______________________________________________________________________
@Bahrain:Introduction
Background: Bahrain's small size and central location among Persian Gulf countries require it to play a delicate balancing act in foreign affairs among its larger neighbors. Possessing minimal oil reserves, Bahrain has turned to petroleum processing and refining, and has transformed itself into an international banking center. The new amir is pushing economic and political reforms, and has worked to improve relations with the Shi'a community.
@Bahrain:Geography
Location: Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of SaudiArabia
Geographic coordinates: 26 00 N, 50 33 E
Map references: Middle East
Area: total: 620 sq km land: 620 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 161 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: extending to boundaries to be determined territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers
Terrain: mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Jabal ad Dukhan 122 m
Natural resources: oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish
Land use: arable land: 1% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 6% forests and woodland: 0% other: 92% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 10 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: periodic droughts; dust storms
Environment - current issues: desertification resulting from the degradation of limited arable land, periods of drought, and dust storms; coastal degradation (damage to coastlines, coral reefs, and sea vegetation) resulting from oil spills and other discharges from large tankers, oil refineries, and distribution stations; no natural fresh water resources so that groundwater and sea water are the only sources for all water needs
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: close to primary Middle Eastern petroleum sources; strategic location in Persian Gulf which much of Western world's petroleum must transit to reach open ocean
@Bahrain:People
Population: 634,137 note: includes 228,424 non-nationals (July 2000 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 30% (male 96,240; female 93,846) 15-64 years: 67% (male 252,767; female 173,072) 65 years and over: 3% (male 9,270; female 8,942) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.78% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 20.61 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 3.89 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: 1.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.46 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.04 male(s)/female total population: 1.3 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 20.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.98 years male: 70.58 years female: 75.45 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.82 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality: noun: Bahraini(s) adjective: Bahraini
Ethnic groups: Bahraini 63%, Asian 19%, other Arab 10%, Iranian 8%
Religions: Shi'a Muslim 75%, Sunni Muslim 25%
Languages: Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 85.2% male: 89.1% female: 79.4% (1995 est.)
@Bahrain:Government
Country name: conventional long form: State of Bahrain conventional short form: Bahrain local long form: Dawlat al Bahrayn local short form: Al Bahrayn
Data code: BA
Government type: traditional monarchy
Capital: Manama
Administrative divisions: 12 municipalities (manatiq, singular - mintaqah); Al Hadd, Al Manamah, Al Mintaqah al Gharbiyah, Al Mintaqah al Wusta, Al Mintaqah ash Shamaliyah, Al Muharraq, Ar Rifa' wa al Mintaqah al Janubiyah, Jidd Hafs, Madinat Hamad, Madinat 'Isa, Juzur Hawar, Sitrah note: all municipalities administered from Manama
Independence: 15 August 1971 (from UK)
National holiday: National Day, 16 December (1971)
Constitution: 26 May 1973, effective 6 December 1973
Legal system: based on Islamic law and English common law
Suffrage: none
Executive branch: chief of state: Amir HAMAD bin Isa Al Khalifa (since 6 March 1999); Heir Apparent Crown Prince SALMAN bin Hamad (son of the monarch, born 21 October 1969) head of government: Prime Minister KHALIFA bin Salman Al Khalifa (since NA 1971) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly was dissolved 26 August 1975 and legislative powers were assumed by the Cabinet; appointed Advisory Council established 16 December 1992
Judicial branch: High Civil Appeals Court
Political parties and leaders: political parties prohibited
Political pressure groups and leaders: Shi'a activists have fomented unrest sporadically since late 1994, demanding the return of an elected National Assembly and an end to unemployment; several small, clandestine leftist and Islamic fundamentalist groups are active
International organization participation: ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF,ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU,NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO,WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Muhammad ABD AL-GHAFFAR Abdallah chancery: 3502 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 342-0741 FAX: (202) 362-2192 consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Johnny YOUNG embassy: Building Number 979, Road 3119 (next to Al-Ahli Sports Club), Block 311, Zinj District, Manama mailing address: American Embassy Manama, PSC 451, FPO AE 09834-5100; International Mail: American Embassy, Box 26431, Manama telephone: 273-300 FAX: 272-594
Flag description: red with a white serrated band (eight white points) on the hoist side
@Bahrain:Economy
Economy - overview: In Bahrain, petroleum production and processing account for about 60% of export receipts, 60% of government revenues, and 30% of GDP. Economic conditions have fluctuated with the changing fortunes of oil since 1985, for example, during and following the Gulf crisis of 1990-91. With its highly developed communication and transport facilities, Bahrain is home to numerous multinational firms with business in the Gulf. A large share of exports consists of petroleum products made from imported crude. Construction proceeds on several major industrial projects. Unemployment, especially among the young, and the depletion of both oil and underground water resources are major long-term economic problems.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $8.6 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 4% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $13,700 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1% industry: 46% services: 53% (1996 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.5% (1998 est.)
Labor force: 295,000 (1998 est.) note: 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (July 1998 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: industry, commerce, and service 79%, government 20%, agriculture 1% (1997 est.)
Unemployment rate: 15% (1998 est.)
Budget: revenues: $1.5 billion expenditures: $1.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998)
Industries: petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, offshore banking, ship repairing; tourism
Industrial production growth rate: 3.4% (1995)
Electricity - production: 4.77 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 1.09 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: fruit, vegetables; poultry, dairy products; shrimp, fish
Exports: $3.3 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports - commodities: petroleum and petroleum products 61%, aluminum 7%
Exports - partners: India 18%, Japan 11%, Saudi Arabia 8%, South Korea 7%, UAE 5% (1997)
Imports: $3.5 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Imports - commodities: nonoil 59%, crude oil 41%
Imports - partners: Saudi Arabia 45%, US 10%, UK 6%, Japan 5%, Germany 4% (1997)
Debt - external: $2 billion (1997)
Economic aid - recipient: $48.4 million (1995)
Currency: 1 Bahraini dinar (BD) = 1,000 fils
Exchange rates: Bahraini dinars (BD) per US$1 - 0.3760 (fixed rate)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Bahrain:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 141,000 (1995)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 130,000 (1999 est.)
Telephone system: modern system; good domestic services and excellent international connections domestic: modern fiber-optic integrated services; digital network with rapidly growing use of mobile cellular telephones international: tropospheric scatter to Qatar and UAE; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; submarine cable to Qatar, UAE, and Saudi Arabia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: 338,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 4 (1997)
Televisions: 275,000 (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 3 (1999)
@Bahrain:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 3,164 km paved: 2,433 km unpaved: 731 km (1998 est.) note: there is a paved causeway connecting Bahrain to Saudi Arabia
Pipelines: crude oil 56 km; petroleum products 16 km; natural gas 32 km
Ports and harbors: Manama, Mina' Salman, Sitrah
Merchant marine: total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 228,273 GRT/304,654 DWT ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 3, container 2, petroleum tanker 1 (1999 est.)
Airports: 3 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 over 3,047 m: 2 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1999 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1999 est.)
@Bahrain:Military
Military branches: Ground Force, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, PoliceForce
Military manpower - military age: 15 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 221,109 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 121,442 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 5,699 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $318 million (FY99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 5.2% (FY99)
@Bahrain:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: the territorial dispute with Qatar over the Hawar Islands and the maritime boundary dispute with Qatar are currently before the International Court of Justice (ICJ)
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@Baker Island:Geography
Location: Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia
Geographic coordinates: 0 13 N, 176 31 W
Map references: Oceania
Area: total: 1.4 sq km land: 1.4 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: about 2.5 times the size of The Mall inWashington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 4.8 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun
Terrain: low, nearly level coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 8 m
Natural resources: guano (deposits worked until 1891)
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100%
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards: the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard
Environment - current issues: no natural fresh water resources
Geography - note: treeless, sparse, and scattered vegetation consisting of grasses, prostrate vines, and low growing shrubs; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife
@Baker Island:People
Population: uninhabited note: American civilians evacuated in 1942 after Japanese air and naval attacks during World War II; occupied by US military during World War II, but abandoned after the war; public entry is by special-use permit from US Fish and Wildlife Service only and generally restricted to scientists and educators; a cemetery and remnants of structures from early settlement are located near the middle of the west coast; visited annually by US Fish and Wildlife Service (July 2000 est.)
@Baker Island:Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Baker Island
Data code: FQ
Dependency status: unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington, DC by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system
Legal system: NA
Flag description: the flag of the US is used
@Baker Island:Economy
Economy - overview: no economic activity
@Baker Island:Transportation
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one boat landing area along the middle of the west coast
Airports: 1 abandoned World War II runway of 1,665 m, completely covered with vegetation and unusable
Transportation - note: there is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast
@Baker Island:Military
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by the US Coast Guard
@Baker Island:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
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@Bangladesh:Introduction
Background: Bangladesh came into existence in 1971 when Bengali East Pakistan seceded from its union with West Pakistan. A third of this desperately poor country annually floods during the monsoon rainy season, hampering normal economic development.
@Bangladesh:Geography
Location: Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and India
Geographic coordinates: 24 00 N, 90 00 E
Map references: Asia
Area: total: 144,000 sq km land: 133,910 sq km water: 10,090 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Wisconsin
Land boundaries: total: 4,246 km border countries: Burma 193 km, India 4,053 km
Coastline: 580 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 18 nm continental shelf: up to the outer limits of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; cool, dry winter (October to March); hot, humid summer (March to June); cool, rainy monsoon (June to October)
Terrain: mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Keokradong 1,230 m
Natural resources: natural gas, arable land, timber
Land use: arable land: 73% permanent crops: 2% permanent pastures: 5% forests and woodland: 15% other: 5% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 31,000 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: droughts, cyclones; much of the country routinely flooded during the summer monsoon season
Environment - current issues: many people are landless and forced to live on and cultivate flood-prone land; limited access to potable water; water-borne diseases prevalent; water pollution especially of fishing areas results from the use of commercial pesticides; intermittent water shortages because of falling water tables in the northern and central parts of the country; soil degradation; deforestation; severe overpopulation
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
@Bangladesh:People
Population: 129,194,224 (July 2000 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 36% (male 24,055,675; female 22,918,354) 15-64 years: 60% (male 39,924,040; female 37,992,459) 65 years and over: 4% (male 2,342,134; female 1,961,562) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.59% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 25.44 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 8.73 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.77 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.19 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 71.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 60.16 years male: 60.4 years female: 59.91 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.85 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality: noun: Bangladeshi(s) adjective: Bangladesh
Ethnic groups: Bengali 98%, Biharis 250,000, tribals less than 1 million
Religions: Muslim 88.3%, Hindu 10.5%, other 1.2%
Languages: Bangla (official), English
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 38.1% male: 49.4% female: 26.1% (1995 est.)
@Bangladesh:Government
Country name: conventional long form: People's Republic of Bangladesh conventional short form: Bangladesh former: East Pakistan
Data code: BG
Government type: republic
Capital: Dhaka
Administrative divisions: 5 divisions; Barisal, Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna, Rajshahi note: there may be one additional division named Sylhet
Independence: 16 December 1971 (from Pakistan)
National holiday: Independence Day, 26 March (1971)
Constitution: 4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972, suspended following coup of 24 March 1982, restored 10 November 1986, amended many times
Legal system: based on English common law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Shahabuddin AHMED (since 9 October 1996); note - the president's duties are normally ceremonial, but with the 13th amendment to the constitution ("Caretaker Government Amendment"), the president's role becomes significant at times when Parliament is dissolved and a caretaker government is installed - at presidential direction - to supervise the elections head of government: Prime Minister Sheikh HASINA Wajed (since 23 June 1996) cabinet: Cabinet selected by the prime minister and appointed by the president elections: president elected by National Parliament for a five-year term; election last held 24 July 1996 (next to be held by NA October 2001); following legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins the most seats is usually appointed prime minister by the president election results: Shahabuddin AHMED elected president without opposition; percent of National Parliament vote - NA
Legislative branch: unicameral National Parliament or Jatiya Sangsad (330 seats; 300 elected by popular vote from single territorial constituencies, 30 seats reserved for women; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 12 June 1996 (next to be held NA 2001) election results: percent of vote by party - AL 33.87%, BNP 30.87%; seats by party - AL 178, BNP 113, JP 33, JI 3, other 2, election still to be held for 1 seat; note - the elections of 12 June 1996 brought to power an Awami League government for the first time in twenty-one years; held under a neutral, caretaker administration, the elections were characterized by a peaceful, orderly process and massive voter turnout, ending a bitter two-year impasse between the former BNP and opposition parties that had paralyzed National Parliament and led to widespread street violence
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, the Chief Justices and other judges are appointed by the president
Political parties and leaders: Awami League or AL [Sheikh HASINAWajed]; Bangladesh Communist Party or BCP ;Bangladesh Nationalist Party or BNP ;Jamaat-E-Islami or JI ; Jatiyo Party or JPInternational organization participation: AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP,FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat,Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC,UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNTAET, UNU, UPU, WCL,WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Khwaja Mohammad SHEHABUDDIN chancery: 2201 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: (202) 342-8372 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John C. HOLZMAN embassy: Diplomatic Enclave, Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka 1212 mailing address: G. P. O. Box 323, Dhaka 1000 telephone: (2) 884700 through 884722 FAX: (2) 883744
Flag description: green with a large red disk slightly to the hoist side of center; the red sun of freedom represents the blood shed to achieve independence; the green field symbolizes the lush countryside, and secondarily, the traditional color of Islam
@Bangladesh:Economy
Economy - overview: Despite sustained domestic and international efforts to improve economic and demographic prospects, Bangladesh remains one of the world's poorest, most densely populated, and least developed nations. The economy is largely agricultural, with the cultivation of rice the single most important activity in the economy. Major impediments to growth include frequent cyclones and floods, the inefficiency of state-owned enterprises, a rapidly growing labor force that cannot be absorbed by agriculture, delays in exploiting energy resources (natural gas), inadequate power supplies, and slow implementation of economic reforms. Prime Minister Sheikh HASINA Wajed's Awami League government has made some headway improving the climate for foreign investors and liberalizing the capital markets; for example, it has negotiated with foreign firms for oil and gas exploration, better countrywide distribution of cooking gas, and the construction of natural gas pipelines and power plants. Progress on other economic reforms has been halting because of opposition from the bureaucracy, public sector unions, and other vested interest groups. The especially severe floods of 1998 increased the country's reliance on large-scale international aid. So far the East Asian financial crisis has not had major impact on the economy.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $187 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 5.2% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,470 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 30% industry: 17% services: 53% (1999 est.)
Population below poverty line: 35.6% (FY95/96 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.1% highest 10%: 23.7% (1992)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 9% (FY98/99 est.)
Labor force: 56 million (1995-96) note: extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Oman, Qatar, Malaysia, and Singapore
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 63%, services 26%, industry 11% (FY95/96)
Unemployment rate: 35.2% (1996)
Budget: revenues: $4.3 billion expenditures: $6.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997)
Industries: cotton textiles, jute, garments, tea processing, paper newsprint, cement, chemical fertilizer, light engineering, sugar
Industrial production growth rate: 2.5% (1997 est.)
Electricity - production: 12.5 billion kWh (1999 est.)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 98% hydro: 2% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999)
Electricity - consumption: 11.039 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1999)
Agriculture - products: rice, jute, tea, wheat, sugarcane, potatoes; beef, milk, poultry, tobacco, pulses, oilseeds, spices, fruit
Exports: $5.1 billion (1998)
Exports - commodities: garments, jute and jute goods, leather, frozen fish and seafood
Exports - partners: US 33%, Germany 10%, UK 9%, France 6%, Italy 5% (1997)
Imports: $8.01 billion (1998)
Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, iron and steel, textiles, raw cotton, food, crude oil and petroleum products, cement
Imports - partners: India 12%, China 9%, Japan 7%, Hong Kong 6%, SouthKorea 6% (1997)
Debt - external: $16.5 billion (1998)
Economic aid - recipient: $1.475 billion (FY96/97)
Currency: 1 taka (Tk) = 100 poisha
Exchange rates: taka (Tk) per US$1 - 51.000 (January 2000), 49.085 (1999), 46.906 (1998), 43.892 (1997), 41.794 (1996), 40.278 (1995)
Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
@Bangladesh:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 470,000 (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 41,000 (1998)
Telephone system: domestic: modernizing; introducing digital systems; trunk systems include VHF and UHF microwave, and some fiber-optic cable in cities international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); international radiotelephone communications and landline service to neighboring countries
Radio broadcast stations: AM 12, FM 12, shortwave 2 (1999)
Radios: 6.15 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 15 (1999)
Televisions: 770,000 (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 6 (1999)
@Bangladesh:Transportation
Railways: total: 2,745 km broad gauge: 923 km 1.676-m gauge narrow gauge: 1,822 km 1.000-m gauge (1998 est.)
Highways: total: 201,182 km paved: 19,112 km unpaved: 182,070 km (1997 est.)
Waterways: 5,150-8,046 km navigable waterways (includes 2,575-3,058 km main cargo routes)
Pipelines: natural gas 1,220 km
Ports and harbors: Chittagong, Dhaka, Mongla Port
Merchant marine: total: 36 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 284,489 GRT/405,845 DWT ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 28, container 1, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off 2 (1999 est.)
Airports: 16 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 16 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 6 (1999 est.)
@Bangladesh:Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force, paramilitary forces (includes Bangladesh Rifles, Bangladesh Ansars, Village Defense Parties, National Cadet Corps), Armed Police battalions
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 34,683,414 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 20,565,193 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $559 million (FY96/97)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.8% (FY96/97)
@Bangladesh:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: a portion of the boundary with India is indefinite; dispute with India over South Talpatty/New Moore Island
Illicit drugs: transit country for illegal drugs produced in neighboring countries
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@Barbados:Introduction
Background: The island was uninhabited when first settled by the British in 1627. Its economy remained heavily dependent on sugar, rum, and molasses production through most of the 20th century. In the 1990s, tourism and manufacturing surpassed the sugar industry in economic importance.
@Barbados:Geography
Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the NorthAtlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela
Geographic coordinates: 13 10 N, 59 32 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 430 sq km land: 430 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 97 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; rainy season (June to October)
Terrain: relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Hillaby 336 m
Natural resources: petroleum, fish, natural gas
Land use: arable land: 37% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 5% forests and woodland: 12% other: 46% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides
Environment - current issues: pollution of coastal waters from waste disposal by ships; soil erosion; illegal solid waste disposal threatens contamination of aquifers
Environment - international agreements: party to: Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity
Geography - note: easternmost Caribbean island
@Barbados:People
Population: 274,540 (July 2000 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 22% (male 30,687; female 30,172) 15-64 years: 69% (male 92,241; female 96,866) 65 years and over: 9% (male 9,506; female 15,068) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.55% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 14.45 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 8.68 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 12.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 73 years male: 70.43 years female: 75.6 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.7 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality: noun: Barbadian(s) or Bajan (colloquial) adjective: Barbadian or Bajan (colloquial)
Ethnic groups: black 80%, white 4%, other 16%
Religions: Protestant 67% (Anglican 40%, Pentecostal 8%, Methodist 7%, other 12%), Roman Catholic 4%, none 17%, other 12%
Languages: English
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 97.4% male: 98% female: 96.8% (1995 est.)
@Barbados:Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Barbados
Data code: BB
Government type: parliamentary democracy; independent sovereign state within the Commonwealth
Capital: Bridgetown
Administrative divisions: 11 parishes; Christ Church, Saint Andrew,Saint George, Saint James, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Lucy, SaintMichael, Saint Peter, Saint Philip, Saint Thomasnote: the city of Bridgetown may be given parish status
Independence: 30 November 1966 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 30 November (1966)
Constitution: 30 November 1966
Legal system: English common law; no judicial review of legislative acts
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Clifford Straughn HUSBANDS (since 1 June 1996) head of government: Prime Minister Owen Seymour ARTHUR (since 6 September 1994); Deputy Prime Minister Billie MILLER (since 6 September 1994) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; prime minister appointed by the governor general
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (21-member body appointed by the governor general) and the House of Assembly (28 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: House of Assembly - last held 20 January 1999 (next to be held by January 2004) election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - BLP 26, DLP 2
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Judicature (judges are appointed by the Service Commissions for the Judicial and Legal Service)
Political parties and leaders: Barbados Labor Party or BLP [OwenARTHUR]; Democratic Labor Party or DLP ; NationalDemocratic Party or NDP
Political pressure groups and leaders: Barbados Workers Union [LeroyTROTMAN]; Clement Payne Labor Union ; People'sProgressive Movement ; Worker's Party of Barbados [Dr.George BELLE]
International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC,FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, NAM,OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Courtney N. BLACKMAN chancery: 2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 939-9200 consulate(s) general: Miami and New York consulate(s): Los Angeles
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d' Affairs Roland BULLEN embassy: Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Building, Broad Street, Bridgetown mailing address: P. O. Box 302, Bridgetown; FPO AA 34055 telephone: (246) 436-4950 FAX: (246) 429-5246
Flag description: three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold, and blue with the head of a black trident centered on the gold band; the trident head represents independence and a break with the past (the colonial coat of arms contained a complete trident)
@Barbados:Economy
Economy - overview: Historically, the Barbadian economy had been dependent on sugarcane cultivation and related activities, but production in recent years has diversified into manufacturing and tourism. The start of the Port Charles Marina project in Speightstown helped the tourism industry continue to expand in 1996-99. Offshore finance and informatics are important foreign exchange earners, and there is also a light manufacturing sector. The government continues its efforts to reduce the unacceptably high unemployment rate, encourage direct foreign investment, and privatize remaining state-owned enterprises.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $2.9 billion (1998 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 4.4% (1998 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $11,200 (1998 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4.9% industry: 15.6% services: 79.5% (1997)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.7% (1998)
Labor force: 136,000 (1998 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: services 75%, industry 15%, agriculture 10% (1996 est.)
Unemployment rate: 12% (1998 est.)
Budget: revenues: $725.5 million expenditures: $750.6 million, including capital expenditures of $126.3 million (FY97/98 est.)
Industries: tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export
Industrial production growth rate: 0.8% (1996)
Electricity - production: 672 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 625 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: sugarcane, vegetables, cotton
Exports: $211.2 million (1998)
Exports - commodities: sugar and molasses, rum, other foods and beverages, chemicals, electrical components, clothing
Exports - partners: UK 14.8%, US 11.6%, Trinidad and Tobago 7.6%,Venezuela 6.1%, Jamaica 5.8% (1998)
Imports: $1.01 billion (1998)
Imports - commodities: consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs, construction materials, chemicals, fuel, electrical components
Imports - partners: US 30.7%, Trinidad and Tobago 10.2%, Japan 8.3%,UK 7.7%, Canada 2.2% (1998)
Debt - external: $550 million (1998 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $9.1 million (1995)
Currency: 1 Barbadian dollar (Bds$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Barbadian dollars (Bds$) per US$1 - 2.0000 (fixed rate pegged to the US dollar)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
@Barbados:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 90,000 (1995)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 4,614 (1995)
Telephone system: domestic: island-wide automatic telephone system international: satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Trinidad and Saint Lucia
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: 237,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (plus two cable channels) (1997)
Televisions: 76,000 (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 3 (1999)
@Barbados:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 1,600 km paved: 1,578 km unpaved: 22 km (1998 est.)
Ports and harbors: Bridgetown, Speightstown (Port Charles Marina)
Merchant marine: total: 47 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 654,580 GRT/1,103,780 DWT ships by type: bulk 10, cargo 29, combination bulk 1, container 1, petroleum tanker 4, refrigerated cargo 2 (1999 est.) note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships of 2 countries: Canada owns 2 ships, Hong Kong 1 (1998 est.)
Airports: 1 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (1999 est.)
@Barbados:Military
Military branches: Royal Barbados Defense Force (includes GroundForces and Coast Guard), Royal Barbados Police Force
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 77,789 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 53,472 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%
@Barbados:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
Illicit drugs: one of many Caribbean transshipment points for narcotics bound for the US and Europe
______________________________________________________________________
@Bassas da India:Geography
Location: Southern Africa, islands in the southern Mozambique Channel, about one-half of the way from Madagascar to Mozambique
Geographic coordinates: 21 30 S, 39 50 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 0.2 sq km land: 0.2 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: about one-third the size of The Mall inWashington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 35.2 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical
Terrain: volcanic rock
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 2.4 m
Natural resources: none
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100% (all rock)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards: maritime hazard since it is usually under water during high tide and surrounded by reefs; subject to periodic cyclones
Environment - current issues: NA
@Bassas da India:People
Population: uninhabited (July 2000 est.)
@Bassas da India:Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Bassas da India
Data code: BS
Dependency status: possession of France; administered by a high commissioner of the Republic, resident in Reunion
Flag description: the flag of France is used
@Bassas da India:Economy
Economy - overview: no economic activity
@Bassas da India:Transportation
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only
@Bassas da India:Military
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France
@Bassas da India:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: claimed by Madagascar
______________________________________________________________________
@Belarus:Introduction
Background: After seven decades as a constituent republic of the USSR, Belarus attained its independence in 1991. It has retained closer political and economic ties to Russia than any of the other former Soviet republics. Belarus and Russia signed a treaty on a two-state union on 8 December 1999 envisioning greater political and economic integration but, to date, neither side has actively sought to implement the accord.
@Belarus:Geography
Location: Eastern Europe, east of Poland
Geographic coordinates: 53 00 N, 28 00 E
Map references: Commonwealth of Independent States
Area: total: 207,600 sq km land: 207,600 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Kansas
Land boundaries:total: 3,098 kmborder countries: Latvia 141 km, Lithuania 502 km, Poland 605 km,Russia 959 km, Ukraine 891 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between continental and maritime
Terrain: generally flat and contains much marshland
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Nyoman River 90 m highest point: Dzyarzhynskaya Hara 346 m
Natural resources: forests, peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural gas
Land use: arable land: 29% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 15% forests and woodland: 34% other: 21% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,000 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: soil pollution from pesticide use; southern part of the country contaminated with fallout from 1986 nuclear reactor accident at Chornobyl' in northern Ukraine
Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Climate Change, Law of the Sea
Geography - note: landlocked
@Belarus:People
Population: 10,366,719 (July 2000 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 19% (male 982,959; female 942,062) 15-64 years: 68% (male 3,411,684; female 3,614,453) 65 years and over: 13% (male 466,929; female 948,632) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: -0.17% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 9.27 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 13.96 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: 3.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.49 male(s)/female total population: 0.88 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 14.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 68 years male: 61.83 years female: 74.48 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.25 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality: noun: Belarusian(s) adjective: Belarusian
Ethnic groups: Byelorussian 77.9%, Russian 13.2%, Polish 4.1%,Ukrainian 2.9%, other 1.9%
Religions: Eastern Orthodox 80%, other (including Roman Catholic,Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim) 20% (1997 est.)
Languages: Byelorussian, Russian, other
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 99% female: 97% (1989 est.)
@Belarus:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Belarus conventional short form: Belarus local long form: Respublika Byelarus' local short form: none former: Belorussian (Byelorussian) Soviet Socialist Republic
Data code: BO
Government type: republic
Capital: Minsk
Administrative divisions: 6 voblastsi (singular - voblasts') and one municipality* (harady, singular - horad); Brestskaya (Brest), Homyel'skaya (Homyel'), Horad Minsk*, Hrodzyenskaya (Hrodna), Mahilyowskaya (Mahilyow), Minskaya, Vitsyebskaya (Vitsyebsk) note: voblasti have the administrative center name following in parentheses
Independence: 25 August 1991 (Belarusian Supreme Soviet declaration of independence from the Soviet Union)
National holiday: Independence Day, 3 July (1944); note - representsMinsk liberation from German occupation
Constitution: 30 March 1994; revised by national referendum of 24 November 1996 giving the presidency greatly expanded powers and became effective 27 November 1996
Legal system: based on civil law system
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Aleksandr LUKASHENKO (since 20 July 1994) head of government: Prime Minister Sergey LING (acting since 18 November 1996, confirmed 19 February 1997); First Deputy Prime Minister Vasiliy DOLGOLEV (since 2 December 1998); Deputy Prime Ministers Vladimir ZAMETALIN (since 15 July 1997), Ural LATYPOV (since 30 December 1997), Gennadiy NOVITSKIY (since 11 February 1997), Leonid KOZIK (since 4 February 1997), Aleksandr POPKOV (since 10 November 1998) cabinet: Council of Ministers elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 24 June and 10 July 1994 (next to be held NA; according to the 1994 constitution, the next election should have been held in 1999, however LUKASHENKO extended his term to 2001 via the November 1996 referendum); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president election results: Aleksandr LUKASHENKO elected president; percent of vote - Aleksandr LUKASHENKO 85%, Vyacheslav KEBICH 15% note: first presidential elections took place in June-July 1994
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Natsionalnoye Sobranie consists of the Council of the Republic or Soviet Respubliki (64 seats; eight appointed by the president and 56 indirectly elected by deputies of local councils for four-year terms) and the Chamber of Representatives or Palata Pretsaviteley (110 seats; note - present members came from the former Supreme Soviet which LUKASHENKO disbanded in November 1996) elections: last held May and November-December 1995 (two rounds, each with a run-off; disbanded after the November 1996 referendum; next to be held NA) election results: after the November 1996 referendum, seats for the Chamber of Representatives were filled by former Supreme Soviet members as follows: PKB 24, Agrarian 14, Party of Peoples Concord 5, LDPB 1, UPNAZ 1, Green World Party 1, Belarusian Social Sports Party 1, Ecological Party 1, Republican Party of Labor and Justice 1, independents 61; 58 of the 64 seats in the Council of the Republic have been appointed/elected
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the president; Constitutional Court, half of the judges appointed by the president and half appointed by the Chamber of Representatives
Political parties and leaders: Agrarian Party [Aleksandr PAVLOV,acting chairman]; Belarusian Communist Party or KPB [Viktor CHIKIN,chairman]; Belarusian Green Party or BPZ ;Belarusian Labor Party or BPP ;Belarusian Patriotic Movement (Belarusian Patriotic Party) or BPR; Belarusian Popular Front or BNF; Belarusian Social-Democrat or SDBP; Belarusian Social-Democratic PartyHramada ; Belarusian Social SportsParty or BSSP ; BelarusianSocialist Party ; Civic Accord Bloc (UnitedCivic Party) or CAB ; EcologicalParty or BEP ; Liberal-DemocraticParty or LDPB ; Party of All-BelarusianUnity and Concord or UPNAZ ; Party ofCommunists Belarusian or PKB ; Party ofPopular Accord or PPA ; Republican Party of Labor andJustice or RPPS ; Women's Party NadezhdaInternational organization participation: CCC, CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD,ECE, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Inmarsat, Intelsat(nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM,OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,WMO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Valery TSEPAKO chancery: 1619 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: (202) 986-1604 FAX: (202) 986-1805 consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel V. SPECKHARD embassy: Starovilenskaya #46-220002, Minsk mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: (17) 231-5000 FAX: (17) 234-7853
Flag description: red horizontal band (top) and green horizontal band one-half the width of the red band; a white vertical stripe on the hoist side bears the Belarusian national ornament in red
@Belarus:Economy
Economy - overview: Belarus has seen little structural reform since 1995, when President LUKASHENKO launched the country on the path of "market socialism." In keeping with this policy, LUKASHENKO re-imposed administrative controls over prices and currency exchange rates and expanded the state's right to intervene in the management of private enterprise. In addition to the burdens imposed by high inflation, businesses have been subject to pressure on the part of central and local governments, e.g., arbitrary changes in regulations, numerous rigorous inspections, and retroactive application of new business regulations prohibiting practices that had been legal. Further economic problems are two consecutive bad harvests, 1998-99, and persistent trade deficits. Close relations with Russia, possibly leading to reunion, color the pattern of economic developments. For the time being, Belarus remains self-isolated from the West and its open-market economies.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $55.2 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 1.5% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $5,300 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 23% industry: 28% services: 49% (1998 est.)
Population below poverty line: 22% (1995 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.9% highest 10%: 19.4% (1993)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 295% (1999 est.)
Labor force: 4.3 million (1998)
Labor force - by occupation: industry and construction NA%, agriculture and forestry NA%, services NA%
Unemployment rate: 2.3% officially registered unemployed (December 1998); large number of underemployed workers
Budget: revenues: $4 billion expenditures: $4.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $180 million (1997 est.)
Industries: metal-cutting machine tools, tractors, trucks, earth movers, motorcycles, TV sets, chemical fibers, fertilizer, textiles, radios, refrigerators
Industrial production growth rate: 8% (1999 est.)
Electricity - production: 21.893 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.89% hydro: 0.11% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 28.66 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 2.3 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 10.6 billion kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: grain, potatoes, vegetables, sugar beets, flax; beef, milk
Exports: $6 billion (f.o.b., 1999)
Exports - commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals, textiles, foodstuffs
Exports - partners: Russia 66%, Ukraine, Poland, Germany, Lithuania (1998)
Imports: $6.4 billion (c.i.f., 1999)
Imports - commodities: mineral products, machinery and equipment, metals, chemicals, foodstuffs
Imports - partners: Russia 54%, Ukraine, Germany, Poland, Lithuania (1998)
Debt - external: $1.1 billion (1998 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $194.3 million (1995)
Currency: Belarusian rubel (BR)
Exchange rates: Belarusian rubels per US$1 - 730,000 (15 December 1999), 139,000 (25 January 1999), 46,080 (2nd qtr 1998), 25,964 (1997), 15,500 (yearend 1996), 11,500 (yearend 1995)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Belarus:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 2.537 million (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 8,000 (1999)
Telephone system: the Ministry of Telecommunications controls all telecommunications through its carrier (a joint stock company) Beltelcom which is a monopoly domestic: local - Minsk has a digital metropolitan network and a cellular NMT-450 network; waiting lists for telephones are long; local service outside Minsk is neglected and poor; intercity - Belarus has a partly developed fiber-optic backbone system presently serving at least 13 major cities (1998); Belarus's fiber optics form synchronous digital hierarchy rings through other countries' systems; an inadequate analog system remains operational international: Belarus is a member of the Trans-European Line (TEL), Trans-Asia-Europe Fiber-Optic Line (TAE) and has access to the Trans-Siberia Line (TSL); three fiber-optic segments provide connectivity to Latvia, Poland, Russia, and Ukraine; worldwide service is available to Belarus through this infrastructure; additional analog lines to Russia; Intelsat, Eutelsat, and Intersputnik earth stations