Chapter LIV: Front Matter (54)

Merchant marine:
total: 182 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,740,974 GRT/2,157,551 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 10, cargo 22, chemical tanker 16, container
19, liquefied gas 8, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 47, petroleum
tanker 20, refrigerated cargo 6, roll on/roll off 25, vehicle
carrier 7
foreign-owned: 29 (Cuba 2, Denmark 1, Germany 9, Italy 2, Norway 6,
United States 7, Uruguay 2)
registered in other countries: 192 (2005)

Airports:
156 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 95
over 3,047 m: 15
2,438 to 3,047 m: 10
1,524 to 2,437 m: 19
914 to 1,523 m: 23
under 914 m: 28 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 61
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 15
under 914 m: 44 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
8 (2004 est.)

Military Spain

Military branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force (Ejercito del Aire, EdA), Naval Infantry

Military service age and obligation:
20 years of age (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 20-49: 9,366,588 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 20-49: 7,623,356 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males: 233,384 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$9,906.5 million (2003)

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

Transnational Issues Spain

Disputes - international:
in 2003, Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by referendum to
remain a British colony and against a "total shared sovereignty"
arrangement while demanding participation in talks between the UK
and Spain; Spain disapproves of UK plans to grant Gibraltar greater
autonomy; Morocco protests Spain's control over the coastal enclaves
of Ceuta, Melilla, and the islands of Penon de Velez de la Gomera,
Penon de Alhucemas and Islas Chafarinas, and surrounding waters;
Morocco serves as the primary launching site of illegal migration
into Spain from North Africa

Illicit drugs:
key European gateway country and consumer for Latin American
cocaine and North African hashish entering the European market;
destination and minor transshipment point for Southwest Asian
heroin; money-laundering site for European earnings of Colombian
narcotics trafficking organizations

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Spratly Islands

Introduction Spratly Islands

Background:
The Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or
reefs. They are surrounded by rich fishing grounds and potentially
by gas and oil deposits. They are claimed in their entirety by
China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, while portions are claimed by Malaysia
and the Philippines. About 45 islands are occupied by relatively
small numbers of military forces from China, Malaysia, the
Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Brunei has established a fishing
zone that overlaps a southern reef, but has not made any formal
claim.

Geography Spratly Islands

Location:
Southeastern Asia, group of reefs and islands in the South China
Sea, about two-thirds of the way from southern Vietnam to the
southern Philippines

Geographic coordinates:
8 38 N, 111 55 E

Map references:
Southeast Asia

Area:
total: less than 5 sq km
land: less than 5 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes 100 or so islets, coral reefs, and sea mounts
scattered over an area of nearly 410,000 sq km of the central South
China Sea

Area - comparative:
NA

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
926 km

Maritime claims:
NA

Climate:
tropical

Terrain:
flat

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Southwest Cay 4 m

Natural resources:
fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential

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

Irrigated land:
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
typhoons; serious maritime hazard because of numerous reefs and
shoals

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in the
central South China Sea; includes numerous small islands, atolls,
shoals, and coral reefs

People Spratly Islands

Population:
no indigenous inhabitants
note: there are scattered garrisons occupied by personnel of several
claimant states (2004)

Government Spratly Islands

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Spratly Islands

Economy Spratly Islands

Economy - overview:
Economic activity is limited to commercial fishing. The proximity
to nearby oil- and gas-producing sedimentary basins suggests the
potential for oil and gas deposits, but the region is largely
unexplored; there are no reliable estimates of potential reserves;
commercial exploitation has yet to be developed.

Transportation Spratly Islands

Ports and harbors:
none; offshore anchorage only

Airports:
3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
less than 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

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

Military Spratly Islands

Military - note:
Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs, of
which about 45 are claimed and occupied by China, Malaysia, the
Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam

Transnational Issues Spratly Islands

Disputes - international:
all of the Spratly Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan, and
Vietnam; parts of them are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines;
in 1984, Brunei established an exclusive fishing zone that
encompasses Louisa Reef in the southern Spratly Islands but has not
publicly claimed the reef; claimants in November 2002 signed the
"Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea,"
which has eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code
of conduct"; in March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the
Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marine
seismic activities in the Spratlys

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Sri Lanka

Introduction Sri Lanka

Background:
The Sinhalese arrived in Sri Lanka late in the 6th century B.C.,
probably from northern India. Buddhism was introduced beginning in
about the mid-third century B.C., and a great civilization developed
at the cities of Anuradhapura (kingdom from circa 200 B.C. to circa
A.D. 1000) and Polonnaruwa (from about 1070 to 1200). In the 14th
century, a south Indian dynasty seized power in the north and
established a Tamil kingdom. Occupied by the Portuguese in the 16th
century and by the Dutch in the 17th century, the island was ceded
to the British in 1796, became a crown colony in 1802, and was
united under British rule by 1815. As Ceylon, it became independent
in 1948; its name was changed to Sri Lanka in 1972. Tensions between
the Sinhalese majority and Tamil separatists erupted into war in
1983. Tens of thousands have died in an ethnic conflict that
continues to fester. After two decades of fighting, the government
and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam formalized a cease-fire in
February 2002, with Norway brokering peace negotiations.

Geography Sri Lanka

Location:
Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India

Geographic coordinates:
7 00 N, 81 00 E

Map references:
Asia

Area:
total: 65,610 sq km
land: 64,740 sq km
water: 870 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than West Virginia

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
1,340 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:
tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest
monsoon (June to October)

Terrain:
mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central
interior

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pidurutalagala 2,524 m

Natural resources:
limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay,
hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 13.86%
permanent crops: 15.7%
other: 70.44% (2001)

Irrigated land:
6,510 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
occasional cyclones and tornadoes

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by
poaching and urbanization; coastal degradation from mining
activities and increased pollution; freshwater resources being
polluted by industrial wastes and sewage runoff; waste disposal; air
pollution in Colombo

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

Geography - note:
strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes

People Sri Lanka

Population:
20,064,776
note: since the outbreak of hostilities between the government and
armed Tamil separatists in the mid-1980s, several hundred thousand
Tamil civilians have fled the island and more than 200,000 Tamils
have sought refuge in the West (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 24.5% (male 2,508,384/female 2,397,986)
15-64 years: 68.4% (male 6,658,765/female 7,059,468)
65 years and over: 7.2% (male 670,813/female 769,360) (2005 est.)

Median age:
total: 29.44 years
male: 28.38 years
female: 30.51 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.79% (2005 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
-1.27 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: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 14.35 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 15.57 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 13.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.17 years
male: 70.6 years
female: 75.86 years (2005 est.)

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

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
3,500 (2001 est.)

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

Nationality:
noun: Sri Lankan(s)
adjective: Sri Lankan

Ethnic groups:
Sinhalese 73.8%, Sri Lankan Moors 7.2%, Indian Tamil 4.6%, Sri
Lankan Tamil 3.9%, other 0.5%, unspecified 10% (2001 census
provisional data)

Religions:
Buddhist 69.1%, Muslim 7.6%, Hindu 7.1%, Christian 6.2%,
unspecified 10% (2001 census provisional data)

Languages:
Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil (national
language) 18%, other 8%
note: English is commonly used in government and is spoken
competently by about 10% of the population

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.3%
male: 94.8%
female: 90% (2003 est.)

Government Sri Lanka

Country name:
conventional long form: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
conventional short form: Sri Lanka
former: Serendib, Ceylon

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Colombo; note - Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte is the legislative capital

Administrative divisions:
8 provinces; Central, North Central, North Eastern, North Western,
Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Western; note - North Eastern province
may have been divided in two - Northern and Eastern

Independence:
4 February 1948 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 4 February (1948)

Constitution:
adopted 16 August 1978, certified 31 August 1978; new constitution
proposed in 2002

Legal system:
a highly complex mixture of English common law, Roman-Dutch,
Muslim, Sinhalese, and customary law; has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (since
12 November 1994); note - Mahinda RAJAPAKSE (since 6 April 2004) is
the prime minister; the president is considered both the chief of
state and head of government
head of government: President Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA
(since 12 November 1994); note - Mahinda RAJAPAKSE is the prime
minister (since 6 April 2004); the president is considered both the
chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president in consultation with the
prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
election last held 21 December 1999 (next to be held NA December
2005)
election results: Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA reelected
president; percent of vote - Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA 51%,
Ranil WICKREMASINGHE 42%, other 7%

Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament (225 seats; members elected by popular vote
on the basis of a modified proportional representation system by
district to serve six-year terms)
elections: last held 2 April 2004 (next to be held by 2010)
election results: percent of vote by party or electoral alliance -
SLFP and JVP 45.6%, UNP 37.83%, TNA 6.84%, JHU 5.97%, SLMC 2.02%,
UPF 0.54%, EPDP 0.27%, others 0.93%; seats by party or electoral
alliance - SLFP and JVP 105, UNP 82, TNA 22, JHU 9, SLMC 5, UPF 1,
EPDP 1

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Court of Appeals; judges for both courts are
appointed by the president

Political parties and leaders:
All Ceylon Tamil Congress or ACTC [KUMARGURUPARAM]; Ceylon Workers
Congress or CWC [Arumugam THONDAMAN]; Communist Party or CP [D.
GUNASEKERA]; Democratic United National (Lalith) Front or DUNLF
[Shrimani ATULATHMUDALI]; Eelam People's Democratic Party or EPDP
[Douglas DEVANANDA]; Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front
or EPRLF [Suresh PREMACHANDRAN]; Janatha Vimukthi Perumuna or JVP
[Tilvan SILVA]; National Heritage Party or JHU [Tilak KARUNARATNE];
National Unity Alliance or NUA [Ferial ASHRAFF]; People's Liberation
Organization of Tamil Eelam or PLOTE [leader NA]; Sihala Urumaya or
SU [leader NA]; Sri Lanka Freedom Party or SLFP [Chandrika
Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA]; Sri Lanka Muslim Congress or SLMC [Rauff
HAKEEM]; Sri Lanka Progressive Front or SLPF [P. Nelson PERERA];
Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization or TELO [SABARATNAM]; Tamil
National Alliance or TNA [R. SAMPANTHAN]; Tamil United Liberation
Front or TULF [V. ANANDASANGAREE]; United National Party or UNP
[Ranil WICKREMASINGHE]; Up-country People's Front or UPF [P.
CHANDRASEKARAN]; several ethnic Tamil and Muslim parties,
represented in either Parliament or provincial councils

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Buddhist clergy; labor unions; Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam or
LTTE [Velupillai PRABHAKARAN](insurgent group fighting for a
separate state); radical chauvinist Sinhalese groups such as the
National Movement Against Terrorism; Sinhalese Buddhist lay groups

International organization participation:
AsDB, C, CP, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), ONUB,
OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Bernard GOONETILLEKE
chancery: 2148 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 483-4025 (through 4028)
FAX: [1] (202) 232-7181
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles
consulate(s): New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jeffrey J. LUNSTEAD
embassy: 210 Galle Road, Colombo 3
mailing address: P. O. Box 106, Colombo
telephone: [94] (11) 244-8007
FAX: [94] (11) 243-7345

Flag description:
yellow with two panels; the smaller hoist-side panel has two equal
vertical bands of green (hoist side) and orange; the other panel is
a large dark red rectangle with a yellow lion holding a sword, and
there is a yellow bo leaf in each corner; the yellow field appears
as a border around the entire flag and extends between the two panels

Economy Sri Lanka

Economy - overview:
In 1977, Colombo abandoned statist economic policies and its import
substitution trade policy for market-oriented policies and
export-oriented trade. Sri Lanka's most dynamic sectors now are food
processing, textiles and apparel, food and beverages,
telecommunications, and insurance and banking. In 2003, plantation
crops made up only 15% of exports (compared with 93% in 1970), while
textiles and garments accounted for 63%. GDP grew at an average
annual rate of 5.5% in the early 1990s until a drought and a
deteriorating security situation lowered growth to 3.8% in 1996. The
economy rebounded in 1997-2000 with average growth of 5.3%, but 2001
saw the first contraction in the country's history, -1.4%, due to a
combination of power shortages, severe budgetary problems, the
global slowdown, and continuing civil strife. Growth recovered to
4.0% in 2002 and to 5.2% in both 2003 and 2004. About 800,000 Sri
Lankans work abroad, 90% in the Middle East. They send home about $1
billion a year. The struggle by the Tamil Tigers of the north and
east for a largely independent homeland continues to cast a shadow
over the economy. In late December 2004, a major tsunami took about
31,000 lives, left more than 6,300 missing and 443,000 displaced,
and destroyed an estimated $1.5 billion worth of property.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$80.58 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
5.2% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $4,000 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 19.1%
industry: 26.2%
services: 54.7% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
7.26 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 38%, industry 17%, services 45% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate:
7.8% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
22% (1997 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.5%
highest 10%: 28% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
34.4 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.8% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
22.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $3.34 billion
expenditures: $4.686 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2004 est.)

Public debt:
104.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
rice, sugarcane, grains, pulses, oilseed, spices, tea, rubber,
coconuts; milk, eggs, hides, beef

Industries:
rubber processing, tea, coconuts, and other agricultural
commodities; telecommunications, insurance, and banking; clothing,
cement, petroleum refining, textiles, tobacco

Industrial production growth rate:
7.1% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
6.697 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 51.7%
hydro: 48.3%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
6.228 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2002)

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

Oil - consumption:
75,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA

Oil - imports:
NA

Current account balance:
$-587.3 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
$5.306 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
textiles and apparel; tea and spices; diamonds, emeralds, rubies;
coconut products; rubber manufactures, fish

Exports - partners:
US 32.4%, UK 13.5%, India 6.8%, Germany 4.8% (2004)

Imports:
$7.265 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
textile fabrics, mineral products, petroleum, foodstuffs, machinery
and transportation equipment

Imports - partners:
India 18%, Singapore 8.7%, Hong Kong 7.7%, China 5.7%, Iran 5.2%,
Japan 5.1%, Malaysia 4.1% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$2.475 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
$10.85 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$577 million (1998)

Currency (code):
Sri Lankan rupee (LKR)

Currency code:
LKR

Exchange rates:
Sri Lankan rupees per US dollar - 101.194 (2004), 96.521 (2003),
95.662 (2002), 89.383 (2001), 77.005 (2000)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Sri Lanka

Telephones - main lines in use:
881,400 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
931,600 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: very inadequate domestic service, particularly
in rural areas; likely improvement with privatization of national
telephone company and encouragement to private investment; good
international service (1999)
domestic: national trunk network consists mostly of digital
microwave radio relay; fiber-optic links now in use in Colombo area
and two fixed wireless local loops have been installed; competition
is strong in mobile cellular systems; telephone density remains low
at 2.6 main lines per 100 persons (1999)
international: country code - 94; submarine cables to Indonesia and
Djibouti; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (1999)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 26, FM 45, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
3.85 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
21 (1997)

Televisions:
1.53 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.lk

Internet hosts:
1,882 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
5 (2000)

Internet users:
200,000 (2002)

Transportation Sri Lanka

Railways:
total: 1,449 km
broad gauge: 1,449 km 1.676-m gauge (2004)

Highways:
total: 11,650 km
paved: 11,068 km
unpaved: 582 km (2002)

Waterways:
160 km (primarily on rivers in southwest) (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Colombo, Galle

Merchant marine:
total: 23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 120,924 GRT/173,604 DWT
by type: cargo 18, container 2, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 2
foreign-owned: 10 (Germany 10)
registered in other countries: 1 (2005)

Airports:
14 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 13
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 6 (2004 est.)

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

Military Sri Lanka

Military branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force, Police Force

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

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 4,933,217 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 3,789,627 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males: 174,049 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$514.8 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.6% (2004)

Transnational Issues Sri Lanka

Disputes - international:
none

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 362,000 (both Tamils and non-Tamils displaced due to Tamil
conflict); 555,000 (resulting from 26 December 2004 tsunami) (2004)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Sudan

Introduction Sudan

Background:
Military regimes favoring Islamic-oriented governments have
dominated national politics since independence from the UK in 1956.
Sudan was embroiled in two prolonged civil wars during most of the
remainder of the 20th century. These conflicts were rooted in
northern economic, political, and social domination of non-Muslim,
non-Arab southern Sudanese. The first civil war ended in 1972, but
broke out again in 1983. The second war and famine-related effects
resulted in more than 2 million deaths and over 4 million people
displaced over a period of two decades. Peace talks gained momentum
in 2002-04 with the signing of several accords; a final Naivasha
peace treaty of January 2005 granted the southern rebels autonomy
for six years, after which a referendum for independence is
scheduled to be held. A separate conflict that broke out in the
western region of Darfur in 2003 resulted in tens of thousands of
deaths and over 1 million displaced, but by early 2005, peackeeping
troops had stabilized the situation.

Geography Sudan

Location:
Northern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Egypt and Eritrea

Geographic coordinates:
15 00 N, 30 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 2,505,810 sq km
land: 2.376 million sq km
water: 129,810 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly more than one-quarter the size of the US

Land boundaries:
total: 7,687 km
border countries: Central African Republic 1,165 km, Chad 1,360 km,
Democratic Republic of the Congo 628 km, Egypt 1,273 km, Eritrea 605
km, Ethiopia 1,606 km, Kenya 232 km, Libya 383 km, Uganda 435 km

Coastline:
853 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 18 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
tropical in south; arid desert in north; rainy season varies by
region (April to November)

Terrain:
generally flat, featureless plain; mountains in far south,
northeast and west; desert dominates the north

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Red Sea 0 m
highest point: Kinyeti 3,187 m

Natural resources:
petroleum; small reserves of iron ore, copper, chromium ore, zinc,
tungsten, mica, silver, gold, hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 6.83%
permanent crops: 0.18%
other: 92.99% (2001)

Irrigated land:
19,500 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
dust storms and periodic persistent droughts

Environment - current issues:
inadequate supplies of potable water; wildlife populations
threatened by excessive hunting; soil erosion; desertification;
periodic drought

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

Geography - note:
largest country in Africa; dominated by the Nile and its tributaries

People Sudan

Population:
40,187,486 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 43.2% (male 8,865,331/female 8,488,982)
15-64 years: 54.5% (male 10,952,566/female 10,930,218)
65 years and over: 2.4% (male 513,679/female 436,710) (2005 est.)

Median age:
total: 18.07 years
male: 17.86 years
female: 18.29 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.6% (2005 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
-0.02 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 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.18 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 62.5 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 63.29 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 61.67 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 58.54 years
male: 57.33 years
female: 59.8 years (2005 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
2.3% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
400,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
23,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria, dengue fever, African trypanosomiasis
(sleeping sickness) are high risks in some locations
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2004)

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

Ethnic groups:
black 52%, Arab 39%, Beja 6%, foreigners 2%, other 1%

Religions:
Sunni Muslim 70% (in north), indigenous beliefs 25%, Christian 5%
(mostly in south and Khartoum)

Languages:
Arabic (official), Nubian, Ta Bedawie, diverse dialects of Nilotic,
Nilo-Hamitic, Sudanic languages, English
note: program of "Arabization" in process

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 61.1%
male: 71.8%
female: 50.5% (2003 est.)

Government Sudan

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of the Sudan
conventional short form: Sudan
local long form: Jumhuriyat as-Sudan
local short form: As-Sudan
former: Anglo-Egyptian Sudan

Government type:
authoritarian regime - ruling military junta took power in 1989;
government is run by an alliance of the military and the National
Congress Party (NCP), formerly the National Islamic Front (NIF),
which espouses an Islamist platform

Capital:
Khartoum

Administrative divisions:
26 states (wilayat, singular - wilayah); A'ali an Nil (Upper Nile),
Al Bahr al Ahmar (Red Sea), Al Buhayrat (Lakes), Al Jazirah (El
Gezira), Al Khartum (Khartoum), Al Qadarif (Gedaref), Al Wahdah
(Unity), An Nil al Abyad (White Nile), An Nil al Azraq (Blue Nile),
Ash Shamaliyah (Northern), Bahr al Jabal (Bahr al Jabal), Gharb al
Istiwa'iyah (Western Equatoria), Gharb Bahr al Ghazal (Western Bahr
al Ghazal), Gharb Darfur (Western Darfur), Gharb Kurdufan (Western
Kordofan), Janub Darfur (Southern Darfur), Janub Kurdufan (Southern
Kordofan), Junqali (Jonglei), Kassala (Kassala), Nahr an Nil (Nile),
Shamal Bahr al Ghazal (Northern Bahr al Ghazal), Shamal Darfur
(Northern Darfur), Shamal Kurdufan (Northern Kordofan), Sharq al
Istiwa'iyah (Eastern Equatoria), Sinnar (Sinnar), Warab (Warab)

Independence:
1 January 1956 (from Egypt and UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 1 January (1956)

Constitution:
12 April 1973; suspended following coup of 6 April 1985; interim
constitution of 10 October 1985 suspended following coup of 30 June
1989; new constitution implemented on 30 June 1998 partially
suspended 12 December 1999 by President BASHIR

Legal system:
based on English common law and Islamic law; as of 20 January 1991,
the now defunct Revolutionary Command Council imposed Islamic law in
the northern states; Islamic law applies to all residents of the
northern states regardless of their religion; some separate
religious courts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
reservations

Suffrage:
17 years of age; universal, but noncompulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR
(since 16 October 1993); First Vice President Salva KIIR (since 4
August 2005), Second Vice President Ali Osman TAHA (since 20
September 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
head of government: President Lt. Gen. Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR
(since 16 October 1993); First Vice President Salva KIIR (since 4
August 2005), Second Vice President Ali Osman TAHA (since 20
September 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president; note - the
National Congress Party or NCP (formerly the National Islamic Front
or NIF) dominates al-BASHIR's cabinet
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 13-23 December 2000 (next to be held NA)
election results: Field Marshall Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR
reelected president; percent of vote - Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR
86.5%, Ja'afar Muhammed NUMAYRI 9.6%, three other candidates
received a combined vote of 3.9%; election widely viewed as rigged;
all popular opposition parties boycotted elections because of a lack
of guarantees for a free and fair election
note: al-BASHIR assumed power as chairman of Sudan's Revolutionary
Command Council for National Salvation (RCC) in June 1989 and served
concurrently as chief of state, chairman of the RCC, prime minister,
and minister of defense until mid-October 1993 when he was appointed
president by the RCC; he was elected president by popular vote for
the first time in March 1996

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (360 seats; 270 popularly elected, 90
elected by supra assembly of interest groups known as National
Congress; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 13-22 December 2000 (next to be held NA)
election results: NCP 355, others 5

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Special Revolutionary Courts

Political parties and leaders:
the government allows political "associations" under a 1998 law
revised in 2000; to obtain government approval parties must accept
the constitution and refrain from advocating or using violence
against the regime; approved parties include the National Congress
Party or NCP [Ibrahim Ahmed UMAR], Popular National Congress or PNC
[Hassan al-TURABI], and over 20 minor, pro-government parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Democratic Unionist Party [Muhammed Uthman AL-MIRGHANI]; National
Democratic Alliance [Muhammed Uthman AL-MIRGHANI, chairman]; Sudan
People's Liberation Movement/Army [Dr. John GARANG]; Umma Party
[Sadiq al-MAHDI]

International organization participation:
ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW,
PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires, Ad
Interim Khidir Haroun AHMED (since April 2001)
chancery: 2210 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 338-8565
FAX: [1] (202) 667-2406

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Gerard M.
GALLUCCI
embassy: Sharia Abdul Latif Avenue, Khartoum
mailing address: P. O. Box 699, Khartoum; APO AE 09829
telephone: [249] (11) 774611 or 774700
FAX: [249] (11) 774137
note: US Consul in Cairo is providing backup service for Khartoum

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with a
green isosceles triangle based on the hoist side

Economy Sudan

Economy - overview:
Sudan has turned around a struggling economy with sound economic
policies and infrastructure investments, but it still faces
formidable economic problems, starting from its low level of per
capita output. From 1997 to date, Sudan has been implementing IMF
macroeconomic reforms. In 1999, Sudan began exporting crude oil and
in the last quarter of 1999 recorded its first trade surplus, which,
along with monetary policy, has stabilized the exchange rate.
Increased oil production, revived light industry, and expanded
export processing zones helped sustain GDP growth at 6.4% in 2004.
Agriculture production remains Sudan's most important sector,
employing 80% of the work force, contributing 39% of GDP, and
accounting for most of GDP growth, but most farms remain rain-fed
and susceptible to drought. Chronic instability - including the
long-standing civil war between the Muslim north and the
Christian/pagan south, adverse weather, and weak world agricultural
prices - ensure that much of the population will remain at or below
the poverty line for years.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$76.19 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
6.4% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 38.7%
industry: 20.3%
services: 41% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
11 million (1996 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 80%, industry and commerce 7%, government 13% (1998
est.)

Unemployment rate:
18.7% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
40% (2004 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
9% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
16% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $3.057 billion
expenditures: $2.965 billion, including capital expenditures of $304
million (2004 est.)

Public debt:
79.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
cotton, groundnuts (peanuts), sorghum, millet, wheat, gum arabic,
sugarcane, cassava (tapioca), mangos, papaya, bananas, sweet
potatoes, sesame; sheep, livestock

Industries:
oil, cotton ginning, textiles, cement, edible oils, sugar, soap
distilling, shoes, petroleum refining, pharmaceuticals, armaments,
automobile/light truck assembly

Industrial production growth rate:
8.5% (1999 est.)

Electricity - production:
2.581 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 52.1%
hydro: 47.9%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
2.4 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
345,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
70,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:
275,000 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports:
0 bbl/day (2004)

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

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

Current account balance:
$-763.6 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
$3.395 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
oil and petroleum products; cotton, sesame, livestock, groundnuts,
gum arabic, sugar

Exports - partners:
China 66.9%, Japan 10.7%, Saudi Arabia 4.4% (2004)

Imports:
$3.496 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, manufactured goods, refinery and transport equipment,
medicines and chemicals, textiles, wheat

Imports - partners:
China 13%, Saudi Arabia 11.5%, UAE 5.9%, Egypt 5.1%, India 4.8%,
Germany 4.5%, Australia 4.1%, Japan 4% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$1.652 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
$21 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$172 million (2001)

Currency (code):
Sudanese dinar (SDD)

Currency code:
SDD

Exchange rates:
Sudanese dinars per US dollar - 257.91 (2004), 260.98 (2003),
263.31 (2002), 258.7 (2001), 257.12 (2000)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Sudan

Telephones - main lines in use:
900,000 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
650,000 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: large, well-equipped system by regional
standards and being upgraded; cellular communications started in
1996 and have expanded substantially
domestic: consists of microwave radio relay, cable, radiotelephone
communications, tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite
system with 14 earth stations
international: country code - 249; satellite earth stations - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat (2000)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 12, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
7.55 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
3 (1997)

Televisions:
2.38 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.sd

Internet hosts:
NA

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2002)

Internet users:
300,000 (2003)

Transportation Sudan

Railways:
total: 5,995 km
narrow gauge: 4,595 km 1.067-m gauge; 1,400 km .600-m gauge for
cotton plantations (2004)

Highways:
total: 11,900 km
paved: 4,320 km
unpaved: 7,580 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
4,068 km (1,723 km open year round on White and Blue Nile rivers)
(2004)

Pipelines:
gas 156 km; oil 2,365 km; refined products 810 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Port Sudan

Merchant marine:
total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 20,466 GRT/26,973 DWT
by type: cargo 1, livestock carrier 1
registered in other countries: 2 (2005)

Airports:
75 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 12
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 63
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 17
914 to 1,523 m: 33
under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
2 (2004 est.)

Military Sudan

Military branches:
Sudanese People's Armed Forces (SPAF): Army, Navy, Air Force,
Popular Defense Force

Military service age and obligation:
18-30 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript
service obligation - 3 years (August 2004)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 8,291,695 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 5,427,474 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males: 442,915 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$587 million (2001 est.) (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
3% (1999) (2004)

Transnational Issues Sudan

Disputes - international:
the effects of Sudan's almost constant ethnic and rebel militia
fighting since the mid-twentieth century have penetrated all of its
border states who provide shelter for fleeing refugees and cover to
disparate domestic and foreign conflicting elements; since 2003,
Janjawid armed militia and Sudanese military have driven about
200,000 Darfur region refugees into eastern Chad; large numbers of
Sudanese refugees have also fled to Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya, the
Central African Republic, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo;
southern Sudan provides shelter to Ugandans seeking periodic
protection from soldiers of the Lord's Resistance Army; Sudan
accuses Eritrea of supporting Sudanese rebel groups; efforts to
demarcate the porous boundary with Ethiopia have been delayed by
civil and ethnic fighting in Sudan; Kenya's administrative boundary
extends into the southern Sudan, creating the "Ilemi Triangle";
Egypt and Sudan retain claims to administer triangular areas that
extend north and south of the 1899 Treaty boundary along the 22nd
Parallel, but have withdrawn their military presence; Egypt is
economically developing the "Hala'ib Triangle" north of the Treaty
Line; periodic violent skirmishes with Sudanese residents over water
and grazing rights persist among related pastoral populations from
the Central African Republic along the border

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 108,251 (Eritrea) 5,023 (Chad) 7,983
(Uganda)
IDPs: 4.367 million (internal conflict since 1980s; ongoing
genocide) (2004)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Suriname

Introduction Suriname

Background:
Independence from the Netherlands was granted in 1975. Five years
later the civilian government was replaced by a military regime that
soon declared a socialist republic. It continued to rule through a
succession of nominally civilian administrations until 1987, when
international pressure finally forced a democratic election. In
1989, the military overthrew the civilian government, but a
democratically-elected government returned to power in 1991.

Geography Suriname

Location:
Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
French Guiana and Guyana

Geographic coordinates:
4 00 N, 56 00 W

Map references:
South America

Area:
total: 163,270 sq km
land: 161,470 sq km
water: 1,800 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Georgia

Land boundaries:
total: 1,707 km
border countries: Brazil 597 km, French Guiana 510 km, Guyana 600 km

Coastline:
386 km

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

Climate:
tropical; moderated by trade winds

Terrain:
mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: unnamed location in the coastal plain -2 m
highest point: Juliana Top 1,230 m

Natural resources:
timber, hydropower, fish, kaolin, shrimp, bauxite, gold, and small
amounts of nickel, copper, platinum, iron ore

Land use:
arable land: 0.37%
permanent crops: 0.06%
other: 99.57% (2001)

Irrigated land:
490 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
deforestation as timber is cut for export; pollution of inland
waterways by small-scale mining activities

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

Geography - note:
smallest independent country on South American continent; mostly
tropical rain forest; great diversity of flora and fauna that, for
the most part, is increasingly threatened by new development;
relatively small population, mostly along the coast

People Suriname

Population:
438,144 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 29.6% (male 66,537/female 63,182)
15-64 years: 64.2% (male 144,285/female 136,942)
65 years and over: 6.2% (male 12,092/female 15,106) (2005 est.)

Median age:
total: 26.13 years
male: 25.72 years
female: 26.58 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.25% (2005 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
-8.78 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: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 23.57 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 27.57 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 19.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 68.96 years
male: 66.75 years
female: 71.27 years (2005 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.7% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
5,200 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 500 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Surinamer(s)
adjective: Surinamese

Ethnic groups:
Hindustani (also known locally as "East Indians"; their ancestors
emigrated from northern India in the latter part of the 19th
century) 37%, Creole (mixed white and black) 31%, Javanese 15%,
"Maroons" (their African ancestors were brought to the country in
the 17th and 18th centuries as slaves and escaped to the interior)
10%, Amerindian 2%, Chinese 2%, white 1%, other 2%

Religions:
Hindu 27.4%, Protestant 25.2% (predominantly Moravian), Roman
Catholic 22.8%, Muslim 19.6%, indigenous beliefs 5%

Languages:
Dutch (official), English (widely spoken), Sranang Tongo
(Surinamese, sometimes called Taki-Taki, is native language of
Creoles and much of the younger population and is lingua franca
among others), Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Javanese

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 88%
male: 92.3%
female: 84.1% (2000 est.)

Government Suriname

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Suriname
conventional short form: Suriname
local long form: Republiek Suriname
local short form: Suriname
former: Netherlands Guiana, Dutch Guiana

Government type:
constitutional democracy

Capital:
Paramaribo

Administrative divisions:
10 districts (distrikten, singular - distrikt); Brokopondo,
Commewijne, Coronie, Marowijne, Nickerie, Para, Paramaribo,
Saramacca, Sipaliwini, Wanica

Independence:
25 November 1975 (from Netherlands)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 25 November (1975)

Constitution:
ratified 30 September 1987

Legal system:
based on Dutch legal system incorporating French penal theory

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN (since 12 August
2000); Vice President Jules Rattankoemar AJODHIA (since 12 August
2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN (since 12
August 2000); Vice President Jules Rattankoemar AJODHIA (since 12
August 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president from among
the members of the National Assembly
elections: president and vice president elected by the National
Assembly or, if no presidential or vice presidential candidate
receives a a two-thirds constitutional majority in the National
Assembly after two votes, by a simple majority in the larger
People's United Assembly (869 representatives from the national,
local, and regional councils), for five-year terms; election last
held 25 May 2005 (next to be held 25 May 2010)

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Nationale Assemblee (51 seats;
members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 25 May 2005 (next to be held May 2010)
election results: percent of vote by party - NF 41.2%, NDP 23.1%,
VVV 14.5%, A-Com 7.3%, A1 6.2%, other 5.9%; seats by party - NF 23,
NDP 15, VVV 5, A-Com 5, A1 3

Judicial branch:
Cantonal Courts and a Court of Justice as an appellate court
(justices are nominated for life)

Political parties and leaders:
A-Combinatie (coalition of Brotherhood and Unity in Politics or BEP
[Caprino ALENDY], General Interior Development Party or ABOP [Ronnie
BRUNSWIJK], Progressive Laborers and Farmers Union or PALU [Jim
HOK], Seeka [Paul ABENA]); Alternative-1 or A-1 (a coalition of
Democratic Alternative 1991 or DA-91 [Winston JESSURUN], Democrats
of the 21st Century or D-21 [Soewarto MOESTADJA], Nieuw Suriname or
NS [Radjen Nanan PANDAY], Political Wing of the FAL or PVF [Jiwan
SITAL], Trefpunt 2000 or T-2000 [Arti JESSURUN]); National
Democratic Party or NDP [Desire BOUTERSE]; New Front for Democracy
and Development or NF (a coalition includes National Party Suriname
or NPS (Ronald VENETIAAN], United Reform Party or VHP [Ram SARDJOE],
Pertjaja Luhur or PL [Salam Paul SOMOHARDJO], Surinamese Labor Party
or SPA [Siegfried GILDS]); Party for Democracy and Development in
Unity or DOE [Marten Schalkwijk]; People's Alliance for Progress or
VVV (a coalition of Democratic National Platform 2000 or DNP-2000
[Jules WIJDENBOSCH], Grassroots Party for Renewal and Democracy or
BVD [Tjan GOBARDHAN], Party for National Unity and Solidarity of the
Highest Order or KTPI [Willy SOEMITA], Party for Progression,
Justice, and Perserverance or PPRS [Renee KAIMAN], Pendawalima or PL
[Raymond SAPOEN]); Union of Progressive Surinamers or UPS [Sheoradj
PANDAY]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Association of Indigenous Village Chiefs [Ricardo PANE];
Association of Saramaccan Authorities or Maroon [Head Captain WASE];
Women's Parliament Forum or PVF [Iris GILLIAD]

International organization participation:
ACP, Caricom, CSN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDB,
IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, LAES, MIGA,
NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Henry Lothar ILLES
chancery: Suite 460, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 244-7488
FAX: [1] (202) 244-5878
consulate(s) general: Miami

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Marsha E. BARNES
embassy: Dr. Sophie Redmondstraat 129, Paramaribo
mailing address: Department of State, 3390 Paramaribo Place,
Washington, DC, 20521-3390
telephone: [597] 472900
FAX: [597] 420800

Flag description:
five horizontal bands of green (top, double width), white, red
(quadruple width), white, and green (double width); there is a
large, yellow, five-pointed star centered in the red band

Economy Suriname

Economy - overview:
The economy is dominated by the alumina industry, which accounts
for more than 15% of GDP and 70% of export earnings. Suriname's
economic prospects for the medium term will depend on continued
commitment to responsible monetary and fiscal policies and to the
introduction of structural reforms to liberalize markets and promote
competition. The government of Ronald VENETIAAN has begun an
austerity program, raised taxes, and attempted to control spending.
While - in 2002 - President VENETIAAN agreed to a large pay raise
for civil servants, threatening his earlier gains in stabilizing the
economy, he has not repeated this promise in the run-up to the May
2005 elections. The Dutch Government has agreed to restart the aid
flow, which will allow Suriname to access international development
financing, but plans to phase out funds over the next five years.
The short-term economic outlook depends on the government's ability
to control inflation and on the development of projects in the
bauxite and gold mining sectors. Prospects for local onshore oil
production are good, as a drilling program is underway. Offshore oil
drilling was given a boost in 2004 when the State Oil Company
(Staatsolie) signed exploration agreements with Repsol and Mearsk.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.885 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
4.2% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $4,300 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 13%
industry: 22%
services: 65% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
104,000 (2003)

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

Unemployment rate:
17% (2000)

Population below poverty line:
70% (2002 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
23% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $400 million
expenditures: $440 million, including capital expenditures of $34
million (2003)

Agriculture - products:
paddy rice, bananas, palm kernels, coconuts, plantains, peanuts;
beef, chickens; forest products; shrimp

Industries:
bauxite and gold mining, alumina production, oil, lumbering, food
processing, fishing

Industrial production growth rate:
6.5% (1994 est.)

Electricity - production:
1.984 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 25.2%
hydro: 74.8%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
1.845 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
12,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
14,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:
1,370 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - imports:
1,644 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - proved reserves:
99 million bbl (2004)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (2004)

Exports:
$495 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
alumina, crude oil, lumber, shrimp and fish, rice, bananas

Exports - partners:
Norway 29.3%, US 15.1%, Canada 12.5%, Belgium 10.2%, France 8.4%,
UAE 6.1%, Iceland 4.3% (2004)

Imports:
$604 million f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs, cotton, consumer goods

Imports - partners:
US 26.2%, Netherlands 19.3%, Trinidad and Tobago 13.5%, Japan 6.6%,
China 4.6%, Brazil 4.2% (2004)

Debt - external:
$321 million (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
Netherlands provided $37 million for project and program
assistance, European Development Fund $4 million, Belgium $2 million
(1998)

Currency (code):
Surinam dollar (SRD)

Currency code:
SRG

Exchange rates:
Surinamese dollars per US dollar - 2.7336 (2004), Surinamese
guilders per US dollar - 2.6013 (2003), 2.3468 (2002), 2.1785
(2001), 1.3225 (2000)
note: during 1998, the exchange rate splintered into four distinct
rates; in January 1999 the government floated the guilder, but
subsequently fixed it when the black-market rate plunged; in January
2004, the government introduced the Surinamese dollar as replacement
for the guilder, tied to a US dollar-dominated currency basket

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Suriname

Telephones - main lines in use:
79,800 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
168,100 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: international facilities are good
domestic: microwave radio relay network
international: country code - 597; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 4, FM 13, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
300,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
3 (plus seven repeaters) (2000)

Televisions:
63,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.sr

Internet hosts:
18 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
20,000 (2002)

Transportation Suriname

Highways:
total: 4,492 km
paved: 1,168 km
unpaved: 3,324 km (2002)

Waterways:
1,200 km (most navigable by ships with drafts up to 7 m) (2003)

Pipelines:
oil 51 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Paramaribo

Merchant marine:
total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,078 GRT/1,214 DWT
by type: cargo 1 (2005)

Airports:
46 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 5
over 3,047 m: 1
under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 41
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 35 (2004 est.)

Military Suriname

Military branches:
National Army (includes small Navy and Air Force elements)

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.); no conscription

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 111,582 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 77,793 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$7.5 million (2003)

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

Transnational Issues Suriname

Disputes - international:
area claimed by French Guiana between Riviere Litani and Riviere
Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa); Suriname claims a triangle
of land between the New and Kutari/Koetari rivers in a historic
dispute over the headwaters of the Courantyne; Guyana seeks UNCLOS
arbitration to resolve the long-standing dispute with Suriname over
the axis of the territorial sea boundary in potentially oil-rich
waters

Illicit drugs:
growing transshipment point for South American drugs destined for
Europe and Brazil; transshipment point for arms-for-drugs dealing

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Svalbard

Introduction Svalbard

Background:
First discovered by the Norwegians in the 12th century, the islands
served as an international whaling base during the 17th and 18th
centuries. Norway's sovereignty was recognized in 1920; five years
later it officially took over the territory.

Geography Svalbard

Location:
Northern Europe, islands between the Arctic Ocean, Barents Sea,
Greenland Sea, and Norwegian Sea, north of Norway

Geographic coordinates:
78 00 N, 20 00 E

Map references:
Arctic Region

Area:
total: 62,049 sq km
land: 62,049 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Spitsbergen and Bjornoya (Bear Island)

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than West Virginia

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
3,587 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 4 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm unilaterally claimed by Norway but
not recognized by Russia

Climate:
arctic, tempered by warm North Atlantic Current; cool summers, cold
winters; North Atlantic Current flows along west and north coasts of
Spitsbergen, keeping water open and navigable most of the year

Terrain:
wild, rugged mountains; much of high land ice covered; west coast
clear of ice about one-half of the year; fjords along west and north
coasts

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Arctic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Newtontoppen 1,717 m

Natural resources:
coal, iron ore, copper, zinc, phosphate, wildlife, fish

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (no trees, and the only bushes are crowberry and
cloudberry) (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
ice floes often block the entrance to Bellsund (a transit point for
coal export) on the west coast and occasionally make parts of the
northeastern coast inaccessible to maritime traffic

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
northernmost part of the Kingdom of Norway; consists of nine main
islands; glaciers and snowfields cover 60% of the total area

People Svalbard

Population:
2,701 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA

Population growth rate:
-0.02% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
NA births/1,000 population

Death rate:
NA deaths/1,000 population

Net migration rate:
NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

Sex ratio:
NA%

Infant mortality rate:
total: NA
male: NA
female: NA

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: NA years
male: NA years
female: NA years

Total fertility rate:
NA children born/woman

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0% (2001)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
0 (2001)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
0 (2001)

Ethnic groups:
Norwegian 55.4%, Russian and Ukrainian 44.3%, other 0.3% (1998)

Languages:
Norwegian, Russian

Literacy:
NA

Government Svalbard

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Svalbard (sometimes referred to as
Spitzbergen)

Dependency status:
territory of Norway; administered by the Polar Department of the
Ministry of Justice, through a governor (sysselmann) residing in
Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen; by treaty (9 February 1920) sovereignty
was awarded to Norway

Government type:
NA

Capital:
Longyearbyen

Independence:
none (territory of Norway)

National holiday:
NA

Legal system:
NA

Executive branch:
chief of state: King HARALD V of Norway (since 17 January 1991)
head of government: Governor Odd Olsen INGERO (since 8 June 2001)
and Assistant Governor Rune Baard HANSEN (since NA)
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor and assistant
governor responsible to the Polar Department of the Ministry of
Justice

International organization participation:
none

Flag description:
the flag of Norway is used

Economy Svalbard

Economy - overview:
Coal mining is the major economic activity on Svalbard. The treaty
of 9 February 1920 gives the 41 signatories equal rights to exploit
mineral deposits, subject to Norwegian regulation. Although US, UK,
Dutch, and Swedish coal companies have mined in the past, the only
companies still mining are Norwegian and Russian. The settlements on
Svalbard are essentially company towns. The Norwegian state-owned
coal company employs nearly 60% of the Norwegian population on the
island, runs many of the local services, and provides most of the
local infrastructure. There is also some hunting of seal, reindeer,
and fox.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$NA

GDP - real growth rate:
NA%

Labor force:
NA

Budget:
revenues: $11.5 million
expenditures: $11.5 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(1998 est.)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 57.9984%
hydro: 42.0016%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0%

Exports:
$NA