Chapter XXXVI: Front Matter (36)

Legal system:
based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Branko CRVENKOVSKI (since 12 May 2004)
head of government: Prime Minister Vlado BUCKOVSKI (since 17
December 2004)
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
two-round election last held 14 April and 28 April 2004 (next to be
held April 2009); prime minister elected by the Assembly; election
last held 1 November 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)
election results: Branko CRVENKOVSKI elected president on
second-round ballot; percent of vote - Branko CRVENKOVSKI 62.7%,
Sasko KEDEV 37.3%; Vlado BUCKOVSKI elected prime minister by the
Assembly
cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the majority vote of all
the deputies in the Assembly; note - current cabinet formed by the
government coalition parties SDSM, LDP, and BDI

Legislative branch:
unicameral Assembly or Sobranie (120 seats - members elected by
popular vote from party lists based on the percentage of the overall
vote the parties gain in each of six electoral districts; all serve
four-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
Together for Macedonia coalition 60 (SDSM 43, LDP 12, others 5),
VMRO-DPMNE 33 (VMRO 28 and LDT 5), Democratic Union for Integration
16, Democratic Party of Albanians 7, Party for Democratic Prosperity
2, National Democratic Party 1, Socialist Party of Macedonia 1
elections: last held 15 September 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court - the Assembly appoints the judges; Constitutional
Court - the Assembly appoints the judges; Republican Judicial
Council - the Assembly appoints the judges

Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Alliance [Pavle TRAJANOV]; Democratic Alternative or DA
[Vasil TUPURKOVSKI, president]; Democratic League of the Bosniaks
[Rafet MUMINOVIC]; Democratic Party of Albanians or PDSH/DPA [Arben
XHAFERI, president]; Democratic Party of Serbs [Ivan STOILJKOVIC];
Democratic Party of Turks [Kenan HASIPI]; Democratic Republican
Union of Macedonia or DRUM [Dosta DIMOVSKA]; Democratic Union of
Vlachs for Macedonia [leader NA]; Democratic Union for Integration
or BDI/DUI [Ali AHMETI]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary
Organization-Agrarian Party or VMRO-Agrarian Party [Marjan GJORCEV];
Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Democratic Party for
Macedonian National Unity or VMRO-DPMNE (including VMRO and LDT)
[Nikola GRUEVSKI]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary
Organization-True Macedonian Option or VMRO-Vistinska [Boris
ZMEJKOVSKI]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary
Organization-Macedonian [Boris STOJMENOV]; Internal Macedonian
Revolutionary Organization-People's Party or VMRO-Narodna [Vesna
JANEVSKA]; League for Democracy [Gjorgi MARJANOVIC]; Liberal
Democratic Party or LDP [Risto PENOV]; Liberal Party [Stojan ANDOV];
National Democratic Party or PDK [Basri HALITI]; National Farmers'
Party [VejljoTANTAROV]; Party for Democratic Prosperity or PPD/PDP
[Abduljhadi VEJSELI]; Social Democratic Alliance of Macedonia or
SDSM [Vlado BUCKOVSKI, president]; Socialist Party of Macedonia or
SP [Ljubisav IVANOV, president]; Together for Macedonia coalition
(including the SDSM and LDP) [Vlado BUCKOVSI]; United Party for
Emancipation or OPE [Nezdet MUSTAFA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Civic Movement of Macedonia [Gordana SILJANOVSKA]; Movement for
Macedonia's Euro-Atlantic Integration [Dosta DIMOVSKA]

International organization participation:
ACCT, BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer),
ISO, ITU, MIGA, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Nikola DIMITROV
chancery: Suite 302, 1101 30th Street NW, Washington, DC 20007
consulate(s) general: Southfield, Michigan
FAX: [1] (202) 337-3093
telephone: [1] (202) 337-3063

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Lawrence Edward BUTLER
embassy: Bul. Ilindenska bb, 1000 Skopje
mailing address: American Embassy Skopje, Department of State, 7120
Skopje Place, Washington, DC 20521-7120 (pouch)
telephone: [389] 2 311-6180
FAX: [389] 2 311-7103

Flag description:
a yellow sun with eight broadening rays extending to the edges of
the red field

Economy Macedonia

Economy - overview:
At independence in September 1991, Macedonia was the least
developed of the Yugoslav republics, producing a mere 5% of the
total federal output of goods and services. The collapse of
Yugoslavia ended transfer payments from the center and eliminated
advantages from inclusion in a de facto free trade area. An absence
of infrastructure, UN sanctions on Yugoslavia, one of its largest
markets, and a Greek economic embargo over a dispute about the
country's constitutional name and flag hindered economic growth
until 1996. GDP subsequently rose each year through 2000. However,
the leadership's commitment to economic reform, free trade, and
regional integration was undermined by the ethnic Albanian
insurgency of 2001. The economy shrank 4.5% because of decreased
trade, intermittent border closures, increased deficit spending on
security needs, and investor uncertainty. Growth barely recovered in
2002 to 0.9%, then rose to 2.8% in 2003. Unemployment at one-third
of the workforce remains the most critical economic problem. The
gray economy is estimated at around 40% of GDP. Politically, the
country is more stable than in 2002.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $13.81 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
2.8% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $6,700 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 11.3%
industry: 32.1%
services: 56.6% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
16.3% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
30.2% (2002 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.2% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
860,000 (2003 est.)

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

Unemployment rate:
36.7% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $1.582 billion
expenditures: $1.661 billion, including capital expenditures of $80
million NA (2003 est.)

Public debt:
30.2% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
rice, tobacco, wheat, corn, millet, cotton, sesame, mulberry
leaves, citrus, vegetables; beef, pork, poultry, mutton

Industries:
coal, metallic chromium, lead, zinc, ferronickel, textiles, wood
products, tobacco, food processing, buses, steel

Industrial production growth rate:
4.5% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
6.465 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
6.112 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
100 million kWh (2001)

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

Oil - consumption:
20,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Current account balance:
$-278 million (2003)

Exports:
$1.346 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
food, beverages, tobacco; miscellaneous manufactures, iron and steel

Exports - partners:
Serbia and Montenegro 37.8%, Germany 27%, Italy 14.7%, Greece 9.7%,
Croatia 6.9%, US 6.1%, Netherlands 4.8% (2003)

Imports:
$2.184 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels; food products

Imports - partners:
Greece 17.3%, Germany 12.6%, Serbia and Montenegro 9.2%, Slovenia
7.9%, Bulgaria 7.4%, Italy 6.2%, Turkey 6% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$935.1 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$1.929 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$250 million (2003 est.)

Currency:
Macedonian denar (MKD)

Currency code:
MKD

Exchange rates:
Macedonian denars per US dollar - NA (2003), 64.3498 (2002),
68.0371 (2001), 65.9039 (2000), 56.9018 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Macedonia

Telephones - main lines in use:
560,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
365,300 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 389

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 29, FM 20, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
410,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
31 (plus 166 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
510,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.mk

Internet hosts:
3,738 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
6 (2000)

Internet users:
100,000 (2002)

Transportation Macedonia

Railways:
total: 699 km
standard gauge: 699 km 1.435-m gauge (233 km electrified) (2003)

Highways:
total: 8,684 km
paved: 5,540 km (including 133 km of expressways)
unpaved: 3,144 km (1999 est.)

Pipelines:
gas 268 km; oil 120 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
none

Airports:
17 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 10
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
under 914 m: 8 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Military Macedonia

Military branches:
Army of the Republic of Macedonia (ARM; including Air and Air
Defense Command)

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service, tour of conscript
duty is 6 months; 17 years of age for voluntary service (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 555,611 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 448,095 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 17,595 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$200 million (FY01/02 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
6% (FY01/02 est.)

Transnational Issues Macedonia

Disputes - international:
the Albanian government calls for the protection of the rights of
ethnic Albanians in Macedonia while continuing to seek regional
cooperation; ethnic Albanians in Kosovo resist demarcation of a
small section of the Macedonia-Kosovo boundary in accordance with
the 2000 delimitation treaty, which transferred a small amount of
land to Macedonia; dispute with Greece over country's name persists

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 2,678 (ethnic conflict in 2001; most IDPs have returned)
(2004)

Illicit drugs:
major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and hashish;
minor transit point for South American cocaine destined for Europe;
although most criminal activity is thought to be domestic and not a
financial center, money laundering is a problem due to a mostly
cash-based economy and weak enforcement (no arrests or prosecutions
for money laundering to date)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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

@Madagascar

Introduction Madagascar

Background:
Formerly an independent kingdom, Madagascar became a French colony
in 1896, but regained its independence in 1960. During 1992-93, free
presidential and National Assembly elections were held, ending 17
years of single-party rule. In 1997, in the second presidential
race, Didier RATSIRAKA, the leader during the 1970s and 1980s, was
returned to the presidency. The 2001 presidential election was
contested between the followers of Didier RATSIRAKA and Marc
RAVALOMANANA, nearly causing secession of half of the country. In
April 2002, the High Constitutional Court announced RAVALOMANANA the
winner.

Geography Madagascar

Location:
Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique

Geographic coordinates:
20 00 S, 47 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 587,040 sq km
water: 5,500 sq km
land: 581,540 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly less than twice the size of Arizona

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
4,828 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or 100 nm from the 2,500-m deep isobath
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm

Climate:
tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south

Terrain:
narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Maromokotro 2,876 m

Natural resources:
graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar sands,
semiprecious stones, mica, fish, hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 5.07%
permanent crops: 1.03%
other: 93.91% (2001)

Irrigated land:
10,900 sq km (2000 est.)

Natural hazards:
periodic cyclones, drought, and locust infestation

Environment - current issues:
soil erosion results from deforestation and overgrazing;
desertification; surface water contaminated with raw sewage and
other organic wastes; several species of flora and fauna unique to
the island are endangered

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

Geography - note:
world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along Mozambique
Channel

People Madagascar

Population:
17,501,871 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 44.9% (male 3,935,523; female 3,922,077)
15-64 years: 52% (male 4,509,877; female 4,596,662)
65 years and over: 3.1% (male 245,168; female 292,564) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 17.4 years
male: 17.2 years
female: 17.7 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
3.03% (2004 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 78.52 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 69.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 86.84 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 56.54 years
male: 54.19 years
female: 58.96 years (2004 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.7% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
140,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
7,500 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Malagasy (singular and plural)
adjective: Malagasy

Ethnic groups:
Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo), Cotiers (mixed
African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry - Betsimisaraka,
Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), French, Indian, Creole, Comoran

Religions:
indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7%

Languages:
French (official), Malagasy (official)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 68.9%
male: 75.5%
female: 62.5% (2003 est.)

Government Madagascar

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Madagascar
conventional short form: Madagascar
local short form: Madagascar
former: Malagasy Republic
local long form: Republique de Madagascar

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Antananarivo

Administrative divisions:
6 provinces (faritany); Antananarivo, Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa,
Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara

Independence:
26 June 1960 (from France)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 26 June (1960)

Constitution:
19 August 1992 by national referendum

Legal system:
based on French civil law system and traditional Malagasy law; has
not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Marc RAVALOMANANA (since 6 May 2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Jacques SYLLA (27 May 2002)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 16 December 2001 (next to be held NA November
2006); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: percent of vote - Didier RATSIRAKA (AREMA) 37.7%,
Marc RAVALOMANANA (TIM) 50.5%

Legislative branch:
bicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (160 seats;
members are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year
terms); Senate (100 seats; two-thirds of the seats filled by
regional assemblies whose members will be elected by popular vote;
the remaining one-third of the seats appointed by the president; all
members will serve four-year terms)
elections: National Assembly - last held 15 December 2002 (next to
be held NA 2006)
election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - TIM 103, FP 22, AREMA 3, LEADER/Fanilo 2, RPSD 5,
others 3, independents 22

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Constitutional Court or Haute
Cour Constitutionnelle

Political parties and leaders:
Association for the Rebirth of Madagascar or AREMA [Pierrot
RAJAONARIVO]; Economic Liberalism and Democratic Action for National
Recovery or LEADER/Fanilo [Herizo RAZAFIMAHALEO]; Fihaonana Party or
FP [Guy-Willy RAZANAMASY]; I Love Madagascar or TIM [Marc
RAVALOMANANA]; Renewal of the Social Democratic Party or RPSD
[Evariste MARSON]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Committee for the Defense of Truth and Justice or KMMR; Committee
for National Reconciliation or CRN [Albert Zafy]; National Council
of Christian Churches or FFKM

International organization participation:
ABEDA, ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Rajaonarivony NARISOA
consulate(s) general: New York
FAX: [1] (202) 483-7603
telephone: [1] (202) 265-5525, 5526
chancery: 2374 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Wanda L. NESBITT
embassy: 14-16 Rue Rainitovo, Antsahavola, Antananarivo 101
mailing address: B. P. 620, Antsahavola, Antananarivo
telephone: [261] (20) 22-212-57, 22-212-73, 22-209-56
FAX: [261] (20) 22-345-39

Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a vertical
white band of the same width on hoist side

Economy Madagascar

Economy - overview:
Having discarded past socialist economic policies, Madagascar has
since the mid 1990s followed a World Bank and IMF led policy of
privatization and liberalization. This strategy has placed the
country on a slow and steady growth path from an extremely low
level. Agriculture, including fishing and forestry, is a mainstay of
the economy, accounting for more than one-fourth of GDP and
employing four-fifths of the population. Exports of apparel have
boomed in recent years primarily due to duty-free access to the
United States. Deforestation and erosion, aggravated by the use of
firewood as the primary source of fuel are serious concerns.
President RAVALOMANANA has worked aggressively to revive the economy
following the 2002 political crisis, which triggered a 12% drop in
GDP that year. Poverty reduction and combating corruption will be
the centerpieces of economic policy for the next few years.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $13.02 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
6% (2003 est.)

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

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 34.5%
industry: 7.8%
services: 57.7% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
14.8% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
71% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 29% (1999)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
38.1 (1999)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
8% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
7.3 million (2000)

Unemployment rate:
5.9% (1998)

Budget:
revenues: $739.6 million
expenditures: $1.071 billion, including capital expenditures of $331
million (2003)

Agriculture - products:
coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca),
beans, bananas, peanuts; livestock products

Industries:
meat processing, soap, breweries, tanneries, sugar, textiles,
glassware, cement, automobile assembly plant, paper, petroleum,
tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
3% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
830.2 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
772.1 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

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

Oil - consumption:
13,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2002)

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

Current account balance:
$-398 million (2003)

Exports:
$700 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
coffee, vanilla, shellfish, sugar; cotton cloth, chromite,
petroleum products

Exports - partners:
France 37.4%, US 29.2%, Germany 5.5%, Mauritius 5.2% (2003)

Imports:
$920 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
capital goods, petroleum, consumer goods, food

Imports - partners:
China 14.2%, France 13.2%, South Africa 6.4%, Iran 6.2% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$423 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$4.6 billion (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
$354 million (2001)

Currency:
Malagasy franc (MGF)

Currency code:
MGF

Exchange rates:
Malagasy francs per US dollar - 6,210 (2003), 6,831.96 (2002),
6,588.49 (2001), 6,767.48 (2000), 6,283.77 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Madagascar

Telephones - main lines in use:
59,600 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
279,500 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: system is above average for the region
domestic: open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay,
and tropospheric scatter links connect regions
international: country code - 261; submarine cable to Bahrain;
satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1
Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2 (plus a number of repeater stations), FM 9, shortwave 6 (2001)

Radios:
3.05 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (plus 36 repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:
325,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.mg

Internet hosts:
773 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
70,500 (2003)

Transportation Madagascar

Railways:
total: 732 km
narrow gauge: 732 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)

Highways:
total: 49,827 km
paved: 5,780 km
unpaved: 44,047 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
600 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Antsiranana, Antsohimbondrona, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara

Merchant marine:
total: 11 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 14,865 GRT/17,936 DWT
registered in other countries: 2 (2004 est.)
by type: cargo 8, chemical tanker 1, roll on/roll off 2

Airports:
116 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 29
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 20
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 87
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 42
under 914 m: 43 (2004 est.)

Military Madagascar

Military branches:
People's Armed Forces: comprising Intervention Force, Development
Force, and Aeronaval - Navy and Air - Force; National Gendarmerie

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

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 4,004,242 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 2,373,342 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 169,186 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$69.8 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.2% (2003)

Transnational Issues Madagascar

Disputes - international:
claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan
de Nova Island (all administered by France)

Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild varieties) used
mostly for domestic consumption; transshipment point for heroin

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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

@Malawi

Introduction Malawi

Background:
Established in 1891, the British protectorate of Nyasaland became
the independent nation of Malawi in 1964. After three decades of
one-party rule under President Hastings Kamuzu BANDA the country
held multiparty elections in 1994, under a provisional constitution,
which came into full effect the following year. Current President
Bingu wa MUTHARIKA, elected in May 2004 after the previous president
was unable to amend the constitution to permit another term, has
struggled to assert his authority against his predecessor, who still
leads their shared political party. MATHARIKA's anti-corruption
efforts have led to several high-level arrests but no convictions.
Increasing corruption, population growth, increasing pressure on
agricultural lands, and HIV/AIDS pose major problems for the country.

Geography Malawi

Location:
Southern Africa, east of Zambia

Geographic coordinates:
13 30 S, 34 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 118,480 sq km
water: 24,400 sq km
land: 94,080 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries:
total: 2,881 km
border countries: Mozambique 1,569 km, Tanzania 475 km, Zambia 837 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
sub-tropical; rainy season (November to May); dry season (May to
November)

Terrain:
narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills, some
mountains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: junction of the Shire River and international
boundary with Mozambique 37 m
highest point: Sapitwa (Mount Mlanje) 3,002 m

Natural resources:
limestone, arable land, hydropower, unexploited deposits of
uranium, coal, and bauxite

Land use:
arable land: 23.38%
permanent crops: 1.49%
other: 75.13% (2001)

Irrigated land:
280 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; land degradation; water pollution from agricultural
runoff, sewage, industrial wastes; siltation of spawning grounds
endangers fish populations

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
landlocked; Lake Nyasa, some 580 km long, is the country's most
prominent physical feature

People Malawi

Population:
11,906,855
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: 46.8% (male 2,811,751; female 2,759,515)
15-64 years: 50.5% (male 2,978,406; female 3,029,735)
65 years and over: 2.8% (male 130,600; female 196,848) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 16.4 years
male: 16.1 years
female: 16.7 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.14% (2004 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 104.23 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 99.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 108.4 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 37.48 years
male: 37.08 years
female: 37.88 years (2004 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
14.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
900,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
84,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
typhoid fever, malaria, plague, schistosomiasis
overall degree of risk: very high (2004)

Nationality:
noun: Malawian(s)
adjective: Malawian

Ethnic groups:
Chewa, Nyanja, Tumbuka, Yao, Lomwe, Sena, Tonga, Ngoni, Ngonde,
Asian, European

Religions:
Protestant 55%, Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs
3%, other 2%

Languages:
English (official), Chichewa (official), other languages important
regionally

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 62.7%
male: 76.1%
female: 49.8% (2003 est.)

Government Malawi

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Malawi
conventional short form: Malawi
former: British Central African Protectorate, Nyasaland
Protectorate, Nyasaland

Government type:
multiparty democracy

Capital:
Lilongwe

Administrative divisions:
27 districts; Balaka, Blantyre, Chikwawa, Chiradzulu, Chitipa,
Dedza, Dowa, Karonga, Kasungu, Likoma, Lilongwe, Machinga (Kasupe),
Mangochi, Mchinji, Mulanje, Mwanza, Mzimba, Ntcheu, Nkhata Bay,
Nkhotakota, Nsanje, Ntchisi, Phalombe, Rumphi, Salima, Thyolo, Zomba

Independence:
6 July 1964 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day (Republic Day), 6 July (1964)

Constitution:
18 May 1994

Legal system:
based on English common law and customary law; judicial review of
legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Appeal; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA (since 24 May 2004);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA (since 24 May
2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: 46-member Cabinet named by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 20 May 2004 (next to be held NA May 2009)
election results: Bingu wa MUTHARIKA elected president; percent of
vote - Bingu wa MUTHARIKA (UDF) 35.9%, John TEMBO (MCP) 27.1%,
Gwandaguluwe CHAKUAMBA (MC) 25.7%, Brown MPINGANJIRA (NDA) 8.7%,
Justin MALEWEZI (independent) 2.5%

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (193 seats; members elected by popular
vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 20 May 2004 (next to be held NA May 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
MCP 56, UDF 49, Mgwirizano Coalition (MC) 25, independents 39,
others 24

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Appeal; High Court (chief justice appointed by the
president, puisne judges appointed on the advice of the Judicial
Service Commission); magistrate's courts

Political parties and leaders:
Alliance for Democracy or AFORD [Chakufwa CHIHANA]; Malawi Congress
Party or MCP [John TEMBO]; Malawi Democratic Party or MDP [Kampelo
KALUA]; Malawi Forum for Unity and Development or MAFUNDE [George
MNESA]; Mgwirizano Coalition or MC (coalition of MAFUNDE, MDP,
MGODE, NUP, PETRA, PPM, RP) [Gwandaguluwe Chakuamba]; Movement for
Genuine Democratic Change or MGODE [Sam Kandodo BANDA]; National
Democratic Alliance or NDA [Brown MPINGANJIRA]; National Unity Party
or NUP [Harry CHIUME]; New Congress for Democracy or NCD [Hetherwick
NTABA]; People's Progressive Movement or PPM [Aleke BANDA]; People's
Transformation Movement or PETRA [Kamuzu CHIBAMBO]; Republican Party
or RP [Gwandaguluwe Chakuamba]; United Democratic Front or UDF
[Bingu wa MUTHARIKA] - governing party

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent),
ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, ONUB, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNMIK, UNMIL, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Paul Tony Steven KANDIERO
FAX: [1] (202) 265-0976
telephone: [1] (202) 797-1007
chancery: 2408 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen BROWNING
embassy: Area 40, Plot 24, Kenyatta Road
mailing address: P. O. Box 30016, Lilongwe 3, Malawi
telephone: [265] (1) 773 166
FAX: [265] (1) 770 471

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green with a
radiant, rising, red sun centered in the black band

Government - note:
the executive exerts considerable influence over the legislature

Economy Malawi

Economy - overview:
Landlocked Malawi ranks among the world's least developed
countries. The economy is predominately agricultural, with about 90%
of the population living in rural areas. Agriculture accounted for
nearly 40% of GDP and 88% of export revenues in 2001. The economy
depends on substantial inflows of economic assistance from the IMF,
the World Bank, and individual donor nations. In late 2000, Malawi
was approved for relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries
(HIPC) program. In November 2002 the World Bank approved a $50
million drought recovery package, which is to be used for famine
relief. The government faces strong challenges, e.g., to fully
develop a market economy, to improve educational facilities, to face
up to environmental problems, to deal with the rapidly growing
problem of HIV/AIDS, and to satisfy foreign donors that fiscal
discipline is being tightened. The performance of the tobacco sector
is key to short-term growth as tobacco accounts for over 50% of
exports.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $6.845 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.7% (2003 est.)

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

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 51%
industry: 21.8%
services: 27.2% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
12.3% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
55% (2003 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
9.5% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
4.5 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 90% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:
NA (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $528.1 million
expenditures: $653.2 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003)

Public debt:
235.7% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
tobacco, sugarcane, cotton, tea, corn, potatoes, cassava (tapioca),
sorghum, pulses; groundnuts, Macadamia nuts; cattle, goats

Industries:
tobacco, tea, sugar, sawmill products, cement, consumer goods

Industrial production growth rate:
-1.6% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
769.2 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
715.3 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

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

Oil - consumption:
5,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Current account balance:
$-58 million (2003)

Exports:
$455 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
tobacco 60%, tea, sugar, cotton, coffee, peanuts, wood products,
apparel

Exports - partners:
South Africa 23.3%, US 13.4%, Germany 11.3%, Egypt 5.7%, Portugal
4.8%, Japan 4.5%, Netherlands 4.1% (2003)

Imports:
$505 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
food, petroleum products, semimanufactures, consumer goods,
transportation equipment

Imports - partners:
South Africa 53.7%, India 4.9%, Tanzania 3.9% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$132 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$3.026 billion (2003)

Economic aid - recipient:
$540 million (1999)

Currency:
Malawian kwacha (MWK)

Currency code:
MWK

Exchange rates:
Malawian kwachas per US dollar - NA (2003), 76.6866 (2002), 72.1973
(2001), 59.5438 (2000), 44.0881 (1999)

Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

Communications Malawi

Telephones - main lines in use:
85,000 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
135,100 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: system employs open-wire lines, microwave radio relay
links, and radiotelephone communications stations
international: country code - 265; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 9, FM 5 (plus 15 repeater stations), shortwave 2 (plus a third
station held in standby status) (2001)

Radios:
2.6 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (2001)

Televisions:
NA

Internet country code:
.mw

Internet hosts:
18 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
3 (2002)

Internet users:
36,000 (2003)

Transportation Malawi

Railways:
total: 797 km
narrow gauge: 797 km 1.067-m gauge (2003)

Highways:
total: 28,400 km
paved: 5,254 km
unpaved: 23,146 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
700 km
note: on Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and Shire River (2003)

Ports and harbors:
Chipoka, Monkey Bay, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Chilumba

Airports:
42 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 6
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 36
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 15
under 914 m: 20 (2004 est.)

Military Malawi

Military branches:
Army (including Air Wing and Naval Detachment), Police (including
Mobile Force Unit)

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription
(2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 2,691,881 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,381,607 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$11.5 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.7% (2003)

Transnational Issues Malawi

Disputes - international:
dispute with Tanzania over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi)
and the meandering Songwe River remain dormant

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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

@Malaysia

Introduction Malaysia

Background:
During the late 18th and 19th centuries, Great Britain established
colonies and protectorates in the area of current Malaysia; these
were occupied by Japan from 1942 to 1945. In 1948, the British-ruled
territories on the Malay Peninsula formed the Federation of Malaya,
which became independent in 1957. Malaysia was formed in 1963 when
the former British colonies of Singapore and the East Malaysian
states of Sabah and Sarawak on the northern coast of Borneo joined
the Federation. The first several years of the country's history
were marred by Indonesian efforts to control Malaysia, Philippine
claims to Sabah, and Singapore's secession from the Federation in
1965.

Geography Malaysia

Location:
Southeastern Asia, peninsula bordering Thailand and northern
one-third of the island of Borneo, bordering Indonesia, Brunei, and
the South China Sea, south of Vietnam

Geographic coordinates:
2 30 N, 112 30 E

Map references:
Southeast Asia

Area:
total: 329,750 sq km
water: 1,200 sq km
land: 328,550 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than New Mexico

Land boundaries:
total: 2,669 km
border countries: Brunei 381 km, Indonesia 1,782 km, Thailand 506 km

Coastline:
4,675 km (Peninsular Malaysia 2,068 km, East Malaysia 2,607 km)

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation;
specified boundary in the South China Sea

Climate:
tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast
(October to February) monsoons

Terrain:
coastal plains rising to hills and mountains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Gunung Kinabalu 4,100 m

Natural resources:
tin, petroleum, timber, copper, iron ore, natural gas, bauxite

Land use:
arable land: 5.48%
other: 76.91% (2001)
permanent crops: 17.61%

Irrigated land:
3,650 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
flooding, landslides, forest fires

Environment - current issues:
air pollution from industrial and vehicular emissions; water
pollution from raw sewage; deforestation; smoke/haze from Indonesian
forest fires

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

Geography - note:
strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern South China
Sea

People Malaysia

Population:
23,522,482 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 33.3% (male 4,033,037; female 3,806,451)
15-64 years: 62.1% (male 7,326,068; female 7,289,783)
65 years and over: 4.5% (male 469,499; female 597,644) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 23.8 years
male: 23.2 years
female: 24.4 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.83% (2004 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: does not reflect net flow of an unknown number of illegal
immigrants from other countries in the region (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 18.35 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 15.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 21.23 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.95 years
male: 69.29 years
female: 74.81 years (2004 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.4% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
52,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
2,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Malaysian(s)
adjective: Malaysian

Ethnic groups:
Malay and other indigenous 58%, Chinese 24%, Indian 8%, others 10%
(2000)

Religions:
Muslim, Buddhist, Daoist, Hindu, Christian, Sikh; note - in
addition, Shamanism is practiced in East Malaysia

Languages:
Bahasa Melayu (official), English, Chinese dialects (Cantonese,
Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu,
Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai; note - in addition, in East Malaysia
several indigenous languages are spoken, the largest are Iban and
Kadazan

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 88.7%
male: 92%
female: 85.4% (2002)

Government Malaysia

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Malaysia
former: Federation of Malaysia

Government type:
constitutional monarchy
note: Malaya (what is now Peninsular Malaysia) formed 31 August
1957; Federation of Malaysia (Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore)
formed 9 July 1963 (Singapore left Federation on 9 August 1965);
nominally headed by paramount ruler and a bicameral Parliament
consisting of a nonelected upper house and an elected lower house;
all Peninsular Malaysian states have hereditary rulers except Melaka
and Penang; those two states along with Sabah and Sarawak in East
Malaysia have governors appointed by Malaysian Government; powers of
state governments are limited by federal constitution; under terms
of federation, Sabah and Sarawak retain certain constitutional
prerogatives (e.g., right to maintain their own immigration
controls); Sabah - currently holds 20 seats in House of
Representatives and will hold 25 seats after the next election;
Sarawak holds 28 seats in House of Representatives

Capital:
Kuala Lumpur
note: Putrajaya is referred to as administrative center not capital;
Parliament meets in Kuala Lumpur

Administrative divisions:
13 states (negeri-negeri, singular - negeri) Johor, Kedah,
Kelantan, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Pulau
Pinang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, and Terengganu; and one federal
territory (wilayah persekutuan) with three components, city of Kuala
Lumpur, Labuan, and Putrajaya

Independence:
31 August 1957 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day/Malaysia Day, 31 August (1957)

Constitution:
31 August 1957, amended 16 September 1963

Legal system:
based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in
the Supreme Court at request of supreme head of the federation; has
not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Paramount Ruler Tuanku SYED SIRAJUDDIN ibni
Almarhum Tuanku Syed Putra Jamalullail, the Raja of Perlis (since 12
December 2001)
head of government: Prime Minister ABDULLAH bin Ahmad Badawi (since
31 October 2003); Deputy Prime Minister NAJIB Tun Razak (since 7
January 2004)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the
members of Parliament with consent of the paramount ruler
election results: Tuanku SYED SIRAJUDDIN ibni Almarhum Tuanku Syed
Putra Jamalullail elected paramount ruler
elections: paramount ruler elected by and from the hereditary rulers
of nine of the states for five-year terms; election last held 12
December 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); prime minister designated
from among the members of the House of Representatives; following
legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins a plurality
of seats in the House of Representatives becomes prime minister

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament or Parlimen consists of the Senate or Dewan
Negara (70 seats; 44 appointed by the paramount ruler, 26 appointed
by the state legislatures) and the House of Representatives or Dewan
Rakyat (219 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms)
election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by
party - BN 91%, DAP 5%, PAS 3%, other 1%; seats by party - BN 199,
DAP 12, PAS 6, Keadilan 1, independent 1
elections: House of Representatives - last held 21 March 2004 (next
must be held by 2009)

Judicial branch:
Federal Court (judges appointed by the paramount ruler on the
advice of the prime minister)

Political parties and leaders:
ruling-coalition National Front (Barisan Nasional) or BN,
consisting of the following parties: Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia Party
or PGRM [LIM Keng Yaik]; Liberal Democratic Party (Parti Liberal
Demokratik - Sabah) or LDP [CHONG Kah Kiat]; Malaysian Chinese
Association (Persatuan China Malaysia) or MCA [ONG Ka Ting];
Malaysian Indian Congress (Kongresi India Malaysia) or MIC [S. Samy
VELLU]; Parti Bersatu Pakyat Sabah or PBRS [Joseph KURUP]; Parti
Bersatu Sabah or PBS [Joseph PAIRIN Kitingan]; Parti Pesaka
Bumiputra Bersatu or PBB [Patinggi Haji Abdul TAIB Mahmud]; Parti
Rakyat Sarawak or PRS [James MASING]; Sabah Progressive Party (Parti
Progresif Sabah) or SAPP [YONG Teck Lee]; Sarawak United People's
Party (Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sarawak) or SUPP [George CHAN Hong Nam];
United Malays National Organization or UMNO [ABDULLAH Ahmad Badawi];
United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organization (Pertubuhan
Pasko Momogun Kadazan Dusun Bersatu) or UPKO [Bernard DOMPOK];
People's Progressive Party (Parti Progresif Penduduk Malaysia) or
PPP [M.Keyveas]; Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party or SPDP
[William MAWANI]; opposition parties: Democratic Action Party (Parti
Tindakan Demokratik) or DAP [KARPAL Singh]; Islamic Party of
Malaysia (Parti Islam se Malaysia) or PAS [Abdul HADI Awang];
People's Justice Party (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) or PKR [WAN AZIZAH
Wan Ismael]; Sarawak National Party or SNAP [Edwin DANDUNG];
opposition coalition Alternative Front (Barisan Alternatif) or BA
consists of PAS and PKR

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ABEDA, APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC,
ONUB, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK,
UNMIL, UNMISET, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador GHAZZALI bin Sheikh Abdul Khalid
chancery: 3516 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
FAX: [1] (202) 572-9882
telephone: [1] (202) 572-9700

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher J. LAFLEUR
embassy: 376 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur
mailing address: P. O. Box No. 10035, 50700 Kuala Lumpur; American
Embassy Kuala Lumpur, APO AP 96535-8152
telephone: [60] (3) 2168-5000
FAX: [60] (3) 2142-2207

Flag description:
14 equal horizontal stripes of red (top) alternating with white
(bottom); there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner
bearing a yellow crescent and a yellow 14-pointed star; the crescent
and the star are traditional symbols of Islam; the design was based
on the flag of the US

Economy Malaysia

Economy - overview:
Malaysia, a middle-income country, transformed itself from 1971
through the late 1990s from a producer of raw materials into an
emerging multi-sector economy. Growth was almost exclusively driven
by exports - particularly of electronics. As a result Malaysia was
hard hit by the global economic downturn and the slump in the
information technology (IT) sector in 2001 and 2002. GDP in 2001
grew only 0.5% due to an estimated 11% contraction in exports, but a
substantial fiscal stimulus package equal to US $1.9 billion
mitigated the worst of the recession and the economy rebounded in
2002 with a 4.1% increase. The economy grew 4.9% in 2003,
notwithstanding a difficult first half, when external pressures from
SARS and the Iraq War led to caution in the business community.
Healthy foreign exchange reserves and a relatively small external
debt make it unlikely that Malaysia will experience a crisis similar
to the one in 1997, but the economy remains vulnerable to a more
protracted slowdown in Japan and the US, top export destinations and
key sources of foreign investment. The Malaysian ringgit is pegged
to the dollar, and the Japanese central bank continues to intervene
and prop up the yen against the dollar.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $207.8 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
5.2% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $9,000 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 7.3%
industry: 33.5%
services: 59.1% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
22.2% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
8% (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.4%
highest 10%: 39.2% (2003 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
49.2 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.1% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
10.26 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 14.5%, industry 36%, services 49.5% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
3.6% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $22.95 billion
expenditures: $27.75 billion, including capital expenditures of $9.4
billion (2003 est.)

Public debt:
45.5% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
Peninsular Malaysia - rubber, palm oil, cocoa, rice; Sabah -
subsistence crops, rubber, timber, coconuts, rice; Sarawak - rubber,
pepper; timber

Industries:
Peninsular Malaysia - rubber and oil palm processing and
manufacturing, light manufacturing industry, electronics, tin mining
and smelting, logging and processing timber; Sabah - logging,
petroleum production; Sarawak - agriculture processing, petroleum
production and refining, logging

Industrial production growth rate:
9.3% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
75.33 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - consumption:
68.4 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
690,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption:
460,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
230,200 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - imports:
NA (2003)

Oil - proved reserves:
3.729 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

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

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

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

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

Natural gas - proved reserves:
2.23 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$13.38 billion (2003)

Exports:
$98.4 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
electronic equipment, petroleum and liquefied natural gas, wood and
wood products, palm oil, rubber, textiles, chemicals

Exports - partners:
US 19.6%, Singapore 15.7%, Japan 10.7%, China 6.5%, Hong Kong 6.5%,
Thailand 4.4% (2003)

Imports:
$74.4 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
electronics, machinery, petroleum products, plastics, vehicles,
iron and steel products, chemicals

Imports - partners:
Japan 17.3%, US 15.5%, Singapore 11.9%, China 8.8%, South Korea
5.5%, Taiwan 5%, Germany 4.7%, Thailand 4.6% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$44.58 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$48.84 billion (2003 est.)

Currency:
ringgit (MYR)

Currency code:
MYR

Exchange rates:
ringgits per US dollar - 3.8 (2003), 3.8 (2002), 3.8 (2001), 3.8
(2000), 3.8 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Malaysia

Telephones - main lines in use:
4,571,600 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
11,124,100 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: modern system; international service excellent
domestic: good intercity service provided on Peninsular Malaysia
mainly by microwave radio relay; adequate intercity microwave radio
relay network between Sabah and Sarawak via Brunei; domestic
satellite system with 2 earth stations
international: country code - 60; submarine cables to India, Hong
Kong, and Singapore; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian
Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) (2001)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 35, FM 391, shortwave 15 (2001)

Radios:
10.9 million (1999)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (plus 15 high-power repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:
10.8 million (1999)

Internet country code:
.my

Internet hosts:
107,971 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
7 (2000)

Internet users:
8,692,100 (2003)

Transportation Malaysia

Railways:
total: 2,418 km (207 km electrified)
standard gauge: 57 km 1.435-m gauge (57 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 2,361 km 1.000-m gauge (150 km electrified) (2003)

Highways:
total: 65,877 km
paved: 49,935 km (including 1,192 km of expressways)
unpaved: 15,942 km (1999)

Waterways:
7,200 km
note: Peninsular Malaysia 3,200 km, Sabah 1,500 km, Sarawak 2,500 km
(2004)

Pipelines:
condensate 279 km; gas 5,047 km; oil 1,841 km; refined products 114
km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Bintulu, Kota Kinabalu, Kuantan, Kuching, Kudat, Labuan, Lahad
Datu, Lumut, Miri, Pasir Gudang, George Town (Penang), Port Dickson,
Port Kelang, Sandakan, Sibu, Tanjung Berhala, Tanjung Kidurong, Tawau

Merchant marine:
total: 360 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,389,397 GRT/7,539,178 DWT
foreign-owned: China 1, Germany 2, Hong Kong 8, Indonesia 2, Japan
2, South Korea 1, Liberia 1, Monaco 1, Norway 1, Philippines 2,
Singapore 81, Vietnam 1
registered in other countries: 75 (2004 est.)
by type: bulk 59, cargo 100, chemical tanker 38, container 66,
liquefied gas 25, livestock carrier 1, passenger 2, petroleum tanker
56, roll on/roll off 5, vehicle carrier 8

Airports:
117 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 38
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 10

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 79
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 72 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
1 (2003 est.)

Military Malaysia

Military branches:
Malaysian Army, Royal Malaysian Navy, Royal Malaysian Air Force,
Royal Malaysian Marine Police, Sarawak Border Scouts

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 6,193,587 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 3,746,960 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 223,466 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$1.69 billion (FY00 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.03% (FY00)

Transnational Issues Malaysia

Disputes - international:
involved in complex dispute with China, Philippines, Taiwan,
Vietnam and possibly Brunei over the Spratly Islands; the 2002
"Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" has
eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code of
conduct" desired by several of the disputants; disputes over
deliveries of fresh water to Singapore, Singapore's land
reclamation, bridge construction, maritime boundaries, and Pedra
Branca Island/Pulau Batu Putih persist - parties agree to ICJ
arbitration on island dispute within three years; ICJ awarded
Ligitan and Sipadan islands off the coast of Sabah, also claimed by
Indonesia and Philippines, to Malaysia; a 1 kilometer segment at the
mouth of the Golok River remains in dispute with Thailand;
Philippines retains a now dormant claim to Malaysia's Sabah State in
northern Borneo based on the Sultanate of Sulu's granting the
Philippines Government power of attorney to pursue the Sultanate's
sovereignty claim; in 2003 Brunei and Malaysia ceased gas and oil
exploration in their offshore and deepwater seabeds until
negotiations progress to an agreement over allocation of disputed
areas; Malaysia's land boundary with Brunei around Limbang is in
dispute

Illicit drugs:
transit point for some illicit drugs; drug trafficking prosecuted
vigorously and carries severe penalties

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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

@Maldives

Introduction Maldives

Background:
The Maldives were long a sultanate, first under Dutch and then
under British protection. They became a republic in 1968, three
years after independence. Since 1978, President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM
- currently in his sixth term in office - has dominated the island's
political scene. Following riots in the capital Male in August 2004,
the president and his government have pledged to embark upon
democratic reforms, including a more representative political system
and expanded political freedoms. Tourism and fishing are being
developed on the archipelago.

Geography Maldives

Location:
Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest
of India

Geographic coordinates:
3 15 N, 73 00 E

Map references:
Asia

Area:
total: 300 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 300 sq km

Area - comparative:
about 1.7 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
644 km

Maritime claims:
measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate:
tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March);
rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August)

Terrain:
flat, with white sandy beaches

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Wilingili island in the Addu
Atoll 2.4 m

Natural resources:
fish

Land use:
arable land: 13.33%
permanent crops: 16.67%
other: 70% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea level rise

Environment - current issues:
depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies; global
warming and sea level rise; coral reef bleaching

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls (200 inhabited islands,
plus 80 islands with tourist resorts); archipelago with strategic
location astride and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean

People Maldives

Population:
339,330 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 44.4% (male 77,424; female 73,191)
15-64 years: 52.6% (male 91,045; female 87,331)
65 years and over: 3% (male 5,207; female 5,132) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 17.5 years
male: 17.4 years
female: 17.6 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.86% (2004 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 58.32 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 59.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 57.43 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 63.68 years
male: 62.41 years
female: 65.01 years (2004 est.)

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

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
less than 100 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Maldivian(s)
adjective: Maldivian

Ethnic groups:
South Indians, Sinhalese, Arabs

Religions:
Sunni Muslim

Languages:
Maldivian Dhivehi (dialect of Sinhala, script derived from Arabic),
English spoken by most government officials

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.2%
male: 97.1%
female: 97.3% (2003 est.)

Government Maldives

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Maldives
conventional short form: Maldives
local short form: Dhivehi Raajje
local long form: Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Male

Administrative divisions:
19 atolls (atholhu, singular and plural) and 1 other first-order
administrative division*; Alifu, Baa, Dhaalu, Faafu, Gaafu Alifu,
Gaafu Dhaalu, Gnaviyani, Haa Alifu, Haa Dhaalu, Kaafu, Laamu,
Lhaviyani, Maale*, Meemu, Noonu, Raa, Seenu, Shaviyani, Thaa, Vaavu

Independence:
26 July 1965 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 26 July (1965)

Constitution:
adopted January 1998