Chapter XXXVI: Front Matter (36)

Economy - overview: Revenues of this tiny island have come from exports of phosphates, but reserves are expected to be exhausted within five to ten years. Phosphate production has declined since 1989, as demand has fallen in traditional markets and as the marginal cost of extracting the remaining phosphate increases, making it less internationally competitive. While phosphates have given Nauruans one of the highest per capita incomes in the Third World, few other resources exist with most necessities being imported, including fresh water from Australia. The rehabilitation of mined land and the replacement of income from phosphates are serious long-term problems. In anticipation of the exhaustion of Nauru's phosphate deposits, substantial amounts of phosphate income have been invested in trust funds to help cushion the transition and provide for Nauru's economic future. The government has been borrowing heavily from the trusts to finance fiscal deficits. To cut costs the government has called for a freezing of wages, a reduction of over-staffed public service departments, privatization of numerous government agencies, and closure of some overseas consulates. In recent years Nauru has encouraged the registration of offshore banks and corporations. Tens of billions of dollars have been channeled through their accounts. Few comprehensive statistics on the Nauru economy exist, with estimates of Nauru's per capita GDP varying widely.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $59 million (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: NA%

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): -3.6% (1993)

Labor force - by occupation: employed in mining phosphates, public administration, education, and transportation

Unemployment rate: 0%

Budget: revenues: $23.4 million

expenditures: $64.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY95/96)

Industries: phosphate mining, financial services, coconut products

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 30 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100%

hydro: 0%

nuclear: 0%

other: 0% (1999)

Electricity - consumption: 27.9 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products: coconuts

Exports: $25.3 million (f.o.b., 1991)

Exports - commodities: phosphates

Exports - partners: Australia, NZ

Imports: $21.1 million (c.i.f., 1991)

Imports - commodities: food, fuel, manufactures, building materials, machinery

Imports - partners: Australia, UK, NZ, Japan

Debt - external: $33.3 million

Economic aid - recipient: $2.25 million from Australia (FY96/97 est.)

Currency: Australian dollar (AUD)

Currency code: AUD

Exchange rates: Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.7995 (January 2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997), 1.2773 (1996)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Nauru Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 2,000 (1996)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 450 (1994)

Telephone system: general assessment: adequate local and international radiotelephone communications provided via Australian facilities

domestic: NA

international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 7,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)

Televisions: 500 (1997)

Internet country code: .nr

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: NA

Nauru Transportation

Railways: total: 5 km; note - used to haul phosphates from the center of the island to processing facilities on the southwest coast

Highways: total: 30 km

paved: 24 km

unpaved: 6 km (1998 est.)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Nauru

Merchant marine: none (2000 est.)

Airports: 1 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2000 est.)

Nauru Military

Military branches: no regular armed forces; Directorate of the Nauru Police Force

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 3,018 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,661 (2001 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

Military - note: Nauru maintains no defense forces; under an informal agreement, defense is the responsibility of Australia

Nauru Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none

======================================================================

@Navassa Island

Navassa Island Introduction

Background: This uninhabited island was claimed by the US in 1857 for its guano, and mining took place between 1865 and 1898. The lighthouse, built in 1917, was shut down in 1996 and administration of Navassa Island transferred from the Coast Guard to the Department of the Interior. A 1998 scientific expedition to the island described it as a unique preserve of Caribbean biodiversity; the following year it became a National Wildlife Refuge.

Navassa Island Geography

Location: Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, about one-fourth of the way from Haiti to Jamaica

Geographic coordinates: 18 25 N, 75 02 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 5.2 sq km

land: 5.2 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 8 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: marine, tropical

Terrain: raised coral and limestone plateau, flat to undulating; ringed by vertical white cliffs (9 to 15 m high)

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: unnamed location on southwest side 77 m

Natural resources: guano

Land use: arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

permanent pastures: 10%

forests and woodland: 0%

other: 90%

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: strategic location 160 km south of the US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; mostly exposed rock, but enough grassland to support goat herds; dense stands of fig-like trees, scattered cactus

Navassa Island People

Population: uninhabited

note: transient Haitian fishermen and others camp on the island (July 2001 est.)

Navassa Island Government

Country name: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Navassa Island

Dependency status: unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service, US Department of the Interior; in September 1996, the Coast Guard ceased operations and maintenance of Navassa Island Light, a 46-meter-tall lighthouse located on the southern side of the island; there has also been a private claim advanced against the island

Legal system: the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description: the flag of the US is used

Navassa Island Economy

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Navassa Island Transportation

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Navassa Island Military

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Navassa Island Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: claimed by Haiti

======================================================================

@Nepal

Nepal Introduction

Background: In 1951, the Nepalese monarch ended the century-old system of rule by hereditary premiers and instituted a cabinet system of government. Reforms in 1990 established a multiparty democracy within the framework of a constitutional monarchy. The refugee issue of some 100,000 Bhutanese in Nepal remains unresolved; 90% of these displaced persons are housed in seven United Nations Offices of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) camps.

Nepal Geography

Location: Southern Asia, between China and India

Geographic coordinates: 28 00 N, 84 00 E

Map references: Asia

Area: total: 140,800 sq km

land: 136,800 sq km

water: 4,000 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Arkansas

Land boundaries: total: 2,926 km

border countries: China 1,236 km, India 1,690 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: varies from cool summers and severe winters in north to subtropical summers and mild winters in south

Terrain: Terai or flat river plain of the Ganges in south, central hill region, rugged Himalayas in north

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Kanchan Kalan 70 m

highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m (1999 est.)

Natural resources: quartz, water, timber, hydropower, scenic beauty, small deposits of lignite, copper, cobalt, iron ore

Land use: arable land: 17%

permanent crops: 0%

permanent pastures: 15%

forests and woodland: 42%

other: 26% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 8,500 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: severe thunderstorms, flooding, landslides, drought, and famine depending on the timing, intensity, and duration of the summer monsoons

Environment - current issues: deforestation (overuse of wood for fuel and lack of alternatives); contaminated water (with human and animal wastes, agricultural runoff, and industrial effluents); wildlife conservation; vehicular emissions

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note: landlocked; strategic location between China and India; contains eight of world's 10 highest peaks

Nepal People

Population: 25,284,463 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 40.35% (male 5,267,234; female 4,933,910)

15-64 years: 56.16% (male 7,264,575; female 6,934,384)

65 years and over: 3.49% (male 437,813; female 446,547) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.32% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 33.4 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 10.22 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female

total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 74.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 58.22 years

male: 58.65 years

female: 57.77 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.58 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.29% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 34,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 2,500 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Nepalese (singular and plural)

adjective: Nepalese

Ethnic groups: Brahman, Chetri, Newar, Gurung, Magar, Tamang, Rai, Limbu, Sherpa, Tharu, and others (1995)

Religions: Hinduism 86.2%, Buddhism 7.8%, Islam 3.8%, other 2.2%

note: only official Hindu state in the world (1995)

Languages: Nepali (official; spoken by 90% of the population), about a dozen other languages and about 30 major dialects; note - many in government and business also speak English (1995)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 27.5%

male: 40.9%

female: 14% (1995 est.)

Nepal Government

Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Nepal

conventional short form: Nepal

Government type: parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy

Capital: Kathmandu

Administrative divisions: 14 zones (anchal, singular and plural); Bagmati, Bheri, Dhawalagiri, Gandaki, Janakpur, Karnali, Kosi, Lumbini, Mahakali, Mechi, Narayani, Rapti, Sagarmatha, Seti

Independence: 1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan Shah)

National holiday: Birthday of King GYANENDRA, 7 July (1946)

Constitution: 9 November 1990

Legal system: based on Hindu legal concepts and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: King GYANENDRA Bir Bikram Shah (succeeded to the throne 4 June 2001 following the death of his nephew King DIPENDRA Bir Bikram Shah)

head of government: Prime Minister Girija Prasad KOIRALA (since 22 March 2000)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch

note: King BIRENDRA Bir Bikram Shah Dev died in a bloody shooting at the royal palace on 1 June 2001 that also claimed the lives of most of the royal family; King BIRENDRA's son, Crown Price DIPENDRA, is believed to have been responsible for the shootings before fatally wounding himself; immediately following the shootings and while still clinging to life, DIPENDRA was crowned king; he died three days later and was succeeded by his uncle

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the National Council (60 seats; 35 appointed by the House of Representatives, 10 by the king, and 15 elected by an electoral college; one-third of the members elected every two years to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives (205 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: House of Representatives - last held 3 and 17 May 1999 (next to be held NA May 2004)

election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NC 37.3%, CPN/UML 31.6%, NDP 10.4%, NSP 3.2%, Rastriya Jana Morcha 1.4%, Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal 0.8%, NWPP 0.5%, others 14.8%; seats by party - NC 113, CPN/UML 69, NDP 11, NSP 5, Rastriya Jana Morcha 5, Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal 1, NWPP 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Sarbochha Adalat (chief justice is appointed by the monarch on recommendation of the Constitutional Council; the other judges are appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the Judicial Council)

Political parties and leaders: Communist Party of Nepal/United Marxist-Leninist or CPN/UML [Madhav Kumar NEPAL, general secretary]; National Democratic Party or NDP (also called Rastriya Prajantra Party or RPP) [Surya Bahadur THAPA, chairman]; Nepal Sadbhavana (Goodwill) Party or NSP [Gajendra Narayan SINGH, president]; Nepal Workers and Peasants Party or NWPP [Narayan Man BIJUKCHHE, party chair]; Nepali Congress or NC [Girija Prasad KOIRALA, party president, Sushil KOIRALA, general secretary]; Rastriya Jana Morcha [Chitra Bahadur K. C., chairman]; Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal [Lila Mani POKHAREL, general secretary]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Maoist guerrilla-based insurgency; numerous small, left-leaning student groups in the capital; several small, radical Nepalese antimonarchist groups

International organization participation: AsDB, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MONUC, NAM, OPCW, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNTAET, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Damodar Prasad GAUTAM

chancery: 2131 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 667-4550

FAX: [1] (202) 667-5534

consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ralph FRANK

embassy: Pani Pokhari, Kathmandu

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: [977] (1) 411179, 410531

FAX: [977] (1) 419963

Flag description: red with a blue border around the unique shape of two overlapping right triangles; the smaller, upper triangle bears a white stylized moon and the larger, lower triangle bears a white 12-pointed sun

Nepal Economy

Economy - overview: Nepal is among the poorest and least developed countries in the world with nearly half of its population living below the poverty line. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing a livelihood for over 80% of the population and accounting for 41% of GDP. Industrial activity mainly involves the processing of agricultural produce including jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain. Production of textiles and carpets has expanded recently and accounted for about 80% of foreign exchange earnings in the past three years. Agricultural production is growing by about 5% on average as compared with annual population growth of 2.3%. Since May 1991, the government has been moving forward with economic reforms, particularly those that encourage trade and foreign investment, e.g., by reducing business licenses and registration requirements in order to simplify investment procedures. The government has also been cutting expenditures by reducing subsidies, privatizing state industries, and laying off civil servants. More recently, however, political instability - five different governments over the past few years - has hampered Kathmandu's ability to forge consensus to implement key economic reforms. Nepal has considerable scope for accelerating economic growth by exploiting its potential in hydropower and tourism, areas of recent foreign investment interest. Prospects for foreign trade or investment in other sectors will remain poor, however, because of the small size of the economy, its technological backwardness, its remoteness, its landlocked geographic location, and its susceptibility to natural disaster. The international community's role of funding more than 60% of Nepal's development budget and more than 28% of total budgetary expenditures will likely continue as a major ingredient of growth.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $33.7 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3.7% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,360 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 41%

industry: 22%

services: 37% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 42% (FY95/96 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.2%

highest 10%: 29.8% (1995-96)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.3% (FY99/00 est.)

Labor force: 10 million (1996 est.)

note: severe lack of skilled labor

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 81%, services 16%, industry 3%

Unemployment rate: NA%; substantial underemployment (1999)

Budget: revenues: $536 million

expenditures: $818 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY96/97 est.)

Industries: tourism, carpet, textile; small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed mills; cigarette; cement and brick production

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 1.255 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 9.56%

hydro: 90.44%

nuclear: 0%

other: 0% (1999)

Electricity - consumption: 1.309 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports: 68 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports: 210 million kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products: rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, root crops; milk, water buffalo meat

Exports: $485 million (f.o.b., 1998), but does not include unrecorded border trade with India

Exports - commodities: carpets, clothing, leather goods, jute goods, grain

Exports - partners: India 33%, US 26%, Germany 25% (FY97/98)

Imports: $1.2 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Imports - commodities: gold, machinery and equipment, petroleum products, fertilizer

Imports - partners: India 31%, China/Hong Kong 16%, Singapore 14% (FY97/98)

Debt - external: $2.4 billion (1997)

Economic aid - recipient: $411 million (FY97/98)

Currency: Nepalese rupee (NPR)

Currency code: NPR

Exchange rates: Nepalese rupees per US dollar - 74.129 (January 2001), 71.104 (2000), 68.239 (1999), 65.976 (1998), 58.010 (1997), 56.692 (1996)

Fiscal year: 16 July - 15 July

Nepal Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 236,816 (January 2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular: NA

Telephone system: general assessment: poor telephone and telegraph service; fair radiotelephone communication service and mobile cellular telephone network

domestic: NA

international: radiotelephone communications; microwave landline to India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (January 2000)

Radios: 840,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (plus 9 repeaters) (1998)

Televisions: 130,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .np

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 6 (2000)

Internet users: 35,000 (2000)

Nepal Transportation

Railways: total: 59 km; note - all in Kosi close to Indian border

narrow gauge: 59 km 0.762-m gauge (2000)

Highways: total: 13,223 km

paved: 4,073 km

unpaved: 9,150 km (April 1999)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: none

Airports: 45 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 8

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 6 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 37

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 7

under 914 m: 29 (2000 est.)

Nepal Military

Military branches: Royal Nepalese Army (includes Royal Nepalese Army Air Service), Nepalese Police Force

Military manpower - military age: 17 years of age

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 6,295,990 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 3,272,077 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 292,589 (2001 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $44 million (FY96/97)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.9% (FY96/97)

Nepal Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: refugee issue over the presence in Nepal of approximately 98,700 Bhutanese refugees, 90% of whom are in seven United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) camps

Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic and international drug markets; transit point for opiates from Southeast Asia to the West

======================================================================

@Netherlands

Netherlands Introduction

Background: The Kingdom of the Netherlands was formed in 1815. In 1830 Belgium seceded and formed a separate kingdom. The Netherlands remained neutral in World War I but suffered a brutal invasion and occupation by Germany in World War II. A modern, industrialized nation, the Netherlands is also a large exporter of agricultural products. The country was a founding member of NATO and the EC, and participated in the introduction of the euro in 1999.

Netherlands Geography

Location: Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany

Geographic coordinates: 52 30 N, 5 45 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 41,526 sq km

land: 33,883 sq km

water: 7,643 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

Land boundaries: total: 1,027 km

border countries: Belgium 450 km, Germany 577 km

Coastline: 451 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM

territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters

Terrain: mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders); some hills in southeast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Prins Alexanderpolder -7 m

highest point: Vaalserberg 321 m

Natural resources: natural gas, petroleum, arable land

Land use: arable land: 25%

permanent crops: 3%

permanent pastures: 25%

forests and woodland: 8%

other: 39% (1996 est.)

Irrigated land: 6,000 sq km (1996 est.)

Natural hazards: flooding

Environment - current issues: water pollution in the form of heavy metals, organic compounds, and nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates; air pollution from vehicles and refining activities; acid rain

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note: located at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine, Maas or Meuse, and Schelde)

Netherlands People

Population: 15,981,472 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 18.38% (male 1,501,925; female 1,436,017)

15-64 years: 67.9% (male 5,518,575; female 5,333,442)

65 years and over: 13.72% (male 899,052; female 1,292,461) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.55% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 11.85 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 8.69 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: 2.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 4.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.43 years

male: 75.55 years

female: 81.44 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.65 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.19% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 15,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 100 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Dutchman(men), Dutchwoman(women)

adjective: Dutch

Ethnic groups: Dutch 91%, Moroccans, Turks, and other 9% (1999 est.)

Religions: Roman Catholic 31%, Protestant 21%, Muslim 4.4%, other 3.6%, unaffiliated 40% (1998)

Languages: Dutch

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99% (2000 est.)

male: NA%

female: NA%

Netherlands Government

Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of the Netherlands

conventional short form: Netherlands

local long form: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden

local short form: Nederland

Government type: constitutional monarchy

Capital: Amsterdam; The Hague is the seat of government

Administrative divisions: 12 provinces (provincien, singular - provincie); Drenthe, Flevoland, Friesland, Gelderland, Groningen, Limburg, Noord-Brabant, Noord-Holland, Overijssel, Utrecht, Zeeland, Zuid-Holland

Dependent areas: Aruba, Netherlands Antilles

Independence: 1579 (from Spain)

National holiday: Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA in 1909 and accession to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX in 1980), 30 April

Constitution: adopted 1814; amended many times, last time 17 February 1983

Legal system: civil law system incorporating French penal theory; constitution does not permit judicial review of acts of the States General; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen BEATRIX (since 30 April 1980); Heir Apparent WILLEM-ALEXANDER (born 27 April 1967), son of the monarch

head of government: Prime Minister Wim KOK (since 22 August 1994) and Vice Prime Ministers Annemarie JORRITSMA (since 3 August 1998) and Els BORST-EILERS (since 3 August 1998)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following Second Chamber elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch; vice prime ministers appointed by the monarch

note: government coalition - PvdA, VVD, and D'66; there is also a Council of State composed of the monarch, heir apparent, and councilors consulted by the executive on legislative and administrative policy

Legislative branch: bicameral States General or Staten Generaal consists of the First Chamber or Eerste Kamer (75 seats; members indirectly elected by the country's 12 provincial councils for four-year terms) and the Second Chamber or Tweede Kamer (150 seats; members directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: First Chamber - last held 25 May 1999 (next to be held NA May 2003); Second Chamber - last held 6 May 1998 (next to be held May 2002)

election results: First Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CDA 20, VVD 19, PvdA 15, D'66 4, other 17; Second Chamber - percent of vote by party - PvdA 30.0%, VVD 25.3%, CDA 19.3%, D'66 9.3%, other 16.1%; seats by party - PvdA 45, VVD 38, CDA 29, D'66 14, other 24

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Hoge Raad (justices are nominated for life by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders: Christian Democratic Appeal or CDA [Jaap de Hoop SCHEFFER]; Democrats '66 or D'66 [Tom DE GRAAF]; Labor Party or PvdA [Wim KOK]; People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (Liberal) or VVD [Hans F. DIJKSTAL]; a host of minor parties

Political pressure groups and leaders: Federation of Netherlands Trade Union Movement (comprising Socialist and Catholic trade unions) and a Protestant trade union; Federation of Catholic and Protestant Employers Associations; Interchurch Peace Council or IKV; large multinational firms; the nondenominational Federation of Netherlands Enterprises

International organization participation: AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, EIB, EMU, ESA, ESCAP, EU, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joris M. VOS

chancery: 4200 Linnean Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 244-5300

FAX: [1] (202) 362-3430

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York

consulate(s): Boston

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Cynthia P. SCHNEIDER

embassy: Lange Voorhout 102, 2514 EJ, The Hague

mailing address: PSC 71, Box 1000, APO AE 09715

telephone: [31] (70) 310-9209

FAX: [31] (70) 361-4688

consulate(s) general: Amsterdam

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue; similar to the flag of Luxembourg, which uses a lighter blue and is longer

Netherlands Economy

Economy - overview: The Netherlands is a prosperous and open economy depending heavily on foreign trade. The economy is noted for stable industrial relations, moderate inflation, a sizable current account surplus, and an important role as a European transportation hub. Industrial activity is predominantly in food processing, chemicals, petroleum refining, and electrical machinery. A highly mechanized agricultural sector employs no more than 4% of the labor force but provides large surpluses for the food-processing industry and for exports. The Dutch rank third worldwide in value of agricultural exports, behind the US and France. The Dutch economy has expanded by 3% or more in each of the last four years and real GDP growth is likely to be about 3.6% in 2001. The government in 2001 will implement its most comprehensive tax reform since World War II, designed to reduce high income tax levels and redirect the fiscal burden onto consumption. The Dutch were among the first 11 EU countries establishing the euro currency zone on 1 January 1999.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $388.4 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $24,400 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.3%

industry: 26.3%

services: 70.4% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8%

highest 10%: 25.1% (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.6% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 7.2 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation: services 73%, industry 23%, agriculture 4% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate: 2.6% (2000 est.)

Budget: revenues: $134 billion

expenditures: $134 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Industries: agroindustries, metal and engineering products, electrical machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum, construction, microelectronics, fishing

Industrial production growth rate: 3.2% (2000)

Electricity - production: 85.294 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 90.25%

hydro: 0.11%

nuclear: 4.27%

other: 5.37% (1999)

Electricity - consumption: 97.76 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports: 3.97 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports: 22.407 billion kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products: grains, potatoes, sugar beets, fruits, vegetables; livestock

Exports: $210.3 billion (f.o.b., 2000)

Exports - commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs

Exports - partners: EU 78% (Germany 26%, Belgium-Luxembourg 12%, France 12%, UK 11%, Italy 6%), Central and Eastern Europe, US (2000)

Imports: $201.2 billion (c.i.f., 2000 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs, clothing

Imports - partners: EU 56% (Germany 18%, Belgium-Luxembourg 10%, UK 5%, France 6%), US 9%, Central and Eastern Europe (2000)

Debt - external: $0

Economic aid - donor: ODA, $3.5 billion (2000 est.)

Currency: Netherlands guilder (NLG); euro (EUR)

note: on 1 January 1999, the EU introduced the euro as a common currency that is now being used by financial institutions in the Netherlands at a fixed rate of 2.20371 Netherlands guilders per euro and will replace the local currency for all transactions in 2002

Currency code: NLG; EUR

Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 1.0659 (January 2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); Netherlands guilders per US dollar - 1.9837 (1998), 1.9513 (1997), 1.6859 (1996)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Netherlands Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 9,132,400 (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 4,081,891 (April 1999)

Telephone system: general assessment: highly developed and well maintained

domestic: the existing system of multi-conductor cables is gradually being replaced by fiber-optic cables; the density of cellular telephone traffic is rapidly increasing and further modernization of the system is expected in the year 2001, with the introduction of the third generation of the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM)

international: 5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions) (1996)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 58, shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios: 15.3 million (1996)

Television broadcast stations: 21 (plus 26 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions: 8.1 million (1997)

Internet country code: .nl

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 52 (2000)

Internet users: 6.8 million (2000)

Netherlands Transportation

Railways: total: 2,739 km

standard gauge: 2,739 km 1.435-m gauge; (1,991 km electrified) (1998)

Highways: total: 125,575 km

paved: 113,018 km (including 2,235 km of expressways)

unpaved: 12,557 km (1998)

Waterways: 5,046 km

note: 47% of total route length is usable by craft of 1,000 metric ton capacity or larger

Pipelines: crude oil 418 km; petroleum products 965 km; natural gas 10,230 km

Ports and harbors: Amsterdam, Delfzijl, Dordrecht, Eemshaven, Groningen, Haarlem, Ijmuiden, Maastricht, Rotterdam, Terneuzen, Utrecht, Vlissingen

Merchant marine: total: 596 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,321,500 GRT/4,877,632 DWT

ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 371, chemical tanker 43, container 59, liquefied gas 21, livestock carrier 1, multi-functional large-load carrier 9, passenger 8, petroleum tanker 26, refrigerated cargo 29, roll on/roll off 18, short-sea passenger 3, specialized tanker 5 (2000 est.)

Airports: 28 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 19

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 7

1,524 to 2,437 m: 6

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 9

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 6 (2000 est.)

Heliports: 1 (2000 est.)

Netherlands Military

Military branches: Royal Netherlands Army, Royal Netherlands Navy (includes Naval Air Service and Marine Corps), Royal Netherlands Air Force, Royal Constabulary

Military manpower - military age: 20 years of age

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 4,083,349 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 3,555,501 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 96,082 (2001 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $6.5 billion (FY00/01 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.5% (FY00/01 est.)

Netherlands Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: major European producer of illicit amphetamine and other synthetic drugs; important gateway for cocaine, heroin, and hashish entering Europe; major source of US-bound ecstasy

======================================================================

@Netherlands Antilles

Netherlands Antilles Introduction

Background: Once the center of the Caribbean slave trade, the island of Curacao was hard hit by the abolition of slavery in 1863. Its prosperity (and that of neighboring Aruba) was restored in the early 20th century with the construction of oil refineries to service the newly discovered Venezuelan oil fields. The island of Sint Maarten is shared with France; its northern portion is named Saint Martin and is part of Guadeloupe.

Netherlands Antilles Geography

Location: Caribbean, two island groups in the Caribbean Sea - one includes Curacao and Bonaire north of Venezuela; the other is east of the Virgin Islands

Geographic coordinates: 12 15 N, 68 45 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 960 sq km

land: 960 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten (Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin)

Area - comparative: more than five times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 10.2 km

border countries: Guadeloupe (Saint Martin) 10.2 km

Coastline: 364 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 12 NM

territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical; ameliorated by northeast trade winds

Terrain: generally hilly, volcanic interiors

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Mount Scenery 862 m

Natural resources: phosphates (Curacao only), salt (Bonaire only)

Land use: arable land: 10%

permanent crops: 0%

permanent pastures: 0%

forests and woodland: 0%

other: 90% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: Curacao and Bonaire are south of Caribbean hurricane belt and are rarely threatened; Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius are subject to hurricanes from July to October

Environment - current issues: NA

Netherlands Antilles People

Population: 212,226 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 25.21% (male 27,332; female 26,169)

15-64 years: 66.99% (male 67,562; female 74,599)

65 years and over: 7.8% (male 6,874; female 9,690) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.97% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 16.55 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 6.41 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female

total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 11.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 74.94 years

male: 72.76 years

female: 77.22 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.07 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Dutch Antillean(s)

adjective: Dutch Antillean

Ethnic groups: mixed black 85%, Carib Amerindian, white, East Asian

Religions: Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Seventh-Day Adventist

Languages: Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect) predominates, English widely spoken, Spanish

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98%

male: 98%

female: 99% (1981 est.)

Netherlands Antilles Government

Country name: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Netherlands Antilles

local long form: none

local short form: Nederlandse Antillen

former: Curacao and Dependencies

Dependency status: part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs granted in 1954; Dutch Government responsible for defense and foreign affairs

Government type: parliamentary

Capital: Willemstad

Administrative divisions: none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

note: each island has its own government

Independence: none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

National holiday: Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA in 1909 and accession to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX in 1980), 30 April

Constitution: 29 December 1954, Statute of the Realm of the Netherlands, as amended

Legal system: based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980), represented by Governor General Jaime SALEH (since NA October 1989)

head of government: Prime Minister Miguel POURIER (since 8 November 1999); Deputy Prime Minister Susanne CAMELIA-ROMER (since NA)

note: Miguel POURIER assumed prime ministership following the resignation of Susanne CAMELIA-ROMER

cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Staten

elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch for a six-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is usually elected prime minister by the Staten; election last held 30 January 1998 (next to be held by NA 2002)

note: government coalition - PDB, DP-St. M, FOL, PLKP, PNP

Legislative branch: unicameral States or Staten (22 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 30 January 1998 (next to be held by NA 2002)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PAR 4, PNP 3, SPA 1, PDB 2, UPB 1, MAN 2, PLKP 3, WIPM 1, SEA 1, DP-St. M 2, FOL 2; no party won enough seats to form a government

note: the government of Prime Minister Miguel POURIER is a coalition of several parties; current seats by party - PAR 4, PNP 3, FOL 2, MAN 2, UPB 2, DP-St. M 2, PDB 1, SEA 1, WIPM 1, other 4

Judicial branch: Joint High Court of Justice (judges appointed by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders: Antillean Restructuring Party or PAR [Miguel POURIER]; C 93 [Stanley BROWN]; Democratic Party of Bonaire or PDB [Jopi ABRAHAM]; Democratic Party of Curacao or DP [Errol HERNANDEZ]; Democratic Party of Sint Eustatius or DP-St. E [Julian WOODLEY]; Democratic Party of Sint Maarten or DP-St. M [Sarah WESCOTT-WILLIAMS]; Foundation Energetic Management Anti-Narcotics or FAME [Eric LODEWIJKS]; Labor Party People's Crusade or PLKP [Errol COVA]; National People's Party or PNP [Susanne F. C. CAMELIA-ROMER]; New Antilles Movement or MAN [Kenneth GIJSBERTHA]; Patriotic Union of Bonaire or UPB [Ramon BOOI]; Patriotic Movement of Sint Maarten or SPA [Vance JAMES, Jr.]; People's Party or PAPU [Richard Hodi]; Pro Curacao Party or PPK [Winston LOURENS]; Saba Democratic Labor Movement [Steve HASSELL]; Saba Unity Party [Carmen SIMMONDS]; St. Eustatius Alliance or SEA [Kenneth VAN PUTTEN]; Serious Alternative People's Party or Sapp [Julian ROLLOCKS]; Social Action Cause or KAS [Benny DEMEI]; Windward Islands People's Movement or WIPM [Will JOHNSTON]; Workers' Liberation Front or FOL [Anthony GODETT, Rignald LAK, Editha WRIGHT]

note: political parties are indigenous to each island

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: Caricom (observer), ECLAC (associate), Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WCL, WMO, WToO (associate)

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Consul General Barbara J. STEPHENSON

consulate(s) general: J. B. Gorsiraweg #1, Willemstad AN, Curacao

mailing address: P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao

telephone: [599] (9) 4613066

FAX: [599] (9) 4616489

Flag description: white, with a horizontal blue stripe in the center superimposed on a vertical red band, also centered; five white, five-pointed stars are arranged in an oval pattern in the center of the blue band; the five stars represent the five main islands of Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten

Netherlands Antilles Economy

Economy - overview: Tourism, petroleum refining, and offshore finance are the mainstays of this small economy, which is closely tied to the outside world. Although GDP has declined slightly in each of the past five years, the islands enjoy a high per capita income and a well-developed infrastructure as compared with other countries in the region. Almost all consumer and capital goods are imported, with Venezuela, the US, and Mexico being the major suppliers. Poor soils and inadequate water supplies hamper the development of agriculture.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $2.4 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: -3.5% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $11,400 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1%

industry: 15%

services: 84% (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.4% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 89,000

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 1%, industry 13%, services 86% (1994 est.)

Unemployment rate: 14.9% (1998 est.)

Budget: revenues: $710.8 million

expenditures: $741.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)

Industries: tourism (Curacao, Sint Maarten, and Bonaire), petroleum refining (Curacao), petroleum transshipment facilities (Curacao and Bonaire), light manufacturing (Curacao)

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 1.11 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100%

hydro: 0%

nuclear: 0%

other: 0% (1999)

Electricity - consumption: 1.032 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products: aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit

Exports: $276 million (f.o.b., 2000)

Exports - commodities: petroleum products

Exports - partners: US 17.5%, Guatemala 8%, Costa Rica 6.5%, The Bahamas 4.6%, Jamaica 4.1%, Chile 3.4% (1998)

Imports: $1.5 billion (f.o.b., 2000)

Imports - commodities: crude petroleum, food, manufactures

Imports - partners: Venezuela 35.3%, US 21%, Mexico 9.8%, Italy 5.4%, Netherlands 4.8%, Brazil 3.1% (1998)

Debt - external: $1.35 billion (1996)

Economic aid - recipient: IMF provided $61 million in 2000, and the Netherlands continued its support with $40 million

Currency: Netherlands Antillean guilder (ANG)

Currency code: ANG

Exchange rates: Netherlands Antillean guilders per US dollar - 1.790 (fixed rate since 1989)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Netherlands Antilles Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 76,000 (1995)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 13,977 (1996)

Telephone system: general assessment: generally adequate facilities

domestic: extensive interisland microwave radio relay links

international: submarine cables - 2; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 9, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 217,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (there is also a cable service which supplies programs received from various US satellite networks and two Venezuelan channels) (1997)

Televisions: 69,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .an

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 6

Internet users: 2,000 (2000)

Netherlands Antilles Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 600 km

paved: 300 km

unpaved: 300 km (1992)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Kralendijk, Philipsburg, Willemstad

Merchant marine: total: 123 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,113,774 GRT/1,397,841 DWT

ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 35, chemical tanker 2, combination ore/oil 3, container 19, liquefied gas 4, multi-functional large-load carrier 19, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 4, refrigerated cargo 28, roll on/roll off 7

note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Belgium 8, Germany 1, Italy 1 (2000 est.)

Airports: 5 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 5

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.)

Netherlands Antilles Military

Military branches: Royal Netherlands Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, National Guard, Police Force

Military manpower - military age: 20 years of age

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 54,284 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 30,405 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 1,610 (2001 est.)

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Netherlands Antilles Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: money-laundering center; transshipment point for South American drugs bound for the US and Europe

======================================================================

@New Caledonia

New Caledonia Introduction

Background: Settled by both Britain and France during the first half of the 19th century, the island was made a French possession in 1853. It served as a penal colony for four decades after 1864. Agitation for independence during the 1980s and early 1990s seems to have dissipated.

New Caledonia Geography

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

Geographic coordinates: 21 30 S, 165 30 E

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 19,060 sq km

land: 18,575 sq km

water: 485 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 2,254 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid

Terrain: coastal plains with interior mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mont Panie 1,628 m

Natural resources: nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold, lead, copper

Land use: arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

permanent pastures: 12%

forests and woodland: 39%

other: 49% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 160 sq km (1991)

Natural hazards: cyclones, most frequent from November to March

Environment - current issues: erosion caused by mining exploitation and forest fires

New Caledonia People

Population: 204,863 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 30.31% (male 31,674; female 30,416)

15-64 years: 63.95% (male 66,014; female 65,006)

65 years and over: 5.74% (male 5,548; female 6,205) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.48% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 20.37 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 5.62 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female

total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 8.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 73.02 years

male: 70.08 years

female: 76.11 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.48 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: New Caledonian(s)

adjective: New Caledonian

Ethnic groups: Melanesian 42.5%, European 37.1%, Wallisian 8.4%, Polynesian 3.8%, Indonesian 3.6%, Vietnamese 1.6%, other 3%

Religions: Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10%

Languages: French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 91%

male: 92%

female: 90% (1976 est.)

New Caledonia Government

Country name: conventional long form: Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies

conventional short form: New Caledonia

local long form: Territoire des Nouvelle-Caledonie et Dependances

local short form: Nouvelle-Caledonie

Dependency status: overseas territory of France since 1956

Government type: NA

Capital: Noumea

Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 3 provinces named Iles Loyaute, Nord, and Sud

Independence: none (overseas territory of France); note - a referendum on independence was held in 1998 but did not pass

National holiday: Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system: the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy to the islands; formerly under French law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President of France Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Commissioner Thierry LATASTE (since 19 July 1999)

head of government: President of the Government Jean LEQUES (since 28 May 1999)

cabinet: Consultative Committee

elections: French president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the government elected by the members of the Territorial Congress

Legislative branch: unicameral Territorial Congress or Congres Territorial (54 seats; members are members of the three Provincial Assemblies or Assemblees Provinciales elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 9 May 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPCR 24, FLNKS 12, UNI 6, FCCI 4, FN 4, Alliance pour la Caledonie 3, LKS 1

note: New Caledonia elects 1 seat to the French Senate; elections last held 27 September 1992 (next to be held NA September 2001); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPR 1; New Caledonia also elects 2 seats to the French National Assembly; elections last held 25 May-1 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPR 2

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; County Courts; Joint Commerce Tribunal Court; Children's Court

Political parties and leaders: Alliance pour la Caledonie [Didier LEROUX]; Developper Ensemble pour Construire l'Avenir or DEPCA [Robert FROUIN]; Federation des Comites de Coordination des Independantistes or FCCI [Leopald SOREDIE]; Front Uni de Liberation Kanak or FULK [Ernest UNE]; Groupe de l'Alliance Multiraciale or GAM [Dany DALMAYRAE]; Independance et Progres [Alphonse PUJAPUJANE]; Kanak Socialist Front for National Liberation or FLNKS [Rock WAMYTAN] (includes PALIKA, UNI, UC, and UPM); La Caledonie Autrement [Denis MILLIARD]; Loyalty Islands Development Front or FDIL [Cono HAMU]; National Front or FN [Guy GEORGE]; Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA [Charles WASHETINE]; Rally for Caledonia in the Republic or RPCR [Jacques LAFLEUR]; Rally for the Republic or RPR [leader NA]; Renouveau [Thierry VALET]; Socialist Kanak Liberation or LKS [Nidoish NAISSELINE]; Union Caledonienne or UC [Bernard LEPEU]; Union Nationale pour l'Independance or UNI [Paul NEAOUTYINE]; Union Progressiste Melanesienne or UPM [Andre GOPEA]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ESCAP (associate), FZ, ICFTU, SPC, WFTU, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of France)

Flag description: the flag of France is used

New Caledonia Economy

Economy - overview: New Caledonia has more than 20% of the world's known nickel resources. In recent years, the economy has suffered because of depressed international demand for nickel, the principal source of export earnings. Only a negligible amount of the land is suitable for cultivation, and food accounts for about 20% of imports. In addition to nickel, the substantial financial support from France and tourism are keys to the health of the economy. The situation in 1998 was clouded by the spillover of financial problems in East Asia and by lower prices for nickel. Nickel prices jumped in 1999-2000, and large additions were made to capacity. French Government interests in the New Caledonian nickel industry are being transferred to local ownership.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $3 billion (1998 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3.5% (1998 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $15,000 (1998 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4%

industry: 30%

services: 66% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.5% (1998 est.)

Labor force: 79,395 (including 15, 018 unemployed, 1996)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 7%, industry 23%, services 70% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: 19% (1996)

Budget: revenues: $861.3 million

expenditures: $735.3 million, including capital expenditures of $52 million (1996 est.)

Industries: nickel mining and smelting

Industrial production growth rate: -0.6% (1996)

Electricity - production: 1.52 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 78.95%

hydro: 21.05%

nuclear: 0%

other: 0% (1999)

Electricity - consumption: 1.414 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products: vegetables; beef, deer, other livestock products

Exports: $411 million (f.o.b., 1999)

Exports - commodities: ferronickels, nickel ore, fish

Exports - partners: Japan 27%, France 17%, Taiwan 12%, South Korea 9% (1999)

Imports: $843 million (f.o.b., 1999)

Imports - commodities: transport equipment, machinery and electrical equipment, fuels, minerals, wine, sugar, rice

Imports - partners: France 49%, Australia 14%, Singapore 6%, New Zealand 5%, US 5% (1999)

Debt - external: $79 million (1998 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $880 million annual subsidy from France

Currency: Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)

Currency code: XPF

Exchange rates: Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 127.11 (January 2001), 129.44 (2000), 111.93 (1999), 107.25 (1998), 106.11 (1997), 93.00 (1996); note - linked at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro

Fiscal year: calendar year

New Caledonia Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 47,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 13,040 (1998)

Telephone system: general assessment: NA

domestic: NA

international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 107,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 6 (plus 25 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 52,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .nc

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: 5,000 (2000)

New Caledonia Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 4,825 km

paved: 2,287 km

unpaved: 2,538 km (1999)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Mueo, Noumea, Thio

Merchant marine: total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,261 GRT/1,600 DWT

ships by type: cargo 1 (2000 est.)

Airports: 29 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 6

over 3,047 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 23

914 to 1,523 m: 12

under 914 m: 11 (2000 est.)

Heliports: 6 (2000 est.)

New Caledonia Military

Military branches: French Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie); Police Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $192.3 million (1996)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 5.3% (1996)

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

New Caledonia Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by France and Vanuatu

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@New Zealand

New Zealand Introduction

Background: The British colony of New Zealand became an independent dominion in 1907 and supported the UK militarily in both World Wars. New Zealand withdrew from a number of defense alliances during the 1970s and 1980s. In recent years the government has sought to address longstanding native Maori grievances.

New Zealand Geography

Location: Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia

Geographic coordinates: 41 00 S, 174 00 E

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 268,680 sq km

land: 268,670 sq km

water: 10 sq km

note: includes Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Bounty Islands, Campbell Island, Chatham Islands, and Kermadec Islands

Area - comparative: about the size of Colorado

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 15,134 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin

exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: temperate with sharp regional contrasts