Chapter XL: Front Matter (40)

Imports:
$567 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
petroleum products, ships, foodstuffs, clothing, intermediate and
capital goods

Imports - partners:
Singapore 24.1%, UAE 15.7%, India 11.3%, Malaysia 7.2%, Sri Lanka
5.7%, UK 4.5% (2005)

Debt - external:
$304 million (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$27.9 million (2004)

Currency (code):
rufiyaa (MVR)

Currency code:
MVR

Exchange rates:
rufiyaa per US dollar - 12.8 (2006), 12.8 (2005), 12.8 (2004), 12.8
(2003), 12.8 (2002)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Maldives

Telephones - main lines in use:
32,181 (2006)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
271,053 (2006)

Telephone system:
general assessment: Telephone services have improved; each island
now has at least one public telephone, and there are mobile cellular
networks with expanding subscribership
domestic: interatoll communication through microwave links; all
inhabited islands and resorts are connected with telephone and fax
service
international: country code - 960; satellite earth station - 3
Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

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

Radios:
35,000 (1999)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (2006)

Televisions:
10,000 (1999)

Internet country code:
.mv

Internet hosts:
1,357 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
19,000 (2005)

Transportation Maldives

Airports:
5 (2006)

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

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

Roadways:
total: 88 km
paved roads: 88 km - 60 km in Male; 14 km on Addu Atolis; 14 km on
Laamu
note: village roads are mainly compacted coral (2006)

Merchant marine:
total: 17 ships (1000 GRT or over) 67,149 GRT/87,220 DWT
by type: cargo 13, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 2
registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Male

Military Maldives

Military branches:
National Security Service: Security Branch (ground forces), Air
Element, Coast Guard

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 71,774
females age 18-49: 69,229 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 56,687
females age 18-49: 54,454 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$45.07 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
5.5% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Maldives

Disputes - international:
none

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 10,000 (December 2004 tsunami victims) (2006)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Mali

Introduction Mali

Background:
The Sudanese Republic and Senegal became independent of France in
1960 as the Mali Federation. When Senegal withdrew after only a few
months, what formerly made up the Sudanese Republic was renamed
Mali. Rule by dictatorship was brought to a close in 1991 by a coup
that ushered in democratic government. President Alpha KONARE won
Mali's first democratic presidential election in 1992 and was
reelected in 1997. In keeping with Mali's two-term constitutional
limit, KONARE stepped down in 2002 and was succeeded by Amadou TOURE.

Geography Mali

Location:
Western Africa, southwest of Algeria

Geographic coordinates:
17 00 N, 4 00 W

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 1.24 million sq km
land: 1.22 million sq km
water: 20,000 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
total: 7,243 km
border countries: Algeria 1,376 km, Burkina Faso 1,000 km, Guinea
858 km, Cote d'Ivoire 532 km, Mauritania 2,237 km, Niger 821 km,
Senegal 419 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
subtropical to arid; hot and dry (February to June); rainy, humid,
and mild (June to November); cool and dry (November to February)

Terrain:
mostly flat to rolling northern plains covered by sand; savanna in
south, rugged hills in northeast

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Senegal River 23 m
highest point: Hombori Tondo 1,155 m

Natural resources:
gold, phosphates, kaolin, salt, limestone, uranium, gypsum,
granite, hydropower
note: bauxite, iron ore, manganese, tin, and copper deposits are
known but not exploited

Land use:
arable land: 3.76%
permanent crops: 0.03%
other: 96.21% (2005)

Irrigated land:
2,360 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
hot, dust-laden harmattan haze common during dry seasons; recurring
droughts; occasional Niger River flooding

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; inadequate supplies
of potable water; poaching

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

Geography - note:
landlocked; divided into three natural zones: the southern,
cultivated Sudanese; the central, semiarid Sahelian; and the
northern, arid Saharan

People Mali

Population:
11,716,829 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 48.2% (male 2,857,670/female 2,787,506)
15-64 years: 48.8% (male 2,804,344/female 2,910,097)
65 years and over: 3% (male 146,458/female 210,754) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 15.8 years
male: 15.4 years
female: 16.3 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.63% (2006 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
-6.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 107.58 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 117.32 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 97.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 49 years
male: 47.05 years
female: 51.01 years (2006 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.9% (2003 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
12,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: malaria is a high risk in some locations
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2007)

Nationality:
noun: Malian(s)
adjective: Malian

Ethnic groups:
Mande 50% (Bambara, Malinke, Soninke), Peul 17%, Voltaic 12%,
Songhai 6%, Tuareg and Moor 10%, other 5%

Religions:
Muslim 90%, indigenous beliefs 9%, Christian 1%

Languages:
French (official), Bambara 80%, numerous African languages

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 46.4%
male: 53.5%
female: 39.6% (2003 est.)

Government Mali

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Mali
conventional short form: Mali
local long form: Republique de Mali
local short form: Mali
former: French Sudan and Sudanese Republic

Government type:
republic

Capital:
name: Bamako
geographic coordinates: 12 39 N, 8 00 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:
8 regions (regions, singular - region); Gao, Kayes, Kidal,
Koulikoro, Mopti, Segou, Sikasso, Tombouctou

Independence:
22 September 1960 (from France)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 22 September (1960)

Constitution:
adopted 12 January 1992

Legal system:
based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review
of legislative acts in Constitutional Court (which was formally
established on 9 March 1994); has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Amadou Toumani TOURE (since 8 June 2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Ousmane Issoufi MAIGA (since 30
April 2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
(eligible for a second term); election last held 12 May 2002 (next
to be held April 2007); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Amadou Toumani TOURE elected president; percent of
vote - Amadou Toumani TOURE 64.4%, Soumaila CISSE 35.6%

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (147 seats;
members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 14 and 28 July 2002 (next to be held July 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
Hope 2002 coalition 66 (including RPM 42, CNID 10, and MPR 3), ADEMA
51, other 30

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Political parties and leaders:
Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP (a coalition of 14
political parties including ADEMA and URD formed in December 2006 to
support the presidential candidacy of Amadou TOURE); Alliance for
Democracy or ADEMA [Diounconda TRAORE, party chairman]; Convergence
2007 [Soumeylou Boubeye MAIGA]; Hope 2002 (a coalition of CNID, MPR,
RDT, and RPM); National Congress for Democratic Initiative or CNID
[Mountaga TALL, chairman]; Party for Democracy and Progress or PDP
[Me Idrissa TRAORE]; Party for National Renewal or PARENA [Tiebile
DRAME, secretary general]; Patriotic Movement for Renewal or MPR
[Choguel MAIGA]; Rally for Democracy and Labor or RDT; Rally for
Mali or RPM [Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA, chairman]; Sudanese
Union/African Democratic Rally or US/RDA [Mamadou Bamou TOURE,
secretary general]; Union for Democracy and Development or UDD
[Moussa Balla COULIBALY]; Union for Republic and Democracy or URD
[Soumaila CISSE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Alliance for Democratic Change or ACD; Patriotic Movement of the
Ghanda Koye or MPGK; United Movement and Fronts of Azawad or MFUA

International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,
ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, ONUB,
OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WADB
(regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Abdoulaye DIOP
chancery: 2130 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-2249, 939-8950
FAX: [1] (202) 332-6603

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Terrence P. MCCULLEY
embassy: Rue Rochester NY and Rue Mohamed V, Bamako
mailing address: B. P. 34, Bamako
telephone: [223] 222-5470
FAX: [223] 222-3712

Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and red;
uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy Mali

Economy - overview:
Mali is among the poorest countries in the world, with 65% of its
land area desert or semidesert and with a highly unequal
distribution of income. Economic activity is largely confined to the
riverine area irrigated by the Niger. About 10% of the population is
nomadic and some 80% of the labor force is engaged in farming and
fishing. Industrial activity is concentrated on processing farm
commodities. Mali is heavily dependent on foreign aid and vulnerable
to fluctuations in world prices for cotton, its main export, along
with gold. The government has continued its successful
implementation of an IMF-recommended structural adjustment program
that is helping the economy grow, diversify, and attract foreign
investment. Mali's adherence to economic reform and the 50%
devaluation of the CFA franc in January 1994 have pushed up economic
growth to a sturdy 5% average in 1996-2006. Worker remittances and
external trade routes for the landlocked country have been
jeopardized by continued unrest in neighboring Cote d'Ivoire.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$14.59 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$5.847 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
5.1% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,200 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 45%
industry: 17%
services: 38% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
3.93 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 80%
industry and services: 20% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
14.6% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
64% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.8%
highest 10%: 40.4% (1994)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
50.5 (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.5% (2002 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $764 million
expenditures: $828 million; including capital expenditures of $NA
(2002 est.)

Agriculture - products:
cotton, millet, rice, corn, vegetables, peanuts; cattle, sheep,
goats

Industries:
food processing; construction; phosphate and gold mining

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - production:
410 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 41.7%
hydro: 58.3%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
381.3 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh; note - recent hydropower developments may be providing
electricity to Senegal and Mauritania (2004)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2004)

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

Oil - consumption:
4,300 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:
$323 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
cotton, gold, livestock

Exports - partners:
China 29.3%, Thailand 10.1%, Taiwan 7.7%, Italy 5.3%, Bangladesh
4.5%, France 4.4% (2005)

Imports:
$1.858 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
petroleum, machinery and equipment, construction materials,
foodstuffs, textiles

Imports - partners:
France 13%, Senegal 13%, Cote d'Ivoire 8.5% (2005)

Debt - external:
$2.8 billion (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
$472.1 million (2002)

Currency (code):
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible
authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Currency code:
XOF

Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 527.47
(2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Mali

Telephones - main lines in use:
75,000 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
869,600 (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: domestic system unreliable but improving;
provides only minimal service
domestic: network consists of microwave radio relay, open-wire, and
radiotelephone communications stations; expansion of microwave radio
relay in progress
international: country code - 223; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 28, shortwave 1
note: the shortwave station in Bamako has seven frequencies and five
transmitters and relays broadcasts for China Radio International
(2001)

Radios:
570,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (plus repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:
45,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.ml

Internet hosts:
278 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
13 (2001)

Internet users:
60,000 (2005)

Transportation Mali

Airports:
29 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 9
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 20
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 8 (2006)

Railways:
total: 729 km
narrow gauge: 729 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:
total: 18,709 km
paved: 3,368 km
unpaved: 15,341 km (2004)

Waterways:
1,815 km (2005)

Ports and terminals:
Koulikoro

Military Mali

Military branches:
Army, Air Force, National Guard

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

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 2,094,432
females age 18-49: 2,027,352 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 1,244,176
females age 18-49: 1,226,226 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$106.3 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.9% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Mali

Disputes - international:
none

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 6,165 (Mauritania) (2006)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Malta

Introduction Malta

Background:
Great Britain formally acquired possession of Malta in 1814. The
island staunchly supported the UK through both World Wars and
remained in the Commonwealth when it became independent in 1964. A
decade later Malta became a republic. Since about the mid-1980s, the
island has transformed itself into a freight transshipment point, a
financial center, and a tourist destination. Malta became an EU
member in May 2004.

Geography Malta

Location:
Southern Europe, islands in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Sicily
(Italy)

Geographic coordinates:
35 50 N, 14 35 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 316 sq km
land: 316 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
196.8 km (does not include 56.01 km for the island of Gozo)

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive fishing zone: 25 nm

Climate:
Mediterranean; mild, rainy winters; hot, dry summers

Terrain:
mostly low, rocky, flat to dissected plains; many coastal cliffs

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Ta'Dmejrek 253 m (near Dingli)

Natural resources:
limestone, salt, arable land

Land use:
arable land: 31.25%
permanent crops: 3.13%
other: 65.62% (2005)

Irrigated land:
20 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
very limited natural fresh water resources; increasing reliance on
desalination

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

Geography - note:
the country comprises an archipelago, with only the three largest
islands (Malta, Ghawdex or Gozo, and Kemmuna or Comino) being
inhabited; numerous bays provide good harbors; Malta and Tunisia are
discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf
between their countries, particularly for oil exploration

People Malta

Population:
400,214 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 17.1% (male 35,264/female 33,368)
15-64 years: 69.1% (male 139,890/female 136,767)
65 years and over: 13.7% (male 23,554/female 31,371) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 38.7 years
male: 37.2 years
female: 40.1 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.42% (2006 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 3.86 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.34 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.01 years
male: 76.83 years
female: 81.31 years (2006 est.)

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

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
less than 500 (2003 est.)

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

Nationality:
noun: Maltese (singular and plural)
adjective: Maltese

Ethnic groups:
Maltese (descendants of ancient Carthaginians and Phoenicians, with
strong elements of Italian and other Mediterranean stock)

Religions:
Roman Catholic 98%

Languages:
Maltese (official), English (official)

Literacy:
definition: age 10 and over can read and write
total population: 92.8%
male: 92%
female: 93.6% (2003 est.)

Government Malta

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Malta
conventional short form: Malta
local long form: Repubblika ta' Malta
local short form: Malta

Government type:
republic

Capital:
name: Valletta
geographic coordinates: 35 54 N, 14 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:
none (administered directly from Valletta); note - local councils
carry out administrative orders

Independence:
21 September 1964 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 21 September (1964)

Constitution:
1964 constitution; amended many times

Legal system:
based on English common law and Roman civil law; accepts compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Edward FENECH ADAMI (since 4 April 2004)
head of government: Prime Minister Lawrence GONZI (since 23 March
2004)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the
prime minister
elections: president elected by the House of Representatives for a
five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 29
March 2004 (next to be held by April 2009); following legislative
elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority
coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president for a
five-year term; the deputy prime minister is appointed by the
president on the advice of the prime minister
election results: Eddie FENECH ADAMI elected president; House of
Representatives vote - 33 out of 65 votes

Legislative branch:
unicameral House of Representatives (usually 65 seats; note -
additional seats are given to the party with the largest popular
vote to ensure a legislative majority; members are elected by
popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve
five-year terms)
elections: last held 12 April 2003 (next to be held by August 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - PN 51.79%, MLP 47.51%,
AD 0.68%; seats by party - PN 34, MLP 31

Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts are
appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister

Political parties and leaders:
Alternativa Demokratika/Alliance for Social Justice or AD [Harry
VASSALLO]; Malta Labor Party or MLP [Alfred SANT]; Nationalist Party
or PN [Lawrence GONZI]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
Australia Group, C, CE, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO,
ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador John LOWELL
chancery: 2017 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 462-3611, 3612
FAX: [1] (202) 387-5470
consulate(s): New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Molly BORDONARO
embassy: 3rd Floor, Development House, Saint Anne Street, Floriana,
VLT 01
mailing address: P. O. Box 535, Valletta, CMR01
telephone: [356] 2561 4000
FAX: [356] 21 243229

Flag description:
two equal vertical bands of white (hoist side) and red; in the
upper hoist-side corner is a representation of the George Cross,
edged in red

Economy Malta

Economy - overview:
Major resources are limestone, a favorable geographic location, and
a productive labor force. Malta produces only about 20% of its food
needs, has limited fresh water supplies, and has few domestic energy
sources. The economy is dependent on foreign trade, manufacturing
(especially electronics and textiles), and tourism. Continued
sluggishness in the European economy is holding back exports,
tourism, and overall growth.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$8.122 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$5.39 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.3% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$20,300 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3%
industry: 23%
services: 74% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
160,000 (2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 3%
industry: 22%
services: 75% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:
7.8% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

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

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

Investment (gross fixed):
25.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $2.503 billion
expenditures: $2.703 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA
(2005 est.)

Agriculture - products:
potatoes, cauliflower, grapes, wheat, barley, tomatoes, citrus, cut
flowers, green peppers; pork, milk, poultry, eggs

Industries:
tourism, electronics, ship building and repair, construction, food
and beverages, textiles, footwear, clothing, tobacco

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - production:
2.291 billion kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:
2.13 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2004)

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

Oil - consumption:
19,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
NA bbl/day

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

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

Current account balance:
$-966.2 million (2006 est.)

Exports:
$2.425 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, manufactures

Exports - partners:
France 15.4%, US 14.4%, Singapore 12.3%, UK 11.3%, Germany 11.2%,
Italy 5.1%, Libya 4.2% (2005)

Imports:
$4.077 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured and
semi-manufactured goods; food, drink, tobacco

Imports - partners:
Italy 32.3%, UK 11.5%, France 9.6%, Germany 8%, US 5.5%, Singapore
4.1% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$3.065 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:
$188.8 million (2005)

Economic aid - recipient:
$NA

Currency (code):
Maltese lira (MTL)

Currency code:
MTL

Exchange rates:
Maltese liri per US dollar - 0.37 (2006), 0.34578 (2005), 0.34466
(2004), 0.37723 (2003), 0.43362 (2002)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Malta

Telephones - main lines in use:
202,100 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
324,000 (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: automatic system satisfies normal requirements
domestic: submarine cable and microwave radio relay between islands
international: country code - 356; 2 submarine cables; satellite
earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 18, shortwave 6 (1999)

Radios:
255,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
5 (2006)

Televisions:
280,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.mt

Internet hosts:
14,025 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
6 (2002)

Internet users:
127,200 (2005)

Transportation Malta

Airports:
1 (2006)

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

Roadways:
total: 2,227 km
paved: 2,014 km
unpaved: 213 km (2004)

Merchant marine:
total: 1,220 ships (1000 GRT or over) 23,917,414 GRT/38,685,924 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 434, cargo 344, chemical tanker 105,
combination ore/oil 1, container 59, liquefied gas 7, livestock
carrier 1, passenger 15, passenger/cargo 14, petroleum tanker 146,
refrigerated cargo 43, roll on/roll off 33, specialized tanker 2,
vehicle carrier 16
foreign-owned: 1,162 (Austria 1, Azerbaijan 2, Bangladesh 3, Belgium
10, Bulgaria 13, Canada 18, China 14, Croatia 10, Cyprus 15, Denmark
6, Estonia 4, France 6, Germany 64, Greece 495, Hong Kong 2, Iceland
4, India 1, Iran 14, Israel 23, Italy 29, Japan 1, South Korea 6,
Latvia 40, Lebanon 10, Monaco 1, Netherlands 6, Norway 49, Pakistan
1, Poland 27, Portugal 3, Romania 9, Russia 70, Slovenia 3, Spain 6,
Sweden 3, Switzerland 21, Syria 7, Taiwan 2, Turkey 123, UAE 5, UK
8, Ukraine 24, US 3)
registered in other countries: 8 (Panama 3, Portugal 1, Russia 4)
(2006)

Ports and terminals:
Marsaxlokk, Valletta

Military Malta

Military branches:
Armed Forces of Malta (AFM; includes air and maritime elements)
(2005)

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: 90,651
females age 18-49: 87,047 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 74,525
females age 18-49: 71,333 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$38.168 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Malta

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
minor transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Western
Europe

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Marshall Islands

Introduction Marshall Islands

Background:
After almost four decades under US administration as the
easternmost part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands,
the Marshall Islands attained independence in 1986 under a Compact
of Free Association. Compensation claims continue as a result of US
nuclear testing on some of the atolls between 1947 and 1962. The
Marshall Islands hosts the US Army Kwajalein Atoll (USAKA) Reagan
Missile Test Site, a key installation in the US missile defense
network.

Geography Marshall Islands

Location:
Oceania, two archipelagic island chains of 29 atolls, each made up
of many small islets, and five single islands in the North Pacific
Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia

Geographic coordinates:
9 00 N, 168 00 E

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 11,854.3 sq km
land: 181.3 sq km
water: 11,673 sq km (note - lagoon waters)
note: includes the atolls of Bikini, Enewetak, Kwajalein, Majuro,
Rongelap, and Utirik

Area - comparative:
about the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
370.4 km

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

Climate:
tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November; islands border
typhoon belt

Terrain:
low coral limestone and sand islands

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Likiep 10 m

Natural resources:
coconut products, marine products, deep seabed minerals

Land use:
arable land: 11.11%
permanent crops: 44.44%
other: 44.45% (2005)

Irrigated land:
0 sq km

Natural hazards:
infrequent typhoons

Environment - current issues:
inadequate supplies of potable water; pollution of Majuro lagoon
from household waste and discharges from fishing vessels

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

Geography - note:
Bikini and Enewetak are former US nuclear test sites; Kwajalein,
the famous World War II battleground, is used as a US missile test
range; island city of Ebeye is the second largest settlement in the
Marshall Islands, after the capital of Majuro, and one of the most
densely populated locations in the Pacific

People Marshall Islands

Population:
60,422 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 38.1% (male 11,720/female 11,295)
15-64 years: 59.2% (male 18,305/female 17,445)
65 years and over: 2.7% (male 801/female 856) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 20.3 years
male: 20.4 years
female: 20.3 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.25% (2006 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
-5.78 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: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 28.43 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 31.93 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 24.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.31 years
male: 68.33 years
female: 72.39 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
3.85 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: Marshallese (singular and plural)
adjective: Marshallese

Ethnic groups:
Micronesian

Religions:
Protestant 54.8%, Assembly of God 25.8%, Roman Catholic 8.4%, Bukot
nan Jesus 2.8%, Mormon 2.1%, other Christian 3.6%, other 1%, none
1.5% (1999 census)

Languages:
Marshallese 98.2%, other languages 1.8% (1999 census)
note: English widely spoken as a second language; both Marshallese
and English are official languages

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.7%
male: 93.6%
female: 93.7% (1999)

Government Marshall Islands

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of the Marshall Islands
conventional short form: Marshall Islands
local long form: Republic of the Marshall Islands
local short form: Marshall Islands
abbreviation: RMI
former: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Marshall Islands
District

Government type:
constitutional government in free association with the US; the
Compact of Free Association entered into force 21 October 1986 and
the Amended Compact entered into force in May 2004

Capital:
name: Majuro
geographic coordinates: 7 05 N, 171 08 E
time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:
33 municipalities; Ailinginae, Ailinglaplap, Ailuk, Arno, Aur,
Bikar, Bikini, Bokak, Ebon, Enewetak, Erikub, Jabat, Jaluit, Jemo,
Kili, Kwajalein, Lae, Lib, Likiep, Majuro, Maloelap, Mejit, Mili,
Namorik, Namu, Rongelap, Rongrik, Toke, Ujae, Ujelang, Utirik,
Wotho, Wotje

Independence:
21 October 1986 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday:
Constitution Day, 1 May (1979)

Constitution:
1 May 1979

Legal system:
based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature,
municipal, common, and customary laws

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Kessai Hesa NOTE (since 5 January 2004);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Kessai Hesa NOTE (since 5 January 2004)
cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president from among the members of
the legislature
elections: president elected by Parliament from among its own
members for a four-year term; election last held 17 November 2003
(next to be held November 2007)
election results: Kessai Hesa NOTE elected president; percent of
Parliament vote - 100%

Legislative branch:
unicameral legislature or Nitijela (33 seats; members elected by
popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 17 November 2003 (next to be held by November
2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA
note: the Council of Chiefs or Ironij is a 12-member body comprised
of tribal chiefs that advises on matters affecting customary law and
practice

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; High Court; Traditional Rights Court

Political parties and leaders:
traditionally there have been no formally organized political
parties; what has existed more closely resembles factions or
interest groups because they do not have party headquarters, formal
platforms, or party structures; the following two "groupings" have
competed in legislative balloting in recent years - Aelon Kein Ad
Party [Michael KABUA] and United Democratic Party or UDP [Litokwa
TOMEING]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACP, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, IDA, IFC, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Banny DE BRUM
chancery: 2433 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 234-5414
FAX: [1] (202) 232-3236
consulate(s) general: Honolulu

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Greta N. MORRIS
embassy: Oceanside, Mejen Weto, Long Island, Majuro
mailing address: P. O. Box 1379, Majuro, Republic of the Marshall
Islands 96960-1379
telephone: [692] 247-4011
FAX: [692] 247-4012

Flag description:
blue with two stripes radiating from the lower hoist-side corner -
orange (top) and white; there is a white star with four large rays
and 20 small rays on the hoist side above the two stripes

Economy Marshall Islands

Economy - overview:
US Government assistance is the mainstay of this tiny island
economy. Agricultural production, primarily subsistence, is
concentrated on small farms; the most important commercial crops are
coconuts and breadfruit. Small-scale industry is limited to
handicrafts, tuna processing, and copra. The tourist industry, now a
small source of foreign exchange employing less than 10% of the
labor force, remains the best hope for future added income. The
islands have few natural resources, and imports far exceed exports.
Under the terms of the Amended Compact of Free Association, the US
will provide millions of dollars per year to the Marshall Islands
(RMI) through 2023, at which time a Trust Fund made up of US and RMI
contributions will begin perpetual annual payouts. Government
downsizing, drought, a drop in construction, the decline in tourism,
and less income from the renewal of fishing vessel licenses have
held GDP growth to an average of 1% over the past decade.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$115 million (2001 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$144 million (2005)

GDP - real growth rate:
3.5% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,900 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 31.7%
industry: 14.9%
services: 53.4% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
14,680 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 21.4%
industry: 20.9%
services: 57.7%

Unemployment rate:
30.9% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

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

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

Budget:
revenues: $42 million
expenditures: $40 million; including capital expenditures of $NA
(1999)

Agriculture - products:
coconuts, tomatoes, melons, taro, breadfruit, fruits; pigs, chickens

Industries:
copra, tuna processing, tourism, craft items from seashells, wood,
and pearls

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 99%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 1% (solar)

Exports:
$9.1 million f.o.b. (2000)

Exports - commodities:
copra cake, coconut oil, handicrafts, fish

Exports - partners:
US, Japan, Australia, China (2004)

Imports:
$54.7 million f.o.b. (2000)

Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels, beverages and tobacco

Imports - partners:
US, Japan, Australia, NZ, Singapore, Fiji, China, Philippines (2004)

Debt - external:
$86.5 million (FY99/00 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$51.1 million more than $1 billion from the US, 1986-2002 (2004)

Currency (code):
US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
USD

Exchange rates:
the US dollar is used

Fiscal year:
1 October - 30 September

Communications Marshall Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:
5,510 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
1,198 (2004)

Telephone system:
general assessment: digital switching equipment; modern services
include telex, cellular, internet, international calling, caller ID,
and leased data circuits
domestic: Majuro Atoll and Ebeye and Kwajalein islands have regular,
seven-digit, direct-dial telephones; other islands interconnected by
high frequency radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes)
and mini-satellite telephones
international: country code - 692; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); US Government satellite communications
system on Kwajalein (2001)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0
note: additionally, the US Armed Forces Radio and Television
Services (Central Pacific Network) operate one FM and one AM station
on Kwajalein (2005)

Radios:
NA

Television broadcast stations:
2 (both are US military stations)
note: Marshalls Broadcasting Service (cable company) operates on
Majuro (2005)

Televisions:
NA

Internet country code:
.mh

Internet hosts:
6 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2002)

Internet users:
2,000 (2005)

Transportation Marshall Islands

Airports:
15 (2006)

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

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 11
914 to 1,523 m: 10
under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways:
total: 64.5 km
paved: 64.5 km
note: paved roads on major islands (Majuro, Kwajalein), otherwise
stone-, coral-, or laterite-surfaced roads and tracks (2002)

Merchant marine:
total: 795 ships (1000 GRT or over) 30,772,611 GRT/50,987,293 DWT
by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 178, cargo 53, chemical
tanker 133, container 147, liquefied gas 25, passenger 7, petroleum
tanker 234, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 7, specialized
tanker 2, vehicle carrier 5
foreign-owned: 730 (Australia 2, Bermuda 4, Brazil 1, Canada 6,
Chile 1, Croatia 2, Cyprus 15, Denmark 1, Finland 2, Germany 194,
Greece 199, Hong Kong 7, Isle of Man 1, Italy 1, Japan 7, South
Korea 1, Latvia 7, Monaco 8, Netherlands 1, Norway 65, Russia 1,
Saudi Arabia 1, Singapore 6, Slovenia 3, Spain 3, Switzerland 13,
Turkey 20, UAE 3, UK 12, US 143)
registered in other countries: 1 (North Korea 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Majuro

Military Marshall Islands

Military branches:
no regular military forces; Marshall Islands Police

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 13,465 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 10,792 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 726 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Marshall Islands

Disputes - international:
claims US territory of Wake Island

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Mauritania

Introduction Mauritania

Background:
Independent from France in 1960, Mauritania annexed the southern
third of the former Spanish Sahara (now Western Sahara) in 1976, but
relinquished it after three years of raids by the Polisario
guerrilla front seeking independence for the territory. Maaouya Ould
Sid Ahmed TAYA seized power in a coup in 1984. Opposition parties
were legalized and a new constitution approved in 1991. Two
multiparty presidential elections since then were widely seen as
flawed, but October 2001 legislative and municipal elections were
generally free and open. A bloodless coup in August 2005 deposed
President TAYA and ushered in a military council headed by Col. Ely
Ould Mohamed VALL, which declared it would remain in power for up to
two years while it created conditions for genuine democratic
institutions and organized elections. Accordingly, parliamentary
elections were held in December of 2006 and senatorial and
presidential elections will follow (January and March 2007
respectively). The newly-elected legislature is expected to assume
power following the inauguration of the new president. For now,
however, Mauritania remains an autocratic state, and the country
continues to experience ethnic tensions among its black population
and different Moor (Arab-Berber) communities.

Geography Mauritania

Location:
Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
Senegal and Western Sahara

Geographic coordinates:
20 00 N, 12 00 W

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 1,030,700 sq km
land: 1,030,400 sq km
water: 300 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico

Land boundaries:
total: 5,074 km
border countries: Algeria 463 km, Mali 2,237 km, Senegal 813 km,
Western Sahara 1,561 km

Coastline:
754 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:
desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty

Terrain:
mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central hills

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Sebkhet Te-n-Dghamcha -5 m
highest point: Kediet Ijill 915 m

Natural resources:
iron ore, gypsum, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil, fish

Land use:
arable land: 0.2%
permanent crops: 0.01%
other: 99.79% (2005)

Irrigated land:
490 sq km (2002)

Natural hazards:
hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in March and
April; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:
overgrazing, deforestation, and soil erosion aggravated by drought
are contributing to desertification; very limited natural fresh
water resources away from the Senegal, which is the only perennial
river; locust infestation

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

Geography - note:
most of the population concentrated in the cities of Nouakchott and
Nouadhibou and along the Senegal River in the southern part of the
country

People Mauritania

Population:
3,177,388 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 45.6% (male 726,376/female 723,013)
15-64 years: 52.2% (male 818,408/female 839,832)
65 years and over: 2.2% (male 28,042/female 41,717) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 17 years
male: 16.8 years
female: 17.3 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.88% (2006 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 69.48 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 72.44 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 66.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 53.12 years
male: 50.88 years
female: 55.42 years (2006 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.6% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
9,500 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 500 (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 Rift Valley fever are high risks
in some locations
respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2007)

Nationality:
noun: Mauritanian(s)
adjective: Mauritanian

Ethnic groups:
mixed Maur/black 40%, Moor 30%, black 30%

Religions:
Muslim 100%

Languages:
Arabic (official), Pulaar, Soninke, French, Hassaniya, Wolof

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 41.7%
male: 51.8%
female: 31.9% (2003 est.)

Government Mauritania

Country name:
conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Mauritania
conventional short form: Mauritania
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Islamiyah al Muritaniyah
local short form: Muritaniyah

Government type:
republic

Capital:
name: Nouakchott
geographic coordinates: 18 06 N, 15 57 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:
12 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 capital district*;
Adrar, Assaba, Brakna, Dakhlet Nouadhibou, Gorgol, Guidimaka, Hodh
Ech Chargui, Hodh El Gharbi, Inchiri, Nouakchott*, Tagant, Tiris
Zemmour, Trarza

Independence:
28 November 1960 (from France)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 28 November (1960)

Constitution:
12 July 1991

Legal system:
a combination of Shari'a (Islamic law) and French civil law

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Col. Ely Ould Mohamed VALL, whose Military Council
for Justice and Democracy deposed longtime President Maaouya Ould
Sid Ahmed TAYA in a coup on 3 August 2005
head of government: Prime Minister Sidi Mohamed Ould BOUBAKAR (since
8 August 2005)
cabinet: Council of Ministers
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
(eligible for a second consecutive term); note - passage of a
constitutional reform referendum in July 2006 limits president to
two five-year terms; election last held 7 November 2003 (next to be
held 11 March 2007); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: President Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA reelected
for a third term with 60.8% of the vote

Legislative branch:
bicameral legislature consists of the Senate or Majlis al-Shuyukh
(56 seats; a portion of seats up for election every two years;
members elected by municipal leaders to serve six-year terms) and
the National Assembly or Majlis al-Watani (95 seats; members elected
by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 9 and 16 April 2004 (next to be held
21 January 2007); National Assembly - last held 19 November and 3
December 2006
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - NA; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats
by party - CFCD 41 (including RFD 16, United Forces for Progress
(UDP) 9, APP 5, Islamists 5, HATEM-PMUC 3, RD 2, FP 1), RNI
(coalition of independent candidates) 38, PRDR 7, Union for
Democracy and Progress (UDP) 3, RDU 3, Alternative (Al-Badil) 1,
RNDLE 1, UCD 1

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Court of Appeals; lower courts

Political parties and leaders:
Alternative or Al-Badil; Coalition for Forces for Democratic Change
or CFCD (coalition of political parties including RFD, United Forces
of Progress or UDP, APP, Islamists, HATEM-PMUC, RD, UDC); Democratic
Renewal or RD; Islamists (Centrist Reformists); Mauritanian Party
for Unity and Change or HATEM-PMUC; National Rally for Freedom,
Democracy and Equality or RNDLE; Popular Front or FP [Ch'bih Ould
CHEIKH MALAININE]; Popular Progressive Alliance or APP [Messoud Ould
BOULKHEIR]; Rally of Democratic Forces or RFD [Ahmed Ould DADDAH];
Rally for Democracy and Unity or RDU [Ahmed Ould SIDI BABA];
Republican Party for Democracy and Renewal or PRDR (formerly ruling
Democratic and Social Republican Party or PRDS) [Boullah Ould
MOGUEYA]; Union for Democracy and Progress or UDP [Naha Mint
MOUKNASS]; Union of Democratic Centre or UCD

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Arab nationalists; Ba'thists; General Confederation of Mauritanian
Workers or CGTM [Abdallahi Ould MOHAMED, secretary general];
Independent Confederation of Mauritanian Workers or CLTM [Samory
Ould BEYE]; Islamists; Mauritanian Workers Union or UTM [Mohamed Ely
Ould BRAHIM, secretary general]

International organization participation:
ABEDA, ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Tijani Ould Mohamed EL KERIM
chancery: 2129 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 232-5700, 5701
FAX: [1] (202) 319-2623

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Charles H.
Twining
embassy: 288 Rue Abdallaye (between Presidency building and Spanish
Embassy), Nouakchott
mailing address: BP 222, Nouakchott
telephone: [222] 525-2660/525-2663
FAX: [222] 525-1592

Flag description:
green with a yellow five-pointed star above a yellow, horizontal
crescent; the closed side of the crescent is down; the crescent,
star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam

Economy Mauritania

Economy - overview:
Half the population still depends on agriculture and livestock for
a livelihood, even though many of the nomads and subsistence farmers
were forced into the cities by recurrent droughts in the 1970s and
1980s. Mauritania has extensive deposits of iron ore, which account
for nearly 40% of total exports. The nation's coastal waters are
among the richest fishing areas in the world, but overexploitation
by foreigners threatens this key source of revenue. The country's
first deepwater port opened near Nouakchott in 1986. In the past,
drought and economic mismanagement resulted in a buildup of foreign
debt which now stands at more than three times the level of annual
exports. In February 2000, Mauritania qualified for debt relief
under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative and in
December 2001 received strong support from donor and lending
countries at a triennial Consultative Group review. A new investment
code approved in December 2001 improved the opportunities for direct
foreign investment. Ongoing negotiations with the IMF involve
problems of economic reforms and fiscal discipline. In 2001,
exploratory oil wells in tracts 80 km offshore indicated potential
extraction at current world oil prices. Mauritania has an estimated
1 billion barrels of proved reserves. Substantial oil production and
exports began in early 2006 and averaged 75,000 barrels per day for
the year. Meantime the government emphasizes reduction of poverty,
improvement of health and education, and promoting privatization of
the economy.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$8.397 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.641 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
19.4% (2006 est.)

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

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 25%
industry: 29%
services: 46% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
786,000 (2001)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 50%
industry: 10%
services: 40% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
20% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
40% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.5%
highest 10%: 30.2% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
39 (2000)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
7% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $421 million
expenditures: $378 million; including capital expenditures of $154
million (2002 est.)

Agriculture - products:
dates, millet, sorghum, rice, corn; cattle, sheep

Industries:
fish processing, mining of iron ore and gypsum

Industrial production growth rate:
2% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
176.7 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 85.9%
hydro: 14.1%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
164.3 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:
75,000 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - consumption:
24,200 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
NA bbl/day

Oil - proved reserves:
1 billion bbl (2005)

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

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

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

Exports:
$784 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
iron ore, fish and fish products, gold

Exports - partners:
Italy 14.8%, Japan 12.2%, France 11.9%, Belgium 8.5%, Germany 8.2%,
Cote d'Ivoire 7.1%, Spain 7.1%, Russia 5%, Netherlands 4.4% (2005)

Imports:
$1.124 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, petroleum products, capital goods,
foodstuffs, consumer goods

Imports - partners:
France 18.2%, UK 7.1%, US 6.9%, China 6%, Spain 5%, Belgium 4.3%
(2005)

Debt - external:
$2.5 billion (2000)

Economic aid - recipient:
$305.7 million (2002)

Currency (code):
ouguiya (MRO)

Currency code:
MRO

Exchange rates:
ouguiyas per US dollar - NA (2005), NA (2004), 263.03 (2003),
271.74 (2002)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Mauritania

Telephones - main lines in use:
41,000 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
745,600 (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: limited system of cable and open-wire lines,
minor microwave radio relay links, and radiotelephone communications
stations (improvements being made)
domestic: mostly cable and open-wire lines; a recently completed
domestic satellite telecommunications system links Nouakchott with
regional capitals
international: country code - 222; satellite earth stations - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 2 Arabsat

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 14, shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios:
410,000 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (2002)

Televisions:
98,000 (2001)

Internet country code:
.mr

Internet hosts:
32 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
5 (2001)

Internet users:
14,000 (2005)

Transportation Mauritania

Airports:
25 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 17
1,524 to 2,437 m: 9
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Railways:
717 km
standard gauge: 717 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:
total: 7,660 km
paved: 866 km
unpaved: 6,794 km (1999)

Ports and terminals:
Nouadhibou, Nouakchott

Military Mauritania

Military branches:
Mauritanian Armed Forces: Army, Navy (Marine Mauritanienne;
includes naval infantry), Air Force (Force Aerienne Islamique de
Mauritanie, FAIM) (2005)

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.); conscript service obligation - two years;
majority of servicemen believed to be volunteers; service in Air
Force and Navy is voluntary (April 2005)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 606,463
females age 18-49: 607,955 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 370,513
females age 18-49: 384,269 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$19.32 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.4% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Mauritania

Disputes - international:
Mauritanian claims to Western Sahara remain dormant

Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Mauritania is a source and destination country
for children trafficked for the purpose of forced labor, begging,
and domestic servitude; adults and children are subjected to
slavery-related practices rooted in ancestral master-slave
relationships in isolated parts of the country where a barter
economy exists
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Mauritania is placed on the Tier 2
Watch List for its failure to show evidence of increased efforts to
combat trafficking, particularly in the area of law enforcement

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Mauritius

Introduction Mauritius

Background:
Although known to Arab and Malay sailors as early as the 10th
century, Mauritius was first explored by the Portuguese in 1505; it
was subsequently held by the Dutch, French, and British before
independence was attained in 1968. A stable democracy with regular
free elections and a positive human rights record, the country has
attracted considerable foreign investment and has earned one of
Africa's highest per capita incomes. Recent poor weather and
declining sugar prices have slowed economic growth, leading to some
protests over standards of living in the Creole community.

Geography Mauritius

Location:
Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar

Geographic coordinates:
20 17 S, 57 33 E

Map references:
Political Map of the World

Area:
total: 2,040 sq km
land: 2,030 sq km
water: 10 sq km
note: includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint
Brandon), and Rodrigues

Area - comparative:
almost 11 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
177 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:
tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry winter (May
to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May)

Terrain:
small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling
central plateau

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Piton 828 m

Natural resources:
arable land, fish