Radio broadcast stations:AM 0, FM 11, shortwave 1 in Mogadishu; 1 FM in Puntland, 1 FM inSomaliland (2001)
Radios:470,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:4note: two in Mogadishu; two in Hargeisa (2001)
Televisions:135,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.so
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):3 (one each in Boosaaso, Hargeisa, and Mogadishu) (2000)
Internet users:200 (2000)
Transportation Somalia
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 22,100 km paved: 2,608 km unpaved: 19,492 km (1999 est.)
Waterways:none
Pipelines:crude oil 15 km
Ports and harbors:Boosaaso, Berbera, Chisimayu (Kismaayo), Merca, Mogadishu
Merchant marine:none (2002 est.)
Airports:60 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 6 over 3,047 m: 4 2438 to 3047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 54 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 30 under 914 m: 3 (2002)
Military Somalia
Military branches:A Somali National Army was attempted under the interim government;numerous factions and clans maintain independent militias, and theSomaliland and Puntland regional governments maintain their ownsecurity and police forces
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 1,942,244 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 1,072,689 (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$17.1 million (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:0.9% (FY02)
Transnational Issues Somalia
Disputes - international:"Somaliland" secessionists provide port facilities to land-lockedEthiopia and establish commercial ties with regional states;"Puntland" secessionists clash with "Somaliland" secessionists toestablish territorial limits and clan loyalties, each seekingsupport from neighboring states; Ethiopia maintains only anadministrative line with the Oromo region of southern Somalia andmaintains alliances with local Somali clans opposed to theunrecognized Transitional National Government in Mogadishu
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@South Africa
Introduction South Africa
Background:After the British seized the Cape of Good Hope area in 1806, manyof the Dutch settlers (the Boers) trekked north to found their ownrepublics. The discovery of diamonds (1867) and gold (1886) spurredwealth and immigration and intensified the subjugation of the nativeinhabitants. The Boers resisted British encroachments, but weredefeated in the Boer War (1899-1902). The resulting Union of SouthAfrica operated under a policy of apartheid - the separatedevelopment of the races. The 1990s brought an end to apartheidpolitically and ushered in black majority rule.
Geography South Africa
Location:Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa
Geographic coordinates:29 00 S, 24 00 E
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 1,219,912 sq kmland: 1,219,912 sq kmnote: includes Prince Edward Islands (Marion Island and PrinceEdward Island)water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Land boundaries:total: 4,862 kmborder countries: Botswana 1,840 km, Lesotho 909 km, Mozambique 491km, Namibia 967 km, Swaziland 430 km, Zimbabwe 225 km
Coastline:2,798 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
Climate:mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, coolnights
Terrain:vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastalplain
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 mhighest point: Njesuthi 3,408 m
Natural resources:gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel,phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium,salt, natural gas
Land use:arable land: 12.13%permanent crops: 0.77%other: 87.1% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:13,500 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:prolonged droughts
Environment - current issues:lack of important arterial rivers or lakes requires extensive waterconservation and control measures; growth in water usage outpacingsupply; pollution of rivers from agricultural runoff and urbandischarge; air pollution resulting in acid rain; soil erosion;desertification
Environment - international agreements:party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine LivingResources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, ClimateChange, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Lawof the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear TestBan, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whalingsigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost completelysurrounds Swaziland
People South Africa
Population:42,768,678note: South Africa took a census October 1996 that showed apopulation of 40,583,611 (after an official adjustment for a 6.8%underenumeration based on a postenumeration survey); estimates forthis country explicitly take into account the effects of excessmortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy,higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growthrates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sexthan would otherwise be expected (July 2003 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 30% (male 6,460,273; female 6,377,090)15-64 years: 65% (male 13,807,922; female 13,970,088)65 years and over: 5% (male 864,441; female 1,288,864) (2003 est.)
Median age:total: 24.5 yearsmale: 24 yearsfemale: 25 years (2002)
Population growth rate:0.01% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:18.87 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:18.42 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:-0.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.02 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 60.84 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 56.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)male: 64.73 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 46.56 yearsmale: 46.57 yearsfemale: 46.54 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:2.24 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:20.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:5 million (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:360,000 (2001 est.)
Nationality: noun: South African(s) adjective: South African
Ethnic groups:black 75.2%, white 13.6%, Colored 8.6%, Indian 2.6%
Religions:Christian 68% (includes most whites and Coloreds, about 60% ofblacks and about 40% of Indians), Muslim 2%, Hindu 1.5% (60% ofIndians), indigenous beliefs and animist 28.5%
Languages:11 official languages, including Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Pedi,Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 86.4%male: 87%female: 85.7% (2003 est.)
Government South Africa
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of South Africaconventional short form: South Africaformer: Union of South Africaabbreviation: RSA
Government type:republic
Capital:Pretoria; note - Cape Town is the legislative center andBloemfontein the judicial center
Administrative divisions:9 provinces; Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal,Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North-West, Northern Cape, Western Cape
Independence:31 May 1910 (from UK); note - South Africa became a republic in1961 following an October 1960 referendum
National holiday:Freedom Day, 27 April (1994)
Constitution:10 December 1996; this new constitution was certified by theConstitutional Court on 4 December 1996, was signed by thenPresident MANDELA on 10 December 1996, and entered into effect on 3February 1997; it is being implemented in phases
Legal system:based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law; accepts compulsoryICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Thabo MBEKI (since 16 June 1999);Executive Deputy President Jacob ZUMA (since 17 June 1999); note -the president is both the chief of state and head of governmentelections: president elected by the National Assembly for afive-year term; election last held 2 June 1999 (next scheduled forsometime between May and July 2004)head of government: President Thabo MBEKI (since 16 June 1999);Executive Deputy President Jacob ZUMA (since 17 June 1999); note -the president is both the chief of state and head of governmentcabinet: Cabinet appointed by the presidentelection results: Thabo MBEKI elected president; percent of NationalAssembly vote - 100% (by acclamation)note: ANC-IFP is the governing coalition
Legislative branch:bicameral Parliament consisting of the National Assembly (400seats; members are elected by popular vote under a system ofproportional representation to serve five-year terms) and theNational Council of Provinces (90 seats, 10 members elected by eachof the nine provincial legislatures for five-year terms; has specialpowers to protect regional interests, including the safeguarding ofcultural and linguistic traditions among ethnic minorities); note -following the implementation of the new constitution on 3 February1997 the former Senate was disbanded and replaced by the NationalCouncil of Provinces with essentially no change in membership andparty affiliations, although the new institution's responsibilitieshave been changed somewhat by the new constitutionelections: National Assembly and National Council of Provinces -last held 2 June 1999 (next to be held by 2 August 2004)election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - ANC66.4%, DP 9.6%, IFP 8.6%, NNP 6.9%, UDM 3.4%, ACDP 1.4%, FF 0.8%,other 2.9%; seats by party - ANC 266, DP 38, IFP 34, NNP 28, UDM 14,ACDP 6, FF 3, other 11; National Council of Provinces - percent ofvote by party - NA%; seats by party - ANC 61, NNP 17, FF 4, IFP 5,DP 3
Judicial branch:Constitutional Court; Supreme Court of Appeals; High Courts;Magistrate Courts
Political parties and leaders:African Christian Democratic Party or ACDP [Kenneth MESHOE,president]; African National Congress or ANC [Thabo MBEKI,president]; Democratic Alliance (formed from the merger of theDemocratic Party or DP and the New National Party or NNP; note - NNPsplit from DP in 2001) [Anthony LEON]; Freedom Front or FF [Dr.Pieter MULDER, president]; Inkatha Freedom Party or IFP [MangosuthuBUTHELEZI, president]; New National Party or NNP [Marthinus VANSCHALKWYK]; Pan-Africanist Congress or PAC [Stanley MOGOBA,president]; United Democratic Movement or UDM [Bantu HOLOMISA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:Congress of South African Trade Unions or COSATU [Zwelinzima VAVI,general secretary]; South African Communist Party or SACP [BladeNZIMANDE, general secretary]; South African National CivicsOrganization or SANCO [Mlungisi HLONGWANE, national president]; note- COSATU and SACP are in a formal alliance with the ANC
International organization participation:ACP, AfDB, BIS, C, ECA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM, NSG, OAU, OPCW, PCA, SACU,SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UPU, WCL,WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Barbara Joyce Mosima MASEKELAconsulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New YorkFAX: [1] (202) 265-1607telephone: [1] (202) 232-4400chancery: 3051 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Cameron H. HUMEembassy: 877 Pretorius Street, Pretoriamailing address: P. O. Box 9536, Pretoria 0001telephone: [27] (12) 342-1048FAX: [27] (12) 342-2244consulate(s) general: Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg
Flag description:two equal width horizontal bands of red (top) and blue separated bya central green band which splits into a horizontal Y, the arms ofwhich end at the corners of the hoist side; the Y embraces a blackisosceles triangle from which the arms are separated by narrowyellow bands; the red and blue bands are separated from the greenband and its arms by narrow white stripes
Economy South Africa
Economy - overview:South Africa is a middle-income, emerging market with an abundantsupply of natural resources; well-developed financial, legal,communications, energy, and transport sectors; a stock exchange thatranks among the 10 largest in the world; and a modern infrastructuresupporting an efficient distribution of goods to major urban centersthroughout the region. However, growth has not been strong enough tolower South Africa's high unemployment rate; and daunting economicproblems remain from the apartheid era, especially poverty and lackof economic empowerment among the disadvantaged groups. High crimeand HIV/AIDS infection rates also deter investment. South Africaneconomic policy is fiscally conservative, but pragmatic, focusing ontargeting inflation and liberalizing trade as means to increase jobgrowth and household income.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $427.7 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:3% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $10,000 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4.4% industry: 28.9% services: 66.7% (2001)
Population below poverty line: 50% (2000 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.1% highest 10%: 45.9% (1994)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:59.3 (1993-94)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):9.9% (2002 est.)
Labor force:17 million economically active
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate:37% (includes workers no longer looking for employment) (2001 est.)
Budget:revenues: $22.6 billionexpenditures: $24.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NAbillion (FY 02/03)
Industries:mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold, chromium),automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textile, iron andsteel, chemicals, fertilizer, foodstuffs
Industrial production growth rate:3% (2002 est.)
Electricity - production:195.6 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 93.5% hydro: 1.1% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 5.5%
Electricity - consumption:181.2 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:6.91 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:6.2 billion kWh (2001)
Oil - production:196,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:460,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:7.84 million bbl (37257)
Natural gas - production:1.8 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:1.8 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:14.16 million cu m (37257)
Agriculture - products: corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; beef, poultry, mutton, wool, dairy products
Exports:$31.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities:gold, diamonds, platinum, other metals and minerals, machinery andequipment (1998 est.)
Exports - partners:UK 12.8%, US 12.7%, Germany 9%, Japan 8.8%, Italy 5.8% (2002)
Imports:$26.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum products, scientificinstruments, foodstuffs (2000 est.)
Imports - partners:Germany 15.4%, US 9.4%, UK 9%, Saudi Arabia 6.9%, Japan 5.8%,France 5%, China 4.9%, Iran 4.1% (2002)
Debt - external:$24.7 billion (2002 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$487.5 million (2000)
Currency:rand (ZAR)
Currency code:ZAR
Exchange rates:rand 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 South Africa
Telephones - main lines in use:more than 5 million (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular:7.06 million (2001)
Telephone system:general assessment: the system is the best developed and mostmodern in Africadomestic: consists of carrier-equipped open-wire lines, coaxialcables, microwave radio relay links, fiber-optic cable,radiotelephone communication stations, and wireless local loops; keycenters are Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, PortElizabeth, and Pretoriainternational: 2 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 14, FM 347 (plus 243 repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios:17 million (2001)
Television broadcast stations:556 (plus 144 network repeaters) (1997)
Televisions:6 million (2000)
Internet country code:.za
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):150 (2001)
Internet users:3.068 million (2002)
Transportation South Africa
Railways:total: 22,298 kmnarrow gauge: 21,984 km 1.065-m gauge (10,436 km electrified); 314km 0.610-m gaugenote: includes a 2,228 km commuter rail system (2002)
Highways:total: 362,099 kmpaved: 73,506 km (including 2,032 km of expressways)unpaved: 288,593 km (2000)
Waterways:NA
Pipelines:condensate 100 km; gas 741 km; oil 847 km; refined products 1,354km (2003)
Ports and harbors:Cape Town, Durban, East London, Mossel Bay, Port Elizabeth,Richards Bay, Saldanha
Merchant marine:total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 30,235 GRT/35,904 DWTnote: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag ofconvenience: Denmark 3, Netherlands 1 (2002 est.)ships by type: container 1, petroleum tanker 2
Airports:727 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 143 over 3,047 m: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 50 914 to 1,523 m: 67 under 914 m: 11 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 584 1,524 to 2,437 m: 34 914 to 1,523 m: 298 under 914 m: 252 (2002)
Military South Africa
Military branches:South African National Defense Force (including Army, Navy, AirForce, and Medical Services), South African Police Service
Military manpower - military age:18 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 11,865,280 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 7,211,075 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:males: 471,578 (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$1.746 billion (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:1.7% (FY02)
Military - note:with the end of Apartheid and the establishment of majority rule,former military, black homelands forces, and ex-opposition forceswere integrated into the South African National Defense Force(SANDF); as of 2003 the integration process was considered complete
Transnational Issues South Africa
Disputes - international: managed dispute with Namibia over the location of the boundary in the Orange River
Illicit drugs:transshipment center for heroin, hashish, marijuana, and possiblycocaine; cocaine consumption on the rise; world's largest market forillicit methaqualone, usually imported illegally from India throughvarious east African countries; illicit cultivation of marijuana;attractive venue for money launderers given the increasing level oforganized criminal and narcotics activity in the region
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@Southern Ocean
Introduction Southern Ocean
Background:A decision by the International Hydrographic Organization in thespring of 2000 delimited a fifth world ocean - the Southern Ocean -from the southern portions of the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, andPacific Ocean. The Southern Ocean extends from the coast ofAntarctica north to 60 degrees south latitude, which coincides withthe Antarctic Treaty Limit. The Southern Ocean is now the fourthlargest of the world's five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean,Atlantic Ocean, and Indian Ocean, but larger than the Arctic Ocean).
Geography Southern Ocean
Location:body of water between 60 degrees south latitude and Antarctica
Geographic coordinates:65 00 S, 0 00 E (nominally), but the Southern Ocean has the uniquedistinction of being a large circumpolar body of water totallyencircling the continent of Antarctica; this ring of water liesbetween 60 degrees south latitude and the coast of Antarctica andencompasses 360 degrees of longitude
Map references:Antarctic Region
Area:total: 20.327 million sq kmnote: includes Amundsen Sea, Bellingshausen Sea, part of the DrakePassage, Ross Sea, a small part of the Scotia Sea, Weddell Sea, andother tributary water bodies
Area - comparative:slightly more than twice the size of the US
Coastline:17,968 km
Climate:sea temperatures vary from about 10 degrees Celsius to -2 degreesCelsius; cyclonic storms travel eastward around the continent andfrequently are intense because of the temperature contrast betweenice and open ocean; the ocean area from about latitude 40 south tothe Antarctic Circle has the strongest average winds found anywhereon Earth; in winter the ocean freezes outward to 65 degrees southlatitude in the Pacific sector and 55 degrees south latitude in theAtlantic sector, lowering surface temperatures well below 0 degreesCelsius; at some coastal points intense persistent drainage windsfrom the interior keep the shoreline ice-free throughout the winter
Terrain:the Southern Ocean is deep, 4,000 to 5,000 meters over most of itsextent with only limited areas of shallow water; the Antarcticcontinental shelf is generally narrow and unusually deep, its edgelying at depths of 400 to 800 meters (the global mean is 133meters); the Antarctic icepack grows from an average minimum of 2.6million square kilometers in March to about 18.8 million squarekilometers in September, better than a sixfold increase in area; theAntarctic Circumpolar Current (21,000 km in length) movesperpetually eastward; it is the world's largest ocean current,transporting 130 million cubic meters of water per second - 100times the flow of all the world's rivers
Elevation extremes:lowest point: -7,235 m at the southern end of the South SandwichTrenchhighest point: sea level 0 m
Natural resources:probable large and possible giant oil and gas fields on thecontinental margin, manganese nodules, possible placer deposits,sand and gravel, fresh water as icebergs; squid, whales, and seals -none exploited; krill, fishes
Natural hazards:huge icebergs with drafts up to several hundred meters; smallerbergs and iceberg fragments; sea ice (generally 0.5 to 1 meterthick) with sometimes dynamic short-term variations and with largeannual and interannual variations; deep continental shelf floored byglacial deposits varying widely over short distances; high winds andlarge waves much of the year; ship icing, especially May-October;most of region is remote from sources of search and rescue
Environment - current issues:increased solar ultraviolet radiation resulting from the Antarcticozone hole in recent years, reducing marine primary productivity(phytoplankton) by as much as 15% and damaging the DNA of some fish;illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing in recent years,especially the landing of an estimated five to six times morePatagonian toothfish than the regulated fishery, which is likely toaffect the sustainability of the stock; large amount of incidentalmortality of seabirds resulting from long-line fishing for toothfishnote: the now-protected fur seal population is making a strongcomeback after severe overexploitation in the 18th and 19th centuries
Environment - international agreements:the Southern Ocean is subject to all international agreementsregarding the world's oceans; in addition, it is subject to theseagreements specific to the Antarctic region: International WhalingCommission (prohibits commercial whaling south of 40 degrees south[south of 60 degrees south between 50 degrees and 130 degreeswest]); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (limitssealing); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine LivingResources (regulates fishing)note: many nations (including the US) prohibit mineral resourceexploration and exploitation south of the fluctuating Polar Front(Antarctic Convergence) which is in the middle of the AntarcticCircumpolar Current and serves as the dividing line between the verycold polar surface waters to the south and the warmer waters to thenorth
Geography - note:the major chokepoint is the Drake Passage between South America andAntarctica; the Polar Front (Antarctic Convergence) is the bestnatural definition of the northern extent of the Southern Ocean; itis a distinct region at the middle of the Antarctic CircumpolarCurrent that separates the very cold polar surface waters to thesouth from the warmer waters to the north; the Front and the Currentextend entirely around Antarctica, reaching south of 60 degreessouth near New Zealand and near 48 degrees south in the far SouthAtlantic coinciding with the path of the maximum westerly winds
Economy Southern Ocean
Economy - overview:Fisheries in 2000-01 (1 July to 30 June) landed 112,934 metrictons, of which 87% was krill and 11% Patagonian toothfish.International agreements were adopted in late 1999 to reduceillegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, which in the 2000-01season landed, by one estimate, 8,376 metric tons of Patagonian andantarctic toothfish. In the 2000-01 antarctic summer 12,248tourists, most of them seaborne, visited the Southern Ocean andAntarctica, compared to 14,762 the previous year.
Transportation Southern Ocean
Ports and harbors:McMurdo, Palmer, and offshore anchorages in Antarcticanote: few ports or harbors exist on the southern side of theSouthern Ocean; ice conditions limit use of most of them to shortperiods in midsummer; even then some cannot be entered withouticebreaker escort; most antarctic ports are operated by governmentresearch stations and, except in an emergency, are not open tocommercial or private vessels; vessels in any port south of 60degrees south are subject to inspection by Antarctic Treatyobservers (see Article 7)
Transportation - note:Drake Passage offers alternative to transit through the Panama Canal
Transnational Issues Southern Ocean
Disputes - international:Antarctic Treaty defers claims (see Antarctica entry), butArgentina, Australia, Chile, France, NZ, Norway, and UK assertclaims (some overlapping), including the continental shelf in theSouthern Ocean; several states have expressed an interest inextending those continental shelf claims under the United NationsConvention on the Law of the Sea (LOS) to include undersea ridges;the US and most other states do not recognize the land or maritimeclaims of other states and have made no claims themselves (the USand Russia have reserved the right to do so); no formal claims havebeen made in the sector between 90 degrees west and 150 degrees west
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@South Georgia and the South Sandwich
Introduction South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Background:The islands lie approximately 1,000 km east of the Falkland Islandsand have been under British administration since 1908, except for abrief period in 1982 when Argentina occupied them. Grytviken, onSouth Georgia, was a 19th and early 20th century whaling station.Famed explorer Ernest SHACKLETON stopped there in 1914 en route tohis ill-fated attempt to cross Antarctica on foot. He returned some20 months later with a few companions in a small boat and arranged asuccessful rescue for the rest of his crew, stranded off theAntarctic Peninsula. He died in 1922 on a subsequent expedition andis buried in Grytviken. Today, the station houses scientists fromthe British Antarctic Survey. The islands have large bird and sealpopulations, and, recognizing the importance of preserving themarine stocks in adjacent waters, the UK, in 1993, extended theexclusive fishing zone from 12 NM to 200 NM around each island.
Geography South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Location:Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, eastof the tip of South America
Geographic coordinates:54 30 S, 37 00 W
Map references:Antarctic Region
Area:total: 3,903 sq kmnote: includes Shag Rocks, Black Rock, Clerke Rocks, South GeorgiaIsland, Bird Island, and the South Sandwich Islands, which consistof some nine islandswater: 0 sq kmland: 3,903 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly larger than Rhode Island
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:NA km
Maritime claims:exclusive fishing zone: 200 NMterritorial sea: 12 NM
Climate:variable, with mostly westerly winds throughout the yearinterspersed with periods of calm; nearly all precipitation falls assnow
Terrain:most of the islands, rising steeply from the sea, are rugged andmountainous; South Georgia is largely barren and has steep,glacier-covered mountains; the South Sandwich Islands are ofvolcanic origin with some active volcanoes
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Paget (South Georgia) 2,934 m
Natural resources:fish
Land use:arable land: 0%permanent crops: 0%other: 100% (largely covered by permanent ice and snow with somesparse vegetation consisting of grass, moss, and lichen) (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:0 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:the South Sandwich Islands have prevailing weather conditions thatgenerally make them difficult to approach by ship; they are alsosubject to active volcanism
Environment - current issues:NA
Geography - note:the north coast of South Georgia has several large bays, whichprovide good anchorage; reindeer, introduced early in the 21stcentury, live on South Georgia
People South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Population:no indigenous inhabitantsnote: the small military garrison on South Georgia withdrew in March2001, to be replaced by a permanent group of scientists of theBritish Antarctic Survey, which also has a biological station onBird Island; the South Sandwich Islands are uninhabited (July 2003est.)
Government South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Country name:conventional long form: South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islandsconventional short form: none
Dependency status:overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina;administered from the Falkland Islands by a commissioner, who isconcurrently governor of the Falkland Islands, representing QueenELIZABETH II; Grytviken, formerly a whaling station on SouthGeorgia, is a scientific base
National holiday:Liberation Day, 14 June (1982)
Constitution:adopted 3 October 1985
Legal system:the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply; the senior magistratefrom the Falkland Islands presides over the Magistrates Court
Diplomatic representation in the US:none (overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina)
Diplomatic representation from the US:none (overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina)
Flag description:blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant andthe South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands coat of armscentered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms features ashield with a golden lion centered; the shield is supported by a furseal on the left and a penguin on the right; a reindeer appearsabove the shield, and below it on a scroll is the motto LEO TERRAMPROPRIAM PROTEGAT (Let the Lion Protect its Own Land)
Economy South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Economy - overview:Some fishing takes place in adjacent waters. There is a potentialsource of income from harvesting finfish and krill. The islandsreceive income from postage stamps produced in the UK, sale offishing licenses, and harbor and landing fees from tourist vessels.Tourism from specialized cruise ships is increasing rapidly.
Communications South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: coastal radiotelephone station at Grytviken
Radio broadcast stations:0 (2003)
Television broadcast stations:0 (2003)
Internet country code:.gs
Transportation South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Waterways:none
Ports and harbors:Grytviken
Airports:none (2002)
Military South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Disputes - international:briefly occupied by military force in 1982 - claimed by Argentinain constitution but declares it will no longer seek settlement byforce
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
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@Spain
Introduction Spain
Background:Spain's powerful world empire of the 16th and 17th centuriesultimately yielded command of the seas to England. Subsequentfailure to embrace the mercantile and industrial revolutions causedthe country to fall behind Britain, France, and Germany in economicand political power. Spain remained neutral in World Wars I and II,but suffered through a devastating civil war (1936-39). In thesecond half of the 20th century, Spain has played a catch-up role inthe western international community; it joined the EU in 1986.Continuing concerns are Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA)terrorism and further reductions in unemployment.
Geography Spain
Location:Southwestern Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay, MediterraneanSea, North Atlantic Ocean, and Pyrenees Mountains, southwest ofFrance
Geographic coordinates:40 00 N, 4 00 W
Map references:Europe
Area:total: 504,782 sq kmwater: 5,240 sq kmnote: there are 19 autonomous communities including Balearic Islandsand Canary Islands, and three small Spanish possessions off thecoast of Morocco - Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penonde Velez de la Gomeraland: 499,542 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly more than twice the size of Oregon
Land boundaries:total: 1,917.8 kmborder countries: Andorra 63.7 km, France 623 km, Gibraltar 1.2 km,Portugal 1,214 km, Morocco (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Morocco (Melilla) 9.6 km
Coastline:4,964 km
Maritime claims:contiguous zone: 24 NMexclusive economic zone: 200 NM (applies only to the Atlantic Ocean)territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate:temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and cloudyalong coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior, partly cloudy andcool along coast
Terrain:large, flat to dissected plateau surrounded by rugged hills;Pyrenees in north
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 mhighest point: Pico de Teide (Tenerife) on Canary Islands 3,718 m
Natural resources:coal, lignite, iron ore, uranium, mercury, pyrites, fluorspar,gypsum, zinc, lead, tungsten, copper, kaolin, potash, hydropower,arable land
Land use:arable land: 28.6%permanent crops: 9.56%other: 61.84% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:36,400 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:periodic droughts
Environment - current issues:pollution of the Mediterranean Sea from raw sewage and effluentsfrom the offshore production of oil and gas; water quality andquantity nationwide; air pollution; deforestation; desertification
Environment - international agreements:party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, AirPollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species,Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, MarineDumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone LayerProtection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,Wetlands, Whalingsigned, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent OrganicPollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification
Geography - note:strategic location along approaches to Strait of Gibraltar
People Spain
Population:40,217,413 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 14.4% (male 2,985,705; female 2,808,791)15-64 years: 68% (male 13,721,053; female 13,626,121)65 years and over: 17.6% (male 2,962,646; female 4,113,097) (2003est.)
Median age: total: 38.7 years male: 37.4 years female: 40.1 years (2002)
Population growth rate:0.16% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:10.08 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:9.48 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:0.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.07 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 4.54 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 4.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)male: 4.94 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 79.23 yearsmale: 75.87 yearsfemale: 82.8 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.26 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:0.5% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:130,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:2,300 (2001 est.)
Nationality: noun: Spaniard(s) adjective: Spanish
Ethnic groups:composite of Mediterranean and Nordic types
Religions:Roman Catholic 94%, other 6%
Languages:Castilian Spanish 74%, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, Basque 2%note: Castilian is the official language nationwide; the otherlanguages are official regionally
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 97.9%male: 98.7%female: 97.2% (2003 est.)
Government Spain
Country name:conventional long form: Kingdom of Spainconventional short form: Spainlocal short form: Espana
Government type:parliamentary monarchy
Capital:Madrid
Administrative divisions:19 autonomous communities (comunidades autonomas, singular -comunidad autonoma); Andalucia, Aragon, Asturias, Baleares (BalearicIslands), Ceuta, Canarias (Canary Islands), Cantabria, Castilla-LaMancha, Castilla y Leon, Cataluna, Communidad Valencian,Extremadura, Galicia, La Rioja, Madrid, Melilla, Murcia, Navarra,Pais Vasco (Basque Country)note: three small Spanish possessions are located off the coast ofMorocco: Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez dela Gomera; Ceuta and Melilla gained limited autonomous status in 1994
Independence:the Iberian peninsula was characterized by a variety of independentkingdoms prior to the Moslem occupation that began in the early 8thCentury A. D. and lasted nearly seven centuries; the small Christianredoubts of the north began the reconquest almost immediately,culminating in the seizure of Granada in 1492; this event completedthe unification of several kingdoms and is traditionally consideredthe forging of present-day Spain
National holiday:Hispanic Day, 12 October
Constitution:6 December 1978, effective 29 December 1978
Legal system:civil law system, with regional applications; has not acceptedcompulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: King JUAN CARLOS I (since 22 November 1975); HeirApparent Prince FELIPE, son of the monarch, born 30 January 1968head of government: President of the Government Jose Maria AZNARLopez (since 5 May 1996); First Vice President (and Minister ofEconomy) Rodrigo RATO Figaredo (since 4 September 2003) and SecondVice President (and Minister of the Presidency) Javier ARENAS (since4 September 2003)cabinet: Council of Ministers designated by the presidentnote: there is also a Council of State that is the supremeconsultative organ of the governmentelection results: Jose Maria AZNAR Lopez (PP) elected president;percent of National Assembly vote - 44.54%; note - the Popular Party(PP) obtained an absolute majority of seats in both the Congress ofDeputies and the Senate as a result of the March 2000 electionselections: the monarch is hereditary; following legislativeelections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of themajority coalition is usually proposed president by the monarch andelected by the National Assembly; election last held 12 March 2000(next to be held NA March 2004); vice presidents appointed by themonarch on the proposal of the president
Legislative branch:bicameral; General Courts or National Assembly or Las CortesGenerales consists of the Senate or Senado (259 seats - 208 membersdirectly elected by popular vote and the other 51 appointed by theregional legislatures to serve four-year terms) and the Congress ofDeputies or Congreso de los Diputados (350 seats; members areelected by popular vote on block lists by proportionalrepresentation to serve four-year terms)election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PP 44.6%, PSOE34.1%, CiU 4.2%, PNV 1.5%, CC 1.1%, PIL 0%; seats by party - PP 127,PSOE 61, CiU 8, PNV 6, CC 5, PIL 1; Congress of Deputies - percentof vote by party - PP 44.5%, PSOE 34%, CiU 4.2%, IU 5.4%, PNV 1.5%,CC 1%, BNG 1.3%; seats by party - PP 183, PSOE 125, CiU 15, IU 8,PNV 7, CC 4, BNG 3, other 5elections: Senate - last held 12 March 2000 (next to be held NAMarch 2004); Congress of Deputies - last held 12 March 2000 (next tobe held NA March 2004)
Judicial branch:Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo
Political parties and leaders:Basque Nationalist Party or PNV [Xabier ARZALLUS Antia]; CanarianCoalition or CC (a coalition of five parties) [Paulino RIVERO];Convergence and Union or CiU [Jordi PUJOL i Soley, secretarygeneral] (a coalition of the Democratic Convergence of Catalonia orCDC [Jordi PUJOL i Soley] and the Democratic Union of Catalonia orUDC [Josep Antoni DURAN y LLEIDA]); Galician Nationalist Bloc or BNG[Xose Manuel BEIRAS]; Party of Independents from Lanzarote or PIL[Dimas MARTIN Martin]; Popular Party or PP [Mariano RAJOY]; SpanishSocialist Workers Party or PSOE [Jose Luis RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO];United Left or IU (a coalition of parties including the PCE andother small parties) [Gaspar LLAMAZARES]
Political pressure groups and leaders:business and landowning interests; Catholic Church; free laborunions (authorized in April 1977); Socialist General Union ofWorkers or UGT and the smaller independent Workers Syndical Union orUSO; university students; Workers Confederation or CC.OO; Nunca Mais(Galician for "Never Again"; formed in response to the oil tankerPrestige oil spill)
International organization participation:AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC,EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU,ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG,OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UN Security Council(temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK,UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Francisco Javier RUPEREZ Rubiochancery: 2375 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami,New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)FAX: [1] (202) 833-5670telephone: [1] (202) 452-0100, 728-2340
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador George L. ARGYROSembassy: Serrano 75, 28006 Madridmailing address: PSC 61, APO AE 09642telephone: [34] (91) 587-2200FAX: [34] (91) 587-2303consulate(s) general: Barcelona
Flag description:three horizontal bands of red (top), yellow (double width), and redwith the national coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band;the coat of arms includes the royal seal framed by the Pillars ofHercules, which are the two promontories (Gibraltar and Ceuta) oneither side of the eastern end of the Strait of Gibraltar
Economy Spain
Economy - overview:Spain's mixed capitalist economy supports a GDP that on a percapita basis is 80% that of the four leading West Europeaneconomies. Its center-right government successfully worked to gainadmission to the first group of countries launching the Europeansingle currency (the euro) on 1 January 1999. The AZNARadministration has continued to advocate liberalization,privatization, and deregulation of the economy and has introducedsome tax reforms to that end. Unemployment has been steadily fallingunder the AZNAR administration but remains high at 11.7%. Thegovernment intends to make further progress in changing labor lawsand reforming pension schemes, which are key to the sustainabilityof both Spain's internal economic advances and its competitivenessin a single currency area. A general strike in mid-2002 reducedcooperation between labor and government. Growth of 2.4% in 2003 wassatisfactory given the background of a faltering European economy.Adjusting to the monetary and other economic policies of anintegrated Europe - and reducing unemployment - will pose challengesto Spain over the next few years.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $850.7 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:2% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $21,200 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:agriculture: 4%industry: 31%services: 65% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line:NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 25.2% (1990)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:32.5 (1990)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):3% (2002 est.)
Labor force:17.1 million (2001)
Labor force - by occupation: services 64%, manufacturing, mining, and construction 29%, agriculture 7% (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate:11.3% (2002 est.)
Budget:revenues: $105 billionexpenditures: $109 billion, including capital expenditures of $12.8billion (2000 est.)
Industries:textiles and apparel (including footwear), food and beverages,metals and metal manufactures, chemicals, shipbuilding, automobiles,machine tools, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:1.2% (2002 est.)
Electricity - production:222.5 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 50.4% hydro: 18.2% other: 4.1% (2001) nuclear: 27.2%
Electricity - consumption:210.4 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:4.138 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:7.588 billion kWh (2001)
Oil - production:7,099 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:1.497 million bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:135,100 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports:1.582 million bbl/day (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:10.5 million bbl (37257)
Natural gas - production:516 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:17.96 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:17.26 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:254.9 million cu m (37257)
Agriculture - products: grain, vegetables, olives, wine grapes, sugar beets, citrus; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; fish
Exports:$122.2 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities:machinery, motor vehicles; foodstuffs, other consumer goods
Exports - partners:France 19%, Germany 11.4%, UK 9.6%, Portugal 9.5%, Italy 9.3%, US4.6% (2002)
Imports:$156.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, semifinished goods;foodstuffs, consumer goods (1997)
Imports - partners:France 17%, Germany 16.5%, Italy 8.6%, UK 6.4%, Netherlands 4.8%(2002)
Debt - external:$90 billion (1993 est.)
Economic aid - donor:ODA, $1.33 billion (1999)
Currency:euro (EUR)note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced theeuro as a common currency to be used by the financial institutionsof member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the solecurrency for everyday transactions with the member countries
Currency code:EUR
Exchange rates:euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000), 0.94(1999)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Spain
Telephones - main lines in use:17.336 million (1999)
Telephones - mobile cellular:8.394 million (1999)
Telephone system:general assessment: generally adequate, modern facilities;teledensity is 44 main lines for each 100 personsdomestic: NAinternational: 22 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations- 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), NA Eutelsat;tropospheric scatter to adjacent countries
Radio broadcast stations:AM 208, FM 715, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios:13.1 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 224 (plus 2,105 repeaters) note: these figures include 11 television broadcast stations and 88 repeaters in the Canary Islands (1995)
Televisions:16.2 million (1997)
Internet country code:.es
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):56 (2000)
Internet users:7.89 million (2002)
Transportation Spain