Labor force: 20,345 (1995 est.)
Labor force—by occupation: largely engaged in fishing, manufacturing, transportation, and commerce
Unemployment rate: 5% (1998 est.)
Budget:revenues: $467 millionexpenditures: $468 million, including capital expenditures of $11million (1996 est.)
Industries: fishing, shipbuilding, construction, handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity—production: 170 million kWh (1996)
Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: 52.94% hydro: 47.06% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity—consumption: 170 million kWh (1996)
Electricity—exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity—imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture—products: milk, potatoes, vegetables; sheep; salmon, other fish
Exports: $362 million (f.o.b., 1995)
Exports—commodities: fish and fish products 92%, animalfeedstuffs, transport equipment (ships)
Exports—partners: Denmark 22.2%, UK 25.8%, Germany 9.7%, France8.3%, Norway 6.2%, US 2.0%
Imports: $315.6 (c.i.f., 1995)
Imports—commodities: machinery and transport equipment 17.0%, consumer goods 33%, raw materials and semi-manufactures 26.9%, fuels 11.4%, fish and salt 6.7%
Imports—partners: Denmark 34.5%, Norway 15.9%, UK 8.4% Germany 7.8%, Sweden 5.8%, US 1.5%
Debt—external: $767 million (1995 est.)
Economic aid—recipient: $150 million (annual subsidy fromDenmark) (1995)
Currency: 1 Danish krone (DKr) = 100 oere
Exchange rates: Danish kroner (DKr) per US$1—6.408 (January 1999), 6.701 (1998), 6.604 (1997), 5.799 (1966), 5.602 (1995), 6.361 (1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 22,500 (3,500 cellular telephone subscribers) (1996)
Telephone system: good international communications; gooddomestic facilitiesdomestic: digitalization was to hve been completed in 1998international: satellite earth stations—1 Orion; 1 fiber-opticsubmarine cable linking the Faroe Islands with Denmark and Iceland
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1 (repeaters 13), shortwave 0
Radios: 11,800 (1996 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 3 (in addition, there are 29 low-power repeaters; satellite relays of MTV Europe, BBC World, and Scansat TV3 Eurosport are also available) (1997)
Televisions: 11,600 (1996 est.)
Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 458 km paved: 450 km unpaved: 8 km (1995 est.)
Ports and harbors: Torshavn, Klaksvik, Tvoroyri, Runavik,Fuglafjorour
Merchant marine:total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 22,853 GRT/13,481 DWTships by type: cargo 2, oil tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 1,roll-on/roll-off cargo 1, short-sea passenger 1 (1998 est.)
Airports: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports—with paved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: no organized native military forces; only a small Police Force and Coast Guard are maintained
Military expenditures—dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures—percent of GDP: NA%
Military—note: defense is the responsibility of Denmark
Transnational Issues
Disputes—international: none
======================================================================
@Fiji ——
Geography
Location: Oceania, island group in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Geographic coordinates: 18 00 S, 175 00 E
Map references: Oceania
Area:total: 18,270 sq kmland: 18,270 sq kmwater: 0 sq km
Area—comparative: slightly smaller than New Jersey
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 1,129 km
Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation; rectilinear shelf claim added exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical marine; only slight seasonal temperature variation
Terrain: mostly mountains of volcanic origin
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Tomanivi 1,324 m
Natural resources: timber, fish, gold, copper, offshore oilpotential
Land use:arable land: 10%permanent crops: 4%permanent pastures: 10%forests and woodland: 65%other: 11% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 10 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: cyclonic storms can occur from November toJanuary
Environment—current issues: deforestation; soil erosion
Environment—international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertication, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94 signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography—note: includes 332 islands of which approximately 110 are inhabited
People
Population: 812,918 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 33% (male 138,796; female 133,428)15-64 years: 63% (male 257,130; female 256,834)65 years and over: 4% (male 12,527; female 14,203) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.28% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 22.76 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 6.21 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -3.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.01 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 16.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 66.59 years male: 64.19 years female: 69.11 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.7 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Fijian(s) adjective: Fijian
Ethnic groups: Fijian 51%, Indian 44%, European, other PacificIslanders, overseas Chinese, and other 5% (1998 est.)
Religions: Christian 52% (Methodist 37%, Roman Catholic 9%), Hindu 38%, Muslim 8%, other 2% note: Fijians are mainly Christian, Indians are Hindu, and there is a Muslim minority (1986)
Languages: English (official), Fijian, Hindustani
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 91.6%male: 93.8%female: 89.3% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of the Fiji Islandsconventional short form: Fiji
Data code: FJ
Government type: republic note: military coup leader Maj. Gen. Sitiveni RABUKA formally declared Fiji a republic on 6 October 1987
Capital: Suva
Administrative divisions: 4 divisions and 1 dependency*; Central,Eastern, Northern, Rotuma*, Western
Independence: 10 October 1970 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 10 October (1970)
Constitution: 10 October 1970 (suspended 1 October 1987); a new constitution was proposed on 23 September 1988 and promulgated on 25 July 1990; amended 25 July 1997 to allow non-ethnic Fijians greater say in government and to make multi-party government mandatory; entered into force 28 July 1998; note— the May 1999 election will be the first test of the amended constitution and will introduce open voting—not racially prescribed—for the first time at the national level
Legal system: based on British system
Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Ratu Sir Kamisese MARA (acting presidentsince 15 December 1993, president since 12 January 1994); VicePresident Ratu Josefa Iloilo ULUIVUDA (since 18 January 1999)head of government: Prime Minister Sitiveni RABUKA (since 2 June1992); Deputy Prime Minister Taufa VAKATALE (since 7 August 1997)cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among themembers of Parliament and is responsible to Parliamentnote: there is also a Presidential Council that advises thepresident on matters of national importance and a Great Council ofChiefs which consists of the highest ranking members of thetraditional chiefly systemelections: president elected by the Great Council of Chiefs for afive-year term; prime minister appointed by the presidentelection results: Ratu Sir Kamisese MARA elected president; percentof Great Council of Chiefs vote—NA
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate(34 seats; 24 reserved for ethnic Fijians, 9 for Indians and others,and 1 for the island of Rotuma; members appointed by the presidentto serve five-year terms) and the House of Representatives (70seats; 37 reserved for ethnic Fijians, 27 reserved for ethnicIndians, and 6 for independents and others; members elected bypopular vote on a communal basis to serve five-year terms)elections: House of Representatives—last held 18-25 February 1994(next to be held 11 May 1999)election results: House of Representatives—percent of vote byparty—NA; seats by party—SVT 31, NFP 20, FLP 7, FAP 5, GVP 4,independents 2, ANC 1; note—results are for the last election beforethe new constitution came into forcenote: when the new constitution is applied to the upcoming Mayelections, the composition of the legislative branch will change tothe following: Senate—32 seats (14 appointed by the Great Council ofChiefs, nine appointed by the prime minister, eight appointed by theleader of the opposition, and one appointed by the council ofRotuma) and House of Representatives—71 seats (23 reserved forethnic Fijians, 19 reserved for ethnic Indians, three reserved forother ethnic groups, one reserved for the Rotuman constituencyencompassing the whole of Fiji, and 25 open seats)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are appointed by thepresident
Political parties and leaders: Fijian Political Party or SVTLewenivanua Vakarisito Party or VLV or Christian Fellowship Partynote: in early 1995, ethnic Fijian members of the All NationalCongress or ANC merged with the Fijian Association or FA; theremaining members of the ANC have renamed their party the GeneralElectors' Association
International organization participation: ACP, AsDB, C, CP,ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU,OPCW, PCA, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL,UNIKOM, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador "Ratu" Napolioni MASIREWAchancery: Suite 240, 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007consulate(s): New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Larry M.DINGERembassy: 31 Loftus Street, Suvamailing address: P. O. Box 218, Suva
Flag description: light blue with the flag of the UK in the upperhoist-side quadrant and the Fijian shield centered on the outer halfof the flag; the shield depicts a yellow lion above a white fieldquartered by the cross of Saint George featuring stalks ofsugarcane, a palm tree, bananas, and a white dove
Economy
Economy—overview: Fiji, endowed with forest, mineral, and fish resources, is one of the most developed of the Pacific island economies, though still with a large subsistence sector. Sugar exports and a growing tourist industry are the major sources of foreign exchange. Sugar processing makes up one-third of industrial activity. Roughly 250,000 tourists visit each year. Political uncertainty and drought, however, contribute to substantial fluctuations in earnings from tourism and sugar and to the emigration of skilled workers. Fiji's growth slowed in 1997 because the sugar industry suffered from low world prices and rent disputes between farmers and landowners. Drought in 1998 further damaged the sugar industry. Overall growth in 1991-98 has averaged less than 2% per year, with long-term problems of low investment and uncertain property rights. The central bank predicts growth of 2% to 3% in 1999.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$5.4 billion (1998 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: 2.4% (1998 est.)
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$6,700 (1998 est.)
GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 19% industry: 22% services: 59% (1996 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (1997 est.)
Labor force: 235,000
Labor force—by occupation: subsistence agriculture 67%, wage earners 18%, salary earners 15% (1987)
Unemployment rate: 6% (1997 est.)
Budget:revenues: $540.65 millionexpenditures: $742.65 million, including capital expenditures of $NA(1997 est.)
Industries: sugar, tourism, copra, gold, silver, clothing,lumber, small cottage industries
Industrial production growth rate: 2.9% (1995)
Electricity—production: 545 million kWh (1996)
Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: 21.1% hydro: 78.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity—consumption: 545 million kWh (1996)
Electricity—exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity—imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture—products: sugarcane, coconuts, cassava (tapioca), rice, sweet potatoes, bananas; cattle, pigs, horses, goats; fish
Exports: $655 million (f.o.b., 1996)
Exports—commodities: sugar 32%, clothing, gold, processed fish,lumber
Exports—partners: Australia 27%, UK 14%, NZ 12%, US 8%, Japan(1996)
Imports: $838 million (f.o.b., 1996)
Imports—commodities: machinery and transport equipment, petroleumproducts, food, chemicals
Imports—partners: Australia 44%, NZ 15%, US 9%, Japan 5%,Singapore 5% (1996)
Debt—external: $217 million (1996 est.)
Economic aid—recipient: $40.3 million (1995)
Currency: 1 Fijian dollar (F$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Fijian dollars (F$) per US$1—1.9556 (January 1999), 1.9868 (1998), 1.4437 (1997), 1.4033 (1996), 1.4063 (1995), 1.4641 (1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 60,017 (1987 est.)
Telephone system: modern local, interisland, and international(wire/radio integrated) public and special-purpose telephone,telegraph, and teleprinter facilities; regional radio communicationscenterdomestic: NAinternational: access to important cable link between US and Canadaand NZ and Australia; satellite earth station—1 Intelsat (PacificOcean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 1, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 0
Televisions: 12,000 (1992 est.)
Transportation
Railways:total: 597 km; note—belongs to the government-owned Fiji SugarCorporationnarrow gauge: 597 km 0.610-m gauge (1995)
Highways:total: 3,440 kmpaved: 1,692 kmunpaved: 1,748 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 203 km; 122 km navigable by motorized craft and200-metric-ton barges
Ports and harbors: Labasa, Lautoka, Levuka, Savusavu, Suva
Merchant marine:total: 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 10,721 GRT/13,145 DWTships by type: chemical tanker 2, passenger 1, roll-on/roll-offcargo 1, specialized tanker 1 (1998 est.)
Airports: 24 (1998 est.)
Airports—with paved runways: total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports—with unpaved runways: total: 21 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 17 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF; includes ground and naval forces)
Military manpower—military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower—availability:males age 15-49: 218,853 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—fit for military service:males age 15-49: 120,555 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—reaching military age annually:males: 9,326 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures—dollar figure: $34 million (1997)
Military expenditures—percent of GDP: 1.6% (1997)
Transnational Issues
Disputes—international: none
======================================================================
@Finland ———-
Introduction
Background: Long ruled by foreign powers, including Sweden and the pre-revolutionary Russian Empire, Finland finally declared independence in 1917. During World War II, Finland fought the USSR twice and then the Germans toward the end of the war. In the following half-century, the Finns made a remarkable transformation from a farm/forest economy to a diversified modern industrial economy. Per capita income has risen to the West European level; Finland is a member of the European Union and is the only Nordic state to join the euro system at its initiation in January 1999.
Geography
Location: Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf ofBothnia, and Gulf of Finland, between Sweden and Russia
Geographic coordinates: 64 00 N, 26 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area:total: 337,030 sq kmland: 305,470 sq kmwater: 31,560 sq km
Area—comparative: slightly smaller than Montana
Land boundaries: total: 2,628 km border countries: Norway 729 km, Sweden 586 km, Russia 1,313 km
Coastline: 1,126 km (excludes islands and coastal indentations)
Maritime claims:contiguous zone: 6 nmcontinental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitationexclusive fishing zone: 12 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm (in the Gulf of Finland—3 nm)
Climate: cold temperate; potentially subarctic, but comparativelymild because of moderating influence of the North Atlantic Current,Baltic Sea, and more than 60,000 lakes
Terrain: mostly low, flat to rolling plains interspersed withlakes and low hills
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m highest point: Haltiatunturi 1,328 m
Natural resources: timber, copper, zinc, iron ore, silver
Land use:arable land: 8%permanent crops: NA%permanent pastures: NA%forests and woodland: 76%other: 16% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 640 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment—current issues: air pollution from manufacturing and power plants contributing to acid rain; water pollution from industrial wastes, agricultural chemicals; habitat loss threatens wildlife populations
Environment—international agreements:party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, AirPollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, AirPollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-EnvironmentalProtocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine LifeConservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, ShipPollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whalingsigned, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent OrganicPollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography—note: long boundary with Russia; Helsinki is northernmost national capital on European continent; population concentrated on small southwestern coastal plain
People
Population: 5,158,372 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 18% (male 483,700; female 464,431)15-64 years: 67% (male 1,743,340; female 1,706,873)65 years and over: 15% (male 289,405; female 470,623) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.15% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 10.77 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 9.67 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.04 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.95 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 3.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.32 years male: 73.81 years female: 80.98 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.68 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Finn(s) adjective: Finnish
Ethnic groups: Finn 93%, Swede 6%, Lapp 0.11%, Gypsy 0.12%, Tatar0.02%
Religions: Evangelical Lutheran 89%, Greek Orthodox 1%, none 9%,other 1%
Languages: Finnish 93.5% (official), Swedish 6.3% (official),small Lapp- and Russian-speaking minorities
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 100% (1980 est.)male: NA%female: NA%
Government
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Finlandconventional short form: Finlandlocal long form: Suomen Tasavaltalocal short form: Suomi
Data code: FI
Government type: republic
Capital: Helsinki
Administrative divisions: 6 provinces (laanit, singular—laani);Aland, Etela-Suomen Laani, Ita-Suomen Lanni, Lansi-Suomen Laani,Lappi, Oulun Laani
Independence: 6 December 1917 (from Russia)
National holiday: Independence Day, 6 December (1917)
Constitution: 17 July 1919
Legal system: civil law system based on Swedish law; Supreme Court may request legislation interpreting or modifying laws; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Martti AHTISAARI (since 1 March 1994)head of government: Prime Minister Paavo LIPPONEN (since 13 April1995) and Deputy Prime Minister Sauli NIINISTO (since 13 April 1995)cabinet: Council of State or Valtioneuvosto appointed by thepresident, responsible to Parliamentelections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;election last held 31 January-6 February 1994 (next to be held NAJanuary 2000); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointedfrom the majority party by the president after parliamentaryelectionselection results: Martti AHTISAARI elected president; percent ofvote—Martti AHTISAARI 54%, Elisabeth REHN 46%
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Eduskunta (200seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional basisto serve four-year terms)elections: last held 21 March 1999 (next to be held NA March 2003)election results: percent of vote by party—Social Democratic Party22.9%, Center Party 22.5%, National Coalition (Conservative) Party21.0%, Leftist Alliance (Communist) 10.9%, Swedish People's Party5.1%, Green Union 7.2%, Finnish Christian League 4.2%; seats byparty—Social Democratic Party 51, Center Party 48, NationalCoalition (Conservative) Party 46, Leftist Alliance (Communist) 20,Swedish People's Party 11, Green Union 11, Finnish Christian League10, other 3
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Korkein Oikeus, judgesappointed by the president
Political parties and leaders:Alliance (Communist) composed of People's Democratic League and
Political pressure groups and leaders: Finnish Communist
International organization participation: AfDB, AsDB, AustraliaGroup, BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU,FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD,IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC,IOM, ISO, ITU, MTCR, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer),OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR,UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMOGIP, UNMOP, UNPREDEP, UNTSO, UPU,WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Jaakko Tapani LAAJAVAchancery: 3301 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Eric EDELMANembassy: Itainen Puistotie 14A, FIN-00140, Helsinkimailing address: APO AE 09723
Flag description: white with a blue cross that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)
Economy
Economy—overview: Finland has a highly industrialized, largely free-market economy, with per capita output roughly that of the UK, France, Germany, and Italy. Its key economic sector is manufacturing—principally the wood, metals, engineering, telecommunications, and electronics industries. Trade is important, with the export of goods representing about 30% of GDP. Except for timber and several minerals, Finland depends on imports of raw materials, energy, and some components for manufactured goods. Because of the climate, agricultural development is limited to maintaining self-sufficiency in basic products. Forestry, an important export earner, provides a secondary occupation for the rural population. The economy has come back from the recession of 1990-92, which had been caused by economic overheating, depressed foreign markets, and the dismantling of the barter system between Finland and the former Soviet Union. Rapidly increasing integration with Western Europe—Finland was one of the 11 countries joining the euro monetary system (EMU) on 1 January 1999—will dominate the economic picture over the next several years. Growth in 1999 probably will slow, perhaps to 3%, a barrier to any substantial drop in unemployment.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$103.6 billion (1998 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: 5.1% (1998 est.)
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$20,100 (1998 est.)
GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 5% industry: 32% services: 63% (1997)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.2% highest 10%: 21.6% (1991)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.5% (1998 est.)
Labor force: 2.533 million
Labor force—by occupation: public services 30.4%, industry 20.9%, commerce 15%, finance, insurance, and business services 10.2%, agriculture and forestry 8.6%, transport and communications 7.7%, construction 7.2%
Unemployment rate: 12% (1998 est.)
Budget:revenues: $33 billionexpenditures: $40 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA(1996 est.)
Industries: metal products, shipbuilding, pulp and paper, copperrefining, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, clothing
Industrial production growth rate: 7.4% (1995)
Electricity—production: 67.469 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: 54.73% hydro: 17.35% nuclear: 27.9% other: 0.02% (1996)
Electricity—consumption: 71.169 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—exports: 1.7 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—imports: 5.4 billion kWh (1996)
Agriculture—products: cereals, sugar beets, potatoes; dairy cattle; fish
Exports: $43 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports—commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals;timber, paper, and pulp
Exports—partners: Germany 11%, UK 10%, Sweden 10%, US 7%, Russia7%, France 4%, Japan (1997)
Imports: $30.7 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Imports—commodities: foodstuffs, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, transport equipment, iron and steel, machinery, textile yarn and fabrics, fodder grains
Imports—partners: Germany 15%, Sweden 12%, UK 8%, Russia 8%, US 7%, Japan 5% (1997)
Debt—external: $30 billion (December 1993)
Economic aid—donor: ODA, $388 million (1995)
Currency: 1 markka (FMk) or Finmark = 100 pennia
Exchange rates: markkaa (FMk) per US$1—5.12 (January 1999),5.3441 (1998), 5.1914 (1997), 4.5936 (1996), 4.3667 (1995), 5.2235(1994);note: on 1 January 1999, the European Union introduced a commoncurrency that is now being used by financial institutions in somemember countries at the rate of 0.8597 euros per US$ and a fixedrate of 5.93472 Markkaa per euro; the euro will replace the localcurrency in consenting countries for all transactions in 2002
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 2.5 million (1995 est.)
Telephone system: modern system with excellent servicedomestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and an extensive cellularnet care for domestic needsinternational: 1 submarine cable; satellite earth stations—access toIntelsat transmission service via a Swedish satellite earth station,1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note—Finland sharesthe Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark,Iceland, Norway, and Sweden)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 6, FM 105, shortwave 0
Radios: 4.98 million (1991 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 120 (in addition, there are 431 low-power repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 1.92 million (1995 est.)
Transportation
Railways:total: 5,859 kmbroad gauge: 5,859 km 1.524-m gauge (2,073 km electrified; 480 kmdouble- or more-track) (1996)
Highways:total: 77,796 kmpaved: 49,789 km (including 444 km of expressways)unpaved: 28,007 km (1997 est.)
Waterways: 6,675 km total (including Saimaa Canal); 3,700 kmsuitable for steamers
Pipelines: natural gas 580 km
Ports and harbors: Hamina, Helsinki, Kokkola, Kotka, Loviisa,Oulu, Pori, Rauma, Turku, Uusikaupunki, Varkaus
Merchant marine:total: 101 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,192,559GRT/1,161,594 DWTships by type: bulk 9, cargo 23, chemical tanker 6, oil tanker 11,passenger 1, railcar carrier 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 38, short-seapassenger 12 (1998 est.)
Airports: 157 (1998 est.)
Airports—with paved runways: total: 68 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 26 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 20 under 914 m: 9 (1998 est.)
Airports—with unpaved runways: total: 89 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 83 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Frontier Guard (includes Sea Guard)
Military manpower—military age: 17 years of age
Military manpower—availability:males age 15-49: 1,274,654 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—fit for military service:males age 15-49: 1,050,944 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—reaching military age annually:males: 34,336 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures—dollar figure: $1.8 billion (1999)
Military expenditures—percent of GDP: 2% (1999)
Transnational Issues
Disputes—international: none
Illicit drugs: minor transshipment point for Latin American cocaine for the West European market
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@France ———
Introduction
Background: Although ultimately a victor in World Wars I and II, France lost many men, much wealth, its extensive empire, and its rank as a dominant nation-state. France has struggled since 1958—arguably with success—to construct a presidential democracy resistant to the severe instabilities inherent in the parliamentary democracy of early 20th century France. In recent years, its reconciliation and cooperation with Germany have proved central to the economic integration of Europe, including the advent of the euro in January 1999.
Geography
Location: Western Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay and English Channel, between Belgium and Spain southeast of the UK; bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Italy and Spain
Geographic coordinates: 46 00 N, 2 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area:total: 547,030 sq kmland: 545,630 sq kmwater: 1,400 sq kmnote: includes only metropolitan France, but excludes the overseasadministrative divisions
Area—comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Colorado
Land boundaries:total: 2,892.4 kmborder countries: Andorra 60 km, Belgium 620 km, Germany 451 km,Italy 488 km, Luxembourg 73 km, Monaco 4.4 km, Spain 623 km,Switzerland 573 km
Coastline: 3,427 km
Maritime claims:contiguous zone: 24 nmcontinental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitationexclusive economic zone: 200 nm (does not apply to the Mediterranean)territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: generally cool winters and mild summers, but mildwinters and hot summers along the Mediterranean
Terrain: mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in north andwest; remainder is mountainous, especially Pyrenees in south, Alpsin east
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Rhone River delta -2 mhighest point: Mont Blanc 4,807 m
Natural resources: coal, iron ore, bauxite, fish, timber, zinc,potash
Land use:arable land: 33%permanent crops: 2%permanent pastures: 20%forests and woodland: 27%other: 18% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 16,300 sq km (1995 est.)
Natural hazards: flooding; avalanches
Environment—current issues: some forest damage from acid rain; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from urban wastes, agricultural runoff
Environment—international agreements:party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, AirPollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, AirPollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-EnvironmentalProtocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of theSea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone LayerProtection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,Wetlands, Whalingsigned, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent OrganicPollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography—note: largest West European nation; occasional strong,cold, dry, north-to-northwesterly wind known as mistral
People
Population: 58,978,172 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 19% (male 5,638,462; female 5,375,911)15-64 years: 65% (male 19,302,121; female 19,235,235)65 years and over: 16% (male 3,825,232; female 5,601,211) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.27% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 11.38 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 9.17 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.95 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 5.62 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.63 years male: 74.76 years female: 82.71 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.61 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)adjective: French
Ethnic groups: Celtic and Latin with Teutonic, Slavic, NorthAfrican, Indochinese, Basque minorities
Religions: Roman Catholic 90%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim(North African workers) 1%, unaffiliated 6%
Languages: French 100%, rapidly declining regional dialects andlanguages (Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque,Flemish)
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 99%male: 99%female: 99% (1980 est.)
Government
Country name:conventional long form: French Republicconventional short form: Francelocal long form: Republique Francaiselocal short form: France
Data code: FR
Government type: republic
Capital: Paris
Administrative divisions: 22 regions (regions, singular—region); Alsace, Aquitaine, Auvergne, Basse-Normandie, Bourgogne, Bretagne, Centre, Champagne-Ardenne, Corse, Franche-Comte, Haute-Normandie, Ile-de-France, Languedoc-Roussillon, Limousin, Lorraine, Midi-Pyrenees, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Pays de la Loire, Picardie, Poitou-Charentes, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, Rhone-Alpes note: metropolitan France is divided into 22 regions (including the "territorial collectivity" of Corse or Corsica) and is subdivided into 96 departments; see separate entries for the overseas departments (French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion) and the overseas territorial collectivities (Mayotte, Saint Pierre and Miquelon)
Dependent areas: Bassas da India, Clipperton Island, EuropaIsland, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands,Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, New Caledonia, TromelinIsland, Wallis and Futunanote: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica
Independence: 486 (unified by Clovis)
National holiday: National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
Constitution: 28 September 1958, amended concerning election of president in 1962, amended to comply with provisions of EC Maastricht Treaty in 1992; amended to tighten immigration laws 1993
Legal system: civil law system with indigenous concepts; review of administrative but not legislative acts
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995)head of government: Prime Minister Lionel JOSPIN (since 3 June 1997)cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on thesuggestion of the prime ministerelections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;election last held 23 April and 7 May 1995 (next to be held by May2002); prime minister nominated by the National Assembly majorityand appointed by the presidentelection results: Jacques CHIRAC elected president; percent of vote,second ballot—Jacques CHIRAC 52.64%, Lionel JOSPIN 47.36%
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists ofthe Senate or Senat (321 seats—296 for metropolitan France, 13 foroverseas departments and territories, and 12 for French nationalsabroad; members are indirectly elected by an electoral college toserve nine-year terms; elected by thirds every three years) and theNational Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (577 seats; members areelected by popular vote under a single-member majoritarian system toserve five-year terms)elections: Senate—last held 27 September 1998 (next to be heldSeptember 2001); National Assembly—last held 25 May-1 June 1997(next to be held NA May 2002)election results: Senate—percent of vote by party—NA; seats byparty—RPR 99, Centrist Union 52, Republicans and independents 47, PS78, PCF 16, other 29; National Assembly—percent of vote by party—NA;seats by party—PS 245, RPR 140, UDF 109, PCF 37, PRS 13, Ecologists8, MDC 7, LDI-MPF 1, FN 1, various left 9, various right 7
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Appeals or Cour de Cassation, judges are appointed by the president from nominations of the High Council of the Judiciary; Constitutional Council or Conseil Constitutionnel, three members appointed by the president, three members appointed by the president of the National Assembly, and three appointed by the president of the Senate; Council of State or Conseil d'Etat
Political parties and leaders: Rally for the Republic or RPR
Political pressure groups and leaders: Communist-controlled labor union (Confederation Generale du Travail) or CGT, nearly 2.4 million members (claimed); Socialist-leaning labor union (Confederation Francaise Democratique du Travail) or CFDT, about 800,000 members (est.); independent labor union or Force Ouvriere, 1 million members (est.); independent white-collar union or Confederation Generale des Cadres, 340,000 members (claimed); National Council of French Employers (Conseil National du Patronat Francais) or CNPF or Patronat
International organization participation: ACCT, AfDB, AsDB,Australia Group, BDEAC, BIS, CCC, CDB (non-regional), CE, CERN,EAPC, EBRD, ECA (associate), ECE, ECLAC, EIB, EMU, ESA, ESCAP, EU,FAO, FZ, G- 5, G- 7, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM,IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, InOC,Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURCA, MINURSO, MIPONUH,MONUA, MTCR, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA,SPC, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL,UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WEU,WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Francois V. BUJON DE L'ESTANGchancery: 4101 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, LosAngeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Felix G. ROHATYNembassy: 2 Avenue Gabriel, 75382 Paris Cedex 08mailing address: PSC 116, APO AE 09777consulate(s) general: Marseille, Strasbourg
Flag description: three equal vertical bands of blue (hoistside), white, and red; known as the French Tricouleur (Tricolor);the design and colors are similar to a number of other flags,including those of Belgium, Chad, Ireland, Cote d'Ivoire, andLuxembourg; the official flag for all French dependent areas
Economy
Economy—overview: One of the four West European trillion-dollar economies, France matches a growing services sector with a diversified industrial base and substantial agricultural resources. Industry generates one-quarter of GDP and more than 80% of export earnings. The government retains considerable influence over key segments of each sector, with majority ownership of railway, electricity, aircraft, and telecommunication firms. It has been gradually relaxing its control over these sectors since the early 1990s. The government is slowly selling off its holdings in France Telecom, in Air France, and in the insurance, banking, and defense industries. Meanwhile, large tracts of fertile land, the application of modern technology, and subsidies have combined to make France the leading agricultural producer in Western Europe. A major exporter of wheat and dairy products, France is practically self-sufficient in agriculture. The economy expanded by 3% in 1998, following a 2.3% gain in 1997. Persistently high unemployment still poses a major problem for the government. France has shied away from cutting exceptionally generous social welfare benefits or the enormous state bureaucracy, preferring to pare defense spending and raise taxes to keep the deficit down. The JOSPIN administration has pledged both to lower unemployment and trim spending, pinning its hopes for new jobs on economic growth and on legislation to gradually reduce the workweek from 39 to 35 hours by 2002. France joined 10 other EU members to launch the euro on 1 January 1999.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$1.32 trillion (1998 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: 3% (1998 est.)
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$22,600 (1998 est.)
GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 2.4% industry: 28.4% services: 69.2% (1997)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 24.9% (1989)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.7% (1998)
Labor force: 25.4 million
Labor force—by occupation: services 69%, industry 26%, agriculture 5% (1995)
Unemployment rate: 11.5% (1998)
Budget:revenues: $222 billionexpenditures: $265 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA(1998 est.)
Industries: steel, machinery, chemicals, automobiles, metallurgy,aircraft, electronics, mining, textiles, food processing, tourism
Industrial production growth rate: 3.9% (1998)
Electricity—production: 480.783 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: 8.72% hydro: 12.92% nuclear: 78.25% other: 0.11% (1996)
Electricity—consumption: 411.743 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—exports: 72.64 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—imports: 3.6 billion kWh (1996)
Agriculture—products: wheat, cereals, sugar beets, potatoes, wine grapes; beef, dairy products; fish
Exports: $289 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports—commodities: machinery and transportation equipment,chemicals, foodstuffs, agricultural products, iron and steelproducts, textiles and clothing
Exports—partners: Germany 16%, UK 10%, Italy 9%, Spain 8%,Belgium-Luxembourg 8%, US 6.5%, Netherlands 4.5%, Japan 2%, Russia0.9% (1997)
Imports: $255 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Imports—commodities: crude oil, machinery and equipment,agricultural products, chemicals, iron and steel products
Imports—partners: Germany 17%, Italy 10%, US 9%,Belgium-Luxembourg 8%, UK 8%, Spain 7%, Netherlands 5%, Japan 3%,China 2.5% (1997)
Debt—external: $117.6 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid—donor: ODA, $8.4 billion (1995)
Currency: 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: French francs (F) per US$1—5.65 (January 1999),5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997), 5.1155 (1996), 4.9915 (1995), 5.5520(1994)note: on 1 January 1999, the European Union introduced a commoncurrency that is now being used by financial institutions in somemember countries at the rate of 0.8597 euros per US$ and a fixedrate of 6.55957 French francs per euro; the euro will replace thelocal currency in consenting countries for all transactions in 2002
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 35 million (1987 est.)
Telephone system: highly developed domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay; extensive introduction of fiber-optic cable; domestic satellite system international: satellite earth stations—2 Intelsat (with total of 5 antennas—2 for Indian Ocean and 3 for Atlantic Ocean), NA Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region); HF radiotelephone communications with more than 20 countries
Radio broadcast stations: AM 41, FM 800 (mostly repeaters), shortwave 0
Radios: 49 million (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 310 (in addition, there are about 1,400 repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 29.3 million (1993 est.)
Transportation
Railways:total: 32,027 km ( 31,940 km are operated by French NationalRailways (SNCF); 13,803 km of SNCF routes are electrified and 12,132km are double- or multiple-tracked)standard gauge: 31,928 km 1.435-m gaugenarrow gauge: 99 km 1.000-m gaugenote: does not include 33 tourist railroads, totaling 469 km, manybeing of very narrow gauge (1996)
Highways:total: 892,900 kmpaved: 892,900 km (including 9,900 km of expressways)unpaved: 0 km (1997 est.)
Waterways: 14,932 km; 6,969 km heavily traveled
Pipelines: crude oil 3,059 km; petroleum products 4,487 km;natural gas 24,746 km
Ports and harbors: Bordeaux, Boulogne, Cherbourg, Dijon,Dunkerque, La Pallice, Le Havre, Lyon, Marseille, Mullhouse, Nantes,Paris, Rouen, Saint Nazaire, Saint Malo, Strasbourg
Merchant marine:total: 64 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,826,364 GRT/2,962,338DWTships by type: bulk 5, cargo 5, chemical tanker 6, combination bulk1, container 6, liquefied gas tanker 4, multifunction large-loadcarrier 2, oil tanker 20, passenger 3, roll-on/roll-off cargo 5,short-sea passenger 6, specialized tanker 1note: France also maintains a captive register for French-ownedships in Iles Kerguelen (French Southern and Antarctic Lands) (1998est.)
Airports: 474 (1998 est.)
Airports—with paved runways: total: 267 over 3,047 m: 13 2,438 to 3,047 m: 31 1,524 to 2,437 m: 94 914 to 1,523 m: 73 under 914 m: 56 (1998 est.)
Airports—with unpaved runways: total: 207 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 75 under 914 m: 129 (1998 est.)
Heliports: 3 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army (includes Marines), Navy (includes NavalAir), Air Force (includes Air Defense, National Gendarmerie
Military manpower—military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower—availability:males age 15-49: 14,666,286 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—fit for military service:males age 15-49: 12,203,675 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—reaching military age annually:males: 411,911 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures—dollar figure: $39.831 billion (1997)
Military expenditures—percent of GDP: 2.5% (1995)
Transnational Issues
Disputes—international: Madagascar claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, and Tromelin Island; Comoros claims Mayotte; Mauritius claims Tromelin Island; territorial dispute between Suriname and French Guiana; territorial claim in Antarctica (Adelie Land); Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by France and Vanuatu
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for and consumer of SouthAmerican cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin
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@French Guiana ——————-
Geography
Location: Northern South America, bordering the North AtlanticOcean, between Brazil and Suriname
Geographic coordinates: 4 00 N, 53 00 W
Map references: South America
Area:total: 91,000 sq kmland: 89,150 sq kmwater: 1,850 sq km
Area—comparative: slightly smaller than Indiana
Land boundaries: total: 1,183 km border countries: Brazil 673 km, Suriname 510 km
Coastline: 378 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperaturevariation
Terrain: low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and smallmountains
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Bellevue de l'Inini 851 m
Natural resources: bauxite, timber, gold (widely scattered),cinnabar, kaolin, fish
Land use:arable land: 0%permanent crops: 0%permanent pastures: 0%forests and woodland: 83%other: 17% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: high frequency of heavy showers and severe thunderstorms; flooding