Chapter XXXVI: Front Matter (36)

Overview: Aided by a long period of peace and neutrality during World War I through World War II, Sweden has achieved an enviable standard of living under a mixed system of high-tech capitalism and extensive welfare benefits. It has a modern distribution system, excellent internal and external communications, and a skilled labor force. Timber, hydropower, and iron ore constitute the resource base of an economy that is heavily oriented toward foreign trade. Privately owned firms account for about 90% of industrial output, of which the engineering sector accounts for 50% of output and exports. In 1990, agriculture accounted for only 1.2% of GDP and 1.9% of the jobs, Sweden being about 50% sufficient in most products. In the last few years, however, this extraordinarily favorable picture has been clouded by inflation, growing unemployment, and a gradual loss of competitiveness in international markets. Although Prime Minister BILDT's center-right minority coalition had hoped to charge ahead with free-market-oriented reforms, a skyrocketing budget deficit - about 14% of GDP in FY93/94 projections - and record unemployment have forestalled many of the plans. Unemployment in 1994 is estimated at around 9% with another 5% in job training. Continued heavy foreign exchange speculation forced the government to cooperate in late 1992 with the opposition Social Democrats on two crisis packages - one a severe austerity pact and the other a program to spur industrial competitiveness - which basically set economic policy through 1997. In November 1992, Sweden broke its tie to the EC's ECU, and the krona has since depreciated about 25% against the dollar. The boost in export competitiveness from the depreciation helped lift Sweden out of its 3-year recession. To curb the budget deficit and bolster confidence in the economy, the new Social Democratic government is proposing cuts in welfare benefits, subsidies, defense, and foreign aid. Sweden has harmonized its economic policies with those of the EU, which it joined at the start of 1995.

National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $163.1 billion (1994 est.)

National product real growth rate: 2.4% (1994 est.)

National product per capita: $18,580 (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.5% (1994 est.)

Unemployment rate: 8.8% (1994 est.)

Budget: revenues: $47.9 billion expenditures: $70.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY93/94)

Exports: $59.9 billion (f.o.b., 1994) commodities: machinery, motor vehicles, paper products, pulp and wood, iron and steel products, chemicals, petroleum and petroleum products partners: EC 55.8% (Germany 15%, UK 9.7%, Denmark 7.2%, France 5.8%), EFTA 17.4% (Norway 8.4%, Finland 5.1%), US 8.2%, Central and Eastern Europe 2.5% (1992)

Imports: $49.6 billion (c.i.f., 1994) commodities: machinery, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, motor vehicles, foodstuffs, iron and steel, clothing partners: EC 53.6% (Germany 17.9%, UK 6.3%, Denmark 7.5%, France 4.9%), EFTA (Norway 6.6%, Finland 6%), US 8.4%, Central and Eastern Europe 3% (1992)

External debt: $NA

Industrial production: growth rate 9% (1994)

Electricity: capacity: 34,560,000 kW production: 141 billion kWh consumption per capita: 14,891 kWh (1993)

Industries: iron and steel, precision equipment (bearings, radio and telephone parts, armaments), wood pulp and paper products, processed foods, motor vehicles

Agriculture: animal husbandry predominates, with milk and dairy products accounting for 37% of farm income; main crops - grains, sugar beets, potatoes; 100% self-sufficient in grains and potatoes; Sweden is about 50% self-sufficient in most products

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for narcotics shipped via the CIS and Baltic states for the European market

Economic aid: donor: ODA and OOF commitments (1970-89), $10.3 billion

Currency: 1 Swedish krona (SKr) = 100 oere

Exchange rates: Swedish kronor (SKr) per US$1 - 7.4675 (January 1995), 7.7160 (1994), 7.7834 (1993), 5.8238 (1992), 6.0475 (1991) 5.9188 (1990)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

@Sweden:Transportation

Railroads: total: 12,000 km (includes 953 km of privately owned railways) standard gauge: 10,742 km 1.435-m gauge (7,502 km electrified and 1,152 km double track); 8 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified; privately owned) narrow gauge: 61 km 0.891-m gauge (electrified; privately owned) other: 1,189 km NA-m gauge (1994)

Highways: total: 135,859 km paved: 97,818 km (including 936 km of expressways) unpaved: gravel 38,041 km (1991)

Inland waterways: 2,052 km navigable for small steamers and barges

Pipelines: natural gas 84 km

Ports: Gavle, Goteborg, Halmstad, Helsingborg, Hudiksvall, Kalmar, Karlshamn, Malmo, Solvesborg, Stockholm, Sundsvall

Merchant marine: total: 157 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,872,350 GRT/2,075,722 DWT ships by type: bulk 10, cargo 24, chemical tanker 25, combination ore/oil 1, container 2, oil tanker 31, railcar carrier 2, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 37, short-sea passenger 8, specialized tanker 4, vehicle carrier 12

Airports: total: 253 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 2 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 84 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 26 with paved runways under 914 m: 129 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 4

@Sweden:Communications

Telephone system: 8,200,000 telephones; excellent domestic and international facilities; automatic system local: NA intercity: coaxial and multiconductor cable carry most voice traffic; parallel microwave network carries TV, radio, and some additional telephone channels international: 5 submarine coaxial cables; 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 EUTELSAT earth station

Radio: broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 360 (mostly repeaters), shortwave 0 radios: 7 million

Television: broadcast stations: 880 (mostly repeaters) televisions: 3.5 million

@Sweden:Defense Forces

Branches: Swedish Army, Royal Swedish Navy, Swedish Air Force

Manpower availability: males age 15-49 2,133,420; males fit for military service 1,864,258; males reach military age (19) annually 52,937 (1995 est.)

Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $5.4 billion, 2.4% of GDP (FY94/95)

________________________________________________________________________

SWITZERLAND

@Switzerland:Geography

Location: Central Europe, east of France

Map references: Europe

Area: total area: 41,290 sq km land area: 39,770 sq km comparative area: slightly more than twice the size of New Jersey

Land boundaries: total 1,852 km, Austria 164 km, France 573 km, Italy 740 km, Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 334 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none; landlocked

International disputes: none

Climate: temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers

Terrain: mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes

Natural resources: hydropower potential, timber, salt

Land use: arable land: 10% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 40% forest and woodland: 26% other: 23%

Irrigated land: 250 sq km (1989)

Environment: current issues: air pollution from vehicle emissions and open air burning; acid rain; water pollution from increased use of agricultural fertilizers; loss of biodiversity natural hazards: avalanches, landslides, flash floods international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea

Note: landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe; along with southeastern France and northern Italy, contains the highest elevations in Europe

@Switzerland:People

Population: 7,084,984 (July 1995 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 17% (female 594,565; male 622,436) 15-64 years: 68% (female 2,375,792; male 2,448,213) 65 years and over: 15% (female 623,136; male 420,842) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.57% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 12.04 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 9.16 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: 2.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 6.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.36 years male: 74.99 years female: 81.88 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.6 children born/woman (1995 est.)

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

Ethnic divisions: total population: German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other 6% Swiss nationals: German 74%, French 20%, Italian 4%, Romansch 1%, other 1%

Religions: Roman Catholic 47.6%, Protestant 44.3%, other 8.1% (1980)

Languages: German 65%, French 18%, Italian 12%, Romansch 1%, other 4% note: figures for Swiss nationals only - German 74%, French 20%, Italian 4%, Romansch 1%, other 1%

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.) total population: 99%

Labor force: 3.48 million (900,000 foreign workers, mostly Italian) by occupation: services 50%, industry and crafts 34%, government 10%, agriculture and forestry 6% (1992)

@Switzerland:Government

Names: conventional long form: Swiss Confederation conventional short form: Switzerland local long form: Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German) Confederation Suisse (French) Confederazione Svizzera (Italian) local short form: Schweiz (German) Suisse (French) Svizzera (Italian)

Digraph: SZ

Type: federal republic

Capital: Bern

Administrative divisions: 26 cantons (cantons, singular - canton in French; cantoni, singular - cantone in Italian; kantone, singular - kanton in German); Aargau, Ausser-Rhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Bern, Fribourg, Geneve, Glarus, Graubunden, Inner-Rhoden, Jura, Luzern, Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt Gallen, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri, Valais, Vaud, Zug, Zurich

Independence: 1 August 1291

National holiday: Anniversary of the Founding of the Swiss Confederation, 1 August (1291)

Constitution: 29 May 1874

Legal system: civil law system influenced by customary law; judicial review of legislative acts, except with respect to federal decrees of general obligatory character; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state and head of government: President Kaspar VILLIGER (1995 calendar year; presidency rotates annually); Vice President Jean-Pascal DELAMURAZ (term runs concurrently with that of president) cabinet: Federal Council (German - Bundesrat, French - Censeil Federal, Italian - Consiglio Federale); elected by the Federal Assembly from own members

Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Assembly (German - Bundesversammlung, French - Assemblee Federale, Italian - Assemblea Federale) Council of States: German - Standerat, French - Conseil des Etats, Italian - Consiglio degli Stati; elections last held throughout 1991 (next to be held NA 1995); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (46 total) FDP 18, CVP 16, SVP 4, SPS 3, LPS 3, LdU 1, Ticino League 1 National Council: German - Nationalrat, French - Conseil National, Italian - Consiglio Nazionale; elections last held 20 October 1991 (next to be held NA October 1995); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (200 total) FDP 44, SPS 42, CVP 37, SVP 25, GPS 14, LPS 10, AP 8, LdU 6, SD 5, EVP 3, PdA 2, Ticino League 2, other 2

Judicial branch: Federal Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: Free Democratic Party (FDP), Franz STEINEGGER, president; Social Democratic Party (SPS), Peter BODENMANN, president; Christian Democratic People's Party (CVP), Anton COTTIER, president; Swiss People's Party (SVP), Hans UHLMANN, president; Green Party (GPS), Verena DIENER, president; Freedom Party (FPS), Roland BORER, president; Liberal Party (LPS), Christoph EYMANN, president; Alliance of Independents' Party (LdU), Monica WEBER, president; Ticino League, Giuliano BIGNASCA, president; and other minor parties including the Automobile Party (AP), Swiss Democratic Party (SD), Workers' Party (PdA), and the Evangelical People's Party (EVP); note - see elections

Member of: AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA, FAO, G- 8, G-10, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MTCR, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OSCE, PCA, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIH, UNOMIG, UNPROFOR, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Carlo JAGMETTI chancery: 2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 745-7900 FAX: [1] (202) 387-2564 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Pago Pago (American Samoa), and San Francisco

US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador M. Larry LAWRENCE embassy: Jubilaeumstrasse 93, 3005 Bern mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [41] (31) 357 70 11 FAX: [41] (31) 357 73 44 branch office: Geneva consulate(s) general: Zurich

Flag: red square with a bold, equilateral white cross in the center that does not extend to the edges of the flag

@Switzerland:Economy

Overview: Switzerland's economy - one of the most prosperous and stable in the world - is nonetheless undergoing a stressful adjustment after both the inflationary boom of the late 1980s and the electorate's rejection of membership in the European Economic Area (EEA) in 1992. So far the decision to remain outside the European single market structure does not appear to have harmed Swiss interests. In December 1994, the Swiss began bilateral negotiations with the EU aimed at establishing closer ties in areas of mutual interest and progressing toward the free circulation of persons, goods, capital, and services between the two parties. The Swiss emerged from a three-year recession in mid-1993 and posted 1.8% GDP growth in 1994. The Swiss central bank's tight monetary policies brought inflation down from about 4% in 1992 to just under 1% in 1994. Unemployment has fallen slightly from 5.1% in 1993 to 4.7% in 1994. Swiss per capita output, living standards, education, and health care remain unsurpassed in Europe. The country has few mineral resources, but its spectacular natural beauty sustains a substantial tourism industry.

National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $148.4 billion (1994 est.)

National product real growth rate: 1.8% (1994 est.)

National product per capita: $22,080 (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.9% (1994 est.)

Unemployment rate: 4.7% (1994 est.)

Budget: revenues: $26.7 billion expenditures: $32 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1994 est.)

Exports: $69.6 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: machinery and equipment, precision instruments, metal products, foodstuffs, textiles and clothing partners: Western Europe 63.1% (EU countries 56%, other 7.1%), US 8.8%, Japan 3.4%

Imports: $68.2 billion (c.i.f., 1994 est.) commodities: agricultural products, machinery and transportation equipment, chemicals, textiles, construction materials partners: Western Europe 79.2% (EU countries 72.3%, other 6.9%), US 6.4%

External debt: $NA

Industrial production: growth rate 0% (1993 est.)

Electricity: capacity: 15,430,000 kW production: 58 billion kWh consumption per capita: 6,699 kWh (1993)

Industries: machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments

Agriculture: dairy farming predominates; less than 50% self-sufficient in food; must import fish, refined sugar, fats and oils (other than butter), grains, eggs, fruits, vegetables, meat

Illicit drugs: money-laundering center

Economic aid: donor: ODA and OOF commitments (1970-89), $3.5 billion

Currency: 1 Swiss franc, franken, or franco (SwF) = 100 centimes, rappen, or centesimi

Exchange rates: Swiss francs, franken, or franchi (SwF) per US$1 - 1.2880 (January 1995), 1.3677 (1994), 1.4776 (1993), 1.4062 (1992), 1.4340 (1991), 1.3892 (1990)

Fiscal year: calendar year

@Switzerland:Transportation

Railroads: total: 5,763 km (1,432 km double track) standard gauge: 3,533 km 1.435-m gauge (99% electrified; 560 km nongovernment owned) narrow gauge: 1,094 km 1.000-m gauge (99% electrified; 1,020 km nongovernment owned) other: 1,136 km NA-m gauge (1994)

Highways: total: 71,118 km paved: 71,118 km (including 1,514 km of expressways)

Inland waterways: 65 km; Rhine (Basel to Rheinfelden, Schaffhausen to Bodensee); 12 navigable lakes

Pipelines: crude oil 314 km; natural gas 1,506 km

Ports: Basel

Merchant marine: total: 22 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 374,935 GRT/669,353 DWT ships by type: bulk 12, cargo 2, chemical tanker 4, oil tanker 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1, specialized tanker 1

Airports: total: 69 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 4 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 5 with paved runways under 914 m: 42 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1

@Switzerland:Communications

Telephone system: 5,890,000 telephones; excellent domestic, international, and broadcast services local: NA intercity: extensive cable and microwave networks international: 2 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean) earth stations

Radio: broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 265, shortwave 0 radios: NA

Television: broadcast stations: 18 (repeaters 1,322) televisions: NA

@Switzerland:Defense Forces

Branches: Army, Air Force and Antiaircraft Command

Manpower availability: males age 15-49 1,847,639; males fit for military service 1,582,335; males reach military age (20) annually 41,831 (1995 est.)

Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $4.1 billion, 1.4% of GDP (1995)

________________________________________________________________________

SYRIA

@Syria:Geography

Location: Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon and Turkey

Map references: Middle East

Area: total area: 185,180 sq km land area: 184,050 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than North Dakota note: includes 1,295 sq km of Israeli-occupied territory

Land boundaries: total 2,253 km, Iraq 605 km, Israel 76 km, Jordan 375 km, Lebanon 375 km, Turkey 822 km

Coastline: 193 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 41 nm territorial sea: 35 nm

International disputes: separated from Israel by the 1949 Armistice Line; Golan Heights is Israeli occupied; Hatay question with Turkey; ongoing dispute over water development plans by Turkey for the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers; Syrian troops in northern Lebanon since October 1976

Climate: mostly desert; hot, dry, sunny summers (June to August) and mild, rainy winters (December to February) along coast; cold weather with snow or sleet periodically hits Damascus

Terrain: primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain; mountains in west

Natural resources: petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt, iron ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum

Land use: arable land: 28% permanent crops: 3% meadows and pastures: 46% forest and woodland: 3% other: 20%

Irrigated land: 10,000 sq km (1992)

Environment: current issues: deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution from dumping of raw sewage and wastes from petroleum refining; inadequate supplies of potable water natural hazards: dust storms, sandstorms international agreements: party to - Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Desertification, Environmental Modification

Note: there are 42 Jewish settlements and civilian land use sites in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (August 1994 est.)

@Syria:People

Population: 15,451,917 (July 1995 est.) note: in addition, there are 31,000 people living in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights - 16,500 Arabs (15,000 Druze and 1,500 Alawites) and 14,500 Jewish settlers (August 1994 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 48% (female 3,639,776; male 3,826,154) 15-64 years: 49% (female 3,691,862; male 3,854,989) 65 years and over: 3% (female 219,251; male 219,885) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.71% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 43.21 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 6.07 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 41.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 66.81 years male: 65.67 years female: 68.01 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.55 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality: noun: Syrian(s) adjective: Syrian

Ethnic divisions: Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians, and other 9.7%

Religions: Sunni Muslim 74%, Alawite, Druze, and other Muslim sects 16%, Christian (various sects) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus, Al Qamishli, and Aleppo)

Languages: Arabic (official), Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian, French widely understood

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) total population: 64% male: 78% female: 51%

Labor force: 4.3 million (1994 est.) by occupation: miscellaneous and government services 36%, agriculture 32%, industry and construction 32%; note - shortage of skilled labor (1984)

@Syria:Government

Names: conventional long form: Syrian Arab Republic conventional short form: Syria local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah local short form: Suriyah former: United Arab Republic (with Egypt)

Digraph: SY

Type: republic under leftwing military regime since March 1963

Capital: Damascus

Administrative divisions: 14 provinces (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Hasakah, Al Ladhiqiyah, Al Qunaytirah, Ar Raqqah, As Suwayda', Dar'a, Dayr az Zawr, Dimashq, Halab, Hamah, Hims, Idlib, Rif Dimashq, Tartus

Independence: 17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration)

National holiday: National Day, 17 April (1946)

Constitution: 13 March 1973

Legal system: based on Islamic law and civil law system; special religious courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Hafiz al-ASAD (since 22 February 1971 see note); Vice Presidents 'Abd al-Halim ibn Said KHADDAM, Rif'at al-ASAD, and Muhammad Zuhayr MASHARIQA (since 11 March 1984); election last held 2 December 1991 (next to be held NA December 1998); results - President Hafiz al-ASAD was reelected for a fourth seven-year term with 99.98% of the vote; note - President ASAD seized power in the November 1970 coup, assumed presidential powers 22 February 1971, and was confirmed as president in the 12 March 1971 national elections head of government: Prime Minister Mahmud ZU'BI (since 1 November 1987); Deputy Prime Minister Lt. Gen. Mustafa TALAS (since 11 March 1984); Deputy Prime Minister Salim YASIN (since NA December 1981); Deputy Prime Minister Rashid AKHTARINI (since 4 July 1992) cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president

Legislative branch: unicameral People's Council (Majlis al-Chaab): elections last held 24-25 August 1994 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (250 total) National Progressive Front 167, independents 83

Judicial branch: Supreme Constitutional Court, High Judicial Council, Court of Cassation, State Security Courts

Political parties and leaders: National Progressive Front includes: the ruling Arab Socialist Resurrectionist (Ba'th) Party, Hafiz al-ASAD, President of the Republic, Secretary General of the party, and Chairman of the National Progressive Front; Syrian Arab Socialist Party (ASP), 'Abd al-Ghani KANNUT; Arab Socialist Union (ASU), Jamal ATASSI; Syrian Communist Party (SCP), Khalid BAKDASH; Arab Socialist Unionist Movement, Sami SOUFAN; and Democratic Socialist Union Party, leader NA

Other political or pressure groups: non-Ba'th parties have little effective political influence; Communist party ineffective; conservative religious leaders; Muslim Brotherhood

Member of: ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Walid MUALEM chancery: 2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 232-6313 FAX: [1] (202) 234-9548

US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher W. S. ROSS embassy: Abou Roumaneh, Al-Mansur Street No. 2, Damascus mailing address: P. O. Box 29, Damascus telephone: [963] (11) 333-2814, 714-108, 333-3788 FAX: [963] (11) 224-7938

Flag: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with two small green five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Yemen, which has a plain white band and of Iraq, which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Egypt, which has a symbolic eagle centered in the white band

@Syria:Economy

Overview: In 1990-93 Syria's state-dominated Ba'thist economy benefited from the Gulf war, increased oil production, good weather, and economic deregulation. Economic growth averaged roughly 10%. The Gulf war provided Syria an aid windfall of nearly $5 billion dollars from Arab, European, and Japanese donors. However, the benefits of the 1990-93 boom were not evenly distributed and the gap between rich and poor is widening. A nationwide financial scandal and increasing inflation were accompanied by a decline in GDP growth to 4% in 1994. For the long run, Syria's economy is still saddled with a large number of poorly performing public sector firms, and industrial productivity remains to be improved. Oil production is likely to fall off dramatically by the end of the decade. Unemployment will become a problem for the government when the more than 60% of the population under the age of 20 enter the labor force.

National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $74.4 billion (1994 est.)

National product real growth rate: 4% (1994 est.)

National product per capita: $5,000 (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 16.3% (1993 est.)

Unemployment rate: 7.5% (1993 est.)

Budget: NA

Exports: $3.6 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: petroleum 53%, textiles 22%, cotton, fruits and vegetables, wheat, barley, chickens partners: EC 48%, former CEMA countries 24%, Arab countries 18% (1991)

Imports: $4 billion (c.i.f., 1994 est.) commodities: foodstuffs 21%, metal products 17%, machinery 15% partners: EC 37%, former CEMA countries 15%, US and Canada 10% (1991)

External debt: $19.4 billion (1993 est.)

Industrial production: growth rate NA%

Electricity: capacity: 4,160,000 kW production: 13.2 billion kWh consumption per capita: 865 kWh (1993)

Industries: textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco, phosphate rock mining, petroleum

Agriculture: accounts for 30% of GDP and one-third of labor force; all major crops (wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas) grown mainly on rain-watered land causing wide swings in production; animal products - beef, lamb, eggs, poultry, milk; not self-sufficient in grain or livestock products

Illicit drugs: a transit country for Lebanese and Turkish refined cocaine going to Europe and heroin and hashish bound for regional and Western markets

Economic aid: recipient: no US aid; about $4.2 billion in loans and grants from Arab and Western donors 1990-92 as a result of Gulf war stance

Currency: 1 Syrian pound (#S) = 100 piastres

Exchange rates: Syrian pounds (#S) per US$1 - 11.2 (official fixed rate), 26.6 (blended rate used by the UN and diplomatic missions), 42.0 (neighboring country rate - applies to most state enterprise imports), 46.0 - 53.0 (offshore rate) (yearend 1993)

Fiscal year: calendar year

@Syria:Transportation

Railroads: total: 1,998 km broad gauge: 1,766 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 232 km 1.050-m gauge

Highways: total: 31,569 km paved: 24,308 km (including 670 km of expressways) unpaved: 7,261 km

Inland waterways: 870 km; minimal economic importance

Pipelines: crude oil 1,304 km; petroleum products 515 km

Ports: Baniyas, Jablah, Latakia, Tartus

Merchant marine: total: 80 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 233,701 GRT/364,714 DWT ships by type: bulk 10, cargo 68, vehicle carrier 2

Airports: total: 107 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 5 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 16 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 67 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 3 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 15

@Syria:Communications

Telephone system: 512,600 telephones; 37 telephones/1,000 persons; fair system currently undergoing significant improvement and digital upgrades, including fiber optic technology local: NA intercity: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay network international: 1 INTELSAT (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik earth station; 1 submarine cable; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey

Radio: broadcast stations: AM 9, FM 1, shortwave 0 radios: NA

Television: broadcast stations: 17 televisions: NA

@Syria:Defense Forces

Branches: Syrian Arab Army, Syrian Arab Navy, Syrian Arab Air Force, Syrian Arab Air Defense Forces, Police and Security Force

Manpower availability: males age 15-49 3,440,030; males fit for military service 1,927,930; males reach military age (19) annually 159,942 (1995 est.)

Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $2.2 billion, 6% of GDP (1992)

________________________________________________________________________

TAIWAN

@Taiwan:Geography

Location: Eastern Asia, islands bordering the East China Sea, Philippine Sea, South China Sea, and Taiwan Strait, north of the Philippines, off the southeastern coast of China

Map references: Southeast Asia

Area: total area: 35,980 sq km land area: 32,260 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Maryland and Delaware combined note: includes the Pescadores, Matsu, and Quemoy

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 1,448 km

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

International disputes: involved in complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with China, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; Paracel Islands occupied by China, but claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; Japanese-administered Senkaku-shoto (Senkaku Islands/Diaoyu Tai) claimed by China and Taiwan

Climate: tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June to August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year

Terrain: eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently rolling plains in west

Natural resources: small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and asbestos

Land use: arable land: 24% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 5% forest and woodland: 55% other: 15%

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Environment: current issues: water pollution from industrial emissions, raw sewage; air pollution; contamination of drinking water supplies; trade in endangered species natural hazards: earthquakes and typhoons international agreements: signed, but not ratified - Marine Life Conservation

@Taiwan:People

Population: 21,500,583 (July 1995 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 24% (female 2,543,134; male 2,665,878) 15-64 years: 68% (female 7,191,964; male 7,482,814) 65 years and over: 8% (female 734,535; male 882,258) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.93% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 15.33 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 5.71 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 5.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.47 years male: 72.17 years female: 78.93 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.81 children born/woman (1995 est.)

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

Ethnic divisions: Taiwanese 84%, mainland Chinese 14%, aborigine 2%

Religions: mixture of Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist 93%, Christian 4.5%, other 2.5%

Languages: Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka dialects

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1980) total population: 86% male: 93% female: 79%

Labor force: 7.9 million by occupation: industry and commerce 53%, services 22%, agriculture 15.6%, civil administration 7% (1989)

@Taiwan:Government

Names: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Taiwan local long form: none local short form: T'ai-wan

Digraph: TW

Type: multiparty democratic regime; opposition political parties legalized in March, 1989

Capital: Taipei

Administrative divisions: some of the ruling party in Taipei claim to be the government of all China; in keeping with that claim, the central administrative divisions include 2 provinces (sheng, singular and plural) and 2 municipalities* (shih, singular and plural) - Fu-chien (some 20 offshore islands of Fujian Province including Quemoy and Matsu), Kao-hsiung*, T'ai-pei*, and Taiwan (the island of Taiwan and the Pescadores islands); the more commonly referenced administrative divisions are those of Taiwan Province - 16 counties (hsien, singular and plural), 5 municipalities* (shih, singular and plural), and 2 special municipalities** (chuan-shih, singular and plural); Chang-hua, Chia-i, Chia-i*, Chi-lung*, Hsin-chu, Hsin-chu*, Hua-lien, I-lan, Kao-hsiung, Kao-hsiung**, Miao-li, Nan-t'ou, P'eng-hu, P'ing-tung, T'ai-chung, T'ai-chung*, T'ai-nan, T'ai-nan*, T'ai-pei, T'ai-pei**, T'ai-tung, T'ao-yuan, and Yun-lin; the provincial capital is at Chung-hsing-hsin-ts'un note: Taiwan uses the Wade-Giles system for romanization

National holiday: National Day, 10 October (1911) (Anniversary of the Revolution)

Constitution: 1 January 1947, amended in 1992, presently undergoing revision

Legal system: based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President LI Teng-hui (since 13 January 1988); Vice President LI Yuan-zu (since 20 May 1990) head of government: Premier (President of the Executive Yuan) LIEN Chan (since 23 February 1993); Vice Premier (Vice President of the Executive Yuan) HSU Li-teh (since 23 February 1993); presidential election last held 21 March 1990 (next election will probably be a direct popular election and will be held NA March 1996); results - President LI Teng-hui was reelected by the National Assembly; vice presidential election last held 21 March 1990; results - LI Yuan-zu was elected by the National Assembly cabinet: Executive Yuan; appointed by the president

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Yuan and unicameral National Assembly Legislative Yuan: elections last held 19 December 1992 (next to be held NA December 1995); results - KMT 60%, DPP 31%, independents 9%; seats - (304 total, 161 elected) KMT 96, DPP 50, independents 15 National Assembly: first National Assembly elected in November 1946 with a supplementary election in December 1986; second and present National Assembly elected in December 1991; seats - (403 total) KMT 318, DPP 75, other 10; (next election to be held probably in 1996 and will be a direct popular election)

Judicial branch: Judicial Yuan

Political parties and leaders: Kuomintang (KMT, Nationalist Party), LI Teng-hui, chairman; Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), SHIH Ming-teh, chairman; Chinese New Party (CNP); Labor Party (LP)

Other political or pressure groups: Taiwan independence movement, various environmental groups note: debate on Taiwan independence has become acceptable within the mainstream of domestic politics on Taiwan; political liberalization and the increased representation of the opposition Democratic Progressive Party in Taiwan's legislature have opened public debate on the island's national identity; advocates of Taiwan independence, both within the DPP and the ruling Kuomintang, oppose the ruling party's traditional stand that the island will eventually unify with mainland China; the aims of the Taiwan independence movement include establishing a sovereign nation on Taiwan and entering the UN; other organizations supporting Taiwan independence include the World United Formosans for Independence and the Organization for Taiwan Nation Building

Member of: expelled from UN General Assembly and Security Council on 25 October 1971 and withdrew on same date from other charter-designated subsidiary organs; expelled from IMF/World Bank group April/May 1980; seeking to join GATT; attempting to retain membership in INTELSAT; suspended from IAEA in 1972, but still allows IAEA controls over extensive atomic development, APEC, AsDB, BCIE, ICC, IOC, WCL

Diplomatic representation in US: none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people of the US are maintained through a private instrumentality, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) with headquarters in Taipei and field offices in Washington and 10 other US cities

US diplomatic representation: unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people of Taiwan are maintained through a private institution, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), which has offices in Taipei at #7, Lane 134, Hsin Yi Road, Section 3, telephone [886] (2) 709-2000, and in Kao-hsiung at #2 Chung Cheng 3d Road, telephone [886] (7) 224-0154 through 0157, and the American Trade Center at Room 3207 International Trade Building, Taipei World Trade Center, 333 Keelung Road Section 1, Taipei 10548, telephone [886] (2) 720-1550

Flag: red with a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays

@Taiwan:Economy

Overview: Taiwan has a dynamic capitalist economy with considerable government guidance of investment and foreign trade and partial government ownership of some large banks and industrial firms. Real growth in GNP has averaged about 9% a year during the past three decades. Export growth has been even faster and has provided the impetus for industrialization. Inflation and unemployment are remarkably low. Agriculture contributes about 4% to GDP, down from 35% in 1952. Taiwan currently ranks as number 13 among major trading countries. Traditional labor-intensive industries are steadily being replaced with more capital- and technology-intensive industries. Taiwan has become a major investor in China, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Vietnam. The tightening of labor markets has led to an influx of foreign workers, both legal and illegal.

National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $257 billion (1994 est.)

National product real growth rate: 6% (1994 est.)

National product per capita: $12,070 (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.2% (1994 est.)

Unemployment rate: 1.6% (1994)

Budget: revenues: $30.3 billion expenditures: $30.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1991 est.)

Exports: $93 billion (f.o.b., 1994) commodities: electrical machinery 19.7%, electronic products 19.6%, textiles 10.9%, footwear 3.3%, foodstuffs 1.0%, plywood and wood products 0.9% (1993 est.) partners: US 27.6%, Hong Kong 21.7%, EC countries 15.2%, Japan 10.5% (1994 est.)

Imports: $85.1 billion (c.i.f., 1994) commodities: machinery and equipment 15.7%, electronic products 15.6%, chemicals 9.8%, iron and steel 8.5%, crude oil 3.9%, foodstuffs 2.1% (1993 est.) partners: Japan 30.1%, US 21.7%, EC countries 17.6% (1993 est.)

External debt: $620 million (1992 est.)

Industrial production: growth rate 4.5% (1994 est.); accounts for more than 40% of GDP

Electricity: capacity: 21,460,000 kW production: 108 billion kWh consumption per capita: 4,789 kWh (1993)

Industries: electronics, textiles, chemicals, clothing, food processing, plywood, sugar milling, cement, shipbuilding, petroleum refining

Agriculture: accounts for 4% of GDP and 16% of labor force (includes part-time farmers); heavily subsidized sector; major crops - vegetables, rice, fruit, tea; livestock - hogs, poultry, beef, milk; not self-sufficient in wheat, soybeans, corn; fish catch increasing, reached 1.4 million metric tons in 1988

Illicit drugs: an important heroin transit point; also a major drug money laundering center

Economic aid: recipient: US, including Ex-Im (FY46-82), $4.6 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $500 million

Currency: 1 New Taiwan dollar (NT$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: New Taiwan dollars per US$1 - 26.2 (1994), 26.6 (1993), 25.4 (1992), 25.748 (1991), 27.108 (1990), 26.407 (1989)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

@Taiwan:Transportation

Railroads: total: 4,600 km; note - 1,075 km in common carrier service and about 3,525 km is dedicated to industrial use narrow gauge: 4,600 km 1.067-m

Highways: total: 20,041 km paved: bituminous, concrete pavement 17,095 km unpaved: crushed stone, gravel 2,371 km; graded earth 575 km

Pipelines: petroleum products 615 km; natural gas 97 km

Ports: Chi-lung (Keelung), Hua-lien, Kao-hsiung, Su-ao, T'ai-chung

Merchant marine: total: 198 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,635,682 GRT/8,652,111 DWT ships by type: bulk 55, cargo 30, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk 2, combination ore/oil 1, container 78, oil tanker 17, passenger-cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 12, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1

Airports: total: 41 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 8 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 6 with paved runways under 914 m: 8 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 2

@Taiwan:Communications

Telephone system: 7,800,000 telephones; best developed system in Asia outside of Japan local: NA intercity: extensive microwave radio relay links on east and west coasts international: 2 INTELSAT (1 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) earth stations; submarine cable links to Japan (Okinawa), Philippines, Guam, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe

Radio: broadcast stations: AM 91, FM 23, shortwave 0 radios: 8.62 million

Television: broadcast stations: 15 (repeaters 13) televisions: 6.386 million (color 5,680,000, monochrome 706,000)

@Taiwan:Defense Forces

Branches: Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force, Coastal Patrol and Defense Command, Armed Forces Reserve Command, Military Police Command

Manpower availability: males age 15-49 6,293,884; males fit for military service 4,863,014; males reach military age (19) annually 201,191 (1995 est.)

Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $9.8 billion, 3.4% of GDP (FY94/95); $9.77 billion proposed for FY95/96 budget

________________________________________________________________________

TAJIKISTAN

Note--Tajikistan has experienced three changes of government since it gained independence in September 1991. The current president, Emomali RAKHMONOV, was elected to the presidency in November 1994, yet has been in power since 1992. The country is suffering through its third year of a civil war, with no clear end in sight. Underlying the conflict are deeply-rooted regional and clan-based animosities that pit a government consisting of people primarily from the Kulob (Kulyab), Khujand (Leninabad), and Hisor (Hissar) regions against a secular and Islamic-led opposition from the Gharm, Gorno-Badakhshan, and Qurghonteppa (Kurgan-Tyube) regions. Government and opposition representatives have held periodic rounds of UN-mediated peace talks and agreed in September 1994 to a cease-fire. Russian-led peacekeeping troops are deployed throughout the country, and Russian border guards are stationed along the Tajik-Afghan border.

@Tajikistan:Geography

Location: Central Asia, west of China

Map references: Commonwealth of Independent States - Central Asian States

Area: total area: 143,100 sq km land area: 142,700 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Wisconsin

Land boundaries: total 3,651 km, Afghanistan 1,206 km, China 414 km, Kyrgyzstan 870 km, Uzbekistan 1,161 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none; landlocked

International disputes: boundary with China in dispute; territorial dispute with Kyrgyzstan on northern boundary in Isfara Valley area; Afghanistan's and other foreign support to Tajik rebels based in northern Afghanistan

Climate: midlatitude continental, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid to polar in Pamir Mountains

Terrain: Pamir and Altay Mountains dominate landscape; western Fergana Valley in north, Kofarnihon and Vakhsh Valleys in southwest

Natural resources: significant hydropower potential, some petroleum, uranium, mercury, brown coal, lead, zinc, antimony, tungsten

Land use: arable land: 6% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 23% forest and woodland: 0% other: 71%

Irrigated land: 6,940 sq km (1990)

Environment: current issues: inadequate sanitation facilities; increasing levels of soil salinity; industrial pollution; excessive pesticides; part of the basin of the shrinking Aral Sea which suffers from severe overutilization of available water for irrigation and associated pollution natural hazards: NA international agreements: NA

Note: landlocked

@Tajikistan:People

Population: 6,155,474 (July 1995 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 43% (female 1,303,627; male 1,340,086) 15-64 years: 53% (female 1,612,429; male 1,624,379) 65 years and over: 4% (female 157,841; male 117,112) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.6% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 34.06 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 6.58 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.44 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 60.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 69.03 years male: 66.11 years female: 72.1 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.55 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality: noun: Tajik(s) adjective: Tajik

Ethnic divisions: Tajik 64.9%, Uzbek 25%, Russian 3.5% (declining because of emigration), other 6.6%

Religions: Sunni Muslim 80%, Shi'a Muslim 5%

Languages: Tajik (official), Russian widely used in government and business

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1989) total population: 98% male: 99% female: 97%

Labor force: 1.95 million (1992) by occupation: agriculture and forestry 43%, government and services 24%, industry 14%, trade and communications 11%, construction 8% (1990)

@Tajikistan:Government

Names: conventional long form: Republic of Tajikistan conventional short form: Tajikistan local long form: Jumhurii Tojikistan local short form: none former: Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic

Digraph: TI

Type: republic

Capital: Dushanbe

Administrative divisions: 2 oblasts (viloyatho, singular - viloyat) and one autonomous oblast* (viloyati avtonomii); Viloyati Avtonomii Badakhshoni Kuni* (Khorugh - formerly Khorog), Viloyati Khatlon (Qurghonteppa - formerly Kurgan-Tyube), Viloyati Leninobad (Khujand - formerly Leninabad) note: the administrative center names are in parentheses

Independence: 9 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: National Day, 9 September (1991)

Constitution: new constitution adopted 6 November 1994

Legal system: based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Emomili RAKHMONOV (since 6 November 1994; was Head of State and Assembly Chairman since NA November 1992); election last held 6 November 1994 (next to be held NA 1998); results - Emomili RAKHMONOV 58%, Abdumalik ABDULLAJANOV 40% head of government: Prime Minister Jamshed KARIMOV (since 2 December 1994) cabinet: Council of Ministers

Legislative branch: unicameral Supreme Soviet: elections last held 26 February 1994 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; estimated seats - (181 total) Communist Party and affiliates 100, Popular Party 10, Party of Political and Economic Progress 1, Party of Popular Unity 6, other 64

Judicial branch: Prosecutor General

Political parties and leaders: Communist Party (People's Party of Tajikistan - PPT), Abdumalik ABDULAJANOV; Party of Economic Freedom (PEF), Abdumalik ABDULAJANOV; Tajik Socialist Party (TSP), Shodi SHABDOLOV; Tajik Democratic Party (TDP), Abdu-Nabi SATARZADE, chairman; note - suspended for six months; Islamic Renaissance Party (IRP), Sayed Abdullo NURI, chairman; Rebirth (Rastokhez), Takhir ABDUZHABOROV; Lali Badakhshan Society, Atobek AMIRBEK; People's Democratic Party (PDP), Abdujalil HAMIDOV, chairman; Tajikistan Party of Economic and Political Renewal (TPEPR), Mukhtor BOBOYEV note: all the above-listed parties except the Communist Party, the Party of National Unity, and the People's Party were banned in June 1993

Other political or pressure groups: Tajikistan Opposition Movement based in northern Afghanistan

Member of: CIS, EBRD, ECO, ESCAP, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NACC, OIC, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: NA chancery: NA telephone: NA

US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Stanley T. ESCUDERO embassy: Interim Chancery, #39 Ainii Street, Oktyabrskaya Hotel, Dushanbe mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [7] (3772) 21-03-56

Flag: three horizontal stripes of red (top), a wider stripe of white, and green; a crown surmounted by seven five-pointed stars is located in the center of the white stripe

@Tajikistan:Economy

Overview: Tajikistan had the next-to-lowest per capita GDP in the former USSR, the highest rate of population growth, and an extremely low standard of living. Agriculture dominates the economy, cotton being the most important crop. Mineral resources, varied but limited in amount, include silver, gold, uranium, and tungsten. Industry is limited to a large aluminum plant, hydropower facilities, and small obsolete factories mostly in light industry and food processing. The Tajik economy has been gravely weakened by three years of civil war and by the loss of subsidies and markets for its products, which has left Tajikistan dependent on Russia and Uzbekistan and on international humanitarian assistance for much of its basic subsistence needs. Moreover, constant political turmoil and the continued dominance by former Communist officials have impeded the introduction of meaningful economic reforms. In the meantime, Tajikistan's efforts to adopt the Russian ruble as its domestic currency despite Russia's unwillingness to supply sufficient rubles left the country in a severe monetary crisis throughout 1994, keeping inflation low but leaving workers and pensioners unpaid for months at a time. The government has announced plans to introduce its own currency in 1995 to help resolve the problem.

National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $8.5 billion (1994 estimate as extrapolated from World Bank estimate for 1992)

National product real growth rate: -12% (1994 est.)

National product per capita: $1,415 (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

Unemployment rate: 1.5% includes only officially registered unemployed; also large numbers of underemployed workers and unregistered unemployed people (September 1994)

Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Exports: $320 million to outside the FSU countries (1994) commodities: cotton, aluminum, fruits, vegetable oil, textiles partners: Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan

Imports: $318 million from outside the FSU countries (1994) commodities: fuel, chemicals, machinery and transport equipment, textiles, foodstuffs partners: Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan

External debt: $NA

Industrial production: growth rate -31% (1994)

Electricity: capacity: 3,800,000 kW production: 17 billion kWh consumption per capita: 2,800 kWh (1994)

Industries: aluminum, zinc, lead, chemicals and fertilizers, cement, vegetable oil, metal-cutting machine tools, refrigerators and freezers

Agriculture: cotton, grain, fruits, grapes, vegetables; cattle, sheep and goats

Illicit drugs: illicit cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy; mostly for CIS consumption; used as transshipment points for illicit drugs from Southwest Asia to Western Europe and North America

Economic aid: recipient: Russia and Uzbekistan reportedly provided substantial general assistance throughout 1993 and 1994; Western aid and credits promised through the end of 1993 were $700 million but disbursements were only $104 million; large scale development loans await IMF approval of a reform and stabilization plan

Currency: 1 ruble (R) = 100 kopeks; Tajikistan uses the Russian ruble as its currency by agreement with Russia; government has plans to introduce its own currency, the Tajik ruble, in 1995

Exchange rates: NA

Fiscal year: calendar year

@Tajikistan:Transportation

Railroads: total: 480 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines (1990)

Highways: total: 29,900 km paved: 21,400 km unpaved: earth 8,500 km (1990)

Pipelines: natural gas 400 km (1992)

Ports: none

Airports: total: 59 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 9 with unpaved runways under 914 m: 36

@Tajikistan:Communications

Telephone system: 303,000 telephones (December 1991); about 55 telephones/1,000 persons (1991); poorly developed and not well maintained; many towns are not reached by the national network local: NA intercity: cable and microwave radio relay international: linked by cable and microwave to other CIS republics, and by leased connections to the Moscow international gateway switch; Dushanbe linked by INTELSAT to international gateway switch in Ankara; 1 Orbita and 2 INTELSAT earth stations

Radio: broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA radios: NA

Television: broadcast stations: NA televisions: NA note: 1 INTELSAT earth station provides TV receive-only service from Turkey

@Tajikistan:Defense Forces

Branches: Army (being formed), National Guard, Security Forces (internal and border troops)

Manpower availability: males age 15-49 1,410,229; males fit for military service 1,153,638; males reach military age (18) annually 57,942 (1995 est.)

Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP

________________________________________________________________________

TANZANIA

@Tanzania:Geography

Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Kenya and Mozambique

Map references: Africa

Area: total area: 945,090 sq km land area: 886,040 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than twice the size of California note: includes the islands of Mafia, Pemba, and Zanzibar

Land boundaries: total 3,402 km, Burundi 451 km, Kenya 769 km, Malawi 475 km, Mozambique 756 km, Rwanda 217 km, Uganda 396 km, Zambia 338 km

Coastline: 1,424 km

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

International disputes: boundary dispute with Malawi in Lake Nyasa; Tanzania-Zaire-Zambia tripoint in Lake Tanganyika may no longer be indefinite since it is reported that the indefinite section of the Zaire-Zambia boundary has been settled

Climate: varies from tropical along coast to temperate in highlands

Terrain: plains along coast; central plateau; highlands in north, south

Natural resources: hydropower potential, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds, gemstones, gold, natural gas, nickel

Land use: arable land: 5% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 40% forest and woodland: 47% other: 7%

Irrigated land: 1,530 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment: current issues: soil degradation; deforestation; desertification; destruction of coral reefs threatens marine habitats; recent droughts affected marginal agriculture natural hazards: the tsetse fly and lack of water limit agriculture; flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season international agreements: party to - Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification

Note: Mount Kilimanjaro is highest point in Africa

@Tanzania:People

Population: 28,701,077 (July 1995 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 47% (female 6,724,575; male 6,676,652) 15-64 years: 50% (female 7,462,615; male 7,027,551) 65 years and over: 3% (female 425,211; male 384,473) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.55% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 45.25 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 19.81 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.) note: in February 1995, a fresh influx of refugees from civil strife in Burundi brought the total number of Burundian refugees in Tanzania to about 60,000; in addition, since April 1994 more than a half million refugees from Rwanda have taken refuge in Tanzania to escape civil strife in Rwanda

Infant mortality rate: 109 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 42.53 years male: 40.88 years female: 44.22 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.15 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality: noun: Tanzanian(s) adjective: Tanzanian

Ethnic divisions: mainland: native African 99% (consisting of well over 100 tribes), Asian, European, and Arab 1% Zanzibar: NA

Religions: mainland: Christian 45%, Muslim 35%, indigenous beliefs 20% Zanzibar: Muslim 99% plus

Languages: Swahili (official; widely understood and generally used for communication between ethnic groups and is used in primary education), English (official; primary language of commerce, administration, and higher education) note: first language of most people is one of the local languages

Literacy: age 15 and over has ability to read and write a letter or message in Kisahili (1988) total population: 59% male: 71% female: 48%

Labor force: 732,200 wage earners by occupation: agriculture 90%, industry and commerce 10% (1986 est.)

@Tanzania:Government

Names: conventional long form: United Republic of Tanzania conventional short form: Tanzania former: United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar

Digraph: TZ

Type: republic

Capital: Dar es Salaam note: some government offices have been transferred to Dodoma, which is planned as the new national capital by the end of the 1990s

Administrative divisions: 25 regions; Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Iringa, Kigoma, Kilimanjaro, Lindi, Mara, Mbeya, Morogoro, Mtwara, Mwanza, Pemba North, Pemba South, Pwani, Rukwa, Ruvuma, Shinyanga, Singida, Tabora, Tanga, Zanzibar Central/South, Zanzibar North, Zanzibar Urban/West, Ziwa Magharibi

Independence: 26 April 1964; Tanganyika became independent 9 December 1961 (from UN trusteeship under British administration); Zanzibar became independent 19 December 1963 (from UK); Tanganyika united with Zanzibar 26 April 1964 to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar; renamed United Republic of Tanzania 29 October 1964

National holiday: Union Day, 26 April (1964)

Constitution: 25 April 1977; major revisions October 1984

Legal system: based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts limited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Ali Hassan MWINYI (since 5 November 1985); First Vice President Cleopa MSUYA (since 5 December 1994); Second Vice President and President of Zanzibar Salmin AMOUR (since 9 November 1990) election last held 28 October 1990 (next to be held 29 October 1995); results - Ali Hassan MWINYI was elected without opposition head of government: Prime Minister Cleopa David MSUYA (since 7 December 1994) cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the president from the National Assembly

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Bunge): elections last held 28 October 1990 (next to be held 29 October 1995); results - CCM was the only party; seats - (241 total, 168 elected) CCM 168

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal, High Court

Political parties and leaders: Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM or Revolutionary Party), Ali Hassan MWINYI; Civic United Front (CUF), James MAPALALA; National Convention for Construction and Reform (NCCR), Lyatonga (Augustine) MREMA; Union for Multiparty Democracy (UMD), Abdullah FUNDIKIRA; Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA), Edwin I. M. MTEI, chairman; Democratic Party (unregistered), Reverend MTIKLA

Member of: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, EADB, ECA, FAO, FLS, G- 6, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Charles Musama NYIRABU chancery: 2139 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-6125 FAX: [1] (202) 797-7408

US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Brady ANDERSON embassy: 36 Laibon Road (off Bagamoyo Road), Dar es Salaam mailing address: P. O. Box 9123, Dar es Salaam telephone: [255] (51) 66010 through 66015 FAX: [255] (51) 66701

Flag: divided diagonally by a yellow-edged black band from the lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green and the lower triangle is blue

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