Part 10 out of 322,525 km Maritime claims: Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Territorial sea: 12 nm Disputes: none Climate: tropical, but moderate Terrain: mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs Natural resources: timber, fish, cobalt Land use: arable land 1%; permanent crops 19%; meadows and pastures 5%; forest and woodland 31%; other 44% Environment: occasional cyclonic storm in January; includes five archipelagoes Note: Makatea in French Polynesia is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and Nauru :French Polynesia People Population: 205,620 (July 1992), growth rate 2.3% (1992) Birth rate: 28 births/1,000 population (1992) Death rate: 5 deaths/1,000 population (1992) Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1992) Infant mortality rate: 15 deaths/1,000 live births (1992) Life expectancy at birth: 68 years male, 73 years female (1992) Total fertility rate: 3.3 children born/woman (1992) Nationality: noun - French Polynesian(s); adjective - French Polynesian Ethnic divisions: Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4% Religions: mainly Christian; Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 16% Languages: French and Tahitian (both official) Literacy: 98% (male 98%, female 98%) age 14 and over but definition of literacy not available (1977) Labor force: 76,630 employed (1988) Organized labor: NA :French Polynesia Government Long-form name: Territory of French Polynesia Type: overseas territory of France since 1946 Capital: Papeete Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 5 archipelagic divisions named Archipel des Marquises, Archipel des Tuamotu, Archipel des Tubuai, Iles du Vent, and Iles Sous-le-Vent; note - Clipperton Island is administered by France from French Polynesia Independence: none (overseas territory of France) Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution) Legal system: based on French system National holiday: Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789) Executive branch: French president, high commissioner of the republic, president of the Council of Ministers, vice president of the Council of Ministers, Council of Ministers Legislative branch: unicameral Territorial Assembly Judicial branch: Court of Appeal Leaders: Chief of State: President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981); High Commissioner of the Republic Jean MONTPEZAT (since November 1987) Head of Government: President of the Council of Ministers Gaston FLOSSE (since 10 May 1991); Vice President of the Council of Ministers Joel BUILLARD (since 12 September 1991) Political parties and leaders: People's Rally (Tahoeraa Huiraatira; Gaullist), Gaston FLOSSE; Polynesian Union Party (Te Tiarama; centrist), Alexandre LEONTIEFF; New Fatherland Party (Ai'a Api), Emile VERNAUDON; Polynesian Liberation Front (Tavini Huiraatira), Oscar TEMARU; other small parties Suffrage: universal at age 18 Elections: National Assembly last held 5 and 12 June 1988 (next to be held June 1993); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (2 total) People's Rally (Gaullist) 1, New Fatherland Party 1 French Senate: last held 24 September 1989 (next to be held September 1992); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (1 total) party NA Territorial Assembly: last held 17 March 1991 (next to be held March 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (41 total) People's Rally (Gaullist) 18, Polynesian Union Party 14, New Fatherland Party 5, other 4 Member of: FZ, ICFTU, SPC, WMO Diplomatic representation: as an overseas territory of France, French Polynesian interests are represented in the US by France :French Polynesia Government Flag: the flag of France is used :French Polynesia Economy Overview: Since 1962, when France stationed military personnel in the region, French Polynesia has changed from a subsistence economy to one in which a high proportion of the work force is either employed by the military or supports the tourist industry. Tourism accounts for about 20% of GDP and is a primary source of hard currency earnings. GDP: exchange rate conversion - $1.2 billion, per capita $6,000; real growth rate NA% (1991 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.9% (1989) Unemployment rate: 14.9% (1988 est.) Budget: revenues $614 million; expenditures $957 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1988) Exports: $88.9 million (f.o.b., 1989) commodities: coconut products 79%, mother-of-pearl 14%, vanilla, shark meat partners: France 54%, US 17%, Japan 17% Imports: $765 million (c.i.f., 1989) commodities: fuels, foodstuffs, equipment partners: France 53%, US 11%, Australia 6%, NZ 5% External debt: $NA Industrial production: growth rate NA% Electricity: 72,000 kW capacity; 265 million kWh produced, 1,390 kWh per capita (1990) Industries: tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts Agriculture: coconut and vanilla plantations; vegetables and fruit; poultry, beef, dairy products Economic aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $3.95 billion Currency: Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (plural - francs); 1 CFP franc (CFPF) = 100 centimes Exchange rates: Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (CFPF) per US$1 - 97.81 (January 1992), 102.57 (1991), 99.00 (1990), 115.99 (1989), 108.30 (1988), 109.27 (1987); note - linked at the rate of 18.18 to the French franc Fiscal year: calendar year :French Polynesia Communications Highways: 600 km (1982) Ports: Papeete, Bora-bora Merchant marine: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,128 GRT/6,710 DWT; includes 2 passenger-cargo, 1 refrigerated cargo; note - a captive subset of the French register Civil air: about 6 major transport aircraft Airports: 43 total, 41 usable; 23 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 2 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 12 with runways 1,220-2,439 m Telecommunications: 33,200 telephones; 84,000 radio receivers; 26,400 TV sets; broadcast stations - 5 AM, 2 FM, 6 TV; 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station :French Polynesia Defense Forces Branches: French forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie Manpower availability: males 15-49, 50,844; NA fit for military service Note: defense is responsibility of France :French Southern and Antarctic Lands Geography Total area: 7,781 km2 Land area: 7,781 km2; includes Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul, Iles Kerguelen, and Iles Crozet; excludes Terre Adelie claim of about 500,000 km2 in Antarctica that is not recognized by the US Comparative area: slightly less than 1.5 times the size of Delaware Land boundaries: none Coastline: 1,232 km Maritime claims: Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (Iles Kerguelen only) Territorial sea: 12 nm Disputes: Terre Adelie claim in Antarctica is not recognized by the US Climate: antarctic Terrain: volcanic Natural resources: fish, crayfish Land use: arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 0%; other 100% Environment: Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul are extinct volcanoes Note: located in the southern Indian Ocean about equidistant between Africa, Antarctica, and Australia :French Southern and Antarctic Lands People Population: summer (January 1991) - 200, winter (July 1992) - 150, growth rate 0.0% (1992); note - mostly researchers :French Southern and Antarctic Lands Government Long-form name: Territory of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands Type: overseas territory of France since 1955; governed by High Administrator Bernard de GOUTTES (since May 1990), who is assisted by a 7-member Consultative Council and a 12-member Scientific Council Capital: none; administered from Paris, France Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 3 districts named Ile Crozet, Iles Kerguelen, and Iles Saint-Paul et Amsterdam; excludes Terre Adelie claim in Antarctica that is not recognized by the US Flag: the flag of France is used :French Southern and Antarctic Lands Economy Overview: Economic activity is limited to servicing meteorological and geophysical research stations and French and other fishing fleets. The fishing catches landed on Iles Kerguelen by foreign ships are exported to France and Reunion. Budget: $33.6 million (1990) :French Southern and Antarctic Lands Communications Ports: none; offshore anchorage only Merchant marine: 12 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 192,752 GRT/334,400 DWT; includes 1 cargo, 3 refrigerated cargo, 2 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 2 petroleum tanker, 1 liquefied gas, 2 bulk, 1 multifunction large load carrier; note - a captive subset of the French register Telecommunications: NA :French Southern and Antarctic Lands Defense Forces Branches: French Forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force) Note: defense is the responsibility of France :Gabon Geography Total area: 267,670 km2 Land area: 257,670 km2 Comparative area: slightly smaller than Colorado Land boundaries: 2,551 km; Cameroon 298 km, Congo 1,903 km, Equatorial Guinea 350 km Coastline: 885 km Maritime claims: Contiguous zone: 24 nm Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Territorial sea: 12 nm Disputes: maritime boundary dispute with Equatorial Guinea because of disputed sovereignty over islands in Corisco Bay Climate: tropical; always hot, humid Terrain: narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south Natural resources: crude oil, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore Land use: arable land 1%; permanent crops 1%; meadows and pastures 18%; forest and woodland 78%; other 2% Environment: deforestation :Gabon People Population: 1,106,355 (July 1992), growth rate 1.5% (1992) Birth rate: 29 births/1,000 population (1992) Death rate: 14 deaths/1,000 population (1992) Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1992) Infant mortality rate: 100 deaths/1,000 live births (1992) Life expectancy at birth: 51 years male, 56 years female (1992) Total fertility rate: 4.1 children born/woman (1992) Nationality: noun - Gabonese (singular and plural); adjective - Gabonese Ethnic divisions: about 40 Bantu tribes, including four major tribal groupings (Fang, Eshira, Bapounou, Bateke); about 100,000 expatriate Africans and Europeans, including 27,000 French Religions: Christian 55-75%, Muslim less than 1%, remainder animist Languages: French (official), Fang, Myene, Bateke, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi Literacy: 61% (male 74%, female 48%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) Labor force: 120,000 salaried; agriculture 65.0%, industry and commerce 30.0%, services 2.5%, government 2.5%; 58% of population of working age (1983) Organized labor: there are 38,000 members of the national trade union, the Gabonese Trade Union Confederation (COSYGA) :Gabon Government Long-form name: Gabonese Republic Type: republic; multiparty presidential regime (opposition parties legalized 1990) Capital: Libreville Administrative divisions: 9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie, Nyanga, Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem Independence: 17 August 1960 (from France) Constitution: 21 February 1961, revised 15 April 1975 Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court; compulsory ICJ jurisdiction not accepted National holiday: Renovation Day (Gabonese Democratic Party established), 12 March (1968) Executive branch: president, prime minister, Cabinet Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale) Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme) Leaders: Chief of State: President El Hadj Omar BONGO (since 2 December 1967) Head of Government: Prime Minister Casimir OYE-MBA (since 3 May 1990) Political parties and leaders: Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG, former sole party), El Hadj Omar BONGO, president; National Recovery Movement - Lumberjacks (Morena-Bucherons); Gabonese Party for Progress (PGP); National Recovery Movement (Morena-Original); Association for Socialism in Gabon (APSG); Gabonese Socialist Union (USG); Circle for Renewal and Progress (CRP); Union for Democracy and Development (UDD) Suffrage: universal at age 21 Elections: National Assembly: last held on 28 October 1990 (next to be held by NA); results - percent of vote NA; seats - (120 total, 111 elected) PDG 62, National Recovery Movement - Lumberjacks (Morena-Bucherons) 19, PGP 18, National Recovery Movement (Morena-Original) 7, APSG 6, USG 4, CRP 1, independents 3 President: last held on 9 November 1986 (next to be held December 1993); results - President Omar BONGO was reelected without opposition Member of: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS (associate), NAM, OAU, OIC, OPEC, UDEAC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation: Ambassador-designate Alexandre SAMBAT; Chancery at 2034 20th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009; telephone (202) 797-1000 :Gabon Government US: Ambassador Keith L. WAUCHOPE; Embassy at Boulevard de la Mer, Libreville (mailing address is B. P. 4000, Libreville); telephone (241) 762003/4, or 743492 Flag: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue :Gabon Economy Overview: The economy, dependent on timber and manganese until the early 1970s, is now dominated by the oil sector. During the period 1981-85, oil accounted for about 46% of GDP, 83% of export earnings, and 65% of government revenues on average. The high oil prices of the early 1980s contributed to a substantial increase in per capita income, stimulated domestic demand, reinforced migration from rural to urban areas, and raised the level of real wages to among the highest in Sub-Saharan Africa. The three-year slide of Gabon's economy, which began with falling oil prices in 1985, was reversed in 1989 because of a near doubling of oil prices over their 1988 lows. In 1990 the economy posted strong growth despite serious strikes, but debt servicing problems are hindering economic advancement. The agricultural and industrial sectors are relatively underdeveloped, except for oil. GDP: exchange rate conversion - $3.3 billion, per capita $3,090; real growth rate 13% (1990 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (1989 est.) Unemployment rate: NA% Budget: revenues $1.1 billion; expenditures $1.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $277 million (1990 est.) Exports: $1.16 billion (f.o.b., 1989) commodities: crude oil 70%, manganese 11%, wood 12%, uranium 6% partners: France 53%, US 22%, FRG, Japan Imports: $0.78 billion (c.i.f., 1989) commodities: foodstuffs, chemical products, petroleum products, construction materials, manufactures, machinery partners: France 48%, US 2.6%, FRG, Japan, UK External debt: $3.4 billion (December 1990 est.) Industrial production: growth rate -10% (1988 est.) Electricity: 315,000 kW capacity; 995 million kWh produced, 920 kWh per capita (1991) Industries: petroleum, food and beverages, timber, cement, plywood, textiles, mining - manganese, uranium, gold Agriculture: accounts for 10% of GDP (including fishing and forestry); cash crops - cocoa, coffee, palm oil; livestock not developed; importer of food; small fishing operations provide a catch of about 20,000 metric tons; okoume (a tropical softwood) is the most important timber product Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $66 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $2,225 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $27 million Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (plural - francs); 1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes :Gabon Economy Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 269.01 (January 1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26 (1990), 319.01 (1989), 297.85 (1988), 300.54 (1987) Fiscal year: calendar year :Gabon Communications Railroads: 649 km 1.437-meter standard-gauge single track (Transgabonese Railroad) Highways: 7,500 km total; 560 km paved, 960 km laterite, 5,980 km earth Inland waterways: 1,600 km perennially navigable Pipelines: crude oil 270 km; petroleum products 14 km Ports: Owendo, Port-Gentil, Libreville Merchant marine: 2 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 18,563 GRT/25,330 DWT Civil air: 15 major transport aircraft Airports: 70 total, 59 usable; 10 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 2 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 22 with runways 1,220-2,439 m Telecommunications: adequate system of cable, radio relay, tropospheric scatter links and radiocommunication stations; 15,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 6 AM, 6 FM, 3 (5 repeaters) TV; satellite earth stations - 3 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and 12 domestic satellite :Gabon Defense Forces Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Presidential Guard, National Gendarmerie, National Police Manpower availability: males 15-49, 267,580; 134,665 fit for military service; 9,262 reach military age (20) annually Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $102 million, 3.2% of GDP (1990 est.) :The Gambia Geography Total area: 11,300 km2 Land area: 10,000 km2 Comparative area: slightly more than twice the size of Delaware Land boundaries: 740 km; Senegal 740 km Coastline: 80 km Maritime claims: Contiguous zone: 18 nm Continental shelf: not specific Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm Territorial sea: 12 nm Disputes: short section of boundary with Senegal is indefinite Climate: tropical; hot, rainy season (June to November); cooler, dry season (November to May) Terrain: flood plain of the Gambia River flanked by some low hills Natural resources: fish Land use: arable land 16%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 9%; forest and woodland 20%; other 55%; includes irrigated 3% Environment: deforestation Note: almost an enclave of Senegal; smallest country on the continent of Africa :The Gambia People Population: 902,089 (July 1992), growth rate 3.1% (1992) Birth rate: 47 births/1,000 population (1992) Death rate: 17 deaths/1,000 population (1992) Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1992) Infant mortality rate: 129 deaths/1,000 live births (1992) Life expectancy at birth: 47 years male, 51 years female (1992) Total fertility rate: 6.4 children born/woman (1992) Nationality: noun - Gambian(s); adjective - Gambian Ethnic divisions: African 99% (Mandinka 42%, Fula 18%, Wolof 16%, Jola 10%, Serahuli 9%, other 4%); non-Gambian 1% Religions: Muslim 90%, Christian 9%, indigenous beliefs 1% Languages: English (official); Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, other indigenous vernaculars Literacy: 27% (male 39%, female 16%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) Labor force: 400,000 (1986 est.); agriculture 75.0%, industry, commerce, and services 18.9%, government 6.1%; 55% population of working age (1983) Organized labor: 25-30% of wage labor force :The Gambia Government Long-form name: Republic of The Gambia Type: republic under multiparty democratic rule Capital: Banjul Administrative divisions: 5 divisions and 1 city*; Banjul*, Lower River, MacCarthy Island, North Bank, Upper River, Western Independence: 18 February 1965 (from UK); The Gambia and Senegal signed an agreement on 12 December 1981 (effective 1 February 1982) that called for the creation of a loose confederation to be known as Senegambia, but the agreement was dissolved on 30 September 1989 Constitution: 24 April 1970 Legal system: based on a composite of English common law, Koranic law, and customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations National holiday: Independence Day, 18 February (1965) Executive branch: president, vice president, Cabinet Legislative branch: unicameral House of Representatives Judicial branch: Supreme Court Leaders: Chief of State and Head of Government: President Alhaji Sir Dawda Kairaba JAWARA (since 24 April 1970); Vice President Bakary Bunja DARBO (since 12 May 1982) Political parties and leaders: People's Progressive Party (PPP), Dawda K. JAWARA, secretary general; National Convention Party (NCP), Sheriff DIBBA; Gambian People's Party (GPP), Hassan Musa CAMARA; United Party (UP), leader NA; People's Democratic Organization of Independence and Socialism (PDOIS), leader NA; People's Democratic Party (PDP), Jabel SALLAH Suffrage: universal at age 21 Elections: House of Representatives: last held on 11 March 1987 (next to be held by March 1992); results - PPP 56.6%, NCP 27.6%, GPP 14.7%, PDOIS 1%; seats - (43 total, 36 elected) PPP 31, NCP 5 President: last held on 11 March 1987 (next to be held March 1992); results - Sir Dawda JAWARA (PPP) 61.1%, Sherif Mustapha DIBBA (NCP) 25.2%, Assan Musa CAMARA (GPP) 13.7% Member of: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Ousman A. SALLAH; Chancery at Suite 720, 1030 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005; telephone (202) 842-1356 or 842-1359 US: Ambassador Arlene RENDER; Embassy at Pipeline Road (Kairaba Avenue), Fajara, Banjul (mailing address is P. M. B. No. 19, Banjul); telephone Serrekunda [220] 92856 or 92858, 91970, 91971 :The Gambia Government Flag: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue with white edges, and green :The Gambia Economy Overview: The Gambia has no important mineral or other natural resources and has a limited agricultural base. It is one of the world's poorest countries with a per capita income of about $230. About 75% of the population is engaged in crop production and livestock raising, which contribute 30% to GDP. Small-scale manufacturing activity - processing peanuts, fish, and hides - accounts for less than 10% of GDP. Tourism is a growing industry. The Gambia imports one-third of its food, all fuel, and most manufactured goods. Exports are concentrated on peanut products (about 75% of total value). GDP: exchange rate conversion - $207 million, per capita $235; real growth rate 3% (FY91 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.0% (FY91) Unemployment rate: NA% Budget: revenues $79 million; expenditures $84 million, including capital expenditures of $21 million (FY90) Exports: $116 million (f.o.b., FY90) commodities: peanuts and peanut products, fish, cotton lint, palm kernels partners: Japan 60%, Europe 29%, Africa 5%, US 1, other 5% (1989) Imports: $147 million (f.o.b., FY90) commodities: foodstuffs, manufactures, raw materials, fuel, machinery and transport equipment partners: Europe 57%, Asia 25%, USSR/EE 9%, US 6%, other 3% (1989) External debt: $336 million (December 1990 est.) Industrial production: growth rate 6.7%; accounts for 5.8% of GDP (FY90) Electricity: 30,000 kW capacity; 65 million kWh produced, 75 kWh per capita (1991) Industries: peanut processing, tourism, beverages, agricultural machinery assembly, woodworking, metalworking, clothing Agriculture: accounts for 30% of GDP and employs about 75% of the population; imports one-third of food requirements; major export crop is peanuts; the other principal crops - millet, sorghum, rice, corn, cassava, palm kernels; livestock - cattle, sheep, and goats; forestry and fishing resources not fully exploited Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $93 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $535 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $39 million Currency: dalasi (plural - dalasi); 1 dalasi (D) = 100 bututs Exchange rates: dalasi (D) per US$1 - 8.790 (March 1992), 8.803 (1991), 7.883 (1990), 7.5846 (1989), 6.7086 (1988), 7.0744 (1987) Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June :The Gambia Communications Highways: 3,083 km total; 431 km paved, 501 km gravel/laterite, and 2,151 km unimproved earth Inland waterways: 400 km Ports: Banjul Civil air: 4 major transport aircraft Airports: 1 with permanent-surface runway 2,440-3,659 m Telecommunications: adequate network of radio relay and wire; 3,500 telephones; broadcast stations - 3 AM, 2 FM; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station :The Gambia Defense Forces Branches: Army, Navy, National Gendarmerie, National Police Manpower availability: males 15-49, 194,480; 98,271 fit for military service Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - more than $1 million, 0.7% of GDP (1989) \ :Gaza Strip Geography Total area: 380 km2 Land area: 380 km2 Comparative area: slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 62 km; Egypt 11 km, Israel 51 km Coastline: 40 km Maritime claims: Israeli occupied with status to be determined Disputes: Israeli occupied with status to be determined Climate: temperate, mild winters, dry and warm to hot summers Terrain: flat to rolling, sand- and dune- covered coastal plain Natural resources: negligible Land use: arable land 13%, permanent crops 32%, meadows and pastures 0%, forest and woodland 0%, other 55% Environment: desertification Note: The war between Israel and the Arab states in June 1967 ended with Israel in control of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Sinai, and the Golan Heights. As stated in the 1978 Camp David accords and reaffirmed by President Bush's post - Gulf crisis peace initiative, the final status of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, their relationship with their neighbors, and a peace treaty be-tween Israel and Jordan are to be negotiated among the concerned parties. Camp David further specifies that these negotiations will resolve the respective boundaries. Pending the completion of this process, it is US policy that the final status of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip has yet to be determined. In the US view, the term West Bank describes all of the area west of the Jordan River under Jordanian administration before the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. With respect to negotiations envisaged in the framework agreement, however, it is US policy that a distinction must be made between Jerusalem and the rest of the West Bank because of the city's special status and circumstances. Therefore, a negotiated solution for the final status of Jerusalem could be different in character from that of the rest of the West Bank. The Gaza Strip is currently governed by Israeli military authorities and Israeli civil administration; it is US policy that the final status of the Gaza Strip will be determined by negotiations among the concerned parties; these negotiations will determine how this area is to be governed. There are 18 Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip. :Gaza Strip People Population: 681,026 (July 1992), growth rate 3.6% (1992); in addition, there are 4,000 Jewish settlers in the Gaza Strip (1992 est.) Birth rate: 46 births/1,000 population (1992) Death rate: 6 deaths/1,000 population (1992) Net migration rate: - 4 migrants/1,000 population (1992) Infant mortality rate: 41 deaths/1,000 live births (1992) Life expectancy at birth: 66 years male, 68 years female (1992) Total fertility rate: 6.9 children born/woman (1992) Nationality: NA Ethnic divisions: Palestinian Arab and other 99.8%, Jewish 0.2% Religions: Muslim (predominantly Sunni) 99%, Christian 0.7%, Jewish 0.3% Languages: Arabic, Israeli settlers speak Hebrew; English widely understood Literacy: NA% (male NA%, female NA%) Labor force: (excluding Israeli Jewish settlers) small industry, commerce and business 32.0%, construction 24.4%, service and other 25.5%, and agriculture 18.1% (1984) Organized labor: NA :Gaza Strip Government Long-form name: none :Gaza Strip Economy Overview: In 1990 roughly 40% of Gaza Strip workers were employed across the border by Israeli industrial, construction, and agricultural enterprises, with worker remittances accounting for about one-third of GNP. The construction, agricultural, and industrial sectors account for about 15%, 12%, and 8% of GNP, respectively. Gaza depends upon Israel for some 90% of its external trade. Unrest in the territory in 1988-92 (intifadah) has raised unemployment and substantially lowered the standard of living of Gazans. The Persian Gulf crisis and its aftershocks also have dealt severe blows to Gaza since August 1990. Worker remittances from the Gulf states have plunged, unemployment has increased, and exports have fallen dramatically. The area's economic outlook remains bleak. GNP: exchange rate conversion - $380 million, per capita $590; real growth rate - 30% (1991 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 9% (1991 est.) Unemployment rate: 20% (1990 est.) Budget: revenues $33.8 million; expenditures $33.3 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY88) Exports: $30 million (f.o.b., 1989) commodities: citrus partners: Israel, Egypt Imports: $255 million (c.i.f., 1989) commodities: food, consumer goods, construction materials partners: Israel, Egypt External debt: $NA Industrial production: growth rate 10% (1989); accounts for about 8% of GNP Electricity: power supplied by Israel Industries: generally small family businesses that produce textiles, soap, olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs; the Israelis have established some small-scale modern industries in an industrial center Agriculture: accounts for about 12% of GNP; olives, citrus and other fruits, vegetables, beef, dairy products Economic aid: NA Currency: new Israeli shekel (plural - shekels); 1 new Israeli shekel (NIS) = 100 new agorot Exchange rates: new Israeli shekels (NIS) per US$1 - 2.2984 (January 1992), 2.2792 (1991), 2.0162 (1990), 1.9164 (1989), 1.5989 (1988), 1.5946 (1987) Fiscal year: previously 1 April - 31 March; FY91 was 1 April - 3l December, and since 1 January 1992 the fiscal year has conformed to the calendar year :Gaza Strip Communications Railroads: one line, abandoned and in disrepair, some trackage remains Highways: small, poorly developed indigenous road network Ports: facilities for small boats to service the city of Gaza Airports: 1 with permanent-surface runway less than 1,220 m Telecommunications: broadcast stations - no AM, no FM, no TV :Gaza Strip Defense Forces Branches: NA Manpower availability: males 15-49, 136,311; NA fit for military service Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP :Georgia Geography Total area: 69,700 km2 Land area: 69,700 km2 Comparative area: slightly larger than South Carolina Land boundaries: 1,461 km; Armenia 164 km, Azerbaijan 322 km, Russia 723 km, Turkey 252 km Coastline: 310 km Maritime claims: Contiguous zone: NA nm Continental Shelf: NA meter depth Exclusive economic zone: NA nm Exclusive fishing zone: NA nm Territorial sea: NA nm, Georgian claims unknown; 12 nm in 1973 USSR-Turkish Protocol concerning the sea boundary between the two states in the Black Sea Disputes: none Climate: warm and pleasant; Mediterranean-like on Black Sea coast Terrain: largely mountainous with Great Caucasus Mountains in the north and Lesser Caucasus Mountains in the south; Colchis lowland opens to the Black Sea in the west; Kura River Basin in the east; good soils in river valley flood plains, foothills of Colchis lowland Natural resources: forest lands, hydropower, manganese deposits, iron ores, copper, minor coal and oil deposits; coastal climate and soils allow for important tea and citrus growth Land use: NA% arable land; NA% permanent crops; NA% meadows and pastures; NA% forest and woodland; NA% other; includes 200,000 hectares irrigated Environment: air pollution, particularly in Rustavi; heavy pollution of Kura River, Black Sea :Georgia People Population: 5,570,978 (July 1992), growth rate 0.8% (1992) Birth rate: 17 births/1,000 population (1992) Death rate: 9 deaths/1,000 population (1992) Net migration rate: 1 migrant/1,000 population (1992) Infant mortality rate: 34 deaths/1,000 live births (1992) Life expectancy at birth: 67 years male, 75 years female (1992) Total fertility rate: 2.2 children born/woman (1992) Nationality: noun - Georgian(s); adjective - Georgian Ethnic divisions: Georgian 68.8%, Armenian 9.0%, Russian Azari 5.1%, Ossetian 3.2%, Abkhaz 1.7%, other 4.8% Religions: Russian Orthodox 10%, Georgian Orthodox 65%, Armenian Orthodox 8%, Muslim 11%, unknown 6% Languages: Georgian (official language) 71%, Russian 9%, other 20% - Armenian 7%, Azerbaijani 6% Literacy: NA% (male NA%, female NA%) age 15 and over can read and write Labor force: 2,834,000; agriculture 29.1% (1988), government NA%, industry 17.8%, other 53.1% Organized labor: NA :Georgia Government Long-form name: Republic of Georgia Type: republic Capital: T'bilisi (Tbilisi) Administrative divisions: 2 autonomous republics (avtomnoy respubliki, singular - avtom respublika); Abkhazia (Sukhumi), Ajaria (Batumi); note - the administrative centers of the autonomous republics are included in parentheses; there are no oblasts - the rayons around T'bilisi are under direct republic jurisdiction; also included is the South Ossetia Autonomous Oblast Independence: 9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union); formerly Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic Constitution: adopted NA, effective NA Legal system: NA National holiday: Independence Day, 9 April 1991 Executive branch: State Council, chairman of State Council, Council of Ministers, prime minister Legislative branch: unicameral Supreme Soviet Judicial branch: Supreme Court Leaders: Chief of State: Chairman of State Council Eduard SHEVARDNADZE (since March 1992) Head of Government: Acting Prime Minister Tengiz SIGUA (since January 1992); First Deputy Prime Minister Otar KVILITAYA (since January 1992); First Deputy Prime Minister Tengiz KITOVANI (since March 1992) Political parties and leaders: All-Georgian Merab Kostava Society, Vazha ADAMIA, chairman; All-Georgian Tradionalists' Union, Akakiy ASATIANI, chairman; Georgian National Front - Radical Union, Ruslan GONGADZE, chairman; Social-Democratic Party, Guram MUCHAIDZE, chairman; All-Georgian Rustaveli Society, Akakiy BAKRADZE, chairman; Georgian Monarchists' Party, Teymur JORJOLIANI, chairman; Georgian Popular Front, Nodar NATADZE, chairman; National Democratic Party, Georgiy CHANTURIA, chairman; National Independence Party, Irakliy TSERETELI, chairman; Charter 1991 Party, Tedo PAATASHVILI, chairman; Democratic Georgia Party, Georgiy SHENGELAYA, Chairman Suffrage: universal at age 18 Elections: Georgian Parliament: last held November 1990; results - 7-party coalition Round Table - Free Georgia 62%, other 38%; seats - (250) Round Table - Free Georgia 155, other 95 President: Zviad GAMSAKHURDIYA, 87% of vote Other political or pressure groups: NA Member of: CSCE, IMF, World Bank :Georgia Government Diplomatic representation: Ambassador NA, Chancery at NA NW, Washington, DC 200__; telephone (202) NA US: Ambassador NA; Embassy at NA (mailing address is APO New York 09862) Flag: maroon field with small rectangle in upper left corner; rectangle divided horizontally with black on top, white below :Georgia Economy Overview: Among the former Soviet republics, Georgia is noted for its Black Sea tourist industry, its large output of citrus fruits and tea, and the amazing diversity of an industrial sector that accounted, however, for less than 2% of the USSR's output. Another salient characteristic of the economy has been a flourishing private sector (compared with the other republics). Almost 30% of the labor force is employed in agriculture and 18% in industry. Mineral resources consist of manganese and copper, and, to a lesser extent, molybdenum, arsenic, tungsten, and mercury. Except for very small quantities of domestic oil, gas, and coal, fuel must be imported from neighboring republics. Oil and its products are delivered by pipeline from Azerbaijan to the port of Batumi for export and local refining. Gas is supplied in pipelines from Krasnodar and Stavropol'. Georgia is nearly self-sufficient in electric power, thanks to abundant hydropower stations as well as some thermal power stations. The dismantling of central economic controls is being delayed by political factionalism, marked by armed struggles between the elected government and the opposition, and industrial output seems to have fallen more steeply in Georgia in 1991 than in any other of the former Soviet republics. To prevent further economic decline, Georgia must establish domestic peace and must maintain economic ties to the other former Soviet republics while developing new links to the West. GDP: purchasing power equivalent - $NA; per capita $NA; real growth rate - 23% (1991) Inflation rate (consumer prices): approximately 90% (1991) Unemployment rate: NA% Budget: revenues $NA; expenditures $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA million (1991) Exports: $176 million (f.o.b., 1990) commodities: citrus fruits, tea, other agricultural products; diverse types of machinery; ferrous and nonferrous metals; textiles partners: NA Imports: $1.5 billion (c.i.f., 1990) commodities: machinery and parts, fuel, transport equipment, textiles partners: NA External debt: $650 million (1991 est.) Industrial production: growth rate - 19% (1991) Electricity: 4,575,000 kW capacity; 15,300 million kWh produced, about 2,600 kWh per capita (1991) Industries: Heavy industrial products include raw steel, rolled steel, cement, lumber; machine tools, foundry equipment, electric mining locomotives, tower cranes, electric welding equipment, machinery for food preparation, meat packing, dairy, and fishing industries; air-conditioning electric motors up to 100 kW in size, electric motors for cranes, magnetic starters for motors; devices for control of industrial processes; trucks, tractors, and other farm machinery; light industrial products, including cloth, hosiery, and shoes :Georgia Economy Agriculture: accounted for 97% of former USSR citrus fruits and 93% of former USSR tea; berries and grapes; sugar; vegetables, grains, and potatoes; cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, and poultry Illicit drugs: illicit producers of cannabis and opium; mostly for domestic consumption; status of government eradication programs unknown; used as transshipment points for illicit drugs to Western Europe Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-87), $NA billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-86), $NA million; Communist countries (1971-86), $NA million Currency: as of May 1992, retaining ruble as currency Exchange rates: NA Fiscal year: calendar year :Georgia Communications Railroads: 1,570 km, does not include industrial lines (1990) Highways: 33,900 km total; 29,500 km hard surfaced, 4,400 km earth (1990) Inland waterways: NA km perennially navigable Pipelines: crude oil NA km, refined products NA km, natural gas NA km Ports: maritime - Batumi, Poti; inland - NA Merchant marine: 54 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 715,802 GRT/1,108,068 DWT; includes 16 bulk cargo, 34 oil tanker, 2 chemical tanker, and 2 specialized liquid carrier Civil air: NA major transport aircraft Airports: NA total, NA usable; NA with permanent-surface runways; NA with runways over 3,659 m; NA with runways 2,440-3,659 m; NA with runways 1,220-2,439 m Telecommunications: poor telephone service; 339,000 unsatisfied applications for telephones (31 January 1992); international links via landline to CIS members and Turkey; low capacity satellite earth station and leased international connections via the Moscow international gateway switch :Georgia Defense Forces Branches: Republic Security Forces (internal and border troops), National Guard; CIS Forces (Ground, Navy, Air, and Air Defense) Manpower availability: males 15-49, NA fit for military service; NA reach military age (18) annually Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GNP :Germany Geography Total area: 356,910 km2 Land area: 349,520 km2; comprises the formerly separate Federal Republic of Germany, the German Democratic Republic, and Berlin following formal unification on 3 October 1990 Comparative area: slightly smaller than Montana Land boundaries: 3,790 km; Austria 784 km, Belgium 167 km, Czechoslovakia 815 km, Denmark 68 km, France 451 km, Luxembourg 138 km, Netherlands 577 km, Poland 456 km, Switzerland 334 km Coastline: 2,389 km Maritime claims: Continental shelf: 200 m (depth) or to depth of exploitation Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm Territorial sea: North Sea and Schleswig-Holstein coast of Baltic Sea - 3 nm (extends, at one point, to 16 nm in the Helgolander Bucht); remainder of Baltic Sea - 12 nm Disputes: the boundaries of Germany were set by the Treaty on the Final Settlement With Respect to Germany signed 12 September 1990 in Moscow by the Federal Republic of Germany, the German Democratic Republic, France, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the Soviet Union; this Treaty entered into force on 15 March 1991; a subsequent Treaty between Germany and Poland, reaffirming the German-Polish boundary, was signed on 14 November 1990 and took effect on 16 January 1992 Climate: temperate and marine; cool, cloudy, wet winters and summers; occasional warm, tropical foehn wind; high relative humidity Terrain: lowlands in north, uplands in center, Bavarian Alps in south Natural resources: iron ore, coal, potash, timber, lignite, uranium, copper, natural gas, salt, nickel Land use: arable land 34%; permanent crops 1%; meadows and pastures 16%; forest and woodland 30%; other 19%; includes irrigated 1% Environment: air and water pollution; groundwater, lakes, and air quality in eastern Germany are especially bad; significant deforestation in the eastern mountains caused by air pollution and acid rain Note: strategic location on North European Plain and along the entrance to the Baltic Sea :Germany People Population: 80,387,283 (July 1992), growth rate 0.5% (1992) Birth rate: 11 births/1,000 population (1992) Death rate: 11 deaths/1,000 population (1992) Net migration rate: 5 migrants/1,000 population (1992) Infant mortality rate: 7 deaths/1,000 live births (1992) Life expectancy at birth: 73 years male, 79 years female (1992) Total fertility rate: 1.4 children born/woman (1992) Nationality: noun - German(s); adjective - German Ethnic divisions: primarily German; small Danish and Slavic minorities Religions: Protestant 45%, Roman Catholic 37%, unaffiliated or other 18% Languages: German Literacy: 99% (male NA%, female NA%) age 15 and over can read and write (1970 est.) Labor force: 36,750,000; industry 41%, agriculture 6%, other 53% (1987) Organized labor: 47% of labor force (1986 est.) :Germany Government Long-form name: Federal Republic of Germany Type: federal republic Capital: Berlin; note - the shift from Bonn to Berlin will take place over a period of years with Bonn retaining many administrative functions and several ministries Administrative divisions: 16 states (lander, singular - land); Baden-Wurttemberg, Bayern, Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hessen, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Niedersachsen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Saarland, Sachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein, Thuringen Independence: 18 January 1871 (German Empire unification); divided into four zones of occupation (UK, US, USSR, and later, France) in 1945 following World War II; Federal Republic of Germany (FRG or West Germany) proclaimed 23 May 1949 and included the former UK, US, and French zones; German Democratic Republic (GDR or East Germany) proclaimed 7 October 1949 and included the former USSR zone; unification of West Germany and East Germany took place 3 October 1990; all four power rights formally relinquished 15 March 1991 Constitution: 23 May 1949, provisional constitution known as Basic Law Legal system: civil law system with indigenous concepts; judicial review of legislative acts in the Federal Constitutional Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction National holiday: German Unity Day, 3 October (1990) Executive branch: president, chancellor, Cabinet Legislative branch: bicameral parliament (no official name for the two chambers as a whole) consists of an upper chamber or Federal Council (Bundesrat) and a lower chamber or Federal Diet (Bundestag) Judicial branch: Federal Constitutional Court (Bundesverfassungsgericht) Leaders: Chief of State: President Dr. Richard von WEIZSACKER (since 1 July 1984) Head of Government: Chancellor Dr. Helmut KOHL (since 4 October 1982) *** No entry for this item *** Political parties and leaders: Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Helmut KOHL, chairman; Christian Social Union (CSU), Theo WAIGEL; Free Democratic Party (FDP), Otto Count LAMBSDORFF, chairman; Social Democratic Party (SPD), Bjoern ENGHOLM, - chairman; - Green - Party - Ludger VOLMER, Christine WEISKE, co-chairmen (after the 2 December 1990 election the East and West German Green Parties united); Alliance 90 united to form one party in September 1991, Petra MORAWE, chairwoman; Republikaner, Franz SCHOENHUBER; National Democratic Party (NPD), Walter BACHMANN; Communist Party (DKP), Rolf PRIEMER Suffrage: universal at age 18 :Germany Government Elections: Federal Diet: last held 2 December 1990 (next to be held October 1994); results - CDU 36.7%, SPD 33.5%, FDP 11.0%, CSU 7.1%, Green Party (West Germany) 3.9%, PDS 2.4%, Republikaner 2.1%, Alliance 90/Green Party (East Germany) 1.2%, other 2.1%; seats - (662 total, 656 statutory with special rules to allow for slight expansion) CDU 268, SPD 239, FDP 79, CSU 51, PDS 17, Alliance 90/Green Party (East Germany) 8; note - special rules for this election allowed former East German parties to win seats if they received at least 5% of vote in eastern Germany *** No entry for this item *** Communists: West - about 40,000 members and supporters; East - about 200,000 party members (December 1991) Other political or pressure groups: expellee, refugee, and veterans groups Member of: AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, BDEAC, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, COCOM, CSCE, EBRD, EC, ECE, EIB, ESA, FAO, G-5, G-7, G-10, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NATO, NEA, OAS (observer), OECD, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNHCR, UPU, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Dr. Immo STABREIT will become Ambassador in late summer/early fall 1992; Chancery at 4645 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007; telephone (202) 298-4000; there are German Consulates General in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, and New York, and Consulates in Miami and New Orleans US: Ambassador Robert M. KIMMITT; Embassy at Deichmanns Avenue, 5300 Bonn 2 (mailing address is APO AE 09080); telephone [49] (228) 3391; there is a US Branch Office in Berlin and US Consulates General in Frankfurt, Hamburg, Leipzig, Munich, and Stuttgart Flag: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and yellow :Germany Economy Overview: The Federal Republic of Germany is making substantial progress in integrating and modernizing eastern Germany, but at a heavy economic cost. Western Germany's growth in 1991 slowed to 3.1% - the lowest rate since 1987 - because of slack world growth and higher interest rates and taxes required by the unification process. While western Germany's economy was in recession in the last half of 1991, eastern Germany's economy bottomed out after a nearly two-year freefall and shows signs of recovery, particularly in the construction, transportation, and service sectors. Eastern Germany could begin a fragile recovery later, concentrated in 1992 in construction, transportation, and services. The two regions remain vastly different, however, despite eastern Germany's progress. Western Germany has an advanced market economy and is a world leader in exports. It has a highly urbanized and skilled population that enjoys excellent living standards, abundant leisure time, and comprehensive social welfare benefits. Western Germany is relatively poor in natural resources, coal being the most important mineral. Western Germany's world-class companies manufacture technologically advanced goods. The region's economy is mature: services and manufacturing account for the dominant share of economic activity, and raw materials and semimanufactured goods constitute a large portion of imports. In recent years, manufacturing has accounted for about 31% of GDP, with other sectors contributing lesser amounts. Gross fixed investment in 1990 accounted for about 21% of GDP. In 1991, GDP in the western region was an estimated $19,200 per capita. In contrast, eastern Germany's economy is shedding the obsolete heavy industries that dominated the economy during the Communist era. Eastern Germany's share of all-German GDP is only about 7%, and eastern productivity is just 30% that of the west. The privatization agency for eastern Germany, the Treuhand, is rapidly selling many of the 11,500 firms under its control. The pace of private investment is starting to pick up, but questions about property rights and environmental liabilities remain. Eastern Germany has one of the world's largest reserves of low-grade lignite coal but little else in the way of mineral resources. The quality of statistics from eastern Germany is improving, yet many gaps remain; the federal government began producing all-German data for select economic statistics at the start of 1992. The most challenging economic problem is promoting eastern Germany's economic reconstruction - specifically, finding the right mix of fiscal, monetary, regulatory, and tax policies that will spur investment in eastern Germany - without destabilizing western Germany's economy or damaging relations with West European partners. The biggest danger is that excessive wage settlements and heavy federal borrowing could fuel inflation and prompt the German Central Bank, the Bundesbank, to keep a tight monetary policy to choke off a wage-price spiral. Meanwhile, the FRG has been providing billions of dollars to help the former Soviet republics and the reformist economies of Eastern Europe. GDP: purchasing power equivalent - Federal Republic of Germany: $1,331.4 billion, per capita $16,700; real growth rate 0.7%; western Germany: $1,235.8 billion, per capita $19,200; real growth rate 3.1%; eastern Germany $95.6 billion, per capita $5,870; real growth rate - 30% (1991 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): West - 3.5% (1991); East - NA% Unemployment rate: West - 6.3% (1991); East - 11% (1991) Budget: West (federal, state, local) - revenues $684 billion; expenditures $704 billion, including capital expenditures $NA (1990), East - NA Exports: West - $324.3 billion (f.o.b., 1989) :Germany Economy commodities: manufactures 86.6% (including machines and machine tools, chemicals, motor vehicles, iron and steel products), agricultural products 4.9%, raw materials 2.3%, fuels 1.3% Exports: partners: EC 53.3% (France 12.7%, Netherlands 8.3%, Italy 9.1%, UK 8.3%, Belgium-Luxembourg 7.3%), other Western Europe 15.9%, US 7.1%, Eastern Europe 4.1%, OPEC 2.7% (1990) Imports: West - $346.5 billion (f.o.b., 1989) commodities: manufactures 68.5%, agricultural products 12.0%, fuels 9.7%, raw materials 7.1% partners: EC 51.7% (France 11.7%, Netherlands 10.1%, Italy 9.3%, UK 6.7%, Belgium-Luxembourg 7.2%), other Western Europe 13.4%, US 6.6%, Eastern Europe 3.8%, OPEC 2.5% (1990) External debt: West - $500 million (June 1988); East - $20.6 billion (1989) Industrial production: growth rates, West - 5.4% (1990); East - 30% (1991 est.) Electricity: 133,000,000 kW capacity; 580,000 million kWh produced, 7,390 kWh per capita (1991) Industries: West - among world's largest producers of iron, steel, coal, cement, chemicals, machinery, vehicles, machine tools, electronics; food and beverages; East - metal fabrication, chemicals, brown coal, shipbuilding, machine building, food and beverages, textiles, petroleum refining Agriculture: West - accounts for about 2% of GDP (including fishing and forestry); diversified crop and livestock farming; principal crops and livestock include potatoes, wheat, barley, sugar beets, fruit, cabbage, cattle, pigs, poultry; net importer of food; fish catch of 202,000 metric tons in 1987; East - accounts for about 10% of GDP (including fishing and forestry); principal crops - wheat, rye, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, fruit; livestock products include pork, beef, chicken, milk, hides and skins; net importer of food; fish catch of 193,600 metric tons in 1987 Economic aid: West - donor - ODA and OOF commitments (1970-89), $75.5 billion; East - donor - $4.0 billion extended bilaterally to non-Communist less developed countries (1956-89) Currency: deutsche mark (plural - deutsche marks); 1 deutsche mark (DM) = 100 pfennige Exchange rates: deutsche marks (DM) per US$1 - 1.6611 (March 1992), 1.6595 (1991), 1.6157 (1990), 1.8800 (1989), 1.7562 (1988), 1.7974 (1987) Fiscal year: calendar year :Germany Communications Railroads: West - 31,443 km total; 27,421 km government owned, 1.435-meter standard gauge (12,491 km double track, 11,501 km electrified); 4,022 km nongovernment owned, including 3,598 km 1.435-meter standard gauge (214 km electrified) and 424 km 1.000-meter gauge (186 km electrified); East - 14,025 km total; 13,750 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, 275 km 1.000-meter or other narrow gauge; 3,830 (est.) km 1.435-meter standard gauge double-track; 3,475 km overhead electrified (1988) Highways: West - 466,305 km total; 169,568 km primary, includes 6,435 km autobahn, 32,460 km national highways (Bundesstrassen), 65,425 km state highways (Landesstrassen), 65,248 km county roads (Kreisstrassen); 296,737 km of secondary communal roads (Gemeindestrassen); East - 124,604 km total; 47,203 km concrete, asphalt, stone block, of which 1,855 km are autobahn and limited access roads, 11,326 are trunk roads, and 34,022 are regional roads; 77,401 municipal roads (1988) Inland waterways: West - 5,222 km, of which almost 70% are usable by craft of 1,000-metric ton capacity or larger; major rivers include the Rhine and Elbe; Kiel Canal is an important connection between the Baltic Sea and North Sea; East - 2,319 km (1988) Pipelines: crude oil 3,644 km; petroleum products 3,946 km; natural gas 97,564 km (1988) Ports: maritime - Bremerhaven, Brunsbuttel, Cuxhaven, Emden, Bremen, Hamburg, Kiel, Lubeck, Wilhelmshaven, Rostock, Wismar, Stralsund, Sassnitz; inland - 31 major Merchant marine: 607 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,210,060 GRT/6,626,333 DWT; includes 3 passenger, 5 short-sea passenger, 324 cargo, 10 refrigerated cargo, 135 container, 31 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 5 railcar carrier, 6 barge carrier, 11 oil tanker, 21 chemical tanker, 22 liquefied gas tanker, 5 combination ore/oil, 14 combination bulk, 15 bulk; note - the German register includes ships of the former East and West Germany; during 1991 the fleet underwent major restructuring as surplus ships were sold off Civil air: 239 major transport aircraft Airports: 462 total, 455 usable; 242 with permanent-surface runways; 4 with runways over 3,659 m; 40 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 55 with runways 1,220-2,439 m Telecommunications: West - highly developed, modern telecommunication service to all parts of the country; fully adequate in all respects; 40,300,000 telephones; intensively developed, highly redundant cable and radio relay networks, all completely automatic; broadcast stations - 80 AM, 470 FM, 225 (6,000 repeaters) TV; 6 submarine coaxial cables; satellite earth stations - 12 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT antennas, 2 Indian Ocean INTELSAT antennas, EUTELSAT, and domestic systems; 2 HF radiocommunication centers; tropospheric links East - badly needs modernization; 3,970,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 23 AM, 17 FM, 21 TV (15 Soviet TV repeaters); 6,181,860 TVs; 6,700,000 radios; 1 satellite earth station operating in INTELSAT and Intersputnik systems :Germany Defense Forces Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Federal Border Police Manpower availability: males 15-49, 20,300,359; 17,612,677 fit for military service; 414,330 reach military age (18) annually Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $39.5 billion, 2.5% of GDP (1991) :Ghana Geography Total area: 238,540 km2 Land area: 230,020 km2 Comparative area: slightly smaller than Oregon Land boundaries: 2,093 km; Burkina 548 km, Ivory Coast 668 km, Togo 877 km Coastline: 539 km Maritime claims: Contiguous zone: 24 nm Continental shelf: 200 nm Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Territorial sea: 12 nm Disputes: none Climate: tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast; hot and humid in southwest; hot and dry in north Terrain: mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area Natural resources: gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish, rubber Land use: arable land 5%; permanent crops 7%; meadows and pastures 15%; forest and woodland 37%; other 36%; includes irrigated NEGL% Environment: recent drought in north severely affecting marginal agricultural activities; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; dry, northeasterly harmattan wind (January to March) Note: Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake :Ghana People Population: 16,185,351 (July 1992), growth rate 3.1% (1992) Birth rate: 45 births/1,000 population (1992) Death rate: 13 deaths/1,000 population (1992) Net migration rate: - 1 migrant/1,000 population (1992) Infant mortality rate: 86 deaths/1,000 live births (1992) Life expectancy at birth: 53 years male, 57 years female (1992) Total fertility rate: 6.3 children born/woman (1992) Nationality: noun - Ghanaian(s); adjective - Ghanaian Ethnic divisions: black African 99.8% (major tribes - Akan 44%, Moshi-Dagomba 16%, Ewe 13%, Ga 8%), European and other 0.2% Religions: indigenous beliefs 38%, Muslim 30%, Christian 24%, other 8% Languages: English (official); African languages include Akan, Moshi-Dagomba, Ewe, and Ga Literacy: 60% (male 70%, female 51%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) Labor force: 3,700,000; agriculture and fishing 54.7%, industry 18.7%, sales and clerical 15.2%, services, transportation, and communications 7.7%, professional 3.7%; 48% of population of working age (1983) Organized labor: 467,000 (about 13% of labor force) :Ghana Government Long-form name: Republic of Ghana Type: military Capital: Accra Administrative divisions: 10 regions; Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra, Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Western Independence: 6 March 1957 (from UK, formerly Gold Coast) Constitution: 24 September 1979; suspended 31 December 1981 Legal system: based on English common law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction National holiday: Independence Day, 6 March (1957) Executive branch: chairman of the Provisional National Defense Council (PNDC), PNDC, Cabinet Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly dissolved after 31 December 1981 coup, and legislative powers were assumed by the Provisional National Defense Council Judicial branch: Supreme Court Leaders: Chief of State and Head of Government: Chairman of the Provisional National Defense Council Flt. Lt. (Ret.) Jerry John RAWLINGS (since 31 December 1981) Political parties and leaders: none; political parties outlawed after 31 December 1981 coup Suffrage: none Elections: no national elections; district assembly elections held in 1988-89 Member of: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIIMOG, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Dr. Joseph ABBEY; Chancery at 3512 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008; telephone (202) 686-4520; there is a Ghanaian Consulate General in New York US: Ambassador Raymond C. EWING; Embassy at Ring Road East, East of Danquah Circle, Accra (mailing address is P. O. Box 194, Accra); telephone [233] (21) 775348, 775349 Flag: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green with a large black five-pointed star centered in the gold band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the flag of Bolivia, which has a coat of arms centered in the yellow band :Ghana Economy Overview: Supported by substantial international assistance, Ghana has been implementing a steady economic rebuilding program since 1983, including moves toward privatization and relaxation of government controls. Heavily dependent on cocoa, gold, and timber exports, economic growth so far has not spread substantially to other areas of the economy. The costs of sending peacekeeping forces to Liberia and preparing for the transition to a democratic government have been boosting government expenditures and undercutting structural adjustment reforms. Ghana opened a stock exchange in 1990. Much of the economic improvement in 1991 was caused by favorable weather (following a severe drought the previous year) that led to plentiful harvests in Ghana's agriculturally based economy. GDP: $6.2 billion; per capita $400; real growth rate 5% (1991 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10% (1991 est.) Unemployment rate: 10% (1991) Budget: revenues $821 million; expenditures $782 million, including capital expenditures of $151 million (1990 est.) Exports: $843 million (f.o.b., 1991 est.) commodities: cocoa 45%, gold, timber, tuna, bauxite, and aluminum partners: US 23%, UK, other EC Imports: $1.2 billion (c.i.f., 1991 est.) commodities: petroleum 16%, consumer goods, foods, intermediate goods, capital equipment partners: US 10%, UK, FRG, France, Japan, South Korea, GDR External debt: $3.1 billion (1990 est.) Industrial production: growth rate 7.4% in manufacturing (1989); accounts for almost 1.5% of GDP Electricity: 1,180,000 kW capacity; 4,140 million kWh produced, 265 kWh per capita (1991) Industries: mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, fishing, aluminum, food processing Agriculture: accounts for more than 50% of GDP (including fishing and forestry); the major cash crop is cocoa; other principal crops - rice, coffee, cassava, peanuts, corn, shea nuts, timber; normally self-sufficient in food Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $455 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $2.6 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $78 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $106 million Currency: cedi (plural - cedis); 1 cedi (C) = 100 pesewas Fiscal year: calendar year :Ghana Communications Railroads: 953 km, all 1.067-meter gauge; 32 km double track; railroads undergoing major renovation Highways: 32,250 km total; 6,084 km concrete or bituminous surface, 26,166 km gravel, laterite, and improved earth surfaces Inland waterways: Volta, Ankobra, and Tano Rivers provide 168 km of perennial navigation for launches and lighters; Lake Volta provides 1,125 km of arterial and feeder waterways Pipelines: none Ports: Tema, Takoradi Merchant marine: 5 cargo and 1 refrigerated cargo (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 53,435 GRT/69,167 DWT Civil air: 8 major transport aircraft Airports: 10 total, 9 usable; 5 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 7 with runways 1,220-2,439 m Telecommunications: poor to fair system handled primarily by microwave links; 42,300 telephones; broadcast stations - 4 AM, 1 FM, 4 (8 translators) TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station :Ghana Defense Forces Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police Force, National Civil Defense Manpower availability: males 15-49, 3,661,558; 2,049,842 fit for military service; 170,742 reach military age (18) annually Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $30 million, less than 1% of GNP (1989 est.) :Gibraltar Geography Total area: 6.5 km2 Land area: 6.5 km2 Comparative area: about 11 times the size of the Mall in Washington, DC Land boundaries: 1.2 km; Spain 1.2 km Coastline: 12 km Maritime claims: Exclusive fishing zone: 3 nm Territorial sea: 3 nm Disputes: source of occasional friction between Spain and the UK Climate: Mediterranean with mild winters and warm summers Terrain: a narrow coastal lowland borders The Rock Natural resources: negligible Land use: arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 0%; other 100% Environment: natural freshwater sources are meager, so large water catchments (concrete or natural rock) collect rain water Note: strategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea :Gibraltar People Population: 29,651 (July 1992), growth rate 0.1% (1992) Birth rate: 18 births/1,000 population (1992) Death rate: 8 deaths/1,000 population (1992) Net migration rate: - 9 migrants/1,000 population (1992) Infant mortality rate: 6 deaths/1,000 live births (1992) Life expectancy at birth: 72 years male, 79 years female (1992) Total fertility rate: 2.5 children born/woman (1992) Nationality: noun - Gibraltarian(s); adjective - Gibraltar Ethnic divisions: mostly Italian, English, Maltese, Portuguese, and Spanish descent Religions: Roman Catholic 74%, Protestant 11% (Church of England 8%, other 3%), Moslem 8%, Jewish 2%, none or other 5% (1981) Languages: English and Spanish are primary languages; Italian, Portuguese, and Russian also spoken; English used in the schools and for official purposes Literacy: NA% (male NA%, female NA%) Labor force: about 14,800 (including non-Gibraltar laborers); UK military establishments and civil government employ nearly 50% of the labor force Organized labor: over 6,000 :Gibraltar Government Long-form name: none Digraph: f Assembly *** last held on 24 March 1988 (next to be held March 1992); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (18 total, 15 elected) SL 8, GCL/AACR 7 Type: dependent territory of the UK Capital: Gibraltar Administrative divisions: none (dependent territory of the UK) Independence: none (dependent territory of the UK) Constitution: 30 May 1969 Legal system: English law National holiday: Commonwealth Day (second Monday of March) Executive branch: British monarch, governor, chief minister, Gibraltar Council, Council of Ministers (cabinet) Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly Judicial branch: Supreme Court, Court of Appeal Leaders: Chief of State: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor and Commander in Chief Adm. Sir Derek REFFELL (since NA 1989) Head of Government: Chief Minister Joe BOSSANO (since 25 March 1988) Political parties and leaders: Socialist Labor Party (SL), Joe BOSSANO; Gibraltar Labor Party/Association for the Advancement of Civil Rights (GCL/AACR), leader NA; Gibraltar Social Democrats, Peter CARUANA; Gibraltar National Party, Joe GARCIA Suffrage: universal at age 18, plus other UK subjects resident six months or more Elections: House of Assembly: last held on 24 March 1988 (next to be held March 1992); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (18 total, 15 elected) SL 8, GCL/AACR 7 Other political or pressure groups: Housewives Association, Chamber of Commerce, Gibraltar Representatives Organization Diplomatic representation: none (dependent territory of the UK) Flag: two horizontal bands of white (top, double width) and red with a three-towered red castle in the center of the white band; hanging from the castle gate is a gold key centered in the red band :Gibraltar Economy Overview: The economy depends heavily on British defense expenditures, revenue from tourists, fees for services to shipping, and revenues from banking and finance activities. Because more than 70% of the economy is in the public sector, changes in government spending have a major impact on the level of employment. Construction workers are particularly affected when government expenditures are cut. GNP: exchange rate conversion - $182 million, per capita $4,600; real growth rate 5% (FY87) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.6% (1988) Unemployment rate: NA% Budget: revenues $136 million; expenditures $139 million, including capital expenditures of NA (FY88) Exports: $82 million (f.o.b., 1988) commodities: (principally reexports) petroleum 51%, manufactured goods 41%, other 8% partners: UK, Morocco, Portugal, Netherlands, Spain, US, FRG Imports: $258 million (c.i.f., 1988) commodities: fuels, manufactured goods, and foodstuffs partners: UK, Spain, Japan, Netherlands External debt: $318 million (1987) Industrial production: growth rate NA% Electricity: 47,000 kW capacity; 200 million kWh produced, 6,670 kWh per capita (1991) Industries: tourism, banking and finance, construction, commerce; support to large UK naval and air bases; transit trade and supply depot in the port; light manufacturing of tobacco, roasted coffee, ice, mineral waters, candy, beer, and canned fish Agriculture: none Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $0.8 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $188 million Currency: Gibraltar pound (plural - pounds); 1 Gibraltar pound (#G) = 100 pence Exchange rates: Gibraltar pounds (#G) per US$1 - 0.5799 (March 1992), 0.5652 (1991), 0.5603 (1990), 0.6099 (1989), 0.5614 (1988), 0.6102 (1987); note - the Gibraltar pound is at par with the British pound Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June :Gibraltar Communications Railroads: 1.000-meter-gauge system in dockyard area only Highways: 50 km, mostly good bitumen and concrete Pipelines: none Ports: Gibraltar Merchant marine: 21 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 795,356 GRT/1,490,737 DWT; includes 5 cargo, 2 refrigerated cargo, 1 container, 6 petroleum tanker, 1 chemical tanker, 6 bulk; note - a flag of convenience registry Civil air: 1 major transport aircraft Airports: 1 with permanent-surface runways 1,220-2,439 m Telecommunications: adequate, automatic domestic system and adequate international radiocommunication and microwave facilities; 9,400 telephones; broadcast stations - 1 AM, 6 FM, 4 TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station :Gibraltar Defense Forces Branches: British Army, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force Note:
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