Introductory material (continued 36)

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ADB (nonregional members), AfDB (nonregional members), Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, ESA, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Urs ZISWILER chancery: 2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 745-7900 FAX: [1] (202) 387-2564 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Peter R. CONEWAY embassy: Sulgeneckstrasse 19, CH-3007 Bern mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [41] (031) 357 70 11 FAX: [41] (031) 357 73 44

Flag description:

red square with a bold, equilateral white cross in the center that does not extend to the edges of the flag

Economy Switzerland

Economy - overview:

Switzerland is a peaceful, prosperous, and stable modern market economy with low unemployment, a highly skilled labor force, and a per capita GDP larger than that of the big Western European economies. The Swiss in recent years have brought their economic practices largely into conformity with the EU's to enhance their international competitiveness. Switzerland remains a safehaven for investors, because it has maintained a degree of bank secrecy and has kept up the franc's long-term external value. Reflecting the anemic economic conditions of Europe, GDP growth stagnated during the 2001-03 period, improved during 2004-05, and jumped to 2.9% in 2006, and 2.6% in 2007. Unemployment has remained at less than half the EU average.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$303.2 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$423.9 billion (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.1% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$40,100 (2007 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 1.5% industry: 34% services: 64.5% (2003 est.)

Labor force:

3.954 million (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 4.6% industry: 26.3% services: 69.1% (1998)

Unemployment rate:

2.8% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 25.9% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

33.7 (2000)

Investment (gross fixed):

21.5% of GDP (2007 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $150.6 billion expenditures: $141.5 billion (2007 est.)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Public debt:

44.2% of GDP (2007 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

0.7% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

2.05% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

3.15% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$213.9 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$450.7 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$855.4 billion (31 December 2007)

Agriculture - products:

grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs

Industries:

machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments, tourism, banking, and insurance

Industrial production growth rate:

6.5% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:

64.56 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - consumption:

58.77 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports:

36.88 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

34.82 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production by source:

fossil fuel: 1.3% hydro: 59.5% nuclear: 37.1% other: 2% (2001)

Oil - production:

3,202 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - consumption:

244,900 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - exports:

9,370 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports:

274,900 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - proved reserves:

NA

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

3.232 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

3.232 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Current account balance:

$72.35 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$200.1 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, agricultural products

Exports - partners:

Germany 20.3%, US 9.7%, Italy 8.7%, France 8.4%, UK 5.1% (2007)

Imports:

$187.1 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery, chemicals, vehicles, metals; agricultural products, textiles

Imports - partners:

Germany 32.6%, Italy 10.8%, France 9.5%, US 5.8%, Netherlands 4.6%, Austria 4.2%, UK 4.2% (2007)

Economic aid - donor:

ODA, $1.646 billion (2006)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$75.37 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:

$1.34 trillion (30 June 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$306.4 billion (2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$605.6 billion (2007 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$938.6 billion (2005)

Currency (code):

Swiss franc (CHF)

Currency code:

CHF

Exchange rates:

Swiss francs (CHF) per US dollar - 1.1973 (2007), 1.2539 (2006), 1.2452 (2005), 1.2435 (2004), 1.3467 (2003)

Communications Switzerland

Telephones - main lines in use:

5 million (2007)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

8.096 million (2007)

Telephone system:

general assessment: highly developed telecommunications infrastructure with excellent domestic and international services domestic: ranked among leading countries for fixed-line teledensity and infrastructure; mobile-cellular subscribership roughly 100 per 100 persons; extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks international: country code - 41; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 4, FM 113 (plus many low-power stations), shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:

7.1 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

115 (plus 1,919 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:

3.31 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.ch

Internet hosts:

3.437 million (2008)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

44 (Switzerland and Liechtenstein) (2000)

Internet users:

4.61 million (2007)

Transportation Switzerland

Airports:

65 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 42 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 16 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 23 under 914 m: 23 (2007)

Heliports:

2 (2007)

Pipelines:

gas 1,781 km; oil 94 km; refined products 7 km (2007)

Railways:

total: 4,839 km standard gauge: 3,561 km 1.435-m gauge (3,195 km electrified) narrow gauge: 1,268 km 1.000-m gauge (1,274 km electrified); 10 km 0.800-m gauge (10 km electrified) (2006)

Roadways:

total: 71,298 km paved: 71,298 km (includes 1,758 of expressways) (2006)

Waterways:

65 km (Rhine River between Basel-Rheinfelden and Schaffhausen-Bodensee) (2003)

Merchant marine:

total: 35 by type: bulk carrier 13, cargo 9, chemical tanker 6, container 6, specialized tanker 1 registered in other countries: 106 (Antigua and Barbuda 8, Bahamas 1, France 3, Italy 8, Liberia 13, Malta 20, Marshall Islands 12, Panama 25, Portugal 2, Russia 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6, Singapore 2, Tonga 1, UK 1, Vanuatu 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Basel

Military Switzerland

Military branches:

Swiss Armed Forces: Land Forces, Swiss Air Force (Schweizer Luftwaffe) (2007)

Military service age and obligation:

19 years of age for male compulsory military service; 18 years of age for voluntary male and female military service; the Swiss Constitution states that "every Swiss male is obliged to do military service"; every Swiss male has to serve at least 260 days in the armed forces; conscripts receive 18 weeks of mandatory training, followed by seven 3-week intermittent recalls for training during the next 10 years (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,852,580 females age 16-49: 1,807,667 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,513,984 females age 16-49: 1,478,761 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 49,205 female: 45,220 (2008 est.)

Military expenditures:

1% of GDP (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Switzerland

Disputes - international:

none

Illicit drugs:

a major international financial center vulnerable to the layering and integration stages of money laundering; despite significant legislation and reporting requirements, secrecy rules persist and nonresidents are permitted to conduct business through offshore entities and various intermediaries; transit country for and consumer of South American cocaine, Southwest Asian heroin, and Western European synthetics; domestic cannabis cultivation and limited ecstasy production

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008

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@Syria

Introduction Syria

Background:

Following the breakup of the Ottoman Empire during World War I, France administered Syria until its independence in 1946. The country lacked political stability, however, and experienced a series of military coups during its first decades. Syria united with Egypt in February 1958 to form the United Arab Republic. In September 1961, the two entities separated, and the Syrian Arab Republic was reestablished. In November 1970, Hafiz al-ASAD, a member of the Socialist Ba'th Party and the minority Alawite sect, seized power in a bloodless coup and brought political stability to the country. In the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Syria lost the Golan Heights to Israel. During the 1990s, Syria and Israel held occasional peace talks over its return. Following the death of President al-ASAD, his son, Bashar al-ASAD, was approved as president by popular referendum in July 2000. Syrian troops - stationed in Lebanon since 1976 in an ostensible peacekeeping role - were withdrawn in April 2005. During the July-August 2006 conflict between Israel and Hizballah, Syria placed its military forces on alert but did not intervene directly on behalf of its ally Hizballah.

Geography Syria

Location:

Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon and Turkey

Geographic coordinates:

35 00 N, 38 00 E

Map references:

Middle East

Area:

total: 185,180 sq km land: 184,050 sq km water: 1,130 sq km note: includes 1,295 sq km of Israeli-occupied territory

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than North Dakota

Land boundaries:

total: 2,253 km border countries: Iraq 605 km, Israel 76 km, Jordan 375 km, Lebanon 375 km, Turkey 822 km

Coastline:

193 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm

Climate:

mostly desert; hot, dry, sunny summers (June to August) and mild, rainy winters (December to February) along coast; cold weather with snow or sleet periodically in Damascus

Terrain:

primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain; mountains in west

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: unnamed location near Lake Tiberias -200 m highest point: Mount Hermon 2,814 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt, iron ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 24.8% permanent crops: 4.47% other: 70.73% (2005)

Irrigated land:

13,330 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

46.1 cu km (1997)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 19.95 cu km/yr (3%/2%/95%) per capita: 1,048 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

dust storms, sandstorms

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution from raw sewage and petroleum refining wastes; inadequate potable water

Environment - international agreements:

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

Geography - note:

there are 42 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (August 2005 est.)

People Syria

Population:

19,747,586 note: in addition, about 40,000 people live in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights - 20,000 Arabs (18,000 Druze and 2,000 Alawites) and about 20,000 Israeli settlers (July 2008 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 36.2% (male 3,679,473/female 3,467,096) 15-64 years: 60.5% (male 6,119,459/female 5,822,376) 65 years and over: 3.3% (male 310,838/female 348,344) (2008 est.)

Median age:

total: 21.4 years male: 21.3 years female: 21.5 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.189% (2008 est.)

Birth rate:

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

Death rate:

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

Net migration rate:

NA (2008 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 26.78 deaths/1,000 live births male: 27.04 deaths/1,000 live births female: 26.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 70.9 years male: 69.53 years female: 72.35 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.21 children born/woman (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

fewer than 500 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Syrian(s) adjective: Syrian

Ethnic groups:

Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians, and other 9.7%

Religions:

Sunni Muslim 74%, other Muslim (includes Alawite, Druze) 16%, Christian (various denominations) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus, Al Qamishli, and Aleppo)

Languages:

Arabic (official); Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian widely understood; French, English somewhat understood

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 79.6% male: 86% female: 73.6% (2004 census)

Education expenditures:

3.9% of GDP (1999)

Government Syria

Country name:

conventional long form: Syrian Arab Republic conventional short form: Syria local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah local short form: Suriyah former: United Arab Republic (with Egypt)

Government type:

republic under an authoritarian military-dominated regime

Capital:

name: Damascus geographic coordinates: 33 30 N, 36 18 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins 1 April; ends 30 September

Administrative divisions:

14 provinces (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Hasakah, Al Ladhiqiyah, Al Qunaytirah, Ar Raqqah, As Suwayda', Dar'a, Dayr az Zawr, Dimashq, Halab, Hamah, Hims, Idlib, Rif Dimashq, Tartus

Independence:

17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 17 April (1946)

Constitution:

13 March 1973

Legal system:

based on a combination of French and Ottoman civil law; Islamic law is used in the family court system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Bashar al-ASAD (since 17 July 2000); Vice President Farouk al-SHARA (since 11 February 2006) oversees foreign policy; Vice President Najah al-ATTAR (since 23 March 2006) oversees cultural policy head of government: Prime Minister Muhammad Naji al-UTRI (since 10 September 2003); Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Abdallah al-DARDARI (since 14 June 2005) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president approved by popular referendum for a second seven-year term (no term limits); referendum last held on 27 May 2007 (next to be held in May 2014); the president appoints the vice presidents, prime minister, and deputy prime ministers election results: Bashar al-ASAD approved as president; percent of vote - Bashar al-ASAD 97.6%

Legislative branch:

unicameral People's Council or Majlis al-Shaab (250 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held on 22-23 April 2007 (next to be held in 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NPF 172, independents 78

Judicial branch:

Supreme Judicial Council (appoints and dismisses judges; headed by the president); national level - Supreme Constitutional Court (adjudicates electoral disputes and rules on constitutionality of laws and decrees; justices appointed for four-year terms by the President); Court of Cassation; Appeals Courts (Appeals Courts represent an intermediate level between the Court of Cassation and local level courts); local level - Magistrate Courts; Courts of First Instance; Juvenile Courts; Customs Courts; specialized courts - Economic Security Courts (hear cases related to economic crimes); Supreme State Security Court (hear cases related to national security); Personal Status Courts (religious; hear cases related to marriage and divorce)

Political parties and leaders:

legal parties: National Progressive Front or NPF [President Bashar al-ASAD, Dr. Suleiman QADDAH] (includes Arab Socialist Renaissance (Ba'th) Party [President Bashar al-ASAD]; Socialist Unionist Democratic Party [Fadlallah Nasr Al-DIN]; Syrian Arab Socialist Union or ASU [Safwan QUDSI]; Syrian Communist Party (two branches) [Wissal Farha BAKDASH, Yusuf Rashid FAYSAL]; Syrian Social Nationalist Party [Ali QANSU]; Unionist Socialist Party [Fayez ISMAIL]) opposition parties not legally recognized:: Arab Democratic Socialist Union Party [Hasan Abdul AZIM]; Arab Socialist Movement; Democratic Ba'th Party [Ibrahim MAHKOS]; People's Democratic Party [Riad al TURK]; Revolutionary Workers' Party [Abdul Hafeez al HAFEZ] Kurdish parties (considered illegal): Kurdish Democratic Front [Abdul Hamid DARWISH] (includes four parties); Kurdish Coordination [Abdul Hakim BASHAR] (includes Azadi Party [Kheirudin MURAD], Future Party [Masha'l TAMMO], Yekity Party [Hasam SALE]) other parties: Nahda Party [Abdul Aziz al MISLET]; Syrian Democratic Party [Mustafa QALAAJI]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Damascus Declaration National Council [Riyad SEIF, secretary general] (a broad alliance of opposition groups and individuals including: Committee for Revival of Civil Society [Michel KILO, Riyad SEIF], Communist Action Party [Fateh JAMOUS], Kurdish Democratic Alliance, Kurdish Democratic Front, Liberal Nationalists' Movement, National Democratic Front, National Democratic Rally, and Syrian Human Rights Society or HRAS [Fawed FAWUZ]); National Salvation Front (alliance between former Vice President Abd al-Halim KHADDAM, the SMB, and other small opposition groups); Syrian Muslim Brotherhood or SMB [Sadr al-Din al-BAYANUNI] (operates in exile in London; endorsed the Damascus Declaration, but is not an official member)

International organization participation:

ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Imad MUSTAFA chancery: 2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 232-6313 FAX: [1] (202) 234-9548

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Maura CONNELLY embassy: Abou Roumaneh, Al-Mansour Street, No. 2, Damascus mailing address: P. O. Box 29, Damascus telephone: [963] (11) 3391-4444 FAX: [963] (11) 3391-3999

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black, colors associated with the Arab Liberation flag; two small, green, five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in the white band; former flag of the United Arab Republic where the two stars represented the constituent states of Syria and Egypt; similar to the flag of Yemen, which has a plain white band, Iraq, which has an Arabic inscription centered in the white band, and that of Egypt, which has a gold Eagle of Saladin centered in the white band; the current design dates to 1980

Economy Syria

Economy - overview:

The Syrian economy grew by an estimated 3.3% in real terms in 2007 led by the petroleum and agricultural sectors, which together account for about one-half of GDP. Higher crude oil prices countered declining oil production and led to higher budgetary and export receipts. Damascus has implemented modest economic reforms in the past few years, including cutting lending interest rates, opening private banks, consolidating all of the multiple exchange rates, raising prices on some subsidized items, most notably gasoline and cement, and establishing the Damascus Stock Exchange - which is set to begin operations in 2009. In October 2007, for example, Damascus raised the price of subsidized gasoline by 20%, and may institute a rationing system in 2008. In addition, President ASAD signed legislative decrees to encourage corporate ownership reform, and to allow the Central Bank to issue Treasury bills and bonds for government debt. Nevertheless, the economy remains highly controlled by the government. Long-run economic constraints include declining oil production, high unemployment and inflation, rising budget deficits, and increasing pressure on water supplies caused by heavy use in agriculture, rapid population growth, industrial expansion, and water pollution.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$90.37 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$37.76 billion (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

4.3% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$4,700 (2007 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 24% industry: 27.9% services: 48.2% (2007 est.)

Labor force:

5.462 million (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 19.2% industry: 14.5% services: 66.3% (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate:

9% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

11.9% (2006 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

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

Investment (gross fixed):

21.5% of GDP (2007 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $8.393 billion expenditures: $11.21 billion (2007 est.)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Public debt:

37.7% of GDP (2007 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

12.2% (2007 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

8% (31 December 2005)

Stock of money:

$58.84 billion note: This number reflects the greatly overvalued official exchange rate of 11.23 Syrian pounds per dollar. At the unofficial rate of 50 Syrian pounds per dollar, the stock of Syrian pounds would equal US$13.22 billion and Syria's velocity of money (the number of times money turns over in the course of a year) would be three, in line with the velocity of money for other countries in the region. (31 December 2006)

Stock of quasi money:

$45.93 billion (31 December 2006)

Stock of domestic credit:

$50.92 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas, olives, sugar beets; beef, mutton, eggs, poultry, milk

Industries:

petroleum, textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco, phosphate rock mining, cement, oil seeds crushing, car assembly

Industrial production growth rate:

2.5% (2007 est.)

Electricity - production:

34.94 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - consumption:

34 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - exports:

986 million kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production by source:

fossil fuel: 57.6% hydro: 42.4% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Oil - production:

433,200 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - consumption:

261,000 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports:

254,500 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - imports:

160,000 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - proved reserves:

2.5 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.)

Natural gas - production:

7.8 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

4.4 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

NA cu m

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

240.7 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)

Current account balance:

$908 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$11.14 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

crude oil, minerals, petroleum products, fruits and vegetables, cotton fiber, textiles, clothing, meat and live animals, wheat

Exports - partners:

Iraq 30%, Lebanon 10%, Germany 9.7%, Italy 8%, Egypt 5.5%, Saudi Arabia 5.2%, France 4.9% (2007)

Imports:

$10.5 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment, electric power machinery, food and livestock, metal and metal products, chemicals and chemical products, plastics, yarn, paper

Imports - partners:

Saudi Arabia 12%, China 8.7%, Egypt 6.2%, Italy 6%, UAE 5.9%, Ukraine 4.8%, Russia 4.8%, Germany 4.7%, Iran 4.3% (2007)

Economic aid - recipient:

$213 million (2008 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$6.046 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$6.633 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Currency (code):

Syrian pound (SYP)

Currency code:

SYP

Exchange rates:

Syrian pounds (SYP) per US dollar - 50.0085 (2007), 51.689 (2006), 50 (2005), 48.5 (2004), 52.8 (2003) note: data for 2004-06 are the public sector rate; data for 2002-03 are the parallel market rate in 'Amman and Beirut; the official rate for repaying loans was 11.25 Syrian pounds per US dollars during 2004-06,

Communications Syria

Telephones - main lines in use:

3.452 million (2007)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

6.7 million (2007)

Telephone system:

general assessment: fair system currently undergoing significant improvement and digital upgrades, including fiber-optic technology domestic: the number of fixed-line connections has increased markedly since 2000; mobile-cellular service growing rapidly and teledensity about 35 wireless telephones per 100 persons; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay network international: country code - 963; submarine cable connection to Cyprus; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey; participant in Medarabtel

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 14, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:

4.15 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

44 (plus 17 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:

1.05 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.sy

Internet hosts:

7,857 (2008)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2000)

Internet users:

3.47 million (2007)

Transportation Syria

Airports:

90 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 26 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 15 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 2 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 64 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 52 (2007)

Heliports:

7 (2007)

Pipelines:

gas 2,794 km; oil 2,000 km (2007)

Railways:

total: 2,711 km standard gauge: 2,460 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 251 km 1.050-m gauge (2006)

Roadways:

total: 97,401 km paved: 19,490 km (includes 1,103 km of expressways) unpaved: 77,911 km (2006)

Waterways:

900 km (not economically significant) (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 77 by type: bulk carrier 5, cargo 65, carrier 4, container 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 7 (Jordan 2, Lebanon 3, Romania 2) registered in other countries: 196 (Barbados 1, Bolivia 2, Cambodia 48, Comoros 4, Cyprus 2, Dominica 2, Georgia 49, Hong Kong 1, North Korea 1, Lebanon 2, Libya 2, Malta 6, Moldova 1, Panama 32, Saint Kitts and Nevis 7, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 13, Sierra Leone 18, Slovakia 2, Togo 2, unknown 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Latakia, Tartus

Military Syria

Military branches:

Syrian Armed Forces: Syrian Arab Army, Syrian Arab Navy, Syrian Arab Air and Air Defense Forces (includes Air Defense Command) (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 30 months (18 months in the Syrian Arab Navy); women are not conscripted but may volunteer to serve (2004)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 5,251,875 females age 16-49: 4,966,367 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 4,242,401 females age 16-49: 4,218,648 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 215,734 female: 203,106 (2008 est.)

Military expenditures:

5.9% of GDP (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Syria

Disputes - international:

Golan Heights is Israeli-occupied with the almost 1,000-strong UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) patrolling a buffer zone since 1964; lacking a treaty or other documentation describing the boundary, portions of the Lebanon-Syria boundary are unclear with several sections in dispute; since 2000, Lebanon has claimed Shaba'a farms in the Golan Heights; 2004 Agreement and pending demarcation settles border dispute with Jordan; approximately two million Iraqis have fled the conflict in Iraq with the majority taking refuge in Syria and Jordan

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 1-1.4 million (Iraq); 522,100 (Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA)) IDPs: 305,000 (most displaced from Golan Heights during 1967 Arab-Israeli War) (2007)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Syria is a destination and transit country for women and children trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor; a significant number of women and children in the large and expanding Iraqi refugee community in Syria are reportedly forced into commercial sexual exploitation by Iraqi gangs or, in some cases, their families; women from Indonesia, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Ethiopia, and Sierra Leone are recruited for work in Syria as domestic servants, but some face conditions of involuntary servitude, including long hours, non-payment of wages, withholding of passports, restrictions on movement, threats, and physical or sexual abuse tier rating: Tier 3 - Syria again failed to report any law enforcement efforts to punish trafficking offenses in 2007; in addition, the government did not offer protection services to victims of trafficking and may have arrested, prosecuted, or deported some victims for prostitution or immigration violations; Syria has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)

Illicit drugs:

a transit point for opiates, hashish, and cocaine bound for regional and Western markets; weak anti-money-laundering controls and bank privatization may leave it vulnerable to money laundering

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008

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@Taiwan

Introduction Taiwan

Background:

In 1895, military defeat forced China to cede Taiwan to Japan. Taiwan reverted to Chinese control after World War II. Following the Communist victory on the mainland in 1949, 2 million Nationalists fled to Taiwan and established a government using the 1946 constitution drawn up for all of China. Over the next five decades, the ruling authorities gradually democratized and incorporated the local population within the governing structure. In 2000, Taiwan underwent its first peaceful transfer of power from the Nationalist to the Democratic Progressive Party. Throughout this period, the island prospered and became one of East Asia's economic "Tigers." The dominant political issues continue to be the relationship between Taiwan and China - specifically the question of eventual unification - as well as domestic political and economic reform.

Geography Taiwan

Location:

Eastern Asia, islands bordering the East China Sea, Philippine Sea, South China Sea, and Taiwan Strait, north of the Philippines, off the southeastern coast of China

Geographic coordinates:

23 30 N, 121 00 E

Map references:

Southeast Asia

Area:

total: 35,980 sq km land: 32,260 sq km water: 3,720 sq km note: includes the Pescadores, Matsu, and Quemoy islands

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

1,566.3 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June to August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year

Terrain:

eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently rolling plains in west

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: Yu Shan 3,952 m

Natural resources:

small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and asbestos

Land use:

arable land: 24% permanent crops: 1% other: 75% (2001)

Irrigated land:

NA

Total renewable water resources:

67 cu km (2000)

Natural hazards:

earthquakes and typhoons

Environment - current issues:

air pollution; water pollution from industrial emissions, raw sewage; contamination of drinking water supplies; trade in endangered species; low-level radioactive waste disposal

Environment - international agreements:

party to: none of the selected agreements because of Taiwan's international status signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements because of Taiwan's international status

Geography - note:

strategic location adjacent to both the Taiwan Strait and the Luzon Strait

People Taiwan

Population:

22,920,946 (July 2008 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 17.3% (male 2,057,458/female 1,900,449) 15-64 years: 72.3% (male 8,362,038/female 8,204,834) 65 years and over: 10.5% (male 1,167,476/female 1,228,691) (2008 est.)

Median age:

total: 36 years male: 35.5 years female: 36.6 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.238% (2008 est.)

Birth rate:

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

Death rate:

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

Net migration rate:

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

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 5.45 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.75 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 77.76 years male: 74.89 years female: 80.89 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.13 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: Taiwan (singular and plural) note: example - he or she is from Taiwan; they are from Taiwan adjective: Taiwan

Ethnic groups:

Taiwanese (including Hakka) 84%, mainland Chinese 14%, indigenous 2%

Religions:

mixture of Buddhist and Taoist 93%, Christian 4.5%, other 2.5%

Languages:

Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka dialects

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.1% male: NA female: NA (2003)

Education expenditures:

NA

Government Taiwan

Country name:

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Taiwan local long form: none local short form: T'ai-wan former: Formosa

Government type:

multiparty democracy

Capital:

name: Taipei geographic coordinates: 25 03 N, 121 30 E time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

includes main island of Taiwan plus smaller islands nearby and off coast of China's Fujian Province; Taiwan is divided into 18 counties (hsien, singular and plural), 5 municipalities (shih, singular and plural), and 2 special municipalities (chuan-shih, singular and plural) note: Taiwan uses a variety of romanization systems; while a modified Wade-Giles system still dominates, the city of Taipei has adopted a Pinyin romanization for street and place names within its boundaries; other local authorities use different romanization systems; names for administrative divisions that follow are taken from the Taiwan Yearbook 2007 published by the Government Information Office in Taipei. counties: Changhua, Chiayi [county], Hsinchu, Hualien, Kaohsiung [county], Kinmen, Lienchiang, Miaoli, Nantou, Penghu, Pingtung, Taichung, Tainan, Taipei [county], Taitung, Taoyuan, Yilan, and Yunlin municipalities: Chiayi [city], Hsinchu, Keelung, Taichung, Tainan special municipalities: Kaohsiung [city], Taipei [city]

National holiday:

Republic Day (Anniversary of the Chinese Revolution), 10 October (1911)

Constitution:

25 December 1947; amended in 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2005 note: constitution adopted on 25 December 1946; went into effect on 25 December 1947

Legal system:

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

Suffrage:

20 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President MA Ying-jeou (since 20 May 2008); Vice President Vincent SIEW (since 20 May 2008) head of government: Premier (President of the Executive Yuan) LIO Chao-shiuan (since 20 May 2008); Vice Premier (Vice President of Executive Yuan) Paul CHIU (CHANG-hsiung) (since 20 May 2008) cabinet: Executive Yuan - (ministers appointed by president on recommendation of premier) elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 22 March 2008 (next to be held in March 2012); premier appointed by the president; vice premiers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the premier election results: MA Ying-jeou elected president on 22 March 2008; percent of vote - MA Ying-jeou 58.45%, Frank HSIEH 41.55%; MA Ying-jeou takes office on 20 May 2008

Legislative branch:

unicameral Legislative Yuan (113 seats - 73 district members elected by popular vote, 34 at-large members elected on basis of proportion of islandwide votes received by participating political parties, 6 elected by popular vote among aboriginal populations; to serve four-year terms); parties must receive 5% of vote to qualify for at-large seats elections: Legislative Yuan - last held 12 January 2008 (next to be held in January 2012) election results: Legislative Yuan - percent of vote by party - KMT 53.5%, DPP 38.2%, NPSU 2.4%, PFP 0.3%, others 1.6%, independents 4%; seats by party - KMT 81, DPP 27, NPSU 3, PFP 1, independent 1

Judicial branch:

Judicial Yuan (justices appointed by the president with consent of the Legislative Yuan)

Political parties and leaders:

Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [TSAI Ing-wen]; Kuomintang or KMT (Nationalist Party) [WU Po-hsiung]; Non-Partisan Solidarity Union or NPSU [CHANG Po-ya]; People First Party or PFP [James SOONG]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Organization for Taiwan Nation Building; World United Formosans for Independence other: environmental groups; independence movement; various business groups note: debate on Taiwan independence has become acceptable within the mainstream of domestic politics on Taiwan; political liberalization and the increased representation of opposition parties in Taiwan's legislature have opened public debate on the island's national identity; a broad popular consensus has developed that the island currently enjoys sovereign independence and - whatever the ultimate outcome regarding reunification or independence - that Taiwan's people must have the deciding voice; public opinion polls consistently show a substantial majority of Taiwan people supports maintaining Taiwan's status quo for the foreseeable future; advocates of Taiwan independence oppose the stand that the island will eventually unify with mainland China; goals of the Taiwan independence movement include establishing a sovereign nation on Taiwan and entering the UN

International organization participation:

ADB, APEC, BCIE, ICC, IOC, ITUC, WCL, WFTU, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people of the US are maintained through an unofficial instrumentality, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO), which has its headquarters in Taipei and in the US in Washington, DC; there are also branch offices called Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in 12 other US cities

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people on Taiwan are maintained through an unofficial instrumentality - the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) - which has offices in the US and Taiwan; US office at 1700 N. Moore St., Suite 1700, Arlington, VA 22209-1996, telephone: [1] (703) 525-8474, FAX: [1] (703) 841-1385); Taiwan offices at #7 Lane 134, Hsin Yi Road, Section 3, Taipei, Taiwan, telephone: [886] (2) 2162-2000, FAX: [886] (2) 2162-2251; #2 Chung Cheng 3rd Road, 5th Floor, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, telephone: [886] (7) 238-7744, FAX: [886] (7) 238-5237; and the American Trade Center, Room 3208 International Trade Building, Taipei World Trade Center, 333 Keelung Road Section 1, Taipei, Taiwan 10548, telephone: [886] (2) 2720-1550, FAX: [886] (2) 2757-7162

Flag description:

red field with a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays

Economy Taiwan

Economy - overview:

Taiwan has a dynamic capitalist economy with gradually decreasing guidance of investment and foreign trade by the authorities. In keeping with this trend, some large, state-owned banks and industrial firms are being privatized. Exports have provided the primary impetus for industrialization. The island runs a large trade surplus, and its foreign reserves are among the world's largest. Despite restrictions on cross-strait links, China has overtaken the US to become Taiwan's largest export market and its second-largest source of imports after Japan. China is also the island's number one destination for foreign direct investment. Strong trade performance in 2007 pushed Taiwan's GDP growth rate above 5%, and unemployment is below 4%.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$698.6 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$383.3 billion (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.7% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$30,100 (2007 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 1.4% industry: 27.5% services: 71.1% (2007 est.)

Labor force:

10.71 million (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 5.3% industry: 36.8% services: 57.9% (2007 est.)

Unemployment rate:

3.9% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

0.95% (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 6.7% highest 10%: 41.1% (2002 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

21.2% of GDP (2007 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $76.2 billion expenditures: $75.65 billion (2007 est.)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Public debt:

27.9% of GDP (2007 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

1.8% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

NA

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

NA

Stock of money:

NA

Stock of quasi money:

NA

Stock of domestic credit:

NA

Agriculture - products:

rice, corn, vegetables, fruit, tea; pigs, poultry, beef, milk; fish

Industries:

electronics, petroleum refining, armaments, chemicals, textiles, iron and steel, machinery, cement, food processing, vehicles, consumer products, pharmaceuticals

Industrial production growth rate:

9.2% (2007 est.)

Electricity - production:

216.6 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - consumption:

208.7 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production by source:

fossil fuel: 71.4% hydro: 6% nuclear: 22.6% other: 0% (2001)

Oil - production:

10,600 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - consumption:

950,500 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports:

289,200 bbl/day (2006)

Oil - imports:

1.208 million bbl/day (2006)

Oil - proved reserves:

2.38 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)

Natural gas - production:

400 million cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

11.3 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

10.9 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

6.229 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)

Current account balance:

$32.88 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$246.5 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

electronic and electrical products, metals, textiles, plastics, chemicals, auto parts (2002)

Exports - partners:

China 32.6%, US 12.9%, Hong Kong 8.6%, Japan 6.4%, Singapore 5% (2007)

Imports:

$215.1 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

electronic and electrical products, machinery, petroleum, precision instruments, organic chemicals, metals (2002)

Imports - partners:

Japan 22.7%, US 13.3%, China 11.2%, South Korea 6.6%, Saudi Arabia 4.8%, Singapore 4.6% (2007)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$275 billion (31 December 2007)

Debt - external:

$97.85 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$92.83 billion (2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$108.9 billion (2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$654 billion (28 December 2007)

Currency (code):

New Taiwan dollar (TWD)

Currency code:

TWD

Exchange rates:

New Taiwan dollars (TWD) per US dollar - 32.84 (2007), 32.534 (2006), 31.71 (2005), 34.418 (2004), 34.575 (2003)

Communications Taiwan

Telephones - main lines in use:

14.313 million (2007)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

24.302 million (2007)

Telephone system:

general assessment: provides telecommunications service for every business and private need domestic: thoroughly modern; completely digitalized international: country code - 886; numerous submarine cables provide links throughout Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Europe, and the US; satellite earth stations - 2

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 140, FM 229, shortwave 49

Radios:

16 million (1994)

Television broadcast stations:

76 (46 digital and 30 analog) (2007)

Televisions:

8.8 million (1998)

Internet country code:

.tw

Internet hosts:

5.225 million (2008)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

8 (2000)

Internet users:

14.76 million (2007)

Transportation Taiwan

Airports:

41 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 38 over 3,047 m: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 3 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2007)

Heliports:

4 (2007)

Pipelines:

condensate 25 km; gas 661 km (2007)

Railways:

total: 1,588 km standard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 1,093 km 1.067-m gauge note: 150 km .762-m gauge (belonging primarily to Taiwan Sugar Corporation and Taiwan Forestry Bureau; some to other entities) (2007)

Roadways:

total: 40,262 km paved: 38,171 km (includes 976 km of expressways) unpaved: 2,091 km (2007)

Merchant marine:

total: 102 by type: bulk carrier 32, cargo 19, chemical tanker 1, container 24, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 14, refrigerated cargo 7, roll on/roll off 2 foreign-owned: 3 (Canada 2, France 1) registered in other countries: 536 (Bolivia 1, Cambodia 1, Honduras 2, Hong Kong 11, Indonesia 2, Italy 13, Kiribati 5, Liberia 91, Marshall Islands 1, Panama 320, Philippines 1, Sierra Leone 1, Singapore 72, Thailand 1, UK 11, unknown 3) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Chilung (Keelung), Kaohsiung, Taichung

Military Taiwan

Military branches:

Army, Navy (includes Marine Corps), Air Force, Coast Guard Administration, Armed Forces Reserve Command, Combined Service Forces Command, Armed Forces Police Command

Military service age and obligation:

19-35 years of age for male compulsory military service; service obligation 14 months (reducing to 1 year in 2009) year; women may enlist; women in Air Force service are restricted to noncombat roles; reserve obligation to age 30 (Army); the Ministry of Defense has announced plans to implement an incremental voluntary enlistment system beginning 2010, with 10% fewer conscripts each year thereafter, although nonvolunteers will still be required to perform alternative service or go through 3-4 months of military training (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 6,283,134 females age 16-49: 6,098,599 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 5,112,737 females age 16-49: 5,036,346 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 164,883 female: 152,085 (2008 est.)

Military expenditures:

2.2% of GDP (2006)

Transnational Issues Taiwan

Disputes - international:

involved in complex dispute with China, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei over the Spratly Islands; the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" has eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code of conduct" desired by several of the disputants; Paracel Islands are occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam; in 2003, China and Taiwan became more vocal in rejecting both Japan's claims to the uninhabited islands of the Senkaku-shoto (Diaoyu Tai) and Japan's unilaterally declared exclusive economic zone in the East China Sea where all parties engage in hydrocarbon prospecting

Illicit drugs:

regional transit point for heroin, methamphetamine, and precursor chemicals; transshipment point for drugs to Japan; major problem with domestic consumption of methamphetamine and heroin; rising problems with use of ketamine and club drugs

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008

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@Tajikistan

Introduction Tajikistan

Background:

The Tajik people came under Russian rule in the 1860s and 1870s, but Russia's hold on Central Asia weakened following the Revolution of 1917. Bolshevik control of the area was fiercely contested and not fully reestablished until 1925. Much of present-day Sughd province was transferred from the Uzbekistan SSR to newly formed Tajikistan SSR in 1929. Ethnic Uzbeks form a substantial minority in Sughd province. Tajikistan became independent in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union, and it is now in the process of strengthening its democracy and transitioning to a free market economy after its 1992-97 civil war. There have been no major security incidents in recent years, although the country remains the poorest in the former Soviet sphere. Attention by the international community in the wake of the war in Afghanistan has brought increased economic development and security assistance, which could create jobs and increase stability in the long term. Tajikistan is in the early stages of seeking World Trade Organization membership and has joined NATO's Partnership for Peace.

Geography Tajikistan

Location:

Central Asia, west of China

Geographic coordinates:

39 00 N, 71 00 E

Map references:

Asia

Area:

total: 143,100 sq km land: 142,700 sq km water: 400 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Wisconsin

Land boundaries:

total: 3,651 km border countries: Afghanistan 1,206 km, China 414 km, Kyrgyzstan 870 km, Uzbekistan 1,161 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

midlatitude continental, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid to polar in Pamir Mountains

Terrain:

Pamir and Alay Mountains dominate landscape; western Fergana Valley in north, Kofarnihon and Vakhsh Valleys in southwest

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Syr Darya (Sirdaryo) 300 m highest point: Qullai Ismoili Somoni 7,495 m

Natural resources:

hydropower, some petroleum, uranium, mercury, brown coal, lead, zinc, antimony, tungsten, silver, gold

Land use:

arable land: 6.52% permanent crops: 0.89% other: 92.59% (2005)

Irrigated land:

7,220 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

99.7 cu km (1997)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 11.96 cu km/yr (4%/5%/92%) per capita: 1,837 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

earthquakes and floods

Environment - current issues:

inadequate sanitation facilities; increasing levels of soil salinity; industrial pollution; excessive pesticides

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

landlocked; mountainous region dominated by the Trans-Alay Range in the north and the Pamirs in the southeast; highest point, Qullai Ismoili Somoni (formerly Communism Peak), was the tallest mountain in the former USSR

People Tajikistan

Population:

7,211,884 (July 2008 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 34.6% (male 1,270,289/female 1,226,954) 15-64 years: 61.7% (male 2,203,720/female 2,244,660) 65 years and over: 3.7% (male 113,156/female 153,105) (2008 est.)

Median age:

total: 21.6 years male: 21.2 years female: 22.1 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.893% (2008 est.)

Birth rate:

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

Death rate:

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

Net migration rate:

-1.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 42.31 deaths/1,000 live births male: 47.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 37.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 64.97 years male: 61.95 years female: 68.15 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.04 children born/woman (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

fewer than 200 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 100 (2001 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

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

Nationality:

noun: Tajikistani(s) adjective: Tajikistani

Ethnic groups:

Tajik 79.9%, Uzbek 15.3%, Russian 1.1%, Kyrgyz 1.1%, other 2.6% (2000 census)

Religions:

Sunni Muslim 85%, Shia Muslim 5%, other 10% (2003 est.)

Languages:

Tajik (official), Russian widely used in government and business

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.5% male: 99.7% female: 99.2% (2000 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 11 years male: 12 years female: 10 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

3.4% of GDP (2006)

Government Tajikistan

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Tajikistan conventional short form: Tajikistan local long form: Jumhurii Tojikiston local short form: Tojikiston former: Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Dushanbe geographic coordinates: 38 35 N, 68 48 E time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

2 provinces (viloyatho, singular - viloyat) and 1 autonomous province* (viloyati mukhtor); Viloyati Khatlon (Qurghonteppa), Viloyati Mukhtori Kuhistoni Badakhshon* [Gorno-Badakhshan] (Khorugh), Viloyati Sughd (Khujand) note: the administrative center name follows in parentheses

Independence:

9 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:

Independence Day (or National Day), 9 September (1991)

Constitution:

6 November 1994

Legal system:

based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Emomali RAHMON (since 6 November 1994; head of state and Supreme Assembly chairman since 19 November 1992) head of government: Prime Minister Oqil OQILOV (since 20 January 1999) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved by the Supreme Assembly elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 6 November 2006 (next to be held in November 2013); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Emomali RAHMON reelected president; percent of vote - Emomali RAHMON 79.3%, Olimzon BOBOYEV 6.2%, other 14.5%

Legislative branch:

bicameral Supreme Assembly or Majlisi Oli consists of the National Assembly (upper chamber) or Majlisi Milliy (34 seats; 25 members selected by local deputies, 8 appointed by the president; 1 seat reserved for the former president; to serve five-year terms) and the Assembly of Representatives (lower chamber) or Majlisi Namoyandagon (63 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: National Assembly - last held 25 March 2005 (next to be held in February 2010); Assembly of Representatives 27 February and 13 March 2005 (next to be held in February 2010) election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDPT 29, CPT 2, independents 3; Assembly of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PDPT 74.9%, CPT 13.6%, Islamic Revival Party 8.9%, other 2.5%; seats by party - PDPT 51, CPT 5, Islamic Revival Party 2, independents 5

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)

Political parties and leaders:

Agrarian Party of Tajikistan or APT [Amir KARAKULOV]; Democratic Party or DPT [Mahmadruzi ISKANDAROV (imprisoned October 2005); Rahmatullo VALIYEV, deputy]; Islamic Revival Party [Muhiddin KABIRI]; Party of Economic Reform or PER [Olimzon BOBOYEV]; People's Democratic Party of Tajikistan or PDPT [Emomali RAHMON]; Social Democratic Party or SDPT [Rahmatullo ZOYIROV]; Socialist Party or SPT [Mirhuseyn NARZIYEV]; Tajik Communist Party or CPT [Shodi SHABDOLOV]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Agrarian Party [Hikmatullo NASREDDINOV] (unregistered political party); Democratic Party or DPT [Masud SOBIROV] (splintered from Iskanderov's DPT); Progressive Party [Sulton QUVVATOV]; Socialist Party or SPT [Abdualim GHAFFOROV] (splintered from Narziyev's SPT); Unity Party [Hikmatullo SAIDOV] other: splinter parties recognized by the government but not by the base of the party; unregistered political parties

International organization participation:

ADB, CIS, CSTO, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Abdujabbor SHIRINOV chancery: 1005 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 223-6090 FAX: [1] (202) 223-6091

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Tracey Ann JACOBSON embassy: 109-A Ismoili Somoni Avenue, Dushanbe 734019 mailing address: 7090 Dushanbe Place, Dulles, VA 20189 telephone: [992] (37) 229-20-00 FAX: [992] (37) 229-20-50

Flag description:

three horizontal stripes of red (top), a wider stripe of white, and green; a gold crown surmounted by seven gold, five-pointed stars is located in the center of the white stripe

Economy Tajikistan

Economy - overview:

Tajikistan has one of the lowest per capita GDPs among the 15 former Soviet republics. Only 7% of the land area is arable. Cotton is the most important crop, but this sector is burdened with debt and an obsolete infrastructure. Mineral resources include silver, gold, uranium, and tungsten. Industry consists only of a large aluminum plant, hydropower facilities, and small obsolete factories mostly in light industry and food processing. The civil war (1992-97) severely damaged the already weak economic infrastructure and caused a sharp decline in industrial and agricultural production. While Tajikistan has experienced steady economic growth since 1997, nearly two-thirds of the population continues to live in abject poverty. Economic growth reached 10.6% in 2004, but dropped to 8% in 2005, 7% in 2006, and 7.8% in 2007. Tajikistan's economic situation remains fragile due to uneven implementation of structural reforms, corruption, weak governance, widespread unemployment, seasonal power shortages, and the external debt burden. Continued privatization of medium and large state-owned enterprises could increase productivity. A debt restructuring agreement was reached with Russia in December 2002 including a $250 million write-off of Tajikistan's $300 million debt. Tajikistan ranks third in the world in terms of water resources per head, but suffers winter power shortages due to poor management of water levels in rivers and reservoirs. Completion of the Sangtuda I hydropower dam - built with Russian investment - and the Sangtuda II and Rogun dams will add substantially to electricity output. If finished according to Tajik plans, Rogun will be the world's tallest dam. Tajikistan has also received substantial infrastructure development loans from the Chinese government to improve roads and an electricity transmission network. To help increase north-south trade, the US funded a $36 million bridge which opened in August 2007 and links Tajikistan and Afghanistan.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$11.96 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$3.712 billion (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

7.8% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,600 (2007 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 23.8% industry: 30.4% services: 45.8% (2007 est.)

Labor force:

2.1 million (2007)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 67.2% industry: 7.5% services: 25.3% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:

2.4% official rate; actual unemployment is higher (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

60% (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 3.3% highest 10%: 25.6% (2007 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

32.6 (2003)

Investment (gross fixed):

12.4% of GDP (2007 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $712.1 million expenditures: $674.5 million (2007 est.)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

13.1% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

15% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

22.87% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$91.59 million (31 December 2006)

Stock of quasi money:

$161 million (31 December 2006)

Stock of domestic credit:

$417.4 million (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

cotton, grain, fruits, grapes, vegetables; cattle, sheep, goats

Industries:

aluminum, zinc, lead; chemicals and fertilizers, cement, vegetable oil, metal-cutting machine tools, refrigerators and freezers

Industrial production growth rate:

5% (2007 est.)

Electricity - production:

17.4 billion kWh (2007)

Electricity - consumption:

17.9 billion kWh (2007)

Electricity - exports:

4.259 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

4.36 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production by source:

fossil fuel: 1.9% hydro: 98.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Oil - production:

281.1 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - consumption:

31,590 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports:

247.7 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports:

7,600 bbl/day (2007)

Oil - proved reserves:

12 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)

Natural gas - production:

32 million cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

842 million cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

810 million cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

5.663 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)

Current account balance:

-$351 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$1.606 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

aluminum, electricity, cotton, fruits, vegetable oil, textiles

Exports - partners:

Netherlands 38.9%, Turkey 32.5%, Russia 6.6%, Uzbekistan 5.9%, Iran 5.1% (2007)

Imports:

$2.762 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

electricity, petroleum products, aluminum oxide, machinery and equipment, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

Russia 32.1%, Kazakhstan 13.1%, China 10.8%, Uzbekistan 8.4% (2007)

Economic aid - recipient:

$241.4 million from US (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$242 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$1.56 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Currency (code):

somoni (TJS)

Currency code:

TJS

Exchange rates:

Tajikistani somoni (TJS) per US dollar - 3.4418 (2007), 3.3 (2006), 3.1166 (2005), 2.9705 (2004), 3.0614 (2003)

Communications Tajikistan

Telephones - main lines in use:

280,200 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

265,000 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: poorly developed and not well maintained; many towns are not linked to the national network domestic: the domestic telecommunications network has historically been under funded and poorly maintained; main line availability has not changed significantly since 1998; cellular telephone use is growing but geographic coverage remains limited international: country code - 992; linked by cable and microwave radio relay to other CIS republics and by leased connections to the Moscow international gateway switch; Dushanbe linked by Intelsat to international gateway switch in Ankara (Turkey); satellite earth stations - 3 (2 Intelsat and 1 Orbita) (2006)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 8, FM 10, shortwave 2 (2002)

Radios:

1.291 million (1991)

Television broadcast stations:

6 (2006)

Televisions:

820,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.tj

Internet hosts:

1,158 (2008)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

4 (2002)

Internet users:

19,500 (2005)

Transportation Tajikistan

Airports:

26 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 18 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 3 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 8 under 914 m: 8 (2007)

Pipelines:

gas 549 km; oil 38 km (2007)

Railways:

total: 482 km broad gauge: 482 km 1.520-m gauge (2006)

Roadways:

total: 27,767 km (2000)

Waterways:

200 km (along Vakhsh River) (2006)

Military Tajikistan

Military branches:

Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Mobile Force (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for compulsory military service; 2-year conscript service obligation (2007)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,897,356 females age 16-49: 1,911,594 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,391,287 females age 16-49: 1,561,826 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 84,137 female: 81,777 (2008 est.)

Military expenditures:

3.9% of GDP (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Tajikistan

Disputes - international:

in 2006, China and Tajikistan pledged to commence demarcation of the revised boundary agreed to in the delimitation of 2002; talks continue with Uzbekistan to delimit border and remove minefields; disputes in Isfara Valley delay delimitation with Kyrgyzstan

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Tajikistan is a source country for women trafficked through Kyrgyzstan and Russia to the UAE, Turkey, and Russia for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation; men are trafficked to Russia and Kazakhstan for the purpose of forced labor, primarily in the construction and agricultural industries; boys and girls are trafficked internally for various purposes, including forced labor and forced begging tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Tajikistan is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat human trafficking, especially efforts to investigate, prosecute, convict, and sentence traffickers; despite evidence of low- and mid-level officials' complicity in trafficking, the government did not punish any public officials for trafficking complicity during 2007; lack of capacity and poor coordination between government institutions remained key obstacles to effective anti-trafficking efforts (2008)

Illicit drugs:

major transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and, to a lesser extent, Western European markets; limited illicit cultivation of opium poppy for domestic consumption; Tajikistan seizes roughly 80% of all drugs captured in Central Asia and stands third worldwide in seizures of opiates (heroin and raw opium); significant consumer of opiates

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008

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@Tanzania

Introduction Tanzania

Background:

Shortly after achieving independence from Britain in the early 1960s, Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged to form the nation of Tanzania in 1964. One-party rule came to an end in 1995 with the first democratic elections held in the country since the 1970s. Zanzibar's semi-autonomous status and popular opposition have led to two contentious elections since 1995, which the ruling party won despite international observers' claims of voting irregularities.

Geography Tanzania

Location:

Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Kenya and Mozambique

Geographic coordinates:

6 00 S, 35 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 945,087 sq km land: 886,037 sq km water: 59,050 sq km note: includes the islands of Mafia, Pemba, and Zanzibar

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than twice the size of California

Land boundaries:

total: 3,861 km border countries: Burundi 451 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 459 km, Kenya 769 km, Malawi 475 km, Mozambique 756 km, Rwanda 217 km, Uganda 396 km, Zambia 338 km

Coastline:

1,424 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

varies from tropical along coast to temperate in highlands

Terrain:

plains along coast; central plateau; highlands in north, south

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Kilimanjaro 5,895 m

Natural resources:

hydropower, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds, gemstones, gold, natural gas, nickel

Land use:

arable land: 4.23% permanent crops: 1.16% other: 94.61% (2005)

Irrigated land:

1,840 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

91 cu km (2001)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 5.18 cu km/yr (10%/0%/89%) per capita: 135 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season; drought

Environment - current issues:

soil degradation; deforestation; desertification; destruction of coral reefs threatens marine habitats; recent droughts affected marginal agriculture; wildlife threatened by illegal hunting and trade, especially for ivory

Environment - international agreements:

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

Geography - note:

Kilimanjaro is highest point in Africa; bordered by three of the largest lakes on the continent: Lake Victoria (the world's second-largest freshwater lake) in the north, Lake Tanganyika (the world's second deepest) in the west, and Lake Nyasa in the southwest

People Tanzania

Population:

40,213,160 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2008 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 43.5% (male 8,763,471/female 8,719,198) 15-64 years: 53.7% (male 10,638,666/female 10,947,190) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 502,368/female 642,269) (2008 est.)

Median age:

total: 17.8 years male: 17.6 years female: 18.1 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.072% (2008 est.)

Birth rate:

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

Death rate:

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

Net migration rate:

-1.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 70.46 deaths/1,000 live births male: 77.51 deaths/1,000 live births female: 63.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 51.45 years male: 50.06 years female: 52.88 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate:

4.62 children born/woman (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

8.8% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

1.6 million (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

160,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria and plague water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2008)

Nationality:

noun: Tanzanian(s) adjective: Tanzanian

Ethnic groups:

mainland - African 99% (of which 95% are Bantu consisting of more than 130 tribes), other 1% (consisting of Asian, European, and Arab); Zanzibar - Arab, African, mixed Arab and African

Religions:

mainland - Christian 30%, Muslim 35%, indigenous beliefs 35%; Zanzibar - more than 99% Muslim

Languages:

Kiswahili or Swahili (official), Kiunguja (name for Swahili in Zanzibar), English (official, primary language of commerce, administration, and higher education), Arabic (widely spoken in Zanzibar), many local languages note: Kiswahili (Swahili) is the mother tongue of the Bantu people living in Zanzibar and nearby coastal Tanzania; although Kiswahili is Bantu in structure and origin, its vocabulary draws on a variety of sources including Arabic and English; it has become the lingua franca of central and eastern Africa; the first language of most people is one of the local languages

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write Kiswahili (Swahili), English, or Arabic total population: 69.4% male: 77.5% female: 62.2% (2002 census)

Education expenditures:

2.2% of GDP (1999)

Government Tanzania

Country name:

conventional long form: United Republic of Tanzania conventional short form: Tanzania local long form: Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania local short form: Tanzania former: United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Dar es Salaam geographic coordinates: 6 48 S, 39 17 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) note: legislative offices have been transferred to Dodoma, which is planned as the new national capital; the National Assembly now meets there on a regular basis

Administrative divisions:

26 regions; Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Iringa, Kagera, Kigoma, Kilimanjaro, Lindi, Manyara, Mara, Mbeya, Morogoro, Mtwara, Mwanza, Pemba North, Pemba South, Pwani, Rukwa, Ruvuma, Shinyanga, Singida, Tabora, Tanga, Zanzibar Central/South, Zanzibar North, Zanzibar Urban/West

Independence:

26 April 1964; Tanganyika became independent 9 December 1961 (from UK-administered UN trusteeship); Zanzibar became independent 19 December 1963 (from UK); Tanganyika united with Zanzibar 26 April 1964 to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar; renamed United Republic of Tanzania 29 October 1964

National holiday:

Union Day (Tanganyika and Zanzibar), 26 April (1964)

Constitution:

25 April 1977; major revisions October 1984

Legal system:

based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts limited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Jakaya KIKWETE (since 21 December 2005); Vice President Dr. Ali Mohammed SHEIN (since 5 July 2001); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Jakaya KIKWETE (since 21 December 2005); Vice President Dr. Ali Mohammed SHEIN (since 5 July 2001) note: Zanzibar elects a president who is head of government for matters internal to Zanzibar; Amani Abeid KARUME was reelected to that office on 30 October 2005 cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly elections: president and vice president elected on the same ballot by popular vote for five-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 14 December 2005 (next to be held in December 2010); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Jakaya KIKWETE elected president; percent of vote - Jakaya KIKWETE 80.3%, Ibrahim LIPUMBA 11.7%, Freeman MBOWE 5.9%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Bunge (274 seats; 232 members elected by popular vote, 37 allocated to women nominated by the president, 5 to members of the Zanzibar House of Representatives; to serve five-year terms); note - in addition to enacting laws that apply to the entire United Republic of Tanzania, the Assembly enacts laws that apply only to the mainland; Zanzibar has its own House of Representatives to make laws especially for Zanzibar (the Zanzibar House of Representatives has 50 seats elected by universal suffrage to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 14 December 2005 (next to be held in December 2010) election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CCM 206, CUF 19, CHADEMA 5, other 2, women appointed by the president 37, Zanzibar representatives 5 Zanzibar House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CCM 30, CUF 19; 1 seat was nullified with a rerun to take place soon

Judicial branch:

Permanent Commission of Enquiry (official ombudsman); Court of Appeal (consists of a chief justice and four judges); High Court (consists of a Jaji Kiongozi and 29 judges appointed by the president; holds regular sessions in all regions); District Courts; Primary Courts (limited jurisdiction and appeals can be made to the higher courts)

Political parties and leaders:

Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Party of Democracy and Development) or CHADEMA [Bob MAKANI]; Chama Cha Mapinduzi or CCM (Revolutionary Party) [Jakaya Mrisho KIKWETE]; Civic United Front or CUF [Ibrahim LIPUMBA]; Democratic Party [Christopher MTIKLA] (unregistered); Tanzania Labor Party or TLP [Augustine Lyatonga MREME]; United Democratic Party or UDP [John CHEYO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Economic and Social Research Foundation or ESRF; Free Zanzibar; Tanzania Media Women's Association or TAMWA

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, EAC, EADB, FAO, G-6, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Ombeni Yohana SEFUE chancery: 2139 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-6125 FAX: [1] (202) 797-7408

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Mark GREEN embassy: 686 Old Bagamoyo Road, Msasani, Dar es Salaam mailing address: P. O. Box 9123, Dar es Salaam telephone: [255] (22) 266-8001 FAX: [255] (22) 266-8238, 266-8373

Flag description:

divided diagonally by a yellow-edged black band from the lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green and the lower triangle is blue

Economy Tanzania

Economy - overview:

Tanzania is one of the poorest countries in the world. The economy depends heavily on agriculture, which accounts for more than 40% of GDP, provides 85% of exports, and employs 80% of the work force. Topography and climatic conditions, however, limit cultivated crops to only 4% of the land area. Industry traditionally featured the processing of agricultural products and light consumer goods. The World Bank, the IMF, and bilateral donors have provided funds to rehabilitate Tanzania's out-of-date economic infrastructure and to alleviate poverty. Long-term growth through 2005 featured a pickup in industrial production and a substantial increase in output of minerals led by gold. Recent banking reforms have helped increase private-sector growth and investment. Continued donor assistance and solid macroeconomic policies supported real GDP growth of nearly 7% in 2007.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$51.07 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$16.18 billion (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

7.3% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,300 (2007 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 42.5% industry: 18.9% services: 38.5% (2007 est.)

Labor force:

20.04 million (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 80% industry and services: 20% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

36% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 26.9% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

34.6 (2000)

Investment (gross fixed):

23.2% of GDP (2007 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $3.561 billion expenditures: $3.594 billion (2007 est.)

Fiscal year:

1 July - 30 June

Public debt:

19.6% of GDP (2007 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

7% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

16.4% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

16.03% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$2.263 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$2.885 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$2.25 billion (31 December 2007)

Agriculture - products:

coffee, sisal, tea, cotton, pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums), cashew nuts, tobacco, cloves, corn, wheat, cassava (tapioca), bananas, fruits, vegetables; cattle, sheep, goats

Industries:

agricultural processing (sugar, beer, cigarettes, sisal twine); diamond, gold, and iron mining, salt, soda ash; cement, oil refining, shoes, apparel, wood products, fertilizer

Industrial production growth rate:

9.5% (2007 est.)

Electricity - production:

2.682 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - consumption:

2.225 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

123 million kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - production by source:

fossil fuel: 18.9% hydro: 81.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - consumption:

27,270 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports:

26,760 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:

146 million cu m (2006 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

146 million cu m (2006 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

6.513 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)

Current account balance:

-$1.856 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$2.227 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

gold, coffee, cashew nuts, manufactures, cotton

Exports - partners:

China 10.3%, India 9.7%, Netherlands 6.5%, Germany 6.3%, UAE 4.9% (2007)

Imports:

$4.861 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

consumer goods, machinery and transportation equipment, industrial raw materials, crude oil

Imports - partners:

China 12%, Kenya 8%, South Africa 7.7%, India 6.9%, UAE 5.9% (2007)

Economic aid - recipient:

$1.505 billion (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$2.91 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$4.382 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$NA

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$587.9 million (2005)

Currency (code):

Tanzanian shilling (TZS)

Currency code:

TZS

Exchange rates:

Tanzanian shillings (TZS) per US dollar - 1,255 (2007), 1,251.9 (2006), 1,128.93 (2005), 1,089.33 (2004), 1,038.42 (2003)

Communications Tanzania

Telephones - main lines in use:

165,013 (2008)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

9.358 million (2008)

Telephone system:

general assessment: telecommunications services are inadequate; system operating below capacity and being modernized for better service; small aperture terminal (VSAT) system under construction domestic: fixed-line telephone network inadequate with less than 1 connection per 100 persons; mobile-cellular service, aided by multiple providers, is increasing; trunk service provided by open-wire, microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and fiber-optic cable; some links being made digital international: country code - 255; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 12, FM 11, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:

8.8 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

3 (1999)

Televisions:

103,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.tz

Internet hosts:

24,271 (2008)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

6 (2000)

Internet users:

400,000 (2007)

Transportation Tanzania

Airports:

124 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 10 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 114 1,524 to 2,437 m: 17 914 to 1,523 m: 63 under 914 m: 34 (2007)

Pipelines:

gas 287 km; oil 891 km (2007)

Railways:

total: 3,690 km narrow gauge: 969 km 1.067-m gauge; 2,721 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)

Roadways:

total: 78,891 km paved: 6,808 km unpaved: 72,083 km (2003)

Waterways:

Lake Tanganyika, Lake Victoria, and Lake Nyasa principal avenues of commerce with neighboring countries; rivers not navigable (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 9 by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 4 registered in other countries: 1 (Honduras 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Dar es Salaam

Transportation - note:

the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the Indian Ocean are high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; numerous commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; crews have been robbed and stores or cargoes stolen

Military Tanzania

Military branches:

Tanzanian People's Defense Force (Jeshi la Wananchi la Tanzania, JWTZ): Army, Naval Wing (includes Coast Guard), Air Defense Command (includes Air Wing), National Service (2007)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service (2007)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 9,108,177 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 5,278,833 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 478,812 female: 479,557 (2008 est.)

Military expenditures:

0.2% of GDP (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Tanzania

Disputes - international:

Tanzania still hosts more than a half-million refugees, more than any other African country, mainly from Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, despite the international community's efforts at repatriation; disputes with Malawi over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and the meandering Songwe River remain dormant

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 352,640 (Burundi); 127,973 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (2007)

Illicit drugs:

growing role in transshipment of Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin and South American cocaine destined for South African, European, and US markets and of South Asian methaqualone bound for southern Africa; money laundering remains a problem

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008

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@Thailand

Introduction Thailand

Background:

A unified Thai kingdom was established in the mid-14th century. Known as Siam until 1939, Thailand is the only Southeast Asian country never to have been taken over by a European power. A bloodless revolution in 1932 led to a constitutional monarchy. In alliance with Japan during World War II, Thailand became a US ally following the conflict. Thailand is currently facing separatist violence in its southern ethnic Malay-Muslim provinces.

Geography Thailand

Location:

Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, southeast of Burma

Geographic coordinates:

15 00 N, 100 00 E

Map references:

Southeast Asia

Area:

total: 514,000 sq km land: 511,770 sq km water: 2,230 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than twice the size of Wyoming

Land boundaries:

total: 4,863 km border countries: Burma 1,800 km, Cambodia 803 km, Laos 1,754 km, Malaysia 506 km

Coastline:

3,219 km

Maritime claims:

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

Climate:

tropical; rainy, warm, cloudy southwest monsoon (mid-May to September); dry, cool northeast monsoon (November to mid-March); southern isthmus always hot and humid

Terrain:

central plain; Khorat Plateau in the east; mountains elsewhere

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m highest point: Doi Inthanon 2,576 m

Natural resources:

tin, rubber, natural gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead, fish, gypsum, lignite, fluorite, arable land

Land use:

arable land: 27.54% permanent crops: 6.93% other: 65.53% (2005)

Irrigated land:

49,860 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

409.9 cu km (1999)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 82.75 cu km/yr (2%/2%/95%) per capita: 1,288 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

land subsidence in Bangkok area resulting from the depletion of the water table; droughts

Environment - current issues:

air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from organic and factory wastes; deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by illegal hunting

Environment - international agreements:

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

Geography - note:

controls only land route from Asia to Malaysia and Singapore

People Thailand

Population:

65,493,296 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2008 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 21.2% (male 7,104,776/female 6,781,453) 15-64 years: 70.3% (male 22,763,274/female 23,304,793) 65 years and over: 8.5% (male 2,516,721/female 3,022,281) (2008 est.)

Median age:

total: 32.8 years male: 32 years female: 33.7 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.64% (2008 est.)

Birth rate:

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

Death rate:

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

Net migration rate:

NA (2008 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 18.23 deaths/1,000 live births male: 19.5 deaths/1,000 live births female: 16.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 72.83 years male: 70.51 years female: 75.27 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.64 children born/woman (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

1.5% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

570,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

58,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, Japanese encephalitis, and malaria animal contact disease: rabies water contact disease: leptospirosis note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2008)

Nationality:

noun: Thai (singular and plural) adjective: Thai

Ethnic groups:

Thai 75%, Chinese 14%, other 11%

Religions:

Buddhist 94.6%, Muslim 4.6%, Christian 0.7%, other 0.1% (2000 census)

Languages:

Thai, English (secondary language of the elite), ethnic and regional dialects

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.6% male: 94.9% female: 90.5% (2000 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 14 years male: 13 years female: 14 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

4.2% of GDP (2005)

Government Thailand

Country name:

conventional long form: Kingdom of Thailand conventional short form: Thailand local long form: Ratcha Anachak Thai local short form: Prathet Thai former: Siam

Government type:

constitutional monarchy

Capital:

name: Bangkok geographic coordinates: 13 45 N, 100 31 E time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

76 provinces (changwat, singular and plural); Amnat Charoen, Ang Thong, Buriram, Chachoengsao, Chai Nat, Chaiyaphum, Chanthaburi, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Chon Buri, Chumphon, Kalasin, Kamphaeng Phet, Kanchanaburi, Khon Kaen, Krabi, Krung Thep Mahanakhon (Bangkok), Lampang, Lamphun, Loei, Lop Buri, Mae Hong Son, Maha Sarakham, Mukdahan, Nakhon Nayok, Nakhon Pathom, Nakhon Phanom, Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Sawan, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Nan, Narathiwat, Nong Bua Lamphu, Nong Khai, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Pattani, Phangnga, Phatthalung, Phayao, Phetchabun, Phetchaburi, Phichit, Phitsanulok, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Phrae, Phuket, Prachin Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Ranong, Ratchaburi, Rayong, Roi Et, Sa Kaeo, Sakon Nakhon, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Samut Songkhram, Sara Buri, Satun, Sing Buri, Sisaket, Songkhla, Sukhothai, Suphan Buri, Surat Thani, Surin, Tak, Trang, Trat, Ubon Ratchathani, Udon Thani, Uthai Thani, Uttaradit, Yala, Yasothon

Independence:

1238 (traditional founding date; never colonized)

National holiday:

Birthday of King PHUMIPHON (BHUMIBOL), 5 December (1927)

Constitution:

constitution signed by King PHUMIPHON (BHUMIBOL) on 24 August 2007

Legal system:

based on civil law system, with influences of common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:

chief of state: King PHUMIPHON Adunyadet or (BHUMIBOL Adulyadej) (since 9 June 1946) head of government: Prime Minister ABHISIT Wetchachiwa, also spelled ABHISIT Vejjajiva (since 17 December 2008); Deputy Prime Minister OLARN Cahipravat (since 24 September 2008); Deputy Prime Minister SANAN Kachornprasat, also spelled SANAN Kachornparsart (since 7 February 2008); Deputy Prime Minister SOMPONG Amornwiwat (since 24 September 2008) cabinet: Council of Ministers note: there is also a Privy Council elections: monarch is hereditary; according to 2007 constitution, prime minister is designated from among members of House of Representatives; following national elections for House of Representatives, leader of party that could organize a majority coalition usually was appointed prime minister by king; prime minister is limited to two 4-year terms

Legislative branch:

bicameral National Assembly or Rathasapha consisted of the Senate or Wuthisapha (150 seats; 76 members elected by popular vote representing 76 provinces, 74 appointed by judges and independent government bodies; all serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Sapha Phuthaen Ratsadon (480 seats; 400 members elected from 157 multi-seat constituencies and 80 elected on proportional party-list basis of 10 per eight zones or groupings of provinces; all serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held on 2 March 2008 (next to be held in March 2014); House of Representatives - last election held on 23 December 2007 (next to be held in December 2011) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PPP 233, DP 164, TNP 34, Motherland 24, Middle Way 11, Unity 9, Royalist People's 5 note: 74 senators were appointed on 19 February 2008 by a seven-member committee headed by the chief of the Constitutional Court; 76 senators were elected on 2 March 2008; elections to the Senate are non-partisan; registered political party members are disqualified from being senators

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Sandika (judges appointed by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders:

Democrat Party or DP (Prachathipat Party) [ABHISIT Wetchachiwa, also spelled ABHISIT Vejjajiva]; Matchima Thippatai (Middle Way Party) [ANONGWAN Therpsuthin] - disbanded; Motherland Party (Peua Pandin Party); People's Power Party (Palang Prachachon Party) or PPP [SOMCHAI Wongsawat, acting] - disbanded; Royalist People's Party (Pracharaj) [SANOH Thienthong]; Ruam Jai Thai Party (Thai Unity Party) [CHETTA Thanacharo, also spelled CHETTHA Thanajaro]; Thai Nation Party or TNP (Chat Thai Party) [BARNHARN SILPA-ARCHA] - disbanded

Political pressure groups and leaders:

People's Alliance for Democracy; Campaign for Democracy [Pibob THONGCHAI]

International organization participation:

ADB, APEC, APT, ARF, ASEAN, BIMSTEC, BIS, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, PIF (partner), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires DAMRONG Kraikruan chancery: 1024 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 401, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 944-3600 FAX: [1] (202) 944-3611 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Eric G. JOHN embassy: 120-122 Wireless Road, Bangkok 10330 mailing address: APO AP 96546 telephone: [66] (2) 205-4000 FAX: [66] (2) 254-2990, 205-4131 consulate(s) general: Chiang Mai

Flag description:

five horizontal bands of red (top), white, blue (double width), white, and red

Economy Thailand

Economy - overview:

With a well-developed infrastructure, a free-enterprise economy, and generally pro-investment policies, Thailand appears to have fully recovered from the 1997-98 Asian Financial Crisis. The country was one of East Asia's best performers from 2002-04. Boosted by strong export growth, the Thai economy grew 4.5% in 2007. Bangkok has pursued preferential trade agreements with a variety of partners in an effort to boost exports and to maintain high growth. By 2007, the tourism sector had largely recovered from the major 2004 tsunami. Following the military coup in September 2006, investment and consumer confidence stagnated due to the uncertain political climate that lasted through the December 2007 elections. Foreign investor sentiment was further tempered by a 30% reserve requirement on capital inflows instituted in December 2006, and discussion of amending Thailand's rules governing foreign-owned businesses. Economic growth in 2007 was due almost entirely to robust export performance - despite the pressure of an appreciating currency. Exports have performed at record levels, rising nearly 17% in 2006 and 12% in 2007. Export-oriented manufacturing - in particular automobile production - and farm output are driving these gains.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$521.5 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$245.7 billion (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

4.8% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$8,000 (2007 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 11.4% industry: 43.8% services: 44.8% (2007 est.)

Labor force:

36.9 million (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 49% industry: 14% services: 37% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:

1.4% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

10% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.7% highest 10%: 33.4% (2002)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

42 (2002)

Investment (gross fixed):

26.8% of GDP (2007 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $44.14 billion expenditures: $49.83 billion (2007 est.)

Fiscal year:

1 October - 30 September

Public debt:

37.9% of GDP (2007 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.2% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

3.75% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

7.05% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$28.62 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$216.6 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$241.8 billion (31 December 2007)

Agriculture - products:

rice, cassava (tapioca), rubber, corn, sugarcane, coconuts, soybeans

Industries:

tourism, textiles and garments, agricultural processing, beverages, tobacco, cement, light manufacturing such as jewelry and electric appliances, computers and parts, integrated circuits, furniture, plastics, automobiles and automotive parts; world's second-largest tungsten producer and third-largest tin producer

Industrial production growth rate:

5.4% (2007 est.)

Electricity - production:

130.7 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - consumption:

123.9 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports:

731 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

4.488 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production by source:

fossil fuel: 91.3% hydro: 6.4% nuclear: 0% other: 2.4% (2001)

Oil - production:

348,600 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - consumption:

928,600 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports:

207,400 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports:

832,900 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - proved reserves:

460 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)

Natural gas - production:

25.4 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

35.3 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

9.8 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

331.2 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)

Current account balance:

$14.92 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$151.1 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

textiles and footwear, fishery products, rice, rubber, jewelry, automobiles, computers and electrical appliances

Exports - partners:

US 12.6%, Japan 11.9%, China 9.7%, Singapore 6.3%, Hong Kong 5.7%, Malaysia 5.1% (2007)

Imports:

$125.2 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

capital goods, intermediate goods and raw materials, consumer goods, fuels

Imports - partners:

Japan 20.3%, China 11.6%, US 6.8%, Malaysia 6.2%, UAE 4.9%, Singapore 4.5%, Taiwan 4.1% (2007)

Economic aid - recipient:

$171.1 million (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$87.46 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$59.52 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$80.83 billion (2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$7.013 billion (2007 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$139.6 billion (2006)

Currency (code):

baht (THB)

Currency code:

THB

Exchange rates:

baht per US dollar - 33.599 (2007), 37.882 (2006), 40.22 (2005), 40.222 (2004), 41.485 (2003)

Communications Thailand

Telephones - main lines in use:

7.024 million (2007)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

51.377 million (2007)

Telephone system:

general assessment: high quality system, especially in urban areas like Bangkok domestic: fixed line system provided by both a government owned and commercial provider; wireless service expanding rapidly and outpacing fixed lines international: country code - 66; connected to major submarine cable systems providing links throughout Asia, Australia, Middle East, Europe, and US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 238, FM 351, shortwave 6 (2007)

Radios:

13.96 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

111 (2006)

Televisions:

15.19 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.th

Internet hosts:

1.116 million (2008)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

15 (2000)

Internet users:

13.416 million (2007)

Transportation Thailand

Airports:

106 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 65 over 3,047 m: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 23 914 to 1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 6 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 41 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 28 (2007)

Heliports:

3 (2007)

Pipelines:

gas 4,381 km; refined products 320 km (2007)

Railways:

total: 4,071 km narrow gauge: 4,071 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)

Roadways:

total: 180,053 km (includes 450 km of expressways) (2006)

Waterways:

4,000 km note: 3,701 km navigable by boats with drafts up to 0.9 m (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 398 by type: bulk carrier 53, cargo 135, chemical tanker 15, container 22, liquefied gas 28, passenger/cargo 10, petroleum tanker 100, refrigerated cargo 32, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 1 foreign-owned: 16 (China 1, Japan 4, Malaysia 3, Singapore 2, Taiwan 1, UK 5) registered in other countries: 40 (Bahamas 5, Mongolia 1, Panama 10, Singapore 23, Tuvalu 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Bangkok, Laem Chabang, Prachuap Port, Si Racha

Military Thailand

Military branches:

Royal Thai Army (RTA), Royal Thai Navy (RTN, includes Royal Thai Marine Corps), Royal Thai Air Force (Knogtap Agard Thai, RTAF) (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

21 years of age for compulsory military service; 18 years of age for voluntary military service; males are registered at 18 years of age; 2-year conscript service obligation (2006)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 17,553,410 females age 16-49: 17,751,268 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 12,968,674 females age 16-49: 14,058,779 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 531,315 female: 511,288 (2008 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.8% of GDP (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Thailand

Disputes - international:

separatist violence in Thailand's predominantly Muslim southern provinces prompt border closures and controls with Malaysia to stem terrorist activities; Southeast Asian states have enhanced border surveillance to check the spread of avian flu; talks continue on completion of demarcation with Laos but disputes remain over several islands in the Mekong River; despite continuing border committee talks, Thailand must deal with Karen and other ethnic rebels, refugees, and illegal cross-border activities, and as of 2006, over 116,000 Karen, Hmong, and other refugees and asylum seekers from Burma; Cambodia and Thailand dispute sections of historic boundary with missing boundary markers; Cambodia claims Thai encroachments into Cambodian territory and obstructing access to Preah Vihear temple ruins awarded to Cambodia by ICJ decision in 1962; Thailand is studying the feasibility of jointly constructing the Hatgyi Dam on the Salween river near the border with Burma; in 2004, international environmentalist pressure prompted China to halt construction of 13 dams on the Salween River that flows through China, Burma, and Thailand

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 132,241 (Burma) (2007)

Illicit drugs:

a minor producer of opium, heroin, and marijuana; transit point for illicit heroin en route to the international drug market from Burma and Laos; eradication efforts have reduced the area of cannabis cultivation and shifted some production to neighboring countries; opium poppy cultivation has been reduced by eradication efforts; also a drug money-laundering center; minor role in methamphetamine production for regional consumption; major consumer of methamphetamine since the 1990s despite a series of government crackdowns

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008

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@Timor-Leste

Introduction Timor-Leste

Background:

The Portuguese began to trade with the island of Timor in the early 16th century and colonized it in mid-century. Skirmishing with the Dutch in the region eventually resulted in an 1859 treaty in which Portugal ceded the western portion of the island. Imperial Japan occupied Portuguese Timor from 1942 to 1945, but Portugal resumed colonial authority after the Japanese defeat in World War II. East Timor declared itself independent from Portugal on 28 November 1975 and was invaded and occupied by Indonesian forces nine days later. It was incorporated into Indonesia in July 1976 as the province of Timor Timur (East Timor). An unsuccessful campaign of pacification followed over the next two decades, during which an estimated 100,000 to 250,000 individuals lost their lives. On 30 August 1999, in a UN-supervised popular referendum, an overwhelming majority of the people of Timor-Leste voted for independence from Indonesia. Between the referendum and the arrival of a multinational peacekeeping force in late September 1999, anti-independence Timorese militias - organized and supported by the Indonesian military - commenced a large-scale, scorched-earth campaign of retribution. The militias killed approximately 1,400 Timorese and forcibly pushed 300,000 people into western Timor as refugees. The majority of the country's infrastructure, including homes, irrigation systems, water supply systems, and schools, and nearly 100% of the country's electrical grid were destroyed. On 20 September 1999 the Australian-led peacekeeping troops of the International Force for East Timor (INTERFET) deployed to the country and brought the violence to an end. On 20 May 2002, Timor-Leste was internationally recognized as an independent state. In late April 2006, internal tensions threatened the new nation's security when a military strike led to violence and a near breakdown of law and order in Dili. At the request of the Government of Timor-Leste, an Australian-led International Stabilization Force (ISF) deployed to Timor-Leste in late May. In August, the UN Security Council established the UN Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT), which included an authorized police presence of over 1,600 personnel. In subsequent months, many of the ISF soldiers were replaced by UN police officers; approximately 80 ISF officers remained as of January 2008. From April to June 2007, the Government of Timor-Leste held presidential and parliamentary elections in a largely peaceful atmosphere with the support and assistance of UNMIT and international donors.