THE WORLD FACTBOOK :: WHAT'S NEW (continued 9)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

NA

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$1.051 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$663 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$905.1 million (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

cotton, peanuts, shea nuts, sesame, sorghum, millet, corn, rice; livestock

Industries:

cotton lint, beverages, agricultural processing, soap, cigarettes, textiles, gold

Industrial production growth rate:

4.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 58

Electricity - production:

611.6 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 156

Electricity - consumption:

568.8 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 159

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 126

Oil - consumption:

9,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 152

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 159

Oil - imports:

8,283 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 144

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 121

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 119

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 126

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 96

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 120

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 126

Current account balance:

-$931 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 113 -$564 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$544 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 161 $618 million (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

cotton, livestock, gold

Exports - partners:

Singapore 17%, Belgium 12.9%, China 11.3%, Thailand 9.1%, Ghana 7%, Niger 5.2%, Denmark 4.9% (2008)

Imports:

$1.343 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 164 $1.221 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

capital goods, foodstuffs, petroleum

Imports - partners:

Cote d'Ivoire 26.7%, France 18.4%, Togo 7.4%, Libya 4.2% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$926.3 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 130 $1.029 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$1.665 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 139 $1.33 billion (2007)

Exchange rates:

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 447.81 (2008 est.), 493.51 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004)

note: since 1 January 1999, the West African CFA franc (XOF) has been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro; West African CFA franc (XOF) coins and banknotes are not accepted in countries using Central African CFA francs (XAF), and vice versa, even though the two currencies trade at par

Communications ::Burkina Faso

Telephones - main lines in use:

144,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 133

Telephones - mobile cellular:

2.553 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 114

Telephone system:

general assessment: services only fair; in 2006 the government sold a 51 percent stake in the national telephone company and ultimately plans to retain only a 23 percent stake in the company; fixed-line connections stand at less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular usage, fostered by multiple providers, is increasing rapidly from a low base

domestic: microwave radio relay, open-wire, and radiotelephone communication stations

international: country code - 226; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 26, shortwave 3 (2007)

Television broadcast stations:

3 (1 national, 2 private)

Internet country code:

.bf

Internet hosts:

1,951 (2009) country comparison to the world: 150

Internet users:

140,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 143

Transportation ::Burkina Faso

Airports:

26 (2009) country comparison to the world: 127

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 2

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 24

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 13

under 914 m: 7 (2009)

Railways:

total: 622 km country comparison to the world: 109 narrow gauge: 622 km 1.000-m gauge

note: another 660 km of this railway extends into Cote d'Ivoire (2008)

Roadways:

total: 92,495 km country comparison to the world: 51 paved: 3,857 km

unpaved: 88,638 km (2004)

Military ::Burkina Faso

Military branches:

Army, Air Force of Burkina Faso (Force Aerienne de Burkina Faso, FABF), National Gendarmerie (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service; women may serve in supporting roles (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 3,364,288 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,197,557

females age 16-49: 2,191,978 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 182,540

female: 180,051 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.2% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 129

Transnational Issues ::Burkina Faso

Disputes - international:

in September 2007, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) intervened to attempt to resolve the dispute over two villages along the Benin-Burkina Faso border that remain from a 2005 ICJ decision; in recent years citizens and rogue security forces rob and harass local populations on both sides of the poorly defined Burkina Faso-Niger border; despite the presence of more than 9,000 UN forces (UNOCI) in Cote d'Ivoire since 2004, ethnic conflict continues to spread into neighboring states who can no longer send their migrant workers to work in Ivorian cocoa plantations

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Burma (East & Southeast Asia)

Introduction ::Burma

Background:

Britain conquered Burma over a period of 62 years (1824-1886) and incorporated it into its Indian Empire. Burma was administered as a province of India until 1937 when it became a separate, self-governing colony; independence from the Commonwealth was attained in 1948. Gen. NE WIN dominated the government from 1962 to 1988, first as military ruler, then as self-appointed president, and later as political kingpin. In September 1988, the military deposed NE WIN and established a new ruling junta. Despite multiparty legislative elections in 1990 that resulted in the main opposition party - the National League for Democracy (NLD) - winning a landslide victory, the junta refused to hand over power. NLD leader and Nobel Peace Prize recipient AUNG SAN SUU KYI, who was under house arrest from 1989 to 1995 and 2000 to 2002, was imprisoned in May 2003 and subsequently transferred to house arrest. After the ruling junta in August 2007 unexpectedly increased fuel prices, tens of thousands of Burmese marched in protest, led by prodemocracy activists and Buddhist monks. In late September 2007, the government brutally suppressed the protests, killing at least 13 people and arresting thousands for participating in the demonstrations. Since then, the regime has continued to raid homes and monasteries and arrest persons suspected of participating in the pro-democracy protests. The junta appointed Labor Minister AUNG KYI in October 2007 as liaison to AUNG SAN SUU KYI, who remains under house arrest and virtually incommunicado with her party and supporters. Burma in early May 2008 was struck by Cyclone Nargis which official estimates claimed left over 80,000 dead and 50,000 injured. Despite this tragedy, the junta proceeded with its May constitutional referendum, the first vote in Burma since 1990, setting the stage for the 2010 parliamentary elections.

Geography ::Burma

Location:

Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Bangladesh and Thailand

Geographic coordinates:

22 00 N, 98 00 E

Map references:

Southeast Asia

Area:

total: 676,578 sq km country comparison to the world: 40 land: 653,508 sq km

water: 23,070 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries:

total: 5,876 km

border countries: Bangladesh 193 km, China 2,185 km, India 1,463 km, Laos 235 km, Thailand 1,800 km

Coastline:

1,930 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 monsoon; cloudy, rainy, hot, humid summers (southwest monsoon, June to September); less cloudy, scant rainfall, mild temperatures, lower humidity during winter (northeast monsoon, December to April)

Terrain:

central lowlands ringed by steep, rugged highlands

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Andaman Sea 0 m

highest point: Hkakabo Razi 5,881 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, timber, tin, antimony, zinc, copper, tungsten, lead, coal, marble, limestone, precious stones, natural gas, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 14.92%

permanent crops: 1.31%

other: 83.77% (2005)

Irrigated land:

18,700 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

1,045.6 cu km (1999)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 33.23 cu km/yr (1%/1%/98%)

per capita: 658 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

destructive earthquakes and cyclones; flooding and landslides common during rainy season (June to September); periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; industrial pollution of air, soil, and water; inadequate sanitation and water treatment contribute to disease

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

strategic location near major Indian Ocean shipping lanes

People ::Burma

Population:

48,137,741 country comparison to the world: 26 note: estimates for this country take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 25.3% (male 6,193,263/female 5,990,658)

15-64 years: 69.3% (male 16,510,648/female 16,828,462)

65 years and over: 5.4% (male 1,121,412/female 1,493,298) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 28.2 years

male: 27.7 years

female: 28.8 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.783% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 139

Birth rate:

16.97 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 123

Death rate:

9.14 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 83

Net migration rate:

NA

Urbanization:

urban population: 33% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 2.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female

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

Infant mortality rate:

total: 47.61 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 53 male: 53.78 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 41.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 63.39 years country comparison to the world: 172 male: 61.17 years

female: 65.74 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.89 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 145

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.7% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 64

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

240,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 28

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

25,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 18

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

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

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria

water contact disease: leptospirosis

animal contact disease: rabies

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Burmese (singular and plural)

adjective: Burmese

Ethnic groups:

Burman 68%, Shan 9%, Karen 7%, Rakhine 4%, Chinese 3%, Indian 2%, Mon 2%, other 5%

Religions:

Buddhist 89%, Christian 4% (Baptist 3%, Roman Catholic 1%), Muslim 4%, animist 1%, other 2%

Languages:

Burmese, minority ethnic groups have their own languages

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 89.9%

male: 93.9%

female: 86.4% (2006 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 8 years

male: 8 years

female: 8 years (2001)

Education expenditures:

1.2% of GDP (2001) country comparison to the world: 178

Government ::Burma

Country name:

conventional long form: Union of Burma

conventional short form: Burma

local long form: Pyidaungzu Myanma Naingngandaw (translated by the US Government as Union of Myanma and by the Burmese as Union of Myanmar)

local short form: Myanma Naingngandaw

former: Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma

note: since 1989 the military authorities in Burma have promoted the name Myanmar as a conventional name for their state; this decision was not approved by any sitting legislature in Burma, and the US Government did not adopt the name, which is a derivative of the Burmese short-form name Myanma Naingngandaw

Government type:

military junta

Capital:

name: Rangoon (Yangon)

geographic coordinates: 16 48 N, 96 09 E

time difference: UTC+6.5 (11.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

note: Nay Pyi Taw is administrative capital

Administrative divisions:

7 divisions (taing-myar, singular - taing) and 7 states* (pyi ne-myar, singular - pyi ne)

divisions: Ayeyarwady, Bago, Magway, Mandalay, Sagaing, Tanintharyi, Yangon

states: Chin, Kachin, Kayah, Kayin, Mon, Rakhine, Shan

Independence:

4 January 1948 (from the UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 4 January (1948); Union Day, 12 February (1947)

Constitution:

3 January 1974; suspended since 18 September 1988; a new constitution was approved on 10 May 2008; note - new constitution will take effect when a new parliament is convened following elections scheduled for 2010

Legal system:

based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) Sr. Gen. THAN SHWE (since 23 April 1992)

head of government: Prime Minister, Lt. Gen THEIN SEIN (since 24 October 2007)

cabinet: Cabinet is overseen by SPDC; military junta assumed power 18 September 1988 under name State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC)

elections: none

Legislative branch:

a unicameral People's Assembly or Pyithu Hluttaw consisting of 485 seats with members elected by popular vote was elected in 1990 but was never seated; according to the terms of the constitution approved on 10 May 2008, a bicameral Pyidaungsu Hluttaw consisting of an upper house with a maximum of 224 seats and a lower house with a maximum of 440 seats will be selected in elections in 2010

elections: last held 27 May 1990, but Assembly never allowed by junta to convene (junta has announced plans to hold elections in 2010)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NLD 392 (opposition), SNLD 23 (opposition), NUP 10 (pro-government), other 60

Judicial branch:

remnants of the British-era legal system are in place, but there is no guarantee of a fair public trial; the judiciary is not independent of the executive

Political parties and leaders:

National League for Democracy or NLD [AUNG SHWE, AUNG SAN SUU KYI]; National Unity Party or NUP (pro-regime) [TUN YE]; Shan Nationalities League for Democracy or SNLD [HKUN HTUN OO]; and numerous other smaller parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Ethnic Nationalities Council or ENC (based in Thailand); Federation of Trade Unions-Burma or FTUB (exile trade union and labor advocates); National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma or NCGUB (self-proclaimed government in exile) ["Prime Minister" Dr. SEIN WIN] consists of individuals, some legitimately elected to the People's Assembly in 1990 (the group fled to a border area and joined insurgents in December 1990 to form parallel government in exile); Kachin Independence Organization or KIO; Karen National Union or KNU; Karenni National People's Party or KNPP; National Council-Union of Burma or NCUB (exile coalition of opposition groups); United Wa State Army or UWSA; Union Solidarity and Development Association or USDA (pro-regime, a social and political mass-member organization) [HTAY OO, general secretary]; 88 Generation Students (pro-democracy movement) [TOE KYAW HLAING]

other: several Shan factions

International organization participation:

ADB, APT, ARF, ASEAN, BIMSTEC, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OPCW (signatory), SAARC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires MYINT LWIN

chancery: 2300 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 332-3344

FAX: [1] (202) 332-4351

consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Charge d'Affaires Larry M. DINGER - note: The United States does not maintain an ambassador in Burma

embassy: 110 University Avenue, Kamayut Township, Rangoon

mailing address: Box B, APO AP 96546

telephone: [95] (1) 536-509, 535-756, 538-038

FAX: [95] (1) 650-306

Flag description:

red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing 14, white, five-pointed stars encircling a cogwheel containing a stalk of rice; the 14 stars represent the seven administrative divisions and seven states

Economy ::Burma

Economy - overview:

Burma, a resource-rich country, suffers from pervasive government controls, inefficient economic policies, and rural poverty. Despite Burma's increasing oil and gas revenue, socio-economic conditions have deteriorated because of the regime's mismanagement of the economy. The economy suffers from serious macroeconomic imbalances - including rising inflation, fiscal deficits, multiple official exchange rates that overvalue the Burmese kyat, a distorted interest rate regime, unreliable statistics, and an inability to reconcile national accounts to determine a realistic GDP figure. Most overseas development assistance ceased after the junta began to suppress the democracy movement in 1988 and subsequently refused to honor the results of the 1990 legislative elections. In response to the government of Burma's attack in May 2003 on AUNG SAN SUU KYI and her convoy, the US imposed new economic sanctions in August 2003 including a ban on imports of Burmese products and a ban on provision of financial services by US persons. Further, a poor investment climate hampers the inflow of foreign investment. Foreign investors have shied away from nearly every sector except for natural gas and power generation. The business climate is widely perceived as opaque, corrupt, and highly inefficient. The most productive sectors will continue to be in extractive industries - especially oil and gas, mining, and timber - with the latter causing significant environmental degradation. Other areas, such as manufacturing and services, are struggling with inadequate infrastructure, unpredictable import/export policies, deteriorating health and education systems, and endemic corruption. A major banking crisis in 2003 shuttered 20 private banks and disrupted the economy. As of 2008, the largest private banks operated under tight restrictions, limiting the private sector's access to formal credit. The September 2007 crackdown on prodemocracy demonstrators, including thousands of monks, strained the economy as the tourism industry, which directly employs about 500,000 people, suffered dramatic declines in foreign visitor levels. In November 2007, the European Union announced new sanctions banning investment and trade in Burmese gems, timber, and precious stones, while the United States expanded its sanctions list to include more Burmese government and military officials and their family members, as well as prominent regime business cronies, their family members, and associated companies. Official statistics are inaccurate. In July 2008 the President signed into law the Tom LANTOS JADE (Junta's Anti-Democratic Efforts) Act of 2008, imposing new targeted sanctions on the regime. Published statistics on foreign trade are greatly understated because of the size of the black market and unofficial border trade - often estimated to be as large as the official economy. Though the Burmese government has good economic relations with its neighbors, better investment and business climates and an improved political situation are needed to promote serious foreign investment, exports, and tourism.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$55.27 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 87 $54.66 billion (2007 est.)

$52.87 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$26.21 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

1.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 171 3.4% (2007 est.)

3.4% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,200 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 206 $1,200 (2007 est.)

$1,100 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 40.9%

industry: 19.8%

services: 39.2% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

30.04 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 19

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 70%

industry: 7%

services: 23% (2001)

Unemployment rate:

5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 62 5.2% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

32.7% (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.8%

highest 10%: 32.4% (1998)

Investment (gross fixed):

14.1% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 139

Budget:

revenues: $1 billion

expenditures: $1.805 billion (2008 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

26.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 217 35% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

12% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 25 12% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

17% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 30 17% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$598 billion (31 December 2007)

note: this number reflects the vastly overvalued official exchange rate of 5.38 kyat per dollar; at the unofficial black market rate of 1305 kyat per dollar, the stock of kyats would equal only US$2.465 billion and Burma's velocity of money (the number of times money turns over in the course of a year) would be six, in line with the velocity of money for other countries in the region

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$216.9 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$887.7 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

rice, pulses, beans, sesame, groundnuts, sugarcane; hardwood; fish and fish products

Industries:

agricultural processing; wood and wood products; copper, tin, tungsten, iron; cement, construction materials; pharmaceuticals; fertilizer; oil and natural gas; garments, jade and gems

Industrial production growth rate:

7.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 25

Electricity - production:

6.286 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 105

Electricity - consumption:

4.403 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 112

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

22,120 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 74

Oil - consumption:

41,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 100

Oil - exports:

2,200 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 113

Oil - imports:

18,250 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 114

Oil - proved reserves:

50 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 77

Natural gas - production:

12.4 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 40

Natural gas - consumption:

3.85 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 67

Natural gas - exports:

8.55 billion cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 23

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 75

Natural gas - proved reserves:

283.2 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 40

Current account balance:

$1.281 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 44 $1.285 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$6.677 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 100 $6.17 billion (2007 est.)

note: official export figures are grossly underestimated due to the value of timber, gems, narcotics, rice, and other products smuggled to Thailand, China, and Bangladesh

Exports - commodities:

natural gas, wood products, pulses, beans, fish, rice, clothing, jade and gems

Exports - partners:

Thailand 52.3%, India 12.7%, China 8.9%, Japan 4.4% (2008)

Imports:

$3.388 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 134 $2.964 billion (2007 est.)

note: import figures are grossly underestimated due to the value of consumer goods, diesel fuel, and other products smuggled in from Thailand, China, Malaysia, and India

Imports - commodities:

fabric, petroleum products, fertilizer, plastics, machinery, transport equipment; cement, construction materials, crude oil; food products, edible oil

Imports - partners:

China 31.9%, Thailand 21.2%, Singapore 20.7%, Malaysia 5.1%, Indonesia 4% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$3.412 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 92 $2.312 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$7.946 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 91 $7.022 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

kyats (MMK) per US dollar - 1,205 (2008 est.), 1,296 (2007), 1,280 (2006), 5.761 (2005), 5.7459 (2004)

note: unofficial exchange rates ranged in 2004 from 815 kyat/US dollar to nearly 970 kyat/US dollar, and by yearend 2005, the unofficial exchange rate was 1,075 kyat/US dollar; data shown for 2003-05 are official exchange rates

Communications ::Burma

Telephones - main lines in use:

829,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 85

Telephones - mobile cellular:

375,800 (2008) country comparison to the world: 163

Telephone system:

general assessment: meets minimum requirements for local and intercity service for business and government

domestic: system barely capable of providing basic service; cellular phone system is grossly underdeveloped with a subscribership base of less than 1 per 100 persons

international: country code - 95; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 optical telecommunications submarine cable that provides links to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 2, Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and ShinSat (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 3 (2007)

Television broadcast stations:

4 (2008)

Internet country code:

.mm

Internet hosts:

128 (2009) country comparison to the world: 196

Internet users:

108,900 (2008) country comparison to the world: 150

Transportation ::Burma

Airports:

77 (2009) country comparison to the world: 72

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 37

over 3,047 m: 11

2,438 to 3,047 m: 9

1,524 to 2,437 m: 14

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 40

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 12

under 914 m: 23 (2009)

Heliports:

5 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 2,228 km; oil 558 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 3,955 km country comparison to the world: 44 narrow gauge: 3,955 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 27,000 km country comparison to the world: 101 paved: 3,200 km

unpaved: 23,800 km (2006)

Waterways:

12,800 km (2008) country comparison to the world: 10

Merchant marine:

total: 24 country comparison to the world: 92 by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 17, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 3, specialized tanker 1

foreign-owned: 3 (Cyprus 1, Germany 1, Japan 1)

registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Moulmein, Rangoon, Sittwe

Military ::Burma

Military branches:

Myanmar Armed Forces (Tatmadaw): Army, Navy, Air Force (Tatmadaw Lay) (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service for both sexes; forced conscription of children, although officially prohibited, reportedly continues (2007)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 13,402,788

females age 16-49: 13,437,042 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 9,146,312

females age 16-49: 9,520,852 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 426,110

female: 417,674 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

2.1% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 77

Transnational Issues ::Burma

Disputes - international:

over half of Burma's population consists of diverse ethnic groups who have substantial numbers of kin in neighboring countries; Thailand must deal with Karen and other ethnic refugees, asylum seekers, and rebels, as well as illegal cross-border activities from Burma; Thailand is studying the feasibility of jointly constructing the Hatgyi Dam on the Salween River near the border with Burma; citing environmental, cultural, and social concerns, China is reconsidering construction of 13 dams on the Salween River but energy-starved Burma with backing from Thailand remains intent on building five hydro-electric dams downstream, despite identical regional and international protests; India seeks cooperation from Burma to keep Indian Nagaland separatists, such as the United Liberation Front of Assam, from hiding in remote Burmese Uplands; after 21 years, Bangladesh resumes talks with Burma on delimiting a maritime boundary in January 2008

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

IDPs: 503,000 (government offensives against ethnic insurgent groups near the eastern borders; most IDPs are ethnic Karen, Karenni, Shan, Tavoyan, and Mon) (2007)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Burma is a source country for women, children, and men trafficked for the purpose of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation; Burmese women and children are trafficked to East and Southeast Asia for commercial sexual exploitation, domestic servitude, and forced labor; Burmese children are subjected to conditions of forced labor in Thailand as hawkers, beggars, and for work in shops, agriculture, fish processing, and small-scale industries; women are trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation to Malaysia and China; some trafficking victims transit Burma from Bangladesh to Malaysia and from China to Thailand; internal trafficking occurs primarily from villages to urban centers and economic hubs for labor in industrial zones, agricultural estates, and commercial sexual exploitation; military and civilian officials continue to use a significant amount of forced labor; ethnic insurgent groups also used compulsory labor of adults and unlawful recruitment of children; the military junta's gross economic mismanagement, human rights abuses, and its policy of using forced labor are the top causal factors for Burma's significant trafficking problem

tier rating: Tier 3 - Burma does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; military and civilian officials remain directly involved in significant acts of forced labor and unlawful conscription of child soldiers (2008)

Illicit drugs:

remains world's second largest producer of illicit opium with an estimated production in 2008 of 340 metric tons, an increase of 26%, and poppy cultivation in 2008 totaled 22,500 hectares, a 4% increase from 2007; production in the United Wa State Army's areas of greatest control remains low; Shan state is the source of 94% of Burma's poppy cultivation; lack of government will to take on major narcotrafficking groups and lack of serious commitment against money laundering continues to hinder the overall antidrug effort; major source of methamphetamine and heroin for regional consumption (2008)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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@Burundi (Africa)

Introduction ::Burundi

Background:

Burundi's first democratically elected president was assassinated in October 1993 after only 100 days in office, triggering widespread ethnic violence between Hutu and Tutsi factions. More than 200,000 Burundians perished during the conflict that spanned almost a dozen years. Hundreds of thousands of Burundians were internally displaced or became refugees in neighboring countries. An internationally brokered power-sharing agreement between the Tutsi-dominated government and the Hutu rebels in 2003 paved the way for a transition process that led to an integrated defense force, established a new constitution in 2005, and elected a majority Hutu government in 2005. The new government, led by President Pierre NKURUNZIZA, signed a South African brokered ceasefire with the country's last rebel group in September of 2006 but still faces many challenges.

Geography ::Burundi

Location:

Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Geographic coordinates:

3 30 S, 30 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 27,830 sq km country comparison to the world: 146 land: 25,680 sq km

water: 2,150 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries:

total: 974 km

border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 233 km, Rwanda 290 km, Tanzania 451 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

equatorial; high plateau with considerable altitude variation (772 m to 2,670 m above sea level); average annual temperature varies with altitude from 23 to 17 degrees centigrade but is generally moderate as the average altitude is about 1,700 m; average annual rainfall is about 150 cm; two wet seasons (February to May and September to November), and two dry seasons (June to August and December to January)

Terrain:

hilly and mountainous, dropping to a plateau in east, some plains

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Lake Tanganyika 772 m

highest point: Heha 2,670 m

Natural resources:

nickel, uranium, rare earth oxides, peat, cobalt, copper, platinum, vanadium, arable land, hydropower, niobium, tantalum, gold, tin, tungsten, kaolin, limestone

Land use:

arable land: 35.57%

permanent crops: 13.12%

other: 51.31% (2005)

Irrigated land:

210 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

3.6 cu km (1987)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.29 cu km/yr (17%/6%/77%)

per capita: 38 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

flooding; landslides; drought

Environment - current issues:

soil erosion as a result of overgrazing and the expansion of agriculture into marginal lands; deforestation (little forested land remains because of uncontrolled cutting of trees for fuel); habitat loss threatens wildlife populations

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:

landlocked; straddles crest of the Nile-Congo watershed; the Kagera, which drains into Lake Victoria, is the most remote headstream of the White Nile

People ::Burundi

Population:

8,988,091 country comparison to the world: 89 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 46.2% (male 2,087,315/female 2,063,518)

15-64 years: 51.3% (male 2,291,123/female 2,320,839)

65 years and over: 2.5% (male 89,444/female 135,852) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 16.7 years

male: 16.5 years

female: 17 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

3.279% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 7

Birth rate:

41.42 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 14

Death rate:

12.67 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 34

Net migration rate:

4.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 26

Urbanization:

urban population: 10% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 6.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female

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

Infant mortality rate:

total: 59.64 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 38 male: 66.32 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 52.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 52.09 years country comparison to the world: 202 male: 51.2 years

female: 53.01 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

6.33 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 6

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

2% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 32

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

110,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 44

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

11,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 31

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

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

vectorborne disease: malaria

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Burundian(s)

adjective: Burundian

Ethnic groups:

Hutu (Bantu) 85%, Tutsi (Hamitic) 14%, Twa (Pygmy) 1%, Europeans 3,000, South Asians 2,000

Religions:

Christian 67% (Roman Catholic 62%, Protestant 5%), indigenous beliefs 23%, Muslim 10%

Languages:

Kirundi (official), French (official), Swahili (along Lake Tanganyika and in the Bujumbura area)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 59.3%

male: 67.3%

female: 52.2% (2000 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 7 years

male: 8 years

female: 7 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

5.1% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 69

Government ::Burundi

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Burundi

conventional short form: Burundi

local long form: Republique du Burundi/Republika y'u Burundi

local short form: Burundi

former: Urundi

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Bujumbura

geographic coordinates: 3 22 S, 29 21 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

17 provinces; Bubanza, Bujumbura Mairie, Bujumbura Rurale, Bururi, Cankuzo, Cibitoke, Gitega, Karuzi, Kayanza, Kirundo, Makamba, Muramvya, Muyinga, Mwaro, Ngozi, Rutana, Ruyigi

Independence:

1 July 1962 (from UN trusteeship under Belgian administration)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 1 July (1962)

Constitution:

ratified by popular referendum 28 February 2005

Legal system:

based on German and Belgian civil codes and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal (adult)

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Pierre NKURUNZIZA (since 26 August 2005); First Vice President Yves SAVINGUVU - Tutsi (since 9 November 2007); Second Vice President Gabriel NTISEZERANA - Hutu (since 9 February 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Pierre NKURUNZIZA (since 26 August 2005); First Vice President Yves SAVINGUVU - Tutsi (since 9 November 2007); Second Vice President Gabriel NTISEZERANA - Hutu (since 9 February 2007)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by president

elections: the president is elected by popular vote to a five-year term (eligible for a second term); note - the constitution adopted in February 2005 permits the post-transition president to be elected by a two-thirds majority of the parliament; next elections to be held in August 2010; vice presidents nominated by the president, endorsed by parliament

election results: Pierre NKURUNZIZA was elected president by the parliament by a vote of 151 to 9; note - the constitution adopted in February 2005 permits the post-transition president to be elected by a two-thirds majority of the legislature

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament or Parlement, consists of a Senate (54 seats; 34 members elected by indirect vote to serve five-year terms, with remaining seats assigned to ethnic groups and former chiefs of state) and a National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (minimum 100 seats, 60% Hutu and 40% Tutsi with at least 30% being women; additional seats appointed by a National Independent Electoral Commission to ensure ethnic representation; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 29 July 2005 (next to be held in July 2010); National Assembly - last held 4 July 2005 (next to be held in July 2010)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CNDD-FDD 30, FRODEBU 3, CNDD 1; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - CNDD-FDD 58.6%, FRODEBU 21.7%, UPRONA 7.2%, CNDD 4.1%, MRC-Rurenzangemero 2.1%, others 6.2%; seats by party - CNDD-FDD 59, FRODEBU 25, UPRONA 10, CNDD 4, MRC-Rurenzangemero 2

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Constitutional Court; High Court of Justice (composed of the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court)

Political parties and leaders:

governing parties: Burundi Democratic Front or FRODEBU [Leonce NGENDAKUMANA]; National Council for the Defense of Democracy - Front for the Defense of Democracy or CNDD-FDD [Jeremie NGENDAKUMANA]; Unity for National Progress or UPRONA [Aloys RUBUKA]

note: a multiparty system was introduced after 1998, included are: National Council for the Defense of Democracy or CNDD [Leonard NYANGOMA]; National Resistance Movement for the Rehabilitation of the Citizen or MRC-Rurenzangemero [Epitace BANYAGANAKANDI]; Party for National Redress or PARENA [Jean-Baptiste BAGAZA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Observatoire de lutte contre la corruption et les malversations economiques or OLUCOME [Gabriel RUFYIRI] (anti-corruption pressure group)

other: Hutu and Tutsi militias (loosely organized)

International organization participation:

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL, COMESA, EAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Celestin NIYONGABO

chancery: Suite 212, 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007

telephone: [1] (202) 342-2574

FAX: [1] (202) 342-2578

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Patricia Newton MOLLER

embassy: Avenue des Etats-Unis, Bujumbura

mailing address: B. P. 1720, Bujumbura

telephone: [257] 223454

FAX: [257] 222926

Flag description:

divided by a white diagonal cross into red panels (top and bottom) and green panels (hoist side and fly side) with a white disk superimposed at the center bearing three red six-pointed stars outlined in green arranged in a triangular design (one star above, two stars below)

Economy ::Burundi

Economy - overview:

Burundi is a landlocked, resource-poor country with an underdeveloped manufacturing sector. The economy is predominantly agricultural with more than 90% of the population dependent on subsistence agriculture. Economic growth depends on coffee and tea exports, which account for 90% of foreign exchange earnings. The ability to pay for imports rests primarily on weather conditions and international coffee and tea prices. The Tutsi minority, 14% of the population, dominates the coffee trade. An ethnic-based war that lasted for over a decade resulted in more than 200,000 deaths, forced more than 48,000 refugees into Tanzania, and displaced 140,000 others internally. Only one in two children go to school, and approximately one in 15 adults has HIV/AIDS. Food, medicine, and electricity remain in short supply. Burundi's GDP grew around 4% annually in 2006-08. Political stability and the end of the civil war have improved aid flows and economic activity has increased, but underlying weaknesses - a high poverty rate, poor education rates, a weak legal system, and low administrative capacity - risk undermining planned economic reforms. Burundi will continue to remain heavily dependent on aid from bilateral and multilateral donors; the delay of funds after a corruption scandal cut off bilateral aid in 2007 reduced government's revenues and its ability to pay salaries.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$3.109 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 173 $2.976 billion (2007 est.)

$2.872 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$1.097 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

4.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 96 3.6% (2007 est.)

5.1% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$300 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 227 $300 (2007 est.)

$300 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 33.4%

industry: 21%

services: 45.6% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

4.245 million (2007) country comparison to the world: 84

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 93.6%

industry: 2.3%

services: 4.1% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:

NA%

Population below poverty line:

68% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 4.1%

highest 10%: 28% (2006)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

42.4 (1998) country comparison to the world: 54

Investment (gross fixed):

12.5% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 142

Budget:

revenues: $295.2 million

expenditures: $355 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2008 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

24.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 210 8.3% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

10.08% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 36 10.12% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

16.52% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 32 16.84% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$261.6 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 102 $208.7 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$189.9 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 116 $141 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$370 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 118 $342 million (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

coffee, cotton, tea, corn, sorghum, sweet potatoes, bananas, manioc (tapioca); beef, milk, hides

Industries:

light consumer goods such as blankets, shoes, soap; assembly of imported components; public works construction; food processing

Industrial production growth rate:

5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 46

Electricity - production:

92 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 191

Electricity - consumption:

125.6 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 185

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

40 million kWh; note - supplied by the Democratic Republic of the Congo (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 202

Oil - consumption:

3,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 174

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 204

Oil - imports:

2,495 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 174

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 200

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 202

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 115

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 197

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 198

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 199

Current account balance:

-$182 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 86 -$116.8 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$79 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 198 $52.9 million (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

coffee, tea, sugar, cotton, hides

Exports - partners:

Switzerland 27.9%, UK 11%, Pakistan 9.5%, Belgium 5.1%, Rwanda 5%, Egypt 4.7% (2008)

Imports:

$350 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 188 $257.6 million (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

capital goods, petroleum products, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

Saudi Arabia 20.7%, Belgium 12.6%, Uganda 8.4%, Kenya 7.4%, China 5.9%, France 5.4%, Germany 4.9%, India 4.1%, Tanzania 4.1%, Japan 4% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$266.7 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 141 $177.1 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$1.2 billion (2003) country comparison to the world: 151

Exchange rates:

Burundi francs (BIF) per US dollar - 1,198 (2008 est.), 1,065 (2007), 1,030 (2006), 1,138 (2005), 1,100.91 (2004)

Communications ::Burundi

Telephones - main lines in use:

30,400 (2008) country comparison to the world: 178

Telephones - mobile cellular:

480,600 (2008) country comparison to the world: 156

Telephone system:

general assessment: primitive system; telephone density one of the lowest in the world; fixed-line connections stand at well less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular usage is increasing but remains at a meager 5 per 100 persons

domestic: sparse system of open-wire, radiotelephone communications, and low-capacity microwave radio relay

international: country code - 257; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (2001)

Internet country code:

.bi

Internet hosts:

191 (2009) country comparison to the world: 189

Internet users:

65,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 167

Transportation ::Burundi

Airports:

8 (2009) country comparison to the world: 161

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

over 3,047 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 7

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 3 (2009)

Heliports:

1 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 12,322 km country comparison to the world: 131 paved: 1,286 km

unpaved: 11,036 km (2004)

Waterways:

mainly on Lake Tanganyika (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Bujumbura

Military ::Burundi

Military branches:

National Defense Force (Forces de Defense Nationale, FDN): Army (includes naval detachment and Air Wing), Gendarmerie (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

military service is voluntary; the armed forces law of 31 December 2004 did not specify a minimum age for enlistment, but the government had previously specified that each recruit would need to have a primary school leaving certificate (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,878,544

females age 16-49: 1,851,676 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,124,072

females age 16-49: 1,102,729 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 101,402

female: 101,897 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

5.9% of GDP (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 11

Transnational Issues ::Burundi

Disputes - international:

Burundi and Rwanda dispute sections of border on the Akanyaru/Kanyaru and the Kagera/Nyabarongo rivers, which have changed course since the 1960s, when the boundary was delimited; cross-border conflicts among Tutsi, Hutu, other ethnic groups, associated political rebels, armed gangs, and various government forces persist in the Great Lakes region

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 9,849 (Democratic Republic of the Congo)

IDPs: 100,000 (armed conflict between government and rebels; most IDPs in northern and western Burundi) (2007)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Burundi is a source country for children trafficked for the purposes of child soldiering, domestic servitude, and commercial sexual exploitation; a small number of Burundian children may be trafficked internally for domestic servitude or commercial sexual exploitation; in early 2008, Burundian children were allegedly trafficked to Uganda, via Rwanda, for agricultural labor and commercial sexual exploitation

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Burundi is on the Tier 2 Watch List for the second consecutive year for its failure to provide sufficient evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in persons in 2007; the government's inability to provide adequate protective services to children accused of association with armed groups and to conduct anti-trafficking law enforcement activities continue to be causes for concern; Burundi has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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@Cambodia (East & Southeast Asia)

Introduction ::Cambodia

Background:

Most Cambodians consider themselves to be Khmers, descendants of the Angkor Empire that extended over much of Southeast Asia and reached its zenith between the 10th and 13th centuries. Attacks by the Thai and Cham (from present-day Vietnam) weakened the empire, ushering in a long period of decline. The king placed the country under French protection in 1863 and it became part of French Indochina in 1887. Following Japanese occupation in World War II, Cambodia gained full independence from France in 1953. In April 1975, after a five-year struggle, Communist Khmer Rouge forces captured Phnom Penh and evacuated all cities and towns. At least 1.5 million Cambodians died from execution, forced hardships, or starvation during the Khmer Rouge regime under POL POT. A December 1978 Vietnamese invasion drove the Khmer Rouge into the countryside, began a 10-year Vietnamese occupation, and touched off almost 13 years of civil war. The 1991 Paris Peace Accords mandated democratic elections and a ceasefire, which was not fully respected by the Khmer Rouge. UN-sponsored elections in 1993 helped restore some semblance of normalcy under a coalition government. Factional fighting in 1997 ended the first coalition government, but a second round of national elections in 1998 led to the formation of another coalition government and renewed political stability. The remaining elements of the Khmer Rouge surrendered in early 1999. Some of the surviving Khmer Rouge leaders are awaiting trial by a UN-sponsored tribunal for crimes against humanity. Elections in July 2003 were relatively peaceful, but it took one year of negotiations between contending political parties before a coalition government was formed. In October 2004, King Norodom SIHANOUK abdicated the throne and his son, Prince Norodom SIHAMONI, was selected to succeed him. Local elections were held in Cambodia in April 2007, and there was little in the way of pre-election violence that preceded prior elections. National elections in July 2008 were relatively peaceful.

Geography ::Cambodia

Location:

Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, between Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos

Geographic coordinates:

13 00 N, 105 00 E

Map references:

Southeast Asia

Area:

total: 181,035 sq km country comparison to the world: 89 land: 176,515 sq km

water: 4,520 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Oklahoma

Land boundaries:

total: 2,572 km

border countries: Laos 541 km, Thailand 803 km, Vietnam 1,228 km

Coastline:

443 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; rainy, monsoon season (May to November); dry season (December to April); little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:

mostly low, flat plains; mountains in southwest and north

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m

highest point: Phnum Aoral 1,810 m

Natural resources:

oil and gas, timber, gemstones, iron ore, manganese, phosphates, hydropower potential

Land use:

arable land: 20.44%

permanent crops: 0.59%

other: 78.97% (2005)

Irrigated land:

2,700 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

476.1 cu km (1999)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 4.08 cu km/yr (1%/0%/98%)

per capita: 290 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

monsoonal rains (June to November); flooding; occasional droughts

Environment - current issues:

illegal logging activities throughout the country and strip mining for gems in the western region along the border with Thailand have resulted in habitat loss and declining biodiversity (in particular, destruction of mangrove swamps threatens natural fisheries); soil erosion; in rural areas, most of the population does not have access to potable water; declining fish stocks because of illegal fishing and overfishing

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:

a land of paddies and forests dominated by the Mekong River and Tonle Sap

People ::Cambodia

Population:

14,494,293 country comparison to the world: 65 note: estimates for this country take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 32.6% (male 2,388,922/female 2,336,439)

15-64 years: 63.8% (male 4,498,568/female 4,743,677)

65 years and over: 3.6% (male 197,649/female 329,038) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 22.1 years

male: 21.4 years

female: 22.8 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.765% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 75

Birth rate:

25.73 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 67

Death rate:

8.08 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 109

Net migration rate:

NA

Urbanization:

urban population: 22% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 4.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 54.79 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 43 male: 61.84 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 47.42 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 62.1 years country comparison to the world: 177 male: 60.03 years

female: 64.27 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.04 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 71

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.8% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 56

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

75,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 54

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

6,900 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 40

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

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

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, Japanese encephalitis, and malaria

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Cambodian(s)

adjective: Cambodian

Ethnic groups:

Khmer 90%, Vietnamese 5%, Chinese 1%, other 4%

Religions:

Buddhist 96.4%, Muslim 2.1%, other 1.3%, unspecified 0.2% (1998 census)

Languages:

Khmer (official) 95%, French, English

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 73.6%

male: 84.7%

female: 64.1% (2004 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 10 years

male: 10 years

female: 9 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

1.7% of GDP (2004) country comparison to the world: 172

Government ::Cambodia

Country name:

conventional long form: Kingdom of Cambodia

conventional short form: Cambodia

local long form: Preahreacheanachakr Kampuchea (phonetic pronunciation)

local short form: Kampuchea

former: Khmer Republic, Democratic Kampuchea, People's Republic of Kampuchea, State of Cambodia

Government type:

multiparty democracy under a constitutional monarchy

Capital:

name: Phnom Penh

geographic coordinates: 11 33 N, 104 55 E

time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

23 provinces (khett, singular and plural) and 1 municipality (krong, singular and plural)

provinces: Banteay Mean Cheay, Batdambang, Kampong Cham, Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Spoe, Kampong Thum, Kampot, Kandal, Kaoh Kong, Keb, Krachen, Mondol Kiri, Otdar Mean Cheay, Pailin, Pouthisat, Preah Seihanu (Sihanoukville), Preah Vihear, Prey Veng, Rotanah Kiri, Siem Reab, Stoeng Treng, Svay Rieng, Takev

municipalities: Phnum Penh (Phnom Penh)

Independence:

9 November 1953 (from France)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 9 November (1953)

Constitution:

promulgated 21 September 1993

Legal system:

primarily a civil law mixture of French-influenced codes from the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) period, royal decrees, and acts of the legislature, with influences of customary law and remnants of communist legal theory; increasing influence of common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: King Norodom SIHAMONI (since 29 October 2004)

head of government: Prime Minister HUN SEN (since 14 January 1985) [co-prime minister from 1993 to 1997]; Permanent Deputy Prime Minister MEN SAM AN (since 25 September 2008); Deputy Prime Ministers SAR KHENG (since 3 February 1992); SOK AN, TEA BANH, HOR NAMHONG, NHEK BUNCHHAY (since 16 July 2004); BIN CHHIN (since 5 September 2007); KEAT CHHON, YIM CHHAI LY (since 24 September 2008); KE KIMYAN (since 12 March 2009)

cabinet: Council of Ministers named by the prime minister and appointed by the monarch

elections: the king is chosen by a Royal Throne Council from among all eligible males of royal descent; following legislative elections, a member of the majority party or majority coalition is named prime minister by the Chairman of the National Assembly and appointed by the king

Legislative branch:

bicameral, consists of the Senate (61 seats; 2 members appointed by the monarch, 2 elected by the National Assembly, and 57 elected by parliamentarians and commune councils; members serve five-year terms) and the National Assembly (123 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 22 January 2006 (next to be held in January 2011); National Assembly - last held 27 July 2008 (next to be held in July 2013)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - CPP 69%, FUNCINPEC 21%, SRP 10%; seats by party - CPP 45, FUNCINPEC 10, SRP 2; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - CPP 58%, SRP 22%, HRP 7%; NRP 6%; FUNCINPEC 5%; others 2%; seats by party - CPP 90, SRP 26, HRP 3, FUNCINPEC 2, NRP 2

Judicial branch:

Supreme Council of the Magistracy (provided for in the constitution and formed in December 1997); Supreme Court (and lower courts) exercises judicial authority

Political parties and leaders:

Cambodian People's Party or CPP [CHEA SIM]; Human Rights Party or HRP [KHEM SOKHA, also spelled KEM SOKHA]; National United Front for an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful, and Cooperative Cambodia or FUNCINPEC [KEV PUT REAKSMEI]; Norodom Ranariddh Party or NRP [CHHIM SEAK LENG]; Sam Rangsi Party or SRP [SAM RANGSI, also spelled SAM RAINSY]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Cambodian Freedom Fighters or CFF; Partnership for Transparency Fund or PTF (anti-corruption organization); Students Movement for Democracy; The Committee for Free and Fair Elections or Comfrel

other: human rights organizations; vendors

International organization participation:

ACCT, ADB, APT, ARF, ASEAN, EAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador HENG HEM

chancery: 4530 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011

telephone: [1] (202) 726-7742

FAX: [1] (202) 726-8381

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Carol A. RODLEY

embassy: #1, Street 96, Sangkat Wat Phnom, Khan Daun Penh, Phnom Penh

mailing address: Box P, APO AP 96546

telephone: [855] (23) 728-000

FAX: [855] (23) 728-600

Flag description:

three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (double width), and blue with a white three-towered temple representing Angkor Wat outlined in black in the center of the red band

note: only national flag to incorporate an actual building in its design

Economy ::Cambodia

Economy - overview:

From 2004 to 2007, the economy grew about 10% per year, driven largely by an expansion in the garment sector, construction, agriculture, and tourism. Growth dropped to below 7% in 2008 as a result of the global economic slowdown. With the January 2005 expiration of a WTO Agreement on Textiles and Clothing, Cambodian textile producers were forced to compete directly with lower-priced countries such as China, India, Vietnam, and Bangladesh. The garment industry currently employs more than 320,000 people and contributes more than 85% of Cambodia's exports. In 2005, exploitable oil deposits were found beneath Cambodia's territorial waters, representing a new revenue stream for the government if commercial extraction begins. Mining also is attracting significant investor interest, particularly in the northern parts of the country. The government has said opportunities exist for mining bauxite, gold, iron and gems. In 2006, a US-Cambodia bilateral Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) was signed, and several rounds of discussions have been held since 2007. The tourism industry has continued to grow rapidly, with foreign arrivals exceeding 2 million per year in 2007-08, however, economic troubles abroad will dampen growth in 2009. Rubber exports declined more than 15% in 2008 due to falling world market prices. The global financial crisis is weakening demand for Cambodian exports, and construction is declining due to a shortage of credit. The long-term development of the economy remains a daunting challenge. The Cambodian government is working with bilateral and multilateral donors, including the World Bank and IMF, to address the country's many pressing needs. The major economic challenge for Cambodia over the next decade will be fashioning an economic environment in which the private sector can create enough jobs to handle Cambodia's demographic imbalance. More than 50% of the population is less than 21 years old. The population lacks education and productive skills, particularly in the poverty-ridden countryside, which suffers from an almost total lack of basic infrastructure.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$28.01 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 110 $26.67 billion (2007 est.)

$24.2 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$11.25 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 88 10.2% (2007 est.)

10.8% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,000 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 188 $1,900 (2007 est.)

$1,800 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 29%

industry: 30%

services: 41% (2007 est.)

Labor force:

8.6 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 54

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 75%

industry: NA%

services: NA% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:

3.5% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 39 2.5% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:

35% (2004)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 3%

highest 10%: 34.2% (2007)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

43 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 52 40 (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

22.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 79

Budget:

revenues: $1.274 billion

expenditures: $1.592 billion (2008 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

25% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 212 5.9% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

NA% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 89 5.25% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

16.01% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 35 16.18% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$591.7 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 91 $513.6 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$2.328 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 82 $2.309 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$1.67 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 96 $1.131 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

rice, rubber, corn, vegetables, cashews, tapioca, silk

Industries:

tourism, garments, construction, rice milling, fishing, wood and wood products, rubber, cement, gem mining, textiles

Industrial production growth rate:

8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 20

Electricity - production:

1.273 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 141

Electricity - consumption:

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

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

167 million kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 201

Oil - consumption:

4,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 173

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 141

Oil - imports:

30,970 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 99

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 199

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 201

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 202

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 196

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 197

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 198

Current account balance:

-$1.06 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 122 -$506.3 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$4.708 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 111 $4.089 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

clothing, timber, rubber, rice, fish, tobacco, footwear

Exports - partners:

US 54.4%, Germany 7.7%, Canada 5.9%, UK 5.5%, Vietnam 4.5% (2008)

Imports:

$6.534 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 107 $5.424 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

petroleum products, cigarettes, gold, construction materials, machinery, motor vehicles, pharmaceutical products

Imports - partners:

Thailand 26.8%, Vietnam 19%, China 14.5%, Hong Kong 8.1%, Singapore 6.9% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$2.641 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 100 $2.143 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$4.127 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 109 $3.89 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

riels (KHR) per US dollar - 4,070.94 (2008 est.), 4,006 (2007), 4,103 (2006), 4,092.5 (2005), 4,016.25 (2004)

Communications ::Cambodia

Telephones - main lines in use:

45,100 (2008) country comparison to the world: 165

Telephones - mobile cellular:

4.237 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 93

Telephone system:

general assessment: mobile-phone systems are widely used in urban areas to bypass deficiencies in the fixed-line network; fixed-line connections stand at well less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular usage, aided by increasing competition among service providers, is increasing and stands at 30 per 100 persons

domestic: adequate landline and/or cellular service in Phnom Penh and other provincial cities; mobile-phone coverage is rapidly expanding in rural areas

international: country code - 855; adequate but expensive landline and cellular service available to all countries from Phnom Penh and major provincial cities; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 50, shortwave NA (2008)

Television broadcast stations:

8 (including 2 TV relay stations with French and Vietnamese broadcasts); excludes 18 regional relay stations (2008)

Internet country code:

.kh

Internet hosts:

2,480 (2009) country comparison to the world: 146

Internet users:

74,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 162

Transportation ::Cambodia

Airports:

17 (2009) country comparison to the world: 140

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 6

2,438 to 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 11

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 9

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Heliports:

1 (2009)

Railways:

total: 602 km country comparison to the world: 110 narrow gauge: 602 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 38,093 km country comparison to the world: 91 paved: 2,977 km

unpaved: 35,116 km (2007)

Waterways:

2,400 km (mainly on Mekong River) (2008) country comparison to the world: 37

Merchant marine:

total: 626 country comparison to the world: 17 by type: bulk carrier 41, cargo 530, carrier 3, chemical tanker 10, container 8, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 11, refrigerated cargo 15, roll on/roll off 1, vehicle carrier 1

foreign-owned: 467 (Canada 2, China 193, Cyprus 7, Egypt 13, Gabon 1, Greece 3, Hong Kong 8, Indonesia 2, Japan 1, South Korea 22, Latvia 1, Lebanon 8, Netherlands 1, Romania 1, Russia 83, Singapore 4, Syria 48, Taiwan 1, Turkey 26, Ukraine 34, UAE 2, US 6) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Phnom Penh, Kampong Saom (Sihanoukville)

Military ::Cambodia

Military branches:

Royal Cambodian Armed Forces: Royal Cambodian Army, Royal Khmer Navy, Royal Cambodian Air Force (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

conscription law of October 2006 requires all males between 18-30 to register for military service; 18-month service obligation (2006)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 3,759,034

females age 16-49: 3,784,333 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,673,383

females age 16-49: 2,763,256 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 177,881

female: 175,332 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

3% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 48

Transnational Issues ::Cambodia

Disputes - international:

Cambodia and Thailand dispute sections of boundary with missing boundary markers and claims of Thai encroachments into Cambodian territory; maritime boundary with Vietnam is hampered by unresolved dispute over sovereignty of offshore islands; Thailand accuses Cambodia of obstructing inclusion of Thai areas near Preah Vihear temple ruins, awarded to Cambodia by ICJ decision in 1962, as part of a planned UN World Heritage site

Illicit drugs:

narcotics-related corruption reportedly involving some in the government, military, and police; limited methamphetamine production; vulnerable to money laundering due to its cash-based economy and porous borders

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Cameroon (Africa)

Introduction ::Cameroon

Background:

The former French Cameroon and part of British Cameroon merged in 1961 to form the present country. Cameroon has generally enjoyed stability, which has permitted the development of agriculture, roads, and railways, as well as a petroleum industry. Despite a slow movement toward democratic reform, political power remains firmly in the hands of President Paul BIYA.

Geography ::Cameroon

Location:

Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria

Geographic coordinates:

6 00 N, 12 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 475,440 sq km country comparison to the world: 53 land: 472,710 sq km

water: 2,730 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than California

Land boundaries:

total: 4,591 km

border countries: Central African Republic 797 km, Chad 1,094 km, Republic of the Congo 523 km, Equatorial Guinea 189 km, Gabon 298 km, Nigeria 1,690 km

Coastline:

402 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

Climate:

varies with terrain, from tropical along coast to semiarid and hot in north

Terrain:

diverse, with coastal plain in southwest, dissected plateau in center, mountains in west, plains in north

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Fako 4,095 m (on Mt. Cameroon)

Natural resources:

petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 12.54%

permanent crops: 2.52%

other: 84.94% (2005)

Irrigated land:

260 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

285.5 cu km (2003)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.99 cu km/yr (18%/8%/74%)

per capita: 61 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

volcanic activity with periodic releases of poisonous gases from Lake Nyos and Lake Monoun volcanoes

Environment - current issues:

waterborne diseases are prevalent; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; poaching; overfishing

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa; throughout the country there are areas of thermal springs and indications of current or prior volcanic activity; Mount Cameroon, the highest mountain in Sub-Saharan west Africa, is an active volcano

People ::Cameroon

Population:

18,879,301 country comparison to the world: 58 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 40.9% (male 3,891,762/female 3,822,870)

15-64 years: 55.9% (male 5,298,143/female 5,250,493)

65 years and over: 3.3% (male 283,289/female 332,744) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 19.2 years

male: 19 years

female: 19.3 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.19% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 44

Birth rate:

34.1 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 41

Death rate:

12.2 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 36

Net migration rate:

NA (2009 est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 57% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 3.5% 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: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female

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

Infant mortality rate:

total: 63.34 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 36 male: 68.08 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 58.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 53.69 years country comparison to the world: 197 male: 52.89 years

female: 54.52 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

4.33 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 43

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

5.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 15

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

540,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 19

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

39,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 15

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

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

vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever

water contact disease: schistosomiasis

respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis

animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Cameroonian(s)

adjective: Cameroonian

Ethnic groups:

Cameroon Highlanders 31%, Equatorial Bantu 19%, Kirdi 11%, Fulani 10%, Northwestern Bantu 8%, Eastern Nigritic 7%, other African 13%, non-African less than 1%

Religions:

indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20%

Languages:

24 major African language groups, English (official), French (official)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 67.9%

male: 77%

female: 59.8% (2001 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 9 years

male: 10 years

female: 8 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

3.3% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 138

Government ::Cameroon

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Cameroon

conventional short form: Cameroon

local long form: Republique du Cameroun/Republic of Cameroon

local short form: Cameroun/Cameroon

former: French Cameroon, British Cameroon, Federal Republic of Cameroon, United Republic of Cameroon

Government type:

republic; multiparty presidential regime

Capital:

name: Yaounde

geographic coordinates: 3 52 N, 11 31 E

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

Administrative divisions:

10 regions (regions, singular - region); Adamaoua, Centre, Est, Extreme-Nord, Littoral, Nord, North-West (Nord-Ouest), Ouest, Sud, South-West (Sud-Ouest)

Independence:

1 January 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday:

Republic Day (National Day), 20 May (1972)

Constitution:

approved by referendum 20 May 1972; adopted 2 June 1972; revised January 1996

Legal system:

based on French civil law system, with common law influence; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

20 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982)

head of government: Prime Minister Philemon YANG (since 30 June 2009)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from proposals submitted by the prime minister

elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 11 October 2004 (next to be held by October 2011); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: President Paul BIYA reelected; percent of vote - Paul BIYA 70.9%, John FRU NDI 17.4%, Adamou Ndam NJOYA 4.5%, Garga Haman ADJI 3.7%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (180 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - the president can either lengthen or shorten the term of the legislature

elections: last held 22 July 2007 (next to be held in 2012)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CPDM 140, SDF 14, UDC 4, UNDP 4, MP 1, vacant 17

note: the constitution calls for an upper chamber for the legislature, to be called a Senate, but it has yet to be established

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); High Court of Justice (consists of nine judges and six substitute judges; elected by the National Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:

Cameroonian Democratic Union or UDC [Adamou Ndam NJOYA]; Cameroon People's Democratic Movement or CPDM [Paul BIYA]; Movement for the Defense of the Republic or MDR [Dakole DAISSALA]; Movement for the Liberation and Development of Cameroon or MLDC [Marcel YONDO]; National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP [Maigari BELLO BOUBA]; Progressive Movement or MP; Social Democratic Front or SDF [John FRU NDI]; Union of Peoples of Cameroon or UPC [Augustin Frederic KODOCK]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Human Rights Defense Group [Albert MUKONG, president]; Southern Cameroon National Council [Ayamba Ette OTUN]

International organization participation:

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, C, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph FOE-ATANGANA

chancery: 2349 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 265-8790

FAX: [1] (202) 387-3826

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Janet E. GARVEY

embassy: Avenue Rosa Parks, Yaounde

mailing address: P. O. Box 817, Yaounde; pouch: American Embassy, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2520

telephone: [237] 2220 15 00; Consular: [237] 2220 16 03

FAX: [237] 2220 16 00 Ext. 4531; Consular FAX: [237] 2220 17 52

branch office(s): Douala

Flag description:

three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), red, and yellow, with a yellow five-pointed star centered in the red band

note: uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy ::Cameroon

Economy - overview:

Because of its modest oil resources and favorable agricultural conditions, Cameroon has one of the best-endowed primary commodity economies in sub-Saharan Africa. Still, it faces many of the serious problems facing other underdeveloped countries, such as stagnating per capita income, a relatively inequitable distribution of income, a top-heavy civil service, and a generally unfavorable climate for business enterprise. International oil and cocoa prices have a significant impact on the economy. Since 1990, the government has embarked on various IMF and World Bank programs designed to spur business investment, increase efficiency in agriculture, improve trade, and recapitalize the nation's banks. The IMF is pressing for more reforms, including increased budget transparency, privatization, and poverty reduction programs.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$42.69 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 94 $41.33 billion (2007 est.)

$39.93 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$23.73 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 115 3.5% (2007 est.)

3.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,300 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 178 $2,300 (2007 est.)

$2,300 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 43.6%

industry: 15.9%

services: 40.5% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

6.759 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 62

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 70%

industry: 13%

services: 17% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:

30% (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 176

Population below poverty line:

48% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.3%

highest 10%: 35.4% (2001)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

44.6 (2001) country comparison to the world: 45 47.7 (1996)

Investment (gross fixed):

17.7% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 131

Budget:

revenues: $4.714 billion

expenditures: $4.261 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

13.5% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 109 69.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

5.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 89 1.1% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

4.75% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 86 5.25% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

NA% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 47 15% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$2.616 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$1.698 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$1.3 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

coffee, cocoa, cotton, rubber, bananas, oilseed, grains, root starches; livestock; timber

Industries:

petroleum production and refining, aluminum production, food processing, light consumer goods, textiles, lumber, ship repair

Industrial production growth rate:

4.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 63

Electricity - production:

5.601 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 108

Electricity - consumption:

4.801 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 107

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

81,720 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 55

Oil - consumption:

26,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 116

Oil - exports:

107,100 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 66

Oil - imports:

45,520 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 92

Oil - proved reserves:

200 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 56

Natural gas - production:

20 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 88

Natural gas - consumption:

20 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 111

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 182

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 192

Natural gas - proved reserves:

135.1 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 49

Current account balance:

-$96 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 78 -$547 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$4.707 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 113 $4.345 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

crude oil and petroleum products, lumber, cocoa beans, aluminum, coffee, cotton

Exports - partners:

Spain 19.8%, Italy 13.5%, US 10.6%, France 8.2%, Netherlands 8.1%, China 7.9%, Belgium 4% (2008)

Imports:

$4.303 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 124 $4.05 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery, electrical equipment, transport equipment, fuel, food

Imports - partners:

France 21.1%, Nigeria 13.8%, China 9.5%, Belgium 6.1% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$3.091 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 93 $2.932 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$3.066 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 126 $2.554 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs (XAF) per US dollar - 447.81 (2008 est.), 493.51 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004)

note: since 1 January 1999, the Central African CFA franc (XAF) has been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro; Central African CFA franc (XAF) coins and banknotes are not accepted in countries using West African CFA francs (XOF), and vice versa, even though the two currencies trade at par

Communications ::Cameroon

Telephones - main lines in use:

198,300 (2008) country comparison to the world: 124

Telephones - mobile cellular:

6.161 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 79

Telephone system:

general assessment: fixed-line connections stand at less than 1 per 100 persons; equipment is old and outdated, and connections with many parts of the country are unreliable; mobile-cellular usage, in part a reflection of the poor condition and general inadequacy of the fixed-line network, has increased sharply, reaching a subscribership base of 33 per 100 persons

domestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter

international: country code - 237; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and Asia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 3 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (2001)

Internet country code:

.cm

Internet hosts:

70 (2009) country comparison to the world: 204

Internet users:

725,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 99

Transportation ::Cameroon

Airports:

36 (2009) country comparison to the world: 107

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 11

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 5

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 25

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 16

under 914 m: 6 (2009)

Pipelines:

oil 889 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 987 km country comparison to the world: 89 narrow gauge: 987 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 50,000 km country comparison to the world: 79 paved: 5,000 km

unpaved: 45,000 km (2004)

Waterways:

navigation mainly on Benue River; limited during rainy season (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Douala, Limboh Terminal

Military ::Cameroon

Military branches:

Cameroon Armed Forces (Forces Armees Camerounaises, FAC): Army (L'Armee de Terre), Navy (includes naval infantry), Air Force (Armee de l'Air du Cameroun, AAC) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; no conscription; the government makes periodic calls for volunteers (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 4,321,175

females age 16-49: 4,228,625 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,645,601

females age 16-49: 2,574,948 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 213,027

female: 208,642 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.3% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 121

Transnational Issues ::Cameroon

Disputes - international:

Joint Border Commission with Nigeria reviewed 2002 ICJ ruling on the entire boundary and bilaterally resolved differences, including June 2006 Greentree Agreement that immediately ceded sovereignty of the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon with a full phase-out of Nigerian control and patriation of residents in 2008; Cameroon and Nigeria agree on maritime delimitation in March 2008; sovereignty dispute between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon over an island at the mouth of the Ntem River; only Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission's admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty, which also includes the Chad-Niger and Niger-Nigeria boundaries

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 20,000-30,000 (Chad); 3,000 (Nigeria); 24,000 (Central African Republic) (2007)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Cameroon is a source, transit, and destination country for women and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation; most victims are children trafficked within country, with girls primarily trafficked for domestic servitude and sexual exploitation; both boys and girls are also trafficked within Cameroon for forced labor in sweatshops, bars, restaurants, and on tea and cocoa plantations; children are trafficked into Cameroon from neighboring states for forced labor in agriculture, fishing, street vending, and spare-parts shops; Cameroon is a transit country for children trafficked between Gabon and Nigeria, and from Nigeria to Saudi Arabia; it is a source country for women transported by sex-trafficking rings to Europe

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Cameroon is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat human trafficking in 2007, particularly in terms of efforts to prosecute and convict trafficking offenders; while Cameroon reported some arrests of traffickers, none of them were prosecuted or punished; the government does not identify trafficking victims among vulnerable populations nor does it monitor the number of victims it intercepts (2008)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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

@Canada (North America)

Introduction ::Canada

Background:

A land of vast distances and rich natural resources, Canada became a self-governing dominion in 1867 while retaining ties to the British crown. Economically and technologically the nation has developed in parallel with the US, its neighbor to the south across an unfortified border. Canada faces the political challenges of meeting public demands for quality improvements in health care and education services, as well as responding to separatist concerns in predominantly francophone Quebec. Canada also aims to develop its diverse energy resources while maintaining its commitment to the environment.

Geography ::Canada

Location:

Northern North America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean on the east, North Pacific Ocean on the west, and the Arctic Ocean on the north, north of the conterminous US

Geographic coordinates:

60 00 N, 95 00 W

Map references:

North America

Area:

total: 9,984,670 sq km country comparison to the world: 2 land: 9,093,507 sq km

water: 891,163 sq km

Area - comparative:

somewhat larger than the US

Land boundaries:

total: 8,893 km

border countries: US 8,893 km (includes 2,477 km with Alaska)

Coastline:

202,080 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:

varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north

Terrain:

mostly plains with mountains in west and lowlands in southeast

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mount Logan 5,959 m

Natural resources:

iron ore, nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, molybdenum, potash, diamonds, silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal, petroleum, natural gas, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 4.57%

permanent crops: 0.65%

other: 94.78% (2005)

Irrigated land:

7,850 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

3,300 cu km (1985)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 44.72 cu km/yr (20%/69%/12%)

per capita: 1,386 cu m/yr (1996)

Natural hazards:

continuous permafrost in north is a serious obstacle to development; cyclonic storms form east of the Rocky Mountains, a result of the mixing of air masses from the Arctic, Pacific, and North American interior, and produce most of the country's rain and snow east of the mountains

Environment - current issues:

air pollution and resulting acid rain severely affecting lakes and damaging forests; metal smelting, coal-burning utilities, and vehicle emissions impacting on agricultural and forest productivity; ocean waters becoming contaminated due to agricultural, industrial, mining, and forestry activities

Environment - international agreements:

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

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:

second-largest country in world (after Russia); strategic location between Russia and US via north polar route; approximately 90% of the population is concentrated within 160 km of the US border

People ::Canada

Population:

33,487,208 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 37

Age structure:

0-14 years: 16.1% (male 2,761,711/female 2,626,836)

15-64 years: 68.7% (male 11,633,950/female 11,381,735)

65 years and over: 15.2% (male 2,220,189/female 2,862,787) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 40.4 years

male: 39.3 years

female: 41.5 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.817% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 138

Birth rate:

10.28 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 192

Death rate:

7.74 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 116

Net migration rate:

5.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 18

Urbanization:

urban population: 80% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1% 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: 1.02 male(s)/female

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

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

Infant mortality rate:

total: 5.04 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 189 male: 5.37 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 81.23 years country comparison to the world: 8 male: 78.69 years

female: 83.91 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.58 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 181

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.4% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 80

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

73,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 55

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 500 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 83

Nationality:

noun: Canadian(s)

adjective: Canadian

Ethnic groups:

British Isles origin 28%, French origin 23%, other European 15%, Amerindian 2%, other, mostly Asian, African, Arab 6%, mixed background 26%

Religions:

Roman Catholic 42.6%, Protestant 23.3% (including United Church 9.5%, Anglican 6.8%, Baptist 2.4%, Lutheran 2%), other Christian 4.4%, Muslim 1.9%, other and unspecified 11.8%, none 16% (2001 census)

Languages:

English (official) 58.8%, French (official) 21.6%, other 19.6% (2006 Census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 17 years

male: 17 years

female: 17 years (2004)

Education expenditures:

5.2% of GDP (2002) country comparison to the world: 63

Government ::Canada

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Canada

Government type:

a parliamentary democracy, a federation, and a Commonwealth realm

Capital:

name: Ottawa

geographic coordinates: 45 25 N, 75 42 W

time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November

note: Canada is divided into six time zones

Administrative divisions:

10 provinces and 3 territories*; Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories*, Nova Scotia, Nunavut*, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory*

Independence:

1 July 1867 (union of British North American colonies); 11 December 1931 (recognized by UK)

National holiday:

Canada Day, 1 July (1867)

Constitution:

made up of unwritten and written acts, customs, judicial decisions, and traditions; the written part of the constitution consists of the Constitution Act of 29 March 1867, which created a federation of four provinces, and the Constitution Act of 17 April 1982, which transferred formal control over the constitution from Britain to Canada, and added a Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms as well as procedures for constitutional amendments

Legal system:

based on English common law, except in Quebec, where civil law system based on French law prevails; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

head of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Michaelle JEAN (since 27 September 2005)

head of government: Prime Minister Stephen HARPER (since 6 February 2006)

cabinet: Federal Ministry chosen by the prime minister usually from among the members of his own party sitting in Parliament

elections: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister for a five-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition in the House of Commons is automatically designated prime minister by the governor general

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat (105 seats; members appointed by the governor general with the advice of the prime minister and serve until reaching 75 years of age) and the House of Commons or Chambre des Communes (308 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote to serve a maximum of five-year terms starting in 2009 elections)

elections: House of Commons - last held 14 October 2008 (next to be held no later than 19 October 2012)

election results: House of Commons - percent of vote by party - Conservative Party 37.6%, Liberal Party 26.2%, New Democratic Party 18.2%, Bloc Quebecois 10%, Greens 6.8%, other 1%; seats by party - Conservative Party 143, Liberal Party 77, New Democratic Party 37, Bloc Quebecois 49, other 2

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court of Canada (judges are appointed by the prime minister through the governor general); Federal Court of Canada; Federal Court of Appeal; Provincial Courts (these are named variously Court of Appeal, Court of Queens Bench, Superior Court, Supreme Court, and Court of Justice)

Political parties and leaders:

Bloc Quebecois [Gilles DUCEPPE]; Conservative Party of Canada [Stephen HARPER] (a merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party); Green Party [Elizabeth MAY]; Liberal Party [Michael IGNATIEFF]; New Democratic Party [Jack LAYTON]

Political pressure groups and leaders: