@Slovenia:People
Population: 1,971,739 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 17% (male 168,633; female 160,202) 15-64 years: 70% (male 692,043; female 686,707) 65 years and over: 13% (male 96,023; female 168,131) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: -0.08% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 8.58 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 9.56 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.57 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 5.34 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.15 years male: 71.48 years female: 79.02 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.17 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality: noun: Slovene(s) adjective: Slovenian
Ethnic groups: Slovene 91%, Croat 3%, Serb 2%, Muslim 1%, other 3%
Religions: Roman Catholic 70.8% (including 2% Uniate), Lutheran 1%,Muslim 1%, atheist 4.3%, other 22.9%
Languages: Slovenian 91%, Serbo-Croatian 6%, other 3%
Literacy: definition: NA total population: 99% male: NA% female: NA% note: of the total population 17.1% did not complete basic education, 29.9% completed basic education, 42.8% completed vocational/middle school, 8.8% completed higher education, and 1.4% education unknown
@Slovenia:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Slovenia conventional short form: Slovenia local long form: Republika Slovenije local short form: Slovenija
Data code: SI
Government type: parliamentary democratic republic
National capital: Ljubljana
Administrative divisions: 136 municipalities (obcine, singular-obcina)and 11 urban municipalities* (obcine mestne, singular-obcina mestna)Ajdovscina, Beltinci, Bled, Bohinj, Borovnica, Bovec, Brda, Brezice,Brezovica, Cankova-Tisina, Celje*, Cerklje na Gorenjskem, Cerknica,Cerkno, Crensovci, Crna na Koroskem, Crnomelj, Destrnik-Trnovska Vas,Divaca, Dobrepolje, Dobrova-Horjul-Polhov Gradec, Dol pri Ljubljani,Domzale, Dornava, Dravograd, Duplek, Gorenja Vas-Poljane, Gorisnica,Gornja Radgona, Gornji Grad, Gornji Petrovci, Grosuplje, HodosSalovci, Hrastnik, Hrpelje-Kozina, Idrija, Ig, Ilirska Bistrica,Ivancna Gorica, Izola, Jesenice, Jursinci, Kamnik, Kanal, Kidricevo,Kobarid, Kobilje, Kocevje, Komen, Koper*, Kozje, Kranj*, KranjskaGora, Krsko, Kungota, Kuzma, Lasko, Lenart, Lendava, Litija,Ljubljana*, Ljubno, Ljutomer, Logatec, Loska Dolina, Loski Potok,Luce, Lukovica, Majsperk, Maribor*, Medvode, Menges, Metlika, Mezica,Miren-Kostanjevica, Mislinja, Moravce, Moravske Toplice, Mozirje,Murska Sobota*, Muta, Naklo, Nazarje, Nova Gorica*, Novo Mesto*,Odranci, Ormoz, Osilnica, Pesnica, Piran, Pivka, Podcetrtek,Podvelka-Ribnica, Postojna, Preddvor, Ptuj*, Puconci, Race-Fram,Radece, Radenci, Radlje ob Dravi, Radovljica, Ravne-Prevalje, Ribnica,Rogasevci, Rogaska Slatina, Rogatec, Ruse, Semic, Sencur, Sentilj,Sentjernej, Sentjur pri Celju, Sevnica, Sezana, Skocjan, Skofja Loka,Skofljica, Slovenj Gradec*, Slovenska Bistrica, Slovenske Konjice,Smarje pri Jelsah, Smartno ob Paki, Sostanj, Starse Store, SvetiJurij, Tolmin, Trbovlje, Trebnje, Trzic, Turnisce, Velenje*, VelikeLasce, Videm, Vipava, Vitanje, Vodice Vojnik, Vrhnika, Vuzenica,Zagorje ob Savi, Zalec, Zavrc, Zelezniki, Ziri, Zrece
Independence: 25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)
National holiday: National Statehood Day, 25 June (1991)
Constitution: adopted 23 December 1991, effective 23 December 1991
Legal system: based on civil law system
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed)
Executive branch: chief of state: President Milan KUCAN (since 22 April 1990) head of government: Prime Minister Janez DRNOVSEK (since 14 May 1992) cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and elected by the National Assembly elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 24 November 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); following National Assembly elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually nominated to become prime minister by the president and elected by the National Assembly; election last held 10 November 1996 (next to be held NA November 2000) election results: Milan KUCAN elected president; percent of vote-Milan KUCAN 56.3%, Janez PODOBNIK 18%; Janez DRNOVSEK elected prime minister; percent of National Assembly vote-51%
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Drzavni Zbor (90 seats, 40 are directly elected and 50 are selected on a proportional basis; note-the numbers of directly elected and proportionally elected seats varies with each election; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: National Assembly-last held 10 November 1996 (next to be held Fall 2000) election results: percent of vote by party-LDS 27.01%, SLS 19.38%, SDS 16.13%, SKD 9.62%, ZLDS 9.03%, DeSUS 4.32%, SNS 3.22%; seats by party-LDS 25, SLS 19, SDS 16, SKD 10, ZLSD 9, DeSUS 5, SNS 4, Hungarian minority 1, Italian minority 1; note-seating as of January 1997 is as follows: LDS 25, SLS 19, SDS 16, SKD 9, ZLSD 9, DeSUS 5, SNS 4, Hungarian minority 1, Italian minority 1, independents 1 note: the National Council or Drzavni Svet is an advisory body with limited legislative powers; it may propose laws and ask to review any National Assembly decisions; in the election of NA November 1997, 40 members were elected to represent local, professional, and socioeconomic interests (next election to be held in the fall of 2002)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are elected by the NationalAssembly on recommendation of the Judicial Council; ConstitutionalCourt, judges elected for nine-year terms by the National Assembly andnominated by the president
Political parties and leaders: Liberal Democratic or LDS [JanezDRNOVSEK, chairman]; Slovene Christian Democrats or SKD [LozjePETERLE, chairman]; Social Democratic Party of Slovenia or SDS [JanezJANSA, chairman]; Slovene People's Party or SLS [Marjan PODOBNIK,chairman]; United List (former Communists and allies) or ZLSD [BorutPAHOR, chairman]; Slovene National Party or SNS [Zmago JELINCIC,chairman]; Democratic Party of Retired (Persons) of Slovenia or DeSUS[Joze GLOBACNIK]
Political pressure groups and leaders: none
International organization participation: CCC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD,ECE, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO,ITU, NAM (guest), OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UN Security Council (temporary),UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO,WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Dimitrij RUPEL chancery: 1525 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 667-5363 FAX: [1] (202) 667-4563 consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Victor JACKOVICH embassy: address NA, Ljubljana mailing address: P.O. Box 254, Prazakova 4, 1000 Ljubljana; American Embassy Ljubljana, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-7140 telephone: [386] (61) 301-427, 472, 485 FAX: [386] (61) 301-401
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red with the Slovenian seal (a shield with the image of Triglav, Slovenia's highest peak, in white against a blue background at the center, beneath it are two wavy blue lines depicting seas and rivers, and above it, there are three six-sided stars arranged in an inverted triangle which are taken from the coat of arms of the Counts of Celje, the great Slovene dynastic house of the late 14th and early 15th centuries); the seal is located in the upper hoist side of the flag centered in the white and blue bands
@Slovenia:Economy
Economy-overview: Today, Slovenia exhibits the highest per capita GDP of all the transition economies of the region, fairly moderate inflation, and a comfortable level of international reserves. However, GDP has posted slower growth since reaching a zenith of 5.5% in 1994. Growth declined to 3.5% in 1995 and 3.2% in 1996 and in 1997. Exports in 1997 benefited from economic recovery abroad-especially of Slovenia's main trading partners of the EU, which take 70% of Slovene exports. This export-led trend is predicted to continue, with an expected GDP growth rate of 3.8% for 1998. Slovenia received an invitation in 1997 to begin accession negotiations with the EU-a further reflection of Slovenia's sound economic footing. Slovenia must press on with privatization, enterprise restructuring, institution reform, and liberalization of financial markets, thereby creating conditions conducive to foreign investment, and maintaining a stable tolar.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$19.5 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 3.25% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$10,000 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector: agriculture: 5% industry: 33% services: 62% (1996)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 9.7% (1996)
Labor force: total: 857,400 by occupation: services 62%, industry 36%, agriculture 2% (1995)
Unemployment rate: 7.1% (1997 est.)
Budget: revenues: $8.48 billion expenditures: $8.53 billion, including capital expenditures of $455 million (1996 est.)
Industries: ferrous metallurgy and rolling mill products, aluminum reduction and rolled products, lead and zinc smelting, electronics (including military electronics), trucks, electric power equipment, wood products, textiles, chemicals, machine tools
Industrial production growth rate: 0.8% (1996)
Electricity-capacity: 2.524 million kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 11.615 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 5,759 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: potatoes, hops, wheat, sugar beets, corn, grapes; cattle, sheep, poultry
Exports: total value: $8.3 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: manufactured goods 50.7%, machinery and transport equipment 31.4%, chemicals 10.5%, food 3.8% (1995) partners: Germany 31%, former Yugoslavia 16.5%, Italy 13%, Croatia 10%, France 7%, Austria 7%, US 5% (1996)
Imports: total value: $9.5 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: machinery and transport equipment 33.8%, manufactured goods 30.4%, chemicals 12.1%, fuels and lubricants 6.6%, food 8.4% (1995) partners: Germany 22%, Italy 17%, France 10%, Austria 10%, Croatia 6%, US 3% (1996)
Debt-external: $4.5 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $5 million (1993)
Currency: 1 tolar (SlT) = 100 stotins
Exchange rates: tolars (SlT) per US$1-171.30 (January 1998), 159.69 (1997), 135.36 (1996), 118.52 (1995), 128.81 (1994), 113.24 (1993)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 691,240 (1997 est.)
Telephone system: domestic: 70% digital; full digitalization scheduled by 2000 international: NA
Radio broadcast stations: AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 0 note: there are more than 20 regional and local radio broadcast stations
Radios: 596,100 (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 7 note: there are more than 20 local cable television broadcast stations
Televisions: 454,400 (1993 est.)
@Slovenia:Transportation
Railways: total: 1,201 km standard gauge: 1,201 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified 499 km) (1996)
Highways: total: 14,910 km paved: 12,226 km (including 231 km of expressways) unpaved: 2,684 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: NA
Pipelines: crude oil 290 km; natural gas 305 km
Ports and harbors: Izola, Koper, Piran
Merchant marine: total: 13 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 223,976 GRT/373,462 DWT (controlled by Slovenian owners) ships by type: bulk 8, cargo 5 note: ships operate under the flags of Antigua and Barbuda, Liberia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Singapore; no ships remain under the Slovenian flag (1997 est.)
Airports: 14 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways: total: 6 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 4 (1997 est.)
@Slovenia:Military
Military branches: Slovenian Army (includes Air and Naval Forces)
Military manpower-military age: 19 years of age
Military manpower-availability: males age 15-49: 531,429 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 423,198 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-reaching military age annually: males: 15,546 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 2.1% (1997)
@Slovenia:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: significant progress has been made with Croatia toward resolving a maritime border dispute over direct access to the sea in the Adriatic; Italy is negotiating with Slovenia over property and minority rights issues dating from World War II
Illicit drugs: transit point for Southwest Asian heroin bound forWestern Europe and for precursor chemicals
______________________________________________________________________
@Solomon Islands:Geography
Location: Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea
Geographic coordinates: 8 00 S, 159 00 E
Map references: Oceania
Area: total: 28,450 sq km land: 27,540 sq km water: 910 sq km
Area-comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 5,313 km
Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines continental shelf: 200 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather
Terrain: mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m
Natural resources: fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel
Land use: arable land: 1% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 1% forests and woodland: 88% other: 9% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: typhoons, but they are rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity
Environment-current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; much of the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying
Environment-international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
@Solomon Islands:People
Population: 441,039 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 45% (male 101,338; female 97,584) 15-64 years: 52% (male 116,045; female 112,840) 65 years and over: 3% (male 6,571; female 6,661) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.24% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 36.62 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 4.21 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.99 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 23.93 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.77 years male: 69.26 years female: 74.41 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.12 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality: noun: Solomon Islander(s) adjective: Solomon Islander
Ethnic groups: Melanesian 93%, Polynesian 4%, Micronesian 1.5%,European 0.8%, Chinese 0.3%, other 0.4%
Religions: Anglican 34%, Roman Catholic 19%, Baptist 17%, United(Methodist/Presbyterian) 11%, Seventh-Day Adventist 10%, otherProtestant 5%, traditional beliefs 4%
Languages: Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca, English spoken by 1%-2% of population note: 120 indigenous languages
Literacy: NA
@Solomon Islands:Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Solomon Islands former: British Solomon Islands
Data code: BP
Government type: parliamentary democracy
National capital: Honiara
Administrative divisions: 7 provinces and 1 town*; Central, Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Temotu, Western note: there may be two new provinces of Choiseul (Lauru) and Rennell/Bellona and the administrative unit of Honiara may have been abolished
Independence: 7 July 1978 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 7 July (1978)
Constitution: 7 July 1978
Legal system: English common law
Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Moses PITAKAKA (since 10 June 1994) head of government: Prime Minister Bartholomew ULUFA'ALU (since 27 August 1997); Deputy Prime Minister Sir Baddeley DEVESI (since 27 August 1997) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members of Parliament elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; governor general appointed by the queen on the advice of Parliament for up to five years; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by Parliament; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members of Parliament
Legislative branch: unicameral National Parliament (50 seats; members elected from single member constituencies by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 6 August 1997 (next to be held by August 2001) election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-GNUR 21, PAP 7, NAPSI 5, SILP 4, UP 4, independents 6, other 3
Judicial branch: Court of Appeal
Political parties and leaders: characterized by fluid coalitions;Liberal Party, Bartholomew ULUFA'ALU; Solomon Islands National Unity,Reconciliation, and Progressive Party (SINURP), Danny PHILIP (leaderof opposition); People's Alliance Party (PAP), leader NA; Group forNational Unity and Reconciliation (GNUR), leader NA; National ActionParty of Solomon Islands (NAPSI), leader NA; Solomon Islands LaborParty (SILP), leader NA; United Party (UP), leader NA; NationalistFront for Progress (NFP), Andrew NORI; Labor Party (LP), JosesTUHANUKU; Christian Fellowship, leader NA; National Party, leader NA
International organization participation: ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO,G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat(nonsignatory user), IOC, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen Rex HOROI (represents the country as both the Permanent Representative to the UN and the ambassador to the US) chancery: Permanent Mission of the Solomon Islands to the UN, 820 Second Avenue, Suite 800, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 599-6193
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Solomon Islands (embassy closed July 1993); the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to the Solomon Islands
Flag description: divided diagonally by a thin yellow stripe from the lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is blue with five white five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern; the lower triangle is green
@Solomon Islands:Economy
Economy-overview: The bulk of the population depend on subsistence agriculture, fishing, and forestry for at least part of their livelihood. Most manufactured goods and petroleum products must be imported. The islands are rich in undeveloped mineral resources such as lead, zinc, nickel, and gold. In recent years the government has poorly managed the country's finances. The new prime minister has vowed to cut expenditures and to promote the private sector to boost economic growth.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$1.27 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 3.5% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$3,000 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 11.8% (1996)
Labor force: total: 26,842 by occupation: services 41.5%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 23.7%, commerce, transport, and finance 21.7%, construction, manufacturing, and mining 13.1% (1992 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $147 million expenditures: $168 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)
Industries: copra, fish (tuna)
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity-capacity: 12,000 kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 30 million kWh (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 75 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: cocoa, beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs; timber; fish
Exports: total value: $168 million (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: timber, fish, palm oil, cocoa, copra partners: Japan 39%, UK 23%, Thailand 9%, Australia 5%, US 2% (1991)
Imports: total value: $152 million (c.i.f., 1995 est.) commodities: plant and machinery, manufactured goods, food and live animals, fuel partners: Australia 34%, Japan 16%, Singapore 14%, NZ 9%
Debt-external: $100 million (1995 est.)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $8.625 million from Australia (FY96/97 est.); $3.3 million from NZ (FY95/96)
Currency: 1 Solomon Islands dollar (SI$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Solomon Islands dollars (SI$) per US$1-3.7580 (November 1997), 3.5664 (1997), 3.4059 (1995), 3.2914 (1994), 3.1877 (1993)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 5,000 (1991 est.)
Telephone system: domestic: NA international: satellite earth station-1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: 38,000 (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 0
Televisions: 2,000 (1992 est.)
@Solomon Islands:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 1,360 km paved: 34 km unpaved: 1,326 km (includes about 800 km of private plantation roads) (1996 est.)
Ports and harbors: Aola Bay, Honiara, Lofung, Noro, Viru Harbor,Yandina
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 32 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways: total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 30 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 20 (1997 est.)
@Solomon Islands:Military
Military branches: no regular military forces; Solomon IslandsNational Reconnaissance and Surveillance Force; Royal Solomon IslandsPolice (RSIP)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: NA%
@Solomon Islands:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: none
______________________________________________________________________
@Somalia:Geography
Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the IndianOcean, east of Ethiopia
Geographic coordinates: 10 00 N, 49 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 637,660 sq km land: 627,340 sq km water: 10,320 sq km
Area-comparative: slightly smaller than Texas
Land boundaries: total: 2,366 km border countries: Djibouti 58 km, Ethiopia 1,626 km, Kenya 682 km
Coastline: 3,025 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 200 nm
Climate: principally desert; December to February-northeast monsoon, moderate temperatures in north and very hot in south; May to October-southwest monsoon, torrid in the north and hot in the south, irregular rainfall, hot and humid periods (tangambili) between monsoons
Terrain: mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Shimbiris 2,450 m
Natural resources: uranium and largely unexploited reserves of iron ore, tin, gypsum, bauxite, copper, salt
Land use: arable land: 2% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 69% forests and woodland: 26% other: 3% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,800 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains in summer
Environment-current issues: famine; use of contaminated water contributes to human health problems; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
Environment-international agreements: party to: Endangered Species, Law of the Sea signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban
Geography-note: strategic location on Horn of Africa along southern approaches to Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and Suez Canal
@Somalia:People
Population: 6,841,695 (July 1998 est.) note: this estimate was derived from an official census taken in 1987 by the Somali Government with the cooperation of the UN and the US Bureau of the Census; population estimates are updated year by year between census years by factoring growth rates into them and by taking account of refugee movements and of losses due to famine; lower estimates of Somalia's population in mid-1996 (on the order of 6.0 million to 6.5 million) have been made by aid and relief agencies, based on the number of persons being fed; population counting in Somalia is complicated by the large numbers of nomads and by refugee movements in response to famine and clan warfare
Age structure: 0-14 years: 44% (male 1,512,014; female 1,511,858) 15-64 years: 53% (male 1,833,922; female 1,786,261) 65 years and over: 3% (male 90,475; female 107,165) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 4.43% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 46.75 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 18.5 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: 16.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 125.77 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 46.23 years male: 44.66 years female: 47.85 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 7.01 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality: noun: Somali(s) adjective: Somali
Ethnic groups: Somali 85%, Bantu, Arabs 30,000
Religions: Sunni Muslim
Languages: Somali (official), Arabic, Italian, English
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 24% male: 36% female: 14% (1990 est.)
@Somalia:Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Somalia former: Somali Republic, Somali Democratic Republic
Data code: SO
Government type: none
National capital: Mogadishu
Administrative divisions: 18 regions (plural-NA, singular-gobolka);Awdal, Bakool, Banaadir, Bari, Bay, Galguduud, Gedo, Hiiraan, JubbadaDhexe, Jubbada Hoose, Mudug, Nugaal, Sanaag, Shabeellaha Dhexe,Shabeellaha Hoose, Sool, Togdheer, Woqooyi Galbeed
Independence: 1 July 1960 (from a merger of British Somaliland, which became independent from the UK on 26 June 1960, and Italian Somaliland, which became independent from the Italian-administered UN trusteeship on 1 July 1960, to form the Somali Republic)
National holiday: NA
Constitution: 25 August 1979, presidential approval 23 September 1979
Legal system: NA
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: Somalia has no functioning government; the UnitedSomali Congress (USC) ousted the regime of Major General Mohamed SIADBarre on 27 January 1991; the present political situation is one ofanarchy, marked by interclan fighting and random banditry
Legislative branch: unicameral People's Assembly or Golaha Shacbiga note: the Golaha Shacbiga is not functioning
Judicial branch: (not functioning); note-following the breakdown of national government, most regions have reverted to Islamic law with a provision for appeal of all sentences
Political parties and leaders: the United Somali Congress or USC ousted the former regime on 27 January 1991; formerly the only party was the Somali Revolutionary Socialist Party or SRSP, headed by former President and Commander in Chief of the Army Major General Mohamed SIAD Barre
Political pressure groups and leaders: numerous clan and subclan factions are currently vying for power
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF,CAEU, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU,NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,WMO, WTrO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US: Somalia does not have an embassy in the US (ceased operations on 8 May 1991)
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Somalia; US interests are represented by the US Embassy in Nairobi at Moi Avenue and Haile Selassie Avenue; mail address: P. O. Box 30137, Unit 64100, Nairobi; APO AE 09831; telephone: [254] (2) 334141; FAX [254] (2) 340838
Flag description: light blue with a large white five-pointed star in the center; design based on the flag of the UN (Italian Somaliland was a UN trust territory)
Government-note: While chaos and clan fighting continue in most of Somalia, some orderly government has been established in the northern part. In May 1991, the elders of clans in former British Somaliland established the independent Republic of Somaliland, which, although not recognized by any government, maintains a stable existence, aided by the overwhelming dominance of the ruling clan and the economic infrastructure left behind by British, Russian and American military assistance programs. The economy has been growing and in February 1996 the EU agreed to finance the reconstruction of the port of Berbera; since then, other aid projects have been assumed by the EU and by a non-governmental Italian organization.
@Somalia:Economy
Economy-overview: One of the world's poorest and least developed countries, Somalia has few resources. Moreover, much of the economy has been devastated by the civil war. Agriculture is the most important sector, with livestock accounting for about 40% of GDP and about 65% of export earnings. Nomads and semi-nomads, who are dependent upon livestock for their livelihood, make up a large portion of the population. Crop production generates only 10% of GDP and employs about 20% of the work force. After livestock, bananas are the principal export; sugar, sorghum, corn, and fish are products for the domestic market. The small industrial sector, based on the processing of agricultural products, accounts for less than 10% of GDP; most facilities have been shut down because of the civil strife. Moreover, ongoing civil disturbances in Mogadishu and outlying areas are interfering with any substantial economic advance.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$8 billion (1996 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 4% (1996 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$600 (1996 est.)
GDP-composition by sector: agriculture: 59% industry: 10% services: 31% (1995 est.)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: NA%
Labor force: total: 3.7 million (very few are skilled laborers)(1993 est.) by occupation: agriculture (mostly pastoral nomadism) 71%, industry and services 29%
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Industries: a few small industries, including sugar refining, textiles, petroleum refining (mostly shut down)
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity-capacity: 144,000 kW prior to the civil war, but now largely shut down due to war damage; some localities operate their own generating plants, providing limited municipal power; note-UN and relief organizations use their own portable power systems
Electricity-production: 245 million kWh (1995 est.)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 33 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture-products: bananas, sorghum, corn, sugarcane, mangoes, sesame seeds, beans; cattle, sheep, goats; fishing potential largely unexploited
Exports: total value: $130 million (1994 est.) commodities: bananas, live animals, fish, hides (1997) partners: Saudi Arabia 57%, Yemen 14%, Italy 13%, UAE 10%, US (bananas) (1995 est.)
Imports: total value: $269 million (1994 est.) commodities: manufactures, petroleum products, foodstuffs, construction materials (1995) partners: Kenya 24%, Djibouti 18%, Pakistan 6% (1995 est.)
Debt-external: $2.6 billion (1994 est.)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 Somali shilling (So. Sh.) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Somali shillings (So. Sh.) per US$1-7,500 (November 1997 est.), 7,000 (January 1996 est.), 5,000 (1 January 1995), 2,616 (1 July 1993), 4,200 (December 1992) note: the Republic of Somaliland, a self-declared independent country not recognized by any government, issues its own currency, the Somaliland shilling (Sol. Sh.); estimated exchange rate, Sol. Sh. per US$1-4,000 (November 1997)
Fiscal year: NA
Communications
Telephones: 9,000 (1991 est.)
Telephone system: the public telecommunications system was completely destroyed or dismantled by the civil war factions; all relief organizations depend on their own private systems domestic: recently, local cellular telephone systems have been established in Mogadishu and in several other population centers international: international connections are available from Mogadishu by satellite
Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA (there are at least five radio broadcast stations of NA type)
Radios: 370,000 (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 0 (Somalia's only TV station was demolished during the civil strife, sometime in 1991)
Televisions: 118,000 (1993 est.)
@Somalia:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 22,100 km paved: 2,608 km unpaved: 19,492 km (1996 est.)
Pipelines: crude oil 15 km
Ports and harbors: Bender Cassim (Boosaaso), Berbera, Chisimayu(Kismaayo), Merca, Mogadishu
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 61 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways: total: 7 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 54 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 27 under 914 m: 10 (1997 est.)
@Somalia:Military
Military branches: NA; note-no functioning central government military forces; clan militias continue to battle for control of key economic or political prizes
Military manpower-availability: males age 15-49: 1,669,645 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 930,405 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: NA%
@Somalia:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: most of the southern half of the boundary with Ethiopia is a Provisional Administrative Line; territorial dispute with Ethiopia over the Ogaden
______________________________________________________________________
@South Africa:Geography
Location: Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent ofAfrica
Geographic coordinates: 29 00 S, 24 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 1,219,912 sq km land: 1,219,912 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Prince Edward Islands (Marion Island and Prince Edward Island)
Area-comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Land boundaries: total: 4,750 km border countries: Botswana 1,840 km, Lesotho 909 km, Mozambique 491 km, Namibia 855 km, Swaziland 430 km, Zimbabwe 225 km
Coastline: 2,798 km
Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool nights
Terrain: vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Njesuthi 3,408 m
Natural resources: gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas
Land use: arable land: 10% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 67% forests and woodland: 7% other: 15% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 12,700 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: prolonged droughts
Environment-current issues: lack of important arterial rivers or lakes requires extensive water conservation and control measures; growth in water usage threatens to outpace supply; pollution of rivers from agricultural runoff and urban discharge; air pollution resulting in acid rain; soil erosion; desertification
Environment-international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography-note: South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost completely surrounds Swaziland
@South Africa:People
Population: 42,834,520 (July 1998 est.) note: South Africa took a census 10 October 1996 which showed a total of 37,859,000 (after a 6.8% adjustment for underenumeration based on a post-enumeration survey); this figure is still about 10% below projections from earlier censuses; since the full results of the census have not been released for analysis, the numbers shown for South Africa do not take into consideration the results of this 1996 census
Age structure: 0-14 years: 35% (male 7,502,396; female 7,366,144) 15-64 years: 61% (male 12,947,521; female 13,079,892) 65 years and over: 4% (male 778,767; female 1,159,800) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.42% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 26.43 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 12.28 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 52.04 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 55.65 years male: 53.56 years female: 57.8 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.16 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality: noun: South African(s) adjective: South African
Ethnic groups: black 75.2%, white 13.6%, Colored 8.6%, Indian 2.6%
Religions: Christian 68% (includes most whites and Coloreds, about 60% of blacks and about 40% of Indians), Muslim 2%, Hindu 1.5% (60% of Indians), traditional and animistic 28.5%
Languages: 11 official languages, including Afrikaans, English,Ndebele, Pedi, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 81.8% male: 81.9% female: 81.7% (1995 est.)
@South Africa:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of South Africa conventional short form: South Africa abbreviation: RSA
Data code: SF
Government type: republic
National capital: Pretoria (administrative); Cape Town (legislative);Bloemfontein (judicial)
Administrative divisions: 9 provinces; Eastern Cape, Free State,Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, North-West, Northern Cape,Northern Province, Western Cape
Independence: 31 May 1910 (from UK)
National holiday: Freedom Day, 27 April (1994)
Constitution: 10 December 1996; this new constitution was certified by the Constitutional Court on 4 December 1996, was signed by President MANDELA on 10 December 1996, and entered into effect on 3 February 1997; it is being implemented in phases
Legal system: based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Nelson MANDELA (since 10 May 1994); Executive Deputy President Thabo MBEKI (since 10 May 1994); note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Nelson MANDELA (since 10 May 1994); Executive Deputy President Thabo MBEKI (since 10 May 1994); note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president and executive deputy presidents elected by the National Assembly; election last held 9 May 1994 (next scheduled for sometime between May and July 1999) election results: Nelson MANDELA elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - 100% (by acclamation); Thabo MBEKI and Frederik W. DE KLERK elected executive deputy presidents; percent of National Assembly vote-100% (by acclamation) note: the initial governing coalition, made up of the ANC, the IFP, and the NP, which constituted a Government of National Unity or GNU, no longer includes the NP which was withdrawn by DE KLERK on 30 June 1996 when he voluntarily gave up his position as executive deputy president and distanced himself from the programs of the ANC
Legislative branch: bicameral parliament consisting of the National Assembly (400 seats; members are elected by popular vote under a system of proportional representation to serve five-year terms) and the National Council of Provinces (90 seats, ten members elected by each of the nine provincial legislatures for five-year terms; has special powers to protect regional interests, including the safeguarding of cultural and linguistic traditions among ethnic minorities); note-following the implementation of the new constitution on 3 February 1997 the former Senate was disbanded and replaced by the National Council of Provinces with essentially no change in membership and party affiliations, although the new institution's responsibilities have been changed somewhat by the new constitution elections: National Assembly and Senate-last held 26-29 April 1994 (next to be held between May and July 1999); note-the Senate was disbanded and replaced by the National Council of Provinces on 6 February 1997 election results: National Assembly-percent of vote by party-ANC 62.6%, NP 20.4%, IFP 10.5%, FF 2.2%, DP 1.7%, PAC 1.2%, ACDP 0.5%, other 0.9%; seats by party - ANC 252, NP 82, IFP 43, FF 9, DP 7, PAC 5, ACDP 2; Senate-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-ANC 61, NP 17, FF 4, IFP 5, DP 3
Judicial branch: Constitutional Court; Supreme Court of Appeals; HighCourts; Magistrate Courts
Political parties and leaders: African Christian Democratic Party or ACDP [Kenneth MESHOE, president]; African National Congress or ANC [Thabo MBEKI, president]; Democratic Party or DP [Tony LEON, president]; Freedom Front or FF [Constand VILJOEN, president]; Inkatha Freedom Party or IFP [Mangosuthu BUTHELEZI, president]; National Party or NP [Marthinus VAN SCHALKWYK, executive director]; Pan-Africanist Congress or PAC [Stanley MOGOBA, president]; United Democratic Movement or UDM [Roelf MEYER and Bantu HOLOMISA, leaders] note: 11 other parties won votes in the April 1994 elections but not enough to gain seats in the National Assembly; moreover, in September 1997, a substantial new party, the United Democratic Movement or UDM, was formed, with Roelf MEYER and Bantu HOLOMISA as leaders
Political pressure groups and leaders: Congress of South African Trade Unions or COSATU [Sam SHILOWA, general secretary]; South African Communist Party or SACP [Charles NQAKULA, general secretary]; South African National Civics Organization or SANCO [Mlungisi HLONGWANE, national president]; note-COSATU and SACP are in a formal alliance with the ANC
International organization participation: AfDB, BIS, C, CCC, ECA, FAO,G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO,ITU, MTCR, NAM, OAU, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO,WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Franklin SONN chancery: 3051 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 232-4400 FAX: [1] (202) 265-1607 consulate(s) general: Beverly Hills (California), Chicago, and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador James A. JOSEPH embassy: 877 Pretorius St., Arcadia 0083 mailing address: P.O. Box 9536, Pretoria 0001 telephone: [27] (12) 342-1048 FAX: [27] (12) 342-2244 consulate(s) general: Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg
Flag description: two equal width horizontal bands of red (top) and blue separated by a central green band which splits into a horizontal Y, the arms of which end at the corners of the hoist side, embracing a black isosceles triangle from which the arms are separated by narrow yellow bands; the red and blue bands are separated from the green band and its arms by narrow white stripes note: prior to 26 April 1994, the flag was actually four flags in one-three miniature flags reproduced in the center of the white band of the former flag of the Netherlands, which has three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and blue; the miniature flags are a vertically hanging flag of the old Orange Free State with a horizontal flag of the UK adjoining on the hoist side and a horizontal flag of the old Transvaal Republic adjoining on the other side
@South Africa:Economy
Economy-overview: South Africa is a middle-income, developing country with an abundant supply of resources, well developed financial, legal, communications, energy, and transport sectors, a stock exchange that ranks among the 10 largest in the world, and a modern infrastructure supporting an efficient distribution of goods to major urban centers throughout the region. Growth has been positive since the historic election of President Nelson MANDELA in the country's first multi-racial elections in 1994, but not strong enough to cut into the substantial unemployment. Daunting economic problems remain from the apartheid era, especially the problems of poverty and economic empowerment among the blacks. Other problems are crime and corruption. The new South African Government demonstrated its commitment to open markets, privatization, and a favorable investment climate with the release of its macroeconomic strategy in June 1996. Called "Growth, Employment and Redistribution," this policy framework includes the introduction of tax incentives to stimulate new investment in labor-intensive projects, expansion of basic infrastructure services, the restructuring and partial privatization of state assets, continued reduction of tariffs and subsidies to promote economic efficiency, improved services to the disadvantaged, and integration into the global economy.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$270 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 3% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$6,200 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector: agriculture: 5% industry: 37% services: 58% (1995 est.)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 9.7% (1997 est.)
Labor force: total: 14.2 million economically active (1996) by occupation: services 35%, agriculture 30%, industry 20%, mining 9%, other 6%
Unemployment rate: 30% (1997 est.); note-an additional 11% of the workforce is underemployed
Budget: revenues: $30.5 billion expenditures: $38 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.6 billion (FY94/95 est.)
Industries: mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold, chromium), automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textile, iron and steel, chemical, fertilizer, foodstuffs
Industrial production growth rate: 1.2% (1996 est.)
Electricity-capacity: 34.566 million kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 163.56 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 3,559 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; beef, poultry, mutton, wool, dairy products
Exports: total value: $31.3 billion (f.o.b., 1997) commodities: gold 20%, other minerals and metals 20%-25%, food 5%, chemicals 3% (1997) partners: Italy, Japan, US, Germany, UK, other EU countries, Hong Kong
Imports: total value: $28 billion (f.o.b., 1997) commodities: machinery 32%, transport equipment 15%, chemicals 11%, petroleum products, textiles, scientific instruments (1994) partners: Germany, US, Japan, UK, Italy
Debt-external: $23.5 billion (1997 est.)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA note: current aid pledges include US $600 million over three years, 1994-96; UK $150 million over three years; Australia $21 million over three years; Japan $1.3 billion over two years ending in 1996; EU $833 million over five years
Currency: 1 rand (R) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: rand (R) per US$1-4.94193 (January 1998), 4.60796 (1997), 4.29935 (1996), 3.62709 (1995), 3.55080 (1994), 3.26774 (1993)
Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March
Communications
Telephones: 5,206,235 (1993 est.)
Telephone system: the system is the best developed, most modern, and has the highest capacity in Africa domestic: consists of carrier-equipped open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay links, fiber-optic cable, and radiotelephone communication stations; key centers are Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth, and Pretoria international: 1 submarine cable; satellite earth stations-3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 14, FM 286, shortwave 0
Radios: 12.1 million (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 67 (1987 est.)
Televisions: 3.45 million (1990 est.)
@South Africa:Transportation
Railways: total: 21,431 km narrow gauge: 20,995 km 1.067-m gauge (9,087 km electrified); 436 km 0.610-m gauge (1995)
Highways: total: 331,265 km paved: 137,475 km (including 1,142 km of expressways) unpaved: 193,790 km (1995 est.)
Pipelines: crude oil 931 km; petroleum products 1,748 km; natural gas 322 km
Ports and harbors: Cape Town, Durban, East London, Mosselbaai, PortElizabeth, Richards Bay, Saldanha
Merchant marine: total: 9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 274,797 GRT/270,837 DWT ships by type: container 6, oil tanker 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 (1997 est.)
Airports: 750 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways: total: 143 over 3,047 m: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 46 914 to 1,523 m: 74 under 914 m: 9 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 607 1,524 to 2,437 m: 35 914 to 1,523 m: 308 under 914 m: 264 (1997 est.)
@South Africa:Military
Military branches: South African National Defense Force or SANDF (includes Army, Navy, Air Force, and Medical Services), South African Police Service or SAPS
Military manpower-military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower-availability: males age 15-49: 11,144,895 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 6,777,677 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-reaching military age annually: males: 445,110 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $2.9 billion (FY95/96)
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 2.2% (FY95/96)
@South Africa:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: Swaziland has asked South Africa to open negotiations on reincorporating some nearby South African territories that are populated by ethnic Swazis or that were long ago part of the Swazi Kingdom
Illicit drugs: transshipment center for heroin and cocaine; cocaine consumption on the rise; world's largest market for illicit methaqualone, usually imported illegally from India through various east African countries; illicit cultivation of marijuana
______________________________________________________________________
(dependent territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina)
@South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands:Geography
Location: Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of the tip of South America
Geographic coordinates: 54 30 S, 37 00 W
Map references: Antarctic Region
Area: total: 4,066 sq km land: 4,066 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Shag Rocks, Clerke Rocks, Bird Island
Area-comparative: slightly larger than Rhode Island
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: NA km
Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: variable, with mostly westerly winds throughout the year, interspersed with periods of calm; nearly all precipitation falls as snow
Terrain: most of the islands, rising steeply from the sea, are rugged and mountainous; South Georgia is largely barren and has steep, glacier-covered mountains; the South Sandwich Islands are of volcanic origin with some active volcanoes
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Paget 2,915 m
Natural resources: fish
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100% (largely covered by permanent ice and snow with some sparse vegetation consisting of grass, moss, and lichen)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards: the South Sandwich Islands have prevailing weather conditions that generally make them difficult to approach by ship; they are also subject to active volcanism
Environment-current issues: NA
Environment-international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography-note: the north coast of South Georgia has several large bays, which provide good anchorage; reindeer, introduced early in this century, live on South Georgia
@South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands:People
Population: no indigenous populationnote: there is a small military garrison on South Georgia, and theBritish Antarctic Survey has a biological station on Bird Island; theSouth Sandwich Islands are uninhabited
@South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands:Government
Country name: conventional long form: South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands conventional short form: none
Data code: SX
Dependency status: dependent territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina; administered from London by a civil commissioner who is also the governor of the Falkland Islands; Grytviken on South Georgia is the garrison town
National capital: none; Grytviken on South Georgia is the garrison town
Legal system: NA
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (dependent territory of theUK, also claimed by Argentina)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (dependent territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina)
Flag description: the flag of the UK is used
@South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands:Economy
Economy-overview: Some fishing takes place in adjacent waters. There is a potential source of income from harvesting fin fish and krill. The islands receive income from postage stamps produced in the UK.
Budget: revenues: $291,777 expenditures: $451,000, including capital expenditures of $NA (1988 est.)
Communications
Telephone system: domestic: NA international: coastal radiotelephone station at Grytviken
@South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands:Transportation
Ports and harbors: Grytviken
Airports: none
@South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands:Military
Military-note: defense is the responsibility of the UK
@South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: claimed by Argentina
______________________________________________________________________
@Spain:Geography
Location: Southwestern Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay, Mediterranean Sea, North Atlantic Ocean, and Pyrenees Mountains, southwest of France
Geographic coordinates: 40 00 N, 4 00 W
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 504,750 sq km land: 499,400 sq km water: 5,350 sq km note: includes Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, and five places of sovereignty (plazas de soberania) on and off the coast of Morocco-Ceuta, Mellila, Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera
Area-comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Oregon