Chapter XXXVII: Front Matter (37)

Background:
Basutoland was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon independence
from the UK in 1966. The Basuto National Party ruled for the first
two decades. King MOSHOESHOE was exiled in 1990, but returned to
Lesotho in 1992 and reinstated in 1995. Constitutional government
was restored in 1993 after 7 years of military rule. In 1998,
violent protests and a military mutiny following a contentious
election prompted a brief but bloody intervention by South African
and Botswanan military forces under the aegis of the Southern
African Development Community. Constitutional reforms have since
restored political stability; peaceful parliamentary elections were
held in 2002.

Geography Lesotho

Location:
Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa

Geographic coordinates:
29 30 S, 28 30 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 30,355 sq km
land: 30,355 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries:
total: 909 km
border countries: South Africa 909 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers

Terrain:
mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 m
highest point: Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m

Natural resources:
water, agricultural and grazing land, diamonds, sand, clay,
building stone

Land use:
arable land: 10.87%
permanent crops: 0.13%
other: 89% (2005)

Irrigated land:
30 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:
population pressure forcing settlement in marginal areas results in
overgrazing, severe soil erosion, and soil exhaustion;
desertification; Highlands Water Project controls, stores, and
redirects water to South Africa

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

Geography - note:
landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous,
more than 80% of the country is 1,800 meters above sea level

People Lesotho

Population:
2,022,331
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: 36.8% (male 374,102/female 369,527)
15-64 years: 58.3% (male 572,957/female 606,846)
65 years and over: 4.9% (male 39,461/female 59,438) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 20.3 years
male: 19.7 years
female: 21 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
-0.46% (2006 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
-0.68 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: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 87.24 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 92.04 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 82.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 34.4 years
male: 35.55 years
female: 33.21 years (2006 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
28.9% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
320,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
29,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)
adjective: Basotho

Ethnic groups:
Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%,

Religions:
Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20%

Languages:
Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 84.8%
male: 74.5%
female: 94.5% (2003 est.)

Government Lesotho

Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesotho
conventional short form: Lesotho
local long form: Kingdom of Lesotho
local short form: Lesotho
former: Basutoland

Government type:
parliamentary constitutional monarchy

Capital:
name: Maseru
geographic coordinates: 29 28 S, 27 30 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:
10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru,
Mohale's Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka

Independence:
4 October 1966 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 4 October (1966)

Constitution:
2 April 1993

Legal system:
based on English common law and Roman-Dutch law; judicial review of
legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal; accepts
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: King LETSIE III (since 7 February 1996); note -
King LETSIE III formerly occupied the throne from November 1990 to
February 1995, while his father was in exile
head of government: Prime Minister Pakalitha MOSISILI (since 23 May
1998)
cabinet: Cabinet
elections: none - according to the constitution, the leader of the
majority party in the Assembly automatically becomes prime minister;
the monarch is hereditary, but, under the terms of the constitution,
which came into effect after the March 1993 election, the monarch is
a "living symbol of national unity" with no executive or legislative
powers; under traditional law the college of chiefs has the power to
depose the monarch, determine who is next in the line of succession,
or who shall serve as regent in the event that the successor is not
of mature age

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (33 members - 22
principal chiefs and 11 other members appointed by the ruling party)
and the Assembly (120 seats, 80 by direct popular vote and 40 by
proportional vote; members elected by popular vote for five-year
terms); note - number of seats in the Assembly rose from 80 to 120
in the May 2002 election
elections: last held 25 May 2002 (next to be held 17 February 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - LCD 54.9%, BNP 22.4%,
LPC 5.8%, NIP 5.5% other 11.5%; seats by party - LCD 77, BNP 21, LPC
5, NIP 5, other 10

Judicial branch:
High Court (chief justice appointed by the monarch acting on the
advice of the Prime Minister); Court of Appeal; Magistrate Courts;
customary or traditional court

Political parties and leaders:
All Basotho Convention or ABC [Thomas THABANE]; Basotholand African
Congress or BAC [Khauhelo RALITAPOLE]; Basotho Congress Party or BCP
[Ntsukunyane MPHANYA]; Basotho National Party or BNP [Maj. Gen.
Justin Metsing LEKHANYA]; Kopanang Basotho Party or KPB [Pheelo
MOSALA]; Lesotho Congress for Democracy or LCD [Pakalitha MOSISILI]
(the governing party); Lesotho Education Party or LEP [Thabo PITSO];
Lesotho People's Congress or LPC [Kelebone MAOPE]; Lesotho Workers
Party or LWP [Macaefa BILLY]; Marematlou Freedom Party or MFP
[Vincent MALEBO]; National Democratic Party [J.S. Bereng]; National
Independent Party or NIP [Anthony MANYELI]; National Progressive
Party or NPP [Chief Peete Nkoebe PEETE]; New Lesotho Freedom Party
or NLFP [Manapo MAJARA]; Popular Front for Democracy or PFD
[Lekhetho RAKUOANE]; Sefate Democratic Union or SDU [Bofihla
NKUEBE]; Social Democratic Party of SDP [Masitise SELESO]; United
Democratic Party or UDP [C.D. MOFELI]; United Party or UP [Makara
SEKAUTU]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

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

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Molelekeng E. RAPOLAKI
chancery: 2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 797-5533 through 5536
FAX: [1] (202) 234-6815

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador June Carter PERRY
embassy: 254 Kingsway, Maseru West (Consular Section)
mailing address: P. O. Box 333, Maseru 100, Lesotho
telephone: [266] 22 312666
FAX: [266] 22 310116

Flag description:
three horizontal stripes of blue (top), white, and green in the
proportions of 3:4:3; the colors represent rain, peace, and
prosperity respectively; centered in the white stripe is a black
Basotho hat representing the indigenous people; the flag was
unfurled in October 2006 to celebrate 40 years of independence

Economy Lesotho

Economy - overview:
Small, landlocked, and mountainous, Lesotho relies on remittances
from miners employed in South Africa and customs duties from the
Southern Africa Customs Union for the majority of government
revenue. However, the government has recently strengthened its tax
system to reduce dependency on customs duties. Completion of a major
hydropower facility in January 1998 now permits the sale of water to
South Africa, also generating royalties for Lesotho. As the number
of mineworkers has declined steadily over the past several years, a
small manufacturing base has developed based on farm products that
support the milling, canning, leather, and jute industries, as well
as a rapidly expanding apparel-assembly sector. The latter has grown
significantly, mainly due to Lesotho qualifying for the trade
benefits contained in the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act. The
economy is still primarily based on subsistence agriculture,
especially livestock, although drought has decreased agricultural
activity. The extreme inequality in the distribution of income
remains a major drawback. Lesotho has signed an Interim Poverty
Reduction and Growth Facility with the IMF.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$5.195 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.419 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.7% (2006 est.)

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

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 16.1%
industry: 43%
services: 40.9% (2006 est.)

Labor force:
838,000 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 86% of resident population engaged in subsistence
agriculture; roughly 35% of the active male wage earners work in
South Africa
industry and services: 14%

Unemployment rate:
45% (2002)

Population below poverty line:
49% (1999)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 0.9%
highest 10%: 43.4%

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
63.2 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
32% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $778.9 million
expenditures: $734.7 million; including capital expenditures of NA
(2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:
corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock

Industries:
food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts,
construction, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
15.5% (1999)

Electricity - production:
250 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2004)

Electricity - consumption:
244.5 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:
12 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2004)

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

Oil - consumption:
1,400 bbl/day (2004)

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.)

Current account balance:
$-75.44 million (2006 est.)

Exports:
$779.1 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:
manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and
mohair, food and live animals (2000)

Exports - partners:
Hong Kong 41.8%, China 33.9%, Germany 7.9% (2005)

Imports:
$1.401 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:
food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum
products (2000)

Imports - partners:
US 83.9%, Belgium 12.7%, Canada 2.4% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$528.2 million (2006 est.)

Debt - external:
$735 million (2002)

Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $4.4 million

Economic aid - recipient:
$41.5 million (2000)

Currency (code):
loti (LSL); South African rand (ZAR)

Currency code:
LSL; ZAR

Exchange rates:
maloti per US dollar - 6.6 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004),
7.5648 (2003), 10.5407 (2002)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Lesotho

Telephones - main lines in use:
48,000 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
245,100 (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: rudimentary system
domestic: consists of a modest but growing number of landlines, a
small microwave radio relay system, and a minor radiotelephone
communication system; a cellular mobile telephone system is growing
international: country code - 266; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

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

Radios:
NA (2002)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (2000)

Televisions:
NA

Internet country code:
.ls

Internet hosts:
168 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
43,000 (2005)

Transportation Lesotho

Airports:
28 (2006)

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

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 25
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 21 (2006)

Roadways:
total: 5,940 km
paved: 1,087 km
unpaved: 4,853 km (1999)

Military Lesotho

Military branches:
Lesotho Defense Force (LDF): Army and Air Wing

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 428,982
females age 18-49: 440,102 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 180,797
females age 18-49: 160,681 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$41.1 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.1% (2005 est.)

Military - note:
the Lesotho Government in 1999 began an open debate on the future
structure, size, and role of the armed forces, especially
considering the Lesotho Defense Force's (LDF) history of intervening
in political affairs

Transnational Issues Lesotho

Disputes - international:
none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Liberia

Introduction Liberia

Background:
Settlement of freed slaves from the US in what is today Liberia
began in 1822; by 1847, the Americo-Liberians were able to establish
a republic. William TUBMAN, president from 1944-71, did much to
promote foreign investment and to bridge the economic, social, and
political gaps between the descendents of the original settlers and
the inhabitants of the interior. In 1980, a military coup led by
Samuel DOE ushered in a decade of authoritarian rule. In December
1989, Charles TAYLOR launched a rebellion against DOE's regime that
led to a prolonged civil war in which DOE himself was killed. A
period of relative peace in 1997 allowed for elections that brought
TAYLOR to power, but major fighting resumed in 2000. An August 2003,
peace agreement ended the war and prompted the resignation of former
president Charles TAYLOR, who was exiled to Nigeria. After two years
of rule by a transitional government, democratic elections in late
2005 brought President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF to power. The UN
Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), which maintains a strong presence
throughout the country, completed a disarmament program for former
combatants in late 2004, but the security situation is still
volatile and the process of rebuilding the social and economic
structure of this war-torn country remains sluggish.

Geography Liberia

Location:
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote
d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone

Geographic coordinates:
6 30 N, 9 30 W

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 111,370 sq km
land: 96,320 sq km
water: 15,050 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Tennessee

Land boundaries:
total: 1,585 km
border countries: Guinea 563 km, Cote d'Ivoire 716 km, Sierra Leone
306 km

Coastline:
579 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to cold
nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers

Terrain:
mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling plateau and
low mountains in northeast

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Wuteve 1,380 m

Natural resources:
iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold, hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 3.43%
permanent crops: 1.98%
other: 94.59% (2005)

Irrigated land:
30 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to March)

Environment - current issues:
tropical rain forest deforestation; soil erosion; loss of
biodiversity; pollution of coastal waters from oil residue and raw
sewage

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

Geography - note:
facing the Atlantic Ocean, the coastline is characterized by
lagoons, mangrove swamps, and river-deposited sandbars; the inland
grassy plateau supports limited agriculture

People Liberia

Population:
3,042,004 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 43.1% (male 656,016/female 653,734)
15-64 years: 54.2% (male 816,443/female 832,152)
65 years and over: 2.8% (male 40,591/female 43,068) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 18.1 years
male: 18 years
female: 18.3 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
4.91% (2006 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
27.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: at least 238,500 Liberian refugees are in surrounding
countries; the uncertain security situation has hindered their
ability to return (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 155.76 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 171.96 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 139.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 39.65 years
male: 37.99 years
female: 41.35 years (2006 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
5.9% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
100,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
7,200 (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
aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa fever (2007)

Nationality:
noun: Liberian(s)
adjective: Liberian

Ethnic groups:
indigenous African 95% (including Kpelle, Bassa, Gio, Kru, Grebo,
Mano, Krahn, Gola, Gbandi, Loma, Kissi, Vai, Dei, Bella, Mandingo,
and Mende), Americo-Liberians 2.5% (descendants of immigrants from
the US who had been slaves), Congo People 2.5% (descendants of
immigrants from the Caribbean who had been slaves)

Religions:
indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20%

Languages:
English 20% (official), some 20 ethnic group languages, of which a
few can be written and are used in correspondence

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 57.5%
male: 73.3%
female: 41.6% (2003 est.)

Government Liberia

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Liberia
conventional short form: Liberia

Government type:
republic

Capital:
name: Monrovia
geographic coordinates: 6 18 N, 10 47 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:
15 counties; Bomi, Bong, Gbarpolu, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount,
Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado, Nimba,
River Cess, River Gee, Sinoe

Independence:
26 July 1847

National holiday:
Independence Day, 26 July (1847)

Constitution:
6 January 1986

Legal system:
dual system of statutory law based on Anglo-American common law for
the modern sector and customary law based on unwritten tribal
practices for indigenous sector; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF (since 16 January
2006); note - the President is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF (since 16
January 2006); note - the President is both the chief of state and
head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president and confirmed by the
Senate
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term
(eligible for a second term); election last held 8 November 2005
(next to be held in 2011)
election results: Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF elected president; percent
of vote, second round - Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF (UP) 59.6%, George
WEAH (CDC) 40.4%

Legislative branch:
bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (30 seats -
number of seats changed in 11 October 2005 elections; members
elected by popular vote to serve nine-year terms) and the House of
Representatives (64 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
six-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 11 October 2005 (next to be held in
2011); House of Representatives - last held 11 October 2005 (next to
be held in 2011)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - COTOL 7, NPP 4, CDC 3, LP 3, UP 3, APD 3, other 7; House of
Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
CDC 15, LP 9, UP 8, COTOL 8, APD 5, NPP 4, other 15
note: junior senators - those who received the second most votes in
each county in the 11 October 2005 election - will only serve a
six-year first term because the Liberian constitution mandates
staggered Senate elections to ensure continuity of government; all
senators will be eligible for nine-year terms thereafter

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:
Alliance for Peace and Democracy or APD [Togba-na TIPOTEH];
Coalition for the Transformation of Liberia or COTOL; Congress for
Democratic Change or CDC [George WEAH]; Liberian Action Party or LAP
[H. Varney SHERMAN]; Liberty Party or LP [Charles BRUMSKINE];
National Patriotic Party or NPP [Cyril ALLEN]; Unity Party or UP
[Charles CLARKE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Demobilized former military officers

International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU,
ITUC, NAM, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL,
WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Charles A. MINOR
chancery: 5201 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
telephone: [1] (202) 723-0437
FAX: [1] (202) 723-0436
consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Donald E. BOOTH
embassy: 111 United Nations Drive, P. O. Box 10-0098, Mamba Point,
1000 Monrovia, 10
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [231] 226-370 through 226-380
FAX: [231] 226-148

Flag description:
11 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating
with white; there is a white five-pointed star on a blue square in
the upper hoist-side corner; the design was based on the US flag

Economy Liberia

Economy - overview:
Civil war and government mismanagement have destroyed much of
Liberia's economy, especially the infrastructure in and around
Monrovia. Many businessmen have fled the country, taking capital and
expertise with them. Some have returned, but many will not. Richly
endowed with water, mineral resources, forests, and a climate
favorable to agriculture, Liberia had been a producer and exporter
of basic products - primarily raw timber and rubber. Local
manufacturing, mainly foreign owned, had been small in scope.
President JOHNSON SIRLEAF, a Harvard-trained economist, has taken
steps to reduce corruption, build support from international donors,
and encourage private investment. An embargo on timber exports has
been lifted, opening a source of revenue for the government, but
diamonds remain under UN sanctions. The reconstruction of
infrastructure and the raising of incomes in this ravaged economy
will largely depend on generous financial support and technical
assistance from donor countries.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$2.911 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$902.9 million (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
6.7% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,000 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 76.9%
industry: 5.4%
services: 17.7% (2002 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 70%
industry: 8%
services: 22% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
85% (2003 est.)

Population below poverty line:
80%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
15% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $85.4 million
expenditures: $90.5 million; including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)

Agriculture - products:
rubber, coffee, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), palm oil,
sugarcane, bananas; sheep, goats; timber

Industries:
rubber processing, palm oil processing, timber, diamonds

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - production:
325 million kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:
302.3 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2004)

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

Oil - consumption:
3,500 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - imports:
NA bbl/day (2001)

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

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

Exports:
$910 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
rubber, timber, iron, diamonds, cocoa, coffee

Exports - partners:
Belgium 40.7%, Spain 15.2%, US 8.9%, Malaysia 5.4%, Thailand 4.5%,
Poland 4.5%, Germany 4.3% (2005)

Imports:
$4.839 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
fuels, chemicals, machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured
goods; foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
South Korea 38.1%, Japan 21.2%, Singapore 14.2%, Croatia 4.7% (2005)

Debt - external:
$3.2 billion (2005 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$94 million (1999)

Currency (code):
Liberian dollar (LRD)

Currency code:
LRD

Exchange rates:
Liberian dollars per US dollar - NA (2005), 54.906 (2004), 59.379
(2003), 61.754 (2002)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Liberia

Telephones - main lines in use:
6,900 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
160,000 (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: the limited services available are found almost
exclusively in the capital Monrovia
domestic: fully automatic system with very low density of .23 fixed
main lines per 100 persons; limited wireless service available
international: country code - 231; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 7, shortwave 2 (2001)

Radios:
790,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (plus four low-power repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:
70,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.lr

Internet hosts:
8 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2001)

Internet users:
1,000 (2002)

Transportation Liberia

Airports:
53 (2006)

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

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 51
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 8
under 914 m: 38 (2006)

Railways:
total: 490 km
standard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 145 km 1.067-m gauge
note: railway is inoperable because of damage suffered during the
civil war (2005)

Roadways:
total: 10,600 km
paved: 657 km
unpaved: 9,943 km (1999)

Merchant marine:
total: 1,687 ships (1000 GRT or over) 62,522,787 GRT/96,776,521 DWT
by type: barge carrier 3, bulk carrier 322, cargo 83, chemical
tanker 199, combination ore/oil 2, container 477, liquefied gas 75,
passenger 2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 397, refrigerated
cargo 76, roll on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 11, vehicle carrier
35
foreign-owned: 1,611 (Argentina 7, Australia 2, Austria 13, Bahamas,
The 1, Bermuda 1, Brazil 3, Canada 2, China 35, Croatia 7, Cyprus 3,
Denmark 8, Estonia 1, France 3, Germany 587, Greece 267, Hong Kong
37, India 3, Indonesia 1, Isle of Man 5, Israel 5, Italy 16, Japan
102, South Korea 3, Kuwait 1, Latvia 14, Lebanon 2, Mexico 1, Monaco
10, Netherlands 29, Norway 38, Poland 14, Qatar 2, Russia 77, Saudi
Arabia 24, Singapore 28, Slovenia 2, Sweden 8, Switzerland 7, Taiwan
69, Turkey 1, UAE 18, UK 41, Ukraine 16, Uruguay 3, US 93, unknown
1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Buchanan, Monrovia

Military Liberia

Military branches:
Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL): Army, Navy, Air Force

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription
(2001)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 575,384
females age 18-49: 588,780 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 267,430
females age 18-49: 286,231 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$67.4 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
7.5% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Liberia

Disputes - international:
although civil unrest continues to abate with the assistance of
18,000 UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) peacekeepers, as of January
2007, 22,000 Liberian refugees still remain in both Guinea and Cote
d'Ivoire, 38,500 in Sierra Leone, and 39,690 in Ghana; Liberia, in
turn, shelters 12,580 refugees fleeing turmoil in Cote d'Ivoire and
3,600 from Sierra Leone; despite the presence of over 9000 UN forces
(UNOCI) in Cote d'Ivoire since 2004, ethnic conflict continues to
spread into neighboring states who can no longer send their migrant
workers to Ivorian cocoa plantations; UN sanctions ban Liberia from
exporting diamonds and timber

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 6,592 (Cote d'Ivoire)
IDPs: 13,000 (civil war from 1990-2004; IDP resettlement began in
November 2004) (2006)

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for Southeast and Southwest Asian heroin and
South American cocaine for the European and US markets; corruption,
criminal activity, arms-dealing, and diamond trade provide
significant potential for money laundering, but the lack of
well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a
major money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Libya

Introduction Libya

Background:
The Italians supplanted the Ottoman Turks from the area around
Tripoli in 1911 and did not relinquish their hold until 1943 when
defeated in World War II. Libya then passed to UN administration and
achieved independence in 1951. Following a 1969 military coup, Col.
Muammar Abu Minyar al-QADHAFI began to espouse his own political
system, the Third Universal Theory. The system is a combination of
socialism and Islam derived in part from tribal practices and is
supposed to be implemented by the Libyan people themselves in a
unique form of "direct democracy." QADHAFI has always seen himself
as a revolutionary and visionary leader. He used oil funds during
the 1970s and 1980s to promote his ideology outside Libya,
supporting subversives and terrorists abroad to hasten the end of
Marxism and capitalism. In addition, beginning in 1973, he engaged
in military operations in northern Chad's Aozou Strip - to gain
access to minerals and to use as a base of influence in Chadian
politics - but was forced to retreat in 1987. UN sanctions in 1992
isolated QADHAFI politically following the downing of Pan AM Flight
103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. Libyan support for terrorism appeared
to have decreased after the imposition of sanctions. During the
1990s, QADHAFI also began to rebuild his relationships with Europe.
UN sanctions were suspended in April 1999 and finally lifted in
September 2003 after Libya resolved the Lockerbie case. In December
2003, Libya announced that it had agreed to reveal and end its
programs to develop weapons of mass destruction, and QADHAFI has
made significant strides in normalizing relations with western
nations since then. He has received various Western European leaders
as well as many working-level and commercial delegations, and made
his first trip to Western Europe in 15 years when he traveled to
Brussels in April 2004. QADHAFI also resolved in 2004 some of the
outstanding cases against his government for terrorist activities in
the 1980s by compensating some families of victims of the Pan Am
103, French airliner UTA, and La Belle disco bombings. The US
resumed full diplomatic relations with Libya in May 2006 and
rescinded Libya's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism in
June.

Geography Libya

Location:
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and
Tunisia

Geographic coordinates:
25 00 N, 17 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 1,759,540 sq km
land: 1,759,540 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Alaska

Land boundaries:
total: 4,348 km
border countries: Algeria 982 km, Chad 1,055 km, Egypt 1,115 km,
Niger 354 km, Sudan 383 km, Tunisia 459 km

Coastline:
1,770 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
note: Gulf of Sidra closing line - 32 degrees, 30 minutes north
exclusive fishing zone: 62 nm

Climate:
Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior

Terrain:
mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Sabkhat Ghuzayyil -47 m
highest point: Bikku Bitti 2,267 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, gypsum

Land use:
arable land: 1.03%
permanent crops: 0.19%
other: 98.78% (2005)

Irrigated land:
4,700 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to four
days in spring and fall; dust storms, sandstorms

Environment - current issues:
desertification; very limited natural fresh water resources; the
Great Manmade River Project, the largest water development scheme in
the world, is being built to bring water from large aquifers under
the Sahara to coastal cities

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

Geography - note:
more than 90% of the country is desert or semidesert

People Libya

Population:
5,900,754
note: includes 166,510 non-nationals (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 33.6% (male 1,012,748/female 969,978)
15-64 years: 62.2% (male 1,891,643/female 1,778,621)
65 years and over: 4.2% (male 121,566/female 126,198) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 23 years
male: 23.1 years
female: 22.9 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.3% (2006 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 23.71 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 25.99 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 21.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.69 years
male: 74.46 years
female: 79.02 years (2006 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.3% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
10,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: intermediate
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: may be a significant risk in some locations
during the transmission season (typically April through October)
(2007)

Nationality:
noun: Libyan(s)
adjective: Libyan

Ethnic groups:
Berber and Arab 97%, Greeks, Maltese, Italians, Egyptians,
Pakistanis, Turks, Indians, Tunisians

Religions:
Sunni Muslim 97%

Languages:
Arabic, Italian, English, all are widely understood in the major
cities

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 82.6%
male: 92.4%
female: 72% (2003 est.)

Government Libya

Country name:
conventional long form: Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab
Jamahiriya
conventional short form: Libya
local long form: Al Jumahiriyah al Arabiyah al Libiyah ash Shabiyah
al Ishtirakiyah al Uzma
local short form: none

Government type:
Jamahiriya (a state of the masses) in theory, governed by the
populace through local councils; in practice, an authoritarian state

Capital:
name: Tripoli
geographic coordinates: 32 54 N, 13 11 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:
25 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ajdabiya, Al
'Aziziyah, Al Fatih, Al Jabal al Akhdar, Al Jufrah, Al Khums, Al
Kufrah, An Nuqat al Khams, Ash Shati', Awbari, Az Zawiyah, Banghazi,
Darnah, Ghadamis, Gharyan, Misratah, Murzuq, Sabha, Sawfajjin, Surt,
Tarabulus, Tarhunah, Tubruq, Yafran, Zlitan; note - the 25
municipalities may have been replaced by 13 regions

Independence:
24 December 1951 (from UN trusteeship)

National holiday:
Revolution Day, 1 September (1969)

Constitution:
none; note - following the September 1969 military overthrow of the
Libyan government, the Revolutionary Command Council replaced the
existing constitution with the Constitutional Proclamation in
December 1969; in March 1977, Libya adopted the Declaration of the
Establishment of the People's Authority

Legal system:
based on Italian civil law system and Islamic law; separate
religious courts; no constitutional provision for judicial review of
legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: Revolutionary Leader Col. Muammar Abu Minyar
al-QADHAFI (since 1 September 1969); note - holds no official title,
but is de facto chief of state
head of government: Secretary of the General People's Committee
(Prime Minister) al-Baghdadi Ali al-MAHMUDI (since 5 March 2006)
cabinet: General People's Committee established by the General
People's Congress
elections: national elections are indirect through a hierarchy of
people's committees; head of government elected by the General
People's Congress; election last held March 2006 (next to be held NA)
election results: NA

Legislative branch:
unicameral General People's Congress (NA seats; members elected
indirectly through a hierarchy of people's committees)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:
none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
various Arab nationalist movements with almost negligible
memberships may be functioning clandestinely, as well as some
Islamic elements; an anti-QADHAFI Libyan exile movement exists,
primarily based in London, but has little influence

International organization participation:
ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW,
OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Ali AUJALI
chancery: 2600 Virginia Avenue NW, Suite 705, Washington, DC 20037
telephone: [1] (202) 944-9601
FAX: [1] (202) 944-9060

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires ad Interim
Charles O. CECIL
embassy: Corinthia Bab Africa Hotel, Souq At-Tlat Al-Qadim, Tripoli
mailing address: US Embassy, 8850 Tripoli Place, Washington, DC
20521-8850
telephone: [218] 21-335-1848

Flag description:
plain green; green is the traditional color of Islam (the state
religion)

Economy Libya

Economy - overview:
The Libyan economy depends primarily upon revenues from the oil
sector, which contribute about 95% of export earnings, about
one-quarter of GDP, and 60% of public sector wages. Substantial
revenues from the energy sector coupled with a small population give
Libya one of the highest per capita GDPs in Africa, but little of
this income flows down to the lower orders of society. Libyan
officials in the past four years have made progress on economic
reforms as part of a broader campaign to reintegrate the country
into the international fold. This effort picked up steam after UN
sanctions were lifted in September 2003 and as Libya announced in
December 2003 that it would abandon programs to build weapons of
mass destruction. Almost all US unilateral sanctions against Libya
were removed in April 2004, helping Libya attract more foreign
direct investment, mostly in the energy sector. Libyan oil and gas
licensing rounds continue to draw high international interest. Libya
faces a long road ahead in liberalizing the socialist-oriented
economy, but initial steps - including applying for WTO membership,
reducing some subsidies, and announcing plans for privatization -
are laying the groundwork for a transition to a more market-based
economy. The non-oil manufacturing and construction sectors, which
account for more than 20% of GDP, have expanded from processing
mostly agricultural products to include the production of
petrochemicals, iron, steel, and aluminum. Climatic conditions and
poor soils severely limit agricultural output, and Libya imports
about 75% of its food.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$74.97 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$34.83 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
8.1% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$12,700 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 7.3%
industry: 51.3%
services: 41.4% (2006 est.)

Labor force:
1.787 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 17%
industry: 23%
services: 59% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:
30% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
7.4%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.1% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
7.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $33.34 billion
expenditures: $19.3 billion; including capital expenditures of $5.6
billion (2006 est.)

Public debt:
5.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:
wheat, barley, olives, dates, citrus, vegetables, peanuts,
soybeans; cattle

Industries:
petroleum, iron and steel, food processing, textiles, handicrafts,
cement

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - production:
19.44 billion kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:
18.08 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:
1.72 million bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - consumption:
237,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:
1.34 million bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports:
0 bbl/day (2004)

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

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

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

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

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

Natural gas - proved reserves:
1.472 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:
$14.5 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:
$37.02 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:
crude oil, refined petroleum products, natural gas, chemicals

Exports - partners:
Italy 37.7%, Germany 15.1%, Spain 9.3%, Turkey 6.2%, France 6.2%,
US 5.2% (2005)

Imports:
$14.47 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery, semi-finished goods, food, transport equipment, consumer
products

Imports - partners:
Italy 21.2%, Germany 10.3%, Tunisia 5.6%, Turkey 4.8%, UK 4.8%,
France 4.7%, South Korea 4.6%, China 4.5% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$57.48 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:
$4.492 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
ODA, $18 million (2004 est.)

Currency (code):
Libyan dinar (LYD)

Currency code:
LYD

Exchange rates:
Libyan dinars per US dollar - 1.315 (2006), 1.3084 (2005), 1.305
(2004), 1.2929 (2003), 1.2707 (2002)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Libya

Telephones - main lines in use:
750,000 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
234,800 (2004)

Telephone system:
general assessment: telecommunications system is being modernized;
mobile cellular telephone system became operational in 1996
domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, cellular,
tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite system with 14 earth
stations
international: country code - 218; satellite earth stations - 4
Intelsat, NA Arabsat, and NA Intersputnik; submarine cables to
France and Italy; microwave radio relay to Tunisia and Egypt;
tropospheric scatter to Greece; participant in Medarabtel (1999)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 16, FM 3, shortwave 3 (2002)

Radios:
1.35 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
12 (plus one low-power repeater) (1999)

Televisions:
730,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.ly

Internet hosts:
31 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2002)

Internet users:
205,000 (2005)

Transportation Libya

Airports:
141 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 60
over 3,047 m: 23
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 23
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 81
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 15
914 to 1,523 m: 41
under 914 m: 18 (2006)

Heliports:
2 (2006)

Pipelines:
condensate 882 km; gas 3,481 km; oil 6,916 km (2006)

Railways:
0 km
note: Libya is working on seven lines totaling 2,757 km of 1.435-m
gauge track; it hopes to have trains running by 2008 (2005)

Roadways:
total: 83,200 km
paved: 47,590 km
unpaved: 35,610 km (1999)

Merchant marine:
total: 18 ships (1000 GRT or over) 86,034 GRT/89,820 DWT
by type: cargo 10, liquefied gas 3, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum
tanker 2, roll on/roll off 2
foreign-owned: 4 (Kuwait 1, Norway 1, Turkey 2) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
As Sidrah, Az Zuwaytinah, Marsa al Burayqah, Ra's Lanuf, Tripoli,
Zawiyah

Military Libya

Military branches:
Armed Peoples on Duty (APOD, Army), Libyan Arab Navy, Libyan Arab
Air Force (LAAF) (2006)

Military service age and obligation:
17 years of age (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 17-49: 1,505,675
females age 17-49: 1,429,152 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 17-49: 1,291,624
females age 17-49: 1,230,824 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 62,034
females age 17-49: 59,533 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$1.3 billion (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
3.9% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Libya

Disputes - international:
Libya has claimed more than 32,000 sq km in southeastern Algeria
and about 25,000 sq km in the Tommo region of Niger in a currently
dormant dispute; various Chadian rebels from the Aozou region reside
in southern Libya

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 8,873 (Palestinian Territories) (2006)

Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Libya is a transit and destination country for
men, women, and children from sub-Saharan Africa and Asia trafficked
for forced labor and sexual exploitation; many victims willingly
migrate to Libya en route to Europe with the help of smugglers, but
may be forced into prostitution or work as laborers and beggars to
pay off their $800-$1,200 smuggling debt; laborers from Egypt,
Sudan, and Ethiopia are reportedly trafficked to Libya for the
purpose of labor exploitation
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Libya is placed on the Tier 2 Watch
List for its lack of evidence of increasing efforts to address
trafficking since 2004

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Liechtenstein

Introduction Liechtenstein

Background:
The Principality of Liechtenstein was established within the Holy
Roman Empire in 1719; it became a sovereign state in 1806. Until the
end of World War I, it was closely tied to Austria, but the economic
devastation caused by that conflict forced Liechtenstein to enter
into a customs and monetary union with Switzerland. Since World War
II (in which Liechtenstein remained neutral), the country's low
taxes have spurred outstanding economic growth. Shortcomings in
banking regulatory oversight resulted in concerns about the use of
financial institutions for money laundering. However, Liechtenstein
implemented anti-money-laundering legislation over the past several
years and a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty with the US went into
effect in 2003.

Geography Liechtenstein

Location:
Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland

Geographic coordinates:
47 16 N, 9 32 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 160 sq km
land: 160 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
total: 76 km
border countries: Austria 34.9 km, Switzerland 41.1 km

Coastline:
0 km (doubly landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
continental; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow or rain; cool
to moderately warm, cloudy, humid summers

Terrain:
mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western third

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Ruggeller Riet 430 m
highest point: Vorder-Grauspitz 2,599 m

Natural resources:
hydroelectric potential, arable land

Land use:
arable land: 25%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 75% (2005)

Irrigated land:
NA

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
NA

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer
Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
along with Uzbekistan, one of only two doubly landlocked countries
in the world; variety of microclimatic variations based on elevation

People Liechtenstein

Population:
33,987 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 17.4% (male 2,922/female 2,988)
15-64 years: 70.2% (male 11,842/female 12,022)
65 years and over: 12.4% (male 1,773/female 2,440) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 39.6 years
male: 39.2 years
female: 40.1 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.78% (2006 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.64 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.24 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.68 years
male: 76.1 years
female: 83.28 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.51 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: Liechtensteiner(s)
adjective: Liechtenstein

Ethnic groups:
Alemannic 86%, Italian, Turkish, and other 14%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 76.2%, Protestant 7%, unknown 10.6%, other 6.2%
(June 2002)

Languages:
German (official), Alemannic dialect

Literacy:
definition: age 10 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100%

Government Liechtenstein

Country name:
conventional long form: Principality of Liechtenstein
conventional short form: Liechtenstein
local long form: Fuerstentum Liechtenstein
local short form: Liechtenstein

Government type:
constitutional monarchy

Capital:
name: Vaduz
geographic coordinates: 47 09 N, 9 31 E
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:
11 communes (Gemeinden, singular - Gemeinde); Balzers, Eschen,
Gamprin, Mauren, Planken, Ruggell, Schaan, Schellenberg, Triesen,
Triesenberg, Vaduz

Independence:
23 January 1719 (Principality of Liechtenstein established); 12
July 1806 (independence from the Holy Roman Empire)

National holiday:
Assumption Day, 15 August

Constitution:
5 October 1921

Legal system:
local civil and penal codes; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,
with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Prince HANS ADAM II (since 13 November 1989,
assumed executive powers 26 August 1984); Heir Apparent Prince
ALOIS, son of the monarch (born 11 June 1968); note - on 15 August
2004, HANS ADAM transferred the official duties of the ruling prince
to ALOIS, but HANS ADAM retains status of chief of state
head of government: Head of Government Ottmar HASLER (since 5 April
2001) and Deputy Head of Government Klaus TSCHUETSCHER (since 21
April 2005)
cabinet: Cabinet elected by the Parliament, confirmed by the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following legislative
elections, the leader of the majority party in the Landtag is
usually appointed the head of government by the monarch and the
leader of the largest minority party in the Landtag is usually
appointed the deputy head of government by the monarch if there is a
coalition government

Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Landtag (25 seats; members are elected by
direct, popular vote under proportional representation to serve
four-year terms)
elections: last held 11 and 13 March 2005 (next to be held by NA
2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - FBP 48.7%, VU 38.2%, FL
13%; seats by party - FBP 12, VU 10, FL 3

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Court of Appeal or
Obergericht

Political parties and leaders:
Patriotic Union (was Fatherland Union) or VU [Adolf HEEB];
Progressive Citizens' Party or FBP [Otmar HASLER]; The Free List or
FL [Claudia HEEB-FLECK and Egon MATT]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
CE, EBRD, EFTA, IAEA, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU,
OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCL, WIPO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Claudia FRITSCHE
chancery: 888 17th Street NW, Suite 1250, Washington, DC 20006
telephone: [1] (202) 331-0590
FAX: [1] (202) 331-3221

Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Liechtenstein, but the US
Ambassador to Switzerland is also accredited to Liechtenstein

Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a gold crown
on the hoist side of the blue band

Economy Liechtenstein

Economy - overview:
Despite its small size and limited natural resources, Liechtenstein
has developed into a prosperous, highly industrialized,
free-enterprise economy with a vital financial service sector and
living standards on a par with its large European neighbors. The
Liechtenstein economy is widely diversified with a large number of
small businesses. Low business taxes - the maximum tax rate is 20% -
and easy incorporation rules have induced many holding or so-called
letter box companies to establish nominal offices in Liechtenstein,
providing 30% of state revenues. The country participates in a
customs union with Switzerland and uses the Swiss franc as its
national currency. It imports more than 90% of its energy
requirements. Liechtenstein has been a member of the European
Economic Area (an organization serving as a bridge between the
European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and the EU) since May 1995.
The government is working to harmonize its economic policies with
those of an integrated Europe.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.786 billion (2001 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$2.487 billion (2001)

GDP - real growth rate:
11% (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$25,000 (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 6%
industry: 39%
services: 55% (2001)

Labor force:
29,500 of whom 13,900 commute from Austria, Switzerland, and
Germany to work each day (31 December 2001)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 2%
industry: 47%
services: 51% (31 December 2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
1.3% (September 2002)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1% (2001)

Budget:
revenues: $424.2 million
expenditures: $414.1 million; including capital expenditures of $NA
(1998 est.)

Agriculture - products:
wheat, barley, corn, potatoes; livestock, dairy products

Industries:
electronics, metal manufacturing, dental products, ceramics,
pharmaceuticals, food products, precision instruments, tourism,
optical instruments

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Exports:
$2.47 billion (1996)

Exports - commodities:
small specialty machinery, connectors for audio and video, parts
for motor vehicles, dental products, hardware, prepared foodstuffs,
electronic equipment, optical products

Exports - partners:
EU 62.6% (Germany 24.3%, Austria 9.5%, France 8.9%, Italy 6.6%, UK
4.6%), US 18.9%, Switzerland 15.7% (2004)

Imports:
$917.3 million (1996)

Imports - commodities:
agricultural products, raw materials, machinery, metal goods,
textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles

Imports - partners:
EU, Switzerland (2004)

Debt - external:
$0 (2001)

Economic aid - recipient:
$0

Currency (code):
Swiss franc (CHF)

Currency code:
CHF

Exchange rates:
Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.2508 (2006), 1.2452 (2005), 1.2435
(2004), 1.3467 (2003), 1.5586 (2002)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Liechtenstein

Telephones - main lines in use:
19,900 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
11,400 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: automatic telephone system
domestic: NA
international: country code - 423; linked to Swiss networks by cable
and microwave radio relay

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
21,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
NA (linked to Swiss networks) (1997)

Televisions:
12,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.li

Internet hosts:
4,697 (2006)

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

Internet users:
20,000 (2002)

Transportation Liechtenstein

Pipelines:
gas 20 km (2006)

Railways:
9 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified)
note: belongs to the Austrian Railway System connecting Austria and
Switzerland (2006)

Roadways:
total: 380 km
paved: 380 km (2006)

Waterways:
28 km (2005)

Ports and terminals:
none

Military Liechtenstein

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 7,736 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 6,250 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 208 (2005 est.)

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of Switzerland

Transnational Issues Liechtenstein

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
has strengthened money-laundering controls, but money laundering
remains a concern due to Liechtenstein's sophisticated offshore
financial services sector

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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