Chapter M: Major infectious diseases (143)

Netherlands
general assessment: highly developed and well maintained
domestic: extensive fixed-line fiber-optic network; large cellular
telephone system with 5 major operators utilizing the third
generation of the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM)
technology; one in five households now use Voice over the Internet
Protocol (VoIP) services
international: country code - 31; submarine cables provide links to
the US and Europe; satellite earth stations - 5 (3 Intelsat - 1
Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean, 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (2007)

New Caledonia
general assessment: a submarine cable network
connection between New Caledonia and Australia, completed in 2007,
is expected to significantly increase network capacity and improve
high-speed connectivity and access to international networks
domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone
subscribership exceeds 100 per 100 persons
international: country code - 687; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2008)

New Zealand
general assessment: excellent domestic and international
systems
domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone
subscribership exceeds 150 per 100 persons
international: country code - 64; the Southern Cross submarine cable
system provides links to Australia, Fiji, and the US; satellite
earth stations - 8 (1 Inmarsat - Pacific Ocean, 7 other)

Nicaragua
general assessment: system being upgraded by foreign
investment; nearly all installed telecommunications capacity now
uses digital technology, owing to investments since privatization of
the formerly state-owned telecommunications company
domestic: since privatization, access to fixed-line and
mobile-cellular services has improved but teledensity still lags
behind other Central American countries; fixed-line teledensity
roughly 5 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone subscribership
is increasing and reached 55 per 100 persons in 2009; connected to
Central American Microwave System
international: country code - 505; the Americas Region Caribbean
Ring System (ARCOS-1) fiber optic submarine cable provides
connectivity to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean,
and the US; satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic
Ocean region) and 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2009)

Niger
general assessment: inadequate; small system of wire, radio
telephone communications, and microwave radio relay links
concentrated in the southwestern area of Niger
domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity
remains less than 20 per 100 persons despite a rapidly increasing
cellular subscribership base; domestic satellite system with 3 earth
stations and 1 planned
international: country code - 227; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) (2009)

Nigeria
general assessment: further expansion and modernization of
the fixed-line telephone network is needed; network quality remains
a problem
domestic: the addition of a second fixed-line provider in 2002
resulted in faster growth but subscribership remains only about 1
per 100 persons; mobile-cellular services growing rapidly, in part
responding to the shortcomings of the fixed-line network; multiple
cellular providers operate nationally with subscribership reaching
50 per 100 persons in 2009
international: country code - 234; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC
fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and
Asia; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1
Indian Ocean) (2009)

Niue
domestic: single-line telephone system connects all villages on
island
international: country code - 683 (2001)

Norfolk Island
general assessment: adequate
domestic: free local calls
international: country code - 672; undersea coaxial cable links with
Australia and New Zealand; satellite earth station - 1

Northern Mariana Islands
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 1-670; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Norway
general assessment: modern in all respects; one of the most
advanced telecommunications networks in Europe
domestic: Norway has a domestic satellite system; the prevalence of
rural areas encourages the wide use of mobile-cellular systems
international: country code - 47; 2 buried coaxial cable systems;
submarine cables provide links to other Nordic countries and Europe;
satellite earth stations - NA Eutelsat, NA Intelsat (Atlantic
Ocean), and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note -
Norway shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic
countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Sweden) (1999)

Oman
general assessment: modern system consisting of open-wire,
microwave, and radiotelephone communication stations; limited
coaxial cable; domestic satellite system with 8 earth stations
domestic: fixed-line and mobile-cellular subscribership both
increasing with fixed-line phone service gradually being introduced
to remote villages using wireless local loop systems
international: country code - 968; the Fiber-Optic Link Around the
Globe (FLAG) and the SEA-ME-WE-3 submarine cable provide
connectivity to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth
stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean), 1 Arabsat (2008)

Pakistan
general assessment: the telecommunications infrastructure
is improving dramatically with foreign and domestic investments in
fixed-line and mobile-cellular networks; system consists of
microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable, cellular,
and satellite networks;
domestic: mobile-cellular subscribership has skyrocketed, exceeding
100 million in 2009, up from only about 300,000 in 2000;
approximately 90 percent of Pakistanis live within areas that have
cell phone coverage and more than half of all Pakistanis have access
to a cell phone; fiber systems are being constructed throughout the
country to aid in network growth; fixed line availability has risen
only marginally over the same period and there are still
difficulties getting fixed-line service to rural areas
international: country code - 92; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3
and SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cable systems that provide links to Asia,
the Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat
(1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); 3 operational international
gateway exchanges (1 at Karachi and 2 at Islamabad); microwave radio
relay to neighboring countries (2009)

Palau
general assessment: NA
domestic: fixed-line and mobile-cellular services available with a
combined subscribership of roughly 100 per 100 persons
international: country code - 680; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2008)

Panama
general assessment: domestic and international facilities
well developed
domestic: mobile-cellular telephone subscribership has increased
rapidly
international: country code - 507; landing point for the Americas
Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1), the MAYA-1, and PAN-AM
submarine cable systems that together provide links to the US and
parts of the Caribbean, Central America, and South America;
satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to
the Central American Microwave System (2008)

Papua New Guinea
general assessment: services are minimal;
facilities provide radiotelephone and telegraph, coastal radio,
aeronautical radio, and international radio communication services
domestic: access to telephone services is not widely available;
combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is about 15 per
100 persons
international: country code - 675; submarine cables to Australia and
Guam; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean);
international radio communication service (2009)

Paraguay
general assessment: the fixed-line market is a state
monopoly and fixed-line telephone service is meager; principal
switching center is in Asuncion
domestic: deficiencies in provision of fixed-line service have
resulted in a rapid expansion of mobile-cellular services fostered
by competition among multiple providers
international: country code - 595; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Peru
general assessment: adequate for most requirements; nationwide
microwave radio relay system and a domestic satellite system with 12
earth stations
domestic: fixed-line teledensity is only about 10 per 100 persons;
mobile-cellular teledensity, spurred by competition among multiple
providers, has increased to roughly 85 telephones per 100 persons
international: country code - 51; the South America-1 (SAM-1) and
Pan American (PAN-AM) submarine cable systems provide links to parts
of Central and South America, the Caribbean, and US; satellite earth
stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2009)

Philippines
general assessment: good international radiotelephone
and submarine cable services; domestic and interisland service
adequate
domestic: domestic satellite system with 11 earth stations;
mobile-cellular communications now dominate the industry; combined
fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity about 80 telephones per
100 persons
international: country code - 63; a series of submarine cables
together provide connectivity to Asia, US, the Middle East, and
Europe; multiple international gateways (2009)

Pitcairn Islands
general assessment: satellite phone services
domestic: domestic communication via radio (CB)
international: country code - 872; satellite earth station - 1
(Inmarsat)

Poland
general assessment: modernization of the telecommunications
network has accelerated with market-based competition; fixed-line
service, dominated by the former state-owned company, is dwarfed by
the growth in mobile-cellular services
domestic: mobile-cellular service available since 1993 and provided
by three nation-wide networks with a fourth provider beginning
operations in late 2006; coverage is generally good with some gaps
in the east; fixed-line service lags in rural areas
international: country code - 48; international direct dialing with
automated exchanges; satellite earth station - 1 with access to
Intelsat, Eutelsat, Inmarsat, and Intersputnik (2009)

Portugal
general assessment: Portugal's telephone system has a
state-of-the-art network with broadband, high-speed capabilities
domestic: integrated network of coaxial cables, open-wire, microwave
radio relay, and domestic satellite earth stations
international: country code - 351; a combination of submarine cables
provide connectivity to Europe, North and East Africa, South Africa,
the Middle East, Asia, and the US; satellite earth stations - 3
Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), NA Eutelsat;
tropospheric scatter to Azores (2008)

Puerto Rico
general assessment: modern system integrated with that
of the US by high-capacity submarine cable and Intelsat with
high-speed data capability
domestic: digital telephone system; mobile-cellular services
international: country code - 1-787, 939; submarine cables provide
connectivity to the US, Caribbean, Central and South America;
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat

Qatar
general assessment: modern system centered in Doha
domestic: combined fixed and mobile-cellular telephone
subscribership exceeds 300 telephones per 100 persons
international: country code - 974; landing point for the Fiber-Optic
Link Around the Globe (FLAG) submarine cable network that provides
links to Asia, Middle East, Europe, and the US; tropospheric scatter
to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and the UAE;
satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian
Ocean) and 1 Arabsat (2009)

Romania
general assessment: the telecommunications sector is being
expanded and modernized; domestic and international service
improving rapidly, especially mobile-cellular services
domestic: more than 90 percent of telephone network is automatic;
fixed-line teledensity exceeds 20 telephones per 100 persons;
mobile-cellular teledensity, expanding rapidly, roughly 115
telephones per 100 persons
international: country code - 40; the Black Sea Fiber Optic System
provides connectivity to Bulgaria and Turkey; satellite earth
stations - 10; digital, international, direct-dial exchanges operate
in Bucharest (2009)

Russia
general assessment: the telephone system is experiencing
significant changes; there are more than 1,000 companies licensed to
offer communication services; access to digital lines has improved,
particularly in urban centers; Internet and e-mail services are
improving; Russia has made progress toward building the
telecommunications infrastructure necessary for a market economy;
the estimated number of mobile subscribers jumped from fewer than 1
million in 1998 to some 230 million in 2009; a large demand for
fixed line service remains unsatisfied
domestic: cross-country digital trunk lines run from Saint
Petersburg to Khabarovsk, and from Moscow to Novorossiysk; the
telephone systems in 60 regional capitals have modern digital
infrastructures; cellular services, both analog and digital, are
available in many areas; in rural areas, the telephone services are
still outdated, inadequate, and low density
international: country code - 7; Russia is connected internationally
by undersea fiber optic cables; digital switches in several cities
provide more than 50,000 lines for international calls; satellite
earth stations provide access to Intelsat, Intersputnik, Eutelsat,
Inmarsat, and Orbita systems (2008)

Rwanda
general assessment: small, inadequate telephone system
primarily serves business, education, and government
domestic: the capital, Kigali, is connected to the centers of the
provinces by microwave radio relay and, recently, by cellular
telephone service; much of the network depends on wire and HF
radiotelephone; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone
density has increased to about 25 telephones per 100 persons
international: country code - 250; international connections employ
microwave radio relay to neighboring countries and satellite
communications to more distant countries; satellite earth stations -
1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) in Kigali (includes telex and telefax
service)

Saint Barthelemy
general assessment: fully integrated access
domestic: direct dial capability with both fixed and wireless systems
international: country code - 590; undersea fiber-optic cable
provides voice and data connectivity to Puerto Rico and Guadeloupe

Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha
general assessment:
can communicate worldwide
domestic: automatic digital network
international: country code (Saint Helena) - 290, (Ascension Island)
- 247; international direct dialing; satellite voice and data
communications; satellite earth stations - 5 (Ascension Island - 4,
Saint Helena - 1)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
general assessment: good interisland and
international connections
domestic: interisland links via Eastern Caribbean Fiber Optic cable;
construction of enhanced wireless infrastructure launched in
November 2004
international: country code - 1-869; connected internationally by
the East Caribbean Fiber Optic System (ECFS) and Southern Caribbean
fiber optic system (SCF) submarine cables

Saint Lucia
general assessment: adequate system
domestic: system is automatically switched
international: country code - 1-758; the East Caribbean Fiber Optic
System (ECFS) and Southern Caribbean fiber optic system (SCF)
submarine cables, along with Intelsat from Martinique, carry calls
internationally; direct microwave radio relay link with Martinique
and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; tropospheric scatter to
Barbados

Saint Martin
general assessment: fully integrated access
domestic: direct dial capability with both fixed and wireless systems
international: country code - 590; undersea fiber-optic cable
provides voice and data connectivity to Puerto Rico and Guadeloupe

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
general assessment: adequate
domestic: NA
international: country code - 508; radiotelephone communication with
most countries in the world; satellite earth station - 1 in French
domestic satellite system

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
general assessment: adequate system
domestic: islandwide, fully automatic telephone system; VHF/UHF
radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to the other islands of the
Grenadines; mobile-cellular teledensity exceeds 100 telephones per
100 persons
international: country code - 1-784; the East Caribbean Fiber Optic
System (ECFS) and Southern Caribbean fiber optic system (SCF)
submarine cables carry international calls; connectivity also
provided by VHF/UHF radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to Barbados;
SHF radiotelephone to Grenada and Saint Lucia; access to Intelsat
earth station in Martinique through Saint Lucia

Samoa
general assessment: adequate
domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity
roughly 85 telephones per 100 persons; coverage extended to roughly
95 percent of the country
international: country code - 685; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

San Marino
general assessment: automatic telephone system completely
integrated into Italian system
domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity 150
telephones per 100 persons
international: country code - 378; connected to Italian
international network

Sao Tome and Principe
general assessment: local telephone network of
adequate quality with most lines connected to digital switches
domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity
roughly 35 telephones per 100 persons
international: country code - 239; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Saudi Arabia
general assessment: modern system including a
combination of extensive microwave radio relays, coaxial cables, and
fiber-optic cables
domestic: mobile-cellular subscribership has been increasing rapidly
international: country code - 966; landing point for the
international submarine cable Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe
(FLAG) and for both the SEA-ME-WE-3 and SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cable
networks providing connectivity to Asia, Middle East, Europe, and
US; microwave radio relay to Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE,
Yemen, and Sudan; coaxial cable to Kuwait and Jordan; satellite
earth stations - 5 Intelsat (3 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean), 1
Arabsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region) (2008)

Senegal
general assessment: good system with microwave radio relay,
coaxial cable and fiber-optic cable in trunk system
domestic: above-average urban system with a fiber-optic network;
nearly two-thirds of all fixed-line connections are in Dakar where a
call-center industry is emerging; expansion of fixed-line services
in rural areas needed; mobile-cellular service is expanding rapidly
international: country code - 221; the SAT-3/WASC fiber optic cable
provides connectivity to Europe and Asia while Atlantis-2 provides
connectivity to South America; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
(Atlantic Ocean) (2007)

Serbia
general assessment: replacements of, and upgrades to,
telecommunications equipment damaged during the 1999 war has
resulted in a modern telecommunications system more than 95%
digitalized in 2009
domestic: wireless service, available through multiple providers
with national coverage, is growing very rapidly; best
telecommunications services are centered in urban centers; 3G mobile
network launched in 2007
international: country code - 381 (2009)

Seychelles
general assessment: effective system
domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is 130
telephones per 100 persons; radiotelephone communications between
islands in the archipelago
international: country code - 248; direct radiotelephone
communications with adjacent island countries and African coastal
countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Sierra Leone
general assessment: marginal telephone service with
poor infrastructure
domestic: the national microwave radio relay trunk system connects
Freetown to Bo and Kenema; while mobile-cellular service is growing
rapidly from a small base, service area coverage remains limited
international: country code - 232; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Singapore
general assessment: excellent service
domestic: excellent domestic facilities; launched 3G wireless
service in February 2005; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular
teledensity is more than 180 telephones per 100 persons
international: country code - 65; numerous submarine cables provide
links throughout Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Europe, and US;
satellite earth stations - 4; supplemented by VSAT coverage (2008)

Sint Maarten
general assessment: generally adequate facilities
domestic: extensive interisland microwave radio relay links
international: country code - 599; the Americas Region Caribbean
Ring System (ARCOS-1) and the Americas-2 submarine cable systems
provide connectivity to Central America, parts of South America and
the Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat
(Atlantic Ocean)

Slovakia
general assessment: Slovakia has a modern
telecommunications system that has expanded dramatically in recent
years with the growth in cellular services
domestic: analog system is now receiving digital equipment and is
being enlarged with fiber-optic cable, especially in the larger
cities; 3 companies provide nationwide cellular services
international: country code - 421; 3 international exchanges (1 in
Bratislava and 2 in Banska Bystrica) are available; Slovakia is
participating in several international telecommunications projects
that will increase the availability of external services

Slovenia
general assessment: well-developed telecommunications
infrastructure
domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity
roughly 150 telephones per 100 persons
international: country code - 386

Solomon Islands
general assessment: NA
domestic: mobile-cellular telephone density is about 5 telephones
per 100 persons
international: country code - 677; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Somalia
general assessment: the public telecommunications system was
almost completely destroyed or dismantled during the civil war;
private companies offer limited local fixed-line service and private
wireless companies offer service in most major cities while charging
the lowest international rates on the continent
domestic: local cellular telephone systems have been established in
Mogadishu and in several other population centers
international: country code - 252; international connections are
available from Mogadishu by satellite

South Africa
general assessment: the system is the best developed
and most modern in Africa
domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity
roughly 105 telephones per 100 persons; consists of carrier-equipped
open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay links,
fiber-optic cable, radiotelephone communication stations, and
wireless local loops; key centers are Bloemfontein, Cape Town,
Durban, Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth, and Pretoria
international: country code - 27; the SAT-3/WASC and SAFE fiber
optic cable systems connect South Africa to Europe and Asia;
satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic
Ocean)

South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: coastal radiotelephone station at Grytviken

Spain
general assessment: well developed, modern facilities;
fixed-line teledensity is roughly 50 per 100 persons
domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is
nearly 175 telephones per 100 persons
international: country code - 34; submarine cables provide
connectivity to Europe, Middle East, Asia, and US; satellite earth
stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), NA
Eutelsat; tropospheric scatter to adjacent countries

Sri Lanka
general assessment: telephone services have improved
significantly and are available in most parts of the country
domestic: national trunk network consists mostly of digital
microwave radio relay; fiber-optic links now in use in Colombo area
and fixed wireless local loops have been installed; competition is
strong in mobile cellular systems and mobile cellular subscribership
is increasing
international: country code - 94; the SEA-ME-WE-3 and SEA-ME-WE-4
submarine cables provide connectivity to Asia, Australia, Middle
East, Europe, US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian
Ocean)

Sudan
general assessment: well-equipped system by regional standards
and being upgraded; cellular communications started in 1996 and have
expanded substantially with wide coverage of most major cities
domestic: consists of microwave radio relay, cable, fiber optic,
radiotelephone communications, tropospheric scatter, and a domestic
satellite system with 14 earth stations
international: country code - 249; linked to international submarine
cable Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG); satellite earth
stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Arabsat (2000)

Suriname
general assessment: international facilities are good
domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity
roughly 175 telephones per 100 persons; microwave radio relay network
international: country code - 597; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Svalbard
general assessment: probably adequate
domestic: local telephone service
international: country code - 47-790; satellite earth station - 1 of
unknown type (for communication with Norwegian mainland only)

Swaziland
general assessment: a somewhat modern but not an advanced
system
domestic: single source for mobile-cellular service with a
geographic coverage of about 90% and a rising subscribership base;
combined fixed-line and mobile cellular teledensity exceeded 60
telephones per 100 persons in 2009; telephone system consists of
carrier-equipped, open-wire lines and low-capacity, microwave radio
relay
international: country code - 268; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2009)

Sweden
general assessment: highly developed telecommunications
infrastructure; ranked among leading countries for fixed-line,
mobile-cellular, Internet and broadband penetration
domestic: coaxial and multiconductor cables carry most of the voice
traffic; parallel microwave radio relay systems carry some
additional telephone channels
international: country code - 46; submarine cables provide links to
other Nordic countries and Europe; satellite earth stations - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and
Indian Ocean regions); note - Sweden shares the Inmarsat earth
station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland,
and Norway)

Switzerland
general assessment: highly developed telecommunications
infrastructure with excellent domestic and international services
domestic: ranked among leading countries for fixed-line teledensity
and infrastructure; mobile-cellular subscribership roughly 120 per
100 persons; extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks
international: country code - 41; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean)

Syria
general assessment: fair system currently undergoing
significant improvement and digital upgrades, including fiber-optic
technology and expansion of the network to rural areas
domestic: the number of fixed-line connections has increased
markedly since 2000; mobile-cellular service growing with telephone
subscribership reaching nearly 50 per 100 persons in 2009
international: country code - 963; submarine cable connection to
Egypt, Lebanon, and Cyprus; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat
(Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); coaxial
cable and microwave radio relay to Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and
Turkey; participant in Medarabtel

Taiwan
general assessment: provides telecommunications service for
every business and private need
domestic: thoroughly modern; completely digitalized
international: country code - 886; roughly 15 submarine fiber cables
cables provide links throughout Asia, Australia, the Middle East,
Europe, and the US; satellite earth stations - 2

Tajikistan
general assessment: foreign investment in the telephone
system has resulted in major improvements; conversion of the
existing fixed network from analogue to digital more than 90%
complete by 2009
domestic: fixed line availability has not changed significantly
since 1998 while mobile cellular subscribership, aided by
competition among multiple operators, has expanded rapidly; coverage
now extends to all major cities and towns
international: country code - 992; linked by cable and microwave
radio relay to other CIS republics and by leased connections to the
Moscow international gateway switch; Dushanbe linked by Intelsat to
international gateway switch in Ankara (Turkey); satellite earth
stations - 3 (2 Intelsat and 1 Orbita) (2009)

Tanzania
general assessment: telecommunications services are
marginal; system operating below capacity and being modernized for
better service; small aperture terminal (VSAT) system under
construction
domestic: fixed-line telephone network inadequate with less than 1
connection per 100 persons; mobile-cellular service, aided by
multiple providers, is increasing rapidly; trunk service provided by
open-wire, microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and
fiber-optic cable; some links being made digital
international: country code - 255; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Thailand
general assessment: high quality system, especially in
urban areas like Bangkok
domestic: fixed line system provided by both a government owned and
commercial provider; wireless service expanding rapidly
international: country code - 66; connected to major submarine cable
systems providing links throughout Asia, Australia, Middle East,
Europe, and US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian
Ocean, 1 Pacific Ocean)

Timor-Leste
general assessment: rudimentary service limited to urban
areas
domestic: system suffered significant damage during the violence
associated with independence; extremely limited fixed-line services;
mobile-cellular services and coverage limited primarily to urban
areas
international: country code - 670; international service is
available in major urban centers

Togo
general assessment: fair system based on a network of microwave
radio relay routes supplemented by open-wire lines and a
mobile-cellular system
domestic: microwave radio relay and open-wire lines for conventional
system; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity roughly
40 telephones per 100 persons with mobile-cellular use predominating
international: country code - 228; satellite earth stations - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Symphonie

Tokelau
general assessment: modern satellite-based communications
system
domestic: radiotelephone service between islands
international: country code - 690; radiotelephone service to Samoa;
government-regulated telephone service (TeleTok); satellite earth
stations - 3

Tonga
general assessment: competition between Tonga
Telecommunications Corporation (TCC) and Shoreline Communications
Tonga (SCT) is accelerating expansion of telecommunications; SCT
granted approval to introduce high-speed digital service for
telephone, Internet, and television while TCC has exclusive rights
to operate the mobile-phone network; international telecom services
are provided by government-owned Tonga Telecommunications
International (TTI)
domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity about
70 telephones per 100 persons; fully automatic switched network
international: country code - 676; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2009)

Trinidad and Tobago
general assessment: excellent international
service; good local service
domestic: mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 185 telephones per 100
persons
international: country code - 1-868; submarine cable systems provide
connectivity to US and parts of the Caribbean and South America;
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric
scatter to Barbados and Guyana

Tunisia
general assessment: above the African average and continuing
to be upgraded; key centers are Sfax, Sousse, Bizerte, and Tunis;
telephone network is completely digitized; Internet access available
throughout the country
domestic: in an effort to jumpstart expansion of the fixed-line
network, the government has awarded a concession to build and
operate a VSAT network with international connectivity; rural areas
are served by wireless local loops; competition between the two
mobile-cellular service providers has resulted in lower activation
and usage charges and a strong surge in subscribership; a third
mobile, fixed, and ISP operator was licensed in 2009 and will begin
offering services in 2010; expansion of mobile-cellular services to
include multimedia messaging and e-mail and Internet to mobile phone
services also leading to a surge in subscribership; overall
fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is about 100 telephones
per 100 persons
international: country code - 216; a landing point for the
SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cable system that provides links to Europe,
Middle East, and Asia; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat
(Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; coaxial cable and microwave radio
relay to Algeria and Libya; participant in Medarabtel; 2
international gateway digital switches

Turkey
general assessment: comprehensive telecommunications network
undergoing rapid modernization and expansion especially in
mobile-cellular services
domestic: additional digital exchanges are permitting a rapid
increase in subscribers; the construction of a network of
technologically advanced intercity trunk lines, using both
fiber-optic cable and digital microwave radio relay, is facilitating
communication between urban centers; remote areas are reached by a
domestic satellite system; the number of subscribers to
mobile-cellular telephone service is growing rapidly
international: country code - 90; international service is provided
by the SEA-ME-WE-3 submarine cable and by submarine fiber-optic
cables in the Mediterranean and Black Seas that link Turkey with
Italy, Greece, Israel, Bulgaria, Romania, and Russia; satellite
earth stations - 12 Intelsat; mobile satellite terminals - 328 in
the Inmarsat and Eutelsat systems (2002)

Turkmenistan
general assessment: telecommunications network remains
underdeveloped and progress toward improvement is slow; strict
government control and censorship inhibits liberalization and
modernization
domestic: Turkmentelekom, in cooperation with foreign partners, has
installed high speed fiber-optic lines and has upgraded most of the
country's telephone exchanges and switching centers with new digital
technology; mobile telephone usage is expanding with Russia's Mobile
Telesystems (MTS) the primary service provider; combined fixed-line
and mobile teledensity is about 40 per 100 persons
international: country code - 993; linked by fiber-optic cable and
microwave radio relay to other CIS republics and to other countries
by leased connections to the Moscow international gateway switch; an
exchange in Ashgabat switches international traffic through Turkey
via Intelsat; satellite earth stations - 1 Orbita and 1 Intelsat
(2008)

Turks and Caicos Islands
general assessment: fully digital system
with international direct dialing
domestic: full range of services available; GSM wireless service
available
international: country code - 1-649; the Americas Region Caribbean
Ring System (ARCOS-1) fiber optic telecommunications submarine cable
provides connectivity to South and Central America, parts of the
Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
(Atlantic Ocean)

Tuvalu
general assessment: serves particular needs for internal
communications
domestic: radiotelephone communications between islands
international: country code - 688; international calls can be made
by satellite

Uganda
general assessment: mobile cellular service is increasing
rapidly, but the number of main lines is still deficient; work
underway on a national backbone information and communications
technology infrastructure; international phone networks and Internet
connectivity provided through satellite and VSAT applications
domestic: intercity traffic by wire, microwave radio relay, and
radiotelephone communication stations, fixed and mobile-cellular
systems for short-range traffic; mobile-cellular teledensity about
30 per 100 persons in 2009
international: country code - 256; satellite earth stations - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat; analog links to Kenya and
Tanzania

Ukraine
general assessment: Ukraine's telecommunication development
plan emphasizes improving domestic trunk lines, international
connections, and the mobile-cellular system
domestic: at independence in December 1991, Ukraine inherited a
telephone system that was antiquated, inefficient, and in disrepair;
more than 3.5 million applications for telephones could not be
satisfied; telephone density is rising and the domestic trunk system
is being improved; about one-third of Ukraine's networks are digital
and a majority of regional centers now have digital switching
stations; improvements in local networks and local exchanges
continue to lag; the mobile-cellular telephone system's expansion
has slowed, largely due to saturation of the market which has
reached 120 mobile phones per 100 people
international: country code - 380; 2 new domestic trunk lines are a
part of the fiber-optic Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) system and 3
Ukrainian links have been installed in the fiber-optic
Trans-European Lines (TEL) project that connects 18 countries;
additional international service is provided by the
Italy-Turkey-Ukraine-Russia (ITUR) fiber-optic submarine cable and
by an unknown number of earth stations in the Intelsat, Inmarsat,
and Intersputnik satellite systems

United Arab Emirates
general assessment: modern fiber-optic
integrated services; digital network with rapidly growing use of
mobile-cellular telephones; key centers are Abu Dhabi and Dubai
domestic: microwave radio relay, fiber optic and coaxial cable
international: country code - 971; linked to the international
submarine cable FLAG (Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe); landing
point for both the SEA-ME-WE-3 and SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cable
networks; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean
and 2 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain;
microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia

United Kingdom
general assessment: technologically advanced domestic
and international system
domestic: equal mix of buried cables, microwave radio relay, and
fiber-optic systems
international: country code - 44; numerous submarine cables provide
links throughout Europe, Asia, Australia, the Middle East, and US;
satellite earth stations - 10 Intelsat (7 Atlantic Ocean and 3
Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region), and 1 Eutelsat;
at least 8 large international switching centers

United States
general assessment: a large, technologically advanced,
multipurpose communications system
domestic: a large system of fiber-optic cable, microwave radio
relay, coaxial cable, and domestic satellites carries every form of
telephone traffic; a rapidly growing cellular system carries mobile
telephone traffic throughout the country
international: country code - 1; multiple ocean cable systems
provide international connectivity; satellite earth stations - 61
Intelsat (45 Atlantic Ocean and 16 Pacific Ocean), 5 Intersputnik
(Atlantic Ocean region), and 4 Inmarsat (Pacific and Atlantic Ocean
regions) (2000)

Uruguay
general assessment: fully digitalized
domestic: most modern facilities concentrated in Montevideo; new
nationwide microwave radio relay network; overall fixed-line and
mobile-cellular teledensity is 135 telephones per 100 persons
international: country code - 598; the UNISOR submarine cable system
provides direct connectivity to Brazil and Argentina; satellite
earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2009)

Uzbekistan
general assessment: digital exchanges in large cities but
still antiquated and inadequate in rural areas
domestic: the state-owned telecommunications company, Uzbektelecom,
owner of the fixed line telecommunications system, has used loans
from the Japanese government and the China Development Bank to
upgrade fixed-line services including conversion to digital
exchanges; mobile-cellular services are growing rapidly, with the
subscriber base exceeding 16 million in 2009
international: country code - 998; linked by fiber-optic cable or
microwave radio relay with CIS member states and to other countries
by leased connection via the Moscow international gateway switch;
after the completion of the Uzbek link to the Trans-Asia-Europe
(TAE) fiber-optic cable, Uzbekistan plans to establish a fiber-optic
connection to Afghanistan (2009)

Vanuatu
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 678; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Venezuela
general assessment: modern and expanding
domestic: domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations; recent
substantial improvement in telephone service in rural areas;
substantial increase in digitalization of exchanges and trunk lines;
installation of a national interurban fiber-optic network capable of
digital multimedia services; combined fixed and mobile-cellular
telephone subscribership 130 per 100 persons
international: country code - 58; submarine cable systems provide
connectivity to the Caribbean, Central and South America, and US;
satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1
PanAmSat; participating with Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia in
the construction of an international fiber-optic network (2009)

Vietnam
general assessment: Vietnam is putting considerable effort
into modernization and expansion of its telecommunication system
domestic: all provincial exchanges are digitalized and connected to
Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City by fiber-optic cable or
microwave radio relay networks; main lines have been increased, and
the use of mobile telephones is growing rapidly
international: country code - 84; a landing point for the
SEA-ME-WE-3, the C2C, and Thailand-Vietnam-Hong Kong submarine cable
systems; the Asia-America Gateway submarine cable system, scheduled
for completion by the end of 2008, will provide new access links to
Asia and the US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intersputnik (Indian
Ocean region)

Virgin Islands
general assessment: modern system with total digital
switching, uses fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay
domestic: full range of services available
international: country code - 1-340; submarine cable connections to
US, the Caribbean, Central and South America; satellite earth
stations - NA

Wake Island
general assessment: satellite communications; 2 DSN
circuits off the Overseas Telephone System (OTS); located in the
Hawaii area code - 808
domestic: NA
international: NA

Wallis and Futuna
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 681

West Bank
general assessment: continuing political and economic
instability has impeded significant liberalization of the
telecommunications industry
domestic: Israeli company BEZEK and the Palestinian company PALTEL
are responsible for fixed line services; PALTEL plans to establish a
fiber-optic connection to Jordan to route domestic mobile calls; the
Palestinian JAWWAL company and WATANIYA PALESTINE provide cellular
services
international: country code - 970; 1 international switch in
Ramallah (2009) (2009)

Western Sahara
general assessment: sparse and limited system
domestic: NA
international: country code - 212; tied into Morocco's system by
microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and satellite;
satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) linked to
Rabat, Morocco

World
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: NA

Yemen
general assessment: since unification in 1990, efforts have
been made to create a national telecommunications network
domestic: the national network consists of microwave radio relay,
cable, tropospheric scatter, GSM and CDMA mobile-cellular telephone
systems; fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity remains low by
regional standards
international: country code - 967; landing point for the
international submarine cable Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe
(FLAG); satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Indian Ocean and 1
Atlantic Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region), and 2
Arabsat; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and Djibouti

Zambia
general assessment: among the best in Sub-Saharan Africa
domestic: high-capacity microwave radio relay connects most larger
towns and cities; several cellular telephone services in operation
and network coverage is improving; domestic satellite system being
installed to improve telephone service in rural areas; Internet
service is widely available; very small aperture terminal (VSAT)
networks are operated by private firms
international: country code - 260; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean), 3 owned by Zamtel

Zimbabwe
general assessment: system was once one of the best in
Africa, but now suffers from poor maintenance
domestic: consists of microwave radio relay links, open-wire lines,
radiotelephone communication stations, fixed wireless local loop
installations, and a substantial mobile-cellular network; Internet
connection is available in Harare and planned for all major towns
and for some of the smaller ones
international: country code - 263; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat; 2 international digital gateway exchanges (in Harare and
Gweru)

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

@2125

Field Listing :: Terrain

This entry contains a brief description of the topography.
Country

Terrain

Afghanistan
mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest

Albania
mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast

Algeria
mostly high plateau and desert; some mountains; narrow,
discontinuous coastal plain

American Samoa
five volcanic islands with rugged peaks and limited
coastal plains, two coral atolls (Rose Island, Swains Island)

Andorra
rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleys

Angola
narrow coastal plain rises abruptly to vast interior plateau

Anguilla
flat and low-lying island of coral and limestone

Antarctica
about 98% thick continental ice sheet and 2% barren rock,
with average elevations between 2,000 and 4,000 meters; mountain
ranges up to nearly 5,000 meters; ice-free coastal areas include
parts of southern Victoria Land, Wilkes Land, the Antarctic
Peninsula area, and parts of Ross Island on McMurdo Sound; glaciers
form ice shelves along about half of the coastline, and floating ice
shelves constitute 11% of the area of the continent

Antigua and Barbuda
mostly low-lying limestone and coral islands,
with some higher volcanic areas

Arctic Ocean
central surface covered by a perennial drifting polar
icepack that, on average, is about 3 meters thick, although pressure
ridges may be three times that thickness; clockwise drift pattern in
the Beaufort Gyral Stream, but nearly straight-line movement from
the New Siberian Islands (Russia) to Denmark Strait (between
Greenland and Iceland); the icepack is surrounded by open seas
during the summer, but more than doubles in size during the winter
and extends to the encircling landmasses; the ocean floor is about
50% continental shelf (highest percentage of any ocean) with the
remainder a central basin interrupted by three submarine ridges
(Alpha Cordillera, Nansen Cordillera, and Lomonosov Ridge)

Argentina
rich plains of the Pampas in northern half, flat to
rolling plateau of Patagonia in south, rugged Andes along western
border

Armenia
Armenian Highland with mountains; little forest land; fast
flowing rivers; good soil in Aras River valley

Aruba
flat with a few hills; scant vegetation

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
low with sand and coral

Atlantic Ocean
surface usually covered with sea ice in Labrador Sea,
Denmark Strait, and coastal portions of the Baltic Sea from October
to June; clockwise warm-water gyre (broad, circular system of
currents) in the northern Atlantic, counterclockwise warm-water gyre
in the southern Atlantic; the ocean floor is dominated by the
Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a rugged north-south centerline for the entire
Atlantic basin

Australia
mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast

Austria
in the west and south mostly mountains (Alps); along the
eastern and northern margins mostly flat or gently sloping

Azerbaijan
large, flat Kur-Araz Ovaligi (Kura-Araks Lowland) (much
of it below sea level) with Great Caucasus Mountains to the north,
Qarabag Yaylasi (Karabakh Upland) in west; Baku lies on Abseron
Yasaqligi (Apsheron Peninsula) that juts into Caspian Sea

Bahamas, The
long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills

Bahrain
mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central
escarpment

Bangladesh
mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast

Barbados
relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region

Belarus
generally flat and contains much marshland

Belgium
flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills,
rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast

Belize
flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south

Benin
mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains

Bermuda
low hills separated by fertile depressions

Bhutan
mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna

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

Bosnia and Herzegovina
mountains and valleys

Botswana
predominantly flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari
Desert in southwest

Bouvet Island
volcanic; coast is mostly inaccessible

Brazil
mostly flat to rolling lowlands in north; some plains, hills,
mountains, and narrow coastal belt

British Indian Ocean Territory
flat and low (most areas do not
exceed two meters in elevation)

British Virgin Islands
coral islands relatively flat; volcanic
islands steep, hilly

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

Bulgaria
mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast

Burkina Faso
mostly flat to dissected, undulating plains; hills in
west and southeast

Burma
central lowlands ringed by steep, rugged highlands

Burundi
hilly and mountainous, dropping to a plateau in east, some
plains

Cambodia
mostly low, flat plains; mountains in southwest and north

Cameroon
diverse, with coastal plain in southwest, dissected plateau
in center, mountains in west, plains in north

Canada
mostly plains with mountains in west and lowlands in southeast

Cape Verde
steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic

Cayman Islands
low-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs

Central African Republic
vast, flat to rolling, monotonous plateau;
scattered hills in northeast and southwest

Chad
broad, arid plains in center, desert in north, mountains in
northwest, lowlands in south

Chile
low coastal mountains; fertile central valley; rugged Andes in
east

China
mostly mountains, high plateaus, deserts in west; plains,
deltas, and hills in east

Christmas Island
steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central
plateau

Clipperton Island
coral atoll

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
flat, low-lying coral atolls

Colombia
flat coastal lowlands, central highlands, high Andes
Mountains, eastern lowland plains

Comoros
volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low
hills

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
vast central basin is a low-lying
plateau; mountains in east

Congo, Republic of the
coastal plain, southern basin, central
plateau, northern basin

Cook Islands
low coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in
south

Coral Sea Islands
sand and coral reefs and islands (or cays)

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

Cote d'Ivoire
mostly flat to undulating plains; mountains in
northwest

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

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

Curacao
generally low, hilly terrain

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

Czech Republic
Bohemia in the west consists of rolling plains,
hills, and plateaus surrounded by low mountains; Moravia in the east
consists of very hilly country

Denmark
low and flat to gently rolling plains

Djibouti
coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains

Dominica
rugged mountains of volcanic origin

Dominican Republic
rugged highlands and mountains with fertile
valleys interspersed

Ecuador
coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands
(sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente)

Egypt
vast desert plateau interrupted by Nile valley and delta

El Salvador
mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central
plateau

Equatorial Guinea
coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are
volcanic

Eritrea
dominated by extension of Ethiopian north-south trending
highlands, descending on the east to a coastal desert plain, on the
northwest to hilly terrain and on the southwest to flat-to-rolling
plains

Estonia
marshy, lowlands; flat in the north, hilly in the south

Ethiopia
high plateau with central mountain range divided by Great
Rift Valley

European Union
fairly flat along the Baltic and Atlantic coast;
mountainous in the central and southern areas

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
rocky, hilly, mountainous with
some boggy, undulating plains

Faroe Islands
rugged, rocky, some low peaks; cliffs along most of
coast

Fiji
mostly mountains of volcanic origin

Finland
mostly low, flat to rolling plains interspersed with lakes
and low hills

France
metropolitan France: mostly flat plains or gently rolling
hills in north and west; remainder is mountainous, especially
Pyrenees in south, Alps in east
French Guiana: low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small
mountains
Guadeloupe: Basse-Terre is volcanic in origin with interior
mountains; Grande-Terre is low limestone formation; most of the
seven other islands are volcanic in origin
Martinique: mountainous with indented coastline; dormant volcano
Reunion: mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along coast

French Polynesia
mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with
reefs

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et
Ile Saint-Paul): a volcanic island with steep coastal cliffs; the
center floor of the volcano is a large plateau
Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): triangular in
shape, the island is the top of a volcano, rocky with steep cliffs
on the eastern side; has active thermal springs
Iles Crozet: a large archipelago formed from the Crozet Plateau is
divided into two groups of islands
Iles Kerguelen: the interior of the large island of Ile Kerguelen is
composed of rugged terrain of high mountains, hills, valleys, and
plains with a number of peninsulas stretching off its coasts
Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): atoll, awash at high tide; shallow
(15 m) lagoon
Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island: low, flat, and
sandy
Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): low, flat, sandy; likely volcanic
seamount

Gabon
narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south

Gambia, The
flood plain of the Gambia River flanked by some low hills

Gaza Strip
flat to rolling, sand- and dune-covered coastal plain

Georgia
largely mountainous with Great Caucasus Mountains in the
north and Lesser Caucasus Mountains in the south; Kolkhet'is Dablobi
(Kolkhida Lowland) opens to the Black Sea in the west; Mtkvari River
Basin in the east; good soils in river valley flood plains,
foothills of Kolkhida Lowland

Germany
lowlands in north, uplands in center, Bavarian Alps in south

Ghana
mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area

Gibraltar
a narrow coastal lowland borders the Rock of Gibraltar

Greece
mostly mountains with ranges extending into the sea as
peninsulas or chains of islands

Greenland
flat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a narrow,
mountainous, barren, rocky coast

Grenada
volcanic in origin with central mountains

Guam
volcanic origin, surrounded by coral reefs; relatively flat
coralline limestone plateau (source of most fresh water), with steep
coastal cliffs and narrow coastal plains in north, low hills in
center, mountains in south

Guatemala
mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling
limestone plateau

Guernsey
mostly level with low hills in southwest

Guinea
generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior

Guinea-Bissau
mostly low coastal plain rising to savanna in east

Guyana
mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south

Haiti
mostly rough and mountainous

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Heard Island - 80% ice-covered,
bleak and mountainous, dominated by a large massif (Big Ben) and an
active volcano (Mawson Peak); McDonald Islands - small and rocky

Holy See (Vatican City)
urban; low hill

Honduras
mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains

Hong Kong
hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north

Hungary
mostly flat to rolling plains; hills and low mountains on
the Slovakian border

Iceland
mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields;
coast deeply indented by bays and fiords

India
upland plain (Deccan Plateau) in south, flat to rolling plain
along the Ganges, deserts in west, Himalayas in north

Indian Ocean
surface dominated by counterclockwise gyre (broad,
circular system of currents) in the southern Indian Ocean; unique
reversal of surface currents in the northern Indian Ocean; low
atmospheric pressure over southwest Asia from hot, rising, summer
air results in the southwest monsoon and southwest-to-northeast
winds and currents, while high pressure over northern Asia from
cold, falling, winter air results in the northeast monsoon and
northeast-to-southwest winds and currents; ocean floor is dominated
by the Mid-Indian Ocean Ridge and subdivided by the Southeast Indian
Ocean Ridge, Southwest Indian Ocean Ridge, and Ninetyeast Ridge

Indonesia
mostly coastal lowlands; larger islands have interior
mountains

Iran
rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts,
mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts

Iraq
mostly broad plains; reedy marshes along Iranian border in
south with large flooded areas; mountains along borders with Iran
and Turkey

Ireland
mostly level to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged
hills and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast

Isle of Man
hills in north and south bisected by central valley

Israel
Negev desert in the south; low coastal plain; central
mountains; Jordan Rift Valley

Italy
mostly rugged and mountainous; some plains, coastal lowlands

Jamaica
mostly mountains, with narrow, discontinuous coastal plain

Jan Mayen
volcanic island, partly covered by glaciers

Japan
mostly rugged and mountainous

Jersey
gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast

Jordan
mostly desert plateau in east, highland area in west; Great
Rift Valley separates East and West Banks of the Jordan River

Kazakhstan
vast flat steppe extending from the Volga in the west to
the Altai Mountains in the east and from the plains of western
Siberia in the north to oases and deserts of Central Asia in the
south

Kenya
low plains rise to central highlands bisected by Great Rift
Valley; fertile plateau in west

Kiribati
mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive reefs

Korea, North
mostly hills and mountains separated by deep, narrow
valleys; coastal plains wide in west, discontinuous in east

Korea, South
mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west
and south

Kosovo
flat fluvial basin with an elevation of 400-700 m above sea
level surrounded by several high mountain ranges with elevations of
2,000 to 2,500 m

Kuwait
flat to slightly undulating desert plain

Kyrgyzstan
peaks of Tien Shan and associated valleys and basins
encompass entire nation

Laos
mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus

Latvia
low plain

Lebanon
narrow coastal plain; El Beqaa (Bekaa Valley) separates
Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon Mountains

Lesotho
mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains

Liberia
mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling
plateau and low mountains in northeast

Libya
mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions

Liechtenstein
mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western
third

Lithuania
lowland, many scattered small lakes, fertile soil

Luxembourg
mostly gently rolling uplands with broad, shallow
valleys; uplands to slightly mountainous in the north; steep slope
down to Moselle flood plain in the southeast

Macau
generally flat

Macedonia
mountainous territory covered with deep basins and
valleys; three large lakes, each divided by a frontier line; country
bisected by the Vardar River

Madagascar
narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center

Malawi
narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills,
some mountains

Malaysia
coastal plains rising to hills and mountains

Maldives
flat, with white sandy beaches

Mali
mostly flat to rolling northern plains covered by sand; savanna
in south, rugged hills in northeast

Malta
mostly low, rocky, flat to dissected plains; many coastal
cliffs

Marshall Islands
low coral limestone and sand islands

Mauritania
mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central
hills

Mauritius
small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains
encircling central plateau

Mayotte
generally undulating, with deep ravines and ancient volcanic
peaks

Mexico
high, rugged mountains; low coastal plains; high plateaus;
desert

Micronesia, Federated States of
islands vary geologically from high
mountainous islands to low, coral atolls; volcanic outcroppings on
Pohnpei, Kosrae, and Chuuk

Moldova
rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea

Monaco
hilly, rugged, rocky

Mongolia
vast semidesert and desert plains, grassy steppe, mountains
in west and southwest; Gobi Desert in south-central

Montenegro
highly indented coastline with narrow coastal plain
backed by rugged high limestone mountains and plateaus

Montserrat
volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastal
lowland

Morocco
northern coast and interior are mountainous with large areas
of bordering plateaus, intermontane valleys, and rich coastal plains

Mozambique
mostly coastal lowlands, uplands in center, high plateaus
in northwest, mountains in west

Namibia
mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari
Desert in east

Nauru
sandy beach rises to fertile ring around raised coral reefs
with phosphate plateau in center

Navassa Island
raised coral and limestone plateau, flat to
undulating; ringed by vertical white cliffs (9 to 15 m high)

Nepal
Tarai or flat river plain of the Ganges in south, central hill
region, rugged Himalayas in north

Netherlands
mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders);
some hills in southeast

New Caledonia
coastal plains with interior mountains

New Zealand
predominately mountainous with some large coastal plains

Nicaragua
extensive Atlantic coastal plains rising to central
interior mountains; narrow Pacific coastal plain interrupted by
volcanoes

Niger
predominately desert plains and sand dunes; flat to rolling
plains in south; hills in north

Nigeria
southern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus;
mountains in southeast, plains in north

Niue
steep limestone cliffs along coast, central plateau

Norfolk Island
volcanic formation with mostly rolling plains

Northern Mariana Islands
southern islands are limestone with level
terraces and fringing coral reefs; northern islands are volcanic

Norway
glaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains broken
by fertile valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeply
indented by fjords; arctic tundra in north

Oman
central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south