Chapter LIV: Front Matter (54)

Economy - overview:
The economy is dominated by the bauxite industry, which accounts
for more than 15% of GDP and 70% of export earnings. Suriname's
economic prospects for the medium term will depend on renewed
commitment to responsible monetary and fiscal policies and to the
introduction of structural reforms to liberalize markets and promote
competition. The government of Ronald VENETIAAN has begun an
austerity program, raised taxes, and attempted to control spending.
However, in 2002, President VENETIAAN agreed to a large pay raise
for civil servants, which threatens his earlier gains in stabilizing
the economy. The Dutch Government has agreed to restart the aid
flow, which will allow Suriname to access international development
financing. The short-term economic outlook depends on the
government's ability to control inflation and on the development of
projects in the bauxite and gold mining sectors.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $1.752 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
5% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $4,000 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 13%
industry: 22%
services: 65% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
70% (2002 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
17% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
100,000

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

Unemployment rate:
17% (2000)

Budget:
revenues: $393 million
expenditures: $403 million, including capital expenditures of $34
million (1997 est.)

Agriculture - products:
paddy rice, bananas, palm kernels, coconuts, plantains, peanuts;
beef, chickens; forest products; shrimp

Industries:
bauxite and gold mining, alumina production, oil, lumbering, food
processing, fishing

Industrial production growth rate:
6.5% (1994 est.)

Electricity - production:
1.959 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
1.822 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
10,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
10,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
37 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2002)

Exports:
$495 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
alumina, crude oil, lumber, shrimp and fish, rice, bananas

Exports - partners:
US 23.3%, Norway 18.4%, Belgium 12.5%, France 10.1%, Trinidad and
Tobago 7.1%, Iceland 4.7%, Italy 4.3%, Netherlands 4.2% (2003)

Imports:
$604 million f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs, cotton, consumer goods

Imports - partners:
US 31.5%, Netherlands 18.2%, Trinidad and Tobago 12.5%, China 6.8%,
Japan 6.4% (2003)

Debt - external:
$321 million (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
Netherlands provided $37 million for project and program
assistance, European Development Fund $4 million, Belgium $2 million
(1998)

Currency:
Surinamese guilder (SRG)

Currency code:
SRG

Exchange rates:
Surinamese guilders per US dollar - NA (2003), 2,346.75 (2002),
2,178.5 (2001), 1,322.47 (2000), 859.437 (1999)
note: during 1998, the exchange rate splintered into four distinct
rates; in January 1999 the government floated the guilder, but
subsequently fixed it when the black-market rate plunged; the
government currently allows trading within a band of SRG 500 around
the official rate

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Suriname

Telephones - main lines in use:
79,800 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
168,100 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: international facilities are good
domestic: microwave radio relay network
international: country code - 597; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 4, FM 13, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
300,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
3 (plus seven repeaters) (2000)

Televisions:
63,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.sr

Internet hosts:
18 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
20,000 (2002)

Transportation Suriname

Highways:
total: 4,492 km
paved: 1,168 km
unpaved: 3,324 km (2000)

Waterways:
1,200 km (most navigable by ships with drafts up to 7 m) (2003)

Pipelines:
oil 51 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Albina, Moengo, New Nickerie, Paramaribo, Paranam, Wageningen

Merchant marine:
total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,421 GRT/2,990 DWT
by type: cargo 1, container 1 (2004 est.)

Airports:
46 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 5
over 3,047 m: 1
under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 41
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 35 (2004 est.)

Military Suriname

Military branches:
National Army (includes small Navy and Air Force elements)

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.); no conscription

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 124,260 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 72,576 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$7.5 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.7% (2003)

Transnational Issues Suriname

Disputes - international:
area claimed by French Guiana between Riviere Litani and Riviere
Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa); Suriname claims a triangle
of land between the New and Kutari/Koetari Rivers in a historic
dispute over the headwaters of the Courantyne; Guyana seeks UNCLOS
arbitration to resolve the long-standing dispute with Suriname over
the axis of the territorial sea boundary in potentially oil-rich
waters

Illicit drugs:
growing transshipment point for South American drugs destined for
Europe and Brazil; transshipment point for arms-for-drugs dealing

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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

@Svalbard

Introduction Svalbard

Background:
First discovered by the Norwegians in the 12th century, the islands
served as an international whaling base during the 17th and 18th
centuries. Norway's sovereignty was recognized in 1920; five years
later it officially took over the territory.

Geography Svalbard

Location:
Northern Europe, islands between the Arctic Ocean, Barents Sea,
Greenland Sea, and Norwegian Sea, north of Norway

Geographic coordinates:
78 00 N, 20 00 E

Map references:
Arctic Region

Area:
total: 62,049 sq km
note: includes Spitsbergen and Bjornoya (Bear Island)
water: 0 sq km
land: 62,049 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than West Virginia

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
3,587 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 4 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm unilaterally claimed by Norway but
not recognized by Russia

Climate:
arctic, tempered by warm North Atlantic Current; cool summers, cold
winters; North Atlantic Current flows along west and north coasts of
Spitsbergen, keeping water open and navigable most of the year

Terrain:
wild, rugged mountains; much of high land ice covered; west coast
clear of ice about one-half of the year; fjords along west and north
coasts

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Arctic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Newtontoppen 1,717 m

Natural resources:
coal, iron ore, copper, zinc, phosphate, wildlife, fish

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (no trees, and the only bushes are crowberry and
cloudberry) (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
ice floes often block the entrance to Bellsund (a transit point for
coal export) on the west coast and occasionally make parts of the
northeastern coast inaccessible to maritime traffic

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
northernmost part of the Kingdom of Norway; consists of nine main
islands; glaciers and snowfields cover 60% of the total area

People Svalbard

Population:
2,756 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA

Population growth rate:
-0.02% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
NA births/1,000 population

Death rate:
NA deaths/1,000 population

Net migration rate:
NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

Sex ratio:
NA

Infant mortality rate:
total: NA
male: NA
female: NA

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: NA years
male: NA years
female: NA years

Total fertility rate:
NA children born/woman

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0% (2001)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
0 (2001)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
0 (2001)

Ethnic groups:
Norwegian 55.4%, Russian and Ukrainian 44.3%, other 0.3% (1998)

Languages:
Norwegian, Russian

Literacy:
NA

Government Svalbard

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Svalbard (sometimes referred to as
Spitzbergen)

Dependency status:
territory of Norway; administered by the Polar Department of the
Ministry of Justice, through a governor (sysselmann) residing in
Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen; by treaty (9 February 1920) sovereignty
was awarded to Norway

Government type:
NA

Capital:
Longyearbyen

Independence:
none (territory of Norway)

National holiday:
NA

Legal system:
NA

Executive branch:
chief of state: King HARALD V of Norway (since 17 January 1991)
head of government: Governor Odd Olsen INGERO (since 8 June 2001)
and Assistant Governor Rune Baard HANSEN (since NA)
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor and assistant
governor responsible to the Polar Department of the Ministry of
Justice

International organization participation:
none

Flag description:
the flag of Norway is used

Economy Svalbard

Economy - overview:
Coal mining is the major economic activity on Svalbard. The treaty
of 9 February 1920 gives the 41 signatories equal rights to exploit
mineral deposits, subject to Norwegian regulation. Although US, UK,
Dutch, and Swedish coal companies have mined in the past, the only
companies still mining are Norwegian and Russian. The settlements on
Svalbard are essentially company towns. The Norwegian state-owned
coal company employs nearly 60% of the Norwegian population on the
island, runs many of the local services, and provides most of the
local infrastructure. There is also some hunting of seal, reindeer,
and fox.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - NA

GDP - real growth rate:
NA

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - NA

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
NA

Labor force:
NA

Budget:
revenues: $11.5 million
expenditures: $11.5 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(1998 est.)

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
NA kWh

Electricity - consumption:
NA kWh

Exports:
NA

Imports:
NA

Economic aid - recipient:
$8.2 million from Norway (1998)

Currency:
Norwegian krone (NOK)

Currency code:
NOK

Exchange rates:
Norwegian kroner per US dollar - 7.0802 (2003), 7.9838 (2002),
8.9917 (2001), 8.8018 (2000), 7.7992 (1999)

Communications Svalbard

Telephones - main lines in use:
NA

Telephones - mobile cellular:
NA

Telephone system:
general assessment: probably adequate
domestic: local telephone service
international: country code - 47-790; satellite earth station - 1 of
unknown type (for communication with Norwegian mainland only)

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

Radios:
NA

Television broadcast stations:
NA

Televisions:
NA

Internet country code:
.sj

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
13 (Svalbard and Jan Mayen) (2000)

Internet users:
NA

Transportation Svalbard

Highways:
total: NA km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km

Ports and harbors:
Barentsburg, Longyearbyen, Ny-Alesund, Pyramiden

Merchant marine:
none

Airports:
4 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Svalbard

Military - note:
demilitarized by treaty (9 February 1920)

Transnational Issues Svalbard

Disputes - international:
despite recent discussions, Russia and Norway dispute their
maritime limits in the Barents Sea and Russia's fishing rights
beyond Svalbard's territorial limits within the Svalbard Treaty zone

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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

@Swaziland

Introduction Swaziland

Background:
Autonomy for the Swazis of southern Africa was guaranteed by the
British in the late 19th century; independence was granted in 1968.
Student and labor unrest during the 1990s pressured the monarchy
(one of the oldest on the continent) to grudgingly allow political
reform and greater democracy. Swaziland recently surpassed Botswana
as the country with the world's highest known rates of HIV/AIDS
infection

Geography Swaziland

Location:
Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa

Geographic coordinates:
26 30 S, 31 30 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 17,363 sq km
water: 160 sq km
land: 17,203 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries:
total: 535 km
border countries: Mozambique 105 km, South Africa 430 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
varies from tropical to near temperate

Terrain:
mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Great Usutu River 21 m
highest point: Emlembe 1,862 m

Natural resources:
asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests, small gold
and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc

Land use:
arable land: 10.35%
permanent crops: 0.7%
other: 88.95% (2001)

Irrigated land:
690 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
drought

Environment - current issues:
limited supplies of potable water; wildlife populations being
depleted because of excessive hunting; overgrazing; soil
degradation; soil erosion

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

Geography - note:
landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa

People Swaziland

Population:
1,169,241
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
2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 41% (male 242,090; female 237,395)
15-64 years: 55.3% (male 323,004; female 324,029)
65 years and over: 3.7% (male 18,685; female 24,038) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 18.6 years
male: 18.4 years
female: 18.8 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.55% (2004 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 68.35 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 64.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 71.64 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 37.54 years
male: 39.1 years
female: 35.94 years (2004 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
38.8% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
220,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
17,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Swazi(s)
adjective: Swazi

Ethnic groups:
African 97%, European 3%

Religions:
Zionist (a blend of Christianity and indigenous ancestral worship)
40%, Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 10%, Anglican, Bahai, Methodist,
Mormon, Jewish and other 30%

Languages:
English (official, government business conducted in English),
siSwati (official)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 81.6%
male: 82.6%
female: 80.8% (2003 est.)

Government Swaziland

Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Swaziland
conventional short form: Swaziland

Government type:
monarchy; independent member of Commonwealth

Capital:
Mbabane; note - Lobamba is the royal and legislative capital

Administrative divisions:
4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni

Independence:
6 September 1968 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 6 September (1968)

Constitution:
a constitution was adopted 14 November 2003

Legal system:
based on South African Roman-Dutch law in statutory courts and
Swazi traditional law and custom in traditional courts; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age

Executive branch:
chief of state: King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986)
head of government: Prime Minister Absolom Themba DLAMINI (since 14
November 2003)
cabinet: Cabinet recommended by the prime minister and confirmed by
the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed
by the monarch

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament or Libandla, an advisory body, consists of the
Senate (30 seats - 10 appointed by the House of Assembly and 20
appointed by the monarch; members serve five-year terms) and the
House of Assembly (65 seats - 10 appointed by the monarch and 55
elected by popular vote; members serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Assembly - last held 18 October 2003 (next to be
held NA October 2008)
election results: House of Assembly - balloting is done on a
nonparty basis; candidates for election are nominated by the local
council of each constituency and for each constituency the three
candidates with the most votes in the first round of voting are
narrowed to a single winner by a second round

Judicial branch:
High Court; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts are appointed
by the monarch

Political parties and leaders:
political parties are banned by the constitution - the following
are considered political associations; Imbokodvo National Movement
or INM [leader NA]; Ngwane National Liberatory Congress or NNLC
[Obed DLAMINI, president]; People's United Democratic Movement or
PUDEMO [Mario MASUKU, president]; Swaziland National Front or
SWANAFRO [Elmond SHONGWE, president]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA,
NAM, OPCW, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Mary Madzandza KANYA
FAX: [1] (202) 244-8059
telephone: [1] (202) 362-6683
chancery: 3400 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador James D. McGEE
embassy: Central Bank Building, Warner Street, Mbabane
mailing address: P. O. Box 199, Mbabane
telephone: [268] 404-6441 through 404-6445
FAX: [268] 404-5959

Flag description:
three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width), and blue;
the red band is edged in yellow; centered in the red band is a large
black and white shield covering two spears and a staff decorated
with feather tassels, all placed horizontally

Economy Swaziland

Economy - overview:
In this small, landlocked economy, subsistence agriculture occupies
more than 80% of the population. The manufacturing sector has
diversified since the mid-1980s. Sugar and wood pulp remain
important foreign exchange earners. Mining has declined in
importance in recent years with only coal and quarry stone mines
remaining active. Surrounded by South Africa, except for a short
border with Mozambique, Swaziland is heavily dependent on South
Africa from which it receives about nine-tenths of its imports and
to which it sends nearly three-quarters of its exports. Customs
duties from the Southern African Customs Union and worker
remittances from South Africa substantially supplement domestically
earned income. The government is trying to improve the atmosphere
for foreign investment. Overgrazing, soil depletion, drought, and
sometimes floods persist as problems for the future. More than
one-fourth of the population needed emergency food aid in 2002
because of drought, and more than one-third of the adult population
was infected by HIV/AIDS.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $5.702 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
2.2% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $4,900 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 16.2%
industry: 43.2%
services: 40.5% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
21.1% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
40% (1995)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1%
highest 10%: 50.2% (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
7.3% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
383,200 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
NA

Unemployment rate:
34% (2000 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $462.4 million
expenditures: $563.4 million, including capital expenditures of $147
million (2003)

Agriculture - products:
sugarcane, cotton, corn, tobacco, rice, citrus, pineapples,
sorghum, peanuts; cattle, goats, sheep

Industries:
mining (coal), wood pulp, sugar, soft drink concentrates, textile
and apparel

Industrial production growth rate:
3.7% (FY95/96)

Electricity - production:
348.3 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
962.9 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

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

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

Oil - consumption:
3,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Current account balance:
$-72.69 million (2003)

Exports:
$905.6 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
soft drink concentrates, sugar, wood pulp, cotton yarn,
refrigerators, citrus and canned fruit

Exports - partners:
South Africa 72%, EU 14.2%, Mozambique 3.7%, US 3.5% (1999)

Imports:
$1.088 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs,
petroleum products, chemicals

Imports - partners:
South Africa 88.8%, EU 5.6%, Japan 0.6%, Singapore 0.4% (1999)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$277.5 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$320 million (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$104 million (2001)

Currency:
lilangeni (SZL)

Currency code:
SZL

Exchange rates:
emalangeni per US dollar - 7.5648 (2003), 10.5407 (2002), 8.6092
(2001), 6.9398 (2000), 6.1095 (1999)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Swaziland

Telephones - main lines in use:
46,200 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
88,000 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: a somewhat modern but not an advanced system
domestic: system consists of carrier-equipped, open-wire lines and
low-capacity, microwave radio relay
international: country code - 268; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 3, FM 2 plus 4 repeaters, shortwave 3 (2001)

Radios:
170,000 (1999)

Television broadcast stations:
5 plus 7 relay stations (2001)

Televisions:
23,000 (2000)

Internet country code:
.sz

Internet hosts:
1,401 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
5 (2002)

Internet users:
27,000 (2003)

Transportation Swaziland

Railways:
total: 301 km
narrow gauge: 301 km 1.067-m gauge (2003)

Highways:
total: 3,247 km
paved: NA
unpaved: NA (1998)

Ports and harbors:
none

Airports:
18 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 17
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)

Military Swaziland

Military branches:
Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force (Army, including Air Wing)

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 289,985 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 168,257 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$29 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.8% (2003)

Transnational Issues Swaziland

Disputes - international:
none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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

@Sweden

Introduction Sweden

Background:
A military power during the 17th century, Sweden has not
participated in any war in almost two centuries. An armed neutrality
was preserved in both World Wars. Sweden's long-successful economic
formula of a capitalist system interlarded with substantial welfare
elements was challenged in the 1990s by high unemployment and in
2000-02 by the global economic downturn, but fiscal discipline over
the past several years has allowed the country to weather economic
vagaries. Indecision over the country's role in the political and
economic integration of Europe delayed Sweden's entry into the EU
until 1995, and waived the introduction of the euro in 1999.

Geography Sweden

Location:
Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia,
Kattegat, and Skagerrak, between Finland and Norway

Geographic coordinates:
62 00 N, 15 00 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 449,964 sq km
water: 39,030 sq km
land: 410,934 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than California

Land boundaries:
total: 2,233 km
border countries: Finland 614 km, Norway 1,619 km

Coastline:
3,218 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm (adjustments made to return a portion of
straits to high seas)
exclusive economic zone: agreed boundaries or midlines
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
temperate in south with cold, cloudy winters and cool, partly
cloudy summers; subarctic in north

Terrain:
mostly flat or gently rolling lowlands; mountains in west

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: reclaimed bay of Lake Hammarsjon, near Kristianstad
-2.41 m
highest point: Kebnekaise 2,111 m

Natural resources:
iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, gold, silver, tungsten, uranium,
arsenic, feldspar, timber, hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 6.54%
permanent crops: 0.01%
other: 93.45% (2001)

Irrigated land:
1,150 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
ice floes in the surrounding waters, especially in the Gulf of
Bothnia, can interfere with maritime traffic

Environment - current issues:
acid rain damage to soils and lakes; pollution of the North Sea and
the Baltic Sea

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,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
strategic location along Danish Straits linking Baltic and North
Seas

People Sweden

Population:
8,986,400 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 17.5% (male 807,193; female 762,882)
15-64 years: 65.2% (male 2,974,107; female 2,886,840)
65 years and over: 17.3% (male 668,719; female 886,659) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 40.3 years
male: 39.2 years
female: 41.5 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.18% (2004 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 2.77 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 2.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 2.93 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 80.3 years
male: 78.12 years
female: 82.62 years (2004 est.)

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

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
3,300 (2001 est.)

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

Nationality:
noun: Swede(s)
adjective: Swedish

Ethnic groups:
indigenous population: Swedes and Finnish and Sami minorities;
foreign-born or first-generation immigrants: Finns, Yugoslavs,
Danes, Norwegians, Greeks, Turks

Religions:
Lutheran 87%, Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Baptist, Muslim, Jewish,
Buddhist

Languages:
Swedish
note: small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% (1979 est.)
male: NA
female: NA

Government Sweden

Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Sweden
conventional short form: Sweden
local short form: Sverige
local long form: Konungariket Sverige

Government type:
constitutional monarchy

Capital:
Stockholm

Administrative divisions:
21 counties (lan, singular and plural); Blekinge, Dalarnas,
Gavleborgs, Gotlands, Hallands, Jamtlands, Jonkopings, Kalmar,
Kronobergs, Norrbottens, Orebro, Ostergotlands, Skane,
Sodermanlands, Stockholms, Uppsala, Varmlands, Vasterbottens,
Vasternorrlands, Vastmanlands, Vastra Gotalands

Independence:
6 June 1523 (Gustav VASA elected king)

National holiday:
Flag Day, 6 June

Constitution:
1 January 1975

Legal system:
civil law system influenced by customary law; accepts compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: King CARL XVI GUSTAF (since 19 September 1973);
Heir Apparent Princess VICTORIA Ingrid Alice Desiree, daughter of
the monarch (born 14 July 1977)
head of government: Prime Minister Goran PERSSON (since 21 March
1996)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister
elections: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative
elections, the prime minister is elected by the Parliament; election
last held 15 September 2002 (next to be held NA September 2006)
election results: Goran PERSSON reelected prime minister with 131
out of 349 votes

Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Riksdag (349 seats; members are elected by
popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve
four-year terms)
elections: last held 15 September 2002 (next to be held NA September
2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - Social Democrats 39.8%,
Moderates 15.2%, Liberal Party 13.3%, Christian Democrats 9.1%, Left
Party 8.3%, Center Party 6.1%, Greens 4.6%; seats by party - Social
Democrats 144, Moderates 55, Liberal Party 48, Christian Democrats
33, Left Party 30, Center Party 22, Greens 17

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Hogsta Domstolen (judges are appointed by the
prime minister and the cabinet)

Political parties and leaders:
Center Party [Maud OLOFSSON]; Christian Democratic Party [Goran
HAGGLUND]; Green Party [no formal leader but party spokespersons are
Maria WETTERSTRAND and Peter ERIKSSON]; Left Party or V (formerly
Communist) [Lars OHLY]; Liberal People's Party [Lars LEIJONBORG];
Moderate Party (conservative) [Fredrik REINFELDT]; Social Democratic
Party [Goran PERSSON]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB,
ESA, EU, FAO, G- 6, G- 9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NC, NEA,
NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP,
UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK,
UNMIL, UNMISET, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer),
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jan ELIASSON
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
FAX: [1] (202) 467-2699
telephone: [1] (202) 467-2600
chancery: 1501 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20005-1702

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador M. Teel BIVINS
embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds VAG 31, SE-11589 Stockholm
mailing address: American Embassy Stockholm, Department of State,
5750 Stockholm Place, Washington, DC 20521-5750 (pouch)
telephone: [46] (08) 783 53 00
FAX: [46] (08) 661 19 64

Flag description:
blue with a golden yellow cross extending to the edges of the flag;
the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the
style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

Economy Sweden

Economy - overview:
Aided by peace and neutrality for the whole 20th century, Sweden
has achieved an enviable standard of living under a mixed system of
high-tech capitalism and extensive welfare benefits. It has a modern
distribution system, excellent internal and external communications,
and a skilled labor force. Timber, hydropower, and iron ore
constitute the resource base of an economy heavily oriented toward
foreign trade. Privately owned firms account for about 90% of
industrial output, of which the engineering sector accounts for 50%
of output and exports. Agriculture accounts for only 2% of GDP and
2% of the jobs. The government's commitment to fiscal discipline
resulted in a substantial budgetary surplus in 2001, which was cut
by more than half in 2002, due to the global economic slowdown,
declining revenue, and increased spending. The Swedish central bank
(the Riksbank) is focusing on price stability with its inflation
target of 2%. Growth remained sluggish in 2003. On September 14,
2003, Swedish voters turned down entry into the euro system,
concerned about the impact on democracy and sovereignty.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $238.3 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.7% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $26,800 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 2%
industry: 29%
services: 69% (2001)

Investment (gross fixed):
15.7% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.7%
highest 10%: 20.1% (1992)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
25 (1992)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.9% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
4.449 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 2%, industry 24%, services 74% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
4.9% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $177.7 billion
expenditures: $176.9 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Public debt:
51.8% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
barley, wheat, sugar beets; meat, milk

Industries:
iron and steel, precision equipment (bearings, radio and telephone
parts, armaments), wood pulp and paper products, processed foods,
motor vehicles

Industrial production growth rate:
1.9% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
152.9 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
134.9 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
18.45 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
11.14 billion kWh (2001)

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

Oil - consumption:
328,600 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
203,700 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
553,100 bbl/day (2001)

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

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

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

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

Current account balance:
$19.56 billion (2003)

Exports:
$102.8 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
machinery 35%, motor vehicles, paper products, pulp and wood, iron
and steel products, chemicals

Exports - partners:
US 11.5%, Germany 10%, Norway 8.4%, UK 7.8%, Denmark 6.4%, Finland
5.7%, Netherlands 4.9%, France 4.9%, Belgium 4.5% (2003)

Imports:
$83.27 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, motor
vehicles, iron and steel; foodstuffs, clothing

Imports - partners:
Germany 18.7%, Denmark 9%, UK 8%, Norway 8%, Netherlands 6.8%,
Finland 5.6%, France 5.5%, Belgium 4.2% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$19.99 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$66.5 billion (1994)

Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $1.7 billion (1997)

Currency:
Swedish krona (SEK)

Currency code:
SEK

Exchange rates:
Swedish kronor per US dollar - 8.0853 (2003), 9.7371 (2002),
10.3291 (2001), 9.1622 (2000), 8.2624 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Sweden

Telephones - main lines in use:
6,579,200 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
7.949 million (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: excellent domestic and international
facilities; automatic system
domestic: coaxial and multiconductor cables carry most of the voice
traffic; parallel microwave radio relay systems carry some
additional telephone channels
international: country code - 46; 5 submarine coaxial cables;
satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Eutelsat,
and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Sweden
shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries
(Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Norway)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 265, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
8.25 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
169 (plus 1,299 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
4.6 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.se

Internet hosts:
945,221 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
29 (2000)

Internet users:
5.125 million (2002)

Transportation Sweden

Railways:
total: 11,481 km
standard gauge: 11,481 km 1.435-m gauge (7,527 km electrified) (2003)

Highways:
total: 212,402 km
paved: 166,523 km (including 1,499 km of expressways)
unpaved: 45,879 km (2000)

Pipelines:
gas 798 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Gavle, Goteborg, Halmstad, Helsingborg, Hudiksvall, Kalmar,
Karlshamn, Lulea, Malmo, Solvesborg, Stockholm, Sundsvall

Merchant marine:
total: 178 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,702,763 GRT/1,884,570 DWT
by type: bulk 7, cargo 36, chemical tanker 31, combination bulk 1,
combination ore/oil 1, petroleum tanker 25, roll on/roll off 39,
short-sea/passenger 8, specialized tanker 7, vehicle carrier 23
registered in other countries: 154 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: Denmark 12, Finland 10, Germany 3, Italy 7, Japan 2,
Netherlands 1, Norway 12, Russia 1

Airports:
255 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 154
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 12
914 to 1,523 m: 22
under 914 m: 35 (2004 est.)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 82

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 100
914 to 1,523 m: 10
under 914 m: 90 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
2 (2003 est.)

Military Sweden

Military branches:
Army, Royal Navy, Air Force (Flygvapnet)

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
19 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service
obligation - 7 to 17 months depending on conscript role; after
completing initial service soldiers have a reserve commitment until
the age of 47 (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 2,082,776 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,821,394 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 56,859 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$4.395 billion (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.1% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Sweden

Disputes - international:
none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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

@Switzerland

Introduction Switzerland

Background:
Switzerland's independence and neutrality have long been honored by
the major European powers, and Switzerland was not involved in
either of the two World Wars. The political and economic integration
of Europe over the past half century, as well as Switzerland's role
in many UN and international organizations, has strengthened
Switzerland's ties with its neighbors. However, the country did not
officially become a UN member until 2002. Switzerland remains active
in many UN and international organizations, but retains a strong
commitment to neutrality.

Geography Switzerland

Location:
Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy

Geographic coordinates:
47 00 N, 8 00 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 41,290 sq km
water: 1,520 sq km
land: 39,770 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
total: 1,852 km
border countries: Austria 164 km, France 573 km, Italy 740 km,
Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 334 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy
winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers

Terrain:
mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central
plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Lake Maggiore 195 m
highest point: Dufourspitze 4,634 m

Natural resources:
hydropower potential, timber, salt

Land use:
arable land: 10.42%
permanent crops: 0.61%
other: 88.97% (2001)

Irrigated land:
250 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
avalanches, landslides, flash floods

Environment - current issues:
air pollution from vehicle emissions and open-air burning; acid
rain; water pollution from increased use of agricultural
fertilizers; loss of biodiversity

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,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe; along with
southeastern France, northern Italy, and southwestern Austria, has
the highest elevations in the Alps

People Switzerland

Population:
7,450,867 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.8% (male 647,362; female 602,333)
15-64 years: 67.9% (male 2,555,089; female 2,503,331)
65 years and over: 15.3% (male 466,615; female 676,137) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 39.5 years
male: 38.5 years
female: 40.5 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.54% (2004 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.43 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 4.94 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 80.31 years
male: 77.51 years
female: 83.27 years (2004 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.5% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
19,000 (2001 est.)

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

Nationality:
noun: Swiss (singular and plural)
adjective: Swiss

Ethnic groups:
German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other 6%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 46.1%, Protestant 40%, other 5%, none 8.9% (1990)

Languages:
German (official) 63.7%, French (official) 19.2%, Italian
(official) 7.6%, Romansch (official) 0.6%, other 8.9%

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% (1980 est.)
male:
female:

Government Switzerland

Country name:
conventional long form: Swiss Confederation
conventional short form: Switzerland
local short form: Schweiz (German), Suisse (French), Svizzera
(Italian)
local long form: Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German),
Confederation Suisse (French), Confederazione Svizzera (Italian)

Government type:
federal republic

Capital:
Bern

Administrative divisions:
26 cantons (cantons, singular - canton in French; cantoni, singular
- cantone in Italian; kantone, singular - kanton in German); Aargau,
Appenzell Ausser-Rhoden, Appenzell Inner-Rhoden, Basel-Landschaft,
Basel-Stadt, Bern, Fribourg, Geneve, Glarus, Graubunden, Jura,
Luzern, Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt Gallen, Schaffhausen,
Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri, Valais, Vaud, Zug, Zurich

Independence:
1 August 1291 (founding of the Swiss Confederation)

National holiday:
Founding of the Swiss Confederation, 1 August (1291)

Constitution:
revision of Constitution of 1874 approved by the Federal Parliament
18 December 1998; adopted by referendum 18 April 1999; officially
entered into force 1 January 2000

Legal system:
civil law system influenced by customary law; judicial review of
legislative acts, except with respect to federal decrees of general
obligatory character; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Samuel SCHMID (since 1 January 2005);
Vice President Moritz LEUENBERGER (since 1 January 2005); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Samuel SCHMID (since 1 January 2005);
Vice President Moritz LEUENBERGER (since 1 January 2005); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German), Conseil Federal
(in French), Consiglio Federale (in Italian) elected by the Federal
Assembly usually from among its own members for a four-year term
elections: president and vice president elected by the Federal
Assembly from among the members of the Federal Council for one-year
terms that run concurrently; election last held 8 December 2004
(next to be held December 2005)
election results: Samuel SCHMID elected president; percent of
Federal Assembly vote - 70.7%; Moritz LEUENBERGER elected vice
president; percent of legislative vote - 64.8%

Legislative branch:
bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung (in German),
Assemblee Federale (in French), Assemblea Federale (in Italian)
consists of the Council of States or Standerat (in German), Conseil
des Etats (in French), Consiglio degli Stati (in Italian) (46 seats
- members serve four-year terms) and the National Council or
Nationalrat (in German), Conseil National (in French), Consiglio
Nazionale (in Italian) (200 seats - members are elected by popular
vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year
terms)
elections: Council of States - last held in most cantons 19 October
2003 (each canton determines when the next election will be held);
National Council - last held 19 October 2003 (next to be held NA
October 2007)
election results: Council of States - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - CVP 15, FDP 14, SVP 8, SPS 6, other 3; National
Council - percent of vote by party - SVP 26.6%, SPS 23.3%, FDP
17.3%, CVP 14.4%, Greens 7.4%, other small parties all under 5%;
seats by party - SVP 55, SPS 54, FDP 36, CVP 28, Green Party 13,
other small parties 14

Judicial branch:
Federal Supreme Court (judges elected for six-year terms by the
Federal Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:
Green Party (Grune Partei der Schweiz or Grune, Parti Ecologiste
Suisse or Les Verts, Partito Ecologista Svizzero or I Verdi, Partida
Ecologica Svizra or La Verda) [Ruth GENNER]; Christian Democratic
People's Party (Christichdemokratische Volkspartei der Schweiz or
CVP, Parti Democrate-Chretien Suisse or PDC, Partito
Democratico-Cristiano Popolare Svizzero or PDC, Partida
Cristiandemocratica dalla Svizra or PCD) [Doris LEUTHARD,
president]; Radical Free Democratic Party (Freisinnig-Demokratische
Partei der Schweiz or FDP, Parti Radical-Democratique Suisse or PRD,
Partitio Liberal-Radicale Svizzero or PLR) [Marianne
KLEINER-SCHLAEPFER, president]; Social Democratic Party
(Sozialdemokratische Partei der Schweiz or SPS, Parti Socialist
Suisse or PSS, Partito Socialista Svizzero or PSS, Partida
Socialdemocratica de la Svizra or PSS) [Hans-Juerg FEHR, president];
Swiss People's Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei or SVP, Union
Democratique du Centre or UDC, Unione Democratica de Centro or UDC,
Uniun Democratica dal Center or UDC) [Ueli MAURER, president]; and
other minor parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA,
ESA, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer),
OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Christian BLICKENSTORFER
consulate(s): Boston
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New
York, and San Francisco
FAX: [1] (202) 387-2564
telephone: [1] (202) 745-7900
chancery: 2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Pamela P. WILLEFORD
embassy: Jubilaumsstrasse 93, CH-3005 Bern
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [41] (031) 357 70 11
FAX: [41] (031) 357 73 44

Flag description:
red square with a bold, equilateral white cross in the center that
does not extend to the edges of the flag

Economy Switzerland

Economy - overview:
Switzerland is a prosperous and stable modern market economy with
low unemployment, a highly skilled labor force, and a per capita GDP
larger than that of the big Western European economies. The Swiss in
recent years have brought their economic practices largely into
conformity with the EU's to enhance their international
competitiveness. Switzerland remains a safe haven for investors,
because it has maintained a degree of bank secrecy and has kept up
the franc's long-term external value. Reflecting the anemic economic
conditions of Europe, GDP growth dropped in 2001 to about 0.8%, to
0.2% in 2002, and to -0.3% in 2003.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $239.3 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
-0.5% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $32,700 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1.5%
industry: 34%
services: 64.5% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
20.1% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.6%
highest 10%: 25.2% (1992)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
33.1 (1992)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
0.6% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
3.72 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 4.6%, industry 26.3%, services 69.1% (1998)

Unemployment rate:
3.7% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $123.2 billion
expenditures: $128 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Public debt:
57.1% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs

Industries:
machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments

Industrial production growth rate:
0.4% (2003)

Electricity - production:
68.68 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
53.43 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
34.54 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
24.1 billion kWh (2001)

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

Oil - consumption:
290,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
10,420 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
289,500 bbl/day (2001)

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

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

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

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

Current account balance:
$36 billion (2003)

Exports:
$110 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, agricultural products

Exports - partners:
Germany 20.8%, US 11.3%, France 8.7%, Italy 8.3%, UK 4.9%, Japan 4%
(2003)

Imports:
$102.2 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery, chemicals, vehicles, metals; agricultural products,
textiles

Imports - partners:
Germany 32.3%, France 10.8%, Italy 10.7%, US 5.5%, Netherlands 5%,
Austria 4.2%, UK 4.1% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$69.58 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
NA (2000)

Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $1.1 billion (1995)

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 Switzerland

Telephones - main lines in use:
5.419 million (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
6.172 million (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: excellent domestic and international services
domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks
international: country code - 41; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 4, FM 113 (plus many low power stations), shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
7.1 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
115 (plus 1,919 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
3.31 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.ch

Internet hosts:
667,275 (2004)

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

Internet users:
2.556 million (2002)

Transportation Switzerland

Railways:
total: 4,533 km
standard gauge: 3,483 km 1.435-m gauge (3,472 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 1,004 km 1.000-m gauge (974 km electrified); 46 km
0.800-m gauge (46 km electrified) (2003)

Highways:
total: 71,011 km
paved: 71,011 km (including 1,638 of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Waterways:
65 km
note: Rhine River between Basel-Rheinfelden and
Schaffhausen-Bodensee, some canals, and 12 navigable lakes (2003)

Pipelines:
gas 1,831 km; oil 94 km; refined products 7 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Basel

Merchant marine:
total: 30 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 604,843 GRT/1,050,914 DWT
registered in other countries: 182 (2004 est.)
by type: bulk 15, cargo 6, chemical tanker 3, container 3, petroleum
tanker 2, specialized tanker 1
foreign-owned: Belgium 1, Netherlands 1, United Kingdom 6, United
States 1

Airports:
65 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 42
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 8
under 914 m: 16 (2004 est.)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 10

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 23
under 914 m: 23 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
2 (2003 est.)

Military Switzerland

Military branches:
Land Forces, Air Force

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
19 years of age for compulsory military service; 17 years of age
for voluntary military service; conscripts receive 15 weeks of
compulsory training, followed by 10 intermittent recalls for
training over the next 22 years (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,890,091 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,606,391 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 45,654 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$2.548 billion (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Switzerland

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
a major international financial center vulnerable to the layering
and integration stages of money laundering; despite significant
legislation and reporting requirements, secrecy rules persist and
nonresidents are permitted to conduct business through offshore
entities and various intermediaries; transit country for and
consumer of South American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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

@Syria

Introduction Syria

Background:
Following the breakup of the Ottoman Empire during World War I,
Syria was administered by the French until independence in 1946. In
the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Syria lost the Golan Heights to Israel.
Since 1976, Syrian troops have been stationed in Lebanon, ostensibly
in a peacekeeping capacity. Over the past decade, Syria and Israel
have held occasional peace talks over the return of the Golan
Heights.

Geography Syria

Location:
Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon and
Turkey

Geographic coordinates:
35 00 N, 38 00 E

Map references:
Middle East

Area:
total: 185,180 sq km
note: includes 1,295 sq km of Israeli-occupied territory
water: 1,130 sq km
land: 184,050 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than North Dakota

Land boundaries:
total: 2,253 km
border countries: Iraq 605 km, Israel 76 km, Jordan 375 km, Lebanon
375 km, Turkey 822 km

Coastline:
193 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 41 nm

Climate:
mostly desert; hot, dry, sunny summers (June to August) and mild,
rainy winters (December to February) along coast; cold weather with
snow or sleet periodically in Damascus

Terrain:
primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain;
mountains in west

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: unnamed location near Lake Tiberias -200 m
highest point: Mount Hermon 2,814 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt, iron
ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum, hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 25.22%
permanent crops: 4.43%
other: 70.35% (2001)

Irrigated land:
12,130 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
dust storms, sandstorms

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; water
pollution from raw sewage and petroleum refining wastes; inadequate
potable water

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note:
there are 42 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the
Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (February 2002 est.)

People Syria

Population:
18,016,874
note: in addition, about 40,000 people live in the Israeli-occupied
Golan Heights - 20,000 Arabs (18,000 Druze and 2,000 Alawites) and
about 20,000 Israeli settlers (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 38% (male 3,524,406; female 3,319,323)
15-64 years: 58.7% (male 5,421,133; female 5,163,669)
65 years and over: 3.3% (male 281,795; female 306,548) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 20 years
male: 19.9 years
female: 20.2 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.4% (2004 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 30.6 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 30.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 30.82 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.71 years
male: 68.47 years
female: 71.02 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
3.61 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 500 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Syrian(s)
adjective: Syrian

Ethnic groups:
Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians, and other 9.7%

Religions:
Sunni Muslim 74%, Alawite, Druze, and other Muslim sects 16%,
Christian (various sects) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus,
Al Qamishli, and Aleppo)

Languages:
Arabic (official); Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian widely
understood; French, English somewhat understood

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 76.9%
male: 89.7%
female: 64% (2003 est.)

Government Syria

Country name:
conventional long form: Syrian Arab Republic
conventional short form: Syria
local short form: Suriyah
former: United Arab Republic (with Egypt)
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah

Government type:
republic under military regime since March 1963

Capital:
Damascus

Administrative divisions:
14 provinces (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Hasakah, Al
Ladhiqiyah, Al Qunaytirah, Ar Raqqah, As Suwayda', Dar'a, Dayr az
Zawr, Dimashq, Halab, Hamah, Hims, Idlib, Rif Dimashq, Tartus

Independence:
17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under French
administration)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 17 April (1946)

Constitution:
13 March 1973

Legal system:
based on Islamic law and civil law system; special religious
courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Bashar al-ASAD (since 17 July 2000); Vice
Presidents Abd al-Halim ibn Said KHADDAM (since 11 March 1984) and
Muhammad Zuhayr MASHARIQA (since 11 March 1984)
head of government: Prime Minister Muhammad Naji al-UTRI (since 10
September 2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
referendum/election last held 10 July 2000 - after the death of
President Hafiz al-ASAD, father of Bashar al-ASAD - (next to be held
2007); vice presidents appointed by the president; prime minister
and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president
note: Hafiz al-ASAD died on 10 June 2000; on 20 June 2000, the Ba'th
Party nominated Bashar al-ASAD for president and presented his name
to the People's Council on 25 June 2000
election results: Bashar al-ASAD elected president; percent of vote
- Bashar al-ASAD 97.29%