Chapter XIV: Front Matter (14)

Environment - current issues:
inadequate supplies of potable water; improper waste disposal in
rural areas contributes to soil and water pollution; desertification

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

Geography - note:
landlocked; Lake Chad is the most significant water body in the
Sahel

People Chad

Population:
9,826,419 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 47.9% (male 2,365,277/female 2,337,388)
15-64 years: 49.4% (male 2,323,110/female 2,528,086)
65 years and over: 2.8% (male 109,535/female 163,023) (2005 est.)

Median age:
total: 16.02 years
male: 15.32 years
female: 16.71 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.95% (2005 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
-0.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 93.82 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 103.03 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 84.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 47.18 years
male: 45.55 years
female: 48.87 years (2005 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
4.8% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
200,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
18,000 (2003 est.)

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

Nationality:
noun: Chadian(s)
adjective: Chadian

Ethnic groups:
200 distinct groups; in the north and center: Arabs, Gorane
(Toubou, Daza, Kreda), Zaghawa, Kanembou, Ouaddai, Baguirmi,
Hadjerai, Fulbe, Kotoko, Hausa, Boulala, and Maba, most of whom are
Muslim; in the south: Sara (Ngambaye, Mbaye, Goulaye), Moundang,
Moussei, Massa, most of whom are Christian or animist; about 1,000
French citizens live in Chad

Religions:
Muslim 51%, Christian 35%, animist 7%, other 7%

Languages:
French (official), Arabic (official), Sara (in south), more than
120 different languages and dialects

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write French or Arabic
total population: 47.5%
male: 56%
female: 39.3% (2003 est.)

Government Chad

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

Government type:
republic

Capital:
N'Djamena

Administrative divisions:
14 prefectures (prefectures, singular - prefecture); Batha,
Biltine, Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti, Chari-Baguirmi, Guera, Kanem, Lac,
Logone Occidental, Logone Oriental, Mayo-Kebbi, Moyen-Chari,
Ouaddai, Salamat, Tandjile
note: instead of 14 prefectures, there may be a new administrative
structure of 28 departments (departments, singular - department),
and 1 city*; Assongha, Baguirmi, Bahr El Gazal, Bahr Koh, Batha
Oriental, Batha Occidental, Biltine, Borkou, Dababa, Ennedi, Guera,
Hadjer Lamis, Kabia, Kanem, Lac, Lac Iro, Logone Occidental, Logone
Oriental, Mandoul, Mayo-Boneye, Mayo-Dallah, Monts de Lam,
N'Djamena*, Ouaddai, Salamat, Sila, Tandjile Oriental, Tandjile
Occidental, Tibesti

Independence:
11 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 11 August (1960)

Constitution:
passed by referendum 31 March 1996

Legal system:
based on French civil law system and Chadian customary law; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY (since 4 December
1990)
head of government: Prime Minister Pascal YOADIMNADJI (since 3
February 2005)
cabinet: Council of State, members appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote to serve five-year
term; if no candidate receives at least 50% of the total vote, the
two candidates receiving the most votes must stand for a second
round of voting; last held 20 May 2001 (next to be held NA 2006);
prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY reelected president; percent
of vote - Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY 63%, Ngarlegy YORONGAR 16%, Saleh
KEBZABO 7%

Legislative branch:
bicameral according to constitution, consists of a National
Assembly (155 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
four-year terms) and a Senate (not yet created and size unspecified,
members to serve six-year terms, one-third of membership renewable
every two years)
elections: National Assembly - last held 21 April 2002 (next to be
held in April 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
MPS 110, RDP 12, FAR 9, RNDP 5, URD 5, UNDR 3, others 11

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Criminal Courts; Magistrate Courts

Political parties and leaders:
Federation Action for the Republic or FAR [Ngarlejy YORONGAR];
National Rally for Development and Progress or RNDP [Mamadou BISSO];
National Union for Democracy and Renewal or UNDR [Saleh KEBZABO];
Patriotic Salvation Movement or MPS [Mahamat Saleh AHMAT, chairman];
Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Lol Mahamat CHOUA]; Union
for Renewal and Democracy or URD [Gen. Wadal Abdelkader KAMOUGUE];
Viva Rally for Development and Progress or Viva RNDP [Delwa Kassire
COUMAKOYE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

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

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Mahamat Adam BECHIR
chancery: 2002 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 462-4009
FAX: [1] (202) 265-1937

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Marc WALL
embassy: Avenue Felix Eboue, N'Djamena
mailing address: B. P. 413, N'Djamena
telephone: [235] (51) 70-09
FAX: [235] (51) 56-54

Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red;
similar to the flag of Romania; also similar to the flags of Andorra
and Moldova, both of which have a national coat of arms centered in
the yellow band; design was based on the flag of France

Economy Chad

Economy - overview:
Chad's primarily agricultural economy will continue to be boosted
by major oilfield and pipeline projects that began in 2000. Over 80%
of Chad's population relies on subsistence farming and livestock
raising for its livelihood. Cotton, cattle, and gum arabic provide
the bulk of Chad's export earnings; Chad began to export oil in
2004. Chad's economy has long been handicapped by its landlocked
position, high energy costs, and a history of instability. Chad
relies on foreign assistance and foreign capital for most public and
private sector investment projects. A consortium led by two US
companies has been investing $3.7 billion to develop oil reserves
estimated at 1 billion barrels in southern Chad. Oil production came
on stream in late 2003.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$15.66 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
38% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,600 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 22.6%
industry: 35.6%
services: 41.7% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
NA

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture more than 80% (subsistence farming, herding, and
fishing)

Unemployment rate:
NA

Population below poverty line:
80% (2001 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
8% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
24.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $1.131 billion
expenditures: $957.7 million, including capital expenditures of $146
million (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
cotton, sorghum, millet, peanuts, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca);
cattle, sheep, goats, camels

Industries:
oil, cotton textiles, meatpacking, beer brewing, natron (sodium
carbonate), soap, cigarettes, construction materials

Industrial production growth rate:
5% (1995)

Electricity - production:
96.13 million kWh (2002)

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

Electricity - consumption:
89.4 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
200,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
1,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA

Oil - imports:
NA

Current account balance:
$330.2 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
$365 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
cotton, cattle, gum arabic

Exports - partners:
US 67.8%, China 21.5%, Portugal 4.3% (2004)

Imports:
$500.7 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transportation equipment, industrial goods, petroleum
products, foodstuffs, textiles

Imports - partners:
France 21.9%, Cameroon 16.1%, US 10.8%, Portugal 10.4%, Germany
6.4%, Belgium 4.6% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$652.7 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
$1.1 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$238.3 million received; note - $125 million committed by Taiwan
(August 1997); $30 million committed by African Development Bank;
ODA $150 million (2001 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 Chad

Telephones - main lines in use:
11,800 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
65,000 (2003)

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

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 5 (2002)

Radios:
1.67 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (2002)

Televisions:
10,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.td

Internet hosts:
8 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2002)

Internet users:
15,000 (2002)

Transportation Chad

Highways:
total: 33,400 km
paved: 267 km
unpaved: 33,133 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
Chari and Legone rivers are navigable only in wet season (2002)

Pipelines:
oil 205 km (2004)

Airports:
50 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 7
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 44
1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
914 to 1,523 m: 20
under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)

Military Chad

Military branches:
Chadian National Army (Armee Nationale Tchadienne, ANT), Air Force,
Gendarmerie (2004)

Military service age and obligation:
20 years of age for conscripts, with 3-year service obligation; 18
years of age for volunteers; no minimum age restriction for
volunteers with consent from a guardian (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 20-49: 1,559,382 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 20-49: 834,695 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males: 95,228 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$101.3 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.1% (2004)

Transnational Issues Chad

Disputes - international:
since 2003, Janjawid armed militia and Sudanese military have
driven about 200,000 Darfur region refugees into eastern Chad; Chad
remains an important mediator in the Sudanese civil conflict;
Chadian Aozou rebels reside in southern Libya; 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): 200,000 (Sudan) 30,000 (Central
African Republic) (2004)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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@Chile

Introduction Chile

Background:
Prior to the coming of the Spanish in the 16th century, northern
Chile was under Inca rule while Araucanian Indians inhabited central
and southern Chile; the latter were not completely subjugated until
the early 1880s. Although Chile declared its independence in 1810,
decisive victory over the Spanish was not achieved until 1818. In
the War of the Pacific (1879-84), Chile defeated Peru and Bolivia
and won its present northern lands. A three-year-old Marxist
government of Salvador ALLENDE was overthrown in 1973 by a
dictatorial military regime led by Augusto PINOCHET, who ruled until
a freely elected president was installed in 1990. Sound economic
policies, maintained consistently since the 1980s, have contributed
to steady growth and have helped secure the country's commitment to
democratic and representative government. Chile has increasingly
assumed regional and international leadership roles befitting its
status as a stable, democratic nation.

Geography Chile

Location:
Southern South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between
Argentina and Peru

Geographic coordinates:
30 00 S, 71 00 W

Map references:
South America

Area:
total: 756,950 sq km
land: 748,800 sq km
water: 8,150 sq km
note: includes Easter Island (Isla de Pascua) and Isla Sala y Gomez

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than twice the size of Montana

Land boundaries:
total: 6,171 km
border countries: Argentina 5,150 km, Bolivia 861 km, Peru 160 km

Coastline:
6,435 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200/350 nm

Climate:
temperate; desert in north; Mediterranean in central region; cool
and damp in south

Terrain:
low coastal mountains; fertile central valley; rugged Andes in east

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Nevado Ojos del Salado 6,880 m

Natural resources:
copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals, molybdenum,
hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 2.65%
permanent crops: 0.42%
other: 96.93% (2001)

Irrigated land:
18,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis

Environment - current issues:
widespread deforestation and mining threaten natural resources; air
pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution
from raw sewage

Environment - international agreements:
party to: 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,
Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
strategic location relative to sea lanes between Atlantic and
Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage);
Atacama Desert is one of world's driest regions

People Chile

Population:
15,980,912 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 25.2% (male 2,062,735/female 1,970,913)
15-64 years: 66.7% (male 5,320,870/female 5,342,771)
65 years and over: 8% (male 534,737/female 748,886) (2005 est.)

Median age:
total: 30.07 years
male: 29.17 years
female: 31.05 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.97% (2005 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
0 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 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: 8.8 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 9.55 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 8.01 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.58 years
male: 73.3 years
female: 80.03 years (2005 est.)

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

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
26,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
1,400 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Chilean(s)
adjective: Chilean

Ethnic groups:
white and white-Amerindian 95%, Amerindian 3%, other 2%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 11%, Jewish NEGL%

Languages:
Spanish

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96.2%
male: 96.4%
female: 96.1% (2003 est.)

Government Chile

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

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Santiago

Administrative divisions:
13 regions (regiones, singular - region); Aisen del General Carlos
Ibanez del Campo, Antofagasta, Araucania, Atacama, Bio-Bio,
Coquimbo, Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins, Los Lagos,
Magallanes y de la Antartica Chilena, Maule, Region Metropolitana
(Santiago), Tarapaca, Valparaiso
note: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica

Independence:
18 September 1810 (from Spain)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 18 September (1810)

Constitution:
11 September 1980, effective 11 March 1981; amended 30 July 1989,
1993, and 1997

Legal system:
based on Code of 1857 derived from Spanish law and subsequent codes
influenced by French and Austrian law; judicial review of
legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction
note: Chile is in the process of completely overhauling its criminal
justice system; a new, US-style adversarial system is being
gradually implemented throughout the country with the final stage of
implementation in the Santiago metropolitan region expected in June
2005

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ricardo LAGOS Escobar (since 11 March
2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Ricardo LAGOS Escobar (since 11 March
2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
election last held 12 December 1999, with runoff election held 16
January 2000 (next to be held December 2005)
election results: Ricardo LAGOS Escobar elected president; percent
of vote - Ricardo LAGOS Escobar 51.32%, Joaquin LAVIN 48.68%

Legislative branch:
bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the
Senate or Senado (48 seats, 38 elected by popular vote, 9 designated
members, and 1 former president who has served a full six-year term
and is senator for life); elected members serve eight-year terms
(one-half elected every four years) and the Chamber of Deputies or
Camara de Diputados (120 seats; members are elected by popular vote
to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 16 December 2001 (next to be held
December 2005); Chamber of Deputies - last held 16 December 2001
(next to be held December 2005)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - CPD 20 (PDC 12, PS 5, PPD 3), APC 16 (UDI 9, RN 7),
independents 2; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party -
NA%; seats by party - CPD 62 (PDC 24, PPD 21, PS 11, PRSD 6), UDI
35, RN 22, independent 1

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are appointed by the
president and ratified by the Senate from lists of candidates
provided by the court itself; the president of the Supreme Court is
elected by the 21-member court); Constitutional Tribunal

Political parties and leaders:
Alliance for Chile ("Alianza") or APC (including National Renewal
or RN [Sebastian PINERA] and Independent Democratic Union or UDI
[Pablo LONGUEIRA]); Coalition of Parties for Democracy
("Concertacion") or CPD (including Christian Democratic Party or PDC
[Adolfo ZALDIVAR], Socialist Party or PS [Gonzalo MARTNER], Party
for Democracy or PPD [Victor BARRUETO], Radical Social Democratic
Party or PRSD [Orlando CANTUARIAS]); Communist Party or PC [Gladys
MARIN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
revitalized university student federations at all major
universities; Roman Catholic Church; United Labor Central or CUT
includes trade unionists from the country's five largest labor
confederations

International organization participation:
APEC, BIS, CSN, FAO, G-15, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt
(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate),
MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Andres BIANCHI
chancery: 1732 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 785-1746
FAX: [1] (202) 887-5579
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New
York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Craig A. KELLY
embassy: Avenida Andres Bello 2800, Las Condes, Santiago
mailing address: APO AA 34033
telephone: [56] (2) 232-2600
FAX: [56] (2) 330-3710

Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; there is a blue
square the same height as the white band at the hoist-side end of
the white band; the square bears a white five-pointed star in the
center representing a guide to progress and honor; blue symbolizes
the sky, white is for the snow-covered Andes, and red stands for the
blood spilled to achieve independence; design was influenced by the
US flag

Economy Chile

Economy - overview:
Chile has a market-oriented economy characterized by a high level
of foreign trade. During the early 1990s, Chile's reputation as a
role model for economic reform was strengthened when the democratic
government of Patricio AYLWIN - which took over from the military in
1990 - deepened the economic reform initiated by the military
government. Growth in real GDP averaged 8% during 1991-97, but fell
to half that level in 1998 because of tight monetary policies
implemented to keep the current account deficit in check and because
of lower export earnings - the latter a product of the global
financial crisis. A severe drought exacerbated the recession in
1999, reducing crop yields and causing hydroelectric shortfalls and
electricity rationing, and Chile experienced negative economic
growth for the first time in more than 15 years. Despite the effects
of the recession, Chile maintained its reputation for strong
financial institutions and sound policy that have given it the
strongest sovereign bond rating in South America. By the end of
1999, exports and economic activity had begun to recover, and growth
rebounded to 4.2% in 2000. Growth fell back to 3.1% in 2001 and 2.1%
in 2002, largely due to lackluster global growth and the devaluation
of the Argentine peso. Chile's economy began a slow recovery in
2003, growing 3.2% and accelerated to 5.8% in 2004. GDP growth
benefited from high copper prices, solid export earnings
(particularly forestry, fishing, and mining), and stepped-up foreign
direct investment. Unemployment, however, remains stubbornly high.
Chile deepened its longstanding commitment to trade liberalization
with the signing of a free trade agreement with the US, which took
effect on 1 January 2004.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$169.1 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
5.8% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $10,700 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 6.3%
industry: 38.2%
services: 55.5% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
6.2 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 13.6%, industry 23.4%, services 63% (2003)

Unemployment rate:
8.5% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
20.6% (2000)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.2%
highest 10%: 47% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
57.1 (2000)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.4% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
23.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $21.53 billion
expenditures: $19.95 billion, including capital expenditures of
$3.33 billion (2004 est.)

Public debt:
12.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
grapes, apples, pears, onions, wheat, corn, oats, peaches, garlic,
asparagus, beans, beef, poultry, wool; fish; timber

Industries:
copper, other minerals, foodstuffs, fish processing, iron and
steel, wood and wood products, transport equipment, cement, textiles

Industrial production growth rate:
7.8% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
48.6 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 47%
hydro: 51.5%
nuclear: 0%
other: 1.4% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
41.8 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
1.813 billion kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
18,500 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption:
240,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - imports:
221,500 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - proved reserves:
150 million bbl (1 January 2004)

Natural gas - production:
1.18 billion cu m (2002 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
6.517 billion cu m (2002 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2002)

Natural gas - imports:
5.337 billion cu m (2002 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
99.05 billion cu m (1 January 2004)

Current account balance:
$2.185 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
$29.2 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
copper, fruit, fish products, paper and pulp, chemicals, wine

Exports - partners:
US 14%, Japan 11.4%, China 9.9%, South Korea 5.5%, Netherlands
5.1%, Brazil 4.3%, Italy 4.1%, Mexico 4% (2004)

Imports:
$22.53 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, electrical and
telecommunications equipment, industrial machinery, vehicles,
natural gas

Imports - partners:
Argentina 17%, US 14%, Brazil 11.2%, China 7.4% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$16.02 billion (2004)

Debt - external:
$44.6 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
ODA, $0 (2002)

Currency (code):
Chilean peso (CLP)

Currency code:
CLP

Exchange rates:
Chilean pesos per US dollar - 609.37 (2004), 691.43 (2003), 688.94
(2002), 634.94 (2001), 539.59 (2000)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Chile

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

Telephones - mobile cellular:
6,445,700 (2002)

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

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 180 (eight inactive), FM 64, shortwave 17 (one inactive) (1998)

Radios:
5.18 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
63 (plus 121 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
3.15 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.cl

Internet hosts:
202,429 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
7 (2000)

Internet users:
3.575 million (2002)

Transportation Chile

Railways:
total: 6,585 km
broad gauge: 2,831 km 1.676-m gauge (1,317 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 3,754 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)

Highways:
total: 79,605 km
paved: 16,080 km (including 407 km of expressways)
unpaved: 63,525 km (2001)

Pipelines:
gas 2,583 km; gas/lpg 42 km; liquid petroleum gas 539 km; oil 1,003
km; refined products 757 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Antofagasta, Arica, Huasco, Iquique, Lirquen, San Antonio, San
Vicente, Valparaiso

Merchant marine:
total: 47 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 725,216 GRT/954,519 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 10, cargo 6, chemical tanker 9, container 1,
liquefied gas 3, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 8,
roll on/roll off 1, vehicle carrier 4
registered in other countries: 21 (2005)

Airports:
364 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 71
over 3,047 m: 6
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 21
914 to 1,523 m: 23
under 914 m: 15 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 293
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 11
914 to 1,523 m: 60
under 914 m: 217 (2004 est.)

Military Chile

Military branches:
Army of the Nation, National Navy (includes naval air, Coast Guard,
and Marine Corps), Chilean Air Force, Chilean Carabineros (National
Police)

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory military service; all citizens 18-45
are obligated to perform military service; conscript service
obligation - 12 months for Army, 24 months for Navy and Air Force
(2004)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 3,815,761 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 3,123,281 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males: 140,084 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$3.42 billion (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
3.8% (2004)

Transnational Issues Chile

Disputes - international:
Chile rebuffs Bolivia's reactivated claim to restore the Atacama
corridor, ceded to Chile in 1884, offering instead unrestricted but
not sovereign maritime access through Chile to Bolivian gas and
other commodities; Peru proposes changing its latitudinal maritime
boundary with Chile to an equidistance line with a southwestern
axis; territorial claim in Antarctica (Chilean Antarctic Territory)
partially overlaps Argentine and British claims

Illicit drugs:
important transshipment country for cocaine destined for Europe and
the US; economic prosperity and increasing trade have made Chile
more attractive to traffickers seeking to launder drug profits,
especially through the Iquique Free Trade Zone, but a new
anti-money-laundering law improves controls; imported precursors
passed on to Bolivia; domestic cocaine consumption is rising

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@China

Introduction China

Background:
For centuries China stood as a leading civilization, outpacing the
rest of the world in the arts and sciences, but in the 19th and
early 20th centuries, the country was beset by civil unrest, major
famines, military defeats, and foreign occupation. After World War
II, the Communists under MAO Zedong established an autocratic
socialist system that, while ensuring China's sovereignty, imposed
strict controls over everyday life and cost the lives of tens of
millions of people. After 1978, his successor DENG Xiaoping and
other leaders focused on market-oriented economic development and by
2000 output had quadrupled. For much of the population, living
standards have improved dramatically and the room for personal
choice has expanded, yet political controls remain tight.

Geography China

Location:
Eastern Asia, bordering the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea,
and South China Sea, between North Korea and Vietnam

Geographic coordinates:
35 00 N, 105 00 E

Map references:
Asia

Area:
total: 9,596,960 sq km
land: 9,326,410 sq km
water: 270,550 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than the US

Land boundaries:
total: 22,117 km
border countries: Afghanistan 76 km, Bhutan 470 km, Burma 2,185 km,
India 3,380 km, Kazakhstan 1,533 km, North Korea 1,416 km,
Kyrgyzstan 858 km, Laos 423 km, Mongolia 4,677 km, Nepal 1,236 km,
Pakistan 523 km, Russia (northeast) 3,605 km, Russia (northwest) 40
km, Tajikistan 414 km, Vietnam 1,281 km
regional borders: Hong Kong 30 km, Macau 0.34 km

Coastline:
14,500 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:
extremely diverse; tropical in south to subarctic in north

Terrain:
mostly mountains, high plateaus, deserts in west; plains, deltas,
and hills in east

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Turpan Pendi -154 m
highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m

Natural resources:
coal, iron ore, petroleum, natural gas, mercury, tin, tungsten,
antimony, manganese, molybdenum, vanadium, magnetite, aluminum,
lead, zinc, uranium, hydropower potential (world's largest)

Land use:
arable land: 15.4%
permanent crops: 1.25%
other: 83.35% (2001)

Irrigated land:
525,800 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
frequent typhoons (about five per year along southern and eastern
coasts); damaging floods; tsunamis; earthquakes; droughts; land
subsidence

Environment - current issues:
air pollution (greenhouse gases, sulfur dioxide particulates) from
reliance on coal produces acid rain; water shortages, particularly
in the north; water pollution from untreated wastes; deforestation;
estimated loss of one-fifth of agricultural land since 1949 to soil
erosion and economic development; desertification; trade in
endangered species

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

Geography - note:
world's fourth largest country (after Russia, Canada, and US);
Mount Everest on the border with Nepal is the world's tallest peak

People China

Population:
1,306,313,812 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 21.4% (male 148,134,928/female 131,045,415)
15-64 years: 71% (male 477,182,072/female 450,664,933)
65 years and over: 7.6% (male 47,400,282/female 51,886,182) (2005
est.)

Median age:
total: 32.26 years
male: 31.87 years
female: 32.67 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.58% (2005 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
-0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.12 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.13 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female
total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 24.18 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 21.21 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 27.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.27 years
male: 70.65 years
female: 74.09 years (2005 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
840,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
44,000 (2003 est.)

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

Ethnic groups:
Han Chinese 91.9%, Zhuang, Uygur, Hui, Yi, Tibetan, Miao, Manchu,
Mongol, Buyi, Korean, and other nationalities 8.1%

Religions:
Daoist (Taoist), Buddhist, Muslim 1%-2%, Christian 3%-4%
note: officially atheist (2002 est.)

Languages:
Standard Chinese or Mandarin (Putonghua, based on the Beijing
dialect), Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghaiese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan
(Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects, minority languages
(see Ethnic groups entry)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 90.9%
male: 95.1%
female: 86.5% (2002)

Government China

Country name:
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

Government type:
Communist state

Capital:
Beijing

Administrative divisions:
23 provinces (sheng, singular and plural), 5 autonomous regions
(zizhiqu, singular and plural), and 4 municipalities (shi, singular
and plural)
: provinces: Anhui, Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong, Guizhou, Hainan,
Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Jilin,
Liaoning, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan, Yunnan,
Zhejiang
: autonomous regions: Guangxi, Nei Mongol, Ningxia, Xinjiang, Xizang
(Tibet)
: municipalities: Beijing, Chongqing, Shanghai, Tianjin
note: China considers Taiwan its 23rd province; see separate entries
for the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau

Independence:
221 BC (unification under the Qin or Ch'in Dynasty); 1 January 1912
(Manchu Dynasty replaced by a Republic); 1 October 1949 (People's
Republic established)

National holiday:
Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China, 1
October (1949)

Constitution:
most recent promulgation 4 December 1982

Legal system:
a complex amalgam of custom and statute, largely criminal law;
rudimentary civil code in effect since 1 January 1987; new legal
codes in effect since 1 January 1980; continuing efforts are being
made to improve civil, administrative, criminal, and commercial law

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003) and Vice
President ZENG Qinghong (since 15 March 2003)
head of government: Premier WEN Jiabao (since 16 March 2003); Vice
Premiers HUANG Ju (since 17 March 2003), WU Yi (17 March 2003), ZENG
Peiyan (since 17 March 2003), and HUI Liangyu (since 17 March 2003)
cabinet: State Council appointed by the National People's Congress
(NPC)
elections: president and vice president elected by the National
People's Congress for five-year terms; elections last held 15-17
March 2003 (next to be held mid-March 2008); premier nominated by
the president, confirmed by the National People's Congress
election results: HU Jintao elected president by the Tenth National
People's Congress with a total of 2,937 votes (four delegates voted
against him, four abstained, and 38 did not vote); ZENG Qinghong
elected vice president by the Tenth National People's Congress with
a total of 2,578 votes (177 delegates voted against him, 190
abstained, and 38 did not vote); two seats were vacant

Legislative branch:
unicameral National People's Congress or Quanguo Renmin Daibiao
Dahui (2,985 seats; members elected by municipal, regional, and
provincial people's congresses to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held December 2002-February 2003 (next to be held
late 2007-February 2008)
election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - NA

Judicial branch:
Supreme People's Court (judges appointed by the National People's
Congress); Local Peoples Courts (comprise higher, intermediate and
local courts); Special Peoples Courts (primarily military, maritime,
and railway transport courts)

Political parties and leaders:
Chinese Communist Party or CCP [HU Jintao, General Secretary of the
Central Committee]; eight registered small parties controlled by CCP

Political pressure groups and leaders:
no substantial political opposition groups exist, although the
government has identified the Falungong spiritual movement and the
China Democracy Party as subversive groups

International organization participation:
AfDB, APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIS, CDB,
FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAIA
(observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), ONUB,
OPCW, PCA, SCO, UN, UN Security Council, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UNTSO, UPU, WCO,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador YANG Jiechi
chancery: 2300 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 328-2500
FAX: [1] (202) 328-2582
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and
San Francisco
consulate(s): Los Angeles

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Clark T. RANDT, Jr.
embassy: Xiu Shui Bei Jie 3, 100600 Beijing
mailing address: PSC 461, Box 50, FPO AP 96521-0002
telephone: [86] (10) 6532-3831
FAX: [86] (10) 6532-6929
consulate(s) general: Chengdu, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Shanghai,
Shenyang

Flag description:
red with a large yellow five-pointed star and four smaller yellow
five-pointed stars (arranged in a vertical arc toward the middle of
the flag) in the upper hoist-side corner

Economy China

Economy - overview:
In late 1978 the Chinese leadership began moving the economy from a
sluggish, inefficient, Soviet-style centrally planned economy to a
more market-oriented system. Whereas the system operates within a
political framework of strict Communist control, the economic
influence of non-state organizations and individual citizens has
been steadily increasing. The authorities switched to a system of
household and village responsibility in agriculture in place of the
old collectivization, increased the authority of local officials and
plant managers in industry, permitted a wide variety of small-scale
enterprises in services and light manufacturing, and opened the
economy to increased foreign trade and investment. The result has
been a quadrupling of GDP since 1978. Measured on a purchasing power
parity (PPP) basis, China in 2004 stood as the second-largest
economy in the world after the US, although in per capita terms the
country is still poor. Agriculture and industry have posted major
gains especially in coastal areas near Hong Kong and opposite Taiwan
and in Shanghai, where foreign investment has helped spur output of
both domestic and export goods. The leadership, however, often has
experienced - as a result of its hybrid system - the worst results
of socialism (bureaucracy and lassitude) and of capitalism (growing
income disparities and rising unemployment). China thus has
periodically backtracked, retightening central controls at
intervals. The government has struggled to (a) sustain adequate jobs
growth for tens of millions of workers laid off from state-owned
enterprises, migrants, and new entrants to the work force; (b)
reduce corruption and other economic crimes; and (c) keep afloat the
large state-owned enterprises, many of which had been shielded from
competition by subsidies and had been losing the ability to pay full
wages and pensions. From 100 to 150 million surplus rural workers
are adrift between the villages and the cities, many subsisting
through part-time, low-paying jobs. Popular resistance, changes in
central policy, and loss of authority by rural cadres have weakened
China's population control program, which is essential to
maintaining long-term growth in living standards. At the same time,
one demographic consequence of the "one child" policy is that China
is now one of the most rapidly aging countries in the world. Another
long-term threat to growth is the deterioration in the environment -
notably air pollution, soil erosion, and the steady fall of the
water table especially in the north. China continues to lose arable
land because of erosion and economic development. As part of its
effort to gradually slow the rapid economic growth seen in 2004,
Beijing says it will reduce somewhat its spending on infrastructure
in 2005, while continuing to focus on poverty relief and through
rural tax reform. Accession to the World Trade Organization helps
strengthen its ability to maintain strong growth rates but at the
same time puts additional pressure on the hybrid system of strong
political controls and growing market influences. China has
benefited from a huge expansion in computer Internet use, with 94
million users at the end of 2004. Foreign investment remains a
strong element in China's remarkable economic growth. Shortages of
electric power and raw materials may affect industrial output in
2005. More power generating capacity is scheduled to come on line in
2006. In its rivalry with India as an economic power, China has a
lead in the absorption of technology, the rising prominence in world
trade, and the alleviation of poverty; India has one important
advantage in its relative mastery of the English language, but the
number of competent Chinese English-speakers is growing rapidly.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$7.262 trillion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
9.1% (official data) (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $5,600 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 13.8%
industry and construction: 52.9%
services: 33.3% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
760.8 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 49%, industry 22%, services 29% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:
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.)

Population below poverty line:
10% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.4%
highest 10%: 30.4% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
44 (2002)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.1% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
46% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $317.9 billion
expenditures: $348.9 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2004 est.)

Public debt:
31.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
rice, wheat, potatoes, corn, peanuts, tea, millet, barley, apples,
cotton, oilseed, pork, fish

Industries:
mining and ore processing, iron, steel, aluminum, and other metals;
coal; machine building; armaments; textiles and apparel; petroleum;
cement; chemicals; fertilizers; consumer products, including
footwear, toys, and electronics; food processing; transportation
equipment, including automobiles, rail cars and locomotives, ships,
and aircraft; telecommunications equipment, commercial space launch
vehicles and satellites

Industrial production growth rate:
17.1% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
1.91 trillion kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 80.2%
hydro: 18.5%
nuclear: 1.2%
other: 0.1% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
1.63 trillion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
10.38 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
2.3 billion kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
3.392 million bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption:
4.956 million bbl/day (2002 est.)

Oil - exports:
427,800 bbl/day (2002)

Oil - imports:
2.414 million bbl/day (2002)

Oil - proved reserves:
17.74 billion bbl (2004 est.)

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

Natural gas - consumption:
29.18 billion cu m (2002 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2002 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2002 est.)

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

Current account balance:
$30.32 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
$583.1 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, plastics, optical and medical equipment,
iron and steel

Exports - partners:
US 21.1%, Hong Kong 17%, Japan 12.4%, South Korea 4.7%, Germany 4%
(2004)

Imports:
$552.4 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, oil and mineral fuels, plastics, optical
and medical equipment, organic chemicals, iron and steel

Imports - partners:
Japan 16.8%, Taiwan 11.4%, South Korea 11.1%, US 8%, Germany 5.4%
(2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$609.9 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
$233.3 billion (3rd quarter 2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
NA

Currency (code):
yuan (CNY)
note:: also referred to as the Renminbi (RMB)

Currency code:
CNY

Exchange rates:
yuan per US dollar - 8.2768 (2004), 8.277 (2003), 8.277 (2002),
8.2771 (2001), 8.2785 (2000)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications China

Telephones - main lines in use:
263 million (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
269 million (2003)

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

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 369, FM 259, shortwave 45 (1998)

Radios:
417 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
3,240 (of which 209 are operated by China Central Television, 31
are provincial TV stations and nearly 3,000 are local city stations)
(1997)

Televisions:
400 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.cn

Internet hosts:
160,421 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
3 (2000)

Internet users:
94 million (2004)

Transportation China

Railways:
total: 71,898 km
standard gauge: 71,898 km 1.435-m gauge (18,115 km electrified)
dual gauge: 23,945 km (multiple track not included in total) (2002)

Highways:
total: 1,765,222 km
paved: 395,410 km (with at least 25,130 km of expressways)
unpaved: 1,369,812 km (2002 est.)

Waterways:
121,557 km (2002)

Pipelines:
gas 15,890 km; oil 14,478 km; refined products 3,280 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Dalian, Guangzhou, Nanjing, Ningbo, Qingdao, Qinhuangdao, Shanghai

Merchant marine:
total: 1,649 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 18,724,653 GRT/27,749,784 DWT
by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 362, cargo 696, chemical
tanker 38, combination ore/oil 1, container 135, liquefied gas 30,
passenger 7, passenger/cargo 81, petroleum tanker 246, refrigerated
cargo 30, roll on/roll off 11, vehicle carrier 10
foreign-owned: 9 (Hong Kong 4, Japan 2, South Korea 2, United States
1)
registered in other countries: 872 (2005)

Airports:
472 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 383
over 3,047 m: 53
2,438 to 3,047 m: 116
1,524 to 2,437 m: 141
914 to 1,523 m: 23
under 914 m: 50 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 89
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
914 to 1,523 m: 32
under 914 m: 35 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
15 (2004 est.)

Military China

Military branches:
People's Liberation Army (PLA): Ground Forces, Navy (includes
marines and naval aviation), Air Force (includes Airborne Forces),
and II Artillery Corps (strategic missile force); People's Armed
Police Force (internal security troops considered to be an adjunct
to the PLA); Militia (2003)

Military service age and obligation:
18-22 years of age for compulsory military service, with 24-month
service obligation; no minimum age for voluntary service; 17 years
of age for women who meet requirements for specific military jobs
(2004)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 342,956,265 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 281,240,272 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males: 13,186,433 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$67.49 billion (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
4.3% (2004)

Transnational Issues China

Disputes - international:
in 2005, China and India initiate drafting principles to resolve
all aspects of their extensive boundary and territorial disputes
together with a security and foreign policy dialogue to consolidate
discussions related to the boundary, regional nuclear proliferation,
and other matters; recent talks and confidence-building measures
have begun to defuse tensions over Kashmir, site of the world's
largest and most militarized territorial dispute with portions under
the de facto administration of China (Aksai Chin), India (Jammu and
Kashmir), and Pakistan (Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas); India does
not recognize Pakistan's ceding historic Kashmir lands to China in
1964; about 90,000 ethnic Tibetan exiles reside primarily in India
as well as Nepal and Bhutan; China asserts sovereignty over the
Spratly Islands together with Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan,
Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct
of Parties in the South China Sea" has eased tensions in the
Spratlys but is not the legally binding "code of conduct" sought by
some parties; in March 2005, the national oil companies of China,
the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord on marine seismic
activities in the Spratly Islands; China occupies some of the
Paracel Islands also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; China and Taiwan
have become more vocal in rejecting both Japan's claims to the
uninhabited islands of Senkaku-shoto (Diaoyu Tai) and Japan's
unilaterally declared exclusive economic zone in the East China Sea,
the site of intensive hydrocarbon prospecting; certain islands in
the Yalu and Tumen rivers are in an uncontested dispute with North
Korea and a section of boundary around Mount Paektu is considered
indefinite; China seeks to stem illegal migration of tens of
thousands of North Koreans; in 2004, China and Russia divided up the
islands in the Amur, Ussuri, and Argun Rivers, ending a century-old
border dispute; demarcation of the China-Vietnam boundary proceeds
slowly and although the maritime boundary delimitation and fisheries
agreements were ratified in June 2004, implementation has been
delayed; environmentalists in Burma and Thailand remain concerned
about China's construction of hydroelectric dams upstream on the
Nujiang/Salween River in Yunnan Province

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 299,287 (Vietnam) estimated
30,000-50,000 (North Korea) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
major transshipment point for heroin produced in the Golden
Triangle; growing domestic drug abuse problem; source country for
chemical precursors and methamphetamine

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Christmas Island

Introduction Christmas Island

Background:
Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the island was annexed
and settlement was begun by the UK in 1888. Phosphate mining began
in the 1890s. The UK transferred sovereignty to Australia in 1958.
Almost two-thirds of the island has been declared a national park.

Geography Christmas Island

Location:
Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia

Geographic coordinates:
10 30 S, 105 40 E

Map references:
Southeast Asia

Area:
total: 135 sq km
land: 135 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
138.9 km

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

Climate:
tropical with a wet and dry season; heat and humidity moderated by
trade winds; wet season December to April

Terrain:
steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Murray Hill 361 m

Natural resources:
phosphate, beaches

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100%
note: mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national
park (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime
hazard

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean

People Christmas Island

Population:
361 (July 2005 est.)

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

Population growth rate:
0% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
NA

Death rate:
NA

Net migration rate:
NA

Sex ratio:
NA

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

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

Total fertility rate:
NA

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Christmas Islander(s)
adjective: Christmas Island

Ethnic groups:
Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10%
note: no indigenous population (2001)

Religions:
Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997)

Languages:
English (official), Chinese, Malay

Literacy:
NA

People - note:
the Australian Bureau of Statistics reports a population of 1,508
as of the 2001 Census

Government Christmas Island

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

Dependency status:
territory of Australia; administered by the Australian Department
of Transport and Regional Services

Government type:
NA

Capital:
The Settlement

Administrative divisions:
none (territory of Australia)

Independence:
none (territory of Australia)

National holiday:
Australia Day, 26 January (1788)

Constitution:
Christmas Island Act of 1958-59 (1 October 1958)

Legal system:
under the authority of the governor general of Australia and
Australian law

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by the Australian governor general
head of government: Administrator Evan WILLIAMS (since 1 November
2003)
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed
by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and
Australia

Legislative branch:
unicameral Christmas Island Shire Council (9 seats; members elected
by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: held every two years with half the members standing for
election; last held 3 May 2003 (next to be held in 2005)
election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 9

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court

Political parties and leaders:
none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
none

International organization participation:
none

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (territory of Australia)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (territory of Australia)

Flag description:
the flag of Australia is used; note - in early 1986, the Christmas
Island Assembly held a design competition for an island flag,
however, the winning design has never been formally adopted as the
official flag of the territory

Economy Christmas Island

Economy - overview:
Phosphate mining had been the only significant economic activity,
but in December 1987 the Australian Government closed the mine. In
1991, the mine was reopened. With the support of the government, a
$34 million casino opened in 1993. The casino closed in 1998. The
Australian Government in 2001 agreed to support the creation of a
commercial space-launching site on the island, projected to begin
operations in the near future

GDP (purchasing power parity):
NA

GDP - real growth rate:
NA

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA
industry: NA
services: NA

Labor force:
NA

Labor force - by occupation:
NA

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

Agriculture - products:
NA

Industries:
tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: NA
hydro: NA
nuclear: NA
other: NA

Exports:
NA

Exports - commodities:
phosphate

Exports - partners:
Australia, NZ

Imports:
NA

Imports - commodities:
consumer goods

Imports - partners:
principally Australia

Economic aid - recipient:
NA

Currency (code):
Australian dollar (AUD)

Currency code:
AUD

Exchange rates:
Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003),
1.8406 (2002), 1.9334 (2001), 1.7248 (2000)

Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

Communications Christmas Island

Telephones - main lines in use:
NA

Telephones - mobile cellular:
NA

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

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

Radios:
1,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
NA

Televisions:
600 (1997)

Internet country code:
.cx

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
NA

Transportation Christmas Island

Highways:
total: 240 km
paved: 30 km
unpaved: 210 km (2000)

Ports and harbors:
Flying Fish Cove

Airports:
1 (2004 est.)

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

Military Christmas Island

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of Australia

Transnational Issues Christmas Island

Disputes - international:
none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Clipperton Island

Introduction Clipperton Island

Background:
This isolated island was named for John CLIPPERTON, a pirate who
made it his hideout early in the 18th century. Annexed by France in
1855, it was seized by Mexico in 1897. Arbitration eventually
awarded the island to France, which took possession in 1935.