Chapter LVII: Front Matter (57)

Industries:
machine tools, electric power equipment, automation equipment,
railroad equipment, shipbuilding, aircraft, motor vehicles and
parts, electronics and communications equipment, metals, chemicals,
coal, petroleum, paper and paper products, food processing,
textiles, clothing, and other consumer goods

Industrial production growth rate:
-3.4% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
360.9 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 73.8%
hydro: 0.9%
other: 1.6% (2001)
nuclear: 23.7%

Electricity - consumption:
346.1 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
264 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
10.66 billion kWh (2001)

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

Oil - consumption:
1.71 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
2.205 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
1.418 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
4.741 billion bbl (37257)

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

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

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

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

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

Agriculture - products:
cereals, oilseed, potatoes, vegetables; cattle, sheep, poultry; fish

Exports:
$286.3 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals; food, beverages, tobacco

Exports - partners:
US 15.5%, Germany 11.2%, France 9.4%, Ireland 8%, Netherlands 7.1%,
Belgium 5.2%, Italy 4.4%, Spain 4.3% (2002)

Imports:
$330.1 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
manufactured goods, machinery, fuels; foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
Germany 12.9%, US 11.9%, France 7.8%, Netherlands 6.3%, Belgium 5%,
Italy 4.4% (2002)

Debt - external:
$NA

Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $4.5 billion (2000)

Currency:
British pound (GBP)

Currency code:
GBP

Exchange rates:
British pounds per US dollar - 0.67 (2002), 0.69 (2001), 0.66
(2000), 0.62 (1999), 0.6 (1998)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications United Kingdom

Telephones - main lines in use:
34.878 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
43.5 million (yearend 1998)

Telephone system:
general assessment: technologically advanced domestic and
international system
domestic: equal mix of buried cables, microwave radio relay, and
fiber-optic systems
international: 40 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations
- 10 Intelsat (7 Atlantic Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat
(Atlantic Ocean region), and 1 Eutelsat; at least 8 large
international switching centers

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 219, FM 431, shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios:
84.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
228 (plus 3,523 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
30.5 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.uk

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
more than 400 (2000)

Internet users:
34.3 million (2002)

Transportation United Kingdom

Railways:
total: 16,893 km
standard gauge: 16,536 km 1.435-m gauge (4,928 km electrified)
broad gauge: 357 km 1.600-m gauge (in Northern Ireland) (2002)

Highways:
total: 371,913 km
paved: 371,913 km (including 3,358 km of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (1999)

Waterways:
3,200 km

Pipelines:
condensate 370 km; gas 21,263 km; liquid petroleum gas 59 km; oil
6,420 km; oil/gas/water 63 km; refined products 4,474 km; water 650
km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
Aberdeen, Belfast, Bristol, Cardiff, Dover, Falmouth, Felixstowe,
Glasgow, Grangemouth, Hull, Leith, Liverpool, London, Manchester,
Peterhead, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Scapa Flow, Southampton, Sullom
Voe, Teesport, Tyne

Merchant marine:
total: 295 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,752,179 GRT/6,963,112 DWT
ships by type: bulk 14, cargo 43, chemical tanker 19, combination
ore/oil 1, container 95, liquefied gas 4, livestock carrier 1,
passenger 18, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 50, refrigerated
cargo 3, roll on/roll off 37, short-sea passenger 8, specialized
tanker 1
note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
convenience: Bermuda 1, Cyprus 1, Denmark 21, Germany 6, Greece 3,
Hong Kong 4, Italy 1, Monaco 4, Netherlands 1, Norway 9, Russia 1,
South Africa 2, Sweden 11, Taiwan 2, US 5 (2002 est.)

Airports:
470 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 334
over 3,047 m: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 33
914 to 1,523 m: 83
under 914 m: 59 (2002)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 151

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 136
2438 to 3047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 112 (2002)
914 to 1,523 m: 22

Heliports:
11 (2002)

Military United Kingdom

Military branches:
Army, Royal Navy (including Royal Marines), Royal Air Force

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 14,877,666 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 12,353,942 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$31.7 billion (2002)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.32% (2002)

Transnational Issues United Kingdom

Disputes - international:
Gibraltar residents vote overwhelmingly in referendum against
"total shared sovereignty" arrangement worked out between Spain and
UK to change 300-year rule over colony; Mauritius and Seychelles
claim the Chagos Archipelago (British Indian Ocean Territory) and
its former inhabitants, who reside chiefly in Mauritius, but in 2001
were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation since
eviction in 1965; Argentina claims the Falkland Islands (Islas
Malvinas) and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; Rockall
continental shelf dispute involving Denmark and Iceland; territorial
claim in Antarctica (British Antarctic Territory) overlaps Argentine
claim and partially overlaps Chilean claim; disputes with Iceland,
Denmark, and Ireland over the Faroe Islands continental shelf
boundary outside 200 NM

Illicit drugs:
gateway country for Latin American cocaine entering the European
market; major consumer of synthetic drugs, producer of limited
amounts of synthetic drugs and synthetic precursor chemicals; major
consumer of Southwest Asian heroin; money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@United States

Introduction United States

Background:
Britain's American colonies broke with the mother country in 1776
and were recognized as the new nation of the United States of
America following the Treaty of Paris in 1783. During the 19th and
20th centuries, 37 new states were added to the original 13 as the
nation expanded across the North American continent and acquired a
number of overseas possessions. The two most traumatic experiences
in the nation's history were the Civil War (1861-65) and the Great
Depression of the 1930s. Buoyed by victories in World Wars I and II
and the end of the Cold War in 1991, the US remains the world's most
powerful nation-state. The economy is marked by steady growth, low
unemployment and inflation, and rapid advances in technology.

Geography United States

Location:
North America, bordering both the North Atlantic Ocean and the
North Pacific Ocean, between Canada and Mexico

Geographic coordinates:
38 00 N, 97 00 W

Map references:
North America

Area:
total: 9,629,091 sq km
land: 9,158,960 sq km
water: 470,131 sq km
note: includes only the 50 states and District of Columbia

Area - comparative:
about half the size of Russia; about three-tenths the size of
Africa; about half the size of South America (or slightly larger
than Brazil); slightly larger than China; about two and a half times
the size of Western Europe

Land boundaries:
total: 12,034 km
border countries: Canada 8,893 km (including 2,477 km with Alaska),
Mexico 3,141 km
note: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba is leased by the US and
thus remains part of Cuba; the base boundary is 29 km

Coastline:
19,924 km

Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 NM
continental shelf: not specified
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
mostly temperate, but tropical in Hawaii and Florida, arctic in
Alaska, semiarid in the great plains west of the Mississippi River,
and arid in the Great Basin of the southwest; low winter
temperatures in the northwest are ameliorated occasionally in
January and February by warm chinook winds from the eastern slopes
of the Rocky Mountains

Terrain:
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

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Death Valley -86 m
highest point: Mount McKinley 6,194 m

Natural resources:
coal, copper, lead, molybdenum, phosphates, uranium, bauxite, gold,
iron, mercury, nickel, potash, silver, tungsten, zinc, petroleum,
natural gas, timber

Land use:
arable land: 19.32%
other: 80.46% (1998 est.)
permanent crops: 0.22%

Irrigated land:
214,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
tsunamis, volcanoes, and earthquake activity around Pacific Basin;
hurricanes along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts; tornadoes
in the midwest and southeast; mud slides in California; forest fires
in the west; flooding; permafrost in northern Alaska, a major
impediment to development

Environment - current issues:
air pollution resulting in acid rain in both the US and Canada; the
US is the largest single emitter of carbon dioxide from the burning
of fossil fuels; water pollution from runoff of pesticides and
fertilizers; very limited natural fresh water resources in much of
the western part of the country require careful management;
desertification

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

Geography - note:
world's third-largest country by size (after Russia and Canada) and
by population (after China and India); Mt. McKinley is highest point
in North America and Death Valley the lowest point on the continent

People United States

Population:
290,342,554 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 20.9% (male 31,098,473; female 29,675,712)
15-64 years: 66.7% (male 96,628,469; female 97,061,559)
65 years and over: 12.4% (male 14,888,185; female 20,990,156) (2003
est.)

Median age:
total: 35.8 years
male: 34.5 years
female: 37.1 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
0.92% (2003 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
3.52 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: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.75 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 7.46 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.14 years
female: 80.05 years (2003 est.)
male: 74.37 years

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.6% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
900,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
15,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: American(s)
adjective: American

Ethnic groups:
white 77.1%, black 12.9%, Asian 4.2%, Amerindian and Alaska native
1.5%, native Hawaiian and other Pacific islander 0.3%, other 4%
(2000)
note: a separate listing for Hispanic is not included because the US
Census Bureau considers Hispanic to mean a person of Latin American
descent (including persons of Cuban, Mexican, or Puerto Rican
origin) living in the US who may be of any race or ethnic group
(white, black, Asian, etc.)

Religions:
Protestant 56%, Roman Catholic 28%, Jewish 2%, other 4%, none 10%
(1989)

Languages:
English, Spanish (spoken by a sizable minority)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
female: 97% (1979 est.)
total population: 97%
male: 97%

People - note:
data for the US are based on projections that do not take into
consideration the results of the 2000 census

Government United States

Country name:
conventional long form: United States of America
conventional short form: United States
abbreviation: US or USA

Government type:
Constitution-based federal republic; strong democratic tradition

Capital:
Washington, DC

Administrative divisions:
50 states and 1 district*; Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas,
California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia*,
Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas,
Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan,
Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New
Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North
Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South
Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia,
Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming

Dependent areas:
American Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland Island, Jarvis Island,
Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island,
Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll, Puerto Rico, Virgin
Islands, Wake Island
note: from 18 July 1947 until 1 October 1994, the US administered
the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, but recently entered
into a new political relationship with all four political units: the
Northern Mariana Islands is a commonwealth in political union with
the US (effective 3 November 1986); Palau concluded a Compact of
Free Association with the US (effective 1 October 1994); the
Federated States of Micronesia signed a Compact of Free Association
with the US (effective 3 November 1986); the Republic of the
Marshall Islands signed a Compact of Free Association with the US
(effective 21 October 1986)

Independence:
4 July 1776 (from Great Britain)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 4 July (1776)

Constitution:
17 September 1787, effective 4 March 1789

Legal system:
based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts;
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President George W. BUSH (since 20 January 2001)
and Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001); note -
the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President George W. BUSH (since 20 January 2001)
and Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001); note -
the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with Senate approval
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by a college of representatives who are elected directly from each
state; president and vice president serve four-year terms; election
last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held 2 November 2004)
election results: George W. BUSH elected president; percent of
popular vote - George W. BUSH (Republican Party) 48%, Albert A.
GORE, Jr. (Democratic Party) 48%, Ralph NADER (Green Party) 3%,
other 1%

Legislative branch:
bicameral Congress consists of the Senate (100 seats, one-third are
renewed every two years; two members are elected from each state by
popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of
Representatives (435 seats; members are directly elected by popular
vote to serve two-year terms)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - Republican Party 51, Democratic Party 48, independent 1;
House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - Republican Party 226, Democratic Party 204, independent 1,
undecided 4
elections: Senate - last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held NA
November 2004); House of Representatives - last held 5 November 2002
(next to be held NA November 2004)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (its nine justices are appointed for life by the
president with confirmation by the Senate); United States Courts of
Appeal; United States District Courts; State and County Courts

Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party [Terence McAULIFFE]; Green Party [leader NA];
Libertarian Party [Steve DASBACH]; Republican Party [Governor Marc
RACICOT]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
AfDB, ANZUS, APEC, ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue
partner), Australia Group, BIS, CE (observer), CERN (observer), CP,
EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, ESCAP, FAO, G-5, G-7, G- 8, G-10, IADB,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
MINURSO, MIPONUH, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW,
OSCE, PCA, SPC, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNHCR, UNIKOM,
UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMISET, UNMOVIC, UNOMIG, UNRWA,
UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Flag description:
thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom)
alternating with white; there is a blue rectangle in the upper
hoist-side corner bearing 50 small, white, five-pointed stars
arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top and
bottom) alternating with rows of five stars; the 50 stars represent
the 50 states, the 13 stripes represent the 13 original colonies;
known as Old Glory; the design and colors have been the basis for a
number of other flags, including Chile, Liberia, Malaysia, and
Puerto Rico

Economy United States

Economy - overview:
The US has the largest and most technologically powerful economy in
the world, with a per capita GDP of $37,600. In this market-oriented
economy, private individuals and business firms make most of the
decisions, and the federal and state governments buy needed goods
and services predominantly in the private marketplace. US business
firms enjoy considerably greater flexibility than their counterparts
in Western Europe and Japan in decisions to expand capital plant,
lay off surplus workers, and develop new products. At the same time,
they face higher barriers to entry in their rivals' home markets
than the barriers to entry of foreign firms in US markets. US firms
are at or near the forefront in technological advances, especially
in computers and in medical, aerospace, and military equipment,
although their advantage has narrowed since the end of World War II.
The onrush of technology largely explains the gradual development of
a "two-tier labor market" in which those at the bottom lack the
education and the professional/technical skills of those at the top
and, more and more, fail to get comparable pay raises, health
insurance coverage, and other benefits. Since 1975, practically all
the gains in household income have gone to the top 20% of
households. The years 1994-2000 witnessed solid increases in real
output, low inflation rates, and a drop in unemployment to below 5%.
The year 2001 saw the end of boom psychology and performance, with
output increasing only 0.3% and unemployment and business failures
rising substantially. The response to the terrorist attacks of 11
September 2001 showed the remarkable resilience of the economy.
Moderate recovery took place in 2002, with the GDP growth rate
rising to 2.45%. A major short-term problem in first half 2002 was a
sharp decline in the stock market, fueled in part by the exposure of
dubious accounting practices in some major corporations. The war in
March/April 2003 between a US-led coalition and Iraq shifted
resources to military industries and introduced uncertainties about
investment and employment in other sectors of the economy. Long-term
problems include inadequate investment in economic infrastructure,
rapidly rising medical and pension costs of an aging population,
sizable trade deficits, and stagnation of family income in the lower
economic groups.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $10.45 trillion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
2.4% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $36,300 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 2%
industry: 18%
services: 80% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
12.7% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.8%
highest 10%: 30.5% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
40.8 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.6% (2002)

Labor force:
141.8 million (includes unemployed) (2001)

Labor force - by occupation:
managerial and professional 31%, technical, sales and
administrative support 28.9%, services 13.6%, manufacturing, mining,
transportation, and crafts 24.1%, farming, forestry, and fishing 2.4%
note: figures exclude the unemployed (2001)

Unemployment rate:
5.8% (2002)

Budget:
revenues: $1.946 trillion
expenditures: $2.052 trillion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2002 est.)

Industries:
leading industrial power in the world, highly diversified and
technologically advanced; petroleum, steel, motor vehicles,
aerospace, telecommunications, chemicals, electronics, food
processing, consumer goods, lumber, mining

Industrial production growth rate:
-0.4% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
3.719 trillion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 71.4%
hydro: 5.6%
other: 2.3% (2001)
nuclear: 20.7%

Electricity - consumption:
3.602 trillion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
18.17 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
38.48 billion kWh (2001)

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

Oil - consumption:
19.65 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
22.45 billion bbl (37257)

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

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

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

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

Natural gas - proved reserves:
5.195 trillion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products:
wheat, corn, other grains, fruits, vegetables, cotton; beef, pork,
poultry, dairy products; forest products; fish

Exports:
$687 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
capital goods, automobiles, industrial supplies and raw materials,
consumer goods, agricultural products

Exports - partners:
Canada 23.2%, Mexico 14.1%, Japan 7.4%, UK 4.8% (2002)

Imports:
$1.165 trillion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
crude oil and refined petroleum products, machinery, automobiles,
consumer goods, industrial raw materials, food and beverages

Imports - partners:
Canada 17.8%, Mexico 11.3%, China 11.1%, Japan 10.4%, Germany 5.3%
(2002)

Debt - external:
$862 billion (1995 est.)

Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $6.9 billion (1997)

Currency:
US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
USD

Exchange rates:
British pounds per US dollar - 0.6661 (2002), 0.6944 (2001), 0.6596
(2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998), Canadian dollars per US dollar
- 1.5693 (2002), 1.5488 (2001), 1.4851 (2000), 1.4857 (1999), 1.4835
(1998), Japanese yen per US dollar - 125.39 (2002), 121.53 (2001),
107.77 (2000), 113.91 (1999), 130.91 (1998), euros per US dollar -
1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.08540 (2000), 0.93863 (1999)
note: financial institutions in France, Italy, and Germany and eight
other European countries started using the euro on 1 January 1999
with the euro replacing the local currency in consenting countries
for all transactions in 2002

Fiscal year:
1 October - 30 September

Communications United States

Telephones - main lines in use:
194 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
69.209 million (1998)

Telephone system:
general assessment: a very large, technologically advanced,
multipurpose communications system
domestic: a large system of fiber-optic cable, microwave radio
relay, coaxial cable, and domestic satellites carries every form of
telephone traffic; a rapidly growing cellular system carries mobile
telephone traffic throughout the country
international: 24 ocean cable systems in use; satellite earth
stations - 61 Intelsat (45 Atlantic Ocean and 16 Pacific Ocean), 5
Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region), and 4 Inmarsat (Pacific and
Atlantic Ocean regions) (2000)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 4,762, FM 5,542, shortwave 18 (1998)

Radios:
575 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
more than 1,500 (including nearly 1,000 stations affiliated with
the five major networks - NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX, and PBS; in addition,
there are about 9,000 cable TV systems) (1997)

Televisions:
219 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.us

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
7,000 (2002 est.)

Internet users:
165.75 million (2002)

Transportation United States

Railways:
total: 194,731 km mainline routes
standard gauge: 194,731 km 1.435-m gauge
note: represents the aggregate length of roadway of all line-haul
railroads including an estimate for class II and III railroads;
excludes 135,185 km of yard tracks, sidings, and parallel lines
(2000)

Highways:
total: 6,334,859 km
paved: 3,737,567 km (including 89,426 km of expressways)
unpaved: 2,597,292 km (2000)

Waterways:
41,009 km
note: navigable inland channels, exclusive of the Great Lakes

Pipelines:
petroleum products 244,620 km; natural gas 548,665 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
Anchorage, Baltimore, Boston, Charleston, Chicago, Duluth, Hampton
Roads, Honolulu, Houston, Jacksonville, Los Angeles, New Orleans,
New York, Philadelphia, Port Canaveral, Portland (Oregon), Prudhoe
Bay, San Francisco, Savannah, Seattle, Tampa, Toledo

Merchant marine:
total: 348 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 9,414,676 GRT/12,207,346 DWT
ships by type: barge carrier 2, bulk 71, cargo 26, chemical tanker
13, combination bulk 2, combination ore/oil 1, container 79,
freighter 15, heavy lift carrier 3, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum
tanker 73, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 46, short-sea
passenger 2, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 9
note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
convenience: Australia 1, Canada 4, Denmark 15, France 1, Germany 1,
Netherlands 3, Norway 7, Puerto Rico 4, Singapore 11, Sweden 1,
United Kingdom 3; also, the US owns 549 additional ships (1,000 GRT
or over) totaling 29,616,347 DWT that operate under the registries
of Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Belize, Bermuda,
Cambodia, Canada, Cayman Islands, Cyprus, Finland, Gibraltar, Hong
Kong (China), Indonesia, Isle of Man, Italy, Liberia, Malta,
Marshall Islands, Netherlands, Norway, Norway (NIS), Panama, Peru,
Philippines, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Singapore, Tonga, UK,
Vanuatu, and Wallis and Futuna (2002 est.)

Airports:
14,801 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 5,131
over 3,047 m: 185
2,438 to 3,047 m: 222
914 to 1,523 m: 2,390
under 914 m: 969 (2002)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1,365

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 9,670
under 914 m: 7,802 (2002)
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 1,702
1,524 to 2,437 m: 158

Heliports:
149 (2002)

Military United States

Military branches:
Army, Navy and Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard (Coast
Guard administered in peacetime by the Department of Homeland
Security but in wartime reports to the Department of the Navy)

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

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 73,597,731 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
NA

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 2,116,002 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$276.7 billion (FY99 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
3.2% (FY99 est.)

Military - note:
note: 2002 estimates for military manpower are based on projections
that do not take into consideration the results of the 2000 census

Transnational Issues United States

Disputes - international:
prolonged drought in the Mexico border region has strained
water-sharing arrangements; 1990 Maritime Boundary Agreement in the
Bering Sea awaits Russian Duma ratification; maritime boundary
disputes with Canada at Dixon Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan
de Fuca, and around the disputed Machias Seal Island and North Rock;
The Bahamas have not been able to agree on a maritime boundary; US
Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased from Cuba and only mutual
agreement or US abandonment of the area can terminate the lease;
Haiti claims Navassa Island; US has made no territorial claim in
Antarctica (but has reserved the right to do so) and does not
recognize the claims of any other state; Marshall Islands claims
Wake Island

Illicit drugs:
consumer of cocaine shipped from Colombia through Mexico and the
Caribbean; consumer of heroin, marijuana, and increasingly
methamphetamine from Mexico; consumer of high-quality Southeast
Asian heroin; illicit producer of cannabis, marijuana, depressants,
stimulants, hallucinogens, and methamphetamine; money-laundering
center

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Uruguay

Introduction Uruguay

Background:
A violent Marxist urban guerrilla movement, the Tupamaros, launched
in the late 1960s, led Uruguay's president to agree to military
control of his administration in 1973. By yearend, the rebels had
been crushed, but the military continued to expand its hold
throughout the government. Civilian rule was not restored until
1985. Uruguay's political and labor conditions are among the freest
on the continent.

Geography Uruguay

Location:
Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between
Argentina and Brazil

Geographic coordinates:
33 00 S, 56 00 W

Map references:
South America

Area:
total: 176,220 sq km
land: 173,620 sq km
water: 2,600 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than the state of Washington

Land boundaries:
total: 1,564 km
border countries: Argentina 579 km, Brazil 985 km

Coastline:
660 km

Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate:
warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown

Terrain:
mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Cerro Catedral 514 m

Natural resources:
arable land, hydropower, minor minerals, fisheries

Land use:
arable land: 7.21%
permanent crops: 0.27%
other: 92.52% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
1,800 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
seasonally high winds (the pampero is a chilly and occasional
violent wind which blows north from the Argentine pampas), droughts,
floods; because of the absence of mountains, which act as weather
barriers, all locations are particularly vulnerable to rapid changes
from weather fronts

Environment - current issues:
water pollution from meat packing/tannery industry; inadequate
solid/hazardous waste disposal

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation,
Nuclear Test Ban

Geography - note:
second-smallest South American country (after Suriname); most of
the low-lying landscape (three-quarters of the country) is
grassland, ideal for cattle and sheep raising

People Uruguay

Population:
3,413,329 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 24.3% (male 425,642; female 404,987)
15-64 years: 62.6% (male 1,057,187; female 1,079,549)
65 years and over: 13.1% (male 182,696; female 263,268) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 31.8 years
male: 30.2 years
female: 33.4 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
0.79% (2003 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
-0.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 13.8 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 11.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 15.61 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.87 years
male: 72.54 years
female: 79.38 years (2003 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.3% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
6,300 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 500 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Uruguayan(s)
adjective: Uruguayan

Ethnic groups:
white 88%, mestizo 8%, black 4%, Amerindian, practically nonexistent

Religions:
Roman Catholic 66% (less than half of the adult population attends
church regularly), Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, nonprofessing or other
31%

Languages:
Spanish, Portunol, or Brazilero (Portuguese-Spanish mix on the
Brazilian frontier)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: 97.6%
female: 98.4% (2003 est.)

Government Uruguay

Country name:
conventional long form: Oriental Republic of Uruguay
conventional short form: Uruguay
local short form: Uruguay
former: Banda Oriental, Cisplatine Province
local long form: Republica Oriental del Uruguay

Government type:
constitutional republic

Capital:
Montevideo

Administrative divisions:
19 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Artigas,
Canelones, Cerro Largo, Colonia, Durazno, Flores, Florida,
Lavalleja, Maldonado, Montevideo, Paysandu, Rio Negro, Rivera,
Rocha, Salto, San Jose, Soriano, Tacuarembo, Treinta y Tres

Independence:
25 August 1825 (from Brazil)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 25 August (1825)

Constitution:
27 November 1966, effective February 1967, suspended 27 June 1973,
new constitution rejected by referendum 30 November 1980; two
constitutional reforms approved by plebiscite 26 November 1989 and 7
January 1997

Legal system:
based on Spanish civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jorge BATLLE Ibanez (since 1 March 2000)
and Vice President Luis HIERRO (since 1 March 2000); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Jorge BATLLE Ibanez (since 1 March
2000) and Vice President Luis HIERRO (since 1 March 2000); note -
the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president with
parliamentary approval
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 31 October
1999, with runoff election on 28 November 1999 (next to be held NA
2004)
election results: Jorge BATLLE Ibanez elected president; percent of
vote - Jorge BATLLE Ibanez 52% in a runoff against Tabare VAZQUEZ 44%

Legislative branch:
bicameral General Assembly or Asamblea General consists of Chamber
of Senators or Camara de Senadores (30 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve five-year terms) and Chamber of
Representatives or Camara de Representantes (99 seats; members are
elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: Chamber of Senators - last held 31 October 1999 (next to
be held NA 2004); Chamber of Representatives - last held 31 October
1999 (next to be held NA 2004)
election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party -
NA%; seats by party - Encuentro Progresista 12, Colorado Party 10,
Blanco 7, New Sector/Space Coalition 1; Chamber of Representatives -
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Encuentro
Progresista 40, Colorado Party 33, Blanco 22, New Sector/Space
Coalition 4

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are nominated by the president and elected
for 10-year terms by the General Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:
Colorado Party [Jorge BATLLE Ibanez]; National Party or Blanco
[Luis Alberto LACALLE Herrera]; New Sector/Space Coalition or Nuevo
Espacio [Rafael MICHELINI]; Progressive Encounter/Broad Front
Coalition or Encuentro Progresista/Frente Amplio [Tabare VAZQUEZ]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES,
LAIA, Mercosur, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW,
PCA, RG, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMISET,
UNMOGIP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Hugo FERNANDEZ-FAINGOLD
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, and New York
FAX: [1] (202) 331-8142
telephone: [1] (202) 331-1313 through 1316
chancery: 1913 I Street NW, Washington, DC 20006

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Martin J. SILVERSTEIN
embassy: Lauro Muller 1776, Montevideo 11200
mailing address: APO AA 34035
telephone: [598] (2) 418-7777
FAX: [598] (2) 418-8611

Flag description:
nine equal horizontal stripes of white (top and bottom) alternating
with blue; there is a white square in the upper hoist-side corner
with a yellow sun bearing a human face known as the Sun of May and
16 rays alternately triangular and wavy

Economy Uruguay

Economy - overview:
Uruguay's economy is characterized by an export-oriented
agricultural sector, a well-educated workforce, and high levels of
social spending. After averaging growth of 5% annually during
1996-98, in 1999-2002 the economy suffered a major downturn,
stemming largely from lower demand in Argentina and Brazil, which
together account for nearly half of Uruguay's exports. Total GDP in
these four years dropped by nearly 20%, with 2002 the worst year.
Unemployment rose to nearly 20% in 2002, inflation surged, and the
burden of external debt doubled. Cooperation with the IMF and the US
has limited the damage, which is still extensive. Moves to
reschedule debt and promote economic recovery may help limit a
further decline in output in 2003.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $26.82 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
-10.8% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $7,900 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 6%
industry: 27%
services: 67% (2001)

Population below poverty line:
6% (1997)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.7%
highest 10%: 25.8% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
42.3 (1989)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
14.1% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
1.2 million (2001)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 14%, industry 16%, services 70%

Unemployment rate:
19.4% (2002)

Budget:
revenues: $3.7 billion
expenditures: $4.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $500
million (2000)

Industries:
food processing, electrical machinery, transportation equipment,
petroleum products, textiles, chemicals, beverages

Industrial production growth rate:
-12% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
7.963 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 0.7%
hydro: 99.1%
other: 0.3% (2001)
nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
6.152 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
1.377 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
123 million kWh (2001)

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

Oil - consumption:
41,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

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

Natural gas - consumption:
40 million cu m (2001 est.)

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

Natural gas - imports:
40 million cu m (2001 est.)

Agriculture - products:
rice, wheat, corn, barley; livestock; fish

Exports:
$2.1 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
meat, rice, leather products, wool, vehicles, dairy products

Exports - partners:
Brazil 21%, Argentina 15%, US 8.1%, Germany 5.1%, Italy 4% (2002)

Imports:
$1.87 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery, chemicals, road vehicles, crude petroleum

Imports - partners:
Argentina 25.6%, Brazil 22.7%, US 7.7%, Venezuela 6.2% (2002)

Debt - external:
$11.8 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$NA

Currency:
Uruguayan peso (UYU)

Currency code:
UYU

Exchange rates:
Uruguayan pesos per US dollar - 21.26 (2002), 13.32 (2001), 12.1
(2000), 11.34 (1999), 10.47 (1998)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Uruguay

Telephones - main lines in use:
929,141 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
350,000 (2001)

Telephone system:
general assessment: fully digitalized
domestic: most modern facilities concentrated in Montevideo; new
nationwide microwave radio relay network
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic
Ocean) (2002)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 91, FM 149, shortwave 7 (2001)

Radios:
1.97 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
20 (2001)

Televisions:
782,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.uy

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
14 (2001)

Internet users:
400,000 (2002)

Transportation Uruguay

Railways:
total: 2,073 km
standard gauge: 2,073 km 1.435-m gauge
note: 461 km have been taken out of service and 460 km are in
partial use (2002)

Highways:
total: 8,983 km
paved: 8,081 km
unpaved: 902 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
1,600 km (used by coastal and shallow-draft river craft)

Pipelines:
gas 192 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
Colonia, Fray Bentos, Juan La Caze, La Paloma, Montevideo, Nueva
Palmira, Paysandu, Punta del Este, Piriapolis

Merchant marine:
total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 10,918 GRT/9,775 DWT
note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
convenience: Argentina 4, Greece 1 (2002 est.)
ships by type: chemical tanker 1, container 1, petroleum tanker 1,
roll on/roll off 1

Airports:
64 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 15
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 49
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 16
under 914 m: 31 (2002)

Military Uruguay

Military branches:
Army, Navy (including Naval Air Arm, Coast Guard, Marines), Air
Force, Police (Coracero Guard, Grenadier Guard)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 831,297 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 672,030 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$250 million (1999)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.1% (2000)

Transnational Issues Uruguay

Disputes - international:
uncontested dispute with Brazil over certain islands in the
Quarai/Cuareim and Invernada streams and the resulting tripoint with
Argentina

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Uzbekistan

Introduction Uzbekistan

Background:
Russia conquered Uzbekistan in the late 19th century. Stiff
resistance to the Red Army after World War I was eventually
suppressed and a socialist republic set up in 1924. During the
Soviet era, intensive production of "white gold" (cotton) and grain
led to overuse of agrochemicals and the depletion of water supplies,
which have left the land poisoned and the Aral Sea and certain
rivers half dry. Independent since 1991, the country seeks to
gradually lessen its dependence on agriculture while developing its
mineral and petroleum reserves. Current concerns include terrorism
by Islamic militants, a nonconvertible currency, and the curtailment
of human rights and democratization.

Geography Uzbekistan

Location:
Central Asia, north of Afghanistan

Geographic coordinates:
41 00 N, 64 00 E

Map references:
Asia

Area:
total: 447,400 sq km
water: 22,000 sq km
land: 425,400 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than California

Land boundaries:
total: 6,221 km
border countries: Afghanistan 137 km, Kazakhstan 2,203 km,
Kyrgyzstan 1,099 km, Tajikistan 1,161 km, Turkmenistan 1,621 km

Coastline:
0 km (doubly landlocked); note - Uzbekistan includes the southern
portion of the Aral Sea with a 420 km shoreline

Maritime claims:
none (doubly landlocked)

Climate:
mostly midlatitude desert, long, hot summers, mild winters;
semiarid grassland in east

Terrain:
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

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Sariqarnish Kuli -12 m
highest point: Adelunga Toghi 4,301 m

Natural resources:
natural gas, petroleum, coal, gold, uranium, silver, copper, lead
and zinc, tungsten, molybdenum

Land use:
arable land: 10.8%
permanent crops: 0.91%
other: 88.29% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
42,810 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
shrinkage of the Aral Sea is resulting in growing concentrations of
chemical pesticides and natural salts; these substances are then
blown from the increasingly exposed lake bed and contribute to
desertification; water pollution from industrial wastes and the
heavy use of fertilizers and pesticides is the cause of many human
health disorders; increasing soil salination; soil contamination
from buried nuclear processing and agricultural chemicals, including
DDT

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
along with Liechtenstein, one of the only two doubly landlocked
countries in the world

People Uzbekistan

Population:
25,981,647 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 34.7% (male 4,594,721; female 4,431,653)
15-64 years: 60.5% (male 7,781,739; female 7,945,641)
65 years and over: 4.7% (male 497,692; female 730,201) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 21.8 years
male: 21.2 years
female: 22.5 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
1.63% (2003 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
-1.83 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: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 71.51 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 67.56 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 75.27 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 64 years
male: 60.53 years
female: 67.64 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
3 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 740 (2001 est.)

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

Nationality:
noun: Uzbek(s)
adjective: Uzbek

Ethnic groups:
Uzbek 80%, Russian 5.5%, Tajik 5%, Kazakh 3%, Karakalpak 2.5%,
Tatar 1.5%, other 2.5% (1996 est.)

Religions:
Muslim 88% (mostly Sunnis), Eastern Orthodox 9%, other 3%

Languages:
Uzbek 74.3%, Russian 14.2%, Tajik 4.4%, other 7.1%

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.3%
male: 99.6%
female: 99% (2003 est.)

Government Uzbekistan

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Uzbekistan
conventional short form: Uzbekistan
local short form: Ozbekiston
former: Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic
local long form: Ozbekiston Respublikasi

Government type:
republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little power
outside the executive branch

Capital:
Tashkent (Toshkent)

Administrative divisions:
12 provinces (viloyatlar, singular - viloyat), 1 autonomous
republic* (respublika), and 1 city** (shahar); Andijon Viloyati,
Buxoro Viloyati, Farg'ona Viloyati, Jizzax Viloyati, Namangan
Viloyati, Navoiy Viloyati, Qashqadaryo Viloyati (Qarshi),
Qaraqalpog'iston Respublikasi* (Nukus), Samarqand Viloyati, Sirdaryo
Viloyati (Guliston), Surxondaryo Viloyati (Termiz), Toshkent
Shahri**, Toshkent Viloyati, Xorazm Viloyati (Urganch)
note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center
name following in parentheses)

Independence:
1 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 1 September (1991)

Constitution:
new constitution adopted 8 December 1992

Legal system:
evolution of Soviet civil law; still lacks independent judicial
system

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Islom KARIMOV (since 24 March 1990, when
he was elected president by the then Supreme Soviet)
head of government: Prime Minister Shavkat MIRZIYAYEV (since 11
December 2003)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president with
approval of the Supreme Assembly
election results: Islom KARIMOV reelected president; percent of vote
- Islom KARIMOV 91.9%, Abdulkhafiz JALALOV 4.2%
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term
(previously was a five-year term, extended by constitutional
amendment in 2002); election last held 9 January 2000 (next to be
held NA December 2007); prime minister and deputy ministers
appointed by the president

Legislative branch:
unicameral Supreme Assembly or Oliy Majlis (250 seats; members
elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - 2002
amendment to the constitution creates a second chamber to be
established via elections in 2004
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
NDP 48, Self-Sacrificers Party 34, Fatherland Progress Party 20,
Adolat Social Democratic Party 11, MTP 10, citizens' groups 16,
local government 110, vacant 1
note: not all seats in the last Supreme Assembly election were
contested; all parties in the Supreme Assembly support President
KARIMOV
elections: last held 5 December and 19 December 1999 (next to be
held NA December 2004)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are nominated by the president and confirmed
by the Supreme Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:
Adolat (Justice) Social Democratic Party [Anwar JURABAYEV, first
secretary]; Democratic National Rebirth Party (Milly Tiklanish) or
MTP [Aziz KAYUMOV, chairman]; People's Democratic Party or NDP
(formerly Communist Party) [Abdulkhafiz JALALOV, first secretary];
Self-Sacrificers Party or Fidokorlar National Democratic Party
[Ahtam TURSUNOV, first secretary]; note - Fatherland Progress Party
merged with Self-Sacrificers Party

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Birlik (Unity) Movement [Abdurakhim POLAT, chairman]; Erk (Freedom)
Democratic Party [Muhammad SOLIH, chairman] was banned 9 December
1992; Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan [Tolib YAKUBOV, chairman];
Independent Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan [Abduhoshim GHAFUROV,
chairman]; Ezgulik [Vasilia INOYATOVA]

International organization participation:
AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, GUUAM, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol,
IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Abdulaziz KAMILOV
FAX: [1] (202) 293-6804
consulate(s) general: New York
telephone: [1] (202) 293-6803
chancery: 1746 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador John Edward HERBST
embassy: 82 Chilanzarskaya, Tashkent 700115
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [998] (71) 120-5450
FAX: [998] (71) 120-6335

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and green
separated by red fimbriations with a white crescent moon and 12
white stars in the upper hoist-side quadrant

Economy Uzbekistan

Economy - overview:
Uzbekistan is a dry, landlocked country of which 11% consists of
intensely cultivated, irrigated river valleys. More than 60% of its
population lives in densely populated rural communities. Uzbekistan
is now the world's second-largest cotton exporter, a large producer
of gold and oil, and a regionally significant producer of chemicals
and machinery. Following independence in December 1991, the
government sought to prop up its Soviet-style command economy with
subsidies and tight controls on production and prices. Uzbekistan
responded to the negative external conditions generated by the Asian
and Russian financial crises by emphasizing import substitute
industrialization and by tightening export and currency controls
within its already largely closed economy. The government, while
aware of the need to improve the investment climate, sponsors
measures that often increase, not decrease, the government's control
over business decisions. A sharp increase in the inequality of
income distribution has hurt the lower ranks of society since
independence.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $66.06 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
4.2% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $2,600 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 36%
industry: 21%
services: 43% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.2%
highest 10%: 32.8% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
44.7 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
26% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
11.9 million (1998 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 44%, industry 20%, services 36% (1995)

Unemployment rate:
10% plus another 20% underemployed (1999 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $4 billion
expenditures: $4.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1999 est.)

Industries:
textiles, food processing, machine building, metallurgy, natural
gas, chemicals

Industrial production growth rate:
3.5% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
44.49 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 88.2%
hydro: 11.8%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
47.07 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
3.998 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
9.7 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
142,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
142,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
297 million bbl (37257)

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

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

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

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

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

Agriculture - products:
cotton, vegetables, fruits, grain; livestock

Exports:
$2.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
cotton 41.5%, gold 9.6%, energy products 9.6%, mineral fertilizers,
ferrous metals, textiles, food products, automobiles (1998 est.)

Exports - partners:
Russia 17.7%, Ukraine 11%, Italy 7.6%, Tajikistan 6.8%, Poland
5.1%, South Korea 5%, Kazakhstan 4.5%, US 4.2% (2002)

Imports:
$2.5 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment 49.8%, foodstuffs 16.4%, chemicals, metals
(1998 est.)

Imports - partners:
Russia 22.6%, Germany 9.8%, South Korea 9.4%, Kazakhstan 8.1%, US
6.9%, Ukraine 6.8%, China 5.2%, Turkey 4.6% (2002)

Debt - external:
$4.6 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
approximately $150 million from the US (2001)

Currency:
Uzbekistani sum (UZS)

Currency code:
UZS

Exchange rates:
Uzbekistani sums per US dollar - 970 (2002), 325 (2001), 236.61
(2000), 124.63 (1999), 94.49 (1998)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Uzbekistan

Telephones - main lines in use:
1.98 million (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
130,000 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: antiquated and inadequate; in serious need of
modernization
domestic: the domestic telephone system is being expanded and
technologically improved, particularly in Tashkent (Toshkent) and
Samarqand, under contracts with prominent companies in
industrialized countries; moreover, by 1998, six cellular networks
had been placed in operation - four of the GSM type (Global System
for Mobile Communication), one D-AMPS type (Digital Advanced Mobile
Phone System), and one AMPS type (Advanced Mobile Phone System)
international: linked by landline or microwave radio relay with CIS
member states and to other countries by leased connection via the
Moscow international gateway switch; after the completion of the
Uzbek link to the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic cable,
Uzbekistan will be independent of Russian facilities for
international communications; Inmarsat also provides an
international connection, albeit an expensive one; satellite earth
stations - NA (1998)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 20, FM 7, shortwave 10 (1998)

Radios:
10.8 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
4 (plus two repeaters that relay Russian programs), 1 cable
rebroadcaster in Tashkent; approximately 20 stations in regional
capitals (2003)

Televisions:
6.4 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.uz

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
42 (2000)

Internet users:
100,000 (2002)

Transportation Uzbekistan

Railways:
total: 3,950 km
broad gauge: 3,950 km 1.520-m gauge (620 km electrified) (2002)

Highways:
total: 81,600 km
paved: 71,237 km
unpaved: 10,363 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
1,100 km (1990)

Pipelines:
gas 9,012 km; oil 869 km; refined products 33 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
Termiz (Amu Darya)

Airports:
273 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 27
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 13
1,523 to 2,437 m: 5
under 914 m: 6 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 246
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
914 to 1,523 m: 12
under 914 m: 211 (2002)

Military Uzbekistan

Military branches:
Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, National Guard, Security Forces
(internal security and border troops)

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

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 6,940,031 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 5,635,099 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 310,915 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$200 million (FY97)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2% (FY97)

Transnational Issues Uzbekistan

Disputes - international:
prolonged regional drought creates water-sharing difficulties for
Amu Darya river states; delimitation with Kazakhstan complete with
demarcation underway; serious disputes with Kyrgyzstan around Uzbek
enclaves mar progress on delimitation efforts; talks have begun with
Tajikistan to determine and delimit border

Illicit drugs:
transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and, to a
lesser extent, Western European markets; limited illicit cultivation
of cannabis and small amounts of opium poppy for domestic
consumption; poppy cultivation almost wiped out by government crop
eradication program; transit point for heroin precursor chemicals
bound for Afghanistan

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Vanuatu

Introduction Vanuatu

Background:
The British and French, who settled the New Hebrides in the 19th
century, agreed in 1906 to an Anglo-French Condominium, which
administered the islands until independence in 1980.

Geography Vanuatu

Location:
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about
three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Australia

Geographic coordinates:
16 00 S, 167 00 E

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 12,200 sq km
land: 12,200 sq km
note: includes more than 80 islands
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Connecticut

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
2,528 km

Maritime claims:
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
contiguous zone: 24 NM

Climate:
tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds

Terrain:
mostly mountains of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Tabwemasana 1,877 m

Natural resources:
manganese, hardwood forests, fish

Land use:
arable land: 2.46%
permanent crops: 7.38%
other: 90.16% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April); volcanism causes
minor earthquakes; tsunamis

Environment - current issues:
a majority of the population does not have access to a potable and
reliable supply of water; deforestation

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
a Y-shaped chain of four main islands and 80 smaller islands;
several of the islands have active volcanoes

People Vanuatu

Population:
199,414 (July 2003 est.)