Executive branch: chief of state: President Petar STOYANOV (since 22 January 1997); Vice President Todor KAVALDZHIEV (since 22 January 1997) head of government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers (Prime Minister) Ivan KOSTOV (since 19 May 1997); Deputy Prime Minister Petur ZHOTEV (since 21 December 1999) cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the National Assembly elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 27 October and 3 November 1996 (next to be held NA 2001); chairman of the Council of Ministers (prime minister) nominated by the president; deputy prime ministers nominated by the prime minister election results: Petar STOYANOV elected president; percent of vote - Petar STOYANOV 59.73%
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Narodno Sobranie (240 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 19 April 1997 (next to be held NA 2001) election results: percent of vote by party - UtdDF 52%, BSP 22%, ANS 7%, Euro-left 5.5%, BBB 4.95%; seats by party - UtdDF 137, BSP 58, ANS 19, Euro-left 14, BBB 12; note - seating as of May 1997: UtdDF 126, DL 58, ANS 19, Euro-left 17, PU 11, independents 9
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, chairman appointed for a seven-year term by the president; Constitutional Court, 12 justices appointed or elected for nine-year terms
Political parties and leaders: Alliance for National Salvation or ANS(coalition led mainly by Movement for Rights and Freedoms or DPS); Bulgarian Business Bloc or BBB ;Bulgarian Socialist Party or BSP ;Democratic Left of DL ; Euro-left ;Movement for Rights and Freedoms or DPS (member of LDU) ;People's Union or PU ; Union of Democratic Forces orUtdDF (an alliance of pro-democratic parties)
Political pressure groups and leaders: agrarian movement; BulgarianAgrarian National Union - United or BZNS; Bulgarian Democratic Center;Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria or CITUB;Democratic Alliance for the Republic or DAR; Gergiov Den; InternalMacedonian Revolutionary Organization or IMRO; New Union for Democracyor NUD; "Nikola Petkov" Bulgarian Agrarian National Union; PodkrepaLabor Confederation; numerous regional, ethnic, and national interestgroups with various agendas
International organization participation: ACCT, BIS, BSEC, CCC, CE,CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD,ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO,Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NSG,OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UPU, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO,WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Philip DIMITROV chancery: 1621 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 387-0174, 387-0365, 483-1386 FAX: (202) 234-7973 consulate(s): New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Richard MILES embassy: 1 Saborna Street, Sofia mailing address: American Embassy Sofia, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5740 telephone: (2) 980-52-41 through 48 FAX: (2) 981-89-77
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of white (top), green, and red; the national emblem formerly on the hoist side of the white stripe has been removed - it contained a rampant lion within a wreath of wheat ears below a red five-pointed star and above a ribbon bearing the dates 681 (first Bulgarian state established) and 1944 (liberation from Nazi control)
@Bulgaria:Economy
Economy - overview: In April 1997, the current ruling Union of Democratic Forces (UDF) government won pre-term parliamentary elections and introduced an IMF currency board system which succeeded in stabilizing the economy. The triple digit inflation of 1996 and 1997 has given way to an official consumer price increase of 6.2% in 1999. Following declines in GDP in both 1996 and 1997, the economy grew an officially estimated 3.5% in 1998 and 2.5% in 1999. In September 1998, the IMF approved a three-year Extended Fund Facility, which provides credits worth approximately $900 million, designed to support Bulgaria's reform efforts. In 1999, an unfavorable international environment - primarily caused by the Kosovo conflict - and structural reforms slowed economic growth, but forecasters are predicting accelerated growth over the next several years. The government's structural reform program includes: (a) privatization and, where appropriate, liquidation of state-owned enterprises (SOEs); (b) liberalization of agricultural policies, including creating conditions for the development of a land market; (c) reform of the country's social insurance programs; and (d) reforms to strengthen contract enforcement and fight crime and corruption.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $34.9 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 2.5% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $4,300 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 21% industry: 29% services: 50% (1999 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.3% highest 10%: 24.7% (1992)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.2% (1999 est.)
Labor force: 3.82 million (1998 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 26%, industry 31%, services 43% (1998 est.)
Unemployment rate: 15% (1999 est.)
Budget: revenues: $4.69 billion expenditures: $5.06 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)
Industries: machine building and metal working, food processing, chemicals, construction materials, ferrous and nonferrous metals, nuclear fuel
Industrial production growth rate: -3% (1999 est.)
Electricity - production: 38.423 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 52.34% hydro: 7.35% nuclear: 40.31% other: 0% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 35.493 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 2 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 1.76 billion kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: vegetables, fruits, tobacco, livestock, wine, wheat, barley, sunflowers, sugar beets
Exports: $3.8 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)
Exports - commodities: machinery and equipment; metals, minerals, and fuels; chemicals and plastics; food, tobacco, clothing (1998)
Exports - partners: Italy 13%, Germany 10%, Greece 9%, Turkey 8%,Russia (1998)
Imports: $5.3 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)
Imports - commodities: fuels, minerals, and raw materials; machinery and equipment; metals and ores; chemicals and plastics; food, textiles (1998)
Imports - partners: Russia 20%, Germany 14%, Italy 8%, Greece 6%, US 4% (1998)
Debt - external: $10 billion (1999 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $NA
Currency: 1 lev (Lv) = 100 stotinki
Exchange rates: leva (Lv) per US$1 - 1.9295 (January 2000), 1.8364 (1999), 1,760.36 (1998), 1,681.88 (1997), 177.89 (1996), 67.17 (1995) note: on 5 July 1999 the lev was re-denominated; the post-5 July 1999 lev is equal to 1,000 of the pre-5 July 1999 leva
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Bulgaria:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 3.186 million (1999)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 300,000 (1999)
Telephone system: more than two-thirds of the lines are residential domestic: extensive but antiquated transmission system of coaxial cable and microwave radio relay; telephone service is available in most villages; a more modern digital cable trunk line now connects switching centers in most of the regions, the others being connected by digital microwave international: direct dialing to 58 countries; satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); 2 Intelsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 24, FM 93, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios: 4.51 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 33 (1999)
Televisions: 3.31 million (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 20 (1999)
@Bulgaria:Transportation
Railways: total: 4,294 km standard gauge: 4,049 km 1.435-m gauge (2,710 km electrified; 917 km double track) narrow gauge: 245 km 0.760-m gauge (1998)
Highways: total: 36,759 km paved: 33,818 km (including 319 km of expressways) unpaved: 2,941 km (1998 est.)
Waterways: 470 km (1987)
Pipelines: petroleum products 525 km; natural gas 1,500 km (1999)
Ports and harbors: Burgas, Lom, Nesebur, Ruse, Varna, Vidin
Merchant marine: total: 85 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 947,711 GRT/1,449,416 DWT ships by type: bulk 43, cargo 18, chemical tanker 4, container 2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 7, rail car carrier 2, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off 5, short-sea passenger 1, specialized tanker 1 (1999 est.)
Airports: 216 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 129 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 19 1,524 to 2,437 m: 15 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 93 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 87 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 75 (1999 est.)
@Bulgaria:Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, BorderTroops, Internal Troops, Railway and Construction Troops
Military manpower - military age: 19 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,913,857 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,599,379 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 57,461 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $379 million (FY99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.7% (FY99)
Military - note: the Bulgarian Ministry of Defense has begun a new downsizing, modernization, and reform program (PLAN 2004) that will result in the adoption of a smaller force structure of around 50,000 personnel, based upon a Rapid Reaction Force and two additional corps headquarters, all with subordinate brigades
@Bulgaria:Transnational Issues
Illicit drugs: major European transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and, to a lesser degree, South American cocaine for the European market; limited producer of precursor chemicals
______________________________________________________________________
@Burkina Faso:Introduction
Background: Independence from France came to Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta) in 1960. Governmental instability during the 1970s and 1980s was followed by multiparty elections in the early 1990s. Several hundred thousand farm workers migrate south every year to Cote d'Ivoire and Ghana.
@Burkina Faso:Geography
Location: Western Africa, north of Ghana
Geographic coordinates: 13 00 N, 2 00 W
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 274,200 sq km land: 273,800 sq km water: 400 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly larger than Colorado
Land boundaries:total: 3,192 kmborder countries: Benin 306 km, Cote d'Ivoire 584 km, Ghana 548 km,Mali 1,000 km, Niger 628 km, Togo 126 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: tropical; warm, dry winters; hot, wet summers
Terrain: mostly flat to dissected, undulating plains; hills in west and southeast
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mouhoun (Black Volta) River 200 m highest point: Tena Kourou 749 m
Natural resources: manganese, limestone, marble; small deposits of gold, antimony, copper, nickel, bauxite, lead, phosphates, zinc, silver
Land use: arable land: 13% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 22% forests and woodland: 50% other: 15% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 200 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: recurring droughts
Environment - current issues: recent droughts and desertification severely affecting agricultural activities, population distribution, and the economy; overgrazing; soil degradation; deforestation
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban
Geography - note: landlocked
@Burkina Faso:People
Population: 11,946,065 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2000 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 48% (male 2,866,361; female 2,822,990) 15-64 years: 49% (male 2,808,797; female 3,097,048) 65 years and over: 3% (male 149,474; female 201,395) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.71% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 45.26 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 17.04 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.1 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: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 108.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 46.73 years male: 46.29 years female: 47.18 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.44 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality: noun: Burkinabe (singular and plural) adjective: Burkinabe
Ethnic groups: Mossi over 40%, Gurunsi, Senufo, Lobi, Bobo, Mande,Fulani
Religions: indigenous beliefs 40%, Muslim 50%, Christian (mainly RomanCatholic) 10%
Languages: French (official), native African languages belonging toSudanic family spoken by 90% of the population
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 19.2% male: 29.5% female: 9.2% (1995 est.)
@Burkina Faso:Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Burkina Faso former: Upper Volta
Data code: UV
Government type: parliamentary
Capital: Ouagadougou
Administrative divisions: 30 provinces; Bam, Bazega, Bougouriba,Boulgou, Boulkiemde, Ganzourgou, Gnagna, Gourma, Houe, Kadiogo,Kenedougou, Komoe, Kossi, Kouritenga, Mouhoun, Namentenga, Naouri,Oubritenga, Oudalan, Passore, Poni, Sanguie, Sanmatenga, Seno,Sissili, Soum, Sourou, Tapoa, Yatenga, Zoundweogonote: a new electoral code was approved by the National Assembly inJanuary 1997; the number of administrative provinces was increasedfrom 30 to 45 (Bale, Bam, Banwa, Bazega, Bougouriba, Boulgou,Boulkiemde, Comoe, Ganzourgou, Gnagna, Gourma, Houet, Ioba, Kadiogo,Kenedougou, Komandjari, Kompienga, Kossi, Koupelogo, Kouritenga,Kourweogo, Leraba, Loroum, Mouhoun, Nahouri, Namentenga, Nayala,Naumbiel, Oubritenga, Oudalan, Passore, Poni, Samentenga, Sanguie,Seno, Sissili, Soum, Sourou, Tapoa, Tuy, Yagha, Yatenga, Ziro,Zondomo, Zoundweogo), however, this change has not yet been approvedby the US Board on Geographic Names
Independence: 5 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday: Anniversary of the Revolution, 4 August (1983)
Constitution: 2 June 1991 approved by referendum; 11 June 1991 formally adopted
Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law
Suffrage: universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Captain Blaise COMPAORE (since 15 October 1987) head of government: Prime Minister Kadre Desire OUEDRAOGO (since 6 February 1996) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; the president may serve unlimited terms; election last held 15 November 1998 (next to be held NA 2005); prime minister appointed by the president with the consent of the legislature election results: Blaise COMPAORE reelected president with 88% percent of the vote, with 56% of voter turnout note: despite his reelection, President COMPAORE faces a growing political crisis due to his mishandling of an investigation into the assassination of a newspaper editor and pressure for political reform
Legislative branch: bicameral; consists of a National Assembly or Assemblee des Deputes Populaires (ADP) (111 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the purely consultative Chamber of Representations or Chambre des Representants (178 seats; members are appointed to serve three-year terms) elections: National Assembly election last held 11 May 1997 (next to be held NA 2002) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CDP 101, PDP 6, RDA 2, ADF 2
Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Appeals Court
Political parties and leaders: African Democratic Rally or RDA [GerardKango OUEDRAOGO, Clement SANOU]; Alliance for Democracy and Federationor ADF ; Congress for Democracy and Progress or CDP; Group for Progressive Democrats or GDP [IssaTIENDREBEOGO]; Movement for Tolerance and Progress or MTP; Party for African Independence or PAI; Party for Democracy and Progress or PDP [JosephKI-ZERBO]; Party for Progress and Social Development or PPDS [leaderNA]; Union of Greens for the Development of Burkina Faso or UVDB [RamOVEDRAGO]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Burkinabe General Confederation of Labor or CGTB; Burkinabe Movement for Human Rights or HBDHP; Group of 14 February; National Confederation of Burkinabe Workers or CNTB; National Organization of Free Unions or ONSL; watchdog/political action groups throughout the country in both organizations and communities
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA,ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM,IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU,NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WADB(regional), WAEMU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Bruno ZIDOUEMBA chancery: 2340 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 332-5577 FAX: (202) 667-1882
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jimmy J. KOLKER embassy: Avenue Raoul Follerau, Ouagadougou mailing address: 01 B. P. 35, Ouagadougou telephone: 306723 through 306725 FAX: 303890
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a yellow five-pointed star in the center; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
@Burkina Faso:Economy
Economy - overview: One of the poorest countries in the world, landlocked Burkina Faso has a high population density, few natural resources, and a fragile soil. About 90% of the population is engaged in (mainly subsistence) agriculture which is highly vulnerable to variations in rainfall. Industry remains dominated by unprofitable government-controlled corporations. Following the African franc currency devaluation in January 1994 the government updated its development program in conjunction with international agencies, and exports and economic growth have increased. Maintenance of its macroeconomic progress in 2000-2001 depends on continued low inflation, reduction in the trade deficit, and reforms designed to encourage private investment.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $12.4 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 5.5% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,100 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 36% industry: 20% services: 44% (1997)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.5% (1999 est.)
Labor force: 4.679 million (persons 10 years old and over, according to a sample survey taken in 1991) note: a large part of the male labor force migrates annually to neighboring countries for seasonal employment
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture NA%, industry NA%, servicesNA%
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $277 million expenditures: $492 million, including capital expenditures of $233 million (1995 est.)
Industries: cotton lint, beverages, agricultural processing, soap, cigarettes, textiles, gold
Industrial production growth rate: 4.2% (1995)
Electricity - production: 225 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 64.44% hydro: 35.56% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 209 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: peanuts, shea nuts, sesame, cotton, sorghum, millet, corn, rice; livestock
Exports: $311 million (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Exports - commodities: cotton, animal products, gold
Exports - partners: Cote d'Ivoire, Taiwan, France, Colombia, Italy,Mali
Imports: $572 million (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Imports - commodities: machinery, food products, petroleum
Imports - partners: Cote d'Ivoire, France, Senegal, Togo, Nigeria, US
Debt - external: $1.3 billion (1997)
Economic aid - recipient: $484.1 million (1995)
Currency: 1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 647.25 (January 2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996), 499.15 (1995) note: since 1 January 1999, the CFAF franc is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Burkina Faso:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 30,000 (1995)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 0 (1995)
Telephone system: all services only fair domestic: microwave radio relay, open wire, and radiotelephone communication stations international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 17, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios: 370,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)
Televisions: 100,000 (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (1999)
@Burkina Faso:Transportation
Railways: total: 622 km (517 km from Ouagadougou to the Cote d'Ivoire border and 105 km from Ouagadougou to Kaya) narrow gauge: 622 km 1.000-m gauge (1995 est.)
Highways: total: 12,506 km paved: 2,001 km unpaved: 10,505 km (1996 est.)
Ports and harbors: none
Airports: 33 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 31 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 16 (1999 est.)
@Burkina Faso:Military
Military branches: Army, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, NationalPolice, People's Militia
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 2,500,962 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,282,483 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $66 million (FY96)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2% (FY96)
@Burkina Faso:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
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@Burma:Introduction
Background: Despite multiparty elections in 1990 that resulted in the main opposition party winning a decisive victory, the military junta ruling the country refused to hand over power. Key opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize recipient AUNG San Suu Kyi, under house arrest from 1989 to 1995, continues to have her activities restricted; her supporters are routinely harassed or jailed.
@Burma:Geography
Location: Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Bay ofBengal, between Bangladesh and Thailand
Geographic coordinates: 22 00 N, 98 00 E
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area: total: 678,500 sq km land: 657,740 sq km water: 20,760 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Texas
Land boundaries:total: 5,876 kmborder countries: Bangladesh 193 km, China 2,185 km, India 1,463 km,Laos 235 km, Thailand 1,800 km
Coastline: 1,930 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical monsoon; cloudy, rainy, hot, humid summers (southwest monsoon, June to September); less cloudy, scant rainfall, mild temperatures, lower humidity during winter (northeast monsoon, December to April)
Terrain: central lowlands ringed by steep, rugged highlands
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Andaman Sea 0 m highest point: Hkakabo Razi 5,881 m
Natural resources: petroleum, timber, tin, antimony, zinc, copper, tungsten, lead, coal, some marble, limestone, precious stones, natural gas, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 15% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 1% forests and woodland: 49% other: 34% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 10,680 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: destructive earthquakes and cyclones; flooding and landslides common during rainy season (June to September); periodic droughts
Environment - current issues: deforestation; industrial pollution of air, soil, and water; inadequate sanitation and water treatment contribute to disease
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94 signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: strategic location near major Indian Ocean shipping lanes
@Burma:People
Population: 41,734,853 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2000 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 30% (male 6,341,546; female 6,086,650) 15-64 years: 65% (male 13,565,379; female 13,764,242) 65 years and over: 5% (male 885,583; female 1,091,453) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.64% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 20.61 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 12.35 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 75.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 54.91 years male: 53.6 years female: 56.29 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.37 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality: noun: Burmese (singular and plural) adjective: Burmese
Ethnic groups: Burman 68%, Shan 9%, Karen 7%, Rakhine 4%, Chinese 3%,Mon 2%, Indian 2%, other 5%
Religions: Buddhist 89%, Christian 4% (Baptist 3%, Roman Catholic 1%),Muslim 4%, animist 1%, other 2%
Languages: Burmese, minority ethnic groups have their own languages
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 83.1% male: 88.7% female: 77.7% (1995 est.) note: these are official statistics; estimates of functional literacy are likely closer to 30% (1999 est.)
@Burma:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Union of Burma conventional short form: Burma local long form: Pyidaungzu Myanma Naingngandaw (translated by the US Government as Union of Myanma and by the Burmese as Union of Myanmar) local short form: Myanma Naingngandaw former: Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma
Data code: BM
Government type: military regime
Capital: Rangoon (regime refers to the capital as Yangon)
Administrative divisions: 7 divisions* (yin-mya, singular - yin) and 7states (pyine-mya, singular - pyine); Chin State, Ayeyarwady*, Bago*,Kachin State, Kayin State, Kayah State, Magway*, Mandalay*, Mon State,Rakhine State, Sagaing*, Shan State, Tanintharyi*, Yangon*
Independence: 4 January 1948 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 4 January (1948)
Constitution: 3 January 1974 (suspended since 18 September 1988); national convention started on 9 January 1993 to draft a new constitution; chapter headings and three of 15 sections have been approved
Legal system: does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Prime Minister and Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Gen. THAN SHWE (since 23 April 1992); note - the prime minister is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: Prime Minister and Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Gen. THAN SHWE (since 23 April 1992); note - the prime minister is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: State Peace and Development Council (SPDC); military junta, so named 15 November 1997, which initially assumed power 18 September 1988 under the name State Law and Order Restoration Council; the SPDC oversees the cabinet elections: none; the prime minister assumed power upon resignation of the former prime minister
Legislative branch: unicameral People's Assembly or Pyithu Hluttaw (485 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 27 May 1990, but Assembly never convened election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NLD 396, NUP 10, other 79
Judicial branch: limited; remnants of the British-era legal system in place, but there is no guarantee of a fair public trial; the judiciary is not independent of the executive
Political parties and leaders: National League for Democracy or NLD ; National Unity Party or NUP (proregime) ; Union Solidarity and Development Association or USDA (proregime, a social and political organization) ; and eight minor legal parties
Political pressure groups and leaders: All Burma Student Democratic Front or ABSDF; Kachin Independence Army or KIA; Karen National Union or KNU; National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma or NCGUB consists of individuals legitimately elected to the People's Assembly but not recognized by the military regime; the group fled to a border area and joined with insurgents in December 1990 to form a parallel government; several Shan factions; United Wa State Army or UWSA
International organization participation: AsDB, ASEAN, CCC, CP, ESCAP,FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IMO,Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OPCW, UN,UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador TIN WINN chancery: 2300 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 332-9044 FAX: (202) 332-9046 consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Permanent Charge d'Affaires Priscilla A. CLAPP embassy: 581 Merchant Street, Rangoon (GPO 521) mailing address: Box B, APO AP 96546 telephone: (1) 282055, 282182 FAX: (1) 280409
Flag description: red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing, all in white, 14 five-pointed stars encircling a cogwheel containing a stalk of rice; the 14 stars represent the 14 administrative divisions
@Burma:Economy
Economy - overview: Burma has a mixed economy with private activity dominant in agriculture, light industry, and transport, and with substantial state-controlled activity, mainly in energy, heavy industry, and the rice trade. Government policy in the last 11 years, 1989-99, has aimed at revitalizing the economy after three decades of tight central planning. Thus, private activity has markedly increased; foreign investment has been encouraged, so far with moderate success. State enterprises remain highly inefficient and privatization efforts have stalled. Published estimates of Burma's foreign trade are greatly understated because of the volume of black-market trade. A major ongoing problem is the failure to achieve monetary and fiscal stability. Burma remains a poor Asian country and living standards for the majority have not improved over the past decade. The short-term outlook is for continued sluggish growth because of poor government planning, internal unrest, minimal foreign investment, and the large trade deficit.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $59.4 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 4.6% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,200 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 59% industry: 11% services: 30% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line: 23% (1997 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 38% (1999 est.)
Labor force: 19.7 million (FY98/99 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 65%, industry 10%, services 25% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate: 7.1% (official FY97/98 est.)
Budget: revenues: $7.9 billion expenditures: $12.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.7 billion (FY96/97)
Industries: agricultural processing; textiles and footwear; wood and wood products; copper, tin, tungsten, iron; construction materials; pharmaceuticals; fertilizer
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 4.31 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 61.72% hydro: 38.28% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 4.008 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: paddy rice, corn, oilseed, sugarcane, pulses; hardwood
Exports: $1.2 billion (1998)
Exports - commodities: pulses and beans, prawns, fish, rice; teak, opiates
Exports - partners: India 13%, China 11%, Singapore 10%, Thailand 8% (1998)
Imports: $2.5 billion (1998)
Imports - commodities: machinery, transport equipment, construction materials, food products
Imports - partners: Singapore 31%, Japan 12%, Thailand 12%, China 9%,Malaysia 8% (1998)
Debt - external: $5.9 billion (FY98/99 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $99 million (FY98/99)
Currency: 1 kyat (K) = 100 pyas
Exchange rates: kyats (K) per US$1 - official rate - 6.2665 (January 2000), 6.2858 (1999), 6.3432 (1998), 6.2418 (1997), 5.9176 (1996), 5.6670 (1995); kyats (K) per US$1 - market exchange rate - 330 (yearend 1999)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
@Burma:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 158,000 (1995)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 2,007 (1995)
Telephone system: meets minimum requirements for local and intercity service for business and government; international service is good domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 3 (1998)
Radios: 4.2 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 2 (1998)
Televisions: 260,000 (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 0 (1999)
@Burma:Transportation
Railways: total: 3,991 km narrow gauge: 3,991 km 1.000-m gauge
Highways: total: 28,200 km paved: 3,440 km unpaved: 24,760 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 12,800 km; 3,200 km navigable by large commercial vessels
Pipelines: crude oil 1,343 km; natural gas 330 km
Ports and harbors: Bassein, Bhamo, Chauk, Mandalay, Moulmein,Myitkyina, Rangoon, Akyab (Sittwe), Tavoy
Merchant marine: total: 40 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 472,284 GRT/716,533 DWT ships by type: bulk 13, cargo 20, container 2, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 2 (1999 est.) note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships of 2 countries: Japan owns 2 ships, US 3 (1998 est.)
Airports: 80 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 10 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 70 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 22 under 914 m: 32 (1999 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1999 est.)
@Burma:Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 11,865,696 females age 15-49: 11,894,661 note: both sexes liable for military service (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 6,334,750 females age 15-49: 6,334,937 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 483,964 females: 468,221 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $39 million (FY97/98)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.1% (FY97/98)
@Burma:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: sporadic conflict with Thailand over alignment of border
Illicit drugs: world's second largest producer of illicit opium, after Afghanistan (potential production in 1999 - 1,090 metric tons, down 38% due to drought; cultivation in 1999 - 89,500 hectares, a 31% decline from 1998); surrender of drug warlord KHUN SA's Mong Tai Army in January 1996 was hailed by Rangoon as a major counternarcotics success, but lack of government will and ability to take on major narcotrafficking groups and lack of serious commitment against money laundering continues to hinder the overall antidrug effort; becoming a major source of methamphetamines for regional consumption
______________________________________________________________________
@Burundi:Introduction
Background: Between 1993 and 1999, ethnic violence between Hutu and Tutsi factions in Burundi created hundreds of thousands of refugees and left at least 250,000 dead. Although many refugees have returned from neighboring countries, continued ethnic strife has forced others to flee. Burundian troops, seeking to secure their borders, have intervened in the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
@Burundi:Geography
Location: Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo
Geographic coordinates: 3 30 S, 30 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 27,830 sq km land: 25,650 sq km water: 2,180 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries: total: 974 km border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 233 km, Rwanda 290 km, Tanzania 451 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: equatorial; high plateau with considerable altitude variation (772 m to 2,670 m); average annual temperature varies with altitude from 23 to 17 degrees centigrade but is generally moderate as the average altitude is about 1,700 m; average annual rainfall is about 150 cm; wet seasons from February to May and September to November, and dry seasons from June to August and December to January
Terrain: hilly and mountainous, dropping to a plateau in east, some plains
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Lake Tanganyika 772 m highest point: Mount Heha 2,670 m
Natural resources: nickel, uranium, rare earth oxides, peat, cobalt, copper, platinum (not yet exploited), vanadium, arable land, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 44% permanent crops: 9% permanent pastures: 36% forests and woodland: 3% other: 8% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 140 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: flooding, landslides
Environment - current issues: soil erosion as a result of overgrazing and the expansion of agriculture into marginal lands; deforestation (little forested land remains because of uncontrolled cutting of trees for fuel); habitat loss threatens wildlife populations
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban
Geography - note: landlocked; straddles crest of the Nile-Congo watershed
@Burundi:People
Population: 6,054,714 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2000 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 47% (male 1,442,585; female 1,411,908) 15-64 years: 50% (male 1,485,177; female 1,541,754) 65 years and over: 3% (male 71,998; female 101,292) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.15% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 40.46 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 16.44 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: 7.43 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: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 71.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 46.18 years male: 45.23 years female: 47.16 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.25 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality: noun: Burundian(s) adjective: Burundi
Ethnic groups: Hutu (Bantu) 85%, Tutsi (Hamitic) 14%, Twa (Pygmy) 1%,Europeans 3,000, South Asians 2,000
Religions: Christian 67% (Roman Catholic 62%, Protestant 5%), indigenous beliefs 23%, Muslim 10%
Languages: Kirundi (official), French (official), Swahili (along LakeTanganyika and in the Bujumbura area)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 35.3% male: 49.3% female: 22.5% (1995 est.)
@Burundi:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Burundi conventional short form: Burundi local long form: Republika y'u Burundi local short form: Burundi
Data code: BY
Government type: republic
Capital: Bujumbura
Administrative divisions: 15 provinces; Bubanza, Bujumbura, Bururi,Cankuzo, Cibitoke, Gitega, Karuzi, Kayanza, Kirundo, Makamba,Muramvya, Muyinga, Ngozi, Rutana, Ruyiginote: there may be a new province named Mwaro
Independence: 1 July 1962 (from UN trusteeship under Belgian administration)
National holiday: Independence Day, 1 July (1962)
Constitution: 13 March 1992; provided for establishment of a plural political system; supplanted on 6 June 1998 by a Transitional Constitution which enlarged the National Assembly and created two vice presidents
Legal system: based on German and Belgian civil codes and customary law; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: NA years of age; universal adult
Executive branch: chief of state: President Pierre BUYOYA (interim president since 27 September 1996, officially sworn in 11 June 1998), First Vice President Frederic BAMVUGINYUMVIRA (since NA May 1998), Second Vice President Mathias SINAMENYA (since NA May 1998); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Pierre BUYOYA (interim president since 27 September 1996, officially sworn in 11 June 1998), First Vice President Frederic BAMVUGINYUMVIRA (since NA May 1998), Second Vice President Mathias SINAMENYA (since NA May 1998); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by president elections: NA; current president assumed power following a coup on 25 July 1996 in which former President NTIBANTUNGANYA was overthrown
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (121 seats; note - new Transitional Constitution expanded the number of seats from 81 to 121 in 1998; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional basis to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 29 June 1993 (next was scheduled to be held in 1998, but suspended by presidential decree in 1996) election results: percent of vote by party - FRODEBU 71.04%, UPRONA 21.4%, other 7.56%; seats by party - FRODEBU 65, UPRONA 16, various other parties 40
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme
Political parties and leaders: Unity for National Progress or UPRONA; Burundi Democratic Front or FRODEBU [JeanMINANI, president]note: opposition parties, legalized in March 1992, include BurundiAfrican Alliance for the Salvation or ABASA ; Rally forDemocracy and Economic and Social Development or RADDES [CyrilleSIGEJEJE, chairman]; Party for National Redress or PARENA; Socialist Party of Burundi or PSB ;People's Reconciliation Party or PRP
Political pressure groups and leaders: Loosely organized Tutsi militias
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEEAC,CEPGL, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,IMF, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW,UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas NDIKUMANA chancery: Suite 212, 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: (202) 342-2574 FAX: (202) 342-2578
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mary Catlin YATES embassy: Avenue des Etats-Unis, Bujumbura mailing address: B. P. 1720, Bujumbura telephone: (2) 223454 FAX: (2) 222926
Flag description: divided by a white diagonal cross into red panels (top and bottom) and green panels (hoist side and outer side) with a white disk superimposed at the center bearing three red six-pointed stars outlined in green arranged in a triangular design (one star above, two stars below)
@Burundi:Economy
Economy - overview: Burundi is a landlocked, resource-poor country with an underdeveloped manufacturing sector. The economy is predominantely agricultural with roughly 90% of the population dependent on subsistence agriculture. Its economic health depends on the coffee crop, which accounts for 80% of foreign exchange earnings. The ability to pay for imports therefore rests largely on the vagaries of the climate and the international coffee market. Since October 1993 the nation has suffered from massive ethnic-based violence which has resulted in the death of perhaps 250,000 persons and the displacement of about 800,000 others. Foods, medicines, and electricity remain in short supply.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $4.2 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: -1% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $730 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 46% industry: 17% services: 37% (1998 est.)
Population below poverty line: 36.2% (1990 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 26% (1999 est.)
Labor force: 1.9 million
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 93%, government 4%, industry and commerce 1.5%, services 1.5% (1983 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $125 million expenditures: $176 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Industries: light consumer goods such as blankets, shoes, soap; assembly of imported components; public works construction; food processing
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 127 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 1.57% hydro: 98.43% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 153 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 35 million kWh note: imports some electricity from Democratic Republic of the Congo (1998)
Agriculture - products: coffee, cotton, tea, corn, sorghum, sweet potatoes, bananas, manioc (tapioca); beef, milk, hides
Exports: $56 million (f.o.b., 1999)
Exports - commodities: coffee, tea, sugar, cotton, hides
Exports - partners: UK, Germany, Benelux, Switzerland (1998)
Imports: $108 million (f.o.b., 1999)
Imports - commodities: capital goods, petroleum products, foodstuffs
Imports - partners: Benelux, France, Zambia, Germany, Kenya, Japan (1998)
Debt - external: $1.247 billion (1997 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $1.344 billion (1999 est.)
Currency: 1 Burundi franc (FBu) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: Burundi francs (FBu) per US$1 - 626.79 (January 2000), 563.56 (1999), 477.77 (1998), 352.35 (1997), 302.75 (1996), 249.76 (1995)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Burundi:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 17,000 (1995)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 343 (1995)
Telephone system: primitive system domestic: sparse system of open wire, radiotelephone communications, and low-capacity microwave radio relay international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: 440,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (1999)
Televisions: 25,000 (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA
@Burundi:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 14,480 km paved: 1,028 km unpaved: 13,452 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: Lake Tanganyika
Ports and harbors: Bujumbura
Airports: 4 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (1999 est.)
@Burundi:Military
Military branches: Army (includes naval and air units), paramilitaryGendarmerie
Military manpower - military age: 16 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,344,177 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 701,367 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 76,866 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $25 million (FY93)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.6% (FY93)
@Burundi:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
______________________________________________________________________
@Cambodia:Introduction
Background: Following a five-year struggle, communist Khmer Rouge forces captured Phnom Penh in 1975 and ordered the evacuation of all cities and towns; over 1 million displaced people died from execution or enforced hardships. A 1978 Vietnamese invasion drove the Khmer Rouge into the countryside and touched off 13 years of fighting. UN-sponsored elections in 1993 helped restore some semblance of normalcy, as did the rapid diminishment of the Khmer Rouge in the mid-1990s. A coalition government, formed after national elections in 1998, brought renewed political stability and the surrender of remaining Khmer Rouge forces.
@Cambodia:Geography
Location: Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, betweenThailand, Vietnam, and Laos
Geographic coordinates: 13 00 N, 105 00 E
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area: total: 181,040 sq km land: 176,520 sq km water: 4,520 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Oklahoma
Land boundaries: total: 2,572 km border countries: Laos 541 km, Thailand 803 km, Vietnam 1,228 km
Coastline: 443 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; rainy, monsoon season (May to November); dry season(December to April); little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain: mostly low, flat plains; mountains in southwest and north
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m highest point: Phnum Aoral 1,810 m
Natural resources: timber, gemstones, some iron ore, manganese, phosphates, hydropower potential
Land use: arable land: 13% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 11% forests and woodland: 66% other: 10% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 920 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: monsoonal rains (June to November); flooding; occasional droughts
Environment - current issues: illegal logging activities throughout the country and strip mining for gems in the western region along the border with Thailand have resulted in habitat loss and declining biodiversity (in particular, destruction of mangrove swamps threatens natural fisheries); soil erosion; in rural areas, a majority of the population does not have access to potable water; toxic waste delivery from Taiwan sparked unrest in Kampong Saom (Sihanoukville) in December 1998
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Marine Life Conservation, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping
Geography - note: a land of paddies and forests dominated by theMekong River and Tonle Sap
@Cambodia:People
Population: 12,212,306 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2000 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 42% (male 2,610,009; female 2,505,932) 15-64 years: 55% (male 3,132,198; female 3,542,655) 65 years and over: 3% (male 173,179; female 248,333) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.27% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 33.48 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 10.79 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 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: 0.88 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 66.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 56.53 years male: 54.44 years female: 58.74 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.82 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality: noun: Cambodian(s) adjective: Cambodian
Ethnic groups: Khmer 90%, Vietnamese 5%, Chinese 1%, other 4%
Religions: Theravada Buddhist 95%, other 5%
Languages: Khmer (official) 95%, French, English
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 35% male: 48% female: 22% (1990 est.)
@Cambodia:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Cambodia conventional short form: Cambodia local long form: Preahreacheanachakr Kampuchea local short form: Kampuchea
Data code: CB
Government type: multiparty liberal democracy under a constitutional monarchy established in September 1993
Capital: Phnom Penh
Administrative divisions: 20 provinces (khett, singular and plural)and 3 municipalities* (krong, singular and plural); Banteay MeanCheay, Batdambang, Kampong Cham, Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Spoe,Kampong Thum, Kampot, Kandal, Kaoh Kong, Keb*, Krachen, Mondol Kiri,Otdar Mean Cheay, Phnum Penh*, Pouthisat, Preah Seihanu*(Sihanoukville), Preah Vihear, Prey Veng, Rotanah Kiri, Siem Reab,Stoeng Treng, Svay Rieng, Takevnote: there may be a new municipality called Pailin