Chapter V (39)

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 3 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, Reserve
Force (Home Guards), Civil Defense Force

Military manpower--military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 1,478,729 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,130,482 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 45,919 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $436 million (1998)

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

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: ongoing Gabcikovo Dam dispute with
Hungary is before the International Court of Justice; unresolved
property issues with Czech Republic over redistribution of former
Czechoslovak federal property

Illicit drugs: minor, but increasing, transshipment point for
Southwest Asian heroin and hashish bound for Western Europe

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

@Slovenia --------

Geography

Location: Southeastern Europe, eastern Alps bordering the
Adriatic Sea, between Austria and Croatia

Geographic coordinates: 46 00 N, 15 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area:
total: 20,256 sq km
land: 20,256 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries:
total: 1,334 km
border countries: Austria 330 km, Croatia 670 km, Italy 232 km,
Hungary 102 km

Coastline: 46.6 km

Maritime claims: NA

Climate: Mediterranean climate on the coast, continental climate
with mild to hot summers and cold winters in the plateaus and
valleys to the east

Terrain: a short coastal strip on the Adriatic, an alpine
mountain region adjacent to Italy and Austria, mixed mountain and
valleys with numerous rivers to the east

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
highest point: Triglav 2,864 m

Natural resources: lignite coal, lead, zinc, mercury, uranium,
silver

Land use:
arable land: 12%
permanent crops: 3%
permanent pastures: 24%
forests and woodland: 54%
other: 7% (1996 est.)

Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: flooding and earthquakes

Environment--current issues: Sava River polluted with domestic and
industrial waste; pollution of coastal waters with heavy metals and
toxic chemicals; forest damage near Koper from air pollution
(originating at metallurgical and chemical plants) and resulting
acid rain

Environment--international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

People

Population: 1,970,570 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 16% (male 163,816; female 155,509)
15-64 years: 70% (male 693,382; female 687,060)
65 years and over: 14% (male 99,121; female 171,682) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.04% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 8.97 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 9.62 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.58 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 5.28 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.36 years
male: 71.71 years
female: 79.21 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.23 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Slovene(s)
adjective: Slovenian

Ethnic groups: Slovene 91%, Croat 3%, Serb 2%, Muslim 1%, other 3%

Religions: Roman Catholic 70.8% (including 2% Uniate), Lutheran
1%, Muslim 1%, atheist 4.3%, other 22.9%

Languages: Slovenian 91%, Serbo-Croatian 6%, other 3%

Literacy:
definition: NA
total population: 99%
male: NA%
female: NA%

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Slovenia
conventional short form: Slovenia
local long form: Republika Slovenije
local short form: Slovenija

Data code: SI

Government type: parliamentary democratic republic

Capital: Ljubljana

Administrative divisions: 136 municipalities (obcine,
singular--obcina) and 11 urban municipalities* (obcine mestne,
singular--obcina mestna) Ajdovscina, Beltinci, Bled, Bohinj,
Borovnica, Bovec, Brda, Brezice, Brezovica, Cankova-Tisina, Celje*,
Cerklje na Gorenjskem, Cerknica, Cerkno, Crensovci, Crna na
Koroskem, Crnomelj, Destrnik-Trnovska Vas, Divaca, Dobrepolje,
Dobrova-Horjul-Polhov Gradec, Dol pri Ljubljani, Domzale, Dornava,
Dravograd, Duplek, Gorenja Vas-Poljane, Gorisnica, Gornja Radgona,
Gornji Grad, Gornji Petrovci, Grosuplje, Hodos Salovci, Hrastnik,
Hrpelje-Kozina, Idrija, Ig, Ilirska Bistrica, Ivancna Gorica, Izola,
Jesenice, Jursinci, Kamnik, Kanal, Kidricevo, Kobarid, Kobilje,
Kocevje, Komen, Koper*, Kozje, Kranj*, Kranjska Gora, Krsko,
Kungota, Kuzma, Lasko, Lenart, Lendava, Litija, Ljubljana*, Ljubno,
Ljutomer, Logatec, Loska Dolina, Loski Potok, Luce, Lukovica,
Majsperk, Maribor*, Medvode, Menges, Metlika, Mezica,
Miren-Kostanjevica, Mislinja, Moravce, Moravske Toplice, Mozirje,
Murska Sobota*, Muta, Naklo, Nazarje, Nova Gorica*, Novo Mesto*,
Odranci, Ormoz, Osilnica, Pesnica, Piran, Pivka, Podcetrtek,
Podvelka-Ribnica, Postojna, Preddvor, Ptuj*, Puconci, Race-Fram,
Radece, Radenci, Radlje ob Dravi, Radovljica, Ravne-Prevalje,
Ribnica, Rogasevci, Rogaska Slatina, Rogatec, Ruse, Semic, Sencur,
Sentilj, Sentjernej, Sentjur pri Celju, Sevnica, Sezana, Skocjan,
Skofja Loka, Skofljica, Slovenj Gradec*, Slovenska Bistrica,
Slovenske Konjice, Smarje pri Jelsah, Smartno ob Paki, Sostanj,
Starse, Store, Sveti Jurij, Tolmin, Trbovlje, Trebnje, Trzic,
Turnisce, Velenje*, Velike Lasce, Videm, Vipava, Vitanje, Vodice,
Vojnik, Vrhnika, Vuzenica, Zagorje ob Savi, Zalec, Zavrc, Zelezniki,
Ziri, Zrece

Independence: 25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)

National holiday: National Statehood Day, 25 June (1991)

Constitution: adopted 23 December 1991, effective 23 December 1991

Legal system: based on civil law system

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

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Milan KUCAN (since 22 April 1990)
head of government: Prime Minister Janez DRNOVSEK (since 14 May 1992)
cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and
elected by the National Assembly
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 24 November 1997 (next to be held NA 2002);
following National Assembly elections, the leader of the majority
party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually nominated to
become prime minister by the president and elected by the National
Assembly; election last held 10 November 1996 (next to be held NA
November 2000)
election results: Milan KUCAN elected president; percent of
vote--Milan KUCAN 56.3%, Janez PODOBNIK 18%; Janez DRNOVSEK elected
prime minister; percent of National Assembly vote--51%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Drzavni Zbor
(90 seats, 40 are directly elected and 50 are selected on a
proportional basis; note--the numbers of directly elected and
proportionally elected seats varies with each election; members are
elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: National Assembly--last held 10 November 1996 (next to be
held Fall 2000)
election results: percent of vote by party--LDS 27.01%, SLS 19.38%,
SDS 16.13%, SKD 9.62%, ZLDS 9.03%, DeSUS 4.32%, SNS 3.22%; seats by
party--LDS 25, SLS 19, SDS 16, SKD 10, ZLSD 9, DeSUS 5, SNS 4,
Hungarian minority 1, Italian minority 1; note--seating as of January
1997 is as follows: LDS 25, SLS 19, SDS 16, SKD 9, ZLSD 9, DeSUS 5,
SNS 4, Hungarian minority 1, Italian minority 1, independents 1
note: the National Council or Drzavni Svet is an advisory body with
limited legislative powers; it may propose laws and ask to review
any National Assembly decisions; in the election of NA November
1997, 40 members were elected to represent local, professional, and
socioeconomic interests (next election to be held in the fall of
2002)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are elected by the
National Assembly on the recommendation of the Judicial Council;
Constitutional Court, judges elected for nine-year terms by the
National Assembly and nominated by the president

Political parties and leaders: Liberal Democratic or LDS [Janez
PETERLE, chairman]; Social Democratic Party of Slovenia or SDS
PODOBNIK, chairman]; United List (former Communists and allies) or
JELINCIC, chairman]; Democratic Party of Retired (Persons) of

Political pressure groups and leaders: none

International organization participation: CCC, CE, CEI, EAPC,
EBRD, ECE, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM
(observer), ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UN
Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UPU,
WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Dimitrij RUPEL
chancery: 1525 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires J. Paul REID
embassy: address NA, Ljubljana
mailing address: P.O. Box 254, Prazakova 4, 1000 Ljubljana; American
Embassy Ljubljana, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-7140

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of white (top),
blue, and red with the Slovenian seal (a shield with the image of
Triglav, Slovenia's highest peak, in white against a blue background
at the center, beneath it are two wavy blue lines depicting seas and
rivers, and above it, there are three six-sided stars arranged in an
inverted triangle which are taken from the coat of arms of the
Counts of Celje, the great Slovene dynastic house of the late 14th
and early 15th centuries); the seal is located in the upper hoist
side of the flag centered in the white and blue bands

Economy

Economy--overview: Today, Slovenia exhibits one of the highest per
capita GDPs of the transition economies of the region, fairly
moderate inflation, and a comfortable level of international
reserves. Slovenia received an invitation in 1997 to begin accession
negotiations with the EU--a reflection of its sound economic footing.
Slovenia must press on with privatization, enterprise restructuring,
institution reform, and liberalization of financial markets, thereby
creating conditions conducive to foreign investment and the
maintenance of a stable tolar. Critical to the future success of the
economy is the development of export sales in increasingly
competitive international markets.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$20.4 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 3.6% (1998 est.)

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

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 5%
industry: 35%
services: 60% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 4%
highest 10%: 24.5% (1993)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8% (1998 est.)

Labor force: 857,400

Labor force--by occupation: NA

Unemployment rate: 7.1% (1997 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $8.48 billion
expenditures: $8.53 billion, including capital expenditures of $455
million (1996 est.)

Industries: ferrous metallurgy and rolling mill products,
aluminum reduction and rolled products, lead and zinc smelting,
electronics (including military electronics), trucks, electric power
equipment, wood products, textiles, chemicals, machine tools

Industrial production growth rate: 0.8% (1996)

Electricity--production: 12.075 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 34.58%
hydro: 29.31%
nuclear: 36.11%
other: 0% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 11.295 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 2.03 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 1.25 billion kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: potatoes, hops, wheat, sugar beets, corn,
grapes; cattle, sheep, poultry

Exports: $9.2 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Exports--commodities: manufactured goods 45%, machinery and
transport equipment 30%, chemicals 10%, food 3% (1997)

Exports--partners: Germany 29%, Italy 15%, Croatia 10%, France,
Austria, US (1997)

Imports: $9.9 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Imports--commodities: machinery and transport equipment 31%,
manufactured goods 31%, chemicals 11%, fuels and lubricants, food
(1997)

Imports--partners: Germany 21%, Italy 17%, France 10%, Austria 8%,
Croatia 5%, Hungary, US (1997)

Debt--external: $4.4 billion (1998 est.)

Economic aid--recipient: ODA, $5 million (1993)

Currency: 1 tolar (SlT) = 100 stotins

Exchange rates: tolars (SlT) per US$1--162.50 (January 1999),
166.13 (1998), 159.69 (1997), 135.36 (1996), 118.52 (1995), 128.81
(1994)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 691,240 (1997 est.)

Telephone system:
domestic: 70% digital; full digitalization scheduled by 2000
international: NA

Radio broadcast stations: AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 0
note: there are more than 20 regional and local radio broadcast
stations

Radios: 596,100 (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 23 (consisting of 20 network
stations and three private stations; there are also about 400
low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 454,400 (1993 est.)

Transportation

Railways:
total: 1,201 km
standard gauge: 1,201 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified 489 km) (1998)

Highways:
total: 14,830 km
paved: 12,309 km (including 251 km of expressways)
unpaved: 2,521 km (1997 est.)

Waterways: NA

Pipelines: crude oil 290 km; natural gas 305 km

Ports and harbors: Izola, Koper, Piran

Airports: 14 (1998 est.)

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

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 4 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Slovenian Army (includes Air and Naval Forces)

Military manpower--military age: 19 years of age

Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 530,182 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 421,864 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 15,294 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $272 million (1998)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 1.8% (1998)

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: significant progress has been made with
Croatia toward resolving a maritime border dispute over direct
access to the sea in the Adriatic; Italy and Slovenia made progress
in resolving bilateral issues

Illicit drugs: transit point for Southwest Asian heroin bound for
Western Europe and for precursor chemicals

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

@Solomon Islands ---------------

Introduction

Background: In 1893, Britain made the southern Solomon Islands a
protectorate. Other islands were added to the group, including some
ceded to Britain by Germany. The Solomon Islands were occupied by
the Japanese during World War II. Following the war, internal
self-government was established in 1976, and independence from the
UK came two years later. Current issues include government deficits,
deforestation, and malaria control.

Geography

Location: Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean,
east of Papua New Guinea

Geographic coordinates: 8 00 S, 159 00 E

Map references: Oceania

Area:
total: 28,450 sq km
land: 27,540 sq km
water: 910 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 5,313 km

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

Climate: tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather

Terrain: mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m

Natural resources: fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates,
lead, zinc, nickel

Land use:
arable land: 1%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 1%
forests and woodland: 88%
other: 9% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: typhoons, but they are rarely destructive;
geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic
activity

Environment--current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; much of
the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying

Environment--international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental Modification,
Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone
Layer Protection, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

People

Population: 455,429 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 45% (male 103,844; female 99,972)
15-64 years: 52% (male 120,518; female 117,298)
65 years and over: 3% (male 6,808; female 6,989) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.18% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 35.92 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 4.11 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: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 23 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.09 years
male: 69.55 years
female: 74.75 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.96 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Solomon Islander(s)
adjective: Solomon Islander

Ethnic groups: Melanesian 93%, Polynesian 4%, Micronesian 1.5%,
European 0.8%, Chinese 0.3%, other 0.4%

Religions: Anglican 34%, Roman Catholic 19%, Baptist 17%, United
(Methodist/Presbyterian) 11%, Seventh-Day Adventist 10%, other
Protestant 5%, traditional beliefs 4%

Languages: Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua
franca, English spoken by 1%-2% of population
note: 120 indigenous languages

Literacy: NA

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Solomon Islands
former: British Solomon Islands

Data code: BP

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Honiara

Administrative divisions: 7 provinces and 1 town*; Central,
Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Temotu, Western
note: there may be two new provinces of Choiseul (Lauru) and
Rennell/Bellona and the administrative unit of Honiara may have been
abolished

Independence: 7 July 1978 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 7 July (1978)

Constitution: 7 July 1978

Legal system: English common law

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Moses PITAKAKA (since 10 June 1994)
head of government: Prime Minister Bartholomew ULUFA'ALU (since 27
August 1997); Deputy Prime Minister Sir Baddeley DEVESI (since 27
August 1997)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
the prime minister from among the members of Parliament
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
appointed by the monarch on the advice of Parliament for up to five
years; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority
party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually elected prime
minister by Parliament; deputy prime minister appointed by the
governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the
members of Parliament

Legislative branch: unicameral National Parliament (50 seats;
members elected from single member constituencies by popular vote to
serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 6 August 1997 (next to be held by August 2001)
election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--GNUR
21, PAP 7, NAPSI 5, SILP 4, UP 4, independents 6, other 3

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders: characterized by fluid coalitions;
TAUSINGA] (leader of opposition); People's Alliance Party or PAP

International organization participation: ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP,
FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen Rex HOROI (represents the
country as both the Permanent Representative to the UN and the
ambassador to the US)
chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400L, New York, NY 10017

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an
embassy in Solomon Islands (embassy closed July 1993); the
ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to the Solomon Islands

Flag description: divided diagonally by a thin yellow stripe from
the lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is blue
with five white five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern; the
lower triangle is green

Economy

Economy--overview: The bulk of the population depend on
agriculture, fishing, and forestry for at least part of their
livelihood. Most manufactured goods and petroleum products must be
imported. The islands are rich in undeveloped mineral resources such
as lead, zinc, nickel, and gold. Economic troubles in Southeast Asia
led to a steep downturn in the timber industry, and economic output
declined by about 10% in 1998. The government instituted public
service pay cuts and other retrenchments.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$1.15 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: -10% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$2,600 (1998 est.)

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

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 11.8% (1996)

Labor force: 26,842

Labor force--by occupation: services 41.5%, agriculture, forestry,
and fishing 23.7%, commerce, transport, and finance 21.7%,
construction, manufacturing, and mining 13.1% (1992 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget:
revenues: $147 million
expenditures: $168 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1997 est.)

Industries: copra, fish (tuna)

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity--production: 30 million kWh (1996)

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

Electricity--consumption: 30 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: cocoa, beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice,
potatoes, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs; timber; fish

Exports: $184 million (f.o.b., 1996)

Exports--commodities: timber, fish, palm oil, cocoa, copra

Exports--partners: Japan 50%, Spain 16%, UK, Thailand 5% (1996)

Imports: $151 million (c.i.f., 1996 est.)

Imports--commodities: plant and equipment, manufactured goods,
food and live animals, fuel

Imports--partners: Australia 42%, Japan 10%, Singapore 9%, NZ 8%,
US 5% (1996)

Debt--external: $145 million (1996 est.)

Economic aid--recipient: $46.4 million (1995)

Currency: 1 Solomon Islands dollar (SI$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: Solomon Islands dollars (SI$) per US$1--4.9334
(January 1999), 4.8156 (1998), 3.5664 (1997), 3.4059 (1995), 3.2914
(1994)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 5,000 (1991 est.)

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

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

Radios: 38,000 (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 0 (1997)

Televisions: 2,000 (1992 est.)

Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways:
total: 1,360 km
paved: 34 km
unpaved: 1,326 km (includes about 800 km of private plantation
roads) (1996 est.)

Ports and harbors: Aola Bay, Honiara, Lofung, Noro, Viru Harbor,
Yandina

Merchant marine: none

Airports: 33 (1998 est.)

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

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 31
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m: 21 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: no regular military forces; Solomon Islands
National Reconnaissance and Surveillance Force; Royal Solomon
Islands Police (RSIP)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: NA%

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: none

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

@Somalia -------

Geography

Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the
Indian Ocean, east of Ethiopia

Geographic coordinates: 10 00 N, 49 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area:
total: 637,660 sq km
land: 627,340 sq km
water: 10,320 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries:
total: 2,366 km
border countries: Djibouti 58 km, Ethiopia 1,626 km, Kenya 682 km

Coastline: 3,025 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 200 nm

Climate: principally desert; December to February--northeast
monsoon, moderate temperatures in north and very hot in south; May
to October--southwest monsoon, torrid in the north and hot in the
south, irregular rainfall, hot and humid periods (tangambili)
between monsoons

Terrain: mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in
north

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Shimbiris 2,416 m

Natural resources: uranium and largely unexploited reserves of
iron ore, tin, gypsum, bauxite, copper, salt

Land use:
arable land: 2%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 69%
forests and woodland: 26%
other: 3% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,800 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over
eastern plains in summer

Environment--current issues: famine; use of contaminated water
contributes to human health problems; deforestation; overgrazing;
soil erosion; desertification

Environment--international agreements:
party to: Endangered Species, Law of the Sea
signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban

Geography--note: strategic location on Horn of Africa along
southern approaches to Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and
Suez Canal

People

Population: 7,140,643 (July 1999 est.)
note: this estimate was derived from an official census taken in
1987 by the Somali Government with the cooperation of the UN and the
US Bureau of the Census; population estimates are updated between
censuses by factoring in growth rates and by taking account of
refugee movements and losses due to famine; lower estimates of
Somalia's population in mid-1996 (on the order of 6.0 million to 6.5
million) have been made by aid and relief agencies, based on the
number of persons being fed; population counting in Somalia is
complicated by the large numbers of nomads and by refugee movements
in response to famine and clan warfare

Age structure:
0-14 years: 44% (male 1,588,025; female 1,584,770)
15-64 years: 53% (male 1,898,794; female 1,865,487)
65 years and over: 3% (male 92,419; female 111,148) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 4.13% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 47.98 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 18.62 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 11.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 125.77 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 46.23 years
male: 44.66 years
female: 47.85 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 7.25 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Somali(s)
adjective: Somali

Ethnic groups: Somali 85%, Bantu, Arabs 30,000

Religions: Sunni Muslim

Languages: Somali (official), Arabic, Italian, English

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 24%
male: 36%
female: 14% (1990 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Somalia
former: Somali Republic, Somali Democratic Republic

Data code: SO

Government type: none

Capital: Mogadishu

Administrative divisions: 18 regions (plural--NA,
singular--gobolka); Awdal, Bakool, Banaadir, Bari, Bay, Galguduud,
Gedo, Hiiraan, Jubbada Dhexe, Jubbada Hoose, Mudug, Nugaal, Sanaag,
Shabeellaha Dhexe, Shabeellaha Hoose, Sool, Togdheer, Woqooyi Galbeed

Independence: 1 July 1960 (from a merger of British Somaliland,
which became independent from the UK on 26 June 1960, and Italian
Somaliland, which became independent from the Italian-administered
UN trusteeship on 1 July 1960, to form the Somali Republic)

National holiday: NA

Constitution: 25 August 1979, presidential approval 23 September
1979

Legal system: NA

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: Somalia has no functioning government; the
United Somali Congress (USC) ousted the regime of Major General
Mohamed SIAD Barre on 27 January 1991; the present political
situation is one of anarchy, marked by interclan fighting and random
banditry

Legislative branch: unicameral People's Assembly or Golaha
Shacbiga
note: not functioning

Judicial branch: (not functioning); note--following the breakdown
of national government, most regions have reverted to Islamic law
with a provision for appeal of all sentences

Political parties and leaders: none

Political pressure groups and leaders: numerous clan and subclan
factions are currently vying for power

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL,
AMF, CAEU, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer),
ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: Somalia does not have an
embassy in the US (ceased operations on 8 May 1991)

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an
embassy in Somalia; US interests are represented by the US Embassy
in Nairobi at Moi Avenue and Haile Selassie Avenue; mail address: P.

Flag description: light blue with a large white five-pointed star
in the center; design based on the flag of the UN (Italian
Somaliland was a UN trust territory)

Government--note: While chaos and clan fighting continue in most
of Somalia, some orderly government has been established in the
northern part. In May 1991, the elders of clans in former British
Somaliland established the independent Republic of Somaliland,
which, although not recognized by any government, maintains a stable
existence, aided by the overwhelming dominance of the ruling clan
and the economic infrastructure left behind by British, Russian and
American military assistance programs. The economy has been growing
and in February 1996 the EU agreed to finance the reconstruction of
the port of Berbera; since then, other aid projects have been
assumed by the EU and by a non-governmental Italian organization.

Economy

Economy--overview: One of the world's poorest and least developed
countries, Somalia has few resources. Moreover, much of the economy
has been devastated by the civil war. Agriculture is the most
important sector, with livestock accounting for about 40% of GDP and
about 65% of export earnings. Nomads and semi-nomads, who are
dependent upon livestock for their livelihood, make up a large
portion of the population. After livestock, bananas are the
principal export; sugar, sorghum, corn, and fish are products for
the domestic market. The small industrial sector, based on the
processing of agricultural products, accounts for 10% of GDP; most
facilities have been shut down because of the civil strife.
Moreover, as of early 1999, ongoing civil disturbances in Mogadishu
and outlying areas are interfering with any substantial economic
advance.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$4 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: NA%

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

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 59%
industry: 10%
services: 31% (1995 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

Labor force: 3.7 million (very few are skilled laborers)(1993
est.)

Labor force--by occupation: agriculture (mostly pastoral nomadism)
71%, industry and services 29%

Unemployment rate: NA%

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

Industries: a few small industries, including sugar refining,
textiles, petroleum refining (mostly shut down)

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity--production: 258 million kWh (1996)

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

Electricity--consumption: 258 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: bananas, sorghum, corn, sugarcane, mangoes,
sesame seeds, beans; cattle, sheep, goats; fish

Exports: $123 million (f.o.b., 1995 est.)

Exports--commodities: livestock, bananas, hides, fish (1997)

Exports--partners: Saudi Arabia 55%, Yemen 19%, Italy 11%, UAE, US
(1996 est.)

Imports: $60 million (f.o.b., 1995 est.)

Imports--commodities: manufactures, petroleum products,
foodstuffs, construction materials (1995)

Imports--partners: Kenya 28%, Djibouti 21%, Brazil 6%, Pakistan
(1996 est.)

Debt--external: $2.6 billion (1996 est.)

Economic aid--recipient: $191.5 million (1995)

Currency: 1 Somali shilling (So. Sh.) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: Somali shillings (So. Sh.) per US$1--2,620
(January 1999), 7,500 (November 1997 est.), 7,000 (January 1996
est.), 5,000 (1 January 1995), 2,616 (1 July 1993), 4,200 (December
1992)
note: the Republic of Somaliland, a self-declared independent
country not recognized by any government, issues its own currency,
the Somaliland shilling (So. Sh.)

Fiscal year: NA

Communications

Telephones: 9,000 (1991 est.)

Telephone system: the public telecommunications system was
completely destroyed or dismantled by the civil war factions; all
relief organizations depend on their own private systems
domestic: recently, local cellular telephone systems have been
established in Mogadishu and in several other population centers
international: international connections are available from
Mogadishu by satellite

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

Radios: 300,000

Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)

Televisions: 118,000 (1993 est.)

Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways:
total: 22,100 km
paved: 2,608 km
unpaved: 19,492 km (1996 est.)

Pipelines: crude oil 15 km

Ports and harbors: Bender Cassim (Boosaaso), Berbera, Chisimayu
(Kismaayo), Merca, Mogadishu

Merchant marine: none

Airports: 61 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways:
total: 7
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 54
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
914 to 1,523 m: 28
under 914 m: 10 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: NA; note--no functioning central government
military forces; clan militias continue to battle for control of key
economic or political prizes

Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 1,730,450 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 962,545 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: NA%

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: most of the southern half of the boundary
with Ethiopia is a Provisional Administrative Line; territorial
dispute with Ethiopia over the Ogaden

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

@South Africa ------------

Geography

Location: Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent
of Africa

Geographic coordinates: 29 00 S, 24 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area:
total: 1,219,912 sq km
land: 1,219,912 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Prince Edward Islands (Marion Island and Prince
Edward Island)

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

Land boundaries:
total: 4,750 km
border countries: Botswana 1,840 km, Lesotho 909 km, Mozambique 491
km, Namibia 855 km, Swaziland 430 km, Zimbabwe 225 km

Coastline: 2,798 km

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

Climate: mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny
days, cool nights

Terrain: vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow
coastal plain

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Njesuthi 3,408 m

Natural resources: gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore,
manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum,
copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas

Land use:
arable land: 10%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 67%
forests and woodland: 7%
other: 15% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 12,700 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: prolonged droughts

Environment--current issues: lack of important arterial rivers or
lakes requires extensive water conservation and control measures;
growth in water usage threatens to outpace supply; pollution of
rivers from agricultural runoff and urban discharge; air pollution
resulting in acid rain; soil erosion; desertification

Environment--international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography--note: South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and
almost completely surrounds Swaziland

People

Population: 43,426,386 (July 1999 est.)
note: South Africa took a census 10 October 1996 which showed a
population of 37,859,000 (after a 6.8% adjustment for
underenumeration based on a post-enumeration survey); this figure is
still about 10% below projections from earlier censuses; since the
full results of that census have not been released for analysis, the
numbers shown for South Africa do not take into consideration the
results of this 1996 census

Age structure:
0-14 years: 34% (male 7,541,840; female 7,403,235)
15-64 years: 61% (male 13,180,925; female 13,312,917)
65 years and over: 5% (male 798,825; female 1,188,644) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.32% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 25.94 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 12.81 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 51.99 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 54.76 years
male: 52.68 years
female: 56.9 years (1999 est.)

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

Nationality:
noun: South African(s)
adjective: South African

Ethnic groups: black 75.2%, white 13.6%, Colored 8.6%, Indian 2.6%

Religions: Christian 68% (includes most whites and Coloreds,
about 60% of blacks and about 40% of Indians), Muslim 2%, Hindu 1.5%
(60% of Indians), traditional and animistic 28.5%

Languages: 11 official languages, including Afrikaans, English,
Ndebele, Pedi, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 81.8%
male: 81.9%
female: 81.7% (1995 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of South Africa
conventional short form: South Africa
abbreviation: RSA

Data code: SF

Government type: republic

Capital: Pretoria (administrative); Cape Town (legislative);
Bloemfontein (judicial)

Administrative divisions: 9 provinces; Eastern Cape, Free State,
Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, North-West, Northern Cape,
Northern Province, Western Cape

Independence: 31 May 1910 (from UK)

National holiday: Freedom Day, 27 April (1994)

Constitution: 10 December 1996; this new constitution was
certified by the Constitutional Court on 4 December 1996, was signed
by President MANDELA on 10 December 1996, and entered into effect on
3 February 1997; it is being implemented in phases

Legal system: based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law;
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Nelson MANDELA (since 10 May 1994);
Executive Deputy President Thabo MBEKI (since 10 May 1994); note--the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Nelson MANDELA (since 10 May 1994);
Executive Deputy President Thabo MBEKI (since 10 May 1994); note--the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president and executive deputy presidents elected by the
National Assembly for five-year terms; election last held 9 May 1994
(next scheduled for sometime between May and July 1999)
election results: Nelson MANDELA elected president; percent of
National Assembly vote--100% (by acclamation); Thabo MBEKI and
Frederik W. DE KLERK elected executive deputy presidents; percent of
National Assembly vote--100% (by acclamation)
note: the initial governing coalition, made up of the ANC, the IFP,
and the NP, which constituted a Government of National Unity or GNU,
no longer includes the NP which was withdrawn by DE KLERK on 30 June
1996 when he voluntarily gave up his position as executive deputy
president and distanced himself from the programs of the ANC

Legislative branch: bicameral parliament consisting of the
National Assembly (400 seats; members are elected by popular vote
under a system of proportional representation to serve five-year
terms) and the National Council of Provinces (90 seats, 10 members
elected by each of the nine provincial legislatures for five-year
terms; has special powers to protect regional interests, including
the safeguarding of cultural and linguistic traditions among ethnic
minorities); note--following the implementation of the new
constitution on 3 February 1997 the former Senate was disbanded and
replaced by the National Council of Provinces with essentially no
change in membership and party affiliations, although the new
institution's responsibilities have been changed somewhat by the new
constitution
elections: National Assembly and Senate--last held 26-29 April 1994
(next to be held 2 June 1999); note--the Senate was disbanded and
replaced by the National Council of Provinces on 6 February 1997
election results: National Assembly--percent of vote by party--ANC
62.6%, NP 20.4%, IFP 10.5%, FF 2.2%, DP 1.7%, PAC 1.2%, ACDP 0.5%,
other 0.9%; seats by party--ANC 252, NP 82, IFP 43, FF 9, DP 7, PAC
5, ACDP 2; Senate--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--ANC
61, NP 17, FF 4, IFP 5, DP 3

Judicial branch: Constitutional Court; Supreme Court of Appeals;
High Courts; Magistrate Courts

Political parties and leaders: African Christian Democratic Party
SCHALKWYK, executive director]; Pan-Africanist Congress or PAC
note: 11 other parties won votes in the April 1994 elections but not
enough to gain seats in the National Assembly

Political pressure groups and leaders: Congress of South African
secretary]; South African National Civics Organization or SANCO
in a formal alliance with the ANC

International organization participation: AfDB, BIS, C, CCC, ECA,
FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
ISO, ITU, MTCR, NAM, NSG, OAU, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
chancery: 3051 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: Beverly Hills (California), Chicago, and New
York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador James A. JOSEPH
embassy: 877 Pretorius St., Arcadia 0083
mailing address: P.O. Box 9536, Pretoria 0001
consulate(s) general: Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg

Flag description: two equal width horizontal bands of red (top)
and blue separated by a central green band which splits into a
horizontal Y, the arms of which end at the corners of the hoist
side, embracing a black isosceles triangle from which the arms are
separated by narrow yellow bands; the red and blue bands are
separated from the green band and its arms by narrow white stripes
note: prior to 26 April 1994, the flag was actually four flags in
one--three miniature flags reproduced in the center of the white band
of the former flag of the Netherlands, which has three equal
horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and blue; the miniature
flags are a vertically hanging flag of the old Orange Free State
with a horizontal flag of the UK adjoining on the hoist side and a
horizontal flag of the old Transvaal Republic adjoining on the other
side

Economy

Economy--overview: South Africa is a middle-income, developing
country with an abundant supply of resources, well-developed
financial, legal, communications, energy, and transport sectors, a
stock exchange that ranks among the 10 largest in the world, and a
modern infrastructure supporting an efficient distribution of goods
to major urban centers throughout the region. However, growth has
not been strong enough to cut into the 30% unemployment, and
daunting economic problems remain from the apartheid era, especially
the problems of poverty and lack of economic empowerment among the
disadvantaged groups. Other problems are crime and corruption. The
new government demonstrated its commitment to open markets,
privatization, and a favorable investment climate with the release
of its macroeconomic strategy in June 1996. Called "Growth,
Employment and Redistribution," this policy framework includes the
introduction of tax incentives to stimulate new investment in
labor-intensive projects, expansion of basic infrastructure
services, the restructuring and partial privatization of state
assets, continued reduction of tariffs, subsidies to promote
economic efficiency, improved services to the disadvantaged, and
integration into the global economy. Serious structural rigidities
remain, including a complicated and relatively protectionist trade
regime, and concentration of wealth and economic control.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$290.6 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 0.3% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$6,800 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 5%
industry: 39%
services: 56% (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.4%
highest 10%: 47.3% (1993)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 9% (1998 est.)

Labor force: 15 million economically active (1997)

Labor force--by occupation: services 35%, agriculture 30%,
industry 20%, mining 9%, other 6%

Unemployment rate: 30% (1998 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $30.5 billion
expenditures: $38 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.6
billion (FY94/95 est.)

Industries: mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold,
chromium), automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textile,
iron and steel, chemical, fertilizer, foodstuffs

Industrial production growth rate: -1% (1998 est.)

Electricity--production: 186.949 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 93%
hydro: 0.7%
nuclear: 6.3%
other: NA% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 181.404 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 5.575 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 30 million kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables;
beef, poultry, mutton, wool, dairy products

Exports: $28.7 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Exports--commodities: gold 20%, other minerals and metals 20%-25%,
food 5%, chemicals 3% (1997)

Exports--partners: UK, Italy, Japan, US, Germany (1997)

Imports: $27.2 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Imports--commodities: machinery, transport equipment, chemicals,
petroleum products, textiles, scientific instruments (1997)

Imports--partners: Germany, US, UK, Japan (1997)

Debt--external: $23.5 billion (1997 est.)

Economic aid--recipient: $676.3 million

Currency: 1 rand (R) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: rand (R) per US$1--5.98380 (January 1999), 5.52828
(1998), 4.60796 (1997), 4.29935 (1996), 3.62709 (1995), 3.55080
(1994)

Fiscal year: 1 April--31 March

Communications

Telephones: 4.2 million (1997)

Telephone system: the system is the best developed, most modern,
and has the highest capacity in Africa
domestic: consists of carrier-equipped open-wire lines, coaxial
cables, microwave radio relay links, fiber-optic cable, and
radiotelephone communication stations; key centers are Bloemfontein,
Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth, and Pretoria
international: 1 submarine cable; satellite earth stations--3
Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 15, FM 164, shortwave 1

Radios: 7.5 million (1999 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 556 (includes 156 network stations
and 400 privately-owned low-power stations; in addition, there are
144 network repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 7.5 million

Transportation

Railways:
total: 21,431 km
narrow gauge: 20,995 km 1.067-m gauge (9,087 km electrified); 436 km
0.610-m gauge (1995)

Highways:
total: 331,265 km
paved: 137,475 km (including 1,142 km of expressways)
unpaved: 193,790 km (1995 est.)

Pipelines: crude oil 931 km; petroleum products 1,748 km; natural
gas 322 km

Ports and harbors: Cape Town, Durban, East London, Mosselbaai,
Port Elizabeth, Richards Bay, Saldanha

Merchant marine:
total: 9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 274,797 GRT/270,837 DWT
ships by type: container 6, oil tanker 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1
(1998 est.)

Airports: 749 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways:
total: 144
over 3,047 m: 10
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 45
914 to 1,523 m: 75
under 914 m: 10 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 605
1,524 to 2,437 m: 35
914 to 1,523 m: 304
under 914 m: 266 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: South African National Defense Force or SANDF
(includes Army, Navy, Air Force, and Medical Services), South
African Police Service or SAPS

Military manpower--military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 11,330,692 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 6,889,631 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 453,610 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $2 billion (FY99/00)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 2.2% (FY95/96)

Military--note: the National Defense Force continues to integrate
former military, black homelands forces, and ex-opposition forces

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: Swaziland has asked South Africa to open
negotiations on reincorporating some nearby South African
territories that are populated by ethnic Swazis or that were long
ago part of the Swazi Kingdom

Illicit drugs: transshipment center for heroin and cocaine;
cocaine consumption on the rise; world's largest market for illicit
methaqualone, usually imported illegally from India through various
east African countries; illicit cultivation of marijuana

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

@South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands --------------------------------------------

Geography

Location: Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic
Ocean, east of the tip of South America

Geographic coordinates: 54 30 S, 37 00 W

Map references: Antarctic Region

Area:
total: 4,066 sq km
land: 4,066 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Shag Rocks, Clerke Rocks, Bird Island

Area--comparative: slightly larger than Rhode Island

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: NA km

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

Climate: variable, with mostly westerly winds throughout the year
interspersed with periods of calm; nearly all precipitation falls as
snow

Terrain: most of the islands, rising steeply from the sea, are
rugged and mountainous; South Georgia is largely barren and has
steep, glacier-covered mountains; the South Sandwich Islands are of
volcanic origin with some active volcanoes

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Paget 2,915 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 100% (largely covered by permanent ice and snow with some
sparse vegetation consisting of grass, moss, and lichen)

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)

Natural hazards: the South Sandwich Islands have prevailing
weather conditions that generally make them difficult to approach by
ship; they are also subject to active volcanism

Environment--current issues: NA

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

Geography--note: the north coast of South Georgia has several
large bays, which provide good anchorage; reindeer, introduced early
in this century, live on South Georgia

People

Population: no indigenous inhabitants
note: there is a small military garrison on South Georgia, and the
British Antarctic Survey has a biological station on Bird Island;
the South Sandwich Islands are uninhabited

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
conventional short form: none

Data code: SX

Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by
Argentina; administered from the Falkland Island by a UK civil
commissioner; Grytviken on South Georgia is the garrison town

Capital: none; Grytviken on South Georgia is the garrison town

Legal system: NA

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of
the UK, also claimed by Argentina)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory
of the UK, also claimed by Argentina)

Flag description: the flag of the UK is used

Economy

Economy--overview: Some fishing takes place in adjacent waters.
There is a potential source of income from harvesting fin fish and
krill. The islands receive income from postage stamps produced in
the UK.

Budget:
revenues: $291,777
expenditures: $451,000, including capital expenditures of $NA (1988
est.)

Communications

Telephone system:
domestic: NA
international: coastal radiotelephone station at Grytviken

Transportation

Ports and harbors: Grytviken

Airports: none

Military

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

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: claimed by Argentina

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

@Spain -----

Introduction

Background: A powerful world empire in the 16th and 17th
centuries, Spain ultimately yielded command of the seas to England,
beginning with the defeat of the Armada in 1588. Spain subsequently
failed to embrace the mercantile and industrial revolutions and fell
behind Britain, France, and Germany in economic and political power.
Spain remained neutral in World Wars I and II. In the second half of
the 20th century Spain played a catch-up role in the western
international community. Continuing problems are large-scale
unemployment and the Basque separatist movement.

Geography

Location: Southwestern Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay,
Mediterranean Sea, North Atlantic Ocean, and Pyrenees Mountains,
southwest of France

Geographic coordinates: 40 00 N, 4 00 W

Map references: Europe

Area:
total: 504,750 sq km
land: 499,400 sq km
water: 5,350 sq km
note: includes Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, and five places of
sovereignty (plazas de soberania) on and off the coast of
Morocco--Ceuta, Melilla, Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and
Penon de Velez de la Gomera

Area--comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Oregon

Land boundaries:
total: 1,919.1 km
border countries: Andorra 65 km, France 623 km, Gibraltar 1.2 km,
Portugal 1,214 km, Morocco (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Morocco (Melilla) 9.6 km

Coastline: 4,964 km

Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (applies only to the Atlantic Ocean)
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate
and cloudy along coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior, partly
cloudy and cool along coast

Terrain: large, flat to dissected plateau surrounded by rugged
hills; Pyrenees in north

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pico de Teide (Tenerife) on Canary Islands 3,718 m

Natural resources: coal, lignite, iron ore, uranium, mercury,
pyrites, fluorspar, gypsum, zinc, lead, tungsten, copper, kaolin,
potash, hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 30%
permanent crops: 9%
permanent pastures: 21%
forests and woodland: 32%
other: 8% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 34,530 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: periodic droughts

Environment--current issues: pollution of the Mediterranean Sea
from raw sewage and effluents from the offshore production of oil
and gas; water quality and quantity nationwide; air pollution;
deforestation; desertification

Environment--international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification

Geography--note: strategic location along approaches to Strait of
Gibraltar

People

Population: 39,167,744 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 15% (male 3,012,907; female 2,835,455)
15-64 years: 68% (male 13,411,046; female 13,406,214)
65 years and over: 17% (male 2,702,654; female 3,799,468) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.1% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 9.99 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 9.69 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 6.41 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.71 years
male: 73.97 years
female: 81.71 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.24 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Spaniard(s)
adjective: Spanish

Ethnic groups: composite of Mediterranean and Nordic types

Religions: Roman Catholic 99%, other 1%

Languages: Castilian Spanish 74%, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%,
Basque 2%

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96%
male: 98%
female: 94% (1986 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Spain
conventional short form: Spain
local short form: Espana

Data code: SP

Government type: parliamentary monarchy

Capital: Madrid

Administrative divisions: 17 autonomous communities (comunidades
autonomas, singular--comunidad autonoma); Andalucia, Aragon,
Asturias, Baleares (Balearic Islands), Canarias (Canary Islands),
Cantabria, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y Leon, Cataluna, Communidad
Valencian, Extremadura, Galicia, La Rioja, Madrid, Murcia, Navarra,
Pais Vasco (Basque Country)
note: there are five places of sovereignty on and off the coast of
Morocco: Ceuta and Melilla are administered as autonomous
communities; Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de
Velez de la Gomera are under direct Spanish administration

Independence: 1492 (expulsion of the Moors and unification)

National holiday: National Day, 12 October

Constitution: 6 December 1978, effective 29 December 1978

Legal system: civil law system, with regional applications; does
not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: King JUAN CARLOS I (since 22 November 1975); Heir
Apparent Prince FELIPE, son of the monarch, born 30 January 1968
head of government: President of the Government Jose Maria AZNAR
Lopez (since 5 May 1996); First Vice President Francisco ALVAREZ
CASCOS Fernandez (since 5 May 1996) and Second Vice President (and
Minister of Economy and Finance) Rodrigo RATO Figaredo (since 5 May
1996)
cabinet: Council of Ministers designated by the president
note: there is also a Council of State that is the supreme
consultative organ of the government
elections: the monarch is hereditary; president proposed by the
monarch and elected by the National Assembly following legislative
elections; election last held 3 March 1996 (next to be held by NA
April 2000); vice presidents appointed by the monarch on proposal of
the president
election results: Jose Maria AZNAR elected president; percent of
National Assembly vote--NA

Legislative branch: bicameral; the General Courts or National
Assembly or Las Cortes Generales consists of the Senate or Senado
(256 seats--208 members directly elected by popular vote and the
other 48 appointed by the regional legislatures to serve four-year
terms) and the Congress of Deputies or Congreso de los Diputados
(350 seats; members are elected by popular vote on block lists by
proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate--last held 3 March 1996 (next to be held by April
2000); Congress of Deputies--last held 3 March 1996 (next to be held
by April 2000)
election results: Senate--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by
party--PP 132, PSOE 96, CiU 11, PNV 6, IU 2, others 9; Congress of
Deputies--percent of vote by party--PP 38.9%, PSOE 37.5%, IU 10.7%,
CiU 4.6%; seats by party--PP 156, PSOE 141, IU 21, CiU 16, other 16

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo

Political parties and leaders:
principal national parties, from right to left: Popular Party or PP
Gonzalez]
Soley, secretary general] (a coalition of the Democratic Convergence

Political pressure groups and leaders: on the extreme left, the
Basque Fatherland and Liberty or ETA and the First of October
Antifascist Resistance Group or GRAPO use terrorism to oppose the
unions (authorized in April 1977); Workers Confederation or CC.OO;
the Socialist General Union of Workers or UGT and the smaller
independent Workers Syndical Union or USO; business and landowning
interests; the Catholic Church; Opus Dei; university students

International organization participation: AfDB, AsDB, Australia
Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, EIB, EMU, ESA,
EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC,
IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MTCR, NAM (guest), NATO,
NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIBH, UNU, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
WTrO, ZC