Chapter XLIV: Front Matter (44)

Climate:
tropical marine; moderated by northeast trade winds, little
seasonal temperature variation; dry season December to June, rainy
season July to October

Terrain:
southern islands are limestone with level terraces and fringing
coral reefs; northern islands are volcanic

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Agrihan 965 m

Natural resources:
arable land, fish

Land use:
arable land: 13.04%
permanent crops: 4.35%
other: 82.61% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA

Natural hazards:
active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons (especially August
to November)

Environment - current issues:
contamination of groundwater on Saipan may contribute to disease;
clean-up of landfill; protection of endangered species conflicts
with development

Geography - note:
strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean

People Northern Mariana Islands

Population:
80,362 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 19.9% (male 8,332/female 7,646)
15-64 years: 78.5% (male 26,121/female 36,982)
65 years and over: 1.6% (male 646/female 635) (2005 est.)

Median age:
total: 29.33 years
male: 31.54 years
female: 28.33 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.61% (2005 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.71 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female
total population: 0.78 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 7.11 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 7.05 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.88 years
male: 73.31 years
female: 78.61 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.27 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: NA
adjective: NA

Ethnic groups:
Asian 56.3%, Pacific islander 36.3%, Caucasian 1.8%, other 0.8%,
mixed 4.8% (2000 census)

Religions:
Christian (Roman Catholic majority, although traditional beliefs
and taboos may still be found)

Languages:
Philippine languages 24.4%, Chinese 23.4%, Chamorro 22.4%, English
10.8%, other Pacific island languages 9.5%, other 9.6% (2000 census)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97%
male: 97%
female: 96% (1980 est.)

Government Northern Mariana Islands

Country name:
conventional long form: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
conventional short form: Northern Mariana Islands
former: Mariana Islands District (Trust Territory of the Pacific
Islands)

Dependency status:
commonwealth in political union with the US; federal funds to the
Commonwealth administered by the US Department of the Interior,
Office of Insular Affairs

Government type:
commonwealth; self-governing with locally elected governor,
lieutenant governor, and legislature

Capital:
Saipan

Administrative divisions:
none (commonwealth in political union with the US); there are no
first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US
Government, but there are four municipalities at the second order:
Northern Islands, Rota, Saipan, Tinian

Independence:
none (commonwealth in political union with the US)

National holiday:
Commonwealth Day, 8 January (1978)

Constitution:
Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
effective 1 January 1978; Covenant Agreement effective 4 November
1986

Legal system:
based on US system, except for customs, wages, immigration laws,
and taxation

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are US citizens
but do not vote in US presidential elections

Executive branch:
chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20
January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January
2001)
head of government: Governor Juan N. BABAUTA (since 14 January
2002); Lieutenant Governor Diego T. BENAVENTE (since 14 January 2002)
cabinet: NA
elections: US president and vice president elected on the same
ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected
on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election
last held 3 November 2001 (next to be held November 2005)
election results: Juan N. BABAUTA elected governor in a four-way
race; percent of vote - Juan N. BABAUTA (Republican Party) 42.8%

Legislative branch:
bicameral Legislature consists of the Senate (9 seats; members are
elected by popular vote to serve four-year staggered terms) and the
House of Representatives (18 seats; members are elected by popular
vote to serve two-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 1 November 2003 (next to be held 5
November 2005); House of Representatives - last held 1 November 2003
(next to be held 5 November 2005)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - NA; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party -
NA%; seats by party - Covenant Party 9, Republican Party 7,
Democratic Party 1, independent 1
note: the Northern Mariana Islands does not have a nonvoting
delegate in the US Congress; instead, it has an elected official or
"resident representative" located in Washington, DC; seats by party
- Republican Party 1 (Pedro A. TENORIO)

Judicial branch:
Commonwealth Supreme Court; Superior Court; Federal District Court

Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party [Dr. Carlos S. CAMACHO]; Republican Party [NA];
Covenant Party [Benigno R. FITIAL]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
Interpol (subbureau)

Flag description:
blue, with a white, five-pointed star superimposed on the gray
silhouette of a latte stone (a traditional foundation stone used in
building) in the center, surrounded by a wreath

Economy Northern Mariana Islands

Economy - overview:
The economy benefits substantially from financial assistance from
the US. The rate of funding has declined as locally generated
government revenues have grown. The key tourist industry employs
about 50% of the work force and accounts for roughly one-fourth of
GDP. Japanese tourists predominate. Annual tourist entries have
exceeded one-half million in recent years, but financial
difficulties in Japan have caused a temporary slowdown. The
agricultural sector is made up of cattle ranches and small farms
producing coconuts, breadfruit, tomatoes, and melons. Garment
production is by far the most important industry with employment of
17,500 mostly Chinese workers and sizable shipments to the US under
duty and quota exemptions.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$900 million
note: GDP estimate includes US subsidy (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
NA

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $12,500 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA
industry: NA
services: NA

Labor force:
6,006 total indigenous labor force; 2,699 unemployed; 28,717
foreign workers (June 1995)

Labor force - by occupation:
NA

Unemployment rate:
NA

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.2% (1997 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $193 million
expenditures: $223 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(FY01/02 est.)

Agriculture - products:
coconuts, fruits, vegetables; cattle

Industries:
tourism, construction, garments, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
NA kWh

Electricity - consumption:
NA kWh

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh

Exports:
NA

Exports - commodities:
garments

Exports - partners:
US (2000)

Imports:
NA

Imports - commodities:
food, construction equipment and materials, petroleum products

Imports - partners:
US, Japan (2000)

Debt - external:
NA

Economic aid - recipient:
extensive funding from US

Currency (code):
US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
USD

Exchange rates:
the US dollar is used

Fiscal year:
1 October - 30 September

Communications Northern Mariana Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:
21,000 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
3,000 (2000)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 1-670; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
NA

Television broadcast stations:
1 (on Saipan and one station planned for Rota; in addition, two
cable services on Saipan provide varied programming from satellite
networks) (1997)

Televisions:
NA

Internet country code:
.mp

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2001)

Internet users:
NA

Transportation Northern Mariana Islands

Highways:
total: 362 km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km (1991)

Ports and harbors:
Saipan, Tinian

Airports:
5 (2004 est.)

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

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

Heliports:
1 (2004 est.)

Military Northern Mariana Islands

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Northern Mariana Islands

Disputes - international:
none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Norway

Introduction Norway

Background:
Two centuries of Viking raids into Europe tapered off following the
adoption of Christianity by King Olav TRYGGVASON in 994. Conversion
of the Norwegian kingdom occurred over the next several decades. In
1397, Norway was absorbed into a union with Denmark that was to last
for more than four centuries. In 1814, Norwegians resisted the
cession of their country to Sweden and adopted a new constitution.
Sweden then invaded Norway but agreed to let Norway keep its
constitution in return for accepting the union under a Swedish king.
Rising nationalism throughout the 19th century led to a 1905
referendum granting Norway independence. Although Norway remained
neutral in World War I, it suffered heavy losses to its shipping.
Norway proclaimed its neutrality at the outset of World War II, but
was nonetheless occupied for five years by Nazi Germany (1940-45).
In 1949, neutrality was abandoned and Norway became a member of
NATO. Discovery of oil and gas in adjacent waters in the late 1960s
boosted Norway's economic fortunes. The current focus is on
containing spending on the extensive welfare system and planning for
the time when petroleum reserves are depleted. In referenda held in
1972 and 1994, Norway rejected joining the EU.

Geography Norway

Location:
Northern Europe, bordering the North Sea and the North Atlantic
Ocean, west of Sweden

Geographic coordinates:
62 00 N, 10 00 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 324,220 sq km
land: 307,860 sq km
water: 16,360 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than New Mexico

Land boundaries:
total: 2,542 km
border countries: Finland 727 km, Sweden 1,619 km, Russia 196 km

Coastline:
25,148 km (includes mainland 2,650 km, as well as long fjords,
numerous small islands, and minor indentations 22,498 km; length of
island coastlines 58,133 km)

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 10 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm

Climate:
temperate along coast, modified by North Atlantic Current; colder
interior with increased precipitation and colder summers; rainy
year-round on west coast

Terrain:
glaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains broken by
fertile valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeply indented
by fjords; arctic tundra in north

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m
highest point: Galdhopiggen 2,469 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, titanium,
pyrites, nickel, fish, timber, hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 2.87%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 97.13% (2001)

Irrigated land:
1,270 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
rockslides, avalanches

Environment - current issues:
water pollution; acid rain damaging forests and adversely affecting
lakes, threatening fish stocks; air pollution from vehicle emissions

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
about two-thirds mountains; some 50,000 islands off its much
indented coastline; strategic location adjacent to sea lanes and air
routes in North Atlantic; one of most rugged and longest coastlines
in world

People Norway

Population:
4,593,041 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 19.5% (male 459,418/female 437,734)
15-64 years: 65.7% (male 1,531,249/female 1,484,656)
65 years and over: 14.8% (male 286,343/female 393,641) (2005 est.)

Median age:
total: 38.17 years
male: 37.29 years
female: 39.07 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.4% (2005 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
1.73 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: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 3.7 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.07 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.4 years
male: 76.78 years
female: 82.17 years (2005 est.)

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

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
2,100 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Norwegian(s)
adjective: Norwegian

Ethnic groups:
Norwegian, Sami 20,000

Religions:
Church of Norway 85.7%, Pentecostal 1%, Roman Catholic 1%, other
Christian 2.4%, Muslim 1.8%, other 8.1% (2004)

Languages:
Bokmal Norwegian (official), Nynorsk Norwegian (official), small
Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100%

Government Norway

Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Norway
conventional short form: Norway
local long form: Kongeriket Norge
local short form: Norge

Government type:
constitutional monarchy

Capital:
Oslo

Administrative divisions:
19 counties (fylker, singular - fylke); Akershus, Aust-Agder,
Buskerud, Finnmark, Hedmark, Hordaland, More og Romsdal, Nordland,
Nord-Trondelag, Oppland, Oslo, Ostfold, Rogaland, Sogn og Fjordane,
Sor-Trondelag, Telemark, Troms, Vest-Agder, Vestfold

Dependent areas:
Bouvet Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard

Independence:
7 June 1905 (Norway declared the union with Sweden dissolved); 26
October 1905 (Sweden agreed to the repeal of the union)

National holiday:
Constitution Day, 17 May (1814)

Constitution:
17 May 1814; amended many times

Legal system:
mixture of customary law, civil law system, and common law
traditions; Supreme Court renders advisory opinions to legislature
when asked; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: King HARALD V (since 17 January 1991); Heir
Apparent Crown Prince HAAKON MAGNUS, son of the monarch (born 20
July 1973)
head of government: Prime Minister Jens STOLTENBERG (since 17
October 2005)
cabinet: State Council appointed by the monarch with the approval of
parliament
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following parliamentary
elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the
monarch with the approval of the parliament

Legislative branch:
modified unicameral Parliament or Storting (169 seats; members are
elected by popular vote by proportional representation to serve
four-year terms)
elections: last held 12 September 2005 (next to be held September
2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - Labor Party 32.7%,
Progress Party 22.1%, Conservative Party 14.1%, Socialist Left Party
8.8%, Christian People's Party 6.8%, Center Party 6.5%, Liberal
Party 5.9%, Red Electoral Alliance 1.2%, other 1.9%; seats by party
- Labor Party 61, Progress Party 38, Conservative Party 23,
Socialist Left Party 15, Christian People's Party 11, Center Party
11, Liberal Party 10
note: for certain purposes, the parliament divides itself into two
chambers and elects one-fourth of its membership to an upper house
or Lagting

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Hoyesterett (justices appointed by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders:
Center Party [Aslaug Marie HAGA]; Christian People's Party [Dagfinn
HOYBRATEN]; Coastal Party [Roy WAAGE]; Conservative Party [Erna
SOLBERG]; Labor Party [Jens STOLTENBERG]; Liberal Party [Lars
SPONHEIM]; Progress Party [Carl I. HAGEN]; Socialist Left Party
[Kristin HALVORSEN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA,
ESA, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD,
OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNMEE, UNMIK, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO,
ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Knut VOLLEBAEK
chancery: 2720 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 333-6000
FAX: [1] (202) 337-0870
consulate(s) general: Houston, Minneapolis, New York, and San
Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador John D. ONG
embassy: Drammensveien 18, 0244 Oslo
mailing address: PSC 69, Box 1000, APO AE 09707
telephone: [47] (22) 44 85 50
FAX: [47] (22) 44 33 63

Flag description:
red with a blue cross outlined in white that extends to the edges
of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist
side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

Economy Norway

Economy - overview:
The Norwegian economy is a prosperous bastion of welfare
capitalism, featuring a combination of free market activity and
government intervention. The government controls key areas, such as
the vital petroleum sector (through large-scale state enterprises).
The country is richly endowed with natural resources - petroleum,
hydropower, fish, forests, and minerals - and is highly dependent on
its oil production and international oil prices, with oil and gas
accounting for one-third of exports. Only Saudi Arabia and Russia
export more oil than Norway. Norway opted to stay out of the EU
during a referendum in November 1994; nonetheless, it contributes
sizably to the EU budget. The government has moved ahead with
privatization. With arguably the highest quality of life worldwide,
Norwegians still worry about that time in the next two decades when
the oil and gas will begin to run out. Accordingly, Norway has been
saving its oil-boosted budget surpluses in a Government Petroleum
Fund, which is invested abroad and now is valued at more than $150
billion. After lackluster growth of 1% in 2002 and 0.5% in 2003, GDP
growth picked up to 3.3% in 2004.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$183 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3.3% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $40,000 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 2.2%
industry: 36.3%
services: 61.6% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
2.38 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture, forestry, and fishing 4%, industry 22%, services 74%
(1995)

Unemployment rate:
4.3% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 4.1%
highest 10%: 21.8% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
25.8 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
17.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $134 billion
expenditures: $116.8 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2004 est.)

Public debt:
33.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
barley, wheat, potatoes; pork, beef, veal, milk; fish

Industries:
petroleum and gas, food processing, shipbuilding, pulp and paper
products, metals, chemicals, timber, mining, textiles, fishing

Industrial production growth rate:
5.2% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
125.9 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 0.4%
hydro: 99.3%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0.4% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
107.4 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
15 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
5.3 billion kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
3.31 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
171,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)

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

Oil - imports:
88,870 bbl/day (2001)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Current account balance:
$30.52 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
$76.64 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
petroleum and petroleum products, machinery and equipment, metals,
chemicals, ships, fish

Exports - partners:
UK 22.4%, Germany 12.9%, Netherlands 9.9%, France 9.6%, US 8.4%,
Sweden 6.7% (2004)

Imports:
$45.96 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

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

Imports - partners:
Sweden 15.7%, Germany 13.6%, Denmark 7.3%, UK 6.5%, China 5%, US
4.9%, Netherlands 4.4%, France 4.3%, Finland 4.1% (2004)

Debt - external:
$0 (Norway is a net external creditor) (2003 est.)

Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $1.4 billion (1998)

Currency (code):
Norwegian krone (NOK)

Currency code:
NOK

Exchange rates:
Norwegian kroner per US dollar - 6.7408 (2004), 7.0802 (2003),
7.9838 (2002), 8.9917 (2001), 8.8018 (2000)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Norway

Telephones - main lines in use:
3.343 million (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
4,163,400 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: modern in all respects; one of the most
advanced telecommunications networks in Europe
domestic: Norway has a domestic satellite system; moreover, the
prevalence of rural areas encourages the wide use of cellular mobile
systems instead of fixed-wire systems
international: country code - 47; 2 buried coaxial cable systems; 4
coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations - NA Eutelsat, NA
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean
regions); note - Norway shares the Inmarsat earth station with the
other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Sweden) (1999)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 5, FM at least 650, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
4.03 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
360 (plus 2,729 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
2.03 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.no

Internet hosts:
593,850 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
13 (2000)

Internet users:
2.288 million (2002)

Transportation Norway

Railways:
total: 4,077 km
standard gauge: 4,077 km 1.435-m gauge (2,518 km electrified) (2004)

Highways:
total: 91,852 km
paved: 71,185 km (including 178 km of expressways)
unpaved: 20,667 km (2002)

Pipelines:
condensate 411 km; gas 6,199 km; oil 2,213 km; oil/gas/water 746
km; unknown (oil/water) 38 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Borg Havn, Bergen, Mo i Rana, Molde, Mongstad, Narvik, Oslo, Sture

Merchant marine:
total: 740 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 18,820,495 GRT/27,449,456 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 51, cargo 168, chemical tanker 142,
combination ore/oil 20, container 3, liquefied gas 81, passenger 5,
passenger/cargo 113, petroleum tanker 79, refrigerated cargo 6, roll
on/roll off 30, vehicle carrier 42
foreign-owned: 174 (Belgium 1, China 3, Cyprus 5, Denmark 28,
Estonia 2, Finland 5, Germany 4, Hong Kong 52, Iceland 3, Italy 3,
Japan 3, Lithuania 1, Monaco 1, Netherlands 4, Poland 2, Saudi
Arabia 7, Singapore 10, Sweden 24, United States 16)
registered in other countries: 1,117 (2005)

Airports:
101 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 65
2,438 to 3,047 m: 13
1,524 to 2,437 m: 12
914 to 1,523 m: 14
under 914 m: 26 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 36
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 29 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
1 (2004 est.)

Military Norway

Military branches:
Norwegian Army, Royal Norwegian Navy (includes Coastal Rangers and
Coast Guard (Kystvakt)), Royal Norwegian Air Force (Kongelige Norske
Luftforsvaret, RNoAF), Home Guard

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age in
wartime; 17 years of age for male volunteers; 18 years of age for
women; 16 years of age for volunteers to the Home Guard; conscript
service obligation - 12 months (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 1,014,592 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 827,016 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males: 29,179 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$4,033.5 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.9% (2003)

Transnational Issues Norway

Disputes - international:
Norway asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Queen Maud Land
and its continental shelf); despite recent discussions, Russia and
Norway continue to dispute their maritime limits in the Barents Sea
and Russia's fishing rights beyond Svalbard's territorial limits
within the Svalbard Treaty zone

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Oman

Introduction Oman

Background:
In 1970, QABOOS bin Said Al Said ousted his father and has ruled as
sultan ever since. His extensive modernization program has opened
the country to the outside world and has preserved a long-standing
political and military relationship with the UK. Oman's moderate,
independent foreign policy has sought to maintain good relations
with all Middle Eastern countries.

Geography Oman

Location:
Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Persian
Gulf, between Yemen and UAE

Geographic coordinates:
21 00 N, 57 00 E

Map references:
Middle East

Area:
total: 212,460 sq km
land: 212,460 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Kansas

Land boundaries:
total: 1,374 km
border countries: Saudi Arabia 676 km, UAE 410 km, Yemen 288 km

Coastline:
2,092 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
dry desert; hot, humid along coast; hot, dry interior; strong
southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south

Terrain:
central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m
highest point: Jabal Shams 2,980 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium,
gypsum, natural gas

Land use:
arable land: 0.12%
permanent crops: 0.14%
other: 99.74% (2001)

Irrigated land:
620 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in
interior; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:
rising soil salinity; beach pollution from oil spills; very limited
natural fresh water resources

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

Geography - note:
strategic location on Musandam Peninsula adjacent to Strait of
Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil

People Oman

Population:
3,001,583
note: includes 577,293 non-nationals (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 42.6% (male 652,028/female 626,698)
15-64 years: 54.9% (male 978,183/female 668,814)
65 years and over: 2.5% (male 41,366/female 34,494) (2005 est.)

Median age:
total: 19.13 years
male: 21.88 years
female: 16.45 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
3.32% (2005 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
0.31 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: 1.46 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.2 male(s)/female
total population: 1.26 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 19.51 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 22.35 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 16.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.13 years
male: 70.92 years
female: 75.46 years (2005 est.)

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

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
1,300 (2001 est.)

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

Nationality:
noun: Omani(s)
adjective: Omani

Ethnic groups:
Arab, Baluchi, South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan,
Bangladeshi), African

Religions:
Ibadhi Muslim 75%, Sunni Muslim, Shi'a Muslim, Hindu

Languages:
Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Urdu, Indian dialects

Literacy:
definition: NA
total population: 75.8%
male: 83.1%
female: 67.2% (2003 est.)

Government Oman

Country name:
conventional long form: Sultanate of Oman
conventional short form: Oman
local long form: Saltanat Uman
local short form: Uman
former: Muscat and Oman

Government type:
monarchy

Capital:
Muscat

Administrative divisions:
5 regions (manaatiq, singular - mintaqat) and 3 governorates*
(muhaafazaat, singular - muhaafaza) Ad Dakhiliyah, Al Batinah, Al
Wusta, Ash Sharqiyah, Az Zahirah, Masqat*, Musandam*, Zufar*

Independence:
1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese)

National holiday:
Birthday of Sultan QABOOS, 18 November (1940)

Constitution:
none; note - on 6 November 1996, Sultan QABOOS issued a royal
decree promulgating a basic law considered by the government to be a
constitution which, among other things, clarifies the royal
succession, provides for a prime minister, bars ministers from
holding interests in companies doing business with the government,
establishes a bicameral legislature, and guarantees basic civil
liberties for Omani citizens

Legal system:
based on English common law and Islamic law; ultimate appeal to the
monarch; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
in Oman's most recent Majlis al-Shura elections in 2003, suffrage
was universal for all Omanis over age 21 except for members of the
military and security forces; the next Majlis al-Shura elections are
scheduled for 2007

Executive branch:
chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said al-Said
(since 23 July 1970); note - the monarch is both the chief of state
and head of government
head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said
al-Said (since 23 July 1970); note - the monarch is both the chief
of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary

Legislative branch:
bicameral Majlis Oman consists of an upper chamber or Majlis
al-Dawla (58 seats; members appointed by the monarch; has advisory
powers only) and a lower chamber or Majlis al-Shura (83 seats;
members elected by universal suffrage for four-year term; body has
some limited power to propose legislation, but otherwise has only
advisory powers)
elections: last held 4 October 2003 (next to be held NA 2007)
election results: NA

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
note: the nascent civil court system, administered by region, has
judges who practice secular and Sharia (Islamic) law

Political parties and leaders:
none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
none

International organization participation:
ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory),
IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU,
LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Muhammad bin Ali bin Thani al-KHUSSAIBY
chancery: 2535 Belmont Road, NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 387-1980 through 1981, 1988
FAX: [1] (202) 745-4933

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Richard Lewis BALTIMORE III
embassy: Jameat A'Duwal Al Arabiya Street, Al Khuwair area, Muscat
mailing address: P. O. Box 202, P.C. 115, Madinat Al-Sultan Qaboos,
Muscat
telephone: [968] 24-698989
FAX: [968] 24-699771

Flag description:
three horizontal bands of white, red, and green of equal width with
a broad, vertical, red band on the hoist side; the national emblem
(a khanjar dagger in its sheath superimposed on two crossed swords
in scabbards) in white is centered near the top of the vertical band

Economy Oman

Economy - overview:
Oman is a middle-income economy in the Middle East with notable oil
and gas resources, a substantial trade surplus, and low inflation.
The government is privatizing its utilities and diversifying its
economy to attract foreign investment. Oman continues to liberalize
its markets and joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) in
November 2000. To reduce unemployment and limit dependence on
foreign countries, the government is encouraging the replacement of
expatriate workers with local people, i.e., Omanization. Training in
information technology, business management, and English support
this objective. Industrial development plans focus on gas resources,
metal manufacturing, petrochemicals, and international transshipment
ports.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$38.09 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.2% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $13,100 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3.1%
industry: 41.1%
services: 55.8% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
920,000 (2002 est.)

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

Unemployment rate:
15% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
0.2% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
13.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $9.291 billion
expenditures: $8.747 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2004 est.)

Public debt:
10.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
dates, limes, bananas, alfalfa, vegetables; camels, cattle; fish

Industries:
crude oil production and refining, natural and liquefied natural
gas (LNG) production, construction, cement, copper, steel,
chemicals, optic fiber

Industrial production growth rate:
-1.2% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
9.896 billion kWh (2003)

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

Electricity - consumption:
9.792 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
775,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
54,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
721,000 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports:
NA

Oil - proved reserves:
5.5 billion bbl (2003 est.)

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

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

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

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

Natural gas - proved reserves:
829.7 billion cu m (2003)

Current account balance:
$2.674 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
$13.14 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
petroleum, reexports, fish, metals, textiles

Exports - partners:
China 29.5%, South Korea 17.5%, Japan 11.5%, Thailand 10.6%, UAE
7.2% (2004)

Imports:
$6.373 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food,
livestock, lubricants

Imports - partners:
UAE 21.2%, Japan 16.6%, UK 8.4%, Italy 6%, Germany 5.1%, US 4.7%
(2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$4.144 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
$4.814 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$76.4 million (1995)

Currency (code):
Omani rial (OMR)

Currency code:
OMR

Exchange rates:
Omani rials per US dollar - 0.3845 (2004), 0.3845 (2003), 0.3845
(2002), 0.3845 (2001), 0.3845 (2000)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Oman

Telephones - main lines in use:
233,900 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
464,900 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: modern system consisting of open-wire,
microwave, and radiotelephone communication stations; limited
coaxial cable
domestic: open-wire, microwave, radiotelephone communications, and a
domestic satellite system with 8 earth stations
international: country code - 968; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 3, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999)

Radios:
1.4 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
13 (plus 25 low-power repeaters) (1999)

Televisions:
1.6 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.om

Internet hosts:
726 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
180,000 (2002)

Transportation Oman

Highways:
total: 34,965 km
paved: 9,673 km (including 550 km of expressways)
unpaved: 25,292 km (2001)

Pipelines:
gas 3,754 km; oil 3,212 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Mina' Qabus, Salalah

Merchant marine:
total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 15,430 GRT/6,360 DWT
by type: passenger 1 (2005)

Airports:
136 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 6
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 130
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 52
914 to 1,523 m: 34
under 914 m: 35 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
1 (2004 est.)

Military Oman

Military branches:
Royal Omani Armed Forces: Royal Army of Oman, Royal Navy of Oman,
Royal Air Force of Oman (2005)

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

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 719,871 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 581,444 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males: 26,391 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$252.99 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
11.4% (2003)

Transnational Issues Oman

Disputes - international:
boundary agreement reportedly signed and ratified with UAE in 2003
for entire border, including Oman's Musandam Peninsula and Al Madhah
exclave, but details have not been made public

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Pacific Ocean

Introduction Pacific Ocean

Background:
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the world's five oceans
(followed by the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean, and
Arctic Ocean). Strategically important access waterways include the
La Perouse, Tsugaru, Tsushima, Taiwan, Singapore, and Torres
Straits. The decision by the International Hydrographic Organization
in the spring of 2000 to delimit a fifth ocean, the Southern Ocean,
removed the portion of the Pacific Ocean south of 60 degrees south.

Geography Pacific Ocean

Location:
body of water between the Southern Ocean, Asia, Australia, and the
Western Hemisphere

Geographic coordinates:
0 00 N, 160 00 W

Map references:
Political Map of the World

Area:
total: 155.557 million sq km
note: includes Bali Sea, Bering Sea, Bering Strait, Coral Sea, East
China Sea, Gulf of Alaska, Gulf of Tonkin, Philippine Sea, Sea of
Japan, Sea of Okhotsk, South China Sea, Tasman Sea, and other
tributary water bodies

Area - comparative:
about 15 times the size of the US; covers about 28% of the global
surface; larger than the total land area of the world

Coastline:
135,663 km

Climate:
planetary air pressure systems and resultant wind patterns exhibit
remarkable uniformity in the south and east; trade winds and
westerly winds are well-developed patterns, modified by seasonal
fluctuations; tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of
Mexico from June to October and affect Mexico and Central America;
continental influences cause climatic uniformity to be much less
pronounced in the eastern and western regions at the same latitude
in the North Pacific Ocean; the western Pacific is monsoonal - a
rainy season occurs during the summer months, when moisture-laden
winds blow from the ocean over the land, and a dry season during the
winter months, when dry winds blow from the Asian landmass back to
the ocean; tropical cyclones (typhoons) may strike southeast and
east Asia from May to December

Terrain:
surface currents in the northern Pacific are dominated by a
clockwise, warm-water gyre (broad circular system of currents) and
in the southern Pacific by a counterclockwise, cool-water gyre; in
the northern Pacific, sea ice forms in the Bering Sea and Sea of
Okhotsk in winter; in the southern Pacific, sea ice from Antarctica
reaches its northernmost extent in October; the ocean floor in the
eastern Pacific is dominated by the East Pacific Rise, while the
western Pacific is dissected by deep trenches, including the Mariana
Trench, which is the world's deepest

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench -10,924 m
highest point: sea level 0 m

Natural resources:
oil and gas fields, polymetallic nodules, sand and gravel
aggregates, placer deposits, fish

Natural hazards:
surrounded by a zone of violent volcanic and earthquake activity
sometimes referred to as the "Pacific Ring of Fire"; subject to
tropical cyclones (typhoons) in southeast and east Asia from May to
December (most frequent from July to October); tropical cyclones
(hurricanes) may form south of Mexico and strike Central America and
Mexico from June to October (most common in August and September);
cyclical El Nino/La Nina phenomenon occurs in the equatorial
Pacific, influencing weather in the Western Hemisphere and the
western Pacific; ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme
north from October to May; persistent fog in the northern Pacific
can be a maritime hazard from June to December

Environment - current issues:
endangered marine species include the dugong, sea lion, sea otter,
seals, turtles, and whales; oil pollution in Philippine Sea and
South China Sea

Geography - note:
the major chokepoints are the Bering Strait, Panama Canal, Luzon
Strait, and the Singapore Strait; the Equator divides the Pacific
Ocean into the North Pacific Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean;
dotted with low coral islands and rugged volcanic islands in the
southwestern Pacific Ocean

Economy Pacific Ocean

Economy - overview:
The Pacific Ocean is a major contributor to the world economy and
particularly to those nations its waters directly touch. It provides
low-cost sea transportation between East and West, extensive fishing
grounds, offshore oil and gas fields, minerals, and sand and gravel
for the construction industry. In 1996, over 60% of the world's fish
catch came from the Pacific Ocean. Exploitation of offshore oil and
gas reserves is playing an ever-increasing role in the energy
supplies of the US, Australia, NZ, China, and Peru. The high cost of
recovering offshore oil and gas, combined with the wide swings in
world prices for oil since 1985, has led to fluctuations in new
drillings.

Transportation Pacific Ocean

Ports and harbors:
Bangkok (Thailand), Hong Kong (China), Kao-hsiung (Taiwan), Los
Angeles (US), Manila (Philippines), Pusan (South Korea), San
Francisco (US), Seattle (US), Shanghai (China), Singapore, Sydney
(Australia), Vladivostok (Russia), Wellington (NZ), Yokohama (Japan)

Transportation - note:
Inside Passage offers protected waters from southeast Alaska to
Puget Sound (Washington state)

Transnational Issues Pacific Ocean

Disputes - international:
some maritime disputes (see littoral states)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Pakistan

Introduction Pakistan

Background:
The separation in 1947 of British India into the Muslim state of
Pakistan (with two sections West and East) and largely Hindu India
was never satisfactorily resolved, and India and Pakistan have
fought two wars - in 1947-48 and 1965 - over the disputed Kashmir
territory. A third war between these countries in 1971 - in which
India capitalized on Islamabad's marginalization of Bengalis in
Pakistani politics - resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate
nation of Bangladesh. In response to Indian nuclear weapons testing,
Pakistan conducted its own tests in 1998. The dispute over the state
of Kashmir is ongoing, but recent discussions and
confidence-building measures may be a start toward lessened tensions.

Geography Pakistan

Location:
Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea, between India on the east
and Iran and Afghanistan on the west and China in the north

Geographic coordinates:
30 00 N, 70 00 E

Map references:
Asia

Area:
total: 803,940 sq km
land: 778,720 sq km
water: 25,220 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
total: 6,774 km
border countries: Afghanistan 2,430 km, China 523 km, India 2,912
km, Iran 909 km

Coastline:
1,046 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:
mostly hot, dry desert; temperate in northwest; arctic in north

Terrain:
flat Indus plain in east; mountains in north and northwest;
Balochistan plateau in west

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: K2 (Mt. Godwin-Austen) 8,611 m

Natural resources:
land, extensive natural gas reserves, limited petroleum, poor
quality coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone

Land use:
arable land: 27.87%
permanent crops: 0.87%
other: 71.26% (2001)

Irrigated land:
180,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in north and
west; flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and August)

Environment - current issues:
water pollution from raw sewage, industrial wastes, and
agricultural runoff; limited natural fresh water resources; a
majority of the population does not have access to potable water;
deforestation; soil erosion; desertification

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, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
controls Khyber Pass and Bolan Pass, traditional invasion routes
between Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent

People Pakistan

Population:
162,419,946 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 39.6% (male 33,104,311/female 31,244,297)
15-64 years: 56.3% (male 46,759,333/female 44,685,828)
65 years and over: 4.1% (male 3,189,122/female 3,437,055) (2005 est.)

Median age:
total: 19.58 years
male: 19.44 years
female: 19.74 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.03% (2005 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
-1.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 72.44 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 72.84 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 72.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 63 years
male: 62.04 years
female: 64.01 years (2005 est.)

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

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
74,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
4,900 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E,
and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and cutaneous
leishmaniasis are high risks depending on location
animal contact disease: rabies (2004)

Nationality:
noun: Pakistani(s)
adjective: Pakistani

Ethnic groups:
Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashtun (Pathan), Baloch, Muhajir (immigrants from
India at the time of partition and their descendants)

Religions:
Muslim 97% (Sunni 77%, Shi'a 20%), Christian, Hindu, and other 3%

Languages:
Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%, Siraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10%, Pashtu
8%, Urdu (official) 8%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2%, Brahui 1%, English
(official and lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government
ministries), Burushaski, and other 8%

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 48.7%
male: 61.7%
female: 35.2% (2004 est.)

Government Pakistan

Country name:
conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Pakistan
conventional short form: Pakistan
former: West Pakistan

Government type:
federal republic

Capital:
Islamabad

Administrative divisions:
4 provinces, 1 territory*, and 1 capital territory**; Balochistan,
Federally Administered Tribal Areas*, Islamabad Capital Territory**,
North-West Frontier Province, Punjab, Sindh
note: the Pakistani-administered portion of the disputed Jammu and
Kashmir region includes Azad Kashmir and the Northern Areas

Independence:
14 August 1947 (from UK)

National holiday:
Republic Day, 23 March (1956)

Constitution:
12 April 1973; suspended 5 July 1977, restored with amendments 30
December 1985; suspended 15 October 1999, restored 31 December 2002;
amended 31 December 2003

Legal system:
based on English common law with provisions to accommodate
Pakistan's status as an Islamic state; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal; joint electorates and reserved
parliamentary seats for women and non-Muslims

Executive branch:
note: following a military takeover on 12 October 1999, Chief of
Army Staff and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee,
General Pervez MUSHARRAF, suspended Pakistan's constitution and
assumed the additional title of Chief Executive; on 12 May 2000,
Pakistan's Supreme Court unanimously validated the October 1999 coup
and granted MUSHARRAF executive and legislative authority for three
years from the coup date; on 20 June 2001, MUSHARRAF named himself
as president and was sworn in, replacing Mohammad Rafiq TARAR; in a
referendum held on 30 April 2002, MUSHARRAF's presidency was
extended by five more years; on 1 January 2004, MUSHARRAF won a vote
of confidence in the Senate, National Assembly, and four provincial
assemblies
chief of state: President General Pervez MUSHARRAF (since 20 June
2001)
head of government: Prime Minister Shaukat AZIZ (since 28 August
2004)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister
elections: the president is elected by Parliament for a five-year
term; note - in a referendum held on 30 April 2002, MUSHARRAF's
presidency was extended by five more years (next to be held NA
2007); the prime minister is selected by the National Assembly for a
five-year term (next to be held NA 2007)
election results: AZIZ elected by the National Assembly on 27 August
2004 with 191 of the votes

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament or Majlis-e-Shoora consists of the Senate (100
seats - formerly 87; members indirectly elected by provincial
assemblies to serve four-year terms; and the National Assembly (342
seats - formerly 217; 60 seats represent women; 10 seats represent
minorities; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 24 and 27 February 2003 (next to be
held by February 2007); National Assembly - last held 10 October
2002 (next to be held by October 2006)
election results: Senate results - percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party - PML/Q 40, PPPP 11, MMA 21, MQM/A 6, PML/N 4, NA 3,
PML/F 1, PkMAP 2, ANP 2, PPP/S 2, JWP 1, BNP-Awami 1, BNP-Mengal 1,
BNM/H 1, independents 4; National Assembly results - percent of
votes by party - NA%; seats by party - PML/Q 126, PPPP 81, MMA 63,
PML/N 19, MQM/A 17, NA 16, PML/F 5, PML/J 3, PPP/S 2, BNP 1, JWP 1,
PAT 1, PML/Z 1, PTI 1, MQM/H 1, PkMAP 1, independents 3

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (justices appointed by the president); Federal
Islamic or Shari'a Court

Political parties and leaders:
Awami National Party or ANP [Wali KHAN]; Balochistan National
Movement/Hayee Group or BNM/H [Dr. Hayee BALUCH]; Baluch National
Party/Awami or BNP/Awami [Moheem Khan BALOCH]; Baluch National
Party-Mengal or BNP/M [Sardar Ataullah MENGAL]; Jamhoori Watan Party
or JWP [Akbar Khan BUGTI]; Jamiat-al-Hadith or JAH [Sajid MIR];
Jamiat-i-Islami or JI [Qazi Hussain AHMED]; Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam,
Fazlur Rehman faction or JUI/F [Fazlur REHMAN]; Jamiat
Ulema-i-Islam, Sami ul-HAQ faction or JUI/S [Sami ul-HAQ]; Jamiat
Ulema-i-Pakistan or JUP [Shah Faridul HAQ]; Millat Party or MP
[Farooq LEGHARI]; Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal Pakistan or MMA [Qazi
Hussain AHMED]; Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Altaf faction or MQM/A
[Altaf HUSSAIN]; Muttahida Quami Movement, Haqiqi faction or MQM/H
[Afaq AHMAD]; National People's Party or NPP [Ghulam Mustapha
JATOI]; Pakhtun Khwa Milli Awami Party or PkMAP [Mahmood Khan
ACHAKZAI]; Pakhtun Quami Party or PQP [Mohammed Afzal KHAN];
Pakistan Awami Tehrik or PAT [Tahir ul QADRI]; Pakistan Democratic
Party or PDP [Mehbooba Mufti SAYEED]; Pakistan Muslim League,
Functional Group or PML/F [Pir PAGARO]; Pakistan Muslim League,
Nawaz Sharif faction or PML/N [Nawaz SHARIF]; Pakistan Muslim League
or PML [Chaudhry Shujaat HUSSAIN]; note - as of May 2004, the PML/Q
changed its name to PML and absorbed the PML/J, PML/Z, and NA;
Pakistan National Party or PNP [Hasil BIZENJO]; Pakistan People's
Party or PPP [Aftab Ahmed Khan SHERPAO]; Pakistan People's Party
Parliamentarians or PPPP [Benazir BHUTTO]; Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf
or PTI [Imran KHAN]; Tehrik-i-Islami [Allama Sajid NAQVI]
note: political alliances in Pakistan can shift frequently

Political pressure groups and leaders:
military remains most important political force; ulema (clergy),
landowners, industrialists, and small merchants also influential

International organization participation:
ARF, AsDB, C (reinstated 2004), CP, ECO, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM,
OAS (observer), OIC, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNAMSIL,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET, UNOCI,
UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jehangir KARAMAT
chancery: 3517 International Court, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 243-3277
FAX: [1] (202) 686-1534
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York, Sunnyvale (California)
consulate(s): Chicago, Houston

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ryan CROCKER
embassy: Diplomatic Enclave, Ramna 5, Islamabad
mailing address: P. O. Box 1048, Unit 62200, APO AE 09812-2200
telephone: [92] (51) 2080-0000
FAX: [92] (51) 2276427
consulate(s): Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar

Flag description:
green with a vertical white band (symbolizing the role of religious
minorities) on the hoist side; a large white crescent and star are
centered in the green field; the crescent, star, and color green are
traditional symbols of Islam

Economy Pakistan

Economy - overview:
Pakistan, an impoverished and underdeveloped country, has suffered
from decades of internal political disputes, low levels of foreign
investment, and a costly, ongoing confrontation with neighboring
India. However, IMF-approved government policies, bolstered by
generous foreign assistance and renewed access to global markets
since 2001, have generated solid macroeconomic recovery the last
three years. The government has made substantial macroeconomic
reforms since 2000, although progress on more politically sensitive
reforms has slowed. For example, in the third and final year of its
$1.3 billion IMF Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility, Islamabad
has continued to require waivers for energy sector reforms. While
long-term prospects remain uncertain, given Pakistan's low level of
development, medium-term prospects for job creation and poverty
reduction are the best in nearly a decade. Islamabad has raised
development spending from about 2% of GDP in the 1990s to 4% in
2003, a necessary step towards reversing the broad underdevelopment
of its social sector. GDP growth, spurred by double-digit gains in
industrial production over the past year, has become less dependent
on agriculture. Foreign exchange reserves continued to reach new
levels in 2004, supported by robust export growth and steady worker
remittances.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$347.3 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
6.1% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $2,200 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 22.6%
industry: 24.1%
services: 53.3% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
45.43 million
note: extensive export of labor, mostly to the Middle East, and use
of child labor (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 42%, industry 20%, services 38% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:
8.3% plus substantial underemployment (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
32% (FY00/01 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 4.1%
highest 10%: 27.6% (FY96/97)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
41 (FY98/99)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.8% (FY03/04 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
16.4% of GDP (FY03/04 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $13.45 billion
expenditures: $16.51 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2004 est.)

Public debt:
71.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
cotton, wheat, rice, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; milk, beef,
mutton, eggs

Industries:
textiles and apparel, food processing, pharmaceuticals,
construction materials, paper products, fertilizer, shrimp

Industrial production growth rate:
13.1% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
75.27 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 68.8%
hydro: 28.2%
nuclear: 3%
other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
52.66 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
61,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
365,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA

Oil - imports:
NA

Oil - proved reserves:
325.5 million bbl (2004 est.)

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

Natural gas - consumption:
23.4 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:
695.6 billion cu m (2004)

Current account balance:
$1.4 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
$15.07 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
textiles (garments, bed linen, cotton cloth, and yarn), rice,
leather goods, sports goods, chemicals, manufactures, carpets and
rugs

Exports - partners:
US 23.5%, UAE 7.4%, UK 7.3%, Germany 5%, Hong Kong 4.4% (2004)

Imports:
$14.01 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
petroleum, petroleum products, machinery, plastics, transportation
equipment, edible oils, paper and paperboard, iron and steel, tea

Imports - partners:
Saudi Arabia 11.6%, UAE 10%, US 9.7%, China 8.4%, Japan 6.5%,
Kuwait 5.6% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$12.58 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
$33.97 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$2.4 billion (FY01/02)

Currency (code):
Pakistani rupee (PKR)

Currency code:
PKR

Exchange rates:
Pakistani rupees per US dollar - 58.258 (2004), 57.752 (2003),
59.724 (2002), 61.927 (2001), 53.648 (2000)

Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

Communications Pakistan

Telephones - main lines in use:
3,982,800 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
2,624,800 (2003)