@India, Economy
Overview:India's economy is a mixture of traditional village farming, modernagriculture, handicrafts, a wide range of modern industries, and amultitude of support services. Faster economic growth in the 1980spermitted a significant increase in real per capita privateconsumption. A large share of the population, perhaps as much as 40%,remains too poor to afford an adequate diet. Financial strains in 1990and 1991 prompted government austerity measures that slowed industrialgrowth but permitted India to meet its international paymentobligations without rescheduling its debt. Policy reforms since 1991have extended earlier economic liberalization and greatly reducedgovernment controls on production, trade, and investment. US and otherforeign firms are increasing their investment in India. In January1994, international financial reserves were comfortably high.National product:GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $1.17 trillion (FY94 est.)National product real growth rate:3.8% (FY94 est.)National product per capita:$1,300 (FY94 est.)Inflation rate (consumer prices):8% (1993 est.)Unemployment rate:NA%Budget:revenues:$29.6 billionexpenditures:$45.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $11.2 billion (FY93)Exports:$21.4 billion (f.o.b., 1993)commodities:gems and jewelry, clothing, engineering goods, chemicals, leathermanufactures, cotton yarn, and fabricpartners:US 18.9%, Germany 7.8%, Italy 7.8%, (FY93)Imports:$22 billion (c.i.f., 1993)commodities:crude oil and petroleum products, gems, fertilizer, chemicals,machinerypartners:US 9.8%, Belgium 8.4%, Germany 7.6% (FY93)External debt:$90.1 billion (March 1993)Industrial production:growth rate 2% (1993 est.); accounts for about 25% of GDPElectricity:capacity:82,000,000 kWproduction:310 billion kWhconsumption per capita:340 kWh (1992)Industries:textiles, chemicals, food processing, steel, transportation equipment,cement, mining, petroleum, machineryAgriculture:accounts for about 40% of GDP and employs 65% of labor force;principal crops - rice, wheat, oilseeds, cotton, jute, tea, sugarcane,potatoes; livestock - cattle, buffaloes, sheep, goats, poultry; fishcatch of about 3 million metric tons ranks India among the world's top10 fishing nationsIllicit drugs:licit producer of opium poppy for the pharmaceutical trade, but someopium is diverted to illicit international drug markets; major transitcountry for illicit narcotics produced in neighboring countries;illicit producer of hashish; minor production of illicit opiumEconomic aid:recipient:US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $4.4 billion; Western(non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1980-89), $31.7billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $315 million; USSR (1970-89),$11.6 billion; Eastern Europe (1970-89), $105 millionCurrency:1 Indian rupee (Re) = 100 paiseExchange rates:Indian rupees (Rs) per US$1 - 31.370 (January 1994), 30.493 (1993),25.918 (1992), 22.742 (1991), 17.504 (1990), 16.226 (1989)Fiscal year:1 April - 31 March
@India, Communications
Railroads:61,850 km total (1986); 33,553 km 1.676-meter broad gauge, 24,051 km1.000-meter gauge, 4,246 km narrow gauge (0.762 meter and 0.610meter); 12,617 km is double track; 6,500 km is electrifiedHighways:total:1.97 million kmpaved:960,000 kmunpaved:gravel, crushed stone, earth 1.01 million km (1989)Inland waterways:16,180 km; 3,631 km navigable by large vesselsPipelines:crude oil 3,497 km; petroleum products 1,703 km; natural gas 902 km(1989)Ports:Bombay, Calcutta, Cochin, Kandla, Madras, New Mangalore, Port Blair(Andaman Islands)Merchant marine:297 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,236,902 GRT/10,369,948 DWT,bulk 111, cargo 81, chemical tanker 9, combination bulk 2, combinationore/oil 7, container 7, liquefied gas 6, oil tanker 66,passenger-cargo 6, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1, short-sea passenger 1Airports:total:337usable:288with permanent-surface runways:208with runways over 3,659 m:2with runways 2,440-3,659 m:59with runways 1,220-2,439 m:92Telecommunications:domestic telephone system is poor providing only one telephone forabout 200 persons on average; long distance telephoning has beenimproved by a domestic satellite system which also carries TV;international service is provided by 3 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earthstations and by submarine cables to Malaysia and the United ArabEmirates; broadcast stations - 96 AM, 4 FM, 274 TV (governmentcontrolled)
@India, Defense Forces
Branches:Army, Navy, Air Force, Security or Paramilitary Forces (includingBorder Security Force, Assam Rifles, and Coast Guard)Manpower availability:males age 15-49 247,948,906; fit for military service 145,881,705;reach military age (17) annually 9,408,586 (1994 est.)Defense expenditures:exchange rate conversion - $6.0 billion, 2.4% of GDP (FY93/94)
@Indian Ocean, Geography
Location:body of water between Africa, Asia, Australia, and AntarcticaMap references:Southeast Asia, Standard Time Zones of the WorldArea:total area:73.6 million sq kmcomparative area:slightly less than eight times the size of the US; third-largest ocean(after the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean, but larger than theArctic Ocean)note:includes Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Strait ofMalacca, Great Australian Bight, Gulf of Oman, Mozambique Channel, andother tributary water bodiesCoastline:66,526 kmInternational disputes:some maritime disputes (see littoral states)Climate:northeast monsoon (December to April), southwest monsoon (June toOctober); tropical cyclones occur during May/June and October/Novemberin the north Indian Ocean and January/February in the south IndianOceanTerrain:surface dominated by counterclockwise gyre (broad, circular system ofcurrents) in the south Indian Ocean; unique reversal of surfacecurrents in the north Indian Ocean, low atmospheric pressure oversouthwest Asia from hot, rising, summer air results in the southwestmonsoon and southwest-to-northeast winds and currents, while highpressure over northern Asia from cold, falling, winter air results inthe northeast monsoon and northeast-to-southwest winds and currents;ocean floor is dominated by the Mid-Indian Ocean Ridge and subdividedby the Southeast Indian Ocean Ridge, Southwest Indian Ocean Ridge, andNinety East Ridge; maximum depth is 7,258 meters in the Java TrenchNatural resources:oil and gas fields, fish, shrimp, sand and gravel aggregates, placerdeposits, polymetallic nodulesEnvironment:current issues:endangered marine species include the dugong, seals, turtles, andwhales; oil pollution in the Arabian Sea, Persian Gulf, and Red Seanatural hazards:NAinternational agreements:NANote:major chokepoints include Bab el Mandeb, Strait of Hormuz, Strait ofMalacca, southern access to the Suez Canal, and the Lombok Strait;ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme south near Antarcticafrom May to October
@Indian Ocean, Government
Digraph:XO
@Indian Ocean, Economy
Overview:The Indian Ocean provides major sea routes connecting the Middle East,Africa, and East Asia with Europe and the Americas. It carries aparticularly heavy traffic of petroleum and petroleum products fromthe oil fields of the Persian Gulf and Indonesia. Its fish are ofgreat and growing importance to the bordering countries for domesticconsumption and export. Fishing fleets from Russia, Japan, Korea, andTaiwan also exploit the Indian Ocean, mainly for shrimp and tuna.Large reserves of hydrocarbons are being tapped in the offshore areasof Saudi Arabia, Iran, India, and Western Australia. An estimated 40%of the world's offshore oil production comes from the Indian Ocean.Beach sands rich in heavy minerals and offshore placer deposits areactively exploited by bordering countries, particularly India, SouthAfrica, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.Industries:based on exploitation of natural resources, particularly fish,minerals, oil and gas, fishing, sand and gravel
@Indian Ocean, Communications
Ports:Bombay (India), Calcutta (India), Madras (India), Colombo (Sri Lanka),Durban (South Africa), Fremantle (Australia), Jakarta (Indonesia),Melbourne (Australia), Richards Bay (South Africa)Telecommunications:submarine cables from India to United Arab Emirates and Malaysia, andfrom Sri Lanka to Djibouti and Indonesia
@Indonesia, Geography
Location:Southeastern Asia, between Malaysia and AustraliaMap references:Oceania, Southeast Asia, Standard Time Zones of the WorldArea:total area:1,919,440 sq kmland area:1,826,440 sq kmcomparative area:slightly less than three times the size of TexasLand boundaries:total 2,602 km, Malaysia 1,782 km, Papua New Guinea 820 kmCoastline:54,716 kmMaritime claims:measured from claimed archipelagic baselinesexclusive economic zone:200 nmterritorial sea:12 nmInternational disputes:sovereignty over Timor Timur (East Timor Province) disputed withPortugal and not recognized by the UN; two islands in dispute withMalaysiaClimate:tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlandsTerrain:mostly coastal lowlands; larger islands have interior mountainsNatural resources:petroleum, tin, natural gas, nickel, timber, bauxite, copper, fertilesoils, coal, gold, silverLand use:arable land:8%permanent crops:3%meadows and pastures:7%forest and woodland:67%other:15%Irrigated land:75,500 sq km (1989 est.)Environment:current issues:deforestation; water pollution from industrial wastes, sewage; airpollution in urban areasnatural hazards:occasional floods, severe droughts, and tsunamisinternational agreements:party to - Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, TropicalTimber; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change,Marine Life ConservationNote:archipelago of 13,500 islands (6,000 inhabited); straddles Equator;strategic location astride or along major sea lanes from Indian Oceanto Pacific Ocean
@Indonesia, People
Population:200,409,741 (July 1994 est.)Population growth rate:1.59% (1994 est.)Birth rate:24.45 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)Death rate:8.6 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)Net migration rate:0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)Infant mortality rate:67.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)Life expectancy at birth:total population:60.74 yearsmale:58.7 yearsfemale:62.88 years (1994 est.)Total fertility rate:2.8 children born/woman (1994 est.)Nationality:noun:Indonesian(s)adjective:IndonesianEthnic divisions:Javanese 45%, Sundanese 14%, Madurese 7.5%, coastal Malays 7.5%, other26%Religions:Muslim 87%, Protestant 6%, Roman Catholic 3%, Hindu 2%, Buddhist 1%,other 1% (1985)Languages:Bahasa Indonesia (modified form of Malay; official), English, Dutch,local dialects the most widely spoken of which is JavaneseLiteracy:age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)total population:77%male:84%female:68%Labor force:67 millionby occupation:agriculture 55%, manufacturing 10%, construction 4%, transport andcommunications 3% (1985 est.)
@Indonesia, Government
Names:conventional long form:Republic of Indonesiaconventional short form:Indonesialocal long form:Republik Indonesialocal short form:Indonesiaformer name:Netherlands East Indies; Dutch East IndiesDigraph:IDType:republicCapital:JakartaAdministrative divisions:24 provinces (propinsi-propinsi, singular - propinsi), 2 specialregions* (daerah-daerah istimewa, singular - daerah istimewa), and 1special capital city district** (daerah khusus ibukota); Aceh*, Bali,Bengkulu, Irian Jaya, Jakarta Raya**, Jambi, Jawa Barat, Jawa Tengah,Jawa Timur, Kalimantan Barat, Kalimantan Selatan, Kalimantan Tengah,Kalimantan Timur, Lampung, Maluku, Nusa Tenggara Barat, Nusa TenggaraTimur, Riau, Sulawesi Selatan, Sulawesi Tengah, Sulawesi Tenggara,Sulawesi Utara, Sumatera Barat, Sumatera Selatan, Sumatera Utara,Timor Timur, Yogyakarta*Independence:17 August 1945 (proclaimed independence; on 27 December 1949,Indonesia became legally independent from the Netherlands)National holiday:Independence Day, 17 August (1945)Constitution:August 1945, abrogated by Federal Constitution of 1949 and ProvisionalConstitution of 1950, restored 5 July 1959Legal system:based on Roman-Dutch law, substantially modified by indigenousconcepts and by new criminal procedures code; has not acceptedcompulsory ICJ jurisdictionSuffrage:17 years of age; universal and married persons regardless of ageExecutive branch:chief of state and head of government:President Gen. (Ret.) SOEHARTO (since 27 March 1968); Vice PresidentGen. (Ret.) Try SUTRISNO (since 11 March 1993)cabinet:CabinetLegislative branch:unicameralHouse of Representatives:(Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat or DPR) elections last held on 8 June 1992(next to be held NA 1997); results - GOLKAR 68%, PPP 17%, PDI 15%;seats - (500 total, 400 elected, 100 military representativesappointed) GOLKAR 282, PPP 62, PDI 56note:the People's Consultative Assembly (Majelis Permusyawaratan Rakyat orMPR) includes the DPR plus 500 indirectly elected members who meetevery five years to elect the president and vice president and,theoretically, to determine national policyJudicial branch:Supreme Court (Mahkamah Agung)Political parties and leaders:GOLKAR (quasi-official party based on functional groups), Lt. Gen.(Ret.) HARMOKO, general chairman; Indonesia Democracy Party (PDI -federation of former Nationalist and Christian Parties), MegawatiSUKARNOPUTRI, chairman; Development Unity Party (PPP, federation offormer Islamic parties), Ismail Hasan METAREUM, chairmanMember of:APEC, AsDB, ASEAN, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-77, GATT, IAEA,IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT,INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OIC,OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNOSOM, UNTAC, UPU, WCL,WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTODiplomatic representation in US:chief of mission:Ambassador Arifin SIREGARchancery:2020 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036telephone:(202) 775-5200FAX:(202) 775-5365consulate(s) general:Chicago, Houston, New York, and Los Angelesconsulate(s):San FranciscoUS diplomatic representation:chief of mission:Ambassador Robert L. BARRYembassy:Medan Merdeka Selatan 5, Box 1, Jakartamailing address:APO AP 96520telephone:[62] (21) 360-360FAX:[62] (21) 386-2259consulate(s):Medan, SurabayaFlag:two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; similar to the flagof Monaco, which is shorter; also similar to the flag of Poland, whichis white (top) and red
@Indonesia, Economy
Overview:Indonesia is a mixed economy with some socialist institutions andcentral planning but with a recent emphasis on deregulation andprivate enterprise. Indonesia has extensive natural wealth, yet, witha large and rapidly increasing population, it remains a poor country.Real GDP growth in 1985-93 averaged about 6%, quite impressive, butnot sufficient to both slash underemployment and absorb the 2.3million workers annually entering the labor force. Agriculture,including forestry and fishing, is an important sector, accounting for21% of GDP and over 50% of the labor force. The staple crop is rice.Once the world's largest rice importer, Indonesia is now nearlyself-sufficient. Plantation crops - rubber and palm oil - and textilesand plywood are being encouraged for both export and job generation.Industrial output now accounts for almost 40% of GDP and is based on asupply of diverse natural resources, including crude oil, natural gas,timber, metals, and coal. Foreign investment has also boostedmanufacturing output and exports in recent years. Indeed, theeconomy's growth is highly dependent on the continuing expansion ofnonoil exports. Japan remains Indonesia's most important customer andsupplier of aid. Rapid growth in the money supply in 1989-90 promptedJakarta to implement a tight monetary policy in 1991, forcing theprivate sector to go to foreign banks for investment financing. Realinterest rates remained above 10% and off-shore commercial debt grew.The growth in off-shore debt prompted Jakarta to limit foreignborrowing beginning in late 1991. Despite the continued problems inmoving toward a more open financial system and the persistence of afairly tight credit situation, GDP growth in 1992 and 1993 has matchedthe government target of 6%-7% annual growth.National product:GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $571 billion (1993 est.)National product real growth rate:6.5% (1993 est.)National product per capita:$2,900 (1993 est.)Inflation rate (consumer prices):10% (1993 est.)Unemployment rate:3% official rate; underemployment 45% (1993 est.)Budget:revenues:$32.8 billionexpenditures:$32.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $12.9 billion (FY95)Exports:$38.2 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.)commodities:petroleum and gas 28%, clothing and fabrics 15%, plywood 11%, footwear4% (1992)partners:Japan 32%, US 13%, Singapore 9%, South Korea 6% (1992)Imports:$28.3 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.)commodities:machinery 37%, semi-finished goods 16%, chemicals 14%, raw materials10%, transport equipment 7%, food stuffs 6%, petroleum products 4%,consumer goods 3% (1992)partners:Japan 22%, US 14%, Germany 8%, South Korea 7%, Singapore 6%, Australia5%, Taiwan 5% (1992)External debt:$100 billion (1994 est.)Industrial production:growth rate 11.6% (1989 est.); accounts 35% of GDPElectricity:capacity:11,600,000 kWproduction:38 billion kWhconsumption per capita:200 kWh (1990)Industries:petroleum and natural gas, textiles, mining, cement, chemicalfertilizers, plywood, food, rubberAgriculture:accounts for 21% of GDP; subsistence food production; small-holder andplantation production for export; main products are rice, cassava,peanuts, rubber, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, copra, other tropicalproducts, poultry, beef, pork, eggsIllicit drugs:illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade, but nota major player; government actively eradicating plantings andprosecuting traffickersEconomic aid:recipient:US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $4.4 billion; Western(non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $25.9billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $213 million; Communistcountries (1970-89), $175 millionCurrency:1 Indonesian rupiah (Rp) = 100 sen (sen no longer used)Exchange rates:Indonesian rupiahs (Rp) per US$1 - 2,116.9 (January 1994), 2,087.1(1993), 2,029.9 (1992), 1,950.3 (1991), 1,842.8 (1990), 1,770.1 (1989)Fiscal year:1 April - 31 March
@Indonesia, Communications
Railroads:6,964 km total; 6,389 km 1.067-meter gauge, 497 km 0.750-meter gauge,78 km 0.600-meter gauge; 211 km double track; 101 km electrified; allgovernment ownedHighways:total:119,500 kmpaved:NAunpaved:NAundifferentiated:provincial 34,180 km; district 73,508 km; state 11,812 kmInland waterways:21,579 km total; Sumatra 5,471 km, Java and Madura 820 km, Kalimantan10,460 km, Sulawesi 241 km, Irian Jaya 4,587 kmPipelines:crude oil 2,505 km; petroleum products 456 km; natural gas 1,703 km(1989)Ports:Cilacap, Cirebon, Jakarta, Kupang, Palembang, Ujungpandang, Semarang,SurabayaMerchant marine:430 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,893,830 GRT/2,768,294 DWT,bulk 26, cargo 256, chemical tanker 7, container 11, liquefied gas 6,livestock carrier 1, oil tanker 83, passenger 4, passenger-cargo 13,roll-on/roll-off cargo 5, short-sea passenger 7, specialized tanker 7,vehicle carrier 4Airports:total:444usable:414with permanent-surface runways:122with runways over 3,659 m:1with runways 2,440-3,659 m:11with runways 1,220-2,439 m:68Telecommunications:interisland microwave system and HF police net; domestic service fair,international service good; radiobroadcast coverage good; 763,000telephones (1986); broadcast stations - 618 AM, 38 FM, 9 TV; satelliteearth stations - 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station and 1 PacificOcean INTELSAT earth station; and 1 domestic satellite communicationssystem
@Indonesia, Defense Forces
Branches:Army, Navy, Air Force, National PoliceManpower availability:males age 15-49 54,518,490; fit for military service 32,175,853; reachmilitary age (18) annually 2,201,295 (1994 est.)Defense expenditures:exchange rate conversion - $2.1 billion, 1.5% of GNP (FY93/94 est.)
@Iran, Geography
Location:Middle East, between the Persian Gulf and the Caspian SeaMap references:Asia, Middle East, Standard Time Zones of the WorldArea:total area:1.648 million sq kmland area:1.636 million sq kmcomparative area:slightly larger than AlaskaLand boundaries:total 5,440 km, Afghanistan 936 km, Armenia 35 km, Azerbaijan (north)432 km, Azerbaijan (northwest) 179 km, Iraq 1,458 km, Pakistan 909 km,Turkey 499 km, Turkmenistan 992 kmCoastline:2,440 kmnote:Iran also borders the Caspian Sea (740 km)Maritime claims:continental shelf:not specifiedexclusive fishing zone:50 nm in the Gulf of Oman; continental shelf limit, continental shelfboundaries, or median lines in the Persian Gulfterritorial sea:12 nmInternational disputes:Iran and Iraq restored diplomatic relations in 1990 but are stilltrying to work out written agreements settling outstanding disputesfrom their eight-year war concerning border demarcation,prisoners-of-war, and freedom of navigation and sovereignty over theShatt al Arab waterway; Iran occupies two islands in the Persian Gulfclaimed by the UAE: Tunb as Sughra (Arabic), Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Kuchek(Persian) or Lesser Tunb, and Tunb al Kubra (Arabic), Jazireh-yeTonb-e Bozorg (Persian) or Greater Tunb; it jointly administers withthe UAE an island in the Persian Gulf claimed by the UAE, Abu Musa(Arabic) or Jazireh-ye Abu Musa (Persian); in 1992 the dispute overAbu Musa and the Tunb islands became more acute when Iran unilaterallytried to control the entry of third country nationals into the UAEportion of Abu Musa island, Tehran subsequently backed off in the faceof significant diplomatic support for the UAE in the region; periodicdisputes with Afghanistan over Helmand water rightsClimate:mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coastTerrain:rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts, mountains;small, discontinuous plains along both coastsNatural resources:petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead,manganese, zinc, sulfurLand use:arable land:8%permanent crops:0%meadows and pastures:27%forest and woodland:11%other:54%Irrigated land:57,500 sq km (1989 est.)Environment:current issues:air pollution, especially in urban areas, from vehicle emissions,refinery operations, and industry; deforestation; overgrazing;desertification; oil pollution in the Persian Gulf; shortages ofdrinking waternatural hazards:periodic droughtsinternational agreements:party to - Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban,Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified -Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Law of theSea, Marine Life Conservation
@Iran, People
Population:65,615,474 (July 1994 est.)Population growth rate:3.46% (1994 est.)Birth rate:42.43 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)Death rate:7.83 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)Net migration rate:0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)Infant mortality rate:60.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)Life expectancy at birth:total population:65.66 yearsmale:64.7 yearsfemale:66.68 years (1994 est.)Total fertility rate:6.33 children born/woman (1994 est.)Nationality:noun:Iranian(s)adjective:IranianEthnic divisions:Persian 51%, Azerbaijani 24%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%, Kurd 7%, Arab3%, Lur 2%, Baloch 2%, Turkmen 2%, other 1%Religions:Shi'a Muslim 95%, Sunni Muslim 4%, Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, andBaha'i 1%Languages:Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects 26%,Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Baloch 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2%Literacy:age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)total population:54%male:64%female:43%Labor force:15.4 millionby occupation:agriculture 33%, manufacturing 21%note:shortage of skilled labor (1988 est.)
@Iran, Government
Names:conventional long form:Islamic Republic of Iranconventional short form:Iranlocal long form:Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Iranlocal short form:IranDigraph:IRType:theocratic republicCapital:TehranAdministrative divisions:24 provinces (ostanha, singular - ostan); Azarbayjan-e Bakhtari,Azarbayjan-e Khavari, Bakhtaran, Bushehr, Chahar Mahall va Bakhtiari,Esfahan, Fars, Gilan, Hamadan, Hormozgan, Ilam, Kerman, Khorasan,Khuzestan, Kohkiluyeh va Buyer Ahmadi, Kordestan, Lorestan, Markazi,Mazandaran, Semnan, Sistan va Baluchestan, Tehran, Yazd, ZanjanIndependence:1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed)National holiday:Islamic Republic Day, 1 April (1979)Constitution:2-3 December 1979; revised 1989 to expand powers of the presidency andeliminate the prime ministershipLegal system:the Constitution codifies Islamic principles of governmentSuffrage:15 years of age; universalExecutive branch:supreme leader and functional chief of state:Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Hoseini-KHAMENEI (since4 June 1989); supreme leader (velayat-e faqih)head of government:President Ali Akbar Hashemi-RAFSANJANI (since 3 August 1989); electionlast held June 1993 (next to be held June-July 1997); results - AliAkbar HASHEMI-RAFSANJANI was elected with 63% of the votecabinet:Council of Ministers; selected by the president with legislativeapprovalLegislative branch:unicameralIslamic Consultative Assembly:(Majles-e-Shura-ye-Eslami) elections last held 8 April 1992 (next tobe held April 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats -(270 seats total) number of seats by party NAJudicial branch:Supreme CourtPolitical parties and leaders:there are at least 76 licensed parties; the three most important are -Tehran Militant Clergy Association, Mohammad Reza MAHDAVI-KANI;Militant Clerics Association, Mehdi MAHDAVI-KARUBI and Mohammad AsqarMUSAVI-KHOINIHA; Fedaiyin Islam Organization, Sadeq KHALKHALIOther political or pressure groups:groups that generally support the Islamic Republic include Hizballah,Hojjatiyeh Society, Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution, MuslimStudents Following the Line of the Imam; armed political groups thathave been almost completely repressed by the government includeMojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MEK), People's Fedayeen, KurdishDemocratic Party; the Society for the Defense of FreedomMember of:CCC, CP, ESCAP, ECO, FAO, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC,ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTODiplomatic representation in US:chief of mission:Iran has an Interests Section in the Pakistani Embassy in Washington,DCchancery:Iranian Interests Section, 2209 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC20007telephone:(202) 965-4990US diplomatic representation:protecting power in Iran is SwitzerlandFlag:three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red; thenational emblem (a stylized representation of the word Allah) in redis centered in the white band; Allah Alkbar (God is Great) in whiteArabic script is repeated 11 times along the bottom edge of the greenband and 11 times along the top edge of the red band
@Iran, Economy
Overview:Iran's economy is a mixture of central planning, state ownership ofoil and other large enterprises, village agriculture, and small-scaleprivate trading and service ventures. Over the past several years, thegovernment has introduced several measures to liberalize the economyand reduce government intervention, but most of these changes havemoved slowly because of political opposition. Iran has facedincreasingly severe financial difficulties in 1992-93 due to an importsurge since 1989 and general financial mismanagement. At yearend 1993the Iranian Government estimated that it owed foreign creditors about$30 billion; an estimated $8 billion of this debt was in arrears.Earnings from oil exports—which provide over 90% of Iran's exportrevenues—are providing less relief to Iran than usual because ofdeclining oil prices. Estimated overall growth was a robust 6.3% in1992 and a moderate 3% in 1993.National product:GNP - purchasing power equivalent - $303 billion (1993 est.)National product real growth rate:3% (1993 est.)National product per capita:$4,780 (1993 est.)Inflation rate (consumer prices):30% (September 1992-September 1993)Unemployment rate:30% (1991 est.)Budget:revenues:$NAexpenditures:$NA, including capital expenditures of $NAExports:$15.5 billion (f.o.b., FY92 est.)commodities:petroleum 90%, carpets, fruits, nuts, hidespartners:Japan, Italy, France, Netherlands, Belgium/Luxembourg, Spain, andGermanyImports:$23.7 billion (c.i.f., FY92 est.)commodities:machinery, military supplies, metal works, foodstuffs,pharmaceuticals, technical services, refined oil productspartners:Germany, Japan, Italy, UK, FranceExternal debt:$30 billion (December 1993)Industrial production:growth rate 3% (1993 est.); accounts for almost 30% of GDP, includingpetroleumElectricity:capacity:15,649,000 kWproduction:43.6 billion kWhconsumption per capita:710 kWh (1992)Industries:petroleum, petrochemicals, textiles, cement and other buildingmaterials, food processing (particularly sugar refining and vegetableoil production), metal fabricatingAgriculture:accounts for about 20% of GDP; principal products - wheat, rice, othergrains, sugar beets, fruits, nuts, cotton, dairy products, wool,caviar; not self-sufficient in foodIllicit drugs:illicit producer of opium poppy for the domestic and internationaldrug trade; net opiate importer but also a key transshipment point forSouthwest Asian heroin to EuropeEconomic aid:recipient:US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-80), $1 billion; Western(non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89),$1.675 billion; Communist countries (1970-89), $976 millionnote:aid fell sharply following the 1979 revolutionCurrency:1 Iranian rial (IR) = 10 tomansExchange rates:Iranian rials (IR) per US$1 - 1,748.86 (January 1994), 1,267.77(1993), 65.552 (1992), 67.505 (1991); note - in March 1993 the Iraniangovernment announced a new single-parity exchange rate system with anew official rate of 1,538 rials per dollar; there is also a blackmarket rate of 2200 rials per US$1 (December 1993)Fiscal year:21 March - 20 March
@Iran, Communications
Railroads:4,852 km total; 4,760 km 1.432-meter gauge, 92 km 1.676-meter gauge;480 km under construction from Bafq to Bandar-e 'Abbas, railconstruction from Bafq to Sirjan has been completed and isoperational; section from Sirjan to Bandar-e 'Abbas still underconstructionHighways:total:140,200 kmpaved:42,694 kmunpaved:gravel, crushed stone 46,866 km; improved earth 49,440 km; unimprovedearth 1,200 kmInland waterways:904 km; the Shatt al Arab is usually navigable by maritime traffic forabout 130 km; channel has been dredged to 3 meters and is in usePipelines:crude oil 5,900 km; petroleum products 3,900 km; natural gas 4,550 kmPorts:Abadan (largely destroyed in fighting during 1980-88 war), BandarBeheshti, Bandar-e 'Abbas, Bandar-e Bushehr, Bandar-e Khomeyni,Bandar-e Torkeman (Caspian Sea port), Khorramshahr (repaired afterbeing largely destroyed in fighting during 1980-88 war) has been inlimited operation since November 1992Merchant marine:139 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,480,000 GRT/8,332,667 DWT,bulk 48, cargo 41, chemical tanker 4, combination bulk 2, liquefiedgas 1, oil tanker 31, refrigerated cargo 3, roll-on/roll-off cargo 8,short-sea passenger 1Airports:total:219usable:193with permanent-surface runways:80with runways over 3,659 m:17with runways 2,440-3,659 m:18with runways 1,220-2,439 m:70Telecommunications:microwave radio relay extends throughout country; system centered inTehran; 2,143,000 telephones (35 telephones per 1,000 persons);broadcast stations - 77 AM, 3 FM, 28 TV; satellite earth stations - 2Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT; HF radio andmicrowave radio relay to Turkey, Pakistan, Syria, Kuwait, Tajikistan,and Uzbekistan; submarine fiber optic cable to UAE
@Iran, Defense Forces
Branches:Islamic Republic of Iran Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air DefenseForce, Revolutionary Guards (including Basij militia and own ground,air, and naval forces), Law Enforcement ForcesManpower availability:males age 15-49 14,382,216; fit for military service 8,555,760; reachmilitary age (21) annually 600,630 (1994 est.)Defense expenditures:according to official Iranian data, Iran spent 1,785 billion rials,including $808 million in hard currency in 1992 and budgeted 2,507billion rials, including $850 million in hard currency for 1993 (est.)note:conversion of rial expenditures into US dollars using the prevailingexchange rate could produce misleading results
@Iraq, Geography
Location:Middle East, between Iran and Saudi ArabiaMap references:Middle East, Standard Time Zones of the WorldArea:total area:437,072 sq kmland area:432,162 sq kmcomparative area:slightly more than twice the size of IdahoLand boundaries:total 3,631 km, Iran 1,458 km, Jordan 181 km, Kuwait 242 km, SaudiArabia 814 km, Syria 605 km, Turkey 331 kmCoastline:58 kmMaritime claims:continental shelf:not specifiedterritorial sea:12 nmInternational disputes:Iran and Iraq restored diplomatic relations in 1990 but are stilltrying to work out written agreements settling outstanding disputesfrom their eight-year war concerning border demarcation,prisoners-of-war, and freedom of navigation and sovereignty over theShatt al Arab waterway; in April 1991 official Iraqi acceptance of UNSecurity Council Resolution 687, which demands that Iraq accept theinviolability of the boundary set forth in its 1963 agreement withKuwait, ending earlier claims to Bubiyan and Warbah islands or to allof Kuwait; the 20 May 1993 final report of the UN Iraq/Kuwait BoundaryDemarcation Commission was welcomed by the Security Council inResolution 833 of 27 May 1993, which also reaffirmed that thedecisions of the commission on the boundary were final, bringing to acompletion the official demarcation of the Iraq-Kuwait boundary; Iraqiofficials still refuse to unconditionally recognize Kuwaitisovereignty or the inviolability of the UN demarcated border; periodicdisputes with upstream riparian Syria over Euphrates water rights;potential dispute over water development plans by Turkey for theTigris and Euphrates RiversClimate:mostly desert; mild to cool winters with dry, hot, cloudless summers;northernmost regions along Iranian and Turkish borders experience coldwinters with occasionally heavy snowsTerrain:mostly broad plains; reedy marshes in southeast; mountains alongborders with Iran and TurkeyNatural resources:petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulfurLand use:arable land:12%permanent crops:1%meadows and pastures:9%forest and woodland:3%other:75%Irrigated land:25,500 sq km (1989 est)Environment:current issues:government water control projects drain inhabited marsh areas, dryingup or diverting the streams and rivers that support a sizablepopulation of Shi'a Muslims who have inhabited these areas forthousands of years; the destruction of the natural habitat also posesserious threats to the wildlife populations; damage to water treatmentand sewage facilities during Gulf war; inadequate supplies of potablewater; development of Tigris-Euphrates Rivers system contingent uponagreements with upstream riparians (Syria, Turkey); air and waterpollution; soil degradation (salinization) and erosion;desertificationnatural hazards:NAinternational agreements:party to - Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban; signed, but not ratified- Environmental Modification
@Iraq, People
Population: 19,889,666 (July 1994 est.) Population growth rate: 3.73% (1994 est.) Birth rate: 44.11 births/1,000 population (1994 est.) Death rate: 7.26 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.) Net migration rate: 0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.) Infant mortality rate: 67.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 65.74 years male: 64.87 years female: 66.66 years (1994 est.) Total fertility rate: 6.71 children born/woman (1994 est.) Nationality: noun: Iraqi(s) adjective: Iraqi Ethnic divisions: Arab 75-80%, Kurdish 15-20%, Turkoman, Assyrian or other 5% Religions: Muslim 97% (Shi'a 60-65%, Sunni 32-37%), Christian or other 3% Languages: Arabic, Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Assyrian, Armenian Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) total population: 60% male: 70% female: 49% Labor force: 4.4 million (1989) by occupation: services 48%, agriculture 30%, industry 22% note: severe labor shortage; expatriate labor force was about 1,600,000 (July 1990); since then, it has declined substantially
@Iraq, Government
Names:conventional long form:Republic of Iraqconventional short form:Iraqlocal long form:Al Jumhuriyah al Iraqiyahlocal short form:Al IraqDigraph:IZType:republicCapital:BaghdadAdministrative divisions:18 provinces (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Anbar, Al Basrah,Al Muthanna, Al Qadisiyah, An Najaf, Arbil, As Sulaymaniyah, AtTa'mim, Babil, Baghdad, Dahuk, Dhi Qar, Diyala, Karbala', Maysan,Ninawa, Salah ad Din, WasitIndependence:3 October 1932 (from League of Nations mandate under Britishadministration)National holiday:Anniversary of the Revolution, 17 July (1968)Constitution:22 September 1968, effective 16 July 1970 (provisional Constitution);new constitution drafted in 1990 but not adoptedLegal system:based on Islamic law in special religious courts, civil law systemelsewhere; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdictionSuffrage:18 years of age; universalExecutive branch:chief of state:President SADDAM Husayn (since 16 July 1979); Vice President TahaMuhyi al-Din MARUF (since 21 April 1974); Vice President Taha YasinRAMADAN (since 23 March 1991)head of government:Prime Minister Ahmad Husayn Khudayir al-SAMARRAI (since 5 September1993); Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Mikhail AZIZ (since NA 1979)Revolutionary Command Council:Chairman SADDAM Husayn, Vice Chairman Izzat IBRAHIM al-Duricabinet:Council of MinistersLegislative branch:unicameralNational Assembly (Majlis al-Watani):elections last held on 1 April 1989 (next to be held NA); results -Sunni Arabs 53%, Shi'a Arabs 30%, Kurds 15%, Christians 2% est.; seats- (250 total) number of seats by party NAnote:in northern Iraq, a "Kurdish Assembly" was elected in May 1992 andcalls for Kurdish self-determination within a federated Iraq; theassembly is not recognized by the Baghdad governmentJudicial branch:Court of CassationPolitical parties and leaders:Ba'th PartyOther political or pressure groups:political parties and activity severely restricted; opposition toregime from disaffected members of the Baath Party, Army officers, andShi'a religious and ethnic Kurdish dissidents; the Green Party(government-controlled)Member of:ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-19, G-77, IAEA,IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT,INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN,UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTODiplomatic representation in US:chief of mission:Iraq has an Interest Section in the Algerian Embassy in Washington, DCchancery:Iraqi Interests Section, 1801 P Street NW, Washington, DC 20036telephone:(202) 483-7500FAX:(202) 462-5066US diplomatic representation:chief of mission:(vacant); note - operations have been temporarily suspended; a USInterests Section is located in Poland's embassy in Baghdadembassy:Masbah Quarter (opposite the Foreign Ministry Club), Baghdadmailing address:P. O. Box 2447 Alwiyah, Baghdadtelephone:[964] (1) 719-6138 or 719-6139, 718-1840, 719-3791Flag:three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with threegreen five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in the whiteband; the phrase ALLAHU AKBAR (God is Great) in green Arabic script -Allahu to the right of the middle star and Akbar to the left of themiddle star - was added in January 1991 during the Persian Gulfcrisis; similar to the flag of Syria that has two stars but no scriptand the flag of Yemen that has a plain white band; also similar to theflag of Egypt that has a symbolic eagle centered in the white band
@Iraq, Economy
Overview:The Ba'thist regime engages in extensive central planning andmanagement of industrial production and foreign trade while leavingsome small-scale industry and services and most agriculture to privateenterprise. The economy has been dominated by the oil sector, whichhas traditionally provided about 95% of foreign exchange earnings. Inthe 1980s, financial problems caused by massive expenditures in theeight-year war with Iran and damage to oil export facilities by Iran,led the government to implement austerity measures and to borrowheavily and later reschedule foreign debt payments. After the end ofhostilities in 1988, oil exports gradually increased with theconstruction of new pipelines and restoration of damaged facilities.Agricultural development remained hampered by labor shortages,salinization, and dislocations caused by previous land reform andcollectivization programs. The industrial sector, although accordedhigh priority by the government, also was under financial constraints.Iraq's seizure of Kuwait in August 1990, subsequent internationaleconomic embargoes, and military action by an international coalitionbeginning in January 1991 drastically changed the economic picture.Industrial and transportation facilities suffered severe damage andhave been only partially restored. Oil exports remain at less than 10%of the previous level. Shortages of spare parts continue. Livingstandards deteriorated even further in 1993 and early 1994; consumerprices at least tripled in 1993. The UN-sponsored economic embargo hasreduced exports and imports and has contributed to the sharp rise inprices. The government's policies of supporting large military andinternal security forces and of allocating resources to key supportersof the regime have exacerbated shortages. In brief, per capita outputin 1993-94 is far below the 1989-90 level, but no precise estimate isavailable.National product:GNP - purchasing power equivalent - $38 billion (1993 est.)National product real growth rate:NA%National product per capita:$2,000 (1993 est.)Inflation rate (consumer prices):200% (1993 est.)Unemployment rate:NA%Budget:revenues:$NAexpenditures:$NA, including capital expenditures of $NAExports:$10.4 billion (f.o.b., 1990)commodities:crude oil and refined products, fertilizer, sulfurpartners:US, Brazil, Turkey, Japan, Netherlands, Spain (1990)Imports:$6.6 billion (c.i.f., 1990)commodities:manufactures, foodpartners:Germany, US, Turkey, France, UK (1990)External debt:$45 billion (1989 est.), excluding debt of about $35 billion owed toArab Gulf statesIndustrial production:growth rate NA%; manufacturing accounts for 10% of GNP (1989)Electricity:capacity:7,300,000 kW available out of 9,902,000 kW due to Gulf warproduction:12.9 billion kWhconsumption per capita:700 kWh (1992)Industries:petroleum production and refining, chemicals, textiles, constructionmaterials, food processingAgriculture:accounted for 11% of GNP and 30% of labor force before the Gulf war;principal products - wheat, barley, rice, vegetables, dates, otherfruit, cotton, wool; livestock - cattle, sheep; not self-sufficient infood outputEconomic aid:recipient:US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-80), $3 million; Western(non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $647million; Communist countries (1970-89), $3.9 billionCurrency:1 Iraqi dinar (ID) = 1,000 filsExchange rates:Iraqi dinars (ID) per US$1 - 3.2 (fixed official rate since 1982);black-market rate (May 1994) US$1 = 370 Iraqi dinarsFiscal year:calendar year
@Iraq, Communications
Railroads:2,457 km 1.435-meter standard gaugeHighways:total:34,700 kmpaved:17,500 kmunpaved:improved earth 5,500 km; unimproved earth 11,700 kmInland waterways:1,015 km; Shatt al Arab is usually navigable by maritime traffic forabout 130 km; channel has been dredged to 3 meters and is in use;Tigris and Euphrates Rivers have navigable sections for shallow-draftwatercraft; Shatt al Basrah canal was navigable by shallow-draft craftbefore closing in 1991 because of the Persian Gulf warPipelines:crude oil 4,350 km; petroleum products 725 km; natural gas 1,360 kmPorts:Umm Qasr reopened in November 1993; Khawr az Zubayr and Al Basrah havebeen closed since 1980Merchant marine:37 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 805,205 GRT/1,444,810 DWT, cargo15, oil tanker 16, passenger 1, passenger-cargo 1, refrigerated cargo1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 3note:none of the Iraqi flag merchant fleet was trading internationally asof 1 January 1993Airports:total:118usable:105with permanent-surface runways:76with runways over 3,659 m:10with runways 2,440-3,659 m:51with runways 1,220-2,439 m:17Telecommunications:reconstitution of damaged telecommunication facilities began afterDesert Storm, most damaged facilities have been rebuilt; the networkconsists of coaxial cables and microwave radio relay links; 632,000telephones; broadcast stations - 16 AM, 1 FM, 13 TV; satellite earthstations - 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT, 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT, 1Atlantic Ocean GORIZONT in the Intersputnik system and 1 ARABSAT;coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Jordan, Kuwait, Syria, andTurkey, Kuwait line is probably non-operational
@Iraq, Defense Forces
Branches:Army and Republican Guard, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force, BorderGuard Force, Internal Security ForcesManpower availability:males age 15-49 4,428,193; fit for military service 2,487,319; reachmilitary age (18) annually 219,641 (1994 est.)Defense expenditures:$NA, NA% of GNP
@Ireland, Geography
Location:Western Europe, in the North Atlantic Ocean, across the Irish Sea fromGreat BritainMap references:Europe, Standard Time Zones of the WorldArea:total area:70,280 sq kmland area:68,890 sq kmcomparative area:slightly larger than West VirginiaLand boundaries:total 360 km, UK 360 kmCoastline:1,448 kmMaritime claims:continental shelf:not specifiedexclusive fishing zone:200 nmterritorial sea:12 nmInternational disputes:Northern Ireland question with the UK; Rockall continental shelfdispute involving Denmark, Iceland, and the UK (Ireland and the UKhave signed a boundary agreement in the Rockall area)Climate:temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild winters,cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the timeTerrain:mostly level to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hills andlow mountains; sea cliffs on west coastNatural resources:zinc, lead, natural gas, petroleum, barite, copper, gypsum, limestone,dolomite, peat, silverLand use:arable land:14%permanent crops:0%meadows and pastures:71%forest and woodland:5%other:10%Irrigated land:NA sq kmEnvironment:current issues:water pollution, especially of lakes, from agricultural runoffnatural hazards:NAinternational agreements:party to - Air Pollution, Environmental Modification, HazardousWastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection,Tropical Timber, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - AirPollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Biodiversity, Climate Change, EndangeredSpecies, Law of the Sea, Marine Life ConservationNote:strategic location on major air and sea routes between North Americanand northern Europe; over 40% of the population resides within 60miles of Dublin
@Ireland, People
Population:3,539,296 (July 1994 est.)Population growth rate:0.3% (1994 est.)Birth rate:14.21 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)Death rate:8.59 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)Net migration rate:-2.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)Infant mortality rate:7.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)Life expectancy at birth:total population:75.68 yearsmale:72.85 yearsfemale:78.68 years (1994 est.)Total fertility rate:1.99 children born/woman (1994 est.)Nationality:noun:Irishman(men), Irishwoman(men), Irish (collective plural)adjective:IrishEthnic divisions:Celtic, EnglishReligions:Roman Catholic 93%, Anglican 3%, none 1%, unknown 2%, other 1% (1981)Languages:Irish (Gaelic), spoken mainly in areas located along the westernseaboard, English is the language generally usedLiteracy:age 15 and over can read and write (1981 est.)total population:98%male:NA%female:NA%Labor force:1.37 millionby occupation:services 57.0%, manufacturing and construction 28%, agriculture,forestry, and fishing 13.5%, energy and mining 1.5% (1992)
@Ireland, Government
Names:conventional long form:noneconventional short form:IrelandDigraph:EIType:republicCapital:DublinAdministrative divisions:26 counties; Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Donegal, Dublin, Galway,Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Louth,Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary, Waterford,Westmeath, Wexford, WicklowIndependence:6 December 1921 (from UK)National holiday:Saint Patrick's Day, 17 MarchConstitution:29 December 1937; adopted 1 July 1937 by plebeciteLegal system:based on English common law, substantially modified by indigenousconcepts; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court; hasnot accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdictionSuffrage:18 years of age; universalExecutive branch:chief of state:President Mary Bourke ROBINSON (since 9 November 1990); election lastheld 9 November 1990 (next to be held November 1997); results - MaryBourke ROBINSON 52.8%, Brian LENIHAN 47.2%head of government:Prime Minister Albert REYNOLDS (since 11 February 1992)cabinet:Cabinet; appointed by president with previous nomination of the primeminister and approval of the House of RepresentativesLegislative branch:bicameral Parliament (Oireachtas)Senate (Seanad Eireann):elections last held on NA February 1992 (next to be held February1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (60 total, 49elected) Fianna Fail 26, Fine Gael 16, Labor 9, Progressive Democrats2, Democratic Left 1, independents 6House of Representatives (Dail Eireann):elections last held on 25 November 1992 (next to be held by June1995); results - Fianna Fail 39.1%, Fine Gael 24.5%, Labor Party19.3%, Progressive Democrats 4.7%, Democratic Left 2.8%, Sinn Fein1.6%, Workers' Party 0.7%, independents 5.9%; seats - (166 total)Fianna Fail 68, Fine Gael 45, Labor Party 33, Progressive Democrats10, Democratic Left 4, Greens 1, independents 5Judicial branch:Supreme CourtPolitical parties and leaders:Democratic Left, Proinsias DE ROSSA; Fianna Fail, Albert REYNOLDS;Labor Party, Richard SPRING; Fine Gael, John BRUTON; Communist Partyof Ireland, Michael O'RIORDAN; Sinn Fein, Gerry ADAMS; ProgressiveDemocrats, Desmond O'MALLEYnote:Prime Minister REYNOLDS heads a coalition consisting of the FiannaFail and the Labor PartyMember of:Australian Group, BIS, CCC, CE, COCOM (cooperating), CSCE, EBRD, EC,ECE, EIB, ESA, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC,ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, MINURSO,MTCR, NEA, NSG, OECD, ONUSAL, UN, UNAVEM II, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP,UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNOSOM, UNPROFRO, UNTAC, UNTSO, UPU, WEU(observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, ZCDiplomatic representation in US:chief of mission:Ambassador Dermot A. GALLAGHERchancery:2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008telephone:(202) 462-3939consulate(s) general:Boston, Chicago, New York, and San FranciscoUS diplomatic representation:chief of mission:Ambassador Jean Kennedy SMITHembassy:42 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublinmailing address:use embassy street addresstelephone:[353] (1) 6687122FAX:[353] (1) 6689946Flag:three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and orange;similar to the flag of the Cote d'Ivoire, which is shorter and has thecolors reversed - orange (hoist side), white, and green; also similarto the flag of Italy, which is shorter and has colors of green (hoistside), white, and red
@Ireland, Economy
Overview:The economy is small and trade dependent. Agriculture, once the mostimportant sector, is now dwarfed by industry, which accounts for 37%of GDP, about 80% of exports, and employs 28% of the labor force.Since 1987, real GDP growth, led by exports, has averaged 4% annually.Over the same period, inflation has fallen sharply and chronic tradedeficits have been transformed into annual surpluses. Unemploymentremains a serious problem, however, and job creation is the main focusof government policy. To ease unemployment, Dublin aggressively courtsforeign investors and recently created a new industrial developmentagency to aid small indigenous firms. Government assistance isconstrained by Dublin's continuing deficit reduction measures.National product:GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $46.3 billion (1993)National product real growth rate:2.7% (1993)National product per capita:$13,100 (1993)Inflation rate (consumer prices):2.7% (1994 est.)Unemployment rate:16% (1994 est.)Budget:revenues:$16 billionexpenditures:$16.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.6 billion (1992est.)Exports:$28.3 billion (f.o.b., 1992)commodities:chemicals, data processing equipment, industrial machinery, liveanimals, animal productspartners:EC 75% (UK 32%, Germany 13%, France 10%), US 9%Imports:$23.3 billion (c.i.f., 1992)commodities:food, animal feed, data processing equipment, petroleum and petroleumproducts, machinery, textiles, clothingpartners:EC 66% (UK 41%, Germany 8%, Netherlands 4%), US 15%External debt:$17.6 billion (1992)Industrial production:growth rate 11.5% (1992); accounts for 37% of GDPElectricity:capacity:5,000,000 kWproduction:14.5 billion kWhconsumption per capita:4,120 kWh (1992)Industries:food products, brewing, textiles, clothing, chemicals,pharmaceuticals, machinery, transportation equipment, glass andcrystalAgriculture:accounts for 8% of GDP and 13% of the labor force; principal crops -turnips, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat; livestock - meat anddairy products; 85% self-sufficient in food; food shortages includebread grain, fruits, vegetablesIllicit drugs:transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to the UK andNetherlandsEconomic aid:donor:ODA commitments (1980-89), $90 millionCurrency:1 Irish pound (#Ir) = 100 penceExchange rates:Irish pounds (#Ir) per US$1 - 0.6978 (January 1994), 0.6816 (1993),0.5864 (1992), 0.6190 (1991), 0.6030 (1990), 0.7472 (1989)Fiscal year:calendar year
@Ireland, Communications
Railroads:Irish National Railways (CIE) operates 1,947 km 1.602-meter gauge,government owned; 485 km double track; 37 km electrifiedHighways:total:92,294 kmpaved:87,422 kmunpaved:gravel, crushed stone 4,872 kmInland waterways:limited for commercial trafficPipelines:natural gas 225 kmPorts:Cork, Dublin, WaterfordMerchant marine:53 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 139,278 GRT/173,325 DWT, bulk 4,cargo 32, chemical tanker 2, container 4, oil tanker 3, refrigeratedcargo 2, short-sea passenger 3, specialized tanker 3Airports:total:44usable:42with permanent-surface runways:14with runways over 3,659 m:0with runways 2,440-3,659 m:2with runways 1,220-2,439 m:7Telecommunications:modern system using cable and digital microwave circuits; 900,000telephones; broadcast stations - 9 AM, 45 FM, 86 TV; 2 coaxialsubmarine cables; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station
@Ireland, Defense Forces
Branches:Army (including Naval Service and Air Corps), National Police (GardaSiochana)Manpower availability:males age 15-49 914,052; fit for military service 739,288; reachmilitary age (17) annually 33,809 (1994 est.)Defense expenditures:exchange rate conversion - $500 million, 1.3% of GDP (1993)
@Israel
HeaderAffiliation:(also see separate Gaza Strip and West Bank entries)Note:The territories occupied by Israel since the 1967 war are not includedin the data below. In keeping with the framework established at theMadrid Conference in October 1991, bilateral negotiations are beingconducted between Israel and Palestinian representatives, Syria, andJordan to determine the final status of the occupied territories. On25 April 1982, Israel withdrew from the Sinai pursuant to the 1979Israel-Egypt Peace treaty.
@Israel, Geography
Location:Middle East, bordering the eastern Mediterranean Sea, between Egyptand LebanonMap references:Africa, Middle East, Standard Time Zones of the WorldArea:total area:20,770 sq kmland area:20,330 sq kmcomparative area:slightly larger than New JerseyLand boundaries:total 1,006 km, Egypt 255 km, Gaza Strip 51 km, Jordan 238 km, Lebanon79 km, Syria 76 km, West Bank 307 kmCoastline:273 kmMaritime claims:continental shelf:to depth of exploitationterritorial sea:12 nmInternational disputes:separated from Lebanon, Syria, and the West Bank by the 1949 ArmisticeLine; differences with Jordan over the location of the 1949 ArmisticeLine that separates the two countries; the Gaza Strip and Jericho,formerly occupied by Israel, are now administered by the PalestinianAuthority; other areas of the West Bank outside Jericho are Israelioccupied; Golan Heights is Israeli occupied; Israeli troops insouthern Lebanon since June 1982; water-sharing issues with JordanClimate:temperate; hot and dry in southern and eastern desert areasTerrain:Negev desert in the south; low coastal plain; central mountains;Jordan Rift ValleyNatural resources:copper, phosphates, bromide, potash, clay, sand, sulfur, asphalt,manganese, small amounts of natural gas and crude oilLand use:arable land:17%permanent crops:5%meadows and pastures:40%forest and woodland:6%other:32%Irrigated land:2,140 sq km (1989)Environment:current issues:limited arable land and freshwater resources pose serious constraints;deforestation; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions;groundwater pollution from industrial and domestic waste, chemicalfertilizers, and pesticidesnatural hazards:sandstorms may occur during spring and summerinternational agreements:party to - Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, OzoneLayer Protection, Ship Pollution; signed, but not ratified - ClimateChange, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life ConservationNote:there are 200 Jewish settlements and civilian land use sites in theWest Bank, 40 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, 24 in the GazaStrip, and 25 in East Jerusalem (April 1994)
@Israel, People
Population:5,050,850 (July 1994 est.)note:includes 110,500 Jewish settlers in the West Bank, 14,000 in theIsraeli-occupied Golan Heights, 4,500 in the Gaza Strip, and 144,100in East Jerusalem (1994 est.)Population growth rate:2.22% (1994 est.)Birth rate:20.55 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)Death rate:6.43 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)Net migration rate:8.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)Infant mortality rate:8.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)Life expectancy at birth:total population:77.96 yearsmale:75.86 yearsfemale:80.16 years (1994 est.)Total fertility rate:2.83 children born/woman (1994 est.)Nationality:noun:Israeli(s)adjective:IsraeliEthnic divisions:Jewish 83%, non-Jewish 17% (mostly Arab)Religions:Judaism 82%, Islam 14% (mostly Sunni Muslim), Christian 2%, Druze andother 2%Languages:Hebrew (official), Arabic used officially for Arab minority, Englishmost commonly used foreign languageLiteracy:age 15 and over can read and write (1983)total population:92%male:95%female:89%Labor force:1.9 million (1992)by occupation:public services 29.3%, industry 22.1%, commerce 13.9%, finance andbusiness 10.4%, personal and other services 7.4%, construction 6.5%,transport, storage, and communications 6.3%, agriculture, forestry,and fishing 3.5%, other 0.6% (1992)
@Israel, Government
Names:conventional long form:State of Israelconventional short form:Israellocal long form:Medinat Yisra'ellocal short form:Yisra'elDigraph:ISType:republicCapital:Jerusalemnote:Israel proclaimed Jerusalem its capital in 1950, but the US, likenearly all other countries, maintains its Embassy in Tel AvivAdministrative divisions:6 districts (mehozot, singular - mehoz); Central, Haifa, Jerusalem,Northern, Southern, Tel AvivIndependence:14 May 1948 (from League of Nations mandate under Britishadministration)National holiday:Independence Day, 14 May 1948 (Israel declared independence on 14 May1948, but the Jewish calendar is lunar and the holiday may occur inApril or May)Constitution:no formal constitution; some of the functions of a constitution arefilled by the Declaration of Establishment (1948), the basic laws ofthe parliament (Knesset), and the Israeli citizenship lawLegal system:mixture of English common law, British Mandate regulations, and, inpersonal matters, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim legal systems; inDecember 1985, Israel informed the UN Secretariat that it would nolonger accept compulsory ICJ jurisdictionSuffrage:18 years of age; universalExecutive branch:chief of state:President Ezer WEIZMAN (since 13 May 1993) election last held 24 March1993 (next to be held NA March 1999); results - Ezer WEIZMAN electedby Knessethead of government:Prime Minister Yitzhak RABIN (since NA July 1992)cabinet:Cabinet; selected from and approved by the KnessetLegislative branch:unicameralparliament (Knesset):elections last held NA June 1992 (next to be held by NA 1996); results- percent of vote by party NA; seats - (120 total) Labor Party 44,Likud bloc 32, Meretz 12, Tzomet 8, National Religious Party 6, Shas6, United Torah Jewry 4, Democratic Front for Peace and Equality(Hadash) 3, Moledet 3, Arab Democratic Party 2; note - in 1994 threenew parties were formed, Yi'ud (from Tzomet), Histadrut List (from theLabor Party), and Peace Guard (from Moledet), resulting in thefollowing new distribution of seats - Labor Party 41, Likud bloc 32,Meretz 12, National Religious Party 6, Shas 6, Tzomet 5, United TorahJewry 4, Democratic Front for Peace and Equality (Hadash) 3, Yi'ud 3,Histadrut List 3, Moledet 2, Arab Democratic Party 2, Peace Guard 1Judicial branch:Supreme CourtPolitical parties and leaders:members of the government:Labor Party, Prime Minister Yitzhak RABIN; MERETZ, Minister ofCommunications Shulamit ALONInot in coalition, but voting with the government:SHAS, Arieh DERI; Democratic Front for Peace and Equality (Hadash),Hashim MAHAMID; Arab Democratic Party, Abd al Wahab DARAWSHAH;Histadrut List, Haim RAMONopposition parties:Likud Party, Binyamin NETANYAHU; Tzomet, Rafael EITAN; NationalReligious Party, Zevulun HAMMER; United Torah Jewry, Avraham SHAPIRA;Moledet, Rehavam ZEEVI; Yi'ud, Gonen SEGEV; Peace Guard, Shoul GUTMANnote:Israel currently has a coalition government comprising 3 parties thathold 56 seats of the Knesset's 120 seatsOther political or pressure groups:Gush Emunim, Jewish nationalists advocating Jewish settlement on theWest Bank and Gaza Strip; Peace Now, critical of government's WestBank/Gaza Strip and Lebanon policiesMember of:AG (observer), CCC, CE (observer), CERN (oberver), EBRD, ECE, FAO,GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF,IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, OAS (observer),PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTODiplomatic representation in US:chief of mission:Ambassador Itamar RABINOVICHchancery:3514 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008telephone:(202) 364-5500FAX:(202) 364-5610consulate(s) general:Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York,Philadelphia, and San FranciscoUS diplomatic representation:chief of mission:Ambassador Edward DJEREJIAN (expected to resign in August 1994)embassy:71 Hayarkon Street, Tel Avivmailing address:PSC 98, Box 100, Tel Aviv; APO AE 09830telephone:[972] (3) 517-4338FAX:[972] (3) 663-449Flag:white with a blue hexagram (six-pointed linear star) known as theMagen David (Shield of David) centered between two equal horizontalblue bands near the top and bottom edges of the flag