Illicit drugs: growing role as heroin transshipment andmoney-laundering center
Economic aid:donor: pledged in bilateral aid to less developed countries (1979-89)$9.1 billion
Currency: 1 Emirian dirham (Dh) = 100 fils
Exchange rates: Emirian dirhams (Dh) per US$1 - 3.6710 (fixed rate)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@United Arab Emirates:Transportation
Railroads: 0 km
Highways: total: 2,000 km paved: 1,800 km unpaved: gravel, graded earth 200 km
Pipelines: crude oil 830 km; natural gas, including natural gasliquids, 870 km
Ports: Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Das Island, Khawr Fakkan, Mina' Jabal' Ali,Mina' Khalid, Mina' Rashid, Mina' Saqr, Mina' Zayid, Umm al Qiwain
Merchant marine:total: 57 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,128,253 GRT/1,938,770DWTships by type: bulk 1, cargo 18, chemical tanker 1, container 10,liquefied gas tanker 1, livestock carrier 1, oil tanker 21,refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 3
Airports:total: 41with paved runways over 3,047 m: 9with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 3with paved runways under 914 m: 12with unpaved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 3with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 8
@United Arab Emirates:Communications
Telephone system: 386,600 telephones; modern system consisting ofmicrowave and coaxial cable; key centers are Abu Dhabi and Dubayylocal: NAintercity: microwave and coaxial cableinternational: 3 INTELSAT (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean) and 1ARABSAT earth station; submarine cables to Qatar, Bahrain, India, andPakistan; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay toSaudi Arabia
Radio:broadcast stations: AM 8, FM 3, shortwave 0radios: NA
Television:broadcast stations: 12televisions: NA
@United Arab Emirates:Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary (includes Federal PoliceForce)
Manpower availability: males age 15-49 1,072,261; males fit for military service 583,967; males reach military age (18) annually 19,266 (1995 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $1.59 billion, 4.3% of GDP (1994)
________________________________________________________________________
@United Kingdom:Geography
Location: Western Europe, islands including the northern one-sixth of the island of Ireland between the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea, northwest of France
Map references: Europe
Area:total area: 244,820 sq kmland area: 241,590 sq kmcomparative area: slightly smaller than Oregonnote: includes Rockall and Shetland Islands
Land boundaries: total 360 km, Ireland 360 km
Coastline: 12,429 km
Maritime claims:continental shelf: as defined in continental shelf orders or inaccordance with agreed upon boundariesexclusive fishing zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: Northern Ireland question with Ireland;Gibraltar question with Spain; Argentina claims Falkland Islands(Islas Malvinas); Argentina claims South Georgia and the SouthSandwich Islands; Mauritius claims island of Diego Garcia in BritishIndian Ocean Territory; Rockall continental shelf dispute involvingDenmark, Iceland, and Ireland (Ireland and the UK have signed aboundary agreement in the Rockall area); territorial claim inAntarctica (British Antarctic Territory)
Climate: temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds over theNorth Atlantic Current; more than half of the days are overcast
Terrain: mostly rugged hills and low mountains; level to rollingplains in east and southeast
Natural resources: coal, petroleum, natural gas, tin, limestone, ironore, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, lead, silica
Land use: arable land: 29% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 48% forest and woodland: 9% other: 14%
Irrigated land: 1,570 sq km (1989)
Environment:current issues: sulfur dioxide emissions from power plants contributeto air pollution; some rivers polluted by agricultural wastes andcoastal waters polluted because of large-scale disposal of sewage atseanatural hazards: NAinternational agreements: party to - Air Pollution, AirPollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species,Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, MarineLife Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, ShipPollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but notratified - Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,Desertification
Note: lies near vital North Atlantic sea lanes; only 35 km from France and now linked by tunnel under the English Channel; because of heavily indented coastline, no location is more than 125 km from tidal waters
@United Kingdom:People
Population: 58,295,119 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 19% (female 5,572,189; male 5,843,192)15-64 years: 65% (female 18,723,583; male 18,935,931)65 years and over: 16% (female 5,471,383; male 3,748,841) (July 1995est.)
Population growth rate: 0.27% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 13.18 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 10.66 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 7 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77 years male: 74.18 years female: 79.95 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.82 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality:noun: Briton(s), British (collective plural)adjective: British
Ethnic divisions: English 81.5%, Scottish 9.6%, Irish 2.4%, Welsh1.9%, Ulster 1.8%, West Indian, Indian, Pakistani, and other 2.8%
Religions: Anglican 27 million, Roman Catholic 9 million, Muslim 1million, Presbyterian 800,000, Methodist 760,000, Sikh 400,000, Hindu350,000, Jewish 300,000 (1991 est.)note: the UK does not include a question on religion in its census
Languages: English, Welsh (about 26% of the population of Wales),Scottish form of Gaelic (about 60,000 in Scotland)
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1991 est.)total population: 99%
Labor force: 28.048 million by occupation: services 62.8%, manufacturing and construction 25.0%, government 9.1%, energy 1.9%, agriculture 1.2% (June 1992)
@United Kingdom:Government
Names:conventional long form: United Kingdom of Great Britain and NorthernIrelandconventional short form: United Kingdom
Abbreviation: UK
Digraph: UK
Type: constitutional monarchy
Capital: London
Administrative divisions: 47 counties, 7 metropolitan counties, 26districts, 9 regions, and 3 islands areasEngland: 39 counties, 7 metropolitan counties*; Avon, Bedford,Berkshire, Buckingham, Cambridge, Cheshire, Cleveland, Cornwall,Cumbria, Derby, Devon, Dorset, Durham, East Sussex, Essex, Gloucester,Greater London*, Greater Manchester*, Hampshire, Hereford andWorcester, Hertford, Humberside, Isle of Wight, Kent, Lancashire,Leicester, Lincoln, Merseyside*, Norfolk, Northampton, Northumberland,North Yorkshire, Nottingham, Oxford, Shropshire, Somerset, SouthYorkshire*, Stafford, Suffolk, Surrey, Tyne and Wear*, Warwick, WestMidlands*, West Sussex, West Yorkshire*, WiltshireNorthern Ireland: 26 districts; Antrim, Ards, Armagh, Ballymena,Ballymoney, Banbridge, Belfast, Carrickfergus, Castlereagh, Coleraine,Cookstown, Craigavon, Down, Dungannon, Fermanagh, Larne, Limavady,Lisburn, Londonderry, Magherafelt, Moyle, Newry and Mourne,Newtownabbey, North Down, Omagh, StrabaneScotland: 9 regions, 3 islands areas*; Borders, Central, Dumfries andGalloway, Fife, Grampian, Highland, Lothian, Orkney*, Shetland*,Strathclyde, Tayside, Western Isles*Wales: 8 counties; Clwyd, Dyfed, Gwent, Gwynedd, Mid Glamorgan, Powys,South Glamorgan, West Glamorgan
Dependent areas: Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory,British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar,Guernsey, Hong Kong (scheduled to become a Special AdministrativeRegion of China on 1 July 1997), Jersey, Isle of Man, Montserrat,Pitcairn Islands, Saint Helena, South Georgia and the South SandwichIslands, Turks and Caicos Islands
Independence: 1 January 1801 (United Kingdom established)
National holiday: Celebration of the Birthday of the Queen (secondSaturday in June)
Constitution: unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law andpractice
Legal system: common law tradition with early Roman and modern continental influences; no judicial review of Acts of Parliament; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); HeirApparent Prince CHARLES (son of the Queen, born 14 November 1948)head of government: Prime Minister John MAJOR (since 28 November 1990)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers
Legislative branch: bicameral ParliamentHouse of Lords: consists of a 1,200-member body, four-fifths arehereditary peers, 2 archbishops, 24 other senior bishops, serving andretired Lords of Appeal in Ordinary, other life peers, Scottish peersHouse of Commons: elections last held 9 April 1992 (next to be held byNA April 1997); results - Conservative 41.9%, Labor 34.5%, LiberalDemocratic 17.9%, other 5.7%; seats - (651 total) Conservative 336,Labor 271, Liberal Democratic 20, other 24
Judicial branch: House of Lords
Political parties and leaders: Conservative and Unionist Party, JohnMAJOR; Labor Party, Anthony (Tony) Blair; Liberal Democrats (LD),Jeremy (Paddy) ASHDOWN; Scottish National Party, Alex SALMOND; WelshNational Party (Plaid Cymru), Dafydd Iwan WIGLEY; Ulster UnionistParty (Northern Ireland), James MOLYNEAUX; Democratic Unionist Party(Northern Ireland), Rev. Ian PAISLEY; Ulster Popular Unionist Party(Northern Ireland); Social Democratic and Labor Party (SDLP, NorthernIreland), John HUME; Sinn Fein (Northern Ireland), Gerry ADAMS
Other political or pressure groups: Trades Union Congress;Confederation of British Industry; National Farmers' Union; Campaignfor Nuclear Disarmament
Member of: AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, C, CCC,CDB (non-regional), CE, CERN, EBRD, EC, ECA (associate), ECE, ECLAC,EIB, ESA, ESCAP, FAO, G- 5, G- 7, G-10, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT,INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MTCR, NACC, NATO,NEA, NSG, OECD, OSCE, PCA, SPC, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD,UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNPROFOR, UNRWA, UNU, UPU, WCL,WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Sir Robin William RENWICK chancery: 3100 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 462-1340 FAX: [1] (202) 898-4255 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco, consulate(s): Dallas, Miami, and Seattle
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Adm. William W. CROWE embassy: 24/31 Grosvenor Square, London, W. 1A1AE mailing address: PSC 801, Box 40, FPO AE 09498-4040 telephone: [44] (71) 499-9000 FAX: [44] (71) 409-1637 consulate(s) general: Belfast, Edinburgh
Flag: blue with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England) edged in white superimposed on the diagonal red cross of Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland) which is superimposed on the diagonal white cross of Saint Andrew (patron saint of Scotland); known as the Union Flag or Union Jack; the design and colors (especially the Blue Ensign) have been the basis for a number of other flags including dependencies, Commonwealth countries, and others
@United Kingdom:Economy
Overview: The UK is one of the world's great trading powers and financial centers, and its economy ranks among the four largest in Western Europe. The economy is essentially capitalistic; over the past 13 years the ruling Tories have greatly reduced public ownership and contained the growth of social welfare programs. Agriculture is intensive, highly mechanized, and efficient by European standards, producing about 60% of food needs with only 1% of the labor force. The UK has large coal, natural gas, and oil reserves, and primary energy production accounts for 12% of GDP, one of the highest shares of any industrial nation. Services, particularly banking, insurance, and business services, account by far for the largest proportion of GDP while industry continues to decline in importance, now employing only 25% of the work force and generating only 21% of GDP. The economy registered 4.2% GDP growth in 1994, its fastest annual rate for six years. Exports and manufacturing output are the primary engines of growth. Unemployment is gradually falling. Inflation is at the lowest level in 27 years, but British monetary authorities raised interest rates to 6.25% in 1994 in a preemptive strike on emerging inflationary pressures such as higher taxes and rising manufacturing costs. The combination of a buoyant economy and fiscal tightening is projected to trim the FY94/95 budget shortfall to about $50 billion - down from about $75 billion in FY93/94. The major economic policy question for Britain in the 1990s is the terms on which it participates in the financial and economic integration of Europe.
National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $1.0452 trillion (1994 est.)
National product real growth rate: 4.2% (1994 est.)
National product per capita: $17,980 (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.4% (1994)
Unemployment rate: 9.3% (1994)
Budget:revenues: $325.5 billionexpenditures: $400.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $33billion (FY93/94 est.)
Exports: $200 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: manufactured goods, machinery, fuels, chemicals, semifinished goods, transport equipment partners: EU countries 56.7% (Germany 14.0%, France 11.1%, Netherlands 7.9%), US 10.9%
Imports: $215 billion (c.i.f., 1994 est.) commodities: manufactured goods, machinery, semifinished goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods partners: EU countries 51.7% (Germany 14.9%, France 9.3%, Netherlands 8.4%), US 11.6%
External debt: $16.2 billion (June 1992)
Industrial production: growth rate 5.6% (1994)
Electricity: capacity: 65,360,000 kW production: 303 billion kWh consumption per capita: 5,123 kWh (1993)
Industries: production machinery including machine tools, electric power equipment, automation equipment, railroad equipment, shipbuilding, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, electronics and communications equipment, metals, chemicals, coal, petroleum, paper and paper products, food processing, textiles, clothing, and other consumer goods
Agriculture: accounts for only 1.5% of GDP; wide variety of crops andlivestock products
Illicit drugs: gateway country for Latin American cocaine entering theEuropean market; producer of synthetic drugs; transshipment point forSouthwest Asian heroin; money-laundering center
Economic aid:donor: ODA and OOF commitments (1992-93), $3.2 billion
Currency: 1 British pound (#) = 100 pence
Exchange rates: British pounds (#) per US$1 - 0.6350 (January 1995), 0.6529 (1994), 0.6033 (1993), 0.5664 (1992), 0.5652 (1991), 0.5603 (1990)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
@United Kingdom:Transportation
Railroads:total: 16,888 km; note - several additional small standard-gauge andnarrow-gauge lines are privately owned and operatedbroad gauge: 330 km 1.600-m gauge (190 km double track)standard gauge: 16,558 km 1.435-m gauge (4,950 km electrified; 12,591km double or multiple track)
Highways:total: 360,047 km (includes Northern Ireland)paved: 360,047 km (includes Northern Ireland; Great Britain has 3,100km limited access divided highway)
Inland waterways: 2,291 total; British Waterways Board, 606 km; PortAuthorities, 706 km; other, 979 km
Pipelines: crude oil (almost all insignificant) 933 km; petroleumproducts 2,993 km; natural gas 12,800 km
Ports: Aberdeen, Belfast, Bristol, Cardiff, Grangemouth, Hull, Leith,Liverpool, London, Manchester, Medway, Sullom Voe, Tees, Tyne
Merchant marine:total: 155 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,249,823 GRT/3,978,336DWTships by type: bulk 11, cargo 24, chemical tanker 2, container 23,liquefied gas tanker 3, oil tanker 56, passenger 7, passenger-cargo 1,refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 13, short-sea passenger13, specialized tanker 1
Airports:total: 505with paved runways over 3,047 m: 10with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 30with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 174with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 91with paved runways under 914 m: 172with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 1with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 27
@United Kingdom:Communications
Telephone system: 30,200,000 telephones; technologically advanceddomestic and international systemlocal: NAintercity: NA equal mix of buried cables, microwave and optical-fibersystemsinternational: 40 coaxial submarine cables; 10 INTELSAT (7 AtlanticOcean and 3 Indian Ocean), 1 INMARSAT, and 1 EUTELSAT earth satellite;at least 8 large international switching centers
Radio:broadcast stations: AM 225, FM 525 (mostly repeaters), shortwave 0radios: 70 million
Television:broadcast stations: 207 (repeaters 3,210)televisions: 20 million
@United Kingdom:Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Royal Navy (includes Royal Marines), Royal Air Force
Manpower availability: males age 15-49 14,429,485; males fit formilitary service 12,041,935 (1995 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $35.1 billion, 3.1%of GDP (FY95/96)
________________________________________________________________________
@United States:Geography
Location: North America, bordering both the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Pacific Ocean, between Canada and Mexico
Map references: North America
Area:total area: 9,372,610 sq kmland area: 9,166,600 sq kmcomparative area: about half the size of Russia; about three-tenthsthe size of Africa; about one-half the size of South America (orslightly larger than Brazil); slightly smaller than China; about twoand one-half times the size of Western Europenote: includes only the 50 states and District of Columbia
Land boundaries: total 12,248 km, Canada 8,893 km (including 2,477 km with Alaska), Cuba 29 km (US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay), Mexico 3,326 km
Coastline: 19,924 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 12 nm continental shelf: not specified exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: maritime boundary disputes with Canada (Dixon Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, Machias Seal Island); US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay 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; Republic of Marshall Islands claims Wake Island
Climate: mostly temperate, but tropical in Hawaii and Florida and arctic in Alaska, semiarid in the great plains west of the Mississippi River and arid in the Great Basin of the southwest; low winter temperatures in the northwest are ameliorated occasionally in January and February by warm chinook winds from the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains
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, petroleum, natural gas, timber
Land use: arable land: 20% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 26% forest and woodland: 29% other: 25%
Irrigated land: 181,020 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:current issues: air pollution resulting in acid rain in both the USand Canada; the US is the largest single emitter of carbon dioxidefrom the burning of fossil fuels; water pollution from runoff ofpesticides and fertilizers; very limited natural fresh water resourcesin much of the western part of the country require careful management;desertificationnatural hazards: tsunamis, volcanoes, and earthquake activity aroundPacific Basin; hurricanes along the Atlantic coast; tornadoes in themidwest; mudslides in California; forest fires in the west; flooding;permafrost in northern Alaska is a major impediment to developmentinternational agreements: party to - Air Pollution, AirPollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Antarctic Treaty, Climate Change,Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, MarineLife Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, ShipPollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but notratified - Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Biodiversity, Desertification,Hazardous Wastes, Tropical Timber 94
Note: world's fourth-largest country (after Russia, Canada, and China)
@United States:People
Population: 263,814,032 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 22% (female 28,391,451; male 29,845,630)15-64 years: 65% (female 86,454,415; male 85,474,002)65 years and over: 13% (female 19,949,978; male 13,698,559) (July 1995est.)
Population growth rate: 1.02% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 15.25 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 8.38 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: 3.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 7.88 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.99 years male: 72.8 years female: 79.7 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.08 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality: noun: American(s) adjective: American
Ethnic divisions: white 83.4%, black 12.4%, Asian 3.3%, NativeAmerican 0.8% (1992)
Religions: Protestant 56%, Roman Catholic 28%, Jewish 2%, other 4%,none 10% (1989)
Languages: English, Spanish (spoken by a sizable minority)
Literacy: age 15 and over has completed five or more years ofschooling (1979)total population: 97%male: 97%female: 97%
Labor force: 131.056 million (includes unemployed) (1994) by occupation: managerial and professional 27.5%, technical, sales and administrative support 30.3%, services 13.7%, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and crafts 25.5%, farming, forestry, and fishing 2.9%
@United States:Government
Names:conventional long form: United States of Americaconventional short form: United States
Abbreviation: US or USA
Digraph: US
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,North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania,Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah,Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
Dependent areas: American Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland Island,Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, NavassaIsland, Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll, Puerto Rico, VirginIslands, Wake Islandnote: from 18 July 1947 until 1 October 1994, the US has administeredthe Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, but recently entered intoa new political relationship with all four political units: theNorthern Mariana Islands is a Commonwealth in political union with theUS (effective 3 November 1986); Palau concluded a Compact of FreeAssociation with the US (effective 1 October 1994); the FederatedStates of Micronesia signed a Compact of Free Association with the US(effective 3 November 1986); the Republic of the Marshall Islandssigned a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 21 October1986)
Independence: 4 July 1776 (from England)
National holiday: Independence Day, 4 July (1776)
Constitution: 17 September 1787, effective 4 March 1789
Legal system: based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state and head of government: President William JeffersonCLINTON (since 20 January 1993); Vice President Albert GORE, Jr.(since 20 January 1993); election last held 3 November 1992 (next tobe held 5 November 1996); results - William Jefferson CLINTON(Democratic Party) 43.2%, George BUSH (Republican Party) 37.7%, RossPEROT (Independent) 19.0%, other 0.1%cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the president with Senate approval
Legislative branch: bicameral Congress Senate: elections last held 8 November 1994 (next to be held 5 November 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (100 total) Republican Party 54, Democratic Party 46 House of Representatives: elections last held 8 November 1994 (next to be held 5 November 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (435 total) Republican Party 231, Democratic Party 203, independent 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: Republican Party, Haley BARBOUR, national committee chairman; Jeanie AUSTIN, co-chairman; Democratic Party, David C. WILHELM, national committee chairman; several other groups or parties of minor political significance
Member of: AfDB, AG (observer), ANZUS, APEC, AsDB, Australia Group,BIS, CCC, CP, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, ESCAP, FAO, G- 2, G- 5, G- 7, G- 8,G-10, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD,IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM,ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MTCR, NACC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OSCE, PCA,SPC, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR,UNMIH, UNOMOZ, UNPROFOR, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO,WTO, ZC
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
@United States:Economy
Overview: The US has the most powerful, diverse, and technologically advanced economy in the world, with a per capita GDP of $25,850, the largest among major industrial nations. The economy is market oriented with most decisions made by private individuals and business firms and with government purchases of goods and services made predominantly in the marketplace. 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. In 1991 output fell by 0.6%, unemployment grew, and signs of recovery proved premature. Growth picked up to 2.3% in 1992 and to 3.1% in 1993. Unemployment, however, declined only gradually, the increase in GDP being mainly attributable to gains in output per worker. The year 1994 witnessed a solid 4% gain in real output, a low inflation rate of 2.6%, and a drop in unemployment below 6%. The capture of both houses of Congress by the Republicans in the elections of 8 November 1994 means substantial changes are likely in US economic policy, including changes in the ways the US will address its major economic problems in 1995-96. These problems include inadequate investment in economic infrastructure, rapidly rising medical costs of an aging population, and sizable budget and trade deficits.
National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $6.7384 trillion (1994)
National product real growth rate: 4.1% (1994)
National product per capita: $25,850 (1994)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.6% (1994)
Unemployment rate: 5.5% (March 1995)
Budget:revenues: $1.258 trillionexpenditures: $1.461 trillion, including capital expenditures of $NA(1994)
Exports: $513 billion (f.o.b., 1994)commodities: capital goods, automobiles, industrial supplies and rawmaterials, consumer goods, agricultural productspartners: Western Europe 24.3%, Canada 22.1%, Japan 10.5% (1993)
Imports: $664 billion (c.i.f., 1994)commodities: crude oil and refined petroleum products, machinery,automobiles, consumer goods, industrial raw materials, food andbeveragespartners: Canada, 19.3%, Western Europe 18.1%, Japan 18.1% (1993)
External debt: $NA
Industrial production: growth rate 5.4% (1994 est.)
Electricity: capacity: 695,120,000 kW production: 3.1 trillion kWh consumption per capita: 11,236 kWh (1993)
Industries: leading industrial power in the world, highly diversified and technologically advanced; petroleum, steel, motor vehicles, aerospace, telecommunications, chemicals, electronics, food processing, consumer goods, lumber, mining
Agriculture: accounts for 2% of GDP and 2.9% 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 4.4 million metric tons (1990)
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), $115.7 billion
Currency: 1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates:British pounds: (#) per US$ - 0.6350 (January 1995), 0.6529 (1994),0.6033 (1993), 0.5664 (1992), 0.5652 (1991), 0.5603 (1990)Canadian dollars: (Can$) per US$ - 1.4129 (January 1995), 1.3656(1994), 1.2901 (1993), 1.2087 (1992), 1.1457 (1991), 1.1668 (1990)French francs: (F) per US$ - 5.2943 (January 1995), 5.5520 (1994),5.6632 (1993), 5.2938 (1992), 5.6421 (1991), 5.4453 (1990)Italian lire: (Lit) per US$ - 1,609.5 (January 1995), 1,612.4 (1994),1,573.7 (1993), 1,232.4 (1992), 1,240.6 (1991), 1,198.1 (1990)Japanese yen: (Y) per US$ - 99.75 (January 1995), 102.21 (1994),111.20 (1993), 126.65 (1992), 134.71 (1991), 144.79 (1990)German deutsche marks: (DM) per US$ - 1.5313 (January 1995), 1.6228(1994), 1.6533 (1993), 1.5617 (1992), 1.6595 (1991), 1.6157 (1990)
Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September
@United States:Transportation
Railroads:total: 240,000 km mainline routes (nongovernment owned)standard gauge: 240,000 km 1.435-m gauge (1989)
Highways:total: 6,243,163 kmpaved: 3,633,520 km (including 84,865 km of expressways)unpaved: 2,609,643 km (1990)
Inland waterways: 41,009 km of navigable inland channels, exclusive ofthe Great Lakes (est.)
Pipelines: petroleum 276,000 km; natural gas 331,000 km (1991)
Ports: Anchorage, Baltimore, Boston, Charleston, Chicago, Duluth,Hampton Roads, Honolulu, Houston, Jacksonville, Los Angeles, NewOrleans, New York, Philadelphia, Port Canaveral, Portland (Oregon),Prudhoe Bay, San Francisco, Savannah, Seattle, Tampa, Toledo
Merchant marine:total: 354 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 11,462,000GRT/16,477,000 DWTships by type: bulk 22, cargo 28, chemical tanker 16, intermodal 130,liquefied gas tanker 13, passenger-cargo 2, tanker 130, tankertug-barge 13note: in addition, there are 189 government-owned vessels
Airports:total: 15,032with paved runways over 3,047 m: 181with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 208with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1,242with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 2,489with paved runways under 914 m: 8,994with unpaved runways over 3,047 m: 1with unpaved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 180with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1,730
@United States:Communications
Telephone system: 126,000,000 telephones; 7,557,000 cellulartelephoneslocal: NAintercity: large system of fiber-optic cable, microwave radio relay,coaxial cable, and domestic satellitesinternational: 16 satellites and 24 ocean cable systems in use; 61INTELSAT (45 Atlantic Ocean and 16 Pacific Ocean) earth stations(1990)
Radio:broadcast stations: AM 4,987, FM 4,932, shortwave 0radios: 530 million
Television:broadcast stations: 1,092 (about 9,000 cable TV systems)televisions: 193 million
@United States:Defense Forces
Branches: Department of the Army, Department of the Navy (includesMarine Corps), Department of the Air Force
Defense expenditures: $284.4 billion, 4.2% of GDP (1994 est.)
________________________________________________________________________
@Uruguay:Geography
Location: Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Argentina and Brazil
Map references: South America
Area:total area: 176,220 sq kmland area: 173,620 sq kmcomparative area: slightly smaller than Washington State
Land boundaries: total 1,564 km, Argentina 579 km, Brazil 985 km
Coastline: 660 km
Maritime claims:continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitationterritorial sea: 200 nm; overflight and navigation guaranteed beyond12 nm
International disputes: short section of boundary with Argentina is indispute; two short sections of the boundary with Brazil are in dispute- Arroyo de la Invernada (Arroio Invernada) area of the Rio Cuareim(Rio Quarai) and the islands at the confluence of the Rio Cuareim (RioQuarai) and the Uruguay River
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: 0% meadows and pastures: 78% forest and woodland: 4% other: 10%
Irrigated land: 1,100 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:current issues: substantial pollution from Brazilian industry alongborder; one-fifth of country affected by acid rain generated byBrazil; water pollution from meat packing/tannery industry; inadequatesolid/hazardous waste disposalnatural hazards: seasonally high winds (the pampero is a chilly andoccasional violent wind which blows north from the Argentine pampas),droughts, floods; because of the absence of mountains, which act asweather barriers, all locations are particularly vulnerable to rapidchanges in weather frontsinternational agreements: party to - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species,Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, NuclearTest Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands; signed,but not ratified - Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation
@Uruguay:People
Population: 3,222,716 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 25% (female 392,262; male 409,580)15-64 years: 63% (female 1,026,314; male 995,492)65 years and over: 12% (female 233,377; male 165,691) (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.74% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 17.57 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 9.27 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.93 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 16.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 74.46 years male: 71.24 years female: 77.83 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.41 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality: noun: Uruguayan(s) adjective: Uruguayan
Ethnic divisions: white 88%, mestizo 8%, black 4%
Religions: Roman Catholic 66% (less than half adult population attends church regularly), Protestant 2%, Jewish 2%, nonprofessing or other 30%
Languages: Spanish, Brazilero (Portuguese-Spanish mix on the Brazilianfrontier)
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)total population: 96%male: 97%female: 96%
Labor force: 1.355 million (1991 est.)by occupation: government 25%, manufacturing 19%, agriculture 11%,commerce 12%, utilities, construction, transport, and communications12%, other services 21% (1988 est.)
@Uruguay:Government
Names:conventional long form: Oriental Republic of Uruguayconventional short form: Uruguaylocal long form: Republica Oriental del Uruguaylocal short form: Uruguay
Digraph: UY
Type: republic
Capital: Montevideo
Administrative divisions: 19 departments (departamentos, singular -departamento); Artigas, Canelones, Cerro Largo, Colonia, Durazno,Flores, Florida, Lavalleja, Maldonado, Montevideo, Paysandu, RioNegro, Rivera, Rocha, Salto, San Jose, Soriano, Tacuarembo, Treinta yTres
Independence: 25 August 1828 (from Brazil)
National holiday: Independence Day, 25 August (1828)
Constitution: 27 November 1966, effective February 1967, suspended 27June 1973, new constitution rejected by referendum 30 November 1980
Legal system: based on Spanish civil law system; accepts compulsoryICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:chief of state and head of government: President Julio MariaSANGUINETTI (since 1 March 1995); Vice President Hugo BATALLA (since 1March 1995); election last held 27 November 1994 (next to be held NANovember 1999)cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president
Legislative branch: bicameral General Assembly (Asamblea General)Chamber of Senators (Camara de Senadores): elections last held 27November 1994 (next to be held NA November 1999); results - Colorado36%, Blanco 34 %, Encuentro Progresista 27%, New Sector 3%; seats -(30 total) Colorado 11, Blanco 10, Encuentro Progresista 8, New Sector1Chamber of Representatives (Camera de Representantes): elections lastheld 27 November 1994 (next to be held NA November 1999); results -Colorado 32%, Blanco 31%, Encuentro Progresista 31%, New Sector 5%;seats - (99 total) Colorado 32, Blanco 31, Encuentro Progresista 31,New Sector 5
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: National (Blanco) Party; ColoradoParty, Jorge BATLLE; Broad Front Coalition, Gen. Liber SEREGNIMosquera; New Sector Coalition, Hugo BATALLA; Encuentro Progresista
Member of: AG (observer), CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, GATT, IADB,IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, MERCOSUR, NAM(observer), OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UNAMIR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,UNIKOM, UNMOGIP, UNOMIL, UNOMOZ, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Eduardo MACGILLYCUDDY chancery: 1918 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20006 telephone: [1] (202) 331-1313 through 1316 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, Miami, and New York consulate(s): New Orleans
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas J. DODD embassy: Lauro Muller 1776, Montevideo mailing address: APO AA 34035 telephone: [598] (2) 23 60 61, 48 77 77 FAX: [598] (2) 48 86 11
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
@Uruguay:Economy
Overview: Uruguay's economy is a small one with favorable climate, good soils, and substantial hydropower potential. Economic development has been restrained in recent years by excessive government regulation of economic detail and 40% to 130% inflation. Although the GDP growth rate slowed in 1993 to 1.7%, following a healthy expansion to 7.5% in 1992, it rebounded in 1994 to an estimated 4%, spurred mostly by increasing agricultural and other exports and a surprise reversal of the downward trend in industrial production. In a major step toward regional economic cooperation, Uruguay confirmed its commitment to the Southern Cone Common Market (MERCOSUR) customs union by implementing MERCOSUR's common external tariff on most tradables on 1 January 1995. Inflation in 1994 declined for the third consecutive year, yet, at 44%, it remains the highest in the region; analysts predict that the expanding fiscal deficit and wage indexation will force the inflation rate back toward the 50% mark in 1995.
National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $23 billion (1994 est.)
National product real growth rate: 4% (1994 est.)
National product per capita: $7,200 (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 44% (1994 est.)
Unemployment rate: 9% (1994 est.)
Budget:revenues: $2.9 billionexpenditures: $3 billion, including capital expenditures of $388million (1991 est.)
Exports: $1.78 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.)commodities: wool and textile manufactures, beef and other animalproducts, leather, ricepartners: Brazil, Argentina, US, China, Italy
Imports: $2.461 billion (c.i.f., 1994 est.)commodities: machinery and equipment, vehicles, chemicals, minerals,plasticspartners: Brazil, Argentina, US, Nigeria
External debt: $4.2 billion (1993)
Industrial production: growth rate 3.9% (1992); accounts for 28% ofGDP
Electricity: capacity: 2,070,000 kW production: 9 billion kWh consumption per capita: 1,575 kWh (1993)
Industries: meat processing, wool and hides, sugar, textiles, footwear, leather apparel, tires, cement, petroleum refining, wine
Agriculture: accounts for 12% of GDP; large areas devoted to livestock grazing; wheat, rice, corn, sorghum; fishing; self-sufficient in most basic foodstuffs
Economic aid:recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $105 million;Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments(1970-89), $420 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $69 million
Currency: 1 Uruguayan peso ($Ur) = 100 centesimos
Exchange rates: Uruguayan pesos ($Ur) per US$1 - 5.6 (January 1995),4.4710 (January 1994), 3.9484 (1993), 3.0270 (1992), 2.0188 (1991),1.1710 (1990)note: on 1 March 1993 the former New Peso (N$Ur) was replaced asUruguay's unit of currency by the Peso which is equal to 1,000 of theNew Pesos
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Uruguay:Transportation
Railroads: total: 3,000 km standard gauge: 3,000 km 1.435-m gauge
Highways: total: 49,900 km paved: 6,700 km unpaved: gravel 3,000 km; earth 40,200 km
Inland waterways: 1,600 km; used by coastal and shallow-draft rivercraft
Ports: Fray Bentos, Montevideo, Nueva Palmira, Paysandu, Punta delEste
Merchant marine:total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 71,405 GRT/110,939 DWTships by type: cargo 1, container 1, oil tanker 1
Airports:total: 85with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 8with paved runways under 914 m: 54with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 2with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 14
@Uruguay:Communications
Telephone system: 337,000 telephones; telephone density 10/100 persons; some modern facilities local: most modern facilities concentrated in Montevideo intercity: new nationwide microwave network international: 2 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth stations
Radio:broadcast stations: AM 99, FM 0, shortwave 9radios: NA
Television:broadcast stations: 26televisions: NA
@Uruguay:Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Navy (includes Naval Air Arm, Coast Guard, Marines),Air Force, Grenadier Guards, Coracero Guard, Police
Manpower availability: males age 15-49 775,060; males fit for militaryservice 629,385 (1995 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $216 million, 2.3% ofGDP (1991 est.)
________________________________________________________________________
@Uzbekistan:Geography
Location: Central Asia, north of Afghanistan
Map references: Commonwealth of Independent States - Central AsianStates
Area:total area: 447,400 sq kmland area: 425,400 sq kmcomparative area: slightly larger than California
Land boundaries: total 6,221 km, Afghanistan 137 km, Kazakhstan 2,203km, Kyrgyzstan 1,099 km, Tajikistan 1,161 km, Turkmenistan 1,621 km
Coastline: 0 kmnote: Uzbekistan borders the Aral Sea (420 km)
Maritime claims: none; landlocked
International disputes: none
Climate: mostly midlatitude desert, long, hot summers, mild winters;semiarid grassland in east
Terrain: mostly flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes; broad, flatintensely irrigated river valleys along course of Amu Darya andSirdaryo Rivers; Fergana Valley in east surrounded by mountainousTajikistan and Kyrgyzstan; shrinking Aral Sea in west
Natural resources: natural gas, petroleum, coal, gold, uranium,silver, copper, lead and zinc, tungsten, molybdenum
Land use: arable land: 10% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 47% forest and woodland: 0% other: 42%
Irrigated land: 41,550 sq km (1990)
Environment:current issues: drying up of the Aral Sea is resulting in growingconcentrations of chemical pesticides and natural salts; thesesubstances are then blown from the increasingly exposed lake bed andcontribute to desertification; water pollution from industrial wastesand the heavy use of fertilizers and pesticides is the cause of manyhuman health disorders; increasing soil salinization; soilcontamination from agricultural chemicals, including DDTnatural hazards: NAinternational agreements: party to - Climate Change, EnvironmentalModification, Ozone Layer Protection
Note: landlocked
@Uzbekistan:People
Population: 23,089,261 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 40% (female 4,553,432; male 4,670,496)15-64 years: 55% (female 6,400,578; male 6,384,862)65 years and over: 5% (female 656,933; male 422,960) (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.08% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 29.45 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 6.44 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: -2.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 52 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 68.79 years male: 65.5 years female: 72.24 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.67 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality: noun: Uzbek(s) adjective: Uzbek
Ethnic divisions: Uzbek 71.4%, Russian 8.3%, Tajik 4.7%, Kazakh 4.1%,Tatar 2.4%, Karakalpak 2.1%, other 7%
Religions: Muslim 88% (mostly Sunnis), Eastern Orthodox 9%, other 3%
Languages: Uzbek 74.3%, Russian 14.2%, Tajik 4.4%, other 7.1%
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1989)total population: 97%male: 98%female: 96%
Labor force: 8.234 million by occupation: agriculture and forestry 43%, industry and construction 22%, other 35% (1992)
@Uzbekistan:Government
Names:conventional long form: Republic of Uzbekistanconventional short form: Uzbekistanlocal long form: Uzbekiston Respublikasilocal short form: noneformer: Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic
Digraph: UZ
Type: republic
Capital: Tashkent (Toshkent)
Administrative divisions: 12 wiloyatlar (singular - wiloyat), 1 autonomous republic* (respublikasi), and 1 city** (shahri); Andijon Wiloyati, Bukhoro Wiloyati, Jizzakh Wiloyati, Farghona Wiloyati, Qoraqalpoghiston* (Nukus), Qashqadaryo Wiloyati (Qarshi), Khorazm Wiloyati (Urganch), Namangan Wiloyati, Nawoiy Wiloyati, Samarqand Wiloyati, Sirdaryo Wiloyati (Guliston), Surkhondaryo Wiloyati (Termiz), Toshkent Shahri**, Toshkent Wiloyati note: an administrative division has the same name as its administrative center (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)
Independence: 31 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday: Independence Day, 1 September (1991)
Constitution: new constitution adopted 8 December 1992
Legal system: evolution of Soviet civil law; still lacks independent judicial system
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Islam KARIMOV (since NA March 1990);election last held 29 December 1991 (next to be held NA); results -Islam KARIMOV 86%, Mukhammad SOLIKH 12%, other 2%; note - a 26 March1995 referendum extended KARIMOV's term until 2000 (99.6% approval)head of government: Prime Minister Abdulhashim MUTALOV (since 13January 1992), First Deputy Prime Minister Ismail DJURABEKOV (sinceNA); Deputy Prime Ministers Viktor CHIZHEN, Bakhtiyar HAMIDOV, KayimKHAKKULOV, Yuriy PAYGIN, Saidmukhtar SAIDKASYMOV, Utkur SULTANOV,Mirabror USMANOV, Murat SHARIFKHOJAYEV (since NA)cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers; appointed by the president withapproval of the Supreme Assembly
Legislative branch: unicameral Supreme Council: elections last held 25 December 1994 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (250 total) People's Democratic Party 207, Fatherland Progress Party 12, other 31; note - final runoffs were held 22 January 1995; seating was as follows: People's Democratic Party 69, Fatherland Progress Party 14, Social Democratic Party 47, local government 120
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: People's Democratic Party (PDP;formerly Communist Party), Islam A. KARIMOV, chairman; FatherlandProgress Party (FPP), Anwar YULDASHEV, chairman; Social DemocraticParty, Anvar JORABAYEV, chairman; Erk (Freedom) Democratic Party(EDP), Muhammad SOLIKH, chairman (in exile); note - EDP was banned 9December 1992
Other political or pressure groups: Birlik (Unity) People's Movement(BPM), Abdul Rakhim PULATOV, chairman (in exile); Islamic RebirthParty (IRP), Abdullah UTAYEV, chairman; Adolat-94 (formed by formerVice President Shukhrat MIRSAIDOV and Ibragim BURIEVnote: PULATOV (BPM) is in exile in the West; UTAYEV (IRP) is either inprison or in exile
Member of: AsDB, CCC, CIS, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,IDA, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, NACC, NAM, OSCE, PFP, UN,UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Fatikh TESHABAYEV chancery: (temporary) Suites 619 and 623, 1511 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 638-4266, 4267 FAX: [1] (202) 638-4268 consulate(s) general: New York
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Henry L. CLARKE embassy: 82 Chilanzarskaya, Tashkent mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [7] (3712) 77-14-07, 77-10-81 FAX: [7] (3712) 77-69-53
Flag: three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and green separated by red fimbriations with a crescent moon and 12 stars in the upper hoist-side quadrant
@Uzbekistan:Economy
Overview: Uzbekistan is a dry, landlocked country of which 10% consists of intensely cultivated, irrigated river valleys. It is one of the poorest states of the former USSR with 60% of its population living in overpopulated rural communities. Nevertheless, Uzbekistan is the world's third largest cotton exporter, a major producer of gold and natural gas, and a regionally significant producer of chemicals and machinery. Since independence, the government has sought to prop up the Soviet-style command economy with subsidies and tight controls on prices and production. Such policies have buffered the economy from the sharp declines in output and high inflation experienced by many other former Soviet republics. They had become increasingly unsustainable, however, as inflation moves along at 14% per month and as Russia has forced the Uzbek government to introduce its own currency. Faced with mounting economic problems, the government has begun to move on a reform agenda and cooperate with international financial institutions, announced an acceleration of privatization, and stepped up efforts to attract foreign investors. Nevertheless, the regime is likely to find it difficult to sustain its drive for economic reform.
National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $54.5 billion (1994 estimate as extrapolated from World Bank estimate for 1992)
National product real growth rate: -4% (1994 est.)
National product per capita: $2,400 (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 14% per month (1994 est.)
Unemployment rate: 0.3% includes only officially registered unemployed; large numbers of underemployed workers (December 1994)
Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Exports: $943.7 million to outside the FSU countries (1994)commodities: cotton, gold, natural gas, mineral fertilizers, ferrousmetals, textiles, food productspartners: Russia, Ukraine, Eastern Europe, US
Imports: $1.15 billion from outside the FSU countries (1994)commodities: grain, machinery and parts, consumer durables, otherfoodspartners: principally other FSU countries, Czech Republic
External debt: $NA
Industrial production: growth rate 1% (1994 est.)
Electricity: capacity: 11,690,000 kW production: 47.5 billion kWh consumption per capita: 2,130 kWh (1994)
Industries: textiles, food processing, machine building, metallurgy, natural gas
Agriculture: cotton, vegetables, fruits, grain, livestock
Illicit drugs: illicit cultivator of cannabis and opium poppy; mostly for CIS consumption; limited government eradication programs; used as transshipment point for illicit drugs to Western Europe