Chapter XIII: Part 13

Total area:
541.3 km2
Land area:
541.3 km2
Comparative area:
slightly more than three times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
none
Coastline:
125.5 km
Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone:
12 nm
Continental shelf:
200 m (depth)
Exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
Territorial sea:
12 nm
Disputes:
none
Climate:
tropical marine; generally warm and humid, moderated by northeast trade
winds; dry season from January to June, rainy season from July to December;
little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain:
volcanic origin, surrounded by coral reefs; relatively flat coraline
limestone plateau (source of most fresh water) with steep coastal cliffs and
narrow coastal plains in north, low-rising hills in center, mountains in
south
Natural resources:
fishing (largely undeveloped), tourism (especially from Japan)
Land use:
arable land 11%; permanent crops 11%; meadows and pastures 15%; forest and
woodland 18%; other 45%
Environment:
frequent squalls during rainy season; subject to relatively rare, but
potentially very destructive typhoons (especially in August)
Note:
largest and southernmost island in the Mariana Islands archipelago;
strategic location in western North Pacific Ocean 5,955 km west-southwest of
Honolulu about three-quarters of the way between Hawaii and the Philippines

:Guam People

Population:
142,271 (July 1992), growth rate 2.6% (1992)
Birth rate:
27 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
4 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
3 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
15 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
72 years male, 76 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
2.5 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Guamanian(s); adjective - Guamanian; note - Guamanians are US
citizens
Ethnic divisions:
Chamorro 47%, Filipino 25%, Caucasian 10%, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and
other 18%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 98%, other 2%
Languages:
English and Chamorro, most residents bilingual; Japanese also widely spoken
Literacy:
96% (male 96%, female 96%) age 15 and over can read and write (1980)
Labor force:
46,930; federal and territorial government 40%, private 60% (trade 18%,
services 15.6%, construction 13.8%, other 12.6%) (1990)
Organized labor:
13% of labor force

:Guam Government

Long-form name:
Territory of Guam
Type:
organized, unincorporated territory of the US; policy relations between Guam
and the US are under the jurisdiction of the Office of Territorial and
International Affairs, US Department of the Interior
Capital:
Agana
Administrative divisions:
none (territory of the US)
Independence:
none (territory of the US)
Constitution:
Organic Act of 1 August 1950
Legal system:
NA
National holiday:
Guam Discovery Day (first Monday in March), Liberation Day (July 21), US
Government holidays
Executive branch:
President of the US, governor, lieutenant governor, Cabinet
Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislature
Judicial branch:
Federal District Court of Guam, Territorial Superior Court of Guam
Leaders:
Chief of State:
President George BUSH (since 20 January 1989)
Head of Government:
Governor Joseph A. ADA (since November 1986); Lieutenant Governor Frank F.
BLAS
Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party (controls the legislature); Republican Party (party of the
Governor)
Suffrage:
universal at age 18; US citizens, but do not vote in US presidential
elections
Elections:
Governor:
last held on 6 November 1990 (next to be held November 1994); results -
Joseph F. ADA reelected
Legislature:
last held on 6 November 1990 (next to be held November 1992); a byelection
was held in April 1991 to replace a deceased legislator, results - percent
of vote by party NA; seats - (21 total) Democratic 11, Republican 10
US House of Representatives:
last held 6 November 1990 (next to be held 3 November 1992); Guam elects one
nonvoting delegate; results - Ben BLAZ was elected as the nonacting
delegate; seats - (1 total) Republican 1
Member of:
ESCAP (associate), IOC, SPC
Diplomatic representation:
none (territory of the US)
Flag:
territorial flag is dark blue with a narrow red border on all four sides;
centered is a red-bordered, pointed, vertical ellipse containing a beach
scene, outrigger canoe with sail, and a palm tree with the word GUAM
superimposed in bold red letters; US flag is the national flag

:Guam Economy

Overview:
The economy is based on US military spending and on revenues from tourism.
Over the past 20 years the tourist industry has grown rapidly, creating a
construction boom for new hotels and the expansion of older ones. Visitors
numbered about 900,000 in 1990. The small manufacturing sector includes
textiles and clothing, beverage, food, and watch production. About 60% of
the labor force works for the private sector and the rest for government.
Most food and industrial goods are imported, with about 75% from the US. In
1991 the unemployment rate was about 4.1%.
GNP:
purchasing power equivalent - $2.0 billion, per capita $14,000; real growth
rate NA% (1991 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
12.6% (1991)
Unemployment rate:
4.1% (1991 est.)
Budget:
revenues $525 million; expenditures $395 million, including capital
expenditures of $NA.
Exports:
$34 million (f.o.b., 1984)
commodities:
mostly transshipments of refined petroleum products, construction materials,
fish, food and beverage products
partners:
US 25%, Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands 63%, other 12%
Imports:
$493 million (c.i.f., 1984)
commodities:
petroleum and petroleum products, food, manufactured goods
partners:
US 23%, Japan 19%, other 58%
External debt:
$NA
Industrial production:
growth rate NA%
Electricity:
500,000 kW capacity; 2,300 million kWh produced, 16,300 kWh per capita
(1990)
Industries:
US military, tourism, construction, transshipment services, concrete
products, printing and publishing, food processing, textiles
Agriculture:
relatively undeveloped with most food imported; fruits, vegetables, eggs,
pork, poultry, beef, copra
Economic aid:
although Guam receives no foreign aid, it does receive large transfer
payments from the general revenues of the US Federal Treasury into which
Guamanians pay no income or excise taxes; under the provisions of a special
law of Congress, the Guamanian Treasury, rather than the US Treasury,
receives federal income taxes paid by military and civilian Federal
employees stationed in Guam
Currency:
US currency is used
Exchange rates:
US currency is used
Fiscal year:
1 October - 30 September

:Guam Communications

Highways:
674 km all-weather roads
Ports:
Apra Harbor
Airports:
5 total, 4 usable; 3 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over
3,659 m; 3 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; none with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications:
26,317 telephones (1989); broadcast stations - 3 AM, 3 FM, 3 TV; 2 Pacific
Ocean INTELSAT ground stations

:Guam Defense Forces

Note:
defense is the responsibility of the US

:Guatemala Geography

Total area:
108,890 km2
Land area:
108,430 km2
Comparative area:
slightly smaller than Tennessee
Land boundaries:
1,687 km; Belize 266 km, El Salvador 203 km, Honduras 256 km, Mexico 962 km
Coastline:
400 km
Maritime claims:
Continental shelf:
not specific
Exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
Territorial sea:
12 nm
Disputes:
claims Belize, but boundary negotiations to resolve the dispute have begun
Climate:
tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands
Terrain:
mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling limestone plateau
(Peten)
Natural resources:
crude oil, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle
Land use:
arable land 12%; permanent crops 4%; meadows and pastures 12%; forest and
woodland 40%; other 32%; includes irrigated 1%
Environment:
numerous volcanoes in mountains, with frequent violent earthquakes;
Caribbean coast subject to hurricanes and other tropical storms;
deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution
Note:
no natural harbors on west coast

:Guatemala People

Population:
9,784,275 (July 1992), growth rate 2.4% (1992)
Birth rate:
34 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
8 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
-2 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
56 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
61 years male, 66 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
4.6 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Guatemalan(s); adjective - Guatemalan
Ethnic divisions:
Ladino (mestizo - mixed Indian and European ancestry) 56%, Indian 44%
Religions:
predominantly Roman Catholic; also Protestant, traditional Mayan
Languages:
Spanish, but over 40% of the population speaks an Indian language as a
primary tongue (18 Indian dialects, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi)
Literacy:
55% (male 63%, female 47%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
Labor force:
2,500,000; agriculture 60%, services 13%, manufacturing 12%, commerce 7%,
construction 4%, transport 3%, utilities 0.8%, mining 0.4% (1985)
Organized labor:
8% of labor force (1988 est.)

:Guatemala Government

Long-form name:
Republic of Guatemala
Type:
republic
Capital:
Guatemala
Administrative divisions:
22 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Alta Verapaz, Baja
Verapaz, Chimaltenango, Chiquimula, El Progreso, Escuintla, Guatemala,
Huehuetenango, Izabal, Jalapa, Jutiapa, Peten, Quetzaltenango, Quiche,
Retalhuleu, Sacatepequez, San Marcos, Santa Rosa, Solola, Suchitepequez,
Totonicapan, Zacapa
Independence:
15 September 1821 (from Spain)
Constitution:
31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986
Legal system:
civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday:
Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Executive branch:
president, vice president, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
Legislative branch:
unicameral Congress of the Republic (Congreso de la Republica)
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justicia)
Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government:
President Jorge SERRANO Elias (since 14 January 1991); Vice President
Gustavo ESPINA Salguero (since 14 January 1991)
Political parties and leaders:
National Centrist Union (UCN), Jorge CARPIO Nicolle; Solidarity Action
Movement (MAS), Jorge SERRANO Elias; Christian Democratic Party (DCG),
Alfonso CABRERA Hidalgo; National Advancement Party (PAN), Alvaro ARZU
Irigoyen; National Liberation Movement (MLN), Mario SANDOVAL Alarcon; Social
Democratic Party (PSD), Mario SOLARZANO Martinez; Popular Alliance 5 (AP-5),
Max ORLANDO Molina; Revolutionary Party (PR), Carlos CHAVARRIA; National
Authentic Center (CAN), Hector MAYORA Dawe; Democratic Institutional Party
(PID), Oscar RIVAS; Nationalist United Front (FUN), Gabriel GIRON;
Guatemalan Republican Front (FRG), Efrain RIOS Montt
Suffrage:
universal at age 18
Elections:
Congress:
last held on 11 November 1990 (next to be held 11 November 1995); results -
UCN 25.6%, MAS 24.3%, DCG 17. 5%, PAN 17.3%, MLN 4.8%, PSD/AP-5 3.6%, PR
2.1%; seats - (116 total) UCN 38, DCG 27, MAS 18, PAN 12, Pro - Rios Montt
10, MLN 4, PR 1, PSD/AP-5 1, independent 5
President:
runoff held on 11 January 1991 (next to be held 11 November 1995); results -
Jorge SERRANO Elias (MAS) 68.1%, Jorge CARPIO Nicolle (UCN) 31.9%
Communists:
Guatemalan Labor Party (PGT); main radical left guerrilla groups - Guerrilla
Army of the Poor (EGP), Revolutionary Organization of the People in Arms
(ORPA), Rebel Armed Forces (FAR), and PGT dissidents

:Guatemala Government

Other political or pressure groups:
Federated Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CACIF), Mutual Support Group
(GAM), Unity for Popular and Labor Action (UASP), Agrarian Owners Group
(UNAGRO), Committee for Campesino Unity (CUC)
Member of:
BCIE, CACM, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-24, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ITU,
LAES, LAIA, LORCS, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation:
Ambassador Juan Jose CASO-FANJUL; Chancery at 2220 R Street NW, Washington,
DC 20008; telephone (202) 745-4952 through 4954; there are Guatemalan
Consulates General in Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New
York, and San Francisco
US:
Ambassador Thomas F. STROOCK; Embassy at 7-01 Avenida de la Reforma, Zone
10, Guatemala City (mailing address is APO AA 34024); telephone [502] (2)
31-15-41
Flag:
three equal vertical bands of light blue (hoist side), white, and light blue
with the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms includes
a green and red quetzal (the national bird) and a scroll bearing the
inscription LIBERTAD 15 DE SEPTIEMBRE DE 1821 (the original date of
independence from Spain) all superimposed on a pair of crossed rifles and a
pair of crossed swords and framed by a wreath

:Guatemala Economy

Overview:
The economy is based on family and corporate agriculture, which accounts for
26% of GDP, employs about 60% of the labor force, and supplies two-thirds of
exports. Manufacturing, predominantly in private hands, accounts for about
18% of GDP and 12% of the labor force. In both 1990 and 1991, the economy
grew by 3%, the fourth and fifth consecutive years of mild growth. Inflation
at 40% in 1990-91 was more than double the 1987-89 level.
GDP:
exchange rate conversion - $11.7 billion, per capita $1,260; real growth
rate 3% (1991 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
40% (1991 est.)
Unemployment rate:
6.7%, with 30-40% underemployment (1989 est.)
Budget:
revenues $1.05 billion; expenditures $1.3 billion, including capital
expenditures of $270 million (1989 est.)
Exports:
$1.16 billion (f.o.b., 1990)
commodities:
coffee 26%, sugar 13%, bananas 7%, beef 2%
partners:
US 39%, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Germany, Honduras
Imports:
$1.66 billion (c.i.f., 1990)
commodities:
fuel and petroleum products, machinery, grain, fertilizers, motor vehicles
partners:
US 40%, Mexico, Venezuela, Japan, Germany
External debt:
$2.6 billion (December 1990 est.)
Industrial production:
growth rate NA; accounts for 18% of GDP
Electricity:
802,600 kW capacity; 2,461 million kWh produced, 266 kWh per capita (1991)
Industries:
sugar, textiles and clothing, furniture, chemicals, petroleum, metals,
rubber, tourism
Agriculture:
accounts for 26% of GDP; most important sector of economy and contributes
two-thirds of export earnings; principal crops - sugarcane, corn, bananas,
coffee, beans, cardamom; livestock - cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens; food
importer
Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of opium poppy and cannabis for the international drug
trade; the government has an active eradication program for cannabis and
opium poppy; transit country for cocaine shipments
Economic aid:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-90), $1.1 billion; Western (non-US)
countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $7.92 billion
Currency:
quetzal (plural - quetzales); 1 quetzal (Q) = 100 centavos
Exchange rates:
free market quetzales (Q) per US$1 - 5.0854 (January 1992), 5.0289 (1991),
2.8161 (1989), 2.6196 (1988), 2.500 (1987); note - black-market rate 2.800
(May 1989)
Fiscal year:
calendar year

:Guatemala Communications

Railroads:
884 km 0.914-meter gauge, single track; 782 km government owned, 102 km
privately owned
Highways:
26,429 km total; 2,868 km paved, 11,421 km gravel, and 12,140 unimproved
Inland waterways:
260 km navigable year round; additional 730 km navigable during high-water
season
Pipelines:
crude oil 275 km
Ports:
Puerto Barrios, Puerto Quetzal, Santo Tomas de Castilla
Merchant marine:
1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,129 GRT/6,450 DWT
Civil air:
8 major transport aircraft
Airports:
448 total, 400 usable; 11 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways
over 3,659 m; 3 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 19 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications:
fairly modern network centered in Guatemala [city]; 97,670 telephones;
broadcast stations - 91 AM, no FM, 25 TV, 15 shortwave; connection into
Central American Microwave System; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

:Guatemala Defense Forces

Branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force
Manpower availability:
males 15-49, 2,169,073; 1,420,116 fit for military service; 107,239 reach
military age (18) annually
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $113 million, 1% of GDP (1990)

:Guernsey Geography

Total area:
194 km2
Land area:
194 km2; includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other smaller
islands
Comparative area:
slightly larger than Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
none
Coastline:
50 km
Maritime claims:
Exclusive fishing zone:
200 nm
Territorial sea:
3 nm
Disputes:
none
Climate:
temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of days are overcast
Terrain:
mostly level with low hills in southwest
Natural resources:
cropland
Land use:
arable land NA%; permanent crops NA%; meadows and pastures NA%; forest and
woodland NA%; other NA%; cultivated about 50%
Environment:
large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port
Note:
52 km west of France

:Guernsey People

Population:
57,949 (July 1992), growth rate 0.6% (1992)
Birth rate:
12 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:
6 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
72 years male, 78 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
1.6 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Channel Islander(s); adjective - Channel Islander
Ethnic divisions:
UK and Norman-French descent
Religions:
Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational, Methodist
Languages:
English, French; Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts
Literacy:
NA% (male NA%, female NA%) but compulsory education age 5 to 16
Labor force:
NA
Organized labor:
NA

:Guernsey Government

Long-form name:
Bailiwick of Guernsey
Type:
British crown dependency
Capital:
Saint Peter Port
Administrative divisions:
none (British crown dependency)
Independence:
none (British crown dependency)
Constitution:
unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice
Legal system:
English law and local statute; justice is administered by the Royal Court
National holiday:
Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)
Executive branch:
British monarch, lieutenant governor, bailiff, deputy bailiff
Legislative branch:
unicameral Assembly of the States
Judicial branch:
Royal Court
Leaders:
Chief of State:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
Head of Government:
Lieutenant Governor Lt. Gen. Sir Michael WILKINS (since NA 1990); Bailiff
Mr. Graham Martyn DOREY (since February 1992)
Political parties and leaders:
none; all independents
Suffrage:
universal at age 18
Elections:
Assembly of the States:
last held NA (next to be held NA); results - no percent of vote by party
since all are independents; seats - (60 total, 33 elected), all independents
Member of:
none
Diplomatic representation:
none (British crown dependency)
Flag:
white with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England) extending
to the edges of the flag

:Guernsey Economy

Overview:
Tourism is a major source of revenue. Other economic activity includes
financial services, breeding the world-famous Guernsey cattle, and growing
tomatoes and flowers for export.
GDP:
$NA, per capita $NA; real growth rate 9% (1987)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
7% (1988)
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Budget:
revenues $208.9 million; expenditures $173.9 million, including capital
expenditures of NA (1988)
Exports:
$NA
commodities:
tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, other vegetables
partners:
UK (regarded as internal trade)
Imports:
$NA
commodities:
coal, gasoline, and oil
partners:
UK (regarded as internal trade)
External debt:
$NA
Industrial production:
growth rate NA%
Electricity:
173,000 kW capacity; 525 million kWh produced, 9,340 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries:
tourism, banking
Agriculture:
tomatoes, flowers (mostly grown in greenhouses), sweet peppers, eggplant,
other vegetables and fruit; Guernsey cattle
Economic aid:
none
Currency:
Guernsey pound (plural - pounds); 1 Guernsey (#G) pound = 100 pence
Exchange rates:
Guernsey pounds (#G) per US$1 - 0.5799 (March 1992), 0.5652 (1991), 0.5603
(1990), 0.6099 (1989), 0.5614 (1988), 0.6102 (1987); note - the Guernsey
pound is at par with the British pound
Fiscal year:
calendar year

:Guernsey Communications

Ports:
Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson
Telecommunications:
broadcast stations - 1 AM, no FM, 1 TV; 41,900 telephones; 1 submarine cable

:Guernsey Defense Forces

Note:
defense is the responsibility of the UK

:Guinea Geography

Total area:
245,860 km2
Land area:
245,860 km2
Comparative area:
slightly smaller than Oregon
Land boundaries:
3,399 km; Guinea-Bissau 386 km, Ivory Coast 610 km, Liberia 563 km, Mali 858
km, Senegal 330 km, Sierra Leone 652 km
Coastline:
320 km
Maritime claims:
Exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
Territorial sea:
12 nm
Disputes:
none
Climate:
generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with
southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly
harmattan winds
Terrain:
generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior
Natural resources:
bauxite, iron ore, diamonds, gold, uranium, hydropower, fish
Land use:
arable land 6%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and pastures 12%; forest and
woodland 42%; other 40%; includes irrigated NEGL%
Environment:
hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season;
deforestation

:Guinea People

Population:
7,783,926 (July 1992), growth rate - 1.5% (1992)
Birth rate:
46 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
21 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
-40 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
143 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
41 years male, 45 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
6.0 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Guinean(s); adjective - Guinean
Ethnic divisions:
Fulani 35%, Malinke 30%, Soussou 20%, small indigenous tribes 15%
Religions:
Muslim 85%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 7%
Languages:
French (official); each tribe has its own language
Literacy:
24% (male 35%, female 13%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
Labor force:
2,400,000 (1983); agriculture 82.0%, industry and commerce 11.0%, services
5.4%; 88,112 civil servants (1987); 52% of population of working age (1985)
Organized labor:
virtually 100% of wage earners loosely affiliated with the National
Confederation of Guinean Workers

:Guinea Government

Long-form name:
Republic of Guinea
Type:
republic
Capital:
Conakry
Administrative divisions:
33 administrative regions (regions administratives, singular - region
administrative); Beyla, Boffa, Boke, Conakry, Coyah, Dabola, Dalaba,
Dinguiraye, Faranah, Forecariah, Fria, Gaoual, Gueckedou, Kankan, Kerouane,
Kindia, Kissidougou, Koubia, Koundara, Kouroussa, Labe, Lelouma, Lola,
Macenta, Mali, Mamou, Mandiana, Nzerekore, Pita, Siguiri, Telimele, Tougue,
Yomou
Independence:
2 October 1958 (from France; formerly French Guinea)
Constitution:
23 December 1990 (Loi Fundamentale)
Legal system:
based on French civil law system, customary law, and decree; legal codes
currently being revised; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday:
Anniversary of the Second Republic, 3 April (1984)
Executive branch:
president, Transitional Committee for National Recovery (Comite
Transitionale de Redressement National or CTRN) replaced the Military
Committee for National Recovery (Comite Militaire de Redressement National
or CMRN); Council of Ministers (cabinet)
Legislative branch:
People's National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale Populaire) was dissolved
after the 3 April 1984 coup; note: framework for a new National Assembly
established in December 1991 (will have 114 seats)
Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal (Cour d'Appel)
Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government:
Gen. Lansana CONTE (since 5 April 1984)
Political parties and leaders:
none; following the 3 April 1984 coup, all political activity was banned
Suffrage:
none
Elections:
none
Member of:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CEAO, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB,
IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU,
LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WTO
Diplomatic representation:
Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires ad interim Ansoumane CAMARA; Chancery
at 2112 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008; telephone (202) 483-9420
US:
Ambassador Dane F. SMITH, Jr.; Embassy at 2nd Boulevard and 9th Avenue,
Conakry (mailing address is B. P. 603, Conakry); telephone (224) 44-15-20
through 24
Flag:
three equal vertical bands of red (hoist side), yellow, and green; uses the
popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the flag of Rwanda, which
has a large black letter R centered in the yellow band

:Guinea Economy

Overview:
Although possessing many natural resources and considerable potential for
agricultural development, Guinea is one of the poorest countries in the
world. The agricultural sector contributes about 40% to GDP and employs more
than 80% of the work force, while industry accounts for 27% of GDP. Guinea
possesses over 25% of the world's bauxite reserves; exports of bauxite and
alumina accounted for about 70% of total exports in 1989.
GDP:
exchange rate conversion - $3.0 billion, per capita $410; real growth rate
4.3% (1990 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
19.6% (1990 est.)
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Budget:
revenues $449 million; expenditures $708 million, including capital
expenditures of $361 million (1990 est.)
Exports:
$788 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.)
commodities:
alumina, bauxite, diamonds, coffee, pineapples, bananas, palm kernels
partners:
US 33%, EC 33%, USSR and Eastern Europe 20%, Canada
Imports:
$692 million (c.i.f., 1990 est.)
commodities:
petroleum products, metals, machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs,
textiles, and other grain
partners:
US 16%, France, Brazil
External debt:
$2.6 billion (1990 est.)
Industrial production:
growth rate NA%; accounts for 27% of GDP
Electricity:
113,000 kW capacity; 300 million kWh produced, 40 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries:
bauxite mining, alumina, gold, diamond mining, light manufacturing and
agricultural processing industries
Agriculture:
accounts for 40% of GDP (includes fishing and forestry); mostly subsistence
farming; principal products - rice, coffee, pineapples, palm kernels,
cassava, bananas, sweet potatoes, timber; livestock - cattle, sheep and
goats; not self-sufficient in food grains
Economic aid:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $227 million; Western (non-US)
countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1,465 million; OPEC
bilateral aid (1979-89), $120 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $446
million
Currency:
Guinean franc (plural - francs); 1 Guinean franc (FG) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates:
Guinean francs (FG) per US$1 - 675 (1990), 618 (1989), 515 (1988), 440
(1987), 383 (1986)
Fiscal year:
calendar year

:Guinea Communications

Railroads:
1,045 km; 806 km 1.000-meter gauge, 239 km 1.435-meter standard gauge
Highways:
30,100 km total; 1,145 km paved, 12,955 km gravel or laterite (of which
barely 4,500 km are currently all-weather roads), 16,000 km unimproved earth
(1987)
Inland waterways:
1,295 km navigable by shallow-draft native craft
Ports:
Conakry, Kamsar
Civil air:
10 major transport aircraft
Airports:
15 total, 15 usable; 4 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways
over 3,659 m; 3 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 10 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications:
poor to fair system of open-wire lines, small radiocommunication stations,
and new radio relay system; 15,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 3 AM 1
FM, 1 TV; 65,000 TV sets; 200,000 radio receivers; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT
earth station

:Guinea Defense Forces

Branches:
Army, Navy (acts primarily as a coast guard), Air Force, Republican Guard,
paramilitary National Gendarmerie, National Police Force
Manpower availability:
males 15-49, 1,759,811; 888,968 fit for military service (1989)
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $29 million, 1.2% of GDP (1988)

:Guinea-Bissau Geography

Total area:
36,120 km2
Land area:
28,000 km2
Comparative area:
slightly less than three times the size of Connecticut
Land boundaries:
724 km; Guinea 386, Senegal 338 km
Coastline:
350 km
Maritime claims:
Exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
Territorial sea:
12 nm
Disputes:
the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on 12 November 1991 rendered its
decision on the Guinea-Bissau/Senegal maritime boundary in favor of Senegal
Climate:
tropical; generally hot and humid; monsoon-type rainy season (June to
November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with
northeasterly harmattan winds
Terrain:
mostly low coastal plain rising to savanna in east
Natural resources:
unexploited deposits of petroleum, bauxite, phosphates; fish, timber
Land use:
arable land 11%; permanent crops 1%; meadows and pastures 43%; forest and
woodland 38%; other 7%
Environment:
hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season

:Guinea-Bissau People

Population:
1,047,137 (July 1992), growth rate 2.4% (1992)
Birth rate:
42 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
18 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
0 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
124 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
45 years male, 48 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
5.7 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Guinea-Bissauan(s); adjective - Guinea-Bissauan
Ethnic divisions:
African about 99% (Balanta 30%, Fula 20%, Manjaca 14%, Mandinga 13%, Papel
7%); European and mulatto less than 1%
Religions:
indigenous beliefs 65%, Muslim 30%, Christian 5%
Languages:
Portuguese (official); Criolo and numerous African languages
Literacy:
36% (male 50%, female 24%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
Labor force:
403,000 (est.); agriculture 90%, industry, services, and commerce 5%,
government 5%; population of working age 53% (1983)
Organized labor:
only one trade union - the National Union of Workers of Guinea-Bissau (UNTG)

:Guinea-Bissau Government

Long-form name:
Republic of Guinea-Bissau
Type:
republic; highly centralized multiparty since mid-1991; the African Party
for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde (PAIGC) held an
extraordinary party congress in December 1990 and established a two-year
transition program during which the constitution will be revised, allowing
for multiple political parties and a presidential election in 1993
Capital:
Bissau
Administrative divisions:
9 regions (regioes, singular - regiao); Bafata, Biombo, Bissau, Bolama,
Cacheu, Gabu, Oio, Quinara, Tombali
Independence:
10 September 1974 (from Portugal; formerly Portuguese Guinea)
Constitution:
16 May 1984
Legal system:
NA
National holiday:
Independence Day, 10 September (1974)
Executive branch:
president of the Council of State, vice presidents of the Council of State,
Council of State, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
Legislative branch:
unicameral National People's Assembly (Assembleia Nacional Popular)
Judicial branch:
none; there is a Ministry of Justice in the Council of Ministers
Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government:
President of the Council of State Brig. Gen. Joao Bernardo VIEIRA (assumed
power 14 November 1980 and elected President of Council of State on 16 May
1984)
Political parties and leaders:
3 parties - African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape
Verde (PAIGC), President Joao Bernardo VIEIRA, leader; PAIGC is still the
major party and controls all aspects of the Government, but 2 opposition
parties registered in late 1991; Democratic Social Front (FDS), Rafael
BARBOSA, leader; Bafata Movement, Domingos Fernandes GARNER, leader;
Democratic Front, Aristides MENEZES, leader; other parties forming
Suffrage:
universal at age 15
Elections:
National People's Assembly:
last held 15 June 1989 (next to be held 15 June 1994); results - PAIGC is
the only party; seats - (150 total) PAIGC 150, appointed by Regional
Councils
President of Council of State:
last held 19 June 1989 (next to be held NA 1993); results - Brig. Gen. Joao
Bernardo VIEIRA was reelected without opposition by the National People's
Assembly
Member of:
ACCT (associate), ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB,
IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOM (observer), ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation:
Ambassador Alfredo Lopes CABRAL; Chancery at 918 16th Street NW, Mezzanine
Suite, Washington, DC 20006; telephone (202) 872-4222,

:Guinea-Bissau Government

US:
Ambassador William L. JACOBSEN, Jr.; Embassy at 17 Avenida Domingos Ramos,
Bissau (mailing address is 1067 Bissau Codex, Bissau, Guinea-Bissau);
telephone [245] 20-1139, 20-1145, 20-1113
Flag:
two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and green with a vertical red
band on the hoist side; there is a black five-pointed star centered in the
red band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the
flag of Cape Verde, which has the black star raised above the center of the
red band and is framed by two corn stalks and a yellow clam shell

:Guinea-Bissau Economy

Overview:
Guinea-Bissau ranks among the poorest countries in the world, with a per
capita GDP below $200. Agriculture and fishing are the main economic
activities. Cashew nuts, peanuts, and palm kernels are the primary exports.
Exploitation of known mineral deposits is unlikely at present because of a
weak infrastructure and the high cost of development. The government's
four-year plan (1988-91) has targeted agricultural development as the top
priority.
GDP:
exchange rate conversion - $162 million, per capita $160; real growth rate
5.0% (1989)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
25% (1990 est.)
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Budget:
revenues $22.7 million; expenditures $30.8 million, including capital
expenditures of $18.0 million (1989 est.)
Exports:
$14.2 million (f.o.b., 1989 est.)
commodities:
cashews, fish, peanuts, palm kernels
partners:
Portugal, Senegal, France, The Gambia, Netherlands, Spain
Imports:
$68.9 million (f.o.b., 1989 est.)
commodities:
capital equipment, consumer goods, semiprocessed goods, foods, petroleum
partners:
Portugal, Netherlands, Senegal, USSR, Germany
External debt:
$462 million (December 1990 est.)
Industrial production:
growth rate - 1.0% (1989 est.); accounts for 10% of GDP (1989 est.)
Electricity:
22,000 kW capacity; 30 million kWh produced, 30 kWh per capita (1991)
Industries:
agricultural processing, beer, soft drinks
Agriculture:
accounts for over 50% of GDP, nearly 100% of exports, and 90% of employment;
rice is the staple food; other crops include corn, beans, cassava, cashew
nuts, peanuts, palm kernels, and cotton; not self-sufficient in food;
fishing and forestry potential not fully exploited
Economic aid:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $49 million; Western (non-US)
countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $615 million; OPEC
bilateral aid (1979-89), $41 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $68
million
Currency:
Guinea-Bissauan peso (plural - pesos); 1 Guinea-Bissauan peso (PG) = 100
centavos
Exchange rates:
Guinea-Bissauan pesos (PG) per US$1 - 1987.2 (1989), 1363.6 (1988), 851.65
(1987), 238.98 (1986)
Fiscal year:
calendar year

:Guinea-Bissau Communications

Highways:
3,218 km; 2,698 km bituminous, remainder earth
Inland waterways:
scattered stretches are important to coastal commerce
Ports:
Bissau
Civil air:
2 major transport aircraft
Airports:
34 total, 15 usable; 4 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways
over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 5 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications:
poor system of radio relay, open-wire lines, and radiocommunications; 3,000
telephones; broadcast stations - 2 AM, 3 FM, 1 TV

:Guinea-Bissau Defense Forces

Branches:
People's Revolutionary Armed Force (FARP; including Army, Navy, Air Force),
paramilitary force
Manpower availability:
males 15-49, 228,856; 130,580 fit for military service
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $9.3 million, 5-6% of GDP (1987)

:Guyana Geography

Total area:
214,970 km2
Land area:
196,850 km2
Comparative area:
slightly smaller than Idaho
Land boundaries:
2,462 km; Brazil 1,119 km, Suriname 600 km, Venezuela 743 km
Coastline:
459 km
Maritime claims:
Continental shelf:
outer edge of continental margin or 200 nm
Exclusive fishing zone:
200 nm
Territorial sea:
12 nm
Disputes:
all of the area west of the Essequibo River claimed by Venezuela; Suriname
claims area between New (Upper Courantyne) and Courantyne/Kutari Rivers (all
headwaters of the Courantyne)
Climate:
tropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two rainy seasons
(May to mid-August, mid-November to mid-January)
Terrain:
mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south
Natural resources:
bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish
Land use:
arable land 3%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and pastures 6%; forest and
woodland 83%; other 8%; includes irrigated 1%
Environment:
flash floods a constant threat during rainy seasons; water pollution

:Guyana People

Population:
739,431 (July 1992), growth rate - 0.6% (1992)
Birth rate:
21 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
7 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
-20 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
50 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
61 years male, 68 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
2.4 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Guyanese (singular and plural); adjective - Guyanese
Ethnic divisions:
East Indian 51%, black and mixed 43%, Amerindian 4%, European and Chinese 2%
Religions:
Christian 57%, Hindu 33%, Muslim 9%, other 1%
Languages:
English, Amerindian dialects
Literacy:
95% (male 98%, female 96%) age 15 and over having ever attended school (1990
est.)
Labor force:
268,000; industry and commerce 44.5%, agriculture 33.8%, services 21.7%;
public-sector employment amounts to 60-80% of the total labor force (1985)
Organized labor:
34% of labor force

:Guyana Government

Long-form name:
Co-operative Republic of Guyana
Type:
republic
Capital:
Georgetown
Administrative divisions:
10 regions; Barima-Waini, Cuyuni-Mazaruni, Demerara-Mahaica, East
Berbice-Corentyne, Essequibo Islands-West Demerara, Mahaica-Berbice,
Pomeroon-Supenaam, Potaro-Siparuni, Upper Demerara-Berbice, Upper
Takutu-Upper Essequibo
Independence:
26 May 1966 (from UK; formerly British Guiana)
Constitution:
6 October 1980
Legal system:
based on English common law with certain admixtures of Roman-Dutch law; has
not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday:
Republic Day, 23 February (1970)
Executive branch:
executive president, first vice president, prime minister, first deputy
prime minister, Cabinet
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Judicature
Leaders:
Chief of State:
Executive President Hugh Desmond HOYTE (since 6 August 1985); First Vice
President Hamilton GREEN (since 6 August 1985)
Head of Government:
Prime Minister Hamilton GREEN (since NA August 1985)
Political parties and leaders:
People's National Congress (PNC), Hugh Desmond HOYTE; People's Progressive
Party (PPP), Cheddi JAGAN; Working People's Alliance (WPA), Eusi KWAYANA,
Rupert ROOPNARINE; Democratic Labor Movement (DLM), Paul TENNASSEE; People's
Democratic Movement (PDM), Llewellyn JOHN; National Democratic Front (NDF),
Joseph BACCHUS; United Force (UF), Manzoor NADIR; United Republican Party
(URP), Leslie RAMSAMMY; National Republican Party (NRP), Robert GANGADEEN;
Guyanese Labor Party (GLP), Nanda GOPAUL
Suffrage:
universal at age 18
Elections:
Executive President:
last held on 9 December 1985 (next to be held 1992); results - Hugh Desmond
HOYTE was elected president since he was leader of the party with the most
votes in the National Assembly elections
National Assembly:
last held on 9 December 1985 (next to be held mid-1992); results - PNC 78%,
PPP 16%, UF 4%, WPA 2%; seats - (65 total, 53 elected) PNC 42, PPP 8, UF 2,
WPA 1
Other political or pressure groups:
Trades Union Congress (TUC); Guyana Council of Indian Organizations (GCIO);
Civil Liberties Action Committee (CLAC); the latter two organizations are
small and active but not well organized; Guyanese Action for Reform and
Democracy (GUARD) includes various labor groups, as well as several of the
smaller political parties

:Guyana Government

Member of:
ACP, C, CARICOM, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LAES, LORCS, NAM, OAS,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation:
Ambassador Dr. Cedric Hilburn GRANT; Chancery at 2490 Tracy Place NW,
Washington, DC 20008; telephone (202) 265-6900; there is a Guyanese
Consulate General in New York
US:
Ambassador George JONES; Embassy at 99-100 Young and Duke Streets,
Georgetown; telephone [592] (2) 54900 through 54909
Flag:
green with a red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) superimposed
on a long yellow arrowhead; there is a narrow black border between the red
and yellow, and a narrow white border between the yellow and the green

:Guyana Economy

Overview:
Guyana is one of the world's poorest countries with a per capita income less
than one-fifth the South American average. After growing on average at less
than 1% a year in 1986-87, GDP dropped by 5% a year in 1988-90. The decline
resulted from bad weather, labor trouble in the canefields, and flooding and
equipment problems in the bauxite industry. Consumer prices rose about 100%
in 1989 and 75% in 1990, and the current account deficit widened
substantially as sugar and bauxite exports fell. Moreover, electric power is
in short supply and constitutes a major barrier to future gains in national
output. The government, in association with international financial
agencies, seeks to reduce its payment arrears and to raise new funds. The
government's stabilization program - aimed at establishing realistic
exchange rates, reasonable price stability, and a resumption of growth -
requires considerable public administrative abilities and continued patience
by consumers during a long incubation period. In 1991, buoyed by a recovery
in mining and agriculture, the economy posted 6% growth, according to
official figures. A large volume of illegal and quasi- legal economic
activity is not captured in estimates of the country's total output.
GDP:
exchange rate conversion - $250 million, per capita $300; real growth rate
6% (1991 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
75% (1990)
Unemployment rate:
12-15% (1990 est.)
Budget:
revenues $126 million; expenditures $250 million (1990 est.)
Exports:
$189 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.)
commodities:
bauxite, sugar, gold, rice, shrimp, molasses, timber, rum
partners:
UK 31%, US 23%, CARICOM 7%, Canada 6% (1988)
Imports:
$246 million (c.i.f., 1991)
commodities:
manufactures, machinery, food, petroleum
partners:
US 33%, CARICOM 10%, UK 9%, Canada 2% (1989)
External debt:
$2.0 billion, including arrears (1990)
Industrial production:
growth rate - 12.0% (1990 est.); accounts for about 11% of GDP
Electricity:
252,500 kW capacity; 647 million kWh produced, 863 kWh per capita (1991)
Industries:
bauxite mining, sugar, rice milling, timber, fishing (shrimp), textiles,
gold mining
Agriculture:
most important sector, accounting for 24% of GDP and about half of exports;
sugar and rice are key crops; development potential exists for fishing and
forestry; not self-sufficient in food, especially wheat, vegetable oils, and
animal products
Economic aid:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $116 million; Western (non-US)
countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $325 million;
Communist countries 1970-89, $242 million
Currency:
Guyanese dollar (plural - dollars); 1 Guyanese dollar (G$) = 100 cents

:Guyana Economy

Exchange rates:
Guyanese dollars (G$) per US$1 - 124.1 (March 1992) 111.8 (1991), 39.533
(1990), 27.159 (1989), 10.000 (1988), 9.756 (1987)
Fiscal year:
calendar year

:Guyana Communications

Railroads:
187 km total, all single track 0.914-meter gauge
Highways:
7,665 km total; 550 km paved, 5,000 km gravel, 1,525 km earth, 590 km
unimproved
Inland waterways:
6,000 km total of navigable waterways; Berbice, Demerara, and Essequibo
Rivers are navigable by oceangoing vessels for 150 km, 100 km, and 80 km,
respectively
Ports:
Georgetown
Civil air:
3 major transport aircraft
Airports:
54 total, 49 usable; 5 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways
over 3,659 m; none with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 13 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications:
fair system with radio relay network; over 27,000 telephones; tropospheric
scatter link to Trinidad; broadcast stations - 4 AM, 3 FM, no TV, 1
shortwave; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

:Guyana Defense Forces

Branches:
Guyana Defense Force (GDF; includes Coast Guard and Air Corps), Guyana
Police Force (GPF), Guyana People's Militia (GPM), Guyana National Service
(GNS)
Manpower availability:
males 15-49, 196,066; 149,045 fit for military service
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $5.5 million, 6% of GDP (1989 est.)

:Haiti Geography

Total area:
27,750 km2
Land area:
27,560 km2
Comparative area:
slightly larger than Maryland
Land boundaries:
275 km; Dominican Republic 275 km
Coastline:
1,771 km
Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone:
24 nm
Continental shelf:
to depth of exploitation
Exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
Territorial sea:
12 nm
Disputes:
claims US-administered Navassa Island
Climate:
tropical; semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade winds
Terrain:
mostly rough and mountainous
Natural resources:
bauxite
Land use:
arable land 20%; permanent crops 13%; meadows and pastures 18%; forest and
woodland 4%; other 45%; includes irrigated 3%
Environment:
lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from
June to October; occasional flooding and earthquakes; deforestation; soil
erosion
Note:
shares island of Hispaniola with Dominican Republic

:Haiti People

Population:
6,431,977 (July 1992), growth rate 2.3% (1992)
Birth rate:
42 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
15 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
-5 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
104 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
53 years male, 55 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
6.2 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Haitian(s); adjective - Haitian
Ethnic divisions:
black 95%, mulatto and European 5%
Religions:
Roman Catholic is the official religion; Roman Catholic 80% (of which an
overwhelming majority also practice Voodoo), Protestant 16% (Baptist 10%,
Pentecostal 4%, Adventist 1%, other 1%), none 1%, other 3% (1982)
Languages:
French (official) spoken by only 10% of population; all speak Creole
Literacy:
53% (male 59%, female 47%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
Labor force:
2,300,000; agriculture 66%, services 25%, industry 9%; shortage of skilled
labor, unskilled labor abundant (1982)
Organized labor:
NA

:Haiti Government

Long-form name:
Republic of Haiti
Type:
republic
Capital:
Port-au-Prince
Administrative divisions:
9 departments, (departements, singular - departement); Artibonite, Centre,
Grand'Anse, Nord, Nord-Est, Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Est
Independence:
1 January 1804 (from France)
Constitution:
27 August 1983, suspended February 1986; draft constitution approved March
1987, suspended June 1988, most articles reinstated March 1989; October
1991, government claims to be observing the Constitution
Legal system:
based on Roman civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday:
Independence Day, 1 January (1804)
Executive branch:
president, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
Legislative branch:
bicameral National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale) consisting of an upper
house or Senate and a lower house or Chamber of Deputies
Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal (Cour de Cassation)
Leaders:
Chief of State:
President Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE (since 7 February 1991), ousted in a coup
in September 1991, but still recognized by international community as Chief
of State; President Joseph NERETTE installed by military on 7 October 1991
Head of Government:
de facto Prime Minister Marc BAZIN (since June 1992)
Political parties and leaders:
National Front for Change and Democracy (FNCD) led by Jean-Bertrand
ARISTIDE, including Congress of Democratic Movements (CONACOM), Victor
BENOIT; National Konbite Movement (MKN), Volvick Remy JOSEPH; National
Alliance for Democracy and Progress (ANDP), a coalition - that broke up
following elections - consisting of Movement for the Installation of
Democracy in Haiti (MIDH), Marc BAZIN; National Progressive Revolutionary
Party (PANPRA), Serge GILLES; and National Patriotic Movement of November 28
(MNP-28), Dejean BELIZAIRE; National Agricultural and Industrial Party
(PAIN), Louis DEJOIE; Movement for National Reconstruction (MRN), Rene
THEODORE; Haitian Christian Democratic Party (PDCH), Joseph DOUZE; Assembly
of Progressive National Democrats (RDNP), Leslie MANIGAT; National Party of
Labor (PNT), Thomas DESULME; Mobilization for National Development (MDN),
Hubert DE RONCERAY; Democratic Movement for the Liberation of Haiti
(MODELH), Francois LATORTUE; Haitian Social Christian Party (PSCH), Gregoire
EUGENE; Movement for the Organization of the Country (MOP), Gesner COMEAU
Suffrage:
universal at age 18
Elections:
Chamber of Deputies:
last held 16 December 1990, with runoff held 20 January 1991 (next to be
held by December 1994); results - percent of vote NA; seats - (83 total)
FNCD 27, ANDP 17, PDCH 7, PAIN 6, RDNP 6, MDN 5, PNT 3, MKN 2, MODELH 2, MRN
1, independents 5, other 2

:Haiti Government

President:
last held 16 December 1990 (next election to be held by December 1995);
results - Rev. Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE 67.5%, Marc BAZIN 14.2%, Louis DEJOIE
4.9%
Elections:
Senate:
last held 16 December 1990, with runoff held 20 January 1991 (next to be
held December 1992); results - percent of vote NA; seats - (27 total) FNCD
13, ANDP 6, PAIN 2, MRN 2, PDCH 1, RDNP 1, PNT 1, independent 1
Communists:
United Party of Haitian Communists (PUCH), Rene THEODORE (roughly 2,000
members)
Other political or pressure groups:
Democratic Unity Confederation (KID), Roman Catholic Church, Confederation
of Haitian Workers (CTH), Federation of Workers Trade Unions (FOS),
Autonomous Haitian Workers (CATH), National Popular Assembly (APN)
Member of:
ACCT, CARICOM (observer), CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LAES,
LORCS, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation:
Ambassador Jean CASIMIR; Chancery at 2311 Massachusetts Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20008; telephone (202) 332-4090 through 4092; there are
Haitian Consulates General in Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York, and San Juan
(Puerto Rico)
US:
Ambassador Alvin P. ADAMS, Jr.; Embassy at Harry Truman Boulevard,
Port-au-Prince (mailing address is P. O. Box 1761, Port-au-Prince),
telephone [509] 22-0354 or 22-0368, 22-0200, 22-0612
Flag:
two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a centered white
rectangle bearing the coat of arms, which contains a palm tree flanked by
flags and two cannons above a scroll bearing the motto L'UNION FAIT LA FORCE
(Union Makes Strength)

:Haiti Economy

Overview:
About 75% of the population live in abject poverty. Agriculture is mainly
small-scale subsistence farming and employs nearly three-fourths of the work
force. The majority of the population does not have ready access to safe
drinking water, adequate medical care, or sufficient food. Few social
assistance programs exist, and the lack of employment opportunities remains
one of the most critical problems facing the economy, along with soil
erosion and political instability. Trade sanctions applied by the
Organization of American States in response to the September 1991 coup
against President Aristide have further damaged the economy.
GDP:
exchange rate conversion - $2.7 billion, per capita $440; real growth rate -
3.0% (1990 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
20% (1990 est.)
Unemployment rate:
25-50% (1990 est.)
Budget:
revenues $300 million; expenditures $416 million, including capital
expenditures of $145 million (1990 est.)
Exports:
$169 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.)
commodities:
light manufactures 65%, coffee 19%, other agriculture 8%, other 8%
partners:
US 84%, Italy 4%, France 3%, other industrial countries 6%, less developed
countries 3% (1987)
Imports:
$348 million (c.i.f., 1990 est.)
commodities:
machines and manufactures 34%, food and beverages 22%, petroleum products
14%, chemicals 10%, fats and oils 9%
partners:
US 64%, Netherlands Antilles 5%, Japan 5%, France 4%, Canada 3%, Germany 3%
(1987)
External debt:
$838 million (December 1990)
Industrial production:
growth rate 0.3% (FY88); accounts for 15% of GDP
Electricity:
217,000 kW capacity; 468 million kWh produced, 74 kWh per capita (1991)
Industries:
sugar refining, textiles, flour milling, cement manufacturing, tourism,
light assembly industries based on imported parts
Agriculture:
accounts for 28% of GDP and employs 74% of work force; mostly small-scale
subsistence farms; commercial crops - coffee, mangoes, sugarcane and wood;
staple crops - rice, corn, sorghum; shortage of wheat flour
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for cocaine
Economic aid:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (1970-89), $700 million; Western (non-US)
countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $770 million
Currency:
gourde (plural - gourdes); 1 gourde (G) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates:
gourdes (G) per US$1 - 5.0 (fixed rate)
Fiscal year:
1 October - 30 September

:Haiti Communications

Railroads:
40 km 0.760-meter narrow gauge, single-track, privately owned industrial
line
Highways:
4,000 km total; 950 km paved, 900 km otherwise improved, 2,150 km unimproved
Inland waterways:
negligible; less than 100 km navigable
Ports:
Port-au-Prince, Cap-Haitien
Civil air:
12 major transport aircraft
Airports:
13 total, 10 usable; 3 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways
over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 3 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications:
domestic facilities barely adequate, international facilities slightly
better; 36,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 33 AM, no FM, 4 TV, 2
shortwave; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

:Haiti Defense Forces

Branches:
Army (including Police), Navy, Air Force
Manpower availability:
males 15-49, 1,313,044; 706,221 fit for military service; 59,060 reach
military age (18) annually
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $34 million, 1.5% of GDP (1988 est.)

:Heard Island and McDonald Islands Geography

Total area:
412 km2
Land area:
412 km2
Comparative area:
slightly less than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
none
Coastline:
101.9 km
Maritime claims:
Exclusive fishing zone:
200 nm
Territorial sea:
3 nm
Disputes:
none
Climate:
antarctic
Terrain:
Heard Island - bleak and mountainous, with an extinct volcano; McDonald
Islands - small and rocky
Land use:
arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and
woodland 0%; other 100%
Environment:
primarily used as research stations
Note:
located 4,100 km southwest of Australia in the southern Indian Ocean

:Heard Island and McDonald Islands People

Population:
uninhabited

:Heard Island and McDonald Islands Government

Long-form name:
Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Type:
territory of Australia administered by the Antarctic Division of the
Department of Science in Canberra (Australia)
Capital:
none; administered from Canberra, Australia

:Heard Island and McDonald Islands Economy

Overview:
no economic activity

:Heard Island and McDonald Islands Communications

Ports:
none; offshore anchorage only

:Heard Island and McDonald Islands Defense Forces

Note:
defense is the responsibility of Australia

:Holy See (Vatican City) Geography

Total area:
0.438 km2
Land area:
0.438 km2
Comparative area:
about 0.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
3.2 km; Italy 3.2 km
Coastline:
none - landlocked
Maritime claims:
none - landlocked
Disputes:
none
Climate:
temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to mid-May) with hot, dry summers
(May to September)
Terrain:
low hill
Natural resources:
none
Land use:
arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and
woodland 0%; other 100%
Environment:
urban
Note:
landlocked; enclave of Rome, Italy; world's smallest state; outside the
Vatican City, 13 buildings in Rome and Castel Gandolfo (the pope's summer
residence) enjoy extraterritorial rights

:Holy See (Vatican City) People

Population:
802 (July 1992), growth rate 1.2% (1992)
Nationality:
no noun or adjectival forms
Ethnic divisions:
primarily Italians but also Swiss and other nationalities
Religions:
Roman Catholic
Languages:
Italian, Latin, and various other languages
Literacy:
100% (male NA%, female NA%)
Labor force:
high dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards, and 3,000 lay workers who live
outside the Vatican
Organized labor:
Association of Vatican Lay Workers, 1,800 members (1987)

:Holy See (Vatican City) Government

Long-form name:
State of the Vatican City; note - the Vatican City is the physical seat of
the Holy See, which is the central government of the Roman Catholic Church
Type:
monarchical-sacerdotal state
Capital:
Vatican City
Independence:
11 February 1929 (from Italy)
Constitution:
Apostolic Constitution of 1967 (effective 1 March 1968)
National holiday:
Installation Day of the Pope (John Paul II), 22 October (1978); note - Pope
John Paul II was elected on 16 October 1978
Executive branch:
pope
Legislative branch:
unicameral Pontifical Commission
Judicial branch:
none; normally handled by Italy
Leaders:
Chief of State:
Pope JOHN PAUL II (Karol WOJTYA; since 16 October 1978)
Head of Government:
Secretary of State Archbishop Angelo SODANO
Political parties and leaders:
none
Suffrage:
limited to cardinals less than 80 years old
Elections:
Pope:
last held 16 October 1978 (next to be held after the death of the current
pope); results - Karol WOJTYA was elected for life by the College of
Cardinals
Other political or pressure groups:
none (exclusive of influence exercised by church officers)
Member of:
CSCE, IAEA, ICFTU, IMF (observer), INTELSAT, IOM (observer), ITU, OAS
(observer), UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNHCR, UPU, WIPO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation:
Apostolic Pro-Nuncio Archbishop Agostino CACCIAVILLAN; 3339 Massachusetts
Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008; telephone (202) 333-7121
US:
Ambassador Thomas P. MELADY; Embassy at Villino Pacelli, Via Aurelia 294,
00165 Rome (mailing address is APO AE 09624); telephone [396] 639-0558
Flag:
two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side) and white with the crossed keys of
Saint Peter and the papal tiara centered in the white band

:Holy See (Vatican City) Economy

Overview:
This unique, noncommercial economy is supported financially by contributions
(known as Peter's Pence) from Roman Catholics throughout the world, the sale
of postage stamps and tourist mementos, fees for admission to museums, and
the sale of publications. The incomes and living standards of lay workers
are comparable to, or somewhat better than, those of counterparts who work
in the city of Rome.
Budget:
revenues $92 million; expenditures $178 million, including capital
expenditures of $NA (1992)
Electricity:
5,000 kW standby capacity (1990); power supplied by Italy
Industries:
printing and production of a small amount of mosaics and staff uniforms;
worldwide banking and financial activities
Currency:
Vatican lira (plural - lire); 1 Vatican lira (VLit) = 100 centesimi
Exchange rates:
Vatican lire (VLit) per US$1 - 1,248.4 (March 1992), 1,240.6 (1991), 1,198.1
(1990), 1,372.1 (1989), 1,301.6 (1988), 1,296.1 (1987); note - the Vatican
lira is at par with the Italian lira which circulates freely
Fiscal year:
calendar year

:Holy See (Vatican City) Communications

Railroads:
850 m, 750 mm gauge (links with Italian network near the Rome station of
Saint Peter's)
Highways:
none; all city streets
Telecommunications:
broadcast stations - 3 AM, 4 FM, no TV; 2,000-line automatic telephone
exchange; no communications satellite systems

:Holy See (Vatican City) Defense Forces

Note:
defense is the responsibility of Italy; Swiss Papal Guards are posted at
entrances to the Vatican City

:Honduras Geography