Chapter XXIII: Front Matter (23)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)

Flag description:
blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and
the Falkland Island coat of arms centered on the outer half of the
flag; the coat of arms contains a white ram (sheep raising was once
the major economic activity) above the sailing ship Desire (whose
crew discovered the islands) with a scroll at the bottom bearing the
motto DESIRE THE RIGHT

Economy Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Economy - overview:
The economy was formerly based on agriculture, mainly sheep
farming, but today fishing contributes the bulk of economic
activity. In 1987 the government began selling fishing licenses to
foreign trawlers operating within the Falkland Islands' exclusive
fishing zone. These license fees total more than $40 million per
year, which goes to support the island's health, education, and
welfare system. Squid accounts for 75% of the fish taken. Dairy
farming supports domestic consumption; crops furnish winter fodder.
Exports feature shipments of high-grade wool to the UK and the sale
of postage stamps and coins. The islands are now self-financing
except for defense. The British Geological Survey announced a
200-mile oil exploration zone around the islands in 1993, and early
seismic surveys suggest substantial reserves capable of producing
500,000 barrels per day; to date, no exploitable site has been
identified. An agreement between Argentina and the UK in 1995 seeks
to defuse licensing and sovereignty conflicts that would dampen
foreign interest in exploiting potential oil reserves. Tourism,
especially eco-tourism, is increasing rapidly, with about 30,000
visitors in 2001. Another large source of income is interest paid on
money the government has in the bank. The British military presence
also provides a sizeable economic boost.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$75 million (2002 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
NA

GDP - real growth rate:
NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$25,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 95%
industry: NA%
services: NA%

Labor force:
1,724 (est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 95% (mostly sheepherding and fishing)
industry and services: 5%

Unemployment rate:
full employment; labor shortage (2001)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.6% (1998)

Budget:
revenues: $66.2 million
expenditures: $67.9 million; including capital expenditures of $23.2
million (FY98/99 est.)

Agriculture - products:
fodder and vegetable crops; sheep, dairy products

Industries:
fish and wool processing; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - production:
22.23 million kWh (2003)

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

Electricity - consumption:
20.68 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2003)

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

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

Oil - exports:
NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
NA bbl/day

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

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

Exports:
$125 million (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
wool, hides, meat

Exports - partners:
Spain 81.9%, US 6%, UK 4.5% (2005)

Imports:
$90 million (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
fuel, food and drink, building materials, clothing

Imports - partners:
UK 72.5%, US 15.1%, Netherlands 8.5% (2005)

Debt - external:
$NA

Economic aid - recipient:
$0 (1997 est.)

Currency (code):
Falkland pound (FKP)

Currency code:
FKP

Exchange rates:
Falkland pounds per US dollar - 0.55 (2005), 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125
(2003), 0.6672 (2002), 0.6947 (2001)
note: the Falkland pound is at par with the British pound

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Telephones - main lines in use:
2,400 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
0 (2001)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: government-operated radiotelephone and private VHF/CB
radiotelephone networks provide effective service to almost all
points on both islands
international: country code - 500; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) with links through London to other
countries

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 7, shortwave 0
note: British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides Radio 1
(FM) and Radio 2 (AM) service (2006)

Radios:
1,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
2 (British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides
multi-channel satellite service to members of UK Forces as well as
islanders)
note: cable television is available in Stanley (2006)

Televisions:
1,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.fk

Internet hosts:
103 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
1,900 (2002)

Transportation Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Airports:
5 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 3
under 914 m: 3 (2006)

Roadways:
total: 440 km
paved: 50 km
unpaved: 390 km (2003)

Ports and terminals:
Stanley

Military Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Military branches:
no regular military forces

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Disputes - international:
Argentina, which claims the islands in its constitution and briefly
occupied them by force in 1982, agreed in 1995 to no longer seek
settlement by force; UK continues to reject Argentine requests for
sovereignty talks

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

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

@Faroe Islands

Introduction Faroe Islands

Background:
The population of the Faroe Islands is largely descended from
Viking settlers who arrived in the 9th century. The islands have
been connected politically to Denmark since the 14th century. A high
degree of self government was attained in 1948.

Geography Faroe Islands

Location:
Northern Europe, island group between the Norwegian Sea and the
North Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from Iceland to
Norway

Geographic coordinates:
62 00 N, 7 00 W

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 1,399 sq km
land: 1,399 sq km
water: 0 sq km (some lakes and streams)

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

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
1,117 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 3 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line

Climate:
mild winters, cool summers; usually overcast; foggy, windy

Terrain:
rugged, rocky, some low peaks; cliffs along most of coast

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Slaettaratindur 882 m

Natural resources:
fish, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas

Land use:
arable land: 2.14%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 97.86% (2005)

Irrigated land:
0 sq km

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
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

People Faroe Islands

Population:
47,246 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 20.9% (male 4,940/female 4,952)
15-64 years: 65.1% (male 16,247/female 14,522)
65 years and over: 13.9% (male 2,976/female 3,609) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 35 years
male: 34.7 years
female: 35.5 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.58% (2006 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.12 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.12 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 7.4 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.85 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.35 years
male: 75.91 years
female: 82.8 years (2006 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

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

Ethnic groups:
Scandinavian

Religions:
Evangelical Lutheran

Languages:
Faroese (derived from Old Norse), Danish

Literacy:
definition: NA
total population: NA%
male: NA%
female: NA%
note: probably 100%, the same as Denmark proper

Government Faroe Islands

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Faroe Islands
local long form: none
local short form: Foroyar

Dependency status:
part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas
administrative division of Denmark since 1948

Government type:
NA

Capital:
name: Torshavn
geographic coordinates: 62 01 N, 6 46 W
time difference: UTC (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:
none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas
administrative division of Denmark); there are no first-order
administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there
are 49 municipalities

Independence:
none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas
administrative division of Denmark)

National holiday:
Olaifest (Olavasoka), 29 July

Constitution:
5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)

Legal system:
Danish

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January
1972), represented by High Commissioner Birgit KLEIS, chief
administrative officer (since 1 November 2001)
head of government: Prime Minister Joannes EIDESGAARD (since 3
February 2004)
cabinet: Landsstyri appointed by the prime minister
elections: the monarch is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by
the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually
elected prime minister by the Faroese Parliament; election last held
20 January 2004 (next to be held no later than January 2008)
election results: Joannes EIDESGAARD elected prime minister; percent
of parliamentary vote - NA

Legislative branch:
unicameral Faroese Parliament or Logting (32 seats; members are
elected by popular vote on a proportional basis from the seven
constituencies to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 20 January 2004 (next to be held no later than
January 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - Union Party 23.7%,
Social Democratic Party 21.8%, Republican Party 21.7%, People's
Party 20.6%, Center Party 5.2%, Independence Party 4.6%; seats by
party - Union Party 7, Social Democratic Party 7, Republican Party
8, People's Party 7, Center Party 2, Independence Party 1
note: election of two seats to the Danish Parliament was last held
on 8 February 2005 (next to be held February 2009); results -
percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican Party 1,
People's Party 1

Judicial branch:
none

Political parties and leaders:
Center Party [Jenis A. RANA]; Independence Party [Kari P.
HOJGAARD]; People's Party [Anfinn KALLSBERG]; Republican Party
[Hogni HOYDAL]; Social Democratic Party [Joannes EIDESGAARD]; Union
Party [Kaj Leo JOHANNESEN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
Arctic Council, IMO (associate), NC, NIB, UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

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

Economy Faroe Islands

Economy - overview:
The Faroese economy has had a strong performance since 1994, mostly
as a result of increasing fish landings and high and stable export
prices. Unemployment is minimal and there are signs of labor
shortages in several sectors. The positive economic development has
helped the Faroese Home Rule Government produce increasing budget
surpluses, which in turn have helped reduce the large public debt,
most of it owed to Denmark. However, the total dependence on fishing
makes the Faroese economy extremely vulnerable, and the present
fishing efforts appear in excess of what is a sustainable level of
fishing in the long term. Oil finds close to the Faroese area give
hope for deposits in the immediate Faroese area, which may
eventually lay the basis for a more diversified economy and thus
lessen dependence on Danish economic assistance. Aided by a
substantial annual subsidy (about 15% of GDP) from Denmark, the
Faroese have a standard of living not far below the Danes and other
Scandinavians.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1 billion (2001 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
NA

GDP - real growth rate:
10% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$22,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 27%
industry: 11%
services: 62% (1999)

Labor force:
24,250 (October 2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 33%
industry: 33%
services: 34%

Unemployment rate:
1% (October 2000)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.1% (1999)

Budget:
revenues: $488 million
expenditures: $484 million; including capital expenditures of $21
million (1999)

Agriculture - products:
milk, potatoes, vegetables; sheep; salmon, other fish

Industries:
fishing, fish processing, small ship repair and refurbishment,
handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate:
8% (1999 est.)

Electricity - production:
260.2 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 62.4%
hydro: 37.6%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
242 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2003)

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

Oil - consumption:
4,500 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
NA bbl/day

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

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

Exports:
$533 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
fish and fish products 94%, stamps, ships (1999)

Exports - partners:
Denmark 38.2%, UK 29.6%, Nigeria 8.9%, Norway 6.1%, Netherlands
4.3% (2005)

Imports:
$639 million c.i.f. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
consumer goods 36%, raw materials and semi-manufactures 32%,
machinery and transport equipment 29%, fuels, fish, salt (1999)

Imports - partners:
Denmark 46.2%, Norway 18.2%, Germany 8.2%, Spain 7.5%, Iceland 4.8%
(2005)

Debt - external:
$64 million (1999)

Economic aid - recipient:
$135 million (annual subsidy from Denmark) (1998)

Currency (code):
Danish krone (DKK)

Currency code:
DKK

Exchange rates:
Danish kroner per US dollar - 5.9969 (2005), 5.9911 (2004), 6.5877
(2003), 7.8947 (2002), 8.3228 (2001)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Faroe Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:
23,800 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
42,500 (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: good international communications; good
domestic facilities
domestic: digitalization was completed in 1998; both NMT (analog)
and GSM (digital) mobile telephone systems are installed
international: country code - 298; satellite earth stations - 1
Orion; 1 fiber-optic submarine cable to the Shetland Islands,
linking the Faroe Islands with Denmark and Iceland; fiber-optic
submarine cable connection to Canada-Europe cable

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
26,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
3 (plus 43 low-power repeaters) (September 1995)

Televisions:
15,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.fo

Internet hosts:
6,915 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
33,000 (2005)

Transportation Faroe Islands

Airports:
1 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways:
total: 458 km
note: no roads between towns (2003)

Merchant marine:
total: 18 ships (1000 GRT or over) 19,265 GRT/9,171 DWT
by type: cargo 10, container 2, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 2
foreign-owned: 8 (Iceland 4, Norway 4) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Torshavn

Military Faroe Islands

Military branches:
no regular military forces

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 10,695 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 8,852 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 366 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of Denmark

Transnational Issues Faroe Islands

Disputes - international:
because anticipated offshore hydrocarbon resources have not been
realized, earlier Faroese proposals for full independence have been
deferred; Iceland disputes the Faroe Islands' fisheries median line
boundary; Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that
the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

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

@Fiji

Introduction Fiji

Background:
Fiji became independent in 1970, after nearly a century as a
British colony. Democratic rule was interrupted by two military
coups in 1987, caused by concern over a government perceived as
dominated by the Indian community (descendants of contract laborers
brought to the islands by the British in the 19th century). The
coups and a 1990 constitution that cemented native Melanesian
control of Fiji, led to heavy Indian emigration; the population loss
resulted in economic difficulties, but ensured that Melanesians
became the majority. A new constitution enacted in 1997 was more
equitable. Free and peaceful elections in 1999 resulted in a
government led by an Indo-Fijian, but a civilian-led coup in May
2000 ushered in a prolonged period of political turmoil.
Parliamentary elections held in August 2001 provided Fiji with a
democratically elected government led by Prime Minister Laisenia
QARASE.

Geography Fiji

Location:
Oceania, island group in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds
of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates:
18 00 S, 175 00 E

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 18,270 sq km
land: 18,270 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
1,129 km

Maritime claims:
measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation;
rectilinear shelf claim added

Climate:
tropical marine; only slight seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:
mostly mountains of volcanic origin

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Tomanivi 1,324 m

Natural resources:
timber, fish, gold, copper, offshore oil potential, hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 10.95%
permanent crops: 4.65%
other: 84.4% (2005)

Irrigated land:
30 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
cyclonic storms can occur from November to January

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea,
Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber
83, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
includes 332 islands; approximately 110 are inhabited

People Fiji

Population:
905,949 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 31.1% (male 143,847/female 138,061)
15-64 years: 64.6% (male 293,072/female 292,312)
65 years and over: 4.3% (male 17,583/female 21,074) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 24.6 years
male: 24.1 years
female: 25 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.4% (2006 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
-2.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 12.3 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 13.63 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 10.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.82 years
male: 67.32 years
female: 72.45 years (2006 est.)

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

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
600 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Fijian(s)
adjective: Fijian

Ethnic groups:
Fijian 51% (predominantly Melanesian with a Polynesian admixture),
Indian 44%, European, other Pacific Islanders, overseas Chinese, and
other 5% (1998 est.)

Religions:
Christian 52% (Methodist 37%, Roman Catholic 9%), Hindu 38%, Muslim
8%, other 2%
note: Fijians are mainly Christian, Indians are Hindu, and there is
a Muslim minority

Languages:
English (official), Fijian (official), Hindustani

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.7%
male: 95.5%
female: 91.9% (2003 est.)

Government Fiji

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of the Fiji Islands
conventional short form: Fiji
local long form: Republic of the Fiji Islands/Matanitu ko Viti
local short form: Fiji/Viti

Government type:
republic

Capital:
name: Suva (on Viti Levu)
geographic coordinates: 18 08 S, 178 25 E
time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:
4 divisions and 1 dependency*; Central, Eastern, Northern, Rotuma*,
Western

Independence:
10 October 1970 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, second Monday of October (1970)

Constitution:
enacted on 25 July 1997 to encourage multiculturalism and make
multiparty government mandatory; effective 28 July 1998

Legal system:
based on British system

Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ratu Josefa ILOILOVATU Uluivuda (since 18
July 2000)
head of government: Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE (since 10
September 2000)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the
members of Parliament and is responsible to Parliament
elections: president elected by the Great Council of Chiefs for a
five-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister
appointed by the president; election last held 8 March 2006 (next to
be held in 2011)
election results: Ratu Josefa ILOILOVATU Uluivuda elected president
by the Great Council of Chiefs; percent of vote - NA

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (32 seats; 14 appointed
by the president on the advice of the Great Council of Chiefs, 9
appointed by the president on the advice of the Prime Minister, 8 on
the advice of the Opposition Leader, and 1 appointed on the advice
of the council of Rotuma) and the House of Representatives (71
seats; 23 reserved for ethnic Fijians, 19 reserved for ethnic
Indians, 3 reserved for other ethnic groups, 1 reserved for the
council of Rotuma constituency encompassing the whole of Fiji, and
25 open seats; members serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives - last held 25 August through 1
September and 19 September 2001 (next to be held 6-13 May 2006)
election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by
party - SDL 27.5%, FLP 26.5%, MV 4.2%, NLUP 1.3%, NFP 1.2%,
independents 1.4%, UGP .3%; seats by party - SDL 32, FLP 27, MV 6,
NLUP 2, NFP 1, independents 2, UGP 1

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); Court of
Appeal; High Court; Magistrates' Courts

Political parties and leaders:
Conservative Alliance Party/Matanitu Vanua or CAMV [Ratu Josefa
DIMURI]; Dodonu Ni Taukei Party or DNT [Fereti S. DEWA]; Fiji
Democratic Party or FDP [Filipe BOLE] (a merger of the Christian
Democrat Alliance or VLV [Poesci Waqalevu BUNE], Fijian Association
Party or FAP, Fijian Political Party or SVT (primarily Fijian)
[Sitiveni RABUKA], and New Labor Unity Party or NLUP [Ofa SWANN]);
Fiji Labor Party or FLP [Mahendra CHAUDHRY]; General Voters Party or
GVP (became part of United General Party); Girmit Heritage Party or
GHP; Justice and Freedom Party or AIM; Lio 'On Famor Rotuma Party or
LFR; National Federation Party or NFP (primarily Indian) [Pramond
RAE]; Nationalist Vanua Takolavo Party or NVTLP [Saula TELAWA];
Party of National Unity or PANU [Ponipate LESAVUA]; Party of the
Truth or POTT; United Fiji Party/Sogosogo Duavata ni Lewenivanua or
SDL [Laisenia QARASE]; United General Party or UGP [Millis Mick
BEDDOES]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACP, AsDB, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU,
MIGA, OPCW, PCA, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNMIS, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jesoni VITUSAGAVULU
chancery: 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 240, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 337-8320
FAX: [1] (202) 337-1996

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Larry Miles DINGER
embassy: 31 Loftus Street, Suva
mailing address: P. O. Box 218, Suva
telephone: [679] 331-4466
FAX: [679] 330-0081

Flag description:
light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant
and the Fijian shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the
shield depicts a yellow lion above a white field quartered by the
cross of Saint George featuring stalks of sugarcane, a palm tree,
bananas, and a white dove

Economy Fiji

Economy - overview:
Fiji, endowed with forest, mineral, and fish resources, is one of
the most developed of the Pacific island economies, though still
with a large subsistence sector. Sugar exports, remittances from
Fijians working abroad, and a growing tourist industry - with
300,000 to 400,000 tourists annually - are the major sources of
foreign exchange. Fiji's sugar has special access to European Union
markets, but will be harmed by the EU's decision to cut sugar
subsidies. Sugar processing makes up one-third of industrial
activity but is not efficient. Long-term problems include low
investment, uncertain land ownership rights, and the government's
ability to manage its budget. Yet, because of a tourist boom,
short-run economic prospects are good, provided tensions do not
again erupt between indigenous Fijians and Indo-Fijians. Overseas
remittances from Fijians working in Kuwait and Iraq have increased
significantly.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$5.255 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$2.81 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.7% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$5,900 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 8.9%
industry: 13.5%
services: 77.6% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
137,000 (1999)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 70%
industry and services: 30% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
7.6% (1999)

Population below poverty line:
25.5% (1990-91)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3% (2005)

Budget:
revenues: $720.5 million
expenditures: $728.3 million; including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)

Agriculture - products:
sugarcane, coconuts, cassava (tapioca), rice, sweet potatoes,
bananas; cattle, pigs, horses, goats; fish

Industries:
tourism, sugar, clothing, copra, gold, silver, lumber, small
cottage industries

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - production:
775.7 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 18.5%
hydro: 81.5%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
721.4 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2003)

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

Oil - consumption:
10,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
NA bbl/day

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

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

Current account balance:
$-465.8 million

Exports:
$719.6 million f.o.b. (2005)

Exports - commodities:
sugar, garments, gold, timber, fish, molasses, coconut oil

Exports - partners:
US 19.7%, Australia 17%, UK 12.3%, Japan 5.4%, Samoa 4.1% (2005)

Imports:
$1.462 billion c.i.f. (2005)

Imports - commodities:
manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum
products, food, chemicals

Imports - partners:
Singapore 27.4%, Australia 23.6%, NZ 18.9%, Thailand 4.5% (2005)

Debt - external:
$127 million (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$63.9 million (2004)

Currency (code):
Fijian dollar (FJD)

Currency code:
FJD

Exchange rates:
Fijian dollars per US dollar - 1.691 (2005), 1.7331 (2004), 1.8958
(2003), 2.1869 (2002), 2.2766 (2001)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Fiji

Telephones - main lines in use:
102,000 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
142,200 (2004)

Telephone system:
general assessment: modern local, interisland, and international
(wire/radio integrated) public and special-purpose telephone,
telegraph, and teleprinter facilities; regional radio communications
center
domestic: NA
international: country code - 679; access to important cable links
between US and Canada as well as between NZ and Australia; 2
satellite earth stations - 2 INMARSAT (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 13, FM 40, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
541,476 (1999)

Television broadcast stations:
NA

Televisions:
88,110 (1999)

Internet country code:
.fj

Internet hosts:
8,987 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
61,000 (2004)

Transportation Fiji

Airports:
28 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 25
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 18 (2006)

Railways:
total: 597 km
narrow gauge: 597 km 0.600-m gauge
note: belongs to the government-owned Fiji Sugar Corporation; used
to haul sugarcane during harvest season (May to December) (2005)

Roadways:
total: 3,440 km
paved: 1,692 km
unpaved: 1,748 km (1999)

Waterways:
203 km
note: 122 km navigable by motorized craft and 200-metric-ton barges
(2004)

Merchant marine:
total: 7 ships (1000 GRT or over) 15,867 GRT/8,432 DWT
by type: passenger 3, passenger/cargo 2, roll on/roll off 2
foreign-owned: 1 (Australia 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Lambasa, Lautoka, Suva

Military Fiji

Military branches:
Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF): Land Forces, Naval Forces
(2006)

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 215,104
females age 18-49: 212,739 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 163,960
females age 18-49: 178,714 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 9,266
females age 18-49: 8,916 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$36 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.2% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Fiji

Disputes - international:
none

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

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

@Finland

Introduction Finland

Background:
Finland was a province and then a grand duchy under Sweden from the
12th to the 19th centuries and an autonomous grand duchy of Russia
after 1809. It won its complete independence in 1917. During World
War II, it was able to successfully defend its freedom and resist
invasions by the Soviet Union - albeit with some loss of territory.
In the subsequent half century, the Finns made a remarkable
transformation from a farm/forest economy to a diversified modern
industrial economy; per capita income is now on par with Western
Europe. As a member of the European Union, Finland was the only
Nordic state to join the euro system at its initiation in January
1999.

Geography Finland

Location:
Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, and
Gulf of Finland, between Sweden and Russia

Geographic coordinates:
64 00 N, 26 00 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 338,145 sq km
land: 304,473 sq km
water: 33,672 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Montana

Land boundaries:
total: 2,681 km
border countries: Norway 727 km, Sweden 614 km, Russia 1,340 km

Coastline:
1,250 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm (in the Gulf of Finland - 3 nm)
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm; extends to continental shelf boundary
with Sweden

Climate:
cold temperate; potentially subarctic but comparatively mild
because of moderating influence of the North Atlantic Current,
Baltic Sea, and more than 60,000 lakes

Terrain:
mostly low, flat to rolling plains interspersed with lakes and low
hills

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Haltiatunturi 1,328 m

Natural resources:
timber, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, nickel, gold,
silver, limestone

Land use:
arable land: 6.54%
permanent crops: 0.02%
other: 93.44% (2005)

Irrigated land:
640 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
air pollution from manufacturing and power plants contributing to
acid rain; water pollution from industrial wastes, agricultural
chemicals; habitat loss threatens wildlife populations

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
long boundary with Russia; Helsinki is northernmost national
capital on European continent; population concentrated on small
southwestern coastal plain

People Finland

Population:
5,231,372 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 17.1% (male 455,420/female 438,719)
15-64 years: 66.7% (male 1,766,674/female 1,724,858)
65 years and over: 16.2% (male 337,257/female 508,444) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 41.3 years
male: 39.7 years
female: 42.8 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.14% (2006 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 3.55 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 3.86 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.5 years
male: 74.99 years
female: 82.17 years (2006 est.)

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

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
1,500 (2003 est.)

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

Nationality:
noun: Finn(s)
adjective: Finnish

Ethnic groups:
Finn 93.4%, Swede 5.7%, Russian 0.4%, Estonian 0.2%, Roma 0.2%,
Sami 0.1%

Religions:
Lutheran National Church 84.2%, Greek Orthodox in Finland 1.1%,
other Christian 1.1%, other 0.1%, none 13.5% (2003)

Languages:
Finnish 92% (official), Swedish 5.6% (official), other 2.4% (small
Sami- and Russian-speaking minorities) (2003)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100% (2000 est.)

Government Finland

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Finland
conventional short form: Finland
local long form: Suomen tasavalta/Republiken Finland
local short form: Suomi/Finland

Government type:
republic

Capital:
name: Helsinki
geographic coordinates: 60 10 N, 24 58 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:
6 provinces (laanit, singular - laani); Aland, Etela-Suomen Laani,
Ita-Suomen Laani, Lansi-Suomen Laani, Lappi, Oulun Laani

Independence:
6 December 1917 (from Russia)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 6 December (1917)

Constitution:
1 March 2000

Legal system:
civil law system based on Swedish law; the president may request
the Supreme Court to review laws; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Tarja HALONEN (since 1 March 2000)
head of government: Prime Minister Matti VANHANEN (since 24 June
2003) and Deputy Prime Minister Eero HEINALUOMA (since 24 September
2005)
cabinet: Council of State or Valtioneuvosto appointed by the
president, responsible to parliament
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term
(eligible for a second term); election last held 15 January 2006
(next to be held January 2012); the president appoints the prime
minister and deputy prime minister from the majority party or the
majority coalition after parliamentary elections and the parliament
must approve the appointment
election results: percent of vote - Tarja HALONEN (SDP) 46.3%, Sauli
NIINISTO (Kok) 24.1%, Matti Vanhanen (Kesk) 18.6%, Heidi HAUTALA
(VIHR) 3.5%; a runoff election between HALONEN and NIINISTO was held
29 January 2006 - HOLONEN 51.8%, NIINISTO 48.2%
note: government coalition - Kesk, SDP, and SFP

Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Eduskunta (200 seats; members are elected
by popular vote on a proportional basis to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 16 March 2003 (next to be held March 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - Kesk 24.7%, SDP 24.5%,
Kok 18.5%, VAS 9.9%, VIHR 8%, KD 5.3%, SFP 4.6%; seats by party -
Kesk 55, SDP 53, Kok 40, VAS 19, VIHR 14, KD 7, SFP 8, other 4

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Korkein Oikeus (judges appointed by the president)

Political parties and leaders:
Center Party or Kesk [Matti VANHANEN]; Christian Democrats or KD
[Paivi RASANEN]; Green League or VIHR [Tarja CRONBERG]; Left
Alliance or VAS composed of People's Democratic League and
Democratic Alternative [Martti KORHONEN]; National Coalition
(conservative) Party or Kok [Jyrki KATAINEN]; Social Democratic
Party or SDP [Eero HEINALUOMA]; Swedish People's Party or SFP
[Stefan WALLIN]

International organization participation:
AfDB, Arctic Council, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN,
EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest), NC, NEA,
NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS,
UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO,
ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Pekka LINTU
chancery: 3301 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 298-5800
FAX: [1] (202) 298-6030
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Marilyn WARE
embassy: Itainen Puistotie 14B, 00140 Helsinki
mailing address: APO AE 09723
telephone: [358] (9) 616250
FAX: [358] (9) 6162 5800

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

Economy Finland

Economy - overview:
Finland has a highly industrialized, largely free-market economy
with per capita output roughly that of the UK, France, Germany, and
Italy. Its key economic sector is manufacturing - principally the
wood, metals, engineering, telecommunications, and electronics
industries. Trade is important; exports equal two-fifths of GDP.
Finland excels in high-tech exports, e.g., mobile phones. Except for
timber and several minerals, Finland depends on imports of raw
materials, energy, and some components for manufactured goods.
Because of the climate, agricultural development is limited to
maintaining self-sufficiency in basic products. Forestry, an
important export earner, provides a secondary occupation for the
rural population. Rapidly increasing integration with Western Europe
- Finland was one of the 12 countries joining the European Economic
and Monetary Union (EMU) - will dominate the economic picture over
the next several years. High unemployment remains a persistent
problem.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$161.9 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$184.2 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$31,000 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 2.8%
industry: 29.5%
services: 67.6% (2005 est.)

Labor force:
2.61 million (2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture and forestry 8%, industry 22%, construction 6%,
commerce 14%, finance, insurance, and business services 10%,
transport and communications 8%, public services 32%

Unemployment rate:
8.4% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 4.2%
highest 10%: 21.6% (1991)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
26.9 (2000)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
0.9% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
19.2% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $99.61 billion
expenditures: $97.14 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA
(2005 est.)

Public debt:
39.6% of GDP (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products:
barley, wheat, sugar beets, potatoes; dairy cattle; fish

Industries:
metals and metal products, electronics, machinery and scientific
instruments, shipbuilding, pulp and paper, foodstuffs, chemicals,
textiles, clothing

Industrial production growth rate:
-2% (2005 est.)

Electricity - production:
79.61 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 39%
hydro: 18.7%
nuclear: 30.4%
other: 11.8% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
78.94 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
7 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
11.9 billion kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
9,013 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption:
219,700 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
101,000 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
318,300 bbl/day (2001)

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

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

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

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

Current account balance:
$5.043 billion (2005 est.)

Exports:
$67.88 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals; timber, paper, pulp
(1999)

Exports - partners:
Russia 11.2%, Sweden 10.7%, Germany 10.5%, UK 6.6%, US 6.2%,
Netherlands 4.8% (2005)

Imports:
$56.45 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, transport
equipment, iron and steel, machinery, textile yarn and fabrics,
grains

Imports - partners:
Germany 16.2%, Sweden 14.1%, Russia 13.9%, Netherlands 6.2%,
Denmark 4.6%, UK 4.3%, China 4.2% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$11.4 billion (2005 est.)

Debt - external:
$211.7 billion (30 June 2005)

Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $379 million (2001)

Currency (code):
euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:
EUR

Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003),
1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Finland

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

Telephones - mobile cellular:
5.231 million (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: modern system with excellent service
domestic: digital fiber-optic fixed-line network and an extensive
cellular network provide domestic needs
international: country code - 358; 1 submarine cable (Finland
Estonia Connection); satellite earth stations - access to Intelsat
transmission service via a Swedish satellite earth station, 1
Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Finland shares
the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark,
Iceland, Norway, and Sweden)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 186, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
7.7 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
120 (plus 431 repeaters) (1999)

Televisions:
3.2 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.fi; note - the IANA has assigned the ccTLD of .ax to the Aland
Islands

Internet hosts:
1,633,614 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
3 (2002)

Internet users:
3.286 million (2005)

Transportation Finland

Airports:
148 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 76
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 27
1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
914 to 1,523 m: 23
under 914 m: 14 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 72
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 67 (2006)

Pipelines:
gas 694 km (2006)

Railways:
total: 5,741 km
broad gauge: 5,741 km 1.524-m gauge (2,619 km electrified) (2005)

Roadways:
total: 78,189 km
paved: 50,633 km (including 653 km of expressways)
unpaved: 27,556 km (2006)

Waterways:
7,842 km
note: includes Saimaa Canal system of 3,577 km; southern part leased
from Russia (2005)

Merchant marine:
total: 87 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,250,600 GRT/952,072 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 4, cargo 22, chemical tanker 6, container 1,
passenger 5, passenger/cargo 20, petroleum tanker 4, roll on/roll
off 25
foreign-owned: 3 (Norway 1, Russia 1, UK 1)
registered in other countries: 48 (Bahamas 8, Germany 2, Gibraltar
3, Luxembourg 4, Marshall Islands 2, Netherlands 13, Norway 4,
Sweden 11, UK 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Hamina, Hanko, Helsinki, Kotka, Naantali, Pori, Porvoo, Raahe,
Rauma, Turku

Military Finland

Military branches:
Finnish Defense Forces: Army, Navy (includes coastal defense
forces), Air Force (2003)

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service
(October 2004)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 1,121,275
females age 18-49: 1,076,684 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 913,617
females age 18-49: 875,689 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 32,040
females age 18-49: 30,519 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$1.8 billion (FY98/99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2% (FY98/99)

Transnational Issues Finland

Disputes - international:
various groups in Finland advocate restoration of Karelia and other
areas ceded to the Soviet Union, but the Finnish Government asserts
no territorial demands

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

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

@France

Introduction France

Background:
Although ultimately a victor in World Wars I and II, France
suffered extensive losses in its empire, wealth, manpower, and rank
as a dominant nation-state. Nevertheless, France today is one of the
most modern countries in the world and is a leader among European
nations. Since 1958, it has constructed a presidential democracy
resistant to the instabilities experienced in earlier parliamentary
democracies. In recent years, its reconciliation and cooperation
with Germany have proved central to the economic integration of
Europe, including the introduction of a common exchange currency,
the euro, in January 1999. At present, France is at the forefront of
efforts to develop the EU's military capabilities to supplement
progress toward an EU foreign policy.

Geography France

Location:
Western Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay and English Channel,
between Belgium and Spain, southeast of the UK; bordering the
Mediterranean Sea, between Italy and Spain

Geographic coordinates:
46 00 N, 2 00 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 547,030 sq km
land: 545,630 sq km
water: 1,400 sq km
note: includes only metropolitan France; excludes the overseas
administrative divisions

Area - comparative:
slightly less than twice the size of Colorado

Land boundaries:
total: 2,889 km
border countries: Andorra 56.6 km, Belgium 620 km, Germany 451 km,
Italy 488 km, Luxembourg 73 km, Monaco 4.4 km, Spain 623 km,
Switzerland 573 km

Coastline:
3,427 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (does not apply to the Mediterranean)
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
generally cool winters and mild summers, but mild winters and hot
summers along the Mediterranean; occasional strong, cold, dry,
north-to-northwesterly wind known as mistral

Terrain:
mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in north and west;
remainder is mountainous, especially Pyrenees in south, Alps in east

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Rhone River delta -2 m
highest point: Mont Blanc 4,807 m

Natural resources:
coal, iron ore, bauxite, zinc, uranium, antimony, arsenic, potash,
feldspar, fluorospar, gypsum, timber, fish

Land use:
arable land: 33.46%
permanent crops: 2.03%
other: 64.51% (2005)

Irrigated land:
26,000 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
flooding; avalanches; midwinter windstorms; drought; forest fires
in south near the Mediterranean

Environment - current issues:
some forest damage from acid rain; air pollution from industrial
and vehicle emissions; water pollution from urban wastes,
agricultural runoff

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
largest West European nation

People France

Population:
60,876,136 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 18.3% (male 5,704,152/female 5,427,213)
15-64 years: 65.3% (male 19,886,228/female 19,860,506)
65 years and over: 16.4% (male 4,103,883/female 5,894,154) (2006
est.)

Median age:
total: 39.1 years
male: 37.6 years
female: 40.7 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.35% (2006 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
0.66 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: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.21 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.71 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.73 years
male: 76.1 years
female: 83.54 years (2006 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.4% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
120,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 1,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)
adjective: French

Ethnic groups:
Celtic and Latin with Teutonic, Slavic, North African, Indochinese,
Basque minorities

Religions:
Roman Catholic 83%-88%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim 5%-10%,
unaffiliated 4%

Languages:
French 100%, rapidly declining regional dialects and languages
(Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque, Flemish)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (2003 est.)

Government France

Country name:
conventional long form: French Republic
conventional short form: France
local long form: Republique francaise
local short form: France

Government type:
republic

Capital:
name: Paris
geographic coordinates: 48 52 N, 2 20 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:
22 regions (regions, singular - region); Alsace, Aquitaine,
Auvergne, Basse-Normandie, Bourgogne, Bretagne, Centre,
Champagne-Ardenne, Corse, Franche-Comte, Haute-Normandie,
Ile-de-France, Languedoc-Roussillon, Limousin, Lorraine,
Midi-Pyrenees, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Pays de la Loire, Picardie,
Poitou-Charentes, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, Rhone-Alpes
note: metropolitan France is divided into 22 regions (including the
"territorial collectivity" of Corse or Corsica) and is subdivided
into 96 departments; see separate entries for the overseas
departments (French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion) and the
overseas territorial collectivities (Mayotte, Saint Pierre, Miquelon)

Dependent areas:
Bassas da India, Clipperton Island, Europa Island, French
Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands, Glorioso Islands,
Juan de Nova Island, New Caledonia, Tromelin Island, Wallis and
Futuna
note: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica

Independence:
486 (unified by Clovis)

National holiday:
Fete de la Federation, 14 July (1790); note - although often
incorrectly referred to as Bastille Day, the celebration actually
commemorates the holiday held on the first anniversary of the
storming of the Bastille (on 14 July 1789) and the establishment of
a constitutional monarchy; other names for the holiday are Fete
Nationale (National Holiday) and quatorze juillet (14th of July)

Constitution:
adopted by referendum 28 September 1958, effective 4 October 1958;
amended concerning election of president in 1962; amended to comply
with provisions of 1992 EC Maastricht Treaty, 1996 Amsterdam Treaty,
2000 Treaty of Nice; amended to tighten immigration laws in 1993;
amended in 2000 to change the seven-year presidential term to a
five-year term

Legal system:
civil law system with indigenous concepts; review of administrative
but not legislative acts

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995)
head of government: Prime Minister Dominique DE VILLEPIN (since 31
May 2005)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
suggestion of the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
(changed from seven-year term in October 2000); election last held
21 April and 5 May 2002 (next to be held, first round April 2007,
second round May 2007); prime minister nominated by the National
Assembly majority and appointed by the president
election results: Jacques CHIRAC reelected president; percent of
vote, second ballot - Jacques CHIRAC (RPR) 81.96%, Jean-Marie LE PEN
(FN) 18.04%

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat
(321 seats - 296 for metropolitan France, 13 for overseas
departments and territories, and 12 for French nationals abroad;
members are indirectly elected by an electoral college to serve
nine-year terms; elected by thirds every three years); note -
between 2004 and 2010, 25 new seats will be added to the Senate for
a total of 346 seats - 326 for metropolitan France and overseas
departments, 2 for New Caledonia, 2 for Mayotte, 1 for Saint-Pierre
and Miquelon, 3 for overseas territories, and 12 for French
nationals abroad; starting in 2008, members will be indirectly
elected by an electoral college to serve six-year terms, with
one-half the seats being renewed every three years; and the National
Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (577 seats; members are elected by
popular vote under a single-member majority system to serve
five-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 26 September 2004 (next to be held
September 2008); National Assembly - last held 8-16 June 2002 (next
to be held not later than June 2007)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - UMP 156, PS 97, UDF 33, PCF 23, RDSE 15, other 7; National
Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 355,
PS 140, UDF 29, PCF 21, Left Radical Party 7, Greens 3, other 22

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Appeals or Cour de Cassation (judges are appointed
by the president from nominations of the High Council of the
Judiciary); Constitutional Council or Conseil Constitutionnel (three
members appointed by the president, three appointed by the president
of the National Assembly, and three appointed by the president of
the Senate); Council of State or Conseil d'Etat

Political parties and leaders:
Citizen and Republican Movement or MRC [Jean Pierre CHEVENEMENT];
Democratic and European Social Rally or RDSE (mainly Radical
Republican and Socialist Parties, and PRG) [Jacques PELLETIER];
French Communist Party or PCF [Marie-George BUFFET]; Greens [Yan
WEHRLING, national secretary]; Left Radical Party or PRG (previously
Radical Socialist Party or PRS and the Left Radical Movement or MRG)
[Jean-Michel BAYLET]; Movement for France or MPF [Philippe DE
VILLIERS]; National Front or FN [Jean-Marie LE PEN]; Rally for
France or RPF [Charles PASQUA]; Socialist Party or PS [Francois
HOLLANDE]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Francois BAYROU];
Union for a Popular Movement or UMP [Nicolas SARKOZY]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
historically-Communist labor union (Confederation Generale du
Travail) or CGT, approximately 700,000 members (claimed);
left-leaning labor union (Confederation Francaise Democratique du
Travail) or CFDT, approximately 889,000 members (claimed);
independent labor union (Confederation Generale du Travail - Force
Ouvriere) or FO, 300,000 members (est.); independent white-collar
union (Confederation Generale des Cadres) or CGC, 196,000 members
(claimed); employers' union (Mouvement des Entreprises de France) or
MEDEF, 750,000 companies as members (claimed)

International organization participation:
ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, Arctic Council (observer), AsDB, Australia
Group, BDEAC, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CE, CERN, EAPC,
EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FZ, G- 5, G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU,
MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer),
OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SECI
(observer), SPC, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNRWA,
UNTSO, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jean-David LEVITTE
chancery: 4101 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 944-6000
FAX: [1] (202) 944-6166
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los
Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Craig R. STAPLETON
embassy: 2 Avenue Gabriel, 75382 Paris Cedex 08
mailing address: PSC 116, APO AE 09777
telephone: [33] (1) 43-12-22-22
FAX: [33] (1) 42 66 97 83
consulate(s) general: Marseille, Strasbourg