Chapter VI: Front Matter (6)

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, 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: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:
world's smallest continent but sixth-largest country; population
concentrated along the eastern and southeastern coasts; regular,
tropical, invigorating, sea breeze known as "the Doctor" occurs
along the west coast in the summer

People Australia

Population:
19,731,984 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 20.2% (male 2,045,783; female 1,949,864)
15-64 years: 67.1% (male 6,680,531; female 6,553,141)
65 years and over: 12.7% (male 1,099,275; female 1,403,390) (2003
est.)

Median age:
total: 36 years
male: 35.2 years
female: 36.8 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
0.93% (2003 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
4.05 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: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.83 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 5.23 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 80.13 years
male: 77.27 years
female: 83.13 years (2003 est.)

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

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
12,000 (2001 est.)

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

Nationality:
noun: Australian(s)
adjective: Australian

Ethnic groups:
Caucasian 92%, Asian 7%, aboriginal and other 1%

Religions:
Anglican 26.1%, Roman Catholic 26%, other Christian 24.3%,
non-Christian 11%, other 12.6%

Languages:
English, native languages

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100% (1980 est.)

Government Australia

Country name:
conventional long form: Commonwealth of Australia
conventional short form: Australia

Government type:
democratic, federal-state system recognizing the British monarch as
sovereign

Capital:
Canberra

Administrative divisions:
6 states and 2 territories*; Australian Capital Territory*, New
South Wales, Northern Territory*, Queensland, South Australia,
Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia

Dependent areas:
Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling)
Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands,
Norfolk Island

Independence:
1 January 1901 (federation of UK colonies)

National holiday:
Australia Day, 26 January (1788)

Constitution:
9 July 1900, effective 1 January 1901

Legal system:
based on English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,
with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen of Australia ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
1952), represented by Governor General Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Michael
JEFFREY (since 11 August 2003)
head of government: Prime Minister John Winston HOWARD (since 11
March 1996); Deputy Prime Minister John ANDERSON Deputy Prime
Minister John ANDERSON (since 20 July 1999)
cabinet: Parliament nominates and selects, from among its members, a
list of candidates to serve as government ministers; from this list,
the governor general swears in the final selections for the Cabinet
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime
minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party or leader of a majority coalition is sworn in as
prime minister by the governor general
note: government coalition - Liberal Party and National Party

Legislative branch:
bicameral Federal Parliament consists of the Senate (76 seats - 12
from each of the six states and two from each of the two mainland
territories; one-half of the members elected every three years by
popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of
Representatives (150 seats - this is up from 148 seats in 2001
election; members elected by popular vote on the basis of
preferential representation to serve three-year terms; no state can
have fewer than five representatives)
elections: Senate - last held 10 November 2001 (next to be held by
February 2005); House of Representatives - last held 10 November
2001 (next to be held by February 2005)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - Liberal Party-National Party coalition 35, Australian Labor
Party 28, Australian Democrats 8, Green Party 2, One Nation Party 1,
Country Labor Party 1, independent 1; House of Representatives -
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Liberal
Party-National Party coalition 82, Australian Labor Party 65,
independent and other 3

Judicial branch:
High Court (the chief justice and six other justices are appointed
by the governor general)

Political parties and leaders:
Australian Democrats [Andrew BARTLETT]; Australian Labor Party
[Mark LATHAM]; Australian Progressive Alliance [Meg LEES]; Country
Labor Party [leader NA]; Australian Greens [Bob BROWN]; Liberal
Party [John Winston HOWARD]; The Nationals [John ANDERSON]; One
Nation Party [Len HARRIS]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Australian Monarchist League [leader NA]; Australian Republican
Movement [leader NA]

International organization participation:
ANZUS, APEC, ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue
partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OECD,
OPCW, PCA, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNMEE,
UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Michael J. THAWLEY
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New
York, and San Francisco
FAX: [1] (202) 797-3168
telephone: [1] (202) 797-3000
chancery: 1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador J. Thomas SCHIEFFER
embassy: Moonah Place, Yarralumla, Canberra, Australian Capital
Territory 2600
mailing address: APO AP 96549
telephone: [61] (02) 6214-5600
FAX: [61] (02) 6214-5970
consulate(s) general: Melbourne, Perth, Sydney

Flag description:
blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and a
large seven-pointed star in the lower hoist-side quadrant known as
the Commonwealth Star, representing the federation of the colonies
of Australia in 1901; the star depicts one point for each of the six
original states and one representing all of Australia's internal and
external territories; the remaining half is a representation of the
Southern Cross constellation in white with one small five-pointed
star and four larger, seven-pointed stars

Economy Australia

Economy - overview:
Australia has a prosperous Western-style capitalist economy, with a
per capita GDP on par with the four dominant West European
economies. Rising output in the domestic economy has been offsetting
the global slump, and business and consumer confidence remains
robust. Australia's emphasis on reforms is another key factor behind
the economy's strength. The stagnant economic conditions in major
export partners and the impact of the worst drought in 100 years
cast a shadow over prospects for 2003.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $525.5 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3.6% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $26,900 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3%
industry: 26%
services: 71% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 25.4% (1994)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
35.2 (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.8% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
9.2 million (37256)

Labor force - by occupation:
services 73%, industry 22%, agriculture 5% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate:
6.3% (2002)

Budget:
revenues: $86.8 billion
expenditures: $84.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY 00/01 est.)

Industries:
mining, industrial and transportation equipment, food processing,
chemicals, steel

Industrial production growth rate:
4.3% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
198.2 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 90.8%
hydro: 8.3%
other: 0.9% (2001)
nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
184.4 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
731,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
796,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
523,400 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
530,800 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
3.664 billion bbl (37257)

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

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

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

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

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

Agriculture - products:
wheat, barley, sugarcane, fruits; cattle, sheep, poultry

Exports:
$66.3 billion (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
coal, gold, meat, wool, alumina, iron ore, wheat, machinery and
transport equipment

Exports - partners:
Japan 18.5%, US 9.6%, South Korea 8.3%, China 6.9%, New Zealand
6.5%, UK 4.7%, Singapore 4.1%, Taiwan 4% (2002)

Imports:
$68 billion (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, computers and office machines,
telecommunication equipment and parts; crude oil and petroleum
products

Imports - partners:
US 18.3%, Japan 12.3%, China 10.1%, Germany 5.7%, UK 4.6% (2002)

Debt - external:
$176.8 billion (yearend 2002 est.)

Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $894 million (FY 99/00)

Currency:
Australian dollar (AUD)

Currency code:
AUD

Exchange rates:
Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.84 (2002), 1.93 (2001), 1.72
(2000), 1.55 (1999), 1.59 (1998)

Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

Communications Australia

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

Telephones - mobile cellular:
8.6 million (2000)

Telephone system:
general assessment: excellent domestic and international service
domestic: domestic satellite system; much use of radiotelephone in
areas of low population density; rapid growth of mobile cellular
telephones
international: submarine cables to New Zealand, Papua New Guinea,
and Indonesia; satellite earth stations - 10 Intelsat (4 Indian
Ocean and 6 Pacific Ocean), 2 Inmarsat (Indian and Pacific Ocean
regions) (1998)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 262, FM 345, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
25.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
104 (1997)

Televisions:
10.15 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.au

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
571 (2002)

Internet users:
10.63 million (2002)

Transportation Australia

Railways:
total: 41,588 km (4,612 km electrified)
broad gauge: 2,193 km 1.600-m gauge
narrow gauge: 15,456 km 1.067-m gauge
dual gauge: 291 km dual gauge (2002)
standard gauge: 23,648 km 1.435-m gauge

Highways:
total: 811,603 km
paved: 314,090 km (including 18,619 km of expressways)
unpaved: 497,513 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
8,368 km (mainly used by small, shallow-draft craft)

Pipelines:
condensate 36 km; condensate/gas 243 km; gas 27,321 km; liquid
petroleum gas 240 km; oil 4,779 km; oil/gas/water 104 km; water 40
km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Devonport (Tasmania),
Fremantle, Geelong, Hobart (Tasmania), Launceston (Tasmania),
Mackay, Melbourne, Sydney, Townsville

Merchant marine:
total: 51 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,415,810 GRT/1,806,554 DWT
note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
convenience: France 2, UK 2, US 14 (2002 est.)
ships by type: bulk 20, cargo 6, chemical tanker 3, combination bulk
1, container 2, liquefied gas 4, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 7,
roll on/roll off 6

Airports:
444 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 294
over 3,047 m: 10
2,438 to 3,047 m: 11
1,524 to 2,437 m: 126
914 to 1,523 m: 134
under 914 m: 13 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 150
1,524 to 2,437 m: 20
914 to 1,523 m: 116
under 914 m: 14 (2002)

Military Australia

Military branches:
Australian Army, Royal Australian Navy, Royal Australian Air Force

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

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 5,037,538 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 4,339,011 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 142,377 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$11.39 billion (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.9% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Australia

Disputes - international:
maritime delimitation and resource sharing agreements signed with
East Timor resolve dispute over "Timor Gap" hydrocarbon reserves; no
agreement reached on dividing Timor Sea with Indonesia (see Ashmore
and Cartier Islands disputes); Australia asserts a territorial claim
to Antarctica and to its continental shelf (see Antarctica)

Illicit drugs:
Tasmania is one of the world's major suppliers of licit opiate
products; government maintains strict controls over areas of opium
poppy cultivation and output of poppy straw concentrate

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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@Austria

Introduction Austria

Background:
Once the center of power for the large Austro-Hungarian Empire,
Austria was reduced to a small republic after its defeat in World
War I. Following annexation by Nazi Germany in 1938 and subsequent
occupation by the victorious Allies in 1945, Austria's status
remained unclear for a decade. A State Treaty signed in 1955 ended
the occupation, recognized Austria's independence, and forbade
unification with Germany. A constitutional law that same year
declared the country's "perpetual neutrality" as a condition for
Soviet military withdrawal. This neutrality, once ingrained as part
of the Austrian cultural identity, has been called into question
since the Soviet collapse of 1991 and Austria's entry into the
European Union in 1995. A prosperous country, Austria entered the
European Monetary Union in 1999.

Geography Austria

Location:
Central Europe, north of Italy and Slovenia

Geographic coordinates:
47 20 N, 13 20 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 83,858 sq km
water: 1,120 sq km
land: 82,738 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Maine

Land boundaries:
total: 2,562 km
border countries: Czech Republic 362 km, Germany 784 km, Hungary 366
km, Italy 430 km, Liechtenstein 35 km, Slovakia 91 km, Slovenia 330
km, Switzerland 164 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
temperate; continental, cloudy; cold winters with frequent rain in
lowlands and snow in mountains; cool summers with occasional showers

Terrain:
in the west and south mostly mountains (Alps); along the eastern
and northern margins mostly flat or gently sloping

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Neusiedler See 115 m
highest point: Grossglockner 3,798 m

Natural resources:
iron ore, oil, timber, magnesite, lead, coal, lignite, copper,
hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 16.89%
permanent crops: 0.99%
other: 82.12% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
457 sq km (2000 est.)

Natural hazards:
landslides; avalanches; earthquakes

Environment - current issues:
some forest degradation caused by air and soil pollution; soil
pollution results from the use of agricultural chemicals; air
pollution results from emissions by coal- and oil-fired power
stations and industrial plants and from trucks transiting Austria
between northern and southern Europe

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, Tropical
Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol

Geography - note:
landlocked; strategic location at the crossroads of central Europe
with many easily traversable Alpine passes and valleys; major river
is the Danube; population is concentrated on eastern lowlands
because of steep slopes, poor soils, and low temperatures elsewhere

People Austria

Population:
8,188,207 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.2% (male 678,944; female 646,390)
15-64 years: 68.3% (male 2,827,736; female 2,768,480)
65 years and over: 15.5% (male 490,979; female 775,678) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 39.4 years
male: 38.2 years
female: 40.7 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
0.22% (2003 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
2.44 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: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.33 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 4.38 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.17 years
male: 75.02 years
female: 81.48 years (2003 est.)

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

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
9,900 (2001 est.)

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

Nationality:
noun: Austrian(s)
adjective: Austrian

Ethnic groups:
German 88%, non-nationals 9.3% (includes Croatians, Slovenes,
Hungarians, Czechs, Slovaks, Roma), naturalized 2% (includes those
who have lived in Austria at least three generations)

Religions:
Roman Catholic 78%, Protestant 5%, Muslim and other 17%

Languages:
German

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: NA%
female: NA%

Government Austria

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Austria
conventional short form: Austria
local short form: Oesterreich
local long form: Republik Oesterreich

Government type:
federal republic

Capital:
Vienna

Administrative divisions:
9 states (Bundeslaender, singular - Bundesland); Burgenland,
Kaernten, Niederoesterreich, Oberoesterreich, Salzburg, Steiermark,
Tirol, Vorarlberg, Wien

Independence:
1156 (from Bavaria)

National holiday:
National Day, 26 October (1955); note - commemorates the State
Treaty restoring national sovereignty and the end of occupation and
the passage of the law on permanent neutrality

Constitution:
1920; revised 1929 (reinstated 1 May 1945)

Legal system:
civil law system with Roman law origin; judicial review of
legislative acts by the Constitutional Court; separate
administrative and civil/penal supreme courts; accepts compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal; compulsory for presidential elections

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Thomas KLESTIL (since 8 July 1992)
head of government: Chancellor Wolfgang SCHUESSEL (OeVP)(since 4
February 2000); Vice Chancellor Hubert GORBACH (since 21 October
2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers chosen by the president on the advice
of the chancellor
elections: president elected by direct popular vote for a six-year
term; presidential election last held 19 April 1998 (next to be held
in the spring of 2004); chancellor traditionally chosen by the
president from the plurality party in the National Council; vice
chancellor chosen by the president on the advice of the chancellor
note: government coalition - OeVP and FPOe
election results: Thomas KLESTIL reelected president; percent of
vote - Thomas KLESTIL 63%, Gertraud KNOLL 14%, Heide SCHMIDT 11%,
Richard LUGNER 10%, Karl NOWAK 2%

Legislative branch:
bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung consists of Federal
Council or Bundesrat (64 members; members represent each of the
states on the basis of population, but with each state having at
least three representatives; members serve a four- or six-year term)
and the National Council or Nationalrat (183 seats; members elected
by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - OeVP
42.3%, SPOe 36.9%, FPOe 10.2%, Greens 9%; seats by party - OeVP 79,
SPOe 69, FPOe 19, Greens 16
elections: National Council - last held 24 November 2002 (next to be
held in the fall of 2006)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Judicial Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Administrative
Court or Verwaltungsgerichtshof; Constitutional Court or
Verfassungsgerichtshof

Political parties and leaders:
Austrian People's Party or OeVP [Wolfgang SCHUESSEL]; Freedom Party
of Austria or FPOe [Herbert HAUPT]; Social Democratic Party of
Austria or SPOe [Alfred GUSENBAUER]; The Greens Alternative or GA
[Alexander VAN DER BELLEN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Austrian Trade Union Federation (primarily Socialist) or OeGB;
Federal Economic Chamber; OeVP-oriented League of Austrian
Industrialists or VOeI; Roman Catholic Church, including its chief
lay organization, Catholic Action; three composite leagues of the
Austrian People's Party or OeVP representing business, labor, and
farmers

International organization participation:
AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI, CERN,
EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG,
OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF,
UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMIK,
UNMISET, UNMOGIP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU
(observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Eva NOWOTNY
chancery: 3524 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008-3035
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York
FAX: [1] (202) 895-6750
telephone: [1] (202) 895-6700

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador William Lee LYONS BROWN, Jr.
embassy: Boltzmanngasse 16, A-1090, Vienna
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [43] (1) 31339, 31375, 31335
FAX: [43] (1) 5125835

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and red

Economy Austria

Economy - overview:
Austria, with its well-developed market economy and high standard
of living, is closely tied to other EU economies, especially
Germany's. Membership in the EU has drawn an influx of foreign
investors attracted by Austria's access to the single European
market and proximity to EU aspirant economies. Slowing growth in
Germany and elsewhere in the world held the economy to only 1.2%
growth in 2001, 0.6% in 2002, and 0.8% in 2003.. To meet increased
competition from both EU and Central European countries, Austria
will need to emphasize knowledge-based sectors of the economy,
continue to deregulate the service sector, and lower its tax burden.
A key issue is the encouragement of much greater participation in
the labor market by its ageing population.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $227.7 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.1% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $27,900 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 2%
industry: 33%
services: 65% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.5%
highest 10%: 22.5% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
31 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.8% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
4.3 million (2001)

Labor force - by occupation:
services 67%, industry and crafts 29%, agriculture and forestry 4%
(2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
4.8% (2002 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $53 billion
expenditures: $54 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2001 est.)

Industries:
construction, machinery, vehicles and parts, food, chemicals,
lumber and wood processing, paper and paperboard, communications
equipment, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
3.8% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production:
58.75 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 29.3%
hydro: 67.2%
other: 3.5% (2001)
nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
54.85 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
14.25 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
14.47 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
20,670 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
262,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
35,470 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
262,000 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
85.69 million bbl (37257)

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

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

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

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

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

Agriculture - products:
grains, potatoes, sugar beets, wine, fruit; dairy products, cattle,
pigs, poultry; lumber

Exports:
$70 billion f.o.b. (2001)

Exports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, paper and
paperboard, metal goods, chemicals, iron and steel; textiles,
foodstuffs

Exports - partners:
Germany 31.5%, Italy 9.3%, Switzerland 5.4%, US 4.9%, UK 4.9%,
France 4.7%, Hungary 4.3% (2002)

Imports:
$74 billion c.i.f. (2001)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, metal goods,
oil and oil products; foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
Germany 42.6%, Italy 6.6%, Hungary 5.1%, Switzerland 4.8%,
Netherlands 4.4% (2002)

Debt - external:
$12.1 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $410 million (2000)

Currency:
euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
euro as a common currency to be used by the financial institutions
of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:
EUR

Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000), 0.94
(1999), 12.38 (1998)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Austria

Telephones - main lines in use:
4 million (consisting of 3,600,000 analog main lines plus 400,000
Integrated Services Digital Network connections); in addition, there
are 100,000 Asymmetric Digital Services lines (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
6 million (2001)

Telephone system:
general assessment: highly developed and efficient
domestic: there are 48 main lines for every 100 persons; the fiber
optic net is very extensive; all telephone applications and Internet
services are available
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic
Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Eutelsat; in addition, there are
about 600 VSAT (very small aperture terminals) (2002)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 160 (plus several hundred repeaters), shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios:
6.08 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
45 (plus more than 1,000 repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:
4.25 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.at

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
37 (2000)

Internet users:
3.7 million (2002)

Transportation Austria

Railways:
total: 6,024 km (3,641 km electrified)
standard gauge: 5,566 km 1.435-m gauge (3,524 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 34 km 1.000-m gauge (28 km electrified); 424 km
0.760-m gauge (89 km electrified) (2002)

Highways:
total: 200,000 km
paved: 200,000 km (including 1,633 km of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Waterways:
358 km (1999)

Pipelines:
gas 2,722 km; oil 687 km; refined products 149 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
Enns, Krems, Linz, Vienna

Merchant marine:
total: 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 27,551 GRT/34,225 DWT
ships by type: cargo 4, container 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
55 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 24
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 14 (2002)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 31
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 27 (2002)

Heliports:
1 (2002)

Military Austria

Military branches:
Land Forces (KdoLdSK), Air Forces (KdoLuSK)

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

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 2,093,821 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,725,123 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 49,090 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$1.497 billion (FY01/02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.8% (FY01/02)

Transnational Issues Austria

Disputes - international:
minor disputes with Czech Republic and Slovenia continue over
nuclear power plants and post-World War II treatment of
German-speaking minorities

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and South American
cocaine destined for Western Europe

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Azerbaijan

Introduction Azerbaijan

Background:
Azerbaijan - a nation with a Turkic and majority-Muslim population
- regained its independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union
in 1991. Despite a 1994 cease-fire, Azerbaijan has yet to resolve
its conflict with Armenia over the Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh
enclave (largely Armenian populated). Azerbaijan has lost 16% of its
territory and must support some 800,000 refugees and internally
displaced persons as a result of the conflict. Corruption is
ubiquitous and the promise of widespread wealth from Azerbaijan's
undeveloped petroleum resources remains largely unfulfilled.

Geography Azerbaijan

Location:
Southwestern Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and
Russia, with a small European portion north of the Caucasus range

Geographic coordinates:
40 30 N, 47 30 E

Map references:
Asia

Area:
total: 86,600 sq km
note: includes the exclave of Naxcivan Autonomous Republic and the
Nagorno-Karabakh region; the region's autonomy was abolished by
Azerbaijani Supreme Soviet on 26 November 1991
water: 500 sq km
land: 86,100 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Maine

Land boundaries:
total: 2,013 km
border countries: Armenia (with Azerbaijan-proper) 566 km, Armenia
(with Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave) 221 km, Georgia 322 km, Iran
(with Azerbaijan-proper) 432 km, Iran (with Azerbaijan-Naxcivan
exclave) 179 km, Russia 284 km, Turkey 9 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked); note - Azerbaijan borders the Caspian Sea (800
km, est.)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
dry, semiarid steppe

Terrain:
large, flat Kur-Araz Ovaligi (Kura-Araks Lowland) (much of it below
sea level) with Great Caucasus Mountains to the north, Qarabag
Yaylasi (Karabakh Upland) in west; Baku lies on Abseron Yasaqligi
(Apsheron Peninsula) that juts into Caspian Sea

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m
highest point: Bazarduzu Dagi 4,485 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, nonferrous metals, alumina

Land use:
arable land: 19.31%
permanent crops: 3.04%
other: 77.65% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
14,550 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
droughts

Environment - current issues:
local scientists consider the Abseron Yasaqligi (Apsheron
Peninsula) (including Baku and Sumqayit) and the Caspian Sea to be
the ecologically most devastated area in the world because of severe
air, soil, and water pollution; soil pollution results from oil
spills, from the use of DDT as a pesticide, and from toxic
defoliants used in the production of cotton

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

Geography - note:
both the main area of the country and the Naxcivan exclave are
landlocked

People Azerbaijan

Population:
7,830,764 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 27.7% (male 1,101,320; female 1,064,214)
15-64 years: 64.7% (male 2,468,772; female 2,601,312)
65 years and over: 7.6% (male 236,683; female 358,463) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 27.1 years
male: 25.7 years
female: 28.6 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
0.44% (2003 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
-5.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 82.41 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 80.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 84.4 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 63.16 years
male: 58.95 years
female: 67.58 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.34 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 1,400 (2001 est.)

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

Nationality:
noun: Azerbaijani(s)
adjective: Azerbaijani

Ethnic groups:
Azeri 90%, Dagestani 3.2%, Russian 2.5%, Armenian 2%, other 2.3%
(1998 est.)
note: almost all Armenians live in the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh
region

Religions:
Muslim 93.4%, Russian Orthodox 2.5%, Armenian Orthodox 2.3%, other
1.8% (1995 est.)
note: religious affiliation is still nominal in Azerbaijan;
percentages for actual practicing adherents are much lower

Languages:
Azerbaijani (Azeri) 89%, Russian 3%, Armenian 2%, other 6% (1995
est.)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97%
male: 99%
female: 96% (1989 est.)

Government Azerbaijan

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Azerbaijan
conventional short form: Azerbaijan
local short form: none
former: Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic
local long form: Azarbaycan Respublikasi

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Baku (Baki)

Administrative divisions:
59 rayons (rayonlar; rayon - singular), 11 cities* (saharlar; sahar
- singular), 1 autonomous republic** (muxtar respublika); Abseron
Rayonu, Agcabadi Rayonu, Agdam Rayonu, Agdas Rayonu, Agstafa Rayonu,
Agsu Rayonu, Ali Bayramli Sahari*, Astara Rayonu, Baki Sahari*,
Balakan Rayonu, Barda Rayonu, Beylaqan Rayonu, Bilasuvar Rayonu,
Cabrayil Rayonu, Calilabad Rayonu, Daskasan Rayonu, Davaci Rayonu,
Fuzuli Rayonu, Gadabay Rayonu, Ganca Sahari*, Goranboy Rayonu,
Goycay Rayonu, Haciqabul Rayonu, Imisli Rayonu, Ismayilli Rayonu,
Kalbacar Rayonu, Kurdamir Rayonu, Lacin Rayonu, Lankaran Rayonu,
Lankaran Sahari*, Lerik Rayonu, Masalli Rayonu, Mingacevir Sahari*,
Naftalan Sahari*, Naxcivan Muxtar Respublikasi**, Neftcala Rayonu,
Oguz Rayonu, Qabala Rayonu, Qax Rayonu, Qazax Rayonu, Qobustan
Rayonu, Quba Rayonu, Qubadli Rayonu, Qusar Rayonu, Saatli Rayonu,
Sabirabad Rayonu, Saki Rayonu, Saki Sahari*, Salyan Rayonu, Samaxi
Rayonu, Samkir Rayonu, Samux Rayonu, Siyazan Rayonu, Sumqayit
Sahari*, Susa Rayonu, Susa Sahari*, Tartar Rayonu, Tovuz Rayonu,
Ucar Rayonu, Xacmaz Rayonu, Xankandi Sahari*, Xanlar Rayonu, Xizi
Rayonu, Xocali Rayonu, Xocavand Rayonu, Yardimli Rayonu, Yevlax
Rayonu, Yevlax Sahari*, Zangilan Rayonu, Zaqatala Rayonu, Zardab
Rayonu

Independence:
30 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:
Founding of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaidzhan, 28 May (1918)

Constitution:
adopted 12 November 1995

Legal system:
based on civil law system

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ilham ALIYEV (since 31 October 2003)
head of government: Prime Minister Artur RASIZADE (since 4 November
2003); First Deputy Prime Minister Abbas ABBASOV (since 10 November
2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and
confirmed by the National Assembly
elections: president elected by popular vote to a five-year term;
election last held 15 October 2003 (next to be held NA October
2008); prime minister and first deputy prime ministers appointed by
the president and confirmed by the National Assembly
election results: Ilham ALIYEV elected president; percent of vote -
Ilham ALIYEV 76.8%, Isa GAMBAROV 14%

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Milli Mejlis (125 seats; members
elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 4 November 2000 (next to be held NA November
2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
NAP and allies 108, APF "Reform" 6, CSP 3, PNIA 2, Musavat Party 2,
CPA 2, APF "Classic" 1, Compatriot Party 1
note: PNIA, Musavat, and APF "Classic" parties refused to take their
seats
note: 100 members of the current parliament were elected on the
basis of single mandate constituencies, while 25 were elected based
on proportional balloting; as a result of a 24 August 2002 national
referendum on changes to the constitution, all 125 members of the
next parliament will be elected from single mandate constituencies

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:
Azerbaijan Popular Front or APF [Ali KARIMLI, leader of "Reform"
faction; Mirmahmud MIRALI-OGLU, leader of "Classic" faction]; Civic
Solidarity Party or CSP [Sabir RUSTAMKHANLY]; Civic Union Party
[Ayaz MUTALIBOV]; Communist Party of Azerbaijan or CPA [Ramiz
AHMADOV]; Compatriot Party [Mais SAFARLI]; Democratic Party for
Azerbaijan or DPA [Rasul QULIYEV, chairman]; Justice Party [Ilyas
ISMAILOV]; Liberal Party of Azerbaijan [Lala Shvkat HACIYEVA];
Musavat [Isa GAMBAR, chairman]; New Azerbaijan Party or NAP [Heydar
ALIYEV, chairman]; Party for National Independence of Azerbaijan or
PNIA [Etibar MAMMADLI, chairman]; Social Democratic Party of
Azerbaijan or SDP [Zardust ALIZADE]
note: opposition parties regularly factionalize and form new parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Sadval, Lezgin movement; self-proclaimed Armenian Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic; Talysh independence movement; Union of Pro-Azerbaijani
Forces (UPAF)

International organization participation:
AsDB, BSEC, CE, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, GUUAM, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, OAS (observer), OIC,
OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Hafiz PASHAYEV
FAX: [1] (202) 337-5911
telephone: [1] (202) 337-3500
chancery: 2741 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ross L. WILSON
embassy: 83 Azadliq Prospekt, Baku 370007
mailing address: American Embassy Baku, Department of State, 7050
Baku Place, Washington, DC 20521-7050
telephone: [9] (9412) 98-03-35, 36, 37
FAX: [9] (9412) 90-66-71

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), red, and green; a
crescent and eight-pointed star in white are centered in red band

Economy Azerbaijan

Economy - overview:
Azerbaijan's number one export is oil. Azerbaijan's oil production
declined through 1997 but has registered an increase every year
since. Negotiation of production-sharing arrangements (PSAs) with
foreign firms, which have thus far committed $60 billion to
long-term oilfield development, should generate the funds needed to
spur future industrial development. Oil production under the first
of these PSAs, with the Azerbaijan International Operating Company,
began in November 1997. Azerbaijan shares all the formidable
problems of the former Soviet republics in making the transition
from a command to a market economy, but its considerable energy
resources brighten its long-term prospects. Baku has only recently
begun making progress on economic reform, and old economic ties and
structures are slowly being replaced. One obstacle to economic
progress is the need for stepped up foreign investment in the
non-energy sector. A second obstacle is the continuing conflict with
Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Trade with Russia and the
other former Soviet republics is declining in importance while trade
is building with Turkey and the nations of Europe. Long-term
prospects will depend on world oil prices, the location of new
pipelines in the region, and Azerbaijan's ability to manage its oil
wealth.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $28.61 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
10.6% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $3,700 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 20%
industry: 33%
services: 47% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
49% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 27.8% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
36 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.6% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
3.7 million (2001)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture and forestry 41%, industry 7%, services 52% (2001)

Unemployment rate:
16% (official rate is 1.2%) (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $786 million
expenditures: $807 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2001 est.)

Industries:
petroleum and natural gas, petroleum products, oilfield equipment;
steel, iron ore, cement; chemicals and petrochemicals; textiles

Industrial production growth rate:
6% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
18.23 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 89.7%
hydro: 10.3%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
16.65 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
700 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
400 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
307,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
140,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
589 million bbl (37257)

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

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

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

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

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

Agriculture - products:
cotton, grain, rice, grapes, fruit, vegetables, tea, tobacco;
cattle, pigs, sheep, goats

Exports:
$2 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
oil and gas 90%, machinery, cotton, foodstuffs

Exports - partners:
Italy 28.7%, Germany 17.7%, Israel 10.6%, France 8.4%, Georgia
6.7%, Russia 4.7% (2002)

Imports:
$1.8 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, oil products, foodstuffs, metals, chemicals

Imports - partners:
Russia 17.8%, Turkey 11.9%, Germany 10.7%, France 7%, Kazakhstan
6.3%, China 6%, UK 5.5%, US 4.5% (2002)

Debt - external:
$1.4 billion (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
ODA, $140 million (2000 est.)

Currency:
Azerbaijani manat (AZM)

Currency code:
AZM

Exchange rates:
Azerbaijani manats per US dollar - 4,860.82 (2002), 4,656.58
(2001), 4,474.15 (2000), 4,120.17 (1999), 3,869 (1998)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Azerbaijan

Telephones - main lines in use:
865,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
800,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: inadequate; requires considerable expansion and
modernization; teledensity of 10 main lines per 100 persons is low
(2002)
domestic: the majority of telephones are in Baku and other
industrial centers - about 700 villages still without public
telephone service; satellite service connects Baku to a modern
switch in its exclave of Naxcivan
international: the old Soviet system of cable and microwave is still
serviceable; a satellite connection to Turkey enables Baku to reach
about 200 additional countries, some of which are directly connected
to Baku by satellite providers other than Turkey (1997)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 10, FM 17, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
175,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
2 (1997)

Televisions:
170,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.az

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
25,000 (2002)

Transportation Azerbaijan

Railways:
total: 2,122 km
broad gauge: 2,122 km 1.520-m gauge (1,278 km electrified) (2002)

Highways:
total: 24,981 km
paved: 23,057 km
unpaved: 1,924 km (2000)

Waterways:
none

Pipelines:
gas 5,001 km; oil 1,631 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
Baku (Baki)

Merchant marine:
total: 55 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 251,004 GRT/313,193 DWT
ships by type: cargo 13, petroleum tanker 40, roll on/roll off 2
(2002 est.)

Airports:
71 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 27
over 3.047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 44
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m: 27 (2002)

Military Azerbaijan

Military branches:
Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces

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

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 2,159,450 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,727,340 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 82,925 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$121 million (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.6% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Azerbaijan

Disputes - international:
Armenia supports ethnic Armenian secessionists in Nagorno-Karabakh
and militarily occupies about one-sixth of Azerbaijan - Organization
for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) continues to mediate
dispute; Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Russia ratify Caspian seabed
delimitation treaties based on equidistance, while Iran continues to
insist on an even one-fifth allocation and challenges Azerbaijan's
hydrocarbon exploration in disputed waters; ICJ decision expected to
resolve dispute with Turkmenistan over sovereignty of certain
Caspian oilfields

Illicit drugs:
limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for
CIS consumption; small government eradication program; transit point
for Southwest Asian opiates bound for Russia and to a lesser extent
the rest of Europe

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Bahamas, The

Introduction Bahamas, The

Background:
Arawak Indians inhabited the islands when Christopher Columbus
first set foot in the New World on San Salvador in 1492. British
settlement of the islands began in 1647; the islands became a colony
in 1783. Since attaining independence from the UK in 1973, The
Bahamas have prospered through tourism and international banking and
investment management. Because of its geography, the country is a
major transshipment point for illegal drugs, particularly shipments
to the US, and its territory is used for smuggling illegal migrants
into the US.

Geography Bahamas, The

Location:
Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast
of Florida, northeast of Cuba

Geographic coordinates:
24 15 N, 76 00 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 13,940 sq km
water: 3,870 sq km
land: 10,070 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
3,542 km

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

Climate:
tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream

Terrain:
long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Alvernia, on Cat Island 63 m

Natural resources:
salt, aragonite, timber, arable land

Land use:
arable land: 0.6%
permanent crops: 0.4%
other: 99% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
hurricanes and other tropical storms cause extensive flood and wind
damage

Environment - current issues:
coral reef decay; solid waste disposal

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

Geography - note:
strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain
of which 30 are inhabited

People Bahamas, The

Population:
297,477
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 28.8% (male 42,799; female 42,730)
15-64 years: 65.4% (male 95,718; female 98,875)
65 years and over: 5.8% (male 7,092; female 10,263) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 27 years
male: 26.2 years
female: 27.7 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
0.77% (2003 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
-2.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 26.21 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 19.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 32.45 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 65.71 years
male: 62.3 years
female: 69.18 years (2003 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
3.5% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
6,200 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
610 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Bahamian(s)
adjective: Bahamian

Ethnic groups:
black 85%, white 12%, Asian and Hispanic 3%

Religions:
Baptist 32%, Anglican 20%, Roman Catholic 19%, Methodist 6%, Church
of God 6%, other Protestant 12%, none or unknown 3%, other 2%

Languages:
English (official), Creole (among Haitian immigrants)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 95.6%
male: 94.7%
female: 96.5% (2003 est.)

Government Bahamas, The

Country name:
conventional long form: Commonwealth of The Bahamas
conventional short form: The Bahamas

Government type:
constitutional parliamentary democracy

Capital:
Nassau

Administrative divisions:
21 districts; Acklins and Crooked Islands, Bimini, Cat Island,
Exuma, Freeport, Fresh Creek, Governor's Harbour, Green Turtle Cay,
Harbour Island, High Rock, Inagua, Kemps Bay, Long Island, Marsh
Harbour, Mayaguana, New Providence, Nichollstown and Berry Islands,
Ragged Island, Rock Sound, Sandy Point, San Salvador and Rum Cay

Independence:
10 July 1973 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 10 July (1973)

Constitution:
10 July 1973

Legal system:
based on English common law

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Ivy DUMONT (since NA May 2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Perry CHRISTIE (since 3 May 2002)
and Deputy Prime Minister Cynthia PRATT (since 7 May 2002)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the prime
minister's recommendation
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition
is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; the
prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (16-member body
appointed by the governor general upon the advice of the prime
minister and the opposition leader for five-year terms) and the
House of Assembly (40 seats; members elected by direct popular vote
to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 1 May 2002 (next to be held by May 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 50.8%, FNM 41.1%,
independents 5.2%; seats by party - PLP 29, FNM 7, independents 4

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; magistrates courts

Political parties and leaders:
Free National Movement or FNM [Tommy TURNQUEST]; Progressive
Liberal Party or PLP [Perry CHRISTIE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Joshua SEARS
consulate(s) general: Miami and New York
FAX: [1] (202) 319-2668
telephone: [1] (202) 319-2660
chancery: 2220 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affairs Robert M.
WITAJEWSKI
embassy: 42 Queen Street, Nassau
mailing address: local or express mail address: P. O. Box N-8197,
Nassau; Department of State, 3370 Nassau Place, Washington, DC
20521-3370
telephone: [1] (242) 322-1181, 328-2206 (after hours)
FAX: [1] (242) 356-0222

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of aquamarine (top), gold, and
aquamarine, with a black equilateral triangle based on the hoist side

Economy Bahamas, The

Economy - overview:
The Bahamas is a stable, developing nation with an economy heavily
dependent on tourism and offshore banking. Tourism alone accounts
for more than 60% of GDP and directly or indirectly employs half of
the archipelago's labor force. Steady growth in tourism receipts and
a boom in construction of new hotels, resorts, and residences had
led to solid GDP growth in recent years, but the slowdown in the US
economy and the attacks of 11 September 2001 held back growth in
these sectors in 2002. Manufacturing and agriculture together
contribute approximately a tenth of GDP and show little growth,
despite government incentives aimed at those sectors. Overall growth
prospects in the short run rest heavily on the fortunes of the
tourism sector, which depends on growth in the US, the source of
most of the visitors.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $4.59 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
0.1% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $15,300 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3%
industry: 7%
services: 90% (1999 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:
156,000 (1999)

Labor force - by occupation:
tourism 50%, other services 40%, industry 5%, agriculture 5% (1999
est.)

Unemployment rate:
6.9% (2001 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $918.5 million
expenditures: $956.5 million, including capital expenditures of
$106.7 million (FY 99/00)

Industries:
tourism, banking, e-commerce, cement, oil refining and
transshipment, salt, rum, aragonite, pharmaceuticals, spiral-welded
steel pipe

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - production:
1.56 billion kWh (2001)

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

Electricity - consumption:
1.451 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

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

Oil - consumption:
23,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
citrus, vegetables; poultry

Exports:
$560.7 million (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
fish and crawfish; rum, salt, chemicals; fruit and vegetables

Exports - partners:
US 39.1%, Germany 15.4%, Spain 10.8%, France 7.4%, Poland 4.6%,
Switzerland 4.3% (2002)

Imports:
$1.86 billion (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, mineral
fuels; food and live animals

Imports - partners:
US 20.3%, South Korea 20.1%, Germany 11.5%, Norway 11.5%, Japan
10%, Italy 7.2% (2002)

Debt - external:
$371.6 million (2001)

Economic aid - recipient:
$9.8 million (1995)

Currency:
Bahamian dollar (BSD)

Currency code:
BSD

Exchange rates:
Bahamian dollars per US dollar - 1 (2002), 1 (2001), 1 (2000), 1
(1999), 1 (1998)

Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

Communications Bahamas, The

Telephones - main lines in use:
96,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
6,152 (1997)

Telephone system:
general assessment: modern facilities
domestic: totally automatic system; highly developed
international: tropospheric scatter and submarine cable to Florida;
3 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
(Atlantic Ocean) (1997)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
215,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (1997)

Televisions:
67,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.bs

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
19 (2000)

Internet users:
16,900 (2002)

Transportation Bahamas, The

Railways:
0 km

Highways:
total: 2,693 km
paved: 1,546 km
unpaved: 1,147 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
none

Ports and harbors:
Freeport, Matthew Town, Nassau

Merchant marine:
total: 1,090 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 33,065,778 GRT/46,202,085 DWT
ships by type: bulk 150, cargo 223, chemical tanker 45, combination
bulk 12, combination ore/oil 18, container 108, liquefied gas 26,
livestock carrier 2, multi-functional large-load carrier 8,
passenger 102, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 178, refrigerated
cargo 135, roll on/roll off 40, short-sea passenger 17, specialized
tanker 2, vehicle carrier 23
note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
convenience: Angola 1, Argentina 1, Australia 4, Belgium 18, Bermuda
1, Canada 5, Chile 1, China 3, Croatia 2, Cuba 3, Cyprus 2, Denmark
27, Ecuador 1, Estonia 2, Finland 9, France 15, Germany 26, Greece
173, Hong Kong 6, India 2, Indonesia 2, Ireland 1, Israel 3, Italy
9, Jamaica 1, Japan 32, Kenya 3, Malaysia 10, Malta 2, Monaco 67,
Netherlands 32, New Zealand 2, Norway 237, Panama 2, Philippines 3,
Poland 13, Reunion 1, Russia 6, Saudi Arabia 9, Singapore 13,
Slovenia 1, South Korea 2, Spain 7, Sweden 12, Switzerland 8,
Thailand 1, Trinidad and Tobago 2, Turkey 2, Ukraine 2, United Arab
Emirates 10, United Kingdom 107, United States 159, Uruguay 1 (2002
est.)

Airports:
64 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 30
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 2 (2002)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 12

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 34
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m: 22 (2002)

Heliports:
1 (2002)

Military Bahamas, The

Military branches:
Royal Bahamas Defense Force (Coast Guard only), Royal Bahamas
Police Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$20 million (FY95/96)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.7% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Bahamas, The

Disputes - international:
have not been able to agree on a maritime boundary with the US

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for US and
Europe; offshore financial center

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Bahrain

Introduction Bahrain

Background:
Bahrain's small size and central location among Persian Gulf
countries require it to play a delicate balancing act in foreign
affairs among its larger neighbors. Facing declining oil reserves,
Bahrain has turned to petroleum processing and refining and has
transformed itself into an international banking center. The new
amir, installed in 1999, has pushed economic and political reforms
and has worked to improve relations with the Shi'a community. In
February 2001, Bahraini voters approved a referendum on the National
Action Charter - the centerpiece of the amir's political
liberalization program. In February 2002, Amir HAMAD bin Isa Al
Khalifa proclaimed himself king. In October 2002, Bahrainis elected
members of the lower house of Bahrain's reconstituted bicameral
legislature, the National Assembly.

Geography Bahrain

Location:
Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates:
26 00 N, 50 33 E

Map references:
Middle East

Area:
total: 665 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 665 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
161 km

Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf: extending to boundaries to be determined

Climate:
arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers