Chapter CVII: Front Matter (107)
Bhutan
mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna
Bolivia
rugged Andes Mountains with a highland plateau (Altiplano),
hills, lowland plains of the Amazon Basin
Bosnia and Herzegovina
mountains and valleys
Botswana
predominantly flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari
Desert in southwest
Bouvet Island
volcanic; coast is mostly inaccessible
Brazil
mostly flat to rolling lowlands in north; some plains, hills,
mountains, and narrow coastal belt
British Indian Ocean Territory
flat and low (most areas do not
exceed four meters in elevation)
British Virgin Islands
coral islands relatively flat; volcanic
islands steep, hilly
Brunei
flat coastal plain rises to mountains in east; hilly lowland
in west
Bulgaria
mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast
Burkina Faso
mostly flat to dissected, undulating plains; hills in
west and southeast
Burma
central lowlands ringed by steep, rugged highlands
Burundi
hilly and mountainous, dropping to a plateau in east, some
plains
Cambodia
mostly low, flat plains; mountains in southwest and north
Cameroon
diverse, with coastal plain in southwest, dissected plateau
in center, mountains in west, plains in north
Canada
mostly plains with mountains in west and lowlands in southeast
Cape Verde
steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic
Cayman Islands
low-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs
Central African Republic
vast, flat to rolling, monotonous plateau;
scattered hills in northeast and southwest
Chad
broad, arid plains in center, desert in north, mountains in
northwest, lowlands in south
Chile
low coastal mountains; fertile central valley; rugged Andes in
east
China
mostly mountains, high plateaus, deserts in west; plains,
deltas, and hills in east
Christmas Island
steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central
plateau
Clipperton Island
coral atoll
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
flat, low-lying coral atolls
Colombia
flat coastal lowlands, central highlands, high Andes
Mountains, eastern lowland plains
Comoros
volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low
hills
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
vast central basin is a low-lying
plateau; mountains in east
Congo, Republic of the
coastal plain, southern basin, central
plateau, northern basin
Cook Islands
low coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in
south
Coral Sea Islands
sand and coral reefs and islands (or cays)
Costa Rica
coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including
over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes
Cote d'Ivoire
mostly flat to undulating plains; mountains in
northwest
Croatia
geographically diverse; flat plains along Hungarian border,
low mountains and highlands near Adriatic coastline and islands
Cuba
mostly flat to rolling plains, with rugged hills and mountains
in the southeast
Cyprus
central plain with mountains to north and south; scattered
but significant plains along southern coast
Czech Republic
Bohemia in the west consists of rolling plains,
hills, and plateaus surrounded by low mountains; Moravia in the east
consists of very hilly country
Denmark
low and flat to gently rolling plains
Djibouti
coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains
Dominica
rugged mountains of volcanic origin
Dominican Republic
rugged highlands and mountains with fertile
valleys interspersed
East Timor
mountainous
Ecuador
coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands
(sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente)
Egypt
vast desert plateau interrupted by Nile valley and delta
El Salvador
mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central
plateau
Equatorial Guinea
coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are
volcanic
Eritrea
dominated by extension of Ethiopian north-south trending
highlands, descending on the east to a coastal desert plain, on the
northwest to hilly terrain and on the southwest to flat-to-rolling
plains
Estonia
marshy, lowlands; flat in the north, hilly in the south
Ethiopia
high plateau with central mountain range divided by Great
Rift Valley
Europa Island
low and flat
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
rocky, hilly, mountainous with
some boggy, undulating plains
Faroe Islands
rugged, rocky, some low peaks; cliffs along most of
coast
Fiji
mostly mountains of volcanic origin
Finland
mostly low, flat to rolling plains interspersed with lakes
and low hills
France
mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in north and west;
remainder is mountainous, especially Pyrenees in south, Alps in east
French Guiana
low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small
mountains
French Polynesia
mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with
reefs
French Southern and Antarctic Lands
volcanic
Gabon
narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south
Gambia, The
flood plain of the Gambia River flanked by some low hills
Gaza Strip
flat to rolling, sand- and dune-covered coastal plain
Georgia
largely mountainous with Great Caucasus Mountains in the
north and Lesser Caucasus Mountains in the south; Kolkhet'is Dablobi
(Kolkhida Lowland) opens to the Black Sea in the west; Mtkvari River
Basin in the east; good soils in river valley flood plains,
foothills of Kolkhida Lowland
Germany
lowlands in north, uplands in center, Bavarian Alps in south
Ghana
mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area
Gibraltar
a narrow coastal lowland borders the Rock of Gibraltar
Glorioso Islands
low and flat
Greece
mostly mountains with ranges extending into the sea as
peninsulas or chains of islands
Greenland
flat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a narrow,
mountainous, barren, rocky coast
Grenada
volcanic in origin with central mountains
Guadeloupe
Basse-Terre is volcanic in origin with interior
mountains; Grande-Terre is low limestone formation; most of the
seven other islands are volcanic in origin
Guam
volcanic origin, surrounded by coral reefs; relatively flat
coralline limestone plateau (source of most fresh water), with steep
coastal cliffs and narrow coastal plains in north, low hills in
center, mountains in south
Guatemala
mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling
limestone plateau (Peten)
Guernsey
mostly level with low hills in southwest
Guinea
generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior
Guinea-Bissau
mostly low coastal plain rising to savanna in east
Guyana
mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south
Haiti
mostly rough and mountainous
Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Heard Island - 80% ice-covered,
bleak and mountainous, dominated by a large massif (Big Ben) and an
active volcano (Mawson Peak); McDonald Islands - small and rocky
Holy See (Vatican City)
low hill
Honduras
mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains
Hong Kong
hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north
Howland Island
low-lying, nearly level, sandy, coral island
surrounded by a narrow fringing reef; depressed central area
Hungary
mostly flat to rolling plains; hills and low mountains on
the Slovakian border
Iceland
mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields;
coast deeply indented by bays and fiords
India
upland plain (Deccan Plateau) in south, flat to rolling plain
along the Ganges, deserts in west, Himalayas in north
Indian Ocean
surface dominated by counterclockwise gyre (broad,
circular system of currents) in the southern Indian Ocean; unique
reversal of surface currents in the northern Indian Ocean; low
atmospheric pressure over southwest Asia from hot, rising, summer
air results in the southwest monsoon and southwest-to-northeast
winds and currents, while high pressure over northern Asia from
cold, falling, winter air results in the northeast monsoon and
northeast-to-southwest winds and currents; ocean floor is dominated
by the Mid-Indian Ocean Ridge and subdivided by the Southeast Indian
Ocean Ridge, Southwest Indian Ocean Ridge, and Ninetyeast Ridge
Indonesia
mostly coastal lowlands; larger islands have interior
mountains
Iran
rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts,
mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts
Iraq
mostly broad plains; reedy marshes along Iranian border in
south with large flooded areas; mountains along borders with Iran
and Turkey
Ireland
mostly level to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged
hills and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast
Israel
Negev desert in the south; low coastal plain; central
mountains; Jordan Rift Valley
Italy
mostly rugged and mountainous; some plains, coastal lowlands
Jamaica
mostly mountains, with narrow, discontinuous coastal plain
Jan Mayen
volcanic island, partly covered by glaciers
Japan
mostly rugged and mountainous
Jarvis Island
sandy, coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing
reef
Jersey
gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast
Johnston Atoll
mostly flat
Jordan
mostly desert plateau in east, highland area in west; Great
Rift Valley separates East and West Banks of the Jordan River
Juan de Nova Island
low and flat
Kazakhstan
extends from the Volga to the Altai Mountains and from
the plains in western Siberia to oases and desert in Central Asia
Kenya
low plains rise to central highlands bisected by Great Rift
Valley; fertile plateau in west
Kingman Reef
low and nearly level
Kiribati
mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive reefs
Korea, North
mostly hills and mountains separated by deep, narrow
valleys; coastal plains wide in west, discontinuous in east
Korea, South
mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west
and south
Kuwait
flat to slightly undulating desert plain
Kyrgyzstan
peaks of Tien Shan and associated valleys and basins
encompass entire nation
Laos
mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus
Latvia
low plain
Lebanon
narrow coastal plain; El Beqaa (Bekaa Valley) separates
Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon Mountains
Lesotho
mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains
Liberia
mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling
plateau and low mountains in northeast
Libya
mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions
Liechtenstein
mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western
third
Lithuania
lowland, many scattered small lakes, fertile soil
Luxembourg
mostly gently rolling uplands with broad, shallow
valleys; uplands to slightly mountainous in the north; steep slope
down to Moselle flood plain in the southeast
Macau
generally flat
Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
mountainous territory
covered with deep basins and valleys; three large lakes, each
divided by a frontier line; country bisected by the Vardar River
Madagascar
narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center
Malawi
narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills,
some mountains
Malaysia
coastal plains rising to hills and mountains
Maldives
flat, with white sandy beaches
Mali
mostly flat to rolling northern plains covered by sand; savanna
in south, rugged hills in northeast
Malta
mostly low, rocky, flat to dissected plains; many coastal
cliffs
Man, Isle of
hills in north and south bisected by central valley
Marshall Islands
low coral limestone and sand islands
Martinique
mountainous with indented coastline; dormant volcano
Mauritania
mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central
hills
Mauritius
small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains
encircling central plateau
Mayotte
generally undulating, with deep ravines and ancient volcanic
peaks
Mexico
high, rugged mountains; low coastal plains; high plateaus;
desert
Micronesia, Federated States of
islands vary geologically from high
mountainous islands to low, coral atolls; volcanic outcroppings on
Pohnpei, Kosrae, and Chuuk
Midway Islands
low, nearly level
Moldova
rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea
Monaco
hilly, rugged, rocky
Mongolia
vast semidesert and desert plains, grassy steppe, mountains
in west and southwest; Gobi Desert in south-central
Montserrat
volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastal
lowland
Morocco
northern coast and interior are mountainous with large areas
of bordering plateaus, intermontane valleys, and rich coastal plains
Mozambique
mostly coastal lowlands, uplands in center, high plateaus
in northwest, mountains in west
Namibia
mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari
Desert in east
Nauru
sandy beach rises to fertile ring around raised coral reefs
with phosphate plateau in center
Navassa Island
raised coral and limestone plateau, flat to
undulating; ringed by vertical white cliffs (9 to 15 m high)
Nepal
Terai or flat river plain of the Ganges in south, central hill
region, rugged Himalayas in north
Netherlands
mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders);
some hills in southeast
Netherlands Antilles
generally hilly, volcanic interiors
New Caledonia
coastal plains with interior mountains
New Zealand
predominately mountainous with some large coastal plains
Nicaragua
extensive Atlantic coastal plains rising to central
interior mountains; narrow Pacific coastal plain interrupted by
volcanoes
Niger
predominately desert plains and sand dunes; flat to rolling
plains in south; hills in north
Nigeria
southern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus;
mountains in southeast, plains in north
Niue
steep limestone cliffs along coast, central plateau
Norfolk Island
volcanic formation with mostly rolling plains
Northern Mariana Islands
southern islands are limestone with level
terraces and fringing coral reefs; northern islands are volcanic
Norway
glaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains broken
by fertile valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeply
indented by fjords; arctic tundra in north
Oman
central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south
Pacific Ocean
surface currents in the northern Pacific are dominated
by a clockwise, warm-water gyre (broad circular system of currents)
and in the southern Pacific by a counterclockwise, cool-water gyre;
in the northern Pacific, sea ice forms in the Bering Sea and Sea of
Okhotsk in winter; in the southern Pacific, sea ice from Antarctica
reaches its northernmost extent in October; the ocean floor in the
eastern Pacific is dominated by the East Pacific Rise, while the
western Pacific is dissected by deep trenches, including the Mariana
Trench, which is the world's deepest
Pakistan
flat Indus plain in east; mountains in north and northwest;
Balochistan plateau in west
Palau
varying geologically from the high, mountainous main island of
Babelthuap to low, coral islands usually fringed by large barrier
reefs
Palmyra Atoll
very low
Panama
interior mostly steep, rugged mountains and dissected, upland
plains; coastal areas largely plains and rolling hills
Papua New Guinea
mostly mountains with coastal lowlands and rolling
foothills
Paracel Islands
mostly low and flat
Paraguay
grassy plains and wooded hills east of Rio Paraguay; Gran
Chaco region west of Rio Paraguay mostly low, marshy plain near the
river, and dry forest and thorny scrub elsewhere
Peru
western coastal plain (costa), high and rugged Andes in center
(sierra), eastern lowland jungle of Amazon Basin (selva)
Philippines
mostly mountains with narrow to extensive coastal
lowlands
Pitcairn Islands
rugged volcanic formation; rocky coastline with
cliffs
Poland
mostly flat plain; mountains along southern border
Portugal
mountainous north of the Tagus River, rolling plains in
south
Puerto Rico
mostly mountains, with coastal plain belt in north;
mountains precipitous to sea on west coast; sandy beaches along most
coastal areas
Qatar
mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and
gravel
Reunion
mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along coast
Romania
central Transylvanian Basin is separated from the Plain of
Moldavia on the east by the Carpathian Mountains and separated from
the Walachian Plain on the south by the Transylvanian Alps
Russia
broad plain with low hills west of Urals; vast coniferous
forest and tundra in Siberia; uplands and mountains along southern
border regions
Rwanda
mostly grassy uplands and hills; relief is mountainous with
altitude declining from west to east
Saint Helena
Saint Helena - rugged, volcanic; small scattered
plateaus and plains
note: the other islands of the group have a volcanic origin
Saint Kitts and Nevis
volcanic with mountainous interiors
Saint Lucia
volcanic and mountainous with some broad, fertile valleys
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
mostly barren rock
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
volcanic, mountainous
Samoa
narrow coastal plain with volcanic, rocky, rugged mountains in
interior
San Marino
rugged mountains
Sao Tome and Principe
volcanic, mountainous
Saudi Arabia
mostly uninhabited, sandy desert
Senegal
generally low, rolling, plains rising to foothills in
southeast
Serbia and Montenegro
extremely varied; to the north, rich fertile
plains; to the east, limestone ranges and basins; to the southeast,
ancient mountains and hills; to the southwest, extremely high
shoreline with no islands off the coast
Seychelles
Mahe Group is granitic, narrow coastal strip, rocky,
hilly; others are coral, flat, elevated reefs
Sierra Leone
coastal belt of mangrove swamps, wooded hill country,
upland plateau, mountains in east
Singapore
lowland; gently undulating central plateau contains water
catchment area and nature preserve
Slovakia
rugged mountains in the central and northern part and
lowlands in the south
Slovenia
a short coastal strip on the Adriatic, an alpine mountain
region adjacent to Italy and Austria, mixed mountains and valleys
with numerous rivers to the east
Solomon Islands
mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls
Somalia
mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north
South Africa
vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow
coastal plain
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
most of the islands,
rising steeply from the sea, are rugged and mountainous; South
Georgia is largely barren and has steep, glacier-covered mountains;
the South Sandwich Islands are of volcanic origin with some active
volcanoes
Southern Ocean
the Southern Ocean is deep, 4,000 to 5,000 meters
over most of its extent with only limited areas of shallow water;
the Antarctic continental shelf is generally narrow and unusually
deep, its edge lying at depths of 400 to 800 meters (the global mean
is 133 meters); the Antarctic icepack grows from an average minimum
of 2.6 million square kilometers in March to about 18.8 million
square kilometers in September, better than a sixfold increase in
area; the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (21,000 km in length) moves
perpetually eastward; it is the world's largest ocean current,
transporting 130 million cubic meters of water per second - 100
times the flow of all the world's rivers
Spain
large, flat to dissected plateau surrounded by rugged hills;
Pyrenees in north
Spratly Islands
flat
Sri Lanka
mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in
south-central interior
Sudan
generally flat, featureless plain; mountains in far south,
northeast and west; desert dominates the north
Suriname
mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps
Svalbard
wild, rugged mountains; much of high land ice covered; west
coast clear of ice about one-half of the year; fjords along west and
north coasts
Swaziland
mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains
Sweden
mostly flat or gently rolling lowlands; mountains in west
Switzerland
mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with
a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes
Syria
primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain;
mountains in west
Taiwan
eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently
rolling plains in west
Tajikistan
Pamir and Alay Mountains dominate landscape; western
Fergana Valley in north, Kofarnihon and Vakhsh Valleys in southwest
Tanzania
plains along coast; central plateau; highlands in north,
south
Thailand
central plain; Khorat Plateau in the east; mountains
elsewhere
Togo
gently rolling savanna in north; central hills; southern
plateau; low coastal plain with extensive lagoons and marshes
Tokelau
low-lying coral atolls enclosing large lagoons
Tonga
most islands have limestone base formed from uplifted coral
formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic base
Trinidad and Tobago
mostly plains with some hills and low mountains
Tromelin Island
low, flat, and sandy; likely volcanic
Tunisia
mountains in north; hot, dry central plain; semiarid south
merges into the Sahara
Turkey
high central plateau (Anatolia); narrow coastal plain;
several mountain ranges
Turkmenistan
flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes rising to
mountains in the south; low mountains along border with Iran;
borders Caspian Sea in west
Turks and Caicos Islands
low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and
mangrove swamps
Tuvalu
very low-lying and narrow coral atolls
Uganda
mostly plateau with rim of mountains
Ukraine
most of Ukraine consists of fertile plains (steppes) and
plateaus, mountains being found only in the west (the Carpathians),
and in the Crimean Peninsula in the extreme south
United Arab Emirates
flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling
sand dunes of vast desert wasteland; mountains in east
United Kingdom
mostly rugged hills and low mountains; level to
rolling plains in east and southeast
United States
vast central plain, mountains in west, hills and low
mountains in east; rugged mountains and broad river valleys in
Alaska; rugged, volcanic topography in Hawaii
Uruguay
mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland
Uzbekistan
mostly flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes; broad,
flat intensely irrigated river valleys along course of Amu Darya,
Syr Darya (Sirdaryo), and Zarafshon; Fergana Valley in east
surrounded by mountainous Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan; shrinking Aral
Sea in west
Vanuatu
mostly mountains of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains
Venezuela
Andes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest;
central plains (llanos); Guiana Highlands in southeast
Vietnam
low, flat delta in south and north; central highlands;
hilly, mountainous in far north and northwest
Virgin Islands
mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little
level land
Wake Island
atoll of three coral islands built up on an underwater
volcano; central lagoon is former crater, islands are part of the rim
Wallis and Futuna
volcanic origin; low hills
West Bank
mostly rugged dissected upland, some vegetation in west,
but barren in east
Western Sahara
mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or
sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast
World
the greatest ocean depth is the Mariana Trench at 10,924 m in
the Pacific Ocean
Yemen
narrow coastal plain backed by flat-topped hills and rugged
mountains; dissected upland desert plains in center slope into the
desert interior of the Arabian Peninsula
Zambia
mostly high plateau with some hills and mountains
Zimbabwe
mostly high plateau with higher central plateau (high
veld); mountains in east
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
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@2127 Total fertility rate (children born/woman)
Afghanistan
5.64 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Albania
2.22 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Algeria
2.55 children born/woman (2003 est.)
American Samoa
3.3 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Andorra
1.27 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Angola
6.38 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Anguilla
1.76 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Antigua and Barbuda
2.28 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Argentina
2.28 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Armenia
1.56 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Aruba
1.79 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Australia
1.76 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Austria
1.41 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Azerbaijan
2.34 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Bahamas, The
2.25 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Bahrain
2.71 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Bangladesh
3.17 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Barbados
1.65 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Belarus
1.34 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Belgium
1.62 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Belize
3.86 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Benin
6.04 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Bermuda
1.9 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Bhutan
4.94 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Bolivia
3.23 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Bosnia and Herzegovina
1.71 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Botswana
3.27 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Brazil
2.01 children born/woman (2003 est.)
British Virgin Islands
1.72 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Brunei
2.37 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Bulgaria
1.13 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Burkina Faso
6.34 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Burma
2.15 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Burundi
5.99 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Cambodia
3.58 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Cameroon
4.63 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Canada
1.61 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Cape Verde
3.77 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Cayman Islands
1.91 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Central African Republic
4.68 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Chad
6.44 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Chile
2.09 children born/woman (2003 est.)
China
1.7 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Christmas Island
NA children born/woman (2003 est.)
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
NA children born/woman (2003 est.)
Colombia
2.61 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Comoros
5.21 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
6.69 children born/woman (2003
est.)
Congo, Republic of the
3.65 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Cook Islands
NA children born/woman (2003 est.)
Costa Rica
2.38 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Cote d'Ivoire
5.51 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Croatia
1.93 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Cuba
1.61 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Cyprus
1.88 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Czech Republic
1.18 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Denmark
1.73 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Djibouti
5.56 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Dominica
1.99 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Dominican Republic
2.92 children born/woman (2003 est.)
East Timor
3.79 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Ecuador
2.99 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Egypt
3.02 children born/woman (2003 est.)
El Salvador
3.25 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Equatorial Guinea
4.75 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Eritrea
5.74 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Estonia
1.27 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Ethiopia
5.55 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
NA children born/woman
Faroe Islands
2.24 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Fiji
2.81 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Finland
1.7 children born/woman (2003 est.)
France
1.85 children born/woman (2003 est.)
French Guiana
3.09 children born/woman (2003 est.)
French Polynesia
2.14 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Gabon
4.83 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Gambia, The
5.53 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Gaza Strip
6.17 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Georgia
1.51 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Germany
1.37 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Ghana
3.32 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Gibraltar
1.65 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Greece
1.35 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Greenland
2.43 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Grenada
2.45 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Guadeloupe
1.92 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Guam
3.62 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Guatemala
4.67 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Guernsey
1.37 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Guinea
5.9 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Guinea-Bissau
5.07 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Guyana
2.07 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Haiti
4.86 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Honduras
4.07 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Hong Kong
1.32 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Hungary
1.25 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Iceland
1.98 children born/woman (2003 est.)
India
2.91 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Indonesia
2.5 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Iran
1.99 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Iraq
4.52 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Ireland
1.89 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Israel
2.5 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Italy
1.26 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Jamaica
2.01 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Japan
1.38 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Jersey
1.57 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Jordan
3 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Kazakhstan
2.16 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Kenya
3.47 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Kiribati
4.28 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Korea, North
2.25 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Korea, South
1.56 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Kuwait
3.08 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Kyrgyzstan
3.12 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Laos
4.94 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Latvia
1.2 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Lebanon
1.98 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Lesotho
3.52 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Liberia
6.23 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Libya
3.49 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Liechtenstein
1.5 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Lithuania
1.43 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Luxembourg
1.7 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Macau
1.32 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
1.75 children born/woman
(2003 est.)
Madagascar
5.73 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Malawi
6.1 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Malaysia
3.13 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Maldives
5.26 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Mali
6.66 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Malta
1.91 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Man, Isle of
1.65 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Marshall Islands
4.12 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Martinique
1.79 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Mauritania
6.08 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Mauritius
1.98 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Mayotte
6.07 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Mexico
2.53 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Micronesia, Federated States of
3.5 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Moldova
1.74 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Monaco
1.76 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Mongolia
2.28 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Montserrat
1.8 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Morocco
2.89 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Mozambique
4.87 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Namibia
4.71 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Nauru
3.4 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Nepal
4.39 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Netherlands
1.65 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Netherlands Antilles
2.04 children born/woman (2003 est.)
New Caledonia
2.39 children born/woman (2003 est.)
New Zealand
1.79 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Nicaragua
3 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Niger
6.91 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Nigeria
5.4 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Niue
NA children born/woman (2003 est.)
Norfolk Island
NA children born/woman (2003 est.)
Northern Mariana Islands
1.75 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Norway
1.8 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Oman
5.94 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Pakistan
4.1 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Palau
2.47 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Panama
2.53 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Papua New Guinea
4.13 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Paraguay
4.02 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Peru
2.81 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Philippines
3.29 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Pitcairn Islands
NA children born/woman (2003 est.)
Poland
1.37 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Portugal
1.49 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Puerto Rico
2.02 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Qatar
3.02 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Reunion
2.53 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Romania
1.36 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Russia
1.33 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Rwanda
5.6 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Saint Helena
1.54 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Saint Kitts and Nevis
2.37 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Saint Lucia
2.29 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
2.07 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
1.95 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Samoa
3.21 children born/woman (2003 est.)
San Marino
1.31 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Sao Tome and Principe
5.88 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Saudi Arabia
6.15 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Senegal
4.93 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Serbia and Montenegro
1.77 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Seychelles
1.79 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Sierra Leone
5.86 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Singapore
1.24 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Slovakia
1.25 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Slovenia
1.27 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Solomon Islands
4.34 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Somalia
6.98 children born/woman (2003 est.)
South Africa
2.24 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Spain
1.26 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Sri Lanka
1.9 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Sudan
5.1 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Suriname
2.4 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Svalbard
NA children born/woman (2003 est.)
Swaziland
3.92 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Sweden
1.54 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Switzerland
1.48 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Syria
3.72 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Taiwan
1.57 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Tajikistan
4.17 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Tanzania
5.24 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Thailand
1.91 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Togo
4.97 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Tokelau
NA children born/woman (2003 est.)
Tonga
3 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Trinidad and Tobago
1.78 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Tunisia
1.9 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Turkey
2.03 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Turkmenistan
3.5 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Turks and Caicos Islands
3.15 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Tuvalu
3.05 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Uganda
6.72 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Ukraine
1.34 children born/woman (2003 est.)
United Arab Emirates
3.09 children born/woman (2003 est.)
United Kingdom
1.66 children born/woman (2003 est.)
United States
2.07 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Uruguay
2.35 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Uzbekistan
3 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Vanuatu
2.98 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Venezuela
2.36 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Vietnam
2.24 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Virgin Islands
2.22 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Wallis and Futuna
NA children born/woman (2003 est.)
West Bank
4.65 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Western Sahara
NA children born/woman (2003 est.)
World
2.65 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Yemen
6.82 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Zambia
5.25 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Zimbabwe
3.66 children born/woman (2003 est.)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
======================================================================
@2128 Government type
Afghanistan
transitional
Albania
emerging democracy
Algeria
republic
American Samoa
NA
Andorra
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 coprinces' representatives
Angola
republic, nominally a multiparty democracy with a strong
presidential system
Anguilla
NA
Antarctica
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.
The 24th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting was held in Russia in
July 2001. At the end of 2001, there were 45 treaty member nations:
27 consultative and 18 non-consultative. 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 Russia have reserved the right to make claims.
The US does not recognize the claims of others. Antarctica is
administered through meetings of the consultative member nations.
Decisions from these meetings are carried out by these member
nations (within their areas) in accordance with their own national
laws. 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 (1998) 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. Non-consultative (nonvoting) members, with year of
accession in parentheses, are - Austria (1987), Canada (1988),
Colombia (1989), Cuba (1984), Czech Republic (1993), Denmark (1965),
Estonia (2001), Greece (1987), Guatemala (1991), Hungary (1984),
North Korea (1987), Papua New Guinea (1981), Romania (1971),
Slovakia (1993), Switzerland (1990), Turkey (1995), Ukraine (1992),
and Venezuela (1999). 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, 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 and reserves high seas rights;
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 expeditions 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 Fauna and Flora (1964) which were
later incorporated into the Environmental Protocol; 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 remains unratified; 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: 1) marine pollution, 2) fauna and
flora, 3) environmental impact assessments, 4) waste management, and
5) protected area management; it prohibits all activities relating
to mineral resources except scientific research.
Antigua and Barbuda
constitutional monarchy with UK-style parliament
Argentina
republic
Armenia
republic
Aruba
parliamentary democracy
Australia
democratic, federal-state system recognizing the British
monarch as sovereign
Austria
federal republic
Azerbaijan
republic
Bahamas, The
constitutional parliamentary democracy
Bahrain
constitutional hereditary monarchy
Bangladesh
parliamentary democracy
Barbados
parliamentary democracy; independent sovereign state within
the Commonwealth
Belarus
republic
Belgium
federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional
monarch
Belize
parliamentary democracy
Benin
republic under multiparty democratic rule; dropped
Marxism-Leninism December 1989; democratic reforms adopted February
1990; transition to multiparty system completed 4 April 1991
Bermuda
parliamentary British overseas territory with internal
self-government
Bhutan
monarchy; special treaty relationship with India
Bolivia
republic
Bosnia and Herzegovina
emerging federal democratic republic
Botswana
parliamentary republic
Brazil
federative republic
British Virgin Islands
NA
Brunei
constitutional sultanate
Bulgaria
parliamentary democracy
Burkina Faso
parliamentary republic
Burma
military regime
Burundi
republic
Cambodia
multiparty democracy under a constitutional monarchy
established in September 1993
Cameroon
unitary republic; multiparty presidential regime
(opposition parties legalized in 1990)
note: preponderance of power remains with the president
Canada
confederation with parliamentary democracy
Cape Verde
republic
Cayman Islands
British crown colony
Central African Republic
republic
Chad
republic
Chile
republic
China
Communist state
Christmas Island
NA
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
NA
Colombia
republic; executive branch dominates government structure
Comoros
independent republic
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
dictatorship; presumably
undergoing a transition to representative government
Congo, Republic of the
republic
Cook Islands
self-governing parliamentary democracy
Costa Rica
democratic republic
Cote d'Ivoire
republic; multiparty presidential regime established
1960
Croatia
presidential/parliamentary democracy
Cuba
Communist state
Cyprus
republic
note: a disaggregation of the two ethnic communities inhabiting the
island began following the outbreak of communal strife in 1963; this
separation was further solidified after the Turkish intervention in
July 1974 after a Greek junta-based coup attempt gave the Turkish
Cypriots de facto control in the north; Greek Cypriots control the
only internationally recognized government; on 15 November 1983
Turkish Cypriot "President" Rauf DENKTASH declared independence and
the formation of a "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" (TRNC),
recognized only by Turkey; both sides publicly support a settlement
based on a federation (Greek Cypriot position) or confederation
(Turkish Cypriot position)
Czech Republic
parliamentary democracy
Denmark
constitutional monarchy
Djibouti
republic
Dominica
parliamentary democracy; republic within the Commonwealth
Dominican Republic
representative democracy
East Timor
republic
Ecuador
republic
Egypt
republic
El Salvador
republic
Equatorial Guinea
republic
Eritrea
transitional government
note: following a successful referendum on independence for the
Autonomous Region of Eritrea on 23-25 April 1993, a National
Assembly, composed entirely of the People's Front for Democracy and
Justice or PFDJ, was established as a transitional legislature; a
Constitutional Commission was also established to draft a
constitution; ISAIAS Afworki was elected president by the
transitional legislature; the constitution, ratified in May 1997,
did not enter into effect, pending parliamentary and presidential
elections; parliamentary elections had been scheduled to take place
in December 2001, but were postponed indefinitely; currently the
sole legal party is the People's Front for Democracy and Justice
(PFDJ)
Estonia
parliamentary republic
Ethiopia
federal republic
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
NA
Faroe Islands
NA
Fiji
republic
note: military coup leader Maj. Gen. Sitiveni RABUKA formally
declared Fiji a republic on 6 October 1987
Finland
republic
France
republic
French Guiana
NA
French Polynesia
NA
Gabon
republic; multiparty presidential regime (opposition parties
legalized in 1990)
Gambia, The
republic under multiparty democratic rule
Georgia
republic
Germany
federal republic
Ghana
constitutional democracy
Gibraltar
NA
Greece
parliamentary republic; monarchy rejected by referendum 8
December 1974
Greenland
parliamentary democracy within a constitutional monarchy
Grenada
constitutional monarchy with Westminster-style parliament
Guadeloupe
NA
Guam
NA
Guatemala
constitutional democratic republic
Guernsey
NA
Guinea
republic
Guinea-Bissau
republic, multiparty since mid-1991
Guyana
republic within the Commonwealth
Haiti
elected government
Holy See (Vatican City)
ecclesiastical
Honduras
democratic constitutional republic
Hong Kong
limited democracy
Hungary
parliamentary democracy
Iceland
constitutional republic
India
federal republic
Indonesia
republic
Iran
theocratic republic
Iraq
in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn
regime by US-led coalition
Ireland
republic
Israel
parliamentary democracy
Italy
republic
Jamaica
constitutional parliamentary democracy
Japan
constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary government
Jersey
NA
Jordan
constitutional monarchy
Kazakhstan
republic
Kenya
republic
Kiribati
republic
Korea, North
authoritarian socialist; one-man dictatorship
Korea, South
republic
Kuwait
nominal constitutional monarchy
Kyrgyzstan
republic
Laos
Communist state
Latvia
parliamentary democracy
Lebanon
republic
Lesotho
parliamentary constitutional monarchy
Liberia
republic
Libya
Jamahiriya (a state of the masses) in theory, governed by the
populace through local councils; in fact, a military dictatorship
Liechtenstein
hereditary constitutional monarchy on a democratic and
parliamentary basis
Lithuania
parliamentary democracy
Luxembourg
constitutional monarchy
Macau
limited democracy
Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
parliamentary democracy
Madagascar
republic
Malawi
multiparty democracy
Malaysia
constitutional monarchy
note: Malaya (what is now Peninsular Malaysia) formed 31 August
1957; Federation of Malaysia (Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore)
formed 9 July 1963 (Singapore left the federation on 9 August 1965);
nominally headed by the paramount ruler and a bicameral Parliament
consisting of a nonelected upper house and an elected lower house;
Peninsular Malaysian states - hereditary rulers in all but Melaka,
George Town (Penang), Sabah, and Sarawak, where governors are
appointed by the Malaysian Government; powers of state governments
are limited by the federal constitution; under terms of the
federation, Sabah and Sarawak retain certain constitutional
prerogatives (e.g., the right to maintain their own immigration
controls); Sabah - holds 20 seats in House of Representatives, with
foreign affairs, defense, internal security, and other powers
delegated to federal government; Sarawak - holds 28 seats in House
of Representatives, with foreign affairs, defense, internal
security, and other powers delegated to federal government
Maldives
republic
Mali
republic
Malta
republic
Man, Isle of
parliamentary democracy
Marshall Islands
constitutional government in free association with
the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 21
October 1986
Martinique
NA
Mauritania
republic
Mauritius
parliamentary democracy
Mayotte
NA
Mexico
federal republic
Micronesia, Federated States of
constitutional government in free
association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered
into force 3 November 1986; economic provisions of the Compact are
being renegotiated
Moldova
republic
Monaco
constitutional monarchy
Mongolia
parliamentary
Montserrat
NA
Morocco
constitutional monarchy
Mozambique
republic
Namibia
republic
Nauru
republic
Nepal
parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy
Netherlands
constitutional monarchy
Netherlands Antilles
parliamentary
New Caledonia
NA
New Zealand
parliamentary democracy
Nicaragua
republic
Niger
republic
Nigeria
republic transitioning from military to civilian rule
Niue
self-governing parliamentary democracy
Norfolk Island
NA
Northern Mariana Islands
commonwealth; self-governing with locally
elected governor, lieutenant governor, and legislature
Norway
constitutional monarchy
Oman
monarchy
Pakistan
federal republic
Palau
constitutional government in free association with the US; the
Compact of Free Association entered into force 1 October 1994
Panama
constitutional democracy
Papua New Guinea
constitutional monarchy with parliamentary democracy
Paraguay
constitutional republic
Peru
constitutional republic
Philippines
republic
Pitcairn Islands
NA
Poland
republic
Portugal
parliamentary democracy
Puerto Rico
commonwealth
Qatar
traditional monarchy
Reunion
NA
Romania
republic
Russia
federation
Rwanda
republic; presidential, multiparty system
Saint Helena
NA
Saint Kitts and Nevis
constitutional monarchy with Westminster-style
parliament
Saint Lucia
Westminster-style parliamentary democracy
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
NA
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
parliamentary democracy;
independent sovereign state within the Commonwealth
Samoa
constitutional monarchy under native chief
San Marino
independent republic
Sao Tome and Principe
republic
Saudi Arabia
monarchy
Senegal
republic under multiparty democratic rule
Serbia and Montenegro
republic
Seychelles
republic
Sierra Leone
constitutional democracy
Singapore
parliamentary republic
Slovakia
parliamentary democracy
Slovenia
parliamentary democratic republic
Solomon Islands
parliamentary democracy tending toward anarchy
Somalia
no permanent national government; transitional,
parliamentary national government
South Africa
republic
Spain
parliamentary monarchy
Sri Lanka
republic
Sudan
authoritarian regime - ruling military junta took power in
1989; government is run by an alliance of the military and the
National Congress Party (NCP), formerly the National Islamic Front
(NIF), which espouses an Islamist platform
Suriname
constitutional democracy
Svalbard
NA
Swaziland
monarchy; independent member of Commonwealth
Sweden
constitutional monarchy
Switzerland
federal republic
Syria
republic under military regime since March 1963
Taiwan
multiparty democratic regime headed by popularly-elected
president and unicameral legislature
Tajikistan
republic
Tanzania
republic
Thailand
constitutional monarchy
Togo
republic under transition to multiparty democratic rule
Tokelau
NA
Tonga
hereditary constitutional monarchy
Trinidad and Tobago
parliamentary democracy
Tunisia
republic
Turkey
republican parliamentary democracy
Turkmenistan
republic
Turks and Caicos Islands
NA
Tuvalu
constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy; began
debating republic status in 1992
Uganda
republic
Ukraine
republic
United Arab Emirates
federation with specified powers delegated to
the UAE federal government and other powers reserved to member
emirates
United Kingdom
constitutional monarchy
United States
Constitution-based federal republic; strong democratic
tradition
Uruguay
constitutional republic
Uzbekistan
republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little
power outside the executive branch
Vanuatu
parliamentary republic
Venezuela
federal republic
Vietnam
Communist state
Virgin Islands
NA
Wallis and Futuna
NA
Western Sahara
legal status of territory and issue of sovereignty
unresolved; territory contested by Morocco and Polisario Front
(Popular Front for the Liberation of the Saguia el Hamra and Rio de
Oro), which in February 1976 formally proclaimed a
government-in-exile of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
(SADR),led by President Mohamed ABDELAZIZ; territory partitioned
between Morocco and Mauritania in April 1976, with Morocco acquiring
northern two-thirds; Mauritania, under pressure from Polisario
guerrillas, abandoned all claims to its portion in August 1979;
Morocco moved to occupy that sector shortly thereafter and has since
asserted administrative control; the Polisario's government-in-exile
was seated as an OAU member in 1984; guerrilla activities continued
sporadically, until a UN-monitored cease-fire was implemented 6
September 1991
Yemen
republic
Zambia
republic
Zimbabwe
parliamentary democracy
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
======================================================================
@2129 Unemployment rate (%)
Afghanistan
NA%
Albania
17% officially; may be as high as 30% (2001 est.)
Algeria
31% (2002 est.)
American Samoa
6% (2000)
Andorra
0%
Angola
extensive unemployment and underemployment affecting more
than half the population (2001 est.)
Anguilla
6.7% (2001)
Antigua and Barbuda
11% (2001 est.)
Argentina
21.5% (37377)
Armenia
20% (2001 est.)
Aruba
0.6%
Australia
6.3% (2002)
Austria
4.8% (2002 est.)
Azerbaijan
16% (official rate is 1.2%) (2003 est.)
Bahamas, The
6.9% (2001 est.)
Bahrain
15% (1998 est.)
Bangladesh
40% (includes underemployment) (2002 est.)
Barbados
10% (2001 est.)
Belarus
2.1% officially registered unemployed (December 2000); large
number of underemployed workers
Belgium
7.2% (2002 est.)
Belize
9.1% (2002)
Benin
NA%
Bermuda
4.5% (1993)
Bhutan
NA%
Bolivia
7.6%
note: widespread underemployment (2000)
Bosnia and Herzegovina
40% (2002 est.)
Botswana
40% (official rate is 21%) (2001 est.)
Brazil
6.4% (2001 est.)
British Virgin Islands
3% (1995)
Brunei
10% (2001 est.)
Bulgaria
18% (2002 est.)
Burkina Faso
NA%
Burma
5.1% (2001 est.)
Burundi
NA%
Cambodia
2.8% (1999 est.)
Cameroon
30% (2001 est.)
Canada
7.6% (2002 est.)
Cape Verde
21% (2000 est.)
Cayman Islands
4.1% (1997)
Central African Republic
8% (23% for Bangui) (2001 est.)
Chad
NA%
Chile
9.2% (2002)
China
urban unemployment roughly 10%; substantial unemployment and
underemployment in rural areas (2002 est.)
Christmas Island
NA%
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
60% (2000 est.)
Colombia
17.4% (2002 est.)
Comoros
20% (1996 est.)
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
NA%
Congo, Republic of the
NA%
Cook Islands
13% (1996)
Costa Rica
6.3% (2002 est.)
Cote d'Ivoire
13% in urban areas (1998)
Croatia
21.7% (2002 est.)
Cuba
4.1% (2001 est.)
Cyprus
Greek Cypriot area: 3.3%; Turkish Cypriot area: 5.6% (2002
est.)
Czech Republic
9.8% (2002)
Denmark
5.1% (2002)
Djibouti
50% (2000 est.)
Dominica
23% (2000 est.)
Dominican Republic
14.5% (2002 est.)
East Timor
50% (including underemployment)
Ecuador
7.7%; note - widespread underemployment (2001 est.)
Egypt
12% (2001 est.)
El Salvador
10% - but the economy has much underemployment. (2001
est.)
Equatorial Guinea
30% (1998 est.)
Eritrea
NA%
Estonia
12.4% (2001)
Ethiopia
NA%
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
full employment; labor shortage
Faroe Islands
1% (October 2000)
Fiji
7.6% (1999)
Finland
8.5% (2002 est.)
France
9.1% (2002 est.)
French Guiana
22% (2001)
French Polynesia
11.8% (1994)
Gabon
21% (1997 est.)
Gambia, The
NA%
Gaza Strip
50% (includes West Bank) (2002 est.)
Georgia
17% (2001 est.)
Germany
9.8% (2002 est.)
Ghana
20% (1997 est.)
Gibraltar
2% (2001 est.)
Greece
10.3% (2002 est.)
Greenland
10% (2000 est.)
Grenada
12.5% (2000)
Guadeloupe
27.8% (1998)
Guam
15% (2000 est.)
Guatemala
7.5% (1999 est.)
Guernsey
0.5% (1999 est.)
Guinea
NA%
Guinea-Bissau
NA%
Guyana
9.1% (understated) (2000)
Haiti
widespread unemployment and underemployment; more than
two-thirds of the labor force do not have formal jobs (2002 est.)
Honduras
28% (2002 est.)
Hong Kong
7.5% (2002 est.)
Hungary
5.8% (2002 est.)
Iceland
2.8% (2002 est.)
India
8.8% (2002)
Indonesia
10.6% (2002 est.)
Iran
16.3% (2003 est.)
Iraq
NA%
Ireland
4.3% (2002 est.)
Israel
10.4% (2002 est.)
Italy
9.1% (2002 est.)
Jamaica
15.4% (2002 est.)
Japan
5.4% (2002)
Jersey
0.7% (1998 est.)
Jordan
16% official rate; actual rate is 25%-30% (2001 est.)
Kazakhstan
8.8% (2002 est.)
Kenya
40% (2001 est.)
Kiribati
2%; underemployment 70% (1992 est.)
Korea, North
NA%
Korea, South
3.1% (2002 est.)
Kuwait
7% (2002 est.)
Kyrgyzstan
7.2% (1999 est.)
Laos
5.7% (1997 est.)
Latvia
7.6% (2001 est.)
Lebanon
18% (1997 est.)
Lesotho
45% (2002)
Liberia
NA
Libya
30% (2001)
Liechtenstein
1.3% (37500)
Lithuania
12.5% (2001 est.)
Luxembourg
4.1% (2002 est.)
Macau
6.3% (2002)
Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
37% (2002 est.)
Madagascar
5.9% (1998)
Malawi
NA%
Malaysia
3.8% (2002 est.)
Maldives
NEGL%
Mali
14.6% urban areas; 5.3% rural areas (2001 est.)
Malta
7% (2002 est.)
Man, Isle of
0.7% (March 2003)
Marshall Islands
30.9% (1999 est.)
Martinique
27.2% (1998)
Mauritania
21% (1999 est.)
Mauritius
8.8% (2002 est.)
Mayotte
38% (1999)
Mexico
urban - 3% plus considerable underemployment (2002)
Micronesia, Federated States of
16% (1999 est.)
Moldova
8% (roughly 25% of working age Moldovans are employed
abroad) (2002 est.)
Monaco
3.1% (1998)
Mongolia
20% (2000)
Montserrat
6% (1998 est.)
Morocco
19% (2002 est.)
Mozambique
21% (1997 est.)
Namibia
35% (1998)
Nauru
0%
Nepal
47% (2001 est.)
Netherlands
3% (2002 est.)
Netherlands Antilles
15% (1998 est.)
New Caledonia
19% (1996)
New Zealand
5.3% (2002 est.)
Nicaragua
24% plus considerable underemployment (2002 est.)
Niger
NA%
Nigeria
28% (1992 est.)
Niue
NA%
Norfolk Island
NA%
Northern Mariana Islands
NA%
Norway
3.9% (2002 est.)
Oman
NA%
Pakistan
7.8% plus substantial underemployment (2002 est.)
Palau
2.3% (2000 est.)
Panama
16% (2002 est.)
Papua New Guinea
NA%
Paraguay
18.2% (2002 est.)
Peru
9.4%; widespread underemployment (2002 est.)
Philippines
10.2% (2002)
Pitcairn Islands
NA%
Poland
18.1% (2002)
Portugal
4.7% (2002 est.)
Puerto Rico
12% (2002)
Qatar
2.7% (2001)
Reunion
36% (1999 est.)
Romania
8.3% (2002)
Russia
7.9% plus considerable underemployment (2002)
Rwanda
NA%
Saint Helena
14% (1998 est.)
Saint Kitts and Nevis
4.5% (1997)
Saint Lucia
16.5% (1997 est.)
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
9.8% (1997)
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
22% (1997 est.)
Samoa
NA%; note - substantial underemployment
San Marino
2.6% (2001)
Sao Tome and Principe
NA%
Saudi Arabia
25% (2002)
Senegal
48% (urban youth 40%) (2001 est.)
Serbia and Montenegro
32% (2002 est.)
Seychelles
NA%
Sierra Leone
NA%
Singapore
4.6% (2002 est.)
Slovakia
17.2% (2002 est.)
Slovenia
11% (2002 est.)
Solomon Islands
NA%
Somalia
NA%
South Africa
37% (includes workers no longer looking for employment)
(2001 est.)
Spain
11.3% (2002 est.)
Sri Lanka
8% (2002)
Sudan
18.7% (2002 est.)
Suriname
17% (2000)
Swaziland
34% (2000 est.)
Sweden
4% (2002 est.)
Switzerland
1.9% (2002 est.)
Syria
20% (2002 est.)
Taiwan
5.2% (2002 est.)
Tajikistan
40% (2002 est.)
Tanzania
NA%
Thailand
2.9% (2002 est.)
Togo
NA%
Tokelau
NA%
Tonga
13.3% (1996 est.)
Trinidad and Tobago
10.8% (2002)
Tunisia
15.4% (2002 est.)
Turkey
10.8% (plus underemployment of 6.1%) (2002 est.)
Turkmenistan
NA%
Turks and Caicos Islands
10% (1997 est.)
Tuvalu
NA%
Uganda
NA%
Ukraine
3.8% officially registered; large number of unregistered or
underemployed workers (2002)
United Arab Emirates
NA%
United Kingdom
5.2% (2002 est.)
United States
5.8% (2002)
Uruguay
19.4% (2002)
Uzbekistan
10% plus another 20% underemployed (1999 est.)
Vanuatu
NA%
Venezuela
17% (2002 est.)
Vietnam
25% (1995 est.)
Virgin Islands
4.9% (March 1999)
Wallis and Futuna
NA%
West Bank
50% (includes Gaza Strip) (2002 est.)
Western Sahara
NA%
World
30% combined unemployment and underemployment in many
non-industrialized countries; developed countries typically 4%-12%
unemployment
Yemen
30% (1995 est.)
Zambia
50% (2000 est.)
Zimbabwe
70% (2002 est.)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
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@2137 Military - note
American Samoa
defense is the responsibility of the US
Andorra
defense is the responsibility of France and Spain
Anguilla
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Antarctica
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
Aruba
defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Ashmore and Cartier Islands
defense is the responsibility of
Australia; periodic visits by the Royal Australian Navy and Royal
Australian Air Force
Baker Island
defense is the responsibility of the US; visited
annually by the US Coast Guard
Bassas da India
defense is the responsibility of France
Bermuda
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Bouvet Island
defense is the responsibility of Norway
British Indian Ocean Territory
defense is the responsibility of the
UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016
British Virgin Islands
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Cayman Islands
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Christmas Island
defense is the responsibility of Australia
Clipperton Island
defense is the responsibility of France
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
defense is the responsibility of Australia;
the territory does have a five-person police force
Cook Islands
defense is the responsibility of New Zealand, in
consultation with the Cook Islands and at its request
Coral Sea Islands
defense is the responsibility of Australia;
visited regularly by the Royal Australian Navy; Australia has
control over the activities of visitors
Cuba
Moscow, for decades the key military supporter and supplier of
Cuba, cut off almost all military aid by 1993
Europa Island
defense is the responsibility of France
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
defense is the responsibility of
the UK
Faroe Islands
defense is the responsibility of Denmark
French Guiana
defense is the responsibility of France
French Polynesia
defense is the responsibility of France
French Southern and Antarctic Lands
defense is the responsibility of
France
Georgia
a CIS peacekeeping force of Russian troops is deployed in
the Abkhazia region of Georgia together with a UN military observer
group; a Russian peacekeeping battalion is deployed in South Ossetia
Gibraltar
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Glorioso Islands
defense is the responsibility of France
Greenland
defense is the responsibility of Denmark
Guadeloupe
defense is the responsibility of France
Guam
defense is the responsibility of the US
Guernsey
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Heard Island and McDonald Islands
defense is the responsibility of
Australia; Australia conducts fisheries patrols
Holy See (Vatican City)
defense is the responsibility of Italy;
Swiss Papal Guards are posted at entrances to the Vatican City to
provide security and protect the Pope
Hong Kong
defense is the responsibility of China
Howland Island
defense is the responsibility of the US; visited
annually by the US Coast Guard
Iceland
defense is provided by the US-manned Icelandic Defense Force
(IDF) headquartered at Keflavik
Jan Mayen
defense is the responsibility of Norway
Jarvis Island
defense is the responsibility of the US; visited
annually by the US Coast Guard
Jersey
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Johnston Atoll
defense is the responsibility of the US
Juan de Nova Island
defense is the responsibility of France
Kingman Reef
defense is the responsibility of the US
Kiribati
Kiribati does not have military forces; defense assistance
is provided by Australia and NZ
Lesotho
the Lesotho Government in 1999 began an open debate on the
future structure, size, and role of the armed forces, especially
considering the Lesotho Defense Force's (LDF) history of intervening
in political affairs
Liechtenstein
defense is the responsibility of Switzerland
Man, Isle of
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Marshall Islands
defense is the responsibility of the US
Martinique
defense is the responsibility of France
Mayotte
defense is the responsibility of France; small contingent of
French forces stationed on the island
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The 2003 CIA World FactbookChapter CVII: Front Matter (107)
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