Chapter V (42)

Economic overview: The UAE has an open economy with one of the
world's highest incomes per capita and with a sizable annual trade
surplus. Its wealth is based on oil and gas output (about 33% of
GDP), and the fortunes of the economy fluctuate with the prices of
those commodities. Since 1973, the UAE has undergone a profound
transformation from an impoverished region of small desert
principalities to a modern state with a high standard of living. At
present levels of production, crude oil reserves should last for
over 100 years. Although much stronger economically than most Gulf
states, the UAE faces similar problems with weak international oil
prices and the pressures for cuts in OPEC oil production quotas. The
UAE Government is encouraging increased privatization within the
economy.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $70.1 billion (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate: 3.3% (1995 est.)

GDP per capita: $24,000 (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector:
agriculture: 2%
industry: 55%
services: 43% (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.6% (1994 est.)

Labor force: 794,400 (1993 est.)
by occupation: industry and commerce 56%, services 38%, agriculture
6% (1990 est.)
note: 80% of labor force is foreign (est.)

Unemployment rate: NEGL% (1988)

Budget:
revenues: $4.6 billion
expenditures: $4.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1995 est.)

Industries: petroleum, fishing, petrochemicals, construction
materials, some boat building, handicrafts, pearling

Industrial production growth rate: -1.1% (1994 est.)

Electricity:
capacity: 4,760,000 kW
production: 16.5 billion kWh
consumption per capita: 5,796 kWh (1993)

Agriculture: dates, vegetables, watermelons; poultry, eggs, dairy
products; fish

Illicit drugs: growing role as heroin transshipment and
money-laundering center

Exports: $25.3 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.)
commodities: crude oil 66%, natural gas, reexports, dried fish, dates
partners: Japan 45%, India 6%, Oman 6%, South Korea 5%, Iran 5%
(1994)

Imports: $21.7 billion (f.o.b., 1994)
commodities: manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment,
food
partners: Japan 11%, UK 8%, Germany 8%, US 8%, Italy 7% (1994)

External debt: $11.6 billion (1994 est.)

Economic aid: $NA

Currency: 1 Emirian dirham (Dh) = 100 fils

Exchange rates: Emirian dirhams (Dh) per US$1 - 3.6710 (fixed rate)

Fiscal year: calendar year

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

Railways: 0 km

Highways:
total: 3,000 km
paved: 3,000 km
unpaved: 0 km (1993 est.)

Pipelines: crude oil 830 km; natural gas, including natural gas
liquids, 870 km

Ports: 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Das Island, Khawr Fakkan, Mina' Jabal
'Ali, Mina' Khalid, Mina' Rashid, Mina' Saqr, Mina' Zayid, Umm al
Qaywayn

Merchant marine:
total: 57 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,068,980 GRT/1,876,504
DWT
ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 17, chemical tanker 2, container 7,
liquefied gas tanker 1, livestock carrier 1, oil tanker 22,
refrigerated cargo 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 3 (1995 est.)

Airports:
total: 36
with paved runways over 3 047 m: 9
with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 3
with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 2
with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 3
with paved runways under 914 m: 10
with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 2
with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 7 (1995 est.)

Heliports: 2 (1995 est.)

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

Telephones: 677,793 (1993 est.)

Telephone system: modern system consisting of microwave radio
relay and coaxial cable; key centers are Abu Dhabi and Dubai
domestic: microwave radio relay and coaxial cable
international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic
Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; submarine cables to Qatar,
Bahrain, India, and Pakistan; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain;
microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia

Radio broadcast stations: AM 8, FM 3, shortwave 0

Radios: 545,000 (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 12

Televisions: 170,000 (1993 est.)

Defense -------

Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary (includes Federal
Police Force)

Manpower availability:
males age 15-49: 1,102,080
males fit for military service: 599,439
males reach military age (18) annually: 21,250 (1996 est.)

Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $1.59 billion,
4.3% of GDP (1994)

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

@United Kingdom --------------

Map ---

Location: 54 00 N, 2 00 W -- Western Europe, islands including the
northern one-sixth of the island of Ireland between the North
Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea, northwest of France

Flag ----

Description: blue with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint
of England) edged in white superimposed on the diagonal red cross of
Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland) which is superimposed on the
diagonal white cross of Saint Andrew (patron saint of Scotland);
known as the Union Flag or Union Jack; the design and colors
(especially the Blue Ensign) have been the basis for a number of
other flags including dependencies, Commonwealth countries, and
others

Geography ---------

Location: Western Europe, islands including the northern one-sixth
of the island of Ireland between the North Atlantic Ocean and the
North Sea, northwest of France

Geographic coordinates: 54 00 N, 2 00 W

Map references: Europe

Area:
total area: 244,820 sq km
land area: 241,590 sq km
comparative area: slightly smaller than Oregon
note: includes Rockall and Shetland Islands

Land boundaries:
total: 360 km
border country: Ireland 360 km

Coastline: 12,429 km

Maritime claims:
continental shelf: as defined in continental shelf orders or in
accordance with agreed upon boundaries
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: Northern Ireland question with Ireland;
Gibraltar question with Spain; Argentina claims Falkland Islands
(Islas Malvinas); Argentina claims South Georgia and the South
Sandwich Islands; Mauritius claims island of Diego Garcia in British
Indian Ocean Territory; Rockall continental shelf dispute involving
Denmark, Iceland, and Ireland (Ireland and the UK have signed a
boundary agreement in the Rockall area); territorial claim in
Antarctica (British Antarctic Territory)

Climate: temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds over
the North Atlantic Current; more than one-half of the days are
overcast

Terrain: mostly rugged hills and low mountains; level to rolling
plains in east and southeast
lowest point: Fenland -4 m
highest point: Ben Nevis 1,343 m

Natural resources: coal, petroleum, natural gas, tin, limestone,
iron ore, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, lead, silica

Land use:
arable land: 29%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 48%
forest and woodland: 9%
other: 14%

Irrigated land: 1,570 sq km (1989)

Environment:
current issues: sulfur dioxide emissions from power plants
contribute to air pollution; some rivers polluted by agricultural
wastes and coastal waters polluted because of large-scale disposal
of sewage at sea
natural hazards: NA
international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Air
Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear
Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber
83, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Air
Pollution-Sulphur 94, Desertification

Geographic note: lies near vital North Atlantic sea lanes; only 35
km from France and now linked by tunnel under the English Channel;
because of heavily indented coastline, no location is more than 125
km from tidal waters

People ------

Population: 58,489,975 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 20% (male 5,853,545; female 5,565,153)
15-64 years: 65% (male 19,050,420; female 18,797,406)
65 years and over: 15% (male 3,753,361; female 5,470,090) (July 1996
est.)

Population growth rate: 0.22% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 13.12 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 11.24 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.3 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: 0.69 male(s)/female
all ages: 0.96 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 6.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.41 years
male: 73.78 years
female: 79.17 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.82 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Briton(s), British (collective plural)
adjective: British

Ethnic divisions: English 81.5%, Scottish 9.6%, Irish 2.4%, Welsh
1.9%, Ulster 1.8%, West Indian, Indian, Pakistani, and other 2.8%

Religions: Anglican 27 million, Roman Catholic 9 million, Muslim 1
million, Presbyterian 800,000, Methodist 760,000, Sikh 400,000,
Hindu 350,000, Jewish 300,000 (1991 est.)
note: the UK does not include a question on religion in its census

Languages: English, Welsh (about 26% of the population of Wales),
Scottish form of Gaelic (about 60,000 in Scotland)

Literacy: age 15 and over has completed five or more years of
schooling (1978 est.)
total population: 99%
male: NA%
female: NA%

Government ----------

Name of country:
conventional long form: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern
Ireland
conventional short form: United Kingdom
abbreviation: UK

Data code: UK

Type of government: constitutional monarchy

Capital: London

Administrative divisions: 47 counties, 7 metropolitan counties, 26
districts, 9 regions, and 3 islands areas
England: 39 counties, 7 metropolitan counties*; Avon, Bedford,
Berkshire, Buckingham, Cambridge, Cheshire, Cleveland, Cornwall,
Cumbria, Derby, Devon, Dorset, Durham, East Sussex, Essex,
Gloucester, Greater London*, Greater Manchester*, Hampshire,
Hereford and Worcester, Hertford, Humberside, Isle of Wight, Kent,
Lancashire, Leicester, Lincoln, Merseyside*, Norfolk, Northampton,
Northumberland, North Yorkshire, Nottingham, Oxford, Shropshire,
Somerset, South Yorkshire*, Stafford, Suffolk, Surrey, Tyne and
Wear*, Warwick, West Midlands*, West Sussex, West Yorkshire*,
Wiltshire
Northern Ireland: 26 districts; Antrim, Ards, Armagh, Ballymena,
Ballymoney, Banbridge, Belfast, Carrickfergus, Castlereagh,
Coleraine, Cookstown, Craigavon, Down, Dungannon, Fermanagh, Larne,
Limavady, Lisburn, Londonderry, Magherafelt, Moyle, Newry and
Mourne, Newtownabbey, North Down, Omagh, Strabane
Scotland: 9 regions, 3 islands areas*; Borders, Central, Dumfries
and Galloway, Fife, Grampian, Highland, Lothian, Orkney*, Shetland*,
Strathclyde, Tayside, Western Isles*
Wales: 8 counties; Clwyd, Dyfed, Gwent, Gwynedd, Mid Glamorgan,
Powys, South Glamorgan, West Glamorgan

Dependent areas: Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean
Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands,
Gibraltar, Guernsey, Hong Kong (scheduled to become a Special
Administrative Region of China on 1 July 1997), Jersey, Isle of Man,
Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, Saint Helena, South Georgia and the
South Sandwich Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands

Independence: 1 January 1801 (United Kingdom established)

National holiday: Celebration of the Birthday of the Queen (second
Saturday in June)

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

Legal system: common law tradition with early Roman and modern
continental influences; no judicial review of Acts of Parliament;
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) is a
hereditary monarch; Heir Apparent Prince CHARLES (son of the queen,
born 14 November 1948)
head of government: Prime Minister John MAJOR (since 28 November
1990) is the leader of the party which holds the majority in the
House of Commons and must have the consent of the monarch
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers was appointed by the prime minister

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament
House of Lords: consists of a 1,200-member body, four-fifths are
hereditary peers, two archbishops, 24 other senior bishops, serving
and retired Lords of Appeal in Ordinary, other life peers, Scottish
peers
House of Commons: elections last held 9 April 1992 (next to be held
by NA April 1997); results - Conservative 41.9%, Labor 34.5%,
Liberal Democratic 17.9%, other 5.7%; seats - (651 total)
Conservative 336, Labor 271, Liberal Democratic 20, other 24

Judicial branch: House of Lords, several Lords of Appeal in
Ordinary are appointed by the monarch for life

Political parties and leaders: Conservative and Unionist Party,
John MAJOR; Labor Party, Anthony (Tony) Blair; Liberal Democrats
(LD), Jeremy (Paddy) ASHDOWN; Scottish National Party, Alex SALMOND;
Welsh National Party (Plaid Cymru), Dafydd Iwan WIGLEY; Ulster
Unionist Party (Northern Ireland), David TRIMBLE; Democratic
Unionist Party (Northern Ireland), Rev. Ian PAISLEY; Social
Democratic and Labor Party (SDLP, Northern Ireland), John HUME; Sinn
Fein (Northern Ireland), Gerry ADAMS; Alliance Party (Northern
Ireland), John ALDERDICE

Other political or pressure groups: Trades Union Congress;
Confederation of British Industry; National Farmers' Union; Campaign
for Nuclear Disarmament

International organization participation: AfDB, AG (observer),
AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, C, CCC, CDB (non-regional), CE, CERN,
EBRD, ECA (associate), ECE, ECLAC, EIB, ESA, ESCAP, EU, FAO, G- 5,
G- 7, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC,
IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MTCR, NACC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OECD, OSCE,
PCA, SPC, UN, UN Security Council, UNAVEM III, UNCRO, UNCTAD,
UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNOMIG, UNPREDEP, UNPROFOR,
UNRWA, UNU, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Sir John Olav KERR
chancery: 3100 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 462-1340
FAX: [1] (202) 898-4255
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Houston,
Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco
consulate(s): Dallas, Miami, and Seattle

US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador William J. CROWE, Jr.
embassy: 24/31 Grosvenor Square, London, W. 1A1AE
mailing address: PSC 801, Box 40, London; FPO AE 09498-4040
telephone: [44] (71) 499-9000
FAX: [44] (71) 409-1637
consulate(s) general: Belfast, Edinburgh

Flag: blue with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of
England) edged in white superimposed on the diagonal red cross of
Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland) which is superimposed on the
diagonal white cross of Saint Andrew (patron saint of Scotland);
known as the Union Flag or Union Jack; the design and colors
(especially the Blue Ensign) have been the basis for a number of
other flags including dependencies, Commonwealth countries, and
others

Economy -------

Economic overview: The UK is one of the world's great trading
powers and financial centers, and its economy ranks among the four
largest in Western Europe. The economy is essentially capitalistic;
over the past 13 years the ruling Tories have greatly reduced public
ownership and contained the growth of social welfare programs.
Agriculture is intensive, highly mechanized, and efficient by
European standards, producing about 60% of food needs with only
about 1% of the labor force. The UK has large coal, natural gas, and
oil reserves, and primary energy production accounts for 12% of GDP,
one of the highest shares of any industrial nation. Services,
particularly banking, insurance, and business services, account by
far for the largest proportion of GDP while industry continues to
decline in importance, now employing only 25% of the work force. The
economy registered 3.9% GDP growth in 1994, the best rate for six
years, but slipped back to 2.7% in 1995. Exports and manufacturing
output have been the primary engines of growth. Unemployment is
gradually falling. Inflation is at a tolerable 3%. A major economic
policy question for the UK in the 1990s is the terms on which it
participates in the financial and economic integration of Europe.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.1384 trillion (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate: 2.7% (1995 est.)

GDP per capita: $19,500 (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector:
agriculture: 1.7%
industry: 27.7%
services: 70.6% (1993)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.1% (November 1995)

Labor force: 28.048 million
by occupation: services 62.8%, manufacturing and construction 25.0%,
government 9.1%, energy 1.9%, agriculture 1.2% (June 1992)

Unemployment rate: 8% (December 1995)

Budget:
revenues: $388.9 billion
expenditures: $447.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY94/95 est.)

Industries: production machinery including machine tools, electric
power equipment, automation equipment, railroad equipment,
shipbuilding, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, electronics and
communications equipment, metals, chemicals, coal, petroleum, paper
and paper products, food processing, textiles, clothing, and other
consumer goods

Industrial production growth rate: 1.9% (1995 est.)

Electricity:
capacity: 65,360,000 kW
production: 303 billion kWh
consumption per capita: 5,123 kWh (1993)

Agriculture: cereals, oilseed, potatoes, vegetables; cattle,
sheep, poultry; fish

Illicit drugs: gateway country for Latin American cocaine entering
the European market; producer of synthetic drugs; transshipment
point for Southwest Asian heroin; money-laundering center

Exports: $200.4 billion (f.o.b., 1994)
commodities: manufactured goods, machinery, fuels, chemicals,
semifinished goods, transport equipment
partners: EU countries 56.4% (Germany 12.7%, France 9.9%,
Netherlands 7.0%), US 13.1%

Imports: $221.9 billion (c.i.f., 1994)
commodities: manufactured goods, machinery, semifinished goods,
foodstuffs, consumer goods
partners: EU countries 54.9% (Germany 14.6%, France 10.0%,
Netherlands 6.7%), US 12.2%

External debt: $16.2 billion (June 1992)

Economic aid:
donor: ODA, $2.908 billion (1993)

Currency: 1 British pound (L) = 100 pence

Exchange rates: British pounds (L) per US$1 - 0.6535 (January
1996), 0.6335 (1995), 0.6529 (1994), 0.6658 (1993), 0.5664 (1992),
0.5652 (1991)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

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

Railways:
total: 17,561 km
broad gauge: 434 km 1.600-m gauge (190 km double track); note - all
1.600-m gauge track, of which 357 km is in common carrier use, is in
Northern Ireland
standard gauge: 16,892 km 1.435-m gauge (4,928 km electrified;
12,591 km double or multiple track); note - 16,532 km of 1.435-m
routes are in common carrier service; the remaining 360 km are
operated by a total of 40 tourist or other private companies
narrow gauge: 235 km 0.260-m, 0.311-m, 0.381-m, 0.600-m, 0.610-m,
0.686-m, 0.760-m, 0.762-m, 0.800-m, 0.825-m, 0.914-m and 1.067-m
gauges; note - these short, narrow-gage lines are operated by a
total of 25 tourist and other private firms (1995)

Highways:
total: 386,243 km (1993 est.)
paved: NA km (including 3,237 km of expressways in Great Britain)
unpaved: NA km

Waterways: 3,200 km under British Waterways Board

Pipelines: crude oil (almost all insignificant) 933 km; petroleum
products 2,993 km; natural gas 12,800 km

Ports: Aberdeen, Belfast, Bristol, Cardiff, Grangemouth, Hull,
Leith, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Medway, Sullom Voe, Tees, Tyne

Merchant marine:
total: 151 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,191,969
GRT/3,861,239 DWT
ships by type: bulk 10, cargo 21, chemical tanker 2, container 24,
liquefied gas tanker 2, oil tanker 56, passenger 8, passenger-cargo
1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 12, short-sea passenger 14, specialized
tanker 1 (1995 est.)

Airports:
total: 388
with paved runways over 3 047 m: 9
with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 29
with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 103
with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 59
with paved runways under 914 m: 166
with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 22 (1995 est.)

Heliports: 10 (1995 est.)

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

Telephones: 29.5 million (1987 est.)

Telephone system: technologically advanced domestic and
international system
domestic: equal mix of buried cables, microwave radio relay, and
fiber-optic systems
international: 40 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations
- 10 Intelsat (7 Atlantic Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat
(Atlantic Ocean region), and 1 Eutelsat; at least 8 large
international switching centers

Radio broadcast stations: AM 225, FM 525 (mostly repeaters),
shortwave 0

Radios: 70 million

Television broadcast stations: 207 (repeaters 3,210)

Televisions: 20 million

Defense -------

Branches: Army, Royal Navy (includes Royal Marines), Royal Air
Force

Manpower availability:
males age 15-49: 14,515,077
males fit for military service: 12,102,431 (1996 est.)

Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $35.1 billion,
3.1% of GDP (FY95/96)

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

@United States -------------

Map ---

Location: 38 00 N, 97 00 W -- North America, bordering both the
North Atlantic Ocean and the North Pacific Ocean, between Canada and
Mexico

Flag ----

Description: thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red (top and
bottom) alternating with white; there is a blue rectangle in the
upper hoist-side corner bearing 50 small white five-pointed stars
arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top and
bottom) alternating with rows of five stars; the 50 stars represent
the 50 states, the 13 stripes represent the 13 original colonies;
known as Old Glory; the design and colors have been the basis for a
number of other flags including Chile, Liberia, Malaysia, and Puerto
Rico

Geography ---------

Location: North America, bordering both the North Atlantic Ocean
and the North Pacific Ocean, between Canada and Mexico

Geographic coordinates: 38 00 N, 97 00 W

Map references: North America

Area:
total area: 9,372,610 sq km
land area: 9,166,600 sq km
comparative area: about one-half the size of Russia; about
three-tenths the size of Africa; about one-half the size of South
America (or slightly larger than Brazil); slightly smaller than
China; about two and one-half times the size of Western Europe
note: includes only the 50 states and District of Columbia

Land boundaries:
total: 12,248 km
border countries: Canada 8,893 km (including 2,477 km with Alaska),
Cuba 29 km (US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay), Mexico 3,326 km
note: Guantanamo Naval Base is leased by the US and thus remains
part of Cuba

Coastline: 19,924 km

Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 12 nm
continental shelf: not specified
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: maritime boundary disputes with Canada
(Dixon Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, Machias Seal
Island); US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased from Cuba and
only mutual agreement or US abandonment of the area can terminate
the lease; Haiti claims Navassa Island; US has made no territorial
claim in Antarctica (but has reserved the right to do so) and does
not recognize the claims of any other nation; Republic of Marshall
Islands claims Wake Island

Climate: mostly temperate, but tropical in Hawaii and Florida and
arctic in Alaska, semiarid in the great plains west of the
Mississippi River and arid in the Great Basin of the southwest; low
winter temperatures in the northwest are ameliorated occasionally in
January and February by warm chinook winds from the eastern slopes
of the Rocky Mountains

Terrain: vast central plain, mountains in west, hills and low
mountains in east; rugged mountains and broad river valleys in
Alaska; rugged, volcanic topography in Hawaii
lowest point: Death Valley -86 m
highest point: Mount McKinley 6,194 m

Natural resources: coal, copper, lead, molybdenum, phosphates,
uranium, bauxite, gold, iron, mercury, nickel, potash, silver,
tungsten, zinc, petroleum, natural gas, timber

Land use:
arable land: 20%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 26%
forest and woodland: 29%
other: 25%

Irrigated land: 181,020 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment:
current issues: air pollution resulting in acid rain in both the US
and Canada; the US is the largest single emitter of carbon dioxide
from the burning of fossil fuels; water pollution from runoff of
pesticides and fertilizers; very limited natural fresh water
resources in much of the western part of the country require careful
management; desertification
natural hazards: tsunamis, volcanoes, and earthquake activity around
Pacific Basin; hurricanes along the Atlantic coast; tornadoes in the
midwest; mud slides in California; forest fires in the west;
flooding; permafrost in northern Alaska is a major impediment to
development
international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Air
Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Antarctic Treaty, Climate Change,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping,
Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but
not ratified - Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Biodiversity, Desertification,
Hazardous Wastes, Tropical Timber 94

Geographic note: world's fourth-largest country (after Russia,
Canada, and China)

People ------

Population: 266,476,278 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 22% (male 29,718,390; female 28,335,934)
15-64 years: 65% (male 86,225,056; female 87,411,573)
65 years and over: 13% (male 13,850,234; female 20,021,655) (July
1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.91% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 14.8 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 8.8 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: 3.1 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: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
all ages: 0.96 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 6.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.95 years
male: 72.65 years
female: 79.41 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.06 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality:
noun: American(s)
adjective: American

Ethnic divisions: white 83.4%, black 12.4%, Asian 3.3%, Native
American 0.8% (1992)

Religions: Protestant 56%, Roman Catholic 28%, Jewish 2%, other
4%, none 10% (1989)

Languages: English, Spanish (spoken by a sizable minority)

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1979 est.)
total population: 97%
male: 97%
female: 97%

Government ----------

Name of country:
conventional long form: United States of America
conventional short form: United States
abbreviation: US or USA

Data code: US

Type of government: federal republic; strong democratic tradition

Capital: Washington, DC

Administrative divisions: 50 states and 1 district*; Alabama,
Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut,
Delaware, District of Columbia*, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho,
Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine,
Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri,
Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico,
New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon,
Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee,
Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia,
Wisconsin, Wyoming

Dependent areas: American Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland
Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands,
Navassa Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll, Puerto
Rico, Virgin Islands, Wake Island
note: from 18 July 1947 until 1 October 1994, the US administered
the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, but recently entered
into a new political relationship with all four political units: the
Northern Mariana Islands is a Commonwealth in political union with
the US (effective 3 November 1986); Palau concluded a Compact of
Free Association with the US (effective 1 October 1994); the
Federated States of Micronesia signed a Compact of Free Association
with the US (effective 3 November 1986); the Republic of the
Marshall Islands signed a Compact of Free Association with the US
(effective 21 October 1986)

Independence: 4 July 1776 (from England)

National holiday: Independence Day, 4 July (1776)

Constitution: 17 September 1787, effective 4 March 1789

Legal system: based on English common law; judicial review of
legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government: President William Jefferson
CLINTON (since 20 January 1993) and Vice President Albert GORE, Jr.
(since 20 January 1993) were elected for four-year terms by a
college of representatives elected directly from each state;
election last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held 5 November
1996); results - William Jefferson CLINTON (Democratic Party) 43.2%,
George BUSH (Republican Party) 37.7%, Ross PEROT (independent)
19.0%, other 0.1%
cabinet: Cabinet was appointed by the president with Senate approval

Legislative branch: bicameral Congress
Senate: elections last held 8 November 1994 (next to be held 5
November 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (100
total) Republican Party 54, Democratic Party 46
House of Representatives: elections last held 8 November 1994 (next
to be held 5 November 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (435 total) Republican Party 231, Democratic Party 203,
independent 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, justices are appointed for life by
the president with confirmation by the Senate

Political parties and leaders: Republican Party, Haley BARBOUR,
national committee chairman and Jeanie AUSTIN, co-chairman;
Democratic Party, David C. WILHELM, national committee chairman;
several other groups or parties of minor political significance

International organization participation: AfDB, AG (observer),
ANZUS, APEC, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CP, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC,
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,
Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MTCR,
NACC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OSCE, PCA, SPC, UN, UN Security
Council, UNCRO, UNCTAD, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIH, UNOMIG,
UNPREDEP, UNPROFOR, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO, ZC

Flag: thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom)
alternating with white; there is a blue rectangle in the upper
hoist-side corner bearing 50 small white five-pointed stars arranged
in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top and bottom)
alternating with rows of five stars; the 50 stars represent the 50
states, the 13 stripes represent the 13 original colonies; known as
Old Glory; the design and colors have been the basis for a number of
other flags including Chile, Liberia, Malaysia, and Puerto Rico

Economy -------

Economic overview: The US has the most powerful, diverse, and
technologically advanced economy in the world, with a per capita GDP
of $27,500, the largest among major industrial nations. In this
market-oriented economy, private individuals and business firms make
most of the decisions, and government purchases of goods and
services are made predominantly in the marketplace. US business
firms enjoy considerably greater flexibility than their counterparts
in Western Europe and Japan in decisions to expand capital plant,
lay off surplus workers, and develop new products. At the same time,
they face higher barriers to entry in their rivals' home markets
than the barriers to entry of foreign firms in US markets. In all
economic sectors, US firms are at or near the forefront in
technological advances, especially in computers, medical equipment,
and aerospace, although their advantage has steadily narrowed since
the end of World War II. The onrush of technology largely explains
the gradual development of a "two-tier labor market" in which those
at the bottom lack the education and professional/technical skills
of those at the top and, more and more, fail to get pay raises,
health insurance coverage, and other benefits. The years 1994-95
witnessed moderate gains in real output, low inflation rates, and a
drop in unemployment below 6%. The capture of both houses of
Congress by the Republicans in the elections of 8 November 1994 has
intensified the debate over how the US should address its major
economic problems. These problems include inadequate investment in
economic infrastructure, rapidly rising medical costs of an aging
population, sizable budget and trade deficits, and stagnation of
family income in the lower economic groups. The outlook for 1996 is
for continued moderate growth, low inflation, and about the same
level of unemployment.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $7.2477 trillion (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate: 2.1% (1995 est.)

GDP per capita: $27,500 (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector:
agriculture: 2%
industry: 23%
services: 75% (1995 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.5% (1995)

Labor force: 132.304 million (includes unemployed) (1995)
by occupation: managerial and professional 28.3%, technical, sales
and administrative support 30.0%, services 13.5%, manufacturing,
mining, transportation, and crafts 25.3%, farming, forestry, and
fishing 2.8%

Unemployment rate: 5.6% (December 1995)

Budget:
revenues: $1.258 trillion
expenditures: $1.461 trillion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1994)

Industries: leading industrial power in the world, highly
diversified and technologically advanced; petroleum, steel, motor
vehicles, aerospace, telecommunications, chemicals, electronics,
food processing, consumer goods, lumber, mining

Industrial production growth rate: 5.4% (1994 est.)

Electricity:
capacity: 695,120,000 kW
production: 3.1 trillion kWh
consumption per capita: 11,236 kWh (1993)

Agriculture: wheat, other grains, corn, fruits, vegetables,
cotton; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; forest products; fish

Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis for domestic
consumption with 1987 production estimated at 3,500 metric tons or
about 25% of the available marijuana; ongoing eradication program
aimed at small plots and greenhouses has not reduced production

Exports: $578 billion (f.o.b., 1995 est.)
commodities: capital goods, automobiles, industrial supplies and raw
materials, consumer goods, agricultural products
partners: Western Europe 24.3%, Canada 22.1%, Japan 10.5% (1993)

Imports: $751 billion (c.i.f., 1995 est.)
commodities: crude oil and refined petroleum products, machinery,
automobiles, consumer goods, industrial raw materials, food and
beverages
partners: Canada, 19.3%, Western Europe 18.1%, Japan 18.1% (1993)

External debt: $NA

Economic aid:
donor: ODA, $9.721 billion (1993)

Currency: 1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates:
British pounds: (L) per US$ - 0.6535 (January 1996), 0.6335 (1995),
0.6529 (1994), 0.6658 (1993), 0.5664 (1992), 0.5652 (1991)
Canadian dollars: (Can$) per US$ - 1.3666 (January 1996), 1.3724
(1995), 1.3656 (1994), 1.2901 (1993), 1.2087 (1992), 1.1457 (1991)
French francs: (F) per US$ - 5.0056 (January 1996), 4.9915 (1995),
5.5520 (1994), 5.6632 (1993), 5.2938 (1992), 5.6421 (1991)
Italian lire: (Lit) per US$ - 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)
Japanese yen: (Y) per US$ - 105.84 (January 1996), 94.06 (1995),
102.21 (1994), 111.20 (1993), 126.65 (1992), 134.71 (1991)
German deutsche marks: (DM) per US$ - 1.4617 (January 1996), 1.4331
(1995), 1.6228 (1994), 1.6533 (1993), 1.5617 (1992), 1.6595 (1991)

Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

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

Railways:
total: 240,000 km mainline routes (nongovernment owned)
standard gauge: 240,000 km 1.435-m gauge (1989)

Highways:
total: 6,284,488 km
paved: 5,574,341 km (in 1991, included 85,267 km of expressways)
unpaved: 710,147 km (1993 est.)

Waterways: 41,009 km of navigable inland channels, exclusive of
the Great Lakes

Pipelines: petroleum 276,000 km; natural gas 331,000 km (1991)

Ports: Anchorage, Baltimore, Boston, Charleston, Chicago, Duluth,
Hampton Roads, Honolulu, Houston, Jacksonville, Los Angeles, New
Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Port Canaveral, Portland (Oregon),
Prudhoe Bay, San Francisco, Savannah, Seattle, Tampa, Toledo

Merchant marine:
total: 322 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 10,716,000
GRT/15,259,000 DWT
ships by type: bulk 21, cargo 20, chemical tanker 17, intermodal
125, liquefied gas tanker 14, passenger-cargo 2, tanker 110, tanker
tug-barge 13
note: in addition, there are 190 government-owned vessels (1995 est.)

Airports:
total: 13,387
with paved runways over 3 047 m: 179
with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 201
with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 1,204
with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 2,361
with paved runways under 914 m: 7,720
with unpaved runways over 3 047 m: 1
with unpaved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 7
with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 151
with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 1,563 (1995 est.)

Heliports: 63 (1995 est.)

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

Telephones: 182.558 million (1987 est.)

Telephone system:
domestic: large system of fiber-optic cable, microwave radio relay,
coaxial cable, and domestic satellites
international: 24 ocean cable systems in use; satellite earth
stations - 61 Intelsat (45 Atlantic Ocean and 16 Pacific Ocean)
(1990 est.), 5 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region), and 4 Inmarsat
(Pacific and Atlantic Ocean regions)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 4,987, FM 4,932, shortwave 0

Radios: 540.5 million (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 1,092 (in addition, there are about
9,000 cable TV systems)

Televisions: 215 million (1993 est.)

Defense -------

Branches: Department of the Army, Department of the Navy (includes
Marine Corps), Department of the Air Force
note: the Coast Guard falls under the Department of Transportation,
but in wartime reports to the Department of the Navy

Manpower availability:
males age 15-49: 69,302,573
males fit for military service: NA
males reach military age (18) annually: 1,864,580 (1996 est.)

Defense expenditures: $272.2 billion, 3.8% of GDP (1995 est.)

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

@Uruguay -------

Map ---

Location: 33 00 S, 56 00 W -- Southern South America, bordering
the South Atlantic Ocean, between Argentina and Brazil

Flag ----

Description: nine equal horizontal stripes of white (top and
bottom) alternating with blue; there is a white square in the upper
hoist-side corner with a yellow sun bearing a human face known as
the Sun of May and 16 rays alternately triangular and wavy

Geography ---------

Location: Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic
Ocean, between Argentina and Brazil

Geographic coordinates: 33 00 S, 56 00 W

Map references: South America

Area:
total area: 176,220 sq km
land area: 173,620 sq km
comparative area: slightly smaller than Washington State

Land boundaries:
total: 1,564 km
border countries: Argentina 579 km, Brazil 985 km

Coastline: 660 km

Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
territorial sea: 200 nm; overflight and navigation guaranteed beyond
12 nm

International disputes: short section of boundary with Argentina
is in dispute; two short sections of the boundary with Brazil are in
dispute - Arroyo de la Invernada (Arroio Invernada) area of the Rio
Cuareim (Rio Quarai) and the islands at the confluence of the Rio
Cuareim (Rio Quarai) and the Uruguay River

Climate: warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown

Terrain: mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal
lowland
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Cerro Catedral 514 m

Natural resources: fertile soil, hydropower potential, minor
minerals

Land use:
arable land: 8%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 78%
forest and woodland: 4%
other: 10%

Irrigated land: 1,100 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment:
current issues: substantial pollution from Brazilian industry along
border; one-fifth of country affected by acid rain generated by
Brazil; water pollution from meat packing/tannery industry;
inadequate solid/hazardous waste disposal
natural hazards: seasonally high winds (the pampero is a chilly and
occasional violent wind which blows north from the Argentine
pampas), droughts, floods; because of the absence of mountains,
which act as weather barriers, all locations are particularly
vulnerable to rapid changes in weather fronts
international agreements: party to - Antarctic-Environmental
Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Marine Dumping, Marine Life
Conservation

People ------

Population: 3,238,952 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 24% (male 405,041; female 386,155)
15-64 years: 63% (male 1,004,089; female 1,035,336)
65 years and over: 13% (male 170,109; female 238,222) (July 1996
est.)

Population growth rate: 0.7% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 17.02 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 9.05 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.99 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: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
all ages: 0.95 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 15.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.94 years
male: 71.8 years
female: 78.25 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.32 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Uruguayan(s)
adjective: Uruguayan

Ethnic divisions: white 88%, mestizo 8%, black 4%

Religions: Roman Catholic 66% (less than one-half of the adult
population attends church regularly), Protestant 2%, Jewish 2%,
nonprofessing or other 30%

Languages: Spanish, Brazilero (Portuguese-Spanish mix on the
Brazilian frontier)

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 97.3%
male: 96.9%
female: 97.7%

Government ----------

Name of country:
conventional long form: Oriental Republic of Uruguay
conventional short form: Uruguay
local long form: Republica Oriental del Uruguay
local short form: Uruguay

Data code: UY

Type of government: republic

Capital: Montevideo

Administrative divisions: 19 departments (departamentos, singular
- departamento); Artigas, Canelones, Cerro Largo, Colonia, Durazno,
Flores, Florida, Lavalleja, Maldonado, Montevideo, Paysandu, Rio
Negro, Rivera, Rocha, Salto, San Jose, Soriano, Tacuarembo, Treinta
y Tres

Independence: 25 August 1828 (from Brazil)

National holiday: Independence Day, 25 August (1828)

Constitution: 27 November 1966, effective February 1967, suspended
27 June 1973, new constitution rejected by referendum 30 November
1980

Legal system: based on Spanish civil law system; accepts
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government: President Julio Maria
SANGUINETTI (since 1 March 1995) and Vice President Hugo BATALLA
(since 1 March 1995) were elected for five-year terms by popular
vote; election last held 27 November 1994 (next to be held NA
November 1999)
cabinet: Council of Ministers was appointed by the president

Legislative branch: bicameral General Assembly (Asamblea General)
Chamber of Senators (Camara de Senadores): elections last held 27
November 1994 (next to be held NA November 1999); results - Colorado
36%, Blanco 34 %, Encuentro Progresista 27%, New Sector 3%; seats -
(30 total) Colorado 11, Blanco 10, Encuentro Progresista 8, New
Sector 1
Chamber of Representatives (Camara de Representantes): elections
last held 27 November 1994 (next to be held NA November 1999);
results - Colorado 32%, Blanco 31%, Encuentro Progresista 31%, New
Sector 5%; seats - (99 total) Colorado 32, Blanco 31, Encuentro
Progresista 31, New Sector 5

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are nominated by the
president and elected for 10-year terms by the General Assembly

Political parties and leaders: National (Blanco) Party, Alberto
VOLONTE Berro; Colorado Party, Jorge BATLLE; Broad Front Coalition,
12 member Executive Secretariat (as of 11 March 1996); New Sector
Coalition, Hugo BATALLA; Encuentro Progresista (EP), Tabare VAZQUEZ

International organization participation: AG (observer), CCC,
ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MINURSO, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG,
UN, UNAMIR, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMOGIP,
UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNOMIL, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Alvaro DIEZ DE MEDINA SUAREZ
chancery: 1918 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20006
telephone: [1] (202) 331-1313 through 1316
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, Miami, and New York

US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas J. DODD
embassy: Lauro Muller 1776, Montevideo
mailing address: APO AA 34035
telephone: [598] (2) 23 60 61, 48 77 77
FAX: [598] (2) 48 86 11

Flag: nine equal horizontal stripes of white (top and bottom)
alternating with blue; there is a white square in the upper
hoist-side corner with a yellow sun bearing a human face known as
the Sun of May and 16 rays alternately triangular and wavy

Economy -------

Economic overview: Uruguay's small economy benefits from a
favorable climate for agriculture and substantial hydropower
potential. Economic development has been restrained in recent years
by high - though declining - inflation and extensive government
regulation. The SANGUINETTI government's conservative monetary and
fiscal policies are aimed at continuing to reduce inflation,
currently at 35.4%; other priorities include extensive reform of the
social security system and increased investment in education.
Uruguay went into recession during second quarter 1995 and ended the
year with an estimated 2% fall in GDP and a two percentage point
rise in unemployment to 11%. This was partly due to Argentina's
recession and the slowdown in Brazilian growth in 1995, which
contributed to declines in the Uruguayan manufacturing,
construction, and service sectors. However, despite its Mercosur
(Southern Cone Common Market) partners' troubles, Uruguayan trade
expanded and potential new markets are being explored through
Mercosur negotiations with neighboring countries and the European
Union (EU). Uruguay also recently augmented its transport and
agricultural sector ties with the US. The economy is expected to
come out of recession as regional growth prospects improve.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $24.4 billion (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate: -2.4% (1995 est.)

GDP per capita: $7,600 (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector:
agriculture: 10.5%
industry: 27.5%
services: 62% (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 35.4% (1995 est.)

Labor force: 1.355 million (1991 est.)
by occupation: government 25%, manufacturing 19%, agriculture 11%,
commerce 12%, utilities, construction, transport, and communications
12%, other services 21% (1988 est.)

Unemployment rate: 11% (1995)

Budget:
revenues: $3.03 billion
expenditures: $3.37 billion with capital expenditures of $NA (1994
est.)

Industries: meat processing, wool and hides, sugar, textiles,
footwear, leather apparel, tires, cement, petroleum refining, wine

Industrial production growth rate: -19% (1995 est.)

Electricity:
capacity: 2,070,000 kW
production: 9 billion kWh
consumption per capita: 1,575 kWh (1993)

Agriculture: wheat, rice, corn, sorghum; livestock; fishing

Exports: $2.3 billion (f.o.b., 1995 est.)
commodities: wool and textile manufactures, beef and other animal
products, leather, rice
partners: Brazil, Argentina, US, China, Italy

Imports: $3.1 billion (c.i.f., 1995 est.)
commodities: machinery and equipment, vehicles, chemicals, minerals,
plastics
partners: Brazil, Argentina, US, Nigeria

External debt: $4.95 billion (1995)

Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $91 million (1993)

Currency: 1 Uruguayan peso ($Ur) = 100 centesimos

Exchange rates: Uruguayan pesos ($Ur) per US$1 - 7.12 (January
1996), 5.6 (January 1995), 5.0529 (1994), 3.9484 (1993), 3.0270
(1992), 2.0188 (1991)
note: on 1 March 1993 the former new peso (N$Ur) was replaced as
Uruguay's unit of currency by the peso which is equal to 1,000 of
the new pesos

Fiscal year: calendar year

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

Railways:
total: 2,070 km (461 km closed; additional 460 km only partially
operational)
standard gauge: 2,070 km 1.435-m gauge

Highways:
total: 49,600 km
paved: 6,656 km
unpaved: 42,944 km (1988 est.)

Waterways: 1,600 km; used by coastal and shallow-draft river craft

Ports: Fray Bentos, Montevideo, Nueva Palmira, Paysandu, Punta del
Este

Merchant marine:
total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 71,405 GRT/110,939 DWT
ships by type: cargo 1, container 1, oil tanker 1 (1995 est.)

Airports:
total: 66
with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 1
with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 5
with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 8
with paved runways under 914 m: 36
with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 2
with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 14 (1995 est.)

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

Telephones: 451,000 (1991 est.)

Telephone system: some modern facilities
domestic: most modern facilities concentrated in Montevideo; new
nationwide microwave radio relay network
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 99, FM 0, shortwave 9

Radios: 1.89 million (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 26

Televisions: 725,000 (1992 est.)

Defense -------

Branches: Army, Navy (includes Naval Air Arm, Coast Guard,
Marines), Air Force, Grenadier Guards, Coracero Guard, Police

Manpower availability:
males age 15-49: 783,890
males fit for military service: 636,454 (1996 est.)

Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $256 million,
1.5% of GDP (1994)

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

@Uzbekistan ----------

Map ---

Location: 41 00 N, 64 00 E -- Central Asia, north of Afghanistan

Flag ----

Description: three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white,
and green separated by red fimbriations with a crescent moon and 12
stars in the upper hoist-side quadrant

Geography ---------

Location: Central Asia, north of Afghanistan

Geographic coordinates: 41 00 N, 64 00 E

Map references: Commonwealth of Independent States

Area:
total area: 447,400 sq km
land area: 425,400 sq km
comparative area: slightly larger than California

Land boundaries:
total: 6,221 km
border countries: Afghanistan 137 km, Kazakstan 2,203 km, Kyrgyzstan
1,099 km, Tajikistan 1,161 km, Turkmenistan 1,621 km

Coastline: 0 km
note: Uzbekistan borders the Aral Sea (420 km)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

International disputes: none

Climate: mostly midlatitude desert, long, hot summers, mild
winters; semiarid grassland in east

Terrain: mostly flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes; broad,
flat intensely irrigated river valleys along course of Amu Darya and
Sirdaryo; Fergana Valley in east surrounded by mountainous
Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan; shrinking Aral Sea in west
lowest point: Saryqamish Kuli -12 m
highest point: Adelunga Toghi 4,301 m

Natural resources: natural gas, petroleum, coal, gold, uranium,
silver, copper, lead and zinc, tungsten, molybdenum

Land use:
arable land: 10%
permanent crops: 1%
meadows and pastures: 47%
forest and woodland: 0%
other: 42%

Irrigated land: 41,550 sq km (1990)

Environment:
current issues: drying up of the Aral Sea is resulting in growing
concentrations of chemical pesticides and natural salts; these
substances are then blown from the increasingly exposed lake bed and
contribute to desertification; water pollution from industrial
wastes and the heavy use of fertilizers and pesticides is the cause
of many human health disorders; increasing soil salinization; soil
contamination from agricultural chemicals, including DDT
natural hazards: NA
international agreements: party to - Climate Change,
Desertification, Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer Protection;
signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity

Geographic note: landlocked

People ------

Population: 23,418,381 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 40% (male 4,732,585; female 4,618,503)
15-64 years: 55% (male 6,441,052; female 6,540,479)
65 years and over: 5% (male 416,571; female 669,191) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.87% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 29.86 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 8.02 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: -3.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female
all ages: 0.98 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 79.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 64.6 years
male: 60.44 years
female: 68.97 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.69 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Uzbek(s)
adjective: Uzbek

Ethnic divisions: Uzbek 71.4%, Russian 8.3%, Tajik 4.7%, Kazak
4.1%, Tatar 2.4%, Karakalpak 2.1%, other 7%

Religions: Muslim 88% (mostly Sunnis), Eastern Orthodox 9%, other
3%

Languages: Uzbek 74.3%, Russian 14.2%, Tajik 4.4%, other 7.1%

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1989 est.)
total population: 97%
male: 98%
female: 96%

Government ----------

Name of country:
conventional long form: Republic of Uzbekistan
conventional short form: Uzbekistan
local long form: Uzbekiston Respublikasi
local short form: none
former: Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic

Data code: UZ

Type of government: republic

Capital: Tashkent (Toshkent)

Administrative divisions: 12 wiloyatlar (singular - wiloyat), 1
autonomous republic* (respublikasi), and 1 city** (shahri); Andijon
Wiloyati, Bukhoro Wiloyati, Jizzakh Wiloyati, Farghona Wiloyati,
Qoraqalpoghiston* (Nukus), Qashqadaryo Wiloyati (Qarshi), Khorazm
Wiloyati (Urganch), Namangan Wiloyati, Nawoiy Wiloyati, Samarqand
Wiloyati, Sirdaryo Wiloyati (Guliston), Surkhondaryo Wiloyati
(Termiz), Toshkent Shahri**, Toshkent Wiloyati
note: an administrative division has the same name as its
administrative center (exceptions have the administrative center
name following in parentheses)

Independence: 31 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day, 1 September (1991)

Constitution: new constitution adopted 8 December 1992

Legal system: evolution of Soviet civil law; still lacks
independent judicial system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Islom KARIMOV (since 24 March 1990, when
he was elected president by the then Supreme Soviet) was elected for
a five-year term by popular vote; election last held 29 December
1991 (next to be held NA 2000); results - Islam KARIMOV 86%,
Mukhammad SOLIKH 12%, other 2%; note - the 26 March 1995 referendum
extended KARIMOV's term until 2000 (99.6% approval)
head of government: Prime Minister Otkir SULTONOV (since December
1995), First Deputy Prime Minister Ismoil JURABEKOV (since NA),
Deputy Prime Ministers Viktor CHIZHEN (since NA), Bakhtiyor HAMIDOV
(since NA), Kayim HAQQULOV (since NA), Rim GINIYATULLIN (since NA),
Saidmukhtor SAIDQOSIMOV (since NA), Mirabror USMONOV (since NA),
Murat SHARIFKHOJAYEV (since NA), Uktam ISMAILOV (since NA), Rustam
YUNUSOV (since NA) were appointed by the president
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers was appointed by the president with
approval of the Supreme Assembly

Legislative branch: unicameral
Supreme Assembly (Oliy Majlis): elections last held 25 December 1994
(next to be held NA 1999); results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (250 total) People's Democratic Party 207, Fatherland
Progress Party 12, other 31; note - final runoffs were held 22
January 1995; seating was as follows: People's Democratic Party 69,
Fatherland Progress Party 14, Social Democratic Party 47, local
government 120

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are nominated by the
president and confirmed by the Supreme Assembly

Political parties and leaders: People's Democratic Party (PDP;
formerly Communist Party), Islom A. KARIMOV, chairman; Fatherland
Progress Party (FPP), Anwar YULDASHEV, chairman; Social Democratic
Party, Anvar JORABAYEV, chairman

Other political or pressure groups: Birlik (Unity) People's
Movement (BPM), Ibrahim BURIYEV, chairman; Islamic Rebirth Party
(IRP), Abdullah UTAYEV, chairman; Erk (Freedom) Democratic Party was
banned 9 December 1992
note: UTAYEV (IRP) is either in prison or in exile

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

Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Fatiq TESHABAYEV
chancery: (temporary) Suites 619 and 623, 1511 K Street NW,
Washington, DC 20005
telephone: [1] (202) 638-4266, 4267
FAX: [1] (202) 638-4268

US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Stanley T. ESCUDERO
embassy: 82 Chilanzarskaya, Tashkent
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [7] (3712) 77-14-07, 77-10-81, 77-69-86
FAX: [7] (3712) 89-13-35

Flag: three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and green
separated by red fimbriations with a crescent moon and 12 stars in
the upper hoist-side quadrant

Economy -------

Economic overview: Uzbekistan is a dry, landlocked country of
which 10% consists of intensely cultivated, irrigated river valleys.
It was one of the poorest republics of the former Soviet Union with
more than 60% of its population living in overpopulated rural
communities. At the same time, Uzbekistan is the world's third
largest cotton exporter, a major producer of gold and natural gas,
and a regionally significant producer of chemicals and machinery.
Following independence, the government sought to prop up its
Soviet-style command economy with subsidies and tight controls on
production and prices. Faced with high rates of inflation, however,
the government stepped up the pace of reform in mid-1994, by
introducing tighter monetary policies, expanding privatization,
reducing the role of the state in the economy, and improving the
environment for foreign investors. Nevertheless, the state continues
to be a dominating influence in the economy, and reforms have so far
failed to induce far-reaching structural changes.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $54.7 billion (1995 estimate as
extrapolated from World Bank estimate for 1994)

GDP real growth rate: -1% (1995 est.)

GDP per capita: $2,370 (1995 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7.7% monthly average
(January-October 1995 est.)

Labor force: 8.234 million
by occupation: agriculture and forestry 43%, industry and
construction 22%, other 35% (1992)

Unemployment rate: 0.4% includes only officially registered
unemployed; large numbers of underemployed workers (December 1995)

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

Industries: textiles, food processing, machine building,
metallurgy, natural gas

Industrial production growth rate: 0% (1995 est.)

Electricity:
capacity: 11,690,000 kW
production: 47.5 billion kWh
consumption per capita: 2,130 kWh (1994)

Agriculture: cotton, vegetables, fruits, grain; livestock

Illicit drugs: illicit cultivator of cannabis and opium poppy;
mostly for CIS consumption; government eradication programs; used as
transshipment point for illicit drugs to Western Europe

Exports: $3.1 billion (1995)
commodities: cotton, gold, natural gas, mineral fertilizers, ferrous
metals, textiles, food products
partners: Russia, Ukraine, Eastern Europe, US

Imports: $2.9 billion (1995)
commodities: grain, machinery and parts, consumer durables, other
foods
partners: principally other FSU countries, Czech Republic

External debt: $1.285 billion (of which $510 million to Russia)

Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $71 million (1993)
note: commitments, $2,915 million ($135 million in disbursements)
(1992-95)

Currency: introduced provisional som-coupons 10 November 1993
which circulated parallel to the Russian rubles; became the sole
legal currency 31 January 1994; was replaced in July 1994 by the som
currency

Exchange rates: soms per US$1 - 35.8 (end December 1995), 25
(yearend 1994)

Fiscal year: calendar year

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

Railways:
total: 3,460 km in common carrier service; does not include
industrial lines
broad gauge: 3,460 km 1.520-m gauge (1990)

Highways:
total: 78,400 km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km (1990 est.)

Pipelines: crude oil 250 km; petroleum products 40 km; natural gas
810 km (1992)

Ports: Termiz

Airports:
total: 261
with paved runways over 3 047 m: 6
with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 14
with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 2
with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 8
with paved runways under 914 m: 5
with unpaved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 2
with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 1
with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 7
with unpaved runways under 914 m: 216 (1994 est.)

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

Telephones: 1.458 million (1995 est.)