GDP:purchasing power parity - $31.34 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:21.1% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $6,700 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 27% industry: 50% services: 23% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line: 34.4% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 31.7% (1998)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:40.8 (1998)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):5% (2002 est.)
Labor force:2.34 million (1996)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 48%, industry 15%, services 37% (1998 est.)
Unemployment rate:NA%
Budget:revenues: $588.6 millionexpenditures: $658.2 million, including capital expenditures of $NA(1999 est.)
Industries:natural gas, oil, petroleum products, textiles, food processing
Industrial production growth rate:1% (2002 est.)
Electricity - production:10.18 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.9% hydro: 0.1% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption:8.509 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:980 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:20 million kWh (2001)
Oil - production:162,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:63,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:273 million bbl (37257)
Natural gas - production:48.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:9.6 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:38.6 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:1.43 trillion cu m (37257)
Agriculture - products:cotton, grain; livestock
Exports:$2.97 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities:gas 57%, oil 26%, cotton fiber 3%, textiles 2% (2001)
Exports - partners:Ukraine 49.7%, Italy 18%, Iran 13.1%, Turkey 6.2% (2002)
Imports:$2.25 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery and equipment 60%, foodstuffs 15% (1999)
Imports - partners:Russia 19.8%, Turkey 12.8%, Ukraine 11.7%, UAE 10%, US 7.5%, China6%, Germany 5.7%, Iran 4.4% (2002)
Debt - external:$2.4 billion to $5 billion (2001 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$16 million from the US (2001)
Currency:Turkmen manat (TMM)
Currency code:TMM
Exchange rates:Turkmen manats per US dollar - 5,200 (2002), 5,200 (2001), 5,200(2000), 5,200 (1999), 4,890.17 (1998); note - the official exchangerate has not varied for the last four years; the unofficial rate hasfluctuated slightly, hovering around 21,000 manats to the dollar
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Turkmenistan
Telephones - main lines in use:363,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular:4,300 (1998)
Telephone system:general assessment: poorly developeddomestic: NAinternational: linked by cable and microwave radio relay to otherCIS republics and to other countries by leased connections to theMoscow international gateway switch; a new telephone link fromAshgabat to Iran has been established; a new exchange in Ashgabatswitches international traffic through Turkey via Intelsat;satellite earth stations - 1 Orbita and 1 Intelsat
Radio broadcast stations:AM 16, FM 8, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios:1.225 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:3 (much programming relayed from Russia and Turkey) (1997)
Televisions:820,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.tm
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1
Internet users:2,000 (2000)
Transportation Turkmenistan
Railways: total: 2,440 km broad gauge: 2,440 km 1.520-m gauge (2002)
Highways: total: 24,000 km paved: 19,488 km unpaved: 4,512 km (1999 est.)
Waterways:the Amu Darya is an important inland waterway for Turkmenistan, asis the man-made Kara Kum canal
Pipelines:gas 6,634 km; oil 853 km (2003)
Ports and harbors:Turkmenbasy
Merchant marine:total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,873 GRT/8,345 DWTships by type: combination ore/oil 1, petroleum tanker 1 (2002 est.)
Airports:76 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 13 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 63 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 41 (2002)
Military Turkmenistan
Military branches:Ministry of Defense (Army, Air and Air Defense, Navy, BorderTroops, and Internal Troops), National Guard
Military manpower - military age:18 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 1,239,737 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 1,005,686 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:males: 53,825 (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$90 million (FY99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:3.4% (FY99)
Transnational Issues Turkmenistan
Disputes - international:prolonged regional drought creates water-sharing difficulties forAmu Darya river states; Turkmenistan has not committed to followeither Iran or the other littoral states in the division of theCaspian Sea seabed and water column; ICJ decision expected toresolve dispute with Azerbaijan over sovereignty over Caspianoilfields; demarcation of land boundary with Kazakhstan is underway- maritime boundary not resolved
Illicit drugs:transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and, to alesser extent, Western European markets; limited illicit cultivationof opium poppy for domestic consumption; small-scale government-runeradication of illicit crops; transit point for heroin precursorchemicals bound for Afghanistan
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
======================================================================
@Turks and Caicos Islands
Introduction Turks and Caicos Islands
Background:The islands were part of the UK's Jamaican colony until 1962, whenthey assumed the status of a separate crown colony upon Jamaica'sindependence. The governor of The Bahamas oversaw affairs from 1965to 1973. With Bahamian independence, the islands received a separategovernor in 1973. Although independence was agreed upon for 1982,the policy was reversed and the islands are presently a Britishoverseas territory.
Geography Turks and Caicos Islands
Location:Caribbean, two island groups in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeastof The Bahamas, north of Haiti
Geographic coordinates:21 45 N, 71 35 W
Map references:Central America and the Caribbean
Area:total: 430 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmland: 430 sq km
Area - comparative:2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:389 km
Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate:tropical; marine; moderated by trade winds; sunny and relatively dry
Terrain:low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swamps
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Blue Hills 49 m
Natural resources: spiny lobster, conch
Land use: arable land: 2.33% permanent crops: 0% other: 97.67% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:NA sq km
Natural hazards:frequent hurricanes
Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources, private cisterns collect rainwater
Geography - note: about 40 islands (eight inhabited)
People Turks and Caicos Islands
Population:19,350 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 32.5% (male 3,202; female 3,094)15-64 years: 63.7% (male 6,484; female 5,848)65 years and over: 3.7% (male 321; female 401) (2003 est.)
Median age:total: 27 yearsmale: 27.7 yearsfemale: 26.3 years (2002)
Population growth rate:3.14% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:23.51 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:4.34 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:12.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 16.87 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 14.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)male: 19.48 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 74 yearsmale: 71.82 yearsfemale: 76.3 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:3.15 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: none adjective: none
Ethnic groups:black 90%, mixed, European, or north American 10%
Religions:Baptist 40%, Methodist 16%, Anglican 18%, Church of God 12%, other14% (1990)
Languages:English (official)
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over has ever attended schoolfemale: 98% (1970 est.)male: 99%total population: 98%
People - note:destination and transit point for illegal Haitian immigrants boundfor the Turks and Caicos Islands, Bahamas, and US
Government Turks and Caicos Islands
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Turks and Caicos Islands
Dependency status:overseas territory of the UK
Government type:NA
Capital:Grand Turk (Cockburn Town)
Administrative divisions:none (overseas territory of the UK)
Independence:none (overseas territory of the UK)
National holiday:Constitution Day, 30 August (1976)
Constitution:introduced 30 August 1976; suspended in 1986; restored and revised5 March 1988
Legal system:based on laws of England and Wales, with a few adopted from Jamaicaand The Bahamas
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1953),represented by Governor Jim POSTON (since 16 December 2002)elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed bythe monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of themajority party is appointed chief minister by the governorhead of government: Chief Minister Derek H. TAYLOR (since 31 January1995)cabinet: Executive Council consists of three ex officio members andfive appointed by the governor from among the members of theLegislative Council
Legislative branch:unicameral Legislative Council (19 seats, of which 13 are popularlyelected; members serve four-year terms)elections: last held 24 April 2003 (next to be held NA 2007)election results: percent of vote by party - PDM 53.8%, PNP 46.2%;seats by party - PDM 7, PNP 6; note - in by-elections held 7 August2003, the PNP gained two seats for a majority of 8 seats; PDM nowhas 5
Judicial branch:Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Derek H. TAYLOR]; ProgressiveNational Party or PNP [Washington MISICK]; United Democratic Partyor UDP [Wendal SWANN]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau)
Diplomatic representation in the US:none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US:none (overseas territory of the UK)
Flag description:blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant andthe colonial shield centered on the outer half of the flag; theshield is yellow and contains a conch shell, lobster, and cactus
Economy Turks and Caicos Islands
Economy - overview:The Turks and Caicos economy is based on tourism, fishing, andoffshore financial services. Most capital goods and food fordomestic consumption are imported. The US is the leading source oftourists, accounting for more than half of the 93,000 visitors in1998. Major sources of government revenue include fees from offshorefinancial activities and customs receipts. Tourism fell by 6% in2002 but appeared to be picking up at yearend.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $231 million (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:4.9% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $9,600 (2000 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):4% (1995)
Labor force:4,848 (1990 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: about 33% in government and 20% in agriculture and fishing; significant numbers in tourism, financial, and other services
Unemployment rate:10% (1997 est.)
Budget:revenues: $47 millionexpenditures: $33.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA(1997-98 est.)
Industries:tourism, offshore financial services
Industrial production growth rate:NA%
Electricity - production:5 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption:4.65 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day NA (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:0 bbl/day NA bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Agriculture - products:corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), citrus fruits; fish
Exports:$169.2 million (2000)
Exports - commodities:lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells
Exports - partners:US, UK
Imports:$175.6 million (2000)
Imports - commodities:food and beverages, tobacco, clothing, manufactures, constructionmaterials
Imports - partners:US, UK
Debt - external:$NA
Economic aid - recipient:$4.1 million (1997)
Currency:US dollar (USD)
Currency code:USD
Exchange rates:the US dollar is used
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Turks and Caicos Islands
Telephones - main lines in use:3,000 (1994)
Telephones - mobile cellular:0 (1994)
Telephone system:general assessment: fair cable and radiotelephone servicesdomestic: NAinternational: 2 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 3 (one inactive), FM 6, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios:8,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:0 (broadcasts from The Bahamas are received; cable television isestablished) (1997)
Televisions:NA
Internet country code:.tc
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):14 (2000)
Internet users:NA
Transportation Turks and Caicos Islands
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 121 km paved: 24 km unpaved: 97 km (2000)
Waterways:none
Ports and harbors:Grand Turk, Providenciales
Merchant marine:none (2002 est.)
Airports:8 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 3914 to 1,523 m: 1under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Military Turks and Caicos Islands
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues Turks and Caicos Islands
Disputes - international:none
Illicit drugs:transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for theUS and Europe
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
======================================================================
@Tuvalu
Introduction Tuvalu
Background:In 1974, ethnic differences within the British colony of theGilbert and Ellice Islands caused the Polynesians of the ElliceIslands to vote for separation from the Micronesians of the GilbertIslands. The following year, the Ellice Islands became the separateBritish colony of Tuvalu. Independence was granted in 1978. In 2000,Tuvalu negotiated a contract leasing its Internet domain name ".tv"for $50 million in royalties over the next dozen years.
Geography Tuvalu
Location:Oceania, island group consisting of nine coral atolls in the SouthPacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia
Geographic coordinates:8 00 S, 178 00 E
Map references:Oceania
Area:total: 26 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmland: 26 sq km
Area - comparative:0.1 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:24 km
Maritime claims:contiguous zone: 24 NMterritorial sea: 12 NMexclusive economic zone: 200 NM
Climate:tropical; moderated by easterly trade winds (March to November);westerly gales and heavy rain (November to March)
Terrain:very low-lying and narrow coral atolls
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 5 m
Natural resources: fish
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:NA sq km
Natural hazards:severe tropical storms are usually rare, but, in 1997, there werethree cyclones; low level of islands make them very sensitive tochanges in sea level
Environment - current issues:since there are no streams or rivers and groundwater is notpotable, most water needs must be met by catchment systems withstorage facilities (the Japanese Government has built onedesalination plant and plans to build one other); beachhead erosionbecause of the use of sand for building materials; excessiveclearance of forest undergrowth for use as fuel; damage to coralreefs from the spread of the Crown of Thorns starfish; Tuvalu isvery concerned about global increases in greenhouse gas emissionsand their effect on rising sea levels, which threaten the country'sunderground water table; in 2000, the government appealed toAustralia and New Zealand to take in Tuvaluans if rising sea levelsshould make evacuation necessary
Environment - international agreements:party to: Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,Desertification, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollutionsigned, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Law of the Sea
Geography - note:one of the smallest and most remote countries on Earth; six of thecoral atolls - Nanumea, Nui, Vaitupu, Nukufetau, Funafuti, andNukulaelae - have lagoons open to the ocean; Nanumaya and Niutaohave landlocked lagoons; Niulakita does not have a lagoon
People Tuvalu
Population:11,305 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 31.9% (male 1,838; female 1,772)15-64 years: 63% (male 3,432; female 3,687)65 years and over: 5.1% (male 231; female 345) (2003 est.)
Median age:total: 24.2 yearsmale: 22.9 yearsfemale: 25.8 years (2002)
Population growth rate:1.42% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:21.58 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:7.34 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: 0.93 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 21.34 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 18.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)male: 24.35 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 67.32 yearsmale: 65.15 yearsfemale: 69.59 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:3.05 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: Tuvaluan(s)adjective: Tuvaluan
Ethnic groups:Polynesian 96%, Micronesian 4%
Religions:Church of Tuvalu (Congregationalist) 97%, Seventh-Day Adventist1.4%, Baha'i 1%, other 0.6%
Languages:Tuvaluan, English, Samoan, Kiribati (on the island of Nui)
Literacy: definition: NA% total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%
Government Tuvalu
Country name:conventional long form: noneconventional short form: Tuvalunote: "Tuvalu" means "group of eight," referring to the country'seight traditionally inhabited islandsformer: Ellice Islands
Government type:constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy; begandebating republic status in 1992
Capital:Funafuti
Administrative divisions:none
Independence:1 October 1978 (from UK)
National holiday:Independence Day, 1 October (1978)
Constitution:1 October 1978
Legal system:NA
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),represented by Governor General Faimalaga LUKA (since 9 September2003)elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed bythe monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; primeminister and deputy prime minister elected by and from the membersof Parliament; election last held 2 August 2002 (next to be held NA)election results: Saufatu SOPOANGA elected prime minister;Parliamentary vote - Saufatu SOPOANGA 8, Amasone KILEI 7cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on therecommendation of the prime ministerhead of government: Prime Minister Saufatu SOPOANGA (since 2 August2002)
Legislative branch:unicameral Parliament or Fale I Fono, also called House of Assembly(15 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)elections: last held 25 July 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 15
Judicial branch:High Court (a chief justice visits twice a year to preside over itssessions; its rulings can be appealed to the Court of Appeal inFiji); eight Island Courts (with limited jurisdiction)
Political parties and leaders: there are no political parties but members of Parliament usually align themselves in informal groupings
Political pressure groups and leaders:none
International organization participation:ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, IFRCS (associate), ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF,UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US: Tuvalu does not have an embassy in the US - the country's only diplomatic post is in Fiji - Tuvalu does, however, have a UN office located at 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400D, New York, New York 10017, telephone: [1] (212) 490-0534
Diplomatic representation from the US:the US does not have an embassy in Tuvalu; the US ambassador toFiji is accredited to Tuvalu
Flag description:light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-sidequadrant; the outer half of the flag represents a map of the countrywith nine yellow five-pointed stars symbolizing the nine islands
Economy Tuvalu
Economy - overview:Tuvalu consists of a densely populated, scattered group of ninecoral atolls with poor soil. The country has no known mineralresources and few exports. Subsistence farming and fishing are theprimary economic activities. Fewer than 1,000 tourists, on average,visit Tuvalu annually. Government revenues largely come from thesale of stamps and coins and worker remittances. About 1,000Tuvaluans work in Nauru in the phosphate mining industry. Nauru hasbegun repatriating Tuvaluans, however, as phosphate resourcesdecline. Substantial income is received annually from aninternational trust fund established in 1987 by Australia, NZ, andthe UK and supported also by Japan and South Korea. Thanks to wiseinvestments and conservative withdrawals, this Fund has grown froman initial $17 million to over $35 million in 1999. The USgovernment is also a major revenue source for Tuvalu, because ofpayments from a 1988 treaty on fisheries. In an effort to reduce itsdependence on foreign aid, the government is pursuing public sectorreforms, including privatization of some government functions andpersonnel cuts of up to 7%. In 1998, Tuvalu began deriving revenuefrom use of its area code for "900" lines and in 2000, from thelease of its ".tv" Internet domain name. Royalties from these newtechnology sources could increase substantially over the nextdecade. With merchandise exports only a fraction of merchandiseimports, continued reliance must be placed on fishing andtelecommunications license fees, remittances from overseas workers,official transfers, and investment income from overseas assets.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $12.2 million (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:3% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2000 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):5% (2000 est.)
Labor force:7,000 (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:people make a living mainly through exploitation of the sea, reefs,and atolls and from wages sent home by those abroad (mostly workersin the phosphate industry and sailors)
Unemployment rate:NA%
Budget:revenues: $22.5 millionexpenditures: $11.2 million, including capital expenditures of $4.2million (2000 est.)
Industries:fishing, tourism, copra
Industrial production growth rate:NA%
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: NA% hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA%
Agriculture - products:coconuts; fish
Exports:$276,000 f.o.b. (1997)
Exports - commodities:copra, fish
Exports - partners:UK 58.3%, Italy 16.7%, Denmark 8.3%, Fiji 8.3% (2002)
Imports:$7.2 million c.i.f. (1998)
Imports - commodities:food, animals, mineral fuels, machinery, manufactured goods
Imports - partners:Hungary 68.2%, Japan 12.9%, Fiji 11.9% (2002)
Debt - external:$NA
Economic aid - recipient:$13 million ; note - major donors are Australia, Japan, and the US(1999 est.)
Currency:Australian dollar (AUD); note - there is also a Tuvaluan dollar
Currency code:AUD
Exchange rates:Tuvaluan dollars or Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.8406(2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Tuvalu
Telephones - main lines in use:1,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular:0 (1994)
Telephone system:general assessment: serves particular needs for internalcommunicationsdomestic: radiotelephone communications between islandsinternational: NA
Radio broadcast stations:AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1999)
Radios:4,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:0 (1997)
Televisions:800
Internet country code:.tv
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1 (2000)
Internet users:NA
Transportation Tuvalu
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 8 km paved: 0 km unpaved: 8 km (1999 est.)
Waterways:none
Ports and harbors:Funafuti, Nukufetau
Merchant marine:total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 33,199 GRT/56,187 DWTnote: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag ofconvenience: Germany 5 (2002 est.)ships by type: cargo 2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1
Airports:1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 11,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
Military Tuvalu
Military branches:no regular military forces; Police Force (includes MaritimeSurveillance Unit for search and rescue missions and surveillanceoperations)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:NA%
Transnational Issues Tuvalu
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
======================================================================
@Uganda
Introduction Uganda
Background:Uganda achieved independence from the UK in 1962. The dictatorialregime of Idi AMIN (1971-79) was responsible for the deaths of some300,000 opponents; guerrilla war and human rights abuses underMilton OBOTE (1980-85) claimed at least another 100,000 lives.During the 1990s, the government promulgated non-party presidentialand legislative elections.
Geography Uganda
Location:Eastern Africa, west of Kenya
Geographic coordinates:1 00 N, 32 00 E
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 236,040 sq kmwater: 36,330 sq kmland: 199,710 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than Oregon
Land boundaries:total: 2,698 kmborder countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 765 km, Kenya 933km, Rwanda 169 km, Sudan 435 km, Tanzania 396 km
Coastline:0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:none (landlocked)
Climate:tropical; generally rainy with two dry seasons (December toFebruary, June to August); semiarid in northeast
Terrain:mostly plateau with rim of mountains
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Lake Albert 621 m highest point: Margherita Peak on Mount Stanley 5,110 m
Natural resources: copper, cobalt, hydropower, limestone, salt, arable land
Land use: arable land: 25.34% permanent crops: 8.77% other: 65.89% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:90 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:NA
Environment - current issues: draining of wetlands for agricultural use; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria; poaching is widespread
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Geography - note: landlocked; fertile, well-watered country with many lakes and rivers
People Uganda
Population:25,632,794note: 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: 50.8% (male 6,528,724; female 6,486,736)15-64 years: 46.8% (male 5,985,911; female 6,024,798)65 years and over: 2.4% (male 266,930; female 339,695) (2003 est.)
Median age:total: 14.7 yearsfemale: 14.8 years (2002)male: 14.6 years
Population growth rate:2.96% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:46.57 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:16.95 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:0 migrant(s)/1,000 populationnote: according to the UNHCR, by the end of 2001, Uganda was host to178,815 refugees from a number of neighboring countries, including:Sudan 155,996, Rwanda 14,375, and Democratic Republic of the Congo7,459 (2003 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 87.9 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 80.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)male: 95.41 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 44.88 yearsmale: 43.42 yearsfemale: 46.38 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:6.72 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:5% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:600,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:84,000 (2001 est.)
Nationality:noun: Ugandan(s)adjective: Ugandan
Ethnic groups:Baganda 17%, Ankole 8%, Basoga 8%, Iteso 8%, Bakiga 7%, Langi 6%,Rwanda 6%, Bagisu 5%, Acholi 4%, Lugbara 4%, Batoro 3%, Bunyoro 3%,Alur 2%, Bagwere 2%, Bakonjo 2%, Jopodhola 2%, Karamojong 2%, Rundi2%, non-African (European, Asian, Arab) 1%, other 8%
Religions:Roman Catholic 33%, Protestant 33%, Muslim 16%, indigenous beliefs18%
Languages:English (official national language, taught in grade schools, usedin courts of law and by most newspapers and some radio broadcasts),Ganda or Luganda (most widely used of the Niger-Congo languages,preferred for native language publications in the capital and may betaught in school), other Niger-Congo languages, Nilo-Saharanlanguages, Swahili, Arabic
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 69.9%male: 79.5%female: 60.4% (2003 est.)
Government Uganda
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Ugandaconventional short form: Uganda
Government type:republic
Capital:Kampala
Administrative divisions:56 districts; Adjumani, Apac, Arua, Bugiri, Bundibugyo, Bushenyi,Busia, Gulu, Hoima, Iganga, Jinja, Kabale, Kabarole, Kaberamaido,Kalangala, Kampala, Kamuli, Kamwenge, Kanungu, Kapchorwa, Kasese,Katakwi, Kayunga, Kibale, Kiboga, Kisoro, Kitgum, Kotido, Kumi,Kyenjojo, Lira, Luwero, Masaka, Masindi, Mayuge, Mbale, Mbarara,Moroto, Moyo, Mpigi, Mubende, Mukono, Nakapiripirit, Nakasongola,Nebbi, Ntungamo, Pader, Pallisa, Rakai, Rukungiri, Sembabule,Sironko, Soroti, Tororo, Wakiso, Yumbe
Independence:9 October 1962 (from UK)
National holiday:Independence Day, 9 October (1962)
Constitution:8 October 1995; adopted by the interim, 284-member ConstituentAssembly, charged with debating the draft constitution that had beenproposed in May 1993; the Constituent Assembly was dissolved uponthe promulgation of the constitution in October 1995
Legal system:in 1995, the government restored the legal system to one based onEnglish common law and customary law; accepts compulsory ICJjurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (sinceseizing power 26 January 1986); note - the president is both chiefof state and head of governmenthead of government: President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (sinceseizing power 29 January 1986); Prime Minister Apollo NSIBAMBI(since 5 April 1999); note - the president is both chief of stateand head of government; the prime minister assists the president inthe supervision of the cabinetcabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among electedlegislatorselections: president reelected by popular vote for a five-year term;election last held 12 March 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); note -first popular election for president since independence in 1962 washeld in 1996; prime minister appointed by the presidentelection results: Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI elected president;percent of vote - Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI 69.3%, KizzaBESIGYE 27.8%
Legislative branch:unicameral National Assembly (303 members - 214 directly elected bypopular vote, 81 nominated by legally established special interestgroups [women 56, army 10, disabled 5, youth 5, labor 5], 8 exofficio members; members serve five-year terms)elections: last held 26 June 2001 (next to be held May or June 2006);election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -NA; note - election campaigning by party was not permitted
Judicial branch:Court of Appeal (judges are appointed by the president and approvedby the legislature); High Court (judges are appointed by thepresident)
Political parties and leaders:only one political organization, the Movement (formerly theNRM)[President MUSEVENI, chairman] is allowed to operate unfettered;note - the president maintains that the Movement is not a politicalparty, but a mass organization, which claims the loyalty of allUgandansnote: the constitution requires the suspension of political partieswhile the Movement organization is in governance; of the politicalparties that exist but are prohibited from sponsoring candidates,the most important are the Ugandan People's Congress or UPC [MiltonOBOTE]; Democratic Party or DP [Paul SSEMOGERERE]; ConservativeParty or CP [Ken LUKYAMUZI]; Justice Forum [Muhammad KibirigeMAYANJA]; and National Democrats Forum [Chapaa KARUHANGA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:ACP, AfDB, C, EADB, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC,IOM, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Edith Grace SSEMPALAchancery: 5911 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011FAX: [1] (202) 726-1727telephone: [1] (202) 726-7100 through 7102, 0416
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jimmy KOLKER embassy: 1577 Ggaba Rd., Kampala mailing address: P. O. Box 7007, Kampala telephone: [256] (41) 234-142 FAX: [256] (41) 258-451
Flag description:six equal horizontal bands of black (top), yellow, red, black,yellow, and red; a white disk is superimposed at the center anddepicts a red-crested crane (the national symbol) facing the hoistside
Economy Uganda
Economy - overview:Uganda has substantial natural resources, including fertile soils,regular rainfall, and sizable mineral deposits of copper and cobalt.Agriculture is the most important sector of the economy, employingover 80% of the work force. Coffee accounts for the bulk of exportrevenues. Since 1986, the government - with the support of foreigncountries and international agencies - has acted to rehabilitate andstabilize the economy by undertaking currency reform, raisingproducer prices on export crops, increasing prices of petroleumproducts, and improving civil service wages. The policy changes areespecially aimed at dampening inflation and boosting production andexport earnings. During 1990-2001, the economy turned in a solidperformance based on continued investment in the rehabilitation ofinfrastructure, improved incentives for production and exports,reduced inflation, gradually improved domestic security, and thereturn of exiled Indian-Ugandan entrepreneurs. Ongoing Ugandaninvolvement in the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo,corruption within the government, and slippage in the government'sdetermination to press reforms raise doubts about the continuationof strong growth. In 2000, Uganda qualified for enhanced HighlyIndebted Poor Countries (HIPC) debt relief worth $1.3 billion andParis Club debt relief worth $145 million. These amounts combinedwith the original HIPC debt relief added up to about $2 billion.Growth for 2001-02 was solid despite continued decline in the priceof coffee, Uganda's principal export. Prospects for 2003 are mixed,with probable strengthening of coffee prices yet with halting growthin the economies of major export customers.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $30.49 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:5.5% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $1,200 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 43% industry: 19% services: 38% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line:35% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: 4%highest 10%: 21% (2000)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:37.4 (1996)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):0.1% (2002 est.)
Labor force:12 million (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 82%, industry 5%, services 13% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate:NA%
Budget:revenues: $959 millionexpenditures: $1.04 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA(FY98/99 est.)
Industries:sugar, brewing, tobacco, cotton textiles, cement
Industrial production growth rate:6.3% (2002 est.)
Electricity - production:1.928 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0.9% hydro: 99.1% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption:1.62 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:174 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:1 million kWh (2001)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:8,750 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Agriculture - products: coffee, tea, cotton, tobacco, cassava (tapioca), potatoes, corn, millet, pulses; beef, goat meat, milk, poultry, cut flowers
Exports: $476 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities:coffee, fish and fish products, tea; gold, cotton, flowers,horticultural products
Exports - partners:Belgium 16.2%, Netherlands 13.7%, Germany 7.5%, Spain 5.5%, HongKong 4.9%, US 4.6%, UK 4.3%, Italy 4.1%, Portugal 4.1% (2002)
Imports:$1.14 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities:capital equipment, vehicles, petroleum, medical supplies; cereals
Imports - partners:Kenya 45.3%, South Africa 6.8%, India 5.7%, UK 5.5% (2002)
Debt - external:$2.8 billion (2002 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$1.4 billion (2000)
Currency:Ugandan shilling (UGX)
Currency code:UGX
Exchange rates:Ugandan shillings per US dollar - 1,797.55 (2002), 1,755.66 (2001),1,644.48 (2000), 1,454.83 (1999), 1,240.31 (1998)
Fiscal year:1 July - 30 June
Communications Uganda
Telephones - main lines in use:50,074; however, 80,868 main lines have been installed (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular:9,000 (1998)
Telephone system:general assessment: seriously inadequate; two cellular systems havebeen introduced, but a sharp increase in the number of main lines isessential; e-mail and Internet services are availabledomestic: intercity traffic by wire, microwave radio relay, andradiotelephone communication stations, fixed and mobile cellularsystems for short-range trafficinternational: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (AtlanticOcean) and 1 Inmarsat; analog links to Kenya and Tanzania
Radio broadcast stations:AM 7, FM 33, shortwave 2 (2001)
Radios:5 million (2001)
Television broadcast stations:8 (plus one low-power repeater) (2001)
Televisions:500,000 (2001)
Internet country code:.ug
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):2 (2000)
Internet users:60,000 (2002)
Transportation Uganda
Railways: total: 1,241 km narrow gauge: 1,241 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)
Highways: total: 27,000 km paved: 1,809 km unpaved: 25,191 km (1999 est.)
Waterways:Lake Victoria, Lake Albert, Lake Kyoga, Lake George, Lake Edward,Victoria Nile, Albert Nile
Ports and harbors:Entebbe, Jinja, Port Bell
Merchant marine:total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,091 GRT/8,229 DWTships by type: roll on/roll off 3note: these ships are in cargo and passenger (ferry) service onUganda's inland waterways (2002 est.)
Airports:27 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 23 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 7 (2002)
Military Uganda
Military branches:Ugandan Peoples' Defense Force (including Army, Marine unit, AirWing)
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 5,476,612 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 2,974,259 (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$124.7 million (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:2.1% (FY02)
Transnational Issues Uganda
Disputes - international:Tutsi, Hutu, and other ethnic groups, associated political rebels,armed gangs, and various government forces continue fighting in theGreat Lakes region, transcending the boundaries of Burundi,Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda to gain controlover populated areas and natural resources; government heads pledgeto end conflict, but localized violence continues despite UNpeacekeeping efforts; conflict in Sudan has extended rebel forcesand refugees into Uganda
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
======================================================================
@Ukraine
Introduction Ukraine
Background:Ukraine was the center of the first Slavic state, Kievan Rus, whichduring the 10th and 11th centuries was the largest and most powerfulstate in Europe. Weakened by internecine quarrels and Mongolinvasions, Kievan Rus was incorporated into the Grand Duchy ofLithuania and eventually into the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.The cultural and religious legacy of Kievan Rus laid the foundationfor Ukrainian nationalism through subsequent centuries. A newUkrainian state, the Cossack Hetmanate, was established during themid-17th century after an uprising against the Poles. Despitecontinuous Muscovite pressure, the Hetmanate managed to remainautonomous for well over 100 years. During the latter part of the18th century, most Ukrainian ethnographic territory was absorbed bythe Russian Empire. Following the collapse of czarist Russia in1917, Ukraine was able to bring about a short-lived period ofindependence (1917-1920), but was reconquered and forced to endure abrutal Soviet rule that engineered two artificial famines (1921-22and 1932-33) in which over 8 million died. In World War II, Germanand Soviet armies were responsible for some 7 to 8 million moredeaths. Although independence was achieved in 1991 with thedissolution of the USSR, true freedom remains elusive, as many ofthe former Soviet elite remain entrenched, stalling efforts ateconomic reform, privatization, and civil liberties.