Chapter V (3)

Economy--overview: Tourism, the mainstay of Andorra's tiny,
well-to-do economy, accounts for roughly 80% of GDP. An estimated 10
million tourists visit annually, attracted by Andorra's duty-free
status and by its summer and winter resorts. Andorra's comparative
advantage has recently eroded as the economies of neighboring France
and Spain have been opened up, providing broader availability of
goods and lower tariffs. The banking sector, with its "tax haven"
status, also contributes substantially to the economy. Agricultural
production is limited by a scarcity of arable land, and most food
has to be imported. The principal livestock activity is sheep
raising. Manufacturing consists mainly of cigarettes, cigars, and
furniture. Andorra is a member of the EU Customs Union and is
treated as an EU member for trade in manufactured goods (no tariffs)
and as a non-EU member for agricultural products.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$1.2 billion (1995 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: NA%

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$18,000 (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: NA

Unemployment rate: 0%

Budget:
revenues: $138 million
expenditures: $177 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1993)

Industries: tourism (particularly skiing), sheep, timber,
tobacco, banking

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity--production: 140 million kWh (1992)

Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: NA%
hydro: NA%
nuclear: NA%
other: NA%

Electricity--consumption: NA kWh

Electricity--exports: NA kWh

Electricity--imports: NA kWh

Agriculture--products: tobacco, rye, wheat, barley, oats,
vegetables; sheep

Exports: $47 million (f.o.b., 1995)

Exports--commodities: electricity, tobacco products, furniture

Exports--partners: France 49%, Spain 47%

Imports: $1 billion (1995)

Imports--commodities: consumer goods, food

Imports--partners: France, Spain, US 4.2%

Debt--external: $NA

Economic aid--recipient: none

Currency: 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes; 1 peseta (Pta) = 100
centimos; the French and Spanish currencies are used

Exchange rates: French francs (F) per US$1--5.65 (January 1999),
5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997), 5.1155 (1996), 4.9915 (1995), 5.5520
(1994); Spanish pesetas (Ptas) per US$1--143.39 (January 1999),
149.40 (1998), 146.41 (1997), 126.66 (1996), 124.69 (1995), 133.96
(1994)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 21,258 (1983 est.)

Telephone system:
domestic: modern system with microwave radio relay connections
between exchanges
international: landline circuits to France and Spain

Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 15, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 10,000 (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 0 (1997)

Televisions: 7,000 (1991 est.)

Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways:
total: 269 km
paved: 198 km
unpaved: 71 km (1991 est.)

Ports and harbors: none

Airports: none

Military

Military--note: defense is the responsibility of France and Spain

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: none

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

@Angola ------

Geography

Location: Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean,
between Namibia and Democratic Republic of the Congo

Geographic coordinates: 12 30 S, 18 30 E

Map references: Africa

Area:
total: 1,246,700 sq km
land: 1,246,700 sq km
water: 0 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
total: 5,198 km
border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,511 km of which
220 km is the boundary of discontiguous Cabinda Province, Republic
of the Congo 201 km, Namibia 1,376 km, Zambia 1,110 km

Coastline: 1,600 km

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

Climate: semiarid in south and along coast to Luanda; north has
cool, dry season (May to October) and hot, rainy season (November to
April)

Terrain: narrow coastal plain rises abruptly to vast interior
plateau

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Morro de Moco 2,620 m

Natural resources: petroleum, diamonds, iron ore, phosphates,
copper, feldspar, gold, bauxite, uranium

Land use:
arable land: 2%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 23%
forests and woodland: 43%
other: 32% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 750 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding
on the plateau

Environment--current issues: the overuse of pastures and
subsequent soil erosion attributable to population pressures;
desertification; deforestation of tropical rain forest, in response
to both international demand for tropical timber and to domestic use
as fuel, resulting in loss of biodiversity; soil erosion
contributing to water pollution and siltation of rivers and dams;
inadequate supplies of potable water

Environment--international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Desertification, Law of the Sea
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change

Geography--note: Cabinda is separated from rest of country by the
Democratic Republic of the Congo

People

Population: 11,177,537 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 45% (male 2,545,006; female 2,473,732)
15-64 years: 52% (male 2,938,178; female 2,909,844)
65 years and over: 3% (male 143,074; female 167,703) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.84% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 43.11 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 16.35 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 1.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 129.19 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 48.39 years
male: 46.08 years
female: 50.82 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.12 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Angolan(s)
adjective: Angolan

Ethnic groups: Ovimbundu 37%, Kimbundu 25%, Bakongo 13%, mestico
(mixed European and Native African) 2%, European 1%, other 22%

Religions: indigenous beliefs 47%, Roman Catholic 38%, Protestant
15% (1998 est.)

Languages: Portuguese (official), Bantu and other African
languages

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 42%
male: 56%
female: 28% (1998 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Angola
conventional short form: Angola
local long form: Republica de Angola
local short form: Angola
former: People's Republic of Angola

Data code: AO

Government type: transitional government, nominally a multiparty
democracy with a strong presidential system

Capital: Luanda

Administrative divisions: 18 provinces (provincias,
singular--provincia); Bengo, Benguela, Bie, Cabinda, Cuando Cubango,
Cuanza Norte, Cuanza Sul, Cunene, Huambo, Huila, Luanda, Lunda
Norte, Lunda Sul, Malanje, Moxico, Namibe, Uige, Zaire

Independence: 11 November 1975 (from Portugal)

National holiday: Independence Day, 11 November (1975)

Constitution: 11 November 1975; revised 7 January 1978, 11 August
1980, 6 March 1991, and 26 August 1992

Legal system: based on Portuguese civil law system and customary
law; recently modified to accommodate political pluralism and
increased use of free markets

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS (since 21
September 1979); note--the president is both chief of state and head
of government
head of government: President Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS (since January
1999); note--the president is both chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: President DOS SANTOS originally elected without
opposition under a one-party system and stood for reelection in
Angola's first multiparty elections in 28-29 September 1992, the
last elections to be held (next to be held NA)
election results: DOS SANTOS received 49.6% of the total vote,
making a run-off election necessary between him and second-place
finisher Jonas SAVIMBI; the run-off was not held and SAVIMBI's
National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA)
repudiated the results of the first election; the civil war resumed

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia
Nacional (220 seats; members elected by proportional vote to serve
four-year terms)
elections: last held 29-30 September 1992 (next to be held NA)
election results: percent of vote by party--MPLA 54%, UNITA 34%,
others 12%; seats by party--MPLA 129, UNITA 70, PRS 6, FNLA 5, PLD 3,
others 7

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Tribunal da Relacao, judges of
the Supreme Court are appointed by the president

Political parties and leaders: Popular Movement for the
in power since 1975; National Union for the Total Independence of
years of armed resistance before joining the current unity
note: about a dozen minor parties participated in the 1992 elections
but won few seats and have little influence in the National Assembly

Political pressure groups and leaders: Front for the Liberation
of the Enclave of Cabinda or FLEC
note: FLEC is waging a small-scale, highly factionalized, armed
struggle for the independence of Cabinda Province

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEEAC,
ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), OAU,
SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Antonio dos Santos FRANCA "N'dalu"
chancery: 1615 M Street, NW, Suite 900, Washington, DC 20036

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph G. SULLIVAN
embassy: number 32 Rua Houari Boumedienne, Miramar, Luanda
mailing address: international mail: Caixa Postal 6484, Luanda;
pouch: American Embassy Luanda, Department of State, Washington, DC
20521-2550

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and
black with a centered yellow emblem consisting of a five-pointed
star within half a cogwheel crossed by a machete (in the style of a
hammer and sickle)

Economy

Economy--overview: Angola is an economy in disarray because of
more than 20 years of nearly continuous warfare. Despite its
abundant natural resources, output per capita is among the world's
lowest. Subsistence agriculture provides the main livelihood for 85%
of the population. Oil production and the supporting activities are
vital to the economy, contributing about 45% to GDP. Notwithstanding
the signing of a peace accord in November 1994, sporadic violence
continues, millions of land mines remain, and many farmers are
reluctant to return to their fields. As a result, much of the
country's food must still be imported. To take advantage of its rich
resources--gold, diamonds, extensive forests, Atlantic fisheries,
arable land, and large oil deposits--Angola will need to implement
the peace agreement and reform government policies. The increase in
the pace of civil warfare in late 1998 dims economic prospects for
1999 especially if the oil sector were to be damaged.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$11 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 0.5% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$1,000 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 13%
industry: 53%
services: 34% (1998 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 90% (1998 est.)

Labor force: 5 million (1997 est.)

Labor force--by occupation: agriculture 85%, industry and services
15% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate: extensive unemployment and underemployment
affecting more than half the population (1997 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $928 million
expenditures: $2.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $963
million (1992 est.)

Industries: petroleum; diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, feldspar,
bauxite, uranium, and gold; cement; basic metal products; fish
processing; food processing; brewing; tobacco products; sugar;
textiles

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity--production: 1.86 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 24.73%
hydro: 75.27%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 1.86 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: bananas, sugarcane, coffee, sisal, corn,
cotton, manioc (tapioca), tobacco, vegetables, plantains; livestock;
forest products; fish

Exports: $3.4 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)

Exports--commodities: crude oil 90%, diamonds, refined petroleum
products, gas, coffee, sisal, fish and fish products, timber, cotton
(1998)

Exports--partners: US 65%, EU, China (1997)

Imports: $2.2 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)

Imports--commodities: machinery and electrical equipment, vehicles
and spare parts; medicines, food, textiles and clothing; substantial
military goods

Imports--partners: Portugal 21%, US 15%, France 14%, South Africa
(1997)

Debt--external: $13 billion (1998 est.)

Economic aid--recipient: $493.1 million (1995)

Currency: 1 kwanza (NKz) = 100 lwei

Exchange rates: kwanza (NKz) per US$1--350,000 (February 1999),
392,824 (1998), 229,040 (1997), 128,029 (1996), 2,750 (1995), 59,515
(1994); note--readjusted Kwanzas per US$1,000 through 1994, per US$1
thereafter

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 78,000 (1991 est.)

Telephone system: telephone service limited mostly to government
and business use; HF radiotelephone used extensively for military
links
domestic: limited system of wire, microwave radio relay, and
tropospheric scatter
international: satellite earth stations--2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 16, FM 8, shortwave 8 (1998)

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 7 (1997)

Televisions: 50,000 (1993 est.)

Transportation

Railways:
total: 2,952 km (limited trackage in use because of land mines still
in place from the civil war) (1997 est.)
narrow gauge: 2,798 km 1.067-m gauge; 154 km 0.600-m gauge

Highways:
total: 76,626 km
paved: 19,156 km
unpaved: 57,470 km (1997 est.)

Waterways: 1,295 km navigable

Pipelines: crude oil 179 km

Ports and harbors: Ambriz, Cabinda, Lobito, Luanda, Malongo,
Namibe, Porto Amboim, Soyo

Merchant marine:
total: 10 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 48,384 GRT/78,357 DWT
ships by type: cargo 9, oil tanker 1 (1998 est.)

Airports: 252 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways:
total: 32
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
1,524 to 2,437 m: 12
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 220
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 32
914 to 1,523 m: 100
under 914 m: 82 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces,
National Police Force

Military manpower--military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 2,544,203 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,280,377 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 111,168 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $1 billion (FY97/98)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 25% (FY97/98)

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: none

Illicit drugs: increasingly used as a transshipment point for
cocaine and heroin destined for Western Europe and other African
states

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

@Anguilla --------

Geography

Location: Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, east of Puerto
Rico

Geographic coordinates: 18 15 N, 63 10 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 91 sq km
land: 91 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area--comparative: about half the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 61 km

Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 3 nm

Climate: tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds

Terrain: flat and low-lying island of coral and limestone

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Crocus Hill 65 m

Natural resources: salt, fish, lobster

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 100% (mostly rock with sparse scrub oak, few trees, some
commercial salt ponds)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: frequent hurricanes and other tropical storms
(July to October)

Environment--current issues: supplies of potable water sometimes
cannot meet increasing demand largely because of poor distribution
system

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

People

Population: 11,510 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 27% (male 1,581; female 1,529)
15-64 years: 66% (male 3,874; female 3,695)
65 years and over: 7% (male 366; female 465) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.16% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 16.68 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 5.3 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 20.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 18.72 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.71 years
male: 74.72 years
female: 80.78 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.95 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Anguillan(s)
adjective: Anguillan

Ethnic groups: black

Religions: Anglican 40%, Methodist 33%, Seventh-Day Adventist 7%,
Baptist 5%, Roman Catholic 3%, other 12%

Languages: English (official)

Literacy:
definition: age 12 and over can read and write
total population: 95%
male: 95%
female: 95% (1984 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Anguilla

Data code: AV

Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK

Government type: NA

Capital: The Valley

Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of the UK)

Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday: Anguilla Day, 30 May

Constitution: Anguilla Constitutional Order 1 April 1982; amended
1990

Legal system: based on English common law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
represented by Governor Alan HOOLE (since 1 November 1995)
head of government: Chief Minister Hubert HUGHES (since 16 March
1994)
cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from among the
elected members of the House of Assembly
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by
the monarch; chief minister appointed by the governor from among the
members of the House of Assembly

Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly (11 seats total,
7 elected by direct popular vote; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 4 March 1999 (next to be held March 2004)
election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--ANA 2,
AUP 2, ADP 2, independent 1

Judicial branch: High Court (judge provided by Eastern Caribbean
Supreme Court)

Political parties and leaders: Anguilla National Alliance or ANA

International organization participation: Caricom (observer),
CDB, Interpol (subbureau), OECS (associate), ECLAC (associate)

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

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

Flag description: blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper
hoist-side quadrant and the Anguillan coat of arms centered in the
outer half of the flag; the coat of arms depicts three orange
dolphins in an interlocking circular design on a white background
with blue wavy water below

Economy

Economy--overview: Anguilla has few natural resources, and the
economy depends heavily on luxury tourism, offshore banking, lobster
fishing, and remittances from emigrants. The economy, and especially
the tourism sector, suffered a setback in late 1995 due to the
effects of Hurricane Luis in September but recovered in 1996.
Increased activity in the tourism industry, which has spurred the
growth of the construction sector, contributed to economic growth in
1997-98. Anguillan officials have put substantial effort into
developing the offshore financing sector. A comprehensive package of
financial services legislation was enacted in late 1994. In the
medium term, prospects for the economy will depend on the tourism
sector and, therefore, on continuing income growth in the
industrialized nations.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$81 million (1997 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 6.5% (1997 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$7,300 (1997 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 4%
industry: 16%
services: 80% (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

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

Labor force: 4,400 (1992)

Labor force--by occupation: commerce 36%, services 29%,
construction 18%, transportation and utilities 10%, manufacturing
3%, agriculture/fishing/forestry/mining 4%

Unemployment rate: 7% (1992 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $20.4 million
expenditures: $23.3 million, including capital expenditures of $3.8
million (1997 est.)

Industries: tourism, boat building, offshore financial services

Industrial production growth rate: 3.1% (1997 est.)

Electricity--production: NA kWh

Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: NA%
hydro: NA%
nuclear: NA%
other: NA%

Electricity--consumption: NA kWh

Electricity--exports: NA kWh

Electricity--imports: NA kWh

Agriculture--products: pigeon peas, corn, sweet potatoes; sheep,
goats, pigs, cattle, poultry; fish, lobsters

Exports: $1.6 million (1997)

Exports--commodities: lobster, fish, livestock, salt

Exports--partners: NA

Imports: $54.2 million (1997)

Imports--commodities: NA

Imports--partners: NA

Debt--external: $8.5 million (1996)

Economic aid--recipient: $3.5 million (1995)

Currency: 1 East Caribbean dollar (EC$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1--2.7000
(fixed rate since 1976)

Fiscal year: 1 April--31 March

Communications

Telephones: 890

Telephone system:
domestic: modern internal telephone system
international: microwave radio relay to island of Saint Martin
(Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles)

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

Radios: 2,000 (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)

Televisions: NA

Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways:
total: 105 km
paved: 65 km
unpaved: 40 km (1992 est.)

Ports and harbors: Blowing Point, Road Bay

Merchant marine: none

Airports: 3 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways:
total: 1
914 to 1,523 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 UK

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: none

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

@Antarctica ----------

Geography

Location: continent mostly south of the Antarctic Circle

Geographic coordinates: 90 00 S, 0 00 E

Map references: Antarctic Region

Area:
total: 14 million sq km
land: 14 million sq km (280,000 sq km ice-free, 13.72 million sq km
ice-covered) (est.)
note: second-smallest continent (after Australia)

Area--comparative: slightly less than 1.5 times the size of the US

Land boundaries: 0 km
note: see entry on International disputes

Coastline: 17,968 km

Maritime claims: none, but see entry on International disputes

Climate: severe low temperatures vary with latitude, elevation,
and distance from the ocean; East Antarctica is colder than West
Antarctica because of its higher elevation; Antarctic Peninsula has
the most moderate climate; higher temperatures occur in January
along the coast and average slightly below freezing

Terrain: about 98% thick continental ice sheet and 2% barren
rock, with average elevations between 2,000 and 4,000 meters;
mountain ranges up to about 5,000 meters; ice-free coastal areas
include parts of southern Victoria Land, Wilkes Land, the Antarctic
Peninsula area, and parts of Ross Island on McMurdo Sound; glaciers
form ice shelves along about half of the coastline, and floating ice
shelves constitute 11% of the area of the continent

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Vinson Massif 5,140 m

Natural resources: none presently exploited; iron ore, chromium,
copper, gold, nickel, platinum and other minerals, and coal and
hydrocarbons have been found in small, uncommercial quantities

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 100% (ice 98%, barren rock 2%)

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)

Natural hazards: katabatic (gravity-driven) winds blow coastward
from the high interior; frequent blizzards form near the foot of the
plateau; cyclonic storms form over the ocean and move clockwise
along the coast; volcanism on Deception Island and isolated areas of
West Antarctica; other seismic activity rare and weak

Environment--current issues: in 1998, NASA satellite data showed
that the antarctic ozone hole was the largest on record, covering 27
million square kilometers; researchers in 1997 found that increased
ultraviolet light coming through the hole damages the DNA of
icefish, an antarctic fish lacking hemoglobin; ozone depletion
earlier was shown to harm one-celled antarctic marine plants

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

Geography--note: the coldest, windiest, highest, and driest
continent; during summer, more solar radiation reaches the surface
at the South Pole than is received at the Equator in an equivalent
period; mostly uninhabitable

People

Population: no indigenous inhabitants, but there are seasonally
staffed research stations
note: approximately 29 nations, all signatory to the Antarctic
Treaty, send personnel to perform seasonal (summer) and year-round
research on the continent and in its surrounding oceans; the
population of persons doing and supporting science on the continent
and its nearby islands south of 60 degrees south latitude (the
region covered by the Antarctic Treaty) varies from approximately
4,000 in summer to 1,000 in winter; in addition, approximately 1,000
personnel including ship's crew and scientists doing onboard
research are present in the waters of the treaty region; Summer
(January) population--3,687 total; Argentina 302, Australia 201,
Belgium 13, Brazil 80, Bulgaria 16, Chile 352, China 70, Finland 11,
France 100, Germany 51, India 60, Italy 106, Japan 136, South Korea
14, Netherlands 10, NZ 60, Norway 40, Peru 28, Poland 70, Russia
254, South Africa 80, Spain 43, Sweden 20, UK 192, US 1,378
(1998-99); Winter (July) population--964 total; Argentina 165,
Australia 75, Brazil 12, Chile 129, China 33, France 33, Germany 9,
India 25, Japan 40, South Korea 14, NZ 10, Poland 20, Russia 102,
South Africa 10, UK 39, US 248 (1998-99); year-round stations--42
total; Argentina 6, Australia 4, Brazil 1, Chile 4, China 2, Finland
1, France 1, Germany 1, India 1, Italy 1, Japan 1, South Korea 1, NZ
1, Norway 1, Poland 1, Russia 6, South Africa 1, Spain 1, Ukraine 1,
UK 2, US 3, Uruguay 1 (1998-99); Summer-only stations--32 total;
Argentina 3, Australia 4, Bulgaria 1, Chile 7, Germany 1, India 1,
Japan 3, NZ 1, Peru 1, Russia 3, Sweden 2, UK 5 (1998-99) in
addition, during the austral summer some nations have numerous
occupied locations such as tent camps, summer-long temporary
facilities, and mobile traverses in support of research

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Antarctica

Data code: AY

Government type: Antarctic Treaty Summary--the Antarctic Treaty,
signed on 1 December 1959 and entered into force on 23 June 1961,
establishes the legal framework for the management of Antarctica.
Administration is carried out through consultative member
meetings--the 22nd Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting was in
Norway in May 1998. At the end of 1998, there were 43 treaty member
nations: 27 consultative and 16 acceding. Consultative (voting)
members include the seven nations that claim portions of Antarctica
as national territory (some claims overlap) and 20 nonclaimant
nations. The US and some other nations that have made no claims have
reserved the right to do so. The US does not recognize the claims of
others. The year in parentheses indicates when an acceding nation
was voted to full consultative (voting) status, while no date
indicates the country was an original 1959 treaty signatory.
Claimant nations are--Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New
Zealand, Norway, and the UK. Nonclaimant consultative nations
are--Belgium, Brazil (1983), Bulgaria (1978) China (1985), Ecuador
(1990), Finland (1989), Germany (1981), India (1983), Italy (1987),
Japan, South Korea (1989), Netherlands (1990), Peru (1989), Poland
(1977), Russia, South Africa, Spain (1988), Sweden (1988), Uruguay
(1985), and the US. Acceding (nonvoting) members, with year of
accession in parentheses, are--Austria (1987), Canada (1988),
Colombia (1988), Cuba (1984), Czech Republic (1993), Denmark (1965),
Greece (1987), Guatemala (1991), Hungary (1984), North Korea (1987),
Papua New Guinea (1981), Romania (1971), Slovakia (1993),
Switzerland (1990), Turkey (1995), and Ukraine (1992). Article
1--area to be used for peaceful purposes only; military activity,
such as weapons testing, is prohibited, but military personnel and
equipment may be used for scientific research or any other peaceful
purpose; Article 2--freedom of scientific investigation and
cooperation shall continue; Article 3--free exchange of information
and personnel in cooperation with the UN and other international
agencies; Article 4--does not recognize, dispute, or establish
territorial claims and no new claims shall be asserted while the
treaty is in force; Article 5 --prohibits nuclear explosions or
disposal of radioactive wastes; Article 6--includes under the treaty
all land and ice shelves south of 60 degrees 00 minutes south;
Article 7--treaty-state observers have free access, including aerial
observation, to any area and may inspect all stations,
installations, and equipment; advance notice of all activities and
of the introduction of military personnel must be given; Article
8--allows for jurisdiction over observers and scientists by their own
states; Article 9--frequent consultative meetings take place among
member nations; Article 10--treaty states will discourage activities
by any country in Antarctica that are contrary to the treaty;
Article 11--disputes to be settled peacefully by the parties
concerned or, ultimately, by the ICJ; Articles 12, 13, 14--deal with
upholding, interpreting, and amending the treaty among involved
nations. Other agreements--some 200 recommendations adopted at treaty
consultative meetings and ratified by governments include --Agreed
Measures for the Conservation of Antarctic Fauna and Flora (1964);
Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (1972);
Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources
(1980); a mineral resources agreement was signed in 1988 but was
subsequently rejected; the Protocol on Environmental Protection to
the Antarctic Treaty was signed 4 October 1991 and entered into
force 14 January 1998; this agreement provides for the protection of
the Antarctic environment through five specific annexes on marine
pollution, fauna, and flora, environmental impact assessments, waste
management, and protected areas; it prohibits all activities
relating to mineral resources except scientific research.

Legal system: US law, including certain criminal offenses by or
against US nationals, such as murder, may apply to areas not under
jurisdiction of other countries. Some US laws directly apply to
Antarctica. For example, the Antarctic Conservation Act, 16 U.S.C.
section 2401 et seq., provides civil and criminal penalties for the
following activities, unless authorized by regulation of statute:
the taking of native mammals or birds; the introduction of
nonindigenous plants and animals; entry into specially protected or
scientific areas; the discharge or disposal of pollutants; and the
importation into the US of certain items from Antarctica. Violation
of the Antarctic Conservation Act carries penalties of up to $10,000
in fines and one year in prison. The Departments of Treasury,
Commerce, Transportation, and Interior share enforcement
responsibilities. Public Law 95-541, the US Antarctic Conservation
Act of 1978, requires expeditions from the US to Antarctica to
notify, in advance, the Office of Oceans and Polar Affairs, Room
5801, Department of State, Washington, DC 20520, which reports such
plans to other nations as required by the Antarctic Treaty. For more
information, contact Permit Office, Office of Polar Programs,
National Science Foundation, Arlington, Virginia 22230 (703)
306-1031, or see their website at www.nsf.gov.

Economy

Economy--overview: No economic activity is conducted at present,
except for fishing off the coast and small-scale tourism, both based
abroad. Antarctic fisheries in 1997-98 reported landing 92,456
metric tons. Unregulated fishing landed five to six times more than
the regulated fishery, and allegedly illegal fishing in antarctic
waters in 1998 resulted in the seizure (by France and Australia) of
at least eight fishing ships. A total of 9,604 tourists visited in
the 1997-98 summer, up from the 7,413 who visited the previous year.
Nearly all of them were passengers on 13 commercial
(nongovernmental) ships that made 92 trips during the summer. Around
200 tourists were on yachts or commercial aircraft. Most tourist
trips lasted approximately two weeks.

Communications

Telephones: NA

Telephone system:
domestic: NA
international: NA

Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM 2 (American Forces Antarctic
Network), shortwave 1 (Argentina Antarctic Base de Egercito
Esperanza) (1998)

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 1 (American Forces Antarctic
Network-McMurdo) (1997)

Televisions: NA

Transportation

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage

Airports: 17; 27 stations, operated by 16 national governments
party to the Antarctic Treaty, have landing facilities for either
helicopters and/or fixed-wing aircraft; commercial enterprises
operate two additional air facilities; helicopter pads are available
at 27 stations; runways at 15 locations are gravel, sea-ice,
blue-ice, or compacted snow suitable for landing wheeled, fixed-wing
aircraft; of these, 1 is greater than 3 km in length, 6 are between
2 km and 3 km in length, 3 are between 1 km and 2 km in length, 3
are less than 1 km in length, and 2 are of unknown length; snow
surface skiways, limited to use by ski-equipped, fixed-wing
aircraft, are available at another 15 locations; of these, 4 are
greater than 3 km in length, 3 are between 2 km and 3 km in length,
2 are between 1 km and 2 km in length, 2 are less than 1 km in
length, and 4 are of unknown length; airports generally subject to
severe restrictions and limitations resulting from extreme seasonal
and geographic conditions; airports do not meet ICAO standards;
advance approval from the respective governmental or nongovernmental
operating organization required for landing (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 17
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 5 (1998 est.)

Heliports: 1 (1998 est.)

Military

Military--note: the Antarctic Treaty prohibits any measures of a
military nature, such as the establishment of military bases and
fortifications, the carrying out of military maneuvers, or the
testing of any type of weapon; it permits the use of military
personnel or equipment for scientific research or for any other
peaceful purposes

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: Antarctic Treaty defers claims (see
Antarctic Treaty Summary above); sections (some overlapping) claimed
by Argentina, Australia, Chile, France (Adelie Land), New Zealand
(Ross Dependency), Norway (Queen Maud Land), and UK; the US and most
other nations do not recognize the territorial claims of other
nations and have made no claims themselves (the US reserves the
right to do so); no formal claims have been made in the sector
between 90 degrees west and 150 degrees west

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

@Antigua and Barbuda -------------------

Geography

Location: Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the
North Atlantic Ocean, east-southeast of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates: 17 03 N, 61 48 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 440 sq km
land: 440 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Redonda

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

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 153 km

Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain: mostly low-lying limestone and coral islands, with some
higher volcanic areas

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Boggy Peak 402 m

Natural resources: NEGL; pleasant climate fosters tourism

Land use:
arable land: 18%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 9%
forests and woodland: 11%
other: 62% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: hurricanes and tropical storms (July to
October); periodic droughts

Environment--current issues: water management?a major concern
because of limited natural fresh water resources--is further hampered
by the clearing of trees to increase crop production, causing
rainfall to run off quickly

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

People

Population: 64,246 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 26% (male 8,414; female 8,137)
15-64 years: 69% (male 21,936; female 22,227)
65 years and over: 5% (male 1,504; female 2,028) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.36% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 16.22 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 5.76 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: -6.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 20.69 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.46 years
male: 69.06 years
female: 73.98 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.72 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Antiguan(s), Barbudan(s)
adjective: Antiguan, Barbudan

Ethnic groups: black, British, Portuguese, Lebanese, Syrian

Religions: Anglican (predominant), other Protestant sects, some
Roman Catholic

Languages: English (official), local dialects

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has completed five or more years of
schooling
total population: 89%
male: 90%
female: 88% (1960 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Antigua and Barbuda

Data code: AC

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Saint John's

Administrative divisions: 6 parishes and 2 dependencies*;
Barbuda*, Redonda*, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Mary, Saint
Paul, Saint Peter, Saint Philip

Independence: 1 November 1981 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 1 November (1981)

Constitution: 1 November 1981

Legal system: based on English common law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General James B. CARLISLE (since NA 1993)
head of government: Prime Minister Lester Bryant BIRD (since 8 March
1994)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the governor general on
the advice of the prime minister
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general chosen
by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister; prime minister
appointed by the governor general

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate
(17-member body appointed by the governor general) and the House of
Representatives (17 seats; members are elected by proportional
representation to serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives--last held 9 March 1999 (next to
be held NA March 2004)
election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--ALP
12, UPP 4, independent 1

Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint
Lucia) (one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands
and presides over the Court of Summary Jurisdiction)

Political parties and leaders: Antigua Labor Party or ALP [Lester
coalition of three opposition political parties--United National
Democratic Party or UNDP, Antigua Caribbean Liberation Movement or
ACLM, and the Progressive Labor Movement or PLM

Political pressure groups and leaders: Antigua Trades and Labor

International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CDB,
ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ISO
(subscriber), ITU, NAM (observer), OAS, OECS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Lionel Alexander HURST
chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016
consulate(s) general: Miami

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an
embassy in Antigua and Barbuda (embassy closed 30 June 1994); the US
Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Antigua and Barbuda

Flag description: red, with an inverted isosceles triangle based
on the top edge of the flag; the triangle contains three horizontal
bands of black (top), light blue, and white, with a yellow rising
sun in the black band

Economy

Economy--overview: Tourism continues to be by far the dominant
activity in the economy accounting directly or indirectly for more
than half of GDP. Increased tourist arrivals have helped spur growth
in the construction and transport sectors. The dual island nation's
agricultural production is mainly directed to the domestic market;
the sector is constrained by the limited water supply and labor
shortages that reflect the pull of higher wages in tourism and
construction. Manufacturing comprises enclave-type assembly for
export with major products being bedding, handicrafts, and
electronic components. Prospects for economic growth in the medium
term will continue to depend on income growth in the industrialized
world, especially in the US, which accounts for about half of all
tourist arrivals.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$503 million (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 6% (1998 est.)

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

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 4%
industry: 12.5%
services: 83.5% (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): -1.1% (1997)

Labor force: 30,000

Labor force--by occupation: commerce and services 82%, agriculture
11%, industry 7% (1983)

Unemployment rate: 9% (1997 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $122.6 million
expenditures: $141.2 million, including capital expenditures of
$17.3 million (1997 est.)

Industries: tourism, construction, light manufacturing (clothing,
alcohol, household appliances)

Industrial production growth rate: 6% (1997 est.)

Electricity--production: 95 million kWh (1996)

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

Electricity--consumption: 95 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: cotton, fruits, vegetables, bananas,
coconuts, cucumbers, mangoes, sugarcane; livestock

Exports: $37.8 million (1997)

Exports--commodities: petroleum products 48%, manufactures 23%,
food and live animals 4%, machinery and transport equipment 17%

Exports--partners: OECS 26%, Barbados 15%, Guyana 4%, Trinidad and
Tobago 2%, US 0.3%

Imports: $325.5 million (1997)

Imports--commodities: food and live animals, machinery and
transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, oil

Imports--partners: US 27%, UK 16%, Canada 4%, OECS 3%, other 50%

Debt--external: $240 million (1997 est.)

Economic aid--recipient: $2.3 million (1995)

Currency: 1 East Caribbean dollar (EC$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1--2.7000
(fixed rate since 1976)

Fiscal year: 1 April--31 March

Communications

Telephones: 6,700

Telephone system:
domestic: good automatic telephone system
international: 1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth station--1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Saba (Netherlands
Antilles) and Guadeloupe

Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 2, shortwave 0 (repeater
transmitters for Deutsche Welle and BBC world broadcasts) (1998)

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 2 (1997)

Televisions: 28,000 (1993 est.)

Transportation

Railways:
total: 77 km
narrow gauge: 64 km 0.760-m gauge; 13 km 0.610-m gauge (used almost
exclusively for handling sugarcane)

Highways:
total: 250 km (1996 est.)
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km

Ports and harbors: Saint John's

Merchant marine:
total: 517 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,706,126
GRT/3,542,664 DWT
ships by type: bulk 21, cargo 338, chemical tanker 7, combination
bulk 2, container 111, liquefied gas tanker 2, multifunctional
large-load carrier 1, oil tanker 4, refrigerated cargo 9,
roll-on/roll-off cargo 21, vehicle carrier 1
note: a flag of convenience registry: Germany owns 10 ships,
Slovenia 2, and Cyprus 2 (1998 est.)

Airports: 3 (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: 1
under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Royal Antigua and Barbuda Defense Force, Royal
Antigua and Barbuda Police Force (includes Coast Guard)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: NA%

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: none

Illicit drugs: over the long-term, considered a relatively minor
transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe and
recently, a transshipment point for heroin from Europe to the US;
potentially more significant as a drug-money-laundering center

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

@Arctic Ocean ------------

Geography

Location: body of water mostly north of the Arctic Circle

Geographic coordinates: 90 00 N, 0 00 E

Map references: Arctic Region

Area:
total: 14.056 million sq km
note: includes Baffin Bay, Barents Sea, Beaufort Sea, Chukchi Sea,
East Siberian Sea, Greenland Sea, Hudson Bay, Hudson Strait, Kara
Sea, Laptev Sea, Northwest Passage, and other tributary water bodies

Area--comparative: slightly less than 1.5 times the size of the
US; smallest of the world's four oceans (after Pacific Ocean,
Atlantic Ocean, and Indian Ocean)

Coastline: 45,389 km

Climate: polar climate characterized by persistent cold and
relatively narrow annual temperature ranges; winters characterized
by continuous darkness, cold and stable weather conditions, and
clear skies; summers characterized by continuous daylight, damp and
foggy weather, and weak cyclones with rain or snow

Terrain: central surface covered by a perennial drifting polar
icepack that averages about 3 meters in thickness, although pressure
ridges may be three times that size; clockwise drift pattern in the
Beaufort Gyral Stream, but nearly straight-line movement from the
New Siberian Islands (Russia) to Denmark Strait (between Greenland
and Iceland); the icepack is surrounded by open seas during the
summer, but more than doubles in size during the winter and extends
to the encircling landmasses; the ocean floor is about 50%
continental shelf (highest percentage of any ocean) with the
remainder a central basin interrupted by three submarine ridges
(Alpha Cordillera, Nansen Cordillera, and Lomonsov Ridge)

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Fram Basin -4,665 m
highest point: sea level 0 m

Natural resources: sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits,
polymetallic nodules, oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals
(seals and whales)

Natural hazards: ice islands occasionally break away from
northern Ellesmere Island; icebergs calved from glaciers in western
Greenland and extreme northeastern Canada; permafrost in islands;
virtually icelocked from October to June; ships subject to
superstructure icing from October to May

Environment--current issues: endangered marine species include
walruses and whales; fragile ecosystem slow to change and slow to
recover from disruptions or damage

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

Geography--note: major chokepoint is the southern Chukchi Sea
(northern access to the Pacific Ocean via the Bering Strait);
strategic location between North America and Russia; shortest marine
link between the extremes of eastern and western Russia; floating
research stations operated by the US and Russia; maximum snow cover
in March or April about 20 to 50 centimeters over the frozen ocean;
snow cover lasts about 10 months

Government

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

Economy

Economy--overview: Economic activity is limited to the
exploitation of natural resources, including petroleum, natural gas,
fish, and seals.

Communications

Telephone system:
international: no submarine cables

Transportation

Ports and harbors: Churchill (Canada), Murmansk (Russia), Prudhoe
Bay (US)

Transportation--note: sparse network of air, ocean, river, and
land routes; the Northwest Passage (North America) and Northern Sea
Route (Eurasia) are important seasonal waterways

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: some maritime disputes (see littoral
states); Svalbard is the focus of a maritime boundary dispute
between Norway and Russia

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

@Argentina ---------

Introduction

Background: A part of the Spanish empire until independence in
1816, Argentina subsequently experienced periods of internal
political conflict between conservatives and liberals and between
civilian and military factions. Meantime, thanks to rich natural
resources and foreign investment, a modern agriculture and a
diversified industry were gradually developed. After World War II, a
long period of Peronist dictatorship was followed by rule by a
military junta. Democratic elections finally came in 1983, but both
the political and economic atmosphere remain susceptible to turmoil.

Geography

Location: Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic
Ocean, between Chile and Uruguay

Geographic coordinates: 34 00 S, 64 00 W

Map references: South America

Area:
total: 2,766,890 sq km
land: 2,736,690 sq km
water: 30,200 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly less than three-tenths the size of the
US

Land boundaries:
total: 9,665 km
border countries: Bolivia 832 km, Brazil 1,224 km, Chile 5,150 km,
Paraguay 1,880 km, Uruguay 579 km

Coastline: 4,989 km

Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: mostly temperate; arid in southeast; subantarctic in
southwest

Terrain: rich plains of the Pampas in northern half, flat to
rolling plateau of Patagonia in south, rugged Andes along western
border

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Salinas Chicas -40 m (located on Peninsula Valdes)
highest point: Cerro Aconcagua 6,962 m

Natural resources: fertile plains of the pampas, lead, zinc, tin,
copper, iron ore, manganese, petroleum, uranium

Land use:
arable land: 9%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 52%
forests and woodland: 19%
other: 19% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 17,000 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: San Miguel de Tucuman and Mendoza areas in the
Andes subject to earthquakes; pamperos are violent windstorms that
can strike the Pampas and northeast; heavy flooding

Environment--current issues: erosion results from inadequate flood
controls and improper land use practices; irrigated soil
degradation; desertification; air pollution in Buenos Aires and
other major cities; water pollution in urban areas; rivers becoming
polluted due to increased pesticide and fertilizer use

Environment--international agreements:
party to: 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,
Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Marine Life
Conservation

Geography--note: second-largest country in South America (after
Brazil); strategic location relative to sea lanes between South
Atlantic and South Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle
Channel, Drake Passage)

People

Population: 36,737,664 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 27% (male 5,124,087; female 4,932,060)
15-64 years: 62% (male 11,457,399; female 11,469,346)
65 years and over: 11% (male 1,553,158; female 2,201,614) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.29% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 19.91 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 7.64 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.65 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 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 18.41 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.76 years
male: 71.13 years
female: 78.56 years (1999 est.)

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

Nationality:
noun: Argentine(s)
adjective: Argentine

Ethnic groups: white 85%, mestizo, Amerindian, or other nonwhite
groups 15%

Religions: nominally Roman Catholic 90% (less than 20%
practicing), Protestant 2%, Jewish 2%, other 6%

Languages: Spanish (official), English, Italian, German, French

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96.2%
male: 96.2%
female: 96.2% (1995 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Argentine Republic
conventional short form: Argentina
local long form: Republica Argentina
local short form: Argentina

Data code: AR

Government type: republic

Capital: Buenos Aires

Administrative divisions: 23 provinces (provincias,
singular--provincia), and 1 federal district* (distrito federal);
Buenos Aires; Catamarca; Chaco; Chubut; Cordoba; Corrientes;
Distrito Federal*; Entre Rios; Formosa; Jujuy; La Pampa; La Rioja;
Mendoza; Misiones; Neuquen; Rio Negro; Salta; San Juan; San Luis;
Santa Cruz; Santa Fe; Santiago del Estero; Tierra del Fuego,
Antartida e Islas del Atlantico Sur; Tucuman
note: the US does not recognize any claims to Antarctica

Independence: 9 July 1816 (from Spain)

National holiday: Revolution Day, 25 May (1810)

Constitution: 1 May 1853; revised August 1994

Legal system: mixture of US and West European legal systems; has
not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Carlos Saul MENEM (since 8 July 1989);
Vice President Carlos RUCKAUF (since 8 July 1995); note--the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Carlos Saul MENEM (since 8 July 1989);
Vice President Carlos RUCKAUF (since 8 July 1995); note--the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 14 May 1995
(next to be held NA October 1999)
election results: Carlos Saul MENEM reelected president; percent of
vote--NA

Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress or Congreso
Nacional consists of the Senate (72 seats; formerly, three members
appointed by each of the provincial legislatures; presently
transitioning to one-third of the members being elected every two
years to a six-year term) and the Chamber of Deputies (257 seats;
one-half of the members elected every two years to four-year terms)
elections: Senate--transition phase will continue through 2001
elections when all seats will be fully contested; winners will
randomly draw to determine whether they will serve a two-year,
four-year, or full six-year term; Chamber of Deputies--last held 26
October 1997 (next to be held NA October 1999)
election results: Senate--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by
party--PJ 39, UCR 1, others 32; Chamber of Deputies--percent of vote
by party--NA; seats by party--PJ 119, UCR 69, Frepaso 36, other 33

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), the nine Supreme
Court judges are appointed by the president with approval of the
Senate

Political parties and leaders: Justicialist Party or PJ [Carlos
Saul MENEM] (Peronist umbrella political organization); Radical
NA]; Front for a Country in Solidarity or Frepaso (a four-party

Political pressure groups and leaders: Peronist-dominated labor
movement; General Confederation of Labor or CGT (Peronist-leaning
umbrella labor organization); Argentine Industrial Union
(manufacturers' association); Argentine Rural Society (large
landowners' association); Argentine Association of Pharmaceutical
Labs (CILFA); business organizations; students; the Roman Catholic
Church; the Armed Forces

International organization participation: AfDB, Australia Group,
BCIE, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G- 6, G-11, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IADB,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES,
LAIA, Mercosur, MINURSO, MIPONUH, MTCR, NSG, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA,
RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR,
UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNPREDEP, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Diego Ramiro GUELAR
chancery: 1600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami,
New York, and San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
embassy: 4300 Colombia, 1425 Buenos Aires
mailing address: international mail: use street address; APO
address: Unit 4334, APO AA 34034

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of light blue
(top), white, and light blue; centered in the white band is a
radiant yellow sun with a human face known as the Sun of May

Economy

Economy--overview: Argentina benefits from rich natural resources,
a highly literate population, an export-oriented agricultural
sector, and a diversified industrial base. However, when President
Carlos MENEM took office in 1989, the country had piled up huge
external debts, inflation had reached 200% per month, and output was
plummeting. To combat the economic crisis, the government embarked
on a path of trade liberalization, deregulation, and privatization.
In 1991, it implemented radical monetary reforms which pegged the
peso to the US dollar and limited the growth in the monetary base by
law to the growth in reserves. Inflation fell sharply in subsequent
years. The Mexican peso crisis produced capital flight, the loss of
banking system deposits, and a severe, but short-lived, recession in
1995; a series of reforms to bolster the domestic banking system
followed. Real GDP growth recovered strongly, reaching almost 9% in
1997. In 1998, increasing investor anxiety over Brazil, its largest
trading partner, produced the highest domestic interest rates in
more than three years and slowed growth to 4.3%. Despite the
relatively high level of growth in recent years, double-digit
unemployment rates have persisted, largely because of rigidities in
Argentina's labor laws.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$374 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 4.3% (1998 est.)

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

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 7%
industry: 37%
services: 56% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line: 25.5% (1991 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1% (1998 est.)

Labor force: 14 million (1997)

Labor force--by occupation: agriculture 12%, industry 31%,
services 57% (1985 est.)

Unemployment rate: 12% (October 1998)

Budget:
revenues: $56 billion
expenditures: $60 billion, including capital expenditures of $4
billion (1998 est.)

Industries: food processing, motor vehicles, consumer durables,
textiles, chemicals and petrochemicals, printing, metallurgy, steel

Industrial production growth rate: 2% (1998)

Electricity--production: 64.669 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 45%
hydro: 44.3%
nuclear: 10.7%
other: 0% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 67.509 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 330 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 3.17 billion kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: sunflower seeds, lemons, soybeans, grapes,
corn, tobacco, peanuts, tea, wheat; livestock

Exports: $26 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)

Exports--commodities: cereals, feed, motor vehicles, crude
petroleum, steel manufactures

Exports--partners: Brazil 31%, US 8%, Chile 7.0%, China 3%,
Uruguay 3% (1997 est.)

Imports: $32 billion (c.i.f., 1998 est.)

Imports--commodities: motor vehicles, motor vehicle parts, organic
chemicals, telecommunications equipment, plastics

Imports--partners: Brazil 23%, US 20%, Italy 6%, Germany 5%,
France 5% (1997)

Debt--external: $133 billion (1998 est.)

Economic aid--recipient: $2.833 billion (1995)

Currency: 1 peso = 100 centavos

Exchange rates: peso is pegged to the US dollar at an exchange
rate of 1 peso = $1

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 4.6 million (1990)