Chapter XXXIII: Front Matter (33)

Economy - overview:
Civil war and misgovernment have destroyed much of Liberia's
economy, especially the infrastructure in and around Monrovia. Many
businessmen have fled the country, taking capital and expertise with
them. Some have returned; many will not. Richly endowed with water,
mineral resources, forests, and a climate favorable to agriculture,
Liberia had been a producer and exporter of basic products -
primarily raw timber and rubber. Local manufacturing, mainly foreign
owned, had been small in scope. The restoration of the
infrastructure and the raising of incomes in this ravaged economy
depend on the settlement of civil warfare, the implementation of
sound macro- and micro-economic policies, including the
encouragement of foreign investment, and generous support from donor
countries.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $3.116 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
2% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 74%
industry: 7%
services: 19% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
80%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
15% (2002 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 70%, industry 8%, services 22% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
NA

Budget:
revenues: $85.4 million
expenditures: $90.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)

Industries:
rubber processing, palm oil processing, timber, diamonds

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - production:
468.8 million kWh (2001)

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

Electricity - consumption:
435.9 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

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

Oil - consumption:
3,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
rubber, coffee, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), palm oil,
sugarcane, bananas; sheep, goats; timber

Exports:
$110 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
rubber, timber, iron, diamonds, cocoa, coffee

Exports - partners:
Germany 54.8%, Poland 8.9%, France 8.5%, China 4.9%, Italy 4.5%, US
4.2% (2002)

Imports:
$165 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
fuels, chemicals, machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured
goods; foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
South Korea 30.3%, Japan 19.1%, Germany 15.6%, France 9.1%,
Singapore 7.9% (2002)

Debt - external:
$2.1 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$94 million (1999)

Currency:
Liberian dollar (LRD)

Currency code:
LRD

Exchange rates:
Liberian dollars per US dollar - NA (2002), 48.58 (2001), 40.95
(2000), 41.9 (1999), 41.51 (1998)
note: until December 1997, rates were based on a fixed relationship
with the US dollar; beginning in January 1998, rates are market
determined

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Liberia

Telephones - main lines in use:
6,700 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
0 (1998)

Telephone system:
general assessment: telephone and telegraph service via microwave
radio relay network; main center is Monrovia
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 7, shortwave 2 (2001)

Radios:
790,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (plus four low-power repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:
70,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.lr

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2001)

Internet users:
500 (2000)

Transportation Liberia

Railways:
total: 490 km
standard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 145 km 1.067-m gauge
note: none of the railways are in operation (2002)

Highways:
total: 10,600 km
paved: 657 km
unpaved: 9,943 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
none

Ports and harbors:
Buchanan, Greenville, Harper, Monrovia, Robertsport

Merchant marine:
total: 1,432 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 48,700,851 GRT/75,408,994 DWT
ships by type: barge carrier 3, bulk 282, cargo 80, chemical tanker
163, combination bulk 12, combination ore/oil 24, container 357,
liquefied gas 82, multi-functional large-load carrier 4, passenger
6, petroleum tanker 286, refrigerated cargo 60, roll on/roll off 19,
short-sea passenger 4, specialized tanker 13, vehicle carrier 37
note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
convenience: Argentina 9, Australia 2, Austria 15, Belgium 9, Brazil
5, Canada 4, Cayman Islands 1, Chile 7, China 39, Croatia 11,
Denmark 4, Ecuador 1, Estonia 1, Germany 437, Greece 154, Hong Kong
69, India 5, Indonesia 1, Israel 1, Italy 5, Japan 90, Latvia 20,
Isle of Man 5, Monaco 56, Netherlands 12, NZ 1, Nigeria 1, Norway
103, Pakistan 1, Portugal 5, Russia 66, Saudi Arabia 21, Singapore
20, Slovenia 1, South Africa 1, South Korea 10, Spain 2, Sweden 9,
Switzerland 17, Taiwan 29, Turkey 3, Ukraine 4, UAE 12, UK 39, US
113, Uruguay 3, Vietnam 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
47 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 45
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 34 (2002)

Military Liberia

Military branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 735,481 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 396,725 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$7.8 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.3% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Liberia

Disputes - international:
rebels and refugees contribute to border instabilities with Sierra
Leone, Cote d'Ivoire, and Guinea; the Ivorian Government accuses
Liberia of supporting Ivorian rebels

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for Southeast and Southwest Asian heroin and
South American cocaine for the European and US markets; corruption,
criminal activity, arms-dealing, and diamond trade provide
significant potential for money laundering, but the lack of
well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a
major money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Libya

Introduction Libya

Background:
Since he took power in a 1969 military coup, Col. Muammar Abu
Minyar al-QADHAFI has espoused his own political system - a
combination of socialism and Islam - which he calls the Third
International Theory. Viewing himself as a revolutionary leader, he
used oil funds during the 1970s and 1980s to promote his ideology
outside Libya, even supporting subversives and terrorists abroad to
hasten the end of Marxism and capitalism. Libyan military adventures
failed, e.g., the prolonged foray of Libyan troops into the Aozou
Strip in northern Chad was finally repulsed in 1987. Libyan support
for terrorism decreased after UN sanctions were imposed in 1992.
Those sanctions were suspended in April 1999.

Geography Libya

Location:
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and
Tunisia

Geographic coordinates:
25 00 N, 17 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 1,759,540 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 1,759,540 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Alaska

Land boundaries:
total: 4,348 km
border countries: Algeria 982 km, Chad 1,055 km, Egypt 1,115 km,
Niger 354 km, Sudan 383 km, Tunisia 459 km

Coastline:
1,770 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 NM
note: Gulf of Sidra closing line - 32 degrees, 30 minutes north

Climate:
Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior

Terrain:
mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Sabkhat Ghuzayyil -47 m
highest point: Bikku Bitti 2,267 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, gypsum

Land use:
arable land: 1.03%
permanent crops: 0.17%
other: 98.8% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
4,700 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to four
days in spring and fall; dust storms, sandstorms

Environment - current issues:
desertification; very limited natural fresh water resources; the
Great Manmade River Project, the largest water development scheme in
the world, is being built to bring water from large aquifers under
the Sahara to coastal cities

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous
Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban

Geography - note:
more than 90% of the country is desert or semidesert

People Libya

Population:
5,499,074
note: includes 166,510 non-nationals (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 34.5% (male 970,026; female 929,174)
15-64 years: 61.4% (male 1,744,992; female 1,630,399)
65 years and over: 4.1% (male 109,262; female 115,221) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 22.1 years
male: 22.2 years
female: 21.9 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
2.39% (2003 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female
total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 26.8 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 24.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 29.16 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.07 years
male: 73.91 years
female: 78.34 years (2003 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
7,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Libyan(s)
adjective: Libyan

Ethnic groups:
Berber and Arab 97%, Greeks, Maltese, Italians, Egyptians,
Pakistanis, Turks, Indians, Tunisians

Religions:
Sunni Muslim 97%

Languages:
Arabic, Italian, English, all are widely understood in the major
cities

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 82.6%
male: 92.4%
female: 72% (2003 est.)

Government Libya

Country name:
conventional long form: Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab
Jamahiriya
conventional short form: Libya
local short form: none
local long form: Al Jumahiriyah al Arabiyah al Libiyah ash Shabiyah
al Ishtirakiyah al Uzma

Government type:
Jamahiriya (a state of the masses) in theory, governed by the
populace through local councils; in fact, a military dictatorship

Capital:
Tripoli

Administrative divisions:
25 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ajdabiya, Al
'Aziziyah, Al Fatih, Al Jabal al Akhdar, Al Jufrah, Al Khums, Al
Kufrah, An Nuqat al Khams, Ash Shati', Awbari, Az Zawiyah, Banghazi,
Darnah, Ghadamis, Gharyan, Misratah, Murzuq, Sabha, Sawfajjin, Surt,
Tarabulus, Tarhunah, Tubruq, Yafran, Zlitan; note - the 25
municipalities may have been replaced by 13 regions

Independence:
24 December 1951 (from Italy)

National holiday:
Revolution Day, 1 September (1969)

Constitution:
11 December 1969, amended 2 March 1977

Legal system:
based on Italian civil law system and Islamic law; separate
religious courts; no constitutional provision for judicial review of
legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: Revolutionary Leader Col. Muammar Abu Minyar
al-QADHAFI (since 1 September 1969); note - holds no official title,
but is de facto chief of state
elections: national elections are indirect through a hierarchy of
people's committees; head of government elected by the General
People's Congress; election last held 2 March 2000 (next to be held
NA)
election results: Mubarak al-SHAMEKH elected premier; percent of
General People's Congress vote - NA%
cabinet: General People's Committee established by the General
People's Congress
head of government: Secretary of the General People's Committee
(Premier) Mubarak al-SHAMEKH (since 2 March 2000)

Legislative branch:
unicameral General People's Congress (NA seats; members elected
indirectly through a hierarchy of people's committees)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:
none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
various Arab nationalist movements with almost negligible
memberships may be functioning clandestinely, as well as some
Islamic elements

International organization participation:
ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, CAEU, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OAU, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

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

Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US suspended all embassy activities in Tripoli on 2 May 1980

Flag description:
plain green; green is the traditional color of Islam (the state
religion)

Economy Libya

Economy - overview:
The socialist-oriented economy depends primarily upon revenues from
the oil sector, which contribute practically all export earnings and
about one-quarter of GDP. These oil revenues and a small population
give Libya one of the highest per capita GDPs in Africa, but little
of this income flows down to the lower orders of society. Import
restrictions and inefficient resource allocations have led to
periodic shortages of basic goods and foodstuffs. The nonoil
manufacturing and construction sectors, which account for about 20%
of GDP, have expanded from processing mostly agricultural products
to include the production of petrochemicals, iron, steel, and
aluminum. Climatic conditions and poor soils severely limit
agricultural output, and Libya imports about 75% of its food. Higher
oil prices in the last three years led to an increase in export
revenues, which has improved macroeconomic balances but has done
little to stimulate broad-based economic growth. Libya is making
slow progress toward economic liberalization and the upgrading of
economic infrastructure, but truly market-based reforms will be slow
in coming.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $33.36 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.2% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $6,200 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 9%
industry: 45%
services: 46% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
1.5 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
services 54%, industry 29%, agriculture 17% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate:
30% (2001)

Budget:
revenues: $13.7 billion
expenditures: $8.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2001 est.)

Industries:
petroleum, food processing, textiles, handicrafts, cement

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - production:
20.18 billion kWh (2001)

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

Electricity - consumption:
18.77 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

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

Oil - consumption:
216,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
29.75 billion bbl (37257)

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

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

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

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

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

Agriculture - products:
wheat, barley, olives, dates, citrus, vegetables, peanuts,
soybeans; cattle

Exports:
$11.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
crude oil, refined petroleum products (1999)

Exports - partners:
Italy 42.6%, Germany 14.1%, Spain 13.6%, Turkey 6.9%, Switzerland
4.4% (2002)

Imports:
$6.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery, transport equipment, food, manufactured goods (1999)

Imports - partners:
Italy 25.6%, Germany 9.8%, South Korea 6.6%, UK 6.6%, Tunisia 6.5%,
Japan 6.4%, France 5.7% (2002)

Debt - external:
$4.4 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$15 million (2000)

Currency:
Libyan dinar (LYD)

Currency code:
LYD

Exchange rates:
Libyan dinars per US dollar - 1.2 (2003), 0.6 (2002), 0.51 (2001),
0.5 (2000), 0.39 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Libya

Telephones - main lines in use:
500,000 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
20,000 (1998)

Telephone system:
general assessment: telecommunications system is being modernized;
mobile cellular telephone system became operational in 1996
domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, cellular,
tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite system with 14 earth
stations
international: satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat, NA Arabsat,
and NA Intersputnik; submarine cables to France and Italy; microwave
radio relay to Tunisia and Egypt; tropospheric scatter to Greece;
participant in Medarabtel (1999)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 16, FM 3, shortwave 3 (2002)

Radios:
1.35 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
12 (plus one low-power repeater) (1999)

Televisions:
730,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.ly

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2002)

Internet users:
20,000 (2001)

Transportation Libya

Railways:
0 km

Highways:
total: 83,200 km
paved: 47,590 km
unpaved: 35,610 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
none

Pipelines:
condensate 225 km; gas 3,196 km; oil 6,872 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
Al Khums, Banghazi, Darnah, Marsa al Burayqah, Misratah, Ra's
Lanuf, Tobruk, Tripoli, Zuwarah

Merchant marine:
total: 21 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 130,081 GRT/115,480 DWT
ships by type: cargo 9, liquefied gas 3, petroleum tanker 1, roll
on/roll off 4, short-sea passenger 4
note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
convenience: Algeria 1, Kuwait 1, UAE 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
136 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 58
over 3,047 m: 23
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 2 (2002)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 22

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 78
under 914 m: 18 (2002)
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 39
1,524 to 2,437 m: 14

Heliports:
1 (2002)

Military Libya

Military branches:
Armed Peoples on Duty (Army), Navy, Air and Air Defense Command
(includes Air Force)

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

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,546,432 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 914,649 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 61,511 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$1.3 billion (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
3.9% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Libya

Disputes - international:
Libya has claimed more than 32,000 sq km in southeastern Algeria
and about 25,000 sq km in Niger in currently dormant disputes;
various Chadian rebels from the Aozou region reside in southern Libya

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Liechtenstein

Introduction Liechtenstein

Background:
The Principality of Liechtenstein was established within the Holy
Roman Empire in 1719; it became a sovereign state in 1806. Until the
end of World War I, it was closely tied to Austria, but the economic
devastation caused by that conflict forced Liechtenstein to enter
into a customs and monetary union with Switzerland. Since World War
II (in which Liechtenstein remained neutral), the country's low
taxes have spurred outstanding economic growth. However,
shortcomings in banking regulatory oversight have resulted in
concerns about the use of the financial institutions for money
laundering.

Geography Liechtenstein

Location:
Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland

Geographic coordinates:
47 16 N, 9 32 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 160 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 160 sq km

Area - comparative:
about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
total: 76 km
border countries: Austria 34.9 km, Switzerland 41.1 km

Coastline:
0 km (doubly landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
continental; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow or rain; cool
to moderately warm, cloudy, humid summers

Terrain:
mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western third

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Ruggeller Riet 430 m
highest point: Grauspitz 2,599 m

Natural resources:
hydroelectric potential, arable land

Land use:
arable land: 25%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 75% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
NA

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air
Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer
Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
along with Uzbekistan, one of only two doubly landlocked countries
in the world; variety of microclimatic variations based on elevation

People Liechtenstein

Population:
33,145 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 18.1% (male 2,979; female 3,008)
15-64 years: 70.6% (male 11,646; female 11,740)
65 years and over: 11.3% (male 1,538; female 2,234) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 38.3 years
male: 37.9 years
female: 38.8 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
0.9% (2003 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.85 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 6.59 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.25 years
male: 75.63 years
female: 82.87 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.5 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: Liechtensteiner(s)
adjective: Liechtenstein

Ethnic groups:
Alemannic 86%, Italian, Turkish, and other 14%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 76.2%, Protestant 7%, unknown 10.6%, other 6.2%
(June 2002)

Languages:
German (official), Alemannic dialect

Literacy:
definition: age 10 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100% (1981 est.)

Government Liechtenstein

Country name:
conventional long form: Principality of Liechtenstein
conventional short form: Liechtenstein
local short form: Liechtenstein
local long form: Fuerstentum Liechtenstein

Government type:
hereditary constitutional monarchy on a democratic and
parliamentary basis

Capital:
Vaduz

Administrative divisions:
11 communes (Gemeinden, singular - Gemeinde); Balzers, Eschen,
Gamprin, Mauren, Planken, Ruggell, Schaan, Schellenberg, Triesen,
Triesenberg, Vaduz

Independence:
23 January 1719 Imperial Principality of Liechtenstein established;
12 July 1806 established independence from the Holy Roman Empire

National holiday:
Assumption Day, 15 August

Constitution:
5 October 1921

Legal system:
local civil and penal codes; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,
with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Prince HANS ADAM II (since 13 November 1989,
assumed executive powers 26 August 1984); Heir Apparent Prince
ALOIS, son of the monarch (born 11 June 1968)
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following legislative
elections, the leader of the majority party in the Diet is usually
appointed the head of government by the monarch and the leader of
the largest minority party in the Diet is usually appointed the
deputy head of government by the monarch
cabinet: Cabinet elected by the Parliament, confirmed by the monarch
head of government: Head of Government Otmar HASLER (since 5 April
2001) and Deputy Head of Government Rita KIEBER-BECK (since 5 April
2001)

Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Landtag (25 seats; members are elected by
direct, popular vote under proportional representation to serve
four-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - FBP 49.90%, VU 41.35%,
FL 8.71%; seats by party - FBP 13, VU 11, FL 1
elections: last held 11 February 2001 (next to be held by NA 2005)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Court of Appeal or
Obergericht

Political parties and leaders:
Fatherland Union or VU [Oswald KRANZ]; Progressive Citizens' Party
or FBP [Ernst WALCH]; The Free List or FL [Dr. Pepo FRICK, Karin
JENNY, Rene HASLER]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
CE, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, IAEA, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, ITU,
OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WIPO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Claudia FRITSCHE
chancery: 1300 Eye Street NW, Suite 550W, Washington, DC 20005
telephone: [1] (202) 216-0460
FAX: [1] (202) 216-0459

Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Liechtenstein, but the US
Ambassador to Switzerland is also accredited to Liechtenstein

Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a gold crown
on the hoist side of the blue band

Economy Liechtenstein

Economy - overview:
Despite its small size and limited natural resources, Liechtenstein
has developed into a prosperous, highly industrialized,
free-enterprise economy with a vital financial service sector and
living standards on a par with its large European neighbors. The
Liechtenstein economy is widely diversified with a large number of
small businesses. Low business taxes - the maximum tax rate is 20% -
and easy incorporation rules have induced many holding or so-called
letter box companies to establish nominal offices in Liechtenstein,
providing 30% of state revenues. The country participates in a
customs union with Switzerland and uses the Swiss franc as its
national currency. It imports more than 90% of its energy
requirements. Liechtenstein has been a member of the European
Economic Area (an organization serving as a bridge between the
European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and the EU) since May 1995.
The government is working to harmonize its economic policies with
those of an integrated Europe.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $825 million (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
11% (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $25,000 (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: 40%
services: NA% (1999)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1% (2001)

Labor force:
29,000 of which 19,000 are foreigners; 13,000 commute from Austria,
Switzerland, and Germany to work each day (37256)

Labor force - by occupation:
industry 47.4%, services 51.3%, agriculture 1.3% (37256 est.)

Unemployment rate:
1.3% (37500)

Budget:
revenues: $424.2 million
expenditures: $414.1 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1998 est.)

Industries:
electronics, metal manufacturing, dental products, ceramics,
pharmaceuticals, food products, precision instruments, tourism,
optical instruments

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 0%
other: 0% (2002)
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
NA kWh

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2002)

Agriculture - products:
wheat, barley, corn, potatoes; livestock, dairy products

Exports:
$2.47 billion (1996)

Exports - commodities:
small specialty machinery, connectors for audio and video, parts
for motor vehicles, dental products, hardware, prepared foodstuffs,
electronic equipment, optical products

Exports - partners:
EU 62.6% (Germany 24.3%, Austria 9.5%, France 8.9%, Italy 6.6%, UK
4.6%), US 18.9%, Switzerland 15.7%

Imports:
$917.3 million (1996)

Imports - commodities:
agricultural products, raw materials, machinery, metal goods,
textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles

Imports - partners:
EU, Switzerland

Debt - external:
$0 (2001)

Economic aid - recipient:
none

Currency:
Swiss franc (CHF)

Currency code:
CHF

Exchange rates:
Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.5586 (2002), 1.6876 (2001), 1.6888
(2000), 1.5022 (1999), 1.4498 (1998)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Liechtenstein

Telephones - main lines in use:
20,072 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
NA

Telephone system:
general assessment: automatic telephone system
domestic: NA
international: linked to Swiss networks by cable and microwave radio
relay

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

Radios:
21,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
NA (linked to Swiss networks) (1997)

Televisions:
12,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.li

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
44 (Liechtenstein and Switzerland) (2000)

Internet users:
NA

Transportation Liechtenstein

Railways:
total: 18.5 km
standard gauge: 18.5 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified)
note: owned, operated, and included in statistics of Austrian
Federal Railways (2002)

Highways:
total: 250 km
paved: 250 km
unpaved: 0 km

Waterways:
none

Pipelines:
gas 20 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
none

Airports:
none (2002)

Military Liechtenstein

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of Switzerland

Transnational Issues Liechtenstein

Disputes - international:
Liechtenstein's royal family claims restitution for 1,600 sq km of
land in the Czech Republic confiscated in 1918

Illicit drugs:
multilateral organizations engaged in issuing international
guidelines for financial sector oversight found gaps in
Liechtenstein's financial services controls that made it vulnerable
to money laundering, but Liechtenstein has become less attractive as
a haven for illicit funds, based on implementation in 2001 of new
anti-money-laundering legislation and improved mutual legal
assistance cooperation with other countries

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Lithuania

Introduction Lithuania

Background:
Independent between the two World Wars, Lithuania was annexed by
the USSR in 1940. On 11 March 1990, Lithuania became the first of
the Soviet republics to declare its independence, but this
proclamation was not generally recognized until September of 1991
(following the abortive coup in Moscow). The last Russian troops
withdrew in 1993. Lithuania subsequently has restructured its
economy for eventual integration into Western European institutions
and was invited to join NATO and the EU in 2002.

Geography Lithuania

Location:
Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Latvia and Russia

Geographic coordinates:
56 00 N, 24 00 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 65,200 sq km
water: NA sq km
land: NA sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than West Virginia

Land boundaries:
total: 1,273 km
border countries: Belarus 502 km, Latvia 453 km, Poland 91 km,
Russia (Kaliningrad) 227 km

Coastline:
99 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
transitional, between maritime and continental; wet, moderate
winters and summers

Terrain:
lowland, many scattered small lakes, fertile soil

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Juozapines/Kalnas 292 m

Natural resources:
peat, arable land

Land use:
arable land: 45.46%
permanent crops: 0.93%
other: 53.61% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
90 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
contamination of soil and groundwater with petroleum products and
chemicals at military bases

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:
fertile central plains are separated by hilly uplands that are
ancient glacial deposits

People Lithuania

Population:
3,592,561 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 17.6% (male 323,776; female 310,087)
15-64 years: 68.4% (male 1,188,171; female 1,268,035)
65 years and over: 14% (male 169,513; female 332,979) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 36.6 years
male: 33.9 years
female: 39.2 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
-0.23% (2003 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.51 male(s)/female
total population: 0.88 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 14.17 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 12.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 16.21 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.6 years
male: 63.78 years
female: 75.7 years (2003 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
less than 1,300 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Lithuanian(s)
adjective: Lithuanian

Ethnic groups:
Lithuanian 80.6%, Russian 8.7%, Polish 7%, Belarusian 1.6%, other
2.1%

Religions:
Roman Catholic (primarily), Lutheran, Russian Orthodox, Protestant,
Evangelical Christian Baptist, Muslim, Jewish

Languages:
Lithuanian (official), Polish, Russian

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.6%
male: 99.7%
female: 99.6% (2003 est.)

Government Lithuania

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Lithuania
conventional short form: Lithuania
local short form: Lietuva
former: Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic
local long form: Lietuvos Respublika

Government type:
parliamentary democracy

Capital:
Vilnius

Administrative divisions:
10 counties (apskritys, singular - apskritis); Alytaus, Kauno,
Klaipedos, Marijampoles, Panevezio, Siauliu, Taurages, Telsiu,
Utenos, Vilniaus

Independence:
11 March 1990 (independence declared from Soviet Union); 6
September 1991 (Soviet Union recognizes Lithuania's independence)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 16 February (1918); note - 16 February 1918 is
the date of independence from German, Austrian, Prussian, and
Russian occupation, 11 March 1990 is the date of independence from
the Soviet Union

Constitution:
adopted 25 October 1992

Legal system:
based on civil law system; legislative acts can be appealed to the
constitutional court

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Rolandas PAKSAS (since 26 February 2003)
head of government: Premier Algirdas Mykolas BRAZAUSKAS (since 3
July 2001)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
nomination of the premier
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 22 December 2002 and 5 January 2003 (next to be
held in late 2007); premier appointed by the president on the
approval of the Parliament
election results: Rolandas PAKSAS elected president; percent of vote
- Rolandas PAKSAS 54.9%, Valdas ADAMKUS 45.1%

Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Seimas (141 seats, 71 members are directly
elected by popular vote, 70 are elected by proportional
representation; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 8 October 2000 (next to be held NA October 2004)
note: the voting results from the 2000 elections do not correspond
to the make up of the Seimas, which has evolved into a number of
factions, each made up of members of several parties
election results: percent of vote by party - Social Democratic
Coalition 31.1%, New Union-Social Liberals 19.6%, Liberal Union
17.2%, TS 8.6%, remaining parties all less than 5%; seats by faction
- Social Democratic Coalition 51, New Union-Social Liberals 25,
United Political Group-Group of Liberals 24, Liberal Democrats 13,
Conservatives 9, Farmers and New Democracy Parties 8, Mixed Group 6,
independent 1 (four seats unfilled as of 1 June 2003)

Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; judges for
all courts appointed by the President

Political parties and leaders:
Electoral Action of Lithuanian Poles [Valdemar TOMASZEVSKI,
chairman]; Homeland Union/Conservative Party or TS [Andrius
KUBILIUS, chairman]; Lithuanian Center Union or LCS [Kestutis
GLAVECKAS, chairman]; Lithuanian Christian Democrats or LKD [Kazys
BOBELIS]; Lithuanian Farmer's Party or LUP [Ramunas KARBAUSKIS,
chairman]; Lithuanian Green Party [Rimantas BRAZIULIS]; Lithuanian
Liberal Youth [Neringa MOROZAITE]; Lithuanian National Democratic
Party [Vygintas GONTIS]; Lithuanian Social Democratic Coalition
[Algirdas BRAZAUSKAS, chairman] consists of the Lithuanian
Democratic Labor Party or LDDP, the Lithuanian Social Democratic
Party or LSDP, and New Democracy; Moderate Conservative Union
[Gediminas VAGNORIUS]; Modern Christian Democratic Union [Vytautas
BOGUSIS, chairman]; New Democracy and Farmer's Union [Kazimiera
PRUNSKIENE, chairman]; New Union-Social Liberals [Arturas
PAULAUSKAS, chairman]; Young Lithuania [Arnoldas PLATELIS]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACCT (observer), BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant),
FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU,
OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UPU, WCL,
WCO, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Vygaudas USACKAS
chancery: 2622 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
consulate(s) general: Chicago and New York
FAX: [1] (202) 328-0466
telephone: [1] (202) 234-5860

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador John F. TEFFT
embassy: Akmenu 6, 2600 Vilnius
mailing address: American Embassy, Vilnius, PSC 78, Box V, APO AE
09723
telephone: [370] (5) 266 5500
FAX: [370] (5) 266 5510

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), green, and red

Economy Lithuania

Economy - overview:
Lithuania, the Baltic state that has conducted the most trade with
Russia, has slowly rebounded from the 1998 Russian financial crisis.
Unemployment remains high, still 10.7% in 2003, but is improving.
Growing domestic consumption and increased investment have furthered
recovery. Trade has been increasingly oriented toward the West.
Lithuania has gained membership in the World Trade Organization and
has moved ahead with plans to join the EU. Privatization of the
large, state-owned utilities, particularly in the energy sector, is
nearing completion. Overall, more than 80% of enterprises have been
privatized. Foreign government and business support have helped in
the transition from the old command economy to a market economy.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $30.08 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
6.7% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $8,400 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 8%
industry: 31%
services: 61% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.1%
highest 10%: 25.6% (1996)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
34 (1999)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
0.8% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
1.5 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
industry 30%, agriculture 20%, services 50% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate:
12.5% (2001 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $1.59 billion
expenditures: $1.77 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2001 est.)

Industries:
metal-cutting machine tools, electric motors, television sets,
refrigerators and freezers, petroleum refining, shipbuilding (small
ships), furniture making, textiles, food processing, fertilizers,
agricultural machinery, optical equipment, electronic components,
computers, amber

Industrial production growth rate:
6% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
14.62 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 16.5%
hydro: 5.7%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 77.7%

Electricity - consumption:
8.683 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
6.3 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
1.389 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
4,594 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
72,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

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

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

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

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

Agriculture - products:
grain, potatoes, sugar beets, flax, vegetables; beef, milk, eggs;
fish

Exports:
$5.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
mineral products 23%, textiles and clothing 16%, machinery and
equipment 11%, chemicals 6%, wood and wood products 5%, foodstuffs
5% (2001)

Exports - partners:
Latvia 12.8%, Germany 12%, UK 7.6%, Poland 6.3%, US 5.9%, France
5.8%, Russia 5.7%, Sweden 5%, Denmark 4.3% (2002)

Imports:
$6.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
mineral products 21%, machinery and equipment 17%, transport
equipment 11%, chemicals 9%, textiles and clothing 9%, metals 5%
(2001)

Imports - partners:
Russia 24.1%, Germany 20.3%, Italy 5.9%, Poland 4.3% (2002)

Debt - external:
$5.8 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$228.5 million (1995)

Currency:
litas (LTL)

Currency code:
LTL

Exchange rates:
litai per US dollar - 3.68 (2002), 4 (2001), 4 (2000), 4 (1999), 4
(1998)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Lithuania

Telephones - main lines in use:
1.142 million (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
500,000 (2001)

Telephone system:
general assessment: inadequate, but is being modernized to provide
an improved international capability and better residential access
domestic: a national, fiber-optic cable, interurban, trunk system is
nearing completion; rural exchanges are being improved and expanded;
mobile cellular systems are being installed; access to the Internet
is available; still many unsatisfied telephone subscriber
applications
international: landline connections to Latvia and Poland; major
international connections to Denmark, Sweden, and Norway by
submarine cable for further transmission by satellite

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 29, FM 142, shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios:
1.9 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
27
note: Lithuania has approximately 27 broadcasting stations, but may
have as many as 100 transmitters, including repeater stations (2001)

Televisions:
1.7 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.lt

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
32 (2001)

Internet users:
341,000 (2001)

Transportation Lithuania

Railways:
total: 1,998 km
broad gauge: 1,807 km 1.524-m gauge (122 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 169 km 0.750-m gauge (all service suspended) (2002)
standard gauge: 22 km 1.435-m gauge

Highways:
total: 75,243 km
paved: 68,697 km (including 417 km of expressways)
unpaved: 6,546 km (2000)

Waterways:
600 km (perennially navigable)

Pipelines:
gas 1,698 km; oil 331 km; refined products 109 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
Butinge, Kaunas, Klaipeda

Merchant marine:
total: 51 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 303,910 GRT/328,380 DWT
note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
convenience: Denmark 13 (2002 est.)
ships by type: cargo 23, combination bulk 8, petroleum tanker 2,
refrigerated cargo 11, roll on/roll off 3, short-sea passenger 4

Airports:
87 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 22
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 8 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 65
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 57 (2002)

Military Lithuania

Military branches:
Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Force, National Volunteer
Defense Forces (SKAT)

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

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 937,055 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 735,536 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 29,420 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$230.8 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.9% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Lithuania

Disputes - international:
in May 2003, the Russian Parliament ratified a 1997 land and
maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, which had ratified the
treaty in 1999, legalizing limits of former Soviet republic borders;
the Latvian Parliament has not ratified its 1998 maritime boundary
treaty with Lithuania, primarily due to concerns over oil
exploration rights; discussions are still ongoing among Russia,
Lithuania, and the EU concerning a simplified transit document for
residents of the Kaliningrad coastal exclave to transit through
Lithuania to Russia

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for opiates and other illicit drugs from
Southwest Asia, Latin America, and Western Europe to Western Europe
and Scandinavia; limited production of methamphetamine and ecstasy;
susceptible to money laundering despite changes to banking
legislation

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Luxembourg

Introduction Luxembourg

Background:
Founded in 963, Luxembourg became a grand duchy in 1815 and an
independent state under the Netherlands. It lost more than half of
its territory to Belgium in 1839, but gained a larger measure of
autonomy. Full independence was attained in 1867. Overrun by Germany
in both World Wars, it ended its neutrality in 1948 when it entered
into the Benelux Customs Union and when it joined NATO the following
year. In 1957, Luxembourg became one of the six founding countries
of the European Economic Community (later the European Union) and in
1999 it joined the euro currency area.

Geography Luxembourg

Location:
Western Europe, between France and Germany

Geographic coordinates:
49 45 N, 6 10 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 2,586 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 2,586 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Rhode Island

Land boundaries:
total: 359 km
border countries: Belgium 148 km, France 73 km, Germany 138 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
modified continental with mild winters, cool summers

Terrain:
mostly gently rolling uplands with broad, shallow valleys; uplands
to slightly mountainous in the north; steep slope down to Moselle
flood plain in the southeast

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Moselle River 133 m
highest point: Buurgplaatz 559 m

Natural resources:
iron ore (no longer exploited), arable land

Land use:
arable land: 25%
other: 75% (includes Belgium) (1998 est.)
permanent crops: 0%

Irrigated land:
40 sq km (includes Belgium) (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
air and water pollution in urban areas, soil pollution of farmland

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,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

Geography - note:
landlocked; the only Grand Duchy in the world

People Luxembourg

Population:
454,157 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 18.9% (male 44,182; female 41,640)
15-64 years: 66.9% (male 152,963; female 151,061)
65 years and over: 14.2% (male 26,060; female 38,251) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 38.1 years
male: 37.2 years
female: 38.9 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
1.23% (2003 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.65 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 4.84 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.66 years
male: 74.38 years
female: 81.15 years (2003 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2001 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Luxembourger(s)
adjective: Luxembourg

Ethnic groups:
Celtic base (with French and German blend), Portuguese, Italian,
Slavs (from Montenegro, Albania, and Kososvo) and European (guest
and resident workers)

Religions:
87% Roman Catholic, 13% Protestants, Jews, and Muslims (2000)

Languages:
Luxembourgish (national language), German (administrative
language), French (administrative language)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100% (2000 est.)

Government Luxembourg

Country name:
conventional long form: Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
conventional short form: Luxembourg
local short form: Luxembourg
local long form: Grand Duche de Luxembourg

Government type:
constitutional monarchy

Capital:
Luxembourg

Administrative divisions:
3 districts; Diekirch, Grevenmacher, Luxembourg

Independence:
1839 (from the Netherlands)

National holiday:
National Day (Birthday of Grand Duchess Charlotte) 23 June

Constitution:
17 October 1868, occasional revisions

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

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: Grand Duke HENRI (since 7 October 2000); Heir
Apparent Prince GUILLAUME (son of the monarch, born 11 November 1981)
head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Claude JUNCKER (since 1
January 1995) and Vice Prime Minister Lydie POLFER (since 7 August
1999)
cabinet: Council of Ministers recommended by the prime minister and
appointed by the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following popular
elections to the Chamber of Deputies, the leader of the majority
party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed
prime minister by the monarch; the deputy prime minister is
appointed by the monarch; they are responsible to the Chamber of
Deputies
note: government coalition - CSV and DP

Legislative branch:
unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (60 seats;
members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 13 June 1999 (next to be held by June 2004)
note: there is also a Council of State that serves as an advisory
body to the Chamber of Deputies; the Council of State has 21 members
appointed by the Grand Duke on the advice of the prime minister
election results: percent of vote by party - CSV 29.79%, DP 21.58%,
LSAP 23.75%, ADR 10.36%, Green Party 9.09%, the Left 3.77%; seats by
party - CSV 19, DP 15, LSAP 13, ADR 6, Green Party 5, the Left 2

Judicial branch:
judicial courts and tribunals (3 Justices of the Peace, 2 district
courts, and 1 Supreme Court of Appeals); administrative courts and
tribunals (State Prosecutor's Office, administrative courts and
tribunals, and the Constitutional Court); judges for all courts are
appointed for life by the monarch

Political parties and leaders:
Action Committee for Democracy and Justice or ADR [Robert MEHLEN];
Christian Social People's Party or CSV (known also as Christian
Social Party or PCS) [Erna HENNICOT-SCHOEPGES]; Democratic Party or
DP [Lydie POLFER]; Green Party [Abbes JACOBY and Felix BRAS];
Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party or LSAP [Jean ASSELBORN];
Marxist and Reformed Communist Party DEI LENK (the Left) [no formal
leadership]; other minor parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
ABBL (bankers' association); ALEBA (financial sector trade union);
Centrale Paysanne (federation of agricultural producers); CEP
(professional sector chamber); CGFP (trade union representing civil
service); Chambre de Commerce (Chamber of Commerce); Chambre des
Metiers (Chamber of Artisans); FEDIL (federation of industrialists);
LCGP (center-right trade union); OGBL (center-left trade union)

International organization participation:
ACCT, Australia Group, Benelux, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, EU,
FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NATO, NEA, NSG,
OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Arlette CONZEMIUS-PACCOURD
chancery: 2200 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: New York and San Francisco
FAX: [1] (202) 328-8270
telephone: [1] (202) 265-4171

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Peter TERPELUK, Jr.
embassy: 22 Boulevard Emmanuel-Servais, L-2535 Luxembourg City
mailing address: American Embassy Luxembourg, Unit 1410, APO AE
09126-1410 (official mail); American Embassy Luxembourg, PSC 9, Box
9500, APO AE 09123 (personal mail)
telephone: [352] 46 01 23
FAX: [352] 46 14 01

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and light blue;
similar to the flag of the Netherlands, which uses a darker blue and
is shorter; design was based on the flag of France

Economy Luxembourg

Economy - overview:
This stable, high-income economy features solid growth, low
inflation, and low unemployment. The industrial sector, initially
dominated by steel, has become increasingly diversified to include
chemicals, rubber, and other products. Growth in the financial
sector, which now accounts for about 22% of GDP, has more than
compensated for the decline in steel. Most banks are foreign-owned
and have extensive foreign dealings. Agriculture is based on small
family-owned farms. The economy depends on foreign and trans-border
workers for more than 30% of its labor force. Although Luxembourg,
like all EU members, has suffered from the global economic slump,
the country has maintained a fairly strong growth rate and enjoys an
extraordinarily high standard of living.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $21.94 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
0.4% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $48,900 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1%
industry: 30%
services: 69% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.6% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
262,300 (of whom 87,400 are foreign cross-border workers primarily
from France, Belgium, and Germany) (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
services 90.1%, industry 8%, agriculture 1.9% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
4.1% (2002 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $5.5 billion
expenditures: $5.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $760
million (2002 est.)

Industries:
banking, iron and steel, food processing, chemicals, metal
products, engineering, tires, glass, aluminum

Industrial production growth rate:
0% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
457 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 57.3%
hydro: 25.2%
other: 17.5% (2001)
nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
6.07 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
744 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
6.389 billion kWh (2001)

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

Oil - consumption:
50,650 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
634 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
50,700 bbl/day (2001)

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

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

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

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

Agriculture - products:
barley, oats, potatoes, wheat, fruits, wine grapes; livestock
products

Exports:
$10.1 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, steel products, chemicals, rubber
products, glass

Exports - partners:
Germany 23.9%, France 20.1%, Belgium 10.5%, UK 8.7%, Italy 6.1%,
Spain 4.5%, Netherlands 4.4% (2002)

Imports:
$13.25 billion c.i.f. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
minerals, metals, foodstuffs, quality consumer goods

Imports - partners:
Belgium 29.7%, Germany 23%, France 13.2%, Taiwan 6.7%, Netherlands
4.6% (2002)

Debt - external:
$NA

Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $160 million (1999)

Currency:
euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:
EUR

Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000), 0.94
(1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Luxembourg

Telephones - main lines in use:
314,700 (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
215,741 (2000)

Telephone system:
general assessment: highly developed, completely automated and
efficient system, mainly buried cables
domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; buried cable
international: 3 channels leased on TAT-6 coaxial submarine cable
(Europe to North America)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999)

Radios:
285,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
5 (1999)

Televisions:
285,000 (1998 est.)

Internet country code:
.lu

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
8 (2000)

Internet users:
100,000 (2001)

Transportation Luxembourg

Railways:
total: 274 km
standard gauge: 274 km 1.435-m gauge (242 km electrified) (2002)

Highways:
total: 5,189 km
paved: 5,189 km (including 114 km of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Waterways:
37 km (on the Moselle)

Pipelines:
gas 155 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
Mertert

Merchant marine:
total: 60 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,507,258 GRT/2,118,597 DWT
ships by type: bulk 2, chemical tanker 12, container 8, liquefied
gas 18, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 10, roll on/roll off 8
note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
convenience: Belgium 21, Finland 3, France 8, Germany 10, Monaco 1,
Netherlands 3, Norway 1, United Kingdom 9, United States 3 (2002
est.)

Airports:
2 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Heliports:
1 (2002)

Military Luxembourg

Military branches:
Army, Grand Ducal Police

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

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 114,326 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 93,994 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 2,636 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$147.8 million (FY01/02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.8% (FY01/02)

Transnational Issues Luxembourg

Disputes - international:
none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Macau

Introduction Macau

Background:
Colonized by the Portuguese in the 16th century, Macau was the
first European settlement in the Far East. Pursuant to an agreement
signed by China and Portugal on 13 April 1987, Macau became the
Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 20 December
1999. China has promised that, under its "one country, two systems"
formula, China's socialist economic system will not be practiced in
Macau and that Macau will enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all
matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next 50 years.

Geography Macau

Location:
Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China

Geographic coordinates:
22 10 N, 113 33 E

Map references:
Southeast Asia

Area:
total: 25.4 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 25.4 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
total: 0.34 km
border countries: China 0.34 km

Coastline:
41 km

Maritime claims:
not specified

Climate:
subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers

Terrain:
generally flat

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Coloane Alto 172.4 m

Natural resources:
NEGL

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100%
note: "green areas" represent 22.4% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
typhoons

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
essentially urban; one causeway and two bridges connect the two
islands of Coloane and Taipa to the peninsula on mainland

People Macau

Population:
469,903 (July 2003 est.)