Geography Togo
Location:Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Benin andGhana
Geographic coordinates:8 00 N, 1 10 E
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 56,785 sq kmwater: 2,400 sq kmland: 54,385 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than West Virginia
Land boundaries: total: 1,647 km border countries: Benin 644 km, Burkina Faso 126 km, Ghana 877 km
Coastline: 56 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 30 NM
Climate:tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north
Terrain:gently rolling savanna in north; central hills; southern plateau;low coastal plain with extensive lagoons and marshes
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 mhighest point: Mont Agou 986 m
Natural resources:phosphates, limestone, marble, arable land
Land use: arable land: 41.37% permanent crops: 1.84% other: 56.79% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:70 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:hot, dry harmattan wind can reduce visibility in north duringwinter; periodic droughts
Environment - current issues: deforestation attributable to slash-and-burn agriculture and the use of wood for fuel; water pollution presents health hazards and hinders the fishing industry; air pollution increasing in urban areas
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:the country's length allows it to stretch through six distinctgeographic regions; climate varies from tropical to savanna
People Togo
Population:5,429,299note: 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: 44.5% (male 1,211,252; female 1,203,564)15-64 years: 53% (male 1,404,763; female 1,473,360)65 years and over: 2.5% (male 57,535; female 78,825) (2003 est.)
Median age:total: 17.3 yearsmale: 16.9 yearsfemale: 17.7 years (2002)
Population growth rate:2.37% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:35.23 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:11.51 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 68.73 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 60.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)male: 76.58 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 53.43 yearsmale: 51.47 yearsfemale: 55.45 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:4.97 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:6% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:150,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:12,000 (2001 est.)
Nationality:noun: Togolese (singular and plural)adjective: Togolese
Ethnic groups:native African (37 tribes; largest and most important are Ewe,Mina, and Kabre) 99%, European and Syrian-Lebanese less than 1%
Religions:indigenous beliefs 51%, Christian 29%, Muslim 20%
Languages:French (official and the language of commerce), Ewe and Mina (thetwo major African languages in the south), Kabye (sometimes spelledKabiye) and Dagomba (the two major African languages in the north)
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 60.9%male: 75.4%female: 46.9% (2003 est.)
Government Togo
Country name:conventional long form: Togolese Republicconventional short form: Togolocal short form: noneformer: French Togolandlocal long form: Republique Togolaise
Government type:republic under transition to multiparty democratic rule
Capital:Lome
Administrative divisions:5 regions (regions, singular - region); De La Kara, Des Plateaux,Des Savanes, Centrale, Maritime
Independence:27 April 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)
National holiday:Independence Day, 27 April (1960)
Constitution:multiparty draft constitution approved by High Council of theRepublic 1 July 1992; adopted by public referendum 27 September 1992
Legal system:French-based court system
Suffrage:NA years of age; universal adult
Executive branch:chief of state: President Gen. Gnassingbe EYADEMA (since 14 April1967)head of government: Prime Minister Koffi SAMA (since 29 June 2002)cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and theprime ministerelections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;election last held 1 June 2003 (next to be held NA June 2008); primeminister appointed by the presidentelection results: Gnassingbe EYADEMA reelected president; percent ofvote - Gnassingbe EYADEMA 57.2%, Emmanuel Akitani BOB 34.1%, YawoviAGBOYIBO 5.2%, Maurice Dahuku PERE 2.3%, Edem KODJO 1.0%
Legislative branch:unicameral National Assembly (81 seats; members are elected bypopular vote to serve five-year terms)elections: last held 27 October 2002 (next NA 2007)note: two opposition parties boycotted the election, the Union ofthe Forces for Change, and the Action Committee for Renewalelection results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -RPT 72, RSD 3, UDPS 2, Juvento 2, MOCEP 1, independents 1
Judicial branch:Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme
Political parties and leaders: Juvento [Monsilia DJATO]; Movement of the Believers of Peace and Equality or MOCEP [leader NA]; Rally for the Support for Development and Democracy or RSDD [Hanay OLYMPIO]; Rally of the Togolese People or RPT [President Gnassingbe EYADEMA]; Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS [Gagou KOKOU] note: Rally of the Togolese People or RPT, led by President EYADEMA, was the only party until the formation of multiple parties was legalized 12 April 1991
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIPONUH, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Akoussoulelou BODJONA FAX: [1] (202) 232-3190 telephone: [1] (202) 234-4212 chancery: 2208 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Gregory ENGLE embassy: Angle Rue Kouenou and Rue 15 Beniglato, Lome mailing address: B. P. 852, Lome telephone: [228] 221 29 91 through 221 29 94 FAX: [228] 221 79 52
Flag description:five equal horizontal bands of green (top and bottom) alternatingwith yellow; there is a white five-pointed star on a red square inthe upper hoist-side corner; uses the popular pan-African colors ofEthiopia
Economy Togo
Economy - overview:This small sub-Saharan economy is heavily dependent on bothcommercial and subsistence agriculture, which provides employmentfor 65% of the labor force. Some basic foodstuffs must still beimported. Cocoa, coffee, and cotton generate about 40% of exportearnings, with cotton being the most important cash crop. Togo isthe world's fourth-largest producer of phosphate, but productionfell an estimated 22% in 2002 due to power shortages and the cost ofdeveloping new deposits. The government's decade-long effort,supported by the World Bank and the IMF, to implement economicreform measures, encourage foreign investment, and bring revenues inline with expenditures has moved slowly. Progress depends onfollowing through on privatization, increased openness in governmentfinancial operations, progress toward legislative elections, andcontinued support from foreign donors.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $7.594 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:2.9% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $1,400 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 42% industry: 21% services: 37% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line:32% (1989 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):4% (2002 est.)
Labor force:1.74 million (1996)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 65%, industry 5%, services 30% (1998 est.)
Unemployment rate:NA%
Budget:revenues: $232 millionexpenditures: $252 million, including capital expenditures of $NA(1997 est.)
Industries:phosphate mining, agricultural processing, cement; handicrafts,textiles, beverages
Industrial production growth rate:NA%
Electricity - production:101.6 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 98.7% hydro: 1.3% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption:614.5 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:520 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by Ghana (2001)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:10,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Agriculture - products: coffee, cocoa, cotton, yams, cassava (tapioca), corn, beans, rice, millet, sorghum; livestock; fish
Exports:$449 million f.o.b. (2002)
Exports - commodities:reexports, cotton, phosphates, coffee, cocoa
Exports - partners:Ghana 17.7%, Benin 13.3%, Burkina Faso 8.2%, Philippines 4.9%,Niger 4.1% (2002)
Imports:$561 million f.o.b. (2002)
Imports - commodities:machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products
Imports - partners:France 21.3%, China 17%, Netherlands 6.5%, Germany 5.3%, UK 4.8%,Italy 4.4% (2002)
Debt - external:$1.4 billion (2000)
Economic aid - recipient:ODA $80 million (2000 est.)
Currency:Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsibleauthority is the Central Bank of the West African States
Currency code:XOF
Exchange rates:Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 696.99(2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.7 (1999), 589.95 (1998)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Togo
Telephones - main lines in use:25,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular:2,995 (1997)
Telephone system:general assessment: fair system based on a network of microwaveradio relay routes supplemented by open-wire lines and a mobilecellular systemdomestic: microwave radio relay and open-wire lines for conventionalsystem; cellular system has capacity of 10,000 telephonesinternational: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (AtlanticOcean) and 1 Symphonie
Radio broadcast stations:AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (1998)
Radios:940,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:3 (plus two repeaters) (1997)
Televisions:73,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.tg
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):3 (2001)
Internet users:50,000 (2002)
Transportation Togo
Railways: total: 525 km narrow gauge: 525 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)
Highways: total: 7,520 km paved: 2,376 km unpaved: 5,144 km (1999 est.)
Waterways:50 km (Mono river)
Ports and harbors:Kpeme, Lome
Merchant marine:total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 3,918 GRT/3,852 DWTships by type: cargo 1, specialized tanker 1note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag ofconvenience: Greece 1 (2002 est.)
Airports:9 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 22,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 7914 to 1,523 m: 5under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Military Togo
Military branches:Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 1,270,146 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 666,132 (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$23.72 million (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:1.8% (FY02)
Transnational Issues Togo
Disputes - international:in 2001 Benin claimed Togo moved boundary monuments - jointcommission presently resurveying the boundary
Illicit drugs:transit hub for Nigerian heroin and cocaine traffickers; moneylaundering not a significant problem
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
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@Tokelau
Introduction Tokelau
Background:Originally settled by Polynesian emigrants from surrounding islandgroups, the Tokelau Islands were made a British protectorate in1889. They were transferred to New Zealand administration in 1925.
Geography Tokelau
Location:Oceania, group of three atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, aboutone-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Geographic coordinates:9 00 S, 172 00 W
Map references:Oceania
Area:total: 10 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmland: 10 sq km
Area - comparative:about 17 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:101 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate:tropical; moderated by trade winds (April to November)
Terrain:low-lying coral atolls enclosing large lagoons
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 mhighest point: unnamed location 5 m
Natural resources:NEGL
Land use:arable land: 0% (soil is thin and infertile)permanent crops: 0%other: 100% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:NA sq km
Natural hazards:lies in Pacific typhoon belt
Environment - current issues:very limited natural resources and overcrowding are contributing toemigration to New Zealand
Geography - note:consists of three atolls, each with a lagoon surrounded by a numberof reef-bound islets of varying length and rising to over threemeters above sea level
People Tokelau
Population: 1,418 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 42% 15-64 years: 53% 65 years and over: 5% (2003 est.)
Population growth rate:0.01% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:NA births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:NA deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Sex ratio:NA (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: NA%male: NA%female: NA%
Life expectancy at birth:total population: NA yearsmale: 68 yearsfemale: 70 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:NA children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:NA%
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:NA
Nationality:noun: Tokelauan(s)adjective: Tokelauan
Ethnic groups:Polynesian
Religions:Congregational Christian Church 70%, Roman Catholic 28%, other 2%note: on Atafu, all Congregational Christian Church of Samoa; onNukunonu, all Roman Catholic; on Fakaofo, both denominations, withthe Congregational Christian Church predominant
Languages:Tokelauan (a Polynesian language), English
Literacy:NA
Government Tokelau
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Tokelau
Dependency status:self-administering territory of New Zealand; note - Tokelauans aredrafting a constitution and developing institutions and patterns ofself-government as Tokelau moves toward free association with NewZealand
Government type:NA
Capital:none; each atoll has its own administrative center
Administrative divisions:none (territory of New Zealand)
Independence:none (territory of New Zealand)
National holiday:Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereigntyover New Zealand), 6 February (1840)
Constitution:administered under the Tokelau Islands Act of 1948, as amended in1970
Legal system:New Zealand and local statutes
Suffrage:21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); the UKand New Zealand are represented by Administrator Lindsay WATT (sinceNA March 1993)elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointedby the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade in New Zealand; thehead of government is chosen from the Council of Faipule and servesa one-year termhead of government: Aliki Faipule Pio TUIA (since NA 2002)cabinet: the Council of Faipule, consisting of three elected leaders- one from each atoll - functions as a cabinet
Legislative branch:unicameral General Fono (48 seats; members chosen by each atoll'sCouncil of Elders or Taupulega to serve three-year terms); note -the Tokelau Amendment Act of 1996 confers limited legislative poweron the General Fono
Judicial branch:Supreme Court in New Zealand exercises civil and criminaljurisdiction in Tokelau
Political parties and leaders:none
Political pressure groups and leaders:none
International organization participation:SPC, UNESCO (associate), WHO (associate)
Diplomatic representation in the US:none (territory of New Zealand)
Diplomatic representation from the US:none (territory of New Zealand)
Flag description:the flag of New Zealand is used
Economy Tokelau
Economy - overview:Tokelau's small size (three villages), isolation, and lack ofresources greatly restrain economic development and confineagriculture to the subsistence level. The people rely heavily on aidfrom New Zealand - about $4 million annually - to maintain publicservices, with annual aid being substantially greater than GDP. Theprincipal sources of revenue come from sales of copra, postagestamps, souvenir coins, and handicrafts. Money is also remitted tofamilies from relatives in New Zealand.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $1.5 million (1993 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:NA%
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $1,000 (1993 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:agriculture: NA%industry: NA%services: NA%
Population below poverty line:NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):NA%
Labor force:NA
Unemployment rate:NA%
Budget:revenues: $430,830expenditures: $2.8 million, including capital expenditures of$37,300 (1987 est.)
Industries:small-scale enterprises for copra production, woodworking, plaitedcraft goods; stamps, coins; fishing
Industrial production growth rate:NA%
Electricity - production:NA kWh
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption:NA kWh
Agriculture - products:coconuts, copra, breadfruit, papayas, bananas; pigs, poultry, goats
Exports:$98,000 f.o.b. (1983)
Exports - commodities:stamps, copra, handicrafts
Exports - partners:NZ (2000)
Imports:$323,000 c.i.f. (1983)
Imports - commodities:foodstuffs, building materials, fuel
Imports - partners:NZ (2000)
Debt - external:$0
Economic aid - recipient:from New Zealand about $4 million annually
Currency:New Zealand dollar (NZD)
Currency code:NZD
Exchange rates:New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 2.154 (2002), 2.3776 (2001),2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999), 1.8632 (1998), 1.5083 (1997)
Fiscal year:1 April - 31 March
Communications Tokelau
Telephones - main lines in use:NA
Telephones - mobile cellular:0 (2001)
Telephone system:general assessment: adequatedomestic: radiotelephone service between islandsinternational: radiotelephone service to Samoa; government-regulatedtelephone service (TeleTok), with 3 satellite earth stations,established in 1997
Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA note: each atoll has a radio broadcast station of unknown type that broadcasts shipping and weather reports (1998)
Radios:1,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.tk
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1 (2000)
Internet users:NA
Transportation Tokelau
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km
Waterways:none
Ports and harbors:none; offshore anchorage only
Merchant marine:none (2002 est.)
Airports:none; lagoon landings are possible by amphibious aircraft (2002)
Military Tokelau
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of New Zealand
Transnational Issues Tokelau
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
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@Tonga
Introduction Tonga
Background:The archipelago of "The Friendly Islands" was united into aPolynesian kingdom in 1845. It became a constitutional monarchy in1875 and a British protectorate in 1900. Tonga acquired itsindependence in 1970 and became a member of the Commonwealth ofNations. It remains the only monarchy in the Pacific.
Geography Tonga
Location:Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirdsof the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Geographic coordinates:20 00 S, 175 00 W
Map references:Oceania
Area:total: 748 sq kmwater: 30 sq kmland: 718 sq km
Area - comparative:four times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:419 km
Maritime claims:continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitationterritorial sea: 12 NMexclusive economic zone: 200 NM
Climate:tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to May),cool season (May to December)
Terrain:most islands have limestone base formed from uplifted coralformation; others have limestone overlying volcanic base
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 mhighest point: unnamed location on Kao Island 1,033 m
Natural resources:fish, fertile soil
Land use:arable land: 23.61%permanent crops: 43.06%other: 33.33% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:NA sq km
Natural hazards:cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity onFonuafo'ou
Environment - current issues:deforestation results as more and more land is being cleared foragriculture and settlement; some damage to coral reefs from starfishand indiscriminate coral and shell collectors; overhunting threatensnative sea turtle populations
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of theSea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone LayerProtection, Ship Pollutionsigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:archipelago of 169 islands (36 inhabited)
People Tonga
Population:108,141 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 38.2% (male 21,085; female 20,265)15-64 years: 57.6% (male 30,785; female 31,532)65 years and over: 4.1% (male 1,973; female 2,501) (2003 est.)
Median age:total: 19.8 yearsmale: 19.3 yearsfemale: 20.3 years (2002)
Population growth rate:1.9% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:24.51 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:5.54 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 13.35 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 11.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)male: 14.75 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 68.88 yearsmale: 66.43 yearsfemale: 71.44 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:3 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:NA%
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:NA
Nationality:noun: Tongan(s)adjective: Tongan
Ethnic groups:Polynesian, Europeans about 300
Religions:Christian (Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30,000 adherents)
Languages:Tongan, English
Literacy:definition: can read and write Tongan and/or Englishtotal population: 98.5%male: 98.4%female: 98.7% (1996 est.)
Government Tonga
Country name:conventional long form: Kingdom of Tongaconventional short form: Tongaformer: Friendly Islands
Government type:hereditary constitutional monarchy
Capital:Nuku'alofa
Administrative divisions:3 island groups; Ha'apai, Tongatapu, Vava'u
Independence:4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate)
National holiday:Independence Day, 4 June (1970)
Constitution:4 November 1875, revised 1 January 1967
Legal system:based on English law
Suffrage:21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: King Taufa'ahau TUPOU IV (since 16 December 1965)note: there is also a Privy Council that consists of the monarch,the Cabinet, and two governorselections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister anddeputy prime minister appointed for life by the monarchcabinet: Cabinet, appointed by the monarch, consists of 12 membershead of government: Prime Minister Prince Lavaka ata ULUKALALA(since NA February 2000) and Deputy Prime Minister Tevita TOPOU(since NA January 2001)
Legislative branch:unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fale Alea (30 seats - 12reserved for cabinet ministers sitting ex officio, nine for noblesselected by the country's 33 nobles, and nine elected by popularvote; members serve three-year terms)elections: last held 7 March 2002 (next to be held NA 2005)election results: percent of vote - pro-democratic 70%; seats -pro-democratic 7, traditionalist 2
Judicial branch:Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the monarch); Court ofAppeal (consists of the Privy Council with the addition of the chiefjustice of the Supreme Court)
Political parties and leaders:there are no political parties
Political pressure groups and leaders:Tonga Human Rights and Democracy Movement or THRDM [Akilisi POHIVA,president]
International organization participation:ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,IFC, IFRCS, IHO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF,UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Sonatane T. T. TUPOU chancery: 250 East 51st Street, New York, NY 10022 telephone: [1] (917) 369-1136 consulate(s) general: San Francisco FAX: [1] (917) 369-1024
Diplomatic representation from the US:the US does not have an embassy in Tonga; the ambassador to Fiji isaccredited to Tonga
Flag description:red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in the upperhoist-side corner
Economy Tonga
Economy - overview:Tonga has a small, open economy with a narrow export base inagricultural goods. Squash, coconuts, bananas, and vanilla beans arethe main crops, and agricultural exports make up two-thirds of totalexports. The country must import a high proportion of its food,mainly from New Zealand. Tourism is the second-largest source ofhard currency earnings following remittances. The country remainsdependent on external aid and remittances from Tongan communitiesoverseas to offset its trade deficit. The government is emphasizingthe development of the private sector, especially the encouragementof investment, and is committing increased funds for health andeducation. Tonga has a reasonably sound basic infrastructure andwell-developed social services.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $236 million (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:3% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $2,200 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:agriculture: 26%industry: 12%services: 62% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line:NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):8.4% (2001 est.)
Labor force:33,908 (1996)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 65% (1997 est.)
Unemployment rate:13.3% (1996 est.)
Budget:revenues: $39.9 millionexpenditures: $52.4 million, including capital expenditures of $1.9million (FY 99/00 est.)
Industries:tourism, fishing
Industrial production growth rate:8.6% (FY 98/99)
Electricity - production:27.27 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption:25.36 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:1,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Agriculture - products: squash, coconuts, copra, bananas, vanilla beans, cocoa, coffee, ginger, black pepper; fish
Exports:$8.9 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Exports - commodities:squash, fish, vanilla beans, root crops
Exports - partners:Japan 43.2%, US 41.2%, Greece 4% (2002)
Imports:$70 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Imports - commodities:foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, fuels, chemicals
Imports - partners:New Zealand 30.8%, Fiji 20.7%, US 14.2%, Australia 13.2%, China6.1% (2002)
Debt - external:$57.5 million (June 2001)
Economic aid - recipient:Australia $5.5 million, New Zealand $2.3 million (FY01/02)
Currency:pa'anga (TOP)
Currency code:TOP
Exchange rates:pa'anga per US dollar NA (2002), 2.12 (2001), 1.76 (2000), 1.6(1999), 1.49 (1998)
Fiscal year:1 July - 30 June
Communications Tonga
Telephones - main lines in use:8,000 (1996)
Telephones - mobile cellular:302 (1996)
Telephone system:general assessment: NAdomestic: NAinternational: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)(1996)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (2001)
Radios:61,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:2 (2001)
Televisions:2,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.to
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):2 (2000)
Internet users:1,000 (2000)
Transportation Tonga
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 680 km paved: 184 km unpaved: 496 km (1999 est.)
Waterways:none
Ports and harbors:Neiafu, Nuku'alofa, Pangai
Merchant marine:total: 78 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 250,020 GRT/350,055 DWTships by type: bulk 6, cargo 44, chemical tanker 4, container 1,liquefied gas 5, livestock carrier 2, petroleum tanker 9,refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 1,vehicle carrier 1note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag ofconvenience: Albania 1, Australia 4, Austria 1, Bolivia 1, Cyprus 1,Djibouti 1, Egypt 2, Greece 4, Lebanon 2, Liberia 2, MarshallIslands 2, Morocco 1, Norway 1, Panama 1, Romania 3, Russia 1, SaoTome and Principe 1, Saudi Arabia 2, Singapore 1, Sweden 1,Switzerland 3, Syria 5, Ukraine 1, UAE 16, US 4 (2002 est.)
Airports:6 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 12,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 51,524 to 2,437 m: 1914 to 1,523 m: 2under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Military Tonga
Military branches:Tonga Defense Services (made up of three operational commandcomponents and two support elements, including the Royal Marines,Royal Guards, Maritime Force, a support/logistics group, and atraining group), Police; note - a new air wing that will besubordinate to the Ministry of Defense is being developed
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:NA%
Transnational Issues Tonga
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
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@Trinidad and Tobago
Introduction Trinidad and Tobago
Background:The islands came under British control in the 19th century;independence was granted in 1962. The country is one of the mostprosperous in the Caribbean, thanks largely to petroleum and naturalgas production and processing. Tourism, mostly in Tobago, istargeted for expansion and is growing.
Geography Trinidad and Tobago
Location:Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North AtlanticOcean, northeast of Venezuela
Geographic coordinates:11 00 N, 61 00 W
Map references:Central America and the Caribbean
Area:total: 5,128 sq kmland: 5,128 sq kmwater: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than Delaware
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:362 km
Maritime claims:measured from claimed archipelagic baselinesexclusive economic zone: 200 NMterritorial sea: 12 NMcontinental shelf: 200 NM or to the outer edge of the continentalmargincontiguous zone: 24 NM
Climate:tropical; rainy season (June to December)
Terrain:mostly plains with some hills and low mountains
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: El Cerro del Aripo 940 m
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, asphalt
Land use: arable land: 14.62% permanent crops: 9.16% other: 76.22% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:30 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:outside usual path of hurricanes and other tropical storms
Environment - current issues:water pollution from agricultural chemicals, industrial wastes, andraw sewage; oil pollution of beaches; deforestation; soil erosion
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Lawof the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone LayerProtection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:Pitch Lake, on Trinidad's southwestern coast, is the world'slargest natural reservoir of asphalt
People Trinidad and Tobago
Population:1,104,209 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 22.2% (male 125,470; female 119,270)15-64 years: 70% (male 402,137; female 370,600)65 years and over: 7.9% (male 38,928; female 47,804) (2003 est.)
Median age:total: 29.9 yearsmale: 29.5 yearsfemale: 30.4 years (2002)
Population growth rate:-0.68% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:12.74 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:8.71 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:-10.79 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: 1.09 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 24.97 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 22.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)male: 26.93 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 69.59 yearsmale: 67.07 yearsfemale: 72.23 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.78 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:2.5% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:17,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:1,200 (2001 est.)
Nationality:noun: Trinidadian(s), Tobagonian(s)adjective: Trinidadian, Tobagonian
Ethnic groups:black 39.5%, East Indian (a local term - primarily immigrants fromnorthern India) 40.3%, mixed 18.4%, white 0.6%, Chinese and other1.2%
Religions:Roman Catholic 29.4%, Hindu 23.8%, Anglican 10.9%, Muslim 5.8%,Presbyterian 3.4%, other 26.7%
Languages:English (official), Hindi, French, Spanish, Chinese
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 98.6%male: 99.1%female: 98% (2003 est.)
Government Trinidad and Tobago
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Trinidad and Tobagoconventional short form: Trinidad and Tobago
Government type:parliamentary democracy
Capital:Port-of-Spain
Administrative divisions:8 counties, 3 municipalities*, and 1 ward**; Arima*, Caroni,Mayaro, Nariva, Port-of-Spain*, Saint Andrew, Saint David, SaintGeorge, Saint Patrick, San Fernando*, Tobago**, Victoria
Independence:31 August 1962 (from UK)
National holiday:Independence Day, 31 August (1962)
Constitution:1 August 1976
Legal system:based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts inthe Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President George Maxwell RICHARDS (since 17 March2003)head of government: Prime Minister Patrick MANNING (since 24December 2001)cabinet: Cabinet appointed from among the members of Parliamentelections: president elected by an electoral college, which consistsof the members of the Senate and House of Representatives, for afive-year term; election last held 14 February 2003 (next to be heldNA 2008); the president usually appoints as prime minister theleader of the majority party in the House of Representativeselection results: George Maxwell RICHARDS elected president; percentof electoral college vote - 43%
Legislative branch:bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (31 seats; membersappointed by the president for a maximum term of five years) and theHouse of Representatives (36 seats; members are elected by popularvote to serve five-year terms)elections: House of Representatives - last held 7 October 2002 (nextto be held by October 2007)note: Tobago has a unicameral House of Assembly, with 15 membersserving four-year termselection results: House of Representatives - percent of vote - PNM55.5%, UNC 44.5%; seats by party - PNM 20, UNC 16
Judicial branch:Supreme Court of Judicature (comprised of the High Court of Justiceand the Court of Appeals; the chief justice is appointed by thepresident on the advice of the prime minister and the leader of theopposition; other justices are appointed by the president on theadvice of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission); High Court ofJustice; Court of Appeals the highest court of appeal is the PrivyCouncil in London
Political parties and leaders:National Alliance for Reconstruction or NAR [Hochoy CHARLES];People's Empowerment Party or PEP [leader NA]; People's NationalMovement or PNM [Patrick MANNING]; Team Unity or TUN [RameshMAHARAJ]; United National Congress or UNC [Basdeo PANDAY]
Political pressure groups and leaders:Jamaat-al Musilmeen [Yasin BAKR]
International organization participation:ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO,ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Marina Annette VALERE (as of February2003)chancery: 1708 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036consulate(s) general: Miami and New YorkFAX: [1] (202) 785-3130telephone: [1] (202) 467-6490
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Roy L. AUSTIN embassy: 15 Queen's Park West, Port-of-Spain mailing address: P. O. Box 752, Port-of-Spain telephone: [1] (868) 622-6372 through 6376, 622-6176 FAX: [1] (868) 628-5462
Flag description:red with a white-edged black diagonal band from the upper hoistside to the lower fly side
Economy Trinidad and Tobago
Economy - overview:Trinidad and Tobago has earned a reputation as an excellentinvestment site for international businesses. A leading performerthe past four years has been the booming natural gas sector. Tourismis a growing sector, although not proportionately as important as inmany other Caribbean islands. The economy benefits from lowinflation and a trade surplus. The year 2002 was marked by solidgrowth in the oil sector, offset in part by domestic politicaluncertainty.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $11.07 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:3.2% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $10,000 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.6% industry: 43.2% services: 55.2% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line:21% (1992 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):4.3% (2002 est.)
Labor force:564,000 (2000)
Labor force - by occupation: construction and utilities 12.4%, manufacturing, mining, and quarrying 14%, agriculture 9.5%, services 64.1% (1997 est.)
Unemployment rate:10.8% (2002)
Budget:revenues: $1.54 billionexpenditures: $1.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $117.3million (1998)
Industries:petroleum, chemicals, tourism, food processing, cement, beverage,cotton textiles
Industrial production growth rate:2.6% (2002 est.)
Electricity - production:5.315 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.8% hydro: 0% other: 0.2% (2001) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption:4.943 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:125,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:24,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:716 million bbl (37257)
Natural gas - production:15.19 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:11.54 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:3.65 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:610.6 billion cu m (37257)
Agriculture - products:cocoa, sugarcane, rice, citrus, coffee, vegetables; poultry
Exports:$4.2 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities:petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, steel products,fertilizer, sugar, cocoa, coffee, citrus, flowers
Exports - partners:US 56.9%, Jamaica 7.3%, France 4.4% (2002)
Imports:$3.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods, food, liveanimals
Imports - partners:US 42%, Cote d'Ivoire 5.5%, UK 5%, Japan 4.5%, Brazil 4.3% (2002)
Debt - external:$2.8 billion (2002 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$24 million (1999 est.)
Currency:Trinidad and Tobago dollar (TTD)
Currency code:TTD
Exchange rates:Trinidad and Tobago dollars per US dollar - 6.24 (2002), 6.23(2001), 6.3 (2000), 6.3 (1999), 6.3 (1998)
Fiscal year:1 October - 30 September
Communications Trinidad and Tobago
Telephones - main lines in use:252,000 (1999)
Telephones - mobile cellular:17,411 (1997)
Telephone system:general assessment: excellent international service; good localservicedomestic: NAinternational: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (AtlanticOcean); tropospheric scatter to Barbados and Guyana
Radio broadcast stations:AM 2, FM 12, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios:680,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:4 (1997)
Televisions:425,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.tt