Net migration rate: -15.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.) note: over the years Guinea has received up to several hundred thousand refugees from the civil wars in Liberia and Sierra Leone, some of whom are now returning to their own countries
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 0.99 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.96 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 126.32 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 46.5 years male: 44.02 years female: 49.06 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.53 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Guinean(s) adjective: Guinean
Ethnic groups: Peuhl 40%, Malinke 30%, Soussou 20%, smaller tribes 10%
Religions: Muslim 85%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 7%
Languages: French (official), each tribe has its own language
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 35.9%male: 49.9%female: 21.9% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Guineaconventional short form: Guinealocal long form: Republique de Guineelocal short form: Guineeformer: French Guinea
Data code: GV
Government type: republic
Capital: Conakry
Administrative divisions: 4 administrative regions (regions administrative, singular—region administrative) and 1 special zone (zone speciale)*; Conakry*, Guinee, Guinee-Forestiere, Haute-Guinee, Moyen-Guinee
Independence: 2 October 1958 (from France)
National holiday: Anniversary of the Second Republic, 3 April (1984)
Constitution: 23 December 1990 (Loi Fundamentale)
Legal system: based on French civil law system, customary law, and decree; legal codes currently being revised; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Lansana CONTE (head of military governmentsince 5 April 1984, elected president 19 December 1993)head of government: Prime Minister Lamine SIDIME (since 8 March 1999)cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the presidentelections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;candidate must receive a majority of the votes cast to be electedpresident; election last held 14 December 1998 (next to be held NADecember 2003); the prime minister appointed by the presidentelection results: Lansana CONTE reelected president; percent ofvote—Lansana CONTE (PUP) 56%, Alpha CONDE (RPG) 16%, Mamadou Boye BA(UNR-PRP) 24%
Legislative branch: unicameral People's National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale Populaire (114 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 11 June 1995 (next to be held NA 2000) election results: percent of vote by party—NA; seats by party—PUP 71, RPG 19, PRP 9, UNR 9, UPG 2, PDG 1, UNP 1, PDG-RDA 1, other 1
Judicial branch: Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel
Political parties and leaders: political parties were legalized on 1 April 1992; of the more than 40 with legal status, the following won seats in the legislature in the 11 June 1995 elections other: Democratic Party of Guinea-African Democratic Rally or
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC,ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD,IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer),ISO (correspondent), ITU, MINURSO, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mohamed Aly THIAM chancery: 2112 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Tibor P. NAGY, Jr.embassy: Rue Ka 038, Conakrymailing address: B. P. 603, Conakry
Flag description: three equal vertical bands of red (hoist side),yellow, and green; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia;similar to the flag of Rwanda, which has a large black letter Rcentered in the yellow band
Economy
Economy—overview: Guinea possesses major mineral, hydropower, and agricultural resources, yet remains a poor underdeveloped nation. The agricultural sector employs 80% of the work force. Guinea possesses over 25% of the world's bauxite reserves and is the second largest bauxite producer. The mining sector accounted for about 75% of exports in 1998. Long-run improvements in government fiscal arrangements, literacy, and the legal framework are needed if the country is to move out of poverty. The government made encouraging progress in budget management in 1997-98. Except in the mining industry, foreign investment remains minimal but is expected to pick up in 1999.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$8.8 billion (1998 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: 4.9% (1998 est.)
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$1,180 (1998 est.)
GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 24% industry: 31% services: 45% (1996 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.9% highest 10%: 31.7% (1991)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.5% (1998 est.)
Labor force: 2.4 million (1983)
Labor force—by occupation: agriculture 80%, industry and commerce 11%, services 5.4%, civil service 3.6%
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:revenues: $553 millionexpenditures: $652 million, including capital expenditures of $317million (1995 est.)
Industries: bauxite, gold, diamonds; alumina refining; lightmanufacturing and agricultural processing industries
Industrial production growth rate: 3.2% (1994)
Electricity—production: 525 million kWh (1996)
Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: 63.81% hydro: 36.19% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity—consumption: 525 million kWh (1996)
Electricity—exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity—imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture—products: rice, coffee, pineapples, palm kernels, cassava (tapioca), bananas, sweet potatoes; cattle, sheep, goats; timber
Exports: $695 million (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Exports—commodities: bauxite, alumina, diamonds, gold, coffee,fish, agricultural products
Exports—partners: Russia, US, Belgium, Ukraine, Ireland, Spain(1997)
Imports: $560 million (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Imports—commodities: petroleum products, metals, machinery,transport equipment, textiles, grain and other foodstuffs (1997)
Imports—partners: France, Cote d'Ivoire, US, Belgium, Hong Kong(1997)
Debt—external: $3.15 billion (1998 est.)
Economic aid—recipient: $433.6 million (1995)
Currency: 1 Guinean franc (FG) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: Guinean francs (FG) per US$1—1,292.5 (January 1999), 1,095.3 (1997), 1,004.0 (1996), 991.4 (1995), 976.6 (1994) note: the official exchange rate of the Guinean franc was set and quoted weekly against the US dollar until the end of October 1993; since 1 November 1994, the exchange rate is determined in the interbank market for foreign exchange
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 18,000 (1994 est.)
Telephone system: poor to fair system of open-wire lines, smallradiotelephone communication stations, and new microwave radio relaysystemdomestic: microwave radio relay and radiotelephone communicationinternational: satellite earth station—1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 1, shortwave 0
Radios: 257,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 6 (1997)
Televisions: 65,000 (1993 est.)
Transportation
Railways:total: 1,086 kmstandard gauge: 279 km 1.435-m gaugenarrow gauge: 807 km 1.000-m gauge (includes 662 km in commoncarrier service from Kankan to Conakry)
Highways: total: 30,500 km paved: 5,033 km unpaved: 25,467 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 1,295 km navigable by shallow-draft native craft
Ports and harbors: Boke, Conakry, Kamsar
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 15 (1998 est.)
Airports—with paved runways:total: 5over 3,047 m: 12,438 to 3,047 m: 11,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (1998 est.)
Airports—with unpaved runways:total: 101,524 to 2,437 m: 5914 to 1,523 m: 4under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Republican Guard,Presidential Guard, paramilitary National Gendarmerie, NationalPolice Force (Surete National)
Military manpower—availability:males age 15-49: 1,726,933 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—fit for military service:males age 15-49: 871,615 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures—dollar figure: $56 million (1996)
Military expenditures—percent of GDP: 1.4% (1996)
Transnational Issues
Disputes—international: none
======================================================================
@Guinea-Bissau ——————-
Geography
Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Senegal
Geographic coordinates: 12 00 N, 15 00 W
Map references: Africa
Area:total: 36,120 sq kmland: 28,000 sq kmwater: 8,120 sq km
Area—comparative: slightly less than three times the size ofConnecticut
Land boundaries: total: 724 km border countries: Guinea 386 km, Senegal 338 km
Coastline: 350 km
Maritime claims:exclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainyseason (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season(December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds
Terrain: mostly low coastal plain rising to savanna in east
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 mhighest point: unnamed location in the northeast corner of thecountry 300 m
Natural resources: fish, timber, phosphates, bauxite, unexploiteddeposits of petroleum
Land use:arable land: 11%permanent crops: 1%permanent pastures: 38%forests and woodland: 38%other: 12% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 17 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reducevisibility during dry season; brush fires
Environment—current issues: deforestation; soil erosion;overgrazing; overfishing
Environment—international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
People
Population: 1,234,555 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 42% (male 260,821; female 259,520)15-64 years: 55% (male 322,607; female 356,513)65 years and over: 3% (male 16,233; female 18,861) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.31% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 38.23 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 15.13 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.94 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 109.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 49.57 years male: 47.91 years female: 51.28 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.09 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Guinean (s) adjective: Guinean
Ethnic groups: African 99% (Balanta 30%, Fula 20%, Manjaca 14%,Mandinga 13%, Papel 7%), European and mulatto less than 1%
Religions: indigenous beliefs 50%, Muslim 45%, Christian 5%
Languages: Portuguese (official), Crioulo, African languages
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 53.9%male: 67.1%female: 40.7% (1997 est.)
Government
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Guinea-Bissauconventional short form: Guinea-Bissaulocal long form: Republica da Guine-Bissaulocal short form: Guine-Bissauformer: Portuguese Guinea
Data code: PU
Government type: republic, multiparty since mid-1991
Capital: Bissau
Administrative divisions: 9 regions (regioes, singular—regiao);Bafata, Biombo, Bissau, Bolama, Cacheu, Gabu, Oio, Quinara, Tombalinote: Bolama may have been renamed Bolama/Bijagos
Independence: 24 September 1973 (unilaterally declared byGuinea-Bissau); 10 September 1974 (recognized by Portugal)
National holiday: Independence Day, 24 September (1973)
Constitution: 16 May 1984, amended 4 May 1991, 4 December 1991, 26 February 1993, 9 June 1993, and 1996
Legal system: NA
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Joao Bernardo VIEIRA (initially assumedpower 14 November 1980 in a coup d'etat)head of government: Prime Minister Francisco FADUL (since NANovember 1998); note—named in an agreement between President VIEIRAand a military-led junta which rebelled against the PresidentFADUL's administration in June 1998cabinet: none; an interim National Unity Government was provided forin the agreement between President VIEIRA and the military junta andwas scheduled be inaugurated in February 1999elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;election last held 3 July and 7 August 1994 (next to be held NA July1999); prime minister appointed by the president after consultationwith party leaders in the legislatureelection results: Joao Bernardo VIEIRA elected president; percent ofvote—Joao Bernardo VIEIRA 52%, Koumba YALLA 48%
Legislative branch: unicameral National People's Assembly orAssembleia Nacional Popular (100 seats; members are elected bypopular vote to serve a maximum of four years)elections: last held 3 July and 7 August 1994 (next to be held by NA)election results: percent of vote by party—PAIGC 46.0%, RGB-MB19.2%, PRS 10.3%, UM 12.8%, FLING 2.5%, PCD 5.3%, PUSD 2.9%, FCG0.2%, others 0.8%; seats by party—PAIGC 62, RGB 19, PRS 12, UM 6,FLING 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal da Justica,consists of 9 justices who are appointed by the president and serveat his pleasure, final court of appeals in criminal and civil cases;Regional Courts, one in each of nine regions, first court of appealsfor sectoral court decisions, hear all felony cases and civil casesvalued at over $1,000; 24 Sectoral Courts, judges are notnecessarily trained lawyers, hear civil cases under $1,000 andmisdemeanor criminal cases
Political parties and leaders: African Party for the Independencesecretary general]; Front for the Liberation and Independence ofpresident]; National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDPpresident, Dr. Anne SAAD, secretary general]; United Social
International organization participation: ACCT (associate), ACP,AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB,IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user),Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, MONUA, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN,UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WAEMU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires HenriqueAdriano DA SILVAchancery: Suite 519, 1511 K Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US Embassy suspended operations on 14 June 1998 in the midst of violent conflict between forces loyal to President VIEIRA and military-led junta
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and green with a vertical red band on the hoist side; there is a black five-pointed star centered in the red band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
Economy
Economy—overview: One of the 20 poorest countries in the world, Guinea-Bissau depends mainly on farming and fishing. Cashew crops have increased remarkably in recent years, and the country now ranks sixth in cashew production. Guinea-Bissau exports fish and seafood along with small amounts of peanuts, palm kernels, and timber. Rice is the major crop and staple food. However, intermittent fighting between Senegalese-backed government troops and a military junta destroyed much of the country's infrastructure and caused widespread damage to the economy in 1998. Before the war, trade reform and price liberalization were the most successful part of the country's structural adjustment program under IMF sponsorship. The tightening of monetary policy and the development of the private sector had also begun to reinvigorate the economy. Inflation dropped sharply in the first quarter of 1997. Membership in the WAMU (West African Monetary Union), begun in May 1997, was expected to support 5% annual growth and contribute to fiscal discipline. Because of high costs, the development of petroleum, phosphate, and other mineral resources was not a near-term prospect.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$1.2 billion (1998 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: 3.5% (1998 est.)
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$1,000 (1998 est.)
GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 54% industry: 11% services: 35% (1996 est.)
Population below poverty line: 48.8% (1991 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.5% highest 10%: 42.4% (1991)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 25.6% (1997)
Labor force: 480,000
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: $NA
Industries: agricultural products processing, beer, soft drinks
Industrial production growth rate: 2.6% (1997 est.)
Electricity—production: 40 million kWh (1996)
Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity—consumption: 40 million kWh (1996)
Electricity—exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity—imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture—products: rice, corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), cashew nuts, peanuts, palm kernels, cotton; timber; fish
Exports: $25.8 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
Exports—commodities: cashews 95%, fish, peanuts, palm kernels,sawn lumber (1994)
Exports—partners: Spain 35%, India 30%, Thailand 10%, Italy 10%(1995)
Imports: $63 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
Imports—commodities: foodstuffs, transport equipment, petroleumproducts, machinery and equipment (1994)
Imports—partners: Portugal 29.2%, Thailand 8.4%, Netherlands8.4%, US 7.5% (1996)
Debt—external: $953 million (1996 est.)
Economic aid—recipient: $115.4 million (1995)
Currency: 1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes; note—on 1 May 1997, Guinea-Bissau adopted as its currency the CFA franc following its membership into the BCEAO
Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) perUS$1—566.65 (January 1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997);Guinea-Bissauan pesos (PG) per US$1— 26,373 (1996), 18,073 (1995),12,892 (1994)note: as of 2 May 1997, Guinea-Bissau has adopted the CFA franc asthe national currency following its membership in BCEAO
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 13,120 (1997 est.)
Telephone system: small system domestic: combination of microwave radio relay, open-wire lines, radiotelephone, and cellular communications international: NA
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0
Radios: 40,000 (1994 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 2 (1997)
Televisions: NA
Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 4,400 km paved: 453 km unpaved: 3,947 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: several rivers are accessible to coastal shipping
Ports and harbors: Bissau, Buba, Cacheu, Farim
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 30 (1998 est.)
Airports—with paved runways:total: 3over 3,047 m: 11,524 to 2,437 m: 1914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports—with unpaved runways:total: 271,524 to 2,437 m: 1914 to 1,523 m: 4under 914 m: 22 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: People's Revolutionary Armed Force (FARP;includes Army, Navy, and Air Force), paramilitary force
Military manpower—availability:males age 15-49: 284,998 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—fit for military service:males age 15-49: 162,485 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures—dollar figure: $8 million (1996)
Military expenditures—percent of GDP: 2.8% (1996)
Transnational Issues
Disputes—international: none
======================================================================
@Guyana ———
Geography
Location: Northern South America, bordering the North AtlanticOcean, between Suriname and Venezuela
Geographic coordinates: 5 00 N, 59 00 W
Map references: South America
Area:total: 214,970 sq kmland: 196,850 sq kmwater: 18,120 sq km
Area—comparative: slightly smaller than Idaho
Land boundaries: total: 2,462 km border countries: Brazil 1,119 km, Suriname 600 km, Venezuela 743 km
Coastline: 459 km
Maritime claims:continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continentalmarginexclusive fishing zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two rainy seasons (May to mid-August, mid-November to mid-January)
Terrain: mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Roraima 2,835 m
Natural resources: bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber,shrimp, fish
Land use:arable land: 2%permanent crops: 0%permanent pastures: 6%forests and woodland: 84%other: 8% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,300 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: flash floods are a constant threat during rainyseasons
Environment—current issues: water pollution from sewage andagricultural and industrial chemicals; deforestation
Environment—international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, EndangeredSpecies, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83,Tropical Timber 94signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
People
Population: 705,156 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 30% (male 109,156; female 105,017)15-64 years: 65% (male 230,624; female 227,677)65 years and over: 5% (male 14,684; female 17,998) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: -0.32% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 18.23 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 9.04 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -12.43 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: 1.01 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.01 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 48.64 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 61.82 years male: 59.15 years female: 64.61 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.09 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:noun: Guyanese (singular and plural)adjective: Guyanese
Ethnic groups: East Indian 49%, black 32%, mixed 12%, Amerindian6%, white and Chinese 1%
Religions: Christian 57%, Hindu 33%, Muslim 9%, other 1%
Languages: English, Amerindian dialects
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over has ever attended schooltotal population: 98.1%male: 98.6%female: 97.5% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name:conventional long form: Co-operative Republic of Guyanaconventional short form: Guyanaformer: British Guiana
Data code: GY
Government type: republic
Capital: Georgetown
Administrative divisions: 10 regions; Barima-Waini,Cuyuni-Mazaruni, Demerara-Mahaica, East Berbice-Corentyne, EssequiboIslands-West Demerara, Mahaica-Berbice, Pomeroon-Supenaam,Potaro-Siparuni, Upper Demerara-Berbice, Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo
Independence: 26 May 1966 (from UK)
National holiday: Republic Day, 23 February (1970)
Constitution: 6 October 1980
Legal system: based on English common law with certain admixtures of Roman-Dutch law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Janet JAGAN (since NA December 1997)head of government: Prime Minister Samuel HINDS (since NA December1997)cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president,responsible to the legislatureelections: president elected by the majority party in the NationalAssembly after legislative elections, which must be held within fiveyears; legislative elections last held 15 December 1997 (next to beheld NA 2000; this date was part of a negotiated settlement betweenthe two main political parties following a dispute over the Decemberelections); prime minister appointed by the president
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (65 seats, 53popularly elected; members serve five-year terms)elections: last held on 15 December 1997 (next to be held by March2000; this date was negotiated following a dispute over the Decemberelections)election results: percent of vote by party—PPP 54%, PNC 41%, AFG 1%,TUF 1%; seats by party—PPP 36, PNC 25, AFG 2, TUF 2
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Judicature
Political parties and leaders: People's Progressive Party or PPP
Political pressure groups and leaders: Trades Union Congress orTUC; Guyana Council of Indian Organizations or GCIO; Civil LibertiesAction Committee or CLACnote: the latter two organizations are small and active but not wellorganized
International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CCC,CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol,IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OIC (observer), OPANAL,OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Ali Odeen ISHMAELchancery: 2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador James F. MACKembassy: 99-100 Young and Duke Streets, Kingston, Georgetownmailing address: P. O. Box 10507, Georgetown
Flag description: green, with a red isosceles triangle (based onthe hoist side) superimposed on a long, yellow arrowhead; there is anarrow, black border between the red and yellow, and a narrow, whiteborder between the yellow and the green
Economy
Economy—overview: In 1997, Guyana, one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere, posted its sixth straight year of economic growth of 5% or better, with the advance led by gold and bauxite mining and by sugar growing. Favorable growth factors have included expansion in the key agricultural and mining sectors, a more favorable atmosphere for business initiative, a more realistic exchange rate, a moderate inflation rate, and the continued support of international organizations. However, a severe drought and political turmoil following the 1997 elections contributed to a negative growth rate for 1998. Serious underlying economic problems will continue. Electricity has been in short supply and constitutes a major barrier to future gains in national output. The government must persist in efforts to manage its sizable external debt and extend its privatization program.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$1.8 billion (1998 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: -1.8% (1998 est.)
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$2,500 (1998 est.)
GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 37% industry: 22% services: 41% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.1% (1998)
Labor force: 245,492 (1992)
Labor force—by occupation: agriculture, hunting and forestry 30.2%, commerce 16%, manufacturing 11% (1992)
Unemployment rate: 12% (1992 est.)
Budget:revenues: $253.7 millionexpenditures: $304.1 million, including capital expenditures of$108.8 million (1997 est.)
Industries: bauxite, sugar, rice milling, timber, fishing(shrimp), textiles, gold mining
Industrial production growth rate: 7.1% (1997 est.)
Electricity—production: 325 million kWh (1996)
Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: 98.46% hydro: 1.54% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity—consumption: 339 million kWh (1996)
Electricity—exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity—imports: 14 million kWh (1996)
Agriculture—products: sugar, rice, wheat, vegetable oils; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; forest and fishery potential not exploited
Exports: $593.4 million (1997 est.)
Exports—commodities: sugar, gold, bauxite/alumina, rice, shrimp,molasses
Exports—partners: Canada 25.9%, US 20.4%, UK 22.7%, NetherlandsAntilles 8.4%, Germany 4.3% (1996)
Imports: $641.6 million (1997 est.)
Imports—commodities: manufactures, machinery, petroleum, food
Imports—partners: US 27.6%, Trinidad and Tobago 17.7%,Netherlands Antilles 12.1%, UK 10.7%, Japan 4.2% (1996)
Debt—external: $1.5 billion (1997)
Economic aid—recipient: $84 million (1995)
Currency: 1 Guyanese dollar (G$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Guyanese dollars (G$) per US$1—163.7 (December 1998), 150.5 (1998), 142.4 (1997), 140.4 (1996), 142.0 (1995), 138.3 (1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 33,000 (1987 est.)
Telephone system: fair system for long-distance calling domestic: microwave radio relay network for trunk lines international: tropospheric scatter to Trinidad; satellite earth station—1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 3, shortwave 1
Radios: 398,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 1 public station; two private stations relay US satellite services (1997)
Televisions: 32,000 (1992 est.)
Transportation
Railways:total: 88 km (all dedicated to ore transport)standard gauge: 40 km 1.435-m gaugenarrow gauge: 48 km 0.914-m gauge
Highways:total: 7,970 kmpaved: 590 kmunpaved: 7,380 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 6,000 km total of navigable waterways; Berbice,Demerara, and Essequibo Rivers are navigable by oceangoing vesselsfor 150 km, 100 km, and 80 km, respectively
Ports and harbors: Bartica, Georgetown, Linden, New Amsterdam,Parika
Merchant marine:total: 2 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,340 GRT/4,530DWT (1998 est.)
Airports: 48 (1998 est.)
Airports—with paved runways:total: 41,524 to 2,437 m: 2914 to 1,523 m: 1under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports—with unpaved runways:total: 441,524 to 2,437 m: 2914 to 1,523 m: 7under 914 m: 35 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Guyana Defense Force (GDF; includes GroundForces, Coast Guard, and Air Corps), Guyana People's Militia (GPM),Guyana National Service (GNS), Guyana Police Force
Military manpower—availability:males age 15-49: 202,509 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—fit for military service:males age 15-49: 152,839 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures—dollar figure: $7 million (1994)
Military expenditures—percent of GDP: 1.7% (1994)
Transnational Issues
Disputes—international: all of the area west of the EssequiboRiver claimed by Venezuela; Suriname claims area between New (Upperof the Courantyne)
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for narcotics from SouthAmerica—primarily Venezuela—to Europe and the US; producer ofcannabis
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@Haiti ——-
Geography
Location: Caribbean, western one-third of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of the Dominican Republic
Geographic coordinates: 19 00 N, 72 25 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area:total: 27,750 sq kmland: 27,560 sq kmwater: 190 sq km
Area—comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries: total: 275 km border countries: Dominican Republic 275 km
Coastline: 1,771 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: to depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade winds
Terrain: mostly rough and mountainous
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Chaine de la Selle 2,680 m
Natural resources: none
Land use:arable land: 20%permanent crops: 13%permanent pastures: 18%forests and woodland: 5%other: 44% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 750 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: lies in the middle of the hurricane belt andsubject to severe storms from June to October; occasional floodingand earthquakes; periodic droughts
Environment—current issues: extensive deforestation (much of theremaining forested land is being cleared for agriculture and used asfuel); soil erosion; inadequate supplies of potable water
Environment—international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of theSea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservationsigned, but not ratified: Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban
Geography—note: shares island of Hispaniola with DominicanRepublic (western one-third is Haiti, eastern two-thirds is theDominican Republic)
People
Population: 6,884,264 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 42% (male 1,464,529; female 1,420,772)15-64 years: 54% (male 1,783,884; female 1,932,240)65 years and over: 4% (male 140,932; female 141,907) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.53% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 32.55 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 13.97 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -3.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.99 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.97 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 97.64 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 51.65 years male: 49.53 years female: 53.88 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.59 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Haitian(s) adjective: Haitian
Ethnic groups: black 95%, mulatto plus white 5%
Religions: Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant 16% (Baptist 10%, Pentecostal 4%, Adventist 1%, other 1%), none 1%, other 3% (1982) note: roughly one-half of the population also practices Voodoo
Languages: French (official) 20%, Creole
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 45%male: 48%female: 42.2% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Haiticonventional short form: Haitilocal long form: Republique d'Haitilocal short form: Haiti
Data code: HA
Government type: republic
Capital: Port-au-Prince
Administrative divisions: 9 departments, (departements, singular—departement); Artibonite, Centre, Grand'Anse, Nord, Nord-Est, Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Est
Independence: 1 January 1804 (from France)
National holiday: Independence Day, 1 January (1804)
Constitution: approved March 1987; suspended June 1988, with most articles reinstated March 1989; in October 1991, government claimed to be observing the constitution; return to constitutional rule, October 1994
Legal system: based on Roman civil law system; accepts compulsoryICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Rene Garcia PREVAL (since 7 February 1996)head of government: Prime Minister Rosny SMARTH resigned June 1997;currently no prime minister; ratification of a new prime ministerheld up in political gridlock stemming from controversy over the 6April 1997 electionscabinet: Cabinet; chosen by the prime minister in consultation withthe presidentelections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;election last held 17 December 1995 (next to be held by December2000); prime minister appointed by the president, ratified by theCongresselection results: Rene Garcia PREVAL elected president; percent ofvote—Rene Garcia PREVAL 88%, Leon JEUNE 2.5%, Victor BENOIT 2.3%
Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly or AssembleeNationale consists of the Senate (27 seats; members serve six-yearterms; one-third elected every two years) and the Chamber ofDeputies (83 seats; members are elected by popular vote to servefour-year terms)elections: Senate—last held 25 June 1995, with reruns on 13 Augustand runoffs on 17 September (election held for nine seats 6 April1997; results disputed and runoffs postponed indefinitely); Chamberof Deputies—last held 25 June 1995, with reruns on 13 August andrunoffs on 17 September (next Senate and Chamber of Deputieselections due November 1998 but delayed indefinitely)election results: Senate—percent of vote by party—NA; seats byparty—OPL 7, FL-leaning 7, independents 3, vacant 10; Chamber ofDeputies—percent of vote by party—NA; seats by party—OPL 32,antineoliberal bloc 24, minor parties and independents 22, vacant 5
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour de Cassation)
Political parties and leaders: Lavalas Family or FLROUMAIN]; Alliance for the Liberation and Advancement of Haiti or
Political pressure groups and leaders: Roman Catholic Church;Confederation of Haitian Workers or CTH; Federation of Workers TradeUnions or FOS; Autonomous Haitian Workers or CATH; National PopularAssembly or APN; Papaye Peasants Movement or MPP; PopularOrganizations Gathering Power or PROP
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, Caricom(observer), CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM,IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM,ITU, LAES, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires LouisHarold JOSEPHchancery: 2311 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York, and San Juan(Puerto Rico)
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Timothy Michael CARNEYembassy: 5 Harry Truman Boulevard, Port-au-Princemailing address: P. O. Box 1761, Port-au-Prince
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) andred with a centered white rectangle bearing the coat of arms, whichcontains a palm tree flanked by flags and two cannons above a scrollbearing the motto L'UNION FAIT LA FORCE (Union Makes Strength)
Economy
Economy—overview: About 75% of the population lives in abject poverty. Nearly 70% of all Haitians depend on the agriculture sector, which consists mainly of small-scale subsistence farming and employs about two-thirds of the economically active work force. The country has experienced little job creation since President PREVAL took office in February 1996, although the informal economy is growing. Failure to reach agreements with international sponsors have denied Haiti badly needed budget and development assistance. Meeting aid conditions in 1999 will be especially challenging in the face of mounting popular criticism of reforms.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$8.9 billion (1998 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: 3% (1998 est.)
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$1,300 (1998 est.)
GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 42% industry: 14% services: 44% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line: 75% (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8% (1998 est.)
Labor force: 3.6 million (1995)note: shortage of skilled labor, unskilled labor abundant (1998)
Labor force—by occupation: agriculture 66%, services 25%,industry 9%
Unemployment rate: 60% (1996 est.)
Budget:revenues: $323 millionexpenditures: $363 million, including capital expenditures of $NA(FY97/98 est.)
Industries: sugar refining, flour milling, textiles, cement,tourism, light assembly industries based on imported parts
Industrial production growth rate: 0.6% (1997 est.)
Electricity—production: 415 million kWh (1996)
Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: 60.24% hydro: 39.76% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity—consumption: 415 million kWh (1996)
Electricity—exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity—imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture—products: coffee, mangoes, sugarcane, rice, corn, sorghum; wood
Exports: $110 million (f.o.b., 1997)
Exports—commodities: light manufactures 80.5%, coffee 7.6%, other agriculture 7.2%
Exports—partners: US 76%, EU 19% (1997)
Imports: $486 million (f.o.b., 1997)
Imports—commodities: machines and manufactures 50%, food and beverages 39%, petroleum products 2%, chemicals 5%, fats and oils 4%
Imports—partners: US 60%, EU 12% (1997)
Debt—external: $1 billion (1997 est.)
Economic aid—recipient: $730.6 million (1995)
Currency: 1 gourde (G) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: gourdes (G) per US$1—16.778 (January 1999), 16.205 (1998), 17.311 (1997), 15.093 (1996), 16.160 (1995), 12.947 (1994)
Fiscal year: 1 October—30 September
Communications
Telephones: 50,000 (1990 est.)
Telephone system: domestic facilities barely adequate;international facilities slightly betterdomestic: NAinternational: satellite earth station—1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 33, FM 0, shortwave 2
Radios: 320,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 2 (in addition, there is a cableTV station) (1997)
Televisions: 32,000 (1992 est.)
Transportation
Railways:total: 40 km (single track; privately owned industrial line)—closedin early 1990snarrow gauge: 40 km 0.760-m gauge
Highways:total: 4,160 kmpaved: 1,011 kmunpaved: 3,149 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: NEGL; less than 100 km navigable
Ports and harbors: Cap-Haitien, Gonaives, Jacmel, Jeremie, LesCayes, Miragoane, Port-au-Prince, Port-de-Paix, Saint-Marc
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 13 (1998 est.)
Airports—with paved runways:total: 32,438 to 3,047 m: 11,524 to 2,437 m: 1914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports—with unpaved runways: total: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 5 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Haitian National Police (HNP) note: the regular Haitian Army, Navy, and Air Force have been demobilized but still exist on paper until/unless constitutionally abolished
Military manpower—military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower—availability:males age 15-49: 1,541,402 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—fit for military service:males age 15-49: 835,578 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—reaching military age annually:males: 80,158 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures—dollar figure: $NA; note?mainly for policeand security activities
Military expenditures—percent of GDP: NA%
Military—note: the Haitian Armed Forces have been demobilized and replaced by the Haitian National Police
Transnational Issues
Disputes—international: claims US-administered Navassa Island
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana en route to the US and Europe
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@Heard Island and McDonald Islands ————————————————-
Geography
Location: Southern Africa, islands in the Indian Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Madagascar to Antarctica
Geographic coordinates: 53 06 S, 72 31 E
Map references: Antarctic Region
Area:total: 412 sq kmland: 412 sq kmwater: 0 sq km
Area—comparative: slightly more than 2 times the size ofWashington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 101.9 km
Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: antarctic
Terrain: Heard Island—bleak and mountainous, with a quiescent volcano; McDonald Islands—small and rocky
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Big Ben 2,745 m
Natural resources: none
Land use:arable land: 0%permanent crops: 0%permanent pastures: 0%forests and woodland: 0%other: 100%
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards: Heard Island is dominated by a dormant volcano called Big Ben
Environment—current issues: NA
Environment—international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography—note: primarily used for research stations
People
Population: uninhabited
Government
Country name:conventional long form: Territory of Heard Island and McDonaldIslandsconventional short form: Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Data code: HM
Dependency status: territory of Australia; administered fromCanberra by the Department of the Environment, Sport and Territories
Legal system: NA
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of Australia)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory ofAustralia)
Flag description: the flag of Australia is used
Economy
Economy—overview: no economic activity
Transportation
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only
Military
Military—note: defense is the responsibility of Australia
Transnational Issues
Disputes—international: none
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@Holy See (Vatican City) ———————————-
Introduction
Background: Popes in their secular role ruled much of the Italian peninsula, including Rome, for about a thousand years, until 1870. A dispute between a series of popes and Italy was settled in 1929 by treaties that recognized the Vatican City as an independent sovereignty and gave Roman Catholicism special status in Italy. The US established formal diplomatic relationships with the Vatican in 1984. Present issues in the Vatican concern the ill health of Pope John Paul II, who turns 79 on 20 May 1999, inter-religious dialogue and reconciliation, and the adjustment of church doctrine in an era of rapid change. About 1 billion people worldwide profess the Roman Catholic faith.