Elevation extremes:lowest point: Syr Darya (Sirdaryo) 300 mhighest point: Qullai Ismoili Somoni 7,495 m
Natural resources:hydropower, some petroleum, uranium, mercury, brown coal, lead,zinc, antimony, tungsten, silver, gold
Land use: arable land: 5.41% permanent crops: 0.92% other: 93.67% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:7,200 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:earthquakes and floods
Environment - current issues: inadequate sanitation facilities; increasing levels of soil salinity; industrial pollution; excessive pesticides
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:landlocked; mountainous region dominated by the Trans-Alay Range inthe north and the Pamirs in the southeast; highest point, QullaiIsmoili Somoni (formerly Communism Peak), was the tallest mountainin the former USSR
People Tajikistan
Population:6,863,752 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 39.8% (male 1,376,244; female 1,353,108)15-64 years: 55.5% (male 1,896,509; female 1,915,334)65 years and over: 4.7% (male 140,993; female 181,564) (2003 est.)
Median age:total: 19.3 yearsmale: 19 yearsfemale: 19.6 years (2002)
Population growth rate:2.13% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:32.78 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:8.46 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:-3.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 113.43 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 99.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)male: 126.58 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 64.37 yearsmale: 61.39 yearsfemale: 67.5 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:4.17 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 200 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:less than 100 (2001 est.)
Nationality:noun: Tajikistani(s)adjective: Tajikistani
Ethnic groups:Tajik 64.9%, Uzbek 25%, Russian 3.5% (declining because ofemigration), other 6.6%
Religions:Sunni Muslim 85%, Shi'a Muslim 5%
Languages:Tajik (official), Russian widely used in government and business
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 99.4%male: 99.6%female: 99.1% (2003 est.)
Government Tajikistan
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Tajikistanconventional short form: Tajikistanlocal short form: Tojikistonformer: Tajik Soviet Socialist Republiclocal long form: Jumhurii Tojikiston
Government type:republic
Capital:Dushanbe
Administrative divisions:2 provinces (viloyatho, singular - viloyat) and 1 autonomousprovince* (viloyati mukhtor); Viloyati Mukhtori KuhistoniBadakhshon* (Khorugh), Viloyati Khatlon (Qurghonteppa), ViloyatiSughd (Khujand)note: the administrative center name follows in parentheses
Independence:9 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday:Independence Day (or National Day), 9 September (1991)
Constitution:6 November 1994
Legal system:based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Emomali RAHMONOV (since 6 November 1994;head of state and Supreme Assembly chairman since 19 November 1992)head of government: Prime Minister Oqil OQILOV (since 20 January1999)cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approvedby the Supreme Assemblyelection results: Emomali RAHMONOV elected president; percent ofvote - Emomali RAHMONOV 97%, Davlat USMON 2%elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;election last held 6 November 1999 (next to be held NA 2006); primeminister appointed by the president; Tajikistan held aconstitutional referendum on 22 June 2003 that, among other things,set a term limit of two seven-year terms for the president
Legislative branch:bicameral Supreme Assembly or Majlisi Oli consists of the Assemblyof Representatives (lower chamber) or Majlisi Namoyandagon (63seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)and the National Assembly (upper chamber) or Majlisi Milliy (33seats; members are indirectly elected, 25 selected by localdeputies, 8 appointed by the president; all serve five-year terms)election results: Assembly of Representatives - percent of vote byparty - PDPT 65%, Communist Party 20%, Islamic Rebirth Party 7.5%,other 7.5%; seats by party - NA; National Assembly - percent of voteby party - NA%; seats by party - NAelections: last held 27 February and 12 March 2000 for the Assemblyof Representatives (next to be held NA 2005) and 23 March 2000 forthe National Assembly (next to be held NA 2005)
Judicial branch:Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)
Political parties and leaders:Democratic Party or DPT [Mahmadruzi ISKANDAROV, chairman]; IslamicRevival Party [Said Abdullo NURI, chairman]; People's DemocraticParty of Tajikistan or PDPT [Emomali RAHMONOV]; Social DemocraticParty or SDPT [Rahmatullo ZOIROV]; Socialist Party or SPT [SheraliKENJAYEV]; Tajik Communist Party or CPT [Shodi SHABDOLOV]
Political pressure groups and leaders:there are two unregistered political parties with 1,000 or moremembers: Progressive Party [Suton QUVVATOV]; Unity Party [HikmatukoSAIDOV]
International organization participation:AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IOC, IOM, ITU,OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO,WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Khamrokhon ZARIPOVchancery: 1725 K Sreet NW, Suite 409, Washington, DC 20006FAX: [1] (202) 223-6091telephone: [1] (202) 223-6090
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Richard E. HOAGLAND embassy: 10 Pavlova Street, Dushanbe, Tajikistan 734003; note - the embassy in Dushanbe is not yet fully operational; most business is still handled in Almaty at 531 Sayfullin Street, Almaty, Kazakhstan, telephone 7-3272-58-79-61, FAX 7-3272-58-79-68 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [992] (372) 21-03-48 (Dushanbe) FAX: [992] (372) 21-03-62
Flag description:three horizontal stripes of red (top), a wider stripe of white, andgreen; a gold crown surmounted by seven gold, five-pointed stars islocated in the center of the white stripe
Economy Tajikistan
Economy - overview:Tajikistan has the lowest per capita GDP among the 15 former Sovietrepublics. Only 8% to 10% of the land area is arable. Cotton is themost important crop. Mineral resources, varied but limited inamount, include silver, gold, uranium, and tungsten. Industryconsists only of a large aluminum plant, hydropower facilities, andsmall obsolete factories mostly in light industry and foodprocessing. The civil war (1992-97) severely damaged the alreadyweak economic infrastructure and caused a sharp decline inindustrial and agricultural production. Even though 60% of itspeople continue to live in abject poverty, Tajikistan hasexperienced steady economic growth since 1997. Continuedprivatization of medium and large state-owned enterprises willfurther increase productivity. Tajikistan's economic situation,however, remains fragile due to uneven implementation of structuralreforms, weak governance, widespread unemployment, and the externaldebt burden. A debt restructuring agreement was reached with Russiain December 2002, including an interest rate of 4%, a 3-year graceperiod, and a US $49.8 million credit to the Central Bank ofTajikistan.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $8.476 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:9.1% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $1,300 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 19% industry: 26% services: 55% (2002 est.)
Population below poverty line: 60% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 25.2% (1998)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:34.7 (1998)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):12% (2001 est.)
Labor force:3.187 million (2000)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 67.2%, industry 7.5%, services 25.3% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate:40% (2002 est.)
Budget:revenues: $502 millionexpenditures: $520 million, including capital expenditures of $86million (2002 est.)
Industries:aluminum, zinc, lead, chemicals and fertilizers, cement, vegetableoil, metal-cutting machine tools, refrigerators and freezers
Industrial production growth rate:10.3% (2000 est.)
Electricity - production:14.18 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 1.9% hydro: 98.1% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption:14.52 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:3.909 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:5.242 billion kWh (2001)
Oil - production:250 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:20,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Natural gas - production:50 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:1.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:1.25 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products:cotton, grain, fruits, grapes, vegetables; cattle, sheep, goats
Exports:$710 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities:aluminum, electricity, cotton, fruits, vegetable oil, textiles
Exports - partners:Netherlands 29.4%, Turkey 16.1%, Russia 11.9%, Uzbekistan 9.9%,Switzerland 9.3%, Hungary 5.4%, Latvia 4.2% (2002)
Imports:$830 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities:electricity, petroleum products, aluminum oxide, machinery andequipment, foodstuffs
Imports - partners:Russia 22.7%, Uzbekistan 18.4%, Ukraine 11.2%, Kazakhstan 10%,Turkmenistan 6.5%, Azerbaijan 5.7%, India 4.4% (2002)
Debt - external:$1 billion (2002 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$60.7 million from US (2001)
Currency:somoni
Currency code:TJS
Exchange rates:Tajikistani somoni per US dollar - 2.7 (2002), 2.37 (2001), 2.08(2000), 1.24 (1999), 0.78 (1998)note: the new unit of exchange was introduced on 30 October 2000,with one somoni equal to 1,000 of the old Tajikistani rubles
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Tajikistan
Telephones - main lines in use:363,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular:2,500 (1997)
Telephone system:general assessment: poorly developed and not well maintained; manytowns are not reached by the national networkdomestic: cable and microwave radio relayinternational: linked by cable and microwave radio relay to otherCIS republics and by leased connections to the Moscow internationalgateway switch; Dushanbe linked by Intelsat to international gatewayswitch in Ankara (Turkey); satellite earth stations - 1 Orbita and 2Intelsat
Radio broadcast stations:AM 8, FM 10, shortwave 2 (2002)
Radios:1.291 million (1991)
Television broadcast stations:13 (2001)
Televisions:820,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.tj
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):4 (2002)
Internet users:5,000 (2002)
Transportation Tajikistan
Railways: total: 482 km broad gauge: 482 km 1.520-m gauge (2002)
Highways: total: 27,767 km paved: NA unpaved: NA (2000)
Waterways:none
Pipelines:gas 540 km; oil 38 km (2003)
Ports and harbors:none
Airports:66 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 132,438 to 3,047 m: 51,524 to 2,437 m: 6914 to 1,523 m: 1under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 53over 3,047 m: 11,524 to 2,437 m: 2914 to 1,523 m: 14under 914 m: 36 (2002)
Military Tajikistan
Military branches:Army, Air Force and Air Defense Force, Presidential National Guard,Security Forces (internal and border troops)
Military manpower - military age:18 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 1,704,457 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 1,397,188 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:males: 82,490 (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$35.4 million (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:3.9% (FY01)
Transnational Issues Tajikistan
Disputes - international:prolonged regional drought creates water-sharing difficulties forAmu Darya river states; boundary agreements signed in 2002 cede1,000 sq km of Pamir Mountain range to China in return for Chinarelinquishing claims to 28,000 sq km of Tajikistani lands;negotiations with China resolved the longstanding boundary dispute;talks have begun with Uzbekistan to demine and delimit border;disputes in Isfara Valley delay completion of delimitation withKyrgyzstan
Illicit drugs:major transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and,to a lesser extent, Western European markets; limited illicitcultivation of opium poppy for domestic consumption; Tajikistanseizes roughly 80 percent of all drugs captured in Central Asia andstands third world-wide in seizures of opiates (heroin and raw opium)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
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@Tanzania
Introduction Tanzania
Background:Shortly after independence, Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged to formthe nation of Tanzania in 1964. One-party rule came to an end in1995 with the first democratic elections held in the country sincethe 1970s. Zanzibar's semi-autonomous status and popular oppositionhave led to two contentious elections since 1995, which the rulingparty won despite international observers' claims of votingirregularities.
Geography Tanzania
Location:Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Kenya andMozambique
Geographic coordinates:6 00 S, 35 00 E
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 945,087 sq kmnote: includes the islands of Mafia, Pemba, and Zanzibarwater: 59,050 sq kmland: 886,037 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly larger than twice the size of California
Land boundaries:total: 3,861 kmborder countries: Burundi 451 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo459 km, Kenya 769 km, Malawi 475 km, Mozambique 756 km, Rwanda 217km, Uganda 396 km, Zambia 338 km
Coastline:1,424 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate:varies from tropical along coast to temperate in highlands
Terrain:plains along coast; central plateau; highlands in north, south
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 mhighest point: Kilimanjaro 5,895 m
Natural resources:hydropower, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds, gemstones,gold, natural gas, nickel
Land use: arable land: 4.24% permanent crops: 1.02% other: 94.74% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:1,550 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season; drought
Environment - current issues:soil degradation; deforestation; desertification; destruction ofcoral reefs threatens marine habitats; recent droughts affectedmarginal agriculture; wildlife threatened by illegal hunting andtrade, especially for ivory
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, EndangeredSpecies, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban
Geography - note:Kilimanjaro is highest point in Africa; bordered by three of thelargest lakes on the continent: Lake Victoria (the world'ssecond-largest freshwater lake) in the north, Lake Tanganyika (theworld's second deepest) in the west, and Lake Nyasa in the southwest
People Tanzania
Population:35,922,454note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account theeffects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lowerlife expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lowerpopulation and growth rates, and changes in the distribution ofpopulation by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July2003 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 44.3% (male 7,988,898; female 7,938,979)15-64 years: 53.1% (male 9,429,959; female 9,634,102)65 years and over: 2.6% (male 405,803; female 524,713) (2003 est.)
Median age:total: 17.5 yearsmale: 17.2 yearsfemale: 17.7 years (2002)
Population growth rate:1.72% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:39.5 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:17.38 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:-4.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 103.68 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 93.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)male: 113.29 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 44.56 yearsmale: 43.33 yearsfemale: 45.83 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:5.24 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:7.8% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:1.5 million (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:140,000 (2001 est.)
Nationality:noun: Tanzanian(s)adjective: Tanzanian
Ethnic groups:mainland - native African 99% (of which 95% are Bantu consisting ofmore than 130 tribes), other 1% (consisting of Asian, European, andArab); Zanzibar - Arab, native African, mixed Arab and native African
Religions:mainland - Christian 30%, Muslim 35%, indigenous beliefs 35%;Zanzibar - more than 99% Muslim
Languages:Kiswahili or Swahili (official), Kiunguju (name for Swahili inZanzibar), English (official, primary language of commerce,administration, and higher education), Arabic (widely spoken inZanzibar), many local languagesnote: Kiswahili (Swahili) is the mother tongue of the Bantu peopleliving in Zanzibar and nearby coastal Tanzania; although Kiswahiliis Bantu in structure and origin, its vocabulary draws on a varietyof sources, including Arabic and English, and it has become thelingua franca of central and eastern Africa; the first language ofmost people is one of the local languages
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and write Kiswahili (Swahili),English, or Arabictotal population: 78.2%male: 85.9%female: 70.7% (2003 est.)
Government Tanzania
Country name:conventional long form: United Republic of Tanzaniaconventional short form: Tanzaniaformer: United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar
Government type:republic
Capital:Dar es Salaam; note - legislative offices have been transferred toDodoma, which is planned as the new national capital; the NationalAssembly now meets there on regular basis
Administrative divisions:25 regions; Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Iringa, Kagera, Kigoma,Kilimanjaro, Lindi, Mara, Mbeya, Morogoro, Mtwara, Mwanza, PembaNorth, Pemba South, Pwani, Rukwa, Ruvuma, Shinyanga, Singida,Tabora, Tanga, Zanzibar Central/South, Zanzibar North, ZanzibarUrban/West
Independence:26 April 1964; Tanganyika became independent 9 December 1961 (fromUK-administered UN trusteeship); Zanzibar became independent 19December 1963 (from UK); Tanganyika united with Zanzibar 26 April1964 to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar; renamedUnited Republic of Tanzania 29 October 1964
National holiday:Union Day (Tanganyika and Zanzibar), 26 April (1964)
Constitution:25 April 1977; major revisions October 1984
Legal system:based on English common law; judicial review of legislative actslimited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted compulsoryICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Benjamin William MKAPA (since 23 November1995); Vice President Dr. Ali Mohammed SHEIN (since 5 July 2001);note - the president is both chief of state and head of governmenthead of government: President Benjamin William MKAPA (since 23November 1995); Vice President Dr. Ali Mohammed SHEIN (since 5 July2001); note - the president is both chief of state and head ofgovernmentnote: Zanzibar elects a president who is head of government formatters internal to Zanzibar; Amani Abeid KARUME was elected to thatoffice on 29 October 2000cabinet: Cabinet ministers, including the prime minister, areappointed by the president from among the members of the NationalAssemblyelection results: Benjamin William MKAPA reelected president;percent of vote - Benjamin William MKAPA 71.7%, Ibrahim HarunaLIPUMBA 16.3%, Augustine Lyatonga MREME 7.8%, John Momose CHEYO 4.2%elections: president and vice president elected on the same ballotby popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 29 October2000 (next to be held NA October 2005); prime minister appointed bythe president
Legislative branch:unicameral National Assembly or Bunge (274 seats - 232 elected bypopular vote, 37 allocated to women nominated by the president, fiveto members of the Zanzibar House of Representatives; members servefive-year terms); note - in addition to enacting laws that apply tothe entire United Republic of Tanzania, the Assembly enacts lawsthat apply only to the mainland; Zanzibar has its own House ofRepresentatives to make laws especially for Zanzibar (the ZanzibarHouse of Representatives has 50 seats, directly elected by universalsuffrage to serve five-year terms)election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party -NA%; seats by party - CCM 244, CUF 16, CHADEMA 4, TLP 3, UDP 2,Zanzibar representatives 5; Zanzibar House of Representatives -percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CCM 34, CUF 16elections: last held 29 October 2000 (next to be held NA October2005)
Judicial branch:Permanent Commission of Enquiry (official ombudsman); Court ofAppeal (consists of a chief justice and four judges); High Court(consists of a Jaji Kiongozi and 29 judges appointed by thepresident; holds regular sessions in all regions); District Courts;Primary Courts (limited jurisdiction and appeals can be made to thehigher courts)
Political parties and leaders:Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Party of Democracy andDevelopment) or CHADEMA [Bob MAKANI]; Chama Cha Mapinduzi or CCM(Revolutionary Party) [Benjamin William MKAPA]; Civic United Frontor CUF [Ibrahim LIPUMBA]; Democratic Party (unregistered)[Christopher MTIKLA]; Tanzania Labor Party or TLP [AugustineLyatonga MREMA]; United Democratic Party or UDP [John CHEYO]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:ACP, AfDB, C, EADB, ECA, FAO, G- 6, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD,UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Andrew Mhando DARAJA chancery: 2139 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 FAX: [1] (202) 797-7408 telephone: [1] (202) 939-6125
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Robert V. ROYALL embassy: 140 Msese Road, Kinondoni District, Dar es Salaam mailing address: P. O. Box 9123, Dar es Salaam telephone: [255] (22) 2666-010 through 2666-015 FAX: [255] (22) 2666-701, 2668-501
Flag description:divided diagonally by a yellow-edged black band from the lowerhoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green and thelower triangle is blue
Economy Tanzania
Economy - overview:Tanzania is one of the poorest countries in the world. The economydepends heavily on agriculture, which accounts for half of GDP,provides 85% of exports, and employs 80% of the work force.Topography and climatic conditions, however, limit cultivated cropsto only 4% of the land area. Industry traditionally featured theprocessing of agricultural products and light consumer goods. TheWorld Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and bilateral donorshave provided funds to rehabilitate Tanzania's out-of-date economicinfrastructure and to alleviate poverty. Growth in 1991-2002featured a pickup in industrial production and a substantialincrease in output of minerals, led by gold. Oil and gas explorationand development played an important role in this growth. Recentbanking reforms have helped increase private sector growth andinvestment. Continued donor support and solid macroeconomic policiesshould support continued real GDP growth of 5% in 2003.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $20.42 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:6.1% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $600 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 48.1% industry: 15.4% services: 36.5% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line: 36% (2002 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 30.1% (1993)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:38.2 (1993)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):4.8% (2002 est.)
Labor force:13.495 million
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 80%, industry and services 20% (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate:NA%
Budget:revenues: $1.01 billionexpenditures: $1.38 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA(FY 00/01 est.)
Industries:agricultural processing (sugar, beer, cigarettes, sisal twine),diamond and gold mining, oil refining, shoes, cement, textiles, woodproducts, fertilizer, salt
Industrial production growth rate:8.4% (1999 est.)
Electricity - production:2.906 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 18.9% hydro: 81.1% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption:2.752 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:50 million kWh (2001)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:17,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:0 bbl (37257)
Natural gas - proved reserves:11.33 billion cu m (37257)
Agriculture - products:coffee, sisal, tea, cotton, pyrethrum (insecticide made fromchrysanthemums), cashew nuts, tobacco, cloves, corn, wheat, cassava(tapioca), bananas, fruits, vegetables; cattle, sheep, goats
Exports:$863 million f.o.b. (2001)
Exports - commodities:gold, coffee, cashew nuts, manufactures, cotton
Exports - partners:India 15.2%, Japan 12.4%, Netherlands 9.2%, UK 6.8%, Belgium 6.5%,Kenya 5.9%, Germany 4.8% (2002)
Imports:$1.67 billion f.o.b. (2001)
Imports - commodities:consumer goods, machinery and transportation equipment, industrialraw materials, crude oil
Imports - partners:South Africa 12.7%, China 7.9%, Kenya 6.6%, India 6.3%, UK 6%,Japan 4.5%, US 4%, Australia 4% (2002)
Debt - external:$6.8 billion (2002 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$963 million (1997)
Currency:Tanzanian shilling (TZS)
Currency code:TZS
Exchange rates:Tanzanian shillings per US dollar - NA (2002), 876.41 (2001),800.41 (2000), 744.76 (1999), 664.67 (1998)
Fiscal year:1 July - 30 June
Communications Tanzania
Telephones - main lines in use:127,000 (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular:30,000 (1999)
Telephone system:general assessment: fair system operating below capacity and beingmodernized for better service; VSAT (very small aperture terminal)system under constructiondomestic: trunk service provided by open-wire, microwave radiorelay, tropospheric scatter, and fiber-optic cable; some links beingmade digitalinternational: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Oceanand 1 Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 12, FM 11, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios:8.8 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:3 (1999)
Televisions:103,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.tz
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):6 (2000)
Internet users:300,000 (2002)
Transportation Tanzania
Railways: total: 3,690 km narrow gauge: 2,721 km 1.000-m gauge; 969 km 1.067-m gauge (2002)
Highways: total: 88,200 km paved: 3,704 km unpaved: 84,496 km (1999 est.)
Waterways:note: Lake Tanganyika, Lake Victoria, and Lake Nyasa are principalavenues of commerce between Tanzania and its neighbors on those lakes
Pipelines:gas 5 km; oil 866 km (2003)
Ports and harbors:Bukoba, Dar es Salaam, Kigoma, Kilwa Masoko, Lindi, Mtwara, Mwanza,Pangani, Tanga, Wete, Zanzibar
Merchant marine:total: 10 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 30,781 GRT/33,805 DWTships by type: cargo 2, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 3, rollon/roll off 1, short-sea passenger 2 (2002 est.)
Airports:123 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 11 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 112 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 60 under 914 m: 34 (2002)
Military Tanzania
Military branches:Tanzanian People's Defense Force (including Army, Navy, and AirForce), paramilitary Police Field Force Unit (including PoliceMarine Unit and Police Air Wing), territorial militia
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 8,477,193 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 4,911,235 (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$19.68 million (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:0.2% (FY02)
Transnational Issues Tanzania
Disputes - international: disputes with Malawi over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and the meandering Songwe River remain dormant
Illicit drugs:growing role in transshipment of Southwest and Southeast Asianheroin and South American cocaine destined for South African,European, and US markets and of South Asian methaqualone bound forSouthern Africa; money laundering remains a problem
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
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@Thailand
Introduction Thailand
Background:A unified Thai kingdom was established in the mid-14th century.Known as Siam until 1939, Thailand is the only Southeast Asiancountry never to have been taken over by a European power. Abloodless revolution in 1932 led to a constitutional monarchy. Inalliance with Japan during World War II, Thailand became a US allyfollowing the conflict.
Geography Thailand
Location:Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf ofThailand, southeast of Burma
Geographic coordinates:15 00 N, 100 00 E
Map references:Southeast Asia
Area:total: 514,000 sq kmwater: 2,230 sq kmland: 511,770 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly more than twice the size of Wyoming
Land boundaries:total: 4,863 kmborder countries: Burma 1,800 km, Cambodia 803 km, Laos 1,754 km,Malaysia 506 km
Coastline:3,219 km
Maritime claims:continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitationexclusive economic zone: 200 NMterritorial sea: 12 NM
Climate:tropical; rainy, warm, cloudy southwest monsoon (mid-May toSeptember); dry, cool northeast monsoon (November to mid-March);southern isthmus always hot and humid
Terrain:central plain; Khorat Plateau in the east; mountains elsewhere
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 mhighest point: Doi Inthanon 2,576 m
Natural resources:tin, rubber, natural gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead, fish,gypsum, lignite, fluorite, arable land
Land use: arable land: 32.88% permanent crops: 7% other: 60.12% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:47,490 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:land subsidence in Bangkok area resulting from the depletion of thewater table; droughts
Environment - current issues: air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from organic and factory wastes; deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by illegal hunting
Environment - international agreements: party to: Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea
Geography - note: controls only land route from Asia to Malaysia and Singapore
People Thailand
Population:64,265,276note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account theeffects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lowerlife expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lowerpopulation and growth rates, and changes in the distribution ofpopulation by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July2003 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 24.2% (male 7,955,597; female 7,604,652)15-64 years: 68.8% (male 21,819,445; female 22,362,085)65 years and over: 7% (male 2,081,768; female 2,441,729) (2003 est.)
Median age:total: 30.1 yearsmale: 29.4 yearsfemale: 30.8 years (2002)
Population growth rate:0.95% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:16.37 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:6.86 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 21.83 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 20.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)male: 23.17 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 71.24 yearsmale: 69.07 yearsfemale: 73.53 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.91 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:1.8% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:670,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:55,000 (2001 est.)
Nationality:noun: Thai (singular and plural)adjective: Thai
Ethnic groups:Thai 75%, Chinese 14%, other 11%
Religions:Buddhism 95%, Muslim 3.8%, Christianity 0.5%, Hinduism 0.1%, other0.6% (1991)
Languages:Thai, English (secondary language of the elite), ethnic andregional dialects
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 96%male: 97.5%female: 94.6% (2003 est.)
Government Thailand
Country name:conventional long form: Kingdom of Thailandconventional short form: Thailandformer: Siam
Government type:constitutional monarchy
Capital:Bangkok
Administrative divisions:76 provinces (changwat, singular and plural); Amnat Charoen, AngThong, Buriram, Chachoengsao, Chai Nat, Chaiyaphum, Chanthaburi,Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Chon Buri, Chumphon, Kalasin, KamphaengPhet, Kanchanaburi, Khon Kaen, Krabi, Krung Thep Mahanakhon(Bangkok), Lampang, Lamphun, Loei, Lop Buri, Mae Hong Son, MahaSarakham, Mukdahan, Nakhon Nayok, Nakhon Pathom, Nakhon Phanom,Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Sawan, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Nan,Narathiwat, Nong Bua Lamphu, Nong Khai, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani,Pattani, Phangnga, Phatthalung, Phayao, Phetchabun, Phetchaburi,Phichit, Phitsanulok, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Phrae, Phuket,Prachin Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Ranong, Ratchaburi, Rayong, RoiEt, Sa Kaeo, Sakon Nakhon, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, SamutSongkhram, Sara Buri, Satun, Sing Buri, Sisaket, Songkhla,Sukhothai, Suphan Buri, Surat Thani, Surin, Tak, Trang, Trat, UbonRatchathani, Udon Thani, Uthai Thani, Uttaradit, Yala, Yasothon
Independence:1238 (traditional founding date; never colonized)
National holiday:Birthday of King PHUMIPHON, 5 December (1927)
Constitution:new constitution signed by King PHUMIPHON on 11 October 1997
Legal system:based on civil law system, with influences of common law; has notaccepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:chief of state: King PHUMIPHON Adunyadet (since 9 June 1946)note: there is also a Privy Councilhead of government: Prime Minister THAKSIN Chinnawat (since 9February 2001) and Deputy Prime Ministers Gen. (Ret.) CHAWALITYongchaiyut, KON Thappharansi, SUWIT Khunkitti, CHATURON Chaisaeng,VISHANU Krua-ngam, and PROMMIN Lertsuridej (since 18 February 2001)cabinet: Council of Ministerselections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister isdesignated from among the members of the House of Representatives;following national elections for the House of Representatives, theleader of the party that can organize a majority coalition usuallyis appointed prime minister by the king
Legislative branch:bicameral National Assembly or Rathasapha consists of the Senate orWuthisapha (200 seats; members elected by popular vote to servefour-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Sapha PhuthaenRatsadon (500 seats; members elected by popular vote to servefour-year terms)elections: Senate - last held 4 March, 29 April, 4 June, 9 July, and22 July 2000 (next to be held NA March 2004); House ofRepresentatives - last held 6 January 2001 (next to be held NAJanuary 2005)election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats byparty - NA; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party -NA%; seats by party - TRT 248, DP 128, TNP 41, NDP 29, other 54
Judicial branch:Supreme Court or Sandika (judges appointed by the monarch)
Political parties and leaders:Democratic Party or DP (Prachathipat Party) [BANTADTAN Banyat];National Development Party or NDP (Chat Phattana) [KORN Dabbaransi];Thai Nation Party or TNP (Chat Thai Party) [BANHAN Sinlapa-acha];Thai Rak Thai Party or TRT [THAKSIN Chinnawat]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAS(observer), OIC (observer), OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMSIL,UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMISET, UNU, UPU,WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador SAKTHIP Krairiksh consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York FAX: [1] (202) 944-3611 telephone: [1] (202) 944-3600 chancery: 1024 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Darryl N. JOHNSON embassy: 120/22 Wireless Road, Bangkok mailing address: APO AP 96546 telephone: [66] (2) 205-4000 FAX: [66] (2) 254-2990, 205-4131 consulate(s) general: Chiang Mai
Flag description:five horizontal bands of red (top), white, blue (double width),white, and red
Economy Thailand
Economy - overview:Thailand has a free enterprise economy and welcomes foreigninvestment. Exports feature computers and electrical appliances.After enjoying the world's highest growth rate from 1985 to 1995 -averaging almost 9% annually - increased speculative pressure onThailand's currency in 1997 led to a crisis that uncovered financialsector weaknesses and forced the government to float the baht. Longpegged at 25 to the dollar, the baht reached its lowest point of 56to the dollar in January 1998, and the economy contracted by 10.2%that same year. Thailand then entered a recovery stage, expanding by4.2% in 1999 and 4.4% in 2000, largely due to strong exports. Anailing financial sector and the slow pace of corporate debtrestructuring, combined with a softening of global demand, slowedgrowth to 1.4% in 2001. Increased consumption and investmentspending pushed GDP growth up to 5.2% in 2002 despite a sluggishglobal economy.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $445.8 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:5.3% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $7,000 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11% industry: 40% services: 49% (2001)
Population below poverty line: 12.5% (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 32.4% (1998)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:41.4 (1998)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):0.6% (2002 est.)
Labor force:33.4 million (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 54%, industry 15%, services 31% (1996 est.)
Unemployment rate:2.9% (2002 est.)
Budget:revenues: $19 billionexpenditures: $21 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA(2000 est.)
Industries:tourism; textiles and garments, agricultural processing, beverages,tobacco, cement, light manufacturing, such as jewelry; electricappliances and components, computers and parts, integrated circuits,furniture, plastics; world's second-largest tungsten producer andthird-largest tin producer
Industrial production growth rate:3% (2000 est.)
Electricity - production:97.6 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 91.3% hydro: 6.4% other: 2.4% (2001) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption:90.91 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:200 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:350 million kWh (2001)
Oil - production:173,800 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:785,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:551.5 million bbl (37257)
Natural gas - production:18.73 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:23.93 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:5.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:368.2 billion cu m (37257)
Agriculture - products:rice, cassava (tapioca), rubber, corn, sugarcane, coconuts, soybeans
Exports:$67.7 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities:computers, transistors, seafood, clothing, rice (2000)
Exports - partners:US 19.6%, Japan 14.5%, Singapore 8.1%, Hong Kong 5.4%, China 5.2%,Malaysia 4.1% (2002)
Imports:$58.1 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities:capital goods, intermediate goods and raw materials, consumergoods, fuels (2000)
Imports - partners:Japan 23%, US 9.6%, China 7.6%, Malaysia 5.6%, Singapore 4.5%,Taiwan 4.4% (2002)
Debt - external:$62.5 billion (2002 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$131.5 million (1998 est.)
Currency:baht (THB)
Currency code:THB
Exchange rates:baht per US dollar - 42.96 (2002), 44.43 (2001), 40.11 (2000),37.81 (1999), 41.36 (1998)
Fiscal year:1 October - 30 September
Communications Thailand
Telephones - main lines in use:5.6 million (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular:3.1 million (2002)
Telephone system:general assessment: service to general public adequate, butinvestment in technological upgrades reduced by recession; bulk ofservice to government activities provided by multichannel cable andmicrowave radio relay networkdomestic: microwave radio relay and multichannel cable; domesticsatellite system being developedinternational: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Oceanand 1 Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 204, FM 334, shortwave 6 (1999)
Radios:13.96 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:5 (all in Bangkok; plus 131 repeaters) (1997)
Televisions:15.19 million (1997)
Internet country code:.th
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):15 (2000)
Internet users:1.2 million (2001)
Transportation Thailand
Railways: total: 4,071 km narrow gauge: 4,071 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)
Highways: total: 64,600 km paved: 62,985 km unpaved: 1,615 km (1999 est.)
Waterways:4,000 kmnote: 3,701 km are navigable throughout the year by boats withdrafts up to 0.9 meters; numerous minor waterways serveshallow-draft native craft
Pipelines:gas 3,066 km; refined products 265 km (2003)
Ports and harbors:Bangkok, Laem Chabang, Pattani, Phuket, Sattahip, Si Racha, Songkhla
Merchant marine:total: 317 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,744,103 GRT/2,657,666 DWTnote: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag ofconvenience: Germany 1, Greece 1, Indonesia 1, Japan 1, Norway 24,Panama 1, Singapore 1 (2002 est.)ships by type: bulk 33, cargo 136, chemical tanker 5, combinationbulk 1, combination ore/oil 1, container 17, liquefied gas 21,multi-functional large-load carrier 2, passenger 1, petroleum tanker74, refrigerated cargo 17, roll on/roll off 2, short-sea passenger2, specialized tanker 4, vehicle carrier 1
Airports:111 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 62 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 5 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 23
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 49 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 31 (2002)
Heliports: 2 (2002)
Military Thailand
Military branches:Royal Thai Army, Royal Thai Navy (includes Royal Thai MarineCorps), Royal Thai Air Force, paramilitary forces (includes theBorder Patrol Police [including Police Aerial Reinforcement Unit],Thahan Phran, Special Action Forces, Police Aviation Division, ThaiMarine Police, and the Volunteer Defense Corps)
Military manpower - military age:18 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 17,904,298 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 10,724,565 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:males: 520,472 (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$1.775 billion (FY00)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:1.4% (FY00)
Transnational Issues Thailand
Disputes - international:completion of boundary demarcation with Cambodia hampered byaccusations of moving and destroying boundary markers,encroachments, initiating border incidents, and sealing off PreahVihear temple ruins, awarded to Cambodia by ICJ decision in 1962;demarcation complete except for a 1 kilometer segment at the mouthof the Kolok River in dispute with Malaysia; demarcation with Laoscomplete except for certain Mekong River islets and complaints ofThai squatters; despite continuing border committee talks,significant differences remain with Burma over boundary alignmentand the handling of ethnic rebels, refugees, and illegalcross-border activities
Illicit drugs:a minor producer of opium, heroin, and marijuana; illicit transitpoint for heroin en route to the international drug market fromBurma and Laos; eradication efforts have reduced the area ofcannabis cultivation and shifted some production to neighboringcountries; opium poppy cultivation has been reduced by eradicationefforts; also a drug money-laundering center; minor role inamphetamine production for regional consumption; increasingindigenous abuse of methamphetamine
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
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@Togo
Introduction Togo
Background:French Togoland became Togo in 1960. Gen. Gnassingbe EYADEMA,installed as military ruler in 1967, is Africa's longest-servinghead of state. Despite the facade of multiparty elections institutedin the early 1990s, the government continues to be dominated byPresident EYADEMA, whose Rally of the Togolese People (RPT) partyhas maintained power almost continually since 1967. In addition,Togo has come under fire from international organizations for humanrights abuses and is plagued by political unrest. Most bilateral andmultilateral aid to Togo remains frozen.