Industries:foodstuffs, beverages; wood products, oil refining, truck and busassembly, textiles, fertilizer, building materials, electricity
Industrial production growth rate:15% (1998 est.)
Electricity - production:4.605 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 61.9% hydro: 38.1% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption:2.983 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:1.3 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:11,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:32,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:50 million bbl (37257)
Natural gas - production:1.35 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:1.35 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:14.87 billion cu m (37257)
Agriculture - products: coffee, cocoa beans, bananas, palm kernels, corn, rice, manioc (tapioca), sweet potatoes, sugar, cotton, rubber; timber
Exports:$4.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities:cocoa, coffee, timber, petroleum, cotton, bananas, pineapples, palmoil, fish
Exports - partners:France 14.5%, Netherlands 12.9%, US 7.6%, Germany 5.4%, Mali 4.6%,Belgium 4.4%, Spain 4.3% (2002)
Imports:$2.5 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities:fuel, capital equipment, foodstuffs
Imports - partners:France 22.7%, Nigeria 16.6%, China 7.9%, Italy 4.2% (2002)
Debt - external:$10.3 billion (2002 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:ODA, $1 billion (1996 est.)
Currency:Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsibleauthority is the Central Bank of the West African States
Currency code:XOF
Exchange rates:Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 696.99(2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.7 (1999), 589.95 (1998)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Cote d'Ivoire
Telephones - main lines in use:263,700 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular:450,000 (2000)
Telephone system:general assessment: well developed by African standards butoperating 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)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 3 (1998)
Radios:2.26 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:14 (1999)
Televisions:1.09 million (2000)
Internet country code:.ci
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):5 (2001)
Internet users:70,000 (2002)
Transportation Cote d'Ivoire
Railways:total: 660 kmnarrow gauge: 660 km 1.000-meter gaugenote: an additional 622 km of this railroad extends into BurkinaFaso (2002)
Highways: total: 50,400 km paved: 4,889 km unpaved: 45,511 km (1999 est.)
Waterways:980 km (navigable rivers, canals, and numerous coastal lagoons)
Pipelines:condensate 107 km; gas 223 km; oil 104 km (2003)
Ports and harbors:Abidjan, Aboisso, Dabou, San-Pedro
Airports:36 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 7over 3,047 m: 12,438 to 3,047 m: 21,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 291,524 to 2,437 m: 7914 to 1,523 m: 14under 914 m: 8 (2002)
Military Cote d'Ivoire
Military branches:Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary Gendarmerie, Republican Guard(includes Presidential Guard)
Military manpower - military age:18 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 4,035,462 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 2,110,276 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:males: 198,115 (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$143.5 million (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:1.4% (FY02)
Transnational Issues Cote d'Ivoire
Disputes - international:rebel fighting extended to neighboring states and has driven outnationals and foreign workers to nearby countries; the IvorianGovernment accuses Burkina Faso and Liberia of supporting Ivorianrebels
Illicit drugs:illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for local consumption;transshipment point for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin toEurope and occasionally to the US, and for Latin American cocainedestined for Europe and South Africa; while rampant corruption andinadequate supervision leave the banking system vulnerable to moneylaundering, the lack of a developed financial system limits thecountry's utility as a major money-laundering center
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
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@Croatia
Introduction Croatia
Background:In 1918, the Croats, Serbs, and Slovenes formed a kingdom knownafter 1929 as Yugoslavia. Following World War II, Yugoslavia becamea federal independent Communist state under the strong hand ofMarshal TITO. Although Croatia declared its independence fromYugoslavia in 1991, it took four years of sporadic, but oftenbitter, fighting before occupying Serb armies were mostly clearedfrom Croatian lands. Under UN supervision, the last Serb-heldenclave in eastern Slavonia was returned to Croatia in 1998.
Geography Croatia
Location:Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea, between Bosnia andHerzegovina and Slovenia
Geographic coordinates:45 10 N, 15 30 E
Map references:Europe
Area:total: 56,542 sq kmwater: 128 sq kmland: 56,414 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than West Virginia
Land boundaries:total: 2,197 kmborder countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina 932 km, Hungary 329 km,Serbia and Montenegro (north) 241 km, Serbia and Montenegro (south)25 km, Slovenia 670 km
Coastline:5,835 km (mainland 1,777 km, islands 4,058 km)
Maritime claims:continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitationterritorial sea: 12 NM
Climate:Mediterranean and continental; continental climate predominant withhot summers and cold winters; mild winters, dry summers along coast
Terrain:geographically diverse; flat plains along Hungarian border, lowmountains and highlands near Adriatic coastline and islands
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 mhighest point: Dinara 1,830 m
Natural resources:oil, some coal, bauxite, low-grade iron ore, calcium, naturalasphalt, silica, mica, clays, salt, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 23.55% permanent crops: 2.24% other: 74.21% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:30 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:destructive earthquakes
Environment - current issues: air pollution (from metallurgical plants) and resulting acid rain is damaging the forests; coastal pollution from industrial and domestic waste; landmine removal and reconstruction of infrastructure consequent to 1992-95 civil strife
Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography - note:controls most land routes from Western Europe to Aegean Sea andTurkish Straits
People Croatia
Population:4,422,248 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 18.3% (male 415,873; female 394,414)15-64 years: 66.1% (male 1,465,488; female 1,454,778)65 years and over: 15.6% (male 258,943; female 432,752) (2003 est.)
Median age:total: 38.9 yearsmale: 37.1 yearsfemale: 40.7 years (2002)
Population growth rate:0.31% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:12.76 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:11.25 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:1.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.06 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 6.92 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 6.01 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)male: 7.78 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 74.37 yearsmale: 70.76 yearsfemale: 78.2 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.93 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:200 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:less than 10 (2001 est.)
Nationality:noun: Croat(s), Croatian(s)adjective: Croatian
Ethnic groups:Croat 89.6%, Serb 4.5%, Bosniak 0.5%, Hungarian 0.4%, Slovene 0.3%,Czech 0.2%, Roma 0.2%, Albanian 0.1%, Montenegrin 0.1%, others 4.1%(2001)
Religions:Roman Catholic 87.8%, Orthodox 4.4%, Muslim 1.3%, Protestant 0.3%,others and unknown 6.2% (2001)
Languages:Croatian 96%, other 4% (including Italian, Hungarian, Czech,Slovak, and German)
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 98.5%male: 99.4%female: 97.8% (2003 est.)
Government Croatia
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Croatiaconventional short form: Croatialocal short form: Hrvatskalocal long form: Republika Hrvatska
Government type:presidential/parliamentary democracy
Capital:Zagreb
Administrative divisions:20 counties (zupanije, zupanija - singular) and 1 city* (grad -singular); Bjelovarsko-Bilogorska Zupanija, Brodsko-PosavskaZupanija, Dubrovacko-Neretvanska Zupanija, Istarska Zupanija,Karlovacka Zupanija, Koprivnicko-Krizevacka Zupanija,Krapinsko-Zagorska Zupanija, Licko-Senjska Zupanija, MedimurskaZupanija, Osjecko-Baranjska Zupanija, Pozesko-Slavonska Zupanija,Primorsko-Goranska Zupanija, Sibensko-Kninska Zupanija,Sisacko-Moslavacka Zupanija, Splitsko-Dalmatinska Zupanija,Varazdinska Zupanija, Viroviticko-Podravska Zupanija,Vukovarsko-Srijemska Zupanija, Zadarska Zupanija, Zagreb*,Zagrebacka Zupanija
Independence:25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)
National holiday:Statehood Day, 25 June (1991)
Constitution:adopted on 22 December 1990
Legal system:based on civil law system
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed)
Executive branch:chief of state: President Stjepan (Stipe) MESIC (since 18 February2000)head of government: Prime Minister Ivica RACAN (since 27 January2000); Deputy Prime Ministers Goran GRANIC (since 27 January 2000),Ante SIMONIC (since 30 July 2002), Zeljka ANTUNOVI (since 27 January2000), Slavko LINIC (since 27 January 2000)cabinet: Council of Ministers named by the prime minister andapproved by the House of Representativeselections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;election last held 7 February 2000 (next to be held NA 2005); primeminister nominated by the president in line with the balance ofpower in the Assemblynote: government coalition - SDP, HSLS, HSS, LP, HNS; a sixth party,the Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS), withdrew in June 2001election results: Stjepan MESIC elected president; percent of vote -Stjepan MESIC (HNS) 56%, Drazen BUDISA (HSLS) 44%
Legislative branch:unicameral Assembly or Sabor (152 seats; note - one seat was addedin the November Parliamentary elections; members elected by popularvote to serve four-year terms); note - House of Counties wasabolished in March 2001election results: Assembly (then referred to as the House ofRepresentatives) - percent of vote by party - HDZ 43.4%, SDP 23%,HNS 7.4%, HSS 6.57%, HSP 6%; seats by party - HDZ 66, SDP 34, HNS10, HSS 9, HSP 7; note - these are preliminary resultselections: Assembly - last held 23 November 2003 (next to be held in2007)
Judicial branch:Supreme Court; Constitutional Court; judges for both courtsappointed for eight-year terms by the Judicial Council of theRepublic, which is elected by the House of Representatives
Political parties and leaders:Croatian Bloc or HB [Ivic PASALIC]; Croatian Christian DemocraticUnion or HKDU [Anto KOVACEVIC]; Croatian Democratic Union or HDZ[Ivo SANADER]; Croatian Party of Rights or HSP [Anto DJAPIC];Croatian Peasant Party or HSS [Zlatko TOMCIC]; Croatian People'sParty or HNS [Vesna PUSIC]; Croatian Social Liberal Party or HSLS[Drazen BUDISA]; Croatian True Revival Party or HIP [MiroslavTUDJMAN]; Democratic Centre or DC [Mate GRANIC]; Istrian DemocraticAssembly or IDS [Ivan JAKOVCIC]; Liberal Party or LS [Ivo BANAC];Party of Liberal Democrats or LIBRA [Goran GRANIC]; SocialDemocratic Party of Croatia or SDP [Ivica RACAN]note: the Social Democratic Party or SDP and the Croatian SocialLiberal Party or HSLS formed a coalition as did the HSS, HNS, LP,and IDS, which together defeated the Croatian Democratic Union orHDZ in the 2000 lower house parliamentary election; the IDSsubsequently left the governing coalition in June 2001 over itsinability to win greater autonomy for Istria
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (observer), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA,PFP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMOGIP, UPU, WCO,WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Ivan GRDESICFAX: [1] (202) 588-8936consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New Yorktelephone: [1] (202) 588-5899chancery: 2343 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Ralph FRANKembassy: Thomasa Jeffersona 2, 10010 Zagrebmailing address: use street addresstelephone: [385] (1) 661-2200FAX: [385] (1) 661-2373
Flag description:red, white, and blue horizontal bands with Croatian coat of arms(red and white checkered)
Economy Croatia
Economy - overview:Before the dissolution of Yugoslavia, the Republic of Croatia,after Slovenia, was the most prosperous and industrialized area,with a per capita output perhaps one-third above the Yugoslavaverage. The economy emerged from its mild recession in 2000 withtourism the main factor, but massive structural unemployment remainsa key negative element. The government's failure to press theeconomic reforms needed to spur growth is largely the result ofcoalition politics and public resistance, particularly from thetrade unions. Opponents fear reforms would cut jobs, wages, andsocial benefits. The government has a heavy backload of civil cases,many involving tenure land. The country is likely to experience onlymoderate growth without disciplined fiscal and structural reform.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $43.12 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:5.2% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $9,800 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:agriculture: 9%industry: 33%services: 58% (2002 est.)
Population below poverty line:NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.7% highest 10%: 23.3% (1998)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:29 (1998)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):2.2% (2002 est.)
Labor force:1.7 million (2001)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 13.2% NA, industry 25.4% NA, services 46.4% NA (2002)
Unemployment rate:21.7% (2002 est.)
Budget:revenues: $8.6 billionexpenditures: $9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA(2001 est.)
Industries:chemicals and plastics, machine tools, fabricated metal,electronics, pig iron and rolled steel products, aluminum, paper,wood products, construction materials, textiles, shipbuilding,petroleum and petroleum refining, food and beverages; tourism
Industrial production growth rate:2.8% (2002 est.)
Electricity - production:12.12 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 33.6% hydro: 66% other: 0.4% (2001) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption:14.27 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:386 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:3.386 billion kWh (2001)
Oil - production:29,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:89,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:93.6 million bbl (37257)
Natural gas - production:1.76 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:2.84 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:1.08 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:34.36 billion cu m (37257)
Agriculture - products: wheat, corn, sugar beets, sunflower seed, barley, alfalfa, clover, olives, citrus, grapes, soybeans, potatoes; livestock, dairy products
Exports:$4.9 billion f.o.b. (2002)
Exports - commodities:transport equipment, textiles, chemicals, foodstuffs, fuels
Exports - partners:Italy 22.4%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 14.4%, Germany 12.5%, Slovenia8%, Austria 7.3% (2002)
Imports:$10.7 billion c.i.f. (2002)
Imports - commodities:machinery, transport and electrical equipment, chemicals, fuels andlubricants, foodstuffs
Imports - partners:Italy 16.8%, Germany 16.4%, Slovenia 7.8%, Russia 6.8%, Austria6.7%, France 5.2% (2002)
Debt - external:$16.5 billion (yearend 2002 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:ODA $66 million (2000)
Currency:kuna (HRK)
Currency code:HRK
Exchange rates:kuna per US dollar - 7.87 (2002), 8.34 (2001), 8.28 (2000), 7.11(1999), 6.36 (1998)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Croatia
Telephones - main lines in use:1,721,139 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular:1.3 million (2001)
Telephone system:general 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)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 16, FM 98, shortwave 5 (1999)
Radios:1.51 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:36 (plus 321 repeaters) (September 1995)
Televisions:1.22 million (1997)
Internet country code:.hr
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):9 (2000)
Internet users:480,000 (2001)
Transportation Croatia
Railways: total: 2,296 km standard gauge: 2,296 km 1.435-m gauge (983 km electrified) (2002)
Highways:total: 28,123 kmpaved: 23,792 km (including 410 km of expressways)unpaved: 4,331 km (2000)
Waterways:785 kmnote: (perennially navigable; large sections of Sava blocked bydowned bridges, silt, and debris)
Pipelines:gas 1,374 km; oil 583 km (2003)
Ports and harbors:Dubrovnik, Dugi Rat, Omisalj, Ploce, Pula, Rijeka, Sibenik, Split,Vukovar (inland waterway port on Danube), Zadar
Merchant marine:total: 56 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 765,830 GRT/1,188,948 DWTnote: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag ofconvenience: Hong Kong 1 (2002 est.)ships by type: bulk 14, cargo 16, chemical tanker 4, combinationbulk 5, multi-functional large-load carrier 3, passenger 1,petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 6,short-sea passenger 3
Airports:59 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 16 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 9 (2002) 914 to 1,523 m: 4
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 43 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 34 (2002)
Heliports: 1 (2002)
Military Croatia
Military branches:Ground Forces (Hrvatska Vojska, HV), Naval Forces, Air and AirDefense Forces
Military manpower - military age:19 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 1,081,135 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 856,946 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:males: 30,096 (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$520 million (2002 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:2.39% (2002 est.)
Transnational Issues Croatia
Disputes - international:discussions continue with Bosnia and Herzegovina on sections of theUna River and villages at the base of Mount Pljesevica;parliamentarians are far from ratifying the Croatia-Slovenia landand maritime boundary agreement, which would have ceded most ofPirin Bay and maritime access to Slovenia and several villages toCroatia; in late 2002, Croatia and Serbia and Montenegro adopted aninterim agreement to settle the disputed Prevlaka Peninsula,allowing the withdrawal of the UN monitoring mission (UNMOP), butdiscussions could be complicated by the inability of Serbia andMontenegro to come to an agreement on the economic aspects of thenew federal union; Croatia and Italy continue to debate bilateralproperty and ethnic minority rights issues stemming from borderchanges after the Second World War
Illicit drugs:transit point along the Balkan route for Southwest Asian heroin toWestern Europe; has been used as a transit point for maritimeshipments of South American cocaine bound for Western Europe
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
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@Cuba
Introduction Cuba
Background:Fidel CASTRO led a rebel army to victory in 1959; his iron rule hasheld the country together since then. Cuba's Communist revolution,with Soviet support, was exported throughout Latin America andAfrica during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. The country is now slowlyrecovering from a severe economic recession in 1990, following thewithdrawal of former Soviet subsidies, worth $4 billion to $6billion annually. Cuba portrays its difficulties as the result ofthe US embargo in place since 1961. Illicit migration to the US -using homemade rafts, alien smugglers, or falsified visas - is acontinuing problem. Some 2,500 Cubans attempted the crossing of theStraits of Florida in 2002; the US Coast Guard apprehended about 60%of the individuals.
Geography Cuba
Location:Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North AtlanticOcean, 150 km south of Key West, Florida
Geographic coordinates:21 30 N, 80 00 W
Map references:Central America and the Caribbean
Area:total: 110,860 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmland: 110,860 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Land boundaries:total: 29 kmborder countries: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay 29 kmnote: Guantanamo Naval Base is leased by the US and thus remainspart of Cuba
Coastline:3,735 km
Maritime claims:exclusive economic zone: 200 NMterritorial sea: 12 NM
Climate:tropical; moderated by trade winds; dry season (November to April);rainy season (May to October)
Terrain:mostly flat to rolling plains, with rugged hills and mountains inthe southeast
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 mhighest point: Pico Turquino 2,005 m
Natural resources:cobalt, nickel, iron ore, copper, manganese, salt, timber, silica,petroleum, arable land
Land use:arable land: 33.04%other: 59.35% (1998 est.)permanent crops: 7.61%
Irrigated land:870 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:the east coast is subject to hurricanes from August to October (ingeneral, the country averages about one hurricane every other year);droughts are common
Environment - current issues:air and water pollution; biodiversity loss; deforestation
Environment - international agreements:party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone LayerProtection, Ship Pollution, Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, ClimateChange-Kyoto Protocol, Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note:largest country in Caribbean and westernmost island of the GreaterAntilles
People Cuba
Population:11,263,429 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 20.1% (male 1,164,376; female 1,103,061)15-64 years: 69.6% (male 3,932,604; female 3,909,523)65 years and over: 10.2% (male 531,608; female 622,257) (2003 est.)
Median age:total: 34.5 yearsmale: 33.9 yearsfemale: 35.1 years (2002)
Population growth rate:0.34% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:11.87 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:7.38 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:-1.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.06 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 7.15 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 6.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)male: 8.06 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 76.8 yearsmale: 74.38 yearsfemale: 79.36 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.61 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:3,200 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:120 (2001 est.)
Nationality: noun: Cuban(s) adjective: Cuban
Ethnic groups:mulatto 51%, white 37%, black 11%, Chinese 1%
Religions:nominally 85% Roman Catholic prior to CASTRO assuming power;Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jews, and Santeria are alsorepresented
Languages:Spanish
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writefemale: 96.9% (2003 est.)male: 97.2%total population: 97%
People - note:illicit migration is a continuing problem; Cubans attempt to departthe island and enter the US using homemade rafts, alien smugglers,direct flights, or falsified visas; some 2,500 Cubans took to theStraits of Florida in 2002; the US Coast Guard interdicted about 60%of these migrants; Cubans also use non-maritime routes to enter theUS; some 1,500 Cubans arrived overland via the southwest border anddirect flights to Miami in 2002
Government Cuba
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Cubaconventional short form: Cubalocal short form: Cubalocal long form: Republica de Cuba
Government type:Communist state
Capital:Havana
Administrative divisions:14 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 specialmunicipality* (municipio especial); Camaguey, Ciego de Avila,Cienfuegos, Ciudad de La Habana, Granma, Guantanamo, Holguin, Islade la Juventud*, La Habana, Las Tunas, Matanzas, Pinar del Rio,Sancti Spiritus, Santiago de Cuba, Villa Clara
Independence:20 May 1902 (from Spain 10 December 1898; administered by the USfrom 1898 to 1902)
National holiday:Independence Day, 10 December (1898); note - 10 December 1898 isthe date of independence from Spain, 20 May 1902 is the date ofindependence from US administration; Rebellion Day, 26 July (1953)
Constitution:24 February 1976, amended July 1992 and June 2002
Legal system:based on Spanish and American law, with large elements of Communistlegal theory; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:16 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President of the Council of State and President ofthe Council of Ministers Fidel CASTRO Ruz (prime minister fromFebruary 1959 until 24 February 1976 when office was abolished;president since 2 December 1976); First Vice President of theCouncil of State and First Vice President of the Council ofMinisters Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (since 2 December 1976); note - thepresident is both the chief of state and head of governmentelections: president and vice president elected by the NationalAssembly; election last held 6 March 2003 (next to be held in 2008)election results: Fidel CASTRO Ruz reelected president; percent oflegislative vote - 100%; Raul CASTRO Ruz elected vice president;percent of legislative vote - 100%cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the president of theCouncil of State, appointed by the National Assembly; note - thereis also a Council of State whose members are elected by the NationalAssemblyhead of government: President of the Council of State and Presidentof the Council of Ministers Fidel CASTRO Ruz (prime minister fromFebruary 1959 until 24 February 1976 when office was abolished;president since 2 December 1976); First Vice President of theCouncil of State and First Vice President of the Council ofMinisters Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (since 2 December 1976); note - thepresident is both the chief of state and head of government
Legislative branch:unicameral National Assembly of People's Power or Asemblea Nacionaldel Poder Popular (609 seats, elected directly from slates approvedby special candidacy commissions; members serve five-year terms)elections: last held 19 January 2003 (next to be held in 2008)election results: percent of vote - PCC 97.6%; seats - PCC 609
Judicial branch:People's Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo Popular (president, vicepresident, and other judges are elected by the National Assembly)
Political parties and leaders:only party - Cuban Communist Party or PCC [Fidel CASTRO Ruz, firstsecretary]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IAEA, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS(excluded from formal participation since 1962), OPANAL, OPCW, PCA,UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: none; note - Cuba has an Interests Section in the Swiss Embassy, headed by Principal Officer Dagoberto RODRIGUEZ Barrera (since August 2001); address: Cuban Interests Section, Swiss Embassy, 2630 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009; telephone: [1] (202) 797-8518
Diplomatic representation from the US: none; note - the US has an Interests Section in the Swiss Embassy, headed by Principal Officer James C. CASON; address: USINT, Swiss Embassy, Calzada between L and M Streets, Vedado, Havana; telephone: [53] (7) 33-3551 through 3559 (operator assistance required); FAX: [53] (7) 33-3700; protecting power in Cuba is Switzerland
Flag description:five equal horizontal bands of blue (top and bottom) alternatingwith white; a red equilateral triangle based on the hoist side bearsa white, five-pointed star in the center; design influenced by theUS flag
Economy Cuba
Economy - overview:The government continues to balance the need for economic looseningagainst a desire for firm political control. It has undertakenlimited reforms in recent years to increase enterprise efficiencyand alleviate serious shortages of food, consumer goods, andservices but is unlikely to implement extensive changes. A majorfeature of the economy is the dichotomy between relatively efficientexport enclaves and inefficient domestic sectors. The averageCuban's standard of living remains at a lower level than before thesevere economic depression of the early 1990s, which was caused bythe loss of Soviet aid and domestic inefficiencies. High oil importprices, recessions in key export markets, damage from HurricanesIsidore and Lili, and the tourist slump after 11 September 2001hampered growth in 2002.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $30.69 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:1.1% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $2,700 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:agriculture: 7.6%industry: 34.5%services: 57.9% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line:NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):7.1% (2002 est.)
Labor force: 4.3 million note: state sector 78%, non-state sector 22% (2000 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 24%, industry 25%, services 51% (1999)
Unemployment rate:4.1% (2001 est.)
Budget:revenues: $14.9 billionexpenditures: $15.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA(2000 est.)
Industries:sugar, petroleum, tobacco, chemicals, construction, services,nickel, steel, cement, agricultural machinery, biotechnology
Industrial production growth rate:0.2% (2001 est.)
Electricity - production:14.38 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 93.9% hydro: 0.6% other: 5.4% (2001) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption:13.38 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:50,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:163,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:532 million bbl (37257)
Natural gas - production:600 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:600 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:42.62 billion cu m (37257)
Agriculture - products:sugar, tobacco, citrus, coffee, rice, potatoes, beans; livestock
Exports:$1.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities:sugar, nickel, tobacco, fish, medical products, citrus, coffee
Exports - partners:Netherlands 19.1%, Russia 18.1%, Canada 14.3%, Spain 9.5%, China7.3% (2002)
Imports:$4.8 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Imports - commodities:petroleum, food, machinery and equipment, chemicals
Imports - partners:Spain 17.2%, China 12%, Italy 9.1%, France 7.6%, Mexico 7.3%,Canada 6.2%, US 5.6%, Brazil 4.7% (2002)
Debt - external:$12.3 billion (convertible currency); another $15 billion -$20billion owed to Russia (2002 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$68.2 million (1997 est.)
Currency:Cuban peso (CUP)
Currency code:CUP
Exchange rates:Cuban pesos per US dollar - 1.0000 (nonconvertible, official rate,for international transactions, pegged to the US dollar);convertible peso sold for domestic use at a rate of 1.00 US dollarper 27 pesos by the Government of Cuba (2002)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Cuba
Telephones - main lines in use:473,031 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular:2,994 (1997)
Telephone system:general 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)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 169, FM 55, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios:3.9 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:58 (1997)
Televisions:2.64 million (1997)
Internet country code:.cu
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):5 (2001)
Internet users:120,000 (2002)
Transportation Cuba
Railways:total: 3,442 kmstandard gauge: 3,442 km 1.435-m gauge (142 km electrified)note: an additional 7,742 km of track is used by sugar plantations;about 65% of this track is standard gauge; the rest is narrow gauge(2002)
Highways:total: 60,858 kmpaved: 29,820 km (including 638 km of expressway)unpaved: 31,038 km (1999 est.)
Waterways:240 km
Pipelines:gas 49 km; oil 230 km (2003)
Ports and harbors:Cienfuegos, Havana, Manzanillo, Mariel, Matanzas, Nuevitas,Santiago de Cuba
Merchant marine:total: 15 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 59,257 GRT/90,295 DWTships by type: bulk 3, cargo 5, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas 1,petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 2 (2002 est.)
Airports:161 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 70 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 22 under 914 m: 31 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 91 914 to 1,523 m: 28 under 914 m: 63 (2002)
Military Cuba
Military branches:Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) including Revolutionary Army (ER),Revolutionary Navy (MGR), Air and Air Defense Force (DAAFAR),Territorial Militia Troops (MTT), and Youth Labor Army (EJT); note -the Border Guard Troops (TGF) are controlled by the Interior Ministry
Military manpower - military age:17 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 3,120,702 note: both sexes are liable for military service (2003 est.) females age 15-49: 3,049,927
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 1,923,967females age 15-49: 1,875,412 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:males: 81,095females: 87,780 (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:roughly 4% (FY95 est.)
Military - note:Moscow, for decades the key military supporter and supplier ofCuba, cut off almost all military aid by 1993
Transnational Issues Cuba
Disputes - international:US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased to US and only mutualagreement or US abandonment of the area can terminate the lease
Illicit drugs:territorial waters and air space serve as transshipment zone forcocaine and heroin bound for the US and Europe; established thedeath penalty for certain drug-related crimes in 1999
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
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@Cyprus
Introduction Cyprus
Background:Independence from the UK was approved in 1960, with constitutionalguarantees by the Greek Cypriot majority to the Turkish Cypriotminority. In 1974, a Greek-sponsored attempt to seize the governmentwas met by military intervention from Turkey, which soon controlledalmost 40% of the island. In 1983, the Turkish-held area declareditself the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus," but it isrecognized only by Turkey. UN-led direct talks between the two sidesto reach a comprehensive settlement to the division of the islandbegan in January 2002.
Geography Cyprus
Location:Middle East, island in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Turkey
Geographic coordinates:35 00 N, 33 00 E
Map references:Middle East
Area:total: 9,250 sq km (of which 3,355 sq km are in the Turkish Cypriotarea)water: 10 sq kmland: 9,240 sq km
Area - comparative:about 0.6 times the size of Connecticut
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:648 km
Maritime claims:continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitationterritorial sea: 12 NM
Climate:temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters
Terrain:central plain with mountains to north and south; scattered butsignificant plains along southern coast
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 mhighest point: Olympus 1,951 m
Natural resources:copper, pyrites, asbestos, gypsum, timber, salt, marble, clay earthpigment
Land use: arable land: 10.61% permanent crops: 4.65% other: 84.74% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:400 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:moderate earthquake activity; droughts
Environment - current issues:water resource problems (no natural reservoir catchments, seasonaldisparity in rainfall, sea water intrusion to island's largestaquifer, increased salination in the north); water pollution fromsewage and industrial wastes; coastal degradation; loss of wildlifehabitats from urbanization
Environment - international agreements:party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, ClimateChange-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, MarineDumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollutionsigned, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants
Geography - note:the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily andSardinia)
People Cyprus
Population:771,657 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 21.9% (male 86,446; female 82,769)15-64 years: 67% (male 261,404; female 255,409)65 years and over: 11.1% (male 37,345; female 48,284) (2003 est.)
Median age:total: 34.2 yearsmale: 33.1 yearsfemale: 35.2 years (2002)
Population growth rate:0.56% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:12.77 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:7.63 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:0.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 7.54 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 5.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)male: 9.43 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 77.27 yearsmale: 74.94 yearsfemale: 79.71 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.88 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:0.3% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:less than 1,000 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:NA
Nationality:noun: Cypriot(s)adjective: Cypriot
Ethnic groups:Greek 85.2%, Turkish 11.6%, other 3.2% (2000)
Religions:Greek Orthodox 78%, Muslim 18%, Maronite, Armenian Apostolic, andother 4%
Languages:Greek, Turkish, English
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 97.6%male: 98.9%female: 96.3% (2003 est.)
Government Cyprus
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Cyprusconventional short form: Cyprusnote: the Turkish Cypriot area refers to itself as the "TurkishRepublic of Northern Cyprus" (TRNC)
Government type:republicnote: a disaggregation of the two ethnic communities inhabiting theisland began following the outbreak of communal strife in 1963; thisseparation was further solidified after the Turkish intervention inJuly 1974 after a Greek junta-based coup attempt gave the TurkishCypriots de facto control in the north; Greek Cypriots control theonly internationally recognized government; on 15 November 1983Turkish Cypriot "President" Rauf DENKTASH declared independence andthe formation of a "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" (TRNC),recognized only by Turkey; both sides publicly support a settlementbased on a federation (Greek Cypriot position) or confederation(Turkish Cypriot position)
Capital:Nicosia
Administrative divisions:6 districts; Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Nicosia,Paphos; note - Turkish Cypriot area's administrative divisionsinclude Kyrenia, all but a small part of Famagusta, and small partsof Lefkosa (Nicosia) and Larnaca
Independence:16 August 1960 (from UK); note - Turkish Cypriot area proclaimedself-rule on 13 February 1975
National holiday:Independence Day, 1 October (1960); note - Turkish Cypriot areacelebrates 15 November (1983) as Independence Day
Constitution:16 August 1960; negotiations to create the basis for a new orrevised constitution to govern the island and to better relationsbetween Greek and Turkish Cypriots have been held intermittently; in1975 Turkish Cypriots created their own constitution and governingbodies within the "Turkish Federated State of Cyprus," which wasrenamed the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" in 1983; a newconstitution for the Turkish Cypriot area passed by referendum on 5May 1985
Legal system:based on common law, with civil law modifications
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Tassos PAPADOPOULOS (since 1 March 2003);note - the president is both the chief of state and head ofgovernment; post of vice president is currently vacant; under the1960 constitution, the post is reserved for a Turkish Cypriothead of government: President Tassos PAPADOPOULOS (since 1 March2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head ofgovernment; post of vice president is currently vacant; under the1960 constitution, the post is reserved for a Turkish Cypriotcabinet: Council of Ministers appointed jointly by the president andvice presidentelections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;election last held 16 February 2003 (next to be held NA February2008)note: Rauf R. DENKTASH has been "president" of the Turkish Cypriotarea since 13 February 1975 ("president" elected by popular vote fora five-year term); elections last held 15 April 2000 (next to beheld NA April 2005); results - Rauf R. DENKTASH reelected presidentafter the other contender withdrew; Dervis EROGLU has been "primeminister" of the Turkish Cypriot area since 16 August 1996; there isa Council of Ministers (cabinet) in the Turkish Cypriot areaelection results: Tassos PAPADOPOULOS elected president; percent ofvote - Tassos PAPADOPOULOS 51.5%, Glafkos KLIRIDIS 38.8%, AlekosMARKIDIS 6.6%
Legislative branch:unicameral - Greek Cypriot area: House of Representatives or VouliAntiprosopon (80 seats; 56 assigned to the Greek Cypriots, 24 toTurkish Cypriots; note - only those assigned to Greek Cypriots arefilled; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-yearterms); Turkish Cypriot area: Assembly of the Republic or CumhuriyetMeclisi (50 seats; members are elected by popular vote to servefive-year terms)election results: Greek Cypriot area: House of Representatives -percent of vote by party - AKEL 34.71%, DISY 34%, DIKO 14.84%, KISOS6.51%, others 9.94%; seats by party - AKEL (Communist) 20, DISY 19,DIKO 9, KISOS 4, others 4; Turkish Cypriot area: Assembly of theRepublic - percent of vote by party - UBP 40.3%, DP 22.6%, TKP15.4%, CTP 13.4%, UDP 4.6%, YBH 2.5%, BP 1.2%; seats by party - UBP24, DP 13, TKP 7, CTP 6elections: Greek Cypriot area: last held 27 May 2001 (next to beheld NA May 2006); Turkish Cypriot area: last held 6 December 1998(next to be held NA December 2003)
Judicial branch:Supreme Court (judges are appointed jointly by the president andvice president)note: there is also a Supreme Court in the Turkish Cypriot area
Political parties and leaders:Greek Cypriot area: Democratic Party or DIKO [Tassos PAPADOPOULOS];Democratic Rally or DISY [Nikos ANASTASIADHIS]; Fighting DemocraticMovement or ADIK [Dinos MIKHAILIDIS]; Green Party of Cyprus [GeorgePERDIKIS]; New Horizons [Nikolaus KOUTSOU]; Restorative Party of theWorking People or AKEL (Communist Party) [Dimitrios CHRISTOFIAS];Social Democrats Movement or KISOS (formerly United Democratic Unionof Cyprus or EDEK) [Yiannakis OMIROU]; United Democrats Movement orEDE [George VASSILIOU]; Turkish Cypriot area: Communal LiberationParty or TKP [Mustafa AKINCI]; Democratic Party or DP [SerderDENKTASH]; National Birth Party or UDP [Enver EMIN]; National UnityParty or UBP [Dervis EROGLU]; Our Party or BP [Okyay SADIKOGLU];Patriotic Unity Movement or YBH [Izzet IZCAN]; Republican TurkishParty or CTP [Mehmet ALI TALAT]
Political pressure groups and leaders:Confederation of Cypriot Workers or SEK (pro-West); Confederationof Revolutionary Labor Unions or Dev-Is; Federation of TurkishCypriot Labor Unions or Turk-Sen; Pan-Cyprian Labor Federation orPEO (Communist controlled)
International organization participation:Australia Group, C, CE, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, G-77, IAEA,IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (associate),IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, NSG, OAS(observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL,WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO