Chapter XVIII: Front Matter (18)

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (225 seats;
members are elected in single- and multi-district elections by
direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: elections last held 10 December 2000 with by-elections on
14 January 2001 (next to be held by October 2007, after the
government postponed the elections in 2005 and 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
FPI 96, PDCI-RDA 94, RDR 5, PIT 4, other 2, independents 22, vacant 2
note: a Senate is scheduled to be created in the next full election
in 2006

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme consists of four chambers: Judicial
Chamber for criminal cases, Audit Chamber for financial cases,
Constitutional Chamber for judicial review cases, and Administrative
Chamber for civil cases; there is no legal limit to the number of
members

Political parties and leaders:
Citizen's Democratic Union or UDCY [Theodore MEL EG]; Democratic
Party of Cote d'Ivoire-African Democratic Rally or PDCI-RDA [Henri
Konan BEDIE]; Ivorian Popular Front or FPI [Laurent GBAGBO]; Ivorian
Worker's Party or PIT [Francis WODIE]; Opposition Movement of the
Future or MFA [Anaky KOBENAN]; Rally of the Republicans or RDR
[Alassane OUATTARA]; Union for Democracy and Peace in Cote d'Ivoire
or UDPCI [Mabri TOIKEUSE]; over 20 smaller parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Federation of University and High School Students of Cote d'Ivoire
or FESCI [Serges KOFFI]; Rally of Houphouetists for Democracy and
Peace or RHDP [Alphonse DJEDJE MADY]; Young Patriots [Charles BLE
GOUDE]

International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF,
OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional),
WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Daouda DIABATE
chancery: 3421 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 797-0300
FAX: [1] (202) 244-3088

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Aubrey HOOKS
embassy: Riviera Golf 01, Abidjan
mailing address: B. P. 1866, Abidjan 01
telephone: [225] 20 21 09 79
FAX: [225] 20 22 32 59

Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of orange (hoist side), white, and
green; similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer and has the
colors reversed - green (hoist side), white, and orange; also
similar to the flag of Italy, which is green (hoist side), white,
and red; design was based on the flag of France

Economy Cote d'Ivoire

Economy - overview:
Cote d'Ivoire is among the world's largest producers and exporters
of coffee, cocoa beans, and palm oil. Consequently, the economy is
highly sensitive to fluctuations in international prices for these
products and weather conditions. Despite government attempts to
diversify the economy, it is still heavily dependent on agriculture
and related activities, engaging roughly 68% of the population.
Growth was negative in 2000-03 because of the difficulty of meeting
the conditions of international donors, continued low prices of key
exports, foreign divestment and civil war. Political turmoil has
continued to damage the economy since 2004, with a rising risk
premium associated with doing business in the country, foreign
investment shriveling, transportation costs increasing, French
businesses fleeing, and criminal elements that traffic in weapons
and diamonds gaining ground. The government will continue to survive
financially off of the sale of cocoa, which represents 90% of
foreign exchange earnings, but the government will probably lose
between 10% and 20% of its cocoa harvest to northern rebels who
smuggle the cocoa they control to neighboring countries where cocoa
prices are higher. The government remains hopeful that ongoing
exploration of Cote d'Ivoire's offshore oil reserves will result in
significant production that could boost daily crude output from
roughly 33,000 barrels per day (b/d) to more than 200,000 b/d by the
end of the decade.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$28.47 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$17.19 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,600 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 27%
industry: 18.5%
services: 54.5% (2006 est.)

Labor force:
6.738 million (68% agricultural) (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate:
13% in urban areas (1998)

Population below poverty line:
37% (1995)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.1%
highest 10%: 28.8% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
45.2 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.2% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
11.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $2.837 billion
expenditures: $3.154 billion; including capital expenditures of $420
million (2006 est.)

Public debt:
69.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:
coffee, cocoa beans, bananas, palm kernels, corn, rice, manioc
(tapioca), sweet potatoes, sugar, cotton, rubber; timber

Industries:
foodstuffs, beverages; wood products, oil refining, truck and bus
assembly, textiles, fertilizer, building materials, electricity,
ship construction and repair

Industrial production growth rate:
15% (1998 est.)

Electricity - production:
4.625 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 61.9%
hydro: 38.1%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
3.202 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:
1.1 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:
32,900 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:
23,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
220 million bbl (2006 est.)

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

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

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

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

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

Current account balance:
$460 million (2006 est.)

Exports:
$7.832 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:
cocoa, coffee, timber, petroleum, cotton, bananas, pineapples, palm
oil, fish

Exports - partners:
France 18.3%, US 14.1%, Netherlands 11%, Nigeria 8%, Panama 4.4%
(2005)

Imports:
$5.548 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:
fuel, capital equipment, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
France 27.7%, Nigeria 24.5%, Singapore 6.6% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$1.4 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:
$11.96 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
ODA, $1 billion (1996 est.)

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 -
522.592 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99
(2002)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Cote d'Ivoire

Telephones - main lines in use:
257,900 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
2.19 million (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: well developed by African standards but
operating well below capacity
domestic: open-wire lines and microwave radio relay; 90% digitalized
international: country code - 225; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); 2 submarine cables
(June 1999)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios:
2.26 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
14 (1999)

Televisions:
1.09 million (2000)

Internet country code:
.ci

Internet hosts:
2,534 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
5 (2001)

Internet users:
160,000 (2005)

Transportation Cote d'Ivoire

Airports:
35 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 7
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 28
1,524 to 2,437 m: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 15
under 914 m: 5 (2006)

Pipelines:
condensate 109 km; gas 240 km; oil 112 km (2006)

Railways:
total: 660 km
narrow gauge: 660 km 1.000 meter gauge
note: an additional 622 km of this railroad extends into Burkina
Faso (2005)

Roadways:
total: 80,000 km
paved: 6,500 km
unpaved: 73,500 km
note: includes intercity and urban roads; another 20,000 km of dirt
roads are in poor condition and 150,000 km of dirt roads are
impassable (2006)

Waterways:
980 km (navigable rivers, canals, and numerous coastal lagoons)
(2005)

Ports and terminals:
Abidjan, Aboisso, Dabou, San-Pedro

Military Cote d'Ivoire

Military branches:
Cote d'Ivoire Defense and Security Forces (FDSC): Army, Navy, Air
Force (2006)

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service;
conscript service obligation - 18 months (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 3,696,106
females age 18-49: 3,569,967 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 1,973,265
females age 18-49: 1,911,777 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 189,354
females age 18-49: 192,600 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$246.6 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.6% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Cote d'Ivoire

Disputes - international:
rebel and ethnic fighting against the central government in 2002
has spilled into neighboring states, driven out foreign cocoa
workers from nearby countries, and, in 2004, resulted in 6,000
peacekeepers deployed as part of UN Operation in Cote d'Ivoire
(UNOCI) assisting 4,000 French troops already in-country; the
Ivorian Government accuses Burkina Faso and Liberia of supporting
Ivorian rebels

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 39,919 (Liberia)
IDPs: 750,000 (2002 coup; most IDPs are in western regions) (2006)

Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for local consumption;
transshipment point for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin to
Europe and occasionally to the US, and for Latin American cocaine
destined for Europe and South Africa; while rampant corruption and
inadequate supervision leave the banking system vulnerable to money
laundering, the lack of a developed financial system limits the
country's utility as a major money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Croatia

Introduction Croatia

Background:
The lands that today comprise Croatia were part of the
Austro-Hungarian Empire until the close of World War I. In 1918, the
Croats, Serbs, and Slovenes formed a kingdom known after 1929 as
Yugoslavia. Following World War II, Yugoslavia became a federal
independent Communist state under the strong hand of Marshal TITO.
Although Croatia declared its independence from Yugoslavia in 1991,
it took four years of sporadic, but often bitter, fighting before
occupying Serb armies were mostly cleared from Croatian lands. Under
UN supervision, the last Serb-held enclave in eastern Slavonia was
returned to Croatia in 1998.

Geography Croatia

Location:
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea, between Bosnia and
Herzegovina and Slovenia

Geographic coordinates:
45 10 N, 15 30 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 56,542 sq km
land: 56,414 sq km
water: 128 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than West Virginia

Land boundaries:
total: 2,197 km
border countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina 932 km, Hungary 329 km,
Serbia 241 km, Montenegro 25 km, Slovenia 670 km

Coastline:
5,835 km (mainland 1,777 km, islands 4,058 km)

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
Mediterranean and continental; continental climate predominant with
hot summers and cold winters; mild winters, dry summers along coast

Terrain:
geographically diverse; flat plains along Hungarian border, low
mountains and highlands near Adriatic coastline and islands

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
highest point: Dinara 1,830 m

Natural resources:
oil, some coal, bauxite, low-grade iron ore, calcium, gypsum,
natural asphalt, silica, mica, clays, salt, hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 25.82%
permanent crops: 2.19%
other: 71.99% (2005)

Irrigated land:
110 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
destructive earthquakes

Environment - current issues:
air pollution (from metallurgical plants) and resulting acid rain
is damaging the forests; coastal pollution from industrial and
domestic waste; landmine removal and reconstruction of
infrastructure consequent to 1992-95 civil strife

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

Geography - note:
controls most land routes from Western Europe to Aegean Sea and
Turkish Straits; the vast majority of Adriatic Sea islands lie off
the coast of Croatia - some 1,200 islands, islets, ridges, and rocks

People Croatia

Population:
4,494,749 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.2% (male 373,638/female 354,261)
15-64 years: 67% (male 1,497,958/female 1,515,314)
65 years and over: 16.8% (male 288,480/female 465,098) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 40.3 years
male: 38.3 years
female: 42.1 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
-0.03% (2006 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
1.58 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: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.72 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.7 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.74 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.68 years
male: 71.03 years
female: 78.53 years (2006 est.)

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

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
200 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 10 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Croat(s), Croatian(s)
adjective: Croatian

Ethnic groups:
Croat 89.6%, Serb 4.5%, other 5.9% (including Bosniak, Hungarian,
Slovene, Czech, and Roma) (2001 census)

Religions:
Roman Catholic 87.8%, Orthodox 4.4%, other Christian 0.4%, Muslim
1.3%, other and unspecified 0.9%, none 5.2% (2001 census)

Languages:
Croatian 96.1%, Serbian 1%, other and undesignated 2.9% (including
Italian, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, and German) (2001 census)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.5%
male: 99.4%
female: 97.8% (2003 est.)

Government Croatia

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

Government type:
presidential/parliamentary democracy

Capital:
name: Zagreb
geographic coordinates: 45 48 N, 15 58 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:
20 counties (zupanije, zupanija - singular) and 1 city* (grad -
singular); Bjelovarsko-Bilogorska Zupanija, Brodsko-Posavska
Zupanija, Dubrovacko-Neretvanska Zupanija, Istarska Zupanija,
Karlovacka Zupanija, Koprivnicko-Krizevacka Zupanija,
Krapinsko-Zagorska Zupanija, Licko-Senjska Zupanija, Medimurska
Zupanija, Osjecko-Baranjska Zupanija, Pozesko-Slavonska Zupanija,
Primorsko-Goranska Zupanija, Sibensko-Kninska Zupanija,
Sisacko-Moslavacka Zupanija, Splitsko-Dalmatinska Zupanija,
Varazdinska Zupanija, Viroviticko-Podravska Zupanija,
Vukovarsko-Srijemska Zupanija, Zadarska Zupanija, Zagreb*,
Zagrebacka Zupanija

Independence:
25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 8 October (1991); note - 25 June 1991 is the day
the Croatian Parliament voted for independence; following a
three-month moratorium to allow the European Community to solve the
Yugoslav crisis peacefully, Parliament adopted a decision on 8
October 1991 to sever constitutional relations with Yugoslavia

Constitution:
adopted on 22 December 1990; revised 2000, 2001

Legal system:
based on civil law system

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed)

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Stjepan (Stipe) MESIC (since 18 February
2000)
head of government: Prime Minister Ivo SANADER (since 9 December
2003); Deputy Prime Ministers Jadranka KOSOR (since 23 December
2003) and Damir POLANCEC (since 15 February 2005)
cabinet: Council of Ministers named by the prime minister and
approved by the parliamentary Assembly
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
(eligible for a second term); election last held 16 January 2005
(next to be held January 2010); the leader of the majority party or
the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime
minister by the president and then approved by the Assembly
election results: Stjepan MESIC reelected president; percent of vote
- Stjepan MESIC 66%, Jadranka KOSOR (HDZ) 34% in the second round

Legislative branch:
unicameral Assembly or Sabor (152 seats; note - one seat was added
in the November 2003 parliamentary elections; members elected from
party lists by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 23 November 2003 (next to be held in 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; number of seats by
party - HDZ 63, SDP 34, HNS 11, HSS 9, HSP 7, IDS 4, HDSSB 3, HSLS
3, HSU 3, SDSS 3, other 12
note: minority government coalition - HDZ, DC, HSLS, HSU, SDSS; note
- the Democratic Center party or DC withdrew from the government in
Febuary 2006

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Constitutional Court; judges for both courts
appointed for eight-year terms by the Judicial Council of the
Republic, which is elected by the Assembly

Political parties and leaders:
Croatian Bloc or HB [Ivic PASALIC]; Croatian Christian Democratic
Union or HKDU [Anto KOVACEVIC]; Croatian Democratic Congress of
Slavonia and Baranja or HDSSB [Branimir GLAVAS]; Croatian Democratic
Union or HDZ [Ivo SANADER]; Croatian Party of Rights or HSP [Anto
DJAPIC]; Croatian Peasant Party or HSS [Josip FRISCIC]; Croatian
Pensioner Party or HSU [Vladimir JORDAN]; Croatian People's Party or
HNS [Vesna PUSIC] (in 2005 party merged with Libra to become
Croatian People's Party-Liberal Democrats or NS-LD [Vesna PUSIC]);
Croatian Social Liberal Party or HSLS [Djurdja ADLESIC]; Croatian
True Revival Party or HIP [Miroslav TUDJMAN]; Democratic Centre or
DC [Vesna SKARE-OZBOLT]; Independent Democratic Serb Party or SDSS
[Vojislav STANIMIROVIC]; Istrian Democratic Assembly or IDS [Ivan
JAKOVCIC]; Social Democratic Party of Croatia or SDP [Ivica RACAN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACCT (observer), BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO,
IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA,
MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), OIF
(observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP,
UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOGIP, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCO,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Neven JURICA
chancery: 2343 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 588-5899
FAX: [1] (202) 588-8936
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Robert A. BRADTKE
embassy: 2 Thomas Jefferson Street, 10010 Zagreb
mailing address: use street address
telephone: [385] (1) 661-2200
FAX: [385] (1) 661-2373

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue
superimposed by the Croatian coat of arms (red and white checkered)

Economy Croatia

Economy - overview:
Before the dissolution of Yugoslavia, the Republic of Croatia,
after Slovenia, was the most prosperous and industrialized area with
a per capita output perhaps one-third above the Yugoslav average.
The economy emerged from a mild recession in 2000 with tourism,
banking, and public investments leading the way. Unemployment
remains high, at about 17%, with structural factors slowing its
decline. While macroeconomic stabilization has largely been
achieved, structural reforms lag because of deep resistance on the
part of the public and lack of strong support from politicians.
Growth, while impressive at about 3% to 4% for the last several
years, has been stimulated, in part, through high fiscal deficits
and rapid credit growth. The EU accession process should accelerate
fiscal and structural reform.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$59.41 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$37.35 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
4.4% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$13,200 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 6.8%
industry: 30.9%
services: 62.3% (2006 est.)

Labor force:
1.72 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 2.7%
industry: 32.8%
services: 64.5% (2004)

Unemployment rate:
17.2% official rate; labor force surveys indicate unemployment
around 14% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:
11% (2003)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.4%
highest 10%: 24.5% (2003 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
29 (2001)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.4% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
28.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $17.78 billion
expenditures: $19.06 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA
(2006 est.)

Public debt:
56.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:
wheat, corn, sugar beets, sunflower seed, barley, alfalfa, clover,
olives, citrus, grapes, soybeans, potatoes; livestock, dairy products

Industries:
chemicals and plastics, machine tools, fabricated metal,
electronics, pig iron and rolled steel products, aluminum, paper,
wood products, construction materials, textiles, shipbuilding,
petroleum and petroleum refining, food and beverages, tourism

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

Electricity - production:
12.95 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 33.6%
hydro: 66%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0.4% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
16.53 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:
600 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:
5.086 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:
20,500 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:
93,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA bbl/day (2001)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Current account balance:
$-2.892 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:
$11.17 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:
transport equipment, textiles, chemicals, foodstuffs, fuels

Exports - partners:
Italy 21.8%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 14.7%, Germany 10.7%, Slovenia
8.1%, Austria 7.3% (2005)

Imports:
$21.79 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

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

Imports - partners:
Italy 15.9%, Germany 14.9%, Russia 9.1%, Slovenia 6.8%, Austria
5.8%, China 4.7%, France 4.2% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$11.07 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:
$33.09 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
ODA, $166.5 million (2002)

Currency (code):
kuna (HRK)

Currency code:
HRK

Exchange rates:
kuna per US dollar - 5.85506 (2006), 5.9473 (2005), 6.0358 (2004),
6.7035 (2003), 7.8687 (2002)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Croatia

Telephones - main lines in use:
1,889,500 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
2.984 million (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: reconstruction plan calls for replacement of all analog
circuits with digital and enlarging the network; a backup will be
included in the plan for the main trunk
international: country code - 385; digital international service is
provided through the main switch in Zagreb; Croatia participates in
the Trans-Asia-Europe (TEL) fiber-optic project, which consists of
two fiber-optic trunk connections with Slovenia and a fiber-optic
trunk line from Rijeka to Split and Dubrovnik; Croatia is also
investing in ADRIA 1, a joint fiber-optic project with Germany,
Albania, and Greece

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 16, FM 98, shortwave 5 (1999)

Radios:
1.51 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
36 (plus 321 repeaters) (September 1995)

Televisions:
1.22 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.hr

Internet hosts:
18,825 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
9 (2000)

Internet users:
1,451,100 (2005)

Transportation Croatia

Airports:
68 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 23
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 9 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 45
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 37 (2006)

Heliports:
2 (2006)

Pipelines:
gas 1,340 km; oil 583 km (2006)

Railways:
total: 2,726 km
standard gauge: 2,726 km 1.435-m gauge (1,199 km electrified) (2005)

Roadways:
total: 28,344 km
paved: 24,186 km (including 742 km of expressways)
unpaved: 4,158 km (2004)

Waterways:
785 km (2006)

Merchant marine:
total: 72 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,079,286 GRT/1,724,698 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 22, cargo 11, chemical tanker 3,
passenger/cargo 27, petroleum tanker 5, refrigerated cargo 1, roll
on/roll off 3
registered in other countries: 36 (Belize 1, Cyprus 2, Liberia 7,
Malta 10, Marshall Islands 2, Panama 5, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines 9) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Omisalj, Ploce, Rijeka, Sibenik, Vukovar (on Danube)

Military Croatia

Military branches:
Ground Forces (Hrvatska Kopnena Vojska, HKoV), Naval Forces
(Hrvatska Ratna Mornarica, HRM), Air and Air Defense Forces
(Hrvatsko Ratno Zrakoplovstvo i Protuzrakoplovna Obrana, HRZiPZO),
Joint Education and Training Command, Logistics Command; Military
Police Force supports each of the three Croatian military forces
(2006)

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory military service, with six-month
service obligation; 16 years of age with consent for voluntary
service (December 2004)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 1,005,058
females age 18-49: 1,008,511 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 725,914
females age 18-49: 823,611 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 29,020
females age 18-49: 27,897 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$620 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.39% (2002 est.)

Transnational Issues Croatia

Disputes - international:
discussions continue with Bosnia and Herzegovina over several small
disputed sections of the boundary related to maritime access that
hinders ratification of the 1999 border agreement; the
Croatia-Slovenia land and maritime boundary agreement, which would
have ceded most of Pirin Bay and maritime access to Slovenia and
several villages to Croatia, remains un-ratified and in dispute; as
a European Union peripheral state, neighboring Slovenia must conform
to the strict Schengen border rules to curb illegal migration and
commerce through southeastern Europe while encouraging close
cross-border ties with Croatia

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 4,200-7,000 (Croats and Serbs displaced in 1992-95 war) (2006)

Illicit drugs:
transit point along the Balkan route for Southwest Asian heroin to
Western Europe; has been used as a transit point for maritime
shipments of South American cocaine bound for Western Europe

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Cuba

Introduction Cuba

Background:
The native Amerindian population of Cuba began to decline after the
European discovery of the island by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1492 and
following its development as a Spanish colony during the next
several centuries. Large numbers of African slaves were imported to
work the coffee and sugar plantations, and Havana became the
launching point for the annual treasure fleets bound for Spain from
Mexico and Peru. Spanish rule, marked initially by neglect, became
increasingly repressive, provoking an independence movement and
occasional rebellions that were harshly suppressed. It was US
intervention during the Spanish-American War in 1898 that finally
overthrew Spanish rule. The subsequent Treaty of Paris established
Cuban independence, which was granted in 1902 after a three-year
transition period. Fidel CASTRO led a rebel army to victory in 1959;
his iron rule has held the regime together since then. Cuba's
Communist revolution, with Soviet support, was exported throughout
Latin America and Africa during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. The
country is now slowly recovering from a severe economic recession in
1990, following the withdrawal of former Soviet subsidies, worth $4
billion to $6 billion annually. Cuba portrays its difficulties as
the result of the US embargo in place since 1961. Illicit migration
to the US - using homemade rafts, alien smugglers, air flights, or
via the southwest border - is a continuing problem. The US Coast
Guard intercepted 2,810 individuals attempting to cross the Straits
of Florida in fiscal year 2006.

Geography Cuba

Location:
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic
Ocean, 150 km south of Key West, Florida

Geographic coordinates:
21 30 N, 80 00 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 110,860 sq km
land: 110,860 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries:
total: 29 km
border countries: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay 29 km
note: Guantanamo Naval Base is leased by the US and remains part of
Cuba

Coastline:
3,735 km

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

Climate:
tropical; moderated by trade winds; dry season (November to April);
rainy season (May to October)

Terrain:
mostly flat to rolling plains, with rugged hills and mountains in
the southeast

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Pico Turquino 2,005 m

Natural resources:
cobalt, nickel, iron ore, chromium, copper, salt, timber, silica,
petroleum, arable land

Land use:
arable land: 27.63%
permanent crops: 6.54%
other: 65.83% (2005)

Irrigated land:
8,700 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
the east coast is subject to hurricanes from August to November (in
general, the country averages about one hurricane every other year);
droughts are common

Environment - current issues:
air and water pollution; biodiversity loss; deforestation

Environment - international agreements:
party to: 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: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
largest country in Caribbean and westernmost island of the Greater
Antilles

People Cuba

Population:
11,382,820 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 19.1% (male 1,117,677/female 1,058,512)
15-64 years: 70.3% (male 4,001,161/female 3,999,303)
65 years and over: 10.6% (male 554,148/female 652,019) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 35.9 years
male: 35.2 years
female: 36.5 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.31% (2006 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
-1.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.22 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.99 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.41 years
male: 75.11 years
female: 79.85 years (2006 est.)

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

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
3,300 (2003 est.)

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

Nationality:
noun: Cuban(s)
adjective: Cuban

Ethnic groups:
mulatto 51%, white 37%, black 11%, Chinese 1%

Religions:
nominally 85% Roman Catholic prior to CASTRO assuming power;
Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jews, and Santeria are also
represented

Languages:
Spanish

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97%
male: 97.2%
female: 96.9% (2003 est.)

People - note:
illicit migration is a continuing problem; Cubans attempt to depart
the island and enter the US using homemade rafts, alien smugglers,
direct flights, or falsified visas; Cubans also use non-maritime
routes to enter the US including direct flights to Miami and
over-land via the southwest border

Government Cuba

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

Government type:
Communist state

Capital:
name: Havana
geographic coordinates: 23 08 N, 82 22 W
time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard
Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:
14 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 special
municipality* (municipio especial); Camaguey, Ciego de Avila,
Cienfuegos, Ciudad de La Habana, Granma, Guantanamo, Holguin, Isla
de la Juventud*, La Habana, Las Tunas, Matanzas, Pinar del Rio,
Sancti Spiritus, Santiago de Cuba, Villa Clara

Independence:
20 May 1902 (from Spain 10 December 1898; administered by the US
from 1898 to 1902)); not acknowledged by the Cuban Government as a
day of independence

National holiday:
Triumph of the Revolution, 1 January (1959)

Constitution:
24 February 1976; amended July 1992 and June 2002

Legal system:
based on Spanish civil law and influenced by American legal
concepts, with large elements of Communist legal theory; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
16 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President of the Council of State and President of
the Council of Ministers Fidel CASTRO Ruz (prime minister from
February 1959 until 24 February 1976 when office was abolished;
president since 2 December 1976); First Vice President of the
Council of State and First Vice President of the Council of
Ministers Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (since 2 December 1976); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President of the Council of State and President
of the Council of Ministers Fidel CASTRO Ruz (prime minister from
February 1959 until 24 February 1976 when office was abolished;
president since 2 December 1976); First Vice President of the
Council of State and First Vice President of the Council of
Ministers Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (since 2 December 1976)
cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the president of the
Council of State and appointed by the National Assembly or the
31-member Council of State, elected by the Assembly to act on its
behalf when it is not in session
elections: president and vice presidents elected by the National
Assembly for a term of five years; election last held 6 March 2003
(next to be held in 2008)
election results: Fidel CASTRO Ruz reelected president; percent of
legislative vote - 100%; Raul CASTRO Ruz elected vice president;
percent of legislative vote - 100%
note: due to an ongoing health problem, Fidel CASTRO Ruz
provisionally transferred power to his brother Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz
on 31 July 2006, in accordance with the Cuban Constitution; CASTRO
has not yet reclaimed control of the government

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly of People's Power or Asemblea Nacional
del Poder Popular (609 seats, elected directly from slates approved
by special candidacy commissions; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 19 January 2003 (next to be held in 2008)
election results: percent of vote - PCC 97.6%; seats - PCC 609

Judicial branch:
People's Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo Popular (president, vice
president, and other judges are elected by the National Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:
only party - Cuban Communist Party or PCC [Fidel CASTRO Ruz, first
secretary]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS
(excluded from formal participation since 1962), OPANAL, OPCW, PCA,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none; note - Cuba has an Interests Section in the Swiss Embassy,
headed by Principal Officer Dagoberto RODRIGUEZ Barrera; address:
Cuban Interests Section, Swiss Embassy, 2630 16th Street NW,
Washington, DC 20009; telephone: [1] (202) 797-8518; FAX: [1] (202)
797-8521

Diplomatic representation from the US:
none; note - the US has an Interests Section in the Swiss Embassy,
headed by Principal Officer Michael E. PARMLY; address: USINT, Swiss
Embassy, Calzada between L and M Streets, Vedado, Havana; telephone:
[53] (7) 833-3551 through 3559 (operator assistance required); FAX:
[53] (7) 833-3700; protecting power in Cuba is Switzerland

Flag description:
five equal horizontal bands of blue (top, center, and bottom)
alternating with white; a red equilateral triangle based on the
hoist side bears a white, five-pointed star in the center

Economy Cuba

Economy - overview:
The government continues to balance the need for economic loosening
against a desire for firm political control. It has rolled back
limited reforms undertaken in the 1990s to increase enterprise
efficiency and alleviate serious shortages of food, consumer goods,
and services. The average Cuban's standard of living remains at a
lower level than before the downturn of the 1990s, which was caused
by the loss of Soviet aid and domestic inefficiencies. In 2006, high
metals prices continued to boost Cuban earnings from nickel and
cobalt production. Havana continued to invest in the country's
energy sector to mitigate electrical blackouts that have plagued the
country since 2004.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$44.54 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$40 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
7.5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$3,900 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 5.1%
industry: 27.2%
services: 67.6% (2006 est.)

Labor force:
4.82 million
note: state sector 78%, non-state sector 22% (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 20%
industry: 19.4%
services: 60.6% (2005)

Unemployment rate:
1.9% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
11.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $35.07 billion
expenditures: $36.41 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA
(2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:
sugar, tobacco, citrus, coffee, rice, potatoes, beans; livestock

Industries:
sugar, petroleum, tobacco, construction, nickel, steel, cement,
agricultural machinery, pharmaceuticals

Industrial production growth rate:
17.6% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:
15.34 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 93.9%
hydro: 0.6%
nuclear: 0%
other: 5.4% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
14.1 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:
72,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:
204,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
259 million bbl (2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:
704 million cu m (2004)

Natural gas - consumption:
704 million cu m (2004)

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

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

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

Current account balance:
$-1.218 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:
$2.956 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:
sugar, nickel, tobacco, fish, medical products, citrus, coffee

Exports - partners:
Netherlands 25.7%, Canada 21%, China 9.9%, Spain 6.8% (2005)

Imports:
$9.51 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:
petroleum, food, machinery and equipment, chemicals

Imports - partners:
China 14.5%, Spain 13.7%, Canada 8.4%, US 8.3%, Germany 7.2%,
Brazil 5.6%, Italy 5.6%, Mexico 5.1%, Japan 4% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$2.618 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:
$15.15 billion (convertible currency); another $15-20 billion owed
to Russia (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$68.2 million (1997 est.)

Currency (code):
Cuban peso (CUP) and Convertible peso (CUC)

Currency code:
CUP (nonconvertible Cuban peso) and CUC (convertible Cuban peso)

Exchange rates:
Convertible pesos per US dollar - 0.93 (2006), note, Cuba has three
currencies in circulation: the Cuban peso (CUP), the convertible
peso (CUC), and the US dollar (USD), although the dollar is being
withdrawn from circulation; in April 2005 the official exchange rate
changed from $1 per CUC to $1.08 per CUC (0.93 CUC per $1), both for
individuals and enterprises; individuals can buy 24 Cuban pesos
(CUP) for each CUC sold, or sell 25 Cuban pesos for each CUC bought;
enterprises, however, must exchange CUP and CUC at a 1:1 ratio.

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Cuba

Telephones - main lines in use:
849,900 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
134,500 (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: greater investment beginning in 1994 and the
establishment of a new Ministry of Information Technology and
Communications in 2000 has resulted in improvements in the system;
wireless service is expensive and remains restricted to foreigners
and regime elites, many Cubans procure wireless service illegally
with the help of foreigners
domestic: national fiber-optic system under development; 85% of
switches digitized by end of 2004; telephone line density remains
low, at less than 10 per 100 inhabitants; domestic cellular service
expanding
international: country code - 53; fiber-optic cable laid to but not
linked to US network; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik
(Atlantic Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 169, FM 55, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
3.9 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
58 (1997)

Televisions:
2.64 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.cu

Internet hosts:
2,234 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
5 (2001)

Internet users:
190,000
note: private citizens are prohibited from buying computers or
accessing the Internet without special authorization; foreigners may
access the Internet in large hotels but are subject to firewalls;
some Cubans buy illegal passwords on the black market or take
advantage of public outlets, to access limited email and the
government-controlled "intranet" (2005)

Transportation Cuba

Airports:
170 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 78
over 3,047 m: 7
2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
1,524 to 2,437 m: 18
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 37 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 92
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 29
under 914 m: 62 (2006)

Pipelines:
gas 49 km; oil 230 km (2006)

Railways:
total: 4,226 km
standard gauge: 4,226 km 1.435-m gauge (140 km electrified)
note: an additional 7,742 km of track is used by sugar plantations;
about 65% of this track is standard gauge; the rest is narrow gauge
(2005)

Roadways:
total: 60,858 km
paved: 29,820 km (including 638 km of expressway)
unpaved: 31,038 km (1999)

Waterways:
240 km (2005)

Merchant marine:
total: 11 ships (1000 GRT or over) 33,932 GRT/48,791 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 2, chemical tanker 1, passenger 1,
petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 2
foreign-owned: 1 (Spain 1)
registered in other countries: 17 (Bahamas 1, Cyprus 2, Netherlands
Antilles 1, Panama 11, Spain 1, unknown 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Cienfuegos, Havana, Matanzas

Military Cuba

Military branches:
Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR): Revolutionary Army (ER),
Revolutionary Navy (Marina de Guerra Revolucionaria, MGR),
Revolutionary Air and Air Defense Force (DAAFAR), Youth Labor Army
(EJT) (2005)

Military service age and obligation:
17 years of age; both sexes are eligible for military service (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 17-49: 2,967,865
females age 17-49: 2,913,559 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 17-49: 2,441,927
females age 17-49: 2,396,741 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 91,901
females: 87,500 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$694 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.8% (2005 est.)

Military - note:
Moscow, for decades the key military supporter and supplier of
Cuba, cut off almost all military aid by 1993

Transnational Issues Cuba

Disputes - international:
US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased to US and only mutual
agreement or US abandonment of the area can terminate the lease

Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Cuba is a source country for women and children
trafficked for the purposes of sexual exploitation and forced child
labor; Cuba is a major destination for sex tourism, which largely
caters to European, Canadian, and Latin American tourists and
involves large numbers of minors; there are reports that Cuban women
have been trafficked to Mexico for sexual exploitation; forced labor
victims also include children coerced into working in commercial
agriculture
tier rating: Tier 3 - Cuba does not fully comply with the minimum
standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making
significant efforts to do so

Illicit drugs:
territorial waters and air space serve as transshipment zone for US
and European-bound drugs; established the death penalty for certain
drug-related crimes in 1999

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@Cyprus

Introduction Cyprus

Background:
A former British colony, Cyprus became independent in 1960
following years of resistance to British rule. Tensions between the
Greek Cypriot majority and Turkish Cypriot minority came to a head
in December 1963, when violence broke out in the capital of Nicosia.
Despite the deployment of UN peacekeepers in 1964, sporadic
intercommunal violence continued forcing most Turkish Cypriots into
enclaves throughout the island. In 1974, a Greek
Government-sponsored attempt to seize control of Cyprus was met by
military intervention from Turkey, which soon controlled more than a
third of the island. In 1983, the Turkish-held area declared itself
the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus," but it is recognized only
by Turkey. The latest two-year round of UN-brokered talks - between
the leaders of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities to
reach an agreement to reunite the divided island - ended when the
Greek Cypriots rejected the UN settlement plan in an April 2004
referendum. The entire island entered the EU on 1 May 2004, although
the EU acquis - the body of common rights and obligations - applies
only to the areas under direct Republic of Cyprus control, and is
suspended in the areas administered by Turkish Cypriots. However,
individual Turkish Cypriots able to document their eligibility for
Republic of Cyprus citizenship legally enjoy the same rights
accorded to other citizens of European Union states. Nicosia
continues to oppose EU efforts to establish direct trade and
economic links to north Cyprus as a way of encouraging the Turkish
Cypriot community to continue to support reunification.

Geography Cyprus

Location:
Middle East, island in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Turkey

Geographic coordinates:
35 00 N, 33 00 E

Map references:
Middle East

Area:
total: 9,250 sq km (of which 3,355 sq km are in north Cyprus)
land: 9,240 sq km
water: 10 sq km

Area - comparative:
about 0.6 times the size of Connecticut

Land boundaries:
total: NA; note - boundary with Dhekelia is being resurveyed
border countries: Akrotiri 47.4 km, Dhekelia NA

Coastline:
648 km

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

Climate:
temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters

Terrain:
central plain with mountains to north and south; scattered but
significant plains along southern coast

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Olympus 1,951 m

Natural resources:
copper, pyrites, asbestos, gypsum, timber, salt, marble, clay earth
pigment

Land use:
arable land: 10.81%
permanent crops: 4.32%
other: 84.87% (2005)

Irrigated land:
400 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
moderate earthquake activity; droughts

Environment - current issues:
water resource problems (no natural reservoir catchments, seasonal
disparity in rainfall, sea water intrusion to island's largest
aquifer, increased salination in the north); water pollution from
sewage and industrial wastes; coastal degradation; loss of wildlife
habitats from urbanization

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, 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: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily and
Sardinia)

People Cyprus

Population:
784,301 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 20.4% (male 81,776/female 78,272)
15-64 years: 68% (male 270,254/female 263,354)
65 years and over: 11.6% (male 39,536/female 51,109) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 34.9 years
male: 33.9 years
female: 35.9 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.53% (2006 est.)

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

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

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

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 7.04 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 8.74 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.82 years
male: 75.44 years
female: 80.31 years (2006 est.)

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

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
less than 1,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Cypriot(s)
adjective: Cypriot

Ethnic groups:
Greek 77%, Turkish 18%, other 5% (2001)

Religions:
Greek Orthodox 78%, Muslim 18%, Maronite, Armenian Apostolic, and
other 4%

Languages:
Greek, Turkish, English

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.6%
male: 98.9%
female: 96.3% (2003 est.)

Government Cyprus

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Cyprus
conventional short form: Cyprus
local long form: Kypriaki Dimokratia/Kibris Cumhuriyeti
local short form: Kypros/Kibris
note: the Turkish Cypriot community, which administers the northern
part of the island, refers to itself as the "Turkish Republic of
Northern Cyprus" (TRNC)

Government type:
republic
note: a separation of the two ethnic communities inhabiting the
island began following the outbreak of communal strife in 1963; this
separation was further solidified after the Turkish intervention in
July 1974 that followed a Greek junta-supported coup attempt gave
the Turkish Cypriots de facto control in the north; Greek Cypriots
control the only internationally recognized government; on 15
November 1983 Turkish Cypriot "President" Rauf DENKTASH declared
independence and the formation of a "Turkish Republic of Northern
Cyprus" (TRNC), which is recognized only by Turkey

Capital:
name: Nicosia (Lefkosia)
geographic coordinates: 35 10 N, 33 22 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:
6 districts; Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Nicosia,
Paphos; note - Turkish Cypriot area's administrative divisions
include Kyrenia, all but a small part of Famagusta, and small parts
of Lefkosia (Nicosia) and Larnaca

Independence:
16 August 1960 (from UK); note - Turkish Cypriots proclaimed
self-rule on 13 February 1975 and independence in 1983, but these
proclamations are only recognized by Turkey

National holiday:
Independence Day, 1 October (1960); note - Turkish Cypriots
celebrate 15 November (1983) as Independence Day

Constitution:
16 August 1960; from December 1963, the Turkish Cypriots no longer
participated in the government; negotiations to create the basis for
a new or revised constitution to govern the island and for better
relations between Greek and Turkish Cypriots have been held
intermittently since the mid-1960s; in 1975, following the 1974
Turkish intervention, Turkish Cypriots created their own
constitution and governing bodies within the "Turkish Federated
State of Cyprus," which became the "Turkish Republic of Northern
Cyprus" when the Turkish Cypriots declared their independence in
1983; a new constitution for the "TRNC" passed by referendum on 5
May 1985, although the "TRNC" remains unrecognized by any country
other than Turkey

Legal system:
based on common law, with civil law modifications; accepts
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Tassos PAPADOPOULOS (since 1 March 2003);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government; post of vice president is currently vacant; under the
1960 constitution, the post is reserved for a Turkish Cypriot
head of government: President Tassos PAPADOPOULOS (since 1 March
2003); note - post of vice president is currently vacant; under the
1960 constitution, the post is reserved for a Turkish Cypriot
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed jointly by the president and
vice president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 16 February 2003 (next to be held February 2008)
election results: Tassos PAPADOPOULOS elected president; percent of
vote - Tassos PAPADOPOULOS 51.5%, Glafkos KLIRIDIS 38.8%, Alekos
MARKIDIS 6.6%
note: Mehmet Ali TALAT became "president" of the "TRNC", 24 April
2005, after "presidential" elections on 17 April 2005; results -
Mehmet Ali TALAT 55.6%, Dervis EROGLU 22.7%; Ferdi Sabit SOYER is
"TRNC prime minister" and heads the Council of Ministers (cabinet)
in coalition with "Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister"
Turgay AVCI

Legislative branch:
unicameral - area under government control: House of
Representatives or Vouli Antiprosopon (80 seats; 56 assigned to the
Greek Cypriots, 24 to Turkish Cypriots; note - only those assigned
to Greek Cypriots are filled; members are elected by popular vote to
serve five-year terms); area administered by Turkish Cypriots:
Assembly of the Republic or Cumhuriyet Meclisi (50 seats; members
are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: area under government control: last held 21 May 2006
(next to be held 2011); area administered by Turkish Cypriots: last
held 14 December 2003 (next to be held in 2008)
election results: area under government control: House of
Representatives - percent of vote by party - AKEL 31.13%, DISY
30.34%, DIKO 17.92%, KISOS 6.51%, EDEK 8.91%, EURO.KO 5.75%, Greens
1.95%; seats by party - AKEL (Communist) 18, DISY 18, DIKO 11, KISOS
4, EDEK 4, EURO.KO 4, Greens 1; area administered by Turkish
Cypriots: Assembly of the Republic - percent of vote by party - CTP
35.8%, UBP 32.3%, Peace and Democratic Movement 13.4%, DP 12.3%;
seats by party - CTP 19, UBP 18, Peace and Democratic Movement 6, DP
7; note - "TRNC" seats by party as of September 2006 - CTP 25, OP 3,
UBP 13, DP 6, BDH 1, independents 2

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are appointed jointly by the president and
vice president)
note: there is also a Supreme Court in the area administered by
Turkish Cyriots

Political parties and leaders:
area under government control: Democratic Party or DIKO [Marios
KAROYIAN]; Democratic Rally or DISY [Nikos ANASTASIADHIS]; European
Democracy or EURO.DI [Prodromos PRODROMOU] (evolved from For Europe
which merged with New Horizons); European Party or EURO.KO [Demetris
SYLLOURIS]; Fighting Democratic Movement or ADIK [Dinos
MIKHAILIDIS]; Green Party of Cyprus [George PERDIKIS]; Movement for
Social Democrats or EDEK [Yannakis OMIROU]; Political Movement of
Hunters [Michalis PAFITANIS]; Progressive Party of the Working
People or AKEL (Communist Party) [Dimitrios CHRISTOFIAS]; United
Democrats or EDI [Michalis PAPAPETROU]; area administered by Turkish
Cypriots: Communal Liberation Party or TKP [Huseyin ANGOLEMLI];
Cyprus Socialist Party or KSP [Kazim ONGEN]; Democratic Party or DP
[Serder DENKTASH]; Freedom and Reform Party or OP [Turgay AVCI];
National Unity Party or UBP [Tahsin ERTUGRULOGLU]; Nationalist
Justice Party or MAP [Ata TEPE]; New Party or YP [Huseyin TURAN];
Our Party or BP [Okyay SADIKOGLU]; Patriotic Unity Movement or YBH
[Oguz OZEN]; Peace and Democratic Movement or BDH [Mustafa AKINCI];
Renewal Progress Party or YAP [Ertugrul HASIPOGLU]; Republican
Turkish Party or CTP [Ferdi Sabit SOYER]; United Cyprus Party or BKP
[Isset IZCAN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Confederation of Cypriot Workers or SEK (pro-West); Confederation
of Revolutionary Labor Unions or Dev-Is; Federation of Turkish
Cypriot Labor Unions or Turk-Sen; Pan-Cyprian Labor Federation or
PEO (Communist controlled)

International organization participation:
Australia Group, C, CE, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICCt, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,
ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Andreas KAKOURIS
chancery: 2211 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 462-5772, 462-0873
FAX: [1] (202) 483-6710
consulate(s) general: New York
note: representative of the Turkish Cypriot community in the US is
Hilmi AKIL; office at 1667 K Street NW, Washington, DC; telephone
[1] (202) 887-6198

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ronald L. SCHLICHER
embassy: corner of Metochiou and Ploutarchou Streets, 2407 Engomi,
Nicosia
mailing address: P. O. Box 24536, 1385 Nicosia
telephone: [357] (22) 393939
FAX: [357] (22) 780944