Chapter CXIII: Section 3: , Taipei, Taiwan, telephone: 886 (2) 2162-2000, FAX (48)

Southern Ocean
the Southern Ocean is deep, 4,000 to 5,000 meters
over most of its extent with only limited areas of shallow water;
the Antarctic continental shelf is generally narrow and unusually
deep, its edge lying at depths of 400 to 800 meters (the global mean
is 133 meters); the Antarctic icepack grows from an average minimum
of 2.6 million square kilometers in March to about 18.8 million
square kilometers in September, better than a sixfold increase in
area; the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (21,000 km in length) moves
perpetually eastward; it is the world's largest ocean current,
transporting 130 million cubic meters of water per second - 100
times the flow of all the world's rivers

Spain
large, flat to dissected plateau surrounded by rugged hills;
Pyrenees in north

Spratly Islands
flat

Sri Lanka
mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in
south-central interior

Sudan
generally flat, featureless plain; mountains in far south,
northeast and west; desert dominates the north

Suriname
mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps

Svalbard
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

Swaziland
mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains

Sweden
mostly flat or gently rolling lowlands; mountains in west

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

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

Taiwan
eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently
rolling plains in west

Tajikistan
Pamir and Alay Mountains dominate landscape; western
Fergana Valley in north, Kofarnihon and Vakhsh Valleys in southwest

Tanzania
plains along coast; central plateau; highlands in north,
south

Thailand
central plain; Khorat Plateau in the east; mountains
elsewhere

Togo
gently rolling savanna in north; central hills; southern
plateau; low coastal plain with extensive lagoons and marshes

Tokelau
low-lying coral atolls enclosing large lagoons

Tonga
most islands have limestone base formed from uplifted coral
formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic base

Trinidad and Tobago
mostly plains with some hills and low mountains

Tromelin Island
low, flat, and sandy; likely volcanic

Tunisia
mountains in north; hot, dry central plain; semiarid south
merges into the Sahara

Turkey
high central plateau (Anatolia); narrow coastal plain;
several mountain ranges

Turkmenistan
flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes rising to
mountains in the south; low mountains along border with Iran;
borders Caspian Sea in west

Turks and Caicos Islands
low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and
mangrove swamps

Tuvalu
very low-lying and narrow coral atolls

Uganda
mostly plateau with rim of mountains

Ukraine
most of Ukraine consists of fertile plains (steppes) and
plateaus, mountains being found only in the west (the Carpathians),
and in the Crimean Peninsula in the extreme south

United Arab Emirates
flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling
sand dunes of vast desert wasteland; mountains in east

United Kingdom
mostly rugged hills and low mountains; level to
rolling plains in east and southeast

United States
vast central plain, mountains in west, hills and low
mountains in east; rugged mountains and broad river valleys in
Alaska; rugged, volcanic topography in Hawaii

Uruguay
mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland

Uzbekistan
mostly flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes; broad,
flat intensely irrigated river valleys along course of Amu Darya,
Syr Darya (Sirdaryo), and Zarafshon; Fergana Valley in east
surrounded by mountainous Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan; shrinking Aral
Sea in west

Vanuatu
mostly mountainous islands of volcanic origin; narrow
coastal plains

Venezuela
Andes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest;
central plains (llanos); Guiana Highlands in southeast

Vietnam
low, flat delta in south and north; central highlands;
hilly, mountainous in far north and northwest

Virgin Islands
mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little
level land

Wake Island
atoll of three coral islands built up on an underwater
volcano; central lagoon is former crater, islands are part of the rim

Wallis and Futuna
volcanic origin; low hills

West Bank
mostly rugged dissected upland, some vegetation in west,
but barren in east

Western Sahara
mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or
sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast

World
the greatest ocean depth is the Mariana Trench at 10,924 m in
the Pacific Ocean

Yemen
narrow coastal plain backed by flat-topped hills and rugged
mountains; dissected upland desert plains in center slope into the
desert interior of the Arabian Peninsula

Zambia
mostly high plateau with some hills and mountains

Zimbabwe
mostly high plateau with higher central plateau (high
veld); mountains in east

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@2127 Total fertility rate (children born/woman)

Afghanistan
6.75 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Albania
2.04 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Algeria
1.92 children born/woman (2005 est.)

American Samoa
3.25 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Andorra
1.29 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Angola
6.27 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Anguilla
1.73 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
2.26 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Argentina
2.19 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Armenia
1.32 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Aruba
1.79 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Australia
1.76 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Austria
1.36 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Azerbaijan
2.44 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Bahamas, The
2.2 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Bahrain
2.63 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Bangladesh
3.13 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Barbados
1.65 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Belarus
1.39 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Belgium
1.64 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Belize
3.68 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Benin
5.86 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Bermuda
1.89 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Bhutan
4.81 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Bolivia
2.94 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
1.71 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Botswana
2.85 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Brazil
1.93 children born/woman (2005 est.)

British Virgin Islands
1.72 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Brunei
2.3 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Bulgaria
1.38 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Burkina Faso
6.23 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Burma
2.01 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Burundi
5.81 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Cambodia
3.44 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Cameroon
4.47 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Canada
1.61 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Cape Verde
3.48 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Cayman Islands
1.9 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Central African Republic
4.5 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Chad
6.32 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Chile
2.02 children born/woman (2005 est.)

China
1.72 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Christmas Island
NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
NA

Colombia
2.56 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Comoros
5.09 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
6.54 children born/woman (2005
est.)

Congo, Republic of the
3.54 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Cook Islands
NA children born/woman (2005 est.)

Costa Rica
2.28 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
4.58 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Croatia
1.39 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Cuba
1.66 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Cyprus
1.83 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Czech Republic
1.2 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Denmark
1.74 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Djibouti
5.4 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Dominica
1.96 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Dominican Republic
2.86 children born/woman (2005 est.)

East Timor
3.61 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Ecuador
2.72 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Egypt
2.88 children born/woman (2005 est.)

El Salvador
3.16 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
4.62 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Eritrea
5.61 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Estonia
1.39 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Ethiopia
5.33 children born/woman (2005 est.)

European Union
1.47 children born/woman (July 2005 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
NA children born/woman (2005 est.)

Faroe Islands
2.2 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Fiji
2.75 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Finland
1.73 children born/woman (2005 est.)

France
1.85 children born/woman (2005 est.)

French Guiana
3.01 children born/woman (2005 est.)

French Polynesia
2.04 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Gabon
4.77 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Gambia, The
5.38 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Gaza Strip
5.91 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Georgia
1.41 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Germany
1.39 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Ghana
3.02 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Gibraltar
1.65 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Greece
1.33 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Greenland
2.41 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Grenada
2.37 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Guadeloupe
1.91 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Guam
2.6 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Guatemala
4.53 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Guernsey
1.38 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Guinea
5.83 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
4.93 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Guyana
2.05 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Haiti
5.02 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Honduras
3.87 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Hong Kong
0.91 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Hungary
1.32 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Iceland
1.92 children born/woman (2005 est.)

India
2.78 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Indonesia
2.44 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Iran
1.82 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Iraq
4.28 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Ireland
1.87 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Israel
2.44 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Italy
1.28 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Jamaica
1.95 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Japan
1.39 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Jersey
1.57 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Jordan
2.71 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Kazakhstan
1.89 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Kenya
4.96 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Kiribati
4.2 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Korea, North
2.15 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Korea, South
1.26 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Kuwait
2.97 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
2.7 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Laos
4.77 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Latvia
1.26 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Lebanon
1.92 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Lesotho
3.35 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Liberia
6.09 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Libya
3.34 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Liechtenstein
1.51 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Lithuania
1.19 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Luxembourg
1.79 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Macau
0.93 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Macedonia
1.57 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Madagascar
5.66 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Malawi
5.98 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Malaysia
3.07 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Maldives
5.02 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Mali
6.5 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Malta
1.5 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Man, Isle of
1.65 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Marshall Islands
3.93 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Martinique
1.79 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Mauritania
5.94 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Mauritius
1.96 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Mayotte
5.89 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Mexico
2.45 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
3.25 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Moldova
1.81 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Monaco
1.76 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Mongolia
2.26 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Montserrat
1.78 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Morocco
2.73 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Mozambique
4.7 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Namibia
3.18 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Nauru
3.19 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Nepal
4.19 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Netherlands
1.66 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
2 children born/woman (2005 est.)

New Caledonia
2.31 children born/woman (2005 est.)

New Zealand
1.79 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Nicaragua
2.81 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Niger
6.75 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Nigeria
5.53 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Niue
NA

Norfolk Island
NA

Northern Mariana Islands
1.27 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Norway
1.78 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Oman
5.84 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Pakistan
4.14 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Palau
2.46 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Panama
2.45 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Papua New Guinea
3.96 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Paraguay
3.93 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Peru
2.56 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Philippines
3.16 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
NA

Poland
1.39 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Portugal
1.47 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Puerto Rico
1.91 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Qatar
2.87 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Reunion
2.47 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Romania
1.36 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Russia
1.27 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Rwanda
5.49 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Saint Helena
1.54 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
2.33 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Saint Lucia
2.21 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
2.03 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
1.85 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Samoa
3.01 children born/woman (2005 est.)

San Marino
1.33 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
5.71 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Saudi Arabia
4.05 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Senegal
4.75 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
1.67 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Seychelles
1.75 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Sierra Leone
5.72 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Singapore
1.05 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Slovakia
1.32 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Slovenia
1.24 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Solomon Islands
4.04 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Somalia
6.84 children born/woman (2005 est.)

South Africa
2.24 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Spain
1.28 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Sri Lanka
1.85 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Sudan
4.85 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Suriname
2.34 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Svalbard
NA children born/woman

Swaziland
3.7 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Sweden
1.66 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Switzerland
1.42 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Syria
3.5 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Taiwan
1.57 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Tajikistan
4.05 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Tanzania
5.06 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Thailand
1.88 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Togo
4.61 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Tokelau
NA

Tonga
3 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
1.75 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Tunisia
1.75 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Turkey
1.94 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Turkmenistan
3.41 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
3.08 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Tuvalu
3 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Uganda
6.74 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Ukraine
1.4 children born/woman (2005 est.)

United Arab Emirates
2.94 children born/woman (2005 est.)

United Kingdom
1.66 children born/woman (2005 est.)

United States
2.08 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Uruguay
1.91 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Uzbekistan
2.94 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Vanuatu
2.77 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Venezuela
2.26 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Vietnam
1.94 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Virgin Islands
2.19 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
NA children born/woman

West Bank
4.4 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Western Sahara
NA children born/woman

World
2.6 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Yemen
6.67 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Zambia
5.47 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Zimbabwe
3.54 children born/woman (2005 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@2128 Government type

Afghanistan
Islamic republic

Albania
emerging democracy

Algeria
republic

American Samoa
NA

Andorra
parliamentary democracy (since March 1993) that retains as
its chiefs of state a coprincipality; the two princes are the
president of France and bishop of Seo de Urgel, Spain, who are
represented locally by coprinces' representatives

Angola
republic, nominally a multiparty democracy with a strong
presidential system

Anguilla
NA

Antarctica
Antarctic Treaty Summary - the Antarctic Treaty, signed
on 1 December 1959 and entered into force on 23 June 1961,
establishes the legal framework for the management of Antarctica;
the 27th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting was held in Cape
Town, South Africa in May-June 2004; at these periodic meetings,
decisions are made by consensus (not by vote) of all consultative
member nations; at the end of 2003, there were 45 treaty member
nations: 28 consultative and 17 non-consultative; consultative
(decision-making) members include the seven nations that claim
portions of Antarctica as national territory (some claims overlap)
and 21 non-claimant nations; the US and Russia have reserved the
right to make claims; the US does not recognize the claims of
others; Antarctica is administered through meetings of the
consultative member nations; decisions from these meetings are
carried out by these member nations (with respect to their own
nationals and operations) in accordance with their own national
laws; the year in parentheses indicates when an acceding nation was
accepted as a consultative member, while no date indicates the
country was an original 1959 treaty signatory; claimant nations are
- Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway, and the
UK. Nonclaimant consultative nations are - Belgium, Brazil (1983),
Bulgaria (1998) China (1985), Ecuador (1990), Finland (1989),
Germany (1981), India (1983), Italy (1987), Japan, South Korea
(1989), Netherlands (1990), Peru (1989), Poland (1977), Russia,
South Africa, Spain (1988), Sweden (1988), Ukraine (1992), Uruguay
(1985), and the US; non-consultative members, with year of accession
in parentheses, are - Austria (1987), Canada (1988), Colombia
(1989), Cuba (1984), Czech Republic (1993), Denmark (1965), Estonia
(2001), Greece (1987), Guatemala (1991), Hungary (1984), North Korea
(1987), Papua New Guinea (1981), Romania (1971), Slovakia (1993),
Switzerland (1990), Turkey (1995), and Venezuela (1999); Article 1 -
area to be used for peaceful purposes only; military activity, such
as weapons testing, is prohibited, but military personnel and
equipment may be used for scientific research or any other peaceful
purpose; Article 2 - freedom of scientific investigation and
cooperation shall continue; Article 3 - free exchange of information
and personnel, cooperation with the UN and other international
agencies; Article 4 - does not recognize, dispute, or establish
territorial claims and no new claims shall be asserted while the
treaty is in force; Article 5 - prohibits nuclear explosions or
disposal of radioactive wastes; Article 6 - includes under the
treaty all land and ice shelves south of 60 degrees 00 minutes south
and reserves high seas rights; Article 7 - treaty-state observers
have free access, including aerial observation, to any area and may
inspect all stations, installations, and equipment; advance notice
of all expeditions and of the introduction of military personnel
must be given; Article 8 - allows for jurisdiction over observers
and scientists by their own states; Article 9 - frequent
consultative meetings take place among member nations; Article 10 -
treaty states will discourage activities by any country in
Antarctica that are contrary to the treaty; Article 11 - disputes to
be settled peacefully by the parties concerned or, ultimately, by
the ICJ; Articles 12, 13, 14 - deal with upholding, interpreting,
and amending the treaty among involved nations; other agreements -
some 200 recommendations adopted at treaty consultative meetings and
ratified by governments include - Agreed Measures for Fauna and
Flora (1964) which were later incorporated into the Environmental
Protocol; Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (1972);
Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources
(1980); a mineral resources agreement was signed in 1988 but remains
unratified; the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the
Antarctic Treaty was signed 4 October 1991 and entered into force 14
January 1998; this agreement provides for the protection of the
Antarctic environment through five specific annexes: 1)
environmental impact assessment, 2) conservation of Antarctic fauna
and flora, 3) waste disposal and waste management, 4) prevention of
marine pollution, and 5) area protection and management; it
prohibits all activities relating to mineral resources except
scientific research; a permanent Antarctic Treaty Secretariat was
established in 2004 in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Antigua and Barbuda
constitutional monarchy with UK-style parliament

Argentina
republic

Armenia
republic

Aruba
parliamentary democracy

Australia
democratic, federal-state system recognizing the British
monarch as sovereign

Austria
federal republic

Azerbaijan
republic

Bahamas, The
constitutional parliamentary democracy

Bahrain
constitutional hereditary monarchy

Bangladesh
parliamentary democracy

Barbados
parliamentary democracy; independent sovereign state within
the Commonwealth

Belarus
republic in name, although in fact a dictatorship

Belgium
federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional
monarch

Belize
parliamentary democracy

Benin
republic under multiparty democratic rule; dropped
Marxism-Leninism December 1989

Bermuda
parliamentary British overseas territory with internal
self-government

Bhutan
monarchy; special treaty relationship with India

Bolivia
republic

Bosnia and Herzegovina
emerging federal democratic republic

Botswana
parliamentary republic

Brazil
federative republic

British Virgin Islands
NA

Brunei
constitutional sultanate

Bulgaria
parliamentary democracy

Burkina Faso
parliamentary republic

Burma
military junta

Burundi
republic

Cambodia
multiparty democracy under a constitutional monarchy
established in September 1993

Cameroon
unitary republic; multiparty presidential regime
(opposition parties legalized in 1990)
note: preponderance of power remains with the president

Canada
a constitutional monarchy that is also a parliamentary
democracy and a federation

Cape Verde
republic

Cayman Islands
British crown colony

Central African Republic
republic

Chad
republic

Chile
republic

China
Communist state

Christmas Island
NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
NA

Colombia
republic; executive branch dominates government structure

Comoros
independent republic

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
dictatorship; presumably
undergoing a transition to representative government

Congo, Republic of the
republic

Cook Islands
self-governing parliamentary democracy

Costa Rica
democratic republic

Cote d'Ivoire
republic; multiparty presidential regime established
1960

Croatia
presidential/parliamentary democracy

Cuba
Communist state

Cyprus
republic
note: a separation of the two ethnic communities inhabiting the
island began following the outbreak of communal strife in 1963; this
separation was further solidified after the Turkish intervention in
July 1974 that followed a Greek junta-supported coup attempt gave
the Turkish Cypriots de facto control in the north; Greek Cypriots
control the only internationally recognized government; on 15
November 1983 Turkish Cypriot "President" Rauf DENKTASH declared
independence and the formation of a "Turkish Republic of Northern
Cyprus" (TRNC), recognized only by Turkey

Czech Republic
parliamentary democracy

Denmark
constitutional monarchy

Djibouti
republic

Dominica
parliamentary democracy; republic within the Commonwealth

Dominican Republic
representative democracy

East Timor
Republic

Ecuador
republic

Egypt
republic

El Salvador
republic

Equatorial Guinea
republic

Eritrea
transitional government
note: following a successful referendum on independence for the
Autonomous Region of Eritrea on 23-25 April 1993, a National
Assembly, composed entirely of the People's Front for Democracy and
Justice or PFDJ, was established as a transitional legislature; a
Constitutional Commission was also established to draft a
constitution; ISAIAS Afworki was elected president by the
transitional legislature; the constitution, ratified in May 1997,
did not enter into effect, pending parliamentary and presidential
elections; parliamentary elections had been scheduled in December
2001, but were postponed indefinitely; currently the sole legal
party is the People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ)

Estonia
parliamentary republic

Ethiopia
federal republic

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
NA

Faroe Islands
NA

Fiji
republic
note: military coup leader Maj. Gen. Sitiveni RABUKA formally
declared Fiji a republic on 6 October 1987

Finland
republic

France
republic

French Guiana
NA

French Polynesia
NA

Gabon
republic; multiparty presidential regime (opposition parties
legalized in 1990)

Gambia, The
republic under multiparty democratic rule

Georgia
republic

Germany
federal republic

Ghana
constitutional democracy

Gibraltar
NA

Greece
parliamentary republic; monarchy rejected by referendum 8
December 1974

Greenland
parliamentary democracy within a constitutional monarchy

Grenada
constitutional monarchy with Westminster-style parliament

Guadeloupe
NA

Guam
NA

Guatemala
constitutional democratic republic

Guernsey
NA

Guinea
republic

Guinea-Bissau
republic, multiparty since mid-1991

Guyana
republic within the Commonwealth

Haiti
elected government

Holy See (Vatican City)
ecclesiastical

Honduras
democratic constitutional republic

Hong Kong
limited democracy

Hungary
parliamentary democracy

Iceland
constitutional republic

India
federal republic

Indonesia
republic

Iran
theocratic republic

Iraq
none; note - the Iraqi Interim Government (IG) was appointed on
1 June 2004

Ireland
republic

Israel
parliamentary democracy

Italy
republic

Jamaica
constitutional parliamentary democracy

Japan
constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary government

Jersey
NA

Jordan
constitutional monarchy

Kazakhstan
republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little
power outside the executive branch

Kenya
republic

Kiribati
republic

Korea, North
Communist state one-man dictatorship

Korea, South
republic

Kuwait
nominal constitutional monarchy

Kyrgyzstan
republic

Laos
Communist state

Latvia
parliamentary democracy

Lebanon
republic

Lesotho
parliamentary constitutional monarchy

Liberia
republic

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

Liechtenstein
hereditary constitutional monarchy on a democratic and
parliamentary basis

Lithuania
parliamentary democracy

Luxembourg
constitutional monarchy

Macau
limited democracy

Macedonia
parliamentary democracy

Madagascar
republic

Malawi
multiparty democracy

Malaysia
constitutional monarchy
note: nominally headed by paramount ruler and a bicameral Parliament
consisting of a nonelected upper house and an elected lower house;
all Peninsular Malaysian states have hereditary rulers except Melaka
and Pulau Pinang (Penang); those two states along with Sabah and
Sarawak in East Malaysia have governors appointed by government;
powers of state governments are limited by federal constitution;
under terms of federation, Sabah and Sarawak retain certain
constitutional prerogatives (e.g., right to maintain their own
immigration controls); Sabah - holds 20 seats in House of
Representatives and will hold 25 seats after the next election;
Sarawak holds 28 seats in House of Representatives

Maldives
republic

Mali
republic

Malta
republic

Man, Isle of
parliamentary democracy

Marshall Islands
constitutional government in free association with
the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 21
October 1986 and the Amended Compact entered into force in May 2004

Martinique
NA

Mauritania
republic

Mauritius
parliamentary democracy

Mayotte
NA

Mexico
federal republic

Micronesia, Federated States of
constitutional government in free
association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered
into force 3 November 1986 and the Amended Compact entered into
force May 2004

Moldova
republic

Monaco
constitutional monarchy

Mongolia
mixed parliamentary/presidential

Montserrat
NA

Morocco
constitutional monarchy

Mozambique
republic

Namibia
republic

Nauru
republic

Nepal
parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy

Netherlands
constitutional monarchy

Netherlands Antilles
parliamentary

New Caledonia
NA

New Zealand
parliamentary democracy

Nicaragua
republic

Niger
republic

Nigeria
federal republic

Niue
self-governing parliamentary democracy

Norfolk Island
NA

Northern Mariana Islands
commonwealth; self-governing with locally
elected governor, lieutenant governor, and legislature

Norway
constitutional monarchy

Oman
monarchy

Pakistan
federal republic

Palau
constitutional government in free association with the US; the
Compact of Free Association entered into force 1 October 1994

Panama
constitutional democracy

Papua New Guinea
constitutional monarchy with parliamentary democracy

Paraguay
constitutional republic

Peru
constitutional republic

Philippines
republic

Pitcairn Islands
NA

Poland
republic

Portugal
parliamentary democracy

Puerto Rico
commonwealth

Qatar
traditional monarchy

Reunion
NA

Romania
republic

Russia
federation

Rwanda
republic; presidential, multiparty system

Saint Helena
NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis
constitutional monarchy with Westminster-style
parliament

Saint Lucia
Westminster-style parliamentary democracy

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
parliamentary democracy;
independent sovereign state within the Commonwealth

Samoa
mix of parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy

San Marino
independent republic

Sao Tome and Principe
republic

Saudi Arabia
monarchy

Senegal
republic under multiparty democratic rule

Serbia and Montenegro
republic

Seychelles
republic

Sierra Leone
constitutional democracy

Singapore
parliamentary republic

Slovakia
parliamentary democracy

Slovenia
parliamentary democratic republic

Solomon Islands
parliamentary democracy

Somalia
no permanent national government; transitional,
parliamentary federal government

South Africa
republic

Spain
parliamentary monarchy

Sri Lanka
republic

Sudan
authoritarian regime - ruling military junta took power in
1989; government is run by an alliance of the military and the
National Congress Party (NCP), formerly the National Islamic Front
(NIF), which espouses an Islamist platform

Suriname
constitutional democracy

Svalbard
NA

Swaziland
monarchy; independent member of Commonwealth

Sweden
constitutional monarchy

Switzerland
formally a confederation, but similar in structure to a
federal republic

Syria
republic under military regime since March 1963

Taiwan
multiparty democratic regime headed by popularly-elected
president and unicameral legislature

Tajikistan
republic

Tanzania
republic

Thailand
constitutional monarchy

Togo
republic under transition to multiparty democratic rule

Tokelau
NA

Tonga
hereditary constitutional monarchy

Trinidad and Tobago
parliamentary democracy

Tunisia
republic

Turkey
republican parliamentary democracy

Turkmenistan
republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little
power outside the executive branch

Turks and Caicos Islands
NA

Tuvalu
constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy; began
debating republic status in 1992

Uganda
republic

Ukraine
republic

United Arab Emirates
federation with specified powers delegated to
the UAE federal government and other powers reserved to member
emirates

United Kingdom
constitutional monarchy

United States
Constitution-based federal republic; strong democratic
tradition

Uruguay
constitutional republic

Uzbekistan
republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little
power outside the executive branch

Vanuatu
parliamentary republic

Venezuela
federal republic

Vietnam
Communist state

Virgin Islands
NA

Wallis and Futuna
NA

Western Sahara
legal status of territory and issue of sovereignty
unresolved; territory contested by Morocco and Polisario Front
(Popular Front for the Liberation of the Saguia el Hamra and Rio de
Oro), which in February 1976 formally proclaimed a
government-in-exile of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR),
led by President Mohamed ABDELAZIZ; territory partitioned between
Morocco and Mauritania in April 1976, with Morocco acquiring
northern two-thirds; Mauritania, under pressure from Polisario
guerrillas, abandoned all claims to its portion in August 1979;
Morocco moved to occupy that sector shortly thereafter and has since
asserted administrative control; the Polisario's government-in-exile
was seated as an OAU member in 1984; guerrilla activities continued
sporadically, until a UN-monitored cease-fire was implemented 6
September 1991

Yemen
republic

Zambia
republic

Zimbabwe
parliamentary democracy

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@2129 Unemployment rate (%)

Afghanistan
NA

Albania
14.8% officially; may be as high as 30% (2001 est.)

Algeria
25.4% (2004 est.)

American Samoa
6% (2000)

Andorra
0% (1996 est.)

Angola
extensive unemployment and underemployment affecting more
than half the population (2001 est.)

Anguilla
8% (2002)

Antigua and Barbuda
11% (2001 est.)

Argentina
14.8% (2004 est.)

Armenia
30% (2003 est.)

Aruba
0.6% (2003 est.)

Australia
5.1% (December 2004 est.)

Austria
4.4% (2004 est.)

Azerbaijan
1.2% (official rate) (2004 est.)

Bahamas, The
10.2% (2004 est.)

Bahrain
15% (1998 est.)

Bangladesh
40% (includes underemployment) (2004 est.)

Barbados
10.7% (2003 est.)

Belarus
2% officially registered unemployed; large number of
underemployed workers (2004)

Belgium
12% (first half, 2004)

Belize
12.9% (2003)

Benin
NA

Bermuda
5% (2002 est.)

Bhutan
NA

Bolivia
9.2% in urban areas
note: widespread underemployment (2003 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
44% officially; however, grey economy may
reduce actual unemployment to near 20% (2004 est.)

Botswana
23.8% (2004 est.)

Brazil
11.5% (2004 est.)

British Virgin Islands
3% (1995)

Brunei
3.2% (2002 est.)

Bulgaria
12.7% (2004 est.)

Burkina Faso
NA%

Burma
5.2% (2004 est.)

Burundi
NA

Cambodia
2.5% (2000 est.)

Cameroon
30% (2001 est.)

Canada
7% (2004)

Cape Verde
21% (2000 est.)

Cayman Islands
4.1% (1997)

Central African Republic
8% (23% for Bangui) (2001 est.)

Chad
NA

Chile
8.5% (2004 est.)

China
9.8% in urban areas; substantial unemployment and
underemployment in rural areas; an official Chinese journal
estimated overall unemployment (including rural areas) for 2003 at
20% (2004 est.)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
60% (2000 est.)

Colombia
13.6% (2004 est.)

Comoros
20% (1996 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
NA (2003 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
NA (2003)

Cook Islands
13% (1996)

Costa Rica
6.6% (2004 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
13% in urban areas (1998)

Croatia
13.8% (2004 est.)

Cuba
2.5% (2004 est.)

Cyprus
Republic of Cyprus: 3.2%; north Cyprus: 5.6% (2004 est.)

Czech Republic
10.6% (2004 est.)

Denmark
6.2% (2004 est.)

Djibouti
50% (2004 est.)

Dominica
23% (2000 est.)

Dominican Republic
17% (2004 est.)

East Timor
50% (including underemployment) (1992 est.)

Ecuador
11.1%; note - underemployment of 47% (2004 est.)

Egypt
10.9% (2004 est.)

El Salvador
6.3% - but the economy has much underemployment (2004
est.)

Equatorial Guinea
30% (1998 est.)

Eritrea
NA (2003 est.)

Estonia
9.6% (2004 est.)

Ethiopia
NA (2002)

European Union
9.5% (2004 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
full employment; labor shortage
(2001)

Faroe Islands
1% (October 2000)

Fiji
7.6% (1999)

Finland
8.9% (2004 est.)

France
10.1% (2004 est.)

French Guiana
22% (2001)

French Polynesia
11.8% (1994)

Gabon
21% (1997 est.)

Gambia, The
NA (2002 est.)

Gaza Strip
50% (includes West Bank) (2003 est.)

Georgia
17% (2001 est.)

Germany
10.6% (2004 est.)

Ghana
20% (1997 est.)

Gibraltar
2% (2001 est.)

Greece
10% (2004 est.)

Greenland
10% (2000 est.)

Grenada
12.5% (2000)

Guadeloupe
27.8% (1998)

Guam
15% (2000 est.)

Guatemala
7.5% (2003 est.)

Guernsey
0.5% (1999 est.)

Guinea
NA (2002 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
NA (1998)

Guyana
9.1% (understated) (2000)

Haiti
widespread unemployment and underemployment; more than
two-thirds of the labor force do not have formal jobs (2002 est.)

Honduras
28.5% (2004 est.)

Hong Kong
6.7% (2004 est.)

Hungary
5.9% (2004 est.)

Iceland
3.1% (2004 est.)

India
9.2% (2004 est.)

Indonesia
9.2% (2004 est.)

Iran
11.2% (2004 est.)

Iraq
25% to 30% (2004 est.)

Ireland
4.3% (2004 est.)

Israel
10.7% (2004 est.)

Italy
8.6% (2004 est.)

Jamaica
15% (2004 est.)

Japan
4.7% (2004 est.)

Jersey
0.9% (2004 est.)

Jordan
15% official rate; unofficial rate is approximately 30% (2004
est.)

Kazakhstan
8% (2004 est.)

Kenya
40% (2001 est.)

Kiribati
2%; underemployment 70% (1992 est.)

Korea, North
NA (2003)

Korea, South
3.6% (2004 est.)

Kuwait
2.2% (2004 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
18% (2004 est.)

Laos
5.7% (1997 est.)

Latvia
8.8% (2004 est.)

Lebanon
18% (1997 est.)

Lesotho
45% (2002)

Liberia
85% (2003 est.)

Libya
30% (2004)

Liechtenstein
1.3% (September 2002)

Lithuania
8% (2004 est.)

Luxembourg
4.5% (December, 2004 est.)

Macau
4.7% (3rd Quarter, 2004)

Macedonia
37.7% (3rd quarter, 2004 est.)

Malawi
NA (2003 est.)

Malaysia
3% (2004 est.)

Maldives
NEGL% (2003 est.)

Mali
14.6% urban areas; 5.3% rural areas (2001 est.)

Malta
7% (2003 est.)

Man, Isle of
0.6% (2004 est.)

Marshall Islands
30.9% (1999 est.)

Martinique
27.2% (1998)

Mauritania
20% (2004 est.)

Mauritius
10.8% (2004 est.)

Mayotte
38% (1999)

Mexico
3.2% plus underemployment of perhaps 25% (2004 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
16% (1999 est.)

Moldova
8% (roughly 25% of working age Moldovans are employed
abroad) (2002 est.)

Monaco
22% (1999)

Mongolia
6.7% (2003)

Montserrat
6% (1998 est.)

Morocco
12.1% (2004 est.)

Mozambique
21% (1997 est.)

Namibia
35% (1998)

Nauru
90% (2004 est.)

Nepal
47% (2001 est.)

Netherlands
6% (2004 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
15.6% (2002 est.)

New Caledonia
19% (1996)

New Zealand
4.2% (2004 est.)

Nicaragua
7.8% plus underemployment of 46.5% (2003 est.)

Niger
NA (2002 est.)

Nigeria
NA

Niue
NA

Norfolk Island
0%

Northern Mariana Islands
NA

Norway
4.3% (2004 est.)

Oman
15% (2004 est.)

Pakistan
8.3% plus substantial underemployment (2004 est.)

Palau
2.3% (2000 est.)

Panama
12.6% (2004 est.)

Papua New Guinea
NA

Paraguay
15.1% (2004 est.)

Peru
9.6% in metropolitan Lima; widespread underemployment (2004
est.)

Philippines
11.7% (2004 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
NA

Poland
19.5% (2004 est.)

Portugal
6.5% (2004 est.)

Puerto Rico
12% (2002)

Qatar
2.7% (2001)

Reunion
36% (1999 est.)

Romania
6.3% (2004 est.)

Russia
8.3% plus considerable underemployment (2004 est.)

Rwanda
NA

Saint Helena
14% (1998 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
4.5% (1997)

Saint Lucia
20% (2003 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
9.8% (1997)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
15% (2001 est.)

Samoa
NA; note - substantial underemployment

San Marino
2.6% (2001)

Sao Tome and Principe
NA

Saudi Arabia
25% (unofficial estimate) (2004 est.)

Senegal
48% (urban youth 40%) (2001 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
30%
note: unemployment is approximately 50% in Kosovo (2004 est.)

Seychelles
NA

Sierra Leone
NA

Singapore
3.4% (2004 est.)

Slovakia
13.1% (31 December 2004 est.)

Slovenia
6.4% (2004 est.)

Solomon Islands
NA%

Somalia
NA

South Africa
26.2% (2004 est.)

Spain
10.4% (2004 est.)

Sri Lanka
7.8% (2004 est.)

Sudan
18.7% (2002 est.)

Suriname
17% (2000)

Swaziland
34% (2000 est.)

Sweden
5.6% (2004 est.)

Switzerland
3.4% (2004 est.)

Syria
20% (2002 est.)

Taiwan
4.5% (2004 est.)

Tajikistan
40% (2002 est.)

Tanzania
NA

Thailand
1.5% (November 2004 est.)

Togo
NA (2003 est.)

Tokelau
NA%

Tonga
13.3% (1996 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
10.4% (2004 est.)

Tunisia
13.8% (2004 est.)

Turkey
9.3% (plus underemployment of 4.0%) (2004 est.)

Turkmenistan
60% (2004 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
10% (1997 est.)

Tuvalu
NA%

Uganda
NA (2002 est.)

Ukraine
3.5% officially registered; large number of unregistered or
underemployed workers; the International Labor Organization
calculates that Ukraine's real unemployment level is around 9-10
percent (2004 est.)

United Arab Emirates
2.4% (2001)

United Kingdom
4.8% (2004 est.)

United States
5.5% (2004 est.)

Uruguay
13% (2004 est.)

Uzbekistan
0.6% officially, plus another 20% underemployed (2004
est.)

Vanuatu
NA%

Venezuela
17.1% (2004 est.)

Vietnam
1.9% (2004 est.)

Virgin Islands
9.3% (2003 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
NA%

West Bank
27.2% (includes Gaza Strip) (2004 est.)

Western Sahara
NA

World
30% combined unemployment and underemployment in many
non-industrialized countries; developed countries typically 4%-12%
unemployment

Yemen
35% (2003 est.)

Zambia
50% (2000 est.)

Zimbabwe
70% (2002 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@2137 Military - note

Akrotiri
Akrotiri has a full RAF base, Headquarters for British
Forces on Cyprus, and Episkopi Support Unit

American Samoa
defense is the responsibility of the US

Andorra
defense is the responsibility of France and Spain

Anguilla
defense is the responsibility of the UK

Antarctica
the Antarctic Treaty prohibits any measures of a military
nature, such as the establishment of military bases and
fortifications, the carrying out of military maneuvers, or the
testing of any type of weapon; it permits the use of military
personnel or equipment for scientific research or for any other
peaceful purposes

Argentina
the Argentine military is a well-organized force
constrained by the country's prolonged economic hardship; the
country has recently experienced a strong recovery, and the military
is now implementing "Plan 2000," aimed at making the ground forces
lighter and more responsive (2005)

Aruba
defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
defense is the responsibility of
Australia; periodic visits by the Royal Australian Navy and Royal
Australian Air Force

Baker Island
defense is the responsibility of the US; visited
annually by the US Coast Guard

Barbados
the Royal Barbados Defense Force includes a land-based
Troop Command and a small Coast Guard; the primary role of the land
element is to defend the island against external aggression; the
Command consists of a single, part-time battalion with a small
regular cadre that is deployed throughout the island; it
increasingly supports the police in patrolling the coastline to
prevent smuggling and other illicit activities (2005)

Bassas da India
defense is the responsibility of France

Bermuda
defense is the responsibility of the UK

Bouvet Island
defense is the responsibility of Norway

British Indian Ocean Territory
defense is the responsibility of the
UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016

British Virgin Islands
defense is the responsibility of the UK

Cayman Islands
defense is the responsibility of the UK

Christmas Island
defense is the responsibility of Australia

Clipperton Island
defense is the responsibility of France

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
defense is the responsibility of Australia;
the territory does have a five-person police force

Cook Islands
defense is the responsibility of New Zealand, in
consultation with the Cook Islands and at its request

Coral Sea Islands
defense is the responsibility of Australia;
visited regularly by the Royal Australian Navy; Australia has
control over the activities of visitors

Cuba
Moscow, for decades the key military supporter and supplier of
Cuba, cut off almost all military aid by 1993

Dhekelia
includes Dheklia Garrison and Ayios Nikolaos Station
connected by a roadway

Europa Island
defense is the responsibility of France

European Union
In November 2004, the European Union heads of
government signed a "Treaty Establishing a Constitution for Europe"
that offers possibilities - with some limits - for increased defense
and security cooperation. If ratified, in a process that may take
some two years, this treaty will in effect make operational the
European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP) approved in the 2000
Nice Treaty. Despite limits of cooperation for some EU members,
development of a European military planning unit is likely to
continue. So is creation of a rapid-reaction military force and a
humanitarian aid system, which the planning unit will support.
France, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Italy
continue to press for wider coordination. The five-nation Eurocorps
- created in 1992 by France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, and Luxembourg
- has already deployed troops and police on peacekeeping missions to
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, and the Democratic Republic of
Congo and assumed command of the International Security Assistance
Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan in August 2004. Eurocorps directly
commands the 5,000-man Franco-German Brigade, the Multinational
Command Support Brigade, and EUFOR, which took over from SFOR in
Bosnia in December 2004. Other troop contributions are under
national command - committments to provide 67,100 troops were made
at the Helsinki EU session in 2000. Some 56,000 EU troops were
actually deployed in 2003. In August 2004, the new European Defense
Agency, tasked with promoting cooperative European defense
capabilities, began operations. In November 2004, the EU Council of
Ministers formally committed to creating thirteen 1,500-man "battle
groups" by the end of 2007, to respond to international crises on a
rotating basis. Twenty-two of the EU's 25 nations have agreed to
supply troops. France, Italy, and the UK are to form the first three
battle groups in 2005, with Spain to follow. In May 2005, Norway,
Sweden, and Finland agreed to establish one of the battle groups,
possibly to include Estonian forces. The remaining groups are to be
formed by 2007. (2005)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
defense is the responsibility of
the UK

Faroe Islands
defense is the responsibility of Denmark

French Guiana
defense is the responsibility of France

French Polynesia
defense is the responsibility of France

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
defense is the responsibility of
France

Georgia
a CIS peacekeeping force of Russian troops is deployed in
the Abkhazia region of Georgia together with a UN military observer
group; a Russian peacekeeping battalion is deployed in South Ossetia

Gibraltar
defense is the responsibility of the UK; the last British
regular infantry forces left Gibraltar in 1992, replaced by the
Royal Gibraltar Regiment

Glorioso Islands
defense is the responsibility of France

Greenland
defense is the responsibility of Denmark

Guadeloupe
defense is the responsibility of France

Guam
defense is the responsibility of the US

Guernsey
defense is the responsibility of the UK

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
defense is the responsibility of
Australia; Australia conducts fisheries patrols

Holy See (Vatican City)
defense is the responsibility of Italy;
ceremonial and limited security duties performed by Pontifical Swiss
Guard

Hong Kong
defense is the responsibility of China

Howland Island
defense is the responsibility of the US; visited
annually by the US Coast Guard

Iceland
defense is provided by the US-manned Icelandic Defense Force
(IDF) headquartered at Keflavik

Jan Mayen
defense is the responsibility of Norway

Jarvis Island
defense is the responsibility of the US; visited
annually by the US Coast Guard

Jersey
defense is the responsibility of the UK

Johnston Atoll
defense is the responsibility of the US

Juan de Nova Island
defense is the responsibility of France

Kingman Reef
defense is the responsibility of the US

Kiribati
Kiribati does not have military forces; defense assistance
is provided by Australia and NZ

Laos
Laos is one of the world's least developed countries; the Lao
People's Armed Forces are small, poorly funded, and ineffectively
resourced; there is little political will to allocate sparse funding
to the military, and the armed forces' gradual degradation is likely
to continue; the massive drug production and trafficking industry
centered in the Golden Triangle makes Laos an important narcotics
transit country, and armed Wa and Chinese smugglers are active on
the Lao-Burma border (2005)

Lesotho
the Lesotho Government in 1999 began an open debate on the
future structure, size, and role of the armed forces, especially
considering the Lesotho Defense Force's (LDF) history of intervening
in political affairs

Liechtenstein
defense is the responsibility of Switzerland

Man, Isle of
defense is the responsibility of the UK

Marshall Islands
defense is the responsibility of the US

Martinique
defense is the responsibility of France

Mayotte
defense is the responsibility of France; small contingent of
French forces stationed on the island

Micronesia, Federated States of
Federated States of Micronesia (FSM)
is a sovereign, self-governing state in free association with the
US; FSM is totally dependent on the US for its defense

Midway Islands
defense is the responsibility of the US

Monaco
defense is the responsibility of France; the Palace Guard
performs ceremonial duties (2003)

Montserrat
defense is the responsibility of the UK

Nauru
Nauru maintains no defense forces; under an informal
agreement, defense is the responsibility of Australia

Navassa Island
defense is the responsibility of the US

Netherlands Antilles
defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of
the Netherlands

New Caledonia
defense is the responsibility of France

Niue
defense is the responsibility of New Zealand

Norfolk Island
defense is the responsibility of Australia

Northern Mariana Islands
defense is the responsibility of the US

Palau
defense is the responsibility of the US; under a Compact of
Free Association between Palau and the US, the US military is
granted access to the islands for 50 years

Palmyra Atoll
defense is the responsibility of the US

Panama
on 10 February 1990, the government of then President ENDARA
abolished Panama's military and reformed the security apparatus by
creating the Panamanian Public Forces; in October 1994, Panama's
Legislative Assembly approved a constitutional amendment prohibiting
the creation of a standing military force, but allowing the
temporary establishment of special police units to counter acts of
"external aggression"

Paracel Islands
occupied by China

Pitcairn Islands
defense is the responsibility of the UK

Puerto Rico
defense is the responsibility of the US

Reunion
defense is the responsibility of France

Saint Helena
defense is the responsibility of the UK

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
defense is the responsibility of France

Samoa
Samoa has no formal defense structure or regular armed forces;
informal defense ties exist with NZ, which is required to consider
any Samoan request for assistance under the 1962 Treaty of Friendship

San Marino
defense is the responsibility of Italy

Sao Tome and Principe
Sao Tome and Principe's army is a tiny force
with almost no resouces at its disposal and would be wholly
ineffective operating unilaterally; infantry equipment is considered
simple to operate and maintain but may require refurbishment or
replacement after 25 years in tropical climates; poor pay and
conditions have been a problem in the past, as has alleged nepotism
in the promotion of officers, as reflected in the 1995 and 2003
coups; these issues are being addressed with foreign assistance as
intial steps towards the improvement of the army and its focus on
realistic security concerns; command is excersized from the
president, through the Minister of Defense, to the Chief of the
Armed Forces staff (2005)

South Africa
with the end of apartheid and the establishment of
majority rule, former military, black homelands forces, and
ex-opposition forces were integrated into the South African National
Defense Force (SANDF); as of 2003 the integration process was
considered complete

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
defense is the
responsibility of the UK

Spratly Islands
Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small
islands or reefs, of which about 45 are claimed and occupied by
China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam

Svalbard
demilitarized by treaty on 9 February 1920

Tokelau
defense is the responsibility of New Zealand

Tromelin Island
defense is the responsibility of France

Turkey
in the early 1990s, the Turkish Land Force was a large but
badly equipped infantry force; there were 14 infantry divisions, but
only one was mechanized, and out of 16 infantry brigades, only six
were mechanized; the overhaul that has taken place since has
produced highly moblie forces with greatly enhanced firepower in
accordance with NATO's new strategic concept (2005)

Turks and Caicos Islands
defense is the responsibility of the UK

Virgin Islands
defense is the responsibility of the US

Wake Island
defense is the responsibility of the US; launch support
facility is part of the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test
Site (RTS) administered by US Army Space and Missile Defense Command
(SMDC)

Wallis and Futuna
defense is the responsibility of France

Yemen
a Coast Guard was established in 2002

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@2138 Communications - note

Afghanistan
in March 2003 'af' was established as Afghanistan's
domain name; Internet access is growing through Internet cafes as
well as public "telekiosks" in Kabul that are part of a nationwide
network proposed by the Transitional Authority for Internet access
(2002)

Bouvet Island
automatic meteorological station

Coral Sea Islands
there are automatic weather stations on many of
the isles and reefs relaying data to the mainland

Europa Island
1 meteorological station

Glorioso Islands
1 meteorological station

Juan de Nova Island
1 meteorological station

Saint Helena
Gough Island has a meteorological station

Tromelin Island
important meteorological station

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@2140 Government - note

Malawi
the executive exerts considerable influence over the
legislature

Solomon Islands
June 2003 Prime Minister Sir Allan KEMAKEZA sought
the intervention of Australia to aid in restoring order; parliament
approved the request for intervention in July 2003; troops from
Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Tonga arrived 24
July 2003. By the end of 2004 the Regional Assistance Mission to the
Solomon Islands (RAMSI) had been scaled back to 302 police officers
and 120 military in addition to civilian technical advisors.

Somalia
although an interim government was created in 2004 other
governing bodies continue to exist and control various cities and
regions of the country, including the self-declared Republic of
Somaliland, and traditional clan and faction strongholds

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@2142 Country name

Afghanistan
conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
conventional short form: Afghanistan
local long form: Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Afghanestan
local short form: Afghanestan
former: Republic of Afghanistan

Akrotiri
conventional long form: Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area
conventional short form: Akrotiri

Albania
conventional long form: Republic of Albania
conventional short form: Albania
local long form: Republika e Shqiperise
local short form: Shqiperia
former: People's Socialist Republic of Albania

Algeria
conventional long form: People's Democratic Republic of
Algeria
conventional short form: Algeria
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Jaza'iriyah ad Dimuqratiyah ash
Sha'biyah
local short form: Al Jaza'ir

American Samoa
conventional long form: Territory of American Samoa
conventional short form: American Samoa
abbreviation: AS

Andorra
conventional long form: Principality of Andorra
conventional short form: Andorra
local long form: Principat d'Andorra
local short form: Andorra

Angola
conventional long form: Republic of Angola
conventional short form: Angola
local long form: Republica de Angola
local short form: Angola
former: People's Republic of Angola

Anguilla
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Anguilla

Antarctica
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Antarctica

Antigua and Barbuda
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Antigua and Barbuda

Argentina
conventional long form: Argentine Republic
conventional short form: Argentina
local long form: Republica Argentina
local short form: Argentina

Armenia
conventional long form: Republic of Armenia
conventional short form: Armenia
local long form: Hayastani Hanrapetut'yun
local short form: Hayastan
former: Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic; Armenian Republic

Aruba
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Aruba

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
conventional long form: Territory of
Ashmore and Cartier Islands
conventional short form: Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Australia
conventional long form: Commonwealth of Australia
conventional short form: Australia

Austria
conventional long form: Republic of Austria
conventional short form: Austria
local long form: Republik Oesterreich
local short form: Oesterreich

Azerbaijan
conventional long form: Republic of Azerbaijan
conventional short form: Azerbaijan
local long form: Azarbaycan Respublikasi
local short form: none
former: Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic

Bahamas, The
conventional long form: Commonwealth of The Bahamas
conventional short form: The Bahamas

Bahrain
conventional long form: Kingdom of Bahrain
conventional short form: Bahrain
local long form: Mamlakat al Bahrayn
local short form: Al Bahrayn
former: Dilmun

Baker Island
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Baker Island

Bangladesh
conventional long form: People's Republic of Bangladesh
conventional short form: Bangladesh
former: East Pakistan

Barbados
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Barbados

Bassas da India
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Bassas da India

Belarus
conventional long form: Republic of Belarus
conventional short form: Belarus
local long form: Respublika Byelarus'
local short form: none
former: Belorussian (Byelorussian) Soviet Socialist Republic

Belgium
conventional long form: Kingdom of Belgium
conventional short form: Belgium
local long form: Royaume de Belgique/Koninkrijk Belgie
local short form: Belgique/Belgie

Belize
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Belize
former: British Honduras

Benin
conventional long form: Republic of Benin
conventional short form: Benin
local long form: Republique du Benin
local short form: Benin
former: Dahomey

Bermuda
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Bermuda
former: Somers Islands

Bhutan
conventional long form: Kingdom of Bhutan
conventional short form: Bhutan

Bolivia
conventional long form: Republic of Bolivia
conventional short form: Bolivia
local long form: Republica de Bolivia
local short form: Bolivia

Bosnia and Herzegovina
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Bosnia and Herzegovina
local long form: none
local short form: Bosna i Hercegovina
former: People's Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Socialist
Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Botswana
conventional long form: Republic of Botswana
conventional short form: Botswana
former: Bechuanaland

Bouvet Island
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Bouvet Island

Brazil
conventional long form: Federative Republic of Brazil
conventional short form: Brazil
local long form: Republica Federativa do Brasil
local short form: Brasil

British Indian Ocean Territory
conventional long form: British
Indian Ocean Territory
conventional short form: none
abbreviation: BIOT

British Virgin Islands
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: British Virgin Islands
abbreviation: BVI

Brunei
conventional long form: Negara Brunei Darussalam
conventional short form: Brunei

Bulgaria
conventional long form: Republic of Bulgaria
conventional short form: Bulgaria

Burkina Faso
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Burkina Faso
former: Upper Volta, Republic of Upper Volta

Burma
conventional long form: Union of Burma
conventional short form: Burma
local long form: Pyidaungzu Myanma Naingngandaw (translated by the
US Government as Union of Myanma and by the Burmese as Union of
Myanmar)
local short form: Myanma Naingngandaw
former: Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma
note: since 1989 the military authorities in Burma have promoted the
name Myanmar as a conventional name for their state; this decision
was not approved by any sitting legislature in Burma, and the US
Government did not adopt the name, which is a derivative of the
Burmese short-form name Myanma Naingngandaw

Burundi
conventional long form: Republic of Burundi
conventional short form: Burundi
local long form: Republika y'u Burundi
local short form: Burundi
former: Urundi

Cambodia
conventional long form: Kingdom of Cambodia
conventional short form: Cambodia
local long form: Preahreacheanacha Kampuchea (phonetic pronunciation)
local short form: Kampuchea
former: Kingdom of Cambodia, Khmer Republic, Democratic Kampuchea,
People's Republic of Kampuchea, State of Cambodia

Cameroon
conventional long form: Republic of Cameroon
conventional short form: Cameroon
former: French Cameroon

Canada
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Canada

Cape Verde
conventional long form: Republic of Cape Verde
conventional short form: Cape Verde
local long form: Republica de Cabo Verde
local short form: Cabo Verde

Cayman Islands
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Cayman Islands

Central African Republic
conventional long form: Central African
Republic
conventional short form: none
local long form: Republique Centrafricaine
local short form: none
former: Ubangi-Shari, Central African Empire
abbreviation: CAR

Chad
conventional long form: Republic of Chad
conventional short form: Chad
local long form: Republique du Tchad
local short form: Tchad

Chile
conventional long form: Republic of Chile
conventional short form: Chile
local long form: Republica de Chile
local short form: Chile

China
conventional long form: People's Republic of China
conventional short form: China
local long form: Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo
local short form: Zhong Guo
abbreviation: PRC

Christmas Island
conventional long form: Territory of Christmas
Island
conventional short form: Christmas Island

Clipperton Island
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Clipperton Island
local long form: none
local short form: Ile Clipperton
former: sometimes called Ile de la Passion

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
conventional long form: Territory of Cocos
(Keeling) Islands
conventional short form: Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Colombia
conventional long form: Republic of Colombia
conventional short form: Colombia
local long form: Republica de Colombia
local short form: Colombia

Comoros
conventional long form: Union of the Comoros
conventional short form: Comoros
local long form: Union des Comores
local short form: Comores