Chapter XXXV: Front Matter (35)

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 (1 January 2002)

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 (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$6.641 billion (2003)

Exports:
$14.32 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

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

Exports - partners:
Italy 38.8%, Spain 13.4%, Germany 13.4%, Turkey 7.1%, France 6.1%
(2003)

Imports:
$6.282 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

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

Imports - partners:
Italy 27.8%, Germany 10.5%, Tunisia 7.6%, UK 7.1%, France 6%,
Turkey 4.6% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$19.78 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$4.194 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$15 million (2000)

Currency:
Libyan dinar (LYD)

Currency code:
LYD

Exchange rates:
Libyan dinars per US dollar - 1.2929 (2003), 1.2707 (2002), 0.6051
(2001), 0.4994 (2000), 0.3936 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Libya

Telephones - main lines in use:
750,000 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
100,000 (2003)

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: country code - 218; 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 hosts:
67 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2002)

Internet users:
160,000 (2003)

Transportation Libya

Railways:
0 km
note: Libya is working on 7 lines totaling 2,757 km of 1.435-m gauge
track; it hopes to open a 191 km line by the end of 2004 (2003)

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

Pipelines:
condensate 225 km; gas 3,611 km; oil 7,252 km (2004)

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

Merchant marine:
total: 20 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 129,627 GRT/105,110 DWT
by type: cargo 8, liquefied gas 3, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll
off 4, short-sea/passenger 4
foreign-owned: Algeria 1, Kuwait 1 (2004 est.)

Airports:
140 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 59
over 3,047 m: 23
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 23

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 80
under 914 m: 18 (2004 est.)
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 41
1,524 to 2,437 m: 14

Heliports:
1 (2003 est.)

Military Libya

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

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
17 years of age (2004 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,588,533 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 938,196 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 61,828 (2004 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 10 February, 2005

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

@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. Shortcomings in
banking regulatory oversight have resulted in concerns about the use
of the financial institutions for money laundering. Liechtenstein
has, however, implemented new anti-money-laundering legislation and
recently concluded a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty with the US.

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% (2001)

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-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 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:
33,436 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 17.8% (male 2,950; female 3,014)
15-64 years: 70.5% (male 11,745; female 11,837)
65 years and over: 11.6% (male 1,598; female 2,292) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 38.8 years
male: 38.3 years
female: 39.3 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.86% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
10.65 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
6.94 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
4.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.77 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 6.47 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.4 years
male: 75.8 years
female: 83.02 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.51 children born/woman (2004 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%

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 (Principality of Liechtenstein established); 12
July 1806 (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) note - on 15 August
2004, HANS ADAM transferred the official duties of the ruling prince
to ALOIS, but HANS ADAM retains status of chief of state
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:
Patriotic Union (was Fatherland Union) or VU [Heinz FROMMELT];
Progressive Citizens' Party or FBP [Johannes MATT]; The Free List or
FL [Dr. Pepo FRICK, Elisabeth TELLENBACH-FRICK, Adolf RITTER]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

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

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 whom 19,000 are foreigners; 13,000 commute from Austria,
Switzerland, and Germany to work each day (31 December 2001)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 1.3%, industry 47.4%, services 51.3% (31 December 2001
est.)

Unemployment rate:
1.3% (September 2002)

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

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

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

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

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 - 1.3467 (2003), 1.5586 (2002), 1.6876
(2001), 1.6888 (2000), 1.5022 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Liechtenstein

Telephones - main lines in use:
19,900 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
11,400 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: automatic telephone system
domestic: NA
international: country code - 423; 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 hosts:
3,727 (2004)

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

Internet users:
20,000 (2002)

Transportation Liechtenstein

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

Waterways:
28 km (2004)

Pipelines:
gas 20 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
none

Airports:
none (2003 est.)

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:
has strengthened money-laundering controls, but money laundering
remains a concern due to Liechtenstein sophisticated offshore
financial services sector

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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

@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 Moscow did not
recognize this proclamation until September of 1991 (following the
abortive coup in Moscow). The last Russian troops withdrew in 1993.
Lithuania subsequently restructured its economy for integration into
Western European institutions; it joined both NATO and the EU in the
spring of 2004.

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: 45.22%
permanent crops: 0.91%
other: 53.87% (2001)

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: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of
the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

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

People Lithuania

Population:
3,607,899 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.7% (male 309,736; female 294,129)
15-64 years: 68.4% (male 1,202,603; female 1,262,784)
65 years and over: 14.9% (male 184,145; female 354,502) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 37.4 years
male: 34.8 years
female: 40.1 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
-0.33% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
8.49 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
11.03 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-0.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.52 male(s)/female
total population: 0.89 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 7.13 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.57 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 8.61 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.46 years
male: 68.22 years
female: 79 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.17 children born/woman (2004 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
1,300 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 200 (2003 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 Lithuania declared its independence from Soviet Russia and
established its statehood; 11 March 1990 is the date it declared its
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 Valdas ADAMKUS (since 12 July 2004)
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 13 June 2004 and 27 June 2004; premier appointed
by the president on the approval of the Parliament
election results: Valdas ADAMKUS elected president; percent of vote
- Valdas ADAMKUS 52.2%, Kazimiera PRUNSKIENE 47.8%

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 10 and 24 October 2004 (next to be held October
2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - Labor 28.6%, Working
for Lithuania (Social Democrats and Social Liberals) 20.7%, Homeland
Union (Conservatives) 14.6%, For Order and Justice (Liberal
Democrats and Lithuanian People's Union) 11.4%, Liberal and Center
Union 9.1%, Union of Farmers and New Democracy 6.6%; seats by
faction - Labor 39, Homeland Union 25, Social Democrats 20, Liberal
and Center Union 18, Social Liberals 11, Union of Farmers and New
Democracy Parties 10, Liberal Democrats 10, Electoral Action 2,
independents 6

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]; Labor Party [Viktor USPASKICH, chairman];
Liberal and Center Union [Arturas ZUOKAS, chairman]; Liberal
Democratic Party [Valentinas MAZURONIS, chairman]; Lithuanian
Christian Democrats or LKD [Valentinas STUNDYS, chairman];
Lithuanian People's Union for a Fair Lithuania; Lithuanian Social
Democratic Coalition [Algirdas BRAZAUSKAS, chairman] consists of the
Lithuanian Democratic Labor Party or LDDP and the Lithuanian Social
Democratic Party or LSDP; New Democracy and Farmer's Union or VNDPS
[Kazimiera PRUNSKIENE, chairman]; Social Liberals (New Union)
[Arturas PAULAUSKAS, chairman]; Social Union of Christian
Conservatives [Gediminas VAGNORIUS, chairman]; Young Lithuania and
New Nationalists

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB,
EU (new member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU,
MIGA, NIB, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
WTO

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

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen D. MULL
embassy: 2600 Akmenu 6, 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 - $40.88 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
9% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $11,400 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 6.1%
industry: 31.3%
services: 62.6% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
20.8% of GDP (2003)

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):
-1.2% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
1.642 million (2003 est.)

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

Unemployment rate:
10.3% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $5.427 billion
expenditures: $5.742 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Public debt:
23.6% of GDP (2003)

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

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:
16.1% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
14.62 billion kWh (2001)

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.)

Current account balance:
$-1.218 billion (2003)

Exports:
$7.89 billion f.o.b. (2003 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:
Switzerland 11.6%, Russia 10.1%, Germany 9.9%, Latvia 9.7%, UK
6.4%, France 5.1%, Denmark 4.7%, Estonia 4.3%, Sweden 4% (2003)

Imports:
$9.2 billion f.o.b. (2003 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 22%, Germany 16.1%, Poland 5.2%, Italy 4.3%, France 4.2%
(2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$3.45 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$7.671 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$228.5 million (1995)

Currency:
litas (LTL)

Currency code:
LTL

Exchange rates:
litai per US dollar - 3.0609 (2003), 3.677 (2002), 4 (2001), 4
(2000), 4 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Lithuania

Telephones - main lines in use:
824,200 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
2,169,900 (2003)

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: country code - 370; 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 hosts:
67,769 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
32 (2001)

Internet users:
695,700 (2003)

Transportation Lithuania

Railways:
total: 1,998 km
broad gauge: 1,807 km 1.524-m gauge (122 km electrified)
standard gauge: 22 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 169 km 0.750-m gauge (all service suspended) (2003)

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

Waterways:
600 km (2004)

Pipelines:
gas 1,696 km; oil 331 km; refined products 109 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Butinge, Kaunas, Klaipeda

Merchant marine:
total: 49 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 296,856 GRT/317,731 DWT
foreign-owned: Denmark 12, Netherlands 1
registered in other countries: 11 (2004 est.)
by type: cargo 20, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk 8, petroleum
tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 12, roll on/roll off 2,
short-sea/passenger 4

Airports:
102 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 28
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 14 (2003 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 74
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 67 (2003 est.)

Military Lithuania

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

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
19-45 years of age for compulsory military service, conscript
service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for volunteers (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 943,063 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 738,602 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 28,300 (2004 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 the 1997 land and
maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, which ratified the treaty
in 1999, legalizing limits of former Soviet republic borders; both
states also implement a simplified transit regime for Russian
nationals transiting Lithuania to and from the Russian Kaliningrad
coastal enclave; the Latvian Parliament has not ratified its 1998
maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, primarily due to concerns
over oil exploration rights

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 10 February, 2005

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

@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: 23.28%
permanent crops: 0.4%
other: 76.32% (includes Belgium) (2001)

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-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

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

People Luxembourg

Population:
462,690 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 19% (male 45,422; female 42,638)
15-64 years: 66.4% (male 155,519; female 151,891)
65 years and over: 14.5% (male 26,981; female 40,239) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 38.3 years
male: 37.4 years
female: 39.3 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.28% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
12.21 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
8.42 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
8.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.88 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 4.84 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.58 years
male: 75.31 years
female: 82.07 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.79 children born/woman (2004 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
less than 500 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Luxembourger(s)
adjective: Luxembourg

Ethnic groups:
Celtic base (with French and German blend), Portuguese, Italian,
Slavs (from Montenegro, Albania, and Kosovo) 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 Jean ASSELBORN (since 31 July
2004)
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 LSAP

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 2004 (next to be held by June 2009)
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 36.1%, LSAP 23.4%,
DP 16.1%, Green Party 11.6%, ADR 10%; seats by party - CSV 24, LSAP
14, DP 10, Green Party 7, ADR 5

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 [Gast GIBERYOEN];
Christian Social People's Party or CSV (known also as Christian
Social Party or PCS) [Francois BILTGEN]; Democratic Party or DP
[Claude MEISCH]; Green Party [Francois BAUSCH]; Luxembourg Socialist
Workers' Party or LSAP [Alex BODRY]; 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, AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, EU,
FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NATO, NEA,
NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, 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 - $25.01 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.2% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $55,100 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 0.5%
industry: 16.6%
services: 82.9% (2002 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
20.7% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
200,000 (of whom 87,400 are foreign cross-border workers primarily
from France, Belgium, and Germany) (2003)

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

Unemployment rate:
3.6% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $11.82 billion
expenditures: $12.06 billion, including capital expenditures of $760
million (2003 est.)

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

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

Industrial production growth rate:
1.7% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
457 million kWh (2001)

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.)

Exports:
$8.571 billion f.o.b. (2002)

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

Exports - partners:
Germany 23.3%, France 19%, Belgium 10.4%, UK 9.1%, Italy 6.8%,
Spain 4.6%, Netherlands 4.3% (2003)

Imports:
$11.61 billion c.i.f. (2002)

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

Imports - partners:
Belgium 29%, Germany 22.9%, France 11.4%, China 10.9%, Netherlands
4.8% (2003)

Debt - external:
NA

Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $147 million (2002)

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 - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001),
1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Luxembourg

Telephones - main lines in use:
355,400 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
473,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: highly developed, completely automated and
efficient system, mainly buried cables
domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; buried cable
international: country code - 352; 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 hosts:
28,214 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
8 (2000)

Internet users:
165,000 (2002)

Transportation Luxembourg

Railways:
total: 274 km
standard gauge: 274 km 1.435-m gauge (242 km electrified) (2003)

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

Waterways:
37 km (on Moselle River) (2003)

Pipelines:
gas 155 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Mertert

Merchant marine:
total: 40 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 652,454 GRT/805,101 DWT
by type: chemical tanker 11, container 8, liquefied gas 4, passenger
4, petroleum tanker 6, roll on/roll off 7
foreign-owned: Belgium 7, Denmark 1, Finland 3, France 3, Germany
10, Monaco 1, Netherlands 5, Switzerland 1, United Kingdom 7, United
States 3
registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports:
2 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
1 (2003 est.)

Military Luxembourg

Military branches:
Army

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
17 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers under 18
are not deployed into combat or with peacekeeping missions (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 115,721 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 95,107 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 2,601 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$231.6 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.9% (2003)

Transnational Issues Luxembourg

Disputes - international:
none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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

@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
regional border: 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% (2001)

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:
445,286 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 18% (male 41,460; female 38,595)
15-64 years: 74.2% (male 157,629; female 172,810)
65 years and over: 7.8% (male 14,380; female 20,412) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 35.2 years
male: 34.9 years
female: 35.4 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.87% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
8.04 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
4.23 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
4.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.39 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 4.59 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 82.03 years
male: 79.2 years
female: 84.99 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
0.93 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Chinese
adjective: Chinese

Ethnic groups:
Chinese 95%, Macanese (mixed Portuguese and Asian ancestry),
Portuguese, other

Religions:
Buddhist 50%, Roman Catholic 15%, none and other 35% (1997 est.)

Languages:
Portuguese, Chinese (Cantonese)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94.5%
male: 97.2%
female: 92% (2003 est.)

Government Macau

Country name:
conventional long form: Macau Special Administrative Region
conventional short form: Macau
local short form: Aomen (Chinese); Macau (Portuguese)
local long form: Aomen Tebie Xingzhengqu (Chinese); Regiao
Administrativa Especial de Macau (Portuguese)

Dependency status:
special administrative region of China

Government type:
limited democracy

Administrative divisions:
none (special administrative region of China)

Independence:
none (special administrative region of China)

National holiday:
National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic
of China), 1 October (1949); note - 20 December 1999 is celebrated
as Macau Special Administrative Region Establishment Day

Constitution:
Basic Law, approved in March 1993 by China's National People's
Congress, is Macau's "mini-constitution"

Legal system:
based on Portuguese civil law system

Suffrage:
direct election 18 years of age, universal for permanent residents
living in Macau for the past seven years; indirect election limited
to organizations registered as "corporate voters" (257 are currently
registered) and a 300-member Election Committee drawn from broad
regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central government
bodies

Executive branch:
chief of state: President of China HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003)
elections: chief executive chosen by a 300-member selection
committee for up to two five-year terms
election results: Edmund HO Hau-wah reelected on 29 August 2004;
received 296 votes in Election Committee out of 300 possible; 3
members submitted blank ballots; 1 member was absent
cabinet: Executive Council consists of all one government secretary,
four legislators, four businessmen, and one pro-Beijing unionist
head of government: Chief Executive Edmund HO Hau-wah (since 20
December 1999)

Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Council or LEGCO (27 seats; 10 elected by
popular vote, 10 by indirect vote, and sevem appointed by the chief
executive; members serve four-year terms); number of legislators
will increase to 29 from September 2005
elections: last held 23 September 2001 (next to be September 2005)
election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats by political bloc -
Entertainment Industry 3, pro-democracy 2, pro-Beijing Labor Union
2, pro-Beijing Neighborhood Association 2, pro-business 1

Judicial branch:
The Court of Final Appeal in the Macau Special Administrative Region

Political parties and leaders:
Some civic associations operate as de facto political parties:
Electoral Union; Pro-Macao and Flower of Friendship and Development
of Macao; Associacao para a Defesa dos Interesses de Macao; Centro
Democratico de Macao; Grupo Independente de Macao; Macau Economic
Promotion Association; Progress Promotion Union; Development Union

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Catholic Church [LAI Hung-sing, bishop]; Macau Society of Tourism
and Entertainment or STDM [Stanley HO, managing director]; Union for
Democracy Development [Antonio NG Kuok-cheong, leader]

International organization participation:
IMF, IMO (associate), Interpol (sub-bureau), ISO (correspondent),
UNESCO (associate), UPU, WCO, WMO, WToO (associate), WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (special administrative region of China)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US has no offices in Macau; US interests are monitored by the
US Consulate General in Hong Kong

Flag description:
light green with a lotus flower above a stylized bridge and water
in white, beneath an arc of five gold, five-pointed stars: one large
in center of arc and four smaller

Economy Macau

Economy - overview:
Macau's well-to-do economy has remained one of the most open in the
world since its reversion to China in 1999. The territory's net
exports of goods and services account for roughly 41% of GDP with
tourism and apparel exports as the mainstays. Although the territory
was hit hard by the 1998 Asian financial crisis and the global
downturn in 2001, its economy grew 9.5% in 2002. A rapid rise in the
number of mainland visitors because of China's easing of
restrictions on travel drove the recovery. The budget also returned
to surplus in 2002 because of the surge in visitors from China and a
hike in taxes on gambling profits, which generated about 70% of
government revenue. The liberalization of Macao's gambling monopoly
contributes to GDP growth, as the three companies awarded gambling
licenses have pledged to invest $2.2 billion in the territory. Much
of Macau's textile industry may move to the mainland as the
Multi-Fiber Agreement is phased out. The territory may have to rely
more on gambling and trade-related services to generate growth. The
government estimated GDP growth at 4% in 2003 with the drop in large
measure due to concerns over the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
(SARS), but private sector analysts think the figure may have been
higher because of the continuing boom in tourism.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $9.1 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
4% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $19,400 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1%
industry: 12%
services: 87% (2002 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% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
214,000 (2002)

Labor force - by occupation:
manufacturing 20%, construction 7%, transport and communications
6%, wholesale and retail trade 15%, restaurants and hotels 12%,
gambling 7%, public sector 8%, other services and agriculture 25%
(2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:
6.3% (2003)

Budget:
revenues: $1.9 billion
expenditures: $1.68 billion, including capital expenditures of $194
million (2002)

Agriculture - products:
vegetables, livestock

Industries:
tourism, gambling, clothing, textiles, electronics, footwear, toys

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
1.611 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - consumption:
1.688 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
1 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
193 million kWh (2002)

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

Oil - consumption:
11,190 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$2.356 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
clothing, textiles, footwear, cement, machines, and parts

Exports - partners:
US 49.4%, China 14.1%, Germany 8.1%, Hong Kong 6.7%, UK 4.5% (2003)

Imports:
$2.53 billion c.i.f. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
clothing, textiles, yarn, foodstuffs, fuel, automobiles, capital
goods

Imports - partners:
China 43%, Hong Kong 12.7%, Japan 8.7%, Taiwan 5.6% (2003)

Debt - external:
$121 million (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
NA (1997)

Currency:
pataca (MOP)

Currency code:
MOP

Exchange rates:
patacas per US dollar - 8.0212 (2003), 8.0334 (2002), 8.0335
(2001), 8.0259 (2000), 7.9919 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Macau

Telephones - main lines in use:
174,600 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
364,000 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: fairly modern communication facilities
maintained for domestic and international services
domestic: NA
international: country code - 853; HF radiotelephone communication
facility; access to international communications carriers provided
via Hong Kong and China; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
(Indian Ocean)

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

Radios:
160,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (2003)

Televisions:
49,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.mo

Internet hosts:
89 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
120,000 (2003)

Transportation Macau

Highways:
total: 271 km
paved: 271 km
unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Ports and harbors:
Macau

Merchant marine:
none

Airports:
1 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Macau

Military branches:
responsibility for defense reverted to China on 20 December 1999;
there are local police forces

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 125,060 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 68,913 (2004 est.)

Transnational Issues Macau

Disputes - international:
none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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

@Macedonia

Introduction Macedonia

Background:
International recognition of Macedonia's independence from
Yugoslavia in 1991 was delayed by Greece's objection to the new
state's use of what it considered a Hellenic name and symbols.
Greece finally lifted its trade blockade in 1995 and the two
countries agreed to normalize relations, although differences over
Macedonia's name remain. The undetermined status of neighboring
Kosovo, implementation of the Framework Agreement - which ended the
2001 ethnic Albanian armed insurgency - and a weak economy continue
to be challenges for Macedonia.

Geography Macedonia

Location:
Southeastern Europe, north of Greece

Geographic coordinates:
41 50 N, 22 00 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 25,333 sq km
water: 477 sq km
land: 24,856 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Vermont

Land boundaries:
total: 766 km
border countries: Albania 151 km, Bulgaria 148 km, Greece 246 km,
Serbia and Montenegro 221 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
warm, dry summers and autumns and relatively cold winters with
heavy snowfall

Terrain:
mountainous territory covered with deep basins and valleys; three
large lakes, each divided by a frontier line; country bisected by
the Vardar River

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Vardar River 50 m
highest point: Golem Korab (Maja e Korabit) 2,764 m

Natural resources:
low-grade iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, manganese,
nickel, tungsten, gold, silver, asbestos, gypsum, timber, arable land

Land use:
arable land: 22.26%
permanent crops: 1.81%
other: 75.93% (2001)

Irrigated land:
550 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
high seismic risks

Environment - current issues:
air pollution from metallurgical plants

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

Geography - note:
landlocked; major transportation corridor from Western and Central
Europe to Aegean Sea and Southern Europe to Western Europe

People Macedonia

Population:
2,071,210 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 21.5% (male 231,078; female 213,906)
15-64 years: 67.8% (male 707,298; female 696,830)
65 years and over: 10.7% (male 97,437; female 124,661) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 32.8 years
male: 31.7 years
female: 33.9 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.39% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
13.14 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
7.83 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-1.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 11.74 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 10.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 12.67 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.73 years
male: 72.45 years
female: 77.2 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.74 children born/woman (2004 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
less than 200 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Macedonian(s)
adjective: Macedonian

Ethnic groups:
Macedonian 64.2%, Albanian 25.2%, Turkish 3.8%, Roma 2.7%, Serb
1.8%, other 2.3% (2002)

Religions:
Macedonian Orthodox 70%, Muslim 29%, other 1%

Languages:
Macedonian 68%, Albanian 25%, Turkish 3%, Serbo-Croatian 2%, other
2%

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

Government Macedonia

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Macedonia
conventional short form: Macedonia; note - the provisional
designation used by the UN, EU, and NATO is Former Yugoslav Republic
of Macedonia (FYROM)
local long form: Republika Makedonija
former: People's Republic of Macedonia, Socialist Republic of
Macedonia
local short form: Makedonija

Government type:
parliamentary democracy

Capital:
Skopje

Administrative divisions:
123 municipalities (opstini, singular - opstina); Aracinovo, Bac,
Belcista, Berovo, Bistrica, Bitola, Blatec, Bogdanci, Bogomila,
Bogovinje, Bosilovo, Brvenica, Cair (Skopje), Capari, Caska,
Cegrane, Centar (Skopje), Centar Zupa, Cesinovo, Cucer-Sandevo,
Debar, Delcevo, Delogozdi, Demir Hisar, Demir Kapija, Dobrusevo,
Dolna Banjica, Dolneni, Dorce Petrov (Skopje), Drugovo, Dzepciste,
Gazi Baba (Skopje), Gevgelija, Gostivar, Gradsko, Ilinden, Izvor,
Jegunovce, Kamenjane, Karbinci, Karpos (Skopje), Kavadarci, Kicevo,
Kisela Voda (Skopje), Klecevce, Kocani, Konce, Kondovo, Konopiste,
Kosel, Kratovo, Kriva Palanka, Krivogastani, Krusevo, Kuklis,
Kukurecani, Kumanovo, Labunista, Lipkovo, Lozovo, Lukovo, Makedonska
Kamenica, Makedonski Brod, Mavrovi Anovi, Meseista, Miravci, Mogila,
Murtino, Negotino, Negotino-Polosko, Novaci, Novo Selo, Oblesevo,
Ohrid, Orasac, Orizari, Oslomej, Pehcevo, Petrovec, Plasnica,
Podares, Prilep, Probistip, Radovis, Rankovce, Resen, Rosoman,
Rostusa, Samokov, Saraj, Sipkovica, Sopiste, Sopotnica, Srbinovo,
Star Dojran, Staravina, Staro Nagoricane, Stip, Struga, Strumica,
Studenicani, Suto Orizari (Skopje), Sveti Nikole, Tearce, Tetovo,
Topolcani, Valandovo, Vasilevo, Velesta, Veles, Vevcani, Vinica,
Vitoliste, Vranestica, Vrapciste, Vratnica, Vrutok, Zajas,
Zelenikovo, Zeleno, Zitose, Zletovo, Zrnovci
note: the seven municipalities followed by Skopje in parentheses
collectively constitute "greater Skopje"; new information suggests
that the 123 municipalities have been consolidated into 84
municipalities

Independence:
8 September 1991 (referendum by registered voters endorsing
independence from Yugoslavia)

National holiday:
Uprising Day, 2 August (1903); note - also known as Saint Elijah's
Day and Ilinden

Constitution:
adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991
note: in November of 2001, the Macedonian Assembly approved a series
of new constitutional amendments strengthening minority rights