The 1995 CIA World FactbookPart 18 out of 45system 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 Ninety East Ridge; maximum depth is 7,258 meters in the Java Trench Natural resources: oil and gas fields, fish, shrimp, sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules Environment: current issues: endangered marine species include the dugong, seals, turtles, and whales; oil pollution in the Arabian Sea, Persian Gulf, and Red Sea natural hazards: ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme south near Antarctica from May to October international agreements: NA Note: major chokepoints include Bab el Mandeb, Strait of Hormuz, Strait of Malacca, southern access to the Suez Canal, and the Lombok Strait @Indian Ocean:Government Digraph: XO @Indian Ocean:Economy Overview: The Indian Ocean provides major sea routes connecting the Middle East, Africa, and East Asia with Europe and the Americas. It carries a particularly heavy traffic of petroleum and petroleum products from the oilfields of the Persian Gulf and Indonesia. Its fish are of great and growing importance to the bordering countries for domestic consumption and export. Fishing fleets from Russia, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan also exploit the Indian Ocean, mainly for shrimp and tuna. Large reserves of hydrocarbons are being tapped in the offshore areas of Saudi Arabia, Iran, India, and western Australia. An estimated 40% of the world's offshore oil production comes from the Indian Ocean. Beach sands rich in heavy minerals and offshore placer deposits are actively exploited by bordering countries, particularly India, South Africa, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. Industries: based on exploitation of natural resources, particularly fish, minerals, oil and gas, fishing, sand and gravel @Indian Ocean:Transportation Ports: Bombay (India), Calcutta (India), Colombo (Sri Lanka), Durban (South Africa), Jakarta (Indonesia), Madras (India), Melbourne (Australia), Richard's Bay (South Africa) @Indian Ocean:Communications Telephone system: international: submarine cables from India to United Arab Emirates and Malaysia, and from Sri Lanka to Djibouti and Indonesia ________________________________________________________________________ INDONESIA @Indonesia:Geography Location: Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean Map references: Southeast Asia Area: total area: 1,919,440 sq km land area: 1,826,440 sq km comparative area: slightly less than three times the size of Texas Land boundaries: total 2,602 km, Malaysia 1,782 km, Papua New Guinea 820 km Coastline: 54,716 km Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: sovereignty over Timor Timur (East Timor Province) disputed with Portugal and not recognized by the UN; two islands in dispute with Malaysia Climate: tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands Terrain: mostly coastal lowlands; larger islands have interior mountains Natural resources: petroleum, tin, natural gas, nickel, timber, bauxite, copper, fertile soils, coal, gold, silver Land use: arable land: 8% permanent crops: 3% meadows and pastures: 7% forest and woodland: 67% other: 15% Irrigated land: 75,500 sq km (1989 est.) Environment: current issues: deforestation; water pollution from industrial wastes, sewage; air pollution in urban areas natural hazards: occasional floods, severe droughts, and tsunamis international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Marine Life Conservation, Tropical Timber 94 Note: archipelago of 13,500 islands (6,000 inhabited); straddles Equator; strategic location astride or along major sea lanes from Indian Ocean to Pacific Ocean @Indonesia:People Population: 203,583,886 (July 1995 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 32% (female 32,548,039; male 33,485,810) 15-64 years: 64% (female 65,394,816; male 64,914,362) 65 years and over: 4% (female 4,027,367; male 3,213,492) (July 1995 est.) Population growth rate: 1.56% (1995 est.) Birth rate: 24.06 births/1,000 population (1995 est.) Death rate: 8.48 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.) Infant mortality rate: 65 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 61.22 years male: 59.13 years female: 63.42 years (1995 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.74 children born/woman (1995 est.) Nationality: noun: Indonesian(s) adjective: Indonesian Ethnic divisions: Javanese 45%, Sundanese 14%, Madurese 7.5%, coastal Malays 7.5%, other 26% Religions: Muslim 87%, Protestant 6%, Roman Catholic 3%, Hindu 2%, Buddhist 1%, other 1% (1985) Languages: Bahasa Indonesia (modified form of Malay; official), English, Dutch, local dialects the most widely spoken of which is Javanese Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990) total population: 82% male: 88% female: 75% Labor force: 67 million by occupation: agriculture 55%, manufacturing 10%, construction 4%, transport and communications 3% (1985 est.) @Indonesia:Government Names: conventional long form: Republic of Indonesia conventional short form: Indonesia local long form: Republik Indonesia local short form: Indonesia former: Netherlands East Indies; Dutch East Indies Digraph: ID Type: republic Capital: Jakarta Administrative divisions: 24 provinces (propinsi-propinsi, singular - propinsi), 2 special regions* (daerah-daerah istimewa, singular - daerah istimewa), and 1 special capital city district** (daerah khusus ibukota); Aceh*, Bali, Bengkulu, Irian Jaya, Jakarta Raya**, Jambi, Jawa Barat, Jawa Tengah, Jawa Timur, Kalimantan Barat, Kalimantan Selatan, Kalimantan Tengah, Kalimantan Timur, Lampung, Maluku, Nusa Tenggara Barat, Nusa Tenggara Timur, Riau, Sulawesi Selatan, Sulawesi Tengah, Sulawesi Tenggara, Sulawesi Utara, Sumatera Barat, Sumatera Selatan, Sumatera Utara, Timor Timur, Yogyakarta* Independence: 17 August 1945 (proclaimed independence; on 27 December 1949, Indonesia became legally independent from the Netherlands) National holiday: Independence Day, 17 August (1945) Constitution: August 1945, abrogated by Federal Constitution of 1949 and Provisional Constitution of 1950, restored 5 July 1959 Legal system: based on Roman-Dutch law, substantially modified by indigenous concepts and by new criminal procedures code; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 17 years of age; universal and married persons regardless of age Executive branch: chief of state and head of government: President Gen. (Ret.) SOEHARTO (since 27 March 1968); Vice President Gen. (Ret.) Try SUTRISNO (since 11 March 1993) cabinet: Cabinet Legislative branch: unicameral House of Representatives (Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat or DPR): elections last held on 8 June 1992 (next to be held NA 1997); results - GOLKAR 68%, PPP 17%, PDI 15%; seats - (500 total, 400 elected, 100 military representatives appointed) GOLKAR 282, PPP 62, PDI 56 note: the People's Consultative Assembly (Majelis Permusyawaratan Rakyat or MPR) includes the DPR plus 500 indirectly elected members who meet every five years to elect the president and vice president and, theoretically, to determine national policy Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Mahkamah Agung) Political parties and leaders: GOLKAR (quasi-official party based on functional groups), Lt. Gen. (Ret.) HARMOKO, general chairman; Indonesia Democracy Party (PDI - federation of former Nationalist and Christian Parties), Megawati SUKARNOPUTRI, chairman; Development Unity Party (PPP, federation of former Islamic parties), Ismail Hasan METAREUM, chairman Member of: APEC, AsDB, ASEAN, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIH, UNPROFOR, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Arifin Mohamad SIREGAR chancery: 2020 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 775-5200 FAX: [1] (202) 775-5365 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Robert L. BARRY embassy: Medan Merdeka Selatan 5, Box 1, Jakarta mailing address: APO AP 96520 telephone: [62] (21) 360360 FAX: [62] (21) 3862259 consulate(s) general: Medan, Surabaya Flag: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; similar to the flag of Monaco, which is shorter; also similar to the flag of Poland, which is white (top) and red @Indonesia:Economy Overview: Indonesia is a mixed economy with some socialist institutions and central planning but with a recent emphasis on deregulation and private enterprise. Indonesia has extensive natural wealth, yet, with a large and rapidly increasing population, it remains a rather poor country. Real GDP growth in 1985-94 averaged about 6%, quite impressive, but not sufficient to both slash underemployment and absorb the 2.3 million workers annually entering the labor force. Agriculture, including forestry and fishing, is an important sector, accounting for 21% of GDP and over 50% of the labor force. The staple crop is rice. Once the world's largest rice importer, Indonesia is now nearly self-sufficient. Plantation crops - rubber and palm oil - and textiles and plywood are being encouraged for both export and job generation. Industrial output now accounts for almost 40% of GDP and is based on a supply of diverse natural resources, including crude oil, natural gas, timber, metals, and coal. Foreign investment has also boosted manufacturing output and exports in recent years. Indeed, the economy's growth is highly dependent on the continuing expansion of nonoil exports. Japan remains Indonesia's most important customer and supplier of aid. Rapid growth in the money supply in 1989-90 prompted Jakarta to implement a tight monetary policy in 1991, forcing the private sector to go to foreign banks for investment financing. Real interest rates remained above 10% and off-shore commercial debt grew. The growth in off-shore debt prompted Jakarta to limit foreign borrowing beginning in late 1991. Despite the continued problems in moving toward a more open financial system and the persistence of a fairly tight credit situation, GDP growth in 1992-94 has matched the government target of 6%-7% annual growth. National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $619.4 billion (1994 est.) National product real growth rate: 6.7% (1994 est.) National product per capita: $3,090 (1994 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 9.3% (1994 est.) Unemployment rate: 3% official rate; underemployment 40% (1994 est.) Budget: revenues: $32.8 billion expenditures: $32.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $12.9 billion (FY94/95) Exports: $41.3 billion (f.o.b, 1994 est.) commodities: manufactures 56.7%, fuels 24.8%, foodstuffs 11.1%, raw materials 7.4% (1994 est.) partners: Japan 30%, US 14%, Singapore 9%, South Korea 6%, Taiwan 4% (1993) Imports: $31.4 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: capital equipment 44.2%, intermed and raw materials 37.0%, consumer goods 11.5%, fuels 7.2% (1994 est.) partners: Japan 22%, US 11%, South Korea 7%, Germany 7%, Singapore 6%, Australia 5%, Taiwan 5% (1993) External debt: $87 billion (1994) Industrial production: growth rate 8.4% (1993 est.); accounts for 40% of GDP Electricity: capacity: 12,100,000 kW production: 44 billion kWh consumption per capita: 207 kWh (1993) Industries: petroleum and natural gas, textiles, mining, cement, chemical fertilizers, plywood, food, rubber Agriculture: accounts for 21% of GDP; subsistence food production; small-holder and plantation production for export; main products are rice, cassava, peanuts, rubber, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, copra, other tropical products, poultry, beef, pork, eggs Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade, but not a major player; government actively eradicating plantings and prosecuting traffickers; growing role as transshipment point for Golden Triangle heroin; increasing indigenous methamphetamine abuse Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $4.4 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $25.9 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $213 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $175 million Currency: 1 Indonesian rupiah (Rp) = 100 sen (sen no longer used) Exchange rates: Indonesian rupiahs (Rp) per US$1 - 2,203.6 (January 1995), 2,160.7 (1994), 2,087.1 (1993), 2,029.9 (1992), 1,950.3 (1991), 1,842.8 (1990) Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March @Indonesia:Transportation Railroads: total: 6,964 km narrow gauge: 6,389 km 1.067-m gauge (101 km electrified; 101 km double track); 497 km 0.750-m gauge; 78 km 0.600-m gauge Highways: total: 119,500 km paved: NA unpaved: NA undifferentiated: provincial 34,180 km; district 73,508 km; state 11,812 km Inland waterways: 21,579 km total; Sumatra 5,471 km, Java and Madura 820 km, Kalimantan 10,460 km, Celebes 241 km, Irian Jaya 4,587 km Pipelines: crude oil 2,505 km; petroleum products 456 km; natural gas 1,703 km (1989) Ports: Cilacap, Cirebon, Jakarta, Kupang, Palembang, Semarang, Surabaya, Ujungpandang Merchant marine: total: 438 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,942,527 GRT/2,818,296 DWT ships by type: bulk 26, cargo 259, chemical tanker 7, container 11, liquefied gas tanker 6, livestock carrier 1, oil tanker 85, passenger 6, passenger-cargo 12, roll-on/roll-off cargo 7, short-sea passenger 7, specialized tanker 7, vehicle carrier 4 Airports: total: 450 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 3 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 35 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 42 with paved runways under 914 m: 324 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 4 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 32 @Indonesia:Communications Telephone system: 763,000 telephones (1986); domestic service fair, international service good local: NA intercity: interisland microwave system and HF police net; 1 earth station for a domestic satellite international: 2 INTELSAT (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) earth stations Radio: broadcast stations: AM 618, FM 38, shortwave 0 radios: NA note: radiobroadcast coverage good Television: broadcast stations: 9 televisions: NA @Indonesia:Defense Forces Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police Manpower availability: males age 15-49 55,883,688; males fit for military service 32,952,204; males reach military age (18) annually 2,247,586 (1995 est.) Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $2.4 billion, 1.5% of GNP (FY94/95) ________________________________________________________________________ IRAN @Iran:Geography Location: Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and Pakistan Map references: Middle East Area: total area: 1.648 million sq km land area: 1.636 million sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Alaska Land boundaries: total 5,440 km, Afghanistan 936 km, Armenia 35 km, Azerbaijan (north) 432 km, Azerbaijan (northwest) 179 km, Iraq 1,458 km, Pakistan 909 km, Turkey 499 km, Turkmenistan 992 km Coastline: 2,440 km note: Iran also borders the Caspian Sea (740 km) Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: natural prolongation exclusive economic zone: bilateral agreements, or median lines in the Persian Gulf territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: Iran and Iraq restored diplomatic relations in 1990 but are still trying to work out written agreements settling outstanding disputes from their eight-year war concerning border demarcation, prisoners-of-war, and freedom of navigation and sovereignty over the Shatt al Arab waterway; Iran occupies two islands in the Persian Gulf claimed by the UAE: Tunb as Sughra (Arabic), Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Kuchek (Persian) or Lesser Tunb, and Tunb al Kubra (Arabic), Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Bozorg (Persian) or Greater Tunb; it jointly administers with the UAE an island in the Persian Gulf claimed by the UAE, Abu Musa (Arabic) or Jazireh-ye Abu Musa (Persian); in 1992 the dispute over Abu Musa and the Tunb islands became more acute when Iran unilaterally tried to control the entry of third country nationals into the UAE portion of Abu Musa island, Tehran subsequently backed off in the face of significant diplomatic support for the UAE in the region, but in 1994 it increased its military presence on the disputed islands; periodic disputes with Afghanistan over Helmand water rights; Caspian Sea boundaries are not yet determined Climate: mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast Terrain: rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts, mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese, zinc, sulfur Land use: arable land: 8% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 27% forest and woodland: 11% other: 54% Irrigated land: 57,500 sq km (1989 est.) Environment: current issues: air pollution, especially in urban areas, from vehicle emissions, refinery operations, and industrial effluents; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; oil pollution in the Persian Gulf; inadequate supplies of potable water natural hazards: periodic droughts, floods; duststorms, sandstorms; earthquakes along the Western border international agreements: party to - Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation @Iran:People Population: 64,625,455 (July 1995 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 45% (female 14,113,933; male 14,995,015) 15-64 years: 51% (female 16,237,810; male 16,803,943) 65 years and over: 4% (female 1,197,869; male 1,276,885) (July 1995 est.) Population growth rate: 2.29% (1995 est.) Birth rate: 34.85 births/1,000 population (1995 est.) Death rate: 6.85 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.) Net migration rate: -5.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.) Infant mortality rate: 54.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 66.97 years male: 65.77 years female: 68.22 years (1995 est.) Total fertility rate: 4.93 children born/woman (1995 est.) Nationality: noun: Iranian(s) adjective: Iranian Ethnic divisions: Persian 51%, Azerbaijani 24%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%, Kurd 7%, Arab 3%, Lur 2%, Baloch 2%, Turkmen 2%, other 1% Religions: Shi'a Muslim 95%, Sunni Muslim 4%, Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i 1% Languages: Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects 26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Baloch 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2% Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1991) total population: 66% male: 74% female: 56% Labor force: 15.4 million by occupation: agriculture 33%, manufacturing 21% note: shortage of skilled labor (1988 est.) @Iran:Government Names: conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Iran conventional short form: Iran local long form: Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Iran local short form: Iran Digraph: IR Type: theocratic republic Capital: Tehran Administrative divisions: 24 provinces (ostanha, singular - ostan); Azarbayjan-e Bakhtari (West Azerbaijan), Azarbayjan-e Khavari (East Azerbaijan), Bakhtaran, Bushehr, Chahar Mahall va Bakhtiari, Esfahan, Fars, Gilan, Hamadan, Hormozgan, Ilam, Kerman, Khorasan, Khuzestan, Kohkiluyeh va Buyer Ahmadi, Kordestan, Lorestan, Markazi, Mazandaran, Semnan, Sistan va Baluchestan, Tehran, Yazd, Zanjan note: there may be a new province named Ardabil formed from a part of Azarbayjan-e Khavari (East Azerbaijan) which may have been renamed Azarbayjan-e Markazi (Central Azerbaijan); the name Bakhtaran may have been changed to Kermanshahan Independence: 1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed) National holiday: Islamic Republic Day, 1 April (1979) Constitution: 2-3 December 1979; revised 1989 to expand powers of the presidency and eliminate the prime ministership Legal system: the Constitution codifies Islamic principles of government Suffrage: 15 years of age; universal Executive branch: supreme leader (rahbar) and functional chief of state: Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Hoseini-KHAMENEI (since 4 June 1989) head of government: President Ali Akbar Hashemi-RAFSANJANI (since 3 August 1989); election last held June 1993 (next to be held June 1997); results - Ali Akbar Hashemi-RAFSANJANI was elected with 63% of the vote cabinet: Council of Ministers; selected by the president with legislative approval Legislative branch: unicameral Islamic Consultative Assembly (Majles-e-Shura-ye-Eslami): elections last held 8 April 1992 (next to be held April 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (270 seats total) number of seats by party NA Judicial branch: Supreme Court Political parties and leaders: there are at least 76 licensed parties; the three most important are - Tehran Militant Clergy Association, Mohammad Reza MAHDAVI-KANI; Militant Clerics Association, Mehdi MAHDAVI-KARUBI and Mohammad Asqar MUSAVI-KHOINIHA; Fedaiyin Islam Organization, Sadeq KHALKHALI Other political or pressure groups: groups that generally support the Islamic Republic include Hizballah, Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution, Muslim Students Following the Line of the Imam; armed political groups that have been almost completely repressed by the government include Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MEK), People's Fedayeen, Kurdish Democratic Party; the Society for the Defense of Freedom Member of: CCC, CP, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Iran has an Interests Section in the Pakistani Embassy in Washington, DC chancery: Iranian Interests Section, 2209 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 965-4990 US diplomatic representation: protecting power in Iran is Switzerland Flag: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red; the national emblem (a stylized representation of the word Allah) in red is centered in the white band; Allah Alkbar (God is Great) in white Arabic script is repeated 11 times along the bottom edge of the green band and 11 times along the top edge of the red band @Iran:Economy Overview: Iran's economy is a mixture of central planning, state ownership of oil and other large enterprises, village agriculture, and small-scale private trading and service ventures. Over the past several years, the government has introduced several measures to liberalize the economy and reduce government intervention, but most of these changes have moved slowly because of political opposition. Iran has faced increasingly severe financial difficulties since mid-1992 due to an import surge that began in 1989 and general financial mismanagement. At yearend 1993 the Iranian Government estimated that it owed foreign creditors about $30 billion; an estimated $8 billion of this debt was in arrears. At yearend 1994, Iran rescheduled $12 billion in debt. Earnings from oil exports - which provide 90% of Iran's export revenues - are providing less relief to Iran than usual because of reduced oil prices. National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $310 billion (1994 est.) National product real growth rate: -2% (1994 est.) National product per capita: $4,720 (1994 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 35% (1994) Unemployment rate: over 30% (1994 est.) Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA Exports: $16 billion (f.o.b., FY92/93 est.) commodities: petroleum 90%, carpets, fruits, nuts, hides partners: Japan, Italy, France, Netherlands, Belgium/Luxembourg, Spain, and Germany Imports: $18 billion (c.i.f., FY92/93 est.) commodities: machinery, military supplies, metal works, foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, technical services, refined oil products partners: Germany, Japan, Italy, UK, UAE External debt: $30 billion (December 1993) Industrial production: growth rate 4.6% (1993 est.); accounts for almost 30% of GDP, including petroleum Electricity: capacity: 19,080,000 kW production: 50.8 billion kWh consumption per capita: 745 kWh (1993) Industries: petroleum, petrochemicals, textiles, cement and other building materials, food processing (particularly sugar refining and vegetable oil production), metal fabricating, armaments and military equipment Agriculture: accounts for about 20% of GDP; principal products - wheat, rice, other grains, sugar beets, fruits, nuts, cotton, dairy products, wool, caviar; not self-sufficient in food Illicit drugs: illicit producer of opium poppy for the domestic and international drug trade; produced 35-70 metric tons in 1993; net opiate importer but also a key transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin to Europe Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-80), $1 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1.675 billion; Communist countries (1970-89), $976 million note: aid fell sharply following the 1979 revolution Currency: 10 Iranian rials (IR) = 1 toman; note - domestic figures are generally referred to in terms of the toman Exchange rates: Iranian rials (IR) per US$1 - 1,749.04 (January 1995), 1,748.75 (1994), 1,267.77 (1993), 65.552 (1992), 67.505 (1991); black market rate: 3,000 rials per US$1 (December 1994) Fiscal year: 21 March - 20 March @Iran:Transportation Railroads: total: 4,850 km; note - 480 km under construction from Bafq to Bandar-e 'Abbas; segment from Bafq to Sirjan has been completed and is operational; section from Sirjan to Bandar-e 'Abbas still under construction broad gauge: 90 km 1.676-m gauge narrow gauge: 4,760 km 1.432-m gauge Highways: total: 140,200 km paved: 42,694 km unpaved: gravel, crushed stone 46,866 km; improved earth 49,440 km; unimproved earth 1,200 km Inland waterways: 904 km; the Shatt al Arab is usually navigable by maritime traffic for about 130 km; channel has been dredged to 3 meters and is in use Pipelines: crude oil 5,900 km; petroleum products 3,900 km; natural gas 4,550 km Ports: Abadan (largely destroyed in fighting during 1980-88 war), Ahvaz, Bandar Beheshti, Bandar-e 'Abbas, Bandar-e Anzali, Bandar-e Bushehr, Bandar-e Khomeyni, Bandar-e Mah Shahr, Bandar-e Torkeman, Jazireh-ye Khark, Jazireh-ye Lavan, Jazireh-ye Sirri, Khorramshahr (limited operation since November 1992), Now Shahr Merchant marine: total: 132 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,816,820 GRT/6,991,693 DWT ships by type: bulk 48, cargo 38, chemical tanker 5, combination bulk 2, liquefied gas tanker 1, oil tanker 26, refrigerated cargo 3, roll-on/roll-off cargo 8, short-sea passenger 1 Airports: total: 261 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 28 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 12 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 32 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 20 with paved runways under 914 m: 46 with unpaved runways over 3,047 m: 2 with unpaved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 18 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 101 @Iran:Communications Telephone system: 2,143,000 telephones; 35 telephones/1,000 persons local: NA intercity: microwave radio relay extends throughout country; system centered in Tehran international: 3 INTELSAT (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) earth stations; HF radio and microwave radio relay to Turkey, Pakistan, Syria, Kuwait, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan; submarine fiber optic cable to UAE Radio: broadcast stations: AM 77, FM 3, shortwave 0 radios: NA Television: broadcast stations: 28 televisions: NA @Iran:Defense Forces Branches: Islamic Republic of Iran Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Force, Revolutionary Guards (includes Basij militia with its ground, air, and naval forces), Law Enforcement Forces Manpower availability: males age 15-49 14,639,290; males fit for military service 8,703,732; males reach military age (21) annually 615,096 (1995 est.) Defense expenditures: according to official Iranian data, Iran spent 1,785 billion rials, including $808 million in hard currency, in 1992 and budgeted 2,507 billion rials, including $850 million in hard currency, for 1993 note: conversion of rial expenditures into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results ________________________________________________________________________ IRAQ @Iraq:Geography Location: Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran and Kuwait Map references: Middle East Area: total area: 437,072 sq km land area: 432,162 sq km comparative area: slightly more than twice the size of Idaho Land boundaries: total 3,631 km, Iran 1,458 km, Jordan 181 km, Kuwait 242 km, Saudi Arabia 814 km, Syria 605 km, Turkey 331 km Coastline: 58 km Maritime claims: continental shelf: not specified territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: Iran and Iraq restored diplomatic relations in 1990 but are still trying to work out written agreements settling outstanding disputes from their eight-year war concerning border demarcation, prisoners-of-war, and freedom of navigation and sovereignty over the Shatt al Arab waterway; in November 1994, Iraq formally accepted the UN-demarcated border with Kuwait which had been spelled out in Security Council Resolutions 687 (1991), 773 (1993), and 883 (1993); this formally ends earlier claims to Kuwait and to Bubiyan and Warbah islands; potential dispute over water development plans by Turkey for the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers Climate: mostly desert; mild to cool winters with dry, hot, cloudless summers; northern mountainous regions along Iranian and Turkish borders experience cold winters with occasionally heavy snows which melt in early spring, sometimes causing extensive flooding in central and southern Iraq Terrain: mostly broad plains; reedy marshes along Iranian border in south; mountains along borders with Iran and Turkey Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur Land use: arable land: 12% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 9% forest and woodland: 3% other: 75% Irrigated land: 25,500 sq km (1989 est) Environment: current issues: government water control projects have drained most of the inhabited marsh areas west of Al Qurnah by drying up or diverting the feeder streams and rivers; a once sizable population of Shi'a Muslims, who have inhabited these areas for thousands of years, has been displaced; furthermore, the destruction of the natural habitat poses serious threats to the area's wildlife populations; inadequate supplies of potable water; development of Tigris-Euphrates Rivers system contingent upon agreements with upstream riparian Turkey; air and water pollution; soil degradation (salinization) and erosion; desertification natural hazards: duststorms, sandstorms, floods international agreements: party to - Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban; signed, but not ratified - Environmental Modification @Iraq:People Population: 20,643,769 (July 1995 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 48% (female 4,850,028; male 5,009,513) 15-64 years: 49% (female 5,021,710; male 5,125,191) 65 years and over: 3% (female 338,790; male 298,537) (July 1995 est.) Population growth rate: 3.72% (1995 est.) Birth rate: 43.6 births/1,000 population (1995 est.) Death rate: 6.82 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.) Net migration rate: 0.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.) Infant mortality rate: 62.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 66.52 years male: 65.54 years female: 67.56 years (1995 est.) Total fertility rate: 6.56 children born/woman (1995 est.) Nationality: noun: Iraqi(s) adjective: Iraqi Ethnic divisions: Arab 75%-80%, Kurdish 15%-20%, Turkoman, Assyrian or other 5% Religions: Muslim 97% (Shi'a 60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian or other 3% Languages: Arabic, Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Assyrian, Armenian Literacy: age 15-45 can read and write (1985) total population: 89% male: 90% female: 88% Labor force: 4.4 million (1989) by occupation: services 48%, agriculture 30%, industry 22% note: severe labor shortage; expatriate labor force was about 1,600,000 (July 1990); since then, it has declined substantially @Iraq:Government Names: conventional long form: Republic of Iraq conventional short form: Iraq local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Iraqiyah local short form: Al Iraq Digraph: IZ Type: republic Capital: Baghdad Administrative divisions: 18 provinces (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Anbar, Al Basrah, Al Muthanna, Al Qadisiyah, An Najaf, Arbil, As Sulaymaniyah, At Ta'mim, Babil, Baghdad, Dahuk, Dhi Qar, Diyala, Karbala', Maysan, Ninawa, Salah ad Din, Wasit Independence: 3 October 1932 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration) National holiday: Anniversary of the Revolution, 17 July (1968) Constitution: 22 September 1968, effective 16 July 1970 (provisional Constitution); new constitution drafted in 1990 but not adopted Legal system: based on Islamic law in special religious courts, civil law system elsewhere; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President SADDAM Husayn (since 16 July 1979); Vice President Taha Muhyi al-Din MARUF (since 21 April 1974); Vice President Taha Yasin RAMADAN (since 23 March 1991) head of government: Prime Minister SADDAM Husayn (since NA May 1994); Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Mikhail AZIZ (since NA 1979) Revolutionary Command Council: Chairman SADDAM Husayn, Vice Chairman Izzat IBRAHIM al-Duri cabinet: Council of Ministers Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Majlis al-Watani): elections last held on 1 April 1989 (next to be held NA); results - Sunni Arabs 53%, Shi'a Arabs 30%, Kurds 15%, Christians 2% (est.); seats - (250 total) number of seats by party NA note: in northern Iraq, a "Kurdish Assembly" was elected in May 1992 and calls for Kurdish self-determination within a federated Iraq; the assembly is not recognized by the Baghdad government Judicial branch: Court of Cassation Political parties and leaders: Ba'th Party Other political or pressure groups: political parties and activity severely restricted; opposition to regime from disaffected members of the Ba'th Party, Army officers, and Shi'a religious and ethnic Kurdish dissidents; the Green Party (government-controlled) Member of: ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-19, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Iraq has an Interest Section in the Algerian Embassy in Washington, DC chancery: Iraqi Interests Section, 1801 P Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 483-7500 FAX: [1] (202) 462-5066 US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: (vacant); note - operations have been temporarily suspended; a US Interests Section is located in Poland's embassy in Baghdad embassy: Masbah Quarter (opposite the Foreign Ministry Club), Baghdad mailing address: P. O. Box 2447 Alwiyah, Baghdad telephone: [964] (1) 719-6138, 719-6139, 718-1840, 719-3791 FAX: Telex 212287 Flag: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with three green five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in the white band; the phrase ALLAHU AKBAR (God is Great) in green Arabic script - Allahu to the right of the middle star and Akbar to the left of the middle star - was added in January 1991 during the Persian Gulf crisis; similar to the flag of Syria that has two stars but no script and the flag of Yemen that has a plain white band; also similar to the flag of Egypt that has a symbolic eagle centered in the white band @Iraq:Economy Overview: The Ba'thist regime engages in extensive central planning and management of industrial production and foreign trade while leaving some small-scale industry and services and most agriculture to private enterprise. The economy has been dominated by the oil sector, which has traditionally provided about 95% of foreign exchange earnings. In the 1980s, financial problems caused by massive expenditures in the eight-year war with Iran and damage to oil export facilities by Iran, led the government to implement austerity measures and to borrow heavily and later reschedule foreign debt payments. After the end of hostilities in 1988, oil exports gradually increased with the construction of new pipelines and restoration of damaged facilities. Agricultural development remained hampered by labor shortages, salinization, and dislocations caused by previous land reform and collectivization programs. The industrial sector, although accorded high priority by the government, also was under financial constraints. Iraq's seizure of Kuwait in August 1990, subsequent international economic embargoes, and military action by an international coalition beginning in January 1991 drastically changed the economic picture. Industrial and transportation facilities, which suffered severe damage, have been partially restored. Oil exports remain at less than 5% of the previous level. Shortages of spare parts continue. Living standards deteriorated even further in 1993 and 1994; consumer prices have more than doubled in both 1993 and 1994. The UN-sponsored economic embargo has reduced exports and imports and has contributed to the sharp rise in prices. The Iraqi government has been unwilling to abide by UN resolutions so that the economic embargo can be removed. The government's policies of supporting large military and internal security forces and of allocating resources to key supporters of the regime have exacerbated shortages. In brief, per capita output in 1993-94 is far below the 1989-90 level, but no precise estimate is available. National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $NA National product real growth rate: NA% National product per capita: $NA Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA% Unemployment rate: NA% Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA Exports: $10.4 billion (f.o.b., 1990) commodities: crude oil and refined products, fertilizer, sulfur partners: US, Brazil, Turkey, Japan, Netherlands, Spain (1990) Imports: $6.6 billion (c.i.f., 1990) commodities: manufactures, food partners: Germany, US, Turkey, France, UK (1990) External debt: $50 billion (1989 est.), excluding debt of about $35 billion owed to Gulf Arab states Industrial production: growth rate NA%; manufacturing accounts for 10% of GNP (1989) Electricity: capacity: 7,170,000 kW production: 25.7 billion kWh consumption per capita: 1,247 kWh (1993) Industries: petroleum production and refining, chemicals, textiles, construction materials, food processing Agriculture: accounted for 11% of GNP and 30% of labor force before the Gulf war; principal products - wheat, barley, rice, vegetables, dates, other fruit, cotton, wool; livestock - cattle, sheep; not self-sufficient in food output Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-80), $3 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $647 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $3.9 billion Currency: 1 Iraqi dinar (ID) = 1,000 fils Exchange rates: Iraqi dinars (ID) per US$1 - 3.2 (fixed official rate since 1982); black-market rate (March 1995) US$1 = 1200 Iraqi dinars; semi-official rate US$1 = 650 Iraqi dinars Fiscal year: calendar year @Iraq:Transportation Railroads: total: 2,457 km standard gauge: 2,457 km 1.435-m gauge Highways: total: 45,550 km paved: 38,400 km unpaved: 7,150 km (1989 est.) Inland waterways: 1,015 km; Shatt al Arab is usually navigable by maritime traffic for about 130 km; channel has been dredged to 3 meters and is in use; Tigris and Euphrates Rivers have navigable sections for shallow-draft watercraft; Shatt al Basrah canal was navigable by shallow-draft craft before closing in 1991 because of the Persian Gulf war Pipelines: crude oil 4,350 km; petroleum products 725 km; natural gas 1,360 km Ports: Umm Qasr, Khawr az Zubayr, and Al Basrah have limited functionality Merchant marine: total: 36 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 795,346 GRT/1,431,154 DWT ships by type: cargo 14, oil tanker 16, passenger 1, passenger-cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 3 Airports: total: 121 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 21 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 34 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 7 with paved runways under 914 m: 22 with unpaved runways over 3,047 m: 3 with unpaved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 5 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 16 @Iraq:Communications Telephone system: 632,000 telephones; reconstitution of damaged telecommunication facilities began after the Gulf war; most damaged facilities have been rebuilt local: NA intercity: the network consists of coaxial cables and microwave radio relay links international: 2 INTELSAT (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 GORIZONT (Atlantic Ocean) in the Intersputnik system, and 1 ARABSAT earth station; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Jordan, Kuwait, Syria, and Turkey; Kuwait line is probably non-operational Radio: broadcast stations: AM 16, FM 1, shortwave 0 radios: NA Television: broadcast stations: 13 televisions: NA @Iraq:Defense Forces Branches: Army, Republican Guard and Special Republican Guard, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force, Border Guard Force, Internal Security Forces Manpower availability: males age 15-49 4,626,610; males fit for military service 2,597,687; males reach military age (18) annually 229,015 (1995 est.) Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GNP ________________________________________________________________________ IRELAND @Ireland:Geography Location: Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain Map references: Europe Area: total area: 70,280 sq km land area: 68,890 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than West Virginia Land boundaries: total 360 km, UK 360 km Coastline: 1,448 km Maritime claims: continental shelf: not specified exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: Northern Ireland question with the UK; Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Denmark, Iceland, and the UK (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary agreement in the Rockall area) Climate: temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the time Terrain: mostly level to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hills and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast Natural resources: zinc, lead, natural gas, petroleum, barite, copper, gypsum, limestone, dolomite, peat, silver Land use: arable land: 14% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 71% forest and woodland: 5% other: 10% Irrigated land: NA sq km Environment: current issues: water pollution, especially of lakes, from agricultural runoff natural hazards: NA international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Biodiversity, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation Note: strategic location on major air and sea routes between North America and northern Europe; over 40% of the population resides within 60 miles of Dublin @Ireland:People Population: 3,550,448 (July 1995 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 24% (female 415,640; male 440,468) 15-64 years: 64% (female 1,125,638; male 1,155,823) 65 years and over: 12% (female 237,098; male 175,781) (July 1995 est.) Population growth rate: 0.33% (1995 est.) Birth rate: 14.04 births/1,000 population (1995 est.) Death rate: 8.48 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.) Net migration rate: -2.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.) Infant mortality rate: 7.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.99 years male: 73.15 years female: 79 years (1995 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.95 children born/woman (1995 est.) Nationality: noun: Irishman(men), Irishwoman(men), Irish (collective plural) adjective: Irish Ethnic divisions: Celtic, English Religions: Roman Catholic 93%, Anglican 3%, none 1%, unknown 2%, other 1% (1981) Languages: Irish (Gaelic), spoken mainly in areas located along the western seaboard, English is the language generally used Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1981 est.) total population: 98% Labor force: 1.37 million by occupation: services 57.0%, manufacturing and construction 28%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 13.5%, energy and mining 1.5% (1992) @Ireland:Government Names: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Ireland Digraph: EI Type: republic Capital: Dublin Administrative divisions: 26 counties; Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Donegal, Dublin, Galway, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary, Waterford, Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklow Independence: 6 December 1921 (from UK) National holiday: Saint Patrick's Day, 17 March Constitution: 29 December 1937; adopted 1 July 1937 by plebescite Legal system: based on English common law, substantially modified by indigenous concepts; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Mary Bourke ROBINSON (since 9 November 1990); election last held 9 November 1990 (next to be held November 1997); results - Mary Bourke ROBINSON 52.8%, Brian LENIHAN 47.2% head of government: Prime Minister John BRUTON (since 15 December 1994) cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by president with previous nomination of the prime minister and approval of the House of Representatives Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament (Oireachtas) Senate (Seanad Eireann): elections last held NA February 1992 (next to be held NA February 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (60 total, 49 elected) Fianna Fail 26, Fine Gael 16, Labor 9, Progressive Democrats 2, Democratic Left 1, independents 6 House of Representatives (Dail Eireann): elections last held on 25 November 1992 (next to be held by November 1997); results - Fianna Fail 39.1%, Fine Gael 24.5%, Labor Party 19.3%, Progressive Democrats 4.7%, Democratic Left 2.8%, Sinn Fein 1.6%, Workers' Party 0.7%, independents 5.9%; seats - (166 total) Fianna Fail 68, Fine Gael 45, Labor Party 33, Progressive Democrats 10 Democratic Left 4, Greens 1, independents 5 Judicial branch: Supreme Court Political parties and leaders: Democratic Left, Proinsias DE ROSSA; Fianna Fail, Bertie AHERN; Labor Party, Richard SPRING; Fine Gael, John BRUTON; Communist Party of Ireland, Michael O'RIORDAN; Sinn Fein, Gerry ADAMS; Progressive Democrats, Desmond O'MALLEY; The Workers' Party, Marion DONNELLY; Green Alliance, Bronwen MAHER note: Prime Minister BRUTON heads a three-party coalition consisting of the Fine Gael, the Labor Party, and the Democratic Left Member of: Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, EBRD, EC, ECE, EIB, ESA, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MTCR, NEA, NSG, OECD, ONUSAL, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNOMOZ, UNOSOM, UNPROFOR, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, ZC Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Dermot A. GALLAGHER chancery: 2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 462-3939 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, New York, and San Francisco US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Jean Kennedy SMITH embassy: 42 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [353] (1) 6687122 FAX: [353] (1) 6689946 Flag: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and orange; similar to the flag of the Cote d'Ivoire, which is shorter and has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side), white, and green; also similar to the flag of Italy, which is shorter and has colors of green (hoist side), white, and red @Ireland:Economy Overview: The economy is small and trade dependent. Agriculture, once the most important sector, is now dwarfed by industry, which accounts for 37% of GDP, about 80% of exports, and employs 28% of the labor force. Although exports remain the primary engine for Ireland's robust growth, the economy is also benefiting from a rise in consumer spending and recovery in both construction and business investment. Ireland has substantially reduced its external debt since 1987, to 40% of GDP in 1994. Over the same period, inflation has fallen sharply and chronic trade deficits have been transformed into annual surpluses. Unemployment remains a serious problem, however, and job creation is the main focus of government policy. To ease unemployment, Dublin aggressively courts foreign investors and recently created a new industrial development agency to aid small indigenous firms. Government assistance is constrained by Dublin's continuing deficit reduction measures. National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $49.8 billion (1994 est.) National product real growth rate: 5.5% (1994 est.) National product per capita: $14,060 (1994 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.7% (1994 est.) Unemployment rate: 16% (1994 est.) Budget: revenues: $16 billion expenditures: $16.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1994) Exports: $28 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: chemicals, data processing equipment, industrial machinery, live animals, animal products partners: EU 75% (UK 32%, Germany 13%, France 10%), US 9% Imports: $26 billion (c.i.f., 1994 est.) commodities: food, animal feed, data processing equipment, petroleum and petroleum products, machinery, textiles, clothing partners: EU 66% (UK 41%, Germany 8%, France 4%), US 15% External debt: $20 billion (1994 est.) Industrial production: growth rate 8.5% (1994 est.); accounts for 37% of GDP Electricity: capacity: 3,930,000 kW production: 14.9 billion kWh consumption per capita: 3,938 kWh (1993) Industries: food products, brewing, textiles, clothing, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, machinery, transportation equipment, glass and crystal Agriculture: accounts for 10% of GDP; principal crops - turnips, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat; livestock - meat and dairy products; 85% self-sufficient in food; food shortages include bread grain, fruits, vegetables Illicit drugs: transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to the UK and Netherlands Economic aid: donor: ODA commitments (1980-89), $90 million Currency: 1 Irish pound (#Ir) = 100 pence Exchange rates: Irish pounds (#Ir) per US$1 - 0.6420 (January 1995), 0.6676 (1994), 0.6816 (1993), 0.5864 (1992), 0.6190 (1991), 0.6030 (1990) Fiscal year: calendar year @Ireland:Transportation Railroads: total: 1,947 km broad gauge: 1,947 km 1.600-m gauge (36 km electrified; 485 km double track) Highways: total: 92,327 km paved: 86,787 km (32 km of expressways) unpaved: gravel, crushed stone 5,540 km (1992) Inland waterways: limited for commercial traffic Pipelines: natural gas 225 km Ports: Arklow, Cork, Drogheda, Dublin, Foynes, Galway, Limerick, New Ross, Waterford Merchant marine: total: 47 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 129,996 GRT/160,419 DWT ships by type: bulk 4, cargo 33, chemical tanker 2, container 2, oil tanker 1, short-sea passenger 3, specialized tanker 2 Airports: total: 44 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 2 with paved runways under 914 m: 32 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 4 @Ireland:Communications Telephone system: 900,000 telephones; modern digital system using cable and microwave radio relay local: NA intercity: microwave radio relay international: 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth station Radio: broadcast stations: AM 9, FM 45, shortwave 0 radios: NA Television: broadcast stations: 86 televisions: NA @Ireland:Defense Forces Branches: Army (includes Naval Service and Air Corps), National Police (Garda Siochana) Manpower availability: males age 15-49 926,831; males fit for military service 749,646; males reach military age (17) annually 34,215 (1995 est.) Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $500 million, 1.3% of GDP (1994) ________________________________________________________________________ ISRAEL (also see separate Gaza Strip and West Bank entries) Note: The territories occupied by Israel since the 1967 war are not included in the data below. In keeping with the framework established at the Madrid Conference in October 1991, bilateral negotiations are being conducted between Israel and Palestinian representatives, Syria, and Jordan to determine the final status of the occupied territories. On 25 April 1982, Israel withdrew from the Sinai pursuant to the 1979 Israel-Egypt Peace treaty. Outstanding territorial and other disputes with Jordan were resolved in the 26 October 1994 Israel-Jordan Treaty of Peace. @Israel:Geography Location: Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Lebanon Map references: Middle East Area: total area: 20,770 sq km land area: 20,330 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than New Jersey Land boundaries: total 1,006 km, Egypt 255 km, Gaza Strip 51 km, Jordan 238 km, Lebanon 79 km, Syria 76 km, West Bank 307 km Coastline: 273 km Maritime claims: continental shelf: to depth of exploitation territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: separated from Lebanon, Syria, and the West Bank by the 1949 Armistice Line; the Gaza Strip and Jericho area, formerly occupied by Israel, are now administered largely by the Palestinian Authority; other areas of the West Bank outside Jericho are administered jointly by Israel and the Palestinian Authority; Golan Heights is Israeli occupied; Israeli troops in southern Lebanon since June 1982 Climate: temperate; hot and dry in southern and eastern desert areas Terrain: Negev desert in the south; low coastal plain; central mountains; Jordan Rift Valley Natural resources: copper, phosphates, bromide, potash, clay, sand, sulfur, asphalt, manganese, small amounts of natural gas and crude oil Land use: arable land: 17% permanent crops: 5% meadows and pastures: 40% forest and woodland: 6% other: 32% Irrigated land: 2,140 sq km (1989) Environment: current issues: limited arable land and natural fresh water resources pose serious constraints; desertification; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; groundwater pollution from industrial and domestic waste, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides natural hazards: sandstorms may occur during spring and summer international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution; signed, but not ratified - Climate Change, Desertification, Marine Life Conservation Note: there are 199 Jewish settlements and civilian land use sites in the West Bank, 42 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, 24 in the Gaza Strip, and 25 in East Jerusalem (August 1994 est.) @Israel:People Population: 5,433,134 (July 1995 est.) note: includes 122,000 Jewish settlers in the West Bank, 14,500 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, 4,800 in the Gaza Strip, and 149,000 in East Jerusalem (August 1994 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 29% 15-64 years: 61% 65 years and over: 10% Population growth rate: 1.4% (1995 est.) Birth rate: 20.39 births/1,000 population (1995 est.) Death rate: 6.38 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.) Infant mortality rate: 8.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.14 years male: 76 years female: 80.39 years (1995 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.81 children born/woman (1995 est.) Nationality: noun: Israeli(s) adjective: Israeli Ethnic divisions: Jewish 82% (Israel born 50%, Europe/Americas/Oceania born 20%, Africa born 7%, Asia born 5%), non-Jewish 18% (mostly Arab) (1993 est.) Religions: Judaism 82%, Islam 14% (mostly Sunni Muslim), Christian 2%, Druze and other 2% Languages: Hebrew (official), Arabic used officially for Arab minority, English most commonly used foreign language Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1992) total population: 95% male: 97% female: 93% Labor force: 1.9 million (1992) by occupation: public services 29.3%, industry 22.1%, commerce 13.9%, finance and business 10.4%, personal and other services 7.4%, construction 6.5%, transport, storage, and communications 6.3%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 3.5%, other 0.6% (1992) @Israel:Government Names: conventional long form: State of Israel conventional short form: Israel local long form: Medinat Yisra'el local short form: Yisra'el Digraph: IS Type: republic Capital: Jerusalem note: Israel proclaimed Jerusalem its capital in 1950, but the US, like nearly all other countries, does not recognize this status, and maintains its Embassy in Tel Aviv Administrative divisions: 6 districts (mehozot, singular - mehoz); Central, Haifa, Jerusalem, Northern, Southern, Tel Aviv Independence: 14 May 1948 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration) National holiday: Independence Day, 14 May 1948 (Israel declared independence on 14 May 1948, but the Jewish calendar is lunar and the holiday may occur in April or May) Constitution: no formal constitution; some of the functions of a constitution are filled by the Declaration of Establishment (1948), the basic laws of the parliament (Knesset), and the Israeli citizenship law Legal system: mixture of English common law, British Mandate regulations, and, in personal matters, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim legal systems; in December 1985, Israel informed the UN Secretariat that it would no longer accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Ezer WEIZMAN (since 13 May 1993) election last held 24 March 1993 (next to be held NA March 1999); results - Ezer WEIZMAN elected by Knesset head of government: Prime Minister Yitzhak RABIN (since NA July 1992) cabinet: Cabinet; selected from and approved by the Knesset Legislative branch: unicameral parliament (Knesset): elections last held NA June 1992 (next to be held by NA 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (120 total) Labor 44, Likud 32, MERETZ 12, Tzomet 8, National Religious Party 6, SHAS 6, United Torah Jewry 4, Democratic Front for Peace and Equality (Hadash) 3, Moledet 3, Arab Democratic Party 2; note - in 1994 four legislators broke party ranks, resulting in the following new distribution of seats - Labor Party 44, Likud bloc 32, MERETZ 12, National Religious Party 6, SHAS 6, Tzomet 5, United Torah Jewry 4, Democratic Front for Peace and Equality (Hadash) 3, Moledet 2, Arab Democratic Party 2, independents 4 (1 in coalition, 3 voting with opposition) Judicial branch: Supreme Court Political parties and leaders: members of the government: Labor Party, Prime Minister Yitzhak RABIN; MERETZ, Minister of Communications Shulamit ALONI; independent, Gonen SEGEV not in coalition, but voting with the government: Democratic Front for Peace and Equality (Hadash), Hashim MAHAMID; Arab Democratic Party, Abd al Wahab DARAWSHAH opposition parties: Likud Party, Binyamin NETANYAHU; Tzomet, Rafael EITAN; National Religious Party, Zevulun HAMMER; United Torah Jewry, Avraham SHAPIRA; Moledet, Rehavam ZEEVI; Peace Guard (independent), Shaul GUTMAN; SHAS, Arieh DERI note: Israel currently has a coalition government comprising 2 parties and an independent that hold 57 seats of the Knesset's 120 seats Other political or pressure groups: Gush Emunim, Israeli nationalists advocating Jewish settlement on the West Bank and Gaza Strip; Peace Now supports territorial concessions in the West Bank and is critical of government's Lebanon policy Member of: AG (observer), CCC, CE (observer), CERN (observer), EBRD, ECE, FAO, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, OAS (observer), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Itamar RABINOVICH chancery: 3514 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 364-5500 FAX: [1] (202) 364-5610 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, and San Francisco US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Martin INDYK embassy: 71 Hayarkon Street, Tel Aviv mailing address: PSC 98, Box 100, Tel Aviv; APO AE 09830 telephone: [972] (3) 517-4338 FAX: [972] (3) 663-449 consulate(s) general: Jerusalem Flag: white with a blue hexagram (six-pointed linear star) known as the Magen David (Shield of David) centered between two equal horizontal blue bands near the top and bottom edges of the flag @Israel:Economy Overview: Israel has a market economy with substantial government participation. It depends on imports of crude oil, grains, raw materials, and military equipment. Despite limited natural resources, Israel has intensively developed its agricultural and industrial sectors over the past 20 years. Industry employs about 22% of Israeli workers, construction 6.5%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 3.5%, and services most of the rest. Israel is largely self-sufficient in food production except for grains. Diamonds, high-technology equipment, and agricultural products (fruits and vegetables) are leading exports. Israel usually posts current account deficits, which are covered by large transfer payments from abroad and by foreign loans. Roughly half of the government's external debt is owed to the United States, which is its major source of economic and military aid. To earn needed foreign exchange, Israel has been targeting high-technology niches in international markets, such as medical scanning equipment. The influx of Jewish immigrants from the former USSR, which topped 450,000 during the period 1990-94, increased unemployment, intensified housing problems, and strained the government budget. At the same time, the immigrants bring to the economy valuable scientific and professional expertise. National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $70.1 billion (1994 est.) National product real growth rate: 6.8% (1994 est.) National product per capita: $13,880 (1994 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 14.5% (1994) Unemployment rate: 7.5% (1994 est.) Budget: revenues: $42.3 billion expenditures: $45.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $11.1 billion (FY92/93) Exports: $16.2 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: machinery and equipment, cut diamonds, chemicals, textiles and apparel, agricultural products, metals partners: US, EU, Japan Imports: $22.5 billion (c.i.f., 1994 est.) commodities: military equipment, investment goods, rough diamonds, oil, other productive inputs, consumer goods partners: EU, US, Japan External debt: $25.9 billion (November 1994 est.) Industrial production: growth rate 8% (1994 est.); accounts for about 30% of GDP Electricity: capacity: 4,140,000 kW production: 23 billion kWh consumption per capita: 4,290 kWh (1993) Industries: food processing, diamond cutting and polishing, textiles and apparel, chemicals, metal products, military equipment, transport equipment, electrical equipment, miscellaneous machinery, potash mining, high-technology electronics, tourism Agriculture: citrus and other fruits, vegetables, cotton; beef, poultry, dairy products Illicit drugs: increasingly concerned about cocaine and heroin abuse and trafficking Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-90), $18.2 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $2.8 billion Currency: 1 new Israeli shekel (NIS) = 100 new agorot Exchange rates: new Israeli shekels (NIS) per US$1 - 3.070 (December 1994), 3.0111 (1994), 2.8301 (1993), 2.4591 (1992), 2.2791 (1991), 2.0162 (1990), 1.9164 (1989) Fiscal year: calendar year (since 1 January 1992) @Israel:Transportation Railroads: total: 520 km (diesel operated; single track) standard gauge: 520 km 1.435-m gauge Highways: total: 13,461 km paved: 13,461 km Pipelines: crude oil 708 km; petroleum products 290 km; natural gas 89 km Ports: Ashdod, Ashqelon, Elat, Hadera, Haifa, Tel Aviv-Yafo Merchant marine: total: 32 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 624,861 GRT/720,765 DWT ships by type: cargo 7, container 22, refrigerated cargo 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 Airports: total: 57 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 2 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 7 with paved runways under 914 m: 31 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 3 @Israel:Communications Telephone system: 1,800,000 telephones; most highly developed in the Middle East although not the largest local: NA intercity: good system of coaxial cable and microwave radio relay international: 3 submarine cables; 3 INTELSAT (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) earth stations Radio: broadcast stations: AM 9, FM 45, shortwave 0 radios: NA Television: broadcast stations: 20 televisions: NA @Israel:Defense Forces Branches: Israel Defense Forces (includes ground, naval, and air components), Pioneer Fighting Youth (Nahal), Frontier Guard, Chen (women); note - historically there have been no separate Israeli military services Manpower availability: males age 15-49 1,309,502; females age 15-49 1,283,923; males fit for military service 1,072,501; females fit for military service 1,047,575; males reach military age (18) annually 47,950; females reach military age (18) annually 45,839 (1995 est.) note: military service mandatory for men and women Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $6.5 billion, about 10% of GDP (1995) ________________________________________________________________________ ITALY @Italy:Geography Location: Southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the central Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia Map references: Europe Area: total area: 301,230 sq km land area: 294,020 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Arizona note: includes Sardinia and Sicily Land boundaries: total 1,899.2 km, Austria 430 km, France 488 km, Holy See (Vatican City) 3.2 km, San Marino 39 km, Slovenia 199 km, Switzerland 740 km Coastline: 4,996 km Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: none Climate: predominantly Mediterranean; Alpine in far north; hot, dry in south Terrain: mostly rugged and mountainous; some plains, coastal lowlands Natural resources: mercury, potash, marble, sulfur, dwindling natural gas and crude oil reserves, fish, coal Land use: arable land: 32% permanent crops: 10% meadows and pastures: 17% forest and woodland: 22% other: 19% Irrigated land: 31,000 sq km (1989 est.) Environment: current issues: air pollution from industrial emissions such as sulfur dioxide; coastal and inland rivers polluted from industrial and agricultural effluents; acid rain damaging lakes; inadequate industrial waste treatment and disposal facilities natural hazards: regional risks include landslides, mudflows, avalanches, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding; land subsidence in Venice international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Desertification Note: strategic location dominating central Mediterranean as well as southern sea and air approaches to Western Europe @Italy:People Population: 58,261,971 (July 1995 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 15% (female 4,352,325; male 4,603,083) 15-64 years: 68% (female 19,969,086; male 19,874,528) 65 years and over: 17% (female 5,630,747; male 3,832,202) (July 1995 est.) Population growth rate: 0.21% (1995 est.) Birth rate: 10.89 births/1,000 population (1995 est.) Death rate: 9.78 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.) Net migration rate: 1.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.) Infant mortality rate: 7.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.85 years male: 74.67 years female: 81.23 years (1995 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.41 children born/woman (1995 est.)
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