Chapter XLIX: Front Matter (49)

Administrative divisions:
79 provinces and 117 chartered cities
provinces: Abra, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Aklan, Albay,
Antique, Apayao, Aurora, Basilan, Bataan, Batanes, Batangas,
Biliran, Benguet, Bohol, Bukidnon, Bulacan, Cagayan, Camarines
Norte, Camarines Sur, Camiguin, Capiz, Catanduanes, Cavite, Cebu,
Compostela, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Eastern
Samar, Guimaras, Ifugao, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Iloilo, Isabela,
Kalinga, Laguna, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, La Union, Leyte,
Maguindanao, Marinduque, Masbate, Mindoro Occidental, Mindoro
Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Mountain Province,
Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, North Cotabato, Northern Samar,
Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Palawan, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Quezon,
Quirino, Rizal, Romblon, Samar, Sarangani, Siquijor, Sorsogon, South
Cotabato, Southern Leyte, Sultan Kudarat, Sulu, Surigao del Norte,
Surigao del Sur, Tarlac, Tawi-Tawi, Zambales, Zamboanga del Norte,
Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay
chartered cities: Alaminos, Angeles, Antipolo, Bacolod, Bago,
Baguio, Bais, Balanga, Batangas, Bayawan, Bislig, Butuan,
Cabanatuan, Cadiz, Cagayan de Oro, Calamba, Calapan, Calbayog,
Candon, Canlaon, Cauayan, Cavite, Cebu, Cotabato, Dagupan, Danao,
Dapitan, Davao, Digos, Dipolog, Dumaguete, Escalante, Gapan, General
Santos, Gingoog, Himamaylan, Iligan, Iloilo, Isabela, Iriga,
Kabankalan, Kalookan, Kidapawan, Koronadal, La Carlota, Laoag,
Lapu-Lapu, Las Pinas, Legazpi, Ligao, Lipa, Lucena, Maasin, Makati,
Malabon, Malaybalay, Malolos, Mandaluyong, Mandaue, Manila, Marawi,
Markina, Masbate, Muntinlupa, Munoz, Naga, Olongapo, Ormoc,
Oroquieta, Ozamis, Pagadian, Palayan, Panabo, Paranaque, Pasay,
Pasig, Passi, Puerto Princesa, Quezon, Roxas, Sagay, Samal, San
Carlos (in Negros Occidental), San Carlos (in Pangasinan), San
Fernando (in La Union), San Fernando (in Pampanga), San Jose, San
Jose del Monte, San Pablo, Santa Rosa, Santiago, Silay, Sipalay,
Sorsogon, Surigao, Tabaco, Tacloban, Tacurong, Tagaytay, Tagbilaran,
Taguig, Tagum, Talisay (in Cebu), Talisay (in Negros Oriental),
Tanauan, Tangub, Tanjay, Tarlac, Toledo, Tuguegarao, Trece Martires,
Urdaneta, Valencia, Valenzuela, Victorias, Vigan, Zamboanga

Independence:
12 June 1898 (from Spain)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 12 June (1898); note - 12 June 1898 was date of
declaration of independence from Spain; 4 July 1946 was date of
independence from US

Constitution:
2 February 1987, effective 11 February 1987

Legal system:
based on Spanish and Anglo-American law; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO (since 20 January
2001); note - president is both chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO (since 20
January 2001); note - president is both chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with consent of
Commission of Appointments
elections: president and vice president (Manuel "Noli" DE CASTRO)
elected on separate tickets by popular vote for a single six-year
term; election last held 10 May 2004 (next to be held in May 2010)
election results: results of the election - Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO
elected president; percent of vote - Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO 40%,
Fernando POE 37%, three others 23%

Legislative branch:
bicameral Congress or Kongreso consists of the Senate or Senado (24
seats - one-half elected every three years; members elected at large
by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of
Representatives or Kapulungan Ng Mga Kinatawan (212 members
representing districts plus 24 sectoral party-list members; members
elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; note - the
Constitution prohibits the House of Representatives from having more
than 250 members)
elections: Senate - last held 10 May 2004 (next to be held in May
2007); House of Representatives - elections last held 10 May 2004
(next to be held in May 2007)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - Lakas 30%, LP
13%, KNP 13%, independents 17%, others 27%; seats by party - Lakas
7, LP 3, KNP (coalition) 3, independents 4, others 6; note - there
are 23 rather than 24 sitting senators because one senator was
elected vice president; House of Representatives - percent of vote
by party - NA; seats by party - Lakas 93, NPC 53, LP 34, LDP 11,
others 20; party-listers 24 (2004)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (15 justices are appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the Judicial and Bar Council and serve until 70
years of age); Court of Appeals; Sandigan-bayan (special court for
hearing corruption cases of government officials)

Political parties and leaders:
Kabalikat Ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi) [Ronaldo PUNO]; Laban Ng
Demokratikong Pilipino (Struggle of Filipino Democrats) or LDP
[Edgardo ANGARA]; Lakas Ng Edsa (National Union of Christian
Democrats) or Lakas [Jose DE VENECIA]; Liberal Party or LP [Franklin
DRILON/Eli QUINTO]; Nacionalista [Manuel VILLAR]; National People's
Coalition or NPC [Frisco SAN JUAN]; PDP-Laban [Aquilino PIMENTEL];
People's Reform Party [Miriam Defensor SANTIAGO]; PROMDI [Emilio
OSMENA]; Pwersa Ng Masang Pilipino (Party of the Philippine Masses)
or PMP [Joseph ESTRADA]; Reporma [Renato DE VILLA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
AKBAYAN [Reps. Etta ROSALES, Mario AGUJA, and Risa
HONTIVEROS-BARAQUIEL]; ALAGAD [Rep. Rodante MARROLITA]; ALIF [Rep.
Acmad TOMAWIS]; An Waray [Rep. Horencio NOEL]; Anak Mindanao [Mujiv
HATAMIN]; ANAKPAWIS [Reps. Crispin BELTRAN and Rafael MARIANO]; APEC
[Reps. Ernesto PABLO, Edgar VALDEZ]; Association of Philippine
Electric Cooperatives (APEC) [Reps. Edgar VALDEZ, Ernesto PABLO, and
Sunny Rose MADAMBA]; AVE [Rep. Eulogio MAGSAYSAY]; Bayan Muna [Reps.
Satur OCAMPO, Joel VIRADOR, and Teodoro CASINO, Jr.]; BUHAY [Reps.
Rene VELARDE and Hans Christian SENERES]; BUTIL [Rep. Benjamin
CRUZ]; CIBAC [Rep. Emmanuel Joel VILLANUEVA]; COOP-NATCO [Rep.
Guillermo CUA]; GABRIELA [Rep. Liza MAZA]; Partido Ng Manggagawa
[Rep. Renato MAGTUBO]; Veterans Federation of the Philippines [Rep.
Ernesto GIDAYA] (2006)

International organization participation:
APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, CP, EAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA,
MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS (observer), ONUB, OPCW, PIF (partner), UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Willy C. GAA
chancery: 1600 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 467-9300
FAX: [1] (202) 328-7614
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, San
Francisco, San Jose (Northern Mariana Islands), Tamuning (Guam)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Kristie A. Kenney
embassy: 1201 Roxas Boulevard, Ermita 1000, Manila
mailing address: PSC 500, FPO AP 96515-1000
telephone: [63] (2) 528-6300
FAX: [63] (2) 522-4361

Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of blue (top; representing peace and
justice) and red (representing courage); a white equilateral
triangle based on the hoist side represents equality; the center of
the triangle displays a yellow sun with eight primary rays, each
representing one of the first eight provinces that sought
independence from Spain; each corner of the triangle contains a
small, yellow, five-pointed star representing the three major
geographical divisions of the country: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao;
the design of the flag dates to 1897; in wartime the flag is flown
upside down with the red band at the top

Economy Philippines

Economy - overview:
The Philippines was less severely affected by the Asian financial
crisis of 1998 than its neighbors, aided in part by its high level
of annual remittances from overseas workers, and no sustained runup
in asset prices or foreign borrowing prior to the crisis. From a
0.6% decline in 1998, GDP expanded by 2.4% in 1999, and 4.4% in
2000, but slowed to 3.2% in 2001 in the context of a global economic
slowdown, an export slump, and political and security concerns. GDP
growth accelerated to about 5% between 2002 and 2005 reflecting the
continued resilience of the service sector, and improved exports and
agricultural output. Nonetheless, it will take a higher, sustained
growth path to make appreciable progress in the alleviation of
poverty given the Philippines' high annual population growth rate
and unequal distribution of income. The Philippines also faces
higher oil prices, higher interest rates on its dollar borrowings,
and higher inflation. Fiscal constraints limit Manila's ability to
finance infrastructure and social spending. The Philippines'
consistently large budget deficit has produced a high debt level,
and this situation has forced Manila to spend a large portion of the
national government budget on debt service. Large unprofitable
public enterprises, especially in the energy sector, contribute to
the government's debt because of slow progress on privatization.
Credit rating agencies have at times expressed concern about the
Philippines' ability to service the debt, though central bank
reserves appear adequate and large remittance inflows appear stable.
The implementation of the expanded Value Added Tax (VAT) in November
2005 boosted confidence in the government's fiscal capacity and
helped to strengthen the peso, which gained 5.7 percent
year-on-year, making it East Asia's best performing currency in
2005. Investors and credit rating institutions will continue to look
for effective implementation of the new VAT and continued
improvement in the government's overall fiscal capacity in the
coming year.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$412.5 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$91.36 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
4.8% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$4,700 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 14.4%
industry: 32.6%
services: 53% (2005 est.)

Labor force:
36.73 million (2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 36%
industry: 16%
services: 48% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:
8.7% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:
40% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.3%
highest 10%: 31.9% (2003)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
46.6 (2003)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
7.6% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
15.5% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $12.38 billion
expenditures: $15.77 billion; including capital expenditures of NA
(2005 est.)

Public debt:
72.3% of GDP (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products:
sugarcane, coconuts, rice, corn, bananas, cassavas, pineapples,
mangoes; pork, eggs, beef; fish

Industries:
electronics assembly, garments, footwear, pharmaceuticals,
chemicals, wood products, food processing, petroleum refining,
fishing

Industrial production growth rate:
2.2% (2005 est.)

Electricity - production:
47.82 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 55.6%
hydro: 17.5%
nuclear: 0%
other: 26.9% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
44.48 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
14,360 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption:
335,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
312,000 bbl/day (2003)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Current account balance:
$2.354 billion (2005 est.)

Exports:
$41.25 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:
electronic equipment, machinery and transport equipment, garments,
optical instruments, coconut products, fruits and nuts, copper
products, chemicals

Exports - partners:
US 18%, Japan 17.5%, China 9.9%, Netherlands 9.8%, Hong Kong 8.1%,
Singapore 6.6%, Malaysia 6%, Taiwan 4.6% (2005)

Imports:
$42.66 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:
raw materials, machinery and equipment, fuels, vehicles and vehicle
parts, plastic, chemicals, grains

Imports - partners:
US 19.2%, Japan 17%, Singapore 7.9%, Taiwan 7.5%, China 6.3%, South
Korea 4.8%, Saudi Arabia 4.6%, Hong Kong 4.1% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$18.5 billion (2005 est.)

Debt - external:
$65.71 billion (2005 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
ODA commitments, $2 billion (2004)

Currency (code):
Philippine peso (PHP)

Currency code:
PHP

Exchange rates:
Philippine pesos per US dollar - 55.086 (2005), 56.04 (2004),
54.203 (2003), 51.604 (2002), 50.993 (2001)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Philippines

Telephones - main lines in use:
3,437,500 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
32.81 million (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: good international radiotelephone and submarine
cable services; domestic and inter-island service adequate
domestic: domestic satellite system with 11 earth stations
international: country code - 63; 9 international gateways;
satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Pacific
Ocean); submarine cables to Hong Kong, Guam, Singapore, Taiwan, and
Japan

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 369, FM 583, shortwave 5
note: each shortwave station operates on multiple frequencies in the
language of the target audience (2004)

Radios:
11.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
225; note - 1373 CATV networks (2004)

Televisions:
3.7 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.ph

Internet hosts:
111,262 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
33 (2000)

Internet users:
7.82 million (2005)

Transportation Philippines

Airports:
256 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 83
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 26
914 to 1,523 m: 36
under 914 m: 10 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 173
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 69
under 914 m: 99 (2006)

Heliports:
2 (2006)

Pipelines:
gas 565 km; oil 135 km; refined products 105 km (2006)

Railways:
total: 897 km
narrow gauge: 897 km 1.067-m gauge (492 km are in operation) (2005)

Roadways:
total: 200,037 km
paved: 19,804 km
unpaved: 180,233 km (2003)

Waterways:
3,219 km (limited to vessels with draft less than 1.5 m) (2005)

Merchant marine:
total: 403 ships (1000 GRT or over) 4,661,285 GRT/6,426,183 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 82, cargo 115, chemical tanker 13, container
6, liquefied gas 5, livestock carrier 17, passenger 9,
passenger/cargo 73, petroleum tanker 42, refrigerated cargo 15, roll
on/roll off 13, vehicle carrier 13
foreign-owned: 66 (Greece 5, Hong Kong 3, Japan 26, Malaysia 1,
Netherlands 19, Norway 3, UAE 1, US 8)
registered in other countries: 41 (Australia 1, Bahamas 1, Cambodia
1, Cayman Islands 1, Comoros 1, Cyprus 1, Hong Kong 16, Indonesia 1,
Panama 13, Singapore 5) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Iligan, Iloilo, Manila, Surigao

Military Philippines

Military branches:
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP): Army, Navy (includes Marine
Corps), Philippine Air Force (Hukbomg Himpapawid ng Pilipinas) (2006)

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

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 20,131,179
females age 18-49: 20,009,526 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 15,170,096
females age 18-49: 16,931,191 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 907,542
females age 18-49: 878,712 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$836.9 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.9% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Philippines

Disputes - international:
Philippines claims sovereignty over certain of the Spratly Islands,
known locally as the Kalayaan (Freedom) Islands, also claimed by
China, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam; the 2002 "Declaration on the
Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea," has eased tensions in
the Spratly Islands but falls short of a legally binding "code of
conduct" desired by several of the disputants; in March 2005, the
national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam signed
a joint accord to conduct marine seismic activities in the Spratly
Islands; Philippines retains a dormant claim to Malaysia's Sabah
State in northern Borneo based on the Sultanate of Sulu's granting
the Philippines Government power of attorney to pursue a sovereignty
claim on his behalf

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 150,000 (fighting between government troops and MILF and Abu
Sayyaf groups) (2005)

Illicit drugs:
domestic methamphetamine production has been a growing problem in
recent years; longstanding marijuana producer

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

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

@Pitcairn Islands

Introduction Pitcairn Islands

Background:
Pitcairn Island was discovered in 1767 by the British and settled
in 1790 by the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian companions.
Pitcairn was the first Pacific island to become a British colony (in
1838) and today remains the last vestige of that empire in the South
Pacific. Outmigration, primarily to New Zealand, has thinned the
population from a peak of 233 in 1937 to less than 50 today.

Geography Pitcairn Islands

Location:
Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about midway between
Peru and New Zealand

Geographic coordinates:
25 04 S, 130 06 W

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 47 sq km
land: 47 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
51 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical; hot and humid; modified by southeast trade winds; rainy
season (November to March)

Terrain:
rugged volcanic formation; rocky coastline with cliffs

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pawala Valley Ridge 347 m

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

Land use:
arable land: NA%
permanent crops: NA%
other: NA%

Irrigated land:
NA

Natural hazards:
typhoons (especially November to March)

Environment - current issues:
deforestation (only a small portion of the original forest remains
because of burning and clearing for settlement)

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

People Pitcairn Islands

Population:
45 (July 2006 est.)

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

Population growth rate:
-0.01% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
NA

Death rate:
NA deaths/1,000 population

Net migration rate:
NA

Sex ratio:
NA

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

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

Total fertility rate:
NA

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

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

Ethnic groups:
descendants of the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian wives

Religions:
Seventh-Day Adventist 100%

Languages:
English (official), Pitcairnese (mixture of an 18th century English
dialect and a Tahitian dialect)

Literacy:
NA

Government Pitcairn Islands

Country name:
conventional long form: Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno Islands
conventional short form: Pitcairn Islands

Dependency status:
overseas territory of the UK

Government type:
NA

Capital:
name: Adamstown
geographic coordinates: 25 04 S, 130 05 W
time difference: UTC-9 (4 hours behind Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Independence:
none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:
Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)

Constitution:
30 November 1838; reformed 1904 with additional reforms in 1940;
further refined by the Local Government Ordinance of 1964

Legal system:
local island by-laws

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal with three years residency

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by UK High Commissioner to New Zealand and Governor
(nonresident) of the Pitcairn Islands George FERGUSSON (since April
2006); Commissioner (nonresident) Leslie JAQUES (since September
2003) serves as liaison between the governor and the Island Council
head of government: Governor George FERGUSSON (since April 2006);
Mayor and Chairman of the Island Council Jay WARREN (since 15
December 2004)
cabinet: NA
elections: the monarchy is hereditary; governor and commissioner
appointed by the monarch; island mayor elected by popular vote for a
three-year term; election last held December 2004 (next to be held
December 2007)
election results: Jay WARREN elected mayor and chairman of the
Island Council

Legislative branch:
unicameral Island Council (10 seats - 5 elected by popular vote, 1
nominated by the 5 elected members, 2 appointed by the governor
including 1 seat for the Island Secretary, the Island Mayor, and a
commissioner liaising between the governor and council; elected
members serve one-year terms)
elections: last held in 24 December 2005 (next to be held December
2006)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - all independents

Judicial branch:
Magistrate's Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Judicial
Officers are appointed by the Governor

Political parties and leaders:
none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
none

International organization participation:
SPC, UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description:
blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and
the Pitcairn Islander coat of arms centered on the outer half of the
flag; the coat of arms is yellow, green, and light blue with a
shield featuring a yellow anchor

Economy Pitcairn Islands

Economy - overview:
The inhabitants of this tiny isolated economy exist on fishing,
subsistence farming, handicrafts, and postage stamps. The fertile
soil of the valleys produces a wide variety of fruits and
vegetables, including citrus, sugarcane, watermelons, bananas, yams,
and beans. Bartering is an important part of the economy. The major
sources of revenue are the sale of postage stamps to collectors and
the sale of handicrafts to passing ships. In October 2004, more than
one-quarter of Pitcairn's small labor force was arrested, putting
the economy in a bind, since their services were required as lighter
crew to load or unload passing ships.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$NA

Labor force:
15 able-bodied men (2004)

Labor force - by occupation:
note: no business community in the usual sense; some public works;
subsistence farming and fishing

Budget:
revenues: $746,000
expenditures: $1.028 million; including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY04/05)

Agriculture - products:
honey; wide variety of fruits and vegetables; goats, chickens

Industries:
postage stamps, handicrafts, beekeeping, honey

Electricity - production:
NA kWh; note - electric power is provided by a small diesel-powered
generator

Exports:
$NA

Exports - commodities:
fruits, vegetables, curios, stamps

Imports:
$NA

Imports - commodities:
fuel oil, machinery, building materials, flour, sugar, other
foodstuffs

Economic aid - recipient:
$3.465 million (2004)

Currency (code):
New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Currency code:
NZD

Exchange rates:
New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.4203 (2005), 1.5087 (2004),
1.7221 (2003), 2.1622 (2002), 2.3788 (2001)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Pitcairn Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:
1 (there are 17 telephones on one party line); (2004)

Telephone system:
general assessment: satellite phone services
domestic: domestic communication via radio (CB)
international: country code - 872; satellite earth station (Inmarsat)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0, note - 15 Ham radio operators (VP6) (2004)

Radios:
NA

Televisions:
NA

Internet country code:
.pn

Internet hosts:
8 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
NA

Internet users:
NA

Transportation Pitcairn Islands

Roadways:
total: 6 km
unpaved: 6 km (dirt roads)

Ports and terminals:
Adamstown (on Bounty Bay)

Military Pitcairn Islands

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Pitcairn Islands

Disputes - international:
none

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

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

@Poland

Introduction Poland

Background:
Poland is an ancient nation that was conceived near the middle of
the 10th century. Its golden age occurred in the 16th century.
During the following century, the strengthening of the gentry and
internal disorders weakened the nation. In a series of agreements
between 1772 and 1795, Russia, Prussia, and Austria partitioned
Poland amongst themselves. Poland regained its independence in 1918
only to be overrun by Germany and the Soviet Union in World War II.
It became a Soviet satellite state following the war, but its
government was comparatively tolerant and progressive. Labor turmoil
in 1980 led to the formation of the independent trade union
"Solidarity" that over time became a political force and by 1990 had
swept parliamentary elections and the presidency. A "shock therapy"
program during the early 1990s enabled the country to transform its
economy into one of the most robust in Central Europe, but Poland
still faces the lingering challenges of high unemployment,
underdeveloped and dilapidated infrastructure, and a poor rural
underclass. Solidarity suffered a major defeat in the 2001
parliamentary elections when it failed to elect a single deputy to
the lower house of Parliament, and the new leaders of the Solidarity
Trade Union subsequently pledged to reduce the Trade Union's
political role. Poland joined NATO in 1999 and the European Union in
2004. With its transformation to a democratic, market-oriented
country largely completed, Poland is an increasingly active member
of Euro-Atlantic organizations.

Geography Poland

Location:
Central Europe, east of Germany

Geographic coordinates:
52 00 N, 20 00 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 312,685 sq km
land: 304,465 sq km
water: 8,220 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than New Mexico

Land boundaries:
total: 3,056 km
border countries: Belarus 416 km, Czech Republic 790 km, Germany 467
km, Lithuania 103 km, Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) 210 km, Slovakia
541 km, Ukraine 529 km

Coastline:
491 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: defined by international treaties

Climate:
temperate with cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters with
frequent precipitation; mild summers with frequent showers and
thundershowers

Terrain:
mostly flat plain; mountains along southern border

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: near Raczki Elblaskie -2 m
highest point: Rysy 2,499 m

Natural resources:
coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, amber,
arable land

Land use:
arable land: 40.25%
permanent crops: 1%
other: 58.75% (2005)

Irrigated land:
1,000 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
flooding

Environment - current issues:
situation has improved since 1989 due to decline in heavy industry
and increased environmental concern by post-Communist governments;
air pollution nonetheless remains serious because of sulfur dioxide
emissions from coal-fired power plants, and the resulting acid rain
has caused forest damage; water pollution from industrial and
municipal sources is also a problem, as is disposal of hazardous
wastes; pollution levels should continue to decrease as industrial
establishments bring their facilities up to EU code, but at
substantial cost to business and the government

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

Geography - note:
historically, an area of conflict because of flat terrain and the
lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain

People Poland

Population:
38,536,869 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 15.9% (male 3,142,811/female 2,976,363)
15-64 years: 70.8% (male 13,585,306/female 13,704,763)
65 years and over: 13.3% (male 1,961,326/female 3,166,300) (2006
est.)

Median age:
total: 37 years
male: 35.1 years
female: 39 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
-0.05% (2006 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
-0.46 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: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 7.22 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 7.95 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.97 years
male: 70.95 years
female: 79.23 years (2006 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% ; note - no country specific models provided (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
14,000 (2003 est.)

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

Nationality:
noun: Pole(s)
adjective: Polish

Ethnic groups:
Polish 96.7%, German 0.4%, Belarusian 0.1%, Ukrainian 0.1%, other
and unspecified 2.7% (2002 census)

Religions:
Roman Catholic 89.8% (about 75% practicing), Eastern Orthodox 1.3%,
Protestant 0.3%, other 0.3%, unspecified 8.3% (2002)

Languages:
Polish 97.8%, other and unspecified 2.2% (2002 census)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.8%
male: 99.8%
female: 99.7% (2003 est.)

Government Poland

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Poland
conventional short form: Poland
local long form: Rzeczpospolita Polska
local short form: Polska

Government type:
republic

Capital:
name: Warsaw
geographic coordinates: 52 15 N, 21 00 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:
16 provinces (wojewodztwa, singular - wojewodztwo); Dolnoslaskie,
Kujawsko-Pomorskie, Lodzkie, Lubelskie, Lubuskie, Malopolskie,
Mazowieckie, Opolskie, Podkarpackie, Podlaskie, Pomorskie, Slaskie,
Swietokrzyskie, Warminsko-Mazurskie, Wielkopolskie,
Zachodniopomorskie

Independence:
11 November 1918 (independent republic proclaimed)

National holiday:
Constitution Day, 3 May (1791)

Constitution:
adopted by the National Assembly 2 April 1997, passed by national
referendum 25 May 1997, effective 17 October 1997

Legal system:
mixture of Continental (Napoleonic) civil law and holdover
Communist legal theory; changes being gradually introduced as part
of broader democratization process; limited judicial review of
legislative acts, but rulings of the Constitutional Tribunal are
final; court decisions can be appealed to the European Court of
Justice in Strasbourg; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Lech KACZYNSKI (since 23 December 2005)
head of government: Prime Minister Jaroslaw KACZYNSKI (since 10 July
2006); Deputy Prime Ministers Ludwik DORN (since 23 November 2005),
Roman GIERTYCH (since 5 May 2006), Zyta GILOWSKA (since 22 September
2006), Andrzej LEPPER (since 16 October 2006)
cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the prime minister and
the Sejm; the prime minister proposes, the president appoints, and
the Sejm approves the Council of Ministers
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
(eligible for a second term); election last held 9 and 23 October
2005 (next to be held October 2010); prime minister and deputy prime
ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the Sejm
election results: Lech KACZYNSKI elected president; percent of
popular vote - Lech KACZYNSKI 54%, Donald Tusk 46%

Legislative branch:
bicameral legislature consisting of an upper house, the Senate or
Senat (100 seats; members are elected by a majority vote on a
provincial basis to serve four-year terms), and a lower house, the
Sejm (460 seats; members are elected under a complex system of
proportional representation to serve four-year terms); the
designation of National Assembly or Zgromadzenie Narodowe is only
used on those rare occasions when the two houses meet jointly
elections: Senate - last held 25 September 2005 (next to be held by
September 2009); Sejm elections last held 25 September 2005 (next to
be held by September 2009)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - PiS 49, PO 34, LPR 7, SO 3, PSL 2, independents 5; Sejm -
percent of vote by party - PiS 27%, PO 24.1%, SO 11.4%, SLD 11.3%,
LPR 8%, PSL 7%, other 11.2%; seats by party - PiS 155, PO 133, SO
56, SLD 55, LPR 34, PSL 25, German minorities 2
note: two seats are assigned to ethnic minority parties in the Sejm
only

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the National Council of the Judiciary for an
indefinite period); Constitutional Tribunal (judges are chosen by
the Sejm for nine-year terms)

Political parties and leaders:
Catholic-National Movement or RKN [Antoni MACIEREWICZ]; Civic
Platform or PO [Donald TUSK]; Conservative Peasants Party or SKL
[Artur BALASZ]; Democratic Left Alliance or SLD [Wojciech
OLEJNICZAK]; Democratic Party or PD [Wladyslaw FRASYNIUK]; Dom
Ojczysty (Fatherland Home); German Minority of Lower Silesia or MNSO
[Henryk KROLL]; Law and Justice or PiS [Jaroslaw KACZYNSKI]; League
of Polish Families or LPR [Marek KOTLINOWSKI]; Peasant-Democratic
Party or PLD [Roman JAGIELINSKI]; Polish Accord or PP [Jan
LOPUSZANSKI]; Polish Peasant Party or PSL [Waldemar PAWLAK]; Ruch
Patriotyczny or RP [Jan OLSZEWSKI]; Samoobrona or SO [Andrzej
LEPPER]; Social Democratic Party of Poland or SDPL [Marek BOROWSKI];
Social Movement or RS [Krzysztof PIESIEWICZ]; Union of Labor or UP
[Andrzej SPYCHALSKI]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
All Poland Trade Union Alliance or OPZZ (trade union) [Jan GUZ];
Roman Catholic Church [Cardinal Jozef GLEMP]; Solidarity Trade Union
[Janusz SNIADEK]

International organization participation:
ACCT (observer), Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, BIS,
BSEC (observer), CBSS, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC,
NAM (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW,
OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE,
UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate), WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Janusz REITER
chancery: 2640 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 234-3800 through 3802
FAX: [1] (202) 328-6271
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Victor ASHE
embassy: Aleje Ujazdowskie 29/31 00-540 Warsaw
mailing address: American Embassy Warsaw, US Department of State,
Washington, DC 20521-5010 (pouch)
telephone: [48] (22) 504-2000
FAX: [48] (22) 504-2688
consulate(s) general: Krakow

Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; similar to the
flags of Indonesia and Monaco which are red (top) and white

Economy Poland

Economy - overview:
Poland has steadfastly pursued a policy of economic liberalization
throughout the 1990s and today stands out as a success story among
transition economies. Even so, much remains to be done, especially
in bringing down the unemployment rate - currently the highest in
the EU. The privatization of small- and medium-sized state-owned
companies and a liberal law on establishing new firms has encouraged
the development of the private business sector, but legal and
bureaucratic obstacles alongside persistent corruption are hampering
its further development. Poland's agricultural sector remains
handicapped by surplus labor, inefficient small farms, and lack of
investment. Restructuring and privatization of "sensitive sectors"
(e.g., coal, steel, railroads, and energy), while recently
initiated, have stalled. Reforms in health care, education, the
pension system, and state administration have resulted in
larger-than-expected fiscal pressures. Further progress in public
finance depends mainly on reducing losses in Polish state
enterprises, restraining entitlements, and overhauling the tax code
to incorporate the growing gray economy and farmers, most of whom
pay no tax. The previous Socialist-led government introduced a
package of social and administrative spending cuts to reduce public
spending by about $17 billion through 2007, but full implementation
of the plan was trumped by election-year politics in 2005. The
right-wing Law and Justice party won parliamentary elections in
September, and Lech KACZYNSKI won the presidential election in
October 2005, running on a state-interventionist fiscal and monetary
platform. Poland joined the EU in May 2004, and surging exports to
the EU contributed to Poland's strong growth in 2004, though its
competitiveness could be threatened by the zloty's appreciation. GDP
per capita roughly equals that of the three Baltic states. Poland
stands to benefit from nearly $23.2 billion in EU funds, available
through 2006. Farmers have already begun to reap the rewards of
membership via booming exports, higher food prices, and EU
agricultural subsidies.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$505.2 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$246.2 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3.4% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$13,100 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 5%
industry: 31.1%
services: 64% (2005 est.)

Labor force:
17.1 million (2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 16.1%
industry: 29%
services: 54.9% (2002)

Unemployment rate:
18.2% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:
17% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.1%
highest 10%: 26.7% (2002)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
34.1 (2002)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.2% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
18.2% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $52.73 billion
expenditures: $63.22 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA
(2005 est.)

Public debt:
47.7% of GDP (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products:
potatoes, fruits, vegetables, wheat; poultry, eggs, pork, dairy

Industries:
machine building, iron and steel, coal mining, chemicals,
shipbuilding, food processing, glass, beverages, textiles

Industrial production growth rate:
3.7% (2005 est.)

Electricity - production:
150.8 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 98.1%
hydro: 1.5%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0.4% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
121.3 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:
15.2 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:
5 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:
24,530 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption:
476,200 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
53,000 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
413,700 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
142.4 million bbl (December 2004)

Natural gas - production:
4.33 billion cu m (2004)

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

Natural gas - exports:
44 million cu m (2004)

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

Natural gas - proved reserves:
154.4 billion cu m (December 2004)

Current account balance:
$-4.364 billion (2005 est.)

Exports:
$92.72 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment 37.8%, intermediate manufactured
goods 23.7%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 17.1%, food and live
animals 7.6% (2003)

Exports - partners:
Germany 28.2%, France 6.2%, Italy 6.1%, UK 5.6%, Czech Republic
4.6%, Russia 4.4%, Netherlands 4.2% (2005)

Imports:
$95.67 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment 38%, intermediate manufactured
goods 21%, chemicals 14.8%, minerals, fuels, lubricants, and related
materials 9.1% (2003)

Imports - partners:
Germany 29.6%, Russia 8.7%, Italy 6.6%, Netherlands 5.9%, France
5.7% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$42.56 billion (2005 est.)

Debt - external:
$101.5 billion (2005 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$13.9 billion in available EU structural adjustment and cohesion
funds (2004-06)

Currency (code):
zloty (PLN)

Currency code:
PLN

Exchange rates:
zlotych per US dollar - 3.2355 (2005), 3.6576 (2004), 3.8891
(2003), 4.08 (2002), 4.0939 (2001)
note: zlotych is the plural form of zloty

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Poland

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

Telephones - mobile cellular:
29,166,400 (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: modernization of the telecommunications network
has accelerated with market based competition finalized in 2003;
fixed-line service, dominated by the former state-owned company, is
dwarfed by the growth in wireless telephony
domestic: wireless service, available since 1993 (GSM service
available since 1996) and provided by three nation-wide networks,
has grown rapidly in response to the weak fixed-line coverage; third
generation UMTS service available in urban areas; cellular coverage
is generally good with more gaps in the east; fixed-line service is
growing slowly and still lags in rural areas
international: country code - 48; international direct dialing with
automated exchanges; satellite earth station - 1 (Intelsat,
Eutelsat, Inmarsat, and Intersputnik)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 14, FM 777, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
20.2 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
40 (2006)

Televisions:
13.05 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.pl

Internet hosts:
358,476 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
19 (2000)

Internet users:
10.6 million (2005)

Transportation Poland

Airports:
122 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 83
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 29
1,524 to 2,437 m: 40
914 to 1,523 m: 8
under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 39
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 13
under 914 m: 21 (2006)

Heliports:
3 (2006)

Pipelines:
gas 13,552 km; oil 1,384 km; refined products 777 km (2006)

Railways:
total: 23,072 km
broad gauge: 629 km 1.524-m gauge
standard gauge: 22,443 km 1.435-m gauge (20,555 km operational;
11,910 km electrified) (2005)

Roadways:
total: 423,997 km
paved: 295,356 km (including 405 km of expressways)
unpaved: 128,641 km (2004)

Waterways:
3,997 km (navigable rivers and canals) (2005)

Merchant marine:
total: 11 ships (1000 GRT or over) 55,701 GRT/45,082 DWT
by type: cargo 6, chemical tanker 2, passenger/cargo 1, roll on/roll
off 1, vehicle carrier 1
foreign-owned: 1 (Nigeria 1)
registered in other countries: 106 (Antigua and Barbuda 3, Bahamas
15, Belize 2, Cyprus 20, Liberia 14, Malta 27, Norway 2, Panama 15,
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Slovakia 2, Vanuatu 5) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Gdansk, Gdynia, Swinoujscie, Szczecin

Military Poland

Military branches:
Polish Armed Forces: Land Forces (includes Navy (Marynarka Wojenna,
MW)), Polish Air Force (Polskie Sily Powietrzne, PSP) (2006)

Military service age and obligation:
17 years of age for compulsory military service after January 1st
of the year of 18th birthday; 17 years of age for voluntary military
service; in 2005, Poland plans to shorten the length of conscript
service obligation from 12 to 9 months; by 2008, plans call for at
least 60% of military personnel to be volunteers; only soldiers who
have completed their conscript service are allowed to volunteer for
professional service; as of April 2004, women are only allowed to
serve as officers and noncommissioned officers (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 17-49: 9,681,703
females age 17-49: 9,480,641 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 17-49: 7,739,472
females age 17-49: 7,859,165 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 275,446
females age 17-49: 265,164 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$3.5 billion (2002)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.71% (2002)

Transnational Issues Poland

Disputes - international:
as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border,
Poland must implement the strict Schengen border rules

Illicit drugs:
major illicit producer of synthetic drugs for the international
market; minor transshipment point for Asian and Latin American
illicit drugs to Western Europe

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

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

@Portugal

Introduction Portugal

Background:
Following its heyday as a world power during the 15th and 16th
centuries, Portugal lost much of its wealth and status with the
destruction of Lisbon in a 1755 earthquake, occupation during the
Napoleonic Wars, and the independence in 1822 of Brazil as a colony.
A 1910 revolution deposed the monarchy; for most of the next six
decades, repressive governments ran the country. In 1974, a
left-wing military coup installed broad democratic reforms. The
following year, Portugal granted independence to all of its African
colonies. Portugal is a founding member of NATO and entered the EC
(now the EU) in 1986.

Geography Portugal

Location:
Southwestern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, west of
Spain

Geographic coordinates:
39 30 N, 8 00 W

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 92,391 sq km
land: 91,951 sq km
water: 440 sq km
note: includes Azores and Madeira Islands

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Indiana

Land boundaries:
total: 1,214 km
border countries: Spain 1,214 km

Coastline:
1,793 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
maritime temperate; cool and rainy in north, warmer and drier in
south

Terrain:
mountainous north of the Tagus River, rolling plains in south

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Ponta do Pico (Pico or Pico Alto) on Ilha do Pico in
the Azores 2,351 m

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

Land use:
arable land: 17.29%
permanent crops: 7.84%
other: 74.87% (2005)

Irrigated land:
6,500 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
Azores subject to severe earthquakes

Environment - current issues:
soil erosion; air pollution caused by industrial and vehicle
emissions; water pollution, especially in coastal areas

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Environmental
Modification

Geography - note:
Azores and Madeira Islands occupy strategic locations along western
sea approaches to Strait of Gibraltar

People Portugal

Population:
10,605,870 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.5% (male 915,604/female 839,004)
15-64 years: 66.3% (male 3,484,545/female 3,544,674)
65 years and over: 17.2% (male 751,899/female 1,070,144) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 38.5 years
male: 36.4 years
female: 40.6 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.36% (2006 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.98 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.45 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.7 years
male: 74.43 years
female: 81.2 years (2006 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.4% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
22,000 (2001 est.)

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

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

Ethnic groups:
homogeneous Mediterranean stock; citizens of black African descent
who immigrated to mainland during decolonization number less than
100,000; since 1990 East Europeans have entered Portugal

Religions:
Roman Catholic 94%, Protestant (1995)

Languages:
Portuguese (official), Mirandese (official - but locally used)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.3%
male: 95.5%
female: 91.3% (2003 est.)

Government Portugal

Country name:
conventional long form: Portuguese Republic
conventional short form: Portugal
local long form: Republica Portuguesa
local short form: Portugal

Government type:
parliamentary democracy

Capital:
name: Lisbon
geographic coordinates: 38 43 N, 9 08 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:
18 districts (distritos, singular - distrito) and 2 autonomous
regions* (regioes autonomas, singular - regiao autonoma); Aveiro,
Acores (Azores)*, Beja, Braga, Braganca, Castelo Branco, Coimbra,
Evora, Faro, Guarda, Leiria, Lisboa, Madeira*, Portalegre, Porto,
Santarem, Setubal, Viana do Castelo, Vila Real, Viseu

Independence:
1143 (Kingdom of Portugal recognized); 5 October 1910 (independent
republic proclaimed)

National holiday:
Portugal Day (Day of Portugal), 10 June (1580); note - also called
Camoes Day, the day that revered national poet Luis de Camoes
(1524-80) died

Constitution:
25 April 1976; revised many times

Legal system:
civil law system; the Constitutional Tribunal reviews the
constitutionality of legislation; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Anibal CAVACO Silva (since 9 March 2006)
head of government: Prime Minister Jose SOCRATES (since 12 March
2005)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the prime minister
note: there is also a Council of State that acts as a consultative
body to the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
(eligible for a second term); election last held 22 January 2006
(next to be held January 2011); following legislative elections, the
leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is
usually appointed prime minister by the president
election results: Anibal CAVACO Silva elected president; percent of
vote - Anibal CAVACO Silva 50.6%, Manuel ALEGRE 20.7%, Mario SOARES
14.3%, Jeronimo de SOUSA 8.5%, Franciso LOUCA 5.3%

Legislative branch:
unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da Republica (230
seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 20 February 2005 (next to be held February 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - PS 45.1%, PSD 28.7%,
CDU 7.6%, PP 7.3%, BE 6.4%; seats by party - PS 121, PSD 75, CDU 14,
PP 12, BE 8

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal de Justica (judges appointed for
life by the Conselho Superior da Magistratura)

Political parties and leaders:
Green Ecologist Party or PEV [Heloisa APOLONIA]; Popular Party or
PP [Jose Ribeiro e CASTRO]; Portuguese Communist Party or PCP
[Jeronimo de SOUSA]; Portuguese Socialist Party or PS [Jose SOCRATES
Carvalho Pinto de Sousa]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Luis
Marques MENDES]; The Left Bloc or BE [Franciso Anacleto LOUCA];
Unitarian Democratic Coalition or CDU (includes PEV and PCP)
[Jeronimo de SOUSA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU,
ESA, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,
ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS
(observer), OECD, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI (observer), UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Pedro Manuel Dos Reis Alves CATARINO
chancery: 2012 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 350-5400
FAX: [1] (202) 462-3726
consulate(s) general: Boston, New York, Newark (New Jersey), San
Francisco
consulate(s): New Bedford (Massachusetts), Providence (Rhode Island)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Alfred J. HOFFMAN Jr.
embassy: Avenida das Forcas Armadas, 1600-081 Lisbon
mailing address: Apartado 43033, 1601-301 Lisboa; PSC 83, APO AE
09726
telephone: [351] (21) 727-3300
FAX: [351] (21) 726-9109
consulate(s): Ponta Delgada (Azores)

Flag description:
two vertical bands of green (hoist side, two-fifths) and red
(three-fifths) with the Portuguese coat of arms centered on the
dividing line

Economy Portugal

Economy - overview:
Portugal has become a diversified and increasingly service-based
economy since joining the European Community in 1986. Over the past
decade, successive governments have privatized many state-controlled
firms and liberalized key areas of the economy, including the
financial and telecommunications sectors. The country qualified for
the European Monetary Union (EMU) in 1998 and began circulating the
euro on 1 January 2002 along with 11 other EU member economies.
Economic growth had been above the EU average for much of the past
decade, but fell back in 2001-05. GDP per capita stands at
two-thirds that of the Big Four EU economies. A poor educational
system, in particular, has been an obstacle to greater productivity
and growth. Portugal has been increasingly overshadowed by
lower-cost producers in Central Europe and Asia as a target for
foreign direct investment. The government faces tough choices in its
attempts to boost Portugal's economic competitiveness while keeping
the budget deficit within the eurozone's 3%-of-GDP ceiling.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$200.6 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$170.3 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
0.4% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$19,000 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 5.3%
industry: 27.4%
services: 67.3% (2005 est.)

Labor force:
5.52 million (2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 10%
industry: 30%
services: 60% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
7.6% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.1%
highest 10%: 28.4% (1995 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
38.5 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.3% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
21.6% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $78.84 billion
expenditures: $90.27 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA
(2005 est.)

Public debt:
63.9% of GDP (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products:
grain, potatoes, tomatoes, olives, grapes; sheep, cattle, goats,
swine, poultry, dairy products; fish

Industries:
textiles and footwear; wood pulp, paper, and cork; metals and
metalworking; oil refining; chemicals; fish canning; rubber and
plastic products; ceramics; electronics and communications
equipment; rail transportation equipment; aerospace equipment; ship
construction and refurbishment; wine; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
0% (2005 est.)

Electricity - production:
44.32 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 64.5%
hydro: 31.3%
nuclear: 0%
other: 4.1% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
44.01 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
3.1 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
5.9 billion kWh (2003)

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

Oil - consumption:
326,500 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
28,830 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
357,300 bbl/day (2001)

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

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

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

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

Current account balance:
$-17.1 billion (2005 est.)

Exports:
$38.8 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:
clothing and footwear, machinery, chemicals, cork and paper
products, hides

Exports - partners:
Spain 25.9%, France 13.1%, Germany 11.9%, UK 8%, US 5.4%, Italy
4.3% (2005)

Imports:
$60.35 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum, textiles,
agricultural products

Imports - partners:
Spain 29%, Germany 13.4%, France 8.5%, Italy 5.2%, Netherlands
4.3%, UK 4.2% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$10.36 billion (2005 est.)

Debt - external:
$287.8 billion (2005 est.)

Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $271 million (1995)

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 Portugal

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

Telephones - mobile cellular:
11.448 million (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: Portugal's telephone system has achieved a
state-of-the-art network with broadband, high-speed capabilities
domestic: integrated network of coaxial cables, open-wire, microwave
radio relay, and domestic satellite earth stations
international: country code - 351; 6 submarine cables; satellite
earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean),
NA Eutelsat; tropospheric scatter to Azores; note - an earth station
for Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region) is planned

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 47, FM 172 (many are repeaters), shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
3.02 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
62 (plus 166 repeaters)
note: includes Azores and Madeira Islands (1995)

Televisions:
3.31 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.pt

Internet hosts:
845,980 (2005)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
16 (2000)

Internet users:
7,782,700 (2006)

Transportation Portugal

Airports:
66 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 43
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 13
under 914 m: 11 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 23
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 22 (2006)

Pipelines:
gas 1,099 km; oil 8 km; refined products 174 km (2006)

Railways:
total: 2,850 km
broad gauge: 2,576 km 1.668-m gauge (623 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 274 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:
total: 72,600 km
paved: 62,436 km (including 1,700 km of expressways)
unpaved: 10,164 km (2002)

Waterways:
210 km (on Douro River from Porto) (2003)

Merchant marine:
total: 111 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,077,300 GRT/1,363,435 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 11, cargo 27, chemical tanker 15, container 7,
liquefied gas 11, passenger 9, passenger/cargo 10, petroleum tanker
8, roll on/roll off 4, vehicle carrier 9
foreign-owned: 82 (Australia 1, Belgium 8, Cyprus 1, Denmark 4,
Germany 17, Greece 4, Italy 12, Japan 9, Malta 1, Mexico 1,
Netherlands 1, Norway 4, Spain 15, Switzerland 3, US 1)
registered in other countries: 16 (Cyprus 2, Hong Kong 1, Malta 3,
Panama 10) (2006)