Chapter XXVII: Front Matter (27)

Flag description:
a rectangle divided diagonally into yellow triangles (top and
bottom) and green triangles (hoist side and outer side), with a red
border around the flag; there are seven yellow, five-pointed stars
with three centered in the top red border, three centered in the
bottom red border, and one on a red disk superimposed at the center
of the flag; there is also a symbolic nutmeg pod on the hoist-side
triangle (Grenada is the world's second-largest producer of nutmeg,
after Indonesia); the seven stars represent the seven administrative
divisions

Economy Grenada

Economy - overview:
Grenada relies on tourism as its main source of foreign exchange,
especially since the construction of an international airport in
1985. Strong performances in construction and manufacturing,
together with the development of an offshore financial industry,
have also contributed to growth in national output.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$440 million (2002 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$454 million

GDP - real growth rate:
0.9% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$3,900 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 5.4%
industry: 18%
services: 76.6% (2000)

Labor force:
42,300 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 24%
industry: 14%
services: 62% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
12.5% (2000)

Population below poverty line:
32% (2000)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3% (2005 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $85.8 million
expenditures: $102.1 million; including capital expenditures of $28
million (1997)

Agriculture - products:
bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, mace, citrus, avocados, root crops,
sugarcane, corn, vegetables

Industries:
food and beverages, textiles, light assembly operations, tourism,
construction

Industrial production growth rate:
0.7% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production:
159.8 million kWh (2003)

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

Electricity - consumption:
148.6 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption:
1,800 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
NA bbl/day

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

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

Exports:
$40 million (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, fruit and vegetables, clothing, mace

Exports - partners:
Saint Lucia 12.1%, US 11.3%, Antigua and Barbuda 8.2%, Germany
7.9%, Netherlands 7.8%, Saint Kitts & Nevis 7.4%, Dominica 7.4%, UK
6.8%, France 4.2% (2005)

Imports:
$276 million (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
food, manufactured goods, machinery, chemicals, fuel

Imports - partners:
Trinidad and Tobago 27.8%, US 27%, UK 6% (2005)

Debt - external:
$347 million (2004)

Economic aid - recipient:
$15.4 million (2004)

Currency (code):
East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code:
XCD

Exchange rates:
East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7
(2003), 2.7 (2002), 2.7 (2001)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Grenada

Telephones - main lines in use:
32,700 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
43,300 (2004)

Telephone system:
general assessment: automatic, islandwide telephone system
domestic: interisland VHF and UHF radiotelephone links
international: country code - 1-473; new SHF radiotelephone links to
Trinidad and Tobago and Saint Vincent; VHF and UHF radio links to
Trinidad

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
57,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
2 (1997)

Televisions:
33,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.gd

Internet hosts:
17 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
14 (2000)

Internet users:
19,000 (2005)

Transportation Grenada

Airports:
3 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways:
total: 1,127 km
paved: 687 km
unpaved: 440 km (1999)

Ports and terminals:
Saint George's

Military Grenada

Military branches:
no regular military forces; Royal Grenada Police Force

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 24,031 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 17,483 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 1,274 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA

Transnational Issues Grenada

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
small-scale cannabis cultivation; lesser transshipment point for
marijuana and cocaine to US

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

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

@Guadeloupe

Introduction Guadeloupe

Background:
Guadeloupe has been a French possession since 1635. The island of
Saint Martin is shared with the Netherlands; its southern portion is
named Sint Maarten and is part of the Netherlands Antilles and its
northern portion is named Saint-Martin and is part of Guadeloupe

Geography Guadeloupe

Location:
Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic
Ocean, southeast of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates:
16 15 N, 61 35 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 1,780 sq km
land: 1,706 sq km
water: 74 sq km
note: Guadeloupe is an archipelago of nine inhabited islands,
including Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Marie-Galante, La Desirade,
Iles des Saintes (2), Saint-Barthelemy, Iles de la Petite Terre, and
Saint-Martin (French part of the island of Saint Martin)

Area - comparative:
10 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
total: 15 km
border countries: Netherlands Antilles (Sint Maarten) 15 km

Coastline:
306 km

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

Climate:
subtropical tempered by trade winds; moderately high humidity

Terrain:
Basse-Terre is volcanic in origin with interior mountains;
Grande-Terre is low limestone formation; most of the seven other
islands are volcanic in origin

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Soufriere 1,484 m

Natural resources:
cultivable land, beaches and climate that foster tourism

Land use:
arable land: 11.7%
permanent crops: 2.92%
other: 85.38% (2005)

Irrigated land:
60 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
hurricanes (June to October); Soufriere de Guadeloupe is an active
volcano

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
a narrow channel, the Riviere Salee, divides Guadeloupe proper into
two islands: the larger, western Basse-Terre and the smaller,
eastern Grande-Terre

People Guadeloupe

Population:
452,776 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 23.6% (male 54,725/female 52,348)
15-64 years: 67.1% (male 150,934/female 153,094)
65 years and over: 9.2% (male 17,353/female 24,322) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 32.2 years
male: 31.3 years
female: 33.2 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.88% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
15.05 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
6.09 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
-0.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 8.41 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 9.59 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.06 years
male: 74.91 years
female: 81.37 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.9 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Guadeloupian(s)
adjective: Guadeloupe

Ethnic groups:
black or mulatto 90%, white 5%, East Indian, Lebanese, Chinese less
than 5%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and pagan African 4%, Protestant 1%

Languages:
French (official) 99%, Creole patois

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 90%
male: 90%
female: 90% (1982 est.)

Government Guadeloupe

Country name:
conventional long form: Department of Guadeloupe
conventional short form: Guadeloupe
local long form: Departement de la Guadeloupe
local short form: Guadeloupe

Dependency status:
overseas department of France

Government type:
NA

Capital:
name: Basse-Terre
geographic coordinates: 16 00 N, 61 44 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:
none (overseas department of France)

Independence:
none (overseas department of France)

National holiday:
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:
4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:
French legal system

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May
1995), represented by Prefect Jean-Jacques BROT (since 12 June 2006)
head of government: President of the General Council Jacques GILLOT
(since 26 March 2001); President of the Regional Council Victorin
LUREL (since 2 April 2004)
cabinet: NA
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the
French Ministry of Interior; the presidents of the General and
Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils
election results: NA

Legislative branch:
unicameral General Council or Conseil General (42 seats; members
are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the
unicameral Regional Council or Conseil Regional (41 seats; members
are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
elections: General Council - last held March 2004 (next to be held
by in 2010); Regional Council - last held 28 March 2004 (next to be
held in March 2008 to elect half of the body)
election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - left-wing candidates 11, PS 8, RPR 8, PPDG 6,
right-wing candidates 5, PCG 3, UDF 1; Regional Council (second
round) - percent of vote by party - PS 58.4%, UMP 41.6%; seats by
party - PS 29, UMP 12
note: Guadeloupe elects two representatives to the French Senate;
elections last held September 2004 (next to be held September 2013);
percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA, Guadeloupe
elects four representatives to the French National Assembly;
elections last held 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held June 2007);
percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPR 2, PS 1,
different right parties 1

Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel with jurisdiction over Guadeloupe,
French Guiana, and Martinique

Political parties and leaders:
Communist Party of Guadeloupe or PCG [Mona CADOCE]; FGPS [Dominique
LARIFLA]; Left Radical Party or PRG [Flavien FERRANT]; Progressive
Democratic Party or PPDG [Henri BANGOU]; Socialist Party or PS
[Jules OTTO]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Claudine LACAVE];
Union for a Popular Movement or UMP (including Rassemblement pour la
Republique or RPR) [Gabrielle LOUIS-CARABIN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Christian Movement for the Liberation of Guadeloupe or KLPG;
General Federation of Guadeloupe Workers or CGT-G; General Union of
Guadeloupe Workers or UGTG; Movement for Independent Guadeloupe or
MPGI; The Socialist Renewal Movement

International organization participation:
UPU, WCL, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas department of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas department of France)

Flag description:
unofficial, local flag based upon the arms of the city of
Pointe-a-Pitre; the field is divided horizontally with a narrow,
blue stripe along the top edge charged with three gold
fleurs-de-lis; the wider, lower portion of the field is black and
charged with green sugar cane leaves - representing one of
Guadeloupe's main crops - surmounted by a gold radiant sun
representing the tropical climate; the only official flag is the
national flag of France

Economy Guadeloupe

Economy - overview:
This Caribbean economy depends on agriculture, tourism, light
industry, and services. It also depends on France for large
subsidies and imports. Tourism is a key industry, with most tourists
from the US; an increasingly large number of cruise ships visit the
islands. The traditional sugarcane crop is slowly being replaced by
other crops, such as bananas (which now supply about 50% of export
earnings), eggplant, and flowers. Other vegetables and root crops
are cultivated for local consumption, although Guadeloupe is still
dependent on imported food, mainly from France. Light industry
features sugar and rum production. Most manufactured goods and fuel
are imported. Unemployment is especially high among the young.
Hurricanes periodically devastate the economy.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$3.513 billion (2003 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
NA

GDP - real growth rate:
NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$7,900 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 15%
industry: 17%
services: 68% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
191,400 (1999)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 15%
industry: 20%
services: 65% (2002)

Unemployment rate:
26.9% (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
NA%

Budget:
revenues: $637.7 million
expenditures: $680.1 million; including capital expenditures of
$112.5 million (2002)

Agriculture - products:
bananas, sugarcane, tropical fruits and vegetables; cattle, pigs,
goats

Industries:
construction, cement, rum, sugar, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - production:
1.165 billion kWh (2003)

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

Electricity - consumption:
1.084 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption:
13,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
NA bbl/day

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

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

Exports:
$147.8 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
bananas, sugar, rum, melons, spring water

Exports - partners:
France 60%, Martinique 18%, US 4% (2004)

Imports:
$1.766 billion c.i.f. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, fuels, vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods,
construction materials

Imports - partners:
France 63%, Germany 4%, US 3%, Japan 2%, Netherlands Antilles 2%
(2004)

Debt - external:
$NA

Economic aid - recipient:
$NA; note - substantial annual French subsidies (2004)

Currency (code):
euro (EUR)

Currency code:
EUR

Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003),
1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 j(2001)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Guadeloupe

Telephones - main lines in use:
210,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
314,700 (2004)

Telephone system:
general assessment: domestic facilities inadequate
domestic: NA
international: country code - 590; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); microwave radio relay to Antigua and
Barbuda, Dominica, and Martinique

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 17, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
113,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
5 (plus several low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
118,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.gp

Internet hosts:
422 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
3 (2000)

Internet users:
79,000 (2005)

Transportation Guadeloupe

Airports:
9 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 8
over 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 5 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways:
total: 947 km (2002)

Ports and terminals:
Basse-Terre, Gustavia, Pointe-a-Pitre

Military Guadeloupe

Military branches:
no regular military forces

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 112,551 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 92,834 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 3,364 (2005 est.)

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Guadeloupe

Disputes - international:
none

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

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

@Guam

Introduction Guam

Background:
Guam was ceded to the US by Spain in 1898. Captured by the Japanese
in 1941, it was retaken by the US three years later. The military
installation on the island is one of the most strategically
important US bases in the Pacific.

Geography Guam

Location:
Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of
the way from Hawaii to the Philippines

Geographic coordinates:
13 28 N, 144 47 E

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 541.3 sq km
land: 541.3 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
three times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
125.5 km

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

Climate:
tropical marine; generally warm and humid, moderated by northeast
trade winds; dry season (January to June), rainy season (July to
December); little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:
volcanic origin, surrounded by coral reefs; relatively flat
coralline limestone plateau (source of most fresh water), with steep
coastal cliffs and narrow coastal plains in north, low hills in
center, mountains in south

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Lamlam 406 m

Natural resources:
fishing (largely undeveloped), tourism (especially from Japan)

Land use:
arable land: 3.64%
permanent crops: 18.18%
other: 78.18% (2005)

Irrigated land:
NA

Natural hazards:
frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare, but
potentially very destructive typhoons (June - December)

Environment - current issues:
extirpation of native bird population by the rapid proliferation of
the brown tree snake, an exotic, invasive species

Geography - note:
largest and southernmost island in the Mariana Islands archipelago;
strategic location in western North Pacific Ocean

People Guam

Population:
171,019 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 29% (male 25,703/female 23,903)
15-64 years: 64.3% (male 56,020/female 53,894)
65 years and over: 6.7% (male 5,391/female 6,108) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 28.6 years
male: 28.3 years
female: 28.8 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.43% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
18.79 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
4.48 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.81 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 7.48 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.58 years
male: 75.52 years
female: 81.83 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.58 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Guamanian(s) (US citizens)
adjective: Guamanian

Ethnic groups:
Chamorro 37.1%, Filipino 26.3%, other Pacific islander 11.3%, white
6.9%, other Asian 6.3%, other ethnic origin or race 2.3%, mixed 9.8%
(2000 census)

Religions:
Roman Catholic 85%, other 15% (1999 est.)

Languages:
English 38.3%, Chamorro 22.2%, Philippine languages 22.2%, other
Pacific island languages 6.8%, Asian languages 7%, other languages
3.5% (2000 census)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (1990 est.)

Government Guam

Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of Guam
conventional short form: Guam
local long form: Guahan
local short form: Guahan

Dependency status:
organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy relations
between Guam and the US under the jurisdiction of the Office of
Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior

Government type:
NA

Capital:
name: Hagatna (Agana)
geographic coordinates: 13 28 N, 144 45 E
time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:
none (territory of the US)

Independence:
none (territory of the US)

National holiday:
Discovery Day, first Monday in March (1521)

Constitution:
Organic Act of Guam, 1 August 1950

Legal system:
modeled on US; US federal laws apply

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

Executive branch:
chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20
January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January
2001)
head of government: Governor Felix P. CAMACHO (since 6 January 2003)
and Lieutenant Governor Kaleo MOYLAN (since 6 January 2003)
cabinet: heads of executive departments; appointed by the governor
with the consent of the Guam legislature
elections: under the US Consitution, residents of unincorporated
territories, such as Guam, do not vote in elections for US president
and vice president; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the
same ticket by popular vote for four-year term (can serve two
consecutive terms, then must wait a full term before running again);
election last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held November 2010)
election results: Felix P. CAMACHO reelected governor; Dr. Michael
W. CRUZ elected lieutenant governor; percent of vote - NA

Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislature (15 seats; members are elected by popular
vote to serve two-year terms)
elections: last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held November 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
Republican Party 8, Democratic Party 7
note: Guam elects one nonvoting delegate to the US House of
Representatives; election last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held
November 2008); results - Madeleine BORDALLO (Democratic Party) was
reelected as delegate; percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party
- Democratic Party 1

Judicial branch:
Federal District Court (judge is appointed by the president);
Territorial Superior Court (judges appointed for eight-year terms by
the governor)

Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party [leader Michael PHILLIPS]; Republican Party
(controls the legislature) [leader Philip J. FLORES]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
IOC, SPC, UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (territory of the US)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (territory of the US)

Flag description:
territorial flag is dark blue with a narrow red border on all four
sides; centered is a red-bordered, pointed, vertical ellipse
containing a beach scene, outrigger canoe with sail, and a palm tree
with the word GUAM superimposed in bold red letters; US flag is the
national flag

Economy Guam

Economy - overview:
The economy depends largely on US military spending and tourism.
Total US grants, wage payments, and procurement outlays amounted to
$1.3 billion in 2004. Over the past 30 years, the tourist industry
has grown to become the largest income source following national
defense. The Guam economy continues to experience expansion in both
its tourism and military sectors.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$2.5 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$2.773 billion

GDP - real growth rate:
NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$15,000 (2005 est.)

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

Labor force:
62,050 (2002 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 26%
industry: 10%
services: 64% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:
11.4% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
23% (2001 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.5% (2005 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $319.6 million
expenditures: $427.8 million (2002 est.)

Agriculture - products:
fruits, copra, vegetables; eggs, pork, poultry, beef

Industries:
US military, tourism, construction, transshipment services,
concrete products, printing and publishing, food processing, textiles

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - production:
840.1 million kWh (2003)

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

Electricity - consumption:
781.3 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption:
19,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
NA bbl/day

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

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

Exports:
$45 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
mostly transshipments of refined petroleum products; construction
materials, fish, food and beverage products

Exports - partners:
Japan 67.2%, Singapore 11.6%, UK 4.8% (2005)

Imports:
$701 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
petroleum and petroleum products, food, manufactured goods

Imports - partners:
Singapore 50%, South Korea 21.4%, Japan 14%, Hong Kong 4.6% (2005)

Debt - external:
$NA

Economic aid - recipient:
Guam receives large transfer payments from the US Federal Treasury
($143 million in 1997) into which Guamanians pay no income or excise
taxes; under the provisions of a special law of Congress, the Guam
Treasury, rather than the US Treasury, receives federal income taxes
paid by military and civilian Federal employees stationed in Guam
(2001 est.)

Currency (code):
US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
USD

Exchange rates:
the US dollar is used

Fiscal year:
1 October - 30 September

Communications Guam

Telephones - main lines in use:
84,134 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
98,000 (2004)

Telephone system:
general assessment: modern system, integrated with US facilities
for direct dialing, including free use of 800 numbers
domestic: modern digital system, including cellular mobile service
and local access to the Internet
international: country code - 1-671; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); submarine cables to US and Japan (Guam is
a trans-Pacific communications hub for MCI, Sprint, AT&T, IT&E, and
GTE, linking the US and Asia)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 3, FM 11, shortwave 2 (2006)

Radios:
221,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
3; 6 (Low Power TV) (2006)

Televisions:
106,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.gu

Internet hosts:
76 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
20 (2000)

Internet users:
79,000 (2004)

Transportation Guam

Airports:
5 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 4
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways:
total: 977 km (2004)

Ports and terminals:
Apra Harbor

Military Guam

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Guam

Disputes - international:
none

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

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

@Guatemala

Introduction Guatemala

Background:
The Maya civilization flourished in Guatemala and surrounding
regions during the first millennium A.D. After almost three
centuries as a Spanish colony, Guatemala won its independence in
1821. During the second half of the 20th century, it experienced a
variety of military and civilian governments, as well as a 36-year
guerrilla war. In 1996, the government signed a peace agreement
formally ending the conflict, which had left more than 100,000
people dead and had created some 1 million refugees.

Geography Guatemala

Location:
Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El
Salvador and Mexico, and bordering the Gulf of Honduras (Caribbean
Sea) between Honduras and Belize

Geographic coordinates:
15 30 N, 90 15 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 108,890 sq km
land: 108,430 sq km
water: 460 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Tennessee

Land boundaries:
total: 1,687 km
border countries: Belize 266 km, El Salvador 203 km, Honduras 256
km, Mexico 962 km

Coastline:
400 km

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

Climate:
tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands

Terrain:
mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling limestone
plateau

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Volcan Tajumulco 4,211 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 13.22%
permanent crops: 5.6%
other: 81.18% (2005)

Irrigated land:
1,300 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent
earthquakes; Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and
other tropical storms

Environment - current issues:
deforestation in the Peten rainforest; soil erosion; water pollution

Environment - international agreements:
party to: 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, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
no natural harbors on west coast

People Guatemala

Population:
12,293,545 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 41.1% (male 2,573,359/female 2,479,098)
15-64 years: 55.5% (male 3,353,630/female 3,468,184)
65 years and over: 3.4% (male 194,784/female 224,490) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 18.9 years
male: 18.5 years
female: 19.4 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.27% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
29.88 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
5.2 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
-1.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 30.94 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 33.55 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 28.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.38 years
male: 67.65 years
female: 71.18 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
3.82 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
78,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
5,800 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Guatemalan(s)
adjective: Guatemalan

Ethnic groups:
Mestizo (mixed Amerindian-Spanish - in local Spanish called Ladino)
and European 59.4%, K'iche 9.1%, Kaqchikel 8.4%, Mam 7.9%, Q'eqchi
6.3%, other Mayan 8.6%, indigenous non-Mayan 0.2%, other 0.1% (2001
census)

Religions:
Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Mayan beliefs

Languages:
Spanish 60%, Amerindian languages 40% (23 officially recognized
Amerindian languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi, Mam,
Garifuna, and Xinca)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 70.6%
male: 78%
female: 63.3% (2003 est.)

Government Guatemala

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Guatemala
conventional short form: Guatemala
local long form: Republica de Guatemala
local short form: Guatemala

Government type:
constitutional democratic republic

Capital:
name: Guatemala
geographic coordinates: 14 38 N, 90 31 W
time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard
Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in April; ends last
Friday in September; note - there is no DST planned for 2007-2009

Administrative divisions:
22 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Alta
Verapaz, Baja Verapaz, Chimaltenango, Chiquimula, El Progreso,
Escuintla, Guatemala, Huehuetenango, Izabal, Jalapa, Jutiapa, Peten,
Quetzaltenango, Quiche, Retalhuleu, Sacatepequez, San Marcos, Santa
Rosa, Solola, Suchitepequez, Totonicapan, Zacapa

Independence:
15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution:
31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986; note - suspended 25 May
1993 by former President Jorge SERRANO; reinstated 5 June 1993
following ouster of president; amended November 1993

Legal system:
civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal (active duty members of the armed forces
may not vote and are restricted to their barracks on election day)

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Oscar Jose Rafael BERGER Perdomo (since
14 January 2004); Vice President Eduardo STEIN Barillas (since 14
January 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
head of government: President Oscar Jose Rafael BERGER Perdomo
(since 14 January 2004); Vice President Eduardo STEIN Barillas
(since 14 January 2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term
(may not serve consecutive terms); election last held 9 November
2003; runoff held 28 December 2003 (next to be held September 2007)
election results: Oscar BERGER Perdomo elected president; percent of
vote - Oscar BERGER Perdomo (GANA) 54.1%, Alvarado COLOM (UNE) 45.9%

Legislative branch:
unicameral Congress of the Republic or Congreso de la Republica
(158 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year
terms)
elections: last held 9 November 2003 (next to be held September 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
GANA 49, FRG 41, UNE 33, PAN 17, other 18
note: for the 9 November 2003 election, the number of congressional
seats increased from 113 to 158

Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court or Corte de Constitutcionalidad is Guatemala's
highest court (five judges are elected for concurrent five-year
terms by Congress, each serving one year as president of the
Constitutional Court; one is elected by Congress, one elected by the
Supreme Court of Justice, one appointed by the president, one
elected by Superior Counsel of Universidad San Carlos de Guatemala,
and one by Colegio de Abogados); Supreme Court of Justice or Corte
Suprema de Justicia (13 members serve concurrent five-year terms and
elect a president of the Court each year from among their number;
the president of the Supreme Court of Justice also supervises trial
judges around the country, who are named to five-year terms)

Political parties and leaders:
Authentic Integral Development or DIA [Eduardo SUGER]; Grand
National Alliance or GANA (an alliance of smaller parties) [Alfredo
VILA Giron, secretary general]; Green Party or LOV [Rodolfo ROSALES
Garcis-Salaz]; Guatemalan Christian Democracy or DCG [Vinicio CEREZO
Arevalo]; Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity or URNG [Alba
ESTELA Maldonado, secretary general]; Guatemalan Republican Front or
FRG [Efrain RIOS Montt]; Movement for Guatemalan Unity or MGU
[Jacobo ARBENZ Villanueva]; Movement for Principals and Values or
MPV [Francisco BIANCHI]; National Advancement Party or PAN [Leonel
LOPEZ Rodas, secretary general]; National Unity for Hope or UNE
[Alvarado COLOM Caballeros]; New Nation Alliance or ANN (formed by
an alliance of DIA, URNG, and several splinter groups most of whom
subsequently defected) [led by three co-equal partners - Nineth
Varenca MONTENEGRO Cottom, Rodolfo BAUER Paiz, and Jorge Antonio
BALSELLS TUT]; Patriot Party or PP [Ret. Gen. Otto PEREZ Molina];
Progressive Liberator Party or PLP [Acisclo VALLADARES Molina];
Reform Movement or MR [Alfredo SKINNER-KLEE, secretary general];
Unionista Party

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Agrarian Owners Group or UNAGRO; Alliance Against Impunity or AAI;
Committee for Campesino Unity or CUC; Coordinating Committee of
Agricultural, Commercial, Industrial, and Financial Associations or
CACIF; Mutual Support Group or GAM

International organization participation:
BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA,
MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS, ONUB, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIS, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Guillermo CASTILLO
chancery: 2220 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 745-4952
FAX: [1] (202) 745-1908
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami,
New York, Providence, San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador James M. DERHAM
embassy: 7-01 Avenida Reforma, Zone 10, Guatemala City
mailing address: APO AA 34024
telephone: [502] 2326-4000
FAX: [502] 2326-4654

Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of light blue (hoist side), white, and
light blue with the coat of arms centered in the white band; the
coat of arms includes a green and red quetzal (the national bird)
and a scroll bearing the inscription LIBERTAD 15 DE SEPTIEMBRE DE
1821 (the original date of independence from Spain) all superimposed
on a pair of crossed rifles and a pair of crossed swords and framed
by a wreath

Economy Guatemala

Economy - overview:
Guatemala is the largest and most populous of the Central American
countries with a GDP per capita roughly one-half that of Brazil,
Argentina, and Chile. The agricultural sector accounts for about
one-fourth of GDP, two-thirds of exports, and half of the labor
force. Coffee, sugar, and bananas are the main products. The 1996
signing of peace accords, which ended 36 years of civil war, removed
a major obstacle to foreign investment, but widespread political
violence and corruption scandals continue to dampen investor
confidence. The distribution of income remains highly unequal with
perhaps 75% of the population below the poverty line. Other ongoing
challenges include increasing government revenues, negotiating
further assistance from international donors, upgrading both
government and private financial operations, curtailing drug
trafficking, and narrowing the trade deficit.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$56.86 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$26.98 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3.2% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$4,700 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 22.7%
industry: 18.8%
services: 58.5% (2005 est.)

Labor force:
3.76 million (2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 50%
industry: 15%
services: 35% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
7.5% (2003 est.)

Population below poverty line:
75% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.6%
highest 10%: 46% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
48.3 (2000)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
9.1% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
15.6% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $3.374 billion
expenditures: $4.041 billion; including capital expenditures of $750
million (2005 est.)

Public debt:
25.9% of GDP (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products:
sugarcane, corn, bananas, coffee, beans, cardamom; cattle, sheep,
pigs, chickens

Industries:
sugar, textiles and clothing, furniture, chemicals, petroleum,
metals, rubber, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
4.1% (1999)

Electricity - production:
6.898 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 51.9%
hydro: 35.2%
nuclear: 0%
other: 12.9% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
6.025 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
425 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
35 million kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
22,300 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:
66,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
3,104 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - imports:
NA bbl/day

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

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

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

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

Current account balance:
$-1.341 billion (2005 est.)

Exports:
$3.94 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:
coffee, sugar, petroleum, apparel, bananas, fruits and vegetables,
cardamom

Exports - partners:
US 50.1%, El Salvador 12.1%, Honduras 7.3%, Mexico 4% (2005)

Imports:
$7.744 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:
fuels, machinery and transport equipment, construction materials,
grain, fertilizers, electricity

Imports - partners:
US 38.1%, Mexico 7.6%, El Salvador 4.8%, South Korea 4.8%, Panama
4.4% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$3.673 billion (2005 est.)

Debt - external:
$5.503 billion (2005 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$250 million (2000 est.)

Currency (code):
quetzal (GTQ), US dollar (USD), others allowed

Currency code:
GTQ; USD

Exchange rates:
quetzales per US dollar - 7.6339 (2005), 7.9465 (2004), 7.9409
(2003), 7.8217 (2002), 7.8586 (2001)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Guatemala

Telephones - main lines in use:
1,132,100 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
3,168,300 (2004)

Telephone system:
general assessment: fairly modern network centered in the city of
Guatemala
domestic: NA
international: country code - 502; connected to Central American
Microwave System; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic
Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 130, FM 487, shortwave 15 (2000)

Radios:
835,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
26 (plus 27 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
1.323 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.gt

Internet hosts:
49,026 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
5 (2000)

Internet users:
756,000 (2005)

Transportation Guatemala

Airports:
450 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 11
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 439
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 111
under 914 m: 319 (2006)

Pipelines:
oil 480 km (2006)

Railways:
total: 886 km
narrow gauge: 886 km 0.914-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:
total: 14,095 km
paved: 4,863 km (including 75 km of expressways)
unpaved: 9,232 km (1999)

Waterways:
990 km
note: 260 km navigable year round; additional 730 km navigable
during high-water season (2004)

Ports and terminals:
Puerto Quetzal, Santo Tomas de Castilla

Military Guatemala

Military branches:
Army, Navy (includes marines), Air Force

Military service age and obligation:
all male citizens between the ages of 18 and 50 are liable for
military service; conscript service obligation varies from 12 to 24
months (2005)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 2,429,033
females age 18-49: 2,503,482 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 1,911,412
females age 18-49: 2,070,806 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 134,032
females age 18-49: 130,641 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$169.8 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.5% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Guatemala

Disputes - international:
Guatemalan squatters continue to settle in the rain forests of
Belize's border region; Organization of American States (OAS) is
attempting to revive the 2002 failed Differendum that created a
small adjustment to land boundary, a Guatemalan maritime corridor in
Caribbean, a joint ecological park for the disputed Sapodilla Cays,
and a substantial US-UK financial package; Guatemalans enter Mexico
illegally seeking work or transit to the US

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 250,000 (government's scorched-earth offensive in 1980s
against indigenous people) 30,000 (Hurricane "Stan" October 2005)
(2005)

Illicit drugs:
major transit country for cocaine and heroin; in 2004, reemerged as
a potential source of opium, growing 330 hectares of opium poppy,
with potential pure heroin production of 1.4 metric tons; 76% of
opium poppy cultivation in western highlands along Mexican border;
marijuana cultivation for mostly domestic consumption; proximity to
Mexico makes Guatemala a major staging area for drugs (particularly
for cocaine); money laundering is a serious problem; corruption is a
major problem

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

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

@Guernsey

Introduction Guernsey

Background:
The island of Guernsey and the other Channel Islands represent the
last remnants of the medieval Dukedom of Normandy, which held sway
in both France and England. The islands were the only British soil
occupied by German troops in World War II. Guernsey is a British
crown dependency, but is not part of the UK.

Geography Guernsey

Location:
Western Europe, islands in the English Channel, northwest of France

Geographic coordinates:
49 28 N, 2 35 W

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 78 sq km
land: 78 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other
smaller islands

Area - comparative:
about one-half the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
50 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm

Climate:
temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of days are
overcast

Terrain:
mostly level with low hills in southwest

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Sark 114 m

Natural resources:
cropland

Land use:
arable land: NA%
permanent crops: NA%
other: NA%

Irrigated land:
NA

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port

People Guernsey

Population:
65,409 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 15% (male 4,998/female 4,842)
15-64 years: 67.1% (male 21,752/female 22,170)
65 years and over: 17.8% (male 4,926/female 6,721) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 41.3 years
male: 40.4 years
female: 42.2 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.26% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
8.81 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
10.01 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
3.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.65 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.19 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 80.42 years
male: 77.41 years
female: 83.53 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.39 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Channel Islander(s)
adjective: Channel Islander

Ethnic groups:
UK and Norman-French descent with small percentages from other
European countries

Religions:
Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational,
Methodist

Languages:
English, French, Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts

Literacy:
definition: NA
total population: NA%
male: NA%
female: NA%

Government Guernsey

Country name:
conventional long form: Bailiwick of Guernsey
conventional short form: Guernsey

Dependency status:
British crown dependency

Government type:
NA

Capital:
name: Saint Peter Port
geographic coordinates: 49 27 N, 2 32 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:
none (British crown dependency); there are no first-order
administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there
are 10 parishes including Castel, Forest, Saint Andrew, Saint
Martin, Saint Peter Port, Saint Pierre du Bois, Saint Sampson, Saint
Saviour, Torteval, Vale

Independence:
none (British crown dependency)

National holiday:
Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)

Constitution:
unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

Legal system:
English law and local statutes; justice is administered by the
Royal Court

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Lieutenant Governor Sir Fabian MALBON (since 28
October 2005)
head of government: Chief Minister Laurie MORGAN (since 1 May 2004)
cabinet: Policy Council elected by the States of Deliberation
elections: the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed
by the monarch; chief minister is elected by States of Delibertion
election results: Laurie MORGAN elected chief minister, percent of
vote of the States of Deliberation NA

Legislative branch:
unicameral States of Deliberation (45 seats; members are elected by
popular vote for four years); note - Alderney and Sark have their
own parliaments
elections: last held 21 April 2004 (next to be held in 2008)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - all independents

Judicial branch:
Royal Court

Political parties and leaders:
none; all independents

Political pressure groups and leaders:
none

International organization participation:
UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (British crown dependency)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (British crown dependency)

Flag description:
white with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England)
extending to the edges of the flag and a yellow equal-armed cross of
William the Conqueror superimposed on the Saint George cross

Economy Guernsey

Economy - overview:
Financial services - banking, fund management, insurance - account
for about 55% of total income in this tiny, prosperous Channel
Island economy. Tourism, manufacturing, and horticulture, mainly
tomatoes and cut flowers, have been declining. Light tax and death
duties make Guernsey a popular tax haven. The evolving economic
integration of the EU nations is changing the environment under
which Guernsey operates.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$2.59 billion (2003 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
NA

GDP - real growth rate:
3% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$40,000 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3%
industry: 10%
services: 87% (2000)

Labor force:
32,290 (2001)

Unemployment rate:
0.5% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.9% (2004 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $539.2 million
expenditures: $448.3 million; including capital expenditures of $NA
(2002)

Agriculture - products:
tomatoes, greenhouse flowers, sweet peppers, eggplant, fruit;
Guernsey cattle

Industries:
tourism, banking

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - production:
NA kWh

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: NA
hydro: NA
nuclear: NA
other: NA

Electricity - consumption:
NA kWh

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2002)

Exports:
$NA

Exports - commodities:
tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, other
vegetables

Exports - partners:
UK; note - regarded as internal trade (2004)

Imports:
$NA

Imports - commodities:
coal, gasoline, oil, machinery and equipment

Imports - partners:
UK; note - regarded as internal trade (2004)

Debt - external:
$NA

Economic aid - recipient:
$NA

Currency (code):
British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Guernsey pound

Currency code:
GBP

Exchange rates:
Guernsey pounds per US dollar - 0.55 (2005), 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125
(2003), 0.6672 (2002), 0.6947 (2001)
note: the Guernsey pound is at par with the British pound

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Guernsey

Telephones - main lines in use:
55,100 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
43,800 (2004)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: 1 submarine cable

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

Radios:
NA

Television broadcast stations:
1 (1997)

Televisions:
NA

Internet country code:
.gg

Internet hosts:
1,245 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
NA

Internet users:
36,000 (2005)

Transportation Guernsey

Airports:
2 (one on Alderney) (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways:
total: NA

Ports and terminals:
Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson

Military Guernsey

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Guernsey

Disputes - international:
none

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

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

@Guinea

Introduction Guinea

Background:
Guinea has had only two presidents since gaining its independence
from France in 1958. Lansana CONTE came to power in 1984 when the
military seized the government after the death of the first
president, Sekou TOURE. Guinea did not hold democratic elections
until 1993 when Gen. CONTE (head of the military government) was
elected president of the civilian government. He was reelected in
1998 and again in 2003. Unrest in Sierra Leone and Liberia has
spilled over into Guinea on several occasions over the past decade,
threatening stability and creating humanitarian emergencies.

Geography Guinea

Location:
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone

Geographic coordinates:
11 00 N, 10 00 W

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 245,857 sq km
land: 245,857 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries:
total: 3,399 km
border countries: Cote d'Ivoire 610 km, Guinea-Bissau 386 km,
Liberia 563 km, Mali 858 km, Senegal 330 km, Sierra Leone 652 km

Coastline:
320 km

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

Climate:
generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to
November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May)
with northeasterly harmattan winds

Terrain:
generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Nimba 1,752 m

Natural resources:
bauxite, iron ore, diamonds, gold, uranium, hydropower, fish, salt

Land use:
arable land: 4.47%
permanent crops: 2.64%
other: 92.89% (2005)

Irrigated land:
950 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry
season

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; inadequate supplies of potable water;
desertification; soil contamination and erosion; overfishing,
overpopulation in forest region; poor mining practices have led to
environmental damage

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

Geography - note:
the Niger and its important tributary the Milo have their sources
in the Guinean highlands

People Guinea

Population:
9,690,222 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 44.4% (male 2,171,733/female 2,128,027)
15-64 years: 52.5% (male 2,541,140/female 2,542,847)
65 years and over: 3.2% (male 134,239/female 172,236) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 17.7 years
male: 17.4 years
female: 17.9 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.63% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
41.76 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
15.48 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: as a result of conflict in neighboring countries, Guinea is
host to approximately 141,500 refugees from Cote d'Ivoire, Liberia,
and Sierra Leone (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 90 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 95.16 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 84.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 49.5 years
male: 48.34 years
female: 50.7 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
5.79 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
3.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
140,000 (2003 est.)

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

Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever are high risks in
some locations
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis
aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa fever (2005)

Nationality:
noun: Guinean(s)
adjective: Guinean

Ethnic groups:
Peuhl 40%, Malinke 30%, Soussou 20%, smaller ethnic groups 10%

Religions:
Muslim 85%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 7%

Languages:
French (official); note - each ethnic group has its own language

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 35.9%
male: 49.9%
female: 21.9% (1995 est.)

Government Guinea

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Guinea
conventional short form: Guinea
local long form: Republique de Guinee
local short form: Guinee
former: French Guinea

Government type:
republic

Capital:
name: Conakry
geographic coordinates: 9 31 N, 13 43 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:
33 prefectures and 1 special zone (zone special)*; Beyla, Boffa,
Boke, Conakry*, Coyah, Dabola, Dalaba, Dinguiraye, Dubreka, Faranah,
Forecariah, Fria, Gaoual, Gueckedou, Kankan, Kerouane, Kindia,
Kissidougou, Koubia, Koundara, Kouroussa, Labe, Lelouma, Lola,
Macenta, Mali, Mamou, Mandiana, Nzerekore, Pita, Siguiri, Telimele,
Tougue, Yomou

Independence:
2 October 1958 (from France)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 2 October (1958)

Constitution:
23 December 1990 (Loi Fundamentale)

Legal system:
based on French civil law system, customary law, and decree; legal
codes currently being revised; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,
with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Lansana CONTE (head of military
government since 5 April 1984, elected president 19 December 1993)
head of government: vacant; note - Prime Minister Cellou Dalein
DIALLO was dismissed on 5 April 2006
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term
(no term limits); candidate must receive a majority of the votes
cast to be elected president; election last held 21 December 2003
(next to be held December 2010); the prime minister is appointed by
the president
election results: Lansana CONTE reelected president; percent of vote
- Lansana CONTE (PUP) 95.3%, Mamadou Boye BARRY (UPR) 4.6%

Legislative branch:
unicameral People's National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale
Populaire (114 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to
serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 30 June 2002 (next to be held in 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - PUP 61.6%, UPR 26.6%,
other 11.8%; seats by party - PUP 85, UPR 20, other 9

Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel

Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party of Guinea-African Democratic Rally or PDG-RDA [El
Hadj Ismael Mohamed Gassim GUSHEIN]; National Union for Progress or
UPN [Mamadou Bhoye BARRY]; Party for Unity and Progress or PUP
[Lansana CONTE] (the governing party); People's Party of Guinea or
PPG [Pascal TOLNO]; Rally for the Guinean People or RPG [Alpha
CONDE]; Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea or UFDG [Mamadou BA];
Union of Republican Forces or UFR [Sidya TOURE]; Union for Progress
of Guinea or UPG [Jean-Marie DORE, secretary-general]; Union for
Progress and Renewal or UPR [Ousmane BAH]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Student and teacher unions

International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF,
OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Ibrihama
Sory TRAORE
chancery: 2112 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 986-4300
FAX: [1] (202) 478-3800

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jackson C. MCDONALD
embassy: Koloma, Conakry, east of Hamdallaye Circle
mailing address: B. P. 603, Transversale No. 2, Centre Administratif
de Koloma, Commune de Ratoma, Conakry
telephone: [224] 30-42-08-61
FAX: [224] 30-42-08-73