Illicit drugs: minor producer of opium poppy with 2,100 hectares cultivated in 1999, capable of producing 11 metric tons of opium; probable minor transit point for Southeast Asian heroin; opium/heroin/methamphetamine addiction problems
======================================================================
@Virgin Islands
Virgin Islands Introduction
Background: During the 17th century, the archipelago was divided into two territorial units, one English and the other Danish. Sugarcane, produced by slave labor, drove the islands' economy during the 18th and early 19th centuries. In 1917, the US purchased the Danish portion, which had been in economic decline since the abolition of slavery in 1848.
Virgin Islands Geography
Location: Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the NorthAtlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico
Geographic coordinates: 18 20 N, 64 50 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 352 sq km
land: 349 sq km
water: 3 sq km
Area - comparative: twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 188 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate: subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season May to November
Terrain: mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Crown Mountain 474 m
Natural resources: sun, sand, sea, surf
Land use: arable land: 15%
permanent crops: 6%
permanent pastures: 26%
forests and woodland: 6%
other: 47% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes
Environment - current issues: lack of natural freshwater resources
Geography - note: important location along the Anegada Passage - a key shipping lane for the Panama Canal; Saint Thomas has one of the best natural, deepwater harbors in the Caribbean
Virgin Islands People
Population: 122,211 (July 2001 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 27.27% (male 17,121; female 16,204)
15-64 years: 63.92% (male 35,391; female 42,727)
65 years and over: 8.81% (male 4,638; female 6,130) (2001 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.06% (2001 est.)
Birth rate: 15.9 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Death rate: 5.47 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.83 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 0.88 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 9.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.27 years
male: 74.38 years
female: 82.39 years (2001 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.25 children born/woman (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Nationality: noun: Virgin Islander(s)
adjective: Virgin Islander
Ethnic groups: black 80%, white 15%, other 5%
note: West Indian (45% born in the Virgin Islands and 29% born elsewhere in the West Indies) 74%, US mainland 13%, Puerto Rican 5%, other 8%
Religions: Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%, other 7%
Languages: English (official), Spanish, Creole
Literacy: definition: NA
total population: NA%
male: NA%
female: NA%
Virgin Islands Government
Country name: conventional long form: United States Virgin Islands
conventional short form: Virgin Islands
former: Danish West Indies
Dependency status: organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy relations between the Virgin Islands and the US under the jurisdiction of the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior
Government type: NA
Capital: Charlotte Amalie
Administrative divisions: none (territory of the US); there are nofirst-order administrative divisions as defined by the USGovernment, but there are three islands at the second order; SaintCroix, Saint John, Saint Thomas
National holiday: Transfer Day (from Denmark to the US), 27 March (1917)
Constitution: Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954
Legal system: based on US laws
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; note - indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
Executive branch: chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (Since 20 January 2001)
head of government: Governor Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL (since 5 January 1999) and Lieutenant Governor Gererd LUZ James II (since 5 January 1999)
cabinet: NA
elections: US president and vice president elected on the same ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 3 November 1998 (next to be held NA November 2002)
election results: Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL elected governor; percent of vote - Dr. Charles W. TURNBULL (Democrat) 58.9%, former Governor Roy L. SCHNEIDER (ICM) 41.1%
Legislative branch: unicameral Senate (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)
elections: last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2002)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Democratic Party 6, ICM 2, independents 7
note: the Virgin Islands elects one non-voting representative to the US House of Representatives; election last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2002); results - Donna M. CHRISTIAN-CHRISTENSON (Democrat) elected
Judicial branch: US District Court of the Virgin Islands (under Third Circuit jurisdiction); Territorial Court (judges appointed by the governor for 10-year terms)
Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party [Arturo WATLINGTON];Independent Citizens' Movement or ICM [Usie RICHON]; RepublicanParty [Gary SCROUVE]
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: ECLAC (associate),Interpol (subbureau), IOC
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of the US)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of the US)
Flag description: white, with a modified US coat of arms in the center between the large blue initials V and I; the coat of arms shows a yellow eagle holding an olive branch in one talon and three arrows in the other with a superimposed shield of vertical red and white stripes below a blue panel
Virgin Islands Economy
Economy - overview: Tourism is the primary economic activity, accounting for more than 70% of GDP and 70% of employment. The islands normally host 2 million visitors a year. The manufacturing sector consists of petroleum refining, textiles, electronics, pharmaceuticals, and watch assembly. The agricultural sector is small, with most food being imported. International business and financial services are a small but growing component of the economy. One of the world's largest petroleum refineries is at Saint Croix. The islands are subject to substantial damage from storms. The government is working to improve fiscal discipline, support construction projects in the private sector, expand tourist facilities, and protect the environment.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.8 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: NA%
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $15,000 (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%
Labor force: 47,443 (1990 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 1%, industry 20%, services 79% (1990 est.)
Unemployment rate: 4.9% (March 1999)
Budget: revenues: $364.4 million
expenditures: $364.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1990 est.)
Industries: tourism, petroleum refining, watch assembly, rum distilling, construction, pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 1.02 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1999)
Electricity - consumption: 948.6 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1999)
Agriculture - products: fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle
Exports: $NA
Exports - commodities: refined petroleum products
Exports - partners: US, Puerto Rico
Imports: $NA
Imports - commodities: crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials
Imports - partners: US, Puerto Rico
Debt - external: $NA
Economic aid - recipient: $NA
Currency: US dollar (USD)
Currency code: USD
Exchange rates: the US dollar is used
Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September
Virgin Islands Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 62,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 2,000 (1992)
Telephone system: general assessment: NA
domestic: modern, uses fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay
international: submarine cable and satellite communications; satellite earth stations - NA
Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 11, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: 107,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 2 (1997)
Televisions: 68,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .vi
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 50 (2000)
Internet users: 12,000 (2000)
Virgin Islands Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 856 km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km (2000)
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: Charlotte Amalie, Christiansted, Cruz Bay, PortAlucroix
Merchant marine: none (2000 est.)
Airports: 2
note: international airports on Saint Thomas and Saint Croix (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2000 est.)
Virgin Islands Military
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US
Virgin Islands Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
======================================================================
@Wake Island
Wake Island Introduction
Background: The US annexed Wake Island in 1899 for a cable station. An important air and naval base was constructed in 1940-41. In December 1941 the island was captured by the Japanese and held until the end of World War II. In subsequent years, Wake was developed as a stopover and refueling site for military and commercial aircraft transiting the Pacific. Since 1974, the island's airstrip has been used by the US military and some commercial cargo planes, as well as for emergency landings. There are over 700 landings a year on the island.
Wake Island Geography
Location: Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to the Northern Mariana Islands
Geographic coordinates: 19 17 N, 166 36 E
Map references: Oceania
Area: total: 6.5 sq km
land: 6.5 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: about 11 times the size of The Mall inWashington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 19.3 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate: tropical
Terrain: atoll of three coral islands built up on an underwater volcano; central lagoon is former crater, islands are part of the rim
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 6 m
Natural resources: none
Land use: arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 100%
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998)
Natural hazards: occasional typhoons
Environment - current issues: NA
Geography - note: strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean; emergency landing location for transpacific flights
Wake Island People
Population: no indigenous inhabitants
note: US military personnel have left the island, but civilian personnel remain; as of December 2000, one US Army civilian and 123 civilian contractor personnel were present (January 2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA
Wake Island Government
Country name: conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Wake Island
Dependency status: unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington, DC, by the Department of the Interior; activities on the island are managed by the US Army under a US Air Force permit
Legal system: the laws of the US, where applicable, apply
Flag description: the flag of the US is used
Wake Island Economy
Economy - overview: Economic activity is limited to providing services to contractors located on the island. All food and manufactured goods must be imported.
Electricity - production: NA kWh
Wake Island Communications
Telephone system: general assessment: satellite communications; 1DSN circuit off the Overseas Telephone System (OTS)
domestic: NA
international: NA
Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM NA, shortwave NA
note: Armed Forces Radio/Television Service (AFRTS) radio service provided by satellite (1998)
Television broadcast stations: 0 (1997)
Wake Island Transportation
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: none; two offshore anchorages for large ships
Airports: 1 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2000 est.)
Transportation - note: formerly an important commercial aviation base, now used by US military, some commercial cargo planes, and for emergency landings
Wake Island Military
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US
Wake Island Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: claimed by Marshall Islands
======================================================================
@Wallis and Futuna
Wallis and Futuna Introduction
Background: Although discovered by the Dutch and the British in the 17th and 18th centuries, it was the French who declared a protectorate over the islands in 1842. In 1959, the inhabitants of the islands voted to become a French overseas territory.
Wallis and Futuna Geography
Location: Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Geographic coordinates: 13 18 S, 176 12 W
Map references: Oceania
Area: total: 274 sq km
land: 274 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Ile Uvea (Wallis Island), Ile Futuna (Futuna Island), Ile Alofi, and 20 islets
Area - comparative: 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 129 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate: tropical; hot, rainy season (November to April); cool, dry season (May to October); rains 2,500-3,000 mm per year (80% humidity); average temperature 26.6 degrees C
Terrain: volcanic origin; low hills
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Singavi 765 m
Natural resources: NEGL
Land use: arable land: 5%
permanent crops: 20%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 75% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: deforestation (only small portions of the original forests remain) largely as a result of the continued use of wood as the main fuel source; as a consequence of cutting down the forests, the mountainous terrain of Futuna is particularly prone to erosion; there are no permanent settlements on Alofi because of the lack of natural fresh water resources
Geography - note: both island groups have fringing reefs
Wallis and Futuna People
Population: 15,435 (July 2001 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: NA%
15-64 years: NA%
65 years and over: NA%
Population growth rate: NA%
Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population
Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population
Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1,000 population
Infant mortality rate: NA deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: NA years
male: NA years
female: NA years
Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Nationality: noun: Wallisian(s), Futunan(s), or Wallis and FutunaIslanders
adjective: Wallisian, Futunan, or Wallis and Futuna Islander
Ethnic groups: Polynesian
Religions: Roman Catholic 100%
Languages: French, Wallisian (indigenous Polynesian language)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 50%
male: 50%
female: 50% (1969 est.)
Wallis and Futuna Government
Country name: conventional long form: Territory of the Wallis andFutuna Islands
conventional short form: Wallis and Futuna
local long form: Territoire des Iles Wallis et Futuna
local short form: Wallis et Futuna
Dependency status: overseas territory of France
Government type: NA
Capital: Mata-Utu (on Ile Uvea)
Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are three kingdoms named Alo, Sigave, Wallis
Independence: none (overseas territory of France)
National holiday: Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system: French legal system
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC ofFrance (since 17 May 1995), represented by High AdministratorChristian DORS (since NA)
head of government: President of the Territorial Assembly Soane UHILA (since NA)
cabinet: Council of the Territory consists of three kings and three members appointed by the high administrator on the advice of the Territorial Assembly
note: there are three traditional kings with limited powers
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; high administrator appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of the Interior; the presidents of the Territorial Government and the Territorial Assembly are elected by the members of the assembly
Legislative branch: unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (20 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 16 March 1997 (next to be held NA March 2002)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPR 14, other 6
note: Wallis and Futuna elects one senator to the French Senate and one deputy to the French National Assembly; French Senate - elections last held 27 September 1998 (next to be held by NA September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats - RPR 1; French National Assembly - elections last held 25 May-1 June 1997 (next to be held by NA March 2002); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats - RPR 1
Judicial branch: none; justice generally administered under French law by the high administrator, but the three traditional kings administer customary law and there is a magistrate in Mata-Utu
Political parties and leaders: Lua Kae Tahi (Giscardians) [leaderNA]; Mouvement des Radicaux de Gauche or MRG [leader NA]; Rally forthe Republic or RPR [Clovis LOGOLOGOFOLAU]; Taumu'a Lelei [SoaneMuni UHILA]; Union Populaire Locale or UPL [Falakiko GATA]; UnionPour la Democratie Francaise or UDF [leader NA]
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: FZ, SPC
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory ofFrance)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory ofFrance)
Flag description: a large white modified Maltese cross centered on a red background; the flag of France outlined in white on two sides is in the upper hoist quadrant; the flag of France is used for official occasions
Wallis and Futuna Economy
Economy - overview: The economy is limited to traditional subsistence agriculture, with about 80% of the labor force earning its livelihood from agriculture (coconuts and vegetables), livestock (mostly pigs), and fishing. About 4% of the population is employed in government. Revenues come from French Government subsidies, licensing of fishing rights to Japan and South Korea, import taxes, and remittances from expatriate workers in New Caledonia.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $30 million (1997 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: NA%
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,000 (1997 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%
Labor force: NA
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture, livestock, and fishing 80%, government 4% (est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $20 million
expenditures: $17 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)
Industries: copra, handicrafts, fishing, lumber
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: NA kWh
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: NA%
hydro: NA%
nuclear: NA%
other: NA%
Electricity - consumption: NA kWh
Agriculture - products: breadfruit, yams, taro, bananas; pigs, goats
Exports: $250,000 (f.o.b., 1999)
Exports - commodities: copra, chemicals, construction materials
Exports - partners: Italy 40%, Croatia 15%, US 14%, Denmark 13%
Imports: $300,000 (f.o.b., 1999)
Imports - commodities: chemicals, machinery, passenger ships, consumer goods
Imports - partners: France 97%, Australia 2%, New Zealand 1%
Debt - external: $NA
Economic aid - recipient: assistance from France
Currency: Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)
Currency code: XPF
Exchange rates: Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 1127.11 (January 2001), 129.43 (2000), 111.93 (1999), 107.25 (1998), 106.11 (1997), 93.00 (1996); note - linked at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro
Fiscal year: calendar year
Wallis and Futuna Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 1,125 (1994)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 0 (1994)
Telephone system: general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: NA
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (2000)
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 2 (2000)
Televisions: NA
Internet country code: .wf
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)
Internet users: NA
Wallis and Futuna Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 120 km (Ile Uvea 100 km, Ile Futuna 20 km)
paved: 16 km (all on Ile Uvea)
unpaved: 104 km (Ile Uvea 84 km, Ile Futuna 20 km)
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: Leava, Mata-Utu
Merchant marine: total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 48,853GRT/43,128 DWT
ships by type: passenger 3, petroleum tanker 1
note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: France 1 (2000 est.)
Airports: 2 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2000 est.)
Wallis and Futuna Military
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France
Wallis and Futuna Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
======================================================================
@West Bank
West Bank Introduction
Background: The Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements (the DOP), signed in Washington on 13 September 1993, provided for a transitional period not exceeding five years of Palestinian interim self-government in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Under the DOP, Israel agreed to transfer certain powers and responsibilities to the Palestinian Authority, which includes the Palestinian Legislative Council elected in January 1996, as part of interim self-governing arrangements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. A transfer of powers and responsibilities for the Gaza Strip and Jericho took place pursuant to the Israel-PLO 4 May 1994 Cairo Agreement on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area and in additional areas of the West Bank pursuant to the Israel-PLO 28 September 1995 Interim Agreement, the Israel-PLO 15 January 1997 Protocol Concerning Redeployment in Hebron, the Israel-PLO 23 October 1998 Wye River Memorandum, and the 4 September 1999 Sharm el-Sheikh Agreement. The DOP provides that Israel will retain responsibility during the transitional period for external security and for internal security and public order of settlements and Israeli citizens. Permanent status is to be determined through direct negotiations, which resumed in September 1999 after a three-year hiatus. An intifadah broke out in September 2000; the resulting widespread violence in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Israel's military response, and instability in the Palestinian Authority are undermining progress toward a permanent settlement.
West Bank Geography
Location: Middle East, west of Jordan
Geographic coordinates: 32 00 N, 35 15 E
Map references: Middle East
Area: total: 5,860 sq km
land: 5,640 sq km
water: 220 sq km
note: includes West Bank, Latrun Salient, and the northwest quarter of the Dead Sea, but excludes Mt. Scopus; East Jerusalem and Jerusalem No Man's Land are also included only as a means of depicting the entire area occupied by Israel in 1967
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Delaware
Land boundaries: total: 404 km
border countries: Israel 307 km, Jordan 97 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: temperate, temperature and precipitation vary with altitude, warm to hot summers, cool to mild winters
Terrain: mostly rugged dissected upland, some vegetation in west, but barren in east
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
highest point: Tall Asur 1,022 m
Natural resources: arable land
Land use: arable land: 27%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 32%
forests and woodland: 1%
other: 40%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: droughts
Environment - current issues: adequacy of fresh water supply; sewage treatment
Geography - note: landlocked; highlands are main recharge area forIsrael's coastal aquifers; there are 231 Israeli settlements andcivilian land use sites in the West Bank and 29 in East Jerusalem(August 1999 est.)
West Bank People
Population: 2,090,713 (July 2001 est.)
note: in addition, there are some 176,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank and about 173,000 in East Jerusalem (August 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 44.61% (male 478,232; female 454,439)
15-64 years: 51.8% (male 552,661; female 530,230)
65 years and over: 3.59% (male 32,629; female 42,522) (2001 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.48% (2001 est.)
Birth rate: 35.83 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Death rate: 4.37 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Net migration rate: 3.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 21.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.28 years
male: 70.58 years
female: 74.07 years (2001 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.9 children born/woman (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Nationality: noun: NA
adjective: NA
Ethnic groups: Palestinian Arab and other 83%, Jewish 17%
Religions: Muslim 75% (predominantly Sunni), Jewish 17%, Christian and other 8%
Languages: Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers and manyPalestinians), English (widely understood)
Literacy: definition: NA
total population: NA%
male: NA%
female: NA%
West Bank Government
Country name: conventional long form: none
conventional short form: West Bank
West Bank Economy
Economy - overview: Economic output in the West Bank is governed by the Paris Economic Protocol of April 1994 between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Real per capita GDP for the West Bank and Gaza Strip (WBGS) declined by 36.1% between 1992 and 1996 owing to the combined effect of falling aggregate incomes and rapid population growth. The downturn in economic activity was largely the result of Israeli closure policies - the imposition of border closures in response to security incidents in Israel - which disrupted established labor and commodity market relationships between Israel and the WBGS. The most serious social effect of this downturn was rising unemployment; unemployment in the WBGS during the 1980s was generally under 5%; by 1995 it had risen to over 20%. Since 1997 Israel's use of comprehensive closures has decreased and, in 1998, Israel implemented new policies to reduce the impact of closures and other security procedures on the movement of Palestinian goods and labor. These changes fueled an almost three-year long economic recovery in the West Bank and Gaza Strip; real GDP grew by 5% in 1998 and 6% in 1999. Recovery was upended in the last quarter of 2000 with the outbreak of Palestinian violence, which triggered tight Israeli closures of Palestinian self-rule areas and a severe disruption of trade and labor movements.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $3.1 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: -7.5% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,500 (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 9%
industry: 28%
services: 63%
note: includes Gaza Strip (1999 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (includes Gaza Strip) (2000 est.)
Labor force: NA
Labor force - by occupation: services 66%, industry 21%, agriculture 13% (1996)
Unemployment rate: 40% (includes Gaza Strip) (yearend 2000)
Budget: revenues: $1.6 billion
expenditures: $1.73 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
note: includes Gaza Strip (1999 est.)
Industries: generally small family businesses that produce cement, textiles, soap, olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs; the Israelis have established some small-scale, modern industries in the settlements and industrial centers
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: NA kWh; note - most electricity imported from Israel; East Jerusalem Electric Company buys and distributes electricity to Palestinians in East Jerusalem and its concession in the West Bank; the Israel Electric Company directly supplies electricity to most Jewish residents and military facilities; at the same time, some Palestinian municipalities, such as Nablus and Janin, generate their own electricity from small power plants
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: NA%
hydro: NA%
nuclear: NA%
other: NA%
Electricity - consumption: NA kWh
Electricity - imports: NA kWh
Agriculture - products: olives, citrus, vegetables; beef, dairy products
Exports: $682 million (includes Gaza Strip) (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Exports - commodities: olives, fruit, vegetables, limestone
Exports - partners: Israel, Jordan, Gaza Strip
Imports: $2.5 billion (includes Gaza Strip) (c.i.f., 1998 est.)
Imports - commodities: food, consumer goods, construction materials
Imports - partners: Israel, Jordan, Gaza Strip
Debt - external: $108 million (includes Gaza Strip) (1997 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $121 million disbursed (includes GazaStrip) (2000)
Currency: new Israeli shekel (ILS); Jordanian dinar (JOD)
Currency code: ILS; JOD
Exchange rates: new Israeli shekels per US dollar - 4.0810 (December 2000), 4.0773 (2000), 4.1397 (1999), 3.8001 (1998), 3.4494 (1997), 3.1917 (1996); Jordanian dinars per US dollar - fixed rate of 0.7090 (from 1996)
Fiscal year: calendar year (since 1 January 1992)
West Bank Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 95,729 (total for West Bank and GazaStrip) (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: NA
Telephone system: general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: NA
note: Israeli company BEZEK and the Palestinian company PALTEL are responsible for communication services in the West Bank
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0
note: the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation broadcasts from an AM station in Ramallah on 675 kHz; numerous local, private stations are reported to be in operation (2000)
Radios: NA; note - most Palestinian households have radios (1999)
Television broadcast stations: NA
Televisions: NA; note - many Palestinian households have televisions (1999)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 8 (1999)
Internet users: 23,520 (includes Gaza Strip) (1999)
West Bank Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 4,500 km
paved: 2,700 km
unpaved: 1,800 km (1997 est.)
note: Israelis have developed many highways to service Jewish settlements
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: none
Airports: 3 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.)
West Bank Military
Military branches: NA
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%
West Bank Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: West Bank and Gaza Strip areIsraeli-occupied with current status subject to theIsraeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to bedetermined through further negotiation
======================================================================
@Western Sahara
Western Sahara Introduction
Background: Morocco virtually annexed the northern two-thirds of Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara) in 1976, and the rest of the territory in 1979, following Mauritania's withdrawal. A guerrilla war with the Polisario Front contesting Rabat's sovereignty ended in a 1991 cease-fire; a referendum on final status has been repeatedly postponed and is not expected to occur until at least 2002.
Western Sahara Geography
Location: Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Mauritania and Morocco
Geographic coordinates: 24 30 N, 13 00 W
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 266,000 sq km
land: 266,000 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: about the size of Colorado
Land boundaries: total: 2,046 km
border countries: Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km
Coastline: 1,110 km
Maritime claims: contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue
Climate: hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew
Terrain: mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Sebjet Tah -55 m
highest point: unnamed location 463 m
Natural resources: phosphates, iron ore
Land use: arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 19%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 81%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely restricting visibility
Environment - current issues: sparse water and lack of arable land
Environment - international agreements: party to: none of the selected agreements
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Western Sahara People
Population: 250,559 (July 2001 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: NA%
15-64 years: NA%
65 years and over: NA%
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Nationality: noun: Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s)
adjective: Sahrawian, Sahraouian
Ethnic groups: Arab, Berber
Religions: Muslim
Languages: Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic
Literacy: definition: NA
total population: NA%
male: NA%
female: NA%
Western Sahara Government
Country name: conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Western Sahara
former: Spanish Sahara
Government type: legal status of territory and question of sovereignty unresolved; territory contested by Morocco and Polisario Front (Popular Front for the Liberation of the Saguia el Hamra and Rio de Oro), which in February 1976 formally proclaimed a government-in-exile of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR); territory partitioned between Morocco and Mauritania in April 1976, with Morocco acquiring northern two-thirds; Mauritania, under pressure from Polisario guerrillas, abandoned all claims to its portion in August 1979; Morocco moved to occupy that sector shortly thereafter and has since asserted administrative control; the Polisario's government-in-exile was seated as an OAU member in 1984; guerrilla activities continued sporadically, until a UN-monitored cease-fire was implemented 6 September 1991
Capital: none
Administrative divisions: none (under de facto control of Morocco)
Suffrage: none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign has yet to be completed
Executive branch: none
Political pressure groups and leaders: none
International organization participation: none
Diplomatic representation in the US: none
Diplomatic representation from the US: none
Western Sahara Economy
Economy - overview: Western Sahara, a territory poor in natural resources and lacking sufficient rainfall, depends on pastoral nomadism, fishing, and phosphate mining as the principal sources of income for the population. Most of the food for the urban population must be imported. All trade and other economic activities are controlled by the Moroccan Government. Incomes and standards of living are substantially below the Moroccan level.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $NA
GDP - real growth rate: NA%
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $NA
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: 40%-45% (1996 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%
Labor force: 12,000
Labor force - by occupation: animal husbandry and subsistence farming 50%
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Industries: phosphate mining, handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 90 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1999)
Electricity - consumption: 83.7 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1999)
Agriculture - products: fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases); camels, sheep, goats (kept by nomads)
Exports: $NA
Exports - commodities: phosphates 62%
Exports - partners: Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts
Imports: $NA
Imports - commodities: fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs
Imports - partners: Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts
Debt - external: $NA
Economic aid - recipient: $NA
Currency: Moroccan dirham (MAD)
Currency code: MAD
Exchange rates: Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 10.590 (January 2001), 10.626 (2000), 9.804 (1999), 9.604 (1998), 9.527 (1997), 8.716 (1996)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Western Sahara Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: about 2,000 (1999 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 0 (1999)
Telephone system: general assessment: sparse and limited system
domestic: NA
international: tied into Morocco's system by microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and satellite; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) linked to Rabat, Morocco
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: 56,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: NA
Televisions: 6,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .eh
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)
Internet users: NA
Western Sahara Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 6,200 km
paved: 1,350 km
unpaved: 4,850 km (1991 est.)
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: Ad Dakhla, Cabo Bojador, Laayoune (El Aaiun)
Airports: 11 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 3 (2000 est.)
Heliports: 1 (2000 est.)
Western Sahara Military
Military branches: NA
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%
Western Sahara Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: claimed and administered by Morocco, but sovereignty is unresolved and the UN is attempting to hold a referendum on the issue; the UN-administered cease-fire has been in effect since September 1991
======================================================================
@World
World Introduction Top of Page
Background: Globally, the 20th century was marked by: (a) two devastating world wars; (b) the Great Depression of the 1930s; (c) the end of vast colonial empires; (d) rapid advances in science and technology, from the first airplane flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina (US) to the landing on the moon; (e) the Cold War between the Western alliance and the Warsaw Pact nations; (f) a sharp rise in living standards in North America, Europe, and Japan; (g) increased concerns about the environment, including loss of forests, shortages of energy and water, the drop in biological diversity, and air pollution; (h) the onset of the AIDS epidemic; and (i) the ultimate emergence of the US as the only world superpower. The planet's population continues to explode: from 1 billion in 1820, to 2 billion in 1930, 3 billion in 1960, 4 billion in 1974, 5 billion in 1988, and 6 billion in 2000. For the 21st century, the continued exponential growth in science and technology raises both hopes (e.g., advances in medicine) and fears (e.g., development of even more lethal weapons of war).
World Geography
Map references: World, Time Zones
Area: total: 510.072 million sq km
land: 148.94 million sq km
water: 361.132 million sq km
note: 70.8% of the world's surface is water, 29.2% is land
Area - comparative: land area about 16 times the size of the US
Land boundaries: the land boundaries in the world total 251,480.24 km (not counting shared boundaries twice)
Coastline: 356,000 km