Chapter LV: Front Matter (55)

Imports:
$NA

Economic aid - recipient:
$8.2 million from Norway (1998)

Currency (code):
Norwegian krone (NOK)

Currency code:
NOK

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

Communications Svalbard

Telephones - main lines in use:
NA

Telephones - mobile cellular:
NA

Telephone system:
general assessment: probably adequate
domestic: local telephone service
international: country code - 47-790; satellite earth station - 1 of
unknown type (for communication with Norwegian mainland only)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 1 (plus 2 repeaters), shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
NA

Television broadcast stations:
NA

Televisions:
NA

Internet country code:
.sj

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
13 (Svalbard and Jan Mayen) (2000)

Internet users:
NA

Transportation Svalbard

Highways:
total: NA km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km

Ports and harbors:
Barentsburg, Longyearbyen, Ny-Alesund, Pyramiden

Airports:
4 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

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

Military Svalbard

Military - note:
demilitarized by treaty on 9 February 1920

Transnational Issues Svalbard

Disputes - international:
despite recent discussions, Russia and Norway dispute their
maritime limits in the Barents Sea and Russia's fishing rights
beyond Svalbard's territorial limits within the Svalbard Treaty zone

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Swaziland

Introduction Swaziland

Background:
Autonomy for the Swazis of southern Africa was guaranteed by the
British in the late 19th century; independence was granted in 1968.
Student and labor unrest during the 1990s pressured the monarchy
(one of the oldest on the continent) to grudgingly allow political
reform and greater democracy. Swaziland recently surpassed Botswana
as the country with the world's highest known rates of HIV/AIDS
infection

Geography Swaziland

Location:
Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa

Geographic coordinates:
26 30 S, 31 30 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 17,363 sq km
land: 17,203 sq km
water: 160 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries:
total: 535 km
border countries: Mozambique 105 km, South Africa 430 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
varies from tropical to near temperate

Terrain:
mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Great Usutu River 21 m
highest point: Emlembe 1,862 m

Natural resources:
asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests, small gold
and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc

Land use:
arable land: 10.35%
permanent crops: 0.7%
other: 88.95% (2001)

Irrigated land:
690 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
drought

Environment - current issues:
limited supplies of potable water; wildlife populations being
depleted because of excessive hunting; overgrazing; soil
degradation; soil erosion

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa

People Swaziland

Population:
1,173,900
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2005 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 40.6% (male 240,643/female 235,895)
15-64 years: 55.6% (male 327,661/female 325,400)
65 years and over: 3.8% (male 19,273/female 25,028) (2005 est.)

Median age:
total: 18.72 years
male: 18.53 years
female: 18.92 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.25% (2005 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 69.27 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 72.51 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 65.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 33.22 years
male: 32.49 years
female: 33.98 years (2005 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
38.8% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
220,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
17,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Swazi(s)
adjective: Swazi

Ethnic groups:
African 97%, European 3%

Religions:
Zionist (a blend of Christianity and indigenous ancestral worship)
40%, Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 10%, Anglican, Bahai, Methodist,
Mormon, Jewish and other 30%

Languages:
English (official, government business conducted in English),
siSwati (official)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 81.6%
male: 82.6%
female: 80.8% (2003 est.)

Government Swaziland

Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Swaziland
conventional short form: Swaziland

Government type:
monarchy; independent member of Commonwealth

Capital:
Mbabane; note - Lobamba is the royal and legislative capital

Administrative divisions:
4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni

Independence:
6 September 1968 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 6 September (1968)

Constitution:
a constitution was due to be adopted in November 2003 but was
delayed and scheduled for early 2005

Legal system:
based on South African Roman-Dutch law in statutory courts and
Swazi traditional law and custom in traditional courts; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age

Executive branch:
chief of state: King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986)
head of government: Prime Minister Absolom Themba DLAMINI (since 14
November 2003)
cabinet: Cabinet recommended by the prime minister and confirmed by
the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed
by the monarch

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament or Libandla, an advisory body, consists of the
Senate (30 seats - 10 appointed by the House of Assembly and 20
appointed by the monarch; members serve five-year terms) and the
House of Assembly (65 seats - 10 appointed by the monarch and 55
elected by popular vote; members serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Assembly - last held 18 October 2003 (next to be
held October 2008)
election results: House of Assembly - balloting is done on a
nonparty basis; candidates for election are nominated by the local
council of each constituency and for each constituency the three
candidates with the most votes in the first round of voting are
narrowed to a single winner by a second round

Judicial branch:
High Court; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts are appointed
by the monarch

Political parties and leaders:
political parties are banned by the government - the following are
considered political associations; Imbokodvo National Movement or
INM [leader NA]; Ngwane National Liberatory Congress or NNLC [Obed
DLAMINI, president]; People's United Democratic Movement or PUDEMO
[Mario MASUKU, president]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

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

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Mary Madzandza KANYA
chancery: 1712 New Hampshire Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 234-5002
FAX: [1] (202) 234-8254

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Lewis LUCKE
embassy: Central Bank Building, Warner Street, Mbabane
mailing address: P. O. Box 199, Mbabane
telephone: [268] 404-6441 through 404-6445
FAX: [268] 404-5959

Flag description:
three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width), and blue;
the red band is edged in yellow; centered in the red band is a large
black and white shield covering two spears and a staff decorated
with feather tassels, all placed horizontally

Economy Swaziland

Economy - overview:
In this small, landlocked economy, subsistence agriculture occupies
more than 80% of the population. The manufacturing sector has
diversified since the mid-1980s. Sugar and wood pulp remain
important foreign exchange earners. Mining has declined in
importance in recent years with only coal and quarry stone mines
remaining active. Surrounded by South Africa, except for a short
border with Mozambique, Swaziland is heavily dependent on South
Africa from which it receives about nine-tenths of its imports and
to which it sends nearly three-quarters of its exports. Customs
duties from the Southern African Customs Union and worker
remittances from South Africa substantially supplement domestically
earned income. The government is trying to improve the atmosphere
for foreign investment. Overgrazing, soil depletion, drought, and
sometimes floods persist as problems for the future. More than
one-fourth of the population needed emergency food aid in 2004
because of drought, and more than one-third of the adult population
was infected by HIV/AIDS.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$6.018 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
2.5% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $5,100 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 16.1%
industry: 43.4%
services: 40.5% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
383,200 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
NA

Unemployment rate:
34% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:
40% (1995)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1%
highest 10%: 50.2% (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.4% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
23.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $494.6 million
expenditures: $552.7 million, including capital expenditures of $147
million (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
sugarcane, cotton, corn, tobacco, rice, citrus, pineapples,
sorghum, peanuts; cattle, goats, sheep

Industries:
mining (coal, raw asbestos), wood pulp, sugar, soft drink
concentrates, textile and apparel

Industrial production growth rate:
3.7% (FY95/96)

Electricity - production:
402 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 58%
hydro: 42%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
1.173 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
799 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2002)

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

Oil - consumption:
3,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA

Oil - imports:
NA

Current account balance:
$-82.4 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
$900.1 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
soft drink concentrates, sugar, wood pulp, cotton yarn,
refrigerators, citrus and canned fruit

Exports - partners:
South Africa 59.7%, EU 8.8%, US 8.8%, Mozambique 6.2% (2004)

Imports:
$1.14 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs,
petroleum products, chemicals

Imports - partners:
South Africa 95.6%, EU 0.9%, Japan 0.9%, Singapore 0.3% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$320.5 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
$320 million (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$104 million (2001)

Currency (code):
lilangeni (SZL)

Currency code:
SZL

Exchange rates:
emalangeni per US dollar - 6.4597 (2004), 7.5648 (2003), 10.5407
(2002), 8.6092 (2001), 6.9398 (2000)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Swaziland

Telephones - main lines in use:
46,200 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
88,000 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: a somewhat modern but not an advanced system
domestic: system consists of carrier-equipped, open-wire lines and
low-capacity, microwave radio relay
international: country code - 268; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 3, FM 2 plus 4 repeaters, shortwave 3 (2004)

Radios:
170,000 (1999)

Television broadcast stations:
5 plus 7 relay stations (2004)

Televisions:
23,000 (2000)

Internet country code:
.sz

Internet hosts:
1,401 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
5 (2002)

Internet users:
27,000 (2003)

Transportation Swaziland

Railways:
total: 301 km
narrow gauge: 301 km 1.067-m gauge (2004)

Highways:
total: 3,107 km
paved: NA
unpaved: NA (2000)

Airports:
18 (2004 est.)

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

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 17
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)

Military Swaziland

Military branches:
Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force (USDF): Ground Force (includes Air
Wing), Royal Swaziland Police Force (RSPF) (2005)

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; both sexes are
eligible for military service (2005)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 248,676 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 98,530 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$40.5 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.4% (2004)

Transnational Issues Swaziland

Disputes - international:
none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Sweden

Introduction Sweden

Background:
A military power during the 17th century, Sweden has not
participated in any war in almost two centuries. An armed neutrality
was preserved in both World Wars. Sweden's long-successful economic
formula of a capitalist system interlarded with substantial welfare
elements was challenged in the 1990s by high unemployment and in
2000-02 by the global economic downturn, but fiscal discipline over
the past several years has allowed the country to weather economic
vagaries. Indecision over the country's role in the political and
economic integration of Europe delayed Sweden's entry into the EU
until 1995, and waived the introduction of the euro in 1999.

Geography Sweden

Location:
Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia,
Kattegat, and Skagerrak, between Finland and Norway

Geographic coordinates:
62 00 N, 15 00 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 449,964 sq km
land: 410,934 sq km
water: 39,030 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than California

Land boundaries:
total: 2,233 km
border countries: Finland 614 km, Norway 1,619 km

Coastline:
3,218 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm (adjustments made to return a portion of
straits to high seas)
exclusive economic zone: agreed boundaries or midlines
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
temperate in south with cold, cloudy winters and cool, partly
cloudy summers; subarctic in north

Terrain:
mostly flat or gently rolling lowlands; mountains in west

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: reclaimed bay of Lake Hammarsjon, near Kristianstad
-2.41 m
highest point: Kebnekaise 2,111 m

Natural resources:
iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, gold, silver, tungsten, uranium,
arsenic, feldspar, timber, hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 6.54%
permanent crops: 0.01%
other: 93.45% (2001)

Irrigated land:
1,150 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
ice floes in the surrounding waters, especially in the Gulf of
Bothnia, can interfere with maritime traffic

Environment - current issues:
acid rain damage to soils and lakes; pollution of the North Sea and
the Baltic Sea

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

Geography - note:
strategic location along Danish Straits linking Baltic and North
Seas

People Sweden

Population:
9,001,774 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 17.1% (male 791,215/female 747,621)
15-64 years: 65.5% (male 2,990,436/female 2,904,873)
65 years and over: 17.4% (male 677,161/female 890,468) (2005 est.)

Median age:
total: 40.6 years
male: 39.49 years
female: 41.75 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.17% (2005 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 2.77 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 2.93 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 2.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 80.4 years
male: 78.19 years
female: 82.74 years (2005 est.)

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

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
3,600 (2001 est.)

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

Nationality:
noun: Swede(s)
adjective: Swedish

Ethnic groups:
indigenous population: Swedes and Finnish and Sami minorities;
foreign-born or first-generation immigrants: Finns, Yugoslavs,
Danes, Norwegians, Greeks, Turks

Religions:
Lutheran 87%, Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Baptist, Muslim, Jewish,
Buddhist

Languages:
Swedish, small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% (1979 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA%

Government Sweden

Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Sweden
conventional short form: Sweden
local long form: Konungariket Sverige
local short form: Sverige

Government type:
constitutional monarchy

Capital:
Stockholm

Administrative divisions:
21 counties (lan, singular and plural); Blekinge, Dalarnas,
Gavleborgs, Gotlands, Hallands, Jamtlands, Jonkopings, Kalmar,
Kronobergs, Norrbottens, Orebro, Ostergotlands, Skane,
Sodermanlands, Stockholms, Uppsala, Varmlands, Vasterbottens,
Vasternorrlands, Vastmanlands, Vastra Gotalands

Independence:
6 June 1523 (Gustav VASA elected king)

National holiday:
Flag Day, 6 June

Constitution:
1 January 1975

Legal system:
civil law system influenced by customary law; accepts compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: King CARL XVI GUSTAF (since 19 September 1973);
Heir Apparent Princess VICTORIA Ingrid Alice Desiree, daughter of
the monarch (born 14 July 1977)
head of government: Prime Minister Goran PERSSON (since 21 March
1996)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister
elections: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative
elections, the prime minister is elected by the parliament; election
last held 15 September 2002 (next to be held NA September 2006)
election results: Goran PERSSON reelected prime minister with 131
out of 349 votes

Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Riksdag (349 seats; members are elected by
popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve
four-year terms)
elections: last held 15 September 2002 (next to be held September
2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - Social Democrats 39.8%,
Moderates 15.2%, Liberal Party 13.3%, Christian Democrats 9.1%, Left
Party 8.3%, Center Party 6.1%, Greens 4.6%; seats by party - Social
Democrats 144, Moderates 55, Liberal Party 48, Christian Democrats
33, Left Party 30, Center Party 22, Greens 17

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Hogsta Domstolen (judges are appointed by the
prime minister and the cabinet)

Political parties and leaders:
Center Party [Maud OLOFSSON]; Christian Democratic Party [Goran
HAGGLUND]; Green Party [no formal leader but party spokespersons are
Maria WETTERSTRAND and Peter ERIKSSON]; Left Party or V (formerly
Communist) [Lars OHLY]; Liberal People's Party [Lars LEIJONBORG];
Moderate Party (conservative) [Fredrik REINFELDT]; Social Democratic
Party [Goran PERSSON]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB,
ESA, EU, FAO, G- 6, G- 9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NC, NEA,
NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP,
UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK,
UNMIL, UNMISET, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer),
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jan ELIASSON
chancery: 1501 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20005-1702
telephone: [1] (202) 467-2600
FAX: [1] (202) 467-2699
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador M. Teel BIVINS
embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds VAG 31, SE-11589 Stockholm
mailing address: American Embassy Stockholm, Department of State,
5750 Stockholm Place, Washington, DC 20521-5750 (pouch)
telephone: [46] (08) 783 53 00
FAX: [46] (08) 661 19 64

Flag description:
blue with a golden yellow cross extending to the edges of the flag;
the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the
style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

Economy Sweden

Economy - overview:
Aided by peace and neutrality for the whole 20th century, Sweden
has achieved an enviable standard of living under a mixed system of
high-tech capitalism and extensive welfare benefits. It has a modern
distribution system, excellent internal and external communications,
and a skilled labor force. Timber, hydropower, and iron ore
constitute the resource base of an economy heavily oriented toward
foreign trade. Privately owned firms account for about 90% of
industrial output, of which the engineering sector accounts for 50%
of output and exports. Agriculture accounts for only 2% of GDP and
2% of the jobs. The government's commitment to fiscal discipline
resulted in a substantial budgetary surplus in 2001, which was cut
by more than half in 2002, due to the global economic slowdown,
declining revenue, and increased spending. The Swedish central bank
(the Riksbank) focuses on price stability with its inflation target
of 2%. Growth remained sluggish in 2003, but picked up in 2004.
Presumably because of generous sicktime benefits, Swedish workers
report in sick more often than other Europeans. On 14 September
2003, Swedish voters turned down entry into the euro system,
concerned about the impact on democracy and sovereignty.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$255.4 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3.6% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $28,400 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 2%
industry: 29%
services: 69% (2001)

Labor force:
4.46 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 2%, industry 24%, services 74% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
5.6% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.7%
highest 10%: 20.1% (1992)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
25 (1992)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
0.7% (2004 est.)

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

Budget:
revenues: $201.3 billion
expenditures: $199.6 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2004 est.)

Public debt:
51.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
barley, wheat, sugar beets; meat, milk

Industries:
iron and steel, precision equipment (bearings, radio and telephone
parts, armaments), wood pulp and paper products, processed foods,
motor vehicles

Industrial production growth rate:
5.5% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
142.8 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 4%
hydro: 50.8%
nuclear: 43%
other: 2.3% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
138.1 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
14.8 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
20.1 billion kWh (2002)

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

Oil - consumption:
328,600 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
203,700 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
553,100 bbl/day (2001)

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

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

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

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

Current account balance:
$24.08 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
$121.7 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
machinery 35%, motor vehicles, paper products, pulp and wood, iron
and steel products, chemicals

Exports - partners:
US 10.7%, Germany 10.2%, Norway 8.6%, UK 7.8%, Denmark 6.7%,
Finland 5.7%, France 4.8%, Netherlands 4.8%, Belgium 4.5% (2004)

Imports:
$97.97 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, motor
vehicles, iron and steel; foodstuffs, clothing

Imports - partners:
Germany 18.7%, Denmark 9.2%, Norway 7.6%, UK 7.5%, Netherlands
6.8%, Finland 6.4%, France 5.5%, Belgium 4% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$19.99 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$66.5 billion (1994)

Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $1.7 billion (1997)

Currency (code):
Swedish krona (SEK)

Currency code:
SEK

Exchange rates:
Swedish kronor per US dollar - 7.3489 (2004), 8.0863 (2003), 9.7371
(2002), 10.3291 (2001), 9.1622 (2000)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Sweden

Telephones - main lines in use:
6,579,200 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
7.949 million (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: excellent domestic and international
facilities; automatic system
domestic: coaxial and multiconductor cables carry most of the voice
traffic; parallel microwave radio relay systems carry some
additional telephone channels
international: country code - 46; 5 submarine coaxial cables;
satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Eutelsat,
and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Sweden
shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries
(Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Norway)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 265, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
8.25 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
169 (plus 1,299 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
4.6 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.se

Internet hosts:
945,221 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
29 (2000)

Internet users:
5.125 million (2002)

Transportation Sweden

Railways:
total: 11,481 km
standard gauge: 11,481 km 1.435-m gauge (9,400 km electrified) (2004)

Highways:
total: 213,237 km
paved: 167,604 km (including 1,542 km of expressways)
unpaved: 45,633 km (2002)

Pipelines:
gas 798 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Goteborg, Helsingborg, Karlshamn, Lulea, Malmo, Oxelosund,
Stenungsund, Stockholm, Trelleborg

Merchant marine:
total: 205 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,702,763 GRT/1,884,570 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 33, chemical tanker 51, passenger 4,
passenger/cargo 37, petroleum tanker 14, roll on/roll off 37,
specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 22
foreign-owned: 42 (Belgium 2, Denmark 4, Finland 11, Germany 6,
Italy 7, Japan 2, Netherlands 1, Norway 9)
registered in other countries: 155 (2005)

Airports:
254 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 154
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 12
1,524 to 2,437 m: 82
914 to 1,523 m: 22
under 914 m: 35 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 100
914 to 1,523 m: 10
under 914 m: 90 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
2 (2004 est.)

Military Sweden

Military branches:
Army, Royal Swedish Navy (RSwN), Air Force (Flygvapnet)

Military service age and obligation:
19 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service
obligation - 7-17 months depending on conscript role; after
completing initial service soldiers have a reserve commitment until
the age of 47 (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 19-49: 1,838,427 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 19-49: 1,493,668 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males: 58,724 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$5.729 billion (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.7% (2004)

Transnational Issues Sweden

Disputes - international:
none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Switzerland

Introduction Switzerland

Background:
The Swiss Confederation was founded in 1291 as a defensive alliance
among three cantons. In succeeding years, other localities joined
the original three. The Swiss Confederation secured its independence
from the Holy Roman Empire in 1499. Switzerland's sovreignty and
neutrality have long been honored by the major European powers, and
the country was not involved in either of the two World Wars. The
political and economic integration of Europe over the past half
century, as well as Switzerland's role in many UN and international
organizations, has strengthened Switzerland's ties with its
neighbors. However, the country did not officially become a UN
member until 2002. Switzerland remains active in many UN and
international organizations, but retains a strong commitment to
neutrality.

Geography Switzerland

Location:
Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy

Geographic coordinates:
47 00 N, 8 00 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 41,290 sq km
land: 39,770 sq km
water: 1,520 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

Land boundaries:
total: 1,852 km
border countries: Austria 164 km, France 573 km, Italy 740 km,
Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 334 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy
winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers

Terrain:
mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central
plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Lake Maggiore 195 m
highest point: Dufourspitze 4,634 m

Natural resources:
hydropower potential, timber, salt

Land use:
arable land: 10.42%
permanent crops: 0.61%
other: 88.97% (2001)

Irrigated land:
250 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
avalanches, landslides, flash floods

Environment - current issues:
air pollution from vehicle emissions and open-air burning; acid
rain; water pollution from increased use of agricultural
fertilizers; loss of biodiversity

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe; along with
southeastern France, northern Italy, and southwestern Austria, has
the highest elevations in the Alps

People Switzerland

Population:
7,489,370 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.6% (male 643,497/female 597,565)
15-64 years: 68% (male 2,570,544/female 2,522,365)
65 years and over: 15.4% (male 472,769/female 682,630) (2005 est.)

Median age:
total: 39.77 years
male: 38.75 years
female: 40.81 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.49% (2005 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.39 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.9 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 80.39 years
male: 77.58 years
female: 83.36 years (2005 est.)

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

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
13,000 (2001 est.)

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

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

Ethnic groups:
German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other 6%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 41.8%, Protestant 35.3%, Orthodox 1.8%, other
Christian 0.4%, Muslim 4.3%, other 1%, unspecified 4.3%, none 11.1%
(2000 census)

Languages:
German (official) 63.7%, French (official) 20.4%, Italian
(official) 6.5%, Serbo-Croatian 1.5%, Albanian 1.3%, Portuguese
1.2%, Spanish 1.1%, English 1%, Romansch 0.5%, other 2.8% (2000
census)
note: German, French, Italian, and Romansch are all national
languages, but only the first three are official languages

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% (1980 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA%

Government Switzerland

Country name:
conventional long form: Swiss Confederation
conventional short form: Switzerland
local long form: Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German),
Confederation Suisse (French), Confederazione Svizzera (Italian)
local short form: Schweiz (German), Suisse (French), Svizzera
(Italian)

Government type:
formally a confederation, but similar in structure to a federal
republic

Capital:
Bern

Administrative divisions:
26 cantons (cantons, singular - canton in French; cantoni, singular
- cantone in Italian; kantone, singular - kanton in German); Aargau,
Appenzell Ausser-Rhoden, Appenzell Inner-Rhoden, Basel-Landschaft,
Basel-Stadt, Bern, Fribourg, Geneve, Glarus, Graubunden, Jura,
Luzern, Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt Gallen, Schaffhausen,
Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri, Valais, Vaud, Zug, Zurich

Independence:
1 August 1291 (founding of the Swiss Confederation)

National holiday:
Founding of the Swiss Confederation, 1 August (1291)

Constitution:
revision of Constitution of 1874 approved by the Federal Parliament
18 December 1998, adopted by referendum 18 April 1999, officially
entered into force 1 January 2000

Legal system:
civil law system influenced by customary law; judicial review of
legislative acts, except with respect to federal decrees of general
obligatory character; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Samuel SCHMID (since 1 January 2005);
Vice President Moritz LEUENBERGER (since 1 January 2005); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Samuel SCHMID (since 1 January 2005);
Vice President Moritz LEUENBERGER (since 1 January 2005); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German), Conseil Federal
(in French), Consiglio Federale (in Italian) elected by the Federal
Assembly usually from among its own members for a four-year term
elections: president and vice president elected by the Federal
Assembly from among the members of the Federal Council for one-year
terms that run concurrently; election last held 8 December 2004
(next to be held December 2005)
election results: Samuel SCHMID elected president; percent of
Federal Assembly vote - 70.7%; Moritz LEUENBERGER elected vice
president; percent of legislative vote - 64.8%

Legislative branch:
bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung (in German),
Assemblee Federale (in French), Assemblea Federale (in Italian)
consists of the Council of States or Standerat (in German), Conseil
des Etats (in French), Consiglio degli Stati (in Italian) (46 seats
- members serve four-year terms) and the National Council or
Nationalrat (in German), Conseil National (in French), Consiglio
Nazionale (in Italian) (200 seats - members are elected by popular
vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year
terms)
elections: Council of States - last held in most cantons 19 October
2003 (each canton determines when the next election will be held);
National Council - last held 19 October 2003 (next to be held
October 2007)
election results: Council of States - percent of vote by party -
NA%; seats by party - CVP 15, FDP 14, SVP 8, SPS 6, other 3;
National Council - percent of vote by party - SVP 26.6%, SPS 23.3%,
FDP 17.3%, CVP 14.4%, Greens 7.4%, other small parties all under 5%;
seats by party - SVP 55, SPS 54, FDP 36, CVP 28, Green Party 13,
other small parties 14

Judicial branch:
Federal Supreme Court (judges elected for six-year terms by the
Federal Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:
Green Party (Grune Partei der Schweiz or Grune, Parti Ecologiste
Suisse or Les Verts, Partito Ecologista Svizzero or I Verdi, Partida
Ecologica Svizra or La Verda) [Ruth GENNER]; Christian Democratic
People's Party (Christichdemokratische Volkspartei der Schweiz or
CVP, Parti Democrate-Chretien Suisse or PDC, Partito
Democratico-Cristiano Popolare Svizzero or PDC, Partida
Cristiandemocratica dalla Svizra or PCD) [Doris LEUTHARD,
president]; Radical Free Democratic Party (Freisinnig-Demokratische
Partei der Schweiz or FDP, Parti Radical-Democratique Suisse or PRD,
Partitio Liberal-Radicale Svizzero or PLR) [Marianne
KLEINER-SCHLAEPFER, president]; Social Democratic Party
(Sozialdemokratische Partei der Schweiz or SPS, Parti Socialist
Suisse or PSS, Partito Socialista Svizzero or PSS, Partida
Socialdemocratica de la Svizra or PSS) [Hans-Juerg FEHR, president];
Swiss People's Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei or SVP, Union
Democratique du Centre or UDC, Unione Democratica de Centro or UDC,
Uniun Democratica dal Center or UDC) [Ueli MAURER, president]; and
other minor parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA,
ESA, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer),
OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Christian BLICKENSTORFER
chancery: 2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 745-7900
FAX: [1] (202) 387-2564
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New
York, and San Francisco
consulate(s): Boston

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Pamela P. WILLEFORD
embassy: Jubilaumsstrasse 93, CH-3005 Bern
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [41] (031) 357 70 11
FAX: [41] (031) 357 73 44

Flag description:
red square with a bold, equilateral white cross in the center that
does not extend to the edges of the flag

Economy Switzerland

Economy - overview:
Switzerland is a peaceful, prosperous, and stable modern market
economy with low unemployment, a highly skilled labor force, and a
per capita GDP larger than that of the big Western European
economies. The Swiss in recent years have brought their economic
practices largely into conformity with the EU's to enhance their
international competitiveness. Switzerland remains a safe haven for
investors, because it has maintained a degree of bank secrecy and
has kept up the franc's long-term external value. Reflecting the
anemic economic conditions of Europe, GDP growth dropped in 2001 to
about 0.8%, to 0.2% in 2002, and to -0.3% in 2003, with a small rise
to 1.8% in 2004. Even so, unemployment has remained at less than
half the EU average.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$251.9 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.8% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $33,800 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1.5%
industry: 34%
services: 64.5% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
3.77 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 4.6%, industry 26.3%, services 69.1% (1998)

Unemployment rate:
3.4% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.6%
highest 10%: 25.2% (1992)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
33.1 (1992)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
0.9% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
20.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $131.5 billion
expenditures: $140.4 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2004 est.)

Public debt:
57.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs

Industries:
machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments

Industrial production growth rate:
4.7% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
63.47 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 1.3%
hydro: 59.5%
nuclear: 37.1%
other: 2% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
54.53 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
32.3 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
27.8 billion kWh (2002)

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

Oil - consumption:
290,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
10,420 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
289,500 bbl/day (2001)

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

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

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

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

Current account balance:
$40.95 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
$130.7 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, agricultural products

Exports - partners:
Germany 20.2%, US 10.5%, France 8.7%, Italy 8.3%, UK 5.1%, Spain 4%
(2004)

Imports:
$121.1 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery, chemicals, vehicles, metals; agricultural products,
textiles

Imports - partners:
Germany 32.8%, Italy 11.3%, France 9.9%, US 5.2%, Netherlands 5%,
Austria 4.3% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$69.58 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$NA (2000)

Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $1.1 billion (1995)

Currency (code):
Swiss franc (CHF)

Currency code:
CHF

Exchange rates:
Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.2435 (2004), 1.3467 (2003), 1.5586
(2002), 1.6876 (2001), 1.6888 (2000)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Switzerland

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

Telephones - mobile cellular:
6.172 million (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: excellent domestic and international services
domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks
international: country code - 41; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 4, FM 113 (plus many low power stations), shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
7.1 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
115 (plus 1,919 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
3.31 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.ch

Internet hosts:
667,275 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
44 (Switzerland and Liechtenstein) (2000)

Internet users:
2.556 million (2002)

Transportation Switzerland

Railways:
total: 4,527 km
standard gauge: 3,232 km 1.435-m gauge (3,211 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 1,285 km 1.000-m gauge (1,273 km electrified); 10 km
0.800-m gauge (10 km electrified) (2004)

Highways:
total: 71,212 km
paved: 71,212 km (including 1,706 of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (2002)

Waterways:
65 km
note: Rhine River between Basel-Rheinfelden and
Schaffhausen-Bodensee, some canals, and 12 navigable lakes (2003)

Pipelines:
gas 1,831 km; oil 94 km; refined products 7 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Basel

Merchant marine:
total: 23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 604,843 GRT/1,050,914 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 12, cargo 6, chemical tanker 2, container 3
foreign-owned: 6 (United Kingdom 6)
registered in other countries: 291 (2005)

Airports:
65 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 42
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
914 to 1,523 m: 8
under 914 m: 16 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 23
under 914 m: 23 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
2 (2004 est.)

Military Switzerland

Military branches:
Land Forces, Swiss Air Force (Schweizer Luftwaffe)

Military service age and obligation:
the Swiss Confederation states that "every Swiss male is obligated
to do military service"; every Swiss male has to serve for at least
260 days in the armed forces; 19 years of age for compulsory
military service; 17 years of age for voluntary military service;
conscripts receive 15 weeks of compulsory training, followed by 10
intermittent recalls for training over the next 22 years; women are
accepted on a voluntary basis, but are not drafted (2005)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 19-49: 1,707,694 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 19-49: 1,375,889 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males: 46,319 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$2.548 billion (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Switzerland

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
a major international financial center vulnerable to the layering
and integration stages of money laundering; despite significant
legislation and reporting requirements, secrecy rules persist and
nonresidents are permitted to conduct business through offshore
entities and various intermediaries; transit country for and
consumer of South American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Syria

Introduction Syria

Background:
Following the breakup of the Ottoman Empire during World War I,
Syria was administered by the French until independence in 1946. In
the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Syria lost the Golan Heights to Israel.
Syrian troops - stationed in Lebanon since 1976 in an ostensible
peacekeeping role - were withdrawn in April of 2005. Over the past
decade, Syria and Israel have held occasional peace talks over the
return of the Golan Heights.

Geography Syria

Location:
Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon and
Turkey

Geographic coordinates:
35 00 N, 38 00 E

Map references:
Middle East

Area:
total: 185,180 sq km
land: 184,050 sq km
water: 1,130 sq km
note: includes 1,295 sq km of Israeli-occupied territory

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than North Dakota

Land boundaries:
total: 2,253 km
border countries: Iraq 605 km, Israel 76 km, Jordan 375 km, Lebanon
375 km, Turkey 822 km

Coastline:
193 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 41 nm

Climate:
mostly desert; hot, dry, sunny summers (June to August) and mild,
rainy winters (December to February) along coast; cold weather with
snow or sleet periodically in Damascus

Terrain:
primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain;
mountains in west

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: unnamed location near Lake Tiberias -200 m
highest point: Mount Hermon 2,814 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt, iron
ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum, hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 25.22%
permanent crops: 4.43%
other: 70.35% (2001)

Irrigated land:
12,130 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
dust storms, sandstorms

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; water
pollution from raw sewage and petroleum refining wastes; inadequate
potable water

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note:
there are 42 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the
Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (February 2002 est.)

People Syria

Population:
18,448,752
note: in addition, about 40,000 people live in the Israeli-occupied
Golan Heights - 20,000 Arabs (18,000 Druze and 2,000 Alawites) and
about 20,000 Israeli settlers (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 37.4% (male 3,556,795/female 3,350,267)
15-64 years: 59.3% (male 5,601,971/female 5,333,799)
65 years and over: 3.3% (male 288,868/female 317,052) (2005 est.)

Median age:
total: 20.37 years
male: 20.24 years
female: 20.51 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.34% (2005 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 29.53 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 29.76 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 29.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.03 years
male: 68.75 years
female: 71.38 years (2005 est.)

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

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
less than 500 (2003 est.)

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

Nationality:
noun: Syrian(s)
adjective: Syrian

Ethnic groups:
Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians, and other 9.7%

Religions:
Sunni Muslim 74%, Alawite, Druze, and other Muslim sects 16%,
Christian (various sects) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus,
Al Qamishli, and Aleppo)

Languages:
Arabic (official); Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian widely
understood; French, English somewhat understood

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 76.9%
male: 89.7%
female: 64% (2003 est.)

Government Syria

Country name:
conventional long form: Syrian Arab Republic
conventional short form: Syria
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah
local short form: Suriyah
former: United Arab Republic (with Egypt)

Government type:
republic under military regime since March 1963

Capital:
Damascus

Administrative divisions:
14 provinces (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Hasakah, Al
Ladhiqiyah, Al Qunaytirah, Ar Raqqah, As Suwayda', Dar'a, Dayr az
Zawr, Dimashq, Halab, Hamah, Hims, Idlib, Rif Dimashq, Tartus

Independence:
17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under French
administration)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 17 April (1946)

Constitution:
13 March 1973

Legal system:
based on Islamic law and civil law system; special religious
courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Bashar al-ASAD (since 17 July 2000); Vice
Presidents Abd al-Halim ibn Said KHADDAM (since 11 March 1984) and
Muhammad Zuhayr MASHARIQA (since 11 March 1984)
head of government: Prime Minister Muhammad Naji al-UTRI (since 10
September 2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
referendum/election last held 10 July 2000 - after the death of
President Hafiz al-ASAD, father of Bashar al-ASAD - (next to be held
2007); vice presidents appointed by the president; prime minister
and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president
election results: Bashar al-ASAD elected president; percent of vote
- Bashar al-ASAD 97.29%
note: Hafiz al-ASAD died on 10 June 2000; on 20 June 2000, the Ba'th
Party nominated Bashar al-ASAD for president and presented his name
to the People's Council on 25 June 2000

Legislative branch:
unicameral People's Council or Majlis al-Shaab (250 seats; members
elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 2-3 March 2003 (next to be held NA 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NPF 67%, independents
33%; seats by party - NPF 167, independents 83; note - the
constitution guarantees that the Ba'th Party (part of the NPF
alliance) receives one-half of the seats

Judicial branch:
Supreme Constitutional Court (justices are appointed for four-year
terms by the president); High Judicial Council; Court of Cassation;
State Security Courts

Political parties and leaders:
Arab Socialist Unionist Movement [Ahmed al-AHMED]; National
Progressive Front or NPF (includes Arab Socialist Renaissance
(Ba'th) Party; the governing party) [President Bashar al-ASAD,
secretary general]; Socialist Unionist Democratic Party [Fadlallal
Nasr Al-DIN]; Syrian Arab Socialist Party or ASP [Safwan QUDSI];
Syrian Communist Party (two branches) [Wissal Farha BAKDASH, Yuusuf
Rashid FAYSAL]; Syrian Social National Party [Jubran URAYJI];
Unionist Socialist Party [Fayez ISMAIL]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
conservative religious leaders; Kurdish Democratic Alliance [leader
NA]; Kurdish Democratic Front [leader NA]; Muslim Brotherhood
(operates in exile in London) [Ali Badr Eddine al-BAYANOUNI];
National Democratic Front [Hassan Abd al-AZIM]

International organization participation:
ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Imad MUSTAFA
chancery: 2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 232-6313
FAX: [1] (202) 234-9548

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Margaret SCOBEY
embassy: Abou Roumaneh, Al-Mansur Street, No. 2, Damascus
mailing address: P. O. Box 29, Damascus
telephone: [963] (11) 333-1342
FAX: [963] (11) 331-9678

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black, colors
associated with the Arab Liberation flag; two small green
five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in the white band;
former flag of the United Arab Republic where the two stars
represented the constituent states of Syria and Egypt; similar to
the flag of Yemen, which has a plain white band, Iraq, which has
three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line
centered in the white band, and that of Egypt, which has a gold
Eagle of Saladin centered in the white band; the current design
dates to 1980

Economy Syria

Economy - overview:
Real GDP growth rose to 2.3 percent in 2004, a slight increase from
2003 when the predominantly statist economy suffered from
disruptions caused by the war in Iraq and other developments in the
region. Annual real GDP growth has averaged 2.3 percent for the last
seven years. The Government of Syria has implemented modest economic
reforms in the last few years, including cutting interest rates,
opening private banks, consolidating some of the multiple exchange
rates, and raising prices on some subsidized foodstuffs.
Nevertheless, the economy remains highly controlled by the
government. Long run economic constraints include declining oil
production and exports and pressure on water supplies caused by
rapid population growth, industrial expansion, and increased water
pollution.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$60.44 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
2.3% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $3,400 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 25%
industry: 31%
services: 44% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
5.12 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 30%, industry 27%, services 43% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:
20% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
20% (2004 est.)

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

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

Investment (gross fixed):
16.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $6.58 billion
expenditures: $9.45 billion, including capital expenditures of $4.67
billion (2004 est.)

Public debt:
32% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas, olives, sugar beets;
beef, mutton, eggs, poultry, milk

Industries:
petroleum, textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco, phosphate
rock mining

Industrial production growth rate:
7% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
26.15 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 57.6%
hydro: 42.4%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
24.32 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
525,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
240,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:
285,000 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports:
NA

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

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

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

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

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

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

Current account balance:
$1.1 billion (2003)

Exports:
$6.086 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
crude oil, petroleum products, fruits and vegetables, cotton fiber,
clothing, meat and live animals, wheat

Exports - partners:
Italy 22.7%, France 18%, Turkey 12.9%, Iraq 9%, Saudi Arabia 6.2%
(2004)

Imports:
$5.042 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, electric power machinery, food
and livestock, metal and metal products, chemicals and chemical
products, plastics, yarn, paper

Imports - partners:
Turkey 9.4%, Ukraine 8.7%, China 7.8%, Russia 5.4%, Saudi Arabia
5.2%, US 4.7%, South Korea 4.6%, Italy 4.3% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$5 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
$4 billion (excludes military debt and debt to Russia) (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$180 million (2002 est.)

Currency (code):
Syrian pound (SYP)

Currency code:
SYP

Exchange rates:
Syrian pounds per US dollar - (official rate): 11.225 (2004),
11.225 (2003), 11.225 (2002), 11.225 (2001), 11.225 (2000),
(parallel market rate in Amman and Beirut) NA (2004), 52.8 (2003),
52.4 (2002), 50.4 (2002), 49.4 (2000)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Syria

Telephones - main lines in use:
2,099,300 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
400,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: fair system currently undergoing significant
improvement and digital upgrades, including fiber-optic technology
domestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay network
international: country code - 963; satellite earth stations - 1
Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region);
1 submarine cable; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Iraq,
Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey; participant in Medarabtel

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 14, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
4.15 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
44 (plus 17 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
1.05 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.sy

Internet hosts:
11 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
220,000 (2002)

Transportation Syria

Railways:
total: 2,711 km
standard gauge: 2,460 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 251 km 1.050-m gauge (2004)

Highways:
total: 45,697 km
paved: 6,489 km (including 1,001 km of expressways)
unpaved: 39,208 km (2002)

Waterways:
900 km (not economically significant) (2002)

Pipelines:
gas 2,300 km; oil 2,183 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Baniyas, Latakia

Merchant marine:
total: 120 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 446,981 GRT/636,620 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 8, cargo 105, container 1, livestock carrier
4, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1
foreign-owned: 12 (Egypt 1, Greece 1, Jordan 2, Lebanon 7, Romania 1)
registered in other countries: 73 (2005)

Airports:
92 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 26
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 16
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 66
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 10
under 914 m: 54 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
7 (2004 est.)

Military Syria

Military branches:
Syrian Arab Army, Syrian Arab Navy, Syrian Arab Air Force (includes
Air Defense Command), Police and Security Force

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

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 4,356,413 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 3,453,888 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males: 225,113 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$858 million (FY00 est.); note - based on official budget data that
may understate actual spending

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
5.9% (FY00)

Transnational Issues Syria