$NA (continued 5)

local short form: Nepal

Government type:

federal democratic republic

Capital:

name: Kathmandu

geographic coordinates: 27 43 N, 85 19 E

time difference: UTC+5.75 (10.75 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

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

Independence:

1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan SHAH)

National holiday:

Republic Day, 29 May; Democracy Day, 24 April

Constitution:

15 January 2007 (interim Constitution); note - in April 2008, a Constituent Assembly was elected to draft and promulgate a new constitution by May 2010

Legal system:

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

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Ram Baran YADAV (as of 23 July 2008); Vice President Paramananda JHA (as of 23 July 2008)

head of government: Prime Minister Madhav Kumar NEPAL (as of 25 May 2009); Deputy Prime Minister Bijay Kumar GACHHEDAR

cabinet: cabinet formed in August 2008 by a majority coalition made up of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), Communist Party of Nepal-United Marxist-Leninist, Madhesi People's Rights Forum, and several smaller parties

elections: president elected by Parliament; term extends until the new constitution is promulgated; election last held 21 July 2008; date of next election NA

election results: Ram Baran YADAV elected president by the Constituent Assembly in a second round of voting on 21 July 2008; Ram Baran YADAV 308, Ram Jaja Prasad SINGH 282

Legislative branch:

unicameral Constituent Assembly (601 seats; 240 seats decided by direct popular vote; 335 seats by proportional representation; 26 appointed by the Cabinet (Council of Ministers))

elections: last held 10 April 2008 (next to be held NA)

election results: percent of vote by party - CPN-M 38%, NC 19%, CPN-UML 19%,Madhesi People's Right Forum 9%, Terai-Madhes Democratic Party and Sadbhavana Party 5%, other 10%; seats by party - CPN-M 220, NC 110, CPN-UML 103, Madhesi People's Rights Forum 52, Terai-Madhes Democratic Party 20, Sadbhawana Party 9, other smaller parties 61; note - 26 seats filled by the new Cabinet

Judicial branch:

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

Political parties and leaders:

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

Political pressure groups and leaders:

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

International organization participation:

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

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Kali POKHREL

chancery: 2131 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 667-4550

FAX: [1] (202) 667-5534

consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Nancy J. POWELL

embassy: Maharajgunj, Kathmandu

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: [977] (1) 400-7200

FAX: [977] (1) 400-7272

Flag description:

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

Economy ::Nepal

Economy - overview:

Nepal is among the poorest and least developed countries in the world with almost one-third of its population living below the poverty line. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing a livelihood for three-fourths of the population and accounting for about one-third of GDP. Industrial activity mainly involves the processing of agricultural products, including pulses, jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain. Bumper crops, better security, improved transportation, and increased tourism pushed growth past 5% in 2008, after growth had hovered around 3% - barely above the rate of population growth - for the previous three years. The deteriorating world economy in 2009 will challenge tourism and remittance growth, a key source of foreign exchange. Nepal has considerable scope for exploiting its potential in hydropower and tourism, areas of recent foreign investment interest. Prospects for foreign trade or investment in other sectors will remain poor, however, because of the small size of the economy, its technological backwardness, its remoteness and landlocked geographic location, its civil strife and labor unrest, and its susceptibility to natural disaster.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$31.39 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 104 $29.81 billion (2007 est.)

$28.86 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$12.28 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 81 3.3% (2007 est.)

3.4% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,100 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 210 $1,100 (2007 est.)

$1,100 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 32.5%

industry: 16.6%

services: 50.9% (FY07 est.)

Labor force:

14.6 million country comparison to the world: 39 note: severe lack of skilled labor (2008 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 76%

industry: 6%

services: 18% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:

46% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 191 42% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:

30.9% (2004)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.7%

highest 10%: 40.6% (2006)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

47.2 (2008) country comparison to the world: 35 36.7 (1996)

Budget:

revenues: $1.7 billion

expenditures: $2.3 billion (FY08)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

7.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 122 6.4% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

6.5% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 72 6.25% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

NA% (31 December 2008)

Stock of money:

$2.106 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 69 $2.184 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$4.885 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 70 $4.745 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$5.556 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 80 $5.636 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$5.5 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 88 $4.909 billion (31 December 2007)

$1.805 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

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

Industries:

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

Industrial production growth rate:

1.8% (FY08) country comparison to the world: 110

Electricity - production:

2.781 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 129

Electricity - consumption:

2.243 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 132

Electricity - exports:

140 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

213 million kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 154

Oil - consumption:

18,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 128

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 148

Oil - imports:

16,920 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 120

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 149

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 145

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 145

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 142

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 107

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 152

Current account balance:

$241 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 53 $58 million (2007)

Exports:

$868 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 153 $830 million (2006)

Exports - commodities:

clothing, carpets, leather goods, jute goods, pulses, grain

Exports - partners:

India 59.2%, US 8.7%, Bangladesh 8.3%, Germany 4.3% (2008)

Imports:

$3.229 billion (2008) country comparison to the world: 135 $2.398 billion (2006)

Imports - commodities:

petroleum products, machinery and equipment, electrical goods

Imports - partners:

India 55.4%, China 13.3%, Singapore 2% (2008)

Debt - external:

$3.285 billion (2008) country comparison to the world: 118 $3.07 billion (March 2006)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$NA

Exchange rates:

Nepalese rupees (NPR) per US dollar - 65.21 (2008), 70.35 (2007), 72.446 (2006), 72.16 (2005), 73.674 (2004)

Communications ::Nepal

Telephones - main lines in use:

805,100 (2008) country comparison to the world: 87

Telephones - mobile cellular:

4.2 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 94

Telephone system:

general assessment: poor telephone and telegraph service; fair radiotelephone communication service and mobile-cellular telephone network

domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone service subscribership base only about 15 per 100 persons

international: country code - 977; radiotelephone communications; microwave landline to India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 6, FM 80, shortwave 4 (2008)

Television broadcast stations:

9 (plus 9 repeaters) (2008)

Internet country code:

.np

Internet hosts:

43,411 (2009) country comparison to the world: 87

Internet users:

499,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 108

Transportation ::Nepal

Airports:

47 (2009) country comparison to the world: 93

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 11

over 3,047 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 9

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 36

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 5

under 914 m: 30 (2009)

Railways:

total: 59 km country comparison to the world: 130 narrow gauge: 59 km 0.762-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 17,282 km country comparison to the world: 120 paved: 10,142 km

unpaved: 7,140 km (2007)

Military ::Nepal

Military branches:

Nepal Army (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

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

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 7,322,965

females age 16-49: 6,859,064 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 4,886,103

females age 16-49: 5,525,764 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 365,567

female: 352,643 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.6% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 104

Transnational Issues ::Nepal

Disputes - international:

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

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 107,803 (Bhutan); 20,153 (Tibet/China)

IDPs: 50,000-70,000 (remaining from ten-year Maoist insurgency that officially ended in 2006; displacement spread across the country) (2007)

Illicit drugs:

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

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Netherlands (Europe)

Introduction ::Netherlands

Background:

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

Geography ::Netherlands

Location:

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

Geographic coordinates:

52 30 N, 5 45 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 41,543 sq km country comparison to the world: 134 land: 33,893 sq km

water: 7,650 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

Land boundaries:

total: 1,027 km

border countries: Belgium 450 km, Germany 577 km

Coastline:

451 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:

temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters

Terrain:

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

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Zuidplaspolder -7 m

highest point: Vaalserberg 322 m

Natural resources:

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

Land use:

arable land: 21.96%

permanent crops: 0.77%

other: 77.27% (2005)

Irrigated land:

5,650 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

89.7 cu km (2005)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 8.86 cu km/yr (6%/60%/34%)

per capita: 544 cu m/yr (2001)

Natural hazards:

flooding

Environment - current issues:

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

Environment - international agreements:

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

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

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

People ::Netherlands

Population:

16,715,999 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 59

Age structure:

0-14 years: 17.4% (male 1,485,873/female 1,416,999)

15-64 years: 67.7% (male 5,720,387/female 5,604,014)

65 years and over: 14.9% (male 1,070,496/female 1,418,230) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 40.4 years

male: 39.6 years

female: 41.2 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.412% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 162

Birth rate:

10.4 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 186

Death rate:

8.74 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 86

Net migration rate:

2.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 34

Urbanization:

urban population: 82% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 4.73 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 198 male: 5.25 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 79.4 years country comparison to the world: 30 male: 76.8 years

female: 82.14 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.66 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 174

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.2% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 107

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

18,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 82

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 122

Nationality:

noun: Dutchman(men), Dutchwoman(women)

adjective: Dutch

Ethnic groups:

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

Religions:

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

Languages:

Dutch (official), Frisian (official)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 16 years

male: 17 years

female: 16 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

5.3% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 58

Government ::Netherlands

Country name:

conventional long form: Kingdom of the Netherlands

conventional short form: Netherlands

local long form: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden

local short form: Nederland

Government type:

constitutional monarchy

Capital:

name: Amsterdam

geographic coordinates: 52 23 N, 4 54 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

note: The Hague is the seat of government; time descriptions apply to the continental Netherlands only, not to the Caribbean components

Administrative divisions:

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

Dependent areas:

Aruba, Netherlands Antilles

Independence:

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

National holiday:

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

Constitution:

adopted 1815; amended many times, most recently in 2002

Legal system:

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

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen BEATRIX (since 30 April 1980); Heir Apparent WILLEM-ALEXANDER (born 27 April 1967), son of the monarch

head of government: Prime Minister Jan Peter BALKENENDE (since 22 July 2002); Deputy Prime Ministers Wouter BOS (since 22 February 2007) and Andre ROUVOET (since 22 February 2007)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch

elections: the monarchy is hereditary; following Second Chamber elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch; deputy prime ministers appointed by the monarch

note: there is also a Council of State composed of the monarch, heir apparent, and councilors that provides consultations to the cabinet on legislative and administrative policy

Legislative branch:

bicameral States General or Staten Generaal consists of the First Chamber or Eerste Kamer (75 seats; members indirectly elected by the country's 12 provincial councils to serve four-year terms) and the Second Chamber or Tweede Kamer (150 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: First Chamber - last held 29 May 2007 (next to be held in May 2011); Second Chamber - last held 22 November 2006 (next to be held by early 2011)

election results: First Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CDA 21, PvdA 14, VVD 14, Socialist Party 11, Christian Union 4, Green Left Party 4, D66 2, other 5; Second Chamber - percent of vote by party - CDA 26.5%, PvdA 21.2%, Socialist Party 16.6%, VVD 14.6%, Party for Freedom 5.9%, Green Party 4.6%, Christian Union 4.0%, other 6.6%; seats by party - CDA 41, PvdA 33, Socialist Party 25, VVD 22, Party for Freedom 9, Green Party 7, Christian Union 6, other 7

Judicial branch:

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

Political parties and leaders:

Christian Democratic Appeal or CDA [Pieter VAN GEEL]; Christian Union Party [Arie SLOB]; Democrats 66 or D66 [Alexander PECHTOLD]; Green Left Party [Femke HALSEMA]; Labor Party or PvdA [Mariette HAMER]; Party for Freedom or PVV [Geert WILDERS]; Party for the Animals or PvdD [Marianne THIEME]; People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (Liberal) or VVD [Mark RUTTE]; Reformed Political Party of SGP [Bas VAN DER VLIES]; Socialist Party [Agnes KANT]; plus a few minor parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:

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

International organization participation:

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

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Regina "Renee" JONES-BOS

chancery: 4200 Linnean Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 244-5300, [1] 877-388-2443

FAX: [1] (202) 362-3430

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York

consulate(s): Boston

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Michael GALLAGHER

embassy: Lange Voorhout 102, 2514 EJ, The Hague

mailing address: PSC 71, Box 1000, APO AE 09715

telephone: [31] (70) 310-2209

FAX: [31] (70) 361-4688

consulate(s) general: Amsterdam

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue; similar to the flag of Luxembourg, which uses a lighter blue and is longer; the colors were those of WILLIAM I, Prince of Orange, who led the Dutch Revolt against Spanish sovereignty in the latter half of the 16th century; originally the upper band was orange, but because it tended to fade to red over time, the red shade was eventually made the permanent color; the banner is perhaps the oldest tricolor in continuous use

Economy ::Netherlands

Economy - overview:

The Netherlands has a prosperous and open economy, which depends heavily on foreign trade. The economy is noted for stable industrial relations, moderate unemployment and inflation, a sizable current account surplus, and an important role as a European transportation hub. Industrial activity is predominantly in food processing, chemicals, petroleum refining, and electrical machinery. A highly mechanized agricultural sector employs no more than 3% of the labor force but provides large surpluses for the food-processing industry and for exports. The Netherlands, along with 11 of its EU partners, began circulating the euro currency on 1 January 2002. The country has been one of the leading European nations for attracting foreign direct investment and is one of the four largest investors in the US. The pace of job growth reached 10-year highs in 2007, but economic growth fell sharply in 2008 as fallout from the world financial crisis constricted demand and raised the specter of a recession in 2009.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$673.5 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 21 $660.3 billion (2007 est.)

$637.4 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$877 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 161 3.6% (2007 est.)

3.4% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$40,500 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 20 $39,900 (2007 est.)

$38,700 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 1.7%

industry: 25.5%

services: 72.9% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

7.715 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 57

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 2%

industry: 18%

services: 80% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:

4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 48 4.6% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

10.5% (2005)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.5%

highest 10%: 22.9% (1999)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

30.9 (2007) country comparison to the world: 108 32.6 (1994)

Investment (gross fixed):

20.5% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 103

Budget:

revenues: $405.9 billion

expenditures: $397.3 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

58.2% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 26 55.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 26 1.6% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

3% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 106 5% (31 December 2007)

note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

10.37% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 96 8.72% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$NA

note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 16 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi money circulating within their own borders

Stock of quasi money:

$NA

Stock of domestic credit:

$1.824 trillion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 10 $1.684 trillion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$456.2 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 18 $956.5 billion (31 December 2007)

$779.6 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

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

Industries:

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

Industrial production growth rate:

2.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 87

Electricity - production:

97.19 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 32

Electricity - consumption:

110.2 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 28

Electricity - exports:

9.28 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

25.01 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

72,090 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 56

Oil - consumption:

962,900 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 19

Oil - exports:

1.647 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 14

Oil - imports:

2.678 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 7

Oil - proved reserves:

100 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 68

Natural gas - production:

84.69 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 8

Natural gas - consumption:

48.34 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 17

Natural gas - exports:

61.72 billion cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 4

Natural gas - imports:

25.34 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 12

Natural gas - proved reserves:

1.416 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 23

Current account balance:

$41.93 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 9 $59.51 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$531.7 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 8 $461 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs

Exports - partners:

Germany 25.5%, Belgium 13.8%, France 8.9%, UK 8.8%, Italy 5.2% (2008)

Imports:

$474.8 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 9 $406.2 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

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

Imports - partners:

Germany 16.6%, China 10.1%, Belgium 8.7%, US 7.5%, UK 5.8%, Russia 5.4%, France 4.4% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$28.51 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 45 $26.98 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$2.461 trillion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 5 $2.59 trillion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$644.6 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 8 $724.1 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$843.7 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 5 $876.9 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)

Communications ::Netherlands

Telephones - main lines in use:

7.324 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 25

Telephones - mobile cellular:

19.927 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 39

Telephone system:

general assessment: highly developed and well maintained

domestic: extensive fixed-line fiber-optic network; large cellular telephone system with 5 major operators utilizing the third generation of the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) technology; one in five households now use Voice over the Internet Protocol (VoIP) services

international: country code - 31; submarine cables provide links to the US and Europe; satellite earth stations - 5 (3 Intelsat - 1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean, 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (2007)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 4, FM 567, shortwave 1 (2008)

Television broadcast stations:

342 (2008)

Internet country code:

.nl

Internet hosts:

12.388 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 9

Internet users:

14.273 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 26

Transportation ::Netherlands

Airports:

27 (2009) country comparison to the world: 124

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 20

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 9

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 5

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 7

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 4 (2009)

Heliports:

1 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 3,816 km; oil 365 km; refined products 716 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 2,811 km country comparison to the world: 57 standard gauge: 2,811 km 1.435-m gauge (2,064 km electrified) (2008)

Roadways:

total: 135,470 km (includes 2,582 km of expressways) (2007) country comparison to the world: 35

Waterways:

6,215 km (navigable for ships of 50 tons) (2007) country comparison to the world: 22

Merchant marine:

total: 622 country comparison to the world: 18 by type: bulk carrier 9, cargo 381, carrier 19, chemical tanker 44, container 76, liquefied gas 15, passenger 16, passenger/cargo 15, petroleum tanker 11, refrigerated cargo 10, roll on/roll off 23, specialized tanker 3

foreign-owned: 203 (Belgium 2, Cyprus 8, Denmark 29, Finland 14, France 1, Germany 75, Ireland 10, Italy 1, South Korea 1, Norway 12, Sweden 28, Turkey 1, UAE 5, UK 2, US 14)

registered in other countries: 178 (Antigua and Barbuda 20, Australia 2, Austria 2, Bahamas 9, Cambodia 1, Canada 1, Cyprus 22, Germany 1, Gibraltar 21, Isle of Man 1, Liberia 6, Luxembourg 2, Marshall Islands 8, Netherlands Antilles 38, Panama 14, Paraguay 1, Philippines 23, Portugal 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3, US 1, unknown 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Amsterdam, IJmuiden, Rotterdam, Terneuzen, Vlissingen

Military ::Netherlands

Military branches:

Royal Netherlands Army, Royal Netherlands Navy (includes Naval Air Service and Marine Corps), Royal Netherlands Air Force (Koninklijke Luchtmacht, KLu), Royal Military Police (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

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

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 3,950,825

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

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 3,224,790

females age 16-49: 3,143,096 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 105,194

female: 100,341 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.6% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 101

Transnational Issues ::Netherlands

Disputes - international:

none

Illicit drugs:

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

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Netherlands Antilles (Central America and Caribbean)

Introduction ::Netherlands Antilles

Background:

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

Geography ::Netherlands Antilles

Location:

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

Geographic coordinates:

Bonaire: 12 12 N, 68 15 W

Curacao: 12 10 N, 69 00 W

Saba: 17 38 N, 63 14 W

Sint Eustatius: 17 30 N, 62 58 W

Sint Maarten: 18 04 N, 63 04 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 800 sq km country comparison to the world: 187 land: 800 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten (Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin)

Area - comparative:

more than five times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

total: 15 km

border countries: Saint Martin 15 km

Coastline:

364 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm

Climate:

tropical; ameliorated by northeast trade winds

Terrain:

generally hilly, volcanic interiors

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Mount Scenery 862 m

Natural resources:

phosphates (Curacao only), salt (Bonaire only)

Land use:

arable land: 10%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 90% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

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

Environment - current issues:

NA

Geography - note:

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

People ::Netherlands Antilles

Population:

227,049 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 182

Age structure:

0-14 years: 22.7% (male 26,429/female 25,162)

15-64 years: 67.7% (male 74,183/female 79,434)

65 years and over: 9.6% (male 8,875/female 12,966) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 33.7 years

male: 31.9 years

female: 35.5 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.732% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 144

Birth rate:

14.19 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 149

Death rate:

6.48 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 148

Net migration rate:

-0.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 105

Urbanization:

urban population: 93% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female

total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 9.09 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 156 male: 9.76 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 8.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 76.65 years country comparison to the world: 65 male: 74.33 years

female: 79.09 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.97 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 134

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Dutch Antillean(s)

adjective: Dutch Antillean

Ethnic groups:

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

Religions:

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

Languages:

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

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 96.7%

male: 96.7%

female: 96.8% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 14 years

male: 14 years

female: 15 years (2002)

Education expenditures:

NA

Government ::Netherlands Antilles

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Netherlands Antilles

local long form: none

local short form: Nederlandse Antillen

former: Curacao and Dependencies

Dependency status:

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

Government type:

parliamentary

Capital:

name: Willemstad (on Curacao)

geographic coordinates: 12 06 N, 68 56 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

note: each island has its own government

Independence:

none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

National holiday:

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

Constitution:

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

Legal system:

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

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980); represented by Governor General Frits GOEDGEDRAG (since 1 July 2002)

head of government: Prime Minister Emily de JONGH-ELHAGE (since 26 March 2006)

cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Staten (legislature)

elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch for a six-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is usually elected prime minister by the Staten; election last held 27 January 2006 (next to be held by 2010)

note: government coalition - PAR, PNP, DP-St. M, UPB, WIPM Saba, DP-St. E

Legislative branch:

unicameral States or Staten (22 seats, Curacao 14, Bonaire 3, St. Maarten 3, St. Eustatius 1, Saba 1; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 27 January 2006 (next to be held in 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PAR 5, MAN 3, FOL 2, Forsa Korsou 2, National Alliance 2, PNP 2, UPB 2, DP-St. E 1, DP-St. M 1, PDB 1, WIPM 1

note: the government is a coalition of several parties

Judicial branch:

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

Political parties and leaders:

Bonaire: Democratic Party of Bonaire or PDB [Jopi ABRAHAM]; Patriotic Union of Bonaire or UPB [Ramonsito BOOI]

Curacao: Ban Vota [Norbert GEORGE]; C-93 [Stanley BROWN]; Democratic Party of Curacao or DP [Errol HERNANDEZ]; E Mayoria [Aurelio PEDRO]; Forsa Korsou [Nelson NAVARRO]; Liste Ni'un Paso Atras [Nelson PIERRE]; Movemiento Patriotiko Korsou [Reginald LAK]; New Antilles Movement or MAN [Charles COOPER]; Partido Akshon Pa Prosperidat I Seguridat [Sonja BERKEMEYER]; Partido Laboral Krusada Popular or PLKP [Errol COVA]; Party for the Restructured Antilles or PAR [Emily de JONGH-ELHAGE]; People's National Party or PNP [Ersilia DE LANNOOY]; Pidjin [Jasmin PINEDO]; Pueblo Soberano [Herman WIELS]; Workers' Liberation Front or FOL [Anthony GODETT]

Saba: Saba Labor Party [Akilah LEVENSTONE]; Windward Islands People's Movement or WIPM [Ray HASSELL]

Sint Eustatius: Democratic Party of Sint Eustatius or DP-St. E [Julian WOODLEY]; Progressive Labor Party [Clyde VAN PUTTEN]; St. Eustatius Alliance [Ingrid HOUTMAN-WHITFIELD]

Sint Maarten: Democratic Party of Sint Maarten or DP-St. M [Sarah WESCOTT-WILLIAMS]; Freedom Slate of National Democratic Party [Theophilus PRIEST]; National Alliance or NA [William MARLIN]; People's Progressive Alliance or PPA [Gracita ARRINDELL]; St. Maarten People's Party [Johan LEONARD]; United People's Labor Party [Bienvenido RICHARDSON]

note: political parties are indigenous to each island

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Employers Association (VBC); Unions (AVBO)

International organization participation:

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

Diplomatic representation in the US:

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

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Consul General Robert E. SORENSON

consulate(s) general: J. B. Gorsiraweg #1, Willemstad, Curacao

mailing address: P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao

telephone: [599] (9) 461-3066

FAX: [599] (9) 461-6489

Flag description:

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

Economy ::Netherlands Antilles

Economy - overview:

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

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$2.8 billion (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 175

GDP (official exchange rate):

$NA

GDP - real growth rate:

1% (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 175

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$16,000 (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 74

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 1%

industry: 15%

services: 84% (2000 est.)

Labor force:

91,470 (2007) country comparison to the world: 177

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 1%

industry: 20%

services: 79% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:

15.5% (2002 est.) country comparison to the world: 157

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $757.9 million

expenditures: $949.5 million (2004)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.1% (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 19

Central bank discount rate:

NA%

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

8.33% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 90 9.21% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$997.8 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$2.309 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$2.927 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 23 $488.6 billion (2003)

Agriculture - products:

aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit

Industries:

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

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

1.22 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 142

Electricity - consumption:

1.013 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 144

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 152

Oil - consumption:

71,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 89

Oil - exports:

224,600 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 52

Oil - imports:

298,500 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 39

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 147

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 154

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 142

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 139

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 104

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 149

Exports:

$3.71 billion (2006) country comparison to the world: 119

Exports - commodities:

petroleum products

Exports - partners:

US 19%, Guatemala 10.6%, Dominican Republic 9.3%, Haiti 7.4%, Singapore 6.7%, Bahamas, The 5.9%, Italy 4.5%, Honduras 4.4%, Mexico 4.1% (2008)

Imports:

$15.74 billion (2006) country comparison to the world: 79

Imports - commodities:

crude petroleum, food, manufactures

Imports - partners:

Venezuela 58.8%, US 19%, Brazil 5.9% (2008)

Debt - external:

$2.68 billion (2004) country comparison to the world: 130

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$NA

Exchange rates:

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

Communications ::Netherlands Antilles

Telephones - main lines in use:

88,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 147

Telephones - mobile cellular:

200,000 (2004) country comparison to the world: 171

Telephone system:

general assessment: generally adequate facilities

domestic: extensive interisland microwave radio relay links

international: country code - 599; the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) and the Americas-2 submarine cable systems provide connectivity to Central America, parts of South America and the Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 8, FM 19, shortwave 0 (2003)

Television broadcast stations:

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

Internet country code:

.an

Internet hosts:

71,671 (2009) country comparison to the world: 77

Transportation ::Netherlands Antilles

Airports:

5 (2009) country comparison to the world: 179

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 5

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 845

Merchant marine:

total: 147 country comparison to the world: 42 by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 2, cargo 72, carrier 19, chemical tanker 2, container 8, liquefied gas 1, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 27, roll on/roll off 6, specialized tanker 3

foreign-owned: 123 (Belgium 1, Cuba 1, Cyprus 21, Denmark 2, Germany 43, Hong Kong 2, Netherlands 38, Norway 3, Sweden 1, Turkey 10, US 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Bopec Terminal, Willemstad

Military ::Netherlands Antilles

Military branches:

no regular military forces; National Guard (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

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

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 55,365

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

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 46,461

females age 16-49: 47,325 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 1,920

female: 1,827 (2009 est.)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Transnational Issues ::Netherlands Antilles

Disputes - international:

none

Illicit drugs:

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

page last updated on November 10, 2009

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

@New Caledonia (Australia-Oceania)

Introduction ::New Caledonia

Background:

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

Geography ::New Caledonia

Location:

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

Geographic coordinates:

21 30 S, 165 30 E

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 18,575 sq km country comparison to the world: 155 land: 18,275 sq km

water: 300 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

2,254 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid

Terrain:

coastal plains with interior mountains

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mont Panie 1,628 m

Natural resources:

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

Land use:

arable land: 0.32%

permanent crops: 0.22%

other: 99.46% (2005)

Irrigated land:

100 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:

cyclones, most frequent from November to March

Environment - current issues:

erosion caused by mining exploitation and forest fires

Geography - note:

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

People ::New Caledonia

Population:

227,436 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 181

Age structure:

0-14 years: 26.8% (male 31,191/female 29,870)

15-64 years: 65.8% (male 75,189/female 74,552)

65 years and over: 7.3% (male 7,681/female 8,953) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 28.7 years

male: 28.2 years

female: 29.2 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.136% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 118

Birth rate:

17.04 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 121

Death rate:

5.68 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 172

Net migration rate:

NA

note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New Caledonia (2009 est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 65% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 2.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 7.05 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 168 male: 7.7 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 6.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 74.98 years country comparison to the world: 85 male: 71.99 years

female: 78.12 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.18 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 119

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: New Caledonian(s)

adjective: New Caledonian

Ethnic groups:

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

Religions:

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

Languages:

French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 96.2%

male: 96.8%

female: 95.5% (1996 census)

Government ::New Caledonia

Country name:

conventional long form: Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies

conventional short form: New Caledonia

local long form: Territoire des Nouvelle-Caledonie et Dependances

local short form: Nouvelle-Caledonie

Dependency status:

territorial collectivity of France since 1998

Government type:

NA

Capital:

name: Noumea

geographic coordinates: 22 16 S, 166 27 E

time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

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

Independence:

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

National holiday:

Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:

4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:

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

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007); represented by High Commissioner Yves DASSONVILLE (since 9 November 2007)

head of government: President of the Government Philippe GOMES (since 5 June 2009)

cabinet: Cabinet consisting of 11 members elected from and by the Territorial Congress

elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the government elected by the members of the Territorial Congress for a five-year term (no term limits); note - last election held 7 August 2007 when Harold MARTIN was elected following the resignation of Marie-Noelle THEMEREAU as president on 24 July 2007 (next to be held in 2012)

Legislative branch:

elections: unicameral Territorial Congress or Congres du territoire (54 seats; members belong to the three Provincial Assemblies or Assemblees Provinciales elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) last held 9 May 2009 (next to be held in 10 May 2014)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 13, Caledonia Together 10, UC 8, UNI 8, AE 6, FLNKS 3, Labor Party 3, other 3

note: New Caledonia holds two seats in the French Senate; elections last held 21 September 2008 (next to be held not later than September 2014); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 2; New Caledonia also elects two seats to the French National Assembly; elections last held 10 and 17 June 2007 (next to be held on June 2012); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 2

Judicial branch:

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

Political parties and leaders:

Alliance pour la Caledonie or APLC [Didier LE ROUX]; Caledonia Together [Philippe GOMES]; Caledonian Union or UC [Charles PIDJOT]; Federation des Comites de Coordination des Independantistes or FCCI [Francois BURCK]; Front National or FN [Jean-Marie LE PEN]; Front Uni de Liberation Kanak or FULK [Ernest UNE]; Labor Party or PT [Louis Kora UREGEI]; Kanak Socialist Front for National Liberation or FLNKS (includes PALIKA, UNI, UC, and UPM); Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA [Paul NEAOUTYINE]; Rally for Caledonia or RPC [Jacques LAFLEUR]; The Future Together or AE [Didier LEROUX]; The Rally or UMP [Pierre FROGIER]; Union Nationale pour l'Independance or UNI; Union Progressiste Melanesienne or UPM [Victor TUTUGORO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

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

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (overseas territory of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (overseas territory of France)

Flag description:

the flag of France is used

Economy ::New Caledonia

Economy - overview:

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

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$3.158 billion (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 172

GDP (official exchange rate):

$3.3 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$15,000 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 76

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 15%

industry: 8.8%

services: 76.2% (2003)

Labor force:

102,600 (2007) country comparison to the world: 176

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 20%

industry: 20%

services: 60% (2002)

Unemployment rate:

17.1% (2004) country comparison to the world: 159

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $996 million

expenditures: $1.072 billion (2001 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

1.4% (2000 est.) country comparison to the world: 11

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

vegetables; beef, deer, other livestock products; fish

Industries:

nickel mining and smelting

Electricity - production:

1.825 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 136

Electricity - consumption:

1.697 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 137

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 158

Oil - consumption:

13,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 142

Oil - exports:

645.3 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 123

Oil - imports:

14,430 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 126

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 153

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 149

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 149

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 146

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 151

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 156

Exports:

$1.341 billion (2006) country comparison to the world: 145

Exports - commodities:

ferronickels, nickel ore, fish

Exports - partners:

France 18.9%, Japan 18.3%, Spain 7.3%, China 6.5%, Belgium 5.4%, Australia 4.6% (2008)

Imports:

$1.998 billion (2006) country comparison to the world: 149

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

France 36.6%, Singapore 17.7%, Australia 11.5%, NZ 4.7% (2008)

Debt - external:

$79 million (1998 est.) country comparison to the world: 190

Exchange rates:

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 87.59 (2007), 94.97 (2006), 95.89 (2005), 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003)

Communications ::New Caledonia

Telephones - main lines in use:

63,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 157

Telephones - mobile cellular:

196,500 (2008) country comparison to the world: 172

Telephone system:

general assessment: a submarine cable network connection between New Caledonia and Australia, completed in 2007, is expected to significantly increase network capacity and improve high-speed connectivity and access to international networks

domestic: combined fixed and mobile-cellular telephone subscribership exceeds 100 per 100 persons

international: country code - 687; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

6 (plus 25 repeaters) (1997)

Internet country code:

.nc

Internet hosts:

22,448 (2009) country comparison to the world: 101

Internet users:

85,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 159

Transportation ::New Caledonia

Airports:

25 (2009) country comparison to the world: 130

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 12

over 3,047 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 10

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 13

914 to 1,523 m: 5

under 914 m: 8 (2009)

Heliports:

8 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 5,622 km (2006) country comparison to the world: 151

Merchant marine:

total: 2 country comparison to the world: 146 by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 1 (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Noumea

Military ::New Caledonia

Military branches:

no regular military forces; French police and gendarmerie (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

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

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 48,288

females age 16-49: 48,959 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 2,160

female: 2,087 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

NA

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues ::New Caledonia

Disputes - international:

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

page last updated on November 10, 2009

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

@New Zealand (Australia-Oceania)

Introduction ::New Zealand

Background:

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

Geography ::New Zealand

Location:

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

Geographic coordinates:

41 00 S, 174 00 E

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 267,710 sq km country comparison to the world: 75 land: 267,710 sq km

water: NA

note: includes Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Bounty Islands, Campbell Island, Chatham Islands, and Kermadec Islands

Area - comparative:

about the size of Colorado

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

15,134 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

temperate with sharp regional contrasts

Terrain:

predominately mountainous with some large coastal plains

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Aoraki-Mount Cook 3,754 m

Natural resources:

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

Land use:

arable land: 5.54%

permanent crops: 6.92%

other: 87.54% (2005)

Irrigated land:

2,850 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

397 cu km (1995)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 2.11 cu km/yr (48%/9%/42%)

per capita: 524 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

earthquakes are common, though usually not severe; volcanic activity

Environment - current issues:

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

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Antarctic Seals, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:

almost 90% of the population lives in cities; Wellington is the southernmost national capital in the world

People ::New Zealand

Population:

4,213,418 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 124

Age structure:

0-14 years: 20.7% (male 447,174/female 424,522)

15-64 years: 66.5% (male 1,404,143/female 1,399,530)

65 years and over: 12.8% (male 244,986/female 293,063) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 36.6 years

male: 35.8 years

female: 37.4 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.935% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 132

Birth rate:

13.94 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 151

Death rate:

7.05 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 131

Net migration rate:

2.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 35

Urbanization:

urban population: 87% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 4.92 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 192 male: 5.53 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 80.36 years country comparison to the world: 18 male: 78.43 years

female: 82.39 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.1 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 122

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 129

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

1,400 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 140

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 200 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 121

Nationality:

noun: New Zealander(s)

adjective: New Zealand

Ethnic groups:

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

Religions:

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

Languages:

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

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 19 years

male: 19 years

female: 20 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

6.2% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 38

Government ::New Zealand

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: New Zealand

abbreviation: NZ

Government type:

parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm

Capital:

name: Wellington

geographic coordinates: 41 28 S, 174 51 E

time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in September; ends first Sunday in April

note: New Zealand is divided into two time zones - New Zealand standard time (12 hours in advance of UTC), and Chatham Islands time (45 minutes in advance of New Zealand standard time)

Administrative divisions:

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

Dependent areas:

Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau

Independence:

26 September 1907 (from the UK)

National holiday:

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

Constitution:

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

Legal system:

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

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Anand SATYANAND (since 23 August 2006)

head of government: Prime Minister John KEY (since 19 November 2008); Deputy Prime Minister Bill ENGLISH (since 19 November 2008)

cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the prime minister

elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general

Legislative branch:

unicameral House of Representatives - commonly called Parliament (usually 120 seats; 69 members elected by popular vote in single-member constituencies including 7 Maori constituencies, and 51 proportional seats chosen from party lists; serve three-year terms)

elections: last held 8 November 2008 (next to be held not later than 27 November 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - NP 44.9%, NZLP 34%, Green Party 6.7%, NZ First 4%, ACT New Zealand 3.7%, Maori 2.4%, Progressive 0.9%, UF 0.9%, other 6.6%; seats by party - NP 58, NZLP 43, Green Party 9, ACT New Zealand 5, Maori 5, Progressive 1, UF 1

note: results of 2008 election saw the total number of seats increase to 122

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; High Court; note - judges appointed by the governor general

Political parties and leaders:

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

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Women's Electoral Lobby or WEL

other: apartheid groups; civil rights groups; farmers groups; Maori; nuclear weapons groups; women's rights groups

International organization participation:

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

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Roy N. FERGUSON

chancery: 37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 328-4800

FAX: [1] (202) 667-5227

consulate(s) general: New York, Santa Monica

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador William P. McCORMICK

embassy: 29 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington

mailing address: P. O. Box 1190, Wellington; PSC 467, Box 1, APO AP 96531-1034

telephone: [64] (4) 462-6000

FAX: [64] (4) 499-0490

consulate(s) general: Auckland

Flag description:

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

Government - note:

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

Economy ::New Zealand

Economy - overview:

Over the past 20 years the government has transformed New Zealand from an agrarian economy dependent on concessionary British market access to a more industrialized, free market economy that can compete globally. This dynamic growth has boosted real incomes - but left behind some at the bottom of the ladder - and broadened and deepened the technological capabilities of the industrial sector. Per capita income has risen for nine consecutive years and reached $27,900 in 2008 in purchasing power parity terms. Debt-driven consumer spending drove robust growth in the first half of the decade, helping fuel a large balance of payments deficit that posed a challenge for economic managers. Inflationary pressures caused the central bank to raise its key rate steadily from January 2004 until it was among the highest in the OECD in 2007-08; international capital inflows attracted to the high rates further strengthened the currency and housing market, however, aggravating the current account deficit. The economy fell into recession in 2008. In line with global peers, the central bank has cut interest rates aggressively; the new government is responding with plans to raise productivity growth and develop infrastructure.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$116.6 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 61 $116.6 billion (2007 est.)

$113 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$128.4 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

0% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 198 3.2% (2007 est.)

1.9% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$27,900 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 49 $28,200 (2007 est.)

$27,600 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 4.4%

industry: 25.7%

services: 69.9% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

2.25 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 114

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 7%

industry: 19%

services: 74% (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate:

4.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 53 3.6% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: %NA

highest 10%: %NA

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

36.2 (1997) country comparison to the world: 83

Investment (gross fixed):

22.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 78

Budget:

revenues: $54.41 billion

expenditures: $55.93 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

24.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 85 22.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 64 2.4% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

5% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 51 8.25% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

12.06% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 64 12.83% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$13.7 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 42 $17.85 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$99.91 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 22 $117.8 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$164.4 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 32 $200.1 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 57 $47.45 billion (31 December 2007)

$44.94 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

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

Industries:

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

Industrial production growth rate:

-2.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 155

Electricity - production:

42.4 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 52

Electricity - consumption:

39.24 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 52

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

65,400 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 58

Oil - consumption:

154,100 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 66

Oil - exports:

34,260 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 83

Oil - imports:

147,600 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 58

Oil - proved reserves:

60 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 75

Natural gas - production:

4.275 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 50

Natural gas - consumption:

4.276 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 62

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 137

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 102

Natural gas - proved reserves:

33.98 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 68

Current account balance:

-$11.34 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 169 -$10.63 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$31.19 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 63 $27.29 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

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

Exports - partners:

Australia 23.1%, US 10.1%, Japan 8.4%, China 5.8% (2008)

Imports:

$32.76 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 62 $29.05 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

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

Imports - partners:

Australia 18.1%, China 13.2%, US 9.5%, Japan 8.3%, Singapore 4.7%, Malaysia 4.4%, Germany 4.3% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$11.15 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 64 $17.25 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$59.08 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 48 $51.44 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$72.92 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 42 $70.94 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$NA

Exchange rates:

New Zealand dollars (NZD) per US dollar - 1.4151 (2008 est.), 1.3811 (2007), 1.5408 (2006), 1.4203 (2005), 1.5087 (2004)

Communications ::New Zealand

Telephones - main lines in use:

1.75 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 62

Telephones - mobile cellular:

4.62 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 91

Telephone system:

general assessment: excellent domestic and international systems

domestic: combined fixed and mobile-cellular telephone subscribership exceeds 150 per 100 persons

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

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 124, FM 290, shortwave 4 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

41 (plus about 700 repeaters) (1997)

Internet country code:

.nz

Internet hosts:

2.007 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 32

Internet users:

3.047 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 58

Transportation ::New Zealand

Airports:

120 (2009) country comparison to the world: 50

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 41

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 12

914 to 1,523 m: 25

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 79

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 31

under 914 m: 45 (2009)

Pipelines:

condensate 331 km; gas 1,838 km; liquid petroleum gas 172 km; oil 288 km; refined products 198 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 4,128 km country comparison to the world: 39 narrow gauge: 4,128 km 1.067-m gauge (506 km electrified) (2008)

Roadways:

total: 93,576 km country comparison to the world: 49 paved: 61,564 km (includes 172 km of expressways)

unpaved: 32,012 km (2006)

Merchant marine:

total: 13 country comparison to the world: 108 by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 2, chemical tanker 1, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 2

foreign-owned: 3 (Australia 1, Germany 1, South Africa 1)

registered in other countries: 5 (Antigua and Barbuda 2, Cook Islands 1, France 1, UK 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

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

Military ::New Zealand

Military branches:

New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF): New Zealand Army, Royal New Zealand Navy, Royal New Zealand Air Force (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

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

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,009,298

females age 16-49: 997,134 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 837,553

females age 16-49: 825,981 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 31,461

female: 29,809 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 135

Transnational Issues ::New Zealand

Disputes - international:

asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Ross Dependency)

Illicit drugs:

significant consumer of amphetamines

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Nicaragua (Central America and Caribbean)

Introduction ::Nicaragua

Background:

The Pacific coast of Nicaragua was settled as a Spanish colony from Panama in the early 16th century. Independence from Spain was declared in 1821 and the country became an independent republic in 1838. Britain occupied the Caribbean Coast in the first half of the 19th century, but gradually ceded control of the region in subsequent decades. Violent opposition to governmental manipulation and corruption spread to all classes by 1978 and resulted in a short-lived civil war that brought the Marxist Sandinista guerrillas to power in 1979. Nicaraguan aid to leftist rebels in El Salvador caused the US to sponsor anti-Sandinista contra guerrillas through much of the 1980s. Free elections in 1990, 1996, and 2001, saw the Sandinistas defeated, but voting in 2006 announced the return of former Sandinista President Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra. The 2008 municipal elections were characterized by widespread irregularities. Nicaragua's infrastructure and economy - hard hit by the earlier civil war and by Hurricane Mitch in 1998 - are slowly being rebuilt, but democratic institutions face new challenges under the ORTEGA administration.

Geography ::Nicaragua

Location:

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

Geographic coordinates:

13 00 N, 85 00 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 130,370 sq km country comparison to the world: 97 land: 119,990 sq km

water: 10,380 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than New York state

Land boundaries:

total: 1,231 km

border countries: Costa Rica 309 km, Honduras 922 km

Coastline:

910 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

continental shelf: natural prolongation

Climate:

tropical in lowlands, cooler in highlands

Terrain:

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

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mogoton 2,438 m

Natural resources:

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

Land use:

arable land: 14.81%

permanent crops: 1.82%

other: 83.37% (2005)

Irrigated land:

610 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

196.7 cu km (2000)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 1.3 cu km/yr (15%/2%/83%)

per capita: 237 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

destructive earthquakes; volcanoes; landslides; extremely susceptible to hurricanes

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

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

People ::Nicaragua

Population:

5,891,199 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 108

Age structure:

0-14 years: 33.8% (male 1,013,866/female 976,430)

15-64 years: 62.9% (male 1,847,756/female 1,857,264)

65 years and over: 3.3% (male 85,782/female 110,101) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 22.1 years

male: 21.7 years

female: 22.5 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.784% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 73

Birth rate:

23.25 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 77

Death rate:

4.3 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 206

Net migration rate:

-1.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 125

Urbanization:

urban population: 57% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 25.02 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 88 male: 28.09 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 21.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 71.5 years country comparison to the world: 128 male: 69.35 years

female: 73.75 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.57 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 91

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.2% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 106

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

7,700 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 114

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 500 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 90

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne disease: dengue fever and malaria

water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Nicaraguan(s)

adjective: Nicaraguan

Ethnic groups:

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

Religions:

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

Languages:

Spanish 97.5% (official), Miskito 1.7%, other 0.8% (1995 census)

note: English and indigenous languages on Atlantic coast

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 67.5%

male: 67.2%

female: 67.8% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 11 years

male: 11 years

female: 11 years (2003)

Education expenditures:

3.1% of GDP (2003) country comparison to the world: 143

Government ::Nicaragua

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Nicaragua

conventional short form: Nicaragua

local long form: Republica de Nicaragua

local short form: Nicaragua

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Managua

geographic coordinates: 12 09 N, 86 17 W

time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

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

Independence:

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution:

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

Legal system:

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

Suffrage:

16 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (since 10 January 2007); Vice President Jaime MORALES Carazo (since 10 January 2007); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (since 10 January 2007); Vice President Jaime MORALES Carazo (since 10 January 2007)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term so long as it is not consecutive); election last held 5 November 2006 (next to be held by November 2011)

election results: Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra elected president - 38.07%, Eduardo MONTEALEGRE 29%, Jose RIZO 26.21%, Edmundo JARQUIN 6.44%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (92 seats; 90 members are elected by proportional representation and party lists to serve five-year terms; 1 seat for the previous president, 1 seat for the runner-up in previous presidential election)

elections: last held 5 November 2006 (next to be held by November 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FSLN 38, PLC 25, ALN 23 (22 plus one for presidential candidate Eduardo MONTEALEGRE, runner-up in the 2006 presidential election), MRS 5, APRE 1 (outgoing President Enrique BOLANOS); note - as of 1 January 2009: seats by party - FSLN 38, PLC 25, BDN 15, ALN 6, MRS 3, APRE 1, Independent 4

Judicial branch:

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

Political parties and leaders:

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

Political pressure groups and leaders:

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

International organization participation:

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

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charges d'Affaires Alcides J. MONTIEL Barillas

chancery: 1627 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 939-6570, 6573

FAX: [1] (202) 939-6545

consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Robert J. CALLAHAN

embassy: Kilometer 5.5 Carretera Sur, Managua

mailing address: American Embassy Managua, APO AA 34021

telephone: [505] 252-7100, 252-7888; 252-7634 (after hours)

FAX: [505] 252-7304

Flag description:

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

Economy ::Nicaragua

Economy - overview:

Nicaragua has widespread underemployment and the second lowest per capita income in the Western Hemisphere. The US-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) has been in effect since April 2006 and has expanded export opportunities for many agricultural and manufactured goods. Textiles and apparel account for nearly 60% of Nicaragua's exports, but recent increases in the minimum wage will likely erode its comparative advantage in this industry. Nicaragua relies on international economic assistance to meet internal- and external-debt financing obligations. In early 2004, Nicaragua secured some $4.5 billion in foreign debt reduction under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative, and in October 2007, the IMF approved a new poverty reduction and growth facility (PRGF) program. However, severe budget shortfalls resulting from the suspension of large amounts of direct budget support from foreign donors concerned with recent political developments has caused a slowdown in PRGF disbursements. Similarly, private sector concerns surrounding ORTEGA's handling of economic issues have dampened investment. Economic growth has slowed in 2009, due to decreased export demand from the US and Central American markets, lower commodity prices for key agricultural exports, and low remittance growth - remittances are equivalent to almost 15% of GDP.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$16.83 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 130 $16.31 billion (2007 est.)

$15.8 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$6.365 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 119 3.2% (2007 est.)

3.9% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,900 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 165 $2,900 (2007 est.)

$2,800 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 16.9%

industry: 25.8%

services: 57.3% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

2.322 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 111

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 29%

industry: 19%

services: 52% (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate:

5.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 67 4.9% (2007 est.)

note: underemployment was 46.5% in 2008

Population below poverty line:

48% (2005)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 1.4%

highest 10%: 41.8% (2005)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

43.1 (2001) country comparison to the world: 51 60.3 (1998)

Investment (gross fixed):

34.5% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 10

Budget:

revenues: $1.271 billion

expenditures: $1.594 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

74.8% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 14 69.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

19.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 203 11.1% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

NA%

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

13.17% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 59 13.04% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$507.5 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 94 $465.1 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$1.81 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 84 $1.802 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$4.272 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 83 $4.133 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

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

Industries:

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

Industrial production growth rate:

3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 81

Electricity - production:

3.286 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 123

Electricity - consumption:

2.569 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 131

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

63.95 million kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 151

Oil - consumption:

29,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 113

Oil - exports:

212.5 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 130

Oil - imports:

29,570 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 101

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 146

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 153

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 154

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 138

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 103

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 148

Current account balance:

-$1.475 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 131 -$1.048 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$2.675 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 124 $2.313 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

coffee, beef, shrimp and lobster, tobacco, sugar, gold, peanuts

Exports - partners:

US 32.3%, El Salvador 14.6%, Costa Rica 6.9%, Honduras 6.8%, Mexico 5.3%, Canada 5%, Guatemala 5% (2008)

Imports:

$4.848 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 117 $4.117 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

consumer goods, machinery and equipment, raw materials, petroleum products

Imports - partners:

US 21%, Venezuela 14.3%, Mexico 8.4%, Costa Rica 8%, China 7.8%, Guatemala 6.1%, El Salvador 5.2% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$1.141 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 124 $1.103 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$4.596 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 108 $3.341 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

cordobas (NIO) per US dollar - 19.374 (2008 est.), 18.457 (2007), 17.582 (2006), 16.733 (2005), 15.937 (2004)

Communications ::Nicaragua

Telephones - main lines in use:

312,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 114

Telephones - mobile cellular:

3.039 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 109

Telephone system:

general assessment: system being upgraded by foreign investment; nearly all installed telecommunications capacity now uses digital technology, owing to investments since privatization of the formerly state-owned telecommunications company

domestic: since privatization, access to fixed-line and mobile-cellular services has improved but teledensity still lags behind other Central American countries; fixed-line teledensity roughly 5 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone subscribership increasing and now exceeds 50 per 100 persons; connected to Central American Microwave System

international: country code - 505; the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) fiber optic submarine cable provides connectivity to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) and 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 63, FM 32, shortwave 1 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

3 (plus 7 repeaters) (1997)

Internet country code:

.ni

Internet hosts:

88,742 (2009) country comparison to the world: 74

Internet users:

185,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 140

Transportation ::Nicaragua

Airports:

143 (2009) country comparison to the world: 40

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 11

2,438 to 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 3 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 132

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 16

under 914 m: 115 (2009)

Pipelines:

oil 54 km (2008)

Roadways:

total: 19,036 km country comparison to the world: 113 paved: 2,299 km

unpaved: 16,737 km (2005)

Waterways:

2,220 km (including lakes Managua and Nicaragua) (2008) country comparison to the world: 41

Ports and terminals:

Bluefields, Corinto, El Bluff

Military ::Nicaragua

Military branches:

National Army of Nicaragua (ENN; includes Navy, Air Force) (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

17 years of age for voluntary military service; tour of duty 18-36 months (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,513,312

females age 16-49: 1,507,999 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,277,878

females age 16-49: 1,339,413 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 72,366

female: 70,118 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

0.6% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 157

Transnational Issues ::Nicaragua

Disputes - international:

memorials and countermemorials were filed by the parties in Nicaragua's 1999 and 2001 proceedings against Honduras and Colombia at the ICJ over the maritime boundary and territorial claims in the western Caribbean Sea, final public hearings are scheduled for 2007; the 1992 ICJ ruling for El Salvador and Honduras advised a tripartite resolution to establish a maritime boundary in the Gulf of Fonseca, which considers Honduran access to the Pacific; legal dispute over navigational rights of San Juan River on border with Costa Rica

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for cocaine destined for the US and transshipment point for arms-for-drugs dealing

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Niger (Africa)

Introduction ::Niger

Background:

Niger became independent from France in 1960 and experienced single-party and military rule until 1991, when Gen. Ali SAIBOU was forced by public pressure to allow multiparty elections, which resulted in a democratic government in 1993. Political infighting brought the government to a standstill and in 1996 led to a coup by Col. Ibrahim BARE. In 1999, BARE was killed in a coup by military officers who promptly restored democratic rule and held elections that brought Mamadou TANDJA to power in December of that year. TANDJA was reelected in 2004. Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world with minimal government services and insufficient funds to develop its resource base. The largely agrarian and subsistence-based economy is frequently disrupted by extended droughts common to the Sahel region of Africa. A predominately Tuareg ethnic group emerged in February 2007, the Nigerien Movement for Justice (MNJ), and attacked several military targets in Niger's northern region throughout 2007 and 2008. Events have since evolved into a fledging insurgency.