Chapter XXXVIII: Front Matter (38)

Telephone system:
general assessment: very low density: about 3.5 telephones for each
thousand persons
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian
Ocean Region)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 7, FM 9, shortwave 4 (2001)

Radios:
155,900 (1999)

Television broadcast stations:
4 (plus 18 provincial repeaters and many low power repeaters) (1999)

Televisions:
168,800 (1999)

Internet country code:
.mn

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
5 (2001)

Internet users:
40,000 (2002)

Transportation Mongolia

Railways:
1,815 km
broad gauge: 1,815 km 1.524-m gauge (2002)

Highways:
total: 49,250 km
paved: 1,724 km
unpaved: 47,526 km (2000)

Waterways:
400 km (1999)

Ports and harbors:
none

Airports:
50 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 10
2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 40
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 12 (2002)

Military Mongolia

Military branches:
Mongolian Armed Forces (includes General Purpose Forces, Air and
Air Defense Forces, Civil Defense Troops); note - Border Troops are
under Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs in peacetime

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

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 796,449 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 516,502 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 32,529 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$23.1 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.2% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Mongolia

Disputes - international:
none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Montserrat

Introduction Montserrat

Background:
Much of this island has been devastated and two-thirds of the
population has fled abroad due to the eruption of the Soufriere
Hills Volcano that began on 18 July 1995.

Geography Montserrat

Location:
Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates:
16 45 N, 62 12 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 102 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 102 sq km

Area - comparative:
about 0.6 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
40 km

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

Climate:
tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:
volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Chances Peak (in the Soufriere Hills volcanic
complex) 914 m

Natural resources:
NEGL

Land use:
arable land: 20%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 80% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions (Soufriere
Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1996)

Environment - current issues:
land erosion occurs on slopes that have been cleared for cultivation

Geography - note:
the island is entirely volcanic in origin and contains seven active
volcanoes

People Montserrat

Population:
8,995
note: an estimated 8,000 refugees left the island following the
resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; some have returned
(July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 23.4% (male 1,062; female 1,041)
15-64 years: 65.3% (male 2,805; female 3,066)
65 years and over: 11.4% (male 537; female 484) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 27.8 years
male: 27.7 years
female: 27.9 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
4.5% (2003 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.11 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 7.77 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 9.05 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.36 years
male: 76.24 years
female: 80.59 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.8 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: Montserratian(s)
adjective: Montserratian

Ethnic groups:
black, white

Religions:
Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Seventh-Day
Adventist, other Christian denominations

Languages:
English

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 97%
male: 97%
female: 97% (1970 est.)

Government Montserrat

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

Dependency status:
overseas territory of the UK

Government type:
NA

Capital:
Plymouth (abandoned in 1997 due to volcanic activity; interim
government buildings have been built at Brades Estate, in the Carr's
Bay/Little Bay vicinity at the northwest end of Montserrat)

Administrative divisions:
3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges, Saint Peter

Independence:
none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:
Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)

Constitution:
present constitution came into force 19 December 1989

Legal system:
English common law and statutory law

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor Anthony LONGRIGG (since NA May 2001)
elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the
monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority
party usually becomes chief minister
head of government: Chief Minister John OSBORNE (since 5 April 2001)
cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, the chief
minister, three other ministers, the attorney general, and the
finance secretary

Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Council (11 seats, 9 popularly elected;
members serve five-year terms)
note: expanded in 2001 from 7 to 9 elected members with attorney
general and financial secretary sitting as ex-officio members
elections: last held NA April 2001 (next to be held by November 2006)
note: in 2001, the Elections Commission instituted a single
constituency/voter-at-large system whereby all eligible voters cast
ballots for all nine seats of the Legislative Council
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
NPLM 7, NPP 2

Judicial branch:
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint Lucia, one judge of
the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the
High Court)

Political parties and leaders:
National Progressive Party or NPP [Reuben T. MEADE]; New People's
Liberation Movement or NPLM [John A. OSBORNE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

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

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 Montserratian coat of arms centered in the outer half of the
flag; the coat of arms features a woman standing beside a yellow
harp with her arm around a black cross

Economy Montserrat

Economy - overview:
Severe volcanic activity, which began in July 1995, has put a
damper on this small, open economy. A catastrophic eruption in June
1997 closed the airports and seaports, causing further economic and
social dislocation. Two-thirds of the 12,000 inhabitants fled the
island. Some began to return in 1998, but lack of housing limited
the number. The agriculture sector continued to be affected by the
lack of suitable land for farming and the destruction of crops.
Prospects for the economy depend largely on developments in relation
to the volcano and on public sector construction activity. The UK
has launched a three-year $122.8 million aid program to help
reconstruct the economy. Half of the island is expected to remain
uninhabitable for another decade.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $29 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
-1% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $3,400 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 5.4%
industry: 13.6%
services: 81% (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.6% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
4,521 ; note - lowered by flight of people from volcanic activity

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Unemployment rate:
6% (1998 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $31.4 million
expenditures: $31.6 million, including capital expenditures of $8.4
million (1997 est.)

Industries:
tourism, rum, textiles, electronic appliances

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - production:
2.5 million kWh (2001)

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

Electricity - consumption:
2.325 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

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

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

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
cabbages, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers; livestock
products

Exports:
$700,000 (2001)

Exports - commodities:
electronic components, plastic bags, apparel, hot peppers, live
plants, cattle

Exports - partners:
US, Antigua and Barbuda

Imports:
$17 million (2001)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transportation equipment, foodstuffs, manufactured
goods, fuels, lubricants, and related materials

Imports - partners:
US, UK, Trinidad and Tobago, Japan, Canada

Debt - external:
$8.9 million (1997)

Economic aid - recipient:
Country Policy Plan (2001) is a three-year program for spending
$122.8 million in British budgetary assistance

Currency:
East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code:
XCD

Exchange rates:
East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate since
1976)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Montserrat

Telephones - main lines in use:
4,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
70 (1994)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: NA

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
7,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (1997)

Televisions:
3,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.ms

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
17 (2000)

Internet users:
NA

Transportation Montserrat

Railways:
0 km

Highways:
total: 227 km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km
note: volcanic eruptions beginning in 1995 destroyed most of the
road system (2003)

Waterways:
none

Ports and harbors:
Plymouth (abandoned), Little Bay (anchorages and ferry landing),
Carr's Bay

Merchant marine:
none (2002 est.)

Airports:
none; only airport was destroyed by volcanic activity; a helicopter
service to Antigua is used (2002)

Military Montserrat

Military branches:
no regular indigenous military forces; Police Force

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Montserrat

Disputes - international:
none

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

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Morocco

Introduction Morocco

Background:
Morocco's long struggle for independence from France ended in 1956.
The internationalized city of Tangier was turned over to the new
country that same year. Morocco virtually annexed Western Sahara
during the late 1970s, but final resolution on the status of the
territory remains unresolved. Gradual political reforms in the 1990s
resulted in the establishment of a bicameral legislature in 1997.

Geography Morocco

Location:
Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and the
Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Western Sahara

Geographic coordinates:
32 00 N, 5 00 W

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 446,550 sq km
land: 446,300 sq km
water: 250 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than California

Land boundaries:
total: 2,017.9 km
border countries: Algeria 1,559 km, Western Sahara 443 km, Spain
(Ceuta) 6.3 km, Spain (Melilla) 9.6 km

Coastline:
1,835 km

Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate:
Mediterranean, becoming more extreme in the interior

Terrain:
northern coast and interior are mountainous with large areas of
bordering plateaus, intermontane valleys, and rich coastal plains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Sebkha Tah -55 m
highest point: Jbel Toubkal 4,165 m

Natural resources:
phosphates, iron ore, manganese, lead, zinc, fish, salt

Land use:
arable land: 20.12%
permanent crops: 2.05%
other: 77.83% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
12,910 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
northern mountains geologically unstable and subject to
earthquakes; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:
land degradation/desertification (soil erosion resulting from
farming of marginal areas, overgrazing, destruction of vegetation);
water supplies contaminated by raw sewage; siltation of reservoirs;
oil pollution of coastal waters

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

Geography - note:
strategic location along Strait of Gibraltar

People Morocco

Population:
31,689,265 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 33.2% (male 5,360,666; female 5,162,168)
15-64 years: 62% (male 9,766,222; female 9,876,647)
65 years and over: 4.8% (male 676,357; female 847,205) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 23 years
male: 22.5 years
female: 23.5 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
1.64% (2003 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
-1.03 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: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 44.87 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 40.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 48.76 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.04 years
male: 67.77 years
female: 72.41 years (2003 est.)

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

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
13,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Moroccan(s)
adjective: Moroccan

Ethnic groups:
Arab-Berber 99.1%, other 0.7%, Jewish 0.2%

Religions:
Muslim 98.7%, Christian 1.1%, Jewish 0.2%

Languages:
Arabic (official), Berber dialects, French often the language of
business, government, and diplomacy

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 51.7%
male: 64.1%
female: 39.4% (2003 est.)

Government Morocco

Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Morocco
conventional short form: Morocco
local short form: Al Maghrib
local long form: Al Mamlakah al Maghribiyah

Government type:
constitutional monarchy

Capital:
Rabat

Administrative divisions:
37 provinces and 2 wilayas*; Agadir, Al Hoceima, Azilal, Beni
Mellal, Ben Slimane, Boulemane, Casablanca*, Chaouen, El Jadida, El
Kelaa des Sraghna, Er Rachidia, Essaouira, Fes, Figuig, Guelmim,
Ifrane, Kenitra, Khemisset, Khenifra, Khouribga, Laayoune, Larache,
Marrakech, Meknes, Nador, Ouarzazate, Oujda, Rabat-Sale*, Safi,
Settat, Sidi Kacem, Tanger, Tan-Tan, Taounate, Taroudannt, Tata,
Taza, Tetouan, Tiznit; three additional provinces of Ad Dakhla (Oued
Eddahab), Boujdour, and Es Smara as well as parts of Tan-Tan and
Laayoune fall within Moroccan-claimed Western Sahara
note: as part of a 1997 decentralization/regionalization law passed
by the legislature 16 new regions (provided below) were created
although full details and scope of the reorganization are limited :
Casablanca, Chaouia-Ourdigha, Doukkala-Abda, Fes-Boulmane,
Gharb-Chrarda-Beni Hssen, Guelmim-Es Smara, Laayoune-Boujdour-Sakia
El Hamra, Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz, Meknes-Tafilalet, Oriental,
Oued Eddahab-Lagouira, Rabat-Sale-Zemmour-Zaer, Souss-Massa-Draa,
Tadla-Azilal, Tangier-Tetouan, Taza-Al Hoceima-Taounate

Independence:
2 March 1956 (from France)

National holiday:
Throne Day (accession of King MOHAMED VI to the throne), 30 July
(1999)

Constitution:
10 March 1972, revised 4 September 1992, amended (to create
bicameral legislature) September 1996

Legal system:
based on Islamic law and French and Spanish civil law system;
judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of
Supreme Court

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal (as of January 2003)

Executive branch:
chief of state: King MOHAMED VI (since 23 July 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Driss JETTOU (since 9 October
2002)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed
by the monarch following legislative elections

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house or Chamber of
Counselors (270 seats; members elected indirectly by local councils,
professional organizations, and labor syndicates for nine-year
terms; one-third of the members are renewed every three years) and a
lower house or Chamber of Representatives (325 seats; members
elected by popular vote for five-year terms)
elections: Chamber of Counselors - last held 15 September 2000 (next
to be held NA 2003); Chamber of Representatives - last held 27
September 2002 (next to be held NA 2007)
election results: Chamber of Counselors - percent of vote by party -
NA%; seats by party - NA; Chamber of Representatives - percent of
vote by party - NA%; seats by party - USFP 50, PI 48, PJD 42, RNI
41, MP 27, MNP 18, UC 16, FFD 12, PND 12, PPS 11, UD 10, MDS 7, PSD
6, Al Ahd 5, ADL 4, GSU 3, PML 3, PRD 3, FC 2, PDI 2, PED 2, CNI 1

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are appointed on the recommendation of the
Supreme Council of the Judiciary, presided over by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders:
Action Party or PA [Muhammad EL IDRISSI]; Alliance of Liberties or
ADL [Ali BELHAJ]; Annahj Addimocrati or Annahj [Abdellah EL HARIF];
Avant Garde Social Democratic Party or PADS [Ahmed BENJELLOUN];
Citizen Forces or FC [Abderrahman LAHJOUJI]; Citizen's Initiatives
for Development [Mohamed BENHAMOU]; Constitutional Union or UC
[Mohamed ABIED (interim)]; Democratic and Independence Party or PDI
[Abdelwahed MAACH]; Democratic and Social Movement or MDS [Mahmoud
ARCHANE]; Democratic Socialist Party or PSD [Aissa OUARDIGHI];
Democratic Union or UD [Bouazza IKKEN]; Environment and Development
Party or PED [Ahmed EL ALAMI]; Front of Democratic Forces or FFD
[Thami EL KHYARI]; Istiqlal Party (Independence Party) or PI [Abbas
El FASSI]; Justice and Development Party (formerly the
Constitutional and Democratic Popular Movement) or PJD [Abdelkrim EL
KHATIB]; Moroccan Liberal Party or PML [Mohamed ZIANE]; National
Democratic Party or PND [Abdallah KADIRI]; National Ittihadi
Congress Party or CNI [Abdelmajid BOUZOUBAA]; National Popular
Movement or MNP [Mahjoubi AHERDANE]; National Rally of Independents
or RNI [Ahmed OSMAN]; National Union of Popular Forces or UNFP
[Abdellah IBRAHIM]; Parti Al Ahd or Al Ahd [Najib EL OUAZZANI,
chairman]; Party of Progress and Socialism or PPS [Ismail ALAOUI];
Party of Renewal and Equity or PRE [Chakir ACHABAR]; Party of the
Unified Socialist Left or GSU [Mohamed Ben Said AIT IDDER]; Popular
Movement or MP [Mohamed LAENSER]; Reform and Development Party or
PRD [Abderrahmane EL KOUHEN]; Social Center Party or PSC [Lahcen
MADIH]; Socialist Union of Popular Forces or USFP [Abderrahman
EL-YOUSSOUFI]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Democratic Confederation of Labor or CDT [Noubir AMAOUI]; General
Union of Moroccan Workers or UGTM [Abderrazzak AFILAL]; Moroccan
Employers Association or CGEM [Hassan CHAMI]; National Labor Union
of Morocco or UNMT [Abdelslam MAATI]; Union of Moroccan Workers or
UMT [Mahjoub BENSEDDIK]

International organization participation:
ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, EBRD, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM,
OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Aziz MEKOUAR
consulate(s) general: New York
FAX: [1] (202) 265-0161
telephone: [1] (202) 462-7979 through 7982
chancery: 1601 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ms. Margaret TUTWILER
embassy: 2 Avenue de Mohamed El Fassi, Rabat
mailing address: PSC 74, Box 021, APO AE 90718
telephone: [212] (37) 76 22 65
FAX: [212] (37) 76 56 61
consulate(s) general: Casablanca

Flag description:
red with a green pentacle (five-pointed, linear star) known as
Solomon's seal in the center of the flag; green is the traditional
color of Islam

Economy Morocco

Economy - overview:
Morocco faces the problems typical of developing countries -
restraining government spending, reducing constraints on private
activity and foreign trade, and achieving sustainable economic
growth. Following structural adjustment programs supported by the
IMF, World Bank, and the Paris Club, the dirham is now fully
convertible for current account transactions, and reforms of the
financial sector have been implemented. Droughts depressed activity
in the key agricultural sector and contributed to a stagnant economy
in 1999 and 2000. During that time, however, Morocco reported large
foreign exchange inflows from the sale of a mobile telephone license
and partial privatization of the state-owned telecommunications
company. Favorable rainfall in 2001 led to a growth of 6.5%. Good
harvest conditions continued to support GDP growth in 2002.
Formidable long-term challenges include: servicing the external
debt; modernizing the industrial sector; preparing the economy for
freer trade with the EU and US; and improving education and
attracting foreign investment to boost living standards and job
prospects for Morocco's youth.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $121.8 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
4.6% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $3,900 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 15%
industry: 33%
services: 52% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:
19% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.6%
highest 10%: 30.9% (1998-99)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
39.5 (1998-99)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.6% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
11 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 50%, services 35%, industry 15% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
19% (2002 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $13.8 billion
expenditures: $14.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.1
billion (2001 est.)

Industries:
phosphate rock mining and processing, food processing, leather
goods, textiles, construction, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
0.5% (1999 est.)

Electricity - production:
13.35 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 95.4%
hydro: 4.6%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
14.61 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
2.2 billion kWh (2001)

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

Oil - consumption:
167,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
900,000 bbl (37257)

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

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

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

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

Natural gas - proved reserves:
665.4 million cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products:
barley, wheat, citrus, wine, vegetables, olives; livestock

Exports:
$7.5 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
clothing, fish, inorganic chemicals, transistors, crude minerals,
fertilizers (including phosphates), petroleum products, fruits,
vegetables

Exports - partners:
France 26.5%, Spain 14.3%, UK 7.9%, Germany 5.8%, Italy 5.6%, US
4.8% (2002)

Imports:
$10.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
crude petroleum, textile fabric, telecommunications equipment,
wheat, gas and electricity, transistors, plastics

Imports - partners:
France 20.9%, Spain 12.6%, Italy 6.3%, Germany 5.5%, US 4.6%, UK
4.1%, Saudi Arabia 4.1% (2002)

Debt - external:
$17.7 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$565.6 million (1995)

Currency:
Moroccan dirham (MAD)

Currency code:
MAD

Exchange rates:
Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 11.02 (2002), 11.3 (2001), 10.63
(2000), 9.8 (1999), 9.6 (1998)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Morocco

Telephones - main lines in use:
1.391 million (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
116,645 (1998)

Telephone system:
general assessment: modern system with all important capabilities;
however density is low with only 4.6 main lines available for each
100 persons
domestic: good system composed of open-wire lines, cables, and
microwave radio relay links; Internet available but expensive;
principal switching centers are Casablanca and Rabat; national
network nearly 100% digital using fiber-optic links; improved rural
service employs microwave radio relay
international: 7 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; microwave radio relay to
Gibraltar, Spain, and Western Sahara; coaxial cable and microwave
radio relay to Algeria; participant in Medarabtel; fiber-optic cable
link from Agadir to Algeria and Tunisia (1998)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 27, FM 25, shortwave 6 (1998)

Radios:
6.64 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
35 (plus 66 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
3.1 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.ma

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
8 (2000)

Internet users:
400,000 (2002)

Transportation Morocco

Railways:
total: 1,907 km
standard gauge: 1,907 km 1.435-m gauge (1,003 km electrified) (2002)

Highways:
total: 57,707 km
paved: 32,547 km (including 481 km of expressways)
unpaved: 25,160 km (2000)

Waterways:
none

Pipelines:
gas 695 km; oil 285 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
Agadir, El Jadida, Casablanca, El Jorf Lasfar, Kenitra, Mohammedia,
Nador, Rabat, Safi, Tangier; also Spanish-controlled Ceuta and
Melilla

Merchant marine:
total: 39 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 247,591 GRT/268,356 DWT
ships by type: cargo 8, chemical tanker 7, container 6, petroleum
tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 7, roll on/roll off 7, short-sea
passenger 2
note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
convenience: Germany 1, Hong Kong 1, Netherlands 2, Norway 2 (2002
est.)

Airports:
63 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 26
over 3,047 m: 11
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2002)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 8

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 37
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 11
under 914 m: 11 (2002)
914 to 1,523 m: 14

Heliports:
1 (2002)

Military Morocco

Military branches:
Royal Armed Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie,
Auxiliary Forces

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

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 8,595,797 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 5,411,846 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 351,671 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$1.4 billion (FY99/00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
4% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Morocco

Disputes - international:
claims and administers Western Sahara, but sovereignty remains
unresolved - UN-administered cease-fire has remained in effect since
September 1991, but attempts to hold a referendum have failed and
parties thus far have rejected other proposals; Morocco protests
Spain's control over the coastal enclaves of Ceuta, Melilla, and
Penon de Velez de la Gomera, the islands of Penon de Alhucemas and
Islas Chafarinas, and surrounding waters; Morocco also rejected
Spain's unilateral designation of a median line from the Canary
Islands in 2002 to set limits to undersea resource exploration and
refugee interdiction; Morocco allowed Spanish fishermen to fish
temporarily off the coast of Western Sahara after an oil spill
soiled Spanish fishing grounds

Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of hashish; trafficking increasing for both
domestic and international drug markets; shipments of hashish mostly
directed to Western Europe; transit point for cocaine from South
America destined for Western Europe

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Mozambique

Introduction Mozambique

Background:
Almost five centuries as a Portuguese colony came to a close with
independence in 1975. Large-scale emigration by whites, economic
dependence on South Africa, a severe drought, and a prolonged civil
war hindered the country's development. The ruling party formally
abandoned Marxism in 1989, and a new constitution the following year
provided for multiparty elections and a free market economy. A
UN-negotiated peace agreement with rebel forces ended the fighting
in 1992. Heavy flooding in both 1999 and 2000 severely hurt the
economy. Political stability and sound economic policies have
encouraged recent foreign investment.

Geography Mozambique

Location:
South-eastern Africa, bordering the Mozambique Channel, between
South Africa and Tanzania

Geographic coordinates:
18 15 S, 35 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 801,590 sq km
water: 17,500 sq km
land: 784,090 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
total: 4,571 km
border countries: Malawi 1,569 km, South Africa 491 km, Swaziland
105 km, Tanzania 756 km, Zambia 419 km, Zimbabwe 1,231 km

Coastline:
2,470 km

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

Climate:
tropical to subtropical

Terrain:
mostly coastal lowlands, uplands in center, high plateaus in
northwest, mountains in west

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Monte Binga 2,436 m

Natural resources:
coal, titanium, natural gas, hydropower, tantalum, graphite

Land use:
arable land: 3.98%
permanent crops: 0.29%
other: 95.73% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
1,070 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
severe droughts; devastating cyclones and floods occur in central
and southern provinces

Environment - current issues:
a long civil war and recurrent drought in the hinterlands have
resulted in increased migration of the population to urban and
coastal areas with adverse environmental consequences;
desertification; pollution of surface and coastal waters; elephant
poaching for ivory is a problem

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

Geography - note:
the Zambezi flows through the north-central and most fertile part
of the country

People Mozambique

Population:
17,479,266
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; the 1997
Mozambican census reported a population of 16,099,246 (July 2003
est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 42.1% (male 3,634,173; female 3,725,396)
15-64 years: 55.3% (male 4,712,891; female 4,945,123)
65 years and over: 2.6% (male 189,778; female 271,905) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 19 years
male: 18.7 years
female: 19.3 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
0.82% (2003 est.)

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

Death rate:
30.04 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: 0.98 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 199 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 180.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 216.85 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 31.3 years
male: 30.98 years
female: 31.63 years (2003 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
13% 12.6 to 16.4%, estimates vary (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
1.1 million (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
60,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Mozambican(s)
adjective: Mozambican

Ethnic groups:
indigenous tribal groups 99.66% (Shangaan, Chokwe, Manyika, Sena,
Makua, and others), Europeans 0.06%, Euro-Africans 0.2%, Indians
0.08%

Religions:
indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20%

Languages:
Portuguese (official), indigenous dialects

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 47.8%
male: 63.5%
female: 32.7% (2003 est.)

Government Mozambique

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Mozambique
conventional short form: Mozambique
local short form: Mocambique
former: Portuguese East Africa
local long form: Republica de Mocambique

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Maputo

Administrative divisions:
10 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia), 1 city*; Cabo
Delgado, Gaza, Inhambane, Manica, Maputo, Maputo City*, Nampula,
Niassa, Sofala, Tete, Zambezia

Independence:
25 June 1975 (from Portugal)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 25 June (1975)

Constitution:
30 November 1990

Legal system:
based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Joaquim Alberto CHISSANO (since 6
November 1986); note - before being popularly elected, CHISSANO was
elected president by Frelimo's Central Committee on 4 November 1986
(reelected by the Committee 30 July 1989)
head of government: Prime Minister Pascoal MOCUMBI (since 17
December 1994)
cabinet: Cabinet
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 3-5 December 1999 (next to be held NA 2004);
prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Joaquim Alberto CHISSANO reelected president;
percent of vote - Joaquim Alberto CHISSANO 52.29%, Afonso DHLAKAMA
47.71%

Legislative branch:
unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da Republica (250
seats; members are directly elected by popular vote on a secret
ballot to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 3-5 December 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)
election results: percent of vote by party - Frelimo 48.54%,
Renamo-UE 38.81%; seats by party - Frelimo 133, Renamo-UE 117
note: Renamo-UE ran as a multiparty coalition; none of the other
opposition parties received the 5% required to win parliamentary
seats; in September 2000, Renamo-UE member Raul DOMINGOS was
expelled from the party; he continues to hold his parliamentary seat
as an independent

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (the court of final appeal; some of its professional
judges are appointed by the president and some are elected by the
Assembly); other courts include an Administrative Court, customs
courts, maritime courts, courts marshal, labor courts
note: although the constitution provides for the creation of a
separate Constitutional Court, one has never been established; in
its absence the Supreme Court reviews constitutional cases

Political parties and leaders:
Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frente de Liberatacao de
Mocambique) or Frelimo [Joaquim Alberto CHISSANO, president];
Mozambique National Resistance-Electoral Union (Resistencia Nacional
Mocambicana-Uniao Eleitoral) or Renamo-UE [Afonso DHLAKAMA,
president]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Institute for Peace and Democracy (Instituto para Paz e Democracia)
or IPADE [Raul DOMINGOS, president]; Etica [Abdul CARIMO Issa,
chairman]; Movement for Peace and Citizenship (Movimento para Paz e
Cidadania); Mozambican League of Human Rights (Liga Mocambicana dos
Direitos Humanos) or LDH [Alice MABOTE, president]; Human Rights and
Development (Direitos Humanos e Desenvolvimento) or DHD [Artemisia
FRANCO, secretary general]

International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC,
OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMISET, UPU, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Armando PANGUENE
FAX: [1] (202) 835-0245
telephone: [1] (202) 293-7146
chancery: 1990 M Street NW, Suite 570, Washington, DC 20036

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Sharon P. WILKINSON
embassy: Avenida Kenneth Kuanda 193, Maputo
mailing address: P. O. Box 783, Maputo
telephone: [258] (1) 492797
FAX: [258] (1) 490448

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of green (top), black, and yellow with
a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; the black band is
edged in white; centered in the triangle is a yellow five-pointed
star bearing a crossed rifle and hoe in black superimposed on an
open white book

Economy Mozambique

Economy - overview:
At independence in 1975, Mozambique was one of the world's poorest
countries. Socialist mismanagement and a brutal civil war from
1977-92 exacerbated the situation. In 1987, the government embarked
on a series of macroeconomic reforms designed to stabilize the
economy. These steps, combined with donor assistance and with
political stability since the multi-party elections in 1994, have
led to dramatic improvements in the country's growth rate. Inflation
was brought to single digits during the late 1990s although it
returned to double digits in 2000-02. Fiscal reforms, including the
introduction of a value-added tax and reform of the customs service,
have improved the government's revenue collection abilities. In
spite of these gains, Mozambique remains dependent upon foreign
assistance for much of its annual budget, and the majority of the
population remains below the poverty line. Subsistence agriculture
continues to employ the vast majority of the country's workforce. A
substantial trade imbalance persists although the opening of the
MOZAL aluminum smelter, the country's largest foreign investment
project to date has increased export earnings. Additional investment
projects in titanium extraction and processing and garment
manufacturing should further close the import/export gap.
Mozambique's once substantial foreign debt has been reduced through
forgiveness and rescheduling under the IMF's Heavily Indebted Poor
Countries (HIPC) and Enhanced HIPC initiatives, and is now at a
manageable level.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $19.52 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
7.7% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 22%
industry: 23%
services: 55% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
70% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.5%
highest 10%: 31.7% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
39.6 (1996-97)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
15.2% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
9.2 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 81%, industry 6%, services 13% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate:
21% (1997 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $393.1 million
expenditures: $1.025 billion, including capital expenditures of
$479.4 million (2001 est.)

Industries:
food, beverages, chemicals (fertilizer, soap, paints), aluminum,
petroleum products, textiles, cement, glass, asbestos, tobacco

Industrial production growth rate:
3.4% (2000)

Electricity - production:
7.193 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 2.9%
hydro: 97.1%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
1.39 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
5.8 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
500 million kWh (2001)

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

Oil - consumption:
8,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (37257)

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

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

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

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

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

Agriculture - products:
cotton, cashew nuts, sugarcane, tea, cassava (tapioca), corn,
coconuts, sisal, citrus and tropical fruits, potatoes, sunflowers;
beef, poultry

Exports:
$680 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
aluminum, prawns, cashews, cotton, sugar, citrus, timber; bulk
electricity

Exports - partners:
Belgium 24.3%, South Africa 9.1%, Germany 6.2% (2002)

Imports:
$1.18 billion c.i.f. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, chemicals, metal products,
foodstuffs, textiles

Imports - partners:
South Africa 27.5%, France 8.9%, US 7%, Australia 6.9%, Japan 6%,
Malaysia 4% (2002)

Debt - external:
$966 million (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$632.8 million (2001)

Currency:
metical (MZM)

Currency code:
MZM

Exchange rates:
meticais per US dollar - 23,678 (2002), 20,703.6 (2001), 15,447.1
(2000), 13,028.6 (1999), 12,110.2 (1998)
note: effective October 2000, the exchange rate is determined as the
weighted average of buying and selling exchange rates of all
transactions of commercial banks and stock exchanges with the public

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Mozambique

Telephones - main lines in use:
90,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
287,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: fair system but not available generally
(telephone density is only 16 telephones for each 1,000 persons)
domestic: the system consists of open-wire lines and trunk
connection by microwave radio relay and tropospheric scatter
international: satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (2 Atlantic
Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 13, FM 17, shortwave 11 (2001)

Radios:
730,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (2001)

Televisions:
67,600 (2000)

Internet country code:
.mz

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
11 (2002)

Internet users:
22,500 (2000)

Transportation Mozambique

Railways:
total: 3,123 km
narrow gauge: 2,983 km 1.067-m gauge; 140 km 0.762-m gauge (2002)

Highways:
total: 30,400 km
paved: 5,685 km
unpaved: 24,715 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
3,750 km (navigable routes)

Pipelines:
gas 189 km; refined products 292 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
Beira, Inhambane, Maputo, Nacala, Pemba, Quelimane

Merchant marine:
total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,125 GRT/7,024 DWT
ships by type: cargo 3
note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
convenience: Belgium 2 (2002 est.)

Airports:
165 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 22
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 5 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 143
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 16
914 to 1,523 m: 35
under 914 m: 91 (2002)

Military Mozambique

Military branches:
Army, Naval Command, Air and Air Defense Forces, Special Forces,
Militia

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 4,142,449 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 2,373,444 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$35.1 million (2000 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1% (2000 est.)

Transnational Issues Mozambique

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
Southern African transit point for South Asian hashish, South Asian
heroin, and South American cocaine probably destined for the
European and South African markets; producer of cannabis (for local
consumption) and methaqualone (for export to South Africa);
corruption and poor regulatory capability makes the banking system
vulnerable to money laundering, but the lack of a well-developed
financial infrastructure limits the country's utility as a
money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Namibia

Introduction Namibia

Background:
South Africa occupied the German colony of South-West Africa during
World War I and administered it as a mandate until after World War
II, when it annexed the territory. In 1966 the Marxist South-West
Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) guerrilla group launched a war
of independence for the area that was soon named Namibia, but it was
not until 1988 that South Africa agreed to end its administration in
accordance with a UN peace plan for the entire region. Independence
came in 1990 following multi-party elections and the establishment
of a constitution. President NUJOMA is currently serving his third
term as president.

Geography Namibia

Location:
Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola
and South Africa

Geographic coordinates:
22 00 S, 17 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 825,418 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 825,418 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly more than half the size of Alaska

Land boundaries:
total: 3,936 km
border countries: Angola 1,376 km, Botswana 1,360 km, South Africa
967 km, Zambia 233 km

Coastline:
1,572 km

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

Climate:
desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic

Terrain:
mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari Desert in
east

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Konigstein 2,606 m

Natural resources:
diamonds, copper, uranium, gold, lead, tin, lithium, cadmium, zinc,
salt, vanadium, natural gas, hydropower, fish
note: suspected deposits of oil, coal, and iron ore

Land use:
arable land: 0.99%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 99.01% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
70 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
prolonged periods of drought

Environment - current issues:
very limited natural fresh water resources; desertification;
wildlife poaching; land degradation has led to few conservation areas

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
first country in the world to incorporate the protection of the
environment into its constitution; some 14% of the land is
protected, including virtually the entire Namib Desert coastal strip

People Namibia

Population:
1,927,447
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: 42.5% (male 414,559; female 404,346)
15-64 years: 54% (male 517,469; female 522,549)
65 years and over: 3.5% (male 30,038; female 38,486) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 18.3 years
male: 17.9 years
female: 18.6 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
1.49% (2003 est.)

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

Death rate:
19.17 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: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 68.44 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 65.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 71.72 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 42.77 years
male: 44.27 years
female: 41.22 years (2003 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
22.5% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
230,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
13,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Namibian(s)
adjective: Namibian

Ethnic groups:
black 87.5%, white 6%, mixed 6.5%
note: about 50% of the population belong to the Ovambo tribe and 9%
to the Kavangos tribe; other ethnic groups are: Herero 7%, Damara
7%, Nama 5%, Caprivian 4%, Bushmen 3%, Baster 2%, Tswana 0.5%

Religions:
Christian 80% to 90% (Lutheran 50% at least), indigenous beliefs
10% to 20%

Languages:
English 7% (official), Afrikaans common language of most of the
population and about 60% of the white population, German 32%,
indigenous languages: Oshivambo, Herero, Nama

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 84%
male: 84.4%
female: 83.7% (2003 est.)

Government Namibia

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Namibia
conventional short form: Namibia
former: German Southwest Africa, South-West Africa

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Windhoek

Administrative divisions:
13 regions; Caprivi, Erongo, Hardap, Karas, Khomas, Kunene,
Ohangwena, Okavango, Omaheke, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa

Independence:
21 March 1990 (from South African mandate)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 21 March (1990)

Constitution:
ratified 9 February 1990; effective 12 March 1990

Legal system:
based on Roman-Dutch law and 1990 constitution

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA (since 21 March
1990)
head of government: Prime Minister Theo-Ben GURIRAB (since 28 August
2002)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members
of the National Assembly
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 30 November-1 December 1999 (next to be held NA
2004)
election results: Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA elected president; percent
of vote - Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA 77%

Legislative branch:
bicameral legislature consists of the National Council (26 seats;
two members are chosen from each regional council to serve six-year
terms) and the National Assembly (72 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: National Council - elections for regional councils, to
determine members of the National Council, held 30 November-1
December 1998 (next to be held by December 2004); National Assembly
- last held 30 November-1 December 1999 (next to be held by December
2004)
note: the National Council is primarily an advisory body
election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party - SWAPO 21, DTA 4, UDF 1; National Assembly - percent
of vote by party - SWAPO 76%, COD 10%, DTA 9%, UDF 3%, MAG 1%, other
1%; seats by party - SWAPO 55, COD 7, DTA 7, UDF 2, MAG 1,

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission)

Political parties and leaders:
Congress of Democrats or COD [Ben ULENGA]; Democratic Turnhalle
Alliance of Namibia or DTA [Katuutire KAURA, president]; Monitor
Action Group or MAG [Kosie PRETORIUS]; South West Africa People's
Organization or SWAPO [Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA]; United Democratic
Front or UDF [Justus GAROEB]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO
(correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Leonard Nangolo IIPUMBU
chancery: 1605 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
FAX: [1] (202) 986-0443
telephone: [1] (202) 986-0540

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Kevin J. McGUIRE
embassy: Ausplan Building, 14 Lossen Street, Windhoek
mailing address: Private Bag 12029 Ausspannplatz, Windhoek
telephone: [264] (61) 221601
FAX: [264] (61) 229792

Flag description:
a large blue triangle with a yellow sunburst fills the upper left
section and an equal green triangle (solid) fills the lower right
section; the triangles are separated by a red stripe that is
contrasted by two narrow white-edge borders

Economy Namibia

Economy - overview:
The economy is heavily dependent on the extraction and processing
of minerals for export. Mining accounts for 20% of GDP. Rich
alluvial diamond deposits make Namibia a primary source for
gem-quality diamonds. Namibia is the fourth-largest exporter of
nonfuel minerals in Africa, the world's fifth-largest producer of
uranium, and the producer of large quantities of lead, zinc, tin,
silver, and tungsten. The mining sector employs only about 3% of the
population while about half of the population depends on subsistence
agriculture for its livelihood. Namibia normally imports about 50%
of its cereal requirements; in drought years food shortages are a
major problem in rural areas. A high per capita GDP, relative to the
region, hides the great inequality of income distribution; nearly
one-third of Namibians had annual incomes of less than $1400 in
constant 1994 dollars, according to a 1993 study. The Namibian
economy is closely linked to South Africa with the Namibian dollar
pegged to the South African rand. Privatization of several
enterprises in coming years may stimulate long-run foreign
investment.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $13.15 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
2.3% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $6,900 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 11%
industry: 28%
services: 61% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
50% (2002 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
8% (2001)

Labor force:
725,000 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 47%, industry 20%, services 33% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
35% (1998)

Budget:
revenues: $883 million
expenditures: $950 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1998)

Industries:
meatpacking, fish processing, dairy products; mining (diamond,
lead, zinc, tin, silver, tungsten, uranium, copper)

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - production:
26.95 million kWh (2001)

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

Electricity - consumption:
603.1 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
578 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2001)

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

Oil - consumption:
13,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (37257)

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

Agriculture - products:
millet, sorghum, peanuts; livestock; fish

Exports:
$1.21 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
diamonds, copper, gold, zinc, lead, uranium; cattle, processed
fish, karakul skins

Exports - partners:
EU 79%, US 4% (2001)

Imports:
$1.38 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs; petroleum products and fuel, machinery and equipment,
chemicals

Imports - partners:
US 50%, EU 31% (2001)

Debt - external:
$517 million (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
ODA $160 million (2000 est.)

Currency:
Namibian dollar (NAD); South African rand (ZAR)

Currency code:
NAD; ZAR

Exchange rates:
Namibian dollars per US dollar - 10.54 (2002), 8.61 (2001), 6.94
(2000), 6.11 (1999), 5.53 (1998)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Namibia

Telephones - main lines in use:
110,200 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
82,000 (2000 est.)

Telephone system:
general assessment: good system; about 6 telephones for each 100
persons
domestic: good urban services; fair rural service; microwave radio
relay links major towns; connections to other populated places are
by open wire; 100% digital
international: fiber-optic cable to South Africa, microwave radio
relay link to Botswana, direct links to other neighboring countries;
connected to Africa ONE and South African Far East (SAFE) submarine
cables through South Africa; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat
(2002)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 39, shortwave 4 (2001)

Radios:
232,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
8 (plus about 20 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
60,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.na

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
45,000 (2002)

Transportation Namibia

Railways:
total: 2,382 km
narrow gauge: 2,382 km 1.067-m gauge (2002)

Highways:
total: 66,467 km
paved: 9,172 km
unpaved: 57,285 km (2000)

Waterways:
none

Ports and harbors:
Luderitz, Walvis Bay

Merchant marine:
none (2002 est.)

Airports:
135 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 21
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 114
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 22
914 to 1,523 m: 71
under 914 m: 19 (2002)

Military Namibia

Military branches:
National Defense Force (Army, including Air Wing), Police

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 459,474 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 274,015 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$73.1 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.4% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Namibia

Disputes - international:
commission established with Botswana to resolve small residual
disputes along the Caprivi Strip, including the Situngu marshlands
along the Linyanti River; Botswana residents protest Namibia's
planned construction of the Okavango hydroelectric dam on Popa
Falls; managed dispute with South Africa over the location of the
boundary in the Orange River; dormant dispute remains where
Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe boundaries converge; Angolan
rebels and refugees still reside in Namibia

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Nauru

Introduction Nauru

Background:
Nauru's phosphate deposits began to be mined early in the 20th
century by a German-British consortium; the island was occupied by
Australian forces in World War I. Nauru achieved independence in
1968 and joined the UN in 1999. Nauru is the world's smallest
independent republic.

Geography Nauru

Location:
Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, south of the Marshall
Islands

Geographic coordinates:
0 32 S, 166 55 E

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 21 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 21 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
30 km

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

Climate:
tropical; monsoonal; rainy season (November to February)

Terrain:
sandy beach rises to fertile ring around raised coral reefs with
phosphate plateau in center

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location along plateau rim 61 m

Natural resources:
phosphates, fish

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

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:
limited natural fresh water resources, roof storage tanks collect
rainwater, but mostly dependent on a single, aging desalination
plant; intensive phosphate mining during the past 90 years - mainly
by a UK, Australia, and NZ consortium - has left the central 90% of
Nauru a wasteland and threatens limited remaining land resources

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

Geography - note:
Nauru is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the
Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and
Makatea in French Polynesia; only 53 km south of Equator