Chapter XLVII: Front Matter (47)

Religions:
Roman Catholic 89.8% (about 75% practicing), Eastern Orthodox 1.3%,
Protestant 0.3%, other 0.3%, unspecified 8.3% (2002)

Languages:
Polish 97.8%, other and unspecified 2.2% (2002 census)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.8%
male: 99.8%
female: 99.7% (2003 est.)

Government Poland

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Poland
conventional short form: Poland
local long form: Rzeczpospolita Polska
local short form: Polska

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Warsaw

Administrative divisions:
16 provinces (wojewodztwa, singular - wojewodztwo); Dolnoslaskie,
Kujawsko-Pomorskie, Lodzkie, Lubelskie, Lubuskie, Malopolskie,
Mazowieckie, Opolskie, Podkarpackie, Podlaskie, Pomorskie, Slaskie,
Swietokrzyskie, Warminsko-Mazurskie, Wielkopolskie,
Zachodniopomorskie

Independence:
11 November 1918 (independent republic proclaimed)

National holiday:
Constitution Day, 3 May (1791)

Constitution:
adopted by the National Assembly 2 April 1997, passed by national
referendum 25 May 1997, effective 17 October 1997

Legal system:
mixture of Continental (Napoleonic) civil law and holdover
Communist legal theory; changes being gradually introduced as part
of broader democratization process; limited judicial review of
legislative acts, but rulings of the Constitutional Tribunal are
final; court decisions can be appealed to the European Court of
Justice in Strasbourg

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI (since 23 December
1995)
head of government: Prime Minister Marek BELKA (since 24 June 2004);
Deputy Prime Minister Izabela JARUGA-NOWACKA (since 24 June 2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the prime minister and
the Sejm; the prime minister proposes, the president appoints, and
the Sejm approves the Council of Ministers
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 8 October 2000 (next to be held October 2005);
prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president
and confirmed by the Sejm
election results: Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI reelected president;
percent of popular vote - Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI 53.9%, Andrzej
OLECHOWSKI 17.3%, Marian KRZAKLEWSKI 15.6%, Lech WALESA 1%

Legislative branch:
bicameral legislature consisting of an upper house, the Senate or
Senat (100 seats; members are elected by a majority vote on a
provincial basis to serve four-year terms), and a lower house, the
Sejm (460 seats; members are elected under a complex system of
proportional representation to serve four-year terms); the
designation of National Assembly or Zgromadzenie Narodowe is only
used on those rare occasions when the two houses meet jointly
elections: Senate - last held 25 September 2005 (next to be held by
September 2009); Sejm elections last held September 25 2005 (next to
be held by September 2009)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - PiS 49, PO 34, LPR 7, SO 3, PSL 2, independents 5; Sejm -
percent of vote by party - PiS 27%, PO 24.1%, SO 11.4%, SLD 11.3%,
LPR 8%, PSL 7%, other 11.2%; seats by party - PiS 155, PO 133, SO
56, SLD 55, LPR 34, PSL 25, German minorities 2
note: two seats are assigned to ethnic minority parties in the Sejm
only

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the National Council of the Judiciary for an
indefinite period); Constitutional Tribunal (judges are chosen by
the Sejm for nine-year terms)

Political parties and leaders:
Catholic-National Movement or RKN [Antoni MACIEREWICZ]; Civic
Platform or PO [Donald TUSK]; Conservative Peasants Party or KL
[Artur BALAZS]; Democratic Left Alliance or SLD [Jozef OLEKSY]; Dom
Ojczysty (Fatherland Home); Freedom Union or UW [Wladyslaw
FRASYNIUK]; German Minority of Lower Silesia or MNSO [Henryk KROLL];
Law and Justice or PiS [Jaroslaw KACZYNSKI]; League of Polish
Families or LPR [Marek KOTLINOWSKI]; Movement for the Reconstruction
of Poland or ROP [Jan OLSZEWSKI]; Peasant-Democratic Party or PLD
[Roman JAGIELINSKI]; Polish Accord or PP [Jan LOPUSZANSKI]; Polish
Peasant Party or PSL [Waldemar PAWLAK]; Samoobrona or SO [Andrzej
LEPPER]; Social Democratic Party of Poland or SDPL [Marek BOROWSKI];
Social Movement or RS [Krzysztof PIESIEWICZ]; Union of Labor or UP
[Izabela JARUGA-NOWACKA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
All Poland Trade Union Alliance or OPZZ (trade union) [Jan GUZ];
Roman Catholic Church [Cardinal Jozef GLEMP]; Solidarity Trade Union
[Janusz SNIADEK]

International organization participation:
ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS, CE,
CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest),
NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNOMIG,
UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Przemyslaw GRUDZINSKI
chancery: 2640 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 234-3800 through 3802
FAX: [1] (202) 328-6270
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Victor ASHE
embassy: Aleje Ujazdowskie 29/31 00-540 Warsaw
mailing address: American Embassy Warsaw, US Department of State,
5010 Warsaw Place, Washington, DC 20521-5010 (pouch)
telephone: [48] (22) 504-2000
FAX: [48] (22) 504-2688
consulate(s) general: Krakow

Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; similar to the
flags of Indonesia and Monaco which are red (top) and white

Economy Poland

Economy - overview:
Poland has steadfastly pursued a policy of economic liberalization
throughout the 1990s and today stands out as a success story among
transition economies. Even so, much remains to be done, especially
in bringing down unemployment. The privatization of small and
medium-sized state-owned companies and a liberal law on establishing
new firms has encouraged the development of the private business
sector, but legal and bureaucratic obstacles alongside persistent
corruption are hampering its further development. Poland's
agricultural sector remains handicapped by surplus labor,
inefficient small farms, and lack of investment. Restructuring and
privatization of "sensitive sectors" (e.g., coal, steel, railroads,
and energy), while recently initiated, have stalled. Reforms in
health care, education, the pension system, and state administration
have resulted in larger-than-expected fiscal pressures. Further
progress in public finance depends mainly on reducing losses in
Polish state enterprises, restraining entitlements, and overhauling
the tax code to incorporate the growing gray economy and farmers,
most of whom pay no tax. The government has introduced a package of
social and administrative spending cuts to reduce public spending by
about $17 billion through 2007. Additional reductions are under
discussion in the legislature but could be trumped by election-year
politics in 2005. Poland joined the EU in May 2004, and surging
exports to the EU contributed to Poland's strong growth in 2004,
though its competitiveness could be threatened by the zloty's
appreciation. GDP per capita roughly equals that of the three Baltic
states. Poland stands to benefit from nearly $13.5 billion in EU
funds, available through 2006. Farmers have already begun to reap
the rewards of membership via higher food prices and EU agricultural
subsidies.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$463 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
5.6% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $12,000 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 2.9%
industry: 31.3%
services: 65.9% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
17.02 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 16.1%, industry 29%, services 54.9% (2002)

Unemployment rate:
19.5% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
18.4% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.2%
highest 10%: 24.7% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
31.6 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.4% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
18.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $44.52 billion
expenditures: $54.93 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2004 est.)

Public debt:
49.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
potatoes, fruits, vegetables, wheat; poultry, eggs, pork

Industries:
machine building, iron and steel, coal mining, chemicals,
shipbuilding, food processing, glass, beverages, textiles

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

Electricity - production:
133.8 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 98.1%
hydro: 1.5%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0.4% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
117.4 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
11.5 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
4.5 billion kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
17,180 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
424,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
53,000 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
413,700 bbl/day (2001)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Current account balance:
$-3.831 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
$75.98 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment 37.8%, intermediate manufactured
goods 23.7%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 17.1%, food and live
animals 7.6% (2003)

Exports - partners:
Germany 30%, Italy 6.1%, France 6%, UK 5.4%, Czech Republic 4.3%,
Netherlands 4.3% (2004)

Imports:
$81.61 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment 38%, intermediate manufactured
goods 21%, chemicals 14.8%, minerals, fuels, lubricants, and related
materials 9.1% (2003)

Imports - partners:
Germany 24.4%, Italy 7.9%, Russia 7.3%, France 6.7%, China 4.6%
(2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$41.88 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
$99.15 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$17 billion in available EU structural adjustment and cohesion
funds (2004-06)

Currency (code):
zloty (PLN)

Currency code:
PLN

Exchange rates:
zlotych per US dollar - 3.6576 (2004), 3.8891 (2003), 4.08 (2002),
4.0939 (2001), 4.3461 (2000)
note: zlotych is the plural form of zloty

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Poland

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

Telephones - mobile cellular:
17.401 million (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: underdeveloped and outmoded system in the
process of being overhauled; partial privatization of the
state-owned telephone monopoly is underway; the long waiting list
for main line telephone service has resulted in a boom in mobile
cellular telephone use
domestic: cable, open-wire, and microwave radio relay; 3 cellular
networks; local exchanges 56.6% digital
international: country code - 48; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat, NA Eutelsat, 2 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean
regions), and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 14, FM 777, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
20.2 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
179 (plus 256 repeaters) (September 1995)

Televisions:
13.05 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.pl

Internet hosts:
804,915 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
19 (2000)

Internet users:
8.97 million (2003)

Transportation Poland

Railways:
total: 23,852 km
broad gauge: 629 km 1.524-m gauge
standard gauge: 23,223 km 1.435-m gauge (20,555 km operational)
(11,962 km electrified) (2004)

Highways:
total: 364,697 km
paved: 249,088 km (including 399 km of expressways)
unpaved: 115,609 km (2001)

Waterways:
3,997 km (navigable rivers and canals) (2003)

Pipelines:
gas 13,552 km; oil 1,772 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Gdansk, Gdynia, Swinoujscie, Szczecin

Merchant marine:
total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 154,710 GRT/228,132 DWT
by type: cargo 3, chemical tanker 2, passenger/cargo 1, roll on/roll
off 1
registered in other countries: 107 (2005)

Airports:
123 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 84
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 30
1,524 to 2,437 m: 40
914 to 1,523 m: 8
under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 39
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 13
under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
3 (2004 est.)

Military Poland

Military branches:
Land Forces, Navy, Polish Air Force (PSP)

Military service age and obligation:
17 years of age for compulsory military service after January 1st
of the year of 18th birthday; 17 years of age for voluntary military
service; in 2005 Poland plans to shorten the length of conscript
service obligation from 12 to 9 months; by 2008, plans call for at
least 60% of military personnel to be volunteers; only soldiers who
have completed their conscript service are allowed to volunteer for
professional service; as of April 2004 women are only allowed to
serve as officers and non-commissioned officers (April 2004)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 17-49: 9,673,712 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 17-49: 7,740,164 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males: 275,521 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$3.5 billion (2002)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.71% (2002)

Transnational Issues Poland

Disputes - international:
as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border,
Poland must implement the strict Schengen border rules

Illicit drugs:
major illicit producer of synthetic drugs for the international
market; minor transshipment point for Asian and Latin American
illicit drugs to Western Europe

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Portugal

Introduction Portugal

Background:
Following its heyday as a world power during the 15th and 16th
centuries, Portugal lost much of its wealth and status with the
destruction of Lisbon in a 1755 earthquake, occupation during the
Napoleonic Wars, and the independence in 1822 of Brazil as a colony.
A 1910 revolution deposed the monarchy; for most of the next six
decades, repressive governments ran the country. In 1974, a
left-wing military coup installed broad democratic reforms. The
following year, Portugal granted independence to all of its African
colonies. Portugal is a founding member of NATO and entered the EC
(now the EU) in 1986.

Geography Portugal

Location:
Southwestern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, west of
Spain

Geographic coordinates:
39 30 N, 8 00 W

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 92,391 sq km
land: 91,951 sq km
water: 440 sq km
note: includes Azores and Madeira Islands

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Indiana

Land boundaries:
total: 1,214 km
border countries: Spain 1,214 km

Coastline:
1,793 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:
maritime temperate; cool and rainy in north, warmer and drier in
south

Terrain:
mountainous north of the Tagus River, rolling plains in south

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Ponta do Pico (Pico or Pico Alto) on Ilha do Pico in
the Azores 2,351 m

Natural resources:
fish, forests (cork), iron ore, copper, zinc, tin, tungsten,
silver, gold, uranium, marble, clay, gypsum, salt, arable land,
hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 21.75%
permanent crops: 7.81%
other: 70.44% (2001)

Irrigated land:
6,320 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
Azores subject to severe earthquakes

Environment - current issues:
soil erosion; air pollution caused by industrial and vehicle
emissions; water pollution, especially in coastal areas

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Environmental
Modification

Geography - note:
Azores and Madeira Islands occupy strategic locations along western
sea approaches to Strait of Gibraltar

People Portugal

Population:
10,566,212 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.6% (male 916,234/female 839,935)
15-64 years: 66.3% (male 3,468,844/female 3,538,779)
65 years and over: 17.1% (male 744,787/female 1,057,633) (2005 est.)

Median age:
total: 38.2 years
male: 36.06 years
female: 40.33 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.39% (2005 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 5.05 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.53 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.53 years
male: 74.25 years
female: 81.03 years (2005 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.4% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
22,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 1,000 (2003 est.)

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

Ethnic groups:
homogeneous Mediterranean stock; citizens of black African descent
who immigrated to mainland during decolonization number less than
100,000; since 1990 East Europeans have entered Portugal

Religions:
Roman Catholic 94%, Protestant (1995)

Languages:
Portuguese (official), Mirandese (official - but locally used)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.3%
male: 95.5%
female: 91.3% (2003 est.)

Government Portugal

Country name:
conventional long form: Portuguese Republic
conventional short form: Portugal
local long form: Republica Portuguesa
local short form: Portugal

Government type:
parliamentary democracy

Capital:
Lisbon

Administrative divisions:
18 districts (distritos, singular - distrito) and 2 autonomous
regions* (regioes autonomas, singular - regiao autonoma); Aveiro,
Acores (Azores)*, Beja, Braga, Braganca, Castelo Branco, Coimbra,
Evora, Faro, Guarda, Leiria, Lisboa, Madeira*, Portalegre, Porto,
Santarem, Setubal, Viana do Castelo, Vila Real, Viseu

Independence:
1143 (Kingdom of Portugal recognized); 5 October 1910 (independent
republic proclaimed)

National holiday:
Portugal Day, 10 June (1580); note - also called Camoes Day, the
day that revered national poet Luis de Camoes (1524-80) died

Constitution:
25 April 1976; revised many times

Legal system:
civil law system; the Constitutional Tribunal reviews the
constitutionality of legislation; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jorge SAMPAIO (since 9 March 1996)
head of government: Prime Minister Jose SOCRATES (since 12 March
2005)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the prime minister
note: there is also a Council of State that acts as a consultative
body to the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 14 January 2001 (next to be held January 2006);
following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or
leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister
by the president
election results: Jorge SAMPAIO reelected president; percent of vote
- Jorge SAMPAIO (Socialist) 55.8%, Joaquim FERREIRA Do Amaral
(Social Democrat) 34.5%, Antonio ABREU (Communist) 5.1%

Legislative branch:
unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da Republica (230
seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 20 February 2005 (next to be held February
2009); note - President SAMPAIO called for early elections after
dissolving parliament on 10 December 2004 because he lacked
confidence in the four-month center-right government
election results: percent of vote by party - PS 45.1%, PSD 28.7%,
CDU 7.6%, PP 7.3%, BE 6.4%; seats by party - PS 121, PSD 75, CDU 14,
PP 12, BE 8

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal de Justica (judges appointed for
life by the Conselho Superior da Magistratura)

Political parties and leaders:
Green Ecologist Party or PEV [Heloisa APOLONIA]; Popular Party or
PP [Jose Ribeiro e CASTRO]; Portuguese Communist Party or PCP
[Jeronimo de SOUSA]; Portuguese Socialist Party or PS [Jose SOCRATES
Carvalho Pinto de Sousa]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Luis
Marques MENDES]; The Left Bloc or BE [Franciso Anacleto LOUCA];
Unitarian Democratic Coalition or UDC [Jeronimo de SOUSA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU,
ESA, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO,
ITU, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS
(observer), OECD, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNMIK, UNMISET, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO,
ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Pedro Manuel Dos Reis Alves CATARINO
chancery: 2125 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 328-8610
FAX: [1] (202) 462-3726
consulate(s) general: Boston, New York, Newark (New Jersey), and San
Francisco
consulate(s): New Bedford (Massachusetts), Providence (Rhode Island)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Adrienne
S. O'NEAL
embassy: Avenida das Forcas Armadas, 1600-081 Lisbon
mailing address: Apartado 4258, 1507 Lisboa Codex; PSC 83, APO AE
09726
telephone: [351] (21) 727-3300
FAX: [351] (21) 726-9109
consulate(s): Ponta Delgada (Azores)

Flag description:
two vertical bands of green (hoist side, two-fifths) and red
(three-fifths) with the Portuguese coat of arms centered on the
dividing line

Economy Portugal

Economy - overview:
Portugal has become a diversified and increasingly service-based
economy since joining the European Community in 1986. Over the past
decade, successive governments have privatized many state-controlled
firms and liberalized key areas of the economy, including the
financial and telecommunications sectors. The country qualified for
the European Monetary Union (EMU) in 1998 and began circulating the
euro on 1 January 2002 along with 11 other EU member economies.
Economic growth had been above the EU average for much of the past
decade, but fell back in 2001-04. GDP per capita stands at
two-thirds that of the Big Four EU economies. A poor educational
system, in particular, has been an obstacle to greater productivity
and growth. Portugal has been increasingly overshadowed by
lower-cost producers in Central Europe and Asia as a target for
foreign direct investment. The government faces tough choices in its
attempts to boost Portugal's economic competitiveness while keeping
the budget deficit within the eurozone's 3%-of-GDP ceiling.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$188.7 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.1% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $17,900 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 5.9%
industry: 30.2%
services: 63.9% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
5.48 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 10%, industry 30%, services 60% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
6.5% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.1%
highest 10%: 28.4% (1995 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
35.6 (1994-95)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.1% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
22.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $74.38 billion
expenditures: $79.86 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2004 est.)

Public debt:
61.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
grain, potatoes, olives, grapes; sheep, cattle, goats, poultry,
beef, dairy products

Industries:
textiles and footwear; wood pulp, paper, and cork; metals and
metalworking; oil refining; chemicals; fish canning; rubber and
plastic products; ceramics; electronics and communications
equipment; rail transportation equipment; aerospace equipment; ship
construction and refurbishment; wine; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
1.1% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
43.28 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 64.5%
hydro: 31.3%
nuclear: 0%
other: 4.1% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
42.15 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
3.4 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
5.3 billion kWh (2002)

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

Oil - consumption:
339,800 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
28,830 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
357,300 bbl/day (2001)

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

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

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

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

Current account balance:
$-8.12 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
$37.68 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
clothing and footwear, machinery, chemicals, cork and paper
products, hides

Exports - partners:
Spain 25%, France 14%, Germany 13.5%, UK 9.6%, US 6%, Italy 4.3%,
Netherlands 4% (2004)

Imports:
$52.1 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum, textiles,
agricultural products

Imports - partners:
Spain 29.3%, Germany 14.3%, France 9.3%, Italy 6.1%, UK 4.6%,
Netherlands 4.6% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$12.3 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
$274.7 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $271 million (1995)

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

Currency code:
EUR

Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002),
1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Portugal

Telephones - main lines in use:
4,278,800 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
9,341,400 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: Portugal's telephone system has achieved a
state-of-the-art network with broadband, high-speed capabilities and
a main line telephone density of 53%
domestic: integrated network of coaxial cables, open-wire, microwave
radio relay, and domestic satellite earth stations
international: country code - 351; 6 submarine cables; satellite
earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean),
NA Eutelsat; tropospheric scatter to Azores; note - an earth station
for Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region) is planned

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 47, FM 172 (many are repeaters), shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
3.02 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
62 (plus 166 repeaters)
note: includes Azores and Madeira Islands (1995)

Televisions:
3.31 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.pt

Internet hosts:
346,078 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
16 (2000)

Internet users:
3.6 million (2002)

Transportation Portugal

Railways:
total: 2,850 km
broad gauge: 2,576 km 1.668-m gauge (623 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 274 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)

Highways:
total: 17,135 km
paved: 14,736 km (including 1,659 km of expressways)
unpaved: 2,399 km (2002)

Waterways:
210 km (on Douro River from Porto) (2003)

Pipelines:
gas 1,099 km; oil 8 km; refined products 174 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Leixoes, Lisbon, Setubal, Sines

Merchant marine:
total: 114 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 872,557 GRT/1,236,025 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 10, cargo 38, chemical tanker 14, container 7,
liquefied gas 9, passenger 8, passenger/cargo 7, petroleum tanker 9,
roll on/roll off 4, vehicle carrier 8
foreign-owned: 97 (Australia 1, Belgium 6, Denmark 5, Germany 18,
Greece 4, Iceland 1, Italy 11, Japan 8, Lebanon 1, Malta 1, Norway
4, Spain 19, Switzerland 4)
registered in other countries: 28 (2005)

Airports:
65 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 42
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 15
under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 23
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 22 (2004 est.)

Military Portugal

Military branches:
Army, Navy (Marinha Portuguesa; includes Marine Corps), Air Force
(Forca Aerea Portuguesa, FAP), National Republican Guard (Guarda
Nacional Republicana) (2005)

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; compulsory military
service was ended in 2004 (January 2005)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 2,435,042 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 1,952,819 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males: 67,189 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$3,497.8 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.3% (2003)

Transnational Issues Portugal

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
gateway country for Latin American cocaine and Southwest Asian
heroin entering the European market (especially from Brazil);
transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Europe;
consumer of Southwest Asian heroin

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Puerto Rico

Introduction Puerto Rico

Background:
Populated for centuries by aboriginal peoples, the island was
claimed by the Spanish Crown in 1493 following Columbus' second
voyage to the Americas. In 1898, after 400 years of colonial rule
that saw the indigenous population nearly exterminated and African
slave labor introduced, Puerto Rico was ceded to the US as a result
of the Spanish-American War. Puerto Ricans were granted US
citizenship in 1917. Popularly-elected governors have served since
1948. In 1952, a constitution was enacted providing for internal
self government. In plebiscites held in 1967, 1993, and 1998, voters
chose to retain commonwealth status.

Geography Puerto Rico

Location:
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic
Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic

Geographic coordinates:
18 15 N, 66 30 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 9,104 sq km
land: 8,959 sq km
water: 145 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
501 km

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

Climate:
tropical marine, mild; little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:
mostly mountains with coastal plain belt in north; mountains
precipitous to sea on west coast; sandy beaches along most coastal
areas

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Cerro de Punta 1,338 m

Natural resources:
some copper and nickel; potential for onshore and offshore oil

Land use:
arable land: 3.95%
permanent crops: 5.52%
other: 90.53% (2001)

Irrigated land:
400 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
periodic droughts; hurricanes

Environment - current issues:
erosion; occasional drought causing water shortages

Geography - note:
important location along the Mona Passage - a key shipping lane to
the Panama Canal; San Juan is one of the biggest and best natural
harbors in the Caribbean; many small rivers and high central
mountains ensure land is well watered; south coast relatively dry;
fertile coastal plain belt in north

People Puerto Rico

Population:
3,916,632 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 22% (male 441,594/female 421,986)
15-64 years: 65.5% (male 1,228,583/female 1,337,066)
65 years and over: 12.4% (male 211,283/female 276,120) (2005 est.)

Median age:
total: 34.23 years
male: 32.5 years
female: 35.87 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.47% (2005 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
-1.38 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: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 8.24 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 9.52 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.29 years
male: 74.35 years
female: 82.43 years (2005 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
7,397 (1997)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Puerto Rican(s) (US citizens)
adjective: Puerto Rican

Ethnic groups:
white (mostly Spanish origin) 80.5%, black 8%, Amerindian 0.4%,
Asian 0.2%, mixed and other 10.9%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant and other 15%

Languages:
Spanish, English

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94.1%
male: 93.9%
female: 94.4% (2002 est.)

Government Puerto Rico

Country name:
conventional long form: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
conventional short form: Puerto Rico

Dependency status:
commonwealth associated with the US

Government type:
commonwealth

Capital:
San Juan

Administrative divisions:
none (commonwealth associated with the US); there are no
first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US
Government, but there are 78 municipalities (municipios, singular -
municipio) at the second order; Adjuntas, Aguada, Aguadilla, Aguas
Buenas, Aibonito, Anasco, Arecibo, Arroyo, Barceloneta,
Barranquitas, Bayamon, Cabo Rojo, Caguas, Camuy, Canovanas,
Carolina, Catano, Cayey, Ceiba, Ciales, Cidra, Coamo, Comerio,
Corozal, Culebra, Dorado, Fajardo, Florida, Guanica, Guayama,
Guayanilla, Guaynabo, Gurabo, Hatillo, Hormigueros, Humacao,
Isabela, Jayuya, Juana Diaz, Juncos, Lajas, Lares, Las Marias, Las
Piedras, Loiza, Luquillo, Manati, Maricao, Maunabo, Mayaguez, Moca,
Morovis, Naguabo, Naranjito, Orocovis, Patillas, Penuelas, Ponce,
Quebradillas, Rincon, Rio Grande, Sabana Grande, Salinas, San
German, San Juan, San Lorenzo, San Sebastian, Santa Isabel, Toa
Alta, Toa Baja, Trujillo Alto, Utuado, Vega Alta, Vega Baja,
Vieques, Villalba, Yabucoa, Yauco

Independence:
none (commonwealth associated with the US)

National holiday:
US Independence Day, 4 July (1776); Puerto Rico Constitution Day,
25 July (1952)

Constitution:
ratified 3 March 1952, approved by US Congress 3 July 1952,
effective 25 July 1952

Legal system:
based on Spanish civil code and within the US Federal system of
justice

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal; island residents 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)
head of government: Governor Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA (since 2 January
2005)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor with the consent of the
legislature
elections: US president and vice president elected on the same
ticket for four-year terms; governor elected by popular vote for a
four-year term; election last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held
November 2008)
election results: Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA (PPD) elected governor;
percent of vote - 48.4%

Legislative branch:
bicameral Legislative Assembly consists of the Senate (at least 27
seats - currently 29; members are directly elected by popular vote
to serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives (51
seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve
four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held
November 2008); House of Representatives - last held 2 November 2004
(next to be held November 2008)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PNP 43.4%, PPD
40.3%, PIP 9.4%; seats by party - PNP 17, PPD 9, PIP 1; House of
Representatives - percent of vote by party - PNP 46.3%, PPD 43.1%,
PIP 9.7%; seats by party - PNP 32, PPD 18, PIP 1
note: Puerto Rico elects, by popular vote, a resident commissioner
to serve a four-year term as a nonvoting representative in the US
House of Representatives; aside from not voting on the House floor,
he enjoys all the rights of a member of Congress; elections last
held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008); results -
percent of vote by party - PNP 48.6%; seats by party - PNP 1; Luis
FORTUNO elected resident commissioner

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Appellate Court; Court of First Instance composed of
two sections: a Superior Court and a Municipal Court (justices for
all these courts appointed by the governor with the consent of the
Senate)

Political parties and leaders:
National Democratic Party [Celeste BENITEZ]; National Republican
Party of Puerto Rico [Dr. Tiody FERRE]; New Progressive Party or PNP
(pro-US statehood) [Pedro ROSSELLO]; Popular Democratic Party or PPD
(pro-commonwealth) [Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA]; Puerto Rican Independence
Party or PIP (pro-independence) [Ruben BERRIOS Martinez]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Armed Forces for National Liberation or FALN; Armed Forces of
Popular Resistance; Boricua Popular Army (also known as the
Macheteros); Volunteers of the Puerto Rican Revolution

International organization participation:
ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WToO (associate)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (commonwealth associated with the US)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (commonwealth associated with the US)

Flag description:
five equal horizontal bands of red (top and bottom) alternating
with white; a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bears
a large, white, five-pointed star in the center; design initially
influenced by the US flag, but similar to the Cuban flag, with the
colors of the bands and triangle reversed

Economy Puerto Rico

Economy - overview:
Puerto Rico has one of the most dynamic economies in the Caribbean
region. A diverse industrial sector has far surpassed agriculture as
the primary locus of economic activity and income. Encouraged by
duty-free access to the US and by tax incentives, US firms have
invested heavily in Puerto Rico since the 1950s. US minimum wage
laws apply. Sugar production has lost out to dairy production and
other livestock products as the main source of income in the
agricultural sector. Tourism has traditionally been an important
source of income, with estimated arrivals of nearly 5 million
tourists in 1999. Growth fell off in 2001-03, largely due to the
slowdown in the US economy, and has recovered in 2004.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$68.95 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
2.7% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $17,700 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1%
industry: 45%
services: 54% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
1.3 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 3%, industry 20%, services 77% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
12% (2002)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6.5% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $6.7 billion
expenditures: $9.6 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(FY99/00)

Agriculture - products:
sugarcane, coffee, pineapples, plantains, bananas, livestock
products, chickens

Industries:
pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, food products, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - production:
22.09 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 99.2%
hydro: 0.8%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
20.54 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2002)

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

Oil - consumption:
190,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA

Oil - imports:
NA

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

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

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

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

Exports:
$46.9 billion f.o.b. (2001)

Exports - commodities:
chemicals, electronics, apparel, canned tuna, rum, beverage
concentrates, medical equipment

Exports - partners:
US 90.3%, UK 1.6%, Netherlands 1.4%, Dominican Republic 1.4% (2002
est.)

Imports:
$29.1 billion c.i.f. (2001)

Imports - commodities:
chemicals, machinery and equipment, clothing, food, fish, petroleum
products

Imports - partners:
US 55.0%, Ireland 23.7%, Japan 5.4% (2002 est.)

Debt - external:
NA

Economic aid - recipient:
NA (2001)

Currency (code):
US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
USD

Exchange rates:
the US dollar is used

Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

Communications Puerto Rico

Telephones - main lines in use:
1,329,500 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
1,211,111 (2001)

Telephone system:
general assessment: modern system integrated with that of the US by
high-capacity submarine cable and Intelsat with high-speed data
capability
domestic: digital telephone system; cellular telephone service
international: country code - 1-787, 939; satellite earth station -
1 Intelsat; submarine cable to US

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 72, FM 17, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
2.7 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
6 (19 relay stations) (2004)

Televisions:
1.021 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.pr

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
76 (2000)

Internet users:
600,000 (2002)

Transportation Puerto Rico

Railways:
total: 96 km
narrow gauge: 96 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)

Highways:
total: 25,328 km
paved: 23,665 km (including 426 km of expressways)
unpaved: 1,363 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Las Mareas, Mayaguez, San Juan

Merchant marine:
total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 36,728 GRT/37,048 DWT
by type: roll on/roll off 2
foreign-owned: 2 (United States 2)
registered in other countries: 1 (2005)

Airports:
30 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 17
over 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 13
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)

Military Puerto Rico

Military branches:
no regular indigenous military forces; paramilitary National Guard,
Police Force

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Puerto Rico

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

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Qatar

Introduction Qatar

Background:
Ruled by the Al Thani family since the mid-1800s, Qatar transformed
itself from a poor British protectorate noted mainly for pearling
into an independent state with significant oil and natural gas
revenues. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Qatari economy
was crippled by a continuous siphoning off of petroleum revenues by
the amir, who had ruled the country since 1972. His son, the current
Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, overthrew him in a bloodless coup
in 1995. In 2001, Qatar resolved its longstanding border disputes
with both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Oil and natural gas revenues
enable Qatar to have one of the highest per capita incomes in the
world.

Geography Qatar

Location:
Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates:
25 30 N, 51 15 E

Map references:
Middle East

Area:
total: 11,437 sq km
land: 11,437 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries:
total: 60 km
border countries: Saudi Arabia 60 km

Coastline:
563 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: as determined by bilateral agreements or
the median line

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

Terrain:
mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and gravel

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Qurayn Abu al Bawl 103 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, fish

Land use:
arable land: 1.64%
permanent crops: 0.27%
other: 98.09% (2001)

Irrigated land:
130 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
haze, dust storms, sandstorms common

Environment - current issues:
limited natural fresh water resources are increasing dependence on
large-scale desalination facilities

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

Geography - note:
strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major petroleum
deposits

People Qatar

Population:
863,051 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 23.7% (male 104,453/female 100,295)
15-64 years: 72.9% (male 437,118/female 191,830)
65 years and over: 3.4% (male 21,599/female 7,756) (2005 est.)

Median age:
total: 31.57 years
male: 36.87 years
female: 22.33 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.61% (2005 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
15.17 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: 2.28 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 2.78 male(s)/female
total population: 1.88 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 18.61 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 21.95 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 15.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.67 years
male: 71.15 years
female: 76.32 years (2005 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.09% (2001 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Qatari(s)
adjective: Qatari

Ethnic groups:
Arab 40%, Pakistani 18%, Indian 18%, Iranian 10%, other 14%

Religions:
Muslim 95%

Languages:
Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 89%
male: 89.1%
female: 88.6% (2004 est.)

Government Qatar

Country name:
conventional long form: State of Qatar
conventional short form: Qatar
local long form: Dawlat Qatar
local short form: Qatar
note: closest approximation of the native pronunciation falls
between cutter and gutter, but not like guitar

Government type:
traditional monarchy

Capital:
Doha

Administrative divisions:
10 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ad Dawhah, Al
Ghuwayriyah, Al Jumayliyah, Al Khawr, Al Wakrah, Ar Rayyan, Jarayan
al Batinah, Madinat ash Shamal, Umm Sa'id, Umm Salal

Independence:
3 September 1971 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 3 September (1971)

Constitution:
ratified by public referendum on 29 April 2003, endorsed by the
Emir on 8 June 2004, effective on 9 June 2005

Legal system:
discretionary system of law controlled by the amir, although civil
codes are being implemented; Islamic law dominates family and
personal matters

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa al-Thani (since 27 June 1995
when, as crown prince, he ousted his father, Amir KHALIFA bin Hamad
al-Thani, in a bloodless coup); Crown Prince TAMIM bin Hamad bin
Khalifa al-Thani, third son of the monarch (selected Heir Apparent
by the monarch on 5 August 2003); note - Amir HAMAD also holds the
positions of Minister of Defense and Commander-in-chief of the Armed
Forces
head of government: Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Khalifa al-Thani,
brother of the monarch (since 30 October 1996); Deputy Prime
Minister MUHAMMAD bin Khalifa al-Thani, brother of the monarch
(since 20 January 1998); First Deputy Prime Minister HAMAD bin JASIM
bin JABIR al-Thani (since 16 September 2003; also Foreign Minister
since 1992); Second Deputy Prime Minister Abdallah bin Hamad
al-ATTIYAH (since 16 September 2003; also Energy Minister since NA
1992)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary
note: in April 2003, Qatar held nationwide elections for a 29-member
Central Municipal Council (CMC), which has consultative powers aimed
at improving the provision of municipal services; the first election
for the CMC was held in March 1999

Legislative branch:
unicameral Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura (35 seats; members
appointed)
note: no legislative elections have been held since 1970 when there
were partial elections to the body; Council members have had their
terms extended every four years since; the new constitution, which
came into force on 8 June 2004, provides for a 45-member
Consultative Council, or Majlis al-Shura; the public would elect
two-thirds of the Majlis al-Shura; the amir would appoint the
remaining members

Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal
note: under the new judiciary law issued in 2003, the former two
court systems, civil and Islamic law, were merged under a higher
court, the Court of Cassation, established for appeals

Political parties and leaders:
none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
none

International organization participation:
ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM,
IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW,
OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Nasir bin Hamad bin Mubarak al-KHALIFA
chancery: 4200 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20016
telephone: [1] (202) 274-1600 and 274-1603
FAX: [1] (202) 237-0061
consulate(s) general: Houston

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Chase UNTERMEYER
embassy: Al-Luqta District, 22 February Road, Doha
mailing address: P. O. Box 2399, Doha
telephone: [974] 488 4101
FAX: [974] 488 4298

Flag description:
maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on the
hoist side

Economy Qatar

Economy - overview:
Oil and gas account for more than 55% of GDP, roughly 85% of export
earnings, and 70% of government revenues. Oil and gas have given
Qatar a per capita GDP about 80% of that of the leading West
European industrial countries. Proved oil reserves of 16 billion
barrels should ensure continued output at current levels for 23
years. Qatar's proved reserves of natural gas exceed 14 trillion
cubic meters, more than 5% of the world total and third largest in
the world. Long-term goals feature the development of offshore
natural gas reserves to offset the ultimate decline in oil
production. In recent years, Qatar has consistently posted trade
surpluses largely because of high oil prices and increased natural
gas exports, becoming one of the world's fastest growing and highest
per-capita income countries.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$19.49 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
8.7% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $23,200 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 0.3%
industry: 58.2%
services: 41.5% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
140,000 (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:
2.7% (2001)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
22.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $10.17 billion
expenditures: $7.61 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.2
billion (2004 est.)

Public debt:
NA

Agriculture - products:
fruits, vegetables; poultry, dairy products, beef; fish

Industries:
crude oil production and refining, ammonia, fertilizers,
petrochemicals, steel reinforcing bars, cement, commercial ship
repair

Industrial production growth rate:
10% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
9.727 billion kWh (2002)

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

Electricity - consumption:
9.046 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
790,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
30,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA

Oil - imports:
NA

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

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

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

Natural gas - exports:
18.2 billion cu m (2004 est.)

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

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

Current account balance:
$5.187 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
$15 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
liquefied natural gas (LNG), petroleum products, fertilizers, steel

Exports - partners:
Japan 41.9%, South Korea 15.8%, Singapore 9.1%, India 5.4% (2004)

Imports:
$6.15 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, food, chemicals

Imports - partners:
France 26.6%, US 9.5%, Saudi Arabia 9.4%, UAE 6.3%, Germany 5.2%,
Japan 5.2%, UK 5.1% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$3.351 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
$18.62 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
NA

Currency (code):
Qatari rial (QAR)

Currency code:
QAR

Exchange rates:
Qatari rials per US dollar - 3.64 (2004), 3.64 (2003), 3.64 (2002),
3.64 (2001), 3.64 (2000)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Qatar

Telephones - main lines in use:
184,500 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
376,500 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: modern system centered in Doha
domestic: NA
international: country code - 974; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain;
microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and UAE; submarine cable to
Bahrain and UAE; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic
Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
256,000 (1997)

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

Televisions:
230,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.qa

Internet hosts:
221 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
126,000 (2003)

Transportation Qatar

Highways:
total: 1,230 km
paved: 1,107 km
unpaved: 123 km (1999 est.)

Pipelines:
condensate 319 km; condensate/gas 209 km; gas 1,024 km; liquid
petroleum gas 87 km; oil 702 km; oil/gas/water 41 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Doha

Merchant marine:
total: 22 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 525,051 GRT/772,635 DWT
by type: cargo 3, chemical tanker 5, container 8, liquefied gas 2,
petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 1
foreign-owned: 6 (Kuwait 6) (2005)

Airports:
4 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
over 3,047 m: 2 (2004 est.)

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

Heliports:
1 (2004 est.)

Military Qatar

Military branches:
Qatari Amiri Land Force (QALF), Qatari Amiri Navy (QAN), Qatari
Amiri Air Force (QAAF)

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; Land Force's
enlisted personnel are largely nonprofessional foreign nationals
(2005)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 302,873
note: includes non-nationals (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 238,566 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males: 7,851 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$723 million (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
10% (FY00)

Transnational Issues Qatar

Disputes - international:
none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Reunion

Introduction Reunion

Background:
The Portuguese discovered the uninhabited island in 1513. From the
17th to the 19th centuries, French immigration, supplemented by
influxes of Africans, Chinese, Malays, and Malabar Indians, gave the
island its ethnic mix. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 cost
the island its importance as a stopover on the East Indies trade
route.

Geography Reunion

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

Geographic coordinates:
21 06 S, 55 36 E

Map references:
World

Area:
total: 2,517 sq km
land: 2,507 sq km
water: 10 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Rhode Island

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
207 km

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

Climate:
tropical, but temperature moderates with elevation; cool and dry
from May to November, hot and rainy from November to April

Terrain:
mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along coast

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Piton des Neiges 3,069 m

Natural resources:
fish, arable land, hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 13.6%
permanent crops: 1.2%
other: 85.2% (2001)

Irrigated land:
120 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
periodic, devastating cyclones (December to April); Piton de la
Fournaise on the southeastern coast is an active volcano

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
this mountainous, volcanic island has an active volcano, Piton de
la Fournaise; there is a tropical cyclone center at Saint-Denis,
which is the monitoring station for the whole of the Indian Ocean

People Reunion

Population:
776,948 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 30.4% (male 120,698/female 115,108)
15-64 years: 63.6% (male 243,668/female 250,143)
65 years and over: 6.1% (male 19,234/female 28,097) (2005 est.)

Median age:
total: 26.72 years
male: 25.53 years
female: 27.92 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.38% (2005 est.)

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

Death rate:
5.48 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: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 7.78 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 8.52 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.95 years
male: 70.55 years
female: 77.52 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.47 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: Reunionese (singular and plural)
adjective: Reunionese

Ethnic groups:
French, African, Malagasy, Chinese, Pakistani, Indian

Religions:
Roman Catholic 86%, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist (1995)

Languages:
French (official), Creole widely used

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 88.9%
male: 87%
female: 90.8% (2003 est.)

Government Reunion

Country name:
conventional long form: Department of Reunion
conventional short form: Reunion
local long form: none
local short form: Ile de la Reunion
former: Bourbon Island

Dependency status:
overseas department of France

Government type:
NA

Capital:
Saint-Denis

Administrative divisions:
none (overseas department of France); there are no first-order
administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there
are 4 arrondissements, 24 communes, and 47 cantons

Independence:
none (overseas department of France)

National holiday:
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:
4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:
French law

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal