Chapter V (29)

Legislative branch: unicameral General Council or Conseil General
(19 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve three-year
terms)
elections: last held 23 March 1997 (next to be held NA March 2000)
election results: percent of vote by party--NA; note--only nine of the
19 seats were subjected to voting in March 1997; after the election,
seats by party were as follows: MPM 8, RPR 5, independents 5, PS 1
note: Mayotte elects one member of the French Senate; elections last
held 24 September 1995 (next to be held 24 September 2001);
results--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--MPM 1; Mayotte
also elects one member to the French National Assembly; elections
last held 25 May and 1 June 1997 (next to be held as a special
election on NA May 2002); results--percent of vote by party--UDF/FD
51.7%, RPR 48.3%; seats by party--UDF/FD 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Tribunal Superieur d'Appel)

Political parties and leaders: Mahoran Popular Movement or MPM
BEOUTIS]; Socialist Party or PS (local branch of French Parti
JEAN-BAPTISTE]

International organization participation: FZ

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territorial
collectivity of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territorial
collectivity of France)

Flag description: the flag of France is used

Economy

Economy--overview: Economic activity is based primarily on the
agricultural sector, including fishing and livestock raising.
Mayotte is not self-sufficient and must import a large portion of
its food requirements, mainly from France. The economy and future
development of the island are heavily dependent on French financial
assistance, an important supplement to GDP. Mayotte's remote
location is an obstacle to the development of tourism.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$85 million (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: NA%

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

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

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

Labor force: NA

Unemployment rate: 38% (1991 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $NA
expenditures: $73 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1991 est.)

Industries: newly created lobster and shrimp industry

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity--production: NA kWh

Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: NA%
hydro: NA%
nuclear: NA%
other: NA%

Electricity--consumption: NA kWh

Electricity--exports: NA kWh

Electricity--imports: NA kWh

Agriculture--products: vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence),
coffee, copra

Exports: $3.64 million (f.o.b., 1996)

Exports--commodities: ylang-ylang (perfume essence), vanilla, copra

Exports--partners: France 80%, Comoros 15%, Reunion

Imports: $131.5 million (f.o.b., 1996)

Imports--commodities: building materials, machinery and
transportation equipment, metals, chemicals, rice, clothing, flour

Imports--partners: France 66%, Africa 14%, Southeast Asia 20%

Debt--external: $NA

Economic aid--recipient: $107.7 million (1995); note?extensive
French financial assistance

Currency: 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes

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

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 450

Telephone system: small system administered by French Department
of Posts and Telecommunications
domestic: NA
international: microwave radio relay and HF radiotelephone
communications to Comoros and other international connections

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

Radios: 30,000 (1994 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (1997)

Televisions: 3,500 (1994 est.)

Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways:
total: 93 km
paved: 72 km
unpaved: 21 km

Ports and harbors: Dzaoudzi

Merchant marine: none

Airports: 1 (1998 est.)

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

Military

Military--note: defense is the responsibility of France; small
contingent of French forces stationed on the island

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: claimed by Comoros

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

@Mexico ------

Geography

Location: Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the
Gulf of Mexico, between Belize and the US and bordering the North
Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and the US

Geographic coordinates: 23 00 N, 102 00 W

Map references: North America

Area:
total: 1,972,550 sq km
land: 1,923,040 sq km
water: 49,510 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly less than three times the size of Texas

Land boundaries:
total: 4,538 km
border countries: Belize 250 km, Guatemala 962 km, US 3,326 km

Coastline: 9,330 km

Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: varies from tropical to desert

Terrain: high, rugged mountains; low coastal plains; high
plateaus; desert

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Laguna Salada -10 m
highest point: Volcan Pico de Orizaba 5,700 m

Natural resources: petroleum, silver, copper, gold, lead, zinc,
natural gas, timber

Land use:
arable land: 12%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 39%
forests and woodland: 26%
other: 22% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 61,000 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: tsunamis along the Pacific coast, volcanoes and
destructive earthquakes in the center and south, and hurricanes on
the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean coasts

Environment--current issues: natural fresh water resources scarce
and polluted in north, inaccessible and poor quality in center and
extreme southeast; raw sewage and industrial effluents polluting
rivers in urban areas; deforestation; widespread erosion;
desertification; serious air pollution in the national capital and
urban centers along US-Mexico border

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

Geography--note: strategic location on southern border of US

People

Population: 100,294,036 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 35% (male 17,987,500; female 17,289,875)
15-64 years: 61% (male 29,610,813; female 31,216,342)
65 years and over: 4% (male 1,873,986; female 2,315,520) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.73% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 24.99 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 4.83 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: -2.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 24.62 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72 years
male: 68.98 years
female: 75.17 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.85 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Mexican(s)
adjective: Mexican

Ethnic groups: mestizo (Amerindian-Spanish) 60%, Amerindian or
predominantly Amerindian 30%, white 9%, other 1%

Religions: nominally Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 6%

Languages: Spanish, various Mayan, Nahuatl, and other regional
indigenous languages

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 89.6%
male: 91.8%
female: 87.4% (1995 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: United Mexican States
conventional short form: Mexico
local long form: Estados Unidos Mexicanos
local short form: Mexico

Data code: MX

Government type: federal republic operating under a centralized
government

Capital: Mexico

Administrative divisions: 31 states (estados, singular--estado)
and 1 federal district* (distrito federal); Aguascalientes, Baja
California, Baja California Sur, Campeche, Chiapas, Chihuahua,
Coahuila de Zaragoza, Colima, Distrito Federal*, Durango,
Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Mexico, Michoacan de Ocampo,
Morelos, Nayarit, Nuevo Leon, Oaxaca, Puebla, Queretaro de Arteaga,
Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosi, Sinaloa, Sonora, Tabasco, Tamaulipas,
Tlaxcala, Veracruz-Llave, Yucatan, Zacatecas

Independence: 16 September 1810 (from Spain)

National holiday: Independence Day, 16 September (1810)

Constitution: 5 February 1917

Legal system: mixture of US constitutional theory and civil law
system; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory (but not
enforced)

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ernesto ZEDILLO Ponce de Leon (since 1
December 1994); note--the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
head of government: President Ernesto ZEDILLO Ponce de Leon (since 1
December 1994); note--the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with consent of the
Senate
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
election last held 21 August 1994 (next to be held in July or August
2000)
election results: Ernesto ZEDILLO Ponce de Leon elected president;
percent of vote--Ernesto ZEDILLO Ponce de Leon (PRI) 50.18%,
Cuauhtemoc CARDENAS Solorzano (PRD) 17.08%, Diego FERNANDEZ DE
CEVALLOS (PAN) 26.69%, other 6.05%

Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress or Congreso de la
Union consists of the Senate or Camara de Senadores (128 seats; half
are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms, and half are
allocated on the basis of each party's popular vote) and the Chamber
of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (500 seats; 300 members are
directly elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms;
remaining 200 members are allocated on the basis of each party's
popular vote, also for three-year terms)
elections: Senate--last held 6 July 1997 for one-quarter of the
seats; Chamber of Deputies--last held 6 July 1997 (the next
legislative elections will coincide with the presidential election
in July or August 2000)
election results: Senate--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by
party--PRI 77, PAN 33, PRD 16, PVEM 1, PT 1; note--the distribution of
seats as of May 1998 is as follows--PRI 77, PAN 31, PRD 15, PT 1,
independents 4; Chamber of Deputies--percent of vote by party--PRI
39%, PAN 27%, PRD 26%; seats by party--PRI 239, PRD 125, PAN 121,
PVEM 8, PT 7; note--the distribution of seats as of May 1998 is as
follows--PRI 237, PRD 127, PAN 120, PT 7, PVEM 6, independents 3

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de
Justicia (judges are appointed by the president with consent of the
Senate)

Political parties and leaders: recognized parties--Institutional

Political pressure groups and leaders: Roman Catholic Church;
Confederation of Mexican Workers or CTM; Confederation of Industrial
Chambers or CONCAMIN; Confederation of National Chambers of Commerce
or CONCANACO; National Peasant Confederation or CNC; Revolutionary
Workers Party or PRT; Revolutionary Confederation of Workers and
Peasants or CROC; Regional Confederation of Mexican Workers or CROM;
Confederation of Employers of the Mexican Republic or COPARMEX;
National Chamber of Transformation Industries or CANACINTRA;
Coordinator for Foreign Trade Business Organizations or COECE;
Federation of Unions Providing Goods and Services or FESEBES;
National Union of Workers or UNT

International organization participation: APEC, BCIE, BIS,
Caricom (observer), CCC, CDB, EBRD, ECLAC, FAO, G-3, G-6, G-11,
G-15, G-19, G-24, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA
(observer), IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat,
Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM (observer),
NEA, OAS, OECD, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jesus REYES HEROLES Gonzalez Garza
chancery: 1911 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20006
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas,
Denver, El Paso, Houston, Laredo (Texas), Los Angeles, Miami, New
Orleans, New York, Nogales (Arizona), Phoenix, Sacramento, San
Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico)
consulate(s): Albuquerque, Brownsville (Texas), Calexico
(California), Corpus Christi, Del Rio (Texas), Detroit, Douglas
(Arizona), Eagle Pass (Texas), Fresno (California), McAllen (Texas),
Midland (Texas), Orlando, Oxnard (California), Philadelphia,
Portland (Oregon), St. Louis, Salt Lake City, San Bernardino, San
Jose, Santa Ana (California), Seattle, Tucson

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jeffery DAVIDOW
embassy: Paseo de la Reforma 305, Colonia Cuauhtemoc, 06500 Mexico,
Distrito Federal
mailing address: P. O. Box 3087, Laredo, TX 78044-3087
consulate(s) general: Ciudad Juarez, Guadalajara, Monterrey, Tijuana
consulate(s): Hermosillo, Matamoros, Merida, Nuevo Laredo, Nogales

Flag description: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist
side), white, and red; the coat of arms (an eagle perched on a
cactus with a snake in its beak) is centered in the white band

Economy

Economy--overview: Mexico has a free market economy with a mixture
of modern and outmoded industry and agriculture, increasingly
dominated by the private sector. The number of state-owned
enterprises in Mexico has fallen from more than 1,000 in 1982 to
fewer than 200 in 1998. The ZEDILLO administration is privatizing
and expanding competition in sea ports, railroads,
telecommunications, electricity, natural gas distribution, and
airports. A strong export sector helped to cushion the economy's
decline in 1995 and led the recovery in 1996 and 1997. In 1998,
private consumption became the leading driver of growth, which was
accompanied by increased employment and higher wages. The government
expects the economy to slow in 1999 because of low commodity prices,
tighter international liquidity, and slacker demand for exports.
Mexico still needs to overcome many structural problems as it
strives to modernize its economy and raise living standards. Income
distribution is very unequal, with the top 20% of income earners
accounting for 55% of income. Trade with the US and Canada has
nearly doubled since NAFTA was implemented in 1994. Mexico is
pursuing additional trade agreements with most countries in Latin
America and with the EU to lessen its dependence on the US.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$815.3 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 4.8% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$8,300 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 6%
industry: 26%
services: 68% (1997)

Population below poverty line: 27% (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.8%
highest 10%: 36.6% 1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 18.6% (1998)

Labor force: 37.5 million (1998)

Labor force--by occupation: services 28.8%, agriculture, forestry,
hunting, and fishing 21.8%, commerce 17.1%, manufacturing 16.1%,
construction 5.2%, public administration and national defense 4.4%,
transportation and communications 4.1%

Unemployment rate: 2.6% (1998) urban; plus considerable
underemployment

Budget:
revenues: $117 billion
expenditures: $123 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1998 est.)

Industries: food and beverages, tobacco, chemicals, iron and
steel, petroleum, mining, textiles, clothing, motor vehicles,
consumer durables, tourism

Industrial production growth rate: 6% (1998 est.)

Electricity--production: 154.395 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 71.46%
hydro: 20.16%
nuclear: 4.85%
other: 3.53% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 154.448 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 1.263 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 1.316 billion kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: corn, wheat, soybeans, rice, beans, cotton,
coffee, fruit, tomatoes; beef, poultry, dairy products; wood products

Exports: $117.5 billion (f.o.b., 1998), includes in-bond
industries (assembly plant operations with links to US companies)

Exports--commodities: crude oil, oil products, coffee, silver,
engines, motor vehicles, cotton, consumer electronics

Exports--partners: US 87.5%, Canada 1.3%, Japan 0.8%, Spain 0.6%,
Chile 0.6%, Brazil 0.5% (1998 est.)

Imports: $111.5 billion (f.o.b., 1998), includes in-bond
industries (assembly plant operations with links to US companies)

Imports--commodities: metal-working machines, steel mill products,
agricultural machinery, electrical equipment, car parts for
assembly, repair parts for motor vehicles, aircraft, and aircraft
parts

Imports--partners: US 74.2%, Japan 3.7%, Germany 3.7%, Canada
1.8%, South Korea 1.5%, Italy 1.3%, France 1.2% (1998 est.)

Debt--external: $154 billion (1997)

Economic aid--recipient: $1.166 billion (1995)

Currency: 1 New Mexican peso (Mex$) = 100 centavos

Exchange rates: Mexican pesos (Mex$) per US$1--10.1104 (January
1999), 9.1360 (1998), 7.9141 (1997), 7.5994(1996), 6.4194 (1995),
3.3751 (1994)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 11,890,868 (1993 est.)

Telephone system: highly developed system with extensive
microwave radio relay links; privatized in December 1990; opened to
competition January 1997
domestic: adequate telephone service for business and government,
but the population is poorly served; domestic satellite system with
120 earth stations; extensive microwave radio relay network
international: satellite earth stations--5 Intelsat (4 Atlantic Ocean
and 1 Pacific Ocean); launched Solidaridad I satellite in November
1993 and Solidaridad II in October 1994, giving Mexico improved
access to South America, Central America and much of the US as well
as enhancing domestic communications; linked to Central American
Microwave System of trunk connections

Radio broadcast stations: AM 824 (1999 est.), FM 500 (1998 est.),
shortwave 19 (1999 est.)

Radios: 22.5 million (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 236 (not including repeaters)
(1997)

Televisions: 13.1 million (1992 est.)

Transportation

Railways:
total: 31,048 km
standard gauge: 30,958 km 1.435-m gauge (246 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 90 km 0.914-m gauge (1998 est.)

Highways:
total: 252,000 km
paved: 94,248 km (including 6,740 km of expressways)
unpaved: 157,752 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: 2,900 km navigable rivers and coastal canals

Pipelines: crude oil 28,200 km; petroleum products 10,150 km;
natural gas 13,254 km; petrochemical 1,400 km

Ports and harbors: Acapulco, Altamira, Coatzacoalcos, Ensenada,
Guaymas, La Paz, Lazaro Cardenas, Manzanillo, Mazatlan, Progreso,
Salina Cruz, Tampico, Topolobampo, Tuxpan, Veracruz

Merchant marine:
total: 52 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 852,004 GRT/1,236,475
DWT
ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 1, chemical tanker 4, container 4,
liquefied gas tanker 7, oil tanker 28, roll-on/roll-off cargo 3,
short-sea passenger 3 (1998 est.)

Airports: 1,805 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways:
total: 232
over 3,047 m: 10
2,438 to 3,047 m: 27
1,524 to 2,437 m: 91
914 to 1,523 m: 78
under 914 m: 26 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 1,573
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 63
914 to 1,523 m: 468
under 914 m: 1,040 (1998 est.)

Heliports: 1 (1998 est.)

Military

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

Military manpower--military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 25,675,266 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 18,675,524 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 1,085,042 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $6 billion (1998)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 1.3% (1998)

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: none

Illicit drugs: illicit cultivation of opium poppy (cultivation in
1998--5,500 hectares; potential production--60 metric tons) and
cannabis cultivation in 1998--4,600 hectares; government eradication
efforts have been key in keeping illicit crop levels low; major
supplier of heroin and marijuana to the US market; continues as the
primary transshipment country for US-bound cocaine from South
America; involved in the production and distribution of
methamphetamines

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

@Micronesia, Federated States of -------------------------------

Geography

Location: Oceania, island group in the North Pacific Ocean, about
three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Indonesia

Geographic coordinates: 6 55 N, 158 15 E

Map references: Oceania

Area:
total: 702 sq km
land: 702 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Pohnpei (Ponape), Truk (Chuuk) Islands, Yap Islands,
and Kosrae

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

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 6,112 km

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

Climate: tropical; heavy year-round rainfall, especially in the
eastern islands; located on southern edge of the typhoon belt with
occasionally severe damage

Terrain: islands vary geologically from high mountainous islands
to low, coral atolls; volcanic outcroppings on Pohnpei, Kosrae, and
Truk

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Totolom 791 m

Natural resources: forests, marine products, deep-seabed minerals

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

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: typhoons (June to December)

Environment--current issues: NA

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

Geography--note: four major island groups totaling 607 islands

People

Population: 131,500 (July 1999 est.)

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

Population growth rate: 3.3% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 27.32 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 6.01 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 11.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 33.99 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 68.48 years
male: 66.52 years
female: 70.48 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.87 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Micronesian(s)
adjective: Micronesian; Kosrae(s), Pohnpeian(s), Trukese, Yapese

Ethnic groups: nine ethnic Micronesian and Polynesian groups

Religions: Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 47%, other and none 3%

Languages: English (official and common language), Trukese,
Pohnpeian, Yapese, Kosrean

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 89%
male: 91%
female: 88% (1980 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Federated States of Micronesia
conventional short form: none
former: Kosrae, Ponape, Truk, and Yap Districts (Trust Territory of
the Pacific Islands)
abbreviation: FSM

Data code: FM

Government type: constitutional government in free association
with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 3
November 1986

Capital: Palikir

Administrative divisions: 4 states; Chuuk (Truk), Kosrae,
Pohnpei, Yap

Independence: 3 November 1986 (from the US-administered UN
Trusteeship)

National holiday: Proclamation of the Federated States of
Micronesia, 10 May (1979)

Constitution: 10 May 1979

Legal system: based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the
legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jacob NENA (acting president since NA July
1996, president since 9 May 1997); Vice President Leo A. FALCAM
(since 9 May 1997); note--the president is both the chief of state
and head of government; Vice President Jacob NENA became acting
president in July 1996 after President Bailey OLTER suffered a
stroke; OLTER was declared incapacitated in November 1996; as
provided for by the constitution, 180 days later, with OLTER still
unable to resume his duties, NENA was sworn in as the new president;
he will serve for the remaining two years of OLTER's term
head of government: President Jacob NENA (acting president since NA
July 1996, president since 9 May 1997); Vice President Leo A. FALCAM
(since 9 May 1997); note--the president is both the chief of state
and head of government; Vice President Jacob NENA became acting
president in July 1996 after President Bailey OLTER suffered a
stroke; OLTER was declared incapacitated in November 1996; as
provided for by the constitution, 180 days later, with OLTER still
unable to resume his duties, NENA was sworn in as the new president;
he will serve for the remaining two years of OLTER's term
cabinet: Cabinet
elections: president and vice president elected by Congress from
among the four senators-at-large for four-year terms; election last
held 11 May 1995 (next to be held NA May 1999); note--because of the
vacancy to the post of vice president created after NENA left to
become acting president, a new election to fill the position of vice
president for the remaining two years of the term was held on 9 May
1997 (next to be held NA May 1999)
election results: Bailey OLTER reelected president; percent of
Congress vote--NA; Leo A. FALCAM elected vice president; percent of
Congress vote--NA

Legislative branch: unicameral Congress (14 seats; members
elected by popular vote; four--one elected from each of state--to
serve four-year terms and 10--elected from single-member districts
delineated by population--to serve two-year terms)
elections: elections for four-year term seats last held 7 March 1995
(next to be held 2 March 1999); elections for two-year term seats
last held 3 March 1997 (next to be held NA March 1999)
election results: percent of vote--NA; seats--independents 14

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: no formal parties

International organization participation: AsDB, ESCAP, G-77,
IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, IMF, Intelsat, ITU, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF,
UN, UNCTAD, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jesse Bibiano MAREHALAU
chancery: 1725 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036
consulate(s) general: Honolulu and Tamuning (Guam)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Ann WRIGHT
embassy: address NA, Kolonia
mailing address: P. O. Box 1286, Pohnpei, Federated States of
Micronesia 96941

Flag description: light blue with four white five-pointed stars
centered; the stars are arranged in a diamond pattern

Economy

Economy--overview: Economic activity consists primarily of
subsistence farming and fishing. The islands have few mineral
deposits worth exploiting, except for high-grade phosphate. The
potential for a tourist industry exists, but the remoteness of the
location and a lack of adequate facilities hinder development.
Financial assistance from the US is the primary source of revenue,
with the US pledged to spend $1 billion in the islands in the 1990s.
Geographical isolation and a poorly developed infrastructure are
major impediments to long-term growth.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$220 million (1996 est.)
note: GDP is supplemented by grant aid, averaging perhaps $100
million annually

GDP--real growth rate: 1% (1996 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$1,760 (1996 est.)

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

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4% (1996 est.)

Labor force: NA

Labor force--by occupation: two-thirds are government employees

Unemployment rate: 27% (1989)

Budget:
revenues: $58 million
expenditures: $52 million, including capital expenditures of $4.7
million (FY95/96 est.)

Industries: tourism, construction, fish processing, craft items
from shell, wood, and pearls

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity--production: NA kWh

Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: NA%
hydro: NA%
nuclear: NA%
other: NA%

Electricity--consumption: NA kWh

Electricity--exports: NA kWh

Electricity--imports: NA kWh

Agriculture--products: black pepper, tropical fruits and
vegetables, coconuts, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes; pigs,
chickens

Exports: $73 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)

Exports--commodities: fish, garments, bananas, black pepper

Exports--partners: Japan, US, Guam

Imports: $168 million (c.i.f., 1996 est.)

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

Imports--partners: US, Japan, Australia

Debt--external: $129 million

Economic aid--recipient: $77.4 million (1995); note?under terms of
the Compact of Free Association, the US will provide $1.3 billion in
grant aid during the period 1986-2001

Currency: 1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: US currency is used

Fiscal year: 1 October--30 September

Communications

Telephones: 960

Telephone system:
domestic: islands interconnected by shortwave radiotelephone (used
mostly for government purposes)
international: satellite earth stations--4 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 1, shortwave 1

Radios: 17,000 (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 2 (1997)

Televisions: 1,290 (1993 est.)

Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways:
total: 240 km
paved: 42 km
unpaved: 198 km (1996 est.)

Ports and harbors: Colonia (Yap), Kolonia (Pohnpei), Lele, Moen

Merchant marine: none

Airports: 6 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways:
total: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1998 est.)

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

Military

Military--note: Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) is a
sovereign, self-governing state in free association with the US; FSM
is totally dependent on the US for its defense

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: none

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

@Midway Islands --------------

Geography

Location: Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about
one-third of the way from Honolulu to Tokyo

Geographic coordinates: 28 13 N, 177 22 W

Map references: Oceania

Area:
total: 6.2 sq km
land: 6.2 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Eastern Island, Sand Island, and Spit Island

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

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 15 km

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

Climate: subtropical, but moderated by prevailing easterly winds

Terrain: low, nearly level

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 4 m

Natural resources: wildlife, terrestrial and aquatic

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

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment--current issues: NA

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

Geography--note: a coral atoll managed as a national wildlife
refuge and open to the public for wildlife-related recreation in the
form of wildlife observation and photography, sport fishing,
snorkeling, and scuba diving

People

Population: no indigenous inhabitants

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Midway Islands

Data code: MQ

Dependency status: unincorporated territory of the US; formerly
administered from Washington, DC, by the US Navy, under Naval
Facilities Engineering Command, Pacific Division; this facility has
been operationally closed since 10 September 1993; on 31 October
1996, through a presidential executive order, the jurisdiction and
control of the atoll was transferred to the Fish and Wildlife
Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National
Wildlife Refuge system

Capital: none; administered from Washington, DC

Legal system: NA

Flag description: the flag of the US is used

Economy

Economy--overview: The economy is based on providing support
services for the national wildlife refuge activities located on the
islands. All food and manufactured goods must be imported.

Transportation

Highways:
total: 32 km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km

Pipelines: 7.8 km

Ports and harbors: Sand Island

Airports: 3 (1998 est.)

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

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

Military

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

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: none

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

@Moldova -------

Geography

Location: Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania

Geographic coordinates: 47 00 N, 29 00 E

Map references: Commonwealth of Independent States

Area:
total: 33,843 sq km
land: 33,371 sq km
water: 472 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly larger than Maryland

Land boundaries:
total: 1,389 km
border countries: Romania 450 km, Ukraine 939 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: moderate winters, warm summers

Terrain: rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Nistru River 2 m
highest point: Mount Balaneshty 430 m

Natural resources: lignite, phosphorites, gypsum

Land use:
arable land: 53%
permanent crops: 14%
permanent pastures: 13%
forests and woodland: 13%
other: 7% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 3,110 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: landslides (57 cases in 1998)

Environment--current issues: heavy use of agricultural chemicals,
including banned pesticides such as DDT, has contaminated soil and
groundwater; extensive soil erosion from poor farming methods

Environment--international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography--note: landlocked

People

Population: 4,460,838 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 24% (male 555,096; female 535,625)
15-64 years: 66% (male 1,408,334; female 1,529,542)
65 years and over: 10% (male 160,317; female 271,924) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.1% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 14.43 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 12.5 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.92 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female
total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 43.52 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 64.39 years
male: 59.76 years
female: 69.24 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.86 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Moldovan(s)
adjective: Moldovan

Ethnic groups: Moldavian/Romanian 64.5%, Ukrainian 13.8%, Russian
13%, Gagauz 3.5%, Jewish 1.5%, Bulgarian 2%, other 1.7% (1989 est.)
note: internal disputes with ethnic Russians in the Transdniester
region

Religions: Eastern Orthodox 98.5%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist (only
about 1,000 members) (1991)
note: the large majority of churchgoers are ethnic Moldovans

Languages: Moldovan (official, virtually the same as the Romanian
language), Russian, Gagauz (a Turkish dialect)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96%
male: 99%
female: 94% (1989 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Moldova
conventional short form: Moldova
local long form: Republica Moldova
local short form: none
former: Soviet Socialist Republic of Moldova; Moldavia

Data code: MD

Government type: republic

Capital: Chisinau

Administrative divisions: 40 raions (singular--raion) and 4
municipalities*; Anenii Noi, Balti*, Basarabeasca, Bender*, Briceni,
Cahul, Cainari, Calarasi, Camenca, Cantemir, Causeni, Ceadir-Lunga,
Chisinau*, Cimislia, Comrat, Criuleni, Donduseni, Drochia, Dubasari,
Edinet, Falesti, Floresti, Glodeni, Grigoriopol, Hincesti, Ialoveni,
Leova, Nisporeni, Ocnita, Orhei, Rezina, Ribnita, Riscani, Singerei,
Slobozia, Soldanesti, Soroca, Stefan-Voda, Straseni, Taraclia,
Telenesti, Tiraspol*, Ungheni, Vulcanesti
note: in accordance with the Law on Territorial Administrative
Reform, the 40 raions have been reorganized into 9 counties
(judets), one municipality*, and 2 territorial units**: Baltsi,
Cahul, Chisinau, Chisinau*, Dubossary district (Transnistria)**,
Edinets, Gagauzia**, Lapushna, Orhei, Soroca, Tighina, Ungheni; the
status of the Dubossary district is still under negotiation

Independence: 27 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day, 27 August 1991

Constitution: new constitution adopted 28 July 1994; replaces old
Soviet constitution of 1979

Legal system: based on civil law system; Constitutional Court
reviews legality of legislative acts and governmental decisions of
resolution; it is unclear if Moldova accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction but accepts many UN and Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) documents

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Petru LUCINSCHI (since 15 January 1997)
head of government: Prime Minister Ion CIUBUC (since 15 January
1997) and four deputy prime ministers
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
election last held 17 November 1996; runoff election 1 December 1996
(next to be held NA November 2000); following legislative elections,
the leader of the majority party or leader of the majority coalition
is usually elected prime minister by Parliament; names of deputy
prime ministers are submitted by the prime minister for acceptance
by the president
election results: Petru LUCINSCHI ran against Mircea SNEGUR and was
elected president; percent of vote--LUCINSCHI 54%, SNEGUR 46%; Prime
Minister Ion CIUBUC was appointed by the president 15 January 1997
and was elected by a parliamentary vote of 75-15 on 24 January 1997

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Parlamentul (101
seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve
four-year terms)
elections: last held 22 March 1998 (next to be held spring 2002)
election results: percent of vote by party--PCM 30%, CDM 19%, PMDP
18%, PFD 9%; seats by party--PCM 40, CDM 26, PMDP 24, PFD 11
note: the comparative breakdown of seats by faction is approximate

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: Communist Party or PCM [Vladimir
VORONIN, first chairman]; The Democratic Convention or CDM (includes
the Christian Democratic Popular Front or FPCD and the Party of
chairman]; Bloc for a Democratic and Prosperous Moldova or PMDP

Political pressure groups and leaders: The Ecology Movement of
president]; Liberal Convention of Moldova (now the Liberal Party);

International organization participation: ACCT, BIS, BSEC, CCC,
CE, CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC,
IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ceslav CIOBANU
chancery: 2101 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Rudolf Villem PERINA
embassy: Strada Alexei Mateevicie, #103, Chisinau 2009
mailing address: use embassy street address; pouch address--American
Embassy Chisinau, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-7080

Flag description: same color scheme as Romania--three equal
vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red; emblem in
center of flag is of a Roman eagle of gold outlined in black with a
red beak and talons carrying a yellow cross in its beak and a green
olive branch in its right talons and a yellow scepter in its left
talons; on its breast is a shield divided horizontally red over blue
with a stylized ox head, star, rose, and crescent all in
black-outlined yellow

Economy

Economy--overview: Moldova enjoys a favorable climate and good
farmland but has no major mineral deposits. As a result, the economy
depends heavily on agriculture, featuring fruits, vegetables, wine,
and tobacco. Moldova must import all of its supplies of oil, coal,
and natural gas, largely from Russia. Energy shortages contributed
to sharp production declines after the breakup of the Soviet Union
in 1991. The Moldovan Government has recently been making progress
on an ambitious economic reform agenda. As part of its reform
efforts, Moldova introduced a stable convertible currency, freed all
prices, stopped issuing preferential credits to state enterprises
and backed steady land privatization, removed export controls, and
freed interest rates. In 1998, the economic troubles of Russia, with
whom Moldova conducts 55% of its trade, was a major cause of the
8.6% drop in GDP. In 1999, the IMF resumed payment on Moldova's
Extended Fund Facility, which had been suspended since 1997. The IMF
intends to grant $135 million in 1999.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$10 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: -8.6% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$2,200 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 30%
industry: 29%
services: 41% (1997)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.7%
highest 10%: 25.8% (1992)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 18.3% (1998 est.)

Labor force: 1.7 million (1998)

Labor force--by occupation: agriculture 40.2%, industry 14.3%,
other 45.5% (1998)

Unemployment rate: 2% (includes only officially registered
unemployed; large numbers of underemployed workers) (September 1998)

Budget:
revenues: $536 million
expenditures: $594 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1998 est.)

Industries: food processing, agricultural machinery, foundry
equipment, refrigerators and freezers, washing machines, hosiery,
sugar, vegetable oil, shoes, textiles

Industrial production growth rate: -5% (1998 est.)

Electricity--production: 8.325 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 96.1%
hydro: 3.9%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 6.825 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 3.1 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 1.6 billion kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: vegetables, fruits, wine, grain, sugar
beets, sunflower seed, tobacco; beef, milk

Exports: $633 million (f.o.b., 1998)

Exports--commodities: foodstuffs, wine, tobacco, textiles and
footwear, machinery

Exports--partners: Russia 58%, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Belarus,
Romania, US, Germany, Italy (1997)

Imports: $1.02 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Imports--commodities: oil, gas, coal, steel, machinery, chemical
products, metals, metal products, foodstuffs, automobiles, other
consumer durables

Imports--partners: Russia 26%, Ukraine 20%, Belarus, Romania,
Germany, Italy (1997)

Debt--external: more than $1.2 billion (February 1999)

Economic aid--recipient: $100.8 million (1995); note?$547 million
from the IMF and World Bank (1992-99)

Currency: the Moldovan leu (MLD) (plural lei) was introduced in
late 1993

Exchange rates: lei (MLD) per US$1 (end of period)--8.3226
(December 1998), 8.3395 (1998), 4.6605 (1997), 4.6500 (1996), 4.4990
(1995), 4.2700 (1994); period average--4.6758 (January 1998), 4.6236
(1997), 4.6045 (1996), 4.4958 (1995)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 600,000 (1998 est.)

Telephone system: the Ministry of Information, Computers, and
Telecommunications controls telecommunications; the carrier is
Modtelecom
domestic: local--Chisinau has a fiber-optic loop and one cellular GSM
provider; the waiting list for telephones is long; local service
outside Chisinau is poor; intercity--Moldova's two fiber-optic
segments form a synchronous digital hierarchy ring through Romania's
system; an analog backbone system runs from south to north in Moldova
international: two fiber-optic segments provide connectivity to
Romania; worldwide service can be available to Moldova through this
infrastructure; additional analog lines are to Russia; Intelsat,
Eutelsat, and Intersputnik earth stations

Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 8, shortwave NA (1999)

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 1 national station, 3 private
stations, 15 small local stations outside Chisinau (1998)

Televisions: 93 televisions/100 people (1996)

Transportation

Railways:
total: 1,328 km
broad gauge: 1,328 km 1.520-m gauge (1992)

Highways:
total: 12,300 km
paved: 10,738 km
unpaved: 1,562 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: 424 km (1994)

Pipelines: natural gas 310 km (1992)

Ports and harbors: none

Airports: 26 (1994 est.)

Airports--with paved runways:
total: 8
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
under 914 m: 3 (1994 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 18
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 8 (1994 est.)

Military

Military branches: Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces,
Republic Security Forces (internal and border troops)

Military manpower--military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 1,151,674 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 908,347 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 38,666 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $6.3 million (FY99)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 1% (1999)

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: separatist Transdniester region,
comprising the area between the Nistru (Dniester) River and Ukraine,
has its own de facto government, dominated by Moldovan Slavs

Illicit drugs: limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis,
mostly for CIS consumption; transshipment point for illicit drugs
from Southwest Asia via Central Asia to Russia, Western Europe and
possibly the United States

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

@Monaco ------

Geography

Location: Western Europe, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, on the
southern coast of France, near the border with Italy

Geographic coordinates: 43 44 N, 7 24 E

Map references: Europe

Area:
total: 1.95 sq km
land: 1.95 sq km
water: 0 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
total: 4.4 km
border countries: France 4.4 km

Coastline: 4.1 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: Mediterranean with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers

Terrain: hilly, rugged, rocky

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mont Agel 140 m

Natural resources: none

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 100% (urban area)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: NA

Environment--current issues: NA

Environment--international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography--note: second smallest independent state in world (after
Holy See); almost entirely urban

People

Population: 32,149 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 17% (male 2,723; female 2,645)
15-64 years: 64% (male 10,014; female 10,530)
65 years and over: 19% (male 2,302; female 3,935) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.31% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 10.7 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 11.79 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 4.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female
total population: 0.88 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 6.47 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.58 years
male: 75 years
female: 82.35 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.7 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Monegasque(s) or Monacan(s)
adjective: Monegasque or Monacan

Ethnic groups: French 47%, Monegasque 16%, Italian 16%, other 21%

Religions: Roman Catholic 95%

Languages: French (official), English, Italian, Monegasque

Literacy: NA

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Principality of Monaco
conventional short form: Monaco
local long form: Principaute de Monaco
local short form: Monaco

Data code: MN

Government type: constitutional monarchy

Capital: Monaco

Administrative divisions: none; there are no first-order
administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there
are four quarters (quartiers, singular--quartier); Fontvieille, La
Condamine, Monaco-Ville, Monte-Carlo

Independence: 1419 (beginning of the rule by the House of
Grimaldi)

National holiday: National Day, 19 November

Constitution: 17 December 1962

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

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Prince RAINIER III (since 9 May 1949); Heir Apparent
Prince ALBERT Alexandre Louis Pierre, son of the monarch (born 14
March 1958)
head of government: Minister of State Michel LEVEQUE (since 3
February 1997)
cabinet: Council of Government is under the authority of the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; minister of state
appointed by the monarch from a list of three French national
candidates presented by the French Government

Legislative branch: unicameral National Council or Conseil
National (18 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms)
elections: last held 1 and 8 February 1998 (next to be held NA
January 2003)
election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by
party--National and Democratic Union 18

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Tribunal Supreme, judges named
by the monarch on the basis of nominations by the National Council

Political parties and leaders: National and Democratic Union or

International organization participation: ACCT, ECE, IAEA, ICAO,
ICRM, IFRCS, IHO, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW,
OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US: Monaco does not have an
embassy in the US
consulate(s): New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an
embassy in Monaco; the US Consul General in Marseille (France) is
accredited to Monaco

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and
white; similar to the flag of Indonesia which is longer and the flag
of Poland which is white (top) and red

Economy

Economy--overview: Monaco, situated on the French Mediterranean
coast, is a popular resort, attracting tourists to its casino and
pleasant climate. The Principality has successfully sought to
diversify into services and small, high-value-added, nonpolluting
industries. The state has no income tax and low business taxes and
thrives as a tax haven both for individuals who have established
residence and for foreign companies that have set up businesses and
offices. The state retains monopolies in a number of sectors,
including tobacco, the telephone network, and the postal service.
About 55% of Monaco's annual revenue comes from value-added taxes on
hotels, banks, and the industrial sector. Living standards are high,
roughly comparable to those in prosperous French metropolitan areas.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$800 million (1996 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: NA%

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$25,000 (1996 est.)

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

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

Labor force: 30,540 (January 1994)

Unemployment rate: 3.1% (1994)

Budget:
revenues: $518 million
expenditures: $531 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1995)

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity--production: NA kWh

Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: NA%
hydro: NA%
nuclear: NA%
other: NA%

Electricity--consumption: NA kWh

Electricity--exports: NA kWh

Electricity--imports: NA kWh

Agriculture--products: none

Exports: $NA; full customs integration with France, which
collects and rebates Monegasque trade duties; also participates in
EU market system through customs union with France

Imports: $NA; full customs integration with France, which
collects and rebates Monegasque trade duties; also participates in
EU market system through customs union with France

Debt--external: $NA

Economic aid--recipient: $NA

Currency: 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes

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

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 53,180 (1994 est.)

Telephone system: automatic telephone system
domestic: NA
international: no satellite earth stations; connected by cable into
the French communications system

Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 0

Radios: 33,000 (1994 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 5 (1997)

Televisions: 24,000 (1994 est.)

Transportation

Railways:
total: 1.7 km
standard gauge: 1.7 km 1.435-m gauge

Highways:
total: 50 km
paved: 50 km
unpaved: 0 km (1996 est.)

Ports and harbors: Monaco

Merchant marine: none

Airports: linked to airport in Nice, France, by helicopter service

Military

Military--note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: none

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

@Mongolia --------

Geography

Location: Northern Asia, between China and Russia

Geographic coordinates: 46 00 N, 105 00 E

Map references: Asia

Area:
total: 1.565 million sq km
land: 1.565 million sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Alaska

Land boundaries:
total: 8,114 km
border countries: China 4,673 km, Russia 3,441 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: desert; continental (large daily and seasonal
temperature ranges)

Terrain: vast semidesert and desert plains; mountains in west and
southwest; Gobi Desert in southeast

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Hoh Nuur 518 m
highest point: Tavan Bogd Uul 4,374 m

Natural resources: oil, coal, copper, molybdenum, tungsten,
phosphates, tin, nickel, zinc, wolfram, fluorspar, gold

Land use:
arable land: 1%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 80%
forests and woodland: 9%
other: 10% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 800 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: dust storms can occur in the spring; grassland
fires

Environment--current issues: limited natural fresh water
resources; policies of the former communist regime promoting rapid
urbanization and industrial growth have raised concerns about their
negative effects on the environment; the burning of soft coal and
the concentration of factories in Ulaanbaatar have severely polluted
the air; deforestation, overgrazing, the converting of virgin land
to agricultural production have increased soil erosion from wind and
rain; desertification; mining activities have also had a deleterious
effect on the environment

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

Geography--note: landlocked; strategic location between China and
Russia

People

Population: 2,617,379 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 36% (male 480,087; female 464,609)
15-64 years: 60% (male 787,222; female 787,405)
65 years and over: 4% (male 42,219; female 55,837) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.45% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 22.51 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 7.97 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: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 64.63 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 61.81 years
male: 59.71 years
female: 64.02 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.6 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Mongolian(s)
adjective: Mongolian

Ethnic groups: Mongol 90%, Kazakh 4%, Chinese 2%, Russian 2%,
other 2%

Religions: predominantly Tibetan Buddhist, Muslim 4%
note: previously limited religious activity because of communist
regime

Languages: Khalkha Mongol 90%, Turkic, Russian, Chinese

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 82.9%
male: 88.6%
female: 77.2% (1988 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Mongolia
local long form: none
local short form: Mongol Uls
former: Outer Mongolia

Data code: MG

Government type: republic

Capital: Ulaanbaatar

Administrative divisions: 18 provinces (aymguud, singular--aymag)
and 3 municipalities* (hotuud, singular--hot); Arhangay, Bayanhongor,
Bayan-Olgiy, Bulgan, Darhan*, Dornod, Dornogovi, Dundgovi, Dzavhan,
Erdenet*, Govi-Altay, Hentiy, Hovd, Hovsgol, Omnogovi, Ovorhangay,
Selenge, Suhbaatar, Tov, Ulaanbaatar*, Uvs

Independence: 13 March 1921 (from China)

National holiday: National Day, 11 July (1921)

Constitution: 12 February 1992

Legal system: blend of Russian, Chinese, and Turkish systems of
law; no constitutional provision for judicial review of legislative
acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Natsagiyn BAGABANDI (since 20 June 1997)
head of government: Prime Minister Janlavyn NARANTSATSRALT (since 9
December 1998)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the State Great Hural in consultation
with the president
elections: president nominated by parties in the State Great Hural
and elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held
18 May 1997 (next to be held summer 2001); following legislative
elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition is
usually elected prime minister by the State Great Hural
election results: Natsagiyn BAGABANDI elected president; percent of
vote--Natsagiyn BAGABANDI (MPRP) 60.8%, Punsalmaagiyn OCHIRBAT (MNDP
and MSDP) 29.8%, Jambyn GOMBOJAV (MUTP) 6.6%; following five months
of political deadlock which left Mongolia without a working
government, Janlavyn NARANTSATSRALT was elected prime minister on 9
December 1998 by a vote in the State Great Hural of 36 to 21, with
nine abstentions and 10 absentees

Legislative branch: unicameral State Great Hural (76 seats;
members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 30 June 1996 (next to be held NA June 2000)
election results: percent of vote by party--DUC 66%, MPRP 33%, MCP
1%; seats by party--DUC 50 (MNDP 34, MSDP 13, independents 3), MPRP
25, MCP 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, serves as appeals court for
people's and provincial courts, but to date rarely overturns
verdicts of lower courts, judges are nominated by the General
Council of Courts for approval by the State Great Hural

Political parties and leaders: Mongolian People's Revolutionary
chairman], Mongolian Social Democratic Party or MSDP

International organization participation: AsDB, ASEAN (observer),
CCC, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, OPCW,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jalbuugiyn CHOINHOR
chancery: 2833 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007
consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Alphonse F. LA PORTA
embassy: inner north side of the Big Ring, just west of the Selbe
Gol, Ulaanbaatar
mailing address: c/o American Embassy Beijing, Micro Region 11, Big
Ring Road, C.P.O. 1021, Ulaanbaatar 13; PSC 461, Box 300, FPO AP
96521-0002

Flag description: three equal, vertical bands of red (hoist
side), blue, and red; centered on the hoist-side red band in yellow
is the national emblem ("soyombo"--a columnar arrangement of abstract
and geometric representation for fire, sun, moon, earth, water, and
the yin-yang symbol)

Economy

Economy--overview: The government has embraced free-market
economics, freezing spending, easing price controls, liberalizing
domestic and international trade. Mongolia's severe climate,
scattered population, and wide expanses of unproductive land,
however, have constrained economic development. Economic activity
traditionally has been based on agriculture and the breeding of
livestock. In past years, extensive mineral resources had been
developed with Soviet support; total Soviet assistance at its height
amounted to 30% of GDP, but disappeared almost overnight in 1990-91.
The mining and processing of coal, copper, molybdenum, tin,
tungsten, and gold account for a large part of industrial
production. The Mongolian leadership has been soliciting support
from foreign donors and economic growth picked up in 1997 and 1998
after stalling in 1996 due to a series of natural disasters and
declines in world prices of copper and cashmere. Mongolia joined the
World Trade Organization in 1997.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$5.8 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 3.5% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$2,250 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 31%
industry: 35%
services: 34% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line: 36.3% (1995 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.9%
highest 10%: 24.5% (1995)

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

Labor force: 1.115 million (mid-1993 est.)

Labor force--by occupation: primarily herding/agricultural

Unemployment rate: 4.5% (1998)

Budget:
revenues: $260 million (1998)
expenditures: $330 million (1998)

Industries: copper, construction materials, mining (particularly
coal); food and beverage, processing of animal products

Industrial production growth rate: 4.5% (1997 est.)

Electricity--production: 2.3 billion kWh (1996)

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

Electricity--consumption: 2.681 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 381 million kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: wheat, barley, potatoes, forage crops;
sheep, goats, cattle, camels, horses

Exports: $316.8 million (f.o.b., 1998)

Exports--commodities: copper, livestock, animal products,
cashmere, wool, hides, fluorspar, other nonferrous metals

Exports--partners: China 30.1%, Switzerland 21.5%, Russia 12.1%,
South Korea 9.7%, US 8.1% (1998)

Imports: $472.4 million (f.o.b., 1998)

Imports--commodities: machinery and equipment, fuels, food
products, industrial consumer goods, chemicals, building materials,
sugar, tea

Imports--partners: Russia 30.6%, China 13.3%, Japan 11.7%, South
Korea 7.5%, US 6.9% (1998)

Debt--external: $500 million (1996 est.)

Economic aid--recipient: $250 million (1998 est.)

Currency: 1 tughrik (Tug) = 100 mongos

Exchange rates: tughriks (Tug) per US$1--902 (January 1999),
840.83 (1998), 789.99 (1997), 548.40 (1996), 448.61 (1995), 412.72
(1994)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 93,600 (1998)

Telephone system:
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station--1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean
Region)