_#_Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March
_*Communications#_Railroads: Great Britain—16,629 km total; British Railways (BR) operates 16,629 km 1.435-meter standard gauge (4,205 km electrified and 12,591 km double or multiple track); several additional small standard-gauge and narrow-gauge lines are privately owned and operated; Northern Ireland Railways (NIR) operates 332 km 1.600-meter gauge, 190 km double track
_#_Highways: UK, 362,982 km total; Great Britain, 339,483 km paved (including 2,573 km limited-access divided highway); Northern Ireland, 23,499 km (22,907 paved, 592 km gravel)
_#_Inland waterways: 2,291 total; British Waterways Board, 606 km; Port Authorities, 706 km; other, 979 km
_#_Pipelines: 933 km crude oil, almost all insignificant; 2,993 km refined products; 12,800 km natural gas
_#_Ports: London, Liverpool, Felixstowe, Tees and Hartlepool, Dover, Sullom Voe, Southampton
_#_Merchant marine: 251 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,643,056 GRT/6,214,450 DWT; includes 7 passenger, 21 short-sea passenger, 39 cargo, 34 container, 22 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 10 refrigerated cargo, 1 vehicle carrier, 1 railcar carrier, 74 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 4 chemical tanker, 9 liquefied gas, 1 combination ore/oil, 1 specialized tanker, 25 bulk, 2 combination bulk
_#_Civil air: 618 major transport aircraft
_#_Airports: 520 total, 388 usable; 252 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways over 3,659 m; 37 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 133 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
_#_Telecommunications: modern, efficient domestic and international system; 30,200,000 telephones; excellent countrywide broadcast systems; stations—223 AM, 165 (401 relays) FM, 207 (3,210 relays) TV; 40 coaxial submarine cables; satellite communication ground stations operating in INTELSAT (7 Atlantic Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean), MARISAT, and EUTELSAT systems
_*Defense Forces#_Branches: Army, Royal Navy (including Royal Marines), Royal Air Force
_#_Manpower availability: males 15-49, 14,475,433; 12,167,324 fit for military service; no conscription
_#Defense expenditures: $41 billion, 4.8% of GDP (FY90)%@United States*Geography#_Total area: 9,372,610 km2; land area: 9,166,600 km2; includes only the 50 states and District of Colombia
_#_Comparative area: about four-tenths the size of USSR; about one-third the size of Africa; about one-half the size of South America (or slightly larger than Brazil); slightly smaller than China; about two and one-half times the size of Western Europe
_#_Land boundaries: 12,248 km total; Canada 8,893 km (including 2,477 km with Alaska), Mexico 3,326 km, Cuba (US naval base at Guantanamo) 29 km
_#_Coastline: 19,924 km
_#_Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone: 12 nm;
Continental shelf: not specified;
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
_#_Disputes: maritime boundary disputes with Canada; US Naval Base at Guantanamo is leased from Cuba and only mutual agreement or US abandonment of the area can terminate the lease; Haiti claims Navassa Island; US 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; Marshall Islands claims Wake Island
_#_Climate: mostly temperate, but varies from tropical (Hawaii) to arctic (Alaska); arid to semiarid in west with occasional warm, dry chinook wind
_#_Terrain: vast central plain, mountains in west, hills and low mountains in east; rugged mountains and broad river valleys in Alaska; rugged, volcanic topography in Hawaii
_#_Natural resources: coal, copper, lead, molybdenum, phosphates, uranium, bauxite, gold, iron, mercury, nickel, potash, silver, tungsten, zinc, crude oil, natural gas, timber
_#_Land use: arable land 20%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and pastures 26%; forest and woodland 29%; other 25%; includes irrigated 2%
_#_Environment: pollution control measures improving air and water quality; acid rain; agricultural fertilizer and pesticide pollution; management of sparse natural water resources in west; desertification; tsunamis, volcanoes, and earthquake activity around Pacific Basin; continuous permafrost in northern Alaska is a major impediment to development
_#_Note: world's fourth-largest country (after USSR, Canada, and China)
_*People#_Population: 252,502,000 (July 1991), growth rate 0.8% (1991)
_#_Birth rate: 15 births/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Death rate: 9 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Net migration rate: 2 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Infant mortality rate: 10 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
_#_Life expectancy at birth: 72 years male, 79 years female (1991)
_#_Total fertility rate: 1.8 children born/woman (1991)
_#_Nationality: noun—American(s); adjective—American
_#_Ethnic divisions: white 85%, black 12%, other 3% (1985)
_#_Religion: Protestant 61% (Baptist 21%, Methodist 12%, Lutheran 8%, Presbyterian 4%, Episcopalian 3%, other Protestant 13%), Roman Catholic 25%, Jewish 2%, other 5%, none 7%
_#_Language: predominantly English; sizable Spanish-speaking minority
_#_Literacy: 97% (male 97%, female 97%) age 15 and over having completed 5 or more years of schooling (1980)
_#_Labor force: 126,424,000 (includes armed forces and unemployed); civilian labor force 124,787,000 (1990)
_#_Organized labor: 16,729,000 members; 16.1% of total wage and salary employment which was 103,905,000 (1990)
_*Government#_Long-form name: United States of America; abbreviated US or USA
_#_Type: federal republic; strong democratic tradition
_#_Capital: Washington, DC
_#_Administrative divisions: 50 states and 1 district*; Alabama,Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware,District of Columbia*, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois,Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland,Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana,Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, NorthCarolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, RhodeIsland, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont,Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
_#_Independence: 4 July 1776 (from England)
_#_Constitution: 17 September 1787, effective 4 June 1789
_#_Dependent areas: American Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland Island; Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Wake Island. Since 18 July 1947, the US has administered the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, but recently entered into a new political relationship with three of the four political units. The Northern Mariana Islands is a Commonwealth associated with the US (effective 3 November 1986). Palau concluded a Compact of Free Association with the US that was approved by the US Congress but to date the Compact process has not been completed in Palau, which continues to be administered by the US as the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. The Federated States of Micronesia signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 3 November 1986). The Republic of the Marshall Islands signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 21 October 1986).
_#_Legal system: based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
_#_National holiday: Independence Day, 4 July (1776)
_#_Executive branch: president, vice president, Cabinet
_#_Legislative branch: bicameral Congress consists of an upper house or Senate and a lower house or House of Representatives
_#_Judicial branch: Supreme Court
_#_Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government—President George BUSH (since 20 January 1989); Vice President Dan QUAYLE (since 20 January 1989)
_#_Political parties and leaders: Republican Party, Clayton YEUTTER, national committee chairman; Jeanie AUSTIN, co-chairman; Democratic Party, Ronald H. BROWN, national committee chairman; several other groups or parties of minor political significance
_#_Suffrage: universal at age 18
_#_Elections:
President—last held 8 November 1988 (next to be held 3 November 1992); results—George BUSH (Republican Party) 53.37%, Michael DUKAKIS (Democratic Party) 45.67%, other 0.96%;
Senate—last held 6 November 1990 (next to be held 3 November 1992); results—Democratic Party 51%, Republican Party 47%, other 2%; seats—(100 total) Democratic Party 56, Republican Party 44;
House of Representatives—last held 6 November 1990 (next to be held 3 November 1992); results—Democratic Party 52%, Republican Party 44%, other 4%; seats—(435 total) Democratic Party 267, Republican Party 167, Socialist 1
_#_Communists: Communist Party (claimed 15,000-20,000 members), Gus HALL, general secretary; Socialist Workers Party (claimed 1,800 members), Jack BARNES, national secretary
_#_Member of: AfDB, AG (observer), ANZUS, APEC, AsDB, BIS,CCC, COCOM, CP, CSCE, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, FAO, ESCAP, 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, ISO, ITU, LORCS,NATO, NEA, OAS, OECD, PCA, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UNSecurity Council, UN Trusteeship Council, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO,WMO, WTO
_#_Diplomatic representation: US Representative to the UN, Ambassador Thomas R. PICKERING; Mission at 799 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 10017; telephone (212) 415-4444 (afternoon hours)
_#_Flag: thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing 50 small white five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top and bottom) alternating with rows of five stars; the 50 stars represent the 50 states, the 13 stripes represent the 13 original colonies; known as Old Glory; the design and colors have been the basis for a number of other flags including Chile, Liberia, Malaysia, and Puerto Rico
_*Economy#_Overview: The US has the most powerful, diverse, and technologically advanced economy in the world, with a per capita GNP of $21,800, the largest among major industrial nations. In 1989 the economy enjoyed its seventh successive year of substantial growth, the longest in peacetime history. The expansion featured moderation in wage and consumer price increases and a steady reduction in unemployment to 5.2% of the labor force. In 1990, however, growth slowed to 1% because of a combination of factors, such as the worldwide increase in interest rates, Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in August, the subsequent spurt in oil prices, and a general decline in business and consumer confidence. Ongoing problems for the 1990s include inadequate investment in education and other economic infrastructure, rapidly rising medical costs, and sizable budget and trade deficits.
_#_GNP: $5,465 billion, per capita $21,800; real growth rate 1.0% (1990)
_#_Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.4% (1990)
_#_Unemployment rate: 5.5% (1990)
_#_Budget: revenues $1,106 billion; expenditures $1,272 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY90 est.)
_#_Exports: $393.9 billion (f.o.b., 1990);
commodities—capital goods, automobiles, industrial supplies and raw materials, consumer goods, agricultural products;
partners—Western Europe 27.3%, Canada 22.1%, Japan 12.1% (1989)
_#_Imports: $516.2 billion (c.i.f., 1990);
commodities—crude and partly refined petroleum, machinery, automobiles, consumer goods, industrial raw materials, food and beverages;
partners—Western Europe 21.5%, Japan 19.7%, Canada 18.8% (1989)
_#_External debt: $581 billion (December 1989)
_#_Industrial production: growth rate 1.0% (1990)
_#_Electricity: 776,550,000 kW capacity; 3,020,000 million kWh produced, 12,080 kWh per capita (1990)
_#_Industries: leading industrial power in the world, highly diversified; petroleum, steel, motor vehicles, aerospace, telecommunications, chemicals, electronics, food processing, consumer goods, fishing, lumber, mining
_#_Agriculture: accounts for 2% of GNP and 2.8% of labor force; favorable climate and soils support a wide variety of crops and livestock production; world's second-largest producer and number-one exporter of grain; surplus food producer; fish catch of 5.0 million metric tons (1988)
_#_Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis for domestic consumption with 1987 production estimated at 3,500 metric tons or about 25% of the available marijuana; ongoing eradication program aimed at small plots and greenhouses has not reduced production
_#_Economic aid: donor—commitments, including ODA and OOF, (FY80-89), $115.7 billion
_#_Currency: United States dollar (plural—dollars); 1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents
_#_Exchange rates: British pounds (5) per US$—0.5171 (January 1991), 0.5603 (1990), 0.6099 (1989), 0.5614 (1988), 0.6102 (1987), 0.6817 (1986), 0.7714 (1985);
Canadian dollars (Can$) per US$—1.1559 (January 1991), 1.1668 (1990), 1.1840 (1989), 1.2307 (1988), 1.3260 (1987), 1.3895 (1986), 1.3655 (1985);
French francs (F) per US$—5.1307 (January 1991), 5.4453 (1990), 6.3801 (1989), 5.9569 (1988), 6.0107 (1987), 6.9261 (1986), 8.9852 (1985);
Italian lire (Lit) per US$—1,134.4 (January 1991), 1,198.1 (1990), 1.372.1 (1989), 1,301.6 (1988), 1,296.1 (1987), 1,490.8 (1986), 1,909.4 (1985);
Japanese yen (3) per US$—133.88 (January 1991), 144.79 (1990), 137.96 (1989), 128.15 (1988), 144.64 (1987), 168.52 (1986), 238.54 (1985);
German deutsche marks (DM) per US$—1.5100 (January 1991), 1.6157 (1990), 1.8800 (1989), 1.7562 (1988), 1.7974 (1987), 2.1715 (1986), 2.9440 (1985)
_#_Fiscal year: 1 October-30 September
_*Communications#_Railroads: 270,312 km
_#_Highways: 6,365,590 km, including 88,641 km expressways
_#_Inland waterways: 41,009 km of navigable inland channels, exclusive of the Great Lakes (est.)
_#_Pipelines: 275,800 km petroleum, 305,300 km natural gas (1985)
_#_Ports: Anchorage, Baltimore, Beaumont, Boston, Charleston,Cleveland, Duluth, Freeport, Galveston, Hampton Roads, Honolulu, Houston,Jacksonville, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, Mobile, New Orleans,New York, Philadelphia, Portland (Oregon), Richmond (California), SanFrancisco, Savannah, Seattle, Tampa, Wilmington
_#_Merchant marine: 404 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling NA GRT/NA DWT); includes 3 passenger-cargo, 44 cargo, 23 bulk, 180 tanker, 13 tanker tug-barge, 11 liquefied gas, 130 intermodal; in addition there are 231 government-owned vessels
_#_Civil air: 3,297 commercial multiengine transport aircraft, including 2,989 jet, 231 turboprop, 77 piston (1985)
_#_Airports: 14,177 total, 12,417 usable; 4,820 with permanent surface-runways; 63 with runways over 3,659 m; 325 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 2,524 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
_#_Telecommunications: 182,558,000 telephones; stations—4,892 AM, 5,200 FM (including 3,915 commercial and 1,285 public broadcasting), 7,296 TV (including 796 commercial, 300 public broadcasting, and 6,200 commercial cable); 495,000,000 radio receivers (1982); 150,000,000 TV sets (1982); satellite communications ground stations—45 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and 16 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT
_*Defense Forces#_Branches: Department of the Army, Department of the Navy (including Marine Corps), Department of the Air Force
_#_Manpower availability: males 15-49, 66,458,000; NA fit for military service
_#Defense expenditures: $312.9 billion, 5.7% of GNP (1990)%@Uruguay*Geography#_Total area: 176,220 km2; land area: 173,620 km2
_#_Comparative area: slightly smaller than Washington State
_#_Land boundaries: 1,564 km total; Argentina 579 km, Brazil 985 km
_#_Coastline: 660 km
_#_Maritime claims:
Continental shelf: 200 m (depth) or to depth of exploitation;
Territorial sea: 200 nm (overflight and navigation permitted beyond 12 nm)
_#_Disputes: short section of boundary with Argentina is in dispute; two short sections of the boundary with Brazil are in dispute (Arroyo de la Invernada area of the Rio Quarai and the islands at the confluence of the Rio Quarai and the Uruguay)
_#_Climate: warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown
_#_Terrain: mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland
_#_Natural resources: soil, hydropower potential, minor minerals
_#_Land use: arable land 8%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and pastures 78%; forest and woodland 4%; other 10%; includes irrigated 1%
_#_Environment: subject to seasonally high winds, droughts, floods
_*People#_Population: 3,121,101 (July 1990), growth rate 0.6% (1991)
_#_Birth rate: 17 births/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Death rate: 10 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Net migration rate: - 1 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Infant mortality rate: 22 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
_#_Life expectancy at birth: 69 years male, 76 years female (1991)
_#_Total fertility rate: 2.4 children born/woman (1991)
_#_Nationality: noun—Uruguayan(s); adjective—Uruguayan
_#_Ethnic divisions: white 88%, mestizo 8%, black 4%
_#_Religion: Roman Catholic (less than half adult population attends church regularly) 66%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 2%, nonprofessing or other 30%
_#_Language: Spanish
_#_Literacy: 96% (male 97%, female 96%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
_#_Labor force: 1,300,000; government 25%, manufacturing 19%, agriculture 11%, commerce 12%, utilities, construction, transport, and communications 12%, other services 21% (1988 est.)
_#_Organized labor: Interunion Workers' Assembly/National Workers' Confederation (PIT/CNT) Labor Federation
_*Government#_Long-form name: Oriental Republic of Uruguay
_#_Type: republic
_#_Capital: Montevideo
_#_Administrative divisions: 19 departments (departamentos, singular—departamento); Artigas, Canelones, Cerro Largo, Colonia, Durazno, Flores, Florida, Lavalleja, Maldonado, Montevideo, Paysandu, Rio Negro, Rivera, Rocha, Salto, San Jose, Soriano, Tacuarembo, Treinta y Tres
_#_Independence: 25 August 1828 (from Brazil)
_#_Constitution: 27 November 1966, effective February 1967, suspended 27 June 1973, new constitution rejected by referendum 30 November 1980
_#_Legal system: based on Spanish civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
_#_National holiday: Independence Day, 25 August (1828)
_#_Executive branch: president, vice president, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
_#_Legislative branch: bicameral General Assembly (Asamblea General) consists of an upper chamber or Chamber of Senators (Camara de Senadores) and a lower chamber or Chamber of Representatives (Camera de Representantes)
_#_Judicial branch: Supreme Court
_#_Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government—President Luis Alberto LACALLE (since 1 March 1990); Vice President Gonzalo AGUIRRE (since 1 March 1990)
_#_Political parties and leaders: National (Blanco) Party, Luis Alberto LACALLE Herrera; Colorado Party, Jorge BATLLE Ibanez; Broad Front Coalition, Liber SEREGNI Mosquera—includes Communist Party led by Jaime PEREZ and National Liberation Movement (MLN) or Tupamaros led by Eleuterio FERNANDEZ Huidobro; New Space Coalition consists of the Party of the Government of the People (PGP), Hugo BATALLA; Christian Democratic Party (PDC), Hector LESCANO; and Civic Union, Humberto CIGANDA
_#_Suffrage: universal and compulsory at age 18
_#_Elections:
President—last held 26 November 1989 (next to be held November1994);results—Luis Alberto LACALLE Herrera (Blanco) 37%, Jorge BATLLEIbanez (Colorado) 29%, Liber SEREGNI Mosquera (Broad Front) 20%;
Chamber of Senators—last held 26 November 1989 (next to be held November 1994); results—Blanco 40%, Colorado 30%, Broad Front 23% New Space 7%; seats—(30 total) Blanco 12, Colorado 9, Broad Front 7, New Space 2;
Chamber of Representatives—last held NA November 1989 (next to be held November 1994); results—Blanco 39%, Colorado 30%, Broad Front 22%, New Space 8%, other 1%; seats—(99 total) number of seats by party NA
_#_Communists: 50,000
_#_Member of: AG (observer), CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA, LORCS, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIIMOG, UNMOGIP, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
_#_Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Eduardo MACGILLICUDDEY; Chancery at 1918 F Street NW, Washington DC 20006; telephone (202) 331-1313 through 1316; there are Uruguayan Consulates General in Los Angeles, Miami, and New York, and a Consulate in New Orleans;
US—Ambassador Richard C. BROWN; Embassy at Lauro Muller 1776, Montevideo (mailing address is APO Miami 34035); telephone [598] (2) 23-60-61
_#_Flag: nine equal horizontal stripes of white (top and bottom) alternating with blue; there is a white square in the upper hoist-side corner with a yellow sun bearing a human face known as the Sun of May and 16 rays alternately triangular and wavy
_*Economy#_Overview: The economy is slowly recovering from the deep recession of the early 1980s. In 1988 real GDP grew by only 0.5% and in 1989 by 1.5%. The recovery was led by growth in the agriculture and fishing sectors, agriculture alone contributing 20% to GDP, employing about 11% of the labor force, and generating a large proportion of export earnings. Raising livestock, particularly cattle and sheep, is the major agricultural activity. In 1990, despite healthy exports and an improved current account, domestic growth remained weak because of government concentration on the external sector, adverse weather conditions, and prolonged strikes. Bringing down high inflation, reducing a large fiscal deficit, and avoiding frequent strikes remain major economic problems for the government.
_#_GDP: $9.2 billion, per capita $2,970; real growth rate 1% (1990 est.)
_#_Inflation rate (consumer prices): 129% (1990)
_#_Unemployment rate: 8.8% (1990 est.)
_#_Budget: revenues $1.2 billion; expenditures $1.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $165 million (1988)
_#_Exports: $1.7 billion (f.o.b., 1990);
commodities—hides and leather goods 17%, beef 10%, wool 9%, fish 7%, rice 4%;
partners—Brazil 17%, US 15%, FRG 10%, Argentina 10% (1987)
_#_Imports: $1.28 billion (f.o.b., 1990);
commodities—fuels and lubricants 15%, metals, machinery, transportation equipment, industrial chemicals;
partners—Brazil 24%, Argentina 14%, US 8%, FRG 8% (1987)
_#_External debt: $4.2 billion (1990 est.)
_#_Industrial production: growth rate - 2.1% (1989 est.)
_#_Electricity: 1,950,000 kW capacity; 5,274 million kWh produced, 1,740 kWh per capita (1990)
_#_Industries: meat processing, wool and hides, sugar, textiles, footwear, leather apparel, tires, cement, fishing, petroleum refining, wine
_#_Agriculture: large areas devoted to extensive livestock grazing; wheat, rice, corn, sorghum; self-sufficient in most basic foodstuffs
_#_Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $105 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $293 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $69 million
_#_Currency: new Uruguayan peso (plural—pesos); 1 new Uruguayan peso (N$Ur) = 100 centesimos
_#_Exchange rates: new Uruguayan pesos (N$Ur) per US$1—1,626.4 (January 1991), 1,171.0 (1990), 605.5 (1989), 359.44 (1988), 226.67 (1987), 151.99 (1986), 101.43 (1985)
_#_Fiscal year: calendar year
_*Communications#_Railroads: 3,000 km, all 1.435-meter standard gauge and government owned
_#_Highways: 49,900 km total; 6,700 km paved, 3,000 km gravel, 40,200 km earth
_#_Inland waterways: 1,600 km; used by coastal and shallow-draft river craft
_#_Ports: Montevideo, Punta del Este
_#_Merchant marine: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 65,212 GRT/116,613 DWT; includes 2 cargo, 1 container, 1 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker
_#_Civil air: 14 major transport aircraft
_#_Airports: 91 total, 86 usable; 16 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 2 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 17 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
_#_Telecommunications: most modern facilities concentrated in Montevideo; new nationwide radio relay network; 337,000 telephones; stations—99 AM, no FM, 26 TV, 9 shortwave; 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations
_*Defense Forces#_Branches: Army, Navy (including Naval Air Arm and Marines), Air Force, Coast Guard, Grenadier Guards, Police
_#_Manpower availability: males 15-49, 735,971; 597,302 fit for military service; no conscription
_#Defense expenditures: $168 million, 2.2% of GDP (1988)%@Vanuatu*Geography#_Total area: 14,760 km2; land area: 14,760 km2; includes more than 80 islands
_#_Comparative area: slightly larger than Connecticut
_#_Land boundary: none
_#_Coastline: 2,528 km
_#_Maritime claims: (measured from claimed archipelagic baselines);
Contiguous zone: 24 nm;
Continental shelf: edge of continental margin or 200 nm;
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
_#_Climate: tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds
_#_Terrain: mostly mountains of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains
_#_Natural resources: manganese, hardwood forests, fish
_#_Land use: arable land 1%; permanent crops 5%; meadows and pastures 2%; forest and woodland 1%; other 91%
_#_Environment: subject to tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April); volcanism causes minor earthquakes
_#_Note: located 5,750 km southwest of Honolulu in the South Pacific Ocean about three-quarters of the way between Hawaii and Australia
_*People#_Population: 170,319 (July 1991), growth rate 3.1% (1991)
_#_Birth rate: 36 births/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Death rate: 5 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Infant mortality rate: 36 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
_#_Life expectancy at birth: 67 years male, 72 years female (1991)
_#_Total fertility rate: 5.4 children born/woman (1991)
_#_Nationality: noun—Ni-Vanuatu (singular and plural); adjective—Ni-Vanuatu
_#_Ethnic divisions: indigenous Melanesian 94%, French 4%, remainder Vietnamese, Chinese, and various Pacific Islanders
_#_Religion: Presbyterian 36.7%, Anglican 15%, Catholic 15%, indigenous beliefs 7.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6.2%, Church of Christ 3.8%, other 15.7%
_#_Language: English and French (official); pidgin (known as Bislama or Bichelama)
_#_Literacy: 53% (male 57%, female 48%) age 15 and over can read and write (1979)
_#_Labor force: NA
_#_Organized labor: 7 registered trade unions—largest include Oil and Gas Workers' Union, Vanuatu Airline Workers' Union
_*Government#_Long-form name: Republic of Vanuatu
_#_Type: republic
_#_Capital: Port-Vila
_#_Administrative divisions: 11 island councils; Ambrym, Aoba/Maewo, Banks/Torres, Efate, Epi, Malakula, Paama, Pentecote, Santo/Malo, Shepherd, Tafea
_#_Independence: 30 July 1980 (from France and UK; formerly New Hebrides)
_#_Constitution: 30 July 1980
_#_Legal system: unified system being created from former dual French and British systems
_#_National holiday: Independence Day, 30 July (1980)
_#_Executive branch: president, prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
_#_Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament; note—the National Council of Chiefs advises on matters of custom and land
_#_Judicial branch: Supreme Court
_#_Leaders:
Chief of State—President Frederick TIMAKATA (since 30 January 1989);
Head of Government—Prime Minister Father Walter Hadye LINI (since 30 July 1980); Deputy Prime Minister (vacant)
_#_Political parties and leaders:National Party (Vanua'aku Pati), Donald KALPOKAS;Union of Moderate Parties, Maxine CARLOT;Melanesian Progressive Party, Barak SOPE
_#_Suffrage: universal at age 18
_#_Elections:
Parliament—last held 30 November 1987 (next to be held by November 1991); byelections were held in December 1988 to fill vacancies resulting from the expulsion of opposition members for boycotting sessions; results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(46 total) National Party 26, Union of Moderate Parties 19, independent 1
_#_Member of: ACCT, ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFC, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, NAM, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO
_#_Diplomatic representation: Vanuatu does not have a mission in Washington;
US—the ambassador in Papua New Guinea is accredited to Vanuatu
_#_Flag: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green (bottom) with a black isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) all separated by a black-edged yellow stripe in the shape of a horizontal Y (the two points of the Y face the hoist side and enclose the triangle); centered in the triangle is a boar's tusk encircling two crossed namele leaves, all in yellow
_*Economy#_Overview: The economy is based primarily on subsistence farming that provides a living for about 80% of the population. Fishing and tourism are the other mainstays of the economy. Mineral deposits are negligible; the country has no known petroleum deposits. A small light industry sector caters to the local market. Tax revenues come mainly from import duties.
_#_GDP: $137 million, per capita $860; real growth rate 4.3% (1989 est.)
_#_Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7.8% (1989 est.)
_#_Unemployment rate: NA%
_#_Budget: revenues $90.0 million; expenditures $103.0 million, including capital expenditures of $45.0 million (1989 est.)
_#_Exports: $14.5 million (f.o.b., 1989 est.);
commodities—copra 59%, cocoa 11%, meat 9%, fish 8%, timber 4%;
partners—Netherlands 34%, France 27%, Japan 17%, Belgium 4%, New Caledonia 3%, Singapore 2% (1987)
_#_Imports: $58.4 million (f.o.b., 1989 est.);
commodities—machines and vehicles 25%, food and beverages 23%, basic manufactures 18%, raw materials and fuels 11%, chemicals 6%;
partners—Australia 36%, Japan 13%, NZ 10%, France 8%, Fiji 5% (1987)
_#_External debt: $30 million (1990 est.)
_#_Industrial production: growth rate NA%
_#_Electricity: 17,000 kW capacity; 30 million kWh produced, 180 kWh per capita (1990)
_#_Industries: food and fish freezing, forestry processing, meat canning
_#_Agriculture: export crops—copra, cocoa, coffee, and fish; subsistence crops—copra, taro, yams, coconuts, fruits, and vegetables
_#_Economic aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $565 million
_#_Currency: vatu (plural—vatu); 1 vatu (VT) = 100 centimes
_#_Exchange rates: vatu (VT) per US$1—109.62 (January 1991), 116.57 (1990), 116.04 (1989), 104.43 (1988), 109.85 (1987), 106.08 (1986), 106.03 (1985)
_#_Fiscal year: calendar year
_*Communications#_Railroads: none
_#_Highways: 1,027 km total; at least 240 km sealed or all-weather roads
_#_Ports: Port-Vila, Luganville, Palikoulo, Santu
_#_Merchant marine: 129 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,242,850 GRT/3,447,671 DWT; includes 33 cargo, 13 refrigerated cargo, 8 container, 11 vehicle carrier, 1 livestock carrier, 5 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 1 chemical tanker, 1 liquefied gas, 55 bulk, 1 combination bulk; note—a flag of convenience registry; the USSR has 2 ships under the Vanuatu flag
_#_Civil air: no major transport aircraft
_#_Airports: 32 total, 28 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
_#_Telecommunications: stations—2 AM, no FM, no TV; 3,000 telephones; satellite communications ground stations—1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT
_*Defense Forces#_Branches: no military forces; Vanuatu Police Force, paramilitary force
_#_Manpower availability: males 15-49, 41,183; NA fit for military service
_#Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP%@Vatican City*Geography#_Total area: 0.438 km2; land area: 0.438 km2
_#_Comparative area: about 0.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
_#_Land boundary: 3.2 km with Italy
_#_Coastline: none—landlocked
_#_Maritime claims: none—landlocked
_#_Climate: temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to mid-May) with hot, dry summers (May to September)
_#_Terrain: low hill
_#_Natural resources: none
_#_Land use: arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 0%; other 100%
_#_Environment: urban
_#_Note: landlocked; enclave of Rome, Italy; world's smallest state; outside the Vatican City, 13 buildings in Rome and Castel Gandolfo (the pope's summer residence) enjoy extraterritorial rights
_*People#_Population: 778 (July 1991), growth rate NEGL% (1991)
_#_Nationality: no noun or adjectival forms
_#_Ethnic divisions: primarily Italians but also Swiss and other nationalities
_#_Religion: Roman Catholic
_#_Language: Italian, Latin, and various other languages
_#_Literacy: 100% (male NA%, female NA%)
_#_Labor force: high dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards, and 3,000 lay workers who live outside the Vatican
_#_Organized labor: Association of Vatican Lay Workers, 1,800 members (1987)
_*Government#_Long-form name: State of the Vatican City; note—the Vatican City is the physical seat of the Holy See, which is the central government of the Roman Catholic Church
_#_Type: monarchical-sacerdotal state
_#_Capital: Vatican City
_#_Independence: 11 February 1929 (from Italy)
_#_Constitution: Apostolic Constitution of 1967 (effective 1 March 1968)
_#_National holiday: Installation Day of the Pope (John Paul II), 22 October (1978); note—Pope John Paul II was elected on 16 October 1978
_#_Executive branch: pope
_#_Legislative branch: unicameral Pontifical Commission
_#_Judicial branch: none; normally handled by Italy
_#_Leaders:
Chief of State—Pope JOHN PAUL II (Karol WOJTYLA; since 16October 1978);
Head of Government—Secretary of State Archbishop Angelo SODANO
_#_Political parties and leaders: none
_#_Suffrage: limited to cardinals less than 80 years old
_#_Elections:
Pope—last held 16 October 1978 (next to be held after the death of the current pope); results—Karol WOJTYlA was elected for life by the College of Cardinals
_#_Communists: NA
_#_Other political or pressure groups: none (exclusive of influence exercised by church officers)
_#_Member of: CSCE, IAEA, ICFTU, IMF (observer), INTELSAT, IOM (observer), ITU, OAS (observer), UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNHCR, UPU, WIPO, WTO (observer)
_#_Diplomatic representation: Apostolic Pro-Nuncio Archbishop Agostino CACCIAVILLAN; 3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 333-7121;
US—Ambassador Thomas P. MELADY; Embassy at Villino Pacelli, Via Aurelia 294, 00165 Rome (mailing address is APO New York 09794); telephone [396] 639-0558
_#_Flag: two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side) and white with the crossed keys of Saint Peter and the papal tiara centered in the white band
_*Economy#_Overview: This unique, noncommercial economy is supported financially by contributions (known as Peter's Pence) from Roman Catholics throughout the world, the sale of postage stamps, tourist mementos, fees for admission to museums, and the sale of publications. The incomes and living standards of lay workers are comparable to, or somewhat better than, those of counterparts who work in the city of Rome.
_#_Budget: revenues $76.6 million; expenditures $168 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1991)
_#_Electricity: 5,000 kW standby capacity (1990); power supplied by Italy
_#_Industries: printing and production of a small amount of mosaics and staff uniforms; worldwide banking and financial activities
_#_Currency: Vatican lira (plural—lire); 1 Vatican lira (VLit) = 100 centesimi
_#_Exchange rates: Vatican lire (VLit) per US$1—1,134.4 (January 1991), 1,198.1 (1990), 1,372.1 (1989), 1,301.6 (1988), 1,296.1 (1987), 1,490.8 (1986), 1,909.4 (1985); note—the Vatican lira is at par with the Italian lira which circulates freely
_#_Fiscal year: calendar year
_*Communications#_Railroads: 850 m, 750 mm gauge (links with Italian network near the Rome station of Saint Peter's)
_#_Highways: none; all city streets
_#_Telecommunications: stations—3 AM, 4 FM, no TV; 2,000-line automatic telephone exchange; no communications satellite systems
_*Defense Forces#Note: defense is the responsibility of Italy; Swiss Papal Guards are posted at entrances to the Vatican City%@Venezuela*Geography#_Total area: 912,050 km2; land area: 882,050 km2
_#_Comparative area: slightly more than twice the size of California
_#_Land boundaries: 4,993 km total; Brazil 2,200 km, Colombia 2,050 km, Guyana 743 km
_#_Coastline: 2,800 km
_#_Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone: 15 nm;
Continental shelf: 200 m (depth) or to depth of exploitation;
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
_#_Disputes: claims all of Guyana west of the Essequibo river; maritime boundary dispute with Colombia in the Gulf of Venezuela
_#_Climate: tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands
_#_Terrain: Andes mountains and Maracaibo lowlands in northwest; central plains (llanos); Guyana highlands in southeast
_#_Natural resources: crude oil, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other minerals, hydropower, diamonds
_#_Land use: arable land 3%; permanent crops 1%; meadows and pastures 20%; forest and woodland 39%; other 37%; includes irrigated NEGL%
_#_Environment: subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts; increasing industrial pollution in Caracas and Maracaibo
_#_Note: on major sea and air routes linking North and South America
_*People#_Population: 20,189,361 (July 1991), growth rate 2.4% (1991)
_#_Birth rate: 28 births/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Death rate: 4 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Net migration rate: 1 migrant/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Infant mortality rate: 26 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
_#_Life expectancy at birth: 71 years male, 78 years female (1991)
_#_Total fertility rate: 3.4 children born/woman (1991)
_#_Nationality: noun—Venezuelan(s); adjective—Venezuelan
_#_Ethnic divisions: mestizo 67%, white 21%, black 10%, Indian 2%
_#_Religion: nominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%
_#_Language: Spanish (official); Indian dialects spoken by about 200,000 Amerindians in the remote interior
_#_Literacy: 88% (male 87%, female 90%) age 15 and over can read and write (1981 est.)
_#_Labor force: 5,800,000; services 56%, industry 28%, agriculture 16% (1985)
_#_Organized labor: 32% of labor force
_*Government#_Long-form name: Republic of Venezuela
_#_Type: republic
_#_Capital: Caracas
_#_Administrative divisions: 20 states (estados, singular—estado), 2 territories* (territorios, singular—territorio), 1 federal district** (distrito federal), and 1 federal dependence*** (dependencia federal); Amazonas*, Anzoategui, Apure, Aragua, Barinas, Bolivar, Carabobo, Cojedes, Delta Amacuro*, Dependencias Federales***, Distrito Federal**, Falcon, Guarico, Lara, Merida, Miranda, Monagas, Nueva Esparta, Portuguesa, Sucre, Tachira, Trujillo, Yaracuy, Zulia; note—the federal dependence consists of 11 federally controlled island groups with a total of 72 individual islands
_#_Independence: 5 July 1811 (from Spain)
_#_Constitution: 23 January 1961
_#_Legal system: based on Napoleonic code; judicial review of legislative acts in Cassation Court only; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
_#_National holiday: Independence Day, 5 July (1811)
_#_Executive branch: president, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
_#_Legislative branch: bicameral Congress of the Republic(Congreso de la Republica) consists of an upper chamber or Senate(Senado) and a lower chamber or Chamber of Deputies (Camara deDiputados)
_#_Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justica)
_#_Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government—President Carlos AndresPEREZ (since 2 February 1989)
_#_Political parties and leaders:Social Christian Party (COPEI), Eduardo FERNANDEZ, secretary general;Democratic Action (AD), Gonzalo BARRIOS, president, and Humberto CELLI,secretary general;Movement Toward Socialism (MAS), Argelia LAYA, president, andFreddy MUNOZ, secretary general
_#_Suffrage: universal and compulsory at age 18, though poorly enforced
_#_Elections:
President—last held 4 December 1988 (next to be heldDecember 1993);results—Carlos Andres PEREZ (AD) 54.6%,Eduardo FERNANDEZ (COPEI) 41.7%, other 3.7%;
Senate—last held 4 December 1988 (next to be held December 1993); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(49 total) AD 23, COPEI 22, other 4; note—3 former presidents (1 from AD, 2 from COPEI) hold lifetime senate seats;
Chamber of Deputies—last held 4 December 1988 (next to be held December 1993); results—AD 43.7%, COPEI 31.4%, MAS 10.3%, other 14.6%; seats—(201 total) AD 97, COPEI 67, MAS 18, other 19
_#_Communists: 10,000 members (est.)
_#_Other political or pressure groups: FEDECAMARAS, a conservative business group; Venezuelan Confederation of Workers, the Democratic Action-dominated labor organization
_#_Member of: AG, CDB, CG, ECLAC, FAO, G-3, G-11, G-19, G-24, G-77,GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO,INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, LORCS, NAM, OAS,OPANAL, OPEC, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO,WIPO, WMO, WTO
_#_Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Simon Alberto CONSALVI Bottaro; Chancery at 2445 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 797-3800; there are Venezuelan Consulates General in Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico);
US—Ambassador Michael Martin SKOL; Embassy at Avenida Francisco de Miranda and Avenida Principal de la Floresta, Caracas (mailing address is P. O. Box 62291, Caracas 1060-A, or APO Miami 34037); telephone [58] (2) 285-3111 or 2222; there is a US Consulate in Maracaibo
_#_Flag: three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), blue, and red with the coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band and an arc of seven white five-pointed stars centered in the blue band
_*Economy#_Overview: Petroleum is the cornerstone of the economy and accounted for 21% of GDP, 60% of central government revenues, and 81% of export earnings in 1989. President Perez introduced an economic readjustment program when he assumed office in February 1989. Lower tariffs and price supports, a free market exchange rate, and market-linked interest rates have thrown the economy into confusion, causing about an 8% decline in GDP in 1989, but the economy recovered part way in 1990.
_#_GDP: $42.4 billion, per capita $2,150; real growth rate 4.4% (1990 est.)
_#_Inflation rate (consumer prices): 40.7% (1990)
_#_Unemployment rate: 10.4% (1990)
_#_Budget: revenues $8.4 billion; expenditures $8.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.9 billion (1989)
_#_Exports: $12.1 billion (f.o.b., 1989 est.);
commodities—petroleum 81%, bauxite and aluminum, iron ore, agricultural products, basic manufactures;
partners—US 50.7%, Europe 13.7%, Japan 4.0% (1989)
_#_Imports: $8.7 billion (f.o.b., 1989);
commodities—foodstuffs, chemicals, manufactures, machinery and transport equipment;
partners—US 44%, FRG 8.0%, Japan 4%, Italy 7%, Canada 2% (1989)
_#_External debt: $33.2 billion (1990)
_#_Industrial production: growth rate - 11% (1989 est.); accounts for one-fourth of GDP, including petroleum
_#_Electricity: 19,733,000 kW capacity; 54,660 million kWh produced, 2,780 kWh per capita (1990)
_#_Industries: petroleum, iron-ore mining, construction materials, food processing, textiles, steel, aluminum, motor vehicle assembly
_#_Agriculture: accounts for 6% of GDP and 16% of labor force; products—corn, sorghum, sugarcane, rice, bananas, vegetables, coffee, beef, pork, milk, eggs, fish; not self-sufficient in food other than meat
_#_Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis and coca leaf for the international drug trade on a small scale; however, large quantities of cocaine do transit the country
_#_Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-86), $488 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $10 million
_#_Currency: bolivar (plural—bolivares); 1 bolivar (Bs) = 100 centimos
_#_Exchange rates: bolivares (Bs) per US$1—51.331 (January 1991), 46.900 (1990), 34.6815 (1989), 14.5000 (fixed rate 1987-88), 8.0833 (1986), 7.5000 (1985)
_#_Fiscal year: calendar year
_*Communications#_Railroads: 542 km total; 363 km 1.435-meter standard gauge all single track, government owned; 179 km 1.435-meter gauge, privately owned
_#_Highways: 77,785 km total; 22,780 km paved, 24,720 km gravel, 14,450 km earth roads, and 15,835 km unimproved earth
_#_Inland waterways: 7,100 km; Rio Orinoco and Lago de Maracaibo accept oceangoing vessels
_#_Pipelines: 6,370 km crude oil; 480 km refined products; 4,010 km natural gas
_#_Ports: Amuay Bay, Bajo Grande, El Tablazo, La Guaira, Puerto Cabello, Puerto Ordaz
_#_Merchant marine: 58 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 811,650 GRT/1,294,077 DWT; includes 1 short-sea passenger, 1 passenger cargo, 22 cargo, 1 container, 2 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 17 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 1 chemical tanker, 2 liquefied gas, 9 bulk, 1 vehicle carrier, 1 combination bulk
_#_Civil air: 58 major transport aircraft
_#_Airports: 296 total, 277 usable; 137 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 13 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 88 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
_#_Telecommunications: modern and expanding; 1,440,000 telephones; stations—181 AM, no FM, 59 TV, 26 shortwave; 3 submarine coaxial cables; satellite communications ground stations—1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and 3 domestic
_*Defense Forces#_Branches: Ground Forces (Army), Naval Forces (including Navy,Marines, Coast Guard), Air Forces, Armed Forces of Cooperation (NationalGuard)
_#_Manpower availability: males 15-49, 5,220,183; 3,782,548 fit for military service; 216,132 reach military age (18) annually
_#Defense expenditures: $1.9 billion, 4.3% of GDP (1991)%@Vietnam*Geography#_Total area: 329,560 km2; land area: 325,360
_#_Comparative area: slightly larger than New Mexico
_#_Land boundaries: 3,818 km total; Cambodia 982 km, China 1,281 km, Laos 1,555 km
_#_Coastline: 3,444 km (excluding islands)
_#_Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone: 24 nm;
Continental shelf: edge of continental margin or 200 nm;
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
_#_Disputes: offshore islands and three sections of the boundary with Cambodia are in dispute; maritime boundary with Cambodia not defined; occupied Cambodia on 25 December 1978; sporadic border clashes with China; involved in a complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with China, Malaysia, Philippines, and Taiwan; unresolved maritime boundary with Thailand; maritime boundary dispute with China in the Gulf of Tonkin; Paracel Islands occupied by China but claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; unresolved maritime boundary with Thailand
_#_Climate: tropical in south; monsoonal in north with hot, rainy season (mid-May to mid-September) and warm, dry season (mid-October to mid-March)
_#_Terrain: low, flat delta in south and north; central highlands; hilly, mountainous in far north and northwest
_#_Natural resources: phosphates, coal, manganese, bauxite, chromate, offshore oil deposits, forests
_#_Land use: arable land 22%; permanent crops 2%; meadows and pastures 1%; forest and woodland 40%; other 35%; includes irrigated 5%
_#_Environment: occasional typhoons (May to January) with extensive flooding
_*People#_Population: 67,568,033 (July 1991), growth rate 2.1% (1991)
_#_Birth rate: 29 births/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Death rate: 8 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Net migration rate: - 1 migrant/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Infant mortality rate: 48 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
_#_Life expectancy at birth: 63 years male, 67 years female (1991)
_#_Total fertility rate: 3.7 children born/woman (1991)
_#_Nationality: noun—Vietnamese (sing. and pl.); adjective—Vietnamese