Chapter XXXI: Front Matter (31)

Exports: total value: $635 million (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: coffee, seafood, meat, sugar, gold, bananas partners: US, Central America, Germany, Canada

Imports: total value: $1.1 billion (c.i.f., 1996) commodities: consumer goods, machinery and equipment, petroleum products partners: Central America, US, Venezuela, Japan

Debt-external: $6 billion (1996 est.)

Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA

Currency: 1 gold cordoba (C$) = 100 centavos

Exchange rates: gold cordobas (C$) per US$1-9.76 (October 1997), 8.44 (1996), 7.55 (1995), 6.72 (1994), 5.62 (1993)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 66,810 (1993 est.)

Telephone system: low-capacity microwave radio relay and wire system being expanded; connected to Central American Microwave System domestic: wire and microwave radio relay international: satellite earth stations-1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) and 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 45, FM 0, shortwave 3

Radios: 1.037 million (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 7 (1994 est.)

Televisions: 260,000 (1992 est.)

@Nicaragua:Transportation

Railways: total: 0 km narrow gauge: 0 km 1.067-m gauge; note-part of the previous 376 km system was closed and dismantled in 1993 and, in 1994, the remainder was closed, the track and rolling stock being sold for scrap

Highways: total: 18,000 km paved: 1,818 km unpaved: 16,182 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: 2,220 km, including 2 large lakes

Pipelines: crude oil 56 km

Ports and harbors: Bluefields, Corinto, El Bluff, Puerto Cabezas, Puerto Sandino, Rama, San Juan del Sur

Merchant marine: none

Airports: 185 (1997 est.)

Airports-with paved runways: total: 13 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 5 (1997 est.)

Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 172 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 27 under 914 m: 144 (1997 est.)

@Nicaragua:Military

Military branches: Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force

Military manpower-military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower-availability: males age 15-49: 1,067,336 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 656,672 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-reaching military age annually: males: 51,576 (1998 est.)

Military expenditures-dollar figure: $27.48 million (1996)

Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 1.35% (1996)

@Nicaragua:Transnational Issues

Disputes-international: territorial disputes with Colombia over the Archipelago de San Andres y Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank; with respect to the maritime boundary question in the Golfo de Fonseca, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) referred the disputants to an earlier agreement in this century and advised that some tripartite resolution among El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua likely would be required; maritime boundary dispute with Honduras

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for cocaine destined for the US

______________________________________________________________________

NIGER

@Niger:Geography

Location: Western Africa, southeast of Algeria

Geographic coordinates: 16 00 N, 8 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 1.267 million sq km land: 1,266,700 sq km water: 300 sq km

Area-comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Land boundaries: total: 5,697 km border countries: Algeria 956 km, Benin 266 km, Burkina Faso 628 km, Chad 1,175 km, Libya 354 km, Mali 821 km, Nigeria 1,497 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: desert; mostly hot, dry, dusty; tropical in extreme south

Terrain: predominately desert plains and sand dunes; flat to rolling plains in south; hills in north

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Niger River 200 m highest point: Mont Greboun 1,944 m

Natural resources: uranium, coal, iron ore, tin, phosphates, gold, petroleum

Land use: arable land: 3% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 7% forests and woodland: 2% other: 88% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 660 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: recurring droughts

Environment-current issues: overgrazing; soil erosion; deforestation; desertification; wildlife populations (such as elephant, hippopotamus, giraffe, and lion) threatened because of poaching and habitat destruction

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

Geography-note: landlocked

@Niger:People

Population: 9,671,848 (July 1998 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 48% (male 2,374,482; female 2,277,176) 15-64 years: 50% (male 2,345,773; female 2,447,951) 65 years and over: 2% (male 119,644; female 106,822) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.96% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 53.01 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 23.38 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.12 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 114.39 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 41.52 years male: 41.83 years female: 41.21 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 7.3 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality: noun: Nigerien(s) adjective: Nigerien

Ethnic groups: Hausa 56%, Djerma 22%, Fula 8.5%, Tuareg 8%, Beri Beri (Kanouri) 4.3%, Arab, Toubou, and Gourmantche 1.2%, about 1,200 French expatriates

Religions: Muslim 80%, remainder indigenous beliefs and Christians

Languages: French (official), Hausa, Djerma

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 13.6% male: 20.9% female: 6.6% (1995 est.)

@Niger:Government

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Niger conventional short form: Niger local long form: Republique du Niger local short form: Niger

Data code: NG

Government type: republic

National capital: Niamey

Administrative divisions: 7 departments (departements, singular-departement), and 1 capital district* (capitale district); Agadez, Diffa, Dosso, Maradi, Niamey*, Tahoua, Tillaberi, Zinder

Independence: 3 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday: Republic Day, 18 December (1958)

Constitution: the constitution of January 1993 was revised by national referendum on 12 May 1996

Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Ibrahim BARE Mainassara (since 28 January 1996); note-the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Ibrahim BARE Mainassara (since 28 January 1996); Prime Minister Ibrahim MAYAKI (since 27 November 1997) was appointed by the president; note - the president is both chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by President BARE elections: the president is elected by popular vote for a five-year term; last election 7-8 July 1996 (next election NA 2001); note-Ibrahim BARE Mainassara initially became president when he ousted President Mahamane OUSMANE in a coup on 27 January 1996 and subsequently defeated him in the flawed election of July 1996 election results: percent of total vote-Ibrahim BARE Mainassara 52.22%, Mahamane OUSMANE 19.75%, Tandja MAMADOU 15.65%, Mahamadou ISSOUFOU 7.60%, Moumouni AMADOU Djermakoye 4.77%

Legislative branch: two chamber National Assembly; one chamber with 83 seats directly elected by proportional representation for five-year terms; selection process for second chamber not established elections: last held 23 November 1996 (next to be held NA 2001) election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-UNIRD 59, ANDPS-Zaman Lahiya 8, UDPS-Amana 3, coalition of independents 3, MDP-Alkwali 1, UPDP-Shamuwa 4, DARAJA 3, PMT-Albarka 2

Judicial branch: State Court or Cour d'Etat; Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel

Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP-AUMUNCI [Issoufou BACHARD, chairman]; DARAJA [Ali TALBA, chairman]; Democratic and Social Convention-Rahama or CDS-Rahama [Mahamane OUSMANE]; Movement for Development and Pan-Africanism or MDP-Alkwali [Mai Manga BOUCAR, chairman]; National Movement of the Development Society-Nassara or MNSD-Nassara [Tandja MAMADOU, chairman]; National Union of Independents for Democratic Revival or UNIRD [leader NA]; Niger Progressive Party-African Democratic Rally or PPN-RDA [Dori ABDOULAI]; Niger Social Democrat Party or PADN [Malam Adji WAZIRI]; Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism-Tarayya or PNDS-Tarayya [Mahamadou ISSOUFOU]; Nigerien Alliance for Democracy and Social Progress-Zaman Lahia or ANDPS-Zaman Lahia [Moumouni Adamou DJERMAKOYE]; PMT-Albarka; Union for Democracy and Social Progress-Amana or UDPS-Amana [Akoli DAOUEL]; Union of Patriots, Democrats, and Progressives-Shamuwa or UPDP-Shamuwa [Professor Andre' SALIFOU, chairman]; Union of Popular Forces for Democracy and Progress-Sawaba or UFPDP-Sawaba [Djibo BAKARY, chairman]

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIPONUH, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WAEMU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph DIATTA chancery: 2204 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-4224 through 4227

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Charles O. CECIL embassy: Rue Des Ambassades, Niamey mailing address: B. P. 11201, Niamey telephone: [227] 72 26 61 through 72 26 64 FAX: [227] 73 31 67

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and green with a small orange disk (representing the sun) centered in the white band; similar to the flag of India, which has a blue spoked wheel centered in the white band

@Niger:Economy

Economy-overview: Niger is a poor, landlocked Sub-Saharan nation, whose economy centers on subsistence agriculture, animal husbandry, reexport trade, and increasingly less on uranium, its major export since the 1970s. Terms of trade with Nigeria, Niger's largest regional trade partner, have improved dramatically since the 50% devaluation of the West African franc in January 1994; this devaluation boosted exports of livestock, cowpeas, onions, and the products of Niger's small cotton industry. The government relies on bilateral and multilateral aid for operating expenses and public investment and is strongly induced to adhere to structural adjustment programs designed by the IMF and the World Bank. The US terminated bilateral assistance to Niger after the coup of 1996. Other donors have reduced their aid.

GDP: purchasing power parity-$6.3 billion (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate: 4.5% (1997 est.)

GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$670 (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector: agriculture: 41% industry: 18% services: 41% (1996)

Inflation rate-consumer price index: 5.3% (1996)

Labor force: total: 70,000 receive regular wages or salaries by occupation: agriculture 90%, industry and commerce 6%, government 4%

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $370 million (including $160 million from foreign sources) expenditures: $370 million, including capital expenditures of $186 million (1998 est.)

Industries: cement, brick, textiles, food processing, chemicals, slaughterhouses, and a few other small light industries; uranium mining

Industrial production growth rate: 0.5% (1994 est.)

Electricity-capacity: 63,000 kW (1995)

Electricity-production: 170 million kWh (1995) note: imports about 200 million kWh of electricity from Nigeria

Electricity-consumption per capita: 40 kWh (1995)

Agriculture-products: cowpeas, cotton, peanuts, millet, sorghum, cassava (tapioca), rice; cattle, sheep, goats, camels, donkeys, horses, poultry

Exports: total value: $188 million (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: uranium ore 67%, livestock products 20%, cowpeas, onions partners: France 41%, Nigeria 22%, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Japan 18%

Imports: total value: $374 million (c.i.f., 1996) commodities: consumer goods, primary materials, machinery, vehicles and parts, petroleum, cereals partners: France 24%, Nigeria 19%, Cote d'Ivoire, China, Belgium-Luxembourg

Debt-external: $1.3 billion (1996 est.)

Economic aid: recipient: ODA; bilateral donors: France, Germany, EU, Japan

Currency: 1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates: CFA francs (CFAF) per US$1-608.36 (January 1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994), 283.16 (1993) note: beginning 12 January 1994, the CFA franc was devalued to CFAF 100 per French franc from CFAF 50 at which it had been fixed since 1948

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 14,000 (1991 est.)

Telephone system: small system of wire, radiotelephone communications, and microwave radio relay links concentrated in southwestern area domestic: wire, radiotelephone communications, and microwave radio relay; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations and 1 planned international: satellite earth stations-2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 15, FM 6, shortwave 0

Radios: 500,000 (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 18 stations in a single network (1995)

Televisions: 38,000 (1992 est.)

@Niger:Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 10,100 km paved: 798 km unpaved: 9,302 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: Niger river is navigable 300 km from Niamey to Gaya on the Benin frontier from mid-December through March

Ports and harbors: none

Airports: 27 (1997 est.)

Airports-with paved runways: total: 9 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1997 est.)

Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 18 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 3 (1997 est.)

@Niger:Military

Military branches: Army, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, Republican Guard, National Police

Military manpower-military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower-availability: males age 15-49: 2,049,296 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 1,105,821 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-reaching military age annually: males: 98,946 (1998 est.)

Military expenditures-dollar figure: $23 million (FY97/98)

Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 1.3% (FY92/93)

@Niger:Transnational Issues

Disputes-international: Libya claims about 19,400 sq km in northern Niger; demarcation of international boundaries in the vicinity of Lake Chad, the lack of which led to border incidents in the past, is completed and awaits ratification by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria

______________________________________________________________________

NIGERIA

@Nigeria:Geography

Location: Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Benin and Cameroon

Geographic coordinates: 10 00 N, 8 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 923,770 sq km land: 910,770 sq km water: 13,000 sq km

Area-comparative: slightly more than twice the size of California

Land boundaries: total: 4,047 km border countries: Benin 773 km, Cameroon 1,690 km, Chad 87 km, Niger 1,497 km

Coastline: 853 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 30 nm

Climate: varies; equatorial in south, tropical in center, arid in north

Terrain: southern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus; mountains in southeast, plains in north

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Chappal Waddi 2,419 m

Natural resources: petroleum, tin, columbite, iron ore, coal, limestone, lead, zinc, natural gas

Land use: arable land: 33% permanent crops: 3% permanent pastures: 44% forests and woodland: 12% other: 8% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 9,570 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: periodic droughts

Environment-current issues: soil degradation; rapid deforestation; desertification; recent droughts in north severely affecting marginal agricultural activities

Environment-international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

@Nigeria:People

Population: 110,532,242 (July 1998 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 45% (male 24,871,855; female 24,661,134) 15-64 years: 52% (male 29,420,428; female 28,343,567) 65 years and over: 3% (male 1,627,452; female 1,607,806) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.96% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 42.24 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 12.95 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 70.74 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 53.55 years male: 52.68 years female: 54.45 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.09 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality: noun: Nigerian(s) adjective: Nigerian

Ethnic groups: Hausa, Fulani, Yoruba, Ibo, Kanuri, Ibibio, Tiv, Ijaw

Religions: Muslim 50%, Christian 40%, indigenous beliefs 10%

Languages: English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Ibo, Fulani

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 57.1% male: 67.3% female: 47.3% (1995 est.)

@Nigeria:Government

Country name: conventional long form: Federal Republic of Nigeria conventional short form: Nigeria

Data code: NI

Government type: military government; Nigeria has been ruled by one military regime after another since 31 December 1983; on 1 October 1995, the present military government announced it will turn power over to democratically elected civilian authorities on 1 October 1998

National capital: Abuja note: on 12 December 1991 the capital was officially moved from Lagos to Abuja; many government offices remain in Lagos pending completion of facilities in Abuja

Administrative divisions: 30 states and 1 territory*; Abia, Abuja Federal Capital Territory*, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Enugu, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe note: the government has announced the creation of six additional states named Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Gombe, Nassarawa, and Zamfara as part of the process of transition to a civilian government

Independence: 1 October 1960 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 1 October (1960)

Constitution: 1979 constitution still partially in force; plan for 1989 constitution to take effect in 1993 was not implemented; draft 1995 constitution has not been published; the military government rules by decree

Legal system: based on English common law, Islamic law, and tribal law

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Chairman of the Provisional Ruling Council and Commander in Chief of Armed Forces Gen. Abdulsalam ABUBAKAR (since 9 June 1998); note-the chairman of the Provisional Ruling Council is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: Chairman of the Provisional Ruling Council and Commander in Chief of Armed Forces Gen. Abdulsalam ABUBAKAR (since 9 June 1998); note-the chairman of the Provisional Ruling Council is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Federal Executive Council (chaired by the Chairman of the Provisional Ruling Council) elections: none; on 9 June 1998, the Provisional Ruling Council appointed Gen. Abdulsalam ABUBAKAR as their new Chairman to replace Gen. Sani ABACHA who died in office; Gen. ABUBAKAR immediately pledged a program to return the government to civilian rule as promised by Gen. ABACHA

Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly, comprising a 109-member Senate and a 360-member House of Representatives note: the National Assembly was suspended after the military takeover of 17 November 1993; in October 1995, the government announced a three-year program for transition to civilian rule; elections to the National Assembly took place 25 April 1998 for a term starting 1 October 1998; the election was substantially boycotted by the opposition and the legislature is unlikely to be representative of the electorate

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges appointed by the Provisional Ruling Council; Federal Court of Appeal, judges are appointed by the federal government on the advice of the Advisory Judicial Committee

Political parties and leaders: political party system, which was suspended after the military takeover of 17 November 1993, was reestablished by the Provisional Ruling Council on 30 September 1996 with the registration of five of 15 competing political parties; these were the United Nigeria Congress Party or UNCP [Isa MOHAMMED, chairman]; National Center Party of Nigeria or NCPN [Magaji ABDULLAHI, chairman]; Grassroots Democratic Movement or GDM [Alhaji Gambo LAWAN, chairman]; Committee for National Consensus or CNC [Barnabas GEMADE, chairman]; Democratic Party of Nigeria or DPN [Saleh HASSAN, chairman]

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C (suspended), CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUA, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNPREDEP, UNTAES, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Wakili Hassan ADAMU chancery: 1333 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 986-8400 consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador William TWADDELL embassy: 2 Louis Farrakhan Crescent, Lagos mailing address: P. O. Box 554, Lagos telephone: [234] (1) 261-0097 FAX: [234] (1) 261-0257

Flag description: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and green

@Nigeria:Economy

Economy-overview: The oil-rich Nigerian economy continues to be hobbled by political instability, corruption, and poor macroeconomic management. Nigeria's unpopular military rulers have failed to make significant progress in diversifying the economy away from overdependence on the capital intensive oil sector which provides 30% of GDP, 95% of foreign exchange earnings, and about 80% of budgetary revenues. The government's resistance to initiating greater transparency and accountability in managing the country's multibillion dollar oil earnings continues to limit economic growth and prevent an agreement with the IMF and bilateral creditors on debt relief. The largely subsistence agricultural sector has failed to keep up with rapid population growth, and Nigeria, once a large net exporter of food, now must import food. Agricultural production in 1996 suffered from severe shortages of fertilizer, and production of fertilizer fell even further in 1997.

GDP: purchasing power parity-$132.7 billion (1996 est.)

GDP-real growth rate: 3.3% (1996 est.)

GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$1,300 (1996 est.)

GDP-composition by sector: agriculture: 39% industry: 31% services: 30% (1996 est.)

Inflation rate-consumer price index: 12% (1997 est.)

Labor force: total: 42.844 million by occupation: agriculture 54%, industry, commerce, and services 19%, government 15%

Unemployment rate: 28% (1992 est.)

Budget: revenues: $13.9 billion (1998 est.) expenditures: $13.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA billion (1998 est.)

Industries: crude oil, coal, tin, columbite, palm oil, peanuts, cotton, rubber, wood, hides and skins, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food products, footwear, chemicals, fertilizer, printing, ceramics, steel

Industrial production growth rate: 4.1% (1996)

Electricity-capacity: 5.881 million kW (1995)

Electricity-production: 16.21 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity-consumption per capita: 152 kWh (1995)

Agriculture-products: cocoa, peanuts, palm oil, corn, rice, sorghum, millet, cassava (tapioca), yams, rubber; cattle, sheep, goats, pigs; fishing and forest resources extensively exploited

Exports: total value: $15 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: petroleum and petroleum products 95%, cocoa, rubber partners: US 40%, EU 21% (1995)

Imports: total value: $8 billion (c.i.f., 1996) commodities: machinery, chemicals, transportation equipment, manufactured goods, food and animals partners: EU 50%, US 12%, Japan 7%

Debt-external: $34 billion (1997 est.)

Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA

Currency: 1 naira (N) = 100 kobo

Exchange rates: naira (N) per US$1-21.886 (December 1997), 21.886 (1997), 21.895 (1995), 21.996 (1994), 22.065 (1993)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 492,204 (1990 est.)

Telephone system: average system limited by poor maintenance; major expansion in progress domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and 20 domestic satellite earth stations carry intercity traffic international: satellite earth stations-3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); 1 coaxial submarine cable

Radio broadcast stations: AM 35, FM 17, shortwave 0

Radios: 20 million (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 28

Televisions: 3.8 million (1992 est.)

@Nigeria:Transportation

Railways: total: 3,557 km narrow gauge: 3,505 km 1.067-m gauge standard gauge: 52 km 1.435-m gauge (1995)

Highways: total: 32,105 km paved: 26,005 km (including 2,044 km of expressways) unpaved: 6,100 km (1994 est.) note: many of the roads reported as paved may be graveled; because of poor maintenance, much of the road system is barely useable

Waterways: 8,575 km consisting of the Niger and Benue rivers and smaller rivers and creeks

Pipelines: crude oil 2,042 km; petroleum products 3,000 km; natural gas 500 km

Ports and harbors: Calabar, Lagos, Onne, Port Harcourt, Sapele, Warri

Merchant marine: total: 39 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 379,210 GRT/643,851 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 14, chemical tanker 3, oil tanker 20, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 (1997 est.)

Airports: 72 (1997 est.)

Airports-with paved runways: total: 36 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 2 (1997 est.)

Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 36 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 20 (1997 est.)

Heliports: 1 (1997 est.)

@Nigeria:Military

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary Police Force

Military manpower-military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower-availability: males age 15-49: 25,228,197 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 14,461,304 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-reaching military age annually: males: 1,154,721 (1998 est.)

Military expenditures-dollar figure: $685 million (1996 est.)

Military expenditures-percent of GDP: less than 1% (1996 est.)

@Nigeria:Transnational Issues

Disputes-international: demarcation of international boundaries in the vicinity of Lake Chad, the lack of which led to border incidents in the past, is completed and awaits ratification by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria; dispute with Cameroon over land and maritime boundaries in the vicinity of the Bakasi Peninsula has been referred to the ICJ with a ruling expected in 1998; maritime boundary dispute with Equatorial Guinea because of disputed jurisdiction over oil-rich areas in the Gulf of Guinea

Illicit drugs: facilitates movement of heroin en route from Southeast and Southwest Asia to Western Europe and North America; increasingly a transit route for cocaine from South America intended for European, East Asian, and North American markets

______________________________________________________________________

NIUE

(self-governing in free association with New Zealand)

@Niue:Geography

Location: Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Tonga

Geographic coordinates: 19 02 S, 169 52 W

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 260 sq km land: 260 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area-comparative: 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 64 km

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

Climate: tropical; modified by southeast trade winds

Terrain: steep limestone cliffs along coast, central plateau

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location near Mutalau settlement 68 m

Natural resources: fish, arable land

Land use: arable land: 19% permanent crops: 8% permanent pastures: 4% forests and woodland: 19% other: 50% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: typhoons

Environment-current issues: traditional methods of burning brush and trees to clear land for agriculture have threatened soil supplies which are not naturally very abundant

Environment-international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography-note: one of world's largest coral islands

@Niue:People

Population: 1,647 (July 1998 est.)

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

Population growth rate: -3.65% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population

Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population

Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

Infant mortality rate: NA deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: NA male: NA female: NA

Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman

Nationality: noun: Niuean(s) adjective: Niuean

Ethnic groups: Polynesian (with some 200 Europeans, Samoans, and Tongans)

Religions: Ekalesia Niue (Niuean Church) 75%-a Protestant church closely related to the London Missionary Society, Latter-Day Saints 10%, other 15% (mostly Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witnesses, Seventh-Day Adventist)

Languages: Polynesian closely related to Tongan and Samoan, English

Literacy: definition: NA total population: 95% male: NA% female: NA%

@Niue:Government

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Niue

Data code: NE

Dependency status: self-governing in free association with New Zealand; Niue fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains responsibility for external affairs

Government type: self-governing parliamentary democracy

National capital: Alofi

Administrative divisions: none; note-there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 14 villages each with its own village council whose members are elected and serve three-year terms

Independence: on 19 October 1974, Niue became a self-governing parliamentary government in free association with New Zealand

National holiday: Waitangi Day, 6 February (1840) (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty)

Constitution: 19 October 1974 (Niue Constitution Act)

Legal system: English common law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952); the queen and New Zealand are represented by New Zealand High Commissioner Warren SEARELL (since NA August 1993) head of government: Premier Frank Fakaotimanava LUI (since 12 March 1993) cabinet: Cabinet consists of the premier and three ministers elections: the queen is a hereditary monarch; premier elected by the Legislative Assembly for a three-year term; election last held 23 February 1996 (next to be held NA March 1999) election results: Frank Fakaotimanava LUI elected premier; percent of Legislative Assembly vote-NA

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly (20 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; six elected from a common roll and 14 are village representatives) elections: last held 23 February 1996 (next to be held NA March 1999) election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-NPP 9, independents 11

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of New Zealand; High Court of Niue

Political parties and leaders: Niue People's Action Party (NPP), Young VIVIAN

International organization participation: ESCAP (associate), Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, WHO

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand)

Flag description: yellow with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the flag of the UK bears five yellow five-pointed stars-a large one on a blue disk in the center and a smaller one on each arm of the bold red cross

@Niue:Economy

Economy-overview: The economy is heavily dependent on aid from New Zealand and remittances as Niue has no indigenous export product. Government expenditures regularly exceed revenues, with the shortfall made up by grants from New Zealand; the grants are used to pay wages to public employees. Niue cut government expenditures in 1994-96 by reducing the public service by almost half. The agricultural sector consists mainly of subsistence gardening, although some cash crops are grown for export. Industry consists primarily of small factories to process passion fruit, lime oil, honey, and coconut cream. The sale of postage stamps to foreign collectors is an important source of revenue. The island in recent years has suffered a serious loss of population because of migration of Niueans to New Zealand. A small tourist industry is developing.

GDP: purchasing power parity-$2.4 million (1993 est.)

GDP-real growth rate: NA%

GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$1,200 (1993 est.)

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

Inflation rate-consumer price index: 5% (1992)

Labor force: total: 450 (1992 est.) by occupation: most work on family plantations; paid work exists only in government service, small industry, and the Niue Development Board

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $5.5 million expenditures: $6.3 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1985 est.)

Industries: tourism, handicrafts, food processing

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity-capacity: 1,000 kW (1995)

Electricity-production: 3 million kWh (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita: 1,633 kWh (1995)

Agriculture-products: coconuts, passion fruit, honey, limes, taro, yams, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes; pigs, poultry, beef cattle

Exports: total value: $117,500 (f.o.b., 1989) commodities: canned coconut cream, copra, honey, passion fruit products, pawpaw, root crops, limes, footballs, stamps, handicrafts partners: NZ 89%, Fiji, Cook Islands, Australia

Imports: total value: $4.1 million (c.i.f., 1989) commodities: food, live animals, manufactured goods, machinery, fuels, lubricants, chemicals, drugs partners: NZ 59%, Fiji 20%, Japan 13%, Samoa, Australia, US

Debt-external: $NA

Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $5.9 million from NZ (FY95/96)

Currency: 1 New Zealand dollar (NZ$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: New Zealand dollars (NZ$) per US$1-1.7283 (January 1998), 1.5082 (1997), 1.4543 (1996), 1.5235 (1995), 1.6844 (1994), 1.8495 (1993)

Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March

Communications

Telephones: 276 (1992 est.)

Telephone system: domestic: single-line telephone system connects all villages on island international: NA

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1987 est.)

Radios: 1,000

Television broadcast stations: 0 note: there is cable television

Televisions: 312 (1991 est.)

@Niue:Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 234 km paved: 0 km unpaved: 234 km

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Merchant marine: none

Airports: 1 (1997 est.)

Airports-with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1997 est.)

@Niue:Military

Military branches: Police Force

Military-note: defense is the responsibility of New Zealand

@Niue:Transnational Issues

Disputes-international: none

______________________________________________________________________

NORFOLK ISLAND

(territory of Australia)

@Norfolk Island:Geography

Location: Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia

Geographic coordinates: 29 02 S, 167 57 E

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 34.6 sq km land: 34.6 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area-comparative: about 0.2 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 32 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 3 nm

Climate: subtropical, mild, little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain: volcanic formation with mostly rolling plains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Bates 319 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures: 25% forests and woodland: NA% other: 75% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: typhoons (especially May to July)

Environment-current issues: NA

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

@Norfolk Island:People

Population: 2,179 (July 1998 est.)

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

Population growth rate: -0.69% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population

Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population

Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

Infant mortality rate: NA deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: NA male: NA female: NA

Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman

Nationality: noun: Norfolk Islander(s) adjective: Norfolk Islander(s)

Ethnic groups: descendants of the Bounty mutineers, Australian, New Zealander, Polynesians

Religions: Anglican 39%, Roman Catholic 11.7%, Uniting Church in Australia 16.4%, Seventh-Day Adventist 4.4%, none 9.2%, unknown 16.9%, other 2.4% (1986)

Languages: English (official), Norfolk a mixture of 18th century English and ancient Tahitian

@Norfolk Island:Government

Country name: conventional long form: Territory of Norfolk Island conventional short form: Norfolk Island

Data code: NF

Dependency status: territory of Australia; Canberra administers Commonwealth responsibilities on Norfolk Island through the Department of Environment, Sport and Territories

Government type: NA

National capital: Kingston (administrative center); Burnt Pine (commercial center)

Administrative divisions: none (territory of Australia)

Independence: none (territory of Australia)

National holiday: Pitcairners Arrival Day Anniversary, 8 June (1856)

Constitution: Norfolk Island Act of 1979

Legal system: based on the laws of Australia, local ordinances and acts; English common law applies in matters not covered by either Australian or Norfolk Island law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952); the queen and Australia are represented by Administrator A.J. MESSNER (since NA) head of government: Assembly President and Chief Minister David Earnest BUFFETT (since NA 1995) cabinet: Executive Council is made up of four of the nine members of the Legislative Assembly; the council devises government policy and acts as an advisor to the Administrator elections: the queen is a hereditary monarch; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia; chief minister elected by the Legislative Assembly for a term of not more than three years; election last held NA May 1995 (next to be held NA May 1998) election results: David Earnest BUFFETT elected chief minister; percent of Legislative Assembly vote-NA

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly (9 seats; members elected by electors who have nine equal votes each but only four votes can be given to any one candidate; members serve three-year terms) elections: last held NA May 1995 (next to be held NA May 1998) election results: percent of vote-NA; seats-independents 9

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Court of Petty Sessions

Political parties and leaders: none

International organization participation: none

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of Australia)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of Australia)

Flag description: three vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and green with a large green Norfolk Island pine tree centered in the slightly wider white band

@Norfolk Island:Economy

Economy-overview: The primary economic activity is tourism, which has brought a level of prosperity unusual among inhabitants of the Pacific islands. The number of visitors has increased steadily over the years and reached 28,000 in FY92/93. Revenues from tourism have helped the agricultural sector to become self-sufficient in the production of beef, poultry, and eggs.

GDP: purchasing power parity-$NA

GDP-real growth rate: NA%

GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$NA

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

Inflation rate-consumer price index: NA%

Labor force: total: 1,395 (1991 est.) by occupation: tourism NA%, subsistence agriculture NA%

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $4.6 million expenditures: $4.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY92/93)

Industries: tourism

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity-capacity: NA kW

Electricity-production: NA kWh

Electricity-consumption per capita: NA kWh

Agriculture-products: Norfolk Island pine seed, Kentia palm seed, cereals, vegetables, fruit; cattle, poultry

Exports: total value: $1.5 million (f.o.b., FY91/92) commodities: postage stamps, seeds of the Norfolk Island pine and Kentia palm, small quantities of avocados partners: Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia, Europe

Imports: total value: $17.9 million (c.i.f., FY91/92) commodities: NA partners: Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia, Europe

Debt-external: $NA

Economic aid: none

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

Exchange rates: Australian dollars ($A) per US$1-1.5281 (January 1998), 1.3439 (1997), 1.2773 (1996), 1.3486 (1995), 1.3667 (1994), 1.4704 (1993)

Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June

Communications

Telephones: 1,087 (1983 est.)

Telephone system: domestic: NA international: radiotelephone service with Sydney (Australia)

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

Radios: 2,000 (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 0

Televisions: 1,500 (1995 est.)

@Norfolk Island:Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 80 km paved: 53 km unpaved: 27 km

Ports and harbors: none; loading jetties at Kingston and Cascade

Merchant marine: none

Airports: 1 (1997 est.)

Airports-with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1997 est.)

@Norfolk Island:Military

Military-note: defense is the responsibility of Australia

@Norfolk Island:Transnational Issues

Disputes-international: none

______________________________________________________________________

NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS

(commonwealth in political union with the US)

@Northern Mariana Islands:Geography

Location: Oceania, islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines

Geographic coordinates: 15 12 N, 145 45 E

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 477 sq km land: 477 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes 14 islands including Saipan, Rota, and Tinian

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

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 1,482 km

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

Climate: tropical marine; moderated by northeast trade winds, little seasonal temperature variation; dry season December to June, rainy season July to October

Terrain: southern islands are limestone with level terraces and fringing coral reefs; northern islands are volcanic

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Agrihan 965 m

Natural resources: arable land, fish

Land use: arable land: 21% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures: 19% forests and woodland: NA% other: NA%

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons (especially August to November)

Environment-current issues: contamination of groundwater on Saipan may contribute to disease; clean-up of landfill; protection of endangered species conflicts with development

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

Geography-note: strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean

@Northern Mariana Islands:People

Population: 66,561 (July 1998 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 24% (male 8,110; female 7,869) 15-64 years: 74% (male 23,847; female 25,659) 65 years and over: 2% (male 518; female 558) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 4.2% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 22.81 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 2.28 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: 21.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 6.53 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.82 years male: 72.76 years female: 79.08 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.89 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality: noun: NA adjective: NA

Ethnic groups: Chamorro, Carolinians and other Micronesians, Caucasian, Japanese, Chinese, Korean

Religions: Christian (Roman Catholic majority, although traditional beliefs and taboos may still be found)

Languages: English, Chamorro, Carolinian note: 86% of population speaks a language other than English at home

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 97% female: 96% (1980 est.)

@Northern Mariana Islands:Government

Country name: conventional long form: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands conventional short form: Northern Mariana Islands

Data code: CQ

Dependency status: commonwealth in political union with the US; federal funds to the Commonwealth administered by the US Department of the Interior, Office of Insular Affairs

Government type: commonwealth; self-governing with locally elected governor, lieutenant governor, and legislature

National capital: Saipan

Administrative divisions: none

Independence: none (commonwealth in political union with the US)

National holiday: Commonwealth Day, 8 January (1978)

Constitution: Covenant Agreement effective 4 November 1986 and the Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

Legal system: based on US system except for customs, wages, immigration laws, and taxation

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections

Executive branch: chief of state: President of the US William Jefferson CLINTON (since 20 January 1993); Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January 1993) head of government: Governor Pedro P. TENORIO (since NA January 1998) and Lieutenant Governor Jesus R. SABLAN (since NA January 1998) cabinet: NA elections: governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held in NA November 1997 (next to be held NA November 2001) election results: Pedro P. TENORIO elected governor of Northern Mariana Islands in three-way race; percent of vote-Pedro P. TENORIO (Republican) 47%

Legislative branch: bicameral Legislature consists of the Senate (9 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year staggered terms) and the House of Representatives (18 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms) elections: Senate-last held NA November 1997 (next to be held NA November 1999); House of Representatives-last held NA November 1997 (next to be held NA November 1999) election results: Senate-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-NA (Republicans retained a majority of the seats); House of Representatives-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-NA (Republicans retained a majority of the seats) note: the Commonwealth does not have a nonvoting delegate in Congress; instead, it has an elected official or "resident representative" located in Washington, DC; seats by party-Republican 1 (Juan N. BABAUTA)

Judicial branch: Commonwealth Supreme Court; Superior Court; Federal District Court

Political parties and leaders: Republican Party, Benigno R. FITIAL, leader; Democratic Party, chairman (currently vacant)

International organization participation: ESCAP (associate), SPC

Flag description: blue with a white five-pointed star superimposed on the gray silhouette of a latte stone (a traditional foundation stone used in building) in the center, surrounded by a wreath

@Northern Mariana Islands:Economy

Economy-overview: The economy benefits substantially from financial assistance from the US. The rate of funding has declined as locally generated government revenues have grown. An agreement for the years 1986 to 1992 entitled the islands to $228 million for capital development, government operations, and special programs. Since 1992, funding has been extended one year at a time. The commonwealth received $27.7 million from FY93/94 through FY95/96. For FY96/97 through FY02/03, funding of $11 million will be provided for infrastructure, with an equal local match. A rapidly growing chief source of income is the tourist industry, which now employs about 50% of the work force. Japanese tourists predominate. The agricultural sector is of minor importance and is made up of cattle ranches and small farms producing coconuts, breadfruit, tomatoes, and melons. Garment production is the fastest growing industry with employment of 12,000 mostly Chinese workers and shipments of $800 million to the US in 1997 under duty and quota exemptions.

GDP: purchasing power parity-$524 million (1994 est.) note: GDP numbers reflect US spending

GDP-real growth rate: NA%

GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$10,500 (1994 est.)

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

Inflation rate-consumer price index: 6.5% (1994 est.)

Labor force: total: 7,476 total indigenous labor force; 2,699 unemployed; 22,560 foreign workers (1995) by occupation: NA

Unemployment rate: 14% (residents)

Budget: revenues: $190.4 million expenditures: $190.4 million, including capital expenditures of $19.1 million (FY94/95)

Industries: tourism, construction, garments, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity-capacity: NA kW

Electricity-production: NA kWh

Electricity-consumption per capita: NA kWh

Agriculture-products: coconuts, fruits, vegetables; cattle

Exports: NA commodities: garments partners: NA

Imports: NA commodities: food, construction equipment and materials, petroleum products partners: US, Japan

Debt-external: $NA

Economic aid: none

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

Exchange rates: US currency is used

Fiscal year: 1 October-30 September

Communications

Telephones: 13,618 (1993 est.)

Telephone system: domestic: NA international: satellite earth stations-2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 3

Radios: 15,460 (1995 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 1 note: there is 1 cable TV station

Televisions: 15,460 (1995 est.)

@Northern Mariana Islands:Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 362 km (1991 est.) paved: NA km unpaved: NA km

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Saipan, Tinian

Merchant marine: none

Airports: 5 (1997 est.)

Airports-with paved runways: total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (1997 est.)

Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1997 est.)

Heliports: 1 (1997 est.)

@Northern Mariana Islands:Military

Military-note: defense is the responsibility of the US

@Northern Mariana Islands:Transnational Issues

Disputes-international: none

______________________________________________________________________

NORWAY

@Norway:Geography

Location: Northern Europe, bordering the North Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Sweden

Geographic coordinates: 62 00 N, 10 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 324,220 sq km land: 307,860 sq km water: 16,360 sq km

Area-comparative: slightly larger than New Mexico

Land boundaries: total: 2,515 km border countries: Finland 729 km, Sweden 1,619 km, Russia 167 km

Coastline: 21,925 km (includes mainland 3,419 km, large islands 2,413 km, long fjords, numerous small islands, and minor indentations 16,093 km)

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 10 nm continental shelf: 200 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 4 nm

Climate: temperate along coast, modified by North Atlantic Current; colder interior; rainy year-round on west coast

Terrain: glaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains broken by fertile valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeply indented by fjords; arctic tundra in north

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m highest point: Glittertinden 2,472 m

Natural resources: petroleum, copper, natural gas, pyrites, nickel, iron ore, zinc, lead, fish, timber, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 3% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 27% other: 70% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 970 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment-current issues: water pollution; acid rain damaging forests and adversely affecting lakes, threatening fish stocks; air pollution from vehicle emissions

Environment-international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography-note: about two-thirds mountains; some 50,000 islands off its much indented coastline; strategic location adjacent to sea lanes and air routes in North Atlantic; one of most rugged and longest coastlines in world; Norway only NATO member having a land boundary with Russia

@Norway:People

Population: 4,419,955 (July 1998 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 20% (male 444,373; female 420,940) 15-64 years: 65% (male 1,454,733; female 1,407,395) 65 years and over: 15% (male 288,056; female 404,458) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.44% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 12.9 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 10.17 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: 1.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 5.01 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.23 years male: 75.42 years female: 81.21 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.8 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality: noun: Norwegian(s) adjective: Norwegian

Ethnic groups: Germanic (Nordic, Alpine, Baltic), Lapps (Sami) 20,000

Religions: Evangelical Lutheran 87.8% (state church), other Protestant and Roman Catholic 3.8%, none 3.2%, unknown 5.2% (1980)

Languages: Norwegian (official) note: small Lapp- and Finnish-speaking minorities

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% (1976 est.) male: NA% female: NA%

@Norway:Government

Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Norway conventional short form: Norway local long form: Kongeriket Norge local short form: Norge

Data code: NO

Government type: constitutional monarchy

National capital: Oslo

Administrative divisions: 19 provinces (fylker, singular-fylke); Akershus, Aust-Agder, Buskerud, Finnmark, Hedmark, Hordaland, More og Romsdal, Nordland, Nord-Trondelag, Oppland, Oslo, Ostfold, Rogaland, Sogn og Fjordane, Sor-Trondelag, Telemark, Troms, Vest-Agder, Vestfold

Dependent areas: Bouvet Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard

Independence: 26 October 1905 (from Sweden)

National holiday: Constitution Day, 17 May (1814)

Constitution: 17 May 1814, modified in 1884

Legal system: mixture of customary law, civil law system, and common law traditions; Supreme Court renders advisory opinions to legislature when asked; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: King HARALD V (since 17 January 1991); Heir Apparent Crown Prince HAAKON MAGNUS (born 20 July 1973) head of government: Prime Minister Kjell Magne BONDEVIK (since 15 October 1997) cabinet: State Council appointed by the king with the approval of the Parliament elections: none; the king is a hereditary monarch; following parliamentary elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the king with the approval of the Parliament

Legislative branch: modified unicameral Parliament or Storting which, for certain purposes, divides itself into two chambers (165 seats; members are elected by popular vote by proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 15 September 1997 (next to be held NA September 2001) election results: percent of vote by party-Labor 35%, Center Party 7.9%, Conservatives 14.3%, Christian People's 13.7%, Socialist Left 6%, Progress 15.3%, Liberal Party 4.4%, other parties 1.6%; seats by party-Labor 65, Center Party 11, Conservatives 23, Christian People's 25, Socialist Left 9, Progress 25, Liberal Party 6, other parties 1 note: for certain purposes, the Parliament divides itself into two chambers and elects one-fourth of its membership to an upper house or Lagting; the 39-member Saami assembly has advisory functions on regional control of natural resources and decision-making capacity on matters relating to the preservation of the Saami culture

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Hoyesterett, justices appointed by the king

Political parties and leaders: Labor Party [Thorbjorn JAGLAND]; Conservative Party [Jan PETERSEN]; Center Party [Anne ENGER LAHNSTEIN]; Christian People's Party [Valgerd HAUGLAND]; Socialist Left [Kjellbjoerg LUNDE]; Norwegian Communist [Kare Andre NILSEN]; Progress Party [Carl I. HAGEN]; Liberal [Odd Einar DORUM]; Left Party; Red Electoral Alliance [Erling FOLKVORD]

International organization participation: AfDB,AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CCC,CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUA, MTCR, NAM (guest), NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OECD, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCRO, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNPREDEP, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Tom-Erik VRAALSON chancery: 2720 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-6000 FAX: [1] (202) 337-0870 consulate(s) general: Houston, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, and San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador David HERMELIN embassy: Drammensveien 18, 0244 Oslo mailing address: PSC 69, Box 1000, APO AE 09707 telephone: [47] 22 44 85 50 FAX: [47] 22 44 33 63

Flag description: red with a blue cross outlined in white that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

@Norway:Economy

Economy-overview: Norway is a prosperous bastion of welfare capitalism. The economy consists of a combination of free market activity and government intervention. The government controls key areas, such as the vital petroleum sector (through large-scale state enterprises), and extensively subsidizes agriculture, fishing, and areas with sparse resources. Norway maintains an extensive welfare system that helps propel public sector expenditures to more than 50% of GDP and results in one of the highest average tax levels in the world. A small country with a high dependence on international trade, Norway is basically an exporter of raw materials and semiprocessed goods, with an abundance of small- and medium-sized firms, and is ranked among the major shipping nations. The country is richly endowed with natural resources-petroleum, hydropower, fish, forests, and minerals-and is highly dependent on its oil sector. Only Saudi Arabia exports more oil than Norway. Norway imports more than half its food needs. Oslo opted to stay out of the EU during a referendum in November 1994. Economic growth in 1998 should be about the same as in 1997. Inflation probably will move up toward 3% because of tightness in labor markets. Despite their high per capita income-outstripped among major nations only by the US-and their generous welfare benefits, Norwegians worry about that time in the 21st century when the oil and gas run out.

GDP: purchasing power parity-$120.5 billion (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate: 3.5% (1997 est.)

GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$27,400 (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector: agriculture: 2.9% industry: 34.7% services: 62.4% (1991)

Inflation rate-consumer price index: 2% (1997 est.)

Labor force: total: 2.13 million by occupation: services 71%, industry 23%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 6% (1993)

Unemployment rate: 2.6% (yearend 1997)

Budget: revenues: $48.6 billion expenditures: $53 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1994 est.)

Industries: petroleum and gas, food processing, shipbuilding, pulp and paper products, metals, chemicals, timber, mining, textiles, fishing

Industrial production growth rate: 3% (1996 est.)

Electricity-capacity: 26.431 million kW (1995)

Electricity-production: 121.375 billion kWh (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita: 26,547 kWh (1995)

Agriculture-products: oats, other grains; beef, milk; livestock output exceeds value of crops; among world's top 10 fishing nations; fish catch of 2.33 million metric tons in 1994

Exports: total value: $49.3 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: petroleum and petroleum products 43%, metals and products 11%, foodstuffs (mostly fish) 9%, chemicals and raw materials 25%, natural gas 6.0%, ships 5.4% partners: EU 77.2% (UK 19.8%, Germany 12.7%, Netherlands 9.1%, France 7.8%, Sweden 9.8%), US 6.0% (1995)

Imports: total value: $35.1 billion (c.i.f., 1996) commodities: machinery and equipment and manufactured consumer goods 54%, chemicals and other industrial inputs 39%, foodstuffs 6% partners: EU 71.0% (Sweden 15.4%, Germany 13.8%, UK 9.7%, Denmark 7.5%, Netherlands 4.4%), US 6.6% (1995)

Debt-external: $NA

Economic aid: donor: ODA, $1.014 billion (1993)

Currency: 1 Norwegian krone (NKr) = 100 oere

Exchange rates: Norwegian kroner (NKr) per US$1-7.4875 (January 1998), 7.0734 (1997), 6.4498 (1996), 6.3352 (1995), 7.0576 (1994), 7.0941 (1993)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 2.39 million (1994 est.); 470,000 mobile phones in use in 1994

Telephone system: high-quality domestic and international telephone, telegraph, and telex services domestic: NA domestic satellite earth stations international: 2 buried coaxial cable systems; 4 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations-NA Eutelsat, NA Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note-Norway shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Sweden)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 46, FM 493 (350 private and 143 government), shortwave 0

Radios: 3.3 million (1993 est.)