Chapter V (14)

Administrative divisions: 29 provinces (provincias,
singular--provincia) and 1 district* (distrito); Azua, Baoruco,
Barahona, Dajabon, Distrito Nacional*, Duarte, Elias Pina, El Seibo,
Espaillat, Hato Mayor, Independencia, La Altagracia, La Romana, La
Vega, Maria Trinidad Sanchez, Monsenor Nouel, Monte Cristi, Monte
Plata, Pedernales, Peravia, Puerto Plata, Salcedo, Samana, Sanchez
Ramirez, San Cristobal, San Juan, San Pedro de Macoris, Santiago,
Santiago Rodriguez, Valverde

Independence: 27 February 1844 (from Haiti)

National holiday: Independence Day, 27 February (1844)

Constitution: 28 November 1966

Legal system: based on French civil codes

Suffrage: 18 years of age, universal and compulsory; married
persons regardless of age
note: members of the armed forces and police cannot vote

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16 August
1996); Vice President Jaime David FERNANDEZ Mirabal (since 16 August
1996); note--the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16
August 1996); Vice President Jaime David FERNANDEZ Mirabal (since 16
August 1996); note--the president is both the chief of state and head
of government
cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for four-year term; election last held 16 May 1996;
runoff election held 30 June 1996 (next to be held 16 May 2000)
election results: Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna elected president; percent
of vote--Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (PLD) 51.25%, Jose Francisco PENA
Gomez (PRD) 48.75%

Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress or Congreso
Nacional consists of the Senate or Senado (30 seats; members are
elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of
Deputies or Camara de Diputados (120 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate--last held 16 May 1998 (next to be held NA May
2002); Chamber of Deputies--last held 16 May 1998 (next to be held NA
May 2002)
election results: Senate--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by
party--PRD 24, PLD 4, PRSC 2; Chamber of Deputies--percent of vote by
party--NA; seats by party--PRD 83, PLD 49, PRSC 17

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are
elected by a Council made up of legislative and executive members
with the president presiding)

Political parties and leaders:
Rene BEAUCHAMPS Javier]; Liberal Party of the Dominican Republic or
note: in 1983 several leftist parties, including the PCD, joined to
form the Dominican Leftist Front or FID; however, they still retain
individual party structures

Political pressure groups and leaders: Collective of Popular
Organizations or COP

International organization participation: ACP, Caricom
(observer), ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM (guest),
OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU,
WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Bernardo VEGA Boyrie
chancery: 1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Mayaguez (Puerto
Rico), Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco,
and San Juan (Puerto Rico)
consulate(s): Charlotte Amalie (Virgin Islands), Detroit, Houston,
Jacksonville, Mobile, and Ponce (Puerto Rico)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
embassy: corner of Calle Cesar Nicolas Penson and Calle Leopoldo
Navarro, Santo Domingo
mailing address: Unit 5500, APO AA 34041-5500

Flag description: a centered white cross that extends to the
edges divides the flag into four rectangles--the top ones are blue
(hoist side) and red, the bottom ones are red (hoist side) and blue;
a small coat of arms is at the center of the cross

Economy

Economy--overview: In December 1996, incoming President FERNANDEZ
presented a bold reform package for this Caribbean economy--including
the devaluation of the peso, income tax cuts, a 50% increase in
sales taxes, reduced import tariffs, and increased gasoline
prices--in an attempt to create a market-oriented economy that can
compete internationally. Even though most reforms are stalled in the
legislature, the economy grew vigorously in 1997-98, with tourism
and telecommunications leading the advance. The government is
working to increase electric generating capacity, a key to continued
economic growth, but the privatization of the state electricity
company has met numerous delays. In late September 1998, Hurricane
Georges caused approximately $1.3 billion in damages, largely to
agriculture and infrastructure.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$39.8 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 7% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$5,000 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 19%
industry: 25%
services: 56% (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line: 20.6% (1992 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.6%
highest 10%: 39.6% (1989)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6% (1998 est.)

Labor force: 2.3 million to 2.6 million

Labor force--by occupation: agriculture 50%, services and
government 32%, industry 18% (1991 est.)

Unemployment rate: 16% (1997 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $2.3 billion
expenditures: $2.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $867
million (1999 est.)

Industries: tourism, sugar processing, ferronickel and gold
mining, textiles, cement, tobacco

Industrial production growth rate: 6.3% (1995 est.)

Electricity--production: 6.7 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 70.15%
hydro: 29.85%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 6.7 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: sugarcane, coffee, cotton, cocoa, tobacco,
rice, beans, potatoes, corn, bananas; cattle, pigs, dairy products,
beef, eggs

Exports: $997 million (1997 est.)

Exports--commodities: ferronickel, sugar, gold, coffee, cocoa

Exports--partners: US 45%, EU 19.9%, Canada 3.6%, South Korea 3.3%
(1996)

Imports: $3.6 billion (1998)

Imports--commodities: foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics,
chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Imports--partners: US 44%, EU 16%, Venezuela 11%, Netherlands
Antilles, Mexico, Japan (1995)

Debt--external: $3.6 billion (1997)

Economic aid--recipient: $239.6 million (1995)

Currency: 1 Dominican peso (RD$) = 100 centavos

Exchange rates: Dominican pesos (RD$) per US$1--15.949 (January
1999), 15.267 (1998), 14.265 (1997), 13.775 (1996), 13.597 (1995),
13.160 (1994)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 190,000 (1987 est.)

Telephone system:
domestic: relatively efficient system based on islandwide microwave
radio relay network
international: 1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth station--1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 120, FM 0, shortwave 6

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 25 (1997)

Televisions: 728,000 (1993 est.)

Transportation

Railways:
total: 757 km
standard gauge: 375 km 1.435-m gauge (Central Romana Railroad)
narrow gauge: 142 km 0.762-m gauge (Dominica Government Railway);
240 km operated by sugar companies in various gauges (0.558-m,
0.762-m, 1.067-m gauges) (1995)

Highways:
total: 12,600 km
paved: 6,224 km
unpaved: 6,376 km (1996 est.)

Pipelines: crude oil 96 km; petroleum products 8 km

Ports and harbors: Barahona, La Romana, Puerto Plata, San Pedro
de Macoris, Santo Domingo

Merchant marine:
total: 1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,587 GRT/1,165 DWT
(1998 est.)

Airports: 36 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways:
total: 14
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 2 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 22
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 15 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police

Military manpower--military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 2,156,827 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,355,342 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 82,902 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $180 million (1998)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 1.1% (1998)

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: none

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American drugs
destined for the US

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

@Ecuador -------

Geography

Location: Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at
the Equator, between Colombia and Peru

Geographic coordinates: 2 00 S, 77 30 W

Map references: South America

Area:
total: 283,560 sq km
land: 276,840 sq km
water: 6,720 sq km
note: includes Galapagos Islands

Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Nevada

Land boundaries:
total: 2,010 km
border countries: Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km

Coastline: 2,237 km

Maritime claims:
continental shelf: claims continental shelf between mainland and
Galapagos Islands
territorial sea: 200 nm

Climate: tropical along coast becoming cooler inland

Terrain: coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands
(sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente)

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Chimborazo 6,267 m

Natural resources: petroleum, fish, timber

Land use:
arable land: 6%
permanent crops: 5%
permanent pastures: 18%
forests and woodland: 56%
other: 15% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 5,560 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic
activity; periodic droughts

Environment--current issues: deforestation; soil erosion;
desertification; water pollution; pollution from oil production
wastes

Environment--international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography--note: Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in
world

People

Population: 12,562,496 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 35% (male 2,250,690; female 2,172,302)
15-64 years: 60% (male 3,745,390; female 3,833,841)
65 years and over: 5% (male 261,090; female 299,183) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.78% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 22.26 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 5.06 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.55 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: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 30.69 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.16 years
male: 69.54 years
female: 74.9 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.63 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Ecuadorian(s)
adjective: Ecuadorian

Ethnic groups: mestizo (mixed Amerindian and Spanish) 55%,
Amerindian 25%, Spanish 10%, black 10%

Religions: Roman Catholic 95%

Languages: Spanish (official), Amerindian languages (especially
Quechua)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 90.1%
male: 92%
female: 88.2% (1995 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Ecuador
conventional short form: Ecuador
local long form: Republica del Ecuador
local short form: Ecuador

Data code: EC

Government type: republic

Capital: Quito

Administrative divisions: 21 provinces (provincias,
singular--provincia); Azuay, Bolivar, Canar, Carchi, Chimborazo,
Cotopaxi, El Oro, Esmeraldas, Galapagos, Guayas, Imbabura, Loja, Los
Rios, Manabi, Morona-Santiago, Napo, Pastaza, Pichincha, Sucumbios,
Tungurahua, Zamora-Chinchipe
note: a new province, Orellana, was reported to have been formed in
1998

Independence: 24 May 1822 (from Spain)

National holiday: Independence Day, 10 August (1809)
(independence of Quito)

Constitution: 10 August 1998

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal, compulsory for literate
persons ages 18-65, optional for other eligible voters

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jamil MAHUAD (since 10 August 1998); Vice
President Gustavo NOBOA (since 10 August 1998); note--the president
is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Jamil MAHUAD (since 10 August 1998);
Vice President Gustavo NOBOA (since 10 August 1998); note--the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 31 May 1998;
runoff election held 12 July 1998 (next to be held NA 2002)
election results: Jamil MAHUAD elected president; percent of vote--51%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Congress or Congreso
Nacional (121 seats; 79 members are popularly elected at-large
nationally to serve four-year terms; 42 members are popularly
elected by province--two per province--for four-year terms)
elections: last held 31 May 1998 (next to be held NA May 2002)
election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--DP 32,
PSC 27, PRE 24, ID 18, P-NP 9, FRA 5, PCE 3, MPD 2, CFP 1;
note--defections by members of National Congress are commonplace,
resulting in frequent changes in the numbers of seats held by the
various parties

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), new justices are
elected by the full Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:
BRAVO]
director]
EHLERS]
Gonzalez]

International organization participation: CAN, ECLAC, FAO, G-11,
G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ivonne A-BAKI
chancery: 2535 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New
Orleans, New York, Newark, Philadelphia, and San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Leslie M. ALEXANDER
embassy: Avenida 12 de Octubre y Avenida Patria, Quito
mailing address: APO AA 34039
consulate(s) general: Guayaquil

Flag description: three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double
width), blue, and red with the coat of arms superimposed at the
center of the flag; similar to the flag of Colombia that is shorter
and does not bear a coat of arms

Economy

Economy--overview: Ecuador has substantial oil resources and rich
agricultural areas. Because the country exports primary products
such as oil, bananas, and shrimp, fluctuations in world market
prices can have a substantial domestic impact. Ecuador joined the
World Trade Organization in 1996, but has failed to comply with many
of its accession commitments. In recent years, growth has been
uneven due to ill-conceived fiscal stabilization measures. The
populist government of Abdala BUCARAM Ortiz proposed a major
currency reform in 1996, but popular discontent with BUCARAM'S
austerity measures and rampant official corruption led to his
replacement by National Congress with Fabian ALARCON in February
1997. ALARCON adopted a minimalist economic program that put off
necessary reforms until August 1998 when President Jamil MAHUAD was
elected. MAHAUD inherited an economy in crisis due to mismanagement,
El Nino damage to key export sectors such as agriculture, and low
world commodity prices in the wake of the Asian financial crisis.
MAHAUD announced a fiscal austerity package and expressed interest
in an IMF agreement but faces major difficulties in promoting
economic growth, including possible political objections to further
reform.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$58.7 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 1% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$4,800 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 12%
industry: 37%
services: 51% (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line: 35% (1994 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.3%
highest 10%: 37.6% (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 43% (1998 est.)

Labor force: 4.2 million

Labor force--by occupation: agriculture 29%, manufacturing 18%,
commerce 15%, services and other activities 38% (1990)

Unemployment rate: 12% with widespread underemployment (November
1998 est.)

Budget:
revenues: planned $5.1 billion not including revenue from potential
privatizations
expenditures: $5.1 billion (1999)

Industries: petroleum, food processing, textiles, metal work,
paper products, wood products, chemicals, plastics, fishing, lumber

Industrial production growth rate: 2.4% (1997 est.)

Electricity--production: 8.45 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 17.16%
hydro: 82.84%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 8.45 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: bananas, coffee, cocoa, rice, potatoes,
manioc (tapioca), plantains, sugarcane; cattle, sheep, pigs, beef,
pork, dairy products; balsa wood; fish, shrimp

Exports: $3.4 billion (f.o.b., 1997)

Exports--commodities: petroleum 30%, bananas 26%, shrimp 16%, cut
flowers 2%, fish 1.9%

Exports--partners: US 39%, Latin America 25%, EU countries 22%,
Asia 12%

Imports: $2.9 billion (c.i.f., 1997)

Imports--commodities: transport equipment, consumer goods,
vehicles, machinery, chemicals

Imports--partners: US 32%, EU 19%, Latin America 35%, Asia 11%

Debt--external: $12.5 billion (1997)

Economic aid--recipient: $695.7 million (1995)

Currency: 1 sucre (S/) = 100 centavos

Exchange rates: sucres (S/) per US$1--7,133.1 (January 1999),
5,446.6 (1998), 3,988.3 (1997), 3,189.5 (1996), 2,564.5 (1995),
2,196.7 (1994)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 586,300 (1994 est.)

Telephone system:
domestic: facilities generally inadequate and unreliable
international: satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 272, FM 0, shortwave 39

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 15 (including one station on the
Galapagos Islands) (1997)

Televisions: 940,000 (1992 est.)

Transportation

Railways:
total: 965 km (single track)
narrow gauge: 965 km 1.067-m gauge

Highways:
total: 42,874 km
paved: 5,752 km
unpaved: 37,122 km (1998 est.)

Waterways: 1,500 km

Pipelines: crude oil 800 km; petroleum products 1,358 km

Ports and harbors: Esmeraldas, Guayaquil, La Libertad, Manta,
Puerto Bolivar, San Lorenzo

Merchant marine:
total: 23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 99,078 GRT/162,423 DWT
ships by type: chemical tanker 2, liquefied gas tanker 1, oil tanker
17, passenger 3 (1998 est.)

Airports: 183 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways:
total: 56
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 15
914 to 1,523 m: 14
under 914 m: 19 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 127
914 to 1,523 m: 37
under 914 m: 90 (1998 est.)

Heliports: 1 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Army (Ejercito Ecuatoriano), Navy (Armada
Ecuatoriana, includes Marines), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea
Ecuatoriana), National Police

Military manpower--military age: 20 years of age

Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 3,259,534 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 2,199,704 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 130,208 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $720 million (1998)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 3.4% (1998)

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: on October 26, 1998, Peru and Ecuador
concluded treaties on commerce and navigation and on boundary
integration, to complete a package of agreements settling the
long-standing boundary dispute between them; demarcation of the
agreed-upon boundary was scheduled to begin in mid-January 1999

Illicit drugs: significant transit country for derivatives of
coca originating in Colombia, Bolivia, and Peru; importer of
precursor chemicals used in production of illicit narcotics;
important money-laundering hub

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

@Egypt -----

Introduction

Background: One of the four great ancient civilizations, Egypt,
ruled by powerful pharaohs, bequeathed to Western civilization
numerous advances in technology, science, and the arts. For the last
two millennia, however, Egypt has served a series of foreign
masters--Persians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Turks, and the
British. Formal independence came in 1922, and the remnants of
British control ended after World War II. The completion of the
Aswan High Dam in 1981 altered the time-honored place of the Nile
River in the agriculture and ecology of Egypt. A rapidly growing
population will stress Egyptian society and resources as it enters
the new millenium.

Geography

Location: Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea,
between Libya and the Gaza Strip

Geographic coordinates: 27 00 N, 30 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area:
total: 1,001,450 sq km
land: 995,450 sq km
water: 6,000 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly more than three times the size of New
Mexico

Land boundaries:
total: 2,689 km
border countries: Gaza Strip 11 km, Israel 255 km, Libya 1,150 km,
Sudan 1,273 km

Coastline: 2,450 km

Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: desert; hot, dry summers with moderate winters

Terrain: vast desert plateau interrupted by Nile valley and delta

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Qattara Depression -133 m
highest point: Mount Catherine 2,629 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates,
manganese, limestone, gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead, zinc

Land use:
arable land: 2%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 98% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 32,460 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: periodic droughts; frequent earthquakes, flash
floods, landslides, volcanic activity; hot, driving windstorm called
khamsin occurs in spring; dust storms, sandstorms

Environment--current issues: agricultural land being lost to
urbanization and windblown sands; increasing soil salination below
Aswan High Dam; desertification; oil pollution threatening coral
reefs, beaches, and marine habitats; other water pollution from
agricultural pesticides, raw sewage, and industrial effluents; very
limited natural fresh water resources away from the Nile which is
the only perennial water source; rapid growth in population
overstraining natural resources

Environment--international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography--note: controls Sinai Peninsula, only land bridge
between Africa and remainder of Eastern Hemisphere; controls Suez
Canal, shortest sea link between Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea;
size, and juxtaposition to Israel, establish its major role in
Middle Eastern geopolitics

People

Population: 67,273,906 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 36% (male 12,260,845; female 11,712,752)
15-64 years: 61% (male 20,604,620; female 20,211,012)
65 years and over: 3% (male 1,099,517; female 1,385,160) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.82% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 26.8 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 8.27 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.35 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: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 67.46 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 62.39 years
male: 60.39 years
female: 64.49 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.33 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Egyptian(s)
adjective: Egyptian

Ethnic groups: Eastern Hamitic stock (Egyptians, Bedouins, and
Berbers) 99%, Greek, Nubian, Armenian, other European (primarily
Italian and French) 1%

Religions: Muslim (mostly Sunni) 94% (official estimate), Coptic
Christian and other 6% (official estimate)

Languages: Arabic (official), English and French widely
understood by educated classes

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 51.4%
male: 63.6%
female: 38.8% (1995 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Arab Republic of Egypt
conventional short form: Egypt
local long form: Jumhuriyat Misr al-Arabiyah
local short form: Misr
former: United Arab Republic (with Syria)

Data code: EG

Government type: republic

Capital: Cairo

Administrative divisions: 26 governorates (muhafazat,
singular--muhafazah); Ad Daqahliyah, Al Bahr al Ahmar, Al Buhayrah,
Al Fayyum, Al Gharbiyah, Al Iskandariyah, Al Isma'iliyah, Al Jizah,
Al Minufiyah, Al Minya, Al Qahirah, Al Qalyubiyah, Al Wadi al Jadid,
Ash Sharqiyah, As Suways, Aswan, Asyut, Bani Suwayf, Bur Sa'id,
Dumyat, Janub Sina', Kafr ash Shaykh, Matruh, Qina, Shamal Sina',
Suhaj

Independence: 28 February 1922 (from UK)

National holiday: Anniversary of the Revolution, 23 July (1952)

Constitution: 11 September 1971

Legal system: based on English common law, Islamic law, and
Napoleonic codes; judicial review by Supreme Court and Council of
State (oversees validity of administrative decisions); accepts
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK (since 14 October
1981)
head of government: Prime Minister Kamal Ahmed El-GANZOURI (since 4
January 1996)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president nominated by the People's Assembly for a
six-year term, the nomination must then be validated by a national,
popular referendum; national referendum last held 4 October 1993
(next to be held NA October 1999); prime minister appointed by the
president
election results: national referendum validated President MUBARAK's
nomination by the People's Assembly to a third term

Legislative branch: bicameral system consists of the People's
Assembly or Majlis al-Sha'b (454 seats; 444 elected by popular vote,
10 appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms) and
the Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura--which functions only in a
consultative role (264 seats; 176 elected by popular vote, 88
appointed by the president; members serve NA-year terms)
elections: People's Assembly--last held 29 November 1995 (next to be
held NA 2000); Advisory Council--last held 7 June 1995 (next to be
held NA)
election results: People's Assembly--percent of vote by party--NDP
72%, independents 25%, opposition 3%; seats by party--NDP 317,
independents 114, NWP 6, NPUG 5, Nasserist Arab Democratic Party 1,
Liberals 1; Advisory Council--percent of vote by party--NDP 99%,
independents 1%; seats by party--NA

Judicial branch: Supreme Constitutional Court

Political parties and leaders: National Democratic Party or NDP
legal opposition parties are as follows: New Wafd Party or NWP
note: formation of political parties must be approved by government

Political pressure groups and leaders: despite a constitutional
ban against religious-based parties, the technically illegal Muslim
Brotherhood constitutes MUBARAK's potentially most significant
political opposition; MUBARAK tolerated limited political activity
by the Brotherhood for his first two terms, but has moved more
aggressively in the past two years to block its influence; trade
unions and professional associations are officially sanctioned

International organization participation: ABEDA, ACC, ACCT
(associate), AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, BSEC (observer), CAEU, CCC, EBRD,
ECA, ESCWA, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat,
Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURCA, MINURSO, MONUA,
NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OAU, OIC, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNOMIG, UNOMIL,
UNOMSIL, UNPREDEP, UNRWA, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ahmed MAHER al-Sayed
chancery: 3521 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, New York, and San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel C. KURTZER
embassy: (North Gate) 8, Kamel El-Din Salah Street, Garden City,
Cairo
mailing address: Unit 64900, APO AE 09839-4900

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top),
white, and black with the national emblem (a shield superimposed on
a golden eagle facing the hoist side above a scroll bearing the name
of the country in Arabic) centered in the white band; similar to the
flag of Yemen, which has a plain white band; also similar to the
flag of Syria that has two green stars and to the flag of Iraq,
which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a
horizontal line centered in the white band

Economy

Economy--overview: At the end of the 1980s, Egypt faced problems
of low productivity and poor economic management, compounded by the
adverse social effects of excessive population growth, high
inflation, and massive urban overcrowding. In the face of these
pressures, in 1991 Egypt undertook wide-ranging macroeconomic
stabilization and structural reform measures. This reform effort has
been supported by three IMF arrangements, the last of which expired
in September 1998. Egypt's reform efforts--and its participation in
the Gulf war coalition--also led to massive debt relief under the
Paris Club arrangements. Substantial progress has been made in
improving macroeconomic performance. Cairo tamed inflation, slashed
budget deficits, and built up foreign reserves to an all-time high.
Although the pace of structural reforms--such as privatization and
new business legislation--has been slower than envisioned under the
IMF program, Egypt's steps toward a more market-oriented economy
have prompted increased foreign investment. The November 1997
massacre of foreign tourists in Luxor affected tourism enough to
slow the GDP growth rate for 1998 compared to earlier projections.
Tourism's slow recovery, coupled with low world oil prices, caused a
downturn in foreign exchange earnings in 1998, but external payments
are not in crisis.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$188 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 5% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$2,850 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 16%
industry: 31%
services: 53% (1997)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.9%
highest 10%: 26.7% (1991)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.6% (1998)

Labor force: 17.4 million (1998 est.)

Labor force--by occupation: agriculture 40%, services, including
government 38%, industry 22% (1990 est.)

Unemployment rate: 10% (1998 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $20 billion
expenditures: $20.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $4.4
billion (FY97/98)

Industries: textiles, food processing, tourism, chemicals,
petroleum, construction, cement, metals

Industrial production growth rate: 9.4% (1997 est.)

Electricity--production: 46 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 76.09%
hydro: 23.91%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 46 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: cotton, rice, corn, wheat, beans, fruits,
vegetables; cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats; fish

Exports: $5.5 billion (f.o.b., FY97/98 est.)

Exports--commodities: crude oil and petroleum products, cotton
yarn, raw cotton, textiles, metal products, chemicals

Exports--partners: EU, US, Japan

Imports: $16.7 billion (c.i.f., FY97/98 est.)

Imports--commodities: machinery and equipment, foods, fertilizers,
wood products, durable consumer goods, capital goods

Imports--partners: US, EU, Japan

Debt--external: $28 billion (FY97/98 est.)

Economic aid--recipient: ODA, $2.4 billion (1996)

Currency: 1 Egyptian pound (LE) = 100 piasters

Exchange rates: Egyptian pounds (LE) per US$1--3.4 (November
1994); market rate--3.3880 (January 1999), 3.3880 (1998), 3.3880
(1997), 3.3880 (1996), 3.3900 (1995), 3.3910 (1994)

Fiscal year: 1 July--30 June

Communications

Telephones: 3.168 million (1996); 70,000 digital cellular
telephone subscribers (1998); 7,400 analog cellular telephone
subscribers (1997)

Telephone system: large system by Third World standards but
inadequate for present requirements and undergoing extensive
upgrading
domestic: principal centers at Alexandria, Cairo, Al Mansurah,
Ismailia, Suez, and Tanta are connected by coaxial cable and
microwave radio relay
international: satellite earth stations--2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean
and Indian Ocean), 1 Arabsat, and 1 Inmarsat; 5 coaxial submarine
cables; tropospheric scatter to Sudan; microwave radio relay to
Israel; participant in Medarabtel

Radio broadcast stations: AM 57, FM 14, shortwave 3 (1998 est.)

Radios: 16.45 million (1998 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 42 (in addition, there are nine
channels received from Europe by satellite) (1997)

Televisions: 5 million (1998 est.)

Transportation

Railways:
total: 4,751 km
standard gauge: 4,751 km 1,435-m gauge (42 km electrified; 951 km
double track)

Highways:
total: 64,000 km
paved: 49,984 km
unpaved: 14,016 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: 3,500 km (including the Nile, Lake Nasser,
Alexandria-Cairo Waterway, and numerous smaller canals in the
delta); Suez Canal, 193.5 km long (including approaches), used by
oceangoing vessels drawing up to 16.1 m of water

Pipelines: crude oil 1,171 km; petroleum products 596 km; natural
gas 460 km

Ports and harbors: Alexandria, Al Ghardaqah, Aswan, Asyut, Bur
Safajah, Damietta, Marsa Matruh, Port Said, Suez

Merchant marine:
total: 180 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,334,406
GRT/2,022,785 DWT
ships by type: bulk 25, cargo 63, container 1, liquefied gas tanker
1, oil tanker 14, passenger 56, refrigerated cargo 1,
roll-on/roll-off cargo 16, short-sea passenger 3 (1998 est.)

Airports: 89 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways:
total: 70
over 3,047 m: 10
2,438 to 3,047 m: 37
1,524 to 2,437 m: 16
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 4 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 19
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 9 (1998 est.)

Heliports: 2 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Command

Military manpower--military age: 20 years of age

Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 17,756,706 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 11,507,058 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 694,468 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $3.28 billion (FY95/96)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 8.2% (FY95/96)

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: Egypt asserts its claim to the "Hala'ib
Triangle," a barren area of 20,580 sq km under partial Sudanese
administration that is defined by an administrative boundary which
supersedes the treaty boundary of 1899

Illicit drugs: a transit point for Southwest Asian and Southeast
Asian heroin and opium moving to Europe and the US; popular transit
stop for Nigerian couriers

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

@El Salvador -----------

Geography

Location: Middle America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean,
between Guatemala and Honduras

Geographic coordinates: 13 50 N, 88 55 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 21,040 sq km
land: 20,720 sq km
water: 320 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Land boundaries:
total: 545 km
border countries: Guatemala 203 km, Honduras 342 km

Coastline: 307 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 200 nm

Climate: tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season
(November to April)

Terrain: mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central
plateau

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Cerro El Pital 2,730 m

Natural resources: hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum

Land use:
arable land: 27%
permanent crops: 8%
permanent pastures: 29%
forests and woodland: 5%
other: 31% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,200 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and
sometimes very destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity

Environment--current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; water
pollution; contamination of soils from disposal of toxic wastes;
Hurricane Mitch damage

Environment--international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography--note: smallest Central American country and only one
without a coastline on Caribbean Sea

People

Population: 5,839,079 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 37% (male 1,091,500; female 1,044,658)
15-64 years: 58% (male 1,612,847; female 1,786,318)
65 years and over: 5% (male 138,052; female 165,704) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.53% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 26.19 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 6.2 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: -4.66 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: 0.9 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 28.38 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.02 years
male: 66.7 years
female: 73.5 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.99 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Salvadoran(s)
adjective: Salvadoran

Ethnic groups: mestizo 94%, Amerindian 5%, white 1%

Religions: Roman Catholic 75%
note: there is extensive activity by Protestant groups throughout
the country; by the end of 1992, there were an estimated 1 million
Protestant evangelicals in El Salvador

Languages: Spanish, Nahua (among some Amerindians)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 71.5%
male: 73.5%
female: 69.8% (1995 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of El Salvador
conventional short form: El Salvador
local long form: Republica de El Salvador
local short form: El Salvador

Data code: ES

Government type: republic

Capital: San Salvador

Administrative divisions: 14 departments (departamentos,
singular--departamento); Ahuachapan, Cabanas, Chalatenango,
Cuscatlan, La Libertad, La Paz, La Union, Morazan, San Miguel, San
Salvador, Santa Ana, San Vicente, Sonsonate, Usulutan

Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution: 20 December 1983

Legal system: based on civil and Roman law, with traces of common
law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court;
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
note: Legislative Assembly passed landmark judicial reforms in 1996

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Armando CALDERON Sol (since 1 June 1994);
Vice President Enrique BORGO Bustamante (since 1 June 1994);
note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Armando CALDERON Sol (since 1 June
1994); Vice President Enrique BORGO Bustamante (since 1 June 1994);
note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Council of Ministers
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 20 March
1994, with a run-off election held 24 April 1994 (next to be held 7
March 1999)
election results: Armando CALDERON Sol elected president; percent of
vote--Armando CALDERON Sol (ARENA) 49.03%, Ruben ZAMORA Rivas
(CD/FMLN/MNR) 24.09%, Fidel CHAVEZ Mena (PDC) 16.39%, other 10.49%;
because no candidate received a majority, a run-off election was
held and the results were as follows--Armando CALDERON Sol (ARENA)
68.35%, Ruben ZAMORA Rivas (CD/FMLN/MNR) 31.65%
note: in the election held 7 March 1999, Francisco FLORES elected
president, Carlos QUINTANILLA elected vice president (will take
office 1 June 1999); percent of vote--Francisco FLORES (ARENA) 52%,
Facundo GUARDADO (FMLN/USC) 29%, Ruben ZAMORA (CD) 8%, other parties
11%

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea
Legislativa (84 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to
serve three-year terms)
elections: last held 16 March 1997 (next to be held NA March 2000)
election results: percent of vote by party--ARENA 35.4%, FMLN 34.3%,
PCN 8.1%, PDC 7.9%, CD 3.8%, PRSC 3.4%, PLD 3.2%, MU 2.1%, PD 1.0%,
other 0.8%; seats by party--ARENA 28, FMLN 27, PCN 9, PDC 8, PRSC 3,
CD 2, PLD 2, MU 1, PD 1, independent 3

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), judges are
selected by the Legislative Assembly

Political parties and leaders: National Republican Alliance or
MARTINEZ, president]
note: the Social Christian Union or USC is formed by the union of
the Social Christian Renovation Party or PRSC, the Unity Movement or
MU, and the MSN

Political pressure groups and leaders:
labor organizations: National Confederation of Salvadoran Workers or
CNTS; National Union of Salvadoran Workers or UNTS; Federation of
the Construction Industry, Similar Transport and other activities,
or FESINCONTRANS; Salvadoran Workers Central or CTS; Port Industry
Union of El Salvador or SIPES; Electrical Industry Union of El
Salvador or SIES; Workers Union of Electrical Corporation or STCEL
business organizations: Salvadoran Industrial Association or ASI;
Salvadoran Assembly Industry Association or ASIC; National
Association of Small Enterprise or ANEP

International organization participation: BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO,
G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent),
ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MINURSO, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL,
OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Rene A. LEON
chancery: 2308 California Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami,
New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco
consulate(s): Boston

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Anne W. PATTERSON
embassy: Final Boulevard Santa Elena, Antiguo Cuscatlan, San Salvador
mailing address: Unit 3116, APO AA 34023

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of blue (top),
white, and blue with the national coat of arms centered in the white
band; the coat of arms features a round emblem encircled by the
words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL; similar to the
flag of Nicaragua, which has a different coat of arms centered in
the white band--it features a triangle encircled by the words
REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom;
also similar to the flag of Honduras, which has five blue stars
arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band

Economy

Economy--overview: In recent years inflation has fallen to
unprecedented levels, and exports have grown substantially. Even so,
El Salvador has experienced sizable deficits in both its trade and
its fiscal accounts. The trade deficit has been offset by
remittances from the large number of Salvadorans living abroad and
from external aid. El Salvador sustained damage from Hurricane
Mitch, but not as much as other Central American countries.
Inflation and the trade deficit are expected to rise somewhat as a
result.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$17.5 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 3.7% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$3,000 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 15%
industry: 24%
services: 61% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line: 48.3% (1992 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.2%
highest 10%: 38.3% (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.6% (1998)

Labor force: 2.26 million (1997 est.)

Labor force--by occupation: agriculture 40%, commerce 16%,
manufacturing 15%, government 13%, financial services 9%,
transportation 6%, other 1%

Unemployment rate: 7.7% (1997 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $1.75 billion
expenditures: $1.82 billion, including capital expenditures of $317
million (1997 est.)

Industries: food processing, beverages, petroleum, chemicals,
fertilizer, textiles, furniture, light metals

Industrial production growth rate: 7% (1997 est.)

Electricity--production: 3.575 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 22.38%
hydro: 61.54%
nuclear: 0%
other: 16.08% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 3.547 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 60 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 32 million kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: coffee, sugarcane, corn, rice, beans,
oilseed, cotton, sorghum; beef, dairy products; shrimp

Exports: $1.96 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.)

Exports--commodities: coffee, sugar; shrimp; textiles

Exports--partners: US, Guatemala, Germany, Costa Rica, Honduras

Imports: $3.5 billion (c.i.f., 1997 est.)

Imports--commodities: raw materials, consumer goods, capital
goods, fuels

Imports--partners: US, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Venezuela, Japan

Debt--external: $2.6 billion (yearend 1997)

Economic aid--recipient: $391.7 million (1995); note?US has
committed $280 million in economic assistance to El Salvador for
1995-97 (excludes military aid)

Currency: 1 Salvadoran colon (C) = 100 centavos

Exchange rates: Salvadoran colones (C) per US$1 (end of
period)--8.755 (January 1999-1995), 8.750 (1994)
note: as of 1 June 1990, the rate is based on the average of the
buying and selling rates, set on a weekly basis, for official
receipts and payments, imports of petroleum, and coffee exports;
prior to that date, a system of floating was in effect

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 350,000 (1997 est.)

Telephone system:
domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system
international: satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean);
connected to Central American Microwave System

Radio broadcast stations: AM 18, FM 80, shortwave 2

Radios: 1.5 million (1997 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 5 (1997)

Televisions: 700,000 (1997 est.)

Transportation

Railways:
total: 602 km (single track; note--some sections abandoned, unusable,
or operating at reduced capacity)
narrow gauge: 602 km 0.914-m gauge

Highways:
total: 10,029 km
paved: 1,986 km (including 327 km of expressways)
unpaved: 8,043 km (1997 est.)

Waterways: Rio Lempa partially navigable

Ports and harbors: Acajutla, Puerto Cutuco, La Libertad, La
Union, Puerto El Triunfo

Merchant marine: none

Airports: 86 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways:
total: 4
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 82
914 to 1,523 m: 17
under 914 m: 65 (1998 est.)

Heliports: 1 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force

Military manpower--military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 1,393,986 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 884,093 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 65,224 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $105 million (1998)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 0.9% (1998)

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: demarcation of boundary with Honduras
defined by 1992 International Court of Justice (ICJ) decision has
not been completed; small boundary section left unresolved by ICJ
decision not yet reported to have been settled; with respect to the
maritime boundary in the Golfo de Fonseca, ICJ referred to an
earlier agreement in this century and advised that some tripartite
resolution among El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua likely would be
required

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for cocaine; marijuana
produced for local consumption

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

@Equatorial Guinea -----------------

Geography

Location: Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between
Cameroon and Gabon

Geographic coordinates: 2 00 N, 10 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area:
total: 28,050 sq km
land: 28,050 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries:
total: 539 km
border countries: Cameroon 189 km, Gabon 350 km

Coastline: 296 km

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

Climate: tropical; always hot, humid

Terrain: coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are
volcanic

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pico Basile 3,008 m

Natural resources: petroleum, timber, small unexploited deposits
of gold, manganese, uranium

Land use:
arable land: 5%
permanent crops: 4%
permanent pastures: 4%
forests and woodland: 46%
other: 41% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: violent windstorms, flash floods

Environment--current issues: tap water is not potable;
desertification

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

Geography--note: insular and continental regions rather widely
separated

People

Population: 465,746 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 43% (male 100,334; female 99,826)
15-64 years: 53% (male 118,248; female 129,777)
65 years and over: 4% (male 7,801; female 9,760) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.55% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 38.49 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 12.98 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
note: migration to Spain is a traditional and continuing factor;
between 80% and 90% of Equatorial Guinean nationals going to Spain
do not return

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 91.18 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 54.39 years
male: 52.03 years
female: 56.83 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Equatorial Guinean(s) or Equatoguinean(s)
adjective: Equatorial Guinean or Equatoguinean

Ethnic groups: Bioko (primarily Bubi, some Fernandinos), Rio Muni
(primarily Fang), Europeans less than 1,000, mostly Spanish

Religions: nominally Christian and predominantly Roman Catholic,
pagan practices

Languages: Spanish (official), French (official), pidgin English,
Fang, Bubi, Ibo

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 78.5%
male: 89.6%
female: 68.1% (1995 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Equatorial Guinea
conventional short form: Equatorial Guinea
local long form: Republica de Guinea Ecuatorial
local short form: Guinea Ecuatorial
former: Spanish Guinea

Data code: EK

Government type: republic in transition to multiparty democracy
(the transition appears to have halted)

Capital: Malabo

Administrative divisions: 7 provinces (provincias,
singular--provincia); Annobon, Bioko Norte, Bioko Sur, Centro Sur,
Kie-Ntem, Litoral, Wele-Nzas

Independence: 12 October 1968 (from Spain)

National holiday: Independence Day, 12 October (1968)

Constitution: approved by national referendum 17 November 1991;
amended January 1995

Legal system: partly based on Spanish civil law and tribal custom

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal adult

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA
MBASOGO (since 3 August 1979)
head of government: Prime Minister Serafin Seriche DOUGAN (since NA
April 1996); First Vice Prime Minister for Foreign Affairs Miguel
OYONO NDONG (since NA January 1998); Second Vice Prime Minister for
Internal Affairs Demetrio Elo NDONG NGEFUMU (since NA January 1998)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote to a seven-year term;
election last held 25 February 1996 (next to be held NA February
2003); prime minister and vice prime ministers appointed by the
president
election results: President OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO reelected with 98%
of popular vote in elections marred by widespread fraud

Legislative branch: unicameral House of People's Representatives
or Camara de Representantes del Pueblo (80 seats; members directly
elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 21 November 1993 (next to be held NA 1999)
election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--PDGE
68, CSDP 6, UDS 5, CLD 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Tribunal

Political parties and leaders:
ruling party: Democratic Party for Equatorial Guinea or PDGE
opposition parties: Convergence Party for Social Democracy or CPDS
BOKESA, president]; Party of the Social Democratic Coalition or PCSD
mayor of Malabo]; Social Democratic and Popular Convergence or CSDP

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC,
CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAS (observer),
OAU, OPCW, UDEAC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WToO,
WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Pastor Micha ONDO BILE
chancery: 1712 I Street NW, Suite 410, Washington, DC 20005

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an
embassy in Equatorial Guinea (embassy closed September 1995); US
relations with Equatorial Guinea are handled through the US Embassy
in Yaounde, Cameroon; the US State Department is considering opening
a Consulate Agency in Malabo

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top),
white, and red with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist
side and the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of
arms has six yellow six-pointed stars (representing the mainland and
five offshore islands) above a gray shield bearing a silk-cotton
tree and below which is a scroll with the motto UNIDAD, PAZ,
JUSTICIA (Unity, Peace, Justice)

Economy

Economy--overview: The discovery and exploitation of large oil
reserves have contributed to dramatic economic growth in recent
years. Several large oil companies are expected to bid on oil
licenses by May 1999. Forestry, farming, and fishing are also major
components of GDP. Subsistence farming predominates. Although
pre-independence Equatorial Guinea counted on cocoa production for
hard currency earnings, the deterioration of the rural economy under
successive brutal regimes has diminished potential for
agriculture-led growth. A number of aid programs sponsored by the
World Bank and the IMF have been cut off since 1993 because of the
government's gross corruption and mismanagement. Businesses, for the
most part, are owned by government officials and their family
members. Undeveloped natural resources include titanium, iron ore,
manganese, uranium, and alluvial gold. The country responded
favorably to the devaluation of the CFA franc in January 1994.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$660 million (1997 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: NA%

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$1,500 (1997 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 46%
industry: 33%
services: 21% (1995 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6% (1996 est.)

Labor force: NA

Unemployment rate: 30% (1998 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $47 million
expenditures: $43 million, including capital expenditures of $7
million (1996 est.)

Industries: petroleum, fishing, sawmilling, natural gas

Industrial production growth rate: 7.4% (1994 est.)

Electricity--production: 19 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 89.47%
hydro: 10.53%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 19 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: coffee, cocoa, rice, yams, cassava
(tapioca), bananas, palm oil nuts, manioc (tapioca); livestock;
timber

Exports: $197 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)

Exports--commodities: petroleum, timber, cocoa

Exports--partners: US 34%, Japan 17%, Spain 13%, China 13%, Nigeria

Imports: $248 million (c.i.f., 1996 est.)

Imports--commodities: petroleum, food, beverages, clothing,
machinery

Imports--partners: Cameroon 40%, Spain 18%, France 14%, US 8%

Debt--external: $254 million (1996 est.)

Economic aid--recipient: $33.8 million (1995)

Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) is used

Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per
US$1--560.01 (December 1998), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55
(1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994)

Fiscal year: 1 April--31 March

Communications

Telephones: 2,000 (1987 est.)

Telephone system: poor system with adequate government services
domestic: NA
international: international communications from Bata and Malabo to
African and European countries; satellite earth station--1 Intelsat
(Indian Ocean)

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

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)

Televisions: 4,000 (1992 est.)

Transportation

Railways:
total: 0 km

Highways:
total: 2,880 km
paved: 0 km
unpaved: 2,880 km (1996 est.)

Ports and harbors: Bata, Luba, Malabo

Merchant marine:
total: 12 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 23,370 GRT/25,194 DWT
ships by type: cargo 9, passenger 2, passenger-cargo 1 (1998 est.)

Airports: 3 (1998 est.)

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

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Rapid Intervention
Force, National Police

Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 102,269 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 51,979 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $2.5 million (FY97/98)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: NA%

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: maritime boundary dispute with Gabon
because of disputed sovereignty over islands in Corisco Bay;
maritime boundary dispute with Nigeria because of disputed
jurisdiction over oil-rich areas in the Gulf of Guinea

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

@Eritrea -------

Introduction

Background: On 29 May 1991, ISAIAS Afworki, secretary general of
the People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ), which then
served as the country's legislative body, announced the formation of
the Provisional Government in Eritrea (PGE) in preparation for the
23-25 April 1993 referendum on independence from Ethiopia. The
referendum resulted in a landslide vote for independence, which
became effective on 24 May 1993.

Geography

Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Djibouti
and Sudan

Geographic coordinates: 15 00 N, 39 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area:
total: 121,320 sq km
land: 121,320 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly larger than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries:
total: 1,630 km
border countries: Djibouti 113 km, Ethiopia 912 km, Sudan 605 km

Coastline: 2,234 km total; mainland on Red Sea 1,151 km, islands
in Red Sea 1,083 km

Maritime claims: NA

Climate: hot, dry desert strip along Red Sea coast; cooler and
wetter in the central highlands (up to 61 cm of rainfall annually);
semiarid in western hills and lowlands; rainfall heaviest during
June-September except on coastal desert

Terrain: dominated by extension of Ethiopian north-south trending
highlands, descending on the east to a coastal desert plain, on the
northwest to hilly terrain and on the southwest to flat-to-rolling
plains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: near Kulul within the Denakil depression -75 m
highest point: Soira 3,018 m

Natural resources: gold, potash, zinc, copper, salt, probably oil
and natural gas (currently under exploration), fish

Land use:
arable land: 12%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 48%
forests and woodland: 20%
other: 19% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 280 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: frequent droughts

Environment--current issues: deforestation; desertification; soil
erosion; overgrazing; loss of infrastructure from civil warfare

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

Geography--note: strategic geopolitical position along world's
busiest shipping lanes; Eritrea retained the entire coastline of
Ethiopia along the Red Sea upon de jure independence from Ethiopia
on 27 April 1993

People

Population: 3,984,723 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 43% (male 859,899; female 852,329)
15-64 years: 54% (male 1,061,921; female 1,078,102)
65 years and over: 3% (male 67,969; female 64,503) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.88% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 42.56 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 12.32 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 8.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
note: it is estimated that approximately 315,000 Eritrean refugees
were still living in Sudan by the end of 1997 according to the UNHCR

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.05 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 76.84 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 55.74 years
male: 53.61 years
female: 57.95 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.96 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Eritrean(s)
adjective: Eritrean

Ethnic groups: ethnic Tigrinya 50%, Tigre and Kunama 40%, Afar
4%, Saho (Red Sea coast dwellers) 3%

Religions: Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant

Languages: Afar, Amharic, Arabic, Tigre and Kunama, Tigrinya,
minor ethnic group languages

Literacy: NA

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: State of Eritrea
conventional short form: Eritrea
local long form: Hagere Ertra
local short form: Ertra
former: Eritrea Autonomous Region in Ethiopia

Data code: ER