Chapter XVII: Front Matter (17)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
9% (2004 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $700 million
expenditures: $750 million; including capital expenditures of $24
million (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber, tea, quinine, cassava (tapioca),
palm oil, bananas, root crops, corn, fruits; wood products

Industries:
mining (diamonds, copper, zinc), mineral processing, consumer
products (including textiles, footwear, cigarettes, processed foods
and beverages), cement, commercial ship repair

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - production:
353 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 1.8%
hydro: 98.2%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
658.3 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:
330 million kWh (2004)

Oil - production:
21,090 bbl/day (2004)

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

Oil - exports:
NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA bbl/day (2001)

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

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

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

Natural gas - proved reserves:
991.1 million cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Exports:
$1.108 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
diamonds, copper, crude oil, coffee, cobalt

Exports - partners:
Belgium 38.1%, US 17.8%, China 11.6%, France 8%, Finland 7.7%,
Chile 4.3% (2005)

Imports:
$1.319 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, mining and other machinery, transport equipment, fuels

Imports - partners:
South Africa 18%, Belgium 15.6%, France 8.8%, Zambia 6.7%, Kenya
6.2%, Germany 4.5%, US 4.4%, Cote d'Ivoire 4.2%, Netherlands 4%
(2005)

Debt - external:
$10.6 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$2.2 billion (FY03/04)

Currency (code):
Congolese franc (CDF)

Currency code:
CDF

Exchange rates:
Congolese francs per US dollar - 437.86 (2005), 401.04 (2004),
405.34 (2003), 346.49 (2002)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Telephones - main lines in use:
10,600 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
2.746 million (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: poor
domestic: barely adequate wire and microwave radio relay service in
and between urban areas; domestic satellite system with 14 earth
stations
international: country code - 243; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 3, FM 11, shortwave 2 (2001)

Radios:
18.03 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
4 (2001)

Televisions:
6.478 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.cd

Internet hosts:
1,778 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2001)

Internet users:
140,600 (2005)

Transportation Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Airports:
234 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 25
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 16
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 209
1,524 to 2,437 m: 18
914 to 1,523 m: 94
under 914 m: 97 (2006)

Pipelines:
gas 54 km; oil 78 km (2006)

Railways:
total: 5,138 km
narrow gauge: 3,987 km 1.067-m gauge (858 km electrified); 125 km
1.000-m gauge; 1,026 km 0.600-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:
total: 153,497 km
paved: 2,794 km
unpaved: 150,703 km (2004)

Waterways:
15,000 km (2005)

Merchant marine:
total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 1,004 GRT/1,640 DWT
by type: petroleum tanker 1
foreign-owned: 1 (Congo, Republic of the 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Banana, Boma, Bukavu, Bumba, Goma, Kalemie, Kindu, Kinshasa,
Kisangani, Matadi, Mbandaka

Military Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Military branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force

Military service age and obligation:
18-45 years of age for military service

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 11,365,610 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 6,464,223 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$103.7 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.5% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Disputes - international:
heads of the Great Lakes states and UN pledge to end conflict but
unchecked tribal, rebel, and militia fighting continues unabated in
the northeastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo,
drawing in the neighboring states of Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda; the
UN Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
(MONUC) has maintained over 14,000 peacekeepers in the region since
1999; thousands of Ituri refugees from the Congo continue to flee
the fighting primarily into Uganda; 90,000 Angolan refugees were
repatriated by 2004 with the remainder in the DRC expected to return
in 2005; in 2005, DRC and Rwanda established a border verification
mechanism to address accusations of Rwandan military supporting
Congolese rebels and the DRC providing rebel Rwandan "Interhamwe"
forces the means and bases to attack Rwandan forces; the location of
the boundary in the broad Congo River with the Republic of the Congo
is indefinite except in the Pool Malebo/Stanley Pool area

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 106,772 (Angola), 42,360 (Rwanda),
19,032 (Burundi), 18,954 (Uganda), 11,723 (Sudan), 5,243 (Republic
of Congo)
IDPs: 1.1 million (fighting between government forces and rebels
since mid-1990s; most IDPs are in eastern provinces) (2006)

Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for domestic consumption;
while rampant corruption and inadequate supervision leaves the
banking system vulnerable to money laundering, the lack of a
well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a
money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Congo, Republic of the

Introduction Congo, Republic of the

Background:
Upon independence in 1960, the former French region of Middle Congo
became the Republic of the Congo. A quarter century of
experimentation with Marxism was abandoned in 1990 and a
democratically elected government took office in 1992. A brief civil
war in 1997 restored former Marxist President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO,
and ushered in a period of ethnic and political unrest.
Southern-based rebel groups agreed to a final peace accord in March
2003, but the calm is tenuous and refugees continue to present a
humanitarian crisis. The Republic of Congo was once one of Africa's
largest petroleum producers, but with declining production it will
need to hope for new offshore oil finds to sustain its oil earnings
over the long term.

Geography Congo, Republic of the

Location:
Western Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola
and Gabon

Geographic coordinates:
1 00 S, 15 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 342,000 sq km
land: 341,500 sq km
water: 500 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Montana

Land boundaries:
total: 5,504 km
border countries: Angola 201 km, Cameroon 523 km, Central African
Republic 467 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Gabon
1,903 km

Coastline:
169 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry season (June to
October); persistent high temperatures and humidity; particularly
enervating climate astride the Equator

Terrain:
coastal plain, southern basin, central plateau, northern basin

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Berongou 903 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates,
gold, magnesium, natural gas, hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 1.45%
permanent crops: 0.15%
other: 98.4% (2005)

Irrigated land:
20 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
seasonal flooding

Environment - current issues:
air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from the
dumping of raw sewage; tap water is not potable; deforestation

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber
94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
about 70% of the population lives in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, or
along the railroad between them

People Congo, Republic of the

Population:
3,702,314
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: 46.4% (male 864,407/female 853,728)
15-64 years: 50.7% (male 930,390/female 945,545)
65 years and over: 2.9% (male 44,430/female 63,814) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 16.6 years
male: 16.4 years
female: 16.9 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.6% (2006 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
-3.62 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: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 85.29 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 91 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 79.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 52.8 years
male: 51.65 years
female: 53.98 years (2006 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
4.9% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
90,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
9,700 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: malaria (2007)

Nationality:
noun: Congolese (singular and plural)
adjective: Congolese or Congo

Ethnic groups:
Kongo 48%, Sangha 20%, M'Bochi 12%, Teke 17%, Europeans and other 3%

Religions:
Christian 50%, animist 48%, Muslim 2%

Languages:
French (official), Lingala and Monokutuba (lingua franca trade
languages), many local languages and dialects (of which Kikongo is
the most widespread)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 83.8%
male: 89.6%
female: 78.4% (2003 est.)

Government Congo, Republic of the

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of the Congo
conventional short form: Congo (Brazzaville)
local long form: Republique du Congo
local short form: none
former: Middle Congo, Congo/Brazzaville, Congo

Government type:
republic

Capital:
name: Brazzaville
geographic coordinates: 4 16 S, 15 17 E
time difference: UTC+1 (six hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:
10 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 commune*; Bouenza,
Brazzaville*, Cuvette, Cuvette-Ouest, Kouilou, Lekoumou, Likouala,
Niari, Plateaux, Pool, Sangha

Independence:
15 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 15 August (1960)

Constitution:
approved by referendum 20 January 2002

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

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO (since 25 October
1997, following the civil war in which he toppled elected president
Pascal LISSOUBA); note - the president is both the chief of state
and head of government
head of government: President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO (since 25 October
1997, following the civil war in which he toppled elected president
Pascal LISSOUBA); 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 seven-year term
(eligible for a second term); election last held 10 March 2002 (next
to be held in 2009)
election results: Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO reelected president; percent
of vote - Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO 89.4%, Joseph Kignoumbi Kia MBOUNGOU
2.7%

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (66 seats; members are
elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the National
Assembly (137 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 11 July 2002 (next to be held July
2007); National Assembly - last held 27 May and 26 June 2002 (next
to be held by May 2007)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - FDP 56, other 10; National Assembly - percent of vote by
party - NA; seats by party - FDP 83, UDR 6, UPADS 3, other 45

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Political parties and leaders:
the most important of the many parties are the Democratic and
Patriotic Forces or FDP [Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO, president] (an
alliance of Convention for Alternative Democracy, Congolese Labor
Party or PCT, Liberal Republican Party, National Union for Democracy
and Progress, Patriotic Union for the National Reconstruction, and
Union for the National Renewal); Congolese Movement for Democracy
and Integral Development or MCDDI [Michel MAMPOUYA]; Pan-African
Union for Social Development or UPADS [Martin MBERI]; Rally for
Democracy and Social Progress or RDPS [Jean-Pierre Thystere
TCHICAYA, president]; Rally for Democracy and the Republic or RDR
[Raymond Damasge NGOLLO]; Union for Democracy and Republic or UDR;
Union of Democratic Forces or UFD [Sebastian EBAO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Congolese Trade Union Congress or CSC; General Union of Congolese
Pupils and Students or UGEEC; Revolutionary Union of Congolese Women
or URFC; Union of Congolese Socialist Youth or UJSC

International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,
ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW (signatory), UN, UN Security Council
(temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Serge MOMBOULI
chancery: 4891 Colorado Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20011
telephone: [1] (202) 726-5500
FAX: [1] (202) 726-1860

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Robert WEISBERG
embassy: NA
mailing address: NA
telephone: [243] (88) 43608
note: the embassy is temporarily collocated with the US Embassy in
the Democratic Republic of the Congo (US Embassy Kinshasa, 310
Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa)

Flag description:
divided diagonally from the lower hoist side by a yellow band; the
upper triangle (hoist side) is green and the lower triangle is red;
uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy Congo, Republic of the

Economy - overview:
The economy is a mixture of village agriculture and handicrafts, an
industrial sector based largely on oil, support services, and a
government characterized by budget problems and overstaffing. Oil
has supplanted forestry as the mainstay of the economy, providing a
major share of government revenues and exports. In the early 1980s,
rapidly rising oil revenues enabled the government to finance
large-scale development projects with GDP growth averaging 5%
annually, one of the highest rates in Africa. The government has
mortgaged a substantial portion of its oil earnings through
oil-backed loans that have contributed to a growing debt burden and
chronic revenue shortfalls. Economic reform efforts have been
undertaken with the support of international organizations, notably
the World Bank and the IMF. However, the reform program came to a
halt in June 1997 when civil war erupted. Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO, who
returned to power when the war ended in October 1997, publicly
expressed interest in moving forward on economic reforms and
privatization and in renewing cooperation with international
financial institutions. Economic progress was badly hurt by slumping
oil prices and the resumption of armed conflict in December 1998,
which worsened the republic's budget deficit. The current
administration presides over an uneasy internal peace and faces
difficult economic challenges of stimulating recovery and reducing
poverty. Recovery of oil prices has boosted the economy's GDP and
near-term prospects. In March 2006, the World Bank and the
International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved Heavily Indebted Poor
Countries (HIPC) treatment for Congo.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$4.958 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$5.093 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
6% (2006 est.)

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

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 6.2%
industry: 55.3%
services: 38.5% (2006 est.)

Labor force:
NA

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):
2.6% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
27.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $2.985 billion
expenditures: $1.664 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA
(2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:
cassava (tapioca), sugar, rice, corn, peanuts, vegetables, coffee,
cocoa; forest products

Industries:
petroleum extraction, cement, lumber, brewing, sugar, palm oil,
soap, flour, cigarettes

Industrial production growth rate:
0% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
6.847 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 0.3%
hydro: 99.7%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
5.127 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:
1.25 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:
9 million kWh (2004)

Oil - production:
267,100 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:
6,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA bbl/day (2001)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Current account balance:
$1.215 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:
$5.996 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:
petroleum, lumber, plywood, sugar, cocoa, coffee, diamonds

Exports - partners:
China 38.4%, US 28.6%, Taiwan 11.6%, South Korea 7.1% (2005)

Imports:
$1.964 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:
capital equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
France 23.2%, China 10.2%, US 7.3%, India 7.2%, Italy 6.7%, Belgium
4.6% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$547 million (2006 est.)

Debt - external:
$5 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$159.1 million (1995)

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

Currency code:
XAF

Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar -
513.168 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99
(2002)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Congo, Republic of the

Telephones - main lines in use:
13,800 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
490,000 (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: services barely adequate for government use;
key exchanges are in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, and Loubomo;
intercity lines frequently out of order
domestic: primary network consists of microwave radio relay and
coaxial cable
international: country code - 242; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 3 (2001)

Radios:
341,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (2002)

Televisions:
33,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.cg

Internet hosts:
46 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
36,000 (2005)

Transportation Congo, Republic of the

Airports:
32 (2006)

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

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 28
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 11 (2006)

Pipelines:
gas 89 km; liquid petroleum gas 4 km; oil 744 km (2006)

Railways:
total: 894 km
narrow gauge: 894 km 1.067-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:
total: 17,289 km
paved: 864 km
unpaved: 16,425 km (2004)

Waterways:
4,385 km (on Congo and Oubanqui rivers) (2005)

Merchant marine:
registered in other countries: 1 (Congo, Democratic Republic of the
1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Brazzaville, Djeno, Impfondo, Ouesso, Oyo, Pointe-Noire

Military Congo, Republic of the

Military branches:
Congolese Armed Forces (FAC): Army, Congolese Air Force (Armee de
l'Air Congolaise), Navy, Gendarmerie, Republican Guard (2005)

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

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 688,628
females age 18-49: 685,388 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 406,016
females age 18-49: 394,745 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 38,464
females age 18-49: 38,082 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$85.22 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.4% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Congo, Republic of the

Disputes - international:
about 7,000 Congolese refugees fleeing internal civil conflicts
since the mid-1990s still reside in the Democratic Republic of the
Congo; the location of the boundary in the broad Congo River with
the Democratic Republic of the Congo is indefinite except in the
Pool Malebo/Stanley Pool area

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 56,380 (Democratic Republic of
Congo), 6,478 (Rwanda)
IDPs: 48,000 (multiple civil wars since 1992; most IDPs are ethnic
Lari) (2006)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Cook Islands

Introduction Cook Islands

Background:
Named after Captain COOK, who sighted them in 1770, the islands
became a British protectorate in 1888. By 1900, administrative
control was transferred to New Zealand; in 1965 residents chose
self-government in free association with New Zealand. The emigration
of skilled workers to New Zealand and government deficits are
continuing problems.

Geography Cook Islands

Location:
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about
one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates:
21 14 S, 159 46 W

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 236.7 sq km
land: 236.7 sq km
water: 0 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
120 km

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

Climate:
tropical oceanic; moderated by trade winds; a dry season from April
to November and a more humid season from December to March

Terrain:
low coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in south

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Te Manga 652 m

Natural resources:
NEGL

Land use:
arable land: 16.67%
permanent crops: 8.33%
other: 75% (2005)

Irrigated land:
NA

Natural hazards:
typhoons (November to March)

Environment - current issues:
NA

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
the northern Cook Islands are seven low-lying, sparsely populated,
coral atolls; the southern Cook Islands, where most of the
population lives, consist of eight elevated, fertile, volcanic
isles, including the largest, Rarotonga, at 67 sq km

People Cook Islands

Population:
21,388 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 34.1% (male 2,718/female 2,388)
15-64 years: 59.5% (male 4,531/female 4,395)
65 years and over: 6.4% (male 489/female 469) (2001 census)

Median age:
total: 25.3 years
male: 24.7 years
female: 25.9 years (2001 census)

Population growth rate:
-1.2% between 1996-2001 (2001 census)

Birth rate:
21 births/1,000 population (2001 census)

Death rate:
NA deaths/1,000 population

Sex ratio:
1.07 male(s)/female (2001 census)

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

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

Total fertility rate:
3.1 children born/woman (2001 census)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

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

Ethnic groups:
Cook Island Maori (Polynesian) 87.7%, part Cook Island Maori 5.8%,
other 6.5% (2001 census)

Religions:
Cook Islands Christian Church 55.9%, Roman Catholic 16.8%,
Seventh-Day Adventists 7.9%, Church of Latter Day Saints 3.8%, other
Protestant 5.8%, other 4.2%, unspecified 2.6%, none 3% (2001 census)

Languages:
English (official), Maori

Literacy:
definition: NA
total population: 95%
male: NA%
female: NA%

People - note:
2001 census counted a resident population of 15,017

Government Cook Islands

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Cook Islands
former: Harvey Islands

Dependency status:
self-governing in free association with New Zealand; Cook Islands
is fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains
responsibility for external affairs and defense, in consultation
with the Cook Islands

Government type:
self-governing parliamentary democracy

Capital:
name: Avarua
geographic coordinates: 21 12 S, 159 46 W
time difference: UTC-10 (5 hours behind Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:
none

Independence:
none (became self-governing in free association with New Zealand on
4 August 1965 and has the right at any time to move to full
independence by unilateral action)

National holiday:
Constitution Day, first Monday in August (1965)

Constitution:
4 August 1965

Legal system:
based on New Zealand law and English common law

Suffrage:
NA years of age; universal adult

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Frederick GOODWIN (since 9 February 2001); New
Zealand High Commissioner John BRYAN (since 6 September 2005),
representative of New Zealand
head of government: Prime Minister Jim MARURAI (since 14 December
2004); Deputy Prime Minister Terepai MAOATE (since 9 August 2005)
cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister; collectively
responsible to Parliament
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the UK representative is
appointed by the monarch; the New Zealand high commissioner is
appointed by the New Zealand Government; following legislative
elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
majority coalition usually becomes prime minister

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consisting of a lower house or Legislative
Assembly with 25 seats (24 seats representing districts of the Cook
Islands and one seat representing Cook Islanders living overseas;
members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and an
upper house or House of Ariki made up of traditional leaders
elections: last held 26 September 2006 (next to be held by 2011)
election results: percent of vote by party - Demo 51.9%, CIP 45.5%,
independent 2.7%; seats by party - Demo 15, CIP 8, independent 1
note: the House of Ariki advises on traditional matters and
maintains considerable influence, but has no legislative powers

Judicial branch:
High Court

Political parties and leaders:
Cook Islands Party or CIP [Henry PUNA]; Democratic Party or Demo
[Dr. Terepai MAOATE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACP, AsDB, FAO, ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IOC, ITUC, OPCW, PIF,
Sparteca, SPC, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)

Flag description:
blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and
a large circle of 15 white five-pointed stars (one for every island)
centered in the outer half of the flag

Economy Cook Islands

Economy - overview:
Like many other South Pacific island nations, the Cook Islands'
economic development is hindered by the isolation of the country
from foreign markets, the limited size of domestic markets, lack of
natural resources, periodic devastation from natural disasters, and
inadequate infrastructure. Agriculture, employing about 70% of the
working population, provides the economic base with major exports
made up of copra and citrus fruit. Black pearls are the Cook
Island's leading export. Manufacturing activities are limited to
fruit processing, clothing, and handicrafts. Trade deficits are
offset by remittances from emigrants and by foreign aid,
overwhelmingly from New Zealand. In the 1980s and 1990s, the country
lived beyond its means, maintaining a bloated public service and
accumulating a large foreign debt. Subsequent reforms, including the
sale of state assets, the strengthening of economic management, the
encouragement of tourism, and a debt restructuring agreement, have
rekindled investment and growth.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$183.2 million (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$183.2 million (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
0.1% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$9,100 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 15.1%
industry: 9.6%
services: 75.3% (2004)

Labor force:
6,820 (2001)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 29%
industry: 15%
services: 56% (1995)

Unemployment rate:
13.1% (2005)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.1% (2005 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $70.95 million
expenditures: $69.05 million; including capital expenditures of
$5.744 million (FY05/06)

Agriculture - products:
copra, citrus, pineapples, tomatoes, beans, pawpaws, bananas, yams,
taro, coffee; pigs, poultry

Industries:
fruit processing, tourism, fishing, clothing, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate:
1% (2002)

Electricity - production:
28 million kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:
26.04 million kWh (2004 est.)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:
420 bbl/day (2004 est.)

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:
$26.67 million (2005)

Exports:
$5.222 million (2005)

Exports - commodities:
copra, papayas, fresh and canned citrus fruit, coffee; fish; pearls
and pearl shells; clothing

Exports - partners:
Australia 34%, Japan 27%, New Zealand 25%, US 8% (2004)

Imports:
$81.04 million (2005)

Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, textiles, fuels, timber, capital goods

Imports - partners:
New Zealand 61%, Fiji 19%, US 9%, Australia 6%, Japan 2% (2004)

Debt - external:
$141 million (1996 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$13.1 million; note - New Zealand continues to furnish the greater
part (1995)

Currency (code):
New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Currency code:
NZD

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

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Cook Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:
6,200 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
1,500 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: Telecom Cook Islands offers international
direct dialing, Internet, email, fax, and Telex
domestic: the individual islands are connected by a combination of
satellite earth stations, microwave systems, and VHF and HF
radiotelephone; within the islands, service is provided by small
exchanges connected to subscribers by open-wire, cable, and
fiber-optic cable
international: country code - 682; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

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

Radios:
14,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (outer islands receive satellite broadcasts) (2004)

Televisions:
4,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.ck

Internet hosts:
1,456 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
3 (2000)

Internet users:
3,600 (2002)

Transportation Cook Islands

Airports:
9 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways:
total: 320 km
paved: 33 km
unpaved: 287 km (2003)

Merchant marine:
total: 6 ships (1000 GRT or over) 48,422 GRT/51,900 DWT
by type: cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 3
foreign-owned: 5 (Norway 1, NZ 1, Sweden 3) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Avatiu

Military Cook Islands

Military branches:
no regular military forces; Ministry of Police and Disaster
Management (2005)

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of New Zealand, in consultation with
the Cook Islands and at its request

Transnational Issues Cook Islands

Disputes - international:
none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Coral Sea Islands

Introduction Coral Sea Islands

Background:
Scattered over more than three-quarters of a million square
kilometers of ocean, the Coral Sea Islands were declared a territory
of Australia in 1969. They are uninhabited except for a small
meteorological staff on the Willis Islets. Automated weather
stations, beacons, and a lighthouse occupy many other islands and
reefs.

Geography Coral Sea Islands

Location:
Oceania, islands in the Coral Sea, northeast of Australia

Geographic coordinates:
18 00 S, 152 00 E

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: less than 3 sq km
land: less than 3 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes numerous small islands and reefs scattered over a sea
area of about 780,000 sq km, with the Willis Islets the most
important

Area - comparative:
NA

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
3,095 km

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

Climate:
tropical

Terrain:
sand and coral reefs and islands (or cays)

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Cato Island 6 m

Natural resources:
NEGL

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (mostly grass or scrub cover) (2005)

Irrigated land:
0 sq km

Natural hazards:
occasional tropical cyclones

Environment - current issues:
no permanent fresh water resources

Geography - note:
important nesting area for birds and turtles

People Coral Sea Islands

Population:
no indigenous inhabitants
note: there is a staff of three to four at the meteorological
station (2005 est.)

Government Coral Sea Islands

Country name:
conventional long form: Coral Sea Islands Territory
conventional short form: Coral Sea Islands

Dependency status:
territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the
Department of the Transport and Regional Services

Legal system:
the laws of Australia, where applicable, apply

Executive branch:
administered from Canberra by the Department of the Environment,
Sport, and Territories

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (territory of Australia)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (territory of Australia)

Flag description:
the flag of Australia is used

Economy Coral Sea Islands

Economy - overview:
no economic activity

Communications Coral Sea Islands

Communications - note:
there are automatic weather stations on many of the isles and reefs
relaying data to the mainland

Transportation Coral Sea Islands

Ports and terminals:
none; offshore anchorage only

Military Coral Sea Islands

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of Australia; visited regularly by
the Royal Australian Navy; Australia has control over the activities
of visitors

Transnational Issues Coral Sea Islands

Disputes - international:
none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Costa Rica

Introduction Costa Rica

Background:
Although explored by the Spanish early in the 16th century, initial
attempts at colonizing Costa Rica proved unsuccessful due to a
combination of factors, including: disease from mosquito-infested
swamps, brutal heat, resistance by natives, and pirate raids. It was
not until 1563 that a permanent settlement of Cartago was
established in the cooler, fertile central highlands. The area
remained a colony for some two and a half centuries. In 1821, Costa
Rica became one of several Central American provinces that jointly
declared their independence from Spain. Two years later it joined
the United Provinces of Central America, but this federation
disintegrated in 1838, at which time Costa Rica proclaimed its
sovereignty and independence. Since the late 19th century, only two
brief periods of violence have marred the country's democratic
development. Although it still maintains a large agricultural
sector, Costa Rica has expanded its economy to include strong
technology and tourism industries. The standard of living is
relatively high. Land ownership is widespread.

Geography Costa Rica

Location:
Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North
Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama

Geographic coordinates:
10 00 N, 84 00 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 51,100 sq km
land: 50,660 sq km
water: 440 sq km
note: includes Isla del Coco

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than West Virginia

Land boundaries:
total: 639 km
border countries: Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km

Coastline:
1,290 km

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

Climate:
tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy
season (May to November); cooler in highlands

Terrain:
coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100
volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m

Natural resources:
hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 4.4%
permanent crops: 5.87%
other: 89.73% (2005)

Irrigated land:
1,080 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent
flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active
volcanoes

Environment - current issues:
deforestation and land use change, largely a result of the clearing
of land for cattle ranching and agriculture; soil erosion; coastal
marine pollution; fisheries protection; solid waste management; air
pollution

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

Geography - note:
four volcanoes, two of them active, rise near the capital of San
Jose in the center of the country; one of the volcanoes, Irazu,
erupted destructively in 1963-65

People Costa Rica

Population:
4,075,261 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 28.3% (male 590,261/female 563,196)
15-64 years: 66% (male 1,359,750/female 1,329,346)
65 years and over: 5.7% (male 108,041/female 124,667) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 26.4 years
male: 26 years
female: 26.9 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.45% (2006 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
0.49 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: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 9.7 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 10.58 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 8.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.02 years
male: 74.43 years
female: 79.74 years (2006 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.6% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
12,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
900 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Costa Rican(s)
adjective: Costa Rican

Ethnic groups:
white (including mestizo) 94%, black 3%, Amerindian 1%, Chinese 1%,
other 1%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 76.3%, Evangelical 13.7%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.3%,
other Protestant 0.7%, other 4.8%, none 3.2%

Languages:
Spanish (official), English

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96%
male: 95.9%
female: 96.1% (2003 est.)

Government Costa Rica

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

Government type:
democratic republic

Capital:
name: San Jose
geographic coordinates: 9 56 N, 84 05 W
time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard
Time)

Administrative divisions:
7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela, Cartago,
Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose

Independence:
15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution:
7 November 1949

Legal system:
based on Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative
acts in the Supreme Court; has accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Oscar ARIAS Sanchez (since 8 May 2006);
First Vice President Laura CHINCHILLA (since 8 May 2006); Second
Vice President Kevin CASAS Zamora (since 8 May 2006); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Oscar ARIAS Sanchez (since 8 May
2006); First Vice President Laura CHINCHILLA (since 8 May 2006);
Second Vice President Kevin CASAS Zamora (since 8 May 2006)
cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president
elections: president and vice presidents elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for a single four-year term; election last held 5
February 2006 (next to be held February 2010)
election results: Oscar ARIAS Sanchez elected president; percent of
vote - Oscar ARIAS Sanchez (PLN) 40.9%; Otton SOLIS (PAC) 39.8%,
Otto GUEVARA Guth (PML) 8%, Ricardo TOLEDO (PUSC) 3%

Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (57 seats;
members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 5 February 2006 (next to be held February 2010)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
PLN 25, PAC 17, PML 6, PUSC 5, other 4

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (22 justices are elected for
eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:
Authentic Member from Heredia [Jose SALAS]; Citizen Action Party or
PAC [Otton SOLIS]; Costa Rican Renovation Party or PRC [Gerardo
Justo OROZCO Alvarez]; Democratic Force Party or PFD [Vladimir DE LA
CRUZ]; General Union Party or PUGEN [Carlos Alberto FERNANDEZ Vega];
Homeland First or PP [Juan Jose VARGAS Fallas]; Independent Worker
Party or PIO [Jose Alberto CUBERO Carmona]; Libertarian Movement
Party or PML [Otto GUEVARA Guth]; National Christian Alliance Party
or ANC [Juan Carlos CHAVEZ Mora]; National Integration Party or PIN
[Walter MUNOZ Cespedes]; National Liberation Party or PLN [Francisco
Antonio PACHECO]; National Patriotic Party or PPN [Daniel Enrique
REYNOLDS Vargas]; National Restoration Party or PRN [Carlos
AVENDANO]; Nationalist Democratic Alliance or ADN [Jose Miguel
VILLALOBOS Umana]; Patriotic Union or UP [Humberto ARCE Salas];
Social Christian Unity Party or PUSC [Luis FILMAN]; Union for Change
Party or UPC [Antonio ALVAREZ Desanti]; United Leftist Coalition or
IU [Humberto VARGAS Carbonel]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Authentic Confederation of Democratic Workers or CATD (Communist
Party affiliate); Chamber of Coffee Growers; Confederated Union of
Workers or CUT (Communist Party affiliate); Costa Rican
Confederation of Democratic Workers or CCTD (Liberation Party
affiliate); Federation of Public Service Workers or FTSP; National
Association for Economic Development or ANFE; National Association
of Educators or ANDE; Rerum Novarum or CTRN (PLN affiliate) [Gilbert
BROWN]

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

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Tomas DUENAS
chancery: 2114 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 234-2945
FAX: [1] (202) 265-4795
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Hammond (temporary location
in Louisiana), Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Juan
(Puerto Rico), Tampa (temporarily closed), Washington, DC
consulate(s): San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Mark LANGDALE
embassy: Calle 120 Avenida O, Pavas, San Jose
mailing address: APO AA 34020
telephone: [506] 519-2000
FAX: [506] 519-2305

Flag description:
five horizontal bands of blue (top), white, red (double width),
white, and blue, with the coat of arms in a white elliptical disk on
the hoist side of the red band; above the coat of arms a light blue
ribbon contains the words, AMERICA CENTRAL, and just below it near
the top of the coat of arms is a white ribbon with the words,
REPUBLICA COSTA RICA

Economy Costa Rica

Economy - overview:
Costa Rica's basically stable economy depends on tourism,
agriculture, and electronics exports. Poverty has been substantially
reduced over the past 15 years, and a strong social safety net has
been put into place. Foreign investors remain attracted by the
country's political stability and high education levels, and tourism
continues to bring in foreign exchange. The government continues to
grapple with its large internal and external deficits and sizable
internal debt. The reduction of inflation remains a difficult
problem because of rising import prices, labor market rigidities,
and fiscal deficits. The country also needs to reform its tax system
and its pattern of public expenditure. The current administration
has made it a priority to pass the necessary reforms to implement
the US-Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). CAFTA
implementation would result in an improved investment climate.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$48.77 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$20.77 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
4.7% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$12,000 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 8.6%
industry: 31%
services: 60.4% (2006 est.)

Labor force:
1.866 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 20%
industry: 22%
services: 58% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
6.6% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:
18% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.1%
highest 10%: 36.8% (2002)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
46.5 (2000)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
12.1% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
19.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $3.134 billion
expenditures: $3.475 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA
(2006 est.)

Public debt:
53.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:
coffee, pineapples, bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes;
beef; timber

Industries:
microprocessors, food processing, textiles and clothing,
construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products

Industrial production growth rate:
8.4% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:
8.4 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 1.5%
hydro: 81.9%
nuclear: 0%
other: 16.6% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
7.574 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:
440 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:
202 million kWh (2004)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:
44,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

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:
$-1.176 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:
$7.931 billion (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:
coffee, bananas, sugar, pineapples; textiles, electronic
components, medical equipment

Exports - partners:
US 42.6%, Hong Kong 6.9%, Netherlands 6.4%, Guatemala 4.2% (2005)

Imports:
$10.88 billion (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:
raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum

Imports - partners:
US 41.3%, Japan 5.6%, Venezuela 4.8%, Mexico 4.8%, Ireland 4.3%,
Brazil 4.2%, China 4.2% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$2.5 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:
$6.42 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Currency (code):
Costa Rican colon (CRC)

Currency code:
CRC

Exchange rates:
Costa Rican colones per US dollar - 513.302 (2006), 477.79 (2005),
437.91 (2004), 398.66 (2003), 359.82 (2002)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Costa Rica

Telephones - main lines in use:
1,388,500 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.101 million (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: good domestic telephone service in terms of
breadth of coverage; restricted cellular telephone service
domestic: point-to-point and point-to-multi-point microwave,
fiber-optic, and coaxial cable link rural areas; Internet service is
available
international: country code - 506; connected to Central American
Microwave System; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic
Ocean); two submarine cables (1999)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 65, FM 51, shortwave 19 (2002)

Radios:
980,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
20 (plus 43 repeaters) (2002)

Televisions:
525,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.cr

Internet hosts:
12,751 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
3 (of which only one is legal) (2000)

Internet users:
1 million (2005)

Transportation Costa Rica

Airports:
157 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 32
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 19
under 914 m: 9 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 125
914 to 1,523 m: 24
under 914 m: 101 (2006)

Pipelines:
refined products 242 km (2006)

Railways:
total: 278 km
narrow gauge: 278 km 1.067-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:
total: 35,330 km
paved: 8,621 km
unpaved: 26,709 km (2004)

Waterways:
730 km (seasonally navigable by small craft) (2005)

Merchant marine:
total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,308 GRT/743 DWT
by type: passenger/cargo 2 (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Caldera, Puerto Limon

Military Costa Rica

Military branches:
no regular military forces; Ministry of Public Security,
Government, and Police (2006)

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

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 997,690
females age 18-49: 968,290 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 829,874
females age 18-49: 809,343 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 41,097
females age 18-49: 39,243

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$83.46 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.4% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Costa Rica

Disputes - international:
in September 2005, Costa Rica took its case before the ICJ to
advocate the navigation, security, and commercial rights of Costa
Rican vessels using the Rio San Juan over which Nicaragua retains
sovereignty

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 9,470 (Colombia) (2006)

Illicit drugs:
transshipment country for cocaine and heroin from South America;
illicit production of cannabis on small, scattered plots; domestic
cocaine consumption, particularly crack cocaine, is rising

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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@Cote d'Ivoire

Introduction Cote d'Ivoire

Background:
Close ties to France since independence in 1960, the development of
cocoa production for export, and foreign investment made Cote
d'Ivoire one of the most prosperous of the tropical African states,
but did not protect it from political turmoil. In December 1999, a
military coup - the first ever in Cote d'Ivoire's history -
overthrew the government. Junta leader Robert GUEI blatantly rigged
elections held in late 2000 and declared himself the winner. Popular
protest forced him to step aside and brought runner-up Laurent
GBAGBO into power. Ivorian dissidents and disaffected members of the
military launched a failed coup attempt in September 2002. Rebel
forces claimed the northern half of the country, and in January 2003
were granted ministerial positions in a unity government under the
auspices of the Linas-Marcoussis Peace Accord. President GBAGBO and
rebel forces resumed implementation of the peace accord in December
2003 after a three-month stalemate, but issues that sparked the
civil war, such as land reform and grounds for citizenship, remain
unresolved. The central government has yet to exert control over the
northern regions and tensions remain high between GBAGBO and
opposition leaders. Several thousand French and West African troops
remain in Cote d'Ivoire to maintain peace and facilitate the
disarmament, demobilization, and rehabilitation process.

Geography Cote d'Ivoire

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

Geographic coordinates:
8 00 N, 5 00 W

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 322,460 sq km
land: 318,000 sq km
water: 4,460 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than New Mexico

Land boundaries:
total: 3,110 km
border countries: Burkina Faso 584 km, Ghana 668 km, Guinea 610 km,
Liberia 716 km, Mali 532 km

Coastline:
515 km

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

Climate:
tropical along coast, semiarid in far north; three seasons - warm
and dry (November to March), hot and dry (March to May), hot and wet
(June to October)

Terrain:
mostly flat to undulating plains; mountains in northwest

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Gulf of Guinea 0 m
highest point: Mont Nimba 1,752 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, diamonds, manganese, iron ore, cobalt,
bauxite, copper, gold, nickel, tantalum, silica sand, clay, cocoa
beans, coffee, palm oil, hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 10.23%
permanent crops: 11.16%
other: 78.61% (2005)

Irrigated land:
730 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
coast has heavy surf and no natural harbors; during the rainy
season torrential flooding is possible

Environment - current issues:
deforestation (most of the country's forests - once the largest in
West Africa - have been heavily logged); water pollution from sewage
and industrial and agricultural effluents

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

Geography - note:
most of the inhabitants live along the sandy coastal region; apart
from the capital area, the forested interior is sparsely populated

People Cote d'Ivoire

Population:
17,654,843
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: 40.8% (male 3,546,674/female 3,653,990)
15-64 years: 56.4% (male 5,024,575/female 4,939,677)
65 years and over: 2.8% (male 238,793/female 251,134) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 19.2 years
male: 19.4 years
female: 18.9 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.03% (2006 est.)

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

Death rate:
14.84 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: 0.97 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 89.11 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 105.73 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 71.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 48.82 years
male: 46.24 years
female: 51.48 years (2006 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
7% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
570,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
47,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria, yellow fever, and others are high
risks in some locations
water contact: schistosomiasis
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: Ivoirian(s)
adjective: Ivoirian

Ethnic groups:
Akan 42.1%, Voltaiques or Gur 17.6%, Northern Mandes 16.5%, Krous
11%, Southern Mandes 10%, other 2.8% (includes 130,000 Lebanese and
14,000 French) (1998)

Religions:
Muslim 35-40%, indigenous 25-40%, Christian 20-30% (2001)
note: the majority of foreigners (migratory workers) are Muslim
(70%) and Christian (20%)

Languages:
French (official), 60 native dialects with Dioula the most widely
spoken

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 50.9%
male: 57.9%
female: 43.6% (2003 est.)

Government Cote d'Ivoire

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Cote d'Ivoire
conventional short form: Cote d'Ivoire
local long form: Republique de Cote d'Ivoire
local short form: Cote d'Ivoire
former: Ivory Coast

Government type:
republic; multiparty presidential regime established 1960
note: the government is currently operating under a power-sharing
agreement mandated by international mediators

Capital:
name: Yamoussoukro
geographic coordinates: 5 19 N, 4 02 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
note: although Yamoussoukro has been the official capital since
1983, Abidjan remains the commercial and administrative center; the
US, like other countries, maintains its Embassy in Abidjan

Administrative divisions:
19 regions; Agneby, Bafing, Bas-Sassandra, Denguele, Dix-Huit
Montagnes, Fromager, Haut-Sassandra, Lacs, Lagunes, Marahoue,
Moyen-Cavally, Moyen-Comoe, N'zi-Comoe, Savanes, Sud-Bandama,
Sud-Comoe, Vallee du Bandama, Worodougou, Zanzan

Independence:
7 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 7 August (1960)

Constitution:
approved by referendum 23 July 2000

Legal system:
based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review
in the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court; accepts
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Laurent GBAGBO (since 26 October 2000)
head of government: Prime Minister Charles Konan BANNY (since 7
December 2005)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president; note -
under the current power-sharing agreement Prime Minister BANNY and
President GBAGBO share the authority to appoint ministers
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
(no term limits); election last held 26 October 2000 (next to be
held by October 2007, after the government postponed elections in
2005 and 2006); prime minister appointed by the president (current
Prime Minister BANNY was appointed by African Union mediators as
part of the existing power-sharing agreement)
election results: Laurent GBAGBO elected president; percent of vote
- Laurent GBAGBO 59.4%, Robert GUEI 32.7%, Francis WODIE 5.7%, other
2.2%