Chapter CXI: Section 3: , Taipei, Taiwan, telephone: 886 (2) 2162-2000, FAX (46)

Costa Rica
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Cote d'Ivoire
18 years of age; universal

Croatia
18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed)

Cuba
16 years of age; universal

Cyprus
18 years of age; universal

Czech Republic
18 years of age; universal

Denmark
18 years of age; universal

Djibouti
18 years of age; universal adult

Dominica
18 years of age; universal

Dominican Republic
18 years of age, universal and compulsory;
married persons regardless of age
note: members of the armed forces and national police cannot vote

East Timor
17 years of age; universal

Ecuador
18 years of age; universal, compulsory for literate persons
ages 18-65, optional for other eligible voters

Egypt
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

El Salvador
18 years of age; universal

Equatorial Guinea
18 years of age; universal adult

Eritrea
18 years of age; universal

Estonia
18 years of age; universal for all Estonian citizens

Ethiopia
18 years of age; universal

European Union
18 years of age; universal

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
18 years of age; universal

Faroe Islands
18 years of age; universal

Fiji
21 years of age; universal

Finland
18 years of age; universal

France
18 years of age; universal

French Guiana
18 years of age; universal

French Polynesia
18 years of age; universal

Gabon
21 years of age; universal

Gambia, The
18 years of age; universal

Georgia
18 years of age; universal

Germany
18 years of age; universal

Ghana
18 years of age; universal

Gibraltar
18 years of age; universal, plus other UK subjects who
have been residents six months or more

Greece
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Greenland
18 years of age; universal

Grenada
18 years of age; universal

Guadeloupe
18 years of age; universal

Guam
18 years of age; universal; US citizens, but do not vote in US
presidential elections

Guatemala
18 years of age; universal (active duty members of the
armed forces may not vote and are restricted to their barracks on
election day)

Guernsey
18 years of age; universal

Guinea
18 years of age; universal

Guinea-Bissau
18 years of age; universal

Guyana
18 years of age; universal

Haiti
18 years of age; universal

Holy See (Vatican City)
limited to cardinals less than 80 years old

Honduras
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Hong Kong
direct election 18 years of age; universal for permanent
residents living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past seven
years; indirect election limited to about 200,000 members of
functional constituencies and an 800-member election committee drawn
from broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central
government bodies

Hungary
18 years of age; universal

Iceland
18 years of age; universal

India
18 years of age; universal

Indonesia
17 years of age; universal and married persons regardless
of age

Iran
15 years of age; universal

Iraq
formerly 18 years of age; universal

Ireland
18 years of age; universal

Israel
18 years of age; universal

Italy
18 years of age; universal (except in senatorial elections,
where minimum age is 25)

Jamaica
18 years of age; universal

Japan
20 years of age; universal

Jersey
NA years of age; universal adult

Jordan
18 years of age; universal

Kazakhstan
18 years of age; universal

Kenya
18 years of age; universal

Kiribati
18 years of age; universal

Korea, North
17 years of age; universal

Korea, South
20 years of age; universal

Kuwait
adult males who have been naturalized for 30 years or more or
have resided in Kuwait since before 1920 and their male descendants
at age 21
note: only 10% of all citizens are eligible to vote; in 1996,
naturalized citizens who do not meet the pre-1920 qualification but
have been naturalized for 30 years were eligible to vote for the
first time

Kyrgyzstan
18 years of age; universal

Laos
18 years of age; universal

Latvia
18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens

Lebanon
21 years of age; compulsory for all males; authorized for
women at age 21 with elementary education

Lesotho
18 years of age; universal

Liberia
18 years of age; universal

Libya
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Liechtenstein
18 years of age; universal

Lithuania
18 years of age; universal

Luxembourg
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Macau
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

Macedonia
18 years of age; universal

Madagascar
18 years of age; universal

Malawi
18 years of age; universal

Malaysia
21 years of age; universal

Maldives
21 years of age; universal

Mali
18 years of age; universal

Malta
18 years of age; universal

Man, Isle of
18 years of age; universal

Marshall Islands
18 years of age; universal

Martinique
18 years of age; universal

Mauritania
18 years of age; universal

Mauritius
18 years of age; universal

Mayotte
18 years of age; universal

Mexico
18 years of age; universal and compulsory (but not enforced)

Micronesia, Federated States of
18 years of age; universal

Moldova
18 years of age; universal

Monaco
21 years of age; universal

Mongolia
18 years of age; universal

Montserrat
18 years of age; universal

Morocco
18 years of age; universal (as of January 2003)

Mozambique
18 years of age; universal

Namibia
18 years of age; universal

Nauru
20 years of age; universal and compulsory

Nepal
18 years of age; universal

Netherlands
18 years of age; universal

Netherlands Antilles
18 years of age; universal

New Caledonia
18 years of age; universal

New Zealand
18 years of age; universal

Nicaragua
16 years of age; universal

Niger
18 years of age; universal

Nigeria
18 years of age; universal

Niue
18 years of age; universal

Norfolk Island
18 years of age; universal

Northern Mariana Islands
18 years of age; universal; indigenous
inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential
elections

Norway
18 years of age; universal

Oman
in Oman's most recent Majlis al-Shura elections in 2003,
suffrage was universal for all Omanis over age 21 except for members
of the military and security forces; the next Majlis al-Shura
elections are scheduled for 2007

Pakistan
18 years of age; universal; joint electorates and reserved
parliamentary seats for women and non-Muslims

Palau
18 years of age; universal

Panama
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Papua New Guinea
18 years of age; universal

Paraguay
18 years of age; universal and compulsory up to age 75

Peru
18 years of age; universal and compulsory until the age of 70;
note - members of the military and national police may not vote

Philippines
18 years of age; universal

Pitcairn Islands
18 years of age; universal with three years
residency

Poland
18 years of age; universal

Portugal
18 years of age; universal

Puerto Rico
18 years of age; universal; island residents are US
citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections

Qatar
18 years of age; universal

Reunion
18 years of age; universal

Romania
18 years of age; universal

Russia
18 years of age; universal

Rwanda
18 years of age; universal adult

Saint Helena
NA years of age

Saint Kitts and Nevis
18 years of age; universal

Saint Lucia
18 years of age; universal

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
18 years of age; universal

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
18 years of age; universal

Samoa
21 years of age; universal

San Marino
18 years of age; universal

Sao Tome and Principe
18 years of age; universal

Saudi Arabia
adult male citizens age 21 or older
note: voter registration began in November 2004 for partial
municipal council elections scheduled nationwide for February
through April 2005

Senegal
18 years of age; universal

Serbia and Montenegro
16 years of age, if employed; 18 years of age,
universal

Seychelles
17 years of age; universal

Sierra Leone
18 years of age; universal

Singapore
21 years of age; universal and compulsory

Slovakia
18 years of age; universal

Slovenia
18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed)

Solomon Islands
21 years of age; universal

Somalia
18 years of age; universal

South Africa
18 years of age; universal

Spain
18 years of age; universal

Sri Lanka
18 years of age; universal

Sudan
17 years of age; universal, but noncompulsory

Suriname
18 years of age; universal

Swaziland
18 years of age

Sweden
18 years of age; universal

Switzerland
18 years of age; universal

Syria
18 years of age; universal

Taiwan
20 years of age; universal

Tajikistan
18 years of age; universal

Tanzania
18 years of age; universal

Thailand
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Togo
NA years of age; universal adult

Tokelau
21 years of age; universal

Tonga
21 years of age; universal

Trinidad and Tobago
18 years of age; universal

Tunisia
20 years of age; universal

Turkey
18 years of age; universal

Turkmenistan
18 years of age; universal

Turks and Caicos Islands
18 years of age; universal

Tuvalu
18 years of age; universal

Uganda
18 years of age; universal

Ukraine
18 years of age; universal

United Arab Emirates
none

United Kingdom
18 years of age; universal

United States
18 years of age; universal

Uruguay
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Uzbekistan
18 years of age; universal

Vanuatu
18 years of age; universal

Venezuela
18 years of age; universal

Vietnam
18 years of age; universal

Virgin Islands
18 years of age; universal; note - island residents
are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections

Wallis and Futuna
18 years of age; universal

Western Sahara
none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign
not yet completed

Yemen
18 years of age; universal

Zambia
18 years of age; universal

Zimbabwe
18 years of age; universal

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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@2124 Telephone system

Afghanistan
general assessment: very limited telephone and telegraph
service
domestic: telephone service improving with the establishment of two
mobile phone operators by 2003; telephone main lines remain weak
with only 0.1 line per 10 people
international: country code - 93; five VSAT's installed in Kabul,
Herat, Mazar-e-Sharif, Kandahar, and Jalalabad provide international
and domestic voice and data connectivity

Albania
general assessment: despite new investment in fixed lines,
the density of main lines remains the lowest in Europe with roughly
8 lines per 100 people; however, cellular telephone use is
widespread and generally effective
domestic: offsetting the shortage of fixed line capacity, mobile
phone service has been available since 1996; by 2003 two companies
were providing mobile services at a greater density than some of
Albania's Balkan neighbors
international: country code - 355; inadequate fixed main lines;
adequate cellular connections; international traffic carried by
microwave radio relay from the Tirana exchange to Italy and Greece
(2003)

Algeria
general assessment: telephone density in Algeria is very
low, not exceeding five telephones per 100 persons; the number of
fixed main lines increased in the last few years to a little more
than 2,000,000, but only about two-thirds of these have subscribers;
much of the infrastructure is outdated and inefficient
domestic: good service in north but sparse in south; domestic
satellite system with 12 earth stations (20 additional domestic
earth stations are planned)
international: country code - 213; 5 submarine cables; microwave
radio relay to Italy, France, Spain, Morocco, and Tunisia; coaxial
cable to Morocco and Tunisia; participant in Medarabtel; satellite
earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1
Intersputnik, and 1 Arabsat (1998)

American Samoa
general assessment: NA
domestic: good telex, telegraph, facsimile and cellular telephone
services; domestic satellite system with 1 Comsat earth station
international: country code - 1-684; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Andorra
general assessment: NA
domestic: modern system with microwave radio relay connections
between exchanges
international: country code - 376; landline circuits to France and
Spain

Angola
general assessment: telephone service limited mostly to
government and business use; HF radiotelephone used extensively for
military links
domestic: limited system of wire, microwave radio relay, and
tropospheric scatter
international: country code - 244; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC)
provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Anguilla
general assessment: NA
domestic: modern internal telephone system
international: country code - 1-264; microwave radio relay to island
of Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles)

Antarctica
general assessment: local systems at some research
stations
domestic: NA
international: country code - 672; via satellite (mobile Inmarsat
and Iridium system) from some research stations

Antigua and Barbuda
general assessment: NA
domestic: good automatic telephone system
international: country code - 1-268; 1 coaxial submarine cable;
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric
scatter to Saba (Netherlands Antilles) and Guadeloupe

Argentina
general assessment: by opening the telecommunications
market to competition and foreign investment with the
"Telecommunications Liberalization Plan of 1998," Argentina
encouraged the growth of modern telecommunication technology;
fiber-optic cable trunk lines are being installed between all major
cities; the major networks are entirely digital and the availability
of telephone service is being improved; however, telephone density
is presently minimal, and making telephone service universally
available will take time
domestic: microwave radio relay, fiber-optic cable, and a domestic
satellite system with 40 earth stations serve the trunk network;
more than 110,000 pay telephones are installed and mobile telephone
use is rapidly expanding
international: country code - 54; satellite earth stations - 8
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); Atlantis II and Unisur submarine cables;
two international gateways near Buenos Aires (1999)

Armenia
general assessment: system inadequate; now 90% privately
owned and undergoing modernization and expansion
domestic: the majority of subscribers and the most modern equipment
are in Yerevan (this includes paging and mobile cellular service)
international: country code - 374; Yerevan is connected to the
Trans-Asia-Europe fiber-optic cable through Iran; additional
international service is available by microwave radio relay and
landline connections to the other countries of the Commonwealth of
Independent States and through the Moscow international switch and
by satellite to the rest of the world; satellite earth stations - 1
Intelsat (2000)

Aruba
general assessment: modern fully automatic telecommunications
system
domestic: increased competition through privatization; 3 wireless
service providers are now licensed
international: country code - 297; 1 submarine cable to Sint Maarten
(Netherlands Antilles); extensive interisland microwave radio relay
links

Australia
general assessment: excellent domestic and international
service
domestic: domestic satellite system; much use of radiotelephone in
areas of low population density; rapid growth of mobile cellular
telephones
international: country code - 61; submarine cables to New Zealand,
Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia; satellite earth stations - 10
Intelsat (4 Indian Ocean and 6 Pacific Ocean), 2 Inmarsat (Indian
and Pacific Ocean regions) (1998)

Austria
general assessment: highly developed and efficient
domestic: there are 48 main lines for every 100 persons; the fiber
optic net is very extensive; all telephone applications and Internet
services are available
international: country code - 43; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Eutelsat; in
addition, there are about 600 VSAT (very small aperture terminals)
(2002)

Azerbaijan
general assessment: inadequate; requires considerable
expansion and modernization; teledensity of 10 main lines per 100
persons is low (2002)
domestic: the majority of telephones are in Baku and other
industrial centers - about 700 villages still without public
telephone service; satellite service connects Baku to a modern
switch in its exclave of Naxcivan
international: country code - 994; the old Soviet system of cable
and microwave is still serviceable; a satellite connection to Turkey
enables Baku to reach about 200 additional countries, some of which
are directly connected to Baku by satellite providers other than
Turkey (1997)

Bahamas, The
general assessment: modern facilities
domestic: totally automatic system; highly developed
international: country code - 1-242; tropospheric scatter and
submarine cable to Florida; 3 coaxial submarine cables; satellite
earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (1997)

Bahrain
general assessment: modern system
domestic: modern fiber-optic integrated services; digital network
with rapidly growing use of mobile cellular telephones
international: country code - 973; tropospheric scatter to Qatar and
UAE; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; submarine cable to
Qatar, UAE, and Saudi Arabia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat
(1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat (1997)

Bangladesh
general assessment: totally inadequate for a modern
country
domestic: modernizing; introducing digital systems; trunk systems
include VHF and UHF microwave radio relay links, and some
fiber-optic cable in cities
international: country code - 880; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Indian Ocean); international radiotelephone communications
and landline service to neighboring countries (2000)

Barbados
general assessment: NA
domestic: island-wide automatic telephone system
international: country code - 1-246; satellite earth stations - 4
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Trinidad and
Saint Lucia

Belarus
general assessment: the Ministry of Telecommunications
controls all telecommunications through its carrier (a joint stock
company) Beltelcom which is a monopoly
domestic: local - Minsk has a digital metropolitan network and a
cellular NMT-450 network; waiting lists for telephones are long;
local service outside Minsk is neglected and poor; intercity -
Belarus has a partly developed fiber-optic backbone system presently
serving at least 13 major cities (1998); Belarus' fiber optics form
synchronous digital hierarchy rings through other countries'
systems; an inadequate analog system remains operational
international: country code - 375; Belarus is a member of the
Trans-European Line (TEL), Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line,
and has access to the Trans-Siberia Line (TSL); three fiber-optic
segments provide connectivity to Latvia, Poland, Russia, and
Ukraine; worldwide service is available to Belarus through this
infrastructure; additional analog lines to Russia; Intelsat,
Eutelsat, and Intersputnik earth stations

Belgium
general assessment: highly developed, technologically
advanced, and completely automated domestic and international
telephone and telegraph facilities
domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; extensive cable
network; limited microwave radio relay network
international: country code - 32; 5 submarine cables; satellite
earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Eutelsat

Belize
general assessment: above-average system
domestic: trunk network depends primarily on microwave radio relay
international: country code - 501; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Benin
general assessment: NA
domestic: fair system of open-wire, microwave radio relay, and
cellular connections
international: country code - 229; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC)
provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Bermuda
general assessment: good
domestic: fully automatic digital telephone system; fiber optic
trunk lines
international: country code - 1-441; 3 fiber optic submarine cables;
satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Bhutan
general assessment: telecommunications facilities are poor
domestic: very low tele-density; domestic service is very poor
especially in rural areas; wireless service available since 2003
international: country code - 975; international telephone and
telegraph service via landline and microwave relay through India;
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2005)

Bolivia
general assessment: new subscribers face bureaucratic
difficulties; most telephones are concentrated in La Paz and other
cities; mobile cellular telephone use expanding rapidly
domestic: primary trunk system, which is being expanded, employs
digital microwave radio relay; some areas are served by fiber-optic
cable; mobile cellular systems are being expanded
international: country code - 591; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
general assessment: telephone and telegraph
network needs modernization and expansion; many urban areas are
below average as contrasted with services in other former Yugoslav
republics
domestic: NA
international: country code - 387; no satellite earth stations

Botswana
general assessment: the system is expanding with the growth
of mobile cellular service and participation in regional development
domestic: small system of open-wire lines, microwave radio relay
links, and a few radiotelephone communication stations; mobile
cellular service is growing fast
international: country code - 267; two international exchanges;
digital microwave radio relay links to Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe,
and South Africa; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Brazil
general assessment: good working system
domestic: extensive microwave radio relay system and a domestic
satellite system with 64 earth stations
international: country code - 55; 3 coaxial submarine cables;
satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat
(Atlantic Ocean region east), connected by microwave relay system to
Mercosur Brazilsat B3 satellite earth station

British Indian Ocean Territory
general assessment: separate
facilities for military and public needs are available
domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including
connection to the Internet
international: international telephone service is carried by
satellite (2000)

British Virgin Islands
general assessment: worldwide telephone
service
domestic: NA
international: country code - 1-284; submarine cable to Bermuda

Brunei
general assessment: service throughout the country is
excellent; international service is good to East Asia, Europe, and
the US
domestic: every service available
international: country code - 673; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean); digital submarine
cable links to Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore (2001)

Bulgaria
general assessment: extensive but antiquated
domestic: more than two-thirds of the lines are residential;
telephone service is available in most villages; a fairly modern
digital cable trunk line now connects switching centers in most of
the regions, the others are connected by digital microwave radio
relay
international: country code - 359; direct dialing to 58 countries;
satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); 2
Intelsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions)

Burkina Faso
general assessment: all services only fair
domestic: microwave radio relay, open-wire, and radiotelephone
communication stations
international: country code - 226; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Burma
general assessment: barely meets minimum requirements for
local and intercity service for business and government;
international service is fair
domestic: NA
international: country code - 95; satellite earth station - 2,
Intelsat (Indian Ocean), and ShinSat

Burundi
general assessment: primitive system
domestic: sparse system of open-wire, radiotelephone communications,
and low-capacity microwave radio relay
international: country code - 257; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Cambodia
general assessment: adequate landline and/or cellular
service in Phnom Penh and other provincial cities; mobile phone
coverage is rapidly expanding in rural areas
domestic: NA
international: country code - 855; adequate but expensive landline
and cellular service available to all countries from Phnom Penh and
major provincial cities; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik
(Indian Ocean region)

Cameroon
general assessment: available only to business and
government
domestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter
international: country code - 237; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC)
provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

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

Cape Verde
general assessment: effective system, extensive
modernization from 1996-2000 following partial privatization in 1995
domestic: major service provider is Cabo Verde Telecom (CVT); fiber
optic ring, completed in 2001, links all islands providing Internet
access and ISDN services; cellular service introduced in 1998
international: country code - 238; 2 coaxial submarine cables; HF
radiotelephone to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station
- 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Cayman Islands
general assessment: reasonably good system
domestic: liberalization of telecom market in 2003 reflected in
falling prices and improving services
international: country code - 1-345; 2 submarine fiber optic cables
(Maya-1, Cayman-Jamaica); satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
(Atlantic Ocean)

Central African Republic
general assessment: fair system
domestic: network consists principally of microwave radio relay and
low-capacity, low-powered radiotelephone communication
international: country code - 236; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Chad
general assessment: primitive system
domestic: fair system of radiotelephone communication stations
international: country code - 235; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Chile
general assessment: modern system based on extensive microwave
radio relay facilities
domestic: extensive microwave radio relay links; domestic satellite
system with 3 earth stations
international: country code - 56; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

China
general assessment: domestic and international services are
increasingly available for private use; unevenly distributed
domestic system serves principal cities, industrial centers, and
many towns
domestic: interprovincial fiber-optic trunk lines and cellular
telephone systems have been installed; a domestic satellite system
with 55 earth stations is in place
international: country code - 86; satellite earth stations - 5
Intelsat (4 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik
(Indian Ocean region) and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific and Indian Ocean
regions); several international fiber-optic links to Japan, South
Korea, Hong Kong, Russia, and Germany (2000)

Christmas Island
general assessment: service provided by the
Australian network
domestic: GSM mobile telephone service replaced older analog system
in February 2005
international: country code - 61-891; satellite earth stations - one
Intelsat earth station provides telephone and telex service (2000)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
general assessment: connected within
Australia's telecommunication system
domestic: NA
international: country code - 61-891; telephone, telex, and
facsimile communications with Australia and elsewhere via satellite;
1 satellite earth station of NA type (2002)

Colombia
general assessment: modern system in many respects
domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system; domestic
satellite system with 41 earth stations; fiber-optic network linking
50 cities
international: country code - 57; satellite earth stations - 6
Intelsat, 1 Inmarsat; 3 fully digitalized international switching
centers; 8 submarine cables

Comoros
general assessment: sparse system of microwave radio relay
and HF radiotelephone communication stations
domestic: HF radiotelephone communications and microwave radio relay
international: country code - 269; HF radiotelephone communications
to Madagascar and Reunion

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
general assessment: poor
domestic: barely adequate wire and microwave radio relay service in
and between urban areas; domestic satellite system with 14 earth
stations
international: country code - 243; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Congo, Republic of the
general assessment: services barely adequate
for government use; key exchanges are in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire,
and Loubomo; intercity lines frequently out of order
domestic: primary network consists of microwave radio relay and
coaxial cable
international: country code - 242; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Cook Islands
general assessment: Telecom Cook Islands offers
international direct dialing, Internet, email, fax, and Telex
domestic: the individual islands are connected by a combination of
satellite earth stations, microwave systems, and VHF and HF
radiotelephone; within the islands, service is provided by small
exchanges connected to subscribers by open-wire, cable, and
fiber-optic cable
international: country code - 682; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Costa Rica
general assessment: good domestic telephone service in
terms of breadth of coverage; restricted cellular telephone service
domestic: point-to-point and point-to-multi-point microwave,
fiber-optic, and coaxial cable link rural areas; Internet service is
available
international: country code - 506; connected to Central American
Microwave System; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic
Ocean); two submarine cables (1999)

Cote d'Ivoire
general assessment: well developed by African
standards but operating well below capacity
domestic: open-wire lines and microwave radio relay; 90% digitalized
international: country code - 225; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); 2 submarine cables
(June 1999)

Croatia
general assessment: NA
domestic: reconstruction plan calls for replacement of all analog
circuits with digital and enlarging the network; a backup will be
included in the plan for the main trunk
international: country code - 385; digital international service is
provided through the main switch in Zagreb; Croatia participates in
the Trans-Asia-Europe (TEL) fiber-optic project, which consists of
two fiber-optic trunk connections with Slovenia and a fiber-optic
trunk line from Rijeka to Split and Dubrovnik; Croatia is also
investing in ADRIA 1, a joint fiber-optic project with Germany,
Albania, and Greece (2000)

Cuba
general assessment: greater investment beginning in 1994 and
the establishment of a new Ministry of Information Technology and
Communications in 2000 has resulted in improvements in the system;
wireless service is expensive and remains restricted to foreigners
and regime elites, many Cubans procure wireless service illegally
with the help of foreigners
domestic: national fiber-optic system under development; 85% of
switches digitized by end of 2004; telephone line density remains
low, at 10 per 100 inhabitants; domestic cellular service expanding
international: country code - 53; fiber-optic cable laid to but not
linked to US network; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik
(Atlantic Ocean region)

Cyprus
general assessment: excellent in both Republic of Cyprus and
north Cyprus areas
domestic: open-wire, fiber-optic cable, and microwave radio relay
international: country code - 357; tropospheric scatter; 3 coaxial
and 5 fiber-optic submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3
Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean), 2 Eutelsat, 2
Intersputnik, and 1 Arabsat

Czech Republic
general assessment: privatization and modernization
of the Czech telecommunication system got a late start but is
advancing steadily; growth in the use of mobile cellular telephones
is particularly vigorous
domestic: 86% of exchanges now digital; existing copper subscriber
systems now being enhanced with Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line
(ADSL) equipment to accommodate Internet and other digital signals;
trunk systems include fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay
international: country code - 420; satellite earth stations - 2
Intersputnik (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions), 1 Intelsat, 1
Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 1 Globalstar

Denmark
general assessment: excellent telephone and telegraph
services
domestic: buried and submarine cables and microwave radio relay form
trunk network, 4 cellular mobile communications systems
international: country code - 45; 18 submarine fiber-optic cables
linking Denmark with Canada, Faroe Islands, Germany, Iceland,
Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and UK; satellite earth
stations - 6 Intelsat, 10 Eutelsat, 1 Orion, 1 Inmarsat
(Blaavand-Atlantic-East); note - the Nordic countries (Denmark,
Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) share the Danish earth station
and the Eik, Norway, station for worldwide Inmarsat access (1997)

Djibouti
general assessment: telephone facilities in the city of
Djibouti are adequate as are the microwave radio relay connections
to outlying areas of the country
domestic: microwave radio relay network
international: country code - 253; submarine cable to Jiddah, Suez,
Sicily, Marseilles, Colombo, and Singapore; satellite earth stations
- 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; Medarabtel regional
microwave radio relay telephone network

Dominica
general assessment: NA
domestic: fully automatic network
international: country code - 1-767; microwave radio relay and SHF
radiotelephone links to Martinique and Guadeloupe; VHF and UHF
radiotelephone links to Saint Lucia

Dominican Republic
general assessment: NA
domestic: relatively efficient system based on island-wide microwave
radio relay network
international: country code - 1-809; 1 coaxial submarine cable;
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

East Timor
NA

Ecuador
general assessment: generally elementary but being expanded
domestic: facilities generally inadequate and unreliable
international: country code - 593; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Egypt
general assessment: large system; underwent extensive
upgrading during 1990s and is reasonably modern; Internet access and
cellular service are available
domestic: principal centers at Alexandria, Cairo, Al Mansurah,
Ismailia, Suez, and Tanta are connected by coaxial cable and
microwave radio relay
international: country code - 20; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean), 1 Arabsat, and 1
Inmarsat; 5 coaxial submarine cables; tropospheric scatter to Sudan;
microwave radio relay to Israel; a participant in Medarabtel

El Salvador
general assessment: NA
domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system
international: country code - 503; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave
System

Equatorial Guinea
general assessment: poor system with adequate
government services
domestic: NA
international: country code - 240; international communications from
Bata and Malabo to African and European countries; satellite earth
station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Eritrea
general assessment: inadequate
domestic: very inadequate; most telephones are in Asmara; government
is seeking international tenders to improve the system (2002)
international: country code - 291; note - international connections
exist

Estonia
general assessment: foreign investment in the form of joint
business ventures greatly improved telephone service; substantial
fiber-optic cable systems carry telephone, TV, and radio traffic in
the digital mode; Internet services are available throughout most of
the country - only about 11,000 subscriber requests were unfilled by
September 2000
domestic: a wide range of high quality voice, data, and Internet
services is available throughout the country
international: country code - 372; fiber-optic cables to Finland,
Sweden, Latvia, and Russia provide worldwide packet-switched
service; two international switches are located in Tallinn (2001)

Ethiopia
general assessment: adequate for government use
domestic: open-wire; microwave radio relay; radio communication in
the HF, VHF, and UHF frequencies; two domestic satellites provide
the national trunk service
international: country code - 251; open-wire to Sudan and Djibouti;
microwave radio relay to Kenya and Djibouti; satellite earth
stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Pacific Ocean)

European Union
note - see individual country entries of member states

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
general assessment: NA
domestic: government-operated radiotelephone and private VHF/CB
radiotelephone networks provide effective service to almost all
points on both islands
international: country code - 500; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) with links through London to other
countries

Faroe Islands
general assessment: good international communications;
good domestic facilities
domestic: digitalization was completed in 1998; both NMT (analog)
and GSM (digital) mobile telephone systems are installed
international: country code - 298; satellite earth stations - 1
Orion; 1 fiber-optic submarine cable to the Shetland Islands,
linking the Faroe Islands with Denmark and Iceland; fiber-optic
submarine cable connection to Canada-Europe cable

Fiji
general assessment: modern local, interisland, and
international (wire/radio integrated) public and special-purpose
telephone, telegraph, and teleprinter facilities; regional radio
communications center
domestic: NA
international: country code - 679; access to important cable links
between US and Canada as well as between NZ and Australia; satellite
earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Finland
general assessment: modern system with excellent service
domestic: digital fiber-optic fixed-line network and an extensive
cellular network provide domestic needs
international: country code - 358; 1 submarine cable (Finland
Estonia Connection); satellite earth stations - access to Intelsat
transmission service via a Swedish satellite earth station, 1
Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Finland shares
the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark,
Iceland, Norway, and Sweden)

France
general assessment: highly developed
domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay; extensive
introduction of fiber-optic cable; domestic satellite system
international: country code - 33; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (with total of 5 antennas - 2 for Indian Ocean and 3 for
Atlantic Ocean), NA Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region); HF
radiotelephone communications with more than 20 countries

French Guiana
general assessment: NA
domestic: fair open-wire and microwave radio relay system
international: country code - 594; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

French Polynesia
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 689; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Gabon
general assessment: adequate service by African standards and
improving with the help of the growing mobile cell system
domestic: adequate system of cable, microwave radio relay,
tropospheric scatter, radiotelephone communication stations, and a
domestic satellite system with 12 earth stations
international: country code - 241; satellite earth stations - 3
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC)
provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Gambia, The
general assessment: adequate; a packet switched data
network is available
domestic: adequate network of microwave radio relay and open-wire
international: country code - 220; microwave radio relay links to
Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
(Atlantic Ocean)

Gaza Strip
general assessment: NA
domestic: rudimentary telephone services provided by an open-wire
system
international: NA

Georgia
general assessment: NA
domestic: local - T'bilisi and K'ut'aisi have cellular telephone
networks; urban telephone density is about 20 per 100 people; rural
telephone density is about 4 per 100 people; intercity facilities
include a fiber-optic line between T'bilisi and K'ut'aisi;
nationwide pager service is available
international: country code - 995; Georgia and Russia are working on
a fiber-optic line between P'ot'i and Sochi (Russia); present
international service is available by microwave, landline, and
satellite through the Moscow switch; international electronic mail
and telex service are available

Germany
general assessment: Germany has one of the world's most
technologically advanced telecommunications systems; as a result of
intensive capital expenditures since reunification, the formerly
backward system of the eastern part of the country, dating back to
World War II, has been modernized and integrated with that of the
western part
domestic: Germany is served by an extensive system of automatic
telephone exchanges connected by modern networks of fiber-optic
cable, coaxial cable, microwave radio relay, and a domestic
satellite system; cellular telephone service is widely available,
expanding rapidly, and includes roaming service to many foreign
countries
international: country code - 49; Germany's international service is
excellent worldwide, consisting of extensive land and undersea cable
facilities as well as earth stations in the Inmarsat, Intelsat,
Eutelsat, and Intersputnik satellite systems (2001)

Ghana
general assessment: poor to fair system; Internet accessible;
many rural communities not yet connected; expansion of services is
underway
domestic: primarily microwave radio relay; wireless local loop has
been installed
international: country code - 233; satellite earth stations - 4
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); microwave radio relay link to Panaftel
system connects Ghana to its neighbors; fiber optic submarine cable
(SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Gibraltar
general assessment: adequate, automatic domestic system
and adequate international facilities
domestic: automatic exchange facilities
international: country code - 350; radiotelephone; microwave radio
relay; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Greece
general assessment: adequate, modern networks reach all
areas; good mobile telephone and international service
domestic: microwave radio relay trunk system; extensive open-wire
connections; submarine cable to offshore islands
international: country code - 30; tropospheric scatter; 8 submarine
cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and
1 Indian Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region)

Greenland
general assessment: adequate domestic and international
service provided by satellite, cables and microwave radio relay;
totally digitalized in 1995
domestic: microwave radio relay and satellite
international: country code - 299; satellite earth stations - 12
Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 2 Americom GE-2 (all Atlantic Ocean)

Grenada
general assessment: automatic, islandwide telephone system
domestic: interisland VHF and UHF radiotelephone links
international: country code - 1-473; new SHF radiotelephone links to
Trinidad and Tobago and Saint Vincent; VHF and UHF radio links to
Trinidad

Guadeloupe
general assessment: domestic facilities inadequate
domestic: NA
international: country code - 590; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); microwave radio relay to Antigua and
Barbuda, Dominica, and Martinique

Guam
general assessment: modern system, integrated with US
facilities for direct dialing, including free use of 800 numbers
domestic: modern digital system, including cellular mobile service
and local access to the Internet
international: country code - 1-671; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); submarine cables to US and Japan (Guam is
a trans-Pacific communications hub for MCI, Sprint, AT&T, IT&E, and
GTE, linking the US and Asia)

Guatemala
general assessment: fairly modern network centered in the
city of Guatemala
domestic: NA
international: country code - 502; connected to Central American
Microwave System; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic
Ocean)

Guernsey
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: 1 submarine cable

Guinea
general assessment: poor to fair system of open-wire lines,
small radiotelephone communication stations, and new microwave radio
relay system
domestic: microwave radio relay and radiotelephone communication
international: country code - 224; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Guinea-Bissau
general assessment: small system
domestic: combination of microwave radio relay, open-wire lines,
radiotelephone, and cellular communications
international: country code - 245

Guyana
general assessment: fair system for long-distance service
domestic: microwave radio relay network for trunk lines
international: country code - 592; tropospheric scatter to Trinidad;
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Haiti
general assessment: domestic facilities barely adequate;
international facilities slightly better
domestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay trunk service
international: country code - 509; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Holy See (Vatican City)
general assessment: automatic exchange
domestic: tied into Italian system
international: country code - 39; uses Italian system

Honduras
general assessment: inadequate system
domestic: NA
international: country code - 504; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave
System

Hong Kong
general assessment: modern facilities provide excellent
domestic and international services
domestic: microwave radio relay links and extensive fiber-optic
network
international: country code - 852; satellite earth stations - 3
Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); coaxial cable to
Guangzhou, China; access to 5 international submarine cables
providing connections to ASEAN member nations, Japan, Taiwan,
Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe

Hungary
general assessment: the telephone system has been modernized
and is capable of satisfying all requests for telecommunication
service
domestic: the system is digitalized and highly automated; trunk
services are carried by fiber-optic cable and digital microwave
radio relay; a program for fiber-optic subscriber connections was
initiated in 1996; heavy use is made of mobile cellular telephones
international: country code - 36; Hungary has fiber-optic cable
connections with all neighboring countries; the international switch
is in Budapest; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic
Ocean and Indian Ocean regions), 1 Inmarsat, 1 very small aperture
terminal (VSAT) system of ground terminals

Iceland
general assessment: extensive domestic service
domestic: the trunk network consists of coaxial and fiber-optic
cables and microwave radio relay links
international: country code - 354; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean
regions); note - Iceland shares the Inmarsat earth station with the
other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden)

India
general assessment: recent deregulation and liberalization of
telecommunications laws and policies have prompted rapid change;
local and long distance service provided throughout all regions of
the country, with services primarily concentrated in the urban
areas; steady improvement is taking place with the recent admission
of private and private-public investors, but telephone density
remains low at about seven for each 100 persons nationwide but only
one per 100 persons in rural areas and a national waiting list of
over 1.7 million; fastest growth is in cellular service with modest
growth in fixed lines
domestic: expansion of domestic service, although still weak in
rural areas, resulted from increased competition and dramatic
reductions in price led in large part by wireless service; mobile
cellular service (both CDMA and GSM) introduced in 1994 and
organized nationwide into four metropolitan cities and 19 telecom
circles each with about three private service providers and one
state-owned service provider; in recent years significant trunk
capacity added in the form of fiber-optic cable and one of the
world's largest domestic satellite systems, the Indian National
Satellite system (INSAT), with five satellites supporting 33,000
very small aperture terminals (VSAT)
international: country code - 91; satellite earth stations - 8
Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region); nine
gateway exchanges operating from Mumbai (Bombay), New Delhi, Kolkata
(Calcutta), Chennai (Madras), Jalandhar, Kanpur, Gandhinagar,
Hyderabad, and Ernakulam; 5 submarine cables, including Sea-Me-We-3
with landing sites at Cochin and Mumbai (Bombay), Fiber-Optic Link
Around the Globe (FLAG) with landing site at Mumbai (Bombay), South
Africa - Far East (SAFE) with landing site at Cochin, i2icn linking
to Singapore with landing sites at Mumbai (Bombay) and Chennai
(Madras), and Tata Indicom linking Singapore and Chennai (Madras),
provide a significant increase in the bandwidth available for both
voice and data traffic (2004)

Indonesia
general assessment: domestic service fair, international
service good
domestic: interisland microwave system and HF radio police net;
domestic satellite communications system
international: country code - 62; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean)

Iran
general assessment: inadequate but currently being modernized
and expanded with the goal of not only improving the efficiency and
increasing the volume of the urban service but also bringing
telephone service to several thousand villages, not presently
connected
domestic: as a result of heavy investing in the telephone system
since 1994, the number of long-distance channels in the microwave
radio relay trunk has grown substantially; many villages have been
brought into the net; the number of main lines in the urban systems
has approximately doubled; and thousands of mobile cellular
subscribers are being served; moreover, the technical level of the
system has been raised by the installation of thousands of digital
switches
international: country code - 98; HF radio and microwave radio relay
to Turkey, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Syria,
Kuwait, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan; submarine fiber-optic cable to
UAE with access to Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG);
Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line runs from Azerbaijan
through the northern portion of Iran to Turkmenistan with expansion
to Georgia and Azerbaijan; satellite earth stations - 9 Intelsat and
4 Inmarsat

Iraq
general assessment: the 2003 war severely disrupted
telecommunications throughout Iraq including international
connections; USAID is overseeing the repair of switching capability
and the construction of mobile and satellite communication facilities
domestic: repairs to switches and lines destroyed in the recent
fighting continue, but sabotage remains a problem; cellular service
is expected to be in place within two years
international: country code - 964; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik
(Atlantic Ocean region), and 1 Arabsat (inoperative); coaxial cable
and microwave radio relay to Jordan, Kuwait, Syria, and Turkey;
Kuwait line is probably nonoperational

Ireland
general assessment: modern digital system using cable and
microwave radio relay
domestic: microwave radio relay
international: country code - 353; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Israel
general assessment: most highly developed system in the
Middle East although not the largest
domestic: good system of coaxial cable and microwave radio relay;
all systems are digital
international: country code - 972; 3 submarine cables; satellite
earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)

Italy
general assessment: modern, well developed, fast; fully
automated telephone, telex, and data services
domestic: high-capacity cable and microwave radio relay trunks
international: country code - 39; satellite earth stations - 3
Intelsat (with a total of 5 antennas - 3 for Atlantic Ocean and 2
for Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region), and NA
Eutelsat; 21 submarine cables

Jamaica
general assessment: fully automatic domestic telephone
network
domestic: NA
international: country code - 1-876; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); 3 coaxial submarine cables

Japan
general assessment: excellent domestic and international
service
domestic: high level of modern technology and excellent service of
every kind
international: country code - 81; satellite earth stations - 5
Intelsat (4 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik
(Indian Ocean region), and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific and Indian Ocean
regions); submarine cables to China, Philippines, Russia, and US
(via Guam) (1999)

Jersey
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: 3 submarine cables

Johnston Atoll
general assessment: NA
domestic: 512 KB satellite link to Hawaii teleport; 20 (POTS) voice
and data lines
international: NA (2002)

Jordan
general assessment: service has improved recently with
increased use of digital switching equipment, but better access to
the telephone system is needed in the rural areas and easier access
to pay telephones is needed by the urban public
domestic: microwave radio relay transmission and coaxial and
fiber-optic cable are employed on trunk lines; considerable use of
mobile cellular systems; Internet service is available
international: country code - 962; satellite earth stations - 3
Intelsat, 1 Arabsat, and 29 land and maritime Inmarsat terminals;
fiber-optic cable to Saudi Arabia and microwave radio relay link
with Egypt and Syria; connection to international submarine cable
FLAG (Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe); participant in MEDARABTEL;
international links total about 4,000

Kazakhstan
general assessment: service is poor; equipment antiquated
domestic: intercity by landline and microwave radio relay; mobile
cellular systems are available in most of Kazakhstan
international: country code - 7; international traffic with other
former Soviet republics and China carried by landline and microwave
radio relay and with other countries by satellite and by the
Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic cable; satellite earth stations
- 2 Intelsat

Kenya
general assessment: unreliable; little attempt to modernize
except for service to business
domestic: trunks are primarily microwave radio relay; business data
commonly transferred by a very small aperture terminal (VSAT) system
international: country code - 254; satellite earth stations - 4
Intelsat

Kiribati
general assessment: generally good quality national and
international service
domestic: wire line service available on Tarawa and Kiritimati;
connections to outer islands by HF/VHF radiotelephone; wireless
service available in Tarawa since 1999
international: country code - 686; Kiribati is being linked to the
Pacific Ocean Cooperative Telecommunications Network, which should
improve telephone service; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
(Pacific Ocean)

Korea, North
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 850; satellite earth stations - 1
Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Russian (Indian Ocean region); other
international connections through Moscow and Beijing

Korea, South
general assessment: excellent domestic and
international services
domestic: NA
international: country code - 82; fiber-optic submarine cable to
China; the Russia-Korea-Japan submarine cable; satellite earth
stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1
Inmarsat (Pacific Ocean region)

Kuwait
general assessment: the quality of service is excellent
domestic: new telephone exchanges provide a large capacity for new
subscribers; trunk traffic is carried by microwave radio relay,
coaxial cable, and open-wire and fiber-optic cable; a cellular
telephone system operates throughout Kuwait, and the country is well
supplied with pay telephones
international: country code - 965; coaxial cable and microwave radio
relay to Saudi Arabia; linked to Bahrain, Qatar, UAE via the
Fiber-Optic Gulf (FOG) cable; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat
(1 Atlantic Ocean, 2 Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean), and
2 Arabsat

Kyrgyzstan
general assessment: poorly developed; about 100,000
unsatisfied applications for household telephones
domestic: principally microwave radio relay; one cellular provider,
probably limited to Bishkek region
international: country code - 996; connections with other CIS
countries by landline or microwave radio relay and with other
countries by leased connections with Moscow international gateway
switch and by satellite; satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik
and 1 Intelsat; connected internationally by the Trans-Asia-Europe
(TAE) fiber-optic line

Laos
general assessment: service to general public is poor but
improving with over 20,000 telephones currently in service and an
additional 48,000 expected by 2001; the government relies on a
radiotelephone network to communicate with remote areas
domestic: radiotelephone communications
international: country code - 856; satellite earth station - 1
Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region)

Latvia
general assessment: inadequate, but is being modernized to
provide an international capability independent of the Moscow
international switch; more facilities are being installed for
individual use
domestic: expansion underway in intercity trunk line connections,
rural exchanges, and mobile systems; still many unsatisfied
subscriber applications
international: country code - 371; international connections are now
available via cable and a satellite earth station at Riga, enabling
direct connections for most calls (1998)

Lebanon
general assessment: telecommunications system severely
damaged by civil war; rebuilding well underway
domestic: primarily microwave radio relay and cable
international: country code - 961; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean) (erratic operations);
coaxial cable to Syria; microwave radio relay to Syria but
inoperable beyond Syria to Jordan; 3 submarine coaxial cables

Lesotho
general assessment: rudimentary system
domestic: consists of a modest but growing number of landlines, a
small microwave radio relay system, and a minor radiotelephone
communication system; a cellular mobile telephone system is growing
international: country code - 266; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Liberia
general assessment: the limited services available are found
almost exclusively in the capital Monrovia
domestic: fully automatic system with very low density of .21 fixed
mainlines per 100 persons; limited wireless service available
international: country code - 231; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Libya
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)

Liechtenstein
general assessment: automatic telephone system
domestic: NA
international: country code - 423; linked to Swiss networks by cable
and microwave radio relay

Lithuania
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

Luxembourg
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)

Macau
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)

Macedonia
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 389

Madagascar
general assessment: system is above average for the region
domestic: open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay,
and tropospheric scatter links connect regions
international: country code - 261; submarine cable to Bahrain;
satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1
Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)

Malawi
general assessment: NA
domestic: system employs open-wire lines, microwave radio relay
links, and radiotelephone communications stations
international: country code - 265; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Malaysia
general assessment: modern system; international service
excellent
domestic: good intercity service provided on Peninsular Malaysia
mainly by microwave radio relay; adequate intercity microwave radio
relay network between Sabah and Sarawak via Brunei; domestic
satellite system with 2 earth stations
international: country code - 60; submarine cables to India, Hong
Kong, and Singapore; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian
Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) (2001)