Map references:Asia
Area:total: 2,717,300 sq kmwater: 47,500 sq kmland: 2,669,800 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly less than four times the size of Texas
Land boundaries:total: 12,012 kmborder countries: China 1,533 km, Kyrgyzstan 1,051 km, Russia 6,846km, Turkmenistan 379 km, Uzbekistan 2,203 km
Coastline:0 km (landlocked); note - Kazakhstan borders the Aral Sea, nowsplit into two bodies of water (1,070 km), and the Caspian Sea(1,894 km)
Maritime claims:none (landlocked)
Climate:continental, cold winters and hot summers, arid and semiarid
Terrain:extends from the Volga to the Altai Mountains and from the plainsin western Siberia to oases and desert in Central Asia
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Vpadina Kaundy -132 mhighest point: Khan Tangiri Shyngy (Pik Khan-Tengri) 6,995 m
Natural resources:major deposits of petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore,manganese, chrome ore, nickel, cobalt, copper, molybdenum, lead,zinc, bauxite, gold, uranium
Land use:arable land: 11.23%permanent crops: 0.05%other: 88.72% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:23,320 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:earthquakes in the south, mudslides around Almaty
Environment - current issues:radioactive or toxic chemical sites associated with its formerdefense industries and test ranges throughout the country posehealth risks for humans and animals; industrial pollution is severein some cities; because the two main rivers which flowed into theAral Sea have been diverted for irrigation, it is drying up andleaving behind a harmful layer of chemical pesticides and naturalsalts; these substances are then picked up by the wind and blowninto noxious dust storms; pollution in the Caspian Sea; soilpollution from overuse of agricultural chemicals and salination frompoor infrastructure and wasteful irrigation practices
Environment - international agreements:party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,Desertification, Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection, ShipPollutionsigned, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography - note:landlocked; Russia leases approximately 6,000 sq km of territoryenclosing the Baykonur Cosmodrome
People Kazakhstan
Population:16,763,795 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 25.4% (male 2,161,510; female 2,089,780)15-64 years: 66.8% (male 5,425,545; female 5,769,457)65 years and over: 7.9% (male 458,379; female 859,124) (2003 est.)
Median age:total: 28.2 yearsmale: 26.6 yearsfemale: 29.7 years (2002)
Population growth rate:0.17% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:18.36 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:10.78 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:-5.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.53 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 58.73 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 53.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)male: 63.41 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 63.48 yearsmale: 58.16 yearsfemale: 69.06 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:2.16 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:6,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:less than 300 (2001 est.)
Nationality:noun: Kazakhstani(s)adjective: Kazakhstani
Ethnic groups:Kazakh (Qazaq) 53.4%, Russian 30%, Ukrainian 3.7%, Uzbek 2.5%,German 2.4%, Uighur 1.4%, other 6.6% (1999 census)
Religions:Muslim 47%, Russian Orthodox 44%, Protestant 2%, other 7%
Languages:Kazakh (Qazaq, state language) 64.4%, Russian (official, used ineveryday business, designated the "language of interethniccommunication") 95% (2001 est.)
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 98.4%male: 99.1%female: 97.7% (1999 est.)
Government Kazakhstan
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Kazakhstanconventional short form: Kazakhstanlocal long form: Qazaqstan Respublikasyformer: Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republiclocal short form: none
Government type:republic
Capital:Astana; note - the government moved from Almaty to Astana inDecember 1998
Administrative divisions:14 provinces (oblystar, singular - oblys) and 3 cities* (qala,singular - qalasy); Almaty Oblysy, Almaty Qalasy*, Aqmola Oblysy(Astana), Aqtobe Oblysy, Astana Qalasy*, Atyrau Oblysy, BatysQazaqstan Oblysy (Oral), Bayqongyr Qalasy*, Mangghystau Oblysy(Aqtau), Ongtustik Qazaqstan Oblysy (Shymkent), Pavlodar Oblysy,Qaraghandy Oblysy, Qostanay Oblysy, Qyzylorda Oblysy, ShyghysQazaqstan Oblysy (Oskemen), Soltustik Qazaqstan Oblysy(Petropavlovsk), Zhambyl Oblysy (Taraz)note: administrative divisions have the same names as theiradministrative centers (exceptions have the administrative centername following in parentheses); in 1995 the Governments ofKazakhstan and Russia entered into an agreement whereby Russia wouldlease for a period of 20 years an area of 6,000 sq km enclosing theBaykonur space launch facilities and the city of Bayqongyr(Baykonyr, formerly Leninsk)
Independence:16 December 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
National holiday:Republic Day, 25 October (1990)
Constitution:adopted by national referendum 30 August 1995; firstpost-independence constitution was adopted 28 January 1993
Legal system:based on civil law system
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV (chairman of theSupreme Soviet from 22 February 1990, elected president 1 December1991)head of government: Prime Minister Daniyal AKHMETOV (since 13 June2003)cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the presidentelection results: Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV reelected president;percent of vote - Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV 81.7%, SerikbolsynABDILDIN 12.1%, Gani KASYMOV 4.7%, Engels GABBASSOV 1.5%note: President NAZARBAYEV expanded his presidential powers bydecree: only he can initiate constitutional amendments, appoint anddismiss the government, dissolve Parliament, call referenda at hisdiscretion, and appoint administrative heads of regions and citieselections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;election last held 10 January 1999, a year before it was previouslyscheduled (next to be held NA 2006); note - President NAZARBAYEV'sprevious term was extended to 2000 by a nationwide referendum held30 April 1995; prime minister and first deputy prime ministerappointed by the president
Legislative branch:bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (39 seats - previously47 seats; 7 senators are appointed by the president; other membersare popularly elected, two from each of the 14 oblasts, the capitalof Astana, and the city of Almaty, to serve six-year terms) and theMajilis (77 seats; 10 out of the 77 Majilis members are elected fromthe winning party's lists; members are popularly elected to servefive-year terms)election results: note - the election results are for the old Senatestructure; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -NA; 16 seats up for election in 1999, candidates nominated by localcouncils; Majilis - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -Otan 23, Civic Party 13, Communist Party 3, Agrarian Party 3,People's Cooperative Party 1, independents 34; note - mostindependent candidates are affiliated with parastatal enterprisesand other pro-government institutionselections: Senate - (indirect) last held 17 September 1999 (next tobe held NA December 2005); Majilis - last held 10 and 24 October and26 December 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)
Judicial branch:Supreme Court (44 members); Constitutional Council (7 members)
Political parties and leaders:Agrarian Party [Romin MADINOV]; Ak Zhol Party "White Road" [BulatABILOV, Uraz ZHANDOSOV, Zhanat YERTLESOVA, cofounders]; AUL"Village" [leader NA]; Civic Party [Azat PERUASHEV, firstsecretary]; Communist Party or KPK [Serikbolsyn ABDILDIN, firstsecretary]; Otan "Fatherland" [Gani YESIMOV, chairman]; Patriots'Party [Gani KASYMOV]note: only seven parties in Kazakhstan have been registered underthe new political party law passed in July 2002
Political pressure groups and leaders:Adil-Soz [Tamara KALEYEVA]; Alash [Sabet-Kazy AKATAY]; AZAMAT"Citizen" Movement [Petr SVOIK, Murat AUEZOV, and Galym ABILSEITOV,cochairmen]; Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan [Galymzhan ZHAKIYANOV,Nurzhan SUBKHANBERDIN, cochairmen]; Labor and Worker's Movement[Madel ISMAILOV, chairman]; Kazakhstan International Bureau on HumanRights [Yevgeniy ZHOVTIS, executive director]; Orleu "Development"Movement [Seidakhmet KUTTYKADAM]; Pensioners Movement or Pokoleniye[Irina SAVOSTINA, chairwoman]; People's Congress of Kazakhstan ofNKK [Olzhas SULEIMENOV, chairman]; People's Cooperative Party ofKazakhstan [Umirzak SARSENOV]; Republican People's Party ofKazakhstan or RNPK [Akezhan KAZHEGELDIN]; Socialist Party [PetrSVOIK]
International organization participation:AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA,IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (associate), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE,PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,WToO, WTrO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Kanat B. SAUDABAYEVFAX: [1] (202) 232-5845consulate(s): New Yorktelephone: [1] (202) 232-5488chancery: 1401 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Larry C. NAPPERembassy: 99/97A Furmanova Street, Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan480091mailing address: use embassy street addresstelephone: [7] (3272) 63-39-21, 63-13-75, 50-76-23, 50-76-27(emergency number)FAX: [7] (3272) 63-38-83
Flag description:sky blue background representing the endless sky and a gold sunwith 32 rays soaring above a golden steppe eagle in the center; onthe hoist side is a "national ornamentation" in gold
Economy Kazakhstan
Economy - overview:Kazakhstan, the largest of the former Soviet republics interritory, excluding Russia, possesses enormous fossil fuel reservesas well as plentiful supplies of other minerals and metals. It alsois a large agricultural - livestock and grain - producer.Kazakhstan's industrial sector rests on the extraction andprocessing of these natural resources and also on a growingmachine-building sector specializing in construction equipment,tractors, agricultural machinery, and some defense items. Thebreakup of the USSR in December 1991 and the collapse in demand forKazakhstan's traditional heavy industry products resulted in ashort-term contraction of the economy, with the steepest annualdecline occurring in 1994. In 1995-97, the pace of the governmentprogram of economic reform and privatization quickened, resulting ina substantial shifting of assets into the private sector. Kazakhstanenjoyed double-digit growth in 2000-01 - and a solid 9.5% in 2002 -thanks largely to its booming energy sector, but also to economicreform, good harvests, and foreign investment. The opening of theCaspian Consortium pipeline in 2001, from western Kazakhstan'sTengiz oilfield to the Black Sea, substantially raised exportcapacity. The country has embarked upon an industrial policydesigned to diversify the economy away from overdependence on theoil sector, by developing light industry. Additionally, the policyaims to reduce the influence of foreign investment and foreignpersonnel; the government has engaged in several disputes withforeign oil companies over the terms of production agreements, andtensions continue.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $120 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:9.5% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $7,200 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 9% industry: 40% services: 51% (2002 est.)
Population below poverty line: 26% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 27.3% (2001)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:35.4 (1996)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):6% (2002 est.)
Labor force:8.4 million (1999)
Labor force - by occupation:industry 30%, agriculture 20%, services 50% (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate:8.8% (2002 est.)
Budget:revenues: $4.2 billionexpenditures: $5.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA(2001 est.)
Industries:oil, coal, iron ore, manganese, chromite, lead, zinc, copper,titanium, bauxite, gold, silver, phosphates, sulfur, iron and steel;tractors and other agricultural machinery, electric motors,construction materials
Industrial production growth rate:10% (2002 est.)
Electricity - production:52.43 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 84.3% hydro: 15.7% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption:48.36 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:3.6 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:3.2 billion kWh (2001)
Oil - production:798,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:195,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:2.709 billion bbl (37257)
Natural gas - production:10.08 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:14.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:4.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:8.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:920.3 billion cu m (37257)
Agriculture - products:grain (mostly spring wheat), cotton; livestock
Exports:$10.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities:oil and oil products 58%, ferrous metals 24%, chemicals 5%,machinery 3%, grain, wool, meat, coal (2001)
Exports - partners:Russia 16.2%, Bermuda 12.1%, China 11.3%, Germany 8.8%, Italy 5.5%,Ukraine 4.9%, France 4% (2002)
Imports:$9.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery and equipment 41%, metal products 28%, foodstuffs 8%(2001)
Imports - partners:Russia 37.1%, US 9.3%, China 9.3%, Germany 9.1% (2002)
Debt - external:$6.6 billion (2002 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$610 million in US assistance programs, 1992-2000
Currency:tenge (KZT)
Currency code:KZT
Exchange rates:tenge per US dollar - 153.28 (2002), 146.74 (2001), 142.13 (2000),119.52 (1999), 78.3 (1998)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Kazakhstan
Telephones - main lines in use:1.92 million (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular:400,000 (2001)
Telephone system:general assessment: service is poor; equipment antiquateddomestic: intercity by landline and microwave radio relay; mobilecellular systems are available in most of Kazakhstaninternational: international traffic with other former Sovietrepublics and China carried by landline and microwave radio relayand with other countries by satellite and by the Trans-Asia-Europe(TAE) fiber-optic cable; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat
Radio broadcast stations:AM 60, FM 17, shortwave 9 (1998)
Radios:6.47 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:12 (plus nine repeaters) (1998)
Televisions:3.88 million (1997)
Internet country code:.kz
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):10 (with their own international channels) (2001)
Internet users:100,000 (2002)
Transportation Kazakhstan
Railways: total: 13,601 km broad gauge: 13,601 km 1.520-m gauge (3,661 km electrified) (2002)
Highways: total: 81,331 km paved: 77,020 km unpaved: 4,311 km (2000)
Waterways:3,900 kmnote: on the Syr Darya (Syrdariya) and Ertis (Irtysh) rivers
Pipelines:condensate 640 km; gas 10,527 km; oil 9,771 km; refined products1,187 km; water 1,465 km (2003)
Ports and harbors:Aqtau (Shevchenko), Atyrau (Gur'yev), Oskemen (Ust-Kamenogorsk),Pavlodar, Semey (Semipalatinsk)
Merchant marine:total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,064 GRT/646 DWTships by type: roll on/roll off 1note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag ofconvenience: US 1 (2002 est.)
Airports:488 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 60over 3,047 m: 72,438 to 3,047 m: 261,524 to 2,437 m: 14914 to 1,523 m: 4under 914 m: 9 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 428over 3,047 m: 112,438 to 3,047 m: 191,524 to 2,437 m: 44914 to 1,523 m: 103under 914 m: 251 (2002)
Military Kazakhstan
Military branches:Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Naval Force, BorderService, Republican Guard
Military manpower - military age:18 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 4,580,754 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 3,658,815 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:males: 174,111 (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$221.8 million (Ministry of Defense expenditures) (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:0.9% (Ministry of Defense expenditures) (FY02)
Transnational Issues Kazakhstan
Disputes - international:Kazakhstan and China have resolved their border dispute and areworking to delimit their large open borders to control populationmigration, illegal activities, and trade; delimitation of boundarywith Russia is scheduled for completion in 2003 - delimitations withTurkmenistan and Uzbekistan are complete with demarcations underway- delimitation with Kyrgyzstan is largely complete; equidistantseabed treaties have been signed with Azerbaijan and Russia in theCaspian Sea but no resolution has been made on dividing the watercolumn among any of the littoral states; no resolution of Caspianseabed boundary with Turkmenistan
Illicit drugs:significant illicit cultivation of cannabis for CIS markets, aswell as limited cultivation of opium poppy and ephedra (for the drugephedrine); limited government eradication of illicit crops; transitpoint for Southwest Asian narcotics bound for Russia and the rest ofEurope
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
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@Kenya
Introduction Kenya
Background:Founding president and liberation struggle icon Jomo KENYATTA ledKenya from independence until his death in 1978, when PresidentDaniel Toroitich arap MOI took power in a constitutional succession.The country was a de facto one-party state from 1969 until 1982 whenthe ruling Kenya African National Union (KANU) made itself the solelegal party in Kenya. MOI acceded to internal and external pressurefor political liberalization in late 1991. The ethnically fracturedopposition failed to dislodge KANU from power in elections in 1992and 1997, which were marred by violence and fraud, but are viewed ashaving generally reflected the will of the Kenyan people. PresidentMOI stepped down in December of 2002 following fair and peacefulelections. Mwai KIBAKI, running as the candidate of the multiethnic,united opposition group, the National Rainbow Coalition, defeatedKANU candidate Uhuru KENYATTA and assumed the presidency following acampaign centered on an anticorruption platform.
Geography Kenya
Location:Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Somalia andTanzania
Geographic coordinates:1 00 N, 38 00 E
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 582,650 sq kmwater: 13,400 sq kmland: 569,250 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly more than twice the size of Nevada
Land boundaries:total: 3,477 kmborder countries: Ethiopia 861 km, Somalia 682 km, Sudan 232 km,Tanzania 769 km, Uganda 933 km
Coastline:536 km
Maritime claims:continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitationexclusive economic zone: 200 NMterritorial sea: 12 NM
Climate:varies from tropical along coast to arid in interior
Terrain:low plains rise to central highlands bisected by Great Rift Valley;fertile plateau in west
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 mhighest point: Mount Kenya 5,199 m
Natural resources:gold, limestone, soda ash, salt, rubies, fluorspar, garnets,wildlife, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 7.03% permanent crops: 0.91% other: 92.06% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:670 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:recurring drought; flooding during rainy seasons
Environment - current issues: water pollution from urban and industrial wastes; degradation of water quality from increased use of pesticides and fertilizers; water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; poaching
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, EndangeredSpecies, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, MarineLife Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, ShipPollution, Wetlands, Whalingsigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:the Kenyan Highlands comprise one of the most successfulagricultural production regions in Africa; glaciers are found onMount Kenya, Africa's second highest peak; unique physiographysupports abundant and varied wildlife of scientific and economicvalue
People Kenya
Population:31,639,091note: 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: 41.3% (male 6,609,904; female 6,461,945)15-64 years: 55.8% (male 8,900,615; female 8,766,698)65 years and over: 2.9% (male 389,918; female 510,011) (2003 est.)
Median age:total: 18.4 yearsfemale: 18.5 years (2002)male: 18.2 years
Population growth rate:1.27% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:28.81 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:16.01 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:-0.15 migrant(s)/1,000 populationnote: according to UNHCR, by the end of 2001 Kenya was host to220,000 refugees from neighboring countries, including: Somalia145,000 and Sudan 68,000 (2003 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 63.36 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 60.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)male: 66.37 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 45.22 yearsmale: 45.02 yearsfemale: 45.43 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:3.47 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:15% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:2.5 million (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:190,000 (2001 est.)
Nationality:noun: Kenyan(s)adjective: Kenyan
Ethnic groups:Kikuyu 22%, Luhya 14%, Luo 13%, Kalenjin 12%, Kamba 11%, Kisii 6%,Meru 6%, other African 15%, non-African (Asian, European, and Arab)1%
Religions:Protestant 45%, Roman Catholic 33%, indigenous beliefs 10%, Muslim10%, other 2%note: a large majority of Kenyans are Christian, but estimates forthe percentage of the population that adheres to Islam or indigenousbeliefs vary widely
Languages:English (official), Kiswahili (official), numerous indigenouslanguages
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 85.1%male: 90.6%female: 79.7% (2003 est.)
Government Kenya
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Kenyaconventional short form: Kenyaformer: British East Africa
Government type:republic
Capital:Nairobi
Administrative divisions:7 provinces and 1 area*; Central, Coast, Eastern, Nairobi Area*,North Eastern, Nyanza, Rift Valley, Western
Independence:12 December 1963 (from UK)
National holiday:Independence Day, 12 December (1963)
Constitution:12 December 1963, amended as a republic 1964; reissued withamendments 1979, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1997, and 2001
Legal system:based on Kenyan statutory law, Kenyan and English common law,tribal law, and Islamic law; judicial review in High Court; acceptscompulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations; constitutionalamendment of 1982 making Kenya a de jure one-party state repealed in1991
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Mwai KIBAKI (since 30 December 2002) andVice President Moody AWORI (since 25 September 2003); note - thepresident is both the chief of state and head of governmenthead of government: President Mwai KIBAKI (since 30 December 2002)and Vice President Moody AWORI (since 25 September 2003); note - thepresident is both the chief of state and head of governmentcabinet: Cabinet appointed by the presidentelections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;in addition to receiving the largest number of votes in absoluteterms, the presidential candidate must also win 25% or more of thevote in at least five of Kenya's seven provinces and one area toavoid a runoff; election last held 27 December 2002 (next to be heldNA December 2007); vice president appointed by the presidentelection results: President Mwai KIBAKI elected; percent of vote -Mwai KIBAKI 63%, Uhuru KENYATTA 30%
Legislative branch:unicameral National Assembly or Bunge (224 seats; 210 memberselected by popular vote to serve five-year terms, 12 so-called"nominated" members who are appointed by the president but selectedby the parties in proportion to their parliamentary vote totals, 2ex-officio members)elections: last held 27 December 2002 (next to be held by early 2007)election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -NARC 125, KANU 64, FORD-P 14, other 7; ex-officio 2; seats appointedby the president - NARC 7, KANU 4, FORD-P 1
Judicial branch:Court of Appeal (chief justice is appointed by the president); HighCourt
Political parties and leaders:Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-People or FORD-People[Kimaniwa NYOIKE, chairman]; Kenya African National Union or KANU[Uhuru KENYATTA]; National Rainbow Coalition or NARC [Mwai KIBAKI] -the governing party
Political pressure groups and leaders:human rights groups; labor unions; Muslim organizations; NationalConvention Executive Council or NCEC, a proreform coalition ofpolitical parties and nongovernment organizations [Kivutha KIBWANA];Protestant National Council of Churches of Kenya or NCCK [MutavaMUSYIMI]; Roman Catholic and other Christian churches; SupremeCouncil of Kenya Muslims or SUPKEM [Shaykh Abdul Gafur al-BUSAIDY]
International organization participation:ACP, AfDB, C, EADB, ECA, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF,IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OPCW,UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK,UNMISET, UNMOP, UNU, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Yusuf Abdulraham NZIBOconsulate(s) general: offices in Los Angeles and New York areclosed; mission to the UN remains openFAX: [1] (202) 462-3829telephone: [1] (202) 387-6101chancery: 2249 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Johnnie CARSONembassy: US Embassy, United Nations Ave., Gigiti; P. O. Box 606Village Market Nairobimailing address: Box 21A, Unit 64100, APO AE 09831telephone: [254] (2) 537-800FAX: [254] (2) 537-810
Flag description:three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green; thered band is edged in white; a large warrior's shield coveringcrossed spears is superimposed at the center
Economy Kenya
Economy - overview:Kenya, the regional hub for trade and finance in East Africa, ishampered by corruption and reliance upon several primary goods whoseprices remain low. Following strong economic growth in 1995 and1996, Kenya's economy has stagnated, with GDP growth failing to keepup with the rate of population growth. In 1997, the IMF suspendedKenya's Enhanced Structural Adjustment Program due to thegovernment's failure to maintain reforms and curb corruption. Asevere drought from 1999 to 2000 compounded Kenya's problems,causing water and energy rationing and reducing agricultural output.As a result, GDP contracted by 0.3% in 2000. The IMF, which hadresumed loans in 2000 to help Kenya through the drought, againhalted lending in 2001 when the government failed to instituteseveral anticorruption measures. Despite the return of strong rainsin 2001, weak commodity prices, endemic corruption, and lowinvestment limited Kenya's economic growth to 1%. Growth fell below1% in 2002 because of erratic rains, low investor confidence, meagerdonor support, and political infighting up to the elections. In thekey December 27, 2002 elections, Daniel Arap MOI's 24-year-old reignended, and a new opposition government took on the formidableeconomic problems facing the nation. Substantial donor support androoting out corruption are essential to making Kenya realize itssubstantial economic potential.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $32.89 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:1.1% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 24% industry: 13% services: 63% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line:50% (2000 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: 2%highest 10%: 37.2% (2000)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:44.9 (1997)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):1.9% (2002 est.)
Labor force:10 million (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 75% 75%-80%
Unemployment rate:40% (2001 est.)
Budget:revenues: $2.91 billionexpenditures: $2.97 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA(2000 est.)
Industries:small-scale consumer goods (plastic, furniture, batteries,textiles, soap, cigarettes, flour), agricultural productsprocessing; oil refining, cement; tourism
Industrial production growth rate:0.9% (2002 est.)
Electricity - production:4.033 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 71% hydro: 17.7% other: 11.3% (2001) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption:3.981 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:230 million kWh (2001)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:57,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Agriculture - products: tea, coffee, corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruit, vegetables; dairy products, beef, pork, poultry, eggs
Exports: $2.1 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities:tea, horticultural products, coffee, petroleum products, fish,cement
Exports - partners:Uganda 18.3%, UK 12.9%, US 8%, Netherlands 7.6%, Pakistan 4.9%,Tanzania 4.4%, Egypt 4.1% (2002)
Imports:$3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum products, motorvehicles, iron and steel, resins and plastics
Imports - partners:UAE 12%, Saudi Arabia 8.7%, US 8.1%, UK 7.1%, South Africa 7.1%,France 5.8%, China 5.5%, Japan 5%, India 4.8% (2002)
Debt - external:$5.7 billion (2002 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$457 million (1997)
Currency:Kenyan shilling (KES)
Currency code:KES
Exchange rates:Kenyan shillings per US dollar - 78.75 (2002), 78.56 (2001), 76.18(2000), 70.33 (1999), 60.37 (1998)
Fiscal year:1 July - 30 June
Communications Kenya
Telephones - main lines in use:310,000 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular:540,000 (2001)
Telephone system:general assessment: unreliable; little attempt to modernize exceptfor service to businessdomestic: trunks are primarily microwave radio relay; business datacommonly transferred by a very small aperture terminal (VSAT) systeminternational: satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat
Radio broadcast stations:AM 24, FM 18, shortwave 6 (2001)
Radios:3.07 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:8 (2002)
Televisions:730,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.ke
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):65 (2001)
Internet users:500,000 (2002)
Transportation Kenya
Railways: total: 2,778 km narrow gauge: 2,778 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)
Highways:total: 63,942 kmpaved: 7,737 kmunpaved: 56,205 km (2000)
Waterways:NAnote: part of the Lake Victoria system is within the boundaries ofKenya
Pipelines:refined products 752 km (2003)
Ports and harbors:Kisumu, Lamu, Mombasa
Merchant marine:total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,893 GRT/6,320 DWTships by type: petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1 (2002 est.)
Airports:230 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 19 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 211 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 113 under 914 m: 83 (2002)
Military Kenya
Military branches:Army, Navy, Air Force
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 8,096,142 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 5,017,501 (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$185.2 million (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:1.8% (FY02)
Transnational Issues Kenya
Disputes - international:Kenya's administrative boundary still extends into the Sudan,creating the "Ilemi triangle"
Illicit drugs:widespread harvesting of small plots of marijuana; transit countryfor South Asian heroin destined for Europe and North America; Indianmethaqualone also transits on way to South Africa; significantpotential for money-laundering activity given the country's statusas a regional financial center, massive corruption, and relativelyhigh levels of narcotics-associated activities
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
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@Kingman Reef
Introduction Kingman Reef
Background:The US annexed the reef in 1922. Its sheltered lagoon served as away station for flying boats on Hawaii-to-American Samoa flightsduring the late 1930s. There are no terrestrial plants on the reef,which is frequently awash, but it does support abundant and diversemarine fauna and flora. In 2001, the waters surrounding the reef outto 12 NM around the reef were designated a US National WildlifeRefuge.
Geography Kingman Reef
Location:Oceania, reef in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way betweenHawaii and American Samoa
Geographic coordinates:6 24 N, 162 24 W
Map references:Oceania
Area:total: 1 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmland: 1 sq km
Area - comparative:about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:3 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate:tropical, but moderated by prevailing winds
Terrain:low and nearly level
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 1 m
Natural resources: terrestrial and aquatic wildlife
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:0 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:wet or awash most of the time, maximum elevation of about 1 metermakes Kingman Reef a maritime hazard
Environment - current issues:none
Geography - note:barren coral atoll with deep interior lagoon; closed to the public
People Kingman Reef
Population: uninhabited (July 2003 est.)
Government Kingman Reef
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Kingman Reef
Dependency status:unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington,DC, by the US Fish and Wildlife Service of the Department of theInteriornote: on 1 September 2000, the Department of the Interior acceptedrestoration of its administrative jurisdiction over Kingman Reeffrom the Department of the Navy; Executive Order 3223 signed 18January 2001 established Kingman Reef National Wildlife Refuge to beadministered by the Director, US Fish and Wildlife Service; thisrefuge is managed to protect the terrestrial and aquatic wildlife ofKingman Reef out to the 12-nautical-mile territorial sea limit
Legal system:the laws of the US, where applicable, apply
Flag description:the flag of the US is used
Economy Kingman Reef
Economy - overview: no economic activity
Transportation Kingman Reef
Waterways:none
Ports and harbors:none; offshore anchorage only
Airports:lagoon was used as a halfway station between Hawaii and AmericanSamoa by Pan American Airways for flying boats in 1937 and 1938(2002)
Military Kingman Reef
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US
Transnational Issues Kingman Reef
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
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@Kiribati
Introduction Kiribati
Background:The Gilbert Islands were granted self-rule by the UK in 1971 andcomplete independence in 1979 under the new name of Kiribati. The USrelinquished all claims to the sparsely inhabited Phoenix and LineIsland groups in a 1979 treaty of friendship with Kiribati.
Geography Kiribati
Location:Oceania, group of 33 coral atolls in the Pacific Ocean, straddlingthe equator; the capital Tarawa is about one-half of the way fromHawaii to Australia; note - on 1 January 1995, Kiribati proclaimedthat all of its territory lies in the same time zone as its GilbertIslands group (GMT +12) even though the Phoenix Islands and the LineIslands under its jurisdiction lie on the other side of theInternational Date Line
Geographic coordinates:1 25 N, 173 00 E
Map references:Oceania
Area:total: 811 sq kmnote: includes three island groups - Gilbert Islands, Line Islands,Phoenix Islandswater: 0 sq kmland: 811 sq km
Area - comparative:four times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:1,143 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate:tropical; marine, hot and humid, moderated by trade winds
Terrain:mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive reefs
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Banaba 81 m
Natural resources: phosphate (production discontinued in 1979)
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 50.68% other: 49.32% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:NA sq km
Natural hazards:typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March;occasional tornadoes; low level of some of the islands make themvery sensitive to changes in sea level
Environment - current issues:heavy pollution in lagoon of south Tarawa atoll due to heavymigration mixed with traditional practices such as lagoon latrinesand open-pit dumping; ground water at risk
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, OzoneLayer Protectionsigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:21 of the 33 islands are inhabited; Banaba (Ocean Island) inKiribati is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in thePacific Ocean - the others are Makatea in French Polynesia, and Nauru
People Kiribati
Population:98,549 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 39.7% (male 19,839; female 19,333)15-64 years: 57% (male 27,705; female 28,438)65 years and over: 3.3% (male 1,385; female 1,849) (2003 est.)
Median age:total: 19.7 yearsmale: 19.3 yearsfemale: 20.2 years (2002)
Population growth rate:2.26% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:31.24 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:8.63 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 51.26 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 45.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)male: 56.45 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 60.93 yearsmale: 57.97 yearsfemale: 64.03 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:4.28 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:NA%
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:NA
Nationality:noun: I-Kiribati (singular and plural)adjective: I-Kiribati
Ethnic groups:predominantly Micronesian with some Polynesian
Religions:Roman Catholic 52%, Protestant (Congregational) 40%, someSeventh-Day Adventist, Muslim, Baha'i, Latter-day Saints, and Churchof God (1999)
Languages:I-Kiribati, English (official)
Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%
Government Kiribati
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Kiribaticonventional short form: Kiribatiformer: Gilbert Islandsnote: pronounced keer-ree-bahss
Government type:republic
Capital:Tarawa
Administrative divisions:3 units; Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands; note - inaddition, there are 6 districts (Banaba, Central Gilberts, LineIslands, Northern Gilberts, Southern Gilberts, Tarawa) and 21 islandcouncils - one for each of the inhabited islands (Abaiang, Abemama,Aranuka, Arorae, Banaba, Beru, Butaritari, Kanton, Kiritimati,Kuria, Maiana, Makin, Marakei, Nikunau, Nonouti, Onotoa, Tabiteuea,Tabuaeran, Tamana, Tarawa, Teraina)
Independence:12 July 1979 (from UK)
National holiday:Independence Day, 12 July (1979)
Constitution:12 July 1979
Legal system:NA
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Anote TONG (since 10 July 2003); VicePresident NA; note - the president is both the chief of state andhead of governmentelections: the House of Parliament chooses the presidentialcandidates from among their members and then those candidatescompete in a general election; president is elected by popular votefor a four-year term; election last held 4 July 2003 (next to beheld not later than July 2007); vice president appointed by thepresidentelection results: Anote TONG 47.4%, Harry TONG 43.5%, Banuera BERINA9.1%cabinet: 12-member Cabinet appointed by the president from among themembers of the House of Parliamenthead of government: President Anote TONG (since 10 July 2003); VicePresident NA; note - the president is both the chief of state andhead of government
Legislative branch:unicameral House of Parliament or Maneaba Ni Maungatabu (42 seats;39 elected by popular vote, one ex officio member - the attorneygeneral, one appointed to represent Banaba, and one other; membersserve four-year terms)elections: first round elections last held 29 November 2002; secondround elections held 6 December 2002 (next to be held by November2006)election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -BTK 17, MTM 16, independents 7, other 2 (includes attorney general)note: new legislative elections were held in two rounds - the firstround on 9 May 2003 and the second round on 14 May 2003
Judicial branch:Court of Appeal; High Court; 26 Magistrates' courts; judges at alllevels are appointed by the president
Political parties and leaders:Boutokaan Te Koaua Party or BTK [Taberannang TIMEON]; Maneaban TeMauri Party or MTM [Teburoro TITO]; Maurin Kiribati Pati or MKP[leader NA]; National Progressive Party or NPP [Dr. Harry TONG]note: there is no tradition of formally organized political partiesin Kiribati; they more closely resemble factions or interest groupsbecause they have no party headquarters, formal platforms, or partystructures
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS,ILO, IMF, ITU, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WTrO(applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US:Kiribati does not have an embassy in the US; there is an honoraryconsulate in Honolulu
Diplomatic representation from the US:the US does not have an embassy in Kiribati; the ambassador to theMarshall Islands is accredited to Kiribati
Flag description:the upper half is red with a yellow frigate bird flying over ayellow rising sun, and the lower half is blue with three horizontalwavy white stripes to represent the ocean
Economy Kiribati
Economy - overview:A remote country of 33 scattered coral atolls, Kiribati has fewnatural resources. Commercially viable phosphate deposits wereexhausted at the time of independence from the UK in 1979. Copra andfish now represent the bulk of production and exports. The economyhas fluctuated widely in recent years. Economic development isconstrained by a shortage of skilled workers, weak infrastructure,and remoteness from international markets. Tourism provides morethan one-fifth of GDP. The financial sector is at an early stage ofdevelopment as is the expansion of private sector initiatives.Foreign financial aid from UK, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, andChina is a critical supplement to GDP, equal to 25%-50% of GDP inrecent years. Remittances from workers abroad account for more than$5 million each year.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $79 million - supplemented by a nearlyequal amount from external sources (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:1.5% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $800 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:agriculture: 30%industry: 7%services: 63% (1998 est.)
Population below poverty line:NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):2.5% (2001 est.)
Labor force:7,870 economically active, not including subsistence farmers
Unemployment rate:2%; underemployment 70% (1992 est.)
Budget:revenues: $28.4 millionexpenditures: $37.2 million, including capital expenditures of $NA(2000 est.)
Industries:fishing, handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate:0.7% (1991 est.)
Electricity - production:7 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption:6.51 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:190 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Agriculture - products:copra, taro, breadfruit, sweet potatoes, vegetables; fish
Exports:$6 million f.o.b. (1998)
Exports - commodities:copra 62%, coconuts, seaweed, fish
Exports - partners:Japan 56.7%, Thailand 16.6%, South Korea 16.3% (2002)
Imports:$44 million c.i.f. (1999)
Imports - commodities:foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, miscellaneous manufacturedgoods, fuel
Imports - partners:France 28.7%, Australia 26.3%, Fiji 12.5%, Japan 9.5%, Latvia 5.4%,US 4.6%, New Zealand 4% (2002)