Ethnic groups: indigenous African tribes 95% (including Kpelle, Bassa, Gio, Kru, Grebo, Mano, Krahn, Gola, Gbandi, Loma, Kissi, Vai, and Bella), Americo-Liberians 2.5% (descendants of immigrants from the US who had been slaves)
Religions: traditional 70%, Muslim 20%, Christian 10%
Languages: English 20% (official), about 20 tribal languages, ofwhich a few can be written and are used in correspondence
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 38.3%male: 53.9%female: 22.4% (1995 est.)note: these figures are increasing because of the improving schoolsystem
Government
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Liberiaconventional short form: Liberia
Data code: LI
Government type: republic
Capital: Monrovia
Administrative divisions: 13 counties; Bomi, Bong, Grand Bassa,Grand Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland,Montserrado, Nimba, River Cess, Sinoe
Independence: 26 July 1847
National holiday: Independence Day, 26 July (1847)
Constitution: 6 January 1986
Legal system: dual system of statutory law based on Anglo-American common law for the modern sector and customary law based on unwritten tribal practices for indigenous sector
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Charles Ghankay TAYLOR (since 2 August1997); note—the president is both the chief of state and head ofgovernmenthead of government: President Charles Ghankay TAYLOR (since 2 August1997); note—the president is both the chief of state and head ofgovernmentcabinet: Cabinet appointed by the presidentelections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term(renewable); election last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held NAJuly 2001)election results: Charles Ghankay TAYLOR elected president; percentof vote—Charles Ghankay TAYLOR (NPP) 75.3%, Ellen Johnson SIRLEAF(UP) 9.6%, Alhaji KROMAH (ALCOP) 4%, other 11.1%
Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly consists of theSenate (26 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-yearterms) and the House of Representatives (64 seats; members electedby popular vote to serve four-year terms)elections: Senate—last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held in NA2001); House of Representatives—last held 19 July 1997 (next to beheld in NA 2001)election results: Senate—percent of vote by party—NA; seats byparty—NPP 21, UP 3, ALCOP 2; House of Representatives—percent ofvote by party—NA; seats by party—NPP 49, UP 7, ALCOP 3, Alliance ofPolitical Parties 2, UPP 2, LPP 1; note—the Alliance of PoliticalParties was a coalition of the LAP and the LUP
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:TAYLOR]
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA,ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat (nonsignatory user),Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Rachel DIGGSchancery: 5201 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires DonaldPETTERSONembassy: 111 United Nations Drive, Mamba Point, Monroviamailing address: use embassy street address
Flag description: 11 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; there is a white five-pointed star on a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner; the design was based on the US flag
Economy
Economy—overview: A civil war in 1989-97 has destroyed much of Liberia's economy, especially the infrastructure in and around Monrovia. Many businessmen have fled the country, taking capital and expertise with them. Some returned during 1997. Many will not return. Richly endowed with water, mineral resources, forests, and a climate favorable to agriculture, Liberia had been a producer and exporter of basic products, while local manufacturing, mainly foreign owned, had been small in scope. The democratically elected government, installed in August 1997, inherited massive international debts and currently relies on revenues from its maritime registry to provide the bulk of its foreign exchange earnings. The restoration of the infrastructure and the raising of incomes in this ravaged economy depends on the implementation of sound macro- and micro-economic policies of the new government, including the encouragement of foreign investment.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$2.8 billion (1998 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: NA%
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$1,000 (1998 est.)
GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 30% industry: 36% services: 34%
Population below poverty line: 80%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%
Labor force—by occupation: agriculture 70%
Unemployment rate: 70%
Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA
Industries: rubber processing, palm oil processing, diamonds
Industrial production growth rate: 0%
Electricity—production: 480 million kWh (1996)
Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity—consumption: 480 million kWh (1996)
Electricity—exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity—imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture—products: rubber, coffee, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, sugarcane, bananas; sheep, goats; timber
Exports: $1.1 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Exports—commodities: diamonds, iron ore, rubber, timber, coffee
Exports—partners: Belgium, Norway, Ukraine, Singapore (1997)
Imports: $3.65 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Imports—commodities: fuels, chemicals, machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods; rice and other foodstuffs
Imports—partners: South Korea, Japan, Italy, Singapore (1997)
Debt—external: $2 billion (1997 est.)
Economic aid—recipient: $122.8 million (1995)
Currency: 1 Liberian dollar (L$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Liberian dollars (L$) per US$1—1.0000 (officially fixed rate since 1940); market exchange rate: Liberian dollars (L$) per US$1—40 (December 1998), 50 (October 1995), 7 (January 1992); market rate floats against the US dollar
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: fewer than 25,000 (1998 est.)
Telephone system: telephone and telegraph service via microwaveradio relay network; main center is Monroviadomestic: NAinternational: satellite earth station—1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 10, shortwave 0note: two of the FM radio stations are limited to a small area
Radios: 675,000 (1995 est.); note—10,000 windup radios weredistributed in the country prior to the 1997 election
Television broadcast stations: 1 (in addition, there are fourlow-power repeaters; the station is located in Monrovia) (1997)
Televisions: 56,000 (1995 est.)
Transportation
Railways:total: 480 km (328 km single track); note—three rail systems ownedand operated by foreign steel and financial interests in conjunctionwith the Liberian Government; one of these, the Lamco Railroad,closed in 1989 after iron ore production ceased; the other two wereshut down by the civil war; large sections of the rail lines havebeen dismantled; approximately 60 km of railroad track was exportedfor scrapstandard gauge: NA km 1.435-m gaugenarrow gauge: NA km 1.067-m gauge
Highways:total: 10,037 km (there is major deterioration on all highways dueto lack of maintenance since the civil war began)paved: 603 kmunpaved: 9,434 km (1996 est.)
Ports and harbors: Buchanan, Greenville, Harper, Monrovia
Merchant marine:total: 1,651 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 59,804,012GRT/96,650,752 DWTships by type: barge carrier 4, bulk 408, cargo 106, chemical tanker176, combination bulk 25, combination ore/oil 50, container 193,liquefied gas tanker 89, multifunction large-load carrier 2, oiltanker 413, passenger 37, refrigerated cargo 69, roll-on/roll-offcargo 19, short-sea passenger 3, specialized tanker 12, vehiclecarrier 45note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 54countries among which are Germany 186, US 161, Norway 142, Greece144, Japan 124, Hong Kong 100, China 53, UK 32, Singapore 39, andMonaco 38 (1998 est.)
Airports: 45 (1998 est.)
Airports—with paved runways: total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports—with unpaved runways: total: 43 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 35 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Air Force, Navy
Military manpower—availability:males age 15-49: 667,032 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—fit for military service:males age 15-49: 356,825 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures—dollar figure: $1.4 million (1998)
Military expenditures—percent of GDP: 2% (1998)
Transnational Issues
Disputes—international: none
Illicit drugs: increasingly a transshipment point for Southeast and Southwest Asian heroin and South American cocaine for the European and US markets
======================================================================
@Libya ——-
Geography
Location: Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Tunisia
Geographic coordinates: 25 00 N, 17 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area:total: 1,759,540 sq kmland: 1,759,540 sq kmwater: 0 sq km
Area—comparative: slightly larger than Alaska
Land boundaries:total: 4,383 kmborder countries: Algeria 982 km, Chad 1,055 km, Egypt 1,150 km,Niger 354 km, Sudan 383 km, Tunisia 459 km
Coastline: 1,770 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm note: Gulf of Sidra closing line—32 degrees 30 minutes north
Climate: Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior
Terrain: mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Sabkhat Ghuzayyil -47 m highest point: Bikku Bitti 2,267 m
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, gypsum
Land use:arable land: 1%permanent crops: 0%permanent pastures: 8%forests and woodland: 0%other: 91% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 4,700 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to four days in spring and fall; dust storms, sandstorms
Environment—current issues: desertification; very limited natural fresh water resources; the Great Manmade River Project, the largest water development scheme in the world, is being built to bring water from large aquifers under the Sahara to coastal cities
Environment—international agreements:party to: Desertification, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, OzoneLayer Protectionsigned, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of theSea
People
Population: 4,992,838 (July 1999 est.)note: includes 161,251 non-nationals (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 36% (male 930,661; female 891,046)15-64 years: 60% (male 1,545,958; female 1,437,120)65 years and over: 4% (male 93,726; female 94,327) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.4% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 27.33 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 3.35 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 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: 1.08 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.99 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.06 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 28.15 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.73 years male: 73.81 years female: 77.74 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.79 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Libyan(s) adjective: Libyan
Ethnic groups: Berber and Arab 97%, Greeks, Maltese, Italians,Egyptians, Pakistanis, Turks, Indians, Tunisians
Religions: Sunni Muslim 97%
Languages: Arabic, Italian, English, all are widely understood inthe major cities
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 76.2%male: 87.9%female: 63% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name:conventional long form: Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriyaconventional short form: Libyalocal long form: Al Jumahiriyah al Arabiyah al Libiyah ash Shabiyahal Ishtirakiyahlocal short form: none
Data code: LY
Government type: Jamahiriya (a state of the masses) in theory, governed by the populace through local councils; in fact, a military dictatorship
Capital: Tripoli
Administrative divisions: 25 municipalities (baladiyat,singular—baladiyah); Ajdabiya, Al 'Aziziyah, Al Fatih, Al Jabal alAkhdar, Al Jufrah, Al Khums, Al Kufrah, An Nuqat al Khams, AshShati', Awbari, Az Zawiyah, Banghazi, Darnah, Ghadamis, Gharyan,Misratah, Murzuq, Sabha, Sawfajjin, Surt, Tarabulus, Tarhunah,Tubruq, Yafran, Zlitannote: the 25 municipalities may have been replaced by 13 regions
Independence: 24 December 1951 (from Italy)
National holiday: Revolution Day, 1 September (1969)
Constitution: 11 December 1969, amended 2 March 1977
Legal system: based on Italian civil law system and Islamic law; separate religious courts; no constitutional provision for judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:chief of state: Revolutionary Leader Col. Muammar Abu Minyaral-QADHAFI (since 1 September 1969); note—holds no official title,but is de facto chief of statehead of government: Secretary of the General People's Committee(Premier) Muhammad Ahmad al-MANQUSH (since NA January 1998)cabinet: General People's Committee established by the GeneralPeople's Congresselections: national elections are indirect through a hierarchy ofpeoples' committees; head of government elected by the GeneralPeople's Congress; election last held NA (next to be held NA)election results: Muhammad Ahmad al-MANQUSH elected head ofgovernment; percent of General People's Congress vote—NA
Legislative branch: unicameral General People's Congress (NA seats; members elected indirectly through a hierarchy of peoples' committees)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: none
Political pressure groups and leaders: various Arab nationalist movements with almost negligible memberships may be functioning clandestinely, as well as some Islamic elements
International organization participation: ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL,AMF, AMU, CAEU, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA,IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO,ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OAU, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,UNITAR, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO
Diplomatic representation in the US: Libya does not have anembassy in the US
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US suspended allembassy activities in Tripoli on 2 May 1980
Flag description: plain green; green is the traditional color ofIslam (the state religion)
Economy
Economy—overview: The socialist-oriented economy depends primarily upon revenues from the oil sector, which contributes practically all export earnings and about one-third of GDP. These oil revenues and a small population give Libya one of the highest per capita GDPs in Africa, but little of this income flows down to the lower orders of society. Low oil prices in 1998 cut back revenue sharply, and GDP growth fell by 1%. In this statist society, import restrictions and inefficient resource allocations have led to periodic shortages of basic goods and foodstuffs. The nonoil manufacturing and construction sectors, which account for about 20% of GDP, have expanded from processing mostly agricultural products to include the production of petrochemicals, iron, steel, and aluminum. Agriculture accounts for only 5% of GDP; it employs 18% of the labor force. Climatic conditions and poor soils severely limit farm output, and Libya imports about 75% of its food requirements. The UN sanctions imposed in April 1992 do not have a major impact on the economy although they have increased transaction and transportation costs.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$38 billion (1998 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: -1% (1998 est.)
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$6,700 (1998 est.)
GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 5% industry: 55% services: 40% (1996 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 24.2% (1998 est.)
Labor force: 1 million
Labor force—by occupation: industry 31%, services 27%, government 24%, agriculture 18%
Unemployment rate: 30% (1998 est.)
Budget:revenues: $3.6 billionexpenditures: $5.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA(1998 est.)
Industries: petroleum, food processing, textiles, handicrafts,cement
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity—production: 17 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity—consumption: 17 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity—imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture—products: wheat, barley, olives, dates, citrus, vegetables, peanuts; beef, eggs
Exports: $6.8 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Exports—commodities: crude oil, refined petroleum products,natural gas
Exports—partners: Italy, Germany, Spain, France, Turkey, Greece,Egypt
Imports: $6.9 billion (c.i.f., 1998 est.)
Imports—commodities: machinery, transport equipment, food,manufactured goods
Imports—partners: Italy, Germany, UK, France, Spain, Turkey,Tunisia, Eastern Europe
Debt—external: $4 billion (1998 est.)
Economic aid—recipient: $8.4 million (1995)
Currency: 1 Libyan dinar (LD) = 1,000 dirhams
Exchange rates: Libyan dinars (LD) per US$1—0.3799 (November 1998), 0.3891 (1997), 0.3651 (1996), 0.3532 (1995), 0.3596 (1994); official rate: 0.45 (December 1998)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 411,000 (1999 est.)
Telephone system: telecommunications system is being modernized;cellular telephone system became operational in 1996domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, cellular,tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite system with 14 earthstationsinternational: satellite earth stations—4 Intelsat, NA Arabsat, andNA Intersputnik; submarine cables to France and Italy; microwaveradio relay to Tunisia and Egypt; tropospheric scatter to Greece;participant in Medarabtel
Radio broadcast stations: AM 17, FM 3, shortwave 3 (1998 est.)
Radios: 1 million (1998 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 12 (in addition, there is one low-power repeater) (1997)
Televisions: 550,000 (1998 est.)
Transportation
Railways:note: Libya has had no railroad in operation since 1965, allprevious systems having been dismantled; current plans are toconstruct a 1.435-m standard gauge line from the Tunisian frontierto Tripoli and Misratah, then inland to Sabha, center of amineral-rich area, but there has been no progress; other plans madejointly with Egypt would establish a rail line from As Sallum,Egypt, to Tobruk with completion set for mid-1994; no progress hasbeen reported
Highways: total: 83,200 km paved: 47,590 km unpaved: 35,610 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: none
Pipelines: crude oil 4,383 km; petroleum products 443 km (includes liquefied petroleum gas or LPG 256 km); natural gas 1,947 km
Ports and harbors: Al Khums, Banghazi, Darnah, Marsa al Burayqah,Misratah, Ra's Lanuf, Tobruk, Tripoli, Zuwarah
Merchant marine:total: 30 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 588,928 GRT/989,662 DWTships by type: cargo 9, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas tanker 3,oil tanker 9, roll-on/roll-off cargo 4, short-sea passenger 4 (1998est.)
Airports: 143 (1998 est.)
Airports—with paved runways:total: 60over 3,047 m: 242,438 to 3,047 m: 61,524 to 2,437 m: 22914 to 1,523 m: 5under 914 m: 3 (1998 est.)
Airports—with unpaved runways:total: 83over 3,047 m: 52,438 to 3,047 m: 21,524 to 2,437 m: 15914 to 1,523 m: 42under 914 m: 19 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Command
Military manpower—military age: 17 years of age
Military manpower—availability:males age 15-49: 1,372,261 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—fit for military service:males age 15-49: 816,186 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—reaching military age annually:males: 62,098 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures—dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures—percent of GDP: NA%
Transnational Issues
Disputes—international: maritime boundary dispute with Tunisia; Libya claims about 19,400 sq km in northern Niger and part of southeastern Algeria
======================================================================
@Liechtenstein ——————-
Geography
Location: Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland
Geographic coordinates: 47 10 N, 9 32 E
Map references: Europe
Area:total: 160 sq kmland: 160 sq kmwater: 0 sq km
Area—comparative: about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: total: 76 km border countries: Austria 35 km, Switzerland 41 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: continental; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow orrain; cool to moderately warm, cloudy, humid summers
Terrain: mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in westernthird
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Ruggeller Riet 430 m highest point: Grauspitz 2,599 m
Natural resources: hydroelectric potential
Land use:arable land: 24%permanent crops: 0%permanent pastures: 16%forests and woodland: 35%other: 25% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: NA
Environment—current issues: NA
Environment—international agreements:party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, AirPollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, AirPollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change,Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection,Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent OrganicPollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea
Geography—note: along with Uzbekistan, one of only two doubly landlocked countries in the world; variety of microclimatic variations based on elevation
People
Population: 32,057 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 19% (male 3,076; female 2,949)15-64 years: 70% (male 11,209; female 11,247)65 years and over: 11% (male 1,484; female 2,092) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.08% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 12.23 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 7.33 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 5.9 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 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.97 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 5.23 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.11 years male: 75.64 years female: 80.69 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.6 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Liechtensteiner(s) adjective: Liechtenstein
Ethnic groups: Alemannic 87.5%, Italian, Turkish, and other 12.5%
Religions: Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant 7.4%, unknown 7.7%, other 4.9% (1996)
Languages: German (official), Alemannic dialect
Literacy:definition: age 10 and over can read and writetotal population: 100%male: 100%female: 100% (1981 est.)
Government
Country name:conventional long form: Principality of Liechtensteinconventional short form: Liechtensteinlocal long form: Fuerstentum Liechtensteinlocal short form: Liechtenstein
Data code: LS
Government type: hereditary constitutional monarchy
Capital: Vaduz
Administrative divisions: 11 communes (Gemeinden,singular—Gemeinde); Balzers, Eschen, Gamprin, Mauren, Planken,Ruggell, Schaan, Schellenberg, Triesen, Triesenberg, Vaduz
Independence: 23 January 1719 (Imperial Principality ofLiechtenstein established)
National holiday: Assumption Day, 15 August
Constitution: 5 October 1921
Legal system: local civil and penal codes; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: Prince Hans ADAM II (since 13 November 1989, assumedexecutive powers 26 August 1984); Heir Apparent Prince ALOIS von undzu Liechtenstein, son of the monarch (born 11 June 1968)head of government: Head of Government Mario FRICK (since 15December 1993) and Deputy Head of Government Michael RITTER (since 2February 1997)cabinet: Cabinet elected by the Diet; confirmed by the monarchelections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following legislativeelections, the leader of the majority party in the Diet is usuallyappointed the head of government by the monarch and the leader ofthe largest minority party in the Diet is usually appointed thedeputy head of government by the monarch
Legislative branch: unicameral Diet or Landtag (25 seats; membersare elected by direct popular vote under proportional representationto serve four-year terms)elections: last held on 2 February 1997 (next to be held by NA 2001)election results: percent of vote by party—VU 50.1%, FBPL 41.3%, FL8.5%; seats by party - VU 13, FBPL 10, FL 2
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; SuperiorCourt or Obergericht
Political parties and leaders: Fatherland Union or VU [Dr. Oswald
International organization participation: CE, EBRD, ECE, EFTA,IAEA, ICRM, IFRCS, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PCA,UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCL, WIPO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: Liechtenstein does not havean embassy in the US, but is represented by the Swiss embassy inroutine diplomatic matters
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have anembassy in Liechtenstein, but the US Ambassador to Switzerland isalso accredited to Liechtenstein
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) andred with a gold crown on the hoist side of the blue band
Economy
Economy—overview: Despite its small size and limited natural resources, Liechtenstein has developed into a prosperous, highly industrialized, free-enterprise economy with a vital financial service sector and living standards on a par with the urban areas of its large European neighbors. Low business taxes—the maximum tax rate is 18%—and easy incorporation rules have induced about 73,700 holding or so-called letter box companies to establish nominal offices in Liechtenstein, providing 30% of state revenues. The country participates in a customs union with Switzerland and uses the Swiss franc as its national currency. It imports more than 90% of its energy requirements. Liechtenstein is a member of the European Economic Area (an organization serving as a bridge between European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and EU) since May 1995. The government is working to harmonize its economic policies with those of an integrated Europe.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$730 million (1998 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: NA%
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$23,000 (1998 est.)
GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.5% (1997 est.)
Labor force: 22,891 of which 13,847 are foreigners; 8,231 commute from Austria and Switzerland to work each day
Labor force—by occupation: industry, trade, and building 45%, services 53%, agriculture, fishing, forestry, and horticulture 2% (1997 est.)
Unemployment rate: 1.6% (1997)
Budget:revenues: $455 millionexpenditures: $435 million, including capital expenditures of $NA(1996 est.)
Industries: electronics, metal manufacturing, textiles, ceramics,pharmaceuticals, food products, precision instruments, tourism
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity—production: 150 million kWh (1995)
Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: NA% hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA%
Electricity—consumption: NA kWh
Electricity—exports: NA kWh
Electricity—imports: NA kWh
Agriculture—products: wheat, barley, maize, potatoes; livestock, dairy products
Exports: $2.47 billion (1996)
Exports—commodities: small specialty machinery, dental products,stamps, hardware, pottery
Exports—partners: EU and EFTA countries 60.57% (Switzerland15.7%) (1995)
Imports: $917.3 million (1996)
Imports—commodities: machinery, metal goods, textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles
Imports—partners: EU countries, Switzerland (1996)
Debt—external: $0 (1996)
Economic aid—recipient: none
Currency: 1 Swiss franc, franken, or franco (SwF) = 100 centimes, rappen, or centesimi
Exchange rates: Swiss francs, franken, or franchi (SwF) per US$1—1.3837 (January 1999), 1.4498 (1998), 1.4513 (1997), 1.2360 (1996), 1.1825 (1995), 1.3677 (1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 22,857 (1996 est.)
Telephone system: automatic telephone systemdomestic: NAinternational: linked to Swiss networks by cable and microwave radiorelay
Radio broadcast stations: 1 broadcast station in Triesennote: linked to Swiss networks
Radios: 12,134 (1996)
Television broadcast stations: NA (linked to Swiss networks) (1997)
Televisions: 11,785 (1996)
Transportation
Railways:total: 18.5 km; note—owned, operated, and included in statistics ofAustrian Federal Railwaysstandard gauge: 18.5 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified)
Highways:total: 250 kmpaved: 250 kmunpaved: 0 km
Ports and harbors: none
Airports: none
Military
Military—note: defense is the responsibility of Switzerland
Transnational Issues
Disputes—international: claims 1,600 sq km of property in theCzech Republic confiscated from its royal family in 1918; the CzechRepublic insists that restitution does not go back before February1948, when the communists seized power
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@Lithuania ————-
Geography
Location: Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, betweenLatvia and Russia
Geographic coordinates: 56 00 N, 24 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area:total: 65,200 sq kmland: 65,200 sq kmwater: 0 sq km
Area—comparative: slightly larger than West Virginia
Land boundaries:total: 1,273 kmborder countries: Belarus 502 km, Latvia 453 km, Poland 91 km,Russia (Kaliningrad) 227 km
Coastline: 99 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: transitional, between maritime and continental; wet,moderate winters and summers
Terrain: lowland, many scattered small lakes, fertile soil
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m highest point: Juozapines/Kalnas 292 m
Natural resources: peat
Land use:arable land: 35%permanent crops: 12%permanent pastures: 7%forests and woodland: 31%other: 15% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 430 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment—current issues: contamination of soil and groundwaterwith petroleum products and chemicals at military bases
Environment—international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Ozone Layer Protection, ShipPollution, Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent OrganicPollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
People
Population: 3,584,966 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 20% (male 365,149; female 350,070)15-64 years: 67% (male 1,156,161; female 1,239,145)65 years and over: 13% (male 160,963; female 313,478) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: -0.4% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 10.52 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 12.93 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.58 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: 0.93 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.51 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.88 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 14.71 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 68.96 years male: 62.91 years female: 75.31 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.45 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Lithuanian(s) adjective: Lithuanian
Ethnic groups: Lithuanian 80.6%, Russian 8.7%, Polish 7%,Byelorussian 1.6%, other 2.1%
Religions: primarily Roman Catholic, others include Lutheran,Russian Orthodox, Protestant, evangelical Christian Baptist, Islam,Judaism
Languages: Lithuanian (official), Polish, Russian
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 98%male: 99%female: 98% (1989 est.)
Government
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Lithuaniaconventional short form: Lithuanialocal long form: Lietuvos Respublikalocal short form: Lietuvaformer: Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic
Data code: LH
Government type: parliamentary democracy
Capital: Vilnius
Administrative divisions: 44 regions (rajonai, singular—rajonas)and 11 municipalities*: Akmenes Rajonas, Alytaus Rajonas, Alytus*,Anyksciu Rajonas, Birstonas*, Birzu Rajonas, Druskininkai*,Ignalinos Rajonas, Jonavos Rajonas, Joniskio Rajonas, JurbarkoRajonas, Kaisiadoriu Rajonas, Kaunas*, Kauno Rajonas, KedainiuRajonas, Kelmes Rajonas, Klaipeda*, Klaipedos Rajonas, KretingosRajonas, Kupiskio Rajonas, Lazdiju Rajonas, Marijampole*,Marijampoles Rajonas, Mazeikiu Rajonas, Moletu Rajonas, Neringa*Pakruojo Rajonas, Palanga*, Panevezio Rajonas, Panevezys*, PasvalioRajonas, Plunges Rajonas, Prienu Rajonas, Radviliskio Rajonas,Raseiniu Rajonas, Rokiskio Rajonas, Sakiu Rajonas, SalcininkuRajonas, Siauliai*, Siauliu Rajonas, Silales Rajonas, SilutesRajonas, Sirvintu Rajonas, Skuodo Rajonas, Svencioniu Rajonas,Taurages Rajonas, Telsiu Rajonas, Traku Rajonas, Ukmerges Rajonas,Utenos Rajonas, Varenos Rajonas, Vilkaviskio Rajonas, VilniausRajonas, Vilnius*, Zarasu Rajonas
Independence: 6 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday: Statehood Day, 16 February (1918)
Constitution: adopted 25 October 1992
Legal system: based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Valdas ADAMKUS (since 26 February 1998)head of government: Premier Gediminas VAGNORIUS (since 28 November1996)cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on thenomination of the premierelections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;election last held 21 December 1997 and 5 January 1998 (next to beheld NA 2003); premier appointed by the president on the approval ofthe Parliamentelection results: Valdas ADAMKUS elected president; percent ofvote—Valdas ADAMKUS 50.37%, Arturas PAULAUSKAS 49.7%
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Seimas (141 seats,71 members are directly elected by popular vote, 70 are elected byproportional representation; members serve four-year terms)elections: last held 20 October and 10 November 1996 (next to beheld NA October 2000)election results: percent of vote by party—NA; seats by party—TS 69,LKDP 15, LCS 15, LDDP 12, LSDP 10, DP 2, independents 12, others 6
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges appointed by theParliament; Court of Appeal, judges appointed by the Parliament
Political parties and leaders: Christian Democratic Party or LKDP
Political pressure groups and leaders: Lithuanian Future Forum
International organization participation: BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE,EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU,ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user),Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, OPCW, OSCE,PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO,WMO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Stasys SAKALAUSKAS chancery: 2622 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 consulate(s) general: Chicago and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Keith C. SMITH embassy: Akmenu 6, 2600 Vilnius mailing address: American Embassy, Vilnius, PSC 78, Box V, APO AE 09723
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), green, and red
Economy
Economy—overview: Lithuania has benefited from its disciplined approach to market reform and its adherence to strict fiscal and monetary policies imposed by the IMF, measures that have helped constrain the growth of the money supply, reduce inflation to 5.1%, and support GDP growth of 6% in 1997 and 4.5% in 1998. Foreign direct investment and the privatization program maintained their momentum in 1998. However, the current account deficit has hovered around 8% to 10% of GDP annually since 1995—the result of greater demand for consumer goods and falling growth in exports. Reducing this deficit is the immediate economic challenge for 1999.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$17.6 billion (1998 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: 4.5% (1998 est.)
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$4,900 (1998 est.)
GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 13% industry: 32% services: 55% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.4% highest 10%: 28% (1993)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.1% (1998 est.)
Labor force: 1.8 million
Labor force—by occupation: industry and construction 42%, agriculture and forestry 20%, other 38% (1997)
Unemployment rate: 6.7% (January 1998)
Budget:revenues: $1.5 billionexpenditures: $1.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA(1997 est.)
Industries: metal-cutting machine tools, electric motors, television sets, refrigerators and freezers, petroleum refining, shipbuilding (small ships), furniture making, textiles, food processing, fertilizers, agricultural machinery, optical equipment, electronic components, computers, amber
Industrial production growth rate: 4.7% (1998 est.)
Electricity—production: 14.51 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: 9.65% hydro: 3.03% nuclear: 87.32% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity—consumption: 9.58 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—exports: 5.23 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—imports: 300 million kWh (1996)
Agriculture—products: grain, potatoes, sugar beets, flax, vegetables; beef, milk, eggs; fish
Exports: $4.2 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports—commodities: machinery and equipment 19%, mineralproducts 16%, textiles 15%, chemicals 8%, foodstuffs 8% (1997)
Exports—partners: Russia 24%, Germany 11%, Belarus 10%, Latvia9%, Ukraine 9% (1997)
Imports: $5.9 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Imports—commodities: machinery and equipment 30%, mineralproducts 18%, chemicals 9%, textiles 8%, foodstuffs (1997)
Imports—partners: Russia 24%, Germany 19%, Poland, Denmark,Finland (1997)
Debt—external: $NA
Economic aid—recipient: $228.5 million (1995)
Currency: 1 Lithuanian litas = 100 centas
Exchange rates: litai per US$1—4.000 (fixed rate since 1 May 1994), 3.978 (1994), 4.344 (1993), 1.773 (1992)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 1.08 million (1998)
Telephone system: the Ministry of Communications and Informatics,Ministry of Defense, and Ministry of Internal Affairs overseeLithuania's telecommunications; the national operator is LietuvosTelomas; Internet is availabledomestic: local—three cellular service providers; NMT-450 and GSMstandards provide services nationwide; 80% of customers are on thetwo GSM networks; 157,000 cellular customers; intercity—Lithuania isclose to completing its fiber-optic backbone consisting of two smallrings inside a larger ringinternational: Lithuania has international fiber-optic connectivityto Latvia, Poland, and an undersea fiber-optic cable to Sweden
Radio broadcast stations: AM 13, FM 26, shortwave 1
Radios: 1.42 million (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 3
Televisions: NA; note—93% of the population have TV, 30% have cable or satellite dish, and 16% own VCRs (1996)
Transportation
Railways: total: 2,002 km broad gauge: 2,002 km 1.524-m gauge (122 km electrified) (1994)
Highways:total: 68,161 kmpaved: 60,527 km (including 410 km of expressways)unpaved: 7,634 km (1997 est.)
Waterways: 600 km perennially navigable
Pipelines: crude oil, 105 km; natural gas 760 km (1992)
Ports and harbors: Kaunas, Klaipeda
Merchant marine:total: 54 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 316,616 GRT/353,683 DWTships by type: cargo 26, combination bulk 11, oil tanker 2, railcarcarrier 1, refrigerated cargo 10, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1,short-sea passenger 3 (1998 est.)
Airports: 96 (1994 est.)
Airports—with paved runways: total: 25 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 14 (1994 est.)
Airports—with unpaved runways: total: 71 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 63 (1994 est.)
Military
Military branches: Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air DefenseForce, Security Forces (internal and border troops), National Guard(Skat)
Military manpower—military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower—availability:males age 15-49: 906,687 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—fit for military service:males age 15-49: 713,436 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—reaching military age annually:males: 26,168 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures—dollar figure: $181 million (1999)
Military expenditures—percent of GDP: 1.5% (1999)
Transnational Issues
Disputes—international: ongoing talks over maritime boundarydispute with Latvia (primary concern is oil exploration rights);1997 border agreement with Russia not yet ratified
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for opiates and other illicitdrugs from Southwest Asia, Latin America, and Western Europe toWestern Europe and Scandinavia
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@Luxembourg —————
Geography
Location: Western Europe, between France and Germany
Geographic coordinates: 49 45 N, 6 10 E
Map references: Europe
Area:total: 2,586 sq kmland: 2,586 sq kmwater: 0 sq km
Area—comparative: slightly smaller than Rhode Island
Land boundaries: total: 359 km border countries: Belgium 148 km, France 73 km, Germany 138 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: modified continental with mild winters, cool summers
Terrain: mostly gently rolling uplands with broad, shallowvalleys; uplands to slightly mountainous in the north; steep slopedown to Moselle floodplain in the southeast
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Moselle River 133 mhighest point: Burgplatz 559 m
Natural resources: iron ore (no longer exploited)
Land use:arable land: 24%permanent crops: 1%permanent pastures: 20%forests and woodland: 21%other: 34%
Irrigated land: 10 sq km (including Belgium (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment—current issues: air and water pollution in urban areas
Environment—international agreements:party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, AirPollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, AirPollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change,Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, MarineDumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent OrganicPollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, EnvironmentalModification, Law of the Sea
Geography—note: landlocked
People
Population: 429,080 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 18% (male 39,701; female 37,998)15-64 years: 67% (male 146,336; female 140,717)65 years and over: 15% (male 26,201; female 38,127) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.88% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 10.35 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 9.32 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 7.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 4.99 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.65 years male: 74.58 years female: 80.83 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.57 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Luxembourger(s) adjective: Luxembourg
Ethnic groups: Celtic base (with French and German blend),Portuguese, Italian, and European (guest and worker residents)
Religions: Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant and Jewish 3%
Languages: Luxembourgian, German, French, English
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 100%male: 100%female: 100% (1980 est.)
Government
Country name:conventional long form: Grand Duchy of Luxembourgconventional short form: Luxembourglocal long form: Grand-Duche de Luxembourglocal short form: Luxembourg
Data code: LU
Government type: constitutional monarchy
Capital: Luxembourg
Administrative divisions: 3 districts; Diekirch, Grevenmacher,Luxembourg
Independence: 1839 (from the Netherlands)
National holiday: National Day, 23 June (1921) (public celebration of the Grand Duke's birthday)
Constitution: 17 October 1868, occasional revisions