Chapter V (44)

Highways:
total: 6,200 km
paved: 0 km
unpaved: 6,200 km

Ports: Ad Dakhla, Cabo Bojador, El Aaiun

Airports:
total: 12
with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 3
with paved runways under 914 m: 3
with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 1
with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 5 (1995 est.)

Heliports: 1 (1995 est.)

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

Telephones: 2,000

Telephone system: sparse and limited system
domestic: NA
international: tied into Morocco's system by microwave radio relay,
tropospheric scatter, and satellite; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) linked to Rabat, Morocco

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

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 2

Televisions: NA

Defense -------

Branches: NA

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

Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP

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

@Western Samoa -------------

Map ---

Location: 13 35 S, 172 20 W -- Oceania, group of islands in the
South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New
Zealand

Flag ----

Description: red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side
quadrant bearing five white five-pointed stars representing the
Southern Cross constellation

Geography ---------

Location: Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean,
about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates: 13 35 S, 172 20 W

Map references: Oceania

Area:
total area: 2,860 sq km
land area: 2,850 sq km
comparative area: slightly smaller than Rhode Island

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 403 km

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

International disputes: none

Climate: tropical; rainy season (October to March), dry season
(May to October)

Terrain: narrow coastal plain with volcanic, rocky, rugged
mountains in interior
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mauga Silisili 1,857 m

Natural resources: hardwood forests, fish

Land use:
arable land: 19%
permanent crops: 24%
meadows and pastures: 0%
forest and woodland: 47%
other: 10%

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Environment:
current issues: soil erosion
natural hazards: occasional typhoons; active volcanism
international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection

People ------

Population: 214,384 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 40% (male 43,540; female 42,185)
15-64 years: 56% (male 62,742; female 57,323)
65 years and over: 4% (male 4,089; female 4,505) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.37% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 31.12 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 5.75 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female
all ages: 1.06 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 34.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 68.73 years
male: 66.35 years
female: 71.24 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.93 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Western Samoan(s)
adjective: Western Samoan

Ethnic divisions: Samoan 92.6%, Euronesians 7% (persons of
European and Polynesian blood), Europeans 0.4%

Religions: Christian 99.7% (about one-half of population
associated with the London Missionary Society; includes
Congregational, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Latter-Day Saints,
Seventh-Day Adventist)

Languages: Samoan (Polynesian), English

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1971 est.)
total population: 97%
male: 97%
female: 97%

Government ----------

Name of country:
conventional long form: Independent State of Western Samoa
conventional short form: Western Samoa

Data code: WS

Type of government: constitutional monarchy under native chief

Capital: Apia

Administrative divisions: 11 districts; A'ana, Aiga-i-le-Tai,
Atua, Fa'asaleleaga, Gaga'emauga, Gagaifomauga, Palauli,
Satupa'itea, Tuamasaga, Va'a-o-Fonoti, Vaisigano

Independence: 1 January 1962 (from New Zealand-administered UN
trusteeship)

National holiday: National Day, 1 June (1962)

Constitution: 1 January 1962

Legal system: based on English common law and local customs;
judicial review of legislative acts with respect to fundamental
rights of the citizen; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Chief Susuga MALIETOA Tanumafili II (co-chief of
state from 1 January 1962 until becoming sole chief of state 5 April
1963); upon his death, a new chief of state will be elected by the
Legislative Assembly to serve a five-year term
head of government: Prime Minister TOFILAU Eti Alesana (since 7
April 1988) was appointed by the chief of state with approval of the
Legislative Assembly
cabinet: Cabinet was appointed by the chief of state with the prime
minister's advice

Legislative branch: unicameral
Legislative Assembly (Fono): elections last held 5 April 1991 (next
to be held 26 April 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (47 total) HRPP 28, SNDP 18, independents 1
note: only matai (head of family) are able to run for the
Legislative Assembly

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders: Human Rights Protection Party
(HRPP), TOFILAU Eti Alesana, chairman; Samoan National Development
Party (SNDP), TAPUA Tamasese Efi, chairman; Samoan Progressive
Conservative Party, LEOTA Ituau Ale; Samoa All People's Party
(SAPP), Matatumua MAIMOAGA

International organization participation: ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP,
FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, Intelsat
(nonsignatory user), IOC, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Tuiloma Neroni SLADE
chancery: 820 Second Avenue, Suite 800, New York, NY 10017
telephone: [1] (212) 599-6196, 6197
FAX: [1] (212) 599-0797

US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Josiah Horton BEEMAN (Ambassador to New
Zealand and Western Samoa, resides in Wellington, New Zealand)
embassy: 5th floor, Beach Road, Apia
mailing address: P.O. Box 3430, Apia
telephone: [685] 21631
FAX: [685] 22030

Flag: red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side quadrant
bearing five white five-pointed stars representing the Southern
Cross constellation

Economy -------

Economic overview: Agriculture employs more than one-half of the
labor force, contributes 50% to GDP, and furnishes 90% of exports.
The bulk of export earnings comes from the sale of coconut oil and
copra. The economy depends on emigrant remittances and foreign aid
to supplement GDP and to support a level of imports much greater
than export earnings. Tourism has become the most important growth
industry. The economy continued to falter in 1994, as remittances
and tourist earnings remained low. Production of taro, the primary
food export crop, dropped 97% in 1993/94 when a fungal disease
threatened the country's basic food crops. Nevertheless, the
government is relying on recovery and further expansion in
agricultural production to sustain economic growth of around 5% over
the next several years.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $415 million (1995 est.)

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

GDP per capita: $1,900 (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector:
agriculture: 50%
industry: NA%
services: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 18% (1994)

Labor force: 45,635 (1986 est.)
by occupation: agriculture 65%, services 30%, industry 5% (1995 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget:
revenues: $78.6 million
expenditures: $81.9 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1995 est.)

Industries: timber, tourism, food processing, fishing

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity:
capacity: 29,000 kW
production: 50 million kWh
consumption per capita: 200 kWh (1993)

Agriculture: coconuts, bananas, taro, yams

Exports: $6.4 million (f.o.b., 1993)
commodities: coconut oil and cream, taro, copra, cocoa
partners: New Zealand 34%, American Samoa 21%, Germany 18%,
Australia 11%

Imports: $11.5 million (c.i.f., 1992 est.)
commodities: intermediate goods 58%, food 17%, capital goods 12%
partners: New Zealand 37%, Australia 25%, Japan 11%, Fiji 9%

External debt: $141 million (June 1993)

Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $NA

Currency: 1 tala (WS$) = 100 sene

Exchange rates: tala (WS$) per US$1 - 2.5195 (January 1996),
2.4722 (1995), 2.5349 (1994), 2.5681 (1993), 2.4655 (1992), 2.3975
(1991)

Fiscal year: calendar year

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

Railways: 0 km

Highways:
total: 2,030 km
paved: 373 km
unpaved: 1,657 km (1988 est.)

Ports: Apia, Asau, Mulifanua, Salelologa

Merchant marine:
total: 1 roll-on/roll-off cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling
3,838 GRT/5,536 DWT (1995 est.)

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

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

Telephones: 7,500 (1988 est.)

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

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

Radios: 76,000 (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 0 (1987 est.)

Televisions: 6,000 (1992 est.)

Defense -------

Branches: no regular armed services; Western Samoa Police Force

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

Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP

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

@World -----

Map ---

Geography ---------

Map references: World, Time Zones

Area:
total area: 510.072 million sq km
land area: 148.94 million sq km
water area: 361.132 million sq km
comparative area: land area about 15 times the size of the US
note: 70.8% of the world is water, 29.2% is land

Land boundaries: the land boundaries in the world total 250,883.64
km (not counting shared boundaries twice)

Coastline: 356,000 km

Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm claimed by most but can vary
continental shelf: 200-m depth claimed by most or to depth of
exploitation, others claim 200 nm or to the edge of the continental
margin
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm claimed by most but can vary
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm claimed by most but can vary
territorial sea: 12 nm claimed by most but can vary
note: boundary situations with neighboring states prevent many
countries from extending their fishing or economic zones to a full
200 nm; 43 nations and other areas that are landlocked include
Afghanistan, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bhutan,
Bolivia, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic,
Chad, Czech Republic, Ethiopia, Holy See (Vatican City), Hungary,
Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg,
Malawi, Mali, Moldova, Mongolia, Nepal, Niger, Paraguay, Rwanda, San
Marino, Slovakia, Swaziland, Switzerland, Tajikistan, The Former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Uzbekistan,
West Bank, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Climate: two large areas of polar climates separated by two rather
narrow temperate zones from a wide equatorial band of tropical to
subtropical climates

Terrain: the greatest ocean depth is the Marianas Trench at 10,924
m in the Pacific Ocean
lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
highest point: Mount Everest 8,848 m

Natural resources: the rapid using up of nonrenewable mineral
resources, the depletion of forest areas and wetlands, the
extinction of animal and plant species, and the deterioration in air
and water quality (especially in Eastern Europe and the former USSR)
pose serious long-term problems that governments and peoples are
only beginning to address

Land use:
arable land: 10%
permanent crops: 1%
meadows and pastures: 24%
forest and woodland: 31%
other: 34%

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Environment:
current issues: large areas subject to overpopulation, industrial
disasters, pollution (air, water, acid rain, toxic substances), loss
of vegetation (overgrazing, deforestation, desertification), loss of
wildlife, soil degradation, soil depletion, erosion
natural hazards: large areas subject to severe weather (tropical
cyclones), natural disasters (earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis,
volcanic eruptions)
international agreements: selected international environmental
agreements are included under the Environment entry for each country
and in the Selected International Environmental Agreements appendix

People ------

Population: 5,771,939,007 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 31% (male 919,402,570; female 874,330,478)
15-64 years: 62% (male 1,824,524,365; female 1,776,639,084)
65 years and over: 7% (male 162,216,128; female 213,712,993)

Population growth rate: 1.4% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 23 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 9 deaths/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: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
all ages: 1.01 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 60 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 62 years
male: 61 years
female: 64 years

Total fertility rate: 2.9 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Government ----------

Data code: none; there is no FIPS 10-4 country code for the World,
so the Factbook uses the "W" data code from DIAM 65-18 "Geopolitical
Data Elements and Related Features," Data Standard No. 3, March
1984, published by the Defense Intelligence Agency; see the
Cross-Reference List of Country Data Codes appendix

Administrative divisions: 266 nations, dependent areas, other, and
miscellaneous entries

Legal system: varies by individual country; 186 (not including
Yugoslavia) are parties to the UN International Court of Justice
(ICJ or World Court)

Economy -------

Economic overview: Real global output - gross world product (GWP)
- again rose 3% in 1995, with the newly industrializing Third World
countries setting the pace. And once more, results varied widely
among regions and countries. Average growth of 2.5% in the GDP of
industrialized countries (56% of GWP in 1995) and average growth of
5% in the GDP of less developed countries (38% of GWP) were partly
offset by a small 1.5% drop in the GDP of the former USSR/Eastern
Europe area (only 6% of GWP). With the notable exception of Japan at
3.1%, unemployment was typically 6%-12% in the industrial world. The
US accounted for 22% of GWP in 1995; Western Europe accounted for
21%; and Japan accounted for 8%. These are the three "economic
superpowers" presumably destined to compete for mastery in
international markets on into the 21st century. As for the less
developed countries: China, India, and the Four Dragons - South
Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore - once again posted records
of 5% growth or better; however, many other countries, especially in
Africa, continued to suffer from drought, rapid population growth,
inflation, and civil strife. Central Europe continued its progress
in moving toward "market-friendly" economies. The 15 ex-Soviet
countries typically experienced further declines in output, although
considerably less than in 1992-94. Externally, the nation-state, as
a bedrock economic-political institution, is steadily losing control
over international flows of people, goods, funds, and technology.
Internally, the central government in a number of cases is losing
control over resources as separatist regional movements - typically
based on ethnicity - gain momentum, e.g., in the successor states of
the former Soviet Union, in the former Yugoslavia, in India, and in
Canada. In Western Europe, governments face the difficult political
problem of channeling resources away from welfare programs in order
to increase investment and strengthen incentives to seek employment.
The addition of nearly 100 million people each year to an already
overcrowded globe is exacerbating the problems of pollution,
desertification, underemployment, epidemics, and famine. Because of
their own internal problems, the industrialized countries have
inadequate resources to deal effectively with the poorer areas of
the world, which, at least from the economic point of view, are
becoming further marginalized. (For specific economic developments
in each country, see the individual country entries in this volume.)

GDP: GWP (gross world product) - purchasing power parity - $33.7
trillion (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate: 3% (1995 est.)

GDP per capita: $5,900 (1995 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
all countries: 25%
developed countries: 2% to 6% typically
developing countries: 10% to 60% typically (1995 est.)
note: national inflation rates vary widely in individual cases, from
stable prices in Japan to hyperinflation in a number of Third World
countries

Labor force: 2.24 billion (1992)
by occupation: NA

Unemployment rate: 30% combined unemployment and underemployment
in many non-industrialized countries; developed countries typically
6%-12% unemployment (1995 est.)

Industries: dominated by the onrush of technology, especially in
computers, robotics, telecommunications, and medicines and medical
equipment; most of these advances take place in OECD nations; only a
small portion of non-OECD countries have succeeded in rapidly
adjusting to these technological forces; the rapid development of
new industrial (and agricultural) technology is complicating already
grim environmental problems

Industrial production growth rate: 5% (1995 est.)

Electricity:
capacity: 2,773,000,000 kW
production: 11.601 trillion kWh
consumption per capita: 1,937 kWh (1993)

Agriculture: the whole gamut of crops, livestock, forest products,
and fish

Exports: $4.3 trillion (f.o.b., 1995 est.)
commodities: the whole range of industrial and agricultural goods
and services
partners: in value, about 75% of exports from the developed countries

Imports: $4.4 trillion (c.i.f., 1995 est.)
commodities: the whole range of industrial and agricultural goods
and services
partners: in value, about 75% of imports by the developed countries

External debt: $2 trillion for less developed countries (1995 est.)

Economic aid: worldwide traditional foreign aid $50 billion (1995
est.)

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

Railways:
total: 1,201,337 km includes about 190,000 to 195,000 km of
electrified routes of which 147,760 km are in Europe, 24,509 km in
the Far East, 11,050 km in Africa, 4,223 km in South America, and
4,160 km in North America; note - fastest speed in daily service is
300 km/hr attained by France's Societe Nationale des Chemins-de-Fer
Francais (SNCF) Le Train a Grande Vitesse (TGV) - Atlantique line
broad gauge: 251,153 km
standard gauge: 710,754 km
narrow gauge: 239,430 km

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

Ports: Chiba, Houston, Kawasaki, Kobe, Marseille, Mina' al Ahmadi
(Kuwait), New Orleans, New York, Rotterdam, Yokohama

Merchant marine:
total: 25,521 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 442,276,527
GRT/701,647,274 DWT
ships by type: barge carrier 22, bulk 5,308, cargo 8,089, chemical
tanker 920, combination bulk 307, combination ore/oil 279, container
1,938, liquefied gas tanker 709, livestock carrier 52, multifunction
large-load carrier 62, oil tanker 4,320, passenger 298,
passenger-cargo 117, railcar carrier 21, refrigerated cargo 1,022,
roll-on/roll-off cargo 1,034, short-sea passenger 484, specialized
tanker 81, vehicle carrier 458 (1995 est.)

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

Telephones: NA

Telephone system:
domestic: NA
international: NA

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

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: NA

Televisions: NA

Defense -------

Branches: ground, maritime, and air forces at all levels of
technology

Defense expenditures: probably a small decline in 1995 in
aggregate real expenditure on arms worldwide and somewhat less than
three-quarters of a trillion dollars in money terms, or roughly 2%
of gross world product (1995 est.)

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

@Yemen -----

Map ---

Location: 15 00 N, 48 00 E -- Middle East, bordering the Arabian
Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Red Sea, between Oman and Saudi Arabia

Flag ----

Description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and
black; similar to the flag of Syria which has two green stars and of
Iraq which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a
horizontal line centered in the white band; also similar to the flag
of Egypt which has a symbolic eagle centered in the white band

Geography ---------

Location: Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden,
and Red Sea, between Oman and Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates: 15 00 N, 48 00 E

Map references: Middle East

Area:
total area: 527,970 sq km
land area: 527,970 sq km
comparative area: slightly larger than twice the size of Wyoming
note: includes Perim, Socotra, the former Yemen Arab Republic (YAR
or North Yemen), and the former People's Democratic Republic of
Yemen (PDRY or South Yemen)

Land boundaries:
total: 1,746 km
border countries: Oman 288 km, Saudi Arabia 1,458 km

Coastline: 1,906 km

Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 18 nm in the North; 24 nm in the South
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: large section of boundary with Saudi
Arabia not defined; a dispute with Eritrea over sovereignty of the
Hanish Islands in the southern Red Sea has been submitted to
arbitration under the auspices of the International Court of Justice

Climate: mostly desert; hot and humid along west coast; temperate
in western mountains affected by seasonal monsoon; extraordinarily
hot, dry, harsh desert in east

Terrain: narrow coastal plain backed by flat-topped hills and
rugged mountains; dissected upland desert plains in center slope
into the desert interior of the Arabian Peninsula
lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m
highest point: Jabal an Nabi Shu'ayb 3,760 m

Natural resources: petroleum, fish, rock salt, marble, small
deposits of coal, gold, lead, nickel, and copper, fertile soil in
west

Land use:
arable land: 6%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 30%
forest and woodland: 7%
other: 57%

Irrigated land: 3,100 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment:
current issues: very limited natural fresh water resources;
inadequate supplies of potable water; overgrazing; soil erosion;
desertification
natural hazards: sandstorms and dust storms in summer
international agreements: party to - Environmental Modification, Law
of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban; signed, but not ratified -
Biodiversity, Climate Change

Geographic note: controls Bab el Mandeb, the strait linking the
Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, one of world's most active shipping
lanes

People ------

Population: 13,483,178 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 48% (male 3,302,489; female 3,122,246)
15-64 years: 50% (male 3,327,682; female 3,364,787)
65 years and over: 2% (male 158,018; female 207,956) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.56% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 45.22 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 9.59 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: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
all ages: 1.01 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 71.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 59.58 years
male: 58.23 years
female: 60.99 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 7.29 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Yemeni(s)
adjective: Yemeni

Ethnic divisions: predominantly Arab; Afro-Arab concentrations in
western coastal locations; South Asians in southern regions; small
European communities in major metropolitan areas

Religions: Muslim including Sha'fi (Sunni) and Zaydi (Shi'a),
small numbers of Jewish, Christian, and Hindu

Languages: Arabic

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
total population: 38%
male: 53%
female: 26%

Government ----------

Name of country:
conventional long form: Republic of Yemen
conventional short form: Yemen
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Yamaniyah
local short form: Al Yaman

Data code: YM

Type of government: republic

Capital: Sanaa

Administrative divisions: 17 governorates (muhafazat, singular -
muhafazah); Abyan, Aden, Al Bayda, Al Hudaydah, Al Jawf, Al Mahrah,
Al Mahwit, Ataq, Dhamar, Hadhramaut, Hajjah, Ibb, Lahij, Ma'rib,
Sa'dah, San'a', Ta'izz
note: there may be a new governorate for the capital city of Sanaa

Independence: 22 May 1990 Republic of Yemen was established on 22
May 1990 with the merger of the Yemen Arab Republic {Yemen (Sanaa)
or North Yemen} and the Marxist-dominated People's Democratic
Republic of Yemen {Yemen (Aden) or South Yemen}; previously North
Yemen had become independent on NA November 1918 (from the Ottoman
Empire) and South Yemen had become independent on 30 November 1967
(from the UK)

National holiday: Proclamation of the Republic, 22 May (1990)

Constitution: 16 May 1991; amended 29 September 1994

Legal system: based on Islamic law, Turkish law, English common
law, and local tribal customary law; does not accept compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Ali Abdallah SALIH (since 22 May
1990, the former president of North Yemen, assumed office upon the
merger of North and South Yemen) was elected for a five-year term by
the House of Representatives; election last held 1 October 1994
(next to be held NA 1999); Vice President Maj. Gen. Abd al-Rab
Mansur al-HADI (since NA October 1994) was appointed by the president
head of government: Prime Minister Abd al-Aziz ABD AL-GHANI (since
NA October 1994) was appointed by the president; Deputy Prime
Ministers Abd al-Wahhab al-ANISI (since NA October 1994), Dr. Abd
al-Karim Ali al-IRYANI (since NA October 1994), Dr. Muhammad Said
al-ATTAR (since NA October 1994), and Abd al-Qadir al-BA JAMAL
(since NA October 1994)
cabinet: Council of Ministers was appointed by the president on
advice of the prime minister

Legislative branch: unicameral
House of Representatives: elections last held 27 April 1993 (next to
be held NA May 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats -
(301 total) GPC 124, Islaah 61, YSP 55, others 13, independents 47,
election nullified 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: over 40 political parties are
active in Yemen, but only three project significant influence; since
the May-July 1994 civil war, President SALIH's General People's
Congress (GPC) and Shaykh Abdallah bin Husayn al-AHMAR's Yemeni
Grouping for Reform, or Islaah, have joined to form a coalition
government; the Yemeni Socialist Party (YSP), headed by Ali Salih
UBAYD, has regrouped as a loyal opposition

Other political or pressure groups: NA

International organization participation: ACC, AFESD, AL, AMF,
CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OIC,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
(applicant)

Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Muhsin Ahmad al-AYNI
chancery: Suite 705, 2600 Virginia Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037
telephone: [1] (202) 965-4760, 4761
FAX: [1] (202) 337-2017

US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador David G. NEWTON
embassy: Dhahr Himyar Zone, Sheraton Hotel District, Sanaa
mailing address: P. O. Box 22347, Sanaa
telephone: [967] (1) 238843 through 238852
FAX: [967] (1) 251563

Flag: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black;
similar to the flag of Syria which has two green stars and of Iraq
which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a
horizontal line centered in the white band; also similar to the flag
of Egypt which has a symbolic eagle centered in the white band

Economy -------

Economic overview: Whereas the northern city Sanaa is the
political capital of a united Yemen, the southern city Aden, with
its refinery and port facilities, is the economic and commercial
capital. Future economic development depends heavily on
Western-assisted development of the country's moderate oil
resources. Former South Yemen's willingness to merge stemmed partly
from the steady decline in Soviet economic support. The low level of
domestic industry and agriculture has made northern Yemen dependent
on imports for practically all of its essential needs. Once
self-sufficient in food production, northern Yemen has become a
major importer. Land once used for export crops - cotton, fruit, and
vegetables - has been turned over to growing a shrub called qat,
whose leaves are chewed for their stimulant effect by Yemenis and
which has no significant export market. Economic growth in former
South Yemen has been constrained by a lack of incentives, partly
stemming from centralized control over production decisions,
investment allocation, and import choices. Yemen's large trade
deficits have been compensated for by remittances from Yemenis
working abroad and by foreign aid. Since the Gulf crisis,
remittances have dropped substantially. High inflation and political
divisions hinder the development of a forward-looking economic
policy.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $37.1 billion (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate: 3.6% (1995 est.)

GDP per capita: $2,520 (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector:
agriculture: 21%
industry: 24%
services: 55%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 71.3% (1994 est.)

Labor force: no reliable estimates exist, most people are employed
in agriculture and herding or as expatriate laborers; services,
construction, industry, and commerce account for less than one-half
of the labor force

Unemployment rate: 30% (1995 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $1.4 billion
expenditures: $1.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1996 est.)

Industries: crude oil production and petroleum refining;
small-scale production of cotton textiles and leather goods; food
processing; handicrafts; small aluminum products factory; cement

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity:
capacity: 810,000 kW
production: 1.8 billion kWh
consumption per capita: 149 kWh (1993)

Agriculture: grain, fruits, vegetables, qat (mildly narcotic
shrub), coffee, cotton; dairy products, poultry, meat; fish

Exports: $1.1 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.)
commodities: crude oil, cotton, coffee, hides, vegetables, dried and
salted fish
partners: US 17%, Japan 16%, Singapore 15%, China 13% (1994)

Imports: $1.8 billion (c.i.f., 1994 est.)
commodities: textiles and other manufactured consumer goods,
petroleum products, sugar, grain, flour, other foodstuffs, cement,
machinery, chemicals
partners: US 11%, UK 7%, France 7%, Germany 5%, Japan 5% (1994)

External debt: $8 billion (1996)

Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $148 million (1993)

Currency: Yemeni rial (new currency)

Exchange rates: Yemeni rials per US$1 - 12.010 (official fixed
rate); 90 (market rate, December 1994)

Fiscal year: calendar year

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

Railways: 0 km

Highways:
total: 51,392 km
paved: 4,831 km
unpaved: 46,561 km (1992 est.)

Pipelines: crude oil 644 km; petroleum products 32 km

Ports: Aden, Al Hudaydah, Al Mukalla, Mocha, Nishtun

Merchant marine:
total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 12,059 GRT/18,563 DWT
ships by type: cargo 1, oil tanker 2 (1995 est.)

Airports:
total: 41
with paved runways over 3 047 m: 2
with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 6
with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 1
with paved runways under 914 m: 3
with unpaved runways over 3 047 m: 2
with unpaved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 8
with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 9
with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 10 (1995 est.)

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

Telephones: 131,655 (1992 est.)

Telephone system: since unification in 1990, efforts have been
made to create a national telecommunications network
domestic: the network consists of microwave radio relay, cable, and
tropospheric scatter
international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Indian Ocean
and 1 Atlantic Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region), and 2
Arabsat; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and Djibouti

Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 1, shortwave 0

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 10

Televisions: 350,000 (1992 est.)

Defense -------

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

Manpower availability:
males age 15-49: 2,985,764
males fit for military service: 1,685,517
males reach military age (18) annually: 145,161 (1996 est.)

Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP

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

@Zaire -----

Map ---

Location: 0 00 N, 25 00 E -- Central Africa, northeast of Angola

Flag ----

Description: light green with a yellow disk in the center bearing
a black arm holding a red flaming torch; the flames of the torch are
blowing away from the hoist side; uses the popular pan-African
colors of Ethiopia

Geography ---------

Location: Central Africa, northeast of Angola

Geographic coordinates: 0 00 N, 25 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area:
total area: 2,345,410 sq km
land area: 2,267,600 sq km
comparative area: slightly more than one-fourth the size of US

Land boundaries:
total: 10,271 km
border countries: Angola 2,511 km, Burundi 233 km, Central African
Republic 1,577 km, Congo 2,410 km, Rwanda 217 km, Sudan 628 km,
Uganda 765 km, Zambia 1,930 km

Coastline: 37 km

Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: boundaries with neighbors
territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: Tanzania-Zaire-Zambia tripoint in Lake
Tanganyika may no longer be indefinite since it has been informally
reported that the indefinite section of the Zaire-Zambia boundary
has been settled; long section with Congo along the Congo river is
indefinite (no division of the river or its islands has been made)

Climate: tropical; hot and humid in equatorial river basin; cooler
and drier in southern highlands; cooler and wetter in eastern
highlands; north of Equator - wet season April to October, dry
season December to February; south of Equator - wet season November
to March, dry season April to October

Terrain: vast central basin is a low-lying plateau; mountains in
east
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Margherita Peak (Mount Stanley) 5,110 m

Natural resources: cobalt, copper, cadmium, petroleum, industrial
and gem diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, germanium,
uranium, radium, bauxite, iron ore, coal, hydropower potential

Land use:
arable land: 3%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 4%
forest and woodland: 78%
other: 15%

Irrigated land: 100 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment:
current issues: poaching threatens wildlife populations; water
pollution; deforestation; 1.2 million Rwandan refugees are
responsible for significant deforestation, soil erosion, and
wildlife poaching in eastern Zaire
natural hazards: periodic droughts in south; volcanic activity
international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber
83; signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Environmental
Modification

Geographic note: straddles Equator; very narrow strip of land that
controls the lower Congo river and is only outlet to South Atlantic
Ocean; dense tropical rain forest in central river basin and eastern
highlands

People ------

Population: 46,498,539 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 48% (male 11,161,347; female 11,124,583)
15-64 years: 49% (male 11,197,097; female 11,783,524)
65 years and over: 3% (male 539,775; female 692,213) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.67% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 48.1 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 16.9 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: -14.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
note: in 1994, more than one million refugees fled into Zaire to
escape the fighting between the Hutus and the Tutsis in Rwanda and
Burundi; a small number of these returned to their homes in 1995
despite fear of the ongoing violence; additionally, Zaire is host to
about 100,000 Angolan, and about 100,000 Sudanese refugees

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
all ages: 0.97 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 108 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 46.7 years
male: 44.97 years
female: 48.47 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.64 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Zairian(s)
adjective: Zairian

Ethnic divisions: over 200 African ethnic groups, the majority are
Bantu; four largest tribes - Mongo, Luba, Kongo (all Bantu), and the
Mangbetu-Azande (Hamitic) make up about 45% of the population

Religions: Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 20%, Kimbanguist 10%,
Muslim 10%, other syncretic sects and traditional beliefs 10%

Languages: French (official), Lingala (a lingua franca trade
language), Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or Swahili), Kikongo,
Tshiluba

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write in French, Lingala,
Kingwana, or Tshiluba (1995 est.)
total population: 77.3%
male: 86.6%
female: 67.7%

Government ----------

Name of country:
conventional long form: Republic of Zaire
conventional short form: Zaire
local long form: Republique du Zaire
local short form: Zaire
former: Belgian Congo Congo/Leopoldville Congo/Kinshasa

Data code: CG

Type of government: republic with a strong presidential system

Capital: Kinshasa

Administrative divisions: 10 regions (regions, singular - region)
and 1 town* (ville); Bandundu, Bas-Zaire, Equateur, Haut-Zaire,
Kasai-Occidental, Kasai-Oriental, Kinshasa*, Maniema, Nord-Kivu,
Shaba, Sud-Kivu

Independence: 30 June 1960 (from Belgium)

National holiday: Anniversary of the Regime (Second Republic), 24
November (1965)

Constitution: 24 June 1967, amended August 1974, revised 15
February 1978; amended April 1990; new transitional constitution
promulgated in April 1994

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Marshal MOBUTU Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu wa
Za Banga (since 24 November 1965) elected for a seven-year term by
popular vote; election last held 29 July 1984 (next to be held by 9
July 1997); results - President MOBUTU was reelected without
opposition
head of government: Prime Minister Leon KENGO wa Dondo (since 14
June 1994) elected by the High Council of the Republic
cabinet: National Executive Council, appointed by mutual agreement
of the president and the prime minister

Legislative branch: unicameral
parliament: a single body consisting of the High Council of the
Republic and the Parliament of the Transition with membership
equally divided between presidential supporters and opponents

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

Political parties and leaders: sole legal party until January 1991
- Popular Movement of the Revolution (MPR); other parties include
Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), Etienne TSHISEKEDI
wa Mulumba; Democratic Social Christian Party (PDSC); Union of
Federalists and Independent Republicans (UFERI); Unified Lumumbast
Party (PALU), Antoine GIZENGA; Union of Independent Democrats (UDI),
Leon KENGO wa Dondo

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC,
CEEAC, CEPGL, ECA, FAO, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC,
ITU, NAM, OAU, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador TATANENE Manata
chancery: 1800 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 234-7690, 7691

US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel H. SIMPSON
embassy: 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa
mailing address: Unit 31550, APO AE 09828
telephone: [243] (12) 21533 through 21535
FAX: [243] (88) 43805, ext. 2308 or 43467

Flag: light green with a yellow disk in the center bearing a black
arm holding a red flaming torch; the flames of the torch are blowing
away from the hoist side; uses the popular pan-African colors of
Ethiopia

Economy -------

Economic overview: Zaire's economy has continued to disintegrate,
although Prime Minister KENGO has had some success in slowing the
rate of economic decline. While meaningful economic figures are
difficult to come by, Zaire's hyperinflation, chronic large
government deficits, and plunging mineral production have made the
country one of the world's poorest. Most formal transactions are
conducted in hard currency as indigenous bank notes have lost almost
all value, and a barter economy now flourishes in all but the
largest cities. Most individuals and families hang on grimly through
subsistence farming and petty trade. The government has not been
able to meet its financial obligations to the IMF nor put in place
the financial measures advocated by it. Although short-term
prospects for improvement remain doubtful, improved political
stability would boost Zaire's long-term potential to effectively
exploit its vast mineral and agricultural resources.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $16.5 billion (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate: -7.4% (1995 est.)

GDP per capita: $400 (1995 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 12% monthly average (1995 est.)

Labor force: 14.51 million (1993 est.)
by occupation: agriculture 65%, industry 16%, services 19% (1991
est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget:
revenues: $479 million
expenditures: $479 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1996 est.)

Industries: mining, mineral processing, consumer products
(including textiles, footwear, cigarettes, processed foods and
beverages), cement, diamonds

Industrial production growth rate: -20% (1993)

Electricity:
capacity: 2,830,000 kW
production: 6.2 billion kWh
consumption per capita: 133 kWh (1993)

Agriculture: coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber, tea, quinine,
cassava (tapioca), palm oil, bananas, root crops, corn, fruits; wood
products

Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for domestic
consumption

Exports: $419 million (f.o.b., 1994)
commodities: copper, coffee, diamonds, cobalt, crude oil
partners: US, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, UK, Japan, South
Africa

Imports: $382 million (c.i.f., 1994)
commodities: consumer goods, foodstuffs, mining and other machinery,
transport equipment, fuels
partners: South Africa, US, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Japan,
UK

External debt: $11.3 billion (December 1993 est.)

Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $NA

Currency: 1 zaire (Z) = 100 makuta

Exchange rates: new zaires (Z) per US$1 - 10,618 (October 1995),
1,194 (1994), 3 (1993); zaire (Z) per US$1 - 645,549 (1992), 15,587
(1991)
note: on 22 October 1993 the new zaire, equal to 3,000,000 old
zaires, was introduced

Fiscal year: calendar year

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

Railways:
total: 5,138 km (1995); note - severely reduced trackage in use
because of civil strife
narrow gauge: 3,987 km 1.067-m gauge (858 km electrified); 125 km
1.000-m gauge; 1,026 km 0.600-m gauge

Highways:
total: 145,000 km
paved: 290 km
unpaved: 144,710 km (1991 est.)

Waterways: 15,000 km including the Congo, its tributaries, and
unconnected lakes

Pipelines: petroleum products 390 km

Ports: Banana, Boma, Bukavu, Bumba, Goma, Kalemie, Kindu,
Kinshasa, Kisangani, Matadi, Mbandaka

Merchant marine: none

Airports:
total: 217
with paved runways over 3 047 m: 4
with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 3
with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 15
with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 2
with paved runways under 914 m: 82
with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 17
with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 94 (1995 est.)

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

Telephones: 34,000 (1991 est.)

Telephone system:
domestic: barely adequate wire and microwave radio relay service in
and between urban areas; domestic satellite system with 14 earth
stations
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 10, FM 4, shortwave 0

Radios: 3.87 million (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 18

Televisions: 55,000 (1992 est.)

Defense -------

Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie,
paramilitary Civil Guard, Special Presidential Division

Manpower availability:
males age 15-49: 10,025,536
males fit for military service: 5,108,385 (1996 est.)

Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $46 million, 1.5%
of GDP (1990)

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

@Zambia ------

Map ---

Location: 15 00 S, 30 00 E -- Southern Africa, east of Angola

Flag ----

Description: green with a panel of three vertical bands of red
(hoist side), black, and orange below a soaring orange eagle, on the
outer edge of the flag

Geography ---------

Location: Southern Africa, east of Angola

Geographic coordinates: 15 00 S, 30 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area:
total area: 752,610 sq km
land area: 740,720 sq km
comparative area: slightly larger than Texas

Land boundaries:
total: 5,664 km
border countries: Angola 1,110 km, Malawi 837 km, Mozambique 419 km,
Namibia 233 km, Tanzania 338 km, Zaire 1,930 km, Zimbabwe 797 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

International disputes: quadripoint with Botswana, Namibia, and
Zimbabwe is in disagreement; Tanzania-Zaire-Zambia tripoint in Lake
Tanganyika may no longer be indefinite since it has been informally
reported that the indefinite section of the Zaire-Zambia boundary
has been settled

Climate: tropical; modified by altitude; rainy season (October to
April)

Terrain: mostly high plateau with some hills and mountains
lowest point: Zambezi river 329 m
highest point: in Mafinga Hills 2,301 m

Natural resources: copper, cobalt, zinc, lead, coal, emeralds,
gold, silver, uranium, hydropower potential

Land use:
arable land: 7%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 47%
forest and woodland: 27%
other: 19%

Irrigated land: 320 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment:
current issues: air pollution and resulting acid rain in the mineral
extraction and refining region; poaching seriously threatens
rhinoceros and elephant populations; deforestation; soil erosion;
desertification; lack of adequate water treatment presents human
health risks
natural hazards: tropical storms (November to April)
international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test
Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified -
Desertification

Geographic note: landlocked

People ------

Population: 9,159,072 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 49% (male 2,272,981; female 2,244,403)
15-64 years: 48% (male 2,157,106; female 2,256,935)
65 years and over: 3% (male 110,433; female 117,214) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.11% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 44.73 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 23.65 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female
all ages: 0.98 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 96.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 36.31 years
male: 36.15 years
female: 36.46 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.55 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Zambian(s)
adjective: Zambian

Ethnic divisions: African 98.7%, European 1.1%, other 0.2%

Religions: Christian 50%-75%, Muslim and Hindu 24%-49%, indigenous
beliefs 1%

Languages: English (official), major vernaculars - Bemba, Kaonda,
Lozi, Lunda, Luvale, Nyanja, Tonga, and about 70 other indigenous
languages

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write in English (1995 est.)
total population: 78.2%
male: 85.6%
female: 71.3%

Government ----------

Name of country:
conventional long form: Republic of Zambia
conventional short form: Zambia
former: Northern Rhodesia

Data code: ZA

Type of government: republic

Capital: Lusaka

Administrative divisions: 9 provinces; Central, Copperbelt,
Eastern, Luapula, Lusaka, Northern, North-Western, Southern, Western

Independence: 24 October 1964 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 24 October (1964)

Constitution: 2 August 1991

Legal system: based on English common law and customary law;
judicial review of legislative acts in an ad hoc constitutional
council; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government: President Frederick CHILUBA
(since 31 October 1991) elected for a five-year term by popular
vote; Vice President General Godfrey MIYANDA (since NA August 1994)
appointed by the president; election last held 31 October 1991 (next
to be held October 1996); results - Frederick CHILUBA 84%, Kenneth
KAUNDA 16%
cabinet: Cabinet, appointed by the president from among the members
of the National Assembly

Legislative branch: unicameral
National Assembly: elections last held 31 October 1991 (next to be
held October 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats -
(150 total) MMD 125, UNIP 25; note - the MMD's majority was weakened
by the defection of 13 of its parliamentary members during 1993 and
the defeat of its candidates in four of the resulting byelections

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, justices are appointed by the
president

Political parties and leaders: Movement for Multiparty Democracy
(MMD), Frederick CHILUBA; United National Independence Party (UNIP),
Kenneth KAUNDA; National Party (NP), Humphrey MULEMBIA; Labor Party
(LP), Chibiza MFUNI; Zambia Democratic Congress (ZDC), Dean
MUNG'OMBA; Liberal Progressive Front (LPF), Roger CHONGWE, president

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA,
FAO, G-19, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OAU, SADC,
UN, UNAMIR, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Dunstan Weston KAMANA
chancery: 2419 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 265-9717 through 9719
FAX: [1] (202) 332-0826

US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Roland K. KUCHEL
embassy: corner of Independence Avenue and United Nations Avenue,
Lusaka
mailing address: P. O. Box 31617, Lusaka
telephone: [260] (1) 250-955, 252-230
FAX: [260] (1) 252-225

Flag: green with a panel of three vertical bands of red (hoist
side), black, and orange below a soaring orange eagle, on the outer
edge of the flag

Economy -------

Economic overview: Despite continuing progress in privatization
and budgetary reform, Zambia's economy is showing little
improvement. Inflation, while slowing somewhat, continues to be a
major concern to the CHILUBA government. Four of Zambia's 20 banks
collapsed in 1995, and the nation's debt stood at about $7 billion.
Zambia's copper mining sector, which accounts for over 80% of the
nation's foreign currency intake, is struggling. Production rates
are down as are world copper prices. Food production is insufficient
to meet the country's needs due to previous droughts and an end to
government subsidization of agriculture. While the government's
economic program aims for 6% growth in each of the next three years,
a growth rate of 3-5% is more likely.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $8.9 billion (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate: NA%

GDP per capita: $900 (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector:
agriculture: 32%
industry: 22%
services: 46% (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 55% (1994 est.)

Labor force: 3.4 million
by occupation: agriculture 85%, mining, manufacturing, and
construction 6%, transport and services 9%

Unemployment rate: 22% (1991)

Budget:
revenues: $665 million
expenditures: $767 million, including capital expenditures of $300
million (1991 est.)

Industries: copper mining and processing, construction,
foodstuffs, beverages, chemicals, textiles, fertilizer

Industrial production growth rate: -1% (1992)

Electricity:
capacity: 2,440,000 kW
production: 7.8 billion kWh
consumption per capita: 650 kWh (1993)

Agriculture: corn, sorghum, rice, peanuts, sunflower seed,
tobacco, cotton, sugarcane, cassava (tapioca); cattle, goats, beef,
eggs

Illicit drugs: increasingly a regional transshipment center for
methaqualone and heroin

Exports: $1.075 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.)
commodities: copper, zinc, cobalt, lead, tobacco
partners: EU countries, Japan, South Africa, US, India, Thailand,
Malaysia

Imports: $845 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.)
commodities: machinery, transportation equipment, foodstuffs, fuels,
manufactures
partners: EU countries, Japan, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, US

External debt: $7 billion (1995 est.)

Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $734 million (1993)

Currency: 1 Zambian kwacha (ZK) = 100 ngwee

Exchange rates: Zambian kwacha (ZK) per US$1 - 909.09 (December
1995), 833.33 (1995), 769.23 (1994), 434.78 (1993), 156.25 (1992),
61.7284 (1991)

Fiscal year: calendar year

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

Railways:
total: 2,164 km (1995)
narrow gauge: 2,164 km 1.067-m gauge (13 km double track)
note: the total includes 891 km of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway
Authority (TAZARA), which operates 1,860 km of 1.067-m narrow gauge
track between Dar es Salaam and New Kapiri M'poshi where it connects
to the Zambia Railways system; TAZARA is not a part of Zambia
Railways

Highways:
total: 37,359 km
paved: 6,575 km (including 56 km of expressways)
unpaved: 30,784 km (1992 est.)

Waterways: 2,250 km, including Zambezi and Luapula rivers, Lake
Tanganyika

Pipelines: crude oil 1,724 km

Ports: Mpulungu

Airports:
total: 104
with paved runways over 3 047 m: 1
with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 3
with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 4
with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 2
with paved runways under 914 m: 35
with unpaved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 1
with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 4
with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 54 (1995 est.)

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

Telephones: 80,900 (1987 est.)

Telephone system: facilities are among the best in Sub-Saharan
Africa
domestic: high-capacity microwave radio relay connects most larger
towns and cities
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean
and 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 11, FM 5, shortwave 0

Radios: 1,889,140

Television broadcast stations: 9

Televisions: 215,000 (1995 est.)

Defense -------

Branches: Army, Air Force, paramilitary forces, Police

Manpower availability:
males age 15-49: 1,934,845
males fit for military service: 1,020,851 (1996 est.)

Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $96 million, 2.7%
of GDP (1995)

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

@Zimbabwe --------

Map ---

Location: 20 00 S, 30 00 E -- Southern Africa, northeast of
Botswana

Flag ----

Description: seven equal horizontal bands of green, yellow, red,
black, red, yellow, and green with a white equilateral triangle
edged in black based on the hoist side; a yellow Zimbabwe bird is
superimposed on a red five-pointed star in the center of the triangle

Geography ---------

Location: Southern Africa, northeast of Botswana

Geographic coordinates: 20 00 S, 30 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area:
total area: 390,580 sq km
land area: 386,670 sq km
comparative area: slightly larger than Montana

Land boundaries:
total: 3,066 km
border countries: Botswana 813 km, Mozambique 1,231 km, South Africa
225 km, Zambia 797 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

International disputes: quadripoint with Botswana, Namibia, and
Zambia is in disagreement

Climate: tropical; moderated by altitude; rainy season (November
to March)

Terrain: mostly high plateau with higher central plateau (high
veld); mountains in east
lowest point: junction of the Lundi and Savi rivers 162 m
highest point: Inyangani 2,592 m

Natural resources: coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel,
copper, iron ore, vanadium, lithium, tin, platinum group metals

Land use:
arable land: 7%
permanent crops: NEGL (coffee)
meadows and pastures: 13%
forest and woodland: 49%
other: 31%

Irrigated land: 2,250 sq km (1993 est.)

Environment:
current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; land degradation; air
and water pollution; the black rhinoceros herd - once the largest
concentration of the species in the world - has been significantly
reduced by poaching
natural hazards: recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are
rare
international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection; signed,
but not ratified - Desertification

Geographic note: landlocked

People ------

Population: 11,271,314 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 44% (male 2,513,606; female 2,481,478)
15-64 years: 53% (male 2,935,188; female 3,030,270)
65 years and over: 3% (male 152,244; female 158,528) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.41% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 32.34 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 18.2 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
note: there is a small but steady flow of Zimbabweans into South
Africa in search of better paid employment

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female
all ages: 0.99 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 72.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 41.85 years
male: 41.91 years
female: 41.78 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.09 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Zimbabwean(s)
adjective: Zimbabwean

Ethnic divisions: African 98% (Shona 71%, Ndebele 16%, other 11%),
white 1%, mixed and Asian 1%

Religions: syncretic (part Christian, part indigenous beliefs)
50%, Christian 25%, indigenous beliefs 24%, Muslim and other 1%

Languages: English (official), Shona, Sindebele (the language of
the Ndebele, sometimes called Ndebele), numerous but minor tribal
dialects

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write in English (1995 est.)
total population: 85%
male: 90%
female: 80%

Government ----------

Name of country:
conventional long form: Republic of Zimbabwe
conventional short form: Zimbabwe
former: Southern Rhodesia

Data code: ZI

Type of government: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Harare

Administrative divisions: 8 provinces and 2 cities* with
provincial status; Bulawayo*, Harare*, Manicaland, Mashonaland
Central, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, Masvingo (Victoria),
Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South, Midlands

Independence: 18 April 1980 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 18 April (1980)

Constitution: 21 December 1979

Legal system: mixture of Roman-Dutch and English common law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government: Executive President Robert
Gabriel MUGABE (since 31 December 1987) was nominated by the House
of Assembly (if more than one nomination, electoral college of
members of the House of Assembly elect the president); election last
held 26-27 March 1996 (next to be held NA March 2002); results -
Robert MUGABE 92.7%, Abel MUZOREWA 4.8%; Ndabaningi SITHOLE 2.4%;
Co-Vice President Simon Vengai MUZENDA (since 31 December 1987);
Co-Vice President Joshua M. NKOMO (since 6 August 1990) was
appointed by the president
cabinet: Cabinet was appointed by the president; responsible to
Parliament

Legislative branch: unicameral
Parliament: elections last held 8-9 April 1995 (next to be held NA
March 2000); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (150
total, 120 elected) ZANU-PF 118, ZANU-Ndonga 2

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: Zimbabwe African National
Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF), Robert MUGABE; Zimbabwe African
National Union-NDONGA (ZANU-NDONGA), Ndabaningi SITHOLE; Zimbabwe
Unity Movement (ZUM), Edgar TEKERE; Democratic Party (DP), Emmanuel
MAGOCHE; Forum Party of Zimbabwe, Enock DUMBUTSHENA; United Parties,
Abel MUZOREWA