Geography Ukraine
Location:Eastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Poland and Russia
Geographic coordinates:49 00 N, 32 00 E
Map references:Asia, Europe
Area:total: 603,700 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmland: 603,700 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than Texas
Land boundaries:total: 4,663 kmborder countries: Belarus 891 km, Hungary 103 km, Moldova 939 km,Poland 526 km, Romania (south) 169 km, Romania (west) 362 km, Russia1,576 km, Slovakia 97 km
Coastline:2,782 km
Maritime claims:continental shelf: 200-m or to the depth of exploitationexclusive economic zone: 200 NMterritorial sea: 12 NM
Climate:temperate continental; Mediterranean only on the southern Crimeancoast; precipitation disproportionately distributed, highest in westand north, lesser in east and southeast; winters vary from coolalong the Black Sea to cold farther inland; summers are warm acrossthe greater part of the country, hot in the south
Terrain:most of Ukraine consists of fertile plains (steppes) and plateaus,mountains being found only in the west (the Carpathians), and in theCrimean Peninsula in the extreme south
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Black Sea 0 mhighest point: Hora Hoverla 2,061 m
Natural resources:iron ore, coal, manganese, natural gas, oil, salt, sulfur,graphite, titanium, magnesium, kaolin, nickel, mercury, timber,arable land
Land use:arable land: 57.1%permanent crops: 1.73%other: 41.17% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:24,540 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:NA
Environment - current issues:inadequate supplies of potable water; air and water pollution;deforestation; radiation contamination in the northeast from 1986accident at Chornobyl' Nuclear Power Plant
Environment - international agreements:party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, AirPollution-Sulphur 85, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, AntarcticTreaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species,Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, MarineDumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent OrganicPollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile OrganicCompounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol
Geography - note:strategic position at the crossroads between Europe and Asia;second-largest country in Europe
People Ukraine
Population:48,055,439 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 16.3% (male 4,004,948; female 3,832,931)15-64 years: 68.7% (male 15,779,735; female 17,225,103)65 years and over: 15% (male 2,419,612; female 4,793,110) (2003 est.)
Median age:total: 38 yearsmale: 34.8 yearsfemale: 40.9 years (2002)
Population growth rate:-0.69% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:9.89 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:16.39 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:-0.41 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: 0.92 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.5 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 20.87 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 19.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)male: 22.2 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 66.5 yearsmale: 61.1 yearsfemale: 72.17 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.34 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:250,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:11,000 (2001 est.)
Nationality:noun: Ukrainian(s)adjective: Ukrainian
Ethnic groups:Ukrainian 77.8%, Russian 17.3%, Belarusian 0.6%, Moldovan 0.5%,Crimean Tatar 0.5%, Bulgarian 0.4%, Hungarian 0.3%, Romanian 0.3%,Polish 0.3%, Jewish 0.2%, other 1.8% (2001)
Religions:Ukrainian Orthodox - Moscow Patriarchate, Ukrainian Orthodox - KievPatriarchate, Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox, Ukrainian Catholic(Uniate), Protestant, Jewish
Languages:Ukrainian, Russian, Romanian, Polish, Hungarian
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 99.7%male: 99.8%female: 99.6% (2003 est.)
Government Ukraine
Country name:conventional long form: noneconventional short form: Ukrainelocal long form: noneformer: Ukrainian National Republic, Ukrainian State, UkrainianSoviet Socialist Republiclocal short form: Ukrayina
Government type:republic
Capital:Kiev (Kyyiv)
Administrative divisions:24 oblasti (singular - oblast'), 1 autonomous republic* (avtomnayarespublika), and 2 municipalities (mista, singular - misto) withoblast status**; Cherkas'ka (Cherkasy), Chernihivs'ka (Chernihiv),Chernivets'ka (Chernivtsi), Dnipropetrovs'ka (Dnipropetrovs'k),Donets'ka (Donets'k), Ivano-Frankivs'ka (Ivano-Frankivs'k),Kharkivs'ka (Kharkiv), Khersons'ka (Kherson), Khmel'nyts'ka(Khmel'nyts'kyy), Kirovohrads'ka (Kirovohrad), Kyyiv**, Kyyivs'ka(Kiev), Luhans'ka (Luhans'k), L'vivs'ka (L'viv), Mykolayivs'ka(Mykolayiv), Odes'ka (Odesa), Poltavs'ka (Poltava), AvtonomnaRespublika Krym* (Simferopol'), Rivnens'ka (Rivne), Sevastopol'**,Sums'ka (Sumy), Ternopil's'ka (Ternopil'), Vinnyts'ka (Vinnytsya),Volyns'ka (Luts'k), Zakarpats'ka (Uzhhorod), Zaporiz'ka(Zaporizhzhya), Zhytomyrs'ka (Zhytomyr); note - when using a placename with an adjectival ending "s'ka" or "z'ka," the word Oblast'should be added to the place namenote: oblasts have the administrative center name following inparentheses
Independence:24 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
National holiday:Independence Day, 24 August (1991); the date of 22 January (1918),the day Ukraine first declared its independence (from SovietRussia), is now celebrated as Unity Day
Constitution:adopted 28 June 1996
Legal system:based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Leonid D. KUCHMA (since 19 July 1994)head of government: Prime Minister Viktor YANUKOVYCH (since 21November 2002); First Deputy Prime Minister Mykola AZAROV (since 26November 2002)cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president andapproved by the Supreme Councilelections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;election last held 31 October and 14 November 1999 (next to be heldNA October 2004); prime minister and deputy prime ministersappointed by the president and approved by the Supreme Councilelection results: Leonid D. KUCHMA elected president; percent ofvote - Leonid KUCHMA 57.7%, Petro SYMONENKO 38.8%note: there is also a National Security and Defense Council or NSDCoriginally created in 1992 as the National Security Council, butsignificantly revamped and strengthened under President KUCHMA; theNSDC staff is tasked with developing national security policy ondomestic and international matters and advising the president; aPresidential Administration that helps draft presidential edicts andprovides policy support to the president; and a Council of Regionsthat serves as an advisory body created by President KUCHMA inSeptember 1994 that includes chairmen of the Kiev (Kyyiv) andSevastopol' municipalities and chairmen of the oblasti
Legislative branch:unicameral Supreme Council or Verkhovna Rada (450 seats; underUkraine's new election law, 225 of the Supreme Council's seats areallocated on a proportional basis to those parties that gain 4% ormore of the national electoral vote; the other 225 members areelected by popular vote in single-mandate constituencies; all servefour-year terms)election results: percent of vote by party - Our Ukraine 24%, CPU20%, United Ukraine 12%, United Social Democratic Party 6%, SPU 7%,Yuliya Tymoshenko Bloc 7%, other 24%; seats by party - Our Ukraine102, CPU 60, Regions of Ukraine 42, Working Ukraine-Industrialistsand Entrepreneurs 41, United Social Democratic Party 39, DemocraticInitiatives 22, SPU 20, People's Power 19, European Choice 18,Yuliya Tymoshenko Bloc 18, Agrarian Party 17, People's DemocraticParty 16, People's Choice 15, others 21note: following the election, United Ukraine splintered into theAgrarian Party, European Choice, People's Choice, People'sDemocratic Party, Regions of Ukraine, and WorkingUkraine-Industrialists and Entrepreneurselections: last held 31 March 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)
Judicial branch:Supreme Court; Constitutional Court
Political parties and leaders:Agrarian Party [Kateryna VASHCHUK]; Communist Party of Ukraine orCPU [Petro SYMONENKO]; Democratic Initiatives [Stepan HAVRYSH];European Choice [Volodymyr STASYUK]; Our Ukraine [ViktorYUSHCHENKO]; People's Choice [Mykola HAPOCHKA]; People's DemocraticParty or PDP [Valeriy PUSTOVOYTENKO, chairman]; People's Power[Bohdan HUBSKYY]; Regions of Ukraine [Viktor YANUKOVYCH]; SocialistParty of Ukraine or SPU [Oleksandr MOROZ, chairman]; United SocialDemocratic Party [Leonid KRAVCHUK]; Working Ukraine-Industrialistsand Entrepreneurs [Ihor SHAROV]; Yuliya Tymoshenko Bloc [YuliyaTYMOSHENKO]note: and numerous smaller parties
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:BSEC, CE, CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, GUUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer),OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL,UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNMOVIC, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer), ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires SergiyKORSUNSKYIFAX: [1] (202) 333-0817consulate(s) general: Chicago and New Yorktelephone: [1] (202) 349-2920chancery: 3350 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Carlos E. PASCUAL embassy: 10 Yurii Kotsiubynskyi Street, Kiev 01901 mailing address: 5850 Kiev Place, Washington, DC 20521-5850 telephone: [380] (44) 490-4000 FAX: [380] (44) 244-7350
Flag description:two equal horizontal bands of azure (top) and golden yellowrepresent grainfields under a blue sky
Economy Ukraine
Economy - overview:After Russia, the Ukrainian republic was far and away the mostimportant economic component of the former Soviet Union, producingabout four times the output of the next-ranking republic. Itsfertile black soil generated more than one-fourth of Sovietagricultural output, and its farms provided substantial quantitiesof meat, milk, grain, and vegetables to other republics. Likewise,its diversified heavy industry supplied the unique equipment (forexample, large diameter pipes) and raw materials to industrial andmining sites (vertical drilling apparatus) in other regions of theformer USSR. Ukraine depends on imports of energy, especiallynatural gas, to meet some 85% of its annual energy requirements.Shortly after independence in December 1991, the UkrainianGovernment liberalized most prices and erected a legal framework forprivatization, but widespread resistance to reform within thegovernment and the legislature soon stalled reform efforts and ledto some backtracking. Output by 1999 had fallen to less than 40% ofthe 1991 level. Loose monetary policies pushed inflation tohyperinflationary levels in late 1993. Ukraine's dependence onRussia for energy supplies and the lack of significant structuralreform have made the Ukrainian economy vulnerable to externalshocks. Now in his second term, President KUCHMA has pledged toreduce the number of government agencies, streamline the regulatoryprocess, create a legal environment to encourage entrepreneurs, andenact a comprehensive tax overhaul. Reforms in the more politicallysensitive areas of structural reform and land privatization arestill lagging. Outside institutions - particularly the IMF - haveencouraged Ukraine to quicken the pace and scope of reforms. GDP in2000 showed strong export-based growth of 6% - the first growthsince independence - and industrial production grew 12.9%. Theeconomy continued to expand in 2001 as real GDP rose 9% andindustrial output grew by over 14%. Growth of 4.1% in 2002 was moremoderate, in part a reflection of faltering growth in the developedworld. In general, growth has been undergirded by strong domesticdemand, low inflation, and solid consumer and investor confidence.Growth was a sturdy 6% in 2003 despite a loss of mementum in neededeconomic reforms.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $218 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:4.8% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $4,500 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 23% industry: 42% services: 35% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line: 29% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.7% highest 10%: 23.2% (1999)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:29 (1999)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):-1.2% (2002 est.)
Labor force:22.8 million (yearend 1997)
Labor force - by occupation:industry 32%, agriculture 24%, services 44% (1996)
Unemployment rate:3.8% officially registered; large number of unregistered orunderemployed workers (2002)
Budget:revenues: $10.2 billionexpenditures: $11.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA(2002 est.)
Industries:coal, electric power, ferrous and nonferrous metals, machinery andtransport equipment, chemicals, food processing (especially sugar)
Industrial production growth rate:6% (2002 est.)
Electricity - production:164.7 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 48.6% hydro: 7.9% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 43.5%
Electricity - consumption:152.4 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:800 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:86,490 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:290,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:197.5 million bbl (37257)
Natural gas - production:18.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:74.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:55.9 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:560.7 billion cu m (37257)
Agriculture - products:grain, sugar beets, sunflower seeds, vegetables; beef, milk
Exports:$18.1 billion (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities:ferrous and nonferrous metals, fuel and petroleum products,chemicals, machinery and transport equipment, food products
Exports - partners:Russia 18.6%, Italy 7.4%, Turkey 5.6%, Germany 4.1%, China 4.1%(2002)
Imports:$18 billion (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities:energy, machinery and equipment, chemicals
Imports - partners:Russia 32.3%, Germany 11.7%, Turkmenistan 7.4%, Poland 6%, Italy 4%(2002)
Debt - external:$14.2 billion (2002)
Economic aid - recipient: $637.7 million (1995); IMF Extended Funds Facility $2.2 billion (1998)
Currency:hryvnia (UAH)
Currency code:UAH
Exchange rates:hryvnia per US dollar - 5.33 (2002), 5.37 (2001), 5.44 (2000), 4.13(1999), 2.45 (1998)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Ukraine
Telephones - main lines in use:9.45 million (April 1999)
Telephones - mobile cellular:236,000 (1998)
Telephone system:general assessment: Ukraine's telecommunication development plan,running through 2005, emphasizes improving domestic trunk lines,international connections, and the mobile cellular systemdomestic: at independence in December 1991, Ukraine inherited atelephone system that was antiquated, inefficient, and in disrepair;more than 3.5 million applications for telephones could not besatisfied; telephone density is now rising slowly and the domestictrunk system is being improved; the mobile cellular telephone systemis expanding at a high rateinternational: two new domestic trunk lines are a part of thefiber-optic Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) system and three Ukrainian linkshave been installed in the fiber-optic Trans-European Lines (TEL)project which connects 18 countries; additional internationalservice is provided by the Italy-Turkey-Ukraine-Russia (ITUR)fiber-optic submarine cable and by earth stations in the Intelsat,Inmarsat, and Intersputnik satellite systems
Radio broadcast stations:AM 134, FM 289, shortwave 4 (1998)
Radios:45.05 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: at least 33 (plus 21 repeaters that relay broadcasts from Russia) (1997)
Televisions:18.05 million (1997)
Internet country code:.ua
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):260 (2001)
Internet users:750,000 (2001)
Transportation Ukraine
Railways: total: 22,473 km broad gauge: 22,473 km 1.524-m gauge (9,250 km electrified) (2002)
Highways: total: 169,491 km paved: 163,898 km unpaved: 5,593 km (2000)
Waterways: 4,499 km note: 1,672 km are on the Pryp'yat' and Dniester (Dnister) (1990)
Pipelines:gas 20,069 km; oil 4,435 km; refined products 4,098 km (2003)
Ports and harbors:Berdyans'k, Feodosiya, Illichivs'k, Izmayil, Kerch, Kherson, Kiev(Kyyiv), Kiliya, Mariupol', Mykolayiv, Odesa, Reni, Sevastopol',Yalta, Yuzhnyy
Merchant marine:total: 131 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 633,932 GRT/640,743 DWTships by type: bulk 7, cargo 89, container 5, liquefied gas 2,passenger 14, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 10, railcarcarrier 2, short-sea passenger 1note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag ofconvenience: Cyprus 1, Greece 1, Panama 1, Russia 4, Saint Vincentand the Grenadines 1 (2002 est.)
Airports:790 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 182over 3,047 m: 132,438 to 3,047 m: 511,524 to 2,437 m: 31914 to 1,523 m: 6under 914 m: 81 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 608over 3,047 m: 142,438 to 3,047 m: 361,524 to 2,437 m: 50914 to 1,523 m: 42under 914 m: 466 (2002)
Military Ukraine
Military branches:Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Air Force, Air Defense Forces,Interior Troops, Border Troops
Military manpower - military age:18 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 12,236,811 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 9,597,172 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:males: 389,499 (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$617.9 million (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:1.4% (FY02)
Transnational Issues Ukraine
Disputes - international:1997 boundary treaty with Belarus remains unratified overunresolved financial claims, preventing demarcation and encouragingillegal cross-border activities; land delimitation of boundary withRussia is complete, but maritime regime of the Sea of Azov and KerchStrait remains unresolved; difficulties in the Transnistria regionof Moldova complicate border crossing and customs, facilitatingsmuggling, arms transfers, and other illegal activities; has notresolved Romanian claims to Ukrainian-administered Zmiyinyy (Snake)Island and Black Sea maritime boundary despite ongoing talks basedon 1997 friendship treaty to find a solution in two years
Illicit drugs:limited cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for CISconsumption; some synthetic drug production for export to the West;limited government eradication program; used as transshipment pointfor opiates and other illicit drugs from Africa, Latin America, andTurkey to Europe and Russia; drug-related money laundering a minor,but growing, problem; lax anti-money-laundering regime
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
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@United Arab Emirates
Introduction United Arab Emirates
Background:The Trucial States of the Persian Gulf coast granted the UK controlof their defense and foreign affairs in 19th century treaties. In1971, six of these states - Abu Zaby, 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, AshShariqah, Dubayy, and Umm al Qaywayn - merged to form the UnitedArab Emirates (UAE). They were joined in 1972 by Ra's al Khaymah.The UAE's per capita GDP is not far below those of leading WestEuropean nations. Its generosity with oil revenues and its moderateforeign policy stance have allowed the UAE to play a vital role inthe affairs of the region.
Geography United Arab Emirates
Location:Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf,between Oman and Saudi Arabia
Geographic coordinates:24 00 N, 54 00 E
Map references:Middle East
Area:total: 82,880 sq kmland: 82,880 sq kmwater: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than Maine
Land boundaries: total: 867 km border countries: Oman 410 km, Saudi Arabia 457 km
Coastline:1,318 km
Maritime claims:contiguous zone: 24 NMterritorial sea: 12 NMcontinental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental marginexclusive economic zone: 200 NM
Climate:desert; cooler in eastern mountains
Terrain:flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of vastdesert wasteland; mountains in east
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 mhighest point: Jabal Yibir 1,527 m
Natural resources:petroleum, natural gas
Land use: arable land: 0.48% permanent crops: 0.49% other: 99.03% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:720 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:frequent sand and dust storms
Environment - current issues: lack of natural freshwater resources compensated by desalination plants; desertification; beach pollution from oil spills
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note:strategic location along southern approaches to Strait of Hormuz, avital transit point for world crude oil
People United Arab Emirates
Population:2,484,818note: includes an estimated 1,606,079 non-nationals; the 17 December1995 census presents a total population figure of 2,377,453, andthere are estimates of 3.44 million for 2002 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 26.7% (male 338,245; female 324,866)15-64 years: 70.4% (male 1,087,927; female 661,349)65 years and over: 2.9% (male 52,059; female 20,372) (2003 est.)
Median age:total: 27.6 yearsmale: 36.1 yearsfemale: 21.9 years (2002)
Population growth rate:1.57% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:18.48 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:4.02 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:1.22 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: 1.65 male(s)/female65 years and over: 2.56 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.47 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 15.58 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 12.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)male: 18.32 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 74.75 yearsmale: 72.28 yearsfemale: 77.35 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:3.09 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:0.18% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:NA
Nationality:noun: Emirati(s)adjective: Emirati
Ethnic groups:Emirati 19%, other Arab and Iranian 23%, South Asian 50%, otherexpatriates (includes Westerners and East Asians) 8% (1982)note: less than 20% are UAE citizens (1982)
Religions:Muslim 96% (Shi'a 16%), Christian, Hindu, and other 4%
Languages:Arabic (official), Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 77.9%male: 76.1%female: 81.7% (2003 est.)
Government United Arab Emirates
Country name:conventional long form: United Arab Emiratesconventional short form: nonelocal long form: Al Imarat al Arabiyah al Muttahidahabbreviation: UAEformer: Trucial Oman, Trucial Stateslocal short form: none
Government type:federation with specified powers delegated to the UAE federalgovernment and other powers reserved to member emirates
Capital:Abu Dhabi
Administrative divisions:7 emirates (imarat, singular - imarah); Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi),'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah (Sharjah), Dubayy (Dubai), Ra's alKhaymah, Umm al Qaywayn
Independence:2 December 1971 (from UK)
National holiday:Independence Day, 2 December (1971)
Constitution:2 December 1971 (made permanent in 1996)
Legal system:federal court system introduced in 1971; all emirates except Dubayy(Dubai) and Ra's al Khaymah are not fully integrated into thefederal system; all emirates have secular and Islamic law for civil,criminal, and high courts
Suffrage:none
Executive branch:chief of state: President ZAYID bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan (since 2December 1971), ruler of Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) (since 6 August 1966)and Vice President MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum (since 8 October1990), ruler of Dubayy (Dubai)note: there is also a Federal Supreme Council (FSC) composed of theseven emirate rulers; the FSC is the highest constitutionalauthority in the UAE; establishes general policies and sanctionsfederal legislation; meets four times a year; Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi)and Dubayy (Dubai) rulers have effective veto powerhead of government: Prime Minister MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum(since 8 October 1990), ruler of Dubayy (Dubai); Deputy PrimeMinister SULTAN bin Zayid Al Nuhayyan (since 20 November 1990)cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the presidentelections: president and vice president elected by the FSC (a groupof seven electors) for five-year terms; election last held 2December 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); prime minister and deputyprime minister appointed by the presidentelection results: ZAYID bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan reelected president;percent of FSC vote - NA%, but believed to be unanimous; MAKTUM binRashid al-Maktum elected vice president; percent of FSC vote - NA%,but believed to be unanimous
Legislative branch:unicameral Federal National Council or Majlis al-Ittihad al-Watani(40 seats; members appointed by the rulers of the constituent statesto serve two-year terms)elections: nonenote: reviews legislation, but cannot change or veto
Judicial branch:Union Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)
Political parties and leaders:none
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD,ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW,OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Asri Said Ahmad al-DHAHIRIFAX: [1] (202) 243-2432telephone: [1] (202) 243-2400chancery: 3522 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20037
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Marcelle M. WAHBA embassy: Al-Sudan Street, Abu Dhabi mailing address: P. O. Box 4009, Abu Dhabi telephone: [971] (2) 4436691 FAX: [971] (2) 4435441 consulate(s) general: Dubai
Flag description:three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black witha wider vertical red band on the hoist side
Economy United Arab Emirates
Economy - overview:The UAE has an open economy with a high per capita income and asizable annual trade surplus. Its wealth is based on oil and gasoutput (about 33% of GDP), and the fortunes of the economy fluctuatewith the prices of those commodities. Since 1973, the UAE hasundergone a profound transformation from an impoverished region ofsmall desert principalities to a modern state with a high standardof living. At present levels of production, oil and gas reservesshould last for more than 100 years. The government has increasedspending on job creation and infrastructure expansion and is openingup its utilities to greater private sector involvement.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $53.97 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:1.8% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $22,100 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:agriculture: 3%industry: 46%services: 51% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line:NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):2.8% (2002 est.)
Labor force:1.6 million (2000 est.)note: 73.9% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national(July 2002 est.) (2000 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:services 78%, industry 15%, agriculture 7% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate:NA%
Budget:revenues: $20 billionexpenditures: $22 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA(2000 est.)
Industries:petroleum, fishing, petrochemicals, construction materials, someboat building, handicrafts, pearling
Industrial production growth rate:4% (2000)
Electricity - production:37.74 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption:35.1 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:2.566 million bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:310,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:80.31 billion bbl (37257)
Natural gas - production:44.94 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:37.86 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:7.08 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:5.892 trillion cu m (37257)
Agriculture - products:dates, vegetables, watermelons; poultry, eggs, dairy products; fish
Exports:$44.9 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities:crude oil 45%, natural gas, reexports, dried fish, dates
Exports - partners:Japan 27.8%, South Korea 10.1%, Singapore 3.8% (2002)
Imports:$30.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food
Imports - partners:US 8.1%, China 7.8%, Japan 6.6%, Germany 6.5%, India 5.7%, France5.6%, UK 5.4%, South Korea 5.1%, Iran 4.2% (2002)
Debt - external:$18.5 billion (2002 est.)
Economic aid - donor:$NA
Currency:Emirati dirham (AED)
Currency code:AED
Exchange rates:Emirati dirhams per US dollar - 3.67 (2002), 3.67 (2001), 3.67(2000), 3.67 (1999), 3.67 (1998)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications United Arab Emirates
Telephones - main lines in use:915,223 (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular:1 million (1999)
Telephone system:general assessment: modern system of microwave radio relay andcoaxial cable; key centers are Abu Dhabi and Dubaidomestic: microwave radio relay and coaxial cableinternational: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 AtlanticOcean and 2 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; submarine cables to Qatar,Bahrain, India, and Pakistan; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain;microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia
Radio broadcast stations:AM 13, FM 7, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios:820,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:15 (1997)
Televisions:310,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.ae
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1 (2000)
Internet users:900,000 (2002)
Transportation United Arab Emirates
Railways:0 km
Highways:total: 1,088 kmpaved: 1,088 km (including 253 km of expressways)unpaved: 0 km (1999 est.)
Waterways:none
Pipelines:condensate 383 km; gas 1,765 km; liquid petroleum gas 186 km; oil1,266 km (2003)
Ports and harbors:'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Das Island, Khawr Fakkan, Mina' Jabal 'Ali,Mina' Khalid, Mina' Rashid, Mina' Saqr, Mina' Zayid, Umm al Qaywayn
Merchant marine:total: 61 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 815,428 GRT/1,207,346 DWTships by type: cargo 12, chemical tanker 4, container 7, liquefiedgas 1, livestock carrier 1, petroleum tanker 25, roll on/roll off 6,short-sea passenger 4, specialized tanker 1note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag ofconvenience: Greece 2, Italy 1, Kuwait 2 (2002 est.)
Airports:41 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 22over 3,047 m: 82,438 to 3,047 m: 3914 to 1,523 m: 3under 914 m: 4 (2002)1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 19under 914 m: 5 (2002)over 3,047 m: 12,438 to 3,047 m: 1914 to 1,523 m: 91,524 to 2,437 m: 3
Heliports:2 (2002)
Military United Arab Emirates
Military branches:Army, Navy (including Marines and Coast Guard), Air Force, AirDefense, paramilitary forces (includes Federal Police Force)
Military manpower - military age:18 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 764,413 note: includes non-nationals (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 416,963 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:males: 26,636 (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$1.6 billion (FY00)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:3.1% (FY00)
Transnational Issues United Arab Emirates
Disputes - international:because the treaties have not been made public, the exact alignmentof the boundary with Saudi Arabia is still unknown and labeledapproximate; boundary agreement signed and ratified with Oman in2003 for entire border, including Oman's Musandam Peninsula and AlMadhah enclaves; UAE engage direct talks and Arab League support toresolve disputes over Iran's occupation of Lesser and Greater Tunbislands and Abu Musa island
Illicit drugs:the UAE is a drug transshipment point for traffickers given itsproximity to southwest Asian drug producing countries; the UAE'sposition as a major financial center makes it vulnerable to moneylaundering; anti-money-laundering legislation was signed into law bythe president on 25 January 2002
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
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@United Kingdom
Introduction United Kingdom
Background:Great Britain, the dominant industrial and maritime power of the19th century, played a leading role in developing parliamentarydemocracy and in advancing literature and science. At its zenith,the British Empire stretched over one-fourth of the earth's surface.The first half of the 20th century saw the UK's strength seriouslydepleted in two World Wars. The second half witnessed thedismantling of the Empire and the UK rebuilding itself into a modernand prosperous European nation. As one of five permanent members ofthe UN Security Council, a founding member of NATO, and of theCommonwealth, the UK pursues a global approach to foreign policy; itcurrently is weighing the degree of its integration with continentalEurope. A member of the EU, it chose to remain outside the EuropeanMonetary Union for the time being. Constitutional reform is also asignificant issue in the UK. The Scottish Parliament, the NationalAssembly for Wales, and the Northern Ireland Assembly wereestablished in 1999.
Geography United Kingdom
Location:Western Europe, islands including the northern one-sixth of theisland of Ireland between the North Atlantic Ocean and the NorthSea, northwest of France
Geographic coordinates:54 00 N, 2 00 W
Map references:Europe
Area:total: 244,820 sq kmwater: 3,230 sq kmnote: includes Rockall and Shetland Islandsland: 241,590 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than Oregon
Land boundaries: total: 360 km border countries: Ireland 360 km
Coastline:12,429 km
Maritime claims:continental shelf: as defined in continental shelf orders or inaccordance with agreed upon boundariesexclusive fishing zone: 200 NMterritorial sea: 12 NM
Climate:temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds over the NorthAtlantic Current; more than one-half of the days are overcast
Terrain:mostly rugged hills and low mountains; level to rolling plains ineast and southeast
Elevation extremes:lowest point: The Fens -4 mhighest point: Ben Nevis 1,343 m
Natural resources:coal, petroleum, natural gas, tin, limestone, iron ore, salt, clay,chalk, gypsum, lead, silica, arable land
Land use: arable land: 26.41% permanent crops: 0.18% other: 73.41% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:1,080 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:winter windstorms; floods
Environment - current issues:continues to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (has met KyotoProtocol target of a 12.5% reduction from 1990 levels and intends tomeet the legally binding target and move towards a domestic goal ofa 20% cut in emissions by 2010); by 2005 the government aims toreduce the amount of industrial and commercial waste disposed of inlandfill sites to 85% of 1998 levels and to recycle or compost atleast 25% of household waste, increasing to 33% by 2015; between1998-99 and 1999-2000, household recycling increased from 8.8% to10.3%
Environment - international agreements:party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, AirPollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine LifeConservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, ShipPollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whalingsigned, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent OrganicPollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography - note:lies near vital North Atlantic sea lanes; only 35 km from Franceand now linked by tunnel under the English Channel; because ofheavily indented coastline, no location is more than 125 km fromtidal waters
People United Kingdom
Population:60,094,648 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 18.3% (male 5,621,590; female 5,350,319)15-64 years: 66.1% (male 20,067,529; female 19,626,123)65 years and over: 15.6% (male 3,987,457; female 5,441,630) (2003est.)
Median age: total: 38.4 years male: 37.3 years female: 39.5 years (2002)
Population growth rate:0.3% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:10.99 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:10.21 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:2.2 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: 1.02 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 5.28 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 4.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)male: 5.89 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 78.16 yearsmale: 75.74 yearsfemale: 80.7 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.66 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:34,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:460 (2001 est.)
Nationality:noun: Briton(s), British (collective plural)adjective: British
Ethnic groups:English 81.5%, Scottish 9.6%, Irish 2.4%, Welsh 1.9%, Ulster 1.8%,West Indian, Indian, Pakistani, and other 2.8%
Religions:Anglican and Roman Catholic 40 million, Muslim 1.5 million,Presbyterian 800,000, Methodist 760,000, Sikh 500,000, Hindu500,000, Jewish 350,000
Languages:English, Welsh (about 26% of the population of Wales), Scottishform of Gaelic (about 60,000 in Scotland)
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over has completed five or more years ofschoolingtotal population: 99% (2000 est.)male: NA%female: NA%
Government United Kingdom
Country name:conventional long form: United Kingdom of Great Britain andNorthern Irelandconventional short form: United Kingdomabbreviation: UK
Government type:constitutional monarchy
Capital:London
Administrative divisions:England - 47 boroughs, 36 counties*, 29 London boroughs**, 12cities and boroughs***, 10 districts****, 12 cities*****, 3 royalboroughs******; Barking and Dagenham**, Barnet**, Barnsley, Bath andNorth East Somerset****, Bedfordshire*, Bexley**, Birmingham***,Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool, Bolton, Bournemouth, BracknellForest, Bradford***, Brent**, Brighton and Hove, City ofBristol*****, Bromley**, Buckinghamshire*, Bury, Calderdale,Cambridgeshire*, Camden**, Cheshire*, Cornwall*, Coventry***,Croydon**, Cumbria*, Darlington, Derby*****, Derbyshire*, Devon*,Doncaster, Dorset*, Dudley, Durham*, Ealing**, East Riding ofYorkshire****, East Sussex*, Enfield**, Essex*, Gateshead,Gloucestershire*, Greenwich**, Hackney**, Halton, Hammersmith andFulham**, Hampshire*, Haringey**, Harrow**, Hartlepool, Havering**,Herefordshire*, Hertfordshire*, Hillingdon**, Hounslow**, Isle ofWight*, Islington**, Kensington and Chelsea******, Kent*, City ofKingston upon Hull*****, Kingston upon Thames******, Kirklees,Knowsley, Lambeth**, Lancashire*, Leeds***, Leicester*****,Leicestershire*, Lewisham**, Lincolnshire*, Liverpool***, City ofLondon*****, Luton, Manchester***, Medway, Merton**, Middlesbrough,Milton Keynes, Newcastle upon Tyne***, Newham**, Norfolk*,Northamptonshire*, North East Lincolnshire****, NorthLincolnshire****, North Somerset****, North Tyneside,Northumberland*, North Yorkshire*, Nottingham*****,Nottinghamshire*, Oldham, Oxfordshire*, Peterborough*****,Plymouth*****, Poole, Portsmouth*****, Reading, Redbridge**, Redcarand Cleveland, Richmond upon Thames**, Rochdale, Rotherham,Rutland****, Salford***, Shropshire*, Sandwell, Sefton,Sheffield***, Slough, Solihull, Somerset*, Southampton*****,Southend-on-Sea, South Gloucestershire****, South Tyneside,Southwark**, Staffordshire*, St. Helens, Stockport,Stockton-on-Tees, Stoke-on-Trent*****, Suffolk*, Sunderland***,Surrey*, Sutton**, Swindon, Tameside, Telford and Wrekin****,Thurrock, Torbay, Tower Hamlets**, Trafford, Wakefield***, Walsall,Waltham Forest**, Wandsworth**, Warrington, Warwickshire*, WestBerkshire****, Westminster***, West Sussex*, Wigan, Wiltshire*,Windsor and Maidenhead******, Wirral, Wokingham****, Wolverhampton,Worcestershire*, York*****; Northern Ireland - 24 districts, 2cities*, 6 counties**; Antrim, County Antrim**, Ards, Armagh, CountyArmagh**, Ballymena, Ballymoney, Banbridge, Belfast*, Carrickfergus,Castlereagh, Coleraine, Cookstown, Craigavon, Down, County Down**,Dungannon, Fermanagh, County Fermanagh**, Larne, Limavady, Lisburn,County Londonderry**, Derry*, Magherafelt, Moyle, Newry and Mourne,Newtownabbey, North Down, Omagh, Strabane, County Tyrone**; Scotland- 32 council areas; Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Angus, Argyll andBute, The Scottish Borders, Clackmannanshire, Dumfries and Galloway,Dundee City, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Lothian, EastRenfrewshire, City of Edinburgh, Falkirk, Fife, Glasgow City,Highland, Inverclyde, Midlothian, Moray, North Ayrshire, NorthLanarkshire, Orkney Islands, Perth and Kinross, Renfrewshire,Shetland Islands, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, Stirling, WestDunbartonshire, Eilean Siar (Western Isles), West Lothian; Wales -11 county boroughs, 9 counties*, 2 cities and counties**; Isle ofAnglesey*, Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Cardiff**,Ceredigion*, Carmarthenshire*, Conwy, Denbighshire*, Flintshire*,Gwynedd, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire*, Neath Port Talbot, Newport,Pembrokeshire*, Powys*, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Swansea**, Torfaen, TheVale of Glamorgan*, Wrexham
Dependent areas:Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British VirginIslands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Guernsey,Jersey, Isle of Man, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, Saint Helena,South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Turks and CaicosIslands
Independence:England has existed as a unified entity since the 10th century; theunion between England and Wales, begun in 1284 with the Statute ofRhuddlan, was not formalized until 1536 with an Act of Union; inanother Act of Union in 1707, England and Scotland agreed topermanently join as Great Britain; the legislative union of GreatBritain and Ireland was implemented in 1801, with the adoption ofthe name the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland; theAnglo-Irish treaty of 1921 formalized a partition of Ireland; sixnorthern Irish counties remained part of the United Kingdom asNorthern Ireland and the current name of the country, the UnitedKingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, was adopted in 1927
National holiday:Official Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, celebrated on the secondSaturday in June (1926)
Constitution:unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice
Legal system:common law tradition with early Roman and modern continentalinfluences; has judicial review of Acts of Parliament under theHuman Rights Act of 1998; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, withreservations
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); HeirApparent Prince CHARLES (son of the queen, born 14 November 1948)head of government: Prime Minister Anthony (Tony) BLAIR (since 2 May1997)cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the prime ministerelections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; following legislativeelections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of themajority coalition is usually the prime minister
Legislative branch:bicameral Parliament comprised of House of Lords (consists ofapproximately 500 life peers, 92 hereditary peers and 26 clergy) andHouse of Commons (659 seats; members are elected by popular vote toserve five-year terms unless the House is dissolved earlier)elections: House of Lords - no elections (note - in 1999, asprovided by the House of Lords Act, elections were held in the Houseof Lords to determine the 92 hereditary peers who would remainthere; pending further reforms, elections are held only as vacanciesin the hereditary peerage arise); House of Commons - last held 7June 2001 (next to be held by NA May 2006)election results: House of Commons - percent of vote by party -Labor 42.1%, Conservative and Unionist 32.7%, Liberal Democrats18.8%, other 6.4%; seats by party - Labor 412, Conservative andUnionist 166, Liberal Democrat 52, other 29; note - seating as of 15February 2002: Labor 410, Conservative 164, Liberal Democrats 53,other 32note: in 1998 elections were held for a Northern Ireland Parliament(because of unresolved disputes among existing parties, the transferof power from London to Northern Ireland came only at the end of1999 and has been rescinded three times the latest occurring inOctober 2002; since October 2002 the Northern Ireland Parliament hasbeen suspended); in 1999 there were elections for a new ScottishParliament and a new Welsh Assembly
Judicial branch:House of Lords (highest court of appeal; several Lords of Appeal inOrdinary are appointed by the monarch for life); Supreme Courts ofEngland, Wales, and Northern Ireland (comprising the Courts ofAppeal, the High Courts of Justice, and the Crown Courts);Scotland's Court of Session and Court of the Justiciary
Political parties and leaders:Conservative and Unionist Party [Michael HOWARD]; DemocraticUnionist Party (Northern Ireland) [Rev. Ian PAISLEY]; Labor Party[Anthony (Tony) BLAIR]; Liberal Democrats [Charles KENNEDY]; Partyof Wales (Plaid Cymru) [Ieuan Wyn Jones]; Scottish National Party orSNP [John SWINNEY]; Sinn Fein (Northern Ireland) [Gerry ADAMS];Social Democratic and Labor Party or SDLP (Northern Ireland) [MarkDURKAN]; Ulster Unionist Party (Northern Ireland) [David TRIMBLE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament; Confederation of BritishIndustry; National Farmers' Union; Trades Union Congress
International organization participation:AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, C, CDB, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECA(associate), ECE, ECLAC, EIB, ESA, ESCAP, EU, FAO, G- 5, G- 7, G- 8,G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA,IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW,OSCE, PCA, SPC, UN, UN Security Council, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO,UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOVIC,UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador David G. MANNING chancery: 3100 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 FAX: [1] (202) 588-7870 consulate(s): Dallas, Denver, Miami, and Seattle consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco telephone: [1] (202) 588-6500
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador William S. FARISH embassy: 24/31 Grosvenor Square, London, W1A1AE mailing address: PSC 801, Box 40, FPO AE 09498-4040 telephone: [44] (0) 7499-9000 FAX: [44] (0) 7629-9124 consulate(s) general: Belfast, Edinburgh
Flag description:blue field with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint ofEngland) edged in white superimposed on the diagonal red cross ofSaint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland), which is superimposed onthe diagonal white cross of Saint Andrew (patron saint of Scotland);properly known as the Union Flag, but commonly called the UnionJack; the design and colors (especially the Blue Ensign) have beenthe basis for a number of other flags including other Commonwealthcountries and their constituent states or provinces, as well asBritish overseas territories
Economy United Kingdom
Economy - overview:The UK, a leading trading power and financial center, is one of thequartet of trillion dollar economies of Western Europe. Over thepast two decades the government has greatly reduced public ownershipand contained the growth of social welfare programs. Agriculture isintensive, highly mechanized, and efficient by European standards,producing about 60% of food needs with only 1% of the labor force.The UK has large coal, natural gas, and oil reserves; primary energyproduction accounts for 10% of GDP, one of the highest shares of anyindustrial nation. Services, particularly banking, insurance, andbusiness services, account by far for the largest proportion of GDPwhile industry continues to decline in importance. GDP growthslipped in 2001-03 as the global downturn, the high value of thepound, and the bursting of the "new economy" bubble hurtmanufacturing and exports. Still, the economy is one of thestrongest in Europe; inflation, interest rates, and unemploymentremain low. The relatively good economic performance has complicatedthe BLAIR government's efforts to make a case for Britain to jointhe European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). Critics point out,however, that the economy is doing well outside of EMU, and theypoint to public opinion polls that continue to show a majority ofBritons opposed to the single currency. Meantime, the government hasbeen speeding up the improvement of education, transport, and healthservices, at a cost in higher taxes. The war in March-April 2003between a US-led coalition and Iraq, together with the subsequentproblems of restoring the economy and the polity, involve a heavycommitment of British military forces.