salvador

Railways: total: 283 km narrow gauge: 283 km 0.914-m gauge note: length of operational route reduced from 562 km to 283 km by disuse and lack of maintenance (2004)

Highways: total: 10,029 km paved: 1,986 km (including 327 km of expressways) unpaved: 8,043 km (1999 est.)

Waterways: Rio Lempa partially navigable (2004)

Ports and harbors: Acajutla, Puerto Cutuco

Airports: 73 (2004 est.)

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

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 69 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 54 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 1 (2004 est.)

Military El Salvador

Military branches: Army, Navy (FNES), Air Force (FAS)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service, with 12-month service obligation; 16 years of age for volunteers (2002)

Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 1,391,278 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 960,315 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually: males: 70,286 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $157 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.1% (2003)

Transnational Issues El Salvador

Disputes - international: in 1992, the ICJ ruled on the delimitation of "bolsones" (disputed areas) along the El Salvador-Honduras boundary, but despite OAS intervention and a further ICJ ruling in 2003, full demarcation of the border remains stalled; the 1992 ICJ ruling advised a tripartite resolution to a maritime boundary in the Gulf of Fonseca advocating Honduran access to the Pacific; El Salvador continues to claim tiny Conejo Island, not identified in the ICJ decision, off Honduras in the Gulf of Fonseca

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for cocaine; small amounts of marijuana produced for local consumption; domestic cocaine abuse on the rise

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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@Equatorial Guinea

Introduction Equatorial Guinea

Background: Equatorial Guinea gained independence in 1968 after 190 years of Spanish rule. This tiny country, composed of a mainland portion plus five inhabited islands, is one of the smallest on the African continent. President OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO has ruled the country for over two decades since seizing power from his uncle, then President MACIAS, in a 1979 coup. Although nominally a constitutional democracy since 1991, the 1996 and 2002 presidential elections - as well as the 1999 legislative elections - were widely seen as being flawed. The president controls most opposition parties through the judicious use of patronage. Despite the country's economic windfall from oil production resulting in a massive increase in government revenue in recent years, there have been few improvements in the country's living standards.

Geography Equatorial Guinea

Location: Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Cameroon and Gabon

Geographic coordinates: 2 00 N, 10 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 28,051 sq km land: 28,051 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries: total: 539 km border countries: Cameroon 189 km, Gabon 350 km

Coastline: 296 km

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

Climate: tropical; always hot, humid

Terrain: coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are volcanic

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Pico Basile 3,008 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, timber, gold, bauxite, diamonds, tantalum, sand and gravel, clay

Land use: arable land: 4.63% permanent crops: 3.57% other: 91.8% (2001)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: violent windstorms, flash floods

Environment - current issues: tap water is not potable; deforestation

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

Geography - note: insular and continental regions rather widely separated

People Equatorial Guinea

Population: 535,881 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 41.7% (male 112,326/female 111,244) 15-64 years: 54.5% (male 140,568/female 151,500) 65 years and over: 3.8% (male 8,900/female 11,343) (2005 est.)

Median age: total: 18.83 years male: 18.2 years female: 19.46 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.42% (2005 est.)

Birth rate: 36.18 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate: 12 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 85.13 deaths/1,000 live births male: 91.28 deaths/1,000 live births female: 78.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 49.7 years male: 48.01 years female: 51.44 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.62 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 3.4% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 5,900 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 370 (2001 est.)

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria (2004)

Nationality: noun: Equatorial Guinean(s) or Equatoguinean(s) adjective: Equatorial Guinean or Equatoguinean

Ethnic groups: Bioko (primarily Bubi, some Fernandinos), Rio Muni (primarily Fang), Europeans less than 1,000, mostly Spanish

Religions: nominally Christian and predominantly Roman Catholic, pagan practices

Languages: Spanish (official), French (official), pidgin English, Fang, Bubi, Ibo

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 85.7% male: 93.3% female: 78.4% (2003 est.)

Government Equatorial Guinea

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Equatorial Guinea conventional short form: Equatorial Guinea local long form: Republica de Guinea Ecuatorial local short form: Guinea Ecuatorial former: Spanish Guinea

Government type: republic

Capital: Malabo

Administrative divisions: 7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Annobon, Bioko Norte, Bioko Sur, Centro Sur, Kie-Ntem, Litoral, Wele-Nzas

Independence: 12 October 1968 (from Spain)

National holiday: Independence Day, 12 October (1968)

Constitution: approved by national referendum 17 November 1991; amended January 1995

Legal system: partly based on Spanish civil law and tribal custom

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal adult

Executive branch: chief of state: President Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO (since 3 August 1979 when he seized power in a military coup) head of government: Prime Minister Miguel Abia BITEO BORICO (since 14 June 2004); First Deputy Prime Minister Mercelino Oyono NTUTUMU (since 15 June 2004); Deputy Prime Minister Ricardo Mangue Obama NFUBEA (since 15 June 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held 15 December 2002 (next to be held December 2009); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president election results: Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO reelected president; percent of vote - Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO 97.1%, Celestino Bonifacio BACALE 2.2%; elections marred by widespread fraud

Legislative branch: unicameral House of People's Representatives or Camara de Representantes del Pueblo (80 seats; members directly elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 25 April 2004 (next to be held NA 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDGE 98, NA 2 note: Parliament has little power since the constitution vests all executive authority in the president

Judicial branch: Supreme Tribunal

Political parties and leaders: Convergence Party for Social Democracy or CPDS [Placido MIKO Abogo]; Democratic Party for Equatorial Guinea or PDGE (ruling party) [Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO]; Party for Progress of Equatorial Guinea or PPGE [Severo MOTO]; Popular Action of Equatorial Guinea or APGE [Miguel Esono EMAN]; Popular Union or UP [Andres Moises Bda ADA]; Progressive Democratic Alliance or ADP [Victorino Bolekia BONAY]; Union of Independent Democrats of UDI [Daniel OYONO]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WToO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Teodoro Biyogo NSUE chancery: 2020 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 518-5700 FAX: [1] (202) 518-5252

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Equatorial Guinea (embassy closed September 1995); the US ambassador to Cameroon is accredited to Equatorial Guinea; the US State Department is considering opening a Consulate Agency in Malabo

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side and the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms has six yellow six-pointed stars (representing the mainland and five offshore islands) above a gray shield bearing a silk-cotton tree and below which is a scroll with the motto UNIDAD, PAZ, JUSTICIA (Unity, Peace, Justice)

Economy Equatorial Guinea

Economy - overview: The discovery and exploitation of large oil reserves have contributed to dramatic economic growth in recent years. Forestry, farming, and fishing are also major components of GDP. Subsistence farming predominates. Although pre-independence Equatorial Guinea counted on cocoa production for hard currency earnings, the neglect of the rural economy under successive regimes has diminished potential for agriculture-led growth (the government has stated its intention to reinvest some oil revenue into agriculture). A number of aid programs sponsored by the World Bank and the IMF have been cut off since 1993 because of corruption and mismanagement. No longer eligible for concessional financing because of large oil revenues, the government has been unsuccessfully trying to agree on a "shadow" fiscal management program with the World Bank and IMF. Businesses, for the most part, are owned by government officials and their family members. Undeveloped natural resources include titanium, iron ore, manganese, uranium, and alluvial gold. Growth presumably remained strong in 2004, led by oil.

GDP (purchasing power parity): $1.27 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 20% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,700 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3% industry: 95.7% services: 1.3% (2004 est.)

Labor force: NA

Unemployment rate: 30% (1998 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8.5% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed): 50.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget: revenues: $813.2 million expenditures: $375.3 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products: coffee, cocoa, rice, yams, cassava (tapioca), bananas, palm oil nuts; livestock; timber

Industries: petroleum, fishing, sawmilling, natural gas

Industrial production growth rate: 30% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production: 26.69 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 94.3% hydro: 5.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption: 24.82 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production: 350,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

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

Oil - exports: NA

Oil - imports: NA

Oil - proved reserves: 563.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production: 20 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption: 20 million cu m (2001 est.)

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

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

Natural gas - proved reserves: 68.53 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance: $-578.6 million (2004 est.)

Exports: $2.771 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities: petroleum, methanol, timber, cocoa

Exports - partners: US 29.3%, China 22.8%, Spain 16%, Taiwan 14.9%, Canada 6.8% (2004)

Imports: $1.167 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities: petroleum sector equipment, other equipment

Imports - partners: US 26.8%, Cote d'Ivoire 21.4%, Spain 13.6%, France 8.8%, UK 7.8%, Italy 4.4% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $235.2 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external: $248 million (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $33.8 million (1995)

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

Currency code: XAF

Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000)

Fiscal year: 1 January - 31 December

Communications Equatorial Guinea

Telephones - main lines in use: 9,600 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 41,500 (2003)

Telephone system: general assessment: poor system with adequate government services domestic: NA international: country code - 240; international communications from Bata and Malabo to African and European countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 5 (2002)

Radios: 180,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (2002)

Televisions: 4,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .gq

Internet hosts: 3 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2002)

Internet users: 1,800 (2002)

Transportation Equatorial Guinea

Highways: total: 2,880 km (1999 est.)

Pipelines: condensate 37 km; gas 39 km; liquid natural gas 4 km; oil 24 km (2004)

Ports and harbors: Malabo

Merchant marine: total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,556 GRT/9,704 DWT by type: cargo 1 (2005)

Airports: 4 (2004 est.)

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

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

Military Equatorial Guinea

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force (2005)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 106,571 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 66,379 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $126.2 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.5% (2004)

Transnational Issues Equatorial Guinea

Disputes - international: in 2002, ICJ ruled on an equidistance settlement of Cameroon-Equatorial Guinea-Nigeria maritime boundary in the Gulf of Guinea, but a dispute between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon over an island at the mouth of the Ntem River, imprecisely defined maritime coordinates in the ICJ decision, and the unresolved Bakasi allocation contribute to the delay in implementation; UN has been pressing Equatorial Guinea and Gabon to pledge to resolve the sovereignty dispute over Gabon-occupied Mbane Island and create a maritime boundary in the hydrocarbon-rich Corisco Bay

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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@Eritrea

Introduction Eritrea

Background: Eritrea was awarded to Ethiopia in 1952 as part of a federation. Ethiopia's annexation of Eritrea as a province 10 years later sparked a 30-year struggle for independence that ended in 1991 with Eritrean rebels defeating governmental forces; independence was overwhelmingly approved in a 1993 referendum. A two-and-a-half-year border war with Ethiopia that erupted in 1998 ended under UN auspices on 12 December 2000. Eritrea currently hosts a UN peacekeeping operation that is monitoring a 25 km-wide Temporary Security Zone on the border with Ethiopia. An international commission, organized to resolve the border dispute, posted its findings in 2002 but final demarcation is on hold due to Ethiopian objections.

Geography Eritrea

Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Djibouti and Sudan

Geographic coordinates: 15 00 N, 39 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 121,320 sq km land: 121,320 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries: total: 1,626 km border countries: Djibouti 109 km, Ethiopia 912 km, Sudan 605 km

Coastline: 2,234 km total; mainland on Red Sea 1,151 km, islands in Red Sea 1,083 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: hot, dry desert strip along Red Sea coast; cooler and wetter in the central highlands (up to 61 cm of rainfall annually); semiarid in western hills and lowlands; rainfall heaviest during June-September except in coastal desert

Terrain: dominated by extension of Ethiopian north-south trending highlands, descending on the east to a coastal desert plain, on the northwest to hilly terrain and on the southwest to flat-to-rolling plains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: near Kulul within the Denakil depression -75 m highest point: Soira 3,018 m

Natural resources: gold, potash, zinc, copper, salt, possibly oil and natural gas, fish

Land use: arable land: 4.95% permanent crops: 0.03% other: 95.02% (2001)

Irrigated land: 220 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: frequent droughts; locust swarms

Environment - current issues: deforestation; desertification; soil erosion; overgrazing; loss of infrastructure from civil warfare

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: strategic geopolitical position along world's busiest shipping lanes; Eritrea retained the entire coastline of Ethiopia along the Red Sea upon de jure independence from Ethiopia on 24 May 1993

People Eritrea

Population: 4,561,599 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 44.8% (male 1,023,898/female 1,019,389) 15-64 years: 51.9% (male 1,170,823/female 1,194,741) 65 years and over: 3.3% (male 74,312/female 78,436) (2005 est.)

Median age: total: 17.54 years male: 17.35 years female: 17.73 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.51% (2005 est.)

Birth rate: 38.62 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate: 13.53 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population note: UNHCR began repatriating about 150,000 Eritrean refugees from Sudan in 2001 following the restoration of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 2000 (2005 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 74.87 deaths/1,000 live births male: 82.28 deaths/1,000 live births female: 67.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 58.47 years male: 56.96 years female: 60.02 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.61 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 2.7% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 60,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 6,300 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria is a high risk in some locations (2004)

Nationality: noun: Eritrean(s) adjective: Eritrean

Ethnic groups: ethnic Tigrinya 50%, Tigre and Kunama 40%, Afar 4%, Saho (Red Sea coast dwellers) 3%, other 3%

Religions: Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant

Languages: Afar, Arabic, Tigre and Kunama, Tigrinya, other Cushitic languages

Literacy: definition: NA total population: 58.6% male: 69.9% female: 47.6% (2003 est.)

Government Eritrea

Country name: conventional long form: State of Eritrea conventional short form: Eritrea local long form: Hagere Ertra local short form: Ertra former: Eritrea Autonomous Region in Ethiopia

Government type: transitional government note: following a successful referendum on independence for the Autonomous Region of Eritrea on 23-25 April 1993, a National Assembly, composed entirely of the People's Front for Democracy and Justice or PFDJ, was established as a transitional legislature; a Constitutional Commission was also established to draft a constitution; ISAIAS Afworki was elected president by the transitional legislature; the constitution, ratified in May 1997, did not enter into effect, pending parliamentary and presidential elections; parliamentary elections had been scheduled in December 2001, but were postponed indefinitely; currently the sole legal party is the People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ)

Capital: Asmara

Administrative divisions: 6 regions (zobatat, singular - zoba); Anseba, Debub (Southern), Debubawi K'eyih Bahri (Southern Red Sea), Gash Barka, Ma'akel (Central), Semenawi Keyih Bahri (Northern Red Sea)

Independence: 24 May 1993 (from Ethiopia)

National holiday: Independence Day, 24 May (1993)

Constitution: a transitional constitution, decreed on 19 May 1993, was replaced by a new constitution adopted on 23 May 1997, but not yet implemented

Legal system: primary basis is the Ethiopian legal code of 1957, with revisions; new civil, commercial, and penal codes have not yet been promulgated; also relies on customary and post-independence-enacted laws and, for civil cases involving Muslims, Sharia law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June 1993); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government and is head of the State Council and National Assembly head of government: President ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June 1993); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government and is head of the State Council and National Assembly cabinet: State Council is the collective executive authority; members appointed by the president elections: president elected by the National Assembly; election last held 8 June 1993 (next election date uncertain as the National Assembly did not hold a presidential election in December 2001 as anticipated) election results: ISAIAS Afworki elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - ISAIAS Afworki 95%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (150 seats; term limits not established) elections: in May 1997, following the adoption of the new constitution, 75 members of the PFDJ Central Committee (the old Central Committee of the EPLF), 60 members of the 527-member Constituent Assembly, that had been established in 1997 to discuss and ratify the new constitution, and 15 representatives of Eritreans living abroad were formed into a Transitional National Assembly to serve as the country's legislative body until countrywide elections to a National Assembly were held; although only 75 of 150 members of the Transitional National Assembly were elected, the constitution stipulates that once past the transition stage, all members of the National Assembly will be elected by secret ballot of all eligible voters; National Assembly elections scheduled for December 2001 were postponed indefinitely