Chapter CXXIV: Part 124

Luxembourg
Roman Catholic 87%, other (includes Protestant, Jewish,
and Muslim) 13% (2000)

Macau
Buddhist 50%, Roman Catholic 15%, none and other 35% (1997
est.)

Macedonia
Macedonian Orthodox 64.7%, Muslim 33.3%, other Christian
0.37%, other and unspecified 1.63% (2002 census)

Madagascar
indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7%

Malawi
Christian 79.9%, Muslim 12.8%, other 3%, none 4.3% (1998
census)

Malaysia
Muslim 60.4%, Buddhist 19.2%, Christian 9.1%, Hindu 6.3%,
Confucianism, Taoism, other traditional Chinese religions 2.6%,
other or unknown 1.5%, none 0.8% (2000 census)

Maldives
Sunni Muslim

Mali
Muslim 90%, Christian 1%, indigenous beliefs 9%

Malta
Roman Catholic 98%

Marshall Islands
Protestant 54.8%, Assembly of God 25.8%, Roman
Catholic 8.4%, Bukot nan Jesus 2.8%, Mormon 2.1%, other Christian
3.6%, other 1%, none 1.5% (1999 census)

Mauritania
Muslim 100%

Mauritius
Hindu 48%, Roman Catholic 23.6%, Muslim 16.6%, other
Christian 8.6%, other 2.5%, unspecified 0.3%, none 0.4% (2000 census)

Mayotte
Muslim 97%, Christian (mostly Roman Catholic) 3%

Mexico
Roman Catholic 76.5%, Protestant 6.3% (Pentecostal 1.4%,
Jehovah's Witnesses 1.1%, other 3.8%), other 0.3%, unspecified
13.8%, none 3.1% (2000 census)

Micronesia, Federated States of
Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 47%,
other 3%

Moldova
Eastern Orthodox 98%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist and other 0.5%
(2000)

Monaco
Roman Catholic 90%, other 10%

Mongolia
Buddhist Lamaist 50%, Shamanist and Christian 6%, Muslim
4%, none 40% (2004)

Montenegro
Orthodox 74.2%, Muslim 17.7%, Catholic 3.5%, other 0.6%,
unspecified 3%, atheist 1% (2003 census)

Montserrat
Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal,
Seventh-Day Adventist, other Christian denominations

Morocco
Muslim 98.7%, Christian 1.1%, Jewish 0.2%

Mozambique
Catholic 23.8%, Muslim 17.8%, Zionist Christian 17.5%,
other 17.8%, none 23.1% (1997 census)

Namibia
Christian 80% to 90% (Lutheran 50% at least), indigenous
beliefs 10% to 20%

Nauru
Nauru Congregational 35.4%, Roman Catholic 33.2%, Nauru
Independent Church 10.4%, other 14.1%, none 4.5%, unspecified 2.4%
(2002 census)

Nepal
Hindu 80.6%, Buddhist 10.7%, Muslim 4.2%, Kirant 3.6%, other
0.9% (2001 census)
note: only official Hindu state in the world

Netherlands
Roman Catholic 30%, Dutch Reformed 11%, Calvinist 6%,
other Protestant 3%, Muslim 5.8%, other 2.2%, none 42% (2006)

Netherlands Antilles
Roman Catholic 72%, Pentecostal 4.9%,
Protestant 3.5%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3.1%, Methodist 2.9%,
Jehovah's Witnesses 1.7%, other Christian 4.2%, Jewish 1.3%, other
or unspecified 1.2%, none 5.2% (2001 census)

New Caledonia
Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10%

New Zealand
Anglican 14.9%, Roman Catholic 12.4%, Presbyterian
10.9%, Methodist 2.9%, Pentecostal 1.7%, Baptist 1.3%, other
Christian 9.4%, other 3.3%, unspecified 17.2%, none 26% (2001 census)

Nicaragua
Roman Catholic 58.5%, Evangelical 21.6%, Moravian 1.6%,
Jehovah's Witness 0.9%, other 1.7%, none 15.7% (2005 census)

Niger
Muslim 80%, other (includes indigenous beliefs and Christian)
20%

Nigeria
Muslim 50%, Christian 40%, indigenous beliefs 10%

Niue
Ekalesia Niue (Niuean Church - a Protestant church closely
related to the London Missionary Society) 61.1%, Latter-Day Saints
8.8%, Roman Catholic 7.2%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2.4%, Seventh-Day
Adventist 1.4%, other 8.4%, unspecified 8.7%, none 1.9% (2001 census)

Norfolk Island
Anglican 31.8%, Roman Catholic 11.5%, Uniting Church
in Australia 10.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3.2%, other Christian
5.6%, none 19.9%, unspecified 16.6% (2006 census)

Northern Mariana Islands
Christian (Roman Catholic majority,
although traditional beliefs and taboos may still be found)

Norway
Church of Norway 85.7%, Pentecostal 1%, Roman Catholic 1%,
other Christian 2.4%, Muslim 1.8%, other 8.1% (2004)

Oman
Ibadhi Muslim 75%, other (includes Sunni Muslim, Shi'a Muslim,
Hindu) 25%

Pakistan
Muslim 95% (Sunni 75%, Shia 20%), other (includes Christian
and Hindu) 5%

Palau
Roman Catholic 41.6%, Protestant 23.3%, Modekngei 8.8%
(indigenous to Palau), Seventh-Day Adventist 5.3%, Jehovah's Witness
0.9%, Latter-Day Saints 0.6%, other 3.1%, unspecified or none 16.4%
(2000 census)

Panama
Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15%

Papua New Guinea
Roman Catholic 27%, Evangelical Lutheran 19.5%,
United Church 11.5%, Seventh-Day Adventist 10%, Pentecostal 8.6%,
Evangelical Alliance 5.2%, Anglican 3.2%, Baptist 2.5%, other
Protestant 8.9%, Bahai 0.3%, indigenous beliefs and other 3.3% (2000
census)

Paraguay
Roman Catholic 89.6%, Protestant 6.2%, other Christian
1.1%, other or unspecified 1.9%, none 1.1% (2002 census)

Peru
Roman Catholic 81%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.4%, other Christian
0.7%, other 0.6%, unspecified or none 16.3% (2003 est.)

Philippines
Roman Catholic 80.9%, Muslim 5%, Evangelical 2.8%,
Iglesia ni Kristo 2.3%, Aglipayan 2%, other Christian 4.5%, other
1.8%, unspecified 0.6%, none 0.1% (2000 census)

Pitcairn Islands
Seventh-Day Adventist 100%

Poland
Roman Catholic 89.8% (about 75% practicing), Eastern Orthodox
1.3%, Protestant 0.3%, other 0.3%, unspecified 8.3% (2002)

Portugal
Roman Catholic 84.5%, other Christian 2.2%, other 0.3%,
unknown 9%, none 3.9% (2001 census)

Puerto Rico
Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant and other 15%

Qatar
Muslim 77.5%, Christian 8.5%, other 14% (2004 census)

Romania
Eastern Orthodox (including all sub-denominations) 86.8%,
Protestant (various denominations including Reformate and
Pentecostal) 7.5%, Roman Catholic 4.7%, other (mostly Muslim) and
unspecified 0.9%, none 0.1% (2002 census)

Russia
Russian Orthodox 15-20%, Muslim 10-15%, other Christian 2%
(2006 est.)
note: estimates are of practicing worshipers; Russia has large
populations of non-practicing believers and non-believers, a legacy
of over seven decades of Soviet rule

Rwanda
Roman Catholic 56.5%, Protestant 26%, Adventist 11.1%, Muslim
4.6%, indigenous beliefs 0.1%, none 1.7% (2001)

Saint Barthelemy
Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jehovah's Witness

Saint Helena
Anglican (majority), Baptist, Seventh-Day Adventist,
Roman Catholic

Saint Kitts and Nevis
Anglican, other Protestant, Roman Catholic

Saint Lucia
Roman Catholic 67.5%, Seventh Day Adventist 8.5%,
Pentecostal 5.7%, Rastafarian 2.1%, Anglican 2%, Evangelical 2%,
other Christian 5.1%, other 1.1%, unspecified 1.5%, none 4.5% (2001
census)

Saint Martin
Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witness, Protestant, Hindu

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Roman Catholic 99%, other 1%

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Anglican 47%, Methodist 28%, Roman
Catholic 13%, other (includes Hindu, Seventh-Day Adventist, other
Protestant) 12%

Samoa
Congregationalist 34.8%, Roman Catholic 19.6%, Methodist 15%,
Latter-Day Saints 12.7%, Assembly of God 6.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist
3.5%, Worship Centre 1.3%, other Christian 4.5%, other 1.9%,
unspecified 0.1% (2001 census)

San Marino
Roman Catholic

Sao Tome and Principe
Catholic 70.3%, Evangelical 3.4%, New
Apostolic 2%, Adventist 1.8%, other 3.1%, none 19.4% (2001 census)

Saudi Arabia
Muslim 100%

Senegal
Muslim 94%, Christian 5% (mostly Roman Catholic), indigenous
beliefs 1%

Serbia
Serbian Orthodox 85%, Catholic 5.5%, Protestant 1.1%, Muslim
3.2%, unspecified 2.6%, other, unknown, or atheist 2.6% (2002 census)

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

Sierra Leone
Muslim 60%, Christian 10%, indigenous beliefs 30%

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

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

Slovenia
Catholic 57.8%, Muslim 2.4%, Orthodox 2.3%, other Christian
0.9%, unaffiliated 3.5%, other or unspecified 23%, none 10.1% (2002
census)

Solomon Islands
Church of Melanesia 32.8%, Roman Catholic 19%, South
Seas Evangelical 17%, Seventh-Day Adventist 11.2%, United Church
10.3%, Christian Fellowship Church 2.4%, other Christian 4.4%, other
2.4%, unspecified 0.3%, none 0.2% (1999 census)

Somalia
Sunni Muslim

South Africa
Zion Christian 11.1%, Pentecostal/Charismatic 8.2%,
Catholic 7.1%, Methodist 6.8%, Dutch Reformed 6.7%, Anglican 3.8%,
Muslim 1.5%, other Christian 36%, other 2.3%, unspecified 1.4%, none
15.1% (2001 census)

Spain
Roman Catholic 94%, other 6%

Sri Lanka
Buddhist 69.1%, Muslim 7.6%, Hindu 7.1%, Christian 6.2%,
unspecified 10% (2001 census provisional data)

Sudan
Sunni Muslim 70% (in north), Christian 5% (mostly in south and
Khartoum), indigenous beliefs 25%

Suriname
Hindu 27.4%, Protestant 25.2% (predominantly Moravian),
Roman Catholic 22.8%, Muslim 19.6%, indigenous beliefs 5%

Swaziland
Zionist 40% (a blend of Christianity and indigenous
ancestral worship), Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 10%, other (includes
Anglican, Bahai, Methodist, Mormon, Jewish) 30%

Sweden
Lutheran 87%, other (includes Roman Catholic, Orthodox,
Baptist, Muslim, Jewish, and Buddhist) 13%

Switzerland
Roman Catholic 41.8%, Protestant 35.3%, Muslim 4.3%,
Orthodox 1.8%, other Christian 0.4%, other 1%, unspecified 4.3%,
none 11.1% (2000 census)

Syria
Sunni Muslim 74%, other Muslim (includes Alawite, Druze) 16%,
Christian (various denominations) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in
Damascus, Al Qamishli, and Aleppo)

Taiwan
mixture of Buddhist and Taoist 93%, Christian 4.5%, other 2.5%

Tajikistan
Sunni Muslim 85%, Shia Muslim 5%, other 10% (2003 est.)

Tanzania
mainland - Christian 30%, Muslim 35%, indigenous beliefs
35%; Zanzibar - more than 99% Muslim

Thailand
Buddhist 94.6%, Muslim 4.6%, Christian 0.7%, other 0.1%
(2000 census)

Timor-Leste
Roman Catholic 98%, Muslim 1%, Protestant 1% (2005)

Togo
Christian 29%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs 51%

Tokelau
Congregational Christian Church 70%, Roman Catholic 28%,
other 2%
note: on Atafu, all Congregational Christian Church of Samoa; on
Nukunonu, all Roman Catholic; on Fakaofo, both denominations, with
the Congregational Christian Church predominant

Tonga
Christian (Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30,000 adherents)

Trinidad and Tobago
Roman Catholic 26%, Hindu 22.5%, Anglican 7.8%,
Baptist 7.2%, Pentecostal 6.8%, Muslim 5.8%, Seventh Day Adventist
4%, other Christian 5.8%, other 10.8%, unspecified 1.4%, none 1.9%
(2000 census)

Tunisia
Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish and other 1%

Turkey
Muslim 99.8% (mostly Sunni), other 0.2% (mostly Christians
and Jews)

Turkmenistan
Muslim 89%, Eastern Orthodox 9%, unknown 2%

Turks and Caicos Islands
Baptist 40%, Anglican 18%, Methodist 16%,
Church of God 12%, other 14% (1990)

Tuvalu
Church of Tuvalu (Congregationalist) 97%, Seventh-Day
Adventist 1.4%, Baha'i 1%, other 0.6%

Uganda
Roman Catholic 41.9%, Protestant 42% (Anglican 35.9%,
Pentecostal 4.6%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.5%), Muslim 12.1%, other
3.1%, none 0.9% (2002 census)

Ukraine
Ukrainian Orthodox - Kyiv Patriarchate 50.4%, Ukrainian
Orthodox - Moscow Patriarchate 26.1%, Ukrainian Greek Catholic 8%,
Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox 7.2%, Roman Catholic 2.2%,
Protestant 2.2%, Jewish 0.6%, other 3.2% (2006 est.)

United Arab Emirates
Muslim 96% (Shia 16%), other (includes
Christian, Hindu) 4%

United Kingdom
Christian (Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian,
Methodist) 71.6%, Muslim 2.7%, Hindu 1%, other 1.6%, unspecified or
none 23.1% (2001 census)

United States
Protestant 51.3%, Roman Catholic 23.9%, Mormon 1.7%,
other Christian 1.6%, Jewish 1.7%, Buddhist 0.7%, Muslim 0.6%, other
or unspecified 2.5%, unaffiliated 12.1%, none 4% (2007 est.)

Uruguay
Roman Catholic 47.1%, non-Catholic Christians 11.1%,
nondenominational 23.2%, Jewish 0.3%, atheist or agnostic 17.2%,
other 1.1% (2006)

Uzbekistan
Muslim 88% (mostly Sunnis), Eastern Orthodox 9%, other 3%

Vanuatu
Presbyterian 31.4%, Anglican 13.4%, Roman Catholic 13.1%,
Seventh-Day Adventist 10.8%, other Christian 13.8%, indigenous
beliefs 5.6% (including Jon Frum cargo cult), other 9.6%, none 1%,
unspecified 1.3% (1999 Census)

Venezuela
nominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, other 2%

Vietnam
Buddhist 9.3%, Catholic 6.7%, Hoa Hao 1.5%, Cao Dai 1.1%,
Protestant 0.5%, Muslim 0.1%, none 80.8% (1999 census)

Virgin Islands
Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%,
other 7%

Wallis and Futuna
Roman Catholic 99%, other 1%

West Bank
Muslim 75% (predominantly Sunni), Jewish 17%, Christian
and other 8%

Western Sahara
Muslim

World
Christians 33.32% (of which Roman Catholics 16.99%,
Protestants 5.78%, Orthodox 3.53%, Anglicans 1.25%), Muslims 21.01%,
Hindus 13.26%, Buddhists 5.84%, Sikhs 0.35%, Jews 0.23%, Baha'is
0.12%, other religions 11.78%, non-religious 11.77%, atheists 2.32%
(2007 est.)

Yemen
Muslim including Shaf'i (Sunni) and Zaydi (Shia), small
numbers of Jewish, Christian, and Hindu

Zambia
Christian 50%-75%, Muslim and Hindu 24%-49%, indigenous
beliefs 1%

Zimbabwe
syncretic (part Christian, part indigenous beliefs) 50%,
Christian 25%, indigenous beliefs 24%, Muslim and other 1%

This page was last updated on 18 December 2008

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

@2123 Suffrage

Afghanistan
18 years of age; universal

Albania
18 years of age; universal

Algeria
18 years of age; universal

American Samoa
18 years of age; universal

Andorra
18 years of age; universal

Angola
18 years of age; universal

Anguilla
18 years of age; universal

Antigua and Barbuda
18 years of age; universal

Argentina
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Armenia
18 years of age; universal

Aruba
18 years of age; universal

Australia
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Austria
16 years of age; universal; note - reduced from 18 years of
age in 2007

Azerbaijan
18 years of age; universal

Bahamas, The
18 years of age; universal

Bahrain
20 years of age; universal

Bangladesh
18 years of age; universal

Barbados
18 years of age; universal

Belarus
18 years of age; universal

Belgium
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Belize
18 years of age; universal

Benin
18 years of age; universal

Bermuda
18 years of age; universal

Bhutan
18 years of age; universal

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

Bosnia and Herzegovina
18 years of age, universal

Botswana
18 years of age; universal

Brazil
voluntary between 16 and 18 years of age and over 70;
compulsory over 18 and under 70 years of age; note - military
conscripts do not vote

British Virgin Islands
18 years of age; universal

Brunei
18 years of age for village elections; universal

Bulgaria
18 years of age; universal

Burkina Faso
universal

Burma
18 years of age; universal

Burundi
NA years of age; universal (adult)

Cambodia
18 years of age; universal

Cameroon
20 years of age; universal

Canada
18 years of age; universal

Cape Verde
18 years of age; universal

Cayman Islands
18 years of age; universal

Central African Republic
21 years of age; universal

Chad
18 years of age; universal

Chile
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

China
18 years of age; universal

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
NA

Colombia
18 years of age; universal

Comoros
18 years of age; universal

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
18 years of age; universal and
compulsory

Congo, Republic of the
18 years of age; universal

Cook Islands
NA years of age; universal (adult)

Costa Rica
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Cote d'Ivoire
18 years of age; universal

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

Cuba
16 years of age; universal

Cyprus
18 years of age; universal

Czech Republic
18 years of age; universal

Denmark
18 years of age; universal

Djibouti
18 years of age; universal

Dominica
18 years of age; universal

Dominican Republic
18 years of age, universal and compulsory;
married persons regardless of age; note - members of the armed
forces and national police cannot vote

Ecuador
18 years of age; universal, compulsory for literate persons
ages 18-65, optional for other eligible voters

Egypt
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

El Salvador
18 years of age; universal

Equatorial Guinea
18 years of age; universal

Eritrea
18 years of age; universal

Estonia
18 years of age; universal for all Estonian citizens

Ethiopia
18 years of age; universal

European Union
18 years of age; universal

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
18 years of age; universal

Faroe Islands
18 years of age; universal

Fiji
21 years of age; universal

Finland
18 years of age; universal

France
18 years of age; universal

French Polynesia
18 years of age; universal

Gabon
21 years of age; universal

Gambia, The
18 years of age; universal

Georgia
18 years of age; universal

Germany
18 years of age; universal

Ghana
18 years of age; universal

Gibraltar
18 years of age; universal; and British citizens who have
been residents six months or more

Greece
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Greenland
18 years of age; universal

Grenada
18 years of age; universal

Guam
18 years of age; universal; US citizens, but do not vote in US
presidential elections

Guatemala
18 years of age; universal; note - active duty members of
the armed forces may not vote and are restricted to their barracks
on election day

Guernsey
18 years of age; universal

Guinea
18 years of age; universal

Guinea-Bissau
18 years of age; universal

Guyana
18 years of age; universal

Haiti
18 years of age; universal

Holy See (Vatican City)
limited to cardinals less than 80 years old

Honduras
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Hong Kong
direct election - 18 years of age for a number of
non-executive positions; universal for permanent residents living in
the territory of Hong Kong for the past seven years; indirect
election - limited to about 220,000 members of functional
constituencies and an 800-member election committee drawn from broad
regional groupings, central government bodies, and municipal
organizations

Hungary
18 years of age; universal

Iceland
18 years of age; universal

India
18 years of age; universal

Indonesia
17 years of age; universal and married persons regardless
of age

Iran
16 years of age; universal

Iraq
18 years of age; universal

Ireland
18 years of age; universal

Isle of Man
16 years of age; universal

Israel
18 years of age; universal

Italy
18 years of age; universal (except in senatorial elections,
where minimum age is 25)

Jamaica
18 years of age; universal

Japan
20 years of age; universal

Jersey
16 years of age; universal

Jordan
18 years of age; universal

Kazakhstan
18 years of age; universal

Kenya
18 years of age; universal

Kiribati
18 years of age; universal

Korea, North
17 years of age; universal

Korea, South
19 years of age; universal

Kosovo
18 years of age; universal

Kuwait
NA years of age; universal (adult); note - males in the
military or police are not allowed to vote; adult females were
allowed to vote as of 16 May 2005; all voters must have been
citizens for 20 years

Kyrgyzstan
18 years of age; universal

Laos
18 years of age; universal

Latvia
18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens

Lebanon
21 years of age; compulsory for all males; authorized for
women at age 21 with elementary education

Lesotho
18 years of age; universal

Liberia
18 years of age; universal

Libya
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Liechtenstein
18 years of age; universal

Lithuania
18 years of age; universal

Luxembourg
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Macau
direct election 18 years of age for some non-executive
positions, universal for permanent residents living in Macau for the
past seven years; indirect election limited to organizations
registered as "corporate voters" (257 are currently registered) and
a 300-member Election Committee drawn from broad regional groupings,
municipal organizations, and central government bodies

Macedonia
18 years of age; universal

Madagascar
18 years of age; universal

Malawi
18 years of age; universal

Malaysia
21 years of age; universal

Maldives
21 years of age; universal

Mali
18 years of age; universal

Malta
18 years of age; universal

Marshall Islands
18 years of age; universal

Mauritania
18 years of age; universal

Mauritius
18 years of age; universal

Mayotte
18 years of age; universal

Mexico
18 years of age; universal and compulsory (but not enforced)

Micronesia, Federated States of
18 years of age; universal

Moldova
18 years of age; universal

Monaco
18 years of age; universal

Mongolia
18 years of age; universal

Montenegro
18 years of age; universal

Montserrat
18 years of age; universal

Morocco
18 years of age; universal (as of January 2003)

Mozambique
18 years of age; universal

Namibia
18 years of age; universal

Nauru
20 years of age; universal and compulsory

Nepal
18 years of age; universal

Netherlands
18 years of age; universal

Netherlands Antilles
18 years of age; universal

New Caledonia
18 years of age; universal

New Zealand
18 years of age; universal

Nicaragua
16 years of age; universal

Niger
18 years of age; universal

Nigeria
18 years of age; universal

Niue
18 years of age; universal

Norfolk Island
18 years of age; universal

Northern Mariana Islands
18 years of age; universal; indigenous
inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential
elections

Norway
18 years of age; universal

Oman
21 years of age; universal; note - members of the military and
security forces are not allowed to vote

Pakistan
18 years of age; universal; joint electorates and reserved
parliamentary seats for women and non-Muslims

Palau
18 years of age; universal

Panama
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Papua New Guinea
18 years of age; universal

Paraguay
18 years of age; universal and compulsory up to age 75

Peru
18 years of age; universal and compulsory until the age of 70;
note - for the first time in recent elections, members of the
military and national police were eligible to vote in the 2006
elections

Philippines
18 years of age; universal

Pitcairn Islands
18 years of age; universal with three years
residency

Poland
18 years of age; universal

Portugal
18 years of age; universal

Puerto Rico
18 years of age; universal; island residents are US
citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections

Qatar
18 years of age; universal

Romania
18 years of age; universal

Russia
18 years of age; universal

Rwanda
18 years of age; universal

Saint Barthelemy
18 years of age, universal

Saint Helena
NA years of age

Saint Kitts and Nevis
18 years of age; universal

Saint Lucia
18 years of age; universal

Saint Martin
18 years of age, universal

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
18 years of age; universal

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
18 years of age; universal

Samoa
21 years of age; universal

San Marino
18 years of age; universal

Sao Tome and Principe
18 years of age; universal

Saudi Arabia
21 years of age; male

Senegal
18 years of age; universal

Serbia
18 years of age; universal

Seychelles
17 years of age; universal

Sierra Leone
18 years of age; universal

Singapore
21 years of age; universal and compulsory

Slovakia
18 years of age; universal

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

Solomon Islands
21 years of age; universal

Somalia
18 years of age; universal

South Africa
18 years of age; universal

Spain
18 years of age; universal

Sri Lanka
18 years of age; universal

Sudan
17 years of age; universal

Suriname
18 years of age; universal

Swaziland
18 years of age

Sweden
18 years of age; universal

Switzerland
18 years of age; universal

Syria
18 years of age; universal

Taiwan
20 years of age; universal

Tajikistan
18 years of age; universal

Tanzania
18 years of age; universal

Thailand
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Timor-Leste
17 years of age; universal

Togo
NA years of age; universal (adult)

Tokelau
21 years of age; universal

Tonga
21 years of age; universal

Trinidad and Tobago
18 years of age; universal

Tunisia
18 years of age; universal except for active government
security forces (including the police and the military), people with
mental disabilities, people who have served more than three months
in prison (criminal cases only), and people given a suspended
sentence of more than six months

Turkey
18 years of age; universal

Turkmenistan
18 years of age; universal

Turks and Caicos Islands
18 years of age; universal

Tuvalu
18 years of age; universal

Uganda
18 years of age; universal

Ukraine
18 years of age; universal

United Arab Emirates
none

United Kingdom
18 years of age; universal

United States
18 years of age; universal

Uruguay
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Uzbekistan
18 years of age; universal

Vanuatu
18 years of age; universal

Venezuela
18 years of age; universal

Vietnam
18 years of age; universal

Virgin Islands
18 years of age; universal; island residents are US
citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections

Wallis and Futuna
18 years of age; universal

Western Sahara
none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign
not yet completed

Yemen
18 years of age; universal

Zambia
18 years of age; universal

Zimbabwe
18 years of age; universal

This page was last updated on 18 December 2008

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

@2124 Telephone system

Afghanistan
general assessment: limited landline telephone service;
an increasing number of Afghans utilize mobile-cellular phone
networks in major cities
domestic: aided by the presence of multiple providers,
mobile-cellular telephone service is improving rapidly
international: country code - 93; five VSAT's installed in Kabul,
Herat, Mazar-e-Sharif, Kandahar, and Jalalabad provide international
and domestic voice and data connectivity (2007)

Albania
general assessment: despite new investment in fixed lines,
the density of main lines remains low with roughly 10 lines per 100
people; cellular telephone use is widespread and generally
effective; combined fixed line and mobile telephone density is
approximately 75 telephones per 100 persons
domestic: offsetting the shortage of fixed line capacity, mobile
phone service has been available since 1996; by 2003, two companies
were providing mobile services at a greater density than some of
Albania's neighbors; Internet broadband services initiated in 2005;
Internet cafes are popular in Tirana and have started to spread
outside the capital
international: country code - 355; submarine cable provides
connectivity to Italy, Croatia, and Greece; the Trans-Balkan Line, a
combination submarine cable and land fiber-optic system, provides
additional connectivity to Bulgaria, Macedonia, and Turkey;
international traffic carried by fiber-optic cable and, when
necessary, by microwave radio relay from the Tirana exchange to
Italy and Greece (2007)

Algeria
general assessment: a weak network of fixed-main lines,
which remains low at less than 10 telephones per 100 persons, is
partially offset by the rapid increase in mobile cellular
subscribership; in 2007, combined fixed-line and mobile telephone
density surpassed 90 telephones per 100 persons
domestic: privatization of Algeria's telecommunications sector began
in 2000; three mobile cellular licenses have been issued and, in
2005, a consortium led by Egypt's Orascom Telecom won a 15-year
license to build and operate a fixed-line network in Algeria; the
license will allow Orascom to develop high-speed data and other
specialized services and contribute to meeting the large unfulfilled
demand for basic residential telephony; Internet broadband services
began in 2003 with approximately 200,000 subscribers in 2006
international: country code - 213; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-4
fiber-optic submarine cable system that provides links to Europe,
the Middle East, and Asia; microwave radio relay to Italy, France,
Spain, Morocco, and Tunisia; coaxial cable to Morocco and Tunisia;
participant in Medarabtel; satellite earth stations - 51 (Intelsat,
Intersputnik, and Arabsat) (2007)

American Samoa
general assessment: NA
domestic: good telex, telegraph, facsimile, and cellular telephone
services; domestic satellite system with 1 Comsat earth station
international: country code - 1-684; satellite earth station - 1
(Intelsat-Pacific Ocean)

Andorra
general assessment: NA
domestic: modern system with microwave radio relay connections
between exchanges
international: country code - 376; landline circuits to France and
Spain

Angola
general assessment: system inadequate; fewer than one
fixed-line per 100 persons; combined fixed line and mobile telephone
density exceeded 25 telephones per 100 persons in 2007
domestic: state-owned telecom had monopoly for fixed-lines until
2005; demand outstripped capacity, prices were high, and services
poor; Telecom Namibia, through an Angolan company, became the first
private licensed operator in Angola's fixed-line telephone network;
Angola Telecom established mobile-cellular service in Luanda in 1993
and the network has been extended to larger towns; a
privately-owned, mobile-cellular service provider began operations
in 2001
international: country code - 244; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC
fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and
Asia; satellite earth stations - 29 (2007)

Anguilla
general assessment: NA
domestic: modern internal telephone system
international: country code - 1-264; landing point for the East
Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS) submarine cable with links to 13 other
islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin
Islands to Trinidad; microwave radio relay to island of Saint Martin
(Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles) (2007)

Antarctica
general assessment: local systems at some research
stations
domestic: commercial cellular networks operating in a small number
of locations
international: country code - none allocated; via satellite
(including mobile Inmarsat and Iridium systems) to and from all
research stations, ships, aircraft, and most field parties (2007)

Antigua and Barbuda
general assessment: NA
domestic: good automatic telephone system
international: country code - 1-268; landing point for the East
Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS) submarine cable with links to 13 other
islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin
Islands to Trinidad; satellite earth stations - 2; tropospheric
scatter to Saba (Netherlands Antilles) and Guadeloupe (2007)

Argentina
general assessment: by opening the telecommunications
market to competition and foreign investment with the
"Telecommunications Liberalization Plan of 1998," Argentina
encouraged the growth of modern telecommunications technology;
fiber-optic cable trunk lines are being installed between all major
cities; major networks are entirely digital and the availability of
telephone service is improving; fixed-line telephone density is
gradually increasing reaching nearly 25 lines per 100 people in
2007; mobile telephone subscribership has been increasing rapidly
and has reached a level of 100 telephones per 100 persons
domestic: microwave radio relay, fiber-optic cable, and a domestic
satellite system with 40 earth stations serve the trunk network;
more than 110,000 pay telephones are installed and mobile telephone
use is rapidly expanding; broadband services are gaining ground
international: country code - 54; landing point for the Atlantis-2,
UNISUR, and South America-1 optical submarine cable systems that
provide links to Europe, Africa, South and Central America, and US;
satellite earth stations - 112; 2 international gateways near Buenos
Aires (2007)

Armenia
general assessment: telecommunications investments have made
major inroads in modernizing and upgrading the outdated
telecommunications network inherited from the Soviet era; now 100%
privately owned and undergoing modernization and expansion;
mobile-cellular services monopoly terminated in late 2004 and a
second provider began operations in mid-2005
domestic: reliable modern landline and mobile-cellular services are
available across Yerevan in major cities and towns; significant but
ever-shrinking gaps remain in mobile-cellular coverage in rural areas
international: country code - 374; Yerevan is connected to the
Trans-Asia-Europe fiber-optic cable through Iran; additional
international service is available by microwave radio relay and
landline connections to the other countries of the Commonwealth of
Independent States, through the Moscow international switch, and by
satellite to the rest of the world; satellite earth stations - 3
(2007)

Aruba
general assessment: modern fully automatic telecommunications
system
domestic: increased competition through privatization; 3 wireless
service providers are now licensed
international: country code - 297; landing site for the PAN-AM
submarine telecommunications cable system that extends from the US
Virgin Islands through Aruba to Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, and the
west coast of South America; extensive interisland microwave radio
relay links (2007)

Australia
general assessment: excellent domestic and international
service
domestic: domestic satellite system; significant use of
radiotelephone in areas of low population density; rapid growth of
mobile cellular telephones
international: country code - 61; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3
optical telecommunications submarine cable with links to Asia, the
Middle East, and Europe; the Southern Cross fiber optic submarine
cable provides links to New Zealand and the United States; satellite
earth stations - 19 (10 Intelsat - 4 Indian Ocean and 6 Pacific
Ocean, 2 Inmarsat - Indian and Pacific Ocean regions, 2 Globalstar,
5 other) (2007)

Austria
general assessment: highly developed and efficient
domestic: fixed-line subscribership has been in decline since the
mid-1990s with mobile-cellular subscribership eclipsing it by the
late 1990s; the fiber-optic net is very extensive; all telephone
applications and Internet services are available
international: country code - 43; satellite earth stations - 15; in
addition, there are about 600 VSATs (very small aperture terminals)
(2007)

Azerbaijan
general assessment: inadequate; requires considerable
expansion and modernization; teledensity of 15 main lines per 100
persons is low; mobile-cellular penetration is increasing and is
currently about 50 telephones per 100 persons
domestic: fixed-line telephony and a broad range of other telecom
services are controlled by a state-owned telecommunications monopoly
and growth has been stagnant; more competition exists in the
mobile-cellular market with three providers in 2006; satellite
service connects Baku to a modern switch in its exclave of Naxcivan
international: country code - 994; the old Soviet system of cable
and microwave is still serviceable; satellite earth stations - 2
(2007)

Bahamas, The
general assessment: modern facilities
domestic: totally automatic system; highly developed; the Bahamas
Domestic Submarine Network links 14 of the islands and is designed
to satisfy increasing demand for voice and broadband internet
services
international: country code - 1-242; landing point for the Americas
Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) fiber-optic submarine cable
that provides links to South and Central America, parts of the
Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth stations - 2 (2007)

Bahrain
general assessment: modern system
domestic: modern fiber-optic integrated services; digital network
with rapidly growing use of mobile-cellular telephones
international: country code - 973; landing point for the Fiber-Optic
Link Around the Globe (FLAG) submarine cable network that provides
links to Asia, Middle East, Europe, and US; tropospheric scatter to
Qatar and UAE; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; satellite
earth station - 1 (2007)

Bangladesh
general assessment: inadequate for a modern country;
fixed-line telephone density remains less than 1 per 100 persons;
mobile-cellular telephone subscribership has been increasing rapidly
and is approaching 25 per 100 persons
domestic: modernizing; introducing digital systems; trunk systems
include VHF and UHF microwave radio relay links, and some
fiber-optic cable in cities
international: country code - 880; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-4
fiber-optic submarine cable system that provides links to Europe,
the Middle East, and Asia; satellite earth stations - 6;
international radiotelephone communications and landline service to
neighboring countries (2007)

Barbados
general assessment: fixed-line teledensity of roughly 50
per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone density of about 85 per
100 persons
domestic: island-wide automatic telephone system
international: country code - 1-246; landing point for the East
Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS) submarine cable with links to 13 other
islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin
Islands to Trinidad; satellite earth stations - 1 (Intelsat
-Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Trinidad and Saint Lucia
(2007)

Belarus
general assessment: Belarus lags behind its neighbors in
upgrading telecommunications infrastructure; state-owned Beltelcom
is the sole provider of fixed-line local and long distance service;
fixed-line teledensity of roughly 35 per 100 persons;
mobile-cellular telephone density of about 60 per 100 persons;
modernization of the network progressing with roughly two-thirds of
switching equipment now digital
domestic: fixed-line penetration is improving although rural areas
continue to be underserved; 3 GSM wireless networks are experiencing
rapid growth; strict government controls on telecommunications
technologies
international: country code - 375; Belarus is a member of the
Trans-European Line (TEL), Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line,
and has access to the Trans-Siberia Line (TSL); 3 fiber-optic
segments provide connectivity to Latvia, Poland, Russia, and
Ukraine; worldwide service is available to Belarus through this
infrastructure; additional analog lines to Russia; Intelsat,
Eutelsat, and Intersputnik earth stations (2007)

Belgium
general assessment: highly developed, technologically
advanced, and completely automated domestic and international
telephone and telegraph facilities
domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; extensive cable
network; limited microwave radio relay network
international: country code - 32; landing point for a number of
submarine cables that provide links to Europe, the Middle East, and
Asia; satellite earth stations - 7 (Intelsat - 3) (2007)

Belize
general assessment: above-average system; fixed-line
teledensity of 12 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone density
of about 40 per 100 persons
domestic: trunk network depends primarily on microwave radio relay
international: country code - 501; landing point for the Americas
Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) fiber-optic
telecommunications submarine cable that provides links to South and
Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth
station - 8 (Intelsat - 2, unknown - 6) (2007)

Benin
general assessment: inadequate; fixed-line network
characterized by aging, deteriorating equipment with fixed-line
teledensity stuck at 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone
subscribership is increasing
domestic: system of open-wire, microwave radio relay, and cellular
connections; multiple mobile-cellular providers
international: country code - 229; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC
fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and
Asia; satellite earth stations - 7 (Intelsat-Atlantic Ocean) (2007)

Bermuda
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)

Bhutan
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)

Bolivia
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)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
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)

Botswana
general assessment: the system is expanding with the growth
of mobile-cellular service and participation in regional
development; system is fully digital with fiber-optic cables linking
the major population centers in the east; fixed-line connections
declined in recent years and now stand at roughly 8 per 100 persons;
mobile-cellular telephone density currently is about 80 per 100
persons
domestic: small system of open-wire lines, microwave radio relay
links, and a few radiotelephone communication stations;
mobile-cellular service is growing fast
international: country code - 267; international calls are made via
satellite, using international direct dialing; 2 international
exchanges; digital microwave radio relay links to Namibia, Zambia,
Zimbabwe, and South Africa; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
(Indian Ocean) (2007)

Brazil
general assessment: good working system; fixed-line
connections have remained relatively stable in recent years and
stand at about 20 per 100 persons; less expensive mobile cellular
technology is a major driver in expanding telephone service to the
low-income segment of the population with mobile-cellular telephone
density reaching nearly 65 per 100 persons
domestic: extensive microwave radio relay system and a domestic
satellite system with 64 earth stations; mobile-cellular usage has
more than tripled in the past 5 years
international: country code - 55; landing point for a number of
submarine cables that provide direct links to South and Central
America, the Caribbean, the US, Africa, and Europe; satellite earth
stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean
region east), connected by microwave relay system to Mercosur
Brazilsat B3 satellite earth station (2007)

British Indian Ocean Territory
general assessment: separate
facilities for military and public needs are available
domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including
connection to the Internet
international: country code (Diego Garcia) - 246; international
telephone service is carried by satellite (2000)

British Virgin Islands
general assessment: worldwide telephone
service
domestic: NA
international: country code - 1-284; connected via submarine cable
to Bermuda; the East Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS) submarine cable
provides connectivity to 13 other islands in the eastern Caribbean
(2007)

Brunei
general assessment: service throughout the country is
excellent; international service is good to Southeast Asia, Middle
East, Western Europe, and the US
domestic: every service available
international: country code - 673; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3
optical telecommunications submarine cable that provides links to
Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; the Asia-America Gateway
submarine cable network, scheduled for completion by late 2008, will
provide new links to Asia and the US; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) (2007)

Bulgaria
general assessment: an extensive but antiquated
telecommunications network inherited from the Soviet era; quality
has improved; the Bulgaria Telecommunications Company's fixed-line
monopoly terminated in 2005 when alternative fixed-line operators
were given access to its network; a drop in fixed-line connections
in recent years has been more than offset by a sharp increase in
mobile-cellular telephone use fostered by multiple service
providers; the number of cellular telephone subscriptions now
exceeds the population
domestic: a fairly modern digital cable trunk line now connects
switching centers in most of the regions; the others are connected
by digital microwave radio relay
international: country code - 359; submarine cable provides
connectivity to Ukraine and Russia; a combination submarine cable
and land fiber-optic system provides connectivity to Italy, Albania,
and Macedonia; satellite earth stations - 3 (1 Intersputnik in the
Atlantic Ocean region, 2 Intelsat in the Atlantic and Indian Ocean
regions) (2007)

Burkina Faso
general assessment: services only fair; in 2006 the
government sold a 51 percent stake in the national telephone company
and ultimately plans to retain only a 23 percent stake in the
company; fixed-line connections stand at less than 1 per 100
persons; mobile-cellular usage, fostered by multiple providers, is
increasing rapidly from a low base
domestic: microwave radio relay, open-wire, and radiotelephone
communication stations
international: country code - 226; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)

Burma
general assessment: meets minimum requirements for local and
intercity service for business and government
domestic: system barely capable of providing basic service; cellular
phone system is grossly underdeveloped with a subscribership base of
less than 1 per 100 persons
international: country code - 95; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3
optical telecommunications submarine cable that provides links to
Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 2,
Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and ShinSat (2007)

Burundi
general assessment: primitive system; telephone density one
of the lowest in the world; fixed-line connections stand at well
less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular usage is increasing but
remains at a meager 3 per 100 persons
domestic: sparse system of open-wire, radiotelephone communications,
and low-capacity microwave radio relay
international: country code - 257; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2007)

Cambodia
general assessment: mobile-phone systems are widely used in
urban areas to bypass deficiencies in the fixed-line network;
fixed-line connections stand at well less than 1 per 100 persons;
mobile-cellular usage, aided by increasing competition among service
providers, is increasing and stands at nearly 20 per 100 persons
domestic: adequate landline and/or cellular service in Phnom Penh
and other provincial cities; mobile-phone coverage is rapidly
expanding in rural areas
international: country code - 855; adequate but expensive landline
and cellular service available to all countries from Phnom Penh and
major provincial cities; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik
(Indian Ocean region) (2007)

Cameroon
general assessment: fixed-line connections stand at less
than 1 per 100 persons; equipment is old and outdated, and
connections with many parts of the country are unreliable;
mobile-cellular usage, in part a reflection of the poor condition
and general inadequacy of the fixed-line network, increased more
than 6-fold between 2002 and 2007 reaching a subscribership base of
25 per 100 persons
domestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter
international: country code - 237; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC
fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and
Asia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)

Canada
general assessment: excellent service provided by modern
technology
domestic: domestic satellite system with about 300 earth stations
international: country code - 1; submarine cables provide links to
the US and Europe; satellite earth stations - 7 (5 Intelsat - 4
Atlantic Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean, and 2 Intersputnik - Atlantic
Ocean region) (2007)

Cape Verde
general assessment: effective system, extensive
modernization from 1996-2000 following partial privatization in 1995
domestic: major service provider is Cabo Verde Telecom (CVT);
fiber-optic ring, completed in 2001, links all islands providing
Internet access and ISDN services; cellular service introduced in
1998; broadband services launched in 2004
international: country code - 238; landing point for the Atlantis-2
fiber-optic transatlantic telephone cable that provides links to
South America, Senegal, and Europe; HF radiotelephone to Senegal and
Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
(2007)

Cayman Islands
general assessment: reasonably good system
domestic: liberalization of telecom market in 2003; introduction of
competition in the mobile-cellular market in 2004
international: country code - 1-345; landing point for the MAYA-1
submarine telephone cable network that provides links to the US and
parts of Central and South America; submarine cable provides
connectivity to Jamaica; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
(Atlantic Ocean) (2007)

Central African Republic
general assessment: limited telephone
service; fixed-line connections for well less than 1 per 100 persons
coupled with mobile-cellular usage of only about 3 per 100 persons;
most fixed-line and cellular telephone services are concentrated in
Bangui
domestic: network consists principally of microwave radio relay and
low-capacity, low-powered radiotelephone communication
international: country code - 236; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)

Chad
general assessment: primitive system with high costs and low
telephone density; fixed-line connections for only about 1 per 1000
persons coupled with mobile-cellular usage of only about 9 per 100
persons
domestic: fair system of radiotelephone communication stations
international: country code - 235; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)

Chile
general assessment: privatization begun in 1988; most advanced
telecommunications infrastructure in South America; modern system
based on extensive microwave radio relay facilities; fixed-line
connections have dropped in recent years as mobile-cellular usage
continues to increase, reaching a level of 85 telephones per 100
persons
domestic: extensive microwave radio relay links; domestic satellite
system with 3 earth stations
international: country code - 56; submarine cables provide links to
the US and to Central and South America; satellite earth stations -
2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)

China
general assessment: domestic and international services are
increasingly available for private use; unevenly distributed
domestic system serves principal cities, industrial centers, and
many towns; nonetheless, by the end of 2006, more than 95% of
China's villages had been connected to the telephone network; China
continues to develop its telecommunications infrastructure, and is
partnering with foreign providers to expand its global reach; 3 of
China's 6 major telecommunications operators are part of an
international consortium which, in December 2006, signed an
agreement with Verizon Business to build the first next-generation
fiber optic submarine cable system directly linking the US mainland
and China
domestic: interprovincial fiber-optic trunk lines and cellular
telephone systems have been installed; mobile-cellular
subscribership is increasing rapidly; the number of Internet users
reached 253 million in 2008; a domestic satellite system with 55
earth stations is in place
international: country code - 86; a number of submarine cables
provide connectivity to Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and the US;
satellite earth stations - 7 (5 Intelsat - 4 Pacific Ocean and 1
Indian Ocean; 1 Intersputnik - Indian Ocean region; and 1 Inmarsat -
Pacific and Indian Ocean regions) (2007)

Christmas Island
general assessment: service provided by the
Australian network
domestic: GSM mobile telephone service replaced older analog system
in February 2005
international: country code - 61-8; satellite earth station - 1
(Intelsat provides telephone and telex service) (2005)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
general assessment: connected within
Australia's telecommunication system; a local mobile-cellular
network is in operation
domestic: NA
international: country code - 61; telephone, telex, and facsimile
communications with Australia and elsewhere via satellite; satellite
earth station - 1 (Intelsat) (2001)

Colombia
general assessment: modern system in many respects;
telecommunications sector liberalized during the 1990s; multiple
providers of both fixed-line and mobile-cellular services;
fixed-line connections stand at about 18 per 100 persons; mobile
cellular usage is about 75 per 100 persons; competition among
cellular service providers is resulting in falling local and
international calling rates and contributing to the steep decline in
the market share of fixed line services
domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system; domestic
satellite system with 41 earth stations; fiber-optic network linking
50 cities
international: country code - 57; submarine cables provide links to
the US, parts of the Caribbean, and Central and South America;
satellite earth stations - 10 (6 Intelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 3 fully
digitalized international switching centers) (2007)

Comoros
general assessment: sparse system of microwave radio relay
and HF radiotelephone communication stations; fixed-line connections
only about 3 per 100 persons; mobile cellular usage about 5 per 100
persons
domestic: HF radiotelephone communications and microwave radio relay
international: country code - 269; HF radiotelephone communications
to Madagascar and Reunion

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
general assessment: inadequate;
state-owned fixed-line operator has been unable to expand fixed-line
connections and there are now fewer than 10,000 connections - less
than 1 per 1000 persons; given the backdrop of a wholly inadequate
fixed-line infrastructure, the use of cellular services has surged
and subscribership in 2007 reached 6.6 million - 10 per 100 persons
domestic: barely adequate wire and microwave radio relay service in
and between urban areas; domestic satellite system with 14 earth
stations
international: country code - 243; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)

Congo, Republic of the
general assessment: services barely adequate
for government use; key exchanges are in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire,
and Loubomo; intercity lines frequently out of order; fixed-line
infrastructure inadequate providing less than 1 connection per 100
persons; in the absence of an adequate fixed line infrastructure,
mobile-cellular subscribership has surged reaching 35 per 100 persons
domestic: primary network consists of microwave radio relay and
coaxial cable
international: country code - 242; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

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

Costa Rica
general assessment: good domestic telephone service in
terms of breadth of coverage; restricted cellular telephone service;
state-run monopoly provider is struggling with the demand for new
lines, resulting in long waiting times
domestic: point-to-point and point-to-multi-point microwave,
fiber-optic, and coaxial cable link rural areas; Internet service is
available
international: country code - 506; landing point for the Americas
Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) fiber-optic
telecommunications submarine cable and the MAYA-1 submarine cable
that provide links to South and Central America, parts of the
Caribbean, and the US; connected to Central American Microwave
System; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)

Cote d'Ivoire
general assessment: well developed by African
standards; telecommunications sector privatized in late 1990s and
operational fixed-lines have more than quadrupled since that time;
with multiple cellular service providers competing in the market,
cellular usage has increased sharply to roughly 40 per 100 persons
domestic: open-wire lines and microwave radio relay; 90% digitalized
international: country code - 225; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC
fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and
Asia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1
Indian Ocean) (2007)

Croatia
general assessment: the telecommunications network has
improved steadily since the mid-1990s; the number of fixed telephone
lines holding steady at about 40 per 100 persons; the number of
cellular telephone subscriptions exceeds the population
domestic: more than 90 percent of local lines are digital
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 2
fiber-optic trunk connections with Slovenia and a fiber-optic trunk
line from Rijeka to Split and Dubrovnik; the ADRIA-1 submarine cable
provides connectivity to Albania and Greece (2007)

Cuba
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 must be paid in convertible pesos
which effectively limits mobile cellular subscribership
domestic: national fiber-optic system under development; 95% of
switches digitized by end of 2006; fixed telephone line density
remains low, at less than 10 per 100 inhabitants; domestic cellular
service expanding but remains at only about 2 per 100 persons
international: country code - 53; fiber-optic cable laid to but not
linked to US network; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik
(Atlantic Ocean region) (2007)

Cyprus
general assessment: excellent in both area under government
control and area administered by Turkish Cypriots
domestic: open-wire, fiber-optic cable, and microwave radio relay
international: country code - 357 (area administered by Turkish
Cypriots uses the country code of Turkey - 90); a number of
submarine cables, including the SEA-ME-WE-3, combine to provide
connectivity to Western Europe, the Middle East, and Asia;
tropospheric scatter; satellite earth stations - 8 (3 Intelsat - 1
Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean, 2 Eutelsat, 2 Intersputnik, and 1
Arabsat)

Czech Republic
general assessment: privatization and modernization
of the Czech telecommunication system got a late start but is
advancing steadily; access to the fixed-line telephone network
expanded throughout the 1990s but the number of fixed line
connections has been dropping since then; mobile telephone usage
increased sharply beginning in the mid-1990s and the number of
cellular telephone subscriptions now greatly exceeds the population
domestic: virtually all exchanges now digital; existing copper
subscriber systems enhanced with Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line
(ADSL) equipment to accommodate Internet and other digital signals;
trunk systems include fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay
international: country code - 420; satellite earth stations - 6 (2
Intersputnik - Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions, 1 Intelsat, 1
Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 1 Globalstar) (2007)

Denmark
general assessment: excellent telephone and telegraph
services
domestic: buried and submarine cables and microwave radio relay form
trunk network, 4 cellular mobile communications systems
international: country code - 45; a series of fiber-optic submarine
cables link Denmark with Canada, Faroe Islands, Germany, Iceland,
Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and UK; satellite earth
stations - 18 (6 Intelsat, 10 Eutelsat, 1 Orion, 1 Inmarsat
(Blaavand-Atlantic-East)); note - the Nordic countries (Denmark,
Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) share the Danish earth station
and the Eik, Norway, station for worldwide Inmarsat access

Djibouti
general assessment: telephone facilities in the city of
Djibouti are adequate, as are the microwave radio relay connections
to outlying areas of the country
domestic: microwave radio relay network; mobile cellular coverage is
primarily limited to the area in and around Djibouti city
international: country code - 253; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3
optical telecommunications submarine cable with links to Asia, the
Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 2 (1 Intelsat -
Indian Ocean and 1 Arabsat); Medarabtel regional microwave radio
relay telephone network (2007)

Dominica
general assessment: NA
domestic: fully automatic network
international: country code - 1-767; landing point for the East
Caribbean Fiber Optic System (ECFS) submarine cable with links to 13
other islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British
Virgin Islands to Trinidad; microwave radio relay and SHF
radiotelephone links to Martinique and Guadeloupe; VHF and UHF
radiotelephone links to Saint Lucia