Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:revenues: $78.6 millionexpenditures: $81.9 million, including capital expenditures of $NA(1995 est.)
Industries: timber, tourism, food processing, fishing
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity: capacity: 29,000 kW production: 50 million kWh consumption per capita: 200 kWh (1993)
Agriculture: coconuts, bananas, taro, yams
Exports: $6.4 million (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: coconut oil and cream, taro, copra, cocoa partners: New Zealand 34%, American Samoa 21%, Germany 18%, Australia 11%
Imports: $11.5 million (c.i.f., 1992 est.) commodities: intermediate goods 58%, food 17%, capital goods 12% partners: New Zealand 37%, Australia 25%, Japan 11%, Fiji 9%
External debt: $141 million (June 1993)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 tala (WS$) = 100 sene
Exchange rates: tala (WS$) per US$1 - 2.5195 (January 1996), 2.4722 (1995), 2.5349 (1994), 2.5681 (1993), 2.4655 (1992), 2.3975 (1991)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Transportation ———————
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 2,030 km paved: 373 km unpaved: 1,657 km (1988 est.)
Ports: Apia, Asau, Mulifanua, Salelologa
Merchant marine:total: 1 roll-on/roll-off cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling3,838 GRT/5,536 DWT (1995 est.)
Airports:total: 3with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 1with paved runways under 914 m: 2 (1995 est.)
Communications ———————
Telephones: 7,500 (1988 est.)
Telephone system: domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: 76,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 0 (1987 est.)
Televisions: 6,000 (1992 est.)
Defense ———-
Branches: no regular armed services; Western Samoa Police Force
Manpower availability: males age 15-49: NA males fit for military service: NA
Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP
======================================================================
@World ——-
Map —-
Geography ————-
Map references: World, Time Zones
Area:total area: 510.072 million sq kmland area: 148.94 million sq kmwater area: 361.132 million sq kmcomparative area: land area about 15 times the size of the USnote: 70.8% of the world is water, 29.2% is land
Land boundaries: the land boundaries in the world total 250,883.64km (not counting shared boundaries twice)
Coastline: 356,000 km
Maritime claims:contiguous zone: 24 nm claimed by most but can varycontinental shelf: 200-m depth claimed by most or to depth ofexploitation, others claim 200 nm or to the edge of the continentalmarginexclusive fishing zone: 200 nm claimed by most but can varyexclusive economic zone: 200 nm claimed by most but can varyterritorial sea: 12 nm claimed by most but can varynote: boundary situations with neighboring states prevent manycountries from extending their fishing or economic zones to a full200 nm; 43 nations and other areas that are landlocked includeAfghanistan, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bhutan,Bolivia, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic,Chad, Czech Republic, Ethiopia, Holy See (Vatican City), Hungary,Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg,Malawi, Mali, Moldova, Mongolia, Nepal, Niger, Paraguay, Rwanda, SanMarino, Slovakia, Swaziland, Switzerland, Tajikistan, The FormerYugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Uzbekistan,West Bank, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Climate: two large areas of polar climates separated by two rather narrow temperate zones from a wide equatorial band of tropical to subtropical climates
Terrain: the greatest ocean depth is the Marianas Trench at 10,924 m in the Pacific Ocean lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m highest point: Mount Everest 8,848 m
Natural resources: the rapid using up of nonrenewable mineralresources, the depletion of forest areas and wetlands, theextinction of animal and plant species, and the deterioration in airand water quality (especially in Eastern Europe and the former USSR)pose serious long-term problems that governments and peoples areonly beginning to address
Land use:arable land: 10%permanent crops: 1%meadows and pastures: 24%forest and woodland: 31%other: 34%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Environment:current issues: large areas subject to overpopulation, industrialdisasters, pollution (air, water, acid rain, toxic substances), lossof vegetation (overgrazing, deforestation, desertification), loss ofwildlife, soil degradation, soil depletion, erosionnatural hazards: large areas subject to severe weather (tropicalcyclones), natural disasters (earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis,volcanic eruptions)international agreements: selected international environmentalagreements are included under the Environment entry for each countryand in the Selected International Environmental Agreements appendix
People ———
Population: 5,771,939,007 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 31% (male 919,402,570; female 874,330,478)15-64 years: 62% (male 1,824,524,365; female 1,776,639,084)65 years and over: 7% (male 162,216,128; female 213,712,993)
Population growth rate: 1.4% (1996 est.)
Birth rate: 23 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate: 9 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.06 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/femaleall ages: 1.01 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 60 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 62 years male: 61 years female: 64 years
Total fertility rate: 2.9 children born/woman (1996 est.)
Government —————
Data code: none; there is no FIPS 10-4 country code for the World, so the Factbook uses the "W" data code from DIAM 65-18 "Geopolitical Data Elements and Related Features," Data Standard No. 3, March 1984, published by the Defense Intelligence Agency; see the Cross-Reference List of Country Data Codes appendix
Administrative divisions: 266 nations, dependent areas, other, andmiscellaneous entries
Legal system: varies by individual country; 186 (not includingYugoslavia) are parties to the UN International Court of Justice(ICJ or World Court)
Economy ———-
Economic overview: Real global output - gross world product (GWP) - again rose 3% in 1995, with the newly industrializing Third World countries setting the pace. And once more, results varied widely among regions and countries. Average growth of 2.5% in the GDP of industrialized countries (56% of GWP in 1995) and average growth of 5% in the GDP of less developed countries (38% of GWP) were partly offset by a small 1.5% drop in the GDP of the former USSR/Eastern Europe area (only 6% of GWP). With the notable exception of Japan at 3.1%, unemployment was typically 6%-12% in the industrial world. The US accounted for 22% of GWP in 1995; Western Europe accounted for 21%; and Japan accounted for 8%. These are the three "economic superpowers" presumably destined to compete for mastery in international markets on into the 21st century. As for the less developed countries: China, India, and the Four Dragons - South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore - once again posted records of 5% growth or better; however, many other countries, especially in Africa, continued to suffer from drought, rapid population growth, inflation, and civil strife. Central Europe continued its progress in moving toward "market-friendly" economies. The 15 ex-Soviet countries typically experienced further declines in output, although considerably less than in 1992-94. Externally, the nation-state, as a bedrock economic-political institution, is steadily losing control over international flows of people, goods, funds, and technology. Internally, the central government in a number of cases is losing control over resources as separatist regional movements - typically based on ethnicity - gain momentum, e.g., in the successor states of the former Soviet Union, in the former Yugoslavia, in India, and in Canada. In Western Europe, governments face the difficult political problem of channeling resources away from welfare programs in order to increase investment and strengthen incentives to seek employment. The addition of nearly 100 million people each year to an already overcrowded globe is exacerbating the problems of pollution, desertification, underemployment, epidemics, and famine. Because of their own internal problems, the industrialized countries have inadequate resources to deal effectively with the poorer areas of the world, which, at least from the economic point of view, are becoming further marginalized. (For specific economic developments in each country, see the individual country entries in this volume.)
GDP: GWP (gross world product) - purchasing power parity - $33.7 trillion (1995 est.)
GDP real growth rate: 3% (1995 est.)
GDP per capita: $5,900 (1995 est.)
GDP composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):all countries: 25%developed countries: 2% to 6% typicallydeveloping countries: 10% to 60% typically (1995 est.)note: national inflation rates vary widely in individual cases, fromstable prices in Japan to hyperinflation in a number of Third Worldcountries
Labor force: 2.24 billion (1992)by occupation: NA
Unemployment rate: 30% combined unemployment and underemployment in many non-industrialized countries; developed countries typically 6%-12% unemployment (1995 est.)
Industries: dominated by the onrush of technology, especially in computers, robotics, telecommunications, and medicines and medical equipment; most of these advances take place in OECD nations; only a small portion of non-OECD countries have succeeded in rapidly adjusting to these technological forces; the rapid development of new industrial (and agricultural) technology is complicating already grim environmental problems
Industrial production growth rate: 5% (1995 est.)
Electricity:capacity: 2,773,000,000 kWproduction: 11.601 trillion kWhconsumption per capita: 1,937 kWh (1993)
Agriculture: the whole gamut of crops, livestock, forest products,and fish
Exports: $4.3 trillion (f.o.b., 1995 est.)commodities: the whole range of industrial and agricultural goodsand servicespartners: in value, about 75% of exports from the developed countries
Imports: $4.4 trillion (c.i.f., 1995 est.)commodities: the whole range of industrial and agricultural goodsand servicespartners: in value, about 75% of imports by the developed countries
External debt: $2 trillion for less developed countries (1995 est.)
Economic aid: worldwide traditional foreign aid $50 billion (1995est.)
Transportation ———————
Railways:total: 1,201,337 km includes about 190,000 to 195,000 km ofelectrified routes of which 147,760 km are in Europe, 24,509 km inthe Far East, 11,050 km in Africa, 4,223 km in South America, and4,160 km in North America; note - fastest speed in daily service is300 km/hr attained by France's Societe Nationale des Chemins-de-FerFrancais (SNCF) Le Train a Grande Vitesse (TGV) - Atlantique linebroad gauge: 251,153 kmstandard gauge: 710,754 kmnarrow gauge: 239,430 km
Highways:total: NA kmpaved: NA kmunpaved: NA km
Ports: Chiba, Houston, Kawasaki, Kobe, Marseille, Mina' al Ahmadi(Kuwait), New Orleans, New York, Rotterdam, Yokohama
Merchant marine:total: 25,521 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 442,276,527GRT/701,647,274 DWTships by type: barge carrier 22, bulk 5,308, cargo 8,089, chemicaltanker 920, combination bulk 307, combination ore/oil 279, container1,938, liquefied gas tanker 709, livestock carrier 52, multifunctionlarge-load carrier 62, oil tanker 4,320, passenger 298,passenger-cargo 117, railcar carrier 21, refrigerated cargo 1,022,roll-on/roll-off cargo 1,034, short-sea passenger 484, specializedtanker 81, vehicle carrier 458 (1995 est.)
Communications ———————
Telephones: NA
Telephone system: domestic: NA international: NA
Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: NA
Televisions: NA
Defense ———-
Branches: ground, maritime, and air forces at all levels oftechnology
Defense expenditures: probably a small decline in 1995 in aggregate real expenditure on arms worldwide and somewhat less than three-quarters of a trillion dollars in money terms, or roughly 2% of gross world product (1995 est.)
======================================================================
@Yemen ——-
Map —-
Location: 15 00 N, 48 00 E — Middle East, bordering the ArabianSea, Gulf of Aden, and Red Sea, between Oman and Saudi Arabia
Flag ——
Description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black; similar to the flag of Syria which has two green stars and of Iraq which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Egypt which has a symbolic eagle centered in the white band
Geography ————-
Location: Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden,and Red Sea, between Oman and Saudi Arabia
Geographic coordinates: 15 00 N, 48 00 E
Map references: Middle East
Area:total area: 527,970 sq kmland area: 527,970 sq kmcomparative area: slightly larger than twice the size of Wyomingnote: includes Perim, Socotra, the former Yemen Arab Republic (YARor North Yemen), and the former People's Democratic Republic ofYemen (PDRY or South Yemen)
Land boundaries: total: 1,746 km border countries: Oman 288 km, Saudi Arabia 1,458 km
Coastline: 1,906 km
Maritime claims:contiguous zone: 18 nm in the North; 24 nm in the Southcontinental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental marginexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: large section of boundary with SaudiArabia not defined; a dispute with Eritrea over sovereignty of theHanish Islands in the southern Red Sea has been submitted toarbitration under the auspices of the International Court of Justice
Climate: mostly desert; hot and humid along west coast; temperate in western mountains affected by seasonal monsoon; extraordinarily hot, dry, harsh desert in east
Terrain: narrow coastal plain backed by flat-topped hills and rugged mountains; dissected upland desert plains in center slope into the desert interior of the Arabian Peninsula lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m highest point: Jabal an Nabi Shu'ayb 3,760 m
Natural resources: petroleum, fish, rock salt, marble, small deposits of coal, gold, lead, nickel, and copper, fertile soil in west
Land use:arable land: 6%permanent crops: 0%meadows and pastures: 30%forest and woodland: 7%other: 57%
Irrigated land: 3,100 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:current issues: very limited natural fresh water resources;inadequate supplies of potable water; overgrazing; soil erosion;desertificationnatural hazards: sandstorms and dust storms in summerinternational agreements: party to - Environmental Modification, Lawof the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban; signed, but not ratified -Biodiversity, Climate Change
Geographic note: controls Bab el Mandeb, the strait linking theRed Sea and the Gulf of Aden, one of world's most active shippinglanes
People ———
Population: 13,483,178 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 48% (male 3,302,489; female 3,122,246)15-64 years: 50% (male 3,327,682; female 3,364,787)65 years and over: 2% (male 158,018; female 207,956) (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.56% (1996 est.)
Birth rate: 45.22 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate: 9.59 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/femaleall ages: 1.01 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 71.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 59.58 years male: 58.23 years female: 60.99 years (1996 est.)
Total fertility rate: 7.29 children born/woman (1996 est.)
Nationality:noun: Yemeni(s)adjective: Yemeni
Ethnic divisions: predominantly Arab; Afro-Arab concentrations inwestern coastal locations; South Asians in southern regions; smallEuropean communities in major metropolitan areas
Religions: Muslim including Sha'fi (Sunni) and Zaydi (Shi'a),small numbers of Jewish, Christian, and Hindu
Languages: Arabic
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)total population: 38%male: 53%female: 26%
Government —————
Name of country:conventional long form: Republic of Yemenconventional short form: Yemenlocal long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Yamaniyahlocal short form: Al Yaman
Data code: YM
Type of government: republic
Capital: Sanaa
Administrative divisions: 17 governorates (muhafazat, singular -muhafazah); Abyan, Aden, Al Bayda, Al Hudaydah, Al Jawf, Al Mahrah,Al Mahwit, Ataq, Dhamar, Hadhramaut, Hajjah, Ibb, Lahij, Ma'rib,Sa'dah, San'a', Ta'izznote: there may be a new governorate for the capital city of Sanaa
Independence: 22 May 1990 Republic of Yemen was established on 22 May 1990 with the merger of the Yemen Arab Republic {Yemen (Sanaa) or North Yemen} and the Marxist-dominated People's Democratic Republic of Yemen {Yemen (Aden) or South Yemen}; previously North Yemen had become independent on NA November 1918 (from the Ottoman Empire) and South Yemen had become independent on 30 November 1967 (from the UK)
National holiday: Proclamation of the Republic, 22 May (1990)
Constitution: 16 May 1991; amended 29 September 1994
Legal system: based on Islamic law, Turkish law, English common law, and local tribal customary law; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Ali Abdallah SALIH (since 22 May1990, the former president of North Yemen, assumed office upon themerger of North and South Yemen) was elected for a five-year term bythe House of Representatives; election last held 1 October 1994(next to be held NA 1999); Vice President Maj. Gen. Abd al-RabMansur al-HADI (since NA October 1994) was appointed by the presidenthead of government: Prime Minister Abd al-Aziz ABD AL-GHANI (sinceNA October 1994) was appointed by the president; Deputy PrimeMinisters Abd al-Wahhab al-ANISI (since NA October 1994), Dr. Abdal-Karim Ali al-IRYANI (since NA October 1994), Dr. Muhammad Saidal-ATTAR (since NA October 1994), and Abd al-Qadir al-BA JAMAL(since NA October 1994)cabinet: Council of Ministers was appointed by the president onadvice of the prime minister
Legislative branch: unicameral House of Representatives: elections last held 27 April 1993 (next to be held NA May 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (301 total) GPC 124, Islaah 61, YSP 55, others 13, independents 47, election nullified 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: over 40 political parties are active in Yemen, but only three project significant influence; since the May-July 1994 civil war, President SALIH's General People's Congress (GPC) and Shaykh Abdallah bin Husayn al-AHMAR's Yemeni Grouping for Reform, or Islaah, have joined to form a coalition government; the Yemeni Socialist Party (YSP), headed by Ali Salih UBAYD, has regrouped as a loyal opposition
Other political or pressure groups: NA
International organization participation: ACC, AFESD, AL, AMF,CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD,IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OIC,UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO(applicant)
Diplomatic representation in US:chief of mission: Ambassador Muhsin Ahmad al-AYNIchancery: Suite 705, 2600 Virginia Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037telephone: [1] (202) 965-4760, 4761FAX: [1] (202) 337-2017
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador David G. NEWTON embassy: Dhahr Himyar Zone, Sheraton Hotel District, Sanaa mailing address: P. O. Box 22347, Sanaa telephone: [967] (1) 238843 through 238852 FAX: [967] (1) 251563
Flag: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black; similar to the flag of Syria which has two green stars and of Iraq which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Egypt which has a symbolic eagle centered in the white band
Economy ———-
Economic overview: Whereas the northern city Sanaa is the political capital of a united Yemen, the southern city Aden, with its refinery and port facilities, is the economic and commercial capital. Future economic development depends heavily on Western-assisted development of the country's moderate oil resources. Former South Yemen's willingness to merge stemmed partly from the steady decline in Soviet economic support. The low level of domestic industry and agriculture has made northern Yemen dependent on imports for practically all of its essential needs. Once self-sufficient in food production, northern Yemen has become a major importer. Land once used for export crops - cotton, fruit, and vegetables - has been turned over to growing a shrub called qat, whose leaves are chewed for their stimulant effect by Yemenis and which has no significant export market. Economic growth in former South Yemen has been constrained by a lack of incentives, partly stemming from centralized control over production decisions, investment allocation, and import choices. Yemen's large trade deficits have been compensated for by remittances from Yemenis working abroad and by foreign aid. Since the Gulf crisis, remittances have dropped substantially. High inflation and political divisions hinder the development of a forward-looking economic policy.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $37.1 billion (1995 est.)
GDP real growth rate: 3.6% (1995 est.)
GDP per capita: $2,520 (1995 est.)
GDP composition by sector: agriculture: 21% industry: 24% services: 55%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 71.3% (1994 est.)
Labor force: no reliable estimates exist, most people are employed in agriculture and herding or as expatriate laborers; services, construction, industry, and commerce account for less than one-half of the labor force
Unemployment rate: 30% (1995 est.)
Budget:revenues: $1.4 billionexpenditures: $1.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA(1996 est.)
Industries: crude oil production and petroleum refining; small-scale production of cotton textiles and leather goods; food processing; handicrafts; small aluminum products factory; cement
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity: capacity: 810,000 kW production: 1.8 billion kWh consumption per capita: 149 kWh (1993)
Agriculture: grain, fruits, vegetables, qat (mildly narcoticshrub), coffee, cotton; dairy products, poultry, meat; fish
Exports: $1.1 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.)commodities: crude oil, cotton, coffee, hides, vegetables, dried andsalted fishpartners: US 17%, Japan 16%, Singapore 15%, China 13% (1994)
Imports: $1.8 billion (c.i.f., 1994 est.)commodities: textiles and other manufactured consumer goods,petroleum products, sugar, grain, flour, other foodstuffs, cement,machinery, chemicalspartners: US 11%, UK 7%, France 7%, Germany 5%, Japan 5% (1994)
External debt: $8 billion (1996)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $148 million (1993)
Currency: Yemeni rial (new currency)
Exchange rates: Yemeni rials per US$1 - 12.010 (official fixed rate); 90 (market rate, December 1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Transportation ———————
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 51,392 km paved: 4,831 km unpaved: 46,561 km (1992 est.)
Pipelines: crude oil 644 km; petroleum products 32 km
Ports: Aden, Al Hudaydah, Al Mukalla, Mocha, Nishtun
Merchant marine:total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 12,059 GRT/18,563 DWTships by type: cargo 1, oil tanker 2 (1995 est.)
Airports:total: 41with paved runways over 3 047 m: 2with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 6with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 1with paved runways under 914 m: 3with unpaved runways over 3 047 m: 2with unpaved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 8with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 9with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 10 (1995 est.)
Communications ———————
Telephones: 131,655 (1992 est.)
Telephone system: since unification in 1990, efforts have beenmade to create a national telecommunications networkdomestic: the network consists of microwave radio relay, cable, andtropospheric scatterinternational: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Indian Oceanand 1 Atlantic Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region), and 2Arabsat; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and Djibouti
Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 1, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 10
Televisions: 350,000 (1992 est.)
Defense ———-
Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary (includes Police)
Manpower availability: males age 15-49: 2,985,764 males fit for military service: 1,685,517 males reach military age (18) annually: 145,161 (1996 est.)
Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP
======================================================================
@Zaire ——-
Map —-
Location: 0 00 N, 25 00 E — Central Africa, northeast of Angola
Flag ——
Description: light green with a yellow disk in the center bearing a black arm holding a red flaming torch; the flames of the torch are blowing away from the hoist side; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
Geography ————-
Location: Central Africa, northeast of Angola
Geographic coordinates: 0 00 N, 25 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area:total area: 2,345,410 sq kmland area: 2,267,600 sq kmcomparative area: slightly more than one-fourth the size of US
Land boundaries:total: 10,271 kmborder countries: Angola 2,511 km, Burundi 233 km, Central AfricanRepublic 1,577 km, Congo 2,410 km, Rwanda 217 km, Sudan 628 km,Uganda 765 km, Zambia 1,930 km
Coastline: 37 km
Maritime claims:exclusive economic zone: boundaries with neighborsterritorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: Tanzania-Zaire-Zambia tripoint in LakeTanganyika may no longer be indefinite since it has been informallyreported that the indefinite section of the Zaire-Zambia boundaryhas been settled; long section with Congo along the Congo river isindefinite (no division of the river or its islands has been made)
Climate: tropical; hot and humid in equatorial river basin; coolerand drier in southern highlands; cooler and wetter in easternhighlands; north of Equator - wet season April to October, dryseason December to February; south of Equator - wet season Novemberto March, dry season April to October
Terrain: vast central basin is a low-lying plateau; mountains ineastlowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 mhighest point: Margherita Peak (Mount Stanley) 5,110 m
Natural resources: cobalt, copper, cadmium, petroleum, industrialand gem diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, germanium,uranium, radium, bauxite, iron ore, coal, hydropower potential
Land use:arable land: 3%permanent crops: 0%meadows and pastures: 4%forest and woodland: 78%other: 15%
Irrigated land: 100 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:current issues: poaching threatens wildlife populations; waterpollution; deforestation; 1.2 million Rwandan refugees areresponsible for significant deforestation, soil erosion, andwildlife poaching in eastern Zairenatural hazards: periodic droughts in south; volcanic activityinternational agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change,Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, MarineDumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber83; signed, but not ratified - Desertification, EnvironmentalModification
Geographic note: straddles Equator; very narrow strip of land that controls the lower Congo river and is only outlet to South Atlantic Ocean; dense tropical rain forest in central river basin and eastern highlands
People ———
Population: 46,498,539 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 48% (male 11,161,347; female 11,124,583)15-64 years: 49% (male 11,197,097; female 11,783,524)65 years and over: 3% (male 539,775; female 692,213) (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.67% (1996 est.)
Birth rate: 48.1 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate: 16.9 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Net migration rate: -14.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)note: in 1994, more than one million refugees fled into Zaire toescape the fighting between the Hutus and the Tutsis in Rwanda andBurundi; a small number of these returned to their homes in 1995despite fear of the ongoing violence; additionally, Zaire is host toabout 100,000 Angolan, and about 100,000 Sudanese refugees
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/femaleall ages: 0.97 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 108 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 46.7 years male: 44.97 years female: 48.47 years (1996 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.64 children born/woman (1996 est.)
Nationality:noun: Zairian(s)adjective: Zairian
Ethnic divisions: over 200 African ethnic groups, the majority areBantu; four largest tribes - Mongo, Luba, Kongo (all Bantu), and theMangbetu-Azande (Hamitic) make up about 45% of the population
Religions: Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 20%, Kimbanguist 10%,Muslim 10%, other syncretic sects and traditional beliefs 10%
Languages: French (official), Lingala (a lingua franca tradelanguage), Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or Swahili), Kikongo,Tshiluba
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write in French, Lingala,Kingwana, or Tshiluba (1995 est.)total population: 77.3%male: 86.6%female: 67.7%
Government —————
Name of country: conventional long form: Republic of Zaire conventional short form: Zaire local long form: Republique du Zaire local short form: Zaire former: Belgian Congo Congo/Leopoldville Congo/Kinshasa
Data code: CG
Type of government: republic with a strong presidential system
Capital: Kinshasa
Administrative divisions: 10 regions (regions, singular - region)and 1 town* (ville); Bandundu, Bas-Zaire, Equateur, Haut-Zaire,Kasai-Occidental, Kasai-Oriental, Kinshasa*, Maniema, Nord-Kivu,Shaba, Sud-Kivu
Independence: 30 June 1960 (from Belgium)
National holiday: Anniversary of the Regime (Second Republic), 24November (1965)
Constitution: 24 June 1967, amended August 1974, revised 15February 1978; amended April 1990; new transitional constitutionpromulgated in April 1994
Legal system: based on Belgian civil law system and tribal law;has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:chief of state: President Marshal MOBUTU Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu waZa Banga (since 24 November 1965) elected for a seven-year term bypopular vote; election last held 29 July 1984 (next to be held by 9July 1997); results - President MOBUTU was reelected withoutoppositionhead of government: Prime Minister Leon KENGO wa Dondo (since 14June 1994) elected by the High Council of the Republiccabinet: National Executive Council, appointed by mutual agreementof the president and the prime minister
Legislative branch: unicameral parliament: a single body consisting of the High Council of the Republic and the Parliament of the Transition with membership equally divided between presidential supporters and opponents
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Political parties and leaders: sole legal party until January 1991- Popular Movement of the Revolution (MPR); other parties includeUnion for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), Etienne TSHISEKEDIwa Mulumba; Democratic Social Christian Party (PDSC); Union ofFederalists and Independent Republicans (UFERI); Unified LumumbastParty (PALU), Antoine GIZENGA; Union of Independent Democrats (UDI),Leon KENGO wa Dondo
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC,CEEAC, CEPGL, ECA, FAO, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC,ITU, NAM, OAU, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL,WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO
Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador TATANENE Manata chancery: 1800 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 234-7690, 7691
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel H. SIMPSON embassy: 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa mailing address: Unit 31550, APO AE 09828 telephone: [243] (12) 21533 through 21535 FAX: [243] (88) 43805, ext. 2308 or 43467
Flag: light green with a yellow disk in the center bearing a black arm holding a red flaming torch; the flames of the torch are blowing away from the hoist side; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
Economy ———-
Economic overview: Zaire's economy has continued to disintegrate, although Prime Minister KENGO has had some success in slowing the rate of economic decline. While meaningful economic figures are difficult to come by, Zaire's hyperinflation, chronic large government deficits, and plunging mineral production have made the country one of the world's poorest. Most formal transactions are conducted in hard currency as indigenous bank notes have lost almost all value, and a barter economy now flourishes in all but the largest cities. Most individuals and families hang on grimly through subsistence farming and petty trade. The government has not been able to meet its financial obligations to the IMF nor put in place the financial measures advocated by it. Although short-term prospects for improvement remain doubtful, improved political stability would boost Zaire's long-term potential to effectively exploit its vast mineral and agricultural resources.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $16.5 billion (1995 est.)
GDP real growth rate: -7.4% (1995 est.)
GDP per capita: $400 (1995 est.)
GDP composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 12% monthly average (1995 est.)
Labor force: 14.51 million (1993 est.) by occupation: agriculture 65%, industry 16%, services 19% (1991 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:revenues: $479 millionexpenditures: $479 million, including capital expenditures of $NA(1996 est.)
Industries: mining, mineral processing, consumer products (including textiles, footwear, cigarettes, processed foods and beverages), cement, diamonds
Industrial production growth rate: -20% (1993)
Electricity: capacity: 2,830,000 kW production: 6.2 billion kWh consumption per capita: 133 kWh (1993)
Agriculture: coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber, tea, quinine, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, bananas, root crops, corn, fruits; wood products
Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for domestic consumption
Exports: $419 million (f.o.b., 1994) commodities: copper, coffee, diamonds, cobalt, crude oil partners: US, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, UK, Japan, South Africa
Imports: $382 million (c.i.f., 1994) commodities: consumer goods, foodstuffs, mining and other machinery, transport equipment, fuels partners: South Africa, US, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK
External debt: $11.3 billion (December 1993 est.)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 zaire (Z) = 100 makuta
Exchange rates: new zaires (Z) per US$1 - 10,618 (October 1995),1,194 (1994), 3 (1993); zaire (Z) per US$1 - 645,549 (1992), 15,587(1991)note: on 22 October 1993 the new zaire, equal to 3,000,000 oldzaires, was introduced
Fiscal year: calendar year
Transportation ———————
Railways:total: 5,138 km (1995); note - severely reduced trackage in usebecause of civil strifenarrow gauge: 3,987 km 1.067-m gauge (858 km electrified); 125 km1.000-m gauge; 1,026 km 0.600-m gauge
Highways: total: 145,000 km paved: 290 km unpaved: 144,710 km (1991 est.)
Waterways: 15,000 km including the Congo, its tributaries, and unconnected lakes
Pipelines: petroleum products 390 km
Ports: Banana, Boma, Bukavu, Bumba, Goma, Kalemie, Kindu,Kinshasa, Kisangani, Matadi, Mbandaka
Merchant marine: none
Airports:total: 217with paved runways over 3 047 m: 4with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 3with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 15with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 2with paved runways under 914 m: 82with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 17with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 94 (1995 est.)
Communications ———————
Telephones: 34,000 (1991 est.)
Telephone system:domestic: barely adequate wire and microwave radio relay service inand between urban areas; domestic satellite system with 14 earthstationsinternational: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 10, FM 4, shortwave 0
Radios: 3.87 million (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 18
Televisions: 55,000 (1992 est.)
Defense ———-
Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie,paramilitary Civil Guard, Special Presidential Division
Manpower availability: males age 15-49: 10,025,536 males fit for military service: 5,108,385 (1996 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $46 million, 1.5% of GDP (1990)
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@Zambia ———
Map —-
Location: 15 00 S, 30 00 E — Southern Africa, east of Angola
Flag ——
Description: green with a panel of three vertical bands of red (hoist side), black, and orange below a soaring orange eagle, on the outer edge of the flag
Geography ————-
Location: Southern Africa, east of Angola
Geographic coordinates: 15 00 S, 30 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area:total area: 752,610 sq kmland area: 740,720 sq kmcomparative area: slightly larger than Texas
Land boundaries:total: 5,664 kmborder countries: Angola 1,110 km, Malawi 837 km, Mozambique 419 km,Namibia 233 km, Tanzania 338 km, Zaire 1,930 km, Zimbabwe 797 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
International disputes: quadripoint with Botswana, Namibia, and Zimbabwe is in disagreement; Tanzania-Zaire-Zambia tripoint in Lake Tanganyika may no longer be indefinite since it has been informally reported that the indefinite section of the Zaire-Zambia boundary has been settled
Climate: tropical; modified by altitude; rainy season (October toApril)
Terrain: mostly high plateau with some hills and mountains lowest point: Zambezi river 329 m highest point: in Mafinga Hills 2,301 m
Natural resources: copper, cobalt, zinc, lead, coal, emeralds,gold, silver, uranium, hydropower potential
Land use:arable land: 7%permanent crops: 0%meadows and pastures: 47%forest and woodland: 27%other: 19%
Irrigated land: 320 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:current issues: air pollution and resulting acid rain in the mineralextraction and refining region; poaching seriously threatensrhinoceros and elephant populations; deforestation; soil erosion;desertification; lack of adequate water treatment presents humanhealth risksnatural hazards: tropical storms (November to April)international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change,Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear TestBan, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified -Desertification
Geographic note: landlocked
People ———
Population: 9,159,072 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 49% (male 2,272,981; female 2,244,403)15-64 years: 48% (male 2,157,106; female 2,256,935)65 years and over: 3% (male 110,433; female 117,214) (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.11% (1996 est.)
Birth rate: 44.73 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate: 23.65 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/femaleall ages: 0.98 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 96.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 36.31 years male: 36.15 years female: 36.46 years (1996 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.55 children born/woman (1996 est.)
Nationality: noun: Zambian(s) adjective: Zambian
Ethnic divisions: African 98.7%, European 1.1%, other 0.2%
Religions: Christian 50%-75%, Muslim and Hindu 24%-49%, indigenous beliefs 1%
Languages: English (official), major vernaculars - Bemba, Kaonda,Lozi, Lunda, Luvale, Nyanja, Tonga, and about 70 other indigenouslanguages
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write in English (1995 est.)total population: 78.2%male: 85.6%female: 71.3%
Government —————
Name of country: conventional long form: Republic of Zambia conventional short form: Zambia former: Northern Rhodesia
Data code: ZA
Type of government: republic
Capital: Lusaka
Administrative divisions: 9 provinces; Central, Copperbelt,Eastern, Luapula, Lusaka, Northern, North-Western, Southern, Western
Independence: 24 October 1964 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 24 October (1964)
Constitution: 2 August 1991
Legal system: based on English common law and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in an ad hoc constitutional council; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state and head of government: President Frederick CHILUBA(since 31 October 1991) elected for a five-year term by popularvote; Vice President General Godfrey MIYANDA (since NA August 1994)appointed by the president; election last held 31 October 1991 (nextto be held October 1996); results - Frederick CHILUBA 84%, KennethKAUNDA 16%cabinet: Cabinet, appointed by the president from among the membersof the National Assembly
Legislative branch: unicameralNational Assembly: elections last held 31 October 1991 (next to beheld October 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats -(150 total) MMD 125, UNIP 25; note - the MMD's majority was weakenedby the defection of 13 of its parliamentary members during 1993 andthe defeat of its candidates in four of the resulting byelections
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, justices are appointed by thepresident
Political parties and leaders: Movement for Multiparty Democracy(MMD), Frederick CHILUBA; United National Independence Party (UNIP),Kenneth KAUNDA; National Party (NP), Humphrey MULEMBIA; Labor Party(LP), Chibiza MFUNI; Zambia Democratic Congress (ZDC), DeanMUNG'OMBA; Liberal Progressive Front (LPF), Roger CHONGWE, president
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA,FAO, G-19, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OAU, SADC,UN, UNAMIR, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO,WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in US:chief of mission: Ambassador Dunstan Weston KAMANAchancery: 2419 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008telephone: [1] (202) 265-9717 through 9719FAX: [1] (202) 332-0826
US diplomatic representation:chief of mission: Ambassador Roland K. KUCHELembassy: corner of Independence Avenue and United Nations Avenue,Lusakamailing address: P. O. Box 31617, Lusakatelephone: [260] (1) 250-955, 252-230FAX: [260] (1) 252-225
Flag: green with a panel of three vertical bands of red (hoist side), black, and orange below a soaring orange eagle, on the outer edge of the flag
Economy ———-
Economic overview: Despite continuing progress in privatization and budgetary reform, Zambia's economy is showing little improvement. Inflation, while slowing somewhat, continues to be a major concern to the CHILUBA government. Four of Zambia's 20 banks collapsed in 1995, and the nation's debt stood at about $7 billion. Zambia's copper mining sector, which accounts for over 80% of the nation's foreign currency intake, is struggling. Production rates are down as are world copper prices. Food production is insufficient to meet the country's needs due to previous droughts and an end to government subsidization of agriculture. While the government's economic program aims for 6% growth in each of the next three years, a growth rate of 3-5% is more likely.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $8.9 billion (1995 est.)
GDP real growth rate: NA%
GDP per capita: $900 (1995 est.)
GDP composition by sector: agriculture: 32% industry: 22% services: 46% (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 55% (1994 est.)
Labor force: 3.4 million by occupation: agriculture 85%, mining, manufacturing, and construction 6%, transport and services 9%
Unemployment rate: 22% (1991)
Budget:revenues: $665 millionexpenditures: $767 million, including capital expenditures of $300million (1991 est.)
Industries: copper mining and processing, construction,foodstuffs, beverages, chemicals, textiles, fertilizer
Industrial production growth rate: -1% (1992)
Electricity: capacity: 2,440,000 kW production: 7.8 billion kWh consumption per capita: 650 kWh (1993)
Agriculture: corn, sorghum, rice, peanuts, sunflower seed, tobacco, cotton, sugarcane, cassava (tapioca); cattle, goats, beef, eggs
Illicit drugs: increasingly a regional transshipment center for methaqualone and heroin
Exports: $1.075 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.)commodities: copper, zinc, cobalt, lead, tobaccopartners: EU countries, Japan, South Africa, US, India, Thailand,Malaysia
Imports: $845 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.)commodities: machinery, transportation equipment, foodstuffs, fuels,manufacturespartners: EU countries, Japan, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, US
External debt: $7 billion (1995 est.)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $734 million (1993)
Currency: 1 Zambian kwacha (ZK) = 100 ngwee
Exchange rates: Zambian kwacha (ZK) per US$1 - 909.09 (December 1995), 833.33 (1995), 769.23 (1994), 434.78 (1993), 156.25 (1992), 61.7284 (1991)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Transportation ———————
Railways:total: 2,164 km (1995)narrow gauge: 2,164 km 1.067-m gauge (13 km double track)note: the total includes 891 km of the Tanzania-Zambia RailwayAuthority (TAZARA), which operates 1,860 km of 1.067-m narrow gaugetrack between Dar es Salaam and New Kapiri M'poshi where it connectsto the Zambia Railways system; TAZARA is not a part of ZambiaRailways
Highways:total: 37,359 kmpaved: 6,575 km (including 56 km of expressways)unpaved: 30,784 km (1992 est.)
Waterways: 2,250 km, including Zambezi and Luapula rivers, LakeTanganyika
Pipelines: crude oil 1,724 km
Ports: Mpulungu
Airports:total: 104with paved runways over 3 047 m: 1with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 3with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 4with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 2with paved runways under 914 m: 35with unpaved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 1with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 4with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 54 (1995 est.)
Communications ———————
Telephones: 80,900 (1987 est.)
Telephone system: facilities are among the best in Sub-SaharanAfricadomestic: high-capacity microwave radio relay connects most largertowns and citiesinternational: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Oceanand 1 Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 11, FM 5, shortwave 0
Radios: 1,889,140
Television broadcast stations: 9
Televisions: 215,000 (1995 est.)
Defense ———-
Branches: Army, Air Force, paramilitary forces, Police
Manpower availability: males age 15-49: 1,934,845 males fit for military service: 1,020,851 (1996 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $96 million, 2.7% of GDP (1995)
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@Zimbabwe ————
Map —-
Location: 20 00 S, 30 00 E — Southern Africa, northeast ofBotswana
Flag ——
Description: seven equal horizontal bands of green, yellow, red, black, red, yellow, and green with a white equilateral triangle edged in black based on the hoist side; a yellow Zimbabwe bird is superimposed on a red five-pointed star in the center of the triangle
Geography ————-
Location: Southern Africa, northeast of Botswana