Chapter XXVI: Front Matter (26)

Political parties and leaders:
Alliance '90/Greens [Claudia ROTH and Reinhard BUETIKOFER];
Christian Democratic Union or CDU [Angela MERKEL]; Christian Social
Union or CSU [Edmund STOIBER, chairman]; Free Democratic Party or
FDP [Guido WESTERWELLE, chairman]; Left Party.PDS (Linkspartei.PDS)
[Lothar BISKY]; note - a merger with the Electoral Alternative-Work
and Social Justice or WASG [Klaus ERNST] is planned for summer 2007;
Social Democratic Party or SPD [Kurt BECK]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
business associations and employers' organizations; religious,
trade unions, immigrant, expellee, and veterans groups

International organization participation:
AfDB, Arctic Council (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC
(observer), CBSS, CDB, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO,
G- 5, G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM,
IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS
(observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, SECI (observer), UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOVIC, UNOMIG,
UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Klaus SCHARIOTH
chancery: 4645 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 298-4000
FAX: [1] (202) 298-4249
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los
Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador William R. TIMKEN, Jr.
embassy: Neustaedtische Kirchstrasse 4-5, 10117 Berlin; note - a new
embassy will be built near the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin; ground
was broken in October 2004 and completion is scheduled for 2008
mailing address: PSC 120, Box 1000, APO AE 09265
telephone: [49] (030) 8305-0
FAX: [49] (030) 8305-1215
consulate(s) general: Duesseldorf, Frankfurt am Main, Hamburg,
Leipzig, Munich

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and gold

Economy Germany

Economy - overview:
Germany's affluent and technologically powerful economy - the fifth
largest in the world - has become one of the slowest growing
economies in the euro zone. A quick turnaround is not in the offing
in the foreseeable future; however, stronger growth this year has
improved employment considerably. Growth in 2001-03 fell short of
1%, rising to 1.7% in 2004, falling back to 0.9% in 2005, and
increasing to 2.2% in 2006. Unemployment fell to 7.1% in October
2006, based on the Internation Labor Organization's measurement. The
modernization and integration of the eastern German economy
continues to be a costly long-term process, with annual transfers
from west to east amounting to roughly $70 billion. Germany's aging
population, combined with high chronic unemployment, has pushed
social security outlays to a level exceeding contributions from
workers. Structural rigidities in the labor market - including
strict regulations on laying off workers and the setting of wages on
a national basis - and a lack of competition in the sevice sectors
have made slow growth a chronic problem. Corporate restructuring and
growing capital markets are setting the foundations that could help
Germany meet the long-term challenges of European economic
integration and globalization; however, the current government has
failed to pass meaningful economic reform that would improve growth
prospects. Higher government revenues from the cyclical upturn in
2006 reduced Germany's budget deficit to within the EU's 3% debt
limit.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$2.585 trillion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$2.858 trillion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
2.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$31,400 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 0.9%
industry: 29.1%
services: 70% (2006 est.)

Labor force:
43.66 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 2.8%
industry: 33.4%
services: 63.8% (1999)

Unemployment rate:
7.1%
note: this is the International Labor Organization's estimated rate
for international comparisons; Germany's Federal Employment Office
estimated a seasonally adjusted rate of 9.8% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.6%
highest 10%: 25.1% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
28.3 (2000)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.7% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
17.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $1.277 trillion
expenditures: $1.344 trillion; including capital expenditures of $NA
(2006 est.)

Public debt:
66.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:
potatoes, wheat, barley, sugar beets, fruit, cabbages; cattle,
pigs, poultry

Industries:
among the world's largest and most technologically advanced
producers of iron, steel, coal, cement, chemicals, machinery,
vehicles, machine tools, electronics, food and beverages,
shipbuilding, textiles

Industrial production growth rate:
4.4% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:
566.9 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 61.8%
hydro: 4.2%
nuclear: 29.9%
other: 4.1% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
524.6 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:
50.8 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:
48.2 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:
167,400 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:
2.65 million bbl/day (2004)

Oil - exports:
12,990 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - imports:
2.135 million bbl/day (2003)

Oil - proved reserves:
395.8 million bbl (1 January 2004)

Natural gas - production:
19.9 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
102 billion cu m (2005 est.)

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

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

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

Current account balance:
$134.8 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:
$1.133 trillion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:
machinery, vehicles, chemicals, metals and manufactures,
foodstuffs, textiles

Exports - partners:
France 10.2%, US 8.8%, UK 7.9%, Italy 6.9%, Netherlands 6.1%,
Belgium 5.6%, Austria 5.4%, Spain 5.1% (2005)

Imports:
$916.4 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery, vehicles, chemicals, foodstuffs, textiles, metals

Imports - partners:
France 8.7%, Netherlands 8.5%, US 6.6%, China 6.4%, UK 6.3%, Italy
5.7%, Belgium 5%, Austria 4% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$48.76 billion (August 2006 est.)

Debt - external:
$3.904 trillion (30 June 2006)

Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $5.6 billion (1998)

Currency (code):
euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:
EUR

Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 0.7967 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004),
0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Germany

Telephones - main lines in use:
55.046 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
79.2 million (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: Germany has one of the world's most
technologically advanced telecommunications systems; as a result of
intensive capital expenditures since reunification, the formerly
backward system of the eastern part of the country, dating back to
World War II, has been modernized and integrated with that of the
western part
domestic: Germany is served by an extensive system of automatic
telephone exchanges connected by modern networks of fiber-optic
cable, coaxial cable, microwave radio relay, and a domestic
satellite system; cellular telephone service is widely available,
expanding rapidly, and includes roaming service to many foreign
countries
international: country code - 49; Germany's international service is
excellent worldwide, consisting of extensive land and undersea cable
facilities as well as earth stations in the Inmarsat, Intelsat,
Eutelsat, and Intersputnik satellite systems (2001)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 51, FM 787, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios:
77.8 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
373 (plus 8,042 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
51.4 million (1998)

Internet country code:
.de

Internet hosts:
11,859,131 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
200 (2001)

Internet users:
50.616 million (2006)

Transportation Germany

Airports:
554 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 332
over 3,047 m: 13
2,438 to 3,047 m: 54
1,524 to 2,437 m: 58
914 to 1,523 m: 72
under 914 m: 135 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 222
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 33
under 914 m: 185 (2006)

Heliports:
32 (2006)

Pipelines:
condensate 37 km; gas 25,035 km; oil 3,546 km; refined products
3,827 km (2006)

Railways:
total: 47,201 km
standard gauge: 46,948 km 1.435-m gauge (19,674 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 229 km 1.000-m gauge (16 km electrified); 24 km
0.750-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:
total: 231,581 km
paved: 231,581 km (including 12,200 km of expressways) (2005)

Waterways:
7,467 km
note: Rhine River carries most goods; Main-Danube Canal links North
Sea and Black Sea (2005)

Merchant marine:
total: 394 ships (1000 GRT or over) 11,017,754 GRT/13,091,194 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 60, chemical tanker 13, container
273, liquefied gas 3, passenger 6, passenger/cargo 25, petroleum
tanker 10, roll on/roll off 3
foreign-owned: 4 (Finland 2, Italy 1, Switzerland 1)
registered in other countries: 2,491 (Antigua and Barbuda 858,
Australia 3, Bahamas 22, Belize 3, Bermuda 21, Brazil 7, Bulgaria 1,
Burma 5, Canada 3, Cayman Islands 13, Cyprus 214, Denmark 13,
Dominica 1, French Southern and Antarctic Lands 2, Georgia 1,
Gibraltar 108, Guyana 1, Hong Kong 6, Indonesia 1, Ireland 2, Isle
of Man 56, Jamaica 3, Liberia 587, Luxembourg 10, Malaysia 2, Malta
64, Marshall Islands 194, Morocco 2, Netherlands 56, Netherlands
Antilles 60, NZ 1, Panama 35, Portugal 17, Russia 2, Saint Vincent
and the Grenadines 8, Samoa 1, Singapore 9, Spain 12, Sri Lanka 5,
Sweden 3, Turkey 1, UK 76, US 2) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Bremen, Bremerhaven, Brunsbuttel, Duisburg, Frankfurt, Hamburg,
Karlsruhe, Mainz, Rostock, Wilhemshaven

Military Germany

Military branches:
Federal Armed Forces (Bundeswehr): Army (Heer), Navy (Deutsche
Marine, includes naval air arm), Air Force (Luftwaffe), Joint
Service Support Command (Streitkraeftebasis), Central Medical
Service (Zentraler Sanitaetsdienst) (2006)

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age (conscripts serve a nine-month tour of compulsory
military service) (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 18,917,537
females age 18-49: 17,913,113 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 15,258,931
females age 18-49: 14,443,412 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 497,048
females age 18-49: 470,537 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$35.063 billion (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.5% (2003)

Transnational Issues Germany

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
source of precursor chemicals for South American cocaine
processors; transshipment point for and consumer of Southwest Asian
heroin, Latin American cocaine, and European-produced synthetic
drugs; major financial center

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Ghana

Introduction Ghana

Background:
Formed from the merger of the British colony of the Gold Coast and
the Togoland trust territory, Ghana in 1957 became the first
sub-Saharan country in colonial Africa to gain its independence. A
long series of coups resulted in the suspension of the constitution
in 1981 and a ban on political parties. A new constitution,
restoring multiparty politics, was approved in 1992. Lt. Jerry
RAWLINGS, head of state since 1981, won presidential elections in
1992 and 1996, but was constitutionally prevented from running for a
third term in 2000. John KUFUOR, who defeated former Vice President
John ATTA-MILLS in a free and fair election, succeeded him.

Geography Ghana

Location:
Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote d'Ivoire
and Togo

Geographic coordinates:
8 00 N, 2 00 W

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 239,460 sq km
land: 230,940 sq km
water: 8,520 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries:
total: 2,094 km
border countries: Burkina Faso 549 km, Cote d'Ivoire 668 km, Togo
877 km

Coastline:
539 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast; hot and
humid in southwest; hot and dry in north

Terrain:
mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Afadjato 880 m

Natural resources:
gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish,
rubber, hydropower, petroleum, silver, salt, limestone

Land use:
arable land: 17.54%
permanent crops: 9.22%
other: 73.24% (2005)

Irrigated land:
310 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
dry, dusty, northeastern harmattan winds occur from January to
March; droughts

Environment - current issues:
recurrent drought in north severely affects agricultural
activities; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; poaching and
habitat destruction threatens wildlife populations; water pollution;
inadequate supplies of potable water

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

Geography - note:
Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake

People Ghana

Population:
22,409,572
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: 38.8% (male 4,395,744/female 4,288,720)
15-64 years: 57.7% (male 6,450,828/female 6,483,781)
65 years and over: 3.5% (male 371,428/female 419,071) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 19.9 years
male: 19.7 years
female: 20.1 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.07% (2006 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
-0.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 55.02 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 59.56 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 50.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 58.87 years
male: 58.07 years
female: 59.69 years (2006 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
3.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
350,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
30,000 (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 (2007)

Nationality:
noun: Ghanaian(s)
adjective: Ghanaian

Ethnic groups:
African 98.5% (includes Akan 44%, Moshi-Dagomba 16%, Ewe 13%, Ga
8%, Gurma 3%, Yoruba 1%), European and other 1.5% (1998)

Religions:
Christian 63%, Muslim 16%, indigenous beliefs 21%

Languages:
English (official), African languages (including Akan,
Moshi-Dagomba, Ewe, and Ga)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 74.8%
male: 82.7%
female: 67.1% (2003 est.)

Government Ghana

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Ghana
conventional short form: Ghana
former: Gold Coast

Government type:
constitutional democracy

Capital:
name: Accra
geographic coordinates: 5 33 N, 0 13 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:
10 regions; Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra,
Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Western

Independence:
6 March 1957 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 6 March (1957)

Constitution:
approved 28 April 1992

Legal system:
based on English common law and customary law; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President John Agyekum KUFUOR (since 7 January
2001); Vice President Alhaji Aliu MAHAMA (since 7 January 2001);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President John Agyekum KUFUOR (since 7 January
2001); Vice President Alhaji Aliu MAHAMA (since 7 January 2001);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Council of Ministers; president nominates members subject
to approval by Parliament
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term);
election last held 7 December 2004 (next to be held December 2008)
election results: John Agyekum KUFUOR reelected president in
election; percent of vote - John KUFUOR 53.4%, John ATTA-MILLS 43.7%

Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament (230 seats; note - increased from 200 seats
in last election; members are elected by direct, popular vote to
serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 7 December 2004 (next to be held December 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
NPP 128, NDC 92, other 10

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:
Convention People's Party or CPP [Nii Noi DOWUONA, general
secretary]; Democratic Freedom Party or DFP [Obed ASAMOAH,
chairman]; Every Ghanaian Living Everywhere or EGLE [Owuraku AMOFA,
chairman]; Great Consolidated Popular Party or GCPP [Dan LARTY];
National Convention Party or NCP [Sarpong KUMA-KUMA]; National
Democratic Congress or NDC [Dr. Huudu YAHAYA, general secretary];
New Patriotic Party or NPP [Samuel Arthur ODOI-SYKES]; People's
Convention Party or PCP [P. K. DONKOH-AYIFI, acting chairman];
People's Heritage Party or PHP [Emmanuel Alexander ERSKINE];
People's National Convention or PNC [Edward MAHAMA]; Reform Party
[Kyeretwie OPUKU, general secretary]; United Renaissance Party or
URP [Charles Wayo, chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer),
OIF, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR,
UNMEE, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Fritz Kwabena POKU
chancery: 1156 15th St. NW #905, Washington, DC 20005
telephone: [1] (202) 785-1379
FAX: [1] (202) 785-1430
consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Pamela BRIDGEWATER
embassy: 6th and 10th Lanes, 798/1 Osu, Accra
mailing address: P. O. Box 194, Accra
telephone: [233] (21) 775-347, 775-348
FAX: [233] (21) 701-813

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green with a
large black five-pointed star centered in the yellow band; uses the
popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the flag of
Bolivia, which has a coat of arms centered in the yellow band

Economy Ghana

Economy - overview:
Well endowed with natural resources, Ghana has roughly twice the
per capita output of the poorest countries in West Africa. Even so,
Ghana remains heavily dependent on international financial and
technical assistance. Gold, timber, and cocoa production are major
sources of foreign exchange. The domestic economy continues to
revolve around subsistence agriculture, which accounts for 34% of
GDP and employs 60% of the work force, mainly small landholders.
Ghana opted for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Country
(HIPC) program in 2002, but was included in a G-8 debt relief
program decided upon at the Gleneagles Summit in July 2005.
Priorities under its current $38 million Poverty Reduction and
Growth Facility (PRGF) include tighter monetary and fiscal policies,
accelerated privatization, and improvement of social services.
Receipts from the gold sector helped sustain GDP growth in 2006
along with record high prices for Ghana's largest cocoa crop to
date. Ghana received a Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) grant
in 2006, which aims to assist in transforming Ghana's agricultural
export sector.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$59.15 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$10.18 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
5.7% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,600 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 37.3%
industry: 25.3%
services: 37.5% (2006 est.)

Labor force:
10.87 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 60%
industry: 15%
services: 25% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
20% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line:
31.4% (1992 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.2%
highest 10%: 30.1% (1999)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
30 (1999)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
10.9% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
29% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $3.616 billion
expenditures: $3.947 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA
(2006 est.)

Public debt:
38.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:
cocoa, rice, coffee, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, corn, shea nuts,
bananas; timber

Industries:
mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum smelting, food
processing, cement, small commercial ship building

Industrial production growth rate:
3.8% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
6.489 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 5%
hydro: 95%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
7.095 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:
900 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:
1.96 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:
7,477 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
44,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
NA bbl/day

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

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

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

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

Current account balance:
$-219 million (2006 est.)

Exports:
$3.286 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:
gold, cocoa, timber, tuna, bauxite, aluminum, manganese ore,
diamonds

Exports - partners:
Netherlands 12.5%, UK 8.3%, US 6.7%, Belgium 5.8%, France 5.6%,
Germany 4.4% (2005)

Imports:
$5.666 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:
capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
Nigeria 15.2%, China 12.5%, US 6.3%, UK 5.2%, South Africa 4.5%,
Brazil 4.1%, Netherlands 4% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$2.098 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:
$3.546 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$6.9 billion

Currency (code):
cedi (GHC)

Currency code:
GHC

Exchange rates:
cedis per US dollar - 9,178.85 (2006), 9,072.5 (2005), 9,004.6
(2004), 8,677.4 (2003), 7,932.7 (2002)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Ghana

Telephones - main lines in use:
321,500 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
2.842 million (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: poor to fair system; Internet accessible; many
rural communities not yet connected; expansion of services is
underway
domestic: primarily microwave radio relay; wireless local loop has
been installed
international: country code - 233; satellite earth stations - 4
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); microwave radio relay link to Panaftel
system connects Ghana to its neighbors; fiber optic submarine cable
(SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 49, shortwave 3 (2001)

Radios:
12.5 million (2001)

Television broadcast stations:
10 (2001)

Televisions:
1.9 million (2001)

Internet country code:
.gh

Internet hosts:
380 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
12 (2000)

Internet users:
401,300 (2005)

Transportation Ghana

Airports:
12 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 7
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Pipelines:
oil 13 km; refined products 316 km (2006)

Railways:
total: 953 km
narrow gauge: 953 km 1.067-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:
total: 42,623 km
paved: 3,267 km
unpaved: 39,356 km (2004)

Waterways:
1,293 km
note: 168 km for launches and lighters on Volta, Ankobra, and Tano
rivers; 1,125 km of arterial and feeder waterways on Lake Volta
(2005)

Merchant marine:
total: 4 ships (1000 GRT or over) 6,308 GRT/9,418 DWT
by type: cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 2
foreign-owned: 1 (Brazil 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Takoradi, Tema

Military Ghana

Military branches:
Ghanaian Army, Ghanaian Navy, Ghanaian Air Force (2006)

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

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 4,808,451
females age 18-49: 4,762,459 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 3,011,081
females age 18-49: 2,991,551 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 251,056
females age 18-49: 247,777 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$83.65 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.8% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Ghana

Disputes - international:
Ghana struggles to accommodate returning nationals who worked in
the cocoa plantations and escaped fighting in Cote d'Ivoire

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 38,684 (Liberia), 14,136 (Togo) (2006)

Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade;
major transit hub for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin and, to a
lesser extent, South American cocaine destined for Europe and the
US; widespread crime and money laundering problem, but the lack of a
well-developed financial infrastructure limits the country's utility
as a money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Gibraltar

Introduction Gibraltar

Background:
Strategically important, Gibraltar was reluctantly ceded to Great
Britain by Spain in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht; the British garrison
was formally declared a colony in 1830. In a referendum held in
1967, Gibraltarians voted overwhelmingly to remain a British
dependency. Although the current 1969 Constitution for Gibraltar
states that the British government will never allow the people of
Gibraltar to pass under the sovereignty of another state against
their freely and democratically expressed wishes, a series of talks
were held by the UK and Spain between 1997 and 2002 on establishing
temporary joint sovereignty over Gibraltar. In response to these
talks, the Gibraltarian Government set up a referendum in late 2002
in which a majority of the citizens voted overwhelmingly against any
sharing of sovereignty with Spain. Since the referendum, tripartite
talks have been held with Spain, the UK, and Gibraltar, and in
September 2006 a three-way agreement was signed. Spain agreed to
allow airlines other than British to serve Gibraltar, to speed up
customs procedures, and to add more telephone lines into Gibraltar.
Britain agreed to pay pensions to Spaniards who had been employed in
Gibraltar before the border closed in 1969. Spain will be allowed to
open a cultural institute from which the Spanish flag will fly.

Geography Gibraltar

Location:
Southwestern Europe, bordering the Strait of Gibraltar, which links
the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southern
coast of Spain

Geographic coordinates:
36 8 N, 5 21 W

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 6.5 sq km
land: 6.5 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
total: 1.2 km
border countries: Spain 1.2 km

Coastline:
12 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 3 nm

Climate:
Mediterranean with mild winters and warm summers

Terrain:
a narrow coastal lowland borders the Rock of Gibraltar

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Rock of Gibraltar 426 m

Natural resources:
none

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

Irrigated land:
NA

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
limited natural freshwater resources: large concrete or natural
rock water catchments collect rainwater (no longer used for drinking
water) and adequate desalination plant

Geography - note:
strategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links the North
Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea

People Gibraltar

Population:
27,928 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 17.5% (male 2,499/female 2,388)
15-64 years: 66% (male 9,443/female 8,999)
65 years and over: 16.5% (male 2,059/female 2,540) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 39.8 years
male: 39.4 years
female: 40.1 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.14% (2006 est.)

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

Death rate:
9.31 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: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 5.06 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.63 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.8 years
male: 76.92 years
female: 82.83 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.65 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: Gibraltarian(s)
adjective: Gibraltar

Ethnic groups:
Spanish, Italian, English, Maltese, Portuguese, German, North
Africans

Religions:
Roman Catholic 78.1%, Church of England 7%, other Christian 3.2%,
Muslim 4%, Jewish 2.1%, Hindu 1.8%, other or unspecified 0.9%, none
2.9% (2001 census)

Languages:
English (used in schools and for official purposes), Spanish,
Italian, Portuguese

Literacy:
definition: NA
total population: above 80%
male: NA
female: NA

Government Gibraltar

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Gibraltar

Dependency status:
overseas territory of the UK

Government type:
NA

Capital:
name: Gibraltar
geographic coordinates: 39 11 N, 5 22 W
time difference: UTC+1 (6 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 (overseas territory of the UK)

Independence:
none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:
National Day, 10 September (1967); note - day of the national
referendum to decide whether to remain with the UK or go with Spain

Constitution:
30 May 1969

Legal system:
English law

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal, plus other British citizens who have
been residents six months or more

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor Sir Robert FULTON (since 27 October 2006)
head of government: Chief Minister Peter CARUANA (since 17 May 1996)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed from among the 15 elected
members of the House of Assembly by the governor in consultation
with the chief minister
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by
the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually
appointed chief minister by the governor

Legislative branch:
unicameral House of Assembly (18 seats - 15 elected by popular
vote, 1 appointed for the Speaker, and 2 ex officio members; members
serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 27 November 2003 (next to be held not later
than February 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - GSD 58%, GSLP 41%;
seats by party - GSD 8, GSLP 7

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders:
Gibraltar Liberal Party [Joseph GARCIA]; Gibraltar Social Democrats
or GSD [Peter CARUANA]; Gibraltar Socialist Labor Party or GSLP
[Joseph John BOSSANO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Chamber of Commerce; Gibraltar Representatives Organization;
Women's Association

International organization participation:
Interpol (subbureau), UPU

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

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

Flag description:
two horizontal bands of white (top, double width) and red with a
three-towered red castle in the center of the white band; hanging
from the castle gate is a gold key centered in the red band

Economy Gibraltar

Economy - overview:
Self-sufficient Gibraltar benefits from an extensive shipping
trade, offshore banking, and its position as an international
conference center. The British military presence has been sharply
reduced and now contributes about 7% to the local economy, compared
with 60% in 1984. The financial sector, tourism (almost 5 million
visitors in 1998), shipping services fees, and duties on consumer
goods also generate revenue. The financial sector, the shipping
sector, and tourism each contribute 25%-30% of GDP.
Telecommunications accounts for another 10%. In recent years,
Gibraltar has seen major structural change from a public to a
private sector economy, but changes in government spending still
have a major impact on the level of employment.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$769 million (2000 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
NA

GDP - real growth rate:
NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$27,900 (2000 est.)

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

Labor force:
12,690 (including non-Gibraltar laborers) (2001)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: negligible
industry: 40%
services: 60%

Unemployment rate:
2% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.5% (1998)

Budget:
revenues: $307 million
expenditures: $284 million; including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY00/01 est.)

Agriculture - products:
none

Industries:
tourism, banking and finance, ship repairing, tobacco

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - production:
131.2 million kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:
122 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2004)

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

Oil - consumption:
24,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA bbl/day (2001)

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

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

Exports:
$271 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
(principally reexports) petroleum 51%, manufactured goods 41%,
other 8%

Exports - partners:
UK 30.8%, Spain 22.7%, Germany 13.7%, Turkmenistan 10.4%,
Switzerland 8.3%, Italy 6.7% (2005)

Imports:
$2.967 billion c.i.f. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
fuels, manufactured goods, and foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
Spain 23.4%, Russia 12.3%, Italy 12%, UK 9%, France 8.9%,
Netherlands 6.8%, US 4.7% (2005)

Debt - external:
$NA (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$NA

Currency (code):
Gibraltar pound (GIP)

Currency code:
GIP

Exchange rates:
Gibraltar pounds per US dollar - 0.54413 (2006), 0.55 (2005),
0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003), 0.6672 (2002), note, the Gibraltar
pound is at par with the British pound

Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

Communications Gibraltar

Telephones - main lines in use:
24,512 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
9,797 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate, automatic domestic system and
adequate international facilities
domestic: automatic exchange facilities
international: country code - 350; radiotelephone; microwave radio
relay; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
37,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (plus three low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
10,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.gi

Internet hosts:
641 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
6,200 (2002)

Transportation Gibraltar

Airports:
1 (2006)

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

Roadways:
total: 29 km
paved: 29 km (2002)

Merchant marine:
total: 180 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,129,379 GRT/1,437,754 DWT
by type: barge carrier 3, bulk carrier 1, cargo 105, chemical tanker
26, container 26, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 11, roll on/roll off
6, specialized tanker 1
foreign-owned: 165 (Belgium 2, Cyprus 1, Denmark 1, Finland 3,
France 1, Germany 108, Greece 7, Iceland 1, Ireland 1, Italy 6,
Latvia 2, Netherlands 5, Norway 18, Sweden 5, UK 4) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Gibraltar

Military Gibraltar

Military branches:
Royal Gibraltar Regiment

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 5,959 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 4,893 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 187 (2005 est.)

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the UK; the last British regular
infantry forces left Gibraltar in 1992, replaced by the Royal
Gibraltar Regiment

Transnational Issues Gibraltar

Disputes - international:
in 2002, Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by referendum to
reject any "shared sovereignty" arrangement; the government of
Gibraltar insists on equal participation in talks between the UK and
Spain; Spain disapproves of UK plans to grant Gibraltar even greater
autonomy

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Greece

Introduction Greece

Background:
Greece achieved independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1829.
During the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the
20th century, it gradually added neighboring islands and
territories, most with Greek-speaking populations. In World War II,
Greece was first invaded by Italy (1940) and subsequently occupied
by Germany (1941-44); fighting endured in a protracted civil war
between supporters of the king and Communist rebels. Following the
latter's defeat in 1949, Greece joined NATO in 1952. A military
dictatorship, which in 1967 suspended many political liberties and
forced the king to flee the country, lasted seven years. The 1974
democratic elections and a referendum created a parliamentary
republic and abolished the monarchy. In 1981 Greece joined the EC
(now the EU); it became the 12th member of the euro zone in 2001.

Geography Greece

Location:
Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the
Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey

Geographic coordinates:
39 00 N, 22 00 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 131,940 sq km
land: 130,800 sq km
water: 1,140 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Alabama

Land boundaries:
total: 1,228 km
border countries: Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km, Turkey 206 km,
Macedonia 246 km

Coastline:
13,676 km

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

Climate:
temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers

Terrain:
mostly mountains with ranges extending into the sea as peninsulas
or chains of islands

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Olympus 2,917 m

Natural resources:
lignite, petroleum, iron ore, bauxite, lead, zinc, nickel,
magnesite, marble, salt, hydropower potential

Land use:
arable land: 20.45%
permanent crops: 8.59%
other: 70.96% (2005)

Irrigated land:
14,530 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
severe earthquakes

Environment - current issues:
air pollution; water pollution

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

Geography - note:
strategic location dominating the Aegean Sea and southern approach
to Turkish Straits; a peninsular country, possessing an archipelago
of about 2,000 islands

People Greece

Population:
10,688,058 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 14.3% (male 790,291/female 742,902)
15-64 years: 66.7% (male 3,562,251/female 3,566,097)
65 years and over: 19% (male 891,620/female 1,134,897) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 40.8 years
male: 39.7 years
female: 42 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.18% (2006 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 5.43 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.97 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.24 years
male: 76.72 years
female: 81.91 years (2006 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
9,100 (2001 est.)

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

Nationality:
noun: Greek(s)
adjective: Greek

Ethnic groups:
Greek 98%, Turkish and other 2%
note: the Greek Government states there are no ethnic divisions in
Greece

Religions:
Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7%

Languages:
Greek 99% (official), English, French

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.5%
male: 98.6%
female: 96.5% (2003 est.)

People - note:
women, men, and children are trafficked to and within Greece for
the purposes of sexual exploitation and forced labor

Government Greece

Country name:
conventional long form: Hellenic Republic
conventional short form: Greece
local long form: Elliniki Dhimokratia
local short form: Ellas or Ellada
former: Kingdom of Greece

Government type:
parliamentary republic

Capital:
name: Athens
geographic coordinates: 37 59 N, 23 44 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:
51 prefectures (nomoi, singular - nomos) and 1 autonomous region*;
Achaia, Agion Oros* (Mt. Athos), Aitolia kai Akarnania, Argolis,
Arkadia, Arta, Attiki, Chalkidiki, Chanion, Chios, Dodekanisos,
Drama, Evros, Evrytania, Evvoia, Florina, Fokidos, Fthiotis,
Grevena, Ileia, Imathia, Ioannina, Irakleion, Karditsa, Kastoria,
Kavala, Kefallinia, Kerkyra, Kilkis, Korinthia, Kozani, Kyklades,
Lakonia, Larisa, Lasithi, Lefkas, Lesvos, Magnisia, Messinia, Pella,
Pieria, Preveza, Rethynnis, Rodopi, Samos, Serrai, Thesprotia,
Thessaloniki, Trikala, Voiotia, Xanthi, Zakynthos

Independence:
1829 (from the Ottoman Empire)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 25 March (1821)

Constitution:
11 June 1975; amended March 1986 and April 2001

Legal system:
based on codified Roman law; judiciary divided into civil,
criminal, and administrative courts; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Karolos PAPOULIAS (since 12 March 2005)
head of government: Prime Minister Konstandinos (Kostas) KARAMANLIS
(since 7 March 2004)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of
the prime minister
elections: president elected by parliament for a five-year term
(eligible for a second term); election last held 8 February 2005
(next to be held by February 2010); according to the Greek
Constitution, presidents may only serve two terms; president
appoints leader of the party securing plurality of vote in election
to become prime minister and form a government
election results: Karolos PAPOULIAS elected president; number of
parlimentary votes, 279 out of 300

Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Vouli ton Ellinon (300 seats; members are
elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: elections last held 7 March 2004 (next to be held by
March 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - ND 45.4%, PASOK 40.6%,
KKE 5.9%, Synaspismos 3.3%; seats by party - ND 165, PASOK 117, KKE
12, Synaspismos 6; note - seats by party as of December 2006 - ND
164, PASOK 113, KKE 12, Synaspismos 6, independents 5, other 6

Judicial branch:
Supreme Judicial Court; Special Supreme Tribunal; all judges
appointed for life by the president after consultation with a
judicial council

Political parties and leaders:
Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) [Alekos ALAVANOS];
Communist Party of Greece or KKE [Aleka PAPARIGA]; New Democracy or
ND (conservative) [Konstandinos KARAMANLIS]; Panhellenic Socialist
Movement or PASOK [Yiorgos PAPANDREOU]; Popular Orthodox Rally or
LAOS [Yeoryios KARATZAFERIS]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
General Confederation of Greek Workers or GSEE [Khristos
POLYZOGOPOULOS]; Federation of Greek Industries or SEV [Odysseas
KYRIAKOPOULOS]; Civil Servants Confederation or ADEDY [Spyros
PAPASPYROS]

International organization participation:
Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, EU,
FAO, G- 6, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC,
MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD,
OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI, UN, UN Security Council (temporary),
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIS, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCO,
WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Alexandros P. MALLIAS
chancery: 2221 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 939-1300
FAX: [1] (202) 939-1324
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San
Francisco, Tampa
consulate(s): Atlanta, Houston, New Orleans

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Charles P. RIES
embassy: 91 Vasilisis Sophias Avenue, 10160 Athens
mailing address: PSC 108, APO AE 09842-0108
telephone: [30] (210) 721-2951
FAX: [30] (210) 645-6282
consulate(s) general: Thessaloniki

Flag description:
nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with white; there
is a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white
cross; the cross symbolizes Greek Orthodoxy, the established
religion of the country

Economy Greece

Economy - overview:
Greece has a capitalist economy with the public sector accounting
for about 40% of GDP and with per capita GDP at least 75% of the
leading euro-zone economies. Tourism provides 15% of GDP. Immigrants
make up nearly one-fifth of the work force, mainly in menial jobs.
Greece is a major beneficiary of EU aid, equal to about 3.3% of
annual GDP. The Greek economy grew by nearly 4.0% per year between
2003 and 2006, largely because of an investment boom and
infrastructure upgrades for the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. Greece
has not met the EU's Growth and Stability Pact budget deficit
criteria of 3% of GDP since 2000. Public debt, inflation, and
unemployment are above the euro-zone average. To overcome these
challenges, the Greek Government is expected to continue cutting
government spending, reducing the size of the public sector, and
reforming the labor and pension systems, despite vocal opposition
from the country's powerful labor unions and the general public.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$251.7 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$222.5 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3.6% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$23,500 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 5.1%
industry: 20.6%
services: 74.4% (2006 est.)

Labor force:
4.88 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 12%
industry: 20%
services: 68% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:
9.2% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 28.3% (1998 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
35.1 (2003)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.3% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
25.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $99.16 billion
expenditures: $106.7 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA
(2006 est.)

Public debt:
104.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:
wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, olives, tomatoes, wine, tobacco,
potatoes; beef, dairy products

Industries:
tourism, food and tobacco processing, textiles, chemicals, metal
products; mining, petroleum

Industrial production growth rate:
2% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:
55.51 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 94.5%
hydro: 3.8%
nuclear: 0%
other: 1.7% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
53.5 billion kWh (2005 est.)

Electricity - exports:
1.5 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:
3.4 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:
5,401 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
435,700 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - exports:
84,720 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
468,300 bbl/day (2001)

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

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

Natural gas - consumption:
2.34 billion cu m (2005 est.)

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

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

Natural gas - proved reserves:
991.1 million cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:
$-21.37 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:
$24.42 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:
food and beverages, manufactured goods, petroleum products,
chemicals, textiles

Exports - partners:
Germany 12.4%, Italy 10.4%, UK 6.7%, Bulgaria 5.9%, US 5.3%, Cyprus
5.2%, Turkey 5.1%, France 4.2% (2005)

Imports:
$59.12 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery, transport equipment, fuels, chemicals

Imports - partners:
Germany 12.7%, Italy 12.4%, Russia 7.8%, France 5.7%, Netherlands
5.5%, Saudi Arabia 4.1% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$2.5 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:
$301.9 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$8 billion from EU (2000-06)

Currency (code):
euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:
EUR

Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 0.79987 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004),
0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Greece

Telephones - main lines in use:
6.303 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
10.043 million (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate, modern networks reach all areas; good
mobile telephone and international service
domestic: microwave radio relay trunk system; extensive open-wire
connections; submarine cable to offshore islands
international: country code - 30; tropospheric scatter; 8 submarine
cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and
1 Indian Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 26, FM 88, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios:
5.02 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
36 (plus 1,341 low-power repeaters); also two stations in the US
Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (1995)

Televisions:
2.54 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.gr

Internet hosts:
587,717 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
27 (2000)

Internet users:
3.8 million (2005)

Transportation Greece

Airports:
82 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 66
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 16
1,524 to 2,437 m: 19
914 to 1,523 m: 17
under 914 m: 9 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 16
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 13 (2006)

Heliports:
8 (2006)

Pipelines:
gas 1,166 km; oil 94 km (2006)

Railways:
total: 2,571 km
standard gauge: 1,565 km 1.435-m gauge (764 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 961 km 1.000-m gauge; 22 km 0.750-m gauge
dual gauge: 23 km combined 1.435 m and 1.000-m gauges (three rail
system) (2005)

Roadways:
total: 114,931 km
paved: 105,507 km (including 880 km of expressways)
unpaved: 9,424 km (2004)

Waterways:
6 km
note: Corinth Canal (6 km) crosses the Isthmus of Corinth; shortens
sea voyage by 325 km (2006)

Merchant marine:
total: 817 ships (1000 GRT or over) 31,895,832 GRT/54,341,584 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 270, cargo 61, chemical tanker 47, container
47, liquefied gas 5, passenger 11, passenger/cargo 114, petroleum
tanker 244, roll on/roll off 17, specialized tanker 1
foreign-owned: 24 (Belgium 12, Cyprus 1, Hong Kong 1, UK 9, US 1)
registered in other countries: 2,363 (Bahamas 232, Barbados 11,
Belgium 4, Belize 2, Bermuda 2, Cambodia 8, Cayman Islands 21,
Comoros 10, Cyprus 337, Denmark 5, Dominica 5, Egypt 6, Georgia 8,
Gibraltar 7, Honduras 3, Hong Kong 27, Isle of Man 45, Italy 6,
Jamaica 6, North Korea 1, Lebanon 3, Liberia 267, Malta 495,
Marshall Islands 199, Norway 1, Panama 524, Philippines 5, Portugal
4, Russia 1, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines 82, Sao Tome and Principe 1, Singapore 9, Slovakia 4, UAE
2, UK 7, Uruguay 1, US 1, Venezuela 3, unknown 7) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Agioitheodoroi, Aspropyrgos, Irakleion, Pachi, Piraeus, Thessaloniki

Military Greece

Military branches:
Hellenic Army (Ellinikos Stratos, ES), Hellenic Navy (Ellinikos
Polemiko Navtiko, EPN), Hellenic Air Force (Elliniki Polimiki
Aeroporia, EPA) (2006)

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory military service; during wartime the
law allows for recruitment beginning January of the year of
inductee's 18th birthday, thus including 17 year olds; 17 years of
age for volunteers; conscript service obligation - 12 months for the
Army, Air Force; 15 months for Navy; women are eligible for military
service (2005)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 2,459,988
females age 18-49: 2,442,818 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 2,018,557
females age 18-49: 2,000,650 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 58,399
females age 18-49: 55,571 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$5.89 billion (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
4.3% (2003)

Transnational Issues Greece

Disputes - international:
Greece and Turkey continue discussions to resolve their complex
maritime, air, territorial, and boundary disputes in the Aegean Sea;
Cyprus question with Turkey; Greece rejects the use of the name
Macedonia or Republic of Macedonia

Illicit drugs:
a gateway to Europe for traffickers smuggling cannabis and heroin
from the Middle East and Southwest Asia to the West and precursor
chemicals to the East; some South American cocaine transits or is
consumed in Greece; money laundering related to drug trafficking and
organized crime

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Greenland

Introduction Greenland

Background:
Greenland, the world's largest island, is about 81% ice-capped.
Vikings reached the island in the 10th century from Iceland; Danish
colonization began in the 18th century, and Greenland was made an
integral part of Denmark in 1953. It joined the European Community
(now the EU) with Denmark in 1973, but withdrew in 1985 over a
dispute centered on stringent fishing quotas. Greenland was granted
self-government in 1979 by the Danish parliament; the law went into
effect the following year. Denmark continues to exercise control of
Greenland's foreign affairs in consultation with Greenland's Home
Rule Government.

Geography Greenland

Location:
Northern North America, island between the Arctic Ocean and the
North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Canada

Geographic coordinates:
72 00 N, 40 00 W

Map references:
Arctic Region

Area:
total: 2,166,086 sq km
land: 2,166,086 sq km (410,449 sq km ice-free, 1,755,637 sq km
ice-covered) (2000 est.)

Area - comparative:
slightly more than three times the size of Texas

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
44,087 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line
continental shelf: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line

Climate:
arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters

Terrain:
flat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a narrow,
mountainous, barren, rocky coast

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Gunnbjorn 3,700 m

Natural resources:
coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, molybdenum, gold, platinum, uranium,
fish, seals, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas

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

Irrigated land:
NA

Natural hazards:
continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island

Environment - current issues:
protection of the arctic environment; preservation of the Inuit
traditional way of life, including whaling and seal hunting

Geography - note:
dominates North Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe;
sparse population confined to small settlements along coast, but
close to one-quarter of the population lives in the capital, Nuuk;
world's second largest ice cap

People Greenland

Population:
56,361 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 24.5% (male 7,072/female 6,740)
15-64 years: 68.9% (male 20,904/female 17,919)
65 years and over: 6.6% (male 1,768/female 1,958) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 34 years
male: 35.3 years
female: 32.3 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
-0.03% (2006 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
-8.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.17 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 15.4 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 16.73 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 14.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.94 years
male: 66.36 years
female: 73.6 years (2006 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
100 (1999)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Greenlander(s)
adjective: Greenlandic

Ethnic groups:
Greenlander 88% (Inuit and Greenland-born whites), Danish and
others 12% (2000)

Religions:
Evangelical Lutheran

Languages:
Greenlandic (East Inuit), Danish, English

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100% (2001 est.)

Government Greenland

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Greenland
local long form: none
local short form: Kalaallit Nunaat

Dependency status:
part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas
administrative division of Denmark since 1979

Government type:
parliamentary democracy within a constitutional monarchy