Chapter CVIII: Section 3: , Taipei, Taiwan, telephone: 886 (2) 2162-2000, FAX (39)

Pacific Ocean
oil and gas fields, polymetallic nodules, sand and
gravel aggregates, placer deposits, fish

Pakistan
land, extensive natural gas reserves, limited petroleum,
poor quality coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone

Palau
forests, minerals (especially gold), marine products,
deep-seabed minerals

Palmyra Atoll
terrestrial and aquatic wildlife

Panama
copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower

Papua New Guinea
gold, copper, silver, natural gas, timber, oil,
fisheries

Paracel Islands
none

Paraguay
hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone

Peru
copper, silver, gold, petroleum, timber, fish, iron ore, coal,
phosphate, potash, hydropower, natural gas

Philippines
timber, petroleum, nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, salt,
copper

Pitcairn Islands
miro trees (used for handicrafts), fish
note: manganese, iron, copper, gold, silver, and zinc have been
discovered offshore

Poland
coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, amber,
arable land

Portugal
fish, forests (cork), iron ore, copper, zinc, tin,
tungsten, silver, gold, uranium, marble, clay, gypsum, salt, arable
land, hydropower

Puerto Rico
some copper and nickel; potential for onshore and
offshore oil

Qatar
petroleum, natural gas, fish

Reunion
fish, arable land, hydropower

Romania
petroleum (reserves declining), timber, natural gas, coal,
iron ore, salt, arable land, hydropower

Russia
wide natural resource base including major deposits of oil,
natural gas, coal, and many strategic minerals, timber
note: formidable obstacles of climate, terrain, and distance hinder
exploitation of natural resources

Rwanda
gold, cassiterite (tin ore), wolframite (tungsten ore),
methane, hydropower, arable land

Saint Helena
fish, lobster

Saint Kitts and Nevis
arable land

Saint Lucia
forests, sandy beaches, minerals (pumice), mineral
springs, geothermal potential

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
fish, deepwater ports

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
hydropower, cropland

Samoa
hardwood forests, fish, hydropower

San Marino
building stone

Sao Tome and Principe
fish, hydropower

Saudi Arabia
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper

Senegal
fish, phosphates, iron ore

Serbia
oil, gas, coal, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, antimony,
chromite, nickel, gold, silver, magnesium, pyrite, limestone,
marble, salt, arable land

Seychelles
fish, copra, cinnamon trees

Sierra Leone
diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold,
chromite

Singapore
fish, deepwater ports

Slovakia
brown coal and lignite; small amounts of iron ore, copper
and manganese ore; salt; arable land

Slovenia
lignite coal, lead, zinc, mercury, uranium, silver,
hydropower, forests

Solomon Islands
fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead,
zinc, nickel

Somalia
uranium and largely unexploited reserves of iron ore, tin,
gypsum, bauxite, copper, salt, natural gas, likely oil reserves

South Africa
gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese,
nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper,
vanadium, salt, natural gas

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
fish

Southern Ocean
probable large and possible giant oil and gas fields
on the continental margin, manganese nodules, possible placer
deposits, sand and gravel, fresh water as icebergs; squid, whales,
and seals - none exploited; krill, fishes

Spain
coal, lignite, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, uranium,
tungsten, mercury, pyrites, magnesite, fluorspar, gypsum, sepiolite,
kaolin, potash, hydropower, arable land

Spratly Islands
fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas
potential

Sri Lanka
limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates,
clay, hydropower

Sudan
petroleum; small reserves of iron ore, copper, chromium ore,
zinc, tungsten, mica, silver, gold, hydropower

Suriname
timber, hydropower, fish, kaolin, shrimp, bauxite, gold,
and small amounts of nickel, copper, platinum, iron ore

Svalbard
coal, iron ore, copper, zinc, phosphate, wildlife, fish

Swaziland
asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests,
small gold and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc

Sweden
iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, gold, silver, tungsten,
uranium, arsenic, feldspar, timber, hydropower

Switzerland
hydropower potential, timber, salt

Syria
petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt,
iron ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum, hydropower

Taiwan
small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and
asbestos

Tajikistan
hydropower, some petroleum, uranium, mercury, brown coal,
lead, zinc, antimony, tungsten, silver, gold

Tanzania
hydropower, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds,
gemstones, gold, natural gas, nickel

Thailand
tin, rubber, natural gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead,
fish, gypsum, lignite, fluorite, arable land

Togo
phosphates, limestone, marble, arable land

Tokelau
NEGL

Tonga
fish, fertile soil

Trinidad and Tobago
petroleum, natural gas, asphalt

Tromelin Island
fish

Tunisia
petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt

Turkey
coal, iron ore, copper, chromium, antimony, mercury, gold,
barite, borate, celestite (strontium), emery, feldspar, limestone,
magnesite, marble, perlite, pumice, pyrites (sulfur), clay, arable
land, hydropower

Turkmenistan
petroleum, natural gas, sulfur, salt

Turks and Caicos Islands
spiny lobster, conch

Tuvalu
fish

Uganda
copper, cobalt, hydropower, limestone, salt, arable land

Ukraine
iron ore, coal, manganese, natural gas, oil, salt, sulfur,
graphite, titanium, magnesium, kaolin, nickel, mercury, timber,
arable land

United Arab Emirates
petroleum, natural gas

United Kingdom
coal, petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, lead, zinc,
gold, tin, limestone, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, potash, silica
sand, slate, arable land

United States
coal, copper, lead, molybdenum, phosphates, uranium,
bauxite, gold, iron, mercury, nickel, potash, silver, tungsten,
zinc, petroleum, natural gas, timber

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges
terrestrial and
aquatic wildlife

Uruguay
arable land, hydropower, minor minerals, fisheries

Uzbekistan
natural gas, petroleum, coal, gold, uranium, silver,
copper, lead and zinc, tungsten, molybdenum

Vanuatu
manganese, hardwood forests, fish

Venezuela
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other
minerals, hydropower, diamonds

Vietnam
phosphates, coal, manganese, bauxite, chromate, offshore oil
and gas deposits, forests, hydropower

Virgin Islands
sun, sand, sea, surf

Wake Island
none

Wallis and Futuna
NEGL

West Bank
arable land

Western Sahara
phosphates, iron ore

World
the rapid depletion of nonrenewable mineral resources, the
depletion of forest areas and wetlands, the extinction of animal and
plant species, and the deterioration in air and water quality
(especially in Eastern Europe, the former USSR, and China) pose
serious long-term problems that governments and peoples are only
beginning to address

Yemen
petroleum, fish, rock salt, marble; small deposits of coal,
gold, lead, nickel, and copper; fertile soil in west

Zambia
copper, cobalt, zinc, lead, coal, emeralds, gold, silver,
uranium, hydropower

Zimbabwe
coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel, copper, iron
ore, vanadium, lithium, tin, platinum group metals

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

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

@2112 Net migration rate (migrant(s)/1,000 population)

Afghanistan
0.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Albania
-4.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Algeria
-0.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

American Samoa
-21.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Andorra
6.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Angola
3.55 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Anguilla
6.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
-6.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Argentina
0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Armenia
-5.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Aruba
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Australia
3.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Austria
1.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Azerbaijan
-4.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Bahamas, The
-2.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Bahrain
0.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Bangladesh
-0.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Barbados
-0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Belarus
2.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Belgium
1.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Belize
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Benin
0.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Bermuda
2.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Bhutan
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Bolivia
-1.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
13.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Botswana
6.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa
and Botswana in search of better economic opportunities (2006 est.)

Brazil
-0.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

British Virgin Islands
9.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Brunei
3.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Bulgaria
-4.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Burkina Faso
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Burma
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Burundi
8.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Cambodia
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Cameroon
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Canada
5.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Cape Verde
-11.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Cayman Islands
17.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: major destination for Cubans trying to migrate to the US (2006
est.)

Central African Republic
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Chad
-0.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Chile
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

China
-0.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Christmas Island
NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
NA

Colombia
-0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Comoros
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
0.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: fighting between the Congolese Government and Uganda- and
Rwanda-backed Congolese rebels spawned a regional war in DRC in
August 1998, which left 2.33 million Congolese internally displaced
and caused 412,000 Congolese refugees to flee to surrounding
countries (2006 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
-3.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Costa Rica
0.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Croatia
1.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Cuba
-1.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Cyprus
0.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Czech Republic
0.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Denmark
2.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Djibouti
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Dominica
-9.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Dominican Republic
-2.79 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

East Timor
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Ecuador
-3.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Egypt
-0.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

El Salvador
-3.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Eritrea
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Estonia
-3.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Ethiopia
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: repatriation of Ethiopian refugees residing in Sudan is
expected to continue for several years; some Sudanese, Somali, and
Eritrean refugees, who fled to Ethiopia from the fighting or famine
in their own countries, continue to return to their homes (2006 est.)

European Union
1.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
NA migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2006 est.)

Faroe Islands
0.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Fiji
-2.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Finland
0.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

France
0.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

French Guiana
4.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

French Polynesia
2.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Gabon
-2.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Gambia, The
1.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Gaza Strip
1.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Georgia
-4.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Germany
2.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Ghana
-0.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Gibraltar
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Greece
2.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Greenland
-8.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Grenada
-12.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Guadeloupe
-0.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Guam
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Guatemala
-1.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Guernsey
3.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Guinea
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: as a result of conflict in neighboring countries, Guinea is
host to approximately 141,500 refugees from Cote d'Ivoire, Liberia,
and Sierra Leone (2006 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Guyana
-7.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Haiti
-1.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Honduras
-1.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Hong Kong
4.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Hungary
0.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Iceland
1.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

India
-0.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Indonesia
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Iran
-0.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Iraq
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Ireland
4.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Isle of Man
5.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Israel
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Italy
2.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Jamaica
-6.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Japan
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Jersey
2.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Jordan
6.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Kazakhstan
-3.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Kenya
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: according to the UNHCR, by the end of 2005 Kenya was host to
233,778 refugees from neighboring countries, including Somalia
153,627, Sudan 67,556, Ethiopia 12,595 (2006 est.)

Kiribati
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Korea, North
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Korea, South
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Kuwait
15.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
-2.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Laos
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Latvia
-2.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Lebanon
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Lesotho
-0.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Liberia
27.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: at least 238,500 Liberian refugees are in surrounding
countries; the uncertain security situation has hindered their
ability to return (2006 est.)

Libya
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Liechtenstein
4.77 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Lithuania
-0.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Luxembourg
8.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Macau
4.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Macedonia
-0.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Madagascar
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Malawi
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Malaysia
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: does not reflect net flow of an unknown number of illegal
immigrants from other countries in the region (2006 est.)

Maldives
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Mali
-6.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Malta
2.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Marshall Islands
-5.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Martinique
-0.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Mauritania
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Mauritius
-0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Mayotte
4.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Mexico
-4.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
-21.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2006 est.)

Moldova
-0.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Monaco
7.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Mongolia
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Montserrat
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Morocco
-0.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Mozambique
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Namibia
0.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Nauru
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Nepal
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Netherlands
2.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
-0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

New Caledonia
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New
Caledonia (2006 est.)

New Zealand
3.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Nicaragua
-1.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Niger
-0.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Nigeria
0.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Niue
NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

Norfolk Island
NA

Northern Mariana Islands
8.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Norway
1.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Oman
0.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Pakistan
-0.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Palau
1.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Panama
-0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Papua New Guinea
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Paraguay
-0.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Peru
-1.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Philippines
-1.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
NA

Poland
-0.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Portugal
3.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Puerto Rico
-1.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Qatar
14.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Reunion
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Romania
-0.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Russia
1.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Rwanda
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Saint Helena
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
-4.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Saint Lucia
-1.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
-4.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006
est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
-7.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2006 est.)

Samoa
-11.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

San Marino
10.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
-2.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Saudi Arabia
-4.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Senegal
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Seychelles
-5.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sierra Leone
0.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: refugees currently in surrounding countries are slowly
returning (2006 est.)

Singapore
9.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Slovakia
0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Slovenia
0.88 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Solomon Islands
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Somalia
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

South Africa
-0.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa
and Botswana in search of better economic opportunities (2006 est.)

Spain
0.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sri Lanka
-1.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sudan
-0.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Suriname
-8.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Svalbard
NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

Swaziland
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sweden
1.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Switzerland
3.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Syria
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Taiwan
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Tajikistan
-2.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Tanzania
-3.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Thailand
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Togo
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Tokelau
NA

Tonga
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
-11.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Tunisia
-0.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Turkey
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Turkmenistan
-0.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
10.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006
est.)

Tuvalu
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Uganda
-1.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Ukraine
-0.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

United Arab Emirates
0.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

United Kingdom
2.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

United States
3.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Uruguay
-0.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Uzbekistan
-1.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Vanuatu
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Venezuela
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Vietnam
-0.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Virgin Islands
-8.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
NA migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New
Caledonia (2006 est.)

West Bank
2.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Yemen
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Zambia
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Zimbabwe
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa
and Botswana in search of better economic opportunities (2006 est.)

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

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

@2113 Geography - note

Afghanistan
landlocked; the Hindu Kush mountains that run northeast
to southwest divide the northern provinces from the rest of the
country; the highest peaks are in the northern Vakhan (Wakhan
Corridor)

Akrotiri
British extraterritorial rights also extended to several
small off-post sites scattered across Cyprus

Albania
strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic
Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea)

Algeria
second-largest country in Africa (after Sudan)

American Samoa
Pago Pago has one of the best natural deepwater
harbors in the South Pacific Ocean, sheltered by shape from rough
seas and protected by peripheral mountains from high winds;
strategic location in the South Pacific Ocean

Andorra
landlocked; straddles a number of important crossroads in
the Pyrenees

Angola
the province of Cabinda is an exclave, separated from the
rest of the country by the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Anguilla
the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser
Antilles

Antarctica
the coldest, windiest, highest (on average), and driest
continent; during summer, more solar radiation reaches the surface
at the South Pole than is received at the Equator in an equivalent
period; mostly uninhabitable

Antigua and Barbuda
Antigua has a deeply indented shoreline with
many natural harbors and beaches; Barbuda has a very large western
harbor

Arctic Ocean
major chokepoint is the southern Chukchi Sea (northern
access to the Pacific Ocean via the Bering Strait); strategic
location between North America and Russia; shortest marine link
between the extremes of eastern and western Russia; floating
research stations operated by the US and Russia; maximum snow cover
in March or April about 20 to 50 centimeters over the frozen ocean;
snow cover lasts about 10 months

Argentina
second-largest country in South America (after Brazil);
strategic location relative to sea lanes between the South Atlantic
and the South Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel,
Drake Passage); diverse geophysical landscapes range from tropical
climates in the north to tundra in the far south; Cerro Aconcagua is
the Western Hemisphere's tallest mountain, while Laguna del Carbon
is the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere

Armenia
landlocked in the Lesser Caucasus Mountains; Sevana Lich
(Lake Sevan) is the largest lake in this mountain range

Aruba
a flat, riverless island renowned for its white sand beaches;
its tropical climate is moderated by constant trade winds from the
Atlantic Ocean; the temperature is almost constant at about 27
degrees Celsius (81 degrees Fahrenheit)

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
Ashmore Reef National Nature Reserve
established in August 1983

Atlantic Ocean
major chokepoints include the Dardanelles, Strait of
Gibraltar, access to the Panama and Suez Canals; strategic straits
include the Strait of Dover, Straits of Florida, Mona Passage, The
Sound (Oresund), and Windward Passage; the Equator divides the
Atlantic Ocean into the North Atlantic Ocean and South Atlantic Ocean

Australia
world's smallest continent but sixth-largest country;
population concentrated along the eastern and southeastern coasts;
the invigorating tropical sea breeze known as the "Fremantle Doctor"
affects the city of Perth on the west coast, and is one of the most
consistent winds in the world

Austria
landlocked; strategic location at the crossroads of central
Europe with many easily traversable Alpine passes and valleys; major
river is the Danube; population is concentrated on eastern lowlands
because of steep slopes, poor soils, and low temperatures elsewhere

Azerbaijan
both the main area of the country and the Naxcivan
exclave are landlocked

Bahamas, The
strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive
island chain of which 30 are inhabited

Bahrain
close to primary Middle Eastern petroleum sources; strategic
location in Persian Gulf, through which much of the Western world's
petroleum must transit to reach open ocean

Baker Island
treeless, sparse, and scattered vegetation consisting
of grasses, prostrate vines, and low growing shrubs; primarily a
nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds,
and marine wildlife

Bangladesh
most of the country is situated on deltas of large rivers
flowing from the Himalayas: the Ganges unites with the Jamuna (main
channel of the Brahmaputra) and later joins the Meghna to eventually
empty into the Bay of Bengal

Barbados
easternmost Caribbean island

Bassas da India
the islands emerge from a circular reef that sits
atop a long-extinct, submerged volcano

Belarus
landlocked; glacial scouring accounts for the flatness of
Belarusian terrain and for its 11,000 lakes

Belgium
crossroads of Western Europe; majority of West European
capitals within 1,000 km of Brussels, the seat of both the European
Union and NATO

Belize
only country in Central America without a coastline on the
North Pacific Ocean

Benin
sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural
harbors, river mouths, or islands

Bermuda
consists of about 138 coral islands and islets with ample
rainfall, but no rivers or freshwater lakes; some land was leased by
US Government from 1941 to 1995

Bhutan
landlocked; strategic location between China and India;
controls several key Himalayan mountain passes

Bolivia
landlocked; shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest
navigable lake (elevation 3,805 m), with Peru

Bosnia and Herzegovina
within Bosnia and Herzegovina's recognized
borders, the country is divided into a joint Bosniak/Croat
Federation (about 51% of the territory) and the Bosnian Serb-led
Republika Srpska or RS (about 49% of the territory); the region
called Herzegovina is contiguous to Croatia and Serbia and
Montenegro (Montenegro), and traditionally has been settled by an
ethnic Croat majority in the west and an ethnic Serb majority in the
east

Botswana
landlocked; population concentrated in eastern part of the
country

Bouvet Island
covered by glacial ice; declared a nature reserve

Brazil
largest country in South America; shares common boundaries
with every South American country except Chile and Ecuador

British Indian Ocean Territory
archipelago of 55 islands; Diego
Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location
in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military
facility

British Virgin Islands
strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and
Puerto Rico

Brunei
close to vital sea lanes through South China Sea linking
Indian and Pacific Oceans; two parts physically separated by
Malaysia; almost an enclave within Malaysia

Bulgaria
strategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key land
routes from Europe to Middle East and Asia

Burkina Faso
landlocked savanna cut by the three principal rivers of
the Black, Red, and White Voltas

Burma
strategic location near major Indian Ocean shipping lanes

Burundi
landlocked; straddles crest of the Nile-Congo watershed; the
Kagera, which drains into Lake Victoria, is the most remote
headstream of the White Nile

Cambodia
a land of paddies and forests dominated by the Mekong River
and Tonle Sap

Cameroon
sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa; throughout
the country there are areas of thermal springs and indications of
current or prior volcanic activity; Mount Cameroon, the highest
mountain in Sub-Saharan west Africa, is an active volcano

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

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

Cayman Islands
important location between Cuba and Central America

Central African Republic
landlocked; almost the precise center of
Africa

Chad
landlocked; Lake Chad is the most significant water body in the
Sahel

Chile
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

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

Christmas Island
located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean

Clipperton Island
reef 12 km in circumference

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
islands are thickly covered with coconut
palms and other vegetation

Colombia
only South American country with coastlines on both the
North Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea

Comoros
important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
straddles equator; has very narrow
strip of land that controls the lower Congo River and is only outlet
to South Atlantic Ocean; dense tropical rain forest in central river
basin and eastern highlands

Congo, Republic of the
about 70% of the population lives in
Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, or along the railroad between them

Cook Islands
the northern Cook Islands are seven low-lying, sparsely
populated, coral atolls; the southern Cook Islands, where most of
the population lives, consist of eight elevated, fertile, volcanic
isles, including the largest, Rarotonga, at 67 sq km

Coral Sea Islands
important nesting area for birds and turtles

Costa Rica
four volcanoes, two of them active, rise near the capital
of San Jose in the center of the country; one of the volcanoes,
Irazu, erupted destructively in 1963-65

Cote d'Ivoire
most of the inhabitants live along the sandy coastal
region; apart from the capital area, the forested interior is
sparsely populated

Croatia
controls most land routes from Western Europe to Aegean Sea
and Turkish Straits

Cuba
largest country in Caribbean and westernmost island of the
Greater Antilles

Cyprus
the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after
Sicily and Sardinia)

Czech Republic
landlocked; strategically located astride some of
oldest and most significant land routes in Europe; Moravian Gate is
a traditional military corridor between the North European Plain and
the Danube in central Europe

Denmark
controls Danish Straits (Skagerrak and Kattegat) linking
Baltic and North Seas; about one-quarter of the population lives in
greater Copenhagen

Dhekelia
British extraterritorial rights also extended to several
small off-post sites scattered across Cyprus

Djibouti
strategic location near world's busiest shipping lanes and
close to Arabian oilfields; terminus of rail traffic into Ethiopia;
mostly wasteland; Lac Assal (Lake Assal) is the lowest point in
Africa

Dominica
known as "The Nature Island of the Caribbean" due to its
spectacular, lush, and varied flora and fauna, which are protected
by an extensive natural park system; the most mountainous of the
Lesser Antilles, its volcanic peaks are cones of lava craters and
include Boiling Lake, the second-largest, thermally active lake in
the world

Dominican Republic
shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti

East Timor
Timor comes from the Malay word for "East"; the island of
Timor is part of the Malay Archipelago and is the largest and
easternmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands

Ecuador
Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world

Egypt
controls Sinai Peninsula, only land bridge between Africa and
remainder of Eastern Hemisphere; controls Suez Canal, a sea link
between Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea; size, and juxtaposition
to Israel, establish its major role in Middle Eastern geopolitics;
dependence on upstream neighbors; dominance of Nile basin issues;
prone to influxes of refugees

El Salvador
smallest Central American country and only one without a
coastline on Caribbean Sea

Equatorial Guinea
insular and continental regions widely separated

Eritrea
strategic geopolitical position along world's busiest
shipping lanes; Eritrea retained the entire coastline of Ethiopia
along the Red Sea upon de jure independence from Ethiopia on 24 May
1993

Estonia
the mainland terrain is flat, boggy, and partly wooded;
offshore lie more than 1,500 islands

Ethiopia
landlocked - entire coastline along the Red Sea was lost
with the de jure independence of Eritrea on 24 May 1993; the Blue
Nile, the chief headstream of the Nile by water volume, rises in
T'ana Hayk (Lake Tana) in northwest Ethiopia; three major crops are
believed to have originated in Ethiopia: coffee, grain sorghum, and
castor bean

Europa Island
wildlife sanctuary

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
deeply indented coast provides
good natural harbors; short growing season

Faroe Islands
archipelago of 17 inhabited islands and one
uninhabited island, and a few uninhabited islets; strategically
located along important sea lanes in northeastern Atlantic;
precipitous terrain limits habitation to small coastal lowlands

Fiji
includes 332 islands; approximately 110 are inhabited

Finland
long boundary with Russia; Helsinki is northernmost national
capital on European continent; population concentrated on small
southwestern coastal plain

France
largest West European nation

French Guiana
mostly an unsettled wilderness; the only
non-independent portion of the South American continent

French Polynesia
includes five archipelagoes (4 volcanic, 1 coral);
Makatea in French Polynesia is one of the three great phosphate rock
islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island)
in Kiribati and Nauru

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
islands component is widely
scattered across remote locations in the southern Indian Ocean

Gabon
a small population and oil and mineral reserves have helped
Gabon become one of Africa's wealthier countries; in general, these
circumstances have allowed the country to maintain and conserve its
pristine rain forest and rich biodiversity

Gambia, The
almost an enclave of Senegal; smallest country on the
continent of Africa

Gaza Strip
strategic strip of land along Mideast-North African trade
routes has experienced an incredibly turbulent history; the town of
Gaza itself has been besieged countless times in its history

Georgia
strategically located east of the Black Sea; Georgia
controls much of the Caucasus Mountains and the routes through them

Germany
strategic location on North European Plain and along the
entrance to the Baltic Sea

Ghana
Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake

Gibraltar
strategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links the
North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea

Glorioso Islands
the islands and rocks are surrounded by an
extensive reef system

Greece
strategic location dominating the Aegean Sea and southern
approach to Turkish Straits; a peninsular country, possessing an
archipelago of about 2,000 islands

Greenland
dominates North Atlantic Ocean between North America and
Europe; sparse population confined to small settlements along coast,
but close to one-quarter of the population lives in the capital,
Nuuk; world's second largest ice cap

Grenada
the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is
divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada

Guadeloupe
a narrow channel, the Riviere Salee, divides Guadeloupe
proper into two islands: the larger, western Basse-Terre and the
smaller, eastern Grande-Terre

Guam
largest and southernmost island in the Mariana Islands
archipelago; strategic location in western North Pacific Ocean

Guatemala
no natural harbors on west coast

Guernsey
large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port

Guinea
the Niger and its important tributary the Milo have their
sources in the Guinean highlands

Guinea-Bissau
this small country is swampy along its western coast
and low-lying further inland

Guyana
the third-smallest country in South America after Suriname
and Uruguay; substantial portions of its western and eastern
territories are claimed by Venezuela and Suriname respectively

Haiti
shares island of Hispaniola with Dominican Republic (western
one-third is Haiti, eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic)

Holy See (Vatican City)
landlocked; enclave in Rome, Italy; world's
smallest state; beyond the territorial boundary of Vatican City, the
Lateran Treaty of 1929 grants the Holy See extraterritorial
authority over 23 sites in Rome and five outside of Rome, including
the Pontifical Palace at Castel Gandolfo (the Pope's summer
residence)

Honduras
has only a short Pacific coast but a long Caribbean
shoreline, including the virtually uninhabited eastern Mosquito Coast

Hong Kong
more than 200 islands

Howland Island
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

Hungary
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

Iceland
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

Iles Eparses
Bassas da India: the atoll is a circular reef that sits
atop a long-extinct, submerged volcano
Europa Island and Juan de Nova Island: wildlife sanctuary for
seabirds and sea turtles
Glorioso Islands: the islands and rocks are surrounded by an
extensive reef system
Tromelin Island: climatologically important location for forecasting
cyclones in the western Indian Ocean; wildlife sanctuary (seabirds,
tortoises)

India
dominates South Asian subcontinent; near important Indian
Ocean trade routes; Kanchenjunga, third tallest mountain in the
world, lies on the border with Nepal

Indian Ocean
major chokepoints include Bab el Mandeb, Strait of
Hormuz, Strait of Malacca, southern access to the Suez Canal, and
the Lombok Strait

Indonesia
archipelago of 17,508 islands (6,000 inhabited); straddles
equator; strategic location astride or along major sea lanes from
Indian Ocean to Pacific Ocean

Iran
strategic location on the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz,
which are vital maritime pathways for crude oil transport

Iraq
strategic location on Shatt al Arab waterway and at the head of
the Persian Gulf

Ireland
strategic location on major air and sea routes between North
America and northern Europe; over 40% of the population resides
within 100 km of Dublin

Isle of Man
one small islet, the Calf of Man, lies to the southwest,
and is a bird sanctuary

Israel
there are 242 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites
in the West Bank, 42 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, 0 in the
Gaza Strip, and 29 in East Jerusalem (August 2005 est.); Sea of
Galilee is an important freshwater source

Italy
strategic location dominating central Mediterranean as well as
southern sea and air approaches to Western Europe

Jamaica
strategic location between Cayman Trench and Jamaica
Channel, the main sea lanes for the Panama Canal

Jan Mayen
barren volcanic island with some moss and grass

Japan
strategic location in northeast Asia

Jarvis Island
sparse bunch grass, prostrate vines, and low-growing
shrubs; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for
seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife

Jersey
largest and southernmost of Channel Islands; about 30% of
population concentrated in Saint Helier

Johnston Atoll
strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean;
Johnston Island and Sand Island are natural islands, which have been
expanded by coral dredging; North Island (Akau) and East Island
(Hikina) are manmade islands formed from coral dredging; the
egg-shaped reef is 34 km in circumference; closed to the public; a
former US nuclear weapons test site; site of now-closed Johnston
Atoll Chemical Agent Disposal System (JACADS); most facilities
dismantled and cleanup complete in 2004; some low-growing vegetation

Jordan
strategic location at the head of the Gulf of Aqaba and as
the Arab country that shares the longest border with Israel and the
occupied West Bank

Juan de Nova Island
wildlife sanctuary

Kazakhstan
landlocked; Russia leases approximately 6,000 sq km of
territory enclosing the Baykonur Cosmodrome; in January 2004,
Kazakhstan and Russia extended the lease to 2050

Kenya
the Kenyan Highlands comprise one of the most successful
agricultural production regions in Africa; glaciers are found on
Mount Kenya, Africa's second highest peak; unique physiography
supports abundant and varied wildlife of scientific and economic
value

Kingman Reef
barren coral atoll with deep interior lagoon; closed to
the public

Kiribati
21 of the 33 islands are inhabited; Banaba (Ocean Island)
in Kiribati is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the
Pacific Ocean - the others are Makatea in French Polynesia, and Nauru

Korea, North
strategic location bordering China, South Korea, and
Russia; mountainous interior is isolated and sparsely populated

Korea, South
strategic location on Korea Strait

Kuwait
strategic location at head of Persian Gulf

Kyrgyzstan
landlocked; entirely mountainous, dominated by the Tien
Shan range; many tall peaks, glaciers, and high-altitude lakes

Laos
landlocked; most of the country is mountainous and thickly
forested; the Mekong River forms a large part of the western
boundary with Thailand

Latvia
most of the country is composed of fertile, low-lying plains,
with some hills in the east

Lebanon
Nahr el Litani is the only major river in Near East not
crossing an international boundary; rugged terrain historically
helped isolate, protect, and develop numerous factional groups based
on religion, clan, and ethnicity

Lesotho
landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa;
mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 meters above sea
level

Liberia
facing the Atlantic Ocean, the coastline is characterized by
lagoons, mangrove swamps, and river-deposited sandbars; the inland
grassy plateau supports limited agriculture

Libya
more than 90% of the country is desert or semidesert

Liechtenstein
along with Uzbekistan, one of only two doubly
landlocked countries in the world; variety of microclimatic
variations based on elevation

Lithuania
fertile central plains are separated by hilly uplands that
are ancient glacial deposits

Luxembourg
landlocked; the only Grand Duchy in the world

Macau
essentially urban; an area of land reclaimed from the sea
measuring 5.2 sq km and known as Cotai now connects the islands of
Coloane and Taipa; the island area is connected to the mainland
peninsula by three bridges

Macedonia
landlocked; major transportation corridor from Western and
Central Europe to Aegean Sea and Southern Europe to Western Europe

Madagascar
world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along
Mozambique Channel

Malawi
landlocked; Lake Nyasa, some 580 km long, is the country's
most prominent physical feature

Malaysia
strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern
South China Sea

Maldives
1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls (200 inhabited
islands, plus 80 islands with tourist resorts); archipelago with
strategic location astride and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean

Mali
landlocked; divided into three natural zones: the southern,
cultivated Sudanese; the central, semiarid Sahelian; and the
northern, arid Saharan

Malta
the country comprises an archipelago, with only the three
largest islands (Malta, Ghawdex or Gozo, and Kemmuna or Comino)
being inhabited; numerous bays provide good harbors; Malta and
Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the
continental shelf between their countries, particularly for oil
exploration

Marshall Islands
Bikini and Enewetak are former US nuclear test
sites; Kwajalein, the famous World War II battleground, is used as a
US missile test range; island city of Ebeye is the second largest
settlement in the Marshall Islands, after the capital of Majuro, and
one of the most densely populated locations in the Pacific

Martinique
the island is dominated by Mount Pelee, which on 8 May
1902 erupted and completely destroyed the city of Saint Pierre,
killing 30,000 inhabitants

Mauritania
most of the population concentrated in the cities of
Nouakchott and Nouadhibou and along the Senegal River in the
southern part of the country

Mauritius
the main island, from which the country derives its name,
is of volcanic origin and is almost entirely surrounded by coral
reefs

Mayotte
part of Comoro Archipelago; 18 islands

Mexico
strategic location on southern border of US; corn (maize),
one of the world's major grain crops, is thought to have originated
in Mexico

Micronesia, Federated States of
four major island groups totaling
607 islands

Midway Islands
a coral atoll managed as a national wildlife refuge
and open to the public for wildlife-related recreation in the form
of wildlife observation and photography, sport fishing, snorkeling,
and scuba diving; the refuge is temporarily closed for
reorganization at present (2004)

Moldova
landlocked; well endowed with various sedimentary rocks and
minerals including sand, gravel, gypsum, and limestone

Monaco
second-smallest independent state in the world (after Holy
See); almost entirely urban

Mongolia
landlocked; strategic location between China and Russia

Montenegro
strategic location along the Adriatic coast

Montserrat
the island is entirely volcanic in origin and comprised
of three major volcanic centers of differing ages

Morocco
strategic location along Strait of Gibraltar

Mozambique
the Zambezi flows through the north-central and most
fertile part of the country

Namibia
first country in the world to incorporate the protection of
the environment into its constitution; some 14% of the land is
protected, including virtually the entire Namib Desert coastal strip

Nauru
Nauru is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the
Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and
Makatea in French Polynesia; only 53 km south of Equator

Navassa Island
strategic location 160 km south of the US Naval Base
at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; mostly exposed rock but with enough
grassland to support goat herds; dense stands of fig-like trees,
scattered cactus

Nepal
landlocked; strategic location between China and India;
contains eight of world's 10 highest peaks, including Mount Everest
and Kanchenjunga - the world's tallest and third tallest - on the
borders with China and India respectively

Netherlands
located at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine,
Maas or Meuse, and Schelde)

Netherlands Antilles
the five islands of the Netherlands Antilles
are divided geographically into the Leeward Islands (northern) group
(Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten) and the Windward Islands
(southern) group (Bonaire and Curacao)

New Caledonia
consists of the main island of New Caledonia (one of
the largest in the Pacific Ocean), the archipelago of Iles Loyaute,
and numerous small, sparsely populated islands and atolls

New Zealand
about 80% of the population lives in cities; Wellington
is the southernmost national capital in the world

Nicaragua
largest country in Central America; contains the largest
freshwater body in Central America, Lago de Nicaragua

Niger
landlocked; one of the hottest countries in the world;
northern four-fifths is desert, southern one-fifth is savanna,
suitable for livestock and limited agriculture

Nigeria
the Niger enters the country in the northwest and flows
southward through tropical rain forests and swamps to its delta in
the Gulf of Guinea

Niue
one of world's largest coral islands

Norfolk Island
most of the 32 km coastline consists of almost
inaccessible cliffs, but the land slopes down to the sea in one
small southern area on Sydney Bay, where the capital of Kingston is
situated

Northern Mariana Islands
strategic location in the North Pacific
Ocean

Norway
about two-thirds mountains; some 50,000 islands off its much
indented coastline; strategic location adjacent to sea lanes and air
routes in North Atlantic; one of most rugged and longest coastlines
in the world

Oman
strategic location on Musandam Peninsula adjacent to Strait of
Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil

Pacific Ocean
the major chokepoints are the Bering Strait, Panama
Canal, Luzon Strait, and the Singapore Strait; the Equator divides
the Pacific Ocean into the North Pacific Ocean and the South Pacific
Ocean; dotted with low coral islands and rugged volcanic islands in
the southwestern Pacific Ocean

Pakistan
controls Khyber Pass and Bolan Pass, traditional invasion
routes between Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent

Palau
westernmost archipelago in the Caroline chain, consists of six
island groups totaling more than 300 islands; includes World War II
battleground of Beliliou (Peleliu) and world-famous rock islands

Palmyra Atoll
about 50 islets covered with dense vegetation, coconut
trees, and balsa-like trees up to 30 meters tall

Panama
strategic location on eastern end of isthmus forming land
bridge connecting North and South America; controls Panama Canal
that links North Atlantic Ocean via Caribbean Sea with North Pacific
Ocean

Papua New Guinea
shares island of New Guinea with Indonesia; one of
world's largest swamps along southwest coast

Paracel Islands
composed of 130 small coral islands and reefs
divided into the northeast Amphitrite Group and the western Crescent
Group

Paraguay
landlocked; lies between Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil;
population concentrated in southern part of country

Peru
shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable
lake, with Bolivia; a remote slope of Nevado Mismi, a 5,316 m peak,
is the ultimate source of the Amazon River

Philippines
the Philippine archipelago is made up of 7,107 islands;
favorably located in relation to many of Southeast Asia's main water
bodies: the South China Sea, Philippine Sea, Sulu Sea, Celebes Sea,
and Luzon Strait

Pitcairn Islands
Britain's most isolated dependency; only the larger
island of Pitcairn is inhabited but it has no port or natural
harbor; supplies must be transported by rowed longboat from larger
ships stationed offshore

Poland
historically, an area of conflict because of flat terrain and
the lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain

Portugal
Azores and Madeira Islands occupy strategic locations along
western sea approaches to Strait of Gibraltar

Puerto Rico
important location along the Mona Passage - a key
shipping lane to the Panama Canal; San Juan is one of the biggest
and best natural harbors in the Caribbean; many small rivers and
high central mountains ensure land is well watered; south coast
relatively dry; fertile coastal plain belt in north

Qatar
strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major
petroleum deposits

Reunion
this mountainous, volcanic island has an active volcano,
Piton de la Fournaise; there is a tropical cyclone center at
Saint-Denis, which is the monitoring station for the whole of the
Indian Ocean

Romania
controls most easily traversable land route between the
Balkans, Moldova, and Ukraine

Russia
largest country in the world in terms of area but unfavorably
located in relation to major sea lanes of the world; despite its
size, much of the country lacks proper soils and climates (either
too cold or too dry) for agriculture; Mount El'brus is Europe's
tallest peak

Rwanda
landlocked; most of the country is savanna grassland with the
population predominantly rural

Saint Helena
Saint Helena harbors at least 40 species of plants
unknown anywhere else in the world; Ascension is a breeding ground
for sea turtles and sooty terns; Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da
Cunha is the highest island mountain in the South Atlantic and a
prominent landmark on the sea lanes around southern Africa

Saint Kitts and Nevis
with coastlines in the shape of a baseball bat
and ball, the two volcanic islands are separated by a three-km-wide
channel called The Narrows; on the southern tip of long, baseball
bat-shaped Saint Kitts lies the Great Salt Pond; Nevis Peak sits in
the center of its almost circular namesake island and its ball shape
complements that of its sister island

Saint Lucia
the twin Pitons (Gros Piton and Petit Piton), striking
cone-shaped peaks south of Soufriere, are one of the scenic natural
highlights of the Caribbean

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
vegetation scanty

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
the administration of the islands
of the Grenadines group is divided between Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines and Grenada; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is
comprised of 32 islands and cays

Samoa
occupies an almost central position within Polynesia

San Marino
landlocked; smallest independent state in Europe after
the Holy See and Monaco; dominated by the Apennines

Sao Tome and Principe
the smallest country in Africa; the two main
islands form part of a chain of extinct volcanoes and both are
fairly mountainous

Saudi Arabia
extensive coastlines on Persian Gulf and Red Sea
provide great leverage on shipping (especially crude oil) through
Persian Gulf and Suez Canal

Senegal
westernmost country on the African continent; The Gambia is
almost an enclave within Senegal

Serbia
controls one of the major land routes from Western Europe to
Turkey and the Near East

Seychelles
41 granitic and about 75 coralline islands

Sierra Leone
rainfall along the coast can reach 495 cm (195 inches)
a year, making it one of the wettest places along coastal, western
Africa

Singapore
focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes

Slovakia
landlocked; most of the country is rugged and mountainous;
the Tatra Mountains in the north are interspersed with many scenic
lakes and valleys

Slovenia
despite its small size, this eastern Alpine country
controls some of Europe's major transit routes

Solomon Islands
strategic location on sea routes between the South
Pacific Ocean, the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea

Somalia
strategic location on Horn of Africa along southern
approaches to Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and Suez Canal

South Africa
South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost
completely surrounds Swaziland

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
the north coast of
South Georgia has several large bays, which provide good anchorage;
reindeer, introduced early in the 20th century, live on South Georgia

Southern Ocean
the major chokepoint is the Drake Passage between
South America and Antarctica; the Polar Front (Antarctic
Convergence) is the best natural definition of the northern extent
of the Southern Ocean; it is a distinct region at the middle of the
Antarctic Circumpolar Current that separates the very cold polar
surface waters to the south from the warmer waters to the north; the
Front and the Current extend entirely around Antarctica, reaching
south of 60 degrees south near New Zealand and near 48 degrees south
in the far South Atlantic coinciding with the path of the maximum
westerly winds

Spain
strategic location along approaches to Strait of Gibraltar

Spratly Islands
strategically located near several primary shipping
lanes in the central South China Sea; includes numerous small
islands, atolls, shoals, and coral reefs

Sri Lanka
strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes

Sudan
largest country in Africa; dominated by the Nile and its
tributaries

Suriname
smallest independent country on South American continent;
mostly tropical rain forest; great diversity of flora and fauna
that, for the most part, is increasingly threatened by new
development; relatively small population, mostly along the coast

Svalbard
northernmost part of the Kingdom of Norway; consists of
nine main islands; glaciers and snowfields cover 60% of the total
area; site of future seed repository under construction by the
Global Crop Diversity Trust and the Norwegian Government

Swaziland
landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa

Sweden
strategic location along Danish Straits linking Baltic and
North Seas

Switzerland
landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe;
along with southeastern France, northern Italy, and southwestern
Austria, has the highest elevations in the Alps

Syria
there are 42 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites
in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (August 2005 est.)

Taiwan
strategic location adjacent to both the Taiwan Strait and the
Luzon Strait

Tajikistan
landlocked; mountainous region dominated by the
Trans-Alay Range in the north and the Pamirs in the southeast;
highest point, Qullai Ismoili Somoni (formerly Communism Peak), was
the tallest mountain in the former USSR

Tanzania
Kilimanjaro is highest point in Africa; bordered by three
of the largest lakes on the continent: Lake Victoria (the world's
second-largest freshwater lake) in the north, Lake Tanganyika (the
world's second deepest) in the west, and Lake Nyasa in the southwest

Thailand
controls only land route from Asia to Malaysia and Singapore

Togo
the country's length allows it to stretch through six distinct
geographic regions; climate varies from tropical to savanna

Tokelau
consists of three atolls, each with a lagoon surrounded by a
number of reef-bound islets of varying length and rising to over
three meters above sea level

Tonga
archipelago of 169 islands (36 inhabited)

Trinidad and Tobago
Pitch Lake, on Trinidad's southwestern coast, is
the world's largest natural reservoir of asphalt

Tromelin Island
climatologically important location for forecasting
cyclones; wildlife sanctuary (seabirds, tortoises)

Tunisia
strategic location in central Mediterranean; Malta and
Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the
continental shelf between their countries, particularly for oil
exploration

Turkey
strategic location controlling the Turkish Straits (Bosporus,
Sea of Marmara, Dardanelles) that link Black and Aegean Seas; Mount
Ararat, the legendary landing place of Noah's Ark, is in the far
eastern portion of the country

Turkmenistan
landlocked; the western and central low-lying, desolate
portions of the country make up the great Garagum (Kara-Kum) desert,
which occupies over 80% of the country; eastern part is plateau

Turks and Caicos Islands
about 40 islands (eight inhabited)

Tuvalu
one of the smallest and most remote countries on Earth; six
of the coral atolls - Nanumea, Nui, Vaitupu, Nukufetau, Funafuti,
and Nukulaelae - have lagoons open to the ocean; Nanumaya and Niutao
have landlocked lagoons; Niulakita does not have a lagoon

Uganda
landlocked; fertile, well-watered country with many lakes and
rivers

Ukraine
strategic position at the crossroads between Europe and
Asia; second-largest country in Europe

United Arab Emirates
strategic location along southern approaches to
Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil

United Kingdom
lies near vital North Atlantic sea lanes; only 35 km
from France and linked by tunnel under the English Channel; because
of heavily indented coastline, no location is more than 125 km from
tidal waters

United States
world's third-largest country by size (after Russia
and Canada) and by population (after China and India); Mt. McKinley
is highest point in North America and Death Valley the lowest point
on the continent

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges
Baker, Howland, and
Jarvis Islands: scattered vegetation consisting of grasses,
prostrate vines, and low growing shrubs; primarily a nesting,
roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine
wildlife
Johnston Atoll: Johnston Island and Sand Island are natural islands,
which have been expanded by coral dredging; North Island (Akau) and
East Island (Hikina) are manmade islands formed from coral dredging;
the egg-shaped reef is 34 km in circumference
Kingman Reef: barren coral atoll with deep interior lagoon; closed
to the public
Midway Islands: a coral atoll managed as a national wildlife refuge
and open to the public for wildlife-related recreation in the form
of wildlife observation and photography
Palmyra Atoll: the high rainfall and resulting lush vegetation make
the environment of this atoll unique among the US Pacific Island
territories; it supports one of the largest remaining undisturbed
stands of Pisonia beach forest in the Pacific

Uruguay
second-smallest South American country (after Suriname);
most of the low-lying landscape (three-quarters of the country) is
grassland, ideal for cattle and sheep raising

Uzbekistan
along with Liechtenstein, one of the only two doubly
landlocked countries in the world

Vanuatu
a Y-shaped chain of four main islands and 80 smaller
islands; several of the islands have active volcanoes

Venezuela
on major sea and air routes linking North and South
America; Angel Falls in the Guiana Highlands is the world's highest
waterfall

Vietnam
extending 1,650 km north to south, the country is only 50 km
across at its narrowest point

Virgin Islands
important location along the Anegada Passage - a key
shipping lane for the Panama Canal; Saint Thomas has one of the best
natural deepwater harbors in the Caribbean

Wake Island
strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean; emergency
landing location for transpacific flights