Introductory material (continued 11)

Refugees and internally displaced persons: IDPs: 265,000 (both Turkish and Greek Cypriots; many displaced for over 30 years) (2005)

Trafficking in persons: current situation: Cyprus is primarily a destination country for a large number of women trafficked from Eastern and Central Europe, the Philippines, and the Dominican Republic for the purpose of sexual exploitation; traffickers continued to fraudulently recruit victims for work as dancers in cabarets and nightclubs on short-term "artiste" visas, for work in pubs and bars on employment visas, or for illegal work on tourist or student visas; there were credible reports of female domestic workers from India, Sri Lanka, and the Philippines forced to work excessively long hours and denied proper compensation tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Cyprus does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and failed to show evidence of increasing efforts to address its serious trafficking for sexual exploitation problem; however, it is making significant efforts to do so

Illicit drugs: minor transit point for heroin and hashish via air routes and container traffic to Europe, especially from Lebanon and Turkey; some cocaine transits as well; despite a strengthening of anti-money-laundering legislation, remains vulnerable to money laundering; reporting of suspicious transactions in offshore sector remains weak

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

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@Czech Republic

Introduction Czech Republic

Background: Following the First World War, the closely related Czechs and Slovaks of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire merged to form Czechoslovakia. During the interwar years, the new country's leaders were frequently preoccupied with meeting the demands of other ethnic minorities within the republic, most notably the Sudeten Germans and the Ruthenians (Ukrainians). After World War II, a truncated Czechoslovakia fell within the Soviet sphere of influence. In 1968, an invasion by Warsaw Pact troops ended the efforts of the country's leaders to liberalize Communist party rule and create "socialism with a human face." Anti-Soviet demonstrations the following year ushered in a period of harsh repression. With the collapse of Soviet authority in 1989, Czechoslovakia regained its freedom through a peaceful "Velvet Revolution." On 1 January 1993, the country underwent a "velvet divorce" into its two national components, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The Czech Republic joined NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2004.

Geography Czech Republic

Location: Central Europe, southeast of Germany

Geographic coordinates: 49 45 N, 15 30 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 78,866 sq km land: 77,276 sq km water: 1,590 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries: total: 2,290.2 km border countries: Austria 466.3 km, Germany 810.3 km, Poland 761.8 km, Slovakia 251.8 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters

Terrain: Bohemia in the west consists of rolling plains, hills, and plateaus surrounded by low mountains; Moravia in the east consists of very hilly country

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Elbe River 115 m highest point: Snezka 1,602 m

Natural resources: hard coal, soft coal, kaolin, clay, graphite, timber

Land use: arable land: 38.82% permanent crops: 3% other: 58.18% (2005)

Irrigated land: 240 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards: flooding

Environment - current issues: air and water pollution in areas of northwest Bohemia and in northern Moravia around Ostrava present health risks; acid rain damaging forests; efforts to bring industry up to EU code should improve domestic pollution

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: landlocked; strategically located astride some of oldest and most significant land routes in Europe; Moravian Gate is a traditional military corridor between the North European Plain and the Danube in central Europe

People Czech Republic

Population: 10,235,455 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 14.4% (male 755,098/female 714,703) 15-64 years: 71.2% (male 3,656,021/female 3,629,036) 65 years and over: 14.5% (male 576,264/female 904,333) (2006 est.)

Median age: total: 39.3 years male: 37.5 years female: 41.1 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.06% (2006 est.)

Birth rate: 9.02 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate: 10.59 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 3.89 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.24 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.22 years male: 72.94 years female: 79.69 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.21 children born/woman (2006 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 2,500 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 10 (2001 est.)

Nationality: noun: Czech(s) adjective: Czech

Ethnic groups: Czech 90.4%, Moravian 3.7%, Slovak 1.9%, other 4% (2001 census)

Religions: Roman Catholic 26.8%, Protestant 2.1%, other 3.3%, unspecified 8.8%, unaffiliated 59% (2001 census)

Languages: Czech

Literacy: definition: NA total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.)

Government Czech Republic

Country name: conventional long form: Czech Republic conventional short form: Czech Republic local long form: Ceska Republika local short form: Cesko

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: name: Prague geographic coordinates: 40 55 N, 21 00 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions: 13 regions (kraje, singular - kraj) and 1 capital city* (hlavni mesto); Jihocesky Kraj, Jihomoravsky Kraj, Karlovarsky Kraj, Kralovehradecky Kraj, Liberecky Kraj, Moravskoslezsky Kraj, Olomoucky Kraj, Pardubicky Kraj, Plzensky Kraj, Praha (Prague)*, Stredocesky Kraj, Ustecky Kraj, Vysocina, Zlinsky Kraj

Independence: 1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia)

National holiday: Czech Founding Day, 28 October (1918)

Constitution: ratified 16 December 1992, effective 1 January 1993

Legal system: civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; legal code modified to bring it in line with Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) obligations and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal theory

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Vaclav KLAUS (since 7 March 2003) note: the Czech Republic's first president Vaclav HAVEL stepped down from office on 2 February 2003 having served exactly 10 years; parliament finally elected a successor on 28 February 2003 after two inconclusive elections in January 2003 head of government: Prime Minister Mirek TOPOLANEK (since 4 September 2006), Deputy Prime Minister Petr NECAS (since 4 September 2006) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); last successful election held 28 February 2003 (after earlier elections held 15 and 24 January 2003 were inconclusive; next election to be held January 2008); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Vaclav KLAUS elected president on 28 February 2003; Vaclav KLAUS 142 votes, Jan SOKOL 124 votes (third round; combined votes of both chambers of parliament)

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Senate or Senat (81 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms; one-third elected every two years) and the Chamber of Deputies or Poslanecka Snemovna (200 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held in two rounds 20-21 and 27-28 October 2006 (next to be held October 2008); Chamber of Deputies - last held 2-3 June 2006 (next to be held by June 2010) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ODS 41, CSSD 12, KDU-CSL 10, others 15, independents 2; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - ODS 35.4%, CSSD 32.3%, KSCM 12.8%, KDU-CSL 7.2%, Greens 6.3%, other 6%; seats by party - ODS 81, CSSD 74, KSCM 26, KDU-CSL 13, Greens 6

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Constitutional Court; chairman and deputy chairmen are appointed by the president for a 10-year term

Political parties and leaders: Christian Democratic Union-Czechoslovak People's Party or KDU-CSL [Jan KASAL, chairman]; Civic Democratic Alliance or ODA [Jirina NOVAKOVA, chairwoman]; Civic Democratic Party or ODS [Mirek TOPOLANEK, chairman]; Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia or KSCM [Vojtech FILIP, chairman]; Czech Social Democratic Party or CSSD [Jiri PAROUBEK, chairman]; Freedom Union-Democratic Union or US-DEU [Jan HADRAVA, chairman]; Green Party [Martin BURSIK, chairman]; Independent Democrats (NEZDEM) [Vladimir ZELEZNY, chairman]; Party of Open Society (SOS) [Pavel NOVACEK, chairman]; Path of Change [Jiri LOBKOWITZ, chairman]; SNK-European Democrats or SNK-ED [Jana HYBASKOVA, chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions or CMKOS [Milan STECH]

International organization participation: ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA (cooperating state), EU (new member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Petr KOLAR chancery: 3900 Spring of Freedom Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 274-9100 FAX: [1] (202) 966-8540 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Richard W. GRABER embassy: Trziste 15, 11801 Prague 1 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [420] 257 022 000 FAX: [420] 257 022 809

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side (identical to the flag of the former Czechoslovakia)

Economy Czech Republic

Economy - overview: The Czech Republic is one of the most stable and prosperous of the post-Communist states of Central and Eastern Europe. Growth in 2000-05 was supported by exports to the EU, primarily to Germany, and a strong recovery of foreign and domestic investment. Domestic demand is playing an ever more important role in underpinning growth as interest rates drop and the availability of credit cards and mortgages increases. The current account deficit has declined to around 3% of GDP as demand for Czech products in the European Union has increased. Inflation is under control. Recent accession to the EU gives further impetus and direction to structural reform. In early 2004 the government passed increases in the Value Added Tax (VAT) and tightened eligibility for social benefits with the intention to bring the public finance gap down to 4% of GDP by 2006, but more difficult pension and healthcare reforms will have to wait until after the next elections. Privatization of the state-owned telecommunications firm Cesky Telecom took place in 2005. Intensified restructuring among large enterprises, improvements in the financial sector, and effective use of available EU funds should strengthen output growth.

GDP (purchasing power parity): $204.4 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate): $109.4 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 6.1% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP): $20,000 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.4% industry: 39.3% services: 57.3% (2004 est.)

Labor force: 5.27 million (2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 4.1% industry: 37.6% services: 58.3% (2003)

Unemployment rate: 7.9% (2005)

Population below poverty line: At risk of poverty after social transfers: 8%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.3% highest 10%: 22.4% (1996)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 27.3 (2003)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.9% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed): 26.4% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget: revenues: $48.16 billion expenditures: $53.04 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005 est.)

Public debt: 25.9% of GDP (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products: wheat, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, poultry

Industries: metallurgy, machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, glass, armaments

Industrial production growth rate: 5.7% (2005)

Electricity - production: 84.33 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 76.1% hydro: 2.9% nuclear: 20% other: 1% (2001)

Electricity - consumption: 57.12 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports: 25.49 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports: 9.776 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production: 15,240 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - consumption: 202,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports: 26,670 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports: 182,000 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - proved reserves: 15 million bbl (1 January 2006)

Natural gas - production: 133 million cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption: 9.623 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - exports: 1 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports: 9.8 billion cu m (2004)

Natural gas - proved reserves: 3.964 billion cu m (1 January 2003)

Current account balance: $-2.496 billion (2005 est.)

Exports: $78.37 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment 52%, chemicals 5%, raw materials and fuel 9% (2003)

Exports - partners: Germany 33.5%, Slovakia 8.7%, Austria 5.5%, Poland 5.5%, France 5.3%, UK 4.6%, Italy 4.3% (2005)

Imports: $76.59 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment 46%, raw materials and fuels 15%, chemicals 10% (2003)

Imports - partners: Germany 30%, Russia 5.7%, Slovakia 5.4%, China 5.1%, Poland 5%, Italy 4.8%, France 4.5%, Netherlands 4% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $29.36 billion (2005 est.)

Debt - external: $49.14 billion (2005 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $2.8 billion in committed EU structural adjustment and cohesion funds (2004-06)

Currency (code): Czech koruna (CZK)

Currency code: CZK

Exchange rates: koruny per US dollar - 23.957 (2005), 25.7 (2004), 28.209 (2003), 32.739 (2002), 38.035 (2001)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Czech Republic

Telephones - main lines in use: 3,217,300 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 11.776 million (2005)

Telephone system: general assessment: privatization and modernization of the Czech telecommunication system got a late start but is advancing steadily; growth in the use of mobile cellular telephones is particularly vigorous domestic: 86% of exchanges now digital; existing copper subscriber systems now being enhanced with Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) equipment to accommodate Internet and other digital signals; trunk systems include fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay international: country code - 420; satellite earth stations - 2 Intersputnik (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions), 1 Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 1 Globalstar

Radio broadcast stations: AM 31, FM 304, shortwave 17 (2000)

Radios: 3,159,134 (December 2000)

Television broadcast stations: 150 (plus 1,434 repeaters) (2000)

Televisions: 3,405,834 (December 2000)

Internet country code: .cz

Internet hosts: 1,267,265 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): more than 300 (2000)

Internet users: 5.1 million (2005)

Transportation Czech Republic

Airports: 121 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 46 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 19 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 75 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 25 under 914 m: 49 (2006)

Heliports: 2 (2006)

Pipelines: gas 7,010 km; oil 547 km; refined products 94 km (2006)

Railways: total: 9,572 km standard gauge: 9,473 km 1.435-m gauge (2,951 km electrified) narrow gauge: 99 km 0.760-m gauge (2005)

Roadways: total: 127,747 km paved: 127,747 km (including 518 km of expressways) (2003)

Waterways: 664 km (principally on Elbe as well as Vltava and Oder rivers) (2005)

Merchant marine: registered in other countries: 1 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals: Decin, Prague, Usti nad Labem

Military Czech Republic

Military branches: Army of the Czech Republic (ACR): Joint Forces Command (includes air forces), Support and Training Forces Command (2006)

Military service age and obligation: 18-50 years of age for voluntary military service; on-going transformation of military service into a fully professional, all-volunteer force no longer dependent on conscription began in January 2004 and is scheduled to be completed by 2007 (2005)

Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 2,414,728 females age 18-49: 2,329,412 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 1,996,631 females age 18-49: 1,923,508 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 66,583 females age 18-49: 63,363 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $2.17 billion (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.81% FY05

Transnational Issues Czech Republic

Disputes - international: in February 2005, the ICJ refused to rule on the restitution of Liechtenstein's land and property assets in the Czech Republic confiscated in 1945 as German property; individual Sudeten Germans seek restitution for property confiscated in connection with their expulsion from Czechoslovakia after World War II; Austrian anti-nuclear activists have revived blockades of the Czech-Austrian border to protest operation of the Temelin nuclear power plant in the Czech Republic

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and minor transit point for Latin American cocaine to Western Europe; producer of synthetic drugs for local and regional markets; susceptible to money laundering related to drug trafficking, organized crime

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

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@Denmark

Introduction Denmark

Background: Once the seat of Viking raiders and later a major north European power, Denmark has evolved into a modern, prosperous nation that is participating in the general political and economic integration of Europe. It joined NATO in 1949 and the EEC (now the EU) in 1973. However, the country has opted out of certain elements of the European Union's Maastricht Treaty, including the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), European defense cooperation, and issues concerning certain justice and home affairs.

Geography Denmark

Location: Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, on a peninsula north of Germany (Jutland); also includes two major islands (Sjaelland and Fyn)

Geographic coordinates: 56 00 N, 10 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 43,094 sq km land: 42,394 sq km water: 700 sq km note: includes the island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea and the rest of metropolitan Denmark (the Jutland Peninsula, and the major islands of Sjaelland and Fyn), but excludes the Faroe Islands and Greenland

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

Land boundaries: total: 68 km border countries: Germany 68 km

Coastline: 7,314 km

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

Climate: temperate; humid and overcast; mild, windy winters and cool summers

Terrain: low and flat to gently rolling plains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Lammefjord -7 m highest point: Yding Skovhoej 173 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, fish, salt, limestone, chalk, stone, gravel and sand

Land use: arable land: 52.59% permanent crops: 0.19% other: 47.22% (2005)

Irrigated land: 4,490 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards: flooding is a threat in some areas of the country (e.g., parts of Jutland, along the southern coast of the island of Lolland) that are protected from the sea by a system of dikes

Environment - current issues: air pollution, principally from vehicle and power plant emissions; nitrogen and phosphorus pollution of the North Sea; drinking and surface water becoming polluted from animal wastes and pesticides

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: controls Danish Straits (Skagerrak and Kattegat) linking Baltic and North Seas; about one-quarter of the population lives in greater Copenhagen

People Denmark

Population: 5,450,661 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 18.7% (male 523,257/female 496,697) 15-64 years: 66.1% (male 1,815,240/female 1,787,406) 65 years and over: 15.2% (male 355,656/female 472,405) (2006 est.)

Median age: total: 39.8 years male: 38.9 years female: 40.7 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.33% (2006 est.)

Birth rate: 11.13 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate: 10.36 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate: 2.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 4.51 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.54 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.79 years male: 75.49 years female: 80.22 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.74 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 5,000 (2003 est.)

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

Nationality: noun: Dane(s) adjective: Danish

Ethnic groups: Scandinavian, Inuit, Faroese, German, Turkish, Iranian, Somali

Religions: Evangelical Lutheran 95%, other Protestant and Roman Catholic 3%, Muslim 2%

Languages: Danish, Faroese, Greenlandic (an Inuit dialect), German (small minority) note: English is the predominant second language

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.)

Government Denmark

Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Denmark conventional short form: Denmark local long form: Kongeriget Danmark local short form: Danmark

Government type: constitutional monarchy

Capital: name: Copenhagen geographic coordinates: 55 40 N, 12 35 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions: metropolitan Denmark - 14 counties (amter, singular - amt) and 2 boroughs* (amtskommuner, singular - amtskommune); Arhus, Bornholm, Frederiksberg*, Frederiksborg, Fyn, Kobenhavn, Kobenhavn (Copenhagen)*, Nordjylland, Ribe, Ringkobing, Roskilde, Sonderjylland, Storstrom, Vejle, Vestsjalland, Viborg note: as a result of an extensive 2005 local government reform, with 2006 being a transition year, 275 municipalities will be merged to 99 by 1 January 2007, and the 14 counties will be reorganized into five regions

Independence: first organized as a unified state in 10th century; in 1849 became a constitutional monarchy

National holiday: none designated; Constitution Day, 5 June (1849) is generally viewed as the National Day

Constitution: 5 June 1849 adoption of original constitution; a major overhaul of 5 June 1953 allowed for a unicameral legislature and a female chief of state

Legal system: civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II (since 14 January 1972); Heir Apparent Crown Prince FREDERIK, elder son of the monarch (born 26 May 1968) head of government: Prime Minister Anders Fogh RASMUSSEN (since 27 November 2001) cabinet: Council of State appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch

Legislative branch: unicameral People's Assembly or Folketinget (179 seats, including 2 from Greenland and 2 from the Faroe Islands; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 8 February 2005 (next to be held February 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - Liberal Party 29%, Social Democrats 25.9%, Danish People's Party 13.2%, Conservative Party 10.3%, Social Liberal Party 9.2%, Socialist People's Party 6%, Unity List 3.4%; seats by party - Liberal Party 52, Social Democrats 47, Danish People's Party 24, Conservative Party 18, Social Liberal Party 17, Socialist People's Party 11, Unity List 6; note - does not include the 2 seats from Greenland and the 2 seats from the Faroe Islands

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the monarch for life)

Political parties and leaders: Christian Democrats (was Christian People's Party) [Bodil KORNBEK]; Conservative Party (sometimes known as Conservative People's Party) [Bendt BENDTSEN]; Danish People's Party [Pia KJAERSGAARD]; Liberal Party [Anders Fogh RASMUSSEN]; Red-Green Unity List (bloc includes Left Socialist Party, Communist Party of Denmark, Socialist Workers' Party) [collective leadership]; Social Democratic Party [Helle THORNING-SCHMIDT]; Social Liberal Party (sometimes called the Radical Left) [Marianne JELVED, leader; Soren BALD, chairman]; Socialist People's Party [Villy SOEVNDAL]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: AfDB, Arctic Council, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Friis Arne PETERSEN chancery: 3200 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 234-4300 FAX: [1] (202) 328-1470 consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador James P. CAIN embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds Alle 24, 2100 Copenhagen mailing address: PSC 73, APO AE 09716 telephone: [45] 33 41 71 00 FAX: [45] 35 43 02 23

Flag description: red with a white cross that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side, and that design element of the Dannebrog (Danish flag) was subsequently adopted by the other Nordic countries of Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden

Economy Denmark

Economy - overview: This thoroughly modern market economy features high-tech agriculture, up-to-date small-scale and corporate industry, extensive government welfare measures, comfortable living standards, a stable currency, and high dependence on foreign trade. Denmark is a net exporter of food and energy and enjoys a comfortable balance of payments surplus. Government objectives include streamlining the bureaucracy and further privatization of state assets. The government has been successful in meeting, and even exceeding, the economic convergence criteria for participating in the third phase (a common European currency) of the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), but Denmark has decided not to join 12 other EU members in the euro. Nonetheless, the Danish krone remains pegged to the euro. Economic growth gained momentum in 2004 and the upturn accelerated through 2005. Because of high GDP per capita, welfare benefits, a low Gini index, and political stability, the Danish people enjoy living standards topped by no other nation. A major long-term issue will be the sharp decline in the ratio of workers to retirees.

GDP (purchasing power parity): $189.3 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate): $243.4 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3.2% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP): $34,800 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.8% industry: 24.6% services: 73.5% (2005 est.)

Labor force: 2.9 million (2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 3% industry: 21% services: 76% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate: 5.7% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2% highest 10%: 24% (2000 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 23.2 (2002)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.8% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed): 20.8% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget: revenues: $144 billion expenditures: $135 billion; including capital expenditures of $4.6 billion (2005 est.)

Public debt: 37% of GDP (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products: barley, wheat, potatoes, sugar beets; pork, dairy products; fish

Industries: iron, steel, nonferrous metals, chemicals, food processing, machinery and transportation equipment, textiles and clothing, electronics, construction, furniture and other wood products, shipbuilding and refurbishment, windmills, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment

Industrial production growth rate: 1.6% (2005 est.)

Electricity - production: 43.32 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 82.7% hydro: 0.1% nuclear: 0% other: 17.3% (2001)

Electricity - consumption: 31.68 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports: 15.6 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports: 7 billion kWh (2003)

Oil - production: 376,900 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - consumption: 188,300 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports: 332,100 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports: 195,000 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves: 1.23 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production: 7.965 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption: 5.173 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - exports: 3.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

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

Natural gas - proved reserves: 73.51 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance: $7.753 billion (2005 est.)

Exports: $84.95 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities: machinery and instruments, meat and meat products, dairy products, fish, chemicals, furniture, ships, windmills

Exports - partners: Germany 17.5%, Sweden 13.2%, UK 8.8%, US 6.4%, France 5.5%, Netherlands 5.3%, Norway 5.1% (2005)

Imports: $74.69 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, raw materials and semimanufactures for industry, chemicals, grain and foodstuffs, consumer goods

Imports - partners: Germany 20.5%, Sweden 13.8%, Norway 6.6%, Netherlands 6.6%, UK 6%, China 4.7%, France 4.2%, Italy 4.1% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $34.03 billion (2005 est.)

Debt - external: $352.9 billion (30 June 2005)

Economic aid - donor: ODA, $2 billion (2004)

Currency (code): Danish krone (DKK)

Currency code: DKK

Exchange rates: Danish kroner per US dollar - 5.9969 (2005), 5.9911 (2004), 6.5877 (2003), 7.8947 (2002), 8.3228 (2001)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Denmark

Telephones - main lines in use: 3.35 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 5.469 million (2005)

Telephone system: general assessment: excellent telephone and telegraph services domestic: buried and submarine cables and microwave radio relay form trunk network, 4 cellular mobile communications systems international: country code - 45; 18 submarine fiber-optic cables linking Denmark with Canada, Faroe Islands, Germany, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and UK; satellite earth stations - 6 Intelsat, 10 Eutelsat, 1 Orion, 1 Inmarsat (Blaavand-Atlantic-East); note - the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) share the Danish earth station and the Eik, Norway, station for worldwide Inmarsat access (1997)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 355, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 6.02 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 26 (plus 51 repeaters) (1998)

Televisions: 3.121 million (1997)

Internet country code: .dk

Internet hosts: 2,415,530 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 13 (2000)

Internet users: 3,762,500 (2005)

Transportation Denmark

Airports: 92 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 28 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 3 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 64 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 61 (2006)

Pipelines: condensate 12 km; gas 3,931 km; oil 626 km; oil/gas/water 2 km (2006)

Railways: total: 2,673 km standard gauge: 2,673 km 1.435-m gauge (601 km electrified) (2005)

Roadways: total: 72,257 km paved: 72,257 km (including 1,032 km of expressways) (2005)

Waterways: 400 km (2001)

Merchant marine: total: 293 ships (1000 GRT or over) 7,986,735 GRT/9,936,431 DWT by type: bulk carrier 7, cargo 63, chemical tanker 48, container 86, liquefied gas 4, livestock carrier 2, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 40, petroleum tanker 23, refrigerated cargo 7, roll on/roll off 8, specialized tanker 4 foreign-owned: 25 (Canada 1, Germany 13, Greece 5, Greenland 1, Norway 3, Sweden 1, UK 1) registered in other countries: 409 (Antigua and Barbuda 14, Bahamas 59, Belgium 4, Cayman Islands 5, Cyprus 1, Egypt 1, Estonia 2, France 1, French Southern and Antarctic Lands 2, Gibraltar 1, Hong Kong 6, Isle of Man 53, North Korea 1, Liberia 8, Lithuania 10, Malta 6, Marshall Islands 1, Mexico 2, Netherlands 9, Netherlands Antilles 1, Norway 32, Panama 34, Portugal 4, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 14, Singapore 52, South Africa 1, Spain 1, Sweden 4, UK 46, US 24, Vanuatu 6, Venezuela 3, Vietnam 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals: Aalborg, Aarhus, Asnaesvaerkets, Copenhagen, Elsinore, Ensted, Esbjerg, Fredericia, Frederikshavn, Kalundborg, Odense, Roenne

Military Denmark

Military branches: Defense Command: Army Operational Command, Admiral Danish Fleet, Tactical Air Command (2006)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and volunteer military service; conscripts serve an initial training period that varies from four to 12 months according to specialization; reservists are assigned to mobilization units following completion of their conscript service; women eligible to volunteer for military service (2004)

Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 1,175,108 females age 18-49: 1,150,627 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 955,168 females age 18-49: 935,643 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 31,317 females age 18-49: 29,558 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $3,271.6 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.5% (2004)

Transnational Issues Denmark

Disputes - international: Iceland disputes the Faroe Islands' fisheries median line; Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm; Faroese continue to study proposals for full independence; uncontested sovereignty dispute with Canada over Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel between Ellesmere Island and Greenland

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

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@Dhekelia

Introduction Dhekelia

Background: By terms of the 1960 Treaty of Establishment that created the independent Republic of Cyprus, the UK retained full sovereignty and jurisdiction over two areas of almost 254 square kilometers - Akrotiri and Dhekelia. The larger of these is the Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area, which is also referred to as the Eastern Sovereign Base Area.

Geography Dhekelia

Location: on the southeast coast of Cyprus near Famagusta

Geographic coordinates: 34 59 N, 33 45 E

Map references: Middle East

Area: total: 130.8 sq km note: area surrounds three Cypriot enclaves

Area - comparative: about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: NA; note - boundary with Cyprus is being resurveyed

Coastline: 27.5 km

Climate: temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters

Environment - current issues: netting and trapping of small migrant songbirds in the spring and autumn

Geography - note: British extraterritorial rights also extended to several small off-post sites scattered across Cyprus

People Dhekelia

Population: no indigenous personnel note: approximately 2,200 military personnel are on the base; there are another 5,000 British citizens who are families of military personnel or civilian staff on both the bases of Akrotiri and Dhekelia; Cyprus citizens work on the base, but do not live there

Languages: English, Greek

Government Dhekelia

Country name: conventional long form: Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area conventional short form: Dhekelia

Dependency status: overseas territory of UK; administered by an administrator who is also the Commander, British Forces Cyprus

Capital: name: Episkopi Cantonment; located in Akrotiri geographic coordinates: 34 40 N, 32 51 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Constitution: Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia Order in Council 1960, effective 16 August 1960

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

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Administrator Air Vice-Marshal Richard LACEY (since 26 April 2006); note - reports to the British Ministry of Defence elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the administrator is appointed by the monarch

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

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

Flag description: the flag of the UK is used

Economy Dhekelia

Economy - overview: Economic activity is limited to providing services to the military and their families located in Dhekelia. All food and manufactured goods must be imported.

Industries: none

Communications Dhekelia

Radio broadcast stations: FM 1 (located in Akrotiri) note: British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides Radio 1 and Radio 2 service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia (2006)

Television broadcast stations: British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides multi-channel satellite service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia (2006)

Military Dhekelia

Military - note: includes Dhekelia Garrison and Ayios Nikolaos Station connected by a roadway

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

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@Djibouti

Introduction Djibouti

Background: The French Territory of the Afars and the Issas became Djibouti in 1977. Hassan Gouled APTIDON installed an authoritarian one-party state and proceeded to serve as president until 1999. Unrest among the Afars minority during the 1990s led to a civil war that ended in 2001 following the conclusion of a peace accord between Afar rebels and the Issa-dominated government. In 1999, Djibouti's first multi-party presidential elections resulted in the election of Ismail Omar GUELLEH; he was re-elected to a second and final term in 2005. Djibouti occupies a strategic geographic location at the mouth of the Red Sea and serves as an important transshipment location for goods entering and leaving the east African highlands. The present leadership favors close ties to France, which maintains a significant military presence in the country, but is also developing stronger ties with the US. Djibouti hosts the only US military base in sub-Saharan Africa and is a front-line state in the global war on terrorism.

Geography Djibouti

Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, between Eritrea and Somalia

Geographic coordinates: 11 30 N, 43 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 23,000 sq km land: 22,980 sq km water: 20 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Land boundaries: total: 516 km border countries: Eritrea 109 km, Ethiopia 349 km, Somalia 58 km

Coastline: 314 km

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

Climate: desert; torrid, dry

Terrain: coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Lac Assal -155 m highest point: Moussa Ali 2,028 m

Natural resources: geothermal areas, gold, clay, granite, limestone, marble, salt, diatomite, gypsum, pumice, petroleum

Land use: arable land: 0.04% permanent crops: 0% other: 99.96% (2005)

Irrigated land: 10 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards: earthquakes; droughts; occasional cyclonic disturbances from the Indian Ocean bring heavy rains and flash floods

Environment - current issues: inadequate supplies of potable water; limited arable land; desertification; endangered species

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

Geography - note: strategic location near world's busiest shipping lanes and close to Arabian oilfields; terminus of rail traffic into Ethiopia; mostly wasteland; Lac Assal (Lake Assal) is the lowest point in Africa

People Djibouti

Population: 486,530 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 43.3% (male 105,760/female 105,068) 15-64 years: 53.3% (male 135,119/female 124,367) 65 years and over: 3.3% (male 8,183/female 8,033) (2006 est.)

Median age: total: 18.2 years male: 18.7 years female: 17.7 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.02% (2006 est.)

Birth rate: 39.53 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate: 19.31 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 102.44 deaths/1,000 live births male: 110.07 deaths/1,000 live births female: 94.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 43.17 years male: 41.86 years female: 44.52 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.31 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 2.9% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 9,100 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 690 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria (2005)

Nationality: noun: Djiboutian(s) adjective: Djiboutian

Ethnic groups: Somali 60%, Afar 35%, French, Arab, Ethiopian, and Italian 5%

Religions: Muslim 94%, Christian 6%

Languages: French (official), Arabic (official), Somali, Afar

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 67.9% male: 78% female: 58.4% (2003 est.)

Government Djibouti

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Djibouti conventional short form: Djibouti local long form: Republique de Djibouti/Jumhuriyat Jibuti local short form: Djibouti/Jibuti former: French Territory of the Afars and Issas, French Somaliland

Government type: republic

Capital: name: Djibouti geographic coordinates: 11 30 N, 43 15 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions: 6 districts (cercles, singular - cercle); Ali Sabieh, Arta, Dikhil, Djibouti, Obock, Tadjourah

Independence: 27 June 1977 (from France)

National holiday: Independence Day, 27 June (1977)

Constitution: multiparty constitution approved by referendum 4 September 1992

Legal system: based on French civil law system, traditional practices, and Islamic law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal adult

Executive branch: chief of state: President Ismail Omar GUELLEH (since 8 May 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Mohamed Dileita DILEITA (since 4 March 2001) cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 8 April 2005 (next to be held by April 2011); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Ismail Omar GUELLEH reelected president; percent of vote - Ismail Omar GUELLEH 100%

Legislative branch: unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (65 seats; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms) elections: last held 10 January 2003 (next to be held January 2008) election results: percent of vote - RPP 62.2%, FRUD 36.9%; seats - RPP 65, FRUD 0; note - RPP (the ruling party) dominated the election

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Political parties and leaders: Democratic National Party or PND [ADEN Robleh Awaleh]; Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Abdillahi HAMARITEH]; Djibouti Development Party or PDD [Mohamed Daoud CHEHEM]; Front pour la Restauration de l'Unite Democratique or FRUD [Ali Mohamed DAOUD]; People's Progress Assembly or RPP [Ismail Omar GUELLEH] (governing party); Peoples Social Democratic Party or PPSD [Moumin Bahdon FARAH]; Republican Alliance for Democracy or ARD [Ahmed Dini AHMED]; Union for Democracy and Justice or UDJ

Political pressure groups and leaders: Union for Presidential Majority UMP (coalition includes RPP, FRUD, PPSD and PND); Union for Democratic Changeover or UAD (opposition coalition includes ARD, MRDD, UDJ, and PDD) [Ahmed Dini AHMED]

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, LAS, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Roble OLHAYE Oudine chancery: Suite 515, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 331-0270 FAX: [1] (202) 331-0302

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador W. Stuart SYMINGTON embassy: Plateau du Serpent, Boulevard Marechal Joffre, Djibouti mailing address: B. P. 185, Djibouti telephone: [253] 35 39 95 FAX: [253] 35 39 40

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of light blue (top) and light green with a white isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bearing a red five-pointed star in the center

Economy Djibouti

Economy - overview: The economy is based on service activities connected with the country's strategic location and status as a free trade zone in northeast Africa. Two-thirds of the inhabitants live in the capital city; the remainder are mostly nomadic herders. Scanty rainfall limits crop production to fruits and vegetables, and most food must be imported. Djibouti provides services as both a transit port for the region and an international transshipment and refueling center. Djibouti has few natural resources and little industry. The nation is, therefore, heavily dependent on foreign assistance to help support its balance of payments and to finance development projects. An unemployment rate of at least 50% continues to be a major problem. While inflation is not a concern, due to the fixed tie of the Djiboutian franc to the US dollar, the artificially high value of the Djiboutian franc adversely affects Djibouti's balance of payments. Per capita consumption dropped an estimated 35% over the last seven years because of recession, civil war, and a high population growth rate (including immigrants and refugees). Faced with a multitude of economic difficulties, the government has fallen in arrears on long-term external debt and has been struggling to meet the stipulations of foreign aid donors.

GDP (purchasing power parity): $619 million (2002 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate): $702 million

GDP - real growth rate: 3.2% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP): $1,000 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 17.9% industry: 22.5% services: 59.6% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 282,000 (2000)

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

Unemployment rate: 50% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line: 50% (2001 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (2005 est.)

Budget: revenues: $135 million expenditures: $182 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)

Agriculture - products: fruits, vegetables; goats, sheep, camels, animal hides

Industries: construction, agricultural processing, salt

Industrial production growth rate: 3% (1996 est.)

Electricity - production: 240 million kWh (2003)

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

Electricity - consumption: 223.2 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2003)

Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - consumption: 12,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports: NA bbl/day

Oil - imports: NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption: 0 cu m (2003 est.)

Exports: $250 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities: reexports, hides and skins, coffee (in transit)

Exports - partners: Somalia 55.2%, Yemen 19.5%, Ethiopia 17.9% (2005)

Imports: $987 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities: foods, beverages, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum products

Imports - partners: Saudi Arabia 21.7%, India 18.5%, China 10%, Ethiopia 4.8%, France 4.5%, US 4.3%, Japan 4.2% (2005)

Debt - external: $394 million (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $64.1 million (2004)

Currency (code): Djiboutian franc (DJF)

Currency code: DJF

Exchange rates: Djiboutian francs per US dollar - 177.72 (2005), 177.72 (2004), 177.72 (2003), 177.72 (2002), 177.72 (2001)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Djibouti

Telephones - main lines in use: 11,100 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 34,500 (2004)

Telephone system: general assessment: telephone facilities in the city of Djibouti are adequate, as are the microwave radio relay connections to outlying areas of the country domestic: microwave radio relay network international: country code - 253; submarine cable to Jiddah, Suez, Sicily, Marseille, Colombo, and Singapore; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; Medarabtel regional microwave radio relay telephone network

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2001)

Radios: 52,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (2002)

Televisions: 28,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .dj

Internet hosts: 1,540 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: 9,000 (2005)

Transportation Djibouti

Airports: 13 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 3 (2006)

Railways: total: 100 km (Djibouti segment of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway) narrow gauge: 100 km 1.000-m gauge note: railway under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia (2005)

Roadways: total: 2,890 km paved: 364 km unpaved: 2,526 km (1999)

Merchant marine: total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 1,369 GRT/3,030 DWT by type: cargo 1 (2006)

Ports and terminals: Djibouti

Military Djibouti

Military branches: Djibouti National Army (includes Navy and Air Force)

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

Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 95,328 females age 18-49: 87,795 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 46,020 females age 18-49: 42,181 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $29.05 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 4.3% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Djibouti

Disputes - international: Djibouti maintains economic ties and border accords with "Somaliland" leadership while maintaining some political ties to various factions in Somalia; thousands of Somali refugees await repatriation in UNHCR camps in Djibouti

Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 17,331 (Somalia) (2005)

Trafficking in persons: current situation: Djibouti is a source, transit, and destination country for women and children trafficked for the purposes of sexual exploitation and possibly forced labor; small numbers are trafficked from Ethiopia and Somalia for sexual exploitation; economic migrants from these countries also fall victim to trafficking upon reaching Djibouti City or the Ethiopia-Djibouti trucking corridor; women and children from neighboring countries reportedly transit Djibouti to Arab countries and Somalia for ultimate use in forced labor or sexual exploitation tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Djibouti does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so based partly on the government's commitments to undertake future action

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

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@Dominica

Introduction Dominica

Background: Dominica was the last of the Caribbean islands to be colonized by Europeans due chiefly to the fierce resistance of the native Caribs. France ceded possession to Great Britain in 1763, which made the island a colony in 1805. In 1980, two years after independence, Dominica's fortunes improved when a corrupt and tyrannical administration was replaced by that of Mary Eugenia CHARLES, the first female prime minister in the Caribbean, who remained in office for 15 years. Some 3,000 Carib Indians still living on Dominica are the only pre-Columbian population remaining in the eastern Caribbean.

Geography Dominica

Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates: 15 25 N, 61 20 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 754 sq km land: 754 sq km water: 0 sq km

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

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 148 km

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

Climate: tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall

Terrain: rugged mountains of volcanic origin

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Morne Diablatins 1,447 m

Natural resources: timber, hydropower, arable land

Land use: arable land: 6.67% permanent crops: 21.33% other: 72% (2005)

Irrigated land: NA

Natural hazards: flash floods are a constant threat; destructive hurricanes can be expected during the late summer months

Environment - current issues: NA

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

Geography - note: known as "The Nature Island of the Caribbean" due to its spectacular, lush, and varied flora and fauna, which are protected by an extensive natural park system; the most mountainous of the Lesser Antilles, its volcanic peaks are cones of lava craters and include Boiling Lake, the second-largest, thermally active lake in the world

People Dominica

Population: 68,910 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 26.1% (male 9,084/female 8,885) 15-64 years: 66% (male 23,419/female 22,079) 65 years and over: 7.9% (male 2,186/female 3,257) (2006 est.)

Median age: total: 30.1 years male: 29.8 years female: 30.4 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.08% (2006 est.)

Birth rate: 15.27 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate: 6.73 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate: -9.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 13.71 deaths/1,000 live births male: 18.09 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 74.87 years male: 71.95 years female: 77.93 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.94 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Dominican(s) adjective: Dominican

Ethnic groups: black, mixed black and European, European, Syrian, Carib Amerindian

Religions: Roman Catholic 77%, Protestant 15% (Methodist 5%, Pentecostal 3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3%, Baptist 2%, other 2%), other 6%, none 2%

Languages: English (official), French patois

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 94% male: 94% female: 94% (2003 est.)

Government Dominica

Country name: conventional long form: Commonwealth of Dominica conventional short form: Dominica

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: name: Roseau geographic coordinates: 15 18 N, 61 24 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions: 10 parishes; Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Luke, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick, Saint Paul, Saint Peter

Independence: 3 November 1978 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 3 November (1978)

Constitution: 3 November 1978

Legal system: based on English common law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Nicholas J. O. LIVERPOOL (since October 2003) head of government: Prime Minister Roosevelt SKERRIT (since 8 January 2004); note - assumed post after death of Prime Minister Pierre CHARLES cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister elections: president elected by the House of Assembly for a five-year term; election last held 1 October 2003 (next to be held October 2008); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Nicholas LIVERPOOL elected president; percent of legislative vote - NA%

Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly (30 seats, 9 appointed senators, 21 elected by popular vote; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 5 May 2005 (next to be held by 5 August 2010); note - tradition dictates that the election will be held within five years of the last election, but technically it is five years from the first seating of parliament (12 May 2005) plus a 90-day grace period election results: percent of vote by party - DLP 52.07%, UWP 43.6%, DFP 3.15%; seats by party - DLP 12, UWP 8, independent 1

Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of the Court of Appeal and the High Court (located in Saint Lucia; one of the six judges must reside in Dominica and preside over the Court of Summary Jurisdiction)

Political parties and leaders: Dominica Freedom Party or DFP [Charles SAVARIN]; Dominica Labor Party or DLP [Roosevelt SKERRIT]; Dominica United Workers Party or UWP [Earl WILLIAMS]

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, OIF, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Judith Anne ROLLE, Third Secretary 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 (official exchange rate): $279 million

GDP - real growth rate: 3.1% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP): $3,800 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 17.7% industry: 32.8% services: 49.5% (2002 est.)

Labor force: 25,000 (1999 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 40% industry: 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): -0.1% (2005 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: 69.98 million kWh (2003)

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

Electricity - consumption: 65.09 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2003)

Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - consumption: 800 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports: NA bbl/day

Oil - imports: NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption: 0 cu m (2003 est.)

Exports: $74 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

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

Exports - partners: UK 26.2%, Jamaica 9.8%, South Korea 8.7%, Antigua and Barbuda 8.6%, Guyana 7.2%, Trinidad and Tobago 4.7% (2005)

Imports: $234 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

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

Imports - partners: US 25.3%, China 20.3%, Trinidad and Tobago 12.3%, South Korea 7.1%, Japan 4.6%, UK 4.4% (2005)

Debt - external: $213 million (2004)

Economic aid - recipient: $29.2 million (2004 est.)

Currency (code): East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code: XCD

Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002), 2.7 (2001)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Communications Dominica

Telephones - main lines in use: 21,000 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 41,800 (2004)

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: 263 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 16 (2000)

Internet users: 20,500 (2005)

Transportation Dominica

Airports: 2 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006)

Roadways: total: 780 km paved: 393 km unpaved: 387 km (1999)

Merchant marine: total: 48 ships (1000 GRT or over) 634,668 GRT/1,100,558 DWT by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 24, chemical tanker 4, container 2, petroleum tanker 6, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 1, vehicle carrier 1 foreign-owned: 45 (Estonia 11, Germany 1, Greece 5, Latvia 1, Norway 1, NZ 4, Russia 2, Saudi Arabia 3, Singapore 9, Syria 1, Turkey 3, UAE 2, Ukraine 2) (2006)

Ports and terminals: Portsmouth, Roseau

Military Dominica

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

Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 18,227 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 15,136 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 602 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA

Transnational Issues Dominica

Disputes - international: Dominica is the only Caribbean state to challenge Venezuela's sovereignty claim over Aves Island and joins the other island nations in challenging whether the feature sustains human habitation, a criterion under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which permits Venezuela to extend its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and continental shelf claims 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 19 December, 2006

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@Dominican Republic

Introduction Dominican Republic

Background: Explored and claimed by Christopher 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 followed, capped by the dictatorship of Rafael Leonidas TRUJILLO from 1930-1961. Juan BOSCH was elected president in 1962, but was deposed in a military coup in 1963. In 1965, the United States led an intervention in the midst of a civil war sparked by an uprising to restore BOSCH. In 1966, Joaquin BALAGUER defeated BOSCH in an election to become president. BALAGUER 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. Former President (1996-2000) Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna won election to a second term in 2004 following a constitutional amendment allowing presidents to serve more than one term.

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: 22.49% permanent crops: 10.26% other: 67.25% (2005)

Irrigated land: 2,750 sq km (2003)

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: 9,183,984 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 32.6% (male 1,531,145/female 1,464,076) 15-64 years: 61.9% (male 2,902,098/female 2,782,608) 65 years and over: 5.5% (male 235,016/female 269,041) (2006 est.)

Median age: total: 24.1 years male: 24 years female: 24.3 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.47% (2006 est.)

Birth rate: 23.22 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate: 5.73 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate: -2.79 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 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 (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 28.25 deaths/1,000 live births male: 30.58 deaths/1,000 live births female: 25.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.73 years male: 70.21 years female: 73.33 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.83 children born/woman (2006 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: mixed 73%, white 16%, black 11%

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: name: Santo Domingo geographic coordinates: 18 28 N, 69 54 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions: 31 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 district* (distrito); Azua, Baoruco, Barahona, Dajabon, Distrito Nacional*, Duarte, El Seibo, Elias Pina, 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, San Cristobal, San Jose de Ocoa, San Juan, San Pedro de Macoris, Sanchez Ramirez, 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; Criminal Procedures Code modified in 2004 to include important elements of an accusatory system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

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) cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the president elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); 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 House of Representatives 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 in May 2006); House of Representatives - last held 16 May 2002 (next to be held in May 2006) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PRD 29, PLD 2, PRSC 1; House of Representatives - 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 the National Judicial Council comprised of the president, the leaders of both chambers of congress, the president of the Supreme Court, and an additional non-governing party congressional representative)

Political parties and leaders: Dominican Liberation Party or PLD [Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna]; Dominican Revolutionary Party or PRD [Ramon ALBURQUERQUE]; National Progressive Front [Vincent CASTILLO, Pelegrin CASTILLO]; Social Christian Reformist Party or PRSC [Enrique ATUN]

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

International organization participation: ACP, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (suspended), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), 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 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: Anchorage, Boston, Chicago, Mayaguez (Puerto Rico), Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, 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 that enjoyed strong GDP growth until 2003. 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. Growth turned negative in 2003 with reduced tourism, a major bank fraud, and limited growth in the US economy (the source of about 80% of export revenues), but recovered in 2004 and 2005. With the help of strict fiscal targets agreed in the 2004 renegotiation of an IMF standby loan, President FERNANDEZ has stabilized the country's financial situation. Although the economy continues to grow at a respectable rate, unemployment remains an important challenge. 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. The Dominican Republic's development prospects improved with the ratification of the Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) in September 2005.

GDP (purchasing power parity): $67.44 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate): $18.15 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 9.3% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP): $7,500 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11.2% industry: 30.6% services: 58.2% (2003)

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

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

Unemployment rate: 17% (2005 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): 4.2% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed): 24.1% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget: revenues: $5.322 billion expenditures: $5.485 billion; including capital expenditures of $1.1 billion (2005)

Public debt: 45.5% of GDP (2005 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: 12.6 billion kWh (2003)

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

Electricity - consumption: 11.71 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2003)

Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - consumption: 128,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports: NA bbl/day

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

Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption: 300 million cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - imports: NA cu m

Current account balance: $-143 million (2005 est.)

Exports: $5.818 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

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

Exports - partners: US 79%, Netherlands 2.4%, Mexico 1.9% (2005)

Imports: $9.747 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

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

Imports - partners: US 50.2%, Colombia 6.2%, Mexico 5.8% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $1.853 billion (2005 est.)

Debt - external: $7.687 billion (2005 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $571.6 million (2004)

Currency (code): Dominican peso (DOP)

Currency code: DOP

Exchange rates: Dominican pesos per US dollar - 30.409 (2005), 42.12 (2004), 30.831 (2003), 18.61 (2002), 16.952 (2001)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Dominican Republic

Telephones - main lines in use: 894,500 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 3.623 million (2005)

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: 91,895 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 24 (2000)

Internet users: 938,300 (2005)

Transportation Dominican Republic

Airports: 33 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 14 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 19 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 10 (2006)

Railways: total: 517 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 (2005)

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

Merchant marine: total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 1,587 GRT/1,165 DWT by type: cargo 1 (2006)

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

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: 2,133,142 females age 18-49: 2,032,840 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 1,671,493 females age 18-49: 1,536,257 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 91,699 females age 18-49: 87,550 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $0 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0% (2002 est.)

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 19 December, 2006

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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 1,400 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 sq km water: NA sq km

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: 8.2% permanent crops: 4.57% other: 87.23% (2005)

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: 1,062,777 note: other estimates range as low as 800,000 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 36.3% (male 196,293/female 189,956) 15-64 years: 60.6% (male 328,111/female 315,401) 65 years and over: 3.1% (male 16,072/female 16,944) (2006 est.)

Median age: total: 20.8 years male: 20.8 years female: 20.7 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.08% (2006 est.)

Birth rate: 26.99 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate: 6.24 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 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: 0.95 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 45.89 deaths/1,000 live births male: 52.03 deaths/1,000 live births female: 39.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 66.26 years male: 63.96 years female: 68.67 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.53 children born/woman (2006 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% male: NA% female: NA% (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: name: Dili geographic coordinates: 8 35 S, 125 36 E time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

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; these have passed and are expected to be promulgated in early 2006

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 legislation, dissolve parliament, and call national elections; he formerly used the name Jose Alexandre GUSMAO head of government: Prime Minister Jose RAMOS-HORTA (since 10 July 2006); First Deputy Prime Minister Estanlislau Maria Alexio da SILVA (since 10 July 2006); Second Deputy Prime Minister Rui Maria do ARAUJO (since 10 July 2006) cabinet: Council of Ministers elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 14 April 2002 (next to be held in May 2007) 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 in May 2007); direct elections for national parliament were never held; elected delegates to the national convention adopted a constitution and 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]; People's Party of Timor or PPT [Jacob XAVIER]; Revolutionary Front of Independent East Timor or FRETILIN [Francisco Guterres Lu OLO]; Social Democrat Party of East Timor or PSD [Mario CARRASCALAO]; Socialist Party of Timor or PST [Pedro da COSTA]; 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]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Popular Council for the Defense of the Democratic Republic of East Timor or CPD-RDTL [Antonio-Aitahan MATAK] is largest political pressure 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, ARF, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, MIGA, OPCW, PIF (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Constancio PINTO chancery: 4201 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: 202 966-3202 FAX: 202 966-3205 consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Grover Joseph REES embassy: Avenida de Portugal, Praia dos Conqueiros, Dili mailing address: US 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 the end of 2005, all refugees either returned or resettled in Indonesia. Non-petroleum GDP growth was held back in 2003 by extensive drought and the gradual winding down of the international presence but recovered somewhat in 2004. The country faces great challenges in continuing the rebuilding of infrastructure, strengthening the infant civil administration, and generating jobs for young people entering the work force. The development of oil and gas resources in nearby waters has begun to supplement government revenues ahead of schedule and above expectations - the result of high petroleum prices - but the technology-intensive industry does little to create jobs for the unemployed, because there are no production facilities in Timor and the gas is piped to Australia. The parliament in June 2005 unanimously approved the creation of a Petroleum Fund to serve as a repository for all petroleum revenues and preserve the value of East Timor's petroleum wealth for future generations.

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

GDP (official exchange rate): $349 million

GDP - real growth rate: 1.8% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP): $800 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 8.5% industry: 23.1% services: 68.4% (2001)

Labor force: NA

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

Unemployment rate: 50% estimated; note - unemployment in urban areas reached 20%; data do not include underemployed (2001 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): 1.4% (2005)

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

Agriculture - products: coffee, rice, corn, 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

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

Electricity - consumption: NA kWh

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2003)

Exports: $10 million; note - excludes oil (2005 est.)

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

Exports - partners: Indonesia 100% (2005)

Imports: $202 million (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities: food, gasoline, kerosene, machinery

Debt - external: $0

Economic aid - recipient: $153 million (2004 est.)

Currency (code): US dollar (USD)

Currency code: USD

Exchange rates: the US dollar is used

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 hosts: 68 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA

Internet users: 1,000 (2004)

Transportation East Timor

Airports: 8 (2006)

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 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Heliports: 9 (2006)

Roadways: total: 5,000 km paved: 2,500 km unpaved: 2,500 km (2005)

Ports and terminals: Dili

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: males age 18-49: 235,198 females age 18-49: 223,069 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 179,422 females age 18-49: 184,533 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 12,740 females age 18-49: 12,438 (2005 est.)

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 1,000 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 Pulau Batek/Fatu Sinai, which prevents delimitation of the northern maritime boundaries; many refugees who left East Timor in 2003 still reside in Indonesia and refuse repatriation; Australia and East Timor agreed in 2005 to defer the disputed portion of the boundary for 50 years and to split hydrocarbon revenues evenly outside the Joint Petroleum Development Area covered by the 2002 Timor Sea Treaty; dispute with Australia has hampered creation of a southern maritime boundary with Indonesia

Illicit drugs: NA

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

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@Ecuador

Introduction Ecuador

Background: What is now Ecuador formed part of the northern Inca Empire until the Spanish conquest in 1533. Quito became a seat of Spanish colonial government in 1563 and part of the Viceroyalty of New Granada in 1717. The territories of the Viceroyalty - New Granada (Colombia), Venezuela, and Quito - gained their independence by 1819 and formed a federation known as Gran Colombia. When Quito withdrew in 1830, the traditional name was changed in favor of the "Republic of the Equator." 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: 5.71% permanent crops: 4.81% other: 89.48% (2005)

Irrigated land: 8,650 sq km (2003)

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: 13,547,510 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 33% (male 2,281,499/female 2,195,551) 15-64 years: 61.9% (male 4,178,653/female 4,210,766) 65 years and over: 5% (male 319,719/female 361,322) (2006 est.)

Median age: total: 23.6 years male: 23.1 years female: 24 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.5% (2006 est.)

Birth rate: 22.29 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate: 4.23 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate: -3.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 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: 0.89 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 22.87 deaths/1,000 live births male: 27.42 deaths/1,000 live births female: 18.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.42 years male: 73.55 years female: 79.43 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.68 children born/woman (2006 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: name: Quito geographic coordinates: 0 13 S, 78 30 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)

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) 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 (may not serve consecutive terms); election last held 15 October 2006 with a runoff election scheduled for 26 November 2006 (next to be held October 2010) election results: results of the 15 October 2006 election; percent of vote - Alvaro NOBOA 26.8%; Rafael CORREA 22.8%; Gilmar GUTIERREZ 17.4%; Leon ROLDOS Aguilera 14.8%; Cynthia VITERI 9.6%; note - a runoff election will be held 26 November 2006 between NOBOA and CORREA

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, ID 16, PRE 15, 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]