Chapter XLV: Part 45

Merchant marine: total: 515 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,986,328 GRT/10,157,071 DWT ships by type: bulk 155, cargo 232, chemical tanker 24, combination bulk 7, combination ore/oil 11, container 6, liquefied gas tanker 4, livestock carrier 1, oil tanker 43, passenger-cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 20, short-sea passenger 7, specialized tanker 2 note: Turkey owns an additional 34 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 163,512 DWT operating under the registries of The Bahamas, Malta, and Panama (1996 est.)

Airports: 104 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 94 over 3,047 m : 16 2,438 to 3,047 m: 20 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 28 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total : 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 8 (1996 est.)

Heliports: 2 (1996 est.)

Military

Military branches: Land Forces, Navy (includes Naval Air and Naval Infantry), Air Force, Coast Guard, Gendarmerie

Military manpower - military age: 20 years of age

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 17,352,876 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males: 10,553,157 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 649,336 (1997 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $4.3 billion (1996); note - figures do not include about $7 billion for the government's counterinsurgency effort

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3.5% (1996)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: complex maritime, air and territorial disputes with Greece in Aegean Sea; Cyprus question with Greece; Hatay question with Syria; dispute with downstream riparians (Syria and Iraq) over water development plans for the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers; traditional demands on former Armenian lands in Turkey have subsided

Illicit drugs: major transit route for Southwest Asian heroin and hashish to Western Europe and the US via air, land, and sea routes; major Turkish, Iranian, and other international trafficking organizations operate out of Istanbul; laboratories to convert imported morphine base into heroin are in remote regions of Turkey as well as near Istanbul; government maintains strict controls over areas of legal opium poppy cultivation and output of poppy straw concentrate ______________________________________________________________________

TURKMENISTAN

@Turkmenistan:Geography

Location: Central Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Kazakstan

Geographic coordinates: 40 00 N, 60 00 E

Map references: Commonwealth of Independent States

Area: total : 488,100 sq km land: 488,100 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than California

Land boundaries: total: 3,736 km border countries: Afghanistan 744 km, Iran 992 km, Kazakstan 379 km, Uzbekistan 1,621 km

Coastline: 0 km note: Turkmenistan borders the Caspian Sea (1,768 km)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: subtropical desert

Terrain: flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes rising to mountains in the south; low mountains along border with Iran; borders Caspian Sea in west

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Sarygamysh Koli -110 m highest point: Ayrybaba 3,139 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, coal, sulfur, salt

Land use: arable land: 3% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 63% forests and woodland: 8% other: 26% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 13,000 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: contamination of soil and groundwater with agricultural chemicals, pesticides; salinization, water-logging of soil due to poor irrigation methods; Caspian Sea pollution; diversion of a large share of the flow of the Amu Darya into irrigation contributes to that river's inability to replenish the Aral Sea; desertification

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: landlocked

@Turkmenistan:People

Population: 4,229,249 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 39% (male 840,168; female 812,573) 15-64 years : 57% (male 1,182,706; female 1,217,484) 65 years and over: 4% (male 66,451; female 109,867) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.61% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 26.61 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 8.65 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth : 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 72.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 61.51 years male: 57.88 years female: 65.31 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.31 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality: noun : Turkmen(s) adjective: Turkmen

Ethnic groups: Turkmen 77%, Uzbek 9.2%, Russian 6.7%, Kazak 2%, other 5.1% (1995)

Religions: Muslim 89%, Eastern Orthodox 9%, unknown 2%

Languages: Turkmen 72%, Russian 12%, Uzbek 9%, other 7%

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

@Turkmenistan:Government

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Turkmenistan local long form: none local short form: Turkmenistan former: Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic

Data code: TX

Government type: republic

National capital: Ashgabat

Administrative divisions: 5 welayatlar (singular - welayat): Ahal Welayaty (Ashgabat), Balkan Welayaty (Nebitdag), Dashhowuz Welayaty (formerly Tashauz), Lebap Welayaty (Charjew), Mary Welayaty note : administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)

Independence: 27 October 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day, 27 October (1991)

Constitution: adopted 18 May 1992

Legal system: based on civil law system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President and Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Saparmurat NIYAZOV (since 27 October 1990, when the first direct presidential election occurred); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President and Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Saparmurat NIYAZOV; note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government; Deputy Chairmen of the Cabinet of Ministers Mukhamed ABALAKOV (since NA), Babamurad BAZAROV (since NA), Dadebaya ANNAGELDIYEV (since NA), Orazgeldy AYDOGDYYEV (since NA), Hudaayguly HALYKOV (since NA), Aleksandr DADONOV (since NA), Pirkuly ODEYEV (since NA), Rejep SAPAROV (since NA), Boris SHIKHMURADOV (since NA), Batyr SARJAYEV (since NA), Ilaman SHYKHYYEV (since NA) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president note: NIYAZOV has been asked by various local groups, most recently on 26 October 1995 at the annual elders meeting, to be "president for life," but he has declined, saying the status would require an amendment to the constitution elections : president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 21 June 1992 (next to be held NA 2002; note - extension of President NIYAZOV's term for an additional five years overwhelmingly approved - 99.9% of total vote in favor - by national referendum held 15 January 1994); deputy chairmen of the cabinet of ministers are appointed by the president election results: Saparmurad NIYAZOV elected president without opposition; percent of vote - Saparmurad NIYAZOV 99.5%

Legislative branch: under the 1992 constitution, there are two parliamentary bodies, a unicameral People's Council or Halk Maslahaty (more than 100 seats, some of which are popularly elected and some are appointed; meets infrequently) and a unicameral Assembly or Majlis (50 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections : People's Council - no elections; Assembly - last held 11 December 1994 (next to be held NA 1999) election results: Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 45, other 5; note - all 50 preapproved by President NIYAZOV

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party of Turkmenistan [Saparmurat NIYAZOV]; Party for Democratic Development [Durdymurat HOJA-MUHAMEDOV, chairman]; Agzybirlik [Nurberdy NURMAMEDOV, cochairman, Hubayberdi HALLIYEV, cochairman] note: formal opposition parties are outlawed; unofficial, small opposition movements exist underground or in foreign countries

International organization participation: CCC, CIS, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, IDB, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NACC, NAM, OIC, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Halil UGUR chancery: 2207 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 588-1500 FAX : [1] (202) 588-0697

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Michael W. COTTER embassy : 9 Pushkin Street, Ashgabat mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [9] (9312) 35-00-45, 35-00-46, 35-00-42, Tie Line [8] 962-0000 FAX: [9] (9312) 51-13-05

Flag description: green field, including a vertical stripe on the hoist side, with a claret vertical stripe in between containing five white, black, and orange carpet guls (an asymmetrical design used in producing rugs) associated with five different tribes; a white crescent and five white stars in the upper left corner to the right of the carpet guls

Economy

Economy - overview: Turkmenistan is largely desert country with nomadic cattle raising, intensive agriculture in irrigated oases, and huge gas and oil resources. One-half of its irrigated land is planted in cotton, making it the world's tenth largest producer. It also possesses the world's fifth largest reserves of natural gas and substantial oil resources. Until the end of 1993, Turkmenistan had experienced less economic disruption than other former Soviet states because its economy received a boost from higher prices for oil and gas and a sharp increase in hard currency earnings. In 1994, Russia's refusal to export Turkmen gas to hard currency markets and mounting debts of its major customers in the former USSR for gas deliveries contributed to a sharp fall in industrial production and caused the budget to shift from a surplus to a slight deficit. The economy recovered slightly in 1996, but high inflation continued. Furthermore, with an authoritarian ex-communist regime in power and a tribally based social structure, Turkmenistan has taken a cautious approach to economic reform, hoping to use gas and cotton sales to sustain its inefficient economy. In 1996, the government set in place a stabilization program aimed at a unified and market-based exchange rate, allocation of government credits by auction, and strict limits on budget deficits. Privatization goals remain limited. Turkmenistan is working hard to open new gas export channels through Iran and Turkey to Europe, but these will take many years to realize.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $11.8 billion (1996 estimate as extrapolated from World Bank estimate for 1994)

GDP - real growth rate: 0.1% (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,840 (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture : 16% industry: 48% services: 36% (1996 est.)

Inflation rate - consumer price index: 600% (1996 est.)

Labor force: total : 1.68 million (1995) by occupation: agriculture and forestry 43%, industry and construction 20%, other 37% (1992)

Unemployment rate: NA%

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

Industries: natural gas, oil, petroleum products, textiles, food processing

Industrial production growth rate: 17.9% (1996 est.)

Electricity - capacity: 3.95 million kW (1994)

Electricity - production: 9.87 billion kWh (1994)

Electricity - consumption per capita: 1,855 kWh (1995 est.)

Agriculture - products: cotton, grain; livestock

Exports: total value: $1.8 billion to states outside the FSU (1996 est.) commodities: natural gas, cotton, petroleum products, electricity, textiles, carpets partners: FSU, Eastern Europe, Turkey, Argentina

Imports: total value : $1.3 billion from states outside the FSU (1996 est.) commodities: machinery and parts, grain and food, plastics and rubber, consumer durables, textiles partners: FSU, Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Turkey

Debt - external: $400 million (of which $275 million to Russia) (1995 est.)

Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $10 million (1993) note: commitments, $1,830 million ($375 million drawn), 1992-95

Currency: 1 Tukmen manat (TMM) = 100 tenesi; Turkmenistan introduced its national currency on 1 November 1993

Exchange rates: manats per US$1 - 4,070 (January 1997), 2,400 (January 1996) note: government established a unified rate in mid-January 1996

Fiscal year: calendar year

@Turkmenistan:Communications

Telephones: NA

Telephone system: poorly developed domestic: NA international : linked by cable and microwave radio relay to other CIS republics and to other countries by leased connections to the Moscow international gateway switch; a new telephone link from Ashgabat to Iran has been established; a new exchange in Ashgabat switches international traffic through Turkey via Intelsat; satellite earth stations - 1 Orbita and 1 Intelsat

Radio broadcast stations: 1 state-owned radio broadcast station of NA type

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 1 state-run

Televisions: NA

@Turkmenistan:Transportation

Railways: total: 2,187 km broad gauge: 2,187 km 1.520-m gauge (1996 est.)

Highways: total: 23,000 km paved: 18,300 km (note - these roads are said to be hard-surfaced, meaning that some are paved and some are all-weather gravel surfaced unpaved: 4,700 km (1990 est.)

Waterways: the Amu Darya is an important inland waterway

Pipelines: crude oil 250 km; natural gas 4,400 km

Ports and harbors: Turkmenbashi (formerly Krasnowodsk)

Merchant marine: total: 1 oil tanker ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,896 GRT/3,389 DWT (1996 est.)

Airports: 64 (1994 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 22 2,438 to 3,047 m: 13 1,524 to 2,437 m : 8 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1994 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total : 42 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 35 (1994 est.)

Military

Military branches: Army, Air and Air Defense, Republic Security Forces (internal and border troops), National Guard

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,052,184 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males: 856,380 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males : 42,948 (1997 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: 4.5 billion manats (1995); note - conversion of defense expenditures into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3% (1995)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: Caspian Sea boundaries are not yet determined among Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan

Illicit drugs: limited illicit cultivator of opium poppy, mostly for domestic consumption; limited government eradication program; increasingly used as transshipment point for illicit drugs from Southwest Asia to Russia and Western Europe; also a transshipment point for acetic anhydride destined for Afghanistan ______________________________________________________________________

TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS

(dependent territory of the UK)

@Turks and Caicos Islands:Geography

Location: Caribbean, two island groups in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of The Bahamas

Geographic coordinates: 21 45 N, 71 35 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 430 sq km land: 430 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 389 km

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

Climate: tropical; marine; moderated by trade winds; sunny and relatively dry

Terrain: low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swamps

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Blue Hills 49 m

Natural resources: spiny lobster, conch

Land use: arable land : 2% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures: NA% forests and woodland: NA% other: 98% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: frequent hurricanes

Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources, private cisterns collect rainwater

Environment - international agreements: party to : NA signed, but not ratified: NA

Geography - note: 30 islands (eight inhabited)

@Turks and Caicos Islands:People

Population: 14,631 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years : NA 65 years and over: NA

Population growth rate: 1.88% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 12.3 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 5.14 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 11.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: NA male(s)/female under 15 years: NA male(s)/female 15-64 years : NA male(s)/female 65 years and over: NA male(s)/female total population: NA male(s)/female

Infant mortality rate: 12.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.42 years male: 73.49 years female: 77.1 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.78 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality: noun: none adjective: none

Ethnic groups: black

Religions: Baptist 41.2%, Methodist 18.9%, Anglican 18.3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1.7%, other 19.9% (1980)

Languages: English (official)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population : 98% male: 99% female: 98% (1970 est.)

@Turks and Caicos Islands:Government

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Turks and Caicos Islands

Data code: TK

Dependency status: dependent territory of the UK

Government type: NA

National capital: Grand Turk

Administrative divisions: none (dependent territory of the UK)

Independence: none (dependent territory of the UK)

National holiday: Constitution Day, 30 August (1976)

Constitution: introduced 30 August 1976, suspended in 1986, restored and revised 5 March 1988

Legal system: based on laws of England and Wales with a small number adopted from Jamaica and The Bahamas

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1953), represented by Governor John KELLY (since NA September 1996) head of government: Chief Minister Derek H. TAYLOR (since 31 January 1995) cabinet: Executive Council consists of three ex officio members and five appointed by the governor from among the members of the Legislative Council elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; governor appointed by the queen; chief minister appointed by the governor

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council (19 seats, of which 13 are popularly elected; members serve three-year terms) elections: last held 31 January 1995 (next to be held by NA December 1998) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDM 8, PNP 4, independent (Norman SAUNDERS) 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: Progressive National Party (PNP), Washington MISICK; People's Democratic Movement (PDM), Derek H. TAYLOR; United Democratic Party (UDP), Wendal SWANN

International organization participation: Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau)

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (dependent territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (dependent territory of the UK)

Flag description: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the colonial shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield is yellow and contains a conch shell, lobster, and cactus

Economy

Economy - overview: The Turks and Caicos economy is based on tourism, fishing, and offshore financial services. Most food for domestic consumption is imported; there is some subsistence farming - mainly corn, cassava, citrus, and beans - on the Caicos Islands. The tourism sector expanded in 1995, posting a 10% increase in the first quarter as compared to the same period in 1994. The US was the leading source of tourists in 1995, accounting for upward of 70% of arrivals or about 60,000 visitors. Major sources of government revenue include fees from offshore financial activities and customs receipts as the Islands rely on imports for nearly all consumption and capital goods.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $84.5 million (1993 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 2% (1993 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $6,400 (1993 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture : NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Inflation rate - consumer price index: NA%

Labor force: total: 4,848 (1990 est.) by occupation: majority engaged in fishing and tourist industries; some subsistence agriculture

Unemployment rate: 12% (1992)

Budget: revenues: $31.9 million expenditures: $30.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995)

Industries: fishing, tourism, offshore financial services

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - capacity: NA kW

Electricity - production: NA kWh

Electricity - consumption per capita: NA kWh

Agriculture - products: corn, beans; fish

Exports: total value: $6.8 million (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells partners: US, UK

Imports: total value: $42.8 million (1993) commodities: food and beverages, tobacco, clothing, manufactures, construction materials partners: US, UK

Debt - external: $NA

Economic aid: recipient : ODA, $NA

Currency: 1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: US currency is used

Fiscal year: calendar year

@Turks and Caicos Islands:Communications

Telephones: 1,359 (1988 est.)

Telephone system: fair cable and radiotelephone services domestic: NA international : 2 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios: 7,000 (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: television programs are available from a cable network, and broadcasts from the Bahamas can be received in the islands

Televisions: NA

@Turks and Caicos Islands:Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 121 km paved : 24 km unpaved: 97 km

Ports and harbors: Grand Turk, Providenciales

Merchant marine: none

Airports: 7 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 2 914 to 1,523 m : 2 (1996 est.)

Military

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US ______________________________________________________________________

TUVALU

@Tuvalu:Geography

Location: Oceania, island group consisting of nine coral atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia

Geographic coordinates: 8 00 S, 178 00 E

Map references: Oceania

Area: total : 26 sq km land: 26 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 24 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea : 12 nm

Climate: tropical; moderated by easterly trade winds (March to November); westerly gales and heavy rain (November to March)

Terrain: very low-lying and narrow coral atolls

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 5 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other : 100% (1993 est.) note: Tuvalu's nine coral atolls have enough soil to grow coconuts and support subsistence agriculture

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: severe tropical storms are rare

Environment - current issues: since there are no streams or rivers and groundwater is not potable, all water needs must be met by catchment systems with storage facilities; beachhead erosion because of the use of sand for building materials; excessive clearance of forest undergrowth for use as fuel; damage to coral reefs from the spread of the crown of thorns starfish

Environment - international agreements: party to: Climate Change, Endangered Species, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Law of the Sea

@Tuvalu:People

Population: 10,297 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 36% (male 1,871; female 1,803) 15-64 years : 59% (male 2,903; female 3,226) 65 years and over: 5% (male 229; female 265) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.45% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 23.31 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 8.84 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years : 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 26.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 63.61 years male: 62.44 years female : 64.84 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.11 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality: noun: Tuvaluan(s) adjective: Tuvaluan

Ethnic groups: Polynesian 96%

Religions: Church of Tuvalu (Congregationalist) 97%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1.4%, Baha'i 1%, other 0.6%

Languages: Tuvaluan, English

Literacy: NA; note - education is free and compulsory from ages 6 through 13

@Tuvalu:Government

Country name: conventional long form : none conventional short form: Tuvalu former: Ellice Islands

Data code: TV

Government type: democracy; began debating republic status in 1992

National capital: Funafuti

Administrative divisions: none

Independence: 1 October 1978 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 1 October (1978)

Constitution: 1 October 1978

Legal system: NA

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Manuella TULAGA (since NA June 1994) head of government : Prime Minister Bikenibeu PAENIU (since 23 December 1996) and Deputy Prime Minister Ionatana IONATANA (since 23 December 1996) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: the queen is a hereditary monarch; governor general appointed by the queen on the recommendation of the prime minister; prime minister and deputy prime minister elected by and from the members of Parliament; election last held NA December 1996 (next to be held by NA 1997) election results: Bikenibeu PAENIU elected prime minister; percent of Parliament vote - NA; Ionatana IONATANA elected deputy prime minister; percent of Parliament vote - NA

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Fale I Fono (12 seats - two from each island with more than 1,000 inhabitants, one from all the other inhabited islands; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 25 November 1993 (next to be held by NA 1997) election results : percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 12

Judicial branch: High Court; note - a chief justice visits twice a year to preside over sessions of the High Court

Political parties and leaders: none

International organization participation: AsDB, C (special), ESCAP, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in the US: Tuvalu does not have an embassy in the US

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Tuvalu; the US ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Tuvalu

Flag description: light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the outer half of the flag represents a map of the country with nine yellow five-pointed stars symbolizing the nine islands

Economy

Economy - overview: Tuvalu consists of a densely populated, scattered group of nine coral atolls with poor soil. The country has no known mineral resources and few exports. Subsistence farming and fishing are the primary economic activities. The islands are too small and too remote for development of a large-scale tourist industry. Government revenues largely come from the sale of stamps and coins and worker remittances. About 1,000 Tuvaluans work in Nauru in the phosphate mining industry. Nauru has begun repatriating Tuvaluans, however, as phosphate resources decline, which will present additional problems for Tuvalu's already stretched economy. Substantial income is received annually from an international trust fund established in 1987 by Australia, NZ, and the UK and supported also by Japan and South Korea. In an effort to reduce its dependence on foreign aid, the government is pursuing public sector reforms, including privatization of some government functions and personnel cuts of up to 7%.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $7.8 million (1995 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 8.7% (1995)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $800 (1995 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture : NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Inflation rate - consumer price index: 2.9% (1989)

Labor force: NA by occupation : NA note: people make a living mainly through exploitation of the sea, reefs, and atolls and from wages sent home by those working abroad (mostly workers in the phosphate industry and sailors)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $4.3 million expenditures: $4.3 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1989 est.)

Industries: fishing, tourism, copra

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - capacity: 2,600 kW (1995)

Electricity - production: 3 million kWh (1995)

Electricity - consumption per capita: NA kWh

Agriculture - products: coconuts; fish

Exports: total value: $165,000 (f.o.b., 1989) commodities: copra partners: Fiji, Australia, NZ

Imports: total value: $4.4 million (c.i.f., 1989) commodities : food, animals, mineral fuels, machinery, manufactured goods partners: Fiji, Australia, NZ

Debt - external: $NA

Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $1.725 million from Australia (FY96/97 est.); $1.7 million from NZ (FY95/96)

Currency: 1 Tuvaluan dollar ($T) or 1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: Tuvaluan dollars ($T) or Australian dollars ($A) per US$1 - 1.2835 (January 1997), 1.2773 (1996), 1.3486 (1995), 1.3667 (1994), 1.4704 (1993), 1.3600 (1992)

Fiscal year: calendar year

@Tuvalu:Communications

Telephones: 130 (1983 est.)

Telephone system: domestic: radiotelephone communications between islands international: NA

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios: 4,000 (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 0

Televisions: NA

@Tuvalu:Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 8 km (1995 est.) paved: NA km unpaved: NA km

Ports and harbors: Funafuti, Nukufetau

Merchant marine: total: 13 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 49,488 GRT/80,968 DWT ships by type: cargo 7, chemical tanker 4, oil tanker 1, passenger-cargo 1 (1996 est.)

Airports: 1 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1996 est.)

Military

Military branches: no regular military forces; Police Force (consists of full-time personnel 45, part-time personnel 16)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: NA

Military manpower - fit for military service: males: NA

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none ______________________________________________________________________

UGANDA

@Uganda:Geography

Location: Eastern Africa, west of Kenya

Geographic coordinates: 1 00 N, 32 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 236,040 sq km land: 199,710 sq km water: 36,330 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries: total: 2,698 km border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 765 km, Kenya 933 km, Rwanda 169 km, Sudan 435 km, Tanzania 396 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: tropical; generally rainy with two dry seasons (December to February, June to August); semiarid in northeast

Terrain: mostly plateau with rim of mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Lake Albert 621 m highest point: Margherita (Mount Stanley) 5,110 m

Natural resources: copper, cobalt, limestone, salt

Land use: arable land: 25% permanent crops : 9% permanent pastures: 9% forests and woodland: 28% other: 29% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 90 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: draining of wetlands for agricultural use; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; poaching is widespread

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified : Desertification, Environmental Modification

Geography - note: landlocked

@Uganda:People

Population: 20,604,874 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 50% (male 5,126,249; female 5,092,583) 15-64 years : 48% (male 4,948,859; female 4,963,718) 65 years and over: 2% (male 234,351; female 239,114) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.14% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 45.08 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 20.98 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: -2.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.) note : Uganda is host to refugees from a number of neighboring countries, including Sudan, Rwanda, and Democratic Republic of the Congo, formerly Zaire; probably in excess of 100,000 southern Sudanese fled to Uganda during the past year; many of the 10,000 Rwandans who took refuge in Uganda have returned home

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years : 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 98.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 39.69 years male: 39.3 years female: 40.1 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.52 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality: noun: Ugandan(s) adjective: Ugandan

Ethnic groups: Baganda 17%, Karamojong 12%, Basogo 8%, Iteso 8%, Langi 6%, Rwanda 6%, Bagisu 5%, Acholi 4%, Lugbara 4%, Bunyoro 3%, Batobo 3%, non-African (European, Asian, Arab) 1%, other 23%

Religions: Roman Catholic 33%, Protestant 33%, Muslim 16%, indigenous beliefs 18%

Languages: English (official), Luganda, Swahili, Bantu languages, Nilotic languages

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 61.8% male: 73.7% female: 50.2% (1995 est.)

@Uganda:Government

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Uganda conventional short form: Uganda

Data code: UG

Government type: republic

National capital: Kampala

Administrative divisions: 39 districts; Apac, Arua, Bundibugyo, Bushenyi, Gulu, Hoima, Iganga, Jinja, Kabale, Kabarole, Kalangala, Kampala, Kamuli, Kapchorwa, Kasese, Kibale, Kiboga, Kisoro, Kitgum, Kotido, Kumi, Lira, Luwero, Masaka, Masindi, Mbale, Mbarara, Moroto, Moyo, Mpigi, Mubende, Mukono, Nebbi, Ntungamo, Pallisa, Rakai, Rukungiri, Soroti, Tororo

Independence: 9 October 1962 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 9 October (1962)

Constitution: 8 October 1995; adopted by the interim, 284-member Constituent Assembly, charged with debating the draft constitution that had been proposed in May 1993; the Constituent Assembly was dissolved on promulgation of the constitution in October 1995

Legal system: in 1995, the government restored the legal system to one based on English common law and customary law and reinstituted a normal judicial system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (since seizing power 29 January 1986); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (since seizing power 29 January 1986); Prime Minister Kintu MUSOKE (since 18 November 1994) note - the president is both chief of state and head of government; the prime minister assists the president in the supervision of the cabinet cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among elected legislators elections: president elected by popular vote; election last held 9 May 1996 (next to be held by 31 May 2001); note - first popular election for president since independence in 1962; prime minister appointed by the president election results: Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI elected president; percent of vote - Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI 74%, Paul Kawanga SSEMOGERERE 24%, Muhammad MAYANJA 2%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (276 members serve five-year terms; 214 directly elected by universal suffrage, but 62 are nominated by legally established special interest groups and approved by the president - women 39, army 10, disabled 5, youth 5, labor 3) elections: elections to the National Assembly (formerly the National Resistance Council) took place on 27 June 1996 (next election to be held in 2001); election results: NA; note - election campaigning by party was not permitted

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal; High Court

Political parties and leaders: only one political organization, the National Resistance Movement or NRM [Dr. Samson KISEKKA, chairman] is recognized; note - this is the party of President MUSEVENI; the president maintains that the NRM is not a political party, but a movement which claims the loyalty of all Ugandans note: of the political parties which exist but are prohibited from sponsoring candidates, the most important are the Ugandan People's Congress or UPC [Milton OBOTE], Democratic Party or DP [Paul SSEMOGERERE], and Conservative Party or CP [Joshua S. MAYANJA-NKANGI]; the new constitution confirms the suspension of political party activity until 2000

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, EADB, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGADD, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Edith Grace SSEMPALA chancery: 5911 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 telephone: [1] (202) 726-7100 through 7102, 0416 FAX: [1] (202) 726-1727

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador E. Michael SOUTHWICK embassy : Parliament Avenue, Kampala mailing address: P. O. Box 7007, Kampala telephone: [256] (41) 259792, 259793, 259795 FAX: [256] (41) 259794

Flag description: six equal horizontal bands of black (top), yellow, red, black, yellow, and red; a white disk is superimposed at the center and depicts a red-crested crane (the national symbol) facing the hoist side

Economy

Economy - overview: Uganda has substantial natural resources, including fertile soils, regular rainfall, and sizable mineral deposits of copper and cobalt. Agriculture is the most important sector of the economy, employing over 80% of the work force. Coffee is the major export crop and accounts for the bulk of export revenues. Since 1986 the government - with the support of foreign countries and international agencies - has acted to rehabilitate and stabilize the economy by undertaking currency reform, raising producer prices on export crops, increasing prices of petroleum products, and improving civil service wages. The policy changes are especially aimed at dampening inflation and boosting production and export earnings. In 1990-94, the economy turned in a solid performance based on continued investment in the rehabilitation of infrastructure, improved incentives for production and exports, and gradually improving domestic security. The economy again prospered in 1995 with rapid growth, low inflation, growing foreign investment, a trimmed bureaucracy, and the continued return of exiled Indian-Ugandan entrepreneurs.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $16.8 billion (1995 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 7.1% (1995 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $900 (1995 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 55% industry : 12% services: 33% (1995)

Inflation rate - consumer price index: 7.3% (1996 est.)

Labor force: total: 8.361 million (1993 est.) by occupation: agriculture 86%, industry 4%, services 10% (1980 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $766.5 million expenditures : $894.3 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY94/95 est.)

Industries: sugar, brewing, tobacco, cotton textiles, cement

Industrial production growth rate: 15% (1994)

Electricity - capacity: 155,000 kW (1995)

Electricity - production: 611 million kWh (1995)

Electricity - consumption per capita: 31 kWh (1995 est.)

Agriculture - products: coffee, tea, cotton, tobacco, cassava (tapioca), potatoes, corn, millet, pulses; beef, goat meat, milk, poultry

Exports: total value: $555 million (f.o.b., FY94/95) commodities : gold, cotton, coffee, tea, corn, fish partners: Spain 23%, France 14%, Germany 14%, Italy 10%, Netherlands 8%

Imports: total value: $1.18 billion (c.i.f., FY94/95) commodities: petroleum products, machinery, metals, transportation equipment, cotton piece goods, food partners: Kenya 26%, UK 12%, Japan 8%, Germany 8%, India 5.5%

Debt - external: $3.4 billion (1995 est.)

Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA

Currency: 1 Ugandan shilling (USh) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: Ugandan shillings (USh) per US$1 - 1,030.3 (December 1996), 1,046.1 (1996), 968.9 (1995), 979.4 (1994), 1,195.0 (1993), 1,133.8 (1992)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

@Uganda:Communications

Telephones: 54,900 (1989 est.)

Telephone system: fair system domestic: microwave radio relay and radiotelephone communications stations international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 10, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios: 2.04 million (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 9 (1987 est.)

Televisions: 193,000 (1992 est.)

@Uganda:Transportation

Railways: total: 1,241 km narrow gauge: 1,241 km 1.000-m gauge note : a program to rehabilitate the railroad is underway (1995)

Highways: total: 27,000 km paved: 1,800 km unpaved: 25,200 km (of which about 4,800 km are all-weather roads) (1990 est.)

Waterways: Lake Victoria, Lake Albert, Lake Kyoga, Lake George, Lake Edward; Victoria Nile, Albert Nile

Ports and harbors: Entebbe, Jinja, Port Bell

Merchant marine: total: 3 roll-on/roll-off cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,091 GRT/5,943 DWT (1996 est.)

Airports: 21 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 10 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m : 1 under 914 m: 7 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m : 5 914 to 1,523 m: 5 (1996 est.)

Military

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Wing

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 4,466,851 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males: 2,423,556 (1997 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $56 million (FY93/94)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.7% (FY93/94)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none ______________________________________________________________________

UKRAINE

@Ukraine:Geography

Location: Eastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Poland and Russia

Geographic coordinates: 49 00 N, 32 00 E

Map references: Commonwealth of Independent States

Area: total: 603,700 sq km land: 603,700 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries: total: 4,558 km border countries: Belarus 891 km, Hungary 103 km, Moldova 939 km, Poland 428 km, Romania (southwest) 169 km, Romania (west) 362 km, Russia 1,576 km, Slovakia 90 km

Coastline: 2,782 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea : 12 nm

Climate: temperate continental; Mediterranean only on the southern Crimean coast; precipitation disproportionately distributed, highest in west and north, lesser in east and southeast; winters vary from cool along the Black Sea to cold farther inland; summers are warm across the greater part of the country, hot in the south

Terrain: most of Ukraine consists of fertile plains (steppes) and plateaus, mountains being found only in the west (the Carpathians), and in the Crimean Peninsula in the extreme south

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Black Sea 0 m highest point: Hora Hoverla 2,061 m

Natural resources: iron ore, coal, manganese, natural gas, oil, salt, sulfur, graphite, titanium, magnesium, kaolin, nickel, mercury, timber

Land use: arable land: 58% permanent crops: 2% permanent pastures : 13% forests and woodland: 18% other: 9% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 26,050 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: inadequate supplies of potable water; air and water pollution; deforestation; radiation contamination in the northeast from 1986 accident at Chornobyl' Nuclear Power Plant

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Climate Change, Law of the Sea

Geography - note: strategic position at the crossroads between Europe and Asia; second-largest country in Europe

@Ukraine:People

Population: 50,447,719 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 19% (male 5,000,518; female 4,802,193) 15-64 years: 67% (male 16,087,147; female 17,429,313) 65 years and over: 14% (male 2,308,354; female 4,820,194) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.65% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 9.55 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 16.26 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over : 0.48 male(s)/female total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 21.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 65.77 years male: 59.93 years female: 71.91 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.36 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality: noun: Ukrainian(s) adjective: Ukrainian

Ethnic groups: Ukrainian 73%, Russian 22%, Jewish 1%, other 4%

Religions: Ukrainian Orthodox - Moscow Patriarchate, Ukrainian Orthodox - Kiev Patriarchate, Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox, Ukrainian Catholic (Uniate), Protestant, Jewish

Languages: Ukrainian, Russian, Romanian, Polish, Hungarian

Literacy: definition : age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 100% female: 97% (1989 est.)

@Ukraine:Government

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Ukraine local long form: none local short form: Ukrayina former: Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic

Data code: UP

Government type: republic

National capital: Kiev (Kyyiv)

Administrative divisions: 24 oblasti (singular - oblast'), 1 autonomous republic* (avtomnaya respublika), and 2 municipalities (mista, singular - misto) with oblast status**; Cherkas'ka (Cherkasy), Chernihivs'ka (Chernihiv), Chernivets'ka (Chernivtsi), Dnipropetrovs'ka (Dnipropetrovs'k), Donets'ka (Donets'k), Ivano-Frankivs'ka (Ivano-Frankivs'k), Kharkivs'ka (Kharkiv), Khersons'ka (Kherson), Khmel'nyts'ka (Khmel'nyts'kyy), Kirovohrads'ka (Kirovohrad), Kyyiv**, Kyyivs'ka (Kiev), Luhans'ka (Luhans'k), L'vivs'ka (L'viv), Mykolayivs'ka (Mykolayiv), Odes'ka (Odesa), Poltavs'ka (Poltava), Avtonomna Respublika Krym* (Simferopol'), Rivnens'ka (Rivne), Sevastopol'**, Sums'ka (Sumy), Ternopil's'ka (Ternopil'), Vinnyts'ka (Vinnytsya), Volyns'ka (Luts'k), Zakarpats'ka (Uzhhorod), Zaporiz'ka (Zaporizhzhya), Zhytomyrs'ka (Zhytomyr) note: oblasts have the administrative center name following in parentheses

Independence: 1 December 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day, 24 August (1991)

Constitution: adopted 28 June 1996

Legal system: based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state : President Leonid D. KUCHMA (since 19 July 1994) head of government: Prime Minister Pavlo LAZARENKO (since NA May 1996), First Deputy Prime Minister Vasyl DURDYNETS (since NA July 1996), and three deputy prime ministers cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and approved by the Supreme Council note: there is also a National Security and Defense Council or NSDC originally created in 1992 as the National Security Council, but significantly revamped and strengthened under President KUCHMA; the NSDC includes the president, prime minister, ministers of defense, internal affairs, foreign relations, and chairman of the security service; the NSC staff is tasked with developing national security policy on domestic and international matters and advising the president; a Presidential Administration that helps draft presidential edicts and provides policy support to the president; and a Council of Regions that serves as an advisory body created by President KUCHMA in September 1994 that includes the Kiev and Sevastopol City Supreme Councils and the chairmen of Oblast elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 26 June and 10 July 1994 (next to be held NA 1999); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president and approved by the Supreme Council election results: Leonid D. KUCHMA elected president; percent of vote - Leonid KUCHMA 52.15%, Leonid KRAVCHUK 45.06%

Legislative branch: unicameral Supreme Council or Verkhovna Rada (450 seats; members are elected by popular vote from one-member districts by complex procedures to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 27 March 1994 with repeat elections continuing through December 1998 to fill empty seats (next to be held NA March 1998) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Communists 91, Rukh 22, Agrarians 18, Socialists 15, Republicans 11, Congress of Ukrainian Nationalists 5, Labor 5, Party of Democratic Revival 4, Democrats 2, Social Democrats 2, Civil Congress 2, Conservative Republicans 1, Party of Economic Revival of Crimea 1, Christian Democrats 1, independents 225; note - most recent repeat election held in April 1996 filling 422 of 450 seats as follows: independents 238, Communist 95, Rukh 22, Agrarians 18, Socialist 15, Republicans 11, Congress of Ukrainian Nationalists 5, Labor 5, Party of Democratic Revival 4, Democratic Party of Ukraine 2, Social Democrats 2, Civil Congress 2, Conservative Republicans 1, Party of Economic Revival of Crimea 1, Christian Democrats 1, vacant 28 (in February 1997 there were 35 vacant seats)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Constitutional Court

Political parties and leaders: Green Party of Ukraine [Vitaliy KONONOV, leader]; Liberal Party of Ukraine; Liberal Democratic Party of Ukraine [Volodymyr KLYMCHUK, chairman]; Democratic Party of Ukraine [Volodymyr Oleksandrovych YAVORIVSKIY, chairman]; People's Party of Ukraine; Peasants' Party of Ukraine; Party of Democratic Rebirth or Revival of Ukraine [Volodymyr FILENKO, chairman]; Social Democratic Party of Ukraine [Vasyl ONOPENKO, chairman]; Socialist Party of Ukraine [Oleksandr MOROZ, chairman]; Ukrainian Christian Democratic Party [Vitaliy ZHURAVSKYY, chairman]; Ukrainian Conservative Republican Party [Stepan KHMARA, chairman]; Ukrainian Labor Party [Valentyn LANDYK, chairman]; Ukrainian Party of Justice [Yuriy ZUBKO, chairman]; Ukrainian Peasants' Democratic Party [Serhiy PLACHINDA, chairman]; Ukrainian Republican Party [Bondan YAROSHPSKYY, chairman]; Ukrainian National Conservative Party; Ukrainian People's Movement for Restructuring or Rukh [Vyacheslav CHORNOVIL, chairman]; Ukrainian Communist Party [Petr SYMONENKO]; Agrarian Party; Congress of Ukrainian Nationalists [Slava STESTKO]; Civil Congress [O. BAZYLUK]; Party of Economic Revival of Crimea; Progressive Socialist Party of Ukraine [Nataliya VITRENKO and Volodymyr MARCHENKO, leaders]; People's Democratic Party [Anatoliy MATVIYENKO, chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders: New Ukraine (Nova Ukrayina); Congress of National Democratic Forces

International organization participation: BSEC, CCC, CE, CEI, CIS, EBRD, ECE, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NACC, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNPREDEP, UNTAES, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission : Ambassador Yuriy Mikolayevych SHCHERBAK chancery: 3350 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 333-0606 FAX: [1] (202) 333-0817 consulate(s) general : Chicago and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador William Green MILLER embassy: 10 Yuria Kotsyubinskovo, 254053 Kiev 53 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [380] (44) 244-7345 FAX: [380] (44) 244-7350

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of azure (top) and golden yellow represent grainfields under a blue sky

Economy

Economy - overview: After Russia, the Ukrainian republic was far and away the most important economic component of the former Soviet Union, producing about four times the output of the next-ranking republic. Its fertile black soil generated more than one-fourth of Soviet agricultural output, and its farms provided substantial quantities of meat, milk, grain, and vegetables to other republics. Likewise, its diversified heavy industry supplied equipment and raw materials to industrial and mining sites in other regions of the former USSR. Shortly after the implosion of the USSR in December 1991, the Ukrainian Government liberalized most prices and erected a legal framework for privatization, but widespread resistance to reform within the government and the legislature soon stalled reform efforts and led to some backtracking. Output in 1992-96 fell precipitously to less than half the 1991 level. Loose monetary policies pushed inflation to hyperinflationary levels in late 1993. Since his election in July 1994, President KUCHMA has pushed a comprehensive economic reform program, maintained financial discipline, and tried to remove almost all remaining controls over prices and foreign trade. Implementation of KUCHMA's economic agenda is encountering considerable resistance from parliament, entrenched bureaucrats, and industrial interests. However, if KUCHMA succeeds in implementing aggressive market reforms during 1997, the economy should reverse its downward trend, with real growth occurring by late 1997 and into 1998.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $161.1 billion (1996 estimate as extrapolated from World Bank estimate for 1994)

GDP - real growth rate: -10% (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,170 (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture : 14% industry: 45% services: 41% (1995 est.)

Inflation rate - consumer price index: 40% (yearend 1996)

Labor force: total: 23 million (January 1996) by occupation: industry and construction 33%, agriculture and forestry 21%, health, education, and culture 16%, trade and distribution 7%, transport and communication 7%, other 16% (1992)

Unemployment rate: 1% officially registered; large number of unregistered or underemployed workers (December 1996)

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

Industries: coal, electric power, ferrous and nonferrous metals, machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food-processing (especially sugar)

Industrial production growth rate: -5.1% (1996 est.)

Electricity - capacity: 54.24 million kW (1994)

Electricity - production: 181 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity - consumption per capita: 3,487 kWh (1996)

Agriculture - products: grain, sugar beets, vegetables; meat, milk

Exports: total value : $18.6 billion (1996 est.) commodities: coal, electric power, ferrous and nonferrous metals, chemicals, machinery and transport equipment, grain, meat partners: Russia, Belarus, US, Germany, China (1995)

Imports: total value : $19.4 billion (1996 est.) commodities: energy, machinery and parts, transportation equipment, chemicals, textiles partners: Russia, Turkmenistan, Belarus, Germany, Switzerland

Debt - external: $8.8 billion (including $4.5 billion to Russia) (late 1995 est.)

Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $220 million (1993) note : commitments, 1992-95, $4.5 billion ($4.1 billion drawn)

Currency: on 2 September 1996, Ukraine introduced the long-awaited hryvnia (plural hryvni) as its national currency, replacing the karbovanets (in circulation since 12 November 1992) at a rate of 100,000 karbovantsi to 1 hryvnia

Exchange rates: hryvnia per US$1 - 1.8592 (November 1996), 1.4731 (1995), 0.3275 (1994), 0.0453 (1993)

Fiscal year: calendar year

@Ukraine:Communications

Telephones: NA

Telephone system: system is unsatisfactory both for business and for personal use; 3.56 million applications for telephones had not been satisfied as of January 1991; electronic mail services have been established in Kiev, Odessa, and Luhans'k by Sprint domestic: an NMT-450 analog cellular telephone network operates in Kiev (Kyyiv) and allows direct dialing of international calls through Kiev's digital exchange international: calls to other CIS countries are carried by landline or microwave radio relay; calls to 167 other countries are carried by satellite or by the 150 leased lines through the Moscow international gateway switch; satellite earth stations - NA Intelsat, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean Regions), and NA Intersputnik

Radio broadcast stations: 2 radio broadcast stations of NA type

Radios: 15 million (1990)

Television broadcast stations: at least 2

Televisions: 17.3 million (1992)

@Ukraine:Transportation

Railways: total : 23,350 km broad gauge: 23,350 km 1.524-m gauge (8,600 km electrified)

Highways: total: 172,257 km paved: 163,300 km (including 1,875 km of expressways); note - these roads are said to be hard-surfaced, meaning that some are paved and some are all-weather gravel surfaced unpaved: 8,957 km (1995 est.)

Waterways: 4,400 km navigable waterways, of which 1,672 km were on the Pryp''yat' and Dnistr (1990)

Pipelines: crude oil 2,010 km; petroleum products 1,920 km; natural gas 7,800 km (1992)

Ports and harbors: Berdyans'k, Illichivs'k, Izmayil, Kerch, Kherson, Kiev (Kyyiv), Mariupol', Mykolayiv, Odesa, Reni

Merchant marine: total : 301 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,507,463 GRT/3,156,522 DWT ships by type: barge carrier 5, bulk 21, cargo 192, chemical tanker 2, combination bulk 1, container 10, multifunction large-load carrier 3, oil tanker 23, passenger 7, passenger-cargo 4, railcar carrier 2, refrigerated cargo 5, roll-on/roll-off cargo 20, short-sea passenger 6 note : Ukraine owns an additional 61 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,283,735 DWT operating under the registries of The Bahamas, Cyprus, Liberia, Malta, Panama, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (1996 est.)

Airports: 706 (1994 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 163 over 3,047 m: 14 2,438 to 3,047 m: 55 1,524 to 2,437 m : 34 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m : 57 (1994 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 543 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m : 16 914 to 1,523 m: 37 under 914 m: 476 (1994 est.)

Military

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Internal Troops, National Guard, Border Troops

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 12,408,912 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males: 9,720,351 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 366,086 (1997 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: 1.35 billion hryvni (Ukrainian Government's forecast for 1996); note - conversion of defense expenditures into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: less than 2% (Ukrainian Government's forecast for 1996)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: dispute with Romania over continental shelf of the Black Sea under which significant gas and oil deposits may exist; agreed to two-year negotiating period, after which either party can refer dispute to the International Court of Justice; potential dispute with Russia over Crimea; has made no territorial claim in Antarctica (but has reserved the right to do so) and does not recognize the claims of any other nation