The 1997 CIA World Factbook

Part 18 out of 47



Exchange rates: Gibraltar pounds (ŁG) per US$1 - 0.6023 (January
1997), 0.6403 (1996), 0.6335 (1995), 0.6529 (1994), 0.6658 (1993),
0.5664 (1992); note - the Gibraltar pound is at par with the British
pound

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

@Gibraltar:Communications

Telephones: 19,356 (1994)

Telephone system: adequate, automatic domestic system and adequate
international facilities
domestic: automatic exchange facilities
international: radiotelephone; microwave radio relay; satellite earth
station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 6, shortwave 0

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 4

Televisions: NA

@Gibraltar:Transportation

Railways:
total : NA km; 1.000-m gauge system in dockyard area only

Highways:
total: 49.9 km (including 12.9 km public highways)
paved: 49.9 km
unpaved: 0 km

Pipelines: 0 km

Ports and harbors: Gibraltar

Merchant marine:
total : 19 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 356,676 GRT/633,152 DWT
ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 1, chemical tanker 2, container 1, oil
tanker 14 (1996 est.)

Airports: 1 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1996 est.)

Military

Military branches: British Army, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: source of friction between Spain and the UK
______________________________________________________________________

GLORIOSO ISLANDS

(possession of France)

@Glorioso Islands:Geography

Location: Southern Africa, group of islands in the Indian Ocean,
northwest of Madagascar

Geographic coordinates: 11 30 S, 47 20 E

Map references: Africa

Area:
total: 5 sq km
land : 5 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Ile Glorieuse, Ile du Lys, Verte Rocks, Wreck Rock, and
South Rock

Area - comparative: about eight times the size of The Mall in
Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 35.2 km

Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical

Terrain: NA

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 12 m

Natural resources: guano, coconuts

Land use:
arable land: NA%
permanent crops: NA%
permanent pastures: NA%
forests and woodland : NA%
other: 100% (all lush vegetation and coconut palms)

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)

Natural hazards: periodic cyclones

Environment - current issues: NA

@Glorioso Islands:People

Population: uninhabited

@Glorioso Islands:Government

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Glorioso Islands
local long form : none
local short form: Iles Glorieuses

Data code: GO

Dependency status: possession of France; administered by a high
commissioner of the Republic, resident in Reunion

Flag description: the flag of France is used

Economy

Economy - overview: no economic activity

@Glorioso Islands:Transportation

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Airports: 1 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m : 1 (1996 est.)

Military

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: claimed by Madagascar
______________________________________________________________________

GREECE

@Greece:Geography

Location: Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and
the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey

Geographic coordinates: 39 00 N, 22 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area:
total: 131,940 sq km
land: 130,800 sq km
water: 1,140 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Alabama

Land boundaries:
total: 1,210 km
border countries : Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km, Turkey 206 km, The
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 228 km

Coastline: 13,676 km

Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
territorial sea : 6 nm

Climate: temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers

Terrain: mostly mountains with ranges extending into sea as peninsulas
or chains of islands

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point : Mount Olympus 2,917 m

Natural resources: bauxite, lignite, magnesite, petroleum, marble

Land use:
arable land : 19%
permanent crops: 8%
permanent pastures: 41%
forests and woodland: 20%
other: 12% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 13,140 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: severe earthquakes

Environment - current issues: air pollution; water pollution

Environment - international agreements:
party to : Air Pollution, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, 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-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Desertification, Tropical Timber 94

Geography - note: strategic location dominating the Aegean Sea and
southern approach to Turkish Straits; a peninsular country, possessing
an archipelago of about 2,000 islands

@Greece:People

Population: 10,616,055 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 17% (male 905,146; female 845,929)
15-64 years: 67% (male 3,583,854; female 3,565,882)
65 years and over: 16% (male 759,648; female 955,596) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.44% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 9.75 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 9.32 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 3.95 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 7.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.17 years
male: 75.64 years
female: 80.89 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.33 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Greek(s)
adjective: Greek

Ethnic groups: Greek 98%, other 2%
note: the Greek Government states there are no ethnic divisions in
Greece

Religions: Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7%

Languages: Greek (official), English, French

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 95%
male: 98%
female : 93% (1991 est.)

@Greece:Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Hellenic Republic
conventional short form: Greece
local long form : Elliniki Dhimokratia
local short form: Ellas
former : Kingdom of Greece

Data code: GR

Government type: parliamentary republic; monarchy rejected by
referendum 8 December 1974

National capital: Athens

Administrative divisions: 51 prefectures (nomoi, singular - nomos)and
1 autonomous region*; Ayion Oros* (Mt. Athos), Aitolia kai Akarnania,
Akhaia, Argolis, Arkadhia, Arta, Attiki, Dhodhekanisos, Drama,
Evritania, Evros, Evvoia, Florina, Fokis, Fthiotis, Grevena, Ilia,
Imathia, Ioannina, Iraklion, Kardhitsa, Kastoria, Kavala, Kefallinia,
Kerkira, Khalkidhiki, Khania, Khios, Kikladhes, Kilkis, Korinthia,
Kozani, Lakonia, Larisa, Lasithi, Lesvos, Levkas, Magnisia, Messinia,
Pella, Pieria, Preveza, Rethimni, Rodhopi, Samos, Serrai, Thesprotia,
Thessaloniki, Trikala, Voiotia, Xanthi, Zakinthos

Independence: 1829 (from the Ottoman Empire)

National holiday: Independence Day, 25 March (1821) (proclamation of
the war of independence)

Constitution: 11 June 1975

Legal system: based on codified Roman law; judiciary divided into
civil, criminal, and administrative courts

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Konstandinos (Kostis) STEPHANOPOULOS (since
10 March 1995)
head of government : Prime Minister Konstandinos SIMITIS (since 19
January 1996)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of
the prime minister
elections: president elected by Chamber of Deputies for a five-year
term; election last held 10 March 1995 (next to be held by NA March
2000); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Konstandinos STEPHANOPOULOS elected president;
percent of Chamber of Deputies vote - NA

Legislative branch: unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Vouli ton
Ellinon (300 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to
serve four-year terms)
elections: elections last held 22 September 1996 (next to be held by
NA September 2000)
election results: percent of vote by party - PASOK 41.5%, ND 38.1%,
KKE 5.6%, Coalition of the Left and Progress 5.1%, DIKKI 4.4%,
Political Spring 2.9%; seats by party - PASOK 162, ND 108, KKE 11,
Coalition of the Left and Progress 10, DIKKI 9

Judicial branch: Supreme Judicial Court, judges appointed for life by
the president after consultation with a judicial council; Special
Supreme Tribunal, judges appointed for life by the president after
consultation with a judicial council

Political parties and leaders: New Democracy or ND (conservative)
[Konstandinos KARAMANLIS]; Panhellenic Socialist Movement or PASOK
[Konstandinos SIMITIS]; Communist Party or KKE [Aleka PAPARIGA];
Political Spring [Andonios SAMARAS]; Coalition of the Left and
Progress (Synaspismos) [Nikolaos KONSTANDOPOULOS]; Democratic Social
Movement or DIKKI [Dhimitrios TSOVOLAS]; Rainbow Coalition [Pavlos
VOSKOPOULOS]

International organization participation: Australia Group, BIS, BSEC,
CCC, CE, CERN, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EU, FAO, G- 6, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat,
Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MTCR, NACC, NAM
(guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNOMIG, UPU, WEU, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Loukas TSILAS
chancery : 2221 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 939-5800
FAX: [1] (202) 939-5824
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and San
Francisco
consulate(s) : Atlanta, Houston, and New Orleans

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas M. T. NILES
embassy: 91 Vasilissis Sophias Boulevard, 10160 Athens
mailing address: PSC 108, APO AE 09842
telephone: [30] (1) 721-2951, 8401
FAX: [30] (1) 645-6282
consulate(s) general: Thessaloniki

Flag description: nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating
with white; there is a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner
bearing a white cross; the cross symbolizes Greek Orthodoxy, the
established religion of the country

Economy

Economy - overview: Greece has a mixed capitalist economy with the
public sector accounting for roughly half of GDP. Tourism is a major
source of foreign exchange, and agriculture is self-sufficient, except
for meat, dairy products, and animal feedstuffs. Macroeconomic
problems include mediocre GDP growth, the huge public sector,
substantial budget deficits, and 10% unemployment. The government's
hard drachma policy and public sector wage restraint are largely
responsible for the downward trend in inflation, now at the lowest
level in 22 years. Investment is likely to be the primary engine for
economic growth in 1997. Athens continues to rely heavily on EU aid,
which currently amounts to about 4% of GDP. Despite widespread
protests from unions and farmers, Prime Minister SIMITIS presented a
tough 1997 budget to help bring Greece closer to meeting the EU
criteria for participating in economic and monetary union. SIMITIS
faces strong opposition to further privatization and further
austerity. Plans to increase defense spending could undermine
SIMITIS's goal to curb government expenditures.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $106.9 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 2.2% (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $10,000 (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 11%
industry: 25%
services : 64% (1994)

Inflation rate - consumer price index: 8.6% (1996 est.)

Labor force:
total: 4.21 million
by occupation : services 52%, agriculture 23%, industry 25% (1995)

Unemployment rate: 10% (1996 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $33 billion (excluding privatization receipts)
expenditures: $45 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1996
est.)

Industries: tourism; food and tobacco processing, textiles; chemicals,
metal products; mining, petroleum

Industrial production growth rate: 1.8% (1996 est.)

Electricity - capacity: 8.61 million kW (1994)

Electricity - production: 41.5 billion kWh (1995)

Electricity - consumption per capita: 3,466 kWh (1995 est.)

Agriculture - products: wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, olives,
tomatoes, wine, tobacco, potatoes; meat, dairy products

Exports:
total value: $5.9 billion (f.o.b., 1995)
commodities : manufactured goods 53%, foodstuffs 34%, fuels 5% (1994)
partners: EU 60% (Germany 22%, Italy 14%, France 6%, UK 6%), US 3%
(1995)

Imports:
total value: $20.3 billion (f.o.b., 1995)
commodities: manufactured goods 72%, foodstuffs 15%, fuels 10% (1994)
partners : EU 70% (Italy 18%, Germany 16%, France 8%, UK 6%) US 4%
(1995)

Debt - external: $34.2 billion (1996 est.)

Economic aid:
recipient : ODA, $NA

Currency: 1 drachma (Dr) = 100 lepta

Exchange rates: drachmae (Dr) per US$1 - 251.55 (January 1997), 240.71
(1996), 231.66 (1995), 242.60 (1994), 229.26 (1993), 190.62 (1992)

Fiscal year: calendar year

@Greece:Communications

Telephones: 5,571,293 (1993 est.)

Telephone system: adequate, modern networks reach all areas; microwave
radio relay carries most traffic; extensive open-wire network;
submarine cables to off-shore islands
domestic: microwave radio relay, open wire, and submarine cable
international: tropospheric scatter; 8 submarine cables; satellite
earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1
Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean Region)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 29, FM 17 (repeaters 20), shortwave 0

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 361 (1987 est.)

Televisions: 2.3 million (1993 est.)

@Greece:Transportation

Railways:
total: 2,474 km
standard gauge: 1,565 km 1.435-m gauge (36 km electrified; 100 km
double track)
narrow gauge: 887 km 1.000-m gauge; 22 km 0.750-m gauge (a rack type
railway for steep grades)

Highways:
total : 116,440 km
paved: 106,775 km (including 420 km of expressways)
unpaved: 9,665 km (1995 est.)

Waterways: 80 km; system consists of three coastal canals; including
the Corinth Canal (6 km) which crosses the Isthmus of Corinth
connecting the Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf and shortens the
sea voyage from the Adriatic to Piraievs (Piraeus) by 325 km; and
three unconnected rivers

Pipelines: crude oil 26 km; petroleum products 547 km

Ports and harbors: Alexandroupolis, Elevsis, Iraklion (Crete), Kavala,
Kerkira, Khalkis, Igoumenitsa, Lavrion, Patrai, Piraievs (Piraeus),
Thessaloniki, Volos

Merchant marine:
total: 984 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 27,571,920
GRT/49,674,832 DWT
ships by type: bulk 433, cargo 85, chemical tanker 22, combination
bulk 16, combination ore/oil 18, container 39, liquefied gas tanker 4,
multi-function large load carrier 1, oil tanker 239, passenger 15,
passenger-cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 6, roll-on/roll-off cargo 18,
short-sea passenger 82, specialized tanker 3, vehicle carrier 1
note: Greece owns an additional 1,883 ships (1,000 GRT or over)
totaling 67,631,159 DWT operating under the registries of The Bahamas,
Belize, Cayman Islands, Cyprus, Honduras, Liberia, Malta, Panama,
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Singapore, Syria, Vanuatu (1996
est.)

Airports: 78 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total : 75
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 15
1,524 to 2,437 m: 16
914 to 1,523 m : 18
under 914 m: 21 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total : 3
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (1996 est.)

Heliports: 1 (1996 est.)

Military

Military branches: Hellenic Army, Hellenic Navy, Hellenic Air Force,
National Guard, Police

Military manpower - military age: 21 years of age

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 2,677,826 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males : 2,050,740 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males : 80,102 (1997 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $4.9 billion (1995)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 4.6% (1995)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: complex maritime, air, and territorial
disputes with Turkey in Aegean Sea; Cyprus question with Turkey;
dispute with The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia over name; in
September 1995, Skopje and Athens signed an interim accord resolving
their dispute over symbols and certain constitutional provisions;
Athens also lifted its economic embargo on the Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia

Illicit drugs: a gateway to Europe for traffickers smuggling cannabis
and heroin from the Middle East and Southwest Asia to the West and
precursor chemicals to the East; some South American cocaine transits
or is consumed in Greece
______________________________________________________________________

GREENLAND

(part of the Danish realm)

@Greenland:Geography

Location: Northern North America, island between the Arctic Ocean and
the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Canada

Geographic coordinates: 72 00 N, 40 00 W

Map references: Arctic Region

Area:
total: 2,175,600 sq km
land : 2,175,600 sq km (341,600 sq km ice-free, 1,834,000 sq km
ice-covered) (est.)

Area - comparative: slightly more than three times the size of Texas

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 44,087 km

Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea : 3 nm

Climate: arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters

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

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point : Gunnbjorn 3,700 m

Natural resources: zinc, lead, iron ore, coal, molybdenum, gold,
platinum, uranium, fish, seals, whales

Land use:
arable land : 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 1%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 99% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the
island

Environment - current issues: protection of the arctic environment;
preservation of their traditional way of life, including whaling; note
- Greenland participates actively in Inuit Circumpolar Conference
(ICC)

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Whaling (extended through Denmark)
signed, but not ratified: NA

Geography - note: dominates North Atlantic Ocean between North America
and Europe; sparse population confined to small settlements along
coast

@Greenland:People

Population: 58,768 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 27% (male 7,843; female 7,711)
15-64 years: 68% (male 21,931; female 18,237)
65 years and over : 5% (male 1,393; female 1,653) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.94% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 16.39 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 6.99 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.2 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
total population: 1.13 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 22.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 68.84 years
male: 64.62 years
female: 73.08 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.19 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Greenlander(s)
adjective: Greenlandic

Ethnic groups: Greenlander 87% (Eskimos and Greenland-born whites),
Danish and others 13%

Religions: Evangelical Lutheran

Languages: Eskimo dialects, Danish, Greenlandic (an Inuit dialect)

Literacy: NA
note: similar to Denmark proper

@Greenland:Government

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Greenland
local long form: none
local short form: Kalaallit Nunaat

Data code: GL

Dependency status: part of the Danish realm; self-governing overseas
administrative division

Government type: NA

National capital: Nuuk (Godthab)

Administrative divisions: 3 districts (landsdele); Nordgronland,
Ostgronland, Vestgronland

Independence: none (part of the Danish realm; self-governing overseas
administrative division)

National holiday: Birthday of the Queen, 16 April (1940)

Constitution: 5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)

Legal system: Danish

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January 1972),
represented by High Commissioner Steen SPORE (since NA 1993)
head of government: Prime Minister Gunnar MARTENS (since NA 1995)
cabinet: Landsstyre is formed from the Parliament on the basis of the
strength of parties
elections: the queen is a constitutional monarch; high commissioner
appointed by the queen; prime minister is elected by the Parliament;
election last held NA 1991 (next to be held NA)
election results: Gunnar MARTENS elected prime minister; percent of
parliamentary vote - NA

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Landsting (31 seats;
members are elected on the basis of proportional representation to
serve four-year terms)
elections: last held on 4 March 1995 (next to be held by 5 March 1999)
election results: percent of vote by party - Siumut 38.4%, Inuit
Ataqatigiit 20.3%, Atassut Party 30.1%; seats by party - Siumut 12,
Atassut Party 10, Inuit Ataqatigiit 6, conservative splinter grouping
2, independent 1
note: 2 representatives were elected to the Danish Parliament or
Folketing on 21 September 1994 (next to be held by NA September 1998);
percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Liberals 1, Social
Democrats 1; Greenlandic representatives are affiliated with Danish
political parties

Judicial branch: High Court or Landsret

Political parties and leaders: two-party ruling coalition; Siumut
(Forward Party, a moderate socialist party that advocates more
distinct Greenlandic identity and greater autonomy from Denmark) [Lars
Emil JOHANSEN, chairman]; Inuit Ataqatigiit or IA (Eskimo Brotherhood,
a Marxist-Leninist party that favors complete independence from
Denmark rather than home rule) [Josef MOTZFELDT]; Atassut Party
(Solidarity, a more conservative party that favors continuing close
relations with Denmark) [Daniel SKIFTE]; Akulliit Party [Bjarne
KREUTZMANN]; Issituup (Polar Party) [Nicolai HEINRICH]

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (self-governing overseas
administrative division of Denmark)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (self-governing overseas
administrative division of Denmark)

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red
with a large disk slightly to the hoist side of center - the top half
of the disk is red, the bottom half is white

Economy

Economy - overview: Greenland suffered negative economic growth in the
early 1990s, but since 1993 the economy has improved. Nonetheless,
prospects for substantial economic growth in the near future are poor.
The Greenland Home Rule Government (GHRG) has pursued a light fiscal
policy since the late 1980s which has helped create surpluses in the
public budget and low inflation. Since 1990, Greenland has registered
a foreign trade deficit following the closure of the last remaining
lead and zinc mine in 1989. Greenland today is critically dependent on
fishing and fish exports; the shrimp fishery is by far the largest
income earner. Despite resumption of several interesting hydrocarbon
and minerals exploration activities, it will take several years before
production can materialize. Tourism is the only sector offering any
near term potential and even this is limited due to a short season and
high costs. The public sector, including publicly owned enterprises
and the municipalities, plays the dominant role in Greenland's
economy. About half the government revenues come from grants from the
Danish Government, an important supplement of GDP.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $892 million (1995 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: NA%

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $15,500 (1995 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry : NA%
services: NA%

Inflation rate - consumer price index: 1.8% (1995)

Labor force:
total: 24,500 (1995 est.)

Unemployment rate: 10.5% (1995 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $706 million
expenditures: $697 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1995)

Industries: fish processing (mainly shrimp), handicrafts, furs, small
shipyards

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - capacity: 92,500 kW

Electricity - production: 274.4 million kWh

Electricity - consumption per capita: 2,691 kWh (1994-95)

Agriculture - products: forage crops, small garden vegetables; sheep,
fish

Exports:
total value: $363.4 million (f.o.b., 1995)
commodities : fish and fish products 95%
partners: Denmark 89%, Japan 5%, UK 5%

Imports:
total value: $421 million (c.i.f., 1995)
commodities: machinery and transport equipment 25%, manufactured goods
18%, food and live animals 11%, petroleum products 6%
partners : Denmark 7.5%, Iceland 3.8%, Japan 3.3%, Norway 3.1%, US
2.4%, Germany 2.4%, Sweden 1.8%

Debt - external: $243 million (1995)

Economic aid: substantial annual subsidy from Denmark - $427 million
(1995)

Currency: 1 Danish krone (DKr) = 100 oere

Exchange rates: Danish kroner (DKr) per US$1 - 6.117 (January 1997),
5.799 (1996), 5.602 (1995), 6.361 (1994), 6.484 (1993), 6.036 (1992)

Fiscal year: calendar year

@Greenland:Communications

Telephones: 19,600 (1995 est.)

Telephone system: adequate domestic and international service provided
by cables and microwave radio relay; totally digitalized in 1995
domestic: microwave radio relay
international : 2 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth station -
1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: one publically-owned radio and television
station (nationwide) and some local radio and TV stations

Radios: 23,000 (1991 est.)

Television broadcast stations: one publicly-owned radio and television
station (nationwide) and some local radio and TV stations

Televisions: 12,000 (1991 est.)

@Greenland:Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways:
total : 150 km
paved: 60 km
unpaved: 90 km

Ports and harbors: Kangerluarsoruseq, Kangerlussuaq, Nanortalik,
Narsarsuaq, Nuuk (Godthaab), Saamiut, Sisimiut

Merchant marine:
total: 1 short-sea passenger (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,162
GRT/610 DWT (1995 est.)

Airports: 8 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 5
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m : 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m : 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1996 est.)

Military

Military manpower - military age: 16 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: 494

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Denmark

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none
______________________________________________________________________

GRENADA

@Grenada:Geography

Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic
Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates: 12 07 N, 61 40 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total : 340 sq km
land: 340 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 121 km

Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical; tempered by northeast trade winds

Terrain: volcanic in origin with central mountains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point : Mount Saint Catherine 840 m

Natural resources: timber, tropical fruit, deepwater harbors

Land use:
arable land : 15%
permanent crops: 18%
permanent pastures: 3%
forests and woodland: 9%
other: 55% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: lies on edge of hurricane belt; hurricane season
lasts from June to November

Environment - current issues: NA

Environment - international agreements:
party to : Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: the administration of the islands of the Grenadines
group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada

@Grenada:People

Population: 95,537 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 43% (male 21,051; female 20,335)
15-64 years: 52% (male 26,473; female 23,181)
65 years and over: 5% (male 2,090; female 2,407) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.66% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 28.61 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 5.53 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: -16.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.14 male(s)/female
65 years and over : 0.87 male(s)/female
total population: 1.08 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 11.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.13 years
male: 68.58 years
female: 73.72 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.71 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Grenadian(s)
adjective: Grenadian

Ethnic groups: black

Religions: Roman Catholic 53%, Anglican 13.8%, other Protestant sects
33.2%

Languages: English (official), French patois

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male : 98%
female: 98% (1970 est.)

@Grenada:Government

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Grenada

Data code: GJ

Government type: parliamentary democracy

National capital: Saint George's

Administrative divisions: 6 parishes and 1 dependency*; Carriacou and
Petit Martinique*, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint
John, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick

Independence: 7 February 1974 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 7 February (1974)

Constitution: 19 December 1973

Legal system: based on English common law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Daniel WILLIAMS (since 9 August 1996)
head of government: Prime Minister Keith MITCHELL (since 22 June 1995)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
the prime minister
elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; governor general
appointed by the queen; prime minister appointed by the governor
general from among the members of the House of Assembly

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (a
13-member body, 10 appointed by the government and three by the leader
of the opposition) and the House of Representatives (15 seats; members
are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held on 20 June 1995 (next to be held by NA October
2000)
election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party
- NA; seats by party - NNP 8, NDC 5, GULP 2

Judicial branch: West Indies Associate States Supreme Court, an
associate judge resides in Grenada

Political parties and leaders: National Democratic Congress or NDC
[George BRIZAN]; Grenada United Labor Party or GULP [Sir Eric GAIRY];
The National Party or TNP [Ben JONES]; New National Party or NNP
[Keith MITCHELL]; Maurice Bishop Patriotic Movement or MBPM [Terrence
MARRYSHOW]; The Democratic Labor Party or DLP [Francis ALEXIS]

International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC,
FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Denis G. ANTOINE
chancery: 1701 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 265-2561

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission : the ambassador to Barbados is accredited to
Grenada; Charge d'Affaires Dennis CARTER
embassy: Point Salines, Saint George's
mailing address: P. O. Box 54, Saint George's, Grenada, West Indies
telephone : [1] (809) 444-1173 through 1178
FAX: [1] (809) 444-4820

Flag description: a rectangle divided diagonally into yellow triangles
(top and bottom) and green triangles (hoist side and outer side) with
a red border around the flag; there are seven yellow five-pointed
stars with three centered in the top red border, three centered in the
bottom red border, and one on a red disk superimposed at the center of
the flag; there is also a symbolic nutmeg pod on the hoist-side
triangle (Grenada is the world's second-largest producer of nutmeg,
after Indonesia); the seven stars represent the seven administrative
divisions

Economy

Economy - overview: The agriculturally based economy was hurt in 1996
by the emergence of the pink mealy bug which destroyed much of the
cocoa harvest. Bananas, a major foreign exchange earner, also suffered
due to falling prices, low production, and poor quality. Tourism, the
leading foreign exchange earner, continued to do well, as did
manufacturing. Construction boomed in 1996 due to concessions for low
and middle income mortgages. The government introduced a 5% tax on
electricity and telephones and doubled the general consumption tax,
which caused a small rise in the inflation rate. The tourist industry
faces stiff competition over the next few years.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $300 million (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3% (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,160 (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 10.2%
industry: 40.3%
services: 49.5% (1994 est.)

Inflation rate - consumer price index: 2.6% (1996 est.)

Labor force:
total: 36,000
by occupation: services 31%, agriculture 24%, construction 8%,
manufacturing 5%, other 32% (1985)

Unemployment rate: 20% (1 October 1996)

Budget:
revenues : $75.7 million (1996 est.)
expenditures: $126.7 million, including capital expenditures of $51
million (1996 est.)

Industries: food and beverages, textiles, light assembly operations,
tourism, construction

Industrial production growth rate: 1.8% (1992 est.)

Electricity - capacity: 17,300 kW (1995)

Electricity - production: 88 million kWh (1995)

Electricity - consumption per capita: 794 kWh (1995 est.)

Agriculture - products: bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, mace, citrus,
avocados, root crops, sugarcane, corn, vegetables

Exports:
total value: $24 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
commodities: bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, fruit and vegetables, clothing,
mace
partners : Caricom 32.3%, UK 20%, US 13%, Netherlands 8.8% (1991)

Imports:
total value: $128 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
commodities: food 25%, manufactured goods 22%, machinery 20%,
chemicals 10%, fuel 6% (1989)
partners: US 31.2%, Caricom 23.6%, UK 13.8%, Japan 7.1% (1991)

Debt - external: $97 million (1996 est.)

Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $NA

Currency: 1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1 - 2.70 (fixed
rate since 1976)

Fiscal year: calendar year

@Grenada:Communications

Telephones: 5,650 (1988 est.)

Telephone system: automatic, islandwide telephone system
domestic: interisland VHF and UHF radiotelephone links
international: new SHF radiotelephone links to Trinidad and Tobago and
Saint Vincent; VHF and UHF radio links to Trinidad

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios: 80,000 (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (1988 est.)

Televisions: 30,000 (1993 est.)

@Grenada:Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways:
total: 1,020 km
paved: 624 km
unpaved : 396 km (1995 est.)

Ports and harbors: Grenville, Saint George's

Merchant marine: none

Airports: 3 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (1996 est.)

Military

Military branches: Royal Grenada Police Force, Coast Guard

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49 : NA

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males: NA

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: small-scale cannabis cultivation; lesser transshipment
point for marijuana and cocaine to US
______________________________________________________________________

GUADELOUPE

(overseas department of France)

@Guadeloupe:Geography

Location: Caribbean, islands in the eastern Caribbean Sea, southeast
of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates: 16 15 N, 61 35 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 1,780 sq km
land: 1,706 sq km
water: 74 sq km
note: Guadeloupe is an archipelago of nine inhabited islands,
including Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Marie-Galante, La Desirade, Iles
des Saintes, St. Barthelemy, and part of St. Martin

Area - comparative: 10 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
total: 10.2 km
border countries: Netherlands Antilles (Sint Maarten) 10.2 km

Coastline: 306 km

Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: subtropical tempered by trade winds; moderately high humidity

Terrain: Basse-Terre is volcanic in origin with interior mountains;
Grande-Terre is low limestone formation; most of the seven other
islands are volcanic in origin

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Soufriere 1,467 m

Natural resources: cultivable land, beaches and climate that foster
tourism

Land use:
arable land: 14%
permanent crops: 4%
permanent pastures: 14%
forests and woodland: 39%
other: 29% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 30 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: hurricanes (June to October); La Soufriere is an
active volcano

Environment - current issues: NA

Environment - international agreements:
party to : NA
signed, but not ratified: NA

@Guadeloupe:People

Population: 411,823 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years : 25% (male 52,974; female 51,051)
15-64 years: 66% (male 134,686; female 137,828)
65 years and over: 9% (male 14,948; female 20,336) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.13% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 17.09 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 5.6 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth : 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 9 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.6 years
male : 74.57 years
female: 80.77 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.86 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Guadeloupian(s)
adjective: Guadeloupe

Ethnic groups: black or mulatto 90%, white 5%, East Indian, Lebanese,
Chinese less than 5%

Religions: Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and pagan African 4%, Protestant
sects 1%

Languages: French (official) 99%, Creole patois

Literacy:
definition : age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 90%
male: 90%
female: 90% (1982 est.)

@Guadeloupe:Government

Country name:
conventional long form : Department of Guadeloupe
conventional short form: Guadeloupe
local long form: Departement de la Guadeloupe
local short form: Guadeloupe

Data code: GP

Dependency status: overseas department of France

Government type: NA

National capital: Basse-Terre

Administrative divisions: none (overseas department of France)

Independence: none (overseas department of France)

National holiday: National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)

Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system: French legal system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President of France Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May
1995), represented by Prefect Michel DIEFENBACHER (since NA March
1995)
head of government: President of the General Council Dominique LARIFLA
(since NA); President of the Regional Council Lucette MICHAUX-CHEVRY
(since 22 March 1992)
cabinet : NA
elections: prefect appointed by the president of France on the advice
of the French Ministry of Interior; the presidents of the General and
Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils
election results: NA

Legislative branch: unicameral General Council or Conseil General (43
seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
and the unicameral Regional Council or Conseil Regional(41 seats;
members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
elections: General Council - last held 22 March 1992 (next to be held
by NA 1996); Regional Council - last held 31 January 1994 (next to be
held 16 March 1998)
election results : General Council - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - FRUI.G 13, RPR/DUD 13, PPDG 8, FGPS 3, PCG 3, UPLG 1,
PSG 1, independent 1; Regional Council - percent of vote by party -
RPR/FGPS-dissidents 48.30%, FGPS 17.09%, FRUI.G 7.44%, PPDG 8.90%,
UPLG 7.75% PCG 6.05%; seats by party - RPR/FGPS-dissidents 22,
FGPS/FRUI.G 9, PPDG 5, PCG 3, UPLG 2
note : Guadeloupe elects two representatives to the French Senate;
elections last held in September 1995 (next to be held NA September
2004); percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PPDG 1, FGPS 1;
Guadeloupe elects four representatives to the French National
Assembly; elections last held on 21 and 28 March 1993 (next to be held
25 May-1 June 1997 - special election); percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - FGPS 2, RPR 1, PCG 1

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel with jurisdiction
over Guadeloupe, French Guiana, and Martinique

Political parties and leaders: Rally for the Republic or RPR [Daniel
BEAUBRUN]; Communist Party of Guadeloupe or PCG [Christian Medard
CELESTE]; Socialist Party or FGPS [Georges LOUISOR]; Popular Union for
the Liberation of Guadeloupe or UPLG [Claude MAKOUKE]; FGPS Dissidents
or FRUI.G [Dominique LARIFLA]; Union for French Democracy or UDF
[Marcel ESDRAS]; Progressive Democratic Party or PPDG [Henri BANGOU]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Movement for Independent
Guadeloupe or MPGI; General Union of Guadeloupe Workers or UGTG;
General Federation of Guadeloupe Workers or CGT-G; Christian Movement
for the Liberation of Guadeloupe or KLPG

International organization participation: FZ, WCL, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas department of
France)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas department of
France)

Flag description: three horizontal bands, a narrow green band (top), a
wide red band, and a narrow green band; the green bands are separated
from the red band by two narrow white stripes; a five-pointed gold
star is centered in the red band toward the hoist side; the flag of
France is used for official occasions

Economy

Economy - overview: The economy depends on agriculture, tourism, light
industry, and services. It is also dependent upon France for large
subsidies and imports. Tourism is a key industry, with most tourists
from the US. In addition, an increasingly large number of cruise ships
visit the islands. The traditionally important sugarcane crop is
slowly being replaced by other crops, such as bananas (which now
supply about 50% of export earnings), eggplant, and flowers. Other
vegetables and root crops are cultivated for local consumption,
although Guadeloupe is still dependent on imported food, which comes
mainly from France. Light industry consists mostly of sugar and rum
production. Most manufactured goods and fuel are imported.
Unemployment is especially high among the young.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $3.7 billion (1995 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: NA%

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $9,200 (1995 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 6%
industry: 9%
services: 85% (1993 est.)

Inflation rate - consumer price index: 3.7% (1990)

Labor force:
total: 128,000
by occupation: agriculture 15%, industry 20%, services 65% (1993)

Unemployment rate: 31.3% (1995)

Budget:
revenues: $300 million
expenditures: $460 million, including capital expenditures of $90
million (1995)

Industries: construction, cement, rum, sugar, tourism

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - capacity: NA kW

Electricity - production: 950 million kWh (1994)

Electricity - consumption per capita: NA kWh

Agriculture - products: bananas, sugarcane, tropical fruits and
vegetables; cattle, pigs, goats

Exports:
total value: $145 million (f.o.b., 1994)
commodities : bananas, sugar, rum
partners: France 70%, Martinique 17% (1991)

Imports:
total value: $1.6 billion (c.i.f., 1994)
commodities: foodstuffs, fuels, vehicles, clothing and other consumer
goods, construction materials
partners : France 60%, EC, US, Japan (1991)

Debt - external: $NA

Economic aid:
recipient : ODA, $NA
note: substantial annual French subsidies

Currency: 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates: French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.4169 (January 1997),
5.1155(1996), 4.9915 (1995), 5.5520 (1994), 5.6632 (1993), 5.2938
(1992)

Fiscal year: calendar year

@Guadeloupe:Communications

Telephones: 64,916 (1984 est.)

Telephone system: domestic facilities inadequate
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean);
microwave radio relay to Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, and Martinique

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 8 (private stations licensed to
broadcast FM 30), shortwave 0

Radios: 100,000 (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 9

Televisions: 150,000 (1993 est.)

@Guadeloupe:Transportation

Railways:
total: NA km; privately owned, narrow-gauge plantation lines

Highways:
total : 2,082 km (national 329 km, regional 582 km, community/local
1171 km)
paved: 1,742 km
unpaved: 340 km (1985 est.)
note: in 1996 there were 3,200 km of roads

Ports and harbors: Basse-Terre, Gustavia (on St. Barthelemy), Marigot,
Pointe-a-Pitre

Merchant marine: none

Airports: 9 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 9
over 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m : 6 (1996 est.)

Military

Military branches: French Forces, Gendarmerie

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none
______________________________________________________________________

GUAM

(territory of the US)

@Guam:Geography

Location: Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about
three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines

Geographic coordinates: 13 28 N, 144 47 E

Map references: Oceania

Area:
total: 541.3 sq km
land: 541.3 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: three times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 125.5 km

Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical marine; generally warm and humid, moderated by
northeast trade winds; dry season from January to June, rainy season
from July to December; little seasonal temperature variation

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

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Lamlam 406 m

Natural resources: fishing (largely undeveloped), tourism (especially
from Japan)

Land use:
arable land: 11%
permanent crops: 11%
permanent pastures : 15%
forests and woodland: 18%
other: 45% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively
rare, but potentially very destructive typhoons (especially in August)

Environment - current issues: NA

Environment - international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA

Geography - note: largest and southernmost island in the Mariana
Islands archipelago; strategic location in western North Pacific Ocean

@Guam:People

Population: 160,595 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA

Population growth rate: 2.5% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 23.35 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 3.86 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: NA male(s)/female
under 15 years: NA male(s)/female
15-64 years: NA male(s)/female
65 years and over : NA male(s)/female
total population: NA male(s)/female

Infant mortality rate: 15.17 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.29 years
male: 72.42 years
female: 76.13 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.16 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Guamanian(s)
adjective: Guamanian

Ethnic groups: Chamorro 47%, Filipino 25%, white 10%, Chinese,
Japanese, Korean, and other 18%

Religions: Roman Catholic 98%, other 2%

Languages: English, Chamorro, Japanese

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population : 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (1990 est.)

@Guam:Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of Guam
conventional short form: Guam

Data code: GQ

Dependency status: organized, unincorporated territory of the US with
policy relations between Guam and the US under the jurisdiction of the
Office of Territorial and International Affairs, US Department of the
Interior

Government type: NA

National capital: Agana

Administrative divisions: none (territory of the US)

Independence: none (territory of the US)

National holiday: Guam Discovery Day (first Monday in March) (1521);
Liberation Day, 21 July (1944)

Constitution: Organic Act of 1 August 1950

Legal system: modeled on US; federal laws apply

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

Executive branch:
chief of state: President of the US William Jefferson CLINTON (since
20 January 1993); Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January
1993)
head of government: Governor Carl GUTIERREZ (since 8 November 1994)
and Lieutenant Governor Madeleine BORDALLO (since 8 November 1994)
cabinet: executive departments; heads appointed by the governor with
the consent of the Guam legislature
elections : governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same
ticket by popular vote and serve four-year terms; election last held 8
November 1994 (next to be held NA November 1998)
election results: Carl GUTIERREZ elected governor of Guam; percent of
vote - Carl GUTIERREZ (Democrat) 54.6%, Tommy TANAKA (Republican) NA%

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislature (21 seats; members are
elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)
elections: last held 5 November 1996 (next to be held NA November
1998)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
Republican 11, Democratic 10
note: Guam elects one delegate to the US House of Representatives;
elections last held 5 November 1996 (next to be held NA November
1998); results - Robert UNDERWOOD was reelected as delegate; percent
of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democrat 1

Judicial branch: Federal District Court, judge is appointed by the
president; Territorial Superior Court, judges appointed for eight-year
terms by the governor

Political parties and leaders: Republican Party (controls the
legislature); Democratic Party (party of the Governor)

International organization participation: ESCAP (associate), IOC, SPC

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of the US)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of the US)

Flag description: territorial flag is dark blue with a narrow red
border on all four sides; centered is a red-bordered, pointed,
vertical ellipse containing a beach scene, outrigger canoe with sail,
and a palm tree with the word GUAM superimposed in bold red letters;
US flag is the national flag

Economy

Economy - overview: The economy depends mainly on US military spending
and on revenue generated by the tourism industry. Over the past 20
years, the tourist industry has grown rapidly, creating a construction
boom for new hotels and the expansion of older ones. More than one
million tourists visit Guam each year. Most food and industrial goods
are imported, with about 75% from the US. Guam faces the problem of
building up the civilian economic sector to offset the impact of
military downsizing.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $3 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: NA%

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $19,000 (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services : NA%

Inflation rate - consumer price index: 4% (1992 est.)

Labor force:
total : 46,930 (1990)
by occupation: federal and territorial government 40%, private 60%
(trade 18%, services 15.6%, construction 13.8%, other 12.6%) (1990)

Unemployment rate: 2% (1992 est.)

Budget:
revenues : $525 million
expenditures: $395 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1991)

Industries: US military, tourism, construction, transshipment
services, concrete products, printing and publishing, food processing,
textiles

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - capacity: 302,000 kW (1993)

Electricity - production: 750 million kWh (1994)

Electricity - consumption per capita: 4,566 kWh (1995 est.)

Agriculture - products: fruits, copra, vegetables; eggs, pork,
poultry, beef

Exports:
total value : $34 million (f.o.b., 1984)
commodities: mostly transshipments of refined petroleum products,
construction materials, fish, food and beverage products
partners: US 25%, former Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands 63%,
other 12%

Imports:
total value: $493 million (c.i.f., 1984)
commodities: petroleum and petroleum products, food, manufactured
goods
partners: US 23%, Japan 19%, other 58%

Debt - external: $NA

Economic aid:
recipient: although Guam receives no foreign aid, it does receive
large transfer payments from the general revenues of the US Federal
Treasury into which Guamanians pay no income or excise taxes; under
the provisions of a special law of Congress, the Guamanian Treasury,
rather than the US Treasury, receives federal income taxes paid by
military and civilian Federal employees stationed in Guam

Currency: 1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: US currency is used

Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

@Guam:Communications

Telephones: 74,317 (March 1997)

Telephone system:
domestic: NA
international : satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean);
submarine cables to US and Japan

Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 3, shortwave 0

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 3

Televisions: 75,000 (1993 est.)

@Guam:Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways:
total: 674 km (all-weather roads)
paved : NA km
unpaved: NA km

Ports and harbors: Apra Harbor

Merchant marine: none

Airports: 4

Airports - with paved runways:
total : 4
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (1996 est.)

Military

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none
______________________________________________________________________

GUATEMALA

@Guatemala:Geography

Location: Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between
Honduras and Belize and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El
Salvador and Mexico

Geographic coordinates: 15 30 N, 90 15 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 108,890 sq km
land: 108,430 sq km
water: 460 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Tennessee

Land boundaries:
total: 1,687 km
border countries: Belize 266 km, El Salvador 203 km, Honduras 256 km,
Mexico 962 km

Coastline: 400 km

Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands

Terrain: mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling
limestone plateau (Peten)

Elevation extremes:
lowest point : Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Volcan Tajumulco 4,211 m

Natural resources: petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle

Land use:
arable land : 12%
permanent crops: 5%
permanent pastures: 24%
forests and woodland: 54%
other : 5% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,250 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional
violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast subject to hurricanes and other
tropical storms

Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; water
pollution

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping,
Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified : Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of
the Sea

Geography - note: no natural harbors on west coast

@Guatemala:People

Population: 11,685,695 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 43% (male 2,571,885; female 2,465,902)
15-64 years: 53% (male 3,117,718; female 3,121,276)
65 years and over : 4% (male 192,334; female 216,580) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.73% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 36.45 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 7.13 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: -2.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years : 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 49.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 65.64 years
male: 63.02 years
female : 68.39 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.89 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Guatemalan(s)
adjective: Guatemalan

Ethnic groups: Mestizo (mixed Amerindian-Spanish - in local Spanish
called Ladino) 56%, Amerindian or predominantly Amerindian 44%

Religions: Roman Catholic, Protestant, traditional Mayan

Languages: Spanish 60%, Amerindian languages 40% (23 Amerindian
languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi)


 


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