Chapter XII: Front Matter (12)

Administrative divisions: 21 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Azuay, Bolivar, Canar, Carchi, Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, El Oro, Esmeraldas, Galapagos, Guayas, Imbabura, Loja, Los Rios, Manabi, Morona-Santiago, Napo, Pastaza, Pichincha, Sucumbios, Tungurahua, Zamora-Chinchipe

Independence: 24 May 1822 (from Spain)

National holiday: Independence Day, 10 August (1809) (independence of Quito)

Constitution: 10 August 1979

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal, compulsory for literate persons ages 18-65, optional for other eligible voters

Executive branch: chief of state and head of government: President Sixto DURAN-BALLEN Cordovez (since 10 August 1992); Vice President Alberto DAHIK Garzoni (since 10 August 1992); election runoff election held 5 July 1992 (next to be held NA 1996); results - Sixto DURAN-BALLEN elected as president and Alberto DAHIK elected as vice president cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the president

Legislative branch: unicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional): elections last held 1 May 1994 (next to be held 1 May 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (77 total) PSC 25, PRE 11, MPD 8, ID 7, DP 7, PCE 7, PUR 2, CFP 2, APRE 2, PSE 1, FRA 1, PLRE 1, LN 1, independents 2

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema)

Political parties and leaders: Center-Right parties: Social Christian Party (PSC), Jaime NEBOT Saadi, president; Republican Unity Party (PUR), President Sixto DURAN-BALLEN, leader; Ecuadorian Conservative Party (PCE), Vice President Alberto DAHIK, president Center-Left parties: Democratic Left (ID), Andres VALLEJO Arcos, Rodrigo BORJA Cevallos, leaders; Popular Democracy (DP), Rodrigo PAZ, leader; Ecuadorian Radical Liberal Party (PLRE), Medardo MORA, leader; Radical Alfarista Front (FRA), Jaime ASPIAZU Seminario, director populist parties: Roldista Party (PRE), Abdala BUCARAM Ortiz, director; Concentration of Popular Forces (CFP), Rodolfo BAQUERIZO Nazur, leader; Popular Revolutionary Action (APRE), Frank VARGAS Passos, leader Far-Left parties: Popular Democratic Movement (MPD), Juan Jose CASTELLO, leader; Ecuadorian Socialist Party (PSE), Leon ROLDOS, leader; Broad Leftist Front (FADI), Rene Mauge MOSQUERA, chairman; Ecuadorian National Liberation (LN), Alfredo CASTILLO, director Communists: Communist Party of Ecuador (PCE, pro-North Korea), Rene Mauge MOSQUERA, Secretary General; Communist Party of Ecuador/Marxist-Leninist (PCMLE, Maoist)

Member of: AG, ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Edgar TERAN Teran chancery: 2535 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 234-7200 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco consulate(s): Newark

US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Peter F. ROMERO embassy: Avenida 12 de Octubre y Avenida Patria, Quito mailing address: APO AA 34039-3420 telephone: [593] (2) 562-890, 561-624, 561-749 FAX: [593] (2) 502-052 consulate(s) general: Guayaquil

Flag: three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double width), blue, and red with the coat of arms superimposed at the center of the flag; similar to the flag of Colombia that is shorter and does not bear a coat of arms

@Ecuador:Economy

Overview: Ecuador has substantial oil resources and rich agricultural areas. Growth has been uneven in recent years because of fluctuations in prices for Ecuador's primary exports - oil and bananas - as well as because of government policies designed to curb inflation. President Sixto DURAN-BALLEN launched a series of macroeconomic reforms when he came into office in August 1992 which included raising domestic fuel prices and utility rates, eliminating most subsidies, and bringing the government budget into balance. These measures helped to reduce inflation from 55% in 1992 to 25% in 1994. DURAN-BALLEN has a much more favorable attitude toward foreign investment than his predecessor and has supported several laws designed to encourage foreign investment. Ecuador has implemented free or complementary trade agreements with Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Peru, and Venezuela, as well as applied for World Trade Organization membership. Ecuador signed a standby agreement with the IMF and rescheduled its $7.6 billion commercial debt in 1994 thereby regaining access to multilateral lending. Growth in 1994 speeded up to 3.9%, based on increased exports of bananas and non-traditional products, while international reserves increased to a record $1.6 billion.

National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $41.1 billion (1994 est.)

National product real growth rate: 3.9% (1994 est.)

National product per capita: $3,840 (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 25% (1994)

Unemployment rate: 7.1% (1994)

Budget: revenues: $2.76 billion expenditures: $2.76 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1994)

Exports: $3.3 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: petroleum 39%, bananas 17%, shrimp 16%, cocoa 3%, coffee 6% partners: US 42%, Latin America 29%, Caribbean, EU countries 17%

Imports: $3 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: transport equipment, consumer goods, vehicles, machinery, chemicals partners: US 28%, EU 17%, Latin America 31%, Caribbean, Japan

External debt: $13.2 billion (yearend 1993 est.)

Industrial production: growth rate 6.4% (1993); accounts for almost 35% of GDP, including petroleum

Electricity: capacity: 2,230,000 kW production: 6.9 billion kWh consumption per capita: 612 kWh (1993)

Industries: petroleum, food processing, textiles, metal work, paper products, wood products, chemicals, plastics, fishing, lumber

Agriculture: accounts for 14% of GDP (including fishing and forestry); leading producer and exporter of bananas and balsawood; other agricultural exports - coffee, cocoa, fish, shrimp; other crops - rice, potatoes, manioc, plantains, sugarcane; livestock products - cattle, sheep, hogs, beef, pork, dairy products; net importer of foodgrains, dairy products, and sugar

Illicit drugs: significant transit country for derivatives of coca originating in Colombia, Bolivia, and Peru; minor illicit producer of coca; importer of precursor chemicals used in production of illicit narcotics; important money-laundering hub

Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $498 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-91), $2.39 billion; Communist countries (1970-89), $64 million

Currency: 1 sucre (S/) = 100 centavos

Exchange rates: sucres (S/) per US$1 - 1,198.1 (December 1994), 2,196.7 (1994), 1,919.1 (1993), 1,534.0 (1992), 1,046.25 (1991), 767.8 (1990), 767.78 (1990), 526.35 (1989)

Fiscal year: calendar year

@Ecuador:Transportation

Railroads: total: 965 km (single track) narrow gauge: 965 km 1.067-m gauge

Highways: total: 43,709 km paved: 5,245 km unpaved: 38,464 km

Inland waterways: 1,500 km

Pipelines: crude oil 800 km; petroleum products 1,358 km

Ports: Esmeraldas, Guayaquil, La Libertad, Manta, Puerto Bolivar, San Lorenzo

Merchant marine: total: 33 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 222,822 GRT/326,447 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 2, container 2, liquefied gas tanker 2, oil tanker 13, passenger 3, refrigerated cargo 10

Airports: total: 175 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 2 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 15 with paved runways under 914 m: 107 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 5 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 31

@Ecuador:Communications

Telephone system: 318,000 telephones; 30 telephones/1,000 persons; domestic facilities generally inadequate and unreliable local: NA intercity: NA international: 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth station

Radio: broadcast stations: AM 272, FM 0, shortwave 39 radios: NA

Television: broadcast stations: 33 televisions: NA

@Ecuador:Defense Forces

Branches: Army (Ejercito Ecuatoriano), Navy (Armada Ecuatoriana, includes Marines), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Ecuatoriana), National Police

Manpower availability: males age 15-49 2,814,867; males fit for military service 1,903,979; males reach military age (20) annually 113,985 (1995 est.)

Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP

________________________________________________________________________

EGYPT

@Egypt:Geography

Location: Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Libya and the Gaza Strip

Map references: Africa

Area: total area: 1,001,450 sq km land area: 995,450 sq km comparative area: slightly more than three times the size of New Mexico

Land boundaries: total 2,689 km, Gaza Strip 11 km, Israel 255 km, Libya 1,150 km, Sudan 1,273 km

Coastline: 2,450 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: administrative boundary with Sudan does not coincide with international boundary creating the "Hala'ib Triangle," a barren area of 20,580 sq km, tensions over this disputed area began to escalate in 1992 and remain high

Climate: desert; hot, dry summers with moderate winters

Terrain: vast desert plateau interrupted by Nile valley and delta

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, manganese, limestone, gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead, zinc

Land use: arable land: 3% permanent crops: 2% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 95%

Irrigated land: 25,850 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment: current issues: agricultural land being lost to urbanization and windblown sands; increasing soil salinization below Aswan High Dam; desertification; oil pollution threatening coral reefs, beaches, and marine habitats; other water pollution from agricultural pesticides, raw sewage, and industrial effluents; very limited natural fresh water resources away from the Nile which is the only perennial water source; rapid growth in population overstraining natural resources natural hazards: periodic droughts; frequent earthquakes, flash floods, landslides, volcanic activity; hot, driving windstorm called khamsin occurs in spring; duststorms, sandstorms international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Tropical Timber 94

Note: controls Sinai Peninsula, only land bridge between Africa and remainder of Eastern Hemisphere; controls Suez Canal, shortest sea link between Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea; size, and juxtaposition to Israel, establish its major role in Middle Eastern geopolitics

@Egypt:People

Population: 62,359,623 (July 1995 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 37% (female 11,380,668; male 11,872,728) 15-64 years: 59% (female 18,250,706; male 18,641,830) 65 years and over: 4% (female 1,204,477; male 1,009,214) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.95% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 28.69 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 8.86 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 74.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 61.12 years male: 59.22 years female: 63.12 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.67 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality: noun: Egyptian(s) adjective: Egyptian

Ethnic divisions: Eastern Hamitic stock (Egyptians, Bedouins, and Berbers) 99%, Greek, Nubian, Armenian, other European (primarily Italian and French) 1%

Religions: Muslim (mostly Sunni) 94% (official estimate), Coptic Christian and other 6% (official estimate)

Languages: Arabic (official), English and French widely understood by educated classes

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) total population: 48% male: 63% female: 34%

Labor force: 16 million (1994 est.) by occupation: government, public sector enterprises, and armed forces 36%, agriculture 34%, privately owned service and manufacturing enterprises 20% (1984) note: shortage of skilled labor; 2,500,000 Egyptians work abroad, mostly in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Arab states (1993 est.)

@Egypt:Government

Names: conventional long form: Arab Republic of Egypt conventional short form: Egypt local long form: Jumhuriyat Misr al-Arabiyah local short form: none former: United Arab Republic (with Syria)

Digraph: EG

Type: republic

Capital: Cairo

Administrative divisions: 26 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Ad Daqahliyah, Al Bahr al Ahmar, Al Buhayrah, Al Fayyum, Al Gharbiyah, Al Iskandariyah, Al Isma'iliyah, Al Jizah, Al Minufiyah, Al Minya, Al Qahirah, Al Qalyubiyah, Al Wadi al Jadid, Ash Sharqiyah, As Suways, Aswan, Asyu't, Bani Suwayf, Bur Sa'id, Dumyat, Janub Sina, Kafr ash Shaykh, Matruh, Qina, Shamal Sina, Suhaj

Independence: 28 February 1922 (from UK)

National holiday: Anniversary of the Revolution, 23 July (1952)

Constitution: 11 September 1971

Legal system: based on English common law, Islamic law, and Napoleonic codes; judicial review by Supreme Court and Council of State (oversees validity of administrative decisions); accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch: chief of state: President Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK (sworn in as president on 14 October 1981, eight days after the assassination of President SADAT); national referendum held 4 October 1993 validated Mubarak's nomination by the People's Assembly to a third 6-year presidential term head of government: Prime Minister Atef Mohammed Najib SEDKY (since 12 November 1986) cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the president

Legislative branch: bicameral People's Assembly (Majlis al-Cha'b): elections last held 29 November 1990 (next to be held NA November 1995); results - NDP 86.3%, NPUG 1.3%, independents 12.4%; seats - (454 total, 444 elected, 10 appointed by the president) NDP 383, NPUG 6, independents 55; note - most opposition parties boycotted; NDP figures include NDP members who ran as independents and other NDP-affiliated independents Advisory Council (Majlis al-Shura): functions only in a consultative role; elections last held 8 June 1989 (next to be held NA June 1995); results - NDP 100%; seats - (258 total, 172 elected, 86 appointed by the president) NDP 172

Judicial branch: Supreme Constitutional Court

Political parties and leaders: National Democratic Party (NDP), President Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK, leader, is the dominant party; legal opposition parties are; New Wafd Party (NWP), Fu'ad SIRAJ AL-DIN; Socialist Labor Party, Ibrahim SHUKRI; National Progressive Unionist Grouping (NPUG), Khalid MUHYI-AL-DIN; Socialist Liberal Party (SLP), Mustafa Kamal MURAD; Democratic Unionist Party, Mohammed 'Abd-al-Mun'im TURK; Umma Party, Ahmad al-SABAHI; Misr al-Fatah Party (Young Egypt Party), Gamal RABIE; Nasserist Arab Democratic Party, Dia' al-din DAWUD; Democratic Peoples' Party, Anwar AFIFI; The Greens Party, Kamal KIRAH; Social Justice Party, Muhammad 'ABD-AL-'AL note: formation of political parties must be approved by government

Other political or pressure groups: despite a constitutional ban against religious-based parties, the technically illegal Muslim Brotherhood constitutes MUBARAK's potentially most significant political opposition; MUBARAK tolerated limited political activity by the Brotherhood for his first two terms, but has moved more aggressively in the past year to block its influence; trade unions and professional associations are officially sanctioned

Member of: ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-19, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNAMIR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIL, UNPROFOR, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ahmed Maher El SAYED chancery: 3521 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 895-5400 FAX: [1] (202) 244-4319, 5131 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, New York, and San Francisco

US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Edward S. WALKER, Jr. embassy: (North Gate) 8, Kamel El-Din Salah Street, Garden City, Cairo

mailing address: APO AE 09839-4900 telephone: [20] (2) 3557371 FAX: [20] (2) 3573200

Flag: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with the national emblem (a shield superimposed on a golden eagle facing the hoist side above a scroll bearing the name of the country in Arabic) centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Yemen, which has a plain white band; also similar to the flag of Syria that has two green stars and to the flag of Iraq, which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white band

@Egypt:Economy

Overview: Half of Egypt's GDP originates in the public sector, most industrial plants being owned by the government. Overregulation holds back technical modernization and foreign investment. Even so, the economy grew rapidly during the late 1970s and early 1980s, but in 1986 the collapse of world oil prices and an increasingly heavy burden of debt servicing led Egypt to begin negotiations with the IMF for balance-of-payments support. Egypt's first IMF standby arrangement concluded in mid-1987 was suspended in early 1988 because of the government's failure to adopt promised reforms. Egypt signed a follow-on program with the IMF and also negotiated a structural adjustment loan with the World Bank in 1991. In 1991-93 the government made solid progress on administrative reforms such as liberalizing exchange and interest rates but resisted implementing major structural reforms like streamlining the public sector. As a result, the economy has not gained momentum and unemployment has become a growing problem. Egypt probably will continue making uneven progress in implementing the successor programs with the IMF and World Bank it signed onto in late 1993. Tourism has plunged since 1992 because of sporadic attacks by Islamic extremists on tourist groups. President MUBARAK has cited population growth as the main cause of the country's economic troubles. The addition of about 1.2 million people a year to the already huge population of 62 million exerts enormous pressure on the 5% of the land area available for agriculture along the Nile.

National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $151.5 billion (1994 est.)

National product real growth rate: 1.5% (1994 est.)

National product per capita: $2,490 (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8% (1994 est.)

Unemployment rate: 20% (1994 est.)

Budget: revenues: $18 billion expenditures: $19.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $3.8 billion (FY94/95 est.)

Exports: $3.1 billion (f.o.b., FY93/94 est.) commodities: crude oil and petroleum products, cotton yarn, raw cotton, textiles, metal products, chemicals partners: EU, US, Japan

Imports: $11.2 billion (c.i.f., FY93/94 est.) commodities: machinery and equipment, foods, fertilizers, wood products, durable consumer goods, capital goods partners: EU, US, Japan

External debt: $31.2 billion (December 1994 est.)

Industrial production: growth rate 2.7% (FY92/93 est.)

Electricity: capacity: 11,830,000 kW production: 44.5 billion kWh consumption per capita: 695 kWh (1993)

Industries: textiles, food processing, tourism, chemicals, petroleum, construction, cement, metals

Agriculture: cotton, rice, corn, wheat, beans, fruit, vegetables; cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats; annual fish catch about 140,000 metric tons

Illicit drugs: a transit point for Southwest Asian and Southeast Asian heroin and opium moving to Europe and the US; popular transit stop for Nigerian couriers; large domestic consumption of hashish from Lebanon and Syria

Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $15.7 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $10.1 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $2.9 billion; Communist countries (1970-89), $2.4 billion

Currency: 1 Egyptian pound (#E) = 100 piasters

Exchange rates: Egyptian pounds (#E) per US$1 - 3.4 (November 1994), 3.369 (November 1993), 3.345 (November 1992), 2.7072 (1990); market rate: 3.3920 (January 1995), 3.3920 (1994), 3.3704 (1993), 3.3300 (1992), 2.0000 (1991), 1.1000 (1990)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

@Egypt:Transportation

Railroads: total: 4,895 km (42 km electrified; 951 km double track) standard gauge: 4,548 km 1,435-m gauge (42 km electrified; 951 km double track) narrow gauge: 347 km 0.750-m gauge

Highways: total: 47,387 km paved: 34,593 km unpaved: 12,794 km

Inland waterways: 3,500 km (including the Nile, Lake Nasser, Alexandria-Cairo Waterway, and numerous smaller canals in the delta); Suez Canal, 193.5 km long (including approaches), used by oceangoing vessels drawing up to 16.1 meters of water

Pipelines: crude oil 1,171 km; petroleum products 596 km; natural gas 460 km

Ports: Alexandria, Al Ghurdaqah, Aswan, Asyut, Bur Safajah, Damietta, Marsa Matruh, Port Said, Suez

Merchant marine: total: 168 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,187,442 GRT/1,821,327 DWT ships by type: bulk 19, cargo 83, container 2, oil tanker 15, passenger 30, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 14, short-sea passenger 4

Airports: total: 91 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 11 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 35 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 17 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 3 with paved runways under 914 m: 14 with unpaved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 2 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 7

@Egypt:Communications

Telephone system: 600,000 telephones; 11 telephones/1,000 persons; large system by Third World standards but inadequate for present requirements and undergoing extensive upgrading local: NA intercity: principal centers at Alexandria, Cairo, Al Mansurah, Ismailia Suez, and Tanta are connected by coaxial cable and microwave radio relay international: 2 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean), 1 ARABSAT, and 1 INMARSAT earth station; 5 coaxial submarine cables, microwave troposcatter (to Sudan), and microwave radio relay (to Libya, Israel, and Jordan)

Radio: broadcast stations: AM 39, FM 6, shortwave 0 radios: NA

Television: broadcast stations: 41 televisions: NA

@Egypt:Defense Forces

Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Command

Manpower availability: males age 15-49 16,113,413; males fit for military service 10,455,955; males reach military age (20) annually 648,724 (1995 est.)

Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $3.5 billion, 8.2% of total government budget (FY94/95)

________________________________________________________________________

EL SALVADOR

@El Salvador:Geography

Location: Middle America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and Honduras

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total area: 21,040 sq km land area: 20,720 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Land boundaries: total 545 km, Guatemala 203 km, Honduras 342 km

Coastline: 307 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 200 nm

International disputes: land boundary dispute with Honduras mostly resolved by 11 September 1992 International Court of Justice (ICJ) decision; with respect to the maritime boundary in the Golfo de Fonseca, ICJ referred to an earlier agreement in this century and advised that some tripartite resolution among El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua likely would be required

Climate: tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to April)

Terrain: mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau

Natural resources: hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum

Land use: arable land: 27% permanent crops: 8% meadows and pastures: 29% forest and woodland: 6% other: 30%

Irrigated land: 1,200 sq km (1989)

Environment: current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution; contamination of soils from disposal of toxic wastes natural hazards: known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes very destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Climate Change, Law of the Sea

Note: smallest Central American country and only one without a coastline on Caribbean Sea

@El Salvador:People

Population: 5,870,481 (July 1995 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 40% (female 1,165,152; male 1,200,759) 15-64 years: 56% (female 1,677,958; male 1,602,230) 65 years and over: 4% (female 122,368; male 102,014) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.02% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 32.39 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 6.19 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: -5.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 38.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 67.5 years male: 64.89 years female: 70.23 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.69 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality: noun: Salvadoran(s) adjective: Salvadoran

Ethnic divisions: mestizo 94%, Indian 5%, white 1%

Religions: Roman Catholic 75% note: there is extensive activity by Protestant groups throughout the country; by the end of 1992, there were an estimated 1 million Protestant evangelicals in El Salvador

Languages: Spanish, Nahua (among some Indians)

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) total population: 73% male: 76% female: 70%

Labor force: 1.7 million (1982 est.) by occupation: agriculture 40%, commerce 16%, manufacturing 15%, government 13%, financial services 9%, transportation 6%, other 1% note: shortage of skilled labor and a large pool of unskilled labor, but training programs improving situation (1984 est.)

@El Salvador:Government

Names: conventional long form: Republic of El Salvador conventional short form: El Salvador local long form: Republica de El Salvador local short form: El Salvador

Digraph: ES

Type: republic

Capital: San Salvador

Administrative divisions: 14 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Ahuachapan, Cabanas, Chalatenango, Cuscatlan, La Libertad, La Paz, La Union, Morazan, San Miguel, San Salvador, Santa Ana, San Vicente, Sonsonate, Usulutan

Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution: 20 December 1983

Legal system: based on civil and Roman law, with traces of common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state and head of government: President Armando CALDERON SOL (since 1 June 1994); Vice President Enrique BORGO Bustamante (since 1 June 1994) election last held 20 March 1994 (next to be held March 1999); results - Armando CALDERON SOL (ARENA) 49.03%, Ruben ZAMORA Rivas (CD/FMLN/MNR) 24.09%, Fidel CHAVEZ Mena (PDC) 16.39%, other 10.49%; because no candidate received a majority, a run-off election was held 24 April 1994; results - Armando CALDERON SOL (ARENA) 68.35%, Ruben ZAMORA Rivas (CD/FMLN/MNR) 31.65% cabinet: Council of Ministers

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly (Asamblea Legislativa): elections last held 20 March 1994 (next to be held March 1997); results - ARENA 46.4%, FMLN 25.0%, PDC 21.4%, PCN 4.8%, other 2.4%; seats - (84 total) ARENA 39, FMLN 21, PDC 18, PCN 4, other 2

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema)

Political parties and leaders: National Republican Alliance (ARENA), Juan Jose DOMENECH, president; Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN), Salvador SANCHEZ Ceren (aka Leonel GONZALEZ), general coordinator; Christian Democratic Party (PDC), Ronal UMANA, secretary general; National Conciliation Party (PCN), Ciro CRUZ Zepeda, secretary general; Democratic Convergence (CD), Juan Jose MARTEL, secretary general; Unity Movement, Jorge MARTINEZ Menendez, president note: newly formed parties not yet officially recognized by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal: Liberal Democratic Party (PLD), Kirio Waldo SALGADO, founder; Social Democratic Party (breakaway from FMLN), Joaquin VILLALOBOS, founder; Social Christian Renovation Movement (MRSC) (breakaway from PDC), Abraham RODRIGUEZ, founder

Other political or pressure groups: labor organizations: Salvadoran Communal Union (UCS), peasant association; General Confederation of Workers (CGT), moderate; United Workers Front (FUT) business organizations: Productive Alliance (AP), conservative; National Federation of Salvadoran Small Businessmen (FENAPES), conservative

Member of: BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ana Cristina SOL chancery: 2308 California Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-9671, 9672 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco

US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Alan H. FLANIGAN embassy: Final Boulevard, Station Antiguo Cuscatlan, San Salvador mailing address: Unit 3116, San Salvador; APO AA 34023 telephone: [503] 78-4444 FAX: [503] 78-6011

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

@El Salvador:Economy

Overview: The agricultural sector accounts for 24% of GDP, employs about 40% of the labor force, and contributes about 66% to total exports. Coffee is the major commercial crop, accounting for 45% of export earnings. The manufacturing sector, based largely on food and beverage processing, accounts for 19% of GDP and 15% of employment. In 1992-94 the government made substantial progress toward privatization and deregulation of the economy. Growth in national output in 1991-94 nearly averaged 5%, exceeding growth in population for the first time since 1987; and inflation in 1994 of 10% was down from 19% in 1993.

National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $9.8 billion (1994 est.)

National product real growth rate: 5% (1994 est.)

National product per capita: $1,710 (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10% (1994 est.)

Unemployment rate: 6.7% (1993)

Budget: revenues: $846 million expenditures: $890 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1992 est.)

Exports: $823 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: coffee, sugarcane, shrimp partners: US, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Germany

Imports: $2.1 billion (c.i.f., 1994 est.) commodities: raw materials, consumer goods, capital goods partners: US, Guatemala, Mexico, Venezuela, Germany

External debt: $2.6 billion (December 1992)

Industrial production: growth rate 7.6% (1993)

Electricity: capacity: 750,000 kW production: 2.4 billion kWh consumption per capita: 408 kWh (1993)

Industries: food processing, beverages, petroleum, nonmetallic products, tobacco, chemicals, textiles, furniture

Agriculture: accounts for 24% of GDP and 40% of labor force (including fishing and forestry); coffee most important commercial crop; other products - sugarcane, corn, rice, beans, oilseeds, beef, dairy products, shrimp; not self-sufficient in food

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for cocaine; marijuana produced for local consumption

Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-90), $2.95 billion (plus $250 million for 1992-96); Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $525 million

Currency: 1 Salvadoran colon (C) = 100 centavos

Exchange rates: Salvadoran colones (C) per US$1 - 8.760 (January 1995), 8.750 (1994), 8.670 (1993), 8.4500 (1992), 8.080 (1991), 8.0300 (1990)

Fiscal year: calendar year

@El Salvador:Transportation

Railroads: total: 602 km (single track; note - some sections abandoned, unusable, or operating at reduced capacity) narrow gauge: 602 km 0.914-m gauge

Highways: total: 10,000 km paved: 1,500 km unpaved: gravel 4,100 km; improved, unimproved earth 4,400 km

Inland waterways: Rio Lempa partially navigable

Ports: Acajutla, Puerto Cutuco, La Libertad, La Union, Puerto El Triunfo

Merchant marine: none

Airports: total: 106 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 2 with paved runways under 914 m: 78 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 23

@El Salvador:Communications

Telephone system: 116,000 telephones; 21 telephones/1,000 persons local: NA intercity: nationwide microwave radio relay system international: 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth station; connected to Central American Microwave System

Radio: broadcast stations: AM 77, FM 0, shortwave 2 radios: NA

Television: broadcast stations: 5 televisions: NA

@El Salvador:Defense Forces

Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force

Manpower availability: males age 15-49 1,393,480; males fit for military service 892,958; males reach military age (18) annually 77,562 (1995 est.)

Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $103 million, 0.7% of GDP (1994); $91.9 million, less than 1% of GDP (1995 est.)

________________________________________________________________________

EQUATORIAL GUINEA

@Equatorial Guinea:Geography

Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cameroon and Gabon

Map references: Africa

Area: total area: 28,050 sq km land area: 28,050 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Maryland

Land boundaries: total 539 km, Cameroon 189 km, Gabon 350 km

Coastline: 296 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: maritime boundary dispute with Gabon because of disputed sovereignty over islands in Corisco Bay

Climate: tropical; always hot, humid

Terrain: coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are volcanic

Natural resources: timber, petroleum, small unexploited deposits of gold, manganese, uranium

Land use: arable land: 8% permanent crops: 4% meadows and pastures: 4% forest and woodland: 51% other: 33%

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Environment: current issues: tap water is not potable; desertification natural hazards: violent windstorms international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban; signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Law of the Sea

Note: insular and continental regions rather widely separated

@Equatorial Guinea:People

Population: 420,293 (July 1995 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 43% (female 90,404; male 90,997) 15-64 years: 53% (female 117,124; male 105,724) 65 years and over: 4% (female 8,969; male 7,075) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.59% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 40.22 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 14.36 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 100.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 52.56 years male: 50.39 years female: 54.79 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.23 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality: noun: Equatorial Guinean(s) or Equatoguinean(s) adjective: Equatorial Guinean or Equatoguinean

Ethnic divisions: Bioko (primarily Bubi, some Fernandinos), Rio Muni (primarily Fang), Europeans less than 1,000, mostly Spanish

Religions: nominally Christian and predominantly Roman Catholic, pagan practices

Languages: Spanish (official), pidgin English, Fang, Bubi, Ibo

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1983) total population: 62% male: 77% female: 48%

Labor force: 172,000 (1986 est.) by occupation: agriculture 66%, services 23%, industry 11% (1980) note: labor shortages on plantations

@Equatorial Guinea:Government

Names: conventional long form: Republic of Equatorial Guinea conventional short form: Equatorial Guinea local long form: Republica de Guinea Ecuatorial local short form: Guinea Ecuatorial former: Spanish Guinea

Digraph: EK

Type: republic in transition to multiparty democracy

Capital: Malabo

Administrative divisions: 7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Annobon, Bioko Norte, Bioko Sur, Centro Sur, Kie-Ntem, Litoral, Wele-Nzas

Independence: 12 October 1968 (from Spain)

National holiday: Independence Day, 12 October (1968)

Constitution: new constitution 17 November 1991

Legal system: partly based on Spanish civil law and tribal custom

Suffrage: universal adult at age NA

Executive branch: chief of state: President Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO (since 3 August 1979); election last held 25 June 1989 (next to be held 25 June 1996); results - President Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO was reelected without opposition head of government: Prime Minister Silvestre SIALE BILEKA (since 17 January 1992); Vice Prime Minister Anatolio NDONG MBA (since November 1993) cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president

Legislative branch: unicameral House of People's Representatives: (Camara de Representantes del Pueblo) elections last held 21 November 1993; seats - (82 total) PDGE 72, various opposition parties 10

Judicial branch: Supreme Tribunal

Political parties and leaders: ruling party: Democratic Party for Equatorial Guinea (PDGE), Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO, party leader opposition parties: Progressive Democratic Alliance (ADP), Antonio-Ebang Mbele Abang, president; Popular Action of Equatorial Guinea (APGE),Casiano Masi Edu, leader; Liberal Democratic Convention (CLD), Alfonso Nsue MOKUY, president; Convergence for Social Democracy (CPDS),Santiago Obama Ndong, president; Social Democratic and Popular Convergence (CSDP), Secundino Oyono Agueng Ada, general secretary; Party of the Social Democratic Coalition (PCSD), Buenaventura Moswi M'Asumu, general coordinater; Liberal Party (PL), leaders unknown; Party of Progress (PP), Severo MOTO Nsa, president; Social Democratic Party (PSD), Benjamin-Gabriel Balingha Balinga Alene, general secretary; Socialist Party of Equatorial Guinea (PSGE), Tomas MICHEBE Fernandez, general secretary; National Democratic Union (UDENA), Jose MECHEBA Ikaka, president; Democratic Social Union (UDS), Jesus Nze Obama Avomo, general secretary; Popular Union (UP), Juan Bitui, president

Member of: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (associate), ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), OAU, UDEAC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO

Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: (vacant); Charge d'Affaires ad interim Teodoro Biyogo NSUE chancery: (temporary) 57 Magnolia Avenue, Mount Vernon, NY 10553 telephone: [1] (914) 738-9584, 667-6913 FAX: [1] (914) 667-6838

US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Charge d'Affaires Joseph P. O'NEILL embassy: Calle de Los Ministros, Malabo mailing address: P.O. Box 597, Malabo telephone: [240] (9) 21-85, 24-06, 25-07 FAX: [240] (9) 21-64

Flag: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side and the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms has six yellow six-pointed stars (representing the mainland and five offshore islands) above a gray shield bearing a silk-cotton tree and below which is a scroll with the motto UNIDAD, PAZ, JUSTICIA (Unity, Peace, Justice)

@Equatorial Guinea:Economy

Overview: Agriculture, forestry, and fishing account for about half of GDP and nearly all exports. Subsistence farming predominates. Although pre-independence Equatorial Guinea counted on cocoa production for hard currency earnings, the deterioration of the rural economy under successive brutal regimes has diminished potential for agriculture-led growth. A number of aid programs sponsored by the World Bank and the international donor community have failed to revitalize export agriculture. Businesses for the most part are owned by government officials and their family members. Commerce accounts for about 8% of GDP and the construction, public works, and service sectors for about 38%. Undeveloped natural resources include titanium, iron ore, manganese, uranium, and alluvial gold. Oil exploration, taking place under concessions offered to US, French, and Spanish firms, has been moderately successful. Increased production from recently discovered natural gas fields will provide a greater share of exports in 1995.

National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $280 million (1993 est.)

National product real growth rate: 7.3% (1993 est.)

National product per capita: $700 (1993 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.6% (1992 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $32.5 million expenditures: $35.9 million, including capital expenditures of $3 million (1992 est.)

Exports: $56 million (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: coffee, timber, cocoa beans partners: Spain 55.2%, Nigeria 11.4%, Cameroon 9.1% (1992)

Imports: $62 million (c.i.f., 1993) commodities: petroleum, food, beverages, clothing, machinery partners: Cameroon 23.1%, Spain 21.8%, France 14.1%, US 4.3% (1992)

External debt: $260 million (1992 est)

Industrial production: growth rate 11.3% (1993 est.)

Electricity: capacity: 23,000 kW production: 20 million kWh consumption per capita: 50 kWh (1993)

Industries: fishing, sawmilling

Agriculture: accounts for almost 50% of GDP, cash crops - timber and coffee from Rio Muni, cocoa from Bioko; food crops - rice, yams, cassava, bananas, oil palm nuts, manioc, livestock

Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY81-89), $14 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $130 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $55 million

Currency: 1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 529.43 (January 1995), 555.20 (1994), 273,16 (1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26 (1990) note: beginning 12 January 1994, the CFA franc was devalued to CFAF 100 per French franc from CFAF 50 at which it had been fixed since 1948

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

@Equatorial Guinea:Transportation

Railroads: total: 0 km

Highways: total: 2,760 km (2,460 km on Rio Muni and 300 km on Bioko) paved: NA unpaved: NA

Ports: Bata, Luba, Malabo

Merchant marine: total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,412 GRT/6,699 DWT ships by type: cargo 1, passenger-cargo 1

Airports: total: 3 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 1

@Equatorial Guinea:Communications

Telephone system: 2,000 telephones; poor system with adequate government services local: NA intercity: NA international: international communications from Bata and Malabo to African and European countries; 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Radio: broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 radios: NA

Television: broadcast stations: 1 televisions: NA

@Equatorial Guinea:Defense Forces

Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Rapid Intervention Force, National Police

Manpower availability: males age 15-49 89,752; males fit for military service 45,611 (1995 est.)

Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $2.5 million, NA% of GDP (FY93/94)

________________________________________________________________________

ERITREA

@Eritrea:Geography

Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Djibouti and Sudan

Map references: Africa

Area: total area: 121,320 sq km land area: 121,320 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries: total 1,630 km, Djibouti 113 km, Ethiopia 912 km, Sudan 605 km

Coastline: 1,151 km (land and island coastline is 2,234 km)

Maritime claims: NA

International disputes: none

Climate: hot, dry desert strip along Red Sea coast; cooler and wetter in the central highlands (up to 61 cm of rainfall annually); semiarid in western hills and lowlands; rainfall heaviest during June-September except on coastal desert

Terrain: dominated by extension of Ethiopian north-south trending highlands, descending on the east to a coastal desert plain, on the northwest to hilly terrain and on the southwest to flat-to-rolling plains

Natural resources: gold, potash, zinc, copper, salt, probably oil (petroleum geologists are prospecting for it), fish

Land use: arable land: 3% permanent crops: 2% (coffee) meadows and pastures: 40% forest and woodland: 5% other: 50%

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Environment: current issues: famine; deforestation; desertification; soil erosion; overgrazing; loss of infrastructure from civil warfare natural hazards: frequent droughts international agreements: party to - Endangered Species; signed, but not ratified - Desertification

Note: strategic geopolitical position along world's busiest shipping lanes; Eritrea retained the entire coastline of Ethiopia along the Red Sea upon de jure independence from Ethiopia on 27 April 1993

@Eritrea:People

Population: 3,578,709 (July 1995 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 43% (female 763,416; male 774,922) 15-64 years: 54% (female 965,124; male 965,435) 65 years and over: 3% (female 52,950; male 56,862) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 9.04% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 44.34 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 15.67 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.) note: repatriation of up to a half million Eritrean refugees in Sudan is now underway; 100,000 are expected to return during 1995

Infant mortality rate: 120.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 50 years male: 48.28 years female: 51.78 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.53 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality: noun: Eritrean(s) adjective: Eritrean

Ethnic divisions: ethnic Tigrays 50%, Tigre and Kunama 40%, Afar 4%, Saho (Red Sea coast dwellers) 3%

Religions: Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant

Languages: Tigre and Kunama, Cushitic dialects, Tigre, Nora Bana, Arabic

Labor force: NA

@Eritrea:Government

Names: conventional long form: State of Eritrea conventional short form: Eritrea local long form: none local short form: none former: Eritrea Autonomous Region in Ethiopia

Digraph: ER

Type: transitional government note: on 29 May 1991 ISAIAS Afworke, secretary general of the Peoples' Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ), which then served and still serves as the country's legislative body, announced the formation of the Provisional Government in Eritrea (PGE) in preparation for the 23-25 April 1993 referendum on independence for the autonomous region of Eritrea; the result was a landslide vote for independence which was proclaimed on 27 April 1993

Capital: Asmara (formerly Asmera)

Administrative divisions: 9 provinces; Akole Guzay, Baraka, Danakil, Hamasen, Sahil, Samhar, Senhit, Seraye, Sahil

Independence: 27 May 1993 (from Ethiopia; formerly the Eritrea Autonomous Region)

National holiday: National Day (independence from Ethiopia), 24 May (1993)

Constitution: transitional "constitution" decreed 19 May 1993

Legal system: NA

Suffrage: NA

Executive branch: chief of state and head of government: President ISAIAS Afworke (since 22 May 1993) cabinet: State Council; the collective executive authority note: election to be held before 20 May 1997

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly: PFDJ Central Committee serves as the country's legislative body until country-wide elections are held (before 20 May 1997)

Judicial branch: Judiciary

Political parties and leaders: People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ), ISAIAS Afworke, PETROS Solomon (the only party recognized by the government)

Other political or pressure groups: Eritrean Islamic Jihad (EIJ); Islamic Militant Group; Eritrean Liberation Front (ELF), ABDULLAH Muhammed; Eritrean Liberation Front - United Organization (ELF-UO), Mohammed Said NAWUD; Eritrean Liberation Front - Revolutionary Council (ELF-RC), Ahmed NASSER

Member of: ACP, ECA, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IGADD, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), ITU, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador AMDEMICHAEL Berhane Khasai chancery: Suite 400, 910 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20006 telephone: [1] (202) 429-1991 FAX: [1] (202) 429-9004

US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Robert G. HOUDEK embassy: 34 Zera Yacob St., Asmara mailing address: P.O. Box 211, Asmara telephone: [291] (1) 120004 FAX: [291] (1) 127584

Flag: red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) dividing the flag into two right triangles; the upper triangle is green, the lower one is blue; a gold wreath encircling a gold olive branch is centered on the hoist side of the red triangle

@Eritrea:Economy

Overview: With independence from Ethiopia on 27 April 1993, Eritrea faces the bitter economic problems of a small, desperately poor African country. Most of the population will continue to depend on subsistence farming. Domestic output is substantially augmented by worker remittances from abroad. Government revenues come from custom duties and income and sales taxes. Eritrea has inherited the entire coastline of Ethiopia and has long-term prospects for revenues from the development of offshore oil, offshore fishing, and tourism. For the time being, Ethiopia will be largely dependent on Eritrean ports for its foreign trade.

National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $1.8 billion (1994 est.)

National product real growth rate: 2% (1994 est.)

National product per capita: $500 (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Exports: $NA commodities: NA partners: NA

Imports: $NA commodities: NA partners: NA

External debt: $NA

Industrial production: growth rate NA%

Electricity: capacity: NA kW production: NA kWh consumption per capita: NA kWh

Industries: food processing, beverages, clothing and textiles

Agriculture: products - sorghum, livestock (including goats), fish, lentils, vegetables, maize, cotton, tobacco, coffee, sisal (for making rope)

Economic aid: $NA

Currency: 1 birr (Br) = 100 cents; at present, Ethiopian currency used

Exchange rates: 1 birr (Br) per US$1 - 5.9500 (January 1995), 5.9500 (1994), 5.000 (fixed rate 1992-93); note - official rate pegged to US$

Fiscal year: NA

@Eritrea:Transportation

Railroads: total: 307 km; note - nonoperational since 1978; links Ak'ordat and Asmara (formerly Asmera) with the port of Massawa (formerly Mits'iwa) narrow gauge: 307 km 1.000-m gauge (1993 est.)

Highways: total: 3,845 km paved: 807 km unpaved: gravel 840 km; improved earth 402 km; unimproved earth 1,796 km

Ports: Assab (Aseb), Massawa (Mits'iwa)

Merchant marine: none

Airports: total: 20 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 2 with unpaved runways over 3,047 m: 1 with unpaved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 6 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 7

@Eritrea:Communications

Telephone system: NA local: NA intercity: NA international: NA

Radio: broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave 0 radios: NA

Television: broadcast stations: NA televisions: NA

@Eritrea:Defense Forces

Branches: Eritrean People's Liberation Front (EPLF)

Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP

________________________________________________________________________

ESTONIA

@Estonia:Geography

Location: Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland, between Latvia and Russia

Map references: Europe

Area: total area: 45,100 sq km land area: 43,200 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than New Hampshire and Vermont combined note: includes 1,520 islands in the Baltic Sea

Land boundaries: total 557 km, Latvia 267 km, Russia 290 km

Coastline: 1,393 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: limits to be fixed in coordination with neighboring states territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: claims over 2,000 sq km of Russian territory in the Narva and Pechora regions - based on boundary established under the 1921 Peace Treaty of Tartu

Climate: maritime, wet, moderate winters, cool summers

Terrain: marshy, lowlands

Natural resources: shale oil, peat, phosphorite, amber

Land use: arable land: 22% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 11% forest and woodland: 31% other: 36%

Irrigated land: 110 sq km (1990)

Environment: current issues: air heavily polluted with sulfur dioxide from oil-shale burning power plants in northeast; contamination of soil and groundwater with petroleum products, chemicals at military bases natural hazards: flooding occurs frequently in the spring international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

@Estonia:People

Population: 1,625,399 (July 1995 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 22% (female 174,304; male 181,101) 15-64 years: 65% (female 549,473; male 515,426) 65 years and over: 13% (female 139,722; male 65,373) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.53% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 13.9 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 11.93 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: 3.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 18.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 70.17 years male: 65.2 years female: 75.39 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.98 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality: noun: Estonian(s) adjective: Estonian

Ethnic divisions: Estonian 61.5%, Russian 30.3%, Ukrainian 3.17%, Byelorussian 1.8%, Finn 1.1%, other 2.13% (1989)

Religions: Lutheran

Languages: Estonian (official), Latvian, Lithuanian, Russian, other

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1989) total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100%

Labor force: 750,000 (1992) by occupation: industry and construction 42%, agriculture and forestry 20%, other 38% (1990)

@Estonia:Government

Names: conventional long form: Republic of Estonia conventional short form: Estonia local long form: Eesti Vabariik local short form: Eesti former: Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic

Digraph: EN

Type: republic

Capital: Tallinn

Administrative divisions: 15 counties (maakonnad, singular - maakond): Harju maakond (Tallinn), Hiiu maakond (Kardla), Ida-Viru maakond (Johvi), Jarva maakond (Paide), Jogeva maakond (Jogeva), Laane maakond (Haapsalu), Laane-Viru maakond (Rakvere), Parnu maakond (Parnu), Polva maakond (Polva), Rapla maakond (Rapla), Saare maakond (Kuessaare), Tartu maakond (Tartu), Valga maakond (Valga), Viljandi maakond (Viljandi), Voru maakond (Voru) note: county centers are in parentheses

Independence: 6 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day, 24 February (1918)

Constitution: adopted 28 June 1992

Legal system: based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Lennart MERI (since 21 October 1992); election last held 20 September 1992; (next to be held fall 1996); results - no candidate received majority; newly elected Parliament elected Lennart MERI (21 October 1992) head of government: Prime Minister Andres TARAND (since NA October 1994) cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the prime minister, authorized by the legislature

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (Riigikogu): elections last held 5 March 1995 (next to be held NA 1998); results - KMU 32.22%, RE 16.18%, K 14.17%, Pro Patria and ERSP 7.85%, M 5.98%, Our Home is Estonia and Right-Wingers 5.0%; seats - (101 total) KMU 41, RE 19, K 16, Pro Patria 8, Our Home is Estonia 6, M 6, Right-Wingers 5

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: Coalition Party and Rural Union (KMU) made up of 4 parties: Coalition Party, Country People's Party, Farmer's Assembly, and Pensioners' and Families' League; Coalition Party, Tiit VAHI, chairman; Country People's Party, Arnold RUUTEL, chairman; Farmer's Assembly, Jaak-Hans KUKS, chairman; Pensioners' and Families' League; Reform Party-Liberals (RE), Siim KALLAS, chairman; Center Party (K), Edgar SAVISAAR, chairman; Union of Pro Patria (Isaama of Fatherland), Mart LAAR, chairman; National Independence Party (ERSP), Kelam TUNNE, chairman; Our Home is Estonia made up of 2 parties: United Peoples Party and the Russian Party in Estonia; United Peoples Party, Viktor ANDREJEV, chairman; Russian Party in Estonia, Sergei KUZNETSOV, chairman; Moderates (M) made up of 2 parties: Social Democratic Party and Rural Center Party; Social Democratic Party, Eiki NESTOR, chairman; Rural Center Party, Vambo KAAL, chairman; Right-Wingers, Ulo NUGIS, chairman

Member of: BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NACC, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Toomas Hendrik ILVES chancery: 1030 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005, Suite 1000 telephone: [1] (202) 789-0320 FAX: [1] (202) 789-0471 consulate(s) general: New York

US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Keith SMITH embassy: Kentmanni 20, Tallinn EE 0001 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [372] (2) 312-021 through 024 FAX: [372] (2) 312-025

Flag: pre-1940 flag restored by Supreme Soviet in May 1990 - three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), black, and white

@Estonia:Economy

Overview: Bolstered by a widespread national desire to reintegrate into Western Europe, the Estonian government has pursued an ambitious program of market reforms and stabilization measures, which is rapidly transforming the economy. Three years after independence - and two years after the introduction of the kroon - Estonians are beginning to reap tangible benefits; inflation, though still high, was brought down to about 2% per month in second half 1994; production declines have bottomed out with estimated growth of 4% in 1994; and living standards are rising. Economic restructuring has been dramatic. By 1994 the service sector accounted for over 55% of GDP, while the once-dominant heavy industrial sector continues to shrink. The private sector is growing rapidly; the share of the state enterprises in the economy has steadily declined and by late 1994 accounted for only about 40% of GDP. Estonia's foreign trade has shifted rapidly from East to West; the Western industrialized countries now account for two-thirds of foreign trade.

National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $10.4 billion (1994 estimate as extrapolated from World Bank estimate for 1992)

National product real growth rate: 4% (1994 est.)

National product per capita: $6,460 (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.3% per month (1994 average)

Unemployment rate: about 2% in 1994 (official estimate but large number of underemployed workers)

Budget: revenues: $643 million expenditures: $639 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1993 est.)

Exports: $1.65 billion (f.o.b., 1994) commodities: textile 14%, food products 11%, vehicles 11%, metals 11% (1993) partners: Russia, Finland, Sweden, Germany

Imports: $1 billion (c.i.f., 1994) commodities: machinery 18%, fuels 15%, vehicles 14%, textiles 10% (1993) partners: Finland, Russia, Germany, Sweden

External debt: $650 million (end of 1991)

Industrial production: growth rate -27% (1993)

Electricity: capacity: 3,420,000 kW production: 11.3 billion kWh consumption per capita: 6,528 kWh (1993)

Industries: oil shale, shipbuilding, phosphates, electric motors, excavators, cement, furniture, clothing, textiles, paper, shoes, apparel

Agriculture: accounts for 10% of GDP; employs 20% of work force; very efficient by Soviet standards; net exports of meat, fish, dairy products, and potatoes; imports of feedgrains for livestock; fruits and vegetables

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for illicit drugs from Central and Southwest Asia and Latin America to Western Europe; very limited illicit opium producer; mostly for domestic consumption

Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (1992), $10 million

Currency: 1 Estonian kroon (EEK) = 100 cents (introduced in August 1992)

Exchange rates: kroons (EEK) per US$1 - 12.25 (January 1995); note - kroons are tied to the German Deutschmark at a fixed rate of 8 to 1

Fiscal year: calendar year

@Estonia:Transportation

Railroads: total: 1,030 km common carrier lines only; does not include dedicated industrial lines broad gauge: 1,030 km 1.520-m gauge (1990)

Highways: total: 30,300 km paved or graveled: 29,200 km unpaved: earth 1,100 km (1990)

Inland waterways: 500 km perennially navigable

Pipelines: natural gas 420 km (1992)

Ports: Haapsalu, Narva, Novotallin, Paldiski, Parnu, Tallinn

Merchant marine: total: 65 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 415,332 GRT/532,749 DWT ships by type: bulk 6, cargo 44, container 2, oil tanker 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 7, short-sea passenger 4

Airports: total: 22 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 3 with unpaved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 2 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 4 with unpaved runways under 914 m: 5

@Estonia:Communications