Military Madagascar
Military branches:People's Armed Forces (comprising Intervention Force, DevelopmentForce, Aeronaval [Navy and Air] Force), Gendarmerie, PresidentialSecurity Regiment
Military manpower - military age:20 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 3,880,332 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 2,300,587 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:males: 163,864 (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$52.3 million (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:1.2% (FY02)
Transnational Issues Madagascar
Disputes - international:claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juande Nova Island (all administered by France)
Illicit drugs:illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild varieties) usedmostly for domestic consumption; transshipment point for heroin
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
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@Malawi
Introduction Malawi
Background:Established in 1891, the British protectorate of Nyasaland becamethe independent nation of Malawi in 1964. After three decades ofone-party rule, the country held multiparty elections in 1994 undera provisional constitution, which took full effect the followingyear. National multiparty elections were held again in 1999.
Geography Malawi
Location:Southern Africa, east of Zambia
Geographic coordinates:13 30 S, 34 00 E
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 118,480 sq kmwater: 24,400 sq kmland: 94,080 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Land boundaries: total: 2,881 km border countries: Mozambique 1,569 km, Tanzania 475 km, Zambia 837 km
Coastline:0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:none (landlocked)
Climate:sub-tropical; rainy season (November to May); dry season (May toNovember)
Terrain:narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills, somemountains
Elevation extremes:lowest point: junction of the Shire River and internationalboundary with Mozambique 37 mhighest point: Sapitwa (Mount Mlanje) 3,002 m
Natural resources:limestone, arable land, hydropower, unexploited deposits ofuranium, coal, and bauxite
Land use: arable land: 19.93% permanent crops: 1.33% other: 78.74% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:280 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:NA
Environment - current issues: deforestation; land degradation; water pollution from agricultural runoff, sewage, industrial wastes; siltation of spawning grounds endangers fish populations
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note:landlocked; Lake Nyasa, some 580 km long, is the country's mostprominent physical feature
People Malawi
Population:11,651,239note: 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: 46.8% (male 2,748,058; female 2,698,052)15-64 years: 50.5% (male 2,911,892; female 2,973,723)65 years and over: 2.7% (male 128,722; female 190,792) (2003 est.)
Median age:total: 16.4 yearsmale: 16.1 yearsfemale: 16.7 years (2002)
Population growth rate:2.21% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:44.7 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:22.64 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 105.15 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 100.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)male: 109.36 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 37.98 yearsmale: 37.57 yearsfemale: 38.39 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:6.1 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:15% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:850,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:80,000 (2001 est.)
Nationality:noun: Malawian(s)adjective: Malawian
Ethnic groups:Chewa, Nyanja, Tumbuka, Yao, Lomwe, Sena, Tonga, Ngoni, Ngonde,Asian, European
Religions:Protestant 55%, Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs3%, other 2%
Languages:English (official), Chichewa (official), other languages importantregionally
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 62.7%male: 76.1%female: 49.8% (2003 est.)
Government Malawi
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Malawiconventional short form: Malawiformer: British Central African Protectorate, NyasalandProtectorate, Nyasaland
Government type:multiparty democracy
Capital:Lilongwe
Administrative divisions:27 districts; Balaka, Blantyre, Chikwawa, Chiradzulu, Chitipa,Dedza, Dowa, Karonga, Kasungu, Likoma, Lilongwe, Machinga (Kasupe),Mangochi, Mchinji, Mulanje, Mwanza, Mzimba, Ntcheu, Nkhata Bay,Nkhotakota, Nsanje, Ntchisi, Phalombe, Rumphi, Salima, Thyolo, Zomba
Independence:6 July 1964 (from UK)
National holiday:Independence Day (Republic Day), 6 July (1964)
Constitution:18 May 1994
Legal system:based on English common law and customary law; judicial review oflegislative acts in the Supreme Court of Appeal; has not acceptedcompulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Bakili MULUZI (since 21 May 1994); note -the president is both the chief of state and head of governmenthead of government: President Bakili MULUZI (since 21 May 1994);note - the president is both the chief of state and head ofgovernmentcabinet: 46-member Cabinet named by the presidentelections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;election last held 15 June 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)election results: Bakili MULUZI reelected president; percent of vote- Bakili MULUZI (UDF) 51.4%, Gwandaguluwe CHAKUAMBA (MCP-AFORD) 44.3%
Legislative branch:unicameral National Assembly (193 seats; members elected by popularvote to serve five-year terms)elections: last held 15 June 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)election results: percent of vote by party - UDF 48%, MCP 34%, AFORD15%, others 3%; seats by party - UDF 96, MCP 61, AFORD 30, others 6
Judicial branch:Supreme Court of Appeal; High Court (chief justice appointed by thepresident, puisne judges appointed on the advice of the JudicialService Commission); magistrate's courts
Political parties and leaders:Alliance for Democracy or AFORD [Chakufwa CHIHANA]; Malawi CongressParty or MCP [John TEMBO, president; Gwanda CHAKUAMBA, vicepresident]; Malawi Democratic Party or MDP [Kampelo KALUA]; UnitedDemocratic Front or UDF [Bakili MULUZI] - governing party
Political pressure groups and leaders:National Democratic Alliance [Brown MPINGANJIRA]
International organization participation:ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent),ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK,UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Paul Tony Steven KANDIEROFAX: [1] (202) 265-0976telephone: [1] (202) 797-1007chancery: 2408 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen BROWN embassy: Area 40, Plot 24, Kenyatta Road mailing address: P. O. Box 30016, Lilongwe 3, Malawi telephone: [265] (1) 773 166 FAX: [265] (1) 770 471
Flag description:three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green with aradiant, rising, red sun centered in the black band
Government - note:the executive exerts considerable influence over the legislature
Economy Malawi
Economy - overview:Landlocked Malawi ranks among the world's least developedcountries. The economy is predominately agricultural, with about 90%of the population living in rural areas. Agriculture accounted fornearly 40% of GDP and 88% of export revenues in 2001. The economydepends on substantial inflows of economic assistance from the IMF,the World Bank, and individual donor nations. In late 2000, Malawiwas approved for relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries(HIPC) program. In November 2002 the World Bank approved a $50million drought recovery package, which is to be used for faminerelief. The government faces strong challenges, e.g., to fullydevelop a market economy, to improve educational facilities, to faceup to environmental problems, to deal with the rapidly growingproblem of HIV/AIDS, and to satisfy foreign donors that fiscaldiscipline is being tightened. The performance of the tobacco sectoris key to short-term growth as tobacco accounts for over 50% ofexports.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $6.811 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:1.7% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $600 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 37% industry: 16% services: 47% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line:54% (FY 90/91 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):27.4% (2001 est.)
Labor force:4.5 million (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 86% (1997 est.)
Unemployment rate:NA%
Budget:revenues: $490 millionexpenditures: $523 million, including capital expenditures of $NA(FY 99/00 est.)
Industries:tobacco, tea, sugar, sawmill products, cement, consumer goods
Industrial production growth rate:-0.8% (2002 est.)
Electricity - production:769.2 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 3.3% hydro: 96.7% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption:715.3 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:5,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Agriculture - products: tobacco, sugarcane, cotton, tea, corn, potatoes, cassava (tapioca), sorghum, pulses; groundnuts, Macadamia nuts; cattle, goats
Exports: $435 million f.o.b. (201)
Exports - commodities:tobacco 60%, tea, sugar, cotton, coffee, peanuts, wood products,apparel
Exports - partners:US 17.3%, Germany 13.6%, South Africa 10.2%, Egypt 6.2%, Japan 6%,Netherlands 5.5%, Russia 4.8%, UK 4.3% (2002)
Imports:$505 million f.o.b. (2001)
Imports - commodities:food, petroleum products, semimanufactures, consumer goods,transportation equipment
Imports - partners:South Africa 44.4%, Zambia 12.7%, US 5.6%, India 4.2% (2002)
Debt - external:$2.9 billion (2002)
Economic aid - recipient:$540 million (1999)
Currency:Malawian kwacha (MWK)
Currency code:MWK
Exchange rates:Malawian kwachas per US dollar - 76.69 (2002), 72.2 (2001), 59.54(2000), 44.09 (1999), 31.07 (1998)
Fiscal year:1 July - 30 June
Communications Malawi
Telephones - main lines in use:45,000 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular:49,000 (2000)
Telephone system:general assessment: NAdomestic: system employs open-wire lines, microwave radio relaylinks, and radiotelephone communications stationsinternational: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Oceanand 1 Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 9, FM 5 (plus 15 repeater stations), shortwave 2 (plus a thirdstation held in standby status) (2001)
Radios:2.6 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:1 (2001)
Televisions:NA
Internet country code:.mw
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):3 (2002)
Internet users:35,000 (2002)
Transportation Malawi
Railways: total: 797 km narrow gauge: 797 km 1.067-m gauge (2002)
Highways: total: 28,400 km paved: 5,254 km unpaved: 23,146 km (1999 est.)
Waterways: 144 km note: on Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and Shire Riverall
Ports and harbors:Chipoka, Monkey Bay, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Chilumba
Airports:43 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 6over 3,047 m: 11,524 to 2,437 m: 1914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 371,524 to 2,437 m: 1914 to 1,523 m: 14under 914 m: 22 (2002)
Military Malawi
Military branches:Army (including Air Wing and Naval Detachment), Police (includingparamilitary Mobile Force Unit)
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 2,625,495 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 1,347,248 (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$13.01 million (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:0.7% (FY02)
Transnational Issues Malawi
Disputes - international: dispute with Tanzania over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and the meandering Songwe River remain dormant
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
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@Malaysia
Introduction Malaysia
Background:Malaysia was formed in 1963 through a federation of the formerBritish colonies of Malaya and Singapore, including the EastMalaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak on the northern coast ofBorneo. The first several years of the country's history were marredby Indonesian efforts to control Malaysia, Philippine claims toSabah, and Singapore's secession from the federation in 1965.
Geography Malaysia
Location:Southeastern Asia, peninsula and northern one-third of the islandof Borneo, bordering Indonesia and the South China Sea, south ofVietnam
Geographic coordinates:2 30 N, 112 30 E
Map references:Southeast Asia
Area:total: 329,750 sq kmwater: 1,200 sq kmland: 328,550 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly larger than New Mexico
Land boundaries: total: 2,669 km border countries: Brunei 381 km, Indonesia 1,782 km, Thailand 506 km
Coastline:4,675 km (Peninsular Malaysia 2,068 km, East Malaysia 2,607 km)
Maritime claims:continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation;specified boundary in the South China Seaexclusive economic zone: 200 NMterritorial sea: 12 NM
Climate:tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast(October to February) monsoons
Terrain:coastal plains rising to hills and mountains
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Gunung Kinabalu 4,100 m
Natural resources: tin, petroleum, timber, copper, iron ore, natural gas, bauxite
Land use: arable land: 5.54% permanent crops: 17.61% other: 76.85% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:3,650 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:flooding, landslides, forest fires
Environment - current issues: air pollution from industrial and vehicular emissions; water pollution from raw sewage; deforestation; smoke/haze from Indonesian forest fires
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography - note:strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern South ChinaSea
People Malaysia
Population:23,092,940 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 33.7% (male 4,001,507; female 3,777,896)15-64 years: 61.9% (male 7,163,252; female 7,131,745)65 years and over: 4.4% (male 447,230; female 571,310) (2003 est.)
Median age:total: 23.6 yearsmale: 23 yearsfemale: 24.3 years (2002)
Population growth rate:1.86% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:23.7 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:5.12 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:0 migrant(s)/1,000 populationnote: does not reflect net flow of an unknown number of illegalimmigrants from other countries in the region (2003 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.07 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 19 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 15.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)male: 21.97 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 71.67 yearsmale: 69.01 yearsfemale: 74.51 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:3.13 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:0.4% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:42,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:2,500 (2001 est.)
Nationality:noun: Malaysian(s)adjective: Malaysian
Ethnic groups:Malay and other indigenous 58%, Chinese 24%, Indian 8%, others 10%(2000)
Religions:Muslim, Buddhist, Daoist, Hindu, Christian, Sikh; note - inaddition, Shamanism is practiced in East Malaysia
Languages:Bahasa Melayu (official), English, Chinese dialects (Cantonese,Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu,Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai; note - in addition, in East Malaysiaseveral indigenous languages are spoken, the largest are Iban andKadazan
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 88.9%male: 92.4%female: 85.4% (2003 est.)
Government Malaysia
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Malaysia former: Federation of Malaysia
Government type:constitutional monarchynote: Malaya (what is now Peninsular Malaysia) formed 31 August1957; Federation of Malaysia (Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore)formed 9 July 1963 (Singapore left the federation on 9 August 1965);nominally headed by the paramount ruler and a bicameral Parliamentconsisting of a nonelected upper house and an elected lower house;Peninsular Malaysian states - hereditary rulers in all but Melaka,George Town (Penang), Sabah, and Sarawak, where governors areappointed by the Malaysian Government; powers of state governmentsare limited by the federal constitution; under terms of thefederation, Sabah and Sarawak retain certain constitutionalprerogatives (e.g., the right to maintain their own immigrationcontrols); Sabah - holds 20 seats in House of Representatives, withforeign affairs, defense, internal security, and other powersdelegated to federal government; Sarawak - holds 28 seats in Houseof Representatives, with foreign affairs, defense, internalsecurity, and other powers delegated to federal government
Capital:Kuala Lumpur
Administrative divisions:13 states (negeri-negeri, singular - negeri) and 3 federalterritories* (wilayah-wilayah persekutuan, singular - wilayahpersekutuan); Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Labuan*, Melaka, NegeriSembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Pulau Pinang, Putrajaya*, Sabah,Sarawak, Selangor, Terengganu, Wilayah Persekutuan*note: the city of Kuala Lumpur is within the federal territory ofWilayah Persekutuan; the terms therefore are not interchangeable;
Independence:31 August 1957 (from UK)
National holiday:Independence Day/Malaysia Day, 31 August (1957)
Constitution:31 August 1957, amended 16 September 1963
Legal system:based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts inthe Supreme Court at request of supreme head of the federation; hasnot accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: Paramount Ruler Tuanku SYED SIRAJUDDIN ibniAlmarhum Tuanku Syed Putra Jamalullail, the Raja of Perlis (since 12December 2001)head of government: Prime Minister ABDULLAH bin Ahmad Badawi (since31 October 2003); Deputy Prime Minister NA (since 31 October 2003)cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among themembers of Parliament with consent of the paramount rulerelection results: Tuanku SYED SIRAJUDDIN ibni Almarhum Tuanku SyedPutra Jamalullail elected paramount rulerelections: paramount ruler elected by and from the hereditary rulersof nine of the states for five-year terms; election last held 12December 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); prime minister designatedfrom among the members of the House of Representatives; followinglegislative elections, the leader of the party that wins a pluralityof seats in the House of Representatives becomes prime minister
Legislative branch:bicameral Parliament or Parlimen consists of the Senate or DewanNegara (69 seats; 43 appointed by the paramount ruler, 26 appointedby the state legislatures) and the House of Representatives or DewanRakyat (193 seats; members elected by popular vote weighted towardthe rural Malay population to serve five-year terms)election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote byparty - BN 56%, other 44%; seats by party - BN 148, PAS 27, DAP 10,Keadilan 5, PBS 3elections: House of Representatives - last held 29 November 1999(next must be held by November 2004)
Judicial branch:Federal Court (judges appointed by the paramount ruler on theadvice of the prime minister)
Political parties and leaders:ruling coalition parties: Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia Party or PGRM[LIM Kheng Yaik]; Liberal Democratic Party (Parti Liberal Demokratik- Sabah) or LDP [CHONG Kah Kiat]; Malaysian Chinese Association(Persatuan China Malaysia) or MCA [LING Ong Ka Ting]; MalaysianIndian Congress (Kongresi India Malaysia) or MIC [S. Samy VELLU];Parti Bangsa Dayak Sarawak or PBDS [Leo MOGGIE]; Parti Bersatu Sabahor PBS [Joseph PAIRIN Kitingan]; Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu orPBB [Patinggi Haji Abdul TAIB Mahmud]; Sabah Progressive Party(Parti Progresif Sabah) or SAPP [YONG Teck Lee]; Sarawak UnitedPeople's Party (Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sarawak) or SUPP [WONG SoonKah]; United Malays National Organization or UMNO [ABDULLAH AhmadBadawi]; United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organization(Pertubuhan Pasko Momogun Kadazan Dusun Bersatu) or UPKO [leaderNA]; opposition parties: Democratic Action Party (Parti TindakanDemokratik) or DAP [KERK Kim Hock]; Islamic Party of Malaysia (PartiIslam se Malaysia) or PAS [Abdul HADI Awang]; National Justice Party(Parti Keadilan Nasional) or Keadilan [WAN AZIZAH Wan Ismael];National Front (Barisan Nasional) or BN (the ruling coalitiondominated by the UMNO and includes MCA, MIC, PGRM, PBDS, SUPP, PBB,PBS, LDP, SAPP, UPKO) [ABDULLAH Ahmad Badawi]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA,IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA,UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK,UNMISET, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador GHAZZALI bin Sheikh Abdul Khalidchancery: 3516 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New YorkFAX: [1] (202) 572-9882telephone: [1] (202) 572-9700
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Marie T. HUHTALA embassy: 376 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur mailing address: P. O. Box No. 10035, 50700 Kuala Lumpur; American Embassy Kuala Lumpur, APO AP 96535-8152 telephone: [60] (3) 2168-5000 FAX: [60] (3) 2142-2207
Flag description:14 equal horizontal stripes of red (top) alternating with white(bottom); there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side cornerbearing a yellow crescent and a yellow fourteen-pointed star; thecrescent and the star are traditional symbols of Islam; the designwas based on the flag of the US
Economy Malaysia
Economy - overview:Malaysia, a middle-income country, transformed itself from 1971through the late 1990s from a producer of raw materials into anemerging multi-sector economy. Growth was almost exclusively drivenby exports - particularly of electronics - and, as a result Malaysiawas hard hit by the global economic downturn and the slump in theInformation Technology (IT) sector in 2001. GDP in 2001 grew only0.5% due to an estimated 11% contraction in exports, but asubstantial fiscal stimulus package mitigated the worst of therecession and the economy rebounded in 2002. Healthy foreignexchange reserves and relatively small external debt make itunlikely that Malaysia will experience a crisis similar to the onein 1997, but the economy remains vulnerable to a more protractedslowdown in Japan and the US, top export destinations and keysources of foreign investment.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $198.4 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:4.1% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $8,800 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 12% industry: 40% services: 48% (2001)
Population below poverty line: 8% (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.7% highest 10%: 38.4% (1997 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:49.2 (1997)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):1.9% (2002 est.)
Labor force:9.9 million (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: local trade and tourism 28%, manufacturing 27%, agriculture, forestry, and fisheries 16%, services 10%, government 10%, construction 9% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate:3.8% (2002 est.)
Budget:revenues: $20.3 billionexpenditures: $27.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $9.4billion (2001 est.)
Industries:Peninsular Malaysia - rubber and oil palm processing andmanufacturing, light manufacturing industry, electronics, tin miningand smelting, logging and processing timber; Sabah - logging,petroleum production; Sarawak - agriculture processing, petroleumproduction and refining, logging
Industrial production growth rate:5% (2002 est.)
Electricity - production:68.34 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 89.5% hydro: 10.5% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption:63.48 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:75 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:729,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:472,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:3.729 billion bbl (37257)
Natural gas - production:53.66 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:31.25 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:22.41 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:2.23 trillion cu m (37257)
Agriculture - products:Peninsular Malaysia - rubber, palm oil, cocoa, rice; Sabah -subsistence crops, rubber, timber, coconuts, rice; Sarawak - rubber,pepper; timber
Exports:$95.2 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities:electronic equipment, petroleum and liquefied natural gas, wood andwood products, palm oil, rubber, textiles, chemicals (2000)
Exports - partners:US 21%, Singapore 17.4%, Japan 10.9%, China 6.5%, Hong Kong 5%,Thailand 4% (2002)
Imports:$76.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities:electronics, machinery, petroleum products, plastics, vehicles,iron and steel products, chemicals (2000)
Imports - partners:Japan 16.9%, Singapore 15.9%, US 15.5%, China 7.3%, South Korea 5%,Taiwan 4.7% (2002)
Debt - external:$47.5 billion (2002 est.)
Currency:ringgit (MYR)
Currency code:MYR
Exchange rates:ringgits per US dollar - 3.8 (2002), 3.8 (2001), 3.8 (2000), 3.8(1999), 3.92 (1998)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Malaysia
Telephones - main lines in use:4.6 million (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular:5 million (2000)
Telephone system:general assessment: modern system; international service excellentdomestic: good intercity service provided on Peninsular Malaysiamainly by microwave radio relay; adequate intercity microwave radiorelay network between Sabah and Sarawak via Brunei; domesticsatellite system with 2 earth stationsinternational: submarine cables to India, Hong Kong, and Singapore;satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 PacificOcean) (2001)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 35, FM 391, shortwave 15 (2001)
Radios:10.9 million (1999)
Television broadcast stations:1 (plus 15 high-power repeaters) (2001)
Televisions:10.8 million (1999)
Internet country code:.my
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):7 (2000)
Internet users:5.7 million (2002)
Transportation Malaysia
Railways:total: 2,418 kmstandard gauge: 57 km 1.435-m gaugenarrow gauge: 2,361 km 1.000-m gauge (150 km electrified) (2002)
Highways:total: 65,877 kmpaved: 49,935 km (including 1,192 km of expressways)unpaved: 15,942 km (1999)
Waterways:7,296 kmnote: Peninsular Malaysia 3,209 km, Sabah 1,569 km, Sarawak 2,518 km
Pipelines:condensate 279 km; gas 5,047 km; oil 1,841 km; refined products 114km (2003)
Ports and harbors:Bintulu, Kota Kinabalu, Kuantan, Kuching, Kudat, Labuan, LahadDatu, Lumut, Miri, Pasir Gudang, George Town (Penang), Port Dickson,Port Kelang, Sandakan, Sibu, Tanjung Berhala, Tanjung Kidurong, Tawau
Merchant marine:total: 366 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,111,476 GRT/7,242,323 DWTnote: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag ofconvenience: Australia 1, China 1, Germany 2, Hong Kong 15,Indonesia 3, Japan 4, Monaco 1, Philippines 2, Singapore 78, SouthKorea 2, Vietnam 1 (2002 est.)ships by type: bulk 62, cargo 103, chemical tanker 37, container 69,liquefied gas 23, livestock carrier 1, passenger 2, petroleum tanker55, roll on/roll off 5, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 8
Airports:114 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 35 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 7 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 79 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 72 (2002)
Heliports: 1 (2002)
Military Malaysia
Military branches:Malaysian Army, Royal Malaysian Navy, Royal Malaysian Air Force,Royal Malaysian Police Field Force, Marine Police, Sarawak BorderScouts
Military manpower - military age:21 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 6,067,155 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 3,672,517 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:males: 218,216 (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$1.69 billion (FY00 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:2.03% (FY00)
Transnational Issues Malaysia
Disputes - international:involved in complex dispute over Spratly Islands with China,Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam and possibly Brunei; claimants inNovember 2002 signed the "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties inthe South China Sea," a mechanism to ease tension but which fellshort of a legally binding "code of conduct"; disputes overdeliveries of fresh water to Singapore, Singapore's land reclamationon Johor, maritime boundaries, and Singapore-occupied Pedra BrancaIsland/Pulau Batu Putih persist - parties agree to ICJ arbitrationon island dispute within three years; ICJ awarded Ligitan andSipadan islands off the coast of Sabah, also claimed by Indonesiaand Philippines, to Malaysia; a small section of theMalaysia-Thailand boundary in the Kolok River remains in dispute
Illicit drugs:transit point for some illicit drugs; drug trafficking prosecutedvigorously and carries severe penalties
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
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@Maldives
Introduction Maldives
Background:The Maldives were long a sultanate, first under Dutch and thenunder British protection. They became a republic in 1968, threeyears after independence. Tourism and fishing are being developed onthe archipelago.
Geography Maldives
Location:Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwestof India
Geographic coordinates:3 15 N, 73 00 E
Map references:Asia
Area:total: 300 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmland: 300 sq km
Area - comparative:about 1.7 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:644 km
Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM contiguous zone: 24 NM
Climate:tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March);rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August)
Terrain:flat, with white sandy beaches
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 mhighest point: unnamed location on Wilingili island in the AdduAtoll 2.4 m
Natural resources:fish
Land use:arable land: 3.33%permanent crops: 6.67%other: 90% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:NA sq km
Natural hazards:low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea level rise
Environment - current issues: depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies; global warming and sea level rise; coral reef bleaching
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protectionsigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls (200 inhabited islands,plus 80 islands with tourist resorts); archipelago with strategiclocation astride and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean
People Maldives
Population:329,684 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 44.9% (male 75,991; female 71,826)15-64 years: 52.1% (male 87,734; female 84,150)65 years and over: 3% (male 5,073; female 4,910) (2003 est.)
Median age:total: 17.3 yearsmale: 17.2 yearsfemale: 17.4 years (2002)
Population growth rate:2.91% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:36.71 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:7.65 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: 1.06 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 60.13 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 61.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)male: 59.23 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 63.3 yearsmale: 62.07 yearsfemale: 64.6 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:5.26 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:less than 100 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:NA
Nationality:noun: Maldivian(s)adjective: Maldivian
Ethnic groups:South Indians, Sinhalese, Arabs
Religions:Sunni Muslim
Languages:Maldivian Dhivehi (dialect of Sinhala, script derived from Arabic),English spoken by most government officials
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 97.2%male: 97.1%female: 97.3% (2003 est.)
Government Maldives
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Maldivesconventional short form: Maldiveslocal short form: Dhivehi Raajjelocal long form: Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa
Government type:republic
Capital:Male
Administrative divisions:19 atolls (atholhu, singular and plural) and 1 other first-orderadministrative division*; Alifu, Baa, Dhaalu, Faafu, Gaafu Alifu,Gaafu Dhaalu, Gnaviyani, Haa Alifu, Haa Dhaalu, Kaafu, Laamu,Lhaviyani, Maale*, Meemu, Noonu, Raa, Seenu, Shaviyani, Thaa, Vaavu
Independence:26 July 1965 (from UK)
National holiday:Independence Day, 26 July (1965)
Constitution:adopted January 1998
Legal system:based on Islamic law with admixtures of English common lawprimarily in commercial matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJjurisdiction
Suffrage:21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11 November1978); note - the president is both the chief of state and head ofgovernmentelections: president nominated by the Majlis and then the nominationmust be ratified by a national referendum (at least a 51% approvalmargin is required); president elected for a five-year term;election last held 16 October 1998 (next to be held NA October 2003)election results: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM reelected inreferendum held 17 October 2003; percent of popular vote - MaumoonAbdul GAYOOM 90.3%cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president; note -need not be members of Majlishead of government: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11November 1978); note - the president is both the chief of state andhead of government
Legislative branch:unicameral People's Council or Majlis (50 seats; 42 elected bypopular vote, 8 appointed by the president; members serve five-yearterms)elections: last held 20 November 1999 (next to be held NA November2004)election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 42
Judicial branch:High Court
Political parties and leaders:although political parties are not banned, none exist
Political pressure groups and leaders:none
International organization participation:AsDB, C, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD,UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:Maldives does not have an embassy in the US, but does have aPermanent Mission to the UN in New York; permanent representative isDr. Mohamed LATHEEF
Diplomatic representation from the US:the US does not have an embassy in Maldives; the US Ambassador toSri Lanka is accredited to Maldives and makes periodic visits there
Flag description:red with a large green rectangle in the center bearing a verticalwhite crescent; the closed side of the crescent is on the hoist sideof the flag
Economy Maldives
Economy - overview:Tourism, Maldives largest industry, accounts for 20% of GDP andmore than 60% of the Maldives' foreign exchange receipts. Over 90%of government tax revenue comes from import duties andtourism-related taxes. Almost 400,000 tourists visited the islandsin 1998. Fishing is a second leading sector. The MaldivianGovernment began an economic reform program in 1989 initially bylifting import quotas and opening some exports to the privatesector. Subsequently, it has liberalized regulations to allow moreforeign investment. Agriculture and manufacturing continue to play alesser role in the economy, constrained by the limited availabilityof cultivable land and the shortage of domestic labor. Most staplefoods must be imported. Industry, which consists mainly of garmentproduction, boat building, and handicrafts, accounts for about 18%of GDP. Maldivian authorities worry about the impact of erosion andpossible global warming on their low-lying country; 80% of the areais one meter or less above sea level.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $1.25 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:2.3% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $3,900 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:agriculture: 20%industry: 18%services: 62% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line:NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):1% (2002 est.)
Labor force:88,000 (2000)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 22%, industry 18%, services 60% (1995)
Unemployment rate:NEGL%
Budget:revenues: $224 million (excluding foreign grants)expenditures: $282 million, including capital expenditures of $80million (2002 est.)
Industries:fish processing, tourism, shipping, boat building, coconutprocessing, garments, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and sandmining
Industrial production growth rate:4.4% (1996 est.)
Electricity - production:117 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption:108.8 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:3,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Agriculture - products:coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; fish
Exports:$110 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Exports - commodities:fish, clothing
Exports - partners:US 51.7%, Sri Lanka 16.2%, Thailand 9.3%, Japan 7.6%, UK 4.6% (2002)
Imports:$395 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Imports - commodities:consumer goods, intermediate and capital goods, petroleum products
Imports - partners:Singapore 25.6%, Sri Lanka 15%, UAE 14.5%, India 6.6%, Malaysia5.7%, Thailand 4% (2002)
Debt - external:$281 million (2003 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$NA
Currency:rufiyaa (MVR)
Currency code:MVR
Exchange rates:rufiyaa per US dollar - 12.8 (2002), 12.24 (2001), 11.77 (2000),11.77 (1999), 11.77 (1998)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Maldives
Telephones - main lines in use:21,000 (1999)
Telephones - mobile cellular:1,290 (1997)
Telephone system:general assessment: minimal domestic and international facilitiesdomestic: interatoll communication through microwave links; allinhabited islands are connected with telephone and fax serviceinternational: satellite earth station - 3 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios:35,000 (1999)
Television broadcast stations:1 (1997)
Televisions:10,000 (1999)
Internet country code:.mv
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1 (2000)
Internet users:6,000 (2001)
Transportation Maldives
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km
Waterways:none
Ports and harbors:Gan, Male
Merchant marine:total: 15 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 42,689 GRT/56,132 DWTships by type: cargo 13, petroleum tanker 1, short-sea passenger 1(2002 est.)
Airports:5 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 2over 3,047 m: 12,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 3914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2002)
Military Maldives
Military branches:National Security Service
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 78,025 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 43,386 (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$34.46 million (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:8.6% (FY02)
Transnational Issues Maldives
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
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@Mali
Introduction Mali
Background:The Sudanese Republic and Senegal became independent of France in1960 as the Mali Federation. When Senegal withdrew after only a fewmonths, what formerly made up the Sudanese Republic was renamedMali. Rule by dictatorship was brought to a close in 1991 with atransitional government and in 1992 when Mali's first democraticpresidential election was held. After his reelection in 1997,President Alpha KONARE continued to push through political andeconomic reforms and to fight corruption. In keeping with Mali'stwo-term constitutional limit, he stepped down in 2002 and wassucceeded by Amadou TOURE.
Geography Mali
Location:Western Africa, southwest of Algeria
Geographic coordinates:17 00 N, 4 00 W
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 1.24 million sq kmwater: 20,000 sq kmland: 1.22 million sq km
Area - comparative:slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Land boundaries:total: 7,243 kmborder countries: Algeria 1,376 km, Burkina Faso 1,000 km, Guinea858 km, Cote d'Ivoire 532 km, Mauritania 2,237 km, Niger 821 km,Senegal 419 km
Coastline:0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:none (landlocked)
Climate:subtropical to arid; hot and dry February to June; rainy, humid,and mild June to November; cool and dry November to February
Terrain:mostly flat to rolling northern plains covered by sand; savanna insouth, rugged hills in northeast
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Senegal River 23 mhighest point: Hombori Tondo 1,155 m
Natural resources:gold, phosphates, kaolin, salt, limestone, uranium, hydropowernote: bauxite, iron ore, manganese, tin, and copper deposits areknown but not exploited
Land use:arable land: 3.77%permanent crops: 0.04%other: 96.19% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:1,380 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:hot, dust-laden harmattan haze common during dry seasons; recurringdroughts; occasional Niger River flooding
Environment - current issues:deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; inadequate suppliesof potable water; poaching
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, EndangeredSpecies, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, NuclearTest Ban