Geography Lebanon
Location:Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel andSyria
Geographic coordinates:33 50 N, 35 50 E
Map references:Middle East
Area:total: 10,400 sq kmwater: 170 sq kmland: 10,230 sq km
Area - comparative:about 0.7 times the size of Connecticut
Land boundaries: total: 454 km border countries: Israel 79 km, Syria 375 km
Coastline:225 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate:Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet winters with hot, dry summers;Lebanon mountains experience heavy winter snows
Terrain:narrow coastal plain; El Beqaa (Bekaa Valley) separates Lebanon andAnti-Lebanon Mountains
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 mhighest point: Qurnat as Sawda' 3,088 m
Natural resources:limestone, iron ore, salt, water-surplus state in a water-deficitregion, arable land
Land use: arable land: 17.6% permanent crops: 12.51% other: 69.89% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:1,200 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:dust storms, sandstorms
Environment - current issues:deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; air pollution inBeirut from vehicular traffic and the burning of industrial wastes;pollution of coastal waters from raw sewage and oil spills
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, HazardousWastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection,Ship Pollution, Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, MarineDumping, Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note:Nahr el Litani only major river in Near East not crossing aninternational boundary; rugged terrain historically helped isolate,protect, and develop numerous factional groups based on religion,clan, and ethnicity
People Lebanon
Population:3,727,703 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 27.1% (male 514,447; female 494,166)15-64 years: 66.1% (male 1,177,773; female 1,286,433)65 years and over: 6.8% (male 115,693; female 139,191) (2003 est.)
Median age:total: 26.4 yearsmale: 25.4 yearsfemale: 27.5 years (2002)
Population growth rate:1.34% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:19.68 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:6.32 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: 1.04 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 26.43 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 23.51 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)male: 29.22 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 72.07 yearsmale: 69.64 yearsfemale: 74.61 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.98 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:0.09% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:NA
Nationality:noun: Lebanese (singular and plural)adjective: Lebanese
Ethnic groups:Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1%
Religions:Muslim 70% (including Shi'a, Sunni, Druze, Isma'ilite, Alawite orNusayri), Christian 30% (including Orthodox Christian, Catholic,Protestant), Jewish NEGL%
Languages:Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 87.4%male: 93.1%female: 82.2% (2003 est.)
Government Lebanon
Country name:conventional long form: Lebanese Republicconventional short form: Lebanonlocal short form: Lubnanlocal long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Lubnaniyah
Government type:republic
Capital:Beirut
Administrative divisions:6 governorates (mohafazat, singular - mohafazah); Beyrouth, Beqaa,Liban-Nord, Liban-Sud, Mont-Liban, Nabatiye
Independence:22 November 1943 (from League of Nations mandate under Frenchadministration)
National holiday:Independence Day, 22 November (1943)
Constitution:23 May 1926, amended a number of times, most recently Charter ofLebanese National Reconciliation (Ta'if Accord) of October 1989
Legal system:mixture of Ottoman law, canon law, Napoleonic code, and civil law;no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsoryICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:21 years of age; compulsory for all males; authorized for women atage 21 with elementary education
Executive branch:chief of state: President Emile LAHUD (since 24 November 1998)head of government: Prime Minister Rafiq HARIRI (since 23 October2000); Deputy Prime Minister Issam FARES (since 23 October 2000);note - HARIRI resigned on 15 April 2003, but was reappointed thenext daycabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation withthe president and members of the National Assemblyelections: president elected by the National Assembly for a six-yearterm; election last held 15 October 1998 (next to be held NA 2004);prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the presidentin consultation with the National Assembly; by custom, the presidentis a Maronite Christian, the prime minister is a Sunni Muslim, andthe speaker of the legislature is a Shi'a Muslimelection results: Emile LAHUD elected president; National Assemblyvote - 118 votes in favor, 0 against, 10 abstentions
Legislative branch:unicameral National Assembly or Majlis Alnuwab (Arabic) orAssemblee Nationale (French) (128 seats; members elected by popularvote on the basis of sectarian proportional representation to servefour-year terms)elections: last held 27 August and 3 September 2000 (next to be heldNA 2004)election results: percent of vote by party - Muslim 57% (of whichSunni 25%, Sh'ite 25%, Druze 6%, Alawite less than 1%), Christian43% (of which Maronite 23%); seats by party - Muslim 64 (of whichSunni 27, Sh'ite 27, Druze 8, Alawite 2), Christian 64 (of whichMaronite 34)
Judicial branch:four Courts of Cassation (three courts for civil and commercialcases and one court for criminal cases); Constitutional Council(called for in Ta'if Accord - rules on constitutionality of laws);Supreme Council (hears charges against the president and primeminister as needed)
Political parties and leaders: political party activity is organized along largely sectarian lines; numerous political groupings exist, consisting of individual political figures and followers motivated by religious, clan, and economic considerations
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:ABEDA, ACCT, AFESD, AL, AMF, ESCWA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC,PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Farid ABBOUDconsulate(s) general: Detroit, New York, and Los AngelesFAX: [1] (202) 939-6324telephone: [1] (202) 939-6320chancery: 2560 28th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Vincent Martin BATTLEembassy: Awkar, Lebanonmailing address: P. O. Box 70840, Awkar, Lebanon; PSC 815, Box 2,FPO AE 09836-0002telephone: 011-961-4-543-600/542-600FAX: 011-961-4-544-136
Flag description:three horizontal bands of red (top), white (double width), and redwith a green cedar tree centered in the white band
Economy Lebanon
Economy - overview:The 1975-91 civil war seriously damaged Lebanon's economicinfrastructure, cut national output by half, and all but endedLebanon's position as a Middle Eastern entrepot and banking hub.Peace enabled the central government to restore control in Beirut,begin collecting taxes, and regain access to key port and governmentfacilities. Economic recovery was helped by a financially soundbanking system and resilient small- and medium-scale manufacturers.Family remittances, banking services, manufactured and farm exports,and international aid provided the main sources of foreign exchange.Lebanon's economy made impressive gains since the launch in 1993 of"Horizon 2000," the government's $20 billion reconstruction program.Real GDP grew 8% in 1994, 7% in 1995, 4% in 1996 and in 1997, butslowed to 1.2% in 1998, -1.6% in 1999, -0.6% in 2000, 0.8% in 2001,and 1.5% in 2002. During the 1990s annual inflation fell to almost0% from more than 100%. Lebanon has rebuilt much of its war-tornphysical and financial infrastructure. The government nonethelessfaces serious challenges in the economic arena. It has fundedreconstruction by borrowing heavily - mostly from domestic banks. Inorder to reduce the ballooning national debt, the re-installedHARIRI government began an economic austerity program to rein ingovernment expenditures, increase revenue collection, and privatizestate enterprises. The HARIRI government met with internationaldonors at the Paris II conference in November 2002 to seek bilateralassistance restructuring its domestic debt at lower rates ofinterest. While privatization of state-owned enterprises had notoccurred by the end of 2002, the government had successfully avoideda currency devaluation and debt default in 2002.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $17.61 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:2% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $4,800 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 12% industry: 21% services: 67% (2000)
Population below poverty line:28% (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):3.5% (2002 est.)
Labor force:1.5 millionnote: in addition, there are as many as 1 million foreign workers(2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:services NA%, industry NA%, agriculture NA%
Unemployment rate:18% (1997 est.)
Budget:revenues: $3.1 billionexpenditures: $5.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA(2001 est.)
Industries:banking; food processing; jewelry; cement; textiles; mineral andchemical products; wood and furniture products; oil refining; metalfabricating
Industrial production growth rate:NA%
Electricity - production:6.728 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 97.2% hydro: 2.8% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption:7.44 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:1.183 billion kWh (2001)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:107,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Agriculture - products: citrus, grapes, tomatoes, apples, vegetables, potatoes, olives, tobacco; sheep, goats
Exports:$1 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities:foodstuffs and tobacco, textiles, chemicals, precious stones, metalproducts, electrical products, jewelry, paper products
Exports - partners:Switzerland 10.8%, Saudi Arabia 9%, UAE 8.6%, US 6.7%, Jordan 4.6%,Turkey 4.3% (2002)
Imports:$6 billion f.o.b. (2002)
Imports - commodities:foodstuffs, electrical products, vehicles, minerals, chemicals,textiles, fuels
Imports - partners:Italy 11.3%, France 10.7%, Germany 8.4%, US 5.6%, Syria 5.4%, China4.8%, Belgium 4.5%, UK 4.2% (2002)
Debt - external:$9.3 billion (2002 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$3.5 billion (pledges 1997-2001) $4.2 billion in pledges November2002 Paris II Aid Conference
Currency:Lebanese pound (LBP)
Currency code:LBP
Exchange rates:Lebanese pounds per US dollar - 1,507.5 (2002), 1,507.5 (2001),1,507.5 (2000), 1,507.84 (1999), 1,516.13 (1998)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Lebanon
Telephones - main lines in use:700,000 (1999)
Telephones - mobile cellular:580,000 (1999)
Telephone system:general assessment: telecommunications system severely damaged bycivil war; rebuilding well underwaydomestic: primarily microwave radio relay and cableinternational: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Oceanand 1 Atlantic Ocean) (erratic operations); coaxial cable to Syria;microwave radio relay to Syria but inoperable beyond Syria toJordan; 3 submarine coaxial cables
Radio broadcast stations:AM 20, FM 22, shortwave 4 (1998)
Radios:2.85 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:15 (plus 5 repeaters) (1995)
Televisions:1.18 million (1997)
Internet country code:.lb
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):22 (2000)
Internet users:300,000 (2001)
Transportation Lebanon
Railways:total: 401 kmstandard gauge: 319 km 1.435-mnote: rail system is unusable because of damage in civil war (2002)narrow gauge: 82 km 1.050-m
Highways: total: 7,300 km paved: 6,198 km unpaved: 1,102 km (1999 est.)
Waterways:none
Pipelines:oil 209 km (2003)
Ports and harbors:Antilyas, Batroun, Beirut, Chekka, El Mina, Ez Zahrani, Jbail,Jounie, Naqoura, Sidon, Tripoli, Tyre
Merchant marine:total: 56 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 230,142 GRT/306,442 DWTships by type: bulk 5, cargo 28, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk1, container 4, liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 9, roll on/rolloff 4, vehicle carrier 3note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag ofconvenience: France 1, Greece 10, Netherlands 4, Panama 1, SaintVincent and the Grenadines 2, Spain 1, Syria 2 (2002 est.)
Airports:8 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 3914 to 1,523 m: 2under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Military Lebanon
Military branches:Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF; includes Army, Navy, and Air Force)
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 1,025,984 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 630,657 (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$541 million (2002)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:4.8% (FY99)
Transnational Issues Lebanon
Disputes - international:Syrian troops in central and eastern Lebanon since October 1976;Lebanese Government claims Shab'a Farms area of Israeli-occupiedGolan Heights
Illicit drugs:cannabis cultivation dramatically reduced to 2,500 hectares in2002; opium poppy cultivation minimal; small amounts of LatinAmerican cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin transit country on wayto US and European markets
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
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@Lesotho
Introduction Lesotho
Background:Basutoland was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon independencefrom the UK in 1966. King MOSHOESHOE was exiled in 1990.Constitutional government was restored in 1993 after 23 years ofmilitary rule. In 1998, violent protests and a military mutinyfollowing a contentious election prompted a brief but bloody SouthAfrican military intervention. Constitutional reforms have sincerestored political stability; peaceful parliamentary elections wereheld in 2002.
Geography Lesotho
Location:Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa
Geographic coordinates:29 30 S, 28 30 E
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 30,355 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmland: 30,355 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries: total: 909 km border countries: South Africa 909 km
Coastline:0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:none (landlocked)
Climate:temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers
Terrain:mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains
Elevation extremes:lowest point: junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 mhighest point: Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m
Natural resources:water, agricultural and grazing land, some diamonds and otherminerals
Land use: arable land: 10.71% permanent crops: 0% other: 89.29% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:10 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:periodic droughts
Environment - current issues: population pressure forcing settlement in marginal areas results in overgrazing, severe soil erosion, and soil exhaustion; desertification; Highlands Water Project controls, stores, and redirects water to South Africa
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping
Geography - note:landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous,more than 80% of the country is 1,800 meters above sea level
People Lesotho
Population:1,861,959note: 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: 37.7% (male 353,554; female 349,092)15-64 years: 56.8% (male 516,017; female 541,694)65 years and over: 5.5% (male 41,735; female 59,867) (2003 est.)
Median age:total: 19.8 yearsmale: 19.3 yearsfemale: 20.4 years (2002)
Population growth rate:0.19% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:27.26 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:24.58 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:-0.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 86.21 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 80.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)male: 91.28 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 36.94 yearsmale: 36.76 yearsfemale: 37.13 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:3.52 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:31% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:360,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:25,000 (2001 est.)
Nationality:noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)adjective: Basotho
Ethnic groups:Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%,
Religions:Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20%
Languages:Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 84.8%male: 74.5%female: 94.5% (2003 est.)
Government Lesotho
Country name:conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesothoconventional short form: Lesothoformer: Basutoland
Government type:parliamentary constitutional monarchy
Capital:Maseru
Administrative divisions:10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, MohalesHoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka
Independence:4 October 1966 (from UK)
National holiday:Independence Day, 4 October (1966)
Constitution:2 April 1993
Legal system:based on English common law and Roman-Dutch law; judicial review oflegislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal; has not acceptedcompulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: King LETSIE III (since 7 February 1996); note -King LETSIE III formerly occupied the throne from November 1990 toFebruary 1995, while his father was in exilehead of government: Prime Minister Pakalitha MOSISILI (since 23 May1998)cabinet: Cabinetelections: none; according to the constitution, the leader of themajority party in the Assembly automatically becomes prime minister;the monarch is hereditary, but, under the terms of the constitution,which came into effect after the March 1993 election, the monarch isa "living symbol of national unity" with no executive or legislativepowers; under traditional law the college of chiefs has the power todetermine who is next in the line of succession, who shall serve asregent in the event that the successor is not of mature age, and mayeven depose the monarch
Legislative branch:bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (33 members - 22principal chiefs and 11 other members appointed by the ruling party)and the Assembly (120 seats, 80 by direct popular vote and 40 byproportional vote; members elected by popular vote for five-yearterms); note - number of seats in the Assembly rose from 80 to 120in the May 2002 electionelections: last held 25 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2007)election results: percent of vote by party - LCD 54%, BNP 21%, LPC7%, other 18%; seats by party - LCD 76, BNP 21, LPC 5, other 18
Judicial branch:High Court (chief justice appointed by the monarch); Court ofAppeal; Magistrate's Court; customary or traditional court
Political parties and leaders:Basotho Congress Party or BCP [Tseliso MAKHAKHE]; Basotho NationalParty or BNP [Maj. Gen. Justine Metsing LEKHANYA]; Lesotho Congressfor Democracy or LCD [Phebe MOTEBANO, chairwoman; PakalithaMOSISILI, leader] - the governing party; Lesotho People's Congressor LPC [Kelebone MAOPE]; United Democratic Party or UDP [CharlesMOFELI]; Marematlou Freedom Party or MFP and Setlamo Alliance[Vincent MALEBO]; Progressive National Party or PNP [Chief PeeteNkoebe PEETE]; Sefate Democratic Party or SDP [Bofihla NKUEBE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SACU,SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Molelekeng E. RAPOLAKIFAX: [1] (202) 234-6815telephone: [1] (202) 797-5533 through 5536chancery: 2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Robert G. LOFTIS embassy: 254 Kingsway, Maseru West (Consular Section) mailing address: P. O. Box 333, Maseru 100, Lesotho telephone: [266] 312666 FAX: [266] 310116
Flag description:divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner; the upper halfis white, bearing the brown silhouette of a large shield withcrossed spear and club; the lower half is a diagonal blue band witha green triangle in the corner
Economy Lesotho
Economy - overview:Small, landlocked, and mountainous, Lesotho relies on remittancesfrom miners employed in South Africa and customs duties from theSouthern Africa Customs Union for the majority of governmentrevenue, but the government has strengthened its tax system toreduce dependency on customs duties. Completion of a majorhydropower facility in January 1998 now permits the sale of water toSouth Africa, also generating royalties for Lesotho. As the numberof mineworkers has declined steadily over the past several years, asmall manufacturing base has developed based on farm products thatsupport the milling, canning, leather, and jute industries and arapidly growing apparel-assembly sector. The economy is stillprimarily based on subsistence agriculture, especially livestock,although drought has decreased agricultural activity. The extremeinequality in the distribution of income remains a major drawback.Lesotho has signed an Interim Poverty Reduction and Growth Facilitywith the IMF.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $5.106 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:4% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $2,700 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 20% industry: 46% services: 34% (2001)
Population below poverty line: 49% (1999)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.9% highest 10%: 43.4%
Distribution of family income - Gini index:56 (1986-87)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):10% (2002 est.)
Labor force:838,000
Labor force - by occupation: 86% of resident population engaged in subsistence agriculture; roughly 35% of the active male wage earners work in South Africa
Unemployment rate:45% (2002)
Budget:revenues: $76 millionexpenditures: $80 million, including capital expenditures of $15million (FY 99/00 est.)
Industries:food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts;construction; tourism
Industrial production growth rate:15.5% (1999)
Electricity - production:0 kWh NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2001)
Electricity - consumption:40 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:40 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2001)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:1,500 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Agriculture - products:corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock
Exports:$422 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities:manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool andmohair, food and live animals (2000)
Exports - partners:US 97.5%, Canada 0.9%, France 0.6% (2002)
Imports:$738 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities:food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleumproducts (2000)
Imports - partners:Hong Kong 51.9%, China 25%, France 3.9% (2002)
Debt - external:$735 million (2002)
Economic aid - donor:ODA $4.4 million
Economic aid - recipient:$41.5 million (2000)
Currency:loti (LSL); South African rand (ZAR)
Currency code:LSL; ZAR
Exchange rates:maloti per US dollar - 10.54 (2002), 8.61 (2001), 6.94 (2000), 6.11(1999), 5.53 (1998)
Fiscal year:1 April - 31 March
Communications Lesotho
Telephones - main lines in use:22,200 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular:21,600 (2000)
Telephone system:general assessment: rudimentary systemdomestic: consists of a few landlines, a small microwave radio relaysystem, and a minor radiotelephone communication system; a cellularmobile telephone system is growinginternational: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios:NA (2002)
Television broadcast stations:1 (2000)
Televisions:NA
Internet country code:.ls
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1 (2000)
Internet users:5,000 (2002)
Transportation Lesotho
Railways:total: 2.6 km; note - owned by, operated by, and included in thestatistics of South Africanarrow gauge: 2.6 km 1.067-m gauge (1995)
Highways:total: 5,940 kmpaved: 1,087 kmunpaved: 4,853 km (1999)
Waterways:none
Ports and harbors:none
Airports:28 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 24 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 20 (2002)
Military Lesotho
Military branches:Lesotho Defense Force (LDF; including Army and Air Wing), RoyalLesotho Mounted Police
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 459,723 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 250,560 (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$34 million (1999)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:NA%
Military - note:the Lesotho Government in 1999 began an open debate on the futurestructure, size, and role of the armed forces, especiallyconsidering the Lesotho Defense Force's (LDF) history of interveningin political affairs
Transnational Issues Lesotho
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
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@Liberia
Introduction Liberia
Background:Eight years of civil strife were brought to a close in 1997 whenfree and open presidential and legislative elections were held.President TAYLOR now holds strong executive power with no realpolitical opposition. Years of fighting, coupled with the flight ofmost businesses, have disrupted formal economic activity. A stillunsettled domestic security situation has slowed the process ofrebuilding the social and economic structure of this war-torncountry. In 2001, the UN imposed sanctions on Liberian diamonds,along with an arms embargo and a travel ban on government officials,for Liberia's support of the rebel insurgency in Sierra Leone.Renewed rebel activity has further eroded stability and economicactivity. A regional peace initiative commenced in the spring of2003 but was disrupted by the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL)indictment of President TAYLOR on war crimes charges.
Geography Liberia
Location:Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Coted'Ivoire and Sierra Leone
Geographic coordinates:6 30 N, 9 30 W
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 111,370 sq kmwater: 15,050 sq kmland: 96,320 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly larger than Tennessee
Land boundaries:total: 1,585 kmborder countries: Guinea 563 km, Cote d'Ivoire 716 km, Sierra Leone306 km
Coastline:579 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 200 NM
Climate:tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to coldnights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers
Terrain:mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling plateau andlow mountains in northeast
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 mhighest point: Mount Wuteve 1,380 m
Natural resources:iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 1.97% permanent crops: 2.08% other: 95.95% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:30 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to March)
Environment - current issues: tropical rain forest deforestation; soil erosion; loss of biodiversity; pollution of coastal waters from oil residue and raw sewage
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Desertification, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94 signed, but not ratified: Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note:facing the Atlantic Ocean, the coastline is characterized bylagoons, mangrove swamps, and river-deposited sandbars; the inlandgrassy plateau supports limited agriculture
People Liberia
Population:3,317,176 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 43.4% (male 724,960; female 716,831)15-64 years: 53% (male 858,191; female 898,851)65 years and over: 3.6% (male 59,539; female 58,804) (2003 est.)
Median age:total: 18.1 yearsmale: 17.7 yearsfemale: 18.4 years (2002)
Population growth rate:1.67% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:45.28 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:17.84 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:-10.7 migrant(s)/1,000 populationnote: 200,000 Liberian refugees are in surrounding countries thoughslowly returning (2003 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 132.18 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 125.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)male: 139.03 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 48.15 yearsmale: 47.03 yearsfemale: 49.3 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:6.23 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:9% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:125,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:5,000 (2001 est.)
Nationality:noun: Liberian(s)adjective: Liberian
Ethnic groups:indigenous African tribes 95% (including Kpelle, Bassa, Gio, Kru,Grebo, Mano, Krahn, Gola, Gbandi, Loma, Kissi, Vai, Dei, Bella,Mandingo, and Mende), Americo-Liberians 2.5% (descendants ofimmigrants from the US who had been slaves), Congo People 2.5%(descendants of immigrants from the Caribbean who had been slaves)
Religions:indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20%
Languages:English 20% (official), some 20 ethnic group languages, of which afew can be written and are used in correspondence
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 57.5%male: 73.3%female: 41.6%note: (2003 est.)
Government Liberia
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Liberiaconventional short form: Liberia
Government type:republic
Capital:Monrovia
Administrative divisions:15 counties; Bomi, Bong, Gparbolu, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount,Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado, Nimba,River Cess, River Gee, Sinoe
Independence:26 July 1847
National holiday:Independence Day, 26 July (1847)
Constitution:6 January 1986
Legal system:dual system of statutory law based on Anglo-American common law forthe modern sector and customary law based on unwritten tribalpractices for indigenous sector
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Gyude BRYANT (since 14 October 2003);note - the president is both the chief of state and head ofgovernmenthead of government: President Gyude BRYANT (since 14 October 2003);note - the president is both the chief of state and head ofgovernmentcabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president and confirmed by theSenateelections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term(renewable); election last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held NA2005)note:: a UN-brokered cease fire among waring factions and theLiberian government resulted in the August 2003 resignation offormer president Charles TAYLOR; a jointly agreed upon replacement,President Gyude BRYANT, assumed office as chairman of the NationalTransitional Government on 14 October 2003election results: Charles Ghankay TAYLOR elected president; percentof vote - Charles Ghankay TAYLOR (NPP) 75.3%, Ellen Johnson SIRLEAF(UP) 9.6%, Alhaji KROMAH (ALCOP) 4%, other 11.1%; note - Taylorstepped down in August 2003
Legislative branch:bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (26 seats;members elected by popular vote to serve nine-year terms) and theHouse of Representatives (64 seats; members elected by popular voteto serve six-year terms)election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats byparty - NPP 21, UP 3, ALCOP 2; House of Representatives - percent ofvote by party - NA%; seats by party - NPP 49, UP 7, ALCOP 3,Alliance of Political Parties 2, UPP 2, LPP 1elections: Senate - last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held NA2006); House of Representatives - last held 19 July 1997 (next to beheld 14 October 2003)
Judicial branch:Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:Alliance of Political Parties (a coalition of LAP and LUP) [leaderNA]; All Liberia Coalition Party or ALCOP [Peter KERBAY]; LiberianAction Party or LAP [C. Gyude BRYANT]; Liberian People's Party orLPP [Koffa NAGBE]; Liberia Unification Party or LUP [leader NA];National Patriotic Party or NPP [Cyril ALLEN] - governing party;United People's Party or UPP [Wesley JOHNSON]; Unity Party or UP[Charles CLARKE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD,UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge D'Affaires Aaron B.KOLLIEchancery: 5201 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011consulate(s) general: New YorkFAX: [1] (202) 723-0436telephone: [1] (202) 723-0437
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador John William BLANEY IIIembassy: 111 United Nations Drive, P. O. Box 10-0098, Mamba Point,1000 Monrovia, 10 Liberiamailing address: use embassy street addresstelephone: [231] 226-370 through 226-380FAX: [231] 226-148
Flag description:11 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternatingwith white; there is a white five-pointed star on a blue square inthe upper hoist-side corner; the design was based on the US flag
Economy Liberia
Economy - overview:Civil war and misgovernment have destroyed much of Liberia'seconomy, especially the infrastructure in and around Monrovia. Manybusinessmen have fled the country, taking capital and expertise withthem. Some have returned; many will not. Richly endowed with water,mineral resources, forests, and a climate favorable to agriculture,Liberia had been a producer and exporter of basic products -primarily raw timber and rubber. Local manufacturing, mainly foreignowned, had been small in scope. The restoration of theinfrastructure and the raising of incomes in this ravaged economydepend on the settlement of civil warfare, the implementation ofsound macro- and micro-economic policies, including theencouragement of foreign investment, and generous support from donorcountries.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $3.116 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:2% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $1,000 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 74% industry: 7% services: 19% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line:80%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):15% (2002 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 70%, industry 8%, services 22% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate:NA
Budget:revenues: $85.4 millionexpenditures: $90.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA(2000 est.)
Industries:rubber processing, palm oil processing, timber, diamonds
Industrial production growth rate:NA%
Electricity - production:468.8 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption:435.9 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:3,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Agriculture - products: rubber, coffee, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, sugarcane, bananas; sheep, goats; timber
Exports:$110 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities:rubber, timber, iron, diamonds, cocoa, coffee
Exports - partners:Germany 54.8%, Poland 8.9%, France 8.5%, China 4.9%, Italy 4.5%, US4.2% (2002)
Imports:$165 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities:fuels, chemicals, machinery, transportation equipment, manufacturedgoods; foodstuffs
Imports - partners:South Korea 30.3%, Japan 19.1%, Germany 15.6%, France 9.1%,Singapore 7.9% (2002)
Debt - external:$2.1 billion (2000 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$94 million (1999)
Currency:Liberian dollar (LRD)
Currency code:LRD
Exchange rates:Liberian dollars per US dollar - NA (2002), 48.58 (2001), 40.95(2000), 41.9 (1999), 41.51 (1998)note: until December 1997, rates were based on a fixed relationshipwith the US dollar; beginning in January 1998, rates are marketdetermined
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Liberia
Telephones - main lines in use:6,700 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular:0 (1998)
Telephone system:general assessment: telephone and telegraph service via microwaveradio relay network; main center is Monroviadomestic: NAinternational: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 0, FM 7, shortwave 2 (2001)
Radios:790,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:1 (plus four low-power repeaters) (2001)
Televisions:70,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.lr
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):2 (2001)
Internet users:500 (2000)
Transportation Liberia
Railways:total: 490 kmstandard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gaugenarrow gauge: 145 km 1.067-m gaugenote: none of the railways are in operation (2002)
Highways: total: 10,600 km paved: 657 km unpaved: 9,943 km (1999 est.)
Waterways:none
Ports and harbors:Buchanan, Greenville, Harper, Monrovia, Robertsport
Merchant marine:total: 1,432 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 48,700,851 GRT/75,408,994 DWTships by type: barge carrier 3, bulk 282, cargo 80, chemical tanker163, combination bulk 12, combination ore/oil 24, container 357,liquefied gas 82, multi-functional large-load carrier 4, passenger6, petroleum tanker 286, refrigerated cargo 60, roll on/roll off 19,short-sea passenger 4, specialized tanker 13, vehicle carrier 37note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag ofconvenience: Argentina 9, Australia 2, Austria 15, Belgium 9, Brazil5, Canada 4, Cayman Islands 1, Chile 7, China 39, Croatia 11,Denmark 4, Ecuador 1, Estonia 1, Germany 437, Greece 154, Hong Kong69, India 5, Indonesia 1, Israel 1, Italy 5, Japan 90, Latvia 20,Isle of Man 5, Monaco 56, Netherlands 12, NZ 1, Nigeria 1, Norway103, Pakistan 1, Portugal 5, Russia 66, Saudi Arabia 21, Singapore20, Slovenia 1, South Africa 1, South Korea 10, Spain 2, Sweden 9,Switzerland 17, Taiwan 29, Turkey 3, Ukraine 4, UAE 12, UK 39, US113, Uruguay 3, Vietnam 1 (2002 est.)
Airports:47 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 45 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 34 (2002)
Military Liberia
Military branches:Army, Navy, Air Force
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 735,481 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 396,725 (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$7.8 million (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:1.3% (FY02)
Transnational Issues Liberia
Disputes - international:rebels and refugees contribute to border instabilities with SierraLeone, Cote d'Ivoire, and Guinea; the Ivorian Government accusesLiberia of supporting Ivorian rebels
Illicit drugs:transshipment point for Southeast and Southwest Asian heroin andSouth American cocaine for the European and US markets; corruption,criminal activity, arms-dealing, and diamond trade providesignificant potential for money laundering, but the lack ofwell-developed financial system limits the country's utility as amajor money-laundering center
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
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@Libya
Introduction Libya
Background:Since he took power in a 1969 military coup, Col. Muammar AbuMinyar al-QADHAFI has espoused his own political system - acombination of socialism and Islam - which he calls the ThirdInternational Theory. Viewing himself as a revolutionary leader, heused oil funds during the 1970s and 1980s to promote his ideologyoutside Libya, even supporting subversives and terrorists abroad tohasten the end of Marxism and capitalism. Libyan military adventuresfailed, e.g., the prolonged foray of Libyan troops into the AozouStrip in northern Chad was finally repulsed in 1987. Libyan supportfor terrorism decreased after UN sanctions were imposed in 1992.Those sanctions were suspended in April 1999.
Geography Libya
Location:Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt andTunisia
Geographic coordinates:25 00 N, 17 00 E
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 1,759,540 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmland: 1,759,540 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly larger than Alaska
Land boundaries:total: 4,348 kmborder countries: Algeria 982 km, Chad 1,055 km, Egypt 1,115 km,Niger 354 km, Sudan 383 km, Tunisia 459 km
Coastline:1,770 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 12 NMnote: Gulf of Sidra closing line - 32 degrees, 30 minutes north
Climate:Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior
Terrain:mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Sabkhat Ghuzayyil -47 m highest point: Bikku Bitti 2,267 m
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, gypsum
Land use: arable land: 1.03% permanent crops: 0.17% other: 98.8% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:4,700 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to fourdays in spring and fall; dust storms, sandstorms
Environment - current issues:desertification; very limited natural fresh water resources; theGreat Manmade River Project, the largest water development scheme inthe world, is being built to bring water from large aquifers underthe Sahara to coastal cities
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban
Geography - note: more than 90% of the country is desert or semidesert
People Libya
Population: 5,499,074 note: includes 166,510 non-nationals (July 2003 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 34.5% (male 970,026; female 929,174)15-64 years: 61.4% (male 1,744,992; female 1,630,399)65 years and over: 4.1% (male 109,262; female 115,221) (2003 est.)
Median age:total: 22.1 yearsmale: 22.2 yearsfemale: 21.9 years (2002)
Population growth rate:2.39% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:27.43 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:3.49 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: 1.04 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 26.8 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 24.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)male: 29.16 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 76.07 yearsmale: 73.91 yearsfemale: 78.34 years (2003 est.)