Flag description:three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red;similar to the flag of Romania; also similar to the flags of Andorraand Moldova, both of which have a national coat of arms centered inthe yellow band; design was based on the flag of France
Economy Chad
Economy - overview:Chad's primarily agricultural economy will continue to be boostedby major oilfield and pipeline projects that began in 2000. Over 80%of Chad's population relies on subsistence farming and stock raisingfor its livelihood. Cotton, cattle, and gum arabic provide the bulkof Chad's export earnings, but Chad will begin to export oil in2004. Chad's economy has long been handicapped by its landlockedposition, high energy costs, and a history of instability. Chadrelies on foreign assistance and foreign capital for most public andprivate sector investment projects. A consortium led by two UScompanies has been investing $3.7 billion to develop oil reservesestimated at 1 billion barrels in southern Chad. Oil production cameon stream in late 2003.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $10.67 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:15% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $1,200 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 32.4% industry: 18.8% services: 48.8% (2003 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):40.3% of GDP (2003)
Population below poverty line:80% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NAhighest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):6% (2003 est.)
Labor force:NA (2002)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture more than 80% (subsistence farming, herding, andfishing)
Unemployment rate:NA (2000)
Budget:revenues: $591.2 millionexpenditures: $680.9 million, including capital expenditures of $146million (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products:cotton, sorghum, millet, peanuts, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca);cattle, sheep, goats, camels
Industries:oil, cotton textiles, meatpacking, beer brewing, natron (sodiumcarbonate), soap, cigarettes, construction materials
Industrial production growth rate:5% (1995)
Electricity - production:94.04 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:87.46 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:1,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Current account balance:$-474 million (2003)
Exports:$365 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities:cotton, cattle, gum arabic
Exports - partners:US 25%, Germany 17%, Portugal 15.9%, France 6.8%, Morocco 4.5%(2003)
Imports:$760 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery and transportation equipment, industrial goods, petroleumproducts, foodstuffs, textiles
Imports - partners:France 28.6%, US 20.7%, Cameroon 14.6%, Netherlands 4.7% (2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:$191.8 million (2003)
Debt - external:$1.1 billion (2000 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$238.3 million; note - $125 million committed by Taiwan (August1997); $30 million committed by African Development Bank; ODA $150million (2001 est.)
Currency:Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsibleauthority is the Bank of the Central African States
Currency code:XAF
Exchange rates:Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 581.2(2003), 696.988 (2002), 733.039 (2001), 711.976 (2000), 615.699(1999)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Chad
Telephones - main lines in use:11,800 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:65,000 (2003)
Telephone system:general assessment: primitive systemdomestic: fair system of radiotelephone communication stationsinternational: country code - 235; satellite earth station - 1Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 5 (2002)
Radios:1.67 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:1 (2002)
Televisions:10,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.td
Internet hosts:8 (2004)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1 (2002)
Internet users:15,000 (2002)
Transportation Chad
Highways: total: 33,400 km paved: 267 km unpaved: 33,133 km (1999 est.)
Waterways:Chari and Legone rivers are navigable only in wet season (2002)
Pipelines:oil 205 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:none
Airports:50 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 7 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 44 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 20 under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)
Military Chad
Military branches:Armed Forces: National Army (ANT), Air Force, and Republican Guard
Military manpower - military age and obligation: 20 years of age for conscripts, with 3-year service obligation; 18 years of age for volunteers; no minimum age restriction for volunteers with consent from a guardian (2004)
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 2,008,825 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 1,051,802 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:males: 91,231 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$55.4 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:2.1% (2003)
Transnational Issues Chad
Disputes - international:civil war in Sudan overlaps into Chad as both states step up borderpatrols, leaving refugees and rebel groups in both countries; Chadserves as an important mediator in the Sudanese civil conflict;Chadian Aozou rebels reside in southern Libya; Lake Chad Commissioncontinues to urge signatories Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria toratify delimitation treaty over lake region; Chad rejects Nigerianrequest to redemarcate boundary, the site of periodic cross-borderincidents
Refugees and internally displaced persons:refugees (country of origin): 200,000 (Sudan), 30,000 (CentralAfrican Republic) (2004)
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
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@Chile
Introduction Chile
Background:A three-year-old Marxist government was overthrown in 1973 by adictatorial military regime led by Augusto PINOCHET, who ruled untila freely elected president was installed in 1990. Sound economicpolicies, maintained consistently since the 1980s, have contributedto steady growth and have helped secure the country's commitment todemocratic and representative government. Chile has increasinglyassumed regional and international leadership roles befitting itsstatus as a stable, democratic nation.
Geography Chile
Location:Southern South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, betweenArgentina and Peru
Geographic coordinates:30 00 S, 71 00 W
Map references:South America
Area:total: 756,950 sq kmland: 748,800 sq kmnote: includes Easter Island (Isla de Pascua) and Isla Sala y Gomezwater: 8,150 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than twice the size of Montana
Land boundaries: total: 6,171 km border countries: Argentina 5,150 km, Bolivia 861 km, Peru 160 km
Coastline: 6,435 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200/350 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:temperate; desert in north; Mediterranean in central region; cooland damp in south
Terrain:low coastal mountains; fertile central valley; rugged Andes in east
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 mhighest point: Nevado Ojos del Salado 6,880 m
Natural resources:copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals, molybdenum,hydropower
Land use: arable land: 2.65% permanent crops: 0.42% other: 96.93% (2001)
Irrigated land:18,000 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis
Environment - current issues:widespread deforestation and mining threaten natural resources; airpollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollutionfrom raw sewage
Environment - international agreements:party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine LivingResources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, ClimateChange, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, EndangeredSpecies, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of theSea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,Wetlands, Whalingsigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:strategic location relative to sea lanes between Atlantic andPacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage);Atacama Desert is one of world's driest regions
People Chile
Population:15,823,957 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 25.8% (male 2,090,165; female 1,996,972)15-64 years: 66.3% (male 5,235,061; female 5,261,820)65 years and over: 7.8% (male 515,698; female 724,241) (2004 est.)
Median age:total: 29.8 yearsmale: 28.9 yearsfemale: 30.7 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:1.01% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:15.77 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:5.71 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 9.05 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 8.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)male: 9.81 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 76.38 yearsmale: 73.09 yearsfemale: 79.82 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:2.06 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:0.3% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:26,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:1,400 (2003 est.)
Nationality: noun: Chilean(s) adjective: Chilean
Ethnic groups:white and white-Amerindian 95%, Amerindian 3%, other 2%
Religions:Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 11%, Jewish negligible
Languages:Spanish
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 96.2%male: 96.4%female: 96.1% (2003 est.)
Government Chile
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Chileconventional short form: Chilelocal long form: Republica de Chilelocal short form: Chile
Government type:republic
Capital:Santiago
Administrative divisions:13 regions (regiones, singular - region); Aisen del General CarlosIbanez del Campo, Antofagasta, Araucania, Atacama, Bio-Bio,Coquimbo, Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins, Los Lagos,Magallanes y de la Antartica Chilena, Maule, Region Metropolitana(Santiago), Tarapaca, Valparaisonote: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica
Independence:18 September 1810 (from Spain)
National holiday:Independence Day, 18 September (1810)
Constitution:11 September 1980, effective 11 March 1981, amended 30 July 1989,1993, and 1997
Legal system:based on Code of 1857 derived from Spanish law and subsequent codesinfluenced by French and Austrian law; judicial review oflegislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsoryICJ jurisdictionnote: Chile is in the process of completely overhauling its criminaljustice system; a new, US-style adversarial system is beinggradually implemented throughout the country with the final stage ofimplementation in the Santiago metropolitan region expected in June2005
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:chief of state: President Ricardo LAGOS Escobar (since 11 March2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head ofgovernmenthead of government: President Ricardo LAGOS Escobar (since 11 March2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head ofgovernmentcabinet: Cabinet appointed by the presidentelection results: Ricardo LAGOS Escobar elected president; percentof vote - Ricardo LAGOS Escobar 51.32%, Joaquin LAVIN 48.68%elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;election last held 12 December 1999, with runoff election held 16January 2000 (next to be held NA December 2005)
Legislative branch:bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of theSenate or Senado (48 seats, 38 elected by popular vote, 9 designatedmembers, and 1 former president who has served a full six-year termand is senator for life); elected members serve eight-year terms(one-half elected every four years) and the Chamber of Deputies orCamara de Diputados (120 seats; members are elected by popular voteto serve four-year terms)election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats byparty - CPD 20 (PDC 12, PS 5, PPD 3), APC 16 (UDI 9, RN 7),independents 2; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA;seats by party - CPD 62 (PDC 24, PPD 21, PS 11, PRSD 6), UDI 35, RN22, independent 1elections: Senate - last held 16 December 2001 (next to be held NADecember 2005); Chamber of Deputies - last held 16 December 2001(next to be held NA December 2005)
Judicial branch:Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are appointed by thepresident and ratified by the Senate from lists of candidatesprovided by the court itself; the president of the Supreme Court iselected by the 21-member court); Constitutional Tribunal
Political parties and leaders:Alliance for Chile ("Alianza") or APC - including RN and UDI;Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Adolfo ZALDIVAR]; Coalition ofParties for Democracy ("Concertacion") or CPD - including PDC, PS,PPD, PRSD; Communist Party or PC [Gladys MARIN]; IndependentDemocratic Union or UDI [Pablo LONGUEIRA]; National Renewal or RN[Sebastian PINERA]; Party for Democracy or PPD [Victor BARRUETO];Radical Social Democratic Party or PRSD [Orlando CANTUARIAS];Socialist Party or PS [Gonzalo MARTNER]
Political pressure groups and leaders: revitalized university student federations at all major universities; Roman Catholic Church; United Labor Central or CUT includes trade unionists from the country's five largest labor confederations
International organization participation:APEC, BIS, FAO, G-15, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate),MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Andres BIANCHIchancery: 1732 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, NewYork, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)FAX: [1] (202) 887-5579telephone: [1] (202) 785-1746
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Craig A. KELLY embassy: Avenida Andres Bello 2800, Las Condes, Santiago mailing address: APO AA 34033 telephone: [56] (2) 232-2600 FAX: [56] (2) 330-3710
Flag description:two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; there is a bluesquare the same height as the white band at the hoist-side end ofthe white band; the square bears a white five-pointed star in thecenter representing a guide to progress and honor; blue symbolizesthe sky, white is for the snow-covered Andes, and red stands for theblood spilled to achieve independence; design was influenced by theUS flag
Economy Chile
Economy - overview:Chile has a market-oriented economy characterized by a high levelof foreign trade. During the early 1990s, Chile's reputation as arole model for economic reform was strengthened when the democraticgovernment of Patricio AYLWIN - which took over from the military in1990 - deepened the economic reform initiated by the militarygovernment. Growth in real GDP averaged 8% during 1991-97, but fellto half that level in 1998 because of tight monetary policiesimplemented to keep the current account deficit in check and becauseof lower export earnings - the latter a product of the globalfinancial crisis. A severe drought exacerbated the recession in1999, reducing crop yields and causing hydroelectric shortfalls andelectricity rationing, and Chile experienced negative economicgrowth for the first time in more than 15 years. Despite the effectsof the recession, Chile maintained its reputation for strongfinancial institutions and sound policy that have given it thestrongest sovereign bond rating in South America. By the end of1999, exports and economic activity had begun to recover, and growthrebounded to 4.2% in 2000. Growth fell back to 3.1% in 2001 and 2.1%in 2002, largely due to lackluster global growth and the devaluationof the Argentine peso, but recovered to 3.2% in 2003. Unemployment,although declining over the past year, remains stubbornly high,putting pressure on President LAGOS to improve living standards. Onebright spot was the signing of a free trade agreement with the US,which took effect on 1 January 2004. In 2004, GDP growth is set toaccelerate to more than 4% as copper prices rise, export earningsgrow, and foreign direct investment picks up.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $154.7 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:3.3% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $9,900 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6.4% industry: 38.6% services: 55.1% (2003 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):21.2% of GDP (2003)
Population below poverty line:20.6% (2000 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.7% highest 10%: 41% (2000)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:56.7 (2000)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):2.8% (2003 est.)
Labor force:6 million (2003 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 13.6%, industry 23.4%, services 63% (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate:8.5% (2003 est.)
Budget:revenues: $15.44 billionexpenditures: $16.02 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA(2003 est.)
Public debt:14.8% of GDP (2003)
Agriculture - products:grapes, apples, pears, onions, wheat, corn, oats, peaches, garlic,asparagus, beans, beef, poultry, wool; fish; timber
Industries:copper, other minerals, foodstuffs, fish processing, iron andsteel, wood and wood products, transport equipment, cement, textiles
Industrial production growth rate:1.5% (2003 est.)
Electricity - production:41.66 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:40.13 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:1.386 billion kWh (2001)
Oil - production:13,640 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:241,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:81.05 million bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:1.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:6.47 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:5.27 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:67.78 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance:$-594 million (2003)
Exports:$20.44 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities:copper, fish, fruits, paper and pulp, chemicals, wine
Exports - partners:US 16.2%, Japan 10.5%, China 8.6%, South Korea 4.7%, Mexico 4.3%,Italy 4.2% (2003)
Imports:$17.4 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities:consumer goods, chemicals, motor vehicles, fuels, electricalmachinery, heavy industrial machinery, food
Imports - partners:Argentina 19.4%, US 13%, Brazil 10.4%, China 6.6% (2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:$15.84 billion (2003)
Debt - external:$43.15 billion (2003)
Economic aid - recipient:ODA, $40 million (2001 est.)
Currency:Chilean peso (CLP)
Currency code:CLP
Exchange rates:Chilean pesos per US dollar - 691.433 (2003), 688.936 (2002),634.938 (2001), 535.466 (2000), 508.777 (1999)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Chile
Telephones - main lines in use:3.467 million (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:6,445,700 (2002)
Telephone system:general 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)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 180 (eight inactive), FM 64, shortwave 17 (one inactive) (1998)
Radios:5.18 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:63 (plus 121 repeaters) (1997)
Televisions:3.15 million (1997)
Internet country code:.cl
Internet hosts:202,429 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):7 (2000)
Internet users:3.575 million (2002)
Transportation Chile
Railways:total: 6,585 kmbroad gauge: 2,831 km 1.676-m gauge (1,317 km electrified)narrow gauge: 3,754 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)
Highways:total: 79,814 kmpaved: 15,484 km (including 294 km of expressways)unpaved: 64,330 km (2000)
Pipelines:gas 2,583 km; gas/lpg 42 km; liquid petroleum gas 539 km; oil 1,003km; refined products 757 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:Antofagasta, Arica, Chanaral, Coquimbo, Iquique, Puerto Montt,Punta Arenas, San Antonio, San Vicente, Talcahuano, Valparaiso
Merchant marine:total: 47 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 725,216 GRT/954,519 DWTby type: bulk 10, cargo 5, chemical tanker 9, container 3, liquefiedgas 1, passenger 3, petroleum tanker 7, roll on/roll off 4,short-sea/passenger 1, vehicle carrier 4foreign-owned: Argentina 1registered in other countries: 28 (2004 est.)
Airports:363 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 71over 3,047 m: 62,438 to 3,047 m: 61,524 to 2,437 m: 21914 to 1,523 m: 23under 914 m: 15 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 293over 3,047 m: 12,438 to 3,047 m: 41,524 to 2,437 m: 11914 to 1,523 m: 60under 914 m: 217 (2004 est.)
Military Chile
Military branches:Army of the Nation, National Navy (including Naval Air, CoastGuard, and Marine Corps), Air Force of the Nation, ChileanCarabineros (National Police)
Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; all citizens 18-45 are obligated to perform military service; conscript service obligation - 12 months for Army, 24 months for Navy and Air Force (2004)
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 4,207,066 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 3,107,454 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:males: 131,283 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$2,839.6 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:4% (2003)
Transnational Issues Chile
Disputes - international:Bolivia has reactivated its claim to the Atacama corridor ceded toChile in 1884 to secure sovereign maritime access for Boliviannatural gas; dispute with Peru over the economic zone delimited bythe maritime boundary; Beagle Channel islands dispute resolvedthrough Papal mediation in 1984, but armed incidents persist since1992 oil discovery; territorial claim in Antarctica (ChileanAntarctic Territory) partially overlaps Argentine and British claims
Illicit drugs:important transshipment country for cocaine destined for Europe andthe US; economic prosperity and increasing trade have made Chilemore attractive to traffickers seeking to launder drug profits,especially through the Iquique Free Trade Zone, but a newanti-money-laundering law improves controls; imported precursorspassed on to Bolivia; domestic cocaine consumption is rising
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@China
Introduction China
Background:For centuries China stood as a leading civilization, outpacing therest of the world in the arts and sciences, but in the 19th andearly 20th centuries, the country was beset by civil unrest, majorfamines, military defeats, and foreign occupation. After World WarII, the Communists under MAO Zedong established an autocraticsocialist system that, while ensuring China's sovereignty, imposedstrict controls over everyday life and cost the lives of tens ofmillions of people. After 1978, his successor DENG Xiaoping andother leaders focused on market-oriented economic development and by2000 output had quadrupled. For much of the population, livingstandards have improved dramatically and the room for personalchoice has expanded, yet political controls remain tight.
Geography China
Location:Eastern Asia, bordering the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea,and South China Sea, between North Korea and Vietnam
Geographic coordinates:35 00 N, 105 00 E
Map references:Asia
Area:total: 9,596,960 sq kmland: 9,326,410 sq kmwater: 270,550 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than the US
Land boundaries:total: 22,117 kmborder countries: Afghanistan 76 km, Bhutan 470 km, Burma 2,185 km,India 3,380 km, Kazakhstan 1,533 km, North Korea 1,416 km,Kyrgyzstan 858 km, Laos 423 km, Mongolia 4,677 km, Nepal 1,236 km,Pakistan 523 km, Russia (northeast) 3,605 km, Russia (northwest) 40km, Tajikistan 414 km, Vietnam 1,281 kmregional borders: Hong Kong 30 km, Macau 0.34 km
Coastline:14,500 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Climate:extremely diverse; tropical in south to subarctic in north
Terrain:mostly mountains, high plateaus, deserts in west; plains, deltas,and hills in east
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Turpan Pendi -154 mhighest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m
Natural resources:coal, iron ore, petroleum, natural gas, mercury, tin, tungsten,antimony, manganese, molybdenum, vanadium, magnetite, aluminum,lead, zinc, uranium, hydropower potential (world's largest)
Land use:arable land: 15.4%other: 83.36% (2001)permanent crops: 1.25%
Irrigated land:525,800 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:frequent typhoons (about five per year along southern and easterncoasts); damaging floods; tsunamis; earthquakes; droughts; landsubsidence
Environment - current issues:air pollution (greenhouse gases, sulfur dioxide particulates) fromreliance on coal produces acid rain; water shortages, particularlyin the north; water pollution from untreated wastes; deforestation;estimated loss of one-fifth of agricultural land since 1949 to soilerosion and economic development; desertification; trade inendangered species
Environment - international agreements:party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty,Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of theSea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whalingsigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:world's fourth largest country (after Russia, Canada, and US);Mount Everest on the border with Nepal is the world's tallest peak;
People China
Population:1,298,847,624 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 22.3% (male 153,401,051; female 135,812,993)15-64 years: 70.3% (male 469,328,664; female 443,248,860)65 years and over: 7.5% (male 46,308,923; female 50,747,133) (2004est.)
Median age: total: 31.8 years male: 31.5 years female: 32.2 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:0.57% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:12.98 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:6.92 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:-0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.12 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.13 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 25.28 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 29.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)male: 21.84 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 71.96 yearsmale: 70.4 yearsfemale: 73.72 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.69 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:0.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:840,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:44,000 (2003 est.)
Nationality:noun: Chinese (singular and plural)adjective: Chinese
Ethnic groups:Han Chinese 91.9%, Zhuang, Uygur, Hui, Yi, Tibetan, Miao, Manchu,Mongol, Buyi, Korean, and other nationalities 8.1%
Religions:Daoist (Taoist), Buddhist, Muslim 1%-2%, Christian 3%-4%note: officially atheist (2002 est.)
Languages:Standard Chinese or Mandarin (Putonghua, based on the Beijingdialect), Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghaiese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan(Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects, minority languages(see Ethnic groups entry)
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 90.9%male: 95.1%female: 86.5% (2002)
Government China
Country name:conventional long form: People's Republic of Chinaconventional short form: Chinalocal long form: Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguoabbreviation: PRClocal short form: Zhong Guo
Government type:Communist state
Capital:Beijing
Administrative divisions:23 provinces (sheng, singular and plural), 5 autonomous regions(zizhiqu, singular and plural), and 4 municipalities (shi, singularand plural): provinces: Anhui, Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong, Guizhou, Hainan,Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Jilin,Liaoning, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan, Yunnan,Zhejiang: autonomous regions: Guangxi, Nei Mongol, Ningxia, Xinjiang, Xizang(Tibet)note: China considers Taiwan its 23rd province; see separate entriesfor the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau: municipalities: Beijing, Chongqing, Shanghai, Tianjin
Independence:221 BC (unification under the Qin or Ch'in Dynasty); 1 January 1912(Manchu Dynasty replaced by a Republic); 1 October 1949 (People'sRepublic established)
National holiday:Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China, 1October (1949)
Constitution:most recent promulgation 4 December 1982
Legal system:a complex amalgam of custom and statute, largely criminal law;rudimentary civil code in effect since 1 January 1987; new legalcodes in effect since 1 January 1980; continuing efforts are beingmade to improve civil, administrative, criminal, and commercial law
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003) and VicePresident ZENG Qinghong (since 15 March 2003)cabinet: State Council appointed by the National People's Congress(NPC)election results: HU Jintao elected president by the Tenth NationalPeople's Congress with a total of 2,937 votes (4 delegates votedagainst him, 4 abstained, and 38 did not vote); ZENG Qinghongelected vice president by the Tenth National People's Congress witha total of 2,578 votes (177 delegates voted against him, 190abstained, and 38 did not vote); 2 seats were vacantelections: president and vice president elected by the NationalPeople's Congress for five-year terms; elections last held 15-17March 2003 (next to be held mid-March 2008); premier nominated bythe president, confirmed by the National People's Congresshead of government: Premier WEN Jiabao (since 16 March 2003); VicePremiers HUANG Ju (since 17 March 2003), WU Yi (17 March 2003), ZENGPeiyan (since 17 March 2003), and HUI Liangyu (since 17 March 2003)
Legislative branch:unicameral National People's Congress or Quanguo Renmin DaibiaoDahui (2,985 seats; members elected by municipal, regional, andprovincial people's congresses to serve five-year terms)elections: last held December 2002-February 2003 (next to be heldlate 2007-February 2008)election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - NA
Judicial branch:Supreme People's Court (judges appointed by the National People'sCongress); Local Peoples Courts (comprise higher, intermediate andlocal courts); Special Peoples Courts (primarily military, maritime,and railway transport courts)
Political parties and leaders:Chinese Communist Party or CCP [HU Jintao, General Secretary of theCentral Committee]; eight registered small parties controlled by CCP
Political pressure groups and leaders:no substantial political opposition groups exist, although thegovernment has identified the Falungong spiritual movement and theChina Democracy Party as subversive groups
International organization participation:AfDB, APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIS, CDB, FAO,G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer),MIGA, MONUC, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), ONUB, OPCW, PCA,SCO, UN, UN Security Council, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO,WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador YANG Jiechichancery: 2300 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008FAX: [1] (202) 328-2582consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, andSan Franciscotelephone: [1] (202) 328-2500
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Clark T. RANDT, Jr. embassy: Xiu Shui Bei Jie 3, 100600 Beijing mailing address: PSC 461, Box 50, FPO AP 96521-0002 telephone: [86] (10) 6532-3831 FAX: [86] (10) 6532-6929 consulate(s) general: Chengdu, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Shenyang
Flag description:red with a large yellow five-pointed star and four smaller yellowfive-pointed stars (arranged in a vertical arc toward the middle ofthe flag) in the upper hoist-side corner
Economy China
Economy - overview: In late 1978 the Chinese leadership began moving the economy from a sluggish, inefficient, Soviet-style centrally planned economy to a more market-oriented system. Whereas the system operates within a political framework of strict Communist control, the economic influence of non-state organizations and individual citizens has been steadily increasing. The authorities switched to a system of household and village responsibility in agriculture in place of the old collectivization, increased the authority of local officials and plant managers in industry, permitted a wide variety of small-scale enterprises in services and light manufacturing, and opened the economy to increased foreign trade and investment. The result has been a quadrupling of GDP since 1978. Measured on a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis, China in 2003 stood as the second-largest economy in the world after the US, although in per capita terms the country is still poor. Agriculture and industry have posted major gains especially in coastal areas near Hong Kong, opposite Taiwan, and in Shanghai, where foreign investment has helped spur output of both domestic and export goods. The leadership, however, often has experienced - as a result of its hybrid system - the worst results of socialism (bureaucracy and lassitude) and of capitalism (growing income disparities and rising unemployment). China thus has periodically backtracked, retightening central controls at intervals. The government has struggled to (a) sustain adequate jobs growth for tens of millions of workers laid off from state-owned enterprises, migrants, and new entrants to the work force; (b) reduce corruption and other economic crimes; and (c) keep afloat the large state-owned enterprises, many of which had been shielded from competition by subsidies and had been losing the ability to pay full wages and pensions. From 80 to 120 million surplus rural workers are adrift between the villages and the cities, many subsisting through part-time, low-paying jobs. Popular resistance, changes in central policy, and loss of authority by rural cadres have weakened China's population control program, which is essential to maintaining long-term growth in living standards. Another long-term threat to growth is the deterioration in the environment, notably air pollution, soil erosion, and the steady fall of the water table especially in the north. China continues to lose arable land because of erosion and economic development. Beijing says it will intensify efforts to stimulate growth through spending on infrastructure - such as water supply and power grids - and poverty relief and through rural tax reform. Accession to the World Trade Organization helps strengthen its ability to maintain strong growth rates but at the same time puts additional pressure on the hybrid system of strong political controls and growing market influences. China has benefited from a huge expansion in computer internet use. Foreign investment remains a strong element in China's remarkable economic growth. Growing shortages of electric power and raw materials will hold back the expansion of industrial output in 2004.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $6.449 trillion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:9.1% (official data) (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 14.8% industry and construction: 52.9% services: 32.3% (2003)
Investment (gross fixed):43.4% of GDP (2003)
Population below poverty line:10% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.4% highest 10%: 30.4% (1998)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:40 (2001)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):1.2% (2003 est.)
Labor force:778.1 million (2003 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 50%, industry 22%, services 28% (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate:10.1% urban unemployment roughly 10%; substantial unemployment andunderemployment in rural areas (2003 est.)
Budget:revenues: $265.8 billionexpenditures: $300.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA(2003)
Public debt:30.1% of GDP (2003)
Agriculture - products:rice, wheat, potatoes, sorghum, peanuts, tea, millet, barley,cotton, oilseed, pork, fish
Industries:iron and steel, coal, machine building, armaments, textiles andapparel, petroleum, cement, chemical fertilizers, footwear, toys,food processing, automobiles, consumer electronics,telecommunications
Industrial production growth rate:30.4% (2003 est.)
Electricity - production:1.42 trillion kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:1.312 trillion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:10.3 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:1.8 billion kWh (2001)
Oil - production:3.3 million bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:4.57 million bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:151,200 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports:1.207 million bbl/day (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:26.75 billion bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:30.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:27.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:1.29 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance:$31.17 billion (2003)
Exports:$436.1 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities:machinery and equipment, textiles and clothing, footwear, toys andsporting goods, mineral fuels
Exports - partners:US 21.1%, Hong Kong 17.4%, Japan 13.6%, South Korea 4.6%, Germany4% (2003)
Imports:$397.4 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery and equipment, mineral fuels, plastics, iron and steel,chemicals
Imports - partners:Japan 18%, Taiwan 11.9%, South Korea 10.4%, US 8.2%, Germany 5.9%(2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:$412.7 billion (2003)
Debt - external:$197.8 billion (2003 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:NA
Currency:yuan (CNY)note:: also referred to as the Renminbi (RMB)
Currency code:CNY
Exchange rates:yuan per US dollar - 8.277 (2003), 8.277 (2002), 8.2771 (2001),8.2785 (2000), 8.2783 (1999)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications China
Telephones - main lines in use:263 million (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular:269 million (2003)
Telephone system:general 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)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 369, FM 259, shortwave 45 (1998)
Radios:417 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 3,240 (of which 209 are operated by China Central Television, 31 are provincial TV stations and nearly 3,000 are local city stations) (1997)
Televisions:400 million (1997)
Internet country code:.cn
Internet hosts:160,421 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):3 (2000)
Internet users:94 million (2004)
Transportation China
Railways:total: 70,058 kmstandard gauge: 68,000 km 1.435-m gauge (18,668 km electrified)narrow gauge: 3,600 km 1.000-m and 0.750-m gauge local industriallinesdual gauge: 22,640 km (not included in total) (2003)
Highways:total: 1,402,698 kmpaved: 314,204 km (with at least 16,314 km of expressways)unpaved: 1,088,494 km (2000)
Waterways:121,557 km (2002)
Pipelines:gas 15,890 km; oil 14,478 km; refined products 3,280 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:Dalian, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Haikou, Huangpu, Lianyungang, Nanjing,Nantong, Ningbo, Qingdao, Qinhuangdao, Shanghai, Shantou, Shenzhen,Tianjin, Wenzhou, Xiamen, Xingang, Yantai, Zhanjiang (2001)
Merchant marine:total: 1,850 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 18,724,653 GRT/27,749,784 DWTby type: barge carrier 2, bulk 355, cargo 822, chemical tanker 28,combination bulk 10, combination ore/oil 2, container 165, liquefiedgas 28, multi-functional large load carrier 8, passenger 6,passenger/cargo 46, petroleum tanker 272, rail car carrier 1,refrigerated cargo 27, roll on/roll off 25, short-sea/passenger 39,specialized tanker 10, vehicle carrier 4foreign-owned: Cambodia 1, Greece 2, Hong Kong 12, Japan 1, SouthKorea 2, Liberia 1, Malaysia 1, Panama 1, Taiwan 2, Tanzania 1registered in other countries: 790 (2004 est.)
Airports:507 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 332over 3,047 m: 492,438 to 3,047 m: 97914 to 1,523 m: 22under 914 m: 35 (2003 est.)1,524 to 2,437 m: 129
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 175under 914 m: 66 (2003 est.)over 3,047 m: 232,438 to 3,047 m: 10914 to 1,523 m: 401,524 to 2,437 m: 36
Heliports:15 (2003 est.)
Military China
Military branches:People's Liberation Army (PLA): comprises ground forces, Navy(including naval infantry and naval aviation), Air Force, and IIArtillery Corps (strategic missile force), People's Armed PoliceForce (internal security troops, nominally a state security body butincluded by the Chinese as part of the "armed forces" and consideredto be an adjunct to the PLA), militia
Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service, with 24-month service obligation; no minimum age for voluntary service; 17 years of age for women who meet requirements for specific military jobs (2004)
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 379,524,688 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 208,143,352 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:males: 12,494,201 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$60 billion (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:3.5-5.0% (FY03 est.)
Transnational Issues China
Disputes - international:involved in complex dispute with Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan,Vietnam, and possibly Brunei over the Spratly Islands; the 2002"Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" haseased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code ofconduct" desired by several of the disputants; most of the rugged,militarized boundary with India is in dispute, but the two sides arecommitted to begin resolution with discussions on the least disputedMiddle Sector; Kashmir remains the world's largest and highlymilitarized territorial dispute with portions under the de factoadministration of China (Aksai Chin), India (Jammu and Kashmir), andPakistan (Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas), but recent discussionand confidence-building measures among parties are beginning todefuse tensions, India does not recognize Pakistan's ceding lands toChina in a 1964 boundary agreement; China and Taiwan continue toassert their claims to the Japanese-administered Senkaku Islands(Diaoyu Tai) with increased media coverage and protest actions;certain islands in Yalu and Tumen rivers are in an uncontesteddispute with North Korea and a section of boundary around MountPaektu is indefinite - China has been attempting to manage illegalmigration of North Koreans into northern China; China and Russia in2004 resolved their last border dispute over islands in the Amur andArgun Rivers, but details on demarcation have not yet beenworked-out; boundary delimitation agreements signed in 2002 withTajikistan cedes 1,000 sq km of Pamir Mountain range to China inreturn for China's relinquishing claims to 28,000 sq km, butdemarcation has not commenced; agreements with Vietnam demarcatingmaritime boundaries and fisheries cooperation in the Gulf of Tonkinwere ratified in June, and demarcation of the land boundarycontinues; China occupies some of the Paracel Islands also claimedby Vietnam and Taiwan; in response to groups in Burma and Thailandexpressing concern over China's plans to construct 13 hydroelectricdams on the Nu River in Yunnan Province (Salween River in Burma),Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao suspended the project to conduct anenvironmental impact assessment, a smaller scale version of only 4dams is now scheduled to move forward
Refugees and internally displaced persons:refugees (country of origin): 299,287 (Vietnam) (2004)
Illicit drugs:major transshipment point for heroin produced in the GoldenTriangle; growing domestic drug abuse problem; source country forchemical precursors and methamphetamine
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
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@Christmas Island
Introduction Christmas Island
Background:Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the island was annexedand settlement was begun by the UK in 1888. Phosphate mining beganin the 1890s. The UK transferred sovereignty to Australia in 1958.Almost two-thirds of the island has been declared a national park.
Geography Christmas Island
Location:Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia
Geographic coordinates:10 30 S, 105 40 E
Map references:Southeast Asia
Area:total: 135 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmland: 135 sq km
Area - comparative:about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:80 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 12 nmcontiguous zone: 12 nmexclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate:tropical with a wet and dry season; heat and humidity moderated bytrade winds; wet season December to April
Terrain:steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Murray Hill 361 m
Natural resources:phosphate, beaches
Land use:arable land: 0%permanent crops: 0%other: 100%note: mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a nationalpark (2001)
Irrigated land:NA sq km
Natural hazards:the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritimehazard
Environment - current issues:NA
Geography - note:located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean
People Christmas Island
Population: 396 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:-9% (2004 est.)