Chapter V (27)

Languages: Macedonian 70%, Albanian 21%, Turkish 3%,
Serbo-Croatian 3%, other 3%

Literacy: NA

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
conventional short form: none
local long form: Republika Makedonija
local short form: Makedonija
abbreviation: FYROM

Data code: MK

Government type: emerging democracy

Capital: Skopje

Administrative divisions: 34 counties (opstinas,
singular--opstina) Berovo, Bitola, Brod, Debar, Delcevo, Gevgelija,
Gostivar, Kavadarci, Kicevo, Kocani, Kratovo, Kriva Palanka,
Krusevo, Kumanovo, Murgasevo, Negotino, Ohrid, Prilep, Probistip,
Radovis, Resen, Skopje-Centar, Skopje-Cair, Skopje-Karpos,
Skopje-Kisela Voda, Skopje-Gazi Baba, Stip, Struga, Strumica, Sveti
Nikole, Tetovo, Titov Veles, Valandovo, Vinica
note: in September 1996, the Macedonian Assembly passed legislation
changing the territorial division of the country; names of the 123
new municipalities are not yet available

Independence: 17 September 1991 (from Yugoslavia)

National holiday: 8 September

Constitution: adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991

Legal system: based on civil law system; judicial review of
legislative acts

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Kiro GLIGOROV (since 27 January 1991)
head of government: Prime Minister Ljubco GEORGIEVSKI (since 30
November 1998)
cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the majority vote of all
the deputies in the Assembly; note--cabinet formed by the government
coalition parties VMRO-DPMNE, DA, and DPA
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 16 October 1994 (next to be held NA October 1999)
election results: Kiro GLIGOROV elected president; percent of
vote--Kiro GLIGOROV 78.4%

Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly or Sobranje (120 seats--85
members are elected by popular vote; 35 members come from lists of
candidates submitted by parties based on the percentage that parties
gain from the overall vote; all serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 18 October and 1 November 1998 (next to be held
NA 2002)
election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--VMRO
49, SDSM 27, PDP 14, DA 13, DPA 11, LDP 4, Socialists 1, Roma Party 1

Judicial branch: Constitutional Court, judges are elected by the
Judicial Council; Judicial Court of the Republic, judges are elected
by the Judicial Council

Political parties and leaders: Social-Democratic Alliance of
president]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary
Organization--Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity or

International organization participation: BIS (pending member),
CCC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user),
Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ljubica Z. ACEVSKA
chancery: 3050 K Street, NW, Suite 210, Washington, DC 20007
consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher Robert HILL
embassy: Bul. Ilindenska bb, 91000 Skopje
mailing address: American Embassy Skopje, Department of State,
Washington, DC 20521-7120 (pouch)

Flag description: a rising yellow sun with eight rays extending
to the edges of the red field

Economy

Economy--overview: The breakup of Yugoslavia in 1991 deprived
Macedonia, its poorest republic, of key protected markets and large
transfer payments from the center. Worker remittances and foreign
aid have softened the subsequent volatile recovery period. Continued
recovery depends on Macedonia's ability to attract investment, to
redevelop trade ties with Greece and Serbia and Montenegro, and to
maintain its commitment to economic liberalization. The economy can
meet its basic food needs but depends on outside sources for all of
its oil and gas and most of its modern machinery and parts.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$2.1 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 4.5% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$1,050 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 20.4%
industry: 38.6%
services: 41% (1995 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (1998 est.)

Labor force: 591,773 (June 1994)

Labor force--by occupation: manufacturing and mining 40% (1992)

Unemployment rate: 30% (1998 est.); note--many employed workers
are, in fact, furloughees

Budget:
revenues: $1.06 billion
expenditures: $1 billion, including capital expenditures of $107
million (1996 est.)

Industries: coal, metallic chromium, lead, zinc, ferronickel,
textiles, wood products, tobacco

Industrial production growth rate: 3.4% (1997 est.)

Electricity--production: 6.06 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 80.2%
hydro: 19.8%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 6.06 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: rice, tobacco, wheat, corn, millet, cotton,
sesame, mulberry leaves, citrus, vegetables; beef, pork, poultry,
mutton

Exports: $1.2 billion (f.o.b., 1997)

Exports--commodities: food, beverages, tobacco 17.0%, machinery
and transport equipment 13.3%, other manufactured goods 58%

Exports--partners: Bulgaria, other former Yugoslav republics,
Germany, Italy

Imports: $1.6 billion (c.i.f., 1997)

Imports--commodities: machinery and equipment 19%, chemicals 14%,
fuels 12%

Imports--partners: other former Yugoslav republics, Germany,
Bulgaria, Italy, Austria

Debt--external: $1.06 billion (June 1997)

Economic aid--recipient: ODA, $100 million (1996 est.)

Currency: 1 Macedonian denar (MKD) = 100 deni

Exchange rates: denars per US$1--52.156 (January 1999), 54.462
(1998), 50.004 (1997), 39.981 (1996), 37.882 (1995), 43.263 (1994)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 125,000

Telephone system:
domestic: NA
international: NA

Radio broadcast stations: AM 6, FM 2, shortwave 0

Radios: 350,000 (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 136 (of which 22 are main stations
and 114 are low-power stations) (1997)

Televisions: 327,011 (1992 est.)

Transportation

Railways:
total: 922 km
standard gauge: 922 km 1.435-m gauge (232 km electrified) (1997)

Highways:
total: 10,591 km
paved: 5,500 km (including 133 km of expressways)
unpaved: 5,091 km (1997 est.)

Waterways: none, lake transport only

Pipelines: 0 km

Ports and harbors: none

Airports: 16 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways:
total: 10
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
under 914 m: 8 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 4 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Police
Force

Military manpower--military age: 19 years of age

Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 539,329 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 434,468 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 17,291 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $71 million (1998)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 2.2% (1998)

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: dispute with Greece over name; in
September 1995, Skopje and Athens signed an interim accord resolving
their dispute over symbols and certain constitutional provisions;
Athens also lifted its economic embargo on The Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia; the border commission formed by The Former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Serbia and Montenegro in April
1996 to resolve differences in delineation of their mutual border
has made no progress so far; Albanians in Macedonia claim
discrimination in education, access to public-sector jobs and
representation in government; Party for Democratic Action (DPA),
which is now a member party of the government, calls for a rewrite
of the constitution to declare ethnic Albanians a national group and
allow for regional autonomy

Illicit drugs: increasing transshipment point for Southwest Asian
heroin and hashish; minor transit point for South American cocaine
destined for Europe

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

@Madagascar ----------

Geography

Location: Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of
Mozambique

Geographic coordinates: 20 00 S, 47 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area:
total: 587,040 sq km
land: 581,540 sq km
water: 5,500 sq km

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

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 4,828 km

Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or 100 nm from the 2,500-m deep isobath
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south

Terrain: narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in
center

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Maromokotro 2,876 m

Natural resources: graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt,
quartz, tar sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish

Land use:
arable land: 4%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 41%
forests and woodland: 40%
other: 14% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 10,870 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: periodic cyclones

Environment--current issues: soil erosion results from
deforestation and overgrazing; desertification; surface water
contaminated with raw sewage and other organic wastes; several
species of flora and fauna unique to the island are endangered

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

Geography--note: world's fourth-largest island; strategic location
along Mozambique Channel

People

Population: 14,873,387 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 45% (male 3,356,104; female 3,279,056)
15-64 years: 52% (male 3,841,248; female 3,908,209)
65 years and over: 3% (male 234,549; female 254,221) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.8% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 41.52 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 13.56 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: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 89.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 53.24 years
male: 52.01 years
female: 54.51 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.7 children born/woman (1999 est.)

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

Ethnic groups: Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo),
Cotiers (mixed African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab
ancestry--Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), French,
Indian, Creole, Comoran

Religions: indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7%

Languages: French (official), Malagasy (official)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 80%
male: 88%
female: 73% (1990 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Madagascar
conventional short form: Madagascar
local long form: Republique de Madagascar
local short form: Madagascar
former: Malagasy Republic

Data code: MA

Government type: republic

Capital: Antananarivo

Administrative divisions: 6 provinces (faritany); Antananarivo,
Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara

Independence: 26 June 1960 (from France)

National holiday: Independence Day, 26 June (1960)

Constitution: 19 August 1992 by national referendum

Legal system: based on French civil law system and traditional
Malagasy law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Didier RATSIRAKA (since 10 February 1997)
head of government: Prime Minister Tantely Rene Gabriot ANDRIANARIVO
(since NA 1998)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 29 December 1996 (next to be held NA 2002); prime
minister appointed by the president from a list of candidates
nominated by the National Assembly
election results: Didier RATSIRAKA elected president; percent of
vote--Didier RATSIRAKA (AREMA) 50.7%, Albert ZAFY (AFFA) 49.3%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee
Nationale (150 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote
to serve four-year terms); note--the legislature is scheduled to
become a bicameral Paliament with the establishment of a Senate;
two-thirds of the seats of this Senate will be filled by regional
assemblies whose members will be elected by popular vote; the
remaining one-third of the seats will be appointed by the president;
the total number of seats will be determined by the National
Assembly; all members will serve four-year terms
elections: National Assembly--last held 17 May 1998 (next to be held
NA 2002)
election results: National Assembly--percent of vote by party--NA;
seats by party--AREMA 62, LEADER/Fanilo 15, AVI 14, RPSD 11, AFFA 6,
MFM 3, AKFM/Fanavaozana 3, GRAD/Iloafo 1, Fihaonana 1, independents
34

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme); High
Constitutional Court (Haute Cour Constitutionnelle)

Political parties and leaders: Association for the Rebirth of
RAKOTONIRINA]; Congress Party for Malagasy Independence or
and Action for the Development of Madagascar or GRAD/Iloafo
RAZANAMASY]

Political pressure groups and leaders: National Council of
Christian Churches or FFKM; Federalist Movement

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC,
ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer),
ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Biclair
Henri ANDRIANANTOANDRO
chancery: 2374 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Howard T.
PERLOW
embassy: 14-16 Rue Rainitovo, Antsahavola, Antananarivo
mailing address: B. P. 620, Antananarivo

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and
green with a vertical white band of the same width on hoist side

Economy

Economy--overview: Madagascar suffers from chronic malnutrition,
underfunded health and education facilities, a roughly 3% annual
population growth rate, and severe loss of forest cover, accompanied
by erosion. Agriculture, including fishing and forestry, is the
mainstay of the economy, accounting for 32% of GDP and contributing
more than 70% to export earnings. Industry features textile
manufacturing and the processing of agricultural products. Growth in
output in 1992-97 averaged less than the growth rate of the
population. Growth has been held back by antigovernment strikes and
demonstrations, a decline in world coffee demand, and the erratic
commitment of the government to economic reform. Formidable
obstacles stand in the way of Madagascar's realizing its
considerable growth potential; the extent of government reforms,
outside financial aid, and foreign investment will be key
determinants.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$10.3 billion (1997 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 3% (1997 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$730 (1997 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 32%
industry: 13%
services: 55% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.3%
highest 10%: 34.9% (1993)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.5% (1997)

Labor force: 7 million (1995)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget:
revenues: $477 million
expenditures: $706 million, including capital expenditures of $264
million (1996 est.)

Industries: meat processing, soap, breweries, tanneries, sugar,
textiles, glassware, cement, automobile assembly plant, paper,
petroleum, tourism

Industrial production growth rate: 3.8% (1993 est.)

Electricity--production: 595 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 41.18%
hydro: 58.82%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 595 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa,
rice, cassava (tapioca), beans, bananas, peanuts; livestock products

Exports: $170 million (f.o.b., 1997)

Exports--commodities: coffee 45%, vanilla 20%, cloves, shellfish,
sugar, petroleum products (1995 est.)

Exports--partners: France 31.7%, Japan 15.8%, Germany 6.4%,
Reunion 5.7% (1996)

Imports: $477 million (f.o.b., 1997)

Imports--commodities: intermediate manufactures 30%, capital goods
28%, petroleum 15%, consumer goods 14%, food 13% (1995 est.)

Imports--partners: France 31.0%, Iran 9.1%, South Africa 8.2%,
Japan 5.8%, US 5.0% (1996)

Debt--external: $4.4 billion (1996 est.)

Economic aid--recipient: $298.5 million (1995)

Currency: 1 Malagasy franc (FMG) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates: Malagasy francs (FMG) per US$1--5,468.5 (January
1999), 5,441.4 (1998), 5,090.9 (1997), 4,061.3 (1996), 4,265.6
(1995), 3,067.3 (1994)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 34,000 (1994)

Telephone system: system is above average for Africa
domestic: open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay,
and tropospheric scatter links
international: submarine cable to Bahrain; satellite earth
stations--1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic
Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 17, FM 3, shortwave 0

Radios: 2.74 million (1994 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (in addition, there are 36
repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 280,000 (1994 est.)

Transportation

Railways:
total: 883 km
narrow gauge: 883 km 1.000-m gauge (1994)

Highways:
total: 49,837 km
paved: 5,781 km
unpaved: 44,056 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: of local importance only; isolated streams and small
portions of Lakandranon' Ampangalana (Canal des Pangalanes)

Ports and harbors: Antsiranana, Antsohimbondrona, Mahajanga,
Toamasina, Toliara

Merchant marine:
total: 12 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 23,311 GRT/31,533 DWT
ships by type: cargo 6, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas tanker 1,
oil tanker 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2 (1998 est.)

Airports: 133 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways:
total: 29
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 20
under 914 m: 2 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 104
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 59
under 914 m: 42 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Popular Armed Forces (includes Intervention
Forces, Development Forces, Aeronaval Forces--includes Navy and Air
Force), Gendarmerie, Presidential Security Regiment

Military manpower--military age: 20 years of age

Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 3,415,726 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 2,027,757 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 144,779 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $29 million (1994)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 1% (1994)

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: claims Bassas da India, Europa Island,
Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, and Tromelin Island (all
administered by France)

Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild
varieties) used mostly for domestic consumption; transshipment point
for heroin

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

@Malawi ------

Geography

Location: Southern Africa, east of Zambia

Geographic coordinates: 13 30 S, 34 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area:
total: 118,480 sq km
land: 94,080 sq km
water: 24,400 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries:
total: 2,881 km
border countries: Mozambique 1,569 km, Tanzania 475 km, Zambia 837 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

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

Terrain: narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded
hills, some mountains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: junction of the Shire River and international boundary
with Mozambique 37 m
highest point: Sapitwa 3,002 m

Natural resources: limestone, unexploited deposits of uranium,
coal, and bauxite

Land use:
arable land: 18%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 20%
forests and woodland: 39%
other: 23% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 280 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment--current issues: deforestation; land degradation;
water pollution from agricultural runoff, sewage, industrial wastes;
siltation of spawning grounds endangers fish populations

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

Geography--note: landlocked

People

Population: 10,000,416 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 45% (male 2,265,526; female 2,246,135)
15-64 years: 52% (male 2,580,125; female 2,637,464)
65 years and over: 3% (male 112,813; female 158,353) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.57% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 39.54 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 23.84 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: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 132.14 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 36.3 years
male: 36.49 years
female: 36.11 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.48 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Malawian(s)
adjective: Malawian

Ethnic groups: Chewa, Nyanja, Tumbuko, Yao, Lomwe, Sena, Tonga,
Ngoni, Ngonde, Asian, European

Religions: Protestant 55%, Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 20%,
traditional indigenous beliefs

Languages: English (official), Chichewa (official), other
languages important regionally

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 56.4%
male: 71.9%
female: 41.8% (1995 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Malawi
conventional short form: Malawi
former: Nyasaland

Data code: MI

Government type: multiparty democracy

Capital: Lilongwe

Administrative divisions: 24 districts; Blantyre, Chikwawa,
Chiradzulu, Chitipa, Dedza, Dowa, Karonga, Kasungu, Lilongwe,
Machinga (Kasupe), Mangochi, Mchinji, Mulanje, Mwanza, Mzimba,
Ntcheu, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Nsanje, Ntchisi, Rumphi, Salima,
Thyolo, Zomba

Independence: 6 July 1964 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day 6 July (1964); Republic Day 6
July (1966)

Constitution: 18 May 1995

Legal system: based on English common law and customary law;
judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Appeal;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Bakili MULUZI (since 21 May 1994);
note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Bakili MULUZI (since 21 May 1994);
note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet named by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 17 May 1994 (next to be held by May 1999)
election results: Bakili MULUZI elected president; percent of vote--NA

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (177 seats;
members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 17 May 1994 (next to be held by May 1999)
election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--UDF
84, AFORD 33, MCP 55, others 5; note--because of defections and
byelections, the distribution of seats in the National Assembly had
changed at the end of the 1996 as follows: UDF 84, MCP 47, AFORD 34,
independents 8, and vacant 4
note: the constitution of 18 May 1995, in addition to reducing the
age at which universal suffrage is conferred from 21 to 18 years,
provided for a bicameral legislature; by 1999, in addition to the
existing National Assembly, a Senate of 80 seats is to be elected

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Appeal; High Court (chief
justice appointed by the president, puisne judges appointed on the
advice of the Judicial Service Commission); magistrate's courts

Political parties and leaders:

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA,
FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU,
OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Willie CHOKANI
chancery: 2408 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Amelia Ellen SHIPPY
embassy: address NA, in new development area in Lilongwe
mailing address: P. O. Box 30016, Lilongwe 3, Malawi

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of black (top),
red, and green with a radiant, rising, red sun centered in the black
band

Economy

Economy--overview: Landlocked Malawi ranks among the world's least
developed countries. The economy is predominately agricultural, with
about 90% of the population living in rural areas. Agriculture
accounts for 45% of GDP and 90% of export revenues. The economy
depends on substantial inflows of economic assistance from the IMF,
the World Bank, and individual donor nations. The new government
faces strong challenges, e.g., to spur exports, to improve
educational and health facilities, and to deal with environmental
problems of deforestation and erosion.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$8.9 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 3.2% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$940 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 45%
industry: 30%
services: 25% (1995 est.)

Population below poverty line: 54% (1990-91 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 83.4% (1995)

Labor force: 3.5 million

Labor force--by occupation: agriculture 86%, wage earners 14%
(1990 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget:
revenues: $530 million
expenditures: $674 million, including capital expenditures of $129
million (1993)

Industries: tea, tobacco, sugar, sawmill products, cement,
consumer goods

Industrial production growth rate: 0.9% (1995)

Electricity--production: 800 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 2.5%
hydro: 97.5%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 800 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: tobacco, sugarcane, cotton, tea, corn,
potatoes, cassava (tapioca), sorghum, pulses; cattle, goats

Exports: $405 million (f.o.b., 1995)

Exports--commodities: tobacco, tea, sugar, coffee, peanuts, wood
products

Exports--partners: US, South Africa, Germany, Japan

Imports: $475 million (f.o.b., 1995)

Imports--commodities: food, petroleum products, semimanufactures,
consumer goods, transportation equipment

Imports--partners: South Africa, Zimbabwe, Japan, US, UK, Germany

Debt--external: $2.3 billion (1996 est.)

Economic aid--recipient: $416.5 million (1995)

Currency: 1 Malawian kwacha (MK) = 100 tambala

Exchange rates: Malawian kwachas (MK) per US$1--43.5426 (January
1999), 31.0727 (1998), 16.4442 (1997), 15.3085 (1996), 15.2837
(1995), 8.7364 (1994)

Fiscal year: 1 April--31 March

Communications

Telephones: 43,000 (1985 est.)

Telephone system:
domestic: fair system of open-wire lines, microwave radio relay
links, and radiotelephone communications stations
international: satellite earth stations--2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean
and 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 10, FM 17, shortwave 0

Radios: 1.011 million (1995)

Television broadcast stations: 0 (1997 est.)

Televisions: NA

Transportation

Railways:
total: 789 km
narrow gauge: 789 km 1.067-m gauge

Highways:
total: 28,400 km
paved: 5,254 km
unpaved: 23,146 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi); Shire River, 144 km

Ports and harbors: Chipoka, Monkey Bay, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota

Airports: 45 (1998 est.)

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

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 40
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 16
under 914 m: 23 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Army (includes Air Wing and Naval Detachment),
Police (includes paramilitary Mobile Force Unit)

Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 2,314,509 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,186,341 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $17 million (FY96/97)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 0.8% (FY96/97)

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: dispute with Tanzania over the boundary
in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi)

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

@Malaysia --------

Geography

Location: Southeastern Asia, peninsula and northern one-third of
the island of Borneo, bordering Indonesia and the South China Sea,
south of Vietnam

Geographic coordinates: 2 30 N, 112 30 E

Map references: Southeast Asia

Area:
total: 329,750 sq km
land: 328,550 sq km
water: 1,200 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly larger than New Mexico

Land boundaries:
total: 2,669 km
border countries: Brunei 381 km, Indonesia 1,782 km, Thailand 506 km

Coastline: 4,675 km (Peninsular Malaysia 2,068 km, East Malaysia
2,607 km)

Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation;
specified boundary in the South China Sea
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and
northeast (October to February) monsoons

Terrain: coastal plains rising to hills and mountains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Gunung Kinabalu 4,100 m

Natural resources: tin, petroleum, timber, copper, iron ore,
natural gas, bauxite

Land use:
arable land: 3%
permanent crops: 12%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 68%
other: 17% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 2,941 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: flooding, landslides

Environment--current issues: air pollution from industrial and
vehicular emissions; water pollution from raw sewage; deforestation;
smoke/haze from Indonesian forest fires

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

Geography--note: strategic location along Strait of Malacca and
southern South China Sea

People

Population: 21,376,066 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 35% (male 3,879,012; female 3,680,895)
15-64 years: 61% (male 6,478,910; female 6,482,909)
65 years and over: 4% (male 369,639; female 484,701) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.08% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 26.05 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 5.29 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
note: does not include illegal immigrants--large numbers from
Indonesia and smaller numbers from the Philippines, Bangladesh,
Burma, China, and India

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 21.68 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.67 years
male: 67.62 years
female: 73.9 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.35 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Malaysian(s)
adjective: Malaysian

Ethnic groups: Malay and other indigenous 58%, Chinese 26%,
Indian 7%, others 9%

Religions: Islam, Buddhism, Daoism, Hinduism, Christianity,
Sikhism; note--in addition, Shamanism is practiced on East Malaysia

Languages: Bahasa Melayu (official), English, Chinese dialects
(Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil,
Telugu, Malalalam, Panjabi, Thai; note--in addition, in East Malaysia
several indigenous languages are spoken, the largest of which are
Iban and Kadazan

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 83.5%
male: 89.1%
female: 78.1% (1995 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Malaysia
former: Malayan Union

Data code: MY

Government type: constitutional monarchy
note: Malaya (what is now Peninsular Malaysia) formed 31 August
1957; Federation of Malaysia (Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore)
formed 9 July 1963 (Singapore left the federation on 9 August 1965);
nominally headed by the paramount ruler (king) and a bicameral
Parliament consisting of a nonelected upper house and an elected
lower house; Peninsular Malaysian states--hereditary rulers in all
but Melaka, Penang, Sabah, and Sarawak, where governors are
appointed by the Malaysian Government; powers of state governments
are limited by the federal constitution; under terms of the
federation, Sabah and Sarawak retain certain constitutional
prerogatives (e.g., the right to maintain their own immigration
controls); Sabah--holds 20 seats in House of Representatives, with
foreign affairs, defense, internal security, and other powers
delegated to federal government; Sarawak--holds 27 seats in House of
Representatives, with foreign affairs, defense, internal security,
and other powers delegated to federal government

Capital: Kuala Lumpur

Administrative divisions: 13 states (negeri-negeri,
singular--negeri) and 2 federal territories* (wilayah-wilayah
persekutuan, singular--wilayah persekutuan); Johor, Kedah, Kelantan,
Labuan*, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Pulau
Pinang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, Terengganu, Wilayah Persekutuan*
note: the city of Kuala Lumpur is located within the federal
territory of Wilayah Persekutuan; the terms therefore are not
interchangeable

Independence: 31 August 1957 (from UK)

National holiday: National Day, 31 August (1957)

Constitution: 31 August 1957, amended 16 September 1963

Legal system: based on English common law; judicial review of
legislative acts in the Supreme Court at request of supreme head of
the federation; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Paramount Ruler TUANKU JA'AFAR ibni Al-Marhum Tuanku
Abdul Rahman (since 26 April 1994) and Deputy Paramount Ruler Sultan
TUNKU SALAHUDDIN Abdul Aziz Shah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Hisammuddin
Alam Shah (since 26 April 1994)
head of government: Prime Minister Dr. MAHATHIR bin Mohamad (since
16 July 1981); Deputy Prime Minister ABDULLAH bin Ahmad Badawi
(since 8 January 1999)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the
members of Parliament with consent of the paramount ruler
elections: paramount ruler and deputy paramount ruler elected by and
from the hereditary rulers of nine of the states for five-year
terms; election last held 4 February 1994 (next to be held NA 1999);
prime minister designated from among the members of the House of
Representatives; following legislative elections, the leader of the
party that wins a plurality of seats in the House of Representatives
becomes prime minister
election results: TUANKU JA'AFAR ibni Al-Marhum Tuanku Abdul Rahman
elected paramount ruler; Sultan TUNKU SALAHUDDIN Abdul Aziz Shah
ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Hisammuddin Alam Shah elected deputy paramount
ruler

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Parlimen consists of
nonelected Senate or Dewan Negara (69 seats; 43 appointed by the
paramount ruler, 26 appointed by the state legislatures) and the
House of Representatives or Dewan Rakyat (192 seats; members elected
by popular vote directly weighted toward the rural Malay population
to serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives--last held 24-25 April 1995 (next
to be held by April 2000)
election results: House of Representatives--percent of vote by
party--National Front 63%, other 37%; seats by party--National Front
162, DAP 9, PBS 8, PAS 7, Spirit of '46 6; note--subsequent to the
election there was a change in the distribution of seats, the
current distribution is--National Front 168, DAP 8, PAS 8, PBS 5,
independents 3

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges appointed by the paramount
ruler on the advice of the prime minister

Political parties and leaders:
Peninsular Malaysia: National Front (a confederation of 13 political
parties dominated by United Malays National Organization or UMNO
Sarawak: National Front, composed of the Party Pesaka Bumiputra
note: subsequent to the election, the following parties were
president] and Sabah United Party (Parti Bersatu Sabah) or PBS

International organization participation: APEC, AsDB, ASEAN, C,
CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat,
Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNOMIL, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Dato' GHAZZALI Sheikh Abdul Khalid
chancery: 2401 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador B. Lynn PASCOE
embassy: 376 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur
mailing address: P. O. Box No. 10035, 50700 Kuala Lumpur; American
Embassy Kuala Lumpur, APO AP 96535-8152

Flag description: 14 equal horizontal stripes of red (top)
alternating with white (bottom); there is a blue rectangle in the
upper hoist-side corner bearing a yellow crescent and a yellow
fourteen-pointed star; the crescent and the star are traditional
symbols of Islam; the design was based on the flag of the US

Economy

Economy--overview: After a decade of 8% average GDP growth, the
Malaysian economy--severely hit by the regional financial
crisis--declined 7% in 1998. Malaysia will likely remain in recession
for the first half of 1999; official statistics continue to show
anemic exports, and some private financial analysts forecast a
further drop in GDP of 1% in 1999. Prime Minister MAHATHIR has
imposed capital controls to protect the local currency while cutting
interest rates to stimulate the economy. Kuala Lumpur also announced
an expansionary budget for 1999 to combat rising unemployment.
Malaysia continues to seek funding from domestic and international
sources to help finance its budget deficit and recapitalize its
weakened banking sector.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$215.4 billion (1998 est.)

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

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$10,300 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 13%
industry: 46%
services: 41% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line: 15.5% (1989 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.9%
highest 10%: 37.9% (1989)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.3% (1998)

Labor force: 8.398 million (1996 est.)

Labor force--by occupation: manufacturing 25%, agriculture,
forestry, and fisheries 21%, local trade and tourism 17%, services
12%, government 11%, construction 8% (1996)

Unemployment rate: 2.6% (1996 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $22.6 billion
expenditures: $22 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.3
billion (1996 est.)

Industries: Peninsular Malaysia--rubber and oil palm processing
and manufacturing, light manufacturing industry, electronics, tin
mining and smelting, logging and processing timber; Sabah--logging,
petroleum production; Sarawak--agriculture processing, petroleum
production and refining, logging

Industrial production growth rate: 14.4% (1995)

Electricity--production: 48 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 83.33%
hydro: 16.67%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 47.977 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 174 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 151 million kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: Peninsular Malaysia?rubber, palm oil, rice;
Sabah--subsistence crops, rubber, timber, coconuts, rice;
Sarawak--rubber, pepper; timber

Exports: $74.3 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Exports--commodities: electronic equipment, petroleum and
petroleum products, palm oil, wood and wood products, rubber,
textiles

Exports--partners: US 21%, Singapore 20%, Japan 12%, Hong Kong 5%,
UK 4%, Thailand 4%, Germany 3% (1995)

Imports: $59.3 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

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

Imports--partners: Japan 27%, US 16%, Singapore 12%, Taiwan 5%,
Germany 4%, South Korea 4% (1995)

Debt--external: $39.8 billion (1998)

Economic aid--recipient: $125 million (1995)

Currency: 1 ringgit (M$) = 100 sen

Exchange rates: ringgits (M$) per US$1--3.8000 (January 1999),
3.9244 (1998), 2.8133 (1997), 2.5159 (1996), 2.5044 (1995), 2.6243
(1994)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 2,550,957 (1992 est.)

Telephone system: international service good
domestic: good intercity service provided on Peninsular Malaysia
mainly by microwave radio relay; adequate intercity microwave radio
relay network between Sabah and Sarawak via Brunei; domestic
satellite system with 2 earth stations
international: submarine cables to India, Hong Kong and Singapore;
satellite earth stations--2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific
Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 28, FM 3, shortwave 0

Radios: 8.08 million (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 27 (of which 26 are
government-owned and one is independent and has 15 high-power
repeater stations to relay its programs) (1997)

Televisions: 2 million (1993 est.)

Transportation

Railways:
total: 1,798 km
narrow gauge: 1,798 km 1.000-m gauge (148 km electrified) (1998 est.)

Highways:
total: 94,500 km
paved: 70,970 km (including 580 km of expressways)
unpaved: 23,530 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: 7,296 km (Peninsular Malaysia 3,209 km, Sabah 1,569
km, Sarawak 2,518 km)

Pipelines: crude oil 1,307 km; natural gas 379 km

Ports and harbors: Bintulu, Kota Kinabalu, Kuantan, Kuching,
Kudat, Labuan, Lahad Datu, Lumut, Miri, Pasir Gudang, Penang, Port
Dickson, Port Kelang, Sandakan, Sibu, Tanjung Berhala, Tanjung
Kidurong, Tawau

Merchant marine:
total: 378 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,059,272
GRT/7,428,623 DWT
ships by type: bulk 62, cargo 128, chemical tanker 30, container 58,
liquefied gas tanker 19, livestock carrier 1, oil tanker 61,
passenger 2, refrigerated cargo 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 6,
specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 7 (1998 est.)

Airports: 115 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways:
total: 32
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 11
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 6 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 83
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 8
under 914 m: 74 (1998 est.)

Heliports: 1 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Malaysian Army, Royal Malaysian Navy, Royal
Malaysian Air Force, Royal Malaysian Police Force, Marine Police,
Sarawak Border Scouts

Military manpower--military age: 21 years of age

Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 5,526,555 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 3,349,066 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 183,928 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $2.1 billion (1998)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 2.1% (1998)

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: involved in a complex dispute over the
Spratly Islands with China, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and
possibly Brunei; Philippines have not fully revoked claim to Sabah
State; two islands in dispute with Singapore; two islands in dispute
with Indonesia

Illicit drugs: transit point for some illicit drugs going to
Western markets; drug trafficking prosecuted vigorously and carries
severe penalties

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

@Maldives --------

Geography

Location: Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean,
south-southwest of India

Geographic coordinates: 3 15 N, 73 00 E

Map references: Asia

Area:
total: 300 sq km
land: 300 sq km
water: 0 sq km

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

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 644 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November
to March); rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August)

Terrain: flat, with white sandy beaches

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Wilingili island in the Addu
Atoll 2.4 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use:
arable land: 10%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 3%
forests and woodland: 3%
other: 84% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: low level of islands makes them very sensitive
to sea level rise

Environment--current issues: depletion of freshwater aquifers
threatens water supplies

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

Geography--note: 1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls;
archipelago of strategic location astride and along major sea lanes
in Indian Ocean

People

Population: 300,220 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 47% (male 72,414; female 68,764)
15-64 years: 50% (male 76,446; female 73,275)
65 years and over: 3% (male 4,944; female 4,377) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.37% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 39.3 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 5.63 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: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.13 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 38.14 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 68.29 years
male: 66.53 years
female: 70.15 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.73 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Maldivian(s)
adjective: Maldivian

Ethnic groups: Sinhalese, Dravidian, Arab, African

Religions: Sunni Muslim

Languages: Maldivian Divehi (dialect of Sinhala, script derived
from Arabic), English spoken by most government officials

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.2%
male: 93.3%
female: 93% (1995 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Maldives
conventional short form: Maldives
local long form: Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa
local short form: Dhivehi Raajje

Data code: MV

Government type: republic

Capital: Male

Administrative divisions: 19 atolls (atholhu, singular and
plural) and 1 other first-order administrative division*; Alifu,
Baa, Dhaalu, Faafu, Gaafu Alifu, Gaafu Dhaalu, Gnaviyani, Haa Alifu,
Haa Dhaalu, Kaafu, Laamu, Lhaviyani, Maale*, Meemu, Noonu, Raa,
Seenu, Shaviyani, Thaa, Vaavu

Independence: 26 July 1965 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 26 July (1965)

Constitution: 4 June 1968

Legal system: based on Islamic law with admixtures of English
common law primarily in commercial matters; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11 November
1978); note--the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11
November 1978); note--the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
cabinet: Ministry of Atolls appointed by the president; note--need
not be members of Majlis
elections: president elected by secret ballot of the Majlis for a
five-year term; election last held 1 October 1993 (next to be held
NA October 1998)
election results: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM reelected; percent
of Majlis vote--Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM 92.76%

Legislative branch: unicameral Citizens' Council or Majlis (48
seats; 40 elected by popular vote, 8 appointed by the president;
members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 2 December 1994 (next to be held NA December
1999)
election results: percent of vote--NA; seats--independents 40

Judicial branch: High Court

Political parties and leaders: although political parties are not
banned, none exist

International organization participation: AsDB, C, CCC, CP,
ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IMO,
Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW,
SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: Maldives does not have an
embassy in the US, but does have a Permanent Mission to the UN in
New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an
embassy in Maldives; the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka is accredited to
Maldives and makes periodic visits there

Flag description: red with a large green rectangle in the center
bearing a vertical white crescent; the closed side of the crescent
is on the hoist side of the flag

Economy

Economy--overview: Tourism, Maldives largest industry, accounts
for about 18% of GDP and more than 60% of the Maldives' foreign
exchange receipts. Over 90% of government tax revenue comes from
import duties and tourism-related taxes. About 350,000 tourists
visited the islands in 1997. Fishing is a second leading growth
sector. The Maldivian Government began an economic reform program in
1989 initially by lifting import quotas and opening some exports to
the private sector. Subsequently, it has liberalized regulations to
allow more foreign investment. Agriculture and manufacturing
continue to play a minor role in the economy, constrained by the
limited availability of cultivable land and the shortage of domestic
labor. Most staple foods must be imported. Industry, which consists
mainly of garment production, boat building, and handicrafts,
accounts for about 15% of GDP. Maldivian authorities worry about the
impact of erosion and possible global warming on their low-lying
country; 80% of the area is one meter or less above sea level.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$500 million (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 5.8% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$1,840 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 22%
industry: 15%
services: 63% (1994 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.3% (1996)

Labor force: 56,435 (1990 est.)

Labor force--by occupation: fishing industry and agriculture 25%,
services 21%, manufacturing and construction 21%, trade,
restaurants, and hotels 16%, transportation and communication 10%,
other 7%

Unemployment rate: NEGL%

Budget:
revenues: $88 million (excluding foreign grants)
expenditures: $141 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1995 est.)

Industries: fish processing, tourism, shipping, boat building,
coconut processing, garments, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral
and sand mining

Industrial production growth rate: 6.3% (1994 est.)

Electricity--production: 60 million kWh (1996)

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

Electricity--consumption: 60 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; fish

Exports: $59 million (f.o.b., 1996)

Exports--commodities: fish, clothing

Exports--partners: Sri Lanka, US, Germany, Singapore, UK

Imports: $302 million (f.o.b., 1996)

Imports--commodities: consumer goods, intermediate and capital
goods, petroleum products

Imports--partners: Singapore, India, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, Japan,
Thailand

Debt--external: $179 million (1996 est.)

Economic aid--recipient: $NA

Currency: 1 rufiyaa (Rf) = 100 laari

Exchange rates: rufiyaa (Rf) per US$1--11.770 (1995-January 1999),
11.586 (1994), 10.957 (1993)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 8,523 (1992 est.)

Telephone system: minimal domestic and international facilities
domestic: inter-atoll communication primarily through HF
transceivers and VHF/UHF telephones
international: satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

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

Radios: 28,284 (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)

Televisions: 7,309 (1992 est.)

Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways:
total: NA km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km; note--Male has 9.6 km of coral highways within the
city (1988 est.)

Ports and harbors: Gan, Male

Merchant marine:
total: 21 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 75,585 GRT/115,590 DWT
ships by type: cargo 18, container 1, oil tanker 1, short-sea
passenger 1 (1998 est.)

Airports: 5 (1998 est.)

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

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

Military

Military branches: National Security Service (paramilitary police
force)

Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 66,554 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 37,086 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: NA%

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: none

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

@Mali ----

Geography

Location: Western Africa, southwest of Algeria

Geographic coordinates: 17 00 N, 4 00 W

Map references: Africa

Area:
total: 1.24 million sq km
land: 1.22 million sq km
water: 20,000 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
total: 7,243 km
border countries: Algeria 1,376 km, Burkina Faso 1,000 km, Guinea
858 km, Cote d'Ivoire 532 km, Mauritania 2,237 km, Niger 821 km,
Senegal 419 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: subtropical to arid; hot and dry February to June;
rainy, humid, and mild June to November; cool and dry November to
February

Terrain: mostly flat to rolling northern plains covered by sand;
savanna in south, rugged hills in northeast

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Senegal River 23 m
highest point: Hombori Tondo 1,155 m

Natural resources: gold, phosphates, kaolin, salt, limestone,
uranium, bauxite, iron ore, manganese, tin, and copper deposits are
known but not exploited

Land use:
arable land: 2%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 25%
forests and woodland: 6%
other: 67% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 780 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: hot, dust-laden harmattan haze common during dry
seasons; recurring droughts

Environment--current issues: deforestation; soil erosion;
desertification; inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching

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

Geography--note: landlocked

People

Population: 10,429,124 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 47% (male 2,482,301; female 2,460,894)
15-64 years: 49% (male 2,447,712; female 2,708,978)
65 years and over: 4% (male 155,178; female 174,061) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.01% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 49.5 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 18.56 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 119.44 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 47.5 years
male: 46.09 years
female: 48.96 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.96 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Malian(s)
adjective: Malian

Ethnic groups: Mande 50% (Bambara, Malinke, Sarakole), Peul 17%,
Voltaic 12%, Songhai 6%, Tuareg and Moor 10%, other 5%

Religions: Muslim 90%, indigenous beliefs 9%, Christian 1%

Languages: French (official), Bambara 80%, numerous African
languages

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 31%
male: 39.4%
female: 23.1% (1995 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Mali
conventional short form: Mali
local long form: Republique de Mali
local short form: Mali
former: French Sudan

Data code: ML

Government type: republic

Capital: Bamako

Administrative divisions: 8 regions (regions, singular--region);
Gao, Kayes, Kidal, Koulikoro, Mopti, Segou, Sikasso, Tombouctou

Independence: 22 September 1960 (from France)

National holiday: Anniversary of the Proclamation of the
Republic, 22 September (1960)

Constitution: adopted 12 January 1992

Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law;
judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Court (which
was formally established on 9 March 1994); has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Alpha Oumar KONARE (since 8 June 1992)
head of government: Prime Minister Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA (since
March 1994)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 11 May 1997 (next to be held May 2002); prime
minister appointed by the president
election results: Alpha Oumar KONARE reelected president; percent of
vote--Alpha Oumar KONARE 85.15%, Mamadou DIABY 4.09%, other 10.76%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee
Nationale (147 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms)
elections: last held 20 July and 3 August 1997 (next to be held in
two rounds in 2002); note--much of the opposition boycotted the
election
election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--ADEMA
130, PARENA 8, CDS 4, UDD 3, PDP 2

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Democracy or ADEMA
TRAORE]; National Congress for Democratic Initiative or CNID
Movement for the Independence, Renaissance and Integration of Africa

Political pressure groups and leaders: United Movement and Fronts
of Azawad or MFUA; Patriotic Movement of the Ghanda Koye or MPGK

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC,
ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MINURCA,
MIPONUH, MONUA, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNOMSIL, UPU, WADB, WAEMU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Cheick Oumar DIARRAH
chancery: 2130 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador David P. RAWSON
embassy: Rue Rochester NY and Rue Mohamed V, Bamako
mailing address: B. P. 34, Bamako

Flag description: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist
side), yellow, and red; uses the popular pan-African colors of
Ethiopia

Economy

Economy--overview: Mali is among the poorest countries in the
world, with 65% of its land area desert or semidesert. Economic
activity is largely confined to the riverine area irrigated by the
Niger. About 10% of the population is nomadic and some 80% of the
labor force is engaged in farming and fishing. Industrial activity
is concentrated on processing farm commodities. Mali is heavily
dependent on foreign aid and vulnerable to fluctuations in world
prices for cotton, its main export. In 1997, the government
continued its successful implementation of an IMF-recommended
structural adjustment program that is helping the economy grow,
diversify, and attract foreign investment. Mali's adherence to
economic reform, and the 50% devaluation of the African franc in
January 1994, has pushed up economic growth. Several multinational
corporations increased gold mining operations in 1996-98, and the
government anticipates that Mali will become a major Sub-Saharan
gold exporter in the next few years. Annual growth thus may fall in
the 5% range in 1999-2000, and inflation held to 5% or less.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$8 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 4.6% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$790 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 49%
industry: 17%
services: 34% (1995)

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5% (1998 est.)

Labor force: NA

Labor force--by occupation: agriculture and fishing 80% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget:
revenues: $730 million
expenditures: $770 million, including capital expenditures of $320
million (1997 est.)

Industries: minor local consumer goods production and food
processing; construction; phosphate and gold mining

Industrial production growth rate: 0.6% (1995 est.)

Electricity--production: 288 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 21.88%
hydro: 78.12%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 288 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: cotton, millet, rice, corn, vegetables,
peanuts; cattle, sheep, goats

Exports: $590 million (f.o.b., 1998 est.)

Exports--commodities: cotton 50%, gold, livestock (1998 est.)

Exports--partners: Thailand 20%, Italy 20%, China 9%, Brazil,
franc zone (1997)

Imports: $600 million (f.o.b., 1998 est.)

Imports--commodities: machinery and equipment, construction
materials, petroleum, foodstuffs, textiles

Imports--partners: Cote d'Ivoire 19%, France 17%, other franc zone
and EU countries (1997)

Debt--external: $3.1 billion (1998)

Economic aid--recipient: $596.4 million (1995)

Currency: 1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100
centimes

Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per
US$1--567.81 (January 1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55
(1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 11,000 (1982 est.)

Telephone system: domestic system poor but improving; provides
only minimal service
domestic: network consists of microwave radio relay, open wire, and
radiotelephone communications stations; expansion of microwave radio
relay in progress
international: satellite earth stations--2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean
and 1 Indian Ocean)

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

Radios: 430,000 (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (in addition, there are two
repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 11,000 (1992 est.)

Transportation

Railways:
total: 641 km; (linked to Senegal's rail system through Kayes)
narrow gauge: 641 km 1.000-m gauge (1995)

Highways:
total: 15,100 km
paved: 1,827 km
unpaved: 13,273 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: 1,815 km navigable

Ports and harbors: Koulikoro

Airports: 28 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways:
total: 6
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1998 est.)