Industrial production growth rate: -4.5% (2001)
Electricity - production: 38.876 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.89% hydro: 0.11% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 34.897 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 1.27 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 12 million kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: citrus, vegetables, cotton; beef, poultry, dairy products
Exports: $26.5 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Exports - commodities: machinery and equipment, software, cut diamonds, agricultural products, chemicals, textiles and apparel
Exports - partners: US 37.4%, Benelux 6%, Germany 4.8%, Hong Kong 4.4%,UK 4.3%, Netherlands 2.8% (2000)
Imports: $30.6 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Imports - commodities: raw materials, military equipment, investment goods, rough diamonds, fuels, consumer goods
Imports - partners: US 17.8%, Benelux 10%, UK 7.6%, Germany 7.5%,Switzerland 5.4%, Italy 4.8% (2000)
Debt - external: $42.8 billion (2001 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: NA
Currency: new Israeli shekel (ILS)
Currency code: ILS
Exchange rates: new Israeli shekels per US dollar - 4.2757 (December 2001), 4.2057 (2001), 4.0773 (2000), 4.1397 (1999), 3.8001 (1998), 3.4494 (1997)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Israel
Telephones - main lines in use: 2.8 million (1999)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 2.5 million (1999)
Telephone system: general assessment: most highly developed system in the Middle East although not the largest domestic: good system of coaxial cable and microwave radio relay; all systems are digital international: 3 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 23, FM 15, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios: 3.07 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 17 (plus 36 low-power repeaters) (1995)
Televisions: 1.69 million (1997)
Internet country code: .il
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 21 (2000)
Internet users: 1.94 million (2001)
Transportation Israel
Railways: total: 647 km standard gauge: 647 km 1.435-m gauge (2001)
Highways: total: 15,965 km paved: 15,965 km (including 56 km of expressways) unpaved: 0 km (1998 est.)
Waterways: none
Pipelines: crude oil 708 km; petroleum products 290 km; natural gas 89 km
Ports and harbors: Ashdod, Ashqelon, Elat (Eilat), Hadera, Haifa,Tel Aviv-Yafo
Merchant marine: total: 16 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 595,319 GRT/704,544 DWT ships by type: container 15, roll on/roll off 1 (2002 est.)
Airports: 54 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 29 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 5 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 25 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 20 (2001)
Heliports: 3 (2001)
Military Israel
Military branches: Israel Defense Forces (IDF) (includes ground, naval, and air components with Air Defense Forces), Pioneer Fighting Youth (Nahal), Frontier Guard, Chen (women); note - historically there have been no separate Israeli military services
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,542,835 females age 15-49: 1,499,830 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,262,973 females age 15-49: 1,223,939 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 51,666 females: 49,207 (2002 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $8.866 bilion (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 8% (FY01)
Transnational Issues Israel
Disputes - international: West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be determined through further negotiation; Golan Heights is Israeli-occupied (Lebanon claims the Shab'a Farms area of Golan Heights)
Illicit drugs: increasingly concerned about cocaine and heroin abuse; drugs arrive in country from Lebanon and increasingly Jordan
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
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Italy
Introduction
Italy
Background: Italy became a nation-state in 1861 when the city-states of the peninsula, along with Sardinia and Sicily, were united under King Victor EMMANUEL. An era of parliamentary government came to a close in the early 1920s when Benito MUSSOLINI established a Fascist dictatorship. His disastrous alliance with Nazi Germany led to Italy's defeat in World War II. A democratic republic replaced the monarchy in 1946 and economic revival followed. Italy was a charter member of NATO and the European Economic Community (EEC). It has been at the forefront of European economic and political unification, joining the European Monetary Union in 1999. Persistent problems include illegal immigration, the ravages of organized crime, corruption, high unemployment, and the low incomes and technical standards of southern Italy compared with the prosperous north.
Geography Italy
Location: Southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the centralMediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia
Geographic coordinates: 42 50 N, 12 50 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 301,230 sq km note: includes Sardinia and Sicily water: 7,210 sq km land: 294,020 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly larger than Arizona
Land boundaries: total: 1,932.2 km border countries: Austria 430 km, France 488 km, Holy See (Vatican City) 3.2 km, San Marino 39 km, Slovenia 232 km, Switzerland 740 km
Coastline: 7,600 km
Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate: predominantly Mediterranean; Alpine in far north; hot, dry in south
Terrain: mostly rugged and mountainous; some plains, coastal lowlands
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point:Mont Blanc (Monte Bianco) de Courmayeur 4,748 m (a secondary peak ofMont Blanc)
Natural resources: mercury, potash, marble, sulfur, natural gas and crude oil reserves, fish, coal, arable land
Land use: arable land: 28% permanent crops: 9% other: 63% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 26,980 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: regional risks include landslides, mudflows, avalanches, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding; land subsidence in Venice
Environment - current issues: air pollution from industrial emissions such as sulfur dioxide; coastal and inland rivers polluted from industrial and agricultural effluents; acid rain damaging lakes; inadequate industrial waste treatment and disposal facilities
Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, AirPollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-EnvironmentalProtocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, AntarcticTreaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, MarineDumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed,but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, ClimateChange-Kyoto Protocol
Geography - note: strategic location dominating central Mediterranean as well as southern sea and air approaches to Western Europe
People Italy
Population: 57,715,625 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 14.1% (male 4,198,569; female 3,954,159) 15-64 years: 67.3% (male 19,334,208; female 19,492,048) 65 years and over: 18.6% (male 4,436,073; female 6,300,568) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.05% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 8.93 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 10.13 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: 1.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 5.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 82.63 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.19 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.35% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 95,000 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 1,000 (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Italian(s) adjective: Italian
Ethnic groups: Italian (includes small clusters of German-, French-, and Slovene-Italians in the north and Albanian-Italians and Greek-Italians in the south)
Religions: predominately Roman Catholic with mature Protestant andJewish communities and a growing Muslim immigrant community
Languages: Italian (official), German (parts of Trentino-Alto Adige region are predominantly German speaking), French (small French-speaking minority in Valle d'Aosta region), Slovene (Slovene-speaking minority in the Trieste-Gorizia area)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% (1998) male: NA% female: NA%
Government Italy
Country name: conventional long form: Italian Republic conventional short form: Italy local long form: Repubblica Italiana former: Kingdom of Italy local short form: Italia
Government type: republic
Capital: Rome
Administrative divisions: 20 regions (regioni, singular - regione);Abruzzi, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Emilia-Romagna, Friuli-VeneziaGiulia, Lazio, Liguria, Lombardia, Marche, Molise, Piemonte, Puglia,Sardegna, Sicilia, Toscana, Trentino-Alto Adige, Umbria, Valle d'Aosta,Veneto
Independence: 17 March 1861 (Kingdom of Italy proclaimed; Italy was not finally unified until 1870)
National holiday: Republic Day, 2 June (1946)
Constitution: 1 January 1948
Legal system: based on civil law system; appeals treated as new trials; judicial review under certain conditions in Constitutional Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal (except in senatorial elections, where minimum age is 25)
Executive branch: chief of state: President Carlo Azeglio CIAMPI (since 13 May 1999) elections: president elected by an electoral college consisting of both houses of Parliament and 58 regional representatives for a seven-year term; election last held 13 May 1999 (next to be held NA May 2006); prime minister appointed by the president and confirmed by Parliament head of government: Prime Minister (referred to in Italy as the president of the Council of Ministers) Silvio BERLUSCONI (since 10 June 2001) cabinet: the president election results: Carlo Azeglio CIAMPI elected president; percent of electoral college vote - 70% note: a five-party government coalition includes Forza Italia, National Alliance, Northern League, Democratic Christian Center, United Christian Democrats
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Parlamento consists of the Senate or Senato della Repubblica (315 seats elected by popular vote of which 232 are directly elected and 83 are elected by regional proportional representation; in addition, there are a small number of senators-for-life including former presidents of the republic; members serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camera dei Deputati (630 seats; 475 are directly elected, 155 by regional proportional representation; members serve five-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 13 May 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); Chamber of Deputies - last held 13 May 2001 (next to be held NA 2006) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - House of Liberties 177 (Forza Italia 82, National Alliance 46, CCD-CDU 29, Northern League 17, others 3), Olive Tree 128 (Democrats of the Left 62, Daisy Alliance 42, Sunflower Alliance 16, Italian Communist Party 3, independents 5), non-affiliated with either coalition 10, senators for life 9; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - House of Liberties 367 (Forza Italia 189, National Alliance 96, CCD-CDU 40, Northern League 30, others 12), Olive Tree 248 (Democrats of the Left 138, Daisy Alliance 76, Sunflower Alliance 18, Italian Communist Party 9, independents 7), non-affiliated with either coalition 15
Judicial branch: Constitutional Court or Corte Costituzionale (composed of 15 judges: one-third elected by the ordinary and administrative Supreme Courts)
Political parties and leaders: Center-Left Olive Tree Coalition [Francesco RUTELLI] - Democrats of the Left, Daisy Alliance (including Italian Popular Party, Italian Renewal, Union of Democrats for Europe, The Democrats), Sunflower Alliance (including Green Federation, Italian Democratic Socialists), Italian Communist Party; Center-Right Freedom House Coalition [Silvio BERLUSCONI] (formerly House of Liberties and Freedom Alliance) - Forza Italia, National Alliance, The Whiteflower Alliance (includes Christian Democratic Center, United Christian Democrats), Northern League; Christian Democratic Center or CCD [Marco FOLLINI]; Communist Party or PdCI [Oliviero DILIBERTO]; Democrats of the Left or DS [Piero FASSINO]; Forza Italia or FI [Silvio BERLUSCONI]; Green Federation [Alfonso Pecoraro SCANIO]; Italian Communist Party or PdCI [Oliviero DILIBERTO]; Italian Popular Party or PPI [Pierluigi CASTAGNETTI]; Italian Renewal or RI [Lamberto DINI]; Italian Social Democrats or SDI [Enrico BOSELLI]; Socialist Movement-Tricolor Flame or MS-Fiamma [Pino RAUTI]; National Alliance or AN [Gianfranco FINI]; Northern League or NL [Umberto BOSSI]; Southern Tyrols People's Party or SVP (German speakers) [Siegfried BRUGGER]; Sunflower Alliance (includes Green Federation, Italian Social Democrats); The Daisy Alliance (includes Italian Popular Party, Italian Renewal, Union of Democrats for Europe, The Democrats); The Democrats [Arturo PARISI]; The Radicals (formerly Pannella Reformers and Autonomous List) [Marco PANNELLA]; The Whiteflower Alliance (includes Christian Democratic Center, United Christian Democrats); Union of Democrats for Europe or UDEUR [Clemente MASTELLA]; United Christian Democrats or CDU [Rocco BUTTIGLIONE]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Italian manufacturers and merchants associations (Confindustria, Confcommercio); organized farm groups (Confcoltivatori, Confagricoltura); Roman Catholic Church; three major trade union confederations (Confederazione Generale Italiana del Lavoro or CGIL [Sergio COFFERATI] which is left wing, Confederazione Italiana dei Sindacati Lavoratori or CISL [Savino PEZZOTTA] which is Roman Catholic centrist, and Unione Italiana del Lavoro or UIL [Pietro LARIZZA] which is lay centrist)
International organization participation: AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group,BIS, BSEC (observer), CCC, CDB, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC,EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO,NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UPU,WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: AmbassadorFerdinando SALLEO consulate(s): Detroit consulate(s) general: Boston,Chicago, Houston, Miami, New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and SanFrancisco FAX: [1] (202) 518-2151 telephone: [1] (202) 612-4400 chancery:3000 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Melvin SEMBLER embassy: Via Vittori Veneto 119/A, 00187-Rome mailing address: PSC 59, Box 100, APO AE 09624 telephone: [39] (06) 46741 FAX: [39] (06) 488-2672, 4674-2356 consulate(s) general: Florence, Milan, Naples
Flag description: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red; similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer and is green (hoist side), white, and orange; also similar to the flag of the Cote d'Ivoire, which has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side), white, and green note: inspired by the French flag brought to Italy by Napoleon in 1797
Economy Italy
Economy - overview: Italy has a diversified industrial economy with roughly the same total and per capita output as France and the UK. This capitalistic economy remains divided into a developed industrial north, dominated by private companies, and a less developed agricultural south, with 20% unemployment. Most raw materials needed by industry and more than 75% of energy requirements are imported. Over the past decade, Italy has pursued a tight fiscal policy in order to meet the requirements of the Economic and Monetary Unions and has benefited from lower interest and inflation rates. Italy's economic performance has lagged behind that of its EU partners, and the current government has enacted numerous short-term reforms aimed at improving competitiveness and long-term growth. Rome has moved slowly, however, on implementing needed structural reforms, such as lightening the high tax burden and overhauling Italy's rigid labor market and expensive pension system, because of the current economic slowdown and opposition from labor unions.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.402 trillion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 1.8% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $24,300 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.4% industry: 30% services: 67.6% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.1% highest 10%: 26.6% (2000)
Distribution of family income - Gini index: 27.3 (1995)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.7% (2001)
Labor force: 23.6 million (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: services 63%, industry 32%, agriculture 5% (2001)
Unemployment rate: 10% (2001 est.)
Budget: revenues: $504 billion expenditures: $517 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
Industries: tourism, machinery, iron and steel, chemicals, food processing, textiles, motor vehicles, clothing, footwear, ceramics
Industrial production growth rate: -0.4% (2001)
Electricity - production: 257.408 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 80.01% hydro: 17.07% other: 2.92% (2000) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 283.737 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 484 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 44.831 billion kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: fruits, vegetables, grapes, potatoes, sugar beets, soybeans, grain, olives; beef, dairy products; fish
Exports: $243 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Exports - commodities: engineering products, textiles and clothing, production machinery, motor vehicles, transport equipment, chemicals; food, beverages and tobacco; minerals and nonferrous metals
Exports - partners: EU 54.9% (Germany 15.1%, France 12.6%, UK 6.9%,Spain 6.2%), US 10.4% (2000)
Imports: $226 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Imports - commodities: engineering products, chemicals, transport equipment, energy products, minerals and nonferrous metals, textiles and clothing; food, beverages and tobacco
Imports - partners: EU 56.3% (Germany 17.5%, France 11.4%, Netherlands 5.9%, UK 5.4%), US 5.3% (2000)
Debt - external: $NA
Economic aid - donor: ODA, $1 billion (2002 est.)
Currency: euro (EUR); Italian lira (ITL) 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; ITL
Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); Italian lire per US dollar - 1,688.7 (January 1999), 1,736.2 (1998), 1,703.1 (1997)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Italy
Telephones - main lines in use: 25 million (1999)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 20.5 million (1999)
Telephone system: general assessment: modern, well developed, fast; fully automated telephone, telex, and data services domestic: high-capacity cable and microwave radio relay trunks international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (with a total of 5 antennas - 3 for Atlantic Ocean and 2 for Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region), and NA Eutelsat; 21 submarine cables
Radio broadcast stations: AM about 100, FM about 4,600, shortwave 9 (1998)
Radios: 50.5 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 358 (plus 4,728 repeaters) (1995)
Televisions: 30.3 million (1997)
Internet country code: .it
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 93 (Italy and Holy See) (2000)
Internet users: 19.25 million (2001)
Transportation Italy
Railways: total: 19,786 km standard gauge: 18,761 km 1.435-m gauge (11,251 km electrified) narrow gauge: 113 km 1.000-m gauge (113 km electrified); 912 km 0.950-m gauge (192 km electrified) (2001)
Highways: total: 668,669 km paved: 668,669 km (including 6,460 km of expressways) unpaved: 0 km (2001)
Waterways: 2,400 km note: serves various types of commercial traffic, although of limited overall value (2002)
Pipelines: crude oil 1,703 km; petroleum products 2,148 km; natural gas 19,400 km
Ports and harbors: Augusta (Sicily), Bagnoli, Bari, Brindisi, Gela,Genoa, La Spezia, Livorno, Milazzo, Naples, Porto Foxi, Porto Torres(Sardinia), Salerno, Savona, Taranto, Trieste, Venice (2001)
Merchant marine: total: 467 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 8,499,248 GRT/10,383,988 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Croatia 1, Denmark 4, France 1, Greece 3, Man, Isle of 1, Monaco 7, Netherlands 6, Norway 1, Panama 2, Spain 1, Switzerland 1, Taiwan 15, Turkey 1, United Kingdom 6, United States 12 (2002 est.) ships by type: bulk 45, cargo 41, chemical tanker 91, combination ore/oil 4, container 24, liquefied gas 37, multi-functional large-load carrier 1, passenger 15, petroleum tanker 80, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 70, short-sea passenger 27, specialized tanker 12, vehicle carrier 16
Airports: 135 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 97 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 33 914 to 1,523 m: 30 under 914 m: 12 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 17
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 38 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 18 under 914 m: 18 (2001)
Heliports: 4 (2001)
Military Italy
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Carabinieri
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 14,184,307 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 12,157,753 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 304,369 (2002 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $20.2 billion (2002)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.64% (2002)
Transnational Issues Italy
Disputes - international: Croatia and Italy are still trying to resolve bilateral property and ethnic minority rights dating from World War II
Illicit drugs: important gateway for and consumer of Latin American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin entering the European market
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
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Cote d'Ivoire
Introduction Cote d'Ivoire
Background: Close ties to France since independence in 1960, the development of cocoa production for export, and foreign investment made Cote d'Ivoire one of the most prosperous of the tropical African states. Falling cocoa prices and political turmoil, however, sparked an economic downturn in 1999 and 2000. On 25 December 1999, a military coup - the first ever in Cote d'Ivoire's history - overthrew the government led by President Henri Konan BEDIE. Presidential and legislative elections held in October and December 2000 provoked violence due to the exclusion of opposition leader Alassane OUATTARA. In October 2000, Laurent GBAGBO replaced junta leader Robert GUEI as president, ending 10 months of military rule. In October 2001, President GBAGBO initiated a two-month-long National Reconciliation Forum, but its ability to conciliate Ivorians with one another remains unclear.
Geography Cote d'Ivoire
Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, betweenGhana and Liberia
Geographic coordinates: 8 00 N, 5 00 W
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 322,460 sq km water: 4,460 sq km land: 318,000 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly larger than New Mexico
Land boundaries: total: 3,110 km border countries: Burkina Faso 584 km,Ghana 668 km, Guinea 610 km, Liberia 716 km, Mali 532 km
Coastline: 515 km
Maritime claims: 200 NM territorial sea: Climate: tropical along coast, semiarid in far north; three seasons - warm and dry (November to March), hot and dry (March to May), hot and wet (June to October)
Terrain: mostly flat to undulating plains; mountains in northwest
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Gulf of Guinea 0 m highest point:Mont Nimba 1,752 m
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, diamonds, manganese, iron ore, cobalt, bauxite, copper, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 9% permanent crops: 14% other: 77% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 730 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: coast has heavy surf and no natural harbors; during the rainy season torrential flooding is possible
Environment - current issues: deforestation (most of the country's forests - once the largest in West Africa - have been heavily logged); water pollution from sewage and industrial and agricultural effluents
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity,Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection,Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed,but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: most of the inhabitants live along the sandy coastal region; apart from the capital area, the forested interior is sparsely populated
People Cote d'Ivoire
Population: 16,804,784 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 46% (male 3,874,651; female 3,847,080) 15-64 years: 51.8% (male 4,468,242; female 4,238,998) 65 years and over: 2.2% (male 185,306; female 190,507) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.45% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 39.99 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 16.74 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: 1.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population note: afterLiberia's civil war started in 1990, more than 350,000 refugees fled toCote d'Ivoire; by the end of 1999 most Liberian refugees were assumedto have returned (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 92.23 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 46.03 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 5.61 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 10.76% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 1 million (2000)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 72,000 (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Ivorian(s) adjective: Ivorian
Ethnic groups: Akan 42.1%, Voltaiques or Gur 17.6%, Northern Mandes 16.5%, Krous 11%, Southern Mandes 10%, other 2.8% (includes 130,000 Lebanese and 20,000 French) (1998)
Religions: Christian 20-30%, Muslim 35-40%, indigenous 25-40% (2001) note: the majority of foreigners (migratory workers) are Muslim (70%) and Christian (20%)
Languages: French (official), 60 native dialects with Dioula the most widely spoken
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 48.5% male: 57% female: 40%
Government Cote d'Ivoire
Country name: Republic of Cote d'Ivoire conventional short form: long form: Republique de Cote d'Ivoire
Government type: republic; multiparty presidential regime established 1960
Capital: Yamoussoukro; note - although Yamoussoukro has been the official capital since 1983, Abidjan remains the administrative center; the US, like other countries, maintains its Embassy in Abidjan
Administrative divisions: 58 departments (departements, singular -departement); Abengourou, Abidjan, Aboisso, Adiake, Adzope, Agboville,Agnibilekrou, Alepe, Bocanda, Bangolo, Beoumi, Biankouma, Bondoukou,Bongouanou, Bouafle, Bouake, Bouna, Boundiali, Dabakala, Dabou, Daloa,Danane, Daoukro, Dimbokro, Divo, Duekoue, Ferkessedougou, Gagnoa,Grand-Bassam, Grand-Lahou, Guiglo, Issia, Jacqueville, Katiola, Korhogo,Lakota, Man, Mankono, Mbahiakro, Odienne, Oume, Sakassou, San-Pedro,Sassandra, Seguela, Sinfra, Soubre, Tabou, Tanda, Tiebissou, Tingrela,Tiassale, Touba, Toulepleu, Toumodi, Vavoua, Yamoussoukro, Zuenoula
Independence: 7 August (1960) (from France)
National holiday: Independence Day, 7 August (1960)
Constitution: 3 November 1960; has been amended numerous times, last time 27 July 1998
Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review in the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Laurent GBAGBO (since 26 October 2000); note - took power following a popular overthrow of the interim leader Gen. Robert GUEI who had claimed a dubious victory in presidential elections; Gen. GUEI himself had assumed power on 25 December 1999, following a military coup against the government of former President Henri Konan BEDIE head of government: Prime Minister and Minister of Planning and Development Affi N'GUESSAN (since 27 October 2000) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 26 October 2000 (next to be held NA 2005); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Laurent GBAGBO elected president; percent of vote - Laurent GBAGBO 59.4%, Robert GUEI 32.7%, Francis WODIE 5.7%, other 2.2%
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (225 seats; members are elected in single- and multi-district elections by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: elections last held 10 December 2000 with by-elections on 14 January 2001 (next to be held NA 2005) note: a Senate is scheduled to be created in the next full election in 2005 election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - FPI 96, PDCI-RDA 94, RDR 5, PIT 4, other 2, independents 22, vacant 2
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme consists of four chambers:Judicial Chamber for criminal cases, Audit Chamber for financial cases,Constitutional Chamber for judicial review cases, and AdministrativeChamber for civil cases; there is no legal limit to the number of members
Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party of Cote d'Ivoire-AfricanDemocratic Rally or PDCI-RDA [Aime Henri Konan BEDIE]; Ivorian PopularFront or FPI [Laurent GBAGBO]; Ivorian Worker's Party or PIT [FrancisWODIE]; Rally of the Republicans or RDR [Alassane OUATTARA]; Union forDemocracy and Peace or UDPCI [Gen. Robert GUEI]; over 20 smaller parties
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS,Entente, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent),ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WADB(regional), WAEMU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: AmbassadorYoussoufou BAMBA chancery: 3421 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington,DC 20007 FAX: [1] (202) 462-9444 telephone: [1] (202) 797-0300
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: AmbassadorArlene RENDER embassy: 5 Rue Jesse Owens, Abidjan mailing address:B. P. 1712, Abidjan 01 telephone: [225] 20 21 09 79 FAX: [225] 20 22 32 59
Flag description: three equal vertical bands of orange (hoist side), white, and green; similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer and has the colors reversed - green (hoist side), white, and orange; also similar to the flag of Italy, which is green (hoist side), white, and red; design was based on the flag of France
Economy Cote d'Ivoire
Economy - overview: Cote d'Ivoire is among the world's largest producers and exporters of coffee, cocoa beans, and palm oil. Consequently, the economy is highly sensitive to fluctuations in international prices for these products and to weather conditions. Despite government attempts to diversify the economy, it is still largely dependent on agriculture and related activities, which engage roughly 68% of the population. After several years of lagging performance, the Ivorian economy began a comeback in 1994, due to the 50% devaluation of the CFA franc and improved prices for cocoa and coffee, growth in nontraditional primary exports such as pineapples and rubber, limited trade and banking liberalization, offshore oil and gas discoveries, and generous external financing and debt rescheduling by multilateral lenders and France. Moreover, government adherence to donor-mandated reforms led to a jump in growth to 5% annually during 1996-99. Growth was negative in 2000 and 2001 because of the difficulty of meeting the conditions of international donors, continued low prices of key exports, and post-coup instability. Political instability continues to impede growth.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $25.5 billion (2001)
GDP - real growth rate: -1% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,550 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 28% industry: 29% services: 43% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.1% highest 10%: 28.8% (1995)
Distribution of family income - Gini index: 36.7 (1995)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.5% (2000 est.)
Labor force: 68% agricultural (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate: 13% in urban areas (1998 est.)
Budget: revenues: $1.72 billion expenditures: $2.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $420 million (2001 est.)
Industries: foodstuffs, beverages; wood products, oil refining, truck and bus assembly, textiles, fertilizer, building materials, electricity
Industrial production growth rate: 15% (1998 est.)
Electricity - production: 4.08 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 75.37% hydro: 24.63% other: 0% (1999) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 2.57 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 1.2 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1999)
Agriculture - products: coffee, cocoa beans, bananas, palm kernels, corn, rice, manioc (tapioca), sweet potatoes, sugar, cotton, rubber; timber
Exports: $3.6 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Exports - commodities: cocoa 33%, coffee, timber, petroleum, cotton, bananas, pineapples, palm oil, cotton, fish (1999)
Exports - partners: France 13%, US 8%, Netherlands 7%, Germany 7%,Italy 6% (1999)
Imports: $2.4 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Imports - commodities: food, consumer goods; capital goods, fuel, transport equipment, raw materials
Imports - partners: France 26%, Nigeria 10%, China 7%, Italy 5%,Germany 4% (1999)
Debt - external: $13.3 billion (2000 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: ODA, $1 billion (1996 est.)
Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States
Currency code: XOF
Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) 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 XOF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF per euro
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Cote d'Ivoire
Telephones - main lines in use: 263,700 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 450,000 (2000)
Telephone system: general assessment: well developed by African standards but operating well below capacity domestic: open-wire lines and microwave radio relay; 90% digitalized international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); 2 coaxial submarine cables (June 1999)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 3 (1998)
Radios: 2.26 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 14 (1999)
Televisions: 1.09 million (2000)
Internet country code: .ci
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 5 (2001)
Internet users: 10,000 (2001)
Transportation Cote d'Ivoire
Railways: total: 660 km narrow gauge: 660 km 1.000-meter gauge; 25 km double-track note: an additional 600 km of this railroad extends into Burkina Faso, ending at Kaya, north of Ouagadougou (2000 est.)
Highways: total: 50,400 km paved: 4,889 km unpaved: 45,511 km (1996)
Waterways: 980 km (navigable rivers, canals, and numerous coastal lagoons)
Ports and harbors: Abidjan, Aboisso, Dabou, San-Pedro
Airports: 36 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 7 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 29 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 9 (2001)
Military Cote d'Ivoire
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary Gendarmerie,Republican Guard (includes Presidential Guard)
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 3,963,166 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 2,071,011 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 188,411 (2002 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $127.7 million (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.3% (FY01)
Transnational Issues Cote d'Ivoire
Disputes - international: none
Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for local consumption; transshipment point for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin to Europe and occasionally to the US, and for Latin American cocaine destined for Europe and South Africa
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
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Iraq
Introduction
Iraq
Background: Formerly part of the Ottoman Empire, Iraq became an independent kingdom in 1932. A "republic" was proclaimed in 1958, but in actuality a series of military strongmen have ruled the country since then, the latest being SADDAM Husayn. Territorial disputes with Iran led to an inconclusive and costly eight-year war (1980-88). In August 1990 Iraq seized Kuwait, but was expelled by US-led, UN coalition forces during January-February 1991. The victors did not occupy Iraq, however, thus allowing the regime to stay in control. Following Kuwait's liberation, the UN Security Council (UNSC) required Iraq to scrap all weapons of mass destruction and long-range missiles and to allow UN verification inspections. UN trade sanctions remain in effect due to incomplete Iraqi compliance with relevant UNSC resolutions.
Geography Iraq
Location: Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran andKuwait
Geographic coordinates: 33 00 N, 44 00 E
Map references: Middle East
Area: total: 437,072 sq km water: 4,910 sq km land: 432,162 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Idaho
Land boundaries: total: 3,650 km border countries: Iran 1,458 km, Jordan 181 km, Kuwait 240 km, Saudi Arabia 814 km, Syria 605 km, Turkey 352 km
Coastline: 58 km
Maritime claims: continental shelf: not specified territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate: mostly desert; mild to cool winters with dry, hot, cloudless summers; northern mountainous regions along Iranian and Turkish borders experience cold winters with occasionally heavy snows that melt in early spring, sometimes causing extensive flooding in central and southern Iraq
Terrain: mostly broad plains; reedy marshes along Iranian border in south with large flooded areas; mountains along borders with Iran and Turkey
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point:Haji Ibrahim 3,600 m
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur
Land use: arable land: 12% permanent crops: 1% other: 87% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 35,250 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: dust storms, sandstorms, floods
Environment - current issues: government water control projects have drained most of the inhabited marsh areas east of An Nasiriyah by drying up or diverting the feeder streams and rivers; a once sizable population of Shi'a Muslims, who have inhabited these areas for thousands of years, has been displaced; furthermore, the destruction of the natural habitat poses serious threats to the area's wildlife populations; inadequate supplies of potable water; development of Tigris-Euphrates Rivers system contingent upon agreements with upstream riparian Turkey; air and water pollution; soil degradation (salination) and erosion; desertification
Environment - international agreements: Law of the Sea, Nuclear TestBan signed, but not ratified: Geography - note: strategic location onShatt al Arab waterway and at the head of the Persian Gulf
People Iraq
Population: 24,001,816 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 41.1% (male 5,003,755; female 4,849,238) 15-64 years: 55.9% (male 6,794,265; female 6,624,662) 65 years and over: 3% (male 341,520; female 388,376) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.82% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 34.2 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 6.02 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 57.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 68.5 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 4.63 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: less than 0.01% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Nationality: noun: Iraqi(s) adjective: Iraqi
Ethnic groups: Arab 75%-80%, Kurdish 15%-20%, Turkoman, Assyrian or other 5%
Religions: Muslim 97% (Shi'a 60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian or other 3%
Languages: Arabic, Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Assyrian,Armenian
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 58% male: 70.7% female: 45% (1995 est.)
Government Iraq
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Iraq conventional short form: Iraq local short form: Al Iraq local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Iraqiyah
Government type: republic
Capital: Baghdad
Administrative divisions: 18 provinces (muhafazat, singular -muhafazah); Al Anbar, Al Basrah, Al Muthanna, Al Qadisiyah, An Najaf,Arbil, As Sulaymaniyah, At Ta'mim, Babil, Baghdad, Dahuk, Dhi Qar,Diyala, Karbala', Maysan, Ninawa, Salah ad Din, Wasit
Independence: 3 October 1932 (from League of Nations mandate underBritish administration)
National holiday: Revolution Day, 17 July (1968)
Constitution: 22 September 1968, effective 16 July 1970 (provisional constitution); new constitution drafted in 1990 but not adopted
Legal system: based on Islamic law in special religious courts, civil law system elsewhere; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President SADDAM Husayn (since 16 July 1979); Vice Presidents Taha Muhyi al-Din MARUF (since 21 April 1974) and Taha Yasin RAMADAN (since 23 March 1991) elections: president and vice presidents elected by a two-thirds majority of the Revolutionary Command Council; election last held 17 October 1995 (next to be held NA 2002) election results: SADDAM Husayn reelected president; percent of vote - 99%; Taha Muhyi al-Din MARUF and Taha Yasin RAMADAN elected vice presidents; percent of vote - NA% cabinet: Council of Ministers; note - there is also a Revolutionary Command Council or RCC with eight members as of 2001 (Chairman SADDAM Husayn, Vice Chairman Izzat IBRAHIM al-Duri) which controls the ruling Ba'th Party; the RCC is the highest executive and legislative body and the most powerful political entity in the country; new RCC members must come from the Regional Command Leadership of the Ba'th Party head of government: Prime Minister SADDAM Husayn (since 29 May 1994); Deputy Prime Ministers Tariq Mikhail AZIZ (since NA 1979), Hikmat Mizban Ibrahim al-AZZAWI (since 30 July 1999), Ahmad Husayn al-KHUDAYIR (since NA July 2001), and Abd al-Tawab Mullah al-HUWAYSH (since NA July 2001)
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Watani (250 seats; 30 appointed by the president to represent the three northern provinces of Dahuk, Arbil, and As Sulaymaniyah; 220 elected by popular vote; members serve four-year terms) elections: last held 27 March 2000 (next to be held NA March 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA
Judicial branch: Court of Cassation
Political parties and leaders: Ba'th Party [SADDAM Husayn, central party leader]
Political pressure groups and leaders: any formal political activity must be sanctioned by the government; opposition to regime from Kurdish groups and southern Shi'a dissidents
International organization participation: ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AL, AMF,CAEU, CCC, EAPC, ESCWA, FAO, G-19, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA,IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC,OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO
Diplomatic representation in the US: none; note - Iraq has an InterestSection in the Algerian Embassy headed by Akram AL DOURI; address:Iraqi Interests Section, Algerian Embassy, 1801 P Street NW, Washington,DC 20036; telephone: [1] (202) 483-7500; FAX: [1] (202) 462-5066
Diplomatic representation from the US: none; note - the US has an Interests Section in the Polish Embassy in Baghdad; address: P. O. Box 2051 Hay Babel, Baghdad; telephone: [964] (1) 718-9267; FAX: [964] (1) 718-9297
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with three green five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in the white band; the phrase ALLAHU AKBAR (God is Great) in green Arabic script - Allahu to the right of the middle star and Akbar to the left of the middle star - was added in January 1991 during the Persian Gulf crisis; similar to the flag of Syria which has two stars but no script and the flag of Yemen which has a plain white band; also similar to the flag of Egypt which has a symbolic eagle centered in the white band
Economy Iraq
Economy - overview: Iraq's economy is dominated by the oil sector, which has traditionally provided about 95% of foreign exchange earnings. In the 1980s financial problems caused by massive expenditures in the eight-year war with Iran and damage to oil export facilities by Iran led the government to implement austerity measures, borrow heavily, and later reschedule foreign debt payments; Iraq suffered economic losses from the war of at least $100 billion. After hostilities ended in 1988, oil exports gradually increased with the construction of new pipelines and restoration of damaged facilities. Iraq's seizure of Kuwait in August 1990, subsequent international economic sanctions, and damage from military action by an international coalition beginning in January 1991 drastically reduced economic activity. Although government policies supporting large military and internal security forces and allocating resources to key supporters of the regime have hurt the economy, implementation of the UN's oil-for-food program in December 1996 has helped improve conditions for the average Iraqi citizen. For the first six, six-month phases of the program, Iraq was allowed to export limited amounts of oil in exchange for food, medicine, and some infrastructure spare parts. In December 1999 the UN Security Council authorized Iraq to export under the program as much oil as required to meet humanitarian needs. Oil exports are now more than three-quarters prewar level. However, 28% of Iraq's export revenues under the program are deducted to meet UN Compensation Fund and UN administrative expenses. The drop in GDP in 2001 was largely the result of the global economic slowdown and lower oil prices. Per capita food imports have increased significantly, while medical supplies and health care services are steadily improving. Per capita output and living standards are still well below the prewar level, but any estimates have a wide range of error.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $59 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: -5.7% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,500 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6% industry: 13% services: 81% (1993 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 60% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 4.4 million (1989)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Industries: petroleum, chemicals, textiles, construction materials, food processing
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 27.3 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 98.17% hydro: 1.83% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 25.389 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, rice, vegetables, dates, cotton; cattle, sheep
Exports: $15.8 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Exports - commodities: crude oil
Exports - partners: US 46.2%, Italy 12.2%, France 9.6%, Spain 8.6% (2000)
Imports: $11 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Imports - commodities: food, medicine, manufactures
Imports - partners: France 22.5%, Australia 22%, China 5.8%, Russia 5.8% (2000)
Debt - external: $62.2 billion (2001 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $327.5 million (1995)
Currency: Iraqi dinar (IQD)
Currency code: IQD
Exchange rates: Iraqi dinars per US dollar - 0.3109 (fixed officialrate since 1982); black market rate - Iraqi dinars per US dollar - 2,000(December 2001), 1,910 (December 1999), 1,815 (December 1998), 1,530(December 1997), 910 (December 1996); note - subject to wide fluctuations
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Iraq
Telephones - main lines in use: 675,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: NA; service available in northern Iraq (2001)
Telephone system: general assessment: reconstitution of damaged telecommunication facilities began after the Gulf war; most damaged facilities have been rebuilt domestic: the network consists of coaxial cables and microwave radio relay links international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region), and 1 Arabsat (inoperative); coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Jordan, Kuwait, Syria, and Turkey; Kuwait line is probably nonoperational
Radio broadcast stations: AM 19 (5 are inactive), FM 51, shortwave 4 (1998)
Radios: 4.85 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 13 (1997)
Televisions: 1.75 million (1997)
Internet country code: .iq
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)
Internet users: 12,500 (2001)
Transportation Iraq
Railways: total: 2,339 km standard gauge: 2,339 km 1.435-m gauge (2001)
Highways: total: 45,550 km paved: 38,400 km unpaved: 7,150 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 1,015 km note: Shatt al Arab is usually navigable by maritime traffic for about 130 km; channel has been dredged to 3 m and is in use; Tigris and Euphrates Rivers have navigable sections for shallow-draft boats; Shatt al Basrah canal was navigable by shallow-draft craft before closing in 1991 because of the Gulf war
Pipelines: crude oil 4,350 km; petroleum products 725 km; natural gas 1,360 km
Ports and harbors: Umm Qasr, Khawr az Zubayr, and Al Basrah have limited functionality
Merchant marine: total: 25 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 186,709 GRT/278,575 DWT ships by type: cargo 14, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 8, roll on/roll off 1 (2002 est.)
Airports: 108 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 73 over 3,047 m: 20 2,438 to 3,047 m: 34 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 7 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
Airports - with unpaved runways: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: Heliports: 4 (2001)
Military Iraq
Military branches: Army, Republican Guard, Navy, Air Force, Air DefenseForce, Border Guard Force, Fedayeen Saddam
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 6,135,847 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 3,430,819 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 274,035 (2002 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $1.3 billion (FY00)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%
Transnational Issues Iraq
Disputes - international: despite restored diplomatic relations in 1990, lacks maritime boundary with Iran and disputes land boundary, navigation channels, and other issues from eight-year war; in November 1994, Iraq formally accepted the UN-demarcated border with Kuwait which had been spelled out in Security Council Resolutions 687 (1991), 773 (1993), and 883 (1993); this formally ends earlier claims to Kuwait and to Bubiyan and Warbah islands although the government continues periodic rhetorical challenges; dispute over water development plans by Turkey for the Tigris and Euphrates rivers
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
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Japan
Introduction
Japan
Background: While retaining its time-honored culture, Japan rapidly absorbed Western technology during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. After its devastating defeat in World War II, Japan recovered to become the second most powerful economy in the world and a staunch ally of the US. While the emperor retains his throne as a symbol of national unity, actual power rests in networks of powerful politicians, bureaucrats, and business executives. The economy experienced a major slowdown in the 1990s following three decades of unprecedented growth.
Geography Japan
Location: Eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula
Geographic coordinates: 36 00 N, 138 00 E
Map references: Asia
Area: total: 377,835 sq km note: includes Bonin Islands(Ogasawara-gunto), Daito-shoto, Minami-jima, Okino-tori-shima, RyukyuIslands (Nansei-shoto), and Volcano Islands (Kazan-retto) water: 3,091sq km land: 374,744 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than California