Chapter LIV: Front Matter (54)

Natural resources:
oil, gas, coal, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, antimony, chromite,
nickel, gold, silver, magnesium, pyrite, limestone, marble, salt,
arable land

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

Irrigated land:
NA

Natural hazards:
destructive earthquakes

Environment - current issues:
air pollution around Belgrade and other industrial cities; water
pollution from industrial wastes dumped into the Sava which flows
into the Danube

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

Geography - note:
controls one of the major land routes from Western Europe to Turkey
and the Near East

People Serbia

Population:
9,396,411 (2002 census)

Median age:
total: 40.4 years
male: 39.1 years
female: 41.7 years

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74 years
male: 71 years
female: 76 years

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

Nationality:
noun: Serb(s)
adjective: Serbian

Ethnic groups:
Serb 66%, Albanian 17%, Hungarian 3.5%, other 13.5% (1991)

Religions:
Serbian Orthodox, Muslim, Roman Catholic, Protestant

Languages:
Serbian (official nationwide); Romanian, Hungarian, Slovak,
Ukrainian, and Croatian (all official in Vojvodina); Albanian
(official in Kosovo)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96.4%
male: 98.9%
female: 94.1% (2002 est.)

Government Serbia

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Serbia
conventional short form: Serbia
local long form: Republika Srbija
local short form: Srbija
former: People's Republic of Serbia, Socialist Republic of Serbia

Government type:
republic

Capital:
name: Belgrade
geographic coordinates: 44 50 N, 20 30 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:
29 districts (okrugov; singular - okrug), 1 capital city*
Serbia Proper: Belgrad*, Bor, Branicevo, Jablanica, Kolubara, Macva,
Moravica, Nisava, Pcinja, Pirot, Podunavlje, Pomoravlje, Rasina,
Raska, Sumadija, Toplica, Zajecar, Zlatibor
Vojvodina Autonomous Province: Central Banat, North Backa, North
Banat, South Backa, South Banat, Srem, West Backa
Kosovo and Metojia Autonomous Province: Kosovo, Kosovska-Mitrovica,
Kosovo-Pomoravlje, Pec, Prizren

Independence:
5 June 2006 (from Serbia and Montenegro)

National holiday:
National Day, 27 April

Constitution:
28 September 1990; note - a new draft constitution approved by
Parliament on 30 September 2006 stresses that Kosovo is an integral
part of Serbia; the draft must still be approved by a national
referendum

Legal system:
based on civil law system

Suffrage:
18 universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Boris TADIC (since 11 July 2004)
head of government: Prime Minister Vojislav KOSTUNICA (since 3 March
2004)
cabinet: Federal Ministries act as cabinet
elections: president elected by direct vote for a five-year term
(eligible for a second term); election last held 27 June 2004 (next
to be held June 2009); prime minister elected by the Assembly
election results: Boris TADIC elected president in the second round
of voting; Boris TADIC received 53% of the vote

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (250 deputies elected by direct vote
for a four-year term)
elections: last held 28 December 2003 (next to be held December 2007)
election results: SRS 83, DSS 53, DS 37, G17 Plus 34, SPO-NS 22, SPS
22

Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court (nine justices with life tenure)

Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party of Serbia or DSS [Vojislav KOSTUNICA]; Democratic
Party or DS [Boris TADIC]; G17 Plus [Mladjan DINKIC is acting
leader]; Serbian Radical Party or SRS [Vojislav SESELJ, but Tomislav
NIKOLIC is acting leader]; Socialist Party of Serbia or SPS [vacant,
but Ivica DACIC is head of the SPS Main Board]; New Serbia or NS
[Velimir ILIC]; Serbian Renewal Movement or SPO [Vuk DRASKOVIC]

International organization participation:
ABEDA, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, EBRD, FAO, G-9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD (suspended), IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAS
(observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ivan VUJACIC
chancery: 2134 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-0333
FAX: [1] (202) 332-3933
consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Michael C. POLT
embassy: Kneza Milosa 50, 11000 Belgrade
mailing address: 5070 Belgrade Place, Washington, DC 20521-5070
telephone: [381] (11) 361-9344
FAX: [381] (11) 361-8230
note: there is a branch office in Pristina at 30 Nazim Hikmet 38000
Prstina, Kososvo; telephone: [381] (38) 549-516; FAX:[381] (38)
549-890

Flag description:
three equal horizontal stripes of red (top), blue, and white;
charged with the coat of arms of Serbia shifted slightly to the
hoist side

Economy Serbia

Economy - overview:
MILOSEVIC-era mismanagement of the economy, an extended period of
economic sanctions, and the damage to Yugoslavia's infrastructure
and industry during the NATO airstrikes in 1999 left the economy
only half the size it was in 1990. After the ousting of former
Federal Yugoslav President MILOSEVIC in October 2000, the Democratic
Opposition of Serbia (DOS) coalition government implemented
stabilization measures and embarked on a market reform program.
After renewing its membership in the IMF in December 2000, a
down-sized Yugoslavia continued to reintegrate into the
international community by rejoining the World Bank (IBRD) and the
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). A World
Bank-European Commission sponsored Donors' Conference held in June
2001 raised $1.3 billion for economic restructuring. In November
2001, the Paris Club agreed to reschedule the country's $4.5 billion
public debt and wrote off 66% of the debt. In July 2004, the London
Club of private creditors forgave $1.7 billion of debt, just over
half the total owed. Belgrade has made only minimal progress in
restructuring and privatizing its holdings in major sectors of the
economy, including energy and telecommunications. It has made
halting progress towards EU membership and is currently pursuing a
Stabilization and Association Agreement with Brussels. Serbia is
also pursuing membership in the World Trade Organization.
Unemployment remains an ongoing political and economic problem. The
Republic of Montenegro severed its economy from Serbia during the
MILOSEVIC era; therefore, the formal separation of Serbia and
Montenegro in June 2006 had little real impact on either economy.
Kosovo's economy continues to transition to a market-based system
and is largely dependent on the international community and the
diaspora for financial and technical assistance. The euro and the
Yugoslav dinar are both accepted currencies in Kosovo. While
maintaining ultimate oversight, UNMIK continues to work with the EU
and Kosovo's local provisional government to accelerate economic
growth, lower unemployment, and attract foreign investment to help
Kosovo integrate into regional economic structures. The complexity
of Serbia and Kosovo's political and legal relationships has created
uncertainty over property rights and hindered the privatization of
state-owned assets in Kosovo. Most of Kosovo's population lives in
rural towns outside of the largest city, Pristina. Inefficient,
near-subsistence farming is common.
note: economic data for Serbia currently reflects information for
the former Serbia and Montenegro, unless otherwise noted; data for
Serbia alone will be added when available

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$41.15 billion for Serbia (including Kosovo) (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$19.19 billion for Serbia alone (excluding Kosovo) (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
5.9% for Serbia alone (excluding Kosovo) (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$4,400 for Serbia (including Kosovo) (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 16.6%
industry: 25.5%
services: 57.9% (2005 est.)

Labor force:
2.961 million for Serbia (including Kosovo) (2002 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 30%
industry: 46%
services: 24%
note: excluding Kosovo and Montenegro (2002)

Unemployment rate:
31.6%
note: unemployment is approximately 50% in Kosovo (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:
30%
note: data covers the former Serbia and Montenegro (1999 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
15.5% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
14.2% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $11.45 billion
expenditures: $11.12 billion; including capital expenditures $NA;
note - figures are for Serbia and Montenegro; Serbian Statistical
Office indicates that for 2006 budget, Serbia will have revenues of
$7.08 billion (2005 est.)

Public debt:
53.1% of GDP (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products:
wheat, maize, sugar beets, sunflower, beef, pork, milk

Industries:
sugar, agricultural machinery, electrical and communication
equipment, paper and pulp, lead, transportation equipment

Industrial production growth rate:
1.4% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:
33.87 billion kWh (excluding Kosovo and Montenegro) (2004)

Electricity - consumption:
NA

Electricity - exports:
12.05 billion kWh (excluding Kosovo; exported to Montenegro) (2004)

Electricity - imports:
11.23 billion kWh (excluding Kosovo; imports from Montenegro) (2004)

Oil - production:
14,660 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - consumption:
85,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - proved reserves:
38.75 million bbl (1 January 2002)

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

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

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m

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

Current account balance:
$-2.451 billion (2005 est.)

Exports:
$4.553 billion (excluding Kosovo and Montenegro) (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:
manufactured goods, food and live animals, machinery and transport
equipment

Imports:
$10.58 billion (excluding Kosovo and Montenegro) (2005 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$5.35 billion

Debt - external:
$15.43 billion (including Montenegro) (2005 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$2 billion pledged in 2001 to Serbia and Montenegro (disbursements
to follow over several years; aid pledged by EU and US has been
placed on hold because of lack of cooperation by Serbia in handing
over General Ratco MLADIC to the criminal court in The Hague)

Currency (code):
new Yugoslav dinar (YUM); note - in Kosovo both the euro and the
Yugoslav dinar are legal

Exchange rates:
new Yugoslav dinars per US dollar - 58.6925 (2005)

Communications Serbia

Telephones - main lines in use:
2,685,400 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
5.229 million (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: modernization of the telecommunications network
has been slow as a result of damage stemming from the 1999 war and
transition to a competitive market-based system; network was only
65% digitalized in 2005
domestic: teledensity remains below the average for neighboring
states; GSM wireless service, available through two providers with
national coverage, is growing very rapidly; best telecommunications
service limited to urban centers
international: country code - 381

Radio broadcast stations:
153 (2001)

Internet country code:
.rs; note - former ccTLD .yu will remain in service until the end
of 2006

Internet hosts:
NA

Internet users:
1.4 million (2006)

Transportation Serbia

Airports:
39 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 16
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 4 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 23
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m: 12 (2006)

Heliports:
4 (2006)

Pipelines:
gas 3,177 km; oil 393 km (2006)

Railways:
total: 4,135 km
standard guage: 4,135 km 1.435-m guage (electrified 1,195 km) (2005)

Roadways:
total: 37,887 km
paved: 23,937 km
unpaved: 13,950 km (2002)

Waterways:
587 km - primarily on Danube and Sava rivers (2005)

Merchant marine:
note: see entry for Montenegro

Military Serbia

Military branches:
Serbian Armed Forces (Vojska Srbije, VS): Serbian Land Forces
(Kopnene Vojska, KoV), Air Force and Air Defense Force
(Vozduhoplostvo i Protivozduhoplovna Odbrana, ViPO), naval force to
be determined (2006)

Military service age and obligation:
peacetime service obligation begins at age 17 and lasts until age
60 for men and 50 for women; under a state of war or impending war,
the obligation can begin at age 16 and be extended beyond 60 (2006)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$14.85 million

Transnational Issues Serbia

Disputes - international:
the final status of the Serbian province of Kosovo remains
unresolved and several thousand peacekeepers from the UN Interim
Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) have administered the
region since 1999, with Kosovar Albanians overwhelmingly supporting
and Serbian officials opposing Kosovo independence; the
international community had agreed to begin a process to determine
final status but contingency of solidifying multi-ethnic democracy
in Kosovo has not been satisfied; ethnic Albanians in Kosovo refuse
demarcation of the boundary with Macedonia in accordance with the
2000 Macedonia-Serbia and Montenegro delimitation agreement; Serbia
and Montenegro delimited about half of the boundary with Bosnia and
Herzegovina, but sections with Serbia along the Drina River remain
in dispute

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 180,117 (Croatia); 95,297 (Bosnia and
Herzegovina)
IDPs: 225,000 - 251,000 (mostly ethnic Serbs and Roma who fled
Kosovo in 1999) (2005)

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin moving to Western
Europe on the Balkan route; economy vulnerable to money laundering

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

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

@Seychelles

Introduction Seychelles

Background:
A lengthy struggle between France and Great Britain for the islands
ended in 1814, when they were ceded to the latter. Independence came
in 1976. Socialist rule was brought to a close with a new
constitution and free elections in 1993. The most recent
presidential elections were held in 2001; President RENE, who had
served since 1977, was re-elected. In April 2004 RENE stepped down
and Vice President James MICHEL was sworn in as president.

Geography Seychelles

Location:
archipelago in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar

Geographic coordinates:
4 35 S, 55 40 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 455 sq km
land: 455 sq km
water: 0 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
491 km

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

Climate:
tropical marine; humid; cooler season during southeast monsoon
(late May to September); warmer season during northwest monsoon
(March to May)

Terrain:
Mahe Group is granitic, narrow coastal strip, rocky, hilly; others
are coral, flat, elevated reefs

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Morne Seychellois 905 m

Natural resources:
fish, copra, cinnamon trees

Land use:
arable land: 2.17%
permanent crops: 13.04%
other: 84.79% (2005)

Irrigated land:
NA

Natural hazards:
lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare; short
droughts possible

Environment - current issues:
water supply depends on catchments to collect rainwater

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

Geography - note:
41 granitic and about 75 coralline islands

People Seychelles

Population:
81,541 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 25.9% (male 10,667/female 10,440)
15-64 years: 68% (male 27,060/female 28,366)
65 years and over: 6.1% (male 1,607/female 3,401) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 28.1 years
male: 27 years
female: 29.1 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.43% (2006 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
-5.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.47 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 15.14 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 19.16 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 10.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.08 years
male: 66.69 years
female: 77.63 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.74 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: Seychellois (singular and plural)
adjective: Seychellois

Ethnic groups:
mixed French, African, Indian, Chinese, and Arab

Religions:
Roman Catholic 82.3%, Anglican 6.4%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.1%,
other Christian 3.4%, Hindu 2.1%, Muslim 1.1%, other non-Christian
1.5%, unspecified 1.5%, none 0.6% (2002 census)

Languages:
Creole 91.8%, English 4.9% (official), other 3.1%, unspecified 0.2%
(2002 census)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 91.9%
male: 91.4%
female: 92.3% (2003 est.)

Government Seychelles

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Seychelles
conventional short form: Seychelles
local long form: Republic of Seychelles
local short form: Seychelles

Government type:
republic

Capital:
name: Victoria
geographic coordinates: 4 38 S, 55 27 E
time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:
23 administrative districts; Anse aux Pins, Anse Boileau, Anse
Etoile, Anse Louis, Anse Royale, Baie Lazare, Baie Sainte Anne, Beau
Vallon, Bel Air, Bel Ombre, Cascade, Glacis, Grand' Anse (on Mahe),
Grand' Anse (on Praslin), La Digue, La Riviere Anglaise, Mont
Buxton, Mont Fleuri, Plaisance, Pointe La Rue, Port Glaud, Saint
Louis, Takamaka

Independence:
29 June 1976 (from UK)

National holiday:
Constitution Day (National Day), 18 June (1993)

Constitution:
18 June 1993

Legal system:
based on English common law, French civil law, and customary law

Suffrage:
17 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President James MICHEL (since 14 April 2004); note
- the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President James MICHEL (since 14 April 2004);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
(eligible for two more terms); election last held 28-30 July 2006
(next to be held in 2011)
election results: President James MICHEL elected president; percent
of vote - James MICHEL (SPPF) 53.73%, Wavel RAMKALAWAN (SNP) 45.71%,
Philippe BOULLE 0.56%; note - this was the first election in which
President James MICHEL participated; he was originally sworn in as
president after former president France Albert RENE stepped down in
April 2004

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (34 seats - 25
elected by popular vote, 9 allocated on a proportional basis to
parties winning at least 10% of the vote; members serve five-year
terms)
elections: last held 4-6 December 2002 (next to be held in December
2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - SPPF 54.3%, SNP 42.6%,
DP 3.1%; seats by party - SPPF 23, SNP 11

Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal; Supreme Court; judges for both courts are
appointed by the president

Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party or DP [James MANCHAM, Daniel BELLE]; Mouvement
Seychellois pour la Democratie [Jacques HODOUL]; Seychelles National
Party or SNP [Wavel RAMKALAWAN] (formerly the United Opposition or
UO); Seychelles People's Progressive Front or SPPF [France Albert
RENE, James MICHEL] (the governing party)

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Roman Catholic Church; trade unions

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

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jeremie BONNELAME
chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400C, New York, NY 10017
telephone: [1] (212) 972-1785
FAX: [1] (212) 972-1786

Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Seychelles; the ambassador to
Mauritius is accredited to the Seychelles

Flag description:
five oblique bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, red, white, and
green (bottom) radiating from the bottom of the hoist side

Economy Seychelles

Economy - overview:
Since independence in 1976, per capita output in this Indian Ocean
archipelago has expanded to roughly seven times the old
near-subsistence level. Growth has been led by the tourist sector,
which employs about 30% of the labor force and provides more than
70% of hard currency earnings, and by tuna fishing. In recent years
the government has encouraged foreign investment in order to upgrade
hotels and other services. At the same time, the government has
moved to reduce the dependence on tourism by promoting the
development of farming, fishing, and small-scale manufacturing.
Sharp drops illustrated the vulnerability of the tourist sector in
1991-92 due largely to the Gulf War, and once again following the 11
September 2001 terrorist attacks on the US. Growth slowed in
1998-2002, and fell in 2003, due to sluggish tourist and tuna
sectors, but resumed in 2004, erasing a persistent budget deficit.
Growth turned negative again in 2005. Tight controls on exchange
rates and the scarcity of foreign exchange have impaired short-term
economic prospects. The black-market value of the Seychelles rupee
is half the official exchange rate; without a devaluation of the
currency, the tourist sector may remain sluggish as vacationers seek
cheaper destinations such as Comoros, Mauritius, and Madagascar.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$626 million (2002 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$722 million (2005 est.)

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

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$7,800 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3.2%
industry: 30.4%
services: 66.5% (2005 est.)

Labor force:
30,900 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 10%
industry: 19%
services: 71% (1989)

Unemployment rate:
NA%

Population below poverty line:
NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.6% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
42% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $343.3 million
expenditures: $332.2 million; including capital expenditures of $NA
(2005 est.)

Public debt:
167% of GDP (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products:
coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes, cassava (tapioca),
bananas; poultry; tuna

Industries:
fishing, tourism, processing of coconuts and vanilla, coir (coconut
fiber) rope, boat building, printing, furniture; beverages

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - production:
241.3 million kWh (2003)

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

Electricity - consumption:
224.4 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2003)

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

Oil - consumption:
7,600 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
NA bbl/day

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

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

Current account balance:
$-32 million (2005 est.)

Exports:
$312.1 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:
canned tuna, frozen fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum products
(reexports)

Exports - partners:
UK 23%, Spain 19.6%, France 11.4%, Japan 9.7%, Italy 7.4%, Germany
5.7%, Netherlands 5.4% (2005)

Imports:
$459.9 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals

Imports - partners:
Saudi Arabia 16.7%, Spain 14.9%, Singapore 7.6%, France 7.5%, Italy
6.2%, South Africa 6.2% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$41 million (2005 est.)

Debt - external:
$508 million (2005 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$16.4 million (1995)

Currency (code):
Seychelles rupee (SCR)

Currency code:
SCR

Exchange rates:
Seychelles rupees per US dollar - 5.5 (2005), 5.5 (2004), 5.4007
(2003), 5.48 (2002), 5.8575 (2001)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Seychelles

Telephones - main lines in use:
21,400 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
57,000 (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: effective system
domestic: radiotelephone communications between islands in the
archipelago
international: country code - 248; direct radiotelephone
communications with adjacent island countries and African coastal
countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

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

Radios:
42,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
2 (plus 9 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
11,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.sc

Internet hosts:
72 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
20,000 (2005)

Transportation Seychelles

Airports:
15 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 2 (2006)

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

Roadways:
total: 458 km
paved: 440 km
unpaved: 18 km (2003)

Merchant marine:
total: 5 ships (1000 GRT or over) 69,777 GRT/113,501 DWT
by type: cargo 1, chemical tanker 4
foreign-owned: 1 (Nigeria 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Victoria

Military Seychelles

Military branches:
Seychelles Defense Force: Army, Coast Guard (includes Navy Wing,
Air Wing), National Guard (2005)

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 21,612
females age 18-49: 22,459 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 16,122
females age 18-49: 18,777 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$14.85 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.1% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Seychelles

Disputes - international:
together with Mauritius, Seychelles claims the Chagos Archipelago
(UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory)

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

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

@Sierra Leone

Introduction Sierra Leone

Background:
The government is slowly reestablishing its authority after the
1991 to 2002 civil war that resulted in tens of thousands of deaths
and the displacement of more than 2 million people (about one-third
of the population). The last UN peacekeepers withdrew in December
2005, leaving full responsibility for security with domestic forces,
but a new civilian UN office remains to support the government.
Mounting tensions related to planned 2007 elections, deteriorating
political and economic conditions in Guinea, and the tenuous
security situation in neighboring Liberia may present challenges to
continuing progress in Sierra Leone's stability.

Geography Sierra Leone

Location:
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea
and Liberia

Geographic coordinates:
8 30 N, 11 30 W

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 71,740 sq km
land: 71,620 sq km
water: 120 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries:
total: 958 km
border countries: Guinea 652 km, Liberia 306 km

Coastline:
402 km

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

Climate:
tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season (May to December); winter
dry season (December to April)

Terrain:
coastal belt of mangrove swamps, wooded hill country, upland
plateau, mountains in east

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Loma Mansa (Bintimani) 1,948 m

Natural resources:
diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold, chromite

Land use:
arable land: 7.95%
permanent crops: 1.05%
other: 91% (2005)

Irrigated land:
300 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to
February); sandstorms, dust storms

Environment - current issues:
rapid population growth pressuring the environment; overharvesting
of timber, expansion of cattle grazing, and slash-and-burn
agriculture have resulted in deforestation and soil exhaustion;
civil war depleting natural resources; overfishing

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note:
rainfall along the coast can reach 495 cm (195 inches) a year,
making it one of the wettest places along coastal, western Africa

People Sierra Leone

Population:
6,005,250 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 44.8% (male 1,321,563/female 1,370,721)
15-64 years: 52% (male 1,494,502/female 1,625,733)
65 years and over: 3.2% (male 90,958/female 101,773) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 17.4 years
male: 17.1 years
female: 17.7 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.3% (2006 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
0.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: refugees currently in surrounding countries are slowly
returning (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 160.39 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 177.47 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 142.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 40.22 years
male: 38.05 years
female: 42.46 years (2006 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
7% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
170,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
11,000 (2001 est.)

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

Nationality:
noun: Sierra Leonean(s)
adjective: Sierra Leonean

Ethnic groups:
20 African ethnic groups 90% (Temne 30%, Mende 30%, other 30%),
Creole (Krio) 10% (descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were
settled in the Freetown area in the late-18th century), refugees
from Liberia's recent civil war, small numbers of Europeans,
Lebanese, Pakistanis, and Indians

Religions:
Muslim 60%, indigenous beliefs 30%, Christian 10%

Languages:
English (official, regular use limited to literate minority), Mende
(principal vernacular in the south), Temne (principal vernacular in
the north), Krio (English-based Creole, spoken by the descendants of
freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area, a
lingua franca and a first language for 10% of the population but
understood by 95%)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write English, Mende,
Temne, or Arabic
total population: 29.6%
male: 39.8%
female: 20.5% (2000 est.)

Government Sierra Leone

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Sierra Leone
conventional short form: Sierra Leone
local long form: Republic of Sierra Leone
local short form: Sierra Leone

Government type:
constitutional democracy

Capital:
name: Freetown
geographic coordinates: 8 30 N, 13 15 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:
3 provinces and 1 area*; Eastern, Northern, Southern, Western*

Independence:
27 April 1961 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 27 April (1961)

Constitution:
1 October 1991; subsequently amended several times

Legal system:
based on English law and customary laws indigenous to local tribes;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (since 29 March 1996,
reinstated 10 March 1998); note - the president is both the chief of
state and head of government
head of government: President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (since 29 March
1996, reinstated 10 March 1998); note - the president is both the
chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Ministers of State appointed by the president with the
approval of the House of Representatives; the cabinet is responsible
to the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
(eligible for a second term); election last held 14 May 2002 (next
to be held 28 July 2007)
election results: Ahmad Tejan KABBAH reelected president; percent of
vote - Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (SLPP) 70.6%, Ernest KOROMA (APC) 22.4%

Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament (124 seats - 112 elected by popular vote, 12
filled by paramount chiefs elected in separate elections; members
serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 14 May 2002 (next to be held May 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - SLPP 70.06%, APC
22.35%, PLP 3%, others 4.59%; seats by party - SLPP 83, APC 27, PLP 2

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Appeals Court; High Court

Political parties and leaders:
All People's Congress or APC [Ben KANU]; Peace and Liberation Party
or PLP [Darlington MORRISON, interim chairman]; Sierra Leone
People's Party or SLPP [Sama BANYA]; numerous others

Political pressure groups and leaders:
trade unions and student unions

International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ibrahim M. KAMARA
chancery: 1701 19th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 939-9261 through 9263
FAX: [1] (202) 483-1793

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas N. HULL
embassy: Corner of Walpole and Siaka Stevens Streets, Freetown
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [232] (22) 226481 through 226485
FAX: [232] (22) 225471

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

Economy Sierra Leone

Economy - overview:
Sierra Leone is an extremely poor African nation with tremendous
inequality in income distribution. While it possesses substantial
mineral, agricultural, and fishery resources, its economic and
social infrastructure is not well developed, and serious social
disorders continue to hamper economic development. About two-thirds
of the working-age population engages in subsistence agriculture.
Manufacturing consists mainly of the processing of raw materials and
of light manufacturing for the domestic market. Alluvial diamond
mining remains the major source of hard currency earnings,
accounting for nearly half of Sierra Leone's exports. The fate of
the economy depends upon the maintenance of domestic peace and the
continued receipt of substantial aid from abroad, which is essential
to offset the severe trade imbalance and supplement government
revenues. The IMF has completed a Poverty Reduction and Growth
Facility program that helped stabilize economic growth and reduce
inflation. A recent increase in political stability has led to a
revival of economic activity, such as the rehabilitation of bauxite
mining.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$4.939 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.128 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
7.5% (2005 est.)

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

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 49%
industry: 31%
services: 21% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
1.369 million (1981 est.)

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

Unemployment rate:
NA%

Population below poverty line:
68% (1989 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 0.5%
highest 10%: 43.6% (1989)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
62.9 (1989)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1% (2002 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $96 million
expenditures: $351 million; including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)

Agriculture - products:
rice, coffee, cocoa, palm kernels, palm oil, peanuts; poultry,
cattle, sheep, pigs; fish

Industries:
diamond mining; small-scale manufacturing (beverages, textiles,
cigarettes, footwear); petroleum refining, small commercial ship
repair

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - production:
260.6 million kWh (2003)

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

Electricity - consumption:
242.4 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
0.8361 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption:
6,510 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:
$185 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
diamonds, rutile, cocoa, coffee, fish

Exports - partners:
Belgium 66.2%, Germany 13.5%, US 4.6% (2005)

Imports:
$531 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels and lubricants, chemicals

Imports - partners:
Germany 18.9%, Cote d'Ivoire 11.2%, UK 8.5%, US 6.9%, China 5.6%,
Netherlands 5.4%, South Africa 4.1% (2005)

Debt - external:
$1.61 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$297.4 million (2003 est.)

Currency (code):
leone (SLL)

Currency code:
SLL

Exchange rates:
leones per US dollar - 2,889.6 (2005), 2,701.3 (2004), 2,347.9
(2003), 2,099 (2002), 1,986.2 (2001)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Sierra Leone

Telephones - main lines in use:
24,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
113,200 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: marginal telephone and telegraph service
domestic: the national microwave radio relay trunk system connects
Freetown to Bo and Kenema
international: country code - 232; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 9, shortwave 1 (1999)

Radios:
1.12 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
2 (1999)

Televisions:
53,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.sl

Internet hosts:
20 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2001)

Internet users:
10,000 (2005)

Transportation Sierra Leone

Airports:
10 (2006)

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

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 9
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Heliports:
2 (2006)

Roadways:
total: 11,300 km
paved: 904 km
unpaved: 10,396 km (2002)

Waterways:
800 km (600 km year round) (2005)

Merchant marine:
total: 54 ships (1000 GRT or over) 185,037 GRT/249,996 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 36, chemical tanker 3, combination
ore/oil 3, liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 1, passenger 1,
passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 2
foreign-owned: 14 (China 2, Cyprus 1, Egypt 1, Russia 1, Syria 1,
UAE 3, Ukraine 4, US 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Freetown, Pepel, Sherbro Islands

Military Sierra Leone

Military branches:
Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF): Army (includes Air
Wing, Maritime Wing)

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 1,086,091 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 539,697 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$14.25 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.7% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Sierra Leone

Disputes - international:
domestic fighting among disparate rebel groups, warlords, and youth
gangs in Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone perpetuate
insurgencies, street violence, looting, arms trafficking, ethnic
conflicts, and refugees in border areas; UN Mission in Sierra Leone
(UNAMSIL) has maintained over 4,000 peacekeepers in Sierra Leone
since 1999; Sierra Leone pressures Guinea to remove its forces from
the town of Yenga occupied since 1998

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 65,433 (Liberia) (2005)

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

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

@Singapore

Introduction Singapore

Background:
Singapore was founded as a British trading colony in 1819. It
joined the Malaysian Federation in 1963 but separated two years
later and became independent. Singapore subsequently became one of
the world's most prosperous countries with strong international
trading links (its port is one of the world's busiest in terms of
tonnage handled) and with per capita GDP equal to that of the
leading nations of Western Europe.

Geography Singapore

Location:
Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia

Geographic coordinates:
1 22 N, 103 48 E

Map references:
Southeast Asia

Area:
total: 692.7 sq km
land: 682.7 sq km
water: 10 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly more than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
193 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: within and beyond territorial sea, as
defined in treaties and practice

Climate:
tropical; hot, humid, rainy; two distinct monsoon seasons -
Northeastern monsoon (December to March) and Southwestern monsoon
(June to September); inter-monsoon - frequent afternoon and early
evening thunderstorms

Terrain:
lowland; gently undulating central plateau contains water catchment
area and nature preserve

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Singapore Strait 0 m
highest point: Bukit Timah 166 m

Natural resources:
fish, deepwater ports

Land use:
arable land: 1.47%
permanent crops: 1.47%
other: 97.06% (2005)

Irrigated land:
NA

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
industrial pollution; limited natural fresh water resources;
limited land availability presents waste disposal problems; seasonal
smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia

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

Geography - note:
focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes

People Singapore

Population:
4,492,150 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 15.6% (male 362,329/female 337,964)
15-64 years: 76.1% (male 1,666,709/female 1,750,736)
65 years and over: 8.3% (male 165,823/female 208,589) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 37.3 years
male: 36.9 years
female: 37.6 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.42% (2006 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
9.12 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: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 2.29 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 2.5 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 2.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 81.71 years
male: 79.13 years
female: 84.49 years (2006 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
4,100 (2003 est.)

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

Nationality:
noun: Singaporean(s)
adjective: Singapore

Ethnic groups:
Chinese 76.8%, Malay 13.9%, Indian 7.9%, other 1.4% (2000 census)

Religions:
Buddhist 42.5%, Muslim 14.9%, Taoist 8.5%, Hindu 4%, Catholic 4.8%,
other Christian 9.8%, other 0.7%, none 14.8% (2000 census)

Languages:
Mandarin 35%, English 23%, Malay 14.1%, Hokkien 11.4%, Cantonese
5.7%, Teochew 4.9%, Tamil 3.2%, other Chinese dialects 1.8%, other
0.9% (2000 census)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.5%
male: 96.6%
female: 88.6% (2002)

Government Singapore

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Singapore
conventional short form: Singapore
local long form: Republic of Singapore
local short form: Singapore

Government type:
parliamentary republic

Capital:
name: Singapore
geographic coordinates: 1 17 N, 103 51 E
time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:
none

Independence:
9 August 1965 (from Malaysian Federation)

National holiday:
National Day, 9 August (1965)

Constitution:
3 June 1959; amended 1965 (based on preindependence State of
Singapore Constitution)

Legal system:
based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction

Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: President S. R. NATHAN (since 1 September 1999)
note: uses S. R. NATHAN but his full name and the one used in formal
communications is Sellapan RAMANATHAN
head of government: Prime Minister LEE Hsien Loong (since 12 August
2004); Deputy Prime Minister Shunmugan JAYAKUMAR (since 12 August
2004); Deputy Prime Minister WONG Kan Seng (since 1 September 2005);
Senior Minister GOH Chok Tong (since 12 August 2004); Minister
Mentor LEE Kuan Yew (since 12 August 2004)
cabinet: appointed by president, responsible to parliament
elections: president elected by popular vote for six-year term; last
appointed 17 August 2005 - see note (next election to be held by
August 2011); following legislative elections, leader of majority
party or leader of majority coalition is usually appointed prime
minister by president; deputy prime ministers appointed by president
election results: Sellapan Rama (S. R.) NATHAN appointed president
in August 2005 after Presidential Elections Committee disqualified
three other would-be candidates; scheduled election not held

Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament (84 seats; members elected by popular vote to
serve five-year terms); note - in addition, there are up to nine
nominated members; the losing opposition candidate who came closest
to winning a seat may be appointed as a "nonconstituency" member
elections: last held 6 May 2006 (next to be held in 2011)
election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 66.6%, WP 16.3%,
SDA 13%, SDP 4.1%; seats by party - PAP 82, WP 1, SDA 1

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the president with the
advice of the prime minister, other judges are appointed by the
president with the advice of the chief justice); Court of Appeals

Political parties and leaders:
People's Action Party or PAP [LEE Hsien Loong]; Singapore
Democratic Alliance or SDA [CHIAM See Tong]; Singapore Democratic
Party or SDP [CHEE Soon Juan]; Workers' Party or WP [Sylvia LIM Swee
Lian]
note: SDA includes National Solidarity Party or NSP, Singapore
Justice Party or SJP, Singapore National Malay Organization or PKMS,
Singapore People's Party or SPP

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, EAS, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU,
WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador CHAN Heng Chee
chancery: 3501 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 537-3100
FAX: [1] (202) 537-0876
consulate(s) general: San Francisco
consulate(s): New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Patricia L. HERBOLD
embassy: 27 Napier Road, Singapore 258508
mailing address: FPO AP 96507-0001
telephone: [65] 6476-9100
FAX: [65] 6476-9340

Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; near the hoist
side of the red band, there is a vertical, white crescent (closed
portion is toward the hoist side) partially enclosing five white
five-pointed stars arranged in a circle

Economy Singapore

Economy - overview:
Singapore, a highly-developed and successful free-market economy,
enjoys a remarkably open and corruption-free environment, stable
prices, and a per capita GDP equal to that of the four largest West
European countries. The economy depends heavily on exports,
particularly in electronics and manufacturing. It was hard hit in
2001-03 by the global recession, by the slump in the technology
sector, and by an outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
(SARS) in 2003, which curbed tourism and consumer spending. The
government hopes to establish a new growth path that will be less
vulnerable to the external business cycle and will continue efforts
to establish Singapore as Southeast Asia's financial and high-tech
hub. Fiscal stimulus, low interest rates, a surge in exports, and
internal flexibility led to vigorous growth in 2004, with real GDP
rising by 8% - by far the economy's best performance since 2000 -
but growth slowed to 5.7% in 2005.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$126.5 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$110.6 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
6.4% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$28,600 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 0%
industry: 33.9%
services: 66.1% (2005 est.)

Labor force:
2.28 million (September 2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
manufacturing 18%, construction 6%, transportation and
communication 11%, financial, business, and other services 39%,
other 26% (2003)

Unemployment rate:
3.1% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

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

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
42.5 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
0.4% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
21.8% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $18.67 billion
expenditures: $18.21 billion; including capital expenditures of $5.1
billion (2005 est.)

Public debt:
102.9% of GDP (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products:
rubber, copra, fruit, orchids, vegetables; poultry, eggs; fish,
ornamental fish

Industries:
electronics, chemicals, financial services, oil drilling equipment,
petroleum refining, rubber processing and rubber products, processed
food and beverages, ship repair, offshore platform construction,
life sciences, entrepot trade

Industrial production growth rate:
9.5% (2005 est.)

Electricity - production:
36.8 billion kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:
33.2 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:
8,290 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption:
800,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
NA bbl/day

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

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

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

Natural gas - imports:
2.5 billion cu m
note: from Indonesia and Malaysia (2001 est.)

Current account balance:
$32.74 billion (2005 est.)

Exports:
$204.8 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:
machinery and equipment (including electronics), consumer goods,
chemicals, mineral fuels

Exports - partners:
Malaysia 14.7%, US 11.5%, Indonesia 10.7%, Hong Kong 10.4%, China
9.5%, Japan 6%, Thailand 4.5%, Australia 4.1% (2005)

Imports:
$188.3 billion (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, mineral fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
Malaysia 14.4%, US 12.4%, China 10.8%, Japan 10.1%, Indonesia 5.5%,
Saudi Arabia 4.7%, South Korea 4.5% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$115.8 billion (2005 est.)

Debt - external:
$23.76 billion (2005 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$NA

Currency (code):
Singapore dollar (SGD)

Currency code:
SGD

Exchange rates:
Singapore dollars per US dollar - 1.6644 (2005), 1.6902 (2004),
1.7422 (2003), 1.7906 (2002), 1.7917 (2001)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Singapore

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

Telephones - mobile cellular:
4.385 million (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: excellent service
domestic: excellent domestic facilities; launched 3G wireless
service in February 2005
international: country code - 65; 9 submarine cables provide direct
connection to more than 100 countries; 4 satellite earth stations,
supplemented by VSAT coverage

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 17, shortwave 2 (2003)

Radios:
2.6 million (2000)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (broadcasting on six channels); additional reception of numerous
UHF and VHF signals originating in Malaysia and Indonesia; note -
digital TV for reception in public spaces and transportation is
transmitted from 10 sites (2006)

Televisions:
1.33 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.sg

Internet hosts:
898,762 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
9 (2000)

Internet users:
2,421,800 (2005)

Transportation Singapore

Airports:
9 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 9
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Pipelines:
gas 139 km; refined products 8 km (2006)

Roadways:
total: 3,234 km
paved: 3,234 km (including 150 km of expressways) (2005)

Merchant marine:
total: 1,063 ships (1000 GRT or over) 31,033,735 GRT/49,715,650 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 155, cargo 87, chemical tanker 136, container
214, liquefied gas 53, livestock carrier 1, passenger/cargo 1,
petroleum tanker 353, refrigerated cargo 10, roll on/roll off 2,
specialized tanker 11, vehicle carrier 40
foreign-owned: 592 (Australia 7, Bangladesh 1, Belgium 12, China 23,
Denmark 52, Germany 9, Greece 9, Hong Kong 50, India 5, Indonesia
56, Italy 2, Japan 100, South Korea 17, Malaysia 35, Netherlands 2,
Norway 90, Philippines 5, Slovenia 1, Sweden 12, Taiwan 59, Thailand
22, UAE 7, UK 9, US 7)
registered in other countries: 285 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Bahamas
12, Belize 6, Bolivia 3, Cambodia 4, Cayman Islands 10, Cyprus 1,
Dominica 9, France 2, Honduras 11, Hong Kong 24, Indonesia 17, Isle
of Man 7, North Korea 1, Liberia 28, Malaysia 44, Marshall Islands
6, Mongolia 10, Nigeria 1, Panama 67, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines 5, Thailand 6, Tuvalu 6, US 2, unknown 2) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Singapore

Military Singapore

Military branches:
Singapore Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Republic of Singapore Air Force
(includes Air Defense) (2006)

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age
for volunteers; conscript service obligation reduced to 24 months
beginning December 2004 (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 1,215,568 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 982,368 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$4.47 billion (FY01 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
4.9% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Singapore

Disputes - international:
disputes persist with Malaysia over deliveries of fresh water to
Singapore, Singapore's extensive land reclamation works, bridge
construction, maritime boundaries, and Pedra Branca Island/Pulau
Batu Putih - parties agree to ICJ arbitration on island dispute
within three years; Indonesia and Singapore pledged in 2005 to
finalize their 1973 maritime boundary agreement by defining
unresolved areas north of Batam Island; piracy remains a problem in
the Malacca Strait

Illicit drugs:
as a transportation and financial services hub, Singapore is
vulnerable, despite strict laws and enforcement, as a venue for
money laundering

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

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

@Slovakia

Introduction Slovakia

Background:
The dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the close of
World War I allowed the Slovaks to join the closely related Czechs
to form Czechoslovakia. Following the chaos of World War II,
Czechoslovakia became a Communist nation within Soviet-ruled Eastern
Europe. Soviet influence collapsed in 1989 and Czechoslovakia once
more became free. The Slovaks and the Czechs agreed to separate
peacefully on 1 January 1993. Slovakia joined both NATO and the EU
in the spring of 2004.

Geography Slovakia

Location:
Central Europe, south of Poland

Geographic coordinates:
48 40 N, 19 30 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 48,845 sq km
land: 48,800 sq km
water: 45 sq km

Area - comparative:
about twice the size of New Hampshire

Land boundaries:
total: 1,524 km
border countries: Austria 91 km, Czech Republic 215 km, Hungary 677
km, Poland 444 km, Ukraine 97 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

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

Terrain:
rugged mountains in the central and northern part and lowlands in
the south

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Bodrok River 94 m
highest point: Gerlachovsky Stit 2,655 m

Natural resources:
brown coal and lignite; small amounts of iron ore, copper and
manganese ore; salt; arable land

Land use:
arable land: 29.23%
permanent crops: 2.67%
other: 68.1% (2005)

Irrigated land:
1,830 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
air pollution from metallurgical plants presents human health
risks; acid rain damaging forests

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

Geography - note:
landlocked; most of the country is rugged and mountainous; the
Tatra Mountains in the north are interspersed with many scenic lakes
and valleys

People Slovakia

Population:
5,439,448 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.7% (male 465,304/female 443,967)
15-64 years: 71.3% (male 1,929,448/female 1,947,735)
65 years and over: 12% (male 244,609/female 408,385) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 35.8 years
male: 34.2 years
female: 37.6 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.15% (2006 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 7.26 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 8.48 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.73 years
male: 70.76 years
female: 78.89 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.33 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 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Slovak(s)
adjective: Slovak

Ethnic groups:
Slovak 85.8%, Hungarian 9.7%, Roma 1.7%, Ruthenian/Ukrainian 1%,
other and unspecified 1.8% (2001 census)

Religions:
Roman Catholic 68.9%, Protestant 10.8%, Greek Catholic 4.1%, other
or unspecified 3.2%, none 13% (2001 census)