MacauBuddhist 50%, Roman Catholic 15%, none and other 35% (1997est.)
MacedoniaMacedonian Orthodox 70%, Muslim 29%, other 1%
Madagascarindigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7%
MalawiProtestant 55%, Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 20%, indigenousbeliefs 3%, other 2%
MalaysiaMuslim, Buddhist, Daoist, Hindu, Christian, Sikh; note - inaddition, Shamanism is practiced in East Malaysia
MaldivesSunni Muslim
MaliMuslim 90%, indigenous beliefs 9%, Christian 1%
MaltaRoman Catholic 98%
Man, Isle ofAnglican, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Baptist,Presbyterian, Society of Friends
Marshall IslandsChristian (mostly Protestant)
MartiniqueRoman Catholic 85%, Protestant 10.5%, Muslim 0.5%, Hindu0.5%, other 3.5% (1997)
MauritaniaMuslim 100%
MauritiusHindu 52%, Christian 28.3% (Roman Catholic 26%, Protestant2.3%), Muslim 16.6%, other 3.1%
MayotteMuslim 97%, Christian (mostly Roman Catholic)
Mexiconominally Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 6%, other 5%
Micronesia, Federated States ofRoman Catholic 50%, Protestant 47%
MoldovaEastern Orthodox 98%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist and other 0.5%(2000)
MonacoRoman Catholic 90%
MongoliaBuddhist Lamaist 50%, none 40%, Shamanist and Christian 6%,Muslim 4% (2004)
MontserratAnglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal,Seventh-Day Adventist, other Christian denominations
MoroccoMuslim 98.7%, Christian 1.1%, Jewish 0.2%
Mozambiqueindigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20%
NamibiaChristian 80% to 90% (Lutheran 50% at least), indigenousbeliefs 10% to 20%
NauruChristian (two-thirds Protestant, one-third Roman Catholic)
NepalHinduism 86.2%, Buddhism 7.8%, Islam 3.8%, other 2.2%note: only official Hindu state in the world (1995)
NetherlandsRoman Catholic 31%, Protestant 21%, Muslim 4.4%, other3.6%, unaffiliated 40% (1998)
Netherlands AntillesRoman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Seventh-DayAdventist
New CaledoniaRoman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10%
New ZealandAnglican 24%, Presbyterian 18%, Roman Catholic 15%,Methodist 5%, Baptist 2%, other Protestant 3%, unspecified or none33% (1986)
NicaraguaRoman Catholic 85%, Protestant
NigerMuslim 80%, remainder indigenous beliefs and Christian
NigeriaMuslim 50%, Christian 40%, indigenous beliefs 10%
NiueEkalesia Niue (Niuean Church - a Protestant church closelyrelated to the London Missionary Society) 75%, Latter-Day Saints10%, other 15% (mostly Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witnesses,Seventh-Day Adventist)
Norfolk IslandAnglican 37.4%, Uniting Church in Australia 14.5%,Roman Catholic 11.5%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3.1%, none 12.2%,unknown 17.4%, other 3.9% (1996)
Northern Mariana IslandsChristian (Roman Catholic majority,although traditional beliefs and taboos may still be found)
NorwayEvangelical Lutheran 86% (state church), other Protestant andRoman Catholic 3%, other 1%, none and unknown 10% (1997)
OmanIbadhi Muslim 75%, Sunni Muslim, Shi'a Muslim, Hindu
PakistanMuslim 97% (Sunni 77%, Shi'a 20%), Christian, Hindu, andother 3%
PalauChristian (Roman Catholics 49%, Seventh-Day Adventists,Jehovah's Witnesses, the Assembly of God, the Liebenzell Mission,and Latter-Day Saints), Modekngei religion (one-third of thepopulation observes this religion, which is indigenous to Palau)
PanamaRoman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15%
Papua New GuineaRoman Catholic 22%, Lutheran 16%,Presbyterian/Methodist/London Missionary Society 8%, Anglican 5%,Evangelical Alliance 4%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1%, other Protestant10%, indigenous beliefs 34%
ParaguayRoman Catholic 90%, Mennonite, and other Protestant
PeruRoman Catholic 90%
PhilippinesRoman Catholic 83%, Protestant 9%, Muslim 5%, Buddhistand other 3%
Pitcairn IslandsSeventh-Day Adventist 100%
PolandRoman Catholic 95% (about 75% practicing), Eastern Orthodox,Protestant, and other 5%
PortugalRoman Catholic 94%, Protestant (1995)
Puerto RicoRoman Catholic 85%, Protestant and other 15%
QatarMuslim 95%
ReunionRoman Catholic 86%, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist (1995)
RomaniaEastern Orthodox (including all sub-denominations) 87%,Protestant 6.8%, Catholic 5.6%, other (mostly Muslim) 0.4%,unaffiliated 0.2% (2002)
RussiaRussian Orthodox, Muslim, other
RwandaRoman Catholic 56.5%, Protestant 26%, Adventist 11.1%, Muslim4.6%, indigenous beliefs 0.1%, none 1.7% (2001)
Saint HelenaAnglican (majority), Baptist, Seventh-Day Adventist,Roman Catholic
Saint Kitts and NevisAnglican, other Protestant, Roman Catholic
Saint LuciaRoman Catholic 90%, Anglican 3%, other Protestant 7%
Saint Pierre and MiquelonRoman Catholic 99%
Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesAnglican 47%, Methodist 28%, RomanCatholic 13%, Hindu Seventh-Day Adventist, other Protestant
SamoaChristian 99.7% (about one-half of population associated withthe London Missionary Society; includes Congregational, RomanCatholic, Methodist, Latter-Day Saints, Seventh-Day Adventist)
San MarinoRoman Catholic
Sao Tome and PrincipeChristian 80% (Roman Catholic, EvangelicalProtestant, Seventh-Day Adventist)
Saudi ArabiaMuslim 100%
SenegalMuslim 94%, indigenous beliefs 1%, Christian 5% (mostlyRoman Catholic)
Serbia and MontenegroOrthodox 65%, Muslim 19%, Roman Catholic 4%,Protestant 1%, other 11%
SeychellesRoman Catholic 86.6%, Anglican 6.8%, other Christian2.5%, other 4.1%
Sierra LeoneMuslim 60%, indigenous beliefs 30%, Christian 10%
SingaporeBuddhist (Chinese), Muslim (Malays), Christian, Hindu,Sikh, Taoist, Confucianist
SlovakiaRoman Catholic 60.3%, atheist 9.7%, Protestant 8.4%,Orthodox 4.1%, other 17.5%
SloveniaRoman Catholic (Uniate 2%) 70.8%, Lutheran 1%, Muslim 1%,atheist 4.3%, other 22.9%
Solomon IslandsAnglican 45%, Roman Catholic 18%, United(Methodist/Presbyterian) 12%, Baptist 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 7%,other Protestant 5%, indigenous beliefs 4%
SomaliaSunni Muslim
South AfricaChristian 68% (includes most whites and Coloreds, about60% of blacks and about 40% of Indians), Muslim 2%, Hindu 1.5% (60%of Indians), indigenous beliefs and animist 28.5%
SpainRoman Catholic 94%, other 6%
Sri LankaBuddhist 70%, Hindu 15%, Christian 8%, Muslim 7% (1999)
SudanSunni Muslim 70% (in north), indigenous beliefs 25%, Christian5% (mostly in south and Khartoum)
SurinameHindu 27.4%, Muslim 19.6%, Roman Catholic 22.8%, Protestant25.2% (predominantly Moravian), indigenous beliefs 5%
SwazilandZionist (a blend of Christianity and indigenous ancestralworship) 40%, Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 10%, Anglican, Bahai,Methodist, Mormon, Jewish and other 30%
SwedenLutheran 87%, Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Baptist, Muslim,Jewish, Buddhist
SwitzerlandRoman Catholic 46.1%, Protestant 40%, other 5%, none8.9% (1990)
SyriaSunni Muslim 74%, Alawite, Druze, and other Muslim sects 16%,Christian (various sects) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus,Al Qamishli, and Aleppo)
Taiwanmixture of Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist 93%, Christian4.5%, other 2.5%
TajikistanSunni Muslim 85%, Shi'a Muslim 5%, other 10% (2003 est.)
Tanzaniamainland - Christian 30%, Muslim 35%, indigenous beliefs35%; Zanzibar - more than 99% Muslim
ThailandBuddhism 95%, Muslim 3.8%, Christianity 0.5%, Hinduism0.1%, other 0.6% (1991)
Togoindigenous beliefs 51%, Christian 29%, Muslim 20%
TokelauCongregational Christian Church 70%, Roman Catholic 28%,other 2%note: on Atafu, all Congregational Christian Church of Samoa; onNukunonu, all Roman Catholic; on Fakaofo, both denominations, withthe Congregational Christian Church predominant
TongaChristian (Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30,000 adherents)
Trinidad and TobagoRoman Catholic 29.4%, Hindu 23.8%, Anglican10.9%, Muslim 5.8%, Presbyterian 3.4%, other 26.7%
TunisiaMuslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish and other 1%
TurkeyMuslim 99.8% (mostly Sunni), other 0.2% (mostly Christiansand Jews)
TurkmenistanMuslim 89%, Eastern Orthodox 9%, unknown 2%
Turks and Caicos IslandsBaptist 40%, Methodist 16%, Anglican 18%,Church of God 12%, other 14% (1990)
TuvaluChurch of Tuvalu (Congregationalist) 97%, Seventh-DayAdventist 1.4%, Baha'i 1%, other 0.6%
UgandaRoman Catholic 33%, Protestant 33%, Muslim 16%, indigenousbeliefs 18%
UkraineUkrainian Orthodox - Kiev Patriarchate 19%, UkrainianOrthodox - Moscow Patriarchate 9%, Ukrainian Greek Catholic 6%,Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox 1.7%, Protestant, Jewish, none 38%(2004 est.)
United Arab EmiratesMuslim 96% (Shi'a 16%), Christian, Hindu, andother 4%
United KingdomAnglican and Roman Catholic 40 million, Muslim 1.5million, Presbyterian 800,000, Methodist 760,000, Sikh 500,000,Hindu 500,000, Jewish 350,000
United StatesProtestant 52%, Roman Catholic 24%, Mormon 2%, Jewish1%, Muslim 1%, other 10%, none 10% (2002 est.)
UruguayRoman Catholic 66% (less than half of the adult populationattends church regularly), Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, nonprofessingor other 31%
UzbekistanMuslim 88% (mostly Sunnis), Eastern Orthodox 9%, other 3%
VanuatuPresbyterian 36.7%, Anglican 15%, Roman Catholic 15%,indigenous beliefs 7.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6.2%, Church ofChrist 3.8%, other 15.7% (including Jon Frum Cargo cult)
Venezuelanominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, other 2%
VietnamBuddhist, Hoa Hao, Cao Dai, Christian (predominantly RomanCatholic, some Protestant), indigenous beliefs, Muslim
Virgin IslandsBaptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%,other 7%
Wallis and FutunaRoman Catholic 99%, other 1%
West BankMuslim 75% (predominantly Sunni), Jewish 17%, Christianand other 8%
Western SaharaMuslim
WorldChristians 32.71% (of which Roman Catholics 17.28%,Protestants 5.61%, Orthodox 3.49%, Anglicans 1.31%), Muslims 19.67%,Hindus 13.28%, Buddhists 5.84%, Sikhs 0.38%, Jews 0.23%, otherreligions 13.05%, non-religious 12.43%, atheists 2.41% (2002 est.)
YemenMuslim including Shaf'i (Sunni) and Zaydi (Shi'a), smallnumbers of Jewish, Christian, and Hindu
ZambiaChristian 50%-75%, Muslim and Hindu 24%-49%, indigenousbeliefs 1%
Zimbabwesyncretic (part Christian, part indigenous beliefs) 50%,Christian 25%, indigenous beliefs 24%, Muslim and other 1%
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
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@2123 Suffrage
Afghanistan18 years of age; universal
Albania18 years of age; universal
Algeria18 years of age; universal
American Samoa18 years of age; universal
Andorra18 years of age; universal
Angola18 years of age; universal
Anguilla18 years of age; universal
Antigua and Barbuda18 years of age; universal
Argentina18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Armenia18 years of age; universal
Aruba18 years of age; universal
Australia18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Austria18 years of age; universal; compulsory for presidentialelections
Azerbaijan18 years of age; universal
Bahamas, The18 years of age; universal
Bahrain18 years of age; universal
Bangladesh18 years of age; universal
Barbados18 years of age; universal
Belarus18 years of age; universal
Belgium18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Belize18 years of age; universal
Benin18 years of age; universal
Bermuda18 years of age; universal
Bhutaneach family has one vote in village-level elections; note -in late 2003 Bhutan's legislature passed a new election law
Bolivia18 years of age, universal and compulsory (married); 21years of age, universal and compulsory (single)
Bosnia and Herzegovina18 years of age, universal
Botswana18 years of age; universal
Brazilvoluntary between 16 and 18 years of age and over 70;compulsory over 18 and under 70 years of age; note - militaryconscripts do not vote
British Virgin Islands18 years of age; universal
Bruneinone
Bulgaria18 years of age; universal
Burkina Fasouniversal
Burma18 years of age; universal
BurundiNA years of age; universal adult
Cambodia18 years of age; universal
Cameroon20 years of age; universal
Canada18 years of age; universal
Cape Verde18 years of age; universal
Cayman Islands18 years of age; universal
Central African Republic21 years of age; universal
Chad18 years of age; universal
Chile18 years of age; universal and compulsory
China18 years of age; universal
Cocos (Keeling) IslandsNA
Colombia18 years of age; universal
Comoros18 years of age; universal
Congo, Democratic Republic of the 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Congo, Republic of the18 years of age; universal
Cook IslandsNA years of age; universal adult
Costa Rica18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Cote d'Ivoire18 years of age; universal
Croatia18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed)
Cuba16 years of age; universal
Cyprus18 years of age; universal
Czech Republic18 years of age; universal
Denmark18 years of age; universal
Djibouti18 years of age; universal adult
Dominica18 years of age; universal
Dominican Republic 18 years of age, universal and compulsory; married persons regardless of age note: members of the armed forces and national police cannot vote
East Timor17 years of age; universal
Ecuador18 years of age; universal, compulsory for literate personsages 18-65, optional for other eligible voters
Egypt18 years of age; universal and compulsory
El Salvador18 years of age; universal
Equatorial Guinea18 years of age; universal adult
Eritrea18 years of age; universal
Estonia18 years of age; universal for all Estonian citizens
Ethiopia18 years of age; universal
European Union18 years of age; universal
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)18 years of age; universal
Faroe Islands18 years of age; universal
Fiji21 years of age; universal
Finland18 years of age; universal
France18 years of age; universal
French Guiana18 years of age; universal
French Polynesia18 years of age; universal
Gabon21 years of age; universal
Gambia, The18 years of age; universal
Georgia18 years of age; universal
Germany18 years of age; universal
Ghana18 years of age; universal
Gibraltar18 years of age; universal, plus other UK subjects whohave been residents six months or more
Greece18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Greenland18 years of age; universal
Grenada18 years of age; universal
Guadeloupe18 years of age; universal
Guam18 years of age; universal; US citizens, but do not vote in USpresidential elections
Guatemala18 years of age; universal (active duty members of thearmed forces may not vote and are restricted to their barracks onelection day)
Guernsey18 years of age; universal
Guinea18 years of age; universal
Guinea-Bissau18 years of age; universal
Guyana18 years of age; universal
Haiti18 years of age; universal
Holy See (Vatican City)limited to cardinals less than 80 years old
Honduras18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Hong Kongdirect election 18 years of age; universal for permanentresidents living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past sevenyears; indirect election limited to about 200,000 members offunctional constituencies and an 800-member election committee drawnfrom broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, and centralgovernment bodies
Hungary18 years of age; universal
Iceland18 years of age; universal
India18 years of age; universal
Indonesia17 years of age; universal and married persons regardlessof age
Iran15 years of age; universal
Iraqformerly 18 years of age; universal
Ireland18 years of age; universal
Israel18 years of age; universal
Italy18 years of age; universal (except in senatorial elections,where minimum age is 25)
Jamaica18 years of age; universal
Japan20 years of age; universal
JerseyNA years of age; universal adult
Jordan18 years of age; universal
Kazakhstan18 years of age; universal
Kenya18 years of age; universal
Kiribati18 years of age; universal
Korea, North17 years of age; universal
Korea, South20 years of age; universal
Kuwaitadult males who have been naturalized for 30 years or more orhave resided in Kuwait since before 1920 and their male descendantsat age 21note: only 10% of all citizens are eligible to vote; in 1996,naturalized citizens who do not meet the pre-1920 qualification buthave been naturalized for 30 years were eligible to vote for thefirst time
Kyrgyzstan18 years of age; universal
Laos18 years of age; universal
Latvia18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens
Lebanon21 years of age; compulsory for all males; authorized forwomen at age 21 with elementary education
Lesotho18 years of age; universal
Liberia18 years of age; universal
Libya18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Liechtenstein18 years of age; universal
Lithuania18 years of age; universal
Luxembourg18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Macaudirect election 18 years of age, universal for permanentresidents living in Macau for the past seven years; indirectelection limited to organizations registered as "corporate voters"(257 are currently registered) and a 300-member Election Committeedrawn from broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, andcentral government bodies
Macedonia18 years of age; universal
Madagascar18 years of age; universal
Malawi18 years of age; universal
Malaysia21 years of age; universal
Maldives21 years of age; universal
Mali18 years of age; universal
Malta18 years of age; universal
Man, Isle of18 years of age; universal
Marshall Islands18 years of age; universal
Martinique18 years of age; universal
Mauritania18 years of age; universal
Mauritius18 years of age; universal
Mayotte18 years of age; universal
Mexico18 years of age; universal and compulsory (but not enforced)
Micronesia, Federated States of18 years of age; universal
Moldova18 years of age; universal
Monaco21 years of age; universal
Mongolia18 years of age; universal
Montserrat18 years of age; universal
Morocco18 years of age; universal (as of January 2003)
Mozambique18 years of age; universal
Namibia18 years of age; universal
Nauru20 years of age; universal and compulsory
Nepal18 years of age; universal
Netherlands18 years of age; universal
Netherlands Antilles18 years of age; universal
New Caledonia18 years of age; universal
New Zealand18 years of age; universal
Nicaragua16 years of age; universal
Niger18 years of age; universal
Nigeria18 years of age; universal
Niue18 years of age; universal
Norfolk Island18 years of age; universal
Northern Mariana Islands 18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
Norway18 years of age; universal
Omanin Oman's most recent Majlis al-Shura elections in 2003,suffrage was universal for all Omanis over age 21 except for membersof the military and security forces; the next Majlis al-Shuraelections are scheduled for 2007
Pakistan18 years of age; universal; joint electorates and reservedparliamentary seats for women and non-Muslims
Palau18 years of age; universal
Panama18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Papua New Guinea18 years of age; universal
Paraguay18 years of age; universal and compulsory up to age 75
Peru18 years of age; universal and compulsory until the age of 70;note - members of the military may not vote
Philippines18 years of age; universal
Pitcairn Islands 18 years of age; universal with three years residency
Poland18 years of age; universal
Portugal18 years of age; universal
Puerto Rico18 years of age; universal; island residents are UScitizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
Qatar18 years of age; universal
Reunion18 years of age; universal
Romania18 years of age; universal
Russia18 years of age; universal
Rwanda18 years of age; universal adult
Saint HelenaNA years of age
Saint Kitts and Nevis18 years of age; universal
Saint Lucia18 years of age; universal
Saint Pierre and Miquelon18 years of age; universal
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines18 years of age; universal
Samoa21 years of age; universal
San Marino18 years of age; universal
Sao Tome and Principe18 years of age; universal
Saudi Arabianone adult male citizens age 21 or oldernote: voter registration began in November 2004 for partialmunicipal council elections scheduled nationwide for Februarythrough April 2005
Senegal18 years of age; universal
Serbia and Montenegro 16 years of age, if employed; 18 years of age, universal
Seychelles17 years of age; universal
Sierra Leone18 years of age; universal
Singapore21 years of age; universal and compulsory
Slovakia18 years of age; universal
Slovenia18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed)
Solomon Islands21 years of age; universal
Somalia18 years of age; universal
South Africa18 years of age; universal
Spain18 years of age; universal
Sri Lanka18 years of age; universal
Sudan17 years of age; universal, but noncompulsory
Suriname18 years of age; universal
Swaziland18 years of age
Sweden18 years of age; universal
Switzerland18 years of age; universal
Syria18 years of age; universal
Taiwan20 years of age; universal
Tajikistan18 years of age; universal
Tanzania18 years of age; universal
Thailand18 years of age; universal and compulsory
TogoNA years of age; universal adult
Tokelau21 years of age; universal
Tonga21 years of age; universal
Trinidad and Tobago18 years of age; universal
Tunisia20 years of age; universal
Turkey18 years of age; universal
Turkmenistan18 years of age; universal
Turks and Caicos Islands18 years of age; universal
Tuvalu18 years of age; universal
Uganda18 years of age; universal
Ukraine18 years of age; universal
United Arab Emiratesnone
United Kingdom18 years of age; universal
United States18 years of age; universal
Uruguay18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Uzbekistan18 years of age; universal
Vanuatu18 years of age; universal
Venezuela18 years of age; universal
Vietnam18 years of age; universal
Virgin Islands18 years of age; universal; note - island residentsare US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
Wallis and Futuna18 years of age; universal
Western Saharanone; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaignnot yet completed
Yemen18 years of age; universal
Zambia18 years of age; universal
Zimbabwe18 years of age; universal
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
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@2124 Telephone system
Afghanistangeneral assessment: very limited telephone and telegraphservicedomestic: telephone service is improving with the establishment oftwo mobile phone operators by 2003; telephone main lines remain weakwith only .1 line per 10 peopleinternational: country code - 93; five VSAT's installed in Kabul,Herat, Mazar-e-Sharif, Kandahar, and Jalalabad provide internationaland domestic voice and data connectivity
Albaniageneral assessment: Despite new investment in fixed lines,the density of main lines remains the lowest in Europe with roughly8 lines per 100 people. However, cellular telephone use iswidespread and generally effective.domestic: offsetting the shortage of fixed line capacity, mobilephone service has been available since 1996; by 2003 two companieswere providing mobile services at a greater density than some ofAlbania's Balkan neighborsinternational: country code - 355; inadequate fixed main lines;adequate cellular connections; international traffic carried bymicrowave radio relay from the Tirana exchange to Italy and Greece(2003)
Algeriageneral assessment: telephone density in Algeria is verylow, not exceeding five telephones per 100 persons; the number offixed main lines increased in the last few years to a little morethan 2,000,000, but only about two-thirds of these have subscribers;much of the infrastructure is outdated and inefficientdomestic: good service in north but sparse in south; domesticsatellite system with 12 earth stations (20 additional domesticearth stations are planned)international: country code - 213; 5 submarine cables; microwaveradio relay to Italy, France, Spain, Morocco, and Tunisia; coaxialcable to Morocco and Tunisia; participant in Medarabtel; satelliteearth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1Intersputnik, and 1 Arabsat (1998)
American Samoageneral assessment: NAdomestic: good telex, telegraph, facsimile and cellular telephoneservices; domestic satellite system with 1 Comsat earth stationinternational: country code - 1-684; satellite earth station - 1Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Andorrageneral assessment: NAdomestic: modern system with microwave radio relay connectionsbetween exchangesinternational: country code - 376; landline circuits to France andSpain
Angolageneral assessment: telephone service limited mostly togovernment and business use; HF radiotelephone used extensively formilitary linksdomestic: limited system of wire, microwave radio relay, andtropospheric scatterinternational: country code - 244; satellite earth stations - 2Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC)provides connectivity to Europe and Asia
Anguillageneral assessment: NAdomestic: modern internal telephone systeminternational: country code - 1-264; microwave radio relay to islandof Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles)
Antarcticageneral assessment: local systems at some researchstationsdomestic: NAinternational: country code - 672; via satellite (mobile Inmarsatand Iridium system) from some research stations
Antigua and Barbudageneral assessment: NAdomestic: good automatic telephone systeminternational: country code - 1-268; 1 coaxial submarine cable;satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); troposphericscatter to Saba (Netherlands Antilles) and Guadeloupe
Argentinageneral assessment: by opening the telecommunicationsmarket to competition and foreign investment with the"Telecommunications Liberalization Plan of 1998," Argentinaencouraged the growth of modern telecommunication technology;fiber-optic cable trunk lines are being installed between all majorcities; the major networks are entirely digital and the availabilityof telephone service is being improved; however, telephone densityis presently minimal, and making telephone service universallyavailable will take timedomestic: microwave radio relay, fiber-optic cable, and a domesticsatellite system with 40 earth stations serve the trunk network;more than 110,000 pay telephones are installed and mobile telephoneuse is rapidly expandinginternational: country code - 54; satellite earth stations - 8Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); Atlantis II and Unisur submarine cables;two international gateways near Buenos Aires (1999)
Armeniageneral assessment: system inadequate; now 90% privatelyowned and undergoing modernization and expansiondomestic: the majority of subscribers and the most modern equipmentare in Yerevan (this includes paging and mobile cellular service)international: country code - 374; Yerevan is connected to theTrans-Asia-Europe fiber-optic cable through Iran; additionalinternational service is available by microwave radio relay andlandline connections to the other countries of the Commonwealth ofIndependent States and through the Moscow international switch andby satellite to the rest of the world; satellite earth stations - 1Intelsat (2000)
Arubageneral assessment: NAdomestic: more than adequateinternational: country code - 297; 1 submarine cable to Sint Maarten(Netherlands Antilles); extensive interisland microwave radio relaylinks
Australiageneral assessment: excellent domestic and internationalservicedomestic: domestic satellite system; much use of radiotelephone inareas of low population density; rapid growth of mobile cellulartelephonesinternational: country code - 61; submarine cables to New Zealand,Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia; satellite earth stations - 10Intelsat (4 Indian Ocean and 6 Pacific Ocean), 2 Inmarsat (Indianand Pacific Ocean regions) (1998)
Austriageneral assessment: highly developed and efficientdomestic: there are 48 main lines for every 100 persons; the fiberoptic net is very extensive; all telephone applications and Internetservices are availableinternational: country code - 43; satellite earth stations - 2Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Eutelsat; inaddition, there are about 600 VSAT (very small aperture terminals)(2002)
Azerbaijangeneral assessment: inadequate; requires considerableexpansion and modernization; teledensity of 10 main lines per 100persons is low (2002)domestic: the majority of telephones are in Baku and otherindustrial centers - about 700 villages still without publictelephone service; satellite service connects Baku to a modernswitch in its exclave of Naxcivaninternational: country code - 994; the old Soviet system of cableand microwave is still serviceable; a satellite connection to Turkeyenables Baku to reach about 200 additional countries, some of whichare directly connected to Baku by satellite providers other thanTurkey (1997)
Bahamas, Thegeneral assessment: modern facilitiesdomestic: totally automatic system; highly developedinternational: country code - 1-242; tropospheric scatter andsubmarine cable to Florida; 3 coaxial submarine cables; satelliteearth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (1997)
Bahraingeneral assessment: modern systemdomestic: modern fiber-optic integrated services; digital networkwith rapidly growing use of mobile cellular telephonesinternational: country code - 973; tropospheric scatter to Qatar andUAE; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; submarine cable toQatar, UAE, and Saudi Arabia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat(1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat (1997)
Bangladeshgeneral assessment: totally inadequate for a moderncountrydomestic: modernizing; introducing digital systems; trunk systemsinclude VHF and UHF microwave radio relay links, and somefiber-optic cable in citiesinternational: country code - 880; satellite earth stations - 2Intelsat (Indian Ocean); international radiotelephone communicationsand landline service to neighboring countries (2000)
Barbadosgeneral assessment: NAdomestic: island-wide automatic telephone systeminternational: country code - 1-246; satellite earth stations - 4Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Trinidad andSaint Lucia
Belarusgeneral assessment: the Ministry of Telecommunicationscontrols all telecommunications through its carrier (a joint stockcompany) Beltelcom which is a monopolydomestic: local - Minsk has a digital metropolitan network and acellular NMT-450 network; waiting lists for telephones are long;local service outside Minsk is neglected and poor; intercity -Belarus has a partly developed fiber-optic backbone system presentlyserving at least 13 major cities (1998); Belarus' fiber optics formsynchronous digital hierarchy rings through other countries'systems; an inadequate analog system remains operationalinternational: country code - 375; Belarus is a member of theTrans-European Line (TEL), Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line,and has access to the Trans-Siberia Line (TSL); three fiber-opticsegments provide connectivity to Latvia, Poland, Russia, andUkraine; worldwide service is available to Belarus through thisinfrastructure; additional analog lines to Russia; Intelsat,Eutelsat, and Intersputnik earth stations
Belgiumgeneral assessment: highly developed, technologicallyadvanced, and completely automated domestic and internationaltelephone and telegraph facilitiesdomestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; extensive cablenetwork; limited microwave radio relay networkinternational: country code - 32; 5 submarine cables; satelliteearth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Eutelsat
Belizegeneral assessment: above-average systemdomestic: trunk network depends primarily on microwave radio relayinternational: country code - 501; satellite earth station - 1Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Beningeneral assessment: NAdomestic: fair system of open-wire, microwave radio relay, andcellular connectionsinternational: country code - 229; satellite earth station - 1Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC)provides connectivity to Europe and Asia
Bermudageneral assessment: gooddomestic: modern, fully automatic telephone systeminternational: country code - 1-441; 3 submarine cables; satelliteearth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Bhutangeneral assessment: NAdomestic: domestic telephone service is very poor with fewtelephones in useinternational: country code - 975; international telephone andtelegraph service is by landline through India; a satellite earthstation was planned (1990)
Boliviageneral assessment: new subscribers face bureaucraticdifficulties; most telephones are concentrated in La Paz and othercities; mobile cellular telephone use expanding rapidlydomestic: primary trunk system, which is being expanded, employsdigital microwave radio relay; some areas are served by fiber-opticcable; mobile cellular systems are being expandedinternational: country code - 591; satellite earth station - 1Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Bosnia and Herzegovinageneral assessment: telephone and telegraphnetwork needs modernization and expansion; many urban areas arebelow average as contrasted with services in other former Yugoslavrepublicsdomestic: NAinternational: country code - 387; no satellite earth stations
Botswanageneral assessment: the system is expanding with the growthof mobile cellular service and participation in regional developmentdomestic: small system of open-wire lines, microwave radio relaylinks, and a few radiotelephone communication stations; mobilecellular service is growing fastinternational: country code - 267; two international exchanges;digital microwave radio relay links to Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe,and South Africa; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Brazilgeneral assessment: good working systemdomestic: extensive microwave radio relay system and a domesticsatellite system with 64 earth stationsinternational: country code - 55; 3 coaxial submarine cables;satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat(Atlantic Ocean region east), connected by microwave relay system toMercosur Brazilsat B3 satellite earth station
British Indian Ocean Territory general assessment: separate facilities for military and public needs are available domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including connection to the Internet international: international telephone service is carried by satellite (2000)
British Virgin Islandsgeneral assessment: worldwide telephoneservicedomestic: NAinternational: country code - 1-284; submarine cable to Bermuda
Bruneigeneral assessment: service throughout the country isexcellent; international service is good to East Asia, Europe, andthe USdomestic: every service availableinternational: country code - 673; satellite earth stations - 2Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean); digital submarinecable links to Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore (2001)
Bulgariageneral assessment: extensive but antiquateddomestic: more than two-thirds of the lines are residential;telephone service is available in most villages; a fairly moderndigital cable trunk line now connects switching centers in most ofthe regions, the others are connected by digital microwave radiorelayinternational: country code - 359; direct dialing to 58 countries;satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); 2Intelsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions)
Burkina Fasogeneral assessment: all services only fairdomestic: microwave radio relay, open-wire, and radiotelephonecommunication stationsinternational: country code - 226; satellite earth station - 1Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Burmageneral assessment: barely meets minimum requirements forlocal and intercity service for business and government;international service is fairdomestic: NAinternational: country code - 95; satellite earth station - 2,Intelsat (Indian Ocean), and ShinSat
Burundigeneral assessment: primitive systemdomestic: sparse system of open-wire, radiotelephone communications,and low-capacity microwave radio relayinternational: country code - 257; satellite earth station - 1Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Cambodiageneral assessment: adequate landline and/or cellularservice in Phnom Penh and other provincial cities; mobile phonecoverage is rapidly expanding in rural areasdomestic: NAinternational: country code - 855; adequate but expensive landlineand cellular service available to all countries from Phnom Penh andmajor provincial cities; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik(Indian Ocean region)
Cameroongeneral assessment: available only to business andgovernmentdomestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatterinternational: country code - 237; satellite earth stations - 2Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC)provides connectivity to Europe and Asia
Canadageneral assessment: excellent service provided by moderntechnologydomestic: domestic satellite system with about 300 earth stationsinternational: country code - 1-xxx; 5 coaxial submarine cables;satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (4 Atlantic Ocean and 1Pacific Ocean) and 2 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)
Cape Verdegeneral assessment: effective system, being improveddomestic: interisland microwave radio relay system with both analogand digital exchanges; work is in progress on a submarinefiber-optic cable system which is scheduled for completion in 2003international: country code - 238; 2 coaxial submarine cables; HFradiotelephone to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station- 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Cayman Islandsgeneral assessment: NAdomestic: NAinternational: country code - 1-345; 1 submarine coaxial cable;satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Central African Republicgeneral assessment: fair systemdomestic: network consists principally of microwave radio relay andlow-capacity, low-powered radiotelephone communicationinternational: country code - 236; satellite earth station - 1Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Chadgeneral assessment: primitive systemdomestic: fair system of radiotelephone communication stationsinternational: country code - 235; satellite earth station - 1Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Chilegeneral assessment: modern system based on extensive microwaveradio relay facilitiesdomestic: extensive microwave radio relay links; domestic satellitesystem with 3 earth stationsinternational: country code - 56; satellite earth stations - 2Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Chinageneral assessment: domestic and international services areincreasingly available for private use; unevenly distributeddomestic system serves principal cities, industrial centers, andmany townsdomestic: interprovincial fiber-optic trunk lines and cellulartelephone systems have been installed; a domestic satellite systemwith 55 earth stations is in placeinternational: country code - 86; satellite earth stations - 5Intelsat (4 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik(Indian Ocean region) and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific and Indian Oceanregions); several international fiber-optic links to Japan, SouthKorea, Hong Kong, Russia, and Germany (2000)
Christmas Islandgeneral assessment: service provided by theAustralian networkdomestic: only analog mobile telephone service is availableinternational: country code - 61-891; satellite earth stations - oneIntelsat earth station provides telephone and telex service (2000)
Cocos (Keeling) Islandsgeneral assessment: connected withinAustralia's telecommunication systemdomestic: NAinternational: country code - 61-891; telephone, telex, andfacsimile communications with Australia and elsewhere via satellite;1 satellite earth station of NA type (2002)
Colombiageneral assessment: modern system in many respectsdomestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system; domesticsatellite system with 41 earth stations; fiber-optic network linking50 citiesinternational: country code - 57; satellite earth stations - 6Intelsat, 1 Inmarsat; 3 fully digitalized international switchingcenters; 8 submarine cables
Comorosgeneral assessment: sparse system of microwave radio relayand HF radiotelephone communication stationsdomestic: HF radiotelephone communications and microwave radio relayinternational: country code - 269; HF radiotelephone communicationsto Madagascar and Reunion
Congo, Democratic Republic of thegeneral assessment: poordomestic: barely adequate wire and microwave radio relay service inand between urban areas; domestic satellite system with 14 earthstationsinternational: country code - 243; satellite earth station - 1Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Congo, Republic of thegeneral assessment: services barely adequatefor government use; key exchanges are in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire,and Loubomo; intercity lines frequently out of orderdomestic: primary network consists of microwave radio relay andcoaxial cableinternational: country code - 242; satellite earth station - 1Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Cook Islandsgeneral assessment: Telecom Cook Islands offersinternational direct dialing, Internet, email, fax, and Telexdomestic: the individual islands are connected by a combination ofsatellite earth stations, microwave systems, and VHF and HFradiotelephone; within the islands, service is provided by smallexchanges connected to subscribers by open-wire, cable, andfiber-optic cableinternational: country code - 682; satellite earth station - 1Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Costa Ricageneral assessment: good domestic telephone service interms of breadth of coverage; restricted cellular telephone servicedomestic: point-to-point and point-to-multi-point microwave,fiber-optic, and coaxial cable link rural areas; Internet service isavailableinternational: country code - 506; connected to Central AmericanMicrowave System; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (AtlanticOcean); two submarine cables (1999)
Cote d'Ivoiregeneral assessment: well developed by Africanstandards but operating well below capacitydomestic: open-wire lines and microwave radio relay; 90% digitalizedinternational: country code - 225; satellite earth stations - 2Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); 2 submarine cables(June 1999)
Croatiageneral assessment: NAdomestic: reconstruction plan calls for replacement of all analogcircuits with digital and enlarging the network; a backup will beincluded in the plan for the main trunkinternational: country code - 385; digital international service isprovided through the main switch in Zagreb; Croatia participates inthe Trans-Asia-Europe (TEL) fiber-optic project, which consists oftwo fiber-optic trunk connections with Slovenia and a fiber-optictrunk line from Rijeka to Split and Dubrovnik; Croatia is alsoinvesting in ADRIA 1, a joint fiber-optic project with Germany,Albania, and Greece (2000)
Cubageneral assessment: greater investment beginning in 1994 andthe establishment of a new Ministry of Information Technology andCommunications in 2000 has resulted in improvements in the system;cellular service, initially restricted, was opened to public accessin 2003domestic: national fiber-optic system scheduled to be completed byend of 2003; 85% of switches digitized by end of 2002 with entiresystem by end 2003; telephone line density remains low; cellularservice expandinginternational: country code - 53; fiber-optic cable laid to but notlinked to US network; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik(Atlantic Ocean region)
Cyprusgeneral assessment: excellent in both Republic of Cyprus andnorth Cyprus areasdomestic: open-wire, fiber-optic cable, and microwave radio relayinternational: country code - 357; tropospheric scatter; 3 coaxialand 5 fiber-optic submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean), 2 Eutelsat, 2Intersputnik, and 1 Arabsat
Czech Republicgeneral assessment: privatization and modernizationof the Czech telecommunication system got a late start but isadvancing steadily; growth in the use of mobile cellular telephonesis particularly vigorousdomestic: 86% of exchanges now digital; existing copper subscribersystems now being enhanced with Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line(ADSL) equipment to accommodate Internet and other digital signals;trunk systems include fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relayinternational: country code - 420; satellite earth stations - 2Intersputnik (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions), 1 Intelsat, 1Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 1 Globalstar
Denmarkgeneral assessment: excellent telephone and telegraphservicesdomestic: buried and submarine cables and microwave radio relay formtrunk network, 4 cellular mobile communications systemsinternational: country code - 45; 18 submarine fiber-optic cableslinking Denmark with Canada, Faroe Islands, Germany, Iceland,Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and UK; satellite earthstations - 6 Intelsat, 10 Eutelsat, 1 Orion, 1 Inmarsat(Blaavand-Atlantic-East); note - the Nordic countries (Denmark,Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) share the Danish earth stationand the Eik, Norway, station for worldwide Inmarsat access (1997)
Djiboutigeneral assessment: telephone facilities in the city ofDjibouti are adequate as are the microwave radio relay connectionsto outlying areas of the countrydomestic: microwave radio relay networkinternational: country code - 253; submarine cable to Jiddah, Suez,Sicily, Marseilles, Colombo, and Singapore; satellite earth stations- 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; Medarabtel regionalmicrowave radio relay telephone network
Dominicageneral assessment: NAdomestic: fully automatic networkinternational: country code - 1-767; microwave radio relay and SHFradiotelephone links to Martinique and Guadeloupe; VHF and UHFradiotelephone links to Saint Lucia
Dominican Republicgeneral assessment: NAdomestic: relatively efficient system based on island-wide microwaveradio relay networkinternational: country code - 1-809; 1 coaxial submarine cable;satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)