Chapter XIX: Front Matter (19)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 32.38 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 34.81 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 29.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.44 years
male: 69.94 years
female: 73.03 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.86 children born/woman (2005 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
88,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
7,900 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Dominican(s)
adjective: Dominican

Ethnic groups:
white 16%, black 11%, mixed 73%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 95%

Languages:
Spanish

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 84.7%
male: 84.6%
female: 84.8% (2003 est.)

Government Dominican Republic

Country name:
conventional long form: Dominican Republic
conventional short form: The Dominican
local long form: Republica Dominicana
local short form: La Dominicana

Government type:
representative democracy

Capital:
Santo Domingo

Administrative divisions:
31 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 district*
(distrito); Azua, Baoruco, Barahona, Dajabon, Distrito Nacional*,
Duarte, Elias Pina, El Seibo, Espaillat, Hato Mayor, Independencia,
La Altagracia, La Romana, La Vega, Maria Trinidad Sanchez, Monsenor
Nouel, Monte Cristi, Monte Plata, Pedernales, Peravia, Puerto Plata,
Salcedo, Samana, Sanchez Ramirez, San Cristobal, San Jose de Ocoa,
San Juan, San Pedro de Macoris, Santiago, Santiago Rodriguez, Santo
Domingo, Valverde

Independence:
27 February 1844 (from Haiti)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 27 February (1844)

Constitution:
28 November 1966; amended 25 July 2002

Legal system:
based on French civil codes; undergoing modification in 2004
towards an accusatory system

Suffrage:
18 years of age, universal and compulsory; married persons
regardless of age
note: members of the armed forces and national police cannot vote

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16 August
2004); Vice President Rafael ALBURQUERQUE de Castro (since 16 August
2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16
August 2004); Vice President Rafael ALBURQUERQUE de Castro (since 16
August 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 16 May 2004
(next to be held in May 2008)
election results: Leonel FERNANDEZ elected president; percent of
vote - Leonel FERNANDEZ (PLD) 57.1%, Rafael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez
(PRD) 33.7%, Eduardo ESTRELLA (PRSC) 8.7%

Legislative branch:
bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the
Senate or Senado (32 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de
Diputados (150 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 16 May 2002 (next to be held May
2006); Chamber of Deputies - last held 16 May 2002 (next to be held
May 2006)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - PRD 29, PLD 2, PRSC 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote
by party - NA%; seats by party - PRD 73, PLD 41, PRSC 36

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are appointed by a the
National Judicial Council comprised of the President, the leaders of
both chambers of congress, the President of the Supreme Court, and
an opposition or non-governing party member)

Political parties and leaders:
Dominican Liberation Party or PLD [Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna];
Dominican Revolutionary Party or PRD [Vicente Sanchez BARET]; Social
Christian Reformist Party or PRSC [Enrique ATUN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Collective of Popular Organizations or COP; Citizen Participation
Group (Participacion Ciudadania); Foundation for
Institution-Building (FINJUS)

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

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Flavio Dario Espinal JACOBO
chancery: 1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-6280
FAX: [1] (202) 265-8057
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Mayaguez (Puerto Rico),
Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, and San Juan (Puerto
Rico)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Hans H. HERTELL
embassy: corner of Calle Cesar Nicolas Penson and Calle Leopoldo
Navarro, Santo Domingo
mailing address: Unit 5500, APO AA 34041-5500
telephone: [1] (809) 221-2171
FAX: [1] (809) 686-7437

Flag description:
a centered white cross that extends to the edges divides the flag
into four rectangles - the top ones are blue (hoist side) and red,
and the bottom ones are red (hoist side) and blue; a small coat of
arms featuring a shield supported by an olive branch (left) and a
palm branch (right) is at the center of the cross; above the shield
a blue ribbon displays the motto, DIOS, PATRIA, LIBERTAD (God,
Fatherland, Liberty), and below the shield, REPUBLICA DOMINICANA
appears on a red ribbon

Economy Dominican Republic

Economy - overview:
The Dominican Republic is a Caribbean representative democracy
which enjoyed GDP growth of more than 7% in 1998-2000. Growth
subsequently plummeted as part of the global economic slowdown.
Although the country has long been viewed primarily as an exporter
of sugar, coffee, and tobacco, in recent years the service sector
has overtaken agriculture as the economy's largest employer, due to
growth in tourism and free trade zones. The country suffers from
marked income inequality; the poorest half of the population
receives less than one-fifth of GNP, while the richest 10% enjoys
nearly 40% of national income. Growth turned negative in 2003 with
reduced tourism, a major bank fraud, and limited growth in the US
economy (the source of about 85% of export revenues), but recovered
slightly in 2004. Resumption of a badly needed IMF loan, slowed due
to government repurchase of electrical power plants, is basic to the
restoration of social and economic stability. Newly elected
President FERNANDEZ in mid-2004 promised belt-tightening reform. His
administration has passed tax reform and is working to meet
preconditions for a $600 IMF standby arrangement to ease the
country's fiscal situation.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$55.68 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.7% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $6,300 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 10.7%
industry: 31.5%
services: 57.8% (2003)

Labor force:
2.3 million - 2.6 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 17%, industry 24.3%, services and government 58.7%
(1998 est.)

Unemployment rate:
17% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
25%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.1%
highest 10%: 37.9% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
47.4 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
55% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
18.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $2.625 billion
expenditures: $3.382 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.1
billion (2004 est.)

Public debt:
61.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
sugarcane, coffee, cotton, cocoa, tobacco, rice, beans, potatoes,
corn, bananas; cattle, pigs, dairy products, beef, eggs

Industries:
tourism, sugar processing, ferronickel and gold mining, textiles,
cement, tobacco

Industrial production growth rate:
2% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production:
9.583 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 92%
hydro: 7.6%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0.4% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
8.912 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2002)

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

Oil - consumption:
129,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA

Oil - imports:
129,900 bbl/day (2003)

Current account balance:
$762.2 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
$5.446 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
ferronickel, sugar, gold, silver, coffee, cocoa, tobacco, meats,
consumer goods

Exports - partners:
US 80%, South Korea 2.1%, Canada 1.9% (2004)

Imports:
$8.093 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics, chemicals and
pharmaceuticals

Imports - partners:
US 48.1%, Venezuela 13.5%, Colombia 4.8%, Mexico 4.8% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$426 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
$7.745 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$239.6 million (1995)

Currency (code):
Dominican peso (DOP)

Currency code:
DOP

Exchange rates:
Dominican pesos per US dollar - 42.12 (2004), 30.831 (2003), 18.61
(2002), 16.952 (2001), 16.415 (2000)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Dominican Republic

Telephones - main lines in use:
901,800 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
2,120,400 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: relatively efficient system based on island-wide microwave
radio relay network
international: country code - 1-809; 1 coaxial submarine cable;
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 120, FM 56, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios:
1.44 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
25 (2003)

Televisions:
770,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.do

Internet hosts:
64,197 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
24 (2000)

Internet users:
500,000 (2003)

Transportation Dominican Republic

Railways:
total: 1,743 km
standard gauge: 375 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 142 km 0.762-m gauge
note: additional 1,226 km operated by sugar companies in 1.076-m,
0.889-m, and 0.762-m gauges (2004)

Highways:
total: 12,600 km
paved: 6,224 km
unpaved: 6,376 km (1999)

Ports and harbors:
Boca Chica, Puerto Plata, Rio Haina, Santo Domingo

Merchant marine:
total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 11,230 GRT/17,011 DWT
by type: cargo 3 (2005)

Airports:
31 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 13
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 18
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)

Military Dominican Republic

Military branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force

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

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 2,108,197 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 1,420,693 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males: 91,597 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$180 million (1998)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.1% (1998)

Transnational Issues Dominican Republic

Disputes - international:
increasing numbers of illegal migrants from the Dominican Republic
cross the Mona Passage each year to Puerto Rico to find work

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US
and Europe; has become a transshipment point for ecstasy from the
Netherlands and Belgium destined for US and Canada; substantial
money-laundering activity; Colombian narcotics traffickers favor the
Dominican Republic for illicit financial transactions

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@East Timor

Introduction East Timor

Background:
The Portuguese began to trade with the island of Timor in the early
16th century and colonized it in mid-century. Skirmishing with the
Dutch in the region eventually resulted in an 1859 treaty in which
Portugal ceded the western portion of the island. Imperial Japan
occupied East Timor from 1942 to 1945, but Portugal resumed colonial
authority after the Japanese defeat in World War II. East Timor
declared itself independent from Portugal on 28 November 1975 and
was invaded and occupied by Indonesian forces nine days later. It
was incorporated into Indonesia in July 1976 as the province of East
Timor. An unsuccessful campaign of pacification followed over the
next two decades, during which an estimated 100,000 to 250,000
individuals lost their lives. On 30 August 1999, in a UN-supervised
popular referendum, an overwhelming majority of the people of East
Timor voted for independence from Indonesia. Between the referendum
and the arrival of a multinational peacekeeping force in late
September 1999, anti-independence Timorese militias - organized and
supported by the Indonesian military - commenced a large-scale,
scorched-earth campaign of retribution. The militias killed
approximately 1,300 Timorese and forcibly pushed 300,000 people into
West Timor as refugees. The majority of the country's
infrastructure, including homes, irrigation systems, water supply
systems, and schools, and nearly 100% of the country's electrical
grid were destroyed. On 20 September 1999 the Australian-led
peacekeeping troops of the International Force for East Timor
(INTERFET) deployed to the country and brought the violence to an
end. On 20 May 2002, East Timor was internationally recognized as an
independent state.

Geography East Timor

Location:
Southeastern Asia, northwest of Australia in the Lesser Sunda
Islands at the eastern end of the Indonesian archipelago; note -
East Timor includes the eastern half of the island of Timor, the
Oecussi (Ambeno) region on the northwest portion of the island of
Timor, and the islands of Pulau Atauro and Pulau Jaco

Geographic coordinates:
8 50 S, 125 55 E

Map references:
Southeast Asia

Area:
total: 15,007 sq km
land: NA
water: NA

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Connecticut

Land boundaries:
total: 228 km
border countries: Indonesia 228 km

Coastline:
706 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: NA
exclusive economic zone: NA
continental shelf: NA
exclusive fishing zone: NA

Climate:
tropical; hot, humid; distinct rainy and dry seasons

Terrain:
mountainous

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Timor Sea, Savu Sea, and Banda Sea 0 m
highest point: Foho Tatamailau 2,963 m

Natural resources:
gold, petroleum, natural gas, manganese, marble

Land use:
arable land: 4.71%
permanent crops: 0.67%
other: 94.62% (2001)

Irrigated land:
1,065 sq km (est.)

Natural hazards:
floods and landslides are common; earthquakes, tsunamis, tropical
cyclones

Environment - current issues:
widespread use of slash and burn agriculture has led to
deforestation and soil erosion

Environment - international agreements:
NA

Geography - note:
Timor comes from the Malay word for "East"; the island of Timor is
part of the Malay Archipelago and is the largest and easternmost of
the Lesser Sunda Islands

People East Timor

Population:
1,040,880
note: other estimates range as low as 800,000 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 37.1% (male 196,108/female 189,753)
15-64 years: 59.9% (male 318,173/female 305,479)
65 years and over: 3% (male 15,353/female 16,014) (2005 est.)

Median age:
total: 20.41 years
male: 20.46 years
female: 20.35 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.09% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
27.19 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
6.3 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 47.41 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 53.71 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 40.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 65.9 years
male: 63.63 years
female: 68.29 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
3.61 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Timorese
adjective: Timorese

Ethnic groups:
Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian), Papuan, small Chinese minority

Religions:
Roman Catholic 90%, Muslim 4%, Protestant 3%, Hindu 0.5%, Buddhist,
Animist (1992 est.)

Languages:
Tetum (official), Portuguese (official), Indonesian, English
note: there are about 16 indigenous languages; Tetum, Galole,
Mambae, and Kemak are spoken by significant numbers of people

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 58.6% (2002)

Government East Timor

Country name:
conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste
conventional short form: East Timor
local long form: Republika Demokratika Timor Lorosa'e [Tetum];
Republica Democratica de Timor-Leste [Portuguese]
local short form: Timor Lorosa'e [Tetum]; Timor-Leste [Portuguese]
former: Portuguese Timor

Government type:
Republic

Capital:
Dili

Administrative divisions:
13 administrative districts; Aileu, Ainaro, Baucau, Bobonaro
(Maliana), Cova-Lima (Suai), Dili, Ermera, Lautem (Los Palos),
Liquica, Manatuto, Manufahi (Same), Oecussi (Ambeno), Viqueque

Independence:
28 November 1975 (date of proclamation of independence from
Portugal); note - 20 May 2002 is the official date of international
recognition of East Timor's independence from Indonesia

National holiday:
Independence Day, 28 November (1975)

Constitution:
22 March 2002 (based on the Portuguese model)

Legal system:
UN-drafted legal system based on Indonesian law remains in place
but will be replaced by civil and penal codes based on Portuguese
law (2004)

Suffrage:
17 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO (since 20 May
2002); note - the president plays a largely symbolic role but is
able to veto some legislation; he formerly used the name Jose
Alexandre GUSMAO
head of government: Prime Minister Mari Bin Amude ALKATIRI (since 20
May 2002)
cabinet: Council of Ministers
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 14 April 2002 (next to be held in April 2007);
after the first legislative elections, the leader of the majority
party was appointed prime minister by the president, suggesting a
precedent for the future
election results: Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO elected president; percent
of vote - Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO 82.7%, Francisco Xavier do AMARAL
17.3%

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Parliament (number of seats can vary, minimum
requirement of 52 and a maximum of 65 seats; members elected by
popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - for its first term of
office, the National Parliament is comprised of 88 members on an
exceptional basis
elections: (next to be held August 2006); direct elections for
national parliament were never held; elected delegates to the
national convention named themselves legislators instead of having
elections; hence the exceptional numbers for this term of the
national parliament.
election results: percent of vote by party - FRETILIN 57.37%, PD
8.72%, PSD 8.18%, ASDT 7.84%, UDT 2.36%, PNT 2.21%, KOTA 2.13%, PPT
2.01%, PDC 1.98%, PST 1.78%, independents/other 5.42%; seats by
party - FRETILIN 55, PD 7, PSD 6, ASDT 6, PDC 2, UDT 2, KOTA 2, PNT
2, PPT 2, UDC/PDC 1, PST 1, PL 1, independent 1

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Justice - constitution calls for one judge to be
appointed by National Parliament and rest appointed by Superior
Council for Judiciary; note - until Supreme Court is established,
Court of Appeals is highest court

Political parties and leaders:
Associacao Social-Democrata Timorense or ASDT [Francisco Xavier do
AMARAL]; Christian Democratic Party of Timor or PDC [Antonio
XIMENES]; Christian Democratic Union of Timor or UDC [Vicente da
Silva GUTERRES]; Democratic Party or PD [Fernando de ARAUJO];
Liberal Party or PL [leader NA]; Maubere Democratic Party or PDM
[leader NA]; People's Party of Timor or PPT [Jacob XAVIER];
Revolutionary Front of Independent East Timor or FRETILIN [Lu OLO];
Social Democrat Party of East Timor or PSD [Mario CARRASCALAO];
Socialist Party of Timor or PST [leader Avelino COELHO]; Sons of the
Mountain Warriors (also known as Association of Timorese Heroes) or
KOTA [Clementino dos Reis AMARAL]; Timor Democratic Union or UDT
[Joao CARRASCALAO]; Timor Labor Party or PTT [Paulo Freitas DA
SILVA]; Timorese Nationalist Party or PNT [Abilio ARAUJO]; Timorese
Popular Democratic Association or APODETI [Frederico Almeida-Santos
DA COSTA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Popular Council for the Defense of the Democratic Republic of East
Timor or CPD-RDTL [leader Antonio-Aitahan MATAK] is largest
political pressure group; it rejects current government and claims
to be rightful government; Kolimau 2000 [leader Dr. Bruno MAGALHAES]
is another opposition group; dissatisfied veterans of struggle
against Indonesia, led by one-time government advisor Cornelio GAMA
(also known as L-7), also play an important role in pressuring
government

International organization participation:
ACP, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICCt, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (observer),
ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, MIGA, OPCW, PIF (observer), UN, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jose Luis GUTERRES
chancery: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: 202 965-1515
FAX: 202 965-1517
consulate(s) general: New York (the ambassador resides in New York)
(2004)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Grover Joseph REES
embassy: Avenida de Portugal, Praia dos Conqueiros, Dili
mailing address: Department of State, 8250 Dili Place, Washington,
DC 20521-8250
telephone: (670) 332-4684
FAX: (670) 331-3206

Flag description:
red, with a black isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side)
superimposed on a slightly longer yellow arrowhead that extends to
the center of the flag; there is a white star in the center of the
black triangle

Economy East Timor

Economy - overview:
In late 1999, about 70% of the economic infrastructure of East
Timor was laid waste by Indonesian troops and anti-independence
militias, and 300,000 people fled westward. Over the next three
years, however, a massive international program, manned by 5,000
peacekeepers (8,000 at peak) and 1,300 police officers, led to
substantial reconstruction in both urban and rural areas. By 2003,
all but about 30,000 of the refugees had returned. Growth was held
back in 2003 by extensive drought and the gradual winding down of
the international presence. The country faces great challenges in
continuing the rebuilding of infrastructure, strengthening the
infant civil administration, and generating jobs for young people
entering the workforce. One promising long-term project is the
planned development of oil and gas resources in nearby waters, which
have begun to supplement government revenues ahead of schedule.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$370 million (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $400 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 25.4%
industry: 17.2%
services: 57.4% (2001)

Labor force:
NA

Labor force - by occupation:
NA

Unemployment rate:
50% (including underemployment) (1992 est.)

Population below poverty line:
42% (2003 est.)

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

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
38 (2002 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $107.7 million
expenditures: $73 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
coffee, rice, maize, cassava, sweet potatoes, soybeans, cabbage,
mangoes, bananas, vanilla

Industries:
printing, soap manufacturing, handicrafts, woven cloth

Industrial production growth rate:
8.5%

Electricity - production:
NA kWh (2002)

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

Electricity - consumption:
NA kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2002)

Exports:
$8 million (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
coffee, sandalwood, marble; note - the potential for oil and
vanilla exports

Exports - partners:
Indonesia 100%

Imports:
$167 million (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
food, gasoline, kerosene, machinery

Imports - partners:
NA

Debt - external:
none

Economic aid - recipient:
$2.2 billion (1999-2002 est.)

Currency (code):
US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
USD

Exchange rates:
the US dollar is the legal tender

Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

Communications East Timor

Telephones - main lines in use:
NA

Telephones - mobile cellular:
NA

Telephone system:
NA

Radio broadcast stations:
AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA

Radios:
NA

Television broadcast stations:
NA

Televisions:
NA

Internet country code:
.tl; note - ICANN approved the change from .tp in January 2005

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
NA

Internet users:
NA

Transportation East Timor

Highways:
total: 3,800 km
paved: 428 km
unpaved: 3,372 km (1995)

Ports and harbors:
Dili

Airports:
8 (2004 est.)

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

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
1 (2004 est.)

Military East Timor

Military branches:
East Timor Defense Force (Forcas de Defesa de Timor-L'este, FDTL):
Army, Navy (Armada) (2005)

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

Manpower available for military service:
NA

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: NA

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
NA

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$4.4 million (FY03)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA

Transnational Issues East Timor

Disputes - international:
UN Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET) has maintained about
a thousand peacekeepers in East Timor since 2002; East
Timor-Indonesia Boundary Committee continues to meet, survey, and
delimit the land boundary, but several sections of the boundary
especially around the Oekussi enclave remain unresolved; Indonesia
and East Timor contest the sovereignty of the uninhabited coral
island of Palau Batek/Fatu Sinai, which prevents delimitation of the
northern maritime boundaries; many of 28,000 East Timorese refugees
still residing in Indonesia in 2003 have returned, but many continue
to refuse repatriation; East Timor and Australia continue to meet
but disagree over how to delimit a permanent maritime boundary and
share unexploited potential petroleum resources that fall outside
the Joint Petroleum Development Area covered by the 2002 Timor Sea
Treaty; dispute with Australia also hampers creation of a southern
maritime boundary with Indonesia

Illicit drugs:
NA

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Ecuador

Introduction Ecuador

Background:
The "Republic of the Equator" was one of three countries that
emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others are
Colombia and Venezuela). Between 1904 and 1942, Ecuador lost
territories in a series of conflicts with its neighbors. A border
war with Peru that flared in 1995 was resolved in 1999. Although
Ecuador marked 25 years of civilian governance in 2004, the period
has been marred by political instability. Seven presidents have
governed Ecuador since 1996.

Geography Ecuador

Location:
Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator,
between Colombia and Peru

Geographic coordinates:
2 00 S, 77 30 W

Map references:
South America

Area:
total: 283,560 sq km
land: 276,840 sq km
water: 6,720 sq km
note: includes Galapagos Islands

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Nevada

Land boundaries:
total: 2,010 km
border countries: Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km

Coastline:
2,237 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 200 nm
continental shelf: 100 nm from 2,500 meter isobath

Climate:
tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher elevations;
tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands

Terrain:
coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands (sierra), and
flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente)

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Chimborazo 6,267 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 5.85%
permanent crops: 4.93%
other: 89.22% (2001)

Irrigated land:
8,650 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; floods;
periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution;
pollution from oil production wastes in ecologically sensitive areas
of the Amazon Basin and Galapagos Islands

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

Geography - note:
Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world

People Ecuador

Population:
13,363,593 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 33.5% (male 2,282,252/female 2,195,942)
15-64 years: 61.5% (male 4,094,146/female 4,130,096)
65 years and over: 4.9% (male 310,336/female 350,821) (2005 est.)

Median age:
total: 23.27 years
male: 22.82 years
female: 23.74 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.24% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
22.67 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
4.24 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
-6.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 23.66 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 28.36 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 18.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.21 years
male: 73.35 years
female: 79.22 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.72 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.3% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
21,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
1,700 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Ecuadorian(s)
adjective: Ecuadorian

Ethnic groups:
mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 65%, Amerindian 25%, Spanish
and others 7%, black 3%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 95%, other 5%

Languages:
Spanish (official), Amerindian languages (especially Quechua)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.5%
male: 94%
female: 91% (2003 est.)

Government Ecuador

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Ecuador
conventional short form: Ecuador
local long form: Republica del Ecuador
local short form: Ecuador

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Quito

Administrative divisions:
22 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Azuay, Bolivar,
Canar, Carchi, Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, El Oro, Esmeraldas, Galapagos,
Guayas, Imbabura, Loja, Los Rios, Manabi, Morona-Santiago, Napo,
Orellana, Pastaza, Pichincha, Sucumbios, Tungurahua, Zamora-Chinchipe

Independence:
24 May 1822 (from Spain)

National holiday:
Independence Day (independence of Quito), 10 August (1809)

Constitution:
10 August 1998

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

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal, compulsory for literate persons ages
18-65, optional for other eligible voters

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Alfredo PALACIO (since 20 April 2005);
Vice President Nicanor Alejandro SERRANO Aguilar (since 5 May 2005);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government; former President Lucio GUTIERREZ was removed from office
by congress effective 20 April 2005
head of government: President Alfredo PALACIO (since 20 April 2005);
Vice President Nicanor Alejandro SERRANO Aguilar (since 5 May 2005);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: the president and vice president are elected on the same
ticket by popular vote for a four-year term (no immediate
reelection); election last held 20 October 2002; runoff election
held 24 November 2002 (next to be held October 2006)
election results: results of the 24 November 2002 runoff election -
Lucio GUTIERREZ elected president; percent of vote - Lucio GUTIERREZ
54.3%; Alvaro NOBOA 45.7%; note - Vice President Alfredo PALACIO
assumed the presidency on 20 April 2005 after congress removed Lucio
GUTIERREZ from office

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (100 seats;
members are popularly elected by province to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 20 October 2002 (next to be held October 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
PSC 25, PRE 15, ID 16, PRIAN 10, PSP 9, Pachakutik Movement 6, MPD
5, DP 4, PS-FA 3, independents 7; note - defections by members of
National Congress are commonplace, resulting in frequent changes in
the numbers of seats held by the various parties

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (according to the Constitution, new
justices are elected by the full Supreme Court; in December 2004,
however, Congress successfully replaced the entire court via a
simple-majority resolution)

Political parties and leaders:
Concentration of Popular Forces or CFP [Averroes BUCARAM];
Democratic Left or ID [Guillermo LANDAZURI]; National Action
Institutional Renewal Party or PRIAN [Alvaro NOBOA]; Pachakutik
Movement [Gilberto TALAHUA]; Patriotic Society Party or PSP [Lucio
GUTIERREZ Borbua]; Popular Democracy or DP [Dr. Juan Manuel
FUERTES]; Popular Democratic Movement or MPD [Gustavo TERAN Acosta];
Radical Alfarista Front or FRA [Fabian ALARCON, director]; Roldosist
Party or PRE [Abdala BUCARAM Ortiz, director]; Social Christian
Party or PSC [Leon FEBRES CORDERO]; Socialist Party - Broad Front or
PS-FA [Victor GRANDA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador or CONAIE
[Luis MACAS, president]; Coordinator of Social Movements or CMS [F.
Napoleon SANTOS]; Federation of Indigenous Evangelists of Ecuador or
FEINE [Marco MURILLO, president]; National Federation of Indigenous
Afro-Ecuatorianos and Peasants or FENOCIN [Pedro DE LA CRUZ,
president]; Popular Front or FP [Luis VILLACIS]

International organization participation:
CAN, CSN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM,
OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL,
UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
chancery: 2535 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 234-7200
FAX: [1] (202) 667-3482
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Jersey City (New Jersey),
Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Kristie Anne KENNEY
embassy: Avenida 12 de Octubre y Avenida Patria, Quito
mailing address: APO AA 34039
telephone: [593] (2) 256-2890
FAX: [593] (2) 250-2052
consulate(s) general: Guayaquil

Flag description:
three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double width), blue, and red
with the coat of arms superimposed at the center of the flag;
similar to the flag of Colombia, which is shorter and does not bear
a coat of arms

Economy Ecuador

Economy - overview:
Ecuador has substantial petroleum resources, which have accounted
for 40% of the country's export earnings and one-fourth of central
government budget revenues in recent years. Consequently,
fluctuations in world market prices can have a substantial domestic
impact. In the late 1990s, Ecuador suffered its worst economic
crisis, with natural disasters and sharp declines in world petroleum
prices driving Ecuador's economy into free fall in 1999. Real GDP
contracted by more than 6%, with poverty worsening significantly.
The banking system also collapsed, and Ecuador defaulted on its
external debt later that year. The currency depreciated by some 70%
in 1999, and, on the brink of hyperinflation, the MAHAUD government
announced it would dollarize the economy. A coup, however, ousted
MAHAUD from office in January 2000, and after a short-lived junta
failed to garner military support, Vice President Gustavo NOBOA took
over the presidency. In March 2000, Congress approved a series of
structural reforms that also provided the framework for the adoption
of the US dollar as legal tender. Dollarization stabilized the
economy, and growth returned to its pre-crisis levels in the years
that followed. Under the administration of Lucio GUTIERREZ - January
2003 to April 2005 - Ecuador benefited from higher world petroleum
prices, but the government has made little progress on economic
reforms necessary to reduce Ecuador's vulnerability to petroleum
price swings and financial crises.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$49.51 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
5.8% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $3,700 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 8.7%
industry: 30.5%
services: 60.9% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
4.53 million (urban) (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 8%, industry 24%, services 68% (2001)

Unemployment rate:
11.1%; note - underemployment of 47% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
45% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 32%
note: data for urban households only (October 2003)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
42
note: data are for urban households (2003)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
20.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $7.9 billion
expenditures: planned $7.3 billion, including capital expenditures
of $1.6 billion (2004 est.)

Public debt:
49.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
bananas, coffee, cocoa, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca),
plantains, sugarcane; cattle, sheep, pigs, beef, pork, dairy
products; balsa wood; fish, shrimp

Industries:
petroleum, food processing, textiles, wood products, chemicals

Industrial production growth rate:
10% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
11.54 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 81%
hydro: 19%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
10.79 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
57 million kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
523,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
129,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
387,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - imports:
NA

Oil - proved reserves:
4.408 billion bbl (2004 est.)

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

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

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

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

Natural gas - proved reserves:
106.5 billion cu m (2004)

Current account balance:
$261.1 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
$7.56 billion (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
petroleum, bananas, cut flowers, shrimp

Exports - partners:
US 42.9%, Panama 14.3%, Peru 7.9%, Italy 4.6% (2004)

Imports:
$7.65 billion (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
vehicles, medicinal products, telecommunications equipment,
electricity

Imports - partners:
US 16.5%, Colombia 14.1%, China 9.2%, Venezuela 7.1%, Brazil 6.5%,
Chile 4.6%, Japan 4.5%, Mexico 4.3% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$1.436 billion (December 2004 est.)

Debt - external:
$16.81 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$216 million (2002)

Currency (code):
US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
USD

Exchange rates:
25,000 (2004), 25,000 (2003), 25,000 (2002), 25,000 (2001), 24,988
(2000)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Ecuador

Telephones - main lines in use:
1.549 million (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
2,394,400 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: generally elementary but being expanded
domestic: facilities generally inadequate and unreliable
international: country code - 593; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 392, FM 35, shortwave 29 (2001)

Radios:
5 million (2001)

Television broadcast stations:
7 (plus 14 repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:
2.5 million (2001)

Internet country code:
.ec

Internet hosts:
3,188 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
31 (2001)

Internet users:
569,700 (2003)

Transportation Ecuador

Railways:
total: 966 km
narrow gauge: 966 km 1.067-m gauge (2004)

Highways:
total: 43,197 km
paved: 8,164 km
unpaved: 35,033 km (2002)

Waterways:
1,500 km (most inaccessible) (2003)

Pipelines:
extra heavy crude 578 km; gas 71 km; oil 1,386 km; refined products
1,185 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Esmeraldas, Guayaquil, La Libertad, Manta, Puerto Bolivar

Merchant marine:
total: 31 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 241,403 GRT/391,898 DWT
by type: chemical tanker 2, liquefied gas 1, passenger 8, petroleum
tanker 20
foreign-owned: 3 (Germany 1, Greece 1, Paraguay 1) (2005)

Airports:
205 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 62
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 18
914 to 1,523 m: 19
under 914 m: 18 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 143
914 to 1,523 m: 30
under 914 m: 113 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
1 (2004 est.)

Military Ecuador

Military branches:
Army, Navy (includes Naval Infantry, Naval Aviation, Coast Guard),
Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Ecuatoriana, FAE)

Military service age and obligation:
20 years of age for conscript military service; 12-month service
obligation (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 20-49: 2,792,770 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 20-49: 2,338,428 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males: 133,922 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$655 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.2% (2004)

Transnational Issues Ecuador

Disputes - international:
organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia penetrate across
Ecuador's shared border and caused over 20,000 refugees to flee into
Ecuador in 2004

Illicit drugs:
significant transit country for cocaine originating in Colombia and
Peru; importer of precursor chemicals used in production of illicit
narcotics; attractive location for cash-placement by drug
traffickers laundering money because of dollarization and weak
anti-money-laundering regime, especially vulnerable along the border
with Colombia; increased activity on the northern frontier by
trafficking groups and Colombian insurgents

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Egypt

Introduction Egypt

Background:
The regularity and richness of the annual Nile River flood, coupled
with semi-isolation provided by deserts to the east and west,
allowed for the development of one of the world's great
civilizations. A unified kingdom arose circa 3200 B.C. and a series
of dynasties ruled in Egypt for the next three millennia. The last
native dynasty fell to the Persians in 341 B.C., who in turn were
replaced by the Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines. It was the Arabs who
introduced Islam and the Arabic language in the 7th century and who
ruled for the next six centuries. A local military caste, the
Mamluks took control about 1250 and continued to govern after the
conquest of Egypt by the Ottoman Turks in 1517. Following the
completion of the Suez Canal in 1869, Egypt became an important
world transportation hub, but also fell heavily into debt.
Ostensibly to protect its investments, Britain seized control of
Egypt's government in 1882, but nominal allegiance to the Ottoman
Empire continued until 1914. Partially independent from the UK in
1922, Egypt acquired full sovereignty following World War II. The
completion of the Aswan High Dam in 1971 and the resultant Lake
Nasser have altered the time-honored place of the Nile River in the
agriculture and ecology of Egypt. A rapidly growing population (the
largest in the Arab world), limited arable land, and dependence on
the Nile all continue to overtax resources and stress society. The
government has struggled to ready the economy for the new millennium
through economic reform and massive investment in communications and
physical infrastructure.

Geography Egypt

Location:
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Libya and
the Gaza Strip, and the Red Sea north of Sudan, and includes the
Asian Sinai Peninsula

Geographic coordinates:
27 00 N, 30 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 1,001,450 sq km
land: 995,450 sq km
water: 6,000 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly more than three times the size of New Mexico

Land boundaries:
total: 2,665 km
border countries: Gaza Strip 11 km, Israel 266 km, Libya 1,115 km,
Sudan 1,273 km

Coastline:
2,450 km

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

Climate:
desert; hot, dry summers with moderate winters

Terrain:
vast desert plateau interrupted by Nile valley and delta

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Qattara Depression -133 m
highest point: Mount Catherine 2,629 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, manganese, limestone,
gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead, zinc

Land use:
arable land: 2.87%
permanent crops: 0.48%
other: 96.65% (2001)

Irrigated land:
33,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
periodic droughts; frequent earthquakes, flash floods, landslides;
hot, driving windstorm called khamsin occurs in spring; dust storms,
sandstorms

Environment - current issues:
agricultural land being lost to urbanization and windblown sands;
increasing soil salination below Aswan High Dam; desertification;
oil pollution threatening coral reefs, beaches, and marine habitats;
other water pollution from agricultural pesticides, raw sewage, and
industrial effluents; very limited natural fresh water resources
away from the Nile which is the only perennial water source; rapid
growth in population overstraining the Nile and natural resources

Environment - international agreements:
party to: 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, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
controls Sinai Peninsula, only land bridge between Africa and
remainder of Eastern Hemisphere; controls Suez Canal, a sea link
between Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea; size, and juxtaposition
to Israel, establish its major role in Middle Eastern geopolitics;
dependence on upstream neighbors; dominance of Nile basin issues;
prone to influxes of refugees

People Egypt

Population:
77,505,756 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 33% (male 13,106,043/female 12,483,899)
15-64 years: 62.6% (male 24,531,266/female 23,972,216)
65 years and over: 4.4% (male 1,457,097/female 1,955,235) (2005 est.)

Median age:
total: 23.68 years
male: 23.31 years
female: 24.05 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.78% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
23.32 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
5.26 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
-0.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 32.59 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 33.31 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 31.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71 years
male: 68.5 years
female: 73.62 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.88 children born/woman (2005 est.)

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

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
700 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Egyptian(s)
adjective: Egyptian

Ethnic groups:
Eastern Hamitic stock (Egyptians, Bedouins, and Berbers) 99%,
Greek, Nubian, Armenian, other European (primarily Italian and
French) 1%

Religions:
Muslim (mostly Sunni) 94%, Coptic Christian and other 6%

Languages:
Arabic (official), English and French widely understood by educated
classes

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 57.7%
male: 68.3%
female: 46.9% (2003 est.)

Government Egypt

Country name:
conventional long form: Arab Republic of Egypt
conventional short form: Egypt
local long form: Jumhuriyat Misr al-Arabiyah
local short form: Misr
former: United Arab Republic (with Syria)

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Cairo

Administrative divisions:
26 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Ad Daqahliyah,
Al Bahr al Ahmar, Al Buhayrah, Al Fayyum, Al Gharbiyah, Al
Iskandariyah, Al Isma'iliyah, Al Jizah, Al Minufiyah, Al Minya, Al
Qahirah, Al Qalyubiyah, Al Wadi al Jadid, Ash Sharqiyah, As Suways,
Aswan, Asyut, Bani Suwayf, Bur Sa'id, Dumyat, Janub Sina', Kafr ash
Shaykh, Matruh, Qina, Shamal Sina', Suhaj

Independence:
28 February 1922 (from UK)

National holiday:
Revolution Day, 23 July (1952)

Constitution:
11 September 1971; amended 22 May 1980

Legal system:
based on English common law, Islamic law, and Napoleonic codes;
judicial review by Supreme Court and Council of State (oversees
validity of administrative decisions); accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK (since 14 October
1981)
head of government: Prime Minister Ahmed NAZIF (since 9 July 2004)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for six-year term; note
- a national referendum in May 2005 approved a constitutional
amendment that changed the presidential election to a multicandidate
popular vote; previously the president was nominated by the People's
Assembly and the nomination was validated by a national, popular
referendum; last referendum held 26 September 1999; first election
under terms of constitutional amendment held 7 September 2005; next
election scheduled for 2011
election results: Hosni MUBARAK reelected president; percent of vote
- Hosni MUBARAK 88.6%, Ayman NOUR 7.6%, Noman GOMAA 2.9%

Legislative branch:
bicameral system consists of the People's Assembly or Majlis
al-Sha'b (454 seats; 444 elected by popular vote, 10 appointed by
the president; members serve five-year terms) and the Advisory
Council or Majlis al-Shura - which functions only in a consultative
role (264 seats; 176 elected by popular vote, 88 appointed by the
president; members serve six-year terms; mid-term elections for half
the members)
elections: People's Assembly - three-phase voting - last held 19
October, 29 October, 8 November 2000 (next to be held
October-November 2005); Advisory Council - last held May-June 2004
(next to be held May-June 2007)
election results: People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - NDP 388, Tagammu 6, NWP 7, Nasserists 3, Al-Ahrar
1, independents 37 (2 seats determined by a later byelection, 10
seats appointed by President); Advisory Council - percent of vote by
party - NA; seats by party - NA

Judicial branch:
Supreme Constitutional Court

Political parties and leaders:
Al-Ahrar Party [Helmi SALEM]; Nasserist Arab Democratic Party or
Nasserists [Dia' al-din DAWUD]; National Democratic Party or NDP
[Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK (governing party)]; National Progressive
Unionist Grouping or Tagammu [Rifaat EL-SAID]; New Wafd Party or NWP
[No'man GOMAA]
note: formation of political parties must be approved by the
government

Political pressure groups and leaders:
despite a constitutional ban against religious-based parties, the
technically illegal Muslim Brotherhood constitutes MUBARAK's
potentially most significant political opposition; MUBARAK tolerated
limited political activity by the Brotherhood for his first two
terms, but moved more aggressively since then to block its
influence; civic society groups are sanctioned, but constrained in
practical terms; trade unions and professional associations are
officially sanctioned

International organization participation:
ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, BSEC (observer), CAEU, EBRD,
FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory),
ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC, OAS
(observer), OIC, ONUB, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UPU, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador M. Nabil FAHMY
chancery: 3521 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 895-5400
FAX: [1] (202) 244-4319
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, New York, and San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador designate Francis J. RICCIARDONE, Jr
embassy: 8 Kamal El Din Salah St., Garden City, Cairo
mailing address: Unit 64900, Box 15, APO AE 09839-4900
telephone: [20] (2) 797-3300
FAX: [20] (2) 797-3200

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black; the
national emblem (a gold Eagle of Saladin facing the hoist side with
a shield superimposed on its chest above a scroll bearing the name
of the country in Arabic) centered in the white band; design is
based on the Arab Liberation flag and similar to the flag of Syria,
which has two green stars, Iraq, which has three green stars (plus
an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white
band, and Yemen, which has a plain white band

Economy Egypt

Economy - overview:
Lack of substantial progress on economic reform since the mid 1990s
has limited foreign direct investment in Egypt and kept annual GDP
growth in the range of 2%-3% in 2001-03. However, in 2004 Egypt
implemented several measures to boost foreign direct investment. In
September 2004, Egypt pushed through custom reforms, proposed income
and corporate tax reforms, reduced energy subsidies, and privatized
several enterprises. The budget deficit rose to an estimated 8% of
GDP in 2004 compared to 6.1% of GDP the previous year, in part as a
result of these reforms. Monetary pressures on an overvalued
Egyptian pound led the government to float the currency in January
2003, leading to a sharp drop in its value and consequent
inflationary pressure. In 2004, the Central Bank implemented
measures to improve currency liquidity. Egypt reached record tourism
levels, despite the Taba and Nuweiba bombings in September 2004. The
development of an export market for natural gas is a bright spot for
future growth prospects, but improvement in the capital-intensive
hydrocarbons sector does little to reduce Egypt's persistent
unemployment.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$316.3 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
4.5% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $4,200 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 17.2%
industry: 33%
services: 49.8% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
20.71 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 32%, industry 17%, services 51% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
10.9% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
16.7% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 4.4%
highest 10%: 25% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
34.4 (2001)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
9.5% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
15.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $15.42 billion
expenditures: $20.76 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.7
billion (2004 est.)

Public debt:
102.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
cotton, rice, corn, wheat, beans, fruits, vegetables; cattle, water
buffalo, sheep, goats

Industries:
textiles, food processing, tourism, chemicals, hydrocarbons,
construction, cement, metals

Industrial production growth rate:
2.5% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
81.27 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 81%
hydro: 19%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
75.58 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
740,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
562,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA

Oil - imports:
NA

Oil - proved reserves:
2.7 billion bbl (2004 est.)

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

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

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

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

Natural gas - proved reserves:
1.264 trillion cu m (2004)

Current account balance:
$2.113 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
$11 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
crude oil and petroleum products, cotton, textiles, metal products,
chemicals

Exports - partners:
Italy 11.9%, US 10.8%, UK 7%, Syria 6.2%, Germany 4.7%, Spain 4.2%
(2004)

Imports:
$19.21 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, wood products, fuels

Imports - partners:
US 12.2%, Germany 7%, Italy 6.6%, France 5.7%, China 5.4%, UK 4.7%,
Saudi Arabia 4.1% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$14.03 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
$33.75 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
ODA, $1.12 billion (2002)

Currency (code):
Egyptian pound (EGP)

Currency code:
EGP

Exchange rates:
Egyptian pounds per US dollar - 6.1963 (2004), 5.8509 (2003),
4.4997 (2002), 3.973 (2001), 3.4721 (2000)

Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

Communications Egypt

Telephones - main lines in use:
9.6 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
8,583,940 (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: large system; underwent extensive upgrading
during 1990s and is reasonably modern; Internet access and cellular
service are available
domestic: principal centers at Alexandria, Cairo, Al Mansurah,
Ismailia, Suez, and Tanta are connected by coaxial cable and
microwave radio relay
international: country code - 20; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean), 1 Arabsat, and 1
Inmarsat; 5 coaxial submarine cables; tropospheric scatter to Sudan;
microwave radio relay to Israel; a participant in Medarabtel

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 42 (plus 15 repeaters), FM 14, shortwave 3 (1999)

Radios:
20.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
98 (September 1995)

Televisions:
7.7 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.eg

Internet hosts:
3,401 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
50 (2000)

Internet users:
4.2 million (2005)

Transportation Egypt

Railways:
total: 5,063 km
standard gauge: 5,063 km 1.435-m gauge (62 km electrified) (2004)

Highways:
total: 64,000 km
paved: 49,984 km
unpaved: 14,016 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
3,500 km
note: includes Nile River, Lake Nasser, Alexandria-Cairo Waterway,
and numerous smaller canals in delta; Suez Canal (193.5 km including
approaches) navigable by oceangoing vessels drawing up to 17.68 m
(2004)

Pipelines:
condensate 289 km; condensate/gas 94 km; gas 6,115 km; liquid
petroleum gas 852 km; oil 5,032 km; oil/gas/water 36 km; refined
products 246 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Alexandria, Damietta, El Dekheila, Port Said, Suez, Zeit

Merchant marine:
total: 77 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,194,696 GRT/1,754,815 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 14, cargo 34, container 2, passenger/cargo 5,
petroleum tanker 14, roll on/roll off 8
foreign-owned: 10 (Denmark 1, Greece 6, Lebanon 2, Turkey 1)
registered in other countries: 34 (2005)

Airports:
87 (2004 est.)