Chapter XII: Front Matter (12)

Oil - exports:
NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA bbl/day (2001)

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

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

Current account balance:
$134.3 million (1999)

Exports:
$25.3 million (2002)

Exports - commodities:
rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand

Exports - partners:
Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US (2004)

Imports:
$187 million (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery

Imports - partners:
Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US (2004)

Debt - external:
$36.1 million (1997)

Economic aid - recipient:
$NA

Currency (code):
US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
USD

Exchange rates:
the US dollar is used

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications British Virgin Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:
11,700 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
8,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: worldwide telephone service
domestic: NA
international: country code - 1-284; submarine cable to Bermuda

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:
9,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (plus one cable company) (1997)

Televisions:
4,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.vg

Internet hosts:
525 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
16 (2000)

Internet users:
4,000 (2002)

Transportation British Virgin Islands

Airports:
3 (2006)

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

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

Roadways:
total: 177 km
paved: 177 km (2002)

Merchant marine:
registered in other countries: 1 (North Korea 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Road Town

Military British Virgin Islands

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 6,410 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 5,295 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 201 (2005 est.)

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues British Virgin Islands

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the
US and Europe; large offshore financial center makes it vulnerable
to money laundering

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Brunei

Introduction Brunei

Background:
The Sultanate of Brunei's influence peaked between the 15th and
17th centuries when its control extended over coastal areas of
northwest Borneo and the southern Philippines. Brunei subsequently
entered a period of decline brought on by internal strife over royal
succession, colonial expansion of European powers, and piracy. In
1888, Brunei became a British protectorate; independence was
achieved in 1984. The same family has ruled Brunei for over six
centuries. Brunei benefits from extensive petroleum and natural gas
fields, the source of one of the highest per capita GDPs in the
developing world.

Geography Brunei

Location:
Southeastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and Malaysia

Geographic coordinates:
4 30 N, 114 40 E

Map references:
Southeast Asia

Area:
total: 5,770 sq km
land: 5,270 sq km
water: 500 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Delaware

Land boundaries:
total: 381 km
border countries: Malaysia 381 km

Coastline:
161 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or to median line

Climate:
tropical; hot, humid, rainy

Terrain:
flat coastal plain rises to mountains in east; hilly lowland in west

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Bukit Pagon 1,850 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, timber

Land use:
arable land: 2.08%
permanent crops: 0.87%
other: 97.05% (2005)

Irrigated land:
10 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are rare

Environment - current issues:
seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia

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

Geography - note:
close to vital sea lanes through South China Sea linking Indian and
Pacific Oceans; two parts physically separated by Malaysia; almost
an enclave within Malaysia

People Brunei

Population:
379,444 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 28.1% (male 54,411/female 52,134)
15-64 years: 68.8% (male 138,129/female 123,017)
65 years and over: 3.1% (male 5,584/female 6,169) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 27.4 years
male: 28 years
female: 26.7 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.87% (2006 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.12 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female
total population: 1.09 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 12.25 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 15.46 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 8.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.01 years
male: 72.57 years
female: 77.59 years (2006 est.)

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

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

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

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

Nationality:
noun: Bruneian(s)
adjective: Bruneian

Ethnic groups:
Malay 67%, Chinese 15%, indigenous 6%, other 12%

Religions:
Muslim (official) 67%, Buddhist 13%, Christian 10%, indigenous
beliefs and other 10%

Languages:
Malay (official), English, Chinese

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.9%
male: 96.3%
female: 91.4% (2002)

Government Brunei

Country name:
conventional long form: Negara Brunei Darussalam
conventional short form: Brunei
local long form: Negara Brunei Darussalam
local short form: Brunei

Government type:
constitutional sultanate

Capital:
name: Bandar Seri Begawan
geographic coordinates: 4 52 S, 114 55 E
time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:
4 districts (daerah-daerah, singular - daerah); Belait, Brunei and
Muara, Temburong, Tutong

Independence:
1 January 1984 (from UK)

National holiday:
National Day, 23 February (1984); note - 1 January 1984 was the
date of independence from the UK, 23 February 1984 was the date of
independence from British protection

Constitution:
29 September 1959 (some provisions suspended under a State of
Emergency since December 1962, others since independence on 1
January 1984)

Legal system:
based on English common law; for Muslims, Islamic Shari'a law
supersedes civil law in a number of areas

Suffrage:
none

Executive branch:
chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah
(since 5 October 1967); note - the monarch is both the chief of
state and head of government
head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah
(since 5 October 1967); note - the monarch is both the chief of
state and head of government
cabinet: Council of Cabinet Ministers appointed and presided over by
the monarch; deals with executive matters; note - there is also a
Religious Council (members appointed by the monarch) that advises on
religious matters, a Privy Council (members appointed by the
monarch) that deals with constitutional matters, and the Council of
Succession (members appointed by the monarch) that determines the
succession to the throne if the need arises
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary

Legislative branch:
Legislative Council met on 25 September 2004 for first time in 20
years with 21 members appointed by the Sultan; passed constitutional
amendments calling for a 45-seat council with 15 elected members;
Sultan dissolved council on 1 September 2005 and appointed a new
council with 29 members as of 2 September 2005
elections: last held in March 1962 (date of next election NA)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court - chief justice and judges are sworn in by monarch
for three-year terms; Judicial Committee of Privy Council in London
is final court of appeal for civil cases; Shariah courts deal with
Islamic laws (2006)

Political parties and leaders:
Brunei Solidarity National Party (PPKB) [Haji Mohd HATTA bin Haji
Zainal Abidin]; National Development Party (NDP) [YASSIN Affendi];
People's Awareness Party (PAKAR) [Awang Haji MAIDIN bin Haji Ahmad]
note: parties are small and have limited activity (2005)

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, C, EAS, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB,
IFRCS, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC,
OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Pengiran Anak Dato PUTEH
chancery: 3520 International Court NW #300, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 237-1838
FAX: [1] (202) 885-0560

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Emil SKODON
embassy: Third Floor, Teck Guan Plaza, Jalan Sultan, Bandar Seri
Begawan, BS8811
mailing address: PSC 470 (BSB), FPO AP 96507; P.O. Box 2991, Bandar
Seri Begawan BS8675, Negara Brunei Darussalam
telephone: [673] 222-0384
FAX: [673] 222-5293

Flag description:
yellow with two diagonal bands of white (top, almost double width)
and black starting from the upper hoist side; the national emblem in
red is superimposed at the center; the emblem includes a
swallow-tailed flag on top of a winged column within an upturned
crescent above a scroll and flanked by two upraised hands

Economy Brunei

Economy - overview:
This small, well-to-do economy encompasses a mixture of foreign and
domestic entrepreneurship, government regulation, welfare measures,
and village tradition. Crude oil and natural gas production account
for nearly half of GDP and more than 90% of government revenues. Per
capita GDP is far above most other Third World countries, and
substantial income from overseas investment supplements income from
domestic production. The government provides for all medical
services and free education through the university level and
subsidizes rice and housing. Brunei's leaders are concerned that
steadily increased integration in the world economy will undermine
internal social cohesion. Plans for the future include upgrading the
labor force, reducing unemployment, strengthening the banking and
tourist sectors, and, in general, further widening the economic base
beyond oil and gas.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$6.842 billion (2003 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$5.486 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.7% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$23,600 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3.6%
industry: 56.1%
services: 40.3% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
146,300
note: includes foreign workers and military personnel; temporary
residents make up about 40% of labor force (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 2.9%
industry: 61.1%
services: 36% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:
4.8% (2004)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
0.9% (2004)

Budget:
revenues: $3.765 billion
expenditures: $4.815 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA
(2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
rice, vegetables, fruits; chickens, water buffalo, eggs

Industries:
petroleum, petroleum refining, liquefied natural gas, construction

Industrial production growth rate:
7.3% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
2.806 billion kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:
2.609 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:
200,800 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - consumption:
10,770 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - exports:
192,700 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports:
NA bbl/day

Oil - proved reserves:
1.255 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

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

Natural gas - consumption:
2 billion cu m (2004 est.)

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

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

Natural gas - proved reserves:
390.8 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Exports:
$4.514 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
crude oil, natural gas, refined products

Exports - partners:
Japan 36.8%, Indonesia 19.3%, South Korea 12.7%, US 9.5%, Australia
9.3% (2005)

Imports:
$1.641 billion c.i.f. (2004 est.)

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

Imports - partners:
Singapore 32.7%, Malaysia 23.3%, Japan 6.9%, UK 5.3%, Thailand
4.5%, South Korea 4% (2005)

Debt - external:
$0

Economic aid - recipient:
$770,000 (2004)

Currency (code):
Bruneian dollar (BND)

Currency code:
BND

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

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Brunei

Telephones - main lines in use:
90,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
205,900 (2004)

Telephone system:
general assessment: service throughout the country is excellent;
international service is good to Southeast Asia, Middle East,
Western Europe, and the US
domestic: every service available
international: country code - 673; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean); digital submarine
cable links to Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore (2006)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 2 (transmitting on 18 different frequencies), shortwave 0
note: British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) station transmits
two FM signals with English and Nepali service (2006)

Radios:
329,000 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:
4; note - including two UHF stations broadcasting a subscription
service (2006)

Televisions:
201,900 (1998)

Internet country code:
.bn

Internet hosts:
27 (2005)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
56,000 (2005)

Transportation Brunei

Airports:
2 (2006)

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

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

Heliports:
3 (2006)

Pipelines:
gas 672 km; oil 463 km (2006)

Roadways:
total: 2,525 km
paved: 2,338 km
unpaved: 187 km (2000)

Waterways:
209 km (navigable by craft drawing less than 1.2 m) (2005)

Merchant marine:
total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 465,937 GRT/413,393 DWT
by type: liquefied gas 8
foreign-owned: 8 (UK 8) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Lumut, Muara, Seria

Military Brunei

Military branches:
Royal Brunei Armed Forces: Royal Brunei Land Forces, Royal Brunei
Navy, Royal Brunei Air Force (Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei) (2005)

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

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 103,885
females age 18-49: 93,024 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 85,045
females age 18-49: 77,436 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 3,478
females age 18-49: 3,342 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$290.7 million (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
5.1% (2003 est.)

Transnational Issues Brunei

Disputes - international:
in 2003 Brunei and Malaysia ceased gas and oil exploration in their
disputed offshore and deepwater seabeds and negotiations have
stalemated prompting consideration of international legal
adjudication; Malaysia's land boundary with Brunei around Limbang is
in dispute; Brunei established an exclusive economic fishing zone
encompassing Louisa Reef in southern Spratly Islands in 1984 but
makes no public territorial claim to the offshore reefs; 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

Illicit drugs:
drug trafficking and illegally importing controlled substances are
serious offenses in Brunei and carry a mandatory death penalty

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Bulgaria

Introduction Bulgaria

Background:
The Bulgars, a Central Asian Turkic tribe, merged with the local
Slavic inhabitants in the late 7th century to form the first
Bulgarian state. In succeeding centuries, Bulgaria struggled with
the Byzantine Empire to assert its place in the Balkans, but by the
end of the 14th century the country was overrun by the Ottoman
Turks. Northern Bulgaria attained autonomy in 1878 and all of
Bulgaria became independent from the Ottoman Empire in 1908. Having
fought on the losing side in both World Wars, Bulgaria fell within
the Soviet sphere of influence and became a People's Republic in
1946. Communist domination ended in 1990, when Bulgaria held its
first multiparty election since World War II and began the
contentious process of moving toward political democracy and a
market economy while combating inflation, unemployment, corruption,
and crime. The country joined NATO in 2004 and the EU in 2007.

Geography Bulgaria

Location:
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Romania and
Turkey

Geographic coordinates:
43 00 N, 25 00 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 110,910 sq km
land: 110,550 sq km
water: 360 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Tennessee

Land boundaries:
total: 1,808 km
border countries: Greece 494 km, Macedonia 148 km, Romania 608 km,
Serbia 318 km, Turkey 240 km

Coastline:
354 km

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

Climate:
temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers

Terrain:
mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
highest point: Musala 2,925 m

Natural resources:
bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land

Land use:
arable land: 29.94%
permanent crops: 1.9%
other: 68.16% (2005)

Irrigated land:
5,880 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
earthquakes, landslides

Environment - current issues:
air pollution from industrial emissions; rivers polluted from raw
sewage, heavy metals, detergents; deforestation; forest damage from
air pollution and resulting acid rain; soil contamination from heavy
metals from metallurgical plants and industrial wastes

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

Geography - note:
strategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key land routes
from Europe to Middle East and Asia

People Bulgaria

Population:
7,385,367 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 13.9% (male 527,881/female 502,334)
15-64 years: 68.7% (male 2,496,054/female 2,579,680)
65 years and over: 17.3% (male 527,027/female 752,391) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 40.8 years
male: 38.7 years
female: 42.9 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
-0.86% (2006 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
-4.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 19.85 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 23.52 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 15.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.3 years
male: 68.68 years
female: 76.13 years (2006 est.)

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

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
346 (2001 est.)

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

Nationality:
noun: Bulgarian(s)
adjective: Bulgarian

Ethnic groups:
Bulgarian 83.9%, Turk 9.4%, Roma 4.7%, other 2% (including
Macedonian, Armenian, Tatar, Circassian) (2001 census)

Religions:
Bulgarian Orthodox 82.6%, Muslim 12.2%, other Christian 1.2%, other
4% (2001 census)

Languages:
Bulgarian 84.5%, Turkish 9.6%, Roma 4.1%, other and unspecified
1.8% (2001 census)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.6%
male: 99.1%
female: 98.2% (2003 est.)

Government Bulgaria

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Bulgaria
conventional short form: Bulgaria
local long form: Republika Balgariya
local short form: Balgariya

Government type:
parliamentary democracy

Capital:
name: Sofia
geographic coordinates: 42 41 N, 23 19 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:
28 provinces (oblasti, singular - oblast); Blagoevgrad, Burgas,
Dobrich, Gabrovo, Khaskovo, Kurdzhali, Kyustendil, Lovech, Montana,
Pazardzhik, Pernik, Pleven, Plovdiv, Razgrad, Ruse, Shumen,
Silistra, Sliven, Smolyan, Sofiya, Sofiya-Grad, Stara Zagora,
Turgovishte, Varna, Veliko Turnovo, Vidin, Vratsa, Yambol

Independence:
3 March 1878 (as an autonomous principality within the Ottoman
Empire); 22 September 1908 (complete independence from the Ottoman
Empire)

National holiday:
Liberation Day, 3 March (1878)

Constitution:
adopted 12 July 1991

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

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Georgi PURVANOV (since 22 January 2002);
Vice President Angel MARIN (since 22 January 2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Sergei STANISHEV (since 16 August
2005); Deputy Prime Ministers Ivaylo KALFIN, Daniel VULCHEV, and
Emel ETEM (since 16 August 2005)
cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and
elected by the National Assembly
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term);
election last held 22 and 29 October 2006 (next to be held in 2011);
chairman of the Council of Ministers (prime minister) nominated by
the president and elected by the National Assembly; deputy prime
ministers nominated by the prime minister and elected by the
National Assembly
election results: Georgi PURVANOV reelected president; percent of
vote - Georgi PURVANOV 77.3%, Volen SIDEROV 22.7%; Sergei STANISHEV
elected prime minister, result of legislative vote - 168 to 67

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Narodno Sobranie (240 seats;
members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 25 June 2005 (next to be held June 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - CfB 31.1%, NMS2 19.9%,
MRF 12.7%, ATAKA 8.2%, UDF 7.7%, DSB 6.5%, BPU 5.2%; seats by party
- CfB 83, NMS2 53, MRF 33, UDF 20, ATAKA 17, DSB 17, BPU 13,
independents 4

Judicial branch:
Supreme Administrative Court; Supreme Court of Cassation;
Constitutional Court (12 justices appointed or elected for nine-year
terms); Supreme Judicial Council (consists of the chairmen of the
two Supreme Courts, the Chief Prosecutor, and 22 other members;
responsible for appointing the justices, prosecutors, and
investigating magistrates in the justice system; members of the
Supreme Judicial Council elected for five-year terms, 11 elected by
the National Assembly and 11 by bodies of the judiciary)

Political parties and leaders:
ATAKA (Attack Coalition) (coalition of parties headed by the Attack
National Union); Attack National Union [Volen SIDEROV]; Bulgarian
Agrarian National Union-People's Union or BANU [Anastasia MOZER];
Bulgarian People's Union or BPU (coalition of UFD, IMRO, and BANU);
Bulgarian Socialist Party or BSP [Sergei STANISHEV]; Coalition for
Bulgaria or CfB (coalition of parties dominated by BSP) [Sergei
STANISHEV]; Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria or DSB [Ivan KOSTOV];
Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization or IMRO [Krasimir
KARAKACHANOV]; Movement for Rights and Freedoms or MRF [Ahmed
DOGAN]; National Movement for Simeon II or NMS2 [Simeon
SAXE-COBURG-GOTHA]; New Time [Emil KOSHLUKOV]; Union of Democratic
Forces or UDF [Petar STOYANOV]; Union of Free Democrats or UFD
[Stefan SOFIYANSKI]; United Democratic Forces or UtDF (a coalition
of center-right parties dominated by UDF)

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria or CITUB;
Podkrepa Labor Confederation; numerous regional, ethnic, and
national interest groups with various agendas

International organization participation:
ACCT, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EU
(new member), FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM
(guest), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WEU (associate affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Elena B. POPTODOROVA
chancery: 1621 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 387-0174
FAX: [1] (202) 234-7973
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador John Ross BEYRLE
embassy: 16 Kozyak Street, Sofia 1407
mailing address: American Embassy Sofia, US Department of State,
5740 Sofia Place, Washington, DC 20521-5740
telephone: [359] (2) 937-5100
FAX: [359] (2) 937-5320

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of white (top), green, and red; note -
the national emblem, formerly on the hoist side of the white stripe,
has been removed

Economy Bulgaria

Economy - overview:
Bulgaria, a former communist country that entered the European
Union on 1 January 2007, has experienced macroeconomic stability and
strong growth since a major economic downturn in 1996 led to the
fall of the then socialist government. As a result, the government
became committed to economic reform and responsible fiscal planning.
Minerals, including coal, copper, and zinc, play an important role
in industry. In 1997, macroeconomic stability was reinforced by the
imposition of a fixed exchange rate of the lev against the German
D-mark - the currency is now fixed against the euro - and the
negotiation of an IMF standby agreement. Low inflation and steady
progress on structural reforms improved the business environment;
Bulgaria has averaged 5.1% growth since 2000 and has begun to
attract significant amounts of foreign direct investment. Corruption
in the public administration, a weak judiciary, and the presence of
organized crime remain the largest challenges for Bulgaria.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$77.13 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$27.85 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
5.5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$10,400 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 8.9%
industry: 30.1%
services: 61% (2006 est.)

Labor force:
3.45 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 11%
industry: 32.7%
services: 56.3% (3rd qtr. 2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:
9.6% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:
4% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.4%
highest 10%: 23.9% (2003)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
29.2 (2003)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
7.2% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
24.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $13.28 billion
expenditures: $12.16 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA
(2006 est.)

Public debt:
23.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:
vegetables, fruits, tobacco, wine, wheat, barley, sunflowers, sugar
beets; livestock

Industries:
electricity, gas, water; food, beverages, tobacco; machinery and
equipment, base metals, chemical products, coke, refined petroleum,
nuclear fuel

Industrial production growth rate:
5% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:
41.96 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 47.8%
hydro: 8.1%
nuclear: 44.1%
other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
35.23 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:
5 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:
1.2 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:
3,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:
109,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - exports:
51,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - imports:
157,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

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

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

Natural gas - consumption:
5.301 billion cu m (2004 est.)

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

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

Natural gas - proved reserves:
5.947 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:
$-4.13 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:
$14.6 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:
clothing, footwear, iron and steel, machinery and equipment, fuels

Exports - partners:
Italy 12%, Turkey 10.5%, Germany 9.8%, Greece 9.5%, Belgium 5.9%,
France 4.6% (2005)

Imports:
$20.69 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment; metals and ores; chemicals and plastics;
fuels, minerals, and raw materials

Imports - partners:
Russia 15.6%, Germany 13.6%, Italy 9%, Turkey 6.1%, Greece 5%,
France 4.7% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$10.58 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:
$21.1 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$475 million (2004-06 est.)

Currency (code):
lev (BGL)

Currency code:
BGN

Exchange rates:
leva per US dollar - 1.56441 (2006), 1.5741 (2005), 1.5751 (2004),
1.7327 (2003), 2.077 (2002)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Bulgaria

Telephones - main lines in use:
2,483,500 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
6.245 million (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: extensive but antiquated
domestic: more than two-thirds of the lines are residential;
telephone service is available in most villages; a fairly modern
digital cable trunk line now connects switching centers in most of
the regions, the others are connected by digital microwave radio
relay
international: country code - 359; direct dialing to 58 countries;
satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); 2
Intelsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 31, FM 63, shortwave 2 (2001)

Radios:
4.51 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
39 (plus 1,242 repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:
3.31 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.bg

Internet hosts:
184,975 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
200 (2001)

Internet users:
2.2 million (2005)

Transportation Bulgaria

Airports:
217 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 132
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 19
1,524 to 2,437 m: 15
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 96 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 85
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 72 (2006)

Heliports:
4 (2006)

Pipelines:
gas 2,505 km; oil 339 km; refined products 156 km (2006)

Railways:
total: 4,294 km
standard gauge: 4,049 km 1.435-m gauge (2,710 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 245 km 0.760-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:
total: 44,033 km
paved: 43,593 km (including 333 km of expressways)
unpaved: 440 km (2004)

Waterways:
470 km (2006)

Merchant marine:
total: 75 ships (1000 GRT or over) 872,653 GRT/1,294,877 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 40, cargo 17, chemical tanker 4, container 6,
passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 4
foreign-owned: 2 (Germany 1, Russia 1)
registered in other countries: 41 (Cambodia 1, Comoros 1, Malta 13,
Panama 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 17, Slovakia 7, unknown
1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Burgas, Varna

Military Bulgaria

Military branches:
Bulgarian Armed Forces: Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Bulgarian Air
Forces (Bulgarski Voennovazdyshni Sily, BVVS) (2006)

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service;
conscript service obligation - 9 months; as of May 2006, 67% of the
Bulgarian Army comprised of professional soldiers; conscription into
the Army to end as of 1 January 2008; Air and Air Defense Forces and
Naval Forces will become fully professional by end of 2006 (2006)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 1,661,211
females age 18-49: 1,660,982 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 1,302,037
females age 18-49: 1,365,126 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 51,023
females age 18-49: 48,651 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$356 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.6% (2003)

Transnational Issues Bulgaria

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
major European transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and,
to a lesser degree, South American cocaine for the European market;
limited producer of precursor chemicals; some money laundering of
drug-related proceeds through financial institutions

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Burkina Faso

Introduction Burkina Faso

Background:
Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta) achieved independence from
France in 1960. Repeated military coups during the 1970s and 1980s
were followed by multiparty elections in the early 1990s. Current
President Blaise COMPAORE came to power in a 1987 military coup and
has won every election since then. Burkina Faso's high population
density and limited natural resources result in poor economic
prospects for the majority of its citizens. Recent unrest in Cote
d'Ivoire and northern Ghana has hindered the ability of several
hundred thousand seasonal Burkinabe farm workers to find employment
in neighboring countries.

Geography Burkina Faso

Location:
Western Africa, north of Ghana

Geographic coordinates:
13 00 N, 2 00 W

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 274,200 sq km
land: 273,800 sq km
water: 400 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Colorado

Land boundaries:
total: 3,193 km
border countries: Benin 306 km, Cote d'Ivoire 584 km, Ghana 549 km,
Mali 1,000 km, Niger 628 km, Togo 126 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
tropical; warm, dry winters; hot, wet summers

Terrain:
mostly flat to dissected, undulating plains; hills in west and
southeast

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Mouhoun (Black Volta) River 200 m
highest point: Tena Kourou 749 m

Natural resources:
manganese, limestone, marble; small deposits of gold, phosphates,
pumice, salt

Land use:
arable land: 17.66%
permanent crops: 0.22%
other: 82.12% (2005)

Irrigated land:
250 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
recurring droughts

Environment - current issues:
recent droughts and desertification severely affecting agricultural
activities, population distribution, and the economy; overgrazing;
soil degradation; deforestation

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

Geography - note:
landlocked savanna cut by the three principal rivers of the Black,
Red, and White Voltas

People Burkina Faso

Population:
13,902,972
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 46.8% (male 3,267,202/female 3,235,190)
15-64 years: 50.7% (male 3,513,559/female 3,538,623)
65 years and over: 2.5% (male 140,083/female 208,315) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 16.5 years
male: 16.3 years
female: 16.7 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
3% (2006 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 91.35 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 99.17 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 83.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 48.85 years
male: 47.33 years
female: 50.42 years (2006 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
4.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
300,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
29,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: malaria is a high risk in some locations
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis
note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified
among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a
negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens
who have close contact with birds (2007)

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

Ethnic groups:
Mossi over 40%, Gurunsi, Senufo, Lobi, Bobo, Mande, Fulani

Religions:
Muslim 50%, indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian (mainly Roman
Catholic) 10%

Languages:
French (official), native African languages belonging to Sudanic
family spoken by 90% of the population

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 26.6%
male: 36.9%
female: 16.6% (2003 est.)

Government Burkina Faso

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Burkina Faso
local long form: none
local short form: Burkina Faso
former: Upper Volta, Republic of Upper Volta

Government type:
parliamentary republic

Capital:
name: Ouagadougou
geographic coordinates: 12 22 N, 1 31 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:
45 provinces; Bale, Bam, Banwa, Bazega, Bougouriba, Boulgou,
Boulkiemde, Comoe, Ganzourgou, Gnagna, Gourma, Houet, Ioba, Kadiogo,
Kenedougou, Komondjari, Kompienga, Kossi, Koulpelogo, Kouritenga,
Kourweogo, Leraba, Loroum, Mouhoun, Nahouri, Namentenga, Nayala,
Noumbiel, Oubritenga, Oudalan, Passore, Poni, Sanguie, Sanmatenga,
Seno, Sissili, Soum, Sourou, Tapoa, Tuy, Yagha, Yatenga, Ziro,
Zondoma, Zoundweogo

Independence:
5 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday:
Republic Day, 11 December (1958)

Constitution:
2 June 1991 approved by referendum, 11 June 1991 formally adopted;
amended April 2000 and January 2002

Legal system:
based on French civil law system and customary law

Suffrage:
universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Blaise COMPAORE (since 15 October 1987)
head of government: Prime Minister Paramanga Ernest YONLI (since 6
November 2000)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
(eligible for a second term); election last held 13 November 2005
(next to be held in 2010); in April 2000, the constitution was
amended reducing the presidential term from seven to five years,
enforceable as of 2005; prime minister appointed by the president
with the consent of the legislature
election results: Blaise COMPAORE reelected president; percent of
popular vote - Blaise COMPAORE 80.3%, Benewende Stanislas SANKARA
4.9%

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (111 seats;
members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: National Assembly election last held 5 May 2002 (next to
be held May 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
CDP 57, RDA-ADF 17, PDP/PS 10, CFD 5, PAI 5, other 17

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Appeals Court

Political parties and leaders:
African Democratic Rally-Alliance for Democracy and Federation or
ADF-RDA [Gilbert OUEDRAOGO]; Confederation for Federation and
Democracy or CFD [Amadou Diemdioda DICKO]; Congress for Democracy
and Progress or CDP [Roch Marc-Christian KABORE]; Movement for
Tolerance and Progress or MTP [Nayabtigungou Congo KABORE]; Party
for African Independence or PAI [Philippe OUEDRAOGO]; Party for
Democracy and Progress/Socialist Party or PDP/PS [Ali LANKOANDE];
Rally of Ecologists of Burkina Faso or RDEB [Ram OUEDRAGO];
Republican Party for Integration and Solidarity or PARIS [Cyril
GOUNGOUNGA]; Union for the Republic or UPR [Toussaint Abel COULIBALY]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Burkinabe General Confederation of Labor or CGTB; Burkinabe
Movement for Human Rights or MBDHP; Group of 14 February; National
Confederation of Burkinabe Workers or CNTB; National Organization of
Free Unions or ONSL; watchdog/political action groups throughout the
country in both organizations and communities

International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA,
MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Tertius ZONGO
chancery: 2340 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-5577
FAX: [1] (202) 667-1882

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jeanine E. JACKSON
embassy: 602 Avenue Raoul Follereau, Koulouba, Secteur 4
mailing address: 01 B. P. 35, Ouagadougou 01; pouch mail - US
Department of State, 2440 Ouagadougou Place, Washington, DC
20521-2440
telephone: [226] 50-30-67-23
FAX: [226] 50-30-38-90, 50-31-23-68

Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a yellow
five-pointed star in the center; uses the popular pan-African colors
of Ethiopia

Economy Burkina Faso

Economy - overview:
One of the poorest countries in the world, landlocked Burkina Faso
has few natural resources and a weak industrial base. About 90% of
the population is engaged in subsistence agriculture, which is
vulnerable to periodic drought. Cotton is the main cash crop and the
government has joined with three other cotton producing countries in
the region - Mali, Niger, and Chad - to lobby for improved access to
Western markets. GDP growth has largely been driven by increases in
world cotton prices. Industry remains dominated by unprofitable
government-controlled corporations. Following the CFA franc currency
devaluation in January 1994, the government updated its development
program in conjunction with international agencies; exports and
economic growth have increased. The government devolved
macroeconomic policy and inflation targeting to the West African
regional central bank (BCEAO), but maintains control over fiscal and
microeconomic policies, including implementing reforms to encourage
private investment. The bitter internal crisis in neighboring Cote
d'Ivoire continues to hurt trade and industrial prospects and
deepens the need for international assistance. Burkina Faso is
eligible for a Millenium Challenge Account grant, which would
increase investment in the country's human capital.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$17.87 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$5.821 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
5.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,300 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 32.6%
industry: 19.7%
services: 47.7% (2006 est.)

Labor force:
5 million
note: a large part of the male labor force migrates annually to
neighboring countries for seasonal employment (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 90%
industry and services: 10% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
NA%

Population below poverty line:
45% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 46.8% (1994)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
48.2 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
20.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $1.158 billion
expenditures: $1.714 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA
(2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:
cotton, peanuts, shea nuts, sesame, sorghum, millet, corn, rice;
livestock

Industries:
cotton lint, beverages, agricultural processing, soap, cigarettes,
textiles, gold

Industrial production growth rate:
14% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production:
400 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 69.9%
hydro: 30.1%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
372 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:
8,200 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
NA bbl/day

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

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

Current account balance:
$-604.6 million (2006 est.)

Exports:
$543.5 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:
cotton, livestock, gold

Exports - partners:
China 39.8%, Singapore 13.1%, Thailand 5.9%, Ghana 5.4%, Taiwan
4.6%, Niger 4% (2005)

Imports:
$1.016 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:
capital goods, foodstuffs, petroleum

Imports - partners:
France 23.9%, Cote d'Ivoire 23.3%, Togo 6.7% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$1.328 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:
$1.85 billion (2003)

Economic aid - recipient:
$468.4 million (2003)

Currency (code):
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible
authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Currency code:
XOF

Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -
523.721 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99
(2002)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Burkina Faso

Telephones - main lines in use:
97,400 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
572,200 (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: all services only fair
domestic: microwave radio relay, open-wire, and radiotelephone
communication stations
international: country code - 226; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 3, FM 17, shortwave 3 (2002)

Radios:
394,020 (2000)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (2002)

Televisions:
131,340 (2002)

Internet country code:
.bf

Internet hosts:
399 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2002)

Internet users:
64,600 (2005)

Transportation Burkina Faso

Airports:
34 (2006)

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

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 32
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 18 (2006)

Railways:
total: 622 km
narrow gauge: 622 km 1.000-m gauge
note:: another 660 km of this railway extends into Cote D'Ivoire
(2005)

Roadways:
total: 15,272 km
paved: 4,766 km
unpaved: 10,506 km (2004)

Military Burkina Faso

Military branches:
Army, Air Force of Burkina Faso (Force Aerienne de Burkina Faso),
National Gendarmerie (2006)

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory military service; 20 years of age
for voluntary military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 2,651,687 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 1,530,324 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$74.83 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.3% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Burkina Faso

Disputes - international:
two villages are in dispute along the border with Benin; Benin
accuses Burkina Faso of moving boundary pillars; Burkina Faso border
regions remain a staging area for Liberia and Cote d'Ivoire rebels
and an asylum for refugees caught in local fighting; the Ivoirian
Government accuses Burkina Faso of sheltering Ivoirian rebels

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Burma

Introduction Burma

Background:
Britain conquered Burma over a period of 62 years (1824-1886) and
incorporated it into its Indian Empire. Burma was administered as a
province of India until 1937 when it became a separate,
self-governing colony; independence from the Commonwealth was
attained in 1948. Gen. NE WIN dominated the government from 1962 to
1988, first as military ruler, then as self-appointed president, and
later as political kingpin. Despite multiparty legislative elections
in 1990 that resulted in the main opposition party - the National
League for Democracy (NLD) - winning a landslide victory, the ruling
junta refused to hand over power. NLD leader and Nobel Peace Prize
recipient AUNG SAN SUU KYI, who was under house arrest from 1989 to
1995 and 2000 to 2002, was imprisoned in May 2003 and subsequently
transferred to house arrest, where she remains virtually
incommunicado. In February 2006, the junta extended her detention
for another year. Her supporters, as well as all those who promote
democracy and improved human rights, are routinely harassed or
jailed.

Geography Burma

Location:
Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal,
between Bangladesh and Thailand

Geographic coordinates:
22 00 N, 98 00 E

Map references:
Southeast Asia

Area:
total: 678,500 sq km
land: 657,740 sq km
water: 20,760 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries:
total: 5,876 km
border countries: Bangladesh 193 km, China 2,185 km, India 1,463 km,
Laos 235 km, Thailand 1,800 km

Coastline:
1,930 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 monsoon; cloudy, rainy, hot, humid summers (southwest
monsoon, June to September); less cloudy, scant rainfall, mild
temperatures, lower humidity during winter (northeast monsoon,
December to April)

Terrain:
central lowlands ringed by steep, rugged highlands

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Andaman Sea 0 m
highest point: Hkakabo Razi 5,881 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, timber, tin, antimony, zinc, copper, tungsten, lead,
coal, some marble, limestone, precious stones, natural gas,
hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 14.92%
permanent crops: 1.31%
other: 83.77% (2005)

Irrigated land:
18,700 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
destructive earthquakes and cyclones; flooding and landslides
common during rainy season (June to September); periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; industrial pollution of air, soil, and water;
inadequate sanitation and water treatment contribute to disease

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

Geography - note:
strategic location near major Indian Ocean shipping lanes

People Burma

Population:
47,382,633
note: estimates for this country take into account the effects of
excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life
expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 26.4% (male 6,335,236/female 6,181,216)
15-64 years: 68.5% (male 16,011,723/female 16,449,626)
65 years and over: 5.1% (male 1,035,853/female 1,368,979) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 27 years
male: 26.4 years
female: 27.6 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.81% (2006 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 61.85 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 72.68 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 50.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 60.97 years
male: 58.07 years
female: 64.03 years (2006 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
330,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
20,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria are high risks in
some locations
note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified
among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a
negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens
who have close contact with birds (2007)

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

Ethnic groups:
Burman 68%, Shan 9%, Karen 7%, Rakhine 4%, Chinese 3%, Indian 2%,
Mon 2%, other 5%

Religions:
Buddhist 89%, Christian 4% (Baptist 3%, Roman Catholic 1%), Muslim
4%, animist 1%, other 2%

Languages:
Burmese, minority ethnic groups have their own languages

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 85.3%
male: 89.2%
female: 81.4% (2002)

Government Burma

Country name:
conventional long form: Union of Burma
conventional short form: Burma
local long form: Pyidaungzu Myanma Naingngandaw (translated by the
US Government as Union of Myanma and by the Burmese as Union of
Myanmar)
local short form: Myanma Naingngandaw
former: Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma
note: since 1989 the military authorities in Burma have promoted the
name Myanmar as a conventional name for their state; this decision
was not approved by any sitting legislature in Burma, and the US
Government did not adopt the name, which is a derivative of the
Burmese short-form name Myanma Naingngandaw

Government type:
military junta

Capital:
name: Rangoon (Yangon)
geographic coordinates: 16 47 N, 96 10 E
time difference: UTC+6.5 (11.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
note: Nay Pyi Taw is administrative capital

Administrative divisions:
7 divisions (taing-myar, singular - taing) and 7 states (pyi
ne-myar, singular - pyi ne)
divisions: Ayeyarwady, Bago, Magway, Mandalay, Sagaing, Tanintharyi,
Yangon
states: Chin State, Kachin State, Kayah State, Kayin State, Mon
State, Rakhine State, Shan State

Independence:
4 January 1948 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 4 January (1948); Union Day, 12 February (1947)

Constitution:
3 January 1974; suspended since 18 September 1988; national
convention convened in 1993 to draft a new constitution but
collapsed in 1996; reconvened in 2004 but does not include
participation of democratic opposition

Legal system:
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council
(SPDC) Sr. Gen. THAN SHWE (since 23 April 1992)
head of government: Prime Minister, Gen SOE WIN (since 19 October
2004)
cabinet: Cabinet is overseen by SPDC; military junta, so named 15
November 1997, assumed power 18 September 1988 under name State Law
and Order Restoration Council (SLORC)
elections: none

Legislative branch:
unicameral People's Assembly or Pyithu Hluttaw (485 seats; members
elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 27 May 1990, but Assembly never allowed by
junta to convene
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
NLD 392 (opposition), SNLD 23 (opposition), NUP 10 (pro-government),
other 60

Judicial branch:
remnants of the British-era legal system are in place, but there is
no guarantee of a fair public trial; the judiciary is not
independent of the executive

Political parties and leaders:
National League for Democracy or NLD [AUNG SHWE, chairman, AUNG SAN
SUU KYI, general secretary]; National Unity Party or NUP
(pro-regime) [TUN YE]; Shan Nationalities League for Democracy or
SNLD [HKUN HTUN OO]; and other smaller parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Ethnic Nationalities Council or ENC (based in Thailand); Federation
of Trade Unions-Burma or FTUB (exile trade union and labor
advocates); National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma or
NCGUB (self-proclaimed government in exile) ["Prime Minister" Dr.
SEIN WIN] consists of individuals, some legitimately elected to the
People's Assembly in 1990 (the group fled to a border area and
joined insurgents in December 1990 to form parallel government in
exile); Kachin Independence Organization or KIO; Karen National
Union or KNU; Karenni National People's Party or KNPP; National
Council-Union of Burma or NCUB (exile coalition of opposition
groups); several Shan factions; United Wa State Army or UWSA; Union
Solidarity and Development Association or USDA (pro-regime, a social
and political mass-member organization) [HTAY OO, general
secretary]; 88 Generation Students (pro-democracy movement) [MIN KO]

International organization participation:
APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIMSTEC, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires MYINT LWIN
chancery: 2300 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-3344
FAX: [1] (202) 332-4351
consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Shari
VILLAROSA
embassy: 581 Merchant Street, Rangoon (GPO 521)
mailing address: Box B, APO AP 96546
telephone: [95] (1) 379-880, 379-881
FAX: [95] (1) 256-018

Flag description:
red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing,
14 white five-pointed stars encircling a cogwheel containing a stalk
of rice; the 14 stars represent the seven administrative divisions
and seven states

Economy Burma