The 1997 CIA World FactbookPart 36 out of 47RPR and UDF); Free-DOM Movement [Marguerite SUDRE]; National Front (FN), Alix MOREL International organization participation: FZ, WFTU Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas department of France) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas department of France) Flag description: the flag of France is used Economy Economy - overview: The economy has traditionally been based on agriculture. Sugarcane has been the primary crop for more than a century, and in some years it accounts for 85% of exports. The government has been pushing the development of a tourist industry to relieve high unemployment, which recently amounted to one-third of the labor force. The gap in Reunion between the well-off and the poor is extraordinary and accounts for the persistent social tensions. The white and Indian communities are substantially better off than other segments of the population, often approaching European standards, whereas indigenous groups suffer the poverty and unemployment typical of the poorer nations of the African continent. The outbreak of severe rioting in February 1991 illustrates the seriousness of socioeconomic tensions. The economic well-being of Reunion depends heavily on continued financial assistance from France. GDP: purchasing power parity - $2.9 billion (1995 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 2.7% (1995 est.) GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $4,300 (1995 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry : NA% services: NA% Inflation rate - consumer price index: NA% Labor force: total: 242,169 (1993) by occupation: agriculture 30%, industry 21%, services 49% (1981) Unemployment rate: 35% (1994) Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA Industries: sugar, rum, cigarettes, handicraft items Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity - capacity: NA kW Electricity - production: 1.09 billion kWh (1994) Electricity - consumption per capita: 1,670 kWh (1994) Agriculture - products: sugarcane, vanilla, tobacco, tropical fruits, vegetables, corn Exports: total value: $171.776 million (f.o.b., 1994) commodities: sugar 63%, rum and molasses 4%, perfume essences 2%, lobster 3%, (1993) partners: France, Mauritius, Bahrain, South Africa, Italy, Madagascar Imports: total value: $2.354 billion (c.i.f., 1994) commodities : manufactured goods, food, beverages, tobacco, machinery and transportation equipment, raw materials, and petroleum products partners: France, Mauritius, Bahrain, South Africa, Italy, Madagascar Debt - external: $NA Economic aid: recipient: substantial annual subsidies from France 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 @Reunion:Communications Telephones: 191,647 (1993 est.) Telephone system: adequate system; principal center is Saint-Denis domestic : modern open wire and microwave radio relay network international: radiotelephone communication to Comoros, France, Madagascar; new microwave route to Mauritius; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 13, shortwave 0 Radios: 151,000 (1992 est.) Television broadcast stations: 1 (repeaters 18) Televisions: 116,181 (1992 est.) @Reunion:Transportation Railways: 0 km Highways: total: 2,784 km paved: 2,187 km unpaved: 597 km (1987 est.) Ports and harbors: Le Port, Pointe des Galets Merchant marine: none Airports: 2 (1996) Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1996 est.) Military Military branches: French forces (Army, Navy, Air Force, and Gendarmerie) Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 176,600 (1997 est.) Military manpower - fit for military service: males : 92,170 (1997 est.) Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 5,724 (1997 est.) Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France Transnational Issues Disputes - international: none ______________________________________________________________________ ROMANIA @Romania:Geography Location: Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Ukraine Geographic coordinates: 46 00 N, 25 00 E Map references: Europe Area: total: 237,500 sq km land: 230,340 sq km water : 7,160 sq km Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Oregon Land boundaries: total : 2,508 km border countries: Bulgaria 608 km, Hungary 443 km, Moldova 450 km, Serbia and Montenegro 476 km (all with Serbia), Ukraine (north) 362 km, Ukraine (south) 169 km Coastline: 225 km Maritime claims: contiguous zone : 24 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm Climate: temperate; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow and fog; sunny summers with frequent showers and thunderstorms Terrain: central Transylvanian Basin is separated from the Plain of Moldavia on the east by the Carpathian Mountains and separated from the Walachian Plain on the south by the Transylvanian Alps Elevation extremes: lowest point: Black Sea 0 m highest point : Moldoveanu 2,544 m Natural resources: petroleum (reserves declining), timber, natural gas, coal, iron ore, salt Land use: arable land: 41% permanent crops: 3% permanent pastures : 21% forests and woodland: 29% other: 6% (1993 est.) Irrigated land: 31,020 sq km (1993 est.) Natural hazards: earthquakes most severe in south and southwest; geologic structure and climate promote landslides Environment - current issues: soil erosion and degradation; water pollution; air pollution in south from industrial effluents; contamination of Danube delta wetlands Environment - international agreements: party to : Air Pollution, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol Geography - note: controls most easily traversable land route between the Balkans, Moldova, and Ukraine @Romania:People Population: 22,463,077 (July 1997 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 19% (male 2,223,136; female 2,130,497) 15-64 years : 68% (male 7,586,237; female 7,679,992) 65 years and over: 13% (male 1,186,948; female 1,656,267) (July 1997 est.) Population growth rate: -0.28% (1997 est.) Birth rate: 9.8 births/1,000 population (1997 est.) Death rate: 11.75 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.) Net migration rate: -0.88 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 : 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (1997 est.) Infant mortality rate: 19.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 70.11 years male : 66.28 years female: 74.13 years (1997 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.23 children born/woman (1997 est.) Nationality: noun: Romanian(s) adjective: Romanian Ethnic groups: Romanian 89.1%, Hungarian 8.9%, German 0.4%, Ukrainian, Serb, Croat, Russian, Turk, and Gypsy 1.6% Religions: Romanian Orthodox 70%, Roman Catholic 6% (of which 3% are Uniate), Protestant 6%, unaffiliated 18% Languages: Romanian, Hungarian, German Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male : 98% female: 95% (1992 est.) @Romania:Government Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form : Romania local long form: none local short form: Romania Data code: RO Government type: republic National capital: Bucharest Administrative divisions: 40 counties (judete, singular - judet) and 1 municipality* (municipiu); Alba, Arad, Arges, Bacau, Bihor, Bistrita-Nasaud, Botosani, Braila, Brasov, Bucuresti*, Buzau, Calarasi, Caras-Severin, Cluj, Constanta, Covasna, Dimbovita, Dolj, Galati, Gorj, Giurgiu, Harghita, Hunedoara, Ialomita, Iasi, Maramures, Mehedinti, Mures, Neamt, Olt, Prahova, Salaj, Satu Mare, Sibiu, Suceava, Teleorman, Timis, Tulcea, Vaslui, Vilcea, Vrancea Independence: 1881 (from Turkey; republic proclaimed 30 December 1947) National holiday: National Day of Romania, 1 December (1990) Constitution: 8 December 1991 Legal system: former mixture of civil law system and communist legal theory; is now based on the Constitution of France's Fifth Republic Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state : President Emil CONSTANTINESCU (since 29 November 1996) head of government: Prime Minister Victor CIORBEA (since 12 December 1996) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 3 November 1996, with runoff between the top two candidates held 17 November 1996 (next to be held NA 2000); prime minister appointed by the president election results: percent of vote - Emil CONSTANTINESCU 54.4%, Ion ILIESCU 45.6% Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Senate or Senat (143 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote on a proportional representation to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Adunarea Deputatilor (343 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote on a proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 3 November 1996 (next to be held NA 2000); Chamber of Deputies - last held 3 November 1996 (next to be held NA 2000) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - CDR 30.7%, PDSR 23.1%, USD 13.2%, UDMR 6.8%, PRM 4.5%, PUNR 4.2%, others 17.5%; seats by party - CDR 53, PDSR 41, USD 23, UDMR 11, PRM 8, PUNR 7; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - CDR 30.2%, PDSR 21.5%, USD 12.9%, UDMR 6.6% PRM 4.5%, PUNR 4.4%, others 19.9%; seats by party - CDR 122, PDSR 91, USD 53, UDMR 25, PRM 19, PUNR 18, ethnic minorities 15 Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice, judges are appointed by the president on recommendation of the Superior Council of Magistrates Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party or DP [Petre ROMAN]; Romanian Social Democratic Party or PSDR [Sergiu CUNESCU]; Party of Social Democracy in Romania or PDSR [Adrian NASTASE]; Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania or UDMR [Bela MARKO]; National Liberal Party or PNL [Mircea IONESCU-QUINTUS]; National Peasants' Christian and Democratic Party or PNTCD [Ion DIACONESCU]; Romanian National Unity Party or PUNR [Valeriu TABARA]; Socialist Labor Party or PSM [Ilie VERDET]; Agrarian Democratic Party of Romania or PDAR [Victor SURDU]; The Democratic Convention or CDR [Ion DIACONESCU]; Romania Mare Party (Greater Romanian Party) or PRM [Corneliu Vadim TUDOR]; Civic Alliance Party or PAC [Nicolae MANOLESCU, chairman]; Liberal Party '93 or PL-93 [Dinu PATRICIU]; National Liberal Party-Democratic Convention or PNL-CD [Nicolae CERVENI]; Socialist Party or PS [Tudor MOHORA] note: to increase their voting strength several of the above-mentioned parties united under umbrella organizations: PNTCD, PNL, and PNL-CD form the bulk of the Democratic Convention or CDR [Ion DIACONESCU]; PD and PSDR form the Union of Social Democrats or USD [Petre ROMAN]; and PAC and PL-93 form the National Liberal Alliance or ANL [Nicolae MANOLESCU]; PSM, PS, ANL, and numerous other small parties failed to gain representation in the most recent election Political pressure groups and leaders: various human rights and professional associations International organization participation: ACCT, BIS, BSEC, CCC, CE, CEI, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, G- 9, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NACC, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer), OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UPU, WCL, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mircea Dan GEOANA chancery: 1607 23rd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-4846, 4848, 4851 FAX : [1] (202) 232-4748 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission : Ambassador Alfred H. MOSES embassy: Strada Tudor Arghezi 7-9, Bucharest mailing address: American Consulate General (Bucharest), Unit 1315, APO AE 09213-1315 telephone: [40] (1) 210 01 49, 210 40 42 FAX: [40] (1) 210 03 95 branch office: Cluj-Napoca Flag description: three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red; the national coat of arms that used to be centered in the yellow band has been removed; now similar to the flags of Andorra and Chad Economy Economy - overview: Romania, one of the poorer countries in Central and Eastern Europe, began the transition from Communism with a largely obsolete industrial base and a pattern of output unsuited to the country's needs. Over the past seven years, economic restructuring has lagged behind most other countries in the region. Consequently, economic performance is declining, with slowing GDP growth, ballooning budget deficits, accelerating inflation, a plunging exchange rate, and anemic foreign investment. Unemployment was low at about 6% at the end of 1996, but the rate will rise when restructuring gets underway. A new government elected in November 1996 promises to accelerate economic reform, restructuring, and privatization, introduce fiscal and monetary austerity, reduce the state's role in the economy, and open Romania to foreign investment. The government will tackle its formidable economic problems in two stages, with an emergency plan over the winter of 1996/97 to ensure social and political stability, followed by a radical structural reform program over its remaining three-and-one-half years aimed eventually at EU accession. At the same time, it wants to keep campaign promises to increase benefits to disadvantaged groups. Bucharest hopes to receive financial and technical assistance from international financial institutions and western governments and negotiations over a new IMF standby agreement are underway. If reform stalls, however, Romania's bond rating - just below investment grade - could fall and needed capital from both public and private sources could quickly dry up. Rich agricultural and oil resources are strengths for the future. GDP: purchasing power parity - $113.2 billion (1996 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 4.1% (1996 est.) GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $5,200 (1996 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 20% industry: 33.4% services: 46.6% (1995) Inflation rate - consumer price index: 56.9% (1996 est.) Labor force: total : 10.1 million (1996 est.) by occupation: industry 28.8%, agriculture 36.4%, other 34.8% (1994) Unemployment rate: 6.1% (1996 est.) Budget: revenues: $6 billion expenditures: $7.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1996 est.) Industries: mining, timber, construction materials, metallurgy, chemicals, machine building, food processing, petroleum production and refining Industrial production growth rate: 7% (1996 est.) Electricity - capacity: 22.06 million kW (1994) Electricity - production: 52.48 billion kWh (1994) Electricity - consumption per capita: 2,245 kWh (1995 est.) Agriculture - products: wheat, corn, sugar beets, sunflower seed, potatoes, grapes; milk, eggs, meat Exports: total value: $7.7 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: textiles and footwear 25.2%, metals and metal products 19.4%, fuels and mineral products 10.0%, chemicals 9.4%, other 36.0% (1995) partners : Germany 17.8%, Italy 15.6%, France 5.7%, Turkey 4.5%, Netherlands 3.0%, China 3.0% (1995) Imports: total value : $93.8 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: fuels and minerals 25.1%, machinery and transport equipment 19.4%, food and agricultural goods 6.1%, chemicals 9.0%, other 40.4% (1995) partners: Germany 17.1%, Italy 13.2%, Russia 12.6%, France 5.2%, US 4.2%, Egypt 4.1% (1995) Debt - external: $7.8 billion (1996 est.) Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $81 million (1993) Currency: 1 leu (L) = 100 bani Exchange rates: lei (L) per US$1 - 5,970 (January 1997), 3,085.39 (1996), 2,033.28 (1995), 1,655.09 (1994), 760.05 (1993), 307.95 (1992) Fiscal year: calendar year @Romania:Communications Telephones: 2.6 million (1993 est.) Telephone system: domestic: poor service; 89% of telephone network is automatic; trunk network is microwave radio relay; roughly 3,300 villages with no service (February 1990 est.) international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat; new digital international direct-dial exchanges are in Bucharest (1993 est.) Radio broadcast stations: AM 12, FM 5, shortwave 0 note: in 1995, 135 local radio stations were registered Radios: 4.64 million (1992 est.) Television broadcast stations: 436 cable TV stations, 66 local TV stations Televisions: 4.58 million (1992 est.) @Romania:Transportation Railways: total : 11,365 km broad gauge: 45 km 1.524-m gauge standard gauge: 10,893 km 1.435-m gauge (3,723 km electrified; 3,060 km double track) narrow gauge: 427 km 0.760-m gauge (1994) Highways: total : 153,170 km paved: 78,117 km (including 113 km of expressways) unpaved: 75,053 km (1995 est.) Waterways: 1,724 km (1984) Pipelines: crude oil 2,800 km; petroleum products 1,429 km; natural gas 6,400 km (1992) Ports and harbors: Braila, Constanta, Galati, Mangalia, Sulina, Tulcea Merchant marine: total: 234 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,445,810 GRT/3,654,660 DWT ships by type: bulk 39, cargo 167, container 2, oil tanker 13, passenger 1, passenger-cargo 1, railcar carrier 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 9 note : Romania owns an additional 18 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,025,108 DWT operating under the registries of The Bahamas, Bermuda, Cyprus, Liberia, Malta, and Syria (1996 est.) Airports: 156 (1994 est.) Airports - with paved runways: total: 27 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 (1994 est.) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 129 2,438 to 3,047 m : 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 108 (1994 est.) Military Military branches: Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Paramilitary Forces, Civil Defense Military manpower - military age: 20 years of age Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 5,884,704 (1997 est.) Military manpower - fit for military service: males: 4,955,267 (1997 est.) Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 201,752 (1997 est.) Military expenditures - dollar figure: $650 million (1996) Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.5% (1996) Transnational Issues Disputes - international: dispute with Ukraine over continental shelf of the Black Sea under which significant gas and oil deposits may exist; agreed to two-year negotiating period, after which either party can refer dispute to the International Court of Justice Illicit drugs: important transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin transiting the Balkan route and small amounts of Latin American cocaine bound for Western Europe ______________________________________________________________________ RUSSIA @Russia:Geography Location: Northern Asia (that part west of the Urals is sometimes included with Europe), bordering the Arctic Ocean, between Europe and the North Pacific Ocean Geographic coordinates: 60 00 N, 100 00 E Map references: Asia Area: total: 17,075,200 sq km land: 16,995,800 sq km water: 79,400 sq km Area - comparative: slightly less than 1.8 times the size of the US Land boundaries: total : 19,917 km border countries: Azerbaijan 284 km, Belarus 959 km, China (southeast) 3,605 km, China (south) 40 km, Estonia 294 km, Finland 1,313 km, Georgia 723 km, Kazakstan 6,846 km, North Korea 19 km, Latvia 217 km, Lithuania (Kaliningrad Oblast) 227 km, Mongolia 3,441 km, Norway 167 km, Poland (Kaliningrad Oblast) 206 km, Ukraine 1,576 km Coastline: 37,653 km Maritime claims: continental shelf : 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm Climate: ranges from steppes in the south through humid continental in much of European Russia; subarctic in Siberia to tundra climate in the polar north; winters vary from cool along Black Sea coast to frigid in Siberia; summers vary from warm in the steppes to cool along Arctic coast Terrain: broad plain with low hills west of Urals; vast coniferous forest and tundra in Siberia; uplands and mountains along southern border regions Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m highest point: Mount El'brus 5,633 m Natural resources: wide natural resource base including major deposits of oil, natural gas, coal, and many strategic minerals, timber note: formidable obstacles of climate, terrain, and distance hinder exploitation of natural resources Land use: arable land : 8% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 4% forests and woodland: 46% other: 42% (1993 est.) Irrigated land: 40,000 sq km (1993 est.) Natural hazards: permafrost over much of Siberia is a major impediment to development; volcanic activity in the Kuril Islands; volcanoes and earthquakes on the Kamchatka Peninsula Environment - current issues: air pollution from heavy industry, emissions of coal-fired electric plants, and transportation in major cities; industrial and agricultural pollution of inland waterways and sea coasts; deforestation; soil erosion; soil contamination from improper application of agricultural chemicals; scattered areas of sometimes intense radioactive contamination Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea Geography - note: largest country in the world in terms of area but unfavorably located in relation to major sea lanes of the world; despite its size, much of the country lacks proper soils and climates (either too cold or too dry) for agriculture @Russia:People Population: 147,305,569 (July 1997 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years : 20% (male 15,258,810; female 14,683,485) 15-64 years: 67% (male 47,945,470; female 51,067,792) 65 years and over: 13% (male 5,645,915; female 12,704,097) (July 1997 est.) Population growth rate: -0.29% (1997 est.) Birth rate: 9.52 births/1,000 population (1997 est.) Death rate: 14.84 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.) Net migration rate: 2.38 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: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.44 male(s)/female total population: 0.88 male(s)/female (1997 est.) Infant mortality rate: 23.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 64.81 years male: 58.39 years female: 71.56 years (1997 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.35 children born/woman (1997 est.) Nationality: noun: Russian(s) adjective: Russian Ethnic groups: Russian 81.5%, Tatar 3.8%, Ukrainian 3%, Chuvash 1.2%, Bashkir 0.9%, Byelorussian 0.8%, Moldavian 0.7%, other 8.1% Religions: Russian Orthodox, Muslim, other Languages: Russian, other Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male : 100% female: 97% (1989 est.) @Russia:Government Country name: conventional long form : Russian Federation conventional short form: Russia local long form: Rossiyskaya Federatsiya local short form: Rossiya former: Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic Data code: RS Government type: federation National capital: Moscow Administrative divisions: 49 oblasts (oblastey, singular - oblast'), 21 autonomous republics* (avtonomnyk respublik, singular - avtonomnaya respublika), 10 autonomous okrugs**(avtonomnykh okrugov, singular - avtonomnyy okrug), 6 krays*** (krayev, singular - kray), 2 federal cities (singular - gorod)****, and 1 autonomous oblast*****(avtonomnaya oblast'); Adygeya (Maykop)*, Aginskiy Buryatskiy (Aginskoye)**, Altay (Gorno-Altaysk)*, Altayskiy (Barnaul)***, Amurskaya (Blagoveshchensk), Arkhangel'skaya, Astrakhanskaya, Bashkortostan (Ufa)*, Belgorodskaya, Bryanskaya, Buryatiya (Ulan-Ude)*, Chechnya (Groznyy)*, Chelyabinskaya, Chitinskaya, Chukotskiy (Anadyr')**, Chuvashiya (Cheboksary)*, Dagestan (Makhachkala)*, Evenkiyskiy (Tura)**, Ingushetiya (Nazran')*, Irkutskaya, Ivanovskaya, Kabardino-Balkariya (Nal'chik)*, Kaliningradskaya, Kalmykiya (Elista)*, Kaluzkskaya, Kamchatskaya (Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy), Karachayevo-Cherkesiya (Cherkessk)*, Kareliya (Petrozavodsk)*, Kemerovskaya, Khabarovskiy***, Khakasiya (Abakan)*, Khanty-Mansiyskiy (Khanty-Mansiysk)**, Kirovskaya, Komi (Syktyvkar)*, Koryakskiy (Palana)**, Kostromskaya, Krasnodarskiy***, Krasnoyarskiy***, Kurganskaya, Kurskaya, Leningradskaya, Lipetskaya, Magadanskaya, Mariy-El (Yoshkar-Ola)*, Mordoviya (Saransk)*, Moskovskaya, Moskva****, Murmanskaya, Nenetskiy (Nar'yan-Mar)**, Nizhegorodskaya, Novgorodskaya, Novosibirskaya, Omskaya, Orenburgskaya, Penzenskaya, Permskaya, Komi-Permyatskiy (Kudymkar)**, Primorskiy (Vladivostok)***, Pskovskaya, Rostovskaya, Ryazanskaya, Sakha (Yakutiya)*, Sakhalinskaya (Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk), Samarskaya, Sankt-Peterburg****, Saratovskaya, Severnaya Osetiya-Alaniya (Vladikavkaz)*, Smolenskaya, Stavropol'skiy***, Sverdlovskaya (Yekaterinburg), Tambovskaya, Tatarstan (Kazan')*, Taymyrskiy (Dudinka)**, Tomskaya, Tul'skaya, Tverskaya, Tyumenskaya, Tyva (Kyzyl)*, Udmurtiya (Izhevsk)*, Ul'yanovskaya, Ust'-Ordynskiy Buryatskiy (Ust'-Ordynskiy)**, Vladimirskaya, Volgogradskaya, Vologodskaya, Voronezhskaya, Yamalo-Nenetskiy (Salekhard)**, Yaroslavskaya, Yevreyskaya*****; note - when using a place name with an adjectival ending 'skaya' or 'skiy', the word Oblast' or Avonomnyy Okrug or Kray should be added to the place name note : the autonomous republics of Chechnya and Ingushetia were formerly the autonomous republic of Checheno-Ingushetia (the boundary between Chechnya and Ingushetia has yet to be determined); the cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg are federal cities; administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses) Independence: 24 August 1991 (from Soviet Union) National holiday: Independence Day, June 12 (1990) Constitution: adopted 12 December 1993 Legal system: based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state : President Boris Nikolayevich YEL'TSIN (since 12 June 1991) head of government: Premier and Chairman of the Russian Federation Government Viktor Stepanovich CHERNOMYRDIN (since 14 December 1992), First Deputy Premiers and First Deputy Chairmen of the Government Anatoliy Borisovich CHUBAYS (since NA March 1997), Boris Y. NEMTSOV (since NA March 1997) cabinet: Ministries of the Government or "Government" appointed by the president note: there is also a Presidential Administration that drafts presidential edicts and provides staff and policy support to the entire executive branch; a Security Council that was originally established as a presidential advisory body in June 1991 with responsibility for managing individual and state security; a Defense Council and a Foreign Policy Council formed in July 1996 and October 1996 respectively elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 16 June 1996 with runoff election on 3 July 1996 (next to be held NA June 2000); note - no vice president; if the president dies in office, cannot exercise his powers because of ill health, is impeached, or resigns, the premier succeeds him; the premier serves as acting president until a new presidential election is held, which must be within three months; premier and deputy premiers appointed by the president with the approval of the Duma election results: Boris Nikolayevich YEL'TSIN elected president; percent of vote in runoff - YEL'TSIN 54%, Gennadiy ZYUGANOV 40% Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Assembly or Federalnoe Sobranie consists of the Federation Council or Sovet Federatsii (178 seats, filled ex-officio by the top executive and legislative officials in each of the 89 federal administrative units - oblasts, krays, republics, autonomous okrugs and oblasts, and the cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg; members serve four-year terms) and the State Duma or Gosudarstvennaya Duma (450 seats, half elected in single-member districts and half elected from national party lists; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections : State Duma - last held 17 December 1995 (next to be held NA December 1999) election results: State Duma - percent of vote received by parties clearing the 5% threshold entitling them to a proportional share of the 225 party list seats - Communist Party of the Russian Federation 22.3%, Liberal Democratic Party of Russia 11.2%, Our Home Is Russia 10.1%, Yabloko Bloc 6.9%; seats by party - Communist Party of the Russian Federation 157, independents 78, Our Home Is Russia 55, Liberal Democratic Party of Russia 51, Yabloko Bloc 45, Agrarian Party of Russia 20, Russia's Democratic Choice 9, Power To the People 9, Congress of Russian Communities 5, Forward, Russia! 3, Women of Russia 3, other parties 15 Judicial branch: Constitutional Court, judges are appointed by the Federation Council on recommendation of the president; Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the Federation Council on recommendation of the president; Superior Court of Arbitration, judges are appointed by the Federation Council on recommendation of the president Political parties and leaders: pro-market democrats : Yabloko Bloc [Grigoriy YAVLINSKIY]; Russia's Democratic Choice Party [Yegor GAYDAR]; Forward, Russia! [Boris FEDOROV] centrists/special interest parties: Our Home Is Russia [Viktor CHERNOMYRDIN]; Russian People's Republican Party [Aleksandr LEBED]; Congress of Russian Communities [Dmitriy ROGOZIN]; Women of Russia [Alevtina FEDULOVA and Yekaterina LAKHOVA] anti-market and/or ultranationalist : Communist Party of the Russian Federation [Gennadiy ZYUGANOV]; Liberal Democratic Party of Russia [Vladimir ZHIRINOVSKIY]; Agrarian Party [Mikhail LAPSHIN]; Power To the People [Nikolay RYZHKOV and Sergey BABURIN]; Russian Communist Workers' Party [Viktor ANPILOV and Viktor TYULKIN] note: some 269 political parties, blocs, and associations tried to gather enough signatures to run slates of candidates in the 17 December 1995 Duma elections; 43 succeeded Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participation: BIS (pending member), BSEC, CBSS, CCC, CE, CERN (observer), CIS, EBRD, ECE, ESCAP, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MTCR, NACC, NSG, OAS (observer), OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UN Security Council, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMIH, UNMOP, UNOMIG, UNPREDEP, UNTAES, UNTSO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant), ZC Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission : Ambassador Yuliy Mikhaylovich VORONTSOV chancery: 2650 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone : [1] (202) 298-5700 through 5704 FAX: [1] (202) 298-5735 consulate(s) general: New York, San Francisco, and Seattle Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires John F. TEFFT embassy : Novinskiy Bul'var 19/23, Moscow mailing address: APO AE 09721 telephone: [7] (095) 252-24-51 through 59 FAX: [7] (095) 956-42-61 consulate(s) general: St. Petersburg, Vladivostok, Yekaterinburg Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red Economy Economy - overview: Russia, a vast country with a wealth of natural resources, a well-educated population, and a diverse, but declining, industrial base, continues to experience formidable difficulties in moving from its old centrally planned economy to a modern market economy. Most of 1996 was a lost year for economic reforms, with government officials focused in the first half of the year on President YEL'TSIN's reelection and then on his medical problems. The only major success was in the fight against inflation, which fell from 131% in 1995 to 22% in 1996. Russia failed to make any progress in restructuring its social welfare programs to target the most needy - among whom are many of the old pensioners - or to pass needed tax reform. While approximately 75% of industry has now been privatized, the agricultural sector has undergone little reform since the break-up of the Soviet Union. Stockholder rights remain weak while crime and corruption are rampant in much of the economy. Many enterprises continue to operate without hard budget constraints, resulting in barter trade and increased inter-enterprise debts. According to official statistics, the Russian economy declined for the fifth straight year since the beginning of reforms, with GDP in 1996 falling by 6% and industrial output by 5%. The true size of the Russian economy remains controversial, however, with estimates of unreported economic activity ranging from 20%-50% of GDP. Indeed, according to Russian statistics, the Russian consumer has seen a small improvement in the last several years, with real average incomes growing by about 8% from early 1993 to late 1996. The share of the Russian population living below the poverty line is said to have dropped from one-third in early 1993 to one-fifth in late 1996. Few Russians lack basic necessities, and ownership of consumer goods such as VCRs and automobiles has increased markedly. The growth of wage and pension arrears slowed in the second half of 1996, and the government pledged to clear all budget-funded wage and pension arrears by the end of 1997. The government continued to be plagued with tax collection problems during 1996, forcing it to cut its planned spending by 18%. A crackdown on major tax debtors at the end of the year had only limited success. Spending by all levels of government remains high, between 40%-45% of GDP. The economy is continuing its integration into world markets. Russia's trade surplus, after adjustment for unreported "shuttle" trade, grew to a record $28.5 billion in 1996, according to official Russian statistics. Export growth, which slowed from 18% to 9%, was due mostly to increased raw material prices. After increasing by 15% in 1995, imports dipped by 2% in 1996 as Russian demand for Western consumer goods slackened. Russia is continuing to make progress in its WTrO negotiations; the government has made quick accession one of its major policy goals. The continued unsettled economic and political situation has discouraged foreign investment, which totaled only $6.5 billion in 1996, including $2.1 billion in direct investment; furthermore, capital flight continues to exceed in volume the inflow of foreign capital. The central bank estimates that $30 billion in US currency circulates in the Russian economy. In March 1997, YEL'TSIN signaled his intention to restart stalled economic reforms by reorganizing the cabinet, bringing in a new team of ministers with strong reform credentials. GDP: purchasing power parity - $767 billion (1996 estimate as extrapolated from World Bank estimate for 1994) GDP - real growth rate: -6% (1996 est.) GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $5,200 (1996 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% Inflation rate - consumer price index: 22% (1996) Labor force: total: 73 million (1996) by occupation : NA Unemployment rate: 9.3% (December 1996) (according to ILO definition) with considerable additional underemployment Budget: revenues : $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA Industries: complete range of mining and extractive industries producing coal, oil, gas, chemicals, and metals; all forms of machine building from rolling mills to high-performance aircraft and space vehicles; shipbuilding; road and rail transportation equipment; communications equipment; agricultural machinery, tractors, and construction equipment; electric power generating and transmitting equipment; medical and scientific instruments; consumer durables, textiles, foodstuffs, handicrafts Industrial production growth rate: -5% (1996) Electricity - capacity: 214.69 million kW (1994) Electricity - production: 833.16 billion kWh (1994) Electricity - consumption per capita: 5,114 kWh (1995 est.) Agriculture - products: grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, vegetables, fruits (because of its northern location does not grow citrus, cotton, tea, and other warm climate products); meat, milk Exports: total value: $88.3 billion (1996) commodities : petroleum and petroleum products, natural gas, wood and wood products, metals, chemicals, and a wide variety of civilian and military manufactures partners: Europe, North America, Japan, Third World countries Imports: total value: $59.8 billion (1996) commodities : machinery and equipment, consumer goods, medicines, meat, grain, sugar, semifinished metal products partners: Europe, North America, Japan, Third World countries Debt - external: $130 billion (yearend 1996) Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $13 billion (1990-96) note : US commitments, including Ex-Im, $15 billion (1990-96); other countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1990-96), $125 billion Currency: 1 ruble (R) = 100 kopeks Exchange rates: rubles per US$1 - 5,727 (March 1997), 5,121 (1996), 4,559 (1995), 2,191 (1994), 992 (1993) Fiscal year: calendar year @Russia:Communications Telephones: 25.4 million (1993 est.) Telephone system: total pay phones for long distant calls 34,100; enlisting foreign help, by means of joint ventures, to speed up the modernization of its telecommunications system; in 1992, only 661,000 new telephones were installed compared with 855,000 in 1991, and in 1992 the number of unsatisfied applications for telephones reached 11,000,000; expanded access to international electronic mail service available via Sprint network; the inadequacy of Russian telecommunications is a severe handicap to the economy, especially with respect to international connections domestic: NMT-450 analog cellular telephone networks are operational and growing in Moscow and St. Petersburg; intercity fiber-optic cable installation remains limited international: international traffic is inadequately handled by a system of satellites, landlines, microwave radio relay, and outdated submarine cables; much of this traffic passes through the international gateway switch in Moscow which carries most of the international traffic for the other countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States; a new Russian Intersputnik satellite will link Moscow and St. Petersburg with Rome from whence calls will be relayed to destinations in Europe and overseas; satellite earth stations - NA Intelsat, 4 Intersputnik (2 Atlantic Ocean Region and 2 Indian Ocean Region), NA Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat (Pacific Ocean Region), and NA Orbita Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA; note - there are about 1,050 (including AM, FM, and shortwave) radio broadcast stations throughout the country Radios: 50 million (1993 est.)(radio receivers with multiple speaker systems for program diffusion 74,300,000) Television broadcast stations: 7,183 Televisions: 54.85 million (1992 est.) @Russia:Transportation Railways: total: 154,000 km; note - 87,000 km in common carrier service (38,000 km electrified); 67,000 km serve specific industries and are not available for common carrier use broad gauge: 154,000 km 1.520-m gauge (1 January 1994) Highways: total : 948,000 km (including 416,000 km which serve specific industries or farms and are not maintained by governmental highway maintenance departments) paved: 336,000 km unpaved: 612,000 km (including 411,000 km of graveled or other forms of macadam surface and 201,000 km of unstabilized earth) (1995 est.) Waterways: total navigable routes in general use 101,000 km; routes with navigation guides serving the Russian River Fleet 95,900 km; routes with night navigational aids 60,400 km; man-made navigable routes 16,900 km (1 January 1994) Pipelines: crude oil 48,000 km; petroleum products 15,000 km; natural gas 140,000 km (30 June 1993) Ports and harbors: Arkhangel'sk, Astrakhan', Kaliningrad, Kazan', Khabarovsk, Kholmsk, Krasnoyarsk, Moscow, Murmansk, Nakhodka, Nevel'sk, Novorossiysk, Petropavlovsk, St. Petersburg, Rostov, Sochi, Tuapse, Vladivostok, Volgograd, Vostochnyy, Vyborg Merchant marine: total: 660 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,731,677 GRT/7,940,756 DWT ships by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 24, cargo 348, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk 21, combination ore/oil 15, container 28, multifunction large-load carrier 3, oil tanker 136, passenger 6, passenger-cargo 4, refrigerated cargo 20, roll-on/roll-off cargo 38, short-sea passenger 13, specialized tanker 2 note: Russia owns an additional 137 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,466,872 DWT operating under the registries of The Bahamas, Cyprus, Honduras, Liberia, Malta, Panama, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Singapore, and Vanuatu (1996 est.) Airports: 2,517 (1994 est.) Airports - with paved runways: total: 630 over 3,047 m : 54 2,438 to 3,047 m: 202 1,524 to 2,437 m : 108 914 to 1,523 m: 115 under 914 m: 151 (1994 est.) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1,887 over 3,047 m : 25 2,438 to 3,047 m: 45 1,524 to 2,437 m: 134 914 to 1,523 m: 291 under 914 m: 1,392 (1994 est.) Military Military branches: Ground Forces, Navy, Air Forces, Air Defense Forces, Strategic Rocket Forces Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 38,449,126 (1997 est.) Military manpower - fit for military service: males : 29,996,967 (1997 est.) Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 1,115,858 (1997 est.) Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA note : the Intelligence Community estimates that defense spending in Russia fell by about 10% in real terms in 1996, reducing Russian defense outlays to about one-sixth of peak Soviet levels in the late 1980s (1997 est.) Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA% Transnational Issues Disputes - international: inherited disputes from former USSR including sections of the boundary with China; islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, and Shikotan and the Habomai group occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945, administered by Russia, claimed by Japan; Caspian Sea boundaries are not yet determined among Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan; potential dispute with Ukraine over Crimea; Estonian and Russian negotiators reached a technical order agreement in December 1996, which Estonia is prepared to sign and ratify in January 1997; Estonia had claimed over 2,000 sq km of Russian territory in the Narva and Pechora regions - based on boundary established under the 1920 Peace Treaty of Tartu; based on the 1920 Treaty of Riga, Latvia had claimed the Abrene/Pytalovo section of the border ceded by the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic to Russia in 1944; has made no territorial claim in Antarctica (but has reserved the right to do so) and does not recognize the claims of any other nation; dispute with Lithuania over the position of the riparian and maritime boundary with Kaliningrad Oblast; Svalbard is the focus of a maritime boundary dispute in the Barents Sea between Norway and Russia Illicit drugs: limited cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for domestic consumption; government has active eradication program; increasingly used as transshipment point for Southwest and Southeast Asian opiates and cannabis and Latin American cocaine to Western Europe and the US ______________________________________________________________________ RWANDA Introduction Current issues: following the outbreak of genocidal strife in Rwanda in April 1994 between Tutsi and Hutu factions, more than 2 million refugees fled to neighboring Burundi, Tanzania, Uganda and Democratic Republic of the Congo, formerly Zaire; according to the UN High Commission on Refugees, in 1996 and early 1997 nearly 1,300,000 Hutus returned to Rwanda; of these, 720,000 returned from Zaire, 480,000 from Tanzania, 88,000 from Burundi, and 10,000 from Uganda @Rwanda:Geography Location: Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo Geographic coordinates: 2 00 S, 30 00 E Map references: Africa Area: total: 26,340 sq km land: 24,950 sq km water: 1,390 sq km Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland Land boundaries: total: 893 km border countries: Burundi 290 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 217 km, Tanzania 217 km, Uganda 169 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime claims: none (landlocked) Climate: temperate; two rainy seasons (February to April, November to January); mild in mountains with frost and snow possible Terrain: mostly grassy uplands and hills; relief is mountainous with altitude declining from west to east Elevation extremes: lowest point: Rusizi River 950 m highest point : Volcan Karisimbi 4,519 m Natural resources: gold, cassiterite (tin ore), wolframite (tungsten ore), natural gas, hydropower Land use: arable land: 35% permanent crops: 13% permanent pastures : 18% forests and woodland: 22% other: 12% (1993 est.) Irrigated land: 40 sq km (1993 est.) Natural hazards: periodic droughts; the volcanic Virunga mountains are in the northwest along the border with Democratic Republic of the Congo Environment - current issues: deforestation results from uncontrolled cutting of trees for fuel; overgrazing; soil exhaustion; soil erosion Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban signed, but not ratified : Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea Geography - note: landlocked; predominantly rural population @Rwanda:People Population: 7,737,537 (July 1997 est.) note : genocide and civil war in 1994 killed more than 1 million Rwandans and forced more than 2 million to flee to neighboring countries Age structure: 0-14 years: 45% (male 1,769,247; female 1,757,957) 15-64 years: 52% (male 1,978,076; female 2,018,141) 65 years and over: 3% (male 88,556; female 125,560) (July 1997 est.) Population growth rate: 8.24% (1997 est.) Birth rate: 38.73 births/1,000 population (1997 est.) Death rate: 21.06 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.) Net migration rate: 64.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.) note: following the outbreak of genocidal strife in Rwanda in April 1994 between Tutsi and Hutu factions, more than 2 million refugees fled to neighboring Burundi, Tanzania, Uganda, and Democratic Republic of the Congo, formerly Zaire; according to the UN High Commission on Refugees, in 1996 and early 1997 nearly 1,300,000 Hutus returned to Rwanda; of these 720,000 returned from Democratic Republic of the Congo, 480,000 from Tanzania, 88,000 from Burundi, and 10,000 from Uganda Sex ratio: at birth : 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1997 est.) Infant mortality rate: 118.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 39.11 years male : 38.64 years female: 39.6 years (1997 est.) Total fertility rate: 5.93 children born/woman (1997 est.) Nationality: noun : Rwandan(s) adjective: Rwandan Ethnic groups: Hutu 80%, Tutsi 19%, Twa (Pygmoid) 1% Religions: Roman Catholic 65%, Protestant 9%, Muslim 1%, indigenous beliefs and other 25% Languages: Kinyarwanda (official) universal Bantu vernacular, French (official), English (official), Kiswahili (Swahili) used in commercial centers Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population : 60.5% male: 69.8% female: 51.6% (1995 est.) @Rwanda:Government Country name: conventional long form: Rwandese Republic conventional short form : Rwanda local long form: Republika y'u Rwanda local short form: Rwanda Data code: RW Government type: republic; presidential, multiparty system National capital: Kigali Administrative divisions: 10 prefectures (prefectures, singular - prefecture in French; plural - NA, singular - prefegitura in Kinyarwanda); Butare, Byumba, Cyangugu, Gikongoro, Gisenyi, Gitarama, Kibungo, Kibuye, Kigali, Ruhengeri Independence: 1 July 1962 (from Belgium-administered UN trusteeship) National holiday: Independence Day, 1 July (1962) Constitution: on 5 May 1995, the Transitional National Assembly adopted a new constitution which included elements of the constitution of 18 June 1991 as well as provisions of the 1993 Arusha peace accord and the November 1994 multi-party protocol of understanding Legal system: based on German and Belgian civil law systems and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: NA years of age; universal adult Executive branch: chief of state: President Pasteur BIZIMUNGU (since 19 July 1994); Vice President Maj. Gen. Paul KAGAME (since 19 July 1994) head of government: Prime Minister Celestin RWIGEMA (since 1 September 1995) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections : current president installed by force by the Tutsi Rwandan Patriotic Front; normally the president is elected by popular vote for a five-year term; elections last held NA (next to be held NA); prime minister appointed by the president Legislative branch: unicameral Transitional National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale de Transition (70 seats; members were predetermined by the Arusha peace accord to serve NA-year terms) elections: last held 26 December 1988 ( next to be held NA); note - the Transitional National Assembly is a power-sharing body established on 12 December 1994 following a multi-party protocol of understanding election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPF 19, MDR 13, PSD 13, PL 13, PDC 6, PSR 2, PDI 2, other 2; note - the distribution of seats was predetermined Judicial branch: Constitutional Court, consists of the Court of Cassation and the Council of State in joint session Political parties and leaders: significant parties include: Rwandan Patriotic Front or RPF [Alexis KANYARENGWE, chairman]; Democratic Republican Movement or MDR; Liberal Party or PL; Democratic and Socialist Party or PSD; Christian Democratic Party or PDC; Islamic Democratic Party or PDI; Rwandan Socialist Party or PSR; National Movement for Democracy and Development or MRND, former ruling party Political pressure groups and leaders: Rwanda Patriotic Army or RPA, the RPF military wing [Maj. Gen. Paul KAGAME, commander]; Rally for the Democracy and Return (RDR) International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEEAC, CEPGL, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Theogene N. RUDASINGWA chancery: (temporary) Suites C1 and C2, 2141 Wisconsin Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone : [1] (202) 232-2882 FAX: [1] (202) 232-4544 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Robert GRIBBIN III embassy: Boulevard de la Revolution, Kigali mailing address: B. P. 28, Kigali telephone : [250] 756 01 through 03, 721 26, 771 47 FAX: [250] 721 28 Flag description: three equal vertical bands of red (hoist side), yellow, and green with a large black letter R centered in the yellow band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the flag of Guinea, which has a plain yellow band Economy Economy - overview: Rwanda is a poor African nation suffering bitterly from ethnic-based civil war. The agricultural sector dominates the economy; coffee and tea normally make up 80%-90% of exports. The amount of fertile land is limited, however, and deforestation and soil erosion continue to reduce the production potential. Manufacturing focuses mainly on the processing of agricultural products. A structural adjustment program with the World Bank began in October 1990. Ethnic-based insurgency since 1990 has devastated wide areas, especially in the north, and displaced hundreds of thousands of people. A peace accord in mid-1993 temporarily ended most of the fighting, but resumption of large-scale civil warfare in April 1994 in the capital city Kigali and elsewhere took 500,000 lives in that year alone and severely damaged already poor economic prospects. Sketchy data suggest that GDP dropped 50% in 1994 and came back partially, by 25%, in 1995. Plentiful rains helped agriculture in 1996, and outside aid continued to support this desperately poor economy. The economy continues to suffer massively from failure to maintain the infrastructure, looting, neglect of important cash crops, and lack of health care facilities. Because of the accumulated damage to capital plant and the decline in public discipline, recovery of domestic production will proceed slowly. GDP: purchasing power parity - $3.8 billion (1995 est.) GDP - real growth rate: NA% GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $400 (1995 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture : 52% industry: 13% services: 35% (1994 est.) Inflation rate - consumer price index: 22% (1995 est.) Labor force: total: 3.6 million by occupation: agriculture 93%, government and services 5%, industry and commerce 2% Unemployment rate: NA% Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA Industries: mining of cassiterite (tin ore) and wolframite (tungsten ore), tin, cement, processing of agricultural products, small-scale beverage production, soap, furniture, shoes, plastic goods, textiles, cigarettes Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity - capacity: 60,000 kW Electricity - production: 190 million kWh Electricity - consumption per capita: 23 kWh (1993 est.) Agriculture - products: coffee, tea, pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums), bananas, beans, sorghum, potatoes; livestock Exports: total value: $51.2 million (f.o.b., 1995 est.) commodities: coffee 63%, tea, cassiterite, wolframite, pyrethrum partners : Brazil, EU Imports: total value: $237.3 million (f.o.b.,1995 est.) commodities: textiles, foodstuffs, machines and equipment, capital goods, steel, petroleum products, cement and construction material partners: US, EU, Kenya, Tanzania Debt - external: $1 billion (December 1995) Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA note: in October 1990 Rwanda launched a Structural Adjustment Program with the IMF; since September 1991, the EU has given $46 million and the US $25 million in support of this program (1993) Currency: 1 Rwandan franc (RF) = 100 centimes Exchange rates: Rwandan francs (RF) per US$1 - 309.85 (December 1996), 306.82 (1996), 262.20 (1995), 144.31 (1993), 133.35 (1992) Fiscal year: calendar year @Rwanda:Communications Telephones: 6,400 (1983 est.) Telephone system: telephone system does not provide service to the general public but is intended for business and government use domestic : the capital, Kigali, is connected to the centers of the prefectures by microwave radio relay; the remainder of the network depends on wire and HF radiotelephone international: international connections employ microwave radio relay to neighboring countries and satellite communications to more distant countries; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) in Kigali (includes telex and telefax service) Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 Radios: 630,000 (1993 est.) Television broadcast stations: 1 Televisions: NA @Rwanda:Transportation Railways: 0 km Highways: total : 12,000 km paved: 1,000 km unpaved: 11,000 km (1997 est.) Waterways: Lac Kivu navigable by shallow-draft barges and native craft Ports and harbors: Cyangugu, Gisenyi, Kibuye Airports: 7 (1996 est.) Airports - with paved runways: total: 6 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m : 2 under 914 m: 3 (1996 est.) Airports - with unpaved runways: total : 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1996 est.) Military Military branches: Army, Gendarmerie Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,806,832 (1997 est.) Military manpower - fit for military service: males: 920,343 (1997 est.) Military expenditures - dollar figure: $112.5 million (1992) Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 7% (1992) Transnational Issues Disputes - international: none ______________________________________________________________________ SAINT HELENA (dependent territory of the UK) @Saint Helena:Geography Location: Southern Africa, island in the South Atlantic Ocean, west of Angola, about two-thirds of the way from South America to Africa Geographic coordinates: 15 56 S, 5 42 W Map references: Africa Area: total: 410 sq km land: 410 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Ascension, Gough Island, Inaccessible Island, Nightingale Island, and Tristan da Cunha Area - comparative: slightly more than two times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 60 km Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm Climate: tropical; marine; mild, tempered by trade winds Terrain: rugged, volcanic; small scattered plateaus and plains Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Queen Mary's Peak 2,060 m Natural resources: fish Land use: arable land: 6% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures : 6% forests and woodland: 6% other: 82% (1993 est.) Irrigated land: NA sq km Natural hazards: active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha Environment - current issues: NA Environment - international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA Geography - note: Napoleon Bonaparte's place of exile and burial (his remains were taken to Paris in 1840); harbors at least 40 species of plants unknown anywhere else in the world; Ascension is a breeding ground for sea turtles and sooty terns @Saint Helena:People Population: 7,036 (July 1997 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 20% (male 722; female 698) 15-64 years : 71% (male 2,621; female 2,396) 65 years and over: 9% (male 240; female 359) (1997 est.) Population growth rate: 0.78% (1997 est.) Birth rate: 14.21 births/1,000 population (1997 est.) Death rate: 6.4 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.) Sex ratio: at birth : 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (1997 est.) Infant mortality rate: 29.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.58 years male : 72.53 years female: 78.79 years (1997 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.5 children born/woman (1997 est.) Nationality: noun: Saint Helenian(s) adjective: Saint Helenian Ethnic groups: African descent, white Religions: Anglican (majority), Baptist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic Languages: English Literacy: definition : age 20 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 97% female: 98% (1987 est.) @Saint Helena:Government Country name: conventional long form : none conventional short form: Saint Helena Data code: SH Dependency status: dependent territory of the UK Government type: NA National capital: Jamestown Administrative divisions: 1 administrative area and 2 dependencies*; Ascension*, Saint Helena, Tristan da Cunha* Independence: none (dependent territory of the UK) National holiday: Celebration of the Birthday of the Queen, 10 June 1989 (second Saturday in June) Constitution: 1 January 1989 Legal system: NA Suffrage: NA years of age Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Governor and Commander in Chief David Leslie SMALLMAN (since NA 1995) cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, two ex-officio officers, and six elected members of the Legislative Council elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; governor is appointed by the queen Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council (16 seats, including the governor, 2 ex-officio and 12 elected members; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held NA July 1993 (next to be held NA July 1997) election results : percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 15 Judicial branch: Supreme Court Political parties and leaders: none International organization participation: ICFTU Diplomatic representation in the US: none (dependent territory of the UK) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (dependent territory of the UK) Flag description: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Saint Helenian shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield features a rocky coastline and three-masted sailing ship Economy Economy - overview: The economy depends primarily on financial assistance from the UK. The local population earns some income from fishing, the raising of livestock, and sales of handicrafts. Because there are few jobs, a large proportion of the work force has left to seek employment overseas. GDP: purchasing power parity - $NA GDP - real growth rate: NA% GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $NA GDP - composition by sector: agriculture : NA% industry: NA% services : NA% Inflation rate - consumer price index: NA% Labor force: total: 2,416 (1991 est.) by occupation: professional, technical, and related workers 8.7%, managerial, administrative, and clerical 12.8%, sales people 8.1%, farmer, fishermen, etc. 5.4%, craftspersons, production process workers 14.7%, others 50.3% (1987) note : a large proportion of the work force has left to seek employment overseas Unemployment rate: NA% Budget: revenues: $11.2 million expenditures: $11 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY92/93) Industries: crafts (furniture, lacework, fancy woodwork), fishing Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity - capacity: NA kW Electricity - production: NA kWh Electricity - consumption per capita: NA kWh Agriculture - products: maize, potatoes, vegetables; timber production being developed; crawfishing on Tristan da Cunha Exports: total value : $704,000 (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: fish (frozen and salt-dried skipjack, tuna), handicrafts partners : South Africa, UK Imports: total value: $14.434 million (c.i.f., 1995) commodities: food, beverages, tobacco, fuel oils, animal feed, building materials, motor vehicles and parts, machinery and parts partners : UK, South Africa Debt - external: $NA Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA Currency: 1 Saint Helenian pound (£S) = 100 pence Exchange rates: Saint Helenian pounds (£S) per US$1 - 0.6023 (January 1997), 0.6403 (1996), 0.6335 (1995), 0.6529 (1994), 0.6658 (1993), 0.5664 (1992); note - the Saint Helenian pound is at par with the British pound Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March @Saint Helena:Communications Telephones: 550 Telephone system: domestic : automatic network; HF radiotelephone to Ascension, then into worldwide submarine cable and satellite networks international: major coaxial submarine cable relay point between South Africa, Portugal, and UK at Ascension; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 Radios: 2,500 (1993 est.) Television broadcast stations: 0 Televisions: NA Communications - note: Gough Island has a meteorological station @Saint Helena:Transportation Railways: 0 km Highways: total : NA km (mainland 118 km, Ascension NA km, Tristan da Cunha NA km) paved: 180.7 km (mainland 98 km, Ascension 80 km, Tristan da Cunha 2.70 km) unpaved: NA km (mainland 20 km, Ascension NA km, Tristan da Cunha NA km) Ports and harbors: Georgetown (on Ascension), Jamestown Merchant marine: none Airports: 1 (1996 est.) Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (1996 est.) Military Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK Transnational Issues Disputes - international: none ______________________________________________________________________ SAINT KITTS AND NEVIS @Saint Kitts and Nevis:Geography Location: Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, about one-third of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago Geographic coordinates: 17 20 N, 62 45 W Map references: Central America and the Caribbean Area: total: 269 sq km land: 269 sq km water: 0 sq km Area - comparative: 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 135 km Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin territorial sea : 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin Climate: subtropical tempered by constant sea breezes; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November) Terrain: volcanic with mountainous interiors Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Liamuiga 1,156 m Natural resources: NEGL Land use: arable land: 22% permanent crops : 17% permanent pastures: 3% forests and woodland: 17% other: 41% (1993 est.) Irrigated land: NA sq km Natural hazards: hurricanes (July to October) Environment - current issues: NA Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements @Saint Kitts and Nevis:People Population: 41,803 (July 1997 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 34% (male 7,285; female 6,945) 15-64 years: 60% (male 12,471; female 12,395) 65 years and over : 6% (male 1,107; female 1,600) (July 1997 est.) Population growth rate: 1.1% (1997 est.) Birth rate: 23.08 births/1,000 population (1997 est.) Death rate: 8.85 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.) Net migration rate: -3.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (1997 est.) Infant mortality rate: 18.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 67.22 years male: 64.18 years female: 70.44 years (1997 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.49 children born/woman (1997 est.) Nationality: noun: Kittsian(s), Nevisian(s) adjective: Kittsian, Nevisian Ethnic groups: black Religions: Anglican, other Protestant sects, Roman Catholic Languages: English Literacy: definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 97% male : 97% female: 98% (1980 est.) @Saint Kitts and Nevis:Government Country name: conventional long form : Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis conventional short form: Saint Kitts and Nevis former: Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis Data code: SC Government type: constitutional monarchy National capital: Basseterre Administrative divisions: 14 parishes; Christ Church Nichola Town, Saint Anne Sandy Point, Saint George Basseterre, Saint George Gingerland, Saint James Windward, Saint John Capisterre, Saint John Figtree, Saint Mary Cayon, Saint Paul Capisterre, Saint Paul Charlestown, Saint Peter Basseterre, Saint Thomas Lowland, Saint Thomas Middle Island, Trinity Palmetto Point Independence: 19 September 1983 (from UK) National holiday: Independence Day, 19 September (1983) Constitution: 19 September 1983 Legal system: based on English common law Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal adult Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Dr. Cuthbert Montraville SEBASTIAN
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