Chapter V (13)

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Glafcos CLERIDES (since 28 February 1993);
note--the president is both the chief of state and head of
government; post of vice president is currently vacant; under the
1960 constitution, the post is reserved for a Turkish Cypriot
head of government: President Glafcos CLERIDES (since 28 February
1993); note--the president is both the chief of state and head of
government; post of vice president is currently vacant; under the
1960 constitution, the post is reserved for a Turkish Cypriot
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed jointly by the president and
vice president
elections: president elected by popular vote for five-year terms;
election last held 15 February 1998 (next to be held NA February
2003)
election results: Glafcos CLERIDES elected president; percent of
vote--Glafcos CLERIDES 50.8%, George IAKOVOU 49.2%
note: Rauf R. DENKTASH has been "president" of the Turkish Cypriot
area since 13 February 1975 ("president" elected by popular vote for
a five-year term); elections last held 15 and 22 April 1995 (next to
be held NA April 2000); results--Rauf R. DENKTASH 62.5%, Dervis
EROGLU 37.5%; Dervis EROGLU has been "prime minister" of the Turkish
Cypriot area since 16 August 1996; there is a Council of Ministers
(cabinet) in the Turkish Cypriot area

Legislative branch: unicameral--Greek Cypriot area: House of
Representatives or Vouli Antiprosopon (80 seats; 56 assigned to the
Greek Cypriots. 24 to Turkish Cypriots; note--only those assigned to
Greek Cypriots are filled; members are elected by popular vote to
serve five-year terms); Turkish Cypriot area: Assembly of the
Republic or Cumhuriyet Meclisi (50 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: Greek area: last held 26 May 1996 (next to be held May
2001); Turkish area: last held 6 December 1998 (next to be held
December 2003)
election results: Greek area: House of Representatives--percent of
vote by party--DISY 34.5%, AKEL (Communist) 33.0%, DIKO 16.4%, EDEK
8.1%, KED 3.7%, others 4.3%; seats by party--DISY 20, AKEL
(Communist) 19, DIKO 10, EDEK 5, KED 2; Turkish area: Assembly of
the Republic--percent of vote by party--UBP 40.3%, DP 22.6%, TKP
15.4%, CTP 13.4%, UDP 4.6%, YBH 2.5%, BP 1.2%; seats by party--UBP
24, DP 13, TKP 7, CTP 6

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the
Supreme Council of Judicature
note: there is also a Supreme Court in the Turkish Cypriot area

Political parties and leaders: Greek Cypriot area: Restorative
PERDHIKIS]; Turkish Cypriot area: National Unity Party or UBP

Political pressure groups and leaders: Pan-Cyprian Labor
Federation or PEO (Communist controlled); Confederation of Cypriot
Workers or SEK (pro-West); Federation of Turkish Cypriot Labor
Unions or Turk-Sen; Confederation of Revolutionary Labor Unions or
Dev-Is

International organization participation: C, CCC, CE, EBRD, ECE,
EU (applicant), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS (associate), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Erato KOZAKOU-MARCOULLIS
chancery: 2211 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: New York
note: representative of the Turkish Cypriot area in the US is Ahmet
(202) 887-6198

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Kenneth C. BRILL
embassy: corner of Metochiou and Ploutarchou Streets, Engomi, Nicosia
mailing address: P. O. Box 4536, FPO AE 09836

Flag description: white with a copper-colored silhouette of the
island (the name Cyprus is derived from the Greek word for copper)
above two green crossed olive branches in the center of the flag;
the branches symbolize the hope for peace and reconciliation between
the Greek and Turkish communities
note: the Turkish Cypriot flag has a horizontal red stripe at the
top and bottom between which is a red crescent and red star on a
white field

Economy

Economy--overview: Economic affairs are dominated by the division
of the country into the southern (Greek) area controlled by the
Cyprus Government and the northern Turkish Cypriot-administered
area. The Greek Cypriot economy is prosperous but highly susceptible
to external shocks. Erratic growth rates in the 1990s reflect the
economy's vulnerability to swings in tourist arrivals, caused by
political instability on the island and fluctuations in economic
conditions in Western Europe. Economic policy in the south is
focused on meeting the criteria for admission to the EU. As in the
Turkish sector, water shortage is a growing problem, and several
desalination plants are planned. The Turkish Cypriot economy has
about one-fifth the population and one-third the per capita GDP of
the south. Because it is recognized only by Turkey, it has had much
difficulty arranging foreign financing, and foreign firms have
hesitated to invest there. The economy remains heavily dependent on
agriculture and government service, which together employ about half
of the work force. Moreover, the small, vulnerable economy has
suffered because the Turkish lira is legal tender. To compensate for
the economy's weakness, Turkey provides direct and indirect aid to
nearly every sector, e.g. tourism, education, and industry.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$10 billion (1997 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 2.3% (1997 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$13,000 (1997 est.)

GDP--composition by sector: Greek Cypriot area: agriculture 4.4%;
industry 22.4%; services 73.2% (1996); Turkish Cypriot area:
agriculture 10%; industry 24.6%; services 65.4% (1995)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): Greek Cypriot area: 2.3% (1998
est.); Turkish Cypriot area: 87.5% (1997 est.)

Labor force: Greek Cypriot area: 299,700; Turkish Cypriot area:
76,500 (1996)

Labor force--by occupation: Greek Cypriot area: services 62%,
industry 25%, agriculture 13% (1995); Turkish Cypriot area: services
66%, industry 11%, agriculture 23% (1995)

Unemployment rate: Greek Cypriot area: 3.3% (1998 est.); Turkish
Cypriot area: 6.4% (1996)

Budget:
revenues: Greek Cypriot area--$2.9 billion, Turkish Cypriot area--$171
million
expenditures: Greek Cypriot area--$3.4 billion, including capital
expenditures of $345 million, Turkish Cypriot area--$306 million,
including capital expenditures of $56.8 million (1997 est.)

Industries: food, beverages, textiles, chemicals, metal products,
tourism, wood products

Industrial production growth rate: Greek Cypriot area: -4%
(1996); Turkish Cypriot area: 5.1% (1995)

Electricity--production: 2.2 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 2.2 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: potatoes, citrus, vegetables, barley,
grapes, olives, vegetables

Exports: Greek Cypriot area: $1.2 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.);
Turkish Cypriot area: $70.5 million (f.o.b., 1996)

Exports--commodities: Greek Cypriot area: citrus, potatoes,
grapes, wine, cement, clothing and shoes (1996); Turkish Cypriot
area: citrus, potatoes, textiles (1996)

Exports--partners: Greek Cypriot area: Russia 19.1%, Bulgaria
16.4%, UK 11.3%, Greece 6.3%, Germany 4.8%; Turkish Cypriot area:
Turkey 48.2%, UK 21.3%, other EU 13.7% (1997)

Imports: Greek Cypriot area: $3.8 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.);
Turkish Cypriot area: $318.4 million (f.o.b., 1996)

Imports--commodities: Greek Cypriot area: consumer goods,
petroleum and lubricants, food and feed grains, machinery (1996);
Turkish Cypriot area: food, minerals, chemicals, machinery (1996)

Imports--partners: Greek Cypriot area: US 17.8%, UK 11.9%, Italy
9.7%, Germany 7.5%, Greece 7.6% (1997); Turkish Cypriot area: Turkey
55.3%, UK 13.8%, other EU 11.6% (1997)

Debt--external: Greek Cypriot area: $1.56 billion (1997)

Economic aid--recipient: Greek Cypriot area?$187 million in grants
(1990-94); Turkish Cypriot area-- $700 million from Turkey in grants
and loans (1990-97) that are usually forgiven

Currency: Greek Cypriot area: 1 Cypriot pound (LC) = 100 cents;
Turkish Cypriot area: 1 Turkish lira (TL) = 100 kurus

Exchange rates: Cypriot pounds per US1$--0.5013 (January 1999),
0.5170 (1998), 0.5135 (1997), 0.4663 (1996), 0.4522 (1995), 0.4915
(1994); Turkish liras (TL) per US$1--331,400 (January 1999), 260,724
(1998), 151,865 (1997), 81,405 (1996), 45,845.1 (1995), 29,608.7
(1994)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: Greek Cypriot area: 367,000 (1996 est.); Turkish
Cypriot area: 80,000 (1996 est.)

Telephone system: excellent in both the Greek Cypriot and Turkish
Cypriot areas
domestic: open wire, fiber-optic cable, and microwave radio relay
international: tropospheric scatter; 3 coaxial and 5 fiber-optic
submarine cables; satellite earth stations--3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic
Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean), 2 Eutelsat, 2 Intersputnik, and 1 Arabsat

Radio broadcast stations: Greek Cypriot area: AM 4, FM 36,
shortwave 1, Turkish Cypriot area: AM 2, FM 6, shortwave 0

Radios: Greek Cypriot area: 500,000 (1996 est.); Turkish Cypriot
area: 130,000 (1996 est.)

Television broadcast stations: Greek Cypriot area: 7 (in
addition, there are 35 low-power repeaters) (1997); Turkish Cypriot
area: 3 (in addition, there are 4 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: Greek Cypriot area: 300,000 (1996 est.); Turkish
Cypriot area: 90,000 (1996 est.)

Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways:
total: Greek Cypriot area: 10,415 km; Turkish Cypriot area: 2,350 km
paved: Greek Cypriot area: 5,947 km; Turkish Cypriot area: 1,370 km
unpaved: Greek Cypriot area: 4,468 km; Turkish Cypriot area: 980 km
(1996 est.)

Ports and harbors: Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Paphos,
Vasilikos Bay

Merchant marine:
total: 1,469 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 23,362,067
GRT/36,945,331 DWT
ships by type: barge carrier 2, bulk 430, cargo 530, chemical tanker
23, combination bulk 42, combination ore/oil 11, container 141,
liquefied gas tanker 6, oil tanker 152, passenger 7, refrigerated
cargo 58, roll-on/roll-off cargo 49, short-sea passenger 14,
specialized tanker 3, vehicle carrier 1
note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 37
countries among which are Greece 611, Germany 129, Russia 49, Latvia
278, Netherlands 20, Japan 28, Cuba 16, China 15, Hong Kong 13, and
Poland 15 (1998 est.)

Airports: 15 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways:
total: 12
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (1998 est.)

Heliports: 4 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Greek Cypriot area: Greek Cypriot National
Guard (GCNG; includes air and naval elements), Hellenic Forces
Regiment on Cyprus (ELDYK), Greek Cypriot Police; Turkish Cypriot
area: Turkish Cypriot Security Force (TCSF), Turkish Forces Regiment
on Cyprus (KTKA), Turkish mainland army units

Military manpower--military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 194,337 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 133,559 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 6,410 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $405 million (1996)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 5.4% (1996)

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: 1974 hostilities divided the island into
two de facto autonomous areas, a Greek Cypriot area controlled by
the internationally recognized Cypriot Government (59% of the
island's land area) and a Turkish-Cypriot area (37% of the island),
that are separated by a UN buffer zone (4% of the island); there are
two UK sovereign base areas within the Greek Cypriot portion of the
island

Illicit drugs: transit point for heroin and hashish via air
routes and container traffic to Europe, especially from Lebanon and
Turkey; some cocaine transits as well

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

@Czech Republic --------------

Introduction

Background: Once part of the Holy Roman Empire and, later, the
Austro-Hungarian monarchy, Czechoslovakia became an independent
nation at the end of World War I. Independence ended with the German
takeover in 1939. After World War II, Czechoslovakia fell within the
Soviet sphere of influence, and in 1968 an invasion by Warsaw Pact
troops snuffed out anti-communist demonstrations and riots. With the
collapse of Soviet authority in 1991, Czechoslovakia regained its
freedom. On 1 January 1993, the country peacefully split into its
two ethnic components, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The Czech
Republic, largely by aspiring to become a NATO and EU member, has
moved toward integration in world markets, a development that poses
both opportunities and risks. But Prague has had a difficult time
convincing the public that membership in NATO is crucial to Czech
security. At the same time, support for eventual EU membership is
waning. Coupled with the country's worsening economic situation,
Prague's political scene, troubled for the past three years, will
remain so for the foreseeable future.

Geography

Location: Central Europe, southeast of Germany

Geographic coordinates: 49 45 N, 15 30 E

Map references: Europe

Area:
total: 78,703 sq km
land: 78,645 sq km
water: 58 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries:
total: 1,881 km
border countries: Austria 362 km, Germany 646 km, Poland 658 km,
Slovakia 215 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters

Terrain: Bohemia in the west consists of rolling plains, hills,
and plateaus surrounded by low mountains; Moravia in the east
consists of very hilly country

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Elbe River 115 m
highest point: Snezka 1,602 m

Natural resources: hard coal, soft coal, kaolin, clay, graphite

Land use:
arable land: 41%
permanent crops: 2%
permanent pastures: 11%
forests and woodland: 34%
other: 12% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 240 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: flooding

Environment--current issues: air and water pollution in areas of
northwest Bohemia and in northern Moravia around Ostrava present
health risks; acid rain damaging forests

Environment--international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air
Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, 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: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol

Geography--note: landlocked; strategically located astride some of
oldest and most significant land routes in Europe; Moravian Gate is
a traditional military corridor between the North European Plain and
the Danube in central Europe

People

Population: 10,280,513 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 17% (male 888,292; female 845,662)
15-64 years: 69% (male 3,569,677; female 3,558,844)
65 years and over: 14% (male 545,305; female 872,733) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.01% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 9.84 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 10.86 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 6.67 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.35 years
male: 71.01 years
female: 77.88 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.28 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Czech(s)
adjective: Czech
note: 300,000 Slovaks declared themselves Czech citizens in 1994

Ethnic groups: Czech 94.4%, Slovak 3%, Polish 0.6%, German 0.5%,
Gypsy 0.3%, Hungarian 0.2%, other 1%

Religions: atheist 39.8%, Roman Catholic 39.2%, Protestant 4.6%,
Orthodox 3%, other 13.4%

Languages: Czech, Slovak

Literacy:
definition: NA
total population: 99% (est.)
male: NA%
female: NA%

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Czech Republic
conventional short form: Czech Republic
local long form: Ceska Republika
local short form: Ceska Republika

Data code: EZ

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Prague

Administrative divisions: 73 districts (okresi, singular--okres)
and 4 municipalities* (mesta, singular--mesto); Benesov, Beroun,
Blansko, Breclav, Brno*, Brno-Venkov, Bruntal, Ceske Budejovice,
Ceska Lipa, Cesky Krumlov, Cheb, Chomutov, Chrudim, Decin,
Domazlice, Frydek-Mistek, Havlickuv Brod, Hodonin, Hradec Kralove,
Jablonec nad Nisou, Jesenik, Jicin, Jihlava, Jindrichuv Hradec,
Karlovy Vary, Karvina, Kladno, Klatovy, Kolin, Kromeriz, Kutna Hora,
Liberec, Litomerice, Louny, Melnik, Mlada Boleslav, Most, Nachod,
Novy Jicin, Nymburk, Olomouc, Opava, Ostrava*, Pardubice, Pelhrimov,
Pisek, Plzen*, Plzen-Jih, Plzen-Sever, Prachatice, Praha*,
Praha-Vychod, Praha Zapad, Prerov, Pribram, Prostejov, Rakovnik,
Rokycany, Rychnov nad Kneznou, Semily, Sokolov, Strakonice, Sumperk,
Svitavy, Tabor, Tachov, Teplice, Trebic, Trutnov, Uherske Hradiste,
Usti nad Labem, Usti nad Orlici, Vsetin, Vyskov, Zdar nad Sazavou,
Zlin, Znojmo

Independence: 1 January 1993 (from Czechoslovakia)

National holiday: National Liberation Day, 8 May; Founding of the
Republic, 28 October

Constitution: ratified 16 December 1992; effective 1 January 1993

Legal system: civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; legal code modified to
bring it in line with Organization on Security and Cooperation in
Europe (OSCE) obligations and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal
theory

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Vaclav HAVEL (since 2 February 1993)
head of government: Prime Minister Milos ZEMAN (since 17 July 1998);
Deputy Prime Ministers Vladimir SPIDLA (since 17 July 1998), Pavel
RYCHETSKY since 17 July 1998), Egon LANSKY (since 17 July 1998),
Pavel MERTLIK (since 17 July 1998)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of
the prime minister
elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term;
election last held 20 January 1998 (next to be held NA January
2003); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Vaclav HAVEL reelected president; Vaclav HAVEL
received 47 of 81 votes in the Senate and 99 out of 200 votes in the
Chamber of Deputies (second round of voting)

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of
the Senate or Senat (81 seats; members are elected by popular vote
to serve staggered two-, four-, and six-year terms) and the Chamber
of Deputies or Snemovna Poslancu (200 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate--last held 13-14 and 20-21 November 1998 (next to
be held NA November 2000--to replace/reelect 20 senators serving
two-year terms); Chamber of Deputies--last held 19-20 June 1998
(early elections to be held NA June 2000)
election results: Senate--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by
party--governing coalition (CSSD 23), opposition (ODS 26, KDU-CSL 16,
KCSM 4, ODA 7, US 4, DEU 1); Chamber of Deputies--percent of vote by
party--NA; seats by party--governing coalition (CSSD 74), opposition
(ODS 63, KDU-CSL 20, US 19, KCSM 24)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, chairman and deputy chairmen are
appointed by the president for life; Constitutional Court, chairman
and deputy chairmen are appointed by the president for life

Political parties and leaders: Civic Democratic Party or ODS
KROUPA, chairman]; Christian Democratic Union-Czech People's Party

Political pressure groups and leaders: Czech-Moravian Chamber of
Trade Unions; Civic Movement

International organization participation: Australia Group, BIS,
CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA (observer), IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NEA, NSG, OAS
(observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNMOP, UNOMIG, UNPREDEP, UPU, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Aleksandr VONDRA
chancery: 3900 Spring of Freedom Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador John SHATTUCK
embassy: Trziste 15, 11801 Prague 1
mailing address: use embassy street address

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and
red with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side (almost
identical to the flag of the former Czechoslovakia)

Economy

Economy--overview: Political and financial crises in 1997
shattered the Czech Republic's image as one of the most stable and
prosperous of post-Communist states. Delays in enterprise
restructuring and failure to develop a well-functioning capital
market played major roles in Czech economic troubles, which
culminated in a currency crisis in May. The currency was forced out
of its fluctuation band as investors worried that the current
account deficit, which reached nearly 8% of GDP in 1996, would
become unsustainable. After expending $3 billion in vain to support
the currency, the central bank let it float. The growing current
account imbalance reflected a surge in domestic demand and poor
export performance, as wage increases outpaced productivity. The
government was forced to introduce two austerity packages later in
the spring which cut government spending by 2.5% of GDP. A tough
1998 budget continued the painful medicine. These problems were
compounded in the summer of 1997 by unprecedented flooding which
inundated much of the eastern part of the country. Czech
difficulties contrast with earlier achievements of strong GDP
growth, a balanced budget, and inflation and unemployment that were
among the lowest in the region. The Czech economy's transition
problems continue to be too much direct and indirect government
influence on the privatized economy, the sometimes ineffective
management of privatized firms, and a shortage of experienced
financial analysts for the banking system. The country slipped into
a mild recession in 1998, but hopes to rebound with 1% growth in
1999.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$116.7 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: -1.5% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$11,300 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 5%
industry: 33.8%
services: 61.2% (1996)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 4.6%
highest 10%: 23.5% (1993)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10.7% (1998)

Labor force: 3.655 million (1998)

Labor force--by occupation: industry 33.1%, agriculture 6.9%,
construction 9.1%, transport and communications 7.2%, services 43.7%
(1994)

Unemployment rate: 7% (1998 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $16.1 billion
expenditures: $16.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1997)

Industries: fuels, ferrous metallurgy, machinery and equipment,
coal, motor vehicles, glass, armaments

Industrial production growth rate: 6.7% (1998 est.)

Electricity--production: 60.214 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 76.69%
hydro: 3.04%
nuclear: 20.27%
other: 0% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 60.164 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 8.8 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 8.75 billion kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: grains, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit;
pigs, cattle, poultry; forest products

Exports: $23.8 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Exports--commodities: manufactured goods 40.5%, machinery and
transport equipment 37.7%, chemicals 8.8%, raw materials and fuel
7.8% (1997)

Exports--partners: Germany 35.7%, Slovakia 12.9%, Austria 6.4%,
Poland 5.7%, Russia 3.4%, Italy 3.3%, France 2.5% (1997)

Imports: $26.8 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Imports--commodities: machinery and transport equipment 38.1%,
manufactured goods 19.3%, raw materials and fuels 12.4%, chemicals
12.2%, and food 5.2% (1997)

Imports--partners: Germany 26.6%, Slovakia 8.4%, Italy 5.3%,
Austria 4.4%, FSU 3.4%, UK 3.4%, Poland 3.2% (1997)

Debt--external: $21.6 billion (1997 est.)

Economic aid--recipient: $351.6 million (1995)

Currency: 1 koruna (Kc) = 100 haleru

Exchange rates: koruny (Kcs) per US$1--30.214 (December 1998),
32.294 (1998), 31.698 (1997), 27.145 (1996), 26.541 (1995), 28.785
(1994)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 3,349,539 (1993 est.)

Telephone system:
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth stations--2 Intersputnik (Atlantic and
Indian Ocean regions)

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

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 67 (in addition, there are 35
low-power stations and about 51 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: NA

Transportation

Railways:
total: 9,440 km
standard gauge: 9,344 km 1.435-m standard gauge (2,743 km
electrified at three voltages; 1,885 km double track)
narrow gauge: 96 km 0.760-m narrow gauge (1996)

Highways:
total: 55,489 km
paved: 55,489 km (including 423 km of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: NA km; the Elbe (Labe) is the principal river

Pipelines: natural gas 5,400 km

Ports and harbors: Decin, Prague, Usti nad Labem

Airports: 69 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways:
total: 35
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 11
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 13 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 34
914 to 1,523 m: 17
under 914 m: 17 (1998 est.)

Heliports: 1 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, Civil
Defense, Railroad Units

Military manpower--military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 2,684,817 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 2,046,079 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 73,072 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $1.1 billion (1998)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 1.8% (1998)

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: Liechtenstein claims restitution for
1,600 sq km of property in the Czech Republic confiscated from its
royal family in 1918; the Czech Republic insists that restitution
does not go back before February 1948, when the communists seized
power; individual Sudeten German claims for restitution of property
confiscated in connection with their expulsion after World War II;
unresolved property issues with Slovakia over redistribution of
former Czechoslovak federal property

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and
hashish and Latin American cocaine to Western Europe; domestic
consumption--especially of locally produced synthetic drugs--on the
rise

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

@Denmark -------

Introduction

Background: Once the seat of rapacious Viking raiders and later a
major power in northwestern Europe, Denmark has evolved into a
modern, prosperous nation that is participating in the political and
economic integration of Europe. So far, however, they have opted out
of some aspects of the European Union's Maastricht Treaty including
the new monetary system launched on 1 January 1999.

Geography

Location: Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North
Sea, on a peninsula north of Germany

Geographic coordinates: 56 00 N, 10 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area:
total: 43,094 sq km
land: 42,394 sq km
water: 700 sq km
note: includes the island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea and the rest
of metropolitan Denmark, but excludes the Faroe Islands and Greenland

Area--comparative: slightly less than twice the size of
Massachusetts

Land boundaries:
total: 68 km
border countries: Germany 68 km

Coastline: 7,314 km

Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 4 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 3 nm

Climate: temperate; humid and overcast; mild, windy winters and
cool summers

Terrain: low and flat to gently rolling plains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Lammefjord -7 m
highest point: Ejer Bavnehoj 173 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, fish, salt, limestone,
stone, gravel and sand

Land use:
arable land: 60%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 5%
forests and woodland: 10%
other: 25% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 4,350 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: flooding is a threat in some areas of the
country (e.g., parts of Jutland, along the southern coast of the
island of Lolland) that are protected from the sea by a system of
dikes

Environment--current issues: air pollution, principally from
vehicle and power plant emissions; nitrogen and phosphorus pollution
of the North Sea; drinking and surface water becoming polluted from
animal wastes and pesticides

Environment--international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air
Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine
Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Law of the Sea

Geography--note: controls Danish Straits (Skagerrak and Kattegat)
linking Baltic and North Seas; about one-quarter of the population
lives in Copenhagen

People

Population: 5,356,845 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 18% (male 504,182; female 478,547)
15-64 years: 67% (male 1,811,445; female 1,765,038)
65 years and over: 15% (male 331,207; female 466,426) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.38% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 11.57 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 10.97 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 3.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 5.11 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.51 years
male: 73.83 years
female: 79.33 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.62 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Dane(s)
adjective: Danish

Ethnic groups: Scandinavian, Eskimo, Faroese, German

Religions: Evangelical Lutheran 91%, other Protestant and Roman
Catholic 2%, other 7% (1988)

Languages: Danish, Faroese, Greenlandic (an Eskimo dialect),
German (small minority)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% (1980 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA%

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Denmark
conventional short form: Denmark
local long form: Kongeriget Danmark
local short form: Danmark

Data code: DA

Government type: constitutional monarchy

Capital: Copenhagen

Administrative divisions: metropolitan Denmark--14 counties
(amter, singular--amt) and 2 kommunes*; Arhus, Bornholm,
Fredericksberg*, Frederiksborg, Fyn, Kobenhavn, Kobenhavns*,
Nordjylland, Ribe, Ringkobing, Roskilde, Sonderjylland, Storstrom,
Vejle, Vestsjalland, Viborg
note: see separate entries for the Faroe Islands and Greenland,
which are part of the Kingdom of Denmark and are self-governing
administrative divisions

Independence: first organized as a unified state in 10th century;
in 1849 became a constitutional monarchy

National holiday: Birthday of the Queen, 16 April (1940)

Constitution: 1849 was the original constitution; there was a
major overhaul 5 June 1953, allowing for a unicameral legislature
and a female chief of state

Legal system: civil law system; judicial review of legislative
acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II (since 14 January 1972); Heir
Apparent Crown Prince FREDERIK, elder son of the monarch (born 26
May 1968)
head of government: Prime Minister Poul Nyrup RASMUSSEN (since 25
January 1993)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed
by the monarch

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Folketing (179
seats; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of
proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 11 March 1998 (next to be held NA 2002)
election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by
party--progovernment parties: Social Democrats 65, Socialist People's
Party 13, Radical Liberal Party 7, Unity Party 5; opposition:
Liberal Party 43, Conservative Party 17, Danish People's Party 13,
Center Democrats 8, Christian People's Party 4, Progress Party 4

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the
monarch for life

Political parties and leaders: Social Democratic Party [Poul

International organization participation: AfDB, AsDB, Australia
Group, BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO,
G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
ISO, ITU, MTCR, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMOGIP, UNMOP, UNMOT,
UNOMIG, UNPREDEP, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO,
ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Knud-Erik TYGESEN
chancery: 3200 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Edward E. ELSON
embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds Alle 24, 2100 Copenhagen
mailing address: PSC 73, APO AE 09716

Flag description: red with a white cross that extends to the
edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the
hoist side, and that design element of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)
was subsequently adopted by the other Nordic countries of Finland,
Iceland, Norway, and Sweden

Economy

Economy--overview: This thoroughly modern market economy features
high-tech agriculture, up-to-date small-scale and corporate
industry, extensive government welfare measures, comfortable living
standards, and high dependence on foreign trade. Denmark is a net
exporter of food. The center-left coalition government will
concentrate on reducing the persistently high unemployment rate and
the budget deficit as well as following the previous government's
policies of maintaining low inflation and a current account surplus.
The coalition also vows to maintain a stable currency. The coalition
has lowered marginal income taxes while maintaining overall tax
revenues; boosted industrial competitiveness through labor market
and tax reforms and increased research and development funds; and
improved welfare services for the neediest while cutting paperwork
and delays. Denmark chose not to join the 11 other EU members who
launched the euro on 1 January 1999. Because of the global slowdown,
GDP growth may fall to 1% in 1999.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$124.4 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 2.6% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$23,300 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 4%
industry: 27%
services: 69% (1997)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.6%
highest 10%: 20.5% (1992)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.8% (1998 est.)

Labor force: 2,895,950

Labor force--by occupation: private services 40%, government
services 30%, manufacturing and mining 19%, construction 6%,
agriculture, forestry, and fishing 5% (1995)

Unemployment rate: 6.5% (1998 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $62.1 billion
expenditures: $66.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1996 est.)

Industries: food processing, machinery and equipment, textiles
and clothing, chemical products, electronics, construction,
furniture, and other wood products, shipbuilding

Industrial production growth rate: 1.3% (1996)

Electricity--production: 50.608 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 97.6%
hydro: 0.05%
nuclear: 0%
other: 2.35% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 35.208 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 19.2 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 3.8 billion kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: grain, potatoes, rape, sugar beets; beef,
dairy products; fish

Exports: $48.8 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Exports--commodities: machinery and instruments, meat and meat
products, fuels, dairy products, ships, fish, chemicals

Exports--partners: Germany 21.4%, Sweden 11.6%, UK 9.6%, Norway
6.2%, France 5.3%, US 4.6%, Netherlands 4.5% (1997)

Imports: $46.1 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Imports--commodities: machinery and equipment, petroleum,
chemicals, grain and foodstuffs, textiles, paper

Imports--partners: Germany 21.7%, Sweden 12.7%, Netherlands 7.8%,
UK 7.6%, France 5.6%, Norway 5.2%, US 5.0%, Japan (1997)

Debt--external: $44 billion (1996 est.)

Economic aid--donor: ODA, $1.6 billion (1995)

Currency: 1 Danish krone (DKr) = 100 oere

Exchange rates: Danish kroner (DKr) per US$1--6.408 (January
1999), 6.701 (1998), 6.604 (1997), 5.799 (1996), 5.602 (1995), 6.361
(1994)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 3.2 million (1995 est.); 822,000 cellular telephone
subscribers

Telephone system: excellent telephone and telegraph services
domestic: buried and submarine cables and microwave radio relay form
trunk network, four cellular radio communications systems
international: 18 submarine fiber-optic cables linking Denmark with
Norway, Sweden, Russia, Poland, Germany, Netherlands, UK, Faroe
Islands, Iceland, and Canada; satellite earth stations--6 Intelsat,
10 Eutelsat, 1 Orion, 1 Inmarsat (Blaavand-Atlantic-East); note--the
Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden)
share the Danish earth station and the Eik, Norway, station for
world-wide Inmarsat access

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 78 (of which 35 are low-power
stations; in addition, there are 51 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 3 million (1996 est.)

Transportation

Railways:
total: 3,323 km (458 km privately owned and operated)
standard gauge: 3,323 km 1.435-m gauge (440 km electrified; 760 km
double track) (1996)

Highways:
total: 71,600 km
paved: 71,600 km (including 880 km of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: 417 km

Pipelines: crude oil 110 km; petroleum products 578 km; natural
gas 700 km

Ports and harbors: Alborg, Arhus, Copenhagen, Esbjerg,
Fredericia, Grena, Koge, Odense, Struer

Merchant marine:
total: 337 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,130,643
GRT/6,880,248 DWT
ships by type: bulk 14, cargo 130, chemical tanker 19, container 73,
liquefied gas tanker 26, livestock carrier 6, oil tanker 20, railcar
carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 15, roll-on/roll-off cargo 21,
short-sea passenger 9, specialized tanker 3
note: Denmark has created its own internal register, called the
Danish International Ship register (DIS); DIS ships do not have to
meet Danish manning regulations, and they amount to a flag of
convenience within the Danish register (1998 est.)

Airports: 118 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways:
total: 28
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 13
under 914 m: 3 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 90
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 82 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Royal Danish Army, Royal Danish Navy, Royal
Danish Air Force, Home Guard

Military manpower--military age: 20 years of age

Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 1,316,584 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,129,870 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 32,130 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $2.5 billion (1999)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 1.6% (1999)

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: Rockall continental shelf dispute
involving Iceland, Ireland, and the UK (Ireland and the UK have
signed a boundary agreement in the Rockall area)

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

@Djibouti --------

Geography

Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Red
Sea, between Eritrea and Somalia

Geographic coordinates: 11 30 N, 43 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area:
total: 22,000 sq km
land: 21,980 sq km
water: 20 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Land boundaries:
total: 508 km
border countries: Eritrea 113 km, Ethiopia 337 km, Somalia 58 km

Coastline: 314 km

Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: desert; torrid, dry

Terrain: coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Lac Assal -155 m
highest point: Moussa Ali 2,028 m

Natural resources: geothermal areas

Land use:
arable land: NA%
permanent crops: NA%
permanent pastures: 9%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 91% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: earthquakes; droughts; occasional cyclonic
disturbances from the Indian Ocean bring heavy rains and flash floods

Environment--current issues: inadequate supplies of potable water;
desertification

Environment--international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Law of the Sea, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography--note: strategic location near world's busiest shipping
lanes and close to Arabian oilfields; terminus of rail traffic into
Ethiopia; mostly wasteland

People

Population: 447,439 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 43% (male 96,222; female 96,023)
15-64 years: 54% (male 128,506; female 114,767)
65 years and over: 3% (male 6,155; female 5,766) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.51% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 41.23 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 14.41 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: -11.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.12 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.07 male(s)/female
total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 100.24 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 51.54 years
male: 49.48 years
female: 53.67 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.87 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Djiboutian(s)
adjective: Djiboutian

Ethnic groups: Somali 60%, Afar 35%, French, Arab, Ethiopian, and
Italian 5%

Religions: Muslim 94%, Christian 6%

Languages: French (official), Arabic (official), Somali, Afar

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 46.2%
male: 60.3%
female: 32.7% (1995 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Djibouti
conventional short form: Djibouti
former: French Territory of the Afars and Issas, French Somaliland

Data code: DJ

Government type: republic

Capital: Djibouti

Administrative divisions: 5 districts (cercles, singular--cercle);
'Ali Sabih, Dikhil, Djibouti, Obock, Tadjoura

Independence: 27 June 1977 (from France)

National holiday: Independence Day, 27 June (1977)

Constitution: multiparty constitution approved in referendum 4
September 1992

Legal system: based on French civil law system, traditional
practices, and Islamic law

Suffrage: NA years of age; universal adult

Executive branch:
chief of state: President HASSAN GOULED Aptidon (since 24 June
1977); note--President HASSAN GOULED announced early in the year that
he would resign in April 1999
head of government: Prime Minister BARKAT Gourad Hamadou (since 30
September 1978)
cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
election last held 7 May 1993 (next to be held 9 April 1999); prime
minister appointed by the president
election results: President HASSAN GOULED reelected; percent of
vote--NA

Legislative branch: unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des
Deputes (65 seats; members elected by popular vote for five-year
terms)
elections: last held 19 December 1997 (next to be held NA 2002)
election results: percent of vote--NA; seats--RPP 65; note--RPP (the
ruling party) dominated

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

Political parties and leaders:
Aptidon]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Front for the Restoration
of Unity and Democracy or FRUD, and affiliates; Movement for Unity
and Democracy or MUD

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD,
AL, AMF, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user),
Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador ROBLE Olhaye Oudine
chancery: Suite 515, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Lange SCHERMERHORN
embassy: Plateau du Serpent, Boulevard Marechal Joffre, Djibouti
mailing address: B. P. 185, Djibouti

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of light blue (top)
and light green with a white isosceles triangle based on the hoist
side bearing a red five-pointed star in the center

Economy

Economy--overview: The economy is based on service activities
connected with the country's strategic location and status as a free
trade zone in northeast Africa. Two-thirds of the inhabitants live
in the capital city, the remainder being mostly nomadic herders.
Scanty rainfall limits crop production to fruits and vegetables, and
most food must be imported. Djibouti provides services as both a
transit port for the region and an international transshipment and
refueling center. It has few natural resources and little industry.
The nation is, therefore, heavily dependent on foreign assistance to
help support its balance of payments and to finance development
projects. An unemployment rate of 40% to 50% continues to be a major
problem. Per capita consumption dropped an estimated 35% over the
last seven years because of recession, civil war, and a high
population growth rate (including immigrants and refugees). Also,
renewed fighting between Ethiopia and Eritrea has disturbed normal
external channels of commerce. Faced with a multitude of economic
difficulties, the government has fallen in arrears on long-term
external debt and has been struggling to meet the stipulations of
foreign aid donors.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$530 million (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 0.6% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$1,200 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 3%
industry: 20%
services: 77% (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (1997 est.)

Labor force: 282,000

Labor force--by occupation: agriculture 75%, industry 11%,
services 14% (1991 est.)

Unemployment rate: 40%-50% (1996 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $156 million
expenditures: $175 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1997 est.)

Industries: limited to a few small-scale enterprises, such as
dairy products and mineral-water bottling

Industrial production growth rate: 3% (1996 est.)

Electricity--production: 175 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 175 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: fruits, vegetables; goats, sheep, camels

Exports: $39.6 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)

Exports--commodities: hides and skins, coffee (in transit) (1995)

Exports--partners: Ethiopia 45%, Somalia, Yemen, Saudi Arabia
(1996)

Imports: $200.5 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)

Imports--commodities: foods, beverages, transport equipment,
chemicals, petroleum products (1995)

Imports--partners: France, Ethiopia, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Thailand
(1996)

Debt--external: $276 million (1996 est.)

Economic aid--recipient: $106.3 million (1995)

Currency: 1 Djiboutian franc (DF) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates: Djiboutian francs (DF) per US$1--177.721 (fixed
rate since 1973)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 7,200 (1986 est.)

Telephone system: telephone facilities in the city of Djibouti
are adequate as are the microwave radio relay connections to
outlying areas of the country
domestic: microwave radio relay network
international: submarine cable to Jiddah, Suez, Sicily, Marseilles,
Colombo, and Singapore; satellite earth stations--1 Intelsat (Indian
Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; Medarabtel regional microwave radio relay
telephone network

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0

Radios: 35,000

Television broadcast stations: 1 (in addition, there are 5
low-power repeaters) (1998)

Televisions: 17,000 (1998)

Transportation

Railways:
total: 97 km (Djibouti segment of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railroad)
narrow gauge: 97 km 1.000-m gauge
note: in April 1998, Djibouti and Ethiopia announced plans to
revitalize the century-old railroad that links their capitals

Highways:
total: 2,890 km
paved: 364 km
unpaved: 2,526 km (1996 est.)

Ports and harbors: Djibouti

Merchant marine:
total: 1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,369 GRT/3,030 DWT
(1998 est.)

Airports: 11 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways:
total: 2
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 9
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 2 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Djibouti National Army (includes Navy and Air
Force)

Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 105,075 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 61,712 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $22.5 million (1997)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 4.5% (1997)

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: none

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

@Dominica --------

Geography

Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the
North Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from Puerto Rico to
Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates: 15 25 N, 61 20 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 750 sq km
land: 750 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly more than four times the size of
Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 148 km

Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy
rainfall

Terrain: rugged mountains of volcanic origin

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Morne Diablatins 1,447 m

Natural resources: timber

Land use:
arable land: 9%
permanent crops: 13%
permanent pastures: 3%
forests and woodland: 67%
other: 8% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: flash floods are a constant threat; destructive
hurricanes can be expected during the late summer months

Environment--current issues: NA

Environment--international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone
Layer Protection, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

People

Population: 64,881 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 27% (male 8,680; female 8,530)
15-64 years: 64% (male 21,090; female 20,294)
65 years and over: 9% (male 2,570; female 3,717) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: -1.41% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 16.92 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 6.35 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: -24.69 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 8.75 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.01 years
male: 75.15 years
female: 81.01 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.89 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Dominican(s)
adjective: Dominican

Ethnic groups: black, Carib Amerindian

Religions: Roman Catholic 77%, Protestant 15% (Methodist 5%,
Pentecostal 3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3%, Baptist 2%, other 2%),
none 2%, other 6%

Languages: English (official), French patois

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 94%
male: 94%
female: 94% (1970 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Commonwealth of Dominica
conventional short form: Dominica

Data code: DO

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Roseau

Administrative divisions: 10 parishes; Saint Andrew, Saint David,
Saint George, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Luke, Saint Mark,
Saint Patrick, Saint Paul, Saint Peter

Independence: 3 November 1978 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 3 November (1978)

Constitution: 3 November 1978

Legal system: based on English common law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Vernon Lorden SHAW (since 7 October 1998)
head of government: Prime Minister Edison C. JAMES (since 12 June
1995)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the
prime minister
elections: president elected by the House of Assembly for a
five-year term; election last held 7 October 1998 (next to be held
NA October 2003); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Vernon Lorden SHAW elected president; percent of
legislative vote--NA

Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly (30 seats, 9
appointed senators, 21 elected by popular vote representatives;
members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 12 June 1995 (next to be held by October 2000);
byelections held 13 August 1996
election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--UWP
12, DLP 5, DFP 4

Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (located in
Saint Lucia), one of the six judges must reside in Dominica and
preside over the Court of Summary Jurisdiction

Political parties and leaders: Dominica Freedom Party or DFP

Political pressure groups and leaders: Dominica Liberation
Movement or DLM (a small leftist party)

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, C, Caricom,
CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM (observer), OAS, OECS,
OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Nicholas J. O. LIVERPOOL (resident in
Dominica)
chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016
consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an
embassy in Dominica; the Ambassador to Dominica resides in
Bridgetown (Barbados), but travels frequently to Dominica

Flag description: green, with a centered cross of three equal
bands--the vertical part is yellow (hoist side), black, and white and
the horizontal part is yellow (top), black, and white; superimposed
in the center of the cross is a red disk bearing a sisserou parrot
encircled by 10 green, five-pointed stars edged in yellow; the 10
stars represent the 10 administrative divisions (parishes)

Economy

Economy--overview: The economy depends on agriculture and is
highly vulnerable to climatic conditions, notably tropical storms.
Agriculture, primarily bananas, accounts for 20% of GDP and employs
40% of the labor force. Development of the tourist industry remains
difficult because of the rugged coastline, lack of beaches, and the
lack of an international airport. Hurricane Luis devastated the
country's banana crop in September 1995; tropical storms had wiped
out one-quarter of the crop in 1994 as well. The economy began to
recover in mid-1998, fueled by increases in construction, soap
production, and tourist arrivals. The government is attempting to
develop an offshore financial industry in order to diversify the
island's production base.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$216 million (1997 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 1.8% (1997)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$3,300 (1997 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 20%
industry: 16%
services: 64% (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.2% (1997)

Labor force: 25,000

Labor force--by occupation: agriculture 40%, industry and commerce
32%, services 28%

Unemployment rate: 15% (1992 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $72 million
expenditures: $79.9 million, including capital expenditures of $11.5
million (FY97/98)

Industries: soap, coconut oil, tourism, copra, furniture, cement
blocks, shoes

Industrial production growth rate: -10% (1997 est.)

Electricity--production: 40 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 50%
hydro: 50%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 40 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: bananas, citrus, mangoes, root crops,
coconuts; forest and fishery potential not exploited

Exports: $50.4 million (1997)

Exports--commodities: bananas 50%, soap, bay oil, vegetables,
grapefruit, oranges

Exports--partners: Caricom countries 47%, UK 36%, US 7% (1996 est.)

Imports: $104.2 million (1997)

Imports--commodities: manufactured goods, machinery and equipment,
food, chemicals

Imports--partners: US 41%, Caricom 25%, UK 13%, Netherlands, Canada

Debt--external: $105 million (1997 est.)

Economic aid--recipient: $24.4 million (1995)

Currency: 1 East Caribbean dollar (EC$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1--2.7000
(fixed rate since 1976)

Fiscal year: 1 July--30 June

Communications

Telephones: 14,613 (1993 est.)

Telephone system:
domestic: fully automatic network
international: microwave radio relay and SHF radiotelephone links to
Martinique and Guadeloupe; VHF and UHF radiotelephone links to Saint
Lucia

Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 2, shortwave 0

Radios: 45,000 (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 0 (there is one cable television
company) (1997)

Televisions: 5,200 (1993 est.)

Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways:
total: 780 km
paved: 393 km
unpaved: 387 km (1996 est.)

Ports and harbors: Portsmouth, Roseau

Merchant marine: none

Airports: 2 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways:
total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force
(includes Special Service Unit, Coast Guard)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: NA%

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: none

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US
and Europe; minor cannabis producer; banking industry is vulnerable
to money laundering

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

@Dominican Republic ------------------

Geography

Location: Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of
Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean,
east of Haiti

Geographic coordinates: 19 00 N, 70 40 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 48,730 sq km
land: 48,380 sq km
water: 350 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly more than twice the size of New
Hampshire

Land boundaries:
total: 275 km
border countries: Haiti 275 km

Coastline: 1,288 km

Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 6 nm

Climate: tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature
variation; seasonal variation in rainfall

Terrain: rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys
interspersed

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Lago Enriquillo -46 m
highest point: Pico Duarte 3,175 m

Natural resources: nickel, bauxite, gold, silver

Land use:
arable land: 21%
permanent crops: 9%
permanent pastures: 43%
forests and woodland: 12%
other: 15% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 2,300 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and
subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding;
periodic droughts

Environment--current issues: water shortages; soil eroding into
the sea damages coral reefs; deforestation; Hurricane Georges damage

Environment--international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban,
Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography--note: shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti (eastern
two-thirds is the Dominican Republic, western one-third is Haiti)

People

Population: 8,129,734 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 35% (male 1,447,435; female 1,393,122)
15-64 years: 61% (male 2,501,206; female 2,426,564)
65 years and over: 4% (male 171,049; female 190,358) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.62% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 25.97 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 5.66 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: -4.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 42.52 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.07 years
male: 67.86 years
female: 72.4 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.03 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Dominican(s)
adjective: Dominican

Ethnic groups: white 16%, black 11%, mixed 73%

Religions: Roman Catholic 95%

Languages: Spanish

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 82.1%
male: 82%
female: 82.2% (1995 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Dominican Republic
conventional short form: none
local long form: Republica Dominicana
local short form: none

Data code: DR

Government type: republic

Capital: Santo Domingo