International disputes: none
Climate: subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds
Terrain: coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly
Natural resources: negligible
Land use: arable land: 20% permanent crops: 7% meadows and pastures: 33% forest and woodland: 7% other: 33%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Environment:current issues: limited natural fresh water resources (except for afew seasonal streams and springs on Tortola, most of the island'swater supply comes from wells and rainwater catchment)natural hazards: hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October)international agreements: NA
Note: strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico
@British Virgin Islands:People
Population: 13,027 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate: 1.27% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 20.25 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 6.07 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 19.33 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.73 years male: 70.88 years female: 74.7 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.27 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality: noun: British Virgin Islander(s) adjective: British Virgin Islander
Ethnic divisions: black 90%, white, Asian
Religions: Protestant 86% (Methodist 45%, Anglican 21%, Church of God 7%, Seventh-Day Adventist 5%, Baptist 4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2%, other 2%), Roman Catholic 6%, none 2%, other 6% (1981)
Languages: English (official)
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1970)total population: 98%male: 98%female: 98%
Labor force: 4,911 (1980)by occupation: NA
@British Virgin Islands:Government
Names:conventional long form: noneconventional short form: British Virgin Islands
Abbreviation: BVI
Digraph: VI
Type: dependent territory of the UK
Capital: Road Town
Administrative divisions: none (dependent territory of the UK)
Independence: none (dependent territory of the UK)
National holiday: Territory Day, 1 July
Constitution: 1 June 1977
Legal system: English law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),represented by Governor Peter Alfred PENFOLD (since 14 October 1991)head of government: Chief Minister H. Lavity STOUTT (since NASeptember 1986)cabinet: Executive Council; appointed by the governor
Legislative branch: unicameralLegislative Council: election last held 20 February 1995 (next to beheld on NA February 2000); results - percent of vote by party NA;seats - (13 total) VIP 6, CCM 2, UP 2, independents 3note: legislature was expanded to 13 seats as of election on 20February 1995
Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: United Party (UP), Conrad MADURO;Virgin Islands Party (VIP), H. Lavity STOUTT; Concerned CitizensMovement (CCM), E. Walwyln BREWLEY
Member of: CARICOM (associate), CDB, ECLAC (associate), INTERPOL(subbureau), IOC, OECS (associate), UNESCO (associate)
Diplomatic representation in US: none (dependent territory of the UK)
US diplomatic representation: none (dependent territory of the UK)
Flag: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Virgin Islander coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms depicts a woman flanked on either side by a vertical column of six oil lamps above a scroll bearing the Latin word VIGILATE (Be Watchful)
@British Virgin Islands:Economy
Overview: The economy, one of the most prosperous in the Caribbean area, is highly dependent on the tourist industry, which generates about 21% of the national income. In 1985 the government offered offshore registration to companies wishing to incorporate in the islands, and, in consequence, incorporation fees generated about $2 million in 1987. The economy slowed in 1991 because of the poor performances of the tourist sector and tight commercial bank credit. Livestock raising is the most significant agricultural activity. The islands' crops, limited by poor soils, are unable to meet food requirements.
National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $133 million (1991)
National product real growth rate: 2% (1991)
National product per capita: $10,600 (1991)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.5% (1990 est.)
Unemployment rate: NEGL% (1992)
Budget:revenues: $51 millionexpenditures: $88 million, including capital expenditures of $38million (1991)
Exports: $2.7 million (f.o.b., 1988)commodities: rum, fresh fish, gravel, sand, fruits, animalspartners: Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US
Imports: $11.5 million (c.i.f., 1988) commodities: building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery partners: Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US
External debt: $4.5 million (1985)
Industrial production: growth rate 4% (1985)
Electricity: capacity: 10,500 kW production: 50 million kWh consumption per capita: 3,148 kWh (1993)
Industries: tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block, offshore financial center
Agriculture: livestock (including poultry), fish, fruit, vegetables
Economic aid: $NA
Currency: 1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: US currency is used
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
@British Virgin Islands:Transportation
Railroads: 0 km
Highways: total: 106 km (1983) paved: NA unpaved: NA
Ports: Road Town
Merchant marine: none
Airports:total: 3with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1with paved runways under 914 m: 1with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1
@British Virgin Islands:Communications
Telephone system: 3,000 telephones; worldwide external telephoneservicelocal: NAintercity: NAinternational: submarine cable communication links to Bermuda
Radio:broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0radios: NA
Television:broadcast stations: 1televisions: NA
@British Virgin Islands:Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of the UK
________________________________________________________________________
@Brunei:Geography
Location: Southeastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea andMalaysia
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area:total area: 5,770 sq kmland area: 5,270 sq kmcomparative area: slightly larger than Delaware
Land boundaries: total 381 km, Malysia 381 km
Coastline: 161 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or to median line territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: may wish to purchase the Malaysian salient that divides the country; all of the Spratly Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam; parts of them are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines; in 1984, Brunei established an exclusive fishing zone that encompasses Louisa Reef, but has not publicly claimed the island
Climate: tropical; hot, humid, rainy
Terrain: flat coastal plain rises to mountains in east; hilly lowland in west
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, timber
Land use: arable land: 1% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 1% forest and woodland: 79% other: 18%
Irrigated land: 10 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:current issues: NAnatural hazards: typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are veryrareinternational agreements: party to - Endangered Species, Ozone LayerProtection, Ship Pollution; signed, but not ratified - Law of the Sea
Note: close to vital sea lanes through South China Sea linking Indian and Pacific Oceans; two parts physically separated by Malaysia; almost an enclave of Malaysia
@Brunei:People
Population: 292,266 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 34% (female 48,458; male 50,624)15-64 years: 62% (female 85,581; male 95,955)65 years and over: 4% (female 5,172; male 6,476) (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.63% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 25.83 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 5.07 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: 5.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 24.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.24 years male: 69.65 years female: 72.91 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.41 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality: noun: Bruneian(s) adjective: Bruneian
Ethnic divisions: Malay 64%, Chinese 20%, other 16%
Religions: Muslim (official) 63%, Buddhism 14%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs and other 15% (1981)
Languages: Malay (official), English, Chinese
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1991)total population: 88%male: 92%female: 82%
Labor force: 119,000 (1993 est.); note - includes members of the Armyby occupation: government 47.5%, production of oil, natural gas,services, and construction 41.9%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing3.8% (1986)note: 33% of labor force is foreign (1988)
@Brunei:Government
Names:conventional long form: Negara Brunei Darussalamconventional short form: Brunei
Digraph: BX
Type: constitutional sultanate
Capital: Bandar Seri Begawan
Administrative divisions: 4 districts (daerah-daerah, singular - daerah); Belait, Brunei and Muara, Temburong, Tutong
Independence: 1 January 1984 (from UK)
National holiday: National Day 23 February (1984)
Constitution: 29 September 1959 (some provisions suspended under aState of Emergency since December 1962, others since independence on 1January 1984)
Legal system: based on Islamic law
Suffrage: none
Executive branch:chief of state and head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister HisMajesty Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji HASSANAL Bolkiah Mu'izzaddinWaddaulah (since 5 October 1967)cabinet: Council of Cabinet Ministers; composed chiefly of members ofthe royal family
Legislative branch: unicameralLegislative Council (Majlis Masyuarat Megeri): elections last held inMarch 1962; in 1970 the Council was changed to an appointive body bydecree of the sultan; an elected legislative Council is beingconsidered as part of constitution reform, but elections are unlikelyfor several years
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: Brunei United National Party(inactive), Anak HASANUDDIN, chairman; Brunei National SolidarityParty (the first legal political party and now banned), leader NA;Brunei Peoples Party (banned), leader NA
Member of: APEC, ASEAN, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GATT, ICAO, IDB, IMO,INMARSAT, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ISO(correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in US:chief of mission: Ambassador Haji JAYA bin Abdul Latifchancery: Watergate, Suite 300, 3rd floor, 2600 Virginia Avenue NW,Washington, DC 20037telephone: [1] (202) 342-0159FAX: [1] (202) 342-0158
US diplomatic representation:chief of mission: Ambassador Theresa A. TULLembassy: Third Floor, Teck Guan Plaza, Jalan Sultan, Bandar SeriBegawanmailing address: American Embassy Box B, APO AP 96440telephone: [673] (2) 229670FAX: [673] (2) 225293
Flag: yellow with two diagonal bands of white (top, almost double width) and black starting from the upper hoist side; the national emblem in red is superimposed at the center; the emblem includes a swallow-tailed flag on top of a winged column within an upturned crescent above a scroll and flanked by two upraised hands
@Brunei:Economy
Overview: The economy is a mixture of foreign and domestic entrepreneurship, government regulation and welfare measures, and village tradition. It is almost totally supported by exports of crude oil and natural gas, with revenues from the petroleum sector accounting for more than 40% of GDP. Per capita GDP is among the highest in the Third World, and substantial income from overseas investment supplements domestic production. The government provides for all medical services and subsidizes food and housing.
National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $4.43 billion (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate: -4% (1993 est.)
National product per capita: $16,000 (1993 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.5% (1993 est.)
Unemployment rate: 5% (1993 est.)
Budget:revenues: $1.5 billionexpenditures: $1.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $255million (1990 est.)
Exports: $2.2 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.)commodities: crude oil, liquefied natural gas, petroleum productspartners: Japan 52%, South Korea 10%, UK 9%, Thailand 7%, Singapore 6%(1991)
Imports: $1.2 billion (c.i.f., 1993 est.)commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods,food, chemicalspartners: Singapore 34%, UK 23%, US 10%, Japan 8%, Malaysia 7%,Switzerland 4% (1991)
External debt: $0
Industrial production: growth rate 12.9% (1987); accounts for 41.6% ofGDP (1990), includes mining, quarrying, and manufacturing
Electricity: capacity: 380,000 kW production: 1.2 billion kWh consumption per capita: 3,971 kWh (1993)
Industries: petroleum, petroleum refining, liquefied natural gas,construction
Agriculture: imports about 80% of its food needs; principal crops andlivestock include rice, cassava, bananas, buffaloes, and pigs
Economic aid:recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-87), $20.6 million;Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments(1970-89), $153 million
Currency: 1 Bruneian dollar (B$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Bruneian dollars (B$) per US$1 - 1.4524 (January 1995), 1.5274 (1994), 1.6158 (1993), 1.6290 (1992), 1.7276 (1991), 1.8125 (1990); note - the Bruneian dollar is at par with the Singapore dollar
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Brunei:Transportation
Railroads: total: 13 km private line narrow gauge: 13 km 0.610-m gauge
Highways:total: 1,090 kmpaved: bituminous 370 km (with another 52 km under construction)unpaved: gravel or earth 720 km
Inland waterways: 209 km; navigable by craft drawing less than 1.2meters
Pipelines: crude oil 135 km; petroleum products 418 km; natural gas920 km
Ports: Bandar Seri Begawar, Kuala Belait, Muara, Seria, Tutong
Merchant marine:total: 7 liquefied gas carriers (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 348,476GRT/340,635 DWT
Airports:total: 5with paved runways over 3,047 m: 1with paved runways under 914 m: 3with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1
@Brunei:Communications
Telephone system: 33,000 telephones (1987); service throughout countryis adequate for present needs; international service good to adjacentMalaysialocal: NAintercity: NAinternational: INTELSAT (NA Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) earthstations
Radio:broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 4, shortwave 0radios: 74,000 (1987)note: radiobroadcast coverage good
Television: broadcast stations: 1 televisions: NA
@Brunei:Defense Forces
Branches: Land Forces, Navy, Air Force, Royal Brunei Police
Manpower availability: males age 15-49 81,560; males fit for military service 47,403; males reach military age (18) annually 2,835 (1995 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $312 million, 6.2% ofGDP (1994)
________________________________________________________________________
@Bulgaria:Geography
Location: Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, betweenRomania and Turkey
Map references: Ethnic Groups in Eastern Europe, Europe
Area:total area: 110,910 sq kmland area: 110,550 sq kmcomparative area: slightly larger than Tennessee
Land boundaries: total 1,808 km, Greece 494 km, The Former YugoslavRepublic of Macedonia 148 km, Romania 608 km, Serbia and Montenegro318 km (all with Serbia), Turkey 240 km
Coastline: 354 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: none
Climate: temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers
Terrain: mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast
Natural resources: bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land
Land use: arable land: 34% permanent crops: 3% meadows and pastures: 18% forest and woodland: 35% other: 10%
Irrigated land: 10 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:current issues: air pollution from industrial emissions; riverspolluted from raw sewage, heavy metals, detergents; deforestation;forest damage from air pollution and resulting acid rain; soilcontamination from heavy metals from metallurgical plants andindustrial wastesnatural hazards: earthquakes, landslidesinternational agreements: party to - Air Pollution, AirPollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Antarctic Treaty,Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Nuclear Test Ban,Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands; signed, but notratified - Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile OrganicCompounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Biodiversity, ClimateChange, Law of the Sea
Note: strategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key landroutes from Europe to Middle East and Asia
@Bulgaria:People
Population: 8,775,198 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 19% (female 800,413; male 841,697)15-64 years: 66% (female 2,927,880; male 2,910,133)65 years and over: 15% (female 735,706; male 559,369) (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate: -0.25% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 11.75 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 11.31 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: -2.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 11.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 73.68 years male: 70.43 years female: 77.1 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.71 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality: noun: Bulgarian(s) adjective: Bulgarian
Ethnic divisions: Bulgarian 85.3%, Turk 8.5%, Gypsy 2.6%, Macedonian 2.5%, Armenian 0.3%, Russian 0.2%, other 0.6%
Religions: Bulgarian Orthodox 85%, Muslim 13%, Jewish 0.8%, Roman Catholic 0.5%, Uniate Catholic 0.2%, Protestant, Gregorian-Armenian, and other 0.5%
Languages: Bulgarian; secondary languages closely correspond to ethnicbreakdown
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1992)total population: 98%male: 99%female: 97%
Labor force: 4.3 millionby occupation: industry 33%, agriculture 20%, other 47% (1987)
@Bulgaria:Government
Names:conventional long form: Republic of Bulgariaconventional short form: Bulgaria
Digraph: BU
Type: emerging democracy
Capital: Sofia
Administrative divisions: 9 provinces (oblasti, singular - oblast);Burgas, Grad Sofiya, Khaskovo, Lovech, Montana, Plovdiv, Ruse, Sofiya,Varna
Independence: 22 September 1908 (from Ottoman Empire)
National holiday: Independence Day 3 March (1878)
Constitution: adopted 12 July 1991
Legal system: based on civil law system, with Soviet law influence; has accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:chief of state: President Zhelyu Mitev ZHELEV (since 1 August 1990);Vice President (vacant); election last held January 1992; results -Zhelyu ZHELEV was elected by popular votehead of government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers (PrimeMinister) Zhan VIDENOV (since 25 January 1995); Deputy Prime MinistersDoncho KONAKCHIEV, Kiril TSOCHEV, Rumen GECHEV, Svetoslav SHIVAROV(since 25 January 1995)cabinet: Council of Ministers; elected by the National Assembly
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Narodno Sobranie): last held 18 December 1994 (next to be held NA 1997); results - BSP 43.5%, UDF 24.2%, PU 6.5%, MRF 5.4%, BBB 4.7%; seats - (240 total) BSP 125, UDF 69, PU 18, MRF 15, BBB 13
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, Constitutional Court
Political parties and leaders: Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), ZhanVIDENOV, chairman; Union of Democratic Forces (UDF), Ivan KOSTOV analliance of pro-Democratic parties; People's Union (PU), Stefan SAVOV;Movement for Rights and Freedoms (mainly ethnic Turkish party) (MRF),Ahmed DOGAN; Bulgarian Business Bloc (BBB), George GANCHEV
Other political or pressure groups: Democratic Alliance for theRepublic (DAR); New Union for Democracy (NUD); Ecoglasnost; PodkrepaLabor Confederation; Fatherland Union; Bulgarian Communist Party(BCP); Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria (KNSB);Bulgarian Agrarian National Union - United (BZNS); BulgarianDemocratic Center; "Nikola Petkov" Bulgarian Agrarian National Union;Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization - Union of MacedonianSocieties (IMRO-UMS); numerous regional, ethnic, and national interestgroups with various agendas
Member of: ACCT, BIS, BSEC, CCC, CE, CEI (associate members), EBRD,ECE, FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, IOM(observer), ISO, ITU, NACC, NAM (guest), NSG, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN,UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO,WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Snezhana Damianova BOTUSHAROVA chancery: 1621 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 387-7969 FAX: [1] (202) 234-7973
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador William D. MONTGOMERY embassy: 1 Saborna Street, Sofia mailing address: Unit 1335, Sofia; APO AE 09213-1335 telephone: [359] (2) 88-48-01 through 05 FAX: [359] (2) 80-19-77
Flag: three equal horizontal bands of white (top), green, and red; the national emblem formerly on the hoist side of the white stripe has been removed - it contained a rampant lion within a wreath of wheat ears below a red five-pointed star and above a ribbon bearing the dates 681 (first Bulgarian state established) and 1944 (liberation from Nazi control)
@Bulgaria:Economy
Overview: The Bulgarian economy continued its painful adjustment in 1994 from the misdirected development undertaken during four decades of Communist rule. Many aspects of a market economy have been put in place and have begun to function, but much of the economy, especially the industrial sector, has yet to re-establish market links lost with the collapse of the other centrally planned Soviet Bloc economies. The prices of many imported industrial inputs, especially energy products, have risen markedly, and falling real wages have not sufficed to restore competitiveness. The government plans more extensive privatization in 1995 to improve the management of enterprises and to encourage foreign investment. Bulgaria resumed payments on its $10 billion in commercial debt in 1993 following the negotiation of a 50% write-off.
National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $33.7 billion (1994 est.)
National product real growth rate: 0.2% (1994 est.)
National product per capita: $3,830 (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 122% (1994)
Unemployment rate: 16% (1994)
Budget:revenues: $14 billionexpenditures: $17.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $610million (1993 est.)
Exports: $3.6 billion (f.o.b., 1993)commodities: machinery and equipment 30.6%; agricultural products 24%;manufactured consumer goods 22.2%; fuels, minerals, raw materials, andmetals 10.5%; other 12.7% (1991)partners: former CEMA countries 57.7% (FSU 48.6%, Poland 2.1%,Czechoslovakia 0.9%); developed countries 26.3% (Germany 4.8%, Greece2.2%); less developed countries 15.9% (Libya 2.1%, Iran 0.7%) (1991)
Imports: $4.3 billion (c.i.f., 1993)commodities: fuels, minerals, and raw materials 58.7%; machinery andequipment 15.8%; manufactured consumer goods 4.4%; agriculturalproducts 15.2%; other 5.9%partners: former CEMA countries 51.0% (FSU 43.2%, Poland 3.7%);developed countries 32.8% (Germany 7.0%, Austria 4.7%); less developedcountries 16.2% (Iran 2.8%, Libya 2.5%)
External debt: $12 billion (1994)
Industrial production: growth rate 4% (1994); accounts for about 37% of GDP (1990)
Electricity: capacity: 11,500,000 kW production: 35.9 billion kWh consumption per capita: 3,827 kWh (1993)
Industries: machine building and metal working, food processing, chemicals, textiles, building materials, ferrous and nonferrous metals
Agriculture: climate and soil conditions support livestock raising and the growing of various grain crops, oilseeds, vegetables, fruits, and tobacco; more than one-third of the arable land devoted to grain; world's fourth-largest tobacco exporter; surplus food producer
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for southwest Asian heroin and South American cocaine transiting the Balkan route; limited producer of precursor chemicals
Economic aid: recipient: $700 million in balance of payments support (1994)
Currency: 1 lev (Lv) = 100 stotinki
Exchange rates: leva (Lv) per US$1 - 67.04 (January 1995), 32.00(January 1994), 24.56 (January 1993), 17.18 (January 1992), 16.13(March 1991), 0.7446 (November 1990); note - floating exchange ratesince February 1991
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Bulgaria:Transportation
Railroads:total: 4,294 kmstandard gauge: 4,049 km 1.435-m gauge (2,650 km electrified; 917double track)other: 245 km NA-m gauge (1994)
Highways:total: 36,932 kmpaved: 33,904 km (including 276 km expressways)unpaved: earth 3,028 km (1992)
Inland waterways: 470 km (1987)
Pipelines: crude oil 193 km; petroleum products 525 km; natural gas 1,400 km (1992)
Ports: Burgas, Lom, Nesebur, Ruse, Varna, Vidin
Merchant marine:total: 109 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,191,231 GRT/1,762,461DWTships by type: bulk 47, cargo 29, chemical carrier 4, container 2, oiltanker 15, passenger-cargo 2, railcar carrier 2, roll-on/roll-offcargo 6, short-sea passenger 1, refrigerated cargo 1note: Bulgaria owns 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 12,960 DWToperating under Liberian registry
Airports:total: 355with paved runways over 3,047 m: 1with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 17with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10with paved runways under 914 m: 88with unpaved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 1with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 10with unpaved runways under 914 m: 226
@Bulgaria:Communications
Telephone system: 2,600,000 telephones; 29 telephones/100 persons(1992); extensive but antiquated transmission system of coaxial cableand microwave radio relay; direct dialing to 36 countries; telephoneservice is available in most villages; almost two-thirds of the linesare residential; 67% of Sofia households have phones (November 1988)local: NAintercity: NAinternational: 1 earth station using Intersputnik; INTELSAT link usedthrough a Greek earth station
Radio:broadcast stations: AM 20, FM 15, shortwave 0radios: NA
Television:broadcast stations: 29 (Russian repeater in Sofia 1)televisions: 2.1 million (May 1990)
@Bulgaria:Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Border Troops,Internal Troops
Manpower availability: males age 15-49 2,171,414; males fit formilitary service 1,810,989; males reach military age (19) annually69,200 (1995 est.)
Defense expenditures: 13 billion leva, NA% of GDP (1994 est.); note - conversion of defense expenditures into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results
________________________________________________________________________
@Burkina:Geography
Location: Western Africa, north of Ghana
Map references: Africa
Area:total area: 274,200 sq kmland area: 273,800 sq kmcomparative area: slightly larger than Colorado
Land boundaries: total 3,192 km, Benin 306 km, Ghana 548 km, Coted'Ivoire 584 km, Mali 1,000 km, Niger 628 km, Togo 126 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none; landlocked
International disputes: following mutual acceptance of an International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling in December 1986 on their international boundary dispute, Burkina and Mali are proceeding with boundary demarcation, including the tripoint with Niger
Climate: tropical; warm, dry winters; hot, wet summers
Terrain: mostly flat to dissected, undulating plains; hills in west and southeast
Natural resources: manganese, limestone, marble; small deposits of gold, antimony, copper, nickel, bauxite, lead, phosphates, zinc, silver
Land use: arable land: 10% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 37% forest and woodland: 26% other: 27%
Irrigated land: 160 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:current issues: recent droughts and desertification severely affectingagricultural activities, population distribution, and the economy;overgrazing; soil degradation; deforestationnatural hazards: recurring droughtsinternational agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change,Endangered Species, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Law of the Sea,Nuclear Test Ban
Note: landlocked
@Burkina:People
Population: 10,422,828 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 48% (female 2,488,662; male 2,517,245)15-64 years: 49% (female 2,707,601; male 2,378,957)65 years and over: 3% (female 184,578; male 145,785) (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.79% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 48.05 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 18.22 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 116.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 46.6 years male: 45.71 years female: 47.51 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.88 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality: noun: Burkinabe (singular and plural) adjective: Burkinabe
Ethnic divisions: Mossi (about 2.5 million), Gurunsi, Senufo, Lobi,Bobo, Mande, Fulani
Religions: indigenous beliefs 40%, Muslim 50%, Christian (mainly RomanCatholic) 10%
Languages: French (official), tribal languages belonging to Sudanicfamily, spoken by 90% of the population
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)total population: 18%male: 28%female: 9%
Labor force: NA (most adults are employed in subsistance agriculture)by occupation: agriculture 80%, industry 15%, commerce, services, andgovernment 5%note: 20% of male labor force migrates annually to neighboringcountries for seasonal employment (1984)
@Burkina:Government
Names:conventional long form: Burkina Fasoconventional short form: Burkinaformer: Upper Volta
Digraph: UV
Type: parliamentary
Capital: Ouagadougou
Administrative divisions: 30 provinces; Bam, Bazega, Bougouriba,Boulgou, Boulkiemde, Ganzourgou, Gnagna, Gourma, Houet, Kadiogo,Kenedougou, Komoe, Kossi, Kouritenga, Mouhoun, Namentenga, Naouri,Oubritenga, Oudalan, Passore, Poni, Sanguie, Sanmatenga, Seno,Sissili, Soum, Sourou, Tapoa, Yatenga, Zoundweogo
Independence: 5 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday: Anniversary of the Revolution, 4 August (1983)
Constitution: 2 June 1991
Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law
Suffrage: none
Executive branch:chief of state: President Captain Blaise COMPAORE (since 15 October1987); election last held December 1991head of government: Prime Minister Roch KABORE (since March 1994)cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president
Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly of People's Deputies: elections last held 24 May 1992 (next to be held 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (107 total), ODP-MT 78, CNPP-PSD 12, RDA 6, ADF 4, other 7 note: the current law also provides for a second consultative chamber, which has not been formally constituted
Judicial branch: Appeals Court
Political parties and leaders: Organization for People's Democracy -Labor Movement (ODP-MT), ruling party, Simon COMPAORE, SecretaryGeneral; National Convention of Progressive Patriots-Social DemocraticParty (CNPP-PSD), Moussa BOLY; African Democratic Rally (RDA), GerardKango OUEDRAOGO; Alliance for Democracy and Federation (ADF), AmadouMichel NANA
Other political or pressure groups: committees for the defense of therevolution; watchdog/political action groups throughout the country inboth organizations and communities
Member of: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEAO, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ,G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, PCA, UN,UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US:chief of mission: Ambassador Gaetan R. OUEDRAOGOchancery: 2340 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008telephone: [1] (202) 332-5577, 6895
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Donald J. McCONNELL embassy: Avenue Raoul Follerau, Ouagadougou mailing address: 01 B. P. 35, Ouagadougou telephone: [226] 306723 through 306725 FAX: [226] 312368
Flag: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a yellow five-pointed star in the center; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
@Burkina:Economy
Overview: One of the poorest countries in the world, Burkina has a high population density and a high population growth rate, few natural resources, and a fragile soil. Economic development is hindered by a poor communications network within a landlocked country. Agriculture provides about 40% of GDP and is mainly of a subsistence nature. Industry, dominated by unprofitable government-controlled corporations, accounts for about 15% of GDP. Following the 50% currency devaluation in January 1994, the government updated its development program in conjunction with international agencies. Even with the best of plans, however, the government faces formidable problems on all sides.
National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $6.5 billion (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate: 0.4% (1993 est.)
National product per capita: $660 (1993 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): -0.6% (1993 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:revenues: $483 millionexpenditures: $548 million, including capital expenditures of $189million (1992)
Exports: $273 million (f.o.b., 1993)commodities: cotton, gold, animal productspartners: EC 42%, Cote d'Ivoire 11%, Taiwan 15% (1992)
Imports: $636 million (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: machinery, food products, petroleum partners: EC 49%, Africa 24%, Japan 6% (1992)
External debt: $865 million (December 1991 est.)
Industrial production: growth rate 6.7% (1992); accounts for about 15% of GDP
Electricity: capacity: 60,000 kW production: 190 million kWh consumption per capita: 17 kWh (1993)
Industries: cotton lint, beverages, agricultural processing, soap, cigarettes, textiles, gold mining and extraction
Agriculture: accounts for about 40% of GDP; cash crops - peanuts, shea nuts, sesame, cotton; food crops - sorghum, millet, corn, rice; livestock; not self-sufficient in food grains
Economic aid:recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $294 million;Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments(1970-89), $2.9 billion; Communist countries (1970-89), $113 million
Currency: 1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: CFA francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 529.43 (January 1995),555.20 (1995), 283.16 (1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26(1990)note: beginning 12 January 1994 the CFA franc was devalued to CFAF 100per French franc from CFAF 50 at which it had been fixed since 1948
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Burkina:Transportation
Railroads:total: 620 km (520 km Ouagadougou to Cote d'Ivoire border and 100 kmOuagadougou to Kaya; single track)narrow gauge: 620 km 1.000-m gauge
Highways:total: 16,500 kmpaved: 1,300 kmunpaved: improved earth 7,400 km; unimproved earth 7,800 km (1985)
Ports: none
Airports:total: 48with paved runways over 3,047 m: 1with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1with paved runways under 914 m: 26with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 4with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 16
@Burkina:Communications
Telephone system: NA telephones; all services only fairlocal: NAintercity: microwave radio relay, wire, and radio communicationstationsinternational: 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station
Radio:broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 1, shortwave 0radios: NA
Television:broadcast stations: 2televisions: NA
@Burkina:Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Police,People's Militia
Manpower availability: males age 15-49 2,081,999; males fit formilitary service 1,065,605 (1995 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $104 million, 6.4% ofGDP (1994)
________________________________________________________________________
@Burma:Geography
Location: Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Bay ofBengal, between Bangladesh and Thailand
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area:total area: 678,500 sq kmland area: 657,740 sq kmcomparative area: slightly smaller than Texas
Land boundaries: total 5,876 km, Bangladesh 193 km, China 2,185 km,India 1,463 km, Laos 235 km, Thailand 1,800 km
Coastline: 1,930 km
Maritime claims:contiguous zone: 24 nmcontinental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental marginexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: none
Climate: tropical monsoon; cloudy, rainy, hot, humid summers (southwest monsoon, June to September); less cloudy, scant rainfall, mild temperatures, lower humidity during winter (northeast monsoon, December to April)
Terrain: central lowlands ringed by steep, rugged highlands
Natural resources: petroleum, timber, tin, antimony, zinc, copper, tungsten, lead, coal, some marble, limestone, precious stones, natural gas
Land use: arable land: 15% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 1% forest and woodland: 49% other: 34%
Irrigated land: 10,180 sq km (1989)
Environment:current issues: deforestation; industrial pollution of air, soil, andwater; inadequate sanitation and water treatment contribute to disease
natural hazards: destructive earthquakes and cyclones; flooding andlandslides common during rainy season (June to September); periodicdroughtsinternational agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change,Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, TropicalTimber 83; signed, but not ratified - Law of the Sea
Note: strategic location near major Indian Ocean shipping lanes
@Burma:People
Population: 45,103,809 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 36% (female 7,963,544; male 8,285,459)15-64 years: 60% (female 13,478,211; male 13,404,987)65 years and over: 4% (female 1,080,922; male 890,686) (July 1995est.)
Population growth rate: 1.84% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 28.02 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 9.63 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 61.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 60.47 years male: 58.38 years female: 62.69 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.58 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality: noun: Burmese (singular and plural) adjective: Burmese
Ethnic divisions: Burman 68%, Shan 9%, Karen 7%, Rakhine 4%, Chinese3%, Mon 2%, Indian 2%, other 5%
Religions: Buddhist 89%, Christian 4% (Baptist 3%, Roman Catholic 1%),Muslim 4%, animist beliefs 1%, other 2%
Languages: Burmese; minority ethnic groups have their own languages
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)total population: 81%male: 89%female: 72%
Labor force: 16.007 million (1992) by occupation: agriculture 65.2%, industry 14.3%, trade 10.1%, government 6.3%, other 4.1% (FY88/89 est.)
@Burma:Government
Names:conventional long form: Union of Burmaconventional short form: Burmalocal long form: Pyidaungzu Myanma Naingngandaw (translated by the USGovernment as Union of Myanma and by the Burmese as Union of Myanmar)local short form: Myanma Naingngandawformer: Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma
Digraph: BM
Type: military regime
Capital: Rangoon (regime refers to the capital as Yangon)
Administrative divisions: 7 divisions* (yin-mya, singular - yin) and 7states (pyine-mya, singular - pyine); Chin State, Ayeyarwady*, Bago*,Kachin State, Kayin State, Kayah State, Magway*, Mandalay*, Mon State,Rakhine State, Sagaing*, Shan State, Tanintharyi*, Yangon*
Independence: 4 January 1948 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 4 January (1948)
Constitution: 3 January 1974 (suspended since 18 September 1988); National Convention started on 9 January 1993 to draft a new constitution; chapter headings and three of 15 sections have been approved
Legal system: has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state and head of government: Chairman of the State Law andOrder Restoration Council Gen. THAN SHWE (since 23 April 1992)State Law and Order Restoration Council: military junta which assumedpower 18 September 1988
Legislative branch:People's Assembly (Pyithu Hluttaw): election last held 27 May 1990,but Assembly never convened; results - NLD 80%; seats - (485 total)NLD 396, the regime-favored NUP 10, other 79; was dissolved after thecoup of 18 September 1988
Judicial branch: limited; remnants of the British-era legal system inplace, but there is no guarantee of a fair public trial; the judiciaryis not independent of the executive
Political parties and leaders: Union Solidarity and DevelopmentAssociation (USDA), THAN AUNG, Secretary; National Unity Party (NUP;proregime), THA KYAW; National League for Democracy (NLD), U AUNGSHWE; and eight other minor legal parties
Other political or pressure groups: National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB), headed by the elected prime minister SEIN WIN (consists of individuals legitimately elected to Parliament but not recognized by the military regime; the group fled to a border area and joined with insurgents in December 1990 to form a parallel government; Kachin Independence Army (KIA); United Wa State Army (UWSA); Karen National Union (KNU); several Shan factions, including the Mong Tai Army (MTA); All Burma Student Democratic Front (ABSDF)
Member of: AsDB, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatoryuser), INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO,WMO
Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador U THAUNG chancery: 2300 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-9044, 9045 consulate(s) general: New York
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Marilyn A. MEYERS embassy: 581 Merchant Street, Rangoon (GPO 521) mailing address: American Embassy, Box B, APO AP 96546 telephone: [95] (1) 82055, 82182 (operator assistance required) FAX: [95] (1) 80409
Flag: red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing, all in white, 14 five-pointed stars encircling a cogwheel containing a stalk of rice; the 14 stars represent the 14 administrative divisions
@Burma:Economy
Overview: Burma has a mixed economy with about 75% private activity, mainly in agriculture, light industry, and transport, and with about 25% state-controlled activity, mainly in energy, heavy industry, and foreign trade. Government policy in the last six years, 1989-94, has aimed at revitalizing the economy after four decades of tight central planning. Thus, private activity has markedly increased; foreign investment has been encouraged, so far with moderate success; and efforts continue to increase the efficiency of state enterprises. Published estimates of Burma's foreign trade are greatly understated because of the volume of black market trade. A major ongoing problem is the failure to achieve monetary and fiscal stability. Although Burma remains a poor Asian country, its rich resources furnish the potential for substantial long-term increases in income, exports, and living standards.
National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $41.4 billion (1994 est.)
National product real growth rate: 6.4% (1994)
National product per capita: $930 (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 38% (1994 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:revenues: $4.4 billionexpenditures: $6.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA(FY93/94 est.)
Exports: $674 million (FY93/94 est.)commodities: pulses and beans, teak, rice, hardwoodpartners: Singapore, China, Thailand, India, Hong Kong
Imports: $1.2 billion (FY93/94 est.) commodities: machinery, transport equipment, chemicals, food products partners: Japan, China, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia
External debt: $5.4 billion (FY93/94 est.)
Industrial production: growth rate 4.9% (FY92/93 est.); accounts for 10% of GDP
Electricity: capacity: 1,100,000 kW production: 2.6 billion kWh consumption per capita: 55 kWh (1993)
Industries: agricultural processing; textiles and footwear; wood and wood products; petroleum refining; mining of copper, tin, tungsten, iron; construction materials; pharmaceuticals; fertilizer
Agriculture: accounts for 65% of GDP and 65% of employment (including fishing, animal husbandry, and forestry); self-sufficient in food; principal crops - paddy rice, corn, oilseed, sugarcane, pulses; world's largest stand of hardwood trees; rice and timber account for 55% of export revenues
Illicit drugs: world's largest illicit producer of opium (2,030 metric tons in 1994 - dropped 21% due to regional drought in 1994) and minor producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; opium production continues to be almost double since the collapse of Rangoon's antinarcotic programs; growing role in amphetamine production for regional consumption
Economic aid:recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $158 million;Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments(1970-89), $3.9 billion; Communist countries (1970-89), $424 million
Currency: 1 kyat (K) = 100 pyas
Exchange rates: kyats (K) per US$1 - 5.8640 (January 1995), 5.9749 (1994), 6.1570 (1993), 6.1045 (1992), 6.2837 (1991), 6.3386 (1990); unofficial - 120
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
@Burma:Transportation
Railroads:total: 3,991 km (3,878 km common carrier lines, 113 km industriallines)standard gauge: 3,878 km 1.435-m gaugeother: 113 km NA-m gauge
Highways: total: 27,000 km paved: bituminous 3,200 km unpaved: gravel, improved earth 17,700 km; unimproved earth 6,100 km
Inland waterways: 12,800 km; 3,200 km navigable by large commercial vessels
Pipelines: crude oil 1,343 km; natural gas 330 km
Ports: Bassein, Bhamo, Chauk, Mandalay, Moulmein, Myitkyina, Rangoon,Sittwe, Tavoy
Merchant marine:total: 49 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 638,297 GRT/884,492 DWTships by type: bulk 19, cargo 15, chemical tanker 1, container 2, oiltanker 3, passenger-cargo 3, refrigerated cargo 4, vehicle carrier 2
Airports:total: 80with paved runways over 3,047 m: 2with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 11with paved runways under 914 m: 33with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 5with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 17
@Burma:Communications
Telephone system: 53,000 telephones (1986); meets minimum requirementsfor local and intercity service for business and government;international service is goodlocal: NAintercity: NAinternational: 1 INTELSAT (Indian Ocean) earth station
Radio:broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1985)radios: NAnote: radiobroadcast coverage is limited to the most populous areas
Television: broadcast stations: 1 (1985) televisions: NA
@Burma:Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force
Manpower availability: males age 15-49 11,553,094; females age 15-4911,463,189; males fit for military service 6,180,091; females fit formilitary service 6,116,421; males reach military age (18) annually457,445 (1995 est.); females reach military age (18) annually 441,628(1995 est.)note: both sexes liable for military service
Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP
________________________________________________________________________
@Burundi:Geography
Location: Central Africa, east of Zaire
Map references: Africa
Area:total area: 27,830 sq kmland area: 25,650 sq kmcomparative area: slightly larger than Maryland
Land boundaries: total 974 km, Rwanda 290 km, Tanzania 451 km, Zaire233 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none; landlocked
International disputes: none