Chapter XLIX: Front Matter (49)

Climate:
tropical; hot, humid, rainy; two distinct monsoon seasons -
Northeastern monsoon from December to March and Southwestern monsoon
from June to September; inter-monsoon - frequent afternoon and early
evening thunderstorms

Terrain:
lowland; gently undulating central plateau contains water catchment
area and nature preserve

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Singapore Strait 0 m
highest point: Bukit Timah 166 m

Natural resources:
fish, deepwater ports

Land use:
arable land: 1.64%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 98.36% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
industrial pollution; limited natural fresh water resources;
limited land availability presents waste disposal problems; seasonal
smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia

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

Geography - note:
focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes

People Singapore

Population:
4,608,595 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 17.3% (male 411,656; female 385,575)
15-64 years: 75.5% (male 1,687,217; female 1,793,783)
65 years and over: 7.2% (male 144,277; female 186,087) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 34.5 years
male: 34.3 years
female: 34.8 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
3.42% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
12.75 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
4.31 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
25.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 3.57 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 3.87 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 80.42 years
male: 77.46 years
female: 83.6 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.24 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
3,400 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
140 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Singaporean(s)
adjective: Singapore

Ethnic groups:
Chinese 76.7%, Malay 14%, Indian 7.9%, other 1.4%

Religions:
Buddhist (Chinese), Muslim (Malays), Christian, Hindu, Sikh,
Taoist, Confucianist

Languages:
Chinese (official), Malay (official and national), Tamil
(official), English (official)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.2%
male: 96.7%
female: 89.7% (2003 est.)

Government Singapore

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Singapore
conventional short form: Singapore

Government type:
parliamentary republic

Capital:
Singapore

Administrative divisions:
none

Independence:
9 August 1965 (from Malaysian Federation)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 9 August (1965)

Constitution:
3 June 1959, amended 1965 (based on preindependence State of
Singapore Constitution)

Legal system:
based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction

Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Sellapan Rama (S. R.) NATHAN (since 1
September 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister GOH Chok Tong (since 28 November
1990) and Deputy Prime Ministers Brig. Gen. (Ret.) LEE Hsien Loong
(since 28 November 1990) and TAN Keng Yam Tony (since 1 August 1995)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president, responsible to
Parliament
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
election last held 28 August 1999 (next to be held by August 2005);
following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or
the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime
minister by the president; deputy prime ministers appointed by the
president
election results: Sellapan Rama (S. R.) NATHAN elected president
unopposed

Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament (84 seats; members elected by popular vote to
serve five-year terms); note - in addition, there are up to nine
nominated members; the losing opposition candidate who came closest
to winning a seat may be appointed as a "nonconstituency" member
elections: last held 3 November 2001 (next to be held 25 June 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 75.3% (in contested
constituencies), other 24.7%; seats by party - PAP 82, WP 1, SDA 1

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the president with the
advice of the prime minister, other judges are appointed by the
president with the advice of the chief justice); Court of Appeals

Political parties and leaders:
governing party: People's Action Party or PAP [GOH Chok Tong];
opposition parties: Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [leader NA];
National Solidarity Party or NSP [Steve CHIA]; Singapore Democratic
Alliance or SDA [CHIAM See Tong] (includes SPP, PKMS, NSP, SJP);
Singapore Democratic Party or SDP [CHEE Soon Juan]; Singapore
Justice Party or SJP [leader NA]; Singapore National Malay
Organization or PKMS [Muhammad ALI Aman]; Singapore People's Party
or SPP [CHIAM See Tong]; Workers' Party or WP [LOW Thia Kiang]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, ESCAP, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
ISO, ITU, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMISET, UPU,
WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador CHAN Heng Chee
consulate(s): New York
consulate(s) general: San Francisco
FAX: [1] (202) 537-0876
telephone: [1] (202) 537-3100
chancery: 3501 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Franklin L. LAVIN
embassy: 27 Napier Road, Singapore 258508
mailing address: PSC Box 470, FPO AP 96507-0001
telephone: [65] 6476-9100
FAX: [65] 6476-9340

Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; near the hoist
side of the red band, there is a vertical, white crescent (closed
portion is toward the hoist side) partially enclosing five white
five-pointed stars arranged in a circle

Economy Singapore

Economy - overview:
Singapore, a highly developed and successful free market economy,
enjoys a remarkably open and corruption-free environment, stable
prices, and one of the highest per capita GDPs in the world. The
economy depends heavily on exports, particularly in electronics and
manufacturing. It was hard hit in 2001-2002 by the global recession
and the slump in the technology sector. The government hopes to
establish a new growth path that will be less vulnerable to the
external business cycle than the current export-led model but is
unlikely to abandon efforts to establish Singapore as Southeast
Asia's financial and high-tech hub.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $112.4 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
2.2% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $25,200 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NEGL%
industry: 33%
services: 67% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
-0.4% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
2.19 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
financial, business, and other services 35%, manufacturing 21%,
construction 13%, transportation and communication 9%, other 22%

Unemployment rate:
4.6% (2002 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $27.9 billion
expenditures: $19.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.4
billion (FY 00/01 est.)

Industries:
electronics, chemicals, financial services, oil drilling equipment,
petroleum refining, rubber processing and rubber products, processed
food and beverages, ship repair, entrepot trade, biotechnology

Industrial production growth rate:
-9.8% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
30.48 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
28.35 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
700,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
2.5 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
2.5 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Agriculture - products:
rubber, copra, fruit, orchids, vegetables; poultry, eggs, fish,
ornamental fish

Exports:
$127 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
machinery and equipment (including electronics), consumer goods,
chemicals, mineral fuels

Exports - partners:
Malaysia 17.4%, US 15.3%, Hong Kong 9.2%, Japan 7.1%, China 5.5%,
Taiwan 4.9%, Thailand 4.6%, South Korea 4.2% (2002)

Imports:
$113 billion (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, mineral fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
Malaysia 18.2%, US 14.3%, Japan 12.5%, China 7.6%, Thailand 4.6%,
Taiwan 4.6% (2002)

Debt - external:
$8.2 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$NA

Currency:
Singapore dollar (SGD)

Currency code:
SGD

Exchange rates:
Singapore dollars per US dollar - 1.79 (2002), 1.79 (2001), 1.72
(2000), 1.69 (1999), 1.67 (1998)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Singapore

Telephones - main lines in use:
1.95 million (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
2.74 million (2000)

Telephone system:
general assessment: major consideration given to serving business
interests; excellent international service
domestic: excellent domestic facilities
international: submarine cables to Malaysia (Sabah and Peninsular
Malaysia), Indonesia, and the Philippines; satellite earth stations
- 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean), and 1 Inmarsat
(Pacific Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 16, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
2.6 million (2000)

Television broadcast stations:
6 (2000)

Televisions:
1.33 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.sg

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
9 (2000)

Internet users:
2.31 million (2002)

Transportation Singapore

Railways:
total: 38.6 km
narrow gauge: 38.6 km 1.000-m gauge
note: there is also an 83 km mass transit system with 48 stations

Highways:
total: 3,066 km
paved: 3,066 km (including 150 km of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (1999)

Waterways:
none

Pipelines:
gas 139 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
Singapore

Merchant marine:
total: 859 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 20,836,021 GRT/32,765,063 DWT
ships by type: bulk 125, cargo 85, chemical tanker 87, combination
bulk 6, combination ore/oil 8, container 176, liquefied gas 38,
livestock carrier 3, multi-functional large-load carrier 2,
petroleum tanker 277, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 4,
short-sea passenger 1, specialized tanker 12, vehicle carrier 31
note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
convenience: Australia 7, Belgium 6, China 12, Denmark 27, Germany
17, Greece 4, Hong Kong 44, Indonesia 8, Japan 52, Malaysia 4,
Monaco 22, Netherlands 2, Norway 42, Philippines 6, Russia 3,
Slovenia 1, South Korea 10, Sweden 13, Switzerland 7, Taiwan 46,
Tanzania 2, Thailand 22, UAE 4, UK 14, US 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
9 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 9
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Military Singapore

Military branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force, People's Defense Force, Police Force

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,392,740 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,012,498 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$4.47 billion (FY01 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
4.9% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Singapore

Disputes - international:
disputes with Malaysia over deliveries of fresh water to Singapore,
Singapore's land reclamation works on Johor, maritime boundaries,
and Singapore-occupied Pedra Branca Island/Pulau Batu Putih persist
- parties agree to ICJ arbitration on island dispute within three
years

Illicit drugs:
as a transportation and financial services hub, Singapore is
vulnerable, despite strict laws and enforcement, to be used as a
transit point for Golden Triangle heroin and as a venue for money
laundering

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Slovakia

Introduction Slovakia

Background:
In 1918 the Slovaks joined the closely related Czechs to form
Czechoslovakia. Following the chaos of World War II, Czechoslovakia
became a Communist nation within Soviet-ruled Eastern Europe. Soviet
influence collapsed in 1989 and Czechoslovakia once more became
free. The Slovaks and the Czechs agreed to separate peacefully on 1
January 1993. Slovakia was invited to join NATO and the EU in 2002.

Geography Slovakia

Location:
Central Europe, south of Poland

Geographic coordinates:
48 40 N, 19 30 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 48,845 sq km
water: 45 sq km
land: 48,800 sq km

Area - comparative:
about twice the size of New Hampshire

Land boundaries:
total: 1,524 km
border countries: Austria 91 km, Czech Republic 215 km, Hungary 677
km, Poland 444 km, Ukraine 97 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters

Terrain:
rugged mountains in the central and northern part and lowlands in
the south

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Bodrok River 94 m
highest point: Gerlachovsky Stit 2,655 m

Natural resources:
brown coal and lignite; small amounts of iron ore, copper and
manganese ore; salt; arable land

Land use:
arable land: 30.74%
permanent crops: 2.64%
other: 66.62% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
1,740 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
air pollution from metallurgical plants presents human health
risks; acid rain damaging forests

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

Geography - note:
landlocked; most of the country is rugged and mountainous; the
Tatra Mountains in the north are interspersed with many scenic lakes
and valleys

People Slovakia

Population:
5,430,033 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 17.8% (male 495,316; female 471,823)
15-64 years: 70.5% (male 1,903,335; female 1,924,065)
65 years and over: 11.7% (male 238,912; female 396,582) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 35 years
male: 33.3 years
female: 36.7 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
0.14% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
10.1 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
9.22 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
0.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 8.55 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 9.39 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.43 years
male: 70.44 years
female: 78.64 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.25 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
less than 100 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Slovak(s)
adjective: Slovak

Ethnic groups:
Slovak 85.7%, Hungarian 10.6%, Roma 1.6% (the 1992 census figures
underreport the Gypsy/Romany community, which is about 500,000),
Czech, Moravian, Silesian 1.1%, Ruthenian and Ukrainian 0.6%, German
0.1%, Polish 0.1%, other 0.2% (1996)

Religions:
Roman Catholic 60.3%, atheist 9.7%, Protestant 8.4%, Orthodox 4.1%,
other 17.5%

Languages:
Slovak (official), Hungarian

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

Government Slovakia

Country name:
conventional long form: Slovak Republic
conventional short form: Slovakia
local short form: Slovensko
local long form: Slovenska Republika

Government type:
parliamentary democracy

Capital:
Bratislava

Administrative divisions:
8 regions (kraje, singular - kraj); Banskobystricky, Bratislavsky,
Kosicky, Nitriansky, Presovsky, Trenciansky, Trnavsky, Zilinsky

Independence:
1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and
Slovakia)

National holiday:
Constitution Day, 1 September (1992)

Constitution:
ratified 1 September 1992, fully effective 1 January 1993; changed
in September 1998 to allow direct election of the president; amended
February 2001 to allow Slovakia to apply for NATO and EU membership

Legal system:
civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; legal code modified to comply with the
obligations of Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OSCE) and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal theory

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Rudolf SCHUSTER (since 15 June 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Mikulas DZURINDA (since 30
October 1998); Deputy Prime Minister Pavol RUSKO (since 24 September
2003)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of
the prime minister
elections: president elected by direct, popular vote for a five-year
term; election last held 29 May 1999 (next to be held NA May/June
2004); following National Council elections, the leader of the
majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually
appointed prime minister by the president
note: government coalition - SDKU, SMK, KDH, ANO
election results: Rudolf SCHUSTER elected president in the first
direct, popular election; percent of vote - Rudolf SCHUSTER 57%;
Mikulas DZURINDA reelected prime minister October 2002

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Council of the Slovak Republic or Narodna Rada
Slovenskej Republiky (150 seats; members are elected on the basis of
proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - HZDS-LS 19.5%, SDKU
15.1%, SMER 13.5%, SMK 11.2%, KDH 8.3%, ANO 8%, KSS 6.3%; seats by
party - governing coalition 78 (SDKU 28, SMK 20, KDH 15, ANO 15),
opposition 72 (HZDS 36, SMER 25, KSS 11) (as of February 2003, 12
deputies had split from HZDS and formed an independent faction)
elections: last held 20-21 September 2002 (next to be held NA
September 2006)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are elected by the National Council);
Constitutional Court (judges appointed by president from group of
nominees approved by the National Council)

Political parties and leaders:
Christian Democratic Movement or KDH [Pavol HRUSOVSKY]; Democratic
Party or DS [Ludovit KANIK]; Direction (Smer) [Robert FICO];
Movement for a Democratic Slovakia-People's Party or HZDS-LS
[Vladimir MECIAR]; New Citizens Alliance or ANO [Pavol RUSKO]; Party
of the Hungarian Coalition or SMK [Bela BUGAR]; Slovak Communist
Party or KSS [Jozef SEVC]; Slovak Democratic and Christian Union or
SDKU [Mikulas DZURINDA]; Slovak National Party or SNS [Jan SLOTA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Association of Employers of Slovakia; Association of Towns and
Villages or ZMOS; Confederation of Trade Unions or KOZ; Metal
Workers Unions or KOVO and METALURG

International organization participation:
Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD,
ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM
(guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN,
UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMISET,
UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Rastislav KACER
chancery: 3523 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
FAX: [1] (202) 237-6438
telephone: [1] (202) 237-1054

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ronald WEISER
embassy: Hviezdoslavovo Namestie 4, 81102 Bratislava
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [421] (2) 5443-3338
FAX: [421] (2) 5441-5148

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red
superimposed with the Slovak cross in a shield centered on the hoist
side; the cross is white centered on a background of red and blue

Economy Slovakia

Economy - overview:
Slovakia has mastered much of the difficult transition from a
centrally planned economy to a modern market economy. The DZURINDA
government has made excellent progress in 2001-03 in macroeconomic
stabilization and structural reform. Major privatizations are nearly
complete, the banking sector is almost completely in foreign hands,
and foreign investment has picked up. Slovakia's economy exceeded
expectations in 2001-03, despite the general European slowdown.
Unemployment, at an unacceptable 15% in 2003, remains the economy's
Achilles heel. The government faces other strong challenges in 2004,
especially the cutting of budget and current account deficits, the
containment of inflation, and the strengthening of the health care
system.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $67.34 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
4.4% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $12,400 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 4.5%
industry: 34.1%
services: 61.4% (2000)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 5.1%
highest 10%: 18.2% (1992)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
26.3 (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.3% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
3 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation:
industry 29.3%, agriculture 8.9%, construction 8%, transport and
communication 8.2%, services 45.6% (1994)

Unemployment rate:
17.2% (2002 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $5.2 billion
expenditures: $5.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1999)

Industries:
metal and metal products; food and beverages; electricity, gas,
coke, oil, nuclear fuel; chemicals and manmade fibers; machinery;
paper and printing; earthenware and ceramics; transport vehicles;
textiles; electrical and optical apparatus; rubber products

Industrial production growth rate:
4.4% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
30.29 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 30.3%
hydro: 16%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 53.6%

Electricity - consumption:
24.41 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
5.141 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
1.381 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
1,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
82,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
4.5 million bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
292 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
7.932 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
7.205 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
7.504 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products:
grains, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, cattle, poultry;
forest products

Exports:
$12.9 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment 39.4%, intermediate manufactured
goods 27.5%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 13%, chemicals 8%
(1999)

Exports - partners:
Germany 30.1%, Czech Republic 16.4%, Austria 10.7%, Italy 7.2%,
Poland 5.7%, Hungary 4.6% (2002)

Imports:
$15.4 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment 37.7%, intermediate manufactured
goods 18%, fuels 13%, chemicals 11%, miscellaneous manufactured
goods 9.5% (1999)

Imports - partners:
Germany 24.8%, Czech Republic 16%, Russia 13.5%, Austria 7%, Italy
6.4%, France 4% (2002)

Debt - external:
$9.6 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
ODA $113 million (2000),; $92 million EU structural adjustment
funds (2000 est.)

Currency:
Slovak koruna (SKK)

Currency code:
SKK

Exchange rates:
koruny per US dollar - 45.33 (2002), 48.35 (2001), 46.04 (2000),
41.36 (1999), 35.23 (1998)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Slovakia

Telephones - main lines in use:
1,934,558 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
736,662 (April 1999)

Telephone system:
general assessment: a modernization and privatization program is
increasing accessibility to telephone service, reducing the waiting
time for new subscribers, and generally improving service quality
domestic: predominantly an analog system that is now receiving
digital equipment and is being enlarged with fiber-optic cable,
especially in the larger cities; mobile cellular capability has been
added
international: three international exchanges (one in Bratislava and
two in Banska Bystrica) are available; Slovakia is participating in
several international telecommunications projects that will increase
the availability of external services

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 15, FM 78, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
3.12 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
38 (plus 864 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
2.62 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.sk

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
6 (2000)

Internet users:
700,000 (2000)

Transportation Slovakia

Railways:
total: 3,668 km
broad gauge: 106 km 1.520-m gauge
narrow gauge: 51 km (46 km 1,000-m gauge; 5 km 0.750-m gauge) (2002)
standard gauge: 3,511 km 1.435-m gauge (1,567 km electrified)

Highways:
total: 42,717 km
paved: 37,036 km (including 296 km of expressways)
unpaved: 5,681 km (2000)

Waterways:
172 km (all on the Danube)

Pipelines:
gas 6,769 km; oil 449 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
Bratislava, Komarno

Merchant marine:
total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 11,574 GRT/16,330 DWT
ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
37 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 20
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 9 (2002)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 17
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m: 7 (2002)

Heliports:
1 (2002)

Military Slovakia

Military branches:
Army (Ground Forces), Air and Air Defense Forces, Home Guards
(Territorial Defense Forces), Civil Defense Force, Railway Armed
Forces (subordinate to the Ministry of Transportation, Post, and
Telecommunications)

Military manpower - military age:
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,484,950 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,135,612 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 44,287 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$406 million (2002)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.89% (2002)

Transnational Issues Slovakia

Disputes - international:
small boundary changes made with Poland in 2003; Hungary has yet to
amend status law extending special social and cultural benefits to
ethnic Hungarians in Slovakia, who protest the law

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin bound for Western
Europe; producer of synthetic drugs for regional market

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Slovenia

Introduction Slovenia

Background:
The Slovene lands were part of the Holy Roman Empire and Austria
until 1918 when the Slovenes joined the Serbs and Croats in forming
a new nation, renamed Yugoslavia in 1929. After World War II,
Slovenia became a republic of the renewed Yugoslavia, which though
Communist, distanced itself from Moscow's rule. Dissatisfied with
the exercise of power of the majority Serbs, the Slovenes succeeded
in establishing their independence in 1991 after a short 10-day war.
Historical ties to Western Europe, a strong economy, and a stable
democracy have assisted in Slovenia's transformation to a modern
state. In December 2002, Slovenia received an invitation to join
NATO, and it is scheduled to accede to the EU along with nine other
states on 1 May 2004. In a March 2003 referendum on NATO and EU
membership, Slovenes voted 90% in favor of joining the EU and 66% in
favor of joining NATO.

Geography Slovenia

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

Geographic coordinates:
46 07 N, 14 49 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 20,273 sq km
water: 122 sq km
land: 20,151 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than New Jersey

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

Coastline:
46.6 km

Maritime claims:
NA

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

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

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

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

Land use:
arable land: 11.48%
permanent crops: 2.68%
other: 85.84% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
20 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
flooding and earthquakes

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

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

Geography - note:
despite its small size, this eastern Alpine country controls some
of Europe's major transit routes

People Slovenia

Population:
1,935,677 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 15.3% (male 152,341; female 144,189)
15-64 years: 70% (male 687,939; female 666,194)
65 years and over: 14.7% (male 105,837; female 179,177) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 38.6 years
male: 37.1 years
female: 40.2 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
0.14% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
9.23 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
10.15 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
2.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.42 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 5.53 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.51 years
male: 71.65 years
female: 79.58 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.27 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
280 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Slovene(s)
adjective: Slovenian

Ethnic groups:
Slovene 88%, Croat 3%, Serb 2%, Bosniak 1%, Yugoslav 0.6%,
Hungarian 0.4%, other 5% (1991)

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

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

Literacy:
definition: NA
total population: 99.7%
male: 99.7%
female: 99.6% (2003 est.)

Government Slovenia

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

Government type:
parliamentary democratic republic

Capital:
Ljubljana

Administrative divisions:
182 municipalities (obcine, singular - obcina) and 11 urban
municipalities* (mestne obcine , singular - mestna obcina )
Ajdovscina, Beltinci, Benedikt, Bistrica ob Sotli, Bled, Bloke,
Bohinj, Borovnica, Bovec, Braslovce, Brda, Brezice, Brezovica,
Cankova, Celje*, Cerklje na Gorenjskem, Cerknica, Cerkno,
Cerkvenjak, Crensovci, Crna na Koroskem, Crnomelj, Destrnik, Divaca,
Dobje, Dobrepolje, Dobrna, Dobrova-Horjul-Polhov Gradec,
Dobrovnik-Dobronak, Dolenjske Toplice, Dol pri Ljubljani, Domzale,
Dornava, Dravograd, Duplek, Gorenja Vas-Poljane, Gorisnica, Gornja
Radgona, Gornji Grad, Gornji Petrovci, Grad, Grosuplje, Hajdina,
Hoce-Slivnica, Hodos-Hodos, Horjul, Hrastnik, Hrpelje-Kozina,
Idrija, Ig, Ilirska Bistrica, Ivancna Gorica, Izola-Isola, Jesenice,
Jezersko, Jursinci, Kamnik, Kanal, Kidricevo, Kobarid, Kobilje,
Kocevje, Komen, Komenda, Koper-Capodistria*, Kostel, Kozje, Kranj*,
Kranjska Gora, Krizevci, Krsko, Kungota, Kuzma, Lasko, Lenart,
Lendava-Lendva, Litija, Ljubljana*, Ljubno, Ljutomer, Logatec, Loska
Dolina, Loski Potok, Lovrenc na Pohorju, Luce, Lukovica, Majsperk,
Maribor*, Markovci, Medvode, Menges, Metlika, Mezica, Miklavz na
Dravskem Polju, Miren-Kostanjevica, Mirna Pec, Mislinja, Moravce,
Moravske Toplice, Mozirje, Murska Sobota*, Muta, Naklo, Nazarje,
Nova Gorica*, Novo Mesto*, Odranci, Oplotnica, Ormoz, Osilnica,
Pesnica, Piran-Pirano, Pivka, Podcetrtek, Podlehnik, Podvelka,
Polzela, Postojna, Prebold, Preddvor, Prevalje, Ptuj*, Puconci,
Race-Fram, Radece, Radenci, Radlje ob Dravi, Radovljica, Ravne na
Koroskem, Razkrizje, Ribnica, Ribnica na Pohorju, Rogasovci, Rogaska
Slatina, Rogatec, Ruse, Salovci, Selnica ob Dravi, Semic,
Sempeter-Vrtojba, Sencur, Sentilj, Sentjernej, Sentjur pri Celju,
Sevnica, Sezana, Skocjan, Skofja Loka, Skofljica, Slovenj Gradec*,
Slovenska Bistrica, Slovenske Konjice, Smarje pri Jelsah, Smartno ob
Paki, Smartno pri Litiji, Sodrazica, Solcava, Sostanj, Starse,
Store, Sveta Ana, Sveti Andraz v Slovenskih Goricah, Sveti Jurij,
Tabor, Tisina, Tolmin, Trbovlje, Trebnje, Trnovska Vas, Trzic,
Trzin, Turnisce, Velenje*, Velika Polana, Velike Lasce, Verzej,
Videm, Vipava, Vitanje, Vodice, Vojnik, Vransko, Vrhnika, Vuzenica,
Zagorje ob Savi, Zalec, Zavrc, Zelezniki, Zetale, Ziri, Zirovnica,
Zuzemberk, Zrece
note: there may be 45 more municipalities

Independence:
25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)

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

Constitution:
adopted 23 December 1991, effective 23 December 1991

Legal system:
based on civil law system

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

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Janez DRNOVSEK (since 22 December 2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Anton ROP (since 11 December 2002)
cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and
elected by the National Assembly
election results: Janez DRNOVSEK elected president; percent of vote
- Janez DRNOVSEK 56.5%, Barbara BREZIGAR 43.5%; Anton ROP elected
prime minister; National Assembly vote - 63 to 24
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 10 November and 1 December 2002 (next to be held
in the fall of 2007); following National Assembly elections, the
leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition
is usually nominated to become prime minister by the president and
elected by the National Assembly; election last held 6 December 2002
(next National Assembly elections to be held NA October 2004)

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Drzavni Zbor (90 seats, 40 are
directly elected and 50 are selected on a proportional basis; note -
the numbers of directly elected and proportionally elected seats
varies with each election; members are elected by popular vote to
serve four-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - LDS 36%, SDS 16%, ZLSD
12%, SLS/SKD 10%, NSi 9%, SMS 4%, SNS 4%, DeSUS 5%, other 4%; seats
by party - LDS 34, SDS 13, ZLSD 11, SLS 10, NSi 8, SMS 4, SNS 4,
DeSUS 4, Hungarian and Italian minorities 1 each
note: the National Council or Drzavni Svet is an advisory body with
limited legislative powers; it may propose laws and ask to review
any National Assembly decisions; in the election of November 1997,
40 members were elected to represent local, professional, and
socioeconomic interests
elections: National Assembly - last held 15 October 2000 (next to be
held NA October 2004)

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

Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party of Retired (Persons) of Slovenia or DeSUS [Anton
ROUS]; Liberal Democratic or LDS [Anton ROP]; New Slovenia or NSi
[Andrej BAJUK]; Slovene National Party or SNS [Zmago JELINCIC];
Slovene People's Party or SLS [Franc BUT]; Slovene Youth Party or
SMS [Dominic CERNJAK]; Social Democratic Party of Slovenia or SDS
[Janez JANSA]; United List of Social Democrats or ZLSD [Borut PAHOR]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ABEDA, ACCT (observer), BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU
(applicant), FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest),
NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNTSO,
UPU, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Davorin KRACUN
FAX: [1] (202) 667-4563
consulate(s) general: New York and Cleveland
telephone: [1] (202) 667-5363
chancery: 1525 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Johnny YOUNG
embassy: Presernova 31, 1000 Ljubljana
mailing address: American Embassy Ljubljana, Department of State,
7140 Ljubljana Place, Washington, DC 20521-7140
telephone: [386] (1) 200-5500
FAX: [386] (1) 200-5555

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

Economy Slovenia

Economy - overview:
Slovenia, with its historical ties to Western Europe, enjoys a GDP
per capita substantially higher than that of the other transitioning
economies of Central Europe. Privatization of the economy proceeded
at an accelerated pace in 2002-3, and the budget deficit dropped
from 3.0% of GDP in 2002 to 1.9% in 2003. Despite the economic
slowdown in Europe in 2001-03, Slovenia maintained 3% growth.
Structural reforms to improve the business environment allow for
greater foreign participation in Slovenia's economy and help to
lower unemployment. Further measures to curb inflation are also
needed. Corruption and the high degree of coordination between
government, business, and central bank policy are issues of concern
in the run-up to Slovenia's scheduled 1 May 2004 accession to the
European Union.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $37.06 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3.2% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $19,200 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3.2%
industry: 36.3%
services: 60.5% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.9%
highest 10%: 23% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
28.4 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
7.4% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
857,400

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Unemployment rate:
11% (2002 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $8.11 billion
expenditures: $8.32 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1997 est.)

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

Industrial production growth rate:
2.4% (2002)

Electricity - production:
13.69 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 35.2%
hydro: 27.3%
other: 0.7% (2001)
nuclear: 36.8%

Electricity - consumption:
13.83 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
3 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
4.1 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
20 bbl/day NA bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
53,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
1.04 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
1.04 billion cu m (2001 est.)

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

Exports:
$10.3 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, chemicals,
food

Exports - partners:
Germany 23.9%, Italy 12.7%, Austria 9.5%, Croatia 8%, France 7.4%,
Bosnia and Herzegovina 4.4% (2002)

Imports:
$11.1 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, chemicals,
fuels and lubricants, food

Imports - partners:
Germany 20%, Italy 19%, Austria 11.3%, France 10.5% (2002)

Debt - external:
$7.9 billion (2001)

Economic aid - recipient:
ODA, $62 million (2000 est.)

Currency:
tolar (SIT)

Currency code:
SIT

Exchange rates:
tolars per US dollar - 240.25 (2002), 242.75 (2001), 222.66 (2000),
181.77 (1999), 166.13 (1998)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Slovenia

Telephones - main lines in use:
722,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
1 million (2000)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: 100% digital (2000)
international: NA

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 17, FM 160, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
805,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
48 (2001)

Televisions:
710,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.si

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
11 (2000)

Internet users:
600,000 (2001)

Transportation Slovenia

Railways:
total: 1,201 km
standard gauge: 1,201 km 1.435-m gauge (499 km electrified) (2002)

Highways:
total: 20,177 km
paved: 20,157 km (including 427 km of expressways)
unpaved: 20 km (2000)

Waterways:
NA

Pipelines:
gas 2,526 km; oil 11 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
Izola, Koper, Piran

Airports:
16 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 6
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 10
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 5 (2002)

Military Slovenia

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

Military manpower - military age:
19 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 520,037 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 413,453 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 13,704 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$370 million (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.7% (FY00)

Transnational Issues Slovenia

Disputes - international:
parliamentarians are far from ratifying the Croatia-Slovenia land
and maritime boundary agreement, which would have ceded most of
Piran Bay and maritime access to Slovenia and several villages to
Croatia

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

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Solomon Islands

Introduction Solomon Islands

Background:
The UK established a protectorate over the Solomon Islands in the
1890s. Some of the bitterest fighting of World War II occurred on
these islands. Self-government was achieved in 1976 and independence
two years later. Ethnic violence, government malfeasance, and
endemic crime have undermined stability and civil society.

Geography Solomon Islands

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

Geographic coordinates:
8 00 S, 159 00 E

Map references:
Oceania

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

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
5,313 km

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

Climate:
tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather

Terrain:
mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls

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

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

Land use:
arable land: 1.5%
permanent crops: 0.64%
other: 97.86% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

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

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

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

Geography - note:
strategic location on sea routes between the South Pacific Ocean,
the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea

People Solomon Islands

Population:
509,190 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 42.9% (male 111,333; female 107,062)
15-64 years: 54% (male 139,072; female 135,721)
65 years and over: 3.1% (male 7,754; female 8,248) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 18.2 years
male: 18.1 years
female: 18.3 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
2.83% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
32.45 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
4.12 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 22.88 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 19.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 26.03 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.1 years
male: 69.64 years
female: 74.68 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
4.34 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

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

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

Religions:
Anglican 45%, Roman Catholic 18%, United (Methodist/Presbyterian)
12%, Baptist 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 7%, other Protestant 5%,
indigenous beliefs 4%

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

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

Government Solomon Islands

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

Government type:
parliamentary democracy tending toward anarchy

Capital:
Honiara

Administrative divisions:
9 provinces and 1 capital territory*; Central, Choiseul (Lauru),
Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Rennell/Bellona,
Temotu, Western

Independence:
7 July 1978 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 7 July (1978)

Constitution:
7 July 1978

Legal system:
English common law, which is widely disregarded

Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Sir John LAPLI (since NA 1999)
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
appointed by the monarch on the advice of Parliament for up to five
years; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority
party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually elected prime
minister by Parliament; deputy prime minister appointed by the
governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the
members of Parliament
cabinet: Cabinet consists of 20 members appointed by the governor
general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members
of Parliament
head of government: Prime Minister Sir Allan KEMAKEZA (since 17
December 2001); Deputy Prime Minister Snyder RINI (since 17 December
2001)

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Parliament (50 seats; members elected from
single-member constituencies by popular vote to serve four-year
terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 40%, SIACC 40%, PPP
20%; seats by party - PAP 16, SIACC 13, PPP 2, SILP 1, independents
18
elections: last held 5 December 2001 (next to be held not later than
December 2005)

Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders:
Association of Independents [Snyder RINI]; People's Alliance Party
or PAP [Allan KEMAKEZA]; People's Progressive Party or PPP [Mannaseh
Damukana SOGAVARE]; Solomon Islands Alliance for Change Coalition or
SIACC [Bartholomew ULUFA'ALU]; Solomon Islands Labor Party or SILP
[Joses TUHANUKU]
note: in general, Solomon Islands politics is characterized by fluid
coalitions

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

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

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Colin BECK
chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400L, New York, NY 10017
telephone: [1] (212) 599-6192, 6193
FAX: [1] (212) 661-8925

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

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

Economy Solomon Islands

Economy - overview:
The bulk of the population depends on agriculture, fishing, and
forestry for at least part of their livelihood. Most manufactured
goods and petroleum products must be imported. The islands are rich
in undeveloped mineral resources such as lead, zinc, nickel, and
gold. However, severe ethnic violence, the closing of key business
enterprises, and an empty government treasury have led to serious
economic disarray, indeed near collapse. Tanker deliveries of
crucial fuel supplies (including those for electrical generation)
have become sporadic due to the government's inability to pay and
attacks against ships. Telecommunications are threatened by the
nonpayment of bills and by the lack of technical and maintenance
staff many of whom have left the country.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $800 million (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
-10% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 42%
industry: 11%
services: 47% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.8% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
26,842

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 75%, industry 5%, services 20% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
NA%

Budget:
revenues: $38 million
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001)

Industries:
fish (tuna), mining, timber

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - production:
32 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
29.76 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
1,250 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

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

Exports:
$47 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)

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

Exports - partners:
Japan 21.2%, China 18.8%, South Korea 16.3%, Philippines 8.9%,
Thailand 7.6%, Singapore 4.1% (2002)

Imports:
$82 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities:
food, plant and equipment, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals

Imports - partners:
Australia 31.3%, Singapore 19.7%, New Zealand 5.1%, Fiji 4.6%,
Papua New Guinea 4.5% (2002)

Debt - external:
$137 million (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$28 million mainly from Japan, Australia, China, and NZ (2001 est.)

Currency:
Solomon Islands dollar (SBD)

Currency code:
SBD

Exchange rates:
Solomon Islands dollars per US dollar - NA (2002), NA (2001), 5.09
(2000), 4.84 (1999), 4.82 (1998)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Solomon Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:
8,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
658 (1997)

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

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 3, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
57,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
0 (1997)

Televisions:
3,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.sb

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
8,400 (2002)

Transportation Solomon Islands

Railways:
0 km

Highways:
total: 1,360 km
paved: 34 km
unpaved: 1,326 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
none

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

Merchant marine:
none (2002 est.)

Airports:
32 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 30
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m: 20 (2002)

Military Solomon Islands

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA%

Transnational Issues Solomon Islands

Disputes - international:
none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Somalia

Introduction Somalia

Background:
The SIAD BARRE regime was ousted in January 1991; turmoil,
factional fighting, and anarchy have followed for twelve years. In
May of 1991, northern clans declared an independent Republic of
Somaliland that now includes the administrative regions of Awdal,
Woqooyi Galbeed, Togdheer, Sanaag, and Sool. Although not recognized
by any government, this entity has maintained a stable existence,
aided by the overwhelming dominance of a ruling clan and economic
infrastructure left behind by British, Russian, and American
military assistance programs. The regions of Bari and Nugaal and
northern Mudug comprise a neighboring self-declared autonomous state
of Puntland, which has been self-governing since 1998, but does not
aim at independence; it has also made strides towards reconstructing
a legitimate, representative government, but has suffered civil
strife in 2002. Puntland disputes its border with Somaliland as it
also claims portions of eastern Sool and Sanaag. Beginning in 1993,
a two-year UN humanitarian effort (primarily in the south) was able
to alleviate famine conditions, but when the UN withdrew in 1995,
having suffered significant casualties, order still had not been
restored. The mandate of the Transitional National Government (TNG),
created in August 2000 in Arta, Djibouti, expires in August 2003 and
a new interim government was being created at peace talks held in
Kenya. Numerous warlords and factions are still fighting for control
of Mogadishu and the other southern regions. Suspicion of Somali
links with global terrorism further complicates the picture.

Geography Somalia

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

Geographic coordinates:
10 00 N, 49 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 637,657 sq km
water: 10,320 sq km
land: 627,337 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries:
total: 2,340 km
border countries: Djibouti 58 km, Ethiopia 1,600 km, Kenya 682 km

Coastline:
3,025 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 200 NM

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

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

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

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

Land use:
arable land: 1.66%
permanent crops: 0.04%
other: 98.3% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
2,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains in
summer; floods during rainy season

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

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

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

People Somalia

Population:
8,025,190
note: this estimate was derived from an official census taken in
1975 by the Somali Government; population counting in Somalia is
complicated by the large number of nomads and by refugee movements
in response to famine and clan warfare (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 44.8% (male 1,802,154; female 1,792,749)
15-64 years: 52.5% (male 2,120,934; female 2,093,699)
65 years and over: 2.7% (male 93,682; female 121,972) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 17.6 years
male: 17.6 years
female: 17.6 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
3.43% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
46.42 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
17.64 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
5.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 120.34 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 110.56 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 129.84 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 47.34 years
male: 45.67 years
female: 49.05 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
6.98 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
43,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Somali(s)
adjective: Somali

Ethnic groups:
Somali 85%, Bantu and other non-Somali 15% (including Arabs 30,000)

Religions:
Sunni Muslim

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

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 37.8%
male: 49.7%
female: 25.8% (2001 est.)

Government Somalia

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

Government type:
no permanent national government; transitional, parliamentary
national government

Capital:
Mogadishu

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

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