Chapter V (24)

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of black (top),
red, and green; the red band is edged in white; a large warrior's
shield covering crossed spears is superimposed at the center

Economy

Economy--overview: Since 1993, the government of Kenya has
implemented a program of economic liberalization and reform. Steps
have included the removal of import licensing and price controls,
removal of foreign exchange controls, fiscal and monetary restraint,
and reduction of the public sector through privatizing publicly
owned companies and downsizing the civil service. With the support
of the World Bank, IMF, and other donors, these reforms have led to
a turnaround in economic performance following a period of negative
growth in the early 1990s. Kenya's real GDP grew at 5% in 1995 and
4% in 1996, and inflation remained under control. Growth slowed in
1997-98. Political violence damaged the tourist industry, and the
IMF allowed Kenya's Enhanced Structural Adjustment Program to lapse
due to the government's failure to enact reform conditions and to
adequately address public sector corruption. Moreover, El Nino rains
destroyed crops and damaged an already crumbling infrastructure in
1997 and 1998. Long-term barriers to development include electricity
shortages, the government's continued and inefficient dominance of
key sectors, endemic corruption, and the country's high population
growth rate.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$43.9 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 1.6% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$1,550 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 29%
industry: 17%
services: 54% (1997)

Population below poverty line: 42% (1992 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.2%
highest 10%: 47.7% (1992)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.5% (1998)

Labor force: 9.2 million (1998 est.)

Labor force--by occupation: agriculture 75%-80%, nonagriculture
20%-25%

Unemployment rate: 50% (1998 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $2.6 billion
expenditures: $2.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1997 est.)

Industries: small-scale consumer goods (plastic, furniture,
batteries, textiles, soap, cigarettes, flour), agricultural products
processing; oil refining, cement; tourism

Industrial production growth rate: 3.8% (1995)

Electricity--production: 3.81 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 10.5%
hydro: 81.63%
nuclear: 0%
other: 7.87% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 3.985 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 175 million kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: coffee, tea, corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruit,
vegetables; dairy products, beef, pork, poultry, eggs

Exports: $2 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Exports--commodities: tea 18%, coffee 15%, petroleum products
(1995)

Exports--partners: Uganda 16.1%, Tanzania 12.8%, UK 10.4%, Germany
7.5% (1996)

Imports: $3.05 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Imports--commodities: machinery and transportation equipment 31%,
consumer goods 13%, petroleum products 12% (1995)

Imports--partners: UK 13.2%, UAE 8.2%, South Africa 7.6%, Germany
7.4% (1996)

Debt--external: $6.45 billion (1997 est.)

Economic aid--recipient: $642.8 million (1995)

Currency: 1 Kenyan shilling (KSh) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: Kenyan shillings (KSh) per US$1--61.802 (January
1999), 60.367 (1998), 58.732 (1997), 57.115 (1996), 51.430 (1995),
56.051 (1994)

Fiscal year: 1 July--30 June

Communications

Telephones: 383,676 (1997); 3,077 cellular telephone subscribers
(1998)

Telephone system:
domestic: primarily microwave radio relay
international: satellite earth stations--4 Intelsat

Radio broadcast stations: AM 24, FM 7, shortwave 2

Radios: 5 million

Television broadcast stations: 8 (of which six are
government-controlled and two are commercial) (1997)

Televisions: 500,000

Transportation

Railways:
total: 2,652 km
narrow gauge: 2,652 km 1.000-m gauge

Highways:
total: 63,800 km
paved: 8,868 km
unpaved: 54,932 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: part of the Lake Victoria system is within the
boundaries of Kenya

Pipelines: petroleum products 483 km

Ports and harbors: Kisumu, Lamu, Mombasa

Merchant marine:
total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,883 GRT/6,255 DWT
ships by type: oil tanker 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 (1998 est.)

Airports: 232 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways:
total: 21
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 14 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 211
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
914 to 1,523 m: 113
under 914 m: 83 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary General
Service Unit of the Police

Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 7,094,151 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 4,397,008 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $197 million (FY98/99)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 1.9% (FY98/99)

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: administrative boundary with Sudan does
not coincide with international boundary

Illicit drugs: widespread harvesting of small, wild plots of
marijuana and qat (chat); transit country for South Asian heroin
destined for Europe and, sometimes, North America; Indian
methaqualone also transits on way to South Africa

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

@Kingman Reef ------------

Geography

Location: Oceania, reef in the North Pacific Ocean, about
one-half of the way from Hawaii to American Samoa

Geographic coordinates: 6 24 N, 162 24 W

Map references: Oceania

Area:
total: 1 sq km
land: 1 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area--comparative: about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in
Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 3 km

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

Climate: tropical, but moderated by prevailing winds

Terrain: low and nearly level

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 1 m

Natural resources: none

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

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1996)

Natural hazards: wet or awash most of the time, maximum elevation
of about 1 meter makes Kingman Reef a maritime hazard

Environment--current issues: none

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

Geography--note: barren coral atoll with deep interior lagoon;
closed to the public

People

Population: uninhabited

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Kingman Reef

Data code: KQ

Dependency status: unincorporated territory of the US;
administered from Washington, DC by the US Navy; however, it is
awash the majority of the time, so it is not usable and is
uninhabited

Capital: none; administered from Washington, DC

Legal system: NA

Flag description: the flag of the US is used

Economy

Economy--overview: no economic activity

Transportation

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Airports: lagoon was used as a halfway station between Hawaii and
American Samoa by Pan American Airways for flying boats in 1937 and
1938

Military

Military--note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: none

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

@Kiribati --------

Geography

Location: Oceania, group of islands in the Pacific Ocean,
straddling the equator, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to
Australia; note--on 1 January 1995, Kiribati unilaterally moved the
International Date Line from the middle of the country to include
its easternmost islands and make it the same day throughout the
country

Geographic coordinates: 1 25 N, 173 00 E

Map references: Oceania

Area:
total: 717 sq km
land: 717 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes three island groups--Gilbert Islands, Line Islands,
Phoenix Islands

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

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 1,143 km

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

Climate: tropical; marine, hot and humid, moderated by trade winds

Terrain: mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive
reefs

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Banaba 81 m

Natural resources: phosphate (production discontinued in 1979)

Land use:
arable land: NA%
permanent crops: 51%
permanent pastures: NA%
forests and woodland: 3%
other: 46% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: typhoons can occur any time, but usually
November to March; occasional tornadoes

Environment--current issues: heavy pollution in lagoon of south
Tarawa atoll due to heavy migration mixed with traditional practices
such as lagoon latrines and open-pit dumping; ground water at risk

Environment--international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertication, Endangered
Species, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography--note: 20 of the 33 islands are inhabited; Banaba (Ocean
Island) in Kiribati is one of the three great phosphate rock islands
in the Pacific Ocean--the others are Makatea in French Polynesia and
Nauru

People

Population: 85,501 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA

Population growth rate: 1.78% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 26.13 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 7.53 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.77 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 48.22 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 62.88 years
male: 61.02 years
female: 64.98 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.09 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: I-Kiribati (singular and plural)
adjective: I-Kiribati

Ethnic groups: Micronesian

Religions: Roman Catholic 53%, Protestant (Congregational) 41%,
Seventh-Day Adventist, Baha'i, Church of God, Mormon 6% (1985 est.)

Languages: English (official), Gilbertese

Literacy: NA

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Kiribati
conventional short form: Kiribati
note: pronounced kir-ih-bahss
former: Gilbert Islands

Data code: KR

Government type: republic

Capital: Tarawa

Administrative divisions: 3 units; Gilbert Islands, Line Islands,
Phoenix Islands
note: in addition, there are 6 districts (Banaba, Central Gilberts,
Line Islands, Northern Gilberts, Southern Gilberts, Tarawa) and 21
island councils--one for each of the inhabited islands (Abaiang,
Abemama, Aranuka, Arorae, Banaba, Beru, Butaritari, Kanton,
Kiritimati, Kuria, Maiana, Makin, Marakei, Nikunau, Nonouti, Onotoa,
Tabiteuea, Tabuaeran, Tamana, Tarawa, Teraina)

Independence: 12 July 1979 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 12 July (1979)

Constitution: 12 July 1979

Legal system: NA

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President (Beretitenti) Teburoro TITO (since 1
October 1994); Vice President (Kauoman-ni-Beretitenti) Tewareka
TENTOA (since 12 October 1994); note--the president is both the chief
of state and head of government
head of government: President (Beretitenti) Teburoro TITO (since 1
October 1994); Vice President (Kauoman-ni-Beretitenti) Tewareka
TENTOA (since 12 October 1994); note--the president is both the chief
of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members
of the House of Assembly, includes the president, vice president,
attorney general, and up to eight other ministers
elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
note--the House of Assembly chooses the presidential candidates from
among their members and then those candidates compete in a general
election; election last held 27 November 1998 (next to be held by NA
November 2002); vice president appointed by the president
election results: Teburoro TITO reelected president; percent of
vote--Teburoro TITO 52.3%, Dr. Harry TONG 45.8%, Amberoti NIKORA
1.9%, Taberannang TIMEON 0%

Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly or Maneaba Ni
Maungatabu (41 seats; 39 elected by popular vote, one ex officio
member, and one nominated to represent Banaba; members serve
four-year terms)
elections: last held 23 September 1998 (next to be held by NA
September 2002)
election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by
party--Maneaban Te Mauri Party 14, National Progressive Party 11,
independents 14

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal, judges at all levels are
appointed by the president; High Court, judges at all levels are
appointed by the president; 26 Magistrates' courts, judges at all
levels are appointed by the president

Political parties and leaders: National Progressive Party [Teatao
note: there is no tradition of formally organized political parties
in Kiribati; they more closely resemble factions or interest groups
because they have no party headquarters, formal platforms, or party
structures

International organization participation: ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP,
IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, Intelsat
(nonsignatory user), Interpol, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, UPU,
WHO, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in the US: Kiribati does not have an
embassy in the US; there is an honorary consulate in Honolulu

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an
embassy in Kiribati; the ambassador to the Marshall Islands is
accredited to Kiribati

Flag description: the upper half is red with a yellow frigate
bird flying over a yellow rising sun, and the lower half is blue
with three horizontal wavy white stripes to represent the ocean

Economy

Economy--overview: A remote country of 33 scattered coral atolls,
Kiribati has few national resources. Commercially viable phosphate
deposits were exhausted at the time of independence from the UK in
1979. Copra and fish now represent the bulk of production and
exports. The economy has fluctuated widely in recent years. Economic
development is constrained by a shortage of skilled workers, weak
infrastructure, and remoteness from international markets. The
financial sector is at an early stage of development as is the
expansion of private sector initiatives. Foreign financial aid,
largely from the UK and Japan, is a critical supplement to GDP,
equal to 25%-50% of GDP in recent years. Remittances from workers
abroad account for more than $5 million each year.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$62 million (1996 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 1.9% (1996 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$800 (1996 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 14%
industry: 7%
services: 79% (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): -0.6% (1996 est.)

Labor force: 7,870 economically active, not including subsistence
farmers (1985 est.)

Unemployment rate: 2%; underemployment 70% (1992 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $33.3 million
expenditures: $47.7 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
million (1996 est.)

Industries: fishing, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate: 0.7% (1992 est.)

Electricity--production: 7 million kWh (1996)

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

Electricity--consumption: 7 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: copra, taro, breadfruit, sweet potatoes,
vegetables; fish

Exports: $6.7 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)

Exports--commodities: copra 62%, seaweed, fish

Exports--partners: US, Australia, NZ (1996)

Imports: $37.4 million (c.i.f., 1996 est.)

Imports--commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment,
miscellaneous manufactured goods, fuel

Imports--partners: Australia 46%, Fiji, Japan, NZ, US (1996)

Debt--external: $7.2 million (1996 est.)

Economic aid--recipient: $15.5 million (1995)

Currency: 1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: Australian dollars ($A) per US$1--1.5853 (January
1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997), 1.2773 (1996), 1.3486 (1995),
1.3667 (1994)

Fiscal year: NA

Communications

Telephones: 1,400 (1984 est.)

Telephone system:
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
note: Kiribati is being linked to the Pacific Ocean Cooperative
Telecommunications Network, which should improve telephone service

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

Radios: 15,000 (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)

Televisions: 0 (1988)

Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways:
total: 670 km (1996 est.)
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km

Waterways: small network of canals, totaling 5 km, in Line Islands

Ports and harbors: Banaba, Betio, English Harbor, Kanton

Merchant marine:
total: 1 passenger-cargo (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,291
GRT/1,295 DWT (1998 est.)

Airports: 21 (1998 est.)

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

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 17
914 to 1,523 m: 12
under 914 m: 5 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: no regular military forces; Police Force
(carries out law enforcement functions and paramilitary duties;
small police posts are on all islands)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: NA%

Military--note: Kiribati does not have military forces; defense
assistance is provided by Australia and NZ

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: none

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

@Korea, North ------------

Introduction

Background: At the end of World War II, the US and the Soviet
Union agreed that US troops would accept the surrender of Japanese
forces south of the 38th parallel and the Soviet Union would do so
in the north. In 1948, the UN proposed nationwide elections; after
P'yongyang's refusal to allow UN inspectors in the north, elections
were held in the south and the Republic of Korea was established.
The Democratic People's Republic of Korea was established the
following month in the north. Communist North Korean forces invaded
South Korea in 1950. US and other UN forces intervened to defend the
South and Chinese forces intervened on behalf of the North. After a
bitter three-year war, an armistice was signed in 1953, establishing
a military demarcation line near the 38th parallel. The North's
heavy investment in military forces has produced an army of 1
million troops equipped with thousands of tanks and artillery
pieces. Despite growing economic hardships, North Korea continues to
devote a significant portion of its scarce resources to the military.

Geography

Location: Eastern Asia, northern half of the Korean Peninsula
bordering the Korea Bay and the Sea of Japan, between China and
South Korea

Geographic coordinates: 40 00 N, 127 00 E

Map references: Asia

Area:
total: 120,540 sq km
land: 120,410 sq km
water: 130 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Mississippi

Land boundaries:
total: 1,673 km
border countries: China 1,416 km, South Korea 238 km, Russia 19 km

Coastline: 2,495 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
note: military boundary line 50 nm in the Sea of Japan and the
exclusive economic zone limit in the Yellow Sea where all foreign
vessels and aircraft without permission are banned

Climate: temperate with rainfall concentrated in summer

Terrain: mostly hills and mountains separated by deep, narrow
valleys; coastal plains wide in west, discontinuous in east

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m
highest point: Paektu-san 2,744 m

Natural resources: coal, lead, tungsten, zinc, graphite,
magnesite, iron ore, copper, gold, pyrites, salt, fluorspar,
hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 14%
permanent crops: 2%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 61%
other: 23% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 14,600 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: late spring droughts often followed by severe
flooding; occasional typhoons during the early fall

Environment--current issues: localized air pollution attributable
to inadequate industrial controls; water pollution; inadequate
supplies of potable water

Environment--international agreements:
party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of
the Sea

Geography--note: strategic location bordering China, South Korea,
and Russia; mountainous interior is isolated, nearly inaccessible,
and sparsely populated

People

Population: 21,386,109 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 26% (male 2,800,748; female 2,666,207)
15-64 years: 68% (male 7,143,969; female 7,447,147)
65 years and over: 6% (male 412,161; female 915,877) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.45% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 21.37 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 6.92 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 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: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.45 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 25.52 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.07 years
male: 67.41 years
female: 72.86 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.3 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Korean(s)
adjective: Korean

Ethnic groups: racially homogeneous; there is a small Chinese
community and a few ethnic Japanese

Religions: Buddhism and Confucianism, some Christianity and
syncretic Chondogyo
note: autonomous religious activities now almost nonexistent;
government-sponsored religious groups exist to provide illusion of
religious freedom

Languages: Korean

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write Korean
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (1990 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Democratic People's Republic of Korea
conventional short form: North Korea
local long form: Choson-minjujuui-inmin-konghwaguk
local short form: none
note: the North Koreans generally use the term "Choson" to refer to
their country
abbreviation: DPRK

Data code: KN

Government type: Communist state; one-man dictatorship

Capital: P'yongyang

Administrative divisions: 9 provinces (do, singular and plural)
and 3 special cities* (si, singular and plural); Chagang-do (Chagang
Province), Hamgyong-bukto (North Hamgyong Province), Hamgyong-namdo
(South Hamgyong Province), Hwanghae-bukto (North Hwanghae Province),
Hwanghae-namdo (South Hwanghae Province), Kaesong-si* (Kaesong
City), Kangwon-do (Kangwon Province), Namp'o-si* (Namp'o City),
P'yongan-bukto (North P'yongan Province), P'yongan-namdo (South
P'yongan Province), P'yongyang-si* (P'yongyang City), Yanggang-do
(Yanggang Province)

Independence: 9 September 1948, Democratic People's Republic of
Korea (DPRK) Foundation Day
note: 15 August 1945, date of independence from the Japanese and
celebrated in North Korea as National Liberation Day

National holiday: Foundation Day, 9 September (1948)

Constitution: adopted 1948, completely revised 27 December 1972,
revised again in April 1992 and September 1998

Legal system: based on German civil law system with Japanese
influences and Communist legal theory; no judicial review of
legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 17 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: KIM Chong-il; note--in September 1998, KIM Chong-il
was reelected Chairman of the National Defense Commission, a
position accorded the nation's "highest administrative authority";
KIM Young-nam was named President of the Supreme People's Assembly
Presidium and given the responsibility of representing the state and
receiving diplomatic credentials
head of government: Premier HONG Song-nam (since 5 September 1998)
cabinet: renamed DPRK Cabinet (naegak) on 5 September 1998; was
previously called the State Administrative Council; Cabinet members,
except for the Minister of People's Armed Forces, are appointed by
the Supreme People's Assembly
elections: premier elected by the Supreme People's Assembly
election results: NA

Legislative branch: unicameral Supreme People's Assembly or
Ch'oego Inmin Hoeui (687 seats; members elected by popular vote to
serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 26 July 1998 (next to be held NA)
election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--the
KWP approves a single list of candidates who are elected without
opposition; minor parties hold a few seats

Judicial branch: Central Court, judges are elected by the Supreme
People's Assembly

Political parties and leaders: major party--Korean Workers' Party
chairwoman]

International organization participation: ESCAP, FAO, ICAO, ICRM,
IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, ISO, ITU,
NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US: none; note--North Korea has a
Permanent Mission to the UN in New York, headed by YI Hyong-chol

Diplomatic representation from the US: none

Flag description: three horizontal bands of blue (top), red
(triple width), and blue; the red band is edged in white; on the
hoist side of the red band is a white disk with a red five-pointed
star

Economy

Economy--overview: North Korea is the world's most centrally
planned economy. Agricultural land is collectivized, state-owned
industry produces nearly all manufactured goods, and heavy and
military industries have long been developed at the expense of light
and consumer industries. Open-air markets since 1995 have gained
increasing importance in the distribution of food and consumer goods
but private production remains extremely limited. Total economic
output has fallen steadily since 1991--perhaps by as much as
one-half--when the country's economic ties to the Soviet Union and
Eastern Bloc collapsed. The slide has also been fueled by serious
energy shortages, aging industrial facilities, and a lack of
maintenance and new investment. The leadership has tried to maintain
a high level of military spending but the armed forces have
nonetheless been affected by the general economic decline. Although
North Korea has long depended on imports to meet food needs, serious
fertilizer shortages in recent years have combined with structural
constraints--such as a shortage of arable land and a short growing
season--to reduce staple grain output to more than 1 million tons
below what the country needs to meet even minimal demand. Widespread
famine and disease have cost the lives of hundreds of thousands of
North Koreans in 1994-98. The US, China, the international
community, and nongovernmental organizations have sent aid but the
problems remain extremely serious.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$21.8 billion (1998 est.)

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

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$1,000 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 25%
industry: 60%
services: 15% (1995 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

Labor force: 9.615 million

Labor force--by occupation: agricultural 36%, nonagricultural 64%

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget:
revenues: $19.3 billion
expenditures: $19.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1992 est.)

Industries: military products; machine building, electric power,
chemicals; mining (coal, iron ore, magnesite, graphite, copper,
zinc, lead, and precious metals), metallurgy; textiles, food
processing

Industrial production growth rate: -7% to -9% (1992 est.)

Electricity--production: 34 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 35.29%
hydro: 64.71%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 34 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: rice, corn, potatoes, soybeans, pulses;
cattle, pigs, pork, eggs

Exports: $743 million (f.o.b., 1997 est.)

Exports--commodities: minerals, metallurgical products,
agricultural and fishery products, manufactures (including armaments)

Exports--partners: Japan 28%, South Korea 21%, China 5%, Germany
4%, Russia 1% (1995)

Imports: $1.83 billion (c.i.f., 1997 est.)

Imports--commodities: petroleum, grain, coking coal, machinery and
equipment, consumer goods

Imports--partners: China 33%, Japan 17%, Russia 5%, South Korea
4%, Germany 3% (1995)

Debt--external: $12 billion (1996 est.)

Economic aid--recipient: $NA; note?an estimated $200 million to
$300 million in humanitarian aid from US, South Korea, Japan, and EU
in 1997

Currency: 1 North Korean won (Wn) = 100 chon

Exchange rates: official: North Korean won (Wn) per US$1--2.15
(May 1994), 2.13 (May 1992), 2.14 (September 1991), 2.1 (January
1990), 2.3 (December 1989); market: North Korean won (Wn) per
US$1--200

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 1.4 million (1998 est.)

Telephone system:
domestic: system is being expanded with installation of fiber-optic
cable nationwide; access traditionally reserved for official and
business subscribers; public access is expected to increase
international: satellite earth stations--1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
and 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean Region); other international
connections through Moscow and Beijing

Radio broadcast stations: AM 27, FM 14, shortwave 3

Radios: 4.7 million

Television broadcast stations: 38

Televisions: 2 million

Transportation

Railways:
broad gauge: NA km
total: 5,000 km
standard gauge: 4,095 km 1.435-m gauge (3,500 km electrified; 159 km
double track)
narrow gauge: 665 km 0.762-m gauge
dual gauge: 240 km 1.435-m and 1.600-m gauges (three rails) (1996
est.)

Highways:
total: 31,200 km
paved: 1,997 km
unpaved: 29,203 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: 2,253 km; mostly navigable by small craft only

Pipelines: crude oil 37 km; petroleum product 180 km

Ports and harbors: Ch'ongjin, Haeju, Hungnam (Hamhung),
Kimch'aek, Kosong, Najin, Namp'o, Sinuiju, Songnim, Sonbong
(formerly Unggi), Ungsang, Wonsan

Merchant marine:
total: 110 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 691,802 GRT/992,789 DWT
ships by type: bulk 8, cargo 91, combination bulk 1, multifunction
large-load carrier 1, oil tanker 4, passenger 2, passenger-cargo 1,
short-sea passenger 2 (1998 est.)

Airports: 49 (1994 est.) (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways:
total: 22
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 15
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (1994 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 27
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 12
under 914 m: 6 (1994 est.)

Military

Military branches: Korean People's Army (includes Army, Navy, Air
Force), Civil Security Forces

Military manpower--military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 5,768,038 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 3,483,188 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 177,888 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $5 billion to $7 billion
(1997 est.)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 25% to 33% (1997 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: 33-km section of boundary with China in
the Paektu-san (mountain) area is indefinite; Demarcation Line with
South Korea

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

@Korea, South ------------

Introduction

Background: At the end of World War II, the US and the Soviet
Union agreed that US troops would accept the surrender of Japanese
forces south of the 38th parallel and the Soviet Union would do so
in the north. In 1948, the UN proposed nationwide elections; after
P'yongyang's refusal to allow UN inspectors in the north, elections
were held in the south and the Republic of Korea was established.
The Democratic People's Republic of Korea was established the
following month in the north. Communist North Korean forces invaded
South Korea in 1950. US and other UN forces intervened to defend the
South and Chinese forces intervened on behalf of the North. After a
bitter three-year war, an armistice was signed in 1953, establishing
a military demarcation line near the 38th parallel. Thereafter,
South Korea achieved amazing economic growth, with per capita output
rising to 13 times the level in the North. Since late 1997, however,
the nation has suffered widespread financial and organizational
difficulties. Continuing tensions between North and South have
raised concerns of provocative military actions by the North.

Geography

Location: Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula
bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea

Geographic coordinates: 37 00 N, 127 30 E

Map references: Asia

Area:
total: 98,480 sq km
land: 98,190 sq km
water: 290 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly larger than Indiana

Land boundaries:
total: 238 km
border countries: North Korea 238 km

Coastline: 2,413 km

Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: not specified
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm; between 3 nm and 12 nm in the Korea Strait

Climate: temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter

Terrain: mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west
and south

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m
highest point: Halla-san 1,950 m

Natural resources: coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead,
hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 19%
permanent crops: 2%
permanent pastures: 1%
forests and woodland: 65%
other: 13% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 13,350 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods;
low-level seismic activity common in southwest

Environment--current issues: air pollution in large cities; water
pollution from the discharge of sewage and industrial effluents;
driftnet fishing

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

People

Population: 46,884,800 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 22% (male 5,504,333; female 4,874,974)
15-64 years: 71% (male 16,949,807; female 16,432,951)
65 years and over: 7% (male 1,192,688; female 1,930,047) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 1% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 15.95 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 5.68 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.13 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.13 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 7.57 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.3 years
male: 70.75 years
female: 78.32 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.79 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Korean(s)
adjective: Korean

Ethnic groups: homogeneous (except for about 20,000 Chinese)

Religions: Christianity 49%, Buddhism 47%, Confucianism 3%,
pervasive folk religion (shamanism), Chondogyo (Religion of the
Heavenly Way), and other 1%

Languages: Korean, English widely taught in junior high and high
school

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: 99.3%
female: 96.7% (1995 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Korea
conventional short form: South Korea
local long form: Taehan-min'guk
local short form: none
note: the South Koreans generally use the term "Han-guk" to refer to
their country
abbreviation: ROK

Data code: KS

Government type: republic

Capital: Seoul

Administrative divisions: 9 provinces (do, singular and plural)
and 6 special cities* (gwangyoksi, singular and plural); Cheju-do,
Cholla-bukto, Cholla-namdo, Ch'ungch'ong-bukto, Ch'ungch'ong-namdo,
Inch'on-gwangyoksi*, Kangwon-do, Kwangju-gwangyoksi*, Kyonggi-do,
Kyongsang-bukto, Kyongsang-namdo, Pusan-gwangyoksi*,
Soul-t'ukpyolsi*, Taegu-gwangyoksi*, Taejon-gwangyoksi*

Independence: 15 August 1945, date of liberation from Japanese
colonial rule

National holiday: Liberation Day, 15 August (1945)

Constitution: 25 February 1988

Legal system: combines elements of continental European civil law
systems, Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought

Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President KIM Dae-jung (since 25 February 1998)
head of government: Prime Minister KIM Chong-p'il (since 3 March
1998)
cabinet: State Council appointed by the president on the prime
minister's recommendation
elections: president elected by popular vote for a single five-year
term; election last held 18 December 1997 (next to be held by 18
December 2002); prime minister appointed by the president; deputy
prime ministers appointed by the president on the prime minister's
recommendation
election results: KIM Dae-jung elected president; percent of
vote--KIM Dae-jung (NCNP) 40.3%, YI Hoe-chang (GNP) 38.7%, YI In-che
(NPP) 19.2%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Kukhoe (299
seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 11 April 1996 (next to be held NA 2000)
election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--NKP
139, NCNP 79, ULD 50, DP 15, independents 16; note--the distribution
of seats as of February 1999 was GNP 137, NCNP 105, ULD 53,
independents 4

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, justices are appointed by the
president subject to the consent of the National Assembly

Political parties and leaders: Grand National Party or GNP [CHO
president]
note: subsequent to the legislative election of April 1996 the
following parties disbanded--New Korea Party or NKP and Democratic
Party or DP; New People's Party or NPP merged with the NCNP in
August 1998

Political pressure groups and leaders: Korean National Council of
Churches; National Democratic Alliance of Korea; National Federation
of Student Associations; National Federation of Farmers'
Associations; National Council of Labor Unions; Federation of Korean
Trade Unions; Korean Veterans' Association; Federation of Korean
Industries; Korean Traders Association; Korean Confederation of
Trade Unions

International organization participation: AfDB, APEC, AsDB, BIS,
CCC, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IEA (observer), IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat,
Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NEA, NSG, OAS
(observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNU, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador YI Hong-ku
chancery: 2450 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: Agana (Guam), Anchorage, Atlanta, Boston,
Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San
Francisco, and Seattle

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen W. BOSWORTH
embassy: 82 Sejong-Ro, Chongro-ku, Seoul
mailing address: American Embassy, Unit 15550, APO AP 96205-0001

Flag description: white with a red (top) and blue yin-yang symbol
in the center; there is a different black trigram from the ancient I
Ching (Book of Changes) in each corner of the white field

Economy

Economy--overview: As one of the Four Dragons of East Asia, South
Korea has achieved an incredible record of growth. Three decades ago
its GDP per capita was comparable with levels in the poorer
countries of Africa and Asia. Today its GDP per capita is seven
times India's, 13 times North Korea's, and already near the lesser
economies of the European Union. This success through the late 1980s
was achieved by a system of close government business ties,
including directed credit, import restrictions, sponsorship of
specific industries, and a strong labor effort. The government
promoted the import of raw materials and technology at the expense
of consumer goods and encouraged savings and investment over
consumption. The Asian financial crisis of 1997-98 exposed certain
longstanding weaknesses in South Korea's development model,
including high debt/equity ratios, massive foreign borrowing, and an
undisciplined financial sector. By the end of 1998 it had recovered
financial stability, rebuilding foreign exchange reserves to record
levels by running a current account surplus of $40 billion. As of
December 1998, the first tentative signs of a rebound in the economy
emerged, and most forecasters expect GDP growth to turn positive at
least in the second half of 1999. Seoul has also made a positive
start on a program to get the country's largest business groups to
swap subsidiaries to promote specialization, and the administration
has directed many of the mid-sized conglomerates into debt-workout
programs with creditor banks. Challenges for the future include
cutting redundant staff, which reaches 20%-30% at most firms and
maintaining the impetus for structural reform.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$584.7 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: -6.8% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$12,600 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 6%
industry: 43%
services: 51% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7.5% (1998)

Labor force: 20 million

Labor force--by occupation: services and other 52%, mining and
manufacturing 27%, agriculture, fishing, forestry 21% (1991)

Unemployment rate: 7.9% (1998)

Budget:
revenues: $100.4 billion
expenditures: $100.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1997 est.)

Industries: electronics, automobile production, chemicals,
shipbuilding, steel, textiles, clothing, footwear, food processing

Industrial production growth rate: 3.1% (1997 est.)

Electricity--production: 194.163 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 61.18%
hydro: 2.65%
nuclear: 36.17%
other: 0% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 194.163 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: rice, root crops, barley, vegetables,
fruit; cattle, pigs, chickens, milk, eggs; fish

Exports: $133 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Exports--commodities: electronic and electrical equipment,
machinery, steel, automobiles, ships; textiles, clothing, footwear;
fish

Exports--partners: US 17%, EU 13%, Japan 12% (1995)

Imports: $94 billion (c.i.f., 1998)

Imports--commodities: machinery, electronics and electronic
equipment, oil, steel, transport equipment, textiles, organic
chemicals, grains

Imports--partners: US 22%, Japan 21%, EU 13% (1995)

Debt--external: $154 billion (1998 est.)

Economic aid--recipient: $NA

Currency: 1 South Korean won (W) = 100 chun (theoretical)

Exchange rates: South Korean won (W) per US$1--1,174.00 (January
1999), 1,401.44 (1998), 951.29 (1997), 804.45 (1996), 771.27 (1995),
803.45 (1994)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 16.6 million (1993)

Telephone system: excellent domestic and international services
domestic: NA
international: fiber-optic submarine cable to China; satellite earth
stations--3 Intelsat (2 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1
Inmarsat (Pacific Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 79, FM 46, shortwave 0

Radios: 42 million (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 121 (in addition, there are 850
relay stations and eight-channel American Forces Korea Network)
(1997)

Televisions: 9.3 million (1992 est.)

Transportation

Railways:
total: 6,240 km
standard gauge: 6,240 km 1.435-m gauge (525 km electrified) (1998
est.)

Highways:
total: 63,500 km
paved: 46,800 km (including 1,720 km of expressways)
unpaved: 16,700 km (1998 est.)

Waterways: 1,609 km; use restricted to small native craft

Pipelines: petroleum products 455 km; note--additionally, there is
a parallel petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) pipeline being
completed

Ports and harbors: Chinhae, Inch'on, Kunsan, Masan, Mokp'o,
P'ohang, Pusan, Tonghae-hang, Ulsan, Yosu

Merchant marine:
total: 442 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,212,089
GRT/8,161,845 DWT
ships by type: bulk 106, cargo 133, chemical tanker 36, combination
bulk 5, container 52, liquefied gas tanker 13, multifunction
large-load carrier 1, oil tanker 56, passenger 3, refrigerated cargo
22, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2, short-sea passenger 1, specialized
tanker 3, vehicle carrier 9 (1998 est.)

Airports: 103 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways:
total: 68
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 18
1,524 to 2,437 m: 15
914 to 1,523 m: 13
under 914 m: 21 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 35
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 32 (1998 est.)

Heliports: 200 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, National
Maritime Police (Coast Guard)

Military manpower--military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 13,954,916 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 8,890,144 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 400,468 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $9.9 billion (FY98/99)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 3.2% (FY98/99)

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: Demarcation Line with North Korea;
Liancourt Rocks (Takeshima/Tokdo) claimed by Japan

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

@Kuwait ------

Geography

Location: Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq
and Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates: 29 30 N, 45 45 E

Map references: Middle East

Area:
total: 17,820 sq km
land: 17,820 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries:
total: 464 km
border countries: Iraq 242 km, Saudi Arabia 222 km

Coastline: 499 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters

Terrain: flat to slightly undulating desert plain

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 306 m

Natural resources: petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 8%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 92% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: sudden cloudbursts are common from October to
April; they bring inordinate amounts of rain which can damage roads
and houses; sandstorms and dust storms occur throughout the year,
but are most common between March and August

Environment--current issues: limited natural fresh water
resources; some of world's largest and most sophisticated
desalination facilities provide much of the water; air and water
pollution; desertification

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

Geography--note: strategic location at head of Persian Gulf

People

Population: 1,991,115 (July 1999 est.)
note: includes 1,220,935 non-nationals (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 32% (male 343,461; female 285,129)
15-64 years: 66% (male 850,689; female 468,618)
65 years and over: 2% (male 26,593; female 16,625) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.88% (1999 est.)
note: this rate reflects the continued post-Gulf crisis return of
expatriates

Birth rate: 20.45 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 2.31 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 20.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.2 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.82 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.6 male(s)/female
total population: 1.58 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 10.26 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.15 years
male: 75.11 years
female: 79.3 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.34 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Kuwaiti(s)
adjective: Kuwaiti

Ethnic groups: Kuwaiti 45%, other Arab 35%, South Asian 9%,
Iranian 4%, other 7%

Religions: Muslim 85% (Sunni 45%, Shi'a 40%), Christian, Hindu,
Parsi, and other 15%

Languages: Arabic (official), English widely spoken

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 78.6%
male: 82.2%
female: 74.9% (1995 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: State of Kuwait
conventional short form: Kuwait
local long form: Dawlat al Kuwayt
local short form: Al Kuwayt

Data code: KU

Government type: nominal constitutional monarchy

Capital: Kuwait

Administrative divisions: 5 governorates (muhafazat,
singular--muhafazah); Al Ahmadi, Al Farwaniyah, Al 'Asimah, Al
Jahra', Hawalli

Independence: 19 June 1961 (from UK)

National holiday: National Day, 25 February (1950)

Constitution: approved and promulgated 11 November 1962

Legal system: civil law system with Islamic law significant in
personal matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: adult males who have been naturalized for 30 years or
more or have resided in Kuwait since before 1920 and their male
descendants at age 21
note: only 10% of all citizens are eligible to vote; in 1996,
naturalized citizens who do not meet the pre-1920 qualification but
have been naturalized for 30 years were eligible to vote for the
first time

Executive branch:
chief of state: Amir JABIR al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al Sabah (since 31
December 1977)
head of government: Prime Minister and Crown Prince SAAD al-Abdallah
al-Salim Al Sabah (since 8 February 1978); First Deputy Prime
Minister SABAH al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al Sabah (since 17 October 1992);
Second Deputy Prime Minister SALIM al-Sabah al-Salim Al Sabah (since
7 October 1996)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister and
approved by the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and
deputy prime ministers appointed by the monarch

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Majlis
al-Umma (50 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
four-year terms)
elections: last held 7 October 1996 (next to be held approximately
October 2000)
election results: percent of vote--NA; seats--independents 50;
note--all cabinet ministers are also ex officio members of the
National Assembly

Judicial branch: High Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders: none

Political pressure groups and leaders: several political groups
act as de facto parties: Bedouins, merchants, Sunni and Shi'a
activists, and secular leftists and nationalists

International organization participation: ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL,
AMF, BDEAC, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF,
IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU,
NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU,
WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador MUHAMMAD al-Sabah al-Salim Al SABAH
chancery: 2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador James A. LAROCCO
embassy: Bayan, near the Bayan palace, Kuwait City
mailing address: P.O. Box 77 Safat, 13001 Safat, Kuwait; Unit 69000,
APO AE 09880-9000

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top),
white, and red with a black trapezoid based on the hoist side

Economy

Economy--overview: Kuwait is a small and relatively open economy
with proved crude oil reserves of about 94 billion barrels--10% of
world reserves. Petroleum accounts for nearly half of GDP, 90% of
export revenues, and 75% of government income. Kuwait lacks water
and has practically no arable land, thus preventing development of
agriculture. With the exception of fish, it depends almost wholly on
food imports. About 75% of potable water must be distilled or
imported. The economy improved moderately in 1994-97, but in 1998
suffered from the large decline in world oil prices. The Kuwaiti
cabinet approved a reform package in January 1999, including
reducing subsidies and increasing taxes on large consumer goods.
Nevertheless, Kuwait anticipates continuing budget deficits for the
next few years. Kuwait is attracting foreign oil companies to
develop fields in the northern part of the country.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$43.7 billion (1998 est.)

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

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$22,700 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 0%
industry: 55%
services: 45% (1996)

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1% (1997 est.)

Labor force: 1.1 million (1996 est.)
note: 68% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national
(July 1998 est.)

Labor force--by occupation: government and social services 50%,
services 40%, industry and agriculture 10% (1996 est.)

Unemployment rate: 1.8% (official 1996 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $8.1 billion
expenditures: $14.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY98/99 budget est.)

Industries: petroleum, petrochemicals, desalination, food
processing, construction materials, salt, construction

Industrial production growth rate: 1% (1997 est.)

Electricity--production: 23 billion kWh (1996)

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

Electricity--consumption: 23 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: practically no crops; fish

Exports: $14.3 billion (f.o.b., 1997)

Exports--commodities: oil and refined products, fertilizers

Exports--partners: Japan 24%, India 16%, US 13%, South Korea 11%,
Singapore 8% (1997)

Imports: $7.8 billion (f.o.b., 1996)

Imports--commodities: food, construction materials, vehicles and
parts, clothing

Imports--partners: US 22%, Japan 15%, UK 13%, Germany 8%, Italy 6%
(1997)

Debt--external: $7.3 billion (1997 est.)

Economic aid--recipient: $27.6 million (1995)

Currency: 1 Kuwaiti dinar (KD) = 1,000 fils

Exchange rates: Kuwaiti dinars (KD) per US$1--0.3018 (January
1999), 0.3047 (1998), 0.3033 (1997), 0.2994 (1996), 0.2984 (1995),
0.2976 (1994)

Fiscal year: 1 July--30 June

Communications

Telephones: 408,000 (1998)

Telephone system: the civil network suffered some damage as a
result of the Gulf war, but most of the telephone exchanges were
left intact and, by the end of 1994, domestic and international
telecommunications had been restored to normal operation; the
quality of service is excellent
domestic: new telephone exchanges provide a large capacity for new
subscribers; trunk traffic is carried by microwave radio relay,
coaxial cable, open wire and fiber-optic cable; a cellular telephone
system operates throughout Kuwait (with approximately 150,000
subscribers in 1996) and the country is well supplied with pay
telephones; approximately 15,000 Internet subscribers in 1996
international: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Saudi
Arabia; satellite earth stations--3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean, 2
Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean), and 1 Arabsat

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

Radios: 720,000 (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 13 (in addition, there are several
satellite channels) (1997)

Televisions: 800,000 (1993 est.)

Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways:
total: 4,450 km
paved: 3,587 km
unpaved: 863 km (1996 est.)

Pipelines: crude oil 877 km; petroleum products 40 km; natural
gas 165 km

Ports and harbors: Ash Shu'aybah, Ash Shuwaykh, Kuwait, Mina'
'Abd Allah, Mina' al Ahmadi, Mina' Su'ud

Merchant marine:
total: 49 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,509,061 GRT/4,046,739
DWT
ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 10, container 6, liquefied gas tanker
7, livestock carrier 3, oil tanker 22 (1998 est.)

Airports: 8 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways:
total: 4
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (1998 est.)

Heliports: 1 (1998 est.)

Military

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

Military manpower--military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 718,061 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 425,126 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 20,854 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $2.7035 billion (FY98/99)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 7.9% (FY98/99)

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: in November 1994, Iraq formally accepted
the UN-demarcated border with Kuwait which had been spelled out in
Security Council Resolutions 687 (1991), 773 (1993), and 883 (1993);
this formally ends earlier claims to Kuwait and to Bubiyan and
Warbah islands; ownership of Qaruh and Umm al Maradim islands
disputed by Saudi Arabia

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

@Kyrgyzstan ----------

Introduction

Background: A country of incredible natural beauty and proud
nomadic traditions, Kyrgyzstan became part of the Russian empire in
1864. In the Czarist and Soviet periods, Russian managers and
technicians were sent to Kyrgyzstan and have recently made up more
than one-fifth of the population. Many Russians have been returning
home since Kyrgyzstan gained its independence in 1991 when the USSR
collapsed. Privatization of state-owned enterprises, expansion of
democracy and political freedoms, and inter-ethnic relations are
current issues.

Geography

Location: Central Asia, west of China

Geographic coordinates: 41 00 N, 75 00 E

Map references: Commonwealth of Independent States

Area:
total: 198,500 sq km
land: 191,300 sq km
water: 7,200 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly smaller than South Dakota

Land boundaries:
total: 3,878 km
border countries: China 858 km, Kazakhstan 1,051 km, Tajikistan 870
km, Uzbekistan 1,099 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: dry continental to polar in high Tien Shan; subtropical
in southwest (Fergana Valley); temperate in northern foothill zone

Terrain: peaks of Tien Shan and associated valleys and basins
encompass entire nation

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Kara-Darya 132 m
highest point: Jengish Chokusu (Pik Pobedy) 7,439 m

Natural resources: abundant hydroelectric potential; significant
deposits of gold and rare earth metals; locally exploitable coal,
oil, and natural gas; other deposits of nepheline, mercury, bismuth,
lead, and zinc

Land use:
arable land: 7%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 44%
forests and woodland: 4%
other: 45% (1993 est.)
note: Kyrgyzstan has the world's largest natural growth walnut forest

Irrigated land: 9,000 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment--current issues: water pollution; many people get
their water directly from contaminated streams and wells; as a
result, water-borne diseases are prevalent; increasing soil salinity
from faulty irrigation practices

Environment--international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography--note: landlocked

People

Population: 4,546,055 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 35% (male 804,502; female 788,076)
15-64 years: 59% (male 1,308,145; female 1,362,140)
65 years and over: 6% (male 105,442; female 177,750) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.68% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 21.83 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 8.74 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: -6.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 75.92 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 63.57 years
male: 59.25 years
female: 68.1 years (1999 est.)

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

Nationality:
noun: Kyrgyzstani(s)
adjective: Kyrgyzstani

Ethnic groups: Kirghiz 52.4%, Russian 18%, Uzbek 12.9%, Ukrainian
2.5%, German 2.4%, other 11.8%

Religions: Muslim 75%, Russian Orthodox 20%, other 5%

Languages: Kirghiz (Kyrgyz)--official language, Russian?official
language
note: in March 1996, the Kyrgyzstani legislature amended the
constitution to make Russian an official language, along with
Kirghiz, in territories and work places where Russian-speaking
citizens predominate

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97%
male: 99%
female: 96% (1989 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Kyrgyz Republic
conventional short form: Kyrgyzstan
local long form: Kyrgyz Respublikasy
local short form: none
former: Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic

Data code: KG

Government type: republic

Capital: Bishkek

Administrative divisions: 6 oblasttar (singular--oblast) and 1
city* (singular--shaar); Bishkek Shaary*, Chuy Oblasty (Bishkek),
Jalal-Abad Oblasty, Naryn Oblasty, Osh Oblasty, Talas Oblasty,
Ysyk-Kol Oblasty (Karakol)
note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center
name following in parentheses)

Independence: 31 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: National Day, 2 December; Independence Day, 31
August (1991)

Constitution: adopted 5 May 1993
note: amendment proposed by President AKAYEV and passed in a
national referendum on 10 February 1996 significantly expands the
powers of the president at the expense of the legislature

Legal system: based on civil law system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Askar AKAYEV (since 28 October 1990)
head of government: Prime Minister Jumabek IBRAIMOV (since NA
December 1998)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
elections last held 24 December 1995 (next to be held NA 2000);
prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Askar AKAYEV reelected president; percent of
vote--Askar AKAYEV 75%; note--elections were held early which gave the
two opposition candidates little time to campaign; AKAYEV may have
orchestrated the "deregistration" of two other candidates, one of
whom was a major rival