Chapter XXVIII: Front Matter (28)

Political parties and leaders:
Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood or ADPL
[Frederick FUNG Kin-kee, chairman]; Citizens Party [Alex CHAN
Kai-chung]; Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong or
DAB [MA Lik, chairman]; Democratic Party [LEE Wing-tat, chairman];
Frontier Party [Emily LAU Wai-hing, chairwoman]; Liberal Party
[James TIEN Pei-chun, chairman]
note: political blocs include: pro-democracy - Association for
Democracy and People's Livelihood, Democratic Party, Frontier Party;
pro-Beijing - Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong,
Hong Kong Progressive Alliance, Liberal Party

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Chinese General Chamber of Commerce (pro-China); Chinese
Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong; Confederation of Trade
Unions or CTU (pro-democracy) [LAU Chin-shek, president; LEE
Cheuk-yan, general secretary]; Federation of Hong Kong Industries;
Federation of Trade Unions or FTU (pro-China) [CHENG Yiu-tong,
executive councilor]; Hong Kong Alliance in Support of the Patriotic
Democratic Movement in China [Szeto WAH, chairman]; Hong Kong and
Kowloon Trade Union Council (pro-Taiwan); Hong Kong General Chamber
of Commerce; Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union [CHEUNG
Man-kwong, president]; Neighborhood and Workers' Service Center or
NWSC (pro-democracy); The Alliance [Bernard CHAN, exco member]

International organization participation:
APEC, AsDB, BIS, ICC, ICFTU, IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), Interpol
(subbureau), IOC, ISO (correspondent), UPU, WCL, WCO, WMO, WToO
(associate), WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (special administrative region of China)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Consul General James B. CUNNINGHAM
consulate(s) general: 26 Garden Road, Hong Kong
mailing address: PSC 461, Box 1, FPO AP 96521-0006
telephone: [852] 2523-9011
FAX: [852] 2524-0860

Flag description:
red with a stylized, white, five-petal bauhinia flower in the center

Economy Hong Kong

Economy - overview:
Hong Kong has a free market, entrepot economy, highly dependent on
international trade. Natural resources are limited, and food and raw
materials must be imported. Gross imports and exports (i.e.,
including reexports to and from third countries) each exceed GDP in
dollar value. Even before Hong Kong reverted to Chinese
administration on 1 July 1997, it had extensive trade and investment
ties with China. Hong Kong has been further integrating its economy
with China because China's growing openness to the world economy has
made manufacturing in China much more cost effective. Hong Kong's
reexport business to and from China is a major driver of growth. Per
capita GDP is comparable to that of the four big economies of
Western Europe. GDP growth averaged a strong 5% from 1989 to 1997,
but Hong Kong suffered two recessions in the past six years because
of the Asian financial crisis in 1998 and the global downturn in
2001 and 2002. Although the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)
outbreak also battered Hong Kong's economy, a boom in tourism from
the mainland because of China's easing of travel restrictions, a
return of consumer confidence, and a solid rise in exports resulted
in the resumption of strong growth in late 2003 and in 2004.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$234.5 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
7.9% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $34,200 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 0.1%
industry: 11.3%
services: 88.6% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
3.54 million (October 2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
manufacturing 7.5%, construction 2.9%, wholesale and retail trade,
restaurants, and hotels 43.7%, financing, insurance, and real estate
19.2%, transport and communications 7.9%, community and social
services 18.5%
note: above data exclude public sector (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:
6.7% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
-0.3% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
22.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $26.6 billion
expenditures: $31.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.9
billion (2004 est.)

Public debt:
2.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
fresh vegetables, poultry, fish, pork

Industries:
textiles, clothing, tourism, banking, shipping, electronics,
plastics, toys, watches, clocks

Industrial production growth rate:
1% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
35.51 billion kWh (2003)

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

Electricity - consumption:
38.45 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
3 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
10.4 billion kWh (2003)

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

Oil - consumption:
257,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA

Oil - imports:
NA

Natural gas - production:
NA

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

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

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

Current account balance:
$14.85 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
$268.1 billion f.o.b., including reexports (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
electrical machinery and appliances, textiles, apparel, footwear,
watches and clocks, toys, plastics, precious stones, printed material

Exports - partners:
China 44%, US 17%, Japan 5.3% (2004)

Imports:
$275.9 billion (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
raw materials and semi-manufactures, consumer goods, capital goods,
foodstuffs, fuel (most is re-exported)

Imports - partners:
China 43.5%, Japan 12.1%, Taiwan 7.3%, US 5.3%, Singapore 5.3%,
South Korea 4.8% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$123.6 billion (31 December 2004 est.)

Debt - external:
$66.94 billion (2004 est.)

Currency (code):
Hong Kong dollar (HKD)

Currency code:
HKD

Exchange rates:
Hong Kong dollars per US dollar - 7.788 (2004), 7.7868 (2003),
7.7989 (2002), 7.7988 (2001), 7.7912 (2000)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Hong Kong

Telephones - main lines in use:
3,801,300 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
7,241,400 (2003)

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

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 5, FM 9, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:
4.45 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
4 (2004)

Televisions:
1.84 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.hk

Internet hosts:
591,993 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
17 (2000)

Internet users:
3,212,800 (2003)

Transportation Hong Kong

Highways:
total: 1,831 km
paved: 1,831 km
unpaved: 0 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors:
Hong Kong

Merchant marine:
total: 837 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 20,478,042 GRT/34,554,455 DWT
by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 446, cargo 119, chemical
tanker 44, combination ore/oil 2, container 105, liquefied gas 20,
passenger 6, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 75, roll on/roll
off 5, vehicle carrier 8
foreign-owned: 453 (Australia 1, Bahamas 1, Belgium 3, Canada 9,
China 246, Denmark 3, France 5, Germany 13, Greece 19, India 1,
Indonesia 1, Israel 1, Japan 51, Norway 16, Philippines 13,
Singapore 17, South Korea 8, Taiwan 5, Thailand 4, UAE 1, United
Kingdom 32, United States 3)
registered in other countries: 373 (2005)

Airports:
4 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 4
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
2 (2004 est.)

Military Hong Kong

Military branches:
no regular indigenous military forces; Hong Kong garrison of
China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) includes elements of the PLA
Ground Forces, PLA Navy, and PLA Air Force; these forces are under
the direct leadership of the Central Military Commission in Beijing
and under administrative control of the adjacent Guangzhou Military
Region

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 1,743,972 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 1,403,088 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males: 40,343 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
Hong Kong garrison is funded by China; figures are NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of China

Transnational Issues Hong Kong

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
makes strenuous law enforcement efforts, but faces difficult
challenges in controlling transit of heroin and methamphetamine to
regional and world markets; modern banking system provides conduit
for money laundering; rising indigenous use of synthetic drugs,
especially among young people

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Howland Island

Introduction Howland Island

Background:
Discovered by the US early in the 19th century, the island was
officially claimed by the US in 1857. Both US and British companies
mined for guano until about 1890. Earhart Light is a day beacon near
the middle of the west coast that was partially destroyed during
World War II, but has since been rebuilt; it is named in memory of
the famed aviatrix Amelia EARHART. The island is administered by the
US Department of the Interior as a National Wildlife Refuge.

Geography Howland Island

Location:
Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way between
Hawaii and Australia

Geographic coordinates:
0 48 N, 176 38 W

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 1.6 sq km
land: 1.6 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
about three times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
6.4 km

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

Climate:
equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun

Terrain:
low-lying, nearly level, sandy, coral island surrounded by a narrow
fringing reef; depressed central area

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 3 m

Natural resources:
guano (deposits worked until late 1800s), terrestrial and aquatic
wildlife

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2001)

Irrigated land:
0 sq km

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

Environment - current issues:
no natural fresh water resources

Geography - note:
almost totally covered with grasses, prostrate vines, and
low-growing shrubs; small area of trees in the center; primarily a
nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds,
and marine wildlife

People Howland Island

Population:
uninhabited
note: American civilians evacuated in 1942 after Japanese air and
naval attacks during World War II; occupied by US military during
World War II, but abandoned after the war; public entry is by
special-use permit from US Fish and Wildlife Service only and
generally restricted to scientists and educators; visited annually
by US Fish and Wildlife Service (July 2005 est.)

Government Howland Island

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Howland Island

Dependency status:
unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington,
DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the
Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system

Legal system:
the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description:
the flag of the US is used

Economy Howland Island

Economy - overview:
no economic activity

Transportation Howland Island

Ports and harbors:
none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one small boat
landing area along the middle of the west coast

Airports:
airstrip constructed in 1937 for scheduled refueling stop on the
round-the-world flight of Amelia EARHART and Fred NOONAN - they left
Lae, New Guinea, for Howland Island, but were never seen again; the
airstrip is no longer serviceable (2004 est.)

Transportation - note:
Earhart Light is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast
that was partially destroyed during World War II, but has since been
rebuilt; named in memory of famed aviatrix Amelia EARHART

Military Howland Island

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by the US
Coast Guard

Transnational Issues Howland Island

Disputes - international:
none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Hungary

Introduction Hungary

Background:
Hungary was part of the polyglot Austro-Hungarian Empire, which
collapsed during World War I. The country fell under Communist rule
following World War II. In 1956, a revolt and announced withdrawal
from the Warsaw Pact were met with a massive military intervention
by Moscow. Under the leadership of Janos KADAR in 1968, Hungary
began liberalizing its economy, introducing so-called "Goulash
Communism." Hungary held its first multiparty elections in 1990 and
initiated a free market economy. It joined NATO in 1999 and the EU
in 2004.

Geography Hungary

Location:
Central Europe, northwest of Romania

Geographic coordinates:
47 00 N, 20 00 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 93,030 sq km
land: 92,340 sq km
water: 690 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Indiana

Land boundaries:
total: 2,171 km
border countries: Austria 366 km, Croatia 329 km, Romania 443 km,
Serbia and Montenegro 151 km, Slovakia 677 km, Slovenia 102 km,
Ukraine 103 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
temperate; cold, cloudy, humid winters; warm summers

Terrain:
mostly flat to rolling plains; hills and low mountains on the
Slovakian border

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Tisza River 78 m
highest point: Kekes 1,014 m

Natural resources:
bauxite, coal, natural gas, fertile soils, arable land

Land use:
arable land: 50.09%
permanent crops: 2.06%
other: 47.85% (2001)

Irrigated land:
2,100 sq km (1998 est.)

Environment - current issues:
the upgrading of Hungary's standards in waste management, energy
efficiency, and air, soil, and water pollution to meet EU
requirements will require large investments

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, 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
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulfur 94

Geography - note:
landlocked; strategic location astride main land routes between
Western Europe and Balkan Peninsula as well as between Ukraine and
Mediterranean basin; the north-south flowing Duna (Danube) and Tisza
Rivers divide the country into three large regions

People Hungary

Population:
10,006,835 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 15.8% (male 813,203/female 769,687)
15-64 years: 69.1% (male 3,405,559/female 3,511,141)
65 years and over: 15.1% (male 547,323/female 959,922) (2005 est.)

Median age:
total: 38.57 years
male: 36.1 years
female: 41.24 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
-0.26% (2005 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.57 male(s)/female
total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 8.57 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 9.27 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.4 years
male: 68.18 years
female: 76.89 years (2005 est.)

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

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
2,800 (2001 est.)

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

Nationality:
noun: Hungarian(s)
adjective: Hungarian

Ethnic groups:
Hungarian 92.3%, Roma 1.9%, other or unknown 5.8% (2001 census)

Religions:
Roman Catholic 51.9%, Calvinist 15.9%, Lutheran 3%, Greek Catholic
2.6%, other Christian 1%, other or unspecified 11.1%, unaffiliated
14.5% (2001 census)

Languages:
Hungarian 93.6%, other or unspecified 6.4% (2001 census)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.4%
male: 99.5%
female: 99.3% (2003 est.)

Government Hungary

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Hungary
conventional short form: Hungary
local long form: Magyar Koztarsasag
local short form: Magyarorszag

Government type:
parliamentary democracy

Capital:
Budapest

Administrative divisions:
19 counties (megyek, singular - megye), 20 urban counties (singular
- megyei varos), and 1 capital city (fovaros)
: counties: Bacs-Kiskun, Baranya, Bekes, Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen,
Csongrad, Fejer, Gyor-Moson-Sopron, Hajdu-Bihar, Heves,
Jasz-Nagykun-Szolnok, Komarom-Esztergom, Nograd, Pest, Somogy,
Szabolcs-Szatmar-Bereg, Tolna, Vas, Veszprem, Zala
: urban counties: Bekescsaba, Debrecen, Dunaujvaros, Eger, Gyor,
Hodmezovasarhely, Kaposvar, Kecskemet, Miskolc, Nagykanizsa,
Nyiregyhaza, Pecs, Sopron, Szeged, Szekesfehervar, Szolnok,
Szombathely, Tatabanya, Veszprem, Zalaegerszeg
: capital city: Budapest

Independence:
1001 (unification by King Stephen I)

National holiday:
Saint Stephen's Day, 20 August

Constitution:
18 August 1949, effective 20 August 1949; revised 19 April 1972; 18
October 1989 revision ensured legal rights for individuals and
constitutional checks on the authority of the prime minister and
also established the principle of parliamentary oversight; 1997
amendment streamlined the judicial system

Legal system:
rule of law based on Western model

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Laszlo SOLYOM (since 5 August 2005)
head of government: Prime Minister Ferenc GYURCSANY (since 29
September 2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the National Assembly on
the recommendation of the president
elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a
five-year term; election last held 6-7 June 2005 (next to be held by
June 2010); prime minister elected by the National Assembly on the
recommendation of the president; election last held 29 September 2004
election results: Laszlo SOLYOM elected president by a simple
majority in the third round of voting, 185 to 182; Ferenc GYURCSANY
elected prime minister; result of legislative vote - 197 to 12
note: to be elected, the president must win two-thirds of
legislative vote in the first two rounds or a simple majority in the
third round

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Orszaggyules (386 seats; members
are elected by popular vote under a system of proportional and
direct representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 7 and 21 April 2002 (next to be held NA April
2006)
election results: percent of vote by party (5% or more of the vote
required for parliamentary representation in the first round) -
Fidesz/MDF 48.70%, MSzP 46.11%, SzDSz 4.92%, other 0.27%; seats by
party - Fidesz 164, MSzP 178, MDF 24, SzDSz 20

Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court (judges are elected by the National Assembly
for nine-year terms)

Political parties and leaders:
Alliance of Free Democrats or SzDSz [Gabor KUNCZE]; Hungarian Civic
Alliance or Fidesz [Viktor ORBAN, chairman]; Hungarian Democratic
Forum or MDF [Ibolya DAVID]; Hungarian Democratic People's Party or
MDNP [Erzsebet PUSZTAI, chairman]; Hungarian Socialist Party or MSzP
[Istvan HILLER, chairman]; Hungarian Workers' Party or MMP [Gyula
THURMER, chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA
(cooperating state), EU (new member), FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA,
NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (member
affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Andras SIMONYI
chancery: 3910 Shoemaker Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 362-6730
FAX: [1] (202) 966-8135
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador George Herbert WALKER
embassy: Szabadsag ter 12, H-1054 Budapest
mailing address: pouch: American Embassy Budapest, 5270 Budapest
Place, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5270
telephone: [36] (1) 475-4400
FAX: [36] (1) 475-4764

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and green

Economy Hungary

Economy - overview:
Hungary has made the transition from a centrally planned to a
market economy, with a per capita income one-half that of the Big
Four European nations. Hungary continues to demonstrate strong
economic growth and acceded to the European Union in May 2004. The
private sector accounts for over 80% of GDP. Foreign ownership of
and investment in Hungarian firms are widespread, with cumulative
foreign direct investment totaling more than $23 billion since 1989.
Hungarian sovereign debt was upgraded in 2000 and together with the
Czech Republic holds the highest rating among the Central European
transition economies; however, ratings agencies have expressed
concerns over Hungary's unsustainable budget and current account
deficits. Inflation has declined from 14% in 1998 to 7% in 2004.
Unemployment has persisted around the 6% level, but Hungary's labor
force participation rate of 57% is one of the lowest in the OECD.
Germany is by far Hungary's largest economic partner. Policy
challenges include cutting the public sector deficit to 3% of GDP by
2008, from about 5% in 2004, and orchestrating an orderly interest
rate reduction without sparking capital outflows.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$149.3 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3.9% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $14,900 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3.3%
industry: 31.4%
services: 65.3% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
4.17 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 6.2%, industry 27.1%, services 66.7% (2002)

Unemployment rate:
5.9% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
8.6% (1993 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 4.1%
highest 10%: 20.5% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
24.4 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
7% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
22.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $46.07 billion
expenditures: $51.36 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2004 est.)

Public debt:
58.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
wheat, corn, sunflower seed, potatoes, sugar beets; pigs, cattle,
poultry, dairy products

Industries:
mining, metallurgy, construction materials, processed foods,
textiles, chemicals (especially pharmaceuticals), motor vehicles

Industrial production growth rate:
9.6% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
34.07 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 60.1%
hydro: 0.5%
nuclear: 39%
other: 0.3% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
35.99 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
8.3 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
12.6 billion kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
41,190 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
140,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
47,180 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
136,600 bbl/day (2001)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Current account balance:
$-7.941 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
$54.62 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
machinery and equipment 61.1%, other manufactures 28.7%, food
products 6.5%, raw materials 2%, fuels and electricity 1.6% (2003)

Exports - partners:
Germany 31.4%, Austria 6.8%, France 5.7%, Italy 5.6%, UK 5.1% (2004)

Imports:
$58.68 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment 51.6%, other manufactures 35.7%, fuels and
electricity 7.7%, food products 3.1%, raw materials 2.0% (2003)

Imports - partners:
Germany 29.2%, Austria 8.3%, Russia 5.7%, Italy 5.5%, Netherlands
4.9%, China 4.8%, France 4.7% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$14.8 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
$57 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$4.2 billion in available EU structural adjustment and cohesion
funds (2004-06)

Currency (code):
forint (HUF)

Currency code:
HUF

Exchange rates:
forints per US dollar - 202.75 (2004), 224.31 (2003), 257.89
(2002), 286.49 (2001), 282.18 (2000)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Hungary

Telephones - main lines in use:
3,666,400 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
6,862,800 (2002)

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

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 17, FM 57, shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios:
7.01 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
35 (plus 161 low-power repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
4.42 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.hu

Internet hosts:
383,071 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
16 (2000)

Internet users:
1.6 million (2002)

Transportation Hungary

Railways:
total: 7,937 km
broad gauge: 36 km 1.524-m gauge
standard gauge: 7,682 km 1.435-m gauge (2,628 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 219 km 0.760-m gauge (2004)

Highways:
total: 159,568 km
paved: 70,050 km (including 533 km of expressways)
unpaved: 89,518 km (2002)

Waterways:
1,622 km (most on Danube River) (2004)

Pipelines:
gas 4,397 km; oil 990 km; refined products 335 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Budapest, Dunaujvaros, Gyor-Gonyu, Csepel, Baja, Mohacs (2003)

Airports:
44 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 18
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 26
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 9 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
5 (2004 est.)

Military Hungary

Military branches:
Ground Forces, Air Forces

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription
abolished in June 2004 (June 2004)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 2,303,116 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 1,780,513 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males: 63,847 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$1.08 billion (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.75% (2002 est.)

Transnational Issues Hungary

Disputes - international:
in 2004, Hungary amended the status law extending special social
and cultural benefits and voted down a referendum to extend dual
citizenship to ethnic Hungarians living in neighboring states, which
have objected to such measures; consultations continue between
Slovakia and Hungary over Hungary's completion of its portion the
Gabcikovo-Nagymaros hydroelectric dam project along the Danube; as a
member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Hungary
must implement the strict Schengen border rules

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and cannabis and for
South American cocaine destined for Western Europe; limited producer
of precursor chemicals, particularly for amphetamine and
methamphetamine; improving, but remains vulnerable to money
laundering related to organized crime and drug trafficking

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Iceland

Introduction Iceland

Background:
Settled by Norwegian and Celtic (Scottish and Irish) immigrants
during the late 9th and 10th centuries A.D., Iceland boasts the
world's oldest functioning legislative assembly, the Althing,
established in 930. Independent for over 300 years, Iceland was
subsequently ruled by Norway and Denmark. Fallout from the Askja
volcano of 1875 devastated the Icelandic economy and caused
widespread famine. Over the next quarter century, 20% of the
island's population emigrated, mostly to Canada and the US. Limited
home rule from Denmark was granted in 1874 and complete independence
attained in 1944. Literacy, longevity, income, and social cohesion
are first-rate by world standards.

Geography Iceland

Location:
Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North
Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the UK

Geographic coordinates:
65 00 N, 18 00 W

Map references:
Arctic Region

Area:
total: 103,000 sq km
land: 100,250 sq km
water: 2,750 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Kentucky

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
4,988 km

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

Climate:
temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy
winters; damp, cool summers

Terrain:
mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast
deeply indented by bays and fiords

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Hvannadalshnukur 2,119 m (at Vatnajokull glacier)

Natural resources:
fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite

Land use:
arable land: 0.07%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 99.93% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
earthquakes and volcanic activity

Environment - current issues:
water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate wastewater
treatment

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Transboundary Air Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life
Conservation

Geography - note:
strategic location between Greenland and Europe; westernmost
European country; Reykjavik is the northernmost national capital in
the world; more land covered by glaciers than in all of continental
Europe

People Iceland

Population:
296,737 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 22.1% (male 33,302/female 32,257)
15-64 years: 66.2% (male 99,513/female 96,886)
65 years and over: 11.7% (male 15,723/female 19,056) (2005 est.)

Median age:
total: 34 years
male: 33.53 years
female: 34.49 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.91% (2005 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 3.31 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 3.45 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 80.19 years
male: 78.13 years
female: 82.34 years (2005 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
220 (2001 est.)

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

Nationality:
noun: Icelander(s)
adjective: Icelandic

Ethnic groups:
homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norse and Celts 94%,
population of foreign origin 6%

Religions:
Lutheran Church of Iceland 85.5%, Reykjavik Free Church 2.1%, Roman
Catholic Church 2%, Hafnarfjorour Free Church 1.5%, other Christian
2.7%, other or unspecified 3.8%, unaffiliated 2.4% (2004)

Languages:
Icelandic, English, Nordic languages, German widely spoken

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.9% (1997 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA%

Government Iceland

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Iceland
conventional short form: Iceland
local long form: Lydhveldidh Island
local short form: Island

Government type:
constitutional republic

Capital:
Reykjavik

Administrative divisions:
8 regions; Austurland, Hofudhborgarsvaedhi, Nordhurland Eystra,
Nordhurland Vestra, Sudhurland, Sudhurnes, Vestfirdhir, Vesturland

Independence:
1 December 1918 (became a sovereign state under the Danish Crown);
17 June 1944 (from Denmark)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 17 June (1944)

Constitution:
16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944; amended many times

Legal system:
civil law system based on Danish law; has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON (since 1 August
1996)
head of government: Prime Minister Halldor ASGRIMSSON (since 15
September 2004); note - Former Prime Minister David ODDSSON switched
positions with former Foreign Minister Halldor ASGRIMMSON
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister and approved by
parliament
elections: president, which is largely a ceremonial post, elected by
popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 26 June 2004
(next to be held June 2008); following legislative elections, the
leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition
is usually the prime minister
election results: Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON wins with 85.6% of the
vote, Baldur AGUSTSSON 12.5%, Astthor MAGNUSSON 1.9%

Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Althing (63 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 10 May 2003 (next to be held by May 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - Independence Party
33.7%, Social Democratic Alliance 31.0%, Progressive Party 17.7%,
Left-Green Alliance 8.8%, Liberal Party 7.4%; seats by party -
Independence Party 22, Social Democratic Alliance 20, Progressive
Party 12, Left-Green Alliance 5, Liberal Party 4

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Haestirettur (justices are appointed for life by
the Minister of Justice); eight district courts (justices are
appointed for life by the Minister of Justice)

Political parties and leaders:
Independence Party or IP [David ODDSSON]; Left-Green Alliance or
LGP [Steingrimur SIGFUSSON]; Liberal Party or LP [Gudjon
KRISTJANSSON]; Progressive Party or PP [Halldor ASGRIMSSON]; Social
Democratic Alliance (includes People's Alliance or PA, Social
Democratic Party or SDP, Women's List) or SDA [Ingibjorg Solrun
GISLADOTTIR]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, FAO, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, OECD, OPCW,
OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Helgi AGUSTSSON
chancery: Suite 1200, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005-1704
telephone: [1] (202) 265-6653
FAX: [1] (202) 265-6656
consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador James I. GADSDEN
embassy: Laufasvegur 21, 101 Reykjavik
mailing address: US Embassy, PSC 1003, Box 40, FPO AE 09728-0340
telephone: [354] 562-9100
FAX: [354] 562-9118

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

Economy Iceland

Economy - overview:
Iceland's Scandinavian-type economy is basically capitalistic, yet
with an extensive welfare system (including generous housing
subsidies), low unemployment, and remarkably even distribution of
income. In the absence of other natural resources (except for
abundant geothermal power), the economy depends heavily on the
fishing industry, which provides 70% of export earnings and employs
8% of the work force. The economy remains sensitive to declining
fish stocks as well as to fluctuations in world prices for its main
exports: fish and fish products, aluminum, and ferrosilicon.
Government policies include reducing the budget and current account
deficits, limiting foreign borrowing, containing inflation, revising
agricultural and fishing policies, diversifying the economy, and
privatizing state-owned industries. The government remains opposed
to EU membership, primarily because of Icelanders' concern about
losing control over their fishing resources. Iceland's economy has
been diversifying into manufacturing and service industries in the
last decade, and new developments in software production,
biotechnology, and financial services are taking place. The tourism
sector is also expanding, with the recent trends in ecotourism and
whale watching. Growth had been remarkably steady in 1996-2001 at
3%-5%, but could not be sustained in 2002 in an environment of
global recession. Growth resumed in 2003, and estimates call for
strong growth until 2007, slowly dropping until the end of the
decade.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$9.373 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.8% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $31,900 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 11.2%
industry: 9.6%
services: 79.2% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
158,100 (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture, fishing and fish processing 10.3%, industry 18.3%,
services 71.4% (2003)

Unemployment rate:
3.1% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
23.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $4.154 billion
expenditures: $4.058 billion, including capital expenditures of $467
million (2004 est.)

Public debt:
35.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
potatoes, green vegetables, mutton, dairy products, fish

Industries:
fish processing; aluminum smelting, ferrosilicon production,
geothermal power; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
8.8% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
8.271 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 0.1%
hydro: 82.5%
nuclear: 0%
other: 17.5% (geothermal) (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
7.692 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2002)

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

Oil - consumption:
16,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
15,470 bbl/day (2001)

Current account balance:
$-570 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
$2.902 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
fish and fish products 70%, aluminum, animal products,
ferrosilicon, diatomite

Exports - partners:
UK 19.1%, Germany 17.2%, Netherlands 11.5%, US 9.8%, Spain 6.8%,
Denmark 4.6% (2004)

Imports:
$3.307 billion (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, petroleum products; foodstuffs, textiles

Imports - partners:
Germany 12.3%, US 9.9%, Norway 9.7%, Denmark 7.9%, UK 7.2%, Sweden
6.7%, Netherlands 6% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$935 million (2004)

Debt - external:
$3.073 billion (2002)

Economic aid - donor:
$NA

Currency (code):
Icelandic krona (ISK)

Currency code:
ISK

Exchange rates:
Icelandic kronur per US dollar - 70.192 (2004), 76.709 (2003),
91.662 (2002), 97.425 (2001), 78.616 (2000)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Iceland

Telephones - main lines in use:
190,700 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
279,100 (2003)

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

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 3, FM about 70 (including repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
260,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
14 (plus 156 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
98,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.is

Internet hosts:
122,175 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
20 (2001)

Internet users:
195,000 (2003)

Transportation Iceland

Highways:
total: 13,004 km
paved/oiled gravel: 4,331 km
unpaved: 8,673 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Grundartangi, Hafnarfjordur, Hornafjordhur, Reykjavik,
Seydhisfjordhur

Merchant marine:
total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,341 GRT/6,019 DWT
by type: cargo 2, passenger/cargo 1
registered in other countries: 30 (2005)

Airports:
98 (2004 est.)

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

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 93
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 29
under 914 m: 61 (2004 est.)

Military Iceland

Military branches:
no regular armed forces; Icelandic National Police, Icelandic Coast
Guard (Islenska Landhelgisgaeslan)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 69,038 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 56,777 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
0

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

Transnational Issues Iceland

Disputes - international:
Iceland disputes Denmark's alignment of the Faroe Islands'
fisheries median line; Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute
Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends
beyond 200 nm

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@India

Introduction India

Background:
The Indus Valley civilization, one of the oldest in the world,
dates back at least 5,000 years. Aryan tribes from the northwest
invaded about 1500 B.C.; their merger with the earlier Dravidian
inhabitants created the classical Indian culture. Arab incursions
starting in the 8th century and Turkish in the 12th were followed by
those of European traders, beginning in the late 15th century. By
the 19th century, Britain had assumed political control of virtually
all Indian lands. Indian armed forces in the British army played a
vital role in both World Wars. Nonviolent resistance to British
colonialism led by Mohandas GANDHI and Jawaharlal NEHRU brought
independence in 1947. The subcontinent was divided into the secular
state of India and the smaller Muslim state of Pakistan. A third war
between the two countries in 1971 resulted in East Pakistan becoming
the separate nation of Bangladesh. Despite impressive gains in
economic investment and output, India faces pressing problems such
as the ongoing dispute with Pakistan over Kashmir, massive
overpopulation, environmental degradation, extensive poverty, and
ethnic and religious strife.

Geography India

Location:
Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal,
between Burma and Pakistan

Geographic coordinates:
20 00 N, 77 00 E

Map references:
Asia

Area:
total: 3,287,590 sq km
land: 2,973,190 sq km
water: 314,400 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly more than one-third the size of the US

Land boundaries:
total: 14,103 km
border countries: Bangladesh 4,053 km, Bhutan 605 km, Burma 1,463
km, China 3,380 km, Nepal 1,690 km, Pakistan 2,912 km

Coastline:
7,000 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 tropical monsoon in south to temperate in north

Terrain:
upland plain (Deccan Plateau) in south, flat to rolling plain along
the Ganges, deserts in west, Himalayas in north

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Kanchenjunga 8,598 m

Natural resources:
coal (fourth-largest reserves in the world), iron ore, manganese,
mica, bauxite, titanium ore, chromite, natural gas, diamonds,
petroleum, limestone, arable land

Land use:
arable land: 54.4%
permanent crops: 2.74%
other: 42.86% (2001)

Irrigated land:
590,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
droughts; flash floods, as well as widespread and destructive
flooding from monsoonal rains; severe thunderstorms; earthquakes

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; desertification; air
pollution from industrial effluents and vehicle emissions; water
pollution from raw sewage and runoff of agricultural pesticides; tap
water is not potable throughout the country; huge and growing
population is overstraining natural resources

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

Geography - note:
dominates South Asian subcontinent; near important Indian Ocean
trade routes

People India

Population:
1,080,264,388 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 31.2% (male 173,634,432/female 163,932,475)
15-64 years: 63.9% (male 356,932,082/female 333,283,590)
65 years and over: 4.9% (male 26,542,025/female 25,939,784) (2005
est.)

Median age:
total: 24.66 years
male: 24.64 years
female: 24.67 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.4% (2005 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
-0.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female
total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 56.29 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 56.86 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 55.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 64.35 years
male: 63.57 years
female: 65.16 years (2005 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.9% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
5.1 million (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
310,000 (2001 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E,
and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and Japanese
encephalitis are high risks in some locations
animal contact disease: rabies (2004)

Nationality:
noun: Indian(s)
adjective: Indian

Ethnic groups:
Indo-Aryan 72%, Dravidian 25%, Mongoloid and other 3% (2000)

Religions:
Hindu 80.5%, Muslim 13.4%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.9%, other 1.8%,
unspecified 0.1% (2001 census)

Languages:
English enjoys associate status but is the most important language
for national, political, and commercial communication; Hindi is the
national language and primary tongue of 30% of the people; there are
14 other official languages: Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Urdu,
Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, Oriya, Punjabi, Assamese, Kashmiri,
Sindhi, and Sanskrit; Hindustani is a popular variant of Hindi/Urdu
spoken widely throughout northern India but is not an official
language

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 59.5%
male: 70.2%
female: 48.3% (2003 est.)

Government India

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of India
conventional short form: India

Government type:
federal republic

Capital:
New Delhi

Administrative divisions:
28 states and 7 union territories*; Andaman and Nicobar Islands*,
Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chandigarh*,
Chhattisgarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli*, Daman and Diu*, Delhi*, Goa,
Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand,
Karnataka, Kerala, Lakshadweep*, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra,
Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Orissa, Pondicherry*, Punjab,
Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh,
West Bengal

Independence:
15 August 1947 (from UK)

National holiday:
Republic Day, 26 January (1950)

Constitution:
26 January 1950; amended many times

Legal system:
based on English common law; limited judicial review of legislative
acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations;
separate personal law codes apply to Muslims, Christians, and Hindus

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President A.P.J. Abdul KALAM (since 26 July 2002);
Vice President Bhairon Singh SHEKHAWAT (since 19 August 2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Manmohan SINGH (since NA May 2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the prime minister
elections: president elected by an electoral college consisting of
elected members of both houses of Parliament and the legislatures of
the states for a five-year term; election last held July 2002 (next
to be held 18 July 2007); vice president elected by both houses of
Parliament for a five-year term; election last held 12 August 2002
(next to be held August 2007); prime minister chosen by
parliamentary members of the majority party following legislative
elections; election last held April - May 2004 (next to be held May
2009)
election results: Abdul KALAM elected president; percent of
electoral college vote - 89.6%; Bhairon Singh SHEKHAWAT elected vice
president; percent of Parliament vote - 59.8%

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament or Sansad consists of the Council of States or
Rajya Sabha (a body consisting of not more than 250 members, up to
12 of whom are appointed by the president, the remainder are chosen
by the elected members of the state and territorial assemblies;
members serve six-year terms) and the People's Assembly or Lok Sabha
(545 seats; 543 elected by popular vote, 2 appointed by the
president; members serve five-year terms)
elections: People's Assembly - last held 20 April through 10 May
2004 (next to be held 2009)
election results: People's Assembly - percent of vote by party -
NA%; seats by party - INC 145, BJP 138, CPI(M) 43, SP 36, RJD 24,
BSP 19, DMK 16, SS 12, BJD 11, CPI 10, NCP 9, JDU 8, SAD 8, PMK 6,
TDP 5, TRS 5, JMM 5, LJSP 4, MDMK 4, independents 5, other 30

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president and remain in
office until they reach the age of 65)

Political parties and leaders:
All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam or AIADMK [C. Jayalalitha
JAYARAM]; All India Forward Bloc or AIFB, [Debabrata BISWAS]; Asom
Gana Parishad [Brindaban GOSWAMI]; Bahujan Samaj Party or BSP
[MAYAWATI]; Bharatiya Janata Party or BJP [Lal Krishna ADVANI]; Biju
Janata Dal or BJD [Naveen PATNAIK]; Communist Party of India or CPI
[Ardhendu Bhushan BARDHAN]; Communist Party of India (Marxist) or
CPI (M) Hakishan Singh SURJEET]; Congress (I) Party [Sonia GANDHI];
Dravida Munnetra Kazagham or DMK (a regional party in Tamil Nadu)
[M. KARUNANIDHI]; Indian National Congress or INC [Sonia GANDHI];
Indian National League [Suliaman SAITH]; Janata Dal (Secular) [H. D.
Deve GOWDA]; Janata Dal (United) or JDU [Sharad YADAV]; Jharkhand
Mukti Morcha or JMM [leader NA]; Kerala Congress (Mani faction) [K.
M. MANI]; Lok Jan Shakti Party or LJSP [leader NA]; Marumalarchi
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam or MDMK [VAIKO]; Muslim League [G. M.
BANATWALA]; Nationalist Congress Party or NCP [Sharad PAWAR];
Pattali Makkal Katchi or PMK [leader NA]; Rashtriya Janata Dal or
RJD [Laloo Prasad YADAV]; Revolutionary Socialist Party or RSP
[Abani ROY]; Samajwadi Party or SP [Mulayam Singh YADAV]; Shiromani
Akali Dal or SAD [G. S. TOHRA]; Shiv Sena or SS [Bal THACKERAY];
Tamil Maanila Congress [G. K. VASAN]; Telangana Rashtra Samithi or
TRS [leader NA]; Telugu Desam Party or TDP [Chandrababu NAIDU];
Trinamool Congress [Mamata BANERJEE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
numerous religious or militant/chauvinistic organizations,
including Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal, and Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh; various separatist groups seeking greater
communal and/or regional autonomy, including the All Parties
Hurriyat Conference in the Kashmir Valley and the National Socialist
Council of Nagaland in the Northeast

International organization participation:
AfDB, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIS, C, CERN (observer),
CP, FAO, G- 6, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM
(observer), ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), ONUB, OPCW,
PCA, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE,
UNMIK, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ranendra SEN
chancery: 2107 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008; note -
Consular Wing located at 2536 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington,
DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 939-7000
FAX: [1] (202) 265-4351
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, New York, and San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador David C. MULFORD
embassy: Shantipath, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 110021
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [91] (11) 2419-8000
FAX: [91] (11) 2419-0017
consulate(s) general: Chennai (Madras), Kolkata (Calcutta), Mumbai
(Bombay)

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of saffron (subdued orange) (top),
white, and green with a blue chakra (24-spoked wheel) centered in
the white band; similar to the flag of Niger, which has a small
orange disk centered in the white band

Economy India

Economy - overview:
India's diverse economy encompasses traditional village farming,
modern agriculture, handicrafts, a wide range of modern industries,
and a multitude of services. Services are the major source of
economic growth, though two-thirds of the workforce is in
agriculture. The UPA government has committed to furthering economic
reforms and developing basic infrastructure to improve the lives of
the rural poor and boost economic performance. Government controls
on foreign trade and investment have been reduced in some areas, but
high tariffs (averaging 20% in 2004) and limits on foreign direct
investment are still in place. The government has indicated it will
do more to liberalize investment in civil aviation, telecom, and
insurance sectors in the near term. Privatization of
government-owned industries has proceeded slowly, and continues to
generate political debate; continued social, political, and economic
rigidities hold back needed initiatives. The economy has posted an
excellent average growth rate of 6.8% since 1994, reducing poverty
by about 10 percentage points. India is capitalizing on its large
numbers of well-educated people skilled in the English language to
become a major exporter of software services and software workers.
Despite strong growth, the World Bank and others worry about the
combined state and federal budget deficit, running at approximately
9% of GDP. The huge and growing population is the fundamental
social, economic, and environmental problem. In late December 2004,
a major tsunami took nearly 11,000 lives, left almost 6,000 missing,
destroyed $1.2 billion worth of property, and severely damaged the
fishing fleet.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$3.319 trillion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
6.2% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $3,100 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 23.6%
industry: 28.4%
services: 48% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
482.2 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 60%, industry 17%, services 23% (1999)

Unemployment rate:
9.2% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
25% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.5%
highest 10%: 33.5% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
37.8 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.2% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
23.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $67.3 billion
expenditures: $104 billion, including capital expenditures of $13.5
billion (2004 est.)

Public debt:
59.7% of GDP (federal debt only; state debt not included) (2004
est.)

Agriculture - products:
rice, wheat, oilseed, cotton, jute, tea, sugarcane, potatoes;
cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats, poultry; fish

Industries:
textiles, chemicals, food processing, steel, transportation
equipment, cement, mining, petroleum, machinery, software

Industrial production growth rate:
7.4% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
547.2 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 81.7%
hydro: 14.5%
nuclear: 3.4%
other: 0.3% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
510.1 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
350 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
1.54 billion kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
780,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
2.13 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA

Oil - imports:
NA

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

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

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

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

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

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

Current account balance:
$4.897 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
$69.18 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
textile goods, gems and jewelry, engineering goods, chemicals,
leather manufactures

Exports - partners:
US 17%, UAE 8.8%, China 5.5%, Hong Kong 4.7%, UK 4.5%, Singapore
4.5% (2004)

Imports:
$89.33 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
crude oil, machinery, gems, fertilizer, chemicals

Imports - partners:
China 6.1%, US 6%, Switzerland 5.2%, Belgium 4.4% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$126 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
$117.2 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$2.9 billion (FY98/99)

Currency (code):
Indian rupee (INR)

Currency code:
INR

Exchange rates:
Indian rupees per US dollar - 45.317 (2004), 46.583 (2003), 48.61
(2002), 47.186 (2001), 44.942 (2000)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications India

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

Telephones - mobile cellular:
26,154,400 (2003)