Chapter XXIX: Front Matter (29)

Executive branch:
chief of state: Pope BENEDICT XVI (since 19 April 2005)
head of government: Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio BERTONE
(since 15 September 2006)
cabinet: Pontifical Commission appointed by the pope
elections: pope elected for life by the College of Cardinals;
election last held 19 April 2005 (next to be held after the death of
the current pope); secretary of state appointed by the pope
election results: Joseph RATZINGER elected Pope BENEDICT XVI

Legislative branch:
unicameral Pontifical Commission

Judicial branch:
there are three tribunals responsible for civil and criminal
matters within Vatican City; three other tribunals rule on issues
pertaining to the Holy See
note: judicial duties were established by the Motu Proprio of Pope
PIUS XII on 1 May 1946

Political parties and leaders:
none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
none (exclusive of influence exercised by church officers)

International organization participation:
CE (observer), IAEA, ICFTU, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM (guest), OAS
(observer), OPCW, OSCE, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNHCR, UPU, WIPO,
WToO (observer), WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Pietro SAMBI
chancery: 3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 333-7121
FAX: [1] (202) 337-4036

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Francis ROONEY
embassy: Villa Domiziana, Via delle Terme Deciane 26, 00153 Rome
mailing address: PSC 59, Box 66, APO AE 09624
telephone: [39] (06) 4674-3428
FAX: [39] (06) 575-8346

Flag description:
two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side) and white with the arms
of the Holy See, consisting of the crossed keys of Saint Peter
surmounted by the three-tiered papal tiara, centered in the white
band

Economy Holy See (Vatican City)

Economy - overview:
This unique, noncommercial economy is supported financially by an
annual contribution from Roman Catholic dioceses throughout the
world (known as Peter's Pence); by the sale of postage stamps,
coins, medals, and tourist mementos; by fees for admission to
museums; and by the sale of publications. Investments and real
estate income also account for a sizable portion of revenue. The
incomes and living standards of lay workers are comparable to those
of counterparts who work in the city of Rome.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$NA

Labor force:
NA

Labor force - by occupation:
note: essentially services with a small amount of industry;
dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards, and 3,000 lay workers live
outside the Vatican

Population below poverty line:
NA%

Budget:
revenues: $245.2 million
expenditures: $260.4 million; including capital expenditures of $NA
(2002)

Industries:
printing; production of coins, medals, postage stamps; a small
amount of mosaics and staff uniforms; worldwide banking and
financial activities

Electricity - production:
NA kWh

Electricity - consumption:
NA kWh

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh

Electricity - imports:
NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy

Economic aid - recipient:
$0

Currency (code):
euro (EUR)

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 Holy See (Vatican City)

Telephones - main lines in use:
5,120 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
NA

Telephone system:
general assessment: automatic digital exchange
domestic: connected via fiber optic cable to Telecom Italia network
international: country code - 39; uses Italian system

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 4, FM 3, shortwave 2 (2004)

Radios:
NA

Television broadcast stations:
1 (2005)

Televisions:
NA

Internet country code:
.va

Internet hosts:
45 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
NA

Internet users:
93 (2000)

Military Holy See (Vatican City)

Military branches:
Pontifical Swiss Guard (Corpo della Guardia Svizzera Pontificia)

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of Italy; ceremonial and limited
security duties performed by Pontifical Swiss Guard

Transnational Issues Holy See (Vatican City)

Disputes - international:
none

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

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

@Honduras

Introduction Honduras

Background:
Once part of Spain's vast empire in the New World, Honduras became
an independent nation in 1821. After two and a half decades of
mostly military rule, a freely elected civilian government came to
power in 1982. During the 1980s, Honduras proved a haven for
anti-Sandinista contras fighting the Marxist Nicaraguan Government
and an ally to Salvadoran Government forces fighting leftist
guerrillas. The country was devastated by Hurricane Mitch in 1998,
which killed about 5,600 people and caused approximately $2 billion
in damage.

Geography Honduras

Location:
Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and
Nicaragua and bordering the Gulf of Fonseca (North Pacific Ocean),
between El Salvador and Nicaragua

Geographic coordinates:
15 00 N, 86 30 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 112,090 sq km
land: 111,890 sq km
water: 200 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Tennessee

Land boundaries:
total: 1,520 km
border countries: Guatemala 256 km, El Salvador 342 km, Nicaragua
922 km

Coastline:
820 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: natural extension of territory or to 200 nm

Climate:
subtropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains

Terrain:
mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Cerro Las Minas 2,870 m

Natural resources:
timber, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron ore, antimony, coal,
fish, hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 9.53%
permanent crops: 3.21%
other: 87.26% (2005)

Irrigated land:
800 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
frequent, but generally mild, earthquakes; extremely susceptible to
damaging hurricanes and floods along the Caribbean coast

Environment - current issues:
urban population expanding; deforestation results from logging and
the clearing of land for agricultural purposes; further land
degradation and soil erosion hastened by uncontrolled development
and improper land use practices such as farming of marginal lands;
mining activities polluting Lago de Yojoa (the country's largest
source of fresh water), as well as several rivers and streams, with
heavy metals

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

Geography - note:
has only a short Pacific coast but a long Caribbean shoreline,
including the virtually uninhabited eastern Mosquito Coast

People Honduras

Population:
7,326,496
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 39.9% (male 1,491,170/female 1,429,816)
15-64 years: 56.7% (male 2,076,727/female 2,077,975)
65 years and over: 3.4% (male 113,747/female 137,061) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 19.5 years
male: 19.1 years
female: 19.8 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.16% (2006 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
-1.39 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: 25.82 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 29 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 22.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.33 years
male: 67.75 years
female: 70.98 years (2006 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.8% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
63,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
4,100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Honduran(s)
adjective: Honduran

Ethnic groups:
mestizo (mixed Amerindian and European) 90%, Amerindian 7%, black
2%, white 1%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant 3%

Languages:
Spanish, Amerindian dialects

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 76.2%
male: 76.1%
female: 76.3% (2003 est.)

Government Honduras

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

Government type:
democratic constitutional republic

Capital:
name: Tegucigalpa
geographic coordinates: 14 06 N, 87 13 W
time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard
Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends
first Sunday in November; note - these new dates become effective in
2007

Administrative divisions:
18 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Atlantida,
Choluteca, Colon, Comayagua, Copan, Cortes, El Paraiso, Francisco
Morazan, Gracias a Dios, Intibuca, Islas de la Bahia, La Paz,
Lempira, Ocotepeque, Olancho, Santa Barbara, Valle, Yoro

Independence:
15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution:
11 January 1982, effective 20 January 1982; amended 1995

Legal system:
rooted in Roman and Spanish civil law with increasing influence of
English common law; recent judicial reforms include abandoning
Napoleonic legal codes in favor of the oral adversarial system;
accepts ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Manuel ZELAYA Rosales (since 27 January
2006); First Vice President Elvin Ernesto SANTOS Ordonez (since 27
January 2006); Second Vice President (vacant); Third Vice President
(vacant); note - the president is both the chief of state and head
of government
head of government: President Manuel ZELAYA Rosales (since 27
January 2006); First Vice President Elvin Ernesto SANTOS Ordonez
(since 27 January 2006); Second Vice President (vacant); Third Vice
President (vacant)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
election last held 27 November 2005 (next to be held November 2009)
election results: Manuel ZELAYA Rosales (PL) elected president -
49.8%, Porfirio "Pepe" LOBO Sosa (PN) 46.1%, other 4.1%

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (128 seats;
members are elected proportionally to the number of votes their
party's presidential candidate receives to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 27 November 2005 (next to be held November 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PL
62, PN 55, PUD 5, PDC 4, PINU 2

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges are
elected for seven-year terms by the National Congress)

Political parties and leaders:
Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Saul ESCOBAR Andrade];
Democratic Unification Party or PUD [Matias FUNES]; Liberal Party or
PL [Patricia RODAS]; National Innovation and Unity Party or PINU
[Olban F. VALLADARES]; National Party of Honduras or PN [Gilberto
GOLDSTEIN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Committee for the Defense of Human Rights in Honduras or CODEH;
Confederation of Honduran Workers or CTH; Coordinating Committee of
Popular Organizations or CCOP; General Workers Confederation or CGT;
Honduran Council of Private Enterprise or COHEP; National
Association of Honduran Campesinos or ANACH; National Union of
Campesinos or UNC; Popular Bloc or BP; United Confederation of
Honduran Workers or CUTH

International organization participation:
BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
(subscriber), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, NAM, OAS,
OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Roberto FLORES Bermudez
chancery: Suite 4-M, 3007 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 966-7702
FAX: [1] (202) 966-9751
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami,
New Orleans, New York, Phoenix, San Francisco
honorary consulate(s): Boston, Detroit, Jacksonville

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Charles A. FORD
embassy: Avenida La Paz, Apartado Postal No. 3453, Tegucigalpa
mailing address: American Embassy, APO AA 34022, Tegucigalpa
telephone: [504] 236-9320, 238-5114
FAX: [504] 236-9037

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with
five blue, five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern centered in
the white band; the stars represent the members of the former
Federal Republic of Central America - Costa Rica, El Salvador,
Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua; similar to the flag of El
Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by the words
REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in the white
band; also similar to the flag of Nicaragua, which features a
triangle encircled by the word REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on top and
AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom, centered in the white band

Economy Honduras

Economy - overview:
Honduras, one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere
with an extraordinarily unequal distribution of income and massive
unemployment, is banking on expanded trade under the US-Central
America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) and on debt relief under the
Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. The country has
met most of its macroeconomic targets, and began a three-year IMF
Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PGRF) program in February
2004. Growth remains dependent on the economy of the US, its largest
trading partner, on continued exports of non-traditional
agricultural products (such as melons, chiles, tilapia, and shrimp),
and on reduction of the high crime rate.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$20.61 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$7.812 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
4.2% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,900 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 13.9%
industry: 31.2%
services: 54.9% (2005 est.)

Labor force:
2.54 million (2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 34%
industry: 21%
services: 45% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
28% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:
53% (1993 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 0.6%
highest 10%: 42.7% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
55 (1999)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
8.8% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
23.2% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $1.693 billion
expenditures: $1.938 billion; including capital expenditures of $106
million (2005 est.)

Public debt:
68.4% of GDP (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products:
bananas, coffee, citrus; beef; timber; shrimp

Industries:
sugar, coffee, textiles, clothing, wood products

Industrial production growth rate:
7.7% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
4.338 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 50.2%
hydro: 49.8%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
4.369 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
335 million kWh (2003)

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

Oil - consumption:
37,000 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:
$-42.3 million (2005 est.)

Exports:
$1.726 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:
coffee, shrimp, bananas, gold, palm oil, fruit, lobster, lumber

Exports - partners:
US 73.2%, Guatemala 2.9%, El Salvador 2.9% (2005)

Imports:
$4.161 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, industrial raw materials,
chemical products, fuels, foodstuffs (2000)

Imports - partners:
US 53.1%, Guatemala 6.5%, El Salvador 4.1% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$2.339 billion (2005 est.)

Debt - external:
$5.795 billion (2005 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$557.8 million (1999)

Currency (code):
lempira (HNL)

Currency code:
HNL

Exchange rates:
lempiras per US dollar - 18.92 (2005), 18.206 (2004), 17.345
(2003), 16.433 (2002), 15.474 (2001)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Honduras

Telephones - main lines in use:
494,400 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.282 million (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: inadequate system
domestic: NA
international: country code - 504; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave
System

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 241, FM 53, shortwave 12 (1998)

Radios:
2.45 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
11 (plus 17 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
570,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.hn

Internet hosts:
3,973 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
8 (2000)

Internet users:
223,000 (2005)

Transportation Honduras

Airports:
116 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 11
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 3 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 105
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 19
under 914 m: 84 (2006)

Railways:
total: 699 km
narrow gauge: 279 km 1.067-m gauge; 420 km 0.914-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:
total: 13,603 km
paved: 2,775 km
unpaved: 10,828 km (1999)

Waterways:
465 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2005)

Merchant marine:
total: 136 ships (1000 GRT or over) 405,984 GRT/557,179 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 11, cargo 61, chemical tanker 5, container 1,
liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 1, passenger 5, passenger/cargo
9, petroleum tanker 29, refrigerated cargo 8, roll on/roll off 4,
specialized tanker 1
foreign-owned: 43 (Canada 1, China 3, Egypt 4, Greece 3, Hong Kong
2, Israel 1, Japan 4, South Korea 6, Lebanon 1, Mexico 1, Qatar 1,
Singapore 11, Taiwan 2, Tanzania 1, US 1, Vietnam 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Puerto Castilla, Puerto Cortes, San Lorenzo, Tela

Military Honduras

Military branches:
Army, Navy (includes naval infantry), Honduran Air Force (Fuerza
Aerea Hondurena, FAH) (2006)

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary two-three year military service (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 1,537,232
females age 18-49: 1,515,120 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 1,100,991
females age 18-49: 1,121,649 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 82,105
females age 18-49: 78,971 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$52.8 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.55% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Honduras

Disputes - international:
in 1992, International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled on the
delimitation of "bolsones" (disputed areas) along the El
Salvador-Honduras border, but despite Organization of American
States (OAS) intervention and a further ICJ ruling in 2003, full
demarcation of the border remains stalled; the 1992 ICJ ruling
advised a tripartite resolution to a maritime boundary in the Gulf
of Fonseca with consideration of Honduran access to the Pacific; El
Salvador continues to claim tiny Conejo Island, not mentioned in the
ICJ ruling, off Honduras in the Gulf of Fonseca; Honduras claims
Sapodilla Cays off the coast of Belize, but agreed to creation of a
joint ecological park and Guatemalan corridor in the Caribbean in
the failed 2002 Belize-Guatemala Differendum, which the OAS is
attempting to revive; Nicaragua filed a claim against Honduras in
1999 and against Colombia in 2001 at the ICJ over a complex dispute
over islands and maritime boundaries in the Caribbean Sea

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for drugs and narcotics; illicit producer of
cannabis, cultivated on small plots and used principally for local
consumption; corruption is a major problem; some money-laundering
activity

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

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

@Hong Kong

Introduction Hong Kong

Background:
Occupied by the UK in 1841, Hong Kong was formally ceded by China
the following year; various adjacent lands were added later in the
19th century. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and the UK on
19 December 1984, Hong Kong became the Hong Kong Special
Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 1 July 1997. In this
agreement, China has promised that, under its "one country, two
systems" formula, China's socialist economic system will not be
imposed on Hong Kong and that Hong Kong will enjoy a high degree of
autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the
next 50 years.

Geography Hong Kong

Location:
Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China

Geographic coordinates:
22 15 N, 114 10 E

Map references:
Southeast Asia

Area:
total: 1,092 sq km
land: 1,042 sq km
water: 50 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
total: 30 km
regional border: China 30 km

Coastline:
733 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 3 nm

Climate:
subtropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy from
spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall

Terrain:
hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Tai Mo Shan 958 m

Natural resources:
outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar

Land use:
arable land: 5.05%
permanent crops: 1.01%
other: 93.94% (2001)

Irrigated land:
20 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
occasional typhoons

Environment - current issues:
air and water pollution from rapid urbanization

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Marine Dumping (associate member)

Geography - note:
more than 200 islands

People Hong Kong

Population:
6,940,432 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 13.5% (male 488,607/female 445,593)
15-64 years: 73.7% (male 2,495,679/female 2,620,336)
65 years and over: 12.8% (male 413,031/female 477,186) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 40.7 years
male: 40.4 years
female: 40.9 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.59% (2006 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 2.95 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 3.13 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 2.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 81.59 years
male: 78.9 years
female: 84.5 years (2006 est.)

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

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
2,600 (2003 est.)

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

Nationality:
noun: Chinese/Hong Konger
adjective: Chinese/Hong Kong

Ethnic groups:
Chinese 95%, other 5%

Religions:
eclectic mixture of local religions 90%, Christian 10%

Languages:
Chinese (Cantonese), English; both are official

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 93.5%
male: 96.9%
female: 89.6% (2002)

Government Hong Kong

Country name:
conventional long form: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
conventional short form: Hong Kong
local long form: Xianggang Tebie Xingzhengqu
local short form: Xianggang
abbreviation: HK

Dependency status:
special administrative region of China

Government type:
limited democracy

Administrative divisions:
none (special administrative region of China)

Independence:
none (special administrative region of China)

National holiday:
National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic
of China), 1 October (1949); note - 1 July 1997 is celebrated as
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day

Constitution:
Basic Law, approved in March 1990 by China's National People's
Congress, is Hong Kong's "mini-constitution"

Legal system:
based on English common law

Suffrage:
direct election 18 years of age; universal for permanent residents
living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past seven years;
indirect election limited to about 200,000 members of functional
constituencies and an 800-member election committee drawn from broad
regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central government
bodies

Executive branch:
chief of state: President of China HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003)
head of government: Chief Executive Donald TSANG (since 24 June 2005)
cabinet: Executive Council consists of 14 official members and 15
non-official members
elections: previous chief executive TUNG Chee-hwa was elected to
second five-year term in March 2002 by 800-member election committee
dominated by pro-Beijing forces, resignation accepted 12 March 2005;
Donald TSANG acted as chief executive between 12 March 2005 and 25
May 2005; Henry TANG acted as chief executive between 25 May 2005
and 24 June 2005; TSANG was elected on 16 June 2005 to fill final
two years of TUNG's term (next election to be held in March 2007)

Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Council or LEGCO (60 seats; in 2004 30 seats
indirectly elected by functional constituencies, 30 elected by
popular vote; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 12 September 2004 (next to be held in September
2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - pro-democracy group
62%; seats by party - (pro-Beijing 34) DAB 12, Liberal Party 10,
independents 11, FTU 1; (pro-democracy 25) independents 11,
Democratic Party 9, CTU 2, ADPL 1, Frontier Party 1, NWSC 1;
non-voting LEGCO president 1

Judicial branch:
Court of Final Appeal in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

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

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Article 45 Concern Group (pro-democracy); Chinese General Chamber
of Commerce (pro-China); Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong
Kong; Confederation of Trade Unions or CTU (pro-democracy) [LAU
Chin-shek, president; LEE Cheuk-yan, general secretary]; Federation
of Hong Kong Industries; Federation of Trade Unions or FTU
(pro-China) [CHENG Yiu-tong, executive councilor]; Hong Kong
Alliance in Support of the Patriotic Democratic Movement in China
[Szeto WAH, chairman]; Hong Kong and Kowloon Trade Union Council
(pro-Taiwan); Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce; Hong Kong
Professional Teachers' Union [CHEUNG Man-kwong, president];
Neighborhood and Workers' Service Center or NWSC (pro-democracy);
The Alliance [Bernard CHAN, exco member]

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

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

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Consul General James B. CUNNINGHAM
consulate(s) general: 26 Garden Road, Hong Kong
mailing address: PSC 461, Box 1, FPO AP 96521-0006
telephone: [852] 2523-9011
FAX: [852] 2845-1598

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

Economy Hong Kong

Economy - overview:
Hong Kong has a free market, entrepot economy, highly dependent on
international trade. Natural resources are limited, and food and raw
materials must be imported. Gross imports and exports (i.e.,
including reexports to and from third countries) each exceed GDP in
dollar value. Even before Hong Kong reverted to Chinese
administration on 1 July 1997, it had extensive trade and investment
ties with China. Hong Kong has been further integrating its economy
with China because China's growing openness to the world economy has
made manufacturing in China much more cost effective. Hong Kong's
reexport business to and from China is a major driver of growth. Per
capita GDP is comparable to that of the four big economies of
Western Europe. GDP growth averaged a strong 5% from 1989 to 2005,
but Hong Kong suffered two recessions in the past eight years
because of the Asian financial crisis in 1997-1998 and the global
downturn in 2001-2002. Although the Severe Acute Respiratory
Syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2003 also battered Hong Kong's economy,
a solid rise in exports, a boom in tourism from the mainland because
of China's easing of travel restrictions, and a return of consumer
confidence resulted in the resumption of strong growth from late
2003 through 2005.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$234.3 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$172.6 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
7.3% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$34,000 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 0.1%
industry: 9.2%
services: 90.6% (2005 est.)

Labor force:
3.61 million (October 2005)

Labor force - by occupation:
manufacturing 7.5%, construction 2.9%, wholesale and retail trade,
restaurants, and hotels 43.9%, financing, insurance, and real estate
19.6%, transport and communications 7.1%, community and social
services 18.8%
note: above data exclude public sector (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:
5.5% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

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

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
43.4 (1996)

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

Investment (gross fixed):
20.8% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $31.31 billion
expenditures: $32.3 billion; including capital expenditures of $5.9
billion (2005 est.)

Public debt:
1.8% of GDP (2005 est.)

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

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

Industrial production growth rate:
-0.6% (2005 est.)

Electricity - production:
37.3 billion kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:
39.22 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:
3.086 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:
9.84 billion kWh (2004)

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

Oil - consumption:
293,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production:
0 cu m NA cu m

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

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
71.15 million cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:
$19.7 billion (2005 est.)

Exports:
$286.3 billion f.o.b., including reexports (2005 est.)

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

Exports - partners:
China 45%, US 16.1%, Japan 5.3% (2005)

Imports:
$291.6 billion (2005 est.)

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

Imports - partners:
China 45%, Japan 11%, Taiwan 7.2%, Singapore 5.8%, US 5.1%, South
Korea 4.4% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$124.3 billion (2005 est.)

Debt - external:
$72.04 billion (2005 est.)

Currency (code):
Hong Kong dollar (HKD)

Currency code:
HKD

Exchange rates:
Hong Kong dollars per US dollar - 7.7773 (2005), 7.788 (2004),
7.7868 (2003), 7.7989 (2002), 7.7988 (2001)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Hong Kong

Telephones - main lines in use:
3,794,600 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
8.693 million (2005)

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

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

Radios:
4.45 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
55 low power stations
note: two TV networks, each one broadcasting on two channels (2006)

Televisions:
1.84 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.hk

Internet hosts:
800,834 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
17 (2000)

Internet users:
4,878,713 (2005)

Transportation Hong Kong

Airports:
3 (2006)

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

Heliports:
3 (2006)

Roadways:
total: 1,955 km
paved: 1,955 km (2005)

Merchant marine:
total: 924 ships (1000 GRT or over) 30,838,025 GRT/51,957,682 DWT
by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 495, cargo 121, chemical
tanker 44, container 133, liquefied gas 22, passenger 6,
passenger/cargo 7, petroleum tanker 76, roll on/roll off 3,
specialized tanker 7, vehicle carrier 8
foreign-owned: 562 (Australia 1, Belgium 3, Canada 28, China 274,
Denmark 6, Germany 6, Greece 27, Indonesia 4, Japan 67, South Korea
6, Norway 26, Philippines 16, Portugal 1, Singapore 24, Syria 1,
Taiwan 6, UAE 2, UK 43, US 21)
registered in other countries: 417 (Bahamas 8, Belize 8, Bermuda 10,
Cambodia 15, China 7, Cyprus 1, France 1, French Southern and
Antarctic Lands 2, Greece 1, Honduras 2, India 1, Liberia 37,
Malaysia 14, Malta 2, Marshall Islands 7, Norway 55, Panama 169,
Philippines 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6, Singapore 50,
Taiwan 3, Tuvalu 8, unknown 7) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Hong Kong

Military Hong Kong

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

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

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 1,743,972
females age 18-49: 1,904,967 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 1,403,088
females age 18-49: 1,527,278 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 40,343
females age 18-49: 38,234 (2005 est.)

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

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of China

Transnational Issues Hong Kong

Disputes - international:
none

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

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

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

@Hungary

Introduction Hungary

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

Geography Hungary

Location:
Central Europe, northwest of Romania

Geographic coordinates:
47 00 N, 20 00 E

Map references:
Europe

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

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Indiana

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

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

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

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

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

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

Land use:
arable land: 49.58%
permanent crops: 2.06%
other: 48.36% (2005)

Irrigated land:
2,300 sq km (2003)

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

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulfur 94

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

People Hungary

Population:
9,981,334 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 15.6% (male 799,163/female 755,389)
15-64 years: 69.2% (male 3,403,375/female 3,505,640)
65 years and over: 15.2% (male 550,297/female 967,470) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 38.7 years
male: 36.3 years
female: 41.4 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
-0.25% (2006 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.57 male(s)/female
total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 8.39 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 9.09 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.66 years
male: 68.45 years
female: 77.14 years (2006 est.)

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

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

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

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

Nationality:
noun: Hungarian(s)
adjective: Hungarian

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

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

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

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

Government Hungary

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

Government type:
parliamentary democracy

Capital:
name: Budapest
geographic coordinates: 47 30 N, 19 05 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:
19 counties (megyek, singular - megye), 22 urban counties (singular
- megyei varos), and 1 capital city (fovaros)
counties: Bacs-Kiskun, Baranya, Bekes, Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen,
Csongrad, Fejer, Gyor-Moson-Sopron, Hajdu-Bihar, Heves,
Jasz-Nagykun-Szolnok, Komarom-Esztergom, Nograd, Pest, Somogy,
Szabolcs-Szatmar-Bereg, Tolna, Vas, Veszprem, Zala
urban counties: Bekescsaba, Debrecen, Dunaujvaros, Eger, Gyor,
Hodmezovasarhely, Kaposvar, Kecskemet, Miskolc, Nagykanizsa,
Nyiregyhaza, Pecs, Salgotarjan, Sopron, Szeged, Szekesfehervar,
Szekszard, Szolnok, Szombathely, Tatabanya, Veszprem, Zalaegerszeg
capital city: Budapest

Independence:
1001 (unification by King Stephen I)

National holiday:
Saint Stephen's Day, 20 August

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

Legal system:
rule of law based on Western model; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

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

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Orszaggyules (386 seats; members
are elected by popular vote under a system of proportional and
direct representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 9 and 23 April 2006 (next to be held April 2010)
election results: percent of vote by party (5% or more of the vote
required for parliamentary representation in the first round) - MSzP
43.2%, Fidesz-KDNP 42%, SzDSz 6.5%, MDF 5%, other 3.3%; seats by
party - MSzP 190, Fidesz 141, KDNP 23, SzDSz 20, MDF 11, independent
1

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

Political parties and leaders:
Alliance of Free Democrats or SzDSz [Gabor KUNCZE]; Christian
Democratic People's Party or KDNP [Zsolt SEMJEN]; Hungarian Civic
Alliance or Fidesz [Viktor ORBAN, chairman]; Hungarian Democratic
Forum or MDF [Ibolya DAVID]; Hungarian Socialist Party or MSzP
[Istvan HILLER, chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

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

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

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

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

Economy Hungary

Economy - overview:
Hungary has made the transition from a centrally planned to a
market economy, with a per capita income about 60% of the EU-25
average. Hungary continues to demonstrate strong economic growth and
acceded to the EU in May 2004. The private sector accounts for over
80% of GDP. Foreign ownership of and investment in Hungarian firms
are widespread, with cumulative foreign direct investment totaling
more than $34 billion between 1990 and 2003. Several private sector
analysts and sovereign ratings agencies have expressed concerns over
Hungary's unsustainable budget and current account deficits.
Inflation has declined from 14% in 1998 to 3.5% in 2005.
Unemployment in 2005 rose to 7.1%, its highest point since 1999;
Hungary's labor force participation rate of 57% is one of the lowest
in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
Germany is by far Hungary's largest economic partner. Policy
challenges include cutting the public sector deficit to 3% of GDP by
2008, from about 6.1% in 2005, and orchestrating an orderly interest
rate reduction without sparking capital outflows.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$163.1 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$106.4 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
4.1% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$16,300 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3.7%
industry: 31.2%
services: 65.1% (2005 est.)

Labor force:
4.18 million (2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 5.5%
industry: 33.3%
services: 61.2% (2003)

Unemployment rate:
7.2% (2005)

Population below poverty line:
At-risk-of poverty rate after social transfers: 12% (2003)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 4.1%
highest 10%: 22.2% (2002)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
24.96 (2002)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.6% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
23.1% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $51.4 billion
expenditures: $58.34 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA
(2005 est.)

Public debt:
58.9% of GDP (2005 est.)

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

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

Industrial production growth rate:
7.3% (2005 est.)

Electricity - production:
32.21 billion kWh (2003)

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

Electricity - consumption:
36.96 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
7.1 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
14.1 billion kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
45,190 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - consumption:
136,000 bbl/day (2004)

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

Oil - imports:
94,000 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - proved reserves:
102 million bbl (1 January 2006)

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

Natural gas - consumption:
13 billion cu m (2004)

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

Natural gas - imports:
10.95 billion cu m (2004)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
33.98 billion cu m (1 January 2003)

Current account balance:
$-7.963 billion (2005 est.)

Exports:
$61.75 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

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

Exports - partners:
Germany 29.4%, Austria 5.9%, Italy 5.6%, France 5%, UK 4.7% (2005)

Imports:
$64.83 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

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

Imports - partners:
Germany 27.2%, Russia 7.5%, China 7.2%, Austria 6.7%, Italy 4.9%,
France 4.8%, Netherlands 4.3% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$18.59 billion (2005 est.)

Debt - external:
$66.22 billion (2005 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$3.4 billion in committed EU structural adjustment and cohesion
funds (2004-06)

Currency (code):
forint (HUF)

Currency code:
HUF

Exchange rates:
forints per US dollar - 199.58 (2005), 202.75 (2004), 224.31
(2003), 257.89 (2002), 286.49 (2001)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Hungary

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

Telephones - mobile cellular:
9.32 million (2005)

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

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

Radios:
7.01 million (1997)

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

Televisions:
4.42 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.hu

Internet hosts:
608,085 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
16 (2000)

Internet users:
3.05 million (2005)

Transportation Hungary

Airports:
46 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 20
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 26
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 10 (2006)

Heliports:
5 (2006)

Pipelines:
gas 4,397 km; oil 990 km; refined products 335 km (2006)

Railways:
total: 7,937 km
broad gauge: 36 km 1.524-m gauge
standard gauge: 7,682 km 1.435-m gauge (2,628 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 219 km 0.760-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:
total: 159,568 km
paved: 70,050 km (30,874 km of interurban roads including 626 km of
expressways)
unpaved: 89,518 km (2005)

Waterways:
1,622 km (most on Danube River) (2006)

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

Military Hungary

Military branches:
Ground Forces, Air Forces

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

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 2,303,116
females age 18-49: 2,265,463 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 1,780,513
females age 18-49: 1,864,580 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 63,847
females age 18-49: 61,037 (2005 est.)

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

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

Transnational Issues Hungary

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

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

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

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

@Iceland

Introduction Iceland

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

Geography Iceland

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

Geographic coordinates:
65 00 N, 18 00 W

Map references:
Arctic Region

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

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Kentucky

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
4,970 km

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

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

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

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Hvannadalshnukur 2,110 m (at Vatnajokull glacier)

Natural resources:
fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite

Land use:
arable land: 0.07%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 99.93% (2005)

Irrigated land:
NA

Natural hazards:
earthquakes and volcanic activity

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

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

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

People Iceland

Population:
299,388 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 21.7% (male 33,021/female 32,021)
15-64 years: 66.5% (male 100,944/female 98,239)
65 years and over: 11.7% (male 15,876/female 19,287) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 34.2 years
male: 33.8 years
female: 34.7 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.87% (2006 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 3.29 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 3.43 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 80.31 years
male: 78.23 years
female: 82.48 years (2006 est.)

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

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

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

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

Nationality:
noun: Icelander(s)
adjective: Icelandic

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

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

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

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

Government Iceland

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

Government type:
constitutional republic

Capital:
name: Reykjavik
geographic coordinates: 64 09 N, 21 57 W
time difference: UTC (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

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

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

National holiday:
Independence Day, 17 June (1944)

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

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

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON (since 1 August
1996)
head of government: Prime Minister Geir H. HAARDE (since 7 June 2006)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister
elections: president, largely a ceremonial post, is elected by
popular vote for a four-year term (no term limits); election last
held 26 June 2004 (next to be held June 2008); following legislative
elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
majority coalition is usually the prime minister
election results: Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON 85.6%, Baldur AGUSTSSON
12.5%, Astthor MAGNUSSON 1.9%

Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Althing (63 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 10 May 2003 (next to be held by May 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - Independence Party
33.7%, Social Democratic Alliance 31%, Progressive Party 17.7%,
Left-Green Movement 8.8%, Liberal Party 7.4%; seats by party -
Independence Party 22, Social Democratic Alliance 20, Progressive
Party 12, Left-Green Alliance 5, Liberal Party 4

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

Political parties and leaders:
Independence Party or IP [Geir HAARDE]; Left-Green Movement or LGM
[Steingrimur SIGFUSSON]; Liberal Party or LP [Gudjon KRISTJANSSON];
Progressive Party or PP [Halldor ASGRIMSSON - will step down in
August 2006]; Social Democratic Alliance (includes People's Alliance
or PA, Social Democratic Party or SDP, Women's List) or SDA
[Ingibjorg Solrun GISLADOTTIR]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

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

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

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Carol VAN VOORST
embassy: Laufasvegur 21, 101 Reykjavik
mailing address: US Department of State, 5640 Reykjavik Place,
Washington, D.C. 20521-5640
telephone: [354] 562-9100
FAX: [354] 562-9118

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

Economy Iceland