Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister and cabinet)
Political parties and leaders: Fianna Fail [Bertie AHERN]; Fine Gael[Michael NOONAN]; Green Party [Trevor SARGENT]; Labor Party [RuairiQUINN]; Progressive Democrats [Mary HARNEY]; Sinn Fein [Gerry ADAMS];Socialist Party [Joe HIGGINS]; The Workers' Party [Tom FRENCH]
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: Australia Group, BIS, CCC,CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS(observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UN Security Council (temporary),UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE,UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNTAET, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (observer), WHO, WIPO,WMO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Sean O'HUIGINN chancery: 2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, New York, and San Francisco FAX: [1] (202) 232-5993 telephone: [1] (202) 462-3939
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: AmbassadorRichard J. EGAN embassy: 42 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4 mailingaddress: use embassy street address telephone: [353] (1) 668-7122/668-8777FAX: [353] (1) 668-9946
Flag description: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and orange; similar to the flag of Cote d'Ivoire, which is shorter and has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side), white, and green; also similar to the flag of Italy, which is shorter and has colors of green (hoist side), white, and red
Economy Ireland
Economy - overview: Ireland is a small, modern, trade-dependent economy with growth averaging a robust 9% in 1995-2001. Agriculture, once the most important sector, is now dwarfed by industry, which accounts for 38% of GDP, about 80% of exports, and employs 28% of the labor force. Although exports remain the primary engine for Ireland's robust growth, the economy is also benefiting from a rise in consumer spending and recovery in both construction and business investment. Over the past decade, the Irish government has implemented a series of national economic programs designed to curb inflation, reduce government spending, increase labor force skills, and promote foreign investment. Ireland joined in launching the euro currency system in January 1999 along with 10 other EU nations. The economy felt the impact of the global economic slowdown in 2001, particularly in the high-tech export sector; the growth rate was cut by nearly half. Growth in 2002 is expected to fall in the 3%-5% range.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $104.7 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 5.6% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $27,300 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4% industry: 38% services: 58% (2000)
Population below poverty line: 10% (1997 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2% highest 10%: 27.3% (1997)
Distribution of family income - Gini index: 35.9 (1987)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.9% (2001)
Labor force: 1.8 million (2001)
Labor force - by occupation: services 64%, industry 28%, agriculture 8% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate: 4.3% (2001)
Budget: revenues: $34 billion expenditures: $27 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001)
Industries: food products, brewing, textiles, clothing; chemicals, pharmaceuticals, machinery, transportation equipment, glass and crystal; software
Industrial production growth rate: 6.5% (2001 est.)
Electricity - production: 22.285 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 94.86% hydro: 3.77% other: 1.37% (2000) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 20.823 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 71 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 169 million kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: turnips, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat; beef, dairy products
Exports: $75.9 billion (f.o.b., 2001)
Exports - commodities: machinery and equipment, computers, chemicals, pharmaceuticals; live animals, animal products
Exports - partners: EU 63% (UK 20%, Germany 11%, France 8%, Netherlands 6%, Belgium 5%), US 20% (2000)
Imports: $49.5 billion (f.o.b., 2001)
Imports - commodities: data processing equipment, other machinery and equipment, chemicals; petroleum and petroleum products, textiles, clothing
Imports - partners: EU 61% (UK 33%, Germany 6%, France 5%, Netherlands 4%), US 16%, Japan 4% (2000)
Debt - external: $11 billion (1998)
Economic aid - donor: ODA, $283 million (2001)
Currency: euro (EUR); Irish pound (IEP) note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries
Currency code: EUR; IEP
Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); Irish pounds per US dollar - 0.7014 (1998), 0.6588 (1997)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Ireland
Telephones - main lines in use: 1.59 million (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 2 million (2001)
Telephone system: general assessment: modern digital system using cable and microwave radio relay domestic: microwave radio relay international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 9, FM 106, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: 2.55 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 4 (many low-power repeaters) (2001)
Televisions: 1.82 million (2001)
Internet country code: .ie
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 22 (2000)
Internet users: 1.25 million (2001)
Transportation Ireland
Railways: total: 3,314 km broad gauge: 1,949 km 1.600-m gauge (38 km electrified; 485 km double-tracked) narrow gauge: 1,365 km 0.914-m gauge (operated by the Irish Peat Board to transport peat to power stations and briqueting plants) (2001)
Highways: total: 92,500 km paved: 87,043 km (including 115 km of expressways) unpaved: 5,457 km (1999 est.)
Waterways: 700 km (limited facilities for commercial traffic) (1998)
Pipelines: natural gas 7,592 km (transmission 1,158 km; distribution 6,434 km) (2000)
Ports and harbors: Arklow, Cork, Drogheda, Dublin, Foynes, Galway,Limerick, New Ross, Waterford
Merchant marine: total: 26 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 110,741 GRT/127,342 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Germany 2 (2002 est.) ships by type: bulk 4, cargo 20, container 1, short-sea passenger 1
Airports: 41 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 17 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 7 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 24 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 22 (2001)
Military Ireland
Military branches: Army (including Naval Service and Air Corps),National Police (Garda Siochana)
Military manpower - military age: 17 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,013,739 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 816,744 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 32,287 (2002 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $700 million (FY00/01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.9% (FY00/01)
Transnational Issues Ireland
Disputes - international: disputes with Iceland, Denmark, and the UK over the Faroe Islands continental shelf boundary outside 200 NM
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for and consumer of hashish fromNorth Africa to the UK and Netherlands and of European-produced syntheticdrugs; minor transshipment point for heroin and cocaine destined forWestern Europe
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
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Equatorial Guinea
Introduction
Equatorial Guinea
Background: Composed of a mainland portion and five inhabited islands, Equatorial Guinea, which gained independence in 1968 after 190 years of Spanish rule, has been ruled by President OBIANG NGUEM MBASOGO since he seized power in a coup in 1979. Although nominally a constitutional democracy since 1991, the 1996 presidential and 1999 legislative elections were widely seen as being flawed.
Geography Equatorial Guinea
Location: Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Cameroon and Gabon
Geographic coordinates: 2 00 N, 10 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 28,051 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 28,051 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries: total: 539 km border countries: Cameroon 189 km,Gabon 350 km
Coastline: 296 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate: tropical; always hot, humid
Terrain: coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are volcanic
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:Pico Basile 3,008 m
Natural resources: oil, petroleum, timber, small unexploited deposits of gold, manganese, uranium
Land use: arable land: 5% permanent crops: 3% other: 92% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: violent windstorms, flash floods
Environment - current issues: tap water is not potable; deforestation
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, ClimateChange, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, EndangeredSpecies, Law of the Sea, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: noneof the selected agreements
Geography - note: insular and continental regions rather widely separated
People Equatorial Guinea
Population: 498,144 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 42.4% (male 106,061; female 105,071) 15-64 years: 53.8% (male 128,489; female 139,732) 65 years and over: 3.8% (male 8,385; female 10,406) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.45% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 37.33 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 12.83 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: NEGL migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 90.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 56.5 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 4.81 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.51% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 1,100 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 120 (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Equatorial Guinean(s) or Equatoguinean(s) adjective:Equatorial Guinean or Equatoguinean
Ethnic groups: Bioko (primarily Bubi, some Fernandinos), Rio Muni (primarily Fang), Europeans less than 1,000, mostly Spanish
Religions: nominally Christian and predominantly Roman Catholic, pagan practices
Languages: Spanish (official), French (official), pidgin English, Fang,Bubi, Ibo
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 78.5% male: 89.6% female: 68.1% (1995 est.)
Government Equatorial Guinea
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Equatorial Guineaconventional short form: Equatorial Guinea local short form: GuineaEcuatorial local long form: Republica de Guinea Ecuatorial former:Spanish Guinea
Government type: republic
Capital: Malabo
Administrative divisions: 7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia);Annobon, Bioko Norte, Bioko Sur, Centro Sur, Kie-Ntem, Litoral, Wele-Nzas
Independence: 12 October 1968 (from Spain)
National holiday: Independence Day, 12 October (1968)
Constitution: approved by national referendum 17 November 1991; amendedJanuary 1995
Legal system: partly based on Spanish civil law and tribal custom
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal adult
Executive branch: chief of state: President Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO (since 3 August 1979 when he seized power in a military coup) elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held 25 February 1996 (next to be held NA February 2003); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president election results: President Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO reelected with 98% of the popular vote in elections marred by widespread fraud cabinet: Prime Minister Candido Muatetema RIVAS (since 26 February 2001); First Deputy Prime Minister Miguel OYONO NDONG (since NA January 1998); Deputy Prime Minister Demetrio Elo NDONG NZE FUMU (since NA January 1998)
Legislative branch: unicameral House of People's Representatives or Camara de Representantes del Pueblo (80 seats; members directly elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 7 March 1999 (next to be held NA March 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - PDGE 80%, UP 6%, CPDS 5%; seats by party - PDGE 75, UP 4 and CPDS 1 note: opposition parties have refused to take up their seats in the House to protest widespread irregularities in the 1999 legislative elections
Judicial branch: Supreme Tribunal
Political parties and leaders: Convergence Party for Social Democracy or CPDS [Placido MIKO Abogo]; Democratic Party for Equatorial Guinea or PDGE (ruling party) [Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO]; Party for Progress of Equatorial Guinea or PPGE [Severo MOTO]; Popular Action of Equatorial Guinea or APGE [Miguel Esono EMAN]; Popular Union or UP [Andres Moises Bda ADA]; Progressive Democratic Alliance or ADP [Victorino Bolekia BONAY]; Union of Independent Democrats of UDI [Daniel OYONO]
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC,CEEAC, CEMAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), OAU,OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Teodoro BIYOGO NSUE chancery: 2020 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 FAX: [1] (202) 528-5252 telephone: [1] (202) 518-5700
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: AmbassadorGeorge McDade STAPLES; note - the US does not have an embassy inEquatorial Guinea (embassy closed September 1995); the US ambassador toCameroon is accredited to Equatorial Guinea; the US State Department isconsidering opening a Consulate Agency in Malabo
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side and the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms has six yellow six-pointed stars (representing the mainland and five offshore islands) above a gray shield bearing a silk-cotton tree and below which is a scroll with the motto UNIDAD, PAZ, JUSTICIA (Unity, Peace, Justice)
Economy Equatorial Guinea
Economy - overview: The discovery and exploitation of large oil reserves have contributed to dramatic economic growth in recent years. Forestry, farming, and fishing are also major components of GDP. Subsistence farming predominates. Although pre-independence Equatorial Guinea counted on cocoa production for hard currency earnings, the neglect of the rural economy under successive regimes has diminished potential for agriculture-led growth (the government has stated its intention to reinvest some oil revenue into agriculture). A number of aid programs sponsored by the World Bank and the IMF have been cut off since 1993 because of corruption and mismanagement. No longer eligible for concessional financing because of large oil revenues, the government has been unsuccessfully trying to agree on a "shadow" fiscal management program with the World Bank and IMF. Businesses, for the most part, are owned by government officials and their family members. Undeveloped natural resources include titanium, iron ore, manganese, uranium, and alluvial gold. Boosts in production and higher world oil prices stimulated growth in 2002, with oil accounting for 90% of increased exports.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.04 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 6% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,100 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 20% industry: 60% services: 20% (1999 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6% (2001 est.)
Labor force: NA
Unemployment rate: 30% (1998 est.)
Budget: revenues: $200 million expenditures: $158 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
Industries: petroleum, fishing, sawmilling, natural gas
Industrial production growth rate: 7.4% (1994 est.)
Electricity - production: 22 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 90.91% hydro: 9.09% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 20.46 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: coffee, cocoa, rice, yams, cassava (tapioca), bananas, palm oil nuts; livestock; timber
Exports: $2.1 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Exports - commodities: petroleum, timber, cocoa
Exports - partners: China 24%, Japan 7%, US 7%, South Korea 5% (1999)
Imports: $736 million (f.o.b., 2001)
Imports - commodities: petroleum sector equipment, manufactured goods and equipment
Imports - partners: US 60%, France 12%, Spain 8%, Italy 6% (1999)
Debt - external: $225 million (2000 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $33.8 million (1995)
Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States
Currency code: XAF
Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 742.79 (January 2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997); note - from 1 January 1999, the XAF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XAF per euro
Fiscal year: 1 January - 31 December
Communications Equatorial Guinea
Telephones - main lines in use: 4,000 (1996)
Telephones - mobile cellular: NA
Telephone system: general assessment: poor system with adequate government services domestic: NA international: international communications from Bata and Malabo to African and European countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 5 (2002)
Radios: 180,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (2002)
Televisions: 4,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .gq
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)
Internet users: 600 (2000)
Transportation Equatorial Guinea
Railways: total: 0 km
Highways: total: 2,880 km paved: 0 km unpaved: 2,880 km (1996)
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: Bata, Luba, Malabo
Merchant marine: total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 14,413 GRT/16,251 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 3, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1 (2002 est.)
Airports: 3 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2001)
Military Equatorial Guinea
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Rapid Intervention Force,National Police
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 112,664 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 57,194 (2002 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $27.5 million (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.5% (FY01)
Transnational Issues Equatorial Guinea
Disputes - international: tripartite maritime boundary and economic zone dispute with Cameroon and Nigeria is currently before the ICJ; maritime boundary dispute with Gabon because of disputed sovereignty over islands in Corisco Bay
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
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Estonia
Introduction
Estonia
Background: After centuries of Danish, Swedish, German, and Russian rule, Estonia attained independence in 1918. Forcibly incorporated into the USSR in 1940, it regained its freedom in 1991 with the collapse of the Soviet Union. Since the last Russian troops left in 1994, Estonia has been free to promote economic and political ties with Western Europe.
Geography Estonia
Location: Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland, between Latvia and Russia
Geographic coordinates: 59 00 N, 26 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area: includes 1,520 islands in the Baltic Sea water: Area - comparative: slightly smaller than New Hampshire and Vermont combined
Land boundaries: total: 633 km border countries: Latvia 339 km, Russia 294 km
Coastline: 3,794 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: limits fixed in coordination with neighboring states territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate: maritime, wet, moderate winters, cool summers
Terrain: marshy, lowlands; flat in the north, hilly in the south
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m highest point: SuurMunamagi 318 m
Natural resources: oil shale, peat, phosphorite, clay, limestone, sand, dolomite, arable land, sea mud
Land use: arable land: 27% permanent crops: 0% other: 73% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 40 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: sometimes flooding occurs in the spring
Environment - current issues: air polluted with sulfur dioxide from oil-shale burning power plants in northeast; however, the amount of pollutants emitted to the air have fallen steadily, the emissions of 2000 were 4.6 times smaller than in 1980; the amount of unpurified wastewater discharged to water bodies fell 20 times in 2000 compared to 1980; in connection with the start-up of new water purification plants, the pollution load of wastewater decreased; Estonia has more than 1,400 natural and manmade lakes, the smaller of which in agricultural areas need to be monitored; coastal seawater is polluted in certain locations
Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution,Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, AirPollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ship Pollution,Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: ClimateChange-Kyoto Protocol
Geography - note: the mainland terrain is flat, boggy, and partly wooded; offshore lie more than 1,500 islands
People Estonia
Population: 1,415,681 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 16.4% (male 118,603; female 114,102) 15-64 years: 68.5% (male 466,882; female 502,343) 65 years and over: 15.1% (male 70,085; female 143,666) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: -0.52% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 8.96 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 13.44 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.49 male(s)/female total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 12.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 76.31 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.24 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.04% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: less than 500 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Estonian(s) adjective: Estonian
Ethnic groups: Estonian 65.3%, Russian 28.1%, Ukrainian 2.5%, Belarusian 1.5%, Finn 1%, other 1.6% (1998)
Religions: Evangelical Lutheran, Russian Orthodox, Estonian Orthodox,Baptist, Methodist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal,Word of Life, Jewish
Languages: Estonian (official), Russian, Ukrainian, Finnish, other
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (1998 est.)
Government Estonia
Country name: Republic of Estonia conventional short form: local long form: Eesti Vabariik
Government type: parliamentary republic
Capital: Tallinn
Administrative divisions: 15 counties (maakonnad, singular - maakond):Harjumaa (Tallinn), Hiiumaa (Kardla), Ida-Virumaa (Johvi), Jarvamaa(Paide), Jogevamaa (Jogeva), Laanemaa (Haapsalu), Laane-Virumaa(Rakvere), Parnumaa (Parnu), Polvamaa (Polva), Raplamaa (Rapla),Saaremaa (Kuressaare), Tartumaa (Tartu), Valgamaa (Valga), Viljandimaa(Viljandi), Vorumaa (Voru) note: counties have the administrative centername following in parentheses
Independence: regained on 20 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday: Independence Day, 24 February (1918); note - 24 February 1918 was the date of independence from Soviet Russia, 20 August 1991 was the date of reindependence from the Soviet Union
Constitution: adopted 28 June 1992
Legal system: based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal for all Estonian citizens
Executive branch: chief of state: President Arnold RUUTEL (since 8 October 2001) head of government: Prime Minister Siim KALLAS (since 28 January 2002) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister, approved by Parliament election results: Arnold RUUTEL elected president on 21 September 2001 by a 367-member electoral assembly that convened following Parliament's failure in August to elect then-President MERI's successor; on the second ballot of voting, RUUTEL received 188 votes to Parliament Speaker Toomas SAVI's 155; the remaining 24 ballots were either left blank or invalid elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term; if he or she does not secure two-thirds of the votes after three rounds of balloting in the Parliament, then an electoral assembly (made up of Parliament plus members of local governments) elects the president, choosing between the two candidates with the largest percentage of votes; election last held 21 September 2001 (next to be held in the fall of 2006); prime minister nominated by the president and approved by Parliament
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Riigikogu (101 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Center Party 28, Union of Pro Patria (Fatherland League) 18, Reform Party 18, Moderates 17, Country People's Party (Agrarians) 7, Coalition Party 7, UPPE 6 elections: last held 7 March 1999 (next to be held NA March 2003)
Judicial branch: National Court (chairman appointed by Parliament for life)
Political parties and leaders: Coalition Party [Mart SIIMANN, chairman];Estonian Center Party or K [Edgar SAVISAAR, chairman]; Estonian ChristianPeople's Party [Aldo VINKEL]; Estonian Democratic Party [Jean LAAS];Estonian Independence Party [Vello LEITO]; Estonian People's Union[Villu REILJAN]; note - includes Estonian Country People's Party andtwo small parties; Estonian Reform Party [Siim KALLAS]; Estonian SocialDemocratic Labor Party [Tiit TOOMSALU]; Estonian United People's Party orUPPE [Viktor ANDREJEV]; Estonian Unity Party [Igor PISSAREV]; Moderates[Andres TARAND]; New Estonia Party [Ulo NUGIS]; Pro Patria Union [MartLAAR, chairman]; Republican Party [Kristian-Olari LEPING]; Res Publica[Rein TAAGEPERA]; Russian Baltic Party [Sergei IVANOV]; Russian Partyin Estonia [Nikolai MASPANOV] note: Country People's Party, formerlyunder Estonian Rural People's Union, has probably dissolved
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, EAPC,EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS,IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent),ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNTSO, UPU,WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Sven JURGENSON FAX: [1] (202) 588-0108 [1] (202) 588-0101 chancery: Diplomatic representation from the US: Ambassador Joseph M. DeTHOMAS (designate) embassy: telephone: [372] 668-8100 FAX: [372] 668-8134
Flag description: pre-1940 flag restored by Supreme Soviet in May 1990 - three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), black, and white
Economy Estonia
Economy - overview: Estonia, as a new member of the World Trade Organization, is steadily moving toward a modern market economy with increasing ties to the West, including the pegging of its currency to the euro. A major goal is accession to the EU, possibly by 2004. The state of the economy is greatly influenced by developments in Finland and Sweden, two major trading partners.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $14.3 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 4.7% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $10,000 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6% industry: 28% services: 66% (2000)
Population below poverty line: 25% of households (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3% highest 10%: 29.8% (1998)
Distribution of family income - Gini index: 37 (1999)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.8% (2001)
Labor force: 608,600 (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: industry 20%, agriculture 11%, services 69% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate: 12.4% (2001)
Budget: revenues: $1.89 billion expenditures: $1.89 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2002 est.)
Industries: engineering, electronics, wood and wood products, textile; services; transit, information technology, telecommunications
Industrial production growth rate: 5% (2000 est.)
Electricity - production: 7.056 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.77% hydro: 0.06% other: 0.17% (2000) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 5.362 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 1.2 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: potatoes, vegetables; livestock and dairy products; fish
Exports: $3.4 billion (f.o.b., 2001)
Exports - commodities: machinery and equipment 24%, wood products 20%, textiles 17%, food products 9%, metals, chemical products (1999)
Exports - partners: Finland 27.6%, Sweden 11%, Russia 8%, Latvia 7%,Germany 6%, US 2.0% (1999) (2001)
Imports: $4.1 billion (f.o.b., 2001)
Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment 38.5%, chemical products 11.2%, textiles 9.5%, foodstuffs 8.6%, metals 8.1% (2000)
Imports - partners: Finland 27%, Russia 10%, Germany 10%, Sweden 8% (2001)
Debt - external: $0 (2001 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $108 million (2000)
Currency: Estonian kroon (EEK)
Currency code: EEK
Exchange rates: krooni per US dollar - 17.518 (January 2002), 17.538 (2001), 16.969 (2000), 14.678 (1999), 14.075 (1998), 13.882 (1997); note - the kroon is tied to the euro at a fixed rate of 15.65 krooni per euro
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Estonia
Telephones - main lines in use: 501,691 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 711,000 (yearend 2001)
Telephone system: general assessment: foreign investment in the form of joint business ventures greatly improved telephone service; substantial fiber-optic cable systems carry telephone, TV, and radio traffic in the digital mode; internet services are available throughout most of the country - only about 11,000 subscriber requests were unfilled by September 2000 domestic: a wide range of high quality voice, data, and internet services is available throughout the country international: fiber-optic cables to Finland, Sweden, Latvia, and Russia provide worldwide packet-switched service; two international switches are located in Tallinn (2001)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 98, shortwave 0 (2001)
Radios: 1.01 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 3 (2001)
Televisions: 605,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .ee
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 38 (2001)
Internet users: 540,000 (2001)
Transportation Estonia
Railways: total: 968 km common carrier lines only; does not include dedicated industrial lines broad gauge: 968 km 1.520-m gauge (132 km electrified) (2001)
Highways: total: 30,300 km paved: 29,200 km (including 75 km of expressways); note - these roads are said to be hard-surfaced, and include, in addition to conventionally paved roads, some that are surfaced with gravel or other coarse aggregate, making them trafficable in all weather unpaved: Waterways: 320 km (perennially navigable) (2002)
Pipelines: natural gas 2,000 km (2002)
Ports and harbors: Haapsalu, Kunda, Muuga, Paldiski, Parnu, Tallinn
Merchant marine: 37 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 245,958 GRT/193,042 DWT note: Liberia 1 (2002 est.) ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 13, container 5, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 9, short-sea passenger 6
Airports: 32 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 under 914 m: 1 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 24 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 6 (2001)
Military Estonia
Military branches: Estonia Defense Forces (including Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force), Republic Security Forces (internal and border troops), Volunteer Defense League (Kaitseliit), Maritime Border Guard, Coast Guard note: Border Guards and Ministry of Internal Affairs become part of the Estonian Defense Forces in wartime; the Coast Guard is subordinate to the Ministry of Defense in peacetime and the Estonian Navy in wartime
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 359,902 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 282,716 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 11,164 (2002 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $155 million (2002 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2% (2002 est.)
Transnational Issues Estonia
Disputes - international: Russia continues to reject signing and ratifying the joint December 1996 technical border agreement with Estonia
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for opiates and cannabis from Southwest Asia and the Caucasus via Russia, cocaine from Latin America to Western Europe and Scandinavia, and synthetic drugs from Western Europe to Scandinavia; increasing domestic drug abuse problem; possible precursor manufacturing and/or trafficking
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
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Eritrea
Introduction
Eritrea
Background: Eritrea was awarded to Ethiopia in 1952 as part of a federation. Ethiopia's annexation of Eritrea as a province 10 years later sparked a 30-year struggle for independence that ended in 1991 with Eritrean rebels defeating governmental forces; independence was overwhelmingly approved in a 1993 referendum. A two and a half year border war with Ethiopia that erupted in 1998 ended under UN auspices on 12 December 2000. Eritrea currently hosts a UN peacekeeping operation that will monitor the border region until an international commission determines and demarcates the boundary between the two countries.
Geography Eritrea
Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Djibouti and Sudan
Geographic coordinates: 15 00 N, 39 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 121,320 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 121,320 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly larger than Pennsylvania
Land boundaries: total: 1,626 km border countries: Djibouti 109 km,Ethiopia 912 km, Sudan 605 km
Coastline: 2,234 km total; mainland on Red Sea 1,151 km, islands inRed Sea 1,083 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate: hot, dry desert strip along Red Sea coast; cooler and wetter in the central highlands (up to 61 cm of rainfall annually); semiarid in western hills and lowlands; rainfall heaviest during June-September except in coastal desert
Terrain: dominated by extension of Ethiopian north-south trending highlands, descending on the east to a coastal desert plain, on the northwest to hilly terrain and on the southwest to flat-to-rolling plains
Elevation extremes: lowest point: near Kulul within the Denakil depression -75 m highest point: Soira 3,018 m
Natural resources: gold, potash, zinc, copper, salt, possibly oil and natural gas, fish
Land use: arable land: 4% permanent crops: 0% other: 96% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 220 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: frequent droughts; locust swarms
Environment - current issues: deforestation; desertification; soil erosion; overgrazing; loss of infrastructure from civil warfare
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: strategic geopolitical position along world's busiest shipping lanes; Eritrea retained the entire coastline of Ethiopia along the Red Sea upon de jure independence from Ethiopia on 24 May 1993
People Eritrea
Population: 4,465,651 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 42.9% (male 958,564; female 955,625) 15-64 years: 53.9% (male 1,192,454; female 1,213,313) 65 years and over: 3.2% (male 73,017; female 72,678) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.8% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 42.25 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 11.82 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: 7.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population note: UNHCR began repatriating about 150,000 Eritrean refugees from Sudan in 2001 following the restoration of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 2000 (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 73.62 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 59.13 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 5.8 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 2.87% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Nationality: noun: Eritrean(s) adjective: Eritrean
Ethnic groups: ethnic Tigrinya 50%, Tigre and Kunama 40%, Afar 4%, Saho(Red Sea coast dwellers) 3%, other 3%
Religions: Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant
Languages: Afar, Amharic, Arabic, Tigre and Kunama, Tigrinya, otherCushitic languages
Literacy: definition: NA total population: 25% male: NA% female: NA%
Government Eritrea
Country name: State of Eritrea conventional short form: in Ethiopia local short form: Ertra
Government type: transitional government note: following a successful referendum on independence for the Autonomous Region of Eritrea on 23-25 April 1993, a National Assembly, composed entirely of the People's Front for Democracy and Justice or PFDJ, was established as a transitional legislature; a Constitutional Commission was also established to draft a constitution; Afworki ISAIAS was elected president by the transitional legislature; the constitution, ratified in May 1997, did not enter into effect, pending parliamentary and presidential elections; parliamentary elections had been scheduled to take place in December 2001, but were postponed; currently the sole legal party is the People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ), though a draft political parties law is under consideration
Capital: Asmara (formerly Asmera)
Administrative divisions: 6 regions (regions, singular - region);Central, Anelba, Southern Red Sea, Northern Red Sea, Southern, Gash-Barka
Independence: 24 May 1993 (from Ethiopia)
National holiday: Independence Day, 24 May (1993)
Constitution: the transitional constitution, decreed on 19 May 1993, was replaced by a new constitution adopted on 23 May 1997, but not yet implemented
Legal system: primary basis is the Ethiopian legal code of 1957, with revisions; new civil, commercial, and penal codes have not yet been promulgated; also relies on customary and post-independence-enacted laws and, for civil cases involving Muslims, Sharia law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Afworki ISAIAS (since 8 June 1993); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government and is head of the State Council and National Assembly head of government: both the chief of state and head of government and is head of the State Council and National Assembly cabinet: State Council is the collective executive authority; members appointed by the president elections: (next election date uncertain as the National Assembly did not hold a presidential election in December 2001 as anticipated) election results: ISAIAS Afworki 95%
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (150 seats; term limits not established) elections: in May 1997, following the adoption of the new constitution, 75 members of the PFDJ Central Committee (the old Central Committee of the EPLF), 60 members of the 527-member Constituent Assembly which had been established in 1997 to discuss and ratify the new constitution, and 15 representatives of Eritreans living abroad were formed into a Transitional National Assembly to serve as the country's legislative body until countrywide elections to a National Assembly were held; although only 75 of 150 members of the Transitional National Assembly were elected, the constitution stipulates that once past the transition stage, all members of the National Assembly will be elected by secret ballot of all eligible voters; National Assembly elections scheduled for December 2001 were postponed indefinately
Judicial branch: High court, regional, subregional, and village courts; also have military and special courts
Political parties and leaders: People's Front for Democracy and Justice or PFDJ, the only party recognized by the government [Afworki ISAIAS]; note - a National Assembly committee drafted a law on political parties in January 2001, but the full National Assembly had not yet debated or voted on it as of December 2001
Political pressure groups and leaders: Eritrean Islamic Jihad or EIJ;Eritrean Liberation Front or ELF [ABDULLAH Muhammed]; Eritrean LiberationFront-Revolutionary Council or ELF-RC [Ahmed NASSER]; Eritrean LiberationFront-United Organization or ELF-UO [Mohammed Said NAWD]; Eritrean PublicForum or EPF [ARADOM Iyob]
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, FAO,IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (associate), IGAD, ILO, IMF,IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador GIRMA Asmerom telephone: [1] (202) 319-1991 FAX: [1] (202) 319-1304 chancery: 1708 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Donald J. McCONNELL embassy: Franklin D. Roosevelt Street, Asmara mailing address: P. O. Box 211, Asmara telephone: [291] (1) 120004 FAX: [291] (1) 127584
Flag description: red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) dividing the flag into two right triangles; the upper triangle is green, the lower one is blue; a gold wreath encircling a gold olive branch is centered on the hoist side of the red triangle
Economy Eritrea
Economy - overview: Since independence from Ethiopia on 24 May 1993, Eritrea has faced the economic problems of a small, desperately poor country. Like the economies of many African nations, the economy is largely based on subsistence agriculture, with 80% of the population involved in farming and herding. The Ethiopian-Eritrea war in 1998-2000 severely hurt Eritrea's economy. GDP growth in 1999 fell to less than 1%, and GDP decreased by 8.2% in 2000. The May 2000 Ethiopian offensive into northern Eritrea caused some $600 million in property damage and loss, including losses of $225 million in livestock and 55,000 homes. The attack prevented planting of crops in Eritrea's most productive region, causing food production to drop by 62%. Even during the war, Eritrea developed its transportation infrastructure, asphalting new roads, improving its ports, and repairing war damaged roads and bridges. Eritrea's economic future remains mixed. The cessation of Ethiopian trade, which mainly used Eritrean ports before the war, leaves Eritrea with a large economic hole to fill. Eritrea's economic future depends upon its ability to master fundamental social problems like illiteracy, unemployment, and low skills, and to convert the diaspora's money and expertise into economic growth.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $3.2 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 7% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $740 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 17% industry: 29% services: 54% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 15% (2001 est.)
Labor force: NA
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 80%, industry and services 20%
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $206.4 million expenditures: $615.7 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Industries: food processing, beverages, clothing and textiles
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 210 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 195.3 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh NA kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh NA kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: sorghum, lentils, vegetables, corn, cotton, tobacco, coffee, sisal; livestock, goats; fish
Exports: $34.8 million (f.o.b., 2000)
Exports - commodities: livestock, sorghum, textiles, food, small manufactures
Exports - partners: Sudan 27.2%, Ethiopia 26.5%, Japan 13.2%, UAE 7.3%,Italy 5.3% (1998)
Imports: $470.5 million (c.i.f., 2000)
Imports - commodities: machinery, petroleum products, food, manufactured goods
Imports - partners: Italy 17.4%, UAE 16.2%, Germany 5.7%, UK 4.5%,Korea 4.4% (1998)
Debt - external: $281 million (2000 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $77 million (1999)
Currency: nakfa (ERN)
Currency code: ERN
Exchange rates: nakfa (ERN) per US dollar - 9.5 (January 2000), 7.6(January 1999), 7.2 (March 1998 est.)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Eritrea
Telephones - main lines in use: 30,000 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular: NA; note - mobile cellular service was introduced in May 2001
Telephone system: general assessment: inadequate domestic: very inadequate; most telephones are in Asmara; government is seeking international tenders to improve the system (2002) international: NA; note - international connections exist
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM NA, shortwave 2 (2000)
Radios: 345,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (2000)
Televisions: 1,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .er
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 5 (2001)
Internet users: 12,000 (2001)
Transportation Eritrea
Railways: total: 317 km narrow gauge: 317 km 0.950-m gauge note: links Ak'ordat and Asmara with the port of Massawa; nonoperational since 1978 except for about a 5 km stretch that was reopened in Massawa in 1994; rehabilitation of the remainder and of the rolling stock is under way (2001 est.)
Highways: total: 3,850 km paved: 810 km unpaved: 3,040 km (2000)
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: Assab (Aseb), Massawa (Mits'iwa)
Merchant marine: total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 19,100 GRT/23,399 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 2, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1 (2002 est.)
Airports: 21 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 17 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 2 (2001)
Military Eritrea
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $138.3 million (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 19.8% (FY01)
Transnational Issues Eritrea
Disputes - international: Eritrea and Ethiopia have expressed general approval of the April 2002 arbitration commission ruling re-delimiting the boundary, the focus of their 1998-2000 war; United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) will monitor activities within the 25-km wide temporary security zone in Eritrea until demarcation and de-mining are complete; Yemen has asserted traditional fishing rights to islands ceded to Eritrea in ICJ ruling
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
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El Salvador
Introduction El Salvador
Background: El Salvador achieved independence from Spain in 1821 and from the Central American Federation in 1839. A 12-year civil war, which cost about 75,000 lives, was brought to a close in 1992 when the government and leftist rebels signed a treaty that provided for military and political reforms.
Geography El Salvador
Location: Middle America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, betweenGuatemala and Honduras
Geographic coordinates: 13 50 N, 88 55 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 21,040 sq km water: 320 sq km land: 20,720 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Massachusetts
Land boundaries: total: 545 km border countries: Guatemala 203 km,Honduras 342 km
Coastline: 307 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 200 NM
Climate: tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to April); tropical on coast; temperate in uplands
Terrain: mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point:Cerro El Pital 2,730 m
Natural resources: hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land
Land use: arable land: 27% permanent crops: 12% other: 61% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 360 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes very destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity; extremely susceptible to hurricanes
Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution; contamination of soils from disposal of toxic wastes
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, ClimateChange, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, EndangeredSpecies, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection,Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note: smallest Central American country and only one without a coastline on Caribbean Sea
People El Salvador
Population: 6,353,681 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 37.4% (male 1,211,156; female 1,162,317) 15-64 years: 57.5% (male 1,735,744; female 1,922,395) 65 years and over: 5.1% (male 144,864; female 177,205) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.83% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 28.3 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 6.1 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: -3.88 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 27.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 74.11 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 3.29 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.6% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 25,000 (2000 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 1,300 (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Salvadoran(s) adjective: Salvadoran
Ethnic groups: mestizo 90%, Amerindian 1%, white 9%
Religions: Roman Catholic 83% note: there is extensive activity by Protestant groups throughout the country; by the end of 1992, there were an estimated 1 million Protestant evangelicals in El Salvador
Languages: Spanish, Nahua (among some Amerindians)
Literacy: definition: age 10 and over can read and write total population: 71.5% male: 73.5% female: 69.8% (1995 est.)
Government El Salvador
Country name: Republic of El Salvador conventional short form:El Salvador
Government type: republic
Capital: San Salvador
Administrative divisions: 14 departments (departamentos, singular -departamento); Ahuachapan, Cabanas, Chalatenango, Cuscatlan, La Libertad,La Paz, La Union, Morazan, San Miguel, San Salvador, Santa Ana, SanVicente, Sonsonate, Usulutan