Chapter M: Major infectious diseases (137)

Ukraine
After Russia, the Ukrainian republic was far and away the
most important economic component of the former Soviet Union,
producing about four times the output of the next-ranking republic.
Its fertile black soil generated more than one-fourth of Soviet
agricultural output, and its farms provided substantial quantities
of meat, milk, grain, and vegetables to other republics. Likewise,
its diversified heavy industry supplied the unique equipment (for
example, large diameter pipes) and raw materials to industrial and
mining sites (vertical drilling apparatus) in other regions of the
former USSR. Shortly after independence in August 1991, the
Ukrainian Government liberalized most prices and erected a legal
framework for privatization, but widespread resistance to reform
within the government and the legislature soon stalled reform
efforts and led to some backtracking. Output by 1999 had fallen to
less than 40% of the 1991 level. Ukraine's dependence on Russia for
energy supplies and the lack of significant structural reform have
made the Ukrainian economy vulnerable to external shocks. Ukraine
depends on imports to meet about three-fourths of its annual oil and
natural gas requirements and 100% of its nuclear fuel needs. After a
two-week dispute that saw gas supplies cutoff to Europe, Ukraine
agreed to ten-year gas supply and transit contracts with Russia in
January 2009 that brought gas prices to "world" levels. The strict
terms of the contracts have further hobbled Ukraine's cash-strapped
state gas company, Naftohaz. Outside institutions - particularly the
IMF - have encouraged Ukraine to quicken the pace and scope of
reforms. Ukrainian Government officials eliminated most tax and
customs privileges in a March 2005 budget law, bringing more
economic activity out of Ukraine's large shadow economy, but more
improvements are needed, including fighting corruption, developing
capital markets, and improving the legislative framework. Ukraine's
economy was buoyant despite political turmoil between the prime
minister and president until mid-2008. Real GDP growth exceeded 7%
in 2006-07, fueled by high global prices for steel - Ukraine's top
export - and by strong domestic consumption, spurred by rising
pensions and wages. Ukraine reached an agreement with the IMF for a
$16.4 billion Stand-By Arrangement in November 2008 to deal with the
economic crisis, but the Ukrainian Government's lack of progress in
implementing reforms has twice delayed the release of IMF assistance
funds. The drop in steel prices and Ukraine's exposure to the global
financial crisis due to aggressive foreign borrowing lowered growth
in 2008 and the economy contracted more than 15% in 2009, among the
worst economic performances in the world; growth resumed in 2010,
buoyed by exports. External conditions are likely to hamper efforts
for economic recovery in 2011.

United Arab Emirates
The UAE has an open economy with a high per
capita income and a sizable annual trade surplus. Successful efforts
at economic diversification have reduced the portion of GDP based on
oil and gas output to 25%. Since the discovery of oil in the UAE
more than 30 years ago, the UAE has undergone a profound
transformation from an impoverished region of small desert
principalities to a modern state with a high standard of living. The
government has increased spending on job creation and infrastructure
expansion and is opening up utilities to greater private sector
involvement. In April 2004, the UAE signed a Trade and Investment
Framework Agreement with Washington and in November 2004 agreed to
undertake negotiations toward a Free Trade Agreement with the US,
however, those talks have not moved forward. The country's Free
Trade Zones - offering 100% foreign ownership and zero taxes - are
helping to attract foreign investors. The global financial crisis,
tight international credit, and deflated asset prices slowed GDP
growth in 2010. UAE authorities tried to blunt the crisis by
increasing spending and boosting liquidity in the banking sector.
The crisis hit Dubai hardest, as it was heavily exposed to depressed
real estate prices. Dubai lacked sufficient cash to meet its debt
obligations, prompting global concern about its solvency. The UAE
Central Bank and Abu Dhabi-based banks bought the largest shares. In
December 2009 Dubai received an additional $10 billion loan from the
emirate of Abu Dhabi. The economy is expected to continue a slow
rebound. Dependence on oil, a large expatriate workforce, and
growing inflation pressures are significant long-term challenges.
The UAE's strategic plan for the next few years focuses on
diversification and creating more opportunities for nationals
through improved education and increased private sector employment.

United Kingdom
The UK, a leading trading power and financial center,
is the third largest economy in Europe after Germany and France.
Over the past two decades, the government has greatly reduced public
ownership and contained the growth of social welfare programs.
Agriculture is intensive, highly mechanized, and efficient by
European standards, producing about 60% of food needs with less than
2% of the labor force. The UK has large coal, natural gas, and oil
resources, but its oil and natural gas reserves are declining and
the UK became a net importer of energy in 2005. Services,
particularly banking, insurance, and business services, account by
far for the largest proportion of GDP while industry continues to
decline in importance. After emerging from recession in 1992,
Britain's economy enjoyed the longest period of expansion on record
during which time growth outpaced most of Western Europe. In 2008,
however, the global financial crisis hit the economy particularly
hard, due to the importance of its financial sector. Sharply
declining home prices, high consumer debt, and the global economic
slowdown compounded Britain's economic problems, pushing the economy
into recession in the latter half of 2008 and prompting the then
BROWN government to implement a number of measures to stimulate the
economy and stabilize the financial markets; these include
nationalizing parts of the banking system, cutting taxes, suspending
public sector borrowing rules, and moving forward public spending on
capital projects. Facing burgeoning public deficits and debt levels,
the CAMERON government in 2010 initiiated a five-year austerity
program, which aims to lower London's budget deficit from over 11%
of GDP in 2010 to nearly 1% by 2015. The Bank of England
periodically coordinates interest rate moves with the European
Central Bank, but Britain remains outside the European Economic and
Monetary Union (EMU).

United States
The US has the largest and most technologically
powerful economy in the world, with a per capita GDP of $47,400. In
this market-oriented economy, private individuals and business firms
make most of the decisions, and the federal and state governments
buy needed goods and services predominantly in the private
marketplace. US business firms enjoy greater flexibility than their
counterparts in Western Europe and Japan in decisions to expand
capital plant, to lay off surplus workers, and to develop new
products. At the same time, they face higher barriers to enter their
rivals' home markets than foreign firms face entering US markets. US
firms are at or near the forefront in technological advances,
especially in computers and in medical, aerospace, and military
equipment; their advantage has narrowed since the end of World War
II. The onrush of technology largely explains the gradual
development of a "two-tier labor market" in which those at the
bottom lack the education and the professional/technical skills of
those at the top and, more and more, fail to get comparable pay
raises, health insurance coverage, and other benefits. Since 1975,
practically all the gains in household income have gone to the top
20% of households. The war in March-April 2003 between a US-led
coalition and Iraq, and the subsequent occupation of Iraq, required
major shifts in national resources to the military. Soaring oil
prices between 2005 and the first half of 2008 threatened inflation
and unemployment, as higher gasoline prices ate into consumers'
budgets. Imported oil accounts for about 60% of US consumption.
Long-term problems include inadequate investment in economic
infrastructure, rapidly rising medical and pension costs of an aging
population, sizable trade and budget deficits, and stagnation of
family income in the lower economic groups. The merchandise trade
deficit reached a record $840 billion in 2008 before shrinking to
$506 billion in 2009, and ramping back up to $630 billion in 2010.
The global economic downturn, the sub-prime mortgage crisis,
investment bank failures, falling home prices, and tight credit
pushed the United States into a recession by mid-2008. GDP
contracted until the third quarter of 2009, making this the deepest
and longest downturn since the Great Depression. To help stabilize
financial markets, the US Congress established a $700 billion
Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) in October 2008. The government
used some of these funds to purchase equity in US banks and other
industrial corporations, much of which had been returned to the
government by early 2011. In January 2009 the US Congress passed and
President Barack OBAMA signed a bill providing an additional $787
billion fiscal stimulus to be used over 10 years - two-thirds on
additional spending and one-third on tax cuts - to create jobs and
to help the economy recover. Approximately two-thirds of these funds
were injected into the economy by the end of 2010. In March 2010,
President OBAMA signed a health insurance reform bill into law that
will extend coverage to an additional 32 million American citizens
by 2016, through private health insurance for the general population
and Medicaid for the impoverished. In July 2010, the president
signed the DODD-FRANK Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection
Act, a bill designed to promote financial stability by protecting
consumers from financial abuses, ending taxpayer bailouts of
financial firms, dealing with troubled banks that are "too big to
fail," and improving accountability and transparency in the
financial system - in particular, by requiring certain financial
derivatives to be traded in markets that are subject to government
regulation and oversight. In late 2010, the US Federal Reserve Bank
(The Fed) announced that it would purchase $600 billion worth of US
Government bonds by June 2011, in an attempt to keep interest rates
from rising and snuffing out the nascent recovery.

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges
no economic activity

Uruguay
Uruguay's economy is characterized by an export-oriented
agricultural sector, a well-educated work force, and high levels of
social spending. After averaging growth of 5% annually during
1996-98, in 1999-2002 the economy suffered a major downturn,
stemming largely from the spillover effects of the economic problems
of its large neighbors, Argentina and Brazil. In 2001-02, Argentine
citizens made massive withdrawals of dollars deposited in Uruguayan
banks after bank deposits in Argentina were frozen, which led to a
plunge in the Uruguayan peso, a banking crisis, and a sharp economic
contraction. Real GDP fell in four years by nearly 20%, with 2002
the worst year. The unemployment rate rose, inflation surged, and
the burden of external debt doubled. Financial assistance from the
IMF helped stem the damage. Uruguay restructured its external debt
in 2003 without asking creditors to accept a reduction on the
principal. Economic growth for Uruguay resumed, and averaged 8%
annually during the period 2004-08. The 2008-09 global financial
crisis put a brake on Uruguay's vigorous growth, which decelerated
to 2.9% in 2009. Nevertheless, the country managed to avoid a
recession and keep positive growth rates, mainly through higher
public expenditure and investment, and GDP growth exceeded 7% in
2010.

Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan is a dry, landlocked country; 11% of the land
is intensely cultivated, in irrigated river valleys. More than 60%
of the population lives in densely populated rural communities.
Export of hydrocarbons, including natural gas and petroleum,
provided about 40% of foreign exchange earnings in 2009. Other major
export earners include gold and cotton. Uzbekistan is now the
world's second-largest cotton exporter and fifth largest producer;
it has come under increasing international criticism for the use of
child labor in its annual cotton harvest. Nevertheless, Uzbekistan
enjoyed a bumper cotton crop in 2010 amidst record high prices.
Following independence in September 1991, the government sought to
prop up its Soviet-style command economy with subsidies and tight
controls on production and prices. While aware of the need to
improve the investment climate, the government still sponsors
measures that often increase, not decrease, its control over
business decisions. A sharp increase in the inequality of income
distribution has hurt the lower ranks of society since independence.
In 2003, the government accepted Article VIII obligations under the
IMF, providing for full currency convertibility. However, strict
currency controls and tightening of borders have lessened the
effects of convertibility and have also led to some shortages that
have further stifled economic activity. The Central Bank often
delays or restricts convertibility, especially for consumer goods.
Potential investment by Russia and China in Uzbekistan's gas and oil
industry, as well as increased cooperation with South Korea in the
realm of civil aviation, may boost growth prospects. However,
decreased demand for natural gas in Europe and Russia in the wake of
the global financial crisis could reduce energy-related revenues in
the near term. In November 2005, Russian President Vladimir PUTIN
and Uzbekistan President KARIMOV signed an "alliance," which
included provisions for economic and business cooperation. Russian
businesses have shown increased interest in Uzbekistan, especially
in mining, telecom, and oil and gas. In 2006, Uzbekistan took steps
to rejoin the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and the
Eurasian Economic Community (EurASEC), which it subsequently left in
2008, both organizations dominated by Russia. In the past Uzbek
authorities had accused US and other foreign companies operating in
Uzbekistan of violating Uzbek tax laws and have frozen their assets,
but no new expropriations occurred in 2008-09. Instead, the Uzbek
Government has actively courted several major U.S. and international
corporations, offering attractive financing and tax advantages, and
has landed a significant US investment in the automotive industry.
Although growth slowed in 2009-10, Uzbekistan has seen few other
effects from the global economic downturn, primarily due to its
relative isolation from the global financial markets.

Vanuatu
This South Pacific island economy is based primarily on
small-scale agriculture, which provides a living for about
two-thirds of the population. Fishing, offshore financial services,
and tourism, with nearly 197,000 visitors in 2008, are other
mainstays of the economy. Mineral deposits are negligible; the
country has no known petroleum deposits. A small light industry
sector caters to the local market. Tax revenues come mainly from
import duties. Economic development is hindered by dependence on
relatively few commodity exports, vulnerability to natural
disasters, and long distances from main markets and between
constituent islands. In response to foreign concerns, the government
has promised to tighten regulation of its offshore financial center.
In mid-2002, the government stepped up efforts to boost tourism
through improved air connections, resort development, and cruise
ship facilities. Agriculture, especially livestock farming, is a
second target for growth. Australia and New Zealand are the main
suppliers of tourists and foreign aid.

Venezuela
Venezuela remains highly dependent on oil revenues, which
account for roughly 95% of export earnings, about 55% of the federal
budget revenues, and around 30% of GDP. A nationwide strike between
December 2002 and February 2003 had far-reaching economic
consequences - real GDP declined by around 9% in 2002 and 8% in 2003
- but economic output since then has recovered strongly. Fueled by
high oil prices, record government spending helped to boost GDP by
about 10% in 2006, 8% in 2007, and nearly 5% in 2008, before a sharp
drop in oil prices caused a contraction in 2009-10. This spending,
combined with recent minimum wage hikes and improved access to
domestic credit, has created a consumption boom but has come at the
cost of higher inflation - roughly 32% in 2008, and slowing only
slightly to 30% in 2010, despite the lengthy downturn. Imports also
jumped significantly before the recession of 2009. President Hugo
CHAVEZ's continued efforts to increase the government's control of
the economy by nationalizing firms in the agribusiness, financial,
construction, oil, and steel sectors have hurt the private
investment environment, reduced productive capacity, and slowed
non-petroleum exports. In the first half of 2010 Venezuela faced the
prospect of lengthy nationwide blackouts when its main hydroelectric
power plant - which provides more than 35% of the country's
electricity - nearly shut down. In January, 2010, CHAVEZ announced a
dual exchange rate system for the bolivar and closed the unofficial
foreign exchange market - the "parallel" market - in an effort to
stem inflation and slow the currency's depreciation. The foreign
exchange system offers a 2.6 bolivar per dollar rate for imports of
essentials, including food, medicine, and industrial machinery, and
a 4.3 bolivar per dollar rate for imports of other products,
including cars and telephones.

Vietnam
Vietnam is a densely-populated developing country that in
the last 30 years has had to recover from the ravages of war, the
loss of financial support from the old Soviet Bloc, and the
rigidities of a centrally-planned economy. Vietnamese authorities
have reaffirmed their commitment to economic liberalization and
international integration. They have moved to implement the
structural reforms needed to modernize the economy and to produce
more competitive export-driven industries. Vietnam joined the WTO in
January 2007 following more than a decade-long negotiation process.
WTO membership has provided Vietnam an anchor to the global market
and reinforced the domestic economic reform process. Agriculture's
share of economic output has continued to shrink from about 25% in
2000 to about 21% in 2009. Deep poverty has declined significantly
and Vietnam is working to create jobs to meet the challenge of a
labor force that is growing by more than one million people every
year. The global recession has hurt Vietnam's export-oriented
economy with GDP growing less than the 7% per annum average achieved
during the last decade. In 2009 exports fell nearly 10%
year-on-year, prompting the government to consider adjustments to
tariffs to limit the trade deficit. The government has used stimulus
spending, including a subsidized lending program, to help the
economy through the global financial crisis. Vietnam's managed
currency, the dong, faced downward pressure during the recession and
the government devalued it by nearly 7% in December 2009. Foreign
donors pledged $8 billion in new development assistance for 2010.
Export growth resumed in 2010, driving GDP upward. However, Hanoi
has struggled to control one of the region's highest inflation
rates, which stands at 11.1% with interest hikes and multiple
devaluations of the dong. Vietnam's economy faces higher lending
rates, additional IMF scrutiny, domestic inflationary pressures, and
an underperforming stock market.

Virgin Islands
Tourism is the primary economic activity, accounting
for 80% of GDP and employment. The islands hosted 2.4 million
visitors in 2008. The manufacturing sector consists of petroleum
refining, rum distilling, textiles, electronics, pharmaceuticals,
and watch assembly. One of the world's largest petroleum refineries
is at Saint Croix. The agricultural sector is small, with most food
being imported. International business and financial services are
small but growing components of the economy. The islands are
vulnerable to substantial damage from storms. The government is
working to improve fiscal discipline, to support construction
projects in the private sector, to expand tourist facilities, to
reduce crime, and to protect the environment.

Wake Island
Economic activity is limited to providing services to
military personnel and contractors located on the island. All food
and manufactured goods must be imported.

Wallis and Futuna
The economy is limited to traditional subsistence
agriculture, with about 80% of labor force earnings from agriculture
(coconuts and vegetables), livestock (mostly pigs), and fishing.
About 4% of the population is employed in government. Revenues come
from French Government subsidies, licensing of fishing rights to
Japan and South Korea, import taxes, and remittances from expatriate
workers in New Caledonia.

West Bank
The West Bank - the larger of the two areas comprising the
Palestinian territories - experienced a high single-digit economic
growth rate in 2010 as a result of inflows of donor aid, the
Palestinian Authority's (PA) implementation of economic and security
reforms, and the easing of some movement and access restrictions by
the Israeli Government. Nevertheless, overall standard-of-living
measures remain near levels seen prior to the start of the second
intifada in 2000. The almost decade-long downturn largely has been a
result of Israeli closure policies - a steady increase in movement
and access restrictions across the West Bank in response to Israeli
security concerns which have disrupted labor and trade flows,
industrial capacity, and basic commerce, both external and internal.
Since 2008, the PA under President Mahmoud ABBAS and Prime Minister
Salam FAYYAD has implemented a largely successful campaign of
institutional reforms that has contributed to increased security and
economic performance, supported by more than $3 billion in direct
foreign donor assistance to the PA's budget since 2007. An easing of
some Israeli restrictions on West Bank movement and access since
2008 also has contributed to an uptick in retail activity in larger
cities. The biggest impediments to economic improvements in the West
Bank remain Palestinians' lack of access to land and resources in
Israeli-controlled areas, import and export restrictions, and a
high-cost capital structure. Absent robust private sector growth,
the PA will continue to rely heavily on donor aid for its budgetary
needs.

Western Sahara
Western Sahara has a small market-based economy whose
main indutries are fishing, phosphate mining, and pastoral nomadism.
The territory's arid desert climate makes sedentary agriculture
difficult, and Wstern Sahara imports much of its food. The Moroccan
Government administers Western Sahara's economy and is a source of
employment, infrstructure development, and social spending in the
territory. Western Sahara's unresolved legal status makes the
exploitation of its natural resources a contentious issue between
Morocco and the Polisario. Morocco and the EU in July 2006 signed a
four-year agreement allowing European vessels to fish off the coast
of Morocco, including the disputed waters off the coast of Western
Sahara. Oil has never been found in Western Sahara in commercially
significant quantities, but Morocco and the Polisario have quarreled
over who has the right to authorize and benefit from oil exploration
in the territory. Western Sahara's main long-term economic challenge
is the development of a more diverse set of industries capable of
providing greater employment and income to the territory.

World
In 2010, world output - and per capita income - began to
recover from the 2008-09 recession, the first global downturn since
1946. Gross World Product (GWP) grew 4.6%, largely on the strength
of rebounding exports, which rose about 20% from the level of 2009.
Growth was not evenly distributed across countries, however. Lower
income countries - those with per capita incomes below $30,000 per
year - averaged 6.3% growth, while higher income countries - with
per capita incomes above $30,000 - averaged just 2.8% growth. And
countries with current account surpluses averaged 6.0% growth, while
those with current account deficits averaged just 3.4% growth. Among
large economies, China (+10.1%), Taiwan (+8.3%), India (+8.3%),
Brazil (+7.5%), and South Korea (+6.1%) recorded the biggest GDP
gains - China also became the world's largest exporter. Continuing
uncertainties in mortgage and financial markets resulted in slower
growth in Japan (+3.0%), the US (+2.8%), and the European Union
(+1.7%). In 2010, global unemployment continued to creep upwards,
reaching 8.8% - underemployment, especially in the developing world,
remained much higher. Global gross fixed investment stabilized at
about 23% of GWP, after a significant drop in 2009. World trade
appears to be returning to pre-2009 patterns, with current account
surpluses or deficits rising for a majority of countries. World
external debt, however, dropped again in 2010 - about 5% from the
2009 level, as many countries reduced borrowing. Many, if not most,
countries pursued expansionary monetary and fiscal policies. The
global money supply, both narrowly and broadly defined, increased
roughly 10%, as countries tried to keep interest rates low; the
global budget deficit stablilized at roughly $3.5 trillion, as
countries tried to rein in spending and slow the rise of public debt.
The international financial crisis of 2008-09 presents the world
economy with a major new challenge, together with several
long-standing ones. The fiscal stimulus packages put in place in
2009-10 required most countries to run budget deficits - government
balances have deteriorated for 14 out of every 15 countries.
Treasuries issued new public debt - totaling $5.5 trillion since
2008 - to pay for the additional expenditures. To keep interest
rates low, many central banks monetized that debt, injecting large
sums of money into the economies. As economic activity picks up,
central banks will face the difficult task of containing inflation
without raising interest rates so high they snuff out further
growth. At the same time, governments will face the difficult task
of spurring current growth and employment without saddling their
economies with so much debt that they sacrifice long-term growth and
financial stability.
Long-standing challenges the world faces are several. The addition
of 80 million people each year to an already overcrowded globe is
exacerbating the problems of underemployment, pollution,
waste-disposal, epidemics, water-shortages, famine, over-fishing of
oceans, deforestation, desertification, and depletion of
non-renewable resources. The nation-state, as a bedrock
economic-political institution, is steadily losing control over
international flows of people, goods, funds, and technology.
Internally, central governments often find their control over
resources slipping as separatist regional movements - typically
based on ethnicity - gain momentum, e.g., in many of the successor
states of the former Soviet Union, in the former Yugoslavia, in
India, in Iraq, in Indonesia, and in Canada. Externally, central
governments are losing decisionmaking powers to international
bodies, most notably the EU. The introduction of the euro as the
common currency of much of Western Europe in January 1999, while
paving the way for an integrated economic powerhouse, poses economic
risks because the participating nations are culturally and
politically diverse and have varying levels and rates of growth of
income, and hence, differing needs for monetary and fiscal policies.
In Western Europe, governments face the difficult political problem
of channeling resources away from welfare programs in order to
increase investment and strengthen incentives to seek employment.
Because of their own internal problems and priorities, the
industrialized countries devote insufficient resources to deal
effectively with the poorer areas of the world, which, at least from
an economic point of view, are becoming further marginalized. The
terrorist attacks on the US on 11 September 2001 accentuated a
growing risk to global prosperity, illustrated, for example, by the
reallocation of resources away from investment to anti-terrorist
programs. Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan added new uncertainties to
global economic prospects.
Despite these challenges, the world economy also shows great
promise. Technology has made possible further advances in all
fields, from agriculture, to medicine, alternative energy,
metallurgy, and transportation. Improved global communications have
greatly reduced the costs of international trade, helping the world
gain from the international division of labor, raise living
standards, and reduce income disparities among nations. Much of the
resilience of the world economy in the aftermath of the financial
crisis resulted from government leaders around the globe working in
concert to stem the financial onslaught, knowing well the lessons of
past economic failures.

Yemen
Yemen is a low income country that is highly dependent on
declining oil resources for revenue. Petroleum accounts for roughly
25% of GDP and 70% of government revenue. Yemen has tried to counter
the effects of its declining oil resources by diversifying its
economy through an economic reform program initiated in 2006 that is
designed to bolster non-oil sectors of the economy and foreign
investment. In October 2009, Yemen exported its first liquefied
natural gas as part of this diversification effort. In January 2010,
the international community established the Friends of Yemen group
that aims to support Yemen's efforts towards economic and political
reform, and in August 2010 the IMF approved a three-year $370
million program to further this effort. Despite these ambitious
endeavors, Yemen continues to face difficult long term challenges,
including declining water resources and a high population growth
rate.

Zambia
Zambia's economy has experienced strong growth in recent
years, with real GDP growth in 2005-08 about 6% per year.
Privatization of government-owned copper mines in the 1990s relieved
the government from covering mammoth losses generated by the
industry and greatly improved the chances for copper mining to
return to profitability and spur economic growth. Copper output has
increased steadily since 2004, due to higher copper prices and
foreign investment. In 2005, Zambia qualified for debt relief under
the Highly Indebted Poor Country Initiative, consisting of
approximately USD 6 billion in debt relief. Poverty remains a
significant problem in Zambia, despite a stronger economy. Declining
world commodity prices and demand slowed GDP growth in 2008, but a
sharp rebound in copper prices and a bumper maize crop helped Zambia
recover. Lack of economic diversity subjects Zambia to fluctuations
in copper prices and in the weather.

Zimbabwe
The government of Zimbabwe faces a wide variety of
difficult economic problems. Its 1998-2002 involvement in the war in
the Democratic Republic of the Congo drained hundreds of millions of
dollars from the economy. The government's land reform program,
characterized by chaos and violence, has badly damaged the
commercial farming sector, the traditional source of exports and
foreign exchange and the provider of 400,000 jobs, turning Zimbabwe
into a net importer of food products. The EU and the US provide food
aid on humanitarian grounds. Until early 2009, the Reserve Bank of
Zimbabwe routinely printed money to fund the budget deficit, causing
hyperinflation. The power-sharing government formed in February 2009
has led to some economic improvements, including the cessation of
hyperinflation by eliminating the use of the Zimbabwe dollar and
removing price controls. The economy is registering its first growth
in a decade, but will be reliant on further political improvement
for greater growth.

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@2117

Field Listing :: Pipelines

This entry gives the lengths and types of pipelines for transporting
products like natural gas, crude oil, or petroleum products.
Country

Pipelines(km)

Afghanistan
gas 466 km (2009)

Albania
gas 339 km; oil 207 km (2009)

Algeria
condensate 1,937 km; gas 14,648 km; liquid petroleum gas
2,933 km; oil 7,579 km (2009)

Angola
gas 2 km; oil 87 km (2009)

Argentina
gas 28,248 km; liquid petroleum gas 41 km; oil 5,977 km;
refined products 3,636 km (2009)

Armenia
gas 2,233 km (2009)

Australia
gas 27,105 km; liquid petroleum gas 240 km; oil 3,258 km;
oil/gas/water 1 km (2009)

Austria
gas 2,721 km; oil 663 km; refined products 157 km (2009)

Azerbaijan
condensate 1 km; gas 3,361 km; oil 1,424 km (2009)

Bahrain
gas 20 km; oil 32 km (2009)

Bangladesh
gas 2,597 km (2009)

Belarus
gas 5,250 km; oil 1,528 km; refined products 1,730 km (2009)

Belgium
gas 1,330 km; oil 158 km; refined products 535 km (2009)

Bolivia
gas 5,192 km; liquid petroleum gas 51 km; oil 2,488 km;
refined products 1,590 km (2009)

Brazil
condensate/gas 62 km; gas 9,989 km; liquid petroleum gas 353
km; oil 4,517 km; refined products 4,465 km (2009)

Brunei
gas 37 km; oil 18 km (2009)

Bulgaria
gas 2,926 km; oil 339 km; refined products 156 km (2009)

Burma
gas 2,228 km; oil 558 km (2009)

Cameroon
oil 889 km (2009)

Canada
crude and refined oil 23,564 km; liquid petroleum gas 74,980
km (2009)

Chad
oil 250 km (2009)

Chile
gas 2,673 km; liquid petroleum gas 519 km; oil 892 km; refined
products 769 km (2009)

China
gas 32,545 km; oil 20,097 km; refined products 10,915 km (2009)

Colombia
gas 4,567 km; oil 6,097 km; refined products 3,382 km (2009)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
gas 37 km; oil 39 km; refined
products 756 km (2009)

Congo, Republic of the
gas 7 km; oil 211 km (2009)

Costa Rica
refined products 796 km (2009)

Cote d'Ivoire
condensate 86 km; gas 180 km; oil 92 km (2009)

Croatia
gas 1,327 km; oil 583 km (2009)

Cuba
gas 41 km; oil 230 km (2009)

Czech Republic
gas 7,010 km; oil 547 km; refined products 94 km
(2009)

Denmark
gas 2,858 km; oil 107 km (2009)

Ecuador
extra heavy crude 435 km; gas 5 km; oil 1,374 km; refined
products 1,301 km (2009)

Egypt
condensate 320 km; condensate/gas 13 km; gas 6,262 km; liquid
petroleum gas 956 km; oil 4,319 km; oil/gas/water 3 km; refined
products 895 km; unknown 59 km (2009)

Equatorial Guinea
gas 38 km (2009)

Estonia
gas 859 km (2009)

Finland
gas 694 km (2009)

France
gas 14,688 km; oil 2,943 km; refined products 5,080 km (2009)

Gabon
gas 240 km; oil 858 km (2009)

Georgia
gas 1,596 km; oil 1,258 km (2009)

Germany
gas 24,364 km; oil 3,379 km; refined products 3,843 km (2009)

Ghana
oil 5 km; refined products 309 km (2009)

Greece
gas 1,197 km; oil 75 km (2009)

Guatemala
oil 480 km (2009)

Hungary
gas 4,407 km; oil 987 km; refined products 335 km (2009)

India
condensate/gas 2 km; gas 7,542 km; liquid petroleum gas 2,163
km; oil 7,659 km; refined products 7,201 km (2009)

Indonesia
condensate 735 km; condensate/gas 73 km; gas 5,800 km; oil
5,721 km; oil/gas/water 12 km; refined products 1,370 km (2009)

Iran
condensate 7 km; condensate/gas 12 km; gas 19,246 km; liquid
petroleum gas 570 km; oil 7,018 km; refined products 7,936 km (2009)

Iraq
gas 2,501 km; liquid petroleum gas 918 km; oil 5,032 km;
refined products 1,637 km (2009)

Ireland
gas 1,550 km (2009)

Israel
gas 176 km; oil 442 km; refined products 261 km (2009)

Italy
gas 17,558 km; oil 1,241 km (2009)

Japan
gas 3,879 km; oil 167 km; oil/gas/water 53 km (2009)

Jordan
gas 439 km; oil 49 km (2009)

Kazakhstan
condensate 658 km; gas 11,146 km; oil 10,376 km; refined
products 1,095 km (2009)

Kenya
oil 4 km; refined products 928 km (2009)

Korea, North
oil 154 km (2009)

Korea, South
gas 1,423 km; refined products 827 km (2009)

Kuwait
gas 269 km; oil 540 km; refined products 57 km (2009)

Kyrgyzstan
gas 254 km; oil 16 km (2009)

Laos
refined products 540 km (2009)

Latvia
gas 948 km; refined products 415 km (2009)

Lebanon
gas 43 km (2009)

Libya
condensate 776 km; gas 2,860 km; oil 6,987 km (2009)

Liechtenstein
gas 20 km (2009)

Lithuania
gas 1,695 km; refined products 114 km (2009)

Luxembourg
gas 155 km (2009)

Macedonia
gas 268 km; oil 120 km (2009)

Malaysia
condensate 3 km; gas 1,965 km; oil 31 km; refined products
114 km (2009)

Mexico
gas 22,705 km; liquid petroleum gas 1,875 km; oil 8,688 km;
oil/gas/water 228 km; refined products 6,520 km (2009)

Moldova
gas 1,906 km (2009)

Morocco
gas 830 km; oil 439 km (2009)

Mozambique
gas 918 km; refined products 278 km (2009)

Netherlands
gas 3,816 km; oil 365 km; refined products 716 km (2009)

New Zealand
condensate 331 km; gas 1,838 km; liquid petroleum gas
172 km; oil 288 km; refined products 198 km (2009)

Nicaragua
oil 54 km (2009)

Nigeria
condensate 26 km; gas 2,565 km; liquid petroleum gas 97 km;
oil 3,424 km; refined products 4,090 km (2009)

Norway
condensate 31 km; gas 64 km (2009)

Oman
gas 4,209 km; oil 3,558 km; refined products 263 km (2009)

Pakistan
gas 10,402 km; oil 2,011 km; refined products 787 km (2009)

Papua New Guinea
oil 195 km (2009)

Peru
extra heavy crude 533 km; gas 1,083 km; liquid petroleum gas
677 km; oil 1,018 km; refined products 15 km (2009)

Philippines
oil 107 km; refined products 112 km (2009)

Poland
gas 13,631 km; oil 1,384 km; refined products 777 km (2009)

Portugal
gas 1,098 km; oil 11 km; refined products 188 km (2009)

Qatar
condensate 145 km; condensate/gas 132 km; gas 980 km; liquid
petroleum gas 90 km; oil 382 km (2009)

Romania
gas 3,588 km; oil 2,424 km (2009)

Russia
condensate 122 km; gas 159,552 km; liquid petroleum gas 127
km; oil 74,285 km; refined products 13,658 km (2009)

Saudi Arabia
condensate 212 km; gas 1,880 km; liquid petroleum gas
1,183 km; oil 4,241 km; refined products 1,148 km (2009)

Senegal
gas 43 km; refined products 8 km (2009)

Serbia
gas 1,921 km; oil 323 km (2009)

Singapore
gas 106 km (2009)

Slovakia
gas 6,769 km; oil 416 km (2009)

Slovenia
gas 840 km; oil 11 km (2009)

South Africa
condensate 11 km; gas 908 km; oil 980 km; refined
products 1,379 km (2009)

Spain
gas 7,738 km; oil 560 km; refined products 3,445 km (2009)

Sudan
gas 156 km; oil 4,070 km; refined products 1,613 km (2009)

Suriname
oil 50 km (2009)

Sweden
gas 786 km (2009)

Switzerland
gas 1,662 km; oil 94 km; refined products 7 km (2009)

Syria
gas 3,101 km; oil 1,997 km (2009)

Taiwan
gas 405 km (2009)

Tajikistan
gas 549 km; oil 38 km (2009)

Tanzania
gas 254 km; oil 888 km; refined products 8 km (2009)

Thailand
gas 1,348 km; refined products 323 km (2009)

Trinidad and Tobago
gas 659 km; oil 336 km (2009)

Tunisia
gas 2,179 km; oil 1,285 km; refined products 372 km (2009)

Turkey
gas 10,630 km; oil 3,636 km (2009)

Turkmenistan
gas 6,417 km; oil 1,457 km (2009)

Ukraine
gas 33,327 km; oil 4,514 km; refined products 4,211 km (2009)

United Arab Emirates
condensate 458 km; gas 2,152 km; liquid
petroleum gas 220 km; oil 1,310 km; refined products 212 km (2009)

United Kingdom
condensate 43 km; gas 7,992 km; liquid petroleum gas
59 km; oil 699 km; refined products 4,417 km (2009)

United States
petroleum products 244,620 km; natural gas 548,665 km
(2009)

Uruguay
gas 226 km; oil 155 km (2009)

Uzbekistan
gas 9,706 km; oil 868 km (2009)

Venezuela
extra heavy crude 980 km; gas 5,258 km; oil 6,695 km;
refined products 1,484 km; unknown 141 km (2009)

Vietnam
condensate/gas 42 km; gas 66 km; refined products 206 km
(2009)

Yemen
gas 423 km; liquid petroleum gas 22 km; oil 1,367 km (2009)

Zambia
oil 771 km (2009)

Zimbabwe
refined products 270 km (2009)

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

@2118

Field Listing :: Political parties and leaders

This entry includes a listing of significant political organizations
and their leaders.
Country

Political parties and leaders

Afghanistan
Afghanistan Peoples' Treaty Party [Sayyed Amir TAHSEEN];
Afghanistan's Islamic Mission Organization [Abdul Rasoul SAYYAF];
Afghanistan's Islamic Nation Party [Toran Noor Aqa Ahmad ZAI];
Afghanistan's National Islamic Party [Rohullah LOUDIN];
Afghanistan's Welfare Party [Meer Asef ZAEEFI]; Afghan Social
Democratic Party [Anwarul Haq AHADI]; Afghan Society for the Call to
the Koran and Sunna [Mawlawee Samiullah NAJEEBEE]; Comprehensive
Movement of Democracy and Development of Afghanistan Party [Sher
Mohammad BAZGAR]; Democratic Party of Afghanistan [Al-hajj Mohammad
Tawos ARAB]; Democratic Party of Afghanistan [Abdul Kabir RANJBAR];
Elites People of Afghanistan Party [Abdul Hamid JAWAD]; Freedom and
Democracy Movement of Afghanistan [Abdul Raqib Jawid KOHISTANEE];
Freedom Party of Afghanistan [Abdul MALEK]; Freedom Party of
Afghanistan [Dr. Ghulam Farooq NEJRABEE]; Hizullah-e-Afghanistan
[Qari Ahmad ALI]; Human Rights Protection and Development Party of
Afghanistan [Baryalai NASRATI]; Islamic Justice Party of Afghanistan
[Mohammad Kabir MARZBAN]; Islamic Movement of Afghanistan [Mohammad
Ali JAWID]; Islamic Movement of Afghanistan Party [Mohammad Mukhtar
MUFLEH]; Islamic Party of Afghanistan [Mohammad Khalid FAROOQI,
Abdul Hadi ARGHANDIWAL]; Islamic Party of the Afghan Land [Mohammad
Hassan FEROZKHEL]; Islamic People's Movement of Afghanistan [Al-haj
Said Hussain ANWARY]; Islamic Society of Afghanistan [Ustad
RABBANI]; Islamic Unity of the Nation of Afghanistan Party [Qurban
Ali URFANI]; Islamic Unity Party of Afghanistan [Mohammad Karim
KHALILI]; Islamic Unity Party of the People of Afghanistan [Haji
Mohammad MOHAQQEQ]; Labor and Progress of Afghanistan Party
[Zulfiqar OMID]; Muslim People of Afghanistan Party [Besmellah
JOYAN]; Muslim Unity Movement Party of Afghanistan [Wazir Mohammad
WAHDAT]; National and Islamic Sovereignty Movement Party of
Afghanistan [Ahmad Shah AHMADZAI]; National Congress Party of
Afghanistan [Abdul Latif PEDRAM]; National Country Party [Ghulam
MOHAMMAD]; National Development Party of Afghanistan [Dr. Assef
BAKTASH]; National Freedom Seekers Party [Abdul Hadi DABEER];
National Independence Party of Afghanistan [Taj Mohammad WARDAK];
National Islamic Fighters Party of Afghanistan [Amanat NINGARHAREE];
National Islamic Front of Afghanistan [Pir Sayed Ahmad GAILANEE];
National Islamic Moderation Party of Afghanistan [Qara Baik
IZADYAR]; National Islamic Movement of Afghanistan [Sayed NOORULLAH]
National Islamic Unity Party of Afghanistan [Mohammad AKBAREE];
National Movement of Afghanistan [Ahmad Wali MASOOUD]; National
Party of Afghanistan [Abdul Rashid ARYAN]; National Patch of
Afghanistan Party [Sayed Kamal SADAT]; National Peace Islamic Party
of Afghanistan [Shah Mohammood Popal ZAI]; National Peace & Islamic
Party of the Tribes of Afghanistan [Abdul Qaher SHARIATEE]; National
Peace & Unity Party of Afghanistan [Abdul Qader IMAMI]; National
Prosperity and Islamic Party of Afghanistan [Mohammad Osman
SALEKZADA]; National Prosperity Party [Mohammad Hassan JAHFAREE];
National Solidarity Movement of Afghanistan [Pir Sayed Eshaq
GAILANEE]; National Solidarity Party of Afghanistan [Sayed Mansoor
NADREEI]; National Sovereignty Party [Sayed Mustafa KAZEMI];
National Stability Party [Mohammad Same KHAROTI]; National Stance
Party [Habibullah JANEBDAR]; National Tribal Unity Islamic Party of
Afghanistan [Mohammad Shah KHOGYANI]; National Unity Movement
[Sultan Mohammad GHAZI]; National Unity Movement of Afghanistan
[Mohammad Nadir AATASH]; National Unity Party of Afghanistan [Abdul
Rashid JALILI]; New Afghanistan Party [Mohammad Yunis QANUNI]; Peace
and National Welfare Activists Society [Shamsul al-Haq Noor SHAMS];
Peace Movement [Shahnawaz TANAI]; People's Aspirations Party of
Afghanistan [Ilhaj Saraj-u-din ZAFAREE]; People's Freedom Seekers
Party of Afghanistan [Feda Mohammad EHSAS]; People's Liberal Freedom
Seekers Party of Afghanistan [Ajmal SUHAIL]; People's Message Party
of Afghanistan [Noor Aqa WAINEE]; People's Movement of the National
Unity of Afghanistan [Abdul Hakim NOORZAI]; People's Party of
Afghanistan [Ahmad Shah ASAR]; People's Prosperity Party of
Afghanistan [Ustad Mohammad ZAREEF]; People's Sovereignty Movement
of Afghanistan [Hayatullah SUBHANEE]; People's Uprising Party of
Afghanistan [Sayed Zahir Qayedam Al-BELADI]; People's Welfare Party
of Afghanistan [Miagul WASIQ]; People's Welfare Party of Afghanistan
[Mohammad Zubair PAIROZ]; Progressive Democratic Party of
Afghanistan [Mohammad Wali ARYA]; Republican Party [Sebghatullah
SANJAR]; Solidarity Party of Afghanistan [Abdul Khaleq NEMAT]; The
Afghanistan's Mujahid Nation's Islamic Unity Movement [Saeedullah
SAEED]; The People of Afghanistan's Democratic Movement [Mohammad
Sharif NAZARI]; Tribes Solidarity Party of Afghanistan [Mohammad
Zarif NASERI]; Understanding and Democracy Party of Afghanistan
[Ahamad SHAHEEN]
United Afghanistan Party [Mohammad Wasil RAHIMEE]; United Islamic
Party of Afghanistan [Wahidullah SABAWOON]; Young Afghanistan's
Islamic Organization [Sayed Jawad HUSSINEE]; Youth Solidarity Party
of Afghanistan [Mohammad Jamil KARZAI]; note - includes only
political parties approved by the Ministry of Justice

Albania
Democratic Party or PD [Sali BERISHA]; Party for Justice and
Integration or PDI [Tahir MUCHEDINI]; Republican Party or PR [Fatmir
MEDIU]; Socialist Movement for Integration or LSI [Ilir META];
Socialist Party or PS [Edi RAMA]; Unity for Humen Rights Party or
PBDNJ [Vangjel DULE]

Algeria
Ahd 54 [Ali Fauzi REBAINE]; Algerian National Front or FNA
[Moussa TOUATI]; National Democratic Rally (Rassemblement National
Democratique) or RND [Ahmed OUYAHIA]; National Liberation Front or
FLN [Abdelaziz BELKHADEM, secretary general]; National Reform
Movement or Islah [Ahmed ABDESLAM] (formerly MRN); Rally for Culture
and Democracy or RCD [Said SADI]; Renaissance Movement or EnNahda
Movement [Fatah RABEI]; Socialist Forces Front or FFS [Hocine Ait
AHMED]; Society of Peace Movement or MSP [Boudjerra SOLTANI];
Workers Party or PT [Louisa HANOUNE]
note: a law banning political parties based on religion was enacted
in March 1997

American Samoa
Democratic Party [Oreta M. TOGAFAU]; Republican Party
[Tautai A. F. FAALEVAO]

Andorra
Andorra for Change [Juan Eusebio NOMEN CALVET]; Greens of
Andorra [Isabel LOZANO MUNOZ]; Liberal Party of Andorra or PLA [Joan
GABRIEL i ESTANY] (formerly Liberal Union or UL); New Center [Vicenc
MATEU] (formerly Andorran Democratic Center Party); Reformist
Coalition [Joan GABRIEL i ESTANY] (includes the Liberal Party and
New Center); Social Democratic Party or PS [Jaume BARTUMEU CASSANY]
(formerly part of National Democratic Group or AND)

Angola
National Front for the Liberation of Angola or FNLA [Ngola
KABANGU]; National Union for the Total Independence of Angola or
UNITA [Isaias SAMAKUVA] (largest opposition party); New Democracy
Electoral Union or ND [Quintino de MOREIRA]; Popular Movement for
the Liberation of Angola or MPLA [Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS] (ruling
party in power since 1975); Social Renewal Party or PRS [Eduardo
KUANGANA]
note: nine other parties participated in the legislative election in
September 2008 but won no seats

Anguilla
Anguilla Progressive Party or APP [Roy ROGERS]; Anguilla
Strategic Alternative or ANSA [Edison BAIRD]; Anguilla United Front
or AUF [Osbourne FLEMING, Victor BANKS] (a coalition of the Anguilla
Democratic Party or ADP and the Anguilla National Alliance or ANA);
Anguilla United Movement or AUM [Hubert HUGHES]

Antigua and Barbuda
Antigua Labor Party or ALP [Lester Bryant BIRD];
Barbuda People's Movement or BPM [Thomas H. FRANK]; Barbuda People's
Movement for Change [Arthur NIBBS]; Barbudans for a Better Barbuda
[Ordrick SAMUEL]; United Progressive Party or UPP [Baldwin SPENCER]
(a coalition of three parties - Antigua Caribbean Liberation
Movement or ACLM, Progressive Labor Movement or PLM, United National
Democratic Party or UNDP)

Argentina
Civic and Social Accord or ACyS (a broad center-left
alliance-including the CC, UCR, and Socialist parties-created ahead
of the 2009 legislative elections); Civic Coalition or CC (a broad
coalition loosely affiliated with Elisa CARRIO); Dissident Peronists
or PJ Disidente (a sector of the Justicialist Party opposed to the
Kirchners); Front for Victory or FpV (a broad coalition, including
elements of the UCR and numerous provincial parties) [Cristina
FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER]; Interbloque Federal or IF (a broad coalition
of approximately 12 parties including PRO); Justicialist Party or PJ
[Daniel SCIOLI]; Radical Civic Union or UCR [Ernesto SANZ];
Republican Proposal or PRO [Mauricio MACRI] (including Federal
Recreate Movement or RECREAR [Esteban BULLRICH]; Socialist Party or
PS [Ruben GIUSTINIANI]; Union For All [Patricia BULLRICH]
(associated with the Civic Coalition); numerous provincial parties

Armenia
Armenian National Congress or ANC (bloc of independent and
opposition parties) [Levon TER-PETROSSIAN]; Armenian National
Movement or ANM [Ararat ZURABIAN]; Armenian Revolutionary Federation
("Dashnak" Party) or ARF [Hrant MARKARIAN]; Heritage Party [Raffi
HOVHANNISIAN]; People's Party of Armenia [Stepan DEMIRCHIAN];
Prosperous Armenia [Gagik TSARUKIAN]; Republican Party of Armenia or
HHK [Serzh SARGSIAN]; Rule of Law Party (Orinats Yerkir) [Artur
BAGHDASARIAN]

Aruba
Aliansa/Aruban Social Movement or MSA [Robert WEVER]; Aruban
Liberal Organization or OLA [Glenbert CROES]; Aruban Patriotic
Movement or MPA [Monica ARENDS-KOCK]; Aruban Patriotic Party or PPA
[Benny NISBET]; Aruban People's Party or AVP [Mike EMAN]; People's
Electoral Movement Party or MEP [Nelson O. ODUBER]; Real Democracy
or PDR [Andin BIKKER]; RED [Rudy LAMPE]; Workers Political Platform
or PTT [Gregorio WOLFF]

Australia
Australian Greens [Bob BROWN]; Australian Labor Party
[Julia GILLARD]; Family First Party [Steve FIELDING]; Liberal Party
[Tony ABBOTT]; The Nationals [Warren TRUSS]

Austria
Alliance for the Future of Austria or BZOe [Josef BUCHER];
Austrian People's Party or OeVP [Josef PROELL]; Freedom Party of
Austria or FPOe [Heinz Christian STRACHE]; Social Democratic Party
of Austria or SPOe [Werner FAYMANN]; The Greens [Eva GLAWISCHNIG]

Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan Democratic Party or ADP [Sardar JALALOGLU];
Civil Solidarity Party or CSP [Sabir RUSTAMKHANLI]; Civil Unity
Party [Sabir HACIYEV]; Classic People's Front of Azerbaijan
[Mirmahmud MIRALI-OGLU]; Democratic Reform Party [Asim MOLLAZADE];
Great Creation Party [Fazil Gazanfaroglu MUSTAFAYEV]; Hope (Umid)
Party [Iqbal AGAZADE]; Justice Party [Ilyas ISMAYILOV]; Liberal
Party of Azerbaijan [Lala Shovkat HACIYEVA]; Motherland Party
[Fazail AGAMALI]; Musavat (Equality) [Isa GAMBAR, chairman]; Open
Society Party [Rasul GULIYEV, in exile in the US]; Social Democratic
Party of Azerbaijan or SDP [Araz ALIZADE and Ayaz MUTALIBOV (in
exile)]; Social Welfare Party [Hussein KAZIMLI]; United Popular
Azerbaijan Front Party or AXCP [Ali KARIMLI]; Whole Azerbaijan
Popular Front Party [Gudrat HASANGULIYEV]; Yeni (New) Azerbaijan
Party or YAP [President Ilham ALIYEV]
note: opposition parties regularly factionalize and form new parties

Bahamas, The
Free National Movement or FNM [Hubert INGRAHAM];
Progressive Liberal Party or PLP [Perry CHRISTIE]

Bahrain
political parties prohibited but political societies were
legalized per a July 2005 law

Bangladesh
Awami League or AL [Sheikh HASINA]; Bangladesh Communist
Party or BCP [Manjurul A. KHAN]; Bangladesh Nationalist Party or BNP
[Khaleda ZIA]; Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh or BDB [Badrudozza
CHOWDHURY]; Islami Oikya Jote or IOJ [multiple leaders];
Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh or JIB [Matiur Rahman NIZAMI]; Jatiya
Party or JP (Ershad faction) [Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD]; Liberal
Democratic Party or LDP [Oli AHMED]

Barbados
Barbados Labor Party or BLP [Owen ARTHUR]; Democratic Labor
Party or DLP [Freundel STUART]; People's Empowerment Party or PEP
[David COMISSIONG]

Belarus
pro-government parties: Belarusian Agrarian Party or AP
[Mikhail SHIMANSKY]; Belarusian Patriotic Movement (Belarusian
Patriotic Party) or BPR [Nikolay ULAKHOVICH, chairman]; Communist
Party of Belarus or KPB [Tatsyana HOLUBEVA]; Liberal Democratic
Party or LDP [Sergey GAYDUKEVICH]; Republican Party of Labor and
Justice [Vasiliy ZADNEPRYANYY]
opposition parties: Belarusian Christian Democracy Party [Pavel
SEVERINETS] (unregistered); Belarusian Party of Communists or PKB
[Sergey KALYAKIN]; Belarusian Party of Labor [Aleksandr BUKHVOSTOV]
(unregistered); Belarusian Popular Front or BPF [Aleksey
YANUKEVICH]; Belarusian Social-Democratic Hramada [Stanislav
SHUSHKEVICH]; Belarusian Social Democratic Party Hramada
("Assembly") or BSDPH [Anatoliy LEVKOVICH]; Belarusian Social
Democratic Party People's Assembly ("Narodnaya Hramada") [Nikolay
STATKEVICH] (unregistered); Belarusian Women's Party Nadzeya
("Hope") [Yelena YESKOVA, chairperson]; Christian Conservative Party
or BPF [Zyanon PAZNIAK]; European Belarus Campaign [Andrey
SANNIKOV]; Party of Freedom and Progress [Vladimir NOVOSYAD]
(unregistered); "Tell the Truth" Campaign [Vladimir NEKLYAYEV];
United Civic Party or UCP [Anatoliy LEBEDKO]

Belgium
Flemish parties: Christian Democratic and Flemish or CDV
[Wouter BEKE]; Dedecker List or LDD [Lode VEREECK]; Flemish Liberals
and Democrats or Open VLD [Alexander DE CROO]; Groen! [Wouter VAN
BESIEN] (formerly AGALEV, Flemish Greens); New Flemish Alliance or
N-VA [Bart DE WEVER]; Social Progressive Alternative or SP.A
[Caroline GENNEZ]; Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest) or VB [Bruno
VALKENIERS]
Francophone parties: Ecolo (Francophone Greens) [Jean-Michel JAVAUX,
Sarah TURINE]; Humanist and Democratic Center or CDH [Joelle
MILQUET]; Popular Party or PP [ Mischael MODRIKAMEN]; Reform
Movement or MR [Didier REYNDERS]; Socialist Party or PS [Elio DI
RUPO]; other minor parties

Belize
National Alliance for Belizean Rights or NABR; National
Reform Party or NRP [Cornelius DUECK]; People's National Party or
PNP [Wil MAHEIA]; People's United Party or PUP [John BRICENO];
United Democratic Party or UDP [Dean BARROW]; Vision Inspired by the
People or VIP [Paul MORGAN]; We the People Reform Movement or WTP
[Hipolito BAUTISTA]

Benin
African Movement for Democracy and Progress or MADEP [Sefou
FAGBOHOUN]; Alliance for Dynamic Democracy or ADD; Alliance of
Progress Forces or AFP; Benin Renaissance or RB [Rosine SOGLO];
Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI]; Force Cowrie
for an Emerging Benin or FCBE; Impulse for Progress and Democracy or
IPD [Theophile NATA]; Key Force or FC [Lazare SEHOUETO]; Movement
for the People's Alternative or MAP [Olivier CAPO-CHICHI]; Rally for
Democracy and Progress or RDP [Dominique HOUNGNINOU]; Social
Democrat Party or PSD [Bruno AMOUSSOU]; Union for Democracy and
National Solidarity or UDS [Sacca LAFIA]; Union for the Relief or
UPR [Issa SALIFOU]
note: approximately 20 additional minor parties

Bermuda
Progressive Labor Party or PLP [Ewart BROWN]; United Bermuda
Party or UBP [Kim SWAN]

Bhutan
Bhutan Peace and Prosperity Party (Druk Phuensum Tshogpa) or
DPT [Jigme THINLEY]; People's Democratic Party or PDP [Tshering
TOBGAY]

Bolivia
Bolivia-National Convergence or PPB-CN [Manfred REYES
VILLA]; Fearless Movement or MSM [Juan DE GRANADO Cosio]; Movement
Toward Socialism or MAS [Juan Evo MORALES Ayma]; National Unity or
UN [Samuel DORIA MEDINA Arana]; People or Gente [Roman LOAYZA];
Social Alliance or AS [Rene JOAQUINO]

Bosnia and Herzegovina
Alliance for a Better Future of BiH or
SBB-BiH [ Fahrudin RADONCIC]; Alliance of Independent Social
Democrats or SNSD [Milorad DODIK]; Bosnian Party or BOSS [Mirnes
AJANOVIC]; Bosnian Patriotic Party or BPS [Sefer HALILOVIC]; Civic
Democratic Party or GDS [Ibrahim SPAHIC]; Croat Party of Rights or
HSP [Zvonko JURISIC]; Croat Peasants' Party-New Croat Initiative or
HSS-NHI [Ante COLAK]; Croatian Christian Democratic Union of Bosnia
and Herzegovina or HKDU [Ivan MUSA]; Croatian Democratic Union of
Bosnia and Herzegovina or HDZ-BiH [Dragan COVIC]; Croatian
Democratic Union 1990 or HDZ-1990 [Bozo LJUBIC]; Croatian Peoples
Union [Milenko BRKIC]; Democratic National Union or DNZ [Rifat
DOLIC]; Democratic Party or DP [Dragan CAVIC]; Democratic Peoples'
Alliance or DNS [Marko PAVIC]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDS
[Rasim KADIC]; Nasa Stranka or NS [NA; leadership elections late
2010/early 2011]; New Socialist Party or NSP [Zdravko KRSMANOVIC];
Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina or SBiH [Haris SILAJDZIC]; Party of
Democratic Action or SDA [Sulejman TIHIC]; Party of Democratic
Progress or PDP [Mladen IVANIC]; Peoples' Party of Work for Progress
or NSRzB [Mladen IVANKOVIC-LIJANOVIC]; Serb Democratic Party or SDS
[Mladen BOSIC]; Serb Radical Party of the Republika Srpska or SRS-RS
[Milanko MIHAJLICA]; Serb Radical Party-Dr. Vojislav Seselj or
SRS-VS [Mirko BLAGOJEVIC]; Social Democratic Party of BiH or SDP BiH
[Zlatko LAGUMDZIJA]; Social Democratic Union or SDU [Nermin
PECANAC]; Socialist Party of Republika Srpska or SPRS [Petar DJOKIC]

Botswana
Botswana Alliance Movement or BAM [Ephraim Lepetu
SETSHWAELO]; Botswana Congress Party or BCP [Gilson SALESHANDO];
Botswana Democratic Party or BDP [Daniel KWELAGOBE]; Botswana
National Front or BNF [Otswoletse MOUPO]; Botswana Peoples Party or
BPP [Bernard BALIKANI]; MELS Movement of Botswana or MELS [Themba
JOINA]; New Democratic Front or NDF [Dick BAYFORD]
note: a number of minor parties joined forces in 1999 to form the
BAM but did not capture any parliamentary seats - includes the
United Action Party [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO]; the Independence
Freedom Party or IFP [Motsamai MPHO]; the Botswana Progressive Union
[D. K. KWELE]

Brazil
Brazilian Democratic Movement Party or PMDB [Federal Deputy
Michel TEMER]; Brazilian Labor Party or PTB [Roberto JEFFERSON];
Brazilian Renewal Labor Party or PRTB [Jose Levy FIDELIX da Cruz];
Brazilian Republican Party or PRB [Vitor Paulo Araujo DOS SANTOS];
Brazilian Social Democracy Party or PSDB [Senator Sergio GUERRA];
Brazilian Socialist Party or PSB [Governor Eduardo Henrique Accioly
CAMPOS]; Christian Labor Party or PTC [Daniel TOURINHO]; Communist
Party of Brazil or PCdoB [Jose Renato RABELO]; Democratic Labor
Party or PDT [Carlos Roberto LUPI]; the Democrats or DEM [Federal
Deputy Rodrigo MAIA] (formerly Liberal Front Party or PFL); Freedom
and Socialism Party or PSOL [Heloisa HELENA]; Green Party or PV
[Jose Luiz de Franca PENNA]; Humanist Party of Solidarity or PHS
[Paulo Roberto MATOS]; Labor Party of Brazil or PTdoB [Luis Henrique
de Oliveira RESENDE]; Liberal Front Party or PFL (now known as the
Democrats or DEM); National Mobilization Party or PMN [Oscar Noronha
FILHO]; Party of the Republic or PR [Sergio TAMER]; Popular
Socialist Party or PPS [Federal Deputy Fernando CORUJA]; Progressive
Party or PP [Francisco DORNELLES]; Social Christian Party or PSC
[Vitor Jorge Abdala NOSSEIS]; Workers' Party or PT [Jose Eduardo
DUTRA]

British Virgin Islands
Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Ethlyn
SMITH]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Orlando SMITH]; United
Party or UP [Gregory MADURO]; Virgin Islands Party or VIP [Ralph T.
O'NEAL]

Brunei
National Development Party or NDP [YASSIN Affendi]
note: Brunei National Solidarity Party or PPKB [Abdul LATIF bin
Chuchu] and People's Awareness Party or PAKAR [Awang Haji MAIDIN bin
Haji Ahmad] were deregistered in 2007; parties are small and have
limited activity