Introductory material (continued 27)

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

30 km

Maritime claims:

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

Climate:

tropical with a monsoonal pattern; rainy season (November to February)

Terrain:

sandy beach rises to fertile ring around raised coral reefs with phosphate plateau in center

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location along plateau rim 61 m

Natural resources:

phosphates, fish

Land use:

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

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:

limited natural fresh water resources, roof storage tanks collect rainwater, but mostly dependent on a single, aging desalination plant; intensive phosphate mining during the past 90 years - mainly by a UK, Australia, and NZ consortium - has left the central 90% of Nauru a wasteland and threatens limited remaining land resources

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

Nauru is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and Makatea in French Polynesia; only 53 km south of Equator

People Nauru

Population:

13,770 (July 2008 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 35.5% (male 2,492/female 2,393) 15-64 years: 62.5% (male 4,237/female 4,363) 65 years and over: 2.1% (male 148/female 137) (2008 est.)

Median age:

total: 21.3 years male: 20.7 years female: 21.9 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.772% (2008 est.)

Birth rate:

24.26 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate:

6.54 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: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.08 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 9.43 deaths/1,000 live births male: 11.84 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 63.81 years male: 60.2 years female: 67.6 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.94 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: Nauruan(s) adjective: Nauruan

Ethnic groups:

Nauruan 58%, other Pacific Islander 26%, Chinese 8%, European 8%

Religions:

Nauru Congregational 35.4%, Roman Catholic 33.2%, Nauru Independent Church 10.4%, other 14.1%, none 4.5%, unspecified 2.4% (2002 census)

Languages:

Nauruan (official; a distinct Pacific Island language), English widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and commercial purposes

Literacy:

NA

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 8 years male: 8 years female: 9 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

NA

Government Nauru

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Nauru conventional short form: Nauru local long form: Republic of Nauru local short form: Nauru former: Pleasant Island

Government type:

republic

Capital:

no official capital; government offices in Yaren District time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

14 districts; Aiwo, Anabar, Anetan, Anibare, Baiti, Boe, Buada, Denigomodu, Ewa, Ijuw, Meneng, Nibok, Uaboe, Yaren

Independence:

31 January 1968 (from the Australia-, NZ-, and UK-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 31 January (1968)

Constitution:

29 January 1968; amended 17 May 1968 (Constitution Day)

Legal system:

acts of the Nauru Parliament and British common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

20 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Marcus STEPHEN (since 19 December 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Marcus STEPHEN (since 19 December 2007); note - President Ludwig SCOTTY defeated in a no confidence vote in parliament on 19 December 2007 cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of Parliament elections: president elected by Parliament for a three-year term; election last held 19 December 2007 (next to be held in 2010) election results: NA

Legislative branch:

unicameral Parliament (18 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms) elections: last held 26 April 2008 (next to be held in 2011) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 18; note - President Marcus STEPHEN called a snap election to break a parliamentary stalemate blocking legislative action

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:

Democratic Party [Kennan ADEANG]; Nauru Party (informal); Nauru First (Naoero Amo) Party; note - loose multiparty system

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Woman Information and News Agency (women's issues)

International organization participation:

ACP, ADB, C, FAO, ICAO, ICCt, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Marlene I. MOSES chancery: 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400 D, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 937-0074 FAX: [1] (212) 937-0079 consulate(s): Agana (Guam)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

the US does not have an embassy in Nauru; the US Ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Nauru

Flag description:

blue with a narrow, horizontal, yellow stripe across the center and a large white 12-pointed star below the stripe on the hoist side; the star indicates the country's location in relation to the Equator (the yellow stripe) and the 12 points symbolize the 12 original tribes of Nauru

Economy Nauru

Economy - overview:

Revenues of this tiny island have traditionally come from exports of phosphates, now significantly depleted. An Australian company in 2005 entered into an agreement intended to exploit remaining supplies. Few other resources exist with most necessities being imported, mainly from Australia, its former occupier and later major source of support. The rehabilitation of mined land and the replacement of income from phosphates are serious long-term problems. In anticipation of the exhaustion of Nauru's phosphate deposits, substantial amounts of phosphate income were invested in trust funds to help cushion the transition and provide for Nauru's economic future. As a result of heavy spending from the trust funds, the government faces virtual bankruptcy. To cut costs the government has frozen wages and reduced overstaffed public service departments. In 2005, the deterioration in housing, hospitals, and other capital plant continued, and the cost to Australia of keeping the government and economy afloat continued to climb. Few comprehensive statistics on the Nauru economy exist, with estimates of Nauru's GDP varying widely.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$60 million (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$NA

GDP - real growth rate:

NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$5,000 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Labor force - by occupation:

note: employed in mining phosphates, public administration, education, and transportation (1992)

Unemployment rate:

90% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $13.5 million expenditures: $13.5 million (2005)

Fiscal year:

1 July - 30 June

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

-3.6% (1993)

Agriculture - products:

coconuts

Industries:

phosphate mining, offshore banking, coconut products

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

31 million kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - consumption:

28.83 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:

1,070 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports:

1,049 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.)

Exports:

$64,000 f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:

phosphates

Exports - partners:

South Africa 63.7%, South Korea 7.6%, Canada 6.6% (2006)

Imports:

$20 million c.i.f. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:

food, fuel, manufactures, building materials, machinery

Imports - partners:

South Korea 43.8%, Australia 36.2%, US 5.9%, Germany 4.3% (2006)

Economic aid - recipient:

$20 million mostly from Australia (2005)

Debt - external:

$33.3 million (2002)

Currency (code):

Australian dollar (AUD)

Currency code:

AUD

Exchange rates:

Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar - 1.2137 (2007), 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003)

Communications Nauru

Telephones - main lines in use:

1,900 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1,500 (2002)

Telephone system:

general assessment: adequate local and international radiotelephone communication provided via Australian facilities domestic: NA international: country code - 674; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:

7,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (1997)

Televisions:

500 (1997)

Internet country code:

.nr

Internet hosts:

42 (2008)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2000)

Internet users:

300 (2002)

Transportation Nauru

Airports:

1 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)

Roadways:

total: 24 km paved: 24 km (2002)

Ports and terminals:

Nauru

Military Nauru

Military branches:

no regular military forces; Nauru Police Force (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 3,470 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 173 female: 159 (2008 est.)

Military expenditures:

NA

Military - note:

Nauru maintains no defense forces; under an informal agreement, defense is the responsibility of Australia

Transnational Issues Nauru

Disputes - international:

none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008

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

@Navassa Island

Introduction Navassa Island

Background:

This uninhabited island was claimed by the US in 1857 for its guano. Mining took place between 1865 and 1898. The lighthouse, built in 1917, was shut down in 1996 and administration of Navassa Island transferred from the Coast Guard to the Department of the Interior. A 1998 scientific expedition to the island described it as a unique preserve of Caribbean biodiversity; the following year it became a National Wildlife Refuge and annual scientific expeditions have continued.

Geography Navassa Island

Location:

Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, 35 miles west of Tiburon Peninsula of Haiti

Geographic coordinates:

18 25 N, 75 02 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 5.4 sq km land: 5.4 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

8 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

marine, tropical

Terrain:

raised coral and limestone plateau, flat to undulating; ringed by vertical white cliffs (9 to 15 m high)

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: unnamed location on southwest side 77 m

Natural resources:

guano

Land use:

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

Natural hazards:

hurricanes

Environment - current issues:

NA

Geography - note:

strategic location 160 km south of the US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; mostly exposed rock with numerous solution holes but with enough grassland to support goat herds; dense stands of fig trees, scattered cactus

People Navassa Island

Population:

uninhabited note: transient Haitian fishermen and others camp on the island

Government Navassa Island

Country name:

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Navassa Island

Dependency status:

unorganized, unincorporated territory of the US; administered by the Fish and Wildlife Service, US Department of the Interior, from the Caribbean Islands National Wildlife Refuge in Boqueron, Puerto Rico; in September 1996, the Coast Guard ceased operations and maintenance of Navassa Island Light, a 46-meter-tall lighthouse on the southern side of the island; there has also been a private claim advanced against the island

Legal system:

the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (territory of the US)

Flag description:

the flag of the US is used

Economy Navassa Island

Economy - overview:

Subsistence fishing and commercial trawling occur within refuge waters.

Transportation Navassa Island

Ports and terminals:

none; offshore anchorage only

Military Navassa Island

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Navassa Island

Disputes - international:

claimed by Haiti, source of subsistence fishing

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008

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

@Nepal

Introduction Nepal

Background:

In 1951, the Nepalese monarch ended the century-old system of rule by hereditary premiers and instituted a cabinet system of government. Reforms in 1990 established a multiparty democracy within the framework of a constitutional monarchy. An insurgency led by Maoist extremists broke out in 1996. The ensuing nine-year civil war between insurgents and government forces witnessed the dissolution of the cabinet and parliament and assumption of absolute power by the king. Several weeks of mass protests in April 2006 were followed by several months of peace negotiations between the Maoists and government officials, and culminated in a November 2006 peace accord and the promulgation of an interim constitution. The newly formed interim parliament declared Nepal a democratic federal republic at its first meeting in May 2008, the king vacated the throne in mid-June 2008, and parliament elected the country's first president the following month.

Geography Nepal

Location:

Southern Asia, between China and India

Geographic coordinates:

28 00 N, 84 00 E

Map references:

Asia

Area:

total: 147,181 sq km land: 143,181 sq km water: 4,000 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Arkansas

Land boundaries:

total: 2,926 km border countries: China 1,236 km, India 1,690 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

varies from cool summers and severe winters in north to subtropical summers and mild winters in south

Terrain:

Tarai or flat river plain of the Ganges in south, central hill region, rugged Himalayas in north

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Kanchan Kalan 70 m highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m

Natural resources:

quartz, water, timber, hydropower, scenic beauty, small deposits of lignite, copper, cobalt, iron ore

Land use:

arable land: 16.07% permanent crops: 0.85% other: 83.08% (2005)

Irrigated land:

11,700 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

210.2 cu km (1999)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 10.18 cu km/yr (3%/1%/96%) per capita: 375 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

severe thunderstorms, flooding, landslides, drought, and famine depending on the timing, intensity, and duration of the summer monsoons

Environment - current issues:

deforestation (overuse of wood for fuel and lack of alternatives); contaminated water (with human and animal wastes, agricultural runoff, and industrial effluents); wildlife conservation; vehicular emissions

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:

landlocked; strategic location between China and India; contains eight of world's 10 highest peaks, including Mount Everest and Kanchenjunga - the world's tallest and third tallest - on the borders with China and India respectively

People Nepal

Population:

29,519,114 (July 2008 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 38% (male 5,792,042/female 5,427,370) 15-64 years: 58.2% (male 8,832,488/female 8,345,724) 65 years and over: 3.8% (male 542,192/female 579,298) (2008 est.)

Median age:

total: 20.7 years male: 20.5 years female: 20.8 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.095% (2008 est.)

Birth rate:

29.92 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate:

8.97 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Net migration rate:

NA (2008 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 62 deaths/1,000 live births male: 60.18 deaths/1,000 live births female: 63.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 60.94 years male: 61.12 years female: 60.75 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.91 children born/woman (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.5% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

61,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

3,100 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: Japanese encephalitis and malaria (2008)

Nationality:

noun: Nepalese (singular and plural) adjective: Nepalese

Ethnic groups:

Chhettri 15.5%, Brahman-Hill 12.5%, Magar 7%, Tharu 6.6%, Tamang 5.5%, Newar 5.4%, Muslim 4.2%, Kami 3.9%, Yadav 3.9%, other 32.7%, unspecified 2.8% (2001 census)

Religions:

Hindu 80.6%, Buddhist 10.7%, Muslim 4.2%, Kirant 3.6%, other 0.9% (2001 census) note: only official Hindu state in the world

Languages:

Nepali 47.8%, Maithali 12.1%, Bhojpuri 7.4%, Tharu (Dagaura/Rana) 5.8%, Tamang 5.1%, Newar 3.6%, Magar 3.3%, Awadhi 2.4%, other 10%, unspecified 2.5% (2001 census) note: many in government and business also speak English (2001 est.)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 48.6% male: 62.7% female: 34.9% (2001 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 9 years male: 10 years female: 8 years (2003)

Education expenditures:

3.4% of GDP (2003)

Government Nepal

Country name:

conventional long form: Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal conventional short form: Nepal local long form: Sanghiya Loktantrik Ganatantra Nepal local short form: Nepal

Government type:

democratic republic

Capital:

name: Kathmandu geographic coordinates: 27 43 N, 85 19 E time difference: UTC+5.75 (10.75 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

14 zones (anchal, singular and plural); Bagmati, Bheri, Dhawalagiri, Gandaki, Janakpur, Karnali, Kosi, Lumbini, Mahakali, Mechi, Narayani, Rapti, Sagarmatha, Seti

Independence:

1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan SHAH)

National holiday:

NA; note - in 2006, Parliament abolished the birthday of King GYANENDRA (7 July) and Constitution Day (9 November) as national holidays

Constitution:

9 November 1990; note - a new interim constitution was promulgated in January 2007; the November 2006 peace agreement calls for the election of a Constituent Assembly to draft a new permanent constitution

Legal system:

based on Hindu legal concepts and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Ram Baran YADAV (as of 23 July 2008); Vice President Paramananda JHA (as of 23 July 2008) head of government: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal DAHAL (as of 18 August 2008); Deputy Prime Minister Bamdev GAUTAM cabinet: selected by the prime minister elections: president elected by Parliament; term NA; election last held 21 July 2008 election results: Ram Baran YADAV elected president by the Constituent Assembly in a second round of voting on 21 July 2008; Ram Baran YADAV 308, Ram Jaja Prasad SINGH 282

Legislative branch:

unicameral Constituent Assembly (601 seats; 240 seats decided by direct popular vote; 335 seats by proportional representation; 26 appointed by the Cabinet (Council of Ministers)) note: KOIRALA called the first sitting of the Constituent Assembly on 28 May 2008 elections: last held 10 April 2008 (next to be held NA) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CPN-M 220, NC 110, CPN-UML 103, Madhesi Jana Adhikar Forum 52, Terai Madhesi Democratic Party/Nepal Sadbhawana Party 29, other smaller parties 61; note - 26 seats to be filled by the new Cabinet

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Sarbochha Adalat (chief justice is appointed by the monarch on recommendation of the Constitutional Council; the other judges are appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the Judicial Council)

Political parties and leaders:

Chure Bhawar Rastriya Ekata Party [Keshav Prasad MAINALI]; Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) [Pushpa Kamal DAHAL, also known as PRACHANDA, chairman; Dr. Baburam BHATTARAI]; Communist Party of Nepal (ML) [C.P. MAINALI]; Communist Party of Nepal (Unified) [Raj Singh SHRIS]; Communist Party of Nepal (United) [Ganesh SHAH]; Communist Party of Nepal/United Marxist-Leninist or CPN/UML [Amrit Kumar BOHARA]; Dalit Janajati Party [Vishwendraman PASHWAN]; Janamorcha Nepal [Amik SHERCHAN]; Madhesi Jana Adhikar Forum [Upendra YADAV]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Pashupati Shumsher RANA] (also called Rastriya Prajatantra Party or RPP); Nepal Loktantrik Samajbadi Dal [Upendra GACHCHHADAR]; Nepal Pariwar Dal [Vinod DANGI]; Nepal Rastriya Party [Khushilal YADAV]; Nepal Sadbhavana Party (Anandi Devi) [Shyam Sundar GUPTA]; Nepal Workers and Peasants Party or NWPP [Narayan Man BIJUKCHHE]; Nepali Congress Party or NCP [Girija Prasad KOIRALA]; Nepali Janata Dal [Bharat Prasad MAHATO]; Rastriya Janamorcha [Chitra BAHADUR K.C.]; Rastriya Janamukti Party [Malwar Singh THAPA]; Rastriya Janashakti Party or RJP [Surya Bahadur THAPA] (split from RPP in March 2005); Rastriya Prajatantra Party Nepal [Kamal THAPA]; Sadbhavana Party (Mahato) [Rajendra MAHATO]; Samajbadi Prajatantrik Janata Party Nepal [Prem Bahadur SINGH]; Sanghiya Loktantrik Rastriya Manch [Kamal CHHARAHANG]; Terai Madhesi Democratic Party [Mahantha THAKUR]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

other: several small armed Madhesi groups along the southern border with India; a variety of groups advocating regional autonomy for individual ethnic groups

International organization participation:

ADB, BIMSTEC, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Suresh Chandra CHALISE chancery: 2131 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 667-4550 FAX: [1] (202) 667-5534 consulate(s) general: New York:

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Nancy J. POWELL embassy: Maharajgunj, Kathmandu mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [977] (1) 400-7200 FAX: [977] (1) 400-7272

Flag description:

red with a blue border around the unique shape of two overlapping right triangles; the smaller, upper triangle bears a white stylized moon and the larger, lower triangle bears a white 12-pointed sun

Economy Nepal

Economy - overview:

Nepal is among the poorest and least developed countries in the world with almost one-third of its population living below the poverty line. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing a livelihood for three-fourths of the population and accounting for 38% of GDP. Industrial activity mainly involves the processing of agricultural produce including jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain. Security concerns relating to the Maoist conflict have led to a decrease in tourism, a key source of foreign exchange. Nepal has considerable scope for exploiting its potential in hydropower and tourism, areas of recent foreign investment interest. Prospects for foreign trade or investment in other sectors will remain poor, however, because of the small size of the economy, its technological backwardness, its remoteness, its landlocked geographic location, its civil strife, and its susceptibility to natural disaster.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$29.29 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$9.627 billion (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.2% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,000 (2007 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 38% industry: 20% services: 42% (FY05/06 est.)

Labor force:

11.11 million note: severe lack of skilled labor (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 76% industry: 6% services: 18% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:

42% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:

30.9% (2004)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 40.6% (2004)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

47.2 (2004)

Budget:

revenues: $1.153 billion expenditures: $1.927 billion (FY06/07)

Fiscal year:

16 July - 15 July

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

6.4% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

6.25% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

8% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$2.184 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$4.745 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$5.636 billion (31 December 2007)

Agriculture - products:

rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, jute, root crops; milk, water buffalo meat

Industries:

tourism, carpets, textiles; small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed mills; cigarettes, cement and brick production

Industrial production growth rate:

2.2% (FY05/06)

Electricity - production:

2.703 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - consumption:

2.276 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports:

165 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

380 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production by source:

fossil fuel: 8.5% hydro: 91.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - consumption:

16,960 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports:

11,530 bbl/day (2006 est.)

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:

$58 million (2007)

Exports:

$830 million f.o.b.; note - does not include unrecorded border trade with India (2006)

Exports - commodities:

carpets, clothing, leather goods, jute goods, grain

Exports - partners:

India 69.3%, US 8.8%, Germany 4.1% (2007)

Imports:

$2.398 billion f.o.b. (2006)

Imports - commodities:

gold, machinery and equipment, petroleum products, fertilizer

Imports - partners:

India 58.9%, China 13.6%, Japan 1.6% (2007)

Economic aid - recipient:

$427.9 million (2005)

Debt - external:

$3.07 billion (March 2006)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$NA

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$963.5 million (2005)

Currency (code):

Nepalese rupee (NPR)

Currency code:

NPR

Exchange rates:

Nepalese rupees (NPR) per US dollar - NA (2007), 72.446 (2006), 72.16 (2005), 73.674 (2004), 76.141 (2003)

Communications Nepal

Telephones - main lines in use:

766,400 (2007)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1.157 million (2006)

Telephone system:

general assessment: poor telephone and telegraph service; fair radiotelephone communication service and mobile-cellular telephone network domestic: NA international: country code - 977; radiotelephone communications; microwave landline to India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2000)

Radios:

840,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (plus 9 repeaters) (1998)

Televisions:

130,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.np

Internet hosts:

42,219 (2008)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

6 (2000)

Internet users:

337,100 (2007)

Transportation Nepal

Airports:

47 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 10 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 1 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 37 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 30 (2007)

Railways:

total: 59 km narrow gauge: 59 km 0.762-m gauge (2006)

Roadways:

total: 17,280 km paved: 9,829 km unpaved: 7,451 km (2004)

Military Nepal

Military branches:

Nepalese Army, Armed Police Force (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service; 15 years of age for military training; no conscription (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 7,322,965 females age 16-49: 6,859,064 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 5,146,958 females age 16-49: 4,724,495 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 335,747 female: 312,297 (2008 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.6% of GDP (2006)

Transnational Issues Nepal

Disputes - international:

joint border commission continues to work on contested sections of boundary with India, including the 400 square kilometer dispute over the source of the Kalapani River; India has instituted a stricter border regime to restrict transit of Maoist insurgents and illegal cross-border activities; approximately 106,000 Bhutanese Lhotshampas (Hindus) have been confined in refugee camps in southeastern Nepal since 1990

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 107,803 (Bhutan); 20,153 (Tibet/China) IDPs: 50,000-70,000 (remaining from ten-year Maoist insurgency that officially ended in 2006; displacement spread across the country) (2007)

Illicit drugs:

illicit producer of cannabis and hashish for the domestic and international drug markets; transit point for opiates from Southeast Asia to the West

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008

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

@Netherlands

Introduction Netherlands

Background:

The Dutch United Provinces declared their independence from Spain in 1579; during the 17th century, they became a leading seafaring and commercial power, with settlements and colonies around the world. After a 20-year French occupation, a Kingdom of the Netherlands was formed in 1815. In 1830 Belgium seceded and formed a separate kingdom. The Netherlands remained neutral in World War I, but suffered invasion and occupation by Germany in World War II. A modern, industrialized nation, the Netherlands is also a large exporter of agricultural products. The country was a founding member of NATO and the EEC (now the EU), and participated in the introduction of the euro in 1999.

Geography Netherlands

Location:

Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany

Geographic coordinates:

52 30 N, 5 45 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 41,526 sq km land: 33,883 sq km water: 7,643 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

Land boundaries:

total: 1,027 km border countries: Belgium 450 km, Germany 577 km

Coastline:

451 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:

temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters

Terrain:

mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders); some hills in southeast

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Zuidplaspolder -7 m highest point: Vaalserberg 322 m

Natural resources:

natural gas, petroleum, peat, limestone, salt, sand and gravel, arable land

Land use:

arable land: 21.96% permanent crops: 0.77% other: 77.27% (2005)

Irrigated land:

5,650 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

89.7 cu km (2005)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 8.86 cu km/yr (6%/60%/34%) per capita: 544 cu m/yr (2001)

Natural hazards:

flooding

Environment - current issues:

water pollution in the form of heavy metals, organic compounds, and nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates; air pollution from vehicles and refining activities; acid rain

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

Geography - note:

located at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine, Maas or Meuse, and Schelde)

People Netherlands

Population:

16,645,313 (July 2008 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 17.6% (male 1,496,348/female 1,427,297) 15-64 years: 67.8% (male 5,705,003/female 5,583,787) 65 years and over: 14.6% (male 1,040,932/female 1,391,946) (2008 est.)

Median age:

total: 40 years male: 39.2 years female: 40.9 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.436% (2008 est.)

Birth rate:

10.53 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate:

8.71 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Net migration rate:

2.55 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 4.81 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.34 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 79.25 years male: 76.66 years female: 81.98 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.66 children born/woman (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

19,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Dutchman(men), Dutchwoman(women) adjective: Dutch

Ethnic groups:

Dutch 80.7%, EU 5%, Indonesian 2.4%, Turkish 2.2%, Surinamese 2%, Moroccan 2%, Netherlands Antilles & Aruba 0.8%, other 4.8% (2008 est.)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 30%, Dutch Reformed 11%, Calvinist 6%, other Protestant 3%, Muslim 5.8%, other 2.2%, none 42% (2006)

Languages:

Dutch (official), Frisian (official)

Literacy:

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

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 16 years male: 17 years female: 16 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

5.3% of GDP (2005)

Government Netherlands

Country name:

conventional long form: Kingdom of the Netherlands conventional short form: Netherlands local long form: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden local short form: Nederland

Government type:

constitutional monarchy

Capital:

name: Amsterdam geographic coordinates: 52 23 N, 4 54 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 note: The Hague is the seat of government; time descriptions apply to the continental Netherlands only, not to the Caribbean components

Administrative divisions:

12 provinces (provincies, singular - provincie); Drenthe, Flevoland, Friesland (Fryslan), Gelderland, Groningen, Limburg, Noord-Brabant (North Brabant), Noord-Holland (North Holland), Overijssel, Utrecht, Zeeland (Zealand), Zuid-Holland (South Holland)

Dependent areas:

Aruba, Netherlands Antilles

Independence:

23 January 1579 (the northern provinces of the Low Countries conclude the Union of Utrecht breaking with Spain; on 26 July 1581 they formally declared their independence with an Act of Abjuration; however, it was not until 30 January 1648 and the Peace of Westphalia that Spain recognized this independence)

National holiday:

Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA and accession to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX), 30 April (1909 and 1980)

Constitution:

adopted 1815; amended many times, most recently in 2002

Legal system:

based on civil law system incorporating French penal theory; constitution does not permit judicial review of acts of the States General; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen BEATRIX (since 30 April 1980); Heir Apparent WILLEM-ALEXANDER (born 27 April 1967), son of the monarch head of government: Prime Minister Jan Peter BALKENENDE (since 22 July 2002); Deputy Prime Ministers Wouter BOS (since 22 February 2007) and Andre ROUVOET (since 22 February 2007) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch elections: the monarchy is hereditary; following Second Chamber elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch; deputy prime ministers appointed by the monarch note: there is also a Council of State composed of the monarch, heir apparent, and councilors that provides consultations to the cabinet on legislative and administrative policy

Legislative branch:

bicameral States General or Staten Generaal consists of the First Chamber or Eerste Kamer (75 seats; members indirectly elected by the country's 12 provincial councils to serve four-year terms) and the Second Chamber or Tweede Kamer (150 seats; members directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: First Chamber - last held 29 May 2007 (next to be held in May 2011); Second Chamber - last held 22 November 2006 (next to be held by early 2011) election results: First Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CDA 21, PvdA 14, VVD 14, Socialist Party 11, Christian Union 4, Green Left Party 4, D66 2, other 5; Second Chamber - percent of vote by party - CDA 26.5%, PvdA 21.2%, Socialist Party 16.6%, VVD 14.6%, Party for Freedom 5.9%, Green Party 4.6%, Christian Union 4.0%, other 6.6%; seats by party - CDA 41, PvdA 33, Socialist Party 25, VVD 22, Party for Freedom 9, Green Party 7, Christian Union 6, other 7

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Hoge Raad (justices are nominated for life by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders:

Christian Democratic Appeal or CDA [Jan Peter BALKENENDE]; Christian Union Party [Andre ROUVOET]; Democrats 66 or D66 [Alexander PECHTOLD]; Green Left Party [Femke HALSEMA]; Labor Party or PvdA [Wouter BOS]; Party for Freedom or PVV [Geert WILDERS]; Party for the Animals or PvdD [Marianne THIEME]; People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (Liberal) or VVD [Mark RUTTE]; Reformed Political Party of SGP [Bas VAN DER VLIES]; Socialist Party [Jan MARIJNISSEN]; plus a few minor parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Christian Trade Union Federation or CNV [Rene PAAS]; Confederation of Netherlands Industry and Employers or VNO-NCW [Bernard WIENTJES]; Federation for Small and Medium-sized businesses or MKB [Loek HERMANS]; Netherlands Trade Union Federation or FNV [Agnes JONGERIUS]; Social Economic Council or SER [Alexander RINNOOY Kan]; Trade Union Federation of Middle and High Personnel or MHP [Ad VERHOEVEN]

International organization participation:

ADB (nonregional members), AfDB (nonregional members), Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CBSS (observer), CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Regina "Renee" JONES-BOS chancery: 4200 Linnean Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 244-5300, [1] 877-388-2443 FAX: [1] (202) 362-3430 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador James B. CULBERTSON embassy: Lange Voorhout 102, 2514 EJ, The Hague mailing address: PSC 71, Box 1000, APO AE 09715 telephone: [31] (70) 310-2209 FAX: [31] (70) 361-4688 consulate(s) general: Amsterdam

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue; similar to the flag of Luxembourg, which uses a lighter blue and is longer; one of the oldest flags in constant use, originating with WILLIAM I, Prince of Orange, in the latter half of the 16th century

Economy Netherlands

Economy - overview:

The Netherlands has a prosperous and open economy, which depends heavily on foreign trade. The economy is noted for stable industrial relations, moderate unemployment and inflation, a sizable current account surplus, and an important role as a European transportation hub. Industrial activity is predominantly in food processing, chemicals, petroleum refining, and electrical machinery. A highly mechanized agricultural sector employs no more than 3% of the labor force but provides large surpluses for the food-processing industry and for exports. The Netherlands, along with 11 of its EU partners, began circulating the euro currency on 1 January 2002. The country continues to be one of the leading European nations for attracting foreign direct investment and is one of the five largest investors in the US. The economy experienced a slowdown in 2005 but in 2006 recovered to the fastest pace in six years on the back of increased exports and strong investment. The pace of job growth reached 10-year highs in 2007.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$645.5 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$768.7 billion (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.5% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$39,000 (2007 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 2% industry: 24.4% services: 73.6% (2007 est.)

Labor force:

7.604 million (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 3% industry: 21% services: 76% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:

4.6% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

10.5% (2005)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 22.9% (1999)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

30.9 (2005)

Investment (gross fixed):

20% of GDP (2007 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $359.5 billion expenditures: $356.5 billion (2007 est.)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Public debt:

45.5% of GDP (2007 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

1.6% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

NA (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

8.72% (31 December 2007)

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:

$1.876 trillion (31 December 2007)

Agriculture - products:

grains, potatoes, sugar beets, fruits, vegetables; livestock

Industries:

agroindustries, metal and engineering products, electrical machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum, construction, microelectronics, fishing

Industrial production growth rate:

3.1% (2007 est.)

Electricity - production:

97.33 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - consumption:

109.6 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports:

5.565 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

23.14 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production by source:

fossil fuel: 89.9% hydro: 0.1% nuclear: 4.3% other: 5.7% (2001)

Oil - production:

88,950 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - consumption:

984,200 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - exports:

1.639 million bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports:

2.648 million bbl/day (2005)

Oil - proved reserves:

100 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)

Natural gas - production:

76.33 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

46.42 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

55.66 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

25.73 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

1.416 trillion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)

Current account balance:

$47.31 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$456.8 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs

Exports - partners:

Germany 24.4%, Belgium 13.6%, UK 9.1%, France 8.5%, Italy 5.1%, US 4.3% (2007)

Imports:

$406.3 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs, clothing

Imports - partners:

Germany 17.7%, China 10.5%, Belgium 9.3%, US 7.3%, UK 5.8%, Russia 5.1%, France 4.4% (2007)

Economic aid - donor:

ODA, $5.452 billion (2006)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$26.98 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$2.277 trillion (30 June 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$673.4 billion (2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$851.3 billion (2007 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$924.4 billion (November 2007)

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 Netherlands

Telephones - main lines in use:

7.334 million (2007)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

17.3 million (2006)

Telephone system:

general assessment: highly developed and well maintained domestic: extensive fixed-line fiber-optic network; large cellular telephone system with 5 major operators utilizing the third generation of the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) technology international: country code - 31; submarine cables provide links to the US and Europe; satellite earth stations - 5 (3 Intelsat - 1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean, 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (2007)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 4, FM 246, shortwave 3 (2004)

Radios:

15.3 million (1996)

Television broadcast stations:

21 (plus 26 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:

8.1 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.nl

Internet hosts:

10.983 million (2008)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

52 (2000)

Internet users:

15 million (2007)

Transportation Netherlands

Airports:

27 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 20 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 4 (2007)

Heliports:

1 (2007)

Pipelines:

condensate 81 km; gas 7,394 km; oil 578 km; refined products 716 km (2007)

Railways:

total: 2,797 km standard gauge: 2,797 km 1.435-m gauge (2,064 km electrified) (2006)

Roadways:

total: 134,981 km (includes 2,604 km of expressways) (2006)

Waterways:

6,211 km (navigable for ships of 50 tons) (2006)

Merchant marine:

total: 622 by type: bulk carrier 9, cargo 381, carrier 19, chemical tanker 44, container 76, liquefied gas 15, passenger 16, passenger/cargo 15, petroleum tanker 11, refrigerated cargo 10, roll on/roll off 23, specialized tanker 3 foreign-owned: 203 (Belgium 2, Cyprus 8, Denmark 29, Finland 14, France 1, Germany 75, Ireland 10, Italy 1, South Korea 1, Norway 12, Sweden 28, Turkey 1, UAE 5, UK 2, US 14) registered in other countries: 178 (Antigua and Barbuda 20, Australia 2, Austria 2, Bahamas 9, Cambodia 1, Canada 1, Cyprus 22, Germany 1, Gibraltar 21, Isle of Man 1, Liberia 6, Luxembourg 2, Marshall Islands 8, Netherlands Antilles 38, Panama 14, Paraguay 1, Philippines 23, Portugal 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3, US 1, unknown 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Amsterdam, IJmuiden, Rotterdam, Terneuzen, Vlissingen

Military Netherlands

Military branches:

Royal Netherlands Army, Royal Netherlands Navy (includes Naval Air Service and Marine Corps), Royal Netherlands Air Force (Koninklijke Luchtmacht, KLu), Royal Military Police (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

20 years of age for an all-volunteer force (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 3,950,825 females age 16-49: 3,850,800 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 3,233,773 females age 16-49: 3,150,790 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 105,735 female: 100,747 (2008 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.6% of GDP (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Netherlands

Disputes - international:

none

Illicit drugs:

major European producer of synthetic drugs, including ecstasy, and cannabis cultivator; important gateway for cocaine, heroin, and hashish entering Europe; major source of US-bound ecstasy; large financial sector vulnerable to money laundering; significant consumer of ecstasy

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008

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

@Netherlands Antilles

Introduction Netherlands Antilles

Background:

Once the center of the Caribbean slave trade, the island of Curacao was hard hit by the abolition of slavery in 1863. Its prosperity (and that of neighboring Aruba) was restored in the early 20th century with the construction of oil refineries to service the newly discovered Venezuelan oil fields. The island of Saint Martin is shared with France; its southern portion is named Sint Maarten and is part of the Netherlands Antilles; its northern portion, called Saint Martin, is an overseas collectivity of France.

Geography Netherlands Antilles

Location:

Caribbean, two island groups in the Caribbean Sea - composed of five islands, Curacao and Bonaire located off the coast of Venezuela, and Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius lie east of the US Virgin Islands

Geographic coordinates:

Bonaire: 12 12 N, 68 15 W Curacao: 12 10 N, 69 00 W Saba: 17 38 N, 63 14 W Sint Eustatius: 17 30 N, 62 58 W Sint Maarten: 18 04 N, 63 04 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 960 sq km land: 960 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten (Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin)

Area - comparative:

more than five times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

total: 15 km border countries: Saint Martin 15 km

Coastline:

364 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm

Climate:

tropical; ameliorated by northeast trade winds

Terrain:

generally hilly, volcanic interiors

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Scenery 862 m

Natural resources:

phosphates (Curacao only), salt (Bonaire only)

Land use:

arable land: 10% permanent crops: 0% other: 90% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius are subject to hurricanes from July to October; Curacao and Bonaire are south of Caribbean hurricane belt and are rarely threatened

Environment - current issues:

NA

Geography - note:

the five islands of the Netherlands Antilles are divided geographically into the Leeward Islands (northern) group (Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten) and the Windward Islands (southern) group (Bonaire and Curacao); the island of Saint Martin is the smallest landmass in the world shared by two independent states, the French territory of Saint Martin and the Dutch territory of Sint Maarten

People Netherlands Antilles

Population:

225,369 (July 2008 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 23.2% (male 26,749/female 25,467) 15-64 years: 67.5% (male 73,319/female 78,842) 65 years and over: 9.3% (male 8,541/female 12,451) (2008 est.)

Median age:

total: 33.4 years male: 31.6 years female: 35.2 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.754% (2008 est.)

Birth rate:

14.37 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate:

6.43 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Net migration rate:

-0.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 9.36 deaths/1,000 live births male: 10.04 deaths/1,000 live births female: 8.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 76.45 years male: 74.15 years female: 78.87 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.98 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: Dutch Antillean(s) adjective: Dutch Antillean

Ethnic groups:

mixed black 85%, other 15% (includes Carib Amerindian, white, East Asian)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 72%, Pentecostal 4.9%, Protestant 3.5%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3.1%, Methodist 2.9%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.7%, other Christian 4.2%, Jewish 1.3%, other or unspecified 1.2%, none 5.2% (2001 census)

Languages:

Papiamento 65.4% (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect), English 15.9% (widely spoken), Dutch 7.3% (official), Spanish 6.1%, Creole 1.6%, other 1.9%, unspecified 1.8% (2001 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.7% male: 96.7% female: 96.8% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 14 years male: 14 years female: 15 years (2002)

Education expenditures:

NA

Government Netherlands Antilles

Country name:

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Netherlands Antilles local long form: none local short form: Nederlandse Antillen former: Curacao and Dependencies

Dependency status:

an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs granted in 1954; Dutch Government responsible for defense and foreign affairs

Government type:

parliamentary

Capital:

name: Willemstad (on Curacao) geographic coordinates: 12 06 N, 68 56 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) note: each island has its own government

Independence:

none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

National holiday:

Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA and accession to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX), 30 April (1909 and 1980)

Constitution:

29 December 1954, Statute of the Realm of the Netherlands, as amended

Legal system:

based on Dutch civil law system with some English common law influence

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980); represented by Governor General Frits GOEDGEDRAG (since 1 July 2002) head of government: Prime Minister Emily de JONGH-ELHAGE (since 26 March 2006) cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Staten (legislature) elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch for a six-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is usually elected prime minister by the Staten; election last held 27 January 2006 (next to be held by 2010) note: government coalition - PAR, PNP, DP-St. M, UPB, WIPM Saba, DP-St. E

Legislative branch:

unicameral States or Staten (22 seats, Curacao 14, Bonaire 3, St. Maarten 3, St. Eustatius 1, Saba 1; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 27 January 2006 (next to be held in 2010) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PAR 5, MAN 3, FOL 2, Forsa Korsou 2, National Alliance 2, PNP 2, UPB 2, DP-St. E 1, DP-St. M 1, PDB 1, WIPM 1 note: the government is a coalition of several parties

Judicial branch:

Joint High Court of Justice (judges appointed by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders:

Bonaire: Democratic Party of Bonaire or PDB [Jopi ABRAHAM]; Patriotic Union of Bonaire or UPB [Ramonsito BOOI] Curacao: Ban Vota [Norbert GEORGE]; C-93 [Stanley BROWN]; Democratic Party of Curacao or DP [Errol HERNANDEZ]; E Mayoria [Aurelio PEDRO]; Forsa Korsou [Nelson NAVARRO]; Liste Ni'un Paso Atras [Nelson PIERRE]; Movemiento Patriotiko Korsou [Reginald LAK]; New Antilles Movement or MAN [Charles COOPER]; Partido Akshon Pa Prosperidat I Seguridat [Sonja BERKEMEYER]; Partido Laboral Krusada Popular or PLKP [Errol COVA]; Party for the Restructured Antilles or PAR [Emily de JONGH-ELHAGE]; People's National Party or PNP [Ersilia DE LANNOOY]; Pidjin [Jasmin PINEDO]; Pueblo Soberano [Herman WIELS]; Workers' Liberation Front or FOL [Anthony GODETT] Saba: Saba Labor Party [Akilah LEVENSTONE]; Windward Islands People's Movement or WIPM [Ray HASSELL] Sint Eustatius: Democratic Party of Sint Eustatius or DP-St. E [Julian WOODLEY]; Progressive Labor Party [Clyde VAN PUTTEN]; St. Eustatius Alliance [Ingrid HOUTMAN-WHITFIELD] Sint Maarten: Democratic Party of Sint Maarten or DP-St. M [Sarah WESCOTT-WILLIAMS]; Freedom Slate of National Democratic Party [Theophilus PRIEST]; National Alliance or NA [William MARLIN]; People's Progressive Alliance or PPA [Gracita ARRINDELL]; St. Maarten People's Party [Johan LEONARD]; United People's Labor Party [Bienvenido RICHARDSON] note: political parties are indigenous to each island

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Employers Association (VBC); Unions (AVBO)

International organization participation:

Caricom (observer), ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCL, WCO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands); note - Mr. Jeffrey CORRION, Minister Plenipotentiary for Aruba at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Consul General Robert E. SORENSON consulate(s) general: J. B. Gorsiraweg #1, Willemstad, Curacao mailing address: P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao telephone: [599] (9) 461-3066 FAX: [599] (9) 461-6489

Flag description:

white, with a horizontal blue stripe in the center superimposed on a vertical red band, also centered; five white, five-pointed stars are arranged in an oval pattern in the center of the blue band; the five stars represent the five main islands of Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten

Economy Netherlands Antilles

Economy - overview:

Tourism, petroleum refining, and offshore finance are the mainstays of this small economy, which is closely tied to the outside world. Although GDP has declined or grown slightly in each of the past eight years, the islands enjoy a high per capita income and a well-developed infrastructure compared with other countries in the region. Most of the oil Netherlands Antilles imports for its refineries come from Venezuela. Almost all consumer and capital goods are imported, the US, Italy, and Mexico being the major suppliers. Poor soils and inadequate water supplies hamper the development of agriculture. Budgetary problems hamper reform of the health and pension systems of an aging population. The Netherlands provides financial aid to support the economy.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$2.8 billion (2004 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$NA

GDP - real growth rate:

1% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$16,000 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 1% industry: 15% services: 84% (2000 est.)

Labor force:

83,600 (2005)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 1% industry: 20% services: 79% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:

17% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $757.9 million expenditures: $949.5 million (2004)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.1% (2003 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

NA (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

9.21% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$1.133 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$2.309 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$2.927 billion (31 December 2007)

Agriculture - products:

aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit

Industries:

tourism (Curacao, Sint Maarten, and Bonaire), petroleum refining (Curacao), petroleum transshipment facilities (Curacao and Bonaire), light manufacturing (Curacao)

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

1.195 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - consumption:

992 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 (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

67,450 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports:

206,900 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports:

277,600 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.)

Exports:

$3.71 billion f.o.b. (2006)

Exports - commodities:

petroleum products

Exports - partners:

US 18.9%, Mexico 13.3%, Panama 11.4%, Singapore 6.9%, Haiti 6.6%, Bahamas, The 5.3% (2007)

Imports:

$15.74 billion f.o.b. (2006)

Imports - commodities:

crude petroleum, food, manufactures

Imports - partners:

Venezuela 59.1%, US 17.7%, Brazil 7.1% (2007)

Economic aid - recipient:

$21.32 million (2004)

Debt - external:

$2.68 billion (2004)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$NA

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$488.6 billion (2003)

Currency (code):

Netherlands Antillean guilder (ANG)

Currency code:

ANG

Exchange rates:

Netherlands Antillean guilders (ANG) per US dollar - NA (2007), 1.79 (2006), 1.79 (2005), 1.79 (2004), 1.79 (2003)

Communications Netherlands Antilles

Telephones - main lines in use:

81,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

200,000 (2004)

Telephone system:

general assessment: generally adequate facilities domestic: extensive interisland microwave radio relay links international: country code - 599; the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) and the Americas-2 submarine cable systems provide connectivity to Central America, parts of South America and the Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 8, FM 19, shortwave 0 (2003)

Radios:

217,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

3 (there is also a cable service that supplies programs received from various US satellite networks and 4 Venezuelan channels) (2003)

Televisions:

69,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.an

Internet hosts:

47,597 (2008)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

6

Internet users:

2,000 (2000)

Transportation Netherlands Antilles

Airports:

5 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007)

Roadways:

total: 845

Merchant marine:

total: 147 by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 2, cargo 72, carrier 19, chemical tanker 2, container 8, liquefied gas 1, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 27, roll on/roll off 6, specialized tanker 3 foreign-owned: 123 (Belgium 1, Cuba 1, Cyprus 21, Denmark 2, Germany 43, Hong Kong 2, Netherlands 38, Norway 3, Sweden 1, Turkey 10, US 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Bopec Terminal, Willemstad

Military Netherlands Antilles

Military branches:

no regular military forces; National Guard (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

16 years of age for National Guard recruitment; no conscription (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 55,365 females age 16-49: 57,060 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 46,102 females age 16-49: 47,219 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 1,855 female: 1,760 (2008 est.)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Transnational Issues Netherlands Antilles

Disputes - international:

none

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for South American drugs bound for the US and Europe; money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008

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

@New Caledonia

Introduction New Caledonia

Background:

Settled by both Britain and France during the first half of the 19th century, the island was made a French possession in 1853. It served as a penal colony for four decades after 1864. Agitation for independence during the 1980s and early 1990s ended in the 1998 Noumea Accord, which over a period of 15 to 20 years will transfer an increasing amount of governing responsibility from France to New Caledonia. The agreement also commits France to conduct as many as three referenda between 2013 and 2018, to decide whether New Caledonia should assume full sovereignty and independence.

Geography New Caledonia

Location:

Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia

Geographic coordinates:

21 30 S, 165 30 E

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 19,060 sq km land: 18,575 sq km water: 485 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

2,254 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid

Terrain:

coastal plains with interior mountains

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Panie 1,628 m

Natural resources:

nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold, lead, copper

Land use:

arable land: 0.32% permanent crops: 0.22% other: 99.46% (2005)

Irrigated land:

100 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

cyclones, most frequent from November to March

Environment - current issues:

erosion caused by mining exploitation and forest fires

Geography - note:

consists of the main island of New Caledonia (one of the largest in the Pacific Ocean), the archipelago of Iles Loyaute, and numerous small, sparsely populated islands and atolls

People New Caledonia

Population:

224,824 (July 2008 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 27.3% (male 31,376/female 30,064) 15-64 years: 65.6% (male 74,064/female 73,369) 65 years and over: 7.1% (male 7,377/female 8,574) (2008 est.)

Median age:

total: 28.4 years male: 28 years female: 28.8 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.175% (2008 est.)

Birth rate:

17.39 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate:

5.64 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Net migration rate:

NA note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New Caledonia (2008 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 7.19 deaths/1,000 live births male: 7.85 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 74.75 years male: 71.76 years female: 77.88 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.21 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: New Caledonian(s) adjective: New Caledonian

Ethnic groups:

Melanesian 44.1%, European 34.1%, Wallisian & Futunian 9%, Tahitian 2.6%, Indonesian 2.5%, Vietnamese 1.4%, Ni-Vanuatu 1.1%, other 5.2% (1996 census)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10%

Languages:

French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.2% male: 96.8% female: 95.5% (1996 census)

Government New Caledonia

Country name:

conventional long form: Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies conventional short form: New Caledonia local long form: Territoire des Nouvelle-Caledonie et Dependances local short form: Nouvelle-Caledonie

Dependency status:

territorial collectivity of France since 1998

Government type:

NA

Capital:

name: Noumea geographic coordinates: 22 16 S, 166 27 E time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 3 provinces named Province des Iles, Province Nord, and Province Sud

Independence:

none (overseas territory of France); note - a referendum on independence was held in 1998 but did not pass; a new referendum is scheduled for 2014

National holiday:

Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:

4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:

based on French civil law; the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy to the islands

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007); represented by High Commissioner Yves DASSONVILLE (since 9 November 2007) head of government: President of the Government Harold MARTIN (since 7 August 2007) cabinet: Cabinet consisting of 11 members elected from and by the Territorial Congress elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the government elected by the members of the Territorial Congress for a five-year term (no term limits); note - last election held 7 August 2007 when Harold MARTIN was elected following the resignation of Marie-Noelle THEMEREAU as president on 24 July 2007 (next to be held in 2012)

Legislative branch:

unicameral Territorial Congress or Congres du territoire (54 seats; members belong to the three Provincial Assemblies or Assemblees Provinciales elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 9 May 2004 (next to be held in 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPCR-UMP 16, AE 16, UNI-FLNKS 8, UC 7, FN 4, others 3 note: New Caledonia currently holds one seat in the French Senate; by 2010, New Caledonia will gain a second seat in the French Senate; elections last held 24 September 2001 (next to be held not later than September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 1; New Caledonia also elects two seats to the French National Assembly; elections last held 10 and 17 June 2007 (next to be held on June 2012); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 2

Judicial branch:

Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; County Courts; Joint Commerce Tribunal Court; Children's Court

Political parties and leaders:

Alliance pour la Caledonie or APLC [Didier LE ROUX]; Caledonian Union or UC; Federation des Comites de Coordination des Independantistes or FCCI [Francois BURCK]; Front National or FN [Guy GEORGE]; Front Uni de Liberation Kanak or FULK [Ernest UNE]; Kanak Socialist Front for National Liberation or FLNKS (includes PALIKA, UNI, UC, and UPM); Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA [Paul NEAOUTYINE and Elie POIGOUNE]; Rally for Caledonia in the Republic (anti independence) or RPCR-UMP [Jacques LAFLEUR]; The Future Together or AE [Harold MARTIN]; Union Nationale pour l'Independance or UNI [Paul NEAOUTYINE]; note - may no longer exist, but Paul NEAOUTYINE has since become a president of Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA; Union Progressiste Melanesienne or UPM [Victor TUTUGORO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ITUC, PIF (associate member), SPC, UPU, WFTU, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (overseas territory of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (overseas territory of France)

Flag description:

the flag of France is used

Economy New Caledonia

Economy - overview:

New Caledonia has about 25% of the world's known nickel resources. Only a small amount of the land is suitable for cultivation, and food accounts for about 20% of imports. In addition to nickel, substantial financial support from France - equal to more than 15% of GDP - and tourism are keys to the health of the economy. Substantial new investment in the nickel industry, combined with the recovery of global nickel prices, brightens the economic outlook for the next several years.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$3.158 billion (2003 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$3.3 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$15,000 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 15% industry: 8.8% services: 76.2% (2003)

Labor force:

78,990 (2004)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 20% industry: 20% services: 60% (2002)

Unemployment rate:

17.1% (2004)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $996 million expenditures: $1.072 billion (2001 est.)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

1.4% (2000 est.)

Agriculture - products:

vegetables; beef, deer, other livestock products; fish

Industries:

nickel mining and smelting

Industrial production growth rate:

-0.6% (1996)

Electricity - production:

1.602 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - consumption:

1.49 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production by source:

fossil fuel: 76.3% hydro: 23.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - consumption:

11,560 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports:

356.2 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports:

11,780 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.)

Exports:

$1.341 billion f.o.b. (2006)

Exports - commodities:

ferronickels, nickel ore, fish

Exports - partners:

Japan 20.1%, China 14.5%, Taiwan 14.2%, France 11.6%, Belgium 10.4%, Spain 8.6%, South Africa 6.9% (2007)

Imports:

$1.998 billion f.o.b. (2006)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

France 36.7%, Singapore 14.7%, Australia 12.1%, NZ 5.2%, Germany 4.6% (2007)

Economic aid - recipient:

$524.3 million annual subsidy from France (2004)

Debt - external:

$79 million (1998 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Currency (code):

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)

Currency code:

XPF

Exchange rates:

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 87.59 (2007), 95.025 (2006), 95.89 (2005), 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003)

Communications New Caledonia

Telephones - main lines in use:

60,200 (2007)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

176,400 (2007)

Telephone system:

general assessment: NA domestic: a submarine cable network connection between New Caledonia and Australia, completed in 2007, is expected to significantly increase network capacity and improve high-speed connectivity and access to international networks international: country code - 687; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2007)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:

107,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

6 (plus 25 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:

52,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.nc

Internet hosts:

15,487 (2008)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2000)

Internet users:

80,000 (2006)

Transportation New Caledonia

Airports:

25 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 12 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 2 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 6 (2007)

Heliports:

6 (2007)

Roadways:

total: 5,622 km (2006)

Merchant marine:

total: 2 by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 1 (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Noumea

Military New Caledonia

Military branches:

no regular indigenous military forces; French Armed Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie); Police Force

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 57,738 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 47,342 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 2,202 female: 2,121 (2008 est.)

Military expenditures:

NA

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues New Caledonia

Disputes - international:

Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by France and Vanuatu

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008

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

@New Zealand

Introduction New Zealand

Background:

The Polynesian Maori reached New Zealand in about A.D. 800. In 1840, their chieftains entered into a compact with Britain, the Treaty of Waitangi, in which they ceded sovereignty to Queen Victoria while retaining territorial rights. In that same year, the British began the first organized colonial settlement. A series of land wars between 1843 and 1872 ended with the defeat of the native peoples. The British colony of New Zealand became an independent dominion in 1907 and supported the UK militarily in both World Wars. New Zealand's full participation in a number of defense alliances lapsed by the 1980s. In recent years, the government has sought to address longstanding Maori grievances.

Geography New Zealand

Location:

Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia

Geographic coordinates:

41 00 S, 174 00 E

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 268,680 sq km land: 268,021 sq km water: NA note: includes Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Bounty Islands, Campbell Island, Chatham Islands, and Kermadec Islands

Area - comparative:

about the size of Colorado

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

15,134 km

Maritime claims:

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

Climate:

temperate with sharp regional contrasts

Terrain:

predominately mountainous with some large coastal plains

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Aoraki-Mount Cook 3,754 m

Natural resources:

natural gas, iron ore, sand, coal, timber, hydropower, gold, limestone

Land use:

arable land: 5.54% permanent crops: 6.92% other: 87.54% (2005)

Irrigated land:

2,850 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

397 cu km (1995)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 2.11 cu km/yr (48%/9%/42%) per capita: 524 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

earthquakes are common, though usually not severe; volcanic activity

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; soil erosion; native flora and fauna hard-hit by invasive species

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Antarctic Seals, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:

about 80% of the population lives in cities; Wellington is the southernmost national capital in the world

People New Zealand

Population:

4,173,460 (July 2008 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 20.9% (male 446,883/female 424,240) 15-64 years: 66.5% (male 1,390,669/female 1,385,686) 65 years and over: 12.6% (male 238,560/female 287,422) (2008 est.)

Median age:

total: 36.3 years male: 35.6 years female: 37.1 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.971% (2008 est.)

Birth rate:

14.09 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate:

7 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Net migration rate:

2.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 4.99 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.62 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 80.24 years male: 78.33 years female: 82.25 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.11 children born/woman (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

1,400 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: New Zealander(s) adjective: New Zealand

Ethnic groups:

European 69.8%, Maori 7.9%, Asian 5.7%, Pacific islander 4.4%, other 0.5%, mixed 7.8%, unspecified 3.8% (2001 census)

Religions:

Anglican 14.9%, Roman Catholic 12.4%, Presbyterian 10.9%, Methodist 2.9%, Pentecostal 1.7%, Baptist 1.3%, other Christian 9.4%, other 3.3%, unspecified 17.2%, none 26% (2001 census)

Languages:

English (official), Maori (official), Sign Language (official)

Literacy:

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

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 19 years male: 19 years female: 20 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

6.2% of GDP (2006)

Government New Zealand

Country name:

conventional long form: none conventional short form: New Zealand abbreviation: NZ

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Wellington geographic coordinates: 41 28 S, 174 51 E time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in October; ends third Sunday in March note: New Zealand is divided into two time zones, including Chatham Island

Administrative divisions:

16 regions and 1 territory*; Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Canterbury, Chatham Islands*, Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, Manawatu-Wanganui, Marlborough, Nelson, Northland, Otago, Southland, Taranaki, Tasman, Waikato, Wellington, West Coast

Dependent areas:

Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau

Independence:

26 September 1907 (from UK)

National holiday:

Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840); ANZAC Day (commemorated as the anniversary of the landing of troops of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps during World War I at Gallipoli, Turkey), 25 April (1915)

Constitution:

consists of a series of legal documents, including certain acts of the UK and New Zealand Parliaments, as well as The Constitution Act 1986, which is the principal formal charter; adopted 1 January 1987, effective 1 January 1987

Legal system:

based on English law, with special land legislation and land courts for the Maori; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Anand SATYANAND (since 23 August 2006) head of government: Prime Minister John KEY (since 19 November 2008); Deputy Prime Minister Bill ENGLISH (since 19 November 2008) cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general

Legislative branch:

unicameral House of Representatives - commonly called Parliament (usually 120 seats; 69 members elected by popular vote in single-member constituencies including 7 Maori constituencies, and 51 proportional seats chosen from party lists; to serve three-year terms) elections: last held 8 November 2008 (next to be held in 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - NP 45.5%, NZLP 33.8%, Green Party 6.4%, ACT New Zealand 3.7%, Maori 2.2%, Progressive 0.9%, UF 0.9%, other 6.6%; seats by party - NP 59, NZLP 43, Green Party 8, ACT New Zealand 5, Maori 5, Progressive 1, UF 1 note: results of 2008 election saw the total number of seats increase to 122

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; High Court; note - judges appointed by the Governor-General

Political parties and leaders:

ACT New Zealand [Rodney HIDE]; Green Party [Jeanette FITZSIMONS]; Maori Party [Whatarangi WINIATA]; National Party or NP [John KEY]; New Zealand First Party or NZFP [Winston PETERS]; New Zealand Labor Party or NZLP [Phil GOFF]; Progressive Party [James (Jim) ANDERTON]; United Future or UF [Peter DUNNE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Women's Electoral Lobby or WEL other: apartheid groups; civil rights groups; farmers groups; Maori; nuclear weapons groups; women's rights groups

International organization participation:

ADB, ANZUS (US suspended security obligations to NZ on 11 August 1986), APEC, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, NAM (guest), NSG, OECD, OPCW, PCA, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Roy N. FERGUSON chancery: 37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 328-4800 FAX: [1] (202) 667-5227 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador William P. McCORMICK embassy: 29 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington mailing address: P. O. Box 1190, Wellington; PSC 467, Box 1, APO AP 96531-1034 telephone: [64] (4) 462-6000 FAX: [64] (4) 499-0490 consulate(s) general: Auckland

Flag description:

blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant with four red five-pointed stars edged in white centered in the outer half of the flag; the stars represent the Southern Cross constellation

Government - note:

while not an official symbol, the Kiwi, a small native flightless bird, represents New Zealand

Economy New Zealand

Economy - overview:

Over the past 20 years the government has transformed New Zealand from an agrarian economy dependent on concessionary British market access to a more industrialized, free market economy that can compete globally. This dynamic growth has boosted real incomes - but left behind many at the bottom of the ladder - and broadened and deepened the technological capabilities of the industrial sector. Per capita income has risen for eight consecutive years and reached $27,300 in 2007 in purchasing power parity terms. Consumer and government spending have driven growth in recent years, and exports picked up in 2006 after struggling for several years. Exports were equal to about 22% of GDP in 2007, down from 33% of GDP in 2001. Thus far the economy has been resilient, and the Labor Government promises that expenditures on health, education, and pensions will increase proportionately to output. Inflationary pressures have built in recent years and the central bank raised its key rate 13 times since January 2004 to finish 2007 at 8.25%. A large balance of payments deficit poses another challenge in managing the economy.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$112.4 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$128.1 billion (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.1% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$27,200 (2007 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 4.5% industry: 26.2% services: 69.3% (2007 est.)

Labor force:

2.236 million (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 7% industry: 19% services: 74% (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate:

3.6% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: %NA highest 10%: %NA

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

36.2 (1997)

Investment (gross fixed):

23.3% of GDP (2007 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $58.31 billion expenditures: $53.5 billion (2007 est.)

Fiscal year:

1 April - 31 March note: this is the fiscal year for tax purposes

Public debt:

20.7% of GDP (2007 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.4% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

8.25% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

12.83% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$24.2 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$117.8 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$200.1 billion (31 December 2007)

Agriculture - products:

dairy products, lamb and mutton; wheat, barley, potatoes, pulses, fruits, vegetables; wool, beef; fish

Industries:

food processing, wood and paper products, textiles, machinery, transportation equipment, banking and insurance, tourism, mining

Industrial production growth rate:

1.5% (2007 est.)

Electricity - production:

42.41 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - consumption:

38.93 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production by source:

fossil fuel: 31.6% hydro: 57.8% nuclear: 0% other: 10.7% (2001)

Oil - production:

47,850 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - consumption:

158,400 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - exports:

14,570 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports:

137,300 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - proved reserves:

55 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)

Natural gas - production:

4.573 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

4.572 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

29.67 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)

Current account balance:

-$10.23 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$27.35 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

dairy products, meat, wood and wood products, fish, machinery

Exports - partners:

Australia 22%, US 11.5%, Japan 9.2%, China 5.3%, UK 4.6% (2007)

Imports:

$29.06 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, vehicles and aircraft, petroleum, electronics, textiles, plastics

Imports - partners:

Australia 20.7%, China 13.4%, US 9.7%, Japan 9.5%, Singapore 4.9%, Germany 4.7% (2007)

Economic aid - donor:

ODA, $259 million (2006)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$17.25 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$51.44 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$71.31 billion (2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$NA

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$40.62 billion (2005)

Currency (code):

New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Currency code:

NZD

Exchange rates:

New Zealand dollars (NZD) per US dollar - 1.3811 (2007), 1.5408 (2006), 1.4203 (2005), 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221 (2003)

Communications New Zealand

Telephones - main lines in use:

1.706 million (2007)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

4.245 million (2007)

Telephone system:

general assessment: excellent domestic and international systems domestic: NA international: country code - 64; the Southern Cross submarine cable system provides links to Australia, Fiji, and the US; satellite earth stations - 8 (1 Inmarsat - Pacific Ocean, 7 other)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 124, FM 290, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios:

3.75 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

41 (plus about 700 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:

1.926 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.nz

Internet hosts:

1.72 million (2008)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

36 (2000)

Internet users:

3.36 million (2007)

Transportation New Zealand

Airports:

121 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 41 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 26 under 914 m: 1 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 80 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 31 under 914 m: 46 (2007)

Pipelines:

condensate 331 km; gas 1,896 km; liquid petroleum gas 172 km; oil 288 km; refined products 260 km (2007)

Railways:

total: 4,128 km narrow gauge: 4,128 km 1.067-m gauge (506 km electrified) (2006)

Roadways:

total: 93,576 km paved: 61,564 km (includes 172 km of expressways) unpaved: 32,012 km (2006)

Merchant marine:

total: 13 by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 2, chemical tanker 1, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 2 foreign-owned: 3 (Australia 1, Germany 1, South Africa 1) registered in other countries: 5 (Antigua and Barbuda 2, Cook Islands 1, France 1, UK 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Auckland, Lyttelton, Marsden Point, Tauranga, Wellington, Whangarei

Military New Zealand

Military branches:

New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF): New Zealand Army, Royal New Zealand Navy, Royal New Zealand Air Force (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

17 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers cannot be deployed until the age of 18; no conscription (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,009,298 females age 16-49: 997,134 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 833,073 females age 16-49: 822,807 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 31,834 female: 30,243 (2008 est.)

Military expenditures:

1% of GDP (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues New Zealand

Disputes - international:

asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Ross Dependency)

Illicit drugs:

significant consumer of amphetamines

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008

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

@Nicaragua

Introduction Nicaragua

Background:

The Pacific coast of Nicaragua was settled as a Spanish colony from Panama in the early 16th century. Independence from Spain was declared in 1821 and the country became an independent republic in 1838. Britain occupied the Caribbean Coast in the first half of the 19th century, but gradually ceded control of the region in subsequent decades. Violent opposition to governmental manipulation and corruption spread to all classes by 1978 and resulted in a short-lived civil war that brought the Marxist Sandinista guerrillas to power in 1979. Nicaraguan aid to leftist rebels in El Salvador caused the US to sponsor anti-Sandinista contra guerrillas through much of the 1980s. Free elections in 1990, 1996, and 2001, saw the Sandinistas defeated, but voting in 2006 announced the return of former Sandinista President Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra. Nicaragua's infrastructure and economy - hard hit by the earlier civil war and by Hurricane Mitch in 1998 - are slowly being rebuilt.

Geography Nicaragua

Location:

Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and Honduras

Geographic coordinates:

13 00 N, 85 00 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 129,494 sq km land: 120,254 sq km water: 9,240 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than the state of New York

Land boundaries:

total: 1,231 km border countries: Costa Rica 309 km, Honduras 922 km

Coastline:

910 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: natural prolongation

Climate:

tropical in lowlands, cooler in highlands

Terrain:

extensive Atlantic coastal plains rising to central interior mountains; narrow Pacific coastal plain interrupted by volcanoes

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mogoton 2,438 m

Natural resources:

gold, silver, copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, timber, fish

Land use:

arable land: 14.81% permanent crops: 1.82% other: 83.37% (2005)

Irrigated land:

610 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

196.7 cu km (2000)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 1.3 cu km/yr (15%/2%/83%) per capita: 237 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

destructive earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides; extremely susceptible to hurricanes

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note:

largest country in Central America; contains the largest freshwater body in Central America, Lago de Nicaragua

People Nicaragua

Population:

5,785,846 (July 2008 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 34.6% (male 1,019,281/female 981,903) 15-64 years: 62.1% (male 1,792,398/female 1,803,133) 65 years and over: 3.3% (male 82,840/female 106,291) (2008 est.)

Median age:

total: 21.7 years male: 21.3 years female: 22.1 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.825% (2008 est.)

Birth rate:

23.7 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate:

4.33 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Net migration rate:

-1.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 25.91 deaths/1,000 live births male: 29.06 deaths/1,000 live births female: 22.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 71.21 years male: 69.08 years female: 73.44 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.63 children born/woman (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

6,400 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 500 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: dengue fever and malaria water contact disease: leptospirosis (2008)

Nationality:

noun: Nicaraguan(s) adjective: Nicaraguan

Ethnic groups:

mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 69%, white 17%, black 9%, Amerindian 5%

Religions:

Roman Catholic 58.5%, Evangelical 21.6%, Moravian 1.6%, Jehovah's Witness 0.9%, other 1.7%, none 15.7% (2005 census)

Languages:

Spanish 97.5% (official), Miskito 1.7%, other 0.8% (1995 census) note: English and indigenous languages on Atlantic coast

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 67.5% male: 67.2% female: 67.8% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 11 years male: 11 years female: 11 years (2003)

Education expenditures:

3.1% of GDP (2003)

Government Nicaragua

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Nicaragua conventional short form: Nicaragua local long form: Republica de Nicaragua local short form: Nicaragua

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Managua geographic coordinates: 12 09 N, 86 17 W time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

15 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 2 autonomous regions* (regiones autonomistas, singular - region autonoma); Atlantico Norte*, Atlantico Sur*, Boaco, Carazo, Chinandega, Chontales, Esteli, Granada, Jinotega, Leon, Madriz, Managua, Masaya, Matagalpa, Nueva Segovia, Rio San Juan, Rivas

Independence:

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution:

9 January 1987; reforms in 1995, 2000, and 2005

Legal system:

civil law system; Supreme Court may review administrative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

16 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (since 10 January 2007); Vice President Jaime MORALES Carazo (since 10 January 2007); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (since 10 January 2007); Vice President Jaime MORALES Carazo (since 10 January 2007) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term so long as it is not consecutive); election last held 5 November 2006 (next to be held by November 2011) election results: Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra elected president - 38.07%, Eduardo MONTEALEGRE 29%, Jose RIZO 26.21%, Edmundo JARQUIN 6.44%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (92 seats; 90 members are elected by proportional representation and party lists to serve five-year terms; 1 seat for the previous president, 1 seat for the runner-up in previous presidential election) elections: last held 5 November 2006 (next to be held by November 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FSLN 38, PLC 25, ALN 23 (22 plus one for presidential candidate Eduardo MONTEALEGRE, runner-up in the 2006 presidential election), MRS 5, APRE 1 (outgoing President Enrique BOLANOS)

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Corte Suprema de Justicia (16 judges elected for five-year terms by the National Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:

Conservative Party or PC [Azalia AVILES Salmeron]; Liberal Constitutionalist Party or PLC [Jorge CASTILLO Quant]; Nicaraguan Liberal Alliance or ALN [Eduardo MONTEALEGRE]; Sandinista National Liberation Front or FSLN [Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra]; Sandinista Renovation Movement or MRS [Enrique SAENZ Navarrete]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

National Workers Front or FNT (a Sandinista umbrella group of eight labor unions including: Farm Workers Association or ATC, Health Workers Federation or FETASALUD, Heroes and Martyrs Confederation of Professional Associations or CONAPRO, National Association of Educators of Nicaragua or ANDEN, National Union of Employees or UNE, National Union of Farmers and Ranchers or UNAG, Sandinista Workers Central or CST, and Union of Journalists of Nicaragua or UPN); Permanent Congress of Workers or CPT (an umbrella group of four non-Sandinista labor unions including: Autonomous Nicaraguan Workers Central or CTN-A, Confederation of Labor Unification or CUS, Independent General Confederation of Labor or CGT-I, and Labor Action and Unity Central or CAUS); Nicaraguan Workers' Central or CTN (an independent labor union); Superior Council of Private Enterprise or COSEP (a confederation of business groups)

International organization participation:

BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Arturo CRUZ Sequeira, Jr. chancery: 1627 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 939-6570, [1] (202) 939-6573 FAX: [1] (202) 939-6545 consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Paul A. TRIVELLI embassy: Kilometer 5.5 Carretera Sur, Managua mailing address: American Embassy Managua, APO AA 34021 telephone: [505] 252-7100, 252-7888; 252-7634 (after hours) FAX: [505] 252-7304

Flag description:

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

Economy Nicaragua

Economy - overview:

Nicaragua has widespread underemployment, one of the highest degrees of income inequality in the world, and the third lowest per capita income in the Western Hemisphere. While the country has progressed toward macroeconomic stability in the past few years, annual GDP growth has been far too low to meet the country's needs, forcing the country to rely on international economic assistance to meet fiscal and debt financing obligations. In early 2004, Nicaragua secured some $4.5 billion in foreign debt reduction under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative, and in October 2007, the IMF approved a new poverty reduction and growth facility (PRGF) program that should create fiscal space for social spending and investment. The continuity of a relationship with the IMF reinforces donor confidence, despite private sector concerns surrounding ORTEGA, which has dampened investment. The US-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) has been in effect since April 2006 and has expanded export opportunities for many agricultural and manufactured goods. Energy shortages fueled by high oil prices, however, are a serious bottleneck to growth.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$16.17 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$5.723 billion (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.8% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,800 (2007 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 16.9% industry: 25.8% services: 57.2% (2007 est.)

Labor force:

2.262 million (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 29% industry: 19% services: 52% (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate:

4.9% plus underemployment of 46.5% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

48% (2005)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.2% highest 10%: 33.8% (2001)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

43.1 (2001)

Investment (gross fixed):

31.8% of GDP (2007 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $1.115 billion expenditures: $1.291 billion (2007 est.)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Public debt:

62.9% of GDP (2007 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

11.1% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

NA (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

13.04% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$465.1 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$1.802 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$4.133 billion (31 December 2007)

Agriculture - products:

coffee, bananas, sugarcane, cotton, rice, corn, tobacco, sesame, soya, beans; beef, veal, pork, poultry, dairy products; shrimp, lobsters

Industries:

food processing, chemicals, machinery and metal products, textiles, clothing, petroleum refining and distribution, beverages, footwear, wood

Industrial production growth rate:

5% (2007 est.)

Electricity - production:

3.012 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - consumption:

2.413 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

63.95 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production by source:

fossil fuel: 83.9% hydro: 7.7% nuclear: 0% other: 8.4% (2001)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

28,880 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports:

808.5 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports:

29,700 bbl/day (2005 est.)

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: