Introductory material (continued 32)

Geography Southern Ocean

Location: body of water between 60 degrees south latitude and Antarctica

Geographic coordinates: 60 00 S, 90 00 E (nominally), but the Southern Ocean has the unique distinction of being a large circumpolar body of water totally encircling the continent of Antarctica; this ring of water lies between 60 degrees south latitude and the coast of Antarctica and encompasses 360 degrees of longitude

Map references: Antarctic Region

Area: total: 20.327 million sq km note: includes Amundsen Sea, Bellingshausen Sea, part of the Drake Passage, Ross Sea, a small part of the Scotia Sea, Weddell Sea, and other tributary water bodies

Area - comparative: slightly more than twice the size of the US

Coastline: 17,968 km

Climate: sea temperatures vary from about 10 degrees Celsius to -2 degrees Celsius; cyclonic storms travel eastward around the continent and frequently are intense because of the temperature contrast between ice and open ocean; the ocean area from about latitude 40 south to the Antarctic Circle has the strongest average winds found anywhere on Earth; in winter the ocean freezes outward to 65 degrees south latitude in the Pacific sector and 55 degrees south latitude in the Atlantic sector, lowering surface temperatures well below 0 degrees Celsius; at some coastal points intense persistent drainage winds from the interior keep the shoreline ice-free throughout the winter

Terrain: the Southern Ocean is deep, 4,000 to 5,000 meters over most of its extent with only limited areas of shallow water; the Antarctic continental shelf is generally narrow and unusually deep, its edge lying at depths of 400 to 800 meters (the global mean is 133 meters); the Antarctic icepack grows from an average minimum of 2.6 million square kilometers in March to about 18.8 million square kilometers in September, better than a sixfold increase in area; the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (21,000 km in length) moves perpetually eastward; it is the world's largest ocean current, transporting 130 million cubic meters of water per second - 100 times the flow of all the world's rivers

Elevation extremes: lowest point: -7,235 m at the southern end of the South Sandwich Trench highest point: sea level 0 m

Natural resources: probable large and possible giant oil and gas fields on the continental margin, manganese nodules, possible placer deposits, sand and gravel, fresh water as icebergs; squid, whales, and seals - none exploited; krill, fishes

Natural hazards: huge icebergs with drafts up to several hundred meters; smaller bergs and iceberg fragments; sea ice (generally 0.5 to 1 meter thick) with sometimes dynamic short-term variations and with large annual and interannual variations; deep continental shelf floored by glacial deposits varying widely over short distances; high winds and large waves much of the year; ship icing, especially May-October; most of region is remote from sources of search and rescue

Environment - current issues: increased solar ultraviolet radiation resulting from the Antarctic ozone hole in recent years, reducing marine primary productivity (phytoplankton) by as much as 15% and damaging the DNA of some fish; illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing in recent years, especially the landing of an estimated five to six times more Patagonian toothfish than the regulated fishery, which is likely to affect the sustainability of the stock; large amount of incidental mortality of seabirds resulting from long-line fishing for toothfish note: the now-protected fur seal population is making a strong comeback after severe overexploitation in the 18th and 19th centuries

Environment - international agreements: the Southern Ocean is subject to all international agreements regarding the world's oceans; in addition, it is subject to these agreements specific to the Antarctic region: International Whaling Commission (prohibits commercial whaling south of 40 degrees south [south of 60 degrees south between 50 degrees and 130 degrees west]); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (limits sealing); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (regulates fishing) note: many nations (including the US) prohibit mineral resource exploration and exploitation south of the fluctuating Polar Front (Antarctic Convergence) which is in the middle of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current and serves as the dividing line between the very cold polar surface waters to the south and the warmer waters to the north

Geography - note: the major chokepoint is the Drake Passage between South America and Antarctica; the Polar Front (Antarctic Convergence) is the best natural definition of the northern extent of the Southern Ocean; it is a distinct region at the middle of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current that separates the very cold polar surface waters to the south from the warmer waters to the north; the Front and the Current extend entirely around Antarctica, reaching south of 60 degrees south near New Zealand and near 48 degrees south in the far South Atlantic coinciding with the path of the maximum westerly winds

Economy Southern Ocean

Economy - overview: Fisheries in 2003-04 landed 136,262 metric tons, of which 87% (118,166 tons) was krill and 8% (11,182 tons) Patagonian toothfish, compared to 142,555 tons in 2002-03 of which 83% (117,728 tons) was krill and 12% (16,479 tons) Patagonian toothfish (estimated fishing from the area covered by the Convention of the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), which extends slightly beyond the Southern Ocean area). International agreements were adopted in late 1999 to reduce illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, which in the 2000-01 season landed, by one estimate, 8,376 metric tons of Patagonian and Antarctic toothfish. In the 2004-05 Antarctic summer 28,202 tourists, most of them seaborne (approximately 97%), visited the Southern Ocean and Antarctica, compared to 14,762 in 1999-2000.

Transportation Southern Ocean

Ports and terminals: McMurdo, Palmer, and offshore anchorages in Antarctica note: few ports or harbors exist on southern side of Southern Ocean; ice conditions limit use of most to short periods in midsummer; even then some cannot be entered without icebreaker escort; most Antarctic ports are operated by government research stations and, except in an emergency, are not open to commercial or private vessels; vessels in any port south of 60 degrees south are subject to inspection by Antarctic Treaty observers (see Article 7); The Hydrographic Committee on Antarctica (HCA), a special hydrographic commission of International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), is responsible for hydrographic surveying and nautical charting matters in Antarctic Treaty area; it coordinates and facilitates provision of accurate and appropriate charts and other aids to navigation in support of safety of navigation in region; membership of HCA is open to any IHO Member State whose government has acceded to the Antarctic Treaty and which contributes resources and/or data to IHO Chart coverage of the area; members of HCA are Argentina, Australia, Chile, China, France, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, NZ, Norway, Russia, South Africa, Spain, and the UK (2005)

Transportation - note: Drake Passage offers alternative to transit through the Panama Canal

Transnational Issues Southern Ocean

Disputes - international: Antarctic Treaty defers claims (see Antarctica entry), but Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, NZ, Norway, and UK assert claims (some overlapping), including the continental shelf in the Southern Ocean; several states have expressed an interest in extending those continental shelf claims under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to include undersea ridges; the US and most other states do not recognize the land or maritime claims of other states and have made no claims themselves (the US and Russia have reserved the right to do so); no formal claims exist in the waters in the sector between 90 degrees west and 150 degrees west

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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@South Georgia and the South Sandwich

Introduction South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Background: The islands, which have large bird and seal populations, lie approximately 1,000 km east of the Falkland Islands and have been under British administration since 1908 - except for a brief period in 1982 when Argentina occupied them. Grytviken, on South Georgia, was a 19th and early 20th century whaling station. Famed explorer Ernest SHACKLETON stopped there in 1914 en route to his ill-fated attempt to cross Antarctica on foot. He returned some 20 months later with a few companions in a small boat and arranged a successful rescue for the rest of his crew, stranded off the Antarctic Peninsula. He died in 1922 on a subsequent expedition and is buried in Grytviken. Today, the station houses scientists from the British Antarctic Survey. Recognizing the importance of preserving the marine stocks in adjacent waters, the UK, in 1993, extended the exclusive fishing zone from 12 nm to 200 nm around each island.

Geography South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Location: Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of the tip of South America

Geographic coordinates: 54 30 S, 37 00 W

Map references: Antarctic Region

Area: total: 3,903 sq km land: 3,903 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Shag Rocks, Black Rock, Clerke Rocks, South Georgia Island, Bird Island, and the South Sandwich Islands, which consist of eleven islands

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Rhode Island

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: NA km

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

Climate: variable, with mostly westerly winds throughout the year interspersed with periods of calm; nearly all precipitation falls as snow

Terrain: most of the islands, rising steeply from the sea, are rugged and mountainous; South Georgia is largely barren and has steep, glacier-covered mountains; the South Sandwich Islands are of volcanic origin with some active volcanoes

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Paget (South Georgia) 2,934 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (largely covered by permanent ice and snow with some sparse vegetation consisting of grass, moss, and lichen) (2005)

Irrigated land: 0 sq km

Natural hazards: the South Sandwich Islands have prevailing weather conditions that generally make them difficult to approach by ship; they are also subject to active volcanism

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: the north coast of South Georgia has several large bays, which provide good anchorage; reindeer, introduced early in the 20th century, live on South Georgia

People South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Population: no indigenous inhabitants note: the small military garrison on South Georgia withdrew in March 2001, to be replaced by a permanent group of scientists of the British Antarctic Survey, which also has a biological station on Bird Island; the South Sandwich Islands are uninhabited (July 2006 est.)

Government South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Country name: conventional long form: South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands conventional short form: none abbreviation: SGSSI

Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina; administered from the Falkland Islands by a commissioner, who is concurrently governor of the Falkland Islands, representing Queen ELIZABETH II; Grytviken - formerly a whaling station on South Georgia - is a scientific base

Legal system: the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply; the senior magistrate from the Falkland Islands presides over the Magistrates Court

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina)

Flag description: blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms features a shield with a golden lion centered; the shield is supported by a fur seal on the left and a penguin on the right; a reindeer appears above the shield, and below it on a scroll is the motto LEO TERRAM PROPRIAM PROTEGAT (Let the Lion Protect its Own Land)

Economy South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Economy - overview: Some fishing takes place in adjacent waters. There is a potential source of income from harvesting finfish and krill. The islands receive income from postage stamps produced in the UK, sale of fishing licenses, and harbor and landing fees from tourist vessels. Tourism from specialized cruise ships is increasing rapidly.

Communications South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: coastal radiotelephone station at Grytviken

Radio broadcast stations: 0 (2003)

Television broadcast stations: 0 (2003)

Internet country code: .gs

Internet hosts: 271 (2006)

Transportation South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Ports and terminals: Grytviken

Military South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Disputes - international: Argentina, which claims the islands in its constitution and briefly occupied the islands by force in 1982, agreed in 1995 to no longer seek settlement by force

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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@Spain

Introduction Spain

Background: Spain's powerful world empire of the 16th and 17th centuries ultimately yielded command of the seas to England. Subsequent failure to embrace the mercantile and industrial revolutions caused the country to fall behind Britain, France, and Germany in economic and political power. Spain remained neutral in World Wars I and II, but suffered through a devastating civil war (1936-39). A peaceful transition to democracy following the death of dictator Francisco FRANCO in 1975, and rapid economic modernization (Spain joined the EU in 1986), have given Spain one of the most dynamic economies in Europe and made it a global champion of freedom. Continuing challenges include Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA) terrorism and relatively high unemployment.

Geography Spain

Location: Southwestern Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay, Mediterranean Sea, North Atlantic Ocean, and Pyrenees Mountains, southwest of France

Geographic coordinates: 40 00 N, 4 00 W

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 504,782 sq km land: 499,542 sq km water: 5,240 sq km note: there are 2 autonomous cities - Ceuta and Melilla - and 17 autonomous communities including Balearic Islands and Canary Islands, and three small Spanish possessions off the coast of Morocco - Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera

Area - comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Oregon

Land boundaries: total: 1,917.8 km border countries: Andorra 63.7 km, France 623 km, Gibraltar 1.2 km, Portugal 1,214 km, Morocco (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Morocco (Melilla) 9.6 km

Coastline: 4,964 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (applies only to the Atlantic Ocean)

Climate: temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and cloudy along coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior, partly cloudy and cool along coast

Terrain: large, flat to dissected plateau surrounded by rugged hills; Pyrenees in north

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Pico de Teide (Tenerife) on Canary Islands 3,718 m

Natural resources: coal, lignite, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, uranium, tungsten, mercury, pyrites, magnesite, fluorspar, gypsum, sepiolite, kaolin, potash, hydropower, arable land

Land use: arable land: 27.18% permanent crops: 9.85% other: 62.97% (2005)

Irrigated land: 37,800 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards: periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: pollution of the Mediterranean Sea from raw sewage and effluents from the offshore production of oil and gas; water quality and quantity nationwide; air pollution; deforestation; desertification

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

Geography - note: strategic location along approaches to Strait of Gibraltar

People Spain

Population: 40,397,842 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 14.4% (male 3,000,686/female 2,821,325) 15-64 years: 67.8% (male 13,751,963/female 13,653,426) 65 years and over: 17.7% (male 2,993,496/female 4,176,946) (2006 est.)

Median age: total: 39.9 years male: 38.6 years female: 41.3 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.13% (2006 est.)

Birth rate: 10.06 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate: 9.72 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 4.37 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.76 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 79.65 years male: 76.32 years female: 83.2 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.28 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.7% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 140,000 (2001 est.)

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

Nationality: noun: Spaniard(s) adjective: Spanish

Ethnic groups: composite of Mediterranean and Nordic types

Religions: Roman Catholic 94%, other 6%

Languages: Castilian Spanish 74%, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, Basque 2%; note - Castilian is the official language nationwide; the other languages are official regionally

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.9% male: 98.7% female: 97.2% (2003 est.)

Government Spain

Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Spain conventional short form: Spain local long form: Reino de Espana local short form: Espana

Government type: parliamentary monarchy

Capital: name: Madrid geographic coordinates: 40 24 N, 3 41 W 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 note: Spain is divided into two time zones, including the Canary Islands

Administrative divisions: 17 autonomous communities (comunidades autonomas, singular - comunidad autonoma)and 2 autonomous cities* (ciudades autonomas, singular - ciudad autonoma); Andalucia, Aragon, Asturias, Baleares (Balearic Islands), Ceuta*, Canarias (Canary Islands), Cantabria, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y Leon, Cataluna, Comunidad Valenciana, Extremadura, Galicia, La Rioja, Madrid, Melilla*, Murcia, Navarra, Pais Vasco (Basque Country) note: the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla plus three small islands of Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera, administered directly by the Spanish central government, are all located along the coast of Morocco and are collectively referred to as Places of Sovereignty (Plazas de Soberania)

Independence: the Iberian peninsula was characterized by a variety of independent kingdoms prior to the Muslim occupation that began in the early 8th century AD and lasted nearly seven centuries; the small Christian redoubts of the north began the reconquest almost immediately, culminating in the seizure of Granada in 1492; this event completed the unification of several kingdoms and is traditionally considered the forging of present-day Spain

National holiday: National Day, 12 October

Constitution: 6 December 1978, effective 29 December 1978

Legal system: civil law system, with regional applications; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: King JUAN CARLOS I (since 22 November 1975); Heir Apparent Prince FELIPE, son of the monarch, born 30 January 1968 head of government: President of the Government (Prime Minister equivalent) Jose Luis RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO (since 17 April 2004); First Vice President and Deputy Prime Minister (and Minister of the Presidency) Maria Teresa FERNANDEZ DE LA VEGA (since 18 April 2004) and Second Vice President (and Minister of Economy and Finance) Pedro SOLBES (since 18 April 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers designated by the president note: there is also a Council of State that is the supreme consultative organ of the government, but its recommendations are non-binding elections: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually proposed president by the monarch and elected by the National Assembly; election last held 14 March 2004 (next to be held March 2008); vice presidents appointed by the monarch on the proposal of the president election results: Jose Luis RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO (PSOE) elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - 52.29%

Legislative branch: bicameral; General Courts or National Assembly or Las Cortes Generales consists of the Senate or Senado (259 seats - 208 members directly elected by popular vote and the other 51 appointed by the regional legislatures to serve four-year terms) and the Congress of Deputies or Congreso de los Diputados (350 seats; members are elected by popular vote on block lists by proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 14 March 2004 (next to be held March 2008); Congress of Deputies - last held 14 March 2004 (next to be held March 2008) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PP 49%, PSOE 37.98%, Entesa Catalona de Progress 5.7%, CiU 1.99%, PNV 2.8%, CC 2.4%; seats by party - PP 102, PSOE 81, Entesa Catalona de Progress 12, CiU 4, PNV 6, CC 3; Congress of Deputies - percent of vote by party - PSOE 43.3%, PP 37.8%, CiU 3.2%, ERC 2.5%, PNV 1.6%, IU 3.2%, CC 0.9%; seats by party - PSOE 164, PP 148, CiU 10, ERC 8, PNV 7, IU 5, CC 3, other 5

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo

Political parties and leaders: Aragonese Party or CHA [Bizen FUSTER]; Basque Nationalist Party or PNV [Josu Jon IMAZ]; Basque Solidarity or EA [Begona ERRAZTI]; Canarian Coalition or CC (a coalition of five parties) [Paulino RIVERO Baute]; Convergence and Union or CiU [Artur MAS i Gavarro] (a coalition of the Democratic Convergence of Catalonia or CDC [Artur MAS i Gavarro] and the Democratic Union of Catalonia or UDC [Josep Antoni DURAN i LLEIDA]); Entesa Catalonia de Progress (a Senate coalition grouping four Catalan parties - PSC, ERC, ICV, EUA); Galician Nationalist Bloc or BNG [Anxo Manuel QUINTANA Gonzalez]; Initiative for Catalonia Greens or ICV [Joan SAURA i Laporta]; Navarra yes or Na Bai (a coalition of four Navarran parties) [Uxue BARKOS Berruezo]; Popular Party or PP [Mariano RAJOY Brey]; Republican Left of Catalonia or ERC [Josep-Lluis CAROD-ROVIRA]; Spanish Socialist Workers Party or PSOE [Jose Luis RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO]; United Left or IU (a coalition of parties including the PCE and other small parties) [Gaspar LLAMAZARES Trigo]

Political pressure groups and leaders: business and landowning interests; Catholic Church; free labor unions (authorized in April 1977); Socialist General Union of Workers or UGT and the smaller independent Workers Syndical Union or USO; university students; Trade Union Confederation of Workers' Commissions or CC.OO.

International organization participation: AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BCIE, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Carlos WESTENDORP chancery: 2375 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 452-0100, 728-2340 FAX: [1] (202) 833-5670 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico)

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Eduardo AGUIRRE, Jr. embassy: Serrano 75, 28006 Madrid mailing address: PSC 61, APO AE 09642 telephone: [34] (91) 587-2200 FAX: [34] (91) 587-2303 consulate(s) general: Barcelona

Flag description: three horizontal bands of red (top), yellow (double width), and red with the national coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band; the coat of arms includes the royal seal framed by the Pillars of Hercules, which are the two promontories (Gibraltar and Ceuta) on either side of the eastern end of the Strait of Gibraltar

Economy Spain

Economy - overview: The Spanish economy boomed from 1986 to 1990, averaging 5% annual growth. After a European-wide recession in the early 1990s, the Spanish economy resumed moderate growth starting in 1994. Spain's mixed capitalist economy supports a GDP that on a per capita basis is 80% that of the four leading West European economies. The center-right government of former President AZNAR successfully worked to gain admission to the first group of countries launching the European single currency (the euro) on 1 January 1999. The AZNAR administration continued to advocate liberalization, privatization, and deregulation of the economy and introduced some tax reforms to that end. Unemployment fell steadily under the AZNAR administration but remains high at 8.7%. Growth averaging 3% annually during 2003-06 was satisfactory given the background of a faltering European economy. The Socialist president, RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO, has made mixed progress in carrying out key structural reforms, which need to be accelerated and deepened to sustain Spain's strong economic growth. Despite the economy's relative solid footing significant downside risks remain, including Spain's continued loss of competitiveness, the potential for a housing market collapse, the country's changing demographic profile and a decline in EU structural funds.

GDP (purchasing power parity): $1.07 trillion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate): $1.081 trillion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3.6% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP): $27,000 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.9% industry: 29.4% services: 66.7% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 21.77 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 5.3% industry: 30.1% services: 64.6% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate: 8.7% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line: 19.8%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 25.2% (1990)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 32.5 (1990)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.5% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed): 29.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget: revenues: $488.2 billion expenditures: $475.3 billion; including capital expenditures of $12.8 billion (2006 est.)

Public debt: 39.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products: grain, vegetables, olives, wine grapes, sugar beets, citrus; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; fish

Industries: textiles and apparel (including footwear), food and beverages, metals and metal manufactures, chemicals, shipbuilding, automobiles, machine tools, tourism, clay and refractory products, footwear, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment

Industrial production growth rate: 0.6% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production: 263.3 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 50.4% hydro: 18.2% nuclear: 27.2% other: 4.1% (2001)

Electricity - consumption: 241.8 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports: 11.4 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports: 8.3 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production: 31,250 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption: 1.573 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports: 135,100 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports: 1.582 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves: 10.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production: 339 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption: 27.01 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports: 26.95 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves: 2.549 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance: $-98.6 billion (2006 est.)

Exports: $222.1 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities: machinery, motor vehicles; foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, medicines, other consumer goods

Exports - partners: France 19.3%, Germany 11.4%, Portugal 9.6%, UK 8.4%, Italy 8.4%, US 4.1% (2005)

Imports: $324.4 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, semifinished goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods, measuring and medical control instruments

Imports - partners: Germany 15.3%, France 14.7%, Italy 8.6%, UK 5.8%, Netherlands 5%, China 4.2% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $17 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external: $1.591 trillion (30 June 2006 est.)

Economic aid - donor: ODA, $1.33 billion (1999)

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

Currency code: EUR

Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 0.79669 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Spain

Telephones - main lines in use: 18.322 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 41.328 million (2005)

Telephone system: general assessment: generally adequate, modern facilities; teledensity is 45 main lines for each 100 persons domestic: NA international: country code - 34; 22 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), NA Eutelsat; tropospheric scatter to adjacent countries

Radio broadcast stations: AM 208, FM 715, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios: 13.1 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 224 (plus 2,105 repeaters) note: these figures include 11 television broadcast stations and 88 repeaters in the Canary Islands (1995)

Televisions: 16.2 million (1997)

Internet country code: .es

Internet hosts: 2,520,711 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 56 (2000)

Internet users: 19,204,771 (2006)

Transportation Spain

Airports: 157 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 96 over 3,047 m: 16 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 20 914 to 1,523 m: 24 under 914 m: 26 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 61 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 44 (2006)

Heliports: 8 (2006)

Pipelines: gas 7,962 km; oil 622 km; refined products 3,447 km (2006)

Railways: total: 14,873 km broad gauge: 11,919 km 1.668-m gauge (6,950 km electrified) standard gauge: 998 km 1.435-m gauge (998 km electrified) narrow gauge: 1,928 km 1.000-m gauge (815 km electrified); 28 km 0.914-m gauge (28 km electrified) (2005)

Roadways: total: 666,292 km paved: 659,629 km (including 12,009 km of expressways) unpaved: 6,663 km (2003)

Waterways: 1,000 km (2003)

Merchant marine: total: 169 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,902,839 GRT/1,874,161 DWT by type: bulk carrier 9, cargo 13, chemical tanker 14, container 27, liquefied gas 9, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 49, petroleum tanker 15, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 20, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 5 foreign-owned: 36 (Cuba 1, Denmark 1, Germany 12, Italy 2, Mexico 3, Norway 7, UK 1, Uruguay 2, US 7) registered in other countries: 112 (Bahamas 12, Belize 3, Brazil 4, Cambodia 1, Cape Verde 1, Cuba 1, Cyprus 7, Italy 1, Malta 6, Marshall Islands 3, Nigeria 1, Panama 53, Portugal 15, Saint Kitts and Nevis 2, UK 1, Venezuela 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals: Algeciras, Barcelona, Cartagena, Gijon, Huelva, La Coruna, Tarragona, Valencia

Military Spain

Military branches: Spanish Armed Forces: Army (Ejercito de Tierra), Spanish Navy (Armada Espanola, AE; includes Marine Corps), Spanish Air Force (Ejercito del Aire Espanola, EdA) (2006)

Military service age and obligation: 20 years of age (2004)

Manpower available for military service: males age 20-49: 9,366,588 females age 20-49: 9,155,057 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service: males age 20-49: 7,623,356 females age 20-49: 7,434,465 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 233,384 females age 20-49: 221,805 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $9,906.5 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.2% (2003)

Transnational Issues Spain

Disputes - international: in 2003, Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by referendum to remain a British colony and against a "total shared sovereignty" arrangement while demanding participation in talks between the UK and Spain; Spain disapproves of UK plans to grant Gibraltar greater autonomy; Morocco protests Spain's control over the coastal enclaves of Ceuta, Melilla, and the islands of Penon de Velez de la Gomera, Penon de Alhucemas and Islas Chafarinas, and surrounding waters; Morocco serves as the primary launching site of illegal migration into Spain from North Africa; Portugal does not recognize Spanish sovereignty over the territory of Olivenza based on a difference of interpretation of the 1815 Congress of Vienna and the 1801 Treaty of Badajoz

Illicit drugs: key European gateway country and consumer for Latin American cocaine and North African hashish entering the European market; destination and minor transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin; money-laundering site for Colombian narcotics trafficking organizations and organized crime

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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@Spratly Islands

Background: The Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs. They are surrounded by rich fishing grounds and potentially by gas and oil deposits. They are claimed in their entirety by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, while portions are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines. About 45 islands are occupied by relatively small numbers of military forces from China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Brunei has established a fishing zone that overlaps a southern reef, but has not made any formal claim.

Geography Spratly Islands

Location: Southeastern Asia, group of reefs and islands in the South China Sea, about two-thirds of the way from southern Vietnam to the southern Philippines

Geographic coordinates: 8 38 N, 111 55 E

Map references: Southeast Asia

Area: total: less than 5 sq km land: less than 5 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes 100 or so islets, coral reefs, and sea mounts scattered over an area of nearly 410,000 sq km of the central South China Sea

Area - comparative: NA

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 926 km

Maritime claims: NA

Climate: tropical

Terrain: flat

Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Southwest Cay 4 m

Natural resources: fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)

Irrigated land: 0 sq km

Natural hazards: typhoons; numerous reefs and shoals pose a serious maritime hazard

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in the central South China Sea; includes numerous small islands, atolls, shoals, and coral reefs

People Spratly Islands

Population: no indigenous inhabitants note: there are scattered garrisons occupied by personnel of several claimant states (2004)

Government Spratly Islands

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Spratly Islands

Economy Spratly Islands

Economy - overview: Economic activity is limited to commercial fishing. The proximity to nearby oil- and gas-producing sedimentary basins suggests the potential for oil and gas deposits, but the region is largely unexplored. There are no reliable estimates of potential reserves. Commercial exploitation has yet to be developed.

Transportation Spratly Islands

Airports: 3 (2006)

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

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

Ports and terminals: none; offshore anchorage only

Military Spratly Islands

Military - note: Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs, of which about 45 are claimed and occupied by China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam

Transnational Issues Spratly Islands

Disputes - international: all of the Spratly Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam; parts of them are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines; in 1984, Brunei established an exclusive fishing zone that encompasses Louisa Reef in the southern Spratly Islands but has not publicly claimed the reef; claimants in November 2002 signed the "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea," which has eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code of conduct"; in March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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@Sri Lanka

Introduction Sri Lanka

Background: The Sinhalese arrived in Sri Lanka late in the 6th century B.C., probably from northern India. Buddhism was introduced beginning in about the mid-third century B.C., and a great civilization developed at the cities of Anuradhapura (kingdom from circa 200 B.C. to circa A.D. 1000) and Polonnaruwa (from about 1070 to 1200). In the 14th century, a south Indian dynasty seized power in the north and established a Tamil kingdom. Occupied by the Portuguese in the 16th century and by the Dutch in the 17th century, the island was ceded to the British in 1796, became a crown colony in 1802, and was united under British rule by 1815. As Ceylon, it became independent in 1948; its name was changed to Sri Lanka in 1972. Tensions between the Sinhalese majority and Tamil separatists erupted into war in 1983. Tens of thousands have died in the ethnic conflict that continues to fester. After two decades of fighting, the government and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) formalized a cease-fire in February 2002, with Norway brokering peace negotiations. Violence between the LTTE and government forces intensified in 2006, but neither side has formally withdrawn from the cease-fire.

Geography Sri Lanka

Location: Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India

Geographic coordinates: 7 00 N, 81 00 E

Map references: Asia

Area: total: 65,610 sq km land: 64,740 sq km water: 870 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than West Virginia

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 1,340 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate: tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October)

Terrain: mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central interior

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Pidurutalagala 2,524 m

Natural resources: limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 13.96% permanent crops: 15.24% other: 70.8% (2005)

Irrigated land: 7,430 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards: occasional cyclones and tornadoes

Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by poaching and urbanization; coastal degradation from mining activities and increased pollution; freshwater resources being polluted by industrial wastes and sewage runoff; waste disposal; air pollution in Colombo

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, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note: strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes

People Sri Lanka

Population: 20,222,240 note: since the outbreak of hostilities between the government and armed Tamil separatists in the mid-1980s, several hundred thousand Tamil civilians have fled the island and more than 200,000 Tamils have sought refuge in the West (July 2006 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 24.1% (male 2,488,689/female 2,379,233) 15-64 years: 68.6% (male 6,727,399/female 7,140,751) 65 years and over: 7.3% (male 687,842/female 798,326) (2006 est.)

Median age: total: 29.8 years male: 28.7 years female: 30.9 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.78% (2006 est.)

Birth rate: 15.51 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate: 6.52 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.23 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: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 13.97 deaths/1,000 live births male: 15.18 deaths/1,000 live births female: 12.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 73.41 years male: 70.83 years female: 76.12 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.84 children born/woman (2006 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 3,500 (2001 est.)

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

Nationality: noun: Sri Lankan(s) adjective: Sri Lankan

Ethnic groups: Sinhalese 73.8%, Sri Lankan Moors 7.2%, Indian Tamil 4.6%, Sri Lankan Tamil 3.9%, other 0.5%, unspecified 10% (2001 census provisional data)

Religions: Buddhist 69.1%, Muslim 7.6%, Hindu 7.1%, Christian 6.2%, unspecified 10% (2001 census provisional data)

Languages: Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil (national language) 18%, other 8% note: English is commonly used in government and is spoken competently by about 10% of the population

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.3% male: 94.8% female: 90% (2003 est.)

Government Sri Lanka

Country name: conventional long form: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka conventional short form: Sri Lanka local long form: Shri Lamka Prajatantrika Samajaya di Janarajaya/Ilankai Jananayaka Choshalichak Kutiyarachu local short form: Shri Lamka/Ilankai former: Serendib, Ceylon

Government type: republic

Capital: name: Colombo geographic coordinates: 6 56 N, 79 51 E time difference: UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) note: Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (legislative capital)

Administrative divisions: 8 provinces; Central, North Central, North Eastern, North Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Western note: in 1998 the Government of Sri Lanka proposed a merger of the former Northern and Eastern provinces; while this merger was never ratified, the Government treats North Eastern Province as a de facto singular administrative unit

Independence: 4 February 1948 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 4 February (1948)

Constitution: adopted 16 August 1978, certified 31 August 1978

Legal system: a highly complex mixture of English common law, Roman-Dutch, Muslim, Sinhalese, and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Mahinda RAJAPAKSE (since 19 November 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government; Ratnasiri WICKREMANAYAKE (since 21 November 2005) holds the ceremonial title of prime minister head of government: President Mahinda RAJAPAKSE (since 19 November 2005) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president in consultation with the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 17 November 2005 (next to be held 2011) election results: Mahinda RAJAPAKSE elected president; percent of vote - Mahinda RAJAPAKSE 50.3%, Ranil WICKREMESINGHE 48.4%, other 1.3%

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (225 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis of a modified proportional representation system by district to serve six-year terms) elections: last held 2 April 2004 (next to be held by 2010) election results: percent of vote by party or electoral alliance - SLFP and JVP (no longer in formal UPFA alliance) 45.6%, UNP 37.83%, TNA 6.84%, JHU 5.97%, SLMC 2.02%, UPF 0.54%, EPDP 0.27%, others 0.93%; seats by party - UNP 68, SLFP 57, JVP 39, UNP dissident 1, TNA 22, CWC 8, JHU 7, JHU dissidents 2, SLMC 6, SLMC dissidents 4, Communist Party 2, LSSP 2, MEP 2, NUA 2, UPF 2, EPDP 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Court of Appeals; judges for both courts are appointed by the president

Political parties and leaders: All Ceylon Tamil Congress or ACTC [KUMARGURUPARAM]; Ceylon Workers Congress or CWC [Arumugam THONDAMAN]; Communist Party or CP [D. GUNASEKERA]; Democratic United National (Lalith) Front or DUNLF [Shrimani ATULATHMUDALI]; Eelam People's Democratic Party or EPDP [Douglas DEVANANDA]; Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front or EPRLF [Suresh PREMACHANDRAN]; Janatha Vimukthi Perumuna or JVP [Somawansa AMARASINGHE]; Lanka Sama Samaja Party or LSSP; Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (People's United Front) or MEP [D. GUNAWARDENE]; National Heritage Party or JHU [Tilak KARUNARATNE]; National Unity Alliance or NUA [Ferial ASHRAFF]; People's Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam or PLOTE [D. SIDHARTHAN]; Sihala Urumaya or SU; Sri Lanka Freedom Party or SLFP [Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA]; Sri Lanka Muslim Congress or SLMC [Rauff HAKEEM]; Sri Lanka Progressive Front or SLPF [P. Nelson PERERA]; Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization or TELO [SABARATNAM]; Tamil National Alliance or TNA [R. SAMPANTHAN]; Tamil United Liberation Front or TULF [V. ANANDASANGAREE]; United National Party or UNP [Ranil WICKREMASINGHE]; Up-country People's Front or UPF [P. CHANDRASEKARAN]; several ethnic Tamil and Muslim parties, represented in either Parliament or provincial councils

Political pressure groups and leaders: Buddhist clergy; labor unions; Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam or LTTE [Velupillai PRABHAKARAN](insurgent group fighting for a separate state); radical chauvinist Sinhalese groups such as the National Movement Against Terrorism; Sinhalese Buddhist lay groups

International organization participation: AsDB, BIMSTEC, C, CP, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Bernard GOONETILLEKE chancery: 2148 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-4025 (through 4028) FAX: [1] (202) 232-7181 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles consulate(s): New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Robert O. BLAKE, Jr. embassy: 210 Galle Road, Colombo 3 mailing address: P. O. Box 106, Colombo telephone: [94] (11) 249-8500 FAX: [94] (11) 243-7345

Flag description: yellow with two panels; the smaller hoist-side panel has two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and orange; the other panel is a large dark red rectangle with a yellow lion holding a sword, and there is a yellow bo leaf in each corner; the yellow field appears as a border around the entire flag and extends between the two panels

Economy Sri Lanka

Economy - overview: In 1977, Colombo abandoned statist economic policies and its import substitution trade policy for more market-oriented policies, export-oriented trade, and encouragement of foreign investment. Recent changes in government have brought some policy reversals, however. Currently, the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party has a more statist economic approach which seeks to reduce poverty by steering investment to disadvantaged areas, developing small and medium enterprises, promoting agriculture, and expanding the already enormous civil service. The government has halted most privatizations. Although suffering a brutal civil war that began in 1983, Sri Lanka saw GDP growth average 4.5% in the last ten years, with a brief interruption during the global downturn in 2001. In late December 2004, a major tsunami took about 31,000 lives, left more than 6,300 missing and 443,000 displaced, and destroyed an estimated $1.5 billion worth of property. Growth, partly spurred by reconstruction, reached 5% in 2005 and more than 6% in 2006. Sri Lanka's most dynamic sectors now are food processing, textiles and apparel, food and beverages, port contstruction, telecommunications, and insurance and banking. In 2005, plantation crops made up only about 15% of exports (compared with more than 90% in 1970), while textiles and garments accounted for more than 60%. About 800,000 Sri Lankans work abroad, 90% in the Middle East. They send home about $1 billion a year. The struggle by the Tamil Tigers of the north and east for a largely independent homeland continues to cast a shadow over the economy.

GDP (purchasing power parity): $93.33 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate): $23.52 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 6.3% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP): $4,600 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 17.3% industry: 27.3% services: 55.3% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 8.214 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 38% industry: 17% services: 45% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate: 7.6% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line: 22% (1997 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.5% highest 10%: 28% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 34.4 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 12.1% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed): 28.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget: revenues: $4.762 billion expenditures: $7.095 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.)

Public debt: 90.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products: rice, sugarcane, grains, pulses, oilseed, spices, tea, rubber, coconuts; milk, eggs, hides, beef; fish

Industries: processing of rubber, tea, coconuts, tobacco and other agricultural commodities; telecommunications, insurance, banking; clothing, textiles; cement, petroleum refining

Industrial production growth rate: 7.1% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production: 7.714 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 51.7% hydro: 48.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption: 7.174 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption: 80,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports: NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports: NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance: $-1.118 billion (2006 est.)

Exports: $7.076 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities: textiles and apparel, tea and spices; diamonds, emeralds, rubies; coconut products, rubber manufactures, fish

Exports - partners: US 31.1%, UK 12.2%, India 8.9%, Germany 4.3% (2005)

Imports: $9.655 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities: textile fabrics, mineral products, petroleum, foodstuffs, machinery and transportation equipment

Imports - partners: India 20.7%, Singapore 8.3%, Hong Kong 7.3%, China 7.1%, Iran 5.9%, Malaysia 4.4%, Japan 4.3% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $2.81 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external: $12.23 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $577 million (1998)

Currency (code): Sri Lankan rupee (LKR)

Currency code: LKR

Exchange rates: Sri Lankan rupees per US dollar - 102.987 (2006), 100.498 (2005), 101.194 (2004), 96.521 (2003), 95.662 (2002)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Sri Lanka

Telephones - main lines in use: 1,509,913 (2006)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 4,284,256 (2006)

Telephone system: general assessment: telephone services have improved significantly and are available in most parts of the country. domestic: national trunk network consists mostly of digital microwave radio relay; fiber-optic links now in use in Colombo area and two fixed wireless local loops have been installed; competition is strong in mobile cellular systems and mobile cellular subscribership is increasing; telephone density remains low (2006) international: country code - 94; submarine cables to Indonesia, Djibouti, India and Maldives; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM, FM, Shortwave combined 34 (2006)

Radios: 3.85 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 14 (2006)

Televisions: 1.53 million (1997)

Internet country code: .lk

Internet hosts: 6,526 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 5 (2000)

Internet users: 280,000 (2005)

Transportation Sri Lanka

Airports: 16 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 14 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 7 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Railways: total: 1,449 km broad gauge: 1,449 km 1.676-m gauge (2005)

Roadways: total: 97,287 km paved: 78,802 km unpaved: 18,485 km (2003)

Waterways: 160 km (primarily on rivers in southwest) (2005)

Merchant marine: total: 22 ships (1000 GRT or over) 144,066 GRT/196,418 DWT by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 17, container 2, petroleum tanker 2 foreign-owned: 7 (Germany 5, UAE 2) registered in other countries: 5 (Panama 5) (2006)

Ports and terminals: Colombo, Galle

Military Sri Lanka

Military branches: Sri Lankan Army, Sri Lankan Navy, Sri Lankan Air Force (2006)

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

Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 4,933,217 females age 18-49: 5,153,597 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 3,789,627 females age 18-49: 4,281,043 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 174,049 females age 18-49: 167,201 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $606.2 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.6% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Sri Lanka

Disputes - international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons: IDPs: 500,000-600,000 (both Tamils and non-Tamils displaced due to long-term Tamil conflict renewed in 2006) (2006)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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@Sudan

Introduction Sudan

Background: Military regimes favoring Islamic-oriented governments have dominated national politics since independence from the UK in 1956. Sudan was embroiled in two prolonged civil wars during most of the remainder of the 20th century. These conflicts were rooted in northern economic, political, and social domination of largely non-Muslim, non-Arab southern Sudanese. The first civil war ended in 1972, but broke out again in 1983. The second war and famine-related effects resulted in more than 4 million people displaced and, according to rebel estimates, more than 2 million deaths over a period of two decades. Peace talks gained momentum in 2002-04 with the signing of several accords; a final Naivasha peace treaty of January 2005 granted the southern rebels autonomy for six years, after which a referendum for independence is scheduled to be held. A separate conflict that broke out in the western region of Darfur in 2003 has resulted in at least 200,000 deaths and nearly 2 million displaced; as of late 2005, peacekeeping troops were struggling to stabilize the situation. Sudan also has faced large refugee influxes from neighboring countries, primarily Ethiopia and Chad, and armed conflict, poor transport infrastructure, and lack of government support have chronically obstructed the provision of humanitarian assistance to affected populations.

Geography Sudan

Location: Northern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Egypt and Eritrea

Geographic coordinates: 15 00 N, 30 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 2,505,810 sq km land: 2.376 million sq km water: 129,810 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly more than one-quarter the size of the US

Land boundaries: total: 7,687 km border countries: Central African Republic 1,165 km, Chad 1,360 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 628 km, Egypt 1,273 km, Eritrea 605 km, Ethiopia 1,606 km, Kenya 232 km, Libya 383 km, Uganda 435 km

Coastline: 853 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 18 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate: tropical in south; arid desert in north; rainy season varies by region (April to November)

Terrain: generally flat, featureless plain; mountains in far south, northeast and west; desert dominates the north

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Red Sea 0 m highest point: Kinyeti 3,187 m

Natural resources: petroleum; small reserves of iron ore, copper, chromium ore, zinc, tungsten, mica, silver, gold, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 6.78% permanent crops: 0.17% other: 93.05% (2005)

Irrigated land: 18,630 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards: dust storms and periodic persistent droughts

Environment - current issues: inadequate supplies of potable water; wildlife populations threatened by excessive hunting; soil erosion; desertification; periodic drought

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

Geography - note: largest country in Africa; dominated by the Nile and its tributaries

People Sudan

Population: 41,236,378 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 42.7% (male 8,993,483/female 8,614,022) 15-64 years: 54.9% (male 11,327,679/female 11,297,798) 65 years and over: 2.4% (male 536,754/female 466,642) (2006 est.)

Median age: total: 18.3 years male: 18.1 years female: 18.5 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.55% (2006 est.)

Birth rate: 34.53 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate: 8.97 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.02 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: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.15 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 61.05 deaths/1,000 live births male: 61.88 deaths/1,000 live births female: 60.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 58.92 years male: 57.69 years female: 60.21 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.72 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 2.3% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 400,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 23,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria, dengue fever, African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) are high risks in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2007)

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

Ethnic groups: black 52%, Arab 39%, Beja 6%, foreigners 2%, other 1%

Religions: Sunni Muslim 70% (in north), indigenous beliefs 25%, Christian 5% (mostly in south and Khartoum)

Languages: Arabic (official), Nubian, Ta Bedawie, diverse dialects of Nilotic, Nilo-Hamitic, Sudanic languages, English note: program of "Arabization" in process

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 61.1% male: 71.8% female: 50.5% (2003 est.)

Government Sudan

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of the Sudan conventional short form: Sudan local long form: Jumhuriyat as-Sudan local short form: As-Sudan former: Anglo-Egyptian Sudan

Government type: Government of National Unity (GNU) - the National Congress Party (NCP) and Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) formed a power-sharing government under the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA); the NCP, which came to power by military coup in 1989, is the majority partner; the agreement stipulates national elections for the 2008 - 2009 timeframe.

Capital: name: Khartoum geographic coordinates: 15 36 N, 32 32 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions: 25 states (wilayat, singular - wilayah); A'ali an Nil (Upper Nile), Al Bahr al Ahmar (Red Sea), Al Buhayrat (Lakes), Al Jazirah (El Gezira), Al Khartum (Khartoum), Al Qadarif (Gedaref), Al Wahdah (Unity), An Nil al Abyad (White Nile), An Nil al Azraq (Blue Nile), Ash Shamaliyah (Northern), Bahr al Jabal (Bahr al Jabal), Gharb al Istiwa'iyah (Western Equatoria), Gharb Bahr al Ghazal (Western Bahr al Ghazal), Gharb Darfur (Western Darfur), Janub Darfur (Southern Darfur), Janub Kurdufan (Southern Kordofan), Junqali (Jonglei), Kassala (Kassala), Nahr an Nil (Nile), Shamal Bahr al Ghazal (Northern Bahr al Ghazal), Shamal Darfur (Northern Darfur), Shamal Kurdufan (Northern Kordofan), Sharq al Istiwa'iyah (Eastern Equatoria), Sinnar (Sinnar), Warab (Warab)

Independence: 1 January 1956 (from Egypt and UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 1 January (1956)

Constitution: 12 April 1973; suspended following coup of 6 April 1985; interim constitution of 10 October 1985 suspended following coup of 30 June 1989; new constitution implemented on 30 June 1998 partially suspended 12 December 1999 by President BASHIR; under the CPA, Interim National Constitution ratified 5 July 2005; Constitution of Southern Sudan signed December 2005

Legal system: based on English common law and Shari'a law; as of 20 January 1991, the now defunct Revolutionary Command Council imposed Shari'a law in the northern states; Shari'a law applies to all residents of the northern states regardless of their religion; some separate religious courts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations; the southern legal system is still developing under the CPA following the civil war; Shari'a law will not apply to the southern states

Suffrage: 17 years of age; universal, but noncompulsory

Executive branch: chief of state: President Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR (since 16 October 1993); First Vice President Salva KIIR (since 4 August 2005), Vice President Ali Osman TAHA (since 20 September 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR (since 16 October 1993); First Vice President Salva KIIR (since 4 August 2005), Vice President Ali Osman TAHA (since 20 September 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president; note - the National Congress Party or NCP (formerly the National Islamic Front or NIF) dominates al-BASHIR's cabinet elections: election last held 13-23 December 2000; next to be held no later than July 2009 under terms of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement election results: Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR reelected president; percent of vote - Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR 86.5%, Ja'afar Muhammed NUMAYRI 9.6%, three other candidates received a combined vote of 3.9%; election widely viewed as rigged; all popular opposition parties boycotted elections because of a lack of guarantees for a free and fair election note: al-BASHIR assumed power as chairman of Sudan's Revolutionary Command Council for National Salvation (RCC) in June 1989 and served concurrently as chief of state, chairman of the RCC, prime minister, and minister of defense until mid-October 1993 when he was appointed president by the RCC; he was elected president by popular vote for the first time in March 1996

Legislative branch: bi-cameral body comprising the National Assembly and Council of States (replaced unicameral National Assembly of 360 seats); pending elections and National Election Law, the Presidency appointed 450 members to the National Assembly according to the provisions of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement: 52% NCP; 28% SPLM; 14% other Northerners; 6% other Southerners; 2 representatives from every state constitute the Council of States; terms in each chamber are five years following the first elections elections: last held 13-22 December 2000 (next to be held 2008-2009 timeframe) election results: NCP 355, others 5; note - replaced by appointments under the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement

Judicial branch: Constitutional Court of nine justices; National Supreme Court; National Courts of Appeal; other national courts; National Judicial Service Commission will undertake overall management of the National Judiciary

Political parties and leaders: political parties in the Government of National Unity include: National Congress Party or NCP [Ibrahim Ahmed OMAR]; Sudan People's Liberation Movement or SPLM [Salva Mayardit KIIR]; and elements of the National Democratic Alliance or NDA including factions of the Democratic Union Party [Muhammad Uthman al-MIRGHANI] and Umma Party [SADIQ Siddiq al-Mahdi]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Umma Party [Sadiq al-MAHDI]; Popular Congress Party or PCP [Hassan al-TURABI]

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

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires, Ad Interim Khidir HAROUN (since April 2001) chancery: 2210 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 338-8565 FAX: [1] (202) 667-2406

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Cameron HUME embassy: Sharia Ali Abdul Latif Avenue, Khartoum mailing address: P. O. Box 699, Khartoum; APO AE 09829 telephone: [249] (183) 774701 FAX: [249] (183) 774137 note: US Consul in Cairo is providing backup service for Khartoum; consular services are being established in Juba (southern Sudan)

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist side

Economy Sudan

Economy - overview: Sudan has turned around a struggling economy with sound economic policies and infrastructure investments, but it still faces formidable economic problems, starting from its low level of per capita output. From 1997 to date, Sudan has been implementing IMF macroeconomic reforms. In 1999, Sudan began exporting crude oil and in the last quarter of 1999 recorded its first trade surplus, which, along with monetary policy, has stabilized the exchange rate. Increased oil production, revived light industry, and expanded export processing zones helped sustain GDP growth at 10% in 2006. Agricultural production remains Sudan's most important sector, employing 80% of the work force, contributing 35% of GDP, and accounting for most of GDP growth, but most farms remain rain-fed and susceptible to drought. Chronic instability - resulting from the long-standing civil war between the Muslim north and the Christian/pagan south, adverse weather, and weak world agricultural prices - ensure that much of the population will remain at or below the poverty line for years.

GDP (purchasing power parity): $96.01 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate): $25.5 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 9.6% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP): $2,300 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 35.5% industry: 24.8% services: 39.7% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 7.415 million (1996 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 80% industry: 7% services: 13% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate: 18.7% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line: 40% (2004 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 9% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed): 25.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget: revenues: $7.943 billion expenditures: $10.1 billion; including capital expenditures of $304 million (2006 est.)

Public debt: 59.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products: cotton, groundnuts (peanuts), sorghum, millet, wheat, gum arabic, sugarcane, cassava (tapioca), mangos, papaya, bananas, sweet potatoes, sesame; sheep, livestock

Industries: oil, cotton ginning, textiles, cement, edible oils, sugar, soap distilling, shoes, petroleum refining, pharmaceuticals, armaments, automobile/light truck assembly

Industrial production growth rate: 8.5% (1999 est.)

Electricity - production: 3.845 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 52.1% hydro: 47.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption: 3.576 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production: 344,700 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption: 66,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports: 275,000 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports: 0 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - proved reserves: 1.6 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves: 84.95 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance: $-4.51 billion (2006 est.)

Exports: $7.505 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities: oil and petroleum products; cotton, sesame, livestock, groundnuts, gum arabic, sugar

Exports - partners: China 71.1%, Japan 12%, Saudi Arabia 2.8% (2005)

Imports: $8.693 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, manufactured goods, refinery and transport equipment, medicines and chemicals, textiles, wheat

Imports - partners: China 20.7%, Saudi Arabia 9.4%, UAE 5.9%, Egypt 5.5%, Japan 5.1%, India 4.8% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $3.552 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external: $29.69 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $172 million (2001)

Currency (code): Sudanese dinar (SDD)

Currency code: SDD

Exchange rates: Sudanese dinars per US dollar - 217.402 (2006), 243.61 (2005), 257.91 (2004), 260.98 (2003), 263.31 (2002)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Sudan

Telephones - main lines in use: 670,000 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 1.828 million (2005)

Telephone system: general assessment: large, well-equipped system by regional standards and being upgraded; cellular communications started in 1996 and have expanded substantially domestic: consists of microwave radio relay, cable, radiotelephone communications, tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations international: country code - 249; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat (2000)

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

Radios: 7.55 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (1997)

Televisions: 2.38 million (1997)

Internet country code: .sd

Internet hosts: 16 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2002)

Internet users: 2.8 million (2005)

Transportation Sudan

Airports: 88 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 15 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 73 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 37 under 914 m: 17 (2006)

Heliports: 1 (2006)

Pipelines: gas 156 km; oil 3,930 km; refined products 1,613 km (2006)

Railways: total: 5,978 km narrow gauge: 4,578 km 1.067-m gauge; 1,400 km 0.600-m gauge for cotton plantations (2005)

Roadways: total: 11,900 km paved: 4,320 km unpaved: 7,580 km (1999)

Waterways: 4,068 km (1,723 km open year round on White and Blue Nile rivers) (2005)

Merchant marine: total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 11,326 GRT/14,068 DWT by type: cargo 1, livestock carrier 1 registered in other countries: 2 (Panama 1, Saudi Arabia 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals: Port Sudan

Military Sudan

Military branches: Sudanese People's Armed Forces (SPAF): Army, Navy, Air Force, Popular Defense Force

Military service age and obligation: 18-30 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - three years (August 2004)

Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 8,291,695 females age 18-49: 8,135,683 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 5,427,474 females age 18-49: 5,649,566 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 442,915 females age 18-49: 426,320 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $587 million (2001 est.) (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3% (1999) (2004)

Transnational Issues Sudan

Disputes - international: the effects of Sudan's almost constant ethnic and rebel militia fighting since the mid-twentieth century have penetrated all of the neighboring states; as of 2006, Chad, Ethiopia, Kenya, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda provided shelter for over half a million Sudanese refugees, which includes 240,000 Darfur residents driven from their homes by Janjawid armed militia and the Sudanese military forces; Sudan, in turn, hosted 20,000 Chadians, 122,000 Eritreans, 14,810 Ethiopians, 7,900 Ugandans and 5,000 Congolese as refugees; in February 2006, Sudan and DROC signed an agreement to repatriate 13,300 Sudanese and 6,800 Congolese; Sudan accuses Eritrea of supporting Sudanese rebel groups; efforts to demarcate the porous boundary with Ethiopia proceed slowly due to civil and ethnic fighting in eastern Sudan; the boundary that separates Kenya and Sudan's sovereignty is unclear in the "Ilemi Triangle," which Kenya has administered since colonial times; while Sudan claims to administer the Hala'ib Triangle north of the 1899 Treaty boundary along the 22nd Parallel, both states withdrew their military presence in the 1990s and Egypt has invested in and effectively administers the area; periodic violent skirmishes with Sudanese residents over water and grazing rights persist among related pastoral populations from the Central African Republic along the border

Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 116,746 (Eritrea), 20,000 (Chad), 14,633 (Ethiopia), 7,901 (Uganda) IDPs: 5,300,000 - 6,200,000 (internal conflict since 1980s; ongoing genocide in Darfur region, IDP registration for return to South Sudan started in 2005) (2006)

Trafficking in persons: current situation: Sudan is a source country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and sexual exploitation; Sudan may also be a transit and destination country for Ethiopian women trafficked for domestic servitude; boys are trafficked to the Middle East, particularly Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, for use as camel jockeys; small numbers of girls are reportedly trafficked within Sudan for domestic servitude, as well as for commercial sexual exploitation in small brothels in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps; the terrorist rebel organization "Lord's Resistance Army" (LRA) continues to abduct and forcibly conscript small numbers of children in Southern Sudan for use as cooks, porters, and combatants in its ongoing war against Uganda; some of these children are then trafficked across borders into Uganda or possibly the Democratic Republic of the Congo; children are utilized by rebel groups and the Sudanese Armed Forces and associated militias in the ongoing conflict in Darfur; during the decades of civil war, thousands of Dinka women and children were enslaved by members of Baggara tribes and subjected to various forms of forced labor without remuneration, as well as physical and sexual abuse; with the cessation of the North-South conflict and the ongoing peace process, there were no known new abductions of Dinka by Baggara tribes during 2005; however, inter-tribal abductions of a different nature continue in Southern Sudan and warrant further investigation tier rating: Tier 3 - Sudan does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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@Suriname

Introduction Suriname

Background: First explored by the Spaniards in the 16th century and then settled by the English in the mid-17th century, Suriname became a Dutch colony in 1667. With the abolition of slavery in 1863, workers were brought in from India and Java. Independence from the Netherlands was granted in 1975. Five years later the civilian government was replaced by a military regime that soon declared a socialist republic. It continued to exert control through a succession of nominally civilian administrations until 1987, when international pressure finally forced a democratic election. In 1990, the military overthrew the civilian leadership, but a democratically elected government - a four-party New Front coalition - returned to power in 1991 and has ruled since, expanding to eight parties in 2005.

Geography Suriname

Location: Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between French Guiana and Guyana

Geographic coordinates: 4 00 N, 56 00 W

Map references: South America

Area: total: 163,270 sq km land: 161,470 sq km water: 1,800 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Georgia

Land boundaries: total: 1,703 km border countries: Brazil 593 km, French Guiana 510 km, Guyana 600 km

Coastline: 386 km

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

Climate: tropical; moderated by trade winds

Terrain: mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps

Elevation extremes: lowest point: unnamed location in the coastal plain -2 m highest point: Juliana Top 1,230 m

Natural resources: timber, hydropower, fish, kaolin, shrimp, bauxite, gold, and small amounts of nickel, copper, platinum, iron ore

Land use: arable land: 0.36% permanent crops: 0.06% other: 99.58% (2005)

Irrigated land: 510 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: deforestation as timber is cut for export; pollution of inland waterways by small-scale mining activities

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

Geography - note: smallest independent country on South American continent; mostly tropical rain forest; great diversity of flora and fauna that, for the most part, is increasingly threatened by new development; relatively small population, mostly along the coast

People Suriname

Population: 439,117 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 29% (male 65,412/female 62,069) 15-64 years: 64.7% (male 145,913/female 138,076) 65 years and over: 6.3% (male 12,223/female 15,424) (2006 est.)

Median age: total: 26.5 years male: 26 years female: 26.9 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.2% (2006 est.)

Birth rate: 18.02 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate: 7.27 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate: -8.76 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: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 23.02 deaths/1,000 live births male: 26.89 deaths/1,000 live births female: 18.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 69.01 years male: 66.66 years female: 71.47 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.32 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 1.7% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 5,200 (2001 est.)

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

Nationality: noun: Surinamer(s) adjective: Surinamese

Ethnic groups: Hindustani (also known locally as "East Indians"; their ancestors emigrated from northern India in the latter part of the 19th century) 37%, Creole (mixed white and black) 31%, Javanese 15%, "Maroons" (their African ancestors were brought to the country in the 17th and 18th centuries as slaves and escaped to the interior) 10%, Amerindian 2%, Chinese 2%, white 1%, other 2%

Religions: Hindu 27.4%, Protestant 25.2% (predominantly Moravian), Roman Catholic 22.8%, Muslim 19.6%, indigenous beliefs 5%

Languages: Dutch (official), English (widely spoken), Sranang Tongo (Surinamese, sometimes called Taki-Taki, is native language of Creoles and much of the younger population and is lingua franca among others), Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Javanese

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 88% male: 92.3% female: 84.1% (2000 est.)

Government Suriname

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Suriname conventional short form: Suriname local long form: Republiek Suriname local short form: Suriname former: Netherlands Guiana, Dutch Guiana

Government type: constitutional democracy

Capital: name: Paramaribo geographic coordinates: 5 50 N, 55 10 W time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions: 10 districts (distrikten, singular - distrikt); Brokopondo, Commewijne, Coronie, Marowijne, Nickerie, Para, Paramaribo, Saramacca, Sipaliwini, Wanica

Independence: 25 November 1975 (from Netherlands)

National holiday: Independence Day, 25 November (1975)

Constitution: ratified 30 September 1987

Legal system: based on Dutch legal system incorporating French penal theory; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN (since 12 August 2000); Vice President Ram SARDJOE (since 3 August 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN (since 12 August 2000); Vice President Ram SARDJOE (since 3 August 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president and vice president elected by the National Assembly or, if no presidential or vice presidential candidate receives a two-thirds constitutional majority in the National Assembly after two votes, by a simple majority in the larger United People's Assembly (893 representatives from the national, local, and regional councils), for five-year terms (no term limits); election last held 25 May 2005 (next to be held in 2010) election results: Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN reelected president; percent of vote - Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN 62.9%, Rabin PARMESSAR 35.4%, other 1.7%; note - after two votes in the parliament failed to secure a two-thirds majority for a candidate, the vote then went to a special session of the United People's Assembly on 3 August 2005

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Nationale Assemblee (51 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 25 May 2005 (next to be held in 2010) election results: percent of vote by party - NF 39.73%, NDP 22.2%, VVV 13.79%, A-Com 7.21%, A-1 5.86%, other 7.42%; seats by party - NF 23, NDP 15, VVV 5, A-Com 5, A-1 3

Judicial branch: Cantonal Courts and a Court of Justice as an appellate court (justices are nominated for life)

Political parties and leaders: Alternative-1 or A-1 (a coalition of Amazone Party of Suriname or APS [Kenneth VAN GENDEREN], Democrats of the 21st Century or D-21 [Soewarto MOESTADJA], Nieuw Suriname or NS [Radjen Nanan PANDAY], Political Wing of the FAL or PVF [Jiwan SITAL], Trefpunt 2000 or T-2000 [Arti JESSURUN]); General Interior Development Party or ABOP [Ronnie BRUNSWIJK]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Desire BOUTERSE]; New Front for Democracy and Development or NF (a coalition which includes A-Combination or A-Com [leader NA], Democratic Alternative 1991 or DA-91 which split from the A-1 before the elections of May 2005 and are an independent, business-oriented party [Winston JESSURUN], National Party Suriname or NPS [Ronald VENETIAAN], United Reform Party or VHP [Ram SARDJOE], Pertjaja Luhur or PL [Salam Paul SOMOHARDJO], Surinamese Labor Party or SPA [Siegfried GILDS]); Party for Democracy and Development in Unity or DOE [Marten SCHALKWIJK]; People's Alliance for Progress or VVV (a coalition of Democratic National Platform 2000 or DNP-2000 [Jules WIJDENBOSCH], Grassroots Party for Renewal and Democracy or BVD [Tjan GOBARDHAN], Party for National Unity and Solidarity of the Highest Order or KTPI [Willy SOEMITA], Party for Progression, Justice, and Perseverance or PPRS [Renee KAIMAN], Pendawalima or PL [Raymond SAPOEN]); Progressive Laborers and Farmers Union or PALU [Jim HOK]; Progressive Political Party or PPP [Surinder MUNGRA]; Seeka [Paul ABENA]; Union of Progressive Surinamers or UPS [Sheoradj PANDAY]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Association of Indigenous Village Chiefs [Ricardo PANE]; Association of Saramaccan Authorities or Maroon [Head Captain WASE]; Women's Parliament Forum or PVF [Iris GILLIAD]

International organization participation: ACP, Caricom, CSN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO (suspended), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Henry Lothar ILLES chancery: Suite 460, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 244-7488 FAX: [1] (202) 244-5878 consulate(s) general: Miami

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Lisa Bobbie SCHREIBER HUGHES embassy: Dr. Sophie Redmondstraat 129, Paramaribo mailing address: US Department of State, 3390 Paramaribo Place, Washington, DC, 20521-3390 telephone: [597] 472-900 FAX: [597] 425-690

Flag description: five horizontal bands of green (top, double width), white, red (quadruple width), white, and green (double width); there is a large, yellow, five-pointed star centered in the red band

Economy Suriname

Economy - overview: The economy is dominated by the mining industry, which accounts for more than a third of GDP and subjects government revenues to mineral price volatility. The short-term economic outlook depends on the government's ability to control inflation and on the development of projects in the bauxite and gold mining sectors. Suriname's economic prospects for the medium term will depend on continued commitment to responsible monetary and fiscal policies and to the introduction of structural reforms to liberalize markets and promote competition. The government of Ronald VENETIAAN, in his first term, implemented an austerity program, raised taxes, and attempted to control spending. Economic policies are likely to remain the same during VENETIAAN's second term. Prospects for local onshore oil production are good, as a drilling program is underway. Offshore oil drilling was given a boost in 2004 when the State Oil Company (Staatsolie) signed exploration agreements with Repsol, Mearsk, and Occidental. Bidding on these new offshore blocks was completed in July 2006.

GDP (purchasing power parity): $3.098 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate): $1.398 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP): $7,100 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 13% industry: 22% services: 65% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 156,700 (2004)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 8% industry: 14% services: 78%

Unemployment rate: 9.5% (2004)

Population below poverty line: 70% (2002 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 9.5% (2005 est.)

Budget: revenues: $392.6 million expenditures: $425.9 million (2004)

Agriculture - products: paddy rice, bananas, palm kernels, coconuts, plantains, peanuts; beef, chickens; shrimp; forest products

Industries: bauxite and gold mining, alumina production; oil, lumbering, food processing, fishing

Industrial production growth rate: 6.5% (1994 est.)

Electricity - production: 1.509 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 25.2% hydro: 74.8% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption: 1.403 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production: 9,462 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption: 11,200 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports: 1,370 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - imports: 1,644 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - proved reserves: 150 million bbl (2005)

Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves: 0 cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Exports: $881 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities: alumina, crude oil, lumber, shrimp and fish, rice, bananas

Exports - partners: Norway 23.6%, US 16.5%, Canada 16.1%, Belgium 9.7%, France 7.9%, UAE 7.3% (2005)

Imports: $750 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities: capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs, cotton, consumer goods

Imports - partners: US 29.3%, Netherlands 17.5%, Trinidad and Tobago 12.7%, China 6.5%, Japan 5.2%, Brazil 4.3% (2005)

Debt - external: $504.3 million (2005 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $46 million Netherlands provided $37 million for project and program assistance, European Development Fund $4 million, Belgium $2 million (2003)

Currency (code): Surinam dollar (SRD)

Currency code: SRG

Exchange rates: Surinamese dollars per US dollar - 2.7317 (2005), Surinamese guilders per US dollar - 2.7336 (2004), 2.6013 (2003), 2.3468 (2002), note, during 1998, the exchange rate splintered into four distinct rates; in January 1999 the government floated the guilder, but subsequently fixed it when the black-market rate plunged; in January 2004, the government introduced the Surinamese dollar as replacement for the guilder, tied to a US dollar-dominated currency basket

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Suriname

Telephones - main lines in use: 81,100 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 232,800 (2005)

Telephone system: general assessment: international facilities are good domestic: microwave radio relay network international: country code - 597; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 13, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios: 300,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (plus seven repeaters) (2000)

Televisions: 63,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .sr

Internet hosts: 126 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)

Internet users: 30,000 (2005)

Transportation Suriname

Airports: 47 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 4 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 42 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 36 (2006)

Pipelines: oil 51 km (2006)

Roadways: total: 4,304 km paved: 1,130 km unpaved: 3,174 km (2003)

Waterways: 1,200 km (most navigable by ships with drafts up to 7 m) (2005)

Merchant marine: total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 1,078 GRT/1,214 DWT by type: cargo 1 (2006)

Ports and terminals: Paramaribo

Military Suriname

Military branches: National Army, Naval Element, Air Wing (2006)

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

Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 111,582 females age 18-49: 103,769 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 77,793 females age 18-49: 72,943 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $7.5 million (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.7% (2003 est.)

Transnational Issues Suriname

Disputes - international: area claimed by French Guiana between Riviere Litani and Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa); Suriname claims a triangle of land between the New and Kutari/Koetari rivers in a historic dispute over the headwaters of the Courantyne; Guyana seeks United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) arbitration to resolve the long-standing dispute with Suriname over the axis of the territorial sea boundary in potentially oil-rich waters

Illicit drugs: growing transshipment point for South American drugs destined for Europe via the Netherlands and Brazil; transshipment point for arms-for-drugs dealing

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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@Svalbard

Introduction Svalbard

Background: First discovered by the Norwegians in the 12th century, the islands served as an international whaling base during the 17th and 18th centuries. Norway's sovereignty was recognized in 1920; five years later it officially took over the territory.

Geography Svalbard

Location: Northern Europe, islands between the Arctic Ocean, Barents Sea, Greenland Sea, and Norwegian Sea, north of Norway

Geographic coordinates: 78 00 N, 20 00 E

Map references: Arctic Region

Area: total: 61,020 sq km land: 61,020 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Spitsbergen and Bjornoya (Bear Island)

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than West Virginia

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 3,587 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 4 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm unilaterally claimed by Norway but not recognized by Russia

Climate: arctic, tempered by warm North Atlantic Current; cool summers, cold winters; North Atlantic Current flows along west and north coasts of Spitsbergen, keeping water open and navigable most of the year

Terrain: wild, rugged mountains; much of high land ice covered; west coast clear of ice about one-half of the year; fjords along west and north coasts

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Arctic Ocean 0 m highest point: Newtontoppen 1,717 m

Natural resources: coal, iron ore, copper, zinc, phosphate, wildlife, fish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (no trees, and the only bushes are crowberry and cloudberry) (2005)

Irrigated land: NA

Natural hazards: ice floes often block the entrance to Bellsund (a transit point for coal export) on the west coast and occasionally make parts of the northeastern coast inaccessible to maritime traffic

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: northernmost part of the Kingdom of Norway; consists of nine main islands; glaciers and snowfields cover 60% of the total area; site of future seed repository under construction by the Global Crop Diversity Trust and the Norwegian Government

People Svalbard

Population: 2,701 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA (2006 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.02% (2006 est.)

Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population

Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population

Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

Sex ratio: NA

Infant mortality rate: total: NA male: NA female: NA

Life expectancy at birth: total population: NA male: NA female: NA

Total fertility rate: NA

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0% (2001)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 0 (2001)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 0 (2001)

Ethnic groups: Norwegian 55.4%, Russian and Ukrainian 44.3%, other 0.3% (1998)

Languages: Norwegian, Russian

Literacy: NA

Government Svalbard

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Svalbard (sometimes referred to as Spitzbergen)

Dependency status: territory of Norway; administered by the Polar Department of the Ministry of Justice, through a governor (sysselmann) residing in Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen; by treaty (9 February 1920) sovereignty was awarded to Norway

Government type: NA

Capital: name: Longyearbyen geographic coordinates: 78 13 N, 15 33 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

Independence: none (territory of Norway)

Legal system: NA

Executive branch: chief of state: King HARALD V of Norway (since 17 January 1991) head of government: Governor Per SEFLAND (since 1 October 2005) and Assistant Governor Rune Baard HANSEN (since 2003) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor and assistant governor responsible to the Polar Department of the Ministry of Justice

International organization participation: none

Flag description: the flag of Norway is used

Economy Svalbard

Economy - overview: Coal mining is the major economic activity on Svalbard. The treaty of 9 February 1920 gives the 41 signatories equal rights to exploit mineral deposits, subject to Norwegian regulation. Although US, UK, Dutch, and Swedish coal companies have mined in the past, the only companies still mining are Norwegian and Russian. The settlements on Svalbard are essentially company towns. The Norwegian state-owned coal company employs nearly 60% of the Norwegian population on the island, runs many of the local services, and provides most of the local infrastructure. There is also some hunting of seal, reindeer, and fox.

GDP (purchasing power parity): $NA

GDP - real growth rate: NA%

Labor force: NA

Budget: revenues: $25.07 million expenditures: $NA

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 57.9984% hydro: 42.0016% nuclear: 0% other: 0%

Exports: $NA

Imports: $NA

Economic aid - recipient: $8.2 million from Norway (1998)

Currency (code): Norwegian krone (NOK)

Currency code: NOK

Exchange rates: Norwegian kroner per US dollar - 6.4133 (2006), 6.4425 (2005), 6.7408 (2004), 7.0802 (2003), 7.9838 (2002)

Communications Svalbard

Telephones - main lines in use: NA

Telephones - mobile cellular: NA

Telephone system: general assessment: probably adequate domestic: local telephone service international: country code - 47-790; satellite earth station - 1 of unknown type (for communication with Norwegian mainland only)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1 (plus 2 repeaters), shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: NA

Televisions: NA

Internet country code: .sj

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 13 (Svalbard and Jan Mayen) (2000)

Internet users: NA

Transportation Svalbard

Airports: 4 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Ports and terminals: Barentsburg, Longyearbyen, Ny-Alesund, Pyramiden

Military Svalbard

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $5.501 billion

Military - note: demilitarized by treaty on 9 February 1920

Transnational Issues Svalbard

Disputes - international: despite recent discussions, Russia and Norway dispute their maritime limits in the Barents Sea and Russia's fishing rights beyond Svalbard's territorial limits within the Svalbard Treaty zone

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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@Swaziland

Introduction Swaziland

Background: Autonomy for the Swazis of southern Africa was guaranteed by the British in the late 19th century; independence was granted in 1968. Student and labor unrest during the 1990s pressured King Mswati III, the world's last absolute monarch, to grudgingly allow political reform and greater democracy, although he has backslid on these promises in recent years. Swaziland recently surpassed Botswana as the country with the world's highest known rates of HIV/AIDS infection.

Geography Swaziland

Location: Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa

Geographic coordinates: 26 30 S, 31 30 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 17,363 sq km land: 17,203 sq km water: 160 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries: total: 535 km border countries: Mozambique 105 km, South Africa 430 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: varies from tropical to near temperate

Terrain: mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Great Usutu River 21 m highest point: Emlembe 1,862 m

Natural resources: asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests, small gold and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc

Land use: arable land: 10.25% permanent crops: 0.81% other: 88.94% (2005)

Irrigated land: 500 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards: drought

Environment - current issues: limited supplies of potable water; wildlife populations being depleted because of excessive hunting; overgrazing; soil degradation; soil erosion

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

Geography - note: landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa

People Swaziland

Population: 1,136,334 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2006 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 40.7% (male 233,169/female 229,103) 15-64 years: 55.8% (male 303,260/female 330,460) 65 years and over: 3.6% (male 16,071/female 24,271) (2006 est.)

Median age: total: 18.5 years male: 17.8 years female: 19.2 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.23% (2006 est.)

Birth rate: 27.41 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate: 29.74 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: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 71.85 deaths/1,000 live births male: 75.25 deaths/1,000 live births female: 68.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 32.62 years male: 32.1 years female: 33.17 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.53 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 38.8% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 220,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 17,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality: noun: Swazi(s) adjective: Swazi

Ethnic groups: African 97%, European 3%

Religions: Zionist 40% (a blend of Christianity and indigenous ancestral worship), Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 10%, Anglican, Bahai, Methodist, Mormon, Jewish and other 30%

Languages: English (official, government business conducted in English), siSwati (official)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 81.6% male: 82.6% female: 80.8% (2003 est.)

Government Swaziland

Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Swaziland conventional short form: Swaziland local long form: Umbuso weSwatini local short form: eSwatini

Government type: monarchy

Capital: name: Mbabane geographic coordinates: 26 18 S, 31 06 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) note: Lobamba (royal and legislative capital)

Administrative divisions: 4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni

Independence: 6 September 1968 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 6 September (1968)

Constitution: the first constitution was signed into law in July 2005 and is scheduled to be implemented in January 2006

Legal system: based on South African Roman-Dutch law in statutory courts and Swazi traditional law and custom in traditional courts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age

Executive branch: chief of state: King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986) head of government: Prime Minister Absolom Themba DLAMINI (since 14 November 2003) cabinet: Cabinet recommended by the prime minister and confirmed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Libandla, an advisory body, consists of the Senate (30 seats - 10 appointed by the House of Assembly and 20 appointed by the monarch; members serve five-year terms) and the House of Assembly (65 seats - 10 appointed by the monarch and 55 elected by popular vote; members serve five-year terms) elections: House of Assembly - last held 18 October 2003 (next to be held October 2008) election results: House of Assembly - balloting is done on a nonparty basis; candidates for election are nominated by the local council of each constituency and for each constituency the three candidates with the most votes in the first round of voting are narrowed to a single winner by a second round

Judicial branch: High Court; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts are appointed by the monarch

Political parties and leaders: The status of political parties, previously banned, is unclear under the new (2006)Constitution and currently being debated - the following are considered political associations; Imbokodvo National Movement or INM; Ngwane National Liberatory Congress or NNLC [Obed DLAMINI, president]; People's United Democratic Movement or PUDEMO [Mario MASUKU, president]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

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