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Natural gas - production: 2.5 million cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: 25 million cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves: 107.6 billion cu m (1 January 2004)
Current account balance: $3.6 billion (2004 est.)
Exports: $38.63 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities: electronic equipment, machinery and transport equipment, garments, optical instruments, coconut products, fruits and nuts, copper products, chemicals
Exports - partners: Japan 20.1%, US 18.2%, Netherlands 9%, Hong Kong 7.9%, China 6.7%, Singapore 6.6%, Taiwan 5.6%, Malaysia 5.2% (2004)
Imports: $37.5 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities: raw materials, machinery and equipment, fuels, vehicles and vehicle parts, plastic, chemicals, grains
Imports - partners: US 18.8%, Japan 17.4%, Singapore 7.8%, Taiwan 7.3%, South Korea 6.2%, China 6%, Malaysia 4.5% (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $16.05 billion (2004)
Debt - external: $55.6 billion (September 2004 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: ODA commitments, $2 billion (2004)
Currency (code): Philippine peso (PHP)
Currency code: PHP
Exchange rates: Philippine pesos per US dollar - 56.04 (2004), 54.203 (2003), 51.604 (2002), 50.993 (2001), 44.192 (2000)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Philippines
Telephones - main lines in use: 3,310,900 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 15.201 million (2002)
Telephone system: general assessment: good international radiotelephone and submarine cable services; domestic and inter-island service adequate domestic: domestic satellite system with 11 earth stations international: country code - 63; 9 international gateways; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Pacific Ocean); submarine cables to Hong Kong, Guam, Singapore, Taiwan, and Japan
Radio broadcast stations: AM 369, FM 583, shortwave 5 note: each shortwave station operates on multiple frequencies in the language of the target audience (2004)
Radios: 11.5 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 225; note - 1373 CATV networks (2004)
Televisions: 3.7 million (1997)
Internet country code: .ph
Internet hosts: 38,440 (2002)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 33 (2000)
Internet users: 3.5 million (2002)
Transportation Philippines
Railways: total: 897 km narrow gauge: 897 km 1.067-m gauge (492 km are in operation) (2004)
Highways: total: 202,124 km paved: 19,202 km unpaved: 182,922 km (2002)
Waterways: 3,219 km note: limited to vessels with draft less than 1.5 m (2004)
Pipelines: gas 565 km; oil 135 km; refined products 100 km (2004)
Ports and harbors: Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Iligan, Iloilo, Manila, Surigao
Merchant marine: total: 419 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,524,259 GRT/6,437,171 DWT by type: bulk carrier 85, cargo 109, chemical tanker 13, container 5, liquefied gas 7, livestock carrier 15, passenger 11, passenger/cargo 73, petroleum tanker 47, refrigerated cargo 23, roll on/roll off 17, vehicle carrier 14 foreign-owned: 69 (Canada 1, China 2, Germany 2, Greece 5, Hong Kong 2, Japan 31, Malaysia 2, Netherlands 20, Norway 1, UAE 1, United States 2) registered in other countries: 40 (2005)
Airports: 255 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 82 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 26 914 to 1,523 m: 35 under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 173 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 68 under 914 m: 100 (2004 est.)
Heliports: 2 (2004 est.)
Military Philippines
Military branches: Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP): Army, Navy (includes Coast Guard, Marine Corps), Air Force
Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service (2001)
Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 20,131,179 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 15,170,096 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually: males: 907,542 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $805.5 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1% (2004)
Transnational Issues Philippines
Disputes - international: The Philippines claims sovereignty over certain of the Spratly Islands, known locally as the Kalayaan (Freedom) Islands, also claimed by China, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam; the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea," has eased tensions in the Spratly Islands but falls short of a legally binding "code of conduct" desired by several of the disputants; in March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands; Philippines retains a dormant claim to Malaysia's Sabah State in northern Borneo based on the Sultanate of Sulu's granting the Philippines Government power of attorney to pursue a sovereignty claim on his behalf
Refugees and internally displaced persons: IDPs: 150,000 (fighting between government troops and MILF and Abu Sayyaf groups) (2004)
Illicit drugs: exports locally-produced marijuana and hashish to East Asia, the US, and other Western markets; serves as a transit point for heroin and crystal methamphetamine; domestic methamphetamine production is a growing problem; remains on Financial Action Task Force Non-Cooperative Countries and Territories List for continued failure to address deficiencies in money-laundering control regime
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Pitcairn Islands
Introduction Pitcairn Islands
Background: Pitcairn Island was discovered in 1767 by the British and settled in 1790 by the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian companions. Pitcairn was the first Pacific island to become a British colony (in 1838) and today remains the last vestige of that empire in the South Pacific. Outmigration, primarily to New Zealand, has thinned the population from a peak of 233 in 1937 to less than 50 today.
Geography Pitcairn Islands
Location: Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about midway between Peru and New Zealand
Geographic coordinates: 25 04 S, 130 06 W
Map references: Oceania
Area: total: 47 sq km land: 47 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 51 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate: tropical; hot and humid; modified by southeast trade winds; rainy season (November to March)
Terrain: rugged volcanic formation; rocky coastline with cliffs
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Pawala Valley Ridge 347 m
Natural resources: miro trees (used for handicrafts), fish note: manganese, iron, copper, gold, silver, and zinc have been discovered offshore
Land use: arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% other: NA%
Irrigated land: NA
Natural hazards: typhoons (especially November to March)
Environment - current issues: deforestation (only a small portion of the original forest remains because of burning and clearing for settlement)
Geography - note: Britain's most isolated dependency; only the larger island of Pitcairn is inhabited but it has no port or natural harbor; supplies must be transported by rowed longboat from larger ships stationed offshore
People Pitcairn Islands
Population: 46 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate: -0.01% (2005 est.)
Birth rate: NA
Death rate: NA
Net migration rate: NA
Sex ratio: NA
Infant mortality rate: total: NA male: NA female: NA
Life expectancy at birth: total population: NA male: NA female: NA
Total fertility rate: NA
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Nationality: noun: Pitcairn Islander(s) adjective: Pitcairn Islander
Ethnic groups: descendants of the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian wives
Religions: Seventh-Day Adventist 100%
Languages: English (official), Pitcairnese (mixture of an 18th century English dialect and a Tahitian dialect)
Literacy: NA
Government Pitcairn Islands
Country name: conventional long form: Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno Islands conventional short form: Pitcairn Islands
Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK
Government type: NA
Capital: Adamstown
Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of the UK)
Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK)
National holiday: Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)
Constitution: 30 November 1838; reformed 1904 with additional reforms in 1940; further refined by the Local Government Ordinance of 1964
Legal system: local island by-laws
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal with three years residency
Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by UK High Commissioner to New Zealand and Governor (nonresident) of the Pitcairn Islands Richard FELL (since NA December 2001); Commissioner (nonresident) Leslie JAQUES (since September 2003); serves as liaison between the governor and the Island Council head of government: Governor Richard FELL; mayor and chairman of the Island Council Jay WARREN (since 15 December 2004) cabinet: NA elections: the monarchy is hereditary; high commissioner and commissioner appointed by the monarch; island mayor elected by popular vote for a three-year term; election last held December 2004 (next to be held December 2007) election results: Jay WARREN elected mayor and chairman of the Island Council
Legislative branch: unicameral Island Council (10 seats - 5 elected by popular vote, 1 nominated by the 5 elected members, 2 appointed by the governor including 1 seat for the Island Secretary, the Island Mayor, and a commissioner liaising between the governor and council; elected members serve one-year terms) elections: last held 15 December 2004 (next to be held December 2005) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - all independents
Judicial branch: Magistrate's Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Judicial Officers are appointed by the Governor
Political parties and leaders: none
Political pressure groups and leaders: none
International organization participation: UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of the UK)
Flag description: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Pitcairn Islander coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms is yellow, green, and light blue with a shield featuring a yellow anchor
Economy Pitcairn Islands
Economy - overview: The inhabitants of this tiny isolated economy exist on fishing, subsistence farming, handicrafts, and postage stamps. The fertile soil of the valleys produces a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, including citrus, sugarcane, watermelons, bananas, yams, and beans. Bartering is an important part of the economy. The major sources of revenue are the sale of postage stamps to collectors and the sale of handicrafts to passing ships. In October 2004, more than one-quarter of Pitcairn's labor force was arrested, putting the economy in a bind, since their services were required as lighter crew to load or unload passing ships.
GDP (purchasing power parity): NA
GDP - real growth rate: NA
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - NA
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Labor force: 15 able-bodied men (2004)
Labor force - by occupation: no business community in the usual sense; some public works; subsistence farming and fishing
Unemployment rate: NA
Population below poverty line: NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA
Budget: revenues: $746,000 expenditures: $1.028 million, including capital expenditures of NA (FY04/05)
Agriculture - products: wide variety of fruits and vegetables, goats, chickens
Industries: postage stamps, handicrafts, beekeeping, honey
Industrial production growth rate: NA
Electricity - production: NA kWh; note - electric power is provided by a small diesel-powered generator
Electricity - consumption: NA kWh
Exports: NA
Exports - commodities: fruits, vegetables, curios, stamps
Exports - partners: NA
Imports: NA
Imports - commodities: fuel oil, machinery, building materials, flour, sugar, other foodstuffs
Imports - partners: NA
Debt - external: NA
Economic aid - recipient: $3.465 million (2004)
Currency (code): New Zealand dollar (NZD)
Currency code: NZD
Exchange rates: New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221 (2003), 2.1622 (2002), 2.3788 (2001), 2.2012 (2000)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
Communications Pitcairn Islands
Telephones - main lines in use: 1 (there are 17 telephones on one party line); (2004)
Telephone system: general assessment: satellite phone services domestic: domestic communication via radio (CB) international: country code - 872; satellite earth station (Inmarsat)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0, note - 15 Ham radio operators (VP6) (2004)
Radios: NA
Televisions: NA
Internet country code: .pn
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA
Internet users: NA
Transportation Pitcairn Islands
Highways: total: 6.4 km paved: 0 km unpaved: 6.4 km
Ports and harbors: Adamstown (on Bounty Bay)
Airports: none (2004 est.)
Military Pitcairn Islands
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues Pitcairn Islands
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Poland
Introduction Poland
Background: Poland is an ancient nation that was conceived near the middle of the 10th century. Its golden age occurred in the 16th century. During the following century, the strengthening of the gentry and internal disorders weakened the nation. In a series of agreements between 1772 and 1795, Russia, Prussia, and Austria partitioned Poland amongst themselves. Poland regained its independence in 1918 only to be overrun by Germany and the Soviet Union in World War II. It became a Soviet satellite state following the war, but its government was comparatively tolerant and progressive. Labor turmoil in 1980 led to the formation of the independent trade union "Solidarity" that over time became a political force and by 1990 had swept parliamentary elections and the presidency. A "shock therapy" program during the early 1990s enabled the country to transform its economy into one of the most robust in Central Europe, but Poland currently suffers low GDP growth and high unemployment. Solidarity suffered a major defeat in the 2001 parliamentary elections when it failed to elect a single deputy to the lower house of Parliament, and the new leaders of the Solidarity Trade Union subsequently pledged to reduce the Trade Union's political role. Poland joined NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2004.
Geography Poland
Location: Central Europe, east of Germany
Geographic coordinates: 52 00 N, 20 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 312,685 sq km land: 304,465 sq km water: 8,220 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than New Mexico
Land boundaries: total: 2,788 km border countries: Belarus 407 km, Czech Republic 658 km, Germany 456 km, Lithuania 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) 206 km, Slovakia 444 km, Ukraine 526 km
Coastline: 491 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: defined by international treaties
Climate: temperate with cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters with frequent precipitation; mild summers with frequent showers and thundershowers
Terrain: mostly flat plain; mountains along southern border
Elevation extremes: lowest point: near Raczki Elblaskie -2 m highest point: Rysy 2,499 m
Natural resources: coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, amber, arable land
Land use: arable land: 45.91% permanent crops: 1.12% other: 52.97% (2001)
Irrigated land: 1,000 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: flooding
Environment - current issues: situation has improved since 1989 due to decline in heavy industry and increased environmental concern by post-Communist governments; air pollution nonetheless remains serious because of sulfur dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants, and the resulting acid rain has caused forest damage; water pollution from industrial and municipal sources is also a problem, as is disposal of hazardous wastes; pollution levels should continue to decrease as industrial establishments bring their facilities up to European Union code, but at substantial cost to business and the government
Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94
Geography - note: historically, an area of conflict because of flat terrain and the lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain
People Poland
Population: 38,635,144 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 16.7% (male 3,319,176/female 3,150,859) 15-64 years: 70.3% (male 13,506,153/female 13,638,265) 65 years and over: 13% (male 1,912,431/female 3,108,260) (2005 est.)
Median age: total: 36.43 years male: 34.52 years female: 38.49 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.03% (2005 est.)
Birth rate: 10.78 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate: 10.01 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 8.51 deaths/1,000 live births male: 9.59 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 74.74 years male: 70.71 years female: 79.03 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.39 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.1% ; note - no country specific models provided (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 14,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 100 (2001 est.)
Nationality: noun: Pole(s) adjective: Polish
Ethnic groups: Polish 96.7%, German 0.4%, Belarusian 0.1%, Ukrainian 0.1%, other and unspecified 2.7% (2002 census)
Religions: Roman Catholic 89.8% (about 75% practicing), Eastern Orthodox 1.3%, Protestant 0.3%, other 0.3%, unspecified 8.3% (2002)
Languages: Polish 97.8%, other and unspecified 2.2% (2002 census)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.8% male: 99.8% female: 99.7% (2003 est.)
Government Poland
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Poland conventional short form: Poland local long form: Rzeczpospolita Polska local short form: Polska
Government type: republic
Capital: Warsaw
Administrative divisions: 16 provinces (wojewodztwa, singular - wojewodztwo); Dolnoslaskie, Kujawsko-Pomorskie, Lodzkie, Lubelskie, Lubuskie, Malopolskie, Mazowieckie, Opolskie, Podkarpackie, Podlaskie, Pomorskie, Slaskie, Swietokrzyskie, Warminsko-Mazurskie, Wielkopolskie, Zachodniopomorskie
Independence: 11 November 1918 (independent republic proclaimed)
National holiday: Constitution Day, 3 May (1791)
Constitution: adopted by the National Assembly 2 April 1997, passed by national referendum 25 May 1997, effective 17 October 1997
Legal system: mixture of Continental (Napoleonic) civil law and holdover Communist legal theory; changes being gradually introduced as part of broader democratization process; limited judicial review of legislative acts, but rulings of the Constitutional Tribunal are final; court decisions can be appealed to the European Court of Justice in Strasbourg
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI (since 23 December 1995) head of government: Prime Minister Marek BELKA (since 24 June 2004); Deputy Prime Minister Izabela JARUGA-NOWACKA (since 24 June 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the prime minister and the Sejm; the prime minister proposes, the president appoints, and the Sejm approves the Council of Ministers elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 8 October 2000 (next to be held October 2005); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the Sejm election results: Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI reelected president; percent of popular vote - Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI 53.9%, Andrzej OLECHOWSKI 17.3%, Marian KRZAKLEWSKI 15.6%, Lech WALESA 1%
Legislative branch: bicameral legislature consisting of an upper house, the Senate or Senat (100 seats; members are elected by a majority vote on a provincial basis to serve four-year terms), and a lower house, the Sejm (460 seats; members are elected under a complex system of proportional representation to serve four-year terms); the designation of National Assembly or Zgromadzenie Narodowe is only used on those rare occasions when the two houses meet jointly elections: Senate - last held 25 September 2005 (next to be held by September 2009); Sejm elections last held September 25 2005 (next to be held by September 2009) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PiS 49, PO 34, LPR 7, SO 3, PSL 2, independents 5; Sejm - percent of vote by party - PiS 27%, PO 24.1%, SO 11.4%, SLD 11.3%, LPR 8%, PSL 7%, other 11.2%; seats by party - PiS 155, PO 133, SO 56, SLD 55, LPR 34, PSL 25, German minorities 2 note: two seats are assigned to ethnic minority parties in the Sejm only
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president on the recommendation of the National Council of the Judiciary for an indefinite period); Constitutional Tribunal (judges are chosen by the Sejm for nine-year terms)
Political parties and leaders: Catholic-National Movement or RKN [Antoni MACIEREWICZ]; Civic Platform or PO [Donald TUSK]; Conservative Peasants Party or KL [Artur BALAZS]; Democratic Left Alliance or SLD [Jozef OLEKSY]; Dom Ojczysty (Fatherland Home); Freedom Union or UW [Wladyslaw FRASYNIUK]; German Minority of Lower Silesia or MNSO [Henryk KROLL]; Law and Justice or PiS [Jaroslaw KACZYNSKI]; League of Polish Families or LPR [Marek KOTLINOWSKI]; Movement for the Reconstruction of Poland or ROP [Jan OLSZEWSKI]; Peasant-Democratic Party or PLD [Roman JAGIELINSKI]; Polish Accord or PP [Jan LOPUSZANSKI]; Polish Peasant Party or PSL [Waldemar PAWLAK]; Samoobrona or SO [Andrzej LEPPER]; Social Democratic Party of Poland or SDPL [Marek BOROWSKI]; Social Movement or RS [Krzysztof PIESIEWICZ]; Union of Labor or UP [Izabela JARUGA-NOWACKA]
Political pressure groups and leaders: All Poland Trade Union Alliance or OPZZ (trade union) [Jan GUZ]; Roman Catholic Church [Cardinal Jozef GLEMP]; Solidarity Trade Union [Janusz SNIADEK]
International organization participation: ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Przemyslaw GRUDZINSKI chancery: 2640 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 234-3800 through 3802 FAX: [1] (202) 328-6270 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Victor ASHE embassy: Aleje Ujazdowskie 29/31 00-540 Warsaw mailing address: American Embassy Warsaw, US Department of State, 5010 Warsaw Place, Washington, DC 20521-5010 (pouch) telephone: [48] (22) 504-2000 FAX: [48] (22) 504-2688 consulate(s) general: Krakow
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; similar to the flags of Indonesia and Monaco which are red (top) and white
Economy Poland
Economy - overview: Poland has steadfastly pursued a policy of economic liberalization throughout the 1990s and today stands out as a success story among transition economies. Even so, much remains to be done, especially in bringing down unemployment. The privatization of small and medium-sized state-owned companies and a liberal law on establishing new firms has encouraged the development of the private business sector, but legal and bureaucratic obstacles alongside persistent corruption are hampering its further development. Poland's agricultural sector remains handicapped by surplus labor, inefficient small farms, and lack of investment. Restructuring and privatization of "sensitive sectors" (e.g., coal, steel, railroads, and energy), while recently initiated, have stalled. Reforms in health care, education, the pension system, and state administration have resulted in larger-than-expected fiscal pressures. Further progress in public finance depends mainly on reducing losses in Polish state enterprises, restraining entitlements, and overhauling the tax code to incorporate the growing gray economy and farmers, most of whom pay no tax. The government has introduced a package of social and administrative spending cuts to reduce public spending by about $17 billion through 2007. Additional reductions are under discussion in the legislature but could be trumped by election-year politics in 2005. Poland joined the EU in May 2004, and surging exports to the EU contributed to Poland's strong growth in 2004, though its competitiveness could be threatened by the zloty's appreciation. GDP per capita roughly equals that of the three Baltic states. Poland stands to benefit from nearly $13.5 billion in EU funds, available through 2006. Farmers have already begun to reap the rewards of membership via higher food prices and EU agricultural subsidies.
GDP (purchasing power parity): $463 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 5.6% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $12,000 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.9% industry: 31.3% services: 65.9% (2004 est.)
Labor force: 17.02 million (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 16.1%, industry 29%, services 54.9% (2002)
Unemployment rate: 19.5% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line: 18.4% (2000 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 24.7% (1998)
Distribution of family income - Gini index: 31.6 (1998)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.4% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed): 18.4% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget: revenues: $44.52 billion expenditures: $54.93 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
Public debt: 49.9% of GDP (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products: potatoes, fruits, vegetables, wheat; poultry, eggs, pork
Industries: machine building, iron and steel, coal mining, chemicals, shipbuilding, food processing, glass, beverages, textiles
Industrial production growth rate: 10% (2004 est.)
Electricity - production: 133.8 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 98.1% hydro: 1.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0.4% (2001)
Electricity - consumption: 117.4 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports: 11.5 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports: 4.5 billion kWh (2002)
Oil - production: 17,180 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption: 424,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports: 53,000 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports: 413,700 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - proved reserves: 116.4 million bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production: 5.471 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: 13.85 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports: 41 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports: 8.782 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves: 154.4 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance: $-3.831 billion (2004 est.)
Exports: $75.98 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment 37.8%, intermediate manufactured goods 23.7%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 17.1%, food and live animals 7.6% (2003)
Exports - partners: Germany 30%, Italy 6.1%, France 6%, UK 5.4%, Czech Republic 4.3%, Netherlands 4.3% (2004)
Imports: $81.61 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment 38%, intermediate manufactured goods 21%, chemicals 14.8%, minerals, fuels, lubricants, and related materials 9.1% (2003)
Imports - partners: Germany 24.4%, Italy 7.9%, Russia 7.3%, France 6.7%, China 4.6% (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $41.88 billion (2004 est.)
Debt - external: $99.15 billion (2004 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $17 billion in available EU structural adjustment and cohesion funds (2004-06)
Currency (code): zloty (PLN)
Currency code: PLN
Exchange rates: zlotych per US dollar - 3.6576 (2004), 3.8891 (2003), 4.08 (2002), 4.0939 (2001), 4.3461 (2000) note: zlotych is the plural form of zloty
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Poland
Telephones - main lines in use: 12.3 million (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 17.401 million (2003)
Telephone system: general assessment: underdeveloped and outmoded system in the process of being overhauled; partial privatization of the state-owned telephone monopoly is underway; the long waiting list for main line telephone service has resulted in a boom in mobile cellular telephone use domestic: cable, open-wire, and microwave radio relay; 3 cellular networks; local exchanges 56.6% digital international: country code - 48; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat, NA Eutelsat, 2 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions), and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 14, FM 777, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios: 20.2 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 179 (plus 256 repeaters) (September 1995)
Televisions: 13.05 million (1997)
Internet country code: .pl
Internet hosts: 804,915 (2004)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 19 (2000)
Internet users: 8.97 million (2003)
Transportation Poland
Railways: total: 23,852 km broad gauge: 629 km 1.524-m gauge standard gauge: 23,223 km 1.435-m gauge (20,555 km operational) (11,962 km electrified) (2004)
Highways: total: 364,697 km paved: 249,088 km (including 399 km of expressways) unpaved: 115,609 km (2001)
Waterways: 3,997 km (navigable rivers and canals) (2003)
Pipelines: gas 13,552 km; oil 1,772 km (2004)
Ports and harbors: Gdansk, Gdynia, Swinoujscie, Szczecin
Merchant marine: total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 154,710 GRT/228,132 DWT by type: cargo 3, chemical tanker 2, passenger/cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1 registered in other countries: 107 (2005)
Airports: 123 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 84 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 30 1,524 to 2,437 m: 40 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 39 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)
Heliports: 3 (2004 est.)
Military Poland
Military branches: Land Forces, Navy, Polish Air Force (PSP)
Military service age and obligation: 17 years of age for compulsory military service after January 1st of the year of 18th birthday; 17 years of age for voluntary military service; in 2005 Poland plans to shorten the length of conscript service obligation from 12 to 9 months; by 2008, plans call for at least 60% of military personnel to be volunteers; only soldiers who have completed their conscript service are allowed to volunteer for professional service; as of April 2004 women are only allowed to serve as officers and non-commissioned officers (April 2004)
Manpower available for military service: males age 17-49: 9,673,712 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service: males age 17-49: 7,740,164 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually: males: 275,521 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $3.5 billion (2002)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.71% (2002)
Transnational Issues Poland
Disputes - international: as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Poland must implement the strict Schengen border rules
Illicit drugs: major illicit producer of synthetic drugs for the international market; minor transshipment point for Asian and Latin American illicit drugs to Western Europe
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Portugal
Introduction Portugal
Background: Following its heyday as a world power during the 15th and 16th centuries, Portugal lost much of its wealth and status with the destruction of Lisbon in a 1755 earthquake, occupation during the Napoleonic Wars, and the independence in 1822 of Brazil as a colony. A 1910 revolution deposed the monarchy; for most of the next six decades, repressive governments ran the country. In 1974, a left-wing military coup installed broad democratic reforms. The following year, Portugal granted independence to all of its African colonies. Portugal is a founding member of NATO and entered the EC (now the EU) in 1986.
Geography Portugal
Location: Southwestern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Spain
Geographic coordinates: 39 30 N, 8 00 W
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 92,391 sq km land: 91,951 sq km water: 440 sq km note: includes Azores and Madeira Islands
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Indiana
Land boundaries: total: 1,214 km border countries: Spain 1,214 km
Coastline: 1,793 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate: maritime temperate; cool and rainy in north, warmer and drier in south
Terrain: mountainous north of the Tagus River, rolling plains in south
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Ponta do Pico (Pico or Pico Alto) on Ilha do Pico in the Azores 2,351 m
Natural resources: fish, forests (cork), iron ore, copper, zinc, tin, tungsten, silver, gold, uranium, marble, clay, gypsum, salt, arable land, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 21.75% permanent crops: 7.81% other: 70.44% (2001)
Irrigated land: 6,320 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: Azores subject to severe earthquakes
Environment - current issues: soil erosion; air pollution caused by industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution, especially in coastal areas
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, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Environmental Modification
Geography - note: Azores and Madeira Islands occupy strategic locations along western sea approaches to Strait of Gibraltar
People Portugal
Population: 10,566,212 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 16.6% (male 916,234/female 839,935) 15-64 years: 66.3% (male 3,468,844/female 3,538,779) 65 years and over: 17.1% (male 744,787/female 1,057,633) (2005 est.)
Median age: total: 38.2 years male: 36.06 years female: 40.33 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.39% (2005 est.)
Birth rate: 10.82 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate: 10.43 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate: 3.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 5.05 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.53 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.53 years male: 74.25 years female: 81.03 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.47 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.4% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 22,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 1,000 (2003 est.)
Nationality: noun: Portuguese (singular and plural) adjective: Portuguese
Ethnic groups: homogeneous Mediterranean stock; citizens of black African descent who immigrated to mainland during decolonization number less than 100,000; since 1990 East Europeans have entered Portugal
Religions: Roman Catholic 94%, Protestant (1995)
Languages: Portuguese (official), Mirandese (official - but locally used)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93.3% male: 95.5% female: 91.3% (2003 est.)
Government Portugal
Country name: conventional long form: Portuguese Republic conventional short form: Portugal local long form: Republica Portuguesa local short form: Portugal
Government type: parliamentary democracy
Capital: Lisbon
Administrative divisions: 18 districts (distritos, singular - distrito) and 2 autonomous regions* (regioes autonomas, singular - regiao autonoma); Aveiro, Acores (Azores)*, Beja, Braga, Braganca, Castelo Branco, Coimbra, Evora, Faro, Guarda, Leiria, Lisboa, Madeira*, Portalegre, Porto, Santarem, Setubal, Viana do Castelo, Vila Real, Viseu
Independence: 1143 (Kingdom of Portugal recognized); 5 October 1910 (independent republic proclaimed)
National holiday: Portugal Day, 10 June (1580); note - also called Camoes Day, the day that revered national poet Luis de Camoes (1524-80) died
Constitution: 25 April 1976; revised many times
Legal system: civil law system; the Constitutional Tribunal reviews the constitutionality of legislation; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Jorge SAMPAIO (since 9 March 1996) head of government: Prime Minister Jose SOCRATES (since 12 March 2005) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister note: there is also a Council of State that acts as a consultative body to the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 14 January 2001 (next to be held January 2006); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president election results: Jorge SAMPAIO reelected president; percent of vote - Jorge SAMPAIO (Socialist) 55.8%, Joaquim FERREIRA Do Amaral (Social Democrat) 34.5%, Antonio ABREU (Communist) 5.1%
Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da Republica (230 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 20 February 2005 (next to be held February 2009); note - President SAMPAIO called for early elections after dissolving parliament on 10 December 2004 because he lacked confidence in the four-month center-right government election results: percent of vote by party - PS 45.1%, PSD 28.7%, CDU 7.6%, PP 7.3%, BE 6.4%; seats by party - PS 121, PSD 75, CDU 14, PP 12, BE 8
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal de Justica (judges appointed for life by the Conselho Superior da Magistratura)
Political parties and leaders: Green Ecologist Party or PEV [Heloisa APOLONIA]; Popular Party or PP [Jose Ribeiro e CASTRO]; Portuguese Communist Party or PCP [Jeronimo de SOUSA]; Portuguese Socialist Party or PS [Jose SOCRATES Carvalho Pinto de Sousa]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Luis Marques MENDES]; The Left Bloc or BE [Franciso Anacleto LOUCA]; Unitarian Democratic Coalition or UDC [Jeronimo de SOUSA]
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMISET, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Pedro Manuel Dos Reis Alves CATARINO chancery: 2125 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 328-8610 FAX: [1] (202) 462-3726 consulate(s) general: Boston, New York, Newark (New Jersey), and San Francisco consulate(s): New Bedford (Massachusetts), Providence (Rhode Island)
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Adrienne S. O'NEAL embassy: Avenida das Forcas Armadas, 1600-081 Lisbon mailing address: Apartado 4258, 1507 Lisboa Codex; PSC 83, APO AE 09726 telephone: [351] (21) 727-3300 FAX: [351] (21) 726-9109 consulate(s): Ponta Delgada (Azores)
Flag description: two vertical bands of green (hoist side, two-fifths) and red (three-fifths) with the Portuguese coat of arms centered on the dividing line
Economy Portugal
Economy - overview: Portugal has become a diversified and increasingly service-based economy since joining the European Community in 1986. Over the past decade, successive governments have privatized many state-controlled firms and liberalized key areas of the economy, including the financial and telecommunications sectors. The country qualified for the European Monetary Union (EMU) in 1998 and began circulating the euro on 1 January 2002 along with 11 other EU member economies. Economic growth had been above the EU average for much of the past decade, but fell back in 2001-04. GDP per capita stands at two-thirds that of the Big Four EU economies. A poor educational system, in particular, has been an obstacle to greater productivity and growth. Portugal has been increasingly overshadowed by lower-cost producers in Central Europe and Asia as a target for foreign direct investment. The government faces tough choices in its attempts to boost Portugal's economic competitiveness while keeping the budget deficit within the eurozone's 3%-of-GDP ceiling.
GDP (purchasing power parity): $188.7 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 1.1% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $17,900 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5.9% industry: 30.2% services: 63.9% (2004 est.)
Labor force: 5.48 million (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 10%, industry 30%, services 60% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate: 6.5% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.1% highest 10%: 28.4% (1995 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index: 35.6 (1994-95)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.1% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed): 22.3% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget: revenues: $74.38 billion expenditures: $79.86 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
Public debt: 61.5% of GDP (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products: grain, potatoes, olives, grapes; sheep, cattle, goats, poultry, beef, dairy products
Industries: textiles and footwear; wood pulp, paper, and cork; metals and metalworking; oil refining; chemicals; fish canning; rubber and plastic products; ceramics; electronics and communications equipment; rail transportation equipment; aerospace equipment; ship construction and refurbishment; wine; tourism
Industrial production growth rate: 1.1% (2004 est.)
Electricity - production: 43.28 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 64.5% hydro: 31.3% nuclear: 0% other: 4.1% (2001)
Electricity - consumption: 42.15 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports: 3.4 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports: 5.3 billion kWh (2002)
Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption: 339,800 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports: 28,830 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports: 357,300 bbl/day (2001)
Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: 2.542 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports: 2.553 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Current account balance: $-8.12 billion (2004 est.)
Exports: $37.68 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities: clothing and footwear, machinery, chemicals, cork and paper products, hides
Exports - partners: Spain 25%, France 14%, Germany 13.5%, UK 9.6%, US 6%, Italy 4.3%, Netherlands 4% (2004)
Imports: $52.1 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum, textiles, agricultural products
Imports - partners: Spain 29.3%, Germany 14.3%, France 9.3%, Italy 6.1%, UK 4.6%, Netherlands 4.6% (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $12.3 billion (2004 est.)
Debt - external: $274.7 billion (2004 est.)
Economic aid - donor: ODA, $271 million (1995)
Currency (code): euro (EUR) note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries
Currency code: EUR
Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Portugal
Telephones - main lines in use: 4,278,800 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 9,341,400 (2003)
Telephone system: general assessment: Portugal's telephone system has achieved a state-of-the-art network with broadband, high-speed capabilities and a main line telephone density of 53% domestic: integrated network of coaxial cables, open-wire, microwave radio relay, and domestic satellite earth stations international: country code - 351; 6 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), NA Eutelsat; tropospheric scatter to Azores; note - an earth station for Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region) is planned
Radio broadcast stations: AM 47, FM 172 (many are repeaters), shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios: 3.02 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 62 (plus 166 repeaters) note: includes Azores and Madeira Islands (1995)
Televisions: 3.31 million (1997)
Internet country code: .pt
Internet hosts: 346,078 (2004)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 16 (2000)
Internet users: 3.6 million (2002)
Transportation Portugal
Railways: total: 2,850 km broad gauge: 2,576 km 1.668-m gauge (623 km electrified) narrow gauge: 274 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)
Highways: total: 17,135 km paved: 14,736 km (including 1,659 km of expressways) unpaved: 2,399 km (2002)
Waterways: 210 km (on Douro River from Porto) (2003)
Pipelines: gas 1,099 km; oil 8 km; refined products 174 km (2004)
Ports and harbors: Leixoes, Lisbon, Setubal, Sines
Merchant marine: total: 114 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 872,557 GRT/1,236,025 DWT by type: bulk carrier 10, cargo 38, chemical tanker 14, container 7, liquefied gas 9, passenger 8, passenger/cargo 7, petroleum tanker 9, roll on/roll off 4, vehicle carrier 8 foreign-owned: 97 (Australia 1, Belgium 6, Denmark 5, Germany 18, Greece 4, Iceland 1, Italy 11, Japan 8, Lebanon 1, Malta 1, Norway 4, Spain 19, Switzerland 4) registered in other countries: 28 (2005)
Airports: 65 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 42 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 23 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 22 (2004 est.)
Military Portugal
Military branches: Army, Navy (Marinha Portuguesa; includes Marine Corps), Air Force (Forca Aerea Portuguesa, FAP), National Republican Guard (Guarda Nacional Republicana) (2005)
Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; compulsory military service was ended in 2004 (January 2005)
Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 2,435,042 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 1,952,819 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually: males: 67,189 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $3,497.8 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.3% (2003)
Transnational Issues Portugal
Disputes - international: none
Illicit drugs: gateway country for Latin American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin entering the European market (especially from Brazil); transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Europe; consumer of Southwest Asian heroin
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Puerto Rico
Introduction Puerto Rico
Background: Populated for centuries by aboriginal peoples, the island was claimed by the Spanish Crown in 1493 following Columbus' second voyage to the Americas. In 1898, after 400 years of colonial rule that saw the indigenous population nearly exterminated and African slave labor introduced, Puerto Rico was ceded to the US as a result of the Spanish-American War. Puerto Ricans were granted US citizenship in 1917. Popularly-elected governors have served since 1948. In 1952, a constitution was enacted providing for internal self government. In plebiscites held in 1967, 1993, and 1998, voters chose to retain commonwealth status.
Geography Puerto Rico
Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic
Geographic coordinates: 18 15 N, 66 30 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 9,104 sq km land: 8,959 sq km water: 145 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 501 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate: tropical marine, mild; little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain: mostly mountains with coastal plain belt in north; mountains precipitous to sea on west coast; sandy beaches along most coastal areas
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Cerro de Punta 1,338 m
Natural resources: some copper and nickel; potential for onshore and offshore oil
Land use: arable land: 3.95% permanent crops: 5.52% other: 90.53% (2001)
Irrigated land: 400 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: periodic droughts; hurricanes
Environment - current issues: erosion; occasional drought causing water shortages
Geography - note: important location along the Mona Passage - a key shipping lane to the Panama Canal; San Juan is one of the biggest and best natural harbors in the Caribbean; many small rivers and high central mountains ensure land is well watered; south coast relatively dry; fertile coastal plain belt in north
People Puerto Rico
Population: 3,916,632 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 22% (male 441,594/female 421,986) 15-64 years: 65.5% (male 1,228,583/female 1,337,066) 65 years and over: 12.4% (male 211,283/female 276,120) (2005 est.)
Median age: total: 34.23 years male: 32.5 years female: 35.87 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.47% (2005 est.)
Birth rate: 13.93 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate: 7.86 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 8.24 deaths/1,000 live births male: 9.52 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.29 years male: 74.35 years female: 82.43 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.91 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 7,397 (1997)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Nationality: noun: Puerto Rican(s) (US citizens) adjective: Puerto Rican
Ethnic groups: white (mostly Spanish origin) 80.5%, black 8%, Amerindian 0.4%, Asian 0.2%, mixed and other 10.9%
Religions: Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant and other 15%
Languages: Spanish, English
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 94.1% male: 93.9% female: 94.4% (2002 est.)
Government Puerto Rico
Country name: conventional long form: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico conventional short form: Puerto Rico
Dependency status: commonwealth associated with the US
Government type: commonwealth
Capital: San Juan
Administrative divisions: none (commonwealth associated with the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 78 municipalities (municipios, singular - municipio) at the second order; Adjuntas, Aguada, Aguadilla, Aguas Buenas, Aibonito, Anasco, Arecibo, Arroyo, Barceloneta, Barranquitas, Bayamon, Cabo Rojo, Caguas, Camuy, Canovanas, Carolina, Catano, Cayey, Ceiba, Ciales, Cidra, Coamo, Comerio, Corozal, Culebra, Dorado, Fajardo, Florida, Guanica, Guayama, Guayanilla, Guaynabo, Gurabo, Hatillo, Hormigueros, Humacao, Isabela, Jayuya, Juana Diaz, Juncos, Lajas, Lares, Las Marias, Las Piedras, Loiza, Luquillo, Manati, Maricao, Maunabo, Mayaguez, Moca, Morovis, Naguabo, Naranjito, Orocovis, Patillas, Penuelas, Ponce, Quebradillas, Rincon, Rio Grande, Sabana Grande, Salinas, San German, San Juan, San Lorenzo, San Sebastian, Santa Isabel, Toa Alta, Toa Baja, Trujillo Alto, Utuado, Vega Alta, Vega Baja, Vieques, Villalba, Yabucoa, Yauco
Independence: none (commonwealth associated with the US)
National holiday: US Independence Day, 4 July (1776); Puerto Rico Constitution Day, 25 July (1952)
Constitution: ratified 3 March 1952, approved by US Congress 3 July 1952, effective 25 July 1952
Legal system: based on Spanish civil code and within the US Federal system of justice
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; island residents are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
Executive branch: chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001) head of government: Governor Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA (since 2 January 2005) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor with the consent of the legislature elections: US president and vice president elected on the same ticket for four-year terms; governor elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008) election results: Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA (PPD) elected governor; percent of vote - 48.4%
Legislative branch: bicameral Legislative Assembly consists of the Senate (at least 27 seats - currently 29; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives (51 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008); House of Representatives - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PNP 43.4%, PPD 40.3%, PIP 9.4%; seats by party - PNP 17, PPD 9, PIP 1; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PNP 46.3%, PPD 43.1%, PIP 9.7%; seats by party - PNP 32, PPD 18, PIP 1 note: Puerto Rico elects, by popular vote, a resident commissioner to serve a four-year term as a nonvoting representative in the US House of Representatives; aside from not voting on the House floor, he enjoys all the rights of a member of Congress; elections last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008); results - percent of vote by party - PNP 48.6%; seats by party - PNP 1; Luis FORTUNO elected resident commissioner
Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Appellate Court; Court of First Instance composed of two sections: a Superior Court and a Municipal Court (justices for all these courts appointed by the governor with the consent of the Senate)
Political parties and leaders: National Democratic Party [Celeste BENITEZ]; National Republican Party of Puerto Rico [Dr. Tiody FERRE]; New Progressive Party or PNP (pro-US statehood) [Pedro ROSSELLO]; Popular Democratic Party or PPD (pro-commonwealth) [Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA]; Puerto Rican Independence Party or PIP (pro-independence) [Ruben BERRIOS Martinez]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Armed Forces for National Liberation or FALN; Armed Forces of Popular Resistance; Boricua Popular Army (also known as the Macheteros); Volunteers of the Puerto Rican Revolution
International organization participation: ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WToO (associate)
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (commonwealth associated with the US)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (commonwealth associated with the US)
Flag description: five equal horizontal bands of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bears a large, white, five-pointed star in the center; design initially influenced by the US flag, but similar to the Cuban flag, with the colors of the bands and triangle reversed
Economy Puerto Rico
Economy - overview: Puerto Rico has one of the most dynamic economies in the Caribbean region. A diverse industrial sector has far surpassed agriculture as the primary locus of economic activity and income. Encouraged by duty-free access to the US and by tax incentives, US firms have invested heavily in Puerto Rico since the 1950s. US minimum wage laws apply. Sugar production has lost out to dairy production and other livestock products as the main source of income in the agricultural sector. Tourism has traditionally been an important source of income, with estimated arrivals of nearly 5 million tourists in 1999. Growth fell off in 2001-03, largely due to the slowdown in the US economy, and has recovered in 2004.
GDP (purchasing power parity): $68.95 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 2.7% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $17,700 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1% industry: 45% services: 54% (2002 est.)
Labor force: 1.3 million (2000)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 3%, industry 20%, services 77% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate: 12% (2002)
Population below poverty line: NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.5% (2003 est.)
Budget: revenues: $6.7 billion expenditures: $9.6 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (FY99/00)
Agriculture - products: sugarcane, coffee, pineapples, plantains, bananas, livestock products, chickens
Industries: pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, food products, tourism
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 22.09 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.2% hydro: 0.8% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption: 20.54 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2002)
Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption: 190,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports: NA
Oil - imports: NA
Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: 630 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports: 630 million cu m (2001 est.)
Exports: $46.9 billion f.o.b. (2001)
Exports - commodities: chemicals, electronics, apparel, canned tuna, rum, beverage concentrates, medical equipment
Exports - partners: US 90.3%, UK 1.6%, Netherlands 1.4%, Dominican Republic 1.4% (2002 est.)
Imports: $29.1 billion c.i.f. (2001)
Imports - commodities: chemicals, machinery and equipment, clothing, food, fish, petroleum products
Imports - partners: US 55.0%, Ireland 23.7%, Japan 5.4% (2002 est.)
Debt - external: NA
Economic aid - recipient: NA (2001)
Currency (code): US dollar (USD)
Currency code: USD
Exchange rates: the US dollar is used
Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
Communications Puerto Rico
Telephones - main lines in use: 1,329,500 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 1,211,111 (2001)
Telephone system: general assessment: modern system integrated with that of the US by high-capacity submarine cable and Intelsat with high-speed data capability domestic: digital telephone system; cellular telephone service international: country code - 1-787, 939; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat; submarine cable to US
Radio broadcast stations: AM 72, FM 17, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: 2.7 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 6 (19 relay stations) (2004)
Televisions: 1.021 million (1997)
Internet country code: .pr
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 76 (2000)
Internet users: 600,000 (2002)
Transportation Puerto Rico
Railways: total: 96 km narrow gauge: 96 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)
Highways: total: 25,328 km paved: 23,665 km (including 426 km of expressways) unpaved: 1,363 km (2004)
Ports and harbors: Las Mareas, Mayaguez, San Juan
Merchant marine: total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 36,728 GRT/37,048 DWT by type: roll on/roll off 2 foreign-owned: 2 (United States 2) registered in other countries: 1 (2005)
Airports: 30 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 17 over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 13 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)
Military Puerto Rico
Military branches: no regular indigenous military forces; paramilitary National Guard, Police Force
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US
Transnational Issues Puerto Rico
Disputes - international: increasing numbers of illegal migrants from the Dominican Republic cross the Mona Passage to Puerto Rico each year looking for work
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Qatar
Introduction Qatar
Background: Ruled by the Al Thani family since the mid-1800s, Qatar transformed itself from a poor British protectorate noted mainly for pearling into an independent state with significant oil and natural gas revenues. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Qatari economy was crippled by a continuous siphoning off of petroleum revenues by the amir, who had ruled the country since 1972. His son, the current Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, overthrew him in a bloodless coup in 1995. In 2001, Qatar resolved its longstanding border disputes with both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Oil and natural gas revenues enable Qatar to have one of the highest per capita incomes in the world.
Geography Qatar
Location: Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia
Geographic coordinates: 25 30 N, 51 15 E
Map references: Middle East
Area: total: 11,437 sq km land: 11,437 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Connecticut
Land boundaries: total: 60 km border countries: Saudi Arabia 60 km
Coastline: 563 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: as determined by bilateral agreements or the median line
Climate: arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers
Terrain: mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and gravel
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Qurayn Abu al Bawl 103 m
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, fish
Land use: arable land: 1.64% permanent crops: 0.27% other: 98.09% (2001)
Irrigated land: 130 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: haze, dust storms, sandstorms common
Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources are increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major petroleum deposits
People Qatar
Population: 863,051 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 23.7% (male 104,453/female 100,295) 15-64 years: 72.9% (male 437,118/female 191,830) 65 years and over: 3.4% (male 21,599/female 7,756) (2005 est.)
Median age: total: 31.57 years male: 36.87 years female: 22.33 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.61% (2005 est.)
Birth rate: 15.54 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate: 4.61 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate: 15.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 2.28 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 2.78 male(s)/female total population: 1.88 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 18.61 deaths/1,000 live births male: 21.95 deaths/1,000 live births female: 15.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 73.67 years male: 71.15 years female: 76.32 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.87 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.09% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Nationality: noun: Qatari(s) adjective: Qatari
Ethnic groups: Arab 40%, Pakistani 18%, Indian 18%, Iranian 10%, other 14%
Religions: Muslim 95%
Languages: Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 89% male: 89.1% female: 88.6% (2004 est.)
Government Qatar
Country name: conventional long form: State of Qatar conventional short form: Qatar local long form: Dawlat Qatar local short form: Qatar note: closest approximation of the native pronunciation falls between cutter and gutter, but not like guitar
Government type: traditional monarchy
Capital: Doha
Administrative divisions: 10 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ad Dawhah, Al Ghuwayriyah, Al Jumayliyah, Al Khawr, Al Wakrah, Ar Rayyan, Jarayan al Batinah, Madinat ash Shamal, Umm Sa'id, Umm Salal
Independence: 3 September 1971 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 3 September (1971)
Constitution: ratified by public referendum on 29 April 2003, endorsed by the Emir on 8 June 2004, effective on 9 June 2005
Legal system: discretionary system of law controlled by the amir, although civil codes are being implemented; Islamic law dominates family and personal matters
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa al-Thani (since 27 June 1995 when, as crown prince, he ousted his father, Amir KHALIFA bin Hamad al-Thani, in a bloodless coup); Crown Prince TAMIM bin Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, third son of the monarch (selected Heir Apparent by the monarch on 5 August 2003); note - Amir HAMAD also holds the positions of Minister of Defense and Commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces head of government: Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Khalifa al-Thani, brother of the monarch (since 30 October 1996); Deputy Prime Minister MUHAMMAD bin Khalifa al-Thani, brother of the monarch (since 20 January 1998); First Deputy Prime Minister HAMAD bin JASIM bin JABIR al-Thani (since 16 September 2003; also Foreign Minister since 1992); Second Deputy Prime Minister Abdallah bin Hamad al-ATTIYAH (since 16 September 2003; also Energy Minister since NA 1992) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary note: in April 2003, Qatar held nationwide elections for a 29-member Central Municipal Council (CMC), which has consultative powers aimed at improving the provision of municipal services; the first election for the CMC was held in March 1999
Legislative branch: unicameral Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura (35 seats; members appointed) note: no legislative elections have been held since 1970 when there were partial elections to the body; Council members have had their terms extended every four years since; the new constitution, which came into force on 8 June 2004, provides for a 45-member Consultative Council, or Majlis al-Shura; the public would elect two-thirds of the Majlis al-Shura; the amir would appoint the remaining members
Judicial branch: Court of Appeal note: under the new judiciary law issued in 2003, the former two court systems, civil and Islamic law, were merged under a higher court, the Court of Cassation, established for appeals
Political parties and leaders: none
Political pressure groups and leaders: none
International organization participation: ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, WToO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Nasir bin Hamad bin Mubarak al-KHALIFA chancery: 4200 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 274-1600 and 274-1603 FAX: [1] (202) 237-0061 consulate(s) general: Houston
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Chase UNTERMEYER embassy: Al-Luqta District, 22 February Road, Doha mailing address: P. O. Box 2399, Doha telephone: [974] 488 4101 FAX: [974] 488 4298
Flag description: maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on the hoist side
Economy Qatar
Economy - overview: Oil and gas account for more than 55% of GDP, roughly 85% of export earnings, and 70% of government revenues. Oil and gas have given Qatar a per capita GDP about 80% of that of the leading West European industrial countries. Proved oil reserves of 16 billion barrels should ensure continued output at current levels for 23 years. Qatar's proved reserves of natural gas exceed 14 trillion cubic meters, more than 5% of the world total and third largest in the world. Long-term goals feature the development of offshore natural gas reserves to offset the ultimate decline in oil production. In recent years, Qatar has consistently posted trade surpluses largely because of high oil prices and increased natural gas exports, becoming one of the world's fastest growing and highest per-capita income countries.
GDP (purchasing power parity): $19.49 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 8.7% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $23,200 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 0.3% industry: 58.2% services: 41.5% (2004 est.)
Labor force: 140,000 (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate: 2.7% (2001)
Population below poverty line: NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed): 22.9% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget: revenues: $10.17 billion expenditures: $7.61 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.2 billion (2004 est.)
Public debt: NA
Agriculture - products: fruits, vegetables; poultry, dairy products, beef; fish
Industries: crude oil production and refining, ammonia, fertilizers, petrochemicals, steel reinforcing bars, cement, commercial ship repair
Industrial production growth rate: 10% (2003 est.)
Electricity - production: 9.727 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption: 9.046 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2002)
Oil - production: 790,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption: 30,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - exports: NA
Oil - imports: NA
Oil - proved reserves: 16 billion bbl (2004 est.)
Natural gas - production: 32.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: 15.86 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports: 18.2 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves: 14.41 trillion cu m (2004)
Current account balance: $5.187 billion (2004 est.)
Exports: $15 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities: liquefied natural gas (LNG), petroleum products, fertilizers, steel
Exports - partners: Japan 41.9%, South Korea 15.8%, Singapore 9.1%, India 5.4% (2004)
Imports: $6.15 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, food, chemicals
Imports - partners: France 26.6%, US 9.5%, Saudi Arabia 9.4%, UAE 6.3%, Germany 5.2%, Japan 5.2%, UK 5.1% (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $3.351 billion (2004 est.)
Debt - external: $18.62 billion (2004 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: NA
Currency (code): Qatari rial (QAR)
Currency code: QAR
Exchange rates: Qatari rials per US dollar - 3.64 (2004), 3.64 (2003), 3.64 (2002), 3.64 (2001), 3.64 (2000)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
Communications Qatar
Telephones - main lines in use: 184,500 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 376,500 (2003)
Telephone system: general assessment: modern system centered in Doha domestic: NA international: country code - 974; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and UAE; submarine cable to Bahrain and UAE; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat
Radio broadcast stations: AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios: 256,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (plus three repeaters) (2001)
Televisions: 230,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .qa
Internet hosts: 221 (2004)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)
Internet users: 126,000 (2003)
Transportation Qatar
Highways: total: 1,230 km paved: 1,107 km unpaved: 123 km (1999 est.)
Pipelines: condensate 319 km; condensate/gas 209 km; gas 1,024 km; liquid petroleum gas 87 km; oil 702 km; oil/gas/water 41 km (2004)
Ports and harbors: Doha
Merchant marine: total: 22 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 525,051 GRT/772,635 DWT by type: cargo 3, chemical tanker 5, container 8, liquefied gas 2, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 6 (Kuwait 6) (2005)
Airports: 4 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 over 3,047 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Heliports: 1 (2004 est.)
Military Qatar
Military branches: Qatari Amiri Land Force (QALF), Qatari Amiri Navy (QAN), Qatari Amiri Air Force (QAAF)
Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; Land Force's enlisted personnel are largely nonprofessional foreign nationals (2005)
Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 302,873 note: includes non-nationals (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 238,566 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually: males: 7,851 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $723 million (FY00)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 10% (FY00)
Transnational Issues Qatar
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Reunion
Introduction Reunion
Background: The Portuguese discovered the uninhabited island in 1513. From the 17th to the 19th centuries, French immigration, supplemented by influxes of Africans, Chinese, Malays, and Malabar Indians, gave the island its ethnic mix. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 cost the island its importance as a stopover on the East Indies trade route.
Geography Reunion
Location: Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar
Geographic coordinates: 21 06 S, 55 36 E
Map references: World
Area: total: 2,517 sq km land: 2,507 sq km water: 10 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Rhode Island
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 207 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate: tropical, but temperature moderates with elevation; cool and dry from May to November, hot and rainy from November to April
Terrain: mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along coast
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Piton des Neiges 3,069 m
Natural resources: fish, arable land, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 13.6% permanent crops: 1.2% other: 85.2% (2001)
Irrigated land: 120 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: periodic, devastating cyclones (December to April); Piton de la Fournaise on the southeastern coast is an active volcano
Environment - current issues: NA
Geography - note: this mountainous, volcanic island has an active volcano, Piton de la Fournaise; there is a tropical cyclone center at Saint-Denis, which is the monitoring station for the whole of the Indian Ocean
People Reunion
Population: 776,948 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 30.4% (male 120,698/female 115,108) 15-64 years: 63.6% (male 243,668/female 250,143) 65 years and over: 6.1% (male 19,234/female 28,097) (2005 est.)
Median age: total: 26.72 years male: 25.53 years female: 27.92 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.38% (2005 est.)
Birth rate: 19.26 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate: 5.48 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 7.78 deaths/1,000 live births male: 8.52 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 73.95 years male: 70.55 years female: 77.52 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.47 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Nationality: noun: Reunionese (singular and plural) adjective: Reunionese
Ethnic groups: French, African, Malagasy, Chinese, Pakistani, Indian
Religions: Roman Catholic 86%, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist (1995)
Languages: French (official), Creole widely used
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 88.9% male: 87% female: 90.8% (2003 est.)
Government Reunion
Country name: conventional long form: Department of Reunion conventional short form: Reunion local long form: none local short form: Ile de la Reunion former: Bourbon Island
Dependency status: overseas department of France
Government type: NA
Capital: Saint-Denis
Administrative divisions: none (overseas department of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 4 arrondissements, 24 communes, and 47 cantons
Independence: none (overseas department of France)
National holiday: Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Constitution: 4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system: French law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Laurent CAYREL (since 16 July 2005) head of government: President of the General Council Jean-Luc POUDROUX (since NA March 1998) and President of the Regional Council Paul VERGES (since NA March 1993) cabinet: NA elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of the Interior; the presidents of the General and Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils
Legislative branch: unicameral General Council (49 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a unicameral Regional Council (45 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve six-year terms) elections: General Council - last held 15 and 22 March 1998 (next to be held NA); Regional Council - last held 28 March 2004 (next to be held NA 2010) election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - various right-wing candidates 13, PCR 10, PS 10, UDF 8, RPR 6, other left-wing candidates 2; Regional Council (second round) - percent of vote by party - PCR 44.9%, UMP 32.8%, PS-Greens 22.3%; seats by party - PCR 27, UMP 11, PS-Greens 7 note: Reunion elects three representatives to the French Senate; elections last held NA 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; Reunion also elects five deputies to the French National Assembly; elections last held 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP-RPR 1, UMP 1, PCR 1
Judicial branch: Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel
Political parties and leaders: Communist Party of Reunion or PCR [Paul VERGES]; Rally for the Republic or RPR [Andre Maurice PIHOUEE]; Socialist Party or PS [Jean-Claude FRUTEAU]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Gilbert GERARD]; Union for a Popular Movement or UMP [leader NA]
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: InOC, UPU, WFTU
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas department of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas department of France)
Flag description: the flag of France is used
Economy Reunion
Economy - overview: The economy has traditionally been based on agriculture, but services now dominate. Sugarcane has been the primary crop for more than a century, and in some years it accounts for 85% of exports. The government has been pushing the development of a tourist industry to relieve high unemployment, which amounts to one-third of the labor force. The gap in Reunion between the well-off and the poor is extraordinary and accounts for the persistent social tensions. The white and Indian communities are substantially better off than other segments of the population, often approaching European standards, whereas minority groups suffer the poverty and unemployment typical of the poorer nations of the African continent. The outbreak of severe rioting in February 1991 illustrates the seriousness of socioeconomic tensions. The economic well-being of Reunion depends heavily on continued financial assistance from France.
GDP (purchasing power parity): $4.57 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 2.5% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $6,000 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 8% industry: 19% services: 73% (2000 est.)
Labor force: 309,900 (2000)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 13%, industry 12%, services 75% (2000)
Unemployment rate: 36% (1999 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%
Budget: revenues: $1.26 billion expenditures: $2.62 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (1998)
Agriculture - products: sugarcane, vanilla, tobacco, tropical fruits, vegetables, corn
Industries: sugar, rum, cigarettes, handicraft items, flower oil extraction
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 1.166 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 55.5% hydro: 44.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption: 1.084 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2002)
Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption: 18,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports: NA
Oil - imports: NA
Exports: $214 million f.o.b. (1997)
Exports - commodities: sugar 63%, rum and molasses 4%, perfume essences 2%, lobster 3%, (1993)
Exports - partners: France 74%, Japan 6%, Comoros 4% (2000)
Imports: $2.5 billion c.i.f. (1997)
Imports - commodities: manufactured goods, food, beverages, tobacco, machinery and transportation equipment, raw materials, and petroleum products
Imports - partners: France 64%, Bahrain 3%, Germany 3%, Italy 3% (2000)
Debt - external: $NA
Economic aid - recipient: NA; note - substantial annual subsidies from France (2001 est.)
Currency (code): euro (EUR)
Currency code: EUR
Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Reunion
Telephones - main lines in use: 300,000 est (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 489,800 (2002)
Telephone system: general assessment: adequate system; principal center is Saint-Denis domestic: modern open-wire and microwave radio relay network international: country code - 262; radiotelephone communication to Comoros, France, Madagascar; new microwave route to Mauritius; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC/SAFE) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 55, shortwave 0 (2001)
Radios: 173,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 35 (plus 18 low-power repeaters) (2001)
Televisions: 127,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .re
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)
Internet users: 150,000 (2002)
Transportation Reunion
Highways: total: 1,214 km (including 88 km of four-lane roads) (2001)
Ports and harbors: Le Port
Merchant marine: total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 28,264 GRT/44,885 DWT by type: chemical tanker 1 foreign-owned: 1 (France 1) registered in other countries: 1 (2005)
Airports: 2 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Military Reunion
Military branches: no regular indigenous military forces; French forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force, and Gendarmerie)
Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age (2004)
Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 183,421 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 142,578 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually: males: 7,339 (2005 est.)
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues Reunion
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Romania
Introduction Romania
Background: The principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia - for centuries under the suzerainty of the Turkish Ottoman Empire - secured their autonomy in 1856; they united in 1859 and a few years later adopted the new name of Romania. The country gained recognition of its independence in 1878. It joined the Allied Powers in World War I and acquired new territories following the conflict. In 1940, it allied with the Axis powers and participated in the 1941 German invasion of the USSR. Three years later, overrun by the Soviets, Romania signed an armistice. The post-war Soviet occupation led to the formation of a Communist "people's republic" in 1947 and the abdication of the king. The decades-long rule of dictator Nicolae CEAUSESCU, who took power in 1965, and his Securitate police state became increasingly oppressive and draconian through the 1980s. CEAUSESCU was overthrown and executed in late 1989. Former Communists dominated the government until 1996, when they were swept from power by a fractious coalition of centrist parties. In 2000, the center-left Social Democratic Party (PSD) became Romania's leading party, governing with the support of the Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR). The opposition center-right alliance formed by the National Liberal Party (PNL) and the Democratic Party (PD) scored a surprise victory over the ruling PSD in December 2004 presidential elections. The PNL-PD alliance maintains a parliamentary majority with the support of the UDMR, the Humanist Party (PUR), and various ethnic minority groups. Although Romania completed accession talks with the European Union (EU) in December 2004, it must continue to address rampant corruption - while invigorating lagging economic and democratic reforms - before it can achieve its hope of joining the EU, tentatively set for 2007. Romania joined NATO in March of 2004.
Geography Romania
Location: Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Ukraine
Geographic coordinates: 46 00 N, 25 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 237,500 sq km land: 230,340 sq km water: 7,160 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Oregon
Land boundaries: total: 2,508 km border countries: Bulgaria 608 km, Hungary 443 km, Moldova 450 km, Serbia and Montenegro 476 km, Ukraine (north) 362 km, Ukraine (east) 169 km
Coastline: 225 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate: temperate; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow and fog; sunny summers with frequent showers and thunderstorms
Terrain: central Transylvanian Basin is separated from the Plain of Moldavia on the east by the Carpathian Mountains and separated from the Walachian Plain on the south by the Transylvanian Alps
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Black Sea 0 m highest point: Moldoveanu 2,544 m
Natural resources: petroleum (reserves declining), timber, natural gas, coal, iron ore, salt, arable land, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 40.82% permanent crops: 2.25% other: 56.93% (2001)
Irrigated land: 28,800 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: earthquakes, most severe in south and southwest; geologic structure and climate promote landslides
Environment - current issues: soil erosion and degradation; water pollution; air pollution in south from industrial effluents; contamination of Danube delta wetlands
Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: controls most easily traversable land route between the Balkans, Moldova, and Ukraine
People Romania
Population: 22,329,977 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 15.9% (male 1,818,488/female 1,727,598) 15-64 years: 69.5% (male 7,726,903/female 7,801,441) 65 years and over: 14.6% (male 1,342,827/female 1,912,720) (2005 est.)
Median age: total: 36.39 years male: 35.04 years female: 37.77 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate: -0.12% (2005 est.)
Birth rate: 10.7 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate: 11.74 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 26.43 deaths/1,000 live births male: 29.6 deaths/1,000 live births female: 23.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.35 years male: 67.86 years female: 75.06 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.36 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 6,500 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 350 (2001 est.)
Nationality: noun: Romanian(s) adjective: Romanian
Ethnic groups: Romanian 89.5%, Hungarian 6.6%, Roma 2.5%, Ukrainian 0.3%, German 0.3%, Russian 0.2%, Turkish 0.2%, other 0.4% (2002 census)
Religions: Eastern Orthodox (including all sub-denominations) 86.8%, Protestant (various denominations including Reformate and Pentecostal) 7.5%, Roman Catholic 4.7%, other (mostly Muslim) and unspecified 0.9%, none 0.1% (2002 census)
Languages: Romanian (official), Hungarian, German
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.4% male: 99.1% female: 97.7% (2003 est.) |
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