Illicit drugs: growing role as heroin transshipment and money-laundering center due to its proximity to southwest Asian producing countries and the bustling free trade zone in Dubai ______________________________________________________________________
@United Kingdom:Geography
Location: Western Europe, islands including the northern one-sixth of the island of Ireland between the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea, northwest of France
Geographic coordinates: 54 00 N, 2 00 W
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 244,820 sq km land: 241,590 sq km water : 3,230 sq km note: includes Rockall and Shetland Islands
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Oregon
Land boundaries: total: 360 km border countries : Ireland 360 km
Coastline: 12,429 km
Maritime claims: continental shelf : as defined in continental shelf orders or in accordance with agreed upon boundaries exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds over theNorth Atlantic Current; more than one-half of the days are overcast
Terrain: mostly rugged hills and low mountains; level to rolling plains in east and southeast
Elevation extremes: lowest point : Fenland -4 m highest point: Ben Nevis 1,343 m
Natural resources: coal, petroleum, natural gas, tin, limestone, iron ore, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, lead, silica
Land use: arable land: 25% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 46% forests and woodland : 10% other: 19% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,080 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: sulfur dioxide emissions from power plants contribute to air pollution; some rivers polluted by agricultural wastes and coastal waters polluted because of large-scale disposal of sewage at sea
Environment - international agreements:party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, AirPollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, EnvironmentalModification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine LifeConservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, ShipPollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whalingsigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: lies near vital North Atlantic sea lanes; only 35 km from France and now linked by tunnel under the English Channel; because of heavily indented coastline, no location is more than 125 km from tidal waters
@United Kingdom:People
Population: 57,591,677 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 19% (male 5,647,549; female 5,386,750) 15-64 years : 65% (male 18,532,243; female 18,757,168) 65 years and over: 16% (male 3,808,399; female 5,459,568) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.24% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 11.83 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 10.77 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 1.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth : 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years : 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 6 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.25 years male: 74.67 years female: 79.96 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.65 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Briton(s), British (collective plural) adjective: British
Ethnic groups: English 81.5%, Scottish 9.6%, Irish 2.4%, Welsh 1.9%,Ulster 1.8%, West Indian, Indian, Pakistani, and other 2.8%
Religions: Anglican 27 million, Roman Catholic 9 million, Muslim 1 million, Presbyterian 800,000, Methodist 760,000, Sikh 400,000, Hindu 350,000, Jewish 300,000 (1991 est.) note: the UK does not include a question on religion in its census
Languages: English, Welsh (about 26% of the population of Wales),Scottish form of Gaelic (about 60,000 in Scotland)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over has completed five or more years of schooling total population: 99% (1978 est.) male: NA% female : NA%
@United Kingdom:Government
Country name: conventional long form: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland conventional short form: United Kingdom abbreviation: UK
Data code: UK
Government type: constitutional monarchy
National capital: London
Administrative divisions: 47 counties, 7 metropolitan counties, 26districts, 9 regions, and 3 islands areas; England - 39 counties, 7metropolitan counties*; Avon, Bedford, Berkshire, Buckingham,Cambridge, Cheshire, Cleveland, Cornwall, Cumbria, Derby, Devon,Dorset, Durham, East Sussex, Essex, Gloucester, Greater London*,Greater Manchester*, Hampshire, Hereford and Worcester, Hertford,Humberside, Isle of Wight, Kent, Lancashire, Leicester, Lincoln,Merseyside*, Norfolk, Northampton, Northumberland, North Yorkshire,Nottingham, Oxford, Shropshire, Somerset, South Yorkshire*, Stafford,Suffolk, Surrey, Tyne and Wear*, Warwick, West Midlands*, West Sussex,West Yorkshire*, Wiltshire; Northern Ireland - 26 districts; Antrim,Ards, Armagh, Ballymena, Ballymoney, Banbridge, Belfast,Carrickfergus, Castlereagh, Coleraine, Cookstown, Craigavon, Down,Dungannon, Fermanagh, Larne, Limavady, Lisburn, Londonderry,Magherafelt, Moyle, Newry and Mourne, Newtownabbey, North Down, Omagh,Strabane; Scotland - 9 regions, 3 islands areas*; Borders, Central,Dumfries and Galloway, Fife, Grampian, Highland, Lothian, Orkney*,Shetland*, Strathclyde, Tayside, Western Isles*; Wales - 8 counties;Clwyd, Dyfed, Gwent, Gwynedd, Mid Glamorgan, Powys, South Glamorgan,West Glamorgan
Dependent areas: Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory,British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar,Guernsey, Hong Kong (scheduled to become a Special AdministrativeRegion of China on 1 July 1997), Jersey, Isle of Man, Montserrat,Pitcairn Islands, Saint Helena, South Georgia and the South SandwichIslands, Turks and Caicos Islands
Independence: 1 January 1801 (United Kingdom established)
National holiday: Celebration of the Birthday of the Queen (secondSaturday in June)
Constitution: unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice
Legal system: common law tradition with early Roman and modern continental influences; no judicial review of Acts of Parliament; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); Heir Apparent Prince CHARLES (son of the queen, born 14 November 1948) head of government: Prime Minister Tony BLAIR (since 2 May 1997) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the prime minister elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; prime minister is the leader of the majority party in the House of Commons and must have the consent of the monarch
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of House of Lords (1,200 seats; four-fifths of the members are hereditary peers, two archbishops, 24 other senior bishops, serving and retired Lords of Appeal in Ordinary, other life peers, Scottish peers) and House of Commons (659 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: House of Lords - no elections; House of Commons - last held 1 May 1997 (next to be held by NA May 2002) election results: House of Commons - percent of vote by party - Labor 44.5%, Conservative 31%, Liberal Democratic 17%, other 7.5%; seats by party - Labor 418, Conservative 165, Liberal Democratic 46, other 30
Judicial branch: House of Lords, several Lords of Appeal in Ordinary are appointed by the monarch for life
Political parties and leaders: Conservative and Unionist Party [JohnMAJOR]; Labor Party [Anthony (Tony) Blair]; Liberal Democrats or LD[Jeremy (Paddy) ASHDOWN]; Scottish National Party [Alex SALMOND];Welsh National Party (Plaid Cymru) [Dafydd Iwan WIGLEY]; UlsterUnionist Party (Northern Ireland) [David TRIMBLE]; Democratic UnionistParty (Northern Ireland) [Rev. Ian PAISLEY]; Social Democratic andLabor Party or SDLP (Northern Ireland) [John HUME]; Sinn Fein(Northern Ireland) [Gerry ADAMS]; Alliance Party (Northern Ireland)[Lord ALDERDICE]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Trades Union Congress; Confederation of British Industry; National Farmers' Union; Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
International organization participation: AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB,Australia Group, BIS, C, CCC, CDB (non-regional), CE, CERN, EBRD, ECA(associate), ECE, ECLAC, EIB, ESA, ESCAP, EU, FAO, G- 5, G- 7, G-10,IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer),ISO, ITU, MTCR, NACC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OECD, OSCE, PCA, UN, UN SecurityCouncil, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNOMIG,UNRWA, UNTAES, UNU, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Sir John Olav KERR (will return to London in late 1997) chancery: 3100 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone : [1] (202) 588-6500 FAX: [1] (202) 588-7870 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco consulate(s): Dallas, Miami, and Seattle
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador William J. CROWE, Jr. embassy: 24/31 Grosvenor Square, London, W. 1A1AE mailing address: PSC 801, Box 40, London; FPO AE 09498-4040 telephone: [44] (71) 499-9000 FAX : [44] (71) 409-1637 consulate(s) general: Belfast, Edinburgh
Flag description: blue with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England) edged in white superimposed on the diagonal red cross of Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland) which is superimposed on the diagonal white cross of Saint Andrew (patron saint of Scotland); known as the Union Flag or Union Jack; the design and colors (especially the Blue Ensign) have been the basis for a number of other flags including dependencies, Commonwealth countries, and others
Economy
Economy - overview: The UK is one of the world's great trading powers and financial centers, and its essentially capitalistic economy ranks among the four largest in Western Europe. Over the past 17 years the ruling Tories have greatly reduced public ownership and contained the growth of social welfare programs. Agriculture is intensive, highly mechanized, and efficient by European standards, producing about 60% of food needs with only about 1% of the labor force. The UK has large coal, natural gas, and oil reserves; primary energy production accounts for 12% of GDP, one of the highest shares of any industrial nation. Services, particularly banking, insurance, and business services, account by far for the largest proportion of GDP while industry continues to decline in importance, now employing only 25% of the work force. The economy registered 3.9% GDP growth in 1994, the best rate for six years, but slipped back to 2.7% in 1995 and 2.4% in 1996. Exports and manufacturing output have been the primary engines of growth. Unemployment is gradually falling. Inflation is a comfortable 2.6%. A major economic policy question for the UK in the late 1990s is the terms on which it participates in the financial and economic integration of Europe.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.19 trillion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 2.4% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $20,400 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.9% industry: 34.1% services : 64% (1994 est.)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 2.6% (1996 est.)
Labor force: total : 28.1 million (September 1996) by occupation: services 62.8%, manufacturing and construction 25.0%, government 9.1%, energy 1.9%, agriculture 1.2% (June 1992)
Unemployment rate: 6.7% (December 1996)
Budget: revenues : $421.5 billion expenditures: $474.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY95/96 est.)
Industries: production machinery including machine tools, electric power equipment, automation equipment, railroad equipment, shipbuilding, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, electronics and communications equipment, metals, chemicals, coal, petroleum, paper and paper products, food processing, textiles, clothing, and other consumer goods
Industrial production growth rate: 1% (1996 est.)
Electricity - capacity: 66.15 million kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 327.7 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 5,178 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: cereals, oilseed, potatoes, vegetables; cattle, sheep, poultry; fish
Exports: total value: $240.4 billion (f.o.b., 1995) commodities : manufactured goods, machinery, fuels, chemicals, semifinished goods, transport equipment partners: EU countries 56.4% (Germany 12.7%, France 9.9%, Netherlands 7.0%), US 13.1% (1994)
Imports: total value : $258.8 billion (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: manufactured goods, machinery, semifinished goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods partners: EU countries 54.9% (Germany 14.6%, France 10.0%, Netherlands 6.7%), US 12.2% (1994)
Debt - external: $16.2 billion (June 1992)
Economic aid: donor: ODA, $2.908 billion (1993)
Currency: 1 British pound (£) = 100 pence
Exchange rates: British pounds (£) per US$1 - 0.6023 (January 1997), 0.6403 (1996), 0.6335 (1995), 0.6529 (1994), 0.6658 (1993), 0.5664 (1992)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
@United Kingdom:Communications
Telephones: 29.5 million (1987 est.)
Telephone system: technologically advanced domestic and international system domestic: equal mix of buried cables, microwave radio relay, and fiber-optic systems international: 40 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 10 Intelsat (7 Atlantic Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region), and 1 Eutelsat; at least 8 large international switching centers
Radio broadcast stations: AM 225, FM 525 (mostly repeaters), shortwave 0
Radios: 70 million
Television broadcast stations: 207 (repeaters 3,210)
Televisions: 20 million
@United Kingdom:Transportation
Railways: total : 17,561 km broad gauge: 434 km 1.600-m gauge (190 km double track); note - all 1.600-m gauge track, of which 357 km is in common carrier use, is in Northern Ireland standard gauge: 16,892 km 1.435-m gauge (4,928 km electrified; 12,591 km double or multiple track); note - 16,532 km of 1.435-m routes are in common carrier service; the remaining 360 km are operated by a total of 40 tourist or other private companies narrow gauge: 235 km 0.260-m, 0.311-m, 0.381-m, 0.600-m, 0.610-m, 0.686-m, 0.760-m, 0.762-m, 0.800-m, 0.825-m, 0.914-m and 1.067-m gauges; note - these short, narrow-gage lines are operated by a total of 25 tourist and other private firms (1995)
Highways: total: 388,831 km (1994 est.) paved: NA km (including 3,284 km of expressways) unpaved: NA km
Waterways: 3,200 km under British Waterways Board
Pipelines: crude oil (almost all insignificant) 933 km; petroleum products 2,993 km; natural gas 12,800 km
Ports and harbors: Aberdeen, Belfast, Bristol, Cardiff, Grangemouth,Hull, Leith, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Sullom Voe, Tees, Tyne
Merchant marine: total: 150 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,719,891 GRT/3,246,718 DWT ships by type: bulk 8, cargo 28, chemical tanker 2, container 21, liquefied gas tanker 2, oil tanker 54, passenger 8, passenger-cargo 1, refrigerated tanker 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 12, short-sea passenger 12, specialized tanker 1 (1996 est.)
Airports: 387 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 366 over 3,047 m: 9 2,438 to 3,047 m: 29 1,524 to 2,437 m: 103 914 to 1,523 m: 59 under 914 m: 166 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total : 21 914 to 1,523 m: 21 (1996 est.)
Heliports: 12 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Royal Navy (includes Royal Marines), RoyalAir Force
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 13,829,704 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males : 11,527,058 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $35.1 billion (FY95/96)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3.1% (FY95/96)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: Northern Ireland question with Ireland;Gibraltar question with Spain; Argentina claims Falkland Islands(Islas Malvinas); Argentina claims South Georgia and the SouthSandwich Islands; Mauritius claims island of Diego Garcia in BritishIndian Ocean Territory; Rockall continental shelf dispute involvingDenmark, Iceland, and Ireland (Ireland and the UK have signed aboundary agreement in the Rockall area); territorial claim inAntarctica (British Antarctic Territory)
Illicit drugs: gateway country for Latin American cocaine entering the European market; producer of synthetic drugs, precursor chemicals; transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin; money-laundering center ______________________________________________________________________
@United States:Geography
Location: North America, bordering both the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Pacific Ocean, between Canada and Mexico
Geographic coordinates: 38 00 N, 97 00 W
Map references: North America
Area: total: 9,629,091 sq km land: 9,158,960 sq km water : 470,131 sq km note: includes only the 50 states and District of Columbia
Area - comparative: about one-half the size of Russia; about three-tenths the size of Africa; about one-half the size of South America (or slightly larger than Brazil); slightly larger than China; about two and one-half times the size of Western Europe
Land boundaries: total: 12,248 km border countries : Canada 8,893 km (including 2,477 km with Alaska), Cuba 29 km (US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay), Mexico 3,326 km note: Guantanamo Naval Base is leased by the US and thus remains part of Cuba
Coastline: 19,924 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone : 12 nm continental shelf: not specified exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: mostly temperate, but tropical in Hawaii and Florida and arctic in Alaska, semiarid in the great plains west of the Mississippi River and arid in the Great Basin of the southwest; low winter temperatures in the northwest are ameliorated occasionally in January and February by warm chinook winds from the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains
Terrain: vast central plain, mountains in west, hills and low mountains in east; rugged mountains and broad river valleys in Alaska; rugged, volcanic topography in Hawaii
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Death Valley -86 m highest point: Mount McKinley 6,194 m
Natural resources: coal, copper, lead, molybdenum, phosphates, uranium, bauxite, gold, iron, mercury, nickel, potash, silver, tungsten, zinc, petroleum, natural gas, timber
Land use: arable land: 19% permanent crops : 0% permanent pastures: 25% forests and woodland: 30% other: 26% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 207,000 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: tsunamis, volcanoes, and earthquake activity around Pacific Basin; hurricanes along the Atlantic coast; tornadoes in the midwest; mud slides in California; forest fires in the west; flooding; permafrost in northern Alaska is a major impediment to development
Environment - current issues: air pollution resulting in acid rain in both the US and Canada; the US is the largest single emitter of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels; water pollution from runoff of pesticides and fertilizers; very limited natural fresh water resources in much of the western part of the country require careful management; desertification
Environment - international agreements:party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, AntarcticTreaty, Climate Change, Endangered Species, EnvironmentalModification, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear TestBan, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whalingsigned, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Biodiversity, Desertification,Hazardous Wastes
Geography - note: world's third-largest country (after Russia andCanada)
@United States:People
Population: 267,954,764 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 22% (male 29,837,393; female 28,450,028) 15-64 years: 65% (male 87,170,245; female 88,400,551) 65 years and over : 13% (male 13,975,746; female 20,120,801) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.89% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 14.6 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 8.8 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 3.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years : 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 6.55 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.04 years male: 72.75 years female : 79.49 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.06 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: American(s) adjective: American
Ethnic groups: white 83.4%, black 12.4%, Asian 3.3%, Amerindian 0.8% (1992)
Religions: Protestant 56%, Roman Catholic 28%, Jewish 2%, other 4%, none 10% (1989)
Languages: English, Spanish (spoken by a sizable minority)
Literacy: definition : age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 97% female: 97% (1979 est.)
@United States:Government
Country name: conventional long form : United States of America conventional short form: United States abbreviation: US or USA
Data code: US
Government type: federal republic; strong democratic tradition
National capital: Washington, DC
Administrative divisions: 50 states and 1 district*; Alabama, Alaska,Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware,District of Columbia*, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois,Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland,Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana,Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York,North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania,Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah,Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
Dependent areas: American Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Wake Island note: from 18 July 1947 until 1 October 1994, the US administered the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, but recently entered into a new political relationship with all four political units: the Northern Mariana Islands is a Commonwealth in political union with the US (effective 3 November 1986); Palau concluded a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 1 October 1994); the Federated States of Micronesia signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 3 November 1986); the Republic of the Marshall Islands signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 21 October 1986)
Independence: 4 July 1776 (from England)
National holiday: Independence Day, 4 July (1776)
Constitution: 17 September 1787, effective 4 March 1789
Legal system: based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President William Jefferson CLINTON (since 20 January 1993) and Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January 1993); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President William Jefferson CLINTON (since 20 January 1993) and Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January 1993); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with Senate approval elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by a college of representatives who are elected directly from each state; president and vice president serve four-year terms; election last held 5 November 1996 (next to be held 7 November 2000) election results: William Jefferson CLINTON elected president; percent of popular vote - William Jefferson CLINTON (Democratic Party) 49.2%, Bob DOLE (Republican Party) 40.7%, Ross PEROT (Reform Party) 8.4%, other 1.7%
Legislative branch: bicameral Congress consists of Senate (100 seats, one-third are renewed every two years; two members are elected from each state by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and House of Representatives (435 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 5 November 1996 (next to be held 2 November 1998); House of Representatives - last held 5 November 1996 (next to be held 2 November 1998) election results : Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican Party 55, Democratic Party 45; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican Party 227, Democratic Party 205, independent 1, vacant 2
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, justices are appointed for life by the president with confirmation by the Senate
Political parties and leaders: Republican Party, Jim NICHOLSON, national committee chairman; Democratic Party, Steve GROSSMAN, national committee chairman; several other groups or parties of minor political significance
International organization participation: AfDB, AG (observer), ANZUS,APEC, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE (observer), CP, EBRD, ECE,ECLAC, ESCAP, FAO, G- 2, G- 5, G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MTCR,NACC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OSCE, PCA, SPC, UN, UN SecurityCouncil, UNCTAD, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMIH, UNOMIG,UNPREDEP, UNRWA, UNTAES, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,WTrO, ZC
Flag description: thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing 50 small white five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top and bottom) alternating with rows of five stars; the 50 stars represent the 50 states, the 13 stripes represent the 13 original colonies; known as Old Glory; the design and colors have been the basis for a number of other flags including Chile, Liberia, Malaysia, and Puerto Rico
Economy
Economy - overview: The US has the most powerful, diverse, and technologically advanced economy in the world, with a per capita GDP of $28,600, the largest among major industrial nations. In this market-oriented economy, private individuals and business firms make most of the decisions, and government buys needed goods and services predominantly in the private marketplace. US business firms enjoy considerably greater flexibility than their counterparts in Western Europe and Japan in decisions to expand capital plant, lay off surplus workers, and develop new products. At the same time, they face higher barriers to entry in their rivals' home markets than the barriers to entry of foreign firms in US markets. In all economic sectors, US firms are at or near the forefront in technological advances, especially in computers, and medical, aerospace, and military equipment, although their advantage has narrowed since the end of World War II. The onrush of technology largely explains the gradual development of a "two-tier labor market" in which those at the bottom lack the education and the professional/technical skills of those at the top and, more and more, fail to get pay raises, health insurance coverage, and other benefits. The years 1994-96 witnessed moderate gains in real output, low inflation rates, and a drop in unemployment below 6%. Long-term problems include inadequate investment in economic infrastructure, rapidly rising medical costs of an aging population, sizable budget and trade deficits, and stagnation of family income in the lower economic groups. The outlook for 1997 is for continued moderate growth, low inflation, and about the same level of unemployment.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $7.61 trillion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 2.4% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $28,600 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2% industry: 23% services: 75% (1996 est.)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 3% (1996 est.)
Labor force: total: 133.943 million (includes unemployed) (1996) by occupation: managerial and professional 28.8%, technical, sales and administrative support 29.7%, services 13.6%, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and crafts 25.1%, farming, forestry, and fishing 2.8%
Unemployment rate: 5.4% (1996)
Budget: revenues: $1.351 trillion expenditures: $1.514 trillion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995)
Industries: leading industrial power in the world, highly diversified and technologically advanced; petroleum, steel, motor vehicles, aerospace, telecommunications, chemicals, electronics, food processing, consumer goods, lumber, mining
Industrial production growth rate: 3.1% (1996)
Electricity - capacity: 702.7 million kW (1995)
Electricity - production: 3.5357 trillion kWh (1995)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 11,636 kWh (1994 est.)
Agriculture - products: wheat, other grains, corn, fruits, vegetables, cotton; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; forest products; fish
Exports: total value: $584.7 billion (f.o.b., 1995) commodities : capital goods, automobiles, industrial supplies and raw materials, consumer goods, agricultural products partners: Canada 22%, Western Europe 21%, Japan 11%, Mexico 8% (1995)
Imports: total value: $771 billion (c.i.f., 1995) commodities: crude oil and refined petroleum products, machinery, automobiles, consumer goods, industrial raw materials, food and beverages partners : Canada, 20%, Western Europe 18%, Japan 16.5%, Mexico 8% (1995)
Debt - external: $862 billion (1995 est.)
Economic aid: donor : ODA, $9.721 billion (1993)
Currency: 1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: British pounds (£) per US$ - 0.6023 (January 1997), 0.6403 (1996), 0.6335 (1995), 0.6529 (1994), 0.6658 (1993), 0.5664 (1992); Canadian dollars (Can$) per US$ - 1.3486 (January 1997), 1.3635 (1996), 1.3724 (1995), 1.3656 (1994), 1.2901 (1993), 1.2087 (1992); French francs (F) per US$ - 5.4169 (January 1997), 5.1155 (1996), 4.9915 (1995), 5.5520 (1994), 5.6632 (1993), 5.2938 (1992); Italian lire (Lit) per US$ - 1,568.1 (January 1997), 1,542.9 (1996), 1,628.9 (1995), 1,612.4 (1994), 1,573.7 (1993), 1,232.4 (1992); Japanese yen (¥) per US$ - 118.02 (January 1997), 108.78 (1996), 94.06 (1995), 102.21 (1994), 111.20 (1993), 126.65 (1992); German deutsche marks (DM) per US$ - 1.6043 (January 1997), 1.5048 (1996), 1.4331 (1995), 1.6228 (1994), 1.6533 (1993), 1.5617 (1992)
Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September
@United States:Communications
Telephones: 182.558 million (1987 est.)
Telephone system: domestic: large system of fiber-optic cable, microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and domestic satellites international : 24 ocean cable systems in use; satellite earth stations - 61 Intelsat (45 Atlantic Ocean and 16 Pacific Ocean) (1990 est.), 5 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region), and 4 Inmarsat (Pacific and Atlantic Ocean regions)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 4,987, FM 4,932, shortwave 0
Radios: 540.5 million (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 1,092 (in addition, there are about 9,000 cable TV systems)
Televisions: 215 million (1993 est.)
@United States:Transportation
Railways: total: 240,000 km mainline routes (nongovernment owned) standard gauge: 240,000 km 1.435-m gauge (1989)
Highways: total : 6,261,154 km paved: 3,759,516 km (including 88,500 km of expressways) unpaved: 2,501,638 km (1995 est.)
Waterways: 41,009 km of navigable inland channels, exclusive of theGreat Lakes
Pipelines: petroleum products 276,000 km; natural gas 331,000 km (1991)
Ports and harbors: Anchorage, Baltimore, Boston, Charleston, Chicago,Duluth, Hampton Roads, Honolulu, Houston, Jacksonville, Los Angeles,New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Port Canaveral, Portland(Oregon), Prudhoe Bay, San Francisco, Savannah, Seattle, Tampa, Toledo
Merchant marine: total: 305 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 10,319,000 GRT/14,454,000 DWT ships by type : bulk 15, cargo 22, chemical tanker 16, intermodal 119, liquefied gas tanker 14, passenger-cargo 3, tanker 104, tanker tug-barge 12 note: in addition, there are 193 government-owned vessels (1996 est.)
Airports: 13,396 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 11,677 over 3,047 m: 180 2,438 to 3,047 m: 201 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1,217 914 to 1,523 m: 2,354 under 914 m : 7,725 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1,719 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m : 152 914 to 1,523 m: 1,559 (1996 est.)
Heliports: 103 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Department of the Army, Department of the Navy (includes Marine Corps), Department of the Air Force note: the Coast Guard falls under the Department of Transportation, but in wartime reports to the Department of the Navy
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49 : 69,414,007 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males: NA
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 1,864,580 (1996 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $267.2 billion (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3.4% (1997 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: maritime boundary disputes with Canada (Dixon Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, Machias Seal Island); US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased from Cuba and only mutual agreement or US abandonment of the area can terminate the lease; Haiti claims Navassa Island; US has made no territorial claim in Antarctica (but has reserved the right to do so) and does not recognize the claims of any other nation; Republic of Marshall Islands claims Wake Island
Illicit drugs: consumer of cocaine shipped from Colombia through Mexico and the Caribbean; consumer of heroin, marijuana, and increasingly methamphetamines from Mexico; consumer of high-quality Southeast Asian heroin; illicit producer of cannabis, marijuana, depressants, stimulants, hallucinogens, and methamphetamines; drug money-laundering center ______________________________________________________________________
@Uruguay:Geography
Location: Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Argentina and Brazil
Geographic coordinates: 33 00 S, 56 00 W
Map references: South America
Area: total: 176,220 sq km land: 173,620 sq km water: 2,600 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Washington State
Land boundaries: total: 1,564 km border countries : Argentina 579 km, Brazil 985 km
Coastline: 660 km
Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation territorial sea : 200 nm; overflight and navigation guaranteed beyond 12 nm
Climate: warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown
Terrain: mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Cerro Catedral 514 m
Natural resources: fertile soil, hydropower potential, minor minerals
Land use: arable land: 7% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 77% forests and woodland: 5% other : 11% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,400 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: seasonally high winds (the pampero is a chilly and occasional violent wind which blows north from the Argentine pampas), droughts, floods; because of the absence of mountains, which act as weather barriers, all locations are particularly vulnerable to rapid changes in weather fronts
Environment - current issues: substantial pollution from Brazilian industry along border; one-fifth of country affected by acid rain generated by Brazil; water pollution from meat packing/tannery industry; inadequate solid/hazardous waste disposal
Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified : Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation
@Uruguay:People
Population: 3,270,707 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 24% (male 405,016; female 385,863) 15-64 years: 63% (male 1,021,166; female 1,042,401) 65 years and over: 13% (male 173,345; female 242,916) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.7% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 16.98 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 8.97 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over : 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 14.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population : 75.23 years male: 72.09 years female : 78.55 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.3 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Uruguayan(s) adjective: Uruguayan
Ethnic groups: white 88%, mestizo 8%, black 4%, Amerindian, specifically, the Charrua, which are practically nonexistent and make up probably less than 1%
Religions: Roman Catholic 66% (less than one-half of the adult population attends church regularly), Protestant 2%, Jewish 2%, nonprofessing or other 30%
Languages: Spanish, Portunon, or Brazilero (Portuguese-Spanish mix on the Brazilian frontier)
Literacy: definition : age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.3% male: 96.9% female: 97.7% (1995 est.)
@Uruguay:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Oriental Republic of Uruguay conventional short form: Uruguay local long form: Republica Oriental del Uruguay local short form : Uruguay
Data code: UY
Government type: republic
National capital: Montevideo
Administrative divisions: 19 departments (departamentos, singular -departamento); Artigas, Canelones, Cerro Largo, Colonia, Durazno,Flores, Florida, Lavalleja, Maldonado, Montevideo, Paysandu, RioNegro, Rivera, Rocha, Salto, San Jose, Soriano, Tacuarembo, Treinta yTres
Independence: 25 August 1828 (from Brazil)
National holiday: Independence Day, 25 August (1828)
Constitution: 27 November 1966, effective February 1967, suspended 27 June 1973, new constitution rejected by referendum 30 November 1980; constitutional reforms approved by plebiscite 7 January 1997
Legal system: based on Spanish civil law system; accepts compulsoryICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch: chief of state: President Julio Maria SANGUINETTI (since 1 March 1995) and Vice President Hugo BATALLA (since 1 March 1995); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government as well as the Senate president head of government : President Julio Maria SANGUINETTI (since 1 March 1995) and Vice President Hugo BATALLA (since 1 March 1995); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government as well as the Senate president cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections : president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 27 November 1994 (next to be held NA November 1999) election results: Julio Maria SANGUINETTI elected president; percent of vote - NA
Legislative branch: bicameral General Assembly or Asamblea General consists of Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (30 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and Chamber of Representatives or Camara de Representantes (99 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: Chamber of Senators - last held 27 November 1994 (next to be held NA November 1999); Chamber of Representatives - last held 27 November 1994 (next to be held NA November 1999) election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party - Colorado 36%, Blanco 34%, Encuentro Progresista 27%, New Sector 3%; seats by party - Colorado 11, Blanco 10, Encuentro Progresista 8, New Sector 1; Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party - Colorado 32%, Blanco 31%, Encuentro Progresista 31%, New Sector 5%; seats by party - Colorado 32, Blanco 31, Encuentro Progresista 31, New Sector 5
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are nominated by the president and elected for 10-year terms by the General Assembly
Political parties and leaders: National (Blanco) Party, AlbertoVOLONTE Berro; Herrerista faction of the Blanco Party, Luis LACALLE;Colorado Party, Jorge BATLLE; Broad Front Coalition, Tabare VAZQUEZ(as of 22 December 1996); New Sector Coalition, Rafael MICHELINI;Party for the Government by the People (PGP), Hugo BATALLA;Progressive Encounter (Encuentro Progresista), Tabare VAZQUEZ
International organization participation: AG (observer), CCC, ECLAC,FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES,LAIA, Mercosur, MINURSO, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN,UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMOGIP, UNMOT, UNOMIG,UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Alvaro DIEZ DE MEDINA SUAREZ chancery : 2715 M Street, NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 331-1313 through 1316 FAX : [1] (202) 331-8147 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, Miami, and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas J. DODD embassy: Lauro Muller 1776, Montevideo mailing address : APO AA 34035 telephone: [598] (2) 23 60 61, 48 77 77 FAX: [598] (2) 48 86 11
Flag description: nine equal horizontal stripes of white (top and bottom) alternating with blue; there is a white square in the upper hoist-side corner with a yellow sun bearing a human face known as the Sun of May and 16 rays alternately triangular and wavy
Economy
Economy - overview: Uruguay's small economy benefits from a favorable climate for agriculture and substantial hydropower potential. Economic development has been restrained in recent years by high - though declining - inflation and extensive government regulation. The SANGUINETTI government's conservative monetary and fiscal policies are aimed at continuing to reduce inflation, at 24.3% at yearend 1996; other priorities include extensive reform of the social security system and increased investment in education. Uruguay recovered from recession in 1996 - partly due to the recovery in Argentina - and ended the year with a nearly 5% rise in GDP. Uruguayan trade continued to expand and the potential for new markets continued to open through the negotiations of Mercosur (Southern Cone Common Market) with neighboring countries and the European Union (EU). The economy is expected to continue growing at a healthy rate in 1997 along with other regional economies.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $26 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 4.9% (1996)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $8,000 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture : 10.8% industry: 27.4% services: 61.8% (1995)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 24.4% (December 1996)
Labor force: total: 1.436 million (1996 est.) by occupation: government 25%, manufacturing 19%, agriculture 11%, commerce 12%, utilities, construction, transport, and communications 12%, other services 21% (1988 est.)
Unemployment rate: 12% (1996 est.)
Budget: revenues: $3.03 billion expenditures : $3.37 billion with capital expenditures of $NA (1994 est.)
Industries: meat processing, wool and hides, sugar, textiles, footwear, leather apparel, tires, cement, petroleum refining, wine
Industrial production growth rate: 3.2% (1996)
Electricity - capacity: 2.142 million kW (1995)
Electricity - production: 6.308 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 1,568 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: wheat, rice, corn, sorghum; livestock; fishing
Exports: total value : $2.4 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: wool and textile manufactures, beef and other animal products, leather, rice partners: Brazil, Argentina, US, China, Italy
Imports: total value: $3.3 billion (c.i.f., 1996) commodities: machinery and equipment, vehicles, chemicals, minerals, plastics, oil partners: Brazil, Argentina, US, Nigeria
Debt - external: $5 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $91 million (1993)
Currency: 1 Uruguayan peso ($Ur) = 100 centesimos
Exchange rates: Uruguayan pesos ($Ur) per US$1 - 8.6550 (January 1997), 7.9718 (1996), 6.3491 (1995), 5.0529 (1994), 3.9484 (1993), 3.0270 (1992) note: on 1 March 1993 the former new peso (N$Ur) was replaced as Uruguay's unit of currency by the peso which is equal to 1,000 of the new pesos
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Uruguay:Communications
Telephones: 451,000 (1991 est.)
Telephone system: some modern facilities domestic : most modern facilities concentrated in Montevideo; new nationwide microwave radio relay network international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 99, FM 0, shortwave 9
Radios: 1.89 million (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 26
Televisions: 725,000 (1992 est.)
@Uruguay:Transportation
Railways: total: 2,070 km (461 km closed; additional 460 km only partially operational) standard gauge: 2,070 km 1.435-m gauge
Highways: total: 50,900 km paved: 6,973 km unpaved: 43,927 km (1995 est.)
Waterways: 1,600 km; used by coastal and shallow-draft river craft
Ports and harbors: Fray Bentos, Montevideo, Nueva Palmira, Paysandu,Punta del Este
Merchant marine: total: 2 oil tanker ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 44,042 GRT/83,684 DWT (1996 est.)
Airports: 60 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 45 2,438 to 3,047 m : 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 31 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total : 15 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 13 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy (includes Naval Air Arm, Coast Guard,Marines), Air Force, Grenadier Guards, Coracero Guard, Police
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49 : 792,365 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males: 643,137 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $256 million (1994)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.5% (1994)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: two short sections of the boundary with Brazil are in dispute - Arroyo de la Invernada (Arroio Invernada) area of the Rio Cuareim (Rio Quarai) and the islands at the confluence of the Rio Cuareim (Rio Quarai) and the Uruguay River ______________________________________________________________________
@Uzbekistan:Geography
Location: Central Asia, north of Afghanistan
Geographic coordinates: 41 00 N, 64 00 E
Map references: Commonwealth of Independent States
Area: total: 447,400 sq km land: 425,400 sq km water: 22,000 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly larger than California
Land boundaries: total: 6,221 km border countries: Afghanistan 137 km, Kazakstan 2,203 km, Kyrgyzstan 1,099 km, Tajikistan 1,161 km, Turkmenistan 1,621 km
Coastline: 0 km note : Uzbekistan borders the Aral Sea (420 km)
Maritime claims: none (doubly landlocked)
Climate: mostly midlatitude desert, long, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid grassland in east
Terrain: mostly flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes; broad, flatintensely irrigated river valleys along course of Amu Darya and SyrDarya; Fergana Valley in east surrounded by mountainous Tajikistan andKyrgyzstan; shrinking Aral Sea in west
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Sariqarnish Kuli -12 m highest point: Adelunga Toghi 4,301 m
Natural resources: natural gas, petroleum, coal, gold, uranium, silver, copper, lead and zinc, tungsten, molybdenum
Land use: arable land: 9% permanent crops : 1% permanent pastures: 46% forests and woodland: 3% other: 41% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 40,000 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: drying up of the Aral Sea is resulting in growing concentrations of chemical pesticides and natural salts; these substances are then blown from the increasingly exposed lake bed and contribute to desertification; water pollution from industrial wastes and the heavy use of fertilizers and pesticides is the cause of many human health disorders; increasing soil salinization; soil contamination from agricultural chemicals, including DDT
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: Uzbekistan and Liechtenstein are the only two doubly landlocked countries in the world
@Uzbekistan:People
Population: 23,467,724 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 39% (male 4,609,766; female 4,474,481) 15-64 years: 57% (male 6,593,525; female 6,703,482) 65 years and over : 4% (male 421,609; female 664,861) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.35% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 24.02 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 7.63 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: -2.92 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth : 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 70.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 64.31 years male : 60.69 years female: 68.11 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.92 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Uzbekistani(s) adjective: Uzbekistani
Ethnic groups: Uzbek 80%, Russian 5.5%, Tajik 5%, Kazak 3%, Karakalpak 2.5%, Tatar 1.5%, other 2.5% (1996 est.)
Religions: Muslim 88% (mostly Sunnis), Eastern Orthodox 9%, other 3%
Languages: Uzbek 74.3%, Russian 14.2%, Tajik 4.4%, other 7.1%
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 98% female: 96% (1989 est.)
@Uzbekistan:Government
Country name: conventional long form : Republic of Uzbekistan conventional short form: Uzbekistan local long form: Uzbekiston Respublikasi local short form: none former : Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic
Data code: UZ
Government type: republic
National capital: Tashkent (Toshkent)
Administrative divisions: 12 wiloyatlar (singular - wiloyat), 1 autonomous republic* (respublikasi), and 1 city** (shahri); Andijon Wiloyati, Bukhoro Wiloyati, Jizzakh Wiloyati, Farghona Wiloyati, Qoraqalpoghiston* (Nukus), Qashqadaryo Wiloyati (Qarshi), Khorazm Wiloyati (Urganch), Namangan Wiloyati, Nawoiy Wiloyati, Samarqand Wiloyati, Sirdaryo Wiloyati (Guliston), Surkhondaryo Wiloyati (Termiz), Toshkent Shahri**, Toshkent Wiloyati note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)
Independence: 31 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday: Independence Day, 1 September (1991)
Constitution: new constitution adopted 8 December 1992
Legal system: evolution of Soviet civil law; still lacks independent judicial system
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Islom KARIMOV (since 24 March 1990, when he was elected president by the then Supreme Soviet) head of government: Prime Minister Utkur SULTONOV (since December 1995); First Deputy Prime Minister Ismoil JURABEKOV (since NA); First Deputy Prime Minister for Agriculture Qobiljon OBIDOV (since NA); Deputy Prime Ministers Viktor CHIZHEN (since NA), Bakhtiyor HAMIDOV (since NA), Kayim HAQQULOV (since NA), Dilbar GHOLOMOVA (since NA), Alisher AZIZKHOJAYEV (since NA), Mirabror USMONOV (since NA), Murat SHARIFKHOJAYEV (since NA), Rustam YUNUSOV (since NA) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president with approval of the Supreme Assembly elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 29 December 1991 (next to be held NA 2000; note - extension of President KARIMOV's term for an additional four years overwhelmingly approved - 99.6% of total vote in favor - by national referendum held 26 March 1995); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president election results: Islom KARIMOV elected president; percent of vote - Islom KARIMOV 86%, Mukhammad SOLIKH 12%, other 2%
Legislative branch: unicameral Supreme Assembly or Oliy Majlis (250 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 25 December 1994 (next to be held NA 1999) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - People's Democratic Party 207, Fatherland Progress Party 12, other 31; note - final runoffs were held 22 January 1995; seating was as follows: People's Democratic Party 69, Fatherland Progress Party 14, Social Democratic Party 47, local government 120 note: all parties in parliament support President KARIMOV
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Supreme Assembly
Political parties and leaders: People's Democratic Party or PDP(formerly Communist Party) [Islom A. KARIMOV, chairman]; FatherlandProgress Party or FPP [Anwar YULDASHEV, chairman]; Social DemocraticParty [Anvar JORABAYEV, chairman]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Birlik (Unity) People'sMovement or BPM [Ibrahim BURIYEV, chairman]; Islamic Rebirth Party orIRP [Abdullah UTAYEV, chairman]; Erk (Freedom) Democratic Party wasbanned 9 December 1992note: UTAYEV or IRP is either in prison or in exile
International organization participation: AsDB, CCC, CIS, EBRD, ECE,ECO, ESCAP, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol,IOC, ISO, ITU, NACC, NAM, OIC, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Sodyk SAFAYEV chancery: 1746 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 887-5300 FAX: [1] (202) 293-6804 consulate(s) general : New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Stanley T. ESCUDERO embassy: 82 Chilanzarskaya, Tashkent mailing address: use embassy street address telephone : [7] (3712) 77-14-07, 77-10-81, 77-69-86 FAX: [7] (3712) 40-63-35
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and green separated by red fimbriations with a crescent moon and 12 stars in the upper hoist-side quadrant
Economy
Economy - overview: Uzbekistan is a dry, landlocked country of which 10% consists of intensely cultivated, irrigated river valleys. It was one of the poorest areas of the former Soviet Union with more than 60% of its population living in overpopulated rural communities. Uzbekistan is now the world's third largest cotton exporter, a major producer of gold and natural gas, and a regionally significant producer of chemicals and machinery. Following independence in December 1991, the government sought to prop up its Soviet-style command economy with subsidies and tight controls on production and prices. Faced with high rates of inflation, however, the government stepped up the pace of reform in mid-1994, by introducing tighter monetary policies, expanding privatization, slightly reducing the role of the state in the economy, and improving the environment for foreign investors. Nevertheless, the state continues to be a dominating influence in the economy, and reforms have so far failed to bring about much-needed structural changes. The IMF suspended Uzbekistan's $185 million standby arrangement in late 1996 because of governmental steps that made impossible fulfillment of Fund conditions.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $57 billion (1996 estimate as extrapolated from World Bank estimate for 1994)
GDP - real growth rate: 1.6% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,430 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 29% industry: 24% services: 47% (1995 est.)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 55% (1996 est.)
Labor force: total: 8.2 million by occupation: agriculture and forestry 44%, industry and construction 20%, other 36% (1995)
Unemployment rate: 0.3% includes only officially registered unemployed; large numbers of underemployed workers (December 1996)
Budget: revenues : $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Industries: textiles, food processing, machine building, metallurgy, natural gas
Industrial production growth rate: 6% (1996 est.)
Electricity - capacity: 11.82 million kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 45.15 billion kWh (1994)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 1,970 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: cotton, vegetables, fruits, grain; livestock
Exports: total value: $3.2 billion (1996) commodities: cotton, gold, natural gas, mineral fertilizers, ferrous metals, textiles, food products, autos partners: Russia, Ukraine, Eastern Europe, Western Europe
Imports: total value: $3.2 billion (1996) commodities : grain, machinery and parts, consumer durables, other foods partners: principally other FSU, Czech Republic, Western Europe
Debt - external: $1.285 billion (of which $510 million to Russia)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $71 million (1993) note: commitments, $2,915 million ($135 million in disbursements) (1992-95)
Currency: introduced provisional som-coupons 10 November 1993 which circulated parallel to the Russian rubles; became the sole legal currency 31 January 1994; was replaced in July 1994 by the som currency
Exchange rates: Uzbekistani soms (UKS) per US$1 - 51.1 (January 1997), 35.8 (end December 1995), 25 (yearend 1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Uzbekistan:Communications