Chapter XI: Part 11

Population:
57,287,258 (July 1992), growth rate 0.5% (1992)
Birth rate:
13 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
9 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
1 migrant/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
7 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
74 years male, 82 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
1.8 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women); adjective - French
Ethnic divisions:
Celtic and Latin with Teutonic, Slavic, North African, Indochinese, and
Basque minorities
Religions:
Roman Catholic 90%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim (North African workers)
1%, unaffiliated 6%
Languages:
French (100% of population); rapidly declining regional dialects (Provencal,
Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque, Flemish)
Literacy:
99% (male NA%, female NA%) age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.)
Labor force:
24,170,000; services 61.5%, industry 31.3%, agriculture 7.3% (1987)
Organized labor:
20% of labor force (est.)

:France Government

Long-form name:
French Republic
Type:
republic
Capital:
Paris
Administrative divisions:
metropolitan France - 22 regions (regions, singular - region); Alsace,
Aquitaine, Auvergne, Basse-Normandie, Bourgogne, Bretagne, Centre,
Champagne-Ardenne, Corse, Franche-Comte, Haute-Normandie, Ile-de-France,
Languedoc-Roussillon, Limousin, Lorraine, Midi-Pyrenees, Nord-Pas-de-Calais,
Pays de la Loire, Picardie, Poitou-Charentes, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur,
Rhone-Alpes; note - the 22 regions are subdivided into 96 departments; see
separate entries for the overseas departments (French Guiana, Guadeloupe,
Martinique, Reunion) and the territorial collectivities (Mayotte, Saint
Pierre and Miquelon)
Independence:
unified by Clovis in 486, First Republic proclaimed in 1792
Constitution:
28 September 1958, amended concerning election of president in 1962
Dependent areas:
Bassas da India, Clipperton Island, Europa Island, French Polynesia, French
Southern and Antarctic Lands, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, New
Caledonia, Tromelin Island, Wallis and Futuna
note:
the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica
Legal system:
civil law system with indigenous concepts; review of administrative but not
legislative acts
National holiday:
Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
Executive branch:
president, prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament (Parlement) consists of an upper house or Senate
(Senat) and a lower house or National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)
Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court (Cour Constitutionnelle)
Leaders:
Chief of State:
President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981)
Head of Government:
Prime Minister Pierre BEREGOVOY (since 2 April 1992)
Political parties and leaders:
Rally for the Republic (RPR, formerly UDR), Jacques CHIRAC; Union for French
Democracy (UDF, federation of PR, CDS, and RAD), Valery Giscard d'ESTAING;
Republican Party (PR), Gerard LONGUET; Center for Social Democrats (CDS),
Pierre MEHAIGNERIE; Radical (RAD), Yves GALLAND; Socialist Party (PS),
Laurent FABIUS; Left Radical Movement (MRG), Emile ZUCCARELLI; Communist
Party (PCF), Georges MARCHAIS; National Front (FN), Jean-Marie LE PEN
Suffrage:
universal at age 18
Elections:
National Assembly:
last held 5 and 12 June 1988 (next to be held June 1993); results - Second
Ballot PS-MRG 48. 7%, RPR 23.1%, UDF 21%, PCF 3.4%, other 3.8%; seats - (577
total) PS 272, RPR 127, UDF 91, UDC 40, PCF 26, independents 21

:France Government

President:
last held 8 May 1988 (next to be held May 1995); results - Second Ballot
Francois MITTERRAND 54%, Jacques CHIRAC 46%
Elections:
Senate:
last held 24 September 1989 (next to be held September 1992); results -
percent of vote by party NA; seats - (321 total; 296 metropolitan France, 13
for overseas departments and territories, and 12 for French nationals
abroad) RPR 91, UDF 143 (PR 52, CDS 68, RAD 23), PS 66, PCF 16, independents
2, unknown 3
Communists:
700,000 claimed but probably closer to 150,000; Communist voters, 2.8
million in 1988 election
Other political or pressure groups:
Communist-controlled labor union (Confederation Generale du Travail) nearly
2.4 million members (claimed); Socialist-leaning labor union (Confederation
Francaise Democratique du Travail or CFDT) about 800,000 members est.;
independent labor union (Force Ouvriere) 1 million members (est.);
independent white-collar union (Confederation Generale des Cadres) 340,000
members (claimed); National Council of French Employers (Conseil National du
Patronat Francais - CNPF or Patronat)
Member of:
ACCT, AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, BDEAC, BIS, CCC, CDB, CE,
CERN, COCOM, CSCE, EBRD, EC, ECE, ECLAC, EIB, ESA, ESCAP, FAO, FZ, GATT,
G-5, G-7, G-10, IABD, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO,
IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU,
LORCS, MTCR, NACC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, PCA, SPC, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNRWA, UN Security Council, UN
Trusteeship Council, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation:
Ambassador Jacques ANDREANI; Chancery at 4101 Reservoir Road NW, Washington,
DC 20007; telephone (202) 944-6000; there are French Consulates General in
Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Miami, New
York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)
US:
Ambassador Walter J. P. CURLEY; Embassy at 2 Avenue Gabriel, 75382 Paris
Cedex 08, Unit 21551 (mailing address is APO AE 09777); telephone [33] (1)
42-96-12-02 or 42-61-80-75; FAX [33] (1) 42-66-97-83; there are US
Consulates General in Bordeaux, Marseille, and Strasbourg
Flag:
three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), white, and red; known as
the French Tricouleur (Tricolor); the design and colors have been the basis
for a number of other flags, including those of Belgium, Chad, Ireland,
Ivory Coast, and Luxembourg; the official flag for all French dependent
areas

:France Economy

Overview:
One of the world's most developed economies, France has substantial
agricultural resources and a highly diversified modern industrial sector.
Large tracts of fertile land, the application of modern technology, and
subsidies have combined to make it the leading agricultural producer in
Western Europe. France is largely self-sufficient in agricultural products
and is a major exporter of wheat and dairy products. The industrial sector
generates about one-quarter of GDP, and the growing services sector has
become crucial to the economy. After expanding at a rapid 3.8% pace during
the period 1988-89, the economy slowed down in 1990, with growth of 1.5% in
1990 and 1.4% in 1991; growth in 1992 is expected to be about 2%. The
economy has had difficulty generating enough jobs for new entrants into the
labor force, resulting in a high unemployment rate, which rose to almost 10%
in 1991. The steadily advancing economic integration within the European
Community is a major force affecting the fortunes of the various economic
sectors.
GDP:
purchasing power equivalent - $1,033.7 billion, per capita $18,300; real
growth rate 1.4% (1991 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.3% (1991 est.)
Unemployment rate:
9.8% (end 1991)
Budget:
revenues $229.8 billion; expenditures $246.4 billion, including capital
expenditures of $36 billion (1992 budget)
Exports:
$209.5 billion (f.o.b., 1990)
commodities:
machinery and transportation equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs, agricultural
products, iron and steel products, textiles and clothing
partners:
FRG 17.3%, Italy 11.4%, UK 9.2%, Spain 10.3%, Netherlands 9.0%,
Belgium-Luxembourg 9.4%, US 6.1%, Japan 1.9%, former USSR 0.7% (1989 est.)
Imports:
$232.5 billion (c.i.f., 1990)
commodities:
crude oil, machinery and equipment, agricultural products, chemicals, iron
and steel products
partners:
FRG 18.9%, Italy 11.6%, Belgium-Luxembourg 8.8%, Netherlands 8.6%, US 8.0%,
Spain 7.9%, UK 7.2%, Japan 4.0%, former USSR 1.4% (1989 est.)
External debt:
$59.3 billion (December 1987)
Industrial production:
growth rate 1.2% (1990); accounts for 26% of GDP
Electricity:
109,972,000 kW capacity; 399,318 million kWh produced, 7,200 kWh per capita
(1991)
Industries:
steel, machinery, chemicals, automobiles, metallurgy, aircraft, electronics,
mining, textiles, food processing, and tourism
Agriculture:
accounts for 4% of GDP (including fishing and forestry); one of the world's
top five wheat producers; other principal products - beef, dairy products,
cereals, sugar beets, potatoes, wine grapes; self-sufficient for most
temperate-zone foods; shortages include fats and oils and tropical produce,
but overall net exporter of farm products; fish catch of 850,000 metric tons
ranks among world's top 20 countries and is all used domestically

:France Economy

Economic aid:
donor - ODA and OOF commitments (1970-89), $75.1 billion
Currency:
French franc (plural - francs); 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates:
French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.3801 (January 1992), 5.6421 (1991), 5.4453
(1990), 6.3801 (1989), 5.9569 (1988), 6.0107 (1987)
Fiscal year:
calendar year

:France Communications

Railroads:
French National Railways (SNCF) operates 34,568 km 1.435-meter standard
gauge; 11,674 km electrified, 15,132 km double or multiple track; 2,138 km
of various gauges (1.000-meter to 1.440-meter), privately owned and operated
Highways:
1,551,400 km total; 33,400 km national highway; 347,000 km departmental
highway; 421,000 km community roads; 750,000 km rural roads; 5,401 km of
controlled-access divided autoroutes; about 803,000 km paved
Inland waterways:
14,932 km; 6,969 km heavily traveled
Pipelines:
crude oil 3,059 km; petroleum products 4,487 km; natural gas 24,746 km
Ports:
maritime - Bordeaux, Boulogne, Brest, Cherbourg, Dunkerque, Fos-Sur-Mer, Le
Havre, Marseille, Nantes, Rouen, Sete, Toulon; inland - 42
Merchant marine:
128 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,222,539 GRT/5,117,091 DWT; includes
6 short-sea passenger, 11 cargo, 18 container, 1 multifunction large-load
carrier, 30 roll-on/roll-off, 34 petroleum tanker, 8 chemical tanker, 6
liquefied gas, 2 specialized tanker, 11 bulk, 1 refrigerated cargo; note -
France also maintains a captive register for French-owned ships in the
Kerguelen Islands (French Southern and Antarctic Lands) and French Polynesia
Civil air:
195 major transport aircraft (1989 est.)
Airports:
472 total, 460 usable; 251 with permanent-surface runways; 3 with runways
over 3,659 m; 36 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 136 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications:
highly developed; extensive cable and radio relay networks; large-scale
introduction of optical-fiber systems; satellite systems for domestic
traffic; 39,200,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 41 AM, 800 (mostly
repeaters) FM, 846 (mostly repeaters) TV; 24 submarine coaxial cables; 2
INTELSAT earth stations (with total of 5 antennas - 2 for the Indian Ocean
INTELSAT and 3 for the Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT); HF radio communications
with more than 20 countries; INMARSAT service; EUTELSAT TV service

:France Defense Forces

Branches:
Army, Navy (including Naval Air), Air Force, National Gendarmerie
Manpower availability:
males 15-49, 14,599,636; 12,225,969 fit for military service; 411,211 reach
military age (18) annually
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $33.1 billion, 3.4% of GDP (1991)

:French Guiana Geography

Total area:
91,000 km2
Land area:
89,150 km2
Comparative area:
slightly smaller than Indiana
Land boundaries:
1,183 km; Brazil 673 km, Suriname 510 km
Coastline:
378 km
Maritime claims:
Exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
Territorial sea:
12 nm
Disputes:
Suriname claims area between Riviere Litani and Riviere Marouini (both
headwaters of the Lawa)
Climate:
tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain:
low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains
Natural resources:
bauxite, timber, gold (widely scattered), cinnabar, kaolin, fish
Land use:
arable land NEGL%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and pastures NEGL%; forest
and woodland 82%; other 18%
Environment:
mostly an unsettled wilderness

:French Guiana People

Population:
127,505 (July 1992), growth rate 4.6% (1992)
Birth rate:
27 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
5 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
24 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
17 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
71 years male, 78 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
3.6 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - French Guianese (singular and plural); adjective - French Guianese;
note - they are a colony/department; they hold French passports
Ethnic divisions:
black or mulatto 66%; Caucasian 12%; East Indian, Chinese, Amerindian 12%;
other 10%
Religions:
predominantly Roman Catholic
Languages:
French
Literacy:
82% (male 81%, female 83%) age 15 and over can read and write (1982)
Labor force:
23,265; services, government, and commerce 60.6%, industry 21.2%,
agriculture 18.2% (1980)
Organized labor:
7% of labor force

:French Guiana Government

Long-form name:
Department of Guiana
Type:
overseas department of France
Capital:
Cayenne
Administrative divisions:
none (overseas department of France)
Independence:
none (overseas department of France)
Constitution:
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system:
French legal system
National holiday:
Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
Executive branch:
French president, commissioner of the republic
Legislative branch:
unicameral General Council and a unicameral Regional Council
Judicial branch:
highest local court is the Court of Appeals based in Martinique with
jurisdiction over Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French Guiana
Leaders:
Chief of State:
President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981)
Head of Government:
Commissioner of the Republic Jean-Francois DICHIARA (since NA 1990)
Political parties and leaders:
Guianese Socialist Party (PSG), Gerard HOLDER; Rally for the Republic (RPR),
Paulin BRUNE; Guianese Democratic Action (ADG), Andre LECANTE; Union for
French Democracy (UDF), Claude Ho A CHUCK; National Front (FN), Guy MALON;
Popular and National Party of Guiana (PNPG), Claude ROBO; National
Anti-Colonist Guianese Party (PANGA), Michel KAPEL
Suffrage:
universal at age 18
Elections:
French National Assembly:
last held 24 September 1989 (next to be held September 1992); results -
percent of vote by party NA; seats - (2 total) PSG 1, RPR 1
French Senate:
last held 24 September 1989 (next to be held September 1992); results -
percent of vote by party NA; seats - (1 total) PSG 1
Regional Council:
last held 16 March 1986 (next to be held NA 1991); results - PSG 43%, RPR
27.7%, ADG 12.2%, UDF 8. 9%, FN 3.7%, PNPG 1.4%, other 3.1%; seats - (31
total) PSG 15, RPR 9, ADG 4, UDF 3
Member of:
FZ, WCL, WFTU
Diplomatic representation:
as an overseas department of France, the interests of French Guiana are
represented in the US by France
Flag:
the flag of France is used

:French Guiana Economy

Overview:
The economy is tied closely to that of France through subsidies and imports.
Besides the French space center at Kourou, fishing and forestry are the most
important economic activities, with exports of fish and fish products
(mostly shrimp) accounting for more than 60% of total revenue in 1987. The
large reserves of tropical hardwoods, not fully exploited, support an
expanding sawmill industry that provides sawn logs for export. Cultivation
of crops - rice, cassava, bananas, and sugarcane - are limited to the
coastal area, where the population is largely concentrated. French Guiana is
heavily dependent on imports of food and energy. Unemployment is a serious
problem, particularly among younger workers.
GDP:
exchange rate conversion - $186 million, per capita $2,240; real growth rate
NA% (1985)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.1% (1987)
Unemployment rate:
15% (1987)
Budget:
revenues $735 million; expenditures $735 million, including capital
expenditures of NA (1987)
Exports:
$54.0 million (f.o.b., 1987)
commodities:
shrimp, timber, rum, rosewood essence
partners:
France 31%, US 22%, Japan 10% (1987)
Imports:
$394.0 million (c.i.f., 1987)
commodities:
food (grains, processed meat), other consumer goods, producer goods,
petroleum
partners:
France 62%, Trinidad and Tobago 9%, US 4%, FRG 3% (1987)
External debt:
$1.2 billion (1988)
Industrial production:
growth rate NA%
Electricity:
92,000 kW capacity; 185 million kWh produced, 1,821 kWh per capita (1991)
Industries:
construction, shrimp processing, forestry products, rum, gold mining
Agriculture:
some vegetables for local consumption; rice, corn, manioc, cocoa, bananas,
sugar; livestock - cattle, pigs, poultry
Economic aid:
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89),
$1.51 billion
Currency:
French franc (plural - francs); 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates:
French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.3801 (January 1992), 5.6421 (1991), 5.4453
(1990), 6.3801 (1989), 5.9569 (1988), 6.0107 (1987)
Fiscal year:
calendar year

:French Guiana Communications

Highways:
680 km total; 510 km paved, 170 km improved and unimproved earth
Inland waterways:
460 km, navigable by small oceangoing vessels and river and coastal
steamers; 3,300 km navigable by native craft
Ports:
Cayenne
Civil air:
no major transport aircraft
Airports:
10 total, 10 usable; 4 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways
over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications:
fair open-wire and radio relay system; 18,100 telephones; broadcast stations
- 5 AM, 7 FM, 9 TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

:French Guiana Defense Forces

Branches:
French Forces, Gendarmerie
Manpower availability:
males 15-49 37,467; 24,534 fit for military service
Note:
defense is the responsibility of France

:French Polynesia Geography

Total area:
3,941 km2
Land area:
3,660 km2
Comparative area:
slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut
Land boundaries:
none
Coastline:
2,525 km
Maritime claims:
Exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
Territorial sea:
12 nm
Disputes:
none
Climate:
tropical, but moderate
Terrain:
mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs
Natural resources:
timber, fish, cobalt
Land use:
arable land 1%; permanent crops 19%; meadows and pastures 5%; forest and
woodland 31%; other 44%
Environment:
occasional cyclonic storm in January; includes five archipelagoes
Note:
Makatea in French Polynesia is one of the three great phosphate rock islands
in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and
Nauru

:French Polynesia People

Population:
205,620 (July 1992), growth rate 2.3% (1992)
Birth rate:
28 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
5 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
0 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
15 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
68 years male, 73 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
3.3 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - French Polynesian(s); adjective - French Polynesian
Ethnic divisions:
Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4%
Religions:
mainly Christian; Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 16%
Languages:
French and Tahitian (both official)
Literacy:
98% (male 98%, female 98%) age 14 and over but definition of literacy not
available (1977)
Labor force:
76,630 employed (1988)
Organized labor:
NA

:French Polynesia Government

Long-form name:
Territory of French Polynesia
Type:
overseas territory of France since 1946
Capital:
Papeete
Administrative divisions:
none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative
divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 5 archipelagic
divisions named Archipel des Marquises, Archipel des Tuamotu, Archipel des
Tubuai, Iles du Vent, and Iles Sous-le-Vent; note - Clipperton Island is
administered by France from French Polynesia
Independence:
none (overseas territory of France)
Constitution:
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system:
based on French system
National holiday:
Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
Executive branch:
French president, high commissioner of the republic, president of the
Council of Ministers, vice president of the Council of Ministers, Council of
Ministers
Legislative branch:
unicameral Territorial Assembly
Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal
Leaders:
Chief of State:
President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981); High Commissioner of the
Republic Jean MONTPEZAT (since November 1987)
Head of Government:
President of the Council of Ministers Gaston FLOSSE (since 10 May 1991);
Vice President of the Council of Ministers Joel BUILLARD (since 12 September
1991)
Political parties and leaders:
People's Rally (Tahoeraa Huiraatira; Gaullist), Gaston FLOSSE; Polynesian
Union Party (Te Tiarama; centrist), Alexandre LEONTIEFF; New Fatherland
Party (Ai'a Api), Emile VERNAUDON; Polynesian Liberation Front (Tavini
Huiraatira), Oscar TEMARU; other small parties
Suffrage:
universal at age 18
Elections:
National Assembly last held 5 and 12 June 1988 (next to be held June 1993);
results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (2 total) People's Rally
(Gaullist) 1, New Fatherland Party 1
French Senate:
last held 24 September 1989 (next to be held September 1992); results -
percent of vote by party NA; seats - (1 total) party NA
Territorial Assembly:
last held 17 March 1991 (next to be held March 1996); results - percent of
vote by party NA; seats - (41 total) People's Rally (Gaullist) 18,
Polynesian Union Party 14, New Fatherland Party 5, other 4
Member of:
FZ, ICFTU, SPC, WMO
Diplomatic representation:
as an overseas territory of France, French Polynesian interests are
represented in the US by France

:French Polynesia Government

Flag:
the flag of France is used

:French Polynesia Economy

Overview:
Since 1962, when France stationed military personnel in the region, French
Polynesia has changed from a subsistence economy to one in which a high
proportion of the work force is either employed by the military or supports
the tourist industry. Tourism accounts for about 20% of GDP and is a primary
source of hard currency earnings.
GDP:
exchange rate conversion - $1.2 billion, per capita $6,000; real growth rate
NA% (1991 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.9% (1989)
Unemployment rate:
14.9% (1988 est.)
Budget:
revenues $614 million; expenditures $957 million, including capital
expenditures of $NA (1988)
Exports:
$88.9 million (f.o.b., 1989)
commodities:
coconut products 79%, mother-of-pearl 14%, vanilla, shark meat
partners:
France 54%, US 17%, Japan 17%
Imports:
$765 million (c.i.f., 1989)
commodities:
fuels, foodstuffs, equipment
partners:
France 53%, US 11%, Australia 6%, NZ 5%
External debt:
$NA
Industrial production:
growth rate NA%
Electricity:
72,000 kW capacity; 265 million kWh produced, 1,390 kWh per capita (1990)
Industries:
tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts
Agriculture:
coconut and vanilla plantations; vegetables and fruit; poultry, beef, dairy
products
Economic aid:
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88),
$3.95 billion
Currency:
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (plural - francs); 1 CFP franc (CFPF)
= 100 centimes
Exchange rates:
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (CFPF) per US$1 - 97.81 (January
1992), 102.57 (1991), 99.00 (1990), 115.99 (1989), 108.30 (1988), 109.27
(1987); note - linked at the rate of 18.18 to the French franc
Fiscal year:
calendar year

:French Polynesia Communications

Highways:
600 km (1982)
Ports:
Papeete, Bora-bora
Merchant marine:
3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,128 GRT/6,710 DWT; includes 2
passenger-cargo, 1 refrigerated cargo; note - a captive subset of the French
register
Civil air:
about 6 major transport aircraft
Airports:
43 total, 41 usable; 23 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways
over 3,659 m; 2 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 12 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications:
33,200 telephones; 84,000 radio receivers; 26,400 TV sets; broadcast
stations - 5 AM, 2 FM, 6 TV; 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station

:French Polynesia Defense Forces

Branches:
French forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie
Manpower availability:
males 15-49, 50,844; NA fit for military service
Note:
defense is responsibility of France

:French Southern and Antarctic Lands Geography

Total area:
7,781 km2
Land area:
7,781 km2; includes Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul, Iles Kerguelen, and Iles
Crozet; excludes Terre Adelie claim of about 500,000 km2 in Antarctica that
is not recognized by the US
Comparative area:
slightly less than 1.5 times the size of Delaware
Land boundaries:
none
Coastline:
1,232 km
Maritime claims:
Exclusive economic zone:
200 nm (Iles Kerguelen only)
Territorial sea:
12 nm
Disputes:
Terre Adelie claim in Antarctica is not recognized by the US
Climate:
antarctic
Terrain:
volcanic
Natural resources:
fish, crayfish
Land use:
arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and
woodland 0%; other 100%
Environment:
Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul are extinct volcanoes
Note:
located in the southern Indian Ocean about equidistant between Africa,
Antarctica, and Australia

:French Southern and Antarctic Lands People

Population:
summer (January 1991) - 200, winter (July 1992) - 150, growth rate 0.0%
(1992); note - mostly researchers

:French Southern and Antarctic Lands Government

Long-form name:
Territory of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands
Type:
overseas territory of France since 1955; governed by High Administrator
Bernard de GOUTTES (since May 1990), who is assisted by a 7-member
Consultative Council and a 12-member Scientific Council
Capital:
none; administered from Paris, France
Administrative divisions:
none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative
divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 3 districts named
Ile Crozet, Iles Kerguelen, and Iles Saint-Paul et Amsterdam; excludes Terre
Adelie claim in Antarctica that is not recognized by the US
Flag:
the flag of France is used

:French Southern and Antarctic Lands Economy

Overview:
Economic activity is limited to servicing meteorological and geophysical
research stations and French and other fishing fleets. The fishing catches
landed on Iles Kerguelen by foreign ships are exported to France and
Reunion.
Budget:
$33.6 million (1990)

:French Southern and Antarctic Lands Communications

Ports:
none; offshore anchorage only
Merchant marine:
12 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 192,752 GRT/334,400 DWT; includes 1
cargo, 3 refrigerated cargo, 2 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 2 petroleum tanker, 1
liquefied gas, 2 bulk, 1 multifunction large load carrier; note - a captive
subset of the French register
Telecommunications:
NA

:French Southern and Antarctic Lands Defense Forces

Branches:
French Forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force)
Note:
defense is the responsibility of France

:Gabon Geography

Total area:
267,670 km2
Land area:
257,670 km2
Comparative area:
slightly smaller than Colorado
Land boundaries:
2,551 km; Cameroon 298 km, Congo 1,903 km, Equatorial Guinea 350 km
Coastline:
885 km
Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone:
24 nm
Exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
Territorial sea:
12 nm
Disputes:
maritime boundary dispute with Equatorial Guinea because of disputed
sovereignty over islands in Corisco Bay
Climate:
tropical; always hot, humid
Terrain:
narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south
Natural resources:
crude oil, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore
Land use:
arable land 1%; permanent crops 1%; meadows and pastures 18%; forest and
woodland 78%; other 2%
Environment:
deforestation

:Gabon People

Population:
1,106,355 (July 1992), growth rate 1.5% (1992)
Birth rate:
29 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
14 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
0 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
100 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
51 years male, 56 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
4.1 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Gabonese (singular and plural); adjective - Gabonese
Ethnic divisions:
about 40 Bantu tribes, including four major tribal groupings (Fang, Eshira,
Bapounou, Bateke); about 100,000 expatriate Africans and Europeans,
including 27,000 French
Religions:
Christian 55-75%, Muslim less than 1%, remainder animist
Languages:
French (official), Fang, Myene, Bateke, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi
Literacy:
61% (male 74%, female 48%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
Labor force:
120,000 salaried; agriculture 65.0%, industry and commerce 30.0%, services
2.5%, government 2.5%; 58% of population of working age (1983)
Organized labor:
there are 38,000 members of the national trade union, the Gabonese Trade
Union Confederation (COSYGA)

:Gabon Government

Long-form name:
Gabonese Republic
Type:
republic; multiparty presidential regime (opposition parties legalized 1990)
Capital:
Libreville
Administrative divisions:
9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie, Nyanga,
Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem
Independence:
17 August 1960 (from France)
Constitution:
21 February 1961, revised 15 April 1975
Legal system:
based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review of
legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court; compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction not accepted
National holiday:
Renovation Day (Gabonese Democratic Party established), 12 March (1968)
Executive branch:
president, prime minister, Cabinet
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Leaders:
Chief of State:
President El Hadj Omar BONGO (since 2 December 1967)
Head of Government:
Prime Minister Casimir OYE-MBA (since 3 May 1990)
Political parties and leaders:
Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG, former sole party), El Hadj Omar BONGO,
president; National Recovery Movement - Lumberjacks (Morena-Bucherons);
Gabonese Party for Progress (PGP); National Recovery Movement
(Morena-Original); Association for Socialism in Gabon (APSG); Gabonese
Socialist Union (USG); Circle for Renewal and Progress (CRP); Union for
Democracy and Development (UDD)
Suffrage:
universal at age 21
Elections:
National Assembly:
last held on 28 October 1990 (next to be held by NA); results - percent of
vote NA; seats - (120 total, 111 elected) PDG 62, National Recovery Movement
- Lumberjacks (Morena-Bucherons) 19, PGP 18, National Recovery Movement
(Morena-Original) 7, APSG 6, USG 4, CRP 1, independents 3
President:
last held on 9 November 1986 (next to be held December 1993); results -
President Omar BONGO was reelected without opposition
Member of:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, GATT, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT,
INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS (associate), NAM, OAU, OIC, OPEC, UDEAC, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation:
Ambassador-designate Alexandre SAMBAT; Chancery at 2034 20th Street NW,
Washington, DC 20009; telephone (202) 797-1000

:Gabon Government

US:
Ambassador Keith L. WAUCHOPE; Embassy at Boulevard de la Mer, Libreville
(mailing address is B. P. 4000, Libreville); telephone (241) 762003/4, or
743492
Flag:
three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue

:Gabon Economy

Overview:
The economy, dependent on timber and manganese until the early 1970s, is now
dominated by the oil sector. During the period 1981-85, oil accounted for
about 46% of GDP, 83% of export earnings, and 65% of government revenues on
average. The high oil prices of the early 1980s contributed to a substantial
increase in per capita income, stimulated domestic demand, reinforced
migration from rural to urban areas, and raised the level of real wages to
among the highest in Sub-Saharan Africa. The three-year slide of Gabon's
economy, which began with falling oil prices in 1985, was reversed in 1989
because of a near doubling of oil prices over their 1988 lows. In 1990 the
economy posted strong growth despite serious strikes, but debt servicing
problems are hindering economic advancement. The agricultural and industrial
sectors are relatively underdeveloped, except for oil.
GDP:
exchange rate conversion - $3.3 billion, per capita $3,090; real growth rate
13% (1990 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3% (1989 est.)
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Budget:
revenues $1.1 billion; expenditures $1.5 billion, including capital
expenditures of $277 million (1990 est.)
Exports:
$1.16 billion (f.o.b., 1989)
commodities:
crude oil 70%, manganese 11%, wood 12%, uranium 6%
partners:
France 53%, US 22%, FRG, Japan
Imports:
$0.78 billion (c.i.f., 1989)
commodities:
foodstuffs, chemical products, petroleum products, construction materials,
manufactures, machinery
partners:
France 48%, US 2.6%, FRG, Japan, UK
External debt:
$3.4 billion (December 1990 est.)
Industrial production:
growth rate -10% (1988 est.)
Electricity:
315,000 kW capacity; 995 million kWh produced, 920 kWh per capita (1991)
Industries:
petroleum, food and beverages, timber, cement, plywood, textiles, mining -
manganese, uranium, gold
Agriculture:
accounts for 10% of GDP (including fishing and forestry); cash crops -
cocoa, coffee, palm oil; livestock not developed; importer of food; small
fishing operations provide a catch of about 20,000 metric tons; okoume (a
tropical softwood) is the most important timber product
Economic aid:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $66 million; Western (non-US)
countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $2,225 million;
Communist countries (1970-89), $27 million
Currency:
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (plural - francs); 1 CFA franc (CFAF)
= 100 centimes

:Gabon Economy

Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 269.01 (January
1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26 (1990), 319.01 (1989), 297.85 (1988), 300.54
(1987)
Fiscal year:
calendar year

:Gabon Communications

Railroads:
649 km 1.437-meter standard-gauge single track (Transgabonese Railroad)
Highways:
7,500 km total; 560 km paved, 960 km laterite, 5,980 km earth
Inland waterways:
1,600 km perennially navigable
Pipelines:
crude oil 270 km; petroleum products 14 km
Ports:
Owendo, Port-Gentil, Libreville
Merchant marine:
2 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 18,563 GRT/25,330 DWT
Civil air:
15 major transport aircraft
Airports:
70 total, 59 usable; 10 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways
over 3,659 m; 2 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 22 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications:
adequate system of cable, radio relay, tropospheric scatter links and
radiocommunication stations; 15,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 6 AM, 6
FM, 3 (5 repeaters) TV; satellite earth stations - 3 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT
and 12 domestic satellite

:Gabon Defense Forces

Branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force, Presidential Guard, National Gendarmerie, National
Police
Manpower availability:
males 15-49, 267,580; 134,665 fit for military service; 9,262 reach military
age (20) annually
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $102 million, 3.2% of GDP (1990 est.)

:The Gambia Geography

Total area:
11,300 km2
Land area:
10,000 km2
Comparative area:
slightly more than twice the size of Delaware
Land boundaries:
740 km; Senegal 740 km
Coastline:
80 km
Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone:
18 nm
Continental shelf:
not specific
Exclusive fishing zone:
200 nm
Territorial sea:
12 nm
Disputes:
short section of boundary with Senegal is indefinite
Climate:
tropical; hot, rainy season (June to November); cooler, dry season (November
to May)
Terrain:
flood plain of the Gambia River flanked by some low hills
Natural resources:
fish
Land use:
arable land 16%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 9%; forest and
woodland 20%; other 55%; includes irrigated 3%
Environment:
deforestation
Note:
almost an enclave of Senegal; smallest country on the continent of Africa

:The Gambia People

Population:
902,089 (July 1992), growth rate 3.1% (1992)
Birth rate:
47 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
17 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
0 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
129 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
47 years male, 51 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
6.4 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Gambian(s); adjective - Gambian
Ethnic divisions:
African 99% (Mandinka 42%, Fula 18%, Wolof 16%, Jola 10%, Serahuli 9%, other
4%); non-Gambian 1%
Religions:
Muslim 90%, Christian 9%, indigenous beliefs 1%
Languages:
English (official); Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, other indigenous vernaculars
Literacy:
27% (male 39%, female 16%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
Labor force:
400,000 (1986 est.); agriculture 75.0%, industry, commerce, and services
18.9%, government 6.1%; 55% population of working age (1983)
Organized labor:
25-30% of wage labor force

:The Gambia Government

Long-form name:
Republic of The Gambia
Type:
republic under multiparty democratic rule
Capital:
Banjul
Administrative divisions:
5 divisions and 1 city*; Banjul*, Lower River, MacCarthy Island, North Bank,
Upper River, Western
Independence:
18 February 1965 (from UK); The Gambia and Senegal signed an agreement on 12
December 1981 (effective 1 February 1982) that called for the creation of a
loose confederation to be known as Senegambia, but the agreement was
dissolved on 30 September 1989
Constitution:
24 April 1970
Legal system:
based on a composite of English common law, Koranic law, and customary law;
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
National holiday:
Independence Day, 18 February (1965)
Executive branch:
president, vice president, Cabinet
Legislative branch:
unicameral House of Representatives
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government:
President Alhaji Sir Dawda Kairaba JAWARA (since 24 April 1970); Vice
President Bakary Bunja DARBO (since 12 May 1982)
Political parties and leaders:
People's Progressive Party (PPP), Dawda K. JAWARA, secretary general;
National Convention Party (NCP), Sheriff DIBBA; Gambian People's Party
(GPP), Hassan Musa CAMARA; United Party (UP), leader NA; People's Democratic
Organization of Independence and Socialism (PDOIS), leader NA; People's
Democratic Party (PDP), Jabel SALLAH
Suffrage:
universal at age 21
Elections:
House of Representatives:
last held on 11 March 1987 (next to be held by March 1992); results - PPP
56.6%, NCP 27.6%, GPP 14.7%, PDOIS 1%; seats - (43 total, 36 elected) PPP
31, NCP 5
President:
last held on 11 March 1987 (next to be held March 1992); results - Sir Dawda
JAWARA (PPP) 61.1%, Sherif Mustapha DIBBA (NCP) 25.2%, Assan Musa CAMARA
(GPP) 13.7%
Member of:
ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA,
IDB, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation:
Ambassador Ousman A. SALLAH; Chancery at Suite 720, 1030 15th Street NW,
Washington, DC 20005; telephone (202) 842-1356 or 842-1359
US:
Ambassador Arlene RENDER; Embassy at Pipeline Road (Kairaba Avenue), Fajara,
Banjul (mailing address is P. M. B. No. 19, Banjul); telephone Serrekunda
[220] 92856 or 92858, 91970, 91971

:The Gambia Government

Flag:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue with white edges, and green

:The Gambia Economy

Overview:
The Gambia has no important mineral or other natural resources and has a
limited agricultural base. It is one of the world's poorest countries with a
per capita income of about $230. About 75% of the population is engaged in
crop production and livestock raising, which contribute 30% to GDP.
Small-scale manufacturing activity - processing peanuts, fish, and hides -
accounts for less than 10% of GDP. Tourism is a growing industry. The Gambia
imports one-third of its food, all fuel, and most manufactured goods.
Exports are concentrated on peanut products (about 75% of total value).
GDP:
exchange rate conversion - $207 million, per capita $235; real growth rate
3% (FY91 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6.0% (FY91)
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Budget:
revenues $79 million; expenditures $84 million, including capital
expenditures of $21 million (FY90)
Exports:
$116 million (f.o.b., FY90)
commodities:
peanuts and peanut products, fish, cotton lint, palm kernels
partners:
Japan 60%, Europe 29%, Africa 5%, US 1, other 5% (1989)
Imports:
$147 million (f.o.b., FY90)
commodities:
foodstuffs, manufactures, raw materials, fuel, machinery and transport
equipment
partners:
Europe 57%, Asia 25%, USSR/EE 9%, US 6%, other 3% (1989)
External debt:
$336 million (December 1990 est.)
Industrial production:
growth rate 6.7%; accounts for 5.8% of GDP (FY90)
Electricity:
30,000 kW capacity; 65 million kWh produced, 75 kWh per capita (1991)
Industries:
peanut processing, tourism, beverages, agricultural machinery assembly,
woodworking, metalworking, clothing
Agriculture:
accounts for 30% of GDP and employs about 75% of the population; imports
one-third of food requirements; major export crop is peanuts; the other
principal crops - millet, sorghum, rice, corn, cassava, palm kernels;
livestock - cattle, sheep, and goats; forestry and fishing resources not
fully exploited
Economic aid:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $93 million; Western (non-US)
countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $535 million;
Communist countries (1970-89), $39 million
Currency:
dalasi (plural - dalasi); 1 dalasi (D) = 100 bututs
Exchange rates:
dalasi (D) per US$1 - 8.790 (March 1992), 8.803 (1991), 7.883 (1990), 7.5846
(1989), 6.7086 (1988), 7.0744 (1987)
Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

:The Gambia Communications

Highways:
3,083 km total; 431 km paved, 501 km gravel/laterite, and 2,151 km
unimproved earth
Inland waterways:
400 km
Ports:
Banjul
Civil air:
4 major transport aircraft
Airports:
1 with permanent-surface runway 2,440-3,659 m
Telecommunications:
adequate network of radio relay and wire; 3,500 telephones; broadcast
stations - 3 AM, 2 FM; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

:The Gambia Defense Forces

Branches: Army, Navy, National Gendarmerie, National Police Manpower availability: males 15-49, 194,480; 98,271 fit for military service Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - more than $1 million, 0.7% of GDP (1989) \

:Gaza Strip Geography

Total area:
380 km2
Land area:
380 km2
Comparative area:
slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
62 km; Egypt 11 km, Israel 51 km
Coastline:
40 km
Maritime claims:
Israeli occupied with status to be determined
Disputes:
Israeli occupied with status to be determined
Climate:
temperate, mild winters, dry and warm to hot summers
Terrain:
flat to rolling, sand- and dune- covered coastal plain
Natural resources:
negligible
Land use:
arable land 13%, permanent crops 32%, meadows and pastures 0%, forest and
woodland 0%, other 55%
Environment:
desertification
Note:
The war between Israel and the Arab states in June 1967 ended with Israel in
control of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Sinai, and the Golan
Heights. As stated in the 1978 Camp David accords and reaffirmed by
President Bush's post - Gulf crisis peace initiative, the final status of
the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, their relationship with their neighbors,
and a peace treaty be-tween Israel and Jordan are to be negotiated among the
concerned parties. Camp David further specifies that these negotiations will
resolve the respective boundaries. Pending the completion of this process,
it is US policy that the final status of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip
has yet to be determined. In the US view, the term West Bank describes all
of the area west of the Jordan River under Jordanian administration before
the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. With respect to negotiations envisaged in the
framework agreement, however, it is US policy that a distinction must be
made between Jerusalem and the rest of the West Bank because of the city's
special status and circumstances. Therefore, a negotiated solution for the
final status of Jerusalem could be different in character from that of the
rest of the West Bank.
The Gaza Strip is currently governed by Israeli military authorities and
Israeli civil administration; it is US policy that the final status of the
Gaza Strip will be determined by negotiations among the concerned parties;
these negotiations will determine how this area is to be governed.
There are 18 Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip.

:Gaza Strip People

Population:
681,026 (July 1992), growth rate 3.6% (1992); in addition, there are 4,000
Jewish settlers in the Gaza Strip (1992 est.)
Birth rate:
46 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
6 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
- 4 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
41 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
66 years male, 68 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
6.9 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
NA
Ethnic divisions:
Palestinian Arab and other 99.8%, Jewish 0.2%
Religions:
Muslim (predominantly Sunni) 99%, Christian 0.7%, Jewish 0.3%
Languages:
Arabic, Israeli settlers speak Hebrew; English widely understood
Literacy:
NA% (male NA%, female NA%)
Labor force:
(excluding Israeli Jewish settlers) small industry, commerce and business
32.0%, construction 24.4%, service and other 25.5%, and agriculture 18.1%
(1984)
Organized labor:
NA

:Gaza Strip Government

Long-form name:
none

:Gaza Strip Economy

Overview:
In 1990 roughly 40% of Gaza Strip workers were employed across the border by
Israeli industrial, construction, and agricultural enterprises, with worker
remittances accounting for about one-third of GNP. The construction,
agricultural, and industrial sectors account for about 15%, 12%, and 8% of
GNP, respectively. Gaza depends upon Israel for some 90% of its external
trade. Unrest in the territory in 1988-92 (intifadah) has raised
unemployment and substantially lowered the standard of living of Gazans. The
Persian Gulf crisis and its aftershocks also have dealt severe blows to Gaza
since August 1990. Worker remittances from the Gulf states have plunged,
unemployment has increased, and exports have fallen dramatically. The area's
economic outlook remains bleak.
GNP:
exchange rate conversion - $380 million, per capita $590; real growth rate -
30% (1991 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
9% (1991 est.)
Unemployment rate:
20% (1990 est.)
Budget:
revenues $33.8 million; expenditures $33.3 million, including capital
expenditures of $NA (FY88)
Exports:
$30 million (f.o.b., 1989)
commodities:
citrus
partners:
Israel, Egypt
Imports:
$255 million (c.i.f., 1989)
commodities:
food, consumer goods, construction materials
partners:
Israel, Egypt
External debt:
$NA
Industrial production:
growth rate 10% (1989); accounts for about 8% of GNP
Electricity:
power supplied by Israel
Industries:
generally small family businesses that produce textiles, soap, olive-wood
carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs; the Israelis have established some
small-scale modern industries in an industrial center
Agriculture:
accounts for about 12% of GNP; olives, citrus and other fruits, vegetables,
beef, dairy products
Economic aid:
NA
Currency:
new Israeli shekel (plural - shekels); 1 new Israeli shekel (NIS) = 100 new
agorot
Exchange rates:
new Israeli shekels (NIS) per US$1 - 2.2984 (January 1992), 2.2792 (1991),
2.0162 (1990), 1.9164 (1989), 1.5989 (1988), 1.5946 (1987)
Fiscal year:
previously 1 April - 31 March; FY91 was 1 April - 3l December, and since 1
January 1992 the fiscal year has conformed to the calendar year

:Gaza Strip Communications

Railroads:
one line, abandoned and in disrepair, some trackage remains
Highways:
small, poorly developed indigenous road network
Ports:
facilities for small boats to service the city of Gaza
Airports:
1 with permanent-surface runway less than 1,220 m
Telecommunications:
broadcast stations - no AM, no FM, no TV

:Gaza Strip Defense Forces

Branches:
NA
Manpower availability:
males 15-49, 136,311; NA fit for military service
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP

:Georgia Geography

Total area:
69,700 km2
Land area:
69,700 km2
Comparative area:
slightly larger than South Carolina
Land boundaries:
1,461 km; Armenia 164 km, Azerbaijan 322 km, Russia 723 km, Turkey 252 km
Coastline:
310 km
Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone:
NA nm
Continental Shelf:
NA meter depth
Exclusive economic zone:
NA nm
Exclusive fishing zone:
NA nm
Territorial sea:
NA nm, Georgian claims unknown; 12 nm in 1973 USSR-Turkish Protocol
concerning the sea boundary between the two states in the Black Sea
Disputes:
none
Climate:
warm and pleasant; Mediterranean-like on Black Sea coast
Terrain:
largely mountainous with Great Caucasus Mountains in the north and Lesser
Caucasus Mountains in the south; Colchis lowland opens to the Black Sea in
the west; Kura River Basin in the east; good soils in river valley flood
plains, foothills of Colchis lowland
Natural resources:
forest lands, hydropower, manganese deposits, iron ores, copper, minor coal
and oil deposits; coastal climate and soils allow for important tea and
citrus growth
Land use:
NA% arable land; NA% permanent crops; NA% meadows and pastures; NA% forest
and woodland; NA% other; includes 200,000 hectares irrigated
Environment:
air pollution, particularly in Rustavi; heavy pollution of Kura River, Black
Sea

:Georgia People

Population:
5,570,978 (July 1992), growth rate 0.8% (1992)
Birth rate:
17 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
9 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
1 migrant/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
34 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
67 years male, 75 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
2.2 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Georgian(s); adjective - Georgian
Ethnic divisions:
Georgian 68.8%, Armenian 9.0%, Russian Azari 5.1%, Ossetian 3.2%, Abkhaz
1.7%, other 4.8%
Religions:
Russian Orthodox 10%, Georgian Orthodox 65%, Armenian Orthodox 8%, Muslim
11%, unknown 6%
Languages:
Georgian (official language) 71%, Russian 9%, other 20% - Armenian 7%,
Azerbaijani 6%
Literacy:
NA% (male NA%, female NA%) age 15 and over can read and write
Labor force:
2,834,000; agriculture 29.1% (1988), government NA%, industry 17.8%, other
53.1%
Organized labor:
NA

:Georgia Government

Long-form name:
Republic of Georgia
Type:
republic
Capital:
T'bilisi (Tbilisi)
Administrative divisions:
2 autonomous republics (avtomnoy respubliki, singular - avtom respublika);
Abkhazia (Sukhumi), Ajaria (Batumi); note - the administrative centers of
the autonomous republics are included in parentheses; there are no oblasts -
the rayons around T'bilisi are under direct republic jurisdiction; also
included is the South Ossetia Autonomous Oblast
Independence:
9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union); formerly Georgian Soviet Socialist
Republic
Constitution:
adopted NA, effective NA
Legal system:
NA
National holiday:
Independence Day, 9 April 1991
Executive branch:
State Council, chairman of State Council, Council of Ministers, prime
minister
Legislative branch:
unicameral Supreme Soviet
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Leaders:
Chief of State:
Chairman of State Council Eduard SHEVARDNADZE (since March 1992)
Head of Government:
Acting Prime Minister Tengiz SIGUA (since January 1992); First Deputy Prime
Minister Otar KVILITAYA (since January 1992); First Deputy Prime Minister
Tengiz KITOVANI (since March 1992)
Political parties and leaders:
All-Georgian Merab Kostava Society, Vazha ADAMIA, chairman; All-Georgian
Tradionalists' Union, Akakiy ASATIANI, chairman; Georgian National Front -
Radical Union, Ruslan GONGADZE, chairman; Social-Democratic Party, Guram
MUCHAIDZE, chairman; All-Georgian Rustaveli Society, Akakiy BAKRADZE,
chairman; Georgian Monarchists' Party, Teymur JORJOLIANI, chairman; Georgian
Popular Front, Nodar NATADZE, chairman; National Democratic Party, Georgiy
CHANTURIA, chairman; National Independence Party, Irakliy TSERETELI,
chairman; Charter 1991 Party, Tedo PAATASHVILI, chairman; Democratic Georgia
Party, Georgiy SHENGELAYA, Chairman
Suffrage:
universal at age 18
Elections:
Georgian Parliament:
last held November 1990; results - 7-party coalition Round Table - Free
Georgia 62%, other 38%; seats - (250) Round Table - Free Georgia 155, other
95
President:
Zviad GAMSAKHURDIYA, 87% of vote
Other political or pressure groups:
NA
Member of:
CSCE, IMF, World Bank

:Georgia Government

Diplomatic representation:
Ambassador NA, Chancery at NA NW, Washington, DC 200__; telephone (202) NA
US:
Ambassador NA; Embassy at NA (mailing address is APO New York 09862)
Flag:
maroon field with small rectangle in upper left corner; rectangle divided
horizontally with black on top, white below

:Georgia Economy

Overview:
Among the former Soviet republics, Georgia is noted for its Black Sea
tourist industry, its large output of citrus fruits and tea, and the amazing
diversity of an industrial sector that accounted, however, for less than 2%
of the USSR's output. Another salient characteristic of the economy has been
a flourishing private sector (compared with the other republics). Almost 30%
of the labor force is employed in agriculture and 18% in industry. Mineral
resources consist of manganese and copper, and, to a lesser extent,
molybdenum, arsenic, tungsten, and mercury. Except for very small quantities
of domestic oil, gas, and coal, fuel must be imported from neighboring
republics. Oil and its products are delivered by pipeline from Azerbaijan to
the port of Batumi for export and local refining. Gas is supplied in
pipelines from Krasnodar and Stavropol'. Georgia is nearly self-sufficient
in electric power, thanks to abundant hydropower stations as well as some
thermal power stations. The dismantling of central economic controls is
being delayed by political factionalism, marked by armed struggles between
the elected government and the opposition, and industrial output seems to
have fallen more steeply in Georgia in 1991 than in any other of the former
Soviet republics. To prevent further economic decline, Georgia must
establish domestic peace and must maintain economic ties to the other former
Soviet republics while developing new links to the West.
GDP:
purchasing power equivalent - $NA; per capita $NA; real growth rate - 23%
(1991)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
approximately 90% (1991)
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Budget:
revenues $NA; expenditures $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
million (1991)
Exports:
$176 million (f.o.b., 1990)
commodities:
citrus fruits, tea, other agricultural products; diverse types of machinery;
ferrous and nonferrous metals; textiles
partners:
NA
Imports:
$1.5 billion (c.i.f., 1990)
commodities:
machinery and parts, fuel, transport equipment, textiles
partners:
NA
External debt:
$650 million (1991 est.)
Industrial production:
growth rate - 19% (1991)
Electricity:
4,575,000 kW capacity; 15,300 million kWh produced, about 2,600 kWh per
capita (1991)
Industries:
Heavy industrial products include raw steel, rolled steel, cement, lumber;
machine tools, foundry equipment, electric mining locomotives, tower cranes,
electric welding equipment, machinery for food preparation, meat packing,
dairy, and fishing industries; air-conditioning electric motors up to 100 kW
in size, electric motors for cranes, magnetic starters for motors; devices
for control of industrial processes; trucks, tractors, and other farm
machinery; light industrial products, including cloth, hosiery, and shoes

:Georgia Economy

Agriculture:
accounted for 97% of former USSR citrus fruits and 93% of former USSR tea;
berries and grapes; sugar; vegetables, grains, and potatoes; cattle, pigs,
sheep, goats, and poultry
Illicit drugs:
illicit producers of cannabis and opium; mostly for domestic consumption;
status of government eradication programs unknown; used as transshipment
points for illicit drugs to Western Europe
Economic aid:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-87), $NA billion; Western (non-US)
countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-86), $NA million;
Communist countries (1971-86), $NA million
Currency:
as of May 1992, retaining ruble as currency
Exchange rates:
NA
Fiscal year:
calendar year

:Georgia Communications

Railroads:
1,570 km, does not include industrial lines (1990)
Highways:
33,900 km total; 29,500 km hard surfaced, 4,400 km earth (1990)
Inland waterways:
NA km perennially navigable
Pipelines:
crude oil NA km, refined products NA km, natural gas NA km
Ports:
maritime - Batumi, Poti; inland - NA
Merchant marine:
54 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 715,802 GRT/1,108,068 DWT; includes 16
bulk cargo, 34 oil tanker, 2 chemical tanker, and 2 specialized liquid
carrier
Civil air:
NA major transport aircraft
Airports:
NA total, NA usable; NA with permanent-surface runways; NA with runways over
3,659 m; NA with runways 2,440-3,659 m; NA with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications:
poor telephone service; 339,000 unsatisfied applications for telephones (31
January 1992); international links via landline to CIS members and Turkey;
low capacity satellite earth station and leased international connections
via the Moscow international gateway switch

:Georgia Defense Forces

Branches:
Republic Security Forces (internal and border troops), National Guard; CIS
Forces (Ground, Navy, Air, and Air Defense)
Manpower availability:
males 15-49, NA fit for military service; NA reach military age (18)
annually
Defense expenditures:
$NA, NA% of GNP

:Germany Geography

Total area:
356,910 km2
Land area:
349,520 km2; comprises the formerly separate Federal Republic of Germany,
the German Democratic Republic, and Berlin following formal unification on 3
October 1990
Comparative area:
slightly smaller than Montana
Land boundaries:
3,790 km; Austria 784 km, Belgium 167 km, Czechoslovakia 815 km, Denmark 68
km, France 451 km, Luxembourg 138 km, Netherlands 577 km, Poland 456 km,
Switzerland 334 km
Coastline:
2,389 km
Maritime claims:
Continental shelf:
200 m (depth) or to depth of exploitation
Exclusive fishing zone:
200 nm
Territorial sea:
North Sea and Schleswig-Holstein coast of Baltic Sea - 3 nm (extends, at one
point, to 16 nm in the Helgolander Bucht); remainder of Baltic Sea - 12 nm
Disputes:
the boundaries of Germany were set by the Treaty on the Final Settlement
With Respect to Germany signed 12 September 1990 in Moscow by the Federal
Republic of Germany, the German Democratic Republic, France, the United
Kingdom, the United States, and the Soviet Union; this Treaty entered into
force on 15 March 1991; a subsequent Treaty between Germany and Poland,
reaffirming the German-Polish boundary, was signed on 14 November 1990 and
took effect on 16 January 1992
Climate:
temperate and marine; cool, cloudy, wet winters and summers; occasional
warm, tropical foehn wind; high relative humidity
Terrain:
lowlands in north, uplands in center, Bavarian Alps in south
Natural resources:
iron ore, coal, potash, timber, lignite, uranium, copper, natural gas, salt,
nickel
Land use:
arable land 34%; permanent crops 1%; meadows and pastures 16%; forest and
woodland 30%; other 19%; includes irrigated 1%
Environment:
air and water pollution; groundwater, lakes, and air quality in eastern
Germany are especially bad; significant deforestation in the eastern
mountains caused by air pollution and acid rain
Note:
strategic location on North European Plain and along the entrance to the
Baltic Sea

:Germany People

Population:
80,387,283 (July 1992), growth rate 0.5% (1992)
Birth rate:
11 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
11 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
5 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
7 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
73 years male, 79 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
1.4 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - German(s); adjective - German
Ethnic divisions:
primarily German; small Danish and Slavic minorities
Religions:
Protestant 45%, Roman Catholic 37%, unaffiliated or other 18%
Languages:
German
Literacy:
99% (male NA%, female NA%) age 15 and over can read and write (1970 est.)
Labor force:
36,750,000; industry 41%, agriculture 6%, other 53% (1987)
Organized labor:
47% of labor force (1986 est.)

:Germany Government