The 1995 CIA World FactbookPart 34 out of 45Island) Land boundaries: total 4,750 km, Botswana 1,840 km, Lesotho 909 km, Mozambique 491 km, Namibia 855 km, Swaziland 430 km, Zimbabwe 225 km Coastline: 2,798 km Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: Swaziland has asked South Africa to open negotiations on reincorporating some nearby South African territories that are populated by ethnic Swazis or that were long ago part of the Swazi Kingdom; Climate: mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool nights Terrain: vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain Natural resources: gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas Land use: arable land: 10% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 65% forest and woodland: 3% other: 21% Irrigated land: 11,280 sq km (1989 est.) Environment: current issues: lack of important arterial rivers or lakes requires extensive water conservation and control measures; growth in water usage threatens to outpace supply; pollution of rivers from agricultural runoff and urban discharge; air pollution resulting in acid rain; soil erosion; desertification natural hazards: prolonged droughts international agreements: party to - Antarctic Treaty, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea Note: South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost completely surrounds Swaziland @South Africa:People Population: total: 45,095,459 (July 1995 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 40% (female 8,842,764; male 9,091,722) 15-64 years: 56% (female 12,825,617; male 12,508,039) 65 years and over: 4% (female 1,047,285; male 780,032) (July 1995 est.) Population growth rate: total: 2.61% (1995 est.) Birth rate: 33.39 births/1,000 population (1995 est.) Death rate: 7.42 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.) Net migration rate: 0.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.) Infant mortality rate: 45.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 65.42 years male: 62.68 years female: 68.25 years (1995 est.) Total fertility rate: 4.35 children born/woman (1995 est.) Nationality: noun: South African(s) adjective: South African Ethnic divisions: black 75.2%, white 13.6%, Colored 8.6%, Indian 2.6% Religions: Christian (most whites and Coloreds and about 60% of blacks), Hindu (60% of Indians), Muslim 2% Languages: eleven official languages, including Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Pedi, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1980) total population: 76% male: 78% female: 75% Labor force: 13.4 million economically active (1990) by occupation: services 35%, agriculture 30%, industry 20%, mining 9%, other 6% @South Africa:Government Names: conventional long form: Republic of South Africa conventional short form: South Africa Abbreviation: RSA Digraph: SF Type: republic Capital: Pretoria (administrative); Cape Town (legislative); Bloemfontein (judicial) Administrative divisions: 9 provinces; Eastern Cape, Eastern Transvaal, KwaZulu/Natal, Northern Cape, Northern Transvaal, Northwest, Orange Free State, Gauteng, Western Cape Independence: 31 May 1910 (from UK) National holiday: Freedom Day, 27 April (1994) Constitution: 27 April 1994 (interim constitution, replacing the constitution of 3 September 1984) Legal system: based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state and head of government: Executive President Nelson MANDELA (since 10 May 1994); Deputy Executive President Thabo MBEKI (since 10 May 1994); Deputy Executive President Frederik W. DE KLERK (since 10 May 1994) note: any political party that wins 20% or more of the National Assembly votes in a general election is entitled to name a Deputy Executive President cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the Executive President Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly: elections last held 26-29 April 1994 (next to be held NA); results - ANC 62.6%, NP 20.4%, IFP 10.5%, FF 2.2%, DP 1.7%, PAC 1.2%, ACDP 0.5%, other 0.9%; seats - (400 total) ANC 252, NP 82, IFP 43, FF 9, DP 7, PAC 5, ACDP 2 Senate: the Senate is composed of members who are nominated by the nine provincial parliaments (which are elected in parallel with the National Assembly) and has special powers to protect regional interests, including the right to limited self-determination for ethnic minorities; seats - (90 total) ANC 61, NP 17, FF 4, IFP 5, DP 3 note: when the National Assembly meets in joint session with the Senate to consider the provisions of the constitution, the combined group is referred to as the Constitutional Assembly Judicial branch: Supreme Court Political parties and leaders: African National Congress (ANC), Nelson MANDELA, president; National Party (NP), Frederik W. DE KLERK, president; Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), Mangosuthu BUTHELEZI, president; Freedom Front (FF), Constand VILJOEN, president; Democratic Party (DP); Pan Africanist Congress (PAC), Clarence MAKWETU, president; African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP), leader NA note: in addition to these seven parties which received seats in the National Assembly, twelve other parties won votes in the national elections in April 1994 Other political or pressure groups: NA;; Member of: BIS, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, ZC Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Franklin SONN chancery: 3051 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 232-4400 consulate(s) general: Beverly Hills (California), Chicago, and New York US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Princeton N. LYMAN embassy: 877 Pretorius St., Arcadia 0083 mailing address: P.O. Box 9536, Pretoria 0001 telephone: [27] (12) 342-1048 FAX: [27] (12) 342-2244 consulate(s) general: Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg Flag: two equal width horizontal bands of red (top) and blue separated by a central green band which splits into a horozontal Y, the arms of which end at the corners of the hoist side, embracing a black isoceles triangle from which the arms are separated by narrow yellow bands; the red and blue bands are separated from the green band and its arms by narrow white stripes note: prior to 26 April 1994, the flag was actually four flags in one - three miniature flags reproduced in the center of the white band of the former flag of the Netherlands, which has three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and blue; the miniature flags are a vertically hanging flag of the old Orange Free State with a horizontal flag of the UK adjoining on the hoist side and a horizontal flag of the old Transvaal Republic adjoining on the other side @South Africa:Economy Overview: Many of the white one-seventh of the South African population enjoy incomes, material comforts, and health and educational standards equal to those of Western Europe. In contrast, most of the remaining population suffers from the poverty patterns of the Third World, including unemployment and lack of job skills. The main strength of the economy lies in its rich mineral resources, which provide two-thirds of exports. Economic developments for the remainder of the 1990s will be driven largely by the new government's attempts to improve black living conditions, to set the country on an aggressive export-led growth path, and to cut back the enormous numbers of unemployed. The economy in recent years has absorbed less than 5% of the more than 300,000 workers entering the labor force annually. Local economists estimate that the economy must grow between 5% and 6% in real terms annually to absorb all of the new entrants, much less reduce the accumulated total. National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $194.3 billion (1994 est.) National product real growth rate: 2% (1994 est.) National product per capita: $4,420 (1994 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 9% (1994 est.) Unemployment rate: 32.6% (1994 est.); an additional 11% underemployment Budget: revenues: $26.3 billion expenditures: $34 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.5 billion (FY93/94 est.) Exports: $25.3 billion (f.o.b., 1994) commodities: gold 27%, other minerals and metals 20%-25%, food 5%, chemicals 3% partners: Italy, Japan, US, Germany, UK, other EU countries, Hong Kong Imports: $21.4 billion (f.o.b., 1994) commodities: machinery 32%, transport equipment 15%, chemicals 11%, oil, textiles, scientific instruments partners: Germany, US, Japan, UK, Italy External debt: $18 billion (1994 est.) Industrial production: growth rate NA%; accounts for about 40% of GDP Electricity: capacity: 39,750,000 kW production: 163 billion kWh consumption per capita: 3,482 kWh (1993) Industries: mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold, chromium), automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textile, iron and steel, chemical, fertilizer, foodstuffs Agriculture: accounts for about 5% of GDP and 30% of labor force; diversified agriculture, with emphasis on livestock; products - cattle, poultry, sheep, wool, milk, beef, corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; self-sufficient in food Illicit drugs: transshipment center for heroin and cocaine; cocaine consumption on the rise; world's largest market for illicit methaqualone, usually imported illegally from India through various east African countries Economic aid: many aid packages for the new government are still being prepared; current aid pledges include US $600 million over 3 years; UK $150 million over 3 years; Australia $21 million over 3 years; Japan $1.3 billion over 2 years Currency: 1 rand (R) = 100 cents Exchange rates: rand (R) per US$1 - 3.5389 (January 1995), 3.5490 (1994), 3.2636 (1993), 2.8497 (1992), 2.7563 (1991), 2.5863 (1990) Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March @South Africa:Transportation Railroads: total: 20,638 km narrow gauge: 20,324 km 1.067-m gauge (substantial electrification); 314 km 0.610-m gauge Highways: total: 188,309 km paved: 54,013 km unpaved: crushed stone, gravel, improved earth 134,296 km Pipelines: crude oil 931 km; petroleum products 1,748 km; natural gas 322 km Ports: Cape Town, Durban, East London, Mosselbaai, Port Elizabeth, Richards Bay, Saldanha Merchant marine: total: 4 container ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 211,276 GRT/198,602 DWT Airports: total: 853 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 9 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 47 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 72 with paved runways under 914 m: 327 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 39 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 354 @South Africa:Communications Telephone system: over 4,500,000 telephones; the system is the best developed, most modern, and has the highest capacity in Africa local: NA intercity: consists of carrier-equipped open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay links, fiber optic cable, and radiocommunication stations; key centers are Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth, and Pretoria international: 1 submarine cable; 3 INTELSAT (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean) earth stations Radio: broadcast stations: AM 14, FM 286, shortwave 0 radios: NA Television: broadcast stations: 67 televisions: NA @South Africa:Defense Forces Branches: South African National Defence Force (SANDF; includes Army, Navy, Air Force, and Medical Services), South African Police Service (SAPS) Manpower availability: males age 15-49 10,830,079; males fit for military service 6,601,323; males reach military age (18) annually 439,793 (1995 est.) Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $3.2 billion, 2.8% of GDP (FY93/94) ________________________________________________________________________ SOUTH GEORGIA AND THE SOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS (dependent territory of the UK) @South Georgia And The South Sandwich Islands:Geography Location: Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of the tip of South America Map references: Antarctic Region Area: total area: 4,066 sq km land area: 4,066 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Rhode Island note: includes Shag Rocks, Clerke Rocks, Bird Island Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: NA km Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: administered by the UK, claimed by Argentina Climate: variable, with mostly westerly winds throughout the year, interspersed with periods of calm; nearly all precipitation falls as snow Terrain: most of the islands, rising steeply from the sea, are rugged and mountainous; South Georgia is largely barren and has steep, glacier-covered mountains; the South Sandwich Islands are of volcanic origin with some active volcanoes Natural resources: fish Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 100% (largely covered by permanent ice and snow with some sparse vegetation consisting of grass, moss, and lichen) Irrigated land: 0 sq km Environment: current issues: NA natural hazards: the South Sandwich Islands have prevailing weather conditions that generally make them difficult to approach by ship; they are also subject to active volcanism international agreements: NA Note: the north coast of South Georgia has several large bays, which provide good anchorage; reindeer, introduced early in this century, live on South Georgia @South Georgia And The South Sandwich Islands:People Population: no indigenous population; there is a small military garrison on South Georgia, and the British Antarctic Survey has a biological station on Bird Island; the South Sandwich Islands are uninhabited @South Georgia And The South Sandwich Islands:Government Names: conventional long form: South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands conventional short form: none Digraph: SX Type: dependent territory of the UK Capital: none; Grytviken on South Georgia is the garrison town Administrative divisions: none (dependent territory of the UK) Independence: none (dependent territory of the UK) National holiday: Liberation Day, 14 June (1982) Constitution: 3 October 1985 Legal system: English common law Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Commissioner David Everard TATHAM (since August 1992; resident at Stanley, Falkland Islands) Legislative branch: no elections Judicial branch: none @South Georgia And The South Sandwich Islands:Economy Overview: Some fishing takes place in adjacent waters. There is a potential source of income from harvesting fin fish and krill. The islands receive income from postage stamps produced in the UK. Budget: revenues: $291,777 expenditures: $451,000, including capital expenditures of $NA (1988 est.) Electricity: capacity: 900 kW production: 2 million kWh consumption per capita: NA kWh (1992) @South Georgia And The South Sandwich Islands:Transportation Highways: total: NA paved: NA unpaved: NA Ports: Grytviken Airports: none @South Georgia And The South Sandwich Islands:Communications Telephone system: NA telephones; coastal radio station at Grytviken local: NA intercity: NA international: NA Radio: broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 0, shortwave 0 radios: NA Television: broadcast stations: 0 televisions: NA @South Georgia And The South Sandwich Islands:Defense Forces Note: defense is the responsibility of the UK ________________________________________________________________________ SPAIN @Spain:Geography Location: Southwestern Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay, Mediterranean Sea, and North Atlantic Ocean, southwest of France Map references: Europe Area: total area: 504,750 sq km land area: 499,400 sq km comparative area: slightly more than twice the size of Oregon note: includes Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, and five places of sovereignty (plazas de soberania) on and off the coast of Morocco - Ceuta, Mellila, Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera Land boundaries: total 1,903.2 km, Andorra 65 km, France 623 km, Gibraltar 1.2 km, Portugal 1,214 km Coastline: 4,964 km Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: Gibraltar question with UK; Spain controls five places of sovereignty (plazas de soberania) on and off the coast of Morocco - the coastal enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, which Morocco contests, as well as the islands of Penon de Alhucemas, Penon de Velez de la Gomera, and Islas Chafarinas Climate: temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and cloudy along coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior, partly cloudy and cool along coast Terrain: large, flat to dissected plateau surrounded by rugged hills; Pyrenees in north Natural resources: coal, lignite, iron ore, uranium, mercury, pyrites, fluorspar, gypsum, zinc, lead, tungsten, copper, kaolin, potash, hydropower Land use: arable land: 31% permanent crops: 10% meadows and pastures: 21% forest and woodland: 31% other: 7% Irrigated land: 33,600 sq km (1989 est.) Environment: current issues: pollution of the Mediterranean Sea from raw sewage and effluents from the offshore production of oil and gas; air pollution; deforestation; desertification natural hazards: periodic droughts international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Desertification, Law of the Sea Note: strategic location along approaches to Strait of Gibraltar @Spain:People Population: 39,404,348 (July 1995 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 17% (female 3,214,606; male 3,446,643) 15-64 years: 68% (female 13,377,839; male 13,457,683) 65 years and over: 15% (female 3,461,367; male 2,446,210) (July 1995 est.) Population growth rate: 0.27% (1995 est.) Birth rate: 11.21 births/1,000 population (1995 est.) Death rate: 8.86 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.) Net migration rate: 0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.) Infant mortality rate: 6.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.91 years male: 74.67 years female: 81.39 years (1995 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.41 children born/woman (1995 est.) Nationality: noun: Spaniard(s) adjective: Spanish Ethnic divisions: composite of Mediterranean and Nordic types Religions: Roman Catholic 99%, other sects 1% Languages: Castilian Spanish, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, Basque 2% Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1986) total population: 96% male: 98% female: 94% Labor force: 14.621 million by occupation: services 53%, industry 24%, agriculture 14%, construction 9% (1988) @Spain:Government Names: conventional long form: Kingdom of Spain conventional short form: Spain local short form: Espana Digraph: SP Type: parliamentary monarchy Capital: Madrid Administrative divisions: 17 autonomous communities (comunidades autonomas, singular - comunidad autonoma); Andalucia, Aragon, Asturias, Canarias, Cantabria, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y Leon, Cataluna, Communidad Valencia, Extremadura, Galicia, Islas Baleares, La Rioja, Madrid, Murcia, Navarra, Pais Vasco note: there are five places of sovereignty on and off the coast of Morocco (Ceuta, Mellila, Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera) with administrative status unknown Independence: 1492 (expulsion of the Moors and unification) National holiday: National Day, 12 October Constitution: 6 December 1978, effective 29 December 1978 Legal system: civil law system, with regional applications; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: King JUAN CARLOS I (since 22 November 1975) head of government: Prime Minister Felipe GONZALEZ Marquez (since 2 December 1982); Deputy Prime Minister Narcis SERRA y Serra (since 13 March 1991) cabinet: Council of Ministers; designated by the prime minister Council of State: is the supreme consultative organ of the government Legislative branch: bicameral The General Courts or National Assembly (Las Cortes Generales) Senate (Senado): elections last held 6 June 1993 (next to be held by June 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (255 total) PSOE 117, PP 107, CiU 15, PNV 5, IU 2, other 9 Congress of Deputies (Congreso de los Diputados): elections last held 6 June 1993 (next to be held by June 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (350 total) PSOE 159, PP 141, IU 18, CiU 17, PNV 5, CC 4, HB 2, other 4 Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Tribunal Supremo) Political parties and leaders: principal national parties, from right to left: Popular Party (PP), Jose Maria AZNAR Lopez; Democratic Social Center (CDS), Rafael CALVO Ortega; Spanish Socialist Workers Party (PSOE), Felipe GONZALEZ Marquez, secretary general; Socialist Democracy Party (DS), Ricardo GARCIA Damborenea; Spanish Communist Party (PCE), Julio ANGUITA Gonzalez; United Left (IU - a coalition of parties including the PCE, a branch of the PSOE, and other small parties), Julio ANGUITA Gonzalez chief regional parties: Convergence and Union (CiU), Miquel ROCA i Junyent, secretary general; Basque Nationalist Party (PNV), Xabier ARZALLUS Antia and Jose Antonio ARDANZA; Basque United People (HB), Jon IDIGORAS Guerricabeitia and Inaki ESNAOLA; Canarian Coalition (CC), a coalition of five parties Other political or pressure groups: on the extreme left, the Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA) and the First of October Antifascist Resistance Group (GRAPO) use terrorism to oppose the government; free labor unions (authorized in April 1977) include the Communist-dominated Workers Commissions (CCOO); the Socialist General Union of Workers (UGT), and the smaller independent Workers Syndical Union (USO); business and landowning interests; the Catholic Church; Opus Dei; university students Member of: AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EBRD, EC, ECE, ECLAC, EIB, ESA, FAO, G- 8, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MTCR, NACC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, ONUSAL, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIH, UNOMOZ, UNPROFOR, UNU, UPU, WCL, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jaime De OJEDA Eiseley chancery: 2375 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 452-0100, 728-2340 FAX: [1] (202) 833-5670 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico) US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Richard N. GARDNER embassy: Serrano 75, 28006 Madrid mailing address: APO AE 09642 telephone: [34] (1) 577-4000 FAX: [34] (1) 577-5735 consulate(s) general: Barcelona consulate(s): Bilbao Flag: three horizontal bands of red (top), yellow (double width), and red with the national coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band; the coat of arms includes the royal seal framed by the Pillars of Hercules, which are the two promontories (Gibraltar and Ceuta) on either side of the eastern end of the Strait of Gibraltar @Spain:Economy Overview: Spain, with a per capita output approximately two-thirds that of the four leading economies of Western Europe, has shared with these countries the recession of the early 1990s and the upturn of their economic fortunes in 1994. But whereas unemployment in these countries has hovered just above 10%, Spain has been forced to cope with a 25% unemployment rate. Continued political turmoil has complicated the establishment of stable government policies toward budgetary restraint, interest rates, labor law reform, and Spain's role in the evolving economic integration of Western Europe. Because the recession has been so deep, the growth in industrial output, tourism, and other sectors in 1994, while welcome, falls far short of the growth required to bring unemployment down to, say, 10%. The recovery in the economies of major trade partners, the comparatively low inflation rate, lower interest rates, and prospects in the tourist sector suggest that Spain can make substantial progress in 1995. National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $515.8 billion (1994 est.) National product real growth rate: 1.8% (1994 est.) National product per capita: $13,120 (1994 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.9% (1994) Unemployment rate: 24.5% (yearend 1994) Budget: revenues: $97.7 billion expenditures: $128 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1993 est.) Exports: $72.8 billion (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: cars and trucks, semifinished manufactured goods, foodstuffs, machinery partners: EC 71.2%, US 4.8%, other developed countries 7.9% (1992) Imports: $92.5 billion (c.i.f., 1993) commodities: machinery, transport equipment, fuels, semifinished goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods, chemicals partners: EC 60.7%, US 7.4%, other developed countries 11.5%, Middle East 5.9% (1992) External debt: $90 billion (1993 est.) Industrial production: growth rate 4% (1994 est.) Electricity: capacity: 43,800,000 kW production: 148 billion kWh consumption per capita: 3,545 kWh (1993) Industries: textiles and apparel (including footwear), food and beverages, metals and metal manufactures, chemicals, shipbuilding, automobiles, machine tools, tourism Agriculture: accounts for about 5% of GDP and 14% of labor force; major products - grain, vegetables, olives, wine grapes, sugar beets, citrus fruit, beef, pork, poultry, dairy; largely self-sufficient in food; fish catch of 1.4 million metric tons is among top 20 nations Illicit drugs: key European gateway country for Latin American cocaine and North African hashish entering the European market; transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-87), $1.9 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-79), $545 million note: not currently a recipient Currency: 1 peseta (Pta) = 100 centimos Exchange rates: pesetas (Ptas) per US$1 - 132.61 (January 1995), 133.96 (1994), 127.26 (1993), 102.38 (1992), 103.91 (1991), 101.93 (1990) Fiscal year: calendar year @Spain:Transportation Railroads: total: 14,400 km broad gauge: 12,111 km 1.668-m gauge (6,404 km electrified; 2,295 km double track) standard gauge: 515 km 1.435-m gauge (515 km electrified) narrow gauge: 1,774 km (privately owned: 1,727 km 1.000-m gauge, 560 km electrified; 28 km 0.914-m gauge, 28 km electrified; government owned: 19 km 1.000-m gauge, all electrified) Highways: total: 331,961 km paved: 328,641 km (2,700 km of expressways) unpaved: 3,320 km (1991) Inland waterways: 1,045 km, but of minor economic importance Pipelines: crude oil 265 km; petroleum products 1,794 km; natural gas 1,666 km Ports: Aviles, Barcelona, Bilbao, Cadiz, Cartagena, Castellon de la Plana, Ceuta, Huelva, La Coruna, Las Palmas (Canary Islands), Malaga, Melilla, Pasajes, Puerto de Gijon, Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Canary Islands), Santander, Tarragona, Valencia, Vigo Merchant marine: total: 157 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 868,326 GRT/1,382,335 DWT ships by type: bulk 12, cargo 41, chemical tanker 11, container 9, liquefied gas tanker 4, oil tanker 25, passenger 2, refrigerated cargo 12, roll-on/roll-off cargo 34, short-sea passenger 5, specialized tanker 2 Airports: total: 106 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 15 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 12 with paved runways under 914 m: 34 with unpaved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 1 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 16 @Spain:Communications Telephone system: 15,350,464 telephones; generally adequate, modern facilities local: NA intercity: NA international: 22 coaxial submarine cables; 2 earth stations for INTELSAT (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); earth stations for working the EUTELSAT, INMARSAT, and MARECS satellite communications systems; microwave tropospheric scatter links to adjacent countries Radio: broadcast stations: AM 190, FM 406 (repeaters 134), shortwave 0 radios: NA Television: broadcast stations: 100 (repeaters 1,297) televisions: NA @Spain:Defense Forces Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Civil Guard, National Police, Coastal Civil Guard Manpower availability: males age 15-49 10,435,970; males fit for military service 8,434,460; males reach military age (20) annually 335,967 (1995 est.) Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $8 billion, 1.6% of GDP (1994) ________________________________________________________________________ SPRATLY ISLANDS @Spratly Islands:Geography Location: Southeastern Asia, group of reefs in the South China Sea, about two-thirds of the way from southern Vietnam to the southern Philippines Map references: Southeast Asia Area: total area: NA sq km but less than 5 km2 land area: less than 5 sq km comparative area: NA note: includes 100 or so islets, coral reefs, and sea mounts scattered over the South China Sea Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 926 km Maritime claims: NA International disputes: all of the Spratly Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam; parts of them are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines; in 1984, Brunei established an exclusive economic zone, which encompasses Louisa Reef, but has not publicly claimed the island Climate: tropical Terrain: flat Natural resources: fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 100% Irrigated land: 0 sq km Environment: current issues: NA natural hazards: typhoons; serious maritime hazard because of numerous reefs and shoals international agreements: NA Note: strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in the central South China Sea; includes numerous small islands, atolls, shoals, and coral reefs @Spratly Islands:People Population: no indigenous inhabitants; note - there are scattered garrisons @Spratly Islands:Government Names: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Spratly Islands Digraph: PG @Spratly Islands:Economy Overview: Economic activity is limited to commercial fishing. The proximity to nearby oil- and gas-producing sedimentary basins suggests the potential for oil and gas deposits, but the region is largely unexplored, and there are no reliable estimates of potential reserves; commercial exploitation has yet to be developed. Industries: none @Spratly Islands:Transportation Ports: none Airports: total: 4 with paved runways under 914 m: 3 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1 @Spratly Islands:Communications Telephone system: local: NA intercity: NA international: NA Radio: broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA radios: NA Television: broadcast stations: NA televisions: NA @Spratly Islands:Defense Forces Note: about 50 small islands or reefs are occupied by China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam ________________________________________________________________________ SRI LANKA @Sri Lanka:Geography Location: Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India Map references: Asia Area: total area: 65,610 sq km land area: 64,740 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than West Virginia Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 1,340 km Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: none Climate: tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October) Terrain: mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central interior Natural resources: limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay Land use: arable land: 16% permanent crops: 17% meadows and pastures: 7% forest and woodland: 37% other: 23% Irrigated land: 5,600 sq km (1989 est.) Environment: current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by poaching; coastal degradation from mining activities and increased pollution; freshwater resources being polluted by industrial wastes and sewage runoff natural hazards: occasional cyclones and tornadoes international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Marine Life Conservation Note: strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes @Sri Lanka:People Population: 18,342,660 (July 1995 est.) note: since the outbreak of hostilities between the government and armed Tamil separatists in the mid-1980s, several hundred thousand Tamil civilians have fled the island; as of late 1992, nearly 115,000 were housed in refugee camps in south India, another 95,000 lived outside the Indian camps, and more than 200,000 Tamils have sought political asylum in the West Age structure: 0-14 years: 29% (female 2,597,969; male 2,713,696) 15-64 years: 65% (female 6,042,228; male 5,902,343) 65 years and over: 6% (female 547,715; male 538,709) (July 1995 est.) Population growth rate: 1.15% (1995 est.) Birth rate: 18.13 births/1,000 population (1995 est.) Death rate: 5.78 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.) Net migration rate: -0.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.) Infant mortality rate: 21.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.14 years male: 69.58 years female: 74.82 years (1995 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.08 children born/woman (1995 est.) Nationality: noun: Sri Lankan(s) adjective: Sri Lankan Ethnic divisions: Sinhalese 74%, Tamil 18%, Moor 7%, Burgher, Malay, and Vedda 1% Religions: Buddhist 69%, Hindu 15%, Christian 8%, Muslim 8% Languages: Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil (national language) 18% note: English is commonly used in government and is spoken by about 10% of the population Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) total population: 88% male: 93% female: 84% Labor force: 6.6 million by occupation: agriculture 45.9%, mining and manufacturing 13.3%, trade and transport 12.4%, services and other 28.4% (1985 est.) @Sri Lanka:Government Names: conventional long form: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka conventional short form: Sri Lanka former: Ceylon Digraph: CE Type: republic Capital: Colombo Administrative divisions: 8 provinces; Central, North Central, North Eastern, North Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Western Independence: 4 February 1948 (from UK) National holiday: Independence and National Day, 4 February (1948) Constitution: adopted 16 August 1978 Legal system: a highly complex mixture of English common law, Roman-Dutch, Muslim, Sinhalese, and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state and head of government: President Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (since 12 November 1994); note - Sirimavo BANDARANAIKE is the Prime Minister; in Sri Lanka the president is considered to be both the chief of state and the head of the government, this is in contrast to the more common practice of dividing the roles between the president and the prime minister when both offices exist; election last held 9 November 1994 (next to be held NA November 2000); results - Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (People's Alliance) 62%, Srima DISSANAYAKE (United National Party) 37%, other 1% cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the president in consultation with the prime minister Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament: elections last held 16 August 1994 (next to be held by August 2000); results - PA 49.0%, UNP 44.0%, SLMC 1.8%, TULF 1.7%, SLPF 1.1%, EPDP 0.3%, UPF 0.3%, PLOTE 0.1%, other 1.7%; seats - (225 total) PA 105, UNP 94, EPDP 9, SLMC 7, TULF 5, PLOTE 3, SLPF 1, UPF 1 Judicial branch: Supreme Court Political parties and leaders: All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC), C. G. Kumar PONNAMBALAM; Ceylon Workers Congress (CLDC), S. THONDAMAN; Communist Party, K. P. SILVA; Communist Party/Beijing (CP/B), N. SHANMUGATHASAN; Democratic People's Liberation Front (DPLF), leader NA; Democratic United National Front (DUNF), G. M. PREMACHANDRA; Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP), Douglas DEVANANDA; Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRL), Suresh PREMACHANDRAN; Eelam Revolutionary Organization of Students (EROS), Shankar RAJI; Lanka Socialist Party/Trotskyite (LSSP, or Lanka Sama Samaja Party), Colin R. DE SILVA; Liberal Party (LP), Chanaka AMARATUNGA; New Socialist Party (NSSP, or Nava Sama Samaja Party), Vasudeva NANAYAKKARA; People's Alliance (PA), Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA; People's Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE), Dharmalingam SIDARTHAN; People's United Front (MEP, or Mahajana Eksath Peramuna), Dinesh GUNAWARDENE; Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), Sirimavo BANDARANAIKE; Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), M. H. M. ASHRAFF; Sri Lanka People's Party (SLMP, or Sri Lanka Mahajana Party), Ossie ABEYGUNASEKERA; Sri Lanka Progressive Front (SLPF), leader NA; Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization (TELO), leader NA; Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF), M. SIVASITHAMBARAM; United National Party (UNP), Ranil WICKREMANSINGHE; Upcountry People's Front (UPF), leader NA; several ethnic Tamil and Muslim parties, represented in either parliament or provincial councils note: the United Socialist Alliance (USA), which was formed in 1987 and included the NSSP, LSSP, SLMP, CP/M, and CP/B, was defunct as of 1993, following the formation of the People's Alliance Party (PA) Other political or pressure groups: Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and other smaller Tamil separatist groups; other radical chauvinist Sinhalese groups; Buddhist clergy; Sinhalese Buddhist lay groups; labor unions Member of: AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-24, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, PCA, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jayantha DHANAPALA chancery: 2148 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-4025 through 4028 FAX: [1] (202) 232-7181 consulate(s): New York US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Teresita C. SCHAFFER embassy: 210 Galle Road, Colombo 3 mailing address: P. O. Box 106, Colombo telephone: [94] (1) 448007 FAX: [94] (1) 437345 Flag: yellow with two panels; the smaller hoist-side panel has two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and orange; the other panel is a large dark red rectangle with a yellow lion holding a sword, and there is a yellow bo leaf in each corner; the yellow field appears as a border that goes around the entire flag and extends between the two panels @Sri Lanka:Economy Overview: Industry - dominated by the fast-growing apparel industry - has surpassed agriculture as the main source of export earnings and accounts for over 16% of GDP. The economy has been plagued by high rates of unemployment since the late 1970s. Economic growth, which has been depressed by ethnic unrest, accelerated in 1991-94 as domestic conditions began to improve and conditions for foreign investment brightened. Currently, however, the new government's emphasis on populist measures has clouded Sri Lanka's economic prospects. National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $57.6 billion (1994 est.) National product real growth rate: 5% (1994 est.) National product per capita: $3,190 (1994 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 12% (1994 est.) Unemployment rate: 13.6% (1993 est.) Budget: revenues: $2.3 billion expenditures: $3.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.5 billion (1993) Exports: $2.9 billion (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: garments and textiles, teas, diamonds, other gems, petroleum products, rubber products, other agricultural products, marine products, graphite partners: US 35.2%, Germany, UK, Belgium-Luxembourg, Japan, Netherlands, France (1993) Imports: $4 billion (c.i.f., 1993) commodities: textiles and textile materials, machinery and equipment, transport equipment, petroleum, building materials partners: Japan, India, Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, China (1993) External debt: $7.2 billion (1993 est.) Industrial production: growth rate 9% (1993 est.); accounts for 16% of GDP Electricity: capacity: 1,410,000 kW production: 3.2 billion kWh consumption per capita: 168 kWh (1993) Industries: processing of rubber, tea, coconuts, and other agricultural commodities; clothing, cement, petroleum refining, textiles, tobacco Agriculture: accounts for one-fourth of GDP; field crops - rice, sugarcane, grains, pulses, oilseeds, roots, spices; cash crops - tea, rubber, coconuts; animal products - milk, eggs, hides, meat; not self-sufficient in rice production Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $1 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1980-89), $5.1 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $169 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $369 million Currency: 1 Sri Lankan rupee (SLRe) = 100 cents Exchange rates: Sri Lankan rupees (SLRes) per US$1 - 50.115 (January 1995), 49.415 (1994), 48.322 (1993), 43.830 (1992), 41.372 (1991), 40.063 (1990) Fiscal year: calendar year @Sri Lanka:Transportation Railroads: total: 1,948 km broad gauge: 1,948 km 1.868-m gauge (102 km double track) (1990) Highways: total: 75,263 km paved: mostly bituminous treated 27,637 km unpaved: crushed stone, gravel 32,887 km; improved, unimproved earth 14,739 km Inland waterways: 430 km; navigable by shallow-draft craft Pipelines: crude oil and petroleum products 62 km (1987) Ports: Colombo, Galle, Jaffna, Trincomalee Merchant marine: total: 26 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 289,115 GRT/453,609 DWT ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 12, container 1, oil tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 8 Airports: total: 14 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 7 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 1 @Sri Lanka:Communications Telephone system: 114,000 telephones (1982); very inadequate domestic service, good international service local: NA intercity: NA international: submarine cables extend to Indonesia and Djibouti; 2 INTELSAT (Indian Ocean) earth stations Radio: broadcast stations: AM 12, FM 5, shortwave 0 radios: NA Television: broadcast stations: 5 televisions: NA @Sri Lanka:Defense Forces Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Police Force Manpower availability: males age 15-49 4,990,661; males fit for military service 3,888,372; males reach military age (18) annually 178,926 (1995 est.) Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $412 million, 3.6% of GDP (1994) ________________________________________________________________________ SUDAN @Sudan:Geography Location: Northern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Egypt and Eritrea Map references: Africa Area: total area: 2,505,810 sq km land area: 2.376 million sq km comparative area: slightly more than one-quarter the size of the US Land boundaries: total 7,687 km, Central African Republic 1,165 km, Chad 1,360 km, Egypt 1,273 km, Eritrea 605 km, Ethiopia 1,606 km, Kenya 232 km, Libya 383 km, Uganda 435 km, Zaire 628 km Coastline: 853 km Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 18 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: administrative boundary with Kenya does not coincide with international boundary; administrative boundary with Egypt does not coincide with international boundary creating the "Hala'ib Triangle," a barren area of 20,580 sq km, tensions over this disputed area began to escalate in 1992 and remain high Climate: tropical in south; arid desert in north; rainy season (April to October) Terrain: generally flat, featureless plain; mountains in east and west Natural resources: small reserves of petroleum, iron ore, copper, chromium ore, zinc, tungsten, mica, silver, gold Land use: arable land: 5% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 24% forest and woodland: 20% other: 51% Irrigated land: 18,900 sq km (1989 est.) Environment: current issues: inadequate supplies of potable water; wildlife populations threatened by excessive hunting; soil erosion; desertification natural hazards: dust storms international agreements: party to - Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Desertification Note: largest country in Africa; dominated by the Nile and its tributaries @Sudan:People Population: 30,120,420 (July 1995 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 46% (female 6,801,001; male 7,124,892) 15-64 years: 52% (female 7,706,864; male 7,830,980) 65 years and over: 2% (female 280,297; male 376,386) (July 1995 est.) Population growth rate: 2.35% (1995 est.) Birth rate: 41.29 births/1,000 population (1995 est.) Death rate: 11.74 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.) Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.) note: the flow of refugees from the civil war in Sudan into neighboring countries continues, often at the rate of tens of thousands annually; Uganda was the main recipient of Sudanese refugees in the past year; repatriation of Eritrean and Ethiopean refugees in Sudan continues Infant mortality rate: 77.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 54.71 years male: 53.81 years female: 55.65 years (1995 est.) Total fertility rate: 6 children born/woman (1995 est.) Nationality: noun: Sudanese (singular and plural) adjective: Sudanese Ethnic divisions: black 52%, Arab 39%, Beja 6%, foreigners 2%, other 1% Religions: Sunni Muslim 70% (in north), indigenous beliefs 25%, Christian 5% (mostly in south and Khartoum) Languages: Arabic (official), Nubian, Ta Bedawie, diverse dialects of Nilotic, Nilo-Hamitic, Sudanic languages, English note: program of Arabization in process Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1983) total population: 32% male: 44% female: 21% Labor force: 6.5 million by occupation: agriculture 80%, industry and commerce 10%, government 6% note: labor shortages for almost all categories of skilled employment (1983 est.) @Sudan:Government Names: conventional long form: Republic of the Sudan conventional short form: Sudan local long form: Jumhuriyat as-Sudan local short form: As-Sudan former: Anglo-Egyptian Sudan Digraph: SU Type: ruling military junta - Revolutionary Command Council (RCC) - dissolved on 16 October 1993 and government civilianized Capital: Khartoum Administrative divisions: 9 states (wilayat, singular - wilayat or wilayah*); A'ali an Nil, Al Wusta*, Al Istiwa'iyah*, Al Khartum, Ash Shamaliyah*, Ash Sharqiyah*, Bahr al Ghazal, Darfur, Kurdufan note: on 14 February 1994, the 9 states comprising Sudan were divided into 26 new states; the new state boundary alignments are undetermined Independence: 1 January 1956 (from Egypt and UK) National holiday: Independence Day, 1 January (1956) Constitution: 12 April 1973, suspended following coup of 6 April 1985; interim constitution of 10 October 1985 suspended following coup of 30 June 1989 Legal system: based on English common law and Islamic law; as of 20 January 1991, the now defunct Revolutionary Command Council imposed Islamic law in the northern states; the council is still studying criminal provisions under Islamic law; Islamic law applies to all residents of the northern states regardless of their religion; some separate religious courts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations Suffrage: none Executive branch: Chief of State and Head of Government: President Lt. General Umar Hasan Ahmad al-BASHIR (since 16 October 1993); prior to 16 October 1993, BASHIR served concurrently as Chief of State, Chairman of the RCC, Prime Minister, and Minister of Defence (since 30 June 1989); First Vice President Major General al-Zubayr Muhammad SALIH (since 19 October 1993); Second Vice President (Police) Maj. General George KONGOR (since NA February 1994); note - upon its dissolution on 16 October 1993, the RCC's executive and legislative powers were devolved to the President and the Transitional National Assembly (TNA), Sudan's appointed legislative body cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the president; note - on 30 October 1993, President BASHIR announced a new, predominantly civilian cabinet, consisting of 20 federal ministers, most of whom retained their previous cabinet positions; on 9 February 1995, he abolished three ministries and redivided their portfolios to create several new ministries; these changes increased National Islamic Front presence at the ministerial level and consolidated its control over the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; President BASHIR's government is dominated by members of Sudan's National Islamic Front, a fundamentalist political organization formed from the Muslim Brotherhood in 1986; front leader Hasan al-TURABI controls Khartoum's overall domestic and foreign policies Legislative branch: appointed 300-member Transitional National Assembly; officially assumes all legislative authority for Sudan until the proposed 1995 resumption of national elections Judicial branch: Supreme Court, Special Revolutionary Courts Political parties and leaders: none; banned following 30 June 1989 coup Other political or pressure groups: National Islamic Front, Hasan al-TURABI Member of: ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IGADD, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ahmad SULAYMAN chancery: 2210 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 338-8565 through 8570 FAX: [1] (202) 667-2406 US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Donald K. PETTERSON embassy: Shar'ia Ali Abdul Latif, Khartoum mailing address: P. O. Box 699, Khartoum; APO AE 09829 telephone: 74700, 74611 (operator assistance required) FAX: Telex 22619 AMEMSD Flag: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist side @Sudan:Economy Overview: Sudan is buffeted by civil war, chronic political instability, adverse weather, high inflation, a drop in remittances from abroad, and counterproductive economic policies. Governmental entities account for more than 70% of new investment. The private sector's main areas of activity are agriculture and trading, with most private industrial investment predating 1980. Agriculture employs 80% of the work force. Industry mainly processes agricultural items. Sluggish economic performance over the past decade, attributable largely to declining annual rainfall, has reduced levels of per capita income and consumption. A large foreign debt and huge arrearages continue to cause difficulties. In 1990 the International Monetary Fund took the unusual step of declaring Sudan noncooperative because of its nonpayment of arrearages to the Fund. After Sudan backtracked on promised reforms in 1992-93, the IMF threatened to expel Sudan from the Fund. To avoid expulsion, Khartoum agreed to make payments on its arrears to the Fund, liberalize exchange rates, and reduce subsidies. These measures have been partially implemented. The government's continued prosecution of the civil war and its growing international isolation led to a further deterioration of the nonagricultural sectors of the economy during 1994. Agriculture, on the other hand, after several disappointing years, enjoyed a bumper fall harvest in 1994; its strong performance produced an overall growth rate in GDP of perhaps 7%. National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $23.7 billion (1994 est.) National product real growth rate: 7% (1994 est.) National product per capita: $870 (1994 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 112% (FY93/94 est.) Unemployment rate: 30% (FY92/93 est.) Budget: revenues: $493 million expenditures: $1.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $225 million (1994 est.) Exports: $419 million (f.o.b., FY93/94) commodities: gum arabic 29%, livestock/meat 24%, cotton 13%, sesame, peanuts partners: Western Europe 46%, Saudi Arabia 14%, Eastern Europe 9%, Japan 9%, US 3% (FY87/88) Imports: $1.7 billion (c.i.f., FY93/94) commodities: foodstuffs, petroleum products, manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, medicines and chemicals, textiles partners: Western Europe 32%, Africa and Asia 15%, US 13%, Eastern Europe 3% (FY87/88) External debt: $17 billion (June 1993 est.) Industrial production: growth rate 6.8% (FY92/93 est.); accounts for 11% of GDP Electricity: capacity: 500,000 kW production: 1.3 billion kWh consumption per capita: 42 kWh (1993) Industries: cotton ginning, textiles, cement, edible oils, sugar, soap distilling, shoes, petroleum refining Agriculture: accounts for 35% of GDP; major products - cotton, oilseeds, sorghum, millet, wheat, gum arabic, sheep; marginally self-sufficient in most foods Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $1.5 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $5.1 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $3.1 billion; Communist countries (1970-89), $588 million Currency: 1 Sudanese pound (#Sd) = 100 piastres Exchange rates: official rate - Sudanese pounds (#Sd) per US$1 - 434.8 (January 1995), 277.8 (1994), 153.8 (1993), 69.4 (1992), 5.4288 (1991), 4.5004 (1990); note - the commercial rate is 300 Sudanese pounds per US$1 Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June @Sudan:Transportation Railroads: total: 5,516 km narrow gauge: 4,800 km 1.067-m gauge; 716 km 1.6096-m gauge plantation line Highways: total: 20,703 km paved: bituminous treated 2,000 km unpaved: gravel 4,000 km; improved earth 2,304 km; unimproved earth 12,399 km Inland waterways: 5,310 km navigable Pipelines: refined products 815 km Ports: Juba, Khartoum, Kusti, Malakal, Nimule, Port Sudan, Sawakin Merchant marine: total: 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 43,024 GRT/122,379 DWT ships by type: cargo 3, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2 Airports: total: 70 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 with paved runways under 914 m: 13 with unpaved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 14 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 33 @Sudan:Communications Telephone system: NA telephones; large, well-equipped system by African standards, but barely adequate and poorly maintained by modern standards local: NA intercity: consists of microwave radio relay, cable, radio communications, troposcatter, and a domestic satellite system with 14 stations international: 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 ARABSAT earth station Radio: broadcast stations: AM 11, FM 0, shortwave 0 radios: NA Television: broadcast stations: 3 televisions: NA @Sudan:Defense Forces Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Popular Defense Force Militia Manpower availability: males age 15-49 6,806,588; males fit for military service 4,185,206; males reach military age (18) annually 313,958 (1995 est.) Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $600 million, 7.3% of GDP (FY93/94 est.) ________________________________________________________________________ SURINAME @Suriname:Geography Location: Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between French Guiana and Guyana Map references: South America Area: total area: 163,270 sq km land area: 161,470 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Georgia Land boundaries: total 1,707 km, Brazil 597 km, French Guiana 510 km, Guyana 600 km Coastline: 386 km Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: claims area in French Guiana between Litani Rivier and Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa Rivier); claims area in Guyana between New (Upper Courantyne) and Courantyne/Koetari Rivers (all headwaters of the Courantyne) Climate: tropical; moderated by trade winds Terrain: mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps Natural resources: timber, hydropower potential, fish, shrimp, bauxite, iron ore, and small amounts of nickel, copper, platinum, gold Land use: arable land: NEGL% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 97% other: 3% Irrigated land: 590 sq km (1989 est.) Environment: current issues: deforestation as foreign producers obtain timber concessions natural hazards: NA international agreements: party to - Endangered Species, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ship Pollution, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea Note: mostly tropical rain forest; great diversity of flora and fauna which for the most part is not threatened because of the lack of development; relatively small population most of which lives along the coast @Suriname:People Population: 429,544 (July 1995 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 34% (female 70,845; male 74,330) 15-64 years: 61% (female 130,153; male 133,693) 65 years and over: 5% (female 10,897; male 9,626) (July 1995 est.) Population growth rate: 1.58% (1995 est.) Birth rate: 24.72 births/1,000 population (1995 est.) Death rate: 5.91 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.) Net migration rate: -3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.) Infant mortality rate: 30.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 69.76 years male: 67.24 years female: 72.41 years (1995 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.73 children born/woman (1995 est.) Nationality: noun: Surinamer(s) adjective: Surinamese Ethnic divisions: Hindustani (also known locally as "East" Indians; their ancestors emigrated from northern India in the latter part of the 19th century) 37%, Creole (mixed European and African ancestry) 31%, Javanese 15.3%, "Bush Black" (also known as "Bush Creole" whose ancestors were brought to the country in the 17th and 18th centuries as slaves) 10.3%, Amerindian 2.6%, Chinese 1.7%, Europeans 1%, other 1.1% Religions: Hindu 27.4%, Muslim 19.6%, Roman Catholic 22.8%, Protestant 25.2% (predominantly Moravian), indigenous beliefs 5% Languages: Dutch (official), English (widely spoken), Sranang Tongo (Surinamese, sometimes called Taki-Taki, is native language of Creoles and much of the younger population and is lingua franca among others), Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Javanese Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) total population: 95% male: 95% female: 95% Labor force: NA @Suriname:Government Names: conventional long form: Republic of Suriname conventional short form: Suriname local long form: Republiek Suriname local short form: Suriname former: Netherlands Guiana, Dutch Guiana Digraph: NS Type: republic Capital: Paramaribo Administrative divisions: 10 districts (distrikten, singular - distrikt); Brokopondo, Commewijne, Coronie, Marowijne, Nickerie, Para, Paramaribo, Saramacca, Sipaliwini, Wanica Independence: 25 November 1975 (from Netherlands) National holiday: Independence Day, 25 November (1975) Constitution: ratified 30 September 1987 Legal system: NA Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state and head of government: President Ronald R. VENETIAAN (since 16 September 1991); Prime Minister Jules R. AJODHIA (since 16 September 1991); election last held 6 September 1991 (next to be held NA May 1996); results - elected by the National Assembly - Ronald VENETIAAN (NF) 80% (645 votes), Jules WIJDENBOSCH (NDP) 14% (115 votes), Hans PRADE (DA '91) 6% (49 votes) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers; appointed by the president from members of the National Assembly note: Commander in Chief of the National Army maintains significant power Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale): elections last held 25 May 1991 (next to be held NA May 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (51 total) NF 30, NDP 10, DA '91 9, independents 2 Judicial branch: Supreme Court Political parties and leaders: The New Front (NF), a coalition of four parties (NPS, VHP, KTPI, SPA), leader Ronald R. VENETIAAN; Progressive Reform Party (VHP), Jaggernath LACHMON; National Party of Suriname (NPS), Ronald VENETIAAN; Party of National Unity and Solidarity (KTPI), Willy SOEMITA; Suriname Labor Party (SPA), Fred DERBY; Democratic Alternative '91 (DA '91), Winston JESSURUN, a coalition of four parties (AF, HPP, Pendawa Lima, BEP) formed in January 1991; Alternative Forum (AF), Gerard BRUNINGS, Winston JESSURUN; Reformed Progressive Party (HPP), Panalal PARMESSAR; Party for Brotherhood and Unity in Politics (BEP), Caprino ALLENDY; Pendawa Lima, Marsha JAMIN; National Democratic Party (NDP), Desire BOUTERSE; Progressive Workers' and Farm Laborers' Union (PALU), Ir Iwan KROLIS, chairman; Other political or pressure groups: Surinamese Liberation Army (SLA), Ronnie BRUNSWIJK, Johan "Castro" WALLY; Union for Liberation and Democracy, Kofi AFONGPONG; Mandela Bushnegro Liberation Movement, Leendert ADAMS; Tucayana Amazonica, Alex JUBITANA, Thomas SABAJO Member of: ACP, CARICOM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS (associate), ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Willem A. UDENHOUT chancery: Suite 108, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 244-7488, 7490 through 7492 FAX: [1] (202) 244-5878 consulate(s) general: Miami US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Roger R. GAMBLE embassy: Dr. Sophie Redmondstraat 129, Paramaribo mailing address: P. O. Box 1821, Paramaribo telephone: [597] 472900, 477881, 476459 FAX: [597] 410025 Flag: five horizontal bands of green (top, double width), white, red (quadruple width), white, and green (double width); there is a large yellow five-pointed star centered in the red band @Suriname:Economy Overview: The economy is dominated by the bauxite industry, which accounts for 15% of GDP and about 70% of export earnings. Paramaribo has failed to initiate the economic reforms necessary to stabilize the economy or win renewed Dutch aid disbursements. The government continues to finance deficit spending with monetary emissions. As a result, high inflation, high unemployment, widespread black market activity, and hard currency shortfalls continue to mark the economy. National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $1.2 billion (1994 est.) National product real growth rate: -0.8% (1994 est.) National product per capita: $2,800 (1994 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 225% (1994 est.) Unemployment rate: NA Budget: revenues: $300 million expenditures: $700 million, including capital expenditures of $70 million (1994 est.) Exports: $443.3 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: alumina, aluminum, shrimp and fish, rice, bananas partners: Norway 33%, Netherlands 26%, US 13%, Japan 6%, Brazil 6%, UK 3% (1992) Imports: $520.5 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs, cotton, consumer goods partners: US 42%, Netherlands 22%, Trinidad and Tobago 10%, Brazil 5% (1992) External debt: $180 million (March 1993 est.) Industrial production: growth rate 3.5% (1992 est.); accounts for 18% of GDP Electricity: capacity: 420,000 kW production: 1.4 billion kWh consumption per capita: 3,123 kWh (1993) Industries: bauxite mining, alumina and aluminum production, lumbering, food processing, fishing Agriculture: accounts for 15% of GDP and 25% of export earnings; paddy rice planted on 85% of arable land and represents 60% of total farm output; other products - bananas, palm kernels, coconuts, plantains, peanuts, beef, chicken; shrimp and forestry products of increasing importance; self-sufficient in most foods Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-83), $2.5 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1.5 billion Currency: 1 Surinamese guilder, gulden, or florin (Sf.) = 100 cents Exchange rates: Surinamese guilders, gulden, or florins (Sf.) per US$1 - 1.7850 (fixed rate); parallel rate 510 (December 1994), 109 (January 1994) Fiscal year: calendar year @Suriname:Transportation Railroads: total: 166 km (single track) standard gauge: 80 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 86 km 1.000-m gauge Highways: total: 8,800 km paved: 500 km unpaved: bauxite, gravel, crushed stone 5,400 km; improved and unimproved earth 2,900 km Inland waterways: 1,200 km; most important means of transport; oceangoing vessels with drafts ranging up to 7 m can navigate many of the principal waterways Ports: Albina, Moengo, Nieuw Nickerie, Paramaribo, Paranam, Wageningen
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