Chapter V (38)

Electricity--production: 1.027 billion kWh (1997 est.)

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

Electricity--consumption: 730 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1997)

Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1997)

Agriculture--products: peanuts, millet, corn, sorghum, rice,
cotton, tomatoes, green vegetables; cattle, poultry, pigs; fish

Exports: $925 million (f.o.b., 1998)

Exports--commodities: fish, ground nuts (peanuts), petroleum
products, phosphates, cotton

Exports--partners: France 20%, other EU countries, India, Cote
d'Ivoire, Mali (1996)

Imports: $1.2 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Imports--commodities: foods and beverages, consumer goods, capital
goods, petroleum products

Imports--partners: France 36%, other EU countries, Nigeria,
Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, Algeria, US, China, Japan (1996)

Debt--external: $3.8 billion (1997)

Economic aid--recipient: $647.5 million (1995)

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

Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per
US$1--560.01 (December 1998), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55
(1966), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 81,988 (1995 est.)

Telephone system:
domestic: above-average urban system; microwave radio relay, coaxial
cable and fiber-optic cable in trunk system
international: 4 submarine cables; satellite earth station--1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 8, FM 6, shortwave 1

Radios: 850,000 (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)

Televisions: 61,000 (1993 est.)

Transportation

Railways:
total: 904 km
narrow gauge: 904 km 1.000-meter gauge (70 km double track) (1995)

Highways:
total: 14,576 km
paved: 4,271 km
unpaved: 10,305 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: 897 km total; 785 km on the Senegal river, and 112 km
on the Saloum river

Ports and harbors: Dakar, Kaolack, Matam, Podor, Richard-Toll,
Saint-Louis, Ziguinchor

Merchant marine:
total: 1 bulk ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,995 GRT/3,775 DWT
(1998 est.)

Airports: 20 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways:
total: 10
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 10
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie,
National Police (Surete Nationale)

Military manpower--military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 2,096,438 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,095,047 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 103,348 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $68 million (1997)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 1.4% (1997)

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: short section of boundary with The Gambia
is indefinite

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for Southwest and Southeast
Asian heroin moving to Europe and North America; illicit cultivator
of cannabis

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

@Serbia and Montenegro ---------------------

Introduction

Background: Serbia and Montenegro have asserted the formation of
a joint independent state, but this entity has not been formally
recognized as a state by the US. The US view is that the Socialist
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY) has dissolved and that none of
the successor republics represents its continuation.

Geography

Location: Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea,
between Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina

Geographic coordinates: 44 00 N, 21 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area:
total: 102,350 sq km (Serbia 88,412 sq km; Montenegro 13,938 sq km)
land: 102,136 sq km (Serbia 88,412 sq km; Montenegro 13,724 sq km)
water: 214 sq km (Serbia 0 sq km; Montenegro 214 sq km)

Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Kentucky (Serbia is
slightly larger than Maine; Montenegro is slightly smaller than
Connecticut)

Land boundaries:
total: 2,246 km
border countries: Albania 287 km (114 km with Serbia, 173 km with
Montenegro), Bosnia and Herzegovina 527 km (312 km with Serbia, 215
km with Montenegro), Bulgaria 318 km (with Serbia), Croatia (north)
241 km (with Serbia), Croatia (south) 25 km (with Montenegro),
Hungary 151 km (with Serbia), The Former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia 221 km (with Serbia), Romania 476 km (with Serbia)
note: the internal boundary between Montenegro and Serbia is 211 km

Coastline: 199 km (Montenegro 199 km, Serbia 0 km)

Maritime claims: NA

Climate: in the north, continental climate (cold winter and hot,
humid summers with well distributed rainfall); central portion,
continental and Mediterranean climate; to the south, Adriatic
climate along the coast, hot, dry summers and autumns and relatively
cold winters with heavy snowfall inland

Terrain: extremely varied; to the north, rich fertile plains; to
the east, limestone ranges and basins; to the southeast, ancient
mountains and hills; to the southwest, extremely high shoreline with
no islands off the coast

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
highest point: Daravica 2,656 m

Natural resources: oil, gas, coal, antimony, copper, lead, zinc,
nickel, gold, pyrite, chrome

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

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: destructive earthquakes

Environment--current issues: pollution of coastal waters from
sewage outlets, especially in tourist-related areas such as Kotor;
air pollution around Belgrade and other industrial cities; water
pollution from industrial wastes dumped into the Sava which flows
into the Danube

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

Geography--note: controls one of the major land routes from
Western Europe to Turkey and the Near East; strategic location along
the Adriatic coast

People

Population: 11,206,847 (Serbia--10,526,478; Montenegro?680,369)
(July 1999 est.)
note: all data dealing with population is subject to considerable
error because of the dislocations caused by military action and
ethnic cleansing

Age structure:
0-14 years: Serbia--20% (male 1,102,109; female 1,025,069);
Montenegro--21% (male 75,633; female 70,464)
15-64 years: Serbia--67% (male 3,538,689; female 3,483,192);
Montenegro--68% (male 232,223; female 227,371)
65 years and over: Serbia--13% (male 595,200; female 782,219);
Montenegro--11% (male 30,829; female 43,849) (July 1999 est.)

Population growth rate: Serbia--0.02%; Montenegro?0.07% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: Serbia--12.54 births/1,000 population; Montenegro?
13.19 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: Serbia--9.68 deaths/1,000 population; Montenegro? 7.44
deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: Serbia---2.65 migrants/1,000 population;
Montenegro---5.09 migrants/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: Serbia--1.08 male(s)/female; Montenegro--1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: Serbia--1.08 male(s)/female; Montenegro--1.07
male(s)/female
15-64 years: Serbia--1.02 male(s)/female; Montenegro--1.02
male(s)/female
65 years and over: Serbia--0.76 male(s)/female; Montenegro--0.70
male(s)/female
total population: Serbia--0.99 male(s)/female; Montenegro--0.99
male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: Serbia--16.49 deaths/1,000 live births;
Montenegro--10.99 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: Serbia--73.45 years; Montenegro--76.32 years
male: Serbia--71.03 years; Montenegro-- 72.87 years
female: Serbia--76.05 years; Montenegro--80.07 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: Serbia--1.74 children born/woman;
Montenegro--1.76 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Serb(s); Montenegrin(s)
adjective: Serbian; Montenegrin

Ethnic groups: Serbs 63%, Albanians 14%, Montenegrins 6%,
Hungarians 4%, other 13%

Religions: Orthodox 65%, Muslim 19%, Roman Catholic 4%,
Protestant 1%, other 11%

Languages: Serbo-Croatian 95%, Albanian 5%

Literacy: NA

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Serbia and Montenegro
local long form: none
local short form: Srbija-Crna Gora
note: Serbia and Montenegro has self-proclaimed itself the "Federal
Republic of Yugoslavia" (FRY) but the US view is that the Socialist
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY) has dissolved and that none of
the successor republics represents its continuation

Data code: Serbia--SR; Montenegro?MW

Government type: republic

Capital: Belgrade (Serbia), Podgorica (Montenegro)

Administrative divisions: 2 republics (republike,
singular--republika); and 2 nominally autonomous provinces* (autonomn
pokrajine, singular--autonomna pokrajina); Kosovo*, Montenegro,
Serbia, Vojvodina*

Independence: 11 April 1992 (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia or
FRY formed as self-proclaimed successor to the Socialist Federal
Republic of Yugoslavia or SFRY)

National holiday: St. Vitus Day, 28 June

Constitution: 27 April 1992

Legal system: based on civil law system

Suffrage: 16 years of age, if employed; 18 years of age, universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Slobodan MILOSEVIC (since 23 July 1997);
note--Milan MILUTINOVIC is president of Serbia (since 21 December
1997); Milo DJUKANOVIC is president of Montenegro (since 21 December
1997)
head of government: Prime Minister Momir BULATOVIC (since 20 May
1998); Deputy Prime Ministers Nikola SAINOVIC (since 15 September
1995), Vuk DRASKOVIC (since 1 February 1999), Jovan ZEBIC (since 9
April 1998), and Vladan KUTLESIC (since 20 March 1997), Zoran LILIC
(since 20 May 1998), Danilo VUKSANOVIC (since 20 May 1998)
cabinet: Federal Executive Council
elections: president elected by the Federal Assembly for a four-year
term; election last held 23 July 1997 (next to be held NA 2001);
prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Slobodan MILOSEVIC elected president; percent of
legislative vote--Slobodan MILOSEVIC 90%

Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Assembly or Savezna
Skupstina consists of the Chamber of Republics or Vece Republika (40
seats--20 Serbian, 20 Montenegrin; members distributed on the basis
of party representation in the republican assemblies to serve
four-year terms) and the Chamber of Citizens or Vece Gradjana (138
seats -, 108 Serbian with half elected by constituency majorities
and half by proportional representation, 30 Montenegrin with six
elected by constituency and 24 proportionally; members serve
four-year terms)
elections: Chamber of Republics--last held 24 December 1996 (next to
be held NA 2000); Chamber of Citizens--last held 3 November 1996
(next to be held NA 2000)
election results: Chamber of Republics--percent of vote by party--NA;
seats by party--NA; note--seats are filled on a proportional basis to
reflect the composition of the legislatures of the republics of
Montenegro and Serbia; Chamber of Citizens--percent of vote by
party--NA; seats by party--SPS/JUL/ND 64, Zajedno 22, DPSCG 20, SRS
16, NS 8, SVM 3, other 5; note--Zajedno coalition includes SPO, DS,
GSS

Judicial branch: Federal Court or Savezni Sud, judges are elected
by the Federal Assembly for nine-year terms; Constitutional Court,
judges are elected by the Federal Assembly for nine-year terms

Political parties and leaders: Serbian Socialist Party or SPS

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ICFTU, IOC, OPCW

Diplomatic representation in the US: the US and Serbia and
Montenegro do not maintain full diplomatic relations; the Embassy of
the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia continues to
function in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Counselor, Charge d'Affaires
ad interim Nebojsa VUJOVIC
chancery: 2410 California St. NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US and Serbia and
Montenegro do not maintain full diplomatic relations
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chief of Mission Richard M.
MILES
embassy: Kneza Milosa 50, 11000 Belgrade
mailing address: American Embassy, Belgrade, United States
Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5070 (pouch)

Economy

Economy--overview: The swift collapse of the Yugoslav federation
in 1991 has been followed by highly destructive warfare, the
destabilization of republic boundaries, and the breakup of important
interrepublic trade flows. Output in Serbia and Montenegro dropped
by half in 1992-93. Like the other former Yugoslav republics, it had
depended on its sister republics for large amounts of energy and
manufactures. Wide differences in climate, mineral resources, and
levels of technology among the republics accentuated this
interdependence, as did the communist practice of concentrating much
industrial output in a small number of giant plants. The breakup of
many of the trade links, the sharp drop in output as industrial
plants lost suppliers and markets, and the destruction of physical
assets in the fighting all have contributed to the economic
difficulties of the republics. One singular factor in the economic
situation of Serbia is the continuation in office of a government
that is primarily interested in political and military mastery, not
economic reform. Hyperinflation ended with the establishment of a
new currency unit in June 1993; prices were relatively stable from
1995 through 1997, but inflationary pressures resurged in 1998.
Reliable statistics continue to be hard to come by, and the GDP
estimate is extremely rough. The economic boom anticipated by the
government after the suspension of UN sanctions in December 1995 has
failed to materialize. Government mismanagement of the economy is
largely to blame. Also, the Outer Wall sanctions that exclude
Belgrade from international financial institutions and an investment
ban and asset freeze imposed in 1998 because of Belgrade's
repressive actions in Kosovo have added to economic difficulties.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$25.4 billion (1998 est.)

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

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$2,300 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 25%
industry: 50%
services: 25% (1994 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 48% (1998 est.)

Labor force: NA

Labor force--by occupation: industry 41%, services 35%, trade and
tourism 12%, transportation and communication 7%, agriculture 5%
(1994)

Unemployment rate: more than 35% (1995 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Industries: machine building (aircraft, trucks, and automobiles;
tanks and weapons; electrical equipment; agricultural machinery);
metallurgy (steel, aluminum, copper, lead, zinc, chromium, antimony,
bismuth, cadmium); mining (coal, bauxite, nonferrous ore, iron ore,
limestone); consumer goods (textiles, footwear, foodstuffs,
appliances); electronics, petroleum products, chemicals, and
pharmaceuticals

Industrial production growth rate: 8% (1997 est.)

Electricity--production: 36.155 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 63.44%
hydro: 36.56%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 35.999 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 156 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: cereals, fruits, vegetables, tobacco,
olives; cattle, sheep, goats

Exports: $2.3 billion (1998 est.)

Exports--commodities: manufactured goods, food and live animals,
raw materials

Exports--partners: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy, The Former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

Imports: $3.9 billion (1998 est.)

Imports--commodities: machinery and transport equipment, fuels and
lubricants, manufactured goods, chemicals, food and live animals,
raw materials

Imports--partners: Germany, Italy, Russia

Debt--external: $11.2 billion (1995 est.)

Economic aid--recipient: $NA

Currency: 1 Yugoslav New Dinar (YD) = 100 paras

Exchange rates: Yugoslav New Dinars (YD) per US $1--official rate:
10.0 (December 1998), 5.85 (December 1997), 5.02 (September 1996),
1.5 (early 1995); black market rate: 14.5 (December 1998), 8.9
(December 1997), 2 to 3 (early 1995)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 700,000

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

Radio broadcast stations: 27 (public or state-owned 1, private 26)

Radios: 2.015 million

Television broadcast stations: more than 771 (consisting of 86
strong stations, 685 low-power stations, and 20 repeaters in the
principal networks; there are also numerous local or private
stations in Serbia and Vojvodina) (1997)

Televisions: 1 million

Transportation

Railways:
total: 3,987 km
standard gauge: 3,987 km 1.435-m gauge (1,377 km partially
electrified since 1992) (1998)

Highways:
total: 50,414 km
paved: 45,020 km (including 545 km of expressways)
unpaved: 5,394 km (1997 est.)

Waterways: NA km

Pipelines: crude oil 415 km; petroleum products 130 km; natural
gas 2,110 km

Ports and harbors: Bar, Belgrade, Kotor, Novi Sad, Pancevo,
Tivat, Zelenika

Merchant marine:
total: 1 short-sea passenger (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,437
GRT/400 DWT (owned by Montenegro) (1998 est.)

Airports: 48 (Serbia 43, Montenegro 5) (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways:
total: 18
over 3,047 m: 2 (Serbia 2, Montenegro 0)
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 (Serbia 3, Montenegro 2)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 (Serbia 4, Montenegro 1)
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (Serbia 2, Montenegro 0)
under 914 m: 4 (Serbia 4, Montenegro 0) (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 30
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (Serbia 2, Montenegro 0)
914 to 1,523 m: 14 (Serbia 13, Montenegro 1)
under 914 m: 14 (Serbia 13, Montenegro 1) (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Army (including ground forces with border
troops, naval forces, air and air defense forces)

Military manpower--military age: Serbia?NA years of age;
Montenegro--19 years of age

Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: Serbia--2,727,292; Montenegro--187,198 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: Serbia--2,183,534; Montenegro--150,415 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: Serbia--NA; Montenegro--5,671 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $911 million (1999)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 6.5% (1999)

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: disputes with Bosnia and Herzegovina over
Serbian populated areas; Albanian majority in Kosovo seeks
independence from Serbian republic; Serbia and Montenegro is
disputing Croatia's claim to the Prevlaka Peninsula in southern
Croatia because it controls the entrance to Boka Kotorska in
Montenegro; Prevlaka is currently under observation by the UN
military observer mission in Prevlaka (UNMOP); the border commission
formed by The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Serbia and
Montenegro in April 1996 to resolve differences in delineation of
their mutual border has made no progress so far

Illicit drugs: major transshipment point for Southwest Asian
heroin moving to Western Europe on the Balkan route

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

@Seychelles ----------

Geography

Location: Eastern Africa, group of islands in the Indian Ocean,
northeast of Madagascar

Geographic coordinates: 4 35 S, 55 40 E

Map references: Africa

Area:
total: 455 sq km
land: 455 sq km
water: 0 sq km

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

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 491 km

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

Climate: tropical marine; humid; cooler season during southeast
monsoon (late May to September); warmer season during northwest
monsoon (March to May)

Terrain: Mahe Group is granitic, narrow coastal strip, rocky,
hilly; others are coral, flat, elevated reefs

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Morne Seychellois 905 m

Natural resources: fish, copra, cinnamon trees

Land use:
arable land: 2%
permanent crops: 13%
permanent pastures: NA%
forests and woodland: 11%
other: 74% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms
are rare; short droughts possible

Environment--current issues: water supply depends on catchments to
collect rain water

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

Geography--note: 40 granitic and about 50 coralline islands

People

Population: 79,164 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 29% (male 11,712; female 11,569)
15-64 years: 64% (male 24,879; female 26,038)
65 years and over: 7% (male 1,709; female 3,257) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.65% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 19.39 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 6.56 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: -6.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.52 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 16.65 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.95 years
male: 66.61 years
female: 75.42 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.97 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Seychellois (singular and plural)
adjective: Seychelles

Ethnic groups: Seychellois (mixture of Asians, Africans,
Europeans)

Religions: Roman Catholic 90%, Anglican 8%, other 2%

Languages: English (official), French (official), Creole

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 58%
male: 56%
female: 60% (1971 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Seychelles
conventional short form: Seychelles

Data code: SE

Government type: republic

Capital: Victoria

Administrative divisions: 23 administrative districts; Anse aux
Pins, Anse Boileau, Anse Etoile, Anse Louis, Anse Royale, Baie
Lazare, Baie Sainte Anne, Beau Vallon, Bel Air, Bel Ombre, Cascade,
Glacis, Grand' Anse (on Mahe), Grand' Anse (on Praslin), La Digue,
La Riviere Anglaise, Mont Buxton, Mont Fleuri, Plaisance, Pointe La
Rue, Port Glaud, Saint Louis, Takamaka

Independence: 29 June 1976 (from UK)

National holiday: National Day, 18 June (1993) (adoption of the
constitution)

Constitution: 18 June 1993

Legal system: based on English common law, French civil law, and
customary law

Suffrage: 17 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President France Albert RENE (since 5 June 1977);
note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President France Albert RENE (since 5 June
1977); note--the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 20-22 March 1998 (next to be held by NA 2003)
election results: President France Albert RENE reelected; percent of
vote--France Albert RENE (SPPF) 61%, Wavel RAMKALAWAN (UO) 27%, Sir
James MANCHAM (DP) 12%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee
Nationale (35 seats--25 elected by popular vote, 10 allocated on a
proportional basis to parties winning at least nine percent of the
vote; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 20-22 March 1998 (next to be held by NA 2003)
election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party
(elected)--SPPF 24, DP 1; seats by party (awarded)--SPPF 6, DP 1, UO 3
note: the 10 awarded seats are apportioned according to the share of
each party in the total vote

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal, judges are appointed by the
president; Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the president

Political parties and leaders: ruling party--Seychelles People's

Political pressure groups and leaders: trade unions; Roman
Catholic Church

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, C,
ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, InOC, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, NAM, OAU,
OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO, WToO,
WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Claude MOREL
chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400C, New York, NY 10017

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an
embassy in Seychelles; the ambassador to Mauritius is accredited to
Seychelles

Flag description: five oblique bands of blue (hoist side),
yellow, red, white, and green (bottom) radiating from the bottom of
the hoist side

Economy

Economy--overview: Since independence in 1976, per capita output
in this Indian Ocean archipelago has expanded to roughly seven times
the old near-subsistence level. Growth has been led by the tourist
sector, which employs about 30% of the labor force and provides more
than 70% of hard currency earnings, and by tuna fishing, which
accounted for 70% of GDP in 1996-97. In recent years the government
has encouraged foreign investment in order to upgrade hotels and
other services. At the same time, the government has moved to reduce
the dependence on tourism by promoting the development of farming,
fishing, and small-scale manufacturing. The vulnerability of the
tourist sector was illustrated by the sharp drop in 1991-92 due
largely to the Gulf war. Although the industry has rebounded, the
government recognizes the continuing need for upgrading the sector
in the face of stiff international competition. Other issues facing
the government are the curbing of the budget deficit and further
privatization of public enterprises.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$550 million (1997 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 4.3% (1997 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$7,000 (1997 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 4%
industry: 15%
services: 81% (1994)

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.6% (1997)

Labor force: 26,000 (1996)

Labor force--by occupation: industry 19%, services 57%, government
14%, fishing, agriculture, and forestry 10% (1989)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget:
revenues: $220 million
expenditures: $241 million, including capital expenditures of $36
million (1994 est.)

Industries: fishing; tourism; processing of coconuts and vanilla,
coir (coconut fiber) rope, boat building, printing, furniture;
beverages

Industrial production growth rate: 4% (1992)

Electricity--production: 125 million kWh (1996)

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

Electricity--consumption: 125 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet
potatoes, cassava (tapioca), bananas; broiler chickens; tuna fish

Exports: $53 million ( f.o.b., 1995)

Exports--commodities: fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum
products (reexports)

Exports--partners: France, UK, China, Germany, Japan (1993)

Imports: $340 million (c.i.f., 1997)

Imports--commodities: manufactured goods, food, petroleum
products, tobacco, beverages, machinery and transportation equipment

Imports--partners: China, Singapore, South Africa, UK (1993)

Debt--external: $170 million (1994 est.)

Economic aid--recipient: $16.4 million (1995)

Currency: 1 Seychelles rupee (SRe) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: Seychelles rupees (SRe) per US$1--5.4540 (January
1999), 5.2622 (1998), 5.0263 (1997), 4.9700 (1996), 4.7620 (1995),
5.0559 (1994)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 13,000 (1995 est.)

Telephone system:
domestic: radiotelephone communications between islands in the
archipelago
international: direct radiotelephone communications with adjacent
island countries and African coastal countries; satellite earth
station--1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

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

Radios: 50,000 (1996 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 2 (in addition, there are 9
repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 12,000 (1996 est.)

Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways:
total: 280 km
paved: 176 km
unpaved: 104 km (1996 est.)

Ports and harbors: Victoria

Merchant marine: none

Airports: 14 (1998 est.)

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

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 4 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Army, Coast Guard, Marines, air wing, National
Guard, Presidential Protection Unit, Police Force

Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 22,420 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 11,242 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $13.7 million (1995)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: NA%

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: claims Chagos Archipelago in British
Indian Ocean Territory

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

@Sierra Leone ------------

Introduction

Background: On 25 May 1997, the democratically-elected government
of President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH was overthrown by a disgruntled
coalition of army personnel from the Armed Forces Revolutionary
Council (AFRC) and the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) under the
command of Major Johnny Paul KOROMA; President KABBAH fled to exile
in Guinea. The Economic Community of West African States Cease-Fire
Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) forces, led by a strong Nigerian
contingent, undertook the suppression of the rebellion. They were
initially unsuccessful, but, by October 1997, they forced the rebels
to agree to a cease-fire and to a plan to return the government to
democratic control. President KABBAH returned to office on 10 March
1998 to face the task of restoring order to a demoralized population
and a disorganized and severely damaged economy. Many of the leaders
of the coup were tried and executed in October 1998. In January
1999, the situation had deteriorated even further, with commerce at
a standstill, hundreds of thousands of people driven from their
homes, and bitter fighting between the AFRC/RUF and ECOMOG troops
intensifying by large-scale import of arms.

Geography

Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,
between Guinea and Liberia

Geographic coordinates: 8 30 N, 11 30 W

Map references: Africa

Area:
total: 71,740 sq km
land: 71,620 sq km
water: 120 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries:
total: 958 km
border countries: Guinea 652 km, Liberia 306 km

Coastline: 402 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate: tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season (May to
December); winter dry season (December to April)

Terrain: coastal belt of mangrove swamps, wooded hill country,
upland plateau, mountains in east

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Loma Mansa (Bintimani) 1,948 m

Natural resources: diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore,
gold, chromite

Land use:
arable land: 7%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 31%
forests and woodland: 28%
other: 33% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 290 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the
Sahara (November to May); sandstorms, dust storms

Environment--current issues: rapid population growth pressuring
the environment; overharvesting of timber, expansion of cattle
grazing, and slash-and-burn agriculture have resulted in
deforestation and soil exhaustion; civil war depleting natural
resources; overfishing

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

People

Population: 5,296,651 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 45% (male 1,182,181; female 1,219,956)
15-64 years: 52% (male 1,307,475; female 1,423,046)
65 years and over: 3% (male 82,374; female 81,619) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 4.34% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 45.62 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 16.77 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 14.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 126.23 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 49.13 years
male: 46.07 years
female: 52.27 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.16 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Sierra Leonean(s)
adjective: Sierra Leonean

Ethnic groups: 20 native African tribes 90% (Temne 30%, Mende
30%, other 30%), Creole 10% (descendents of freed Jamaican slaves
who were settled in the Freetown area in the late-eighteenth
century), refugees from Liberia's recent civil war, small numbers of
Europeans, Lebanese, Pakistanis, and Indians

Religions: Muslim 60%, indigenous beliefs 30%, Christian 10%

Languages: English (official, regular use limited to literate
minority), Mende (principal vernacular in the south), Temne
(principal vernacular in the north), Krio (English-based Creole,
spoken by the descendents of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled
in the Freetown area, a lingua franca and a first language for 10%
of the population but understood by 95%)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write English, Mende,
Temne, or Arabic
total population: 31.4%
male: 45.4%
female: 18.2% (1995 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Sierra Leone
conventional short form: Sierra Leone

Data code: SL

Government type: constitutional democracy

Capital: Freetown

Administrative divisions: 3 provinces and 1 area*; Eastern,
Northern, Southern, Western*

Independence: 27 April 1961 (from UK)

National holiday: Republic Day, 27 April (1961)

Constitution: 1 October 1991; subsequently amended several times

Legal system: based on English law and customary laws indigenous
to local tribes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (since 29 March 1996,
reinstated 10 March 1998); note--the president is both the chief of
state and head of government
head of government: President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (since 29 March
1996, reinstated 10 March 1998); note--the president is both the
chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Ministers of State appointed by the president with the
approval of the House of Representatives; the cabinet is responsible
to the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election held 26-27 February 1996 (next to be held NA 2001);
note--president's tenure of office is limited to two five-year terms
election results: Ahmad Tejan KABBAH elected president; percent of
vote--first round--KABBAH 36.0%, second round--KABBAH 59.5%

Legislative branch: unicameral House of Representatives (80
seats--68 elected by popular vote, 12 filled by paramount chiefs
elected in separate elections; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 26-27 February 1996 (next to be held 2001)
election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--SLPP
27, UNPP 17, PDP 12, APC 5, NUP 4, DCP 3; note--first elections since
the former House of Representatives was shut down by the military
coup of 29 April 1992

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: 15 parties registered for the
M. B. JALLOH]; National Alliance for Democracy Party or NADP

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

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador John Ernest LEIGH
chancery: 1701 19th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph MELROSE; note--embassy closed in
late December 1998
embassy: Corner of Walpole and Siaka Stevens Streets, Freetown
mailing address: use embassy street address

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of light green
(top), white, and light blue

Economy

Economy--overview: Sierra Leone has substantial mineral,
agricultural, and fishery resources. However, the economic and
social infrastructure is not well developed, and serious social
disorders continue to hamper economic development. The period of
AFRC/RUF junta rule (May 1997-February 1998) led to UN sanctions and
20% drop in GDP in 1997. The continued fighting at yearend 1997 set
back what small progress had been made by the KABBAH government in
recovering from the junta period and reestablishing a viable
economy. About two-thirds of the working-age population engages in
subsistence agriculture. Manufacturing consists mainly of the
processing of raw materials and of light manufacturing for the
domestic market. Bauxite and rutile mines have been shut down by
civil strife. The major source of hard currency is found in the
mining of diamonds, the large majority of which are smuggled out of
the country. The fate of the economy in 1999 depends on the outcome
of negotiations to end the civil strife.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$2.7 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 0.7% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$530 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 52%
industry: 16%
services: 32% (1996)

Population below poverty line: 68% (1989 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 0.5%
highest 10%: 43.6% (1989)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 37.4% (1998 est.)

Labor force: 1.369 million (1981 est.)
note: only about 65,000 wage earners (1985)

Labor force--by occupation: agriculture 65%, industry 19%,
services 16% (1981 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget:
revenues: $96 million
expenditures: $150 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1996 est.)

Industries: mining (diamonds); small-scale manufacturing
(beverages, textiles, cigarettes, footwear); petroleum refining

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity--production: 230 million kWh (1996)

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

Electricity--consumption: 230 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: rice, coffee, cocoa, palm kernels, palm
oil, peanuts; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish

Exports: $41 million (f.o.b., 1998)

Exports--commodities: diamonds, rutile, cocoa, coffee, fish

Exports--partners: Belgium 49%, Spain 10%, US 8%, UK 3% (1997)

Imports: $166 million (f.o.b., 1998)

Imports--commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels
and lubricants

Imports--partners: UK 16%, US 9%, Cote d'Ivoire 8%,
Belgium-Luxembourg 3% (1997)

Debt--external: $1.15 billion (1998)

Economic aid--recipient: $203.7 million (1995)

Currency: 1 leone (Le) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: leones (Le) per US$1--1,630.5 (January 1999),
1,597.2 (1998), 981.48 (1997), 920.73 (1996), 755.22 (1995), 586.74
(1994)

Fiscal year: 1 July--30 June

Communications

Telephones: 17,526 (1991 est.)

Telephone system: marginal telephone and telegraph service
domestic: national microwave radio relay system made unserviceable
by military activities
international: satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

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

Radios: 980,000 (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 2 (1997)

Televisions: 45,000 (1992 est.)

Transportation

Railways:
total: 84 km used on a limited basis because the mine at Marampa is
closed
narrow gauge: 84 km 1.067-m gauge

Highways:
total: 11,700 km
paved: 1,287 km
unpaved: 10,413 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: 800 km; 600 km navigable year round

Ports and harbors: Bonthe, Freetown, Pepel

Merchant marine: none

Airports: 10 (1998 est.)

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

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 3 (1998 est.)

Heliports: 1 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Army

Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 1,119,239 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 543,210 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $46 million (FY96/97)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 2% (FY96/97)

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: none

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

@Singapore ---------

Geography

Location: Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and
Indonesia

Geographic coordinates: 1 22 N, 103 48 E

Map references: Southeast Asia

Area:
total: 647.5 sq km
land: 637.5 sq km
water: 10 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly more than 3.5 times the size of
Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 193 km

Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone: within and beyond territorial sea, as
defined in treaties and practice
territorial sea: 3 nm

Climate: tropical; hot, humid, rainy; no pronounced rainy or dry
seasons; thunderstorms occur on 40% of all days (67% of days in
April)

Terrain: lowland; gently undulating central plateau contains
water catchment area and nature preserve

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Singapore Strait 0 m
highest point: Bukit Timah 166 m

Natural resources: fish, deepwater ports

Land use:
arable land: 2%
permanent crops: 6%
permanent pastures: NA%
forests and woodland: 5%
other: 87% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: NA

Environment--current issues: industrial pollution; limited natural
fresh water resources; limited land availability presents waste
disposal problems; seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires
in Indonesia

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

Geography--note: focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes

People

Population: 3,531,600 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 21% (male 387,786; female 364,018)
15-64 years: 72% (male 1,265,291; female 1,268,458)
65 years and over: 7% (male 109,418; female 136,629) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.15% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 13.38 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 4.69 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 2.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 3.84 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.84 years
male: 75.79 years
female: 82.14 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.47 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Singaporean(s)
adjective: Singapore

Ethnic groups: Chinese 76.4%, Malay 14.9%, Indian 6.4%, other 2.3%

Religions: Buddhist (Chinese), Muslim (Malays), Christian, Hindu,
Sikh, Taoist, Confucianist

Languages: Chinese (official), Malay (official and national),
Tamil (official), English (official)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 91.1%
male: 95.9%
female: 86.3% (1995 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Singapore
conventional short form: Singapore

Data code: SN

Government type: republic within Commonwealth

Capital: Singapore

Administrative divisions: none

Independence: 9 August 1965 (from Malaysia)

National holiday: National Day, 9 August (1965)

Constitution: 3 June 1959, amended 1965 (based on preindependence
State of Singapore Constitution)

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

Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: President ONG Teng Cheong (since 1 September 1993)
head of government: Prime Minister GOH Chok Tong (since 28 November
1990) and Deputy Prime Ministers LEE Hsien Loong (since 28 November
1990) and Tony TAN Keng Yam (since 1 August 1995)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president, responsible to
Parliament
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
election last held 28 August 1993 (next to be held NA August 1999);
following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or
the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime
minister by the president; deputy prime ministers appointed by the
president
election results: ONG Teng Cheong elected president in the country's
first popular election for president; percent of vote--ONG Teng
Cheong 59%, CHUA Kim Yeow 41%

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (83 seats; members
elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 2 January 1997 (next to be held by 2002)
election results: percent of vote by party--PAP 65% (in contested
constituencies), other 35%; seats by party--PAP 81, WP 1, SPP 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, chief justice is appointed by the
president with the advice of the prime minister, other judges are
appointed by the president with the advice of the chief justice;
Court of Appeals

Political parties and leaders:
general]

International organization participation: APEC, AsDB, ASEAN,
Australia Group (observer), BIS, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN,
UNCTAD, UNIKOM, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador CHAN Heng Chee
chancery: 3501 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s): New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Steven J. GREEN
embassy: 27 Napier Street, Singapore 258508
mailing address: FPO AP 96534-0001

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and
white; near the hoist side of the red band, there is a vertical,
white crescent (closed portion is toward the hoist side) partially
enclosing five white five-pointed stars arranged in a circle

Economy

Economy--overview: Singapore has an open economy with strong
service and manufacturing sectors and excellent international
trading links derived from its entrepot history. Extraordinarily
strong fundamentals allowed Singapore to weather the effects of the
Asian financial crisis better than its neighbors, but the crisis did
pull GDP growth down to 1.3% in 1998 from 6% in 1997. Projections
for 1999 GDP growth are in the -1% to 1% range. Rising labor costs
and appreciation of the Singapore dollar against its neighbors'
currencies continue to be a threat to Singapore's competitiveness.
The government's strategy to address this problem includes cutting
costs, increasing productivity, improving infrastructure, and
encouraging higher value-added industries. In applied technology,
per capita output, investment, and labor discipline, Singapore has
key attributes of a developed country.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$91.7 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 1.3% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$26,300 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: NEGL%
industry: 28%
services: 72%

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): -0.5% (1998 est.)

Labor force: 1.856 million (1997 est.)

Labor force--by occupation: financial, business, and other
services 33.5%, manufacturing 25.6%, commerce 22.9%, construction
6.6%, other 11.4% (1994)

Unemployment rate: 5% (1999 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $16.3 billion
expenditures: $13.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY97/98 est.)

Industries: electronics, financial services, oil drilling
equipment, petroleum refining, rubber processing and rubber
products, processed food and beverages, ship repair, entrepot trade,
biotechnology

Industrial production growth rate: 3% (1998 est.)

Electricity--production: 28 billion kWh (1998)

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

Electricity--consumption: 28 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1998)

Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1998)

Agriculture--products: rubber, copra, fruit, vegetables; poultry

Exports: $128 billion (1998 est.)

Exports--commodities: computer equipment, rubber and rubber
products, petroleum products, telecommunications equipment

Exports--partners: Malaysia 19%, US 18%, Hong Kong 9%, Japan 8%,
Thailand 6% (1995)

Imports: $133.9 billion (1997 est.)

Imports--commodities: aircraft, petroleum, chemicals, foodstuffs

Imports--partners: Japan 21%, Malaysia 15%, US 15%, Thailand 5%,
Taiwan 4%, South Korea 4% (1995)

Debt--external: $NA

Economic aid--recipient: $NA

Currency: 1 Singapore dollar (S$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: Singapore dollars (S$) per US$1--1.6781 (January
1999), 1.6736 (1998), 1.4848 (1997), 1.4100 (1996), 1.4174 (1995),
1.5274 (1994)

Fiscal year: 1 April--31 March

Communications

Telephones: 1.4 million (1997 est.)

Telephone system: good domestic facilities; good international
service
domestic: NA
international: submarine cables to Malaysia (Sabah and Peninsular
Malaysia), Indonesia, and the Philippines; satellite earth
stations--2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean), and 1
Inmarsat (Pacific Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 13, FM 4, shortwave 0

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 4 (1997)

Televisions: 1.05 million (1992 est.)

Transportation

Railways:
total: 38.6 km
narrow gauge: 38.6 km 1.000-m gauge
note: there is a 67 km mass transit system with 42 stations

Highways:
total: 3,017 km
paved: 2,936 km (including 148 km of expressways)
unpaved: 81 km (1997 est.)

Ports and harbors: Singapore

Merchant marine:
total: 875 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 19,734,146
GRT/31,442,482 DWT
ships by type: bulk 142, cargo 132, chemical tanker 51, combination
bulk 6, combination ore/oil 6, container 154, liquefied gas tanker
27, livestock carrier 1, multifunction large-load carrier 6, oil
tanker 291, refrigerated cargo 8, roll-on/roll-off cargo 11,
short-sea passenger 1, specialized tanker 9, vehicle carrier 30
note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 22
countries among which are Japan 41, Denmark 35, Sweden 28, Thailand
28, Hong Kong 26, Germany 19, Taiwan 19, and Indonesia 11 (1998 est.)

Airports: 9 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways:
total: 9
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Heliports: 1 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, People's Defense Force,
Police Force

Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 1,042,587 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 757,940 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $4.244 billion (FY98/99)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 5.1% (FY98/99)

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: two islands in dispute with Malaysia

Illicit drugs: transit point for Golden Triangle heroin going to
the US, Western Europe, and the Third World; also a money-laundering
center

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

@Slovakia --------

Introduction

Background: After centuries under foreign rule, mainly by
Hungary, the Slovaks joined with their neighbors to form the new
nation of Czechoslovakia in 1918. Following the chaos of World War
II, Czechoslovakia became a communist nation within Soviet-ruled
Eastern Europe. Soviet influence collapsed in 1989, and
Czechoslovakia once more was an independent country turning toward
the West. The Slovaks and the Czechs agreed to separate peacefully
on 1 January 1993. Slovakia has experienced more difficulty than the
Czech Republic in developing a modern market economy.

Geography

Location: Central Europe, south of Poland

Geographic coordinates: 48 40 N, 19 30 E

Map references: Europe

Area:
total: 48,845 sq km
land: 48,800 sq km
water: 45 sq km

Area--comparative: about twice the size of New Hampshire

Land boundaries:
total: 1,355 km
border countries: Austria 91 km, Czech Republic 215 km, Hungary 515
km, Poland 444 km, Ukraine 90 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters

Terrain: rugged mountains in the central and northern part and
lowlands in the south

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Bodrok River 94 m
highest point: Gerlachovka 2,655 m

Natural resources: brown coal and lignite; small amounts of iron
ore, copper and manganese ore; salt

Land use:
arable land: 31%
permanent crops: 3%
permanent pastures: 17%
forests and woodland: 41%
other: 8% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 800 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment--current issues: air pollution from metallurgical
plants presents human health risks; acid rain damaging forests

Environment--international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol

Geography--note: landlocked

People

Population: 5,396,193 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 20% (male 551,847; female 528,236)
15-64 years: 69% (male 1,837,788; female 1,861,305)
65 years and over: 11% (male 237,710; female 379,307) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.04% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 9.52 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 9.43 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.29 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: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 9.48 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.46 years
male: 69.71 years
female: 77.4 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.2 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Slovak(s)
adjective: Slovak

Ethnic groups: Slovak 85.7%, Hungarian 10.7%, Gypsy 1.5% (the
1992 census figures underreport the Gypsy/Romany community, which is
about 500,000), Czech 1%, Ruthenian 0.3%, Ukrainian 0.3%, German
0.1%, Polish 0.1%, other 0.3%

Religions: Roman Catholic 60.3%, atheist 9.7%, Protestant 8.4%,
Orthodox 4.1%, other 17.5%

Languages: Slovak (official), Hungarian

Literacy: NA

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Slovak Republic
conventional short form: Slovakia
local long form: Slovenska Republika
local short form: Slovensko

Data code: LO

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Bratislava

Administrative divisions: 8 departments (kraje, singular--kraj);
Banskobystricky, Bratislavsky, Kosicky, Nitriansky, Presovsky,
Trenciansky, Trnavsky, Zilinsky

Independence: 1 January 1993 (from Czechoslovakia)

National holiday: Slovak Constitution Day, 1 September (1992);
Anniversary of Slovak National Uprising, 29 August (1944)

Constitution: ratified 1 September 1992, fully effective 1
January 1993

Legal system: civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; legal code modified to
comply with the obligations of Organization on Security and
Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal
theory

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President (vacant); note--President NOVAC retired at
the end of his term; the government has announced its intention to
hold direct presidential election in early 1999; in the meantime the
prime minister takes over the president's duties
head of government: Prime Minister Mikulas DZURINDA (since 30
October 1998)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of
the prime minister
elections: president elected by National Council secret ballot that
must yield a three-fifths majority for a five-year term; election
last held NA March 1998 but no candidate was able to win a
three-fifths majority required by law (next to be held NA 1999);
following National Council elections, the leader of the majority
party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed
prime minister by the president
election results: presidency vacant

Legislative branch: unicameral National Council of the Slovak
Republic or Narodna Rada Slovensky Repubiky (150 seats; members are
elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 25-26 September 1998 (next to be held NA
September 2003)
election results: percent of vote by party--HZDS 27%, SDK 16.3%, SDL
14.7%, SMK 9.1%, SNS 9.1%, SOP 8%; seats by party--governing
coalition 93 (SDK 42, SDL 23, SMK 15, SOP 13), opposition 57 (HZDS
43, SNS 14)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are elected by the
National Council; Constitutional Court

Political parties and leaders: Movement for a Democratic Slovakia
Hungarian Coalition or SMK (includes MKDH, MOS, and Coexistence)
LUPTAK, chairman]; Social Democratic Party of Slovakia or SSDS
chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Party of Entrepreneurs and
Businessmen of Slovakia; Christian Social Union; Confederation of
Trade Unions or KOZ; Metal Workers Unions or KOVO and METALURG;
Association of Employers of Slovakia; Association of Towns and
Villages or ZMOS

International organization participation: Australia Group, BIS,
BSEC (observer), CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU
(applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUA, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Martin BUTORA
chancery: (temporary) Suite 250, 2201 Wisconsin Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20007

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ralph R. JOHNSON
embassy: Hviezdoslavovo Namestie 4, 81102 Bratislava
mailing address: use embassy street address

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of white (top),
blue, and red superimposed with the Slovak cross in a shield
centered on the hoist side; the cross is white centered on a
background of red and blue

Economy

Economy--overview: Slovakia, continuing the difficult transition
from a centrally controlled economy to a modern market-oriented
economy, begins 1999 with clouds on the horizon: GDP growth is
slowing sharply; budget and current account deficits are too large;
external debt is growing uncomfortably fast; unemployment is high
and rising; corrupt insider deals persist; and demand is weakening
for Slovakia's key primary goods exports, especially as Russia and
Ukraine slump and as EU growth slows. International credit rating
agencies have downgraded Slovak debt to below investment grade. The
new government intends to address the economy's ills by giving
priority to joining the OECD and EU, cutting government wage and
infrastructure spending, boosting some taxes and regulated prices,
expanding privatization to companies formerly considered strategic,
restructuring the financial section, encouraging foreign investment,
and reenergizing the social partnership with labor and employers.
Government officials believe as long as two years may be needed
before its structural reforms improve economic performance. In 1999,
the government expects GDP growth to slow from 5% in 1998 to 2%,
inflation to rise from 6% to 10%, and unemployment to rise from less
than 14% to 15% or 16%, but hopes to bring the budget deficit down
to no more than 2% of GDP and the current account deficit down to 5%
to 6% of GDP.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$44.5 billion (1998 est.)

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

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

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 4.8%
industry: 33.4%
services: 61.8% (1997)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 5.1%
highest 10%: 18.2% (1992)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7.4% (1998)

Labor force: 3.32 million (1997)

Labor force--by occupation: industry 29.3%, agriculture 8.9%,
construction 8%, transport and communication 8.2%, services 45.6%
(1994)

Unemployment rate: 14% (1998 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $5.4 billion
expenditures: $6.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1997)

Industries: metal and metal products; food and beverages;
electricity, gas, coke, oil, and nuclear fuel; chemicals and manmade
fibers; machinery; paper and printing; earthenware and ceramics;
transport vehicles; textiles; electrical and optical apparatus;
rubber products

Industrial production growth rate: 2.7% (1997)

Electricity--production: 25.81 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 35.57%
hydro: 20.81%
nuclear: 43.62%
other: 0% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 26.353 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 2.607 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 3.15 billion kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: grains, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit;
pigs, cattle, poultry; forest products

Exports: $10.7 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Exports--commodities: machinery and transport equipment 37%;
intermediate manufactured goods 30%, miscellaneous manufactured
goods 13%; chemicals 9%; raw materials 4% (1998)

Exports--partners: EU 56% (Germany 29%), Czech Republic 20%,
Austria 7%, Poland 7% (1998)

Imports: $12.9 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Imports--commodities: machinery and transport equipment 40%;
intermediate manufactured goods 18%; fuels 11%; chemicals 11%;
miscellaneous manufactured goods 10% (1998)

Imports--partners: EU 50% (Germany 26%), Czech Republic 18%,
Russia 10%, Italy 6% (1998)

Debt--external: $10.7 billion (1997)

Economic aid--recipient: $421.9 million (1995)

Currency: 1 koruna (Sk) = 100 halierov

Exchange rates: koruny (Sk) per US$1--36.207 (January 1999),
35.233 (1998). 33.616 (1997), 30.654 (1996), 29.713 (1995), 32.045
(1994)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 1,362,178 (1992 est.)

Telephone system:
domestic: NA
international: NA

Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA; note--there
are 22 private broadcast stations and two public (state) broadcast
stations

Radios: 915,000 (1995 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 41 (1997)

Televisions: 1.2 million (1995 est.)

Transportation

Railways:
total: 3,660 km
broad gauge: 102 km 1.520-m gauge
standard gauge: 3,507 km 1.435-m gauge (1424 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 51 km (46 km 1,000-m gauge; 5 km 0.750-m gauge) (1996)

Highways:
total: 38,000 km
paved: 37,500 km (including 280 km of expressways)
unpaved: 500 km (1998 est.)

Waterways: 172 km on the Danube

Pipelines: petroleum products NA km; natural gas 2,700 km

Ports and harbors: Bratislava, Komarno

Merchant marine:
total: 3 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 15,041 GRT/19,517
DWT (1998 est.)

Airports: 15 (1998 est.)

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