@Tuvalu ———
Geography
Location: Oceania, island group consisting of nine coral atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia
Geographic coordinates: 8 00 S, 178 00 E
Map references: Oceania
Area:total: 26 sq kmland: 26 sq kmwater: 0 sq km
Area—comparative: 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 24 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; moderated by easterly trade winds (March toNovember); westerly gales and heavy rain (November to March)
Terrain: very low-lying and narrow coral atolls
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 5 m
Natural resources: fish
Land use:arable land: 0%permanent crops: 0%permanent pastures: 0%forests and woodland: 0%other: 100% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: severe tropical storms are usually rare, but, in 1997, there were three cyclones
Environment—current issues: since there are no streams or rivers and groundwater is not potable, all water needs must be met by catchment systems with storage facilities; beachhead erosion because of the use of sand for building materials; excessive clearance of forest undergrowth for use as fuel; damage to coral reefs from the spread of the Crown of Thorns starfish; Tuvalu is very concerned about global increases in greenhouse gas emissions and their effect on rising sea levels, which threaten the country's underground water table
Environment—international agreements: party to: Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Law of the Sea
People
Population: 10,588 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 35% (male 1,870; female 1,799)15-64 years: 61% (male 3,062; female 3,360)65 years and over: 4% (male 225; female 272) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.34% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 21.91 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 8.5 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: 0.91 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.95 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 25.53 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 64.15 years male: 63.01 years female: 65.34 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.11 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Tuvaluan(s) adjective: Tuvaluan
Ethnic groups: Polynesian 96%
Religions: Church of Tuvalu (Congregationalist) 97%, Seventh-DayAdventist 1.4%, Baha'i 1%, other 0.6%
Languages: Tuvaluan, English
Literacy: NA; note—education is free and compulsory from ages 6 through 13
Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Tuvalu former: Ellice Islands
Data code: TV
Government type: constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy; began debating republic status in 1992
Capital: Funafuti
Administrative divisions: none
Independence: 1 October 1978 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 1 October (1978)
Constitution: 1 October 1978
Legal system: NA
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),represented by Governor General Sir Tomasi PUAPUA, M.D. (since NAJune 1998)head of government: Prime Minister Bikenibeu PAENIU (since 23December 1996) and Deputy Prime Minister Kokeiya MALUA (since 8April 1998);cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on therecommendation of the prime ministerelections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed bythe monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; primeminister and deputy prime minister elected by and from the membersof Parliament; election last held 8 April 1998 (next to be held NA2002)election results: Bikenibeu PAENIU reelected prime minister by avote in Parliament of 10 to 2; Kokeiya MALUA elected deputy primeminister; percent of Parliament vote—NA
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Fale I Fono, also called House of Assembly (12 seats—two from each island with more than 1,000 inhabitants, one from all the other inhabited islands; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 26-27 March 1998 (next to be held by NA 2002) election results: percent of vote—NA; seats—independents 12
Judicial branch: eight Island Courts; High Court; note—a chief justice visits twice a year to preside over sessions of the High Court
Political parties and leaders: there are no political parties butmembers of Parliament usually align themselves in informal groupings
International organization participation: ACP, AsDB, C (special),ESCAP, IFRCS (associate), Intelsat (nonsignatory user), ITU,Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US: Tuvalu does not have anembassy in the US
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have anembassy in Tuvalu; the US ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Tuvalu
Flag description: light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the outer half of the flag represents a map of the country with nine yellow five-pointed stars symbolizing the nine islands
Economy
Economy—overview: Tuvalu consists of a densely populated, scattered group of nine coral atolls with poor soil. The country has no known mineral resources and few exports. Subsistence farming and fishing are the primary economic activities. Government revenues largely come from the sale of stamps and coins and worker remittances. About 1,000 Tuvaluans work in Nauru in the phosphate mining industry. Nauru has begun repatriating Tuvaluans, however, as phosphate resources decline. Substantial income is received annually from an international trust fund established in 1987 by Australia, NZ, and the UK and supported also by Japan and South Korea. In an effort to reduce its dependence on foreign aid, the government is pursuing public sector reforms, including privatization of some government functions and personnel cuts of up to 7%. In 1998, Tuvalu began selling internet addresses in its TV domain and reportedly has derived revenue from use of its area code for "900" lines. Low-lying Tuvalu is particularly vulnerable to any future global warming.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$7.8 million (1995 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: 8.7% (1995)
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$800 (1995 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): 3.9% (average 1985-93)
Labor force: NA
Labor force—by occupation: people make a living mainly through exploitation of the sea, reefs, and atolls and from wages sent home by those working abroad (mostly workers in the phosphate industry and sailors)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:revenues: $4.3 millionexpenditures: $4.3 million, including capital expenditures of $NA(1989 est.)
Industries: fishing, tourism, copra
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity—production: 3 million kWh (1995)
Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: NA% hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA%
Electricity—consumption: 3 million kWh (1995)
Electricity—exports: 0 kWh (1995)
Electricity—imports: 0 kWh (1995)
Agriculture—products: coconuts; fish
Exports: $165,000 (f.o.b., 1989)
Exports—commodities: copra
Exports—partners: Fiji, Australia, NZ
Imports: $4.4 million (c.i.f., 1989)
Imports—commodities: food, animals, mineral fuels, machinery, manufactured goods
Imports—partners: Fiji, Australia, NZ
Debt—external: $NA
Economic aid—recipient: $7.9 million (1995); note?substantialannual support from an international trust fund
Currency: 1 Tuvaluan dollar ($T) or 1 Australian dollar ($A) =100 cents
Exchange rates: Tuvaluan dollars ($T) or Australian dollars ($A) per US$1—1.5853 (January 1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997), 1.2773 (1996), 1.3486 (1995), 1.3667 (1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 130 (1983 est.)
Telephone system:domestic: radiotelephone communications between islandsinternational: NA
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: 4,000 (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 0 (1997)
Televisions: NA
Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 8 km (1996 est.) paved: NA km unpaved: NA km
Ports and harbors: Funafuti, Nukufetau
Merchant marine:total: 10 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 44,371 GRT/70,137 DWTships by type: cargo 6, chemical tanker 2, oil tanker 1,passenger-cargo 1 (1998 est.)
Airports: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports—with unpaved runways:total: 11,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: no regular military forces; Police Force (consists of 56 full- and part-time personnel), Police Force (includes Maritime Surveillance Unit for search and rescue missions and surveillance operations)
Military expenditures—dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures—percent of GDP: NA%
Transnational Issues
Disputes—international: none
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@Uganda ———
Geography
Location: Eastern Africa, west of Kenya
Geographic coordinates: 1 00 N, 32 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area:total: 236,040 sq kmland: 199,710 sq kmwater: 36,330 sq km
Area—comparative: slightly smaller than Oregon
Land boundaries:total: 2,698 kmborder countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 765 km, Kenya 933km, Rwanda 169 km, Sudan 435 km, Tanzania 396 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: tropical; generally rainy with two dry seasons (December to February, June to August); semiarid in northeast
Terrain: mostly plateau with rim of mountains
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Lake Albert 621 m highest point: Margherita Peak on Mount Stanley 5,110 m
Natural resources: copper, cobalt, limestone, salt
Land use:arable land: 25%permanent crops: 9%permanent pastures: 9%forests and woodland: 28%other: 29% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 90 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment—current issues: draining of wetlands for agricultural use; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; poaching is widespread
Environment—international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Geography—note: landlocked
People
Population: 22,804,973 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 51% (male 5,857,254; female 5,820,526)15-64 years: 47% (male 5,301,208; female 5,330,005)65 years and over: 2% (male 239,434; female 256,546) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.83% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 48.54 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 18.43 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.) note: according to the UNHCR, by the end of 1997, Uganda was host to refugees from a number of neighboring countries, including: Sudan 160,000, Democratic Republic of the Congo 14,000, and Rwanda 12,000
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 90.68 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 43.06 years male: 42.2 years female: 43.94 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 7.03 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:noun: Ugandan(s)adjective: Ugandan
Ethnic groups: Baganda 17%, Karamojong 12%, Basogo 8%, Iteso 8%,Langi 6%, Rwanda 6%, Bagisu 5%, Acholi 4%, Lugbara 4%, Bunyoro 3%,Batobo 3%, non-African (European, Asian, Arab) 1%, other 23%
Religions: Roman Catholic 33%, Protestant 33%, Muslim 16%,indigenous beliefs 18%
Languages: English (official national language, taught in grade schools, used in courts of law and by most newspapers and some radio broadcasts), Ganda or Luganda (most widely used of the Niger-Congo languages, preferred for native language publications and may be taught in school), other Niger-Congo languages, Nilo-Saharan languages, Swahili, Arabic
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 61.8%male: 73.7%female: 50.2% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Ugandaconventional short form: Uganda
Data code: UG
Government type: republic
Capital: Kampala
Administrative divisions: 39 districts; Apac, Arua, Bundibugyo,Bushenyi, Gulu, Hoima, Iganga, Jinja, Kabale, Kabarole, Kalangala,Kampala, Kamuli, Kapchorwa, Kasese, Kibale, Kiboga, Kisoro, Kitgum,Kotido, Kumi, Lira, Luwero, Masaka, Masindi, Mbale, Mbarara, Moroto,Moyo, Mpigi, Mubende, Mukono, Nebbi, Ntungamo, Pallisa, Rakai,Rukungiri, Soroti, Tororo
Independence: 9 October 1962 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 9 October (1962)
Constitution: 8 October 1995; adopted by the interim, 284-member Constituent Assembly, charged with debating the draft constitution that had been proposed in May 1993; the Constituent Assembly was dissolved upon the promulgation of the constitution in October 1995
Legal system: in 1995, the government restored the legal system to one based on English common law and customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (sinceseizing power 29 January 1986); note—the president is both chief ofstate and head of governmenthead of government: President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (sinceseizing power 29 January 1986); Prime Minister Kintu MUSOKE (since18 November 1994); note—the president is both chief of state andhead of government; the prime minister assists the president in thesupervision of the cabinetcabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among electedlegislatorselections: president elected by popular vote for a NA-year term;election last held 9 May 1996 (next to be held by 31 May 2001);note—first popular election for president since independence in 1962was held in 1996; prime minister appointed by the presidentelection results: Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI elected president;percent of vote—Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI 74%, Paul KawangaSSEMOGERERE 24%, Muhammad MAYANJA 2%
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (276 members—214directly elected by popular vote, 62 nominated by legallyestablished special interest groups and approved by thepresident—women 39, army 10, disabled 5, youth 5, labor 3; membersserve five-year terms)elections: last held 27 June 1996 (next to be held NA 2001);election results: NA; note—election campaigning by party was notpermitted
Judicial branch: Court of Appeal, judges are appointed by thepresident; High Court, judges are appointed by the president
Political parties and leaders: only one political organization, chairman] is recognized; note—this is the party of President MUSEVENI; the president maintains that the NRM is not a political party, but a movement which claims the loyalty of all Ugandans note: of the political parties that exist but are prohibited from sponsoring candidates, the most important are the Ugandan People's MAYANJA-NKANGI]; the new constitution requires the suspension of political party activity until a referendum is held on the matter in 2000
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC,EADB, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD,IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO(correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Edith Grace SSEMPALA chancery: 5911 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Nancy J. POWELLembassy: Parliament Avenue, Kampalamailing address: P. O. Box 7007, Kampala
Flag description: six equal horizontal bands of black (top),yellow, red, black, yellow, and red; a white disk is superimposed atthe center and depicts a red-crested crane (the national symbol)facing the hoist side
Economy
Economy—overview: Uganda has substantial natural resources, including fertile soils, regular rainfall, and sizable mineral deposits of copper and cobalt. Agriculture is the most important sector of the economy, employing over 80% of the work force. Coffee is the major export crop and accounts for the bulk of export revenues. Since 1986, the government—with the support of foreign countries and international agencies—has acted to rehabilitate and stabilize the economy by undertaking currency reform, raising producer prices on export crops, increasing prices of petroleum products, and improving civil service wages. The policy changes are especially aimed at dampening inflation and boosting production and export earnings. In 1990-98, the economy turned in a solid performance based on continued investment in the rehabilitation of infrastructure, improved incentives for production and exports, reduced inflation, gradually improved domestic security, and the return of exiled Indian-Ugandan entrepreneurs. Continuation of this performance, while possible, appears difficult because of Ugandan involvement in the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, growing corruption within the government, and slippage in the government's determination to press reforms.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$22.7 billion (1998 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: 5.5% (1998 est.)
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$1,020 (1998 est.)
GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 44% industry: 17% services: 39% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line: 55% (1993 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: 3%highest 10%: 33.4% (1992)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.6% (1998)
Labor force: 8.361 million (1993 est.)
Labor force—by occupation: agriculture 86%, industry 4%, services 10% (1980 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:revenues: $869 millionexpenditures: $985 million, including capital expenditures of $69million (FY95/96)
Industries: sugar, brewing, tobacco, cotton textiles, cement
Industrial production growth rate: 19.7% (FY95/96)
Electricity—production: 787 million kWh (1996)
Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: 0.89% hydro: 99.11% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity—consumption: 677 million kWh (1996)
Electricity—exports: 110 million kWh (1996)
Electricity—imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture—products: coffee, tea, cotton, tobacco, cassava (tapioca), potatoes, corn, millet, pulses; beef, goat meat, milk, poultry
Exports: $476 million (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports—commodities: coffee 54%, gold, fish and fish products,cotton, tea, corn (1997)
Exports—partners: Spain 14%, Germany 14%, Netherlands 10%, France8%, Italy (1997)
Imports: $1.4 billion (c.i.f., 1998)
Imports—commodities: transportation equipment, petroleum, medicalsupplies, iron and steel (1996)
Imports—partners: Kenya 31%, UK 12%, Japan 6%, India 6%, SouthAfrica 5% (1997)
Debt—external: $2.9 billion (1998 est.)
Economic aid—recipient: $827.3 million (1993)
Currency: 1 Ugandan shilling (USh) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Ugandan shillings (USh) per US$1—1,368.4 (December 1998), 1,240.2 (1998), 1,083.0 (1997), 1,046.1 (1996), 968.9 (1995), 979.4 (1994)
Fiscal year: 1 July—30 June
Communications
Telephones: 61,600 (1990 est.)
Telephone system: fair system but in serious need of expansionand better maintenance; a cellular system has been introduced as astopgap but the communications problems will not be solved withoutsubstantial investment in the conventional telephone infrastructure;e-mail and Internet services are availabledomestic: intercity traffic by wire, microwave radio relay, andradiotelephone communications stations, cellular system for shortrange trafficinternational: satellite earth station—1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 10, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: 2.13 million (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 8 (in addition, there is one low-power repeater) (1997)
Televisions: 220,000 (1993 est.)
Transportation
Railways:total: 1,241 kmnarrow gauge: 1,241 km 1.000-m gaugenote: a program to rehabilitate the railroad is underway (1995)
Highways:total: 27,000 kmpaved: 1,800 kmunpaved: 25,200 km (of which about 4,800 km are all-weather roads)(1990 est.)
Waterways: Lake Victoria, Lake Albert, Lake Kyoga, Lake George,Lake Edward, Victoria Nile, Albert Nile
Ports and harbors: Entebbe, Jinja, Port Bell
Merchant marine:total: 3 roll-on/roll-off cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling5,091 GRT/8,229 DWT (1998 est.)
Airports: 27 (1998 est.)
Airports—with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports—with unpaved runways: total: 23 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 7 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Wing
Military manpower—availability:males age 15-49: 4,812,363 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—fit for military service:males age 15-49: 2,611,096 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures—dollar figure: $95 million (FY98/99)
Military expenditures—percent of GDP: 1.9% (FY98/99)
Transnational Issues
Disputes—international: Ugandan military forces are supporting the rebel forces in the civil war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
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@Ukraine ———-
Geography
Location: Eastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Poland and Russia
Geographic coordinates: 49 00 N, 32 00 E
Map references: Commonwealth of Independent States
Area:total: 603,700 sq kmland: 603,700 sq kmwater: 0 sq km
Area—comparative: slightly smaller than Texas
Land boundaries:total: 4,558 kmborder countries: Belarus 891 km, Hungary 103 km, Moldova 939 km,Poland 428 km, Romania (south) 169 km, Romania (west) 362 km, Russia1,576 km, Slovakia 90 km
Coastline: 2,782 km
Maritime claims:continental shelf: 200-m or to the depth of exploitationexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: temperate continental; Mediterranean only on the southern Crimean coast; precipitation disproportionately distributed, highest in west and north, lesser in east and southeast; winters vary from cool along the Black Sea to cold farther inland; summers are warm across the greater part of the country, hot in the south
Terrain: most of Ukraine consists of fertile plains (steppes) andplateaus, mountains being found only in the west (the Carpathians),and in the Crimean Peninsula in the extreme south
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Black Sea 0 mhighest point: Hora Hoverla 2,061 m
Natural resources: iron ore, coal, manganese, natural gas, oil,salt, sulfur, graphite, titanium, magnesium, kaolin, nickel,mercury, timber
Land use:arable land: 58%permanent crops: 2%permanent pastures: 13%forests and woodland: 18%other: 9% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 26,050 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment—current issues: inadequate supplies of potable water; air and water pollution; deforestation; radiation contamination in the northeast from 1986 accident at Chornobyl' Nuclear Power Plant
Environment—international agreements:party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, AirPollution-Sulphur 85, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, ClimateChange, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Nuclear TestBan, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollutionsigned, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent OrganicPollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile OrganicCompounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea
Geography—note: strategic position at the crossroads betweenEurope and Asia; second-largest country in Europe
People
Population: 49,811,174 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 18% (male 4,690,318; female 4,498,239)15-64 years: 68% (male 16,136,296; female 17,572,011)65 years and over: 14% (male 2,251,664; female 4,662,646) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: -0.62% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 9.54 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 16.38 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.63 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: 0.92 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.48 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.86 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 21.73 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 65.91 years male: 60.23 years female: 71.87 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.34 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Ukrainian(s) adjective: Ukrainian
Ethnic groups: Ukrainian 73%, Russian 22%, Jewish 1%, other 4%
Religions: Ukrainian Orthodox—Moscow Patriarchate, UkrainianOrthodox—Kiev Patriarchate, Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox,Ukrainian Catholic (Uniate), Protestant, Jewish
Languages: Ukrainian, Russian, Romanian, Polish, Hungarian
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 98%male: 100%female: 97% (1989 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Ukraine local long form: none local short form: Ukrayina former: Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic
Data code: UP
Government type: republic
Capital: Kiev (Kyyiv)
Administrative divisions: 24 oblasti (singular—oblast'), 1autonomous republic* (avtomnaya respublika), and 2 municipalities(mista, singular—misto) with oblast status**; Cherkas'ka (Cherkasy),Chernihivs'ka (Chernihiv), Chernivets'ka (Chernivtsi),Dnipropetrovs'ka (Dnipropetrovs'k), Donets'ka (Donets'k),Ivano-Frankivs'ka (Ivano-Frankivs'k), Kharkivs'ka (Kharkiv),Khersons'ka (Kherson), Khmel'nyts'ka (Khmel'nyts'kyy),Kirovohrads'ka (Kirovohrad), Kyyiv**, Kyyivs'ka (Kiev), Luhans'ka(Luhans'k), L'vivs'ka (L'viv), Mykolayivs'ka (Mykolayiv), Odes'ka(Odesa), Poltavs'ka (Poltava), Avtonomna Respublika Krym*(Simferopol'), Rivnens'ka (Rivne), Sevastopol'**, Sums'ka (Sumy),Ternopil's'ka (Ternopil'), Vinnyts'ka (Vinnytsya), Volyns'ka(Luts'k), Zakarpats'ka (Uzhhorod), Zaporiz'ka (Zaporizhzhya),Zhytomyrs'ka (Zhytomyr)note: oblasts have the administrative center name following inparentheses
Independence: 1 December 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday: Independence Day, 24 August (1991)
Constitution: adopted 28 June 1996
Legal system: based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Leonid D. KUCHMA (since 19 July 1994)head of government: Prime Minister Valeriy PUSTOVOYTENKO (since 16July 1997), First Deputy Prime Minister Volodymyr KURATCHENKO (since14 January 1999), and three deputy prime ministerscabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president andapproved by the Supreme Councilnote: there is also a National Security and Defense Council or NSDCoriginally created in 1992 as the National Security Council, butsignificantly revamped and strengthened under President KUCHMA; theNSDC staff is tasked with developing national security policy ondomestic and international matters and advising the president; aPresidential Administration that helps draft presidential edicts andprovides policy support to the president; and a Council of Regionsthat serves as an advisory body created by President KUCHMA inSeptember 1994 that includes chairmen of the Kyyiv (Kiev) andSevastopol' municipalities and chairmen of the Oblastielections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;election last held 26 June and 10 July 1994 (next to be held NAOctober 1999); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointedby the president and approved by the People's Councilelection results: Leonid D. KUCHMA elected president; percent ofvote—Leonid KUCHMA 52.15%, Leonid KRAVCHUK 45.06%
Legislative branch: unicameral Supreme Council or Verkhovna Rada(450 seats; under Ukraine's new election law, half of the Rada'sseats are allocated on a proportional basis to those parties thatgain 4% of the national electoral vote; the other 225 members areelected by popular vote in single-mandate constituencies; all servefour-year terms)elections: last held 29 March 1998 (next to be held NA 2002);note—repeat elections continuing to fill vacant seatselection results: percent of vote by party (for parties clearing 4%hurdle on 29 March 1998)—Communist 24.7%, Rukh 9.4%,Socialist/Peasant 8.6%, Green 5.3%, People's Democratic Party 5.0%,Hromada 4.7%, Progressive Socialist 4.0%, United Social DemocraticParty 4.0%; seats by party (as of 8 July 1998)—Communist 120,People's Democratic Party 88, Rukh 47, Hromada 45, Socialist/Peasant33, United Social Democratic 25, Green 24, Progressive Socialist 14,independents 26, vacant 28
Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Constitutional Court
Political parties and leaders: Communist Party of Ukraine [PetroVITRENKO]note: and numerous smaller parties
Political pressure groups and leaders: New Ukraine (NovaUkrayina); Congress of National Democratic Forces
International organization participation: BSEC, CCC, CE, CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MONUA, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNPREDEP, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Anton Denysovych BUTEYKOchancery: 3350 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007consulate(s) general: Chicago and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Steven Karl PIFERembassy: 10 Yuria Kotsubynskoho, 254053 Kiev 53mailing address: use embassy street address
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of azure (top) andgolden yellow represent grainfields under a blue sky
Economy
Economy—overview: After Russia, the Ukrainian republic was far and away the most important economic component of the former Soviet Union, producing about four times the output of the next-ranking republic. Its fertile black soil generated more than one-fourth of Soviet agricultural output, and its farms provided substantial quantities of meat, milk, grain, and vegetables to other republics. Likewise, its diversified heavy industry supplied equipment and raw materials to industrial and mining sites in other regions of the former USSR. Ukraine depends on imports of energy, especially natural gas. Shortly after the implosion of the USSR in December 1991, the Ukrainian Government liberalized most prices and erected a legal framework for privatization, but widespread resistance to reform within the government and the legislature soon stalled reform efforts and led to some backtracking. Output in 1992-98 fell to less than half the 1991 level. Loose monetary policies pushed inflation to hyperinflationary levels in late 1993. Since his election in July 1994, President KUCHMA has pushed economic reforms, maintained financial discipline, and tried to remove almost all remaining controls over prices and foreign trade. The onset of the financial crisis in Russia dashed Ukraine's hopes for its first year of economic growth in 1998 due to a sharp fall in export revenue and reduced domestic demand. Although administrative currency controls will be lifted in early 1999, they are likely to be reimposed when the hryvnia next comes under pressure. The currency is only likely to collapse further if Ukraine abandons tight monetary policies or threatens default. Despite increasing pressure from the IMF to accelerate reform, significant economic restructuring remains unlikely in 1999.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$108.5 billion (1998 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: -1.7% (1998 est.)
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$2,200 (1998 est.)
GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 14% industry: 30% services: 56% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line: 50% (1997 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.1% highest 10%: 20.8% (1992)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 20% (yearend 1998 est.)
Labor force: 22.8 million (yearend 1997)
Labor force—by occupation: industry and construction 32%, agriculture and forestry 24%, health, education, and culture 17%, trade and distribution 8%, transport and communication 7%, other 12% (1996)
Unemployment rate: 3.7% officially registered; large number ofunregistered or underemployed workers (December 1998)
Budget:revenues: $18 billionexpenditures: $21 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA(1997 est.)
Industries: coal, electric power, ferrous and nonferrous metals, machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food-processing (especially sugar)
Industrial production growth rate: -1.5% (1998 est.)
Electricity—production: 171.8 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: 47% hydro: 9.2% nuclear: 43.8% other: 0% (1998)
Electricity—consumption: 174 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity—exports: 5 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity—imports: 7 billion kWh (1998)
Agriculture—products: grain, sugar beets, sunflower seeds, vegetables; beef, milk
Exports: $11.3 billion (1998 est.)
Exports—commodities: ferrous and nonferrous metals, chemicals, machinery and transport equipment, food products
Exports—partners: Russia, China,, Turkey, Germany, Belarus (1998)
Imports: $13.1 billion (1998 est.)
Imports—commodities: energy, machinery and parts, transportation equipment, chemicals, plastics and rubber
Imports—partners: Russia, Germany, US, Poland, Italy (1998)
Debt—external: $10.9 billion (October 1998)
Economic aid—recipient: $637.7 million (1995); IMF Extended FundsFacility $2.2 billion (1998)
Currency: 1 hryvna=100 kopiykas
Exchange rates: hryvnia per US$1—3.4270 (February 1999), 2.4495 (1998), 1.8617 (1997), 1.8295 (1996), 1.4731 (1995), 0.3275 (1994) note: in August 1998, Ukraine introduced currency controls in an attempt to fend off the impact of the Russian financial crisis; it created an exchange rate corridor for the hryvnia of 2.5-3.5 hryvnia per US$1
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 12,531,277 (1998)
Telephone system: Ukraine's phone systems are administeredthrough the State Committee for Communications; Ukraine has atelecommunication development plan through 2005; Internet service isavailable in large citiesdomestic: local—Kiev has a digital loop connected to the nationaldigital backbone; Kiev has several cellular phone companiesproviding service in the different standards; some companies offerintercity roaming and even limited international roaming; cellularphone service is offered in at least 100 cities nationwideinternational: foreign investment in the form of joint businessventures greatly improved the Ukrainian telephone system; Ukraine'stwo main fiber-optic lines are part of the Trans-Asia-EuropeFiber-Optic Line (TAE); these lines connect Ukraine to worldwideservice through Belarus, Hungary, and Poland; Odesa is a landingpoint for the Italy-Turkey-Ukraine-Russia Undersea Fiber-Optic Cable(ITUR) giving Ukraine an additional fiber-optic link to worldwideservice; Ukraine has Intelsat, Inmarsat, and Intersputnik earthstations
Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA; note—atleast 25 local broadcast stations of NA type (1998)
Radios: 15 million (1990)
Television broadcast stations: at least 33 (in addition 21 repeater stations that relay ORT broadcasts from Russia) (1997)
Televisions: 17.3 million (1992)
Transportation
Railways: total: 23,350 km broad gauge: 23,350 km 1.524-m gauge (8,600 km electrified)
Highways:total: 172,565 kmpaved: 163,937 km (including 1,875 km of expressways); note—theseroads are said to be hard-surfaced, meaning that some are paved andsome are all-weather gravel surfacedunpaved: 8,628 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 4,400 km navigable waterways, of which 1,672 km wereon the Pryp''yat' and Dnistr (1990)
Pipelines: crude oil 4,000 km (1995); petroleum products 4,500 km(1995); natural gas 34,400 km (1998)
Ports and harbors: Berdyans'k, Illichivs'k, Izmayil, Kerch,Kherson, Kiev (Kyyiv), Mariupol', Mykolayiv, Odesa, Reni
Merchant marine:total: 181 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,022,047GRT/1,101,278 DWTships by type: bulk 9, cargo 117, liquefied gas tanker 1, container4, multifunction large-load carrier 2, oil tanker 16, passenger 12,passenger-cargo 3, railcar carrier 2, refrigerated cargo 2,roll-on/roll-off cargo 10, short-sea passenger 3 (1998 est.)
Airports: 706 (1994 est.)
Airports—with paved runways:total: 163over 3,047 m: 142,438 to 3,047 m: 551,524 to 2,437 m: 34914 to 1,523 m: 3under 914 m: 57 (1994 est.)
Airports—with unpaved runways:total: 543over 3,047 m: 72,438 to 3,047 m: 71,524 to 2,437 m: 16914 to 1,523 m: 37under 914 m: 476 (1994 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force,Internal Troops, National Guard, Border Troops
Military manpower—military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower—availability:males age 15-49: 12,434,486 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—fit for military service:males age 15-49: 9,740,684 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—reaching military age annually:males: 365,762 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures—dollar figure: $414 million (1999)
Military expenditures—percent of GDP: 1.4% (1999)
Transnational Issues
Disputes—international: dispute with Romania over continental shelf of the Black Sea under which significant gas and oil deposits may exist; agreed in 1997 to two-year negotiating period, after which either party can refer dispute to the International Court of Justice (ICJ); has made no territorial claim in Antarctica (but has reserved the right to do so) and does not recognize the claims of any other nation
Illicit drugs: limited cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for CIS consumption; some synthetic drug production for export to West; limited government eradication program; used as transshipment point for opiates and other illicit drugs from Africa, Latin America, and Turkey, and to Europe and Russia; drug-related money laundering a minor, but growing, problem
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@United Arab Emirates ——————————
Geography
Location: Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the PersianGulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia
Geographic coordinates: 24 00 N, 54 00 E
Map references: Middle East
Area:total: 82,880 sq kmland: 82,880 sq kmwater: 0 sq km
Area—comparative: slightly smaller than Maine
Land boundaries: total: 867 km border countries: Oman 410 km, Saudi Arabia 457 km
Coastline: 1,318 km
Maritime claims:contiguous zone: 24 nmcontinental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental marginexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: desert; cooler in eastern mountains
Terrain: flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of vast desert wasteland; mountains in east
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Jabal Yibir 1,527 m
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas
Land use:arable land: 0%permanent crops: 0%permanent pastures: 2%forests and woodland: 0%other: 98% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 50 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: frequent sand and dust storms
Environment—current issues: lack of natural freshwater resources being overcome by desalination plants; desertification; beach pollution from oil spills
Environment—international agreements: party to: Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Law of the Sea
Geography—note: strategic location along southern approaches toStrait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil
People
Population: 2,344,402 (July 1999 est.)note: includes 1,576,589 non-nationals (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 31% (male 368,844; female 353,183)15-64 years: 67% (male 1,015,690; female 558,902)65 years and over: 2% (male 32,935; female 14,848) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.78% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 18.86 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 3.13 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 2.03 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: 1.82 male(s)/female65 years and over: 2.22 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.53 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 14.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.24 years male: 73.83 years female: 76.72 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.5 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Emirian(s) adjective: Emirian
Ethnic groups: Emiri 19%, other Arab and Iranian 23%, South Asian50%, other expatriates (includes Westerners and East Asians) 8%(1982)note: less than 20% are UAE citizens (1982)
Religions: Muslim 96% (Shi'a 16%), Christian, Hindu, and other 4%
Languages: Arabic (official), Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 79.2%male: 78.9%female: 79.8% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name:conventional long form: United Arab Emiratesconventional short form: nonelocal long form: Al Imarat al Arabiyah al Muttahidahlocal short form: noneformer: Trucial Statesabbreviation: UAE
Data code: TC
Government type: federation with specified powers delegated to the UAE federal government and other powers reserved to member emirates
Capital: Abu Dhabi
Administrative divisions: 7 emirates (imarat, singular—imarah);Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi), 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah (Sharjah),Dubayy (Dubai), Ra's al Khaymah, Umm al Qaywayn
Independence: 2 December 1971 (from UK)
National holiday: National Day, 2 December (1971)
Constitution: 2 December 1971 (made permanent in 1996)
Legal system: federal court system introduced in 1971; all emirates except Dubayy (Dubai) and Ra's al Khaymah have joined the federal system; all emirates have secular and Islamic law for civil, criminal, and high courts
Suffrage: none
Executive branch:chief of state: President ZAYID bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan (since 2December 1971), ruler of Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) (since 6 August 1966)and Vice President MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum (since 8 October1990), ruler of Dubayy (Dubai)head of government: Prime Minister MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum(since 8 October 1990), ruler of Dubayy (Dubai); Deputy PrimeMinister SULTAN bin Zayid Al Nuhayyan (since 20 November 1990)cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the presidentnote: there is also a Federal Supreme Council (FSC) which iscomposed of the seven emirate rulers; the council is the highestconstitutional authority in the UAE; establishes general policiesand sanctions federal legislation, Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) and Dubayy(Dubai) rulers have effective veto power; meets four times a yearelections: president and vice president elected by the FSC (a groupof seven electors) for five-year terms; election last held NAOctober 1996 (next to be held NA 2001); prime minister and deputyprime minister appointed by the presidentelection results: ZAYID bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan reelected president;percent of FSC vote—NA, but believed to be unanimous; MAKTUM binRashid al-Maktum elected vice president; percent of FSC vote—NA, butbelieved to be unanimous
Legislative branch: unicameral Federal National Council or Majlisal-Ittihad al-Watani (40 seats; members appointed by the rulers ofthe constituent states to serve two-year terms)elections: nonenote: reviews legislation, but cannot change or veto
Judicial branch: Union Supreme Court, judges appointed by thepresident
Political parties and leaders: none
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL,AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA,IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat,Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW,OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Muhammad bin Husayn al-SHAALI chancery: Suite 700, 1255 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20037
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Theodore H. KATTOUF embassy: Al-Sudan Street, Abu Dhabi mailing address: P. O. Box 4009, Abu Dhabi; American Embassy Abu Dhabi, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-6010 (pouch); note—work week is Saturday through Wednesday consulate(s) general: Dubai
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black with a thicker vertical red band on the hoist side
Economy
Economy—overview: The UAE has an open economy with one of the world's highest per capita incomes and with a sizable annual trade surplus. Its wealth is based on oil and gas output (about 33% of GDP), and the fortunes of the economy fluctuate with the prices of those commodities. Since 1973, the UAE has undergone a profound transformation from an impoverished region of small desert principalities to a modern state with a high standard of living. At present levels of production, oil and gas reserves should last for over 100 years. The UAE Government is encouraging increased privatization within the economy. Industrial development has picked up in 1997-98, but lower world oil prices caused GDP to drop 5% in 1998.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$40 billion (1998 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: -5% (1998 est.)
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$17,400 (1998 est.)
GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 3% industry: 52% services: 45% (1996 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5% (1997 est.)
Labor force: 1.3 million (1997 est.) note: 75% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (July 1998 est.)
Labor force—by occupation: services 60%, industry 32%, agriculture 8% (1996 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:revenues: $5.4 billionexpenditures: $5.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $350million (1998 budget est.)
Industries: petroleum, fishing, petrochemicals, constructionmaterials, some boat building, handicrafts, pearling
Industrial production growth rate: 0% (1997 est.)
Electricity—production: 18 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity—consumption: 18 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity—imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture—products: dates, vegetables, watermelons; poultry, eggs, dairy products; fish
Exports: $38 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.)
Exports—commodities: crude oil 45%, natural gas, reexports, driedfish, dates
Exports—partners: Japan 36%, South Korea 9%, Singapore 5%, India5%, Oman 3% (1997)
Imports: $29.7 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.)