Chapter XIII: Front Matter (13)

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

Natural gas - proved reserves:
55.22 billion cu m (2004)

Current account balance:
$-149.1 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
$2.445 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
crude oil and petroleum products, lumber, cocoa beans, aluminum,
coffee, cotton

Exports - partners:
Spain 15.2%, Italy 12.3%, UK 10.2%, France 9.2%, US 8.8%, South
Korea 7.1%, Netherlands 4.3% (2004)

Imports:
$1.979 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery, electrical equipment, transport equipment, fuel, food

Imports - partners:
France 28.2%, Nigeria 9.9%, Belgium 7.6%, US 4.9%, China 4.8%,
Germany 4.6%, Italy 4.1% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$687.5 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
$8.46 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
on 23 January 2001, the Paris Club agreed to reduce Cameroon's debt
of $1.3 billion by $900 million; debt relief now totals $1.26 billion

Currency (code):
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible
authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Currency code:
XAF

Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 528.29
(2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000)

Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

Communications Cameroon

Telephones - main lines in use:
110,900 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.077 million (2003)

Telephone system:
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

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 3 (2002)

Radios:
2.27 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (2002)

Televisions:
450,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.cm

Internet hosts:
479 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2002)

Internet users:
60,000 (2002)
note: Cameroon also had more than 100 cyber-cafes in 2001

Transportation Cameroon

Railways:
total: 1,008 km
narrow gauge: 1,008 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)

Highways:
total: 34,300 km
paved: 4,288 km
unpaved: 30,012 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
navigation mainly on Benue River; limited during rainy season (2004)

Pipelines:
gas 90 km; liquid petroleum gas 9 km; oil 1,120 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Douala, Limboh Terminal

Merchant marine:
total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 169,593 GRT/357,023 DWT
by type: petroleum tanker 1 (2005)

Airports:
47 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 11
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 36
1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 20
under 914 m: 9 (2004 est.)

Military Cameroon

Military branches:
Cameroon Armed Forces: Army, Navy (includes Naval Infantry), Air
Force

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription
(1999)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 3,410,440 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 1,720,385 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males: 188,662 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$221.1 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.6% (2004)

Transnational Issues Cameroon

Disputes - international:
ICJ ruled in 2002 on the entire Cameroon-Nigeria land and maritime
boundary but the parties formed a Joint Border Commission, which
continues to meet regularly to resolve differences bilaterally and
have commenced with demarcation in less-contested sections of the
boundary, starting in Lake Chad in the north; implementation of the
ICJ ruling on the Cameroon-Equatorial Guinea-Nigeria maritime
boundary in the Gulf of Guinea is impeded by imprecisely defined
coordinates, the unresolved Bakassi allocation, and a sovereignty
dispute between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon over an island at the
mouth of the Ntem River; Nigeria initially rejected cession of the
Bakasi Peninsula, then agreed, but has yet to withdraw its forces
while much of the indigenous population opposes cession; only
Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission's
admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty which also includes
Chad and Niger

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 39,261 (Chad) 16,983 (Nigeria) 9,634
(Cote d'Ivoire) (2004)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Canada

Introduction Canada

Background:
A land of vast distances and rich natural resources, Canada became
a self-governing dominion in 1867 while retaining ties to the
British crown. Economically and technologically the nation has
developed in parallel with the US, its neighbor to the south across
an unfortified border. Canada's paramount political problem is
meeting public demands for quality improvements in health care and
education services after a decade of budget cuts. The issue of
reconciling Quebec's francophone heritage with the majority
anglophone Canadian population has moved to the back burner in
recent years; support for separatism abated after the Quebec
government's referendum on independence failed to pass in October of
1995.

Geography Canada

Location:
Northern North America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean on the
east, North Pacific Ocean on the west, and the Arctic Ocean on the
north, north of the conterminous US

Geographic coordinates:
60 00 N, 95 00 W

Map references:
North America

Area:
total: 9,984,670 sq km
land: 9,093,507 sq km
water: 891,163 sq km

Area - comparative:
somewhat larger than the US

Land boundaries:
total: 8,893 km
border countries: US 8,893 km (includes 2,477 km with Alaska)

Coastline:
202,080 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:
varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north

Terrain:
mostly plains with mountains in west and lowlands in southeast

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Logan 5,959 m

Natural resources:
iron ore, nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, molybdenum, potash,
diamonds, silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal, petroleum, natural
gas, hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 4.96%
permanent crops: 0.02%
other: 95.02% (2001)

Irrigated land:
7,200 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
continuous permafrost in north is a serious obstacle to
development; cyclonic storms form east of the Rocky Mountains, a
result of the mixing of air masses from the Arctic, Pacific, and
North American interior, and produce most of the country's rain and
snow east of the mountains

Environment - current issues:
air pollution and resulting acid rain severely affecting lakes and
damaging forests; metal smelting, coal-burning utilities, and
vehicle emissions impacting on agricultural and forest productivity;
ocean waters becoming contaminated due to agricultural, industrial,
mining, and forestry activities

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
second-largest country in world (after Russia); strategic location
between Russia and US via north polar route; approximately 90% of
the population is concentrated within 160 km of the US border

People Canada

Population:
32,805,041 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 17.9% (male 3,016,032/female 2,869,244)
15-64 years: 68.9% (male 11,357,425/female 11,244,356)
65 years and over: 13.2% (male 1,842,496/female 2,475,488) (2005
est.)

Median age:
total: 38.54 years
male: 37.54 years
female: 39.56 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.9% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
10.84 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
7.73 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
5.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.75 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.21 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 80.1 years
male: 76.73 years
female: 83.63 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.61 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.3% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
56,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
1,500 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Canadian(s)
adjective: Canadian

Ethnic groups:
British Isles origin 28%, French origin 23%, other European 15%,
Amerindian 2%, other, mostly Asian, African, Arab 6%, mixed
background 26%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 42.6%, Protestant 23.3% (including United Church
9.5%, Anglican 6.8%, Baptist 2.4%, Lutheran 2%), other Christian
4.4%, Muslim 1.9%, other and unspecified 11.8%, none 16% (2001
census)

Languages:
English (official) 59.3%, French (official) 23.2%, other 17.5%

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97% (1986 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA%

Government Canada

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

Government type:
a constitutional monarchy that is also a parliamentary democracy
and a federation

Capital:
Ottawa

Administrative divisions:
10 provinces and 3 territories*; Alberta, British Columbia,
Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest
Territories*, Nova Scotia, Nunavut*, Ontario, Prince Edward Island,
Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory*

Independence:
1 July 1867 (union of British North American colonies); 11 December
1931 (independence recognized)

National holiday:
Canada Day, 1 July (1867)

Constitution:
made up of unwritten and written acts, customs, judicial decisions,
and traditions; the written part of the constitution consists of the
Constitution Act of 29 March 1867, which created a federation of
four provinces, and the Constitution Act of 17 April 1982, which
transferred formal control over the constitution from Britain to
Canada, and added a Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms as well
as procedures for constitutional amendments

Legal system:
based on English common law, except in Quebec, where civil law
system based on French law prevails; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Michaelle Jean (since 27 October
2005)
head of government: Prime Minister Paul MARTIN (since 12 December
2003); Deputy Prime Minister Anne MCLELLAN (since 12 December 2003)
cabinet: Federal Ministry chosen by the prime minister from among
the members of his own party sitting in Parliament
elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; governor general
appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister for a
five-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party or the leader of the majority coalition in the House
of Commons is automatically designated prime minister by the
governor general

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat
(members appointed by the governor general with the advice of the
prime minister and serve until reaching 75 years of age; its normal
limit is 105 senators) and the House of Commons or Chambre des
Communes (308 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote to
serve for up to five-year terms)
elections: House of Commons - last held 28 June 2004 (next to be
held by NA 2009)
election results: House of Commons - percent of vote by party -
Liberal Party 36.7%, Conservative Party 29.6%, New Democratic Party
15.7%, Bloc Quebecois 12.4%, Greens 4.3%, independents 0.4%, other
0.9%; seats by party - Liberal Party 134, Conservative Party 99,
Bloc Quebecois 54, New Democratic Party 19, independent 2

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Canada (judges are appointed by the prime minister
through the governor general); Federal Court of Canada; Federal
Court of Appeal; Provincial Courts (these are named variously Court
of Appeal, Court of Queens Bench, Superior Court, Supreme Court, and
Court of Justice)

Political parties and leaders:
Bloc Quebecois [Gilles DUCEPPE]; Conservative Party of Canada (a
merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative
Party) [Stephen HARPER]; Green Party [Jim HARRIS]; Liberal Party
[Paul MARTIN]; New Democratic Party [Jack LAYTON]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACCT, AfDB, APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia
Group, BIS, C, CDB, CE (observer), EAPC, EBRD, ESA (cooperating
state), FAO, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM (guest),
NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UNAMSIL,
UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNMOVIC, UNTSO, UPU, WCL,
WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Francis Joseph MCKENNA
chancery: 501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001
telephone: [1] (202) 682-1740
FAX: [1] (202) 682-7726
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Dallas,
Denver, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, Phoenix,
San Diego, and Seattle
consulate(s): Anchorage, Houston, Philadelphia, Princeton, Raleigh,
San Francisco, and San Jose

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador David H. WILKINS
embassy: 490 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 1G8
mailing address: P. O. Box 5000, Ogdensburgh, NY 13669-0430
telephone: [1] (613) 238-5335, 4470
FAX: [1] (613) 688-3082
consulate(s) general: Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec, Toronto,
Vancouver, Winnipeg

Flag description:
two vertical bands of red (hoist and fly side, half width), with
white square between them; an 11-pointed red maple leaf is centered
in the white square; the official colors of Canada are red and white

Economy Canada

Economy - overview:
As an affluent, high-tech industrial society, newly entered in the
trillion dollar class, Canada closely resembles the US in its
market-oriented economic system, pattern of production, and affluent
living standards. Since World War II, the impressive growth of the
manufacturing, mining, and service sectors has transformed the
nation from a largely rural economy into one primarily industrial
and urban. The 1989 US-Canada Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and the
1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) (which includes
Mexico) touched off a dramatic increase in trade and economic
integration with the US. Given its great natural resources, skilled
labor force, and modern capital plant Canada enjoys solid economic
prospects. Solid fiscal management has produced a long-term budget
surplus which is substantially reducing the national debt, although
public debate continues over how to manage the rising cost of the
publicly funded healthcare system. Exports account for roughly a
third of GDP. Canada enjoys a substantial trade surplus with its
principal trading partner, the United States, which absorbs more
than 85% of Canadian exports.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.023 trillion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
2.4% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $31,500 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 2.3%
industry: 26.4%
services: 71.3% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
17.37 million (2004)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 3%, manufacturing 15%, construction 5%, services 74%,
other 3% (2000)

Unemployment rate:
7% (2004)

Population below poverty line:
NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 23.8% (1994)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
31.5 (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.9% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
19.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $151 billion
expenditures: $144 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2004 est.)

Public debt:
NA (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
wheat, barley, oilseed, tobacco, fruits, vegetables; dairy
products; forest products; fish

Industries:
transportation equipment, chemicals, processed and unprocessed
minerals, food products; wood and paper products; fish products,
petroleum and natural gas

Industrial production growth rate:
2% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
548.9 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 28%
hydro: 57.9%
nuclear: 12.9%
other: 1.3% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
487.3 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
36.13 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
13 billion kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
3.11 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
2.2 million bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
1.37 million bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports:
987,000 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - proved reserves:
178.9 billion bbl including shale oil (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production:
165.8 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
55.8 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
91.52 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
8.73 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
1.691 trillion cu m (2004)

Current account balance:
$28.2 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
$315.6 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
motor vehicles and parts, industrial machinery, aircraft,
telecommunications equipment; chemicals, plastics, fertilizers; wood
pulp, timber, crude petroleum, natural gas, electricity, aluminum

Exports - partners:
US 85.2%, Japan 2.1%, UK 1.6% (2004)

Imports:
$256.1 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, crude oil,
chemicals, electricity, durable consumer goods

Imports - partners:
US 58.9%, China 6.8%, Mexico 3.8% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$36.27 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$570 billion (2004)

Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $2 billion (2004)

Currency (code):
Canadian dollar (CAD)

Currency code:
CAD

Exchange rates:
Canadian dollars per US dollar - 1.301 (2004), 1.4011 (2003),
1.5693 (2002), 1.5488 (2001), 1.4851 (2000)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Canada

Telephones - main lines in use:
19,950,900 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
13,221,800 (2003)

Telephone system:
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)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 245, FM 582, shortwave 6 (2004)

Radios:
32.3 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
80 (plus many repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
21.5 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.ca

Internet hosts:
3,210,081 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
760 (2000 est.)

Internet users:
16.11 million (2002)

Transportation Canada

Railways:
total: 48,683 km
standard gauge: 48,683 km 1.435-m gauge (2004)

Highways:
total: 1,408,800 km
paved: 497,306 km (including 16,900 km of expressways)
unpaved: 911,494 km (2002)

Waterways:
631 km
note: Saint Lawrence Seaway of 3,769 km, including the Saint
Lawrence River of 3,058 km, shared with United States (2003)

Pipelines:
crude and refined oil 23,564 km; liquid petroleum gas 74,980 km
(2003)

Ports and harbors:
Fraser River Port, Goderich, Montreal, Port Cartier, Quebec, Saint
John's (Newfoundland), Sept Isles, Vancouver

Merchant marine:
total: 169 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,784,229 GRT/2,657,499 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 22, cargo 49, chemical tanker 6, combination
ore/oil 1, container 1, passenger 6, passenger/cargo 65, petroleum
tanker 13, roll on/roll off 6
foreign-owned: 6 (France 1, Germany 3, United States 2)
registered in other countries: 112 (2005)

Airports:
1,326 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 503
over 3,047 m: 18
2,438 to 3,047 m: 15
1,524 to 2,437 m: 150
914 to 1,523 m: 245
under 914 m: 75 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 823
1,524 to 2,437 m: 67
914 to 1,523 m: 347
under 914 m: 409 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
319 (2004)

Military Canada

Military branches:
Canadian Armed Forces: Land Forces Command, Maritime Command, Air
Command, Canada Command (homeland security) to be operational in
early 2006 (2005)

Military service age and obligation:
16 years of age for voluntary military service; women comprise some
11% of Canada's armed forces (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 8,216,510 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 6,740,490 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males: 223,821 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$9,801.7 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.1% (2003)

Transnational Issues Canada

Disputes - international:
managed maritime boundary disputes with the US at Dixon Entrance,
Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and around the disputed
Machias Seal Island and North Rock; working toward greater
cooperation with US in monitoring people and commodities crossing
the border; uncontested sovereignty dispute with Denmark over Hans
Island in the Kennedy Channel between Ellesmere Island and Greenland

Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic drug market and
export to US; use of hydroponics technology permits growers to plant
large quantities of high-quality marijuana indoors; transit point
for heroin and cocaine entering the US market; vulnerable to
narcotics money laundering because of its mature financial services
sector

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Cape Verde

Introduction Cape Verde

Background:
The uninhabited islands were discovered and colonized by the
Portuguese in the 15th century; Cape Verde subsequently became a
trading center for African slaves and later an important coaling and
resupply stop for whaling and transatlantic shipping. Following
independence in 1975, and a tentative interest in unification with
Guinea-Bissau, a one-party system was established and maintained
until multi-party elections were held in 1990. Cape Verde continues
to exhibit one of Africa's most stable democratic governments.
Repeated droughts during the second half of the 20th century caused
significant hardship and prompted heavy emigration. As a result,
Cape Verde's expatriate population is greater than its domestic one.
Most Cape Verdeans have both African and Portuguese antecedents.

Geography Cape Verde

Location:
Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, west
of Senegal

Geographic coordinates:
16 00 N, 24 00 W

Map references:
Political Map of the World

Area:
total: 4,033 sq km
land: 4,033 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Rhode Island

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
965 km

Maritime claims:
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and very erratic

Terrain:
steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mt. Fogo 2,829 m (a volcano on Fogo Island)

Natural resources:
salt, basalt rock, limestone, kaolin, fish, clay, gypsum

Land use:
arable land: 9.68%
permanent crops: 0.5%
other: 89.82% (2001)

Irrigated land:
30 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces obscuring
dust; volcanically and seismically active

Environment - current issues:
soil erosion; deforestation due to demand for wood used as fuel;
desertification; environmental damage has threatened several species
of birds and reptiles; illegal beach sand extraction; overfishing

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

Geography - note:
strategic location 500 km from west coast of Africa near major
north-south sea routes; important communications station; important
sea and air refueling site

People Cape Verde

Population:
418,224 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 39% (male 82,249/female 80,752)
15-64 years: 54.3% (male 110,119/female 116,816)
65 years and over: 6.8% (male 10,599/female 17,689) (2005 est.)

Median age:
total: 19.4 years
male: 18.62 years
female: 20.25 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.67% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
25.33 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
6.62 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
-11.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 47.77 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 52.95 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 42.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.45 years
male: 67.13 years
female: 73.86 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
3.48 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.035% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
775 (2001)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
225 (as of 2001)

Nationality:
noun: Cape Verdean(s)
adjective: Cape Verdean

Ethnic groups:
Creole (mulatto) 71%, African 28%, European 1%

Religions:
Roman Catholic (infused with indigenous beliefs); Protestant
(mostly Church of the Nazarene)

Languages:
Portuguese, Crioulo (a blend of Portuguese and West African words)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 76.6%
male: 85.8%
female: 69.2% (2003 est.)

Government Cape Verde

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

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Praia

Administrative divisions:
17 municipalities (concelhos, singular - concelho); Boa Vista,
Brava, Maio, Mosteiros, Paul, Praia, Porto Novo, Ribeira Grande,
Sal, Santa Catarina, Santa Cruz, Sao Domingos, Sao Filipe, Sao
Miguel, Sao Nicolau, Sao Vicente, Tarrafal

Independence:
5 July 1975 (from Portugal)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 5 July (1975)

Constitution:
new constitution came into force 25 September 1992; underwent a
major revision on 23 November 1995, substantially increasing the
powers of the president, and a further revision in 1999, to create
the position of national ombudsman (Provedor de Justica)

Legal system:
derived from the legal system of Portugal

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Pedro PIRES (since 22 March 2001)
head of government: Prime Minister Jose Maria Pereira NEVES (since 1
February 2001)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 11 and 25 February 2001 (next to be held February
2006); prime minister nominated by the National Assembly and
appointed by the president
election results: Pedro PIRES elected president; percent of vote -
Pedro PIRES (PAICV) 49.43%, Carlos VIEGA (MPD) 49.42%; note - the
election was won by only twelve votes

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (72 seats;
members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 14 January 2001 (next to be held December 2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - PAICV 47.3%, MPD 39.8%,
ADM 6%, other 6.9%; seats by party - PAICV 40, MPD 30, ADM 2

Judicial branch:
Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Supremo Tribunal de Justia

Political parties and leaders:
African Party for Independence of Cape Verde or PAICV [Jose Maria
Pereira NEVES, chairman]; Democratic Alliance for Change or ADM [Dr.
Eurico MONTEIRO] (a coalition of PCD, PTS, and UCID); Democratic
Christian Party or PDC [Manuel RODRIGUES, chairman]; Democratic
Renovation Party or PRD [Jacinto SANTOS, president]; Movement for
Democracy or MPD [Agostinho LOPES, president]; Party for Democratic
Convergence or PCD [Dr. Eurico MONTEIRO, president]; Party of Work
and Solidarity or PTS [Isaias RODRIGUES, president]; Social
Democratic Party or PSD [Joao ALEM, president]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jose BRITO
chancery: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 965-6820
FAX: [1] (202) 965-1207
consulate(s) general: Boston

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Donald C. JOHNSON
embassy: Rua Abilio m. Macedo 81, Praia
mailing address: C. P. 201, Praia
telephone: [238] 261 56 16, 261 56 17
FAX: [238] 261 13 55

Flag description:
three horizontal bands of light blue (top, double width), white
(with a horizontal red stripe in the middle third), and light blue;
a circle of 10 yellow five-pointed stars is centered on the hoist
end of the red stripe and extends into the upper and lower blue bands

Economy Cape Verde

Economy - overview:
This island economy suffers from a poor natural resource base,
including serious water shortages exacerbated by cycles of long-term
drought. The economy is service-oriented, with commerce, transport,
tourism, and public services accounting for 72% of GDP. Although
nearly 70% of the population lives in rural areas, the share of
agriculture in GDP in 2004 was only 12%, of which fishing accounted
for 1.5%. About 82% of food must be imported. The fishing potential,
mostly lobster and tuna, is not fully exploited. Cape Verde annually
runs a high trade deficit, financed by foreign aid and remittances
from emigrants; remittances supplement GDP by more than 20%.
Economic reforms are aimed at developing the private sector and
attracting foreign investment to diversify the economy. Future
prospects depend heavily on the maintenance of aid flows, the
encouragement of tourism, remittances, and the momentum of the
government's development program.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$600 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
5% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,400 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 12.1%
industry: 21.9%
services: 66% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
NA

Unemployment rate:
21% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:
30% (2000)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.5% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
19.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $260.6 million
expenditures: $305.3 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
bananas, corn, beans, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, coffee, peanuts;
fish

Industries:
food and beverages, fish processing, shoes and garments, salt
mining, ship repair

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
43.08 million kWh (2002)

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

Electricity - consumption:
40.06 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2002)

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

Oil - consumption:
2,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA

Oil - imports:
NA

Current account balance:
$-93.76 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
$61.11 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
fuel, shoes, garments, fish, hides

Exports - partners:
Portugal 59.4%, US 17.2%, UK 11.4% (2004)

Imports:
$387.3 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, industrial products, transport equipment, fuels

Imports - partners:
Portugal 41.8%, US 12.3%, Netherlands 8.4%, Spain 5.2%, Italy 4.2%,
Brazil 4% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$112.7 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
$325 million (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
$136 million (1999)

Currency (code):
Cape Verdean escudo (CVE)

Currency code:
CVE

Exchange rates:
Cape Verdean escudos (CVE) per US dollar - 88.808 (2004), 97.703
(2003), 117.168 (2002), 123.228 (2001), 119.687 (2000)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Cape Verde

Telephones - main lines in use:
71,700 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
53,300 (2003)

Telephone system:
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)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 22 (and 12 low power repeaters), shortwave 0 (2002)

Radios:
100,000 (2002 est.)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (and 7 repeaters) (2002)

Televisions:
15,000 (2002 est.)

Internet country code:
.cv

Internet hosts:
118 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2002)

Internet users:
20,400 (2003)

Transportation Cape Verde

Highways:
total: 1,350 km
paved: 932 km
unpaved: 418 km (2000)

Ports and harbors:
Mindelo, Praia, Tarrafal

Merchant marine:
total: 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,395 GRT/6,614 DWT
by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 1, passenger/cargo 2
foreign-owned: 1 (United Kingdom 1) (2005)

Airports:
7
note: 3 airports are reported to be nonoperational (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 6
over 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 5 (2004 est.)

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

Military Cape Verde

Military branches:
People's Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARP): Army, Coast Guard
(includes maritime air wing)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 84,641 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 65,614 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$14.1 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.5% (2004)

Transnational Issues Cape Verde

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
used as a transshipment point for illicit drugs moving from Latin
America and Asia destined for Western Europe; the lack of a
well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a
money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Cayman Islands

Introduction Cayman Islands

Background:
The Cayman Islands were colonized from Jamaica by the British
during the 18th and 19th centuries. Administered by Jamaica since
1863, they remained a British dependency after 1962 when the former
became independent.

Geography Cayman Islands

Location:
Caribbean, island group in Caribbean Sea, nearly one-half of the
way from Cuba to Honduras

Geographic coordinates:
19 30 N, 80 30 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 262 sq km
land: 262 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
160 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical marine; warm, rainy summers (May to October) and cool,
relatively dry winters (November to April)

Terrain:
low-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: The Bluff 43 m

Natural resources:
fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism

Land use:
arable land: 3.85%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 96.15% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
hurricanes (July to November)

Environment - current issues:
no natural fresh water resources; drinking water supplies must be
met by rainwater catchments

Geography - note:
important location between Cuba and Central America

People Cayman Islands

Population:
44,270 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 21.1% (male 4,658/female 4,662)
15-64 years: 70.8% (male 15,284/female 16,050)
65 years and over: 8.2% (male 1,699/female 1,917) (2005 est.)

Median age:
total: 36.83 years
male: 36.48 years
female: 37.18 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.64% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
12.92 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
4.81 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
18.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: major destination for Cubans trying to migrate to the US (2005
est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 8.19 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 9.39 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.95 years
male: 77.33 years
female: 82.6 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.9 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Caymanian(s)
adjective: Caymanian

Ethnic groups:
mixed 40%, white 20%, black 20%, expatriates of various ethnic
groups 20%

Religions:
United Church (Presbyterian and Congregational), Anglican, Baptist,
Church of God, other Protestant, Roman Catholic

Languages:
English

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 98%
male: 98%
female: 98% (1970 est.)

Government Cayman Islands

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

Dependency status:
overseas territory of the UK

Government type:
British crown colony

Capital:
George Town

Administrative divisions:
8 districts; Creek, Eastern, Midland, South Town, Spot Bay, Stake
Bay, West End, Western

Independence:
none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:
Constitution Day, first Monday in July

Constitution:
1959; revised 1972 and 1992

Legal system:
British common law and local statutes

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
Governor Bruce DINWIDDY (since 29 May 2002)
head of government: Leader of Government Business Kurt TIBBETTS
(since 18 May 2005)
cabinet: Executive Council (three members appointed by the governor,
four members elected by the Legislative Assembly)
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor is
appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
leader of the majority party or coalition is appointed by the
governor Leader of Government Business

Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Assembly (18 seats, three appointed members
from the Executive Council and 15 elected by popular vote; members
serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 11 May 2005 (next to be held 2009)
election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - PPM 9, UDP 5,
independent 1

Judicial branch:
Summary Court; Grand Court; Cayman Islands Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders:
no national teams (loose groupings of political organizations) were
formed for the 2000 elections; United Democratic Party or UDP
[leader McKeeva BUSH]; People's Progressive Movement or PPM [leader
Kurt TIBBETTS]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UNESCO
(associate), UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description:
blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and
the Caymanian coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag;
the coat of arms includes a pineapple and turtle above a shield with
three stars (representing the three islands) and a scroll at the
bottom bearing the motto HE HATH FOUNDED IT UPON THE SEAS

Economy Cayman Islands

Economy - overview:
With no direct taxation, the islands are a thriving offshore
financial center. More than 40,000 companies were registered in the
Cayman Islands as of 1998, including almost 600 banks and trust
companies; banking assets exceed $500 billion. A stock exchange was
opened in 1997. Tourism is also a mainstay, accounting for about 70%
of GDP and 75% of foreign currency earnings. The tourist industry is
aimed at the luxury market and caters mainly to visitors from North
America. Total tourist arrivals exceeded 1.2 million in 1997, with
600,000 from the US. About 90% of the islands' food and consumer
goods must be imported. The Caymanians enjoy one of the highest
outputs per capita and one of the highest standards of living in the
world.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.391 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.7% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $32,300 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1.4%
industry: 3.2%
services: 95.4% (1994 est.)

Labor force:
19,820 (1995)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 1.4%, industry 12.6%, services 86% (1995)

Unemployment rate:
4.1% (1997)

Population below poverty line:
NA (2002 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.8% (2002)

Budget:
revenues: $265.2 million
expenditures: $248.9 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(1997)

Agriculture - products:
vegetables, fruit; livestock, turtle farming

Industries:
tourism, banking, insurance and finance, construction, construction
materials, furniture

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - production:
410.8 million kWh (2002)

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

Electricity - consumption:
382.1 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2002)

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

Oil - consumption:
2,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA

Oil - imports:
NA

Exports:
$1.2 million (1999)

Exports - commodities:
turtle products, manufactured consumer goods

Exports - partners:
mostly US

Imports:
$457.4 million (1999)

Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, manufactured goods

Imports - partners:
US, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, Netherlands Antilles, Japan

Debt - external:
$70 million (1996)

Economic aid - recipient:
NA

Currency (code):
Caymanian dollar (KYD)

Currency code:
KYD

Exchange rates:
Caymanian dollars per US dollar - 0.82 (29 October 2001), 0.83 (3
November 1995), 0.85 (22 November 1993)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Cayman Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:
38,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
17,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
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)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:
36,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
4 with cable system (2004)

Televisions:
7,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.ky

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
16 (2000)

Internet users:
9,909 (2003)

Transportation Cayman Islands

Highways:
total: 785 km
paved: 785 km (2000)

Ports and harbors:
Cayman Brac, George Town

Merchant marine:
total: 129 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,827,837 GRT/4,555,974 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 29, cargo 12, chemical tanker 39, liquefied
gas 1, petroleum tanker 17, refrigerated cargo 28, roll on/roll off 3
foreign-owned: 126 (Denmark 1, Germany 14, Greece 20, Italy 12,
Norway 1, Philippines 1, Sweden 13, Switzerland 11, United Kingdom
9, United States 44) (2005)

Airports:
3 (2004 est.)

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

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

Military Cayman Islands

Military branches:
no regular military forces; Royal Cayman Islands Police Force

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Cayman Islands

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
offshore financial center; vulnerable to drug transshipment to the
US and Europe

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Central African Republic

Introduction Central African Republic

Background:
The former French colony of Ubangi-Shari became the Central African
Republic upon independence in 1960. After three tumultuous decades
of misrule - mostly by military governments - civilian rule was
established in 1993 and lasted for one decade. President Ange-Felix
PATASSE's civilian government was plagued by unrest, and in March
2003 he was deposed in a military coup led by General Francois
BOZIZE, who has since established a transitional government. Though
the government has the tacit support of civil society groups and the
main parties, a wide field of affiliated and independent candidates
will contest the municipal, legislative, and presidential elections
scheduled for February 2005. The government still does not fully
control the countryside, where pockets of lawlessness persist.

Geography Central African Republic

Location:
Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Geographic coordinates:
7 00 N, 21 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 622,984 sq km
land: 622,984 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries:
total: 5,203 km
border countries: Cameroon 797 km, Chad 1,197 km, Democratic
Republic of the Congo 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 467 km, Sudan
1,165 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers

Terrain:
vast, flat to rolling, monotonous plateau; scattered hills in
northeast and southwest

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Oubangui River 335 m
highest point: Mont Ngaoui 1,420 m

Natural resources:
diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil, hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 3.1%
permanent crops: 0.14%
other: 96.76% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are
common

Environment - current issues:
tap water is not potable; poaching has diminished the country's
reputation as one of the last great wildlife refuges;
desertification; deforestation

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
landlocked; almost the precise center of Africa

People Central African Republic

Population:
3,799,897
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2005 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 42.5% (male 813,596/female 802,728)
15-64 years: 54% (male 1,010,696/female 1,041,903)
65 years and over: 3.4% (male 54,345/female 76,629) (2005 est.)

Median age:
total: 18.12 years
male: 17.75 years
female: 18.5 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.49% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
35.17 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
20.27 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 91 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 97.84 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 83.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 43.39 years
male: 43.27 years
female: 43.52 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
4.5 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
13.5% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
260,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
23,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: malaria
respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2004)

Nationality:
noun: Central African(s)
adjective: Central African

Ethnic groups:
Baya 33%, Banda 27%, Mandjia 13%, Sara 10%, Mboum 7%, M'Baka 4%,
Yakoma 4%, other 2%

Religions:
indigenous beliefs 35%, Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim
15%
note: animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the
Christian majority

Languages:
French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language),
tribal languages

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 51%
male: 63.3%
female: 39.9% (2003 est.)

Government Central African Republic

Country name:
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

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Bangui

Administrative divisions:
14 prefectures (prefectures, singular - prefecture), 2 economic
prefectures* (prefectures economiques, singular - prefecture
economique), and 1 commune**; Bamingui-Bangoran, Bangui**,
Basse-Kotto, Haute-Kotto, Haut-Mbomou, Kemo, Lobaye, Mambere-Kadei,
Mbomou, Nana-Grebizi*, Nana-Mambere, Ombella-Mpoko, Ouaka, Ouham,
Ouham-Pende, Sangha-Mbaere*, Vakaga

Independence:
13 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday:
Republic Day, 1 December (1958)

Constitution:
passed by referendum 5 December 2004

Legal system:
based on French law

Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Francois BOZIZE (since 15 March 2003 coup)
head of government: Prime Minister Elie DOTE (since 13 June 2005)
note - Celestin GAOMBALET resigned 11 June 2005
cabinet: Council of Ministers
elections: president elected to five year term with a two-term
limit; next presidential elections scheduled for 10 April 2005;
prime minister appointed by the political party with a parliamentary
majority

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (109 seats;
members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms
elections: last held 22-23 November and 13 December 1998 (next to be
held 13 March 2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - MLPC 43%, RDC 18%, MDD
9%, FPP 6%, PSD 5%, ADP 4%, PUN 3%, FODEM 2%, PLD 2%, UPR 1%, FC 1%,
independents 6%; seats by party - MLPC 47, RDC 20, MDD 8, FPP 7, PSD
6, ADP 5, PUN 3, FODEM 2, PLD 2, UPR 1, FC 1, independents 7

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Constitutional Court (3 judges
appointed by the president, 3 by the president of the National
Assembly, and 3 by fellow judges); Court of Appeal; Criminal Courts;
Inferior Courts

Political parties and leaders:
Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP [Jacques MBOLIEDAS];
Central African Democratic Assembly or RDC [Andre KOLINGBA]; Civic
Forum or FC [Gen. Timothee MALENDOMA]; Democratic Forum for
Modernity or FODEM [Charles MASSI]; Liberal Democratic Party or PLD
[Nestor KOMBO-NAGUEMON]; Movement for Democracy and Development or
MDD [David DACKO]; Movement for the Liberation of the Central
African People or MLPC [the party of deposed president, Ange-Felix
PATASSE]; Patriotic Front for Progress or FPP [Abel GOUMBA];
People's Union for the Republic or UPR [Pierre Sammy MAKFOY];
National Unity Party or PUN [Jean-Paul NGOUPANDE]; Social Democratic
Party or PSD [Enoch LAKOUE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC,
ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC (observer), OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Emmanuel TOUABOY
chancery: 1618 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 483-7800
FAX: [1] (202) 332-9893

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Charge d'Affaires James PANOS
embassy: Avenue David Dacko, Bangui
mailing address: B. P. 924, Bangui
telephone: [236] 61 02 00
FAX: [236] 61 44 94
note: the embassy is currently operating with a minimal staff

Flag description:
four equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, green, and yellow
with a vertical red band in center; there is a yellow five-pointed
star on the hoist side of the blue band

Economy Central African Republic

Economy - overview:
Subsistence agriculture, together with forestry, remains the
backbone of the economy of the Central African Republic (CAR), with
more than 70% of the population living in outlying areas. The
agricultural sector generates half of GDP. Timber has accounted for
about 16% of export earnings and the diamond industry, for 54%.
Important constraints to economic development include the CAR's
landlocked position, a poor transportation system, a largely
unskilled work force, and a legacy of misdirected macroeconomic
policies. Factional fighting between the government and its
opponents remains a drag on economic revitalization, with GDP growth
at only 0.5% in 2004. Distribution of income is extraordinarily
unequal. Grants from France and the international community can only
partially meet humanitarian needs.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$4.248 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
0.5% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 55%
industry: 20%
services: 25% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
NA

Unemployment rate:
8% (23% for Bangui) (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA (1993)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 0.7%
highest 10%: 47.7% (1993)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
61.3 (1993)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.6% (2001 est.)

Budget:
revenues: NA
expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA

Agriculture - products:
cotton, coffee, tobacco, manioc (tapioca), yams, millet, corn,
bananas; timber

Industries:
gold and diamond mining, logging, brewing, textiles, footwear,
assembly of bicycles and motorcycles

Industrial production growth rate:
3% (2002)

Electricity - production:
106 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 19.8%
hydro: 80.2%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
98.58 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2002)

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

Oil - consumption:
2,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA

Oil - imports:
NA

Exports:
$172 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco

Exports - partners:
Belgium 39.2%, Italy 8.6%, Spain 7.9%, US 6.2%, France 6.1%,
Indonesia 5.8%, China 4.9% (2004)

Imports:
$136 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
food, textiles, petroleum products, machinery, electrical
equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals

Imports - partners:
France 17.6%, US 16.3%, Cameroon 9.3%, Belgium 5% (2004)

Debt - external:
$881.4 million (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
ODA $73 million; note - traditional budget subsidies from France
(2000 est.)

Currency (code):
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible
authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Currency code:
XAF

Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 528.29
(2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Central African Republic

Telephones - main lines in use:
9,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
13,000 (2003)

Telephone system:
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)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2002)

Radios:
283,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (2001)

Televisions:
18,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.cf

Internet hosts:
6 (2002)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2002)

Internet users:
5,000 (2002)

Transportation Central African Republic

Highways:
total: 23,810 km
paved: 643 km
unpaved: 23,167 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
2,800 km (primarily on the Oubangui and Sangha rivers) (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Bangui, Nola, Salo, Nzinga

Airports:
50 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 47
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
914 to 1,523 m: 23
under 914 m: 13 (2004 est.)

Military Central African Republic

Military branches:
Central African Armed Forces (FACA): Ground Forces, Air Force;
General Directorate of Gendarmerie Inspection (DGIG), Republican
Guard (2004)

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service;
conscript service obligation is two years (2005)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 758,103 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 330,255 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$15.5 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1% (2004)

Transnational Issues Central African Republic

Disputes - international:
about 30,000 refugees fleeing the 2002 civil conflict in the CAR
still reside in southern Chad; periodic skirmishes over water and
grazing rights among related pastoral populations along the border
with southern Sudan persist

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 36,479 (Sudan) 1,864 (Chad) 6,484
(Democratic Republic of the Congo)
IDPs: 200,000 (unrest following coup in 2003) (2004)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Chad

Introduction Chad

Background:
Chad, part of France's African holdings until 1960, endured three
decades of civil warfare as well as invasions by Libya before a
semblance of peace was finally restored in 1990. The government
eventually suppressed or came to terms with most political-military
groups, settled a territorial dispute with Libya on terms favorable
to Chad, drafted a democratic constitution, and held multiparty
presidential elections in 1996 and 1997. In 1998, a new rebellion
broke out in northern Chad, which sporadically flares up despite two
peace agreements signed in 2002 and 2003 between the government and
the rebels. Despite movement toward democratic reform, power remains
in the hands of an ethnic minority.

Geography Chad

Location:
Central Africa, south of Libya

Geographic coordinates:
15 00 N, 19 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 1.284 million sq km
land: 1,259,200 sq km
water: 24,800 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly more than three times the size of California

Land boundaries:
total: 5,968 km
border countries: Cameroon 1,094 km, Central African Republic 1,197
km, Libya 1,055 km, Niger 1,175 km, Nigeria 87 km, Sudan 1,360 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
tropical in south, desert in north

Terrain:
broad, arid plains in center, desert in north, mountains in
northwest, lowlands in south

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Djourab Depression 160 m
highest point: Emi Koussi 3,415 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, uranium, natron, kaolin, fish (Lake Chad), gold,
limestone, sand and gravel, salt

Land use:
arable land: 2.86%
permanent crops: 0.02%
other: 97.12% (2001)

Irrigated land:
200 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds occur in north; periodic droughts;
locust plagues