_#_Constitution: 3 May 1947
_#_Legal system: civil law system with English-American influence; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
_#_National holiday: Birthday of the Emperor, 23 December (1933)
_#_Executive branch: emperor, prime minister, Cabinet
_#_Legislative branch: bicameral Diet (Kokkai) consists of an upper house or House of Councillors (Sangi-in) and a lower house or House of Representatives (Shugi-in)
_#_Judicial branch: Supreme Court
_#_Leaders:
Chief of State—Emperor AKIHITO (since 7 January 1989);
Head of Government—Prime Minister Kiichi MIYAZAWA (since 5November 1991)
_#_Political parties and leaders:Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Toshiki KAIFU, president; Keizo OBUCHI,secretary general;Japan Socialist Party (JSP), T. DOI, chairman;Democratic Socialist Party (DSP), Keigo OUCHI, chairman;Japan Communist Party (JCP), K. MIYAMOTO, Presidium chairman;Komeito (Clean Government Party, CGP), Koshiro ISHIDA, chairman
_#_Suffrage: universal at age 20
_#_Elections:
House of Councillors—last held on 23 July 1989 (next to be held 23 July 1992); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(252 total, 100 elected) LDP 109, JSP 67, CGP 21, JCP 14, other 41;
House of Representatives—last held on 18 February 1990 (next to be held by February 1993); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(512 total) LDP 275, JSP 136, CGP 45, JCP 16, DSP 14, other parties 5, independents 21; note—9 independents are expected to join the LDP, 5 the JSP
_#_Communists: about 490,000 registered Communist party members
_#_Member of: AfDB, AG (observer), APEC, AsDB, BIS, CCC, COCOM, CP,EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, G-2, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT,INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LORCS, NEA, OAS (observer),OECD, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,WTO
_#_Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Ryohei MURATA; Chancery at 2520 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 939-6700; there are Japanese Consulates General in Agana (Guam), Anchorage, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Kansas City (Missouri), Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, and Portland (Oregon), and a Consulate in Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands);
US—Ambassador Michael H. ARMACOST; Embassy at 10-1, Akasaka 1-chome, Minato-ku (107), Tokyo (mailing address is APO San Francisco 96503); telephone [81] (3) 3224-5000; there are US Consulates General in Naha (Okinawa), Osaka-Kobe, and Sapporo and a Consulate in Fukuoka
_#_Flag: white with a large red disk (representing the sun without rays) in the center
_*Economy#_Overview: Although Japan has few natural resources, since 1971 it has become the world's third-largest economy, ranking behind only the US and the USSR. Government-industry cooperation, a strong work ethic, and a comparatively small defense allocation have helped Japan advance rapidly, notably in high-technology fields. Industry, the most important sector of the economy, is heavily dependent on imported raw materials and fuels. Self-sufficent in rice, Japan must import 50% of its requirements for other grain and fodder crops. Japan maintains one of the world's largest fishing fleets and accounts for nearly 15% of the global catch. Overall economic growth has been spectacular: a 10% average in the 1960s, a 5% average in the 1970s and 1980s. In 1990 strong investment and consumption spending helped maintain growth at 5.6%. Inflation remains low at 3.1% despite higher oil prices and rising wages because of a tight labor market. Japan continues to run a huge trade surplus, $52 billion in 1990, which supports extensive investment in foreign properties.
_#_GNP: $2,115.2 billion, per capita $17,100; real growth rate 5.6% (1990)
_#_Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.1% (1990)
_#_Unemployment rate: 2.1% (1990)
_#_Budget: revenues $499 billion; expenditures $532 billion, including capital expenditures (public works only) of $52 billion (FY90)
_#_Exports: $286.5 billion (f.o.b., 1990);
commodities—manufactures 97% (including machinery 38%, motor vehicles 17%, consumer electronics 10%);
partners—US 31%, Southeast Asia 29%, Western Europe 21%, Communist countries 3%, Middle East 3%
_#_Imports: $234.7 billion (c.i.f., 1990);
commodities—manufactures 50%, fossil fuels 24%, foodstuffs and raw materials 26%;
partners—Southeast Asia 23%, US 23%, Western Europe 18%, Middle East 13%, Communist countries 7%
_#_External debt: $NA
_#_Industrial production: growth rate 4.6% (1990 est.); accounts for 30% of GDP (mining and manufacturing)
_#_Electricity: 191,000,000 kW capacity; 790,000 million kWh produced, 6,390 kWh per capita (1989)
_#_Industries: metallurgy, engineering, electrical and electronic, textiles, chemicals, automobiles, fishing, telecommunications
_#_Agriculture: accounts for only 2% of GNP; highly subsidized and protected sector, with crop yields among highest in world; principal crops—rice, sugar beets, vegetables, fruit; animal products include pork, poultry, dairy and eggs; about 50% self-sufficient in food production; shortages of wheat, corn, soybeans; world's largest fish catch of 11.9 million metric tons in 1988
_#_Economic aid: donor—ODA and OOF commitments (1970-89), $83.2 billion; ODA outlay of $7.9 billion in 1989
_#_Currency: yen (plural—yen); 1 yen (3) = 100 sen
_#_Exchange rates: yen (3) per US$1—133.88 (January 1991), 144.79 (1990), 137.96 (1989), 128.15 (1988), 144.64 (1987), 168.52 (1986), 238.54 (1985)
_#_Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March
_*Communications#_Railroads: 27,327 km total; 2,012 km 1.435-meter standard gauge and 25,315 km predominantly 1.067-meter narrow gauge; 5,724 km doubletrack and multitrack sections, 9,038 km 1.067-meter narrow-gauge electrified, 2,012 km 1.435-meter standard-gauge electrified (1987)
_#_Highways: 1,098,900 km total; 718,700 km paved, 380,200 km gravel, crushed stone, or unpaved; 3,900 km national expressways, 46,544 km national highways, 43,907 km principal local roads, 86,930 km prefectural roads, and 917,619 other (1987)
_#_Inland waterways: about 1,770 km; seagoing craft ply all coastal inland seas
_#_Pipelines: crude oil, 84 km; refined products, 322 km; natural gas, 1,800 km
_#_Ports: Chiba, Muroran, Kitakyushu, Kobe, Tomakomai, Nagoya, Osaka, Tokyo, Yokkaichi, Yokohama, Kawasaki, Niigata, Fushiki-Toyama, Shimizu, Himeji, Wakayama-Shimozu, Shimonoseki, Tokuyama-Shimomatsu
_#_Merchant marine: 1,019 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 22,396,958 GRT/34,683,035 DWT; includes 9 passenger, 55 short-sea passenger, 4 passenger cargo, 95 cargo, 40 container, 33 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 125 refrigerated cargo, 99 vehicle carrier, 231 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 14 chemical tanker, 41 liquefied gas, 11 combination ore/oil, 3 specialized tanker, 257 bulk, 2 combination bulk; note—Japan also owns a large flag of convenience fleet, including up to 40% of the total number of ships under Panamanian flag
_#_Civil air: 360 major transport aircraft
_#_Airports: 165 total, 157 usable; 129 with permanent-surface runways; 2 with runways over 3,659 m; 29 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 56 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
_#_Telecommunications: excellent domestic and international service; 64,000,000 telephones; stations—318 AM, 58 FM, 12,350 TV (196 major—1 kw or greater); satellite earth stations—4 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT; submarine cables to US (via Guam), Philippines, China, and USSR
_*Defense Forces#_Branches: Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (Army), Japan MaritimeSelf-Defense Force (Navy), Japan Air Self-Defense Force (Air Force),Maritime Safety Agency (Coast Guard)
_#_Manpower availability: males 15-49, 32,256,893; 27,771,374 fit for military service; 992,255 reach military age (18) annually
_#Defense expenditures: $NA, 1.0% of GNP (1990 est.)%@Jarvis Island (territory of the US)*Geography#_Total area: 4.5 km2; land area: 4.5 km2
_#_Comparative area: about 7.5 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
_#_Land boundaries: none
_#_Coastline: 8 km
_#_Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone: 12 nm;
Continental shelf: 200 m (depth);
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
_#_Climate: tropical; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun
_#_Terrain: sandy, coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef
_#_Natural resources: guano (deposits worked until late 1800s)
_#_Land use: arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 0%; other 100%
_#_Environment: sparse bunch grass, prostrate vines, and low-growing shrubs; lacks fresh water; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife; feral cats
_#_Note: 2,090 km south of Honolulu in the South Pacific Ocean, just south of the Equator, about halfway between Hawaii and the Cook Islands
_*People#_Population: uninhabited
_#_Note: Millersville settlement on western side of island occasionally used as a weather station from 1935 until World War II, when it was abandoned; reoccupied in 1957 during the International Geophysical Year by scientists who left in 1958; public entry is by special-use permit only and generally restricted to scientists and educators
_*Government#_Long-form name: none (territory of the US)
_#_Type: unincorporated territory of the US administered by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge System
_*Economy#_Overview: no economic activity
_*Communications#_Ports: none; offshore anchorage only—one boat landing area in the middle of the west coast and another near the southwest corner of the island
_#_Note: there is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast
_*Defense Forces#Note: defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by the US Coast Guard%@Jersey (British crown dependency)*Geography#_Total area: 117 km2; land area: 117 km2
_#_Comparative area: about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC
_#_Land boundaries: none
_#_Coastline: 70 km
_#_Maritime claims:
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 3 nm
_#_Climate: temperate; mild winters and cool summers
_#_Terrain: gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast
_#_Natural resources: agricultural land
_#_Land use: arable land NA%; permanent crops NA%; meadows and pastures NA%; forest and woodland NA%; other NA%; about 58% of land under cultivation
_#_Environment: about 30% of population concentrated in Saint Helier
_#_Note: largest and southernmost of Channel Islands; 27 km from France
_*People#_Population: 84,331 (July 1991), growth rate 0.8% (1991)
_#_Birth rate: 12 births/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Death rate: 10 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Net migration rate: 6 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Infant mortality rate: 6 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
_#_Life expectancy at birth: 72 years male, 78 years female (1991)
_#_Total fertility rate: 1.3 children born/woman (1991)
_#_Nationality: noun—Channel Islander(s); adjective—Channel Islander
_#_Ethnic divisions: UK and Norman-French descent
_#_Religion: Anglican, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Congregational New Church, Methodist, Presbyterian
_#_Language: English and French (official), with the Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts
_#_Literacy: NA% (male NA%, female NA%) but compulsory education age 5 to 16
_#_Labor force: NA
_#_Organized labor: none
_*Government#_Long-form name: Bailiwick of Jersey
_#_Type: British crown dependency
_#_Capital: Saint Helier
_#_Administrative divisions: none (British crown dependency)
_#_Independence: none (British crown dependency)
_#_Constitution: unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice
_#_Legal system: English law and local statute
_#_National holiday: Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)
_#_Executive branch: British monarch, lieutenant governor, bailiff
_#_Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly of the States
_#_Judicial branch: Royal Court
_#_Leaders:
Chief of State—Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
Head of Government—Lieutenant Governor and Commander in ChiefAir Marshal Sir John SUTTON (since NA 1990); Bailiff Peter CRILL (sinceNA)
_#_Political parties and leaders: none; all independents
_#_Suffrage: universal adult at age NA
_#_Elections:
Assembly of the States—last held NA (next to be held NA); results—percent of vote NA; seats—(56 total, 52 elected) 52 independents
_#_Communists: probably none
_#_Member of: none
_#_Diplomatic representation: none (British crown dependency)
_#_Flag: white with the diagonal red cross of Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland) extending to the corners of the flag
_*Economy#_Overview: The economy is based largely on financial services, agriculture, and tourism. Potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes, and especially flowers are important export crops, shipped mostly to the UK. The Jersey breed of dairy cattle is known worldwide and represents an important export earner. Milk products go to the UK and other EC countries. In 1986 the finance sector overtook tourism as the main contributor to GDP, accounting for 40% of the island's output. In recent years the government has encouraged light industry to locate in Jersey, with the result that an electronics industry has developed alongside the traditional manufacturing of knitwear. All raw material and energy requirements are imported, as well as a large share of Jersey's food needs.
_#_GDP: $NA, per capita $NA; real growth rate 8% (1987 est.)
_#_Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8% (1988 est.)
_#_Unemployment rate: NA%
_#_Budget: revenues $308.0 million; expenditures $284.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1985)
_#_Exports: $NA;
commodities—light industrial and electrical goods, foodstuffs, textiles;
partners—UK
_#_Imports: $NA;
commodities—machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, foodstuffs, mineral fuels, chemicals;
partners—UK
_#_External debt: $NA
_#_Industrial production: growth rate NA%
_#_Electricity: 50,000 kW standby capacity (1990); power supplied by France
_#_Industries: tourism, banking and finance, dairy
_#_Agriculture: potatoes, cauliflowers, tomatoes; dairy and cattle farming
_#_Economic aid: none
_#_Currency: Jersey pound (plural—pounds); 1 Jersey pound (5J) = 100 pence
_#_Exchange rates: Jersey pounds (5J) per US$1—0.5171 (January 1991), 0.5603 (1990), 0.6099 (1989), 0.5614 (1988), 0.6102 (1987), 0.6817 (1986), 0.7714 (1985); the Jersey pound is at par with the British pound
_#_Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March
_*Communications#_Ports: Saint Helier, Gorey, Saint Aubin
_#_Airports: 1 with permanent-surface runway 1,220-2,439 m (Saint Peter)
_#_Telecommunications: 63,700 telephones; stations—1 AM, no FM, 1 TV; 3 submarine cables
_*Defense Forces#Note: defense is the responsibility of the UK%@Johnston Atoll (territory of the US)*Geography#_Total area: 2.8 km2; land area: 2.8 km2
_#_Comparative area: about 4.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
_#_Land boundaries: none
_#_Coastline: 10 km
_#_Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone: 12 nm;
Continental shelf: 200 m (depth);
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
_#_Climate: tropical, but generally dry; consistent northeast trade winds with little seasonal temperature variation
_#_Terrain: mostly flat with a maximum elevation of 4 meters
_#_Natural resources: guano (deposits worked until about 1890)
_#_Land use: arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 0%; other 100%
_#_Environment: some low-growing vegetation
_#_Note: strategic location 1,328 km west-southwest of Honolulu in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-third of the way between Hawaii and the Marshall Islands; Johnston Island and Sand Island are natural islands; North Island (Akau) and East Island (Hikina) are manmade islands formed from coral dredging; closed to the public; former nuclear weapons test site; site of Johnston Atoll Chemical Agent Disposal System (JACADS)
_*People#_Population: 1,325 (December 1990); all US government personnel and contractors
_*Government#_Long-form name: none (territory of the US)
_#_Type: unincorporated territory of the US administered by the US Defense Nuclear Agency (DNA) and managed cooperatively by DNA and the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system
_#_Diplomatic representation: none (territory of the US)
_#_Flag: the flag of the US is used
_*Economy#_Overview: Economic activity is limited to providing services to US military personnel and contractors located on the island. All food and manufactured goods must be imported.
_#_Electricity: supplied by the United States Military
_*Communications#_Ports: Johnston Island
_#_Airports: 1 with permanent-surface runway 2,743 m
_#_Telecommunications: excellent system including 60-channel submarine cable, Autodin/SRT terminal, digital telephone switch, Military Affiliated Radio System (MARS station), commercial satellite television system (receive only), and UHF/VHF air-ground radio, marine VHF/FM Channel 16
_#_Note: US Coast Guard operates a LORAN transmitting station
_*Defense Forces#Note: defense is the responsibility of the US%@Jordan (see separate West Bank entry)#_Note: The war between Israel and the Arab states in June 1967 ended with Israel in control of the West Bank. As stated in the 1978 Camp David Accords and reaffirmed by President Reagan's 1 September 1982 peace initiative, the final status of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, their relationship with their neighbors, and a peace treaty between Israel and Jordan are to be negotiated among the concerned parties. The Camp David Accords further specify that these negotiations will resolve the location of the respective boundaries. Pending the completion of this process, it is US policy that the final status of the West Bank and Gaza Strip has yet to be determined.
_*Geography#_Total area: 91,880 km2; land area: 91,540 km2
_#_Comparative area: slightly smaller than Indiana
_#_Land boundaries: 1,586 km total; Iraq 134 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi Arabia 742 km, Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km
_#_Coastline: 26 km
_#_Maritime claims:
Territorial sea: 3 nm
_#_Disputes: differences with Israel over the location of the 1949 Armistice Line which separates the two countries
_#_Climate: mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April)
_#_Terrain: mostly desert plateau in east, highland area in west; Great Rift Valley separates East and West Banks of the Jordan River
_#_Natural resources: phosphates, potash, shale oil
_#_Land use: arable land 4%; permanent crops 0.5%; meadows and pastures 1%; forest and woodland 0.5%; other 94%; includes irrigated 0.5%
_#_Environment: lack of natural water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
_*People#_Population: 3,412,553 (July 1991), growth rate 4.2% (1991)
_#_Birth rate: 46 births/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Death rate: 5 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Net migration rate: 1 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Infant mortality rate: 38 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
_#_Life expectancy at birth: 70 years male, 73 years female (1991)
_#_Total fertility rate: 7.1 children born/woman (1991)
_#_Nationality: noun—Jordanian(s); adjective—Jordanian
_#_Ethnic divisions: Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1%
_#_Religion: Sunni Muslim 92%, Christian 8%
_#_Language: Arabic (official); English widely understood among upper and middle classes
_#_Literacy: 80% (male 89%, female 70%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
_#_Labor force: 572,000 (1988); agriculture 20%, manufacturing and mining 20% (1987 est.)
_#_Organized labor: about 10% of labor force
_#_Note: 1.5-1.7 million Palestinians live on the East Bank (55-60% of the population), most are Jordanian citizens
_*Government#_Long-form name: Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
_#_Type: constitutional monarchy
_#_Capital: Amman
_#_Administrative divisions: 8 governorates (muhafazat, singular—muhafazah); Al Balqa, Al Karak, Al Mafraq, Amman, At Tafilah, Az Zarqa, Irbid, Maan
_#_Independence: 25 May 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration; formerly Trans-Jordan)
_#_Constitution: 8 January 1952
_#_Legal system: based on Islamic law and French codes; judicial review of legislative acts in a specially provided High Tribunal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
_#_National holiday: Independence Day, 25 May (1946)
_#_Executive branch: monarch, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Cabinet
_#_Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly (Majlis al-Umma) consists of an upper house or House of Notables (Majlis al-Aayan) and a lower house or House of Deputies (Majlis al-Nuwaab); note—the House of Deputies was dissolved by King Hussein on 30 July 1988 as part of Jordanian disengagement from the West Bank and in November 1989 the first parliamentary elections in 22 years were held, with no seats going to Palestinians on the West Bank
_#_Judicial branch: Court of Cassation
_#_Leaders:
Chief of State—King HUSSEIN Ibn Talal I (since 11 August 1952);
Head of Government—Prime Minister Tahir al-MASRI (since 17 June 1991)
_#_Political parties and leaders: none; after the 1989 parliamentary elections, King Hussein promised to allow the formation of political parties; a national charter that sets forth the ground rules for democracy in Jordan—including the creation of political parties—has been completed but not yet approved
_#_Suffrage: universal at age 20
_#_Elections:
House of Representatives—last held 8 November 1989 (next to be held November 1993); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(80 total) Muslim Brotherhood 22, Independent Islamic bloc 10, Democratic bloc (mostly leftist) 15, Liberal bloc (traditionalist) 7, Nationalist bloc (traditionalist) 14, independent 12
_#_Communists: party actively repressed, membership less than 500 (est.)
_#_Member of: ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77,IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT,INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LORCS, NAM, OIC, UN,UNAVEM, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
_#_Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Hussein A. HAMMAMI; Chancery at 3504 International Drive NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 966-2664;
US—Ambassador Roger Gram HARRISON; Embassy on Jebel Amman, Amman (mailing address is P. O. Box 354, Amman, or APO New York 09892); telephone [962] (6) 644-371
_#_Flag: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), white, and green with a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bearing a small white seven-pointed star; the seven points on the star represent the seven fundamental laws of the Koran
_*Economy#_Overview: Jordan was a secondary beneficiary of the oil boom of the late 1970s and early 1980s, when its annual GNP growth averaged 10-12%. Recent years, however, have witnessed a sharp reduction in grant aid from Arab oil-producing countries and a dropoff in worker remittances, with national growth averaging 1-2%. Imports—mainly oil, capital goods, consumer durables, and foodstuffs—have been outstripping exports by roughly $2 billion annually, the difference being made up by aid, remittances, and borrowing. In mid-1989, the Jordanian Government agreed to implement an IMF austerity program designed to tackle the country's serious economic problems. The program sought to gradually reduce the government's budget deficit over the next several years and implement badly needed structural reforms in the economy. In return for agreeing to the IMF program, Jordan was granted IMF standby loans of over $100 million. Recognizing that it would be unable to cover its debt obligations, the government also began debt rescheduling negotiations with creditors in mid-1989. The onset of the Gulf crisis in August 1990 forced the government to shelve the IMF program and suspend most debt payments and rescheduling negotiations. Economic prospects for 1991 are especially gloomy, given the unsettled conditions in the Middle East.
_#_GNP: $4.6 billion, per capita $1,400; real growth rate - 15% (1990 est.)
_#_Inflation rate (consumer prices): 15% (1990 est.)
_#_Unemployment rate: 30% (January 1991 est.)
_#_Budget: revenues $1.05 billion; expenditures $1.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1991 est.)
_#_Exports: $0.9 billion (f.o.b., 1990 est.);
commodities—fruits and vegetables, phosphates, fertilizers;
partners—Iraq, Saudi Arabia, India, Kuwait, Japan, China, Yugoslavia, Indonesia
_#_Imports: $2.1 billion (c.i.f., 1990 est.);
commodities—crude oil, textiles, capital goods, motor vehicles, foodstuffs;
partners—EC, US, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Turkey, Romania, China, Taiwan
_#_External debt: $8 billion (December 1990 est.)
_#_Industrial production: growth rate - 15% (1990 est.); accounts for 20% of GDP
_#_Electricity: 981,000 kW capacity; 3,500 million kWh produced, 1,180 kWh per capita (1989)
_#_Industries: phosphate mining, petroleum refining, cement, potash, light manufacturing
_#_Agriculture: accounts for only 5% of GDP; principal products are wheat, barley, citrus fruit, tomatoes, melons, olives; livestock—sheep, goats, poultry; large net importer of food
_#_Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $1.7 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $1.3 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $9.5 billion; Communist countries (1970-89), $44 million
_#_Currency: Jordanian dinar (plural—dinars); 1 Jordanian dinar (JD) = 1,000 fils
_#_Exchange rates: Jordanian dinars (JD) per US$1—0.6670 (January 1991), 0.6636 (1990), 0.5704 (1989), 0.3709 (1988), 0.3387 (1987), 0.3499 (1986), 0.3940 (1985)
_#_Fiscal year: calendar year
_*Communications#_Railroads: 619 km 1.050-meter gauge, single track
_#_Highways: 7,500 km; 5,500 km asphalt, 2,000 km gravel and crushed stone
_#_Pipelines: crude oil, 209 km
_#_Ports: Al Aqabah
_#_Merchant marine: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 22,870 GRT/38,187 DWT; includes 1 bulk, 1 cargo
_#_Civil air: 19 major transport aircraft
_#_Airports: 19 total, 16 usable; 14 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways over 3,659 m; 13 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; none with runways 1,220-2,439 m
_#_Telecommunications: adequate system of radio relay, cable, and radio; 81,500 telephones; stations—4 AM, 3 FM, 24 TV; satellite earth stations—1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT, 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT, 1 ARABSAT, 1 domestic TV receive-only; coaxial cable and radio relay to Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Syria; radio relay to Lebanon is inactive; a microwave network linking Syria, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco and Jordan
_*Defense Forces#_Branches: Jordan Arab Army, Royal Jordanian Air Force, Royal Jordanian Coast Guard, Public Security Force
_#_Manpower availability: males 15-49, 778,353; 555,144 fit for military service; 39,879 reach military age (18) annually
_#Defense expenditures: $377 million, 12.4% of GNP (1990)%@Juan de Nova Island (French possession)*Geography#_Total area: 4.4 km2; land area: 4.4 km2
_#_Comparative area: about 7.5 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
_#_Land boundaries: none
_#_Coastline: 24.1 km
_#_Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone: 12 nm;
Continental shelf: 200 m (depth) or to depth of exploitation;
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
_#_Disputes: claimed by Madagascar
_#_Climate: tropical
_#_Terrain: undetermined
_#_Natural resources: guano deposits and other fertilizers
_#_Land use: arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 90%; other 10%
_#_Environment: subject to periodic cyclones; wildlife sanctuary
_#_Note: located in the central Mozambique Channel about halfway between Africa and Madagascar
_*People#_Population: uninhabited
_*Government#_Long-form name: none
_#_Type: French possession administered by Commissioner of the Republic Daniel CONSTANTIN, resident in Reunion
_*Economy#_Overview: no economic activity
_*Communications#_Railroads: short line going to a jetty
_#_Airports: 1 with nonpermanent-surface runway 1,220-2,439 m
_#_Ports: none; offshore anchorage only
_*Defense Forces#Note: defense is the responsibility of France%@Kenya*Geography#_Total area: 582,650 km2; land area: 569,250 km2
_#_Comparative area: slightly more than twice the size of Nevada
_#_Land boundaries: 3,477 km total; Ethiopia 861 km, Somalia 682 km, Sudan 232 km, Tanzania 769 km, Uganda 933 km
_#_Coastline: 536 km
_#_Maritime claims:
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
_#_Disputes: administrative boundary with Sudan does not coincide with international boundary; possible claim by Somalia based on unification of ethnic Somalis
_#_Climate: varies from tropical along coast to arid in interior
_#_Terrain: low plains rise to central highlands bisected by Great Rift Valley; fertile plateau in west
_#_Natural resources: gold, limestone, soda ash, salt barytes, rubies, fluorspar, garnets, wildlife
_#_Land use: arable land 3%; permanent crops 1%; meadows and pastures 7%; forest and woodland 4%; other 85%; includes irrigated NEGL%
_#_Environment: unique physiography supports abundant and varied wildlife of scientific and economic value; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; glaciers on Mt. Kenya
_#_Note: Kenyan Highlands one of the most successful agricultural production regions in Africa
_*People#_Population: 25,241,978 (July 1991), growth rate 3.6% (1991)
_#_Birth rate: 45 births/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Death rate: 8 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Infant mortality rate: 69 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
_#_Life expectancy at birth: 60 years male, 64 years female (1991)
_#_Total fertility rate: 6.4 children born/woman (1991)
_#_Nationality: noun—Kenyan(s); adjective—Kenyan
_#_Ethnic divisions: Kikuyu 21%, Luhya 14%, Luo 13%, Kalenjin 11%, Kamba 11%, Kisii 6%, Meru 6%, Asian, European, and Arab 1%
_#_Religion: Protestant 38%, Roman Catholic 28%, indigenous beliefs 26%, Muslim 6%
_#_Language: English and Swahili (official); numerous indigenous languages
_#_Literacy: 69% (male 80%, female 58%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
_#_Labor force: 9.2 million (includes unemployed); the total employed is 1.37 million (14.8% of the labor force); services 54.8%, industry 26.2%, agriculture 19.0% (1989)
_#_Organized labor: 390,000 (est.)
_*Government#_Long-form name: Republic of Kenya
_#_Type: republic
_#_Capital: Nairobi
_#_Administrative divisions: 7 provinces and 1 area*; Central, Coast, Eastern, Nairobi Area*, North-Eastern, Nyanza, Rift Valley, Western
_#_Independence: 12 December 1963 (from UK; formerly British East Africa)
_#_Constitution: 12 December 1963, amended as a republic 1964; reissued with amendments 1979, 1983, 1986, and 1988
_#_Legal system: based on English common law, tribal law, and Islamic law; judicial review in High Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations; constitutional amendment in 1982 made Kenya a de jure one-party state
_#_National holiday: Independence Day, 12 December (1963)
_#_Executive branch: president, vice president, Cabinet
_#_Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Bunge)
_#_Judicial branch: Court of Appeal, High Court
_#_Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government—President Daniel Teroitich arap MOI (since 14 October 1978); Vice President George SAITOTI (since 10 May 1989)
_#_Political parties and leaders: only party—Kenya African National Union (KANU), Daniel T. arap MOI, president
_#_Suffrage: universal at age 18
_#_Elections:
President—last held on 21 March 1988 (next to be held by March 1993); results—President Daniel T. arap MOI was reelected;
National Assembly—last held on 21 March 1988 (next to be held by March 1993); results—KANU is the only party; seats—(202 total, 188 elected) KANU 200
_#_Communists: may be a few Communists and sympathizers
_#_Other political or pressure groups: labor unions; exile opposition—Mwakenya and other groups
_#_Member of: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, EADB, ECA, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA,IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IGADD, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL,IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIIMOG,UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
_#_Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Denis Daudi AFANDE; Chancery at 2249 R Street NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 387-6101; there are Kenyan Consulates General in Los Angeles and New York;
US—Ambassador Smith HEMPSTONE, Jr.; Embassy at the corner of Moi Avenue and Haile Selassie Avenue, Nairobi (mailing address is P. O. Box 30137, Nairobi or APO New York 09675); telephone [254] (2) 334141; there is a US Consulate in Mombasa
_#_Flag: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green; the red band is edged in white; a large warrior's shield covering crossed spears is superimposed at the center
_*Economy#_Overview: A serious underlying economic problem is Kenya's 3.6% annual population growth rate—one of the highest in the world. In the meantime, GDP growth in the near term has kept slightly ahead of population—annually averaging 4.9% in the 1986-90 period. Undependable weather conditions and a shortage of arable land hamper long-term growth in agriculture, the leading economic sector.
_#_GDP: $8.5 billion, per capita $360; real growth rate 4% (1990 est.)
_#_Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10.9% (1990 est.)
_#_Unemployment rate: NA%, but there is a high level of unemployment and underemployment
_#_Budget: revenues $2.0 billion; expenditures $2.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA billion (FY89)
_#_Exports: $1.1 billion (f.o.b., 1990 est.);
commodities—tea 25%, coffee 21%, petroleum products 7% (1989);
partners—EC 44%, Africa 25%, Asia 5%, US 5%, Middle East 4% (1988)
_#_Imports: $2.4 billion (c.i.f., 1990 est.);
commodities—machinery and transportation equipment 29%, petroleum and petroleum products 15%, iron and steel 7%, raw materials, food and consumer goods (1989 est.);
partners—EC 45%, Asia 11%, Middle East 12%, US 5% (1988)
_#_External debt: $5.8 billion (December 1990 est.)
_#_Industrial production: growth rate 5.4% (1989 est.); accounts for 17% of GDP
_#_Electricity: 730,000 kW capacity; 2,700 million kWh produced, 110 kWh per capita (1990)
_#_Industries: small-scale consumer goods (plastic, furniture, batteries, textiles, soap, cigarettes, flour), agricultural processing, oil refining, cement, tourism
_#_Agriculture: most important sector, accounting for 29% of GDP, about 80% of the work force, and over 50% of exports; cash crops—coffee, tea, sisal, pineapple; food products—corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruit, vegetables, dairy products; food output not keeping pace with population growth
_#_Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis used mostly for domestic consumption; widespread cultivation of cannabis and qat on small plots; transit country for heroin and methaqualone en route from Southwest Asia to West Africa, Western Europe, and the US
_#_Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $839 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $6.7 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $74 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $83 million
_#_Currency: Kenyan shilling (plural—shillings); 1 Kenyan shilling (KSh) = 100 cents
_#_Exchange rates: Kenyan shillings (KSh) per US$1—24.427 (January 1991), 22.915 (1990), 20.572 (1989), 17.747 (1988), 16.454 (1987), 16.226 (1986), 16.432 (1985)
_#_Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June
_*Communications#_Railroads: 2,040 km 1.000-meter gauge
_#_Highways: 64,590 km total; 7,000 km paved, 4,150 km gravel, remainder improved earth
_#_Inland waterways: part of Lake Victoria system is within boundaries of Kenya; principal inland port is at Kisumu
_#_Pipelines: refined products, 483 km
_#_Ports: Mombasa, Lamu
_#_Civil air: 14 major transport aircraft
_#_Airports: 249 total, 213 usable; 22 with permanent-surface runways; 2 with runways over 3,659 m; 2 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 47 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
_#_Telecommunications: in top group of African systems; consists of radio relay links, open-wire lines, and radiocommunication stations; 260,000 telephones; stations—11 AM, 4 FM, 4 TV; satellite earth stations—1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Indian Ocean INTLESAT
_*Defense Forces#_Branches: Kenya Army, Kenya Navy, Air Force, paramilitary General Service Unit of the Police
_#_Manpower availability: males 15-49, 5,444,247; 3,362,290 fit for military service; no conscription
_#Defense expenditures: $100 million, 1.0% of GDP (1989 est.)%@Kingman Reef (territory of the US)*Geography#_Total area: 1 km2; land area: 1 km2
_#_Comparative area: about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
_#_Land boundaries: none
_#_Coastline: 3 km
_#_Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone: 12 nm;
Continental shelf: 200 m (depth);
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
_#_Climate: tropical, but moderated by prevailing winds
_#_Terrain: low and nearly level with a maximum elevation of about 1 meter
_#_Natural resources: none
_#_Land use: arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 0%; other 100%
_#_Environment: barren coral atoll with deep interior lagoon; wet or awash most of the time
_#_Note: located 1,600 km south-southwest of Honolulu in the North Pacific Ocean, about halfway between Hawaii and American Samoa; maximum elevation of about 1 meter makes this a navigational hazard; closed to the public
_*People#_Population: uninhabited
_*Government#_Long-form name: none
_#_Type: unincorporated territory of the US administered by the US Navy
_*Economy#_Overview: no economic activity
_*Communications#_Airports: lagoon was used as a halfway station between Hawaii and American Samoa by Pan American Airways for flying boats in 1937 and 1938
_#_Ports: none; offshore anchorage only
_*Defense Forces#Note: defense is the responsibility of the US%@Kiribati*Geography#_Total area: 717 km2; land area: 717 km2; includes three island groups—Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands
_#_Comparative area: slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC
_#_Land boundaries: none
_#_Coastline: 1,143 km
_#_Maritime claims:
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
_#_Climate: tropical; marine, hot and humid, moderated by trade winds
_#_Terrain: mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive reefs
_#_Natural resources: phosphate (production discontinued in 1979)
_#_Land use: arable land NEGL%; permanent crops 51%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 3%; other 46%
_#_Environment: typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March; 20 of the 33 islands are inhabited
_#_Note: Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean—the others are Makatea in French Polynesia and Nauru
_*People#_Population: 71,137 (July 1991), growth rate 1.6% (1991)
_#_Birth rate: 33 births/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Death rate: 12 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Net migration rate: - 5 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Infant mortality rate: 63 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
_#_Life expectancy at birth: 52 years male, 58 years female (1991)
_#_Total fertility rate: 4.2 children born/woman (1991)
_#_Nationality: noun—I-Kiribati (sing., pl.); adjective—I-Kiribati
_#_Ethnic divisions: Micronesian
_#_Religion: Roman Catholic 52.6%, Protestant (Congregational) 40.9%, Seventh-Day Adventist, Baha'i, Church of God, Mormon 6% (1985)
_#_Language: English (official), Gilbertese
_#_Literacy: NA% (male NA%, female NA%)
_#_Labor force: 7,870 economically active (1985 est.)
_#_Organized labor: Kiribati Trades Union Congress—2,500 members
_*Government#_Long-form name: Republic of Kiribati; note—pronounced Kiribas
_#_Type: republic
_#_Capital: Tarawa
_#_Administrative divisions: 3 units; Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands; note—a new administrative structure of 6 districts (Banaba, Central Gilberts, Line Islands, Northern Gilberts, Southern Gilberts, Tarawa) may have been changed to 20 island councils (one for each of the inhabited islands) named Abaiang, Abemama, Aranuka, Arorae, Banaba, Beru, Butaritari, Kiritimati, Kuria, Maiana, Makin, Marakei, Nikunau, Nonouti, Onotoa, Tabiteuea, Tabuaeran, Tamana, Tarawa, Teraina
_#_Independence: 12 July 1979 (from UK; formerly Gilbert Islands)
_#_Constitution: 12 July 1979
_#_National holiday: Independence Day, 12 July (1979)
_#_Executive branch: president, vice president, Cabinet
_#_Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly (Maneaba Ni Maungatabu)
_#_Judicial branch: Court of Appeal, High Court
_#_Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government—President Ieremia TABAI (since 12 July 1979); Vice President Teatao TEANNAKI (since 20 July 1979)
_#_Political parties and leaders: Gilbertese National Party; Christian Democratic Party, Teburoro TITO, secretary; essentially not organized on the basis of political parties
_#_Suffrage: universal at age 18
_#_Elections:
President—last held on 12 May 1987 (next to be held May 1991); results—Ieremia TABAI 50.1%, Tebruroro TITO 42.7%, Tetao TEANNAKI 7.2%;
House of Assembly—last held on 19 March l987 (next to be held May 1991); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(40 total; 39 elected) percent of seats by party NA
_#_Member of: ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP (associate), IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFC, IMF, INTERPOL, ITU, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, UPU, WHO
_#_Diplomatic representation: Ambassador (vacant) lives in Tarawa (Kiribati);
US—none
_#_Flag: the upper half is red with a yellow frigate bird flying over a yellow rising sun and the lower half is blue with three horizontal wavy white stripes to represent the ocean
_*Economy#_Overview: The country has few national resources. Commercially viable phosphate deposits were exhausted at the time of independence in 1979. Copra and fish now represent the bulk of production and exports. The economy has fluctuated widely in recent years. Real GDP declined about 8% in 1987, as the fish catch fell sharply to only one-fourth the level of 1986 and copra production was hampered by repeated rains. Output rebounded strongly in 1988, with real GDP growing by 17%. The upturn in economic growth came from an increase in copra production and a good fish catch. Following the strong surge in output in 1988, GNP increased 1% in 1989 and again in 1990.
_#_GDP: $36.8 million, per capita $525; real growth rate 1.0% (1990 est.)
_#_Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.0% (1990 est.)
_#_Unemployment rate: 2% (1985); considerable underemployment
_#_Budget: revenues $29.9 million; expenditures $16.3 million, including capital expenditures of $14.0 million (1990 est.)
_#_Exports: $5.8 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.);
commodities—fish 55%, copra 42%;
partners—EC 20%, Marshall Islands 12%, US 8%, American Samoa 4% (1985)
_#_Imports: $26.7 million (c.i.f., 1990 est.);
commodities—foodstuffs, fuel, transportation equipment;
partners—Australia 39%, Japan 21%, NZ 6%, UK 6%, US 3% (1985)
_#_External debt: $2.0 million (December 1989 est.)
_#_Industrial production: growth rate 0.0% (1988 est.); accounts for less than 4% of GDP
_#_Electricity: 5,000 kW capacity; 13 million kWh produced, 190 kWh per capita (1990)
_#_Industries: fishing, handicrafts
_#_Agriculture: accounts for 30% of GDP (including fishing); copra and fish contribute about 95% to exports; subsistence farming predominates; food crops—taro, breadfruit, sweet potatoes, vegetables; not self-sufficient in food
_#_Economic aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $258 million
_#_Currency: Australian dollar (plural—dollars); 1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents
_#_Exchange rates: Australian dollars ($A) per US$1—1.2834 (January 1991), 1.2799 (1990), 1.2618 (1989), 1.2752 (1988), 1.4267 (1987), 1.4905 (1986), 1.4269 (1985)
_#_Fiscal year: NA
_*Communications#_Highways: 640 km of motorable roads
_#_Inland waterways: small network of canals, totaling 5 km, in Line Islands
_#_Ports: Banaba and Betio (Tarawa)
_#_Civil air: 2 Trislanders; no major transport aircraft
_#_Airports: 22 total; 21 usable; 4 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 2,439 m; 5 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
_#_Telecommunications: 1,400 telephones; stations—1 AM, no FM, no TV; 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station
_*Defense Forces#_Branches: no military force maintained; the Police Force carries out law enforcement functions and paramilitary duties; there are small police posts on all islands
_#_Manpower availability: NA
_#Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP%@Korea, North*Geography#_Total area: 120,540 km2; land area: 120,410 km2
_#_Comparative area: slightly smaller than Mississippi
_#_Land boundaries: 1,671 km total; China 1,416 km, South Korea 238 km, USSR 17 km
_#_Coastline: 2,495 km