International disputes: territorial dispute with Qatar over the HawarIslands; maritime boundary with Qatar
Climate: arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers
Terrain: mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment
Natural resources: oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish
Land use: arable land: 2% permanent crops: 2% meadows and pastures: 6% forest and woodland: 0% other: 90%
Irrigated land: 10 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:current issues: desertification resulting from the degradation oflimited arable land, periods of drought, and dust storms; coastaldegradation (damage to coastlines, coral reefs, and sea vegetation)resulting from oil spills and other discharges from large tankers, oilrefineries, and distribution stations; no natural fresh waterresources so that groundwater and sea water are the only sources forall water needsnatural hazards: periodic droughts; dust stormsinternational agreements: party to - Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes,Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified -Biodiversity
Note: close to primary Middle Eastern petroleum sources; strategic location in Persian Gulf through which much of Western world's petroleum must transit to reach open ocean
@Bahrain:People
Population: 575,925 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 31% (female 87,398; male 89,976)15-64 years: 67% (female 152,363; male 231,586)65 years and over: 2% (female 7,051; male 7,551) (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.58% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 24.12 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 3.31 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: 4.95 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 18 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 73.94 years male: 71.46 years female: 76.49 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.12 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality: noun: Bahraini(s) adjective: Bahraini
Ethnic divisions: Bahraini 63%, Asian 13%, other Arab 10%, Iranian 8%, other 6%
Religions: Shi'a Muslim 70%, Sunni Muslim 30%
Languages: Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1991)total population: 84%male: 89%female: 77%
Labor force: 140,000by occupation: industry and commerce 85%, agriculture 5%, services 5%,government 3% (1982)note: 42% of labor force is Bahraini
@Bahrain:Government
Names:conventional long form: State of Bahrainconventional short form: Bahrainlocal long form: Dawlat al Bahraynlocal short form: Al Bahrayn
Digraph: BA
Type: traditional monarchy
Capital: Manama
Administrative divisions: 12 districts (manatiq, singular - mintaqah);Al Hadd, Al Manamah, Al Mintaqah al Gharbiyah, Al Mintaqah al Wusta,Al Mintaqah ash Shamaliyah, Al Muharraq, Ar Rifa'wa al Mintaqah alJanubiyah, Jidd Hafs, Madinat Hamad, Madinat 'Isa, Mintaqat JuzurHawar, Sitrah
Independence: 15 August 1971 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 16 December (1961)
Constitution: 26 May 1973, effective 6 December 1973
Legal system: based on Islamic law and English common law
Suffrage: none
Executive branch:chief of state: Amir ISA bin Salman Al Khalifa (since 2 November1961); Heir Apparent HAMAD bin Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa (son of theAmir, born 28 January 1950)head of government: Prime Minister KHALIFA bin Salman Al Khalifa(since 19 January 1970)cabinet: Cabinet
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly was dissolved 26August 1975 and legislative powers were assumed by the Cabinet;appointed Advisory Council established 16 December 1992
Judicial branch: High Civil Appeals Court
Political parties and leaders: political parties prohibited; several small, clandestine leftist and Islamic fundamentalist groups are active
Member of: ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GATT, GCC, IBRD,ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL,IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Muhammad ABD AL-GHAFFAR al-Abdallah chancery: 3502 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 342-0741, 342-0742 consulate(s) general: New York
US diplomatic representation:chief of mission: Ambassador David M. RANSOMembassy: Building No. 979, Road 3119 (next to Ahli Sports Club), ZinjDistrict, Manamamailing address: FPO AE 09834-5100; P.O. Box 26431, Manama(International Mail)telephone: [973] 273300; afterhours [973] 275-126FAX: [973] 272594
Flag: red with a white serrated band (eight white points) on the hoistside
@Bahrain:Economy
Overview: Tiny in area, Bahrain is well-to-do in economic resources and per capita income. Petroleum production and processing account for about 80% of export receipts, 60% of government revenues, and 30% of GDP. Economic conditions have fluctuated with the changing fortunes of oil since 1985, for example, during and following the Gulf crisis of 1990-91. With its highly developed communication and transport facilities Bahrain is home to numerous multinational firms with business in the Gulf. A large share of exports consists of petroleum products made from imported crude. Prospects for 1995 are good, with private enterprise the main driving force, e.g., in banking and construction. Unemployment, especially among the young, and the depletion of both oil and underground water resources are major long-term economic problems.
National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $7.1 billion (1994 est.)
National product real growth rate: 2.2% (1994 est.)
National product per capita: $12,100 (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2% (1994 est.)
Unemployment rate: 15% (1991 est.)
Budget:revenues: $1.2 billion (1989)expenditures: $1.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA(1992)
Exports: $3.69 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.)commodities: petroleum and petroleum products 80%, aluminum 7%partners: Japan 11%, UAE 5%, South Korea 4%, India 4%, Saudi Arabia 3%(1992)
Imports: $3.83 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: nonoil 59%, crude oil 41% partners: Saudi Arabia 47%, UK 7%, Japan 7%, US 6%, Germany 5% (1992)
External debt: $2.6 billion (1993)
Industrial production: growth rate 13% (1992); accounts for 38% ofGDP, including petroleum
Electricity: capacity: 1,050,000 kW production: 3.3 billion kWh consumption per capita: 5,453 kWh (1993)
Industries: petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, offshore banking, ship repairing
Agriculture: including fishing, accounts for less than 2% of GDP; not self-sufficient in food production; heavily subsidized sector produces fruit, vegetables, poultry, dairy products, shrimp, fish
Economic aid:recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-79), $24 million;Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments(1970-89), $45 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $9.8 billion
Currency: 1 Bahraini dinar (BD) = 1,000 fils
Exchange rates: Bahraini dinars (BD) per US$1 - 0.3760 (fixed rate)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Bahrain:Transportation
Railroads: 0 km
Highways: total: 2,670 km paved: 2,010 km unpaved: 660 km (1991 est.)
Pipelines: crude oil 56 km; petroleum products 16 km; natural gas 32 km
Ports: Manama, Mina' Salman, Sitrah
Merchant marine:total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 79,949 GRT/120,900 DWTships by type: bulk 1, cargo 4, chemical tanker 1
Airports:total: 4with paved runways over 3,047 m: 2with paved runways under 914 m: 1with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 1
@Bahrain:Communications
Telephone system: 98,000 telephones; 170 telephones/1,000 persons;modern system; good domestic services; excellent internationalconnectionslocal: NAintercity: NAinternational: 2 INTELSAT (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1ARABSAT earth station; tropospheric scatter to Qatar, UAE; microwaveradio relay to Saudi Arabia; submarine cable to Qatar, UAE, and SaudiArabia
Radio:broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0radios: 60 million
Television:broadcast stations: 2televisions: 21 million
@Bahrain:Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense, Coast Guard, PoliceForce
Manpower availability: males age 15-49 210,725; males fit for militaryservice 117,414; males reach military age (15) annually 4,346 (1995est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $247 million, 5.5% ofGDP (1994)
________________________________________________________________________
(territory of the US)
@Baker Island:Geography
Location: Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia
Map references: Oceania
Area:total area: 1.4 sq kmland area: 1.4 sq kmcomparative area: about 2.3 times the size of The Mall in Washington,DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 4.8 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: none
Climate: equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun
Terrain: low, nearly level coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef
Natural resources: guano (deposits worked until 1891)
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 100%
Irrigated land: 0 sq km
Environment:current issues: no natural fresh water resourcesnatural hazards: the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island canbe a maritime hazardinternational agreements: NA
Note: treeless, sparse, and scattered vegetation consisting of grasses, prostrate vines, and low growing shrubs; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife
@Baker Island:People
Population: uninhabited; note - American civilians evacuated in 1942 after Japanese air and naval attacks during World War II; occupied by US military during World War II, but abandoned after the war; public entry is by special-use permit only and generally restricted to scientists and educators; a cemetery and cemetery ruins are located near the middle of the west coast
@Baker Island:Government
Names:conventional long form: noneconventional short form: Baker Island
Digraph: FQ
Type: unincorporated territory of the US administered by the Fish andWildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of theNational Wildlife Refuge system
Capital: none; administered from Washington, DC
@Baker Island:Economy
Overview: no economic activity
@Baker Island:Transportation
Ports: none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one boat landing area along the middle of the west coast
Airports: 1 abandoned World War II runway of 1,665 m
Note: there is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast
@Baker Island:Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by theUS Coast Guard
________________________________________________________________________
@Bangladesh:Geography
Location: Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and India
Map references: Asia
Area:total area: 144,000 sq kmland area: 133,910 sq kmcomparative area: slightly smaller than Wisconsin
Land boundaries: total 4,246 km, Burma 193 km, India 4,053 km
Coastline: 580 km
Maritime claims:contiguous zone: 18 nmcontinental shelf: up to the outer limits of the continental marginexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: a portion of the boundary with India is indispute; water-sharing problems with upstream riparian India over theGanges
Climate: tropical; cool, dry winter (October to March); hot, humidsummer (March to June); cool, rainy monsoon (June to October)
Terrain: mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast
Natural resources: natural gas, arable land, timber
Land use: arable land: 67% permanent crops: 2% meadows and pastures: 4% forest and woodland: 16% other: 11%
Irrigated land: 27,380 sq km (1989)
Environment:current issues: many people are landless and forced to live on andcultivate flood-prone land; limited access to potable water;water-borne diseases prevalent; water pollution especially of fishingareas results from the use of commercial pesticides; intermittentwater shortages because of falling water tables in the northern andcentral parts of the country; soil degradation; deforestation; severeoverpopulationnatural hazards: droughts, cyclones; much of the country routinelyflooded during the summer monsoon seasoninternational agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change,Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands; signed, but notratified - Desertification, Law of the Sea
@Bangladesh:People
Population: 128,094,948 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 40% (female 25,195,262; male 26,352,299)15-64 years: 57% (female 34,862,105; male 37,867,705)65 years and over: 3% (female 1,761,336; male 2,056,241) (July 1995est.)
Population growth rate: 2.32% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 34.62 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 11.43 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 104.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 55.46 years male: 55.69 years female: 55.22 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.39 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality: noun: Bangladeshi(s) adjective: Bangladesh
Ethnic divisions: Bengali 98%, Biharis 250,000, tribals less than 1 million
Religions: Muslim 83%, Hindu 16%, Buddhist, Christian, other
Languages: Bangla (official), English
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990)total population: 35%male: 47%female: 22%
Labor force: 50.1 millionby occupation: agriculture 65%, services 21%, industry and mining 14%(1989)note: extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Oman (1991)
@Bangladesh:Government
Names:conventional long form: People's Republic of Bangladeshconventional short form: Bangladeshformer: East Pakistan
Digraph: BG
Type: republic
Capital: Dhaka
Administrative divisions: 4 divisions; Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna,Rajshahi
Independence: 16 December 1971 (from Pakistan)
National holiday: Independence Day, 26 March (1971)
Constitution: 4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972, suspended following coup of 24 March 1982, restored 10 November 1986, amended many times
Legal system: based on English common law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Abdur Rahman BISWAS (since 8 October 1991);election last held 8 October 1991 (next to be held by NA October1996); results - Abdur Rahman BISWAS received 52.1% of parliamentaryvotehead of government: Prime Minister Khaleda ZIAur RAHMAN (since 20March 1991)cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president
Legislative branch: unicameralNational Parliament (Jatiya Sangsad): elections last held 27 February1991 (next to be held by February 1996); results - percent of vote byparty NA; seats - (330 total, 300 elected and 30 seats reserved forwomen) BNP 168, AL 93, JP 35, JI 20, BCP 5, National Awami Party(Muzaffar) 1, Workers Party 1, JSD 1, Ganotantri Party 1, Islami OikyaJote 1, NDP 1, independents 3
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP),Khaleda ZIAur RAHMAN; Awami League (AL), Sheikh Hasina WAJED; JatiyoParty (JP), Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD (in jail); Jamaat-E-Islami (JI),Ali KHAN; Bangladesh Communist Party (BCP), Saifuddin Ahmed MANIK;National Awami Party (Muzaffar); Workers Party, leader NA; JatiyoSamajtantik Dal (JSD), Serajul ALAM KHAN; Ganotantri Party, leader NA;Islami Oikya Jote, leader NA; National Democratic Party (NDP), leaderNA; Muslim League, Khan A. SABUR; Democratic League, KhondakarMUSHTAQUE Ahmed; Democratic League, Khondakar MUSHTAQUE Ahmed; UnitedPeople's Party, Kazi ZAFAR Ahmed
Member of: AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT,INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM, OIC, SAARC, UN,UNAMIR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNOMIG, UNOMIL, UNOMOZ, UNOMUR,UNOSOM, UNPROFOR, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Humayun KABIR chancery: 2201 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 342-8372 through 8376 consulate(s) general: New York
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador David N. MERRILL embassy: Diplomatic Enclave, Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka mailing address: G. P. O. Box 323, Dhaka 1212 telephone: [880] (2) 884700 through 884722 FAX: [880] (2) 883-744
Flag: green with a large red disk slightly to the hoist side of center; green is the traditional color of Islam
@Bangladesh:Economy
Overview: Despite sustained domestic and international efforts to improve economic and demographic prospects, Bangladesh remains one of the world's poorest, most densely populated, and least developed nations. Its economy is overwhelmingly agricultural, with the cultivation of rice the single most important activity in the economy. Major impediments to growth include frequent cyclones and floods, the inefficiency of state-owned enterprises, a rapidly growing labor force that cannot be absorbed by agriculture, delays in exploiting energy resources (natural gas), and inadequate power supplies. Excellent rice crops and expansion of the export garment industry led to real growth of 4% in 1992 and again in 1993. Policy measures intended to reduce government regulation of private industry, to curb population growth, and to expand employment opportunities have had only partial success given the serious nature of Bangladesh's basic problems.
National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $130.1 billion (1994 est.)
National product real growth rate: 4.5% (1994 est.)
National product per capita: $1,040 (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.3% (1992 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:revenues: $2.8 billionexpenditures: $4.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.8billion (FY92/93)
Exports: $2.38 billion (1993)commodities: garments, jute and jute goods, leather, shrimppartners: US 33%, Western Europe 39% (Germany 8.4%, Italy 6%) (FY91/92est.)
Imports: $3.99 billion (1993)commodities: capital goods, petroleum, food, textilespartners: Hong Kong 7.5%, Singapore 7.4%, China 7.4%, Japan 7.1%(FY91/92 est.)
External debt: $13.5 billion (June 1993)
Industrial production: growth rate 6.9% (FY92/93 est.); accounts for 9.4% of GDP
Electricity: capacity: 2,740,000 kW production: 9.2 billion kWh consumption per capita: 70 kWh (1993)
Industries: jute manufacturing, cotton textiles, food processing, steel, fertilizer
Agriculture: accounts for 33% of GDP, 65% of employment, and one-fifth of exports; world's largest exporter of jute; commercial products - jute, rice, wheat, tea, sugarcane, potatoes, beef, milk, poultry; shortages include wheat, vegetable oils, cotton
Illicit drugs: transit country for illegal drugs produced inneighboring countries
Economic aid:recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $3.4 billion;Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments(1980-89), $11.65 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $6.52million; Communist countries (1970-89), $1.5 billion
Currency: 1 taka (Tk) = 100 poiska
Exchange rates: taka (Tk) per US$1 - 40.250 (January 1995), 40.212 (1994), 39.567 (1993), 38.951 (1992), 36.596 (1991), 34.569 (1990)
Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
@Bangladesh:Transportation
Railroads: total: 2,892 km broad gauge: 978 km 1.676-m gauge narrow gauge: 1,914 km 1.000-m gauge (1992)
Highways: total: 7,240 km paved: 3,840 km unpaved: 3,400 km (1985)
Inland waterways: 5,150-8,046 km navigable waterways (includes 2,575-3,058 km main cargo routes)
Pipelines: natural gas 1,220 km
Ports: Barisal, Chandpur, Chittagong, Cox's Bazar, Dacca, Khulna,Mongla (includes Chalna), Narayanganj
Merchant marine:total: 38 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 293,304 GRT/428,013 DWTships by type: bulk 2, cargo 31, oil tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 3
Airports:total: 16with paved runways over 3,047 m: 2with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1with paved runways under 914 m: 7
@Bangladesh:Communications
Telephone system: 241,250 telephones; 1 telephone/522 persons; poordomestic telephone servicelocal: NAintercity: NAinternational: 2 INTELSAT (Indian Ocean) earth stations; adequateinternational radio communications and landline service
Radio:broadcast stations: AM 9, FM 6, shortwave 0radios: NA
Television:broadcast stations: 11televisions: NA
@Bangladesh:Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force paramilitary forces: Bangladesh Rifles, Bangladesh Ansars, Armed Police Reserve, Village Defense Parties, National Cadet Corps
Manpower availability: males age 15-49 33,039,035; males fit formilitary service 19,607,817 (1995 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $448 million, 1.7% ofGDP (FY93/94)
________________________________________________________________________
@Barbados:Geography
Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the NorthAtlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area:total area: 430 sq kmland area: 430 sq kmcomparative area: slightly less than 2.5 times the size of Washington,DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 97 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: none
Climate: tropical; rainy season (June to October)
Terrain: relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region
Natural resources: petroleum, fishing, natural gas
Land use: arable land: 77% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 9% forest and woodland: 0% other: 14%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Environment:current issues: pollution of coastal waters from waste disposal byships; soil erosion; illegal solid waste disposal threatenscontamination of aquifersnatural hazards: hurricanes (especially June to October); periodiclandslidesinternational agreements: party to - Climate Change, EndangeredSpecies, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, ShipPollution; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity
Note: easternmost Caribbean island
@Barbados:People
Population: 256,395 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 24% (female 30,175; male 31,507)15-64 years: 66% (female 86,103; male 82,727)65 years and over: 10% (female 15,849; male 10,034) (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.24% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 15.45 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 8.27 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: -4.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 19.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 74.16 years male: 71.47 years female: 77.06 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.78 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality: noun: Barbadian(s) adjective: Barbadian
Ethnic divisions: African 80%, European 4%, other 16%
Religions: Protestant 67% (Anglican 40%, Pentecostal 8%, Methodist 7%, other 12%), Roman Catholic 4%, none 17%, unknown 3%, other 9% (1980)
Languages: English
Literacy: age 15 and over has ever attended school (1970)total population: 99%male: 99%female: 99%
Labor force: 124,800 (1992) by occupation: services and government 41%, commerce 15%, manufacturing and construction 18%, transportation, storage, communications, and financial institutions 8%, agriculture 6%, utilities 2% (1992 est.)
@Barbados:Government
Names:conventional long form: noneconventional short form: Barbados
Digraph: BB
Type: parliamentary democracy
Capital: Bridgetown
Administrative divisions: 11 parishes; Christ Church, Saint Andrew,Saint George, Saint James, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Lucy, SaintMichael, Saint Peter, Saint Philip, Saint Thomasnote: the new city of Bridgetown may be given parish status
Independence: 30 November 1966 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 30 November (1966)
Constitution: 30 November 1966
Legal system: English common law; no judicial review of legislative acts
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),represented by Governor General Dame Nita BARROW (since 6 June 1990)head of government: Prime Minister Owen Seymour ARTHUR (since 6September 1994); Deputy Prime Minister Billie MILLER (since 6September 1994)cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the governor general on advice of theprime minister
Legislative branch: bicameral ParliamentSenate: consists of a 21-member body appointed by the governor general
House of Assembly: election last held 6 September 1994 (next to be held by January 1999); results - percentage vote by party NA; seats - (28 total) DLP 8, BLP 19, NDP 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Judicature
Political parties and leaders: Democratic Labor Party (DLP),DavidTHOMPSON; Barbados Labor Party (BLP), Owen ARTHUR; National DemocraticParty (NDP), Richard HAYNES
Other political or pressure groups: Barbados Workers Union, LeroyTROTMAN; People's Progressive Movement, Eric SEALY; Workers' Party ofBarbados, Dr. George BELLE; Clement Payne Labor Union, DavidCOMMISSIONG
Member of: ACP, C, CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB, IBRD,ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT,INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN,UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in US:chief of mission: Ambassador Courtney BLACKMANchancery: 2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008telephone: [1] (202) 939-9218, 9219FAX: [1] (202) 332-7467consulate(s) general: Miami and New Yorkconsulate(s): Los Angeles
US diplomatic representation:chief of mission: Ambassador Jeanette W. HYDEembassy: Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Building, Broad Street,Bridgetownmailing address: P. O. Box 302, Bridgetown; FPO AA 34055telephone: [1] (809) 436-4950FAX: [1] (809) 429-5246
Flag: three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and blue with the head of a black trident centered on the gold band; the trident head represents independence and a break with the past (the colonial coat of arms contained a complete trident)
@Barbados:Economy
Overview: A per capita income of $9,200 gives Barbados one of the highest standards of living of all the small island states of the eastern Caribbean. Historically, the economy was based on the cultivation of sugarcane and related activities. In recent years, however, the economy has diversified into manufacturing and tourism. A moderate recovery that began in late 1993 after 3 years of contraction is mainly due to increased tourism and expansion in the construction sector. Economic prospects for 1995 depend mostly on continued growth in the industrialized countries, especially in Europe, which would spur further expansion in tourism.
National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $2.4 billion (1994 est.)
National product real growth rate: 3% (1994 est.)
National product per capita: $9,200 (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2% (1994 est.)
Unemployment rate: 20.5% (1994 est.)
Budget:revenues: $509 millionexpenditures: $636 million, including capital expenditures of $86million (FY94/95 est.)
Exports: $161 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.)commodities: sugar and molasses, rum, other foods and beverages,chemicals, electrical components, clothingpartners: US 13%, UK 10%, Trinidad and Tobago 9%, Windward Islands 8%
Imports: $703 million (c.i.f., 1993 est.)commodities: consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs, constructionmaterials, chemicals, fuel, electrical componentspartners: US 36%, UK 11%, Trinidad and Tobago 11%, Japan 3%
External debt: $652 million (1991 est.)
Industrial production: growth rate 2% (FY93/94 est.); accounts for about 10% of GDP
Electricity: capacity: 152,100 kW production: 510 million kWh consumption per capita: 1,841 kWh (1993)
Industries: tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assemblyfor export
Agriculture: accounts for 6% of GDP; major cash crop is sugarcane;other crops - vegetables, cotton; not self-sufficient in food
Illicit drugs: one of many Caribbean transshipment points fornarcotics bound for the US and Europe
Economic aid:recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $15 million;Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments(1970-89), $171 million
Currency: 1 Barbadian dollar (Bds$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Barbadian dollars (Bds$) per US$1 - 2.0113 (fixed rate)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
@Barbados:Transportation
Railroads: 0 km
Highways: total: 1,570 km paved: 1,475 km unpaved: gravel, earth 95 km
Ports: Bridgetown
Merchant marine:total: 12 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 61,563 GRT/103,632 DWTships by type: bulk 4, cargo 6, oil tanker 2
Airports:total: 1with paved runways over 3,047 m: 1
@Barbados:Communications
Telephone system: 89,000 telephoneslocal: island wide automatic telephone system;intercity: NAinternational: 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth station; troposphericscatter link to Trinidad and Saint Lucia
Radio:broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 2, shortwave 0radios: NA
Television:broadcast stations: 2 (1 pay)televisions: NA
@Barbados:Defense Forces
Branches: Royal Barbados Defense Force (includes the Ground Forces andCoast Guard), Royal Barbados Police Force
Manpower availability: males age 15-49 71,153; males fit for militaryservice 49,488 (1995 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP
________________________________________________________________________
(possession of France)
@Bassas Da India:Geography
Location: Southern Africa, islands in the southern Mozambique Channel, about one-half of the way from Madagascar to Mozambique
Map references: Africa
Area:total area: 0.2 km2land area: 0.2 km2comparative area: NA
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 35.2 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: claimed by Madagascar
Climate: tropical
Terrain: a volcanic rock 2.4 meters high
Natural resources: none
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 100% (all rock)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km
Environment:current issues: NAnatural hazards: maritime hazard since it is usually under waterduring high tide and surrounded by reefs; subject to periodic cyclones
international agreements: NA
@Bassas Da India:People
Population: uninhabited
@Bassas Da India:Government
Names:conventional long form: noneconventional short form: Bassas da India
Digraph: BS
Type: French possession administered by a Commissioner of theRepublic, resident in Reunion
Capital: none; administered by France from Reunion
Independence: none (possession of France)
@Bassas Da India:Economy
Overview: no economic activity
@Bassas Da India:Transportation
Ports: none; offshore anchorage only
@Bassas Da India:Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of France
________________________________________________________________________
@Belarus:Geography
Location: Eastern Europe, east of Poland
Map references: Commonwealth of Independent States - European States
Area:total area: 207,600 sq kmland area: 207,600 sq kmcomparative area: slightly smaller than Kansas
Land boundaries: total 3,098 km, Latvia 141 km, Lithuania 502 km,Poland 605 km, Russia 959 km, Ukraine 891 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none; landlocked
International disputes: none
Climate: cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between continental and maritime
Terrain: generally flat and contains much marshland
Natural resources: forest land, peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural gas
Land use: arable land: 29% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 15% forest and woodland: 0% other: 55%
Irrigated land: 1,490 sq km (1990)
Environment:current issues: soil pollution from pesticide use; southern part ofthe country contaminated with fallout from 1986 nuclear reactoraccident at Chornobyl'natural hazards: NAinternational agreements: party to - Air Pollution, AirPollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Biodiversity,Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, OzoneLayer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Climate Change, Law ofthe Sea
Note: landlocked
@Belarus:People
Population: 10,437,418 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 22% (female 1,126,062; male 1,166,439)15-64 years: 65% (female 3,494,891; male 3,293,196)65 years and over: 13% (female 913,508; male 443,322) (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.3% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 12.98 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 11.23 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: 1.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 18.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.03 years male: 66.36 years female: 75.93 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.87 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality: noun: Belarusian(s) adjective: Belarusian
Ethnic divisions: Byelorussian 77.9%, Russian 13.2%, Polish 4.1%,Ukrainian 2.9%, other 1.9%
Religions: Eastern Orthodox, other
Languages: Byelorussian, Russian, other
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1989)total population: 97%male: 99%female: 96%
Labor force: 4.887 million by occupation: industry and construction 40%, agriculture and forestry 21%, other 39% (1992)
@Belarus:Government
Names:conventional long form: Republic of Belarusconventional short form: Belaruslocal long form: Respublika Byelarus'local short form: noneformer: Belorussian (Byelorussian) Soviet Socialist Republic
Digraph: BO
Type: republic
Capital: Minsk
Administrative divisions: 6 voblastsi (singular - voblasts') and one municipality* (harady, singular - horad); Brestskaya (Brest), Homyel'skaya (Homyel'), Horad Minsk*, Hrodzyenskaya (Hrodna), Mahilyowskaya (Mahilyow), Minskaya, Vitsyebskaya (Vitsyebsk) note: the administrative centers of the voblastsi are included in parentheses
Independence: 25 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday: Independence Day, 27 July (1990)
Constitution: adopted 15 March 1994; replaces constitution of April 1978
Legal system: based on civil law system
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Aleksandr LUKASHENKO (since 20 July 1994);election held June 24 and 10 July 1994 (next to be held NA 1999);Aleksandr LUKASHENKO 80%, Vyacheslav KEBICH 14%head of government: Prime Minister Mikhail CHIGIR (since July 1994);Deputy Prime Ministers Vladimir GARKUN, Viktor GONCHAR, Sergey LING,Mikhail MYASNIKOVICH, Valeriy KOKAREV (since NA)cabinet: Council of Ministersnote: first presidential elections took place in June-July 1994
Legislative branch: unicameralSupreme Soviet: elections last held 4 April 1990 (next to be held 14May 1995); results - Communists 87%; seats - (360 total) number ofseats by party NA; note - 50 seats are for public bodies; theCommunist Party obtained an overwhelming majority
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: Belarusian Popular Front (BPF), ZenonPOZNYAK, chairman; Party of Popular Accord, Gennadiy KARPENKO; Unionof Belarusian Entreprenuers, V. N. KARYAGIN; Belarusian Party ofCommunists, Vasiliy NOVIKOV, Viktor CHIKIN, chairmen; Belarus PeasantParty, Yevgeniy LUGIN, chairman; Belarusian Socialist Party,Vyacheslav KUZNETSOV, chairman; Belarusian Social Democrat Party(SDBP), Oleg TRUSOV, Stanislav SHUSHKEVICH, chairmen; Agrarian Partyof Belarus, Aleksandr DUBKO; United Democratic Party of Belarus(UDPB), Aleksandr DOBROVOLSKIY, chairman; Independent Trade Unions,Sergey ANTONCHIK, chairman
Member of: CCC, CE (guest), CEI (associate members), CIS, EBRD, ECE,IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IFC, ILO, IMF, INMARSAT, INTELSAT (nonsignatoryuser), INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, NACC, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD,UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Sergey Nikolayevich MARTYNOV chancery: 1619 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 986-1604 FAX: [1] (202) 986-1805 consulate(s) general: New York
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Kenneth Spencer YALOWITZ embassy: Starovilenskaya #46, Minsk mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [7] (0172) 34-65-37
Flag: three horizontal bands of white (top), red, and white
@Belarus:Economy
Overview: Belarus ranks among the most developed of the former Soviet states, with a relatively modern - by Soviet standards - and diverse machine building sector and a robust agriculture sector. It also serves as a transport link for Russian oil exports to the Baltic states and Eastern and Western Europe. The breakup of the Soviet Union and its command economy has resulted in a sharp economic contraction as traditional trade ties have collapsed. The Belarusian government has lagged behind the governments of most other former Soviet states in economic reform, with privatization almost nonexistent. The system of state orders and distribution persists. In mid-1994, the Belarusian government embarked on an austerity program with IMF support to slash state credits and consumer subsidies in order to bring down the budget deficit and reduce inflation. However, despite its promising start, the regime's drive to reinvigorate the economy has fallen short, and the IMF has criticized its failure to implement the reforms that the Fund had negotiated. As a result, the IMF has suspended talks on introducing a stand-by arrangement. Economic relations with Russia, which will have an important bearing on the future course of the economy, will be strengthened if Minsk adopts the necessary legislation to implement a customs union agreed to in January 1995.
National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $53.4 billion (1994 estimate as extrapolated from World Bank estimate for 1992)
National product real growth rate: -20% (1994)
National product per capita: $5,130 (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 29% per month (1994)
Unemployment rate: 1.4% officially registered unemployed (December 1993); large numbers of underemployed workers
Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Exports: $968 million to outside of the FSU countries (f.o.b., 1994)commodities: machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, foodstuffspartners: Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Bulgaria
Imports: $534 million from outside the FSU countries (c.i.f., 1994)commodities: fuel, natural gas, industrial raw materials, textiles,sugarpartners: Russia, Ukraine, Poland
External debt: $1.5 billion (July 1994 est.)
Industrial production: growth rate -19% (1994); accounts for about 40% of GDP (1992)
Electricity: capacity: 7,010,000 kW production: 31.4 billion kWh consumption per capita: 3,010 kWh (1994)
Industries: employ about 40% of labor force and produced a wide variety of products including (in percent share of total output of former Soviet Union): tractors (12%); metal-cutting machine tools (11%); off-highway dump trucks up to 110-metric-ton load capacity (100%); wheel-type earthmovers for construction and mining (100%); eight-wheel-drive, high-flotation trucks with cargo capacity of 25 metric tons for use in tundra and roadless areas (100%); equipment for animal husbandry and livestock feeding (25%); motorcycles (21.3%); television sets (11%); chemical fibers (28%); fertilizer (18%); linen fabric (11%); wool fabric (7%); radios; refrigerators; and other consumer goods
Agriculture: accounts for almost 25% of GDP and 5.7% of total agricultural output of former Soviet Union; employs 21% of the labor force; in 1988 produced the following (in percent of total Soviet production): grain (3.6%), potatoes (12.2%), vegetables (3.0%), meat (6.0%), milk (7.0%); net exporter of meat, milk, eggs, flour, potatoes
Illicit drugs: illicit cultivator of opium poppy and cannabis; mostly for the domestic market; transshipment point for illicit drugs to Western Europe
Economic aid: $NA
Currency: Belarusian rubel (BR)
Exchange rates: Belarusian rubels per US$1 - 10,600 (end December 1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Belarus:Transportation
Railroads:total: 5,570 km in common carrier service; does not include industriallinesbroad gauge: 5,570 km 1.520-m gauge (1990)
Highways:total: 98,200 kmpaved: 66,100 kmunpaved: earth 32,100 km (1990)
Inland waterways: NA km
Pipelines: crude oil 1,470 km; refined products 1,100 km; natural gas 1,980 km (1992)
Ports: Mazyr
Merchant marine:note: claims 5% of former Soviet fleet
Airports:total: 118with paved runways over 3,047 m: 2with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 18with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5with paved runways under 914 m: 11with unpaved runways over 3,047 m: 1with unpaved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 4with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 9with unpaved runways under 914 m: 62
@Belarus:Communications
Telephone system: 1,849,000 telephones (December 1991); 18telephones/100 persons; telephone service inadequate for the purposesof either business or the population; about 70% of the telephones arein homes; over 750,000 applications from households for telephonesremain unsatisfied (1992); new investment centers on internationalconnections and business needs; the new BelCel NMT 450 cellular system(a joint venture) is now operating in Minsklocal: NAintercity: NAinternational: international traffic is carried by the Moscowinternational gateway switch and also by 2 satellite earth stationsnear Minsk - INTELSAT (through Canada) and EUTELSAT (through the UK)
Radio:broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave 0radios: 3.14 million (5,615,000 with multiple speaker systems forprogram diffusion)
Television: broadcast stations: NA televisions: 3.538 million
@Belarus:Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Air Force, Air Defense Force, Republic Security Forces (internal and border troops)
Manpower availability: males age 15-49 2,550,500; males fit for military service 1,999,138; males reach military age (18) annually 71,808 (1995 est.)
Defense expenditures: 56.5 billion rubles, NA% of GDP (1993 est.); note - conversion of the military budget into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results
________________________________________________________________________
@Belgium:Geography
Location: Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands
Map references: Europe
Area:total area: 30,510 sq kmland area: 30,230 sq kmcomparative area: slightly larger than Maryland
Land boundaries: total 1,385 km, France 620 km, Germany 167 km,Luxembourg 148 km, Netherlands 450 km
Coastline: 64 km
Maritime claims:continental shelf: median line with neighborsexclusive fishing zone: median line with neighbors (extends about 68km from coast)territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: none
Climate: temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy
Terrain: flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast
Natural resources: coal, natural gas
Land use: arable land: 24% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 20% forest and woodland: 21% other: 34%
Irrigated land: 10 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:current issues: Meuse River, a major source of drinking water,polluted from steel production wastes; other rivers polluted by animalwastes and fertilizers; industrial air pollution contributes to acidrain in neighboring countriesnatural hazards: flooding is a threat in areas of reclaimed coastalland, protected from the sea by concrete dikesinternational agreements: party to - Air Pollution, AirPollution-Sulphur 85, Antarctic Treaty, Endangered Species,Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, MarineLife Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, ShipPollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified -Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, AirPollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-EnvironmentalProtocol, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea
Note: crossroads of Western Europe; majority of West European capitalswithin 1,000 km of Brussels which is the seat of the EU
@Belgium:People
Population: 10,081,880 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 18% (female 875,079; male 919,939)15-64 years: 66% (female 3,303,219; male 3,363,250)65 years and over: 16% (female 969,966; male 650,427) (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.17% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 11.46 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 10.22 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 7 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.21 years male: 73.94 years female: 80.67 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.62 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality: noun: Belgian(s) adjective: Belgian
Ethnic divisions: Fleming 55%, Walloon 33%, mixed or other 12%
Religions: Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25%
Languages: Dutch 56%, French 32%, German 1%, legally bilingual 11%divided along ethnic lines
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.)total population: 99%
Labor force: 4.126 million by occupation: services 63.6%, industry 28%, construction 6.1%, agriculture 2.3% (1988)
@Belgium:Government
Names:conventional long form: Kingdom of Belgiumconventional short form: Belgiumlocal long form: Royaume de Belgiquelocal short form: Belgique
Digraph: BE
Type: constitutional monarchy
Capital: Brussels
Administrative divisions: 9 provinces (French: provinces, singular -province; Flemish: provincien, singular - provincie); Antwerpen,Brabant, Hainaut, Liege, Limburg, Luxembourg, Namur, Oost-Vlaanderen,West-Vlaanderen
Independence: 4 October 1830 (from the Netherlands)
National holiday: National Day, 21 July (ascension of King Leopold tothe throne in 1831)
Constitution: 7 February 1831, last revised 14 July 1993; parliamentapproved a constitutional package creating a federal state
Legal system: civil law system influenced by English constitutional theory; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age, universal and compulsory
Executive branch:chief of state: King ALBERT II (since 9 August 1993)head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Luc DEHAENE (since 6 March1992)cabinet: Cabinet; the king appoints the ministers who are approved bythe legislature
Legislative branch: bicameral ParliamentSenate: (Flemish - Senaat, French - Senat); elections last held 24November 1991 (next to be held by the end of 1995); results - percentof vote by party NA; seats - (184 total; of which 106 are directlyelected; in the 1995 elections, seats will decrease to 71) CVP 20, SP14, VLD 13, VU 5, AGALEV 5, VB 5, ROSSEN 1, PS 18, PRL 9, PSC 9, ECOLO6, FDF 1Chamber of Deputies: (Flemish - Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers,French - Chambre des Representants); elections last held 24 November1991 (next to be held by 21 May 1995); results - CVP 16.7%, PS 13.6%,SP 12.0%, VLD 11.9%, PRL 8.2%, PSC 7.8%, VB 6.6%, VU 5.9%, ECOLO 5.1%,AGALEV 4.9%, FDF 2.6%, ROSSEM 3.2%, FN 1.5%; seats - (212 total; in1995 elections, seats will decrease to 150) CVP 39, PS 35, SP 28, VLD26, PRL 20, PSC 18, VB 12, VU 10, ECOLO 10, AGALEV 7, FDF 3, ROSSEM 3,FN 1