Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 32% (1994)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:40.3 (1994)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):6% (2002 est.)
Labor force:3 million (1999)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 80%, industry and services 20% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate:NA%
Budget:revenues: $395.7 millionexpenditures: $472.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NAmillion (2000 est.)
Industries:bauxite, gold, diamonds; alumina refining; light manufacturing andagricultural processing industries
Industrial production growth rate:3.2% (1994)
Electricity - production:790.6 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 45.5% hydro: 54.5% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption:735.2 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:8,600 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Agriculture - products: rice, coffee, pineapples, palm kernels, cassava (tapioca), bananas, sweet potatoes; cattle, sheep, goats; timber
Exports: $835 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities:bauxite, alumina, gold, diamonds, coffee, fish, agriculturalproducts
Exports - partners:South Korea 17.8%, Spain 10.1%, Cameroon 9.7%, Belgium 9.6%, US9.2%, Ireland 8.6%, France 7.1%, Russia 6.8%, Germany 5% (2002)
Imports:$670 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities:petroleum products, metals, machinery, transport equipment,textiles, grain and other foodstuffs
Imports - partners:France 18.7%, Cote d'Ivoire 11%, Italy 8.9%, US 8.2%, Belgium 7.6%,China 5.6%, UK 5.2% (2002)
Debt - external:$3.4 billion (2000 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$359.2 million (1998)
Currency:Guinean franc (GNF)
Currency code:GNF
Exchange rates:Guinean francs per US dollar - NA (2002), 1,950.56 (2001), 1,746.87(2000), 1,387.4 (1999), 1,236.83 (1998)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Guinea
Telephones - main lines in use:37,000 (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular:21,567 (1998)
Telephone system:general assessment: poor to fair system of open-wire lines, smallradiotelephone communication stations, and new microwave radio relaysystemdomestic: microwave radio relay and radiotelephone communicationinternational: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 4 (one station is inactive), FM 1 (plus 7 repeaters), shortwave3 (2001)
Radios:357,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:6 low-power stations (2001)
Televisions:85,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.gn
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):4 (2001)
Internet users:15,000 (2002)
Transportation Guinea
Railways:total: 1,115 kmstandard gauge: 311 km 1.435-m gaugenarrow gauge: 804 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)
Highways:total: 30,500 kmpaved: 5,033 kmunpaved: 25,467 km (1999 est.)
Waterways:1,295 km (navigable by shallow-draft native craft)
Ports and harbors:Boke, Conakry, Kamsar
Merchant marine:none (2002 est.)
Airports:15 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 5over 3,047 m: 12,438 to 3,047 m: 11,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 101,524 to 2,437 m: 6914 to 1,523 m: 3under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Military Guinea
Military branches:Army, Navy, Air Force, Republican Guard, Presidential Guard,paramilitary National Gendarmerie, National Police Force (SureteNational)
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 2,056,520 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 1,038,428 (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$154 million (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:3.3% (FY02)
Transnational Issues Guinea
Disputes - international:domestic fighting among disparate rebel groups in Guinea, Liberia,and Sierra Leone have created skirmishes, deaths, and refugees inborder areas
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
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@Guinea-Bissau
Introduction Guinea-Bissau
Background:In 1994, 20 years after independence from Portugal, the country'sfirst multiparty legislative and presidential elections were held.An army uprising that triggered a bloody civil war in 1998 createdhundreds of thousands of displaced persons. A military junta oustedthe president in May 1999. An interim government turned over powerin February 2000 when opposition leader Kumba YALA took officefollowing two rounds of transparent presidential elections.Guinea-Bissau's transition back to democracy will be complicated byits crippled economy, devastated in the civil war.
Geography Guinea-Bissau
Location:Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guineaand Senegal
Geographic coordinates:12 00 N, 15 00 W
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 36,120 sq kmwater: 8,120 sq kmland: 28,000 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly less than three times the size of Connecticut
Land boundaries: total: 724 km border countries: Guinea 386 km, Senegal 338 km
Coastline: 350 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate:tropical; generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season(June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December toMay) with northeasterly harmattan winds
Terrain:mostly low coastal plain rising to savanna in east
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 mhighest point: unnamed location in the northeast corner of thecountry 300 m
Natural resources:fish, timber, phosphates, bauxite, unexploited deposits of petroleum
Land use: arable land: 10.67% permanent crops: 1.78% other: 87.55% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:170 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dryseason; brush fires
Environment - current issues:deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; overfishing
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, EndangeredSpecies, Law of the Sea, Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:this small country is swampy along its western coast and low-lyingfurther inland
People Guinea-Bissau
Population:1,360,827 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 41.9% (male 284,150; female 285,370)15-64 years: 55.2% (male 358,891; female 392,703)65 years and over: 2.9% (male 17,285; female 22,428) (2003 est.)
Median age:total: 18.8 yearsmale: 18.2 yearsfemale: 19.4 years (2002)
Population growth rate:2.02% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:38.41 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:16.62 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:-1.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 110.29 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 99.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)male: 120.99 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 46.97 yearsmale: 45.09 yearsfemale: 48.91 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:5.07 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:2.8% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:17,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:1,200 (2001 est.)
Nationality:noun: Guinean(s)adjective: Guinean
Ethnic groups:African 99% (Balanta 30%, Fula 20%, Manjaca 14%, Mandinga 13%,Papel 7%), European and mulatto less than 1%
Religions:indigenous beliefs 50%, Muslim 45%, Christian 5%
Languages:Portuguese (official), Crioulo, African languages
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 42.4%male: 58.1%female: 27.4% (2003 est.)
Government Guinea-Bissau
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Guinea-Bissauconventional short form: Guinea-Bissaulocal short form: Guine-Bissaulocal long form: Republica da Guine-Bissauformer: Portuguese Guinea
Government type:republic, multiparty since mid-1991
Capital:Bissau
Administrative divisions:9 regions (regioes, singular - regiao); Bafata, Biombo, Bissau,Bolama, Cacheu, Gabu, Oio, Quinara, Tombali; note - Bolama may havebeen renamed Bolama/Bijagos
Independence:24 September 1973 (unilaterally declared by Guinea-Bissau); 10September 1974 (recognized by Portugal)
National holiday:Independence Day, 24 September (1973)
Constitution:16 May 1984, amended 4 May 1991, 4 December 1991, 26 February 1993,9 June 1993, and 1996
Legal system:NA
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Henrique ROSA (interim; since 28September 2003); note - a September 2003 coup overthrough theelected government of Kumba YALA; General Verissimo Correia SEABRAserved as interim president from 14 to 28 September 2003elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;election last held 28 November 1999 and 16 January 2000 (next to beheld NA 2004); prime minister appointed by the president afterconsultation with party leaders in the legislaturenote: a bloodless coup led to the dissolution of the electedgovernment of Kumba YALA in September 2003; General VerissimoCorreia SEABRA served as interim president from 14 September 2003until stepping aside on 28 September 2003 with the establishment ofa caretaker governmentelection results: Kumba YALA elected president; percent of vote,second ballot - Kumba YALA (PRS) 72%, Malan Bacai SANHA (PAIGC) 28%cabinet: NAhead of government: Prime Minister Artur SANHA (since 28 September2003)
Legislative branch:unicameral National People's Assembly or Assembleia NacionalPopular (100 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve amaximum of four years); note - President YALA dissolved the NationalPeople's Assembly in November 2002, elections for a new legislaturewere scheduled to fall in February 2003 but were then postponed toApril, then July, and were last scheduled to occur in September 2003elections: last held 28 November 1999 (next to be held NA September2003)election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -PRS 37, RGB 27, PAIGC 25, 11 remaining seats went to 5 of theremaining 10 parties that fielded candidates
Judicial branch:Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal da Justica (consists of ninejustices who are appointed by the president and serve at hispleasure; final court of appeals in criminal and civil cases);Regional Courts (one in each of nine regions; first court of appealsfor Sectoral Court decisions; hear all felony cases and civil casesvalued at over $1,000); 24 Sectoral Courts (judges are notnecessarily trained lawyers; they hear civil cases under $1,000 andmisdemeanor criminal cases)
Political parties and leaders:African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verdeor PAIGC [Francisco BENANTE]; Front for the Liberation andIndependence of Guinea or FLING [Francois MENDY]; Guinea-BissauResistance-Ba Fata Movement or RGB-MB [Helder Vaz LOPES]; GuineanCivic Forum or FCG [Antonieta Rosa GOMES]; International League forEcological Protection or LIPE [Alhaje Bubacar DJALO, president];National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP [Abubacer BALDE,secretary general]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [VictorMANDINGA]; Social Renovation Party or PRS [Kumba YALA]; Union forChange or UM [Jorge MANDINGA, president, Dr. Anne SAAD, secretarygeneral]; United Social Democratic Party or PUSD [Victor Sau'deMARIA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW (signatory), UN,UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires HenriqueAdriano DA SILVAchancery: 1511 K Street NW, Suite 519, Washington, DC 20005FAX: [1] (202) 347-3954telephone: [1] (202) 347-3950
Diplomatic representation from the US:the US Embassy suspended operations on 14 June 1998 in the midst ofviolent conflict between forces loyal to then President VIEIRA andmilitary-led junta; for the time being, US embassy Dakar isresponsible for covering Guinea-Bissau: telephone - [221] 823-4296;FAX - [221] 822-5903
Flag description:two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and green with avertical red band on the hoist side; there is a black five-pointedstar centered in the red band; uses the popular pan-African colorsof Ethiopia
Economy Guinea-Bissau
Economy - overview:One of the 10 poorest countries in the world, Guinea-Bissau dependsmainly on farming and fishing. Cashew crops have increasedremarkably in recent years, and the country now ranks sixth incashew production. Guinea-Bissau exports fish and seafood along withsmall amounts of peanuts, palm kernels, and timber. Rice is themajor crop and staple food. However, intermittent fighting betweenSenegalese-backed government troops and a military junta destroyedmuch of the country's infrastructure and caused widespread damage tothe economy in 1998; the civil war led to a 28% drop in GDP thatyear, with partial recovery in 1999-2002. Before the war, tradereform and price liberalization were the most successful part of thecountry's structural adjustment program under IMF sponsorship. Thetightening of monetary policy and the development of the privatesector had also begun to reinvigorate the economy. Because of highcosts, the development of petroleum, phosphate, and other mineralresources is not a near-term prospect. However, unexploited offshoreoil reserves could provide much-needed revenue in the long run. Theinequality of income distribution is one of the most extreme in theworld. The government and international donors continue to work outplans to forward economic development from a lamentably low base.Government drift and indecision, however, have resulted in lowgrowth in 2002 and dim prospects for 2003.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $901.4 million (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:-4.3% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $700 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:agriculture: 62%industry: 12%services: 26% (1999 est.)
Population below poverty line:NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.5% highest 10%: 42.4% (1991)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):4% (2002 est.)
Labor force:480,000
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 82% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate:NA%
Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Industries:agricultural products processing, beer, soft drinks
Industrial production growth rate:2.6% (1997 est.)
Electricity - production:55 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption:51.15 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:2,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Agriculture - products: rice, corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), cashew nuts, peanuts, palm kernels, cotton; timber; fish
Exports:$71 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities:cashew nuts, shrimp, peanuts, palm kernels, sawn lumber
Exports - partners:India 51.5%, Uruguay 19.5%, Thailand 19.4% (2002)
Imports:$59 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities:foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products
Imports - partners:Senegal 19.6%, Portugal 19.1%, India 15.3%, Taiwan 5.1% (2002)
Debt - external:$941.5 million (2000 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$115.4 million (1995)
Currency:Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsibleauthority is the Central Bank of the West African States; previouslythe Guinea-Bissau peso (GWP) was used
Currency code:XOF; GWP
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)note: as of 1 May 1997, Guinea-Bissau adopted the XOF franc as thenational currency; since 1 January 1999, the XOF franc is pegged tothe euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF francs per euro
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Guinea-Bissau
Telephones - main lines in use:10,000 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular:0 (2001)
Telephone system:general assessment: small systemdomestic: combination of microwave radio relay, open-wire lines,radiotelephone, and cellular communicationsinternational: NA
Radio broadcast stations:AM 1 (transmitter out of service), FM 4, shortwave 0 (2002)
Radios:49,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:NA (1997)
Televisions:NA
Internet country code:.gw
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):2 (2002)
Internet users:4,000 (2002)
Transportation Guinea-Bissau
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 4,400 km paved: 453 km unpaved: 3,947 km (1999 est.)
Waterways:several rivers are accessible to coastal shipping
Ports and harbors:Bissau, Buba, Cacheu, Farim
Merchant marine:none (2002 est.)
Airports:28 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 3over 3,047 m: 11,524 to 2,437 m: 1914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 251,524 to 2,437 m: 1914 to 1,523 m: 4under 914 m: 20 (2002)
Military Guinea-Bissau
Military branches:People's Revolutionary Armed Force (FARP; includes Army, Navy, andAir Force), paramilitary force
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 318,711 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 181,318 (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$5.6 million (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:2.8% (FY02)
Transnational Issues Guinea-Bissau
Disputes - international:separatist war in Senegal's Casamance region results in refugeesand cross-border raids, arms smuggling and other illegal activities,and political instability in Guinea-Bissau
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
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@Guyana
Introduction Guyana
Background:Originally a Dutch colony in the 17th century, by 1815 Guyana hadbecome a British possession. The abolition of slavery led to blacksettlement of urban areas and the importation of indentured servantsfrom India to work the sugar plantations. This ethnocultural dividehas persisted and has led to turbulent politics. Guyana achievedindependence from the UK in 1966, but until the early 1990s it wasruled mostly by socialist-oriented governments. In 1992, CheddiJAGAN was elected president, in what is considered the country'sfirst free and fair election since independence. Upon his death fiveyears later, he was succeeded by his wife Janet, who resigned in1999 due to poor health. Her successor, Bharrat JAGDEO, wasreelected in 2001.
Geography Guyana
Location:Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, betweenSuriname and Venezuela
Geographic coordinates:5 00 N, 59 00 W
Map references:South America
Area:total: 214,970 sq kmwater: 18,120 sq kmland: 196,850 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than Idaho
Land boundaries: total: 2,462 km border countries: Brazil 1,119 km, Suriname 600 km, Venezuela 743 km
Coastline:459 km
Maritime claims:continental shelf: 200 NM or to the outer edge of the continentalmarginexclusive economic zone: 200 NMterritorial sea: 12 NM
Climate:tropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two rainyseasons (May to mid-August, mid-November to mid-January)
Terrain:mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Roraima 2,835 m
Natural resources: bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish
Land use: arable land: 2.44% permanent crops: 0.08% other: 97.48% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:1,500 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:flash floods are a constant threat during rainy seasons
Environment - current issues: water pollution from sewage and agricultural and industrial chemicals; deforestation
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94 signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:the third-smallest country in South America after Suriname andUruguay; substantial portions of its western and eastern territoriesare claimed by Venezuela and Suriname respectively
People Guyana
Population:702,100note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account theeffects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lowerlife expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lowerpopulation and growth rates, and changes in the distribution ofpopulation by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July2003 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 27% (male 96,775; female 93,077)15-64 years: 67.9% (male 240,305; female 236,378)65 years and over: 5.1% (male 15,755; female 19,810) (2003 est.)
Median age:total: 25.7 yearsmale: 25.2 yearsfemale: 26.3 years (2002)
Population growth rate:0.44% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:17.87 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:9.27 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:-4.16 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: 0.8 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 37.55 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 33.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)male: 41.64 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 63.09 yearsmale: 60.51 yearsfemale: 65.79 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:2.07 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:2.7% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:18,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:1,300 (2001 est.)
Nationality:noun: Guyanese (singular and plural)adjective: Guyanese
Ethnic groups:East Indian 50%, black 36%, Amerindian 7%, white, Chinese, andmixed 7%
Religions:Christian 50%, Hindu 35%, Muslim 10%, other 5%
Languages:English, Amerindian dialects, Creole, Hindi, Urdu
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over has ever attended schooltotal population: 98.8%male: 99.1%female: 98.5% (2003 est.)
Government Guyana
Country name:conventional long form: Co-operative Republic of Guyanaconventional short form: Guyanaformer: British Guiana
Government type:republic within the Commonwealth
Capital:Georgetown
Administrative divisions:10 regions; Barima-Waini, Cuyuni-Mazaruni, Demerara-Mahaica, EastBerbice-Corentyne, Essequibo Islands-West Demerara, Mahaica-Berbice,Pomeroon-Supenaam, Potaro-Siparuni, Upper Demerara-Berbice, UpperTakutu-Upper Essequibo
Independence:26 May 1966 (from UK)
National holiday:Republic Day, 23 February (1970)
Constitution:6 October 1980
Legal system:based on English common law with certain admixtures of Roman-Dutchlaw; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Bharrat JAGDEO (since 11 August 1999);note - assumed presidency after resignation of President JAGANhead of government: Prime Minister Samuel HINDS (since NA December1997)cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president,responsible to the legislatureelections: president elected by the majority party in the NationalAssembly following legislative elections, which must be held atleast every five years; elections last held 19 March 2001 (next tobe held by March 2006); prime minister appointed by the presidentelection results: President Bharrat JAGDEO reelected; percent oflegislative vote - NA%
Legislative branch:unicameral National Assembly (68 seats, 65 elected by popular vote,1 elected Speaker of the National Assembly, and 2 nonvoting membersappointed by the president; members serve five-year terms)elections: last held 19 March 2001 (next to be held NA March 2006)election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -PPP/C 34, PNC 27, GAP and WPA 2, ROAR 1, TUF 1
Judicial branch:Supreme Court of Judicature; Judicial Court of Appeal; High Court
Political parties and leaders:Alliance for Guyana or AFG (includes Guyana Labor Party or GLP andWorking People's Alliance or WPA) [Rupert ROOPNARAINE]; GuyanaAction Party or GAP [Paul HARDY]; Guyana Labor Party or GLP [leaderNA]; People's National Congress or PNC/R [Robert Herman OrlandoCORBIN]; People's Progressive Party/Civic or PPP/C [Bharrat JAGDEO];Rise, Organize, and Rebuild or ROAR [Ravi DEV]; The United Force orTUF [Manzoor NADIR]; Working People's Alliance or WPA [RupertROOPNARAINE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:Civil Liberties Action Committee or CLAC; Guyana Council of IndianOrganizations or GCIO; Trades Union Congress or TUCnote: the GCIO and the CLAC are small and active but not wellorganized
International organization participation:ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL,OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Ali Odeen ISHMAELchancery: 2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008consulate(s) general: New YorkFAX: [1] (202) 232-1297telephone: [1] (202) 265-6900
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Ronald D. GODARDembassy: 100 Young and Duke Streets, Kingston, Georgetownmailing address: P. O. Box 10507, Georgetowntelephone: [592] 225-4900 through 4909FAX: [592] 225-8497
Flag description:green, with a red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side)superimposed on a long, yellow arrowhead; there is a narrow, blackborder between the red and yellow, and a narrow, white borderbetween the yellow and the green
Economy Guyana
Economy - overview:The Guyanese economy has exhibited moderate economic growth in2001-02, based on expansion in the agricultural and mining sectors,a more favorable atmosphere for business initiatives, a morerealistic exchange rate, fairly low inflation, and the continuedsupport of international organizations. Chronic problems include ashortage of skilled labor and a deficient infrastructure. Thegovernment is juggling a sizable external debt against the urgentneed for expanded public investment. The bauxite mining sectorshould benefit in the near term by restructuring and partialprivatization.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $2.628 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:1.1% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $3,800 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:agriculture: 35%industry: 21%services: 44% (2002 est.)
Population below poverty line:NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):4.7% (2002 est.)
Labor force:418,000 (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%
Unemployment rate:9.1% (understated) (2000)
Budget:revenues: $227 millionexpenditures: $235.2 million, including capital expenditures of$93.4 million (2000)
Industries:bauxite, sugar, rice milling, timber, textiles, gold mining
Industrial production growth rate:7.1% (1997 est.)
Electricity - production:852 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.4% hydro: 0.6% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption:792.4 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:11,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Agriculture - products: sugar, rice, wheat, vegetable oils; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; fish (shrimp)
Exports:$500 million f.o.b. (2002)
Exports - commodities:sugar, gold, bauxite/alumina, rice, shrimp, molasses, rum, timber
Exports - partners:Canada 21.1%, US 17.9%, Netherlands Antilles 12.9%, UK 10.4%,Jamaica 5.3%, Portugal 4.2% (2002)
Imports:$575 million c.i.f. (2002)
Imports - commodities:manufactures, machinery, petroleum, food
Imports - partners:US 23.7%, Netherlands Antilles 20.2%, Trinidad and Tobago 15.2%,Italy 6.3%, UK 5.1%, Cuba 4.2% (2002)
Debt - external:$1.2 billion (2002)
Economic aid - recipient:$84 million (1995), Heavily Indebted Poor Country Initiative (HIPC)$253 million (1997)
Currency:Guyanese dollar (GYD)
Currency code:GYD
Exchange rates:Guyanese dollars per US dollar - NA (2002), 187.32 (2001), 182.43(2000), 178 (1999), 150.52 (1998)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Guyana
Telephones - main lines in use:70,000 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular:6,100 (2000)
Telephone system:general assessment: fair system for long-distance callingdomestic: microwave radio relay network for trunk linesinternational: tropospheric scatter to Trinidad; satellite earthstation - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 3, FM 3, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios:420,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 3 (one public station; two private stations which relay US satellite services) (1997)
Televisions:46,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.gy
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):3 (2000)
Internet users:95,000 (2002)
Transportation Guyana
Railways:total: 187 kmstandard gauge: 139 km 1.435-m gaugenarrow gauge: 48 km 0.914-m gaugenote: all dedicated to ore transport (2001 est.)
Highways:total: 7,970 kmpaved: 590 kmunpaved: 7,380 km (1999 est.)
Waterways:5,900 km (total length of navigable waterways)note: Berbice, Demerara, and Essequibo rivers are navigable byoceangoing vessels for 150 km, 100 km, and 80 km, respectively
Ports and harbors:Bartica, Georgetown, Linden, New Amsterdam, Parika
Merchant marine:total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,929 GRT/4,507 DWTships by type: cargo 2 (2002 est.)
Airports:51 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 81,524 to 2,437 m: 3under 914 m: 5 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 43 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 34 (2002)
Military Guyana
Military branches:Guyana Defense Force (including Ground Forces, Coast Guard, and AirCorps), Guyana Police Force, Guyana People's Militia, GuyanaNational Service
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 207,890 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 156,174 (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:NA%
Transnational Issues Guyana
Disputes - international:all of the area west of the Essequibo (river) claimed by Venezuela;Suriname claims area between New (Upper Courantyne) andCourantyne/Kutari [Koetari] rivers (all headwaters of theCourantyne); territorial sea boundary with Suriname is in dispute
Illicit drugs:transshipment point for narcotics from South America - primarilyVenezuela - to Europe and the US; producer of cannabis
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
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@Haiti
Introduction Haiti
Background:The native Arawak Amerindians - who inhabited the island ofHispaniola when it was discovered by Columbus in 1492 - werevirtually annihilated by Spanish settlers within 25 years. In theearly 17th century, the French established a presence on Hispaniola,and in 1697, Spain ceded to the French the western third of theisland - Haiti. The French colony, based on forestry andsugar-related industries, became one of the wealthiest in theCaribbean, but only through the heavy importation of African slavesand considerable environmental degradation. In the late 18thcentury, Haiti's nearly half million slaves revolted under ToussaintL'OUVERTURE and after a prolonged struggle, became the first blackrepublic to declare its independence in 1804. Haiti has been plaguedby political violence for most of its history since then, and it isnow one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere. Overthree decades of dictatorship followed by military rule ended in1990 when Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE was elected president. Most of histerm was usurped by a military takeover, but he was able to returnto office in 1994 and oversee the installation of a close associateto the presidency in 1996. ARISTIDE won a second term as presidentin 2000, and took office early in 2001. However, a political crisisstemming from fraudulent legislative elections in 2000 has not yetbeen resolved.
Geography Haiti
Location:Caribbean, western one-third of the island of Hispaniola, betweenthe Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of theDominican Republic
Geographic coordinates:19 00 N, 72 25 W
Map references:Central America and the Caribbean
Area:total: 27,750 sq kmland: 27,560 sq kmwater: 190 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries: total: 360 km border countries: Dominican Republic 360 km
Coastline: 1,771 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: to depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
Climate:tropical; semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade winds
Terrain:mostly rough and mountainous
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Chaine de la Selle 2,680 m
Natural resources: bauxite, copper, calcium carbonate, gold, marble, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 20.32% permanent crops: 12.7% other: 66.98% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:750 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severestorms from June to October; occasional flooding and earthquakes;periodic droughts
Environment - current issues:extensive deforestation (much of the remaining forested land isbeing cleared for agriculture and used as fuel); soil erosion;inadequate supplies of potable water
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of theSea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protectionsigned, but not ratified: Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban
Geography - note:shares island of Hispaniola with Dominican Republic (westernone-third is Haiti, eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic)
People Haiti
Population:7,527,817note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account theeffects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lowerlife expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lowerpopulation and growth rates, and changes in the distribution ofpopulation by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July2003 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 42.7% (male 1,637,853; female 1,575,893)15-64 years: 53.6% (male 1,962,975; female 2,073,353)65 years and over: 3.7% (male 131,784; female 145,959) (2003 est.)
Median age:total: 17.9 yearsmale: 17.4 yearsfemale: 18.5 years (2002)
Population growth rate:1.67% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:34.06 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:13.36 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:-4.03 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: 0.95 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 76.01 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 70.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)male: 81.59 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 51.61 yearsmale: 50.36 yearsfemale: 52.92 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:4.86 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:6.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:250,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:30,000 (2001 est.)
Nationality: noun: Haitian(s) adjective: Haitian
Ethnic groups:black 95%, mulatto and white 5%
Religions:Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant 16% (Baptist 10%, Pentecostal 4%,Adventist 1%, other 1%), none 1%, other 3% (1982)note: roughly half of the population also practices Voodoo
Languages:French (official), Creole (official)
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 52.9%male: 54.8%female: 51.2% (2003 est.)
Government Haiti
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Haiticonventional short form: Haitilocal short form: Haitilocal long form: Republique d'Haiti
Government type:elected government
Capital:Port-au-Prince
Administrative divisions:9 departments (departements, singular - departement); Artibonite,Centre, Grand 'Anse, Nord, Nord-Est, Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Est
Independence:1 January 1804 (from France)
National holiday:Independence Day, 1 January (1804)
Constitution:approved March 1987; suspended June 1988, with most articlesreinstated March 1989; in October 1991, government claimed to beobserving the constitution; return to constitutional rule, October1994
Legal system:based on Roman civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE (since 7 February2001)head of government: Prime Minister Yvon NEPTUNE (since 4 March2002); note - former Prime Minister CHERESTAL resigned in January2002cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation withthe presidentelections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;election last held 26 November 2000 (next to be held NA 2005); primeminister appointed by the president, ratified by the NationalAssemblyelection results: Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE elected president; percentof vote - Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE 92%
Legislative branch:bicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale consists of theSenate (27 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-yearterms; one-third elected every two years) and the Chamber ofDeputies (83 seats; members are elected by popular vote to servefour-year terms)elections: Senate - last held for two-thirds of seats 21 May 2000,with runoffs on 9 July boycotted by the opposition; seven seatsstill disputed; election for remaining one-third held on 26 November2000 (next to be held NA 2002); Chamber of Deputies - last held 21May 2000, with runoffs on 30 July boycotted by the opposition; onevacant seat rerun 26 November 2000 (next to be held NA 2004)election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats byparty - FL 26, independent 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of voteby party - NA%; seats by party - FL 73, MOCHRENA 3, PLB 2, OPL 1,vacant 1, other minor parties and independents 3
Judicial branch:Supreme Court or Cour de Cassation
Political parties and leaders:Alliance for the Liberation and Advancement of Haiti or ALAH[Reynold GEORGES]; Assembly of Progressive National Democrats orRDNP [Leslie MANIGAT]; Convergence (opposition coalition composed ofESPACE, OPL, and MOCHRENA) [Gerard PIERRE-CHARLES, Evans PAUL, LucMESADIEU, Victor BENOIT]; Democratic Consultation Group coalition orESPACE [Evans PAUL, Victor BENOIT] composed of the followingparties: National Congress of Democratic Movements or KONAKOM,National Progressive Revolutionary Party or PANPRA, Generation 2004,and Haiti Can; Haitian Christian Democratic Party or PDCH[Marie-France CLAUDE]; Haitian Democratic Party or PADEM [ClarkPARENT]; Lavalas Family or FL [Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE]; Mobilizationfor National Development or MDN [Hubert DE RONCERAY]; Movement forNational Reconstruction or MRN [Rene THEODORE]; Movement for theInstallation of Democracy in Haiti or MIDH [Marc BAZIN]; Movementfor the Organization of the Country or MOP [Gesner COMEAU and JeanMOLIERE]; National Cooperative Action Movement or MKN [Volrick RemyJOSEPH]; National Front for Change and Democracy or FNCD [Evans PAULand Turneb DELPE]; New Christian Movement for a New Haiti orMOCHRENA [Luc MESADIEU]; Open the Gate or PLB [Renaud BERNARDIN];Struggling People's Organization or OPL [Gerard PIERRE-CHARLES]
Political pressure groups and leaders:Autonomous Haitian Workers or CATH; Confederation of HaitianWorkers or CTH; Federation of Workers Trade Unions or FOS; NationalPopular Assembly or APN; Papaye Peasants Movement or MPP; PopularOrganizations Gathering Power or PROP; Roman Catholic Church
International organization participation:ACCT, ACP, Caricom, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), PCA, UN, UNCTAD,UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chief of Mission HarryFrantz LEOconsulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York, and San Juan(Puerto Rico)FAX: [1] (202) 745-7215telephone: [1] (202) 332-4090chancery: 2311 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador James B. Foley embassy: 5 Harry S Truman Boulevard, Port-au-Prince mailing address: P. O. Box 1761, Port-au-Prince telephone: [509] 222-0354, 222-0368, 222-0200, 222-0612 FAX: [509] 223-1641
Flag description:two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a centeredwhite rectangle bearing the coat of arms, which contains a palm treeflanked by flags and two cannons above a scroll bearing the mottoL'UNION FAIT LA FORCE (Union Makes Strength)
Economy Haiti
Economy - overview:About 80% of the population lives in abject poverty. Nearly 70% ofall Haitians depend on the agriculture sector, which consists mainlyof small-scale subsistence farming and employs about two-thirds ofthe economically active work force. Following legislative electionsin May 2000, fraught with irregularities, international donors -including the US and EU - suspended almost all aid to Haiti. Theeconomy shrank an estimated 1.2% in 2001 and an estimated 0.9% in2002. The contraction will likely intensify in 2003 unless apolitical agreement with donors is reached on economic policy.Suspended aid and loan disbursements totaled more than $500 millionat the start of 2003.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $10.6 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:-0.9% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $1,400 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 30% industry: 20% services: 50% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line:80% (2002 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):11.9% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 3.6 million note: shortage of skilled labor, unskilled labor abundant (1995)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 66%, services 25%, industry 9%
Unemployment rate:widespread unemployment and underemployment; more than two-thirdsof the labor force do not have formal jobs (2002 est.)
Budget:revenues: $273 millionexpenditures: $361 million, including capital expenditures of $NA(FY 00/01 est.)
Industries:sugar refining, flour milling, textiles, cement, light assemblyindustries based on imported parts
Industrial production growth rate:NA
Electricity - production:580 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 60.3% hydro: 39.7% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption:539.4 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:11,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Agriculture - products:coffee, mangoes, sugarcane, rice, corn, sorghum; wood
Exports:$298 million f.o.b. (2002)
Exports - commodities:manufactures, coffee, oils, cocoa
Exports - partners:US 83.9%, Dominican Republic 6.6%, Canada 2.4% (2002)
Imports:$1.14 billion c.i.f. (2002)
Imports - commodities:food, manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, fuels,raw materials
Imports - partners:US 53.4%, Dominican Republic 5.3%, Colombia 3.4% (2002)
Debt - external:$1.2 billion (1999)
Economic aid - recipient:$120 million (FY02)
Currency:gourde (HTG)
Currency code:HTG
Exchange rates:gourdes per US dollar - 29.25 (2002), 24.43 (2001), 21.17 (2000),16.94 (1999), 16.77 (1998)
Fiscal year:1 October - 30 September
Communications Haiti
Telephones - main lines in use:60,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular:over 180,000 (January 2003)
Telephone system:general assessment: domestic facilities barely adequate;international facilities slightly betterdomestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay trunk serviceinternational: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)