Chapter V (16)

Flag description: light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper
hoist-side quadrant and the Fijian shield centered on the outer half
of the flag; the shield depicts a yellow lion above a white field
quartered by the cross of Saint George featuring stalks of
sugarcane, a palm tree, bananas, and a white dove

Economy

Economy--overview: Fiji, endowed with forest, mineral, and fish
resources, is one of the most developed of the Pacific island
economies, though still with a large subsistence sector. Sugar
exports and a growing tourist industry are the major sources of
foreign exchange. Sugar processing makes up one-third of industrial
activity. Roughly 250,000 tourists visit each year. Political
uncertainty and drought, however, contribute to substantial
fluctuations in earnings from tourism and sugar and to the
emigration of skilled workers. Fiji's growth slowed in 1997 because
the sugar industry suffered from low world prices and rent disputes
between farmers and landowners. Drought in 1998 further damaged the
sugar industry. Overall growth in 1991-98 has averaged less than 2%
per year, with long-term problems of low investment and uncertain
property rights. The central bank predicts growth of 2% to 3% in
1999.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$5.4 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 2.4% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$6,700 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 19%
industry: 22%
services: 59% (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: 235,000

Labor force--by occupation: subsistence agriculture 67%, wage
earners 18%, salary earners 15% (1987)

Unemployment rate: 6% (1997 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $540.65 million
expenditures: $742.65 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1997 est.)

Industries: sugar, tourism, copra, gold, silver, clothing,
lumber, small cottage industries

Industrial production growth rate: 2.9% (1995)

Electricity--production: 545 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 21.1%
hydro: 78.9%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 545 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: sugarcane, coconuts, cassava (tapioca),
rice, sweet potatoes, bananas; cattle, pigs, horses, goats; fish

Exports: $655 million (f.o.b., 1996)

Exports--commodities: sugar 32%, clothing, gold, processed fish,
lumber

Exports--partners: Australia 27%, UK 14%, NZ 12%, US 8%, Japan
(1996)

Imports: $838 million (f.o.b., 1996)

Imports--commodities: machinery and transport equipment, petroleum
products, food, chemicals

Imports--partners: Australia 44%, NZ 15%, US 9%, Japan 5%,
Singapore 5% (1996)

Debt--external: $217 million (1996 est.)

Economic aid--recipient: $40.3 million (1995)

Currency: 1 Fijian dollar (F$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: Fijian dollars (F$) per US$1--1.9556 (January
1999), 1.9868 (1998), 1.4437 (1997), 1.4033 (1996), 1.4063 (1995),
1.4641 (1994)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 60,017 (1987 est.)

Telephone system: modern local, interisland, and international
(wire/radio integrated) public and special-purpose telephone,
telegraph, and teleprinter facilities; regional radio communications
center
domestic: NA
international: access to important cable link between US and Canada
and NZ and Australia; satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Pacific
Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 1, shortwave 0

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 0

Televisions: 12,000 (1992 est.)

Transportation

Railways:
total: 597 km; note--belongs to the government-owned Fiji Sugar
Corporation
narrow gauge: 597 km 0.610-m gauge (1995)

Highways:
total: 3,440 km
paved: 1,692 km
unpaved: 1,748 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: 203 km; 122 km navigable by motorized craft and
200-metric-ton barges

Ports and harbors: Labasa, Lautoka, Levuka, Savusavu, Suva

Merchant marine:
total: 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 10,721 GRT/13,145 DWT
ships by type: chemical tanker 2, passenger 1, roll-on/roll-off
cargo 1, specialized tanker 1 (1998 est.)

Airports: 24 (1998 est.)

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

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 21
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 17 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF;
includes ground and naval forces)

Military manpower--military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 218,853 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 120,555 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 9,326 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $34 million (1997)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 1.6% (1997)

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: none

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

@Finland -------

Introduction

Background: Long ruled by foreign powers, including Sweden and
the pre-revolutionary Russian Empire, Finland finally declared
independence in 1917. During World War II, Finland fought the USSR
twice and then the Germans toward the end of the war. In the
following half-century, the Finns made a remarkable transformation
from a farm/forest economy to a diversified modern industrial
economy. Per capita income has risen to the West European level;
Finland is a member of the European Union and is the only Nordic
state to join the euro system at its initiation in January 1999.

Geography

Location: Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of
Bothnia, and Gulf of Finland, between Sweden and Russia

Geographic coordinates: 64 00 N, 26 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area:
total: 337,030 sq km
land: 305,470 sq km
water: 31,560 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Montana

Land boundaries:
total: 2,628 km
border countries: Norway 729 km, Sweden 586 km, Russia 1,313 km

Coastline: 1,126 km (excludes islands and coastal indentations)

Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 6 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm (in the Gulf of Finland--3 nm)

Climate: cold temperate; potentially subarctic, but comparatively
mild because of moderating influence of the North Atlantic Current,
Baltic Sea, and more than 60,000 lakes

Terrain: mostly low, flat to rolling plains interspersed with
lakes and low hills

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Haltiatunturi 1,328 m

Natural resources: timber, copper, zinc, iron ore, silver

Land use:
arable land: 8%
permanent crops: NA%
permanent pastures: NA%
forests and woodland: 76%
other: 16% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 640 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment--current issues: air pollution from manufacturing and
power plants contributing to acid rain; water pollution from
industrial wastes, agricultural chemicals; habitat loss threatens
wildlife populations

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-Environmental
Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, 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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography--note: long boundary with Russia; Helsinki is
northernmost national capital on European continent; population
concentrated on small southwestern coastal plain

People

Population: 5,158,372 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 18% (male 483,700; female 464,431)
15-64 years: 67% (male 1,743,340; female 1,706,873)
65 years and over: 15% (male 289,405; female 470,623) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.15% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 10.77 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 9.67 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 3.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.32 years
male: 73.81 years
female: 80.98 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.68 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Finn(s)
adjective: Finnish

Ethnic groups: Finn 93%, Swede 6%, Lapp 0.11%, Gypsy 0.12%, Tatar
0.02%

Religions: Evangelical Lutheran 89%, Greek Orthodox 1%, none 9%,
other 1%

Languages: Finnish 93.5% (official), Swedish 6.3% (official),
small Lapp- and Russian-speaking minorities

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100% (1980 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA%

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Finland
conventional short form: Finland
local long form: Suomen Tasavalta
local short form: Suomi

Data code: FI

Government type: republic

Capital: Helsinki

Administrative divisions: 6 provinces (laanit, singular--laani);
Aland, Etela-Suomen Laani, Ita-Suomen Lanni, Lansi-Suomen Laani,
Lappi, Oulun Laani

Independence: 6 December 1917 (from Russia)

National holiday: Independence Day, 6 December (1917)

Constitution: 17 July 1919

Legal system: civil law system based on Swedish law; Supreme
Court may request legislation interpreting or modifying laws;
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Martti AHTISAARI (since 1 March 1994)
head of government: Prime Minister Paavo LIPPONEN (since 13 April
1995) and Deputy Prime Minister Sauli NIINISTO (since 13 April 1995)
cabinet: Council of State or Valtioneuvosto appointed by the
president, responsible to Parliament
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
election last held 31 January-6 February 1994 (next to be held NA
January 2000); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed
from the majority party by the president after parliamentary
elections
election results: Martti AHTISAARI elected president; percent of
vote--Martti AHTISAARI 54%, Elisabeth REHN 46%

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Eduskunta (200
seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional basis
to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 21 March 1999 (next to be held NA March 2003)
election results: percent of vote by party--Social Democratic Party
22.9%, Center Party 22.5%, National Coalition (Conservative) Party
21.0%, Leftist Alliance (Communist) 10.9%, Swedish People's Party
5.1%, Green Union 7.2%, Finnish Christian League 4.2%; seats by
party--Social Democratic Party 51, Center Party 48, National
Coalition (Conservative) Party 46, Leftist Alliance (Communist) 20,
Swedish People's Party 11, Green Union 11, Finnish Christian League
10, other 3

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Korkein Oikeus, judges
appointed by the president

Political parties and leaders:
Alliance (Communist) composed of People's Democratic League and

Political pressure groups and leaders: Finnish Communist

International organization participation: AfDB, AsDB, Australia
Group, BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, 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, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer),
OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR,
UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMOGIP, UNMOP, UNPREDEP, UNTSO, UPU,
WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jaakko Tapani LAAJAVA
chancery: 3301 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Eric EDELMAN
embassy: Itainen Puistotie 14A, FIN-00140, Helsinki
mailing address: APO AE 09723

Flag description: white with a blue cross that extends to the
edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the
hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

Economy

Economy--overview: Finland has a highly industrialized, largely
free-market economy, with per capita output roughly that of the UK,
France, Germany, and Italy. Its key economic sector is
manufacturing--principally the wood, metals, engineering,
telecommunications, and electronics industries. Trade is important,
with the export of goods representing about 30% of GDP. Except for
timber and several minerals, Finland depends on imports of raw
materials, energy, and some components for manufactured goods.
Because of the climate, agricultural development is limited to
maintaining self-sufficiency in basic products. Forestry, an
important export earner, provides a secondary occupation for the
rural population. The economy has come back from the recession of
1990-92, which had been caused by economic overheating, depressed
foreign markets, and the dismantling of the barter system between
Finland and the former Soviet Union. Rapidly increasing integration
with Western Europe--Finland was one of the 11 countries joining the
euro monetary system (EMU) on 1 January 1999--will dominate the
economic picture over the next several years. Growth in 1999
probably will slow, perhaps to 3%, a barrier to any substantial drop
in unemployment.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$103.6 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 5.1% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$20,100 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 5%
industry: 32%
services: 63% (1997)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 4.2%
highest 10%: 21.6% (1991)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.5% (1998 est.)

Labor force: 2.533 million

Labor force--by occupation: public services 30.4%, industry 20.9%,
commerce 15%, finance, insurance, and business services 10.2%,
agriculture and forestry 8.6%, transport and communications 7.7%,
construction 7.2%

Unemployment rate: 12% (1998 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $33 billion
expenditures: $40 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1996 est.)

Industries: metal products, shipbuilding, pulp and paper, copper
refining, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, clothing

Industrial production growth rate: 7.4% (1995)

Electricity--production: 67.469 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 54.73%
hydro: 17.35%
nuclear: 27.9%
other: 0.02% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 71.169 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 1.7 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 5.4 billion kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: cereals, sugar beets, potatoes; dairy
cattle; fish

Exports: $43 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Exports--commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals;
timber, paper, and pulp

Exports--partners: Germany 11%, UK 10%, Sweden 10%, US 7%, Russia
7%, France 4%, Japan (1997)

Imports: $30.7 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Imports--commodities: foodstuffs, petroleum and petroleum
products, chemicals, transport equipment, iron and steel, machinery,
textile yarn and fabrics, fodder grains

Imports--partners: Germany 15%, Sweden 12%, UK 8%, Russia 8%, US
7%, Japan 5% (1997)

Debt--external: $30 billion (December 1993)

Economic aid--donor: ODA, $388 million (1995)

Currency: 1 markka (FMk) or Finmark = 100 pennia

Exchange rates: markkaa (FMk) per US$1--5.12 (January 1999),
5.3441 (1998), 5.1914 (1997), 4.5936 (1996), 4.3667 (1995), 5.2235
(1994);
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Union introduced a common
currency that is now being used by financial institutions in some
member countries at the rate of 0.8597 euros per US$ and a fixed
rate of 5.93472 Markkaa per euro; the euro will replace the local
currency in consenting countries for all transactions in 2002

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 2.5 million (1995 est.)

Telephone system: modern system with excellent service
domestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and an extensive cellular
net care for domestic needs
international: 1 submarine cable; satellite earth stations--access to
Intelsat transmission service via a Swedish satellite earth station,
1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note--Finland shares
the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark,
Iceland, Norway, and Sweden)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 6, FM 105, shortwave 0

Radios: 4.98 million (1991 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 120 (in addition, there are 431
low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 1.92 million (1995 est.)

Transportation

Railways:
total: 5,859 km
broad gauge: 5,859 km 1.524-m gauge (2,073 km electrified; 480 km
double- or more-track) (1996)

Highways:
total: 77,796 km
paved: 49,789 km (including 444 km of expressways)
unpaved: 28,007 km (1997 est.)

Waterways: 6,675 km total (including Saimaa Canal); 3,700 km
suitable for steamers

Pipelines: natural gas 580 km

Ports and harbors: Hamina, Helsinki, Kokkola, Kotka, Loviisa,
Oulu, Pori, Rauma, Turku, Uusikaupunki, Varkaus

Merchant marine:
total: 101 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,192,559
GRT/1,161,594 DWT
ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 23, chemical tanker 6, oil tanker 11,
passenger 1, railcar carrier 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 38, short-sea
passenger 12 (1998 est.)

Airports: 157 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways:
total: 68
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 26
1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
914 to 1,523 m: 20
under 914 m: 9 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 89
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 83 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Frontier Guard
(includes Sea Guard)

Military manpower--military age: 17 years of age

Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 1,274,654 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,050,944 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 34,336 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $1.8 billion (1999)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 2% (1999)

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: none

Illicit drugs: minor transshipment point for Latin American
cocaine for the West European market

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

@France ------

Introduction

Background: Although ultimately a victor in World Wars I and II,
France lost many men, much wealth, its extensive empire, and its
rank as a dominant nation-state. France has struggled since
1958--arguably with success--to construct a presidential democracy
resistant to the severe instabilities inherent in the parliamentary
democracy of early 20th century France. In recent years, its
reconciliation and cooperation with Germany have proved central to
the economic integration of Europe, including the advent of the euro
in January 1999.

Geography

Location: Western Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay and English
Channel, between Belgium and Spain southeast of the UK; bordering
the Mediterranean Sea, between Italy and Spain

Geographic coordinates: 46 00 N, 2 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area:
total: 547,030 sq km
land: 545,630 sq km
water: 1,400 sq km
note: includes only metropolitan France, but excludes the overseas
administrative divisions

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

Land boundaries:
total: 2,892.4 km
border countries: Andorra 60 km, Belgium 620 km, Germany 451 km,
Italy 488 km, Luxembourg 73 km, Monaco 4.4 km, Spain 623 km,
Switzerland 573 km

Coastline: 3,427 km

Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (does not apply to the Mediterranean)
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: generally cool winters and mild summers, but mild
winters and hot summers along the Mediterranean

Terrain: mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in north and
west; remainder is mountainous, especially Pyrenees in south, Alps
in east

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Rhone River delta -2 m
highest point: Mont Blanc 4,807 m

Natural resources: coal, iron ore, bauxite, fish, timber, zinc,
potash

Land use:
arable land: 33%
permanent crops: 2%
permanent pastures: 20%
forests and woodland: 27%
other: 18% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 16,300 sq km (1995 est.)

Natural hazards: flooding; avalanches

Environment--current issues: some forest damage from acid rain;
air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution
from urban wastes, agricultural runoff

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-Environmental
Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography--note: largest West European nation; occasional strong,
cold, dry, north-to-northwesterly wind known as mistral

People

Population: 58,978,172 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 19% (male 5,638,462; female 5,375,911)
15-64 years: 65% (male 19,302,121; female 19,235,235)
65 years and over: 16% (male 3,825,232; female 5,601,211) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.27% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 11.38 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 9.17 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.53 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: 0.68 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 5.62 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.63 years
male: 74.76 years
female: 82.71 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.61 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)
adjective: French

Ethnic groups: Celtic and Latin with Teutonic, Slavic, North
African, Indochinese, Basque minorities

Religions: Roman Catholic 90%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim
(North African workers) 1%, unaffiliated 6%

Languages: French 100%, rapidly declining regional dialects and
languages (Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque,
Flemish)

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

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: French Republic
conventional short form: France
local long form: Republique Francaise
local short form: France

Data code: FR

Government type: republic

Capital: Paris

Administrative divisions: 22 regions (regions, singular--region);
Alsace, Aquitaine, Auvergne, Basse-Normandie, Bourgogne, Bretagne,
Centre, Champagne-Ardenne, Corse, Franche-Comte, Haute-Normandie,
Ile-de-France, Languedoc-Roussillon, Limousin, Lorraine,
Midi-Pyrenees, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Pays de la Loire, Picardie,
Poitou-Charentes, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, Rhone-Alpes
note: metropolitan France is divided into 22 regions (including the
"territorial collectivity" of Corse or Corsica) and is subdivided
into 96 departments; see separate entries for the overseas
departments (French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion) and the
overseas territorial collectivities (Mayotte, Saint Pierre and
Miquelon)

Dependent areas: Bassas da India, Clipperton Island, Europa
Island, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands,
Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, New Caledonia, Tromelin
Island, Wallis and Futuna
note: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica

Independence: 486 (unified by Clovis)

National holiday: National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July
(1789)

Constitution: 28 September 1958, amended concerning election of
president in 1962, amended to comply with provisions of EC
Maastricht Treaty in 1992; amended to tighten immigration laws 1993

Legal system: civil law system with indigenous concepts; review
of administrative but not legislative acts

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995)
head of government: Prime Minister Lionel JOSPIN (since 3 June 1997)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
suggestion of the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
election last held 23 April and 7 May 1995 (next to be held by May
2002); prime minister nominated by the National Assembly majority
and appointed by the president
election results: Jacques CHIRAC elected president; percent of vote,
second ballot--Jacques CHIRAC 52.64%, Lionel JOSPIN 47.36%

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of
the Senate or Senat (321 seats--296 for metropolitan France, 13 for
overseas departments and territories, and 12 for French nationals
abroad; members are indirectly elected by an electoral college to
serve nine-year terms; elected by thirds every three years) and the
National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (577 seats; members are
elected by popular vote under a single-member majoritarian system to
serve five-year terms)
elections: Senate--last held 27 September 1998 (next to be held
September 2001); National Assembly--last held 25 May-1 June 1997
(next to be held NA May 2002)
election results: Senate--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by
party--RPR 99, Centrist Union 52, Republicans and independents 47, PS
78, PCF 16, other 29; National Assembly--percent of vote by party--NA;
seats by party--PS 245, RPR 140, UDF 109, PCF 37, PRS 13, Ecologists
8, MDC 7, LDI-MPF 1, FN 1, various left 9, various right 7

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Appeals or Cour de Cassation,
judges are appointed by the president from nominations of the High
Council of the Judiciary; Constitutional Council or Conseil
Constitutionnel, three members appointed by the president, three
members appointed by the president of the National Assembly, and
three appointed by the president of the Senate; Council of State or
Conseil d'Etat

Political parties and leaders: Rally for the Republic or RPR

Political pressure groups and leaders: Communist-controlled labor
union (Confederation Generale du Travail) or CGT, nearly 2.4 million
members (claimed); Socialist-leaning labor union (Confederation
Francaise Democratique du Travail) or CFDT, about 800,000 members
(est.); independent labor union or Force Ouvriere, 1 million members
(est.); independent white-collar union or Confederation Generale des
Cadres, 340,000 members (claimed); National Council of French
Employers (Conseil National du Patronat Francais) or CNPF or Patronat

International organization participation: ACCT, AfDB, AsDB,
Australia Group, BDEAC, BIS, CCC, CDB (non-regional), CE, CERN,
EAPC, EBRD, ECA (associate), ECE, ECLAC, EIB, EMU, ESA, ESCAP, EU,
FAO, FZ, G- 5, G- 7, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, InOC,
Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURCA, MINURSO, MIPONUH,
MONUA, MTCR, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA,
SPC, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL,
UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WEU,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Francois V. BUJON DE L'ESTANG
chancery: 4101 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los
Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Felix G. ROHATYN
embassy: 2 Avenue Gabriel, 75382 Paris Cedex 08
mailing address: PSC 116, APO AE 09777
consulate(s) general: Marseille, Strasbourg

Flag description: three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist
side), white, and red; known as the French Tricouleur (Tricolor);
the design and colors are similar to a number of other flags,
including those of Belgium, Chad, Ireland, Cote d'Ivoire, and
Luxembourg; the official flag for all French dependent areas

Economy

Economy--overview: One of the four West European trillion-dollar
economies, France matches a growing services sector with a
diversified industrial base and substantial agricultural resources.
Industry generates one-quarter of GDP and more than 80% of export
earnings. The government retains considerable influence over key
segments of each sector, with majority ownership of railway,
electricity, aircraft, and telecommunication firms. It has been
gradually relaxing its control over these sectors since the early
1990s. The government is slowly selling off its holdings in France
Telecom, in Air France, and in the insurance, banking, and defense
industries. Meanwhile, large tracts of fertile land, the application
of modern technology, and subsidies have combined to make France the
leading agricultural producer in Western Europe. A major exporter of
wheat and dairy products, France is practically self-sufficient in
agriculture. The economy expanded by 3% in 1998, following a 2.3%
gain in 1997. Persistently high unemployment still poses a major
problem for the government. France has shied away from cutting
exceptionally generous social welfare benefits or the enormous state
bureaucracy, preferring to pare defense spending and raise taxes to
keep the deficit down. The JOSPIN administration has pledged both to
lower unemployment and trim spending, pinning its hopes for new jobs
on economic growth and on legislation to gradually reduce the
workweek from 39 to 35 hours by 2002. France joined 10 other EU
members to launch the euro on 1 January 1999.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$1.32 trillion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 3% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$22,600 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 2.4%
industry: 28.4%
services: 69.2% (1997)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.5%
highest 10%: 24.9% (1989)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.7% (1998)

Labor force: 25.4 million

Labor force--by occupation: services 69%, industry 26%,
agriculture 5% (1995)

Unemployment rate: 11.5% (1998)

Budget:
revenues: $222 billion
expenditures: $265 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1998 est.)

Industries: steel, machinery, chemicals, automobiles, metallurgy,
aircraft, electronics, mining, textiles, food processing, tourism

Industrial production growth rate: 3.9% (1998)

Electricity--production: 480.783 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 8.72%
hydro: 12.92%
nuclear: 78.25%
other: 0.11% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 411.743 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 72.64 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 3.6 billion kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: wheat, cereals, sugar beets, potatoes, wine
grapes; beef, dairy products; fish

Exports: $289 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Exports--commodities: machinery and transportation equipment,
chemicals, foodstuffs, agricultural products, iron and steel
products, textiles and clothing

Exports--partners: Germany 16%, UK 10%, Italy 9%, Spain 8%,
Belgium-Luxembourg 8%, US 6.5%, Netherlands 4.5%, Japan 2%, Russia
0.9% (1997)

Imports: $255 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Imports--commodities: crude oil, machinery and equipment,
agricultural products, chemicals, iron and steel products

Imports--partners: Germany 17%, Italy 10%, US 9%,
Belgium-Luxembourg 8%, UK 8%, Spain 7%, Netherlands 5%, Japan 3%,
China 2.5% (1997)

Debt--external: $117.6 billion (1996 est.)

Economic aid--donor: ODA, $8.4 billion (1995)

Currency: 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates: French francs (F) per US$1--5.65 (January 1999),
5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997), 5.1155 (1996), 4.9915 (1995), 5.5520
(1994)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Union introduced a common
currency that is now being used by financial institutions in some
member countries at the rate of 0.8597 euros per US$ and a fixed
rate of 6.55957 French francs per euro; the euro will replace the
local currency in consenting countries for all transactions in 2002

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 35 million (1987 est.)

Telephone system: highly developed
domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay; extensive
introduction of fiber-optic cable; domestic satellite system
international: satellite earth stations--2 Intelsat (with total of 5
antennas--2 for Indian Ocean and 3 for Atlantic Ocean), NA Eutelsat,
1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region); HF radiotelephone communications
with more than 20 countries

Radio broadcast stations: AM 41, FM 800 (mostly repeaters),
shortwave 0

Radios: 49 million (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 310 (in addition, there are about
1,400 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 29.3 million (1993 est.)

Transportation

Railways:
total: 32,027 km ( 31,940 km are operated by French National
Railways (SNCF); 13,803 km of SNCF routes are electrified and 12,132
km are double- or multiple-tracked)
standard gauge: 31,928 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 99 km 1.000-m gauge
note: does not include 33 tourist railroads, totaling 469 km, many
being of very narrow gauge (1996)

Highways:
total: 892,900 km
paved: 892,900 km (including 9,900 km of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (1997 est.)

Waterways: 14,932 km; 6,969 km heavily traveled

Pipelines: crude oil 3,059 km; petroleum products 4,487 km;
natural gas 24,746 km

Ports and harbors: Bordeaux, Boulogne, Cherbourg, Dijon,
Dunkerque, La Pallice, Le Havre, Lyon, Marseille, Mullhouse, Nantes,
Paris, Rouen, Saint Nazaire, Saint Malo, Strasbourg

Merchant marine:
total: 64 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,826,364 GRT/2,962,338
DWT
ships by type: bulk 5, cargo 5, chemical tanker 6, combination bulk
1, container 6, liquefied gas tanker 4, multifunction large-load
carrier 2, oil tanker 20, passenger 3, roll-on/roll-off cargo 5,
short-sea passenger 6, specialized tanker 1
note: France also maintains a captive register for French-owned
ships in Iles Kerguelen (French Southern and Antarctic Lands) (1998
est.)

Airports: 474 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways:
total: 267
over 3,047 m: 13
2,438 to 3,047 m: 31
1,524 to 2,437 m: 94
914 to 1,523 m: 73
under 914 m: 56 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 207
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 75
under 914 m: 129 (1998 est.)

Heliports: 3 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Army (includes Marines), Navy (includes Naval
Air), Air Force (includes Air Defense, National Gendarmerie

Military manpower--military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 14,666,286 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 12,203,675 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 411,911 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $39.831 billion (1997)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 2.5% (1995)

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: Madagascar claims Bassas da India, Europa
Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, and Tromelin Island;
Comoros claims Mayotte; Mauritius claims Tromelin Island;
territorial dispute between Suriname and French Guiana; territorial
claim in Antarctica (Adelie Land); Matthew and Hunter Islands east
of New Caledonia claimed by France and Vanuatu

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for and consumer of South
American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin

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

@French Guiana -------------

Geography

Location: Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic
Ocean, between Brazil and Suriname

Geographic coordinates: 4 00 N, 53 00 W

Map references: South America

Area:
total: 91,000 sq km
land: 89,150 sq km
water: 1,850 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Indiana

Land boundaries:
total: 1,183 km
border countries: Brazil 673 km, Suriname 510 km

Coastline: 378 km

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

Climate: tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature
variation

Terrain: low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small
mountains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Bellevue de l'Inini 851 m

Natural resources: bauxite, timber, gold (widely scattered),
cinnabar, kaolin, fish

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 83%
other: 17% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: high frequency of heavy showers and severe
thunderstorms; flooding

Environment--current issues: NA

Environment--international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA

Geography--note: mostly an unsettled wilderness

People

Population: 167,982 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 31% (male 26,713; female 25,514)
15-64 years: 64% (male 57,935; female 48,959)
65 years and over: 5% (male 4,479; female 4,382) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.19% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 23.27 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 4.52 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 13.1 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: 1.18 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female
total population: 1.13 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 12.93 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.61 years
male: 73.41 years
female: 79.97 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.31 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: French Guianese (singular and plural)
adjective: French Guianese

Ethnic groups: black or mulatto 66%, white 12%, East Indian,
Chinese, Amerindian 12%, other 10%

Religions: Roman Catholic

Languages: French

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 83%
male: 84%
female: 82% (1982 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Department of Guiana
conventional short form: French Guiana
local long form: none
local short form: Guyane

Data code: FG

Dependency status: overseas department of France

Government type: NA

Capital: Cayenne

Administrative divisions: none (overseas department of France)

Independence: none (overseas department of France)

National holiday: National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July
(1789)

Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system: French legal system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May
1995), represented by Prefect Dominique VIAN (since NA January 1997)
head of government: President of the General Council Stephan PHINERA
(since NA March 1994); President of the Regional Council Antoine
KARAM (since NA March 1992)
cabinet: NA
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a seven-year
term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the
French Ministry of Interior; presidents of the General and Regional
Councils are appointed by the members of those councils

Legislative branch: unicameral General Council or Conseil General
(19 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year
terms) and a unicameral Regional Council or Conseil Regional (31
seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
elections: General Council--last held 20-27 March 1994 (next to be
held NA 2000); Regional Council--last held 15 March 1998 (next to be
held NA 2004)
election results: General Council--percent of vote by party--NA; seats
by party--PSG 8, FDG 4, RPR 1, other left 2, other right 2, other 2;
Regional Council--percent of vote by party--PS 28.28%, various left
parties 22.56%, RPR 15.91%, independents 8.6%, Walwari 6%; seats by
party--PS 11, various left parties 9, RPR 6, independents 3, Walwari 2
note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 27 September 1998
(next to be held NA September 2007); results--percent of vote by
party--NA; seats by party--NA; 2 seats were elected to the French
National Assembly on 25 May--1 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002);
results--percent of vote by party --NA; seats by party--RPR 1, PSG 1

Judicial branch: Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel (highest local
court based in Martinique with jurisdiction over Martinique,
Guadeloupe, and French Guiana)

Political parties and leaders: Guianese Socialist Party or PSG
subset of PSG); Nationalist Popular Party of Guyana (Parti
LECANTE]; Democratic and European Rally of the Senate or RDSE

International organization participation: FZ, WCL, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas department of
France)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas department
of France)

Flag description: the flag of France is used

Economy

Economy--overview: The economy is tied closely to that of France
through subsidies and imports. Besides the French space center at
Kourou, fishing and forestry are the most important economic
activities, with exports of fish and fish products (mostly shrimp)
accounting for more than 60% of total revenue in 1992. The large
reserves of tropical hardwoods, not fully exploited, support an
expanding sawmill industry which provides sawn logs for export.
Cultivation of crops is limited to the coastal area, where the
population is largely concentrated; sugar cane is the major cash
crop. French Guiana is heavily dependent on imports of food and
energy. Unemployment is a serious problem, particularly among
younger workers.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$1 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: NA%

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$6,000 (1998 est.)

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

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.5% (1992)

Labor force: 58,800 (1997)

Labor force--by occupation: services, government, and commerce
60.6%, industry 21.2%, agriculture 18.2% (1980)

Unemployment rate: 25.7% (1997 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $191 million
expenditures: $332 million, including capital expenditures of $88
million (1996)

Industries: construction, shrimp processing, forestry products,
rum, gold mining

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity--production: 425 million kWh (1996)

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

Electricity--consumption: 425 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: sugar, rice, corn, manioc (tapioca), cocoa,
vegetables, bananas; cattle, pigs, poultry

Exports: $148 million (f.o.b., 1997)

Exports--commodities: shrimp, timber, gold, rum, rosewood essence,
clothing

Exports--partners: France 60%, EU 7% (1994)

Imports: $600 million (c.i.f., 1997)

Imports--commodities: food (grains, processed meat), machinery and
transport equipment, fuels and chemicals

Imports--partners: France 62%, Germany 4%, Belgium-Luxembourg 4%,
US 2% (1994)

Debt--external: $1.2 billion (1988)

Economic aid--recipient: $NA

Currency: 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates: French francs (F) per US$1--5.65 (January 1999),
5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997), 5.1155 (1996), 4.9915 (1995), 5.5520
(1994)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 31,000 (1990 est.)

Telephone system:
domestic: fair open wire and microwave radio relay system
international: satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

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

Radios: 79,000 (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (in addition, there are eight
low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 22,000 (1992 est.)

Transportation

Railways: 0 km (1995)

Highways:
total: 1,817 km (national 432 km, departmental 385 km, community
1,000 km)
paved: 727 km
unpaved: 1,090 km (1995 est.)

Waterways: 460 km, navigable by small oceangoing vessels and
river and coastal steamers; 3,300 km navigable by native craft

Ports and harbors: Cayenne, Degrad des Cannes, Saint-Laurent du
Maroni

Merchant marine: none

Airports: 11 (1998 est.)

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

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 5 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: French Forces, Gendarmerie

Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 47,354 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 30,656 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: NA%

Military--note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: Suriname claims area between Riviere
Litani and Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa)

Illicit drugs: small amount of marijuana grown for local
consumption; minor transshipment point to Europe

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

@French Polynesia ----------------

Geography

Location: Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about
one-half of the way from South America to Australia

Geographic coordinates: 15 00 S, 140 00 W

Map references: Oceania

Area:
total: 4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls)
land: 3,660 sq km
water: 507 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly less than one-third the size of
Connecticut

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 2,525 km

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

Climate: tropical, but moderate

Terrain: mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Orohena 2,241 m

Natural resources: timber, fish, cobalt

Land use:
arable land: 1%
permanent crops: 6%
permanent pastures: 5%
forests and woodland: 31%
other: 57% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: occasional cyclonic storms in January

Environment--current issues: NA

Environment--international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA

Geography--note: includes five archipelagoes; Makatea in French
Polynesia is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the
Pacific Ocean--the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and
Nauru

People

Population: 242,073 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 33% (male 40,422; female 38,913)
15-64 years: 63% (male 78,637; female 72,832)
65 years and over: 4% (male 5,642; female 5,627) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.72% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 22.08 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

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

Net migration rate: 0.19 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: 1.08 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female
total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 13.59 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.33 years
male: 69.93 years
female: 74.85 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.64 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: French Polynesian(s)
adjective: French Polynesian

Ethnic groups: Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%,
metropolitan French 4%

Religions: Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 16%

Languages: French (official), Tahitian (official)

Literacy:
definition: age 14 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: 98%
female: 98% (1977 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of French Polynesia
conventional short form: French Polynesia
local long form: Territoire de la Polynesie Francaise
local short form: Polynesie Francaise

Data code: FP

Dependency status: overseas territory of France since 1946

Government type: NA

Capital: Papeete

Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of France);
there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the
US Government, but there are 5 archipelagic divisions named Archipel
des Marquises, Archipel des Tuamotu, Archipel des Tubuai, Iles du
Vent, and Iles Sous-le-Vent
note: Clipperton Island is administered by France from French
Polynesia

Independence: none (overseas territory of France)

National holiday: National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July
(1789)

Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system: based on French system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May
1995), represented by High Commissioner of the Republic Paul
RONCIERE (since NA 1994)
head of government: President of the Territorial Government of
French Polynesia Gaston FLOSSE (since 4 April 1991); President of
the Territorial Assembly Justin ARAPARI (since 13 May 1996)
cabinet: Council of Ministers; president submits a list of members
of the Territorial Assembly for approval by them to serve as
ministers
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a seven-year
term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the
advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the
Territorial Government and the president of the Territorial Assembly
are elected by the members of the assembly

Legislative branch: unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee
Territoriale (41 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms)
elections: last held 12 May 1996 (next to be held NA 2001)
election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by
party--People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 22, Polynesian
Liberation Front 10, New Fatherland Party 5, other 4
note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 24 September 1989
(next to be held NA September 1998); results--percent of vote by
party--NA; seats by party--UC 1; two seats were elected to the French
National Assembly on 25 May--1 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002);
results--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--People's Rally
for the Republic (Gaullist) 2

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Court of the
First Instance or Tribunal de Premiere Instance; Court of
Administrative Law or Tribunal Administratif

Political parties and leaders: People's Rally for the Republic
Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia (Tavini

International organization participation: ESCAP (associate), FZ,
ICFTU, SPC, WMO

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

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory
of France)

Flag description: two narrow red horizontal bands encase a wide
white band; centered on the white band is a disk with blue and white
wave pattern on the lower half and gold and white ray pattern on the
upper half; a stylized red, blue and white ship rides on the wave
pattern; the French flag is used for official occasions

Economy

Economy--overview: Since 1962, when France stationed military
personnel in the region, French Polynesia has changed from a
subsistence economy to one in which a high proportion of the work
force is either employed by the military or supports the tourist
industry. Tourism accounts for about 20% of GDP and is a primary
source of hard currency earnings. The small manufacturing sector
primarily processes agricultural products. The territory benefited
from a five-year (1994-98) development agreement with France aimed
principally at creating new jobs.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$2.6 billion (1997 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: NA%

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$10,800 (1997 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 4%
industry: 18%
services: 78% (1997)

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.5% (1994)

Labor force: 118,744 (of which 70,044 are employed) (1988)

Labor force--by occupation: agriculture 13%, industry 19%,
services 68% (1997)

Unemployment rate: 15% (1992 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $652 million
expenditures: $613 million, including capital expenditures of $155
million (1996)

Industries: tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity--production: 350 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 57.14%
hydro: 42.86%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 350 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits;
poultry, beef, dairy products

Exports: $212 million (f.o.b., 1996)

Exports--commodities: cultured pearls 53.8%, coconut products,
mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat (1992)

Exports--partners: France 33%, US 8.5% (1994)

Imports: $860 million (c.i.f., 1996)

Imports--commodities: fuels, foodstuffs, equipment

Imports--partners: France 44.7%, US 13.9% (1994)

Debt--external: $NA

Economic aid--recipient: $450.4 million (1995)

Currency: 1 Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (CFPF) = 100
centimes

Exchange rates: Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (CFPF) per
US$1--102.72 (January 1999), 107.25 (1998), 106.11 (1997), 93.00
(1996), 90.75 (1995), 100.94 (1994); note--linked at the rate of
18.18 to the French franc

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 33,200 (1983 est.)

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

Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 2, shortwave 0

Radios: 116,000 (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 7 (in addition, there are 17
low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 35,000 (1992 est.)

Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways:
total: 792 km
paved: 792 km (1995 est.)

Ports and harbors: Mataura, Papeete, Rikitea, Uturoa

Merchant marine:
total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,240 GRT/7,765 DWT
ships by type: cargo 1, passenger-cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 1
(1998 est.)

Airports: 45 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways:
total: 29
over 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 17
under 914 m: 5 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 16
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 11 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: French Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air
Force), Gendarmerie

Military--note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: none

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

@French Southern and Antarctic Lands -----------------------------------

Geography

Location: south of Africa, islands in the southern Indian Ocean,
about equidistant between Africa, Antarctica, and Australia;
note--French Southern and Antarctic Lands includes Ile Amsterdam, Ile
Saint-Paul, Iles Crozet, and Iles Kerguelen in the southern Indian
Ocean, along with the French-claimed sector of Antarctica, "Adelie
Land"; the US does not recognize the French claim to "Adelie Land"

Geographic coordinates: 43 00 S, 67 00 E

Map references: Antarctic Region

Area:
total: 7,781 sq km
land: 7,781 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul, Iles Crozet and Iles
Kerguelen; excludes "Adelie Land" claim of about 500,000 sq km in
Antarctica that is not recognized by the US

Area--comparative: slightly less than 1.3 times the size of
Delaware

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 1,232 km

Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm from Iles Kerguelen only
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: antarctic

Terrain: volcanic

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Ross on Ile Kerguelen 1,850 m

Natural resources: fish, crayfish

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 100%

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)

Natural hazards: Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul are extinct
volcanoes

Environment--current issues: NA

Environment--international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA

Geography--note: remote location in the southern Indian Ocean

People

Population: no indigenous inhabitants
note: in 1997 there were about 100 researchers whose numbers vary
from winter (July) to summer (January)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of the French Southern and
Antarctic Lands
conventional short form: French Southern and Antarctic Lands
local long form: Territoire des Terres Australes et Antarctiques
Francaises
local short form: Terres Australes et Antarctiques Francaises

Data code: FS

Dependency status: overseas territory of France since 1955;
administered from Paris by a high commissioner of the Republic

Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of France);
there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the
US Government, but there are 3 districts named Ile Crozet, Iles
Kerguelen, and Iles Saint-Paul et Amsterdam; excludes "Adelie Land"
claim in Antarctica that is not recognized by the US

Legal system: NA

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

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory
of France)

Flag description: the flag of France is used

Economy

Economy--overview: Economic activity is limited to servicing
meteorological and geophysical research stations and French and
other fishing fleets. The fish catches landed on Iles Kerguelen by
foreign ships are exported to France and Reunion.

Budget:
revenues: $19 million
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997)

Transportation

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Merchant marine:
total: 66 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,201,120 GRT/3,832,935
DWT
ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 7, chemical tanker 10, container 9,
liquefied gas tanker 6, oil tanker 19, refrigerated cargo 2,
roll-on/roll-off cargo 10 (1998 est.)

Airports: none

Military

Military--note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: "Adelie Land" claim in Antarctica is not
recognized by the US

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

@Gabon -----

Geography

Location: Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the
Equator, between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea

Geographic coordinates: 1 00 S, 11 45 E

Map references: Africa

Area:
total: 267,670 sq km
land: 257,670 sq km
water: 10,000 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Colorado

Land boundaries:
total: 2,551 km
border countries: Cameroon 298 km, Republic of the Congo 1,903 km,
Equatorial Guinea 350 km

Coastline: 885 km

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

Climate: tropical; always hot, humid

Terrain: narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east
and south

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Iboundji 1,575 m

Natural resources: petroleum, manganese, uranium, gold, timber,
iron ore

Land use:
arable land: 1%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 18%
forests and woodland: 77%
other: 3% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 40 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment--current issues: deforestation; poaching

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

People

Population: 1,225,853 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 33% (male 205,076; female 205,198)
15-64 years: 61% (male 376,181; female 370,479)
65 years and over: 6% (male 34,078; female 34,841) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.48% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 27.89 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 13.07 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 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: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 83.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 56.98 years
male: 53.98 years
female: 60.08 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.77 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Gabonese (singular and plural)
adjective: Gabonese

Ethnic groups: Bantu tribes including four major tribal groupings
(Fang, Eshira, Bapounou, Bateke), other Africans and Europeans
154,000, including 6,000 French and 11,000 persons of dual
nationality

Religions: Christian 55%-75%, Muslim less than 1%, animist

Languages: French (official), Fang, Myene, Bateke,
Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 63.2%
male: 73.7%
female: 53.3% (1995 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Gabonese Republic
conventional short form: Gabon
local long form: Republique Gabonaise
local short form: Gabon

Data code: GB

Government type: republic; multiparty presidential regime
(opposition parties legalized 1990)

Capital: Libreville

Administrative divisions: 9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue,
Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie, Nyanga, Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo,
Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem

Independence: 17 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday: Independence Day, 17 August (1960) (Gabon
granted full independence from France)

Constitution: adopted 14 March 1991

Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law;
judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of the
Supreme Court; compulsory ICJ jurisdiction not accepted

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President El Hadj Omar BONGO (since 2 December 1967)
head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Francois NTOUTOUME-EMANE
(since 23 January 1999)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in
consultation with the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
election last held 6 December 1998 (next to be held NA 2005); prime
minister appointed by the president
election results: President El Hadj Omar BONGO reelected; percent of
vote--El Hadj Omar BONGO 66%, Pierre MAMBOUNDOU 17%, Fr. Paul
M'BA-ABESSOLE 13%

Legislative branch: bicameral legislature consists of the Senate
(91 seats) and the National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (120
seats); members are elected by direct popular vote to serve
five-year terms
elections: National Assembly--last held in December 1996 (next to be
held NA December 2001); Senate--last held 12 January 1997 (next to be
held in January 2002)
election results: National Assembly--percent of vote by party--NA;
seats by party--PDG 100, Morena-Bucherons/RNB 8, PUP 3, CLR 3, FAR 1,
UPG 1, USG 2, PGP 2; Senate--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by
party--PDG 51, RNB 17, PGP 4, ADERE 3, RDP 1, others 15

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme consisting of
three chambers--Judicial, Administrative, and Accounts;
Constitutional Court; Courts of Appeal; Court of State Security;
County Courts

Political parties and leaders: African Forum for Reconstruction
NA]