Chapter XI: Part 11

bananas, vegetables, citrus, flowers; dairy products, honey

Industries:

international business, tourism, light manufacturing

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

675.6 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - consumption:

619.8 million kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production by source:

fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - consumption:

4,566 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports:

4,378 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Exports:

$763 million (2006)

Exports - commodities:

reexports of pharmaceuticals

Exports - partners:

Spain 13.8%, Germany 11.7%, Switzerland 8.8%, Denmark 6.6%, UK 6% (2007)

Imports:

$1.162 billion (2006)

Imports - commodities:

clothing, fuels, machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, chemicals, food and live animals

Imports - partners:

South Korea 36.4%, US 15.7%, Germany 13.2%, Italy 11.8% (2007)

Economic aid - recipient:

$90,000 (2004)

Debt - external:

$160 million (FY99/00)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$NA

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$2.125 billion (2005)

Currency (code):

Bermudian dollar (BMD)

Currency code:

BMD

Exchange rates:

Bermudian dollars (BMD) per US dollar - 1.0000 (fixed rate pegged to the US dollar)

Communications Bermuda

Telephones - main lines in use:

57,700 (2006)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

60,100 (2006)

Telephone system:

general assessment: good domestic: fully automatic digital telephone system; fiber optic trunk lines international: country code - 1-441; landing point for the Atlantica-1 telecommunications submarine cable that extends from the US to Brazil; satellite earth stations - 3 (2007)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 5, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2005)

Radios:

82,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

3 (2005)

Televisions:

66,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.bm

Internet hosts:

1,628 (2008)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

20 (2000)

Internet users:

48,000 (2007)

Transportation Bermuda

Airports:

1 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2007)

Roadways:

total: 447 km paved: 447 km note: public roads - 225 km; private roads - 222 km (2007)

Merchant marine:

total: 137 by type: bulk carrier 23, chemical tanker 3, container 22, liquefied gas 33, passenger 24, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 18, refrigerated cargo 9 foreign-owned: 115 (Australia 1, China 10, France 1, Germany 22, Greece 9, Hong Kong 4, Ireland 1, Israel 3, Japan 2, Nigeria 11, Norway 5, Sweden 20, UK 3, US 23) registered in other countries: 50 (Bahamas 12, Marshall Islands 4, Philippines 34) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Hamilton, Saint George

Military Bermuda

Military branches:

Bermuda Regiment (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

18-23 years of age; eligible men required to register for conscription as needed into the Bermuda Regiment, which is largely voluntary; term of service 39 months (2007)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 15,623 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 12,682 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 426 female: 445 (2008 est.)

Military expenditures:

0.11% of GDP (2005 est.)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Bermuda

Disputes - international:

none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008

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

@Bhutan

Introduction Bhutan

Background:

In 1865, Britain and Bhutan signed the Treaty of Sinchulu, under which Bhutan would receive an annual subsidy in exchange for ceding some border land to British India. Under British influence, a monarchy was set up in 1907; three years later, a treaty was signed whereby the British agreed not to interfere in Bhutanese internal affairs and Bhutan allowed Britain to direct its foreign affairs. This role was assumed by independent India after 1947. Two years later, a formal Indo-Bhutanese accord returned the areas of Bhutan annexed by the British, formalized the annual subsidies the country received, and defined India's responsibilities in defense and foreign relations. A refugee issue of over 100,000 Bhutanese in Nepal remains unresolved; 90% of the refugees are housed in seven United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) camps. In March 2005, King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK unveiled the government's draft constitution - which would introduce major democratic reforms - and pledged to hold a national referendum for its approval. In December 2006, the King abdicated the throne to his son, Jigme Khesar Namgyel WANGCHUCK, in order to give him experience as head of state before the democratic transition. In early 2007, India and Bhutan renegotiated their treaty to allow Bhutan greater autonomy in conducting its foreign policy, although Thimphu continues to coordinate policy decisions in this area with New Delhi. In July 2007, seven ministers of Bhutan's ten-member cabinet resigned to join the political process, and the cabinet acted as a caretaker regime until democratic elections for seats to the country's first parliament were completed in March 2008. The king ratified the country's first constitution in July 2008.

Geography Bhutan

Location:

Southern Asia, between China and India

Geographic coordinates:

27 30 N, 90 30 E

Map references:

Asia

Area:

total: 47,000 sq km land: 47,000 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

about one-half the size of Indiana

Land boundaries:

total: 1,075 km border countries: China 470 km, India 605 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

varies; tropical in southern plains; cool winters and hot summers in central valleys; severe winters and cool summers in Himalayas

Terrain:

mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Drangme Chhu 97 m highest point: Kula Kangri 7,553 m

Natural resources:

timber, hydropower, gypsum, calcium carbonate

Land use:

arable land: 2.3% permanent crops: 0.43% other: 97.27% (2005)

Irrigated land:

400 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

95 cu km (1987)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.43 cu km/yr (5%/1%/94%) per capita: 199 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

violent storms from the Himalayas are the source of the country's name, which translates as Land of the Thunder Dragon; frequent landslides during the rainy season

Environment - current issues:

soil erosion; limited access to potable water

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:

landlocked; strategic location between China and India; controls several key Himalayan mountain passes

People Bhutan

Population:

682,321 note: the Factbook population estimate is consistent with the first modern census of Bhutan, conducted in 2005; previous Factbook population estimates for this country, which were on the order of three times the total population reported here, were based on Bhutanese government publications that did not include the census (July 2008 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 30.8% (male 107,360/female 103,093) 15-64 years: 63.7% (male 231,323/female 203,649) 65 years and over: 5.4% (male 19,561/female 17,335) (2008 est.)

Median age:

total: 23.5 years male: 24.1 years female: 22.8 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.301% (2008 est.)

Birth rate:

20.56 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate:

7.54 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Net migration rate:

NA (2008 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.14 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.13 male(s)/female total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 51.92 deaths/1,000 live births male: 53.1 deaths/1,000 live births female: 50.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 65.53 years male: 64.75 years female: 66.35 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.48 children born/woman (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

fewer than 100 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria water contact disease: leptospirosis (2008)

Nationality:

noun: Bhutanese (singular and plural) adjective: Bhutanese

Ethnic groups:

Bhote 50%, ethnic Nepalese 35% (includes Lhotsampas - one of several Nepalese ethnic groups), indigenous or migrant tribes 15%

Religions:

Lamaistic Buddhist 75%, Indian- and Nepalese-influenced Hinduism 25%

Languages:

Dzongkha (official), Bhotes speak various Tibetan dialects, Nepalese speak various Nepalese dialects

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 47% male: 60% female: 34% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 10 years male: 11 years female: 10 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

7% of GDP (2005)

Government Bhutan

Country name:

conventional long form: Kingdom of Bhutan conventional short form: Bhutan local long form: Druk Gyalkhap local short form: Druk Yul

Government type:

in transition to constitutional monarchy; special treaty relationship with India

Capital:

name: Thimphu geographic coordinates: 27 29 N, 89 36 E time difference: UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

20 districts (dzongkhag, singular and plural); Bumthang, Chhukha, Chirang, Daga, Gasa, Geylegphug, Ha, Lhuntshi, Mongar, Paro, Pemagatsel, Punakha, Samchi, Samdrup Jongkhar, Shemgang, Tashigang, Tashi Yangtse, Thimphu, Tongsa, Wangdi Phodrang

Independence:

1907 (became a unified kingdom under its first hereditary king)

National holiday:

National Day (Ugyen WANGCHUCK became first hereditary king), 17 December (1907)

Constitution:

ratified 23 July 2008

Legal system:

based on Indian law and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: King Jigme Khesar Namgyel WANGCHUCK (since 14 December 2006); note - King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK abdicated the throne on 14 December 2006 and his son immediately succeeded him head of government: Prime Minister Jigme THINLEY (since 9 April 2008) cabinet: Council of Ministers (Lhengye Shungtsog) nominated by the monarch, approved by the National Assembly; members serve fixed, five-year terms; note - there is also a Royal Advisory Council (Lodoi Tsokde), members nominated by the monarch elections: the monarch is hereditary, but democratic reforms in July 1998 grant the National Assembly authority to remove the monarch with two-thirds vote; election of a new National Assembly occurred in March 2008; the leader of the majority party is nominated as the prime minister

Legislative branch:

new bicameral Parliament consists of the non-partisan National Council (25 seats; 20 members elected by each of the 20 electoral districts (dzongkhags) for four-year terms and 5 members nominated by the King); and the National Assembly (47 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote for five-year terms) elections: National Council elections last held on 31 December 2007 and 29 January 2008 (next to be held by December 2012); National Assembly elections last held on 24 March 2008 (next to be held by March 2013) election results: National Council - NA; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - DPT 67%, PDP 33%; seats by party - DPT 45, PDP 2

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court of Appeal (the monarch); High Court (judges appointed by the monarch); note - the draft constitution establishes a Supreme Court, which will serve as chief court of appeal

Political parties and leaders:

Bhutan Peace and Prosperity Party (Druk Phuensum Tshogpa) or DPT [Jigme THINLEY]; People's Democratic Party or PDP [Sangay NGEDUP]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

United Front for Democracy (exiled) other: Buddhist clergy; ethnic Nepalese organizations leading militant antigovernment campaign; Indian merchant community

International organization participation:

ADB, BIMSTEC, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, NAM, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none; note - the Permanent Mission to the UN for Bhutan has consular jurisdiction in the US; address: 763 First Avenue, New York, NY 10017; telephone [1] (212) 682-2268; FAX [1] (212) 661-0551 consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

the US and Bhutan have no formal diplomatic relations, although informal contact is maintained between the Bhutanese and US Embassy in New Delhi (India)

Flag description:

divided diagonally from the lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle is yellow and the lower triangle is orange; centered along the dividing line is a large black and white dragon facing away from the hoist side

Economy Bhutan

Economy - overview:

The economy, one of the world's smallest and least developed, is based on agriculture and forestry, which provide the main livelihood for more than 60% of the population. Agriculture consists largely of subsistence farming and animal husbandry. Rugged mountains dominate the terrain and make the building of roads and other infrastructure difficult and expensive. The economy is closely aligned with India's through strong trade and monetary links and dependence on India's financial assistance. The industrial sector is technologically backward, with most production of the cottage industry type. Most development projects, such as road construction, rely on Indian migrant labor. Model education, social, and environment programs are underway with support from multilateral development organizations. Each economic program takes into account the government's desire to protect the country's environment and cultural traditions. For example, the government, in its cautious expansion of the tourist sector, encourages visits by upscale, environmentally conscientious tourists. Detailed controls and uncertain policies in areas such as industrial licensing, trade, labor, and finance continue to hamper foreign investment. Hydropower exports to India had a major impact on growth in 2007.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$3.359 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$1.308 billion (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

22.4% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$5,200 (2007 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 22.3% industry: 37.9% services: 39.8% (2006)

Labor force:

NA note: major shortage of skilled labor

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 63% industry: 6% services: 31% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:

2.5% (2004)

Population below poverty line:

31.7% (2003)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $272 million expenditures: $350 million note: the government of India finances nearly three-fifths of Bhutan's budget expenditures (2005)

Fiscal year:

1 July - 30 June

Public debt:

81.4% of GDP (2004)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

4.9% (2007 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

14% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$381.1 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$220.3 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$169.9 million (31 December 2007)

Agriculture - products:

rice, corn, root crops, citrus, foodgrains; dairy products, eggs

Industries:

cement, wood products, processed fruits, alcoholic beverages, calcium carbide, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

9.3% (1996 est.)

Electricity - production:

4.475 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - consumption:

528.8 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - exports:

3.644 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

11 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production by source:

fossil fuel: 0.1% hydro: 99.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - consumption:

1,250 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports:

1,152 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Current account balance:

$116 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$350 million f.o.b. (2006)

Exports - commodities:

electricity (to India), cardamom, gypsum, timber, handicrafts, cement, fruit, precious stones, spices

Exports - partners:

India 58.6%, Hong Kong 30.1%, Bangladesh 7.3% (2007)

Imports:

$320 million c.i.f. (2006)

Imports - commodities:

fuel and lubricants, grain, aircraft, machinery and parts, vehicles, fabrics, rice

Imports - partners:

India 74.5%, Japan 7.4%, Sweden 3.2% (2007)

Economic aid - recipient:

$941.2 million; note - substantial aid from India (2006)

Debt - external:

$713.3 million (2006)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Currency (code):

ngultrum (BTN); Indian rupee (INR)

Currency code:

BTN; INR

Exchange rates:

ngultrum (BTN) per US dollar - 41.487 (2007), 45.279 (2006), 44.101 (2005), 45.317 (2004), 46.583 (2003) note: the ngultrum is pegged to the Indian rupee

Communications Bhutan

Telephones - main lines in use:

29,900 (2007)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

149,400 (2007)

Telephone system:

general assessment: urban towns and district headquarters have telecommunications services domestic: very low teledensity; domestic service is very poor especially in rural areas; wireless service available since 2003 international: country code - 975; international telephone and telegraph service via landline and microwave relay through India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (2007)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 0, FM 9, shortwave 1 (2007)

Radios:

37,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (2007)

Televisions:

11,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.bt

Internet hosts:

9,046 (2008)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

NA

Internet users:

40,000 (2007)

Transportation Bhutan

Airports:

2 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)

Roadways:

total: 8,050 km paved: 4,991 km unpaved: 3,059 km (2003)

Military Bhutan

Military branches:

Royal Bhutan Army (includes Royal Bodyguard and Royal Bhutan Police) (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 190,104 females age 16-49: 167,289 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 146,063 females age 16-49: 131,193 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 7,847 female: 7,530 (2008 est.)

Military expenditures:

1% of GDP (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Bhutan

Disputes - international:

Bhutan cooperates with India to expel Indian Nagaland separatists; lacking any treaty describing the boundary, Bhutan and China continue negotiations to establish a common boundary alignment to resolve territorial disputes arising from substantial cartographic discrepancies, the largest of which lie in Bhutan's northwest and along the Chumbi salient

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008

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@Bolivia

Introduction Bolivia

Background:

Bolivia, named after independence fighter Simon BOLIVAR, broke away from Spanish rule in 1825; much of its subsequent history has consisted of a series of nearly 200 coups and countercoups. Democratic civilian rule was established in 1982, but leaders have faced difficult problems of deep-seated poverty, social unrest, and illegal drug production. In December 2005, Bolivians elected Movement Toward Socialism leader Evo MORALES president - by the widest margin of any leader since the restoration of civilian rule in 1982 - after he ran on a promise to change the country's traditional political class and empower the nation's poor majority. However, since taking office, his controversial strategies have exacerbated racial and economic tensions between the Amerindian populations of the Andean west and the non-indigenous communities of the eastern lowlands.

Geography Bolivia

Location:

Central South America, southwest of Brazil

Geographic coordinates:

17 00 S, 65 00 W

Map references:

South America

Area:

total: 1,098,580 sq km land: 1,084,390 sq km water: 14,190 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than three times the size of Montana

Land boundaries:

total: 6,940 km border countries: Argentina 832 km, Brazil 3,423 km, Chile 860 km, Paraguay 750 km, Peru 1,075 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

varies with altitude; humid and tropical to cold and semiarid

Terrain:

rugged Andes Mountains with a highland plateau (Altiplano), hills, lowland plains of the Amazon Basin

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Rio Paraguay 90 m highest point: Nevado Sajama 6,542 m

Natural resources:

tin, natural gas, petroleum, zinc, tungsten, antimony, silver, iron, lead, gold, timber, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 2.78% permanent crops: 0.19% other: 97.03% (2005)

Irrigated land:

1,320 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

622.5 cu km (2000)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 1.44 cu km/yr (13%/7%/81%) per capita: 157 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

flooding in the northeast (March-April)

Environment - current issues:

the clearing of land for agricultural purposes and the international demand for tropical timber are contributing to deforestation; soil erosion from overgrazing and poor cultivation methods (including slash-and-burn agriculture); desertification; loss of biodiversity; industrial pollution of water supplies used for drinking and irrigation

Environment - international agreements:

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

Geography - note:

landlocked; shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable lake (elevation 3,805 m), with Peru

People Bolivia

Population:

9,247,816 (July 2008 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 33.5% (male 1,580,887/female 1,519,960) 15-64 years: 61.8% (male 2,800,457/female 2,912,375) 65 years and over: 4.7% (male 192,701/female 241,436) (2008 est.)

Median age:

total: 22.6 years male: 21.9 years female: 23.3 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.383% (2008 est.)

Birth rate:

22.31 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate:

7.35 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Net migration rate:

-1.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 49.09 deaths/1,000 live births male: 52.54 deaths/1,000 live births female: 45.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 66.53 years male: 63.86 years female: 69.33 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.67 children born/woman (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

4,900 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 500 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and yellow fever water contact disease: leptospirosis (2008)

Nationality:

noun: Bolivian(s) adjective: Bolivian

Ethnic groups:

Quechua 30%, mestizo (mixed white and Amerindian ancestry) 30%, Aymara 25%, white 15%

Religions:

Roman Catholic 95%, Protestant (Evangelical Methodist) 5%

Languages:

Spanish 60.7% (official), Quechua 21.2% (official), Aymara 14.6% (official), foreign languages 2.4%, other 1.2% (2001 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 86.7% male: 93.1% female: 80.7% (2001 census)

Education expenditures:

6.4% of GDP (2003)

Government Bolivia

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Bolivia conventional short form: Bolivia local long form: Republica de Bolivia local short form: Bolivia

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: La Paz (administrative capital) geographic coordinates: 16 30 S, 68 09 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) note: Sucre (constitutional capital)

Administrative divisions:

9 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Beni, Chuquisaca, Cochabamba, La Paz, Oruro, Pando, Potosi, Santa Cruz, Tarija

Independence:

6 August 1825 (from Spain)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 6 August (1825)

Constitution:

2 February 1967; revised in August 1994; possible referendum on new constitution to be held in 2008

Legal system:

based on Spanish law and Napoleonic Code; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age, universal and compulsory (married); 21 years of age, universal and compulsory (single)

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Juan Evo MORALES Ayma (since 22 January 2006); Vice President Alvaro GARCIA Linera (since 22 January 2006); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Juan Evo MORALES Ayma (since 22 January 2006); Vice President Alvaro GARCIA Linera (since 22 January 2006) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held 18 December 2005 (next to be held in 2010) election results: Juan Evo MORALES Ayma elected president; percent of vote - Juan Evo MORALES Ayma 53.7%; Jorge Fernando QUIROGA Ramirez 28.6%; Samuel DORIA MEDINA Arana 7.8%; Michiaki NAGATANI Morishit 6.5%; Felipe QUISPE Huanca 2.2%; Guildo ANGULA Cabrera 0.7%

Legislative branch:

bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (27 seats; members are elected by proportional representation from party lists to serve five-year terms) and Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (130 seats; 70 members are directly elected from their districts and 60 are elected by proportional representation from party lists to serve five-year terms) elections: Chamber of Senators and Chamber of Deputies - last held 18 December 2005 (next to be held in 2010) election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PODEMOS 13, MAS 12, UN 1, MNR 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MAS 73, PODEMOS 43, UN 8, MNR 6

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges appointed for 10-year terms by National Congress); District Courts (one in each department); provincial and local courts (to try minor cases); Constitutional Tribunal (five primary or titulares and five alternate or suplente magistrates appointed by Congress; to rule on constitutional issues); National Electoral Court (six members elected by Congress, Supreme Court, the President, and the political party with the highest vote in the last election for 4-year terms)

Political parties and leaders:

Free Bolivia Movement or MBL [Franz BARRIOS]; Movement Toward Socialism or MAS [Juan Evo MORALES Ayma]; Movement Without Fear or MSM [Juan DEL GRANADO]; National Revolutionary Movement or MNR [Mirta QUEVEDO]; National Unity [Samuel DORIA MEDINA Arana]; Poder Democratico Nacional or PODEMOS [Jorge Fernando QUIROGA Ramirez]; Social Alliance [Rene JOAQUINO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Sole Confederation of Campesino Workers of Bolivia or CSUTCB other: Cocalero groups; indigenous organizations; labor unions

International organization participation:

CAN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINURCAT, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Erika DUENAS chancery: 3014 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-4410 FAX: [1] (202) 328-3712 consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Oklahoma City, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington, DC

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Krishna URS embassy: Avenida Arce 2780, Casilla 425, La Paz mailing address: P. O. Box 425, La Paz; APO AA 34032 telephone: [591] (2) 216-8000 FAX: [591] (2) 216-8111

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green with the coat of arms centered on the yellow band note: similar to the flag of Ghana, which has a large black five-pointed star centered in the yellow band

Economy Bolivia

Economy - overview:

Bolivia is one of the poorest and least developed countries in Latin America. Following a disastrous economic crisis during the early 1980s, reforms spurred private investment, stimulated economic growth, and cut poverty rates in the 1990s. The period 2003-05 was characterized by political instability, racial tensions, and violent protests against plans - subsequently abandoned - to export Bolivia's newly discovered natural gas reserves to large northern hemisphere markets. In 2005, the government passed a controversial hydrocarbons law that imposed significantly higher royalties and required foreign firms then operating under risk-sharing contracts to surrender all production to the state energy company, which was made the sole exporter of natural gas. The law also required that the state energy company regain control over the five companies that were privatized during the 1990s - a process that is still underway. In 2006, higher earnings for mining and hydrocarbons exports pushed the current account surplus to about 12% of GDP and the government's higher tax take produced a fiscal surplus after years of large deficits. Debt relief from the G8 - announced in 2005 - also has significantly reduced Bolivia's public sector debt burden. Private investment as a share of GDP, however, remains among the lowest in Latin America, and inflation reached double-digit levels in 2007.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$39.75 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$13.19 billion (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

4.6% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$4,400 (2007 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 14.5% industry: 30.5% services: 55% (2006 est.)

Labor force:

4.377 million (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 40% industry: 17% services: 43% (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate:

7.5% in urban areas; widespread underemployment (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

60% (2006 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 0.3% highest 10%: 47.2% (2002)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

59.2 (2006)

Investment (gross fixed):

16.1% of GDP (2007 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $5.723 billion expenditures: $5.495 billion (2007 est.)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Public debt:

46.3% of GDP (2007 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

8.7% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

6.5% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

12.86% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$3.032 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$4.729 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$4.759 billion (31 December 2007)

Agriculture - products:

soybeans, coffee, coca, cotton, corn, sugarcane, rice, potatoes; timber

Industries:

mining, smelting, petroleum, food and beverages, tobacco, handicrafts, clothing

Industrial production growth rate:

1.1% (2007 est.)

Electricity - production:

5.668 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - consumption:

5.092 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production by source:

fossil fuel: 44.4% hydro: 54% nuclear: 0% other: 1.5% (2001)

Oil - production:

61,790 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - consumption:

31,500 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - exports:

18,500 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - imports:

8,600 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - proved reserves:

465 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)

Natural gas - production:

14.7 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

3 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

11.7 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

750.4 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)

Current account balance:

$1.796 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$4.49 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

natural gas, soybeans and soy products, crude petroleum, zinc ore, tin

Exports - partners:

Brazil 46%, US 9.8%, Japan 7.6%, Argentina 5.8%, South Korea 4.8%, Peru 4.1% (2007)

Imports:

$3.249 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

petroleum products, plastics, paper, aircraft and aircraft parts, prepared foods, automobiles, insecticides, soybeans

Imports - partners:

Brazil 29.9%, Argentina 16.2%, Chile 10.5%, US 9.8%, Peru 8.1% (2007)

Economic aid - recipient:

$582.9 million (2005 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$5.318 billion (31 October 2007)

Debt - external:

$4.495 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$6.88 billion (31 December 2004)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$NA

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$2.2 billion (2005)

Currency (code):

boliviano (BOB)

Currency code:

BOB

Exchange rates:

bolivianos (BOB) per US dollar - 7.8616 (2007), 8.0159 (2006), 8.0661 (2005), 7.9363 (2004), 7.6592 (2003)

Communications Bolivia

Telephones - main lines in use:

678,200 (2007)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

3.254 million (2007)

Telephone system:

general assessment: privatization begun in 1995; reliability has steadily improved; new subscribers face bureaucratic difficulties; most telephones are concentrated in La Paz and other cities; mobile-cellular telephone use expanding rapidly; fixed-line teledensity of 7 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone density of 35 per 100 persons domestic: primary trunk system, which is being expanded, employs digital microwave radio relay; some areas are served by fiber-optic cable; mobile cellular systems are being expanded international: country code - 591; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 171, FM 73, shortwave 77 (1999)

Radios:

5.25 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

48 (1997)

Televisions:

900,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.bo

Internet hosts:

68,428 (2008)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

9 (2000)

Internet users:

1 million (2007)

Transportation Bolivia

Airports:

1,061 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 16 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 1,045 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 57 914 to 1,523 m: 183 under 914 m: 800 (2007)

Pipelines:

gas 4,860 km; liquid petroleum gas 47 km; oil 2,475 km; refined products 1,589 km; unknown (oil/water) 247 km (2007)

Railways:

total: 3,504 km narrow gauge: 3,504 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)

Roadways:

total: 62,479 km paved: 3,749 km unpaved: 58,730 km (2004)

Waterways:

10,000 km (commercially navigable) (2007)

Merchant marine:

total: 23 by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 11, carrier 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 7, refrigerated cargo 1, specialized tanker 1 foreign-owned: 7 (Bahamas 1, China 1, Iran 1, Singapore 1, Syria 2, Taiwan 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Puerto Aguirre (inland port on the Paraguay/Parana waterway at the Bolivia/Brazil border); Bolivia has free port privileges in maritime ports in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Paraguay

Military Bolivia

Military branches:

Bolivian Armed Forces: Bolivian Army (Ejercito Boliviano), Bolivian Navy (Armada Boliviana; includes marines), Bolivian Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Boliviana, FAB) (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for 12-month compulsory military service; when annual number of volunteers falls short of goal, compulsory recruitment is effected, including conscription of boys as young as 14; 15-19 years of age for voluntary premilitary service, provides exemption from further military service (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,295,746 females age 16-49: 2,366,828 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,600,219 females age 16-49: 1,815,514 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 107,051 female: 103,620 (2008 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.9% of GDP (2006)

Transnational Issues Bolivia

Disputes - international:

Chile and Peru rebuff Bolivia's reactivated claim to restore the Atacama corridor, ceded to Chile in 1884, but Chile offers instead unrestricted but not sovereign maritime access through Chile for Bolivian natural gas and other commodities; an accord placed the long-disputed Isla Suárez/Ilha de Guajará-Mirim, a fluvial island on the Río Mamoré, under Bolivian administration in 1958, but sovereignty remains in dispute

Illicit drugs:

world's third-largest cultivator of coca (after Colombia and Peru) with an estimated 29,500 hectares under cultivation in 2007, a slight increase over 2006; third largest producer of cocaine, estimated at 120 metric tons of potential pure cocaine in 2007; transit country for Peruvian and Colombian cocaine destined for Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, and Europe; cultivation generally increasing since 2000, despite eradication and alternative crop programs; weak border controls; some money-laundering activity related to narcotics trade, especially along the borders with Brazil and Paraguay; major cocaine consumption (2007)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008

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@Bosnia and Herzegovina

Introduction Bosnia and Herzegovina

Background:

Bosnia and Herzegovina's declaration of sovereignty in October 1991 was followed by a declaration of independence from the former Yugoslavia on 3 March 1992 after a referendum boycotted by ethnic Serbs. The Bosnian Serbs - supported by neighboring Serbia and Montenegro - responded with armed resistance aimed at partitioning the republic along ethnic lines and joining Serb-held areas to form a "Greater Serbia." In March 1994, Bosniaks and Croats reduced the number of warring factions from three to two by signing an agreement creating a joint Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. On 21 November 1995, in Dayton, Ohio, the warring parties initialed a peace agreement that brought to a halt three years of interethnic civil strife (the final agreement was signed in Paris on 14 December 1995). The Dayton Peace Accords retained Bosnia and Herzegovina's international boundaries and created a joint multi-ethnic and democratic government charged with conducting foreign, diplomatic, and fiscal policy. Also recognized was a second tier of government comprised of two entities roughly equal in size: the Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska (RS). The Federation and RS governments were charged with overseeing most government functions. The Office of the High Representative (OHR) was established to oversee the implementation of the civilian aspects of the agreement. In 1995-96, a NATO-led international peacekeeping force (IFOR) of 60,000 troops served in Bosnia to implement and monitor the military aspects of the agreement. IFOR was succeeded by a smaller, NATO-led Stabilization Force (SFOR) whose mission was to deter renewed hostilities. European Union peacekeeping troops (EUFOR) replaced SFOR in December 2004; their mission is to maintain peace and stability throughout the country. EUFOR's mission changed from peacekeeping to civil policing in October 2007, with its presence reduced from nearly 7,000 to 2,500 troops.

Geography Bosnia and Herzegovina

Location:

Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Croatia

Geographic coordinates:

44 00 N, 18 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 51,209.2 sq km land: 51,197 sq km water: 12.2 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than West Virginia

Land boundaries:

total: 1,538 km border countries: Croatia 932 km, Montenegro 249 km, Serbia 357 km

Coastline:

20 km

Maritime claims:

no data available

Climate:

hot summers and cold winters; areas of high elevation have short, cool summers and long, severe winters; mild, rainy winters along coast

Terrain:

mountains and valleys

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m highest point: Maglic 2,386 m

Natural resources:

coal, iron ore, bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, cobalt, manganese, nickel, clay, gypsum, salt, sand, forests, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 19.61% permanent crops: 1.89% other: 78.5% (2005)

Irrigated land:

30 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

37.5 cu km (2003)

Natural hazards:

destructive earthquakes

Environment - current issues:

air pollution from metallurgical plants; sites for disposing of urban waste are limited; water shortages and destruction of infrastructure because of the 1992-95 civil strife; deforestation

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

within Bosnia and Herzegovina's recognized borders, the country is divided into a joint Bosniak/Croat Federation (about 51% of the territory) and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska or RS (about 49% of the territory); the region called Herzegovina is contiguous to Croatia and Montenegro, and traditionally has been settled by an ethnic Croat majority in the west and an ethnic Serb majority in the east

People Bosnia and Herzegovina

Population:

4,590,310 (July 2008 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 14.7% (male 347,679/female 326,091) 15-64 years: 70.6% (male 1,634,053/female 1,606,341) 65 years and over: 14.7% (male 277,504/female 398,642) (2008 est.)

Median age:

total: 39.4 years male: 38.2 years female: 40.5 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.666% (2008 est.)

Birth rate:

8.82 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate:

8.54 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Net migration rate:

6.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 9.34 deaths/1,000 live births male: 10.71 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 78.33 years male: 74.74 years female: 82.19 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.24 children born/woman (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

900 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Bosnian(s), Herzegovinian(s) adjective: Bosnian, Herzegovinian

Ethnic groups:

Bosniak 48%, Serb 37.1%, Croat 14.3%, other 0.6% (2000) note: Bosniak has replaced Muslim as an ethnic term in part to avoid confusion with the religious term Muslim - an adherent of Islam

Religions:

Muslim 40%, Orthodox 31%, Roman Catholic 15%, other 14%

Languages:

Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.7% male: 99% female: 94.4% (2000 est.)

Education expenditures:

NA

Government Bosnia and Herzegovina

Country name:

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Bosnia and Herzegovina local long form: none local short form: Bosna i Hercegovina former: People's Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Government type:

emerging federal democratic republic

Capital:

name: Sarajevo geographic coordinates: 43 52 N, 18 25 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:

2 first-order administrative divisions and 1 internationally supervised district* - Brcko district (Brcko Distrikt)*, the Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Federacija Bosna i Hercegovina) and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska; note - Brcko district is in northeastern Bosnia and is an administrative unit under the sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina; the district remains under international supervision

Independence:

1 March 1992 (from Yugoslavia; referendum for independence completed 1 March 1992; independence declared 3 March 1992)

National holiday:

National Day, 25 November (1943)

Constitution:

the Dayton Agreement, signed 14 December 1995 in Paris, included a new constitution now in force; note - each of the entities also has its own constitution

Legal system:

based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age, universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Chairman of the Presidency Nebojsa RADMANOVIC (chairman since 6 November 2008; presidency member since 1 October 2006 - Serb); other members of the three-member presidency rotating (every eight months): Haris SILAJDZIC (presidency member since 1 October 2006 - Bosniak); and Zeljko KOMSIC (presidency member since 1 October 2006 - Croat) head of government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers Nikola SPIRIC (since 11 January 2007) cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the council chairman; approved by the National House of Representatives elections: the three members of the presidency (one Bosniak, one Croat, one Serb) are elected by popular vote for a four-year term (eligible for a second term, but then ineligible for four years); the chairmanship rotates every eight months and resumes where it left off following each national election; election last held 1 October 2006 (next to be held in 2010); the chairman of the Council of Ministers is appointed by the presidency and confirmed by the National House of Representatives election results: percent of vote - Nebojsa RADMANOVIC with 53.3% of the votes for the Serb seat; Zeljko KOMSIC received 39.6% of the votes for the Croat seat; Haris SILAJDZIC received 62.8% of the votes for the Bosniak seat note: President of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina: Borjana KRISTO (since 21 February 2007); Vice Presidents Spomenka MICIC (since NA 2007) and Mirsad KEBO (since NA 2007); President of the Republika Srpska: Rajko KUSMANOVIC (since 28 December 2007)

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliamentary Assembly or Skupstina consists of the national House of Representatives or Predstavnicki Dom (42 seats, 28 seats allocated for the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and 14 seats for the Republika Srpska; members elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation, to serve four-year terms); and the House of Peoples or Dom Naroda (15 seats, 5 Bosniak, 5 Croat, 5 Serb; members elected by the Bosniak/Croat Federation's House of Representatives and the Republika Srpska's National Assembly to serve four-year terms); note - Bosnia's election law specifies four-year terms for the state and first-order administrative division entity legislatures elections: national House of Representatives - elections last held 1 October 2006 (next to be held in 2010); House of Peoples - last constituted in January 2003 (next to be constituted in 2007) election results: national House of Representatives - percent of vote by party/coalition - NA; seats by party/coalition - SDA 9, SBH 8, SNSD 7, SDP 5, SDS 3, HDZ-BH 3, HDZ1990 2, other 5; House of Peoples - percent of vote by party/coalition - NA; seats by party/coalition - NA note: the Bosniak/Croat Federation has a bicameral legislature that consists of a House of Representatives (98 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms); elections last held 1 October 2006 (next to be held in October 2010); percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party/coalition - SDA 28, SBH 24, SDP 17, HDZ-BH 8, HDZ100 7, other 14; and a House of Peoples (58 seats - 17 Bosniak, 17 Croat, 17 Serb, 7 other); last constituted December 2002; the Republika Srpska has a National Assembly (83 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms); elections last held 1 October 2006 (next to be held in the fall of 2010); percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party/coalition - SNSD 41, SDS 17, PDP 8, DNS 4, SBH 4, SPRS 3, SDA 3, other 3; as a result of the 2002 constitutional reform process, a 28-member Republika Srpska Council of Peoples (COP) was established in the Republika Srpska National Assembly including eight Croats, eight Bosniaks, eight Serbs, and four members of the smaller communities

Judicial branch:

BH Constitutional Court (consists of nine members: four members are selected by the Bosniak/Croat Federation's House of Representatives, two members by the Republika Srpska's National Assembly, and three non-Bosnian members by the president of the European Court of Human Rights); BH State Court (consists of nine judges and three divisions - Administrative, Appellate and Criminal - having jurisdiction over cases related to state-level law and appellate jurisdiction over cases initiated in the entities); a War Crimes Chamber opened in March 2005 note: the entities each have a Supreme Court; each entity also has a number of lower courts; there are 10 cantonal courts in the Federation, plus a number of municipal courts; the Republika Srpska has five municipal courts

Political parties and leaders:

Alliance of Independent Social Democrats or SNSD [Milorad DODIK]; Bosnian Party or BOSS [Mirnes AJANOVIC]; Civic Democratic Party or GDS [Ibrahim SPAHIC]; Croat Christian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina or HKDU [Marin TOPIC]; Croat Party of Rights or HSP [Zvonko JURISIC]; Croat Peasants Party or HSS [Marko TADIC]; Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina or HDZ-BH [Dragan COVIC]; Croatian Democratic Union 1990 or HDZ1990 [Bozo LJUBIC]; Croatian Democratic Union 100 or HDZ100; Croatian Peoples Union [Milenko BRKIC]; Democratic National Union or DNZ [Rifet DOLIC]; Democratic Peoples Alliance or DNS [Marko PAVIC]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDS [Rasim KADIC]; New Croat Initiative or NHI [Kresimir ZUBAK]; Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina or SBH [Haris SILAJDZIC]; Party for Democratic Action or SDA [Sulejman TIHIC]; Party of Democratic Progress or PDP [Mladen IVANIC]; Serb Democratic Party or SDS [Mladen BOSIC]; Serb Radical Party of the Republika Srpska or SRS-RS [Milanko MIHAJLICA]; Serb Radical Party-Dr. Vojislav Seselj or SRS-VS [Radislav KANJERIC]; Social Democratic Party of BIH or SDP [Zlatko LAGUMDZIJA]; Social Democratic Union or SDU [Sejfudin TOKIC]; Socialist Party of Republika Srpska or SPRS [Petar DJOKIC]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

other: displaced persons associations; student councils; war veterans

International organization participation:

BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM (observer), OAS (observer), OIC (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Bisera TURKOVIC chancery: 2109 E Street NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 337-1500 FAX: [1] (202) 337-1502 consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Charles L. ENGLISH embassy: Alipasina 43, 71000 Sarajevo mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [387] (33) 445-700 FAX: [387] (33) 659-722 branch office(s): Banja Luka, Mostar

Flag description:

a wide medium blue vertical band on the fly side with a yellow isosceles triangle abutting the band and the top of the flag; the remainder of the flag is medium blue with seven full five-pointed white stars and two half stars top and bottom along the hypotenuse of the triangle

Economy Bosnia and Herzegovina

Economy - overview:

Bosnia and Herzegovina ranked next to Macedonia as the poorest republic in the old Yugoslav federation. Although agriculture is almost all in private hands, farms are small and inefficient, and the republic traditionally is a net importer of food. The private sector is growing and foreign investment is slowly increasing, but government spending, at nearly 40% of adjusted GDP, remains unreasonably high. The interethnic warfare in Bosnia caused production to plummet by 80% from 1992 to 1995 and unemployment to soar. With an uneasy peace in place, output recovered in 1996-99 at high percentage rates from a low base; but output growth slowed in 2000-02. Part of the lag in output was made up in 2003-07 when GDP growth exceeded 5% per year. National-level statistics are limited and do not capture the large share of black market activity. The konvertibilna marka (convertible mark or BAM)- the national currency introduced in 1998 - is pegged to the euro, and confidence in the currency and the banking sector has increased. Implementing privatization, however, has been slow, particularly in the Federation, although more successful in the Republika Srpska. Banking reform accelerated in 2001 as all the Communist-era payments bureaus were shut down; foreign banks, primarily from Western Europe, now control most of the banking sector. A sizeable current account deficit and high unemployment rate remain the two most serious macroeconomic problems. On 1 January 2006 a new value-added tax (VAT) went into effect. The VAT has been successful in capturing much of the gray market economy and has developed into a significant and predictable source of revenues for all layers of government. Bosnia and Herzegovina became a full member of the Central European Free Trade Agreement in September 2007. The country receives substantial reconstruction assistance and humanitarian aid from the international community but will have to prepare for an era of declining assistance.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$27.7 billion note: Bosnia has a large informal sector that could also be as much as 50% of official GDP (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$14.78 billion (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

6% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$6,100 (2007 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 10.2% industry: 23.9% services: 66% (2006 est.)

Labor force:

1.026 million (2001)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Unemployment rate:

45.5% official rate; grey economy may reduce actual unemployment to 25-30% (31 December 2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:

25% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 3.9% highest 10%: 21.4% (2001)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

26.2 (2001)

Budget:

revenues: $7.094 billion expenditures: $7.137 billion (2007 est.)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Public debt:

34% of GDP (2007 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

1.6% (2007 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

7.17% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$5.13 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$5.597 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$8.895 billion (31 December 2007)

Agriculture - products:

wheat, corn, fruits, vegetables; livestock

Industries:

steel, coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, manganese, bauxite, vehicle assembly, textiles, tobacco products, wooden furniture, tank and aircraft assembly, domestic appliances, oil refining

Industrial production growth rate:

6.7% (2007 est.)

Electricity - production:

12.84 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - consumption:

8.501 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports:

5.123 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - imports:

3.015 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - production by source:

fossil fuel: 53.5% hydro: 46.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - consumption:

27,590 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports:

27,370 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

400 million cu m (2006 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2005)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2006)

Current account balance:

-$1.939 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$4.243 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

metals, clothing, wood products

Exports - partners:

Croatia 21%, Slovenia 16.5%, Italy 16.1%, Germany 13.3%, Austria 9.6%, Hungary 5.7% (2007)

Imports:

$9.947 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

Croatia 24.7%, Slovenia 13.3%, Germany 13.1%, Italy 10.4%, Austria 7%, Turkey 6.5%, Hungary 5.4% (2007)

Economic aid - recipient:

$546.1 million (2005 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$4.525 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$6.734 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Currency (code):

konvertibilna marka (convertible mark) (BAM)

Currency code:

BAM

Exchange rates:

konvertibilna markas (BAM) per US dollar - 1.4419 (2007), 1.5576 (2006), 1.5727 (2005), 1.5752 (2004), 1.7329 (2003) note: the convertible mark is pegged to the euro

Communications Bosnia and Herzegovina

Telephones - main lines in use:

1.065 million (2007)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

2.45 million (2007)

Telephone system:

general assessment: post-war reconstruction of the telecommunications network, aided by a internationally sponsored program under ERBD, resulted in sharp increases in the number of main telephone lines available; mobile cellular subscribership has been increasing rapidly domestic: fixed-line teledensity roughly 25 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone density exceeds 50 per 100 persons international: country code - 387; no satellite earth stations (2007)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 8, FM 16, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:

940,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

33 (plus 277 repeaters) (September 1995)

Televisions:

NA

Internet country code:

.ba

Internet hosts:

56,032 (2008)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

3 (2000)

Internet users:

1.055 million (2007)

Transportation Bosnia and Herzegovina

Airports:

28 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 3 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 20 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 12 (2007)

Heliports:

5 (2007)

Railways:

total: 608 km standard gauge: 608 km 1.435-m gauge (2006)

Roadways:

total: 21,846 km paved: 11,425 km (4,714 km of interurban roads) unpaved: 10,421 km (2006)

Waterways:

Sava River (northern border) open to shipping but use limited (2006)

Ports and terminals:

Bosanska Gradiska, Bosanski Brod, Bosanski Samac, and Brcko (all inland waterway ports on the Sava), Orasje

Military Bosnia and Herzegovina

Military branches: