Geography
Map references: World, Time Zones
Area:total: 510.072 million sq kmland: 148.94 million sq kmwater: 361.132 million sq kmnote: 70.8% of the world's surface is water, 29.2% is land
Area—comparative: land area about 15 times the size of the US
Land boundaries: the land boundaries in the world total 251,480.24 km (not counting shared boundaries twice)
Coastline: 356,000 km
Maritime claims:contiguous zone: 24 nm claimed by most, but can varycontinental shelf: 200-m depth claimed by most or to depth ofexploitation; others claim 200 nm or to the edge of the continentalmarginexclusive fishing zone: 200 nm claimed by most, but can varyexclusive economic zone: 200 nm claimed by most, but can varyterritorial sea: 12 nm claimed by most, but can varynote: boundary situations with neighboring states prevent manycountries from extending their fishing or economic zones to a full200 nm; 43 nations and other areas that are landlocked includeAfghanistan, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bhutan,Bolivia, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic,Chad, Czech Republic, Ethiopia, Holy See (Vatican City), Hungary,Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg,Malawi, Mali, Moldova, Mongolia, Nepal, Niger, Paraguay, Rwanda, SanMarino, Slovakia, Swaziland, Switzerland, Tajikistan, The FormerYugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Uzbekistan,West Bank, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Climate: two large areas of polar climates separated by two rather narrow temperate zones from a wide equatorial band of tropical to subtropical climates
Terrain: the greatest ocean depth is the Mariana Trench at 10,924 m in the Pacific Ocean
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m highest point: Mount Everest 8,848 m
Natural resources: the rapid using up of nonrenewable mineralresources, the depletion of forest areas and wetlands, theextinction of animal and plant species, and the deterioration in airand water quality (especially in Eastern Europe, the former USSR,and China) pose serious long-term problems that governments andpeoples are only beginning to address
Land use:arable land: 10%permanent crops: 1%permanent pastures: 26%forests and woodland: 32%other: 31% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 2,481,250 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: large areas subject to severe weather (tropical cyclones), natural disasters (earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions)
Environment—current issues: large areas subject to overpopulation, industrial disasters, pollution (air, water, acid rain, toxic substances), loss of vegetation (overgrazing, deforestation, desertification), loss of wildlife, soil degradation, soil depletion, erosion
Environment—international agreements: selected international environmental agreements are included under the Environment—international agreements entry for each country and in the Selected International Environmental Agreements appendix
People
Population: 5,995,544,836 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 30% (male 934,816,288; female 884,097,095)15-64 years: 63% (male 1,905,701,066; female 1,861,265,079)65 years and over: 7% (male 179,094,601; female 230,570,707) (1999est.)
Population growth rate: 1.3% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 22 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 9 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.06 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female15-64: 1.02 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.02 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 56 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 63 years male: 61 years female: 65 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.8 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Government
Data code: none; there is no FIPS 10-4 country code for theWorld, so the Factbook uses the "W" data code from DIAM 65-18"Geopolitical Data Elements and Related Features," Data Standard No.3, March 1984, published by the Defense Intelligence Agency; see theCross-Reference List of Country Data Codes appendix
Administrative divisions: 266 nations, dependent areas, other,and miscellaneous entries
Legal system: all members of the UN (excluding Yugoslavia) plusNauru and Switzerland are parties to the statute that establishedthe International Court of Justice (ICJ) or World Court
Economy
Economy—overview: Growth in global output (gross world product, GWP) dropped to 2% in 1998 from 4% in 1997 because of continued recession in Japan, severe financial difficulties in other East Asian countries, and widespread dislocations in the Russian economy. The US economy continued its remarkable sustained prosperity, growing at 3.9% in 1998, and accounted for 22% of GWP. Western Europe's economies grew at roughly 2.5%, not enough to cut deeply into the region's high unemployment; these economies produced 21% of GWP. China, the second largest economy in the world, continued its rapid growth and accounted for 11% of GWP. Japan posted a decline of 2.6% in 1998 and its share in GWP dropped to 7.4%. As usual, the 15 successor nations of the USSR and the other old Warsaw Pact nations experienced widely different rates of growth. Russia's national product dropped by 5% whereas the nations of central and eastern Europe grew by 3.4% on average. The developing nations varied widely in their growth results, with many countries facing population increases that eat up gains in output. Externally, the nation-state, as a bedrock economic-political institution, is steadily losing control over international flows of people, goods, funds, and technology. Internally, the central government finds its control over resources slipping as separatist regional movements—typically based on ethnicity—gain momentum, e.g., in the successor states of the former Soviet Union, in the former Yugoslavia, in India, and in Canada. In Western Europe, governments face the difficult political problem of channeling resources away from welfare programs in order to increase investment and strengthen incentives to seek employment. The addition of more than 80 million people each year to an already overcrowded globe is exacerbating the problems of pollution, desertification, underemployment, epidemics, and famine. Because of their own internal problems, the industrialized countries have inadequate resources to deal effectively with the poorer areas of the world, which, at least from the economic point of view, are becoming further marginalized. In 1998, serious financial difficulties in several high-growth East Asia countries cast a shadow over short-term global economic prospects. The introduction of the euro as the common currency of much of Western Europe in January 1999 poses serious economic risks because of varying levels of income and cultural and political differences among the participating nations. (For specific economic developments in each country of the world in 1998, see the individual country entries.)
GDP: GWP (gross world product)—purchasing power parity?$39 trillion (1998 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: 2% (1998 est.)
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$6,600 (1998 est.)
GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): all countries 25%; developedcountries 2% to 4% typically; developing countries 10% to 60%typically (1998 est.)note: national inflation rates vary widely in individual cases, fromstable prices in Japan to hyperinflation in a number of Third Worldcountries
Labor force: NA
Labor force—by occupation: NA
Unemployment rate: 30% combined unemployment and underemployment in many non-industrialized countries; developed countries typically 5%-12% unemployment (1998 est.)
Industries: dominated by the onrush of technology, especially in computers, robotics, telecommunications, and medicines and medical equipment; most of these advances take place in OECD nations; only a small portion of non-OECD countries have succeeded in rapidly adjusting to these technological forces; the accelerated development of new industrial (and agricultural) technology is complicating already grim environmental problems
Industrial production growth rate: 5% (1997 est.)
Electricity—production: 12.3427 trillion kWh (1994)
Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: NA% hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA%
Electricity—consumption: 12.3427 trillion kWh (1994)
Exports: $5 trillion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Exports—commodities: the whole range of industrial andagricultural goods and services
Exports—partners: in value, about 75% of exports from thedeveloped countries
Imports: $5 trillion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Imports—commodities: the whole range of industrial andagricultural goods and services
Imports—partners: in value, about 75% of imports by the developedcountries
Debt—external: $2 trillion for less developed countries (1998est.)
Economic aid—recipient: traditional worldwide foreign aid $50billion (1995 est.)
Communications
Telephones: NA
Telephone system: domestic: NA international: NA
Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: NA
Televisions: NA
Transportation
Railways:total: 1,201,337 km includes about 190,000 to 195,000 km ofelectrified routes of which 147,760 km are in Europe, 24,509 km inthe Far East, 11,050 km in Africa, 4,223 km in South America, and4,160 km in North America; note—fastest speed in daily service is300 km/hr attained by France's Societe Nationale des Chemins-de-FerFrancais (SNCF) Le Train a Grande Vitesse (TGV)—Atlantique linebroad gauge: 251,153 kmstandard gauge: 710,754 kmnarrow gauge: 239,430 km
Highways:total: NA kmpaved: NA kmunpaved: NA km
Ports and harbors: Chiba, Houston, Kawasaki, Kobe, Marseille,Mina' al Ahmadi (Kuwait), New Orleans, New York, Rotterdam, Yokohama
Merchant marine:total: 28,310 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 495,299,489GRT/764,129,056 DWTships by type: barge carrier 23, bulk 5,745, cargo 8,766, chemicaltanker 1,326, combination bulk 319, combination ore/oil 227,container 2,615, liquefied gas tanker 802, livestock carrier 60,multifunction large-load carrier 90, oil tanker 4,521, passenger392, passenger-cargo 126, railcar carrier 19, refrigerated cargo1,067, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1,117, short-sea passenger 484,specialized tanker 118, vehicle carrier 493 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: ground, maritime, and air forces at all levels of technology
Military expenditures—dollar figure: aggregate real expenditure on arms worldwide in 1998 remained at approximately the 1997 level, about three-quarters of a trillion dollars (1998 est.)
Military expenditures—percent of GDP: roughly 2% of gross world product (1998 est.)
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@Yemen ——-
Geography
Location: Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Red Sea, between Oman and Saudi Arabia
Geographic coordinates: 15 00 N, 48 00 E
Map references: Middle East
Area:total: 527,970 sq kmland: 527,970 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmnote: includes Perim, Socotra, the former Yemen Arab Republic (YARor North Yemen), and the former People's Democratic Republic ofYemen (PDRY or South Yemen)
Area—comparative: slightly larger than twice the size of Wyoming
Land boundaries: total: 1,746 km border countries: Oman 288 km, Saudi Arabia 1,458 km
Coastline: 1,906 km
Maritime claims:contiguous zone: 18 nm in the North; 24 nm in the Southcontinental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental marginexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: mostly desert; hot and humid along west coast; temperatein western mountains affected by seasonal monsoon; extraordinarilyhot, dry, harsh desert in east
Terrain: narrow coastal plain backed by flat-topped hills andrugged mountains; dissected upland desert plains in center slopeinto the desert interior of the Arabian Peninsula
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 mhighest point: Jabal an Nabi Shu'ayb 3,760 m
Natural resources: petroleum, fish, rock salt, marble, smalldeposits of coal, gold, lead, nickel, and copper, fertile soil inwest
Land use:arable land: 3%permanent crops: 0%permanent pastures: 30%forests and woodland: 4%other: 63% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 3,600 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: sandstorms and dust storms in summer
Environment—current issues: very limited natural fresh water resources; inadequate supplies of potable water; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
Environment—international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography—note: strategic location on Bab el Mandeb, the strait linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, one of world's most active shipping lanes
People
Population: 16,942,230 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 48% (male 4,118,292; female 3,971,886)15-64 years: 49% (male 4,243,809; female 4,065,429)65 years and over: 3% (male 278,133; female 264,681) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.34% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 43.31 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 9.88 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: 1.04 male(s)/female65 years and over: 1.05 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.04 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 69.82 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 59.98 years male: 58.17 years female: 61.88 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 7.06 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:noun: Yemeni(s)adjective: Yemeni
Ethnic groups: predominantly Arab; Afro-Arab concentrations inwestern coastal locations; South Asians in southern regions; smallEuropean communities in major metropolitan areas
Religions: Muslim including Shaf'i (Sunni) and Zaydi (Shi'a),small numbers of Jewish, Christian, and Hindu
Languages: Arabic
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 38%male: 53%female: 26% (1990 est.)
Government
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Yemenconventional short form: Yemenlocal long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Yamaniyahlocal short form: Al Yaman
Data code: YM
Government type: republic
Capital: Sanaa
Administrative divisions: 17 governorates (muhafazat, singular—muhafazah); Abyan, 'Adan, Al Bayda', Al Hudaydah, Al Jawf, Al Mahrah, Al Mahwit, 'Ataq, Dhamar, Hadhramawt, Hajjah, Ibb, Lahij, Ma'rib, Sa'dah, San'a', Ta'izz note: there may be a new governorate for the capital city of Sanaa
Independence: 22 May 1990 Republic of Yemen was established with and the Marxist-dominated People's Democratic Republic of Yemen independent on NA November 1918 (from the Ottoman Empire) and South Yemen had become independent on 30 November 1967 (from the UK)
National holiday: Proclamation of the Republic, 22 May (1990)
Constitution: 16 May 1991; amended 29 September 1994
Legal system: based on Islamic law, Turkish law, English common law, and local tribal customary law; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Ali Abdallah SALIH (since 22 May1990, the former president of North Yemen, assumed office upon themerger of North and South Yemen); Vice President Maj. Gen. Abdal-Rab Mansur al-HADI (since NA October 1994)head of government: Prime Minister Dr. Abd al-Karim Ali al-IRYANI(since NA April 1998)cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on theadvice of the prime ministerelections: President SALIH was elected by the House ofRepresentatives for a five-year term, however, future presidentswill be elected by direct, popular vote for five-year terms;election last held 1 October 1994 (next to be held NA 1999); vicepresident appointed by the president; prime minister and deputyprime ministers appointed by the presidentelection results: Ali Abdallah SALIH elected president; percent ofHouse of Representatives vote—NA
Legislative branch: unicameral House of Representatives (301 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 27 April 1997 (next to be held NA April 2001) election results: percent of vote by party—NA; seats by party—GPC 189, Islah 52, Nasserite Unionist Party 3, National Arab Socialist Baath Party 2, independents 54, election pending 1 note: in May 1997, the president created a consultative council, sometimes referred to as the upper house of Parliament; its 59 members are all appointed by the president
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: there are over 12 politicalparties active in Yemen, some of the more prominent are: GeneralSALAAM]note: President SALIH's General People's Congress or GPC won alandslide victory in the April 1997 legislative election and nolonger governs in coalition with Shaykh Abdallah bin Husaynal-AHMAR's Islamic Reform Grouping or Islaah—the two parties hadbeen in coalition since the end of the civil war in 1994; the YSP, aloyal opposition party, boycotted the April 1997 legislative election
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: ACC, AFESD, AL, AMF,CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD,IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OIC,OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Abd al-Wahhab Abdallah al-HAJRI chancery: Suite 705, 2600 Virginia Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Barbara K. BODINE embassy: Dhahr Himyar Zone, Sheraton Hotel District, Sanaa mailing address: P. O. Box 22347, Sanaa
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black; similar to the flag of Syria which has two green stars and of Iraq which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Egypt which has a symbolic eagle centered in the white band
Economy
Economy—overview: Yemen, one of the poorest countries in the Arab world, reported strong growth in the mid-1990s with the onset of oil production, but was harmed by low oil prices in 1998. Yemen has embarked on an IMF-supported structural adjustment program designed to modernize and streamline the economy, which has led to foreign debt relief and restructuring. Yemen will work in 1999 to maintain tight control over spending and implement additional components of the IMF program. The high population growth rate of 3.3%, internal political dissension, and continued low prices make the government's task especially difficult.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$12.1 billion (1998 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: 1.8% (1998 est.)
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$740 (1998 est.)
GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 16% industry: 46% services: 38% (1996)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.3% highest 10%: 30.8% (1992)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 11% (1998 est.)
Labor force: NA
Labor force—by occupation: most people are employed in agriculture and herding or as expatriate laborers; services, construction, industry, and commerce account for less than one-half of the labor force
Unemployment rate: 30% (1995 est.)
Budget:revenues: $2.3 billionexpenditures: $2.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA(1998 budget est.)
Industries: crude oil production and petroleum refining; small-scale production of cotton textiles and leather goods; food processing; handicrafts; small aluminum products factory; cement
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity—production: 1.9 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity—consumption: 1.9 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity—imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture—products: grain, fruits, vegetables, qat (mildly narcotic shrub), coffee, cotton; dairy products, poultry, beef; fish
Exports: $1.6 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Exports—commodities: crude oil, cotton, coffee, dried and saltedfish
Exports—partners: China 31%, South Korea 19%, Thailand 17%,Thailand 5%, Brazil 5%, Japan 5% (1997)
Imports: $2.8 billion (c.i.f., 1998 est.)
Imports—commodities: food and live animals, machinery andequipment, manufactured goods
Imports—partners: UAE 9%, Saudi Arabia 8%, US 7%, France 6%,Brazil 5% (1997)
Debt—external: $4.9 billion (1998)
Economic aid—recipient: $176.1 million (1995)
Currency: Yemeni rial (YRl) (new currency)
Exchange rates: Yemeni rials (YRl) per US$1—140.940 (October 1998), 129.286 (1997), 94.157 (1996), 40.839 (1995), 12.010 (official fixed rate 1991-94)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 131,655 (1992 est.)
Telephone system: since unification in 1990, efforts have beenmade to create a national telecommunications networkdomestic: the network consists of microwave radio relay, cable, andtropospheric scatterinternational: satellite earth stations—3 Intelsat (2 Indian Oceanand 1 Atlantic Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region), and 2Arabsat; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and Djibouti
Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 1, shortwave 0
Radios: 325,000 (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 7 (in addition, there are several low-power repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 100,000 (1993 est.)
Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 64,725 km paved: 5,243 km unpaved: 59,482 km (1996 est.)
Pipelines: crude oil 644 km; petroleum products 32 km
Ports and harbors: Aden, Al Hudaydah, Al Mukalla, As Salif,Mocha, Nishtun
Merchant marine:total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 12,059 GRT/18,563 DWTships by type: cargo 1, oil tanker 2 (1998 est.)
Airports: 48 (1998 est.)
Airports—with paved runways:total: 12over 3,047 m: 22,438 to 3,047 m: 71,524 to 2,437 m: 1914 to 1,523 m: 1under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports—with unpaved runways:total: 36over 3,047 m: 22,438 to 3,047 m: 91,524 to 2,437 m: 10914 to 1,523 m: 12under 914 m: 3 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Forces, paramilitary (includes Police)
Military manpower—military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower—availability:males age 15-49: 3,776,075 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—fit for military service:males age 15-49: 2,119,308 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—reaching military age annually:males: 212,005 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures—dollar figure: $413.6 million (1999)
Military expenditures—percent of GDP: 7.6% (1999)
Transnational Issues
Disputes—international: a large section of boundary with Saudi Arabia is not defined; Hanish Islands dispute with Eritrea resolved by arbitral tribunal in October 1998
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@Zambia ———
Geography
Location: Southern Africa, east of Angola
Geographic coordinates: 15 00 S, 30 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area:total: 752,610 sq kmland: 740,720 sq kmwater: 11,890 sq km
Area—comparative: slightly larger than Texas
Land boundaries:total: 5,664 kmborder countries: Angola 1,110 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo1,930 km, Malawi 837 km, Mozambique 419 km, Namibia 233 km, Tanzania338 km, Zimbabwe 797 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: tropical; modified by altitude; rainy season (October toApril)
Terrain: mostly high plateau with some hills and mountains
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Zambezi river 329 m highest point: unnamed location in Mafinga Hills 2,301 m
Natural resources: copper, cobalt, zinc, lead, coal, emeralds,gold, silver, uranium, hydropower
Land use:arable land: 7%permanent crops: 0%permanent pastures: 40%forests and woodland: 39%other: 14% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 460 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: tropical storms (November to April)
Environment—current issues: air pollution and resulting acid rainin the mineral extraction and refining region; poaching seriouslythreatens rhinoceros and elephant populations; deforestation; soilerosion; desertification; lack of adequate water treatment presentshuman health risks
Environment—international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, EndangeredSpecies, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, OzoneLayer Protection, Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography—note: landlocked
People
Population: 9,663,535 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 49% (male 2,381,937; female 2,355,807)15-64 years: 49% (male 2,308,715; female 2,379,994)65 years and over: 2% (male 107,427; female 129,655) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.12% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 44.51 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 22.56 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.78 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: 0.97 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.99 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 91.85 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 36.96 years male: 36.72 years female: 37.21 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.35 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Zambian(s) adjective: Zambian
Ethnic groups: African 98.7%, European 1.1%, other 0.2%
Religions: Christian 50%-75%, Muslim and Hindu 24%-49%, indigenous beliefs 1%
Languages: English (official), major vernaculars—Bemba, Kaonda,Lozi, Lunda, Luvale, Nyanja, Tonga, and about 70 other indigenouslanguages
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and write Englishtotal population: 78.2%male: 85.6%female: 71.3% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Zambiaconventional short form: Zambiaformer: Northern Rhodesia
Data code: ZA
Government type: republic
Capital: Lusaka
Administrative divisions: 9 provinces; Central, Copperbelt,Eastern, Luapula, Lusaka, Northern, North-Western, Southern, Western
Independence: 24 October 1964 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 24 October (1964)
Constitution: 2 August 1991
Legal system: based on English common law and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in an ad hoc constitutional council; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Frederick CHILUBA (since 31 October 1991);Vice President Christon TEMBO (since NA December 1997); note—thepresident is both the chief of state and head of governmenthead of government: President Frederick CHILUBA (since 31 October1991); Vice President Christon TEMBO (since NA December 1997);note—the president is both the chief of state and head of governmentcabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the membersof the National Assemblyelections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;election last held 18 November 1996 (next to be held NA October2001); vice president appointed by the presidentelection results: Frederick CHILUBA reelected president; percent ofvote—Frederick CHILUBA 70%, Dean MUNGO'MBA 12%, Humphrey MULEMBA 6%,Akashambatwa LEWANIKA 4%, Chama CHAKOMBOKA 3%, others 5%
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (150 seats;members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)elections: last held 18 November 1996 (next to be held NA October2001)election results: percent of vote by party—NA; seats by party—MMD130, NP 5, ZADECO 2, AZ 2, independents 11
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, justices are appointed by thepresident
Political parties and leaders: Agenda for Zambia or AZ
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA,FAO, G-19, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MONUA, NAM, OAU,OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMSIL, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO,WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Dunstan Weston KAMANA chancery: 2419 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Arlene RENDER embassy: corner of Independence and United Nations Avenues mailing address: P. O. Box 31617, Lusaka
Flag description: green with a panel of three vertical bands of red (hoist side), black, and orange below a soaring orange eagle, on the outer edge of the flag
Economy
Economy—overview: Despite progress in privatization and budgetary reform, Zambia's economy has a long way to go. Inflation, while slowing somewhat, continues to be a major concern to the CHILUBA government. Zambia's copper mining sector, which accounts for over 80% of the nation's foreign currency intake, is struggling. Production rates are down as are world copper prices. Aid cuts by Zambia's donors, arising out of concern for the November 1996 flawed election, also have damaged Zambia's economic prospects. Urged by the World Bank, Zambia has embarked on a privatization program which is to include the all-important copper industry. Until a deal on the copper sector is concluded, perhaps by mid-1999, economic prospects will remain clouded.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$8.3 billion (1998 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: -2% (1998 est.)
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$880 (1998 est.)
GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 23% industry: 40% services: 37% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line: 86% (1993 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.5% highest 10%: 31.3% (1993)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 43.9% (1996)
Labor force: 3.4 million
Labor force—by occupation: agriculture 85%, mining, manufacturing, and construction 6%, transport and services 9%
Unemployment rate: 22% (1991)
Budget:revenues: $888 millionexpenditures: $835 million, including capital expenditures of $110million (1995 est.)
Industries: copper mining and processing, construction,foodstuffs, beverages, chemicals, textiles, fertilizer
Industrial production growth rate: 3.5% (1996)
Electricity—production: 7.84 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: 0.51% hydro: 99.49% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity—consumption: 6.393 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—exports: 1.47 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—imports: 23 million kWh (1996)
Agriculture—products: corn, sorghum, rice, peanuts, sunflower seed, tobacco, cotton, sugarcane, cassava (tapioca); cattle, goats, pigs, poultry, beef, pork, poultry meat, milk, eggs, hides
Exports: $905 million (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Exports—commodities: copper, cobalt, zinc, lead, tobacco
Exports—partners: Japan, South Africa, US, Saudi Arabia, India,Thailand, Malaysia (1997)
Imports: $1.1 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Imports—commodities: machinery, transportation equipment,foodstuffs, fuels, petroleum products, electricity, fertilizer
Imports—partners: South Africa 48%, Saudi Arabia, UK, Zimbabwe(1997)
Debt—external: $7.1 billion (1997 est.)
Economic aid—recipient: $1.991 billion (1995)
Currency: 1 Zambian kwacha (ZK) = 100 ngwee
Exchange rates: Zambian kwacha (ZK) per US$1—1,428 (October 1998), 1,333.81 (1997), 1,203.71 (1996), 857.23 (1995), 669.37 (1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 80,900 (1987 est.)
Telephone system: facilities are among the best in Sub-SaharanAfricadomestic: high-capacity microwave radio relay connects most largertowns and citiesinternational: satellite earth stations—2 Intelsat (1 Indian Oceanand 1 Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 11, FM 5, shortwave 0
Radios: 1,889,140
Television broadcast stations: 9 (1997)
Televisions: 215,000 (1995 est.)
Transportation
Railways:total: 2,164 km (1995)narrow gauge: 2,164 km 1.067-m gauge (13 km double track)note: the total includes 891 km of the Tanzania-Zambia RailwayAuthority (TAZARA), which operates 1,860 km of 1.067-m narrow gaugetrack between Dar es Salaam and Kapiri Mposhi where it connects tothe Zambia Railways system; TAZARA is not a part of Zambia Railways
Highways:total: 39,700 kmpaved: 7,265 km (including 60 km of expressways)unpaved: 32,435 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 2,250 km, including Zambezi and Luapula rivers, LakeTanganyika
Pipelines: crude oil 1,724 km
Ports and harbors: Mpulungu
Airports: 112 (1998 est.)
Airports—with paved runways: total: 12 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports—with unpaved runways: total: 100 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 66 under 914 m: 31 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Air Force, paramilitary forces, Police
Military manpower—availability:males age 15-49: 2,102,167 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—fit for military service:males age 15-49: 1,113,174 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures—dollar figure: $76 million (1997)
Military expenditures—percent of GDP: 1.8% (1997)
Transnational Issues
Disputes—international: quadripoint with Botswana, Namibia, andZimbabwe is in disagreement
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for methaqualone, heroin, and cocaine bound for Southern Africa and Europe; regional money-laundering center
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@Zimbabwe ————
Geography
Location: Southern Africa, northeast of Botswana
Geographic coordinates: 20 00 S, 30 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area:total: 390,580 sq kmland: 386,670 sq kmwater: 3,910 sq km
Area—comparative: slightly larger than Montana
Land boundaries:total: 3,066 kmborder countries: Botswana 813 km, Mozambique 1,231 km, South Africa225 km, Zambia 797 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: tropical; moderated by altitude; rainy season (Novemberto March)
Terrain: mostly high plateau with higher central plateau (highveld); mountains in east
Elevation extremes:lowest point: junction of the Runde and Save rivers 162 mhighest point: Inyangani 2,592 m
Natural resources: coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel,copper, iron ore, vanadium, lithium, tin, platinum group metals
Land use:arable land: 7%permanent crops: 0%permanent pastures: 13%forests and woodland: 23%other: 57% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,930 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare
Environment—current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; landdegradation; air and water pollution; the black rhinoceros herd—oncethe largest concentration of the species in the world—has beensignificantly reduced by poaching
Environment—international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, EndangeredSpecies, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protectionsigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography—note: landlocked
People
Population: 11,163,160 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 43% (male 2,432,785; female 2,389,029)15-64 years: 54% (male 2,986,531; female 3,059,186)65 years and over: 3% (male 132,532; female 163,097) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.02% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 30.64 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 20.43 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1,000 populationnote: there is a small but steady flow of Zimbabweans into SouthAfrica in search of better paid employment
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.99 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 61.21 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 38.86 years male: 38.77 years female: 38.94 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.71 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Zimbabwean(s) adjective: Zimbabwean
Ethnic groups: African 98% (Shona 71%, Ndebele 16%, other 11%),white 1%, mixed and Asian 1%
Religions: syncretic (part Christian, part indigenous beliefs)50%, Christian 25%, indigenous beliefs 24%, Muslim and other 1%
Languages: English (official), Shona, Sindebele (the language ofthe Ndebele, sometimes called Ndebele), numerous but minor tribaldialects
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and write Englishtotal population: 85%male: 90%female: 80% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Zimbabweconventional short form: Zimbabweformer: Southern Rhodesia
Data code: ZI
Government type: parliamentary democracy
Capital: Harare
Administrative divisions: 8 provinces and 2 cities* withprovincial status; Bulawayo*, Harare*, Manicaland, MashonalandCentral, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, Masvingo, MatabelelandNorth, Matabeleland South, Midlands
Independence: 18 April 1980 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 18 April (1980)
Constitution: 21 December 1979
Legal system: mixture of Roman-Dutch and English common law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31December 1987); Co-Vice Presidents Simon Vengai MUZENDA (since 31December 1987) and Joshua M. NKOMO (since 6 August 1990); note—thepresident is both the chief of state and head of governmenthead of government: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since31 December 1987); Co-Vice Presidents Simon Vengai MUZENDA (since 31December 1987) and Joshua M. NKOMO (since 6 August 1990); note—thepresident is both the chief of state and head of governmentcabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president; responsible to theHouse of Assemblyelections: president nominated by the House of Assembly for asix-year term (if more than one nomination, an electoral collegeconsisting of members of the House of Assembly elects thepresident); election last held 26-27 March 1996 (next to be held NAMarch 2002); co-vice presidents appointed by the presidentelection results: Robert Gabriel MUGABE reelected president; percentof electoral college vote—Robert Gabriel MUGABE 92.7%, Abel MUZOREWA4.8%; Ndabaningi SITHOLE 2.4%
Legislative branch: unicameral parliament, called House of Assembly (150 seats—120 elected by popular vote for six-year terms, 12 nominated by the president, 10 occupied by traditional chiefs chosen by their peers, and 8 occupied by provincial governors) elections: last held 8-9 April 1995 (next to be held NA April 2001) election results: percent of vote by party—NA; seats by party—ZANU-PF 117, ZANU-Ndonga 2, independent 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: Zimbabwe African National
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA,FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU,MONUA, NAM, OAU, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Amos Bernard Muvengwa MIDZI chancery: 1608 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas McDONALDembassy: 172 Herbert Chitepo Avenue, Hararemailing address: P. O. Box 3340, Harare
Flag description: seven equal horizontal bands of green, yellow,red, black, red, yellow, and green with a white equilateral triangleedged in black based on the hoist side; a yellow Zimbabwe bird issuperimposed on a red five-pointed star in the center of the triangle
Economy
Economy—overview: The government of Zimbabwe faces a wide variety of difficult economic problems as it struggles to consolidate earlier progress in developing a market-oriented economy. Its involvement in the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, for example, has already drained hundreds of millions of dollars from the economy. Badly needed support from the IMF suffers delays in part because of the country's failure to meet budgetary goals. Inflation rose from an annual rate of 25% in January 1998 to 47% in December and will almost certainly continue to increase in 1999. The economy is being steadily weakened by AIDS; Zimbabwe has one of the highest rates of infection in the world. Per capita GDP, which is twice the average of the poorer sub-Saharan nations, will increase little if any in the near-term, and Zimbabwe will suffer continued frustrations in developing its agricultural and mineral resources.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$26.2 billion (1998 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: 1.5% (1998 est.)
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$2,400 (1998 est.)
GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 28% industry: 32% services: 40% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line: 25.5% (1990-91 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.8% highest 10%: 46.9% (1990)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 32% (1998 est.)
Labor force: 5 million (1997 est.)
Labor force—by occupation: NA
Unemployment rate: at least 45% (1994 est.)
Budget:revenues: $2.5 billionexpenditures: $2.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $279million (FY96/97 est.)
Industries: mining (coal, clay, numerous metallic and nonmetallic ores), copper, steel, nickel, tin, wood products, cement, chemicals, fertilizer, clothing and footwear, foodstuffs, beverages
Industrial production growth rate: 10% (1994)
Electricity—production: 8.5 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: 71.76% hydro: 28.24% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity—consumption: 10.769 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—exports: 1 million kWh (1996)
Electricity—imports: 2.27 billion kWh (1996)
Agriculture—products: corn, cotton, tobacco, wheat, coffee, sugarcane, peanuts; cattle, sheep, goats, pigs
Exports: $1.7 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Exports—commodities: tobacco, gold, ferroalloys, cotton (1997)
Exports—partners: South Africa 12%, UK 11%, Germany 8%, Japan 6%,US 6% (1997 est.)
Imports: $2 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Imports—commodities: machinery and transport equipment 39%, othermanufactures 18%, chemicals 15%, fuels 10% (1997 est.)
Imports—partners: South Africa 37%, UK 7%, US 6%, Japan 6% (1997est.)
Debt—external: $5 billion (1998)
Economic aid—recipient: $437.6 million (1995)
Currency: 1 Zimbabwean dollar (Z$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Zimbabwean dollars (Z$) per US$1—39.3701 (January 1999), 21.4133 (1998), 11.8906 (1997), 9.9206 (1996), 8.6580 (1995), 8.1500 (1994)
Fiscal year: 1 July—30 June
Communications
Telephones: 301,000 (1990 est.)
Telephone system: system was once one of the best in Africa, but now suffers from poor maintenance domestic: consists of microwave radio relay links, open-wire lines, and radiotelephone communication stations international: satellite earth station—1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 8, FM 18, shortwave 0
Radios: 890,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 16 (1997)
Televisions: 280,000 (1992 est.)
Transportation
Railways:total: 2,759 km (1995)narrow gauge: 2,759 km 1.067-m gauge (313 km electrified; 42 kmdouble track) (1995 est.)
Highways:total: 18,338 kmpaved: 8,692 kmunpaved: 9,646 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: the Mazoe and Zambezi rivers are used for transportingchrome ore from Harare to Mozambique
Pipelines: petroleum products 212 km
Ports and harbors: Binga, Kariba
Airports: 467 (1998 est.)
Airports—with paved runways: total: 18 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 9 (1998 est.)
Airports—with unpaved runways: total: 449 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 220 under 914 m: 225 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Zimbabwe National Army, Air Force of Zimbabwe,Zimbabwe Republic Police (includes Police Support Unit, ParamilitaryPolice)
Military manpower—availability:males age 15-49: 2,738,963 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—fit for military service:males age 15-49: 1,707,348 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures—dollar figure: $427 million (FY97/98)
Military expenditures—percent of GDP: 4.6% (FY97/98)
Transnational Issues
Disputes—international: quadripoint with Botswana, Namibia, andZambia is in disagreement
Illicit drugs: significant transit point for African cannabis andSouth Asian heroin, mandrax, and methamphetamines destined for theSouth African and European markets
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Appendix A: Abbreviations