Introductory material (continued 23)
Reading edition
Geography Liberia
Location:
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone
Geographic coordinates:
6 30 N, 9 30 W
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 111,370 sq km land: 96,320 sq km water: 15,050 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Tennessee
Land boundaries:
total: 1,585 km border countries: Guinea 563 km, Cote d'Ivoire 716 km, Sierra Leone 306 km
Coastline:
579 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to cold nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers
Terrain:
mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling plateau and low mountains in northeast
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Wuteve 1,380 m
Natural resources:
iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 3.43% permanent crops: 1.98% other: 94.59% (2005)
Irrigated land:
30 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
232 cu km (1987)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.11 cu km/yr (27%/18%/55%) per capita: 34 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to March)
Environment - current issues:
tropical rain forest deforestation; soil erosion; loss of biodiversity; pollution of coastal waters from oil residue and raw sewage
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note:
facing the Atlantic Ocean, the coastline is characterized by lagoons, mangrove swamps, and river-deposited sandbars; the inland grassy plateau supports limited agriculture
People Liberia
Population:
3,334,587 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 44% (male 734,375/female 731,287) 15-64 years: 53.3% (male 879,848/female 896,319) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 45,175/female 47,583) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 18 years male: 17.8 years female: 18.2 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
3.661% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
42.92 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
21.45 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
15.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 143.89 deaths/1,000 live births male: 159.5 deaths/1,000 live births female: 127.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 41.13 years male: 39.85 years female: 42.46 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.87 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
5.9% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
100,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
7,200 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever water contact disease: schistosomiasis aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa fever animal contact disease: rabies (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Liberian(s) adjective: Liberian
Ethnic groups:
indigenous African 95% (including Kpelle, Bassa, Gio, Kru, Grebo, Mano, Krahn, Gola, Gbandi, Loma, Kissi, Vai, Dei, Bella, Mandingo, and Mende), Americo-Liberians 2.5% (descendants of immigrants from the US who had been slaves), Congo People 2.5% (descendants of immigrants from the Caribbean who had been slaves)
Religions:
Christian 40%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs 40%
Languages:
English 20% (official), some 20 ethnic group languages, of which a few can be written and are used in correspondence
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 57.5% male: 73.3% female: 41.6% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 10 years male: 11 years female: 8 years (2000)
Education expenditures:
NA
Government Liberia
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Liberia conventional short form: Liberia
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Monrovia geographic coordinates: 6 18 N, 10 48 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
15 counties; Bomi, Bong, Gbarpolu, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado, Nimba, River Cess, River Gee, Sinoe
Independence:
26 July 1847
National holiday:
Independence Day, 26 July (1847)
Constitution:
6 January 1986
Legal system:
dual system of statutory law based on Anglo-American common law for the modern sector and customary law based on unwritten tribal practices for indigenous sector; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF (since 16 January 2006); note - the President is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF (since 16 January 2006) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 8 November 2005 (next to be held in 2011) election results: Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF elected president; percent of vote, second round - Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF 59.6%, George WEAH 40.4%
Legislative branch:
bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (30 seats; note - number of seats changed in 11 October 2005 elections; members elected by popular vote to serve nine-year terms) and the House of Representatives (64 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 11 October 2005 (next to be held in 2011); House of Representatives - last held 11 October 2005 (next to be held in 2011) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - COTOL 7, NPP 4, CDC 3, LP 3, UP 3, APD 3, other 7; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CDC 15, LP 9, COTOL 8, UP 8, APD 5, NPP 4, other 15 note: junior senators - those who received the second most votes in each county in the 11 October 2005 election - will only serve a six-year first term because the Liberian constitution mandates staggered Senate elections to ensure continuity of government; all senators will be eligible for nine-year terms thereafter
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:
Alliance for Peace and Democracy or APD [Togba-na TIPOTEH]; Coalition for the Transformation of Liberia or COTOL [H. Varney SHERMAN]; Congress for Democratic Change or CDC [George WEAH]; Liberty Party or LP [Charles BRUMSKINE]; National Patriotic Party or NPP [Roland MASSAQUOI]; Unity Party or UP [Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
other: demobilized former military officers
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Milton Nathaniel BARNES chancery: 5201 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 telephone: [1] (202) 723-0437 FAX: [1] (202) 723-0436 consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Linda THOMAS-GREENFIELD embassy: 111 United Nations Drive, P. O. Box 98, Mamba Point, 1000 Monrovia, 10 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [231] 7-705-4826 FAX: [231] 7-701-0370
Flag description:
11 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; there is a white five-pointed star on a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner; the design was based on the US flag
Economy Liberia
Economy - overview:
Civil war and government mismanagement destroyed much of Liberia's economy, especially the infrastructure in and around the capital, Monrovia. Many businesses fled the country, taking capital and expertise with them, but with the conclusion of fighting and the installation of a democratically-elected government in 2006, some have returned. Richly endowed with water, mineral resources, forests, and a climate favorable to agriculture, Liberia had been a producer and exporter of basic products - primarily raw timber and rubber. Local manufacturing, mainly foreign owned, had been small in scope. President JOHNSON SIRLEAF, a Harvard-trained banker and administrator, has taken steps to reduce corruption, build support from international donors, and encourage private investment. Embargos on timber and diamond exports have been lifted, opening new sources of revenue for the government. The reconstruction of infrastructure and the raising of incomes in this ravaged economy will largely depend on generous financial and technical assistance from donor countries and foreign investment in key sectors, such as infrastructure and power generation.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.525 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$730 million (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
9.4% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$500 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 76.9% industry: 5.4% services: 17.7% (2002 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 70% industry: 8% services: 22% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate:
85% (2003 est.)
Population below poverty line:
80% (2000 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: NA expenditures: NA
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
11.2% (2007 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
15.05% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$145.6 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$49.89 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.157 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
rubber, coffee, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, sugarcane, bananas; sheep, goats; timber
Industries:
rubber processing, palm oil processing, timber, diamonds
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
Electricity - production:
320 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
297.6 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
3,687 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
23.37 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
3,593 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$224 million (2007)
Exports:
$1.197 billion f.o.b. (2006)
Exports - commodities:
rubber, timber, iron, diamonds, cocoa, coffee
Exports - partners:
Malaysia 27.5%, Poland 18.5%, Germany 11.5%, US 10.5%, Spain 8.2%, Norway 5.5% (2007)
Imports:
$7.143 billion f.o.b. (2006)
Imports - commodities:
fuels, chemicals, machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods; foodstuffs
Imports - partners:
South Korea 31.4%, Singapore 22.1%, Japan 14.9%, China 10.1% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$236.2 million (2005)
Debt - external:
$3.2 billion (2005 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$NA
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Currency (code):
Liberian dollar (LRD)
Currency code:
LRD
Exchange rates:
Liberian dollars (LRD) per US dollar - NA (2007), 59.43 (2006), 53.098 (2005), 54.906 (2004), 59.379 (2003)
Communications Liberia
Telephones - main lines in use:
6,900 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
563,000 (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: the limited services available are found almost exclusively in the capital Monrovia; coverage extended to a number of other towns and rural areas by four mobile-cellular network operators domestic: fixed line service stagnant and extremely limited; mobile-cellular subscription base growing and teledensity approaching 20 per 100 persons international: country code - 231; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 10, shortwave 2 (2007)
Radios:
790,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
4 (plus 4 repeaters) (2007)
Televisions:
70,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.lr
Internet hosts:
7 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2001)
Internet users:
1,000 (2002)
Transportation Liberia
Airports:
53 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 51 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 38 (2007)
Railways:
total: 490 km standard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 145 km 1.067-m gauge note: sections of railway are inoperable because of damage suffered during the civil war (2008)
Roadways:
total: 10,600 km paved: 657 km unpaved: 9,943 km (2000)
Merchant marine:
total: 2,204 by type: barge carrier 3, bulk carrier 390, cargo 107, chemical tanker 241, combination ore/oil 7, container 750, liquefied gas 84, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 460, refrigerated cargo 103, roll on/roll off 7, specialized tanker 12, vehicle carrier 36 foreign-owned: 2,109 (Argentina 3, Belgium 4, Brazil 3, Canada 7, China 11, Croatia 2, Cyprus 63, Denmark 12, Estonia 1, France 5, Germany 849, Gibraltar 5, Greece 358, Hong Kong 44, India 2, Indonesia 2, Isle of Man 5, Israel 23, Italy 41, Japan 116, South Korea 3, Latvia 21, Lebanon 2, Mexico 2, Monaco 8, Netherlands 6, Nigeria 2, Norway 40, Poland 13, Qatar 4, Romania 2, Russia 94, Saudi Arabia 27, Singapore 32, Slovenia 3, Sweden 10, Switzerland 13, Taiwan 91, Turkey 7, Ukraine 25, UAE 23, UK 20, US 98, Uruguay 3, Vietnam 4) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Buchanan, Monrovia
Military Liberia
Military branches:
Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL): Army, Navy, Air Force
Military service age and obligation:
16 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 729,813 females age 16-49: 741,223 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 371,287 females age 16-49: 373,265 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 30,448 female: 29,902 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.3% of GDP (2006 est.)
Transnational Issues Liberia
Disputes - international:
although civil unrest continues to abate with the assistance of 18,000 UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) peacekeepers, as of January 2007, Liberian refugees still remain in Guinea, Cote d'Ivoire, Sierra Leone, and Ghana; Liberia, in turn, shelters refugees fleeing turmoil in Cote d'Ivoire; despite the presence of over 9,000 UN forces (UNOCI) in Cote d'Ivoire since 2004, ethnic conflict continues to spread into neighboring states who can no longer send their migrant workers to Ivorian cocoa plantations; UN sanctions ban Liberia from exporting diamonds and timber
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 12,600 (Cote d'Ivoire) IDPs: 13,000 (civil war from 1990-2004; IDP resettlement began in November 2004) (2007)
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for Southeast and Southwest Asian heroin and South American cocaine for the European and US markets; corruption, criminal activity, arms-dealing, and diamond trade provide significant potential for money laundering, but the lack of well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a major money-laundering center
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Libya
Introduction Libya
Background:
The Italians supplanted the Ottoman Turks in the area around Tripoli in 1911 and did not relinquish their hold until 1943 when defeated in World War II. Libya then passed to UN administration and achieved independence in 1951. Following a 1969 military coup, Col. Muammar Abu Minyar al-QADHAFI began to espouse his own political system, the Third Universal Theory. The system is a combination of socialism and Islam derived in part from tribal practices and is supposed to be implemented by the Libyan people themselves in a unique form of "direct democracy." QADHAFI has always seen himself as a revolutionary and visionary leader. He used oil funds during the 1970s and 1980s to promote his ideology outside Libya, supporting subversives and terrorists abroad to hasten the end of Marxism and capitalism. In addition, beginning in 1973, he engaged in military operations in northern Chad's Aozou Strip - to gain access to minerals and to use as a base of influence in Chadian politics - but was forced to retreat in 1987. UN sanctions in 1992 isolated QADHAFI politically following the downing of Pan AM Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. During the 1990s, QADHAFI began to rebuild his relationships with Europe. UN sanctions were suspended in April 1999 and finally lifted in September 2003 after Libya accepted responsibility for the Lockerbie bombing. In December 2003, Libya announced that it had agreed to reveal and end its programs to develop weapons of mass destruction and to renounce terrorism. QADHAFI has made significant strides in normalizing relations with Western nations since then. He has received various Western European leaders as well as many working-level and commercial delegations, and made his first trip to Western Europe in 15 years when he traveled to Brussels in April 2004. Libya has responded in good faith to legal cases brought against it in US courts for terrorist acts that predate its renunciation of violence. Claims for compensation in the Lockerbie bombing, LaBelle disco bombing, and UTA 772 bombing cases are ongoing. The US rescinded Libya's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism in June 2006. In late 2007, Libya was elected by the General Assembly to a nonpermanent seat on the United Nations Security Council for the 2008-09 term.
Geography Libya
Location:
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Tunisia
Geographic coordinates:
25 00 N, 17 00 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 1,759,540 sq km land: 1,759,540 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Alaska
Land boundaries:
total: 4,348 km border countries: Algeria 982 km, Chad 1,055 km, Egypt 1,115 km, Niger 354 km, Sudan 383 km, Tunisia 459 km
Coastline:
1,770 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm note: Gulf of Sidra closing line - 32 degrees, 30 minutes north exclusive fishing zone: 62 nm
Climate:
Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior
Terrain:
mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Sabkhat Ghuzayyil -47 m highest point: Bikku Bitti 2,267 m
Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, gypsum
Land use:
arable land: 1.03% permanent crops: 0.19% other: 98.78% (2005)
Irrigated land:
4,700 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
0.6 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 4.27 cu km/yr (14%/3%/83%) per capita: 730 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to four days in spring and fall; dust storms, sandstorms
Environment - current issues:
desertification; limited natural fresh water resources; the Great Manmade River Project, the largest water development scheme in the world, is being built to bring water from large aquifers under the Sahara to coastal cities
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note:
more than 90% of the country is desert or semidesert
People Libya
Population:
6,173,579 note: includes 166,510 non-nationals (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 33.2% (male 1,046,400/female 1,002,148) 15-64 years: 62.6% (male 1,988,038/female 1,875,034) 65 years and over: 4.2% (male 128,386/female 133,573) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 23.6 years male: 23.7 years female: 23.5 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.216% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
25.62 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
3.46 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 21.94 deaths/1,000 live births male: 24.14 deaths/1,000 live births female: 19.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.07 years male: 74.81 years female: 79.44 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.15 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.3% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
10,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Libyan(s) adjective: Libyan
Ethnic groups:
Berber and Arab 97%, other 3% (includes Greeks, Maltese, Italians, Egyptians, Pakistanis, Turks, Indians, and Tunisians)
Religions:
Sunni Muslim 97%, other 3%
Languages:
Arabic, Italian, English, all are widely understood in the major cities
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 82.6% male: 92.4% female: 72% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 17 years male: 16 years female: 17 years (2003)
Education expenditures:
2.7% of GDP (1999)
Government Libya
Country name:
conventional long form: Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya conventional short form: Libya local long form: Al Jumahiriyah al Arabiyah al Libiyah ash Shabiyah al Ishtirakiyah al Uzma local short form: none
Government type:
Jamahiriya (a state of the masses) in theory, governed by the populace through local councils; in practice, an authoritarian state
Capital:
name: Tripoli geographic coordinates: 32 53 N, 13 10 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
25 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ajdabiya, Al 'Aziziyah, Al Fatih, Al Jabal al Akhdar, Al Jufrah, Al Khums, Al Kufrah, An Nuqat al Khams, Ash Shati', Awbari, Az Zawiyah, Banghazi, Darnah, Ghadamis, Gharyan, Misratah, Murzuq, Sabha, Sawfajjin, Surt, Tarabulus, Tarhunah, Tubruq, Yafran, Zlitan; note - the 25 municipalities may have been replaced by 13 regions
Independence:
24 December 1951 (from UN trusteeship)
National holiday:
Revolution Day, 1 September (1969)
Constitution:
none; note - following the September 1969 military overthrow of the Libyan government, the Revolutionary Command Council replaced the existing constitution with the Constitutional Proclamation in December 1969; in March 1977, Libya adopted the Declaration of the Establishment of the People's Authority
Legal system:
based on Italian and French civil law systems and Islamic law; separate religious courts; no constitutional provision for judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: Revolutionary Leader Col. Muammar Abu Minyar al-QADHAFI (since 1 September 1969); note - holds no official title, but is de facto chief of state head of government: Secretary of the General People's Committee (Prime Minister) al-Baghdadi Ali al-MAHMUDI (since 5 March 2006) cabinet: General People's Committee established by the General People's Congress elections: national elections are indirect through a hierarchy of people's committees; head of government elected by the General People's Congress; election last held March 2006 (next to be held NA) election results: NA
Legislative branch:
unicameral General People's Congress (approximately 2,700 seats; members elected indirectly through a hierarchy of people's committees)
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:
none
Political pressure groups and leaders:
other: Arab nationalist movements; anti-QADHAFI Libyan exile Movement; Islamic elements
International organization participation:
ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Ali Suleiman AUJALI chancery: 2600 Virginia Avenue NW, Suite 705, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 944-9601 FAX: [1] (202) 944-9060
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires J. Christopher STEVENS embassy: Serraj Area, Tripoli mailing address: US Embassy, 8850 Tripoli Place, Washington, DC 20521-8850 telephone: [218] 91-220-0125
Flag description:
plain green; green is the traditional color of Islam (the state religion)
Economy Libya
Economy - overview:
The Libyan economy depends primarily upon revenues from the oil sector, which contribute about 95% of export earnings, about one-quarter of GDP, and 60% of public sector wages. Substantial revenues from the energy sector coupled with a small population give Libya one of the highest per capita GDPs in Africa, but little of this income flows down to the lower orders of society. Libyan officials in the past five years have made progress on economic reforms as part of a broader campaign to reintegrate the country into the international fold. This effort picked up steam after UN sanctions were lifted in September 2003 and as Libya announced in December 2003 that it would abandon programs to build weapons of mass destruction. Almost all US unilateral sanctions against Libya were removed in April 2004, helping Libya attract more foreign direct investment, mostly in the energy sector. Libyan oil and gas licensing rounds continue to draw high international interest; the National Oil Company set a goal of nearly doubling oil production to 3 million bbl/day by 2015. Libya faces a long road ahead in liberalizing the socialist-oriented economy, but initial steps - including applying for WTO membership, reducing some subsidies, and announcing plans for privatization - are laying the groundwork for a transition to a more market-based economy. The non-oil manufacturing and construction sectors, which account for more than 20% of GDP, have expanded from processing mostly agricultural products to include the production of petrochemicals, iron, steel, and aluminum. Climatic conditions and poor soils severely limit agricultural output, and Libya imports about 75% of its food. Libya's primary agricultural water source remains the Great Manmade River Project, but significant resources are being invested in desalinization research to meet growing water demands.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$74.72 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$57.06 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5.8% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$12,400 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 2% industry: 83.1% services: 14.8% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
1.83 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 17% industry: 23% services: 59% (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate:
30% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:
7.4% (2005 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Investment (gross fixed):
8.8% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $39.88 billion expenditures: $19.48 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
4.7% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6.3% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
4% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
6% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$18.04 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$3.192 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
NA (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
wheat, barley, olives, dates, citrus, vegetables, peanuts, soybeans; cattle
Industries:
petroleum, iron and steel, food processing, textiles, handicrafts, cement
Industrial production growth rate:
5.6% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
23.98 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
20.71 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
1.845 million bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
278,700 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
1.455 million bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
575.3 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
41.46 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
14.8 billion cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
6.39 billion cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
9.9 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
1.419 trillion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
$26.38 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$42.97 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
crude oil, refined petroleum products, natural gas, chemicals
Exports - partners:
Italy 40.5%, Germany 12.2%, US 7.4%, Spain 7.4%, France 6.3% (2007)
Imports:
$14.43 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery, semi-finished goods, food, transport equipment, consumer products
Imports - partners:
Italy 18.9%, Germany 7.7%, China 7.3%, Tunisia 6.8%, France 5.7%, Turkey 5.4%, US 4.3% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
ODA, $24.44 million (2005 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$79.6 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$4.837 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$6.286 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$3.333 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Currency (code):
Libyan dinar (LYD)
Currency code:
LYD
Exchange rates:
Libyan dinars (LYD) per US dollar - 1.2604 (2007), 1.3108 (2006), 1.3084 (2005), 1.305 (2004), 1.2929 (2003)
Communications Libya
Telephones - main lines in use:
852,300 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
4.5 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: telecommunications system is being modernized; mobile cellular telephone system became operational in 1996; combined fixed line and mobile telephone density approached 90 telephones per 100 persons in 2007 domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, cellular, tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations international: country code - 218; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat, NA Arabsat, and NA Intersputnik; submarine cables to France and Italy; microwave radio relay to Tunisia and Egypt; tropospheric scatter to Greece; participant in Medarabtel (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 16, FM 3, shortwave 3 (2001)
Radios:
1.35 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
12 (plus 1 repeater) (1999)
Televisions:
730,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.ly
Internet hosts:
31 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2002)
Internet users:
260,000 (2006)
Transportation Libya
Airports:
141 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 60 over 3,047 m: 23 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 23 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 2 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 81 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 15 914 to 1,523 m: 41 under 914 m: 18 (2007)
Heliports:
2 (2007)
Pipelines:
condensate 882 km; gas 3,425 km; oil 6,956 km (2007)
Railways:
0 km note: Libya has announced plans to build seven lines totaling 2,757 km of 1.435-m gauge track (2006)
Roadways:
total: 100,024 km paved: 57,214 km unpaved: 42,810 km (2003)
Merchant marine:
total: 17 by type: cargo 9, liquefied gas 3, petroleum tanker 4, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 4 (Kuwait 1, Norway 1, Syria 2) registered in other countries: 3 (Malta 3) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
As Sidrah, Az Zuwaytinah, Marsa al Burayqah, Ra's Lanuf, Tripoli, Zawiyah
Military Libya
Military branches:
Armed Peoples on Duty (APOD, Army), Libyan Arab Navy, Libyan Arab Air Force (Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Jamahiriya al-Arabia al-Libyya, LAAF) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
17 years of age (2004)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,682,183 females age 16-49: 1,611,001 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,439,941 females age 16-49: 1,381,914 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 61,305 female: 58,788 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
3.9% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues Libya
Disputes - international:
Libya has claimed more than 32,000 sq km in southeastern Algeria and about 25,000 sq km in the Tommo region of Niger in a currently dormant dispute; various Chadian rebels from the Aozou region reside in southern Libya
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 8,000 (Palestinian Territories) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Libya is a transit and destination country for men and women from sub-Saharan Africa and Asia trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Libya is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to address trafficking in persons in 2007 when compared to 2006, particularly in the area of investigating and prosecuting trafficking offenses; Libya did not publicly release any data on investigations or punishment of any trafficking offenses (2008)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Liechtenstein
Introduction Liechtenstein
Background:
The Principality of Liechtenstein was established within the Holy Roman Empire in 1719. Occupied by both French and Russian troops during the Napoleanic wars, it became a sovereign state in 1806 and joined the Germanic Confederation in 1815. Liechtenstein became fully independent in 1866 when the Confederation dissolved. Until the end of World War I, it was closely tied to Austria, but the economic devastation caused by that conflict forced Liechtenstein to enter into a customs and monetary union with Switzerland. Since World War II (in which Liechtenstein remained neutral), the country's low taxes have spurred outstanding economic growth. In 2000, shortcomings in banking regulatory oversight resulted in concerns about the use of financial institutions for money laundering. However, Liechtenstein implemented anti-money-laundering legislation and a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty with the US went into effect in 2003.
Geography Liechtenstein
Location:
Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland
Geographic coordinates:
47 16 N, 9 32 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 160 sq km land: 160 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
total: 76 km border countries: Austria 34.9 km, Switzerland 41.1 km
Coastline:
0 km (doubly landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
continental; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow or rain; cool to moderately warm, cloudy, humid summers
Terrain:
mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western third
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Ruggeller Riet 430 m highest point: Vorder-Grauspitz 2,599 m
Natural resources:
hydroelectric potential, arable land
Land use:
arable land: 25% permanent crops: 0% other: 75% (2005)
Irrigated land:
NA
Natural hazards:
NA
Environment - current issues:
NA
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note:
along with Uzbekistan, one of only two doubly landlocked countries in the world; variety of microclimatic variations based on elevation
People Liechtenstein
Population:
34,498 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.9% (male 2,892/female 2,927) 15-64 years: 69.8% (male 11,905/female 12,180) 65 years and over: 13.3% (male 1,964/female 2,630) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 40.5 years male: 40 years female: 41 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.713% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
9.86 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
7.42 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
4.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1 male(s)/female under 15 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.52 deaths/1,000 live births male: 6.03 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.95 years male: 76.38 years female: 83.52 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.51 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Liechtensteiner(s) adjective: Liechtenstein
Ethnic groups:
Liechtensteiner 65.6%, other 34.4% (2000 census)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 76.2%, Protestant 7%, unknown 10.6%, other 6.2% (June 2002)
Languages:
German (official), Alemannic dialect
Literacy:
definition: age 10 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100%
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 15 years male: 16 years female: 13 years (2004)
Education expenditures:
NA
Government Liechtenstein
Country name:
conventional long form: Principality of Liechtenstein conventional short form: Liechtenstein local long form: Fuerstentum Liechtenstein local short form: Liechtenstein
Government type:
constitutional monarchy
Capital:
name: Vaduz geographic coordinates: 47 08 N, 9 31 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
11 communes (Gemeinden, singular - Gemeinde); Balzers, Eschen, Gamprin, Mauren, Planken, Ruggell, Schaan, Schellenberg, Triesen, Triesenberg, Vaduz
Independence:
23 January 1719 (Principality of Liechtenstein established); 12 July 1806 (independence from the Holy Roman Empire)
National holiday:
Assumption Day, 15 August
Constitution:
5 October 1921
Legal system:
local civil and penal codes based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Prince HANS ADAM II (since 13 November 1989, assumed executive powers 26 August 1984); Heir Apparent Prince ALOIS, son of the monarch (born 11 June 1968); note - on 15 August 2004, HANS ADAM transferred the official duties of the ruling prince to ALOIS, but HANS ADAM retains status of chief of state head of government: Head of Government (Prime Minister) Otmar HASLER (since 5 April 2001); Deputy Head of Government (Deputy Prime Minister) Klaus TSCHUETSCHER (since 21 April 2005) cabinet: Cabinet elected by the Parliament, confirmed by the monarch elections: the monarch is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party in the Landtag is usually appointed the head of government by the monarch and the leader of the largest minority party in the Landtag is usually appointed the deputy head of government by the monarch if there is a coalition government
Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Landtag (25 seats; members are elected by popular vote under proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 11 and 13 March 2005 (next to be held by 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - FBP 48.7%, VU 38.2%, FL 13%; seats by party - FBP 12, VU 10, FL 3
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Court of Appeal or Obergericht
Political parties and leaders:
Patriotic Union or VU [Adolf HEEB] (was Fatherland Union); Progressive Citizens' Party or FBP [Marcus VOGT]; The Free List or FL [Claudia HEEB-FLECK and Egon MATT]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
CE, EBRD, EFTA, IAEA, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITSO, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCL, WIPO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Claudia FRITSCHE chancery: 888 17th Street NW, Suite 1250, Washington, DC 20006 telephone: [1] (202) 331-0590 FAX: [1] (202) 331-3221
Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Liechtenstein; the US Ambassador to Switzerland is accredited to Liechtenstein
Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a gold crown on the hoist side of the blue band
Economy Liechtenstein
Economy - overview:
Despite its small size and limited natural resources, Liechtenstein has developed into a prosperous, highly industrialized, free-enterprise economy with a vital financial service sector and living standards on a par with its large European neighbors. The Liechtenstein economy is widely diversified with a large number of small businesses. Low business taxes - the maximum tax rate is 20% - and easy incorporation rules have induced many holding or so-called letter box companies to establish nominal offices in Liechtenstein, providing 30% of state revenues. The country participates in a customs union with Switzerland and uses the Swiss franc as its national currency. It imports more than 90% of its energy requirements. Liechtenstein has been a member of the European Economic Area (an organization serving as a bridge between the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and the EU) since May 1995. The government is working to harmonize its economic policies with those of an integrated Europe.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.786 billion (2001 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$36.33 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
11% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$25,000 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 6% industry: 39% services: 55% (2001)
Labor force:
29,500 of whom 13,900 commute from Austria, Switzerland, and Germany to work each day (31 December 2001)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 2% industry: 47% services: 51% (31 December 2001)
Unemployment rate:
1.3% (September 2002)
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $424.2 million expenditures: $414.1 million (1998 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1% (2001)
Agriculture - products:
wheat, barley, corn, potatoes; livestock, dairy products
Industries:
electronics, metal manufacturing, dental products, ceramics, pharmaceuticals, food products, precision instruments, tourism, optical instruments
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
Exports:
$2.47 billion (1996)
Exports - commodities:
small specialty machinery, connectors for audio and video, parts for motor vehicles, dental products, hardware, prepared foodstuffs, electronic equipment, optical products
Exports - partners:
EU 62.6% (Germany 24.3%, Austria 9.5%, France 8.9%, Italy 6.6%, UK 4.6%), US 18.9%, Switzerland 15.7% (2006)
Imports:
$917.3 million (1996)
Imports - commodities:
agricultural products, raw materials, energy products, machinery, metal goods, textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles
Imports - partners:
EU, Switzerland (2006)
Debt - external:
$0 (2001)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Currency (code):
Swiss franc (CHF)
Currency code:
CHF
Exchange rates:
Swiss francs (CHF) per US dollar - 1.1973 (2007), 1.2539 (2006), 1.2452 (2005), 1.2435 (2004), 1.3467 (2003)
Communications Liechtenstein
Telephones - main lines in use:
20,000 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
27,500 (2005)
Telephone system:
general assessment: automatic telephone system domestic: NA international: country code - 423; linked to Swiss networks by cable and microwave radio relay
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios:
21,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
NA (linked to Swiss networks) (1997)
Televisions:
12,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.li
Internet hosts:
7,639 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
44 (Liechtenstein and Switzerland) (2000)
Internet users:
22,000 (2006)
Transportation Liechtenstein
Pipelines:
gas 20 km (2007)
Railways:
9 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified) note: belongs to the Austrian Railway System connecting Austria and Switzerland (2006)
Roadways:
total: 380 km paved: 380 km (2007)
Waterways:
28 km (2006)
Military Liechtenstein
Military branches:
no regular military forces (constitutionally prohibited); Principality of Liechtenstein National Police (Landespolizei, LP) (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 8,102 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 6,584 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 202 female: 222 (2008 est.)
Military - note:
Liechtenstein has no military forces, but is interested in European security policy and is an active member of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)
Transnational Issues Liechtenstein
Disputes - international:
none
Illicit drugs:
has strengthened money laundering controls, but money laundering remains a concern due to Liechtenstein's sophisticated offshore financial services sector
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Lithuania
Introduction Lithuania
Background:
Lithuanian lands were united under MINDAUGAS in 1236; over the next century, through alliances and conquest, Lithuania extended its territory to include most of present-day Belarus and Ukraine. By the end of the 14th century Lithuania was the largest state in Europe. An alliance with Poland in 1386 led the two countries into a union through the person of a common ruler. In 1569, Lithuania and Poland formally united into a single dual state, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. This entity survived until 1795, when its remnants were partitioned by surrounding countries. Lithuania regained its independence following World War I but was annexed by the USSR in 1940 - an action never recognized by the US and many other countries. On 11 March 1990, Lithuania became the first of the Soviet republics to declare its independence, but Moscow did not recognize this proclamation until September of 1991 (following the abortive coup in Moscow). The last Russian troops withdrew in 1993. Lithuania subsequently restructured its economy for integration into Western European institutions; it joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.
Geography Lithuania
Location:
Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Latvia and Russia
Geographic coordinates:
56 00 N, 24 00 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 65,300 sq km land: NA sq km water: NA sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than West Virginia
Land boundaries:
total: 1,574 km border countries: Belarus 680 km, Latvia 576 km, Poland 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad) 227 km
Coastline:
90 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate:
transitional, between maritime and continental; wet, moderate winters and summers
Terrain:
lowland, many scattered small lakes, fertile soil
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m highest point: Juozapines Kalnas 293.6 m
Natural resources:
peat, arable land, amber
Land use:
arable land: 44.81% permanent crops: 0.9% other: 54.29% (2005)
Irrigated land:
70 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
24.5 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 3.33 cu km/yr (78%/15%/7%) per capita: 971 cu m/yr (2003)
Natural hazards:
NA
Environment - current issues:
contamination of soil and groundwater with petroleum products and chemicals at military bases
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
fertile central plains are separated by hilly uplands that are ancient glacial deposits
People Lithuania
Population:
3,565,205 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 14.5% (male 264,668/female 250,997) 15-64 years: 69.5% (male 1,214,236/female 1,263,198) 65 years and over: 16% (male 197,498/female 374,608) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 39 years male: 36.4 years female: 41.6 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
-0.284% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
9 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
11.12 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.53 male(s)/female total population: 0.89 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.57 deaths/1,000 live births male: 7.86 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.67 years male: 69.72 years female: 79.89 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.22 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
1,300 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 200 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A vectorborne diseases: tickborne encephalitis (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Lithuanian(s) adjective: Lithuanian
Ethnic groups:
Lithuanian 83.4%, Polish 6.7%, Russian 6.3%, other or unspecified 3.6% (2001 census)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 79%, Russian Orthodox 4.1%, Protestant (including Lutheran and Evangelical Christian Baptist) 1.9%, other or unspecified 5.5%, none 9.5% (2001 census)
Languages:
Lithuanian (official) 82%, Russian 8%, Polish 5.6%, other and unspecified 4.4% (2001 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.6% male: 99.6% female: 99.6% (2001 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 16 years male: 15 years female: 17 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
5% of GDP (2005)
Government Lithuania
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Lithuania conventional short form: Lithuania local long form: Lietuvos Respublika local short form: Lietuva former: Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic
Government type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name: Vilnius geographic coordinates: 54 41 N, 25 19 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
10 counties (apskritys, singular - apskritis); Alytaus, Kauno, Klaipedos, Marijampoles, Panevezio, Siauliu, Taurages, Telsiu, Utenos, Vilniaus
Independence:
11 March 1990 (declared); 6 September 1991 (recognized by Soviet Union)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 16 February (1918); note - 16 February 1918 was the date Lithuania declared its independence from Soviet Russia and established its statehood; 11 March 1990 was the date it declared its independence from the Soviet Union
Constitution:
adopted 25 October 1992
Legal system:
based on civil law system; legislative acts can be appealed to the constitutional court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Valdas ADAMKUS (since 12 July 2004) head of government: Prime Minister Andrius KUBILIUS (since 27 November 2008) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the nomination of the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 13 and 27 June 2004 (next to be held in June 2009); prime minister appointed by the president on the approval of the Parliament election results: Valdas ADAMKUS elected president; percent of vote - Valdas ADAMKUS 52.2%, Kazimiera PRUNSKIENE 47.8%; Andrius KUBILIUS approved by Parliament 89-27 with 16 abstentions
Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Seimas (141 seats; 71 members are elected by popular vote, 70 are elected by proportional representation; serve four-year terms) elections: last held 12 and 26 October 2008 (next to be held October 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - TS 19.7%, TPP 15.1%, TT 12.7%, LSDP 11.7%, KDP+J 9%, LRLS 5.7%, LCS 5.3%, LLRA 4.8%, LVLS 3.7%, NS 3.6%, other 8.7%; seats by faction - TS 44, LSDP 26, TPP 16, TT 15, LRLS 11, KDP+J 10, LCS 8, LLRA 3, LVLS 3, NS 1, independent 4
Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; judges for all courts appointed by the president
Political parties and leaders:
Civil Democracy Party or PDP [Viktor MUNTIANAS]; Coalition of Labor Party and Youth or KDP+J [Viktor USPASKICH]; Electoral Action of Lithuanian Poles or LLRA [Valdemar TOMASZEVSKI]; Homeland Union - Lithuanian Christian Democrats or TS [Andrius KUBILIUS]; Lithuanian Peasant Popular Union or LVLS [Kazimiera PRUNSKIENE]; Liberal and Center Union or LCS [Arturas ZUOKAS]; Liberal Movement or LRLS [Eligijus MASIULIS]; National Revival or TPP [Arunas VALINSKAS]; New Union (Social Liberal) or NS [Arturas PAULAUSKAS]; Order and Justice Party or TT [Rolandas PAKSAS]; Social Democratic Party or LSDP [Gediminas KIRKILAS]; Young Lithuania and New Nationalists [Stanislovas BUSKEVICIUS]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Europe House (promotes the EU); European Movement (promotes the EU); Lithuanian Future Forum (promotes the EU)
International organization participation:
Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NIB, NSG, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Audrius BRUZGA chancery: temporary address: 2300 Clarendon Boulevard, Suite 302, Arlington, VA 22201 telephone: [1] (202) 234-5860 FAX: [1] (202) 328-0466 consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador John A. CLOUD embassy: Akmenu gatve 6, Vilnius, LT-03106 mailing address: American Embassy, Akmenu Gatve 6, Vilnius LT-03106 telephone: [370] (5) 266 5500 FAX: [370] (5) 266 5510
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), green, and red
Economy Lithuania
Economy - overview:
Lithuania, the Baltic state that has conducted the most trade with Russia, has grown rapidly since rebounding from the 1998 Russian financial crisis. Unemployment fell to 3.2% in 2007 while wages continued to grow at double digit rates, contributing to rising inflation. Exports and imports also grew strongly, and the current account deficit rose to nearly 15% of GDP in 2007. Trade has been increasingly oriented toward the West. Lithuania has gained membership in the World Trade Organization and joined the EU in May 2004. Privatization of the large, state-owned utilities is nearly complete. Foreign government and business support have helped in the transition from the old command economy to a market economy.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$59.98 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$38.35 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
8.8% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$16,800 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 5.3% industry: 33.3% services: 61.4% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
1.603 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 15.8% industry: 28.2% services: 56% (2004)
Unemployment rate:
3.5% note: based on survey data, official registered unemployment of 5.7% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
4% (2003)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.7% highest 10%: 27.7% (2003)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
36 (2005)
Investment (gross fixed):
26.6% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $13.28 billion expenditures: $13.75 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
17.3% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.7% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
4.85% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
6.86% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$11.84 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$6.917 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$25.05 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
grain, potatoes, sugar beets, flax, vegetables; beef, milk, eggs; fish
Industries:
metal-cutting machine tools, electric motors, television sets, refrigerators and freezers, petroleum refining, shipbuilding (small ships), furniture making, textiles, food processing, fertilizers, agricultural machinery, optical equipment, electronic components, computers, amber jewelry
Industrial production growth rate:
7.4% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
11.91 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
10.4 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
7.217 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
5.846 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 16.5% hydro: 5.7% nuclear: 77.7% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
8,250 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
57,170 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
148,400 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
206,700 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
12 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
3.44 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
3.44 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$5.26 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$17.18 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
mineral products 23%, textiles and clothing 16%, machinery and equipment 11%, chemicals 6%, wood and wood products 5%, foodstuffs 5% (2001)
Exports - partners:
Russia 15%, Latvia 12.9%, Germany 10.5%, Poland 6.3%, Estonia 5.8%, UK 4.6%, Denmark 4.1%, Belarus 4% (2007)
Imports:
$22.8 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
mineral products, machinery and equipment, transport equipment, chemicals, textiles and clothing, metals
Imports - partners:
Russia 18%, Germany 15%, Poland 10.6%, Latvia 5.5%, Netherlands 4.3% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$249.7 million (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$7.721 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$27.19 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$14.63 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$1.642 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$10.19 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
litas (LTL)
Currency code:
LTL
Exchange rates:
litai (LTL) per US dollar - 2.5362 (2007), 2.7498 (2006), 2.774 (2005), 2.7806 (2004), 3.0609 (2003)
Communications Lithuania
Telephones - main lines in use:
799,400 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
4.912 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate; being modernized to provide improved international capability and better residential access domestic: rapid expansion of mobile-cellular services has resulted in a steady decline in the number of main line subscriptions; mobile-cellular teledensity has increased to about 135 per 100 persons while fixed-line teledensity has dropped to 22 per 100 persons international: country code - 370; major international connections to Denmark, Sweden, and Norway by submarine cable for further transmission by satellite; landline connections to Latvia and Poland (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 29, FM 142, shortwave 1 (2001)
Radios:
1.9 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
27 (may have as many as 100 transmitters, including repeater stations) (2001)
Televisions:
1.7 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.lt
Internet hosts:
812,083 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
32 (2001)
Internet users:
1.333 million (2007)
Transportation Lithuania
Airports:
87 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 30 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 17 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 57 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 53 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 1,695 km; oil 228 km; refined products 121 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 1,771 km broad gauge: 1,749 km 1.524-m gauge (122 km electrified) standard gauge: 22 km 1.435-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 79,984 km paved: 70,997 km (includes 309 km of expressways) unpaved: 8,987 km (2006)
Waterways:
441 km (2006)
Merchant marine:
total: 45 by type: cargo 23, container 2, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 13 foreign-owned: 6 (Denmark 5, Ukraine 1) registered in other countries: 28 (Antigua and Barbuda 5, Cook Islands 1, North Korea 1, Malta 1, Norway 1, Panama 7, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 9, unknown 3) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Klaipeda
Military Lithuania
Military branches:
Ground Forces, Naval Force, Lithuanian Military Air Forces, National Defense Volunteer Forces (2005)
Military service age and obligation:
19-45 years of age for compulsory military service; 18 years of age for volunteers; 12-month conscript service obligation (2006)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 915,187 females age 16-49: 906,097 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 678,434 females age 16-49: 749,483 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 25,907 female: 24,735 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.2% of GDP (2006; 1.23% 2007 est.)
Transnational Issues Lithuania
Disputes - international:
Lithuania and Russia committed to demarcating their boundary in 2006 in accordance with the land and maritime treaty ratified by Russia in May 2003 and by Lithuania in 1999; Lithuania operates a simplified transit regime for Russian nationals traveling from the Kaliningrad coastal exclave into Russia, while still conforming, as a EU member state having an external border with a non-EU member, to strict Schengen border rules; the Latvian parliament has not ratified its 1998 maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, primarily due to concerns over potential hydrocarbons; as of January 2007, ground demarcation of the boundary with Belarus was complete and mapped with final ratification documents in preparation
Illicit drugs:
transshipment and destination point for cannabis, cocaine, ecstasy, and opiates from Southwest Asia, Latin America, Western Europe, and neighboring Baltic countries; growing production of high-quality amphetamines, but limited production of cannabis, methamphetamines; susceptible to money laundering despite changes to banking legislation
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Luxembourg
Introduction Luxembourg
Background:
Founded in 963, Luxembourg became a grand duchy in 1815 and an independent state under the Netherlands. It lost more than half of its territory to Belgium in 1839, but gained a larger measure of autonomy. Full independence was attained in 1867. Overrun by Germany in both World Wars, it ended its neutrality in 1948 when it entered into the Benelux Customs Union and when it joined NATO the following year. In 1957, Luxembourg became one of the six founding countries of the European Economic Community (later the European Union), and in 1999 it joined the euro currency area.
Geography Luxembourg
Location:
Western Europe, between France and Germany
Geographic coordinates:
49 45 N, 6 10 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 2,586 sq km land: 2,586 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Rhode Island
Land boundaries:
total: 359 km border countries: Belgium 148 km, France 73 km, Germany 138 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
modified continental with mild winters, cool summers
Terrain:
mostly gently rolling uplands with broad, shallow valleys; uplands to slightly mountainous in the north; steep slope down to Moselle flood plain in the southeast
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Moselle River 133 m highest point: Buurgplaatz 559 m
Natural resources:
iron ore (no longer exploited), arable land
Land use:
arable land: 27.42% permanent crops: 0.69% other: 71.89% (includes Belgium) (2005)
Irrigated land:
NA
Total renewable water resources:
1.6 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.06 cu km/yr (42%/45%/13%) per capita: 121 cu m/yr (1999)
Natural hazards:
NA
Environment - current issues:
air and water pollution in urban areas, soil pollution of farmland
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Geography - note:
landlocked; the only Grand Duchy in the world
People Luxembourg
Population:
486,006 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 18.6% (male 46,729/female 43,889) 15-64 years: 66.6% (male 163,356/female 160,425) 65 years and over: 14.7% (male 29,206/female 42,401) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 39 years male: 38 years female: 40 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.188% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
11.77 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
8.43 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
8.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.62 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.62 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.62 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.18 years male: 75.91 years female: 82.67 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.78 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
fewer than 500 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 100 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Luxembourger(s) adjective: Luxembourg
Ethnic groups:
Luxembourger 63.1%, Portuguese 13.3%, French 4.5%, Italian 4.3%, German 2.3%, other EU 7.3%, other 5.2% (2000 census)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 87%, other (includes Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim) 13% (2000)
Languages:
Luxembourgish (national language), German (administrative language), French (administrative language)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (2000 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 14 years male: 13 years female: 14 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
3.4% of GDP (1999)
Government Luxembourg
Country name:
conventional long form: Grand Duchy of Luxembourg conventional short form: Luxembourg local long form: Grand Duche de Luxembourg local short form: Luxembourg
Government type:
constitutional monarchy
Capital:
name: Luxembourg geographic coordinates: 49 36 N, 6 07 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
3 districts; Diekirch, Grevenmacher, Luxembourg
Independence:
1839 (from the Netherlands)
National holiday:
National Day (Birthday of Grand Duchess Charlotte) 23 June; note - the actual date of birth was 23 January 1896, but the festivities were shifted by five months to allow observance during a more favorable time of year
Constitution:
17 October 1868; occasional revisions
Legal system:
based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: Grand Duke HENRI (since 7 October 2000); Heir Apparent Prince GUILLAUME (son of the monarch) head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Claude JUNCKER (since 20 January 1995); Deputy Prime Minister Jean ASSELBORN (since 31 July 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers recommended by the prime minister and appointed by the monarch elections: the monarch is hereditary; following popular elections to the Chamber of Deputies, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch; the deputy prime minister is appointed by the monarch; they are responsible to the Chamber of Deputies note: government coalition - CSV and LSAP
Legislative branch:
unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (60 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 13 June 2004 (next to be held by June 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - CSV 36.1%, LSAP 23.4%, DP 16.1%, Green Party 11.6%, ADR 10%, other 2.8%; seats by party - CSV 24, LSAP 14, DP 10, Green Party 7, ADR 5 note: there is also a Council of State that serves as an advisory body to the Chamber of Deputies; the Council of State has 21 members appointed by the Grand Duke on the advice of the prime minister
Judicial branch:
judicial courts and tribunals (3 Justices of the Peace, 2 district courts, and 1 Supreme Court of Appeals); administrative courts and tribunals (State Prosecutor's Office, administrative courts and tribunals, and the Constitutional Court); judges for all courts are appointed for life by the monarch
Political parties and leaders:
Alternative Democratic Reform Party or ADR [Robert MENLEN]; Christian Social People's Party or CSV [Francois BILTGEN] (also known as Christian Social Party or PCS); Democratic Party or DP [Claude MEISCH]; Green Party [Francois BAUSCH]; Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party or LSAP [Alex BODRY]; dei Lenk/la Gauche (the Left); other minor parties
Political pressure groups and leaders:
ABBL (bankers' association); ALEBA (financial sector trade union); Centrale Paysanne (federation of agricultural producers); CEP (professional sector chamber); CGFP (trade union representing civil service); Chambre de Commerce (Chamber of Commerce); Chambre des Metiers (Chamber of Artisans); FEDIL (federation of industrialists); Greenpeace (environment protection); LCGP (center-right trade union); Mouvement Ecologique (protection of ecology); OGBL (center-left trade union)
International organization participation:
ADB (nonregional members), Australia Group, Benelux, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNRWA, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jean-Paul SENNINGER chancery: 2200 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-4171/72 FAX: [1] (202) 328-8270 consulate(s) general: New York, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ann WAGNER embassy: 22 Boulevard Emmanuel Servais, L-2535 Luxembourg City mailing address: American Embassy Luxembourg, Unit 1410, APO AE 09126-1410 (official mail); American Embassy Luxembourg, PSC 9, Box 9500, APO AE 09123 (personal mail) telephone: [352] 46 01 23 FAX: [352] 46 14 01
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and light blue; similar to the flag of the Netherlands, which uses a darker blue and is shorter; design was based on the flag of France
Economy Luxembourg
Economy - overview:
This stable, high-income economy - benefiting from its proximity to France, Belgium, and Germany - features solid growth, low inflation, and low unemployment. The industrial sector, initially dominated by steel, has become increasingly diversified to include chemicals, rubber, and other products. Growth in the financial sector, which now accounts for about 28% of GDP, has more than compensated for the decline in steel. Most banks are foreign owned and have extensive foreign dealings. Agriculture is based on small family-owned farms. The economy depends on foreign and cross-border workers for about 60% of its labor force. Although Luxembourg, like all EU members, suffered from the global economic slump in the early part of this decade, the country continues to enjoy an extraordinarily high standard of living - GDP per capita ranks second in the world, after Qatar. After two years of strong economic growth in 2006-07, turmoil in the world financial markets will slow Luxembourg's economy in 2008, but growth will remain above the European average.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$38.14 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$50.16 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
4.5% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$79,400 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1% industry: 13% services: 86% (2005 est.)
Labor force:
205,000 of whom 121,600 are foreign cross-border workers commuting primarily from France, Belgium, and Germany (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 1% industry: 13% services: 86% (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate:
4.4% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.5% highest 10%: 23.8% (2000)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
26 (2005)
Investment (gross fixed):
20.2% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $19.78 billion expenditures: $18.9 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
6.4% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.3% (2007 est.)
Stock of money:
NA note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the Euro Area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 15 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi money circulating within their own borders
Stock of quasi money:
NA (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$357.9 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
wine, grapes, barley, oats, potatoes, wheat, fruits; dairy products, livestock products
Industries:
banking and financial services, iron and steel, information technology, telecommunications, cargo transportation, food processing, chemicals, metal products, engineering, tires, glass, aluminum, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
1.7% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
3.01 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
6.748 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
2.887 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
6.847 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 57.3% hydro: 25.2% nuclear: 0% other: 17.5% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
60,640 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - exports:
281.5 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
63,760 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
1.329 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
1.329 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
$4.921 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$18.42 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, steel products, chemicals, rubber products, glass
Exports - partners:
Germany 21.1%, France 16.3%, Belgium 10.1%, Italy 7.4%, UK 7.1%, Netherlands 5.4%, Spain 5% (2007)
Imports:
$23.13 billion c.i.f. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
minerals, metals, foodstuffs, quality consumer goods
Imports - partners:
Belgium 27.4%, Germany 23.8%, China 17.1%, France 9.2%, Netherlands 5% (2007)
Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $291 million (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$205.5 million (2006 est.)
Debt - external:
$NA
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$NA
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$79.4 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
euro (EUR)
Currency code:
EUR
Exchange rates:
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003)
Communications Luxembourg
Telephones - main lines in use:
248,200 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
604,200 (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: highly developed, completely automated and efficient system, mainly buried cables domestic: fixed line teledensity over 50 per 100 persons; nationwide cellular telephone system with market for mobile-cellular phones virtually saturated international: country code - 352 (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999)
Radios:
285,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
5 (1999)
Televisions:
285,000 (1998 est.)
Internet country code:
.lu
Internet hosts:
180,756 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
8 (2000)
Internet users:
345,000 (2007)
Transportation Luxembourg
Airports:
2 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Heliports:
1 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 155 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 275 km standard gauge: 275 km 1.435-m gauge (243 km electrified) (2006)
Roadways:
total: 5,227 km paved: 5,227 km (includes 147 km of expressways) (2004)
Waterways:
37 km (on Moselle River) (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 45 by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 3, chemical tanker 15, container 4, liquefied gas 1, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 9 foreign-owned: 44 (Belgium 7, Denmark 1, France 17, Germany 5, Netherlands 2, UK 8, US 4) registered in other countries: 1 (Ukraine 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Mertert
Military Luxembourg
Military branches:
Army (2007)
Military service age and obligation:
17-25 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; soldiers under 18 are not deployed into combat or with peacekeeping missions; no conscription; Luxembourg citizen or EU citizen with 3-year residence in Luxembourg (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 116,305 females age 16-49: 114,566 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 95,152 females age 16-49: 93,792 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 3,066 female: 2,909 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.9% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues Luxembourg
Disputes - international:
none
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Macau
Introduction Macau
Background:
Colonized by the Portuguese in the 16th century, Macau was the first European settlement in the Far East. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and Portugal on 13 April 1987, Macau became the Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 20 December 1999. In this agreement, China promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic system would not be practiced in Macau, and that Macau would enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next 50 years.
Geography Macau
Location:
Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China
Geographic coordinates:
22 10 N, 113 33 E
Map references:
Southeast Asia
Area:
total: 28.2 sq km land: 28.2 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
less than one-sixth the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
total: 0.34 km regional border: China 0.34 km
Coastline:
41 km
Maritime claims:
not specified
Climate:
subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers
Terrain:
generally flat
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: Coloane Alto 172.4 m
Natural resources:
NEGL
Land use:
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)
Irrigated land:
NA
Natural hazards:
typhoons
Environment - current issues:
NA
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Marine Dumping (associate member), Ship Pollution (associate member)
Geography - note:
essentially urban; an area of land reclaimed from the sea measuring 5.2 sq km and known as Cotai now connects the islands of Coloane and Taipa; the island area is connected to the mainland peninsula by three bridges
People Macau
Population:
545,674 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.5% (male 47,935/female 42,301) 15-64 years: 75.8% (male 193,571/female 220,108) 65 years and over: 7.7% (male 19,340/female 22,419) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 35 years male: 35.6 years female: 34.5 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
3.148% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
8.69 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
3.43 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
26.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.13 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.88 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 3.23 deaths/1,000 live births male: 3.39 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 84.33 years male: 81.36 years female: 87.45 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
0.9 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Chinese adjective: Chinese
Ethnic groups:
Chinese 94.3%, other 5.7% (includes Macanese (mixed Portuguese and Asian ancestry)) (2006 census)
Religions:
Buddhist 50%, Roman Catholic 15%, none and other 35% (1997 est.)
Languages:
Cantonese 85.7%, Hokkien 4%, Mandarin 3.2%, other Chinese dialects 2.7%, English 1.5%, Tagalog 1.3%, other 1.6% (2001 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 91.3% male: 95.3% female: 87.8% (2001 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 15 years male: 16 years female: 14 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
2.4% of GDP (2005)
Government Macau
Country name:
conventional long form: Macau Special Administrative Region conventional short form: Macau local long form: Aomen Tebie Xingzhengqu (Chinese); Regiao Administrativa Especial de Macau (Portuguese) local short form: Aomen (Chinese); Macau (Portuguese)
Dependency status:
special administrative region of China
Government type:
limited democracy
Administrative divisions:
none (special administrative region of China)
Independence:
none (special administrative region of China)
National holiday:
National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China), 1 October (1949); note - 20 December 1999 is celebrated as Macau Special Administrative Region Establishment Day
Constitution:
Basic Law, approved on 31 March 1993 by China's National People's Congress, is Macau's "mini-constitution"
Legal system:
based on Portuguese civil law system
Suffrage:
direct election 18 years of age for some non-executive positions, universal for permanent residents living in Macau for the past seven years; indirect election limited to organizations registered as "corporate voters" (257 are currently registered) and a 300-member Election Committee drawn from broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central government bodies
Executive branch:
chief of state: President of China HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003) head of government: Chief Executive Edmund HO Hau-wah (since 20 December 1999) cabinet: Executive Council consists of one government secretary, three legislators, four businessmen, one pro-Beijing unionist, and one pro-Beijing educator elections: chief executive chosen by a 300-member Election Committee for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 29 August 2004 (next to be held in 2009) election results: Edmund HO Hau-wah reelected received 296 votes; three members submitted blank ballots; one member was absent
Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Assembly (29 seats; 12 members elected by popular vote, 10 by indirect vote, and 7 appointed by the chief executive; to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 25 September 2005 (next in September 2009) election results: percent of vote - New Democratic Macau Association 18.8%, Macau United Citizens' Association 16.6%, Union for Development 13.3%, Union for Promoting Progress 9.6%, Macau Development Alliance 9.3%, others 32.4%; seats by political group - New Democratic Macau Association 2, Macau United Citizens' Association 2, Union for Development 2, Union for Promoting Progress 2, Macau Development Alliance 1, others 3; 10 seats filled by professional and business groups; seven members appointed by chief executive
Judicial branch:
Court of Final Appeal in Macau Special Administrative Region
Political parties and leaders:
Civil Service Union [Jose Maria Pereira COUTINHO]; Development Union [KWAN Tsui-hang]; Macau Development Alliance [Angela LEONG On-kei]; Macau United Citizens' Association [CHAN Meng-kam]; New Democratic Macau Association [Antonio NG Kuok-cheong]; United Forces note: there is no political party ordinance, so there are no registered political parties; politically active groups register as societies or companies
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Macau Society of Tourism and Entertainment or STDM [Stanley HO]; Roman Catholic Church; Union for Democracy Development [Antonio NG Kuok-cheong]
International organization participation:
IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), ISO (correspondent), UNESCO (associate), UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCO, WFTU, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (special administrative region of China)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US has no offices in Macau; US Consulate General in Hong Kong is accredited to Macau
Flag description:
light green with a lotus flower above a stylized bridge and water in white, beneath an arc of five gold, five-pointed stars: one large in center of arc and four smaller
Economy Macau
Economy - overview:
Macau's economy has enjoyed strong growth in recent years on the back of its expanding tourism and gaming sectors. Since opening up its locally-controlled casino industry to foreign competition in 2001, the territory has attracted tens of billions of dollars in foreign investment that have helped transform it into the world's largest gaming center. In 2006, Macau's gaming revenue surpassed that of the Las Vegas strip, and gaming-related taxes accounted for 75% of total government revenue. The expanding casino sector, and China's decision beginning in 2002 to relax travel restrictions, have reenergized Macau's tourism industry, which saw total visitors grow to 27 million in 2007, up 62% in three years. Macau's strong economic growth has put pressure its labor market prompting businesses to look abroad to meet their staffing needs. The resulting influx of non-resident workers, who totaled one-fifth of the workforce in 2006, has fueled tensions among some segments of the population. Macau's traditional manufacturing industry has been in a slow decline. In 2006, exports of textiles and garments generated only $1.8 billion compared to $6.9 billion in gross gaming receipts. Macau's textile industry will continue to move to the mainland because of the termination in 2005 of the Multi-Fiber Agreement, which provided a near guarantee of export markets, leaving the territory more dependent on gambling and trade-related services to generate growth. However, the Closer Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between Macau and mainland China that came into effect on 1 January 2004 offers many Macau-made products tariff-free access to the mainland. Macau's currency, the Pataca, is closely tied to the Hong Kong dollar, which is also freely accepted in the territory.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$12.5 billion (2006)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$14.3 billion (2006)
GDP - real growth rate:
16.6% (2006)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$28,400 (2006)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 0.1% industry: 3.9% services: 96% (2006 est.)
Labor force:
275,000 (2006)
Labor force - by occupation:
manufacturing 11.1%, construction 11.7%, transport and communications 6.3%, wholesale and retail trade 13.7%, restaurants and hotels 11.3%, gambling 19.8%, public sector 7.7%, financial services 2.6%, other services and agriculture 15.7% (2006)
Unemployment rate:
3.1% (2006)
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $4.6 billion expenditures: $3.4 billion (2006)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
7.2% (2006)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
7.81% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$1.16 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$21.91 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
NA (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
only 2% of land area is cultivated, mainly by vegetable growers; fishing, mostly for crustaceans, is important; some of the catch is exported to Hong Kong
Industries:
tourism, gambling, clothing, textiles, electronics, footwear, toys
Industrial production growth rate:
3.8% (3rd quarter, 2007)
Electricity - production:
1.454 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
2.984 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
1.683 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
16,570 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
13,870 bbl/day (2006)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Exports:
$2.557 billion f.o.b.; note - includes reexports (2006)
Exports - commodities:
clothing, textiles, footwear, toys, electronics, machinery and parts
Exports - partners:
US 40.6%, China 14.8%, Hong Kong 13.1%, Germany 6.4%, UK 4% (2007)
Imports:
$4.559 billion c.i.f. (2006)
Imports - commodities:
raw materials and semi-manufactured goods, consumer goods (foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco), capital goods, mineral fuels and oils
Imports - partners:
China 42.6%, Hong Kong 10.1%, Japan 9%, US 5.6%, Germany 4.4%, France 4.2% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$13.7 million (2004)
Debt - external:
$0 (2006)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$6.5 billion (2006)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$1.1 billion (2006)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$413.1 million (2004)
Currency (code):
pataca (MOP)
Currency code:
MOP
Exchange rates:
patacas (MOP) per US dollar - 8.011 (2007), 8.0015 (2006), 8.011 (2005), 8.022 (2004), 8.021 (2003)
Communications Macau
Telephones - main lines in use:
177,851 (2008)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
856,200 (2008)
Telephone system:
general assessment: fairly modern communication facilities maintained for domestic and international services domestic: termination of monopoly over mobile-cellular telephone services in 2001 spurred sharp increase in subscriptions with mobile-cellular teledensity approaching 190 per 100 persons in 2008; fixed-line subscribership appears to have peaked and is now in decline international: country code - 853; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 submarine cable network that provides links to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; HF radiotelephone communication facility; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios:
160,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (2006)
Televisions:
49,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.mo
Internet hosts:
263 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)
Internet users:
300,000 (2007)
Transportation Macau
Airports:
1 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2007)
Heliports:
1 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 384 km paved: 384 km (2006)
Ports and terminals:
Macau
Military Macau
Military branches:
no regular military forces; defense is the responsibility of China (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 121,825 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 100,826 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 4,601 female: 4,171 (2008 est.)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of China
Transnational Issues Macau
Disputes - international:
none
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for drugs going into mainland China; consumer of opiates and amphetamines
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Macedonia
Introduction Macedonia
Background:
Macedonia gained its independence peacefully from Yugoslavia in 1991, but Greece's objection to the new state's use of what it considered a Hellenic name and symbols delayed international recognition, which occurred under the provisional designation of "the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia." In 1995, Greece lifted a 20-month trade embargo and the two countries agreed to normalize relations. The United States began referring to Macedonia by its constitutional name, Republic of Macedonia, in 2004 and negotiations continue between Greece and Macedonia to resolve the name issue. Some ethnic Albanians, angered by perceived political and economic inequities, launched an insurgency in 2001 that eventually won the support of the majority of Macedonia's Albanian population and led to the internationally-brokered Framework Agreement, which ended the fighting by establishing a set of new laws enhancing the rights of minorities. Fully implementating the Framework Agreement and stimulating economic growth and development continue to be challenges for Macedonia, although progress has been made on both fronts over the past several years.
Geography Macedonia
Location:
Southeastern Europe, north of Greece
Geographic coordinates:
41 50 N, 22 00 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 25,333 sq km land: 24,856 sq km water: 477 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Vermont
Land boundaries:
total: 766 km border countries: Albania 151 km, Bulgaria 148 km, Greece 246 km, Kosovo 159 km, Serbia 62 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
warm, dry summers and autumns; relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall
Terrain:
mountainous territory covered with deep basins and valleys; three large lakes, each divided by a frontier line; country bisected by the Vardar River
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Vardar River 50 m highest point: Golem Korab (Maja e Korabit) 2,764 m
Natural resources:
low-grade iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, manganese, nickel, tungsten, gold, silver, asbestos, gypsum, timber, arable land
Land use:
arable land: 22.01% permanent crops: 1.79% other: 76.2% (2005)
Irrigated land:
550 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
6.4 cu km (2001)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 2.27 per capita: 1,118 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
high seismic risks
Environment - current issues:
air pollution from metallurgical plants
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, 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:
landlocked; major transportation corridor from Western and Central Europe to Aegean Sea and Southern Europe to Western Europe
People Macedonia
Population:
2,061,315 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 19.5% (male 207,954/female 193,428) 15-64 years: 69.3% (male 719,708/female 708,033) 65 years and over: 11.3% (male 101,036/female 131,156) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 34.8 years male: 33.8 years female: 35.8 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.262% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
12 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
8.81 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 9.27 deaths/1,000 live births male: 9.45 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.45 years male: 71.95 years female: 77.13 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.58 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
fewer than 200 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 100 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Macedonian(s) adjective: Macedonian
Ethnic groups:
Macedonian 64.2%, Albanian 25.2%, Turkish 3.9%, Roma (Gypsy) 2.7%, Serb 1.8%, other 2.2% (2002 census)
Religions:
Macedonian Orthodox 64.7%, Muslim 33.3%, other Christian 0.37%, other and unspecified 1.63% (2002 census)
Languages:
Macedonian 66.5%, Albanian 25.1%, Turkish 3.5%, Roma 1.9%, Serbian 1.2%, other 1.8% (2002 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.1% male: 98.2% female: 94.1% (2002 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 12 years male: 12 years female: 12 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
3.5% of GDP (2002)
Government Macedonia
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Macedonia conventional short form: Macedonia local long form: Republika Makedonija local short form: Makedonija note: the provisional designation used by the UN, EU, and NATO is the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) former: People's Republic of Macedonia, Socialist Republic of Macedonia
Government type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name: Skopje geographic coordinates: 42 00 N, 21 26 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
84 municipalities (opstini, singular - opstina); Aerodrom (Skopje), Aracinovo, Berovo, Bitola, Bogdanci, Bogovinje, Bosilovo, Brvenica, Butel (Skopje), Cair (Skopje), Caska, Centar (Skopje), Centar Zupa, Cesinovo-Oblesevo, Cucer-Sandevo, Debar, Debarca, Delcevo, Demir Hisar, Demir Kapija, Dojran, Dolneni, Drugovo, Gazi Baba (Skopje), Gevgelija, Gjorce Petrov (Skopje), Gostivar, Gradsko, Ilinden, Jegunovce, Karbinci, Karpos (Skopje), Kavadarci, Kicevo, Kisela Voda (Skopje), Kocani, Konce, Kratovo, Kriva Palanka, Krivogastani, Krusevo, Kumanovo, Lipkovo, Lozovo, Makedonska Kamenica, Makedonski Brod, Mavrovo i Rostusa, Mogila, Negotino, Novaci, Novo Selo, Ohrid, Oslomej, Pehcevo, Petrovec, Plasnica, Prilep, Probistip, Radovis, Rankovce, Resen, Rosoman, Saraj (Skopje), Sopiste, Staro Nagoricane, Stip, Struga, Strumica, Studenicani, Suto Orizari (Skopje), Sveti Nikole, Tearce, Tetovo, Valandovo, Vasilevo, Veles, Vevcani, Vinica, Vranestica, Vrapciste, Zajas, Zelenikovo, Zelino, Zrnovci note: the 10 municipalities followed by Skopje in parentheses collectively constitute the larger Skopje Municipality
Independence:
8 September 1991 (referendum by registered voters endorsed independence from Yugoslavia)
National holiday:
Ilinden Uprising Day, 2 August (1903); note - also known as Saint Elijah's Day
Constitution:
adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991; amended November 2001 by a series of new constitutional amendments strengthening minority rights and in 2005 with amendments related to the judiciary
Legal system:
based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Branko CRVENKOVSKI (since 12 May 2004) head of government: Prime Minister Nikola GRUEVSKI (since 26 August 2006) cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the majority vote of all the deputies in the Assembly; note - current cabinet formed by the government coalition parties VMRO/DPMNE, NSDP, PDSh/DPA, and several small parties elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); two-round election last held 14 April and 28 April 2004 (next to be held by April 2009); prime minister elected by the Assembly following legislative elections election results: Branko CRVENKOVSKI elected president on second-round ballot; percent of vote - Branko CRVENKOVSKI 62.7%, Sasko KEDEV 37.3%
Legislative branch:
unicameral Assembly or Sobranie (120 seats; members elected by popular vote from party lists based on the percentage of the overall vote the parties gain in each of six electoral districts; serve four-year terms) elections: last held 1 June 2008 (next to be held by July 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - For a Better Macedonia 48.80%, Sun-Coalition for Europe 23.65%, Democratic Union for Integration 12.77%, Democratic Party of Albanians 8.48%, Party for European Future 1.47%, other 4.83%; seats by party - For a Better Macedonia 63, Sun-Coalition for Europe 27, Democratic Union for Integration 18, Democratic Party of Albanians 11, Party for European Future 1
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court - the Assembly appoints the judges; Constitutional Court - the Assembly appoints the judges; Republican Judicial Council - the Assembly appoints the judges
Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Alliance [Pavle TRAJANOV]; Democratic League of Bosniaks [Rafet MUMINOVIC]; Democratic Party of Albanians or PDSh/DPA [Menduh THACI]; Democratic Party of Serbs [Ivan STOILJKOVIC]; Democratic Party of Turks [Kenan HASIPI]; Democratic Renewal of Macedonia [Liljana POPOVSKA]; Democratic Union of Albanians or BDSh [BardYL MAHMUTI]; Democratic Union of Vlachs for Macedonia [Mitko KOSTOV]; Democratic Union for Integration or BDI/DUI [Ali AHMETI]; For a Better Macedonia coalition [Nikola GRUEVSKI] (includes VMRO-DPMNE, SP, Democratic Union, Democratic Renewal of Macedonia, Democratic Party of Turks, Democratic Party of Serbs, SR, and smaller parties); Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity or VMRO-DPMNE [Nikola GRUEVSKI]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-People's Party or VMRO-Narodna [Gjorgji TRENDAFILOV]; League for Democracy [Gjorgi MARJANOVIC]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Jovan MANSIEVSKI]; Liberal Party [Stojan ANDOV]; National Alternative [Harun ALIU]; National Democratic Union or BDK [Hysni SHAQIR]; New Social Democratic Party or NSDP [Tito PETKOVSKI]; Party for Democratic Prosperity or PPD/PDP [Abduljhadi VEJSELI]; Party for European Future or PEI [Fijat CANOSKI]; Party of Free Democrats or PSD [Ljubco JORDANOVSKI]; Social Democratic Alliance of Macedonia or SDSM [Zoran ZAEV (until May 2009)]; Socialist Party of Macedonia or SP [Ljubisav IVANOV-ZINGO]; Sun-Coalition for Europe [Radmila SKERINSKA] (includes SDSM, NSDP, LDP, Liberal Party and smaller parties); Union of Romas or SR [Shaban SALIU]; United Party for Emancipation or OPE [Nezdet MUSTAFA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Federation of Free Trade Unions [Svetlana PETROVIC]; Federation of Trade Unions [Vanco MURATOVSKI]; Trade Union of Education, Science and Culture [Dojcin CVETANOSKI]; World Macedonian Congress [Todor PETROV]
International organization participation:
BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Zoran JOLEVSKI chancery: 2129 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 667-0501 FAX: [1] (202) 667-2131 consulate(s) general: New York, Southfield (Michigan); note - consulate general in Chicago is due to open in 2008
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Philip T. REEKER embassy: Bul. Ilindenska bb, 1000 Skopje mailing address: American Embassy Skopje, US Department of State, 7120 Skopje Place, Washington, DC 20521-7120 (pouch) telephone: [389] 2 311-6180 FAX: [389] 2 311-7103
Flag description:
a yellow sun with eight broadening rays extending to the edges of the red field
Economy Macedonia
Economy - overview:
At independence in September 1991, Macedonia was the least developed of the Yugoslav republics, producing a mere 5% of the total federal output of goods and services. The collapse of Yugoslavia ended transfer payments from the central government and eliminated advantages from inclusion in a de facto free trade area. An absence of infrastructure, UN sanctions on the downsized Yugoslavia, and a Greek economic embargo over a dispute about the country's constitutional name and flag hindered economic growth until 1996. GDP subsequently rose each year through 2000. In 2001, during a civil conflict, the economy shrank 4.5% because of decreased trade, intermittent border closures, increased deficit spending on security needs, and investor uncertainty. Growth barely recovered in 2002 to 0.9%, then averaged 4% per year during 2003-07, expanding to 5.1% in 2007. Macedonia has maintained macroeconomic stability with low inflation, but it has so far lagged the region in attracting foreign investment and creating jobs, despite making extensive fiscal and business sector reforms. Official unemployment remains high at nearly 35%, but may be overstated based on the existence of an extensive gray market, estimated to be more than 20 percent of GDP, that is not captured by official statistics.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$17.35 billion note: Macedonia has a large informal sector (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$7.497 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5.1% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$8,400 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 11.9% industry: 28.2% services: 59.9% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
890,000 (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 19.6% industry: 30.4% services: 50% (September 2007)
Unemployment rate:
34.9% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
29.8% (2006)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.4% highest 10%: 29.6% (2003)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
39 (2003)
Investment (gross fixed):
17.7% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $2.508 billion expenditures: $2.487 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
30.8% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.3% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
6.5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
10.23% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$1.173 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$3.127 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$2.924 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
grapes, wine, tobacco, vegetables, fruits; milk, eggs