Chapter XXVII: Front Matter (27)

Imports - commodities:
food, manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, fuels,
raw materials

Imports - partners:
US 53.5%, Dominican Republic 5.9%, Colombia 2.9% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$73 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$1.2 billion (1999)

Economic aid - recipient:
$120 million (FY02)

Currency:
gourde (HTG)

Currency code:
HTG

Exchange rates:
gourdes per US dollar - 40.5 (2003), 29.2505 (2002), 24.4291
(2001), 21.1707 (2000), 16.9379 (1999)

Fiscal year:
1 October - 30 September

Communications Haiti

Telephones - main lines in use:
130,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
140,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: domestic facilities barely adequate;
international facilities slightly better
domestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay trunk service
international: country code - 509; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 41, FM 26, shortwave 0 (1999)

Radios:
415,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
2 (plus a cable TV service) (1997)

Televisions:
38,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.ht

Internet hosts:
NA

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
3 (2000)

Internet users:
80,000 (2002)

Transportation Haiti

Highways:
total: 4,160 km
paved: 1,011 km
unpaved: 3,149 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors:
Cap-Haitien, Gonaives, Jacmel, Jeremie, Les Cayes, Miragoane,
Port-au-Prince, Port-de-Paix, Saint-Marc

Merchant marine:
none

Airports:
12 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 9
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Military Haiti

Military branches:
Haitian National Police (HNP)
note: the regular Haitian Army, Navy, and Air Force have been
demobilized but still exist on paper until or unless they are
constitutionally abolished

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary recruitment into the police force
(2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,792,112 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 975,341 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 97,429 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$25.8 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.9% (2003)

Transnational Issues Haiti

Disputes - international:
despite efforts to control illegal migration, Haitians fleeing
economic privation and civil unrest continue to cross into Dominican
Republic and to sail to neighboring countries; Haiti claims
US-administered Navassa Island

Illicit drugs:
major Caribbean transshipment point for cocaine en route to the US
and Europe; substantial money-laundering activity; Colombian
narcotics traffickers favor Haiti for illicit financial
transactions; pervasive corruption

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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

@Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Introduction Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Background:
These uninhabited, barren, sub-Antarctic islands were transferred
from the UK to Australia in 1947. Populated by large numbers of seal
and bird species, the islands have been designated a nature preserve.

Geography Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Location:
islands in the Indian Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from
Madagascar to Antarctica

Geographic coordinates:
53 06 S, 72 31 E

Map references:
Antarctic Region

Area:
total: 412 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 412 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly more than two times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
101.9 km

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

Climate:
antarctic

Terrain:
Heard Island - 80% ice-covered, bleak and mountainous, dominated by
a large massif (Big Ben) and an active volcano (Mawson Peak);
McDonald Islands - small and rocky

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mawson Peak, on Big Ben 2,745 m

Natural resources:
fish

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2001)

Irrigated land:
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
Mawson Peak, an active volcano, is on Heard Island

Environment - current issues:
NA

People Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Population:
uninhabited (July 2004 est.)

Government Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of Heard Island and McDonald
Islands
conventional short form: Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Dependency status:
territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the
Australian Antarctic Division of the Department of the Environment
and Heritage

Legal system:
the laws of Australia, where applicable, apply

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (territory of Australia)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (territory of Australia)

Flag description:
the flag of Australia is used

Economy Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Economy - overview:
No indigenous economic activity, but the Australian Government
allows limited fishing around the islands.

Communications Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Internet country code:
.hm

Transportation Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Ports and harbors:
none; offshore anchorage only

Military Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of Australia; Australia conducts
fisheries patrols

Transnational Issues Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Disputes - international:
none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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

@Holy See (Vatican City)

Introduction Holy See (Vatican City)

Background:
Popes in their secular role ruled portions of the Italian peninsula
for more than a thousand years until the mid 19th century, when many
of the Papal States were seized by the newly united Kingdom of
Italy. In 1870, the pope's holdings were further circumscribed when
Rome itself was annexed. Disputes between a series of "prisoner"
popes and Italy were resolved in 1929 by three Lateran Treaties,
which established the independent state of Vatican City and granted
Roman Catholicism special status in Italy. In 1984, a concordat
between the Holy See and Italy modified certain of the earlier
treaty provisions, including the primacy of Roman Catholicism as the
Italian state religion. Present concerns of the Holy See include
religious freedom, international development, the Middle East,
terrorism, the failing health of Pope JOHN PAUL II, interreligious
dialogue and reconciliation, and the application of church doctrine
in an era of rapid change and globalization. About 1 billion people
worldwide profess the Catholic faith.

Geography Holy See (Vatican City)

Location:
Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy)

Geographic coordinates:
41 54 N, 12 27 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 0.44 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 0.44 sq km

Area - comparative:
about 0.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
total: 3.2 km
border countries: Italy 3.2 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to mid-May) with hot, dry
summers (May to September)

Terrain:
low hill

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: unnamed location 19 m
highest point: unnamed location 75 m

Natural resources:
none

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (urban area) (2001)

Irrigated land:
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
NA

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

Geography - note:
urban; landlocked; enclave in Rome, Italy; world's smallest state;
outside the Vatican City, 13 buildings in Rome and Castel Gandolfo
(the pope's summer residence) enjoy extraterritorial rights

People Holy See (Vatican City)

Population:
921 (July 2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.01% (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: none
adjective: none

Ethnic groups:
Italians, Swiss, other

Religions:
Roman Catholic

Languages:
Italian, Latin, French, various other languages

Literacy:
definition: NA
total population: 100%
male: NA
female: NA

Government Holy See (Vatican City)

Country name:
conventional long form: The Holy See (State of the Vatican City)
conventional short form: Holy See (Vatican City)
local short form: Santa Sede (Citta del Vaticano)
local long form: Santa Sede (Stato della Citta del Vaticano)

Government type:
ecclesiastical

Capital:
Vatican City

Administrative divisions:
none

Independence:
11 February 1929 (from Italy); note - the three treaties signed
with Italy on 11 February 1929 acknowledged, among other things, the
full sovereignty of the Vatican and established its territorial
extent; however, the origin of the Papal States, which over the
years have varied considerably in extent, may be traced back to the
8th century

National holiday:
Coronation Day of Pope JOHN PAUL II, 22 October (1978)

Constitution:
new Fundamental Law promulgated by Pope John Paul II on 26 November
2000, effective 22 February 2001 (replaces the first Fundamental Law
of 1929)

Legal system:
based on Code of Canon Law and revisions to it

Suffrage:
limited to cardinals less than 80 years old

Executive branch:
chief of state: Pope JOHN PAUL II (since 16 October 1978)
head of government: Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo SODANO (since
1 December 1990)
cabinet: Pontifical Commission appointed by the pope
elections: pope elected for life by the College of Cardinals;
election last held 16 October 1978 (next to be held after the death
of the current pope); secretary of state appointed by the pope
election results: Karol WOJTYLA elected pope

Legislative branch:
unicameral Pontifical Commission

Judicial branch:
there are three tribunals responsible for civil and criminal
matters within Vatican City; three other tribunals rule on issues
pertaining to the Holy See
note: judicial duties were established by the Motu Proprio of Pius
XII on 1 May 1946

Political parties and leaders:
none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
none (exclusive of influence exercised by church officers)

International organization participation:
CE (observer), IAEA, ICFTU, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM (guest), OAS
(observer), OPCW, OSCE, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNHCR, UPU, WIPO,
WToO (observer), WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Gabriel MONTALVO
telephone: [1] (202) 333-7121
FAX: [1] (202) 337-4036
chancery: 3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
embassy: Villa Domiziana, Via delle Terme Deciane 26, 00153 Rome
mailing address: PSC 59, Box 66, APO AE 09624
telephone: [39] (06) 4674-3428
FAX: [39] (06) 575-8346

Flag description:
two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side) and white with the
crossed keys of Saint Peter and the papal miter centered in the
white band

Economy Holy See (Vatican City)

Economy - overview:
This unique, noncommercial economy is supported financially by an
annual contribution from Roman Catholic dioceses throughout the
world, as well as by special collections (known as Peter's Pence);
the sale of postage stamps, coins, medals, and tourist mementos;
fees for admission to museums; and the sale of publications.
Investments and real estate income also account for a sizable
portion of revenue. The incomes and living standards of lay workers
are comparable to those of counterparts who work in the city of Rome.

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Labor force:
NA

Labor force - by occupation:
essentially services with a small amount of industry; note -
dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards, and 3,000 lay workers live
outside the Vatican

Budget:
revenues: $245.2 million
expenditures: $260.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2002)

Industries:
printing; production of coins, medals, postage stamps, a small
amount of mosaics and staff uniforms; worldwide banking and
financial activities

Electricity - production:
NA kWh

Electricity - consumption:
NA kWh

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh

Electricity - imports:
NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy

Economic aid - recipient:
none

Currency:
euro (EUR)

Currency code:
EUR

Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003),1.1324 (2002), 1.1175 (2001),
1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Holy See (Vatican City)

Telephones - main lines in use:
NA

Telephones - mobile cellular:
NA

Telephone system:
general assessment: automatic exchange
domestic: tied into Italian system
international: country code - 39; uses Italian system

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
NA

Television broadcast stations:
1 (1996)

Televisions:
NA

Internet country code:
.va

Internet hosts:
9 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
NA

Internet users:
NA

Transportation Holy See (Vatican City)

Highways:
none; all city streets

Ports and harbors:
none

Airports:
none (2003 est.)

Military Holy See (Vatican City)

Military branches:
Swiss Guards Corps (Corpo della Guardia Svizzera)

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of Italy; Swiss Papal Guards are
posted at entrances to the Vatican City to provide security and
protect the Pope

Transnational Issues Holy See (Vatican City)

Disputes - international:
none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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

@Honduras

Introduction Honduras

Background:
Part of Spain's vast empire in the New World, Honduras became an
independent nation in 1821. After two and one-half decades of mostly
military rule, a freely elected civilian government came to power in
1982. During the 1980s, Honduras proved a haven for anti-Sandinista
contras fighting the Marxist Nicaraguan Government and an ally to
Salvadoran Government forces fighting against leftist guerrillas.
The country was devastated by Hurricane Mitch in 1998, which killed
about 5,600 people and caused approximately $2 billion in damage.

Geography Honduras

Location:
Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and
Nicaragua and bordering the Gulf of Fonseca (North Pacific Ocean),
between El Salvador and Nicaragua

Geographic coordinates:
15 00 N, 86 30 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 112,090 sq km
land: 111,890 sq km
water: 200 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Tennessee

Land boundaries:
total: 1,520 km
border countries: Guatemala 256 km, El Salvador 342 km, Nicaragua
922 km

Coastline:
820 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: natural extension of territory or to 200 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
subtropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains

Terrain:
mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Cerro Las Minas 2,870 m

Natural resources:
timber, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron ore, antimony, coal,
fish, hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 9.55%
permanent crops: 3.22%
other: 87.23% (2001)

Irrigated land:
760 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
frequent, but generally mild, earthquakes; extremely susceptible to
damaging hurricanes and floods along the Caribbean coast

Environment - current issues:
urban population expanding; deforestation results from logging and
the clearing of land for agricultural purposes; further land
degradation and soil erosion hastened by uncontrolled development
and improper land use practices such as farming of marginal lands;
mining activities polluting Lago de Yojoa (the country's largest
source of fresh water), as well as several rivers and streams, with
heavy metals

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
has only a short Pacific coast but a long Caribbean shoreline,
including the virtually uninhabited eastern Mosquito Coast

People Honduras

Population:
6,823,568
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
2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 41.2% (male 1,434,555; female 1,376,216)
15-64 years: 55.1% (male 1,866,219; female 1,896,027)
65 years and over: 3.7% (male 118,404; female 132,147) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 19 years
male: 18.6 years
female: 19.4 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.24% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
31.04 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
6.64 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-1.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 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: 0.9 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 29.64 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 25.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 33.22 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 66.15 years
male: 64.99 years
female: 67.37 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
3.97 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.8% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
63,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
4,100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Honduran(s)
adjective: Honduran

Ethnic groups:
mestizo (mixed Amerindian and European) 90%, Amerindian 7%, black
2%, white 1%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant minority

Languages:
Spanish, Amerindian dialects

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 76.2%
male: 76.1%
female: 76.3% (2003 est.)

Government Honduras

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Honduras
conventional short form: Honduras
local short form: Honduras
local long form: Republica de Honduras

Government type:
democratic constitutional republic

Capital:
Tegucigalpa

Administrative divisions:
18 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Atlantida,
Choluteca, Colon, Comayagua, Copan, Cortes, El Paraiso, Francisco
Morazan, Gracias a Dios, Intibuca, Islas de la Bahia, La Paz,
Lempira, Ocotepeque, Olancho, Santa Barbara, Valle, Yoro

Independence:
15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution:
11 January 1982, effective 20 January 1982; amended 1995

Legal system:
rooted in Roman and Spanish civil law with increasing influence of
English common law; recent judicial reforms include abandoning
Napoleonic legal codes in favor of the oral adversarial system;
accepts ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ricardo (Joest) MADURO (since 27 January
2002); First Vice President Vicente WILLIAMS Agasse (since 27
January 2002); Second Vice President Armida Villela Maria DE LOPEZ
Contreras (since 27 January 2002); Third Vice President Alberto DIAZ
Lobo (since 27 January 2002); note - the president is both the chief
of state and head of government
head of government: President Ricardo (Joest) MADURO (since 27
January 2002); First Vice President Vicente WILLIAMS Agasse (since
27 January 2002); Second Vice President Armida Villela Maria DE
LOPEZ Contreras (since 27 January 2002); Third Vice President
Alberto DIAZ Lobo (since 27 January 2002); note - the president is
both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
election last held 25 November 2001 (next to be held 27 November
2005)
election results: Ricardo (Joest) MADURO (PN) elected president -
52.2%, Raphael PINEDA Ponce (PL) 44.3%, others 3.5%

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (128 seats;
members are elected proportionally to the number of votes their
party's presidential candidate receives to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 25 November 2001 (next to be held 27 November
2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
PN 61, PL 55, PUD 5, PDC 4, PINU-SD 3

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges are
elected for seven-year terms by the National Congress)

Political parties and leaders:
Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Juan Ramon VELAZQUEZ Nassar];
Democratic Unification Party or PUD [Matias FUNES]; Liberal Party or
PL [Roberto MICHELETTI Bain]; National Innovation and Unity
Party-Social Democratic Party or PINU-SD [Olban F. VALLADARES];
National Party of Honduras or PN [Jose Celin DISCUA Elvir]; United
Confederation of Honduran Workers or CUTH

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Committee for the Defense of Human Rights in Honduras or CODEH;
Confederation of Honduran Workers or CTH; Coordinating Committee of
Popular Organizations or CCOP; General Workers Confederation or CGT;
Honduran Council of Private Enterprise or COHEP; National
Association of Honduran Campesinos or ANACH; National Union of
Campesinos or UNC; Popular Bloc or BP; United Federation of Honduran
Workers or FUTH

International organization participation:
ABEDA, BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
(subscriber), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, NAM, OAS,
OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Mario Miguel CANAHUATI
honorary consulate(s): Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Jacksonville
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New
Orleans, New York, Phoenix, San Francisco
FAX: [1] (202) 966-9751
telephone: [1] (202) 966-7702
chancery: Suite 4-M, 3007 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Larry Leon PALMER
embassy: Avenida La Paz, Apartado Postal No. 3453, Tegucigalpa
mailing address: American Embassy, APO AA 34022, Tegucigalpa
telephone: [504] 238-5114, 236-9320
FAX: [504] 236-9037

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with
five blue, five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern centered in
the white band; the stars represent the members of the former
Federal Republic of Central America - Costa Rica, El Salvador,
Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua; similar to the flag of El
Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by the words
REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in the white
band; also similar to the flag of Nicaragua, which features a
triangle encircled by the word REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on top and
AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom, centered in the white band

Economy Honduras

Economy - overview:
Honduras, one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere
with an extraordinarily unequal distribution of income and massive
unemployment, is banking on expanded trade privileges under the
Enhanced Caribbean Basin Initiative and on debt relief under the
Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. While the country
has met most of its macroeconomic targets, it has failed to meet the
IMF's goals to liberalize its energy and telecommunications sectors.
Growth remains dependent on the status of the US economy, its major
trading partner, on commodity prices, particularly coffee, and on
reduction of the high crime rate.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $17.55 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $2,600 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 12.8%
industry: 31.9%
services: 55.3% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
24% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
53% (1993 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 0.6%
highest 10%: 42.7% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
56.3 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
7.7% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
2.41 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 34%, industry 21%, services 45% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
27.5% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $1.342 billion
expenditures: $1.744 billion, including capital expenditures of $106
million (2003)

Public debt:
57.8% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
bananas, coffee, citrus; beef; timber; shrimp

Industries:
sugar, coffee, textiles, clothing, wood products

Industrial production growth rate:
7.7% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
3.778 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
3.822 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
308 million kWh (2001)

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

Oil - consumption:
29,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Current account balance:
$-279.6 million (2003)

Exports:
$1.37 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
coffee, bananas, shrimp, lobster, meat; zinc, lumber (2000)

Exports - partners:
US 65.5%, El Salvador 3.5%, Guatemala 2.4% (2003)

Imports:
$3.11 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, industrial raw materials,
chemical products, fuels, foodstuffs (2000)

Imports - partners:
US 53.1%, El Salvador 4.5%, Mexico 3% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$1.439 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$5.246 billion (2003)

Economic aid - recipient:
$557.8 million (1999)

Currency:
lempira (HNL)

Currency code:
HNL

Exchange rates:
lempiras per US dollar - 17.3453 (2003), 16.4334 (2002), 15.4737
(2001), 14.8392 (2000), 14.2132 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Honduras

Telephones - main lines in use:
322,500 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
326,500 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: inadequate system
domestic: NA
international: country code - 504; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave
System

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 241, FM 53, shortwave 12 (1998)

Radios:
2.45 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
11 (plus 17 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
570,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.hn

Internet hosts:
1,944 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
8 (2000)

Internet users:
168,600 (2002)

Transportation Honduras

Railways:
total: 699 km
narrow gauge: 279 km 1.067-m gauge; 420 km 0.914-m gauge (2003)

Highways:
total: 13,603 km
paved: 2,775 km
unpaved: 10,828 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
465 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2004)

Ports and harbors:
La Ceiba, Puerto Castilla, Puerto Cortes, San Lorenzo, Tela, Puerto
Lempira

Merchant marine:
total: 238 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 598,600 GRT/616,158 DWT
registered in other countries: 16 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: Argentina 1, Bahrain 1, British Virgin Islands 1,
Bulgaria 1, Cayman Islands 1, China 4, Costa Rica 1, Cyprus 1, Egypt
5, El Salvador 1, Greece 16, Hong Kong 3, Indonesia 2, Israel 1,
Italy 1, Japan 2, Jordan 1, South Korea 9, Lebanon 4, Liberia 4,
Maldives 2, Marshall Islands 3, Mexico 1, Nigeria 2, Panama 10,
Philippines 1, Russia 1, Saint Kitts and Nevis 3, Saint Vincent and
the Grenadines 1, Saudi Arabia 1, Singapore 22, Spain 1, Taiwan 2,
Tanzania 1, Thailand 1, Turkey 2, Turks and Caicos Islands 1, United
States 7, Vanuatu 1, Vietnam 1
by type: bulk 12, cargo 139, chemical tanker 5, combination bulk 1,
container 5, liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 1, passenger 3,
passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 54, refrigerated cargo 8, roll
on/roll off 4, short-sea/passenger 3

Airports:
115 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 11
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 104
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 18
under 914 m: 84 (2004 est.)

Military Honduras

Military branches:
Army, Navy (including Naval Infantry), Air Force

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary 2-3 year military service (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,642,029 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 977,130 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 76,143 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$99.8 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.5% (2003)

Transnational Issues Honduras

Disputes - international:
in 1992, ICJ ruled on the delimitation of "bolsones" (disputed
areas) along the El Salvador-Honduras border, and the OAS is
assisting with a technical resolution of bolsones; in 2003, the ICJ
rejected El Salvador's request to revise its decision on one
bolsone; the 1992 ICJ ruling advised a tripartite resolution to a
maritime boundary in the Gulf of Fonseca with consideration of
Honduran access to the Pacific; El Salvador continues to claim tiny
Conejo Island, not mentioned by the ICJ, off Honduras in the Gulf of
Fonseca; Honduras claims Sapodilla Cays off the coast of Belize but
agreed to creation of a joint ecological park and Guatemalan
corridor in the Caribbean in the failed 2002 Belize-Guatemala
Differendum; Nicaragua filed a claim against Honduras in 1999 and
against Colombia in 2001 at the ICJ over a complex maritime dispute
in the Caribbean Sea

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for drugs and narcotics; illicit producer of
cannabis, cultivated on small plots and used principally for local
consumption; corruption is a major problem; some money-laundering
activity

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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

@Hong Kong

Introduction Hong Kong

Background:
Occupied by the UK in 1841, Hong Kong was formally ceded by China
the following year; various adjacent lands were added later in the
19th century. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and the UK on
19 December 1984, Hong Kong became the Hong Kong Special
Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 1 July 1997. In this
agreement, China has promised that, under its "one country, two
systems" formula, China's socialist economic system will not be
imposed on Hong Kong and that Hong Kong will enjoy a high degree of
autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the
next 50 years.

Geography Hong Kong

Location:
Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China

Geographic coordinates:
22 15 N, 114 10 E

Map references:
Southeast Asia

Area:
total: 1,092 sq km
water: 50 sq km
land: 1,042 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
total: 30 km
regional border: China 30 km

Coastline:
733 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 3 nm

Climate:
tropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy from
spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall

Terrain:
hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Tai Mo Shan 958 m

Natural resources:
outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar

Land use:
arable land: 5.05%
other: 93.94% (2001)
permanent crops: 1.01%

Irrigated land:
20 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
occasional typhoons

Environment - current issues:
air and water pollution from rapid urbanization

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Marine Dumping (associate member)

Geography - note:
more than 200 islands

People Hong Kong

Population:
6,855,125 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 14.2% (male 510,702; female 465,145)
15-64 years: 73.3% (male 2,461,914; female 2,560,382)
65 years and over: 12.5% (male 394,697; female 462,285) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 39.4 years
male: 39.3 years
female: 39.6 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.65% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
7.23 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
5.98 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
5.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 2.97 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 2.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 3.16 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 81.39 years
male: 78.72 years
female: 84.3 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
0.91 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
2,600 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Chinese/Hong Konger
adjective: Chinese/Hong Kong

Ethnic groups:
Chinese 95%, other 5%

Religions:
eclectic mixture of local religions 90%, Christian 10%

Languages:
Chinese (Cantonese), English; both are official

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 93.5%
male: 96.9%
female: 89.6% (2002)

Government Hong Kong

Country name:
conventional long form: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
conventional short form: Hong Kong
local short form: Xianggang
local long form: Xianggang Tebie Xingzhengqu
abbreviation: HK

Dependency status:
special administrative region of China

Government type:
limited democracy

Administrative divisions:
none (special administrative region of China)

Independence:
none (special administrative region of China)

National holiday:
National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic
of China), 1 October (1949); note - 1 July 1997 is celebrated as
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day

Constitution:
Basic Law approved in March 1990 by China's National People's
Congress is Hong Kong's "mini-constitution"

Legal system:
based on English common law

Suffrage:
direct election 18 years of age; universal for permanent residents
living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past seven years;
indirect election limited to about 200,000 members of functional
constituencies and an 800-member election committee drawn from broad
regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central government
bodies

Executive branch:
chief of state: President of China HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003)
head of government: Chief Executive TUNG Chee-hwa (since 1 July 1997)
cabinet: Executive Council consists of seven non-official members
and 14 official members; including Chief Secretary Donald TSANG
Yam-kuen (since 1 May 2001), Financial Secretary Henry TANG (since 2
August 2003), and Secretary of Justice Elsie LEUNG (since 1 July
1997)
elections: TUNG Chee-hwa was elected to a second term in March 2002
by an 800-member election committee dominated by pro-Beijing forces;
the next election is scheduled to be held in 2007

Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Council or LEGCO (60 seats; in 2004 30 seats
indirectly elected by functional constituencies, 30 elected by
popular vote; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 12 September 2004 (next to be held in September
2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - pro-democracy group
62%; seats by party - (pro-Beijing 34) DAB 12, Liberal Party 10,
independents 11, FTU 1; (pro-democracy 25) independents 11,
Democratic Party 9, CTU 2, ADPL 1, Frontier Party 1, NWSC 1

Judicial branch:
Court of Final Appeal in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

Political parties and leaders:
Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood or ADPL
[Frederick FUNG Kin-kee, chairman]; Citizens Party [Alex CHAN
Kai-chung]; Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong or
DAB [MA Lik, chairman]; Democratic Party [LEE Wing-tat, chairman];
Frontier Party [Emily LAU Wai-hing, chairwoman]; Liberal Party
[James TIEN Pei-chun, chairman]
note: political blocs include: pro-democracy - Association for
Democracy and People's Livelihood, Democratic Party, Frontier Party;
pro-Beijing - Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong,
Hong Kong Progressive Alliance, Liberal Party

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Chinese General Chamber of Commerce (pro-China); Chinese
Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong; Confederation of Trade
Unions (pro-democracy) [LAU Chin-shek, president; LEE Cheuk-yan,
general secretary]; Federation of Hong Kong Industries; Federation
of Trade Unions (pro-China) [CHENG Yiu-tong, executive councilor];
Hong Kong Alliance in Support of the Patriotic Democratic Movement
in China [Szeto WAH, chairman]; Hong Kong and Kowloon Trade Union
Council (pro-Taiwan); Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce; Hong
Kong Professional Teachers' Union [CHEUNG Man-kwong, president]; The
Alliance [Bernard CHAN, exco member]

International organization participation:
APEC, AsDB, BIS, ICC, ICFTU, IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), Interpol
(subbureau), IOC, ISO (correspondent), UPU, WCL, WCO, WMO, WToO
(associate), WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (special administrative region of China)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Consul General James KEITH
consulate(s) general: 26 Garden Road, Hong Kong
mailing address: PSC 461, Box 1, FPO AP 96521-0006
telephone: [852] 2523-9011
FAX: [852] 2524-0860

Flag description:
red with a stylized, white, five-petal bauhinia flower in the center

Economy Hong Kong

Economy - overview:
Hong Kong has a free market economy highly dependent on
international trade. Natural resources are limited, and food and raw
materials must be imported. Imports and exports, including
reexports, each exceed GDP in dollar value. Even before Hong Kong
reverted to Chinese administration on 1 July 1997 it had extensive
trade and investment ties with China. Hong Kong has been further
integrating its economy with China because China's growing openness
to the world economy has increased competitive pressure on Hong
Kong's service industries, and Hong Kong's re-export business from
China is a major driver of growth. Per capita GDP compares with the
level in the four big economies of Western Europe. GDP growth
averaged a strong 5% in 1989-1997, but Hong Kong suffered two
recessions in the past 6 years because of the Asian financial crisis
in 1998 and the global downturn of 2001-2002. The Severe Acute
Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak also battered Hong Kong's
economy, but a boom in tourism from the mainland because of China's
easing of travel restrictions, a return of consumer confidence, and
a solid rise in exports resulted in the resumption of strong growth
in late 2003.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $213 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3.3% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $28,800 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 0.1%
industry: 12.1%
services: 87.9% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
22.3% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
-2.6% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
3.5 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
manufacturing 8.2%, construction 2.9%, wholesale and retail trade,
restaurants, and hotels 43.5%, financing, insurance, and real estate
19.5%, transport and communications 7.8%, community and social
services 17.8% (Note: above data exclude public sector) (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:
7.9% (2003)

Budget:
revenues: $26.17 billion
expenditures: $32.64 billion, including capital expenditures of $5
billion (2003)

Agriculture - products:
fresh vegetables, poultry, fish, pork

Industries:
textiles, clothing, tourism, banking, shipping, electronics,
plastics, toys, watches, clocks

Industrial production growth rate:
-9.2% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
30.48 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
37.12 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
1.581 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
10.36 billion kWh (2001)

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

Oil - consumption:
257,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

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

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

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

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

Current account balance:
$17.42 billion (2003)

Exports:
$225.9 billion f.o.b., including reexports (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
electrical machinery and appliances, textiles, apparel, footwear,
watches and clocks, toys, plastics, precious stones

Exports - partners:
China 42.6%, US 18.7%, Japan 5.4% (2003)

Imports:
$230.3 billion (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
electrical machinery and appliances, textiles, foodstuffs,
transport equipment, raw materials, semimanufactures, petroleum,
plastics; a large share is reexported

Imports - partners:
China 43.5%, Japan 11.9%, Taiwan 6.9%, US 5.5%, Singapore 5%, South
Korea 4.8% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$118.4 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$59.21 billion (2003 est.)

Currency:
Hong Kong dollar (HKD)

Currency code:
HKD

Exchange rates:
Hong Kong dollars per US dollar - 7.7868 (2003), 7.7989 (2002),
7.7988 (2001), 7.7912 (2000), 7.7575 (1999)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Hong Kong

Telephones - main lines in use:
3,801,300 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
7,241,400 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: modern facilities provide excellent domestic
and international services
domestic: microwave radio relay links and extensive fiber-optic
network
international: country code - 852; satellite earth stations - 3
Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); coaxial cable to
Guangzhou, China; access to 5 international submarine cables
providing connections to ASEAN member nations, Japan, Taiwan,
Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 5, FM 9, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:
4.45 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
4 (2004)

Televisions:
1.84 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.hk

Internet hosts:
591,993 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
17 (2000)

Internet users:
3,212,800 (2003)

Transportation Hong Kong

Highways:
total: 1,831 km
paved: 1,831 km
unpaved: 0 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors:
Hong Kong

Merchant marine:
total: 663 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 20,478,042 GRT/34,554,455 DWT
registered in other countries: 569 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: Australia 2, Belgium 1, British Virgin Islands 1,
China 178, Cyprus 1, Denmark 3, France 2, Germany 14, Greece 4,
India 9, Indonesia 2, Japan 22, South Korea 2, Malaysia 3, Monaco 9,
Norway 16, Panama 4, Philippines 17, Singapore 22, Taiwan 3,
Thailand 1, United Kingdom 22, United States 1
by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 364, cargo 78, chemical tanker 23,
combination bulk 2, combination ore/oil 3, container 97, liquefied
gas 20, multi-functional large load carrier 1, petroleum tanker 60,
refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 4, short-sea/passenger 1,
specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 4

Airports:
4 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 4
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
914 to 1523 m: 1

Heliports:
2 (2003 est.)

Military Hong Kong

Military branches:
no regular indigenous military forces; Hong Kong garrison of
China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) including elements of the PLA
Ground Forces, PLA Navy, and PLA Air Force; these forces are under
the direct leadership of the Central Military Commission in Beijing
and under administrative control of the adjacent Guangzhou Military
Region

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age (2004 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,878,574 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,404,705 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 41,821 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
Hong Kong garrison is funded by China; figures are NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA (FY02)

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of China

Transnational Issues Hong Kong

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
Makes strenuous law enforcement efforts, but faces difficult
challenges in controlling transit of heroin and methamphetamine to
regional and world markets; modern banking system provides a conduit
for money laundering; rising indigenous use of synthetic drugs,
especially among young people

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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

@Howland Island

Introduction Howland Island

Background:
Discovered by the US early in the 19th century, the island was
officially claimed by the US in 1857. Both US and British companies
mined for guano until about 1890. Earhart Light is a day beacon near
the middle of the west coast that was partially destroyed during
World War II, but has since been rebuilt; it is named in memory of
the famed aviatrix Amelia EARHART. The island is administered by the
US Department of the Interior as a National Wildlife Refuge.

Geography Howland Island

Location:
Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way between
Hawaii and Australia

Geographic coordinates:
0 48 N, 176 38 W

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 1.6 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 1.6 sq km

Area - comparative:
about three times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
6.4 km

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

Climate:
equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun

Terrain:
low-lying, nearly level, sandy, coral island surrounded by a narrow
fringing reef; depressed central area

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 3 m

Natural resources:
guano (deposits worked until late 1800s), terrestrial and aquatic
wildlife

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2001)

Irrigated land:
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime
hazard

Environment - current issues:
no natural fresh water resources

Geography - note:
almost totally covered with grasses, prostrate vines, and
low-growing shrubs; small area of trees in the center; primarily a
nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds,
and marine wildlife

People Howland Island

Population:
uninhabited
note: American civilians evacuated in 1942 after Japanese air and
naval attacks during World War II; occupied by US military during
World War II, but abandoned after the war; public entry is by
special-use permit from US Fish and Wildlife Service only and
generally restricted to scientists and educators; visited annually
by US Fish and Wildlife Service (July 2004 est.)

Government Howland Island

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Howland Island

Dependency status:
unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington,
DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the
Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system

Legal system:
the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description:
the flag of the US is used

Economy Howland Island

Economy - overview:
no economic activity

Transportation Howland Island

Ports and harbors:
none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one small boat
landing area along the middle of the west coast

Airports:
airstrip constructed in 1937 for scheduled refueling stop on the
round-the-world flight of Amelia EARHART and Fred NOONAN - they left
Lae, New Guinea, for Howland Island, but were never seen again; the
airstrip is no longer serviceable (2003 est.)

Transportation - note:
Earhart Light is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast
that was partially destroyed during World War II, but has since been
rebuilt; named in memory of famed aviatrix Amelia EARHART

Military Howland Island

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by the US
Coast Guard

Transnational Issues Howland Island

Disputes - international:
none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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

@Hungary

Introduction Hungary

Background:
Hungary was part of the polyglot Austro-Hungarian Empire, which
collapsed during World War I. The country fell under Communist rule
following World War II. In 1956, a revolt and announced withdrawal
from the Warsaw Pact were met with a massive military intervention
by Moscow. Under the leadership of Janos KADAR in 1968, Hungary
began liberalizing its economy, introducing so-called "goulash
Communism." Hungary held its first multiparty elections in 1990 and
initiated a free market economy. It joined NATO in 1999 and the EU
in 2004.

Geography Hungary

Location:
Central Europe, northwest of Romania

Geographic coordinates:
47 00 N, 20 00 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 93,030 sq km
water: 690 sq km
land: 92,340 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Indiana

Land boundaries:
total: 2,171 km
border countries: Austria 366 km, Croatia 329 km, Romania 443 km,
Serbia and Montenegro 151 km, Slovakia 677 km, Slovenia 102 km,
Ukraine 103 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

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

Terrain:
mostly flat to rolling plains; hills and low mountains on the
Slovakian border

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Tisza River 78 m
highest point: Kekes 1,014 m

Natural resources:
bauxite, coal, natural gas, fertile soils, arable land

Land use:
arable land: 50.09%
other: 47.85% (2001)
permanent crops: 2.06%

Irrigated land:
2,100 sq km (1998 est.)

Environment - current issues:
the upgrading of Hungary's standards in waste management, energy
efficiency, and air, soil, and water pollution with environmental
requirements for EU accession will require large investments

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

Geography - note:
landlocked; strategic location astride main land routes between
Western Europe and Balkan Peninsula as well as between Ukraine and
Mediterranean basin; the north-south flowing Duna (Danube) and Tisza
Rivers divide the country into three large regions

People Hungary

Population:
10,032,375 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 16% (male 826,032; female 782,687)
15-64 years: 69% (male 3,407,931; female 3,517,450)
65 years and over: 15% (male 545,488; female 952,787) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 38.4 years
male: 35.9 years
female: 41.1 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
-0.25% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
9.77 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
13.16 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.57 male(s)/female
total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 8.68 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 9.34 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.25 years
male: 68.07 years
female: 76.69 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.31 children born/woman (2004 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
2,800 (2001 est.)

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

Nationality:
noun: Hungarian(s)
adjective: Hungarian

Ethnic groups:
Hungarian 89.9%, Roma 4%, German 2.6%, Serb 2%, Slovak 0.8%,
Romanian 0.7%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 67.5%, Calvinist 20%, Lutheran 5%, atheist and other
7.5%

Languages:
Hungarian 98.2%, other 1.8%

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.4%
male: 99.5%
female: 99.3% (2003 est.)

Government Hungary

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Hungary
conventional short form: Hungary
local long form: Magyar Koztarsasag
local short form: Magyarorszag

Government type:
parliamentary democracy

Capital:
Budapest

Administrative divisions:
19 counties (megyek, singular - megye), 20 urban counties (singular
- megyei varos), and 1 capital city (fovaros)
: counties: Bacs-Kiskun, Baranya, Bekes, Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen,
Csongrad, Fejer, Gyor-Moson-Sopron, Hajdu-Bihar, Heves,
Jasz-Nagykun-Szolnok, Komarom-Esztergom, Nograd, Pest, Somogy,
Szabolcs-Szatmar-Bereg, Tolna, Vas, Veszprem, Zala
: urban counties: Bekescsaba, Debrecen, Dunaujvaros, Eger, Gyor,
Hodmezovasarhely, Kaposvar, Kecskemet, Miskolc, Nagykanizsa,
Nyiregyhaza, Pecs, Sopron, Szeged, Szekesfehervar, Szolnok,
Szombathely, Tatabanya, Veszprem, Zalaegerszeg
: capital city: Budapest

Independence:
1001 (unification by King Stephen I)

National holiday:
Saint Stephen's Day, 20 August

Constitution:
18 August 1949, effective 20 August 1949, revised 19 April 1972; 18
October 1989 revision ensured legal rights for individuals and
constitutional checks on the authority of the prime minister and
also established the principle of parliamentary oversight; 1997
amendment streamlined the judicial system

Legal system:
rule of law based on Western model

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Ferenc MADL (since 4 August 2000)
cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the National Assembly on
the recommendation of the president
election results: Ferenc MADL elected president; percent of
legislative vote - NA% (but by a simple majority in the third round
of voting); Ferenc GYURCSANY elected prime minister; percent of
legislative vote - 197 to 12
note: to be elected, the president must win two-thirds of
legislative vote in the first two rounds or a simple majority in the
third round
elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a
five-year term; election last held 6 June 2000 (next to be held by
June 2005); prime minister elected by the National Assembly on the
recommendation of the president; election last held 29 September 2004
head of government: Prime Minister Ferenc GYURCSANY (since 29
September 2004)

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Orszaggyules (386 seats; members
are elected by popular vote under a system of proportional and
direct representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 7 and 21 April 2002 (next to be held NA April
2006)
election results: percent of vote by party (5% or more of the vote
required for parliamentary representation in the first round) -
Fidesz/MDF 48.70%, MSzP 46.11%, SzDSz 4.92%, other 0.27%; seats by
party - Fidesz 164, MSzP 178, MDF 24, SzDSz 20

Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court (judges are elected by the National Assembly
for nine-year terms)

Political parties and leaders:
Alliance of Free Democrats or SzDSz [Gabor KUNCZE]; Hungarian Civic
Alliance or Fidesz-MPP [Viktor ORBAN, chairman]; Hungarian
Democratic Forum or MDF [Ibolya DAVID]; Hungarian Democratic
People's Party or MDNP [Erzsebet PUSZTAI, chairman]; Hungarian
Socialist Party or MSzP [Istvan HILLER, chairman]; Hungarian
Workers' Party or MMP [Gyula THURMER, chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA
(cooperating state), EU (new member), FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA,
NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (member
affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Andras SIMONYI
FAX: [1] (202) 966-8135
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
telephone: [1] (202) 362-6730
chancery: 3910 Shoemaker Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador George Herbert WALKER
embassy: Szabadsag ter 12, H-1054 Budapest
mailing address: pouch: American Embassy Budapest, 5270 Budapest
Place, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5270
telephone: [36] (1) 475-4400
FAX: [36] (1) 475-4764

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

Economy Hungary

Economy - overview:
Hungary has made the transition from a centrally planned to a
market economy, with a per capita income one-half that of the Big
Four European nations. Hungary continues to demonstrate strong
economic growth and joined the European Union in May 2004. The
private sector accounts for over 80% of GDP. Foreign ownership of
and investment in Hungarian firms are widespread, with cumulative
foreign direct investment totaling more than $23 billion since 1989.
Hungarian sovereign debt was upgraded in 2000 to the second-highest
rating among all the Central European transition economies.
Inflation has declined substantially, from 14% in 1998 to 4.7% in
2003; unemployment has persisted around the 6% level. Germany is by
far Hungary's largest economic partner. Short-term issues include
the reduction of the public sector deficit and further increasing
the flexibility of the labor markets.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $139.8 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
2.9% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $13,900 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3.3%
industry: 32.5%
services: 64.2% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
22% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
8.6% (1993 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 4.1%
highest 10%: 20.5% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
24.4 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.7% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
4.164 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 8%, industry 27%, services 65% (1996)

Unemployment rate:
5.9% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $35 billion
expenditures: $39.88 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Public debt:
57% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
wheat, corn, sunflower seed, potatoes, sugar beets; pigs, cattle,
poultry, dairy products

Industries:
mining, metallurgy, construction materials, processed foods,
textiles, chemicals (especially pharmaceuticals), motor vehicles

Industrial production growth rate:
6.4% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
34.39 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
35.15 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
7.261 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
10.43 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
41,190 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
140,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
47,180 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
136,600 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
110.7 million bbl (1 January 2002)

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

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

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

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

Natural gas - proved reserves:
50.45 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$-7.347 billion (2003)

Exports:
$42.03 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
machinery and equipment 57.6%, other manufactures 31.0%, food
products 7.5%, raw materials 1.9%, fuels and electricity 1.9% (2001)

Exports - partners:
Germany 34.1%, Austria 8%, Italy 5.8%, France 5.7%, UK 4.5%,
Netherlands 4.1% (2003)

Imports:
$46.19 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment 51.6%, other manufactures 35.3%, fuels and
electricity 8.2%, food products 2.9%, raw materials 2.0% (2001)

Imports - partners:
Germany 24.5%, Italy 7.1%, China 6.9%, Austria 6.3%, Russia 6.2%,
France 4.8%, Japan 4.2% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$12.78 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$42.38 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
ODA $250 million (2000)

Currency:
forint (HUF)

Currency code:
HUF

Exchange rates:
forints per US dollar - 224.307 (2003), 257.887 (2002), 286.49
(2001), 282.179 (2000), 237.146 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Hungary

Telephones - main lines in use:
3,666,400 (2002)