Chapter XXXVIII: Front Matter (38)

Pipelines:
gas 1,696 km; oil 228 km; refined products 121 km (2006)

Railways:
total: 1,771 km
broad gauge: 1,749 km 1.524-m gauge (122 km electrified)
standard gauge: 22 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:
total: 79,497 km
paved: 70,549 km (including 417 km of expressways)
unpaved: 8,948 km (2005)

Waterways:
425 km (2005)

Merchant marine:
total: 49 ships (1000 GRT or over) 353,094 GRT/352,883 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 20, chemical tanker 1, container 1,
passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 14, roll
on/roll off 1
foreign-owned: 10 (Denmark 10)
registered in other countries: 17 (Antigua and Barbuda 3, Belize 1,
North Korea 1, Norway 1, Panama 5, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
3, unknown 3) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Klaipeda

Military Lithuania

Military branches:
Ground Forces, Naval Force, Lithuanian Military Air Forces,
National Defense Volunteer Forces (2005)

Military service age and obligation:
19-45 years of age for compulsory military service, conscript
service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for volunteers (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 19-49: 830,368
females age 19-49: 830,524 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 19-49: 590,606
females age 19-49: 676,102 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 29,689
females age 19-49: 28,543 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$230.8 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.9% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Lithuania

Disputes - international:
Lithuania and Russia committed to demarcating their boundary in
2006 in accordance with the land and maritime treaty ratified by
Russia in May 2003 and by Lithuania in 1999; Lithuania operates a
simplified transit regime for Russian nationals traveling from the
Kaliningrad coastal exclave into Russia, while still conforming, as
a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, to
strict Schengen border rules; the Latvian parliament has not
ratified its 1998 maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, primarily
due to concerns over potential hydrocarbons

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for opiates and other illicit drugs from
Southwest Asia, Latin America, and Western Europe to Western Europe
and Scandinavia; limited production of methamphetamine and ecstasy;
susceptible to money laundering despite changes to banking
legislation

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

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

@Luxembourg

Introduction Luxembourg

Background:
Founded in 963, Luxembourg became a grand duchy in 1815 and an
independent state under the Netherlands. It lost more than half of
its territory to Belgium in 1839, but gained a larger measure of
autonomy. Full independence was attained in 1867. Overrun by Germany
in both World Wars, it ended its neutrality in 1948 when it entered
into the Benelux Customs Union and when it joined NATO the following
year. In 1957, Luxembourg became one of the six founding countries
of the European Economic Community (later the European Union), and
in 1999 it joined the euro currency area.

Geography Luxembourg

Location:
Western Europe, between France and Germany

Geographic coordinates:
49 45 N, 6 10 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 2,586 sq km
land: 2,586 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Rhode Island

Land boundaries:
total: 359 km
border countries: Belgium 148 km, France 73 km, Germany 138 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
modified continental with mild winters, cool summers

Terrain:
mostly gently rolling uplands with broad, shallow valleys; uplands
to slightly mountainous in the north; steep slope down to Moselle
flood plain in the southeast

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Moselle River 133 m
highest point: Buurgplaatz 559 m

Natural resources:
iron ore (no longer exploited), arable land

Land use:
arable land: 23.94%
permanent crops: 0.39%
other: 75.67% (includes Belgium) (2005)

Irrigated land:
NA

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
air and water pollution in urban areas, soil pollution of farmland

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,
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: Environmental Modification

Geography - note:
landlocked; the only Grand Duchy in the world

People Luxembourg

Population:
474,413 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 18.9% (male 46,118/female 43,356)
15-64 years: 66.5% (male 159,498/female 156,075)
65 years and over: 14.6% (male 28,027/female 41,339) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 38.7 years
male: 37.7 years
female: 39.7 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.23% (2006 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.74 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.73 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.89 years
male: 75.6 years
female: 82.38 years (2006 est.)

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

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
less than 500 (2003 est.)

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

Nationality:
noun: Luxembourger(s)
adjective: Luxembourg

Ethnic groups:
Celtic base (with French and German blend), Portuguese, Italian,
Slavs (from Montenegro, Albania, and Kosovo) and European (guest and
resident workers)

Religions:
87% Roman Catholic, 13% Protestants, Jews, and Muslims (2000)

Languages:
Luxembourgish (national language), German (administrative
language), French (administrative language)

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

Government Luxembourg

Country name:
conventional long form: Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
conventional short form: Luxembourg
local long form: Grand Duche de Luxembourg
local short form: Luxembourg

Government type:
constitutional monarchy

Capital:
name: Luxembourg
geographic coordinates: 49 45 N, 6 10 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:
3 districts; Diekirch, Grevenmacher, Luxembourg

Independence:
1839 (from the Netherlands)

National holiday:
National Day (Birthday of Grand Duchess Charlotte) 23 June

Constitution:
17 October 1868; occasional revisions

Legal system:
based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: Grand Duke HENRI (since 7 October 2000); Heir
Apparent Prince GUILLAUME (son of the monarch, born 11 November 1981)
head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Claude JUNCKER (since 1
January 1995) and Vice Prime Minister Jean ASSELBORN (since 31 July
2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers recommended by the prime minister and
appointed by the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following popular
elections to the Chamber of Deputies, the leader of the majority
party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed
prime minister by the monarch; the deputy prime minister is
appointed by the monarch; they are responsible to the Chamber of
Deputies
note: government coalition - CSV and LSAP

Legislative branch:
unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (60 seats;
members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 13 June 2004 (next to be held by June 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - CSV 36.1%, LSAP 23.4%,
DP 16.1%, Green Party 11.6%, ADR 10%; seats by party - CSV 24, LSAP
14, DP 10, Green Party 7, ADR 5
note: there is also a Council of State that serves as an advisory
body to the Chamber of Deputies; the Council of State has 21 members
appointed by the Grand Duke on the advice of the prime minister

Judicial branch:
judicial courts and tribunals (3 Justices of the Peace, 2 district
courts, and 1 Supreme Court of Appeals); administrative courts and
tribunals (State Prosecutor's Office, administrative courts and
tribunals, and the Constitutional Court); judges for all courts are
appointed for life by the monarch

Political parties and leaders:
Action Committee for Democracy and Justice or ADR [Gast GIBERYEN];
Christian Social People's Party or CSV (also known as Christian
Social Party or PCS) [Francois BILTGEN]; Democratic Party or DP
[Claude MEISCH]; Green Party [Francois BAUSCH]; Luxembourg Socialist
Workers' Party or LSAP [Alex BODRY]; Marxist and Reformed Communist
Party dei Lenk/la Gauche (the Left) [no formal leadership]; other
minor parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
ABBL (bankers' association); ALEBA (financial sector trade union);
Centrale Paysanne (federation of agricultural producers); CEP
(professional sector chamber); CGFP (trade union representing civil
service); Chambre de Commerce (Chamber of Commerce); Chambre des
Metiers (Chamber of Artisans); FEDIL (federation of industrialists);
Greenpeace (environment protection); LCGP (center-right trade
union); Mouvement Ecologique (protection of ecology); OGBL
(center-left trade union)

International organization participation:
ACCT, AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU,
ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU,
MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph WEYLAND
chancery: 2200 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 265-4171/72
FAX: [1] (202) 328-8270
consulate(s) general: New York, San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ann WAGNER
embassy: 22 Boulevard Emmanuel Servais, L-2535 Luxembourg City
mailing address: American Embassy Luxembourg, Unit 1410, APO AE
09126-1410 (official mail); American Embassy Luxembourg, PSC 9, Box
9500, APO AE 09123 (personal mail)
telephone: [352] 46 01 23
FAX: [352] 46 14 01

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and light blue;
similar to the flag of the Netherlands, which uses a darker blue and
is shorter; design was based on the flag of France

Economy Luxembourg

Economy - overview:
This stable, high-income economy - benefitting from its proximity
to France, Belgium, and Germany - features solid growth, low
inflation, and low unemployment. The industrial sector, initially
dominated by steel, has become increasingly diversified to include
chemicals, rubber, and other products. Growth in the financial
sector, which now accounts for about 28% of GDP, has more than
compensated for the decline in steel. Most banks are foreign-owned
and have extensive foreign dealings. Agriculture is based on small
family-owned farms. The economy depends on foreign and cross-border
workers for more than 30% of its labor force. Although Luxembourg,
like all EU members, has suffered from the global economic slump,
the country enjoys an extraordinarily high standard of living - GDP
per capita ranks first in the world.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$30.9 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$31.76 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
4% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$65,900 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1%
industry: 13%
services: 86% (2005 est.)

Labor force:
316,500 of whom 121,600 are foreign cross-border workers commuting
primarily from France, Belgium, and Germany (2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 1%
industry: 13%
services: 86% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:
4.5% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.5% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
20.3% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $9.195 billion
expenditures: $9.573 billion; including capital expenditures of
$975.5 million (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products:
wine, grapes, barley, oats, potatoes, wheat, fruits; dairy
products, livestock products

Industries:
banking and financial services, iron and steel, information
technology, telecommunications, cargo transportation, food
processing, chemicals, metal products, engineering, tires, glass,
aluminum, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
4.5% (2005 est.)

Electricity - production:
3.203 billion kWh (2005 est.)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 57.3%
hydro: 25.2%
nuclear: 0%
other: 17.5% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
6.14 billion kWh (2005 est.)

Electricity - exports:
2.346 billion kWh (2005 est.)

Electricity - imports:
5.287 billion kWh (2005 est.)

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

Oil - consumption:
55,700 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
634 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
50,700 bbl/day (2001)

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

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

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

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

Current account balance:
$3.56 billion

Exports:
$13.39 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, steel products, chemicals, rubber
products, glass

Exports - partners:
Germany 21%, France 16.3%, Belgium 9.2%, UK 8.3%, Italy 7.5%, Spain
6.6%, Netherlands 4.3% (2005)

Imports:
$18.74 billion c.i.f. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:
minerals, metals, foodstuffs, quality consumer goods

Imports - partners:
Belgium 28.2%, Germany 21.8%, China 12.8%, France 9.6%, Netherlands
5.1% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$279.1 million (2005 est.)

Debt - external:
$NA

Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $235.59 million (2004)

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 Luxembourg

Telephones - main lines in use:
244,500 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
720,000 (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: highly developed, completely automated and
efficient system, mainly buried cables
domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; buried cable
international: country code - 352; 3 channels leased on TAT-6
coaxial submarine cable (Europe to North America)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999)

Radios:
285,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
5 (1999)

Televisions:
285,000 (1998 est.)

Internet country code:
.lu

Internet hosts:
88,661 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
8 (2000)

Internet users:
315,000 (2005)

Transportation Luxembourg

Airports:
2 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Heliports:
1 (2006)

Pipelines:
gas 155 km (2006)

Railways:
total: 274 km
standard gauge: 274 km 1.435-m gauge (262 km electrified) (2005)

Roadways:
total: 5,210 km
paved: 5,210 km (including 147 km of expressways) (2002)

Waterways:
37 km (on Moselle River) (2003)

Merchant marine:
total: 42 ships (1000 GRT or over) 557,636 GRT/792,069 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 6, chemical tanker 16, container 7, liquefied
gas 2, passenger 3, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 5
foreign-owned: 42 (Belgium 9, Finland 4, France 14, Germany 10,
Netherlands 2, US 3) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Mertert

Military Luxembourg

Military branches:
Army

Military service age and obligation:
a 1967 law made the Army an all-volunteer force; 17 years of age
for voluntary military service; soldiers under 18 are not deployed
into combat or with peacekeeping missions (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 17-49: 110,867
females age 17-49: 108,758 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 17-49: 90,279
females age 17-49: 88,638 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 2,775
females age 17-49: 2,703 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$231.6 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.9% (2003)

Transnational Issues Luxembourg

Disputes - international:
none

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

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

@Macau

Introduction Macau

Background:
Colonized by the Portuguese in the 16th century, Macau was the
first European settlement in the Far East. Pursuant to an agreement
signed by China and Portugal on 13 April 1987, Macau became the
Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 20 December
1999. China has promised that, under its "one country, two systems"
formula, China's socialist economic system will not be practiced in
Macau, and that Macau will enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all
matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next 50 years.

Geography Macau

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

Geographic coordinates:
22 10 N, 113 33 E

Map references:
Southeast Asia

Area:
total: 28.2 sq km
land: 28.2 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
less than one-sixth the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
total: 0.34 km
regional border: China 0.34 km

Coastline:
41 km

Maritime claims:
not specified

Climate:
subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers

Terrain:
generally flat

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Coloane Alto 172.4 m

Natural resources:
NEGL

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

Irrigated land:
NA

Natural hazards:
typhoons

Environment - current issues:
NA

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

People Macau

Population:
453,125 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.2% (male 37,934/female 35,412)
15-64 years: 75.9% (male 163,975/female 179,830)
65 years and over: 7.9% (male 15,099/female 20,875) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 36.1 years
male: 35.7 years
female: 36.4 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.86% (2006 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.35 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.54 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 82.19 years
male: 79.36 years
female: 85.17 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.02 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: Chinese
adjective: Chinese

Ethnic groups:
Chinese 95.7%, Macanese (mixed Portuguese and Asian ancestry) 1%,
other 3.3% (2001 census)

Religions:
Buddhist 50%, Roman Catholic 15%, none and other 35% (1997 est.)

Languages:
Cantonese 87.9%, Hokkien 4.4%, Mandarin 1.6%, other Chinese
dialects 3.1%, other 3% (2001 census)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94.5%
male: 97.2%
female: 92% (2003 est.)

Government Macau

Country name:
conventional long form: Macau Special Administrative Region
conventional short form: Macau
local long form: Aomen Tebie Xingzhengqu (Chinese); Regiao
Administrativa Especial de Macau (Portuguese)
local short form: Aomen (Chinese); Macau (Portuguese)

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 - 20 December 1999 is celebrated
as Macau Special Administrative Region Establishment Day

Constitution:
Basic Law, approved in March 1993 by China's National People's
Congress, is Macau's "mini-constitution"

Legal system:
based on Portuguese civil law system

Suffrage:
direct election 18 years of age, universal for permanent residents
living in Macau for the past seven years; indirect election limited
to organizations registered as "corporate voters" (257 are currently
registered) and a 300-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 Edmund HO Hau-wah (since 20
December 1999)
cabinet: Executive Council consists of one government secretary,
three legislators, four businessmen, one pro-Beijing unionist, and
one pro-Beijing educator
elections: chief executive chosen by a 300-member Election Committee
for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last
held 29 August 2004 (next to be held in 2009)
election results: Edmund HO Hau-wah reelected received 296 votes;
three members submitted blank ballots; one member was absent

Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Assembly (29 seats; 12 elected by popular
vote, 10 by indirect vote, and 7 appointed by the chief executive;
members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 25 September 2005 (next in September 2009)
election results: percent of vote - Development Union 12.8%, Macau
Development Alliance 9%, Macau United Citizens' Association 16%, New
Democratic Macau Association 18.2%, others NA; seats by political
group - Development Union 2, Macau Development Alliance 1, Macau
United Citizens' Association 2, New Democratic Macau Association 2,
New Hope 1, United Forces 2, others 2; 10 seats filled by
professional and business groups; seven members appointed by chief
executive

Judicial branch:
Court of Final Appeal in Macau Special Administrative Region

Political parties and leaders:
Civil Service Union [Jose Maria Pereira COUTINHO]; Development
Union [KWAN Tsui-hang]; Macau Development Alliance [Angela LEONG
On-kei]; Macau United Citizens' Association [CHAN Meng-kam]; New
Democratic Macau Association [Antonio NG Kuok-cheong]; United Forces

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), ISO (correspondent), UNESCO (associate),
UPU, WCO, WMO, WToO (associate), WTO

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

Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US has no offices in Macau; US interests are monitored by the
US Consulate General in Hong Kong

Flag description:
light green with a lotus flower above a stylized bridge and water
in white, beneath an arc of five gold, five-pointed stars: one large
in center of arc and four smaller

Economy Macau

Economy - overview:
Macau's well-to-do economy has remained one of the most open in the
world since its reversion to China in 1999. Apparel exports and
tourism are mainstays of the economy. Although the territory was hit
hard by the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis and the global downturn
in 2001, its economy grew 10.1% in 2002, 14.2% in 2003, and 28.6% in
2004. During the first three quarters of 2005, Macau registered
year-on-year GDP increases of 6.2%. A rapid rise in the number of
mainland visitors because of China's easing of travel restrictions,
increased public works expenditures, and significant investment
inflows associated with the liberalization of Macau's gaming
industry drove the four-year recovery. The budget also returned to
surplus since 2002 because of the surge in visitors from China and a
hike in taxes on gambling profits, which generated about 70% of
government revenue. The three companies awarded gambling licenses
have pledged to invest $2.2 billion in the territory, which will
boost GDP growth. Much of Macau's textile industry may move to the
mainland as the Multi-Fiber Agreement is phased out. The territory
may have to rely more on gambling and trade-related services to
generate growth. Two new casinos were opened by new foreign gambling
licensees in 2004; development of new infrastructure and facilities
in preparation for Macau's hosting of the 2005 East Asian Games led
the construction sector. The Closer Economic Partnership Agreement
(CEPA) between Macau and mainland China that came into effect on 1
January 2004 offers many Macau-made products tariff-free access to
the mainland, and the range of products covered by CEPA was expanded
on 1 January 2005.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$10 billion (2004)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$10.05 billion (2004)

GDP - real growth rate:
2.8% (3rd Quarter 2005)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$22,000 (2004)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 0.1%
industry: 7.2%
services: 92.7% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
251,200 (3rd Quarter, 2005)

Labor force - by occupation:
manufacturing 13.7%, construction 10.5%, transport and
communications 5.9%, wholesale and retail trade 14.6%, restaurants
and hotels 10.3%, gambling 17.9%, public sector 7.8%, other services
and agriculture 19.3% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:
4.1% (3rd Quarter 2005)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.8% (2nd quarter, 2005)

Budget:
revenues: $3.16 billion
expenditures: $3.16 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY05/06)

Agriculture - products:
only 2% of land area is cultivated, mainly by vegetable growers;
fishing, mostly for crustaceans, is important; some of the catch is
exported to Hong Kong

Industries:
tourism, gambling, clothing, textiles, electronics, footwear, toys

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - production:
1.893 billion kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:
1.899 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:
153.3 million kWh (2004)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
12,000 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.)

Exports:
$3.465 billion f.o.b.; note - includes reexports (2004)

Exports - commodities:
clothing, textiles, footwear, toys, electronics, machinery and parts

Exports - partners:
US 48.7%, China 14.9%, Hong Kong 9.8%, Germany 5.9% (2005)

Imports:
$3.478 billion c.i.f. (2004)

Imports - commodities:
raw materials and semi-manufactured goods, consumer goods
(foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco), capital goods, mineral fuels and
oils

Imports - partners:
China 43.1%, Japan 10.9%, Hong Kong 10%, Singapore 5.2%, US 4.1%,
Taiwan 4% (2005)

Debt - external:
$3.1 billion (2004)

Economic aid - recipient:
$NA

Currency (code):
pataca (MOP)

Currency code:
MOP

Exchange rates:
patacas per US dollar - 8.011 (2005), 8.022 (2004), 8.021 (2003),
8.033 (2002), 8.034 (2001)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Macau

Telephones - main lines in use:
174,400 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
532,800 (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: fairly modern communication facilities
maintained for domestic and international services
domestic: NA
international: country code - 853; HF radiotelephone communication
facility; access to international communications carriers provided
via Hong Kong and China; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
(Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
160,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (2006)

Televisions:
49,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.mo

Internet hosts:
108 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
201,000 (2004)

Transportation Macau

Airports:
1 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways:
total: 368 km
paved: 368 km (2005)

Ports and terminals:
Macau

Military Macau

Military branches:
no regular military forces

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 112,744 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 91,299 (2005 est.)

Military - note:
defense is the responsiblity of China

Transnational Issues Macau

Disputes - international:
none

Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Macau is a transit and destination territory for
women trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation;
most females in Macau's sizeable sex industry come from the interior
regions of China or Mongolia, though a significant number also come
from Russia, Eastern Europe, Thailand, and Vietnam; the majority of
women in Macau's prostitution trade appear to have entered Macau and
the sex trade voluntarily, though there is evidence that some are
deceived or coerced into sexual servitude, often through the use of
debt bondage; organized criminal syndicates are reportedly involved
in bringing women to Macau, and fear of reprisals from these groups
may prevent some women from seeking help
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Macau is placed on the Tier 2 Watch
List for failing to show evidence of increasing efforts to address
trafficking since 2004

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

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

@Macedonia

Introduction Macedonia

Background:
Macedonia gained its independence peacefully from Yugoslavia in
1991, but Greece's objection to the new state's use of what it
considered a Hellenic name and symbols delayed international
recognition, which occurred under the provisional designation of the
"Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia." In 1995, Greece lifted a
20-month trade embargo and the two countries agreed to normalize
relations, although differences over Macedonia's name remain. The
undetermined status of neighboring Kosovo, implementation of the
Framework Agreement - which ended the 2001 ethnic Albanian armed
insurgency - and a weak economy continue to be challenges for
Macedonia.

Geography Macedonia

Location:
Southeastern Europe, north of Greece

Geographic coordinates:
41 50 N, 22 00 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 25,333 sq km
land: 24,856 sq km
water: 477 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Vermont

Land boundaries:
total: 766 km
border countries: Albania 151 km, Bulgaria 148 km, Greece 246 km,
Serbia 221 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
warm, dry summers and autumns; relatively cold winters with heavy
snowfall

Terrain:
mountainous territory covered with deep basins and valleys; three
large lakes, each divided by a frontier line; country bisected by
the Vardar River

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Vardar River 50 m
highest point: Golem Korab (Maja e Korabit) 2,764 m

Natural resources:
low-grade iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, manganese,
nickel, tungsten, gold, silver, asbestos, gypsum, timber, arable land

Land use:
arable land: 22.01%
permanent crops: 1.79%
other: 76.2% (2005)

Irrigated land:
550 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
high seismic risks

Environment - current issues:
air pollution from metallurgical plants

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of
the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
landlocked; major transportation corridor from Western and Central
Europe to Aegean Sea and Southern Europe to Western Europe

People Macedonia

Population:
2,050,554 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 20.1% (male 213,486/female 199,127)
15-64 years: 68.9% (male 711,853/female 701,042)
65 years and over: 11% (male 98,618/female 126,428) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 34.1 years
male: 33.2 years
female: 35.1 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.26% (2006 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
-0.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 9.81 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 9.94 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 9.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.97 years
male: 71.51 years
female: 76.62 years (2006 est.)

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

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
less than 200 (2003 est.)

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

Nationality:
noun: Macedonian(s)
adjective: Macedonian

Ethnic groups:
Macedonian 64.2%, Albanian 25.2%, Turkish 3.9%, Roma 2.7%, Serb
1.8%, other 2.2% (2002 census)

Religions:
Macedonian Orthodox 64.7%, other Christian 0.37%, Muslim 33.3%,
other and unspecified 1.63% (2002 census)

Languages:
Macedonian 66.5%, Albanian 25.1%, Turkish 3.5%, Roma 1.9%, Serbian
1.2%, other 1.8% (2002 census)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96.1%
male: 98.2%
female: 94.1% (2002 est.)

Government Macedonia

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Macedonia
conventional short form: Macedonia
local long form: Republika Makedonija
local short form: Makedonija
note: the provisional designation used by the UN, EU, and NATO is
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM)
former: People's Republic of Macedonia, Socialist Republic of
Macedonia

Government type:
parliamentary democracy

Capital:
name: Skopje
geographic coordinates: 41 59 N, 21 26 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:
85 municipalities (opstini, singular - opstina); Aerodrom (Skopje),
Aracinovo, Berovo, Bitola, Bogdanci, Bogovinje, Bosilovo, Brvenica,
Butel (Skopje), Cair (Skopje), Caska, Centar (Skopje), Centar Zupa,
Cesinovo, Cucer-Sandevo, Debar, Debartsa, Delcevo, Demir Hisar,
Demir Kapija, Dojran, Dolneni, Drugovo, Gazi Baba (Skopje),
Gevgelija, Gjorce Petrov (Skopje), Gostivar, Gradsko, Ilinden,
Jegunovce, Karbinci, Karpos (Skopje), Kavadarci, Kicevo, Kisela Voda
(Skopje), Kocani, Konce, Kratovo, Kriva Palanka, Krivogastani,
Krusevo, Kumanovo, Lipkovo, Lozovo, Makedonska Kamenica, Makedonski
Brod, Mavrovo i Rastusa, Mogila, Negotino, Novaci, Novo Selo, Ohrid,
Oslomej, Pehcevo, Petrovec, Plasnica, Prilep, Probistip, Radovis,
Rankovce, Resen, Rosoman, Saraj (Skopje), Skopje, Sopiste, Staro
Nagoricane, Stip, Struga, Strumica, Studenicani, Suto Orizari
(Skopje), Sveti Nikole, Tearce, Tetovo, Valandovo, Vasilevo, Veles,
Vevcani, Vinica, Vranestica, Vrapciste, Zajas, Zelenikovo, Zelino,
Zrnovci
note: the ten municipalities followed by Skopje in parentheses
collectively constitute "greater Skopje"

Independence:
8 September 1991 (referendum by registered voters endorsing
independence from Yugoslavia)

National holiday:
Uprising Day, 2 August (1903); note - also known as Saint Elijah's
Day and Ilinden

Constitution:
adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991; amended
November 2001 by a series of new constitutional amendments
strengthening minority rights and in 2005 with amendments related to
the judiciary

Legal system:
based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Branko CRVENKOVSKI (since 12 May 2004)
head of government: Prime Minister Nikola GRUEVSKI (since 28 August
2006)
cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the majority vote of all
the deputies in the Assembly; note - current cabinet formed by the
government coalition parties VMRO/DPMNE, NSDP, PDSH/DPA, and several
small parties
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
(eligible for a second term); two-round election last held 14 April
and 28 April 2004 (next to be held by April 2009); prime minister
elected by the Assembly following legislative elections
election results: Branko CRVENKOVSKI elected president on
second-round ballot; percent of vote - Branko CRVENKOVSKI 62.7%,
Sasko KEDEV 37.3%

Legislative branch:
unicameral Assembly or Sobranie (120 seats - members elected by
popular vote from party lists based on the percentage of the overall
vote the parties gain in each of six electoral districts; all serve
four-year terms)
elections: last held 5 July 2006 (next to be held by July 2010)
election results: percent of vote by party - VMRO-DPMNE 32.5%, SDSM
23.3%, DUI 12.2%, PDSH/DPA 7.5%; seats by party - VMRO-DPMNE 44,
SDSM 32, DUI 28, PDSH/DPA 11, other 5

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court - the Assembly appoints the judges; Constitutional
Court - the Assembly appoints the judges; Republican Judicial
Council - the Assembly appoints the judges

Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Alliance [Pavle TRAJANOV]; Democratic Alternative or DA
[Vasil TUPURKOVSKI]; Democratic League of the Bosniaks [Rafet
MUMINOVIC]; Democratic Party of Albanians or PDSH/DPA [Arben
XHAFERI]; Democratic Party of Serbs [Ivan STOILJKOVIC]; Democratic
Party of Turks [Kenan HASIPI]; Democratic Renewal of Macedonia
[Liljana POPOVSKA]; Democratic Republican Union of Macedonia or DRUM
[Goran RAFAJLOVSKI]; Democratic Union of Vlachs for Macedonia [Mitko
KOSTOV]; Democratic Union for Integration or DUI [Ali AHMETI];
Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Democratic Party for
Macedonian National Unity or VMRO-DPMNE [Nikola GRUEVSKI]; Internal
Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Macedonian [Boris STOJMENOV];
Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-People's Party or
VMRO-Narodna [Vesna JANEVSKA, acting]; League for Democracy [Gjorgi
MARJANOVIC]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Risto PENOV]; Liberal
Party [Stojan ANDOV]; National Alternative [Harun ALIU]; National
Democratic Party or PDK [Basri HALITI]; National Farmers' Party
[Vejljo TANTAROV]; New Democratic Forces [Hysni SHAQIRI]; New Social
Democratic Party or NSDP [Tito PETKOVSKI]; Party for Democratic
Future [Alajdin DEMIRI]; Party for Democratic Prosperity or PPD/PDP
[Abduljhadi VEJSELI]; Social Democratic Alliance of Macedonia or
SDSM [Vlado BUCKOVSKI]; Socialist Party of Macedonia or SP [Ljubisav
IVANOV-ZINGO]; United Party for Emancipation or OPE [Nezdet MUSTAFA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Civic Movement of Macedonia [Gordana SILJANOVSKA]; World Macedonian
Congress [Todor PETROV]

International organization participation:
BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU,
ISO, ITU, MIGA, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ljupco JORDANOVSKI
chancery: 2129 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 667-0501
FAX: [1] (202) 667-2131
consulate(s) general: Southfield (Michigan)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Gillian A. MILOVANOVIC
embassy: Bul. Ilindenska bb, 1000 Skopje
mailing address: American Embassy Skopje, US Department of State,
7120 Skopje Place, Washington, DC 20521-7120 (pouch)
telephone: [389] 2 311-6180
FAX: [389] 2 311-7103

Flag description:
a yellow sun with eight broadening rays extending to the edges of
the red field

Economy Macedonia

Economy - overview:
At independence in September 1991, Macedonia was the least
developed of the Yugoslav republics, producing a mere 5% of the
total federal output of goods and services. The collapse of
Yugoslavia ended transfer payments from the central government and
eliminated advantages from inclusion in a de facto free trade area.
An absence of infrastructure, UN sanctions on the downsized
Yugoslavia, one of its largest markets, and a Greek economic embargo
over a dispute about the country's constitutional name and flag
hindered economic growth until 1996. GDP subsequently rose each year
through 2000. However, the leadership's commitment to economic
reform, free trade, and regional integration was undermined by the
ethnic Albanian insurgency of 2001. The economy shrank 4.5% because
of decreased trade, intermittent border closures, increased deficit
spending on security needs, and investor uncertainty. Growth barely
recovered in 2002 to 0.9%, then rose by 3.4% in 2003, 4.1% in 2004,
and 3.7% in 2005. Macedonia has maintained macroeconomic stability
with low inflation, but it has lagged the region in attracting
foreign investment and job growth has been anemic. Macedonia has an
extensive grey market, estimated to be more than 20 percent of GDP,
that falls outside official statistics.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$15.94 billion
note: Macedonia has a large informal sector (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$5.304 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
4% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$7,800 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 11.8%
industry: 31.9%
services: 56.3% (2005 est.)

Labor force:
855,000 (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%

Unemployment rate:
37.3% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:
29.6% (2004 est.)

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

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
28.2 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
0% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
18.3% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $2.105 billion
expenditures: $2.15 billion; including capital expenditures of $114
million (2005 est.)

Public debt:
33.7% of GDP (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products:
grapes, wine, tobacco, vegetables; milk, eggs

Industries:
food processing, beverages, textiles, chemicals, steel, cement,
energy, pharmaceuticals

Industrial production growth rate:
6.8% (2005 est.)

Electricity - production:
6.271 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 83.7%
hydro: 16.3%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
7.933 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2005)

Electricity - imports:
1.662 billion kWh (2005)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:
23,000 bbl/day (2005 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:
$-81.1 million (2005 est.)

Exports:
$2.047 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:
food, beverages, tobacco; miscellaneous manufactures, iron and steel

Exports - partners:
Germany 17.8%, Greece 15.3%, Italy 8.3% (2005)

Imports:
$3.196 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, automobiles, chemicals, fuels, food
products

Imports - partners:
Russia 13.2%, Germany 10.4%, Greece 9.2%, Bulgaria 7.3%, Italy 6%
(2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$1.341 billion (2005 est.)

Debt - external:
$2.19 billion (2005 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$250 million (2003 est.)

Currency (code):
Macedonian denar (MKD)

Currency code:
MKD

Exchange rates:
Macedonian denars per US dollar - 48.92 (2005), 49.41 (2004),
54.322 (2003), 64.35 (2002), 68.037 (2001)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Macedonia

Telephones - main lines in use:
533,200 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.261 million (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 389

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 29, FM 20, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
410,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
31 (plus 166 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
510,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.mk

Internet hosts:
3,716 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
6 (2000)

Internet users:
392,671 (2005)

Transportation Macedonia

Airports:
17 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 10
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
under 914 m: 8 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 4 (2006)

Pipelines:
gas 268 km; oil 120 km (2006)

Railways:
total: 699 km
standard gauge: 699 km 1.435-m gauge (233 km electrified) (2005)

Roadways:
total: 8,684 km
paved: 5,540 km
unpaved: 3,144 km (1999)

Military Macedonia

Military branches:
Army of the Republic of Macedonia (ARM): Joint Operational Command,
with subordinate Air Wing (Makedonsko Voeno Vozduhoplovstvo, MVV),
Special Force Command (2006)

Military service age and obligation:
conscription to be phased out by 2007; current tour of conscript
duty is six months; 18 years of age for voluntary military service
(2005)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 498,259
females age 18-49: 481,317 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 411,156
females age 18-49: 397,839 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 16,686
females age 18-49: 15,664 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$200 million (FY01/02 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
6% (FY01/02 est.)

Transnational Issues Macedonia

Disputes - international:
ethnic Albanians in Kosovo object to demarcation of the boundary
with Macedonia in accordance with the 2000 Macedonia-Serbia and
Montenegro delimitation agreement; Greece continues to reject the
use of the name Macedonia or Republic of Macedonia

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 2,678 (ethnic conflict in 2001) (2005)

Illicit drugs:
major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and hashish;
minor transit point for South American cocaine destined for Europe;
although not a financial center and most criminal activity is
thought to be domestic, money laundering is a problem due to a
mostly cash-based economy and weak enforcement (no arrests or
prosecutions for money laundering to date)

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

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

@Madagascar

Introduction Madagascar

Background:
Formerly an independent kingdom, Madagascar became a French colony
in 1896, but regained its independence in 1960. During 1992-93, free
presidential and National Assembly elections were held, ending 17
years of single-party rule. In 1997, in the second presidential
race, Didier RATSIRAKA, the leader during the 1970s and 1980s, was
returned to the presidency. The 2001 presidential election was
contested between the followers of Didier RATSIRAKA and Marc
RAVALOMANANA, nearly causing secession of half of the country. In
April 2002, the High Constitutional Court announced RAVALOMANANA the
winner.

Geography Madagascar

Location:
Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique

Geographic coordinates:
20 00 S, 47 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 587,040 sq km
land: 581,540 sq km
water: 5,500 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
4,828 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or 100 nm from the 2,500-m deep isobath

Climate:
tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south

Terrain:
narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Maromokotro 2,876 m

Natural resources:
graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar sands,
semiprecious stones, mica, fish, hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 5.03%
permanent crops: 1.02%
other: 93.95% (2005)

Irrigated land:
10,860 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
periodic cyclones, drought, and locust infestation

Environment - current issues:
soil erosion results from deforestation and overgrazing;
desertification; surface water contaminated with raw sewage and
other organic wastes; several endangered species of flora and fauna
unique to the island

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

Geography - note:
world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along Mozambique
Channel

People Madagascar

Population:
18,595,469 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 44.8% (male 4,171,821/female 4,158,288)
15-64 years: 52.2% (male 4,809,173/female 4,900,675)
65 years and over: 3% (male 249,414/female 306,098) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 17.5 years
male: 17.3 years
female: 17.7 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
3.03% (2006 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 75.21 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 83.34 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 66.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 57.34 years
male: 54.93 years
female: 59.82 years (2006 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.7% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
140,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
7,500 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria and plague are high risks in some
locations
water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2005)

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

Ethnic groups:
Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo), Cotiers (mixed
African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry - Betsimisaraka,
Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), French, Indian, Creole, Comoran

Religions:
indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7%

Languages:
French (official), Malagasy (official)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 68.9%
male: 75.5%
female: 62.5% (2003 est.)

Government Madagascar

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Madagascar
conventional short form: Madagascar
local long form: Republique de Madagascar/Repoblikan'i Madagasikara
local short form: Madagascar/Madagasikara
former: Malagasy Republic

Government type:
republic

Capital:
name: Antananarivo
geographic coordinates: 18 52 S, 47 30 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:
6 provinces (faritany); Antananarivo, Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa,
Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara

Independence:
26 June 1960 (from France)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 26 June (1960)

Constitution:
19 August 1992 by national referendum

Legal system:
based on French civil law system and traditional Malagasy law;
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Marc RAVALOMANANA (since 6 May 2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Jacques SYLLA (27 May 2002)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
(eligible for a second term); election last held 16 December 2001
(next to be held December 2006); prime minister appointed by the
president
election results: percent of vote - Marc RAVALOMANANA (TIM) 50.5%,
Didier RATSIRAKA (AREMA) 37.7%

Legislative branch:
bicameral legislature consists of a National Assembly or Assemblee
Nationale (160 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote
to serve four-year terms) and a Senate or Senat (100 seats;
two-thirds of the seats filled by regional assemblies whose members
will be elected by popular vote; the remaining one-third of the
seats appointed by the president; all members will serve four-year
terms)
elections: National Assembly - last held 15 December 2002 (next to
be held December 2006)
election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party -
NA%; seats by party - TIM 103, FP 22, AREMA 3, LEADER/Fanilo 2, RPSD
5, others 3, independents 22

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Constitutional Court or Haute
Cour Constitutionnelle

Political parties and leaders:
Association for the Rebirth of Madagascar or AREMA [Pierrot
RAJAONARIVO]; Economic Liberalism and Democratic Action for National
Recovery or LEADER/Fanilo [Herizo RAZAFIMAHALEO]; Fihaonana Party or
FP [Guy-Willy RAZANAMASY]; I Love Madagascar or TIM [Marc
RAVALOMANANA]; Renewal of the Social Democratic Party or RPSD
[Evariste MARSON]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Committee for the Defense of Truth and Justice or KMMR; Committee
for National Reconciliation or CRN [Albert Zafy]; National Council
of Christian Churches or FFKM

International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt
(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM,
OIF, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Rajaonarivony NARISOA
chancery: 2374 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 265-5525, 5526
FAX: [1] (202) 265-3034
consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador James D. MCGEE
embassy: 14-16 Rue Rainitovo, Antsahavola, Antananarivo 101
mailing address: B. P. 620, Antsahavola, Antananarivo
telephone: [261] (20) 22-212-57, 22-212-73, 22-209-56
FAX: [261] (20) 22-345-39

Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a vertical
white band of the same width on hoist side

Economy Madagascar

Economy - overview:
Having discarded past socialist economic policies, Madagascar has
since the mid 1990s followed a World Bank- and IMF-led policy of
privatization and liberalization. This strategy placed the country
on a slow and steady growth path from an extremely low level.
Agriculture, including fishing and forestry, is a mainstay of the
economy, accounting for more than one-fourth of GDP and employing
80% of the population. Exports of apparel have boomed in recent
years primarily due to duty-free access to the United States.
Deforestation and erosion, aggravated by the use of firewood as the
primary source of fuel, are serious concerns. President RAVALOMANANA
has worked aggressively to revive the economy following the 2002
political crisis, which triggered a 12% drop in GDP that year.
Poverty reduction and combating corruption will be the centerpieces
of economic policy for the next few years.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$16.05 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$4.719 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
5.1% (2005 est.)

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

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 27.6%
industry: 16.5%
services: 55.9% (2005 est.)

Labor force:
7.3 million (2000)

Population below poverty line:
50% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 29% (1999)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
47.5 (2001)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
15% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
26.4% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $703.6 million
expenditures: $853 million; including capital expenditures of $331
million (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products:
coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca),
beans, bananas, peanuts; livestock products

Industries:
meat processing, soap, breweries, tanneries, sugar, textiles,
glassware, cement, automobile assembly plant, paper, petroleum,
tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
3% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
825.4 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 36.1%
hydro: 63.9%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
767.7 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2003)

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

Oil - consumption:
15,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
NA bbl/day

Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2002)

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

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

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

Current account balance:
$-438 million (2005 est.)

Exports:
$951 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:
coffee, vanilla, shellfish, sugar, cotton cloth, chromite,
petroleum products

Exports - partners:
France 30.9%, US 30.3%, Germany 8.6% (2005)

Imports:
$1.4 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:
capital goods, petroleum, consumer goods, food

Imports - partners:
France 16.6%, China 10.6%, Iran 7.9%, Mauritius 6.5%, South Africa
5.9%, Hong Kong 5% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$572 million (2005 est.)

Debt - external:
$4.6 billion (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
$354 million (2001)

Currency (code):
Madagascar ariary (MGA)

Currency code:
MGF

Exchange rates:
Malagasy ariary per US dollar - 2,003 (2005), 1,868.9 (2004),
1,238.3 (2003), 1,366.4 (2002), 1,317.7 (2001)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Madagascar

Telephones - main lines in use:
66,900 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
504,700 (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: system is above average for the region
domestic: open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay,
and tropospheric scatter links connect regions
international: country code - 261; submarine cable to Bahrain;
satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1
Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2 (plus a number of repeater stations), FM 9, shortwave 6 (2001)

Radios:
3.05 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (plus 36 repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:
325,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.mg

Internet hosts:
1,504 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
90,000 (2005)

Transportation Madagascar

Airports:
116 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 29
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 20
under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 87
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 42
under 914 m: 43 (2006)

Railways:
total: 854 km
narrow gauge: 854 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:
total: 49,827 km
paved: 5,780 km
unpaved: 44,047 km (1999)

Waterways:
600 km (2005)

Merchant marine:
total: 9 ships (1000 GRT or over) 13,896 GRT/18,466 DWT
by type: cargo 5, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 2 (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Antsiranana, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara

Military Madagascar

Military branches:
People's Armed Forces: Intervention Force, Development Force, and
Aeronaval Force (navy and air); National Gendarmerie

Military service age and obligation:
18-50 years of age; conscript service obligation - 18 months
(either military or equivalent civil service) (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 3,542,797
females age 18-49: 3,551,447 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 2,218,662
females age 18-49: 2,408,810 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 187,000
females age 18-49: 184,833 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$329 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
7.2% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Madagascar

Disputes - international:
claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan
de Nova Island (all administered by France)

Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild varieties) used
mostly for domestic consumption; transshipment point for heroin

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

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

@Malawi

Introduction Malawi