Chapter IV: Front Matter (4)

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
highest point: Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab) 2,764 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, coal, bauxite, chromite, copper, iron ore,
nickel, salt, timber, hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 20.1%
permanent crops: 4.21%
other: 75.69% (2005)

Irrigated land:
3,530 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast;
floods; drought

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial and
domestic effluents

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

Geography - note:
strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic Sea to
Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea)

People Albania

Population:
3,581,655 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 24.8% (male 464,954/female 423,003)
15-64 years: 66.3% (male 1,214,942/female 1,158,562)
65 years and over: 8.9% (male 148,028/female 172,166) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 28.9 years
male: 28.3 years
female: 29.5 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.52% (2006 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
-4.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 20.75 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 21.2 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 20.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.43 years
male: 74.78 years
female: 80.34 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.03 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: Albanian(s)
adjective: Albanian

Ethnic groups:
Albanian 95%, Greek 3%, other 2% (Vlach, Roma (Gypsy), Serb,
Macedonian, Bulgarian) (1989 est.)
note: in 1989, other estimates of the Greek population ranged from
1% (official Albanian statistics) to 12% (from a Greek organization)

Religions:
Muslim 70%, Albanian Orthodox 20%, Roman Catholic 10%
note: percentages are estimates; there are no available current
statistics on religious affiliation; all mosques and churches were
closed in 1967 and religious observances prohibited; in November
1990, Albania began allowing private religious practice

Languages:
Albanian (official - derived from Tosk dialect), Greek, Vlach,
Romani, Slavic dialects

Literacy:
definition: age 9 and over can read and write
total population: 86.5%
male: 93.3%
female: 79.5% (2003 est.)

Government Albania

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Albania
conventional short form: Albania
local long form: Republika e Shqiperise
local short form: Shqiperia
former: People's Socialist Republic of Albania

Government type:
emerging democracy

Capital:
name: Tirana (Tirane)
geographic coordinates: 41 20 N, 19 50 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:
12 counties (qarqe, singular - qark); Qarku i Beratit, Qarku i
Dibres, Qarku i Durresit, Qarku i Elbasanit, Qarku i Fierit, Qarku i
Gjirokastres, Qarku i Korces, Qarku i Kukesit, Qarku i Lezhes, Qarku
i Shkodres, Qarku i Tiranes, Qarku i Vlores

Independence:
28 November 1912 (from Ottoman Empire)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 28 November (1912)

Constitution:
adopted by popular referendum on 28 November 1998

Legal system:
has a civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction; has accepted jurisdiction of the International
Criminal Court for its citizens

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President of the Republic Alfred MOISIU (since 24
June 2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Sali BERISHA (since 10 September
2005)
cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister,
nominated by the president, and approved by parliament
elections: president elected by the People's Assembly for a
five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 24
June 2002 (next to be held June 2007); prime minister appointed by
the president
election results: Alfred MOISIU elected president; People's Assembly
vote by number - total votes 134: for 97, against 19, abstained 14,
invalid votes 4

Legislative branch:
unicameral Assembly or Kuvendi (140 seats; 100 are elected by
direct popular vote and 40 by proportional vote for four-year terms)
elections: last held 3 July 2005 (next to be held in 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PD
56, PS 42, PR 11, PSD 7, LSI 5, other 19

Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court, Supreme Court (chairman is elected by the
People's Assembly for a four-year term), and multiple appeals and
district courts

Political parties and leaders:
Agrarian Environmentalist Party or PAA [Lufter XHUVELI]; Christian
Democratic Party or PDK [Nard NDOKA]; Communist Party of Albania or
PKSH [Hysni MILLOSHI]; Democratic Alliance Party or AD [Neritan
CEKA]; Democratic Party or PD [Sali BERISHA]; Legality Movement
Party or PLL [Ekrem SPAHIU]; Liberal Union Party or BLD [Arjan
STAROVA]; National Front Party (Balli Kombetar) or PBK [Adriatik
ALIMADHI]; New Democratic Party or PDR [Genc POLLO]; Party of
National Unity or PUK [Idajet BEQIRI]; Renewed Democratic Party or
PDRN [Dashamir SHEHI]; Republican Party or PR [Fatmir MEDIU]; Social
Democracy Party of Albania or PDSSh [Paskal MILO]; Social Democratic
Party or PSD [Skender GJINUSHI]; Socialist Movement for Integration
or LSI [Ilir META]; Socialist Party or PS [Edi RAMA]; Union for
Human Rights Party or PBDNj [Vangjel DULE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Citizens Advocacy Office [Kreshnik SPAHIU]; Confederation of Trade
Unions of Albania or KSSH [Kastriot MUCO]; Front for Albanian
National Unification or FBKSH [Gafur ADILI]; Mjaft Movement [Erion
VELIAJ]; Omonia [Jani JANI]; Union of Independent Trade Unions of
Albania or BSPSH [Gezim KALAJA]

International organization participation:
BSEC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO
(correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SECI,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Aleksander SALLABANDA
chancery: 2100 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 223-4942
FAX: [1] (202) 628-7342

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Marcie B. RIES
embassy: Rruga e Elbasanit, Labinoti #103, Tirana
mailing address: US Department of State, 9510 Tirana Place, Dulles,
VA 20189-9510
telephone: [355] (4) 247285
FAX: [355] (4) 232222

Flag description:
red with a black two-headed eagle in the center

Economy Albania

Economy - overview:
Lagging behind its Balkan neighbors, Albania is making the
difficult transition to a more modern open-market economy. The
government has taken measures to curb violent crime and reduce the
large grey economy. The economy is bolstered by annual remittances
from abroad of $600-$800 million, mostly from Albanians residing in
Greece and Italy; this helps offset the towering trade deficit.
Agriculture, which accounts for about one-quarter of GDP, is held
back because of lack of modern equipment, unclear property rights,
and the prevalence of small, inefficient plots of land. Energy
shortages and antiquated and inadequate infrastructure contribute to
Albania's poor business environment, which make it difficult to
attract and sustain foreign investment. The planned construction of
a new thermal power plant near Vlore and improved transmission and
distribution facilities eventually will help relieve the energy
shortages. Also, the government is moving slowly to improve the poor
national road and rail network, a long-standing barrier to sustained
economic growth. On the positive side: growth was strong in 2003-06
and inflation is low and stable.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$20.21 billion
note: Albania has a large gray economy that may be as large as 50%
of official GDP (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$9.306 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$5,600 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 23.3%
industry: 18.8%
services: 57.9% (2006 est.)

Labor force:
1.09 million (not including 352,000 emigrant workers) (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 58%
industry: 19%
services: 23% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:
14.3% official rate, but may exceed 30% due to preponderance of
near-subsistence farming (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:
25% (2004 est.)

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

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
28.2 (2002)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.8% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
24.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $2.323 billion
expenditures: $2.587 billion; including capital expenditures of $500
million (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:
wheat, corn, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, sugar beets, grapes;
meat, dairy products

Industries:
food processing, textiles and clothing; lumber, oil, cement,
chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower

Industrial production growth rate:
3.1% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
5.434 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 2.9%
hydro: 97.1%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
5.231 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:
390 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:
567 million kWh (2004 est.)

Oil - production:
3,600 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:
25,200 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - imports:
21,600 bbl/day (2005 est.)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Current account balance:
$-679.9 million (2006 est.)

Exports:
$763.2 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:
textiles and footwear; asphalt, metals and metallic ores, crude
oil; vegetables, fruits, tobacco

Exports - partners:
Italy 72.4%, Greece 10.5%, Serbia and Montenegro 5% (2005)

Imports:
$2.901 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, textiles, chemicals

Imports - partners:
Italy 29.3%, Greece 16.4%, Turkey 7.5%, China 6.6%, Germany 5.4%,
Russia 4% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$1.621 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:
$1.55 billion (2004)

Economic aid - recipient:
ODA: $366 million (top donors were Italy, EU, Germany) (2003 est.)

Currency (code):
lek (ALL)
note: the plural of lek is leke

Currency code:
ALL

Exchange rates:
leke per US dollar - 98.5927 (2006), 102.649 (2005), 102.78 (2004),
121.863 (2003), 140.155 (2002)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Albania

Telephones - main lines in use:
255,000 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.259 million (2004)

Telephone system:
general assessment: despite new investment in fixed lines, the
density of main lines remains the lowest in Europe with roughly
seven lines per 100 people; however, cellular telephone use is
widespread and generally effective
domestic: offsetting the shortage of fixed line capacity, mobile
phone service has been available since 1996; by 2003 two companies
were providing mobile services at a greater density than some of
Albania's Balkan neighbors
international: country code - 355; inadequate fixed main lines;
adequate cellular connections; international traffic carried by
fiber optic cable and, when necessary, by microwave radio relay from
the Tirana exchange to Italy and Greece (2003)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 13, FM 46 (3 national, 62 local), shortwave 1 (2005)

Radios:
1 million (2001)

Television broadcast stations:
65 (3 national, 62 local); note - 2 cable networks (2005)

Televisions:
700,000 (2001)

Internet country code:
.al

Internet hosts:
430 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
10 (2001)

Internet users:
75,000 (2005)

Transportation Albania

Airports:
11 (2006)

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

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 8
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 4 (2006)

Heliports:
1 (2006)

Pipelines:
gas 339 km; oil 207 km (2006)

Railways:
total: 447 km
standard gauge: 447 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:
total: 18,000 km
paved: 7,020 km
unpaved: 10,980 km (2002)

Waterways:
43 km (2006)

Merchant marine:
total: 24 ships (1000 GRT or over) 52,987 GRT/79,863 DWT
by type: cargo 23, roll on/roll off 1
foreign-owned: 1 (Turkey 1)
registered in other countries: 1 (Georgia 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Durres, Sarande, Shengjin, Vlore

Military Albania

Military branches:
General Staff Headquarters, Land Forces Command (Army), Naval
Forces Command, Air Defense Command, Logistics Command, Training and
Doctrine Command

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

Manpower available for military service:
males age 19-49: 809,524
females age 19-49: 784,199 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 19-49: 668,526
females age 19-49: 648,334 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 37,407
females age 19-49: 34,587 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$56.5 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.49% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Albania

Disputes - international:
the Albanian Government calls for the protection of the rights of
ethnic Albanians in neighboring countries, and the peaceful
resolution of interethnic disputes; some ethnic Albanian groups in
neighboring countries advocate for a "greater Albania," but the idea
has little appeal among Albanian nationals; thousands of unemployed
Albanians emigrate annually to nearby Italy and other developed
countries

Illicit drugs:
increasingly active transshipment point for Southwest Asian
opiates, hashish, and cannabis transiting the Balkan route and - to
a far lesser extent - cocaine from South America destined for
Western Europe; limited opium and growing cannabis production;
ethnic Albanian narcotrafficking organizations active and expanding
in Europe; vulnerable to money laundering associated with regional
trafficking in narcotics, arms, contraband, and illegal aliens

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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@Algeria

Introduction Algeria

Background:
After more than a century of rule by France, Algerians fought
through much of the 1950s to achieve independence in 1962. Algeria's
primary political party, the National Liberation Front (FLN), has
dominated politics ever since. Many Algerians in the subsequent
generation were not satisfied, however, and moved to counter the
FLN's centrality in Algerian politics. The surprising first round
success of the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) in the December 1991
balloting spurred the Algerian army to intervene and postpone the
second round of elections to prevent what the secular elite feared
would be an extremist-led government from assuming power. The army
began a crack down on the FIS that spurred FIS supporters to begin
attacking government targets. The government later allowed elections
featuring pro-government and moderate religious-based parties, but
did not appease the activists who progressively widened their
attacks. The fighting escalated into an insurgency, which saw
intense fighting between 1992-98 and which resulted in over 100,000
deaths - many attributed to indiscriminate massacres of villagers by
extremists. The government gained the upper hand by the late-1990s
and FIS's armed wing, the Islamic Salvation Army, disbanded in
January 2000. However, small numbers of armed militants persist in
confronting government forces and conducting ambushes and occasional
attacks on villages. The army placed Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA in the
presidency in 1999 in a fraudulent election but claimed neutrality
in his 2004 landslide reelection victory. Longstanding problems
continue to face BOUTEFLIKA in his second term, including the ethnic
minority Berbers' ongoing autonomy campaign, large-scale
unemployment, a shortage of housing, unreliable electrical and water
supplies, government inefficiencies and corruption, and the
continuing - although significantly degraded - activities of
extremist militants. Algeria must also diversify its petroleum-based
economy, which has yielded a large cash reserve but which has not
been used to redress Algeria's many social and infrastructure
problems.

Geography Algeria

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

Geographic coordinates:
28 00 N, 3 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 2,381,740 sq km
land: 2,381,740 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Texas

Land boundaries:
total: 6,343 km
border countries: Libya 982 km, Mali 1,376 km, Mauritania 463 km,
Morocco 1,559 km, Niger 956 km, Tunisia 965 km, Western Sahara 42 km

Coastline:
998 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 32-52 nm

Climate:
arid to semiarid; mild, wet winters with hot, dry summers along
coast; drier with cold winters and hot summers on high plateau;
sirocco is a hot, dust/sand-laden wind especially common in summer

Terrain:
mostly high plateau and desert; some mountains; narrow,
discontinuous coastal plain

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Chott Melrhir -40 m
highest point: Tahat 3,003 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, uranium, lead, zinc

Land use:
arable land: 3.17%
permanent crops: 0.28%
other: 96.55% (2005)

Irrigated land:
5,690 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes; mudslides and
floods in rainy season

Environment - current issues:
soil erosion from overgrazing and other poor farming practices;
desertification; dumping of raw sewage, petroleum refining wastes,
and other industrial effluents is leading to the pollution of rivers
and coastal waters; Mediterranean Sea, in particular, becoming
polluted from oil wastes, soil erosion, and fertilizer runoff;
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, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
second-largest country in Africa (after Sudan)

People Algeria

Population:
32,930,091 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 28.1% (male 4,722,076/female 4,539,713)
15-64 years: 67.1% (male 11,133,802/female 10,964,502)
65 years and over: 4.8% (male 735,444/female 834,554) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 24.9 years
male: 24.7 years
female: 25.1 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.22% (2006 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
-0.35 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: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 29.87 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 33.62 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 25.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.26 years
male: 71.68 years
female: 74.92 years (2006 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% ; note - no country specific models provided (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
9,100 (2003 est.)

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

Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: intermediate
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: cutaneous leishmaniasis is a high risk in some
locations (2007)

Nationality:
noun: Algerian(s)
adjective: Algerian

Ethnic groups:
Arab-Berber 99%, European less than 1%
note: almost all Algerians are Berber in origin, not Arab; the
minority who identify themselves as Berber live mostly in the
mountainous region of Kabylie east of Algiers; the Berbers are also
Muslim but identify with their Berber rather than Arab cultural
heritage; Berbers have long agitated, sometimes violently, for
autonomy; the government is unlikely to grant autonomy but has
offered to begin sponsoring teaching Berber language in schools

Religions:
Sunni Muslim (state religion) 99%, Christian and Jewish 1%

Languages:
Arabic (official), French, Berber dialects

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 70%
male: 78.8%
female: 61% (2003 est.)

Government Algeria

Country name:
conventional long form: People's Democratic Republic of Algeria
conventional short form: Algeria
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Jaza'iriyah ad Dimuqratiyah ash
Sha'biyah
local short form: Al Jaza'ir

Government type:
republic

Capital:
name: Algiers
geographic coordinates: 36 47 N, 2 03 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:
48 provinces (wilayat, singular - wilaya); Adrar, Ain Defla, Ain
Temouchent, Alger, Annaba, Batna, Bechar, Bejaia, Biskra, Blida,
Bordj Bou Arreridj, Bouira, Boumerdes, Chlef, Constantine, Djelfa,
El Bayadh, El Oued, El Tarf, Ghardaia, Guelma, Illizi, Jijel,
Khenchela, Laghouat, Mascara, Medea, Mila, Mostaganem, M'Sila,
Naama, Oran, Ouargla, Oum el Bouaghi, Relizane, Saida, Setif, Sidi
Bel Abbes, Skikda, Souk Ahras, Tamanghasset, Tebessa, Tiaret,
Tindouf, Tipaza, Tissemsilt, Tizi Ouzou, Tlemcen

Independence:
5 July 1962 (from France)

National holiday:
Revolution Day, 1 November (1954)

Constitution:
8 September 1963; revised 19 November 1976, effective 22 November
1976; revised 3 November 1988, 23 February 1989, and 28 November 1996

Legal system:
socialist, based on French and Islamic law; judicial review of
legislative acts in ad hoc Constitutional Council composed of
various public officials, including several Supreme Court justices;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA (since 28 April 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Abdelaziz BELKHADEM
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
(eligible for a second term); election last held 8 April 2004 (next
to be held in April 2009); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA reelected president for
second term; percent of vote - Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA 85%, Ali BENFLIS
6.4%, Abdellah DJABALLAH 5%

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consisting of the National People's Assembly
or Al-Majlis Ech-Chaabi Al-Watani (389 seats - formerly 380 seats;
members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the
Council of Nations (Senate) (144 seats; one-third of the members
appointed by the president, two-thirds elected by indirect vote;
members serve six-year terms; the constitution requires half the
council to be renewed every three years)
elections: National People's Assembly - last held 30 May 2002 (next
to be held in 2007); Council of Nations (Senate) - last held 30
December 2003 (next to be held in 2006)
election results: National People's Assembly - percent of vote by
party - NA; seats by party - FLN 199, RND 47, Islah 43, MSP 38, PT
21, FNA 8, EnNahda 1, PRA 1, MEN 1, independents 30; Council of
Nations - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party NA

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:
Algerian National Front or FNA [Moussa TOUATI]; National Democratic
Rally (Rassemblement National Democratique) or RND [Ahmed OUYAHIA,
secretary general]; Islamic Salvation Front or FIS (outlawed April
1992) [Ali BELHADJ, Dr. Abassi MADANI, Rabeh KEBIR]; National
Entente Movement or MEN [Ali BOUKHAZNA]; National Liberation Front
or FLN [Abdelaziz BELKHADEM, secretary general]; National Reform
Movement or Islah (formerly MRN) [Abdellah DJABALLAH]; National
Renewal Party or PRA [Yacine TERKMANE]; Progressive Republican Party
[Khadir DRISS]; Rally for Culture and Democracy or RCD [Said SADI];
Renaissance Movement or EnNahda Movement [Fatah RABEI]; Socialist
Forces Front or FFS [Hocine Ait AHMED, secretary general]; Social
Liberal Party or PSL [Ahmed KHELIL]; Society of Peace Movement or
MSP [Boudjerra SOLTANI]; Workers Party or PT [Louisa HANOUN]
note: a law banning political parties based on religion was enacted
in March 1997

Political pressure groups and leaders:
The Algerian Human Rights League or LADH or LADDH [Yahia Ali
ABDENOUR]; SOS Disparus [Nacera DUTOUR]; Somoud [Ali MERABET]

International organization participation:
ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, BIS, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAS,
MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, ONUB, OPCW, OPEC, OSCE
(partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNWTO, UPU, WCO,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Amine KHERBI
chancery: 2118 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 265-2800
FAX: [1] (202) 667-2174

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Robert S. FORD
embassy: 04 Chemin Cheikh Bachir Ibrahimi El-Biar 16030, Algiers
mailing address: B. P. 408, Alger-Gare, 16030 Algiers
telephone: [213] (021) 69-12-55
FAX: [213] (021) 69-39-79

Flag description:
two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and white; a red,
five-pointed star within a red crescent centered over the two-color
boundary; the crescent, star, and color green are traditional
symbols of Islam (the state religion)

Economy Algeria

Economy - overview:
The hydrocarbons sector is the backbone of the economy, accounting
for roughly 60% of budget revenues, 30% of GDP, and over 95% of
export earnings. Algeria has the seventh-largest reserves of natural
gas in the world and is the second-largest gas exporter; it ranks
14th in oil reserves. Sustained high oil prices in recent years,
along with macroeconomic policy reforms supported by the IMF, have
helped improve Algeria's financial and macroeconomic indicators.
Algeria is running substantial trade surpluses and building up
record foreign exchange reserves. Algeria has decreased its external
debt to less than 10% of GDP after repaying its Paris Club and
London Club debt in 2006. Real GDP has risen due to higher oil
output and increased government spending. The government's continued
efforts to diversify the economy by attracting foreign and domestic
investment outside the energy sector, however, has had little
success in reducing high unemployment and improving living
standards. Structural reform within the economy, such as development
of the banking sector and the construction of infrastructure, moves
ahead slowly hampered by corruption and bureaucratic resistance.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$253.4 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$92.22 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
5.6% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$7,700 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 9.4%
industry: 58.1%
services: 32.5% (2006 est.)

Labor force:
9.31 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 14%, industry 14%, construction and public works 10%,
trade 13.4%, government 32%, other 10% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:
15.7% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:
25% (2005 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 26.8% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
35.3 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
23.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $59.26 billion
expenditures: $49.14 billion; including capital expenditures of $5.8
billion (2006 est.)

Public debt:
18.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:
wheat, barley, oats, grapes, olives, citrus, fruits; sheep, cattle

Industries:
petroleum, natural gas, light industries, mining, electrical,
petrochemical, food processing

Industrial production growth rate:
10% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:
29.39 billion kWh (2004 est.)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 99.7%
hydro: 0.3%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
27.4 billion kWh (2004 est.)

Electricity - exports:
230 million kWh (2004 est.)

Electricity - imports:
300 million kWh (2004 est.)

Oil - production:
1.373 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:
233,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Current account balance:
$25.8 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:
$55.6 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:
petroleum, natural gas, and petroleum products 97%

Exports - partners:
US 22.6%, Italy 16%, Spain 10.5%, France 10%, Canada 7.9%, Brazil
6.5%, Belgium 4.3%, Germany 4.2% (2005)

Imports:
$27.6 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:
capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods

Imports - partners:
France 28.1%, Italy 7.8%, Spain 7.2%, China 6.6%, Germany 6.3%, US
5.5% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$71.96 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:
$5 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$313 million (2004 est.)

Currency (code):
Algerian dinar (DZD)

Currency code:
DZD

Exchange rates:
Algerian dinars per US dollar - 73.2 (2006), 73.276 (2005), 72.061
(2004), 77.395 (2003), 79.682 (2002)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Algeria

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

Telephones - mobile cellular:
13.661 million (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: telephone density in Algeria is very low, not
exceeding five telephones per 100 persons; the number of fixed main
lines increased in the last few years to nearly 2.6 million, but
only about two-thirds of these have subscribers; much of the
infrastructure is outdated and inefficient
domestic: good service in north but sparse in south; domestic
satellite system with 12 earth stations (20 additional domestic
earth stations are planned)
international: country code - 213; submarine cables - 5; microwave
radio relay to Italy, France, Spain, Morocco, and Tunisia; coaxial
cable to Morocco and Tunisia; participant in Medarabtel; satellite
earth stations - 51 (Intelsat, Intersputnik, and Arabsat) (2005)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 25, FM 1, shortwave 8 (1999)

Radios:
7.1 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
46 (plus 216 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
3.1 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.dz

Internet hosts:
1,202 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
1.92 million (2005)

Transportation Algeria

Airports:
142 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 52
over 3,047 m: 10
2,438 to 3,047 m: 27
1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 90
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 26
914 to 1,523 m: 39
under 914 m: 23 (2006)

Heliports:
1 (2006)

Pipelines:
condensate 1,344 km; gas 85,946 km; liquid petroleum gas 2,213 km;
oil 6,496 km (2005)

Railways:
total: 3,973 km
standard gauge: 2,888 km 1.435-m gauge (283 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 1,085 km 1.055-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:
total: 108,302 km
paved: 76,028 km
unpaved: 32,274 km (2004)

Merchant marine:
total: 41 ships (1000 GRT or over) 744,406 GRT/766,764 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 7, cargo 10, chemical tanker 2, liquefied gas
9, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 5, roll on/roll off 3,
specialized tanker 1
foreign-owned: 13 (UK 13) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Algiers, Annaba, Arzew, Bejaia, Djendjene, Jijel, Mostaganem, Oran,
Skikda

Military Algeria

Military branches:
National Popular Army (ANP; includes Land Forces), Algerian
National Navy (MRA), Air Force (QJJ), Territorial Air Defense Force
(2005)

Military service age and obligation:
19-30 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript
service obligation - 18 months (6 months basic training, 12 months
civil projects) (2006)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 19-49: 8,033,049
females age 19-49: 7,926,351 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 19-49: 6,590,079
females age 19-49: 6,711,285 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 374,639
females age 19-49: 369,021 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$3 billion (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
3.2% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Algeria

Disputes - international:
Algeria supports the exiled Sahrawi Polisario Front and rejects
Moroccan administration of Western Sahara; most of the approximately
102,000 Western Saharan Sahrawi refugees are sheltered in camps in
Tindouf, Algeria; Algeria's border with Morocco remains an irritant
to bilateral relations, each nation accusing the other of harboring
militants and arms smuggling; in an attempt to improve relations,
Morocco, in mid-2004, unilaterally lifted the requirement that
Algerians visiting Morocco possess entry visas - a gesture not
reciprocated by Algeria; Algeria remains concerned about armed
bandits operating throughout the Sahel who sometimes destabilize
southern Algerian towns; dormant disputes include Libyan claims of
about 32,000 sq km still reflected on its maps of southeastern
Algeria and the FLN's assertions of a claim to Chirac Pastures in
southeastern Morocco

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 90,000 (Western Saharan Sahrawi,
mostly living in Algerian-sponsored camps in the southwestern
Algerian town of Tindouf)
IDPs: 400,000-600,000 (conflict between government forces, Islamic
insurgents) (2006)

Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Algeria 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 Algeria en route to European countries with the help of
smugglers, where they are often forced into prostitution, labor, and
begging to pay off their smuggling debt; armed militants reportedly
traffic women for sexual exploitation and involuntary servitude, and
children may be trafficked for forced labor as domestic servants or
street vendors
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Algeria took no steps to assess the
scope of trafficking in the country and reported no investigations
or prosecutions for trafficking offenses this year

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@American Samoa

Introduction American Samoa

Background:
Settled as early as 1000 B.C., Samoa was "discovered" by European
explorers in the 18th century. International rivalries in the latter
half of the 19th century were settled by an 1899 treaty in which
Germany and the US divided the Samoan archipelago. The US formally
occupied its portion - a smaller group of eastern islands with the
excellent harbor of Pago Pago - the following year.

Geography American Samoa

Location:
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about half
way between Hawaii and New Zealand

Geographic coordinates:
14 20 S, 170 00 W

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 199 sq km
land: 199 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Rose Island and Swains Island

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
116 km

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

Climate:
tropical marine, moderated by southeast trade winds; annual
rainfall averages about 3 m; rainy season (November to April), dry
season (May to October); little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:
five volcanic islands with rugged peaks and limited coastal plains,
two coral atolls (Rose Island, Swains Island)

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Lata Mountain 964 m

Natural resources:
pumice, pumicite

Land use:
arable land: 10%
permanent crops: 15%
other: 75% (2005)

Irrigated land:
NA

Natural hazards:
typhoons common from December to March

Environment - current issues:
limited natural fresh water resources; the water division of the
government has spent substantial funds in the past few years to
improve water catchments and pipelines

Geography - note:
Pago Pago has one of the best natural deepwater harbors in the
South Pacific Ocean, sheltered by shape from rough seas and
protected by peripheral mountains from high winds; strategic
location in the South Pacific Ocean

People American Samoa

Population:
57,794 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 34.7% (male 10,388/female 9,654)
15-64 years: 62.4% (male 18,698/female 17,350)
65 years and over: 2.9% (male 633/female 1,071) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 23.2 years
male: 22.9 years
female: 23.4 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
-0.19% (2006 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
-21.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female
total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 9.07 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 9.66 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 8.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.05 years
male: 72.48 years
female: 79.82 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
3.16 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: American Samoan(s) (US nationals)
adjective: American Samoan

Ethnic groups:
native Pacific islander 92.9%, Asian 2.9%, white 1.2%, mixed 2.8%,
other 0.2% (2000 census)

Religions:
Christian Congregationalist 50%, Roman Catholic 20%, Protestant and
other 30%

Languages:
Samoan 90.6% (closely related to Hawaiian and other Polynesian
languages), English 2.9%, Tongan 2.4%, other Pacific islander 2.1%,
other 2%
note: most people are bilingual (2000 census)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97%
male: 98%
female: 97% (1980 est.)

Government American Samoa

Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of American Samoa
conventional short form: American Samoa
abbreviation: AS

Dependency status:
unincorporated and unorganized territory of the US; administered by
the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior

Government type:
NA

Capital:
name: Pago Pago
geographic coordinates: 14 16 S, 170 42 W
time difference: UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:
none (territory of the US); there are no first-order administrative
divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are three
districts and two islands* at the second order; Eastern, Manu'a,
Rose Island*, Swains Island*, Western

Independence:
none (territory of the US)

National holiday:
Flag Day, 17 April (1900)

Constitution:
ratified 2 June 1966, effective 1 July 1967

Legal system:
NA

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20
January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January
2001)
head of government: Governor Togiola TULAFONO (since 7 April 2003)
cabinet: Cabinet made up of 12 department directors
elections: under the US Consitution, residents of unincorporated
territories, such as American Samoa, do not vote in elections for US
president and vice president; governor and lieutenant governor
elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms
(eligible for a second term); election last held 2 and 16 November
2004 (next to be held November 2008)
election results: Togiola TULAFONO elected governor; percent of vote
- Togiola TULAFONO 55.7%, Afoa Moega LUTU 44.3%

Legislative branch:
bicameral Fono or Legislative Assembly consists of the House of
Representatives (21 seats - 20 of which are elected by popular vote
and 1 is an appointed, nonvoting delegate from Swains Island;
members serve two-year terms) and the Senate (18 seats; members are
elected from local chiefs and serve four-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives - last held 7 November 2006
(next to be held November 2008); Senate - last held 2 November 2004
(next to be held November 2008)
election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by
party - NA; seats by party - NA; Senate - percent of vote by party -
NA; seats by party - independents 18
note: American Samoa elects one nonvoting representative to the US
House of Representatives; election last held 7 November 2006 (next
to be held November 2008); results - Eni F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA
(Democrat) reelected as delegate

Judicial branch:
High Court (chief justice and associate justices are appointed by
the US Secretary of the Interior)

Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party [Oreta M. TOGAFAU]; Republican Party [Tautai A. F.
FAALEVAO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
Interpol (subbureau), IOC, SPC, UPU

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

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

Flag description:
blue, with a white triangle edged in red that is based on the outer
side and extends to the hoist side; a brown and white American bald
eagle flying toward the hoist side is carrying two traditional
Samoan symbols of authority, a staff and a war club

Economy American Samoa

Economy - overview:
American Samoa has a traditional Polynesian economy in which more
than 90% of the land is communally owned. Economic activity is
strongly linked to the US with which American Samoa conducts most of
its foreign trade. Tuna fishing and tuna processing plants are the
backbone of the private sector, with canned tuna the primary export.
Transfers from the US Government add substantially to American
Samoa's economic well being. Attempts by the government to develop a
larger and broader economy are restrained by Samoa's remote
location, its limited transportation, and its devastating
hurricanes. Tourism is a promising developing sector.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$510.1 million (2003 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$333.8 million (2005)

GDP - real growth rate:
3% (2003)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$5,800 (2005 est.)

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

Labor force:
17,630 (2005)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 34%
industry: 33%
services: 33% (1990)

Unemployment rate:
29.8% (2005)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
NA%

Budget:
revenues: $121 million (37% in local revenue and 63% in US grants)
expenditures: $127 million; including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY96/97)

Agriculture - products:
bananas, coconuts, vegetables, taro, breadfruit, yams, copra,
pineapples, papayas; dairy products, livestock

Industries:
tuna canneries (largely supplied by foreign fishing vessels),
handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - production:
128 million kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:
119 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:
3,900 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:
$445.6 million (FY04 est.)

Exports - commodities:
canned tuna 93% (2004 est.)

Exports - partners:
Indonesia 28.2%, India 22.3%, Australia 15.3%, Japan 11.2%, NZ 7.1%
(2005)

Imports:
$308.8 million (FY04 est.)

Imports - commodities:
materials for canneries 56%, food 8%, petroleum products 7%,
machinery and parts 6% (2004 est.)

Imports - partners:
Australia 66%, Samoa 13.8%, NZ 10.8% (2005)

Debt - external:
$NA

Economic aid - recipient:
important financial support from the US, more than $40 million in
1994

Currency (code):
US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
USD

Exchange rates:
the US dollar is used

Fiscal year:
1 October - 30 September

Communications American Samoa

Telephones - main lines in use:
15,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
2,377 (1999)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: good telex, telegraph, facsimile and cellular telephone
services; domestic satellite system with 1 Comsat earth station
international: country code - 684; satellite earth station - 1
(Intelsat-Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2006)

Radios:
57,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (Low Power TV); note - one cable TV station (2006)

Televisions:
14,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.as

Internet hosts:
1,456 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
NA

Transportation American Samoa

Airports:
3 (2006)

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

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

Roadways:
total: 185 km (2004)

Ports and terminals:
Pago Pago

Military American Samoa

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues American Samoa

Disputes - international:
none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Andorra

Introduction Andorra

Background:
For 715 years, from 1278 to 1993, Andorrans lived under a unique
co-principality, ruled by French and Spanish leaders (from 1607
onward, the French chief of state and the Spanish bishop of Urgel).
In 1993, this feudal system was modified with the titular heads of
state retained, but the government transformed into a parliamentary
democracy. Long isolated and impoverished, mountainous Andorra
achieved considerable prosperity since World War II through its
tourist industry. Many immigrants (legal and illegal) are attracted
to the thriving economy with its lack of income taxes.

Geography Andorra

Location:
Southwestern Europe, between France and Spain

Geographic coordinates:
42 30 N, 1 30 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 468 sq km
land: 468 sq km
water: 0 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
total: 120.3 km
border countries: France 56.6 km, Spain 63.7 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
temperate; snowy, cold winters and warm, dry summers

Terrain:
rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleys

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Riu Runer 840 m
highest point: Coma Pedrosa 2,946 m

Natural resources:
hydropower, mineral water, timber, iron ore, lead

Land use:
arable land: 2.13%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 97.87% (2005)

Irrigated land:
NA

Natural hazards:
avalanches

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; overgrazing of mountain meadows contributes to soil
erosion; air pollution; wastewater treatment and solid waste disposal

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

Geography - note:
landlocked; straddles a number of important crossroads in the
Pyrenees

People Andorra

Population:
71,201 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 14.7% (male 5,456/female 4,994)
15-64 years: 71.4% (male 26,632/female 24,172)
65 years and over: 14% (male 4,918/female 5,029) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 40.9 years
male: 41.2 years
female: 40.7 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.89% (2006 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female
total population: 1.08 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.04 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.38 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 83.51 years
male: 80.61 years
female: 86.61 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.3 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: Andorran(s)
adjective: Andorran

Ethnic groups:
Spanish 43%, Andorran 33%, Portuguese 11%, French 7%, other 6%
(1998)

Religions:
Roman Catholic (predominant)

Languages:
Catalan (official), French, Castilian, Portuguese

Literacy:
definition: NA
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100%

Government Andorra

Country name:
conventional long form: Principality of Andorra
conventional short form: Andorra
local long form: Principat d'Andorra
local short form: Andorra

Government type:
parliamentary democracy (since March 1993) that retains as its
chiefs of state a coprincipality; the two princes are the president
of France and bishop of Seo de Urgel, Spain, who are represented
locally by coprinces' representatives

Capital:
name: Andorra la Vella
geographic coordinates: 42 30 N, 1 30 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:
7 parishes (parroquies, singular - parroquia); Andorra la Vella,
Canillo, Encamp, Escaldes-Engordany, La Massana, Ordino, Sant Julia
de Loria

Independence:
1278 (formed under the joint suzerainty of the French count of Foix
and the Spanish bishop of Urgel)

National holiday:
Our Lady of Meritxell Day, 8 September (1278)

Constitution:
Andorra's first written constitution was drafted in 1991, approved
by referendum 14 March 1993, effective 4 May 1993

Legal system:
based on French and Spanish civil codes; no judicial review of
legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: French Coprince Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995),
represented by Philippe MASSONI (since 26 July 2002); Spanish
Coprince Bishop Joan Enric VIVES i SICILIA (since 12 May 2003),
represented by Nemesi MARQUES i OSTE (since NA)
head of government: Executive Council President Albert PINTAT
SANTOLARIA (since 27 May 2005)
cabinet: Executive Council or Govern designated by the Executive
Council president
elections: Executive Council president elected by the General
Council and formally appointed by the coprinces for a four-year
term; election last held 24 April 2005 (next to be held April-May
2009)
election results: Albert PINTAT SANTOLARIA elected executive council
president; percent of General Council vote - NA

Legislative branch:
unicameral General Council of the Valleys or Consell General de las
Valls (28 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote, 14 from
a single national constituency and 14 to represent each of the seven
parishes; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 24 April 2005 (next to be held March-April 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - PLA 41.2%, PS 38.1%,
CDA-S21 11%, other 9.7%; seats by party - PLA 14, PS 12, CDA-S21 2

Judicial branch:
Tribunal of Judges or Tribunal de Batlles; Tribunal of the Courts
or Tribunal de Corts; Supreme Court of Justice of Andorra or
Tribunal Superior de Justicia d'Andorra; Supreme Council of Justice
or Consell Superior de la Justicia; Fiscal Ministry or Ministeri
Fiscal; Constitutional Tribunal or Tribunal Constitucional

Political parties and leaders:
Andorran Democratic Center Party or CDA (formerly Democratic Party
or PD); Century 21 or S21 [Enric TARRADO]; Liberal Party of Andorra
or PLA (formerly Liberal Union or UL) [Albert PINTAT SANTOLARIA];
Social Democratic Party or PS (formerly part of National Democratic
Group or AND) [Jaume BARTUMEU CASSANY]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
CE, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, OIF, OIF
(associate member), OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNWTO, WCO, WHO,
WIPO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Julian VILA COMA
chancery: 2 United Nations Plaza, 25th Floor, New York, NY 10017
telephone: [1] (212) 750-8064
FAX: [1] (212) 750-6630

Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Andorra; the US Ambassador to
Spain is accredited to Andorra; US interests in Andorra are
represented by the Consulate General's office in Barcelona (Spain);
mailing address: Paseo Reina Elisenda de Montcada, 23, 08034
Barcelona, Spain; telephone: [34] (3) 280-2227; FAX: [34] (3)
205-5206

Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red
with the national coat of arms centered in the yellow band; the coat
of arms features a quartered shield; similar to the flags of Chad
and Romania, which do not have a national coat of arms in the
center, and the flag of Moldova, which does bear a national emblem

Economy Andorra

Economy - overview:
Tourism, the mainstay of Andorra's tiny, well-to-do economy,
accounts for more than 80% of GDP. An estimated 11.6 million
tourists visit annually, attracted by Andorra's duty-free status and
by its summer and winter resorts. Andorra's comparative advantage
has recently eroded as the economies of neighboring France and Spain
have been opened up, providing broader availability of goods and
lower tariffs. The banking sector, with its partial "tax haven"
status, also contributes substantially to the economy. Agricultural
production is limited - only 2% of the land is arable - and most
food has to be imported. The principal livestock activity is sheep
raising. Manufacturing output consists mainly of cigarettes, cigars,
and furniture. Andorra is a member of the EU Customs Union and is
treated as an EU member for trade in manufactured goods (no tariffs)
and as a non-EU member for agricultural products.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.84 billion (2004)

GDP (official exchange rate):
NA

GDP - real growth rate:
4% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$24,000 (2004)

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

Labor force:
48,740 (2004)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 0.3%
industry: 19.6%
services: 80% (2004)

Unemployment rate:
0% (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.4% (2004)

Budget:
revenues: $373.5 million
expenditures: $373.5 million; including capital expenditures of $NA
(2004)

Agriculture - products:
small quantities of rye, wheat, barley, oats, vegetables; sheep

Industries:
tourism (particularly skiing), cattle raising, timber, banking,
tobacco, furniture

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - production:
NA kWh

Electricity - production by source:
NA

Electricity - consumption:
NA kWh

Electricity - exports:
NA kWh

Electricity - imports:
NA kWh; note - most electricity supplied by Spain and France;
Andorra generates a small amount of hydropower

Exports:
$145 million f.o.b. (2004)

Exports - commodities:
tobacco products, furniture

Exports - partners:
Spain 59.5%, France 17.0% (2005)

Imports:
$1.077 billion (1998)

Imports - commodities:
consumer goods, food, electricity

Imports - partners:
Spain 53.2%, France 21.1% (2005)

Debt - external:
$NA

Economic aid - recipient:
none

Currency (code):
euro (EUR)

Currency code:
EUR

Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 0.79669 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004),
0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Andorra

Telephones - main lines in use:
35,400 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
64,600 (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: modern system with microwave radio relay connections
between exchanges
international: country code - 376; landline circuits to France and
Spain

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 15, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
16,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
0 (1997)

Televisions:
27,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.ad

Internet hosts:
14,944 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
21,900 (2005)

Transportation Andorra

Roadways:
total: 269 km
paved: 198 km
unpaved: 71 km

Military Andorra

Military branches:
no regular military forces, Police Service of Andorra

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 18,418 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 14,721 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 369 (2005 est.)

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of France and Spain

Transnational Issues Andorra

Disputes - international:
none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Angola

Introduction Angola

Background:
Angola is slowly rebuilding its country after the end of a 27-year
civil war in 2002. Fighting between the Popular Movement for the
Liberation of Angola (MPLA), led by Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS, and the
National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), led by
Jonas SAVIMBI, followed independence from Portugal in 1975. Peace
seemed imminent in 1992 when Angola held national elections, but
UNITA renewed fighting after being beaten by the MPLA at the polls.
Up to 1.5 million lives may have been lost - and 4 million people
displaced - in the quarter century of fighting. SAVIMBI's death in
2002 ended UNITA's insurgency and strengthened the MPLA's hold on
power. DOS SANTOS has pledged to hold legislative elections in 2007,
but 2008 may be more realistic.

Geography Angola

Location:
Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between
Namibia and Democratic Republic of the Congo

Geographic coordinates:
12 30 S, 18 30 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 1,246,700 sq km
land: 1,246,700 sq km
water: 0 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
total: 5,198 km
border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,511 km (of
which 225 km is the boundary of discontiguous Cabinda Province),
Republic of the Congo 201 km, Namibia 1,376 km, Zambia 1,110 km

Coastline:
1,600 km

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

Climate:
semiarid in south and along coast to Luanda; north has cool, dry
season (May to October) and hot, rainy season (November to April)

Terrain:
narrow coastal plain rises abruptly to vast interior plateau

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Morro de Moco 2,620 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, copper, feldspar, gold,
bauxite, uranium

Land use:
arable land: 2.65%
permanent crops: 0.23%
other: 97.12% (2005)

Irrigated land:
800 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on the plateau