Chapter V (20)

Constitution: no formal constitution; some of the functions of a
constitution are filled by the Declaration of Establishment (1948),
the basic laws of the parliament (Knesset), and the Israeli
citizenship law

Legal system: mixture of English common law, British Mandate
regulations, and, in personal matters, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim
legal systems; in December 1985, Israel informed the UN Secretariat
that it would no longer accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ezer WEIZMAN (since 13 May 1993) was
elected for a five-year term by the Knesset; election last held 24
March 1993 (next to be held NA March 1998); results - Ezer WEIZMAN
elected by Knesset
head of government: Prime Minister Shimon PERES (since 15 November
1995) was appointed by the president following the assassination of
Prime Minister Yitzhak RABIN
cabinet: Cabinet was selected from and approved by the Knesset

Legislative branch: unicameral
parliament (Knesset): elections last held NA June 1992 (next to be
held 29 May 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats -
(120 total) Labor 44, Likud 32, MERETZ 12, Tzomet 8, National
Religious Party 6, SHAS 6, United Torah Jewry 4, Democratic Front
for Peace and Equality (Hadash) 3, Moledet 3, Arab Democratic Party
2; note - the distribution of seats as of January 1996 is as follows
- Labor Party 45, Likud bloc 33, MERETZ 12, National Religious Party
6, SHAS 6, Tzomet 5, United Torah Jewry 4, Democratic Front for
Peace and Equality (Hadash) 3, Moledet 2, Arab Democratic Party 2,
Yi'ud 1 (in coalition), Right of Israel 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:
members of the government: Labor Party, Prime Minister Shimon PERES;
MERETZ, Minister of Environment Yossi SARID; Yi'ud, Gonen SEGEV
not in coalition but voting with the government: Democratic Front
for Peace and Equality (Hadash), Hashim MAHAMID; Arab Democratic
Party, Abd al Wahab DARAWSHAH
opposition parties: Likud Party, Binyamin NETANYAHU; Tzomet, Rafael
EITAN; National Religious Party, Zevulun HAMMER; United Torah Jewry,
Avraham SHAPIRA; Moledet, Rehavam ZEEVI; Peace Guard (independent),
Shaul GUTMAN; SHAS, Arieh DERI; Right of Israel, leader NA
note: Israel currently has a coalition government comprising three
parties that hold 58 seats of the Knesset's 120 seats

Other political or pressure groups: Gush Emunim, Israeli
nationalists advocating Jewish settlement on the West Bank and Gaza
Strip; Peace Now supports territorial concessions in the West Bank
and is critical of government's Lebanon policy

International organization participation: AG (observer), BSEC
(observer), CCC, CE (observer), CERN (observer), EBRD, ECE, FAO,
IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, OAS (observer), OSCE
(partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Itamar RABINOVICH
chancery: 3514 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 364-5500
FAX: [1] (202) 364-5610
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los
Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, and San Francisco

US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Martin S. INDYK
embassy: 71 Hayarkon Street, Tel Aviv
mailing address: PSC 98, Box 100, APO AE 09830
telephone: [972] (3) 519-7575
FAX: [972] (3) 517-3227
consulate(s) general: Jerusalem

Flag: white with a blue hexagram (six-pointed linear star) known
as the Magen David (Shield of David) centered between two equal
horizontal blue bands near the top and bottom edges of the flag

Economy -------

Economic overview: Israel has a market economy with substantial
government participation. It depends on imports of crude oil,
grains, raw materials, and military equipment. Despite limited
natural resources, Israel has intensively developed its agricultural
and industrial sectors over the past 20 years. Industry employs
about 22% of Israeli workers, agriculture, forestry, and fishing
3.5%, and services the rest. Israel is largely self-sufficient in
food production except for grains. Diamonds, high-technology
equipment, and agricultural products (fruits and vegetables) are
leading exports. Israel usually posts current account deficits,
which are covered by large transfer payments from abroad and by
foreign loans. Roughly half of the government's external debt is
owed to the US, which is its major source of economic and military
aid. To earn needed foreign exchange, Israel has been targeting
high-technology niches in international markets, such as medical
scanning equipment. The influx of Jewish immigrants from the former
USSR, which topped 525,000 during the period 1990-95, increased
unemployment, intensified housing problems, and strained the
government budget. At the same time, the immigrants bring to the
economy valuable scientific and professional expertise.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $80.1 billion (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate: 7.1% (1995 est.)

GDP per capita: $15,500 (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector:
agriculture: 3.5%
industry: 22%
services: 74.5%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10.1% (1995)

Labor force: 1.9 million (1992)
by occupation: public services 29.3%, industry 22.1%, commerce
13.9%, finance and business 10.4%, personal and other services 7.4%,
construction 6.5%, transport, storage, and communications 6.3%,
agriculture, forestry, and fishing 3.5%, other 0.6% (1992)

Unemployment rate: 6.3% (1995 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $41 billion
expenditures: $53 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1996)

Industries: food processing, diamond cutting and polishing,
textiles and apparel, chemicals, metal products, military equipment,
transport equipment, electrical equipment, potash mining,
high-technology electronics, tourism

Industrial production growth rate: 10.3% (1995 est.)

Electricity:
capacity: 4,140,000 kW
production: 23 billion kWh
consumption per capita: 4,290 kWh (1993)

Agriculture: citrus and other fruits, vegetables, cotton; beef,
poultry, dairy products

Illicit drugs: increasingly concerned about cocaine and heroin
abuse and trafficking

Exports: $28.4 billion (f.o.b., 1995 est.)
commodities: machinery and equipment, cut diamonds, chemicals,
textiles and apparel, agricultural products, metals
partners: US, EU, Japan

Imports: $40.1 billion (c.i.f., 1995 est.)
commodities: military equipment, investment goods, rough diamonds,
oil, other productive inputs, consumer goods
partners: EU, US, Japan

External debt: $18.5 billion (1995 est.)

Economic aid:
recipient: total receipts $12.14 billion of which $11.38 billion
from the US (1990-93)

Currency: 1 new Israeli shekel (NIS) = 100 new agorot

Exchange rates: new Israeli shekels (NIS) per US$1 - 3.1295
(January 1996), 3.0113 (1995), 3.0111 (1994), 2.8301 (1993), 2.4591
(1992), 2.2791 (1991)

Fiscal year: calendar year (since 1 January 1992)

Transportation --------------

Railways:
total: 526 km
standard gauge: 526 km 1.435-m gauge

Highways:
total: 13,461 km
paved: 13,461 km (including 56 km of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (1992 est.)

Pipelines: crude oil 708 km; petroleum products 290 km; natural
gas 89 km

Ports: Ashdod, Ashqelon, Elat, Hadera, Haifa, Tel Aviv-Yafo

Merchant marine:
total: 28 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 577,747 GRT/701,459 DWT
ships by type: cargo 5, container 20, refrigerated cargo 2,
roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 (1995 est.)

Airports:
total: 50
with paved runways over 3 047 m: 2
with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 6
with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 7
with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 8
with paved runways under 914 m: 22
with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 2
with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 3 (1995 est.)

Heliports: 2 (1995 est.)

Communications --------------

Telephones: 2.425 million (1990 est.)

Telephone system: most highly developed system in the Middle East
although not the largest
domestic: good system of coaxial cable and microwave radio relay
international: 3 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3
Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 9, FM 45, shortwave 0

Radios: 2.25 million (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 20

Televisions: 1.5 million (1993 est.)

Defense -------

Branches: Israel Defense Forces (includes ground, naval, and air
components), Pioneer Fighting Youth (Nahal), Frontier Guard, Chen
(women); note - historically there have been no separate Israeli
military services

Manpower availability:
males age 15-49: 1,390,603
females age 15-49: 1,363,986
males fit for military service: 1,139,137
females fit for military service: 1,112,947
males reach military age (18) annually: 50,508
females reach military age (18) annually: 48,176 (1996 est.)

Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $9.2 billion,
about 9.8% of GDP (1996)

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

@Italy -----

Map ---

Location: 42 50 N, 12 50 E -- Southern Europe, a peninsula
extending into the central Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia

Flag ----

Description: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side),
white, and red; similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer and
is green (hoist side), white, and orange; also similar to the flag
of the Cote d'Ivoire, which has the colors reversed - orange (hoist
side), white, and green

Geography ---------

Location: Southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the central
Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia

Geographic coordinates: 42 50 N, 12 50 E

Map references: Europe

Area:
total area: 301,230 sq km
land area: 294,020 sq km
comparative area: slightly larger than Arizona
note: includes Sardinia and Sicily

Land boundaries:
total: 1,935.2 km
border countries: Austria 430 km, France 488 km, Holy See (Vatican
City) 3.2 km, San Marino 39 km, Slovenia 235 km, Switzerland 740 km

Coastline: 7,600 km

Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: Italy is negotiating with Slovenia over
property and minority rights issues dating from World War II

Climate: predominantly Mediterranean; Alpine in far north; hot,
dry in south

Terrain: mostly rugged and mountainous; some plains, coastal
lowlands
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mont Blanc 4,807 m

Natural resources: mercury, potash, marble, sulfur, dwindling
natural gas and crude oil reserves, fish, coal

Land use:
arable land: 32%
permanent crops: 10%
meadows and pastures: 17%
forest and woodland: 22%
other: 19%

Irrigated land: 31,000 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment:
current issues: air pollution from industrial emissions such as
sulfur dioxide; coastal and inland rivers polluted from industrial
and agricultural effluents; acid rain damaging lakes; inadequate
industrial waste treatment and disposal facilities
natural hazards: regional risks include landslides, mudflows,
avalanches, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding; land
subsidence in Venice
international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Air
Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air
Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental
Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, 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, Whaling; signed, but not
ratified - Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Desertification

Geographic note: strategic location dominating central
Mediterranean as well as southern sea and air approaches to Western
Europe

People ------

Population: 57,460,274 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 15% (male 4,419,636; female 4,167,860)
15-64 years: 68% (male 19,656,546; female 19,629,291)
65 years and over: 17% (male 3,902,426; female 5,684,515) (July 1996
est.)

Population growth rate: 0.13% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 9.87 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 9.82 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: 1.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
all ages: 0.95 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 6.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.06 years
male: 74.85 years
female: 81.48 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.27 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Italian(s)
adjective: Italian

Ethnic divisions: Italian (includes small clusters of German-,
French-, and Slovene-Italians in the north and Albanian-Italians and
Greek-Italians in the south), Sicilians, Sardinians

Religions: Roman Catholic 98%, other 2%

Languages: Italian, German (parts of Trentino-Alto Adige region
are predominantly German speaking), French (small French-speaking
minority in Valle d'Aosta region), Slovene (Slovene-speaking
minority in the Trieste-Gorizia area)

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
total population: 97%
male: 98%
female: 96%

Government ----------

Name of country:
conventional long form: Italian Republic
conventional short form: Italy
local long form: Repubblica Italiana
local short form: Italia
former: Kingdom of Italy

Data code: IT

Type of government: republic

Capital: Rome

Administrative divisions: 20 regions (regioni, singular -
regione); Abruzzi, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Emilia-Romagna,
Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Lazio, Liguria, Lombardia, Marche, Molise,
Piemonte, Puglia, Sardegna, Sicilia, Toscana, Trentino-Alto Adige,
Umbria, Valle d'Aosta, Veneto

Independence: 17 March 1861 (Kingdom of Italy proclaimed)

National holiday: Anniversary of the Republic, 2 June (1946)

Constitution: 1 January 1948

Legal system: based on civil law system, with ecclesiastical law
influence; appeals treated as trials de novo; judicial review under
certain conditions in Constitutional Court; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal (except in senatorial
elections, where minimum age is 25)

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Oscar Luigi SCALFARO (since 28 May 1992)
was elected for a seven-year term by an electoral college consisting
of both houses of Parliament and 58 regional representatives
head of government: Prime Minister (referred to in Italy as the
President of the Council of Ministers) Romano PRODI (since 18 May
1996) was appointed by the president
cabinet: Council of Ministers was nominated by the President of the
Council (i.e., Prime Minister) and approved by the President of the
Republic

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament (Parlamento)
Senate (Senato della Repubblica): elections last held 22 April 1996
(next to be held by NA); results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (326 total, 315 elected, 11 appointed senators-for-life)
Olive Tree 157, Freedom Alliance 116, Northern League 27, Refounded
Communists 10, regional lists 3, Social Movement-Tricolor Flames 1,
Panella Reformers 1
Chamber of Deputies (Camera dei Deputati): elections last held 22
April 1996 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party
NA; seats - (630 total) Olive Tree 284, Freedom Alliance 246,
Northern League 59, Refounded Communists 35, Southern Tyrol List 3,
Autonomous List 2, other 1

Judicial branch: Constitutional Court (Corte Costituzionale),
composed of 15 judges (one-third appointed by the president,
one-third elected by Parliament, one-third elected by the ordinary
and administrative supreme courts)

Political parties and leaders:
Olive Tree: Democratic Party of the Left (PDS), Massimo D'ALEMA;
Greens, Carlo RIPA DI MEANA; Italian Renewal, Lamberto DINI;
Southern Tyrols List (German speakers)
Freedom Alliance: Forza Italia (FI), Silvio BERLUSCONI; National
Alliance (AN), Gianfranco FINI; Christian Democratic Center (CCD),
Pier Ferdinando CASINI; Democratic Union Party, Antonio MACCANICO
other: Northern League (NL), Umberto BOSSI; Italian Social Movement,
Pino RAUTI; Communist Refoundation (RC), Fausto BERTINOTTI; Italian
Socialists, Enrico BOSELLI; Rete (The Network), Leoluca ORLANDO;
Christian Socialists, Luciano GUERZONI; Democratic Pact for Italy,
Mario SEGNI; Italian Popular Party (PPI), Gerardo BIANCO; Pannella's
Reformers, Marco PANNELLA; Christian Democratic Union (United
Christian Democrats - CDU), Rocco BUTTIGLIONE; Democratic Alliance,
Willer BORDON; Union for the New Republic, Raffaele COSTA; Unitary
Communists, Famiano CRUCIANELLI; Autonomous List (a group of minor
parties); Social Movement-Tricolor Flames

Other political or pressure groups: the Roman Catholic Church;
three major trade union confederations (Confederazione Generale
Italiana del Lavoro or CGIL which is PDS-dominated, Confederazione
Italiana dei Sindacati Lavoratori or CISL which is centrist, and
Unione Italiana del Lavoro or UIL which is center-left); Italian
manufacturers and merchants associations (Confindustria,
Confcommercio); organized farm groups (Confcoltivatori,
Confagricoltura)

International organization participation: AfDB, AG (observer),
AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CDB (non-regional), CE, CEI, CERN,
EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 7, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer),
MINURSO, MTCR, NACC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer),
OECD, OSCE, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UPU,
WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ferdinando SALLEO
chancery: 1601 Fuller Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 328-5500
FAX: [1] (202) 483-2187
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New York, Los
Angeles, Philadelphia, San Francisco
consulate(s): Detroit and New Orleans

US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Reginald BARTHOLOMEW
embassy: Via Veneto 119/A, 00187-Rome
mailing address: PSC 59, Box 100, Rome; APO AE 09624
telephone: [39] (6) 46741
FAX: [39] (6) 488-2672
consulate(s) general: Florence, Milan, Naples

Flag: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and
red; similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer and is green
(hoist side), white, and orange; also similar to the flag of the
Cote d'Ivoire, which has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side),
white, and green

Economy -------

Economic overview: Since World War II, the Italian economy has
changed from one based on agriculture into a ranking industrial
economy, with approximately the same total and per capita output as
France and the UK. The country is still divided into a developed
industrial north, dominated by private companies, and an undeveloped
agricultural south, dominated by large public enterprises. Most raw
materials needed by industry and over 75% of energy requirements
must be imported. In the second half of 1992, Rome became unsettled
by the prospect of not qualifying to participate in EU plans for
economic and monetary union later in the decade; thus, it finally
began to address its huge fiscal imbalances. Subsequently, the
government has adopted fairly stringent budgets, abandoned its
inflationary wage indexation system, and started to scale back its
generous social welfare programs, including pension and health care
benefits. Monetary officials were forced to withdraw the lira from
the European monetary system in September 1992, when it came under
extreme pressure in currency markets. For the 1990s, Italy faces the
problems of pushing ahead with fiscal reform, refurbishing a
tottering communications system, curbing pollution in major
industrial centers, and adjusting to the new competitive forces
accompanying the ongoing expansion and economic integration of the
EU.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.0886 trillion (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate: 3.2% (1995 est.)

GDP per capita: $18,700 (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector:
agriculture: 2.9%
industry: 31.6%
services: 65.5% (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.4% (1995)

Labor force: 23.988 million
by occupation: services 58%, industry 32.2%, agriculture 9.8% (1988)

Unemployment rate: 12.2% (January 1995)

Budget:
revenues: $339 billion
expenditures: $431 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1994 est.)

Industries: tourism, machinery, iron and steel, chemicals, food
processing, textiles, motor vehicles, clothing, footwear, ceramics

Industrial production growth rate: 5.5% (1995 est.)

Electricity:
capacity: 61,630,000 kW
production: 209 billion kWh
consumption per capita: 4,033 kWh (1993)

Agriculture: fruits, vegetables, grapes, potatoes, sugar beets,
soybeans, grain, olives; meat and dairy products; fish catch of
525,000 metric tons in 1990

Illicit drugs: important gateway country for Latin American
cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin entering the European market

Exports: $190.8 billion (f.o.b., 1994)
commodities: metals, textiles and clothing, production machinery,
motor vehicles, transportation equipment, chemicals
partners: EU 53.4%, US 7.8%, OPEC 3.8% (1994)

Imports: $168.7 billion (c.i.f., 1994)
commodities: industrial machinery, chemicals, transport equipment,
petroleum, metals, food, agricultural products
partners: EU 56.3%, OPEC 5.3%, US 4.6% (1994)

External debt: $67 billion (1993 est.)

Economic aid:
donor: ODA, $3.043 billion (1993)

Currency: 1 Italian lira (Lit) = 100 centesimi

Exchange rates: Italian lire (Lit) per US$1 - 1,583.8 (January
1996), 1,629.6 (1995), 1,612.4 (1994), 1,573.7 (1993), 1,232.4
(1992), 1,240.6 (1991)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Transportation --------------

Railways:
total: 18,961 km
standard gauge: 17,981 km 1.435-m gauge; Italian Railways (FS)
operates 16,118 km of the total standard gauge routes (10,560 km
electrified)
narrow gauge: 113 km 1.000-m gauge (113 km electrified); 867 km
0.950-m gauge (144 km electrified)

Highways:
total: 305,388 km (including 45,076 km major roads, 112,111 km
secondary roads, 6,301 km motorways)
paved: 271,674 km
unpaved: 33,714 km (1991 est.)

Waterways: 2,400 km for various types of commercial traffic,
although of limited overall value

Pipelines: crude oil 1,703 km; petroleum products 2,148 km;
natural gas 19,400 km

Ports: Ancona, Augusta, Bari, Cagliari (Sardinia), Catania, Gaeta,
Genoa, La Spezia, Livorno, Naples, Oristano (Sardinia), Palermo
(Sicily), Piombino, Porto Torres (Sardinia), Ravenna, Savona,
Trieste, Venice

Merchant marine:
total: 419 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,480,320
GRT/7,919,064 DWT
ships by type: bulk 35, cargo 57, chemical tanker 39, combination
bulk 1, combination ore/oil 3, container 16, liquefied gas tanker
37, multifunction large-load carrier 1, oil tanker 123, passenger 5,
roll-on/roll-off cargo 53, short-sea passenger 31, specialized
tanker 11, vehicle carrier 7 (1995 est.)

Airports:
total: 132
with paved runways over 3 047 m: 5
with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 34
with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 15
with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 24
with paved runways under 914 m: 32
with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 2
with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 20 (1995 est.)

Heliports: 2 (1995 est.)

Communications --------------

Telephones: 25.6 million (1987 est.)

Telephone system: modern, well-developed, fast; fully automated
telephone, telex, and data services
domestic: high-capacity cable and microwave radio relay trunks
international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (with a total
of 5 antennas - 3 for Atlantic Ocean and 2 for Indian Ocean), 1
Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean Region), and NA Eutelsat; 21 submarine
cables

Radio broadcast stations: AM 135, FM 28 (repeaters 1,840),
shortwave 0

Radios: 45.7 million (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 83 (repeaters 1,000)

Televisions: 24.35 million (1992 est.)

Defense -------

Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Carabinieri

Manpower availability:
males age 15-49: 14,739,097
males fit for military service: 12,769,628
males reach military age (18) annually: 358,884 (1996 est.)

Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $20.4 billion,
1.9% of GDP (1995)

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

@Jamaica -------

Map ---

Location: 18 15 N, 77 30 W -- Caribbean, island in the Caribbean
Sea, south of Cuba

Flag ----

Description: diagonal yellow cross divides the flag into four
triangles - green (top and bottom) and black (hoist side and outer
side)

Geography ---------

Location: Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba

Geographic coordinates: 18 15 N, 77 30 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total area: 10,990 sq km
land area: 10,830 sq km
comparative area: slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 1,022 km

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

International disputes: none

Climate: tropical; hot, humid; temperate interior

Terrain: mostly mountains with narrow, discontinuous coastal plain
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Blue Mountain Peak 2,256 m

Natural resources: bauxite, gypsum, limestone

Land use:
arable land: 19%
permanent crops: 6%
meadows and pastures: 18%
forest and woodland: 28%
other: 29%

Irrigated land: 350 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment:
current issues: deforestation; coastal waters polluted by industrial
waste, sewage, and oil spills; damage to coral reefs; air pollution
in Kingston results from vehicle emissions
natural hazards: hurricanes (especially July to November)
international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear
Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling

Geographic note: strategic location between Cayman Trench and
Jamaica Channel, the main sea lanes for Panama Canal

People ------

Population: 2,595,275 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 32% (male 430,609; female 411,966)
15-64 years: 61% (male 781,626; female 795,808)
65 years and over: 7% (male 77,725; female 97,541) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.8% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 22.19 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 5.57 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: -8.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
all ages: 0.99 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 15.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.88 years
male: 72.6 years
female: 77.29 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.45 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Jamaican(s)
adjective: Jamaican

Ethnic divisions: African 76.3%, Afro-European 15.1%, East Indian
and Afro-East Indian 3%, white 3.2%, Chinese and Afro-Chinese 1.2%,
other 1.2%

Religions: Protestant 55.9% (Church of God 18.4%, Baptist 10%,
Anglican 7.1%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6.9%, Pentecostal 5.2%,
Methodist 3.1%, United Church 2.7%, other 2.5%), Roman Catholic 5%,
other, including some spiritual cults 39.1% (1982)

Languages: English, Creole

Literacy: age 15 and over has ever attended school (1995 est.)
total population: 85%
male: 80.8%
female: 89.1%

Government ----------

Name of country:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Jamaica

Data code: JM

Type of government: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Kingston

Administrative divisions: 14 parishes; Clarendon, Hanover,
Kingston, Manchester, Portland, Saint Andrew, Saint Ann, Saint
Catherine, Saint Elizabeth, Saint James, Saint Mary, Saint Thomas,
Trelawny, Westmoreland

Independence: 6 August 1962 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day (first Monday in August) (1962)

Constitution: 6 August 1962

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), a
hereditary monarch, is represented by Governor General Sir Howard
COOKE (since 1 August 1991) who was appointed by the queen on
recommendation of the prime minister
head of government: Prime Minister Percival James PATTERSON (since
30 March 1992) and the Deputy Prime Minister Seymour MULLINGS (since
NA 1993) were appointed by the governor general
cabinet: Cabinet was appointed by the governor general on the advice
of the prime minister

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament
Senate: consists of a 21-member body appointed by the governor
general
House of Representatives: elections last held 30 March 1993 (next to
be held by March 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats
- (60 total) PNP 52, JLP 8

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges appointed by the governor
general on advice of the prime minister

Political parties and leaders: People's National Party (PNP), P.
J. PATTERSON; Jamaica Labor Party (JLP), Edward SEAGA; National
Democratic Movement (NDM), Bruce GOLDING

Other political or pressure groups: Rastafarians (black
religious/racial cultists, pan-Africanists); New Beginnings Movement
(NBM)

International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CCC,
CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU,
ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO,
ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR,
UNMIH, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Richard Leighton BERNAL
chancery: 1520 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 452-0660
FAX: [1] (202) 452-0081
consulate(s) general: Miami and New York

US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador J. Gary COOPER
embassy: Jamaica Mutual Life Center, 2 Oxford Road, 3rd floor,
Kingston
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [1] (809) 929-4850 through 4859
FAX: [1] (809) 926-6743

Flag: diagonal yellow cross divides the flag into four triangles -
green (top and bottom) and black (hoist side and outer side)

Economy -------

Economic overview: Key sectors in this island economy are bauxite
(alumina and bauxite account for more than half of exports) and
tourism. Since assuming office in 1992, Prime Minister PATTERSON has
consolidated the market-oriented reforms initiated by his
predecessor, Michael MANLEY, to make Jamaica a regional leader in
economic reform. PATTERSON has eliminated most price controls,
streamlined tax schedules, and privatized government enterprises.
Tight monetary and fiscal policies under an IMF program have helped
slow inflation and stabilize the exchange rate, but, as a result,
economic growth has slowed down and unemployment remains high.
Jamaica's medium-term prospects depend largely on its ability to
continue to attract foreign capital and limit speculation against
the Jamaican dollar.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $8.2 billion (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate: 0.8% (1995 est.)

GDP per capita: $3,200 (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector:
agriculture: 7.9%
industry: 28.1%
services: 64% (1993 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 25.5% (1995)

Labor force: 1,062,100
by occupation: services 41%, agriculture 22.5%, industry 19%,
unemployed 17.5% (1989)

Unemployment rate: 15.4% (1994 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $1.45 billion
expenditures: $2 billion, including capital expenditures of $732
million (FY95/96 est.)

Industries: bauxite, tourism, textiles, food processing, light
manufactures

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity:
capacity: 730,000 kW
production: 2.6 billion kWh
consumption per capita: 988 kWh (1993)

Agriculture: sugarcane, bananas, coffee, citrus, potatoes,
vegetables; poultry, goats, milk

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for cocaine from Central and
South America to North America and Europe; illicit cultivation of
cannabis; government has an active cannabis eradication program

Exports: $2 billion (f.o.b., 1995 est.)
commodities: alumina, bauxite, sugar, bananas, rum
partners: US 47%, UK 11%, Canada 9%, Norway 7%, France 4% (1993)

Imports: $2.7 billion (f.o.b., 1995 est.)
commodities: machinery and transport equipment, construction
materials, fuel, food, chemicals
partners: US 54%, Japan 4.0%, Mexico 6%, UK 4%, Venezuela 3% (1993)

External debt: $3.6 billion (1994 est.)

Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $239 million (1993)

Currency: 1 Jamaican dollar (J$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: Jamaican dollars (J$) per US$1 - 39.86 (December
1995), 33.086 (1994), 24.949 (1993), 22.960 (1992), 12.116 (1991)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Transportation --------------

Railways:
total: 272 km
standard gauge: 272 km 1.435-m gauge; note - 207 km belonging to the
Jamaica Railway Corporation which were in common carrier service are
no longer operational; the remaining track is privately owned and
used to transport bauxite

Highways:
total: 18,094 km
paved: 12,528 km
unpaved: 5,566 km (1988 est.)

Pipelines: petroleum products 10 km

Ports: Alligator Pond, Discovery Bay, Kingston, Montego Bay, Ocho
Rios, Port Antonio, Longs Wharf, Rocky Point

Merchant marine:
total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,435 GRT/6,105 DWT
ships by type: oil tanker 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 (1995 est.)

Airports:
total: 27
with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 2
with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 3
with paved runways under 914 m: 21
with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 1 (1995 est.)

Communications --------------

Telephones: 212,257 (1991 est.)

Telephone system: fully automatic domestic telephone network
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic
Ocean); 3 coaxial submarine cables

Radio broadcast stations: AM 10, FM 17, shortwave 0

Radios: 1.04 million (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 8

Televisions: 330,000 (1992 est.)

Defense -------

Branches: Jamaica Defense Force (includes Ground Forces, Coast
Guard and Air Wing), Jamaica Constabulary Force

Manpower availability:
males age 15-49: 680,965
males fit for military service: 481,616
males reach military age (18) annually: 25,810 (1996 est.)

Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $30 million, NA%
of GDP (FY95/96)

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

@Jan Mayen ---------

(territory of Norway)

Map ---

Location: 71 00 N, 8 00 W -- Northern Europe, island between the
Greenland Sea and the Norwegian Sea, northeast of Iceland

Flag ----

Description: the flag of Norway is used

Geography ---------

Location: Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and
the Norwegian Sea, northeast of Iceland

Geographic coordinates: 71 00 N, 8 00 W

Map references: Arctic Region

Area:
total area: 373 sq km
land area: 373 sq km
comparative area: slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 124.1 km

Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 10 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 4 nm

International disputes: none

Climate: arctic maritime with frequent storms and persistent fog

Terrain: volcanic island, partly covered by glaciers
lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m
highest point: Haakon VII Toppen (Beerenberg) 2,277 m

Natural resources: none

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 0%
forest and woodland: 0%
other: 100%

Irrigated land: 0 sq km

Environment:
current issues: NA
natural hazards: dominated by the volcano Beerenberg; volcanic
activity resumed in 1970
international agreements: NA

Geographic note: barren volcanic island with some moss and grass

People ------

Population: no permanent inhabitants; note - there are personnel
who man the Long Range Navigation (LORAN) C base and the weather and
coastal services radio station

Government ----------

Name of country:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Jan Mayen

Data code: JN

Type of government: territory of Norway

Capital: none

Independence: none (territory of Norway)

Executive branch: administered from Oslo, Norway, through a
governor (sysselmann) resident in Longyearbyen (Svalbard); however,
authority has been delegated to a station commander of the Norwegian
Defense Communication Service

Flag: the flag of Norway is used

Economy -------

Economic overview: Jan Mayen is a volcanic island with no
exploitable natural resources. Economic activity is limited to
providing services for employees of Norway's radio and
meteorological stations located on the island.

Electricity:
capacity: 15,000 kW
production: 40 million kWh
consumption per capita: NA kWh (1992)

Transportation --------------

Highways:
total: NA km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km

Ports: none; offshore anchorage only

Airports:
total: 1
with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 1 (1995 est.)

Communications --------------

Telephone system:
domestic: NA
international: NA

Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA
note: radio and meteorological station

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: NA

Televisions: NA

Defense -------

Defense note: defense is the responsibility of Norway

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

@Japan -----

Map ---

Location: 36 00 N, 138 00 E -- Eastern Asia, island chain between
the North Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, east of the Korean
Peninsula

Flag ----

Description: white with a large red disk (representing the sun
without rays) in the center

Geography ---------

Location: Eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific
Ocean and the Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula

Geographic coordinates: 36 00 N, 138 00 E

Map references: Asia

Area:
total area: 377,835 sq km
land area: 374,744 sq km
comparative area: slightly smaller than California
note: includes Bonin Islands (Ogasawara-gunto), Daito-shoto,
Minami-jima, Okinotori-shima, Ryukyu Islands (Nansei-shoto), and
Volcano Islands (Kazan-retto)

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 29,751 km

Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm; 3 nm in the international straits - La
Perouse or Soya, Tsugaru, Osumi, and Eastern and Western Channels of
the Korea or Tsushima Strait

International disputes: islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, Shikotan,
and the Habomai group occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945, now
administered by Russia, claimed by Japan; Liancourt Rocks disputed
with South Korea; Senkaku-shoto (Senkaku Islands) claimed by China
and Taiwan

Climate: varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north

Terrain: mostly rugged and mountainous
lowest point: Hachiro-gata -4 m
highest point: Fujiyama 3,776 m

Natural resources: negligible mineral resources, fish

Land use:
arable land: 13%
permanent crops: 1%
meadows and pastures: 1%
forest and woodland: 67%
other: 18%

Irrigated land: 28,680 sq km (1989)

Environment:
current issues: air pollution from power plant emissions results in
acid rain; acidification of lakes and reservoirs degrading water
quality and threatening aquatic life; Japan's appetite for fish and
tropical timber is contributing to the depletion of these resources
in Asia and elsewhere
natural hazards: many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500
seismic occurrences (mostly tremors) every year; tsunamis
international agreements: party to - Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Antarctic-Environmental
Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Tropical Timber 94

Geographic note: strategic location in northeast Asia

People ------

Population: 125,449,703 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 16% (male 10,121,414; female 9,644,243)
15-64 years: 69% (male 43,624,464; female 43,359,249)
65 years and over: 15% (male 7,737,781; female 10,962,552) (July
1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.21% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 10.19 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 7.71 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
all ages: 0.96 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 4.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.55 years
male: 76.57 years
female: 82.68 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.46 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Japanese (singular and plural)
adjective: Japanese

Ethnic divisions: Japanese 99.4%, other 0.6% (mostly Korean)

Religions: observe both Shinto and Buddhist 84%, other 16%
(including Christian 0.7%)

Languages: Japanese

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1970 est.)
total population: 99%
male: NA%
female: NA%

Government ----------

Name of country:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Japan

Data code: JA

Type of government: constitutional monarchy

Capital: Tokyo

Administrative divisions: 47 prefectures; Aichi, Akita, Aomori,
Chiba, Ehime, Fukui, Fukuoka, Fukushima, Gifu, Gumma, Hiroshima,
Hokkaido, Hyogo, Ibaraki, Ishikawa, Iwate, Kagawa, Kagoshima,
Kanagawa, Kochi, Kumamoto, Kyoto, Mie, Miyagi, Miyazaki, Nagano,
Nagasaki, Nara, Niigata, Oita, Okayama, Okinawa, Osaka, Saga,
Saitama, Shiga, Shimane, Shizuoka, Tochigi, Tokushima, Tokyo,
Tottori, Toyama, Wakayama, Yamagata, Yamaguchi, Yamanashi

Independence: 660 BC (traditional founding by Emperor Jimmu)

National holiday: Birthday of the Emperor, 23 December (1933)

Constitution: 3 May 1947

Legal system: modeled after European civil law system with
English-American influence; judicial review of legislative acts in
the Supreme Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
reservations

Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Emperor AKIHITO (since 7 January 1989) is a
constitutional monarch
head of government: Prime Minister Ryutaro HASHIMOTO (since 11
January 1996) and Deputy Prime Minister Wataru KUBO (since 11
January 1996) were designated by the Diet and appointed by the
emperor
cabinet: Cabinet was appointed by the prime minister

Legislative branch: bicameral Diet (Kokkai)
House of Councillors (Sangi-in): half of the members elected every
three years to six-year terms; elections last held 23 July 1995
(next to be held NA 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (252 total, with 126 up for election) LDP 110 (49 newly
won), Shinshinto 56 (40 newly won), SDP 38 (16 newly won), JCP 14 (8
newly won), Sakigate 3 (3 newly won), others 19 (4 newly won),
independents 12 (6 newly won); note - the distribution of seats as
of 1 March 1996 is as follows - LDP 111, Heisei-kai 69, SDP 35, JCP
14, Sakigake 3, others and independents 19, vacancies 1
House of Representatives (Shugi-in): all members elected every four
years to four-year terms; elections last held 18 July 1993 (next to
be held by July 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats
- (511 total) LDP 223, SDP 70, Shinseito 55, Komeito 51, JNP 35, JCP
15, DSP 15, Sakigake 13, others 4, independents 30; note - the
distribution of seats as of 1 March 1996 is as follows - LDP 207,
Shinshinto 170, SDP 63, Sakigake 22, JCP 15, others and independents
19, vacant 15

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, chief justice is appointed by the
emperor after designation by the cabinet, all other justices are
appointed by the cabinet

Political parties and leaders: Liberal Democratic Party (LDP),
Ryutaro HASHIMOTO, president and Koichi KATO, secretary general;
Social Democratic Party (SDP), Tomiichi MURAYAMA, president and
Kanju SATO, secretary general; Sakigake (Harbinger), Masayoshi
TAKEMURA, chairman and Yukio HATOYAMA, secretary general; Shinshinto
(New Frontier Party, NFP), Ichiro OZAWA, chairman and Takashi
YONEZAWA, secretary general; Japan Communist Party (JCP), Tetsuzo
FUWA, presidium chairman
note: Shinshinto was formed in December 1994 by the merger of
Shinseito (Japan Renewal Party, JRP), Komeito (Clean Government
Party, CGP), Japan New Party (JNP), Democratic Socialist Party
(DSP), and several minor groups; Heisei-kai is a joint bloc of
Shinshinto and Komei members; Komei is a group formed from what
remains of Komeito in the upper house

International organization participation: AfDB, AG (observer),
APEC, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, G- 2,
G- 5, G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ISO, ITU, MTCR, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OSCE (partner),
PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNRWA, UNU, UPU,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Kunihiko SAITO
chancery: 2520 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 939-6700
FAX: [1] (202) 328-2187
consulate(s) general: Agana (Guam), Anchorage, Atlanta, Boston,
Chicago, Detroit, Honolulu, Houston, Kansas City (Missouri), Los
Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Portland (Oregon), San
Francisco, and Seattle
consulate(s): Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands)

US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Walter F. MONDALE
embassy: 10-5, Akasaka 1-chome, Minato-ku (107), Tokyo
mailing address: Unit 45004, Box 258, APO AP 96337-0001
telephone: [81] (3) 3224-5000
FAX: [81] (3) 3505-1862
consulate(s) general: Naha (Okinawa), Osaka-Kobe, Sapporo
consulate(s): Fukuoka, Nagoya

Flag: white with a large red disk (representing the sun without
rays) in the center

Economy -------

Economic overview: Government-industry cooperation, a strong work
ethic, mastery of high technology, and a comparatively small defense
allocation (roughly 1% of GDP) have helped Japan advance with
extraordinary rapidity to the rank of second most powerful economy
in the world. One notable characteristic of the economy is the
working together of manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors in
closely knit groups called keiretsu. A second basic feature has been
the guarantee of lifetime employment for a substantial portion of
the urban labor force; this guarantee is slowly eroding. Industry,
the most important sector of the economy, is heavily dependent on
imported raw materials and fuels. The much smaller agricultural
sector is highly subsidized and protected, with crop yields among
the highest in the world. Usually self-sufficient in rice, Japan
must import about 50% of its requirements of other grain and fodder
crops. Japan maintains one of the world's largest fishing fleets and
accounts for nearly 15% of the global catch. For three decades
overall economic growth had been spectacular: a 10% average in the
1960s, a 5% average in the 1970s and 1980s. Growth came to a halt in
1992-95 largely because of the aftereffects of overinvestment during
the late 1980s and contractionary domestic policies intended to
wring speculative excesses from the stock and real estate markets.
At yearend 1995, the financial structure is shaky with banks holding
hundreds of billions of dollars of suspect assets. At the same time,
the continued basic strength of the economy has been reflected in
substantial trade surpluses, sizable foreign investments, and
remarkably low rates of unemployment, inflation, and social
disorder. The crowding of the habitable land area and the aging of
the population are two major long-run problems.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $2.6792 trillion (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate: 0.3% (1995 est.)

GDP per capita: $21,300 (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector:
agriculture: 2.1%
industry: 40.2%
services: 57.7% (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): -0.1% (1995)

Labor force: 65.87 million (December 1994)
by occupation: trade and services 54%, manufacturing, mining, and
construction 33%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 7%, government
3%, other 3% (1988)

Unemployment rate: 3.1% (1995)

Budget:
revenues: $595 billion
expenditures: $829 billion, including capital expenditures (public
works only) of about $122 billion (1995 est.)

Industries: among world's largest and technologically advanced
producers of steel and non-ferrous metallurgy, heavy electrical
equipment, construction and mining equipment, motor vehicles and
parts, electronic and telecommunication equipment, machine tools,
automated production systems, locomotives and railroad rolling
stock, ships, chemicals; textiles, processed foods

Industrial production growth rate: 3.3% (1995)

Electricity:
capacity: 205,140,000 kW (1993)
production: 915 billion kWh (1995)
consumption per capita: 7,293 kWh (1995)

Agriculture: rice, sugar beets, vegetables, fruit; pork, poultry,
dairy products, eggs; world's largest fish catch of 10 million
metric tons in 1991

Exports: $442.84 billion (f.o.b., 1995)
commodities: manufactures 97% (including machinery 46%, motor
vehicles 20%, consumer electronics 10%)
partners: Southeast Asia 38%, US 27%, Western Europe 17%, China 5%

Imports: $336.09 billion (c.i.f., 1995)
commodities: manufactures 52%, fossil fuels 20%, foodstuffs and raw
materials 28%
partners: Southeast Asia 25%, US 22%, Western Europe 16%, China 11%

External debt: $NA

Economic aid:
donor: ODA, $11.259 billion (1993)
note: ODA and OOF commitments (1970-95), $143 billion

Currency: yen (Y)

Exchange rates: yen (Y) per US$1 - 105.84 (January 1996), 94.06
(1995), 102.21 (1994), 111.20 (1993), 126.65 (1992), 134.71 (1991)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Transportation --------------

Railways:
total: 26,506 km
standard gauge: 3,233 km 1.435-m gauge (entirely electrified)
narrow gauge: 72 km 1.372-m gauge (72 km electrified); 23,154 km
1.067-m gauge (13,835 km electrified); 47 km 0.762-m gauge (47 km
electrified) (1994)

Highways:
total: 1,112,844 km
paved: 790,119 km (including 5,054 km of expressways)
unpaved: 322,725 km (1992 est.)

Waterways: about 1,770 km; seagoing craft ply all coastal inland
seas

Pipelines: crude oil 84 km; petroleum products 322 km; natural gas
1,800 km

Ports: Akita, Amagasaki, Chiba, Hachinohe, Hakodate,
Higashi-Harima, Himeji, Hiroshima, Kawasaki, Kinuura, Kobe, Kushiro,
Mizushima, Moji, Nagoya, Osaka, Sakai, Sakaide, Shimizu, Tokyo,
Tomakomai

Merchant marine:
total: 796 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 15,944,137
GRT/23,662,930 DWT
ships by type: bulk 192, cargo 57, chemical tanker 6, combination
bulk 2, combination ore/oil 6, container 38, liquefied gas tanker
39, oil tanker 259, passenger 9, passenger-cargo 3, refrigerated
cargo 35, roll-on/roll-off cargo 43, short-sea passenger 28,
specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 77
note: Japan owns an additional 1,587 ships (1,000 GRT or over)
totaling 50,072,815 DWT operating under the registries of Panama,
Liberia, Vanuatu, The Bahamas, Singapore, Cyprus, Philippines, Hong
Kong, and Malta (1995 est.)

Airports:
total: 164
with paved runways over 3 047 m: 6
with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 32
with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 34
with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 30
with paved runways under 914 m: 60
with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 2 (1995 est.)

Heliports: 11 (1995 est.)

Communications --------------

Telephones: 64 million (1987 est.)

Telephone system: excellent domestic and international service
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (4 Pacific
Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean Region), and
1 Inmarsat (Pacific and Indian Ocean Regions); submarine cables to
China, Philippines, Russia, and US (via Guam)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 318, FM 58, shortwave 0

Radios: 97 million (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 12,350 (1 kW or greater 196)

Televisions: 100 million (1993 est.)

Defense -------

Branches: Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (Army), Japan Maritime
Self-Defense Force (Navy), Japan Air Self-Defense Force (Air Force)

Manpower availability:
males age 15-49: 31,833,691
males fit for military service: 27,322,517
males reach military age (18) annually: 858,912 (1996 est.)

Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $50.2 billion, 1%
of GDP (FY95/96)

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

@Jarvis Island -------------

(territory of the US)

Map ---

Location: 0 22 S, 160 03 W -- Oceania, island in the South Pacific
Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to the Cook Islands

Flag ----

Description: the flag of the US is used

Geography ---------

Location: Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, about
one-half of the way from Hawaii to the Cook Islands

Geographic coordinates: 0 22 S, 160 03 W

Map references: Oceania

Area:
total area: 4.5 sq km
land area: 4.5 sq km
comparative area: about eight times the size of The Mall in
Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 8 km

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

International disputes: none

Climate: tropical; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun

Terrain: sandy, coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 23 m

Natural resources: guano (deposits worked until late 1800s)

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 0%
forest and woodland: 0%
other: 100%

Irrigated land: 0 sq km

Environment:
current issues: no natural fresh water resources
natural hazards: the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can
be a maritime hazard
international agreements: NA

Geographic note: sparse bunch grass, prostrate vines, and
low-growing shrubs; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging
habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife; feral cats

People ------

Population: uninhabited; note - Millersville settlement on western
side of island occasionally used as a weather station from 1935
until World War II, when it was abandoned; reoccupied in 1957 during
the International Geophysical Year by scientists who left in 1958;
public entry is by special-use permit only and generally restricted
to scientists and educators

Government ----------

Name of country:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Jarvis Island

Data code: DQ

Type of government: unincorporated territory of the US
administered by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department
of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge System

Capital: none; administered from Washington, DC

Flag: the flag of the US is used

Economy -------

Economic overview: no economic activity

Transportation --------------

Ports: none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one boat
landing area in the middle of the west coast and another near the
southwest corner of the island

Transportation note: there is a day beacon near the middle of the
west coast

Defense -------

Defense note: defense is the responsibility of the US; visited
annually by the US Coast Guard

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

@Jersey ------

(British crown dependency)

Map ---

Location: 49 15 N, 2 10 W -- Western Europe, island in the English
Channel, northwest of France

Flag ----

Description: white with the diagonal red cross of Saint Patrick
(patron saint of Ireland) extending to the corners of the flag

Geography ---------

Location: Western Europe, island in the English Channel, northwest
of France

Geographic coordinates: 49 15 N, 2 10 W

Map references: Europe

Area:
total area: 117 sq km
land area: 117 sq km
comparative area: about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 70 km

Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
territorial sea: 3 nm

International disputes: none

Climate: temperate; mild winters and cool summers

Terrain: gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north
coast
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 143 m

Natural resources: agricultural land

Land use:
arable land: 57%
permanent crops: NA%
meadows and pastures: NA%
forest and woodland: NA%
other: NA%

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Environment:
current issues: NA
natural hazards: NA
international agreements: NA

Geographic note: largest and southernmost of Channel Islands;
about 30% of population concentrated in Saint Helier

People ------

Population: 87,848 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 17% (male 7,787; female 7,284)
15-64 years: 69% (male 29,928; female 30,395)
65 years and over: 14% (male 5,107; female 7,347) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.77% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 12.93 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 9.21 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: 4.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.11 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
all ages: 0.95 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 2.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.36 years
male: 75.63 years
female: 81.39 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.5 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Channel Islander(s)
adjective: Channel Islander

Ethnic divisions: UK and Norman-French descent

Religions: Anglican, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Congregational New
Church, Methodist, Presbyterian

Languages: English (official), French (official), Norman-French
dialect spoken in country districts

Literacy: NA

Government ----------

Name of country:
conventional long form: Bailiwick of Jersey
conventional short form: Jersey

Data code: JE

Type of government: British crown dependency

Capital: Saint Helier

Administrative divisions: none (British crown dependency)

Independence: none (British crown dependency)

National holiday: Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)

Constitution: unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and
practice

Legal system: English law and local statute

Suffrage: NA years of age; universal adult

Executive branch:
Chief of State: Queen ELIZABETH II (of the United Kingdom since 6
February 1952) is a hereditary monarch
Head of Government: Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief Sir
Michael WILKES (since NA 1995) and Bailiff Philip Martin BAILHACHE
(since NA 1995) were appointed by the queen
cabinet: committees were appointed by the Assembly of the States

Legislative branch: unicameral
Assembly of the States: elections last held NA (next to be held NA);
results - no percent of vote by party since all are independents;
seats - (56 total, 52 elected) independents 52

Judicial branch: Royal Court, judges elected by an electoral
college and the bailiff

Political parties and leaders: none; all independents

International organization participation: none

Diplomatic representation in US: none (British crown dependency)

US diplomatic representation: none (British crown dependency)

Flag: white with the diagonal red cross of Saint Patrick (patron
saint of Ireland) extending to the corners of the flag

Economy -------

Economic overview: The economy is based largely on financial
services, agriculture, and tourism. Potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes,
and especially flowers are important export crops, shipped mostly to
the UK. The Jersey breed of dairy cattle is known worldwide and
represents an important export earner. Milk products go to the UK
and other EU countries. In 1986 the finance sector overtook tourism
as the main contributor to GDP, accounting for 40% of the island's
output. In recent years, the government has encouraged light
industry to locate in Jersey, with the result that an electronics
industry has developed alongside the traditional manufacturing of
knitwear. All raw material and energy requirements are imported, as
well as a large share of Jersey's food needs.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $NA

GDP real growth rate: NA%

GDP per capita: $NA

GDP composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

Labor force: NA

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget:
revenues: $643.7 million
expenditures: $597.2 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1995 est.)

Industries: tourism, banking and finance, dairy

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity:
capacity: 50,000 kW standby
production: power supplied by France
consumption per capita: NA kWh (1992)

Agriculture: potatoes, cauliflowers, tomatoes; meat, dairy products

Exports: $NA
commodities: light industrial and electrical goods, foodstuffs,
textiles
partners: UK

Imports: $NA
commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods,
foodstuffs, mineral fuels, chemicals
partners: UK

External debt: $NA

Economic aid: none

Currency: 1 Jersey pound (LJ) = 100 pence

Exchange rates: Jersey pounds (LJ) per US$1 - 0.6535 (January
1996), 0.6335 (1995), 0.6529 (1994), 0.6658 (1993), 0.5664 (1992),
0.5652 (1991); the Jersey pound is at par with the British pound

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Transportation --------------

Railways: 0 km

Highways:
total: NA km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km

Ports: Gorey, Saint Aubin, Saint Helier

Merchant marine: none

Airports:
total: 1
with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 1 (1995 est.)

Communications --------------

Telephones: 61,447 (1983 est.)

Telephone system:
domestic: NA
international: 3 submarine cables

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 1

Televisions: NA

Defense -------

Defense note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

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

@Johnston Atoll --------------

(territory of the US)

Map ---

Location: 16 45 N, 169 30 W -- Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific
Ocean, about one-third of the way from Hawaii to the Marshall Islands

Flag ----

Description: the flag of the US is used

Geography ---------