Chapter XVI: Front Matter (16)

Background:
Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the island was annexed
and settlement began by the UK in 1888. Phosphate mining began in
the 1890s. The UK transferred sovereignty to Australia in 1958.
Almost two-thirds of the island has been declared a national park.

Geography Christmas Island

Location:
Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia

Geographic coordinates:
10 30 S, 105 40 E

Map references:
Southeast Asia

Area:
total: 135 sq km
land: 135 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
138.9 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical with a wet and dry season; heat and humidity moderated by
trade winds; wet season (December to April)

Terrain:
steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Murray Hill 361 m

Natural resources:
phosphate, beaches

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a
national park) (2005)

Irrigated land:
NA

Natural hazards:
the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime
hazard

Environment - current issues:
loss of rainforest; impact of phosphate mining

Geography - note:
located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean

People Christmas Island

Population:
1,493 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
0% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
NA

Death rate:
NA

Net migration rate:
NA

Sex ratio:
NA

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

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

Total fertility rate:
NA

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Christmas Islander(s)
adjective: Christmas Island

Ethnic groups:
Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10%
note: no indigenous population (2001)

Religions:
Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997)

Languages:
English (official), Chinese, Malay

Literacy:
NA

Government Christmas Island

Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of Christmas Island
conventional short form: Christmas Island

Dependency status:
non-self governing territory of Australia; administered by the
Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services

Government type:
NA

Capital:
name: The Settlement
geographic coordinates: 18 44 N, 64 19 W
time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:
none (territory of Australia)

Independence:
none (territory of Australia)

National holiday:
Australia Day, 26 January (1788)

Constitution:
Christmas Island Act of 1958-59 (1 October 1958) as amended by the
Territories Law Reform Act of 1992

Legal system:
under the authority of the governor general of Australia and
Australian law

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by the Australian governor general
head of government: Administrator Neil LUCAS (since 30 January 2006)
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed
by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and
Australia

Legislative branch:
unicameral Christmas Island Shire Council (9 seats; members elected
by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: held every two years with half the members standing for
election; last held in May 2005 (next to be held in May 2007)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 9

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court

Political parties and leaders:
none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
none

International organization participation:
none

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

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

Flag description:
territorial flag; divided diagonally from upper hoist to lower fly;
the upper triangle is green with a yellow image of the Golden Bosun
Bird superimposed, while the lower triangle is blue with the
Southern Cross constellation, representing Australia, superimposed;
a centered yellow disk displays a green map of the island; the flag
of Australia is used for official purposes

Economy Christmas Island

Economy - overview:
Phosphate mining had been the only significant economic activity,
but in December 1987 the Australian Government closed the mine. In
1991, the mine was reopened. With the support of the government, a
$34 million casino opened in 1993. The casino closed in 1998. The
Australian Government in 2001 agreed to support the creation of a
commercial space-launching site on the island, projected to begin
operations in the near future.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$NA

Labor force:
NA

Budget:
revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA

Agriculture - products:
NA

Industries:
tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion)

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

Exports:
$NA

Exports - commodities:
phosphate

Exports - partners:
Australia, NZ (2004)

Imports:
$NA

Imports - commodities:
consumer goods

Imports - partners:
principally Australia (2004)

Economic aid - recipient:
$NA

Currency (code):
Australian dollar (AUD)

Currency code:
AUD

Exchange rates:
Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004),
1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002)

Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

Communications Christmas Island

Telephones - main lines in use:
NA

Telephones - mobile cellular:
NA

Telephone system:
general assessment: service provided by the Australian network
domestic: GSM mobile telephone service replaced older analog system
in February 2005
international: country code - 61-8; satellite earth stations - one
INTELSAT earth station provides telephone and telex service (2005)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2006)

Radios:
1,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
0; note - TV broadcasts received via satellite from mainland
Australia (2006)

Televisions:
600 (1997)

Internet country code:
.cx

Internet hosts:
2,368 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
464 (2001)

Transportation Christmas Island

Airports:
1 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways:
total: 142 km
paved: 32 km
unpaved: 110 km (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Flying Fish Cove

Military Christmas Island

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of Australia

Transnational Issues Christmas Island

Disputes - international:
none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Clipperton Island

Introduction Clipperton Island

Background:
This isolated island was named for John CLIPPERTON, a pirate who
made it his hideout early in the 18th century. Annexed by France in
1855, it was seized by Mexico in 1897. Arbitration eventually
awarded the island to France, which took possession in 1935.

Geography Clipperton Island

Location:
Middle America, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, 1,120 km
southwest of Mexico

Geographic coordinates:
10 17 N, 109 13 W

Map references:
Political Map of the World

Area:
total: 6 sq km
land: 6 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
about 12 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
11.1 km

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

Climate:
tropical; humid, average temperature 20-32 degrees C, wet season
(May to October)

Terrain:
coral atoll

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Rocher Clipperton 29 m

Natural resources:
fish

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (all coral) (2005)

Irrigated land:
0 sq km

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
reef 12 km in circumference

People Clipperton Island

Population:
uninhabited (July 2006 est.)

Government Clipperton Island

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Clipperton Island
local long form: none
local short form: Ile Clipperton
former: sometimes called Ile de la Passion

Dependency status:
possession of France; administered by France from French Polynesia
by a high commissioner of the Republic

Legal system:
the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Flag description:
the flag of France is used

Economy Clipperton Island

Economy - overview:
Although 115 species of fish have been identified in the
territorial waters of Clipperton Island, the only economic activity
is tuna fishing.

Transportation Clipperton Island

Ports and terminals:
none; offshore anchorage only

Military Clipperton Island

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Clipperton Island

Disputes - international:
none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Introduction Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Background:
There are 27 coral islands in the group. Captain William KEELING
discovered the islands in 1609, but they remained uninhabited until
the 19th century. Annexed by the UK in 1857, they were transferred
to the Australian Government in 1955. The population on the two
inhabited islands generally is split between the ethnic Europeans on
West Island and the ethnic Malays on Home Island.

Geography Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Location:
Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, southwest
of Indonesia, about halfway from Australia to Sri Lanka

Geographic coordinates:
12 30 S, 96 50 E

Map references:
Southeast Asia

Area:
total: 14 sq km
land: 14 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes the two main islands of West Island and Home Island

Area - comparative:
about 24 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
26 km

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

Climate:
tropical with high humidity, moderated by the southeast trade winds
for about nine months of the year

Terrain:
flat, low-lying coral atolls

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 5 m

Natural resources:
fish

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)

Irrigated land:
NA

Natural hazards:
cyclone season is October to April

Environment - current issues:
fresh water resources are limited to rainwater accumulations in
natural underground reservoirs

Geography - note:
islands are thickly covered with coconut palms and other vegetation

People Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Population:
574 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
0% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
NA

Death rate:
NA deaths/1,000 population

Net migration rate:
NA

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

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

Total fertility rate:
NA

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

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

Ethnic groups:
Europeans, Cocos Malays

Religions:
Sunni Muslim 80%, other 20% (2002 est.)

Languages:
Malay (Cocos dialect), English

Literacy:
NA

Government Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands
conventional short form: Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Dependency status:
non-self governing territory of Australia; administered from
Canberra by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional
Services

Government type:
NA

Capital:
name: West Island
geographic coordinates: 12 10 S, 96 55 E
time difference: UTC+6.5 (11.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:
none (territory of Australia)

Independence:
none (territory of Australia)

National holiday:
Australia Day, 26 January (1788)

Constitution:
Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955 (23 November 1955) as amended
by the Territories Law Reform Act of 1992

Legal system:
based upon the laws of Australia and local laws

Suffrage:
NA

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by the Australian governor general
head of government: Administrator (nonresident) Neil LUCAS (since 30
January 2006)
cabinet: NA
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed
by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and
Australia

Legislative branch:
unicameral Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Council (7 seats)
elections: held every two years with half the members standing for
election; last held in May 2005 (next to be held in May 2007)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court

Political parties and leaders:
none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
none

International organization participation:
none

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

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

Flag description:
the flag of Australia is used

Economy Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Economy - overview:
Grown throughout the islands, coconuts are the sole cash crop.
Small local gardens and fishing contribute to the food supply, but
additional food and most other necessities must be imported from
Australia. There is a small tourist industry.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$NA

Labor force:
NA

Labor force - by occupation:
note: the Cocos Islands Cooperative Society Ltd. employs
construction workers, stevedores, and lighterage workers; tourism
employs others

Unemployment rate:
60% (2000 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA

Agriculture - products:
vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts

Industries:
copra products and tourism

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

Exports:
$NA

Exports - commodities:
copra

Exports - partners:
Australia (2004)

Imports:
$NA

Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
Australia (2004)

Economic aid - recipient:
$NA

Currency (code):
Australian dollar (AUD)

Currency code:
AUD

Exchange rates:
Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004),
1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002)

Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

Communications Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:
287 (1992)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
note - analog cellular service available

Telephone system:
general assessment: connected within Australia's telecommunication
system
domestic: NA
international: country code - 61; telephone, telex, and facsimile
communications with Australia and elsewhere via satellite; 1
INTELSAT satellite earth station

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:
300 (1992)

Television broadcast stations:
NA

Televisions:
NA

Internet country code:
.cc

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
NA

Transportation Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Airports:
1 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways:
total: 22 km
paved: 10 km
unpaved: 12 km (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Port Refuge

Military Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of Australia; the territory has a
five-person police force

Transnational Issues Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Disputes - international:
none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Colombia

Introduction Colombia

Background:
Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from the
collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others are Ecuador and
Venezuela). A 40-year conflict between government forces and
anti-government insurgent groups and illegal paramilitary groups -
both heavily funded by the drug trade - escalated during the 1990s.
The insurgents lack the military or popular support necessary to
overthrow the government, and violence has been decreasing since
about 2002, but insurgents continue attacks against civilians and
large swaths of the countryside are under guerrilla influence.
Paramilitary groups challenge the insurgents for control of
territory and the drug trade. Most paramilitary members have
demobilized since 2002 in an ongoing peace process, although their
commitment to ceasing illicit activity is unclear. The Colombian
Government has stepped up efforts to reassert government control
throughout the country, and now has a presence in every one of its
municipalities. However, neighboring countries worry about the
violence spilling over their borders.

Geography Colombia

Location:
Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Panama
and Venezuela, and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between
Ecuador and Panama

Geographic coordinates:
4 00 N, 72 00 W

Map references:
South America

Area:
total: 1,138,910 sq km
land: 1,038,700 sq km
water: 100,210 sq km
note: includes Isla de Malpelo, Roncador Cay, and Serrana Bank

Area - comparative:
slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Land boundaries:
total: 6,309 km
border countries: Brazil 1,644 km, Ecuador 590 km, Panama 225 km,
Peru 1,800 km, Venezuela 2,050 km

Coastline:
3,208 km (Caribbean Sea 1,760 km, North Pacific Ocean 1,448 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 along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands

Terrain:
flat coastal lowlands, central highlands, high Andes Mountains,
eastern lowland plains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pico Cristobal Colon 5,775 m
note: nearby Pico Simon Bolivar also has the same elevation

Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel, gold, copper,
emeralds, hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 2.01%
permanent crops: 1.37%
other: 96.62% (2005)

Irrigated land:
9,000 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional earthquakes;
periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil and water quality damage from overuse of
pesticides; air pollution, especially in Bogota, from vehicle
emissions

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: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
only South American country with coastlines on both the North
Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea

People Colombia

Population:
43,593,035 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 30.3% (male 6,683,079/female 6,528,563)
15-64 years: 64.5% (male 13,689,384/female 14,416,439)
65 years and over: 5.2% (male 996,022/female 1,279,548) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 26.3 years
male: 25.4 years
female: 27.2 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.46% (2006 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
-0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 20.35 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 24.25 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 16.31 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.99 years
male: 68.15 years
female: 75.96 years (2006 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.7% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
190,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
3,600 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Colombian(s)
adjective: Colombian

Ethnic groups:
mestizo 58%, white 20%, mulatto 14%, black 4%, mixed
black-Amerindian 3%, Amerindian 1%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 90%, other 10%

Languages:
Spanish

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.5%
male: 92.4%
female: 92.6% (2003 est.)

Government Colombia

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

Government type:
republic; executive branch dominates government structure

Capital:
name: Bogota
geographic coordinates: 4 36 N, 74 05 W
time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard
Time)

Administrative divisions:
32 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1
capital district* (distrito capital); Amazonas, Antioquia, Arauca,
Atlantico, Bogota*, Bolivar, Boyaca, Caldas, Caqueta, Casanare,
Cauca, Cesar, Choco, Cordoba, Cundinamarca, Guainia, Guaviare,
Huila, La Guajira, Magdalena, Meta, Narino, Norte de Santander,
Putumayo, Quindio, Risaralda, San Andres y Providencia, Santander,
Sucre, Tolima, Valle del Cauca, Vaupes, Vichada

Independence:
20 July 1810 (from Spain)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 20 July (1810)

Constitution:
5 July 1991

Legal system:
based on Spanish law; a new criminal code modeled after US
procedures was enacted into law in 2004 and is gradually being
implemented; judicial review of executive and legislative acts

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Alvaro URIBE Velez (since 7 August 2002);
Vice President Francisco SANTOS (since 7 August 2002); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Alvaro URIBE Velez (since 7 August
2002); Vice President Francisco SANTOS (since 7 August 2002)
cabinet: Cabinet consists of a coalition of the three largest
parties that supported President URIBE's reelection - the PSUN, PC,
and CR - and independents
elections: president and vice president elected by popular vote for
a four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 28
May 2006 (next to be held in May 2010)
election results: President Alvaro URIBE Velez reelected president;
percent of vote - Alvaro URIBE Velez 62%, Carlos GAVIRIA Diaz 22%,
Horacio SERPA Uribe 12%, other 4%

Legislative branch:
bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the Senate or Senado
(102 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year
terms) and the House of Representatives or Camara de Representantes
(166 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year
terms)
elections: Senate - last held 12 March 2006 (next to be held in
March 2010); House of Representatives - last held 12 March 2006
(next to be held in March 2010)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - PSUN 20, PC 18, PL 18, CR 15, PDI 10, other parties 21;
House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - PL 35, PSUN 33, PC 29, CR 20, PDA 8, other parties 41

Judicial branch:
four roughly coequal, supreme judicial organs; Supreme Court of
Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (highest court of criminal law;
judges are selected by their peers from the nominees of the Superior
Judicial Council for eight-year terms); Council of State (highest
court of administrative law; judges are selected from the nominees
of the Superior Judicial Council for eight-year terms);
Constitutional Court (guards integrity and supremacy of the
constitution; rules on constitutionality of laws, amendments to the
constitution, and international treaties); Superior Judicial Council
(administers and disciplines the civilian judiciary; resolves
jurisdictional conflicts arising between other courts; members are
elected by three sister courts and Congress for eight-year terms)

Political parties and leaders:
Colombian Conservative Party or PC [Julio MANZUR Abdala];
Alternative Democratic Pole or PDA [Samuel MORENO Rojas]; Liberal
Party or PL [Cesar GAVIRIA Trujillo]; Social National Unity Party or
PSUN [Carlos GARCIA]; Radical Change or CR [German VARGAS Lleras]
note: Colombia has 15 formally recognized political parties, and
numerous unofficial parties that did not meet the vote threshold in
the March 2006 legislative elections required for recognition

Political pressure groups and leaders:
two largest insurgent groups active in Colombia - Revolutionary
Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC and National Liberation Army or ELN

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

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Carolina BARCO Isakson
chancery: 2118 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 387-8338
FAX: [1] (202) 232-8643
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los
Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico),
Washington, DC

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador William B. WOOD
embassy: Calle 22D-BIS, numbers 47-51, Apartado Aereo 3831
mailing address: Carrera 45 #22D-45, Bogota, D.C., APO AA 34038
telephone: [57] (1) 315-0811
FAX: [57] (1) 315-2197

Flag description:
three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double-width), blue, and
red; similar to the flag of Ecuador, which is longer and bears the
Ecuadorian coat of arms superimposed in the center

Economy Colombia

Economy - overview:
Colombia's economy has experienced positive growth over the past
three years despite a serious armed conflict. The economy continues
to improve in part because of austere government budgets, focused
efforts to reduce public debt levels, an export-oriented growth
strategy, an improved security situation in the country, and high
commodity prices. Ongoing economic problems facing President URIBE
range from reforming the pension system to reducing high
unemployment, and to achieving congressional passage of a fiscal
transfers reform. New exploration is needed to offset declining oil
production. International and domestic financial analysts note with
concern the growing central government deficit, which hovers at 5%
of GDP. However, the government's economic policy and democratic
security strategy have engendered a growing sense of confidence in
the economy, particularly within the business sector.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$366.7 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$105.5 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
5.4% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$8,400 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 12%
industry: 35.2%
services: 52.7% (2006 est.)

Labor force:
20.81 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 22.7%
industry: 18.7%
services: 58.5% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
11.1% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:
49.2% (2005)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 7.9%
highest 10%: 34.3% (2004)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
53.8 (2005)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.3% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
22.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $50.7 billion
expenditures: $52.29 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA
(2006 est.)

Public debt:
45.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:
coffee, cut flowers, bananas, rice, tobacco, corn, sugarcane, cocoa
beans, oilseed, vegetables; forest products; shrimp

Industries:
textiles, food processing, oil, clothing and footwear, beverages,
chemicals, cement; gold, coal, emeralds

Industrial production growth rate:
5.8% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:
46.93 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 26%
hydro: 72.7%
nuclear: 0%
other: 1.3% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
42.01 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:
1.682 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:
48 million kWh (2004)

Oil - production:
512,400 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:
269,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA bbl/day (2003)

Oil - imports:
NA bbl/day (2003)

Oil - proved reserves:
1.282 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:
6.18 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
6.18 billion cu m (2004 est.)

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

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

Natural gas - proved reserves:
114.4 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:
$-2.219 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:
$24.86 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:
petroleum, coffee, coal, nickel, emeralds, apparel, bananas, cut
flowers

Exports - partners:
US 41.8%, Venezuela 9.9%, Ecuador 6.3% (2005)

Imports:
$24.33 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:
industrial equipment, transportation equipment, consumer goods,
chemicals, paper products, fuels, electricity

Imports - partners:
US 28.5%, Mexico 8.3%, China 7.6%, Brazil 6.5%, Venezuela 5.7%
(2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$16.5 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:
$37.21 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$NA

Currency (code):
Colombian peso (COP)

Currency code:
COP

Exchange rates:
Colombian pesos per US dollar - 2,382.9 (2006), 2,320.75 (2005),
2,628.61 (2004), 2,877.65 (2003), 2,504.24 (2002)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Colombia

Telephones - main lines in use:
7,678,800 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
21.85 million (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: modern system in many respects
domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system; domestic
satellite system with 41 earth stations; fiber-optic network linking
50 cities
international: country code - 57; satellite earth stations - 6
Intelsat, 1 Inmarsat; 3 fully digitalized international switching
centers; 8 submarine cables

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 454, FM 34, shortwave 27 (1999)

Radios:
21 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
60 (includes seven low-power stations) (1997)

Televisions:
4.59 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.co

Internet hosts:
581,877 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
18 (2000)

Internet users:
4.739 million (2005)

Transportation Colombia

Airports:
984 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 101
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
1,524 to 2,437 m: 38
914 to 1,523 m: 40
under 914 m: 12 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 883
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 35
914 to 1,523 m: 275
under 914 m: 572 (2006)

Heliports:
2 (2006)

Pipelines:
gas 4,360 km; oil 6,140 km; refined products 3,158 km (2006)

Railways:
total: 3,304 km
standard gauge: 150 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 3,154 km 0.914-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:
total: 112,988 km
paved: 16,270 km
unpaved: 96,718 km (2004)

Waterways:
18,000 km (2005)

Merchant marine:
total: 17 ships (1000 GRT or over) 42,413 GRT/58,737 DWT
by type: cargo 13, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 3
registered in other countries: 7 (Antigua and Barbuda 2, Panama 5)
(2006)

Ports and terminals:
Barranquilla, Buenaventura, Cartagena, Muelles El Bosque, Puerto
Bolivar, Santa Marta, Turbo

Military Colombia

Military branches:
Army (Ejercito Nacional), National Navy (Armada Nacional, includes
naval aviation, marines, and coast guard), Colombian Air Force
(Fuerza Aerea de Colombia, FAC) (2006)

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service;
conscript service obligation - 24 months (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 10,212,456
females age 18-49: 10,561,562 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 6,986,228
females age 18-49: 8,794,465 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 389,735
females age 18-49: 383,146 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$3.3 billion (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
3.4% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Colombia

Disputes - international:
Nicaragua filed a claim against Honduras in 1999 and against
Colombia in 2001 at the ICJ over disputed maritime boundary
involving 50,000 sq km in the Caribbean Sea, including the
Archipelago de San Andres y Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank;
dispute with Venezuela over maritime boundary and Los Monjes Islands
near the Gulf of Venezuela; Colombian-organized illegal narcotics,
guerrilla, and paramilitary activities penetrate all of its
neighbors' borders and have created a serious refugee crisis with
over 300,000 persons having fled the country, mostly into
neighboring states

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 1.8-3.8 million (conflict between government and illegal
armed groups and FARC factions; drug wars) (2006)

Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of coca, opium poppy, and cannabis; world's
leading coca cultivator (cultivation of coca in 2004 was 114,100
hectares, virtually unchanged from 2003, but down one-third from its
peak of 169,800 ha); producing a potential of 430 mt of pure
cocaine; the world's largest producer of coca derivatives; supplying
most of the US market and the great majority of cocaine to other
international drug markets; important supplier of heroin to the US
market; opium poppy cultivation fell 50% between 2003 and 2004 to
2,100 hectares yielding a potential 3.8 metric tons of pure heroin,
mostly for the US market; in 2004, aerial eradication treated over
130,000 hectares of coca but aggressive replanting on the part of
growers means Colombia remains a key producer; a significant portion
of non-US narcotics proceeds are either laundered or invested in
Colombia through the black market peso exchange

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Comoros

Introduction Comoros

Background:
Comoros has endured 19 coups or attempted coups since gaining
independence from France in 1975. In 1997, the islands of Anjouan
and Moheli declared independence from Comoros. In 1999, military
chief Col. AZALI seized power. He pledged to resolve the
secessionist crisis through a confederal arrangement named the 2000
Fomboni Accord. In December 2001, voters approved a new constitution
and presidential elections took place in the spring of 2002. Each
island in the archipelago elected its own president and a new union
president took office in May 2002.

Geography Comoros

Location:
Southern Africa, group of islands at the northern mouth of the
Mozambique Channel, about two-thirds of the way between northern
Madagascar and northern Mozambique

Geographic coordinates:
12 10 S, 44 15 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 2,170 sq km
land: 2,170 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
340 km

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

Climate:
tropical marine; rainy season (November to May)

Terrain:
volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Le Kartala 2,360 m

Natural resources:
NEGL

Land use:
arable land: 35.87%
permanent crops: 23.32%
other: 40.81% (2005)

Irrigated land:
NA

Natural hazards:
cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April); Le
Kartala on Grand Comore is an active volcano

Environment - current issues:
soil degradation and erosion results from crop cultivation on
slopes without proper terracing; deforestation

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

Geography - note:
important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel

People Comoros

Population:
690,948 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 42.7% (male 148,009/female 147,038)
15-64 years: 54.3% (male 185,107/female 190,139)
65 years and over: 3% (male 9,672/female 10,983) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 18.6 years
male: 18.4 years
female: 18.9 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.87% (2006 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 72.85 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 81.27 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 64.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 62.33 years
male: 60 years
female: 64.72 years (2006 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.12% (2001 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Comoran(s)
adjective: Comoran

Ethnic groups:
Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava

Religions:
Sunni Muslim 98%, Roman Catholic 2%

Languages:
Arabic (official), French (official), Shikomoro (a blend of Swahili
and Arabic)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 56.5%
male: 63.6%
female: 49.3% (2003 est.)

Government Comoros

Country name:
conventional long form: Union of the Comoros
conventional short form: Comoros
local long form: Union des Comores
local short form: Comores

Government type:
republic

Capital:
name: Moroni
geographic coordinates: 11 41 S, 43 16 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:
3 islands and 4 municipalities*; Grande Comore (Njazidja), Anjouan
(Nzwani), Domoni*, Fomboni*, Moheli (Mwali), Moroni*, Moutsamoudou*

Independence:
6 July 1975 (from France)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 6 July (1975)

Constitution:
23 December 2001

Legal system:
French and Sharia (Islamic) law in a new consolidated code

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI (since 26 May 2006);
head of government: President Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI (since 26 May
2006);
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: as defined by the 2001 constitution, the presidency
rotates every four years among the elected presidents from the three
main islands in the Union; election last held 14 May 2006 (next to
be held by May 2010); prime minister appointed by the president;
note - the post of Prime Minister has been vacant since May 2002
election results: Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI elected president; percent of
vote - Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI 58.0%, Ibrahim HALIDI 28.3%, Mohamed
DJAANFAMI 13.7%

Legislative branch:
unicameral Assembly of the Union (33 seats; 15 deputies are
selected by the individual islands' local assemblies and the 18 by
universal suffrage; deputies serve for five years);
elections: last held 18 and 25 April 2004 (next to be held in 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
CdIA 12, CRC 6; note - 15 additional seats are filled by deputies
from local island assemblies

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Cour Supremes (two members appointed by the
president, two members elected by the Federal Assembly, one elected
by the Council of each island, and others are former presidents of
the republic)

Political parties and leaders:
Convention for the Renewal of the Comoros [AZALI Assowmani]; Camp
of the Autonomous Islands (a coalition of parties organized by the
island Presidents in opposition to the Union President); Front
National pour la Justice or FNJ [Ahmed RACHID] (Islamic party in
opposition); Mouvement pour la Democratie et le Progress or MDP-NGDC
[Abbas DJOUSSOUF]; Parti Comorien pour la Democratie et le Progress
or PCDP [Ali MROUDJAE]; Rassemblement National pour le Development
or RND [Omar TAMOU, Abdoulhamid AFFRAITANE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AMF, AU, COMESA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol,
IOC, ITU, LAS, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Representative to the US and Ambassador to the UN
Mahmoud M. ABOUD
chancery: Mission to the US, 336 East 45th Street (2nd floor), New
York, NY 10017
telephone: [1] (212) 750-1637

Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Comoros; the ambassador to
Madagascar is accredited to Comoros

Flag description:
four equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), white, red, and blue
with a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist; centered within
the triangle is a white crescent with the convex side facing the
hoist and four white, five-pointed stars placed vertically in a line
between the points of the crescent; the horizontal bands and the
four stars represent the four main islands of the archipelago -
Mwali, Njazidja, Nzwani, and Mayotte (a territorial collectivity of
France, but claimed by Comoros); the crescent, stars, and color
green are traditional symbols of Islam

Economy Comoros

Economy - overview:
One of the world's poorest countries, Comoros is made up of three
islands that have inadequate transportation links, a young and
rapidly increasing population, and few natural resources. The low
educational level of the labor force contributes to a subsistence
level of economic activity, high unemployment, and a heavy
dependence on foreign grants and technical assistance. Agriculture,
including fishing, hunting, and forestry, contributes 40% to GDP,
employs 80% of the labor force, and provides most of the exports.
The country is not self-sufficient in food production; rice, the
main staple, accounts for the bulk of imports. The government -
which is hampered by internal political disputes - is struggling to
upgrade education and technical training, privatize commercial and
industrial enterprises, improve health services, diversify exports,
promote tourism, and reduce the high population growth rate.
Increased foreign support is essential if the goal of 4% annual GDP
growth is to be met. Remittances from 150,000 Comorans abroad help
supplement GDP.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$441 million (2002 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$402 million (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$600 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 40%
industry: 4%
services: 56% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
144,500 (1996 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 80%
industry and services: 20%

Unemployment rate:
20% (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line:
60% (2002 est.)

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

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

Budget:
revenues: $27.6 million
expenditures: $NA (2001 est.)

Agriculture - products:
vanilla, cloves, perfume essences, copra, coconuts, bananas,
cassava (tapioca)

Industries:
fishing, tourism, perfume distillation

Industrial production growth rate:
-2% (1999 est.)

Electricity - production:
19 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 90.6%
hydro: 9.4%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
17.67 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:
720 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
NA bbl/day

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

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

Current account balance:
$-17 million (2005 est.)

Exports:
$34 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), cloves, copra

Exports - partners:
France 26.9%, Singapore 16.3%, Japan 14.6%, Germany 13.2%, US 5.6%,
Netherlands 5% (2005)

Imports:
$115 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods, petroleum products,
cement, transport equipment

Imports - partners:
France 19.2%, Kenya 18.2%, UAE 8.5%, South Africa 6.3%, Pakistan
5.6%, Belgium 4% (2005)

Debt - external:
$232 million (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$24 million (2003 est.)

Currency (code):
Comoran franc (KMF)

Currency code:
KMF

Exchange rates:
Comoran francs (KMF) per US dollar - 395.6 (2005), 396.21 (2004),
435.9 (2003), 522.74 (2002), note, the Comoran franc is pegged to
the euro at a rate of 491.9677 Comoran francs per euro

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Comoros

Telephones - main lines in use:
16,900 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
16,100 (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: sparse system of microwave radio relay and HF
radiotelephone communication stations
domestic: HF radiotelephone communications and microwave radio relay
international: country code - 269; HF radiotelephone communications
to Madagascar and Reunion

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios:
90,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
NA

Televisions:
1,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.km

Internet hosts:
5 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
20,000 (2005)

Transportation Comoros

Airports:
4 (2006)

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

Roadways:
total: 880 km
paved: 673 km
unpaved: 207 km (1999)

Merchant marine:
total: 121 ships (1000 GRT or over) 564,882 GRT/801,238 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 10, cargo 85, chemical tanker 1, container 1,
livestock carrier 1, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum
tanker 9, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 5, specialized
tanker 1
foreign-owned: 72 (Bangladesh 1, Bulgaria 1, Greece 10, India 1,
Kenya 1, Kuwait 1, Lebanon 6, Nigeria 2, Norway 1, Pakistan 2,
Philippines 1, Russia 4, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Saudi
Arabia 3, Syria 4, Turkey 11, UAE 6, Ukraine 14, US 2) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Mayotte, Moutsamoudou

Military Comoros

Military branches:
Comoran Defense Force: Comoran Security Force (includes Gendarmerie
and Army), Comoran Federal Police (2006)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 138,940
females age 18-49: 139,491 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 98,792
females age 18-49: 106,415 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$12.87 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
3% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Comoros

Disputes - international:
claims French-administered Mayotte

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Introduction Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Background:
Established as a Belgian colony in 1908, the Republic of the Congo
gained its independence in 1960, but its early years were marred by
political and social instability. Col. Joseph MOBUTU seized power
and declared himself president in a November 1965 coup. He
subsequently changed his name - to MOBUTU Sese Seko - as well as
that of the country - to Zaire. MOBUTU retained his position for 32
years through several subsequent sham elections, as well as through
the use of brutal force. Ethnic strife and civil war, touched off by
a massive inflow of refugees in 1994 from fighting in Rwanda and
Burundi, led in May 1997 to the toppling of the MOBUTU regime by a
rebellion led by Laurent KABILA. He renamed the country the
Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), but in August 1998 his
regime was itself challenged by an insurrection backed by Rwanda and
Uganda. Troops from Angola, Chad, Namibia, Sudan, and Zimbabwe
intervened to support the Kinshasa regime. A cease-fire was signed
in July 1999 by the DRC, Congolese armed rebel groups, Angola,
Namibia, Rwanda, Uganda, and Zimbabwe but sporadic fighting
continued. Laurent KABILA was assassinated in January 2001 and his
son, Joseph KABILA, was named head of state. In October 2002, the
new president was successful in negotiating the withdrawal of
Rwandan forces occupying eastern Congo; two months later, the
Pretoria Accord was signed by all remaining warring parties to end
the fighting and establish a government of national unity. A
transitional government was set up in July 2003; with Joseph KABILA
as president and joined by four vice presidents representing the
former government, former rebel groups, and the political
opposition. The transitional government held a successful
constitutional referendum in December 2005 and elections for the
presidency, National Assembly, and provincial legislatures in 2006.
KABILA was inaugurated president in December 2006.

Geography Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Location:
Central Africa, northeast of Angola

Geographic coordinates:
0 00 N, 25 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 2,345,410 sq km
land: 2,267,600 sq km
water: 77,810 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly less than one-fourth the size of the US

Land boundaries:
total: 10,730 km
border countries: Angola 2,511 km (of which 225 km is the boundary
of Angola's discontiguous Cabinda Province), Burundi 233 km, Central
African Republic 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Rwanda
217 km, Sudan 628 km, Tanzania 459 km, Uganda 765 km, Zambia 1,930 km

Coastline:
37 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: boundaries with neighbors

Climate:
tropical; hot and humid in equatorial river basin; cooler and drier
in southern highlands; cooler and wetter in eastern highlands; north
of Equator - wet season (April to October), dry season (December to
February); south of Equator - wet season (November to March), dry
season (April to October)

Terrain:
vast central basin is a low-lying plateau; mountains in east

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pic Marguerite on Mont Ngaliema (Mount Stanley) 5,110
m

Natural resources:
cobalt, copper, niobium, tantalum, petroleum, industrial and gem
diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, uranium, coal,
hydropower, timber

Land use:
arable land: 2.86%
permanent crops: 0.47%
other: 96.67% (2005)

Irrigated land:
110 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
periodic droughts in south; Congo River floods (seasonal); in the
east, in the Great Rift Valley, there are active volcanoes

Environment - current issues:
poaching threatens wildlife populations; water pollution;
deforestation; refugees responsible for significant deforestation,
soil erosion, and wildlife poaching; mining of minerals (coltan - a
mineral used in creating capacitors, diamonds, and gold) causing
environmental damage

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone
Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note:
straddles equator; has very narrow strip of land that controls the
lower Congo River and is only outlet to South Atlantic Ocean; dense
tropical rain forest in central river basin and eastern highlands

People Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Population:
62,660,551
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 47.4% (male 14,906,488/female 14,798,210)
15-64 years: 50.1% (male 15,597,353/female 15,793,350)
65 years and over: 2.5% (male 632,143/female 933,007) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 16.2 years
male: 16 years
female: 16.4 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
3.07% (2006 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
0.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: fighting between the Congolese Government and Uganda- and
Rwanda-backed Congolese rebels spawned a regional war in DRC in
August 1998, which left 2.33 million Congolese internally displaced
and caused 412,000 Congolese refugees to flee to surrounding
countries (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 88.62 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 96.9 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 80.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 51.46 years
male: 50.01 years
female: 52.94 years (2006 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
4.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
1.1 million (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
100,000 (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, plague, and African trypanosomiasis
(sleeping sickness) are high risks in some locations
water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2007)

Nationality:
noun: Congolese (singular and plural)
adjective: Congolese or Congo

Ethnic groups:
over 200 African ethnic groups of which the majority are Bantu; the
four largest tribes - Mongo, Luba, Kongo (all Bantu), and the
Mangbetu-Azande (Hamitic) make up about 45% of the population

Religions:
Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 20%, Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim 10%,
other syncretic sects and indigenous beliefs 10%

Languages:
French (official), Lingala (a lingua franca trade language),
Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or Swahili), Kikongo, Tshiluba

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write French, Lingala,
Kingwana, or Tshiluba
total population: 65.5%
male: 76.2%
female: 55.1% (2003 est.)

Government Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Country name:
conventional long form: Democratic Republic of the Congo
conventional short form: none
local long form: Republique Democratique du Congo
local short form: none
former: Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, Congo/Leopoldville,
Congo/Kinshasa, Zaire
abbreviation: DRC

Government type:
transitional government

Capital:
name: Kinshasa
geographic coordinates: 4 18 S, 15 18 E
time difference: UTC+1 (six hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:
10 provinces (provinces, singular - province) and 1 city* (ville);
Bandundu, Bas-Congo, Equateur, Kasai-Occidental, Kasai-Oriental,
Katanga, Kinshasa*, Maniema, Nord-Kivu, Orientale, Sud-Kivu
note: According to the Constitution adopted in December 2005, the
current administrative divisions will be subdivided into 26 new
provinces

Independence:
30 June 1960 (from Belgium)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 30 June (1960)

Constitution:
18 February 2006

Legal system:
a new constitution was adopted by referendum 18 December 2005;
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Joseph KABILA (since 26 January 2001);
note - following the assassination of his father, Laurent Desire
KABILA, on 16 January 2001, Joseph KABILA succeeded to the
presidency, his presidency was reconfirmed by the October 2006
elections; the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Joseph KABILA (since 26 January 2001);
note - following the assassination of his father, Laurent Desire
KABILA, on 16 January 2001, Joseph KABILA succeeded to the
presidency, his presidency was reconfirmed by the October 2006
elections; the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: National Executive Council appointed by the president
elections: under the new constitution the president is elected by
popular vote to a five-year term (eligible for a second term);
elections last held 30 July 2006 with a second round held on 29
October 2006 (next to be held in 2011)
election results: results of 29 October 2006 elections (second
round); Joseph KABILA 58%, Jean-Pierre BEMBA Gombo 42%
note: Joseph KABILA succeeded his father, Laurent Desire KABILA,
following the latter's assassination in January 2001; negotiations
with rebel leaders led to the establishment of a transitional
government in July 2003 with free elections held on 30 July 2006 and
29 October 2006 where the poplar vote confirmed Joseph KABILA as
president

Legislative branch:
bicameral legislature consists of a National Assembly (500 seats;
60 members elected by majority vote in single-member constituencies
440 members elected by open list proportional-representation in
multi-member constituencies; members serve 5-year terms) and a
Senate (108 seats; members elected by provincial assemblies to serve
5-year terms)
elections: National Assembly - last held 30 July 2006 (next to be
held in 2011)
election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - PPRD 111, MLC 64, PALU 34, MSR 27, FR 26, RCD 15,
Independents 63, others 160 (includes 63 political parties that won
fewer than 10 seats)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Political parties and leaders:
Congolese Rally for Democracy or RCD [Azaria RUBERWA]; Forces for
Renovation for Union and Solidarity or FONUS [Joseph OLENGHANKOY];
Forces of Renewal or FR [Mbusa NYAMWISI]; Movement for the
Liberation of the Congo or MLC [Jean-Pierre BEMBA]; National
Congolese Lumumbist Movement or MNC [Francois LUMUMBA]; People's
Party for Reconstruction and Democracy or PPRD [Joseph Kabila];
Social Movement for Renewal or MSR; Unified Lumumbast Party or PALU
[Antoine GIZENGA]; Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS
[Etienne TSHISEKEDI wa Mulumba]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL, COMESA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (suspended), ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW,
PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Faida MITIFU
chancery: 1800 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009: note -
Consular Office at 1726 M Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 234-7690, 7691
FAX: [1] (202) 234-2609

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Roger MEECE
embassy: 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa
mailing address: Unit 31550, APO AE 09828
telephone: [243] (88) 43608
FAX: [243] (88) 43467

Flag description:
sky blue field divided diagonally from the lower hoist corner to
upper fly corner by a red stripe bordered by two narrow yellow
stripes; a yellow, five-pointed star appears in the upper hoist
corner

Economy Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Economy - overview:
The economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo - a nation
endowed with vast potential wealth - has declined drastically since
the mid-1980s. The war, which began in August 1998, dramatically
reduced national output and government revenue, increased external
debt, and resulted in the deaths of perhaps 3.5 million people from
violence, famine, and disease. Foreign businesses curtailed
operations due to uncertainty about the outcome of the conflict,
lack of infrastructure, and the difficult operating environment.
Conditions improved in late 2002 with the withdrawal of a large
portion of the invading foreign troops. The transitional government
has reopened relations with international financial institutions and
international donors, and President KABILA has begun implementing
reforms. Much economic activity lies outside the GDP data. Economic
stability improved in 2003-06, although an uncertain legal
framework, corruption, and a lack of openness in government policy
continues to hamper growth. In 2005-06, renewed activity in the
mining sector, the source of most exports, boosted Kinshasa's fiscal
position and GDP growth. Business and economic prospects are
expected to improve once a new government is installed after
elections.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$44.6 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$8.061 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
7.5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$700 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 55%
industry: 11%
services: 34% (2000 est.)

Labor force:
14.51 million (1993 est.)

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

Unemployment rate:
NA%