Chapter XII: Front Matter (12)

Disputes - international:
completed boundary demarcation with Thailand; accuses Vietnam of
moving and destroying boundary markers and encroachments, initiating
border incidents; accuses Thailand of preventing access to Preah
Vihear temple ruins awarded to Cambodia by ICJ decision in 1962;
maritime boundary with Vietnam hampered by dispute over offshore
islands

Illicit drugs:
narcotics-related corruption reportedly involving some in the
government, military, and police; possible small-scale opium,
heroin, and amphetamine production; large producer of cannabis for
the international market; vulnerable to money laundering due to its
cash-based economy and porous borders

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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@Cameroon

Introduction Cameroon

Background:
The former French Cameroon and part of British Cameroon merged in
1961 to form the present country. Cameroon has generally enjoyed
stability, which has permitted the development of agriculture,
roads, and railways, as well as a petroleum industry. Despite
movement toward democratic reform, political power remains firmly in
the hands of an ethnic oligarchy.

Geography Cameroon

Location:
Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Equatorial
Guinea and Nigeria

Geographic coordinates:
6 00 N, 12 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 475,440 sq km
water: 6,000 sq km
land: 469,440 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than California

Land boundaries:
total: 4,591 km
border countries: Central African Republic 797 km, Chad 1,094 km,
Republic of the Congo 523 km, Equatorial Guinea 189 km, Gabon 298
km, Nigeria 1,690 km

Coastline:
402 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 50 NM

Climate:
varies with terrain, from tropical along coast to semiarid and hot
in north

Terrain:
diverse, with coastal plain in southwest, dissected plateau in
center, mountains in west, plains in north

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Fako (on Cameroon Mountain) 4,095 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 12.81%
permanent crops: 2.58%
other: 84.61% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
330 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
volcanic activity with periodic releases of poisonous gases from
Lake Nyos and Lake Monoun volcanoes

Environment - current issues:
water-borne diseases are prevalent; deforestation; overgrazing;
desertification; poaching; overfishing

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban

Geography - note:
sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa; throughout the
country there are areas of thermal springs and indications of
current or prior volcanic activity; Mount Cameroon, the highest
mountain in Sub-Saharan west Africa, is an active volcano

People Cameroon

Population:
15,746,179
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 42.3% (male 3,372,129; female 3,291,295)
15-64 years: 54.5% (male 4,315,672; female 4,265,286)
65 years and over: 3.2% (male 227,444; female 274,353) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 18.4 years
male: 18.2 years
female: 18.5 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
2.02% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
35.49 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
15.3 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 70.12 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 65.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 74.2 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 48.05 years
male: 47.15 years
female: 48.97 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
4.63 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
11.8% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
920,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
53,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Cameroonian(s)
adjective: Cameroonian

Ethnic groups:
Cameroon Highlanders 31%, Equatorial Bantu 19%, Kirdi 11%, Fulani
10%, Northwestern Bantu 8%, Eastern Nigritic 7%, other African 13%,
non-African less than 1%

Religions:
indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20%

Languages:
24 major African language groups, English (official), French
(official)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 79%
male: 84.7%
female: 73.4% (2003 est.)

Government Cameroon

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Cameroon
conventional short form: Cameroon
former: French Cameroon

Government type:
unitary republic; multiparty presidential regime (opposition
parties legalized in 1990)
note: preponderance of power remains with the president

Capital:
Yaounde

Administrative divisions:
10 provinces; Adamaoua, Centre, Est, Extreme-Nord, Littoral, Nord,
Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Ouest

Independence:
1 January 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday:
Republic Day (National Day), 20 May (1972)

Constitution:
20 May 1972 approved by referendum; 2 June 1972 formally adopted;
revised January 1996

Legal system:
based on French civil law system, with common law influence; has
not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
20 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982)
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
election last held 12 October 1997 (next to be held NA October
2004); prime minister appointed by the president
head of government: Prime Minister Peter Mafany MUSONGE (since 19
September 1996)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from proposals submitted
by the prime minister
election results: President Paul BIYA reelected; percent of vote -
Paul BIYA 92.6%; note - supporters of the opposition candidates
boycotted the elections, making a comparison of vote shares
relatively meaningless

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (180 seats;
members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms;
note - the president can either lengthen or shorten the term of the
legislature)
elections: last held 23 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
RDCP 133, SDF 21, UDC 5, other 21
note: the constitution calls for an upper chamber for the
legislature, to be called a Senate, but it has yet to be established

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); High Court
of Justice (consists of 9 judges and 6 substitute judges, elected by
the National Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:
Cameroonian Democratic Union or UDC [Adamou NDAM NJOYA]; Democratic
Rally of the Cameroon People or RDCP [Paul BIYA]; Movement for the
Defense of the Republic or MDR [Dakole DAISSALA]; Movement for the
Liberation and Development of Cameroon or MLDC [leader Marcel
YONDO]; Movement for the Youth of Cameroon or MYC [Dieudonne TINA];
National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP [Maigari BELLO
BOUBA]; Social Democratic Front or SDF [John FRU NDI]; Union of
Cameroonian Populations or UPC [Augustin Frederic KODOCK]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Southern Cameroon National Council [Frederick Ebong ALOBWEDE];
Human Rights Defense Group [Albert MUKONG, president]

International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, C, CEEAC, CEMAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-19, G-77,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent),
ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UN Security Council
(temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jerome MENDOUGA
chancery: 2349 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
FAX: [1] (202) 387-3826
telephone: [1] (202) 265-8790

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador George McDade STAPLES
embassy: Rue Nachtigal, Yaounde
mailing address: P. O. Box 817, Yaounde; pouch: American Embassy,
Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2520
telephone: [237] 223-05-12, 222-25-89, 222-17-94, 223-40-14
FAX: [237] 223-07-53
branch office(s): Douala

Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), red, and yellow
with a yellow five-pointed star centered in the red band; uses the
popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy Cameroon

Economy - overview:
Because of its oil resources and favorable agricultural conditions,
Cameroon has one of the best-endowed primary commodity economies in
sub-Saharan Africa. Still, it faces many of the serious problems
facing other underdeveloped countries, such as a top-heavy civil
service and a generally unfavorable climate for business enterprise.
Since 1990, the government has embarked on various IMF and World
Bank programs designed to spur business investment, increase
efficiency in agriculture, improve trade, and recapitalize the
nation's banks. In June 2000, the government completed an
IMF-sponsored, three-year structural adjustment program; however,
the IMF is pressing for more reforms, including increased budget
transparency, privatization, and poverty reduction programs.
International oil and cocoa prices have considerable impact on the
economy.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $26.84 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
4% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 46%
industry: 21%
services: 33% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
48% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.9%
highest 10%: 36.6% (1996)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
47.7 (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.5% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
NA

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 70%, industry and commerce 13%, other 17%

Unemployment rate:
30% (2001 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $2.2 billion
expenditures: $2.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY 00/01 est.)

Industries:
petroleum production and refining, food processing, light consumer
goods, textiles, lumber

Industrial production growth rate:
4.2% (1999 est.)

Electricity - production:
3.613 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 2.7%
hydro: 97.3%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
3.36 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
76,650 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
22,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
200 million bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
55.22 billion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products:
coffee, cocoa, cotton, rubber, bananas, oilseed, grains, root
starches; livestock; timber

Exports:
$1.9 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
crude oil and petroleum products, lumber, cocoa beans, aluminum,
coffee, cotton

Exports - partners:
Italy 16.7%, Spain 16%, France 12.8%, US 8.3%, Netherlands 8.2%,
Taiwan 7.7%, China 5.2%, UK 4.4% (2002)

Imports:
$1.7 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery, electrical equipment, transport equipment, fuel, food

Imports - partners:
France 28.2%, Nigeria 12.8%, US 8%, Belgium 5.7%, Germany 5.3%,
Italy 4.3% (2002)

Debt - external:
$8.6 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
on 23 January 2001, the Paris Club agreed to reduce Cameroon's debt
of $1.3 billion by $900 million; total debt relief now amounts to
$1.26 billion

Currency:
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible
authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Currency code:
XAF

Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 696.99
(2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.7 (1999), 589.95 (1998)

Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

Communications Cameroon

Telephones - main lines in use:
95,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
300,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: available only to business and government
domestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 3 (2002)

Radios:
2.27 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (2002)

Televisions:
450,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.cm

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2002)

Internet users:
45,000
note: Cameroon also had more than 100 cyber-cafes in 2001 (December
2001)

Transportation Cameroon

Railways:
total: 1,008 km
narrow gauge: 1,008 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Highways:
total: 34,300 km
paved: 4,288 km
unpaved: 30,012 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
2,090 km (of decreasing importance) (2002)

Pipelines:
gas 90 km; liquid petroleum gas 9 km; oil 1,124 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
Bonaberi, Douala, Garoua, Kribi, Tiko

Airports:
49 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 11
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 38
1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 20
under 914 m: 11 (2002)

Military Cameroon

Military branches:
Army, Navy (includes naval infantry), Air Force, National
Gendarmerie, Presidential Guard

Military manpower - military age:
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 3,799,841 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,928,285 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 179,586 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$118.6 million (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.4% (FY98)

Transnational Issues Cameroon

Disputes - international:
ICJ ruled in 2002 on the Cameroon-Nigeria land and maritime
boundary by awarding the potentially petroleum-rich Bakassi
Peninsula and offshore region to Cameroon; Nigeria rejected cession
of the peninsula, but the parties have formed a Joint Border
Commission to resolve differences bilaterally and have commenced
with demarcation in less-contested sections of the boundary; Lake
Chad Commission continues to urge signatories Cameroon, Chad, Niger,
and Nigeria to ratify delimitation treaty over the lake region,
which remains the site of armed clashes among local populations and
militias; Nigeria agreed to ratify the treaty and relinquish
sovereignty of disputed lands to Cameroon by December 2003

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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@Canada

Introduction Canada

Background:
A land of vast distances and rich natural resources, Canada became
a self-governing dominion in 1867 while retaining ties to the
British crown. Economically and technologically the nation has
developed in parallel with the US, its neighbor to the south across
an unfortified border. Its paramount political problem continues to
be the relationship of the province of Quebec, with its
French-speaking residents and unique culture, to the remainder of
the country.

Geography Canada

Location:
Northern North America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean on the
east, North Pacific Ocean on the west, and the Arctic Ocean on the
north, north of the conterminous US

Geographic coordinates:
60 00 N, 95 00 W

Map references:
North America

Area:
total: 9,984,670 sq km
land: 9,093,507 sq km
water: 891,163 sq km

Area - comparative:
somewhat larger than the US

Land boundaries:
total: 8,893 km
border countries: US 8,893 km (includes 2,477 km with Alaska)

Coastline:
202,080 km

Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate:
varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north

Terrain:
mostly plains with mountains in west and lowlands in southeast

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Logan 5,959 m

Natural resources:
iron ore, nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, molybdenum, potash,
diamonds, silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal, petroleum, natural
gas, hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 4.94%
permanent crops: 0.02%
other: 95.04% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
7,200 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
continuous permafrost in north is a serious obstacle to
development; cyclonic storms form east of the Rocky Mountains, a
result of the mixing of air masses from the Arctic, Pacific, and
North American interior, and produce most of the country's rain and
snow east of the mountains

Environment - current issues:
air pollution and resulting acid rain severely affecting lakes and
damaging forests; metal smelting, coal-burning utilities, and
vehicle emissions impacting on agricultural and forest productivity;
ocean waters becoming contaminated due to agricultural, industrial,
mining, and forestry activities

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law
of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
second-largest country in world (after Russia); strategic location
between Russia and US via north polar route; approximately 85% of
the population is concentrated within 300 km of the US border

People Canada

Population:
32,207,113 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 18.5% (male 3,052,005; female 2,903,007)
15-64 years: 68.6% (male 11,099,907; female 10,984,903)
65 years and over: 12.9% (male 1,774,262; female 2,393,029) (2003
est.)

Median age:
total: 37.8 years
male: 36.9 years
female: 38.8 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
0.94% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
10.99 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
7.61 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
6.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.88 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 5.36 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.83 years
male: 76.44 years
female: 83.38 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.61 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.3% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
55,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 500 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Canadian(s)
adjective: Canadian

Ethnic groups:
British Isles origin 28%, French origin 23%, other European 15%,
Amerindian 2%, other, mostly Asian, African, Arab 6%, mixed
background 26%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 46%, Protestant 36%, other 18%
note: based on the 1991 census

Languages:
English 59.3% (official), French 23.2% (official), other 17.5%

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97% (1986 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA%

Government Canada

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

Government type:
confederation with parliamentary democracy

Capital:
Ottawa

Administrative divisions:
10 provinces and 3 territories*; Alberta, British Columbia,
Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest
Territories*, Nova Scotia, Nunavut*, Ontario, Prince Edward Island,
Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory*

Independence:
1 July 1867 (from UK)

National holiday:
Canada Day, 1 July (1867)

Constitution:
17 April 1982 (Constitution Act); originally, the machinery of the
government was set up in the British North America Act of 1867;
charter of rights and unwritten customs

Legal system:
based on English common law, except in Quebec, where civil law
system based on French law prevails; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Adrienne CLARKSON (since 7 October
1999)
elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; governor general
appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister for a
five-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party or the leader of the majority coalition in the House
of Commons is automatically designated prime minister by the
governor general
head of government: Prime Minister Paul MARTIN (since 12 December
2003); Deputy Prime Minister Anne MCLELLAN (since 12 December 2003)
cabinet: Federal Ministry chosen by the prime minister from among
the members of his own party sitting in Parliament

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat
(members appointed by the governor general with the advice of the
prime minister and serve until reaching 75 years of age; its normal
limit is 105 senators) and the House of Commons or Chambre des
Communes (301 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote to
serve for up to five-year terms)
elections: House of Commons - last held 27 November 2000 (next to be
held by 2005)
election results: House of Commons - percent of vote by party -
Liberal Party 41%, Canadian Alliance 26%, Bloc Quebecois 11%, New
Democratic Party 9%, Progressive Conservative Party 12%; seats by
party - Liberal Party 172, Canadian Alliance 66, Bloc Quebecois 38,
New Democratic Party 13, Progressive Conservative Party 12; note -
percent of vote by party as of January 2002 - Liberal Party 51%,
Canadian Alliance 10%, Bloc Quebecois 10%, New Democratic Party 9%,
Progressive Conservative Party 18%; seats by party - Liberal Party
172, Canadian Alliance 66, Bloc Quebecois 38, New Democratic Party
13, Progressive Conservative Party 12

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Canada (judges are appointed by the prime minister
through the governor general); Federal Court of Canada; Federal
Court of Appeal; Provincial Courts (these are named variously Court
of Appeal, Court of Queens Bench, Superior Court, Supreme Court, and
Court of Justice)

Political parties and leaders:
Bloc Quebecois [Gilles DUCEPPE]; Canadian Alliance [Stephen
HARPER]; Liberal Party [Paul MARTIN]; New Democratic Party [Jack
LAYTON]; Progressive Conservative Party [Peter MACKAY]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACCT, AfDB, APEC, ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue
partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CDB, CE (observer), EAPC, EBRD,
ECE, ECLAC, ESA (cooperating state), FAO, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURCA,
MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW, OSCE,
PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNMEE,
UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOVIC, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Michael F. KERGIN
chancery: 501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001
FAX: [1] (202) 682-7726
telephone: [1] (202) 682-1740
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Dallas,
Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, and Seattle
consulate(s): Miami, Princeton, San Francisco, and San Jose

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Paul CELLUCCI
embassy: 490 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 1G8
mailing address: P. O. Box 5000, Ogdensburgh, NY 13669-0430
telephone: [1] (613) 238-5335, 4470
FAX: [1] (613) 688-3097
consulate(s) general: Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec, Toronto,
and Vancouver

Flag description:
two vertical bands of red (hoist and fly side, half width), with
white square between them; an 11-pointed red maple leaf is centered
in the white square; the official colors of Canada are red and white

Economy Canada

Economy - overview:
As an affluent, high-tech industrial society, Canada today closely
resembles the US in its market-oriented economic system, pattern of
production, and high living standards. Since World War II, the
impressive growth of the manufacturing, mining, and service sectors
has transformed the nation from a largely rural economy into one
primarily industrial and urban. The 1989 US-Canada Free Trade
Agreement (FTA) and the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement
(NAFTA) (which includes Mexico) touched off a dramatic increase in
trade and economic integration with the US. As a result of the close
cross-border relationship, the economic sluggishness in the United
States in 2001-02 had a negative impact on the Canadian economy.
Real growth averaged nearly 3% during 1993-2000, but declined in
2001, with moderate recovery in 2002. Unemployment is up, with
contraction in the manufacturing and natural resource sectors.
Nevertheless, given its great natural resources, skilled labor
force, and modern capital plant Canada enjoys solid economic
prospects. Two shadows loom, the first being the continuing
constitutional impasse between English- and French-speaking areas,
which has been raising the specter of a split in the federation.
Another long-term concern is the flow south to the US of
professionals lured by higher pay, lower taxes, and the immense
high-tech infrastructure. A key strength in the economy is the
substantial trade surplus.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $934.1 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3.3% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $29,300 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 2.3%
industry: 26.5%
services: 71.2% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 23.8% (1994)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
31.5 (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.2% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
16.4 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
services 74%, manufacturing 15%, construction 5%, agriculture 3%,
other 3% (2000)

Unemployment rate:
7.6% (2002 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $178.6 billion
expenditures: $161.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY 00/01 est.)

Industries:
transportation equipment, chemicals, processed and unprocessed
minerals, food products; wood and paper products; fish products,
petroleum and natural gas

Industrial production growth rate:
2.2% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
566.3 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 28%
hydro: 57.9%
other: 1.3% (2001)
nuclear: 12.9%

Electricity - consumption:
504.4 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
38.4 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
16.11 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
2.738 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
1.703 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
2.008 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
1.145 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
5.112 billion bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
186.8 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
82.25 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
109 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
4.46 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
1.691 trillion cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products:
wheat, barley, oilseed, tobacco, fruits, vegetables; dairy
products; forest products; fish

Exports:
$260.5 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
motor vehicles and parts, industrial machinery, aircraft,
telecommunications equipment; chemicals, plastics, fertilizers; wood
pulp, timber, crude petroleum, natural gas, electricity, aluminum

Exports - partners:
US 87.7%, Japan 2%, UK 1.1% (2002)

Imports:
$229 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, crude oil,
chemicals, electricity, durable consumer goods

Imports - partners:
US 62.6%, China 4.6%, Japan 4.4% (2002)

Debt - external:
$1.9 billion $NA (2000)

Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $1.3 billion (1999)

Currency:
Canadian dollar (CAD)

Currency code:
CAD

Exchange rates:
Canadian dollars per US dollar - 1.57 (2002), 1.55 (2001), 1.49
(2000), 1.49 (1999), 1.48 (1998)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Canada

Telephones - main lines in use:
20,802,900 (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
8,751,300 (1997)

Telephone system:
general assessment: excellent service provided by modern technology
domestic: domestic satellite system with about 300 earth stations
international: 5 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations
- 5 Intelsat (4 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) and 2
Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 535, FM 53, shortwave 6 (1998)

Radios:
32.3 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
80 (plus many repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
21.5 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.ca

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
760 (2000 est.)

Internet users:
16.84 million (2002)

Transportation Canada

Railways:
total: 49,422 km
standard gauge: 49,422 km 1.435-m gauge (129 km electrified) (2002)

Highways:
total: 1.408 million km
paved: 497,306 km (including 16,900 km of expressways)
unpaved: 911,494 km (2002)

Waterways:
3,000 km (including Saint Lawrence Seaway)

Pipelines:
crude and refined oil 23,564 km; natural gas 74,980 km

Ports and harbors:
Becancour (Quebec), Churchill, Halifax, Hamilton, Montreal, New
Westminster, Prince Rupert, Quebec, Saint John (New Brunswick), St.
John's (Newfoundland), Sept Isles, Sydney, Trois-Rivieres, Thunder
Bay, Toronto, Vancouver, Windsor

Merchant marine:
total: 122 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,840,272 GRT/2,740,864 DWT
ships by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 64, cargo 11, chemical tanker
6, combination bulk 2, combination ore/oil 1, container 1, passenger
2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 18, railcar carrier 2, roll
on/roll off 9, short-sea passenger 3, specialized tanker 1
note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
convenience: Germany 3, Monaco 16, United Kingdom 1, United States 1
(2002 est.)

Airports:
1,389 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 507
over 3,047 m: 18
2,438 to 3,047 m: 15
914 to 1,523 m: 245
under 914 m: 80 (2002)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 149

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 882
1,524 to 2,437 m: 73
914 to 1,523 m: 363
under 914 m: 446 (2002)

Heliports:
12 (2002)

Military Canada

Military branches:
Canadian Armed Forces (comprising Land Forces Command, Maritime
Command, Air Command, Communications Command, Training Command)

Military manpower - military age:
16 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 8,391,120 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 7,158,016 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 216,488 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$7.861 billion (FY01/02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.1% (FY01/02)

Transnational Issues Canada

Disputes - international:
managed maritime boundary disputes with the US at Dixon Entrance,
Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and around the disputed
Machias Seal Island and North Rock; uncontested dispute with Denmark
over Hans Island sovereignty in the Kennedy Channel between
Ellesmere Island and Greenland

Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic drug market; use of
hydroponics technology permits growers to plant large quantities of
high-quality marijuana indoors; transit point for heroin and cocaine
entering the US market; vulnerable to narcotics money laundering
because of its mature financial services sector

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Cape Verde

Introduction Cape Verde

Background:
The uninhabited islands were discovered and colonized by the
Portuguese in the 15th century; they subsequently became a trading
center for African slaves and later an important coaling and
resupply stop for whaling and transatlantic shipping. Following
independence in 1975, and a tentative interest in unification with
Guinea-Bissau, a one-party system was established and maintained
until multi-party elections were held in 1990. Cape Verde continues
to exhibit one of Africa's most stable democratic governments.
Repeated droughts during the second half of the 20th century caused
significant hardship and prompted heavy emigration. As a result,
Cape Verde's expatriate population is greater than its domestic one.
Most Cape Verdeans have both African and Portuguese antecedents.

Geography Cape Verde

Location:
Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, west
of Senegal

Geographic coordinates:
16 00 N, 24 00 W

Map references:
Political Map of the World

Area:
total: 4,033 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 4,033 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Rhode Island

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
965 km

Maritime claims:
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
territorial sea: 12 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
contiguous zone: 24 NM

Climate:
temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and very erratic

Terrain:
steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mt. Fogo 2,829 m (a volcano on Fogo Island)

Natural resources:
salt, basalt rock, limestone, kaolin, fish

Land use:
arable land: 9.68%
permanent crops: 0.5%
other: 89.82% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
30 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces obscuring
dust; volcanically and seismically active

Environment - current issues:
soil erosion; demand for wood used as fuel has resulted in
deforestation; desertification; environmental damage has threatened
several species of birds and reptiles; illegal beach sand
extraction; overfishing

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

Geography - note:
strategic location 500 km from west coast of Africa near major
north-south sea routes; important communications station; important
sea and air refueling site

People Cape Verde

Population:
412,137 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 41% (male 85,254; female 83,716)
15-64 years: 52.3% (male 103,690; female 111,992)
65 years and over: 6.7% (male 10,498; female 16,987) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 18.7 years
male: 17.9 years
female: 19.6 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
0.79% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
26.95 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
6.86 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
-12.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 50.5 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 45.01 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 55.83 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.83 years
male: 66.53 years
female: 73.23 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
3.77 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.04% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
775 (2001)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
225 (as of 2001)

Nationality:
noun: Cape Verdean(s)
adjective: Cape Verdean

Ethnic groups:
Creole (mulatto) 71%, African 28%, European 1%

Religions:
Roman Catholic (infused with indigenous beliefs); Protestant
(mostly Church of the Nazarene)

Languages:
Portuguese, Crioulo (a blend of Portuguese and West African words)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 76.6%
male: 85.8%
female: 69.2% (2003 est.)

Government Cape Verde

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Cape Verde
conventional short form: Cape Verde
local short form: Cabo Verde
local long form: Republica de Cabo Verde

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Praia

Administrative divisions:
17 municipalities (concelhos, singular - concelho); Boa Vista,
Brava, Maio, Mosteiros, Paul, Praia, Porto Novo, Ribeira Grande,
Sal, Santa Catarina, Santa Cruz, Sao Domingos, Sao Filipe, Sao
Miguel, Sao Nicolau, Sao Vicente, Tarrafal

Independence:
5 July 1975 (from Portugal)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 5 July (1975)

Constitution:
new constitution came into force 25 September 1992; underwent a
major revision on 23 November 1995, substantially increasing the
powers of the president, and a further revision in 1999, to create
the position of national ombudsman (Provedor de Justica)

Legal system:
derived from the legal system of Portugal

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Pedro PIRES (since 22 March 2001)
head of government: Prime Minister Jose Maria Pereira NEVES (since 1
February 2001)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 11 and 25 February 2001 (next to be held NA
February 2006); prime minister nominated by the National Assembly
and appointed by the president
election results: Pedro PIRES elected president; percent of vote -
Pedro PIRES (PAICV) 49.43%, Carlos VIEGA (MPD) 49.42%; note - the
election was won by only twelve votes

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (72 seats;
members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 14 January 2001 (next to be held NA December
2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - PAICV 47.3%, MPD 39.8%,
ADM 6%, other 6.9%; seats by party - PAICV 40, MPD 30, ADM 2

Judicial branch:
Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Supremo Tribunal de Justia

Political parties and leaders:
African Party for Independence of Cape Verde or PAICV [Jose Maria
Pereira NEVES, chairman]; Democratic Alliance for Change or ADM [Dr.
Eurico MONTEIRO] (a coalition of PCD, PTS, and UCID); Democratic
Christian Party or PDC [Manuel RODRIGUES, chairman]; Democratic
Renovation Party or PRD [Jacinto SANTOS, president]; Movement for
Democracy or MPD [Agostinho LOPES, president]; Party for Democratic
Convergence or PCD [Dr. Eurico MONTEIRO, president]; Party of Work
and Solidarity or PTS [Anibal MEDINA, president]; Social Democratic
Party or PSD [Joao ALEM, president]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW (signatory),
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
(observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jose BRITO
consulate(s) general: Boston
FAX: [1] (202) 965-1207
telephone: [1] (202) 965-6820
chancery: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Donald C. JOHNSON
embassy: Rua Abilio m. Macedo 81, Praia
mailing address: C. P. 201, Praia
telephone: [238] 61 56 16, 61 56 17
FAX: [238] 61 13 55

Flag description:
three horizontal bands of light blue (top, double width), white
(with a horizontal red stripe in the middle third), and light blue;
a circle of 10 yellow five-pointed stars is centered on the hoist
end of the red stripe and extends into the upper and lower blue bands

Economy Cape Verde

Economy - overview:
This island economy suffers from a poor natural resource base,
including serious water shortages exacerbated by cycles of long-term
drought. The economy is service-oriented, with commerce, transport,
tourism, and public services accounting for 72% of GDP. Although
nearly 70% of the population lives in rural areas, the share of
agriculture in GDP in 2001 was only 11%, of which fishing accounts
for 1.5%. About 82% of food must be imported. The fishing potential,
mostly lobster and tuna, is not fully exploited. Cape Verde annually
runs a high trade deficit, financed by foreign aid and remittances
from emigrants; remittances supplement GDP by more than 20%.
Economic reforms are aimed at developing the private sector and
attracting foreign investment to diversify the economy. Prospects
for 2003 depend heavily on the maintenance of aid flows, tourism,
remittances, and the momentum of the government's development
program.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $600 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
4% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,400 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 11%
industry: 17%
services: 72% (2001)

Population below poverty line:
30% (2000)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3% (2002)

Labor force:
NA

Unemployment rate:
21% (2000 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $112 million
expenditures: $198 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000)

Industries:
food and beverages, fish processing, shoes and garments, salt
mining, ship repair

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - production:
42.03 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
39.08 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
2,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
bananas, corn, beans, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, coffee, peanuts;
fish

Exports:
$30 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
fuel, shoes, garments, fish, hides

Exports - partners:
Portugal 38.5%, UK 26.4%, France 23.1%, US 8.2% (2002)

Imports:
$220 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, industrial products, transport equipment, fuels

Imports - partners:
Portugal 49.1%, Netherlands 7.2%, Germany 5.7% (2002)

Debt - external:
$325 million (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
$136 million (1999)

Currency:
Cape Verdean escudo (CVE)

Currency code:
CVE

Exchange rates:
Cape Verdean escudos (CVE) per US dollar - NA (2002), 123.21
(2001), 115.88 (2000), 102.7 (1999), 98.16 (1998)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Cape Verde

Telephones - main lines in use:
60,935 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
28,119 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: effective system, being improved
domestic: interisland microwave radio relay system with both analog
and digital exchanges; work is in progress on a submarine
fiber-optic cable system which is scheduled for completion in 2003
international: 2 coaxial submarine cables; HF radiotelephone to
Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
(Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 15 (and 17 repeaters), shortwave 0 (2002)

Radios:
100,000 (2002 est.)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (and 7 repeaters) (2002)

Televisions:
15,000 (2002 est.)

Internet country code:
.cv

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2002)

Internet users:
12,000 (2002)

Transportation Cape Verde

Railways:
0 km

Highways:
total: 1,100 km
paved: 858 km
unpaved: 242 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
none

Ports and harbors:
Mindelo, Praia, Tarrafal

Merchant marine:
total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,395 GRT/6,614 DWT
ships by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 1, passenger/cargo 1
note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of
convenience: United Kingdom 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
9
note: 3 airports are reported to be nonoperational (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 6
over 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 5 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2002)

Military Cape Verde

Military branches:
Army, Coast Guard

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 95,450 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 53,842 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$9.3 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.6% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Cape Verde

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
used as a transshipment point for illicit drugs moving from Latin
America and Asia destined for Western Europe; the lack of a
well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a
money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Cayman Islands

Introduction Cayman Islands

Background:
The Cayman Islands were colonized from Jamaica by the British
during the 18th and 19th centuries. Administered by Jamaica since
1863, they remained a British dependency after 1962 when the former
became independent.

Geography Cayman Islands

Location:
Caribbean, island group in Caribbean Sea, nearly one-half of the
way from Cuba to Honduras

Geographic coordinates:
19 30 N, 80 30 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 262 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 262 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
160 km

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

Climate:
tropical marine; warm, rainy summers (May to October) and cool,
relatively dry winters (November to April)

Terrain:
low-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: The Bluff 43 m

Natural resources:
fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
hurricanes (July to November)

Environment - current issues:
no natural fresh water resources; drinking water supplies must be
met by rainwater catchments

Geography - note:
important location between Cuba and Central America

People Cayman Islands

Population:
41,934 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 21.6% (male 4,525; female 4,541)
15-64 years: 70.6% (male 14,463; female 15,157)
65 years and over: 7.7% (male 1,515; female 1,733) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 36.1 years
male: 35.8 years
female: 36.4 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
2.79% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
13.33 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
4.7 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
19.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: major destination for Cubans trying to migrate to the US (2003
est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 8.64 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 9.9 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.67 years
male: 77.08 years
female: 82.3 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.91 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA%

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Caymanian(s)
adjective: Caymanian

Ethnic groups:
mixed 40%, white 20%, black 20%, expatriates of various ethnic
groups 20%

Religions:
United Church (Presbyterian and Congregational), Anglican, Baptist,
Church of God, other Protestant, Roman Catholic

Languages:
English

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

Government Cayman Islands

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Cayman Islands

Dependency status:
overseas territory of the UK

Government type:
British crown colony

Capital:
George Town

Administrative divisions:
8 districts; Creek, Eastern, Midland, South Town, Spot Bay, Stake
Bay, West End, Western

Independence:
none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:
Constitution Day, first Monday in July

Constitution:
1959, revised 1972 and 1992

Legal system:
British common law and local statutes

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
Governor Bruce DINWIDDY (since 29 May 2002)
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor is
appointed by the monarch; the chief secretary is appointed by the
governor
head of government: Chief Secretary W. McKeeva BUSH (since NA
December 2001)
cabinet: Executive Council (three members appointed by the governor,
four members elected by the Legislative Assembly)

Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Assembly (18 seats, three appointed members
from the Executive Council and 15 elected by popular vote; members
serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 8 November 2000 (next to be held NA November
2004)
election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - NA

Judicial branch:
Summary Court; Grand Court; Cayman Islands Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders:
there are no formal political parties but the following loose
groupings act as political organizations; National Team [leader NA];
Democratic Alliance [leader NA]; Team Cayman [leader NA]; United
Democratic Party [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

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

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

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

Flag description:
blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and
the Caymanian coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag;
the coat of arms includes a pineapple and turtle above a shield with
three stars (representing the three islands) and a scroll at the
bottom bearing the motto HE HATH FOUNDED IT UPON THE SEAS

Economy Cayman Islands

Economy - overview:
With no direct taxation, the islands are a thriving offshore
financial center. More than 40,000 companies were registered in the
Cayman Islands as of 1998, including almost 600 banks and trust
companies; banking assets exceed $500 billion. A stock exchange was
opened in 1997. Tourism is also a mainstay, accounting for about 70%
of GDP and 75% of foreign currency earnings. The tourist industry is
aimed at the luxury market and caters mainly to visitors from North
America. Total tourist arrivals exceeded 1.2 million in 1997, with
600,000 from the US. About 90% of the islands' food and consumer
goods must be imported. The Caymanians enjoy one of the highest
outputs per capita and one of the highest standards of living in the
world.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $1.27 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.7% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $35,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1.4%
industry: 3.2%
services: 95.4% (1994 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.8% (2002)

Labor force:
19,820 (1995)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 1.4%, industry 12.6%, services 86% (1995)

Unemployment rate:
4.1% (1997)

Budget:
revenues: $265.2 million
expenditures: $248.9 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1997)

Industries:
tourism, banking, insurance and finance, construction, construction
materials, furniture

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - production:
381.9 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
355.2 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
2,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
vegetables, fruit; livestock, turtle farming

Exports:
$1.2 million (1999)

Exports - commodities:
turtle products, manufactured consumer goods

Exports - partners:
mostly US

Imports:
$457.4 million (1999)

Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, manufactured goods

Imports - partners:
US, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, Netherlands Antilles, Japan

Debt - external:
$70 million (1996)

Economic aid - recipient:
$NA

Currency:
Caymanian dollar (KYD)

Currency code:
KYD

Exchange rates:
Caymanian dollars per US dollar - 0.82 (29 October 2001), 0.83 (3
November 1995), 0.85 (22 November 1993)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Cayman Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:
19,000 (1995)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
2,534 (1995)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: 1 submarine coaxial cable; satellite earth station -
1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

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

Radios:
36,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 with cable system

Televisions:
7,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.ky

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
16 (2000)

Internet users:
NA

Transportation Cayman Islands

Railways:
0 km

Highways:
total: 785 km
paved: 785 km (2000)

Waterways:
none

Ports and harbors:
Cayman Brac, George Town

Merchant marine:
total: 123 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,402,058 GRT/3,792,094 DWT
ships by type: bulk 22, cargo 5, chemical tanker 31, container 2,
liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 21, refrigerated cargo 35, roll
on/roll off 5, specialized tanker 1
note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
convenience: Bahrain 2, China 1, Germany 4, Greece 27, Hong Kong 3,
Italy 2, Japan 1, Norway 14, Sweden 13, United Kingdom 15, United
States 35 (2002 est.)

Airports:
3 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Military Cayman Islands

Military branches:
no regular indigenous military forces; Royal Cayman Islands Police
Force (RCIPF)

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Cayman Islands

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
offshore financial center; vulnerable to drug transshipment to the
US and Europe

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Central African Republic

Introduction Central African Republic

Background:
The former French colony of Ubangi-Shari became the Central African
Republic upon independence in 1960. After three tumultuous decades
of misrule - mostly by military governments - civilian rule was
established in 1993 and lasted for one decade. In March 2003 a
military coup deposed the civilian government of President
Ange-Felix PATASSE and has since established a new government.

Geography Central African Republic

Location:
Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Geographic coordinates:
7 00 N, 21 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 622,984 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 622,984 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries:
total: 5,203 km
border countries: Cameroon 797 km, Chad 1,197 km, Democratic
Republic of the Congo 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 467 km, Sudan
1,165 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers

Terrain:
vast, flat to rolling, monotonous plateau; scattered hills in
northeast and southwest

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Oubangui River 335 m
highest point: Mont Ngaoui 1,420 m

Natural resources:
diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil, hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 3.1%
permanent crops: 0.14%
other: 96.76% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are
common

Environment - current issues:
tap water is not potable; poaching has diminished its reputation as
one of the last great wildlife refuges; desertification;
deforestation

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
landlocked; almost the precise center of Africa

People Central African Republic

Population:
3,683,538
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 43.1% (male 799,241; female 788,370)
15-64 years: 53.5% (male 969,581; female 1,000,740)
65 years and over: 3.4% (male 53,322; female 72,284) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 17.9 years
male: 17.6 years
female: 18.3 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
1.62% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
35.93 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
19.73 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 93.3 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 86.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 100.35 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 41.71 years
male: 40.18 years
female: 43.29 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
4.68 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
12.9% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
250,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
22,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Central African(s)
adjective: Central African

Ethnic groups:
Baya 33%, Banda 27%, Mandjia 13%, Sara 10%, Mboum 7%, M'Baka 4%,
Yakoma 4%, other 2%

Religions:
indigenous beliefs 35%, Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim
15%
note: animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the
Christian majority

Languages:
French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language),
tribal languages

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 51%
male: 63.3%
female: 39.9% (2003 est.)

Government Central African Republic

Country name:
conventional long form: Central African Republic
conventional short form: none
local short form: none
local long form: Republique Centrafricaine
former: Ubangi-Shari, Central African Empire
abbreviation: CAR

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Bangui

Administrative divisions:
14 prefectures (prefectures, singular - prefecture), 2 economic
prefectures* (prefectures economiques, singular - prefecture
economique), and 1 commune**; Bamingui-Bangoran, Bangui**,
Basse-Kotto, Haute-Kotto, Haut-Mbomou, Kemo, Lobaye, Mambere-Kadei,
Mbomou, Nana-Grebizi*, Nana-Mambere, Ombella-Mpoko, Ouaka, Ouham,
Ouham-Pende, Sangha-Mbaere*, Vakaga

Independence:
13 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday:
Republic Day, 1 December (1958)

Constitution:
passed by referendum 29 December 1994; adopted 7 January 1995

Legal system:
based on French law

Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Francois BOZIZE (since 15 March 2003 coup)
head of government: Prime Minister Abel GOUMBA (since NA March 2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers
elections: NA; current president assumed power following a coup on
15 March 2003 in which former President Ange-Felix PATASSE was
overthrown (President BOZIZE has stated that elections will be held
by NA 2004); prime minister appointed by the president