Togoindigenous beliefs 51%, Christian 29%, Muslim 20%
TokelauCongregational Christian Church 70%, Roman Catholic 28%,other 2%note: on Atafu, all Congregational Christian Church of Samoa; onNukunonu, all Roman Catholic; on Fakaofo, both denominations, withthe Congregational Christian Church predominant
TongaChristian (Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30,000 adherents)
Trinidad and TobagoRoman Catholic 29.4%, Hindu 23.8%, Anglican10.9%, Muslim 5.8%, Presbyterian 3.4%, other 26.7%
TunisiaMuslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish and other 1%
TurkeyMuslim 99.8% (mostly Sunni), other 0.2% (mostly Christiansand Jews)
TurkmenistanMuslim 89%, Eastern Orthodox 9%, unknown 2%
Turks and Caicos IslandsBaptist 40%, Methodist 16%, Anglican 18%,Church of God 12%, other 14% (1990)
TuvaluChurch of Tuvalu (Congregationalist) 97%, Seventh-DayAdventist 1.4%, Baha'i 1%, other 0.6%
UgandaRoman Catholic 33%, Protestant 33%, Muslim 16%, indigenousbeliefs 18%
UkraineUkrainian Orthodox - Moscow Patriarchate, Ukrainian Orthodox- Kiev Patriarchate, Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox, UkrainianCatholic (Uniate), Protestant, Jewish
United Arab EmiratesMuslim 96% (Shi'a 16%), Christian, Hindu, andother 4%
United KingdomAnglican and Roman Catholic 40 million, Muslim 1.5million, Presbyterian 800,000, Methodist 760,000, Sikh 500,000,Hindu 500,000, Jewish 350,000
United StatesProtestant 56%, Roman Catholic 28%, Jewish 2%, other4%, none 10% (1989)
UruguayRoman Catholic 66% (less than half of the adult populationattends church regularly), Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, nonprofessingor other 31%
UzbekistanMuslim 88% (mostly Sunnis), Eastern Orthodox 9%, other 3%
VanuatuPresbyterian 36.7%, Anglican 15%, Roman Catholic 15%,indigenous beliefs 7.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6.2%, Church ofChrist 3.8%, other 15.7% (including Jon Frum Cargo cult)
Venezuelanominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, other 2%
VietnamBuddhist, Hoa Hao, Cao Dai, Christian (predominantly RomanCatholic, some Protestant), indigenous beliefs, Muslim
Virgin IslandsBaptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%,other 7%
Wallis and FutunaRoman Catholic 99%, other 1%
West BankMuslim 75% (predominantly Sunni), Jewish 17%, Christianand other 8%
Western SaharaMuslim
WorldChristians 32.79% (of which Roman Catholics 17.33%,Protestants 5.62%, Orthodox 3.51%, Anglicans 1.31%), Muslims 19.6%,Hindus 13.31%, Buddhists 5.88%, Sikhs 0.38%, Jews 0.24%, otherreligions 12.83%, non-religious 12.53%, atheists 2.44% (2001 est.)
YemenMuslim including Shaf'i (Sunni) and Zaydi (Shi'a), smallnumbers of Jewish, Christian, and Hindu
ZambiaChristian 50%-75%, Muslim and Hindu 24%-49%, indigenousbeliefs 1%
Zimbabwesyncretic (part Christian, part indigenous beliefs) 50%,Christian 25%, indigenous beliefs 24%, Muslim and other 1%
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
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@2123 Suffrage
AfghanistanNA; previously males 15-50 years of age
Albania18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Algeria18 years of age; universal
American Samoa18 years of age; universal
Andorra18 years of age; universal
Angola18 years of age; universal
Anguilla18 years of age; universal
Antigua and Barbuda18 years of age; universal
Argentina18 years of age; universal and mandatory
Armenia18 years of age; universal
Aruba18 years of age; universal
Australia18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Austria18 years of age; universal; compulsory for presidentialelections
Azerbaijan18 years of age; universal
Bahamas, The18 years of age; universal
Bahrain18 years of age; universal
Bangladesh18 years of age; universal
Barbados18 years of age; universal
Belarus18 years of age; universal
Belgium18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Belize18 years of age; universal
Benin18 years of age; universal
Bermuda18 years of age; universal
Bhutaneach family has one vote in village-level elections
Bolivia18 years of age, universal and compulsory (married); 21years of age, universal and compulsory (single)
Bosnia and Herzegovina16 years of age, if employed; 18 years ofage, universal
Botswana18 years of age; universal
Brazilvoluntary between 16 and 18 years of age and over 70;compulsory over 18 and under 70 years of age
British Virgin Islands18 years of age; universal
Bruneinone
Bulgaria18 years of age; universal
Burkina Fasouniversal
Burma18 years of age; universal
BurundiNA years of age; universal adult
Cambodia18 years of age; universal
Cameroon20 years of age; universal
Canada18 years of age; universal
Cape Verde18 years of age; universal
Cayman Islands18 years of age; universal
Central African Republic21 years of age; universal
Chad18 years of age; universal
Chile18 years of age; universal and compulsory
China18 years of age; universal
Cocos (Keeling) IslandsNA
Colombia18 years of age; universal
Comoros18 years of age; universal
Congo, Democratic Republic of the 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Congo, Republic of the18 years of age; universal
Cook IslandsNA years of age; universal adult
Costa Rica18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Cote d'Ivoire18 years of age; universal
Croatia18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed)
Cuba16 years of age; universal
Cyprus18 years of age; universal
Czech Republic18 years of age; universal
Denmark18 years of age; universal
Djibouti18 years of age; universal adult
Dominica18 years of age; universal
Dominican Republic 18 years of age, universal and compulsory; married persons regardless of age note: members of the armed forces and police cannot vote
East Timor17 years of age; universal
Ecuador18 years of age; universal, compulsory for literate personsages 18-65, optional for other eligible voters
Egypt18 years of age; universal and compulsory
El Salvador18 years of age; universal
Equatorial Guinea18 years of age; universal adult
Eritrea18 years of age; universal
Estonia18 years of age; universal for all Estonian citizens
Ethiopia18 years of age; universal
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)18 years of age; universal
Faroe Islands18 years of age; universal
Fiji21 years of age; universal
Finland18 years of age; universal
France18 years of age; universal
French Guiana18 years of age; universal
French Polynesia18 years of age; universal
Gabon21 years of age; universal
Gambia, The18 years of age; universal
Georgia18 years of age; universal
Germany18 years of age; universal
Ghana18 years of age; universal
Gibraltar18 years of age; universal, plus other UK subjects whohave been residents six months or more
Greece18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Greenland18 years of age; universal
Grenada18 years of age; universal
Guadeloupe18 years of age; universal
Guam18 years of age; universal; US citizens, but do not vote in USpresidential elections
Guatemala18 years of age; universal (active duty members of thearmed forces may not vote and are restricted to their barracks onelection day)
Guernsey18 years of age; universal
Guinea18 years of age; universal
Guinea-Bissau18 years of age; universal
Guyana18 years of age; universal
Haiti18 years of age; universal
Holy See (Vatican City)limited to cardinals less than 80 years old
Honduras18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Hong Kongdirect election 18 years of age; universal for permanentresidents living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past sevenyears; indirect election limited to about 100,000 members offunctional constituencies and an 800-member election committee drawnfrom broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, and centralgovernment bodies
Hungary18 years of age; universal
Iceland18 years of age; universal
India18 years of age; universal
Indonesia17 years of age; universal and married persons regardlessof age
Iran15 years of age; universal
Iraqformerly 18 years of age; universal; note - in transitionfollowing April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regime by US-ledcoalition
Ireland18 years of age; universal
Israel18 years of age; universal
Italy18 years of age; universal (except in senatorial elections,where minimum age is 25)
Jamaica18 years of age; universal
Japan20 years of age; universal
JerseyNA years of age; universal adult
Jordan18 years of age; universal
Kazakhstan18 years of age; universal
Kenya18 years of age; universal
Kiribati18 years of age; universal
Korea, North17 years of age; universal
Korea, South20 years of age; universal
Kuwaitadult males who have been naturalized for 30 years or more orhave resided in Kuwait since before 1920 and their male descendantsat age 21note: only 10% of all citizens are eligible to vote; in 1996,naturalized citizens who do not meet the pre-1920 qualification buthave been naturalized for 30 years were eligible to vote for thefirst time
Kyrgyzstan18 years of age; universal
Laos18 years of age; universal
Latvia18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens
Lebanon21 years of age; compulsory for all males; authorized forwomen at age 21 with elementary education
Lesotho18 years of age; universal
Liberia18 years of age; universal
Libya18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Liechtenstein18 years of age; universal
Lithuania18 years of age; universal
Luxembourg18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Macaudirect election 18 years of age, universal for permanentresidents living in Macau for the past seven years; indirectelection limited to organizations registered as "corporate voters"(257 are currently registered) and a 300-member Election Committeedrawn from broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, andcentral government bodies
Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of18 years of age; universal
Madagascar18 years of age; universal
Malawi18 years of age; universal
Malaysia21 years of age; universal
Maldives21 years of age; universal
Mali18 years of age; universal
Malta18 years of age; universal
Man, Isle of18 years of age; universal
Marshall Islands18 years of age; universal
Martinique18 years of age; universal
Mauritania18 years of age; universal
Mauritius18 years of age; universal
Mayotte18 years of age; universal
Mexico18 years of age; universal and compulsory (but not enforced)
Micronesia, Federated States of18 years of age; universal
Moldova18 years of age; universal
Monaco21 years of age; universal
Mongolia18 years of age; universal
Montserrat18 years of age; universal
Morocco18 years of age; universal (as of January 2003)
Mozambique18 years of age; universal
Namibia18 years of age; universal
Nauru20 years of age; universal and compulsory
Nepal18 years of age; universal
Netherlands18 years of age; universal
Netherlands Antilles18 years of age; universal
New Caledonia18 years of age; universal
New Zealand18 years of age; universal
Nicaragua16 years of age; universal
Niger18 years of age; universal
Nigeria18 years of age; universal
Niue18 years of age; universal
Norfolk Island18 years of age; universal
Northern Mariana Islands 18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
Norway18 years of age; universal
Omanin Oman's most recent elections in 2000, limited toapproximately 175,000 Omanis chosen by the government to vote inelections for the Majlis al-Shura
Pakistan18 years of age; universal; joint electorates and reservedparliamentary seats for women and non-Muslims
Palau18 years of age; universal
Panama18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Papua New Guinea18 years of age; universal
Paraguay18 years of age; universal and compulsory up to age 75
Peru18 years of age; universal
Philippines18 years of age; universal
Pitcairn Islands 18 years of age; universal with three years residency
Poland18 years of age; universal
Portugal18 years of age; universal
Puerto Rico18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants areUS citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
Qatar18 years of age; universal
Reunion18 years of age; universal
Romania18 years of age; universal
Russia18 years of age; universal
Rwanda18 years of age; universal adult
Saint HelenaNA years of age
Saint Kitts and Nevis18 years of age; universal
Saint Lucia18 years of age; universal
Saint Pierre and Miquelon18 years of age; universal
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines18 years of age; universal
Samoa21 years of age; universal
San Marino18 years of age; universal
Sao Tome and Principe18 years of age; universal
Saudi Arabianone
Senegal18 years of age; universal
Serbia and Montenegro 16 years of age, if employed; 18 years of age, universal
Seychelles17 years of age; universal
Sierra Leone18 years of age; universal
Singapore21 years of age; universal and compulsory
Slovakia18 years of age; universal
Slovenia18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed)
Solomon Islands21 years of age; universal
Somalia18 years of age; universal
South Africa18 years of age; universal
Spain18 years of age; universal
Sri Lanka18 years of age; universal
Sudan17 years of age; universal, but noncompulsory
Suriname18 years of age; universal
Swaziland18 years of age
Sweden18 years of age; universal
Switzerland18 years of age; universal
Syria18 years of age; universal
Taiwan20 years of age; universal
Tajikistan18 years of age; universal
Tanzania18 years of age; universal
Thailand18 years of age; universal and compulsory
TogoNA years of age; universal adult
Tokelau21 years of age; universal
Tonga21 years of age; universal
Trinidad and Tobago18 years of age; universal
Tunisia20 years of age; universal
Turkey18 years of age; universal
Turkmenistan18 years of age; universal
Turks and Caicos Islands18 years of age; universal
Tuvalu18 years of age; universal
Uganda18 years of age; universal
Ukraine18 years of age; universal
United Arab Emiratesnone
United Kingdom18 years of age; universal
United States18 years of age; universal
Uruguay18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Uzbekistan18 years of age; universal
Vanuatu18 years of age; universal
Venezuela18 years of age; universal
Vietnam18 years of age; universal
Virgin Islands18 years of age; universal; note - indigenousinhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidentialelections
Wallis and Futuna18 years of age; universal
Western Saharanone; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaignnot yet completed
Yemen18 years of age; universal
Zambia18 years of age; universal
Zimbabwe18 years of age; universal
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
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@2124 Telephone system
Afghanistangeneral assessment: very limited telephone and telegraphservicedomestic: in 1997, telecommunications links were established betweenMazar-e Sharif, Herat, Kandahar, Jalalabad, and Kabul throughsatellite and microwave systemsinternational: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)linked only to Iran and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region);commercial satellite telephone center in Ghazni
Albaniageneral assessment: Albania has the poorest telephoneservice in Europe with fewer than two telephones per 100inhabitants; it is doubtful that every village has telephone servicedomestic: obsolete wire system; no longer provides a telephone forevery village; in 1992, following the fall of the Communistgovernment, peasants cut the wire to about 1,000 villages and usedit to build fencesinternational: inadequate; international traffic carried bymicrowave radio relay from the Tirana exchange to Italy and Greece
Algeriageneral assessment: telephone density in Algeria is verylow, not exceeding five telephones per 100 persons; the number offixed main lines increased in the last few years to a little morethan 2,000,000, but only about two-thirds of these have subscribers;much of the infrastructure is outdated and inefficientdomestic: good service in north but sparse in south; domesticsatellite system with 12 earth stations (20 additional domesticearth stations are planned)international: 5 submarine cables; microwave radio relay to Italy,France, Spain, Morocco, and Tunisia; coaxial cable to Morocco andTunisia; participant in Medarabtel; satellite earth stations - 2Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik, and1 Arabsat (1998)
American Samoageneral assessment: NAdomestic: good telex, telegraph, facsimile and cellular telephoneservices; domestic satellite system with 1 Comsat earth stationinternational: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Andorrageneral assessment: NAdomestic: modern system with microwave radio relay connectionsbetween exchangesinternational: landline circuits to France and Spain
Angolageneral assessment: telephone service limited mostly togovernment and business use; HF radiotelephone used extensively formilitary linksdomestic: limited system of wire, microwave radio relay, andtropospheric scatterinternational: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Anguillageneral assessment: NAdomestic: modern internal telephone systeminternational: microwave radio relay to island of Saint Martin(Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles)
Antarcticageneral assessment: local systems at some researchstationsdomestic: NAinternational: via satellite from some research stations
Antigua and Barbudageneral assessment: NAdomestic: good automatic telephone systeminternational: 1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth station -1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Saba(Netherlands Antilles) and Guadeloupe
Argentinageneral assessment: by opening the telecommunicationsmarket to competition and foreign investment with the"Telecommunications Liberalization Plan of 1998," Argentinaencouraged the growth of modern telecommunication technology;fiber-optic cable trunk lines are being installed between all majorcities; the major networks are entirely digital and the availabilityof telephone service is being improved; however, telephone densityis presently minimal, and making telephone service universallyavailable will take timedomestic: microwave radio relay, fiber-optic cable, and a domesticsatellite system with 40 earth stations serve the trunk network;more than 110,000 pay telephones are installed and mobile telephoneuse is rapidly expandinginternational: satellite earth stations - 8 Intelsat (AtlanticOcean); Atlantis II and Unisur submarine cables; two internationalgateways near Buenos Aires (1999)
Armeniageneral assessment: system inadequate; now 90% privatelyowned and undergoing modernization and expansiondomestic: the majority of subscribers and the most modern equipmentare in Yerevan (this includes paging and mobile cellular service)international: Yerevan is connected to the Trans-Asia-Europefiber-optic cable through Iran; additional international service isavailable by microwave radio relay and landline connections to theother countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States andthrough the Moscow international switch and by satellite to the restof the world; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (2000)
Arubageneral assessment: NAdomestic: more than adequateinternational: 1 submarine cable to Sint Maarten (NetherlandsAntilles); extensive interisland microwave radio relay links
Australiageneral assessment: excellent domestic and internationalservicedomestic: domestic satellite system; much use of radiotelephone inareas of low population density; rapid growth of mobile cellulartelephonesinternational: submarine cables to New Zealand, Papua New Guinea,and Indonesia; satellite earth stations - 10 Intelsat (4 IndianOcean and 6 Pacific Ocean), 2 Inmarsat (Indian and Pacific Oceanregions) (1998)
Austriageneral assessment: highly developed and efficientdomestic: there are 48 main lines for every 100 persons; the fiberoptic net is very extensive; all telephone applications and Internetservices are availableinternational: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 AtlanticOcean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Eutelsat; in addition, there areabout 600 VSAT (very small aperture terminals) (2002)
Azerbaijangeneral assessment: inadequate; requires considerableexpansion and modernization; teledensity of 10 main lines per 100persons is low (2002)domestic: the majority of telephones are in Baku and otherindustrial centers - about 700 villages still without publictelephone service; satellite service connects Baku to a modernswitch in its exclave of Naxcivaninternational: the old Soviet system of cable and microwave is stillserviceable; a satellite connection to Turkey enables Baku to reachabout 200 additional countries, some of which are directly connectedto Baku by satellite providers other than Turkey (1997)
Bahamas, Thegeneral assessment: modern facilitiesdomestic: totally automatic system; highly developedinternational: tropospheric scatter and submarine cable to Florida;3 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat(Atlantic Ocean) (1997)
Bahraingeneral assessment: modern systemdomestic: modern fiber-optic integrated services; digital networkwith rapidly growing use of mobile cellular telephonesinternational: tropospheric scatter to Qatar and UAE; microwaveradio relay to Saudi Arabia; submarine cable to Qatar, UAE, andSaudi Arabia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 AtlanticOcean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat (1997)
Bangladeshgeneral assessment: totally inadequate for a moderncountrydomestic: modernizing; introducing digital systems; trunk systemsinclude VHF and UHF microwave radio relay links, and somefiber-optic cable in citiesinternational: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean);international radiotelephone communications and landline service toneighboring countries (2000)
Barbadosgeneral assessment: NAdomestic: island-wide automatic telephone systeminternational: satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (AtlanticOcean); tropospheric scatter to Trinidad and Saint Lucia
Belarusgeneral assessment: the Ministry of Telecommunicationscontrols all telecommunications through its carrier (a joint stockcompany) Beltelcom which is a monopolydomestic: local - Minsk has a digital metropolitan network and acellular NMT-450 network; waiting lists for telephones are long;local service outside Minsk is neglected and poor; intercity -Belarus has a partly developed fiber-optic backbone system presentlyserving at least 13 major cities (1998); Belarus's fiber optics formsynchronous digital hierarchy rings through other countries'systems; an inadequate analog system remains operationalinternational: Belarus is a member of the Trans-European Line (TEL),Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line, and has access to theTrans-Siberia Line (TSL); three fiber-optic segments provideconnectivity to Latvia, Poland, Russia, and Ukraine; worldwideservice is available to Belarus through this infrastructure;additional analog lines to Russia; Intelsat, Eutelsat, andIntersputnik earth stations
Belgiumgeneral assessment: highly developed, technologicallyadvanced, and completely automated domestic and internationaltelephone and telegraph facilitiesdomestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; extensive cablenetwork; limited microwave radio relay networkinternational: 5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Eutelsat
Belizegeneral assessment: above-average systemdomestic: trunk network depends primarily on microwave radio relayinternational: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Beningeneral assessment: NAdomestic: fair system of open-wire, microwave radio relay, andcellular connectionsinternational: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (AtlanticOcean); submarine cable
Bermudageneral assessment: NAdomestic: modern, fully automatic telephone systeminternational: 3 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Bhutangeneral assessment: NAdomestic: domestic telephone service is very poor with fewtelephones in useinternational: international telephone and telegraph service is bylandline through India; a satellite earth station was planned (1990)
Boliviageneral assessment: new subscribers face bureaucraticdifficulties; most telephones are concentrated in La Paz and othercities; mobile cellular 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)
Bosnia and Herzegovinageneral assessment: telephone and telegraphnetwork needs modernization and expansion; many urban areas arebelow average as contrasted with services in other former Yugoslavrepublicsdomestic: NAinternational: no satellite earth stations
Botswanageneral assessment: the system is expanding with the growthof mobile 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)
Brazilgeneral assessment: good working systemdomestic: extensive microwave radio relay system and a domesticsatellite system with 64 earth stationsinternational: 3 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations- 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean regioneast), connected by microwave relay system to Mercosur Brazilsat B3satellite earth station
British Indian Ocean Territory general assessment: separate facilities for military and public needs are available domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including connection to the Internet international: international telephone service is carried by satellite (2000)
British Virgin Islandsgeneral assessment: worldwide telephoneservicedomestic: NAinternational: submarine cable to Bermuda
Bruneigeneral assessment: service throughout the country isexcellent; international service is good to East Asia, Europe, andthe USdomestic: every service availableinternational: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Oceanand 1 Pacific Ocean); digital submarine cable links to Malaysia, thePhilippines, and Singapore (2001)
Bulgariageneral assessment: extensive but antiquateddomestic: more than two-thirds of the lines are residential;telephone service is available in most villages; a fairly moderndigital cable trunk line now connects switching centers in most ofthe regions, the others are connected by digital microwave radiorelayinternational: direct dialing to 58 countries; satellite earthstations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); 2 Intelsat(Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions)
Burkina Fasogeneral assessment: all services only fairdomestic: microwave radio relay, open-wire, and radiotelephonecommunication stationsinternational: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Burmageneral assessment: meets minimum requirements for local andintercity service for business and government; international serviceis gooddomestic: NAinternational: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Burundigeneral assessment: primitive systemdomestic: sparse system of open-wire, radiotelephone communications,and low-capacity microwave radio relayinternational: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Cambodiageneral assessment: adequate landline and/or cellularservice in Phnom Penh and other provincial cities; rural areas havelittle telephone servicedomestic: NAinternational: adequate but expensive landline and cellular serviceavailable to all countries from Phnom Penh and major provincialcities; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Oceanregion)
Cameroongeneral assessment: available only to business andgovernmentdomestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatterinternational: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Canadageneral assessment: excellent service provided by moderntechnologydomestic: domestic satellite system with about 300 earth stationsinternational: 5 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations- 5 Intelsat (4 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) and 2Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)
Cape Verdegeneral assessment: effective system, being improveddomestic: interisland microwave radio relay system with both analogand digital exchanges; work is in progress on a submarinefiber-optic cable system which is scheduled for completion in 2003international: 2 coaxial submarine cables; HF radiotelephone toSenegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat(Atlantic Ocean)
Cayman Islandsgeneral assessment: NAdomestic: NAinternational: 1 submarine coaxial cable; satellite earth station -1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Central African Republicgeneral assessment: fair systemdomestic: network consists principally of microwave radio relay andlow-capacity, low-powered radiotelephone communicationinternational: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Chadgeneral assessment: primitive systemdomestic: fair system of radiotelephone communication stationsinternational: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Chilegeneral assessment: modern system based on extensive microwaveradio relay facilitiesdomestic: extensive microwave radio relay links; domestic satellitesystem with 3 earth stationsinternational: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Chinageneral assessment: domestic and international services areincreasingly available for private use; unevenly distributeddomestic system serves principal cities, industrial centers, andmany townsdomestic: interprovincial fiber-optic trunk lines and cellulartelephone systems have been installed; a domestic satellite systemwith 55 earth stations is in placeinternational: satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (4 PacificOcean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region) and1 Inmarsat (Pacific and Indian Ocean regions); several internationalfiber-optic links to Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Russia, andGermany (2000)
Christmas Islandgeneral assessment: service provided by theAustralian networkdomestic: only analog mobile telephone service is availableinternational: satellite earth stations - one Intelsat earth stationprovides telephone and telex service (2000)
Cocos (Keeling) Islandsgeneral assessment: connected withinAustralia's telecommunication systemdomestic: NAinternational: telephone, telex, and facsimile communications withAustralia and elsewhere via satellite; 1 satellite earth station ofNA type (2002)
Colombiageneral assessment: modern system in many respectsdomestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system; domesticsatellite system with 41 earth stations; fiber-optic network linking50 citiesinternational: satellite earth stations - 6 Intelsat, 1 Inmarsat; 3fully digitalized international switching centers; 8 submarine cables
Comorosgeneral assessment: sparse system of microwave radio relayand HF radiotelephone communication stationsdomestic: HF radiotelephone communications and microwave radio relayinternational: HF radiotelephone communications to Madagascar andReunion
Congo, Democratic Republic of thegeneral assessment: poordomestic: barely adequate wire and microwave radio relay service inand between urban areas; domestic satellite system with 14 earthstationsinternational: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Congo, Republic of thegeneral assessment: services barely adequatefor government use; key exchanges are in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire,and Loubomo; intercity lines frequently out of orderdomestic: primary network consists of microwave radio relay andcoaxial cableinternational: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Cook Islandsgeneral assessment: NAdomestic: the individual islands are connected by a combination ofsatellite earth stations, microwave systems, and VHF and HFradiotelephone; within the islands, service is provided by smallexchanges connected to subscribers by open-wire, cable, andfiber-optic cableinternational: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Costa Ricageneral assessment: very good domestic telephone servicedomestic: point-to-point and point-to-multi-point microwave,fiber-optic, and coaxial cable link rural areas; Internet service isavailableinternational: connected to Central American Microwave System;satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); twosubmarine cables (1999)
Cote d'Ivoiregeneral assessment: well developed by Africanstandards but operating well below capacitydomestic: open-wire lines and microwave radio relay; 90% digitalizedinternational: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 AtlanticOcean and 1 Indian Ocean); 2 coaxial submarine cables (June 1999)
Croatiageneral assessment: NAdomestic: reconstruction plan calls for replacement of all analogcircuits with digital and enlarging the network; a backup will beincluded in the plan for the main trunkinternational: digital international service is provided through themain switch in Zagreb; Croatia participates in the Trans-Asia-Europe(TEL) fiber-optic project, which consists of two fiber-optic trunkconnections with Slovenia and a fiber-optic trunk line from Rijekato Split and Dubrovnik; Croatia is also investing in ADRIA 1, ajoint fiber-optic project with Germany, Albania, and Greece (2000)
Cubageneral assessment: NAdomestic: principal trunk system, end to end of country, is coaxialcable; fiber-optic distribution in Havana and on Isla de laJuventud; 2 microwave radio relay installations (one is old,US-built; the other newer, built during the period of Sovietsupport); both analog and digital mobile cellular service establishedinternational: satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (AtlanticOcean region)
Cyprusgeneral assessment: excellent in both the Greek Cypriot andTurkish Cypriot areasdomestic: open-wire, fiber-optic cable, and microwave radio relayinternational: tropospheric scatter; 3 coaxial and 5 fiber-opticsubmarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 AtlanticOcean and 2 Indian Ocean), 2 Eutelsat, 2 Intersputnik, and 1 Arabsat
Czech Republicgeneral assessment: privatization and modernizationof the Czech telecommunication system got a late start but isadvancing steadily; growth in the use of mobile cellular telephonesis particularly vigorousdomestic: 86% of exchanges now digital; existing copper subscribersystems now being enhanced with Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line(ADSL) equipment to accommodate Internet and other digital signals;trunk systems include fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relayinternational: satellite earth stations - 2 Intersputnik (Atlanticand Indian Ocean regions), 1 Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 1Globalstar
Denmarkgeneral assessment: excellent telephone and telegraphservicesdomestic: buried and submarine cables and microwave radio relay formtrunk network, 4 cellular mobile communications systemsinternational: 18 submarine fiber-optic cables linking Denmark withNorway, Sweden, Russia, Poland, Germany, Netherlands, UK, FaroeIslands, Iceland, and Canada; satellite earth stations - 6 Intelsat,10 Eutelsat, 1 Orion, 1 Inmarsat (Blaavand-Atlantic-East); note -the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden)share the Danish earth station and the Eik, Norway, station forworldwide Inmarsat access (1997)
Djiboutigeneral assessment: telephone facilities in the city ofDjibouti are adequate as are the microwave radio relay connectionsto outlying areas of the countrydomestic: microwave radio relay networkinternational: submarine cable to Jiddah, Suez, Sicily, Marseilles,Colombo, and Singapore; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat(Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; Medarabtel regional microwave radiorelay telephone network
Dominicageneral assessment: NAdomestic: fully automatic networkinternational: microwave radio relay and SHF radiotelephone links toMartinique and Guadeloupe; VHF and UHF radiotelephone links to SaintLucia
Dominican Republicgeneral assessment: NAdomestic: relatively efficient system based on islandwide microwaveradio relay networkinternational: 1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth station -1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
East TimorNA
Ecuadorgeneral assessment: generally elementary but being expandeddomestic: facilities generally inadequate and unreliableinternational: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Egyptgeneral assessment: large system; underwent extensiveupgrading during 1990s and is reasonably modern; Internet access andcellular service are availabledomestic: principal centers at Alexandria, Cairo, Al Mansurah,Ismailia, Suez, and Tanta are connected by coaxial cable andmicrowave radio relayinternational: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Oceanand Indian Ocean), 1 Arabsat, and 1 Inmarsat; 5 coaxial submarinecables; tropospheric scatter to Sudan; microwave radio relay toIsrael; a participant in Medarabtel and a signatory to ProjectOxygen (a global submarine fiber-optic cable system)
El Salvadorgeneral assessment: NAdomestic: nationwide microwave radio relay systeminternational: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (AtlanticOcean); connected to Central American Microwave System
Equatorial Guineageneral assessment: poor system with adequategovernment servicesdomestic: NAinternational: international communications from Bata and Malabo toAfrican and European countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat(Indian Ocean)
Eritreageneral assessment: inadequatedomestic: very inadequate; most telephones are in Asmara; governmentis seeking international tenders to improve the system (2002)international: NA; note - international connections exist
Estoniageneral assessment: foreign investment in the form of jointbusiness ventures greatly improved telephone service; substantialfiber-optic cable systems carry telephone, TV, and radio traffic inthe digital mode; internet services are available throughout most ofthe country - only about 11,000 subscriber requests were unfilled bySeptember 2000domestic: a wide range of high quality voice, data, and internetservices is available throughout the countryinternational: fiber-optic cables to Finland, Sweden, Latvia, andRussia provide worldwide packet-switched service; two internationalswitches are located in Tallinn (2001)
Ethiopiageneral assessment: open-wire and microwave radio relaysystem; adequate for government usedomestic: open-wire; microwave radio relay; radio communication inthe HF, VHF, and UHF frequencies; two domestic satellites providethe national trunk serviceinternational: open-wire to Sudan and Djibouti; microwave radiorelay to Kenya and Djibouti; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat(1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Pacific Ocean)
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) general assessment: NA domestic: government-operated radiotelephone and private VHF/CB radiotelephone networks provide effective service to almost all points on both islands international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) with links through London to other countries
Faroe Islandsgeneral assessment: good international communications;good domestic facilitiesdomestic: digitalization was completed in 1998; both NMT (analog)and GSM (digital) mobile telephone systems are installedinternational: satellite earth stations - 1 Orion; 1 fiber-opticsubmarine cable to the Shetland Islands, linking the Faroe Islandswith Denmark and Iceland; fiber-optic submarine cable connection toCanada-Europe cable
Fijigeneral assessment: modern local, interisland, andinternational (wire/radio integrated) public and special-purposetelephone, telegraph, and teleprinter facilities; regional radiocommunications centerdomestic: NAinternational: access to important cable links between US and Canadaas well as between NZ and Australia; satellite earth station - 1Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Finlandgeneral assessment: modern system with excellent servicedomestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and an extensive cellularnet provide domestic needsinternational: 1 submarine cable; satellite earth stations - accessto Intelsat transmission service via a Swedish satellite earthstation, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note -Finland shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordiccountries (Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden)
Francegeneral assessment: highly developeddomestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay; extensiveintroduction of fiber-optic cable; domestic satellite systeminternational: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (with total of5 antennas - 2 for Indian Ocean and 3 for Atlantic Ocean), NAEutelsat, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region); HF radiotelephonecommunications with more than 20 countries
French Guianageneral assessment: NAdomestic: fair open-wire and microwave radio relay systeminternational: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
French Polynesiageneral assessment: NAdomestic: NAinternational: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Gabongeneral assessment: adequate service by African standards andimproving with the help of the growing mobile cell systemdomestic: adequate system of cable, microwave radio relay,tropospheric scatter, radiotelephone communication stations, and adomestic satellite system with 12 earth stationsinternational: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (AtlanticOcean); fiber optic submarine cable to be in service in 2002
Gambia, Thegeneral assessment: adequate; a packet switched datanetwork is availabledomestic: adequate network of microwave radio relay and open-wireinternational: microwave radio relay links to Senegal andGuinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Gaza Stripgeneral assessment: NAdomestic: rudimentary telephone services provided by an open-wiresysteminternational: NA
Georgiageneral assessment: NAdomestic: local - T'bilisi and K'ut'aisi have cellular telephonenetworks; urban telephone density is about 20 per 100 people; ruraltelephone density is about 4 per 100 people; intercity facilitiesinclude a fiber-optic line between T'bilisi and K'ut'aisi;nationwide pager service is availableinternational: Georgia and Russia are working on a fiber-optic linebetween P'ot'i and Sochi (Russia); present international service isavailable by microwave, landline, and satellite through the Moscowswitch; international electronic mail and telex service are available
Germanygeneral assessment: Germany has one of the world's mosttechnologically advanced telecommunications systems; as a result ofintensive capital expenditures since reunification, the formerlybackward system of the eastern part of the country, dating back toWorld War II, has been modernized and integrated with that of thewestern partdomestic: Germany is served by an extensive system of automatictelephone exchanges connected by modern networks of fiber-opticcable, coaxial cable, microwave radio relay, and a domesticsatellite system; cellular telephone service is widely available,expanding rapidly, and includes roaming service to many foreigncountriesinternational: Germany's international service is excellentworldwide, consisting of extensive land and undersea cablefacilities as well as earth stations in the INMARSAT, INTELSAT,EUTELSAT, and INTERSPUTNIK satellite systems (2001)
Ghanageneral assessment: poor to fair system; Internet accessible;many rural communities not yet connected; expansion of services isunderwaydomestic: primarily microwave radio relay; wireless local loop hasbeen installedinternational: satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (AtlanticOcean); microwave radio relay link to Panaftel system connects Ghanato its neighbors
Gibraltargeneral assessment: adequate, automatic domestic systemand adequate international facilitiesdomestic: automatic exchange facilitiesinternational: radiotelephone; microwave radio relay; satelliteearth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Greecegeneral assessment: adequate, modern networks reach allareas; good mobile telephone and international servicedomestic: microwave radio relay trunk system; extensive open-wireconnections; submarine cable to offshore islandsinternational: tropospheric scatter; 8 submarine cables; satelliteearth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region)
Greenlandgeneral assessment: adequate domestic and internationalservice provided by satellite, cables and microwave radio relay;totally digitalized in 1995domestic: microwave radio relay and satelliteinternational: satellite earth stations - 12 Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 2Americom GE-2 (all Atlantic Ocean)
Grenadageneral assessment: automatic, islandwide telephone systemdomestic: interisland VHF and UHF radiotelephone linksinternational: new SHF radiotelephone links to Trinidad and Tobagoand Saint Vincent; VHF and UHF radio links to Trinidad
Guadeloupegeneral assessment: domestic facilities inadequatedomestic: NAinternational: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (AtlanticOcean); microwave radio relay to Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, andMartinique
Guamgeneral assessment: modern system, integrated with USfacilities for direct dialing, including free use of 800 numbersdomestic: modern digital system, including cellular mobile serviceand local access to the Internetinternational: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (PacificOcean); submarine cables to US and Japan (Guam is a trans-Pacificcommunications hub for MCI, Sprint, AT&T, IT&E, and GTE, linking theUS and Asia)
Guatemalageneral assessment: fairly modern network centered in thecity of Guatemaladomestic: NAinternational: connected to Central American Microwave System;satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Guernseygeneral assessment: NAdomestic: NAinternational: 1 submarine cable
Guineageneral assessment: poor to fair system of open-wire lines,small radiotelephone communication stations, and new microwave radiorelay systemdomestic: microwave radio relay and radiotelephone communicationinternational: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Guinea-Bissaugeneral assessment: small systemdomestic: combination of microwave radio relay, open-wire lines,radiotelephone, and cellular communicationsinternational: NA
Guyanageneral assessment: fair system for long-distance callingdomestic: microwave radio relay network for trunk linesinternational: tropospheric scatter to Trinidad; satellite earthstation - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Haitigeneral assessment: domestic facilities barely adequate;international facilities slightly betterdomestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay trunk serviceinternational: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Holy See (Vatican City)general assessment: automatic exchangedomestic: tied into Italian systeminternational: uses Italian system
Hondurasgeneral assessment: inadequate systemdomestic: NAinternational: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (AtlanticOcean); connected to Central American Microwave System
Hong Konggeneral assessment: modern facilities provide excellentdomestic and international servicesdomestic: microwave radio relay links and extensive fiber-opticnetworkinternational: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 PacificOcean and 2 Indian Ocean); coaxial cable to Guangzhou, China; accessto 5 international submarine cables providing connections to ASEANmember nations, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, Middle East, and WesternEurope
Hungarygeneral assessment: the telephone system has been modernizedand is capable of satisfying all requests for telecommunicationservicedomestic: the system is digitalized and highly automated; trunkservices are carried by fiber-optic cable and digital microwaveradio relay; a program for fiber-optic subscriber connections wasinitiated in 1996; heavy use is made of mobile cellular telephonesinternational: Hungary has fiber-optic cable connections with allneighboring countries; the international switch is in Budapest;satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and IndianOcean regions), 1 Inmarsat, 1 very small aperture terminal (VSAT)system of ground terminals