Languages: Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers and manyPalestinians), English (widely understood)
Literacy: NA
@West Bank:Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: West Bank
Data code: WE
@West Bank:Economy
Economy-overview: Economic progress in the West Bank has been hampered by tight Israeli security restrictions. Industries using advanced technology or requiring sizable investment have been discouraged by a lack of local capital and Israeli policies that block the movement of goods and people. Capital investment consists largely of residential housing, not productive assets that would enable local Palestinian firms to compete with Israeli industry. GDP has been substantially supplemented by workers who commute to jobs in Israel. Worker remittances from the Persian Gulf states dropped after Iraq invaded Kuwait in August 1990. In the wake of the Persian Gulf crisis, many Palestinians have returned to the West Bank, increasing unemployment, and export revenues have dropped because of the decline of markets in Jordan and the Gulf states. An estimated 147,000 people were in refugee camps in 1996.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$2.8 billion (1996 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: -6.9% (1996 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$1,600 (1996 est.)
GDP-composition by sector: agriculture: 33% industry: 25% services: 42% (1995 est., includes Gaza Strip)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 8.4% (1996 est.)
Labor force: NA by occupation: agriculture 13%, industry 13%, commerce, restaurants, and hotels 12%, construction 8%, other services 54% (1996) note: excluding Israeli settlers
Unemployment rate: 28% (1997 est.)
Budget: revenues: $684 million expenditures: $779 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1996) note: includes Gaza Strip
Industries: generally small family businesses that produce cement, textiles, soap, olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs; the Israelis have established some small-scale, modern industries in the settlements and industrial centers
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity-capacity: NA kW note: most electricity imported from Israel; East Jerusalem Electric Company buys and distributes electricity to Palestinians in East Jerusalem and its concession in the West Bank; the Israel Electric Company directly supplies electricity to most Jewish residents and military facilities; at the same time, some Palestinian municipalities, such as Nabulus and Janin, generate their own electricity from small power plants
Electricity-production: NA kWh note: most electricity imported from Israel; East Jerusalem Electric Company buys and distributes electricity to Palestinians in East Jerusalem and its concession in the West Bank; the Israel Electric Company directly supplies electricity to most Jewish residents and military facilities; at the same time, some Palestinian municipalities, such as Nabulus and Janin, generate their own electricity from small power plants
Electricity-consumption per capita: NA kWh
Agriculture-products: olives, citrus and other fruits, vegetables; beef, dairy products
Exports: total value: $630 million (f.o.b., 1997 est.) (includes Gaza Strip) commodities: olives, fruit, vegetables, limestone partners: Jordan, Israel
Imports: total value: $1.7 billion (c.i.f., 1997 est.) (includes Gaza Strip) commodities: food, consumer goods, construction materials partners: Jordan, Israel
Debt-external: $51 million (1995)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 new Israeli shekel (NIS) = 100 new agorot; 1 Jordanian dinar (JD) = 1,000 fils
Exchange rates: new Israeli shekels (NIS) per US$1-3.5340 (December 1997), 3.4494 (1997), 3.1917 (1996), 3.0113 (1995), 3.0111 (1994), 2.8301 (1993); Jordanian dinars (JD) per US$1-0.7090 (January 1998), 0.7090 (1997), 0.7090 (1996), 0.7005 (1995), 0.6987 (1994), 0.6928 (1993)
Fiscal year: calendar year (since 1 January 1992)
Communications
Telephones: NA note: 3.1% of Palestinian households have telephones
Telephone system: domestic: NA international: NA note: Israeli company BEZEK and the Palestinian company PALTEL are responsible for communication services in the West Bank
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: NA; note-82% of Palestinian households have radios (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: about 25 low-powered stations
Televisions: NA; note-54% of Palestinian households have televisions (1992 est.)
@West Bank:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 4,500 km paved: 2,700 km unpaved: 1,800 km (1997 est.) note: Israelis have developed many highways to service Jewish settlements
Ports and harbors: none
Airports: 2 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways: total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1997 est.)
@West Bank:Military
Military branches: NA
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: NA%
@West Bank:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement-permanent status to be determined through further negotiation
______________________________________________________________________
@Western Sahara:Geography
Location: Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, betweenMauritania and Morocco
Geographic coordinates: 24 30 N, 13 00 W
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 266,000 sq km land: 266,000 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area-comparative: about the size of Colorado
Land boundaries: total: 2,046 km border countries: Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km
Coastline: 1,110 km
Maritime claims: contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue
Climate: hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew
Terrain: mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Sebjet Tah -55 m highest point: unnamed location 463 m
Natural resources: phosphates, iron ore
Land use: arable land: 19% permanent crops: 24% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 47% other: 10% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely restricting visibility
Environment-current issues: sparse water and arable land
Environment-international agreements: party to: none of the selected agreements signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
@Western Sahara:People
Population: 233,730 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate: 2.4% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 45.78 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 17.05 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: -4.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 139.74 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 48.41 years male: 47.32 years female: 49.83 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.75 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality: noun: Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s) adjective: Sahrawian, Sahraouian
Ethnic groups: Arab, Berber
Religions: Muslim
Languages: Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic
Literacy: NA
@Western Sahara:Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Western Sahara
Data code: WI
Government type: legal status of territory and question of sovereignty unresolved; territory contested by Morocco and Polisario Front (Popular Front for the Liberation of the Saguia el Hamra and Rio de Oro), which in February 1976 formally proclaimed a government-in-exile of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR); territory partitioned between Morocco and Mauritania in April 1976, with Morocco acquiring northern two-thirds; Mauritania, under pressure from Polisario guerrillas, abandoned all claims to its portion in August 1979; Morocco moved to occupy that sector shortly thereafter and has since asserted administrative control; the Polisario's government-in-exile was seated as an OAU member in 1984; guerrilla activities continued sporadically, until a UN-monitored cease-fire was implemented 6 September 1991
National capital: none
Administrative divisions: none (under de facto control of Morocco)
Suffrage: none; a UN sponsored voter identification campaign has yet to be completed
Executive branch: none
International organization participation: none
Diplomatic representation in the US: none
Diplomatic representation from the US: none
@Western Sahara:Economy
Economy-overview: Western Sahara, a territory poor in natural resources and lacking sufficient rainfall, depends on pastoral nomadism, fishing, and phosphate mining as the principal sources of income for the population. Most of the food for the urban population must be imported. All trade and other economic activities are controlled by the Moroccan Government. Incomes and standards of living are substantially below the Moroccan level.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$NA
GDP-real growth rate: NA%
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$NA
GDP-composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: 40%-45% (1996 est.)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: NA%
Labor force: total: 12,000 by occupation: animal husbandry and subsistence farming 50%
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Industries: phosphate mining, handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity-capacity: 56,000 kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 85 million kWh (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 391 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases); camels, sheep, goats (kept by the nomads)
Exports: $NA commodities: phosphates 62% partners: Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts
Imports: $NA commodities: fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs partners: Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts
Debt-external: $NA
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 Moroccan dirham (DH) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: Moroccan dirhams (DH) per US$1-9.822 (January 1998), 9.527 (1997), 8.716 (1996), 8.540 (1995), 9.203 (1994), 9.299 (1993)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 2,000
Telephone system: sparse and limited system domestic: NA international: tied into Morocco's system by microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and satellite; satellite earth stations-2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) linked to Rabat, Morocco
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 2
Televisions: NA
@Western Sahara:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 6,200 km paved: 1,350 km unpaved: 4,850 km (1991 est.)
Ports and harbors: Ad Dakhla, Cabo Bojador, El Aaiun
Airports: 12 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways: total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 3 (1997 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1997 est.)
@Western Sahara:Military
Military branches: NA
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: NA%
@Western Sahara:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: claimed and administered by Morocco, but sovereignty is unresolved and the UN is attempting to hold a referendum on the issue; the UN-administered cease-fire has been in effect since September 1991
______________________________________________________________________
@World:Geography
Map references: World, Time Zones
Area: total: 510.072 million sq km land: 148.94 million sq km water: 361.132 million sq km note: 70.8% of the world's surface is water, 29.2% is land
Area-comparative: land area about 15 times the size of the US
Land boundaries: the land boundaries in the world total 251,480.24 km (not counting shared boundaries twice)
Coastline: 356,000 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm claimed by most but can vary continental shelf: 200-m depth claimed by most or to depth of exploitation, others claim 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm claimed by most but can vary exclusive economic zone: 200 nm claimed by most but can vary territorial sea: 12 nm claimed by most but can vary note: boundary situations with neighboring states prevent many countries from extending their fishing or economic zones to a full 200 nm; 43 nations and other areas that are landlocked include Afghanistan, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Czech Republic, Ethiopia, Holy See (Vatican City), Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malawi, Mali, Moldova, Mongolia, Nepal, Niger, Paraguay, Rwanda, San Marino, Slovakia, Swaziland, Switzerland, Tajikistan, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Uzbekistan, West Bank, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Climate: two large areas of polar climates separated by two rather narrow temperate zones from a wide equatorial band of tropical to subtropical climates
Terrain: the greatest ocean depth is the Mariana Trench at 10,924 m in the Pacific Ocean
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m highest point: Mount Everest 8,848 m
Natural resources: the rapid using up of nonrenewable mineral resources, the depletion of forest areas and wetlands, the extinction of animal and plant species, and the deterioration in air and water quality (especially in Eastern Europe and the former USSR) pose serious long-term problems that governments and peoples are only beginning to address
Land use: arable land: 10% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 26% forests and woodland: 32% other: 31% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 2,481,250 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: large areas subject to severe weather (tropical cyclones), natural disasters (earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions)
Environment-current issues: large areas subject to overpopulation, industrial disasters, pollution (air, water, acid rain, toxic substances), loss of vegetation (overgrazing, deforestation, desertification), loss of wildlife, soil degradation, soil depletion, erosion
Environment-international agreements: selected internationalenvironmental agreements are included under theEnvironment-international agreements entry for each country and in theSelected International Environmental Agreements appendix
@World:People
Population: 5,926,466,814 (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.3% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 22 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 9 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
Infant mortality rate: 58 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 63 years male: 61 years female: 65 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.9 children born/woman (1998 est.)
@World:Government
Data code: none; there is no FIPS 10-4 country code for the World, so the Factbook uses the "W" data code from DIAM 65-18 "Geopolitical Data Elements and Related Features," Data Standard No. 3, March 1984, published by the Defense Intelligence Agency; see the Cross-Reference List of Country Data Codes appendix
Administrative divisions: 266 nations, dependent areas, other, and miscellaneous entries
Legal system: varies by individual country; 186 (not including Yugoslavia) are parties to the UN International Court of Justice (ICJ or World Court)
@World:Economy
Economy-overview: Real global output-gross world product (GWP)-rose an estimated 4.0% in 1997. And, once more, results varied widely among regions and countries. With its solid 3.8% growth, the US again accounted for 21% of GWP in 1997. Western Europe grew at 2.5%, not enough to cut into its high unemployment, and accounted for another 21% of GWP. Japan's faltering economy grew at only 0.9% with its share of GWP at 8%. The advanced countries as a whole accounted for an estimated 53% of GWP, with overall growth at 3.0%. The 15 former Soviet republics and the countries of Eastern Europe posted growth of 1.8%, reversing the long downturn that followed the collapse of communism. Growth varied widely among these countries, e.g., Ukraine at a negative 3.2%, Russia at a positive 0.4%, and the Baltic countries at a strong 7%. The area as a whole accounted for 5% of global output. China and India, with a combined population of 2.2 billion or 37% of the world total, grew at 8.8% and 5%, respectively. (China's official GDP statistics probably are overstated.) The developing countries as a whole contributed 42% to GWP with an overall growth rate of 5.7%. Externally, the nation-state, as a bedrock economic-political institution, is steadily losing control over international flows of people, goods, funds, and technology. Internally, the central government in a number of cases is losing control over resources as separatist regional movements-typically based on ethnicity - gain momentum, e.g., in the successor states of the former Soviet Union, in the former Yugoslavia, in India, and in Canada. In Western Europe, governments face the difficult political problem of channeling resources away from welfare programs in order to increase investment and strengthen incentives to seek employment. The addition of more than 80 million people each year to an already overcrowded globe is exacerbating the problems of pollution, desertification, underemployment, epidemics, and famine. Because of their own internal problems, the industrialized countries have inadequate resources to deal effectively with the poorer areas of the world, which, at least from the economic point of view, are becoming further marginalized. Toward the end of 1997 and on into 1998, serious financial difficulties in several high-growth East Asia countries cast a shadow over short-term global economic prospects. The introduction of the euro as the common currency of much of Western Europe in January 1999 will pose serious economic risks because of varying levels of income and cultural and political differences among the participating nations. (For specific economic developments in each country of the world in 1997, see the individual country entries.)
GDP: GWP (gross world product)-purchasing power parity-$38 trillion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 4% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$6,500 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Inflation rate-consumer price index: all countries 25%; developed countries 2% to 4% typically; developing countries 10% to 60% typically (1997 est.) note: national inflation rates vary widely in individual cases, from stable prices in Japan to hyperinflation in a number of Third World countries
Labor force: total: 2.24 billion (1992) by occupation: NA
Unemployment rate: 30% combined unemployment and underemployment in many non-industrialized countries; developed countries typically 5%-12% unemployment (1997 est.)
Industries: dominated by the onrush of technology, especially in computers, robotics, telecommunications, and medicines and medical equipment; most of these advances take place in OECD nations; only a small portion of non-OECD countries have succeeded in rapidly adjusting to these technological forces; the accelerated development of new industrial (and agricultural) technology is complicating already grim environmental problems
Industrial production growth rate: 5% (1997 est.)
Electricity-capacity: 4 billion kW (1994)
Electricity-production: 12.34268 trillion kWh (1994)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 1,996 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture-products: the whole gamut of crops, livestock, forest products, and fish
Exports: total value: $5 trillion (f.o.b., 1997 est.) commodities: the whole range of industrial and agricultural goods and services partners: in value, about 75% of exports from the developed countries
Imports: total value: $5.1 trillion (c.i.f., 1997 est.) commodities: the whole range of industrial and agricultural goods and services partners: in value, about 75% of imports by the developed countries
Debt-external: $2 trillion for less developed countries (1997 est.)
Economic aid: worldwide traditional foreign aid $50 billion (1995 est.)
Communications
Telephones: NA
Telephone system: domestic: NA international: NA
Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: NA
Televisions: NA
@World:Transportation
Railways: total: 1,201,337 km includes about 190,000 to 195,000 km of electrified routes of which 147,760 km are in Europe, 24,509 km in the Far East, 11,050 km in Africa, 4,223 km in South America, and 4,160 km in North America; note-fastest speed in daily service is 300 km/hr attained by France's Societe Nationale des Chemins-de-Fer Francais (SNCF) Le Train a Grande Vitesse (TGV)-Atlantique line broad gauge: 251,153 km standard gauge: 710,754 km narrow gauge: 239,430 km
Highways: total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km
Ports and harbors: Chiba, Houston, Kawasaki, Kobe, Marseille, Mina' alAhmadi (Kuwait), New Orleans, New York, Rotterdam, Yokohama
Merchant marine: total: 27,052 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 477,514,362 GRT/743,923,664 DWT ships by type: barge carrier 21, bulk 5,623, cargo 8,426, chemical tanker 1,048, combination bulk 321, combination ore/oil 246, container 2,378, liquefied gas tanker 768, livestock carrier 58, multifunction large-load carrier 86, oil tanker 4,435, passenger 306, passenger-cargo 126, railcar carrier 20, refrigerated cargo 1,056, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1,084, short-sea passenger 491, specialized tanker 93, vehicle carrier 466 (1997 est.)
@World:Military
Military branches: ground, maritime, and air forces at all levels of technology
Military expenditures-dollar figure: aggregate real expenditure on arms worldwide in 1997 remained at about the 1996 level, about three-quarters of a trillion dollars in money terms (1997 est.)
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: roughly 2% of gross world product (1997 est.)
______________________________________________________________________
@Yemen:Geography
Location: Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, andRed Sea, between Oman and Saudi Arabia
Geographic coordinates: 15 00 N, 48 00 E
Map references: Middle East
Area: total: 527,970 sq km land: 527,970 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Perim, Socotra, the former Yemen Arab Republic (YAR or North Yemen), and the former People's Democratic Republic of Yemen (PDRY or South Yemen)
Area-comparative: slightly larger than twice the size of Wyoming
Land boundaries: total: 1,746 km border countries: Oman 288 km, Saudi Arabia 1,458 km
Coastline: 1,906 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 18 nm in the North; 24 nm in the South continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: mostly desert; hot and humid along west coast; temperate in western mountains affected by seasonal monsoon; extraordinarily hot, dry, harsh desert in east
Terrain: narrow coastal plain backed by flat-topped hills and rugged mountains; dissected upland desert plains in center slope into the desert interior of the Arabian Peninsula
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m highest point: Jabal an Nabi Shu'ayb 3,760 m
Natural resources: petroleum, fish, rock salt, marble, small deposits of coal, gold, lead, nickel, and copper, fertile soil in west
Land use: arable land: 3% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 30% forests and woodland: 4% other: 63% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 3,600 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: sandstorms and dust storms in summer
Environment-current issues: very limited natural fresh water resources; inadequate supplies of potable water; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
Environment-international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography-note: strategic location on Bab el Mandeb, the strait linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, one of world's most active shipping lanes
@Yemen:People
Population: 16,387,963 (July 1998 est.) note: other estimates range as high as 16.6 million
Age structure: 0-14 years: 48% (male 4,016,052; female 3,859,079) 15-64 years: 49% (male 4,066,601; female 3,902,686) 65 years and over: 3% (male 280,152; female 263,393) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.31% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 43.36 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 10.27 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: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.06 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 72.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 59.47 years male: 57.71 years female: 61.32 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 7.14 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality: noun: Yemeni(s) adjective: Yemeni
Ethnic groups: predominantly Arab; Afro-Arab concentrations in western coastal locations; South Asians in southern regions; small European communities in major metropolitan areas
Religions: Muslim including Shaf'i (Sunni) and Zaydi (Shi'a), small numbers of Jewish, Christian, and Hindu
Languages: Arabic
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 38% male: 53% female: 26% (1990 est.)
@Yemen:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Yemen conventional short form: Yemen local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Yamaniyah local short form: Al Yaman
Data code: YM
Government type: republic
National capital: Sanaa
Administrative divisions: 17 governorates (muhafazat, singular-muhafazah); Abyan, Aden, Al Bayda, Al Hudaydah, Al Jawf, Al Mahrah, Al Mahwit, 'Ataq, Dhamar, Hadhramaut, Hajjah, Ibb, Lahij, Ma'rib, Sa'dah, San'a', Ta'izz note: there may be a new governorate for the capital city of Sanaa
Independence: 22 May 1990 Republic of Yemen was established on 22 May 1990 with the merger of the Yemen Arab Republic {Yemen (Sanaa) or North Yemen} and the Marxist-dominated People's Democratic Republic of Yemen {Yemen (Aden) or South Yemen}; previously North Yemen had become independent on NA November 1918 (from the Ottoman Empire) and South Yemen had become independent on 30 November 1967 (from the UK)
National holiday: Proclamation of the Republic, 22 May (1990)
Constitution: 16 May 1991; amended 29 September 1994
Legal system: based on Islamic law, Turkish law, English common law, and local tribal customary law; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Ali Abdallah SALIH (since 22 May 1990, the former president of North Yemen, assumed office upon the merger of North and South Yemen); Vice President Maj. Gen. Abd al-Rab Mansur al-HADI (since NA October 1994) head of government: Acting Prime Minister Dr. Abd al-Karim Ali al-IRYANI (since NA April 1998) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister elections: President SALIH was elected by the House of Representatives for a five-year term, however, future presidents will be elected by direct, popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 1 October 1994 (next to be held NA 1999); vice president appointed by the president; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president election results: Ali Abdallah SALIH elected president; percent of House of Representatives vote-NA
Legislative branch: unicameral House of Representatives (301 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 27 April 1997 (next to be held NA April 2001) election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-GPC 189, Islaah 52, Nasserite Unionist Party 3, National Arab Socialist Baath Party 2, independents 54, election pending 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: there are over 12 political parties active in Yemen, some of the more prominent are: General People's Congress (GPC), President Ali Abdallah SALIH; Islamic Reform Grouping (Islaah), Shaykh Abdallah bin Husayn al-AHMAR; Yemeni Socialist Party (YSP), Ali Salih UBAYD; Nasserite Unionist Party, leader NA; National Arab Socialist Baath Party, Dr. Qassim SALAAM note: President SALIH's General People's Congress (GPC) won a landslide victory in the April 1997 legislative election and no longer governs in coalition with Shaykh Abdallah bin Husayn al-AHMAR's Islamic Reform Grouping (Islaah) - the two parties had been in coalition since the end of the civil war in 1994; the YSP, a loyal opposition party, boycotted the April 1997 legislative election
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: ACC, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU,CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OIC, UN,UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO(applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Abd al-Wahhab Abdallah al-HAJRI chancery: Suite 705, 2600 Virginia Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 965-4760 FAX: [1] (202) 337-2017
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Barbara K. BODINE embassy: Dhahr Himyar Zone, Sheraton Hotel District, Sanaa mailing address: P. O. Box 22347, Sanaa telephone: [967] (1) 238843 through 238852 FAX: [967] (1) 251563
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black; similar to the flag of Syria which has two green stars and of Iraq which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Egypt which has a symbolic eagle centered in the white band
@Yemen:Economy
Economy-overview: The northern city Sanaa is the political capital of a united Yemen, and the southern city Aden, with its refinery and port facilities, is the economic and commercial capital. Future economic development depends heavily on the attraction of foreign investment to diversify the economy. Former South Yemen's willingness to merge stemmed partly from the sharp decline in Soviet economic support. The low level of domestic industry and agriculture has made northern Yemen dependent on imports for practically all of its essential needs. Once self-sufficient in food production, northern Yemen has become a major importer. Land once used for export crops-cotton, fruit, and vegetables - has been turned over to growing a shrub called qat, whose leaves are chewed for their stimulant effect by Yemenis and which has no significant export market. Economic growth in former South Yemen has been constrained by a lack of incentives, partly stemming from centralized control over production decisions, investment allocation, and import choices. Yemen's GDP has been supplemented by remittances from Yemenis working abroad and by foreign aid. Since the Gulf crisis, however, remittances have dropped substantially. Floods in June 1996 caused the loss of much valuable topsoil in the agricultural sector, increasing the need for imports of foodstuffs. Oil production and GDP as a whole are expected to increase moderately in 1998.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$31.8 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 5% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$2,300 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector: agriculture: 15% industry: 39% services: 46% (1995)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 5% (1997 est.)
Labor force: no reliable estimates exist, most people are employed in agriculture and herding or as expatriate laborers; services, construction, industry, and commerce account for less than one-half of the labor force
Unemployment rate: 30% (1995 est.)
Budget: revenues: $2.6 billion expenditures: $2.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.1 billion (1998 est.)
Industries: crude oil production and petroleum refining; small-scale production of cotton textiles and leather goods; food processing; handicrafts; small aluminum products factory; cement
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity-capacity: 810,000 kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 1.85 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 126 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: grain, fruits, vegetables, qat (mildly narcotic shrub), coffee, cotton; dairy products, poultry, meat; fish
Exports: total value: $2.3 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.) commodities: crude oil, cotton, coffee, dried and salted fish partners: China 23%, South Korea 19%, Thailand 14%, Brazil 13%, Japan 12%, Thailand 7% (1995)
Imports: total value: $2.3 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.) commodities: textiles and other manufactured consumer goods, petroleum products, foodstuffs, cement, machinery, chemicals partners: US 12%, France 11%, UAE 10%, Saudi Arabia 7%, UK 5% (1995)
Debt-external: $8 billion (1996)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $148 million (1993)
Currency: Yemeni rial (YRl) (new currency)
Exchange rates: Yemeni rials (YRl) per US$1-129.158 (1997), 94.157 (1996), 40.839 (1995), 12.010 (official fixed rate 1991-94)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 131,655 (1992 est.)
Telephone system: since unification in 1990, efforts have been made to create a national telecommunications network domestic: the network consists of microwave radio relay, cable, and tropospheric scatter international: satellite earth stations-3 Intelsat (2 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region), and 2 Arabsat; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and Djibouti
Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 1, shortwave 0
Radios: 325,000 (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 10
Televisions: 100,000 (1993 est.)
@Yemen:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 64,725 km paved: 5,243 km unpaved: 59,482 km (1996 est.)
Pipelines: crude oil 644 km; petroleum products 32 km
Ports and harbors: Aden, Al Hudaydah, Al Mukalla, As Salif, Mocha,Nishtun
Merchant marine: total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 12,059 GRT/18,563 DWT ships by type: cargo 1, oil tanker 2 (1997 est.)
Airports: 48 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways: total: 11 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 37 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 3 (1997 est.)
@Yemen:Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary (includesPolice)
Military manpower-military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower-availability: males age 15-49: 3,611,419 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 2,026,175 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-reaching military age annually: males: 204,674 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $407 million (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 5% (1998 est.)
@Yemen:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: a large section of boundary with Saudi Arabia is not defined; a dispute with Eritrea over sovereignty of the Hanish Islands in the southern Red Sea has been submitted to arbitration under the auspices of the International Court of Justice; a decision on the Islands is expected in mid-1998
______________________________________________________________________
@Zambia:Geography
Location: Southern Africa, east of Angola
Geographic coordinates: 15 00 S, 30 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 752,610 sq km land: 740,720 sq km water: 11,890 sq km
Area-comparative: slightly larger than Texas
Land boundaries: total: 5,664 km border countries: Angola 1,110 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 1,930 km, Malawi 837 km, Mozambique 419 km, Namibia 233 km, Tanzania 338 km, Zimbabwe 797 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: tropical; modified by altitude; rainy season (October toApril)
Terrain: mostly high plateau with some hills and mountains
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Zambezi river 329 m highest point: in Mafinga Hills 2,301 m
Natural resources: copper, cobalt, zinc, lead, coal, emeralds, gold, silver, uranium, hydropower potential
Land use: arable land: 7% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 40% forests and woodland: 39% other: 14% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 460 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: tropical storms (November to April)
Environment-current issues: air pollution and resulting acid rain in the mineral extraction and refining region; poaching seriously threatens rhinoceros and elephant populations; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; lack of adequate water treatment presents human health risks
Environment-international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography-note: landlocked
@Zambia:People
Population: 9,460,736 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 49% (male 2,342,043; female 2,316,357) 15-64 years: 48% (male 2,244,251; female 2,326,159) 65 years and over: 3% (male 106,950; female 124,976) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.13% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 44.6 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 22.55 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.8 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: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 92.57 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 37.07 years male: 36.81 years female: 37.33 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.41 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality: noun: Zambian(s) adjective: Zambian
Ethnic groups: African 98.7%, European 1.1%, other 0.2%
Religions: Christian 50%-75%, Muslim and Hindu 24%-49%, indigenous beliefs 1%
Languages: English (official), major vernaculars-Bemba, Kaonda, Lozi,Lunda, Luvale, Nyanja, Tonga, and about 70 other indigenous languages
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write in English total population: 78.2% male: 85.6% female: 71.3% (1995 est.)
@Zambia:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Zambia conventional short form: Zambia former: Northern Rhodesia
Data code: ZA
Government type: republic
National capital: Lusaka
Administrative divisions: 9 provinces; Central, Copperbelt, Eastern,Luapula, Lusaka, Northern, North-Western, Southern, Western
Independence: 24 October 1964 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 24 October (1964)
Constitution: 2 August 1991
Legal system: based on English common law and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in an ad hoc constitutional council; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Frederick CHILUBA (since 31 October 1991); Vice President Christon TEMBO (since December 1997); note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Frederick CHILUBA (since 31 October 1991); Vice President Christon TEMBO (since December 1997); note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 18 November 1996 (next to be held October 2001); vice president appointed by the president election results: Frederick CHILUBA elected president; percent of vote-Frederick CHILUBA 70%, Dean MUNGO'MBA 12%, Humphrey MULEMBA 6%, Akashambatwa LEWANIKA 4%, Chama CHAKOMBOKA 3%, others 5%
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (150 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 18 November 1996 (next to be held October 2001) election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-MMD 130, NP 5, ZADECO 2, AZ 2, independents 11
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, justices are appointed by the president
Political parties and leaders: Agenda for Zambia or AZ [AkashambatwaLEWANIKA]; Labor Party or LP [Chibiza MFUNI]; Liberal ProgressiveFront or LPF [Roger CHONGWE, president]; Movement for DemocraticProcess or MDP [Chama CHAKOM BOKA]; Movement for Multiparty Democracyor MMD [Frederick CHILUBA]; National Lima Party or NLP [Guy SCOTT andBen KAPITA]; National Party or NP [Daniel LISULO]; United NationalIndependence Party or UNIP [Kenneth KAUNDA]; Zambia DemocraticCongress or ZADECO [Dean MUNG'OMBA]
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO,G-19, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MONUA, NAM, OAU, SADC, UN,UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Dunstan Weston KAMANA chancery: 2419 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-9717 through 9719 FAX: [1] (202) 332-0826
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Arlene RENDER embassy: corner of Independence and United Nations Avenues mailing address: P. O. Box 31617, Lusaka telephone: [260] (1) 250-955, 252-230 FAX: [260] (1) 252-225
Flag description: green with a panel of three vertical bands of red (hoist side), black, and orange below a soaring orange eagle, on the outer edge of the flag
@Zambia:Economy
Economy-overview: Despite progress in privatization and budgetary reform, Zambia's economy has a long way to go. Inflation, while slowing somewhat, continues to be a major concern to the CHILUBA government. Zambia's copper mining sector, which accounts for over 80% of the nation's foreign currency intake, is struggling. Production rates are down as are world copper prices. Aid cuts by Zambia's donors, arising out of concern for the November 1996 flawed election, will severely damage Zambia's economic prospects. Urged by the World Bank, Zambia has embarked on a privatization program which is to include the all-important copper industry.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$8.8 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 3.5% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$950 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector: agriculture: 23% industry: 40% services: 37% (1997 est.)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 43.9% (1996)
Labor force: total: 3.4 million by occupation: agriculture 85%, mining, manufacturing, and construction 6%, transport and services 9%
Unemployment rate: 22% (1991)
Budget: revenues: $888 million expenditures: $835 million, including capital expenditures of $110 million (1995 est.)
Industries: copper mining and processing, construction, foodstuffs, beverages, chemicals, textiles, fertilizer
Industrial production growth rate: 3.5% (1996)
Electricity-capacity: 2.436 million kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 7.79 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 668 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: corn, sorghum, rice, peanuts, sunflower seed, tobacco, cotton, sugarcane, cassava (tapioca); cattle, goats, pigs, poultry, beef, pork, poultry meat, milk, eggs, hides
Exports: total value: $975 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: copper, zinc, cobalt, lead, tobacco partners: EU countries, Japan, South Africa, US, Saudi Arabia, India, Thailand, Malaysia
Imports: total value: $990 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: machinery, transportation equipment, foodstuffs, fuels, petroleum products, electricity, miscellaneous manufactured goods partners: South Africa, EU countries, Japan, Saudi Arabia, US
Debt-external: $7.2 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $2 billion (1995 est.)
Currency: 1 Zambian kwacha (ZK) = 100 ngwee
Exchange rates: Zambian kwacha (ZK) per US$1-1,351.,35 (October 1997), 1,203.71 (1996), 857.23 (1995), 669.37 (1994), 452.76 (1993)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 80,900 (1987 est.)
Telephone system: facilities are among the best in Sub-Saharan Africa domestic: high-capacity microwave radio relay connects most larger towns and cities international: satellite earth stations-2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 11, FM 5, shortwave 0
Radios: 1,889,140
Television broadcast stations: 9
Televisions: 215,000 (1995 est.)
@Zambia:Transportation
Railways: total: 2,164 km (1995) narrow gauge: 2,164 km 1.067-m gauge (13 km double track) note: the total includes 891 km of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA), which operates 1,860 km of 1.067-m narrow gauge track between Dar es Salaam and New Kapiri Mposhi where it connects to the Zambia Railways system; TAZARA is not a part of Zambia Railways
Highways: total: 39,700 km paved: 7,265 km (including 60 km of expressways) unpaved: 32,435 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 2,250 km, including Zambezi and Luapula rivers, LakeTanganyika
Pipelines: crude oil 1,724 km
Ports and harbors: Mpulungu
Airports: 111 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways: total: 12 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 99 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 64 under 914 m: 32 (1997 est.)
@Zambia:Military
Military branches: Army, Air Force, paramilitary forces, Police
Military manpower-availability: males age 15-49: 2,037,123 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 1,078,085 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $96 million (1995)
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 2.7% (1995)
@Zambia:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: quadripoint with Botswana, Namibia, and Zimbabwe is in disagreement; Democratic Republic of the Congo-Tanzania-Zambia tripoint in Lake Tanganyika may no longer be indefinite since it has been informally reported that the indefinite section of the Democratic Republic of the Congo-Zambia boundary has been settled
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for methaqualone, heroin, and cocaine bound for Southern Africa and Europe; regional money-laundering center
______________________________________________________________________
@Zimbabwe:Geography
Location: Southern Africa, northeast of Botswana
Geographic coordinates: 20 00 S, 30 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 390,580 sq km land: 386,670 sq km water: 3,910 sq km
Area-comparative: slightly larger than Montana
Land boundaries: total: 3,066 km border countries: Botswana 813 km, Mozambique 1,231 km, South Africa 225 km, Zambia 797 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: tropical; moderated by altitude; rainy season (November toMarch)
Terrain: mostly high plateau with higher central plateau (high veld); mountains in east
Elevation extremes: lowest point: junction of the Lundi and Savi rivers 162 m highest point: Inyangani 2,592 m
Natural resources: coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel, copper, iron ore, vanadium, lithium, tin, platinum group metals
Land use: arable land: 7% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 13% forests and woodland: 23% other: 57% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,930 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare
Environment-current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; land degradation; air and water pollution; the black rhinoceros herd-once the largest concentration of the species in the world-has been significantly reduced by poaching
Environment-international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography-note: landlocked
@Zimbabwe:People
Population: 11,044,147 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 44% (male 2,439,907; female 2,397,761) 15-64 years: 54% (male 2,914,336; female 3,000,442) 65 years and over: 2% (male 133,232; female 158,469) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.12% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 31.32 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 20.09 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1,000 population note: there is a small but steady flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa in search of better paid employment
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 61.75 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 39.16 years male: 39.12 years female: 39.19 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.86 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality: noun: Zimbabwean(s) adjective: Zimbabwean
Ethnic groups: African 98% (Shona 71%, Ndebele 16%, other 11%), white 1%, mixed and Asian 1%
Religions: syncretic (part Christian, part indigenous beliefs) 50%,Christian 25%, indigenous beliefs 24%, Muslim and other 1%
Languages: English (official), Shona, Sindebele (the language of theNdebele, sometimes called Ndebele), numerous but minor tribal dialects
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write in English total population: 85% male: 90% female: 80% (1995 est.)
@Zimbabwe:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Zimbabwe conventional short form: Zimbabwe former: Southern Rhodesia
Data code: ZI
Government type: parliamentary democracy
National capital: Harare
Administrative divisions: 8 provinces and 2 cities* with provincialstatus; Bulawayo*, Harare*, Manicaland, Mashonaland Central,Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, Masvingo, Matabeleland North,Matabeleland South, Midlands
Independence: 18 April 1980 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 18 April (1980)
Constitution: 21 December 1979
Legal system: mixture of Roman-Dutch and English common law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31 December 1987); Co-Vice Presidents Simon Vengai MUZENDA (since 31 December 1987) and Joshua M. NKOMO (since 6 August 1990); note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31 December 1987); Co-Vice Presidents Simon Vengai MUZENDA (since 31 December 1987) and Joshua M. NKOMO (since 6 August 1990); note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president; responsible to the House of Assembly elections: president nominated by the House of Assembly for a six-year term (if more than one nomination, an electoral college consisting of members of the House of Assembly elects the president); election last held 26-27 March 1996 (next to be held NA March 2002); co-vice presidents appointed by the president election results: Robert Gabriel MUGABE elected president; percent of electoral college vote-Robert Gabriel MUGABE 92.7%, Abel MUZOREWA 4.8%; Ndabaningi SITHOLE 2.4%
Legislative branch: unicameral parliament, called House of Assembly (150 seats, 120 of which are directly elected by popular vote for six-year terms; of the other 30 seats, 12 are nominated by the president, 10 are occupied by traditional chiefs chosen by their peers, and 8 by provincial governors) elections: last held 8-9 April 1995 (next to be held NA April 2001) election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-ZANU-PF 117, ZANU-Ndonga 2, independent 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: Zimbabwe African NationalUnion-Patriotic Front or ZANU-PF [Robert MUGABE]; Zimbabwe AfricanNational Union-NDONGA or ZANU-NDONGA [Ndabaningi SITHOLE]; ZimbabweUnity Movement or ZUM [Edgar TEKERE]; Democratic Party or DP [EmmanuelMAGOCHE]; Forum Party of Zimbabwe [Enock DUMBUTSHENA]; United Parties[Abel MUZOREWA]
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO,G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MONUA, NAM,OAU, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Amos Bernard Muvengwa MIDZI chancery: 1608 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 332-7100 FAX: [1] (202) 483-9326
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Tom McDONALD embassy: 172 Herbert Chitepo Avenue, Harare mailing address: P. O. Box 3340, Harare telephone: [263] (4) 794521 FAX: [263] (4) 796488
Flag description: seven equal horizontal bands of green, yellow, red, black, red, yellow, and green with a white equilateral triangle edged in black based on the hoist side; a yellow Zimbabwe bird is superimposed on a red five-pointed star in the center of the triangle
@Zimbabwe:Economy
Economy-overview: Agriculture employs 27% of the labor force of this landlocked nation and supplies almost 25% of exports. Mining accounts for only 5% of both GDP and employment, but minerals and metals account for about 20% of exports. The government is working to consolidate earlier progress in developing a market-oriented economy. Although the IMF suspended support for Zimbabwe's economic structural adjustment program (ESAP) in 1995, due to government failure to meet key targets, recent talks between the government and the Fund have held hope for renewed support if Zimbabwe remains committed to budgetary targets. A key element of the budget is the Zimbabwe Program for Socio-Economic Transformation (ZIMPREST), the second phase of ESAP, whose goals include increased commercialization and privatization of government-owned enterprises and more "outward-looking" trade and investment policies. The World Bank resumed balance of payments support to Zimbabwe in early 1998. Government officials face the difficult task of restraining expenditures in their effort to keep inflation within bounds.