Chapter V (41)

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

Labor force: NA

Labor force--by occupation: private sector about 70%, public
sector about 30%

Unemployment rate: 22% (1995 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $400 million
expenditures: $450 million, including capital expenditures of $115
million (FY96/97)

Industries: mining (coal and asbestos), wood pulp, sugar, soft
drink concentrates

Industrial production growth rate: 3.7% (FY95/96)

Electricity--production: 415 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 49.4%
hydro: 50.6%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 986 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 571 million kWh (1996)
note: imports about 60% of its electricity from South Africa

Agriculture--products: sugarcane, cotton, maize, tobacco, rice,
citrus, pineapples, corn, sorghum, peanuts; cattle, goats, sheep

Exports: $972 million (f.o.b., 1998)

Exports--commodities: soft drink concentrates, sugar, wood pulp,
cotton yarn, citrus and canned fruit (1996)

Exports--partners: South Africa 58%, EU 17%, Mozambique, North
Korea (1995)

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

Imports--commodities: motor vehicles, machinery, transport
equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals (1996)

Imports--partners: South Africa 96%, Japan, UK, Singapore (FY95/96)

Debt--external: $175 million (1998)

Economic aid--recipient: $55 million (1995)

Currency: 1 lilangeni (E) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: emalangeni (E) per US$1--5.9812 (January 1999),
5.4807 (1998), 4.6032 (1997), 4.2706 (1996), 3.6266 (1995), 3.5490
(1994); note--the Swazi lilangeni is at par with the South African
rand

Fiscal year: 1 April--31 March

Communications

Telephones: NA; 45,000 cellular telephone subscribers (1993 est.)

Telephone system:
domestic: system consists of carrier-equipped, open-wire lines and
low-capacity, microwave radio relay
international: satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 6, shortwave 0

Radios: 200,000 (1998 est.)

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

Televisions: 20,000 (1998 est.)

Transportation

Railways:
total: 297 km; note--includes 71 km which are not in use
narrow gauge: 297 km 1.067-m gauge

Highways:
total: 3,810 km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km (1996 est.)

Ports and harbors: none

Airports: 18 (1998 est.)

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

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 17
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 10 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force (Army), Royal
Swaziland Police Force

Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 221,199 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 128,806 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $23 million (FY95/96)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 1.9% (FY95/96)

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

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

@Sweden ------

Introduction

Background: Having long lost its military prowess of the 17th
century, Sweden has evolved into a prosperous and peaceful
constitutional monarchy with a capitalist system interlarded with
substantial welfare elements. As the 20th century comes to an end,
this long successful formula is being undermined by high
unemployment; the rising cost of a "cradle to the grave" welfare
state; the decline of Sweden's competitive position in world
markets; and indecision over the country's role in the political and
economic integration of Europe. A member of the European Union,
Sweden chose not to participate in the introduction of the euro on 1
January 1999.

Geography

Location: Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of
Bothnia, Kattegat, and Skagerrak, between Finland and Norway

Geographic coordinates: 62 00 N, 15 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area:
total: 449,964 sq km
land: 410,928 sq km
water: 39,036 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly larger than California

Land boundaries:
total: 2,205 km
border countries: Finland 586 km, Norway 1,619 km

Coastline: 3,218 km

Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: agreed boundaries or midlines
territorial sea: 12 nm (adjustments made to return a portion of
straits to high seas)

Climate: temperate in south with cold, cloudy winters and cool,
partly cloudy summers; subarctic in north

Terrain: mostly flat or gently rolling lowlands; mountains in west

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Kebnekaise 2,111 m

Natural resources: zinc, iron ore, lead, copper, silver, timber,
uranium, hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 7%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 1%
forests and woodland: 68%
other: 24% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,150 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: ice floes in the surrounding waters, especially
in the Gulf of Bothnia, can interfere with maritime traffic

Environment--current issues: acid rain damaging soils and lakes;
pollution of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea

Environment--international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air
Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental
Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography--note: strategic location along Danish Straits linking
Baltic and North Seas

People

Population: 8,911,296 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 19% (male 856,819; female 812,958)
15-64 years: 64% (male 2,896,383; female 2,802,571)
65 years and over: 17% (male 651,549; female 891,016) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.29% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 12 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 10.77 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 1.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 3.91 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.29 years
male: 76.61 years
female: 82.11 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.83 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Swede(s)
adjective: Swedish

Ethnic groups: white, Lapp (Sami), foreign-born or
first-generation immigrants 12% (Finns, Yugoslavs, Danes,
Norwegians, Greeks, Turks)

Religions: Evangelical Lutheran 94%, Roman Catholic 1.5%,
Pentecostal 1%, other 3.5% (1987)

Languages: Swedish
note: small Lapp- and Finnish-speaking minorities

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% (1979 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA%

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Sweden
conventional short form: Sweden
local long form: Konungariket Sverige
local short form: Sverige

Data code: SW

Government type: constitutional monarchy

Capital: Stockholm

Administrative divisions: 21 counties (lan, singular and plural);
Blekinge, Dalarnas, Gavleborgs, Gotlands, Hallands, Jamtlands,
Jonkopings, Kalmar, Kronobergs, Norrbottens, Orebro, Ostergotlands,
Skane, Sodermanlands, Stockholms, Uppsala, Varmlands, Vasterbottens,
Vasternorrlands, Vastmanlands, Vastra Gotalands

Independence: 6 June 1523 (Gustav VASA elected king); 6 June 1809
(constitutional monarchy was established)

National holiday: Day of the Swedish Flag, 6 June

Constitution: 1 January 1975

Legal system: civil law system influenced by customary law;
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: King CARL XVI GUSTAF (since 19 September 1973); Heir
Apparent Princess VICTORIA Ingrid Alice Desiree, daughter of the
monarch (born 14 July 1977)
head of government: Prime Minister Goran PERSSON (since 21 March
1996)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister
elections: the monarch is hereditary; prime minister elected by the
Parliament; election last held NA September 1998 (next to be held NA
2002)
election results: Goran PERSSON reelected prime minister; percent of
parliamentary vote--131 votes out of 349

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Riksdag (349 seats;
members are elected by popular vote on a proportional representation
basis to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 20 September 1998 (next to be held NA September
2002)
election results: percent of vote by party--Social Democrats 36.5%,
Moderates 22.7%, Left Party 12%, Christian Democrats 11.8%, Center
Party 5.1%, Liberal Party 4.7%, Greens 4.5%; seats by party--Social
Democrats 131, Moderates 82, Left Party 43, Christian Democrats 42,
Center Party 18, Liberal Party 17, Greens 16

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Hogsta Domstolen, judges are
appointed by the government (prime minister and cabinet)

Political parties and leaders: Social Democratic Party [Goran
formal leader but party spokesperson is Briger SCHLAUG]

International organization participation: ACCT, AfDB, AsDB,
Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA,
FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MTCR, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS
(observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN (observer), UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG,
UNPREDEP, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Rolf EKEUS
chancery: 1501 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20005-1702
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Lyndon Lowell OLSON, Jr.
embassy: Strandvagen 101, S-115 89 Stockholm
mailing address: American Embassy Stockholm, Department of State,
Washington, DC 20521-5750 (pouch)

Flag description: blue with a yellow cross that extends to the
edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the
hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

Economy

Economy--overview: Aided by peace and neutrality for the whole
twentieth century, Sweden has achieved an enviable standard of
living under a mixed system of high-tech capitalism and extensive
welfare benefits. It has a modern distribution system, excellent
internal and external communications, and a skilled labor force.
Timber, hydropower, and iron ore constitute the resource base of an
economy heavily oriented toward foreign trade. Privately owned firms
account for about 90% of industrial output, of which the engineering
sector accounts for 50% of output and exports. Agriculture accounts
for only 2% of GDP and 2% of the jobs. In recent years, however,
this extraordinarily favorable picture has been clouded by budgetary
difficulties, inflation, high unemployment, and a gradual loss of
competitiveness in international markets. Sweden has harmonized its
economic policies with those of the EU, which it joined at the start
of 1995. Sweden decided not to join the euro system at its outset in
January 1999 but plans to hold a referendum in 2000 on whether to
join. Annual GDP growth is forecast for 2.2% and 2.6% in 1999 and
2000 respectively. Budgetary problems and shaky business confidence
will constrain government plans to reduce unemployment.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$175 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 2.9% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$19,700 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 2.2%
industry: 30.5%
services: 67.3% (1997)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.7%
highest 10%: 20.1% (1992)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2% (1998 est.)

Labor force: 4.552 million (1992)

Labor force--by occupation: community, social and personal
services 38.3%, mining and manufacturing 21.2%, commerce, hotels,
and restaurants 14.1%, banking, insurance 9%, communications 7.2%,
construction 7%, agriculture, fishing, and forestry 3.2% (1991)

Unemployment rate: 6.3% plus about 5% in training programs (1998
est.)

Budget:
revenues: $109.4 billion
expenditures: $146.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY95/96)

Industries: iron and steel, precision equipment (bearings, radio
and telephone parts, armaments), wood pulp and paper products,
processed foods, motor vehicles

Industrial production growth rate: 4.4% (1998)

Electricity--production: 135.192 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 9.75%
hydro: 37.52%
nuclear: 52.62%
other: 0.11% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 141.392 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 9.7 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 15.9 billion kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: grains, sugar beets, potatoes; meat, milk

Exports: $85.5 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Exports--commodities: machinery 35%, motor vehicles, paper
products, pulp and wood, iron and steel products, chemicals

Exports--partners: EU 55% (Germany 11%, UK 9%, Denmark 6%, Finland
5%), Norway 8%, US 8% (1994)

Imports: $66.6 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Imports--commodities: machinery, petroleum and petroleum products,
chemicals, motor vehicles, foodstuffs, iron and steel, clothing

Imports--partners: EU 68% (Germany 19%, UK 10%, Denmark 8%, France
6%), Norway 8%, US 6% (1997)

Debt--external: $66.5 billion (1994)

Economic aid--donor: ODA, $1.7 billion (1995)

Currency: 1 Swedish krona (SKr) = 100 oere

Exchange rates: Swedish kronor (SKr) per US$1--7.8193 (January
1999), 7.9499 (1998), 7.6349 (1997), 6.7060 (1996), 7.1333 (1995),
7.7160 (1994)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 13 million (1996 est.)

Telephone system: excellent domestic and international
facilities; automatic system
domestic: coaxial and multiconductor cable carry most voice traffic;
parallel microwave radio relay network carries some additional
telephone channels
international: 5 submarine coaxial cables; satellite earth
stations--1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat
(Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note--Sweden shares the Inmarsat
earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland,
Iceland, and Norway)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 360 (mostly repeaters),
shortwave 0

Radios: 7.272 million (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 163 (1997)

Televisions: 3.5 million

Transportation

Railways:
total: 13,415 km (includes 3,594 km of privately-owned railways)
standard gauge: 13,415 km 1.435-m gauge (7,917 km electrified and
1,152 km double track) (1996)

Highways:
total: 138,000 km
paved: 105,018 km (including 1,330 km of expressways)
unpaved: 32,982 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: 2,052 km navigable for small steamers and barges

Pipelines: natural gas 84 km

Ports and harbors: Gavle, Goteborg, Halmstad, Helsingborg,
Hudiksvall, Kalmar, Karlshamn, Malmo, Solvesborg, Stockholm,
Sundsvall

Merchant marine:
total: 154 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,894,783
GRT/1,528,077 DWT
ships by type: bulk 6, cargo 28, chemical tanker 28, combination
ore/oil 4, liquefied gas tanker 1, oil tanker 24, railcar carrier 1,
refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 39, short-sea passenger
5, specialized tanker 4, vehicle carrier 13 (1998 est.)

Airports: 255 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways:
total: 145
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 10
1,524 to 2,437 m: 82
914 to 1,523 m: 27
under 914 m: 24 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 110
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 105 (1998 est.)

Heliports: 1 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Swedish Army, Royal Swedish Navy, Swedish Air
Force

Military manpower--military age: 19 years of age

Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 2,076,903 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,817,554 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 52,486 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $4.9 billion (FY97/98)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 2.2% (FY97/98)

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: none

Illicit drugs: minor transshipment point for and consumer of
narcotics shipped via the CIS and Baltic states; increasing consumer
of European amphetamines

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

@Switzerland -----------

Introduction

Background: Switzerland's independence and neutrality have long
been honored by the major European powers and Switzerland did not
participate in either World War I or II. The political and economic
integration of Europe since World War II may be rendering obsolete
Switzerland's concern for neutrality.

Geography

Location: Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy

Geographic coordinates: 47 00 N, 8 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area:
total: 41,290 sq km
land: 39,770 sq km
water: 1,520 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

Land boundaries:
total: 1,852 km
border countries: Austria 164 km, France 573 km, Italy 740 km,
Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 334 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy,
rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with
occasional showers

Terrain: mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with
a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Lake Maggiore 195 m
highest point: Dufourspitze 4,634 m

Natural resources: hydropower potential, timber, salt

Land use:
arable land: 10%
permanent crops: 2%
permanent pastures: 28%
forests and woodland: 32%
other: 28% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 250 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: avalanches, landslides, flash floods

Environment--current issues: air pollution from vehicle emissions
and open-air burning; acid rain; water pollution from increased use
of agricultural fertilizers; loss of biodiversity

Environment--international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air
Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, 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, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Law of the Sea

Geography--note: landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern
Europe; along with southeastern France and northern Italy, contains
the highest elevations in Europe

People

Population: 7,275,467 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 17% (male 639,970; female 611,876)
15-64 years: 68% (male 2,509,988; female 2,417,580)
65 years and over: 15% (male 444,482; female 651,571) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.2% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 10.53 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 9.06 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 4.87 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.99 years
male: 75.83 years
female: 82.32 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.46 children born/woman (1999 est.)

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

Ethnic groups: German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%,
other 6%

Religions: Roman Catholic 46.1%, Protestant 40%, other 5%, no
religion 8.9% (1990)

Languages: German 63.7%, French 19.2%, Italian 7.6%, Romansch
0.6%, other 8.9%

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% (1980 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA%

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Swiss Confederation
conventional short form: Switzerland
local long form: Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German),
Confederation Suisse (French), Confederazione Svizzera (Italian)
local short form: Schweiz (German), Suisse (French), Svizzera
(Italian)

Data code: SZ

Government type: federal republic

Capital: Bern

Administrative divisions: 26 cantons (cantons, singular--canton in
French; cantoni, singular--cantone in Italian; kantone,
singular--kanton in German); Aargau, Ausser-Rhoden, Basel-Landschaft,
Basel-Stadt, Bern, Fribourg, Geneve, Glarus, Graubunden,
Inner-Rhoden, Jura, Luzern, Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt
Gallen, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri,
Valais, Vaud, Zug, Zurich

Independence: 1 August 1291

National holiday: Anniversary of the Founding of the Swiss
Confederation, 1 August (1291)

Constitution: 29 May 1874

Legal system: civil law system influenced by customary law;
judicial review of legislative acts, except with respect to federal
decrees of general obligatory character; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ruth DREIFUSS (since 1 January 1999); Vice
President Adolf OGI (since 1 January 1999); note--the president is
both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Ruth DREIFUSS (since 1 January 1999);
Vice President Adolf OGI (since 1 January 1999); note--the president
is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German), Conseil Federal
(in French), Consiglio Federale (in Italian) elected by the Federal
Assembly from among its own members for a four-year term
elections: president and vice president elected by the Federal
Assembly from among the members of the Federal Council for one-year
terms that run concurrently; election last held NA December 1998
(next to be held NA December 1999)
election results: Ruth DREIFUSS elected president; percent of
Federal Assembly vote--Ruth DREIFUSS 75%; Adolf OGI elected vice
president; percent of legislative vote --NA

Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Assembly or
Bundesversammlung (in German), Assemblee Federale (in French),
Assemblea Federale (in Italian) consists of the Council of States or
Standerat (in German), Conseil des Etats (in French), Consiglio
degli Stati (in Italian) (46 seats--members serve four-year terms)
and the National Council or Nationalrat (in German), Conseil
National (in French), Consiglio Nazionale (in Italian) (200
seats--members are elected by popular vote on a basis of proportional
representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: Council of States--last held throughout 1997 (each canton
determines when the next election will be held); National
Council--last held 20 October 1995 (next to be held probably 24
October 1999)
election results: Council of States--percent of vote by party--NA;
seats by party--FDP 17, CVP 16, SVP 5, SPS 5, LPS 2, LdU 1; National
Council--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--FDP 45, SPS 54,
CVP 34, SVP 29, Greens 9, LPS 7, FPS 7, LdU 3, EVP 2, SD 3, PdAdS 3,
Ticino League 1, EDU 1, FRAP 1, CSP 1

Judicial branch: Federal Supreme Court, judges elected for
six-year terms by the Federal Assembly

Political parties and leaders: Radical Free Democratic Party
(Freisinnig-Demokratische Partei der Schweiz or FDP, Parti
Radical-Democratique Suisse or PRD, Partitio Liberal-Radicale
Party (Sozialdemokratische Partei der Schweiz or SPS, Parti
Socialist Suisse or PSS, Partito Socialista Svizzero or PSS, Partida
Christian Democratic People's Party (Christichdemokratische
Volkspartei der Schweiz or CVP, Parti Democrate-Chretien Suisse or
PDC, Partito Democratico-Cristiano Popolare Svizzero or PDC, Partida
president]; Swiss People's Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei or SVP,
Union Democratique du Centre or UDC, Unione Democratica de Centro or
Green Party (Grune Partei der Schweiz or Grune, Parti Ecologiste
Suisse or Les Verts, Partito Ecologista Svizzero or I Verdi, Partida
(Landesring der Unabhaengigen or LdU, Alliance des Independants or
Party (Schweizer Demokraten or SD, Democrates Suisses or DS,
Democratici Svizzeri or DS), Liberal Party (Liberale Partei der
Schweiz or LPS, Parti Liberal Suisse or PLS, Partito Liberale
Svizzero or PLS), Workers' Party (Parti Suisse du Travail or PST,
Partei der Arbeit der Schweiz or PdAdS, Partito Svizzero del Lavoro
or PSdL), Evangelical People's Party (Evangelische Volkspartei der
Schweiz or EVP, Parti Evangelique Suisse or PEV, Partito Evangelico
Svizzero or PEV), and the Union of Federal Democrats
(Eidgenossisch-Demokratische Union or EDU, Union Democratique
Federale or UDF, Unione Democratica Federale or UDF)

International organization participation: ACCT, AfDB, AsDB,
Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA,
FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MTCR, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS
(observer), OECD, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNPREDEP, UNTSO,
UNU, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Alfred DEFAGO
chancery: 2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New
York, and San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Madeleine May KUNIN
embassy: Jubilaeumstrasse 93, 3005 Bern
mailing address: use embassy street address

Flag description: red square with a bold, equilateral white cross
in the center that does not extend to the edges of the flag

Economy

Economy--overview: Switzerland, a fundamentally prosperous and
stable modern economy with a per capita GDP 15%-20% above that of
the big West European economies, experienced an export-driven upturn
in its economy in 1998. The downturn in the global economy, however,
will have a cooling effect on the 1998 boom in the Swiss export
sector, including financial services, biotechnology,
pharmaceuticals, and special-purpose machines. A major downturn in
the Swiss economy should still be avoided, as consumer and capital
spending have picked up and will keep the economy moving in 1999.
GDP growth in 1999 is expected to come in around 1.4%. The growing
political and economic union of Europe suggests that Switzerland's
time-honored neutral separation is becoming increasingly obsolete.
Thus, when the surrounding trade partners launched the euro on 1
January 1999, their firms began prodding Swiss exporters and
importers to keep their accounts in euros.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$191.8 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 2% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$26,400 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 2.8%
industry: 31.1%
services: 66.1% (1995)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.9%
highest 10%: 28.6% (1982)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0% (1998)

Labor force: 3.8 million (850,000 foreign workers, mostly Italian)

Labor force--by occupation: services 67%, manufacturing and
construction 29%, agriculture and forestry 4% (1995)

Unemployment rate: 3.6% (1998 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $32.66 billion
expenditures: $34.89 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.3
billion (1998 est.)

Industries: machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision
instruments

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

Electricity--production: 54.815 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 3.99%
hydro: 52.73%
nuclear: 43.27%
other: 0.01% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 53.765 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 24.2 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 23.15 billion kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs

Exports: $94.4 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Exports--commodities: machinery 29%, chemicals 28%, metals,
watches, agricultural products (1997)

Exports--partners: EU 61% (Germany 23%, France 9%, Italy 8%, UK
6%, Austria 3%), US 10%, Japan 4% (1997)

Imports: $95.5 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Imports--commodities: machinery 22%, chemicals 16%, vehicles,
metals, agricultural products, textiles (1997)

Imports--partners: EU 79% (Germany 32%, France 12%, Italy 10%,
Netherlands 5%, UK 5%),, US 7%, Japan 3% (1997)

Debt--external: $NA

Economic aid--donor: ODA, $1.1 billion (1995)

Currency: 1 Swiss franc, franken, or franco (SFR) = 100 centimes,
rappen, or centesimi

Exchange rates: Swiss francs, franken, or franchi (SFR) per
US$1--1.3837 (January 1999), 1.4498 (1998), 1.4513 (1997), 1.2360
(1996), 1.1825 (1995), 1.3677 (1994)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 5.24 million (1996 est.); 307,000 cellular telephone
subscribers (1994 est.)

Telephone system: excellent domestic and international services
domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks
international: satellite earth stations--2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean
and Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 50, shortwave 1 (1997)

Radios: 2.8 million (1996)

Television broadcast stations: 108 (1997)

Televisions: 2.647 million licenses (1996)

Transportation

Railways:
total: 4,479 km (1,564 km double track)
standard gauge: 3,304 km 1.435-m gauge (3,288 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 1,165 km 1.000-m gauge (1,057 km electrified); 10 km
0.750-m or 0.800-m gauge (1996)

Highways:
total: 71,048 km (including 1,613 km of expressways)
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km (1997 est.)

Waterways: 65 km; Rhine (Basel to Rheinfelden, Schaffhausen to
Bodensee); 12 navigable lakes

Pipelines: crude oil 314 km; natural gas 1,506 km

Ports and harbors: Basel

Merchant marine:
total: 20 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 412,459 GRT/724,995 DWT
ships by type: bulk 13, cargo 1, chemical tanker 5, oil tanker 1
(1998 est.)

Airports: 67 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways:
total: 42
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 12
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 15 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 25
under 914 m: 25 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Army, Air Force, Frontier Guards,
Fortification Guards

Military manpower--military age: 20 years of age

Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 1,867,290 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,592,696 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 41,204 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $3.1 billion (1999)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 1.2% (1999)

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: none

Illicit drugs: because of more stringent government regulations,
used significantly less as a money-laundering center; transit
country for and consumer of South American cocaine and Southwest
Asian heroin

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

@Syria -----

Geography

Location: Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between
Lebanon and Turkey

Geographic coordinates: 35 00 N, 38 00 E

Map references: Middle East

Area:
total: 185,180 sq km
land: 184,050 sq km
water: 1,130 sq km
note: includes 1,295 sq km of Israeli-occupied territory

Area--comparative: slightly larger than North Dakota

Land boundaries:
total: 2,253 km
border countries: Iraq 605 km, Israel 76 km, Jordan 375 km, Lebanon
375 km, Turkey 822 km

Coastline: 193 km

Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 41 nm
territorial sea: 35 nm

Climate: mostly desert; hot, dry, sunny summers (June to August)
and mild, rainy winters (December to February) along coast; cold
weather with snow or sleet periodically hitting Damascus

Terrain: primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal
plain; mountains in west

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: unnamed location near Lake Tiberias -200 m
highest point: Mount Hermon 2,814 m

Natural resources: petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese
ores, asphalt, iron ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum

Land use:
arable land: 28%
permanent crops: 4%
permanent pastures: 43%
forests and woodland: 3%
other: 22% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 9,060 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: dust storms, sandstorms

Environment--current issues: deforestation; overgrazing; soil
erosion; desertification; water pollution from dumping of raw sewage
and wastes from petroleum refining; inadequate supplies of potable
water

Environment--international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous
Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography--note: there are 42 Israeli settlements and civilian
land use sites in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (August 1998
est.)

People

Population: 17,213,871 (July 1999 est.)
note: in addition, there are about 37,200 people living in the
Israeli-occupied Golan Heights--18,200 Arabs (16,500 Druze and 1,700
Alawites) and about 19,000 Israeli settlers (August 1998 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 46% (male 4,032,620; female 3,840,431)
15-64 years: 51% (male 4,515,274; female 4,322,415)
65 years and over: 3% (male 246,812; female 256,319) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.15% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 36.95 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 5.4 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 36.42 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 68.09 years
male: 66.75 years
female: 69.48 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.37 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Syrian(s)
adjective: Syrian

Ethnic groups: Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians, and other 9.7%

Religions: Sunni Muslim 74%, Alawite, Druze, and other Muslim
sects 16%, Christian (various sects) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities
in Damascus, Al Qamishli, and Aleppo)

Languages: Arabic (official); Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic,
Circassian widely understood; French, English somewhat understood

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 70.8%
male: 85.7%
female: 55.8% (1997 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Syrian Arab Republic
conventional short form: Syria
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah
local short form: Suriyah
former: United Arab Republic (with Egypt)

Data code: SY

Government type: republic under military regime since March 1963

Capital: Damascus

Administrative divisions: 14 provinces (muhafazat,
singular--muhafazah); Al Hasakah, Al Ladhiqiyah, Al Qunaytirah, Ar
Raqqah, As Suwayda', Dar'a, Dayr az Zawr, Dimashq, Halab, Hamah,
Hims, Idlib, Rif Dimashq, Tartus

Independence: 17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under
French administration)

National holiday: National Day, 17 April (1946)

Constitution: 13 March 1973

Legal system: based on Islamic law and civil law system; special
religious courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Hafiz al-ASAD (since 22 February 1971);
note--President ASAD seized power in the November 1970 coup, assumed
presidential powers 22 February 1971, and was confirmed as president
in the 12 March 1971 national elections; Vice Presidents 'Abd
al-Halim ibn Said KHADDAM (since 11 March 1984) and Muhammad Zuhayr
MASHARIQA (since 11 March 1984)
head of government: Prime Minister Mahmud ZUBI (since 1 November
1987), Deputy Prime Ministers Lt. Gen. Mustafa TALAS (since 11 March
1984), Dr. Salim YASIN (since NA December 1981), and Rashid
AKHTARINI (since 4 July 1992)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
referendum/election last held 8 February 1999 (next to be held NA
2006); vice presidents appointed by the president; prime minister
and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president
election results: Hafiz al-ASAD reelected president; percent of
vote--Hafiz al-ASAD 99%

Legislative branch: unicameral People's Council or Majlis
al-shaab (250 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
four-year terms)
elections: last held 30 November-1 December 1998 (next to be held NA
2002)
election results: percent of vote by party--NPF 67%, non-NPF 33%;
seats by party--NPF 167, independents 83; note--the constitution
guarantees that the Ba'th Party (part of the NPF alliance) receive
one-half of the seats

Judicial branch: Supreme Constitutional Court, justices are
appointed for four-year terms by the president; High Judicial
Council; Court of Cassation; State Security Courts

Political parties and leaders:
National Progressive Front (NPF) includes: the ruling Arab Socialist
secretary general of the party, and chairman of the National

Political pressure groups and leaders: non-Ba'th parties have
little effective political influence; Communist party ineffective;
conservative religious leaders; Muslim Brotherhood (operates in
exile in Jordan and Yemen)

International organization participation: ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF,
CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA,
IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC,
ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU,
WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Walid MUALEM
chancery: 2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ryan CROCKER
embassy: Abou Roumaneh, Al-Mansur Street, No. 2, Damascus
mailing address: P. O. Box 29, Damascus

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top),
white, and black with two small green five-pointed stars in a
horizontal line centered in the white band; similar to the flag of
Yemen, which has a plain white band and of Iraq, which has three
green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line
centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Egypt, which
has a symbolic eagle centered in the white band

Economy

Economy--overview: Syria's predominantly statist economy is on a
shaky footing because of Damascus's failure to implement extensive
economic reform. The dominant agricultural sector remains
underdeveloped, with roughly 80% of agricultural land still
dependent on rain-fed sources. Although Syria has sufficient water
supplies in the aggregate at normal levels of precipitation, the
great distance between major water supplies and population centers
poses serious distribution problems. The water problem is
exacerbated by rapid population growth, industrial expansion, and
increased water pollution. Private investment is critical to the
modernization of the agricultural, energy, and export sectors. Oil
production is leveling off, and the efforts of the nonoil sector to
penetrate international markets have fallen short. Syria's
inadequate infrastructure, outmoded technological base, and weak
educational system make it vulnerable to future shocks and hamper
competition with neighbors such as Jordan and Israel.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$41.7 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 2% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$2,500 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 26%
industry: 21%
services: 53% (1997)

Population below poverty line: 15%-25%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 15%-20% (1997 est.)

Labor force: 4.7 million (1998 est.)

Labor force--by occupation: services 40%, agriculture 40%,
industry 20% (1996 est.)

Unemployment rate: 12%-15% (1998 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $3.5 billion
expenditures: $4.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1997 est.)

Industries: petroleum, textiles, food processing, beverages,
tobacco, phosphate rock mining

Industrial production growth rate: 0.2% (1996 est.)

Electricity--production: 19.3 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 63.73%
hydro: 36.27%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 19.3 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas,
olives, sugar beets; beef, mutton, eggs, poultry, milk

Exports: $4.2 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)

Exports--commodities: petroleum 65%, textiles 16%, food and live
animals 13%, manufactures 6% (1997 est.)

Exports--partners: Italy 18%, Germany 13%, France 12%, Turkey 10%,
Lebanon 7%, Spain 6% (1997 est.)

Imports: $5.7 billion (c.i.f., 1997)

Imports--commodities: machinery and equipment 40%,
foodstuffs/animals 15%, metal and metal products 15%, textiles 10%,
chemicals 10%, consumer goods 5% (1997 est.)

Imports--partners: Ukraine 14%, Italy 7%, Germany 6%, Turkey 5%,
France 4%, South Korea 4%, Japan 4%, US 3% (1997 est.)

Debt--external: $22 billion (1998 est.)

Economic aid--recipient: $327.3 million (1995)

Currency: 1 Syrian pound (LS) = 100 piastres

Exchange rates: Syrian pounds (LS) per US$1--46 (1998), 41.9
(January 1997); official fixed rate 11.225

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 541,465 (1992 est.)

Telephone system: fair system currently undergoing significant
improvement and digital upgrades, including fiber-optic technology
domestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay network
international: satellite earth stations--1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); 1 submarine cable;
coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon,
and Turkey; participant in Medarabtel

Radio broadcast stations: AM 9, FM 1, shortwave 0

Radios: 3.392 million (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 54 (of which 36 are low-power
stations and repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 700,000 (1993 est.)

Transportation

Railways:
total: 1,998 km
broad gauge: 1,766 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 232 km 1.050-m gauge

Highways:
total: 41,451 km
paved: 9,575 km (including 877 km of expressways)
unpaved: 31,876 km (1997 est.)

Waterways: 870 km; minimal economic importance

Pipelines: crude oil 1,304 km; petroleum products 515 km

Ports and harbors: Baniyas, Jablah, Latakia, Tartus

Merchant marine:
total: 131 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 401,407 GRT/578,081 DWT
ships by type: bulk 11, cargo 115, livestock carrier 4,
roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 (1998 est.)

Airports: 104 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways:
total: 24
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 16
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 80
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 14
under 914 m: 63 (1998 est.)

Heliports: 2 (1998 est.)

Military

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

Military manpower--military age: 19 years of age

Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 4,060,995 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 2,271,539 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 188,546 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $800 million-$1 billion
(1997 est.); note--based on official budget data that understate
actual spending

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 8% (1995 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: Golan Heights is Israeli occupied;
dispute with upstream riparian Turkey over Turkish water development
plans for the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers; Syrian troops in
northern, central, and eastern Lebanon since October 1976

Illicit drugs: a transit point for opiates and hashish bound for
regional and Western markets

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

@Taiwan ------

Introduction

Background: In 1895, military defeat forced China to cede Taiwan
to Japan, however it reverted to Chinese control after World War II.
Following the Communist victory on the mainland in 1949, 2 million
Nationalists fled to Taiwan and established a government that over
five decades has gradually democratized and incorporated native
Taiwanese within its structure. Throughout this period, the island
has prospered as one of East Asia's economic tigers. The dominant
political issue continues to be the relationship between Taiwan and
Mainland China and the question of eventual reunification.

Geography

Location: Eastern Asia, islands bordering the East China Sea,
Philippine Sea, South China Sea, and Taiwan Strait, north of the
Philippines, off the southeastern coast of China

Geographic coordinates: 23 30 N, 121 00 E

Map references: Southeast Asia

Area:
total: 35,980 sq km
land: 32,260 sq km
water: 3,720 sq km
note: includes the Pescadores, Matsu, and Quemoy

Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware
combined

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 1,448 km

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

Climate: tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon
(June to August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year

Terrain: eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to
gently rolling plains in west

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Yu Shan 3,997 m

Natural resources: small deposits of coal, natural gas,
limestone, marble, and asbestos

Land use:
arable land: 24%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 5%
forests and woodland: 55%
other: 15%

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: earthquakes and typhoons

Environment--current issues: air pollution; water pollution from
industrial emissions, raw sewage; contamination of drinking water
supplies; trade in endangered species; low-level radioactive waste
disposal

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

People

Population: 22,113,250 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 22% (male 2,515,398; female 2,338,506)
15-64 years: 70% (male 7,825,953; female 7,574,836)
65 years and over: 8% (male 989,040; female 869,517) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.93% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 14.63 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 5.32 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.14 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 6.01 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.49 years
male: 74.38 years
female: 80.85 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.77 children born/woman (1999 est.)

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

Ethnic groups: Taiwanese (including Hakka) 84%, mainland Chinese
14%, aborigine 2%

Religions: mixture of Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist 93%,
Christian 4.5%, other 2.5%

Languages: Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka
dialects

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94% (1998 est.)
male: 93% (1980 est.)
female: 79% (1980 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Taiwan
local long form: none
local short form: T'ai-wan

Data code: TW

Government type: multiparty democratic regime headed by popularly
elected president

Capital: Taipei

Administrative divisions: since in the past the authorities
claimed to be the government of all China, the central
administrative divisions include the provinces of Fu-chien (some 20
offshore islands of Fujian Province including Quemoy and Matsu) and
Taiwan (the island of Taiwan and the Pescadores islands); note--the
more commonly referenced administrative divisions are those of
Taiwan Province--16 counties (hsien, singular and plural), 5
municipalities* (shih, singular and plural), and 2 special
municipalities** (chuan-shih, singular and plural); Chang-hua,
Chia-i, Chia-i*, Chi-lung*, Hsin-chu, Hsin-chu*, Hua-lien, I-lan,
Kao-hsiung, Kao-hsiung**, Miao-li, Nan-t'ou, P'eng-hu, P'ing-tung,
T'ai-chung, T'ai-chung*, T'ai-nan, T'ai-nan*, T'ai-pei, T'ai-pei**,
T'ai-tung, T'ao-yuan, and Yun-lin; the provincial capital is at
Chung-hsing-hsin-ts'un
note: Taiwan uses the Wade-Giles system for romanization

National holiday: National Day, 10 October (1911) (Anniversary of
the Chinese Revolution)

Constitution: 1 January 1947, amended in 1992, 1994, and 1997

Legal system: based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President LEE Teng-hui (succeeded to the presidency
following the death of President CHIANG Ching-kuo 13 January 1988,
elected by the National Assembly 21 March 1990, elected by popular
vote in the first-ever direct elections for president 23 March
1996); Vice President LIEN Chan (since 20 May 1996)
head of government: Premier (President of the Executive Yuan)
Vincent SIEW (since 1 September 1997) and Vice Premier (Vice
President of the Executive Yuan) LIU Chao-shiuan (since 10 December
1997)
cabinet: Executive Yuan appointed by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 23 March
1996 (next to be held NA 2000); premier appointed by the president;
vice premiers appointed by the president on the recommendation of
the premier
election results: LEE Teng-hui elected president; percent of
vote--LEE Teng-hui 54%, PENG Ming-min 21%, LIN Yang-kang 15%, and
CHEN Li-an 10%

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Yuan (225 seats--168
elected by popular vote, 41 elected on the basis of the proportion
of nationwide votes received by participating political parties,
eight elected from overseas Chinese constituencies on the basis of
the proportion of nationwide votes received by participating
political parties, eight elected by popular vote among the
aboriginal populations; members serve three-year terms) and
unicameral National Assembly (334 seats; members elected by popular
vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Legislative Yuan--last held 5 December 1998 (next to be
held NA December 2001); National Assembly--last held 23 March 1996
(next to be held NA 2000)
election results: Legislative Yuan--percent of vote by party--KMT 46%,
DPP 29%, CNP 7%, independents 10%, other parties 8%; seats by
party--KMT 123, DPP 70, CNP 11, independents 15, other parties 6;
National Assembly--percent of vote by party--KMT 55%, DPP 30%, CNP
14%, other 1%; seats by party--KMT 183, DPP 99, CNP 46, other 6

Judicial branch: Judicial Yuan, justices appointed by the
president with the consent of the National Assembly

Political parties and leaders: Kuomintang or KMT (Nationalist
parties

Political pressure groups and leaders: Taiwan independence
movement, various business and environmental groups
note: debate on Taiwan independence has become acceptable within the
mainstream of domestic politics on Taiwan; political liberalization
and the increased representation of opposition parties in Taiwan's
legislature have opened public debate on the island's national
identity; advocates of Taiwan independence oppose the ruling party's
traditional stand that the island will eventually reunify with
mainland China; goals of the Taiwan independence movement include
establishing a sovereign nation on Taiwan and entering the UN; other
organizations supporting Taiwan independence include the World
United Formosans for Independence and the Organization for Taiwan
Nation Building

International organization participation: APEC, AsDB, BCIE, ICC,
IOC, WCL, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in the US: none; unofficial commercial
and cultural relations with the people of the US are maintained
through a private instrumentality, the Taipei Economic and Cultural
Representative Office (TECRO) with headquarters in Taipei and field
offices in Washington and 12 other US cities

Diplomatic representation from the US: none; unofficial
commercial and cultural relations with the people on Taiwan are
maintained through a private institution, the American Institute in
Taiwan (AIT), which has its headquarters in Rosslyn, Virginia
offices in Taipei at #7 Lane 134, Hsin Yi Road, Section 3, telephone
International Trade Building, Taipei World Trade Center, 333 Keelung

Flag description: red with a dark blue rectangle in the upper
hoist-side corner bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays

Economy

Economy--overview: Taiwan has a dynamic capitalist economy with
gradually decreasing guidance of investment and foreign trade by
government authorities and partial government ownership of some
large banks and industrial firms. Real growth in GDP has averaged
about 8.5% a year during the past three decades. Export growth has
been even faster and has provided the impetus for industrialization.
Inflation and unemployment are low, and foreign reserves are the
world's third largest. Agriculture contributes less than 3% to GDP,
down from 35% in 1952. Traditional labor-intensive industries are
steadily being moved off-shore and replaced with more capital- and
technology-intensive industries. Taiwan has become a major investor
in China, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, and
Vietnam. The tightening of labor markets has led to an influx of
foreign workers, both legal and illegal. Because of its conservative
financial approach and its entrepreneurial strengths, Taiwan
suffered little compared with many of its neighbors from "the Asian
flu" in 1998.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$362 billion (1998 est.)

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

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$16,500 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 2.7%
industry: 35.3%
services: 62% (1997)

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.1% (1998)

Labor force: 9.4 million (1997)

Labor force--by occupation: services 52%, industry 38%,
agriculture 10% (1996)

Unemployment rate: 2.7% (1998)

Budget:
revenues: $40 billion
expenditures: $55 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1998 est.)

Industries: electronics, textiles, chemicals, clothing, food
processing, plywood, sugar milling, cement, shipbuilding, petroleum
refining

Industrial production growth rate: 7% (1997)

Electricity--production: 134.906 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 63.2%
hydro: 7.1%
nuclear: 29.7%
other: 0% (1997)

Electricity--consumption: 134.906 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: rice, wheat, corn, soybeans, vegetables,
fruit, tea; pigs, poultry, beef, milk; fish

Exports: $122.1 billion (f.o.b., 1997)

Exports--commodities: machinery and electrical equipment 21.7%,
electronic products 14.8%, information/communications 11.8%, textile
products 11.6% (1997)

Exports--partners: US 24.2%, Hong Kong 23.5%, Europe 15.1%, Japan
9.6% (1997)

Imports: $114.4 billion (c.i.f., 1997)

Imports--commodities: machinery and electrical equipment 16.5%,
electronic products 16.3%, chemicals 10.0%, precision instrument
5.6% (1997)

Imports--partners: Japan 25.4%, US 20.3%, Europe 18.9%, Hong Kong
1.7% (1997)

Debt--external: $80 million (1997 est.)

Economic aid--recipient: $NA

Currency: 1 New Taiwan dollar (NT$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: New Taiwan dollars per US$1--32.45 (yearend 1997),
27.5 (1996), 27.4 (1995), 26.2 (1994)

Fiscal year: 1 July--30 June

Communications

Telephones: 11.526 million (1998 est.)

Telephone system:
domestic: extensive microwave radio relay trunk system on east and
west coasts
international: satellite earth stations--2 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean
and 1 Indian Ocean); submarine cables to Japan (Okinawa),
Philippines, Guam, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Australia,
Middle East, and Western Europe

Radio broadcast stations: AM 158, FM 48, shortwave 21

Radios: 8.62 million

Television broadcast stations: 29 (in addition, there are two
repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 10.8 million (1996 est.)

Transportation

Railways:
total: 4,600 km (519 km electrified); note--1,108 km belongs to the
Taiwan Railway Administration and the remaining 3,492 km is
dedicated to industrial use
narrow gauge: 4,600 km 1.067-m

Highways:
total: 19,634 km
paved: 17,171 km (including 548 km of expressways)
unpaved: 2,463 km (1997)

Pipelines: petroleum products 615 km; natural gas 97 km

Ports and harbors: Chi-lung (Keelung), Hua-lien, Kao-hsiung,
Su-ao, T'ai-chung

Merchant marine:
total: 180 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,106,573
GRT/7,963,834 DWT
ships by type: bulk 47, cargo 30, combination bulk 3, container 72,
oil tanker 17, refrigerated cargo 9, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2 (1998
est.)

Airports: 39 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways:
total: 36
over 3,047 m: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 12
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 4 (1998 est.)

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

Heliports: 2 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force,
Coastal Patrol and Defense Command, Armed Forces Reserve Command,
Combined Service Forces

Military manpower--military age: 19 years of age

Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 6,544,602 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 5,019,737 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 204,711 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $7.446 billion (FY98/99)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 2.8% (FY98/99)

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: involved in complex dispute over the
Spratly Islands with China, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, and
possibly Brunei; Paracel Islands occupied by China, but claimed by
Vietnam and Taiwan; claims Japanese-administered Senkaku-shoto
(Senkaku Islands/Diaoyu Tai), as does China

Illicit drugs: considered an important heroin transit point;
major problem with domestic consumption of methamphetamines and
heroin

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

@Tajikistan ----------

Introduction

Background: Tajikistan has experienced three changes of
government and a civil war since it gained independence in September
1991 when the USSR collapsed. A peace agreement was signed in June
1997, but implementation is progressing slowly. Russian-led
peacekeeping troops are deployed throughout the country, and
Russian-commanded border guards are stationed along the
Tajikistani-Afghan border.

Geography

Location: Central Asia, west of China

Geographic coordinates: 39 00 N, 71 00 E

Map references: Commonwealth of Independent States

Area:
total: 143,100 sq km
land: 142,700 sq km
water: 400 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Wisconsin

Land boundaries:
total: 3,651 km
border countries: Afghanistan 1,206 km, China 414 km, Kyrgyzstan 870
km, Uzbekistan 1,161 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: midlatitude continental, hot summers, mild winters;
semiarid to polar in Pamir Mountains

Terrain: Pamir and Alay mountains dominate landscape; western
Fergana Valley in north, Kofarnihon and Vakhsh Valleys in southwest

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Syrdariya 300 m
highest point: Qullai Kommunizm 7,495 m

Natural resources: significant hydropower potential, some
petroleum, uranium, mercury, brown coal, lead, zinc, antimony,
tungsten

Land use:
arable land: 6%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 25%
forests and woodland: 4%
other: 65% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 6,390 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment--current issues: inadequate sanitation facilities;
increasing levels of soil salinity; industrial pollution; excessive
pesticides; part of the basin of the shrinking Aral Sea suffers from
severe overutilization of available water for irrigation and
associated pollution

Environment--international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Ozone Layer
Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography--note: landlocked

People

Population: 6,102,854 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 41% (male 1,250,344; female 1,224,355)
15-64 years: 55% (male 1,661,488; female 1,681,839)
65 years and over: 4% (male 122,065; female 162,763) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.43% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 27.46 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 7.85 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: -5.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 114.78 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 64.28 years
male: 61.15 years
female: 67.57 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.48 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Tajikistani(s)
adjective: Tajikistani

Ethnic groups: Tajik 64.9%, Uzbek 25%, Russian 3.5% (declining
because of emigration), other 6.6%

Religions: Sunni Muslim 80%, Shi'a Muslim 5%

Languages: Tajik (official), Russian widely used in government
and business

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: 99%
female: 97% (1989 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Tajikistan
conventional short form: Tajikistan
local long form: Jumhurii Tojikiston
local short form: none
former: Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic

Data code: TI

Government type: republic

Capital: Dushanbe

Administrative divisions: 2 oblasts (viloyatho, singular--viloyat)
and one autonomous oblast* (viloyati mukhtori); Viloyati Mukhtori
Kuhistoni Badakhshoni* (Khorugh--formerly Khorog), Viloyati Khatlon
(Qurghonteppa--formerly Kurgan-Tyube), Viloyati Leninobod
(Khujand--formerly Leninabad)
note: the administrative center name follows in parentheses

Independence: 9 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: National Day, 9 September (1991)

Constitution: 6 November 1994

Legal system: based on civil law system; no judicial review of
legislative acts

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Emomali RAHMONOV (since 6 November 1994;
head of state and Supreme Assembly chairman since 19 November 1992)
head of government: Prime Minister Yahyo AZIMOV (since 8 February
1996)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved
by the Supreme Assembly for approval
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 6 November 1994 (next to be held NA 1999); prime
minister appointed by the president
election results: Emomali RAHMONOV elected president; percent of
vote--Emomali RAHMONOV 58%, Abdumalik ABDULLOJANOV 40%

Legislative branch: unicameral Supreme Assembly or Majlisi Oli
(181 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year
terms)
elections: last held 26 February and 12 March 1995 (next to be held
NA 1999)
election results: percent of vote by party--NA; estimated seats by
party--Communist Party and affiliates 100, People's Party 10, Party
of People's Unity 6, Party of Economic and Political Renewal 1,
other 64

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

Political parties and leaders: Tajik Communist Party or CPT
from the People's Party and Party of People's Unity; United Tajik

International organization participation: CCC, CIS, EAPC, EBRD,
ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, Intelsat, IOC, IOM, ITU, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)