Chapter V (2)

The Intelligence Cycle is the process by which information is acquired, converted into intelligence, and made available to policymakers. Information is raw data from any source, data that may be fragmentary, contradictory, unreliable, ambiguous, deceptive, or wrong. Intelligence is information that has been collected, integrated, evaluated, analyzed, and interpreted. Finished intelligence is the final product of the Intelligence Cycle ready to be delivered to the policymaker.

The three types of finished intelligence are: basic, current, and estimative. Basic intelligence provides the fundamental and factual reference material on a country or issue. Current intelligence reports on new developments. Estimative intelligence judges probable outcomes. The three are mutually supportive: basic intelligence is the foundation on which the other two are constructed; current intelligence continually updates the inventory of knowledge; and estimative intelligence revises overall interpretations of country and issue prospects for guidance of basic and current intelligence. The World Factbook, The President's Daily Brief, and the National Intelligence Estimates are examples of the three types of finished intelligence.

The United States has carried on foreign intelligence activities since the days of George Washington, but only since World War II have they been coordinated on a governmentwide basis. Three programs have highlighted the development of coordinated basic intelligence since that time: (1) the Joint Army Navy Intelligence Studies (JANIS), (2) the National Intelligence Survey (NIS), and (3) The World Factbook.

During World War II, intelligence consumers realized that the production of basic intelligence by different components of the US Government resulted in a great duplication of effort and conflicting information. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 brought home to leaders in Congress and the executive branch the need for integrating departmental reports to national policymakers. Detailed coordinated information was needed not only on such major powers as Germany and Japan, but also on places of little previous interest. In the Pacific Theater, for example, the Navy and Marines had to launch amphibious operations against many islands about which information was unconfirmed or nonexistent. Intelligence authorities resolved that the United States should never again be caught unprepared.

In 1943, Gen. George B. Strong (G-2), Adm. H. C. Train (Office of Naval Intelligence--ONI), and Gen. William J. Donovan (Director of the Office of Strategic Services--OSS) decided that a joint effort should be initiated. A steering committee was appointed on 27 April 1943 that recommended the formation of a Joint Intelligence Study Publishing Board to assemble, edit, coordinate, and publish the Joint Army Navy Intelligence Studies (JANIS). JANIS was the first interdepartmental basic intelligence program to fulfill the needs of the US Government for an authoritative and coordinated appraisal of strategic basic intelligence. Between April 1943 and July 1947, the board published 34 JANIS studies. JANIS performed well in the war effort, and numerous letters of commendation were received, including a statement from Adm. Forrest Sherman, Chief of Staff, Pacific Ocean Areas, which said, "JANIS has become the indispensable reference work for the shore-based planners."

The need for more comprehensive basic intelligence in the postwar world was well expressed in 1946 by George S. Pettee, a noted author on national security. He wrote in The Future of American Secret Intelligence (Infantry Journal Press, 1946, page 46) that world leadership in peace requires even more elaborate intelligence than war. "The conduct of peace involves all countries, all human activities--not just the enemy and his war production."

The Central Intelligence Agency was established on 26 July 1947 and officially began operating on 18 September 1947. Effective 1 October 1947, the Director of Central Intelligence assumed operational responsibility for JANIS. On 13 January 1948, the National Security Council issued Intelligence Directive (NSCID) No. 3, which authorized the National Intelligence Survey (NIS) program as a peacetime replacement for the wartime JANIS program. Before adequate NIS country sections could be produced, government agencies had to develop more comprehensive gazetteers and better maps. The US Board on Geographic Names (BGN) compiled the names; the Department of the Interior produced the gazetteers; and CIA produced the maps.

The Hoover Commission's Clark Committee, set up in 1954 to study the structure and administration of the CIA, reported to Congress in 1955 that: "The National Intelligence Survey is an invaluable publication which provides the essential elements of basic intelligence on all areas of the world. . . . There will always be a continuing requirement for keeping the Survey up-to-date." The Factbook was created as an annual summary and update to the encyclopedic NIS studies. The first classified Factbook was published in August 1962, and the first unclassified version was published in June 1971. The NIS program was terminated in 1973 except for the Factbook, map, and gazetteer components. The 1975 Factbook was the first to be made available to the public with sales through the US Government Printing Office (GPO). The 1996 edition was printed by GPO and the 1997 edition was reprinted by GPO. The year 1999 marks the 52nd anniversary of the establishment of the Central Intelligence Agency and the 56th year of continuous basic intelligence support to the US Government by The World Factbook and its two predecessor programs

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

Purchasing Information

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) prepares The World Factbook in printed, CD-ROM, and Internet versions. US Government officials may obtain information about availability of the Factbook directly from their own organizations or through liaison channels to the CIA. Other users may obtain sales information about printed copies and CD-ROMs from the following:

Superintendent of Documents P.O. Box 371954 Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954 Telephone: [1] (202) 512-1800 FAX: [1] (202) 512-2250 http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/

National Technical Information Service 5285 Port Royal Road Springfield, VA 22161 Telephone: [1] (800) 553-6847 (only in the US); [1] (703) 605-6000 (for outside US) FAX: [1] (703) 605-6900 http://www.ntis.gov/

The Internet version may be accessed through the following World-Wide Web uniform resource locator (URL): http://www.cia.gov

Electronic file preparation by Printing and Photography Group, Central Intelligence Agency.

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@Afghanistan -----------

Geography

Location: Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran

Geographic coordinates: 33 00 N, 65 00 E

Map references: Asia

Area:
total: 647,500 sq km
land: 647,500 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries:
total: 5,529 km
border countries: China 76 km, Iran 936 km, Pakistan 2,430 km,
Tajikistan 1,206 km, Turkmenistan 744 km, Uzbekistan 137 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers

Terrain: mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Amu Darya 258 m
highest point: Nowshak 7,485 m

Natural resources: natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, talc,
barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and
semiprecious stones

Land use:
arable land: 12%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 46%
forests and woodland: 3%
other: 39% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 30,000 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush
mountains; flooding

Environment--current issues: soil degradation; overgrazing;
deforestation (much of the remaining forests are being cut down for
fuel and building materials); desertification

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

Geography--note: landlocked

People

Population: 25,824,882 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 43% (male 5,640,841; female 5,422,460)
15-64 years: 54% (male 7,273,681; female 6,776,750)
65 years and over: 3% (male 374,666; female 336,484) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.95% (1999 est.)
note: this rate reflects the continued return of refugees

Birth rate: 41.93 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 17.02 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 14.62 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: 1.07 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.11 male(s)/female
total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 140.55 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 47.33 years
male: 47.82 years
female: 46.82 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.94 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Afghan(s)
adjective: Afghan

Ethnic groups: Pashtun 38%, Tajik 25%, Uzbek 6%, Hazara 19%,
minor ethnic groups (Aimaks, Turkmen, Baloch, and others)

Religions: Sunni Muslim 84%, Shi'a Muslim 15%, other 1%

Languages: Pashtu 35%, Afghan Persian (Dari) 50%, Turkic
languages (primarily Uzbek and Turkmen) 11%, 30 minor languages
(primarily Balochi and Pashai) 4%, much bilingualism

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 31.5%
male: 47.2%
female: 15% (1995 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Islamic State of Afghanistan; note--the
self-proclaimed Taliban government refers to the country as Islamic
Emirate of Afghanistan
conventional short form: Afghanistan
local long form: Dowlat-e Eslami-ye Afghanestan
local short form: Afghanestan
former: Republic of Afghanistan

Data code: AF

Government type: transitional government

Capital: Kabul

Administrative divisions: 30 provinces (velayat,
singular--velayat); Badakhshan, Badghis, Baghlan, Balkh, Bamian,
Farah, Faryab, Ghazni, Ghowr, Helmand, Herat, Jowzjan, Kabol,
Kandahar, Kapisa, Konar, Kondoz, Laghman, Lowgar, Nangarhar, Nimruz,
Oruzgan, Paktia, Paktika, Parvan, Samangan, Sar-e Pol, Takhar,
Vardak, Zabol
note: there may be two new provinces of Nurestan (Nuristan) and
Khowst

Independence: 19 August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign
affairs)

National holiday: Victory of the Muslim Nation, 28 April;
Remembrance Day for Martyrs and Disabled, 4 May; Independence Day,
19 August

Constitution: none

Legal system: a new legal system has not been adopted but all
factions tacitly agree they will follow Shari'a (Islamic law)

Suffrage: undetermined; previously males 15-50 years of age

Executive branch: on 27 September 1996, the ruling members of the
Afghan Government were displaced by members of the Islamic Taliban
movement; the Islamic State of Afghanistan has no functioning
government at this time, and the country remains divided among
fighting factions
note: the Taliban have declared themselves the legitimate government
of Afghanistan; the UN has deferred a decision on credentials and
the Organization of the Islamic Conference has left the Afghan seat
vacant until the question of legitimacy can be resolved through
negotiations among the warring factions; the country is essentially
divided along ethnic lines; the Taliban controls the capital of
Kabul and approximately two-thirds of the country including the
predominately ethnic Pashtun areas in southern Afghanistan; opposing
factions have their stronghold in the ethnically diverse north

Legislative branch: non-functioning as of June 1993

Judicial branch: non-functioning as of March 1995, although there
are local Shari'a (Islamic law) courts throughout the country

Political parties and leaders: Taliban (Religious Students
Afghanistan comprised of Jumbesh-i-Melli Islami (National Islamic
other smaller parties are Hizbi Islami-Gulbuddin (Islamic Party)
SAYYAF]; Harakat-Inqilab-i-Islami (Islamic Revolutionary Movement)
GAILANI]; Hizbi Wahdat-Akbari faction (Islamic Unity Party)

Political pressure groups and leaders: tribal elders represent
traditional Pashtun leadership; Afghan refugees in Pakistan,
Australia, US, and elsewhere have organized politically; Peshawar,
Pakistan-based groups such as the Coordination Council for National

International organization participation: AsDB, CP, ECO, ESCAP,
FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, Intelsat, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
note: embassy operations suspended 21 August 1997
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
chancery: 2341 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US embassy in Kabul
has been closed since January 1989 due to security concerns

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top),
white, and black with a gold emblem centered on the three bands; the
emblem features a temple-like structure with Islamic inscriptions
above and below, encircled by a wreath on the left and right and by
a bolder Islamic inscription above, all of which are encircled by
two crossed scimitars
note: the Taliban uses a plain white flag

Economy

Economy--overview: Afghanistan is an extremely poor, landlocked
country, highly dependent on farming and livestock raising (sheep
and goats). Economic considerations have played second fiddle to
political and military upheavals during two decades of war,
including the nearly 10-year Soviet military occupation (which ended
15 February 1989). During that conflict one-third of the population
fled the country, with Pakistan and Iran sheltering a combined peak
of more than 6 million refugees. Now, only 750,000 registered Afghan
refugees remain in Pakistan and about 1.2 million in Iran. Another 1
million have probably moved into and around urban areas within
Afghanistan. Gross domestic product has fallen substantially over
the past 20 years because of the loss of labor and capital and the
disruption of trade and transport. Much of the population continues
to suffer from insufficient food, clothing, housing, and medical
care. Inflation remains a serious problem throughout the country,
with one estimate putting the rate at 240% in Kabul in 1996.
International aid can deal with only a fraction of the humanitarian
problem, let alone promote economic development. Government efforts
to encourage foreign investment have not worked. The economic
situation did not improve in 1998. Numerical data are likely to be
either unavailable or unreliable.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$20 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: NA%

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

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 53%
industry: 28.5%
services: 18.5% (1990)

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 240% (1996 est.)

Labor force: 7.1 million

Labor force--by occupation: agriculture and animal husbandry
67.8%, industry 10.2%, construction 6.3%, commerce 5%, services and
other 10.7% (1980 est.)

Unemployment rate: 8% (1995 est.)

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

Industries: small-scale production of textiles, soap, furniture,
shoes, fertilizer, and cement; handwoven carpets; natural gas, oil,
coal, copper

Electricity--production: 540 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 35.19%
hydro: 64.81%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 660 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996) (1996)

Electricity--imports: 120 million kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: wheat, fruits, nuts, karakul pelts; wool,
mutton

Exports: $80 million (1996 est.)

Exports--commodities: fruits and nuts, handwoven carpets, wool,
cotton, hides and pelts, precious and semi-precious gems

Exports--partners: FSU, Pakistan, Iran, Germany, India, UK,
Belgium, Luxembourg, Czech Republic

Imports: $150 million (1996 est.)

Imports--commodities: food and petroleum products; most consumer
goods

Imports--partners: FSU, Pakistan, Iran, Japan, Singapore, India,
South Korea, Germany

Debt--external: $2.3 billion (March 1991 est.)

Economic aid--recipient: $214.6 million (1995); note?US provided
$450 million in bilateral assistance (1985-93); US continues to
contribute to multilateral assistance through the UN programs of
food aid, immunization, land mine removal, and a wide range of aid
to refugees and displaced persons

Currency: 1 afghani (AF) = 100 puls

Exchange rates: afghanis (Af) per US$1--4,750 (February 1999),
17,000 (December 1996), 7,000 (January 1995), 1,900 (January 1994),
1,019 (March 1993), 850 (1991); note--these rates reflect the free
market exchange rates rather than the official exchange rate, which
was fixed at 50.600 afghanis to the dollar until 1996, when it rose
to 2,262.65 per dollar, and finally became fixed again at 3,000.00
per dollar on April 1996

Fiscal year: 21 March--20 March

Communications

Telephones: 31,200 (1983 est.)

Telephone system:
domestic: very limited telephone and telegraph service; in 1997,
telecommunications links were established between Mazar-e Sharif,
Herat, Kandahar, Jalalabad, and Kabul through satellite and
microwave systems
international: satellite earth stations--1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
linked only to Iran and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region);
commercial satellite telephone center in Ghazni

Radio broadcast stations: AM 6 (5 are inactive), FM 1, shortwave
3 (1998)

Radios: 1.67 million (1998 est.)

Television broadcast stations: NA
note: in 1997, there was a station in Mazar-e Sharif reaching four
northern Afghanistan provinces; also, the government ran a central
television station in Kabul and regional stations in nine of the 30
provinces; it is unknown if any of these stations currently operate

Televisions: 100,000 (1998 est.)

Transportation

Railways:
total: 24.6 km
broad gauge: 9.6 km 1.524-m gauge from Gushgy (Turkmenistan) to
Towraghondi; 15 km 1.524-m gauge from Termiz (Uzbekistan) to
Kheyrabad transshipment point on south bank of Amu Darya

Highways:
total: 21,000 km
paved: 2,793 km
unpaved: 18,207 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: 1,200 km; chiefly Amu Darya, which handles vessels up
to about 500 DWT

Pipelines: petroleum products--Uzbekistan to Bagram and
Turkmenistan to Shindand; natural gas 180 km

Ports and harbors: Kheyrabad, Shir Khan

Merchant marine:
total: 1 container ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 11,982
GRT/14,101 DWT (1998 est.)

Airports: 44 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways:
total: 11
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
under 914 m: 2 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 33
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 10 (1998 est.)

Heliports: 3 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: NA; note--the military does not exist on a
national basis; some elements of the former Army, Air and Air
Defense Forces, National Guard, Border Guard Forces, National Police
Force (Sarandoi), and tribal militias still exist but are
factionalized among the various groups

Military manpower--military age: 22 years of age

Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 6,326,135 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 3,392,336 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 248,320 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: NA%

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: support to Islamic militants worldwide by
some factions; question over which group should hold Afghanistan's
seat at the UN

Illicit drugs: world's second-largest illicit opium producer
after Burma (cultivation in 1998--41,720 hectares, a 7% increase over
1997; potential production in 1998--1,350 metric tons) and a major
source of hashish; increasing number of heroin-processing
laboratories being set up in the country; major political factions
in the country profit from drug trade

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@Albania -------

Geography

Location: Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and
Ionian Sea, between Greece and Serbia and Montenegro

Geographic coordinates: 41 00 N, 20 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area:
total: 28,750 sq km
land: 27,400 sq km
water: 1,350 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries:
total: 720 km
border countries: Greece 282 km, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia 151 km, Serbia and Montenegro 287 km (114 km with Serbia,
173 km with Montenegro)

Coastline: 362 km

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

Climate: mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear,
dry summers; interior is cooler and wetter

Terrain: mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
highest point: Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab) 2,753 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium,
copper, timber, nickel

Land use:
arable land: 21%
permanent crops: 5%
permanent pastures: 15%
forests and woodland: 38%
other: 21% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 3,410 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along
southwestern coast

Environment--current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; water
pollution from industrial and domestic effluents

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

Geography--note: strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links
Adriatic Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea)

People

Population: 3,364,571 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 33% (male 568,642; female 530,088)
15-64 years: 61% (male 957,561; female 1,105,870)
65 years and over: 6% (male 84,280; female 118,130) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.05% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 20.74 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 7.35 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: -2.93 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.87 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 42.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69 years
male: 65.92 years
female: 72.33 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.5 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Albanian(s)
adjective: Albanian

Ethnic groups: Albanian 95%, Greeks 3%, other 2% (Vlachs,
Gypsies, Serbs, and Bulgarians) (1989 est.)
note: in 1989, other estimates of the Greek population ranged from
1% (official Albanian statistics) to 12% (from a Greek organization)

Religions: Muslim 70%, Albanian Orthodox 20%, Roman Catholic 10%
note: all mosques and churches were closed in 1967 and religious
observances prohibited; in November 1990, Albania began allowing
private religious practice

Languages: Albanian (Tosk is the official dialect), Greek

Literacy:
definition: age 9 and over can read and write
total population: 93%
male: NA%
female: NA% (1997 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Albania
conventional short form: Albania
local long form: Republika e Shqiperise
local short form: Shqiperia
former: People's Socialist Republic of Albania

Data code: AL

Government type: emerging democracy

Capital: Tirana

Administrative divisions: 36 districts (rrethe, singular--rreth)
and 1 municipality* (bashki); Berat, Bulqize, Delvine, Devoll
(Bilisht), Diber (Peshkopi), Durres, Elbasan, Fier, Gjirokaster,
Gramsh, Has (Krume), Kavaje, Kolonje (Erseke), Korce, Kruje, Kucove,
Kukes, Lac, Lezhe, Librazhd, Lushnje, Malesi e Madhe (Koplik),
Mallakaster (Ballsh), Mat (Burrel), Mirdite (Rreshen), Peqin,
Permet, Pogradec, Puke, Sarande, Shkoder, Skrapar (Corovode),
Tepelene, Tirane (Tirana), Tirane* (Tirana), Tropoje (Bajram Curri),
Vlore
note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center
name following in parentheses)

Independence: 28 November 1912 (from Ottoman Empire)

National holiday: Independence Day, 28 November (1912)

Constitution: a new constitution was adopted by popular
referendum on 28 November 1998; note--the opposition Democratic Party
boycotted the vote

Legal system: has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: President of the Republic Rexhep MEIDANI (since 24
July 1997)
head of government: Prime Minister Pandeli MAJKO (since 2 October
1998)
cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and
approved by the president
elections: president elected by the People's Assembly for a
five-year term; election last held 24 July 1997 (next to be held NA
2002); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Rexhep MEIDANI elected president; People's
Assembly vote by number--total votes 122, for 110, against 3,
abstained 2, invalid 7

Legislative branch: unicameral People's Assembly or Kuvendi
Popullor (155 seats; most members are elected by direct popular vote
and some by proportional vote for four-year terms)
elections: last held 29 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2001)
election results: percent of vote by party--PS 53.36%, PD 25.33%, PSD
2.5%, PBDNJ 2.78%, PBK 2.36%, PAD 2.85%, PR 2.25%, PLL 3.09%, PDK
1.00%, PBSD 0.84%; seats by party--PS 101, PD 27, PSD 8, PBDNJ 4, PBK
3, PAD 2, PR 2, PLL 2, PDK 1, PBSD 1, PUK 1, independents 3

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, chairman of the Supreme Court is
elected by the People's Assembly for a four-year term

Political parties and leaders: Albanian Socialist Party or PS

International organization participation: BSEC, CCC, CE, CEI,
EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA,
IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user),
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIG, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
(applicant)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Petrit BUSHATI
chancery: 2100 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Marisa R. LINO
embassy: Rruga Elbasanit 103, Tirana
mailing address: American Embassy, Tirana, Department of State,
Washington, DC 20521-9510

Flag description: red with a black two-headed eagle in the center

Economy

Economy--overview: An extremely poor country by European
standards, Albania is making the difficult transition to a more
open-market economy. The economy rebounded in 1993-95 after a severe
depression accompanying the collapse of the previous centrally
planned system in 1990 and 1991. However, a weakening of government
resolve to maintain stabilization policies in the election year of
1996 contributed to renewal of inflationary pressures, spurred by
the budget deficit which exceeded 12%. The collapse of financial
pyramid schemes in early 1997--which had attracted deposits from a
substantial portion of Albania's population--triggered severe social
unrest which led to more than 1,500 deaths, widespread destruction
of property, and an 8% drop in GDP. The new government installed in
July 1997 has taken strong measures to restore public order and to
revive economic activity and trade. The economy continues to be
bolstered by remittances of some 20% of the labor force which works
abroad, mostly in Greece and Italy. These remittances supplement GDP
and help offset the large foreign trade deficit. Most agricultural
land was privatized in 1992, substantially improving peasant
incomes. In 1998, Albania probably recovered most if not all of the
7% drop in GDP of 1997.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$5 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 7% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$1,490 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 56%
industry: 21%
services: 23% (1997)

Population below poverty line: 19.6% (1996 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 40% (1997 est.)

Labor force: 1.692 million (1994 est.) (including 352,000
emigrant workers and 261,000 domestically unemployed)

Labor force--by occupation: agriculture (nearly all private; but
some state employed) 49.5%, private business sector 22.2%, state
business sector 28.3% (including state-owned industry 7.8%);
note--includes only those domestically employed

Unemployment rate: 14% (October 1997) officially, but likely to
be as high as 28%

Budget:
revenues: $624 million
expenditures: $996 million, including capital expenditures of $NA

Industries: food processing, textiles and clothing; lumber, oil,
cement, chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower

Industrial production growth rate: 6% (1995 est.)

Electricity--production: 5.12 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 4.3%
hydro: 95.7%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 5.27 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996) (1996)

Electricity--imports: 150 million kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: wide range of temperate-zone crops and
livestock

Exports: $212 million (f.o.b., 1998 est.)

Exports--commodities: asphalt, metals and metallic ores,
electricity, crude oil, vegetables, fruits, tobacco

Exports--partners: Italy, Greece, Germany, Belgium, US

Imports: $791 million (f.o.b., 1998 est.)

Imports--commodities: machinery, consumer goods, grains

Imports--partners: Italy, Greece, Bulgaria, Turkey, The Former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

Debt--external: $645 million (1996)

Economic aid--recipient: $630 million (1997 pledged)

Currency: 1 lek (L) = 100 qintars

Exchange rates: leke (L) per US$1--139.93 (January 1999), 150.63
(1998), 148.93 (1997), 104.50 (1996), 92.70 (1995), 94.62 (1994)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 55,000

Telephone system:
domestic: obsolete wire system; no longer provides a telephone for
every village; in 1992, following the fall of the communist
government, peasants cut the wire to about 1,000 villages and used
it to build fences
international: inadequate; international traffic carried by
microwave radio relay from the Tirana exchange to Italy and Greece

Radio broadcast stations: AM 16, FM 3, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios: 577,000 (1991 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 13 (1997)

Televisions: 300,000 (1993 est.)

Transportation

Railways:
total: 447 km (none electrified)
standard gauge: 447 km 1.435-m gauge (1995)

Highways:
total: 18,000 km
paved: 5,400 km
unpaved: 12,600 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: 43 km plus Albanian sections of Lake Scutari, Lake
Ohrid, and Lake Prespa (1990)

Pipelines: crude oil 145 km; petroleum products 55 km; natural
gas 64 km (1991)

Ports and harbors: Durres, Sarande, Shengjin, Vlore

Merchant marine:
total: 8 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 28,394 GRT/41,429
DWT (1998 est.)

Airports: 9 (1998 est.)

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

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

Heliports: 1 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces,
Interior Ministry Troops, Border Guards

Military manpower--military age: 19 years of age

Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 763,949 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 622,013 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 32,954 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $60 million (1998)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 2% (1998)

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: the Albanian Government supports
protection of the rights of ethnic Albanians outside of its borders
but has downplayed them to further its primary foreign policy goal
of regional cooperation; Albanian majority in Kosovo seeks
independence from Serbian Republic; Albanians in The Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia claim discrimination in education, access to
public-sector jobs, and representation in government

Illicit drugs: increasingly active transshipment point for
Southwest Asian opiates, hashish, and cannabis transiting the Balkan
route and--to a far lesser extent--cocaine from South America destined
for Western Europe; limited opium and cannabis production; ethnic
Albanian narcotrafficking organizations active and rapidly expanding
in Europe

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

@Algeria -------

Geography

Location: Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea,
between Morocco and Tunisia

Geographic coordinates: 28 00 N, 3 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area:
total: 2,381,740 sq km
land: 2,381,740 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Texas

Land boundaries:
total: 6,343 km
border countries: Libya 982 km, Mali 1,376 km, Mauritania 463 km,
Morocco 1,559 km, Niger 956 km, Tunisia 965 km, Western Sahara 42 km

Coastline: 998 km

Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone: 32-52 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: arid to semiarid; mild, wet winters with hot, dry
summers along coast; drier with cold winters and hot summers on high
plateau; sirocco is a hot, dust/sand-laden wind especially common in
summer

Terrain: mostly high plateau and desert; some mountains; narrow,
discontinuous coastal plain

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Chott Melrhir -40 m
highest point: Tahat 3,003 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates,
uranium, lead, zinc

Land use:
arable land: 3%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 13%
forests and woodland: 2%
other: 82% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 5,550 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes;
mud slides

Environment--current issues: soil erosion from overgrazing and
other poor farming practices; desertification; dumping of raw
sewage, petroleum refining wastes, and other industrial effluents is
leading to the pollution of rivers and coastal waters; Mediterranean
Sea, in particular, becoming polluted from oil wastes, soil erosion,
and fertilizer runoff; inadequate supplies of potable water

Environment--international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban

Geography--note: second-largest country in Africa (after Sudan)

People

Population: 31,133,486 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 37% (male 5,911,910; female 5,696,538)
15-64 years: 59% (male 9,255,702; female 9,063,954)
65 years and over: 4% (male 559,570; female 645,812) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.1% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 27 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 5.52 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 43.82 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.24 years
male: 68.07 years
female: 70.46 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.27 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Algerian(s)
adjective: Algerian

Ethnic groups: Arab-Berber 99%, European less than 1%

Religions: Sunni Muslim (state religion) 99%, Christian and
Jewish 1%

Languages: Arabic (official), French, Berber dialects

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 61.6%
male: 73.9%
female: 49% (1995 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria
conventional short form: Algeria
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Jaza'iriyah ad Dimuqratiyah ash
Shabiyah
local short form: Al Jaza'ir

Data code: AG

Government type: republic

Capital: Algiers

Administrative divisions: 48 provinces (wilayas,
singular--wilaya); Adrar, Ain Defla, Ain Temouchent, Alger, Annaba,
Batna, Bechar, Bejaia, Biskra, Blida, Bordj Bou Arreridj, Bouira,
Boumerdes, Chlef, Constantine, Djelfa, El Bayadh, El Oued, El Tarf,
Ghardaia, Guelma, Illizi, Jijel, Khenchela, Laghouat, Mascara,
Medea, Mila, Mostaganem, M'Sila, Naama, Oran, Ouargla, Oum el
Bouaghi, Relizane, Saida, Setif, Sidi Bel Abbes, Skikda, Souk Ahras,
Tamanghasset, Tebessa, Tiaret, Tindouf, Tipaza, Tissemsilt, Tizi
Ouzou, Tlemcen

Independence: 5 July 1962 (from France)

National holiday: Anniversary of the Revolution, 1 November (1954)

Constitution: 19 November 1976, effective 22 November 1976;
revised 3 November 1988, 23 February 1989, and 28 November 1996;
note--referendum approving the revisions of 28 November 1996 was
signed into law 7 December 1996

Legal system: socialist, based on French and Islamic law;
judicial review of legislative acts in ad hoc Constitutional Council
composed of various public officials, including several Supreme
Court justices; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Liamine ZEROUAL (appointed president 31
January 1994, elected president 16 November 1995)
head of government: Interim Prime Minister Smail HAMDANI (since 15
December 1998); note--appointed as interim prime minister until April
1999 presidential elections
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 16 November 1995 (next to be held NA April 1999;
note--ZEROUAL announced in September 1998 his intention to step down
after early presidential elections); prime minister appointed by the
president
election results: Liamine ZEROUAL elected president; percent of
vote--Liamine ZEROUAL 61.3%

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the National
People's Assembly or Al-Majlis Ech-Chaabi Al-Watani (380 seats;
members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the
Council of Nations (144 seats; one-third of the members appointed by
the president, two-thirds elected by indirect vote; members serve
six-year terms; created as a result of the constitutional revision
of November 1996)
elections: National People's Assembly--last held 5 June 1997 (next to
be held NA 2001); elections for two-thirds of the Council of
Nations--last held 25 December 1997 (next to be held NA 2003)
election results: National People's Assembly--percent of vote by
party--NA%; seats by party--RND 156, MSP 69, FLN 62, Nahda Movement
34, FFS 20, RCD 19, PT 4, Republican Progressive Party 3, Union for
Democracy and Freedoms 1, Liberal Social Party 1, independents 11;
Council of Nations--percent of vote by party--NA%; seats by party--RND
80, FLN 10, FFS 4, MSP 2 (remaining 48 seats appointed by the
president, party breakdown NA)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

Political parties and leaders: Islamic Salvation Front or FIS
BENHAMOUDA, secretary general]; Socialist Forces Front or FFS
note: the government established a multiparty system in September
1989 and, as of 31 December 1990, over 50 legal parties existed; a
new party law was enacted in March 1997

International organization participation: ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL,
AMF, AMU, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OAS
(observer), OAU, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
(applicant)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ramtane LAMAMRA
chancery: 2118 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Cameron R. HUME
embassy: 4 Chemin Cheikh Bachir El-Ibrahimi, Algiers
mailing address: B. P. Box 549, Alger-Gare, 16000 Algiers

Flag description: two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side)
and white with a red, five-pointed star within a red crescent; the
crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam
(the state religion)

Economy

Economy--overview: The hydrocarbons sector is the backbone of the
economy, accounting for roughly 52% of budget revenues, 25% of GDP,
and over 95% of export earnings. Algeria has the fifth-largest
reserves of natural gas in the world and is the second largest gas
exporter; it ranks fourteenth for oil reserves. Algiers' efforts to
reform one of the most centrally planned economies in the Arab world
began after the 1986 collapse of world oil prices plunged the
country into a severe recession. In 1989, the government launched a
comprehensive, IMF-supported program to achieve economic
stabilization and to introduce market mechanisms into the economy.
Despite substantial progress toward economic adjustment, in 1992 the
reform drive stalled as Algiers became embroiled in political
turmoil. In September 1993, a new government was formed, and one
priority was the resumption and acceleration of the structural
adjustment process. Burdened with a heavy foreign debt, Algiers
concluded a one-year standby arrangement with the IMF in April 1994
and the following year signed onto a three-year extended fund
facility which ended 30 April 1998. Progress on economic reform, a
Paris Club debt rescheduling in 1995, and oil and gas sector
expansion have contributed to a recovery since 1995. Investments in
developing hydrocarbon resources have spurred growth, but the
economy remains heavily dependent on volatile oil and gas revenues.
The government has continued efforts to diversify the economy by
attracting foreign and domestic investment outside the energy sector
in order to reduce high unemployment and improve living standards.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$140.2 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 3.2% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$4,600 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 12%
industry: 51%
services: 37% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line: 22.6% (1995 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 26.8% (1995)

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

Labor force: 7.8 million (1996 est.)

Labor force--by occupation: government 29.5%, agriculture 22%,
construction and public works 16.2%, industry 13.6%, commerce and
services 13.5%, transportation and communication 5.2% (1989)

Unemployment rate: 30% (1998 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $14.4 billion
expenditures: $15.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $4.4
million (1998 est.)

Industries: petroleum, natural gas, light industries, mining,
electrical, petrochemical, food processing

Industrial production growth rate: -4% (1997 est.)

Electricity--production: 18.4 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 98.91%
hydro: 1.09%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 18.13 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 490 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 220 million kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: wheat, barley, oats, grapes, olives,
citrus, fruits; sheep, cattle

Exports: $14 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.)

Exports--commodities: petroleum and natural gas 97%

Exports--partners: Italy 18.8%, US 14.8%, France 11.8%, Spain 8%,
Germany 7.9% (1995 est.)

Imports: $8.5 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.)

Imports--commodities: capital goods, food and beverages, consumer
goods

Imports--partners: France 29%, Spain 10.5%, Italy 8.2%, US 8%,
Germany 5.6% (1995 est.)

Debt--external: $31.4 billion (1998 est.)

Economic aid--recipient: $897.5 million (1994)

Currency: 1 Algerian dinar (DA) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates: Algerian dinars (DA) per US$1--61.264 (January
1999), 58.739 (1998), 57.707 (1997), 54.749 (1996), 47.663 (1995),
35.059 (1994)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 1,381,342 (5,200 cellular telephone subscribers)
(1997)

Telephone system:
domestic: good service in north but sparse in south; domestic
satellite system with 12 earth stations (20 additional domestic
earth stations are planned)
international: 5 submarine cables; microwave radio relay to Italy,
France, Spain, Morocco, and Tunisia; coaxial cable to Morocco and
Tunisia; participant in Medarabtel; satellite earth stations--2
Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik, and
1 Arabsat

Radio broadcast stations: AM 23, FM 1, shortwave 8 (1998 est.)

Radios: 3.5 million (1998 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 18 (not including low-power
stations) (1997)

Televisions: 2 million (1998 est.)

Transportation

Railways:
total: 4,772 km
standard gauge: 3,616 km 1.435-m gauge (301 km electrified; 215 km
double track)
narrow gauge: 1,156 km 1.055-m gauge

Highways:
total: 102,424 km
paved: 70,570 km (including 608 km of expressways)
unpaved: 31,854 km (1995 est.)

Pipelines: crude oil 6,612 km; petroleum products 298 km; natural
gas 2,948 km

Ports and harbors: Algiers, Annaba, Arzew, Bejaia, Beni Saf,
Dellys, Djendjene, Ghazaouet, Jijel, Mostaganem, Oran, Skikda, Tenes

Merchant marine:
total: 78 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 933,672 GRT/1,094,104
DWT
ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 27, chemical tanker 7, liquefied gas
tanker 11, oil tanker 5, roll-on/roll-off cargo 13, short-sea
passenger 5, specialized tanker 1 (1998 est.)

Airports: 137 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways:
total: 51
over 3,047 m: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 24
1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 86
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 24
914 to 1,523 m: 40
under 914 m: 19 (1998 est.)

Heliports: 1 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: National Popular Army, Navy, Air Force,
Territorial Air Defense, National Gendarmerie

Military manpower--military age: 19 years of age

Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 8,237,682 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 5,046,931 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 359,592 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $1.3 billion (1994)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 2.7% (1994)

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: part of southeastern region claimed by
Libya

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

@American Samoa --------------

Geography

Location: Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean,
about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates: 14 20 S, 170 00 W

Map references: Oceania

Area:
total: 199 sq km
land: 199 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Rose Island and Swains Island

Area--comparative: slightly larger than Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 116 km

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

Climate: tropical marine, moderated by southeast trade winds;
annual rainfall averages 124 inches; rainy season from November to
April, dry season from May to October; little seasonal temperature
variation

Terrain: five volcanic islands with rugged peaks and limited
coastal plains, two coral atolls (Rose Island, Swains Island)

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Lata 966 m

Natural resources: pumice, pumicite

Land use:
arable land: 5%
permanent crops: 10%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 70%
other: 15% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: typhoons common from December to March

Environment--current issues: limited natural fresh water
resources; the water division of the government has spent
substantial funds in the past few years to improve water catchments
and pipelines

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

Geography--note: Pago Pago has one of the best natural deepwater
harbors in the South Pacific Ocean, sheltered by shape from rough
seas and protected by peripheral mountains from high winds;
strategic location in the South Pacific Ocean

People

Population: 63,786 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 39% (male 12,840; female 12,074)
15-64 years: 56% (male 17,933; female 18,035)
65 years and over: 5% (male 1,494; female 1,410) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.64% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 26.53 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 4.04 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 3.92 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.06 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 10.19 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.46 years
male: 71.23 years
female: 79.95 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.66 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: American Samoan(s)
adjective: American Samoan

Ethnic groups: Samoan (Polynesian) 89%, Caucasian 2%, Tongan 4%,
other 5%

Religions: Christian Congregationalist 50%, Roman Catholic 20%,
Protestant denominations and other 30%

Languages: Samoan (closely related to Hawaiian and other
Polynesian languages), English
note: most people are bilingual

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97%
male: 98%
female: 97% (1980 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of American Samoa
conventional short form: American Samoa
abbreviation: AS

Data code: AQ

Dependency status: unincorporated and unorganized territory of
the US; administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department
of the Interior

Government type: NA

Capital: Pago Pago

Administrative divisions: none (territory of the US); there are
no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US
Government, but there are three districts and two islands* at the
second order; Eastern, Manu'a, Rose Island*, Swains Island*, Western

Independence: none (territory of the US)

National holiday: Territorial Flag Day, 17 April (1900)

Constitution: ratified 1966, in effect 1967

Legal system: NA

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President William Jefferson CLINTON of the US (since
20 January 1993) and Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20
January 1993)
head of government: Governor Tauese P. SUNIA (since 3 January 1997)
and Lieutenant Governor Togiola TULAFONO (since 3 January 1997)
cabinet: NA
elections: US president and vice president elected on the same
ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected
on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election
last held 3 November 1996 (next to be held 7 November 2000)
election results: Tauese P. SUNIA elected governor; percent of
vote--Tauese P. SUNIA (Democrat) 51%, Peter REID (independent) 49%

Legislative branch: bicameral Fono or Legislative Assembly
consists of the House of Representatives (21 seats--20 of which are
elected by popular vote and 1 is an appointed, nonvoting delegate
from Swains Island; members serve two-year terms) and the Senate (18
seats; members are elected from local chiefs and serve four-year
terms)
elections: House of Representatives--last held NA November 1998 (next
to be held NA November 2000); Senate--last held 3 November 1996 (next
to be held 7 November 2000)
election results: House of Representatives--percent of vote by
party--NA; seats by party--NA; Senate--percent of vote by party--NA;
seats by party--NA
note: American Samoa elects one delegate to the US House of
Representatives; election last held 3 November 1998 (next to be held
7 November 2000); results--Eni R. F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA (Democrat)
reelected as delegate for a sixth term

Judicial branch: High Court (chief justice and associate justices
are appointed by the US Secretary of the Interior)

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party [leader NA];

International organization participation: ESCAP (associate),
Interpol (subbureau), IOC, SPC

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of the US)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of the US)

Flag description: blue, with a white triangle edged in red that
is based on the outer side and extends to the hoist side; a brown
and white American bald eagle flying toward the hoist side is
carrying two traditional Samoan symbols of authority, a staff and a
war club

Economy

Economy--overview: This is a traditional Polynesian economy in
which more than 90% of the land is communally owned. Economic
activity is strongly linked to the US, with which American Samoa
conducts the great bulk of its foreign trade. Tuna fishing and tuna
processing plants are the backbone of the private sector, with
canned tuna the primary export. Transfers from the US Government add
substantially to American Samoa's economic well-being. According to
one observer, attempts by the government to develop a larger and
broader economy are restrained by Samoa's remote location, its
limited transportation, and its devastating hurricanes. Tourism, a
developing sector, may be held back by the current financial
difficulties in East Asia.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$150 million (1995 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: NA%

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$2,600 (1995 est.)

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

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

Labor force: 13,949 (1996)

Labor force--by occupation: government 33%, tuna canneries 34%,
other 33% (1990)

Unemployment rate: 12% (1991)

Budget:
revenues: $121 million (37% in local revenue and 63% in US grants )
expenditures: $127 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY96/97)

Industries: tuna canneries (largely dependent on foreign fishing
vessels), handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity--production: 105 million kWh (1996)

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

Electricity--consumption: 105 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: bananas, coconuts, vegetables, taro,
breadfruit, yams, copra, pineapples, papayas; dairy products,
livestock

Exports: $313 million (1996)

Exports--commodities: canned tuna 93%

Exports--partners: US 99.6%

Imports: $471 million (1996)

Imports--commodities: materials for canneries 56%, food 8%,
petroleum products 7%, machinery and parts 6%

Imports--partners: US 62%, Japan 9%, NZ 7%, Australia 11%, Fiji
4%, other 7%

Debt--external: $NA

Economic aid--recipient: $NA; note?important financial support
from the US

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

Exchange rates: US currency is used

Fiscal year: 1 October--30 September

Communications

Telephones: 9,000 (1994 est.)

Telephone system:
domestic: good telex, telegraph, facsimile and cellular phone
services; domestic satellite system with 1 Comsat earth station
international: satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)

Televisions: 12,000 (1994 est.)

Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways:
total: 350 km
paved: 150 km
unpaved: 200 km

Ports and harbors: Aunu'u (new construction), Auasi, Faleosao,
Ofu, Pago Pago, Ta'u

Merchant marine: none

Airports: 4 (1998 est.)

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

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 2
under 914 m: 2 (1998 est.)

Military

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

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: none

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

@Andorra -------

Geography

Location: Southwestern Europe, between France and Spain

Geographic coordinates: 42 30 N, 1 30 E

Map references: Europe

Area:
total: 450 sq km
land: 450 sq km
water: 0 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
total: 125 km
border countries: France 60 km, Spain 65 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: temperate; snowy, cold winters and warm, dry summers

Terrain: rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleys

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Riu Valira 840 m
highest point: Coma Pedrosa 2,946 m

Natural resources: hydropower, mineral water, timber, iron ore,
lead

Land use:
arable land: 2%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 56%
forests and woodland: 22%
other: 20% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: snowslides, avalanches

Environment--current issues: deforestation; overgrazing of
mountain meadows contributes to soil erosion

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

Geography--note: landlocked

People

Population: 65,939 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 14% (male 4,880; female 4,527)
15-64 years: 73% (male 25,811; female 22,444)
65 years and over: 13% (male 4,196; female 4,081) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.24% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 10.27 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 5.46 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 17.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.15 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female
total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 4.08 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 83.46 years
male: 80.55 years
female: 86.55 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.25 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Andorran(s)
adjective: Andorran

Ethnic groups: Spanish 61%, Andorran 30%, French 6%, other 3%

Religions: Roman Catholic (predominant)

Languages: Catalan (official), French, Castilian

Literacy: NA

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Principality of Andorra
conventional short form: Andorra
local long form: Principat d'Andorra
local short form: Andorra

Data code: AN

Government type: parliamentary democracy (since March 1993) that
retains as its heads of state a coprincipality; the two princes are
the president of France and bishop of Seo de Urgel, Spain, who are
represented locally by officials called veguers

Capital: Andorra la Vella

Administrative divisions: 7 parishes (parroquies,
singular--parroquia); Andorra, Canillo, Encamp, La Massana, Les
Escaldes, Ordino, Sant Julia de Loria

Independence: 1278

National holiday: Mare de Deu de Meritxell, 8 September

Constitution: Andorra's first written constitution was drafted in
1991; adopted 14 March 1993

Legal system: based on French and Spanish civil codes; no
judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: French Coprince Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995)
represented by Veguer Jean-Pierre COURTOIS (since NA); and Spanish
Coprince Episcopal Monseigneur Joan MARTI Alanis (since 31 January
1971) represented by Veguer Francesc BADIA Battalla (since NA)
head of government: Executive Council President Marc FORNE Molne
(since 21 December 1994)
cabinet: Executive Council designated by the Executive Council
president
elections: Executive Council president elected by the General
Council and formally appointed by the coprinces; election last held
16 February 1997 (next to be held NA 2001)
election results: Marc FORNE Molne elected executive council
president; percent of General Council vote--NA

Legislative branch: unicameral General Council of the Valleys or
Consell General de las Valls (28 seats; members are elected by
direct popular vote, 14 from a single national constituency and 14
to represent each of the 7 parishes; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 16 February 1997 (next to be held NA February
2001)
election results: percent of vote by party--UL 57%, AND 21%, IDN 7%,
ND 7%, other 8%; seats by party--UL 16, AND 6, ND 2, IDN 2, UPO 2

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Andorra at Perpignan, France,
(two civil judges appointed by the veguers, one appeals judge
appointed by the coprinces alternately); Ecclesiastical Court of the
Bishop of Seo de Urgel (Spain); Tribunal of the Courts or Tribunal
des Cortes, (presided over by the two civil judges, one appeals
judge, the veguers, and two members of the General Council)

Political parties and leaders: National Democratic Group or AND
note: there are two other small parties

International organization participation: CE, ECE, ICRM, IFRCS,
Interpol, IOC, ITU, OSCE, UN, UNESCO, WHO, WIPO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Juli MINOVES-TRIQUELL (also Permanent
Representative to the UN)
chancery: 2 United Nations Plaza, 25th Floor, New York, NY 10017

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an
embassy in Andorra; the US Ambassador to Spain is accredited to
Andorra; US interests in Andorra are represented by the Consulate
General's office in Barcelona (Spain); mailing address: Paseo Reina
Elisenda, 23, 08034 Barcelona, Spain; telephone: (3493) 280-2227;
FAX: (3493) 205-7705; note--Consul General Douglas R. SMITH makes
periodic visits to Andorra

Flag description: three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist
side), yellow, and red with the national coat of arms centered in
the yellow band; the coat of arms features a quartered shield;
similar to the flags of Chad and Romania that do not have a national
coat of arms in the center

Economy