Suffrage:18 years of age, universal and compulsory (married); 21 years ofage, universal and compulsory (single)
Executive branch:chief of state: President Carlos Diego MESA Gisbert (since 17October 2003); Vice President (vacant); note - the president is boththe chief of state and head of governmenthead of government: President Carlos Diego MESA Gisbert (since 17October 2003); Vice President (vacant); note - the president is boththe chief of state and head of governmentcabinet: Cabinet appointed by the presidentelections: president and vice president elected on the same ticketby popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 30 June 2002(next to be held NA June 2007)election results: as a result of no candidate winning a majority inthe 30 June 2002 election, Gonzalo SANCHEZ DE LOZADA Bustamante waschosen president by Congress; Congressional votes - Gonzalo SANCHEZDE LOZADA Bustamante 84, Evo MORALES 43; note - following theresignation of the elected president on 17 October 2003, VicePresident Carlos Diego MESA Gisbert assumed the presidency
Legislative branch:bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists ofChamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (27 seats; members aredirectly elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) andChamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (130 seats; members aredirectly elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms; note -some members are drawn from party lists, thus not directly elected)elections: Chamber of Senators and Chamber of Deputies - last held30 June 2002 (next to be held NA June 2007)election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party -NA%; seats by party - MNR 11, MAS 8, MIR 5, NFR 2, other 1; Chamberof Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - MNR36, MAS 27, MIR 26, NFR 25, others 16
Judicial branch:Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges appointed for 10-year termsby National Congress); District Courts (one in each department);provincial and local courts (to try minor cases)
Political parties and leaders:Bolivian Socialist Falange or FSB [Romel PANTOJA]; Civic SolidarityUnion or UCS [Johnny FERNANDEZ]; Free Bolivia Movement or MBL [FranzBARRIOS]; Marshal of Ayacucho Institutional Vanguard or VIMA [FreddyZABALA]; Movement of the Revolutionary Left or MIR [Jaime PAZZamora]; Movement Toward Socialism or MAS [Evo MORALES]; MovementWithout Fear or MSM [Juan DEL GRANADO]; Nationalist DemocraticAction or ADN [Jorge Fernando QUIROGA Ramirez]; NationalistRevolutionary Movement or MNR [Gonzalo SANCHEZ DE LOZADA]; NewRepublican Force or NFR [Manfred REYES-VILLA]; Pachakuti IndigenousMovement or MIP [Felipe QUISPE]; Socialist Party or PS [JeresJUSTINIANO]note: the MNR, MIR, and UCS comprise the ruling coalition
Political pressure groups and leaders:Cocalero Groups; indigenous organizations; labor unions; SoleConfederation of Campesino Workers of Bolivia or CSUTCB [FelipeQUISPE]
International organization participation:ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent),ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MONUC, NAM, OAS, OPANAL,OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMISET,UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jaime APARICIO Otero chancery: 3014 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Miami, New York, and San Francisco consulate(s): Washington, DC FAX: [1] (202) 328-3712 telephone: [1] (202) 483-4410
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador David N. GREENLEE embassy: Avenida Arce 2780, San Jorge, La Paz mailing address: P. O. Box 425, La Paz; APO AA 34032 telephone: [591] (2) 2430120, 2430251 FAX: [591] (2) 2433900
Flag description:three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green withthe coat of arms centered on the yellow band; similar to the flag ofGhana, which has a large black five-pointed star centered in theyellow band
Economy Bolivia
Economy - overview:Bolivia, long one of the poorest and least developed Latin Americancountries, made considerable progress in the 1990s toward thedevelopment of a market-oriented economy. Successes under PresidentSANCHEZ DE LOZADA (1993-97) included the signing of a free tradeagreement with Mexico and becoming an associate member of theSouthern Cone Common Market (Mercosur), as well as the privatizationof the state airline, telephone company, railroad, electric powercompany, and oil company. Growth slowed in 1999, in part due totight government budget policies, which limited neededappropriations for anti-poverty programs, and the fallout from theAsian financial crisis. In 2000, major civil disturbances held downgrowth to 2.5%. Bolivia's GDP failed to grow in 2001 due to theglobal slowdown and laggard domestic activity. Growth picked upslightly in 2002, but the first quarter of 2003 saw extensive civilriots and looting and loss of confidence in the government. Boliviawill remain highly dependent on foreign aid unless and until it candevelop its substantial natural resources.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $21.15 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:2.8% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $2,500 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 20% industry: 20% services: 60% (2002 est.)
Population below poverty line: 70% (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.3% highest 10%: 32% (1999)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:58.9 (1997)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):2% (2001 est.)
Labor force:2.5 million
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%
Unemployment rate:7.6%note: widespread underemployment (2000)
Budget:revenues: $4 billionexpenditures: $4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA(2002 est.)
Industries:mining, smelting, petroleum, food and beverages, tobacco,handicrafts, clothing
Industrial production growth rate:3.9% (1998)
Electricity - production:3.901 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 44.4% hydro: 54% other: 1.5% (2001) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption:3.634 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:3 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:9 million kWh (2001)
Oil - production:44,340 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:49,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:458.8 million bbl (37257)
Natural gas - production:4.05 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:1.15 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:2.9 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:727.2 billion cu m (37257)
Agriculture - products: soybeans, coffee, coca, cotton, corn, sugarcane, rice, potatoes; timber
Exports:$1.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities:soybeans, natural gas, zinc, gold, wood (2000)
Exports - partners:Brazil 24.3%, Switzerland 15.7%, US 14.1%, Venezuela 12.8%,Colombia 10.2%, Peru 5.4% (2002)
Imports:$1.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities:capital goods, raw materials and semi-manufactures, chemicals,petroleum, food
Imports - partners:Brazil 22%, Argentina 17.4%, US 15.6%, Chile 7%, Japan 5.5%, Peru5.4%, China 4.8% (2002)
Debt - external:$5.9 billion (2002 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$588 million (1997)
Currency:boliviano (BOB)
Currency code:BOB
Exchange rates:bolivianos per US dollar - 7.17 (2002), 6.61 (2001), 6.18 (2000),5.81 (1999), 5.51 (1998)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Bolivia
Telephones - main lines in use:327,600 (1996)
Telephones - mobile cellular:116,000 (1997)
Telephone system:general assessment: new subscribers face bureaucratic difficulties;most telephones are concentrated in La Paz and other cities; mobilecellular telephone use expanding rapidlydomestic: primary trunk system, which is being expanded, employsdigital microwave radio relay; some areas are served by fiber-opticcable; mobile cellular systems are being expandedinternational: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 171, FM 73, shortwave 77 (1999)
Radios:5.25 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:48 (1997)
Televisions:900,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.bo
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):9 (2000)
Internet users:78,000 (2000)
Transportation Bolivia
Railways: total: 3,519 km narrow gauge: 3,519 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)
Highways:total: 53,790 kmpaved: 3,496 km (including 13 km of expressways)unpaved: 50,294 km (2000 est.)
Waterways:10,000 km (commercially navigable)
Pipelines:gas 4,860 km; liquid petroleum gas 47 km; oil 2,460 km; refinedproducts 1,589 km; unknown (oil/water) 247 km (2003)
Ports and harbors:Puerto Aguirre (on the Paraguay/Parana waterway, at theBolivia/Brazil border); also, Bolivia has free port privileges inmaritime ports in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Paraguay
Merchant marine:total: 53 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 347,535 GRT/591,113 DWTships by type: bulk 2, cargo 25, chemical tanker 4, container 4,livestock carrier 1, petroleum tanker 12, roll on/roll off 1,short-sea passenger 3, specialized tanker 1note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag ofBelize 2, China 2, Cuba 1, Cyprus 1, Egypt 1, Honduras 1, Latvia 2,Liberia 2, Panama 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, SaudiArabia 1, Singapore 1, South Korea 3, Switzerland 1, Ukraine 1, UAE5, US 1 (2002 est.)
Airports:1,081 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 12 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1,069 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 64 914 to 1,523 m: 225 under 914 m: 776 (2002)
Military Bolivia
Military branches:Army (Ejercito Boliviano), Navy (Fuerza Naval, includes Marines),Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Boliviana), National Police Force (PoliciaNacional de Bolivia)
Military manpower - military age:19 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 2,118,908 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 1,380,883 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:males: 96,003 (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$147 million (FY99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:1.8% (FY99)
Transnational Issues Bolivia
Disputes - international:continues to press Chile and Peru to restore the Atacama corridorceded to Chile in 1884; Chile demands water rights to Bolivia's RioLauca and Silala Spring
Illicit drugs:world's third-largest cultivator of coca (after Colombia and Peru)with an estimated 24,400 hectares under cultivation in June 2002, a23% increase from June 2001; intermediate coca products and cocaineexported to or through Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, and Chile to theUS and other international drug markets; eradication and alternativecrop programs under the SANCHEZ DE LOZADA administration have beenunable to keep pace with farmers' attempts to increase cultivationafter significant reductions in 1998 and 1999; money-launderingactivity related to narcotics trade, especially along the borderswith Brazil and Paraguay
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
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@Bosnia and Herzegovina
Introduction Bosnia and Herzegovina
Background:Bosnia and Herzegovina's declaration of sovereignty in October1991, was followed by a declaration of independence from the formerYugoslavia on 3 March 1992 after a referendum boycotted by ethnicSerbs. The Bosnian Serbs - supported by neighboring Serbia andMontenegro - responded with armed resistance aimed at partitioningthe republic along ethnic lines and joining Serb-held areas to forma "greater Serbia." In March 1994, Bosniaks and Croats reduced thenumber of warring factions from three to two by signing an agreementcreating a joint Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.On 21 November 1995, in Dayton, Ohio, the warring parties initialeda peace agreement that brought to a halt three years of interethniccivil strife (the final agreement was signed in Paris on 14 December1995). The Dayton Agreement retained Bosnia and Herzegovina'sinternational boundaries and created a joint multi-ethnic anddemocratic government. This national government was charged withconducting foreign, economic, and fiscal policy. Also recognized wasa second tier of government comprised of two entities roughly equalin size: the Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina andthe Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska (RS). The Federation and RSgovernments were charged with overseeing internal functions. In1995-96, a NATO-led international peacekeeping force (IFOR) of60,000 troops served in Bosnia to implement and monitor the militaryaspects of the agreement. IFOR was succeeded by a smaller, NATO-ledStabilization Force (SFOR) whose mission is to deter renewedhostilities. SFOR remains in place although troop levels werereduced to approximately 12,000 by the close of 2002.
Geography Bosnia and Herzegovina
Location:Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Croatia
Geographic coordinates:44 00 N, 18 00 E
Map references:Europe
Area:total: 51,129 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmland: 51,129 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than West Virginia
Land boundaries: total: 1,459 km border countries: Croatia 932 km, Serbia and Montenegro 527 km
Coastline:20 km
Maritime claims:NA
Climate:hot summers and cold winters; areas of high elevation have short,cool summers and long, severe winters; mild, rainy winters alongcoast
Terrain:mountains and valleys
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 mhighest point: Maglic 2,386 m
Natural resources:coal, iron, bauxite, manganese, forests, copper, chromium, lead,zinc, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 9.8% permanent crops: 2.94% other: 87.26% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:20 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:destructive earthquakes
Environment - current issues:air pollution from metallurgical plants; sites for disposing ofurban waste are limited; water shortages and destruction ofinfrastructure because of the 1992-95 civil strife
Environment - international agreements:party to: Air Pollution, Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Law ofthe Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone LayerProtection, Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:within Bosnia and Herzegovina's recognized borders, the country isdivided into a joint Bosniak/Croat Federation (about 51% of theterritory) and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska or RS (about49% of the territory); the region called Herzegovina is contiguousto Croatia and Serbia and Montenegro (Montenegro), and traditionallyhas been settled by an ethnic Croat majority in the west and anethnic Serb majority in the east
People Bosnia and Herzegovina
Population:3,989,018 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 19.4% (male 397,810; female 377,005)15-64 years: 70.5% (male 1,439,383; female 1,372,891)65 years and over: 10.1% (male 171,643; female 230,286) (2003 est.)
Median age:total: 35.5 yearsmale: 35.1 yearsfemale: 35.9 years (2002)
Population growth rate:0.48% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:12.65 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:8.21 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:0.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.07 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 22.7 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 19.85 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)male: 25.37 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 72.29 yearsmale: 69.56 yearsfemale: 75.22 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.71 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:100 (2001 est.)
Nationality:noun: Bosnian(s)adjective: Bosnian
Ethnic groups:Serb 37.1%, Bosniak 48%, Croat 14.3%, other 0.6% (2000)note: Bosniak has replaced Muslim as an ethnic term in part to avoidconfusion with the religious term Muslim - an adherent of Islam
Religions:Muslim 40%, Orthodox 31%, Roman Catholic 15%, Protestant 4%, other10%
Languages:Croatian, Serbian, Bosnian
Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%
Government Bosnia and Herzegovina
Country name:conventional long form: noneconventional short form: Bosnia and Herzegovinalocal long form: nonelocal short form: Bosna i Hercegovina
Government type:emerging federal democratic republic
Capital:Sarajevo
Administrative divisions:there are two first-order administrative divisions and oneinternationally supervised district* - Brcko district (BrckoDistrikt)*, the Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina(Federacija Bosna i Hercegovina) and the Bosnian Serb-led RepublikaSrpska; note - Brcko district is in northeastern Bosnia and is anadministrative unit under the sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina;the district remains under international supervision
Independence:1 March 1992 (from Yugoslavia; referendum for independence wascompleted 1 March 1992; independence was declared 3 March 1992)
National holiday:National Day, 25 November (1943)
Constitution:the Dayton Agreement, signed 14 December 1995, included a newconstitution now in force; note - each of the entities also has itsown constitution
Legal system:based on civil law system
Suffrage:16 years of age, if employed; 18 years of age, universal
Executive branch:chief of state: Chairman of the Presidency Dragan COVIC (chairmansince 27 June 2003; presidency member since 5 October 2002 - Croat)other members of the three-member rotating (every eight months)presidency: Sulejman TIHIC (since 5 October 2002 - Bosniak) andBorislav PARAVAC (since 10 April 2003 - Serb); note - Mirko SAROVICresigned 2 April 2003elections: the three members of the presidency (one Bosniak, oneCroat, one Serb) are elected by popular vote for a four-year term;the member with the most votes becomes the chairman unless he or shewas the incumbent chairman at the time of the election, but thechairmanship rotates every eight months; election last held 5October 2002 (next to be held NA 2006); the chairman of the Councilof Ministers is appointed by the presidency and confirmed by theNational House of Representativeshead of government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers AdnanTERZIC (since 20 December 2002),cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the council chairman;approved by the National House of Representativeselection results: percent of vote - Mirko SAROVIC with 35.5% of theSerb vote was elected chairman of the collective presidency for thefirst eight months; Dragan COVIC received 61.5% of the Croat vote;Sulejman TIHIC received 37% of the Bosniak votenote: President of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina: NikoLOZANCIC (since 27 January 2003); Vice Presidents Sahbaz DZIHANOVIC(since NA 2003) and Desnica RADIVOJEVIC (since NA 2003); Presidentof the Republika Srpska: Dragan COVIC (since 28 November 2002)
Legislative branch:bicameral Parliamentary Assembly or Skupstina consists of theNational House of Representatives or Predstavnicki Dom (42 seats -elected by proportional representation, 28 seats allocated from theFederation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and 14 seats from the RepublikaSrpska; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)and the House of Peoples or Dom Naroda (15 seats - 5 Bosniak, 5Croat, 5 Serb; members elected by the Bosniak/Croat Federation'sHouse of Representatives and the Republika Srpska's NationalAssembly to serve four-year terms); note - Bosnia's election lawspecifies four-year terms for the state and first-orderadministrative division entity legislatureselection results: National House of Representatives - percent ofvote by party/coalition - SDA 21.9%, SDS 14.0%, SBiH 10.5%, SDP10.4%, SNSD 9.8%, HDZ 9.5%, PDP 4.6%, others 19.3%; seats byparty/coalition - SDA 10, SDS 5, SBiH 6, SDP 4, SNSD 3, HDZ 5, PDP2, others 7; House of Peoples - percent of vote by party/coalition -NA%; seats by party/coalition - NAelections: National House of Representatives - elections last held 5October 2002 (next to be held in NA 2006); House of Peoples - lastconstituted NA January 2003 (next to be constituted in 2007)note: the Bosniak/Croat Federation has a bicameral legislature thatconsists of a House of Representatives (98 seats; members elected bypopular vote to serve four-year terms); elections last held 5October 2002 (next to be held NA October 2006); percent of vote byparty - NA%; seats by party/coalition - SDA 32, HDZ-BiH 16, SDP 15,SBiH 15, other 20; and a House of Peoples (60 seats - 30 Bosniak, 30Croat); last constituted December 2002; the Republika Srpska has aNational Assembly (83 seats; members elected by popular vote toserve four-year terms); elections last held 5 October 2002 (next tobe held in the fall of 2006); percent of vote by party - NA%; seatsby party/coalition - SDS 26, SNSD 19, PDP 9, SDA 6, SRS 4, SPRS 3,DNZ 3, SBiH 4, SDP 3, others 6; as a result of the 2002constitutional reform process, a 28-member Republika Srpska Councilof Peoples (COP) was established in the Republika Srpska NationalAssembly; each constituent nation and "others" will have eightdelegates
Judicial branch:BiH Constitutional Court (consists of nine members: four membersare selected by the Bosniak/Croat Federation's House ofRepresentatives, two members by the Republika Srpska's NationalAssembly, and three non-Bosnian members by the president of theEuropean Court of Human Rights); BiH State Court (consists of ninejudges and three divisions - Administrative, Appellate and Criminal- having jurisdiction over cases related to state-level law andappellate jurisdiction over cases initiated in the entities; note -a War Crimes Chamber may be added at a future date)note: the entities each have a Supreme Court; each entity also has anumber of lower courts; there are 10 cantonal courts in theFederation, plus a number of municipal courts; the Republika Srpskahas five municipal courts
Political parties and leaders:Alliance of Independent Social Democrats or SNSD [Milorad DODIK];Bosnian Party or BOSS [Mirnes AJANOVIC]; Civic Democratic Party orGDS [Ilija SIMIC]; Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia andHerzegovina or HDZ [Barisa COLAK (acting)]; Croat ChristianDemocratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina or HKDU [MijoIVANIC-LONIC]; Croat Party of Rights or HSP [Zdravko HRISTIC]; CroatPeasants Party or HSS [Ilija SIMIC]; Democratic National Union orDNZ [Fikret ABDIC]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDS [Rasim KADIC];New Croat Initiative or NHI [Kresimir ZUBAK]; Party for Bosnia andHerzegovina or SBiH [Safet HALILOVIC]; Party of Democratic Action orSDA [Sulejman TIHIC]; Party of Democratic Progress or PDP [MladenIVANIC]; Pro-European People's Party or PROENS [Jadranko PRLIC];Serb Democratic Party or SDS [Dragan KALINIC]; Serb Radical Party ofthe Republika Srpska or SRS-RS [Radislav KANJERIC]; SocialDemocratic Party of BIH or SDP [Zlatko LAGUMDZIJA]; Socialist Partyof Republika Srpska or SPRS [Petar DJOKIC]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:BIS, CE, CEI, EBRD, ECE, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, IDA,IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO,ITU, NAM (guest), OAS (observer), OIC (observer), OPCW, OSCE, UN,UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO(observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Igor DAVIDOVICchancery: 2109 E Street NW, Washington, DC 20037telephone: [1] (202) 337-1500consulate(s) general: New YorkFAX: [1] (202) 337-1502
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Clifford G. BOND embassy: Alipasina 43, 71000 Sarajevo mailing address: use street address telephone: [387] (33) 445-700 FAX: [387] (33) 659-722 branch office(s): Banja Luka, Mostar
Flag description:a wide medium blue vertical band on the fly side with a yellowisosceles triangle abutting the band and the top of the flag; theremainder of the flag is medium blue with seven full five-pointedwhite stars and two half stars top and bottom along the hypotenuseof the triangle
Government - note:The Dayton Agreement, signed in Paris on 14 December 1995, retainedBosnia and Herzegovina's exterior border and created a jointmulti-ethnic and democratic government. This national government -based on proportional representation similar to that which existedin the former socialist regime - is charged with conducting foreign,economic, and fiscal policy. The Dayton Agreement also recognized asecond tier of government, comprised of two entities - a jointBosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the BosnianSerb Republika Srpska (RS) - each presiding over roughly one-halfthe territory. The Federation and RS governments are charged withoverseeing internal functions. The Bosniak/Croat Federation isfurther divided into 10 cantons. The Dayton Agreement establishedthe Office of the High Representative (OHR) to oversee theimplementation of the civilian aspects of the agreement.
Economy Bosnia and Herzegovina
Economy - overview:Bosnia and Herzegovina ranked next to The Former Yugoslav Republicof Macedonia as the poorest republic in the old Yugoslav federation.Although agriculture is almost all in private hands, farms are smalland inefficient, and the republic traditionally is a net importer offood. Industry has been greatly overstaffed, one reflection of thesocialist economic structure of Yugoslavia. TITO had pushed thedevelopment of military industries in the republic with the resultthat Bosnia hosted a number of Yugoslavia's defense plants. Thebitter interethnic warfare in Bosnia caused production to plummet by80% from 1990 to 1995, unemployment to soar, and human misery tomultiply. With an uneasy peace in place, output recovered in 1996-99at high percentage rates from a low base; but output growth slowedin 2000-02. GDP remains far below the 1990 level. Economic data areof limited use because, although both entities issue figures,national-level statistics are limited. Moreover, official data donot capture the large share of black market activity. The marka -the national currency introduced in 1998 - is now pegged to theeuro, and the Central Bank of Bosnia and Herzegovina hasdramatically increased its reserve holdings. Implementation ofprivatization, however, has been slow, and local entities onlyreluctantly support national-level institutions. Banking reformaccelerated in 2001 as all the Communist-era payments bureaus wereshut down. The country receives substantial amounts ofreconstruction assistance and humanitarian aid from theinternational community but will have to prepare for an era ofdeclining assistance.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $7.3 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:2.3% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:agriculture: 13%industry: 40.9%services: 46.1% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line:NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):3.5% (2002 est.)
Labor force:1.026 million
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%
Unemployment rate:40% (2002 est.)
Budget:revenues: $1.9 billionexpenditures: $2.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA(1999 est.)
Industries:steel, coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, manganese, bauxite, vehicleassembly, textiles, tobacco products, wooden furniture, tank andaircraft assembly, domestic appliances, oil refining (2001)
Industrial production growth rate:7% (2002 est.)
Electricity - production:9.979 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 53.5% hydro: 46.5% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption:8.116 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:2.569 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:1.405 billion kWh (2001)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:20,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Natural gas - production:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:300 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:300 million cu m (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products:wheat, corn, fruits, vegetables; livestock
Exports:$1.15 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities:metals, clothing, wood products
Exports - partners:Italy 31.6%, Croatia 18%, Germany 12.9%, Austria 10.1%, Slovenia6.9%, Greece 4.3% (2002)
Imports:$2.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs
Imports - partners:Croatia 23.7%, Slovenia 14.8%, Germany 14%, Italy 13.1%, Hungary8%, Austria 7.7% (2002)
Debt - external:$2.8 billion (2001)
Economic aid - recipient:$650 million (2001 est.)
Currency:marka (BAM)
Currency code:BAM
Exchange rates:marka per US dollar - NA (2002), 2.19 (2001), 2.12 (2000), 1.84(1999), 1.76 (1998)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Bosnia and Herzegovina
Telephones - main lines in use:303,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular:9,000 (1997)
Telephone system:general assessment: telephone and telegraph network needsmodernization and expansion; many urban areas are below average ascontrasted with services in other former Yugoslav republicsdomestic: NAinternational: no satellite earth stations
Radio broadcast stations:AM 8, FM 16, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios:940,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:33 (plus 277 repeaters) (September 1995)
Televisions:NA
Internet country code:.ba
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):3 (2000)
Internet users:45,000 (2002)
Transportation Bosnia and Herzegovina
Railways:total: 1,021 km (795 km electrified)standard gauge: 1,021 km 1.435-m gauge (2002)
Highways:total: 21,846 kmpaved: 11,424 kmunpaved: 10,422 km (1999 est)
Waterways:NA km; large sections of the Sava blocked by downed bridges, silt,and debris
Pipelines:gas 170 km; oil 9 km (2003)
Ports and harbors:Bosanska Gradiska, Bosanski Brod, Bosanski Samac, and Brcko (allinland waterway ports on the Sava), Orasje
Merchant marine:none (2002 est.)
Airports:32 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 14 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 under 914 m: 3 (2002) 914 to 1523 m: 1
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 18 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 10 (2002)
Heliports: 5 (2002)
Military Bosnia and Herzegovina
Military branches:VF Army (the air and air defense forces are subordinate commandswithin the Army), VRS Army (the air and air defense forces aresubordinate commands within the Army)
Military manpower - military age:19 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 1,132,476 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 897,856 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:males: 29,861 (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$234.3 million (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:4.5% (FY02)
Transnational Issues Bosnia and Herzegovina
Disputes - international:Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia and Montenegro have delimitedabout half of their boundary, but sections along the Drina Riverremain in dispute; discussions continue with Croatia on problemsections of the Una River and villages at the base of MountPljesevica
Illicit drugs:minor transit point for marijuana and opiate trafficking routes toWestern Europe; organized crime launders money, but the lack of awell-developed financial infrastructure limits the country's utilityas a money-laundering center
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
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@Botswana
Introduction Botswana
Background:Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adoptedits new name upon independence in 1966. Four decades ofuninterrupted civilian leadership, progressive social policies, andsignificant capital investment have created one of the most dynamiceconomies in Africa. Mineral extraction, principally diamond mining,dominates economic activity, though tourism is a growing sector dueto the country's conservation practices and extensive naturepreserves. Botswana has the world's highest known rate of HIV/AIDSinfection, but also one of Africa's most progressive andcomprehensive programs for dealing with the disease.
Geography Botswana
Location:Southern Africa, north of South Africa
Geographic coordinates:22 00 S, 24 00 E
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 600,370 sq kmwater: 15,000 sq kmland: 585,370 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than Texas
Land boundaries:total: 4,013 kmborder countries: Namibia 1,360 km, South Africa 1,840 km, Zimbabwe813 km
Coastline:0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:none (landlocked)
Climate:semiarid; warm winters and hot summers
Terrain:predominantly flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert insouthwest
Elevation extremes:lowest point: junction of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers 513 mhighest point: Tsodilo Hills 1,489 m
Natural resources:diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore,silver
Land use: arable land: 0.61% permanent crops: 0.01% other: 99.38% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:10 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the west,carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscurevisibility
Environment - current issues:overgrazing; desertification; limited fresh water resources
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: landlocked; population concentrated in eastern part of the country
People Botswana
Population:1,573,267note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account theeffects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lowerlife expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lowerpopulation and growth rates, and changes in the distribution ofpopulation by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July2003 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 39.5% (male 314,764; female 307,024)15-64 years: 56% (male 424,726; female 455,967)65 years and over: 4.5% (male 30,599; female 40,187) (2003 est.)
Median age:total: 19.1 yearsmale: 18.4 yearsfemale: 19.8 years (2002)
Population growth rate:-0.55% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:25.5 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:31 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 67.34 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 66.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)male: 68.36 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 32.26 yearsmale: 32.2 yearsfemale: 32.32 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:3.27 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:38.8% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:330,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:26,000 (2001 est.)
Nationality:noun: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)adjective: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)
Ethnic groups:Tswana (or Setswana) 79%, Kalanga 11%, Basarwa 3%, other, includingKgalagadi and white 7%
Religions:indigenous beliefs 85%, Christian 15%
Languages:English (official), Setswana
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 79.8%male: 76.9%female: 82.4% (2003 est.)
Government Botswana
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Botswanaconventional short form: Botswanaformer: Bechuanaland
Government type:parliamentary republic
Capital:Gaborone
Administrative divisions:9 districts and four town councils*; Central, Francistown*,Gaborone*, Ghanzi, Kgalagadi, Kgatleng, Kweneng, Lobatse*,Northwest, Northeast, Selebi-Pikwe*, Southeast, Southern
Independence:30 September 1966 (from UK)
National holiday:Independence Day (Botswana Day), 30 September (1966)
Constitution:March 1965, effective 30 September 1966
Legal system:based on Roman-Dutch law and local customary law; judicial reviewlimited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted compulsoryICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Festus MOGAE (since 1 April 1998) andVice President Seretse Ian KHAMA (since 13 July 1998); note - thepresident is both the chief of state and head of governmenthead of government: President Festus MOGAE (since 1 April 1998) andVice President Seretse Ian KHAMA (since 13 July 1998); note - thepresident is both the chief of state and head of governmentcabinet: Cabinet appointed by the presidentelections: president elected by the National Assembly for afive-year term; election last held 16 October 1999 (next to be heldNA October 2004); vice president appointed by the presidentelection results: Festus MOGAE elected president; percent ofNational Assembly vote - 54.3%
Legislative branch:bicameral Parliament consists of the House of Chiefs (a largelyadvisory 15-member body consisting of the chiefs of the eightprincipal tribes, four elected subchiefs, and three members selectedby the other 12 members) and the National Assembly (44 seats, 40members are directly elected by popular vote and 4 are appointed bythe majority party; members serve five-year terms)elections: National Assembly elections last held 16 October 1999(next to be held NA October 2004)election results: percent of vote by party - BDP 54.3%, BNF 24.7%,other 21%; seats by party - BDP 33, BNF 6, other 1
Judicial branch:High Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrates' Courts (one in eachdistrict)
Political parties and leaders:Botswana Democratic Party or BDP [Festus MOGAE]; Botswana NationalFront or BNF [Otswoletse MOUPO]; Botswana Congress Party or BCP[Mokgweetsi KGOSIPULA]; Botswana Alliance Movement or BAM [EphraimLepetu SETSHWAELO]note: a number of minor parties joined forces in 1999 to form theBAM but did not capture any parliamentary seats; the BAM partiesare: the United Action Party [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO], theIndependence Freedom Party or IFP [Motsamai MPHO], and the BotswanaProgressive Union [D. K. KWELE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU,OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Lapologang Caesar LEKOAchancery: 1531-1533 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036FAX: [1] (202) 244-4164telephone: [1] (202) 244-4990
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph HUGGINS embassy: address NA, Gaborone mailing address: Embassy Enclave, P. O. Box 90, Gaborone telephone: [267] 353982 FAX: [267] 312782
Flag description: light blue with a horizontal white-edged black stripe in the center
Economy Botswana
Economy - overview:Botswana has maintained one of the world's highest growth ratessince independence in 1966. Through fiscal discipline and soundmanagement, Botswana has transformed itself from one of the poorestcountries in the world to a middle-income country with a per capitaGDP of $9,500 in 2002. Two major investment services rank Botswanaas the best credit risk in Africa. Diamond mining has fueled much ofthe expansion and currently accounts for more than one-third of GDPand for nine-tenths of export earnings. Tourism, subsistencefarming, and cattle raising are other key sectors. On the downside,the government must deal with high rates of unemployment andpoverty. Unemployment officially is 21%, but unofficial estimatesplace it closer to 40%. HIV/AIDS infection rates are the highest inthe world and threaten Botswana's impressive economic gains.Long-term prospects are overshadowed by the prospects of a levelingoff in diamond mining production.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $13.48 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:4.2% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $8,500 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4% industry: 44% (including 36% mining) services: 52% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line:47%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):8.1% (2002 est.)
Labor force:264,000 formal sector employees (2000)
Labor force - by occupation:NA
Unemployment rate:40% (official rate is 21%) (2001 est.)
Budget:revenues: $2.3 billionexpenditures: $2.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA(FY 01/02)
Industries:diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash; livestockprocessing; textiles
Industrial production growth rate:2.4% (2001 est.)
Electricity - production:409.8 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption:1.564 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:1.183 billion kWh (2001)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:16,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Agriculture - products:livestock, sorghum, maize, millet, beans, sunflowers, groundnuts
Exports:$2.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities:diamonds 90%, copper, nickel, soda ash, meat, textiles
Exports - partners:European Free Trade Association (EFTA) 87%, Southern AfricanCustoms Union (SACU) 7%, Zimbabwe 4% (2000)
Imports:$1.9 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities:foodstuffs, machinery, electrical goods, transport equipment,textiles, fuel and petroleum products, wood and paper products,metal and metal products
Imports - partners:Southern African Customs Union (SACU) 74%, EFTA 17%, Zimbabwe 4%(2000)
Debt - external:$360 million (2002)
Economic aid - recipient:$73 million (1995)
Currency:pula (BWP)
Currency code:BWP
Exchange rates:pulas per US dollar - 6.33 (2002), 5.84 (2001), 5.1 (2000), 4.62(1999), 4.23 (1998)
Fiscal year:1 April - 31 March
Communications Botswana
Telephones - main lines in use:131,000 (September 2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular:270,000 (September 2001)
Telephone system:general assessment: the system is expanding with the growth ofmobile cellular service and participation in regional developmentdomestic: small system of open-wire lines, microwave radio relaylinks, and a few radiotelephone communication stations; mobilecellular service is growing fastinternational: two international exchanges; digital microwave radiorelay links to Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa;satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 8, FM 13, shortwave 4 (2001)
Radios:252,720 (2000)
Television broadcast stations:1 (2001)
Televisions:31,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.bw
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):11 (2001)
Internet users:33,000 (2001)
Transportation Botswana
Railways: total: 888 km narrow gauge: 888 km 1.067-m gauge (2002)
Highways: total: 10,217 km paved: 5,619 km unpaved: 4,598 km (1999)
Waterways:none
Ports and harbors:none
Airports:86 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 102,438 to 3,047 m: 21,524 to 2,437 m: 7914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 761,524 to 2,437 m: 3914 to 1,523 m: 55under 914 m: 18 (2002)
Military Botswana
Military branches:Botswana Defense Force (including Army and Air Wing), BotswanaNational Police
Military manpower - military age:18 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 381,056 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 201,402 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:males: 20,476 (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$207.3 million (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:3.5% (FY02)
Transnational Issues Botswana
Disputes - international:established a commission with Namibia to resolve small residualdisputes along the Caprivi Strip, including the Situngu marshlandsalong the Linyanti River; downstream Botswana residents protestNamibia's planned construction of the Okavango hydroelectric dam onPopa Falls; dormant dispute remains where Botswana, Namibia, Zambia,and Zimbabwe boundaries converge
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
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@Bouvet Island
Introduction Bouvet Island
Background:This uninhabited volcanic island is almost entirely covered byglaciers and is difficult to approach. It was discovered in 1739 bya French naval officer after whom the island was named. No claim wasmade until 1825, when the British flag was raised. In 1928, the UKwaived its claim in favor of Norway, which had occupied the islandthe previous year. In 1971, Bouvet Island and the adjacentterritorial waters were designated a nature reserve. Since 1977,Norway has run an automated meteorological station on the island.
Geography Bouvet Island
Location:island in the South Atlantic Ocean, southwest of the Cape of GoodHope (South Africa)
Geographic coordinates:54 26 S, 3 24 E
Map references:Antarctic Region
Area:total: 58.5 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmland: 58.5 sq km
Area - comparative:about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:29.6 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 4 NM
Climate:antarctic
Terrain:volcanic; coast is mostly inaccessible
Elevation extremes: lowest point: South Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Olav Peak 935 m
Natural resources: none
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (93% ice) (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:0 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:NA
Environment - current issues:NA
Geography - note:covered by glacial ice; declared a nature reserve
People Bouvet Island
Population: uninhabited (July 2003 est.)
Government Bouvet Island
Country name:conventional long form: noneconventional short form: Bouvet Island
Dependency status:territory of Norway; administered by the Polar Department of theMinistry of Justice and Police from Oslo
Legal system:the laws of Norway, where applicable, apply
Flag description:the flag of Norway is used
Economy Bouvet Island
Economy - overview: no economic activity; declared a nature reserve