Chapter V (21)

Location: Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about
one-third of the way from Hawaii to the Marshall Islands

Geographic coordinates: 16 45 N, 169 30 W

Map references: Oceania

Area:
total area: 2.8 sq km
land area: 2.8 sq km
comparative area: about 4.7 times the size of The Mall in
Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 10 km

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

International disputes: none

Climate: tropical, but generally dry; consistent northeast trade
winds with little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain: mostly flat
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Summit Peak 5 m

Natural resources: NA; guano deposits worked until depletion about
1890

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: NA
international agreements: NA

Geographic note: strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean;
Johnston Island and Sand Island are natural islands, which have been
expanded by coral dredging; North Island (Akau) and East Island
(Hikina) are manmade islands formed from coral dredging; closed to
the public; former nuclear weapons test site; site of Johnston Atoll
Chemical Agent Disposal System (JACADS); some low-growing vegetation

People ------

Population: no indigenous inhabitants; note - there are 1,200 US
military and civilian contractor personnel (July 1996 est.)

Government ----------

Name of country:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Johnston Atoll

Data code: JQ

Type of government: unincorporated territory of the US
administered by the US Defense Nuclear Agency (DNA) and managed
cooperatively by DNA and the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US
Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge
system

Capital: none

Diplomatic representation in US: none (territory of the US)

US diplomatic representation: none (territory of the US)

Flag: the flag of the US is used

Economy -------

Economic overview: Economic activity is limited to providing
services to US military personnel and contractors located on the
island. All food and manufactured goods must be imported.

Electricity: supplied by the management and operations contractor

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

Railways: 0 km

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

Ports: Johnston Island

Airports:
total: 1
with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 1 (1995 est.)

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

Telephones: NA

Telephone system: 52 telephone lines; excellent system
domestic: 60-channel submarine cable, 22 DSN circuits by satellite,
Autodin with standard remote terminal, digital telephone switch,
Military Affiliated Radio System (MARS station), UHF/VHF air-ground
radio, a link to the Pacific Consolidated Telecommunications Network
(PCTN) satellite, and amateur radio
international: NA

Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM 5, shortwave NA

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: NA

Televisions: NA

Defense -------

Defense note: defense is the responsibility of the US

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

@Jordan ------

Map ---

Location: 31 00 N, 36 00 E -- Middle East, northwest of Saudi
Arabia

Flag ----

Description: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), white,
and green with a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side
bearing a small white seven-pointed star; the seven points on the
star represent the seven fundamental laws of the Koran

Geography ---------

Location: Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates: 31 00 N, 36 00 E

Map references: Middle East

Area:
total area: 89,213 sq km
land area: 88,884 sq km
comparative area: slightly smaller than Indiana

Land boundaries:
total: 1,619 km
border countries: Iraq 181 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi Arabia 728 km,
Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km

Coastline: 26 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 3 nm

International disputes: none

Climate: mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to
April)

Terrain: mostly desert plateau in east, highland area in west;
Great Rift Valley separates East and West Banks of the Jordan River
lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
highest point: Jabal Ram 1,754 m

Natural resources: phosphates, potash, shale oil

Land use:
arable land: 4%
permanent crops: 0.5%
meadows and pastures: 1%
forest and woodland: 0.5%
other: 94%

Irrigated land: 570 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment:
current issues: limited natural fresh water resources;
deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
natural hazards: NA
international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test
Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified -
Desertification, Law of the Sea

People ------

Population: 4,212,152 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 44% (male 949,822; female 903,043)
15-64 years: 53% (male 1,153,360; female 1,091,416)
65 years and over: 3% (male 57,783; female 56,728) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.65% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 36.67 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 3.95 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: -6.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female
all ages: 1.05 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 31.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.48 years
male: 70.62 years
female: 74.45 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.1 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Jordanian(s)
adjective: Jordanian

Ethnic divisions: Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1%

Religions: Sunni Muslim 92%, Christian 8%

Languages: Arabic (official), English widely understood among
upper and middle classes

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 86.6%
male: 93.4%
female: 79.4%

Government ----------

Name of country:
conventional long form: Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
conventional short form: Jordan
local long form: Al Mamlakah al Urduniyah al Hashimiyah
local short form: Al Urdun
former: Transjordan

Data code: JO

Type of government: constitutional monarchy

Capital: Amman

Administrative divisions: 8 governorates (muhafazat, singular -
muhafazah); Al Balqa', Al Karak, Al Mafraq, 'Amman, At Tafilah, Az
Zarqa', Irbid, Ma'an

Independence: 25 May 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under
British administration)

National holiday: Independence Day, 25 May (1946)

Constitution: 8 January 1952

Legal system: based on Islamic law and French codes; judicial
review of legislative acts in a specially provided High Tribunal;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: King HUSSEIN Bin Talal Al Hashimi (since 2 May 1953)
is a constitutional monarch
head of government: Prime Minister Abd al-Karim al-KABARITI (since 4
February 1996) was appointed by the king
cabinet: Cabinet was appointed by the king

Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly (Majlis al-'Umma)
House of Notables (Majlis al-A'ayan): consists of a 40-member body
appointed by the king from designated categories of public figures
House of Representatives: elections last held 8 November 1993 (next
to be held NA November 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (80 total) IAF 16, Jordanian National Alliance Party 4,
Al-Yaqazah Party 2, Al-Watan Party 2, Al-'Ahd Party 2, Jordanian
Arab Democratic Party 2, Al-Mustaqbal Party 1, Jordanian Arab
Socialist Ba'th Party 1, Jordanian Democratic Progressive Party 1,
Jordanian People's Democratic Party-Hashd 1, Jordanian Socialist
Democratic Party 1, independents 47
note: the House of Representatives has been convened and dissolved
by the king several times since 1974; in November 1989 the first
parliamentary elections in 22 years were held

Judicial branch: Court of Cassation

Political parties and leaders: Al-'Ahd (Pledge) Party, 'Abd
al-Hadi al-MAJALI, secretary general; Al-Ahrar (Liberals) Party,
Ahmad al-ZU'BI, secretary general; Al-Taqaddumi (Progressive) Party,
Fawwaz al-ZUBI, secretary general; Al-Watan (Homeland) Party, 'Akif
al-FAYIZ; Al-Yaqazah (Awakening) Party, 'Abd al-Ra'uf al-RAWABIDAH,
secretary general; Constitutional Jordanian Arab Front Party, Milhim
al-TALL; Democratic Arab Islamic Movement Party-Du'a', Yusuf Abu
BAKR, secretary general; Democratic Arab Unionist Party-Wad, Anis
al-MU'ASHIR, secretary general; Islamic Action Front (IAF), Ishaq
al-FARHAN, secretary general; Jordanian Arab Masses Party, 'Abd
al-Khaliq SHATAT, secretary general; Jordanian Arab Socialist Ba'th
Party, Taysir al-HIMSI, command first secretary; Jordanian Communist
Party (JCP), Ya'qub ZAYADIN, secretary general; Jordanian Democratic
Popular Unity Party, 'Azmi al-KHAWAJA, secretary general; Jordanian
National Alliance Party, Mijhim al-KHURAYSHAH, secretary general;
Jordanian People's Democratic Party-Hashd, Salim al-NAHHAS,
secretary general; Jordanian Unionist Democratic Party, 'Isa MADANAT
(secretary general), Ali AMIR (secretary general), Munis al-RAZZAZ
(secretary general); Pan-Arab Action Front Party, Muhammad al-ZU'BI,
secretary general; Popular Unity Party-the Unionists, Mustafa
AL-'ISAWI, secretary general; Progress and Justice Party, 'Ali
al-SA'D, secretary general; Progressive Arab Ba'th Party, Mahmud
al-MA'AYITAH, command secretary; Al-Mustaqbal (Future) Party,
Sulayman 'ARAR, secretary general; Jordanian Arab Partisans Party,
Muhammad al-MAJALI, leader, Muhammad SHURAYDAH, secretary general
note: in 1995, the Jordanian Arab Democratic Party, the Jordanian
Democratic Progressive Party, and the Jordanian Socialist Democratic
Party merged to form the Jordanian Unionist Democratic Party

International organization participation: ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AL,
AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA,
IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM
(observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, PCA, UN, UNAMIR,
UNAVEM III, UNCRO, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIH, UNMOT, UNOMIG,
UNOMIL, UNPREDEP, UNPROFOR, UNRWA, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Fayiz A. TARAWNEH
chancery: 3504 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 966-2664
FAX: [1] (202) 966-3110

US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Wesley W. EGAN, Jr.
embassy: Jabel Amman, Amman
mailing address: P. O. Box 354, Amman 11118 Jordan; APO AE 09892-0200
telephone: [962] (6) 820101
FAX: [962] (6) 820159

Flag: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), white, and
green with a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bearing
a small white seven-pointed star; the seven points on the star
represent the seven fundamental laws of the Koran

Economy -------

Economic overview: Jordan is a small Arab country with inadequate
supplies of water and other natural resources such as oil and coal.
Jordan benefited from increased Arab aid during the oil boom of the
late 1970s and early 1980s, when its annual real GNP growth averaged
more than 10%. In the remainder of the 1980s, however, reductions in
both Arab aid and worker remittances slowed real economic growth to
an average of roughly 2% per year. Imports - mainly oil, capital
goods, consumer durables, and food - outstripped exports, with the
difference covered by aid, remittances, and borrowing. In mid-1989,
the Jordanian Government began debt-rescheduling negotiations and
agreed to implement an IMF-supported program designed to gradually
reduce the budget deficit and implement badly needed structural
reforms. The Persian Gulf crisis that began in August 1990, however,
aggravated Jordan's already serious economic problems, forcing the
government to shelve the IMF program, stop most debt payments, and
suspend rescheduling negotiations. Aid from Gulf Arab states, worker
remittances, and trade contracted; and refugees flooded the country,
producing serious balance-of-payments problems, stunting GDP growth,
and straining government resources. The economy rebounded in 1992,
largely due to the influx of capital repatriated by workers
returning from the Gulf, but the recovery was uneven throughout 1994
and 1995. The government is implementing the reform program adopted
in 1992 and continues to secure rescheduling and write-offs of its
heavy foreign debt. Debt, poverty, and unemployment remain Jordan's
biggest on-going problems.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $19.3 billion (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate: 6.5% (1995 est.)

GDP per capita: $4,700 (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector:
agriculture: 11%
industry: 25%
services: 64% (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (1995 est.)

Labor force: 600,000 (1992)
by occupation: industry 11.4%, commerce, restaurants, and hotels
10.5%, construction 10.0%, transport and communications 8.7%,
agriculture 7.4%, other services 52.0% (1992)

Unemployment rate: 16% (1994 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $2.5 billion
expenditures: $2.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $640
million (1996 est.)

Industries: phosphate mining, petroleum refining, cement, potash,
light manufacturing

Industrial production growth rate: 5.6% (1994 est.)

Electricity:
capacity: 1,050,000 kW
production: 4.2 billion kWh
consumption per capita: 1,072 kWh (1993)

Agriculture: wheat, barley, citrus, tomatoes, melons, olives;
sheep, goats, poultry

Exports: $1.7 billion (f.o.b., 1994)
commodities: phosphates, fertilizers, potash, agricultural products,
manufactures
partners: India, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, EU, Indonesia, UAE

Imports: $3.8 billion (c.i.f., 1994)
commodities: crude oil, machinery, transport equipment, food, live
animals, manufactured goods
partners: EU, US, Iraq, Japan, Turkey

External debt: $6.9 billion (1995 est.)

Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $238 million (1993)

Currency: 1 Jordanian dinar (JD) = 1,000 fils

Exchange rates: Jordanian dinars (JD) per US$1 - 0.7090 (January
1996), 0.7005 (1995), 0.6987 (1994), 0.6928 (1993), 0.6797 (1992),
0.6808 (1991)

Fiscal year: calendar year

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

Railways:
total: 676 km
narrow gauge: 676 km 1.050-m gauge; note - an additional 110 km
stretch of the old Hedjaz railroad is out of use

Highways:
total: 5,680 km
paved: 5,680 km (including 1,712 km of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (1991 est.)

Pipelines: crude oil 209 km

Ports: Al'Aqabah

Merchant marine:
total: 3 bulk ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 41,960 GRT/67,515
DWT (1995 est.)

Airports:
total: 14
with paved runways over 3 047 m: 10
with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 3
with paved runways under 914 m: 1 (1995 est.)

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

Telephones: 81,500 (1987 est.)

Telephone system: adequate telephone system
domestic: microwave radio relay, cable, and radiotelephone links
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic
Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; coaxial cable and microwave
radio relay to Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Syria; microwave radio relay
to Lebanon is inactive; participant in Medarabtel

Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 7, shortwave 0

Radios: 1.1 million (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 8 and 1 TV receive-only satellite
link

Televisions: 350,000 (1992 est.)

Defense -------

Branches: Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF; includes Royal Jordanian
Land Force, Royal Naval Force, and Royal Jordanian Air Force);
Ministry of the Interior's Public Security Force (falls under JAF
only in wartime or crisis situations)

Manpower availability:
males age 15-49: 1,011,588
males fit for military service: 721,460
males reach military age (18) annually: 45,406 (1996 est.)

Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $589 million,
8.2% of GDP (1996)

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

@Juan de Nova Island -------------------

(possession of France)

Map ---

Location: 17 03 S, 42 45 E -- Southern Africa, island in the
Mozambique Channel, about one-third of the way between Madagascar
and Mozambique

Flag ----

Description: the flag of France is used

Geography ---------

Location: Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about
one-third of the way between Madagascar and Mozambique

Geographic coordinates: 17 03 S, 42 45 E

Map references: Africa

Area:
total area: 4.4 sq km
land area: 4.4 sq km
comparative area: about seven times the size of The Mall in
Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 24.1 km

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

International disputes: claimed by Madagascar

Climate: tropical

Terrain: NA
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 10 m

Natural resources: guano deposits and other fertilizers

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 0%
forest and woodland: 90%
other: 10%

Irrigated land: 0 sq km

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

Geographic note: wildlife sanctuary

People ------

Population: uninhabited

Government ----------

Name of country:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Juan de Nova Island
local long form: none
local short form: Ile Juan de Nova

Data code: JU

Type of government: French possession administered by Commissioner
of the Republic, resident in Reunion

Capital: none; administered by France from Reunion

Independence: none (possession of France)

Flag: the flag of France is used

Economy -------

Economic overview: no economic activity

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

Railways:
total: NA km; short line going to a jetty

Ports: none; offshore anchorage only

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

Defense -------

Defense note: defense is the responsibility of France

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

@Kazakstan ---------

Map ---

Location: 48 00 N, 68 00 E -- Central Asia, northwest of China

Flag ----

Description: sky blue background representing the endless sky and
a gold sun with 32 rays soaring above a golden steppe eagle in the
center; on the hoist side is a "national ornamentation" in yellow

Geography ---------

Location: Central Asia, northwest of China

Geographic coordinates: 48 00 N, 68 00 E

Map references: Commonwealth of Independent States

Area:
total area: 2,717,300 sq km
land area: 2,669,800 sq km
comparative area: slightly less than four times the size of Texas

Land boundaries:
total: 12,012 km
border countries: China 1,533 km, Kyrgyzstan 1,051 km, Russia 6,846
km, Turkmenistan 379 km, Uzbekistan 2,203 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
note: Kazakstan borders the Aral Sea (1,015 km) and the Caspian Sea
(1,894 km)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

International disputes: Caspian Sea boundaries are not yet
determined

Climate: continental, cold winters and hot summers, arid and
semiarid

Terrain: extends from the Volga to the Altai Mountains and from
the plains in western Siberia to oasis and desert in Central Asia
lowest point: Vpadina Kaundy -132 m
highest point: Zhengis Shingy 7,439 m

Natural resources: major deposits of petroleum, coal, iron ore,
manganese, chrome ore, nickel, cobalt, copper, molybdenum, lead,
zinc, bauxite, gold, uranium

Land use:
arable land: 15%
permanent crops: NEGL%
meadows and pastures: 57%
forest and woodland: 4%
other: 24%

Irrigated land: 23,080 sq km (1990)

Environment:
current issues: radioactive or toxic chemical sites associated with
its former defense industries and test ranges are found throughout
the country and pose health risks for humans and animals; industrial
pollution is severe in some cities; because the two main rivers
which flowed into the Aral Sea have been diverted for irrigation, it
is drying up and leaving behind a harmful layer of chemical
pesticides and natural salts; these substances are then picked up by
the wind and blown into noxious dust storms; pollution in the
Caspian Sea; soil pollution from overuse of agricultural chemicals
and salinization from faulty irrigation practices
natural hazards: NA
international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Ship Pollution; signed, but not ratified - Desertification

Geographic note: landlocked

People ------

Population: 16,916,463 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 30% (male 2,576,204; female 2,486,937)
15-64 years: 63% (male 5,203,035; female 5,451,404)
65 years and over: 7% (male 384,341; female 814,542) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.15% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 19.02 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 9.65 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: -10.88 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: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.47 male(s)/female
all ages: 0.93 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 63.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 64.09 years
male: 58.56 years
female: 69.9 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.36 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Kazakstani(s)
adjective: Kazakstani

Ethnic divisions: Kazak (Qazaq) 41.9%, Russian 37%, Ukrainian
5.2%, German 4.7%, Uzbek 2.1%, Tatar 2%, other 7.1% (1991 official
data)

Religions: Muslim 47%, Russian Orthodox 44%, Protestant 2%, other
7%

Languages: Kazak (Qazaqz) official language spoken by over 40% of
population, Russian (language of interethnic communication) spoken
by two-thirds of population and used in everyday business

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1989 est.)
total population: 98%
male: 99%
female: 96%

Government ----------

Name of country:
conventional long form: Republic of Kazakstan
conventional short form: Kazakstan
local long form: Qazaqstan Respublikasy
local short form: none
former: Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic

Data code: KZ

Type of government: republic

Capital: Almaty

Administrative divisions: 19 oblystar (singular - oblys) and 1
city (qalalar, singular - qala)*; Almaty Qalasy*, Almaty Oblysy,
Aqmola Oblysy, Aqtobe Oblysy, Atyrau Oblysy, Batys Qazaqstan Oblysy
(Oral), Kokshetau Oblysy, Mangghystau Oblysy (Aqtau), Ongtustik
Qazaqstan Oblysy (Shymkent), Pavlodar Oblysy, Qaraghandy Oblysy,
Qostanay Oblysy, Qyzylorda Oblysy, Semey Oblysy, Shyghys Qazaqstan
Oblysy (Oskemen; formerly Ust'-Kamenogorsk), Soltustik Qazaqstan
Oblysy (Petropavl), Taldyqorghan Oblysy, Torghay Oblysy, Zhambyl
Oblysy, Zhezqazghan Oblysy
note: names in parentheses are administrative centers when name
differs from oblys name

Independence: 16 December 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day, 16 December (1991)

Constitution: adopted 28 January 1993; has been amended in April
1995 and August 1995

Legal system: based on civil law system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV (since 22 February
1990) was elected chairman of the Supreme Soviet 22 February 1990,
and president by popular election 1 December 1991; was elected for a
five-year term by universal suffrage; election last held 1 December
1991 (next to be held NA 2000); results - Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV
ran unopposed; note - President NAZARBAYEV's term was extended to
the year 2000 by a nationwide referendum held 30 April 1995
head of government: Prime Minister Akezhan KAZHEGELDIN (since 12
October 1994) and First Deputy Prime Ministers Nigmatzhan ISINGARIN
(since 12 October 1994) were appointed by the president
cabinet: Council of Ministers was appointed by the prime minister
note: President NAZARBAYEV has expanded his presidential powers by
decree: only he can initiate constitutional amendments, appoint and
dismiss the government, dissolve parliament, call referenda at his
discretion, and appoint administrative heads of regions and cities

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament
Senate: elections (indirect) last held 5 December 1995 (next to be
held NA 1999); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (47
total) "independent" state officials 25, progovernment parties 11,
other parties 2, vacant 9 (of which 7 are to be nominated by the
president)
Majilis: elections last held 9 December and 23 December 1995 (next
to be held NA); percent of vote by party NA; seats - (67 total)
seats by party NA; note - 172 candidates were forwarded by parties
and social organizations and 113 candidates were independents

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: ALASH party; People's Unity Party
(PUP; was Union of People's Unity), Akhan BIZHANOV, chairman;
Democratic Party, Tulegen ZHUKEYEV and Altynbek SARSENBAYEV,
cochairmen; People's Congress of Kazakstan (PCK), Olzhas SULEYMENOV,
chairman; Socialist Party of Kazakstan (SPK; former Communist
Party), Petr SVOIK, chairman; Communist Party, Baidabek TULEPBAYEV;
National Democratic Party, Kamal ORMANTAYEV, chairman; AZAT party,
Khasen KOZH-AKHMET, chairman; Confederation of Trade Unions of the
Republic of Kazakstan; Peasant Union of the Republic Kazakstan
(KPU); Slavic Movement LAD, Aleksandra DOKUCHAYEVA, chairman; Party
for Social Justice and Economic Revival "Tagibat"; Social Democratic
Party, Dos KUSHIMOV, cochairman; People's Cooperative Party, Umirzak
SARSENOV, chairman; Organization of Veterans; Republican Party

Other political or pressure groups: Independent Trade Union
Center, Leonid SOLOMIN, president; Kazakstani-American Bureau on
Human Rights, Yevgeniy ZHOVTIS, executive director; Democratic
Committee on Human Rights; Independent Miners Union

International organization participation: AsDB, CCC, CIS, EBRD,
ECE, ECO, ESCAP, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NACC, OIC, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Bolat NURGALIYEV
chancery: (temporary) 3421 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC
20008
telephone: [1] (202) 333-4504 through 4507
FAX: [1] (202) 333-4509

US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador A. Elizabeth JONES
embassy: 99/97 Furmanova Street, Almaty, Republic of Kazakstan 480012
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [7] (3272) 63-39-05, 63-13-75, 63-24-26
FAX: [7] (3272) 63-29-42

Flag: sky blue background representing the endless sky and a gold
sun with 32 rays soaring above a golden steppe eagle in the center;
on the hoist side is a "national ornamentation" in yellow

Economy -------

Economic overview: Kazakstan, the second largest of the former
Soviet states in territory, possesses enormous untapped fossil-fuel
reserves as well as plentiful supplies of other minerals and metals.
It also has considerable agricultural potential with its vast steppe
lands accommodating both livestock and grain production. Kazakstan's
industrial sector rests on the extraction and processing of these
natural resources and also on a relatively large machine building
sector specializing in construction equipment, tractors,
agricultural machinery, and some defense items. The breakup of the
USSR and the collapse of demand for Kazakstan's traditional heavy
industry products have resulted in a sharp contraction of the
economy since 1991, with the steepest annual decline occurring in
1994. The government has pursued a moderate program of economic
reform and privatization, resulting in a gradual lifting of state
controls over economic activity and a shifting of assets into the
private sector. Nevertheless, government control over key sectors of
the economy remains strong. Moreover, continued lack of pipeline
transportation for expanded oil exports has closed off a likely
source of economic recovery.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $46.9 billion (1995 estimate as
extrapolated from World Bank estimate for 1994)

GDP real growth rate: -8.9% (1995 est.)

GDP per capita: $2,700 (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector:
agriculture: 28.5%
industry: 41.5%
services: 30% (1991 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 60.3% (1995 est.)

Labor force: 7.356 million
by occupation: industry and construction 31%, agriculture and
forestry 26%, other 43% (1992)

Unemployment rate: 1.4% includes only officially registered
unemployed; also large numbers of underemployed workers (September
1995 est.)

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

Industries: oil, coal, iron ore, manganese, chromite, lead, zinc,
copper, titanium, bauxite, gold, silver, phosphates, sulfur, iron
and steel, nonferrous metal, tractors and other agricultural
machinery, electric motors, construction materials; much of
industrial capacity is shut down and/or is in need of repair

Industrial production growth rate: -8% (1995)

Electricity:
capacity: 17,380,000 kW
production: 65.7 billion kWh
consumption per capita: 3,700 kWh (1995 est.)

Agriculture: grain, mostly spring wheat, cotton; wool, meat

Illicit drugs: illicit cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy;
mostly for CIS consumption; government eradication program; used as
transshipment point for illicit drugs to Western Europe and North
America from Southwest Asia

Exports: $5.1 billion (1995)
commodities: oil, ferrous and nonferrous metals, chemicals, grain,
wool, meat, coal
partners: Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan

Imports: $3.9 billion (1995)
commodities: machinery and parts, industrial materials, oil and gas
partners: Russia and other former Soviet republics, China

External debt: $2.5 billion (of which $1.3 billion to Russia)

Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $10 million (1993)
note: commitments, 1992-95, $4,780 million ($1,795 million
disbursements)

Currency: national currency, the tenge, introduced on 15 November
1993

Exchange rates: tenges per US$1 - 64 (yearend 1995), 54 (yearend
1994)

Fiscal year: calendar year

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

Railways:
total: 13,841 km in common carrier service; does not include
industrial lines
broad gauge: 13,841 km 1.520-m gauge (3,299 km electrified) (1992)

Highways:
total: 87,873 km public roads
paved: 82,568 km
unpaved: 5,305 km (1994)

Waterways: 4,002 km on the Syrdariya River and Ertis River

Pipelines: crude oil 2,850 km; refined products 1,500 km; natural
gas 3,480 km (1992)

Ports: Aqtau (Shevchenko), Atyrau (Gur'yev), Oskemen
(Ust-Kamenogorsk), Pavlodar, Semey (Semipalatinsk)

Airports:
total: 352
with paved runways over 3 047 m: 7
with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 23
with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 11
with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 5
with paved runways under 914 m: 9
with unpaved runways over 3 047 m: 9
with unpaved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 8
with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 25
with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 65
with unpaved runways under 914 m: 190 (1994 est.)

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

Telephones: 2.2 million

Telephone system: service is poor
domestic: landline and microwave radio relay
international: international traffic with other former Soviet
republics and China carried by landline and microwave radio relay
and with other countries by satellite and through 8 international
telecommunications circuits at the Moscow international gateway
switch; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat and a new satellite
earth station established at Almaty of unknown type

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

Radios: 4.088 million (with multiple speakers for program
diffusion 6.082 million)

Television broadcast stations: NA; Orbita (TV receive only) earth
station

Televisions: 4.75 million

Defense -------

Branches: Army, Air Force, Air Defense Force, National Guard,
Security Forces (internal and border troops); Kazakstan may also be
establishing a maritime force - navy or coast guard - on the Caspian
Sea

Manpower availability:
males age 15-49: 4,399,356
males fit for military service: 3,516,583
males reach military age (18) annually: 154,750 (1996 est.)

Defense expenditures: 18.9 billion tenges, NA% of GDP (1995); note
- conversion of defense expenditures into US dollars using the
current exchange rate could produce misleading results

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

@Kenya -----

Map ---

Location: 1 00 N, 38 00 E -- Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian
Ocean, between Somalia and Tanzania

Flag ----

Description: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and
green; the red band is edged in white; a large warrior's shield
covering crossed spears is superimposed at the center

Geography ---------

Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between
Somalia and Tanzania

Geographic coordinates: 1 00 N, 38 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area:
total area: 582,650 sq km
land area: 569,250 sq km
comparative area: slightly more than twice the size of Nevada

Land boundaries:
total: 3,446 km
border countries: Ethiopia 830 km, Somalia 682 km, Sudan 232 km,
Tanzania 769 km, Uganda 933 km

Coastline: 536 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: administrative boundary with Sudan does
not coincide with international boundary; possible claim by Somalia
based on unification of ethnic Somalis

Climate: varies from tropical along coast to arid in interior

Terrain: low plains rise to central highlands bisected by Great
Rift Valley; fertile plateau in west
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Kenya 5,199 m

Natural resources: gold, limestone, soda ash, salt barytes,
rubies, fluorspar, garnets, wildlife

Land use:
arable land: 3%
permanent crops: 1%
meadows and pastures: 7%
forest and woodland: 4%
other: 85%

Irrigated land: 520 sq km (1989)

Environment:
current issues: water pollution from urban and industrial wastes;
degradation of water quality from increased use of pesticides and
fertilizers; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; poaching
natural hazards: NA
international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Desertification

Geographic note: the Kenyan Highlands comprise one of the most
successful agricultural production regions in Africa; glaciers on
Mt. Kenya; unique physiography supports abundant and varied wildlife
of scientific and economic value

People ------

Population: 28,176,686 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 45% (male 6,362,160; female 6,226,333)
15-64 years: 53% (male 7,413,876; female 7,448,733)
65 years and over: 2% (male 328,649; female 396,935) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.27% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 33.38 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 10.3 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
all ages: 1 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 55.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 55.61 years
male: 55.53 years
female: 55.69 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.45 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Kenyan(s)
adjective: Kenyan

Ethnic divisions: Kikuyu 22%, Luhya 14%, Luo 13%, Kalenjin 12%,
Kamba 11%, Kisii 6%, Meru 6%, Asian, European, and Arab 1%, other 15%

Religions: Protestant (including Anglican) 38%, Roman Catholic
28%, indigenous beliefs 26%, other 8%

Languages: English (official), Swahili (official), numerous
indigenous languages

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 78.1%
male: 86.3%
female: 70%

Government ----------

Name of country:
conventional long form: Republic of Kenya
conventional short form: Kenya
former: British East Africa

Data code: KE

Type of government: republic

Capital: Nairobi

Administrative divisions: 7 provinces and 1 area*; Central, Coast,
Eastern, Nairobi Area*, North Eastern, Nyanza, Rift Valley, Western

Independence: 12 December 1963 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 12 December (1963)

Constitution: 12 December 1963, amended as a republic 1964;
reissued with amendments 1979, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1991, and 1992

Legal system: based on English common law, tribal law, and Islamic
law; judicial review in High Court; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations; constitutional amendment of 1982
making Kenya a de jure one-party state repealed in 1991

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government: President Daniel Toroitich
arap MOI (since 14 October 1978) elected for a five-year term from
the National Assembly by direct popular vote; election last held 29
December 1992 (next to be held by early 1998); results - President
Daniel T. arap MOI was reelected with 37% of the vote; Kenneth
MATIBA (FORD-ASILI) 26%; Mwai KIBAKI (DP) 19%, Oginga ODINGA
(FORD-Kenya) 17%; Vice President George SAITOTI (since 10 May 1989)
was appointed by the president
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president

Legislative branch: unicameral
National Assembly (Bunge): election last held 29 December 1992 (next
to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (188
total) KANU 100, FORD-Kenya 31, FORD-Asili 31, DP 23, smaller
parties 3; president nominates 12 additional members; note - as of 9
April 1996 seat distribution was: KANU 106, FORD-Kenya 32,
FORD-Asili 22, DP 22, smaller parties and vacancies 6
note: first multiparty election since repeal of one-party state law
in 1991

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal; High Court

Political parties and leaders: ruling party is Kenya African
National Union (KANU), President Daniel Toroitich arap MOI;
opposition parties include Forum for the Restoration of Democracy
(FORD-Kenya), Michael WAMALWA; Forum for the Restoration of
Democracy (FORD-Asili), Kenneth MATIBA; Democratic Party of Kenya
(DP), Mwai KIBAKI

Other political or pressure groups: labor unions; Roman Catholic
Church; unregistered SAFINA party with which prominent naturalist
Richard Leakey is associated

International organization participation: ACP, C, CCC, EADB, ECA,
FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
IGADD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
MINURSO, NAM, OAU, UN, UNAVEM III, UNCRO, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNIKOM, UNOMIL, UNPREDEP, UNPROFOR, UNU, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Benjamin Edgar KIPKORIR
chancery: 2249 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 387-6101
FAX: [1] (202) 462-3829
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Aurelia E. BRAZEAL
embassy: corner of Moi Avenue and Haile Selassie Avenue, Nairobi
mailing address: P. O. Box 30137, Unit 64100, APO AE 09831
telephone: [254] (2) 334141
FAX: [254] (2) 340838

Flag: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green;
the red band is edged in white; a large warrior's shield covering
crossed spears is superimposed at the center

Economy -------

Economic overview: Kenya in recent years has had one of the
highest natural rates of growth in population, but the statistics
have been complicated by the large-scale movement of nomadic groups
and of Somalis back and forth across the border. Population growth
has been accompanied by deforestation, deterioration in the road
system, the water supply, and other parts of the infrastructure. In
industry and services, Nairobi's reluctance to embrace IMF-supported
reforms had held back investment and growth in 1991-93. Nairobi's
push on economic reform in 1994, however, helped support a 3.3%
increase in output. The strong economy continued into 1995 with
inflation cut sharply and GDP growth at 5%.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $36.8 billion (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate: 5% (1995 est.)

GDP per capita: $1,300 (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector:
agriculture: 27%
industry: 19%
services: 54% (1992 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.7% (1995 est.)

Labor force:
by occupation: agriculture 75%-80% (1993 est.), non-agriculture
20%-25% (1993 est.)

Unemployment rate: 35% urban (1994 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $2.4 billion
expenditures: $2.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $740
million (1990 est.)

Industries: small-scale consumer goods (plastic, furniture,
batteries, textiles, soap, cigarettes, flour), agricultural
processing; oil refining, cement; tourism

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity:
capacity: 810,000 kW
production: 3.3 billion kWh
consumption per capita: 117 kWh (1993)

Agriculture: coffee, tea, corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruit,
vegetables; dairy products, beef, pork, poultry, eggs

Illicit drugs: widespread harvesting of small, wild plots of
marijuana and qat (chat); most locally consumed; transit country for
Southwest Asian heroin moving to West Africa and onward to Europe
and North America; Indian methaqualone also transits on way to South
Africa

Exports: $1.6 billion (f.o.b., 1994)
commodities: tea 25%, coffee 18%, petroleum products 11% (1990)
partners: EC 47%, Africa 23%, Asia 11%, US 4%, Middle East 3% (1991)

Imports: $2.2 billion (f.o.b., 1994)
commodities: machinery and transportation equipment 29%, petroleum
and petroleum products 15%, iron and steel 7%, raw materials, food
and consumer goods (1989)
partners: EC 46%, Asia 23%, Middle East 20%, US 5% (1991)

External debt: $7 billion (1994 est.)

Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $589 million (1993)

Currency: 1 Kenyan shilling (KSh) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: Kenyan shillings (KSh) per US$1 - 56.715 (January
1996), 51.430 (1995), 56.051 (1994), 58.001 (1993), 32.217 (1992),
27.508 (1991)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

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

Railways:
total: 2,652 km
narrow gauge: 2,652 km 1.000-m gauge

Highways:
total: 62,573 km
paved: 8,322 km
unpaved: 54,251 km (1991 est.)

Waterways: part of Lake Victoria system is within boundaries of ======================================================================

@Kingman Reef ------------

(territory of the US)

Map ---

Location: 6 24 N, 162 24 W -- Oceania, reef in the North Pacific
Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to American Samoa

Flag ----

Description: the flag of the US is used

Geography ---------

Location: Oceania, reef in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-half
of the way from Hawaii to American Samoa

Geographic coordinates: 6 24 N, 162 24 W

Map references: Oceania

Area:
total area: 1 sq km
land area: 1 sq km
comparative area: about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in
Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 3 km

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

International disputes: none

Climate: tropical, but moderated by prevailing winds

Terrain: low and nearly level
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 1 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: wet or awash most of the time, maximum elevation of
about 1 meter makes Kingman Reef a maritime hazard
international agreements: NA

Geographic note: barren coral atoll with deep interior lagoon;
closed to the public

People ------

Population: uninhabited

Government ----------

Name of country:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Kingman Reef

Data code: KQ

Type of government: unincorporated territory of the US
administered by the US Navy; however, it is awash the majority of
the time, so it is not usable and is uninhabited

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

Airports: lagoon was used as a halfway station between Hawaii and
American Samoa by Pan American Airways for flying boats in 1937 and
1938

Defense -------

Defense note: defense is the responsibility of the US

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

@Kiribati --------

Map ---

Location: 1 25 N, 173 00 E -- Oceania, group of islands in the
Pacific Ocean, straddling the equator and the International Date
Line, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia

Flag ----

Description: the upper half is red with a yellow frigate bird
flying over a yellow rising sun, and the lower half is blue with
three horizontal wavy white stripes to represent the ocean

Geography ---------

Location: Oceania, group of islands in the Pacific Ocean,
straddling the equator and the International Date Line, about
one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia

Geographic coordinates: 1 25 N, 173 00 E

Map references: Oceania

Area:
total area: 717 sq km
land area: 717 sq km
comparative area: four times the size of Washington, DC
note: includes three island groups - Gilbert Islands, Line Islands,
Phoenix Islands

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 1,143 km

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

International disputes: none

Climate: tropical; marine, hot and humid, moderated by trade winds

Terrain: mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive
reefs
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Banaba 81 m

Natural resources: phosphate (production discontinued in 1979)

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 51%
meadows and pastures: 0%
forest and woodland: 3%
other: 46%

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Environment:
current issues: heavy pollution in lagoon of south Tarawa atoll due
to heavy migration mixed with traditional practices such as lagoon
latrines and open-pit dumping; ground water at risk
natural hazards: typhoons can occur any time, but usually November
to March; occasional tornadoes
international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Endangered Species, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling

Geographic note: 20 of the 33 islands are inhabited; Banaba (Ocean
Island) in Kiribati is one of the three great phosphate rock islands
in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Makatea in French Polynesia
and Nauru

People ------

Population: 80,919 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA

Population growth rate: 1.89% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 27.13 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 7.9 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: NA male(s)/female
under 15 years: NA male(s)/female
15-64 years: NA male(s)/female
65 years and over: NA male(s)/female
all ages: NA male(s)/female

Infant mortality rate: 52.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 62.02 years
male: 60.25 years
female: 64.03 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.21 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality:
noun: I-Kiribati (singular and plural)
adjective: I-Kiribati

Ethnic divisions: Micronesian

Religions: Roman Catholic 52.6%, Protestant (Congregational)
40.9%, Seventh-Day Adventist, Baha'i, Church of God, Mormon 6% (1985)

Languages: English (official), Gilbertese

Literacy: NA

Government ----------

Name of country:
conventional long form: Republic of Kiribati
conventional short form: Kiribati
note: pronounced kiribas
former: Gilbert Islands

Data code: KR

Type of government: republic

Capital: Tarawa

Administrative divisions: 3 units; Gilbert Islands, Line Islands,
Phoenix Islands
note: in addition, there are 6 districts (Banaba, Central Gilberts,
Line Islands, Northern Gilberts, Southern Gilberts, Tarawa) and 21
island councils (Abaiang, Abemama, Aranuka, Arorae, Banaba, Beru,
Butaritari, Kanton, Kiritimati, Kuria, Maiana, Makin, Marakei,
Nikunau, Nonouti, Onotoa, Tabiteuea, Tabuaeran, Tamana, Tarawa,
Teraina; note - one council for each of the inhabited islands)

Independence: 12 July 1979 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 12 July (1979)

Constitution: 12 July 1979

Legal system: NA

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government: President (Beretitenti)
Teburoro TITO (since 1 October 1994) was elected by popular vote;
note - the House of Assembly chooses the presidential candidates
from among their members and then those candidates compete in a
general election; election last held 30 September 1994 (next to be
held by NA 1999); results - Teburoro TITO 51.2%, Tewareka TENTOA
18.3%, Roniti TEIWAKI 16.0%, Peter Taberannang TIMEON 14.5%; Vice
President (Kauoman-ni-Beretitenti) Tewareka TENTOA (since 12 October
1994) was appointed by the president
cabinet: Cabinet was appointed by the president from among the
members of the House of Assembly

Legislative branch: unicameral
House of Assembly (Maneaba Ni Maungatabu): elections last held 22
July 1994 (next to be held by NA 1999); results - percent of vote by
party NA; seats - (40 total, 39 elected) Maneaban Te Mauri 13,
National Progressive Party 7, independents 19

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal, judges at all levels are
appointed by the president; High Court, judges at all levels are
appointed by the president

Political parties and leaders: National Progressive Party, Teatao
TEANNAKI; Christian Democratic Party, Teburoro TITO; New Movement
Party, leader NA; Liberal Party, Tewareka TENTOA; Maneaban Te Mauri
Party, Roniti TEIWAKI
note: there is no tradition of formally organized political parties
in Kiribati; they more closely resemble factions or interest groups
because they have no party headquarters, formal platforms, or party
structures

International organization participation: ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP,
IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFC, IMF, Intelsat (nonsignatory user),
Interpol, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, UPU, WHO

Diplomatic representation in US: Kiribati does not have an embassy
in the US

US diplomatic representation: the US does not have an embassy in
Kiribati; the ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Kiribati

Flag: the upper half is red with a yellow frigate bird flying over
a yellow rising sun, and the lower half is blue with three
horizontal wavy white stripes to represent the ocean

Economy -------

Economic overview: A remote country of 33 scattered coral atolls,
Kiribati has few national resources. Commercially viable phosphate
deposits were exhausted at the time of independence in 1979. Copra
and fish now represent the bulk of production and exports. The
economy has fluctuated widely in recent years. Real GDP growth has
declined from about 10% in 1988 to about 2.6% in 1995. Economic
development is constrained by a shortage of skilled workers, weak
infrastructure, and remoteness from international markets. The
financial sector is at an early stage of development. Foreign
financial aid, largely from the UK and Japan, is a critical
supplement to GDP, equal in amount to 25%-50% of GDP in recent years.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $68 million (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate: 2.6% (1995 est.)

GDP per capita: $860 (1995 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.5% (1994 est.)

Labor force: 7,870 economically active, not including subsistence
farmers (1985 est.)

Unemployment rate: 2%; underemployment 70% (1992 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $32.5 million
expenditures: $54.3 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1995 est.)

Industries: fishing, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate: 0.7% (1992 est.)

Electricity:
capacity: 5,000 kW
production: 13 million kWh
consumption per capita: 131 kWh (1993)

Agriculture: copra, taro, breadfruit, sweet potatoes, vegetables;
fish

Exports: $6.3 million (f.o.b., 1995 est.)
commodities: copra 50%, seaweed 16%, fish 15%
partners: Denmark, Fiji, US

Imports: $38.6 million (c.i.f., 1995 est.)
commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, miscellaneous
manufactured goods, fuel
partners: Australia 40%, Japan 18%, Fiji 17%, NZ 6%, US 4% (1991)

External debt: $2 million (December 1989 est.)

Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $NA

Currency: 1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: Australian dollars ($A) per US$1 - 1.3477 (January
1996), 1.3486 (1995), 1.3667 (1994), 1.4704 (1993), 1.3600 (1992),
1.2835 (1991)

Fiscal year: NA

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

Railways: 0 km

Highways:
total: 640 km (1987 est.)
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km

Waterways: small network of canals, totaling 5 km, in Line Islands

Ports: Banaba, Betio, English Harbor, Kanton

Merchant marine:
total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,248 GRT/4,496 DWT
ships by type: oil tanker 1, short-sea passenger 1 (1995 est.)

Airports:
total: 20
with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 4
with paved runways under 914 m: 5
with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 11 (1995 est.)

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

Telephones: 1,400 (1984 est.)

Telephone system:
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

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

Radios: 15,000 (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 0 (1988 est.)

Televisions: 0 (1988 est.)

Defense -------

Branches: no regular military forces; Police Force (carries out
law enforcement functions and paramilitary duties; small police
posts are on all islands)

Manpower availability:
males age 15-49: NA
males fit for military service: NA

Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP

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

@Korea, North ------------

Map ---

Location: 40 00 N, 127 00 E -- Eastern Asia, northern half of the
Korean Peninsula bordering the Korea Bay and the Sea of Japan,
between China and South Korea

Flag ----

Description: three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple
width), and blue; the red band is edged in white; on the hoist side
of the red band is a white disk with a red five-pointed star

Geography ---------

Location: Eastern Asia, northern half of the Korean Peninsula
bordering the Korea Bay and the Sea of Japan, between China and
South Korea

Geographic coordinates: 40 00 N, 127 00 E

Map references: Asia

Area:
total area: 120,540 sq km
land area: 120,410 sq km
comparative area: slightly smaller than Mississippi

Land boundaries:
total: 1,673 km
border countries: China 1,416 km, South Korea 238 km, Russia 19 km

Coastline: 2,495 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
military boundary line: 50 nm in the Sea of Japan and the exclusive
economic zone limit in the Yellow Sea where all foreign vessels and
aircraft without permission are banned

International disputes: short section of boundary with China is
indefinite; Demarcation Line with South Korea

Climate: temperate with rainfall concentrated in summer

Terrain: mostly hills and mountains separated by deep, narrow
valleys; coastal plains wide in west, discontinuous in east
lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m
highest point: Paektu-san 2,744 m

Natural resources: coal, lead, tungsten, zinc, graphite,
magnesite, iron ore, copper, gold, pyrites, salt, fluorspar,
hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 18%
permanent crops: 1%
meadows and pastures: 0%
forest and woodland: 74%
other: 7%

Irrigated land: 14,000 sq km (1989)

Environment:
current issues: localized air pollution attributable to inadequate
industrial controls; water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable
water
natural hazards: late spring droughts often followed by severe
flooding; occasional typhoons during the early fall
international agreements: party to - Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Ship Pollution; signed,
but not ratified - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea,
Ozone Layer Protection

Geographic note: strategic location bordering China, South Korea,
and Russia; mountainous interior is isolated, nearly inaccessible,
and sparsely populated

People ------

Population: 23,904,124 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 30% (male 3,605,972; female 3,465,038)
15-64 years: 66% (male 7,871,783; female 7,956,935)
65 years and over: 4% (male 355,284; female 649,112) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.74% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 22.86 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 5.45 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 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: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.55 male(s)/female
all ages: 0.98 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 25.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.32 years
male: 67.23 years
female: 73.57 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.31 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Korean(s)
adjective: Korean

Ethnic divisions: racially homogeneous

Religions: Buddhism and Confucianism, some Christianity and
syncretic Chondogyo
note: autonomous religious activities now almost nonexistent;
government-sponsored religious groups exist to provide illusion of
religious freedom

Languages: Korean

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write Korean (1990 est.)
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99%

Government ----------

Name of country:
conventional long form: Democratic People's Republic of Korea
conventional short form: North Korea
local long form: Choson-minjujuui-inmin-konghwaguk
local short form: none
note: the North Koreans generally use the term "Choson" to refer to
their country
abbreviation: DPRK

Data code: KN

Type of government: Communist state; Stalinist dictatorship

Capital: P'yongyang

Administrative divisions: 9 provinces (do, singular and plural)
and 3 special cities* (si, singular and plural); Chagang-do (Chagang
Province), Hamgyong-bukto (North Hamgyong Province), Hamgyong-namdo
(South Hamgyong Province), Hwanghae-bukto (North Hwanghae Province),
Hwanghae-namdo (South Hwanghae Province), Kaesong-si* (Kaesong
City), Kangwon-do (Kangwon Province), Namp'o-si* (Namp'o City),
P'yongan-bukto (North P'yongan Province), P'yongan-namdo (South
P'yongan Province), P'yongyang-si* (P'yongyang City), Yanggang-do
(Yanggang Province)

Independence: 9 September 1948
note: 15 August 1945, date of independence from the Japanese and
celebrated in North Korea as National Liberation Day

National holiday: DPRK Foundation Day, 9 September (1948)

Constitution: adopted 1948, completely revised 27 December 1972,
revised again in April 1992

Legal system: based on German civil law system with Japanese
influences and Communist legal theory; no judicial review of
legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 17 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: KIM Chong-il [defacto]; note - President KIM Il-song
was reelected without opposition 24 May 1990 and died 8 July 1994
leaving his son KIM Chong-il as designated successor; however the
son has not assumed the titles that his father held and no new
elections have been held or scheduled
head of government: Premier KANG Song-san (since NA December 1992)
was elected by the Supreme People's Assembly
cabinet: State Administration Council was appointed by the Supreme
People's Assembly

Legislative branch: unicameral
Supreme People's Assembly (Ch'oego Inmin Hoeui): elections last held
7-9 April 1990 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by
party NA; seats - (687 total) the KWP approves a single list of
candidates who are elected without opposition; minor parties hold a
few seats

Judicial branch: Central Court, judges are elected by the Supreme
People's Assembly

Political parties and leaders: major party - Korean Workers' Party
(KWP), KIM Chong-il, secretary, Central Committee; Korean Social
Democratic Party, KIM Pyong-sik, chairman; Chondoist Chongu Party,
YU Mi-yong, chairwoman

International organization participation: ESCAP, FAO, G-77, ICAO,
ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, ISO, ITU,
NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in US: none; note - North Korea has a
Permanent Mission to the UN in New York, headed by PAK Kil-yon

US diplomatic representation: none

Flag: three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width),
and blue; the red band is edged in white; on the hoist side of the
red band is a white disk with a red five-pointed star

Economy -------