Political pressure groups and leaders:Roman Catholic Church; trade unions
International organization participation:ACCT, ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory),ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC,ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Claude Sylvestre MORELchancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400C, New York, NY 10017FAX: [1] (212) 972-1786telephone: [1] (212) 972-1785
Diplomatic representation from the US:the US does not have an embassy in Seychelles; the ambassador toMauritius is accredited to the Seychelles
Flag description:five oblique bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, red, white, andgreen (bottom) radiating from the bottom of the hoist side
Economy Seychelles
Economy - overview:Since independence in 1976, per capita output in this Indian Oceanarchipelago has expanded to roughly seven times the oldnear-subsistence level. Growth has been led by the tourist sector,which employs about 30% of the labor force and provides more than70% of hard currency earnings, and by tuna fishing. In recent yearsthe government has encouraged foreign investment in order to upgradehotels and other services. At the same time, the government hasmoved to reduce the dependence on tourism by promoting thedevelopment of farming, fishing, and small-scale manufacturing. Asharp drop illustrated the vulnerability of the tourist sector in1991-92 due largely to the Gulf war, and once again following the 11September 2001 terrorist attacks on the US. Other issues facing thegovernment are the curbing of the budget deficit, including thecontainment of social welfare costs, and further privatization ofpublic enterprises. Growth slowed in 1998-2002, due to sluggishtourist and tuna sectors. Also, tight controls on exchange rates andthe scarcity of foreign exchange have impaired short-term economicprospects. The black market value of the Seychelles rupee is halfthe official exchange rate; without a devaluation of the currencythe tourist sector should remain sluggish as vacationers seekcheaper destinations such as Comoros, Mauritius, and Madagascar.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $626 million (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:1.5% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $7,800 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:agriculture: 2.4%industry: 24.4%services: 73.2% (2000)
Population below poverty line:NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):0.5% (2002 est.)
Labor force:30,900 (1996)
Labor force - by occupation:industry 19%, services 71%, agriculture 10% (1989)
Unemployment rate:NA%
Budget:revenues: $249 millionexpenditures: $262 million, including capital expenditures of $NA(1998 est.)
Industries:fishing; tourism; processing of coconuts and vanilla, coir (coconutfiber) rope, boat building, printing, furniture; beverages
Industrial production growth rate:NA%
Electricity - production:160 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption:148.8 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:4,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Agriculture - products: coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes, cassava (tapioca), bananas; broiler chickens; tuna fish
Exports:$235 million f.o.b. (2002)
Exports - commodities:canned tuna, frozen fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum products(reexports)
Exports - partners:UK 28.6%, France 20%, Italy 8.7%, US 8.4%, Spain 6.7%, Japan 6.7%,Netherlands 6.6%, Thailand 6.4% (2002)
Imports:$380 million f.o.b. (2002)
Imports - commodities:machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals
Imports - partners:Saudi Arabia 15.6%, France 12.8%, Spain 9.9%, Italy 9.7%, SouthAfrica 8.4%, Singapore 7.3%, UK 6.1%, Taiwan 4.2% (2002)
Debt - external:$170 million (2002 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$16.4 million (1995)
Currency:Seychelles rupee (SCR)
Currency code:SCR
Exchange rates:Seychelles rupees per US dollar - 5.48 (2002), 5.86 (2001), 5.71(2000), 5.34 (1999), 5.26 (1998)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Seychelles
Telephones - main lines in use:19,635 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular:16,316 (1999)
Telephone system:general assessment: effective systemdomestic: radiotelephone communications between islands in thearchipelagointernational: direct radiotelephone communications with adjacentisland countries and African coastal countries; satellite earthstation - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios:42,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:2 (plus 9 repeaters) (1997)
Televisions:11,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.sc
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1 (2000)
Internet users:9,000 (2002)
Transportation Seychelles
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 373 km paved: 315 km unpaved: 58 km (1997 est.)
Waterways:none
Ports and harbors:Victoria
Merchant marine:total: 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 37,281 GRT/55,702 DWTships by type: cargo 3, chemical tanker 1, container 1note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag ofconvenience: South Africa 2 (2002 est.)
Airports:14 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 7914 to 1,523 m: 3under 914 m: 4 (2002)
Military Seychelles
Military branches:Army, Coast Guard (includes Air Wing), Presidential Protection Unit(includes Presidential Guard), Police Force (includes Police MobileUnit, a special weapons and tactics unit capable of assisting theArmy in maintaining internal stability)
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 23,444 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 11,639 (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$12.8 million (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:1.8% (FY02)
Transnational Issues Seychelles
Disputes - international: claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
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@Sierra Leone
Introduction Sierra Leone
Background:Since 1991, civil war between the government and the RevolutionaryUnited Front (RUF) has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths andthe displacement of more than 2 million people (well over one-thirdof the population), many of whom are now refugees in neighboringcountries. After several setbacks, the end to the 11-year conflictin Sierra Leone may finally be near at hand. With the support of theUN peacekeeping force and contributions from the World Bank andinternational community, demobilization and disarmament of the RUFand Civil Defense Forces (CDF) combatants has been completed.National elections were held in May 2002 and the governmentcontinues to slowly reestablish its authority.
Geography Sierra Leone
Location:Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guineaand Liberia
Geographic coordinates:8 30 N, 11 30 W
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 71,740 sq kmland: 71,620 sq kmwater: 120 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than South Carolina
Land boundaries: total: 958 km border countries: Guinea 652 km, Liberia 306 km
Coastline: 402 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
Climate:tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season (May to December); winterdry season (December to April)
Terrain:coastal belt of mangrove swamps, wooded hill country, uplandplateau, mountains in east
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 mhighest point: Loma Mansa (Bintimani) 1,948 m
Natural resources:diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold, chromite
Land use: arable land: 6.76% permanent crops: 0.78% other: 92.46% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:290 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December toFebruary); sandstorms, dust storms
Environment - current issues:rapid population growth pressuring the environment; overharvestingof timber, expansion of cattle grazing, and slash-and-burnagriculture have resulted in deforestation and soil exhaustion;civil war depleting natural resources; overfishing
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, EndangeredSpecies, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban,Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Geography - note:rainfall along the coast can reach 495 cm (195 inches) a year,making it one of the wettest places along coastal, western Africa
People Sierra Leone
Population:5,732,681 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 44.8% (male 1,259,421; female 1,310,516)15-64 years: 52% (male 1,420,900; female 1,557,597)65 years and over: 3.2% (male 89,078; female 95,169) (2003 est.)
Median age:total: 17.5 yearsmale: 17.2 yearsfemale: 17.8 years (2002)
Population growth rate:2.94% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:43.89 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:20.66 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:6.19 migrant(s)/1,000 populationnote: refugees currently in surrounding countries are slowlyreturning (2003 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 0.96 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 146.86 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 128.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)male: 164.23 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 42.84 yearsmale: 40.33 yearsfemale: 45.42 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:5.86 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:7% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:170,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:11,000 (2001 est.)
Nationality:noun: Sierra Leonean(s)adjective: Sierra Leonean
Ethnic groups:20 native African tribes 90% (Temne 30%, Mende 30%, other 30%),Creole (Krio) 10% (descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who weresettled in the Freetown area in the late-18th century), refugeesfrom Liberia's recent civil war, small numbers of Europeans,Lebanese, Pakistanis, and Indians
Religions:Muslim 60%, indigenous beliefs 30%, Christian 10%
Languages:English (official, regular use limited to literate minority), Mende(principal vernacular in the south), Temne (principal vernacular inthe north), Krio (English-based Creole, spoken by the descendants offreed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area, alingua franca and a first language for 10% of the population butunderstood by 95%)
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and write English, Mende,Temne, or Arabictotal population: 31.4%male: 45.4%female: 18.2% (1995 est.)
Government Sierra Leone
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Sierra Leoneconventional short form: Sierra Leone
Government type:constitutional democracy
Capital:Freetown
Administrative divisions:3 provinces and 1 area*; Eastern, Northern, Southern, Western*
Independence:27 April 1961 (from UK)
National holiday:Independence Day, 27 April (1961)
Constitution:1 October 1991; subsequently amended several times
Legal system:based on English law and customary laws indigenous to local tribes;has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (since 29 March 1996,reinstated 10 March 1998); note - the president is both the chief ofstate and head of governmenthead of government: President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (since 29 March1996, reinstated 10 March 1998); note - the president is both thechief of state and head of governmentcabinet: Ministers of State appointed by the president with theapproval of the House of Representatives; the cabinet is responsibleto the presidentelections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;election last held 14 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2007); note -president's tenure of office is limited to two five-year termselection results: Ahmad Tejan KABBAH reelected president; percent ofvote - Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (SLPP) 70.6%, Ernest KOROMA (APC) 22.4%
Legislative branch:unicameral Parliament (124 seats - 112 elected by popular vote, 12filled by paramount chiefs elected in separate elections; membersserve five-year terms)elections: last held 14 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2007)election results: percent of vote by party - SLPP 70.06%, APC22.35%, PLP 3%, others 4.59%; seats by party - SLPP 83, APC 27, PLP 2
Judicial branch:Supreme Court; Appeals Court; High Court
Political parties and leaders:All People's Congress or APC [Alhaji Sat KOROMA, interim chairman];Citizens United for Peace and Progress or CUPP [Alfred Musa CONTEH,interim chairman]; Coalition for Progress Party or CPP [JeridineWILLIAM-SARHO, interim leader]; Democratic Center Party or DCP [AduAiah KOROMA]; Democratic Labor Party or DLP [George E. L. PALMER];Democratic Party or DP [Henry BALO, acting chairman]; NationalAlliance Democratic Party or NADP [Mohamed Yahya SILLAH, chairman];National Democratic Alliance or NDA [Amadu M. B. JALLOH]; NationalPeople's Party or NPP [Andrew TURAY]; National Republican Party orNRP [Stephen Sahr MAMBU]; National Unity Movement or NUM [Sam LEIGH,interim chairman]; National Unity Party or NUP [John BENJAMINE,interim leader]; Peace and Liberation Party or PLP [DarlingtonMORRISON, interim chairman]; People's Democratic Alliance or PDA[Cpl. (Ret.) Abdul Rahman KAMARA, interim chairman]; People'sDemocratic Party or PDP [Osman KAMARA]; People's National Conventionor PNC [Edward John KARGBO]; People's Progressive Party or PPP[Abass Chernok BUNDU, chairman]; Revolutionary United Front Party orRUFP [Foday Saybana SANKOH, chairman]; Social Democratic Party orSDP [Andrew Victor LUNGAY]; Sierra Leone People's Party or SLPP[Ahmad Tejan KABBAH, chairman]; United National People's Party orUNPP [John KAREFA-SMART in exile, Raymond KAMARA, acting leader];Young People's Party or YPP [Cornelius DEVEAUS, interim chairman]
Political pressure groups and leaders:Trade Unions and Student Unions
International organization participation:ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Ibrahim M. KAMARAFAX: [1] (202) 483-1793telephone: [1] (202) 939-9261 through 9263chancery: 1701 19th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Peter Russell CHAVEAS embassy: Corner of Walpole and Siaka Stevens Streets, Freetown mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [232] (22) 226481 through 226485 FAX: [232] (22) 225471
Flag description:three equal horizontal bands of light green (top), white, and lightblue
Economy Sierra Leone
Economy - overview:Sierra Leone is an extremely poor African nation with tremendousinequality in income distribution. It does have substantial mineral,agricultural, and fishery resources. However, the economic andsocial infrastructure is not well developed, and serious socialdisorders continue to hamper economic development, following a11-year civil war. About two-thirds of the working-age populationengages in subsistence agriculture. Manufacturing consists mainly ofthe processing of raw materials and of light manufacturing for thedomestic market. Plans continue to reopen bauxite and rutile minesshut down during the conflict. The major source of hard currencyconsists of the mining of diamonds. The fate of the economy dependsupon the maintenance of domestic peace and the continued receipt ofsubstantial aid from abroad, which is essential to offset the severetrade imbalance and to supplement government revenues.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $2.826 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:6.6% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $500 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 49% industry: 31% services: 21% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line: 68% (1989 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.5% highest 10%: 43.6% (1989)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:62.9 (1989)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):1% (2002 est.)
Labor force:1.369 million (1981 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%
Unemployment rate:NA%
Budget:revenues: $96 millionexpenditures: $351 million, including capital expenditures of $NA(2000 est.)
Industries:mining (diamonds); small-scale manufacturing (beverages, textiles,cigarettes, footwear); petroleum refining
Industrial production growth rate:NA%
Electricity - production:250.1 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption:232.6 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:6,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Agriculture - products: rice, coffee, cocoa, palm kernels, palm oil, peanuts; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish
Exports:$35 million f.o.b. (2000 est.)
Exports - commodities:diamonds, rutile, cocoa, coffee, fish (1999)
Exports - partners:Belgium 41.9%, Germany 28.1%, UK 3.6% (2002)
Imports:$190 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities:foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels and lubricants,chemicals (1995)
Imports - partners:Germany 25%, UK 10.9%, Netherlands 7.5%, US 5.7%, Cote d'Ivoire4.9%, Italy 4.3% (2002)
Debt - external:$1.5 billion (2002 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$103 million (2001 est.)
Currency:leone (SLL)
Currency code:SLL
Exchange rates:leones per US dollar - 2,099.03 (2002), 1,986.15 (2001), 2,092.12(2000), 1,804.19 (1999), 1,563.62 (1998)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Sierra Leone
Telephones - main lines in use:25,000 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular:30,000 (2001)
Telephone system:general assessment: marginal telephone and telegraph servicedomestic: the national microwave radio relay trunk system connectsFreetown to Bo and Kenemainternational: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 1, FM 9, shortwave 1 (1999)
Radios:1.12 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:2 (1999)
Televisions:53,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.sl
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1 (2001)
Internet users:20,000 (2001)
Transportation Sierra Leone
Railways:total: 84 kmnarrow gauge: 84 km 1.067-m gaugenote: Sierra Leone has no common carrier railroads; the existingrailroad is private and used on a limited basis while the mine atMarampa is closed (2001)
Highways: total: 11,330 km paved: 895 km unpaved: 10,435 km (1999)
Waterways:800 km (of which 600 km is navigable year round)
Ports and harbors:Bonthe, Freetown, Pepel
Merchant marine:total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 7,435 GRT/8,750 DWTships by type: cargo 2
Airports:10 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 1over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 9under 914 m: 2 (2002)914 to 1,523 m: 7
Heliports:2 (2002)
Military Sierra Leone
Military branches:Army (RSLAF)
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 1,228,664 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 596,617 (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$10.26 million (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:1.5% (FY02)
Transnational Issues Sierra Leone
Disputes - international:large UN peacekeeping presence ended civil war but rebel gangfighting, ethnic rivalries, illegal diamond trading, corruption, andrefugees spill over into neighboring states beset with their owncivil disorder, refugees, and violence
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
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@Singapore
Introduction Singapore
Background:Singapore was founded as a British trading colony in 1819. Itjoined the Malaysian Federation in 1963 but separated two yearslater and became independent. It subsequently became one of theworld's most prosperous countries with strong international tradinglinks (its port is one of the world's busiest) and with per capitaGDP equal to that of the leading nations of Western Europe.
Geography Singapore
Location:Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia
Geographic coordinates:1 22 N, 103 48 E
Map references:Southeast Asia
Area:total: 692.7 sq kmwater: 10 sq kmland: 682.7 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly more than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:193 km
Maritime claims:exclusive fishing zone: within and beyond territorial sea, asdefined in treaties and practiceterritorial sea: 3 NM
Climate:tropical; hot, humid, rainy; two distinct monsoon seasons -Northeastern monsoon from December to March and Southwestern monsoonfrom June to September; inter-monsoon - frequent afternoon and earlyevening thunderstorms
Terrain:lowland; gently undulating central plateau contains water catchmentarea and nature preserve
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Singapore Strait 0 mhighest point: Bukit Timah 166 m
Natural resources:fish, deepwater ports
Land use:arable land: 1.64%permanent crops: 0%other: 98.36% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:NA sq km
Natural hazards:NA
Environment - current issues: industrial pollution; limited natural fresh water resources; limited land availability presents waste disposal problems; seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes
People Singapore
Population:4,608,595 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 17.3% (male 411,656; female 385,575)15-64 years: 75.5% (male 1,687,217; female 1,793,783)65 years and over: 7.2% (male 144,277; female 186,087) (2003 est.)
Median age:total: 34.5 yearsmale: 34.3 yearsfemale: 34.8 years (2002)
Population growth rate:3.42% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:12.75 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:4.31 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:25.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.08 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 3.57 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 3.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)male: 3.87 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 80.42 yearsmale: 77.46 yearsfemale: 83.6 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.24 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:0.2% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:3,400 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:140 (2001 est.)
Nationality:noun: Singaporean(s)adjective: Singapore
Ethnic groups:Chinese 76.7%, Malay 14%, Indian 7.9%, other 1.4%
Religions:Buddhist (Chinese), Muslim (Malays), Christian, Hindu, Sikh,Taoist, Confucianist
Languages:Chinese (official), Malay (official and national), Tamil(official), English (official)
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 93.2%male: 96.7%female: 89.7% (2003 est.)
Government Singapore
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Singaporeconventional short form: Singapore
Government type:parliamentary republic
Capital:Singapore
Administrative divisions:none
Independence:9 August 1965 (from Malaysian Federation)
National holiday:Independence Day, 9 August (1965)
Constitution:3 June 1959, amended 1965 (based on preindependence State ofSingapore Constitution)
Legal system:based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJjurisdiction
Suffrage:21 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:chief of state: President Sellapan Rama (S. R.) NATHAN (since 1September 1999)head of government: Prime Minister GOH Chok Tong (since 28 November1990) and Deputy Prime Ministers Brig. Gen. (Ret.) LEE Hsien Loong(since 28 November 1990) and TAN Keng Yam Tony (since 1 August 1995)cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president, responsible toParliamentelections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;election last held 28 August 1999 (next to be held by August 2005);following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party orthe leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed primeminister by the president; deputy prime ministers appointed by thepresidentelection results: Sellapan Rama (S. R.) NATHAN elected presidentunopposed
Legislative branch:unicameral Parliament (84 seats; members elected by popular vote toserve five-year terms); note - in addition, there are up to ninenominated members; the losing opposition candidate who came closestto winning a seat may be appointed as a "nonconstituency" memberelections: last held 3 November 2001 (next to be held 25 June 2007)election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 75.3% (in contestedconstituencies), other 24.7%; seats by party - PAP 82, WP 1, SDA 1
Judicial branch:Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the president with theadvice of the prime minister, other judges are appointed by thepresident with the advice of the chief justice); Court of Appeals
Political parties and leaders:governing party: People's Action Party or PAP [GOH Chok Tong];opposition parties: Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [leader NA];National Solidarity Party or NSP [Steve CHIA]; Singapore DemocraticAlliance or SDA [CHIAM See Tong] (includes SPP, PKMS, NSP, SJP);Singapore Democratic Party or SDP [CHEE Soon Juan]; SingaporeJustice Party or SJP [leader NA]; Singapore National MalayOrganization or PKMS [Muhammad ALI Aman]; Singapore People's Partyor SPP [CHIAM See Tong]; Workers' Party or WP [LOW Thia Kiang]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, ESCAP, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,ISO, ITU, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMISET, UPU,WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador CHAN Heng Chee consulate(s): New York consulate(s) general: San Francisco FAX: [1] (202) 537-0876 telephone: [1] (202) 537-3100 chancery: 3501 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Franklin L. LAVIN embassy: 27 Napier Road, Singapore 258508 mailing address: PSC Box 470, FPO AP 96507-0001 telephone: [65] 6476-9100 FAX: [65] 6476-9340
Flag description:two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; near the hoistside of the red band, there is a vertical, white crescent (closedportion is toward the hoist side) partially enclosing five whitefive-pointed stars arranged in a circle
Economy Singapore
Economy - overview:Singapore, a highly developed and successful free market economy,enjoys a remarkably open and corruption-free environment, stableprices, and one of the highest per capita GDPs in the world. Theeconomy depends heavily on exports, particularly in electronics andmanufacturing. It was hard hit in 2001-2002 by the global recessionand the slump in the technology sector. The government hopes toestablish a new growth path that will be less vulnerable to theexternal business cycle than the current export-led model but isunlikely to abandon efforts to establish Singapore as SoutheastAsia's financial and high-tech hub.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $112.4 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:2.2% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $25,200 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:agriculture: NEGL%industry: 33%services: 67% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line:NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):-0.4% (2002 est.)
Labor force:2.19 million (2000)
Labor force - by occupation: financial, business, and other services 35%, manufacturing 21%, construction 13%, transportation and communication 9%, other 22%
Unemployment rate:4.6% (2002 est.)
Budget:revenues: $27.9 billionexpenditures: $19.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.4billion (FY 00/01 est.)
Industries:electronics, chemicals, financial services, oil drilling equipment,petroleum refining, rubber processing and rubber products, processedfood and beverages, ship repair, entrepot trade, biotechnology
Industrial production growth rate:-9.8% (2002 est.)
Electricity - production:30.48 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption:28.35 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:700,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Natural gas - production:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:2.5 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:2.5 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products: rubber, copra, fruit, orchids, vegetables; poultry, eggs, fish, ornamental fish
Exports: $127 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities:machinery and equipment (including electronics), consumer goods,chemicals, mineral fuels
Exports - partners:Malaysia 17.4%, US 15.3%, Hong Kong 9.2%, Japan 7.1%, China 5.5%,Taiwan 4.9%, Thailand 4.6%, South Korea 4.2% (2002)
Imports:$113 billion (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery and equipment, mineral fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs
Imports - partners:Malaysia 18.2%, US 14.3%, Japan 12.5%, China 7.6%, Thailand 4.6%,Taiwan 4.6% (2002)
Debt - external:$8.2 billion (2002 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$NA
Currency:Singapore dollar (SGD)
Currency code:SGD
Exchange rates:Singapore dollars per US dollar - 1.79 (2002), 1.79 (2001), 1.72(2000), 1.69 (1999), 1.67 (1998)
Fiscal year:1 April - 31 March
Communications Singapore
Telephones - main lines in use:1.95 million (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular:2.74 million (2000)
Telephone system:general assessment: major consideration given to serving businessinterests; excellent international servicedomestic: excellent domestic facilitiesinternational: submarine cables to Malaysia (Sabah and PeninsularMalaysia), Indonesia, and the Philippines; satellite earth stations- 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean), and 1 Inmarsat(Pacific Ocean region)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 0, FM 16, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios:2.6 million (2000)
Television broadcast stations:6 (2000)
Televisions:1.33 million (1997)
Internet country code:.sg
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):9 (2000)
Internet users:2.31 million (2002)
Transportation Singapore
Railways:total: 38.6 kmnarrow gauge: 38.6 km 1.000-m gaugenote: there is also an 83 km mass transit system with 48 stations
Highways:total: 3,066 kmpaved: 3,066 km (including 150 km of expressways)unpaved: 0 km (1999)
Waterways:none
Pipelines:gas 139 km (2003)
Ports and harbors:Singapore
Merchant marine:total: 859 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 20,836,021 GRT/32,765,063 DWTships by type: bulk 125, cargo 85, chemical tanker 87, combinationbulk 6, combination ore/oil 8, container 176, liquefied gas 38,livestock carrier 3, multi-functional large-load carrier 2,petroleum tanker 277, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 4,short-sea passenger 1, specialized tanker 12, vehicle carrier 31note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag ofconvenience: Australia 7, Belgium 6, China 12, Denmark 27, Germany17, Greece 4, Hong Kong 44, Indonesia 8, Japan 52, Malaysia 4,Monaco 22, Netherlands 2, Norway 42, Philippines 6, Russia 3,Slovenia 1, South Korea 10, Sweden 13, Switzerland 7, Taiwan 46,Tanzania 2, Thailand 22, UAE 4, UK 14, US 1 (2002 est.)
Airports:9 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 9 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Military Singapore
Military branches:Army, Navy, Air Force, People's Defense Force, Police Force
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 1,392,740 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 1,012,498 (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$4.47 billion (FY01 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:4.9% (FY01)
Transnational Issues Singapore
Disputes - international:disputes with Malaysia over deliveries of fresh water to Singapore,Singapore's land reclamation works on Johor, maritime boundaries,and Singapore-occupied Pedra Branca Island/Pulau Batu Putih persist- parties agree to ICJ arbitration on island dispute within threeyears
Illicit drugs:as a transportation and financial services hub, Singapore isvulnerable, despite strict laws and enforcement, to be used as atransit point for Golden Triangle heroin and as a venue for moneylaundering
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
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@Slovakia
Introduction Slovakia
Background:In 1918 the Slovaks joined the closely related Czechs to formCzechoslovakia. Following the chaos of World War II, Czechoslovakiabecame a Communist nation within Soviet-ruled Eastern Europe. Sovietinfluence collapsed in 1989 and Czechoslovakia once more becamefree. The Slovaks and the Czechs agreed to separate peacefully on 1January 1993. Slovakia was invited to join NATO and the EU in 2002.
Geography Slovakia
Location:Central Europe, south of Poland
Geographic coordinates:48 40 N, 19 30 E
Map references:Europe
Area:total: 48,845 sq kmwater: 45 sq kmland: 48,800 sq km
Area - comparative:about twice the size of New Hampshire
Land boundaries:total: 1,524 kmborder countries: Austria 91 km, Czech Republic 215 km, Hungary 677km, Poland 444 km, Ukraine 97 km
Coastline:0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:none (landlocked)
Climate:temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters
Terrain:rugged mountains in the central and northern part and lowlands inthe south
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Bodrok River 94 mhighest point: Gerlachovsky Stit 2,655 m
Natural resources:brown coal and lignite; small amounts of iron ore, copper andmanganese ore; salt; arable land
Land use: arable land: 30.74% permanent crops: 2.64% other: 66.62% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:1,740 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:NA
Environment - current issues:air pollution from metallurgical plants presents human healthrisks; acid rain damaging forests
Environment - international agreements:party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, AirPollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, AirPollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty,Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent OrganicPollutants, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol
Geography - note:landlocked; most of the country is rugged and mountainous; theTatra Mountains in the north are interspersed with many scenic lakesand valleys
People Slovakia
Population:5,430,033 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 17.8% (male 495,316; female 471,823)15-64 years: 70.5% (male 1,903,335; female 1,924,065)65 years and over: 11.7% (male 238,912; female 396,582) (2003 est.)
Median age:total: 35 yearsmale: 33.3 yearsfemale: 36.7 years (2002)
Population growth rate:0.14% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:10.1 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:9.22 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:0.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 8.55 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 7.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)male: 9.39 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 74.43 yearsmale: 70.44 yearsfemale: 78.64 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.25 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:less than 100 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:less than 100 (2001 est.)
Nationality:noun: Slovak(s)adjective: Slovak
Ethnic groups:Slovak 85.7%, Hungarian 10.6%, Roma 1.6% (the 1992 census figuresunderreport the Gypsy/Romany community, which is about 500,000),Czech, Moravian, Silesian 1.1%, Ruthenian and Ukrainian 0.6%, German0.1%, Polish 0.1%, other 0.2% (1996)
Religions:Roman Catholic 60.3%, atheist 9.7%, Protestant 8.4%, Orthodox 4.1%,other 17.5%
Languages:Slovak (official), Hungarian
Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%
Government Slovakia
Country name:conventional long form: Slovak Republicconventional short form: Slovakialocal short form: Slovenskolocal long form: Slovenska Republika
Government type:parliamentary democracy
Capital:Bratislava
Administrative divisions:8 regions (kraje, singular - kraj); Banskobystricky, Bratislavsky,Kosicky, Nitriansky, Presovsky, Trenciansky, Trnavsky, Zilinsky
Independence:1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic andSlovakia)
National holiday:Constitution Day, 1 September (1992)
Constitution:ratified 1 September 1992, fully effective 1 January 1993; changedin September 1998 to allow direct election of the president; amendedFebruary 2001 to allow Slovakia to apply for NATO and EU membership
Legal system:civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; has not acceptedcompulsory ICJ jurisdiction; legal code modified to comply with theobligations of Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe(OSCE) and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal theory
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Rudolf SCHUSTER (since 15 June 1999)head of government: Prime Minister Mikulas DZURINDA (since 30October 1998); Deputy Prime Minister Pavol RUSKO (since 24 September2003)cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation ofthe prime ministerelections: president elected by direct, popular vote for a five-yearterm; election last held 29 May 1999 (next to be held NA May/June2004); following National Council elections, the leader of themajority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usuallyappointed prime minister by the presidentnote: government coalition - SDKU, SMK, KDH, ANOelection results: Rudolf SCHUSTER elected president in the firstdirect, popular election; percent of vote - Rudolf SCHUSTER 57%;Mikulas DZURINDA reelected prime minister October 2002
Legislative branch:unicameral National Council of the Slovak Republic or Narodna RadaSlovenskej Republiky (150 seats; members are elected on the basis ofproportional representation to serve four-year terms)election results: percent of vote by party - HZDS-LS 19.5%, SDKU15.1%, SMER 13.5%, SMK 11.2%, KDH 8.3%, ANO 8%, KSS 6.3%; seats byparty - governing coalition 78 (SDKU 28, SMK 20, KDH 15, ANO 15),opposition 72 (HZDS 36, SMER 25, KSS 11) (as of February 2003, 12deputies had split from HZDS and formed an independent faction)elections: last held 20-21 September 2002 (next to be held NASeptember 2006)
Judicial branch:Supreme Court (judges are elected by the National Council);Constitutional Court (judges appointed by president from group ofnominees approved by the National Council)
Political parties and leaders:Christian Democratic Movement or KDH [Pavol HRUSOVSKY]; DemocraticParty or DS [Ludovit KANIK]; Direction (Smer) [Robert FICO];Movement for a Democratic Slovakia-People's Party or HZDS-LS[Vladimir MECIAR]; New Citizens Alliance or ANO [Pavol RUSKO]; Partyof the Hungarian Coalition or SMK [Bela BUGAR]; Slovak CommunistParty or KSS [Jozef SEVC]; Slovak Democratic and Christian Union orSDKU [Mikulas DZURINDA]; Slovak National Party or SNS [Jan SLOTA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:Association of Employers of Slovakia; Association of Towns andVillages or ZMOS; Confederation of Trade Unions or KOZ; MetalWorkers Unions or KOVO and METALURG
International organization participation:Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD,ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM(guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN,UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMISET,UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Rastislav KACER chancery: 3523 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008 FAX: [1] (202) 237-6438 telephone: [1] (202) 237-1054
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ronald WEISER embassy: Hviezdoslavovo Namestie 4, 81102 Bratislava mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [421] (2) 5443-3338 FAX: [421] (2) 5441-5148
Flag description:three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and redsuperimposed with the Slovak cross in a shield centered on the hoistside; the cross is white centered on a background of red and blue
Economy Slovakia
Economy - overview:Slovakia has mastered much of the difficult transition from acentrally planned economy to a modern market economy. The DZURINDAgovernment has made excellent progress in 2001-03 in macroeconomicstabilization and structural reform. Major privatizations are nearlycomplete, the banking sector is almost completely in foreign hands,and foreign investment has picked up. Slovakia's economy exceededexpectations in 2001-03, despite the general European slowdown.Unemployment, at an unacceptable 15% in 2003, remains the economy'sAchilles heel. The government faces other strong challenges in 2004,especially the cutting of budget and current account deficits, thecontainment of inflation, and the strengthening of the health caresystem.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $67.34 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:4.4% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $12,400 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:agriculture: 4.5%industry: 34.1%services: 61.4% (2000)
Population below poverty line:NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 5.1% highest 10%: 18.2% (1992)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:26.3 (1996)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):3.3% (2002 est.)
Labor force:3 million (1999)
Labor force - by occupation: industry 29.3%, agriculture 8.9%, construction 8%, transport and communication 8.2%, services 45.6% (1994)
Unemployment rate:17.2% (2002 est.)
Budget:revenues: $5.2 billionexpenditures: $5.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA(1999)
Industries:metal and metal products; food and beverages; electricity, gas,coke, oil, nuclear fuel; chemicals and manmade fibers; machinery;paper and printing; earthenware and ceramics; transport vehicles;textiles; electrical and optical apparatus; rubber products
Industrial production growth rate:4.4% (2002 est.)
Electricity - production:30.29 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 30.3% hydro: 16% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 53.6%
Electricity - consumption:24.41 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:5.141 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:1.381 billion kWh (2001)
Oil - production:1,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:82,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:4.5 million bbl (37257)
Natural gas - production:292 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:7.932 billion cu m (2001 est.)