Chapter XV: Front Matter (15)

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 224,924 (Sudan), 29,683 (Central
African Republic) (2005)

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

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@Chile

Introduction Chile

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

Geography Chile

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

Geographic coordinates:
30 00 S, 71 00 W

Map references:
South America

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

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

Land boundaries:
total: 6,339 km
border countries: Argentina 5,308 km, Bolivia 860 km, Peru 171 km

Coastline:
6,435 km

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

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

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

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

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

Land use:
arable land: 2.62%
permanent crops: 0.43%
other: 96.95% (2005)

Irrigated land:
19,000 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis

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

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

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

People Chile

Population:
16,134,219 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 24.7% (male 2,035,278/female 1,944,754)
15-64 years: 67.1% (male 5,403,525/female 5,420,497)
65 years and over: 8.2% (male 555,075/female 775,090) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 30.4 years
male: 29.5 years
female: 31.4 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.94% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
15.23 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
5.81 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 8.58 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 9.32 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.77 years
male: 73.49 years
female: 80.21 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2 children born/woman (2006 est.)

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

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

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

Nationality:
noun: Chilean(s)
adjective: Chilean

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

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

Languages:
Spanish

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

Government Chile

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

Government type:
republic

Capital:
name: Santiago
geographic coordinates: 33 27 S, 70 40 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in October; ends
second Sunday in March

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

Independence:
18 September 1810 (from Spain)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 18 September (1810)

Constitution:
11 September 1980, effective 11 March 1981; amended 1989, 1991,
1997, 1999, 2000, 2003, and 2005

Legal system:
based on Code of 1857 derived from Spanish law and subsequent codes
influenced by French and Austrian law; judicial review of
legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction; note - in June 2005, Chile completed overhaul of
its criminal justice system to a new, US-style adversarial system

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Michelle BACHELET Jeria (since 11 March
2006); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Michelle BACHELET Jeria (since 11
March 2006)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a single four-year
term; election last held 11 December 2005, with runoff election held
15 January 2006 (next to be held December 2009)
election results: Michelle BACHELET Jeria elected president; percent
of vote - Michelle BACHELET Jeria 53.5%; Sebastian PINERA Echenique
46.5%

Legislative branch:
bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the
Senate or Senado (38 seats elected by popular vote; members serve
eight-year terms - one-half elected every four years) and the
Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (120 seats; members are
elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 11 December 2005 (next to be held
December 2009); Chamber of Deputies - last held 11 December 2005
(next to be held December 2009)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - CPD 20 (PDC 6, PS 8, PPD 3, PRSD 3), APC 17 (UDI 9, RN 8),
independent 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - CPD 65 (PDC 21, PPD 22, PS 15, PRSD 7), APC 54 (UDI
34, RN 20), independent 1

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are appointed by the
president and ratified by the Senate from lists of candidates
provided by the court itself; the president of the Supreme Court is
elected every three years by the 20-member court); Constitutional
Tribunal

Political parties and leaders:
Alliance for Chile ("Alianza") or APC (including National Renewal
or RN [Sergio DIEZ Urzia] and Independent Democratic Union or UDI
[Jovino NOVOA Vasquez]); Coalition of Parties for Democracy
("Concertacion") or CPD (including Christian Democratic Party or PDC
[Adolfo ZALDIVAR Larrain], Socialist Party or PS [Ricardo NUNEZ],
Party for Democracy or PPD [Victor BARRUETO], Radical Social
Democratic Party or PRSD [Jose Antonio GOMEZ Urrutia]); Communist
Party or PC [Guillermo TEILLIER]

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

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

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Mariano FERNANDEZ
chancery: 1732 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 530-4104, 530-4106, 530-4107
FAX: [1] (202) 887-5579
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New
York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico)

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

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

Economy Chile

Economy - overview:
Chile has a market-oriented economy characterized by a high level
of foreign trade. During the early 1990s, Chile's reputation as a
role model for economic reform was strengthened when the democratic
government of Patricio AYLWIN - which took over from the military in
1990 - deepened the economic reform initiated by the military
government. Growth in real GDP averaged 8% during 1991-97, but fell
to half that level in 1998 because of tight monetary policies
implemented to keep the current account deficit in check and because
of lower export earnings - the latter a product of the global
financial crisis. A severe drought exacerbated the recession in
1999, reducing crop yields and causing hydroelectric shortfalls and
electricity rationing, and Chile experienced negative economic
growth for the first time in more than 15 years. Despite the effects
of the recession, Chile maintained its reputation for strong
financial institutions and sound policy that have given it the
strongest sovereign bond rating in South America. By the end of
1999, exports and economic activity had begun to recover, and growth
rebounded to 4.2% in 2000. Growth fell back to 3.1% in 2001 and 2.1%
in 2002, largely due to lackluster global growth and the devaluation
of the Argentine peso. Chile's economy began a slow recovery in
2003, growing 3.2%, and accelerated to 6.1% in 2004-05, while Chile
maintained a low rate of inflation. GDP growth benefited from high
copper prices, solid export earnings (particularly forestry,
fishing, and mining), and stepped-up foreign direct investment.
Unemployment, however, remains stubbornly high. Chile deepened its
longstanding commitment to trade liberalization with the signing of
a free trade agreement with the US, which took effect on 1 January
2004. Chile signed a free trade agreement with China in November
2005, and it already has several trade deals signed with other
nations and blocs, including the European Union, Mercosur, South
Korea, and Mexico. Record-high copper prices helped to strengthen
the peso to a 5½-year high, as of December 2005, and will boost GDP
in 2006.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$189.9 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$115.6 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
6.3% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$11,900 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 6%
industry: 49.3%
services: 44.7% (2005 est.)

Labor force:
6.3 million (2005 est.)

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

Unemployment rate:
8.1% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:
18.2% (2005)

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

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.1% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
22.1% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $29.2 billion
expenditures: $24.75 billion; including capital expenditures of
$3.33 billion (2005 est.)

Public debt:
7.5% of GDP (2005 est.)

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

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

Industrial production growth rate:
3.4% (2005 est.)

Electricity - production:
45.3 billion kWh (2003)

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

Electricity - consumption:
44.13 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
2 billion kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
4,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:
228,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day

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

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

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

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

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2002)

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

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

Current account balance:
$702.7 million (2005 est.)

Exports:
$38.03 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

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

Exports - partners:
US 15.8%, Japan 11.5%, China 11.1%, Netherlands 5.8%, South Korea
5.5%, Brazil 4.4%, Italy 4.2%, Mexico 4% (2005)

Imports:
$30.09 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

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

Imports - partners:
Argentina 14.8%, US 14.6%, Brazil 11.7%, China 7.8%, South Korea
4.8%, Yemen 4.4% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$16.93 billion (2005 est.)

Debt - external:
$47.45 billion (2005 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$0 (2002)

Currency (code):
Chilean peso (CLP)

Currency code:
CLP

Exchange rates:
Chilean pesos per US dollar - 560.09 (2005), 609.37 (2004), 691.43
(2003), 688.94 (2002), 634.94 (2001)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Chile

Telephones - main lines in use:
3,435,900 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
10.57 million (2005)

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

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

Radios:
5.18 million (1997)

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

Televisions:
3.15 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.cl

Internet hosts:
506,055 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
7 (2000)

Internet users:
6.7 million (2005)

Transportation Chile

Airports:
363 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 73
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 22
914 to 1,523 m: 22
under 914 m: 17 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 290
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 11
914 to 1,523 m: 58
under 914 m: 216 (2006)

Pipelines:
gas 2,567 km; gas/lpg 42 km; liquid petroleum gas 539 km; oil 1,003
km; refined products 757 km; unknown (oil/water) 97 km (2006)

Railways:
total: 6,585 km
broad gauge: 2,831 km 1.676-m gauge (1,317 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 3,754 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)

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

Merchant marine:
total: 46 ships (1000 GRT or over) 649,091 GRT/898,110 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 10, cargo 6, chemical tanker 10, container 1,
liquefied gas 2, passenger 4, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 7,
roll on/roll off 1, vehicle carrier 3
foreign-owned: 1 (Argentina 1)
registered in other countries: 17 (Argentina 6, Brazil 1, Marshall
Islands 1, Panama 9) (2006)

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

Military Chile

Military branches:
Army of the Nation, National Navy (Armada de Chile, includes naval
air, marine corps, and Maritime Territory and Merchant Marine
Directorate (Directemar)), Chilean Air Force (Fuerza Aerea de Chile,
FACh), Chilean Carabineros (National Police) (2006)

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

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 3,815,761
females age 18-49: 3,780,864 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 3,123,281
females age 18-49: 3,128,277 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 140,084
females age 18-49: 134,518 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$3.91 billion (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
3.5% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Chile

Disputes - international:
Chile rebuffs Bolivia's reactivated claim to restore the Atacama
corridor, ceded to Chile in 1884, offering instead unrestricted but
not sovereign maritime access through Chile to Bolivian gas and
other commodities; Peru proposes changing its latitudinal maritime
boundary with Chile to an equidistance line with a southwestern
axis; territorial claim in Antarctica (Chilean Antarctic Territory)
partially overlaps Argentine and British claims; action by the joint
boundary commission, established by Chile and Argentina in 2001, for
mapping and demarcating the disputed boundary in the Andean Southern
Ice Field (Campo de Hielo Sur) remains pending

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

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

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@China

Introduction China

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

Geography China

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

Geographic coordinates:
35 00 N, 105 00 E

Map references:
Asia

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

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than the US

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

Coastline:
14,500 km

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

Climate:
extremely diverse; tropical in south to subarctic in north

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

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

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

Land use:
arable land: 14.86%
permanent crops: 1.27%
other: 83.87% (2005)

Irrigated land:
545,960 sq km (2003)

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

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

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

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

People China

Population:
1,313,973,713 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 20.8% (male 145,461,833/female 128,445,739)
15-64 years: 71.4% (male 482,439,115/female 455,960,489)
65 years and over: 7.7% (male 48,562,635/female 53,103,902) (2006
est.)

Median age:
total: 32.7 years
male: 32.3 years
female: 33.2 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.59% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
13.25 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
6.97 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
-0.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.12 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.13 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female
total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 23.12 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 20.6 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 25.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.58 years
male: 70.89 years
female: 74.46 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.73 children born/woman (2006 est.)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Government China

Country name:
conventional long form: People's Republic of China
conventional short form: China
local long form: Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo
local short form: Zhongguo
abbreviation: PRC

Government type:
Communist state

Capital:
name: Beijing
geographic coordinates: 39 56 N, 116 24 E
time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
note: despite its size, all of China falls within one time zone

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

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

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

Constitution:
most recent promulgation 4 December 1982

Legal system:
based on civil law system; derived from Soviet and continental
civil code legal principles; legislature retains power to interpret
statutes; constitution ambiguous on judicial review of legislation;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003) and Vice
President ZENG Qinghong (since 15 March 2003)
head of government: Premier WEN Jiabao (since 16 March 2003);
Executive Vice Premier HUANG Ju (since 17 March 2003), Vice Premiers
WU Yi (17 March 2003), ZENG Peiyan (since 17 March 2003), and HUI
Liangyu (since 17 March 2003)
cabinet: State Council appointed by the National People's Congress
(NPC)
elections: president and vice president elected by the National
People's Congress for a five-year term (eligible for a second term);
elections last held 15-17 March 2003 (next to be held mid-March
2008); premier nominated by the president, confirmed by the National
People's Congress
election results: HU Jintao elected president by the 10th National
People's Congress with a total of 2,937 votes (four delegates voted
against him, four abstained, and 38 did not vote); ZENG Qinghong
elected vice president by the 10th National People's Congress with a
total of 2,578 votes (177 delegates voted against him, 190
abstained, and 38 did not vote); two seats were vacant

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

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

Political parties and leaders:
Chinese Communist Party or CCP [HU Jintao]; eight registered small
parties controlled by CCP

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

International organization participation:
AfDB, APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BCIE, BIS,
CDB, EAS, FAO, G-24 (observer), G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM
(observer), IPU, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC,
NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC
(observer), SCO, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UNTSO,
UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

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

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Clark T. RANDT, Jr.
embassy: Xiu Shui Bei Jie 3, 100600 Beijing
mailing address: PSC 461, Box 50, FPO AP 96521-0002
telephone: [86] (10) 6532-3831
FAX: [86] (10) 6532-3178
consulate(s) general: Chengdu, Guangzhou, Hong Kong and Macau,
Shanghai, Shenyang

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

Economy China

Economy - overview:
China's economy during the last quarter century has changed from a
centrally planned system that was largely closed to international
trade to a more market-oriented economy that has a rapidly growing
private sector and is a major player in the global economy. Reforms
started in the late 1970s with the phasing out of collectivized
agriculture, and expanded to include the gradual liberalization of
prices, fiscal decentralization, increased autonomy for state
enterprises, the foundation of a diversified banking system, the
development of stock markets, the rapid growth of the non-state
sector, and the opening to foreign trade and investment. China has
generally implemented reforms in a gradualist or piecemeal fashion.
The process continues with key moves in 2005 including the sale of
equity in China's largest state banks to foreign investors and
refinements in foreign exchange and bond markets. The restructuring
of the economy and resulting efficiency gains have contributed to a
more than tenfold increase in GDP since 1978. Measured on a
purchasing power parity (PPP) basis, China in 2005 stood as the
second-largest economy in the world after the US, although in per
capita terms the country is still lower middle-income and 150
million Chinese fall below international poverty lines. Economic
development has generally been more rapid in coastal provinces than
in the interior, and there are large disparities in per capita
income between regions. The government has struggled to: (a) sustain
adequate job growth for tens of millions of workers laid off from
state-owned enterprises, migrants, and new entrants to the work
force; (b) reduce corruption and other economic crimes; and (c)
contain environmental damage and social strife related to the
economy's rapid transformation. From 100 to 150 million surplus
rural workers are adrift between the villages and the cities, many
subsisting through part-time, low-paying jobs. One demographic
consequence of the "one child" policy is that China is now one of
the most rapidly aging countries in the world. Another long-term
threat to growth is the deterioration in the environment - notably
air pollution, soil erosion, and the steady fall of the water table,
especially in the north. China continues to lose arable land because
of erosion and economic development. China has benefited from a huge
expansion in computer Internet use, with more than 100 million users
at the end of 2005. Foreign investment remains a strong element in
China's remarkable expansion in world trade and has been an
important factor in the growth of urban jobs. In July 2005, China
revalued its currency by 2.1% against the US dollar and moved to an
exchange rate system that references a basket of currencies. Reports
of shortages of electric power in the summer of 2005 in southern
China receded by September-October and did not have a substantial
impact on China's economy. More power generating capacity is
scheduled to come on line in 2006 as large scale investments are
completed. Thirteen years in construction at a cost of $24 billion,
the immense Three Gorges Dam across the Yangtze River will be
essentially completed in 2006 and will revolutionize electrification
and flood control in the area. The Central Committee of the Chinese
Communist Party in October 2005 approved the draft 11th Five-Year
Plan and the National People's Congress is expected to give final
approval in March 2006. The plan calls for a 20% reduction in energy
consumption per unit of GDP by 2010 and an estimated 45% increase in
GDP by 2010. The plan states that conserving resources and
protecting the environment are basic goals, but it lacks details on
the policies and reforms necessary to achieve these goals.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$8.883 trillion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$2.225 trillion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
10.2% (official data) (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$6,800 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 12.5%
industry: 47.3%
services: 40.3%
note: industry includes construction (2005 est.)

Labor force:
791.4 million (2005 est.)

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

Unemployment rate:
9% official registered unemployment in urban areas in 2004;
substantial unemployment and underemployment in rural areas; an
official Chinese journal estimated overall unemployment (including
rural areas) for 2003 at 20% (2005 est.)

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

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

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.8% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
44.4% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $392.1 billion
expenditures: $424.3 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA
(2005 est.)

Public debt:
24.4% of GDP (2005 est.)

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

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

Industrial production growth rate:
29.5% (2005 est.)

Electricity - production:
2.19 trillion kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:
2.17 trillion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:
10.6 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
1.546 billion kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
3.504 million bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:
6.391 million bbl/day (2004)

Oil - exports:
340,300 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports:
3.226 million bbl/day (2004)

Oil - proved reserves:
18.26 billion bbl (2004)

Natural gas - production:
35.02 billion cu m (2003)

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

Natural gas - exports:
2.79 billion cu m (2004)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2004)

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

Current account balance:
$160.8 billion (2005 est.)

Exports:
$752.2 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

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

Exports - partners:
US 21.4%, Hong Kong 16.3%, Japan 11%, South Korea 4.6%, Germany
4.3% (2005)

Imports:
$631.8 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

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

Imports - partners:
Japan 15.2%, South Korea 11.6%, Taiwan 11.2%, US 7.4%, Germany 4.6%
(2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$825.6 billion (2005 est.)

Debt - external:
$252.8 billion (2005 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$NA

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

Currency code:
CNY

Exchange rates:
yuan per US dollar - 8.1943 (2005), 8.2768 (2004), 8.277 (2003),
8.277 (2002), 8.2771 (2001)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications China

Telephones - main lines in use:
350.433 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
393.428 million (2005)

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

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

Radios:
417 million (1997)

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

Televisions:
400 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.cn

Internet hosts:
232,780 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
3 (2000)

Internet users:
123 million (2006)

Transportation China

Airports:
486 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 403
over 3,047 m: 56
2,438 to 3,047 m: 127
1,524 to 2,437 m: 138
914 to 1,523 m: 22
under 914 m: 60 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 83
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
914 to 1,523 m: 25
under 914 m: 39 (2006)

Heliports:
32 (2006)

Pipelines:
gas 22,664 km; oil 15,256 km; refined products 6,106 km (2006)

Railways:
total: 74,408 km
standard gauge: 74,408 km 1.435-m gauge (19,303 km electrified)
(2004)

Roadways:
total: 1,809,829 km
paved: 1,447,682 km (with at least 29,745 km of expressways)
unpaved: 362,147 km (2003)

Waterways:
123,964 km (2003)

Merchant marine:
total: 1,723 ships (1000 GRT or over) 21,405,633 GRT/32,411,260 DWT
by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 387, cargo 695, chemical
tanker 45, combination ore/oil 1, container 152, liquefied gas 31,
passenger 8, passenger/cargo 83, petroleum tanker 261, refrigerated
cargo 30, roll on/roll off 8, specialized tanker 6, vehicle carrier
14
foreign-owned: 13 (Hong Kong 7, Japan 3, South Korea 2, Norway 1)
registered in other countries: 1,191 (Bahamas 3, Bangladesh 1,
Belize 103, Bolivia 1, Cambodia 128, Cyprus 11, Georgia 2, Honduras
3, Hong Kong 274, India 2, North Korea 1, Liberia 35, Malaysia 1,
Malta 14, Mongolia 4, Norway 3, Panama 420, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines 103, Sierra Leone 2, Singapore 23, Thailand 1, Tuvalu 23,
unknown 33) (2006)

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

Military China

Military branches:
People's Liberation Army (PLA): Ground Forces, Navy (includes
marines and naval aviation), Air Force (includes airborne forces),
and II Artillery Corps (strategic missile force); People's Armed
Police (PAP); Reserve and Militia Forces (2006)

Military service age and obligation:
18-22 years of age for compulsory military service, with 24-month
service obligation; no minimum age for voluntary service (all
officers are volunteers); 18-22 years of age for women who meet
requirements for specific military jobs (2006)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 342,956,265
females age 18-49: 324,701,244 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 281,240,272
females age 18-49: 269,025,517 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 13,186,433
females age 18-49: 12,298,149 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$81.48 billion (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
4.3% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues China

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

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 299,287 (Vietnam) estimated
30,000-50,000 (North Korea) (2005)

Trafficking in persons:
current situation: China is a source, transit, and destination
country for women, men, and children trafficked for purposes of
sexual exploitation and forced labor; the majority of trafficking in
China is internal, but there is also international trafficking of
Chinese citizens; women are lured through false promises of
legitimate employment into commercial sexual exploitation in Taiwan,
Thailand, Malaysia, and Japan; Chinese men and women are smuggled to
countries throughout the world at enormous personal expense and then
forced into commercial sexual exploitation or exploitative labor to
repay debts to traffickers; women and children are trafficked into
China from Mongolia, Burma, North Korea, Russia, and Vietnam for
forced labor, marriage, and sexual slavery; most North Koreans enter
northeastern China voluntarily, but others reportedly are trafficked
into China from North Korea; domestic trafficking remains the most
significant problem in China, with an estimated minimum of
10,000-20,000 victims trafficked each year; the actual number of
victims could be much greater; some experts believe that the serious
and prolonged imbalance in the male-female birth ratio may now be
contributing to Chinese and foreign girls and women being trafficked
as potential brides
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - China failed to show evidence of
increasing efforts to address transnational trafficking; while the
government provides reasonable protection to internal victims of
trafficking, protection for Chinese and foreign victims of
transnational trafficking remain inadequate

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

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

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

@Christmas Island

Introduction Christmas Island

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

Geography Christmas Island

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

Geographic coordinates:
10 30 S, 105 40 E

Map references:
Southeast Asia

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

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

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
138.9 km

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

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

Terrain:
steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau

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

Natural resources:
phosphate, beaches

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a
national park) (2005)

Irrigated land:
NA

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

Environment - current issues:
loss of rainforest; impact of phosphate mining

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

People Christmas Island

Population:
1,493 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
0% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
NA

Death rate:
NA

Net migration rate:
NA

Sex ratio:
NA

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

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

Total fertility rate:
NA

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

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

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

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

Languages:
English (official), Chinese, Malay

Literacy:
NA

Government Christmas Island

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

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

Government type:
NA

Capital:
name: The Settlement
geographic coordinates: 18 44 N, 64 19 W
time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:
none (territory of Australia)

Independence:
none (territory of Australia)

National holiday:
Australia Day, 26 January (1788)

Constitution:
Christmas Island Act of 1958-59 (1 October 1958) as amended by the
Territories Law Reform Act of 1992

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

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by the Australian governor general
head of government: Administrator Neil LUCAS (since 30 January 2006)
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed
by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and
Australia

Legislative branch:
unicameral Christmas Island Shire Council (9 seats; members elected
by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: held every two years with half the members standing for
election; last held in May 2005 (next to be held in May 2007)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 9

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

Political parties and leaders:
none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
none

International organization participation:
none

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

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

Flag description:
territorial flag; divided diagonally from upper hoist to lower fly;
the upper triangle is green with a yellow image of the Golden Bosun
Bird superimposed, while the lower triangle is blue with the
Southern Cross constellation, representing Australia, superimposed;
a centered yellow disk displays a green map of the island; the flag
of Australia is used for official purposes

Economy Christmas Island

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

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$NA

Labor force:
NA

Budget:
revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA

Agriculture - products:
NA

Industries:
tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion)

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

Exports:
$NA

Exports - commodities:
phosphate

Exports - partners:
Australia, NZ (2004)

Imports:
$NA

Imports - commodities:
consumer goods

Imports - partners:
principally Australia (2004)

Economic aid - recipient:
$NA

Currency (code):
Australian dollar (AUD)

Currency code:
AUD

Exchange rates:
Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004),
1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002), 1.9334 (2001)

Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

Communications Christmas Island

Telephones - main lines in use:
NA

Telephones - mobile cellular:
NA

Telephone system:
general assessment: service provided by the Australian network
domestic: GSM mobile telephone service replaced older analog system
in February 2005
international: country code - 61-8; satellite earth stations - one
INTELSAT earth station provides telephone and telex service (2005)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2006)

Radios:
1,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
0; note - TV broadcasts received via satellite from mainland
Australia (2006)

Televisions:
600 (1997)

Internet country code:
.cx

Internet hosts:
2,368 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
464 (2001)

Transportation Christmas Island

Airports:
1 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways:
total: 142 km
paved: 32 km
unpaved: 110 km (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Flying Fish Cove

Military Christmas Island

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of Australia

Transnational Issues Christmas Island

Disputes - international:
none

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

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

@Clipperton Island

Introduction Clipperton Island

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

Geography Clipperton Island

Location:
Middle America, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, 1,120 km
southwest of Mexico

Geographic coordinates:
10 17 N, 109 13 W

Map references:
Political Map of the World

Area:
total: 6 sq km
land: 6 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
about 12 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
11.1 km

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

Climate:
tropical; humid, average temperature 20-32 degrees C, wet season
(May to October)

Terrain:
coral atoll

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Rocher Clipperton 29 m

Natural resources:
fish

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (all coral) (2005)

Irrigated land:
0 sq km

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
reef 12 km in circumference

People Clipperton Island

Population:
uninhabited (July 2006 est.)

Government Clipperton Island

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

Dependency status:
possession of France; administered by France from French Polynesia
by a high commissioner of the Republic

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

Flag description:
the flag of France is used

Economy Clipperton Island

Economy - overview:
Although 115 species of fish have been identified in the
territorial waters of Clipperton Island, the only economic activity
is tuna fishing.

Transportation Clipperton Island

Ports and terminals:
none; offshore anchorage only

Military Clipperton Island

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Clipperton Island

Disputes - international:
none

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

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@Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Introduction Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Background:
There are 27 coral islands in the group. Captain William KEELING
discovered the islands in 1609, but they remained uninhabited until
the 19th century. Annexed by the UK in 1857, they were transferred
to the Australian Government in 1955. The population on the two
inhabited islands generally is split between the ethnic Europeans on
West Island and the ethnic Malays on Home Island.

Geography Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Location:
Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, southwest
of Indonesia, about halfway from Australia to Sri Lanka

Geographic coordinates:
12 30 S, 96 50 E

Map references:
Southeast Asia

Area:
total: 14 sq km
land: 14 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes the two main islands of West Island and Home Island

Area - comparative:
about 24 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
26 km

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

Climate:
tropical with high humidity, moderated by the southeast trade winds
for about nine months of the year

Terrain:
flat, low-lying coral atolls

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 5 m

Natural resources:
fish

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)

Irrigated land:
NA

Natural hazards:
cyclone season is October to April

Environment - current issues:
fresh water resources are limited to rainwater accumulations in
natural underground reservoirs

Geography - note:
islands are thickly covered with coconut palms and other vegetation

People Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Population:
574 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
0% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
NA

Death rate:
NA deaths/1,000 population

Net migration rate:
NA

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

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

Total fertility rate:
NA

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Cocos Islander(s)
adjective: Cocos Islander

Ethnic groups:
Europeans, Cocos Malays

Religions:
Sunni Muslim 80%, other 20% (2002 est.)

Languages:
Malay (Cocos dialect), English

Literacy:
NA

Government Cocos (Keeling) Islands

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

Dependency status:
non-self governing territory of Australia; administered from
Canberra by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional
Services

Government type:
NA

Capital:
name: West Island
geographic coordinates: 12 10 S, 96 55 E
time difference: UTC+6.5 (11.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:
none (territory of Australia)

Independence:
none (territory of Australia)

National holiday:
Australia Day, 26 January (1788)

Constitution:
Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955 (23 November 1955) as amended
by the Territories Law Reform Act of 1992

Legal system:
based upon the laws of Australia and local laws

Suffrage:
NA

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by the Australian governor general
head of government: Administrator (nonresident) Neil LUCAS (since 30
January 2006)
cabinet: NA
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed
by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and
Australia

Legislative branch:
unicameral Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Council (7 seats)
elections: held every two years with half the members standing for
election; last held in May 2005 (next to be held in May 2007)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court

Political parties and leaders:
none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
none

International organization participation:
none

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

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

Flag description:
the flag of Australia is used

Economy Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Economy - overview:
Grown throughout the islands, coconuts are the sole cash crop.
Small local gardens and fishing contribute to the food supply, but
additional food and most other necessities must be imported from
Australia. There is a small tourist industry.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$NA

Labor force:
NA

Labor force - by occupation:
note: the Cocos Islands Cooperative Society Ltd. employs
construction workers, stevedores, and lighterage workers; tourism
employs others

Unemployment rate:
60% (2000 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA

Agriculture - products:
vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts

Industries:
copra products and tourism

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

Exports:
$NA

Exports - commodities:
copra

Exports - partners:
Australia (2004)

Imports:
$NA

Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
Australia (2004)

Economic aid - recipient:
$NA

Currency (code):
Australian dollar (AUD)

Currency code:
AUD

Exchange rates:
Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004),
1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002), 1.9334 (2001)

Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

Communications Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:
287 (1992)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
note - analog cellular service available

Telephone system:
general assessment: connected within Australia's telecommunication
system
domestic: NA
international: country code - 61; telephone, telex, and facsimile
communications with Australia and elsewhere via satellite; 1
INTELSAT satellite earth station

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:
300 (1992)

Television broadcast stations:
NA

Televisions:
NA

Internet country code:
.cc

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
NA

Transportation Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Airports:
1 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways:
total: 22 km
paved: 10 km
unpaved: 12 km (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Port Refuge

Military Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of Australia; the territory has a
five-person police force

Transnational Issues Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Disputes - international:
none

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

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@Colombia

Introduction Colombia