Chapter LXI: Front Matter (61)

Imports - partners:
Argentina 19.5%, Brazil 19%, Paraguay 12.9%, US 9.2%, China 6%
(2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$2.362 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
$12.8 billion (March 2004)

Economic aid - recipient:
NA

Currency (code):
Uruguayan peso (UYU)

Currency code:
UYU

Exchange rates:
Uruguayan pesos per US dollar - 28.704 (2004), 28.209 (2003),
21.257 (2002), 13.319 (2001), 12.1 (2000)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Uruguay

Telephones - main lines in use:
946,500 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
652,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: fully digitalized
domestic: most modern facilities concentrated in Montevideo; new
nationwide microwave radio relay network
international: country code - 598; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2002)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 91, FM 149, shortwave 7 (2001)

Radios:
1.97 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
23 (2002)

Televisions:
782,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.uy

Internet hosts:
87,630 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
14 (2001)

Internet users:
400,000 (2002)

Transportation Uruguay

Railways:
total: 2,073 km
standard gauge: 2,073 km 1.435-m gauge
note: 461 km have been taken out of service and 460 km are in
partial use (2004)

Highways:
total: 8,983 km
paved: 8,081 km
unpaved: 902 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
1,600 km (2002)

Pipelines:
gas 192 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Montevideo

Merchant marine:
total: 11 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 10,918 GRT/10,342 DWT
by type: cargo 1, chemical tanker 1, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum
tanker 2, roll on/roll off 1
foreign-owned: 4 (Argentina 3, Greece 1)
registered in other countries: 8 (2005)

Airports:
64 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 14
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 50
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 17
under 914 m: 31 (2004 est.)

Military Uruguay

Military branches:
Army, Navy (includes Naval Air Arm, Marines, Maritime Prefecture in
wartime), Air Force

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

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 764,408 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 637,445 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$257.5 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2% (2004)

Transnational Issues Uruguay

Disputes - international:
uncontested dispute with Brazil over certain islands in the
Quarai/Cuareim and Invernada streams and the resulting tripoint with
Argentina

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Uzbekistan

Introduction Uzbekistan

Background:
Russia conquered Uzbekistan in the late 19th century. Stiff
resistance to the Red Army after World War I was eventually
suppressed and a socialist republic set up in 1924. During the
Soviet era, intensive production of "white gold" (cotton) and grain
led to overuse of agrochemicals and the depletion of water supplies,
which have left the land poisoned and the Aral Sea and certain
rivers half dry. Independent since 1991, the country seeks to
gradually lessen its dependence on agriculture while developing its
mineral and petroleum reserves. Current concerns include terrorism
by Islamic militants, economic stagnation, and the curtailment of
human rights and democratization.

Geography Uzbekistan

Location:
Central Asia, north of Afghanistan

Geographic coordinates:
41 00 N, 64 00 E

Map references:
Asia

Area:
total: 447,400 sq km
land: 425,400 sq km
water: 22,000 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than California

Land boundaries:
total: 6,221 km
border countries: Afghanistan 137 km, Kazakhstan 2,203 km,
Kyrgyzstan 1,099 km, Tajikistan 1,161 km, Turkmenistan 1,621 km

Coastline:
0 km (doubly landlocked); note - Uzbekistan includes the southern
portion of the Aral Sea with a 420 km shoreline

Maritime claims:
none (doubly landlocked)

Climate:
mostly midlatitude desert, long, hot summers, mild winters;
semiarid grassland in east

Terrain:
mostly flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes; broad, flat
intensely irrigated river valleys along course of Amu Darya, Syr
Darya (Sirdaryo), and Zarafshon; Fergana Valley in east surrounded
by mountainous Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan; shrinking Aral Sea in west

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Sariqarnish Kuli -12 m
highest point: Adelunga Toghi 4,301 m

Natural resources:
natural gas, petroleum, coal, gold, uranium, silver, copper, lead
and zinc, tungsten, molybdenum

Land use:
arable land: 10.83%
permanent crops: 0.83%
other: 88.34% (2001)

Irrigated land:
42,810 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
shrinkage of the Aral Sea is resulting in growing concentrations of
chemical pesticides and natural salts; these substances are then
blown from the increasingly exposed lake bed and contribute to
desertification; water pollution from industrial wastes and the
heavy use of fertilizers and pesticides is the cause of many human
health disorders; increasing soil salination; soil contamination
from buried nuclear processing and agricultural chemicals, including
DDT

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

Geography - note:
along with Liechtenstein, one of the only two doubly landlocked
countries in the world

People Uzbekistan

Population:
26,851,195 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 33.5% (male 4,575,443/female 4,408,146)
15-64 years: 61.7% (male 8,201,993/female 8,371,933)
65 years and over: 4.8% (male 528,334/female 765,346) (2005 est.)

Median age:
total: 22.36 years
male: 21.74 years
female: 23 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.67% (2005 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
-1.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 71.1 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 74.78 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 67.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 64.19 years
male: 60.82 years
female: 67.73 years (2005 est.)

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

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
11,000 (2003 est.)

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

Nationality:
noun: Uzbekistani
adjective: Uzbekistani

Ethnic groups:
Uzbek 80%, Russian 5.5%, Tajik 5%, Kazakh 3%, Karakalpak 2.5%,
Tatar 1.5%, other 2.5% (1996 est.)

Religions:
Muslim 88% (mostly Sunnis), Eastern Orthodox 9%, other 3%

Languages:
Uzbek 74.3%, Russian 14.2%, Tajik 4.4%, other 7.1%

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.3%
male: 99.6%
female: 99% (2003 est.)

Government Uzbekistan

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Uzbekistan
conventional short form: Uzbekistan
local long form: Ozbekiston Respublikasi
local short form: Ozbekiston
former: Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type:
republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little power
outside the executive branch

Capital:
Tashkent (Toshkent)

Administrative divisions:
12 provinces (viloyatlar, singular - viloyat), 1 autonomous
republic* (respublika), and 1 city** (shahar); Andijon Viloyati,
Buxoro Viloyati, Farg'ona Viloyati, Jizzax Viloyati, Namangan
Viloyati, Navoiy Viloyati, Qashqadaryo Viloyati (Qarshi),
Qaraqalpog'iston Respublikasi* (Nukus), Samarqand Viloyati, Sirdaryo
Viloyati (Guliston), Surxondaryo Viloyati (Termiz), Toshkent
Shahri**, Toshkent Viloyati, Xorazm Viloyati (Urganch)
note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center
name following in parentheses)

Independence:
1 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 1 September (1991)

Constitution:
new constitution adopted 8 December 1992

Legal system:
evolution of Soviet civil law; still lacks independent judicial
system

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Islom KARIMOV (since 24 March 1990, when
he was elected president by the then Supreme Soviet)
head of government: Prime Minister Shavkat MIRZIYAYEV (since 11
December 2003)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president with
approval of the Supreme Assembly
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term
(previously was a five-year term, extended by constitutional
amendment in 2002); election last held 9 January 2000 (next to be
held December 2007); prime minister and deputy ministers appointed
by the president
election results: Islom KARIMOV reelected president; percent of vote
- Islom KARIMOV 91.9%, Abdulkhafiz JALALOV 4.2%

Legislative branch:
bicameral Supreme Assembly or Oliy Majlis consists of an Upper
House or Senate (100 seats; 84 members are elected by regional
governing councils to serve five-year terms and 16 are appointed by
the president) and a Lower House or Legislative Chamber (120 seats;
elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 26 December 2004 and 9 January 2005 (next to be
held December 2009)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - NA; Legislative Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party - LDPU 41, NDP 32, Fidokorlar 17, MTP 11, Adolat 9,
unaffiliated 10
note: all parties in the Supreme Assembly support President KARIMOV

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are nominated by the president and confirmed
by the Supreme Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:
Adolat (Justice) Social Democratic Party [Dilorom TOSHMUHAMMADOVA,
chairman]; Democratic National Rebirth Party (Milly Tiklanish) or
MTP [Xurshid DOSTMUHAMMADOV, chief]; Liberal Democratic Party of
Uzbekistan or LDPU [Adham SHODMONOV, chairman]; People's Democratic
Party or NDP (formerly Communist Party) [Asliddin RUSTAMOV, first
secretary]; Self-Sacrificers Party or Fidokorlar National Democratic
Party [Ahtam TURSUNOV, chief]; note - Fatherland Progress Party
merged with Self-Sacrificers Party

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Agrarian and Entrepreneurs' Party [Marat ZAHIDOV]; Birlik (Unity)
Movement [Abdurakhim POLAT, chairman]; Erk (Freedom) Democratic
Party [Muhammad SOLIH, chairman] was banned 9 December 1992; Ezgulik
Human Rights Society [Vasilia INOYATOVA]; Free Farmers' Party or
Ozod Dehqonlar [Nigara KHIDOYATOVA]; Human Rights Society of
Uzbekistan [Tolib YAKUBOV, chairman]; Independent Human Rights
Society of Uzbekistan [Mikhail ARDZINOV, chairman]; Mazlum [leader
NA]

International organization participation:
AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GUUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC,
ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Abdulaziz KAMILOV
chancery: 1746 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 293-6803
FAX: [1] (202) 293-6804
consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jon PURNELL
embassy: 82 Chilanzarskaya, Tashkent 700115
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [998] (71) 120-5450
FAX: [998] (71) 120-6335

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and green
separated by red fimbriations with a white crescent moon and 12
white stars in the upper hoist-side quadrant

Economy Uzbekistan

Economy - overview:
Uzbekistan is a dry, landlocked country of which 11% consists of
intensely cultivated, irrigated river valleys. More than 60% of its
population lives in densely populated rural communities. Uzbekistan
is now the world's second-largest cotton exporter, a large producer
of gold and oil, and a regionally significant producer of chemicals
and machinery. Following independence in December 1991, the
government sought to prop up its Soviet-style command economy with
subsidies and tight controls on production and prices. Uzbekistan
responded to the negative external conditions generated by the Asian
and Russian financial crises by emphasizing import substitute
industrialization and by tightening export and currency controls
within its already largely closed economy. The government, while
aware of the need to improve the investment climate, sponsors
measures that often increase, not decrease, the government's control
over business decisions. A sharp increase in the inequality of
income distribution has hurt the lower ranks of society since
independence. In 2003, the government accepted the obligations of
Article VIII under the International Monetary Fund (IMF), providing
for full currency convertibility. However, strict currency controls
and tightening of borders have lessened the effects of
convertibility and have also led to some shortages that have further
stifled economic activity.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$47.59 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
4.4% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,800 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 38%
industry: 26.3%
services: 35.7% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
14.64 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 44%, industry 20%, services 36% (1995)

Unemployment rate:
0.6% officially, plus another 20% underemployed (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
28% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.6%
highest 10%: 22% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
44.7 (1998)

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

Budget:
revenues: $2.457 billion
expenditures: $2.482 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2004 est.)

Public debt:
41.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
cotton, vegetables, fruits, grain; livestock

Industries:
textiles, food processing, machine building, metallurgy, gold
petroleum, natural gas, chemicals

Industrial production growth rate:
6.2% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
47.7 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 88.2%
hydro: 11.8%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
46.66 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
4.5 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
6.8 billion kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
143,300 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
142,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA

Oil - imports:
NA

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

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

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

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

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

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

Current account balance:
$461.9 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
$3.7 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
cotton 41.5%, gold 9.6%, energy products 9.6%, mineral fertilizers,
ferrous metals, textiles, food products, automobiles (1998 est.)

Exports - partners:
Russia 22%, China 14.7%, Turkey 6.4%, Tajikistan 6.1%, Kazakhstan
4.2%, Bangladesh 4% (2004)

Imports:
$2.82 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment 49.8%, foodstuffs 16.4%, chemicals, metals
(1998 est.)

Imports - partners:
Russia 26.8%, South Korea 12.6%, US 8%, Germany 7.7%, Kazakhstan
6.3%, China 5.8%, Turkey 5.1%, Ukraine 4.5% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$1.603 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
$4.351 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$87.4 million from the US (2003)

Currency (code):
Uzbekistani sum (UZS)

Currency code:
UZS

Exchange rates:
Uzbekistani sums per US dollar - 1,020 (2004), 971.265 (2003),
771.03 (2001), 423.832 (2001), 236.61 (2000)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Uzbekistan

Telephones - main lines in use:
1,717,100 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
320,800 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: antiquated and inadequate; in serious need of
modernization
domestic: the domestic telephone system is being expanded and
technologically improved, particularly in Tashkent (Toshkent) and
Samarqand, under contracts with prominent companies in
industrialized countries; moreover, by 1998, six cellular networks
had been placed in operation - four of the GSM type (Global System
for Mobile Communication), one D-AMPS type (Digital Advanced Mobile
Phone System), and one AMPS type (Advanced Mobile Phone System)
international: country code - 998; linked by landline or microwave
radio relay with CIS member states and to other countries by leased
connection via the Moscow international gateway switch; after the
completion of the Uzbek link to the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE)
fiber-optic cable, Uzbekistan will be independent of Russian
facilities for international communications; Inmarsat also provides
an international connection, albeit an expensive one; satellite
earth stations - NA (1998)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 20, FM 7, shortwave 10 (1998)

Radios:
10.8 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
4 (plus two repeaters that relay Russian programs), 1 cable
rebroadcaster in Tashkent; approximately 20 stations in regional
capitals (2003)

Televisions:
6.4 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.uz

Internet hosts:
1,040 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
42 (2000)

Internet users:
492,000 (2003)

Transportation Uzbekistan

Railways:
total: 3,950 km
broad gauge: 3,950 km 1.520-m gauge (620 km electrified) (2004)

Highways:
total: 81,600 km
paved: 71,237 km
unpaved: 10,363 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
1,100 km (2004)

Pipelines:
gas 9,149 km; oil 869 km; refined products 33 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Termiz (Amu Darya)

Airports:
226 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 33
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 14
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 193
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 187 (2004 est.)

Military Uzbekistan

Military branches:
Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, National Guard

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service
obligation - 12 months (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 6,340,220 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 4,609,621 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males: 324,722 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$200 million (FY97)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2% (FY97)

Transnational Issues Uzbekistan

Disputes - international:
cotton monoculture in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan creates
water-sharing difficulties for Amu Darya river states; delimitation
with Kazakhstan complete with demarcation underway; delimitation is
underway with Kyrgyzstan but serious disputes around enclaves and
elsewhere continue to mar progress for some 130 km of border; talks
continue with Tajikistan to delimit border and remove minefields

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 3,000 (forced population transfers by government from
villages near Tajikistan border) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and, to a
lesser extent, Western European markets; limited illicit cultivation
of cannabis and small amounts of opium poppy for domestic
consumption; poppy cultivation almost wiped out by government crop
eradication program; transit point for heroin precursor chemicals
bound for Afghanistan

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Vanuatu

Introduction Vanuatu

Background:
The British and French, who settled the New Hebrides in the 19th
century, agreed in 1906 to an Anglo-French Condominium, which
administered the islands until independence in 1980.

Geography Vanuatu

Location:
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about
three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Australia

Geographic coordinates:
16 00 S, 167 00 E

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 12,200 sq km
land: 12,200 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes more than 80 islands, about 65 of which are inhabited

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Connecticut

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
2,528 km

Maritime claims:
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
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; moderated by southeast trade winds from May to October;
moderate rainfall from November to April; may be affected by
cyclones from December to April

Terrain:
mostly mountainous islands of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Tabwemasana 1,877 m

Natural resources:
manganese, hardwood forests, fish

Land use:
arable land: 2.46%
permanent crops: 7.38%
other: 90.16% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA

Natural hazards:
tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April); volcanism causes
minor earthquakes; tsunamis

Environment - current issues:
a majority of the population does not have access to a reliable
supply of potable water; deforestation

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

Geography - note:
a Y-shaped chain of four main islands and 80 smaller islands;
several of the islands have active volcanoes

People Vanuatu

Population:
205,754 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 33.3% (male 35,039/female 33,553)
15-64 years: 63.1% (male 66,311/female 63,502)
65 years and over: 3.6% (male 3,878/female 3,471) (2005 est.)

Median age:
total: 22.64 years
male: 22.68 years
female: 22.59 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.52% (2005 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.12 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 55.16 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 57.73 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 52.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 62.49 years
male: 61 years
female: 64.05 years (2005 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Ni-Vanuatu (singular and plural)
adjective: Ni-Vanuatu

Ethnic groups:
Ni-Vanuatu 98.5%, other 1.5% (1999 Census)

Religions:
Presbyterian 31.4%, Anglican 13.4%, Roman Catholic 13.1%,
Seventh-Day Adventist 10.8%, other Christian 13.8%, indigenous
beliefs 5.6% (including Jon Frum cargo cult), other 9.6%, none 1%,
unspecified 1.3% (1999 Census)

Languages:
local languages (more than 100) 72.6%, pidgin (known as Bislama or
Bichelama) 23.1%, English 1.9%, French 1.4%, other 0.3%, unspecified
0.7% (1999 Census)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 74%
male: NA%
female: NA% (1999 est.)

Government Vanuatu

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Vanuatu
conventional short form: Vanuatu
former: New Hebrides

Government type:
parliamentary republic

Capital:
Port-Vila (Efate)

Administrative divisions:
6 provinces; Malampa, Penama, Sanma, Shefa, Tafea, Torba

Independence:
30 July 1980 (from France and UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 30 July (1980)

Constitution:
30 July 1980

Legal system:
unified system being created from former dual French and British
systems

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Kalkot Matas KELEKELE (since 16 August
2004)
head of government: Prime Minister Ham LINI (since 11 December
2004); Deputy Prime Minister Sato KILMAN (since 11 December 2004);
Prime Minister Serge VOHOR ousted in no-confidence vote on 11
December 2004
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister,
responsible to Parliament
elections: president elected for a five-year term by an electoral
college consisting of Parliament and the presidents of the regional
councils; election for president last held 16 August 2004 (next to
be held in 2009); following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party or majority coalition is usually elected prime
minister by Parliament from among its members; election for prime
minister last held 29 July 2004 (next to be held following general
elections in 2008)
election results: Kalkot Matas KELEKELE elected president, with 49
votes out of 56, after several ballots on 16 August 2004

Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament (52 seats; members elected by popular vote to
serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 6 July 2004 (next to be held 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
UMP 8, VP 8, NUP 10, VRP 4, MPP 3, VGP 3, other and independent 16;
note - political party associations are fluid
note: the National Council of Chiefs advises on matters of culture
and language

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the president after
consultation with the prime minister and the leader of the
opposition, three other justices are appointed by the president on
the advice of the Judicial Service Commission)

Political parties and leaders:
Jon Frum Movement [Song KEASPAI]; Melanesian Progressive Party or
MPP [Barak SOPE]; National United Party or NUP [leader NA]; Union of
Moderate Parties or UMP [Serge VOHOR]; Vanua'aku Pati (Our Land
Party) or VP [Edward NATAPEI]; Vanuatu Republican Party or VRP
[Maxime Carlot KORMAN]; Vanuatu Greens Party or VGP [Moana CARCASSES]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, PIF, Sparteca, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
Vanuatu does not have an embassy in the US; it does, however, have
a Permanent Mission to the UN

Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Vanuatu; the ambassador to Papua
New Guinea is accredited to Vanuatu

Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a black
isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) all separated by a
black-edged yellow stripe in the shape of a horizontal Y (the two
points of the Y face the hoist side and enclose the triangle);
centered in the triangle is a boar's tusk encircling two crossed
namele leaves, all in yellow

Economy Vanuatu

Economy - overview:
This South Pacific island economy is based primarily on small-scale
agriculture, which provides a living for 65% of the population.
Fishing, offshore financial services, and tourism, with about 50,000
visitors in 2004, are other mainstays of the economy. Mineral
deposits are negligible; the country has no known petroleum
deposits. A small light industry sector caters to the local market.
Tax revenues come mainly from import duties. Economic development is
hindered by dependence on relatively few commodity exports,
vulnerability to natural disasters, and long distances from main
markets and between constituent islands. GDP growth rose less than
3% on average in the 1990s. In response to foreign concerns, the
government has promised to tighten regulation of its offshore
financial center. In mid-2002 the government stepped up efforts to
boost tourism. Agriculture, especially livestock farming, is a
second target for growth. Australia and New Zealand are the main
suppliers of tourists and foreign aid.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$580 million (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.1% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $2,900 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 26%
industry: 12%
services: 62% (2000 est.)

Labor force:
NA

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 65%, industry 5%, services 30% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
NA%

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.1% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $52.6 million
expenditures: $54.3 million, including capital expenditures of
$700,000 (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products:
copra, coconuts, cocoa, coffee, taro, yams, coconuts, fruits,
vegetables; fish, beef

Industries:
food and fish freezing, wood processing, meat canning

Industrial production growth rate:
1% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production:
48.42 million kWh (2002)

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

Electricity - consumption:
45.03 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2002)

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

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

Oil - exports:
NA

Oil - imports:
NA

Exports:
$26.6 million f.o.b. (2003)

Exports - commodities:
copra, beef, cocoa, timber, kava, coffee

Exports - partners:
Thailand 47%, Malaysia 18.4%, Japan 7.5%, Belgium 5.4%, China 4.9%
(2004)

Imports:
$138 million c.i.f. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, fuels

Imports - partners:
Taiwan 24%, Australia 16.5%, Japan 11.4%, Singapore 8.5%, New
Zealand 7.2%, Fiji 6.3%, US 4.4% (2004)

Debt - external:
$83.7 million (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
$27.5 million (2002)

Currency (code):
vatu (VUV)

Currency code:
VUV

Exchange rates:
vatu per US dollar - 111.79 (2004), 122.19 (2003), 139.2 (2002),
145.31 (2001), 137.64 (2000)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Vanuatu

Telephones - main lines in use:
6,500 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
7,800 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 678; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2004)

Radios:
67,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (2004)

Televisions:
2,300 (1999)

Internet country code:
.vu

Internet hosts:
512 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
7,500 (2003)

Transportation Vanuatu

Highways:
total: 1,070 km
paved: 256 km
unpaved: 814 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors:
Forari, Port-Vila, Santo (Espiritu Santo)

Merchant marine:
total: 52 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,192,474 GRT/1,560,828 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 22, cargo 16, container 1, liquefied gas 2,
refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 2, vehicle carrier 5
foreign-owned: 52 (Australia 2, Canada 5, Estonia 1, Greece 1,
Israel 1, Japan 25, New Zealand 1, Poland 11, Russia 1, Switzerland
2, Thailand 1, United States 1)
registered in other countries: 1 (2005)

Airports:
30 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1524 to 2437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 27
914 to 1,523 m: 10
under 914 m: 17 (2004 est.)

Military Vanuatu

Military branches:
no regular military forces; security forces comprise the Vanuatu
Police Force (VPF) and paramilitary Vanuatu Mobile Force (VMF),
which includes Vanuatu's naval force, known as the Police Maritime
Wing (PMW); border security in Vanuatu is the joint responsibility
of the Customs and Inland Revenue Service, VPF, VMF, and PMW (2003)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA

Transnational Issues Vanuatu

Disputes - international:
Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by Vanuatu
and France

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Venezuela

Introduction Venezuela

Background:
Venezuela was one of three countries that emerged from the collapse
of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Colombia and Ecuador).
For most of the first half of the 20th century, Venezuela was ruled
by generally benevolent military strongmen, who promoted the oil
industry and allowed for some social reforms. Democratically elected
governments have held sway since 1959. Current concerns include: a
polarized political environment, a politicized military,
drug-related violence along the Colombian border, increasing
internal drug consumption, overdependence on the petroleum industry
with its price fluctuations, and irresponsible mining operations
that are endangering the rain forest and indigenous peoples.

Geography Venezuela

Location:
Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the North
Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana

Geographic coordinates:
8 00 N, 66 00 W

Map references:
South America

Area:
total: 912,050 sq km
land: 882,050 sq km
water: 30,000 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
total: 4,993 km
border countries: Brazil 2,200 km, Colombia 2,050 km, Guyana 743 km

Coastline:
2,800 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 15 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands

Terrain:
Andes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest; central plains
(llanos); Guiana Highlands in southeast

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Pico Bolivar (La Columna) 5,007 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other minerals,
hydropower, diamonds

Land use:
arable land: 2.95%
permanent crops: 0.92%
other: 96.13% (2001)

Irrigated land:
540 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:
sewage pollution of Lago de Valencia; oil and urban pollution of
Lago de Maracaibo; deforestation; soil degradation; urban and
industrial pollution, especially along the Caribbean coast; threat
to the rainforest ecosystem from irresponsible mining operations

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

Geography - note:
on major sea and air routes linking North and South America; Angel
Falls in the Guiana Highlands is the world's highest waterfall

People Venezuela

Population:
25,375,281 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 29.9% (male 3,909,876/female 3,667,958)
15-64 years: 65% (male 8,287,255/female 8,209,599)
65 years and over: 5.1% (male 590,236/female 710,357) (2005 est.)

Median age:
total: 25.6 years
male: 24.98 years
female: 26.24 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.4% (2005 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 22.2 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 25.31 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 18.85 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.31 years
male: 71.27 years
female: 77.58 years (2005 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.7% - note - no country specific models provided (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
110,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
4,100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Venezuelan(s)
adjective: Venezuelan

Ethnic groups:
Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Arab, German, African, indigenous
people

Religions:
nominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, other 2%

Languages:
Spanish (official), numerous indigenous dialects

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.4%
male: 93.8%
female: 93.1% (2003 est.)

Government Venezuela

Country name:
conventional long form: Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
conventional short form: Venezuela
local long form: Republica Bolivariana de Venezuela
local short form: Venezuela

Government type:
federal republic

Capital:
Caracas

Administrative divisions:
23 states (estados, singular - estado), 1 federal district*
(distrito federal), and 1 federal dependency** (dependencia
federal); Amazonas, Anzoategui, Apure, Aragua, Barinas, Bolivar,
Carabobo, Cojedes, Delta Amacuro, Dependencias Federales**, Distrito
Federal*, Falcon, Guarico, Lara, Merida, Miranda, Monagas, Nueva
Esparta, Portuguesa, Sucre, Tachira, Trujillo, Vargas, Yaracuy, Zulia
note: the federal dependency consists of 11 federally controlled
island groups with a total of 72 individual islands

Independence:
5 July 1811 (from Spain)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 5 July (1811)

Constitution:
30 December 1999

Legal system:
open, adversarial court system

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias (since 3 February
1999); Vice President Jose Vicente RANGEL Vale (since 28 April
2002); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias (since 3 February
1999); Vice President Jose Vicente RANGEL Vale (since 28 April
2002); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
election last held 30 July 2000 (next to be held NA 2006)
election results: Hugo CHAVEZ Frias reelected president; percent of
vote - 60%
note: a special presidential recall vote on 15 August 2004 resulted
in a victory for CHAVEZ; percent of vote - 58% in favor of CHAVEZ
fulfilling the remaining two years of his term, 42% in favor of
terminating his presidency immediately

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (165 seats;
members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms; three
seats reserved for the indigenous peoples of Venezuela)
elections: last held 30 July 2000 (next to be held July 2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
pro-government 108 (MVR 92, MAS 6, indigenous 3, other 7),
opposition 57 (AD 33, COPEI 6, Justice First 5, other 13)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Tribuna Suprema de Justicia
(magistrates are elected by the National Assembly for a single
12-year term)

Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Action or AD [Jesus MENDEZ Quijada]; Fifth Republic
Movement or MVR [Hugo CHAVEZ]; Homeland for All or PPT [Jose
ALBORNOZ]; Justice First [Julio BORGES]; Movement Toward Socialism
or MAS [Hector MUJICA]; National Convergence or Convergencia [Juan
Jose CALDERA]; Radical Cause or La Causa R [Andres VELASQUEZ];
Social Christian Party or COPEI [Eduardo FERNANDEZ]; Venezuela
Project or PV [Henrique SALAS Romer]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
FEDECAMARAS, a conservative business group; VECINOS groups;
Venezuelan Confederation of Workers or CTV (labor organization
dominated by the Democratic Action)

International organization participation:
CAN, CDB, CSN, FAO, G-3, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate),
MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Bernardo ALVAREZ Herrera
chancery: 1099 30th Street NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 342-2214
FAX: [1] (202) 342-6820
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New Orleans,
New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador William R. BROWNFIELD
embassy: Calle F con Calle Suapure, Urbanizacion Colinas de Valle
Arriba, Caracas 1080
mailing address: P. O. Box 62291, Caracas 1060-A; APO AA 34037
telephone: [58] (212) 975-9234, 975-6411
FAX: [58] (212) 975-8991

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), blue, and red with
the coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band and an arc of
seven white five-pointed stars centered in the blue band

Economy Venezuela

Economy - overview:
Venezuela continues to be highly dependent on the petroleum sector,
accounting for roughly one-third of GDP, around 80% of export
earnings, and over half of government operating revenues. A
disastrous two-month national oil strike from December 2002 to
February 2003, temporarily halted economic activity. The economy
remained in depression in 2003, declining by 9.2% after an 8.9% fall
in 2002. Despite continued domestic instability, output recovered
strongly in 2004, aided by high oil prices. Both inflation and
unemployment remain fundamental problems.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$145.2 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
16.8% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $5,800 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 0.1%
industry: 46.5%
services: 53.4% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
12.25 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 13%, industry 23%, services 64% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate:
17.1% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
47% (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 0.8%
highest 10%: 36.5% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
49.5 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
22.4% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
12.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $26.91 billion
expenditures: $30.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.6
billion (2004 est.)

Public debt:
43.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
corn, sorghum, sugarcane, rice, bananas, vegetables, coffee; beef,
pork, milk, eggs; fish

Industries:
petroleum, iron ore mining, construction materials, food
processing, textiles, steel, aluminum, motor vehicle assembly

Industrial production growth rate:
12.3% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
89.7 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 31.7%
hydro: 68.3%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
89.3 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
450 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
30 million kWh (2003)

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

Oil - consumption:
500,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:
2.1 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - imports:
NA

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

Natural gas - production:
29.4 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
29.4 billion cu m (2003 est.)

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

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2004 est.)

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

Current account balance:
$14.59 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
$35.84 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
petroleum, bauxite and aluminum, steel, chemicals, agricultural
products, basic manufactures

Exports - partners:
US 55.6%, Netherlands Antilles 4.7%, Dominican Republic 2.8% (2004)

Imports:
$14.98 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
raw materials, machinery and equipment, transport equipment,
construction materials

Imports - partners:
US 28.8%, Colombia 9.9%, Brazil 7%, Mexico 4.1% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$25.75 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
$33.29 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$74 million (2000)

Currency (code):
bolivar (VEB)

Currency code:
VEB

Exchange rates:
bolivares per US dollar - 1,891.3 (2004), 1,607 (2003), 1,161
(2002), 723.7 (2001), 680 (2000)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Venezuela

Telephones - main lines in use:
2,841,800 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
6,463,600 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: modern and expanding
domestic: domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations; recent
substantial improvement in telephone service in rural areas;
substantial increase in digitalization of exchanges and trunk lines;
installation of a national interurban fiber-optic network capable of
digital multimedia services
international: country code - 58; 3 submarine coaxial cables;
satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1
PanAmSat; participating with Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia in
the construction of an international fiber-optic network

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 201, FM NA (20 in Caracas), shortwave 11 (1998)

Radios:
10.75 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
66 (plus 45 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
4.1 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.ve

Internet hosts:
35,301 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
16 (2000)

Internet users:
1,274,400 (2002)

Transportation Venezuela

Railways:
total: 682 km
standard gauge: 682 km 1.435-m gauge (2004)

Highways:
total: 96,155 km
paved: 32,308 km
unpaved: 63,847 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
7,100 km
note: Orinoco River and Lake de Maracaibo navigable by oceangoing
vessels, Orinoco for 400 km (2004)

Pipelines:
extra heavy crude 992 km; gas 5,262 km; oil 7,360 km; refined
products 1,681 km; unknown (oil/water) 141 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Amuay, La Guaira, Maracaibo, Puerto Cabello, Punta Cardon

Merchant marine:
total: 56 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 740,919 GRT/1,191,483 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 4, cargo 16, chemical tanker 1, container 1,
liquefied gas 5, passenger/cargo 9, petroleum tanker 19, roll
on/roll off 1
foreign-owned: 9 (Denmark 2, Greece 1, Hong Kong 2, Mexico 1, Russia
2, Spain 1)
registered in other countries: 20 (2005)

Airports:
369 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 127
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 11
1,524 to 2,437 m: 31
914 to 1,523 m: 61
under 914 m: 19 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 242
1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
914 to 1,523 m: 88
under 914 m: 144 (2004 est.)

Military Venezuela

Military branches:
National Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas Nacionales, FAN): Ground
Forces or Army (Fuerzas Terrestres or Ejercito), Naval Forces
(Fuerzas Navales or Armada - includes Marines, Coast Guard), Air
Force (Fuerzas Aereas or Aviacion), Armed Forces of Cooperation or
National Guard (Fuerzas Armadas de Cooperacion or Guardia Nacional)

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

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 6,236,012 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 4,907,947 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males: 252,396 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$1.687 billion (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.5% (2004)

Transnational Issues Venezuela

Disputes - international:
claims all of the area west of the Essequibo River in Guyana,
preventing any discussion of a maritime boundary; Guyana has
expressed its intention to join Barbados in asserting claims before
UNCLOS that the Trinidad and Tobago's maritime boundary with
Venezuela extends into their waters; dispute with Colombia over Los
Monjes islands and maritime boundary near the Gulf of Venezuela;
Colombian-organized illegal narcotics and paramilitary activities
penetrate Venezuela's shared border region resulting in several
thousand residents migrating away from the border; US, France and
the Netherlands recognize Venezuela's claim to give full effect to
Aves Island, which creates a Venezuelan EEZ/continental shelf
extending over a large portion of the Caribbean Sea; Dominica, Saint
Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
protest Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation
and other states' recognition of it

Illicit drugs:
small-scale illicit producer of opium and coca for the processing
of opiates and coca derivatives; however, large quantities of
cocaine, heroin, and marijuana transit the country from Colombia
bound for US and Europe; significant narcotics-related
money-laundering activity, especially along the border with Colombia
and on Margarita Island; active eradication program primarily
targeting opium; increasing signs of drug-related activities by
Colombian insurgents on border

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Vietnam

Introduction Vietnam

Background:
The conquest of Vietnam by France began in 1858 and was completed
by 1884. It became part of French Indochina in 1887. Independence
was declared after World War II, but the French continued to rule
until 1954 when they were defeated by Communist forces under Ho Chi
MINH, who took control of the North. US economic and military aid to
South Vietnam grew through the 1960s in an attempt to bolster the
government, but US armed forces were withdrawn following a
cease-fire agreement in 1973. Two years later, North Vietnamese
forces overran the South. Despite the return of peace, for over two
decades the country experienced little economic growth because of
conservative leadership policies. Since 2001, Vietnamese authorities
have committed to economic liberalization and enacted structural
reforms needed to modernize the economy and to produce more
competitive, export-driven industries. The country continues to
experience protests from the Montagnard ethnic minority population
of the Central Highlands over loss of land to Vietnamese settlers
and religious persecution.

Geography Vietnam

Location:
Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, Gulf of Tonkin,
and South China Sea, alongside China, Laos, and Cambodia

Geographic coordinates:
16 00 N, 106 00 E

Map references:
Southeast Asia

Area:
total: 329,560 sq km
land: 325,360 sq km
water: 4,200 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than New Mexico

Land boundaries:
total: 4,639 km
border countries: Cambodia 1,228 km, China 1,281 km, Laos 2,130 km

Coastline:
3,444 km (excludes islands)

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

Climate:
tropical in south; monsoonal in north with hot, rainy season
(mid-May to mid-September) and warm, dry season (mid-October to
mid-March)

Terrain:
low, flat delta in south and north; central highlands; hilly,
mountainous in far north and northwest

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Fan Si Pan 3,144 m

Natural resources:
phosphates, coal, manganese, bauxite, chromate, offshore oil and
gas deposits, forests, hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 19.97%
permanent crops: 5.95%
other: 74.08% (2001)

Irrigated land:
30,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
occasional typhoons (May to January) with extensive flooding,
especially in the Mekong River delta

Environment - current issues:
logging and slash-and-burn agricultural practices contribute to
deforestation and soil degradation; water pollution and overfishing
threaten marine life populations; groundwater contamination limits
potable water supply; growing urban industrialization and population
migration are rapidly degrading environment in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh
City

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: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
extending 1,650 km north to south, the country is only 50 km across
at its narrowest point

People Vietnam

Population:
83,535,576 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 27.9% (male 12,065,777/female 11,212,299)
15-64 years: 66.4% (male 27,406,456/female 28,024,250)
65 years and over: 5.8% (male 1,889,585/female 2,937,209) (2005 est.)

Median age:
total: 25.51 years
male: 24.47 years
female: 26.68 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.04% (2005 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
-0.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 25.95 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 26.35 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 25.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.61 years
male: 67.82 years
female: 73.6 years (2005 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.4% (2003 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
9,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, Japanese encephalitis,
and plague are high risks in some locations
animal contact disease: rabies
water contact disease: leptospirosis (2004)

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

Ethnic groups:
Kinh (Viet) 86.2%, Tay 1.9%, Thai 1.7%, Muong 1.5%, Khome 1.4%, Hoa
1.1%, Nun 1.1%, Hmong 1%, others 4.1% (1999 census)

Religions:
Buddhist 9.3%, Catholic 6.7%, Hoa Hao 1.5%, Cao Dai 1.1%,
Protestant 0.5%, Muslim 0.1%, none 80.8% (1999 census)

Languages:
Vietnamese (official), English (increasingly favored as a second
language), some French, Chinese, and Khmer; mountain area languages
(Mon-Khmer and Malayo-Polynesian)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 90.3%
male: 93.9%
female: 86.9% (2002)

Government Vietnam

Country name:
conventional long form: Socialist Republic of Vietnam
conventional short form: Vietnam
local long form: Cong Hoa Xa Hoi Chu Nghia Viet Nam
local short form: Viet Nam
abbreviation: SRV

Government type:
Communist state

Capital:
Hanoi

Administrative divisions:
59 provinces (tinh, singular and plural) and 5 municipalities (thu
do, singular and plural)
: provinces: An Giang, Bac Giang, Bac Kan, Bac Lieu, Bac Ninh, Ba
Ria-Vung Tau, Ben Tre, Binh Dinh, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Binh
Thuan, Ca Mau, Cao Bang, Dac Lak, Dac Nong, Dien Bien, Dong Nai,
Dong Thap, Gia Lai, Ha Giang, Hai Duong, Ha Nam, Ha Tay, Ha Tinh,
Hau Giang, Hoa Binh, Hung Yen, Khanh Hoa, Kien Giang, Kon Tum, Lai
Chau, Lam Dong, Lang Son, Lao Cai, Long An, Nam Dinh, Nghe An, Ninh
Binh, Ninh Thuan, Phu Tho, Phu Yen, Quang Binh, Quang Nam, Quang
Ngai, Quang Ninh, Quang Tri, Soc Trang, Son La, Tay Ninh, Thai Binh,
Thai Nguyen, Thanh Hoa, Thua Thien-Hue, Tien Giang, Tra Vinh, Tuyen
Quang, Vinh Long, Vinh Phuc, Yen Bai
: municipalities: Can Tho, Da Nang, Hai Phong, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh

Independence:
2 September 1945 (from France)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 2 September (1945)

Constitution:
15 April 1992

Legal system:
based on communist legal theory and French civil law system

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Tran Duc LUONG (since 24 September 1997)
head of government: Prime Minister Phan Van KHAI (since 25 September
1997); First Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Tan DUNG (since 29
September 1997); Deputy Prime Ministers Vu KHOAN (8 August 2002) and
Pham Gia KHIEM (since 29 September 1997)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president based on proposal of prime
minister and ratification of National Assembly
elections: president elected by the National Assembly from among its
members for a five-year term; election last held 25 July 2002 (next
to be held when National Assembly meets following legislative
elections in 2007); prime minister appointed by the president from
among the members of the National Assembly; deputy prime ministers
appointed by the prime minister
election results: Tran Duc LUONG elected president; percent of
National Assembly vote - NA%

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Quoc-Hoi (498 seats; members
elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 19 May 2002 (next to be held 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - CPV 90%, other 10% (the
10% are not CPV members but are approved by the CPV to stand for
election); seats by party - CPV 447, CPV-approved 51

Judicial branch:
Supreme People's Court (chief justice is elected for a five-year
term by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president)

Political parties and leaders:
only party - Communist Party of Vietnam or CPV [Nong Duc MANH,
general secretary]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
none

International organization participation:
ACCT (observer), APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, FAO, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Nguyen Tam CHIEN
chancery: 1233 20th Street NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 861-0737
FAX: [1] (202) 861-0917
consulate(s) general: San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Michael W. MARINE
embassy: 7 Lang Ha Road, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi
mailing address: PSC 461, Box 400, FPO AP 96521-0002
telephone: [84] (4) 772-1500
FAX: [84] (4) 772-1510
consulate(s) general: Ho Chi Minh City

Flag description:
red with a large yellow five-pointed star in the center

Economy Vietnam

Economy - overview:
Vietnam is a densely-populated, developing country that in the last
30 years has had to recover from the ravages of war, the loss of
financial support from the old Soviet Bloc, and the rigidities of a
centrally planned economy. Substantial progress was achieved from
1986 to 1997 in moving forward from an extremely low level of
development and significantly reducing poverty. Growth averaged
around 9% per year from 1993 to 1997. The 1997 Asian financial
crisis highlighted the problems in the Vietnamese economy and
temporarily allowed opponents of reform to slow progress towards a
market oriented economy. GDP growth of 8.5% in 1997 fell to 6% in
1998 and 5% in 1999. Growth then rose to 7% in 2000-04 even against
the background of global recession. Since 2001, however, Vietnamese
authorities have reaffirmed their commitment to economic
liberalization and international integration. They have moved to
implement the structural reforms needed to modernize the economy and
to produce more competitive, export-driven industries. However,
equitization of state-owned enterprises and reduction in the
proportion of non-performing loans has fallen behind schedule.
Vietnam's membership in the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) and entry
into force of the US-Vietnam Bilateral Trade in December 2001 have
led to even more rapid changes in Vietnam's trade and economic
regime. Vietnam's exports to the US doubled in 2002 and again in
2003. Vietnam is working toward accession to the WTO in 2005. Among
other benefits, accession will allow Vietnam to take advantage of
the phase out of the Agreement on Textiles and Clothing, which
eliminated quotas on textiles and clothing for WTO partners on 1
January 2005. Vietnam is working to promote job creation to keep up
with the country's high population growth rate. However, in 2004,
high levels of inflation prompted Vietnamese authorities to tighten
monetary and fiscal policies.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$227.2 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
7.7% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $2,700 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 21.8%
industry: 40.1%
services: 38.1% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
42.98 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 63%, industry and services 37% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
1.9% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
28.9% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.6%
highest 10%: 29.9% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
36.1 (1998)

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

Investment (gross fixed):
36.6% of GDP (2004 est.)