Chapter V (33)

Disputes--international: territorial claim in Antarctica (Queen
Maud Land); Svalbard is the focus of a maritime boundary dispute in
the Barents Sea between Norway and Russia

Illicit drugs: minor transshipment point for drugs shipped via
the CIS and Baltic states for the European market; increasing
domestic consumption of cannabis and amphetamines

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

@Oman ----

Geography

Location: Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman,
and Persian Gulf, between Yemen and UAE

Geographic coordinates: 21 00 N, 57 00 E

Map references: Middle East

Area:
total: 212,460 sq km
land: 212,460 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Kansas

Land boundaries:
total: 1,374 km
border countries: Saudi Arabia 676 km, UAE 410 km, Yemen 288 km

Coastline: 2,092 km

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

Climate: dry desert; hot, humid along coast; hot, dry interior;
strong southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south

Terrain: vast central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and
south

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m
highest point: Jabal Shams 2,980 m

Natural resources: petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble,
limestone, chromium, gypsum, natural gas

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 5%
forests and woodland: NA%
other: 95% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 580 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: summer winds often raise large sandstorms and
dust storms in interior; periodic droughts

Environment--current issues: rising soil salinity; beach pollution
from oil spills; very limited natural fresh water resources

Environment--international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous
Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ship Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography--note: strategic location with small foothold on
Musandam Peninsula adjacent to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit
point for world crude oil

People

Population: 2,446,645 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 41% (male 508,681; female 489,453)
15-64 years: 57% (male 856,062; female 535,123)
65 years and over: 2% (male 30,083; female 27,243) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.45% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 37.98 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 4.29 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.84 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: 1.6 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.1 male(s)/female
total population: 1.33 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 24.71 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.3 years
male: 69.31 years
female: 73.39 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.11 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Omani(s)
adjective: Omani

Ethnic groups: Arab, Baluchi, South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri
Lankan, Bangladeshi), African

Religions: Ibadhi Muslim 75%, Sunni Muslim, Shi'a Muslim, Hindu

Languages: Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Urdu, Indian
dialects

Literacy:
definition: NA
total population: approaching 80%
male: NA%
female: NA%

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Sultanate of Oman
conventional short form: Oman
local long form: Saltanat Uman
local short form: Uman

Data code: MU

Government type: monarchy

Capital: Muscat

Administrative divisions: 6 regions (mintaqat, singular--mintaqah)
and 2 governorates* (muhafazat, singular--muhafazah) Ad Dakhiliyah,
Al Batinah, Al Wusta, Ash Sharqiyah, Az Zahirah, Masqat, Musandam*,
Zufar*

Independence: 1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese)

National holiday: National Day, 18 November (1940)

Constitution: none; note--on 6 November 1996, Sultan QABOOS issued
a royal decree promulgating a new basic law which, among other
things, clarifies the royal succession, provides for a prime
minister, bars ministers from holding interests in companies doing
business with the government, establishes a bicameral Omani council,
and guarantees basic civil liberties for Omani citizens

Legal system: based on English common law and Islamic law;
ultimate appeal to the monarch; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction

Suffrage: limited to approximately 50,000 Omanis chosen by the
government to vote in elections for the Majlis ash-Shura

Executive branch:
chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said Al Said
(since 23 July 1970); note--the monarch is both the chief of state
and head of government
head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said Al
Said (since 23 July 1970); note--the monarch is both the chief of
state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary

Legislative branch: bicameral Majlis Oman consists of an upper
chamber or Majlis ad-Dawla (41 seats; members appointed by the
monarch; has advisory powers only) and a lower chamber or Majlis
ash-Shura (82 seats; members elected by limited suffrage, however,
the monarch makes final selections and can negate election results;
body has some limited power to propose legislation, but otherwise
has only advisory powers)
elections: last held NA October 1997 (next to be held NA 2000)
election results: NA

Judicial branch: none; traditional Islamic judges and a nascent
civil court system, administered by region

Political parties and leaders: none

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF,
ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent),
ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Abdallah bin Muhammad bin Aqil al-DHAHAB
chancery: 2535 Belmont Road, NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador John D. CRAIG
embassy: Jameat A'Duwal Al Arabiya Street, Al Khuwair area, Muscat
mailing address: international: P. O. Box 202, Code No. 115, Medinat
Qaboos, Muscat

Flag description: three horizontal bands of white, red, and green
of equal width with a broad, vertical, red band on the hoist side;
the national emblem (a khanjar dagger in its sheath superimposed on
two crossed swords in scabbards) in white is centered at the top of
the vertical band

Economy

Economy--overview: Economic performance is closely tied to the
fortunes of the oil industry. Petroleum accounts for 75% of export
earnings and government revenues and for roughly 40% of GDP. Oman
has proved oil reserves of 4 billion barrels, equivalent to about 20
years' production at the current rate of extraction. Agriculture is
carried on at a subsistence level and the general population depends
on imported food. The government is encouraging private investment,
both domestic and foreign, as a prime force for further economic
development. In 1998-99 the economy is suffering from weak world oil
prices.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$18.6 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: -8.5% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$7,900 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 2%
industry: 50%
services: 48% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): -0.2% (1997 est.)

Labor force: 850,000 (1997 est.)

Labor force--by occupation: NA

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget:
revenues: $4 billion
expenditures: $5.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1999 budget est.)

Industries: crude oil production and refining, natural gas
production, construction, cement, copper

Industrial production growth rate: 2% (1997 est.)

Electricity--production: 8 billion kWh (1996)

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

Electricity--consumption: 8 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: dates, limes, bananas, alfalfa, vegetables;
camels, cattle; fish

Exports: $7.6 billion (f.o.b., 1997)

Exports--commodities: petroleum, reexports, fish, metals, textiles

Exports--partners: Japan 26%, China 19%, Thailand 19%, South Korea
14%, US 4% (1997)

Imports: $4 billion (f.o.b., 1997)

Imports--commodities: machinery, transportation equipment,
manufactured goods, food, livestock, lubricants

Imports--partners: UAE 23% (largely reexports), Japan 16%, UK 14%,
US 8%, Germany 5% (1997)

Debt--external: $3 billion (1997 est.)

Economic aid--recipient: $76.4 million (1995)

Currency: 1 Omani rial (RO) = 1,000 baiza

Exchange rates: Omani rials (RO) per US$1--0.3845 (fixed rate
since 1986)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 150,000 (1994 est.)

Telephone system: modern system consisting of open wire,
microwave, and radiotelephone communication stations; limited
coaxial cable
domestic: open wire, microwave, radiotelephone communications, and a
domestic satellite system with 8 earth stations
international: satellite earth stations--2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
and 1 Arabsat

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 1

Radios: 1.043 million (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 13 (in addition, there are 25
low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 1.195 million (1992 est.)

Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways:
total: 32,800 km
paved: 9,840 km (including 550 km of expressways)
unpaved: 22,960 km (1996 est.)

Pipelines: crude oil 1,300 km; natural gas 1,030 km

Ports and harbors: Matrah, Mina' al Fahl, Mina' Raysut

Merchant marine:
total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 16,306 GRT/8,210 DWT
ships by type: cargo 1, passenger 1, passenger-cargo 1 (1998 est.)

Airports: 143 (1998 est.)

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

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 137
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 58
914 to 1,523 m: 36
under 914 m: 35 (1998 est.)

Heliports: 1 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary (includes
Royal Oman Police)

Military manpower--military age: 14 years of age

Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 752,637 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 420,361 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: NA

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $1.672 billion (1998)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 11.1% (1998)

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: southern boundary with the United Arab
Emirates has not been bilaterally defined; northern section in the
Musandam Peninsula is an administrative boundary

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

@Pacific Ocean -------------

Geography

Location: body of water between Antarctica, Asia, Australia, and
the Western Hemisphere

Geographic coordinates: 0 00 N, 160 00 W

Map references: World

Area:
total: 165.384 million sq km
note: includes Bali Sea, Bellingshausen Sea, Bering Sea, Bering
Strait, Coral Sea, East China Sea, Flores Sea, Gulf of Alaska, Gulf
of Tonkin, Java Sea, Philippine Sea, Ross Sea, Savu Sea, Sea of
Japan, Sea of Okhotsk, South China Sea, Tasman Sea, Timor Sea, and
other tributary water bodies

Area--comparative: about 18 times the size of the US; the largest
ocean (followed by the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean, and the
Arctic Ocean); covers about one-third of the global surface; larger
than the total land area of the world

Coastline: 135,663 km

Climate: planetary air pressure systems and resultant wind
patterns exhibit remarkable uniformity in the south and east; trade
winds and westerly winds are well-developed patterns, modified by
seasonal fluctuations; tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south
of Mexico from June to October and affect Mexico and Central
America; continental influences cause climatic uniformity to be much
less pronounced in the eastern and western regions at the same
latitude in the North Pacific Ocean; the western Pacific is
monsoonal--a rainy season occurs during the summer months, when
moisture-laden winds blow from the ocean over the land, and a dry
season during the winter months, when dry winds blow from the Asian
landmass back to the ocean; tropical cyclones (typhoons) may strike
southeast and east Asia from May to December

Terrain: surface currents in the northern Pacific are dominated
by a clockwise, warm-water gyre (broad circular system of currents)
and in the southern Pacific by a counterclockwise, cool-water gyre;
in the northern Pacific, sea ice forms in the Bering Sea and Sea of
Okhotsk in winter; in the southern Pacific, sea ice from Antarctica
reaches its northernmost extent in October; the ocean floor in the
eastern Pacific is dominated by the East Pacific Rise, while the
western Pacific is dissected by deep trenches, including the Mariana
Trench, which is the world's deepest

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench -10,924 m
highest point: sea level 0 m

Natural resources: oil and gas fields, polymetallic nodules, sand
and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, fish

Natural hazards: surrounded by a zone of violent volcanic and
earthquake activity sometimes referred to as the "Pacific Ring of
Fire"; subject to tropical cyclones (typhoons) in southeast and east
Asia from May to December (most frequent from July to October);
tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of Mexico and strike
Central America and Mexico from June to October (most common in
August and September); southern shipping lanes subject to icebergs
from Antarctica; cyclical El Nino phenomenon occurs off the coast of
Peru, when the trade winds slacken and the warm Equatorial
countercurrent moves south, killing the plankton that is the primary
food source for anchovies; consequently, the anchovies move to
better feeding grounds, causing resident marine birds to starve by
the thousands because of the loss of their food source; ships
subject to superstructure icing in extreme north from October to May
and in extreme south from May to October; persistent fog in the
northern Pacific can be a maritime hazard from June to December

Environment--current issues: endangered marine species include the
dugong, sea lion, sea otter, seals, turtles, and whales; oil
pollution in Philippine Sea and South China Sea

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

Geography--note: the major chokepoints are the Bering Strait,
Panama Canal, Luzon Strait, and the Singapore Strait; the Equator
divides the Pacific Ocean into the North Pacific Ocean and the South
Pacific Ocean; dotted with low coral islands and rugged volcanic
islands in the southwestern Pacific Ocean

Government

Data code: none; the US Government has not approved a standard
for hydrographic codes--see the Cross-Reference List of Hydrographic
Codes appendix

Economy

Economy--overview: The Pacific Ocean is a major contributor to the
world economy and particularly to those nations its waters directly
touch. It provides low-cost sea transportation between East and
West, extensive fishing grounds, offshore oil and gas fields,
minerals, and sand and gravel for the construction industry. In
1996, over 60% of the world's fish catch came from the Pacific
Ocean. Exploitation of offshore oil and gas reserves is playing an
ever-increasing role in the energy supplies of Australia, NZ, China,
US, and Peru. The high cost of recovering offshore oil and gas,
combined with the wide swings in world prices for oil since 1985,
has slowed but not stopped new drillings.

Communications

Telephone system:
international: several submarine cables with network nodal points on
Guam and Hawaii

Transportation

Ports and harbors: Bangkok (Thailand), Hong Kong, Kao-hsiung
(Taiwan), Los Angeles (US), Manila (Philippines), Pusan (South
Korea), San Francisco (US), Seattle (US), Shanghai (China),
Singapore, Sydney (Australia), Vladivostok (Russia), Wellington
(NZ), Yokohama (Japan)

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: some maritime disputes (see littoral
states)

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

@Pakistan --------

Geography

Location: Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea, between India
on the east and Iran and Afghanistan on the west and China in the
north

Geographic coordinates: 30 00 N, 70 00 E

Map references: Asia

Area:
total: 803,940 sq km
land: 778,720 sq km
water: 25,220 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
total: 6,774 km
border countries: Afghanistan 2,430 km, China 523 km, India 2,912
km, Iran 909 km

Coastline: 1,046 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: mostly hot, dry desert; temperate in northwest; arctic
in north

Terrain: flat Indus plain in east; mountains in north and
northwest; Balochistan plateau in west

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: K2 (Mt. Godwin-Austen) 8,611 m

Natural resources: land, extensive natural gas reserves, limited
petroleum, poor quality coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone

Land use:
arable land: 27%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 6%
forests and woodland: 5%
other: 61% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 171,100 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe
especially in north and west; flooding along the Indus after heavy
rains (July and August)

Environment--current issues: water pollution from raw sewage,
industrial wastes, and agricultural runoff; limited natural fresh
water resources; a majority of the population does not have access
to potable water; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification

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, Ship Pollution,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography--note: controls Khyber Pass and Bolan Pass, traditional
invasion routes between Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent

People

Population: 138,123,359 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 41% (male 29,423,876; female 27,763,774)
15-64 years: 55% (male 38,533,918; female 36,804,592)
65 years and over: 4% (male 2,768,942; female 2,828,257) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.18% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 33.51 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 10.45 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 91.86 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 59.38 years
male: 58.49 years
female: 60.3 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.73 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Pakistani(s)
adjective: Pakistani

Ethnic groups: Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashtun (Pathan), Baloch, Muhajir
(immigrants from India and their descendants)

Religions: Muslim 97% (Sunni 77%, Shi'a 20%), Christian, Hindu,
and other 3%

Languages: Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%, Siraiki (a Punjabi variant)
10%, Pashtu 8%, Urdu (official) 8%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2%, Brahui
1%, English (official and lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most
government ministries), Burushaski, and other 8%

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 37.8%
male: 50%
female: 24.4% (1995 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Pakistan
conventional short form: Pakistan
former: West Pakistan

Data code: PK

Government type: federal republic

Capital: Islamabad

Administrative divisions: 4 provinces, 1 territory*, and 1
capital territory**; Balochistan, Federally Administered Tribal
Areas*, Islamabad Capital Territory**, North-West Frontier, Punjab,
Sindh
note: the Pakistani-administered portion of the disputed Jammu and
Kashmir region includes Azad Kashmir and the Northern Areas

Independence: 14 August 1947 (from UK)

National holiday: Pakistan Day, 23 March (1956) (proclamation of
the republic)

Constitution: 10 April 1973, suspended 5 July 1977, restored with
amendments 30 December 1985

Legal system: based on English common law with provisions to
accommodate Pakistan's status as an Islamic state; accepts
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal; separate electorates and
reserved parliamentary seats for non-Muslims

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Mohammad Rafiq TARAR (since 31 December
1997)
head of government: Prime Minister Mohammad Nawaz SHARIF (since 17
February 1997)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister
elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term;
election last held 31 December 1997 (next to be held no later than 1
January 2003); following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually elected
prime minister by the National Assembly; election last held 3
February 1997 (next to be held NA February 2002)
election results: Mohammad Rafiq TARAR elected president; percent of
Parliament and provincial vote--NA; Mohammad Nawaz SHARIF elected
prime minister; percent of National Assembly vote--NA

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Majlis-e-Shoora
consists of the Senate (87 seats; members indirectly elected by
provincial assemblies to serve six-year terms; one-third of the
members up for election every two years) and the National Assembly
(217 seats--10 represent non-Muslims; members elected by popular vote
to serve five-year terms)
elections: Senate--last held 12 March 1997 (next to be held NA March
1999); National Assembly--last held 3 February 1997 (next to be held
NA February 2002)
election results: Senate--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by
party--PML/N 30, PPP 17, ANP 7, MQM/A 6, JWP 5, BNP 4, JUI/F 2, PML/J
2, BNM/M 1, PKMAP 1, TJP 1, independents 6, vacant 5; National
Assembly--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--PML/N 137, PPP
18, MQM/A 12, ANP 10, BNP 3, JWP 2, JUI/F 2, PPP/SB 1, NPP 1,
independents 21, minorities 10

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judicial chiefs are appointed by
the president; Federal Islamic (Shari'a) Court

Political parties and leaders:
government: Pakistan Muslim League, Nawaz Sharif faction or PML/N
frequently shifting: Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan, Niazi faction or
Milli Yakjheti Council or MYC is an umbrella organization which
Ulema-i-Islam, Sami-ul-Haq faction or JUI/S, Tehrik-I-Jafria
Noorani faction or JUP/NO
note: political alliances in Pakistan can shift frequently;
subsequent to the election Jamiat Ulema-i-Islami, Fazlur Rehman
group or JUI/F was disbanded

Political pressure groups and leaders: military remains important
political force; ulema (clergy), landowners, industrialists, and
small merchants also influential

International organization participation: AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ECO,
ESCAP, FAO, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUA, NAM, OAS (observer),
OIC, OPCW, PCA, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM,
UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNOMIG, UNOMIL, UNOMSIL, UNPREDEP, UPU, WCL,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Riaz Hussain KHOKHAR
chancery: 2315 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador William MILAM
embassy: Diplomatic Enclave, Ramna 5, Islamabad
mailing address: P. O. Box 1048, Unit 62200, APO AE 09812-2200
consulate(s) general: Karachi
consulate(s): Lahore, Peshawar

Flag description: green with a vertical white band (symbolizing
the role of religious minorities) on the hoist side; a large white
crescent and star are centered in the green field; the crescent,
star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam

Economy

Economy--overview: Pakistan continues to suffer through a damaging
foreign exchange crisis--stemming from years of loose fiscal policies
that have exacerbated inflation and allowed public debt to explode.
After accruing more than $1.5 billion in debt arrears in the first
six months of FY98/99, Pakistani officials approached multilateral
creditors requesting balance-of-payments relief and structural
support. In January 1999, Islamabad received more than $1 billion in
loans along with $3 billion in debt relief following the Finance
Minister DAR's pledge to implement an economic reform program to
reduce the budget deficit, deepen the financial sector, and broaden
the industrial base. Although the economy has shown signs of
improvement following implementation of some corrective measures,
Prime Minister SHARIF--historically--has failed to implement the tough
structural reforms necessary for sustained, longer-term growth. The
government must also cope with long-standing economic
vulnerabilities--inadequate infrastructure and low levels of literacy.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$270 billion (1998 est.)

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

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$2,000 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 24.2%
industry: 26.4%
services: 49.4% (1997)

Population below poverty line: 34% (1991 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.4%
highest 10%: 25.2% (1991)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7.8% (FY97/98)

Labor force: 37.8 million (1998)
note: extensive export of labor, mostly to the Middle East, and use
of child labor

Labor force--by occupation: agriculture 47%, mining and
manufacturing 17%, services 17%, other 19%

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget:
revenues: $10.8 billion
expenditures: $12 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY96/97)

Industries: textiles, food processing, beverages, construction
materials, clothing, paper products, shrimp

Industrial production growth rate: 2% (FY97/98)

Electricity--production: 59.336 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 57.3%
hydro: 42.13%
nuclear: 0.57%
other: 0% (1997)

Electricity--consumption: 59.336 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: cotton, wheat, rice, sugarcane, fruits,
vegetables; milk, beef, mutton, eggs

Exports: $8.5 billion (FY97/98)

Exports--commodities: cotton, textiles, clothing, rice, leather,
carpets

Exports--partners: EU, US, Hong Kong, Japan

Imports: $10.1 billion (FY97/98)

Imports--commodities: petroleum, petroleum products, machinery,
transportation equipment, vegetable oils, animal fats, chemicals

Imports--partners: EU, Japan, US, China

Debt--external: $34 billion (1998 est.)

Economic aid--recipient: $2 billion (FY97/98)

Currency: 1 Pakistani rupee (PRe) = 100 paisa

Exchange rates: Pakistani rupees (PRs) per US$1--46.000 (January
1999), 45.033 (1998), 41.086 (1997), 36.056 (1996), 31.623 (1995),
30.548 (1994); note--annual average of official rate; parallel market
rate is higher

Fiscal year: 1 July--30 June

Communications

Telephones: 2.828 million (1998)

Telephone system: the domestic system is mediocre, but improving;
service is adequate for government and business use, in part because
major businesses have established their own private systems; since
1988, the government has promoted investment in the national
telecommunications system on a priority basis, significantly
increasing network capacity; despite major improvements in trunk and
urban systems, telecommunication services are still not readily
available to the majority of the rural population
domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable,
cellular, and satellite
international: satellite earth stations--3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean
and 2 Indian Ocean); 3 operational international gateway exchanges
(1 at Karachi and 2 at Islamabad); microwave radio relay to
neighboring countries

Radio broadcast stations: AM 26, FM 3, shortwave 18 (1998 est.)

Radios: 10.2 million (1998 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 22 (in addition, there are seven
low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 2.08 million (1998 est.)

Transportation

Railways:
total: 8,163 km
broad gauge: 7,718 km 1.676-m gauge (293 km electrified; 1,037 km
double track)
narrow gauge: 445 km 1.000-m gauge (1996 est.)

Highways:
total: 224,774 km
paved: 128,121 km
unpaved: 96,653 km (1996 est.)

Pipelines: crude oil 250 km; petroleum products 885 km; natural
gas 4,044 km (1987)

Ports and harbors: Karachi, Port Muhammad bin Qasim

Merchant marine:
total: 23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 384,304 GRT/619,668 DWT
ships by type: bulk 4, cargo 15, container 3, oil tanker 1 (1998
est.)

Airports: 116 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways:
total: 80
over 3,047 m: 11
2,438 to 3,047 m: 20
1,524 to 2,437 m: 31
914 to 1,523 m: 15
under 914 m: 3 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 36
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m: 18 (1998 est.)

Heliports: 7 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Civil Armed Forces,
National Guard

Military manpower--military age: 17 years of age

Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 33,496,712 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 20,519,762 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 1,553,310 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $2.48 billion (FY98/99)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 4.4% (FY98/99)

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: status of Kashmir with India;
water-sharing problems with India over the Indus River (Wular
Barrage)

Illicit drugs: producer of illicit opium and hashish for the
international drug trade (poppy cultivation in 1998--3,030 hectares,
a 26% drop from 1997 because of eradication and alternative
development); limited center for processing Afghan heroin; key
transit area for Southwest Asian heroin moving to Western markets;
narcotics still move from Afghanistan into Baluchistan Province

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

@Palau -----

Geography

Location: Oceania, group of islands in the North Pacific Ocean,
southeast of the Philippines

Geographic coordinates: 7 30 N, 134 30 E

Map references: Oceania

Area:
total: 458 sq km
land: 458 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly more than 2.5 times the size of
Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 1,519 km

Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
extended fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 3 nm

Climate: wet season May to November; hot and humid

Terrain: varying geologically from the high, mountainous main
island of Babelthuap to low, coral islands usually fringed by large
barrier reefs

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Ngerchelchauus 242 m

Natural resources: forests, minerals (especially gold), 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: inadequate facilities for disposal of
solid waste; threats to the marine ecosystem from sand and coral
dredging, illegal fishing practices, and overfishing

Environment--international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Law of the Sea
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography--note: includes World War II battleground of Beliliou
(Peleliu) and world-famous rock islands; archipelago of six island
groups totaling over 200 islands in the Caroline chain

People

Population: 18,467 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 27% (male 2,595; female 2,446)
15-64 years: 68% (male 6,867; female 5,675)
65 years and over: 5% (male 416; female 468) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.94% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 21.55 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 7.74 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 5.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.21 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
total population: 1.15 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 18.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 67.75 years
male: 64.69 years
female: 70.98 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.66 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Palauan(s)
adjective: Palauan

Ethnic groups: Palauans are a composite of Polynesian, Malayan,
and Melanesian races

Religions: Christian (Catholics, Seventh-Day Adventists,
Jehovah's Witnesses, the Assembly of God, the Liebenzell Mission,
and Latter-Day Saints), Modekngei religion (one-third of the
population observes this religion which is indigenous to Palau)

Languages: English (official in all of Palau's 16 states),
Sonsorolese (official in the state of Sonsoral), Angaur and Japanese
(in the state of Anguar), Tobi (in the state of Tobi), Palauan (in
the other 13 states)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92%
male: 93%
female: 90% (1980 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Palau
conventional short form: Palau
local long form: Beluu er a Belau
local short form: Belau
former: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands

Data code: PS

Government type: constitutional government in free association
with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 1
October 1994

Capital: Koror
note: a new capital is being built about 20 km northeast of Koror

Administrative divisions: 18 states; Aimeliik, Airai, Angaur,
Hatobohei, Kayangel, Koror, Melekeok, Ngaraard, Ngarchelong,
Ngardmau, Ngatpang, Ngchesar, Ngeremlengui, Ngiwal, Palau Island,
Peleliu, Sonsoral, Tobi

Independence: 1 October 1994 (from the US-administered UN
Trusteeship)

National holiday: Constitution Day, 9 July (1979)

Constitution: 1 January 1981

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Kuniwo NAKAMURA (since 1 January 1993) and
Vice President Tommy E. REMENGESAU Jr. (since 1 January 1993);
note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Kuniwo NAKAMURA (since 1 January 1993)
and Vice President Tommy E. REMENGESAU Jr. (since 1 January 1993);
note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet
elections: president and vice president elected on separate tickets
by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 11 November
1996 (next to be held NA November 2000)
election results: Kuniwo NAKAMURA reelected president; percent of
vote--Kuniwo NAKAMURA 64%, Chief Ibedul Yutuka GIBBONS 36%; Tommy E.
REMENGESAU Jr. reelected vice president; percent of vote--Tommy E.
REMENGESAU Jr. 69%, Kione ISECHAL 31%

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Olbiil Era Kelulau
(OEK) consists of the Senate (14 seats; members elected by popular
vote on a population basis to serve four-year terms) and the House
of Delegates (16 seats--one from each state; members elected by
popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate--last held 11 November 1996 (next to be held NA
November 2000); House of Delegates--last held 11 November 1996 (next
to be held NA November 2000)
election results: Senate--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by
party--NA; House of Delegates--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by
party--NA

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; National Court; Court of Common
Pleas

Political parties and leaders: Palau Nationalist Party [Polycarp
BASILIUS]

International organization participation: ESCAP, IBRD, ICAO,
ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, WHO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Hersey KYOTA
chancery: 1150 18th Street NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20036

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas C. HUBBARD (resident in Manila);
Charge d'Affaires Allen E. NUGENT
embassy: address NA, Koror
mailing address: P.O. Box 6028, Republic of Palau 96940

Flag description: light blue with a large yellow disk
(representing the moon) shifted slightly to the hoist side

Economy

Economy--overview: The economy consists primarily of subsistence
agriculture and fishing. The government is the major employer of the
work force, relying heavily on financial assistance from the US. The
population enjoys a per capita income of more than twice that of the
Philippines and much of Micronesia. Long-run prospects for the
tourist sector have been greatly bolstered by the expansion of air
travel in the Pacific and the rising prosperity of leading East
Asian countries.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$160 million (1997 est.)
note: GDP numbers reflect US spending

GDP--real growth rate: 10% (1997 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$8,800 (1997 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

Labor force--by occupation: NA

Unemployment rate: 7%

Budget:
revenues: $52.9 million
expenditures: $59.9 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1997 est.)

Industries: tourism, craft items (from shell, wood, pearls), some
commercial fishing and agriculture

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity--production: 200 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 85%
hydro: 15%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 200 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: coconuts, copra, cassava (tapioca), sweet
potatoes

Exports: $14.3 million (f.o.b., 1996)

Exports--commodities: trochus (type of shellfish), tuna, copra,
handicrafts

Exports--partners: US, Japan

Imports: $72.4 million (f.o.b., 1996)

Imports--commodities: NA

Imports--partners: US

Debt--external: about $100 million (1989)

Economic aid--recipient: $155.8 million (1995); note?the Compact
of Free Association with the US, entered into after the end of the
UN trusteeship on 1 October 1994, will provide Palau with up to $700
million in US aid over 15 years in return for furnishing military
facilities

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

Exchange rates: US currency is used

Fiscal year: 1 October--30 September

Communications

Telephones: 1,500 (1988 est.)

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

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

Radios: 9,000 (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)

Televisions: 1,600 (1993 est.)

Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways:
total: 61 km
paved: 36 km
unpaved: 25 km

Ports and harbors: Koror

Merchant marine: none

Airports: 3 (1998 est.)

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

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

Military

Military branches: NA

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: NA%

Military--note: defense is the responsibility of the US; under a
Compact of Free Association between Palau and the US, the US
military is granted access to the islands for 50 years

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: none

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

@Palmyra Atoll -------------

Geography

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

Geographic coordinates: 5 52 N, 162 06 W

Map references: Oceania

Area:
total: 11.9 sq km
land: 11.9 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area--comparative: about 20 times the size of The Mall in
Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 14.5 km

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

Climate: equatorial, hot, and very rainy

Terrain: very low

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 2 m

Natural resources: none

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

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment--current issues: NA

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

Geography--note: about 50 islets covered with dense vegetation,
coconut trees, and balsa-like trees up to 30 meters tall

People

Population: uninhabited

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Palmyra Atoll

Data code: LQ

Dependency status: incorporated territory of the US; privately
owned, but administered from Washington, DC by the Office of Insular
Affairs, US Department of the Interior

Legal system: NA

Flag description: the flag of the US is used

Economy

Economy--overview: no economic activity

Transportation

Highways: much of the road and many causeways built during World
War II are unserviceable and overgrown

Ports and harbors: West Lagoon

Airports: 1 (1998 est.)
note: some overgrowth of vegetation on runway but still serviceable

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

Military

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

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: none

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

@Panama ------

Geography

Location: Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and
the North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica

Geographic coordinates: 9 00 N, 80 00 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 78,200 sq km
land: 75,990 sq km
water: 2,210 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries:
total: 555 km
border countries: Colombia 225 km, Costa Rica 330 km

Coastline: 2,490 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 200 nm

Climate: tropical; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season
(May to January), short dry season (January to May)

Terrain: interior mostly steep, rugged mountains and dissected,
upland plains; coastal areas largely plains and rolling hills

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Volcan de Chiriqui 3,475 m

Natural resources: copper, mahogany forests, shrimp

Land use:
arable land: 7%
permanent crops: 2%
permanent pastures: 20%
forests and woodland: 44%
other: 27% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 320 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment--current issues: water pollution from agricultural
runoff threatens fishery resources; deforestation of tropical rain
forest; land degradation

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

Geography--note: strategic location on eastern end of isthmus
forming land bridge connecting North and South America; controls
Panama Canal that links North Atlantic Ocean via Caribbean Sea with
North Pacific Ocean

People

Population: 2,778,526 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 32% (male 446,792; female 429,811)
15-64 years: 63% (male 882,541; female 859,455)
65 years and over: 5% (male 76,648; female 83,279) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.53% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 21.69 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 5.14 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 23.35 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.66 years
male: 71.91 years
female: 77.51 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.54 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Panamanian(s)
adjective: Panamanian

Ethnic groups: mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 70%,
Amerindian and mixed (West Indian) 14%, white 10%, Amerindian 6%

Religions: Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15%

Languages: Spanish (official), English 14%
note: many Panamanians bilingual

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 90.8%
male: 91.4%
female: 90.2% (1995 est.)

Government

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

Data code: PM

Government type: constitutional republic

Capital: Panama

Administrative divisions: 9 provinces (provincias,
singular--provincia) and 2 territories* (comarca); Bocas del Toro,
Chiriqui, Cocle, Colon, Darien, Herrera, Los Santos, Panama, San
Blas*, Veraguas, and a new, as yet unnamed territory* or comarca
created 7 March 1997 when President PEREZ BALLADARES signed a bill
designating a reserve stretched across three provinces

Independence: 3 November 1903 (from Colombia; became independent
from Spain 28 November 1821)

National holiday: Independence Day, 3 November (1903)

Constitution: 11 October 1972; major reforms adopted April 1983

Legal system: based on civil law system; judicial review of
legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Justice; accepts compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ernesto PEREZ BALLADARES (since 1
September 1994); First Vice President Tomas ALTAMIRANO Duque (since
1 September 1994); Second Vice President Felipe VIRZI (since 1
September 1994); note--the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
head of government: President Ernesto PEREZ BALLADARES (since 1
September 1994); First Vice President Tomas ALTAMIRANO Duque (since
1 September 1994); Second Vice President Felipe VIRZI (since 1
September 1994); note--the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president and vice presidents elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 8 May 1994
(next to be held 2 May 1999)
election results: Ernesto PEREZ BALLADARES elected president;
percent of vote--Ernesto PEREZ BALLADARES (PRD) 33%, Mireya MOSCOSO
DE GRUBER (PA) 29%, Ruben BLADES (MPE) 17%, Ruben Dario CARLES
(MOLIRENA) 16%

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea
Legislativa (72 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms)
elections: last held 8 May 1994 (next to be held 2 May 1999)
election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--PRD
32, PS 4, PALA 1, PA 14, MPE 6, MOLIRENA 4, PLA 3, PRC 3, PLN 2, PDC
1, UDI 1, MORENA 1
note: legislators from outlying rural districts are chosen on a
plurality basis while districts located in more populous towns and
cities elect multiple legislators by means of a proportion-based
formula

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de
Justicia), nine judges appointed for 10-year terms; five superior
courts; three courts of appeal

Political parties and leaders:

Political pressure groups and leaders: National Council of
Organized Workers or CONATO; National Council of Private Enterprise
or CONEP; Panamanian Association of Business Executives or APEDE;
National Civic Crusade; Chamber of Commerce; Panamanian
Industrialists Society or SIP; Workers Confederation of the Republic
of Panama or CTRP

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

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Eloy ALFARO de Alba
chancery: 2862 McGill Terrace NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New
York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Tampa

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Simon FERRO
embassy: Avenida Balboa and Calle 38, Apartado 6959, Panama City 5
mailing address: American Embassy Panama, Unit 0945, APO AA 34002

Flag description: divided into four, equal rectangles; the top
quadrants are white (hoist side) with a blue five-pointed star in
the center and plain red, the bottom quadrants are plain blue (hoist
side) and white with a red five-pointed star in the center

Economy

Economy--overview: Because of its key geographic location,
Panama's economy is service-based, heavily weighted toward banking,
commerce, and tourism. Since taking office in 1994, President PEREZ
BALLADARES has advanced an economic reform program designed to
liberalize the trade regime, attract foreign investment, privatize
state-owned enterprises, institute fiscal reform, and encourage job
creation through labor code reform. The government privatized its
two remaining ports along the Panama Canal in 1997 and approved the
sale of the railroad in early 1998. It also plans to sell other
assets, including the electric company. Panama joined the World
Trade Organization (WTrO) and approved a tariff reduction that will
give the country the lowest average tariff rates in Latin America. A
banking reform law was approved by the legislature in early 1998.
The most important sectors driving growth have been the Panama Canal
and other shipping and port activities.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$19.9 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 2.7% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$7,300 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 8%
industry: 18%
services: 74% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 0.5%
highest 10%: 42.5% (1991)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.4% (1998)

Labor force: 1.044 million (1997 est.)
note: shortage of skilled labor, but an oversupply of unskilled labor

Labor force--by occupation: government and community services
31.8%, agriculture, hunting, and fishing 26.8%, commerce,
restaurants, and hotels 16.4%, manufacturing and mining 9.4%,
construction 3.2%, transportation and communications 6.2%, finance,
insurance, and real estate 4.3%

Unemployment rate: 13.1% (1997 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $2.4 billion
expenditures: $2.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $341
million (1997 est.)

Industries: construction, petroleum refining, brewing, cement and
other construction materials, sugar milling

Industrial production growth rate: 0.4% (1995 est.)

Electricity--production: 3.55 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 29.58%
hydro: 70.42%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 3.488 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 157 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 95 million kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: bananas, rice, corn, coffee, sugarcane,
vegetables; livestock; shrimp

Exports: $6.68 billion (f.o.b., 1997)

Exports--commodities: bananas 43%, shrimp 11%, sugar 4%, clothing
5%, coffee 2%

Exports--partners: US 37%, EU, Central America and Caribbean

Imports: $7.38 billion (f.o.b., 1997)

Imports--commodities: capital goods 21%, crude oil 11%, foodstuffs
9%, consumer goods, chemicals

Imports--partners: US 48%, EU, Central America and Caribbean, Japan

Debt--external: $7.26 billion (1996 est.)

Economic aid--recipient: $197.1 million (1995)

Currency: 1 balboa (B) = 100 centesimos

Exchange rates: balboas (B) per US$1--1.000 (fixed rate)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 273,000 (1991 est.)

Telephone system: domestic and international facilities well
developed
domestic: NA
international: 1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth stations--2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to the Central American
Microwave System

Radio broadcast stations: AM 91, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios: 564,000 (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 9 (in addition, there are 17
repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 420,000 (1992 est.)

Transportation

Railways:
total: 355 km
broad gauge: 76 km 1.524-m gauge
narrow gauge: 279 km 0.914-m gauge

Highways:
total: 11,100 km
paved: 3,730 km (including 30 km of expressways)
unpaved: 7,370 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: 800 km navigable by shallow draft vessels; 82 km
Panama Canal

Pipelines: crude oil 130 km

Ports and harbors: Balboa, Cristobal, Coco Solo, Manzanillo (part
of Colon area), Vacamonte

Merchant marine:
total: 4,632 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 98,433,972
GRT/149,800,820 DWT
ships by type: bulk 1,335, cargo 1,028, chemical tanker 288,
combination bulk 68, combination ore/oil 15, container 507,
liquefied gas tanker 176, livestock carrier 9, multifunction
large-load carrier 6, oil tanker 498, passenger 41, passenger-cargo
5, railcar carrier 2, refrigerated cargo 312, roll-on/roll-off cargo
102, short-sea passenger 40, specialized tanker 23, vehicle carrier
177
note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 71
countries among which are Japan 1,262, Greece 378, Hong Kong 244,
South Korea 259, Taiwan 229, China 193, Singapore 103, US 116,
Switzerland 78, and Indonesia 53 (1998 est.)

Airports: 110 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways:
total: 43
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 14
under 914 m: 22 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 67
914 to 1,523 m: 17
under 914 m: 50 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: an amendment to the Constitution abolished the
armed forces, but there are security forces (Panamanian Public
Forces or PPF includes the National Police, National Maritime
Service, and National Air Service)

Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 746,910 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 511,866 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $132 million (1997)

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

Military--note: in October 1994, a month after President PEREZ
BALLADARES assumed office, Panama's Legislative Assembly approved a
constitutional amendment prohibiting the creation of a standing
military force, but allowing the temporary establishment of a
"special police force" to counter acts of "external aggression"

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: none

Illicit drugs: major cocaine transshipment point and major
drug-money-laundering center; no recent signs of coca cultivation;
monitoring of financial transactions is improving

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

@Papua New Guinea ----------------

Geography

Location: Southeastern Asia, group of islands including the
eastern half of the island of New Guinea between the Coral Sea and
the South Pacific Ocean, east of Indonesia

Geographic coordinates: 6 00 S, 147 00 E

Map references: Oceania

Area:
total: 462,840 sq km
land: 452,860 sq km
water: 9,980 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly larger than California

Land boundaries:
total: 820 km
border countries: Indonesia 820 km

Coastline: 5,152 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical; northwest monsoon (December to March),
southeast monsoon (May to October); slight seasonal temperature
variation

Terrain: mostly mountains with coastal lowlands and rolling
foothills

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Wilhelm 4,509 m

Natural resources: gold, copper, silver, natural gas, timber,
oil, fisheries

Land use:
arable land: 0.1%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 92.9%
other: 6% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: active volcanism; situated along the Pacific
"Rim of Fire"; the country is subject to frequent and sometimes
severe earthquakes; mud slides

Environment--current issues: rain forest subject to deforestation
as a result of growing commercial demand for tropical timber;
pollution from mining projects; severe drought

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

Geography--note: shares island of New Guinea with Indonesia; one
of world's largest swamps along southwest coast

People

Population: 4,705,126 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 39% (male 951,532; female 902,841)
15-64 years: 58% (male 1,411,053; female 1,298,937)
65 years and over: 3% (male 64,101; female 76,662) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.26% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 32.04 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 9.47 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: 1.09 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 55.58 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 58.47 years
male: 57.58 years
female: 59.4 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.17 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Papua New Guinean(s)
adjective: Papua New Guinean

Ethnic groups: Melanesian, Papuan, Negrito, Micronesian,
Polynesian

Religions: Roman Catholic 22%, Lutheran 16%,
Presbyterian/Methodist/London Missionary Society 8%, Anglican 5%,
Evangelical Alliance 4%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1%, other Protestant
sects 10%, indigenous beliefs 34%

Languages: English spoken by 1%-2%, pidgin English widespread,
Motu spoken in Papua region
note: 715 indigenous languages

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 72.2%
male: 81%
female: 62.7% (1995 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Independent State of Papua New Guinea
conventional short form: Papua New Guinea
abbreviation: PNG

Data code: PP

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Port Moresby

Administrative divisions: 20 provinces; Bougainville, Central,
Chimbu, Eastern Highlands, East New Britain, East Sepik, Enga, Gulf,
Madang, Manus, Milne Bay, Morobe, National Capital, New Ireland,
Northern, Sandaun, Southern Highlands, Western, Western Highlands,
West New Britain

Independence: 16 September 1975 (from the Australian-administered
UN trusteeship)

National holiday: Independence Day, 16 September (1975)

Constitution: 16 September 1975

Legal system: based on English common law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Silas ATOPARE (since 13 November
1997)
head of government: Prime Minister Bill SKATE (since 22 July 1997);
Deputy Prime Minister Iairo LASARO (since 20 October 1998)
cabinet: National Executive Council appointed by the governor
general on the recommendation of the prime minister
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
appointed by the National Executive Council; prime minister and
deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general for up to
five years on the basis of majority support in National Parliament

Legislative branch: unicameral National Parliament--sometimes
referred to as the House of Assembly (109 seats--89 elected from open
electorates and 20 from provincial electorates; members elected by
popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 14-28 June 1997 (next to be held NA June 2002)
election results: percent of vote by party--PPP 15%, Pangu Pati 14%,
NA 14%, PDM 8%, PNC 6%, PAP 5%, UP 3%, NP 1%, PUP 1%, independents
33%; seats by party--PPP 16, Pangu Pati 15, NA 15, PDM 9, PNC 7, PAP
5, UP 3, NP 1, PUP 1, independents 37; note--association with
political parties is very fluid

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, the chief justice is appointed by
the governor general on the proposal of the National Executive
Council after consultation with the minister responsible for
justice, other judges are appointed by the Judicial and Legal
Services Commission

Political parties and leaders: Bougainville Unity Alliance or BUA
MUMURIK]

International organization participation: ACP, APEC, AsDB, ASEAN
(observer), C, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO
(correspondent), ITU, NAM, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Nagora Y. BOGAN
chancery: 1779 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Arma Jane KARAER
embassy: Douglas Street, Port Moresby
mailing address: P. O. Box 1492, Port Moresby

Flag description: divided diagonally from upper hoist-side
corner; the upper triangle is red with a soaring yellow bird of
paradise centered; the lower triangle is black with five white
five-pointed stars of the Southern Cross constellation centered

Economy