$NA (continued 2)
Reading edition
elections: President elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (eligible for a second term); elections last held 25 August 2003 (next to be held in September 2010)
election results: Paul KAGAME elected president in first direct popular vote; Paul KAGAME 95.05%, Faustin TWAGIRAMUNGU 3.62%, Jean-Nepomuscene NAYINZIRA 1.33%
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of Senate (26 seats; 12 members elected by local councils, 8 appointed by the president, 4 by the Political Organizations Forum, 2 represent institutions of higher learning; to serve eight-year terms) and Chamber of Deputies (80 seats; 53 members elected by popular vote, 24 women elected by local bodies, 3 selected by youth and disability organizations; serve five-year terms)
elections: Senate - members appointed as part of the transitional government (next to be held in 2011); Chamber of Deputies - last held 15 September 2008 (next to be held September 2013)
election results: percent of vote by party - RPF 78.8%, PSD 13.1%, PL 7.5%; seats by party - RPF 42, PSD 7, PL 4, additional 27 members indirectly elected
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; High Courts of the Republic; Provincial Courts; District Courts; mediation committees
Political parties and leaders:
Centrist Democratic Party or PDC [Alfred MUKEZAMFURA]; Democratic Popular Union of Rwanda or UDPR [Adrien RANGIRA]; Democratic Republican Movement or MDR [Celestin KABANDA] (officially banned); Islamic Democratic Party or PDI [Andre BUMAYA]; Liberal Party or PL [Protais MITALI]; Party for Democratic Renewal (officially banned); Rwandan Patriotic Front or RPF [Paul KAGAME]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Vincent BIRUTA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
IBUKA (association of genocide survivors)
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL, COMESA, EAC, EADB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador James KOMONYO
chancery: 1714 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 232-2882
FAX: [1] (202) 232-4544
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador W. Stuart SYMINGTON
embassy: 2657 Avenue de la Gendarmerie, Kigali
mailing address: B. P. 28, Kigali
telephone: [250] 596-400
FAX: [250] 596-591
Flag description:
three horizontal bands of sky blue (top, double width), yellow, and green, with a golden sun with 24 rays near the fly end of the blue band
Economy ::Rwanda
Economy - overview:
Rwanda is a poor rural country with about 90% of the population engaged in (mainly subsistence) agriculture. It is the most densely populated country in Africa and is landlocked with few natural resources and minimal industry. Primary foreign exchange earners are coffee and tea. The 1994 genocide decimated Rwanda's fragile economic base, severely impoverished the population, particularly women, and eroded the country's ability to attract private and external investment. However, Rwanda has made substantial progress in stabilizing and rehabilitating its economy to pre-1994 levels, although poverty levels are higher now. GDP has rebounded and inflation has been curbed. Despite Rwanda's fertile ecosystem, food production often does not keep pace with population growth, requiring food imports. Rwanda continues to receive substantial aid money and obtained IMF-World Bank Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) initiative debt relief in 2005-06. Rwanda also received Millennium Challenge Account Threshold status in 2006. The government has embraced an expansionary fiscal policy to reduce poverty by improving education, infrastructure, and foreign and domestic investment and pursuing market-oriented reforms, although energy shortages, instability in neighboring states, and lack of adequate transportation linkages to other countries continue to handicap growth.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$9.729 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 150 $8.749 billion (2007 est.)
$8.108 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$4.459 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
11.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 7 7.9% (2007 est.)
7.3% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$900 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 218 $900 (2007 est.)
$800 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 43.2%
industry: 22.3%
services: 34.5% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
4.446 million (2007) country comparison to the world: 81
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 90%
industry and services: 10% (2000)
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Population below poverty line:
60% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.1%
highest 10%: 38.2% (2000)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
46.8 (2000) country comparison to the world: 37 28.9 (1985)
Investment (gross fixed):
22% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 84
Budget:
revenues: $930.4 million
expenditures: $1.023 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2008 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
15.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 193 9.1% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
11.25% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 23 12.5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
16.51% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 38 15.84% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$233.6 million (31 December 2005) country comparison to the world: 104
Stock of quasi money:
$227.4 million (31 December 2005) country comparison to the world: 115
Stock of domestic credit:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$209.2 million (31 December 2005)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Agriculture - products:
coffee, tea, pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums), bananas, beans, sorghum, potatoes; livestock
Industries:
cement, agricultural products, small-scale beverages, soap, furniture, shoes, plastic goods, textiles, cigarettes
Industrial production growth rate:
7.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 26
Electricity - production:
120 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 186
Electricity - consumption:
231.6 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 174
Electricity - exports:
10 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
130 million kWh (2007 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 139
Oil - consumption:
6,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 160
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 144
Oil - imports:
5,623 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 153
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 140
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 138
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 141
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 125
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 140
Natural gas - proved reserves:
56.63 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 63
Current account balance:
-$292 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 97 -$147 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$210 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 181 $184 million (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
coffee, tea, hides, tin ore
Exports - partners:
China 9.1%, Thailand 8.6%, Germany 7.3%, US 4.5%, Belgium 4.1% (2008)
Imports:
$834 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 175 $637 million (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, steel, petroleum products, cement and construction material
Imports - partners:
Kenya 15.2%, Uganda 13.3%, China 6.3%, Belgium 5.3%, Germany 4.5% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$596 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 136 $552.8 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$1.4 billion (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 146
Exchange rates:
Rwandan francs (RWF) per US dollar - 550 (2008 est.), 585 (2007), 560 (2006), 610 (2005), 574.62 (2004)
Communications ::Rwanda
Telephones - main lines in use:
16,800 (2008) country comparison to the world: 198
Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.323 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 136
Telephone system:
general assessment: small, inadequate telephone system primarily serves business and government
domestic: the capital, Kigali, is connected to the centers of the provinces by microwave radio relay and, recently, by cellular telephone service; much of the network depends on wire and HF radiotelephone; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone density is only about 13 telephones per 100 persons
international: country code - 250; international connections employ microwave radio relay to neighboring countries and satellite communications to more distant countries; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) in Kigali (includes telex and telefax service)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 10 (two main FM programs are broadcast through a system of repeaters; international FM programming includes the BBC, VOA, and Deutchewelle) (2007)
Television broadcast stations:
2 (2004)
Internet country code:
.rw
Internet hosts:
81 (2009) country comparison to the world: 203
Internet users:
300,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 127
Transportation ::Rwanda
Airports:
9 (2009) country comparison to the world: 159
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 4
over 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 3 (2009)
Roadways:
total: 14,008 km country comparison to the world: 125 paved: 2,662 km
unpaved: 11,346 km (2004)
Waterways:
Lac Kivu navigable by shallow-draft barges and native craft (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Cyangugu, Gisenyi, Kibuye
Military ::Rwanda
Military branches:
Rwandan Defense Forces: Army, Air Force
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,430,469
females age 16-49: 2,392,933 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,452,768
females age 16-49: 1,456,207 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 106,741
female: 106,935 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
2.9% of GDP (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 53
Transnational Issues ::Rwanda
Disputes - international:
fighting among ethnic groups - loosely associated political rebels, armed gangs, and various government forces in Great Lakes region transcending the boundaries of Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda - abated substantially from a decade ago due largely to UN peacekeeping, international mediation, and efforts by local governments to create civil societies; nonetheless, 57,000 Rwandan refugees still reside in 21 African states, including Zambia, Gabon, and 20,000 who fled to Burundi in 2005 and 2006 to escape drought and recriminations from traditional courts investigating the 1994 massacres; the 2005 DROC and Rwanda border verification mechanism to stem rebel actions on both sides of the border remains in place
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 46,272 (Democratic Republic of the Congo); 4,400 (Burundi) (2007)
page last updated on November 11, 2009
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@Saint Barthelemy (Central America and Caribbean)
Introduction ::Saint Barthelemy
Background:
Discovered in 1493 by Christopher COLUMBUS who named it for his brother Bartolomeo, St. Barthelemy was first settled by the French in 1648. In 1784, the French sold the island to Sweden, who renamed the largest town Gustavia, after the Swedish King GUSTAV III, and made it a free port; the island prospered as a trade and supply center during the colonial wars of the 18th century. France repurchased the island in 1878 and placed it under the administration of Guadeloupe. St. Barthelemy retained its free port status along with various Swedish appellations such as Swedish street and town names, and the three-crown symbol on the coat of arms. In 2003, the populace of the island voted to secede from Guadeloupe and in 2007, the island became a French overseas collectivity.
Geography ::Saint Barthelemy
Location:
located approximately 125 miles northwest of Guadeloupe
Geographic coordinates:
17 90 N, 62 85 W
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
21 sq km
Area - comparative:
less than an eighth of the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Climate:
tropical, with practically no variation in temperature; has two seasons (dry and humid)
Terrain:
hilly, almost completely surrounded by shallow-water reefs, with 20 beaches
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Ocean 0 m
highest point: Morne du Vitet 286 m
Natural resources:
has few natural resources, its beaches being the most important
Environment - current issues:
with no natural rivers or streams, fresh water is in short supply, especially in summer, and provided by desalinization of sea water, collection of rain water, or imported via water tanker
People ::Saint Barthelemy
Population:
7,448 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 226
Age structure:
0-14 years: 19.2% (male 734/female 696)
15-64 years: 70.6% (male 2,855/female 2,402)
65 years and over: 10.2% (male 378/female 383) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 39.1 years
male: 39.3 years
female: 38.9 years (2009 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.19 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.99 male(s)/female
total population: 1.14 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Ethnic groups:
white, Creole (mulatto), black, Guadeloupe Mestizo (French-East Asia)
Religions:
Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jehovah's Witness
Languages:
French (primary), English
Government ::Saint Barthelemy
Country name:
conventional long form: Overseas Collectivity of Saint Barthelemy
conventional short form: Saint Barthelemy
local long form: Collectivite d'outre mer de Saint-Barthelemy
local short form: Saint-Barthelemy
Dependency status:
overseas collectivity of France
Capital:
name: Gustavia
geographic coordinates: 17 53 N, 62 51 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Independence:
none (overseas collectivity of France)
National holiday:
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789); note - local holiday is St. Barthelemy Day, 24 August
Constitution:
4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system:
the laws of France, where applicable, apply
Suffrage:
18 years of age, universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007), represented by Prefect Dominique LACROIX (since 21 March 2007)
head of government: President of the Territorial Council Bruno MAGRAS (since 16 July 2007)
cabinet: Executive Council; note - there is also an advisory, economic, social, and cultural council
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the Territorial Council is elected by the members of the Council for a five-year term
election results: Bruno MAGRAS unanimously elected president by the Territorial Council on 16 July 2007
Legislative branch:
unicameral Territorial Council (19 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 1 and 8 July 2007 (next to be held in July 2012)
election results: percent of vote by party - SBA 72.2%, Action-Equilibre-Transparence 9.9%, Ensemble pour Saint-Barthelemy 7.9%, Tous Unis pour Saint-Barthelemy 9.9%; seats by party - SBA 16, Action-Equilibre-Transparence 1, Ensemble pour Saint-Barthelemy 1, Tous Unis pour Saint-Barthelemy 1
note: Saint Barthelemy elects one seat to the French Senate; elections last held 21 September 2008 (next to be held in September 2014); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 1
Political parties and leaders:
Action-Equilibre-Transparence [Maxime DESOUCHES]; Ensemble pour Saint-Barthelemy [Benoit CHAUVIN]; Saint-Barth d'Abord! or SBA [Bruno MAGRAS]; Tous Unis pour Saint-Barthelemy [Karine MIOT-RICHARD]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
The Marine Reserve (protection of fish); Rotary Club
International organization participation:
UPU, WFTU
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas collectivity of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas collectivity of France)
Flag description:
the flag of France is used
Economy ::Saint Barthelemy
Economy - overview:
The economy of Saint Barthelemy is based upon high-end tourism and duty-free luxury commerce, serving visitors primarily from North America. The luxury hotels and villas host 70,000 visitors each year with another 130,000 arriving by boat. The relative isolation and high cost of living inhibits mass tourism. The construction and public sectors also enjoy significant investment in support of tourism. With limited fresh water resources, all food must be imported, as must all energy resources and most manufactured goods. Employment is strong and attracts labor from Brazil and Portugal.
Exchange rates:
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003)
Communications ::Saint Barthelemy
Telephone system:
general assessment: fully integrated access
domestic: direct dial capability with both fixed and wireless systems
international: country code - 590; undersea fiber-optic cable provides voice and data connectivity to Puerto Rico and Guadeloupe
Internet country code:
.bl; note - .gp, the internet country code for Guadeloupe, and .fr, the internet country code for France, might also be encountered
Transportation ::Saint Barthelemy
Airports:
1 (2009) country comparison to the world: 215
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Transportation - note:
nearest airport for international flights is Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) located in Sint Maarten (Netherlands Antilles)
Military ::Saint Barthelemy
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,594
females age 16-49: 1,340 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 21
female: 20 (2009 est.)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of France
page last updated on September 22, 2009
======================================================================
@Saint Helena (Africa)
Introduction ::Saint Helena
Background:
Saint Helena is a British Overseas Territory consisting of Saint Helena and Ascension Islands, and the island group of Tristan da Cunha.
Saint Helena: Uninhabited when first discovered by the Portuguese in 1502, Saint Helena was garrisoned by the British during the 17th century. It acquired fame as the place of Napoleon BONAPARTE's exile from 1815 until his death in 1821, but its importance as a port of call declined after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. During the Anglo-Boer War in South Africa, several thousand Boer prisoners were confined on the island between 1900 and 1903.
Ascension Island: This barren and uninhabited island was discovered and named by the Portuguese in 1503. The British garrisoned the island in 1815 to prevent a rescue of Napoleon from Saint Helena. It served as a provisioning station for the Royal Navy's West Africa Squadron on anti-slavery patrol. The island remained under Admiralty control until 1922, when it became a dependency of Saint Helena. During World War II, the UK permitted the US to construct an airfield on Ascension in support of trans-Atlantic flights to Africa and anti-submarine operations in the South Atlantic. In the 1960s the island became an important space tracking station for the US. In 1982, Ascension was an essential staging area for British forces during the Falklands War. It remains a critical refueling point in the air-bridge from the UK to the South Atlantic.
Tristan da Cunha: The island group consists of the islands of Tristan da Cunha, Nightingale, Inaccessible, and Gough. Tristan da Cunha is named after its Portuguese discoverer (1506); it was garrisoned by the British in 1816 to prevent any attempt to rescue Napoleon from Saint Helena. Gough and Inaccessible Islands have been designated World Heritage Sites. South Africa leases a site for a meteorological station on Gough Island.
Geography ::Saint Helena
Location:
islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about midway between South America and Africa; Ascension Island lies 700 nm northwest of Saint Helena; Tristan da Cunha lies 2,300 nm southwest of Saint Helena
Geographic coordinates:
Saint Helena: 15 57 S, 5 42 W
Ascension Island: 7 57 S, 14 22 W
Tristan da Cunha island group: 37 15 S, 12 30 W
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 308 sq km country comparison to the world: 208 land: Saint Helena Island 122 sq km; Ascension Island 88 sq km; Tristan da Cunha island group 98 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
Saint Helena: 60 km
Ascension Island: NA
Tristan da Cunha: 40 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate:
Saint Helena: tropical marine; mild, tempered by trade winds
Ascension Island: tropical marine; mild, semi-arid
Tristan da Cunha: temperate marine; mild, tempered by trade winds (tends to be cooler than Saint Helena)
Terrain:
the islands of this group result from volcanic activity associated with the Atlantic Mid-Ocean Ridge
Saint Helena: rugged, volcanic; small scattered plateaus and plains
Ascension: surface covered by lava flows and cinder cones of 44 dormant volcanoes; ground rises to the east
Tristan da Cunha: sheer cliffs line the coastline of the nearly circular island; the flanks of the central volcanic peak are deeply dissected; narrow coastal plain lies between The Peak and the coastal cliffs
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha 2,062 m; Green Mountain on Ascension Island 859 m; Mount Actaeon on Saint Helena Island 818 m
Natural resources:
fish, lobster
Land use:
arable land: 12.9%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 87.1% (2005)
Irrigated land:
NA
Natural hazards:
active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha, last eruption in 1961
Environment - current issues:
NA
Geography - note:
Saint Helena harbors at least 40 species of plants unknown anywhere else in the world; Ascension is a breeding ground for sea turtles and sooty terns; Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha is the highest island mountain in the South Atlantic and a prominent landmark on the sea lanes around southern Africa
People ::Saint Helena
Population:
7,637 country comparison to the world: 225 note: only Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha islands are inhabited (July 2009 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 18.3% (male 712/female 685)
15-64 years: 70.4% (male 2,744/female 2,629)
65 years and over: 11.4% (male 412/female 455) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 37.6 years
male: 37.7 years
female: 37.5 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.445% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 158
Birth rate:
11.13 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 175
Death rate:
6.68 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 146
Net migration rate:
NA (2009 est.)
Urbanization:
urban population: 39% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1.5% 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: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 17.63 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 116 male: 20.71 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 14.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.44 years country comparison to the world: 44 male: 75.52 years
female: 81.5 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.56 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 184
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Saint Helenian(s)
adjective: Saint Helenian
note: referred to locally as "Saints"
Ethnic groups:
African descent 50%, white 25%, Chinese 25%
Religions:
Anglican (majority), Baptist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic
Languages:
English
Literacy:
definition: age 20 and over can read and write
total population: 97%
male: 97%
female: 98% (1987 est.)
Education expenditures:
NA
Government ::Saint Helena
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Saint Helena
Dependency status:
overseas territory of the UK
Government type:
NA
Capital:
name: Jamestown
geographic coordinates: 15 56 S, 5 44 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
1 administrative area and 2 dependencies*; Ascension*, Saint Helena, Tristan da Cunha*
Independence:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
National holiday:
Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)
Constitution:
1 January 1989
Legal system:
English common law and statutes supplemented by local statutes
Suffrage:
NA
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
head of government: Governor and Commander in Chief Andrew GURR (since 11 November 2007)
cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, 3 ex-officio officers, and 5 elected members of the Legislative Council
elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor is appointed by the monarch
Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Council (16 seats, including the speaker, three ex officio and 12 elected members; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 31 August 2005 (next to be held in November 2009)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 12
Judicial branch:
Magistrate's Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal
Political parties and leaders:
none
Political pressure groups and leaders:
other: private sector; unions
International organization participation:
UPU, WFTU
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Flag description:
blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Saint Helenian shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield features a rocky coastline and three-masted sailing ship
Economy ::Saint Helena
Economy - overview:
The economy depends largely on financial assistance from the UK, which amounted to about $27 million in FY06/07 or more than twice the level of annual budgetary revenues. The local population earns income from fishing, raising livestock, and sales of handicrafts. Because there are few jobs, 25% of the work force has left to seek employment on Ascension Island, on the Falklands, and in the UK.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$18 million (1998 est.) country comparison to the world: 225
GDP (official exchange rate):
$NA
GDP - real growth rate:
NA%
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,500 (1998 est.) country comparison to the world: 176
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Labor force:
2,486 country comparison to the world: 217 note: 1,200 work offshore (1998 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 6%
industry: 48%
services: 46% (1987 est.)
Unemployment rate:
14% (1998 est.) country comparison to the world: 148
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $12.33 million
expenditures: $30.28 million
note: revenue data reflect locally raised revenues only; the budget deficit is resolved by grant aid from the United Kingdom (FY06/07 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.2% (1997 est.) country comparison to the world: 40 3.2% (1997 est.)
Agriculture - products:
coffee, corn, potatoes, vegetables; timber; fish, lobster (on Tristan da Cunha); livestock
Industries:
construction, crafts (furniture, lacework, fancy woodwork), fishing, philatelic sales
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
Electricity - production:
8 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 210
Electricity - consumption:
7.44 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 211
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 134
Oil - consumption:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 204
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 167
Oil - imports:
79.73 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 204
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 135
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 134
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 137
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 118
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 134
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 138
Exports:
$19 million (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 205
Exports - commodities:
fish (frozen, canned, and salt-dried skipjack, tuna), coffee, handicrafts
Imports:
$45 million (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 214
Imports - commodities:
food, beverages, tobacco, fuel oils, animal feed, building materials, motor vehicles and parts, machinery and parts
Debt - external:
$NA
Exchange rates:
Saint Helenian pounds (SHP) per US dollar - 0.5302 (2008), 0.4993 (2007), 0.5418 (2006), 0.5493 (2005), 0.5462 (2004)
note: the Saint Helenian pound is on par with the British pound
Communications ::Saint Helena
Telephones - main lines in use:
2,300 (2008) country comparison to the world: 223
Telephone system:
general assessment: can communicate worldwide
domestic: automatic digital network
international: country code (Saint Helena) - 290, (Ascension Island) - 247; international direct dialing; satellite voice and data communications; satellite earth stations - 5 (Ascension Island - 4, Saint Helena - 1)
Radio broadcast stations:
Saint Helena: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0
Ascension: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (2005)
Television broadcast stations:
0 (3 television channels are received via satellite and distributed by UHF) (2005)
Internet country code:
.sh; note - Ascension Island assigned .ac
Internet hosts:
343 (2009) country comparison to the world: 178
Internet users:
1,100; note - includes Ascension Island (2008) country comparison to the world: 213
Communications - note:
South Africa maintains a meteorological station on Gough Island
Transportation ::Saint Helena
Airports:
1 (2009) country comparison to the world: 216
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2009)
Roadways:
total: 198 km (Saint Helena 138 km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da Cunha 20 km) country comparison to the world: 207 paved: 168 km (Saint Helena 118 km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da Cunha 10 km)
unpaved: 30 km (Saint Helena 20 km, Ascension 0 km, Tristan da Cunha 10 km) (2002)
Ports and terminals:
Saint Helena: Jamestown
Ascension Island: Georgetown
Tristan da Cunha: Calshot Harbor
Transportation - note:
there is no air connection to Saint Helena or Tristan da Cunha; an international airport for Saint Helena is in development for 2010
Military ::Saint Helena
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,586
females age 16-49: 1,600 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 47
female: 45 (2009 est.)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues ::Saint Helena
Disputes - international:
none
page last updated on October 28, 2009
======================================================================
@Saint Kitts and Nevis (Central America and Caribbean)
Introduction ::Saint Kitts and Nevis
Background:
Carib Indians occupied the islands for hundreds of years before the British began settlement in 1623. The islands became an associated state of the UK with full internal autonomy in 1967. The island of Anguilla rebelled and was allowed to secede in 1971. Saint Kitts and Nevis achieved independence in 1983. In 1998, a vote in Nevis on a referendum to separate from Saint Kitts fell short of the two-thirds majority needed. Nevis continues in its efforts to separate from Saint Kitts.
Geography ::Saint Kitts and Nevis
Location:
Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, about one-third of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago
Geographic coordinates:
17 20 N, 62 45 W
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 261 sq km (Saint Kitts 168 sq km; Nevis 93 sq km) country comparison to the world: 211 land: 261 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
135 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Climate:
tropical, tempered by constant sea breezes; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)
Terrain:
volcanic with mountainous interiors
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Liamuiga 1,156 m
Natural resources:
arable land
Land use:
arable land: 19.44%
permanent crops: 2.78%
other: 77.78% (2005)
Irrigated land:
NA
Total renewable water resources:
0.02 cu km (2000)
Natural hazards:
hurricanes (July to October)
Environment - current issues:
NA
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
with coastlines in the shape of a baseball bat and ball, the two volcanic islands are separated by a 3-km-wide channel called The Narrows; on the southern tip of long, baseball bat-shaped Saint Kitts lies the Great Salt Pond; Nevis Peak sits in the center of its almost circular namesake island and its ball shape complements that of its sister island
People ::Saint Kitts and Nevis
Population:
40,131 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 209
Age structure:
0-14 years: 26.3% (male 5,397/female 5,138)
15-64 years: 65.9% (male 13,231/female 13,196)
65 years and over: 7.9% (male 1,326/female 1,843) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 28.6 years
male: 27.9 years
female: 29.3 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.847% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 137
Birth rate:
17.67 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 114
Death rate:
8.05 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 110
Net migration rate:
-1.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 127
Urbanization:
urban population: 32% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 13.94 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 130 male: 15.66 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 12.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.2 years country comparison to the world: 109 male: 70.33 years
female: 76.25 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.26 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 110
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Kittitian(s), Nevisian(s)
adjective: Kittitian, Nevisian
Ethnic groups:
predominantly black; some British, Portuguese, and Lebanese
Religions:
Anglican, other Protestant, Roman Catholic
Languages:
English
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 97.8%
male: NA
female: NA (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 12 years
male: 12 years
female: 13 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
9.3% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 8
Government ::Saint Kitts and Nevis
Country name:
conventional long form: Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis
conventional short form: Saint Kitts and Nevis
former: Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis
Government type:
parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm
Capital:
name: Basseterre
geographic coordinates: 17 18 N, 62 43 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
14 parishes; Christ Church Nichola Town, Saint Anne Sandy Point, Saint George Basseterre, Saint George Gingerland, Saint James Windward, Saint John Capesterre, Saint John Figtree, Saint Mary Cayon, Saint Paul Capesterre, Saint Paul Charlestown, Saint Peter Basseterre, Saint Thomas Lowland, Saint Thomas Middle Island, Trinity Palmetto Point
Independence:
19 September 1983 (from the UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 19 September (1983)
Constitution:
19 September 1983
Legal system:
based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Cuthbert Montraville SEBASTIAN (since 1 January 1996)
head of government: Prime Minister Dr. Denzil DOUGLAS (since 6 July 1995); Deputy Prime Minister Sam CONDOR (since 6 July 1995)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general in consultation with the prime minister
elections: the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or 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 National Assembly (14 seats, 3 appointed and 11 popularly elected from single-member constituencies; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 25 October 2004 (next to be held by 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - SKNLP 7, CCM 2, NRP 1, PAM 1
Judicial branch:
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (consisting of a Court of Appeal and a High Court; based on Saint Lucia; two judges of the Supreme Court reside in Saint Kitts and Nevis); member of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ)
Political parties and leaders:
Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Vance AMORY]; Nevis Reformation Party or NRP [Joseph PARRY]; People's Action Movement or PAM [Lindsay GRANT]; Saint Kitts and Nevis Labor Party or SKNLP [Dr. Denzil DOUGLAS]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Izben Cordinal WILLIAMS
chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016
telephone: [1] (202) 686-2636
FAX: [1] (202) 686-5740
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Saint Kitts and Nevis; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Saint Kitts and Nevis
Flag description:
divided diagonally from the lower hoist side by a broad black band bearing two white, five-pointed stars; the black band is edged in yellow; the upper triangle is green, the lower triangle is red
Economy ::Saint Kitts and Nevis
Economy - overview:
The economy of Saint Kitts and Nevis is heavily dependent upon tourism revenues, which has replaced sugar, the traditional mainstay of the economy until the 1970s. Following the 2005 harvest, the government closed the sugar industry after decades of losses of 3-4% of GDP annually. To compensate for employment losses, the government has embarked on a program to diversify the agricultural sector and to stimulate other sectors of the economy, such as tourism, export-oriented manufacturing, and offshore banking. Economic growth was above average for Latin America from 2004 to 2006, but has since slowed. Like other tourist destinations in the Caribbean, the St. Kitts and Nevis is vulnerable to damage from natural disasters and shifts in tourism demand. The current government is constrained by a high public debt burden equivalent to nearly 185% of GDP by the end of 2006, largely attributable to public enterprise losses.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$759.5 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 207 $742 million (2007 est.)
$735.8 million (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$546 million (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 144 0.9% (2007 est.)
5.3% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$19,100 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 65 $18,800 (2007 est.)
$18,700 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3.5%
industry: 25.8%
services: 70.7% (2001)
Labor force:
18,170 (June 1995) country comparison to the world: 202
Unemployment rate:
4.5% (1997) country comparison to the world: 57
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $89.7 million
expenditures: $128.2 million (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.5% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 78
Central bank discount rate:
6.5% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 63 6.5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
8.69% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 94 8.89% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$107.2 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 110 $97.31 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$680.6 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 103 $688.6 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$790.8 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 113 $782.4 million (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 104 $439.7 million (31 December 2007)
$304.5 million (31 December 2006)
Agriculture - products:
sugarcane, rice, yams, vegetables, bananas; fish
Industries:
tourism, cotton, salt, copra, clothing, footwear, beverages
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
Electricity - production:
130 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 184
Electricity - consumption:
120.9 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 187
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 137
Oil - consumption:
1,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 192
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 169
Oil - imports:
1,225 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 185
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 138
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 136
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 139
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 122
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 137
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 141
Current account balance:
-$163 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 85
Exports:
$84 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 197
Exports - commodities:
machinery, food, electronics, beverages, tobacco
Exports - partners:
US 65.7%, Azerbaijan 7.5%, Canada 6% (2008)
Imports:
$383 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 187
Imports - commodities:
machinery, manufactures, food, fuels
Imports - partners:
US 46.8%, Trinidad and Tobago 14.8%, UK 4.1% (2008)
Debt - external:
$314 million (2004) country comparison to the world: 174
Exchange rates:
East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - 2.7 (2007), 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003)
Communications ::Saint Kitts and Nevis
Telephones - main lines in use:
20,400 (2008) country comparison to the world: 194
Telephones - mobile cellular:
80,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 187
Telephone system:
general assessment: good interisland and international connections
domestic: interisland links via Eastern Caribbean Fiber Optic cable; construction of enhanced wireless infrastructure launched in November 2004
international: country code - 1-869; connected internationally by the East Caribbean Fiber Optic System (ECFS) and Southern Caribbean fiber optic system (SCF) submarine cables
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 3, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2003)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (plus 3 repeaters) (2003)
Internet country code:
.kn
Internet hosts:
53 (2009) country comparison to the world: 206
Internet users:
16,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 195
Transportation ::Saint Kitts and Nevis
Airports:
2 (2009) country comparison to the world: 206
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)
Railways:
total: 50 km country comparison to the world: 131 narrow gauge: 50 km 0.762-m gauge on Saint Kitts for tourists (2008)
Roadways:
total: 383 km country comparison to the world: 197 paved: 163 km
unpaved: 220 km (2002)
Merchant marine:
total: 159 country comparison to the world: 40 by type: bulk carrier 10, cargo 109, chemical tanker 7, container 1, liquefied gas 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 19, refrigerated cargo 7, roll on/roll off 1, specialized tanker 1
foreign-owned: 121 (Belgium 1, Cyprus 1, Egypt 2, Estonia 3, Finland 1, Greece 3, India 1, Italy 1, Japan 3, Kuwait 1, Latvia 5, Malaysia 1, Pakistan 3, Romania 1, Russia 19, Singapore 1, Spain 1, Syria 7, Turkey 35, Ukraine 9, UAE 18, UK 3, Yemen 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Basseterre
Military ::Saint Kitts and Nevis
Military branches:
Royal Saint Kitts and Nevis Defense Force (includes Coast Guard), Royal Saint Kitts and Nevis Police Force (2009)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 10,095
females age 16-49: 10,081 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 8,159
females age 16-49: 8,517 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 376
female: 362 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
NA
Transnational Issues ::Saint Kitts and Nevis
Disputes - international:
joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under UNCLOS, which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe; some money-laundering activity
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Saint Lucia (Central America and Caribbean)
Introduction ::Saint Lucia
Background:
The island, with its fine natural harbor at Castries, was contested between England and France throughout the 17th and early 18th centuries (changing possession 14 times); it was finally ceded to the UK in 1814. Even after the abolition of slavery on its plantations in 1834, Saint Lucia remained an agricultural island, dedicated to producing tropical commodity crops. Self-government was granted in 1967 and independence in 1979.
Geography ::Saint Lucia
Location:
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago
Geographic coordinates:
13 53 N, 60 58 W
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 616 sq km country comparison to the world: 193 land: 606 sq km
water: 10 sq km
Area - comparative:
3.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
158 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Climate:
tropical, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season January to April, rainy season May to August
Terrain:
volcanic and mountainous with some broad, fertile valleys
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Gimie 950 m
Natural resources:
forests, sandy beaches, minerals (pumice), mineral springs, geothermal potential
Land use:
arable land: 6.45%
permanent crops: 22.58%
other: 70.97% (2005)
Irrigated land:
30 sq km (2003)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.01
per capita: 81 cu m/yr (1997)
Natural hazards:
hurricanes; volcanic activity
Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion, particularly in the northern region
Environment - international agreements:
party to: 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, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
the twin Pitons (Gros Piton and Petit Piton), striking cone-shaped peaks south of Soufriere, are one of the scenic natural highlights of the Caribbean
People ::Saint Lucia
Population:
160,267 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 187
Age structure:
0-14 years: 24.4% (male 20,035/female 19,021)
15-64 years: 66.4% (male 51,593/female 54,843)
65 years and over: 9.2% (male 6,668/female 8,107) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 29.8 years
male: 28.7 years
female: 30.8 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.416% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 161
Birth rate:
15.1 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 140
Death rate:
6.8 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 141
Net migration rate:
-4.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 158
Urbanization:
urban population: 28% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 13.43 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 134 male: 12.47 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 14.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.45 years country comparison to the world: 67 male: 73.78 years
female: 79.27 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.84 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 153
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Saint Lucian(s)
adjective: Saint Lucian
Ethnic groups:
black 82.5%, mixed 11.9%, East Indian 2.4%, other or unspecified 3.1% (2001 census)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 67.5%, Seventh Day Adventist 8.5%, Pentecostal 5.7%, Rastafarian 2.1%, Anglican 2%, Evangelical 2%, other Christian 5.1%, other 1.1%, unspecified 1.5%, none 4.5% (2001 census)
Languages:
English (official), French patois
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 90.1%
male: 89.5%
female: 90.6% (2001 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 14 years
male: 13 years
female: 14 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
6.6% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 29
Government ::Saint Lucia
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Saint Lucia
Government type:
parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm
Capital:
name: Castries
geographic coordinates: 14 01 N, 61 00 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
11 quarters; Anse-la-Raye, Castries, Choiseul, Dauphin, Dennery, Gros-Islet, Laborie, Micoud, Praslin, Soufriere, Vieux-Fort
Independence:
22 February 1979 (from the UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 22 February (1979)
Constitution:
22 February 1979
Legal system:
based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Dame Pearlette LOUISY (since September 1997)
head of government: Prime Minister Stephenson KING (since 9 September 2007); note - Sir John COMPTON died in office 7 September 2007
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister
elections: the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is 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:
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (11 seats; six members appointed on the advice of the prime minister, three on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and two after consultation with religious, economic, and social groups) and the House of Assembly (17 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Assembly - last held 11 December 2006 (next to be held in December 2011)
election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - UWP 50%, SLP 46.9%, other 3.1%; seats by party - UWP 11, SLP 6
Judicial branch:
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (consists of a High Court and a Court of Appeals; based on Saint Lucia; three judges of the Supreme Court reside in Saint Lucia); member of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ)
Political parties and leaders:
National Alliance or NA [George ODLUM]; Saint Lucia Freedom Party or SFP [Martinus FRANCOIS]; Saint Lucia Labor Party or SLP [Kenneth ANTHONY]; Sou Tout Apwe Fete Fini or STAFF [Christopher HUNTE]; United Workers Party or UWP [Stephenson KING]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OIF, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Michael LOUIS
chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016
telephone: [1] (202) 364-6792 through 6795
FAX: [1] (202) 364-6723
consulate(s) general: Miami, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Saint Lucia; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Saint Lucia
Flag description:
blue, with a gold isosceles triangle below a black arrowhead; the upper edges of the arrowhead have a white border
Economy ::Saint Lucia
Economy - overview:
The island nation has been able to attract foreign business and investment, especially in its offshore banking and tourism industries, with a surge in foreign direct investment in 2006, attributed to the construction of several tourism projects. Although crops such as bananas, mangos, and avocados continue to be grown for export, tourism provides Saint Lucia's main source of income and the industry is the island's biggest employer. The tourism sector is likely to face declining revenues with the global economic downturn as US and European travel declines. The manufacturing sector is the most diverse in the Eastern Caribbean area, and the government is trying to revitalize the banana industry, although recent hurricanes have caused exports to contract. Saint Lucia is vulnerable to a variety of external shocks including volatile tourism receipts, natural disasters, and dependence on foreign oil. The public debt-to-GDP ratio is about 70% and high debt servicing obligations constrain the KING administration's ability to respond to adverse external shocks. Economic fundamentals remain solid, even though unemployment needs to be reduced.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.774 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 186 $1.762 billion (2007 est.)
$1.733 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$987 million (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
0.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 189 1.7% (2007 est.)
5% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$11,100 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 99 $11,100 (2007 est.)
$11,000 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 5%
industry: 15%
services: 80% (2005 est.)
Labor force:
79,700 (2007) country comparison to the world: 178
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 21.7%
industry: 24.7%
services: 53.6% (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate:
20% (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 166
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $141.2 million
expenditures: $146.7 million (2000 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.9% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 16
Central bank discount rate:
6.5% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 62 6.5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
10.08% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 102 8.34% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$261.3 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 103 $264.7 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$800.1 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 100 $720.9 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.378 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 99 $1.217 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
bananas, coconuts, vegetables, citrus, root crops, cocoa
Industries:
clothing, assembly of electronic components, beverages, corrugated cardboard boxes, tourism; lime processing, coconut processing
Industrial production growth rate:
NA
Electricity - production:
325 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 167
Electricity - consumption:
302.2 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 168
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 132
Oil - consumption:
3,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 176
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 166
Oil - imports:
2,747 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 171
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 130
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 129
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 134
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 112
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 131
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 134
Current account balance:
-$199 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 88
Exports:
$288 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 176
Exports - commodities:
bananas 41%, clothing, cocoa, vegetables, fruits, coconut oil
Exports - partners:
UK 23.6%, US 19.3%, South Korea 16.6%, Antigua and Barbuda 5.9%, Dominica 5.8%, Barbados 5.2%, Trinidad and Tobago 4.8% (2008)
Imports:
$791 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 178
Imports - commodities:
food 23%, manufactured goods 21%, machinery and transportation equipment 19%, chemicals, fuels
Imports - partners:
Brazil 68%, US 11.7%, Trinidad and Tobago 7.4% (2008)
Debt - external:
$257 million (2004) country comparison to the world: 176
Exchange rates:
East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - 2.7 (2007), 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003)
Communications ::Saint Lucia
Telephones - main lines in use:
40,900 (2008) country comparison to the world: 168
Telephones - mobile cellular:
169,600 (2008) country comparison to the world: 174
Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate system
domestic: system is automatically switched
international: country code - 1-758; the East Caribbean Fiber Optic System (ECFS) and Southern Caribbean fiber optic system (SCF) submarine cables, along with Intelsat from Martinique, carry calls internationally; direct microwave radio relay link with Martinique and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; tropospheric scatter to Barbados
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2003)
Television broadcast stations:
2 (1 commercial broadcast station and 1 community antenna television or CATV channel) (2003)
Internet country code:
.lc
Internet hosts:
103 (2009) country comparison to the world: 198
Internet users:
100,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 155
Transportation ::Saint Lucia
Airports:
2 (2009) country comparison to the world: 201
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)
Roadways:
total: 1,210 km (2002) country comparison to the world: 180
Ports and terminals:
Castries, Cul-de-Sac, Vieux-Fort
Military ::Saint Lucia
Military branches:
no regular military forces; Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (includes Special Service Unit and Coast Guard) (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 48,358 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 32,094
females age 16-49: 36,110 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 1,607
female: 1,511 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
NA
Transnational Issues ::Saint Lucia
Disputes - international:
joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under UNCLOS, which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea
Illicit drugs:
transit point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Saint Martin (Central America and Caribbean)
Introduction ::Saint Martin
Background:
Although sighted by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1493 and claimed for Spain, it was the Dutch who occupied the island in 1631 and set about exploiting its salt deposits. The Spanish retook the island in 1633, but continued to be harassed by the Dutch. The Spanish finally relinquished St. Martin to the French and Dutch, who divided it amongst themselves in 1648. The cultivation of sugar cane introduced slavery to the island in the late 18th century; the practice was not abolished until 1848. The island became a free port in 1939; the tourism industry was dramatically expanded during the 1970s and 1980s. In 2003, the populace of St. Martin voted to secede from Guadeloupe and in 2007, the northern portion of the island became a French overseas collectivity.
Geography ::Saint Martin
Location:
island 300 km southeast of Puerto Rico
Geographic coordinates:
18 05 N, 63 57 W
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 54.4 sq km country comparison to the world: 230 land: 54.4 sq km
water: NEGL
Area - comparative:
more than one-third the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
total: 15 km
border countries: Netherlands Antilles (Sint Maarten) 15 km
Coastline:
58.9 km (for entire island)
Climate:
temperature averages 80-85 degrees all year long; low humidity, gentle trade winds, brief, intense rain showers; July-November is the hurricane season
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pic du Paradis 424 m
Natural resources:
salt
Environment - current issues:
fresh water supply is dependent on desalinization of sea water
Geography - note:
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 ::Saint Martin
Population:
29,820 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 213
Age structure:
0-14 years: 27% (male 3,991/female 4,048)
15-64 years: 67.5% (male 9,596/female 10,532)
65 years and over: 5.5% (male 742/female 911) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 30.5 years
male: 29.5 years
female: 31.3 years (2009 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Ethnic groups:
creole (mulatto), black, Guadeloupe Mestizo (French-East Asia), white, East Indian
Religions:
Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witness, Protestant, Hindu
Languages:
French (official language), English, Dutch, French Patois, Spanish, Papiamento (dialect of Netherlands Antilles)
Government ::Saint Martin
Country name:
conventional long form: Overseas Collectivity of Saint Martin
conventional short form: Saint Martin
local long form: Collectivity d'outre mer de Saint-Martin
local short form: Saint-Martin
Dependency status:
overseas collectivity of France
Capital:
name: Marigot
geographical coordinates: 18 04 N, 63 05 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
daylight savings: +1 hour
Independence:
none (overseas collectivity of France)
National holiday:
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789); note - local holiday is Schoalcher Day (Slavery Abolition Day) 12 July (1848)
Constitution:
4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system:
the laws of France, where applicable, apply
Suffrage:
18 years of age, universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007), represented by Prefect Dominique LACROIX (since 21 March 2007)
head of government: President of the Territorial Council Frantz GUMBS (since 5 May 2009)
cabinet: Executive Council; note - there is also an advisory economic, social, and cultural council
election: French president elected by popular vote to a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the Territorial Council is elected by the members of the Council for a five-year term
election results: Frantz GUMBS elected president by the Territorial Council on 7 August 2008 but election was declared invalid on 10 April 2009
Legislative branch:
unicameral Territorial Council (23 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 1 and 8 July 2007 (next to be held in July 2012)
election results: percent of seats by party - UPP 49%, RRR 42.2%, Reussir Saint-Martin 8.9%; seats by party - UPP 16, RRR 6, Reussir Saint-Martin 1
note: Saint Martin elects one seat to the French Senate; election last held 21 September 2008 (next to be held in September 2014); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 1
Political parties and leaders:
Union Pour le Progres or UPP [Louis-Constant FLEMING]; Rassemblement Responsabilite Reussite or RRR [Alain RICHARDSON]; Reussir Saint-Martin [Jean-Luc HAMLET]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
UPU, WFTU
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas collectivity of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas collectivity of France)
Flag description:
the flag of France is used
Economy ::Saint Martin
Economy - overview:
The economy of Saint Martin centers around tourism with 85% of the labor force engaged in this sector. Over one million visitors come to the island each year with most arriving through the Princess Juliana International Airport in Sint Maarten. No significant agriculture and limited local fishing means that almost all food must be imported. Energy resources and manufactured goods are also imported, primarily from Mexico and the United States. Saint Martin is reported to have the highest per capita income in the Caribbean.
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1%
industry: 15%
services: 84% (2000)
Labor force - by occupation:
85% directly or indirectly employed in tourist industry
Industries:
tourism, light industry and manufacturing, heavy industry
Imports - commodities:
crude petroleum, food, manufactured items
Exchange rates:
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)
Communications ::Saint Martin
Telephone system:
general assessment: fully integrated access
domestic: direct dial capability with both fixed and wireless systems
international: country code - 590; undersea fiber-optic cable provides voice and data connectivity to Puerto Rico and Guadeloupe
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2007)
Internet country code:
.mf; note - .gp, the internet country code for Guadeloupe, and .fr, the internet country code for France, might also be encountered
Transportation ::Saint Martin
Airports:
1 (2009) country comparison to the world: 226
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)
Transportation - note:
nearest airport for international flights is Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) located in Sint Maarten
Military ::Saint Martin
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 6,336
females age 16-49: 6,925 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 177
female: 162 (2009 est.)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of France
page last updated on September 22, 2009
======================================================================
@Saint Pierre and Miquelon (North America)
Introduction ::Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Background:
First settled by the French in the early 17th century, the islands represent the sole remaining vestige of France's once vast North American possessions.
Geography ::Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Location:
Northern North America, islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, south of Newfoundland (Canada)
Geographic coordinates:
46 50 N, 56 20 W
Map references:
North America
Area:
total: 242 sq km country comparison to the world: 213 land: 242 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes eight small islands in the Saint Pierre and the Miquelon groups
Area - comparative:
1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
120 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
cold and wet, with much mist and fog; spring and autumn are windy
Terrain:
mostly barren rock
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Morne de la Grande Montagne 240 m
Natural resources:
fish, deepwater ports
Land use:
arable land: 12.5%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 87.5% (2005)
Irrigated land:
NA
Natural hazards:
persistent fog throughout the year can be a maritime hazard
Environment - current issues:
recent test drilling for oil in waters around Saint Pierre and Miquelon may bring future development that would impact the environment
Geography - note:
vegetation scanty
People ::Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Population:
7,051 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 227
Age structure:
0-14 years: 21.9% (male 788/female 756)
15-64 years: 66.5% (male 2,378/female 2,312)
65 years and over: 11.6% (male 379/female 438) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 35.2 years
male: 34.6 years
female: 35.7 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.085% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 193
Birth rate:
12.76 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 159
Death rate:
6.95 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 133
Net migration rate:
-4.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 162
Urbanization:
urban population: 89% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 0.1% 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: 1.03 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: 6.87 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 170 male: 7.86 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.07 years country comparison to the world: 34 male: 76.69 years
female: 81.57 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.97 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 135
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)
adjective: French
Ethnic groups:
Basques and Bretons (French fishermen)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 99%, other 1%
Languages:
French (official)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (1982 est.)
Education expenditures:
NA
Government ::Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Country name:
conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Saint Pierre and Miquelon
conventional short form: Saint Pierre and Miquelon
local long form: Departement de Saint-Pierre et Miquelon
local short form: Saint-Pierre et Miquelon
Dependency status:
self-governing territorial overseas collectivity of France
Government type:
NA
Capital:
name: Saint-Pierre
geographic coordinates: 46 46 N, 56 11 W
time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November
Administrative divisions:
none (territorial overseas collectivity of France); note - there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are two communes - Saint Pierre, Miquelon at the second order
Independence:
none (territorial collectivity of France; has been under French control since 1763)
National holiday:
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Constitution:
4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system:
the laws of France, where applicable, apply
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007); represented by Prefect Jean-Pierre BERCOT (since 28 July 2008)
head of government: President of the Territorial Council Stephane ARTANO (since 21 February 2007)
cabinet: NA
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 6 May 2007 (next to be held in 2012); prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the Territorial Council is elected by the members of the council
Legislative branch:
unicameral Territorial Council or Conseil Territorial (19 seats, 15 from Saint Pierre and four from Miquelon; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
elections: elections last held 19 and 26 in March 2006 (next to be held in March 2012)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - AD 16, Cap sur l'Avenir 2, SPM 2000/AM 1
note: Saint Pierre and Miquelon elect one seat to the French Senate; elections last held 21 September 2008 (next to be held in September 2014); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 1; Saint Pierre and Miquelon also elects one seat to the French National Assembly; elections last held, first round - 10 June 2007, second round - 17 June 2007 (next to be held in 2012); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Left Radical Party 1
Judicial branch:
Superior Tribunal of Appeals or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel
Political parties and leaders:
Archipelago Tomorrow or AD affiliated with UDF/RPR list; Cap sur l'Avenir affiliated with PRG; Left Radical Party or PRG; Rassemblement pour la Republique or RPR (now UMP); Saint Pierre and Miquelon 2000/Avenir Miquelon or SPM 2000/AM; Socialist Party or PS; Union pour la Democratie Francaise or UDF
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
UPU, WFTU
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)
Flag description:
a yellow three-masted sailing ship facing the hoist side rides on a blue background with scattered, white, wavy lines under the ship; a continuous black-over-white wavy line divides the ship from the white wavy lines; on the hoist side, a vertical band is divided into three parts: the top part (called ikkurina) is red with a green diagonal cross extending to the corners overlaid by a white cross dividing the rectangle into four sections; the middle part has a white background with an ermine pattern; the third part has a red background with two stylized yellow lions outlined in black, one above the other; these three heraldic arms represent settlement by colonists from the Basque Country (top), Brittany, and Normandy
note: the flag of France used for official occasions
Economy ::Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Economy - overview:
The inhabitants have traditionally earned their livelihood by fishing and by servicing fishing fleets operating off the coast of Newfoundland. The economy has been declining, however, because of disputes with Canada over fishing quotas and a steady decline in the number of ships stopping at Saint Pierre. In 1992, an arbitration panel awarded the islands an exclusive economic zone of 12,348 sq km to settle a longstanding territorial dispute with Canada, although it represents only 25% of what France had sought. France heavily subsidizes the islands to the great betterment of living standards. The government hopes an expansion of tourism will boost economic prospects. Fish farming, crab fishing, and agriculture are being developed to diversify the local economy. Recent test drilling for oil may pave the way for development of the energy sector.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$48.3 million (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 223 note: supplemented by annual payments from France of about $60 million
GDP (official exchange rate):
$NA
GDP - real growth rate:
NA%
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$7,000 (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 125
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Labor force:
3,450 (2005) country comparison to the world: 215
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 18%
industry: 41%
services: 41% (1996 est.)
Unemployment rate:
10.3% (1999) country comparison to the world: 125
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $70 million
expenditures: $60 million (1996 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
8.1% (2005) country comparison to the world: 127
Agriculture - products:
vegetables; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish
Industries:
fish processing and supply base for fishing fleets; tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
Electricity - production:
53 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 197
Electricity - consumption:
49.29 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 197
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 138
Oil - consumption:
1,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 193
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 170
Oil - imports:
563.6 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 197
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 139
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 137
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 140
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 123
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 138
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 142
Exports:
$5.5 million (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 214
Exports - commodities:
fish and fish products, soybeans, animal feed, mollusks and crustaceans, fox and mink pelts
Imports:
$68.2 million (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 211
Imports - commodities:
meat, clothing, fuel, electrical equipment, machinery, building materials
Debt - external:
$NA
Exchange rates:
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6734 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)
Communications ::Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Telephones - main lines in use:
4,800 (2008) country comparison to the world: 213
Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate
domestic: NA
international: country code - 508; radiotelephone communication with most countries in the world; satellite earth station - 1 in French domestic satellite system
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)
Television broadcast stations:
0 (2 repeaters rebroadcast programs from France, Canada, and the US) (1997)
Internet country code:
.pm
Internet hosts:
0 (2009) country comparison to the world: 231
Transportation ::Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Airports:
2 (2009) country comparison to the world: 200
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)
Roadways:
total: 117 km country comparison to the world: 212 paved: 80 km
unpaved: 37 km (2000)
Ports and terminals:
Saint-Pierre
Military ::Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,427
females age 16-49: 1,406 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 61
female: 57 (2009 est.)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues ::Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Disputes - international:
none
page last updated on November 10, 2009
======================================================================
@Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (Central America and Caribbean)
Introduction ::Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Background:
Resistance by native Caribs prevented colonization on St. Vincent until 1719. Disputed between France and the United Kingdom for most of the 18th century, the island was ceded to the latter in 1783. Between 1960 and 1962, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines was a separate administrative unit of the Federation of the West Indies. Autonomy was granted in 1969 and independence in 1979.
Geography ::Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Location:
Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago
Geographic coordinates:
13 15 N, 61 12 W
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 389 sq km (Saint Vincent 344 sq km) country comparison to the world: 202 land: 389 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
84 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)
Terrain:
volcanic, mountainous
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: La Soufriere 1,234 m
Natural resources:
hydropower, cropland
Land use:
arable land: 17.95%
permanent crops: 17.95%
other: 64.1% (2005)
Irrigated land:
10 sq km (2003)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.01
per capita: 83 cu m/yr (1995)
Natural hazards:
hurricanes; Soufriere volcano on the island of Saint Vincent is a constant threat
Environment - current issues:
pollution of coastal waters and shorelines from discharges by pleasure yachts and other effluents; in some areas, pollution is severe enough to make swimming prohibitive
Environment - international agreements:
party to: 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, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is comprised of 32 islands and cays
People ::Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Population:
104,574 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 192
Age structure:
0-14 years: 25.9% (male 13,637/female 13,425)
15-64 years: 66.4% (male 35,693/female 33,701)
65 years and over: 7.8% (male 3,659/female 4,459) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 28.9 years
male: 29 years
female: 28.9 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
-0.344% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 223
Birth rate:
15.27 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 139
Death rate:
6.91 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 137
Net migration rate:
-11.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 178
Urbanization:
urban population: 47% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 15.14 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 127 male: 16.48 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 13.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.65 years country comparison to the world: 102 male: 71.82 years
female: 75.54 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.98 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 133
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Saint Vincentian(s) or Vincentian(s)
adjective: Saint Vincentian or Vincentian
Ethnic groups:
black 66%, mixed 19%, East Indian 6%, European 4%, Carib Amerindian 2%, other 3%
Religions:
Anglican 47%, Methodist 28%, Roman Catholic 13%, other (includes Hindu, Seventh-Day Adventist, other Protestant) 12%
Languages:
English, French patois
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 96%
male: 96%
female: 96% (1970 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 12 years
male: 12 years
female: 12 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
8.1% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 14
Government ::Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Government type:
parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm
Capital:
name: Kingstown
geographic coordinates: 13 09 N, 61 14 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
6 parishes; Charlotte, Grenadines, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint Patrick
Independence:
27 October 1979 (from the UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 27 October (1979)
Constitution:
27 October 1979
Legal system:
based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Sir Fredrick Nathaniel BALLANTYNE (since 2 September 2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Ralph E. GONSALVES (since 29 March 2001)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister
elections: the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister
Legislative branch:
unicameral House of Assembly (21 seats, 15 elected representatives and six appointed senators; representatives are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 7 December 2005 (next to be held in 2010)
election results: percent of vote by party - ULP 55.3%, NDP 44.7%; seats by party - ULP 12, NDP 3
Judicial branch:
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (consisting of a High Court and Court of Appeals; based on Saint Lucia; two judges of the Supreme Court reside in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines)
Political parties and leaders:
New Democratic Party or NDP [Arnhim EUSTACE]; Unity Labor Party or ULP [Ralph GONSALVES] (formed by the coalition of Saint Vincent Labor Party or SVLP and the Movement for National Unity or MNU)
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador La Celia A. PRINCE
chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016
telephone: [1] (202) 364-6730
FAX: [1] (202) 364-6736
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Flag description:
three vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold (double width), and green; the gold band bears three green diamonds arranged in a V pattern
Economy ::Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Economy - overview:
Economic growth slowed in 2008 after reaching a 10-year high of nearly 7% in 2006, and will likely slow in 2009 with the global economic downturn, though it will be above average for Latin America. Success of the economy hinges upon seasonal variations in agriculture, tourism, and construction activity as well as remittance inflows. Much of the workforce is employed in banana production and tourism, but persistent high unemployment has prompted many to leave the islands. This lower-middle-income country is vulnerable to natural disasters - tropical storms wiped out substantial portions of crops in 1994, 1995, and 2002. In 2007, the islands had more than 200,000 tourist arrivals, mostly to the Grenadines. Saint Vincent is home to a small offshore banking sector and has moved to adopt international regulatory standards. The government's ability to invest in social programs and respond to external shocks is constrained by its high debt burden - 25% of current revenues are directed towards debt servicing. An agreement with Italy to write-off debt reduced the public debt-to-GDP ratio to about 70%. The GONSALVES administration is directing government resources to infrastructure projects, including a new international airport that is expected to be completed in 2011.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.072 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 196 $1.063 billion (2007 est.)
$993.4 million (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$601 million (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
0.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 179 7% (2007 est.)
7.6% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$10,200 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 103 $10,100 (2007 est.)
$9,400 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 10%
industry: 26%
services: 64% (2001 est.)
Labor force:
57,520 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 180
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 26%
industry: 17%
services: 57% (1980 est.)
Unemployment rate:
15% (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 155
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $94.6 million
expenditures: $85.8 million (2000 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 104
Central bank discount rate:
6.5% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 61 6.5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
9.52% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 95 8.8% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$150.8 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 108 $155.5 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$302.7 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 113 $280.2 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$417.4 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 116 $387.8 million (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
bananas, coconuts, sweet potatoes, spices; small numbers of cattle, sheep, pigs, goats; fish
Industries:
food processing, cement, furniture, clothing, starch
Electricity - production:
133.8 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 183
Electricity - consumption:
124.4 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 186
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 125
Oil - consumption:
2,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 182
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 158
Oil - imports:
1,451 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 183
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 119
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 117
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 125
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 94
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 118
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 124
Current account balance:
-$149 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 83
Exports:
$193 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 182
Exports - commodities:
bananas, eddoes and dasheen (taro), arrowroot starch; tennis racquets
Exports - partners:
Greece 31.8%, France 18.9%, India 9.9%, China 8.3%, Italy 7.5% (2008)
Imports:
$578 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 184
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, chemicals and fertilizers, minerals and fuels
Imports - partners:
Singapore 27.1%, Trinidad and Tobago 13.2%, US 12.1%, China 8.5%, Italy 7.1%, Norway 5.1% (2008)
Debt - external:
$223 million (2004) country comparison to the world: 178
Exchange rates:
East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - 2.7 (2007), 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003)
Communications ::Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Telephones - main lines in use:
22,800 (2008) country comparison to the world: 190
Telephones - mobile cellular:
130,100 (2008) country comparison to the world: 178
Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate system
domestic: islandwide, fully automatic telephone system; VHF/UHF radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to the other islands of the Grenadines; mobile-cellular teledensity exceeds 100 telephones per 100 persons
international: country code - 1-784; the East Caribbean Fiber Optic System (ECFS) and Southern Caribbean fiber optic system (SCF) submarine cables carry international calls; connectivity also provided by VHF/UHF radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to Barbados; SHF radiotelephone to Grenada and Saint Lucia; access to Intelsat earth station in Martinique through Saint Lucia
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 6, shortwave 0 (2004)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (plus 3 repeaters) (2004)
Internet country code:
.vc
Internet hosts:
181 (2009) country comparison to the world: 190
Internet users:
66,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 165
Transportation ::Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Airports:
6 (2009) country comparison to the world: 174
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Roadways:
total: 829 km country comparison to the world: 185 paved: 580 km
unpaved: 249 km (2003)
Merchant marine:
total: 525 country comparison to the world: 21 by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 83, cargo 315, carrier 20, chemical tanker 2, liquefied gas 6, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 17, petroleum tanker 17, refrigerated cargo 20, roll on/roll off 18, specialized tanker 2, container 21
foreign-owned: 476 (Austria 2, Barbados 1, Belgium 8, Bulgaria 15, Canada 1, China 94, Croatia 7, Cyprus 1, Czech Republic 1, Denmark 16, Egypt 3, Estonia 16, France 6, Germany 3, Gibraltar 1, Greece 71, Guyana 2, Hong Kong 6, Iceland 7, India 7, Iran 1, Israel 2, Italy 17, Japan 3, Kenya 2, Latvia 17, Lebanon 6, Lithuania 9, Monaco 5, Montenegro 1, Namibia 1, Netherlands 3, Norway 13, Poland 1, Puerto Rico 1, Romania 1, Russia 21, Singapore 4, Slovenia 5, South Africa 1, Sweden 2, Switzerland 6, Syria 13, Turkey 20, Ukraine 11, UAE 9, UK 14, US 18, Venezuela 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Kingstown
Military ::Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Military branches:
no regular military forces; Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force, Coast Guard (2009)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 34,373 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 22,975
females age 16-49: 22,250 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 1,020
female: 1,009 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
NA
Transnational Issues ::Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Disputes - international:
joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under UNCLOS, which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe; small-scale cannabis cultivation
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Samoa (Australia-Oceania)
Introduction ::Samoa
Background:
New Zealand occupied the German protectorate of Western Samoa at the outbreak of World War I in 1914. It continued to administer the islands as a mandate and then as a trust territory until 1962, when the islands became the first Polynesian nation to reestablish independence in the 20th century. The country dropped the "Western" from its name in 1997.
Geography ::Samoa
Location:
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and New Zealand
Geographic coordinates:
13 35 S, 172 20 W
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total: 2,831 sq km country comparison to the world: 177 land: 2,821 sq km
water: 10 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Rhode Island
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
403 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical; rainy season (November to April), dry season (May to October)
Terrain:
two main islands (Savaii, Upolu) and several smaller islands and uninhabited islets; narrow coastal plain with volcanic, rocky, rugged mountains in interior
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mauga Silisili (Savaii) 1,857 m
Natural resources:
hardwood forests, fish, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 21.13%
permanent crops: 24.3%
other: 54.57% (2005)
Irrigated land:
NA
Natural hazards:
occasional typhoons; active volcanism
Environment - current issues:
soil erosion, deforestation, invasive species, overfishing
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
occupies an almost central position within Polynesia
People ::Samoa
Population:
219,998 country comparison to the world: 184 note: prior estimates used official net migration data by sex, but a highly unusual pattern for 1993 lead to a significant imbalance in the sex ratios (more men and fewer women) and a seeming reduction in the female population; the revised total was calculated using a 1993 number that was an average of the 1992 and 1994 migration figures (July 2009 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 37.6% (male 42,117/female 40,603)
15-64 years: 56.7% (male 65,541/female 59,292)
65 years and over: 5.7% (male 5,538/female 6,907) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 20.8 years
male: 21 years
female: 20.5 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.346% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 101
Birth rate:
28.06 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 54
Death rate:
5.79 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 170
Net migration rate:
-8.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 174
Urbanization:
urban population: 23% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1.7% 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: 1.1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 24.22 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 90 male: 28.61 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 19.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.86 years country comparison to the world: 124 male: 69.03 years
female: 74.84 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
4.16 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 44
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Samoan(s)
adjective: Samoan
Ethnic groups:
Samoan 92.6%, Euronesians (persons of European and Polynesian blood) 7%, Europeans 0.4% (2001 census)
Religions:
Congregationalist 34.8%, Roman Catholic 19.6%, Methodist 15%, Latter-Day Saints 12.7%, Assembly of God 6.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3.5%, Worship Centre 1.3%, other Christian 4.5%, other 1.9%, unspecified 0.1% (2001 census)
Languages:
Samoan (Polynesian), English
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.7%
male: 99.6%
female: 99.7% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 12 years
male: 12 years
female: 12 years (2001)
Education expenditures:
4.3% of GDP (2002) country comparison to the world: 95
Government ::Samoa
Country name:
conventional long form: Independent State of Samoa
conventional short form: Samoa
local long form: Malo Sa'oloto Tuto'atasi o Samoa
local short form: Samoa
former: Western Samoa
Government type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name: Apia
geographic coordinates: 13 50 S, 171 44 W
time difference: UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
11 districts; A'ana, Aiga-i-le-Tai, Atua, Fa'asaleleaga, Gaga'emauga, Gagaifomauga, Palauli, Satupa'itea, Tuamasaga, Va'a-o-Fonoti, Vaisigano
Independence:
1 January 1962 (from New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship)
National holiday:
Independence Day Celebration, 1 June (1962); note - 1 January 1962 is the date of independence from the New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship; it is observed in June
Constitution:
1 January 1962
Legal system:
based on English common law and local customs; judicial review of legislative acts with respect to fundamental rights of the citizen; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: TUIATUA Tupua Tamasese Efi (since 20 June 2007)
head of government: Prime Minister Sailele Malielegaoi TUILA'EPA (since 1998); Deputy Prime Minister MISA Telefoni (since 2001)
cabinet: Cabinet consists of 12 members appointed by the chief of state on the prime minister's advice
elections: chief of state is elected by the Legislative Assembly to serve a five-year term (no term limits); election last held 15 June 2007 (next to be held in 2012); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is usually appointed prime minister by the chief of state with the approval of the Legislative Assembly
election results: TUIATUA Tupua Tamasese Efi unanimously elected by the Legislative Assembly
Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fono (49 seats, 47 elected by voters affiliated with traditional village-based electoral districts, 2 elected by independent, mostly non-Samoan or part-Samoan, voters who cannot, (or choose not to) establish a village affiliation; only chiefs (matai) may stand for election to the Fono from the 47 village-based electorates; members serve five-year terms)