Radio broadcast stations:AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0note: the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation broadcasts from an AMstation in Ramallah on 675 kHz; numerous local, private stations arereported to be in operation (2000)
Radios:NA; note - most Palestinian households have radios (1999)
Television broadcast stations:NA
Televisions:NA; note - many Palestinian households have televisions (1999)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):8 (1999)
Internet users:60,000 (includes Gaza Strip) (2001)
Transportation West Bank
Railways:0 km
Highways:total: 4,500 kmpaved: 2,700 kmunpaved: 1,800 kmnote: Israelis have developed many highways to service Jewishsettlements (1997 est.)
Waterways:none
Ports and harbors:none
Airports:3 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 32,438 to 3,047 m: 11,524 to 2,437 m: 1under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Military West Bank
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:NA%
Transnational Issues West Bank
Disputes - international:West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current statussubject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanentstatus to be determined through further negotiation
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
======================================================================
@Western Sahara
Introduction Western Sahara
Background:Morocco virtually annexed the northern two-thirds of Western Sahara(formerly Spanish Sahara) in 1976, and the rest of the territory in1979, following Mauritania's withdrawal. A guerrilla war with thePolisario Front contesting Rabat's sovereignty ended in a 1991UN-brokered cease-fire; a UN-organized referendum on final statushas been repeatedly postponed.
Geography Western Sahara
Location:Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, betweenMauritania and Morocco
Geographic coordinates:24 30 N, 13 00 W
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 266,000 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmland: 266,000 sq km
Area - comparative:about the size of Colorado
Land boundaries: total: 2,046 km border countries: Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km
Coastline:1,110 km
Maritime claims:contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue
Climate:hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents producefog and heavy dew
Terrain:mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfacesrising to small mountains in south and northeast
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Sebjet Tah -55 mhighest point: unnamed location 463 m
Natural resources:phosphates, iron ore
Land use:arable land: 0%permanent crops: 0%other: 100% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:NA sq km
Natural hazards:hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter andspring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severelyrestricting visibility
Environment - current issues:sparse water and lack of arable land
Environment - international agreements: party to: none of the selected agreements signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: the waters off the coast are particularly rich fishing areas
People Western Sahara
Population: 261,794 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: NA% 15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA% (2003 est.)
Population growth rate:NA% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:NA births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:NA deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Sex ratio:NA (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: NA%male: NA%female: NA%
Life expectancy at birth:total population: NA yearsmale: NA yearsfemale: NA years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:NA children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:NA%
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:NA
Nationality:noun: Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s)adjective: Sahrawian, Sahraouian
Ethnic groups:Arab, Berber
Religions:Muslim
Languages:Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic
Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%
Government Western Sahara
Country name:conventional long form: noneconventional short form: Western Saharaformer: Spanish Sahara
Government type:legal status of territory and issue of sovereignty unresolved;territory contested by Morocco and Polisario Front (Popular Frontfor the Liberation of the Saguia el Hamra and Rio de Oro), which inFebruary 1976 formally proclaimed a government-in-exile of theSahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR),led by President MohamedABDELAZIZ; territory partitioned between Morocco and Mauritania inApril 1976, with Morocco acquiring northern two-thirds; Mauritania,under pressure from Polisario guerrillas, abandoned all claims toits portion in August 1979; Morocco moved to occupy that sectorshortly thereafter and has since asserted administrative control;the Polisario's government-in-exile was seated as an OAU member in1984; guerrilla activities continued sporadically, until aUN-monitored cease-fire was implemented 6 September 1991
Capital:none
Administrative divisions:none (under de facto control of Morocco)
Suffrage:none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign not yet completed
Executive branch:none
Political pressure groups and leaders:none
International organization participation:none
Diplomatic representation in the US:none
Diplomatic representation from the US:none
Economy Western Sahara
Economy - overview:Western Sahara depends on pastoral nomadism, fishing, and phosphatemining as the principal sources of income for the population. Theterritory lacks sufficient rainfall for sustainable agriculturalproduction, and most of the food for the urban population must beimported. All trade and other economic activities are controlled bythe Moroccan Government. Moroccan energy interests in 2001 signedcontracts to explore for oil off the coast of Western Sahara, whichhas angered the Polisario. Incomes and standards of living inWestern Sahara are substantially below the Moroccan level.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $NA
GDP - real growth rate:NA%
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $NA
GDP - composition by sector:agriculture: NA%industry: NA%services: 40% (1996 est.)
Population below poverty line:NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):NA%
Labor force:12,000
Labor force - by occupation:animal husbandry and subsistence farming 50%
Unemployment rate:NA%
Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Industries:phosphate mining, handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate:NA%
Electricity - production:90 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption:83.7 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:1,800 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Agriculture - products:fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases); camels, sheep,goats (kept by nomads)
Exports:$NA
Exports - commodities:phosphates 62%
Exports - partners:Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partnersare included in overall Moroccan accounts
Imports:$NA
Imports - commodities:fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs
Imports - partners:Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partnersare included in overall Moroccan accounts (2000)
Debt - external:$NA
Economic aid - recipient:$NA
Currency:Moroccan dirham (MAD)
Currency code:MAD
Exchange rates:Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 11.584 (2002), 11.303 (2001),10.626 (2000), 9.804 (1999), 9.604 (1998), 9.527 (1997)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Western Sahara
Telephones - main lines in use:about 2,000 (1999 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular:0 (1999)
Telephone system:general assessment: sparse and limited systemdomestic: NAinternational: tied into Morocco's system by microwave radio relay,tropospheric scatter, and satellite; satellite earth stations - 2Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) linked to Rabat, Morocco
Radio broadcast stations:AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios:56,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:NA
Televisions:6,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.eh
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1 (2000)
Internet users:NA
Transportation Western Sahara
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 6,200 km paved: 1,350 km unpaved: 4,850 km (1991 est)
Waterways:none
Ports and harbors:Ad Dakhla, Cabo Bojador, Laayoune (El Aaiun)
Airports:11 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 32,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 81,524 to 2,437 m: 1914 to 1,523 m: 4under 914 m: 3 (2002)
Military Western Sahara
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:NA%
Transnational Issues Western Sahara
Disputes - international:Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, but sovereigntyremains unresolved; UN-administered cease-fire has remained ineffect since September 1991, but attempts to hold a referendum havefailed and parties have rejected other proposals; Mauritanian claimsto Western Sahara have been dormant in recent years; Morocco allowedSpanish fishermen to fish temporarily off the coast of WesternSahara after an oil spill soiled Spanish fishing grounds
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
======================================================================
@World
Introduction World
Background:Globally, the 20th century was marked by: (a) two devastating worldwars; (b) the Great Depression of the 1930s; (c) the end of vastcolonial empires; (d) rapid advances in science and technology, fromthe first airplane flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina (US) to thelanding on the moon; (e) the Cold War between the Western allianceand the Warsaw Pact nations; (f) a sharp rise in living standards inNorth America, Europe, and Japan; (g) increased concerns about theenvironment, including loss of forests, shortages of energy andwater, the decline in biological diversity, and air pollution; (h)the onset of the AIDS epidemic; and (i) the ultimate emergence ofthe US as the only world superpower. The planet's populationcontinues to explode: from 1 billion in 1820, to 2 billion in 1930,3 billion in 1960, 4 billion in 1974, 5 billion in 1988, and 6billion in 2000. For the 21st century, the continued exponentialgrowth in science and technology raises both hopes (e.g., advancesin medicine) and fears (e.g., development of even more lethalweapons of war).
Geography World
Map references:Physical Map of the World, Political Map of the World, StandardTime Zones of the World
Area:total: 510.072 million sq kmland: 148.94 million sq kmwater: 361.132 million sq kmnote: 70.8% of the world's surface is water, 29.2% is land
Area - comparative:land area about 16 times the size of the US
Land boundaries:the land boundaries in the world total 250,472 km (not countingshared boundaries twice)
Coastline:356,000 km
Maritime claims:a variety of situations exist, but in general, most countries makethe following claims: contiguous zone - 24 NM; continental shelf -200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation, or 200 NM or to theedge of the continental margin; exclusive fishing zone - 200 NM;exclusive economic zone - 200 NM; territorial sea - 12 NM; boundarysituations with neighboring states prevent many countries fromextending their fishing or economic zones to a full 200 NM; 43nations and other areas that are landlocked include Afghanistan,Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bhutan, Bolivia,Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad,Czech Republic, Ethiopia, Holy See (Vatican City), Hungary,Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg,Malawi, Mali, Moldova, Mongolia, Nepal, Niger, Paraguay, Rwanda, SanMarino, Slovakia, Swaziland, Switzerland, Tajikistan, The FormerYugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Uzbekistan,West Bank, Zambia, Zimbabwe; two of these, Liechtenstein andUzbekistan, are doubly landlocked
Climate:two large areas of polar climates separated by two rather narrowtemperate zones form a wide equatorial band of tropical tosubtropical climates
Terrain:the greatest ocean depth is the Mariana Trench at 10,924 m in thePacific Ocean
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Bentley Subglacial Trench -2,540 mnote: in the oceanic realm, Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench isthe lowest point, lying -10,924 m below the surface of the PacificOceanhighest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m (1999 est.)
Natural resources:the rapid depletion of nonrenewable mineral resources, thedepletion of forest areas and wetlands, the extinction of animal andplant species, and the deterioration in air and water quality(especially in Eastern Europe, the former USSR, and China) poseserious long-term problems that governments and peoples are onlybeginning to address
Land use: arable land: 10.58% permanent crops: 1% other: 88.42% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:2,714,320 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:large areas subject to severe weather (tropical cyclones), naturaldisasters (earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions)
Environment - current issues: large areas subject to overpopulation, industrial disasters, pollution (air, water, acid rain, toxic substances), loss of vegetation (overgrazing, deforestation, desertification), loss of wildlife, soil degradation, soil depletion, erosion
Geography - note:the world is now thought to be about 4.55 billion years old, justabout one-third of the 13-billion-year age estimated for the universe
People World
Population:6,302,309,691 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 29.2% (male 932,581,592; female 885,688,851)15-64 years: 63.7% (male 2,009,997,089; female 1,964,938,201)65 years and over: 7.1% (male 193,549,180; female 247,067,032) (2003est.)note: some countries do not maintain age structure information, thusa slight discrepancy exists between the total world population andthe total for world age structure
Population growth rate:1.17% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:20.43 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:8.83 deaths/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: 0.78 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 51.38 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 53.81 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 48.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 63.95 yearsmale: 62 yearsfemale: 70.23 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:2.65 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:NA%
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:NA
Religions:Christians 32.79% (of which Roman Catholics 17.33%, Protestants5.62%, Orthodox 3.51%, Anglicans 1.31%), Muslims 19.6%, Hindus13.31%, Buddhists 5.88%, Sikhs 0.38%, Jews 0.24%, other religions12.83%, non-religious 12.53%, atheists 2.44% (2001 est.)
Languages:Chinese, Mandarin 14.37%, Hindi 6.02%, English 5.61%, Spanish5.59%, Bengali 3.4%, Portuguese 2.63%, Russian 2.75%, Japanese2.06%, German, Standard 1.64%, Korean 1.28%, French 1.27% (2000 est.)note: percents are for "first language" speakers only
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 77%male: 83%female: 71% (1995 est.)
Government World
Administrative divisions:268 nations, dependent areas, other, and miscellaneous entries
Legal system:all members of the UN plus Switzerland are parties to the statutethat established the International Court of Justice (ICJ) or WorldCourt
Economy World
Economy - overview: Growth in global output (gross world product, GWP) fell from 4.8% in 2000 to 2.2% in 2001 and 2.7% in 2002. The causes: sluggishness in the US economy (21% of GWP) and in the 15 EU economies (19% of GWP); continued stagnation in the Japanese economy (7.2% of GWP); and spillover effects in the less developed regions of the world. China, the second-largest economy in the world (12% of GWP), proved an exception, continuing its rapid annual growth, officially announced as 8% but estimated by many observers as perhaps two percentage points lower. Russia (2.6% of GWP), with 4% growth, continued to make uneven progress, its GDP per capita still only one-third that of the leading industrial nations. The other 14 successor nations of the USSR and the other old Warsaw Pact nations again experienced widely divergent growth rates; the three Baltic nations continued as strong performers, in the 5% range of growth. The developing nations also varied in their growth results, with many countries facing population increases that erode gains in output. Externally, the nation-state, as a bedrock economic-political institution, is steadily losing control over international flows of people, goods, funds, and technology. Internally, the central government often finds its control over resources slipping as separatist regional movements - typically based on ethnicity - gain momentum, e.g., in many of the successor states of the former Soviet Union, in the former Yugoslavia, in India, in Indonesia, and in Canada. Externally, the central government is losing decision-making powers to international bodies. In Western Europe, governments face the difficult political problem of channeling resources away from welfare programs in order to increase investment and strengthen incentives to seek employment. The addition of 80 million people each year to an already overcrowded globe is exacerbating the problems of pollution, desertification, underemployment, epidemics, and famine. Because of their own internal problems and priorities, the industrialized countries devote insufficient resources to deal effectively with the poorer areas of the world, which, at least from the economic point of view, are becoming further marginalized. The introduction of the euro as the common currency of much of Western Europe in January 1999, while paving the way for an integrated economic powerhouse, poses economic risks because of varying levels of income and cultural and political differences among the participating nations. The terrorist attacks on the US on 11 September 2001 accentuate a further growing risk to global prosperity, illustrated, for example, by the reallocation of resources away from investment to anti-terrorist programs. The opening of war in March 2003 between a US-led coalition and Iraq added new uncertainties to global economic prospects. (For specific economic developments in each country of the world in 2002, see the individual country entries.)
GDP:GWP (gross world product) - purchasing power parity - $49 trillion(2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:2.7% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $7,900 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:agriculture: 4%industry: 32%services: 64% (2002 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):developed countries 1% to 4% typically; developing countries 5% to60% typically; national inflation rates vary widely in individualcases, from declining prices in Japan to hyperinflation in severalThird World countries
Labor force:NA
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%
Unemployment rate:30% combined unemployment and underemployment in manynon-industrialized countries; developed countries typically 4%-12%unemployment
Industries:dominated by the onrush of technology, especially in computers,robotics, telecommunications, and medicines and medical equipment;most of these advances take place in OECD nations; only a smallportion of non-OECD countries have succeeded in rapidly adjusting tothese technological forces; the accelerated development of newindustrial (and agricultural) technology is complicating alreadygrim environmental problems
Industrial production growth rate:3% (2002 est.)
Electricity - production:14.85 trillion kWh (2001 est.)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: NA% hydro: NA% other: NA% nuclear: NA%
Electricity - consumption:13.93 trillion kWh (2001 est.)
Oil - production:75.46 million bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:76.21 million bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - proved reserves:1.025 trillion bbl (37257)
Natural gas - production:2.569 trillion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:2.556 trillion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:703.9 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:697.5 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:161.2 trillion cu m (37257)
Exports:$6.6 trillion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities:the whole range of industrial and agricultural goods and services
Exports - partners:US 17.4%, Germany 7.6%, UK 5.4%, France 5.1%, Japan 4.8%, China 4%(2002)
Imports:$6.6 trillion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities:the whole range of industrial and agricultural goods and services
Imports - partners:US 11.2%, Germany 9.2%, China 7%, Japan 6.8%, France 4.7%, UK 4%(2002)
Debt - external:$2 trillion for less developed countries (2002 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:official development assistance (ODA) $50 billion
Communications World
Telephones - main lines in use:NA
Telephones - mobile cellular:NA
Telephone system:general assessment: NAdomestic: NAinternational: NA
Radio broadcast stations:AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA
Radios:NA
Television broadcast stations:NA
Televisions:NA
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):10,350 (2000 est.)
Internet users:604,111,719 (2002 est.)
Transportation World
Railways:total: 1,122,650 km includes about 190,000 to 195,000 km ofelectrified routes of which 147,760 km are in Europe, 24,509 km inthe Far East, 11,050 km in Africa, 4,223 km in South America, and4,160 km in North America; note - fastest speed in daily service is300 km/hr attained by France's Societe Nationale des Chemins-de-FerFrancais (SNCF) Le Train a Grande Vitesse (TGV) - Atlantique linebroad gauge: 251,153 kmnarrow gauge: 239,430 kmstandard gauge: 710,754 km
Highways:total: NA kmpaved: NA kmunpaved: NA km
Ports and harbors:Chiba, Houston, Kawasaki, Kobe, Marseille, Mina' al Ahmadi(Kuwait), New Orleans, New York, Rotterdam, Yokohama
Military World
Military expenditures - dollar figure: aggregate real expenditure on arms worldwide in 1999 remained at approximately the 1998 level, about three-quarters of a trillion dollars (1999 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: roughly 2% of gross world product (1999 est.)
Transnational Issues World
Disputes - international:Globally, there are over 250,000 km of international landboundaries that separate the world's 192 independent states, alongwith 70 dependencies, areas of special sovereignty, and othermiscellaneous entities. Maritime states have claimed limits and haveso far established over 130 maritime boundaries and jointdevelopment zones to allocate ocean resources and to provide fortheir national security at sea. On land, ethnicity, culture, race,religion, and language have divided states into separate politicalentities as much as history, physical terrain, political fiat, orconquest, resulting in sometimes arbitrary and imposed boundaries.All of these factors have contributed to a wide array of boundary,borderland, and territorial disagreements that vary in intensityfrom unresolved or dormant to outright war. Territorial disputes mayevolve from historical and/or cultural animosities, or they may bebrought on by resource competition. Ethnic clashes continue to beresponsible for territorial fragmentation around the world.Undemarcated, indefinite, porous, and unmanaged boundaries encourageillegal cross-border activities, uncontrolled migration, andpolitical confrontation over boundary allocations. Other sources ofcontention include the use of water and mineral (especiallypetroleum) resources, fisheries, dams, and nuclear power plants.Many islands or island groups are also disputed, including those atsea and in streams. Nonetheless, many nations are activelycooperating to clarify, delineate, and demarcate their internationalborders. The tragic aspect of international discord is the impact onthe sustenance and welfare of populations caught in the conflict. Itis frequently left to members of the world community to cope withenormous refugee situations, and the resultant hunger, disease, andimpoverishment that they create.
Illicit drugs:cocaine: worldwide, coca is grown on an estimated 205,450 hectares- almost exclusively in South America with 70% in Colombia;potential cocaine production during 2002 is estimated at 938 metrictons (or 1,200 metric tons of export quality cocaine at an averageof 78% purity); coca eradication programs continue in Bolivia,Colombia, and Peru, and 292 metric tons of export quality cocaineare documented to have been seized in 2002; consumption of exportquality cocaine is estimated to have been 875 metric tonsopiates: cultivation of opium poppy occurred on an estimated 141,213hectares in 2002 and potentially produced 2,183 metric tons of opium- which conceivably could be converted to the equivalent of 238metric tons of pure heroin; opium eradication programs have beenundertaken in Afghanistan, Burma, Colombia, Mexico, Pakistan,Thailand, and Vietnam, and the annual average for opiates seizedworldwide over the past five years (1998-2002) has been 45 metrictons of pure heroin equivalent; estimates for average annualconsumption over this time period are 315 metric tons pure heroinequivalent
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
======================================================================
@Yemen
Introduction Yemen
Background:North Yemen became independent of the Ottoman Empire in 1918. TheBritish, who had set up a protectorate area around the southern portof Aden in the 19th century, withdrew in 1967 from what became SouthYemen. Three years later, the southern government adopted a Marxistorientation. The massive exodus of hundreds of thousands of Yemenisfrom the south to the north contributed to two decades of hostilitybetween the states. The two countries were formally unified as theRepublic of Yemen in 1990. A southern secessionist movement in 1994was quickly subdued. In 2000, Saudi Arabia and Yemen agreed to adelimitation of their border.
Geography Yemen
Location:Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Red Sea,between Oman and Saudi Arabia
Geographic coordinates:15 00 N, 48 00 E
Map references:Middle East
Area:total: 527,970 sq kmland: 527,970 sq kmnote: includes Perim, Socotra, the former Yemen Arab Republic (YARor North Yemen), and the former People's Democratic Republic ofYemen (PDRY or South Yemen)water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly larger than twice the size of Wyoming
Land boundaries: total: 1,746 km border countries: Oman 288 km, Saudi Arabia 1,458 km
Coastline:1,906 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:mostly desert; hot and humid along west coast; temperate in westernmountains affected by seasonal monsoon; extraordinarily hot, dry,harsh desert in east
Terrain:narrow coastal plain backed by flat-topped hills and ruggedmountains; dissected upland desert plains in center slope into thedesert interior of the Arabian Peninsula
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 mhighest point: Jabal an Nabi Shu'ayb 3,760 m
Natural resources:petroleum, fish, rock salt, marble, small deposits of coal, gold,lead, nickel, and copper, fertile soil in west
Land use: arable land: 2.75% permanent crops: 0.21% other: 97.04% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:4,900 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:sandstorms and dust storms in summer
Environment - current issues: very limited natural fresh water resources; inadequate supplies of potable water; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban
Geography - note:strategic location on Bab el Mandeb, the strait linking the Red Seaand the Gulf of Aden, one of world's most active shipping lanes
People Yemen
Population:19,349,881 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 46.8% (male 4,606,110; female 4,446,229)15-64 years: 50.4% (male 4,972,946; female 4,778,034)65 years and over: 2.8% (male 272,921; female 273,641) (2003 est.)
Median age:total: 16.4 yearsmale: 16.4 yearsfemale: 16.4 years (2002)
Population growth rate:3.42% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:43.23 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:9.04 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: 1.04 male(s)/female65 years and over: 1 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 65.02 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 59.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)male: 69.98 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 60.97 yearsmale: 59.16 yearsfemale: 62.87 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:6.82 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:9,900 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:NA
Nationality: noun: Yemeni(s) adjective: Yemeni
Ethnic groups:predominantly Arab; but also Afro-Arab, South Asians, Europeans
Religions:Muslim including Shaf'i (Sunni) and Zaydi (Shi'a), small numbers ofJewish, Christian, and Hindu
Languages:Arabic
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 50.2%male: 70.5%female: 30% (2003 est.)
Government Yemen
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Yemenconventional short form: Yemenlocal short form: Al Yamanlocal long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Yamaniyah
Government type:republic
Capital:Sanaa
Administrative divisions:19 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Abyan, 'Adan, AdDali', Al Bayda', Al Hudaydah, Al Jawf, Al Mahrah, Al Mahwit,'Amran, Dhamar, Hadramawt, Hajjah, Ibb, Lahij, Ma'rib, Sa'dah,San'a', Shabwah, Ta'izznote: there may be one additional governorate of the capital city ofSanaa
Independence:22 May 1990, Republic of Yemen was established with the merger ofthe Yemen Arab Republic [Yemen (Sanaa) or North Yemen] and theMarxist-dominated People's Democratic Republic of Yemen [Yemen(Aden) or South Yemen]; previously North Yemen had becomeindependent on NA November 1918 (from the Ottoman Empire) and SouthYemen had become independent on 30 November 1967 (from the UK)
National holiday:Unification Day, 22 May (1990)
Constitution:16 May 1991; amended 29 September 1994 and February 2001
Legal system:based on Islamic law, Turkish law, English common law, and localtribal customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Field Marshall Ali Abdallah SALIH (since22 May 1990, the former president of North Yemen, assumed officeupon the merger of North and South Yemen); Vice President Maj. Gen.Abd al-Rab Mansur al-HADI (since 3 October 1994)head of government: Prime Minister Abd al-Qadir BA JAMAL (since 4April 2001)cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on theadvice of the prime ministerelection results: Ali Abdallah SALIH elected president; percent ofvote - Ali Abdallah SALIH 96.3%, Najib Qahtan AL-SHAABI 3.7%elections: president elected by direct, popular vote for aseven-year term (recently extended from a five-year term byconstitutional amendment); election last held 23 September 1999(next to be held NA 2006); vice president appointed by thepresident; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed bythe president
Legislative branch:a new constitutional amendment ratified on 20 February 2001 createda bicameral legislature consisting of a Shura Council (111 seats;members appointed by the president) and a House of Representatives(301 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -GPC 238, Islah 46, YSP 8, Nasserite Unionist Party 3, National ArabSocialist Baath Party 2, independents 4elections: last held 27 April 2003 (next to be held NA April 2009)
Judicial branch:Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:there are over 12 political parties active in Yemen, some of themore prominent are: General People's Congress or GPC [President AliAbdallah SALIH]; Islamic Reform Grouping or Islah [Shaykh Abdallahbin Husayn al-AHMAR]; National Arab Socialist Baath Party [Dr.Qassim SALAAM]; Nasserite Unionist Party [Abdel Malik al-MAKHLAFI];Yemeni Socialist Party or YSP [Ali Salih MUQBIL]note: President SALIH's General People's Congress or GPC won alandslide victory in the April 1997 legislative election and nolonger governs in coalition with Shaykh Abdallah bin Husaynal-AHMAR's Islamic Reform Grouping or Islah - the two parties hadbeen in coalition since the end of the civil war in 1994; the YSP, aloyal opposition party, boycotted the April 1997 legislativeelection, but announced that it would participate in Yemen's firstlocal elections, held in February 2001; these local elections aim todecentralize political power and are a key element of thegovernment's political reform program
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:ACC, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAS (observer),OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Abd al-Wahhab Abdallah al-HAJRI FAX: [1] (202) 337-2017 telephone: [1] (202) 965-4760 chancery: Suite 705, 2600 Virginia Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Edmund J. HULLembassy: Dhahar Himyar Zone, Sheraton Hotel District, Sanaamailing address: P. O. Box 22347, Sanaatelephone: [967] (1) 303-161FAX: [967] (1) 303-182
Flag description:three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black;similar to the flag of Syria, which has two green stars and of Iraqwhich has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in ahorizontal line centered in the white band; also similar to the flagof Egypt, which has a heraldic eagle centered in the white band
Economy Yemen
Economy - overview:Yemen, one of the poorest countries in the Arab world, reportedstrong growth in the mid-1990s with the onset of oil production, buthas been harmed by periodic declines in oil prices. Yemen hasembarked on an IMF-supported structural adjustment program designedto modernize and streamline the economy, which has led tosubstantial foreign debt relief and restructuring. Internationaldonors, meeting in Paris in October 2002, agreed on a further $2.3billion economic support package. Yemen has worked to maintain tightcontrol over spending and implement additional components of the IMFprogram. A high population growth rate and internal politicaldissension complicate the government's task.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $15.07 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:4.1% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $800 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:agriculture: 22%industry: 38%services: 40% (2001)
Population below poverty line:NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: 3%highest 10%: 25.9% (1998)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:33.4 (1998)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):12.2% (2002 est.)
Labor force:NA
Labor force - by occupation: most people are employed in agriculture and herding; services, construction, industry, and commerce account for less than one-fourth of the labor force
Unemployment rate:30% (1995 est.)
Budget:revenues: $3 billionexpenditures: $3.1 billion, including capital expenditures of NA(2001 est.)
Industries:crude oil production and petroleum refining; small-scale productionof cotton textiles and leather goods; food processing; handicrafts;small aluminum products factory; cement
Industrial production growth rate:4% (2002 est.)
Electricity - production:3.01 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption:2.8 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:438,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:74,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:3.2 billion bbl (37257)
Natural gas - production:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:480 billion cu m (37257)
Agriculture - products:grain, fruits, vegetables, pulses, qat (mildly narcotic shrub),coffee, cotton; dairy products, livestock (sheep, goats, cattle,camels), poultry; fish
Exports:$3.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities:crude oil, coffee, dried and salted fish
Exports - partners:India 21.1%, Thailand 16.9%, South Korea 11.2%, China 11.1%,Malaysia 7.7%, US 6.7%, Singapore 4% (2002)
Imports:$2.9 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities:food and live animals, machinery and equipment, chemicals
Imports - partners:US 10.4%, Saudi Arabia 9.5%, China 8.7%, UAE 6.9%, Russia 5.8%,France 4.7% (2002)
Debt - external:$6.2 billion (2002)
Economic aid - recipient:$2.3 billion to be disbursed 2003-07 (2003-07 disbursements)
Currency:Yemeni rial (YER)
Currency code:YER
Exchange rates:Yemeni rials per US dollar - NA (2002), 168.67 (2001), 161.72(2000), 155.72 (1999), 135.88 (1998)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Yemen
Telephones - main lines in use:291,359 (1999)
Telephones - mobile cellular:32,042 (2000)
Telephone system:general assessment: since unification in 1990, efforts have beenmade to create a national telecommunications networkdomestic: the national network consists of microwave radio relay,cable, tropospheric scatter, and GSM cellular mobile telephonesystemsinternational: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Indian Oceanand 1 Atlantic Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region), and 2Arabsat; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and Djibouti
Radio broadcast stations:AM 6, FM 1, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios:1.05 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:7 (plus several low-power repeaters) (1997)
Televisions:470,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.ye
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1 (2000)
Internet users:17,000 (2002)
Transportation Yemen
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 67,000 km paved: 7,705 km unpaved: 59,295 km (1999 est.)
Waterways:none
Pipelines:gas 88 km; oil 1,174 km (2003)
Ports and harbors:Aden, Al Hudaydah, Al Mukalla, As Salif, Ras Issa, Mocha, Nishtun
Merchant marine:total: 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 18,623 GRT/23,752 DWTships by type: cargo 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 1note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag ofconvenience: Hong Kong 2 (2002 est.)
Airports:44 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 16over 3,047 m: 32,438 to 3,047 m: 91,524 to 2,437 m: 2914 to 1,523 m: 1under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 28over 3,047 m: 22,438 to 3,047 m: 71,524 to 2,437 m: 4914 to 1,523 m: 11under 914 m: 4 (2002)
Military Yemen
Military branches:Army (includes Special Forces, established in 1999), Navy, AirForce, Air Defense Forces, Republican Guard
Military manpower - military age:14 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 4,443,312 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 2,493,612 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:males: 249,292 (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$482.5 million (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:5.2% (FY01)
Military - note:establishment of a Coast Guard, scheduled for May 2001, has beendelayed
Transnational Issues Yemen
Disputes - international:Eritrea protests Yemeni fishing around the Hanish islands awardedto Eritrea by the ICJ in 1999; nomadic groups in border region withSaudi Arabia resist demarcation of boundary
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
======================================================================
@Zambia
Introduction Zambia
Background:The territory of Northern Rhodesia was administered by the SouthAfrica Company from 1891 until it was taken over by the UK in 1923.During the 1920s and 1930s, advances in mining spurred developmentand immigration. The name was changed to Zambia upon independence in1964. In the 1980s and 1990s, declining copper prices and aprolonged drought hurt the economy. Elections in 1991 brought an endto one-party rule, but the subsequent vote in 1996 saw blatantharassment of opposition parties. The election in 2001 was marked byadministrative problems with three parties filing a legal petitionchallenging the election of ruling party candidate Levy MWANAWASA.The new president launched a far-reaching anti-corruption campaignin 2002, which resulted in the 2003 arrest of the previous presidentFrederick CHILUBA and many of his supporters. Opposition partiescurrently hold a majority of seats in the National Assembly.
Geography Zambia
Location:Southern Africa, east of Angola
Geographic coordinates:15 00 S, 30 00 E
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 752,614 sq kmwater: 11,890 sq kmland: 740,724 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly larger than Texas
Land boundaries:total: 5,664 kmborder countries: Angola 1,110 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo1,930 km, Malawi 837 km, Mozambique 419 km, Namibia 233 km, Tanzania338 km, Zimbabwe 797 km
Coastline:0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:none (landlocked)
Climate:tropical; modified by altitude; rainy season (October to April)
Terrain:mostly high plateau with some hills and mountains
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Zambezi river 329 mhighest point: unnamed location in Mafinga Hills 2,301 m
Natural resources:copper, cobalt, zinc, lead, coal, emeralds, gold, silver, uranium,hydropower
Land use: arable land: 7.08% permanent crops: 0.03% other: 92.89% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:460 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:periodic drought, tropical storms (November to April)
Environment - current issues:air pollution and resulting acid rain in the mineral extraction andrefining region; chemical runoff into watersheds; poaching seriouslythreatens rhinoceros, elephant, antelope, and large cat populations;deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; lack of adequate watertreatment presents human health risks
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, EndangeredSpecies, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, OzoneLayer Protection, Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography - note:landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary withZimbabwe
People Zambia
Population:10,307,333note: 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: 46.3% (male 2,396,313; female 2,378,567)15-64 years: 50.9% (male 2,626,961; female 2,621,818)65 years and over: 2.8% (male 131,196; female 152,478) (2003 est.)
Median age:total: 16.5 yearsmale: 16.4 yearsfemale: 16.6 years (2002)
Population growth rate:1.52% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:39.53 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:24.3 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 99.29 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 91.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)male: 106.58 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 35.25 yearsmale: 35.25 yearsfemale: 35.25 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:5.25 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:21.5% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:1.2 million (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:120,000 (2001 est.)
Nationality:noun: Zambian(s)adjective: Zambian
Ethnic groups:African 98.7%, European 1.1%, other 0.2%
Religions:Christian 50%-75%, Muslim and Hindu 24%-49%, indigenous beliefs 1%
Languages:English (official), major vernaculars - Bemba, Kaonda, Lozi, Lunda,Luvale, Nyanja, Tonga, and about 70 other indigenous languages
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and write Englishtotal population: 80.6%male: 86.8%female: 74.8% (2003 est.)
Government Zambia
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Zambiaconventional short form: Zambiaformer: Northern Rhodesia
Government type:republic
Capital:Lusaka
Administrative divisions:9 provinces; Central, Copperbelt, Eastern, Luapula, Lusaka,Northern, North-Western, Southern, Western