Highways: total: 320 km paved: 33 km unpaved: 287 km (2000)
Ports and harbors:Avarua, Avatiu
Merchant marine:total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,074 GRT/7,520 DWTforeign-owned: Australia 1, United Kingdom 1 (2004 est.)by type: cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1
Airports:9 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 21,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 71,524 to 2,437 m: 2914 to 1,523 m: 4under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Military Cook Islands
Military - note:defense is the responsibility of New Zealand, in consultation withthe Cook Islands and at its request
Transnational Issues Cook Islands
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
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@Coral Sea Islands
Introduction Coral Sea Islands
Background:Scattered over some 1 million square kilometers of ocean, the CoralSea Islands were declared a territory of Australia in 1969. They areuninhabited except for a small meteorological staff on the WillisIslets. Automated weather stations, beacons, and a lighthouse occupymany other islands and reefs.
Geography Coral Sea Islands
Location:Oceania, islands in the Coral Sea, northeast of Australia
Geographic coordinates:18 00 S, 152 00 E
Map references:Oceania
Area:total: less than 3 sq kmnote: includes numerous small islands and reefs scattered over a seaarea of about 780,000 sq km, with the Willis Islets the mostimportantwater: 0 sq kmland: less than 3 sq km
Area - comparative:NA
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:3,095 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate:tropical
Terrain:sand and coral reefs and islands (or cays)
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 mhighest point: unnamed location on Cato Island 6 m
Natural resources:NEGL
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (mostly grass or scrub cover) (2001)
Irrigated land:0 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:occasional tropical cyclones
Environment - current issues:no permanent fresh water resources
Geography - note:important nesting area for birds and turtles
People Coral Sea Islands
Population:no indigenous inhabitantsnote: there is a staff of three to four at the meteorologicalstation (2004 est.)
Government Coral Sea Islands
Country name:conventional long form: Coral Sea Islands Territoryconventional short form: Coral Sea Islands
Dependency status:territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by theDepartment of the Environment, Sport, and Territories
Legal system:the laws of Australia, where applicable, apply
Executive branch:administered from Canberra by the Department of the Environment,Sport, and Territories
Diplomatic representation in the US:none (territory of Australia)
Diplomatic representation from the US:none (territory of Australia)
Flag description:the flag of Australia is used
Economy Coral Sea Islands
Economy - overview: no economic activity
Communications Coral Sea Islands
Communications - note:there are automatic weather stations on many of the isles and reefsrelaying data to the mainland
Transportation Coral Sea Islands
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only
Military Coral Sea Islands
Military - note:defense is the responsibility of Australia; visited regularly bythe Royal Australian Navy; Australia has control over the activitiesof visitors
Transnational Issues Coral Sea Islands
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
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@Costa Rica
Introduction Costa Rica
Background:Costa Rica is a Central American success story: since the late 19thcentury, only two brief periods of violence have marred itsdemocratic development. Although still a largely agriculturalcountry, it has expanded its economy to include strong technologyand tourism sectors. The standard of living is relatively high. Landownership is widespread.
Geography Costa Rica
Location:Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the NorthPacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama
Geographic coordinates:10 00 N, 84 00 W
Map references:Central America and the Caribbean
Area:total: 51,100 sq kmwater: 440 sq kmnote: includes Isla del Cocoland: 50,660 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than West Virginia
Land boundaries: total: 639 km border countries: Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km
Coastline: 1,290 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm
Climate:tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainyseason (May to November); cooler in highlands
Terrain:coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 mhighest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m
Natural resources:hydropower
Land use: arable land: 4.41% permanent crops: 5.88% other: 89.71% (2001)
Irrigated land:1,260 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequentflooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; activevolcanoes
Environment - current issues:deforestation and land use change, largely a result of the clearingof land for cattle ranching and agriculture; soil erosion; coastalmarine pollution; fisheries protection; solid waste management; airpollution
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, EnvironmentalModification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whalingsigned, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note:four volcanoes, two of them active, rise near the capital of SanJose in the center of the country; one of the volcanoes, Irazu,erupted destructively in 1963-65
People Costa Rica
Population:3,956,507 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 29.5% (male 597,332; female 570,008)15-64 years: 65% (male 1,300,206; female 1,271,010)65 years and over: 5.5% (male 101,270; female 116,681) (2004 est.)
Median age:total: 25.7 yearsmale: 25.2 yearsfemale: 26.2 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:1.52% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:18.99 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:4.32 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:0.51 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: 1.02 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 10.26 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 9.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)male: 11.17 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 76.63 yearsmale: 74.07 yearsfemale: 79.33 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:2.33 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:0.6% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:12,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:900 (2003 est.)
Nationality:noun: Costa Rican(s)adjective: Costa Rican
Ethnic groups:white (including mestizo) 94%, black 3%, Amerindian 1%, Chinese 1%,other 1%
Religions:Roman Catholic 76.3%, Evangelical 13.7%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.3%,other Protestant 0.7%, other 4.8%, none 3.2%
Languages:Spanish (official), English
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 96%male: 95.9%female: 96.1% (2003 est.)
Government Costa Rica
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Costa Ricaconventional short form: Costa Ricalocal short form: Costa Ricalocal long form: Republica de Costa Rica
Government type:democratic republic
Capital:San Jose
Administrative divisions:7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela, Cartago,Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose
Independence:15 September 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday:Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Constitution:7 November 1949
Legal system:based on Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislativeacts in the Supreme Court; has accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:chief of state: President Abel PACHECO (since 8 May 2002); FirstVice President Lineth SABORIO (since 8 May 2002); Second VicePresident Luis FISHMAN (since 8 May 2002); note - the president isboth the chief of state and head of governmenthead of government: President Abel PACHECO (since 8 May 2002); FirstVice President Lineth SABORIO (since NA May 2002); Second VicePresident Luis FISHMAN (since NA May 2002); note - the president isboth the chief of state and head of governmentcabinet: Cabinet selected by the presidentelections: president and vice presidents elected on the same ticketby popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 3 February2002; run-off election held 7 April 2002 (next to be held NAFebruary 2006)election results: Abel PACHECO elected president; percent of vote -Abel PACHECO (PUSC) 58%; Rolando ARAYA (PLN) 42%
Legislative branch:unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (57 seats;members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)elections: last held 3 February 2002 (next to be held 3 February2006)election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -PUSC 19, PLN 17, PAC 14, PML 6, PRC 1; note - seats by party as ofJanuary 2005 - PUSC 19, PLN 16, PAC 8, PML 5, PRC 1, Patriotic Union3, Homeland First 1, Authentic Member from Heredia 1, DemocraticNational Alliance 1, independent 2
Judicial branch:Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (22 justices are elected foreight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly)
Political parties and leaders:Authentic Member from Heredia [Jose SALAS]; Citizen Action Party orPAC [Otton SOLIS]; Costa Rican Renovation Party or PRC [JustoOROZCO]; Democratic Force Party or PFD [Juan Carlos CHAVES Mora];Democratic National Alliance [Emilia RODRIGUEZ]; General Union Partyor PUGEN [Carlos Alberto FERNANDEZ Vega]; Homeland First [Juan JoseVARGAS]; Independent Worker Party or PIO [Jose Alberto CUBEROCarmona]; Libertarian Movement Party or PML [Otto GUEVARA Guth];National Christian Alliance Party or ANC [Victor GONZALEZ]; NationalIntegration Party or PIN [Walter MUNOZ Cespedes]; NationalLiberation Party or PLN [Francisco Antonio PACHECO]; NationalPatriotic Party or PPN [Daniel Enrique REYNOLDS Vargas]; NationalRescue Party or PRN [Carlos VARGAS Solano]; Patriotic Union[Humberto ARCE]; Popular Vanguard [Trino BARRANTES Araya]; SocialChristian Unity Party or PUSC [Lorena VASQUEZ Badilla]
Political pressure groups and leaders:Authentic Confederation of Democratic Workers or CATD (CommunistParty affiliate); Chamber of Coffee Growers; Confederated Union ofWorkers or CUT (Communist Party affiliate); Costa RicanConfederation of Democratic Workers or CCTD (Liberation Partyaffiliate); Federation of Public Service Workers or FTSP; NationalAssociation for Economic Development or ANFE; National Associationof Educators or ANDE; Rerum Novarum or CTRN (PLN affiliate) [GilbertBrown]
International organization participation:BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU,ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO,ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW,PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Tomas DUENAS consulate(s): Austin consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Durham (North Carolina), Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Phoenix, San Antonio, San Francisco, St. Paul, and Tampa FAX: [1] (202) 265-4795 telephone: [1] (202) 234-2945 chancery: 2114 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Douglas M.BARNESembassy: Calle 120 Avenida O, Pavas, San Josemailing address: APO AA 34020telephone: [506] 220-3939FAX: [506] 519-2305
Flag description:five horizontal bands of blue (top), white, red (double width),white, and blue, with the coat of arms in a white elliptical disk onthe hoist side of the red band; above the coat of arms a light blueribbon contains the words, AMERICA CENTRAL, and just below it nearthe top of the coat of arms is a white ribbon with the words,REPUBLICA COSTA RICA
Economy Costa Rica
Economy - overview:Costa Rica's basically stable economy depends on tourism,agriculture, and electronics exports. Poverty has been substantiallyreduced over the past 15 years, and a strong social safety net hasbeen put into place. Foreign investors remain attracted by thecountry's political stability and high education levels, and tourismcontinues to bring in foreign exchange. Low prices for coffee andbananas have hurt the agricultural sector. The government continuesto grapple with its large deficit and massive internal debt. Thereduction of inflation remains a difficult problem because of risesin the price of imports, labor market rigidities, and fiscaldeficits. Costa Rica recently concluded negotiations to participatein the US - Central American Free Trade Agreement, which, ifratified by the Costa Rican Legislature, would result in economicreforms and an improved investment climate.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $35.34 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:5.6% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $9,100 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 8.5% industry: 29.4% services: 62.1% (2003 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):20.2% of GDP (2003)
Population below poverty line:20.6% (2002 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.1% highest 10%: 36.8% (2002)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:45.9 (1997)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):9.4% (2003 est.)
Labor force:1.758 million (2003)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 20%, industry 22%, services 58% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate:6.7% (2003 est.)
Budget:revenues: $2.313 billionexpenditures: $2.851 billion, including capital expenditures of NA(2003 est.)
Public debt:56.1% of GDP (2003)
Agriculture - products:coffee, pineapples, bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes;beef; timber
Industries:microprocessors, food processing, textiles and clothing,construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products
Industrial production growth rate:8% (2003 est.)
Electricity - production:6.839 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:6.109 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:379 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:128 million kWh (2001)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:37,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Current account balance:$-970 million (2003)
Exports:$6.176 billion (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities:coffee, bananas, sugar; pineapples; textiles, electroniccomponents, medical equipment
Exports - partners:US 14.2%, Guatemala 3%, Nicaragua 2.7% (2003)
Imports:$7.057 billion (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities:raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum
Imports - partners:US 23.2%, Mexico 4.7%, Venezuela 3.2% (2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:$1.836 billion (2003)
Debt - external:$5.366 billion (2003 est.)
Currency:Costa Rican colon (CRC)
Currency code:CRC
Exchange rates:Costa Rican colones per US dollar - 398.663 (2003), 359.817 (2002),328.871 (2001), 308.187 (2000), 285.685 (1999)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Costa Rica
Telephones - main lines in use:1.132 million (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:528,047 (2002)
Telephone system:general assessment: good domestic telephone service in terms ofbreadth 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)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 65, FM 51, shortwave 19 (2002)
Radios:980,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:20 (plus 43 repeaters) (2002)
Televisions:525,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.cr
Internet hosts:10,826 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):3 (of which only one is legal) (2000)
Internet users:800,000 (2002)
Transportation Costa Rica
Railways: total: 950 km narrow gauge: 950 km 1.067-m gauge (260 km electrified) (2003)
Highways: total: 35,892 km paved: 7,896 km unpaved: 27,996 km (2000)
Waterways:730 km (seasonally navigable by small craft) (2004)
Pipelines:refined products 242 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:Caldera, Golfito, Moin, Puerto Limon, Puerto Quepos, Puntarenas
Merchant marine: total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,716 GRT/ DWT by type: passenger 1 registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports: 149 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 30 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 18 under 914 m: 8 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 119 914 to 1,523 m: 24 under 914 m: 95 (2004 est.)
Military Costa Rica
Military branches:no regular military forces; Ministry of Public Security
Military manpower - military age and obligation:18 years of age (2004 est.)
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 1,101,887 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 736,007 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:males: 41,709 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$64 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:0.4% (2003)
Transnational Issues Costa Rica
Disputes - international: legal dispute over navigational rights of Rio San Juan on the border with Nicaragua remains unsolved
Illicit drugs:transshipment country for cocaine and heroin from South America;illicit production of cannabis on small, scattered plots; domesticcocaine consumption is rising, particularly crack cocaine
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
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@Cote d'Ivoire
Introduction Cote d'Ivoire
Background:Close ties to France since independence in 1960, the development ofcocoa production for export, and foreign investment made Coted'Ivoire one of the most prosperous of the tropical African states,but did not protect it from political turmoil. On 25 December 1999,a military coup - the first ever in Cote d'Ivoire's history -overthrew the government led by President Henri Konan BEDIE. Juntaleader Robert GUEI held elections in late 2000, but excludedprominent opposition leader Alassane OUATTARA, blatantly rigged thepolling results, and declared himself winner. Popular protest forcedGUEI to step aside and brought runner-up Laurent GBAGBO into power.Ivorian dissidents and disaffected members of the military launcheda failed coup attempt in September 2002. Rebel forces claimed thenorthern half of the country and in January 2003 were grantedministerial positions in a unity government under the auspices ofthe Linas-Marcoussis Peace Accord. President GBAGBO and rebel forcesresumed implementation of the peace accord in December 2003 after athree-month stalemate, but issues that sparked the civil war, suchas land reform and grounds for nationality remain unresolved. Thecentral government has yet to exert control over the northernregions and tensions remain high between GBAGBO and rebel leaders.Several thousand French and West African troops remain in Coted'Ivoire to maintain peace and facilitate the disarmament,demobilization, and rehabilitation process.
Geography Cote d'Ivoire
Location:Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Ghanaand Liberia
Geographic coordinates:8 00 N, 5 00 W
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 322,460 sq kmwater: 4,460 sq kmland: 318,000 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly larger than New Mexico
Land boundaries:total: 3,110 kmborder countries: Burkina Faso 584 km, Ghana 668 km, Guinea 610 km,Liberia 716 km, Mali 532 km
Coastline:515 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 12 nmexclusive economic zone: 200 nmcontinental shelf: 200 nm
Climate:tropical along coast, semiarid in far north; three seasons - warmand dry (November to March), hot and dry (March to May), hot and wet(June to October)
Terrain:mostly flat to undulating plains; mountains in northwest
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Gulf of Guinea 0 mhighest point: Mont Nimba 1,752 m
Natural resources:petroleum, natural gas, diamonds, manganese, iron ore, cobalt,bauxite, copper, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 9.75% permanent crops: 13.84% other: 76.41% (2001)
Irrigated land:730 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:coast has heavy surf and no natural harbors; during the rainyseason torrential flooding is possible
Environment - current issues:deforestation (most of the country's forests - once the largest inWest Africa - have been heavily logged); water pollution from sewageand industrial and agricultural effluents
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, EndangeredSpecies, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, OzoneLayer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, TropicalTimber 94, Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:most of the inhabitants live along the sandy coastal region; apartfrom the capital area, the forested interior is sparsely populated
People Cote d'Ivoire
Population:17,327,724note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account theeffects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lowerlife expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lowerpopulation and growth rates, and changes in the distribution ofpopulation by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July2004 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 45.1% (male 3,856,130; female 3,965,930)15-64 years: 52.6% (male 4,651,921; female 4,468,085)65 years and over: 2.2% (male 182,995; female 202,663) (2004 est.)
Median age:total: 17 yearsmale: 17.4 yearsfemale: 16.7 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:2.11% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:39.64 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:18.48 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:-0.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 0.97 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 97.1 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 79.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)male: 113.87 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 42.48 yearsmale: 40.27 yearsfemale: 44.76 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:5.42 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:7% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:570,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:47,000 (2001 est.)
Major infectious diseases:typhoid fever, malaria, yellow fever, schistosomiasisoverall degree of risk: very high (2004)
Nationality:noun: Ivoirian(s)adjective: Ivoirian
Ethnic groups:Akan 42.1%, Voltaiques or Gur 17.6%, Northern Mandes 16.5%, Krous11%, Southern Mandes 10%, other 2.8% (includes 130,000 Lebanese and14,000 French) (1998)
Religions:Christian 20-30%, Muslim 35-40%, indigenous 25-40% (2001)note: the majority of foreigners (migratory workers) are Muslim(70%) and Christian (20%)
Languages:French (official), 60 native dialects with Dioula the most widelyspoken
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 50.9%male: 57.9%female: 43.6% (2003 est.)
Government Cote d'Ivoire
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Cote d'Ivoireconventional short form: Cote d'Ivoirelocal short form: Cote d'Ivoireformer: Ivory Coastlocal long form: Republique de Cote d'Ivoire
Government type:republic; multiparty presidential regime established 1960
Capital:Yamoussoukro; note - although Yamoussoukro has been the officialcapital since 1983, Abidjan remains the commercial andadministrative center; the US, like other countries, maintains itsEmbassy in Abidjan
Administrative divisions:19 regions; Agneby, Bafing, Bas-Sassandra, Denguele, Dix-HuitMontagnes, Fromager, Haut-Sassandra, Lacs, Lagunes, Marahoue,Moyen-Cavally, Moyen-Comoe, N'zi-Comoe, Savanes, Sud-Bandama,Sud-Comoe, Vallee du Bandama, Worodougou, Zanzan
Independence:7 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday:Independence Day, 7 August (1960)
Constitution:a new constitution was adopted 4 August 2000
Legal system:based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial reviewin the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court; has not acceptedcompulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Laurent GBAGBO (since 26 October 2000);note - seized power following a popular overthrow of the interimleader Gen. Robert GUEI who had claimed a dubious victory inpresidential elections; Gen. GUEI himself had assumed power on 25December 1999, following a military coup against the government offormer President Henri Konan BEDIEhead of government: Prime Minister Seydou DIARRA (since 25 January2003); note - appointed as transitional Prime Minister by PresidentGBAGBO as part of a French brokered peace plancabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the presidentelections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;election last held 26 October 2000 (next to be held NA 2005); primeminister appointed by the presidentelection results: Laurent GBAGBO elected president; percent of vote- Laurent GBAGBO 59.4%, Robert GUEI 32.7%, Francis WODIE 5.7%, other2.2%
Legislative branch:unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (225 seats;members are elected in single- and multi-district elections bydirect popular vote to serve five-year terms)elections: elections last held 10 December 2000 with by-elections on14 January 2001 (next to be held NA 2005)note: a Senate is scheduled to be created in the next full electionin 2005election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -FPI 96, PDCI-RDA 94, RDR 5, PIT 4, other 2, independents 22, vacant 2
Judicial branch:Supreme Court or Cour Supreme consists of four chambers: JudicialChamber for criminal cases, Audit Chamber for financial cases,Constitutional Chamber for judicial review cases, and AdministrativeChamber for civil cases; there is no legal limit to the number ofmembers
Political parties and leaders:Democratic Party of Cote d'Ivoire-African Democratic Rally orPDCI-RDA [Aime Henri Konan BEDIE]; Ivorian Popular Front or FPI[Laurent GBAGBO]; Ivorian Worker's Party or PIT [Francis WODIE];Rally of the Republicans or RDR [Alassane OUATTARA]; Union forDemocracy and Peace or UDPCI [leader NA]; over 20 smaller parties
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA,IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW,UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL,WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Pascal Dago KOKORA chancery: 3421 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 FAX: [1] (202) 462-9444 telephone: [1] (202) 797-0300
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Arlene RENDERembassy: 5 Rue Jesse Owens, Abidjanmailing address: B. P. 1712, Abidjan 01telephone: [225] 20 21 09 79FAX: [225] 20 22 32 59
Flag description:three equal vertical bands of orange (hoist side), white, andgreen; similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer and has thecolors reversed - green (hoist side), white, and orange; alsosimilar to the flag of Italy, which is green (hoist side), white,and red; design was based on the flag of France
Economy Cote d'Ivoire
Economy - overview:Cote d'Ivoire is among the world's largest producers and exportersof coffee, cocoa beans, and palm oil. Consequently, the economy ishighly sensitive to fluctuations in international prices for theseproducts and to weather conditions. Despite government attempts todiversify the economy, it is still heavily dependent on agricultureand related activities, which engage roughly 68% of the population.After several years of lagging performance, the Ivorian economybegan a comeback in 1994, due to the 50% devaluation of the CFAfranc and improved prices for cocoa and coffee, growth innontraditional primary exports such as pineapples and rubber,limited trade and banking liberalization, offshore oil and gasdiscoveries, and generous external financing and debt reschedulingby multilateral lenders and France. Moreover, government adherenceto donor-mandated reforms led to a jump in growth to 5% annuallyduring 1996-99. Growth was negative in 2000-03 because of thedifficulty of meeting the conditions of international donors,continued low prices of key exports, and severe civil war. Politicaluncertainty will continue to cloud the economic outlook in 2004, butrising world prices for cocoa will help both the current account andthe government balances.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $24.51 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:-1.9% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $1,400 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 36.6% industry: 19.9% services: 43.5% (2003 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):8.7% of GDP (2003)
Population below poverty line:37% (1995)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.1% highest 10%: 28.8% (1995)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:36.7 (1995)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):3.4% (2003 est.)
Labor force:6.64 million 68% agricultural (2003)
Unemployment rate:13% in urban areas (1998)
Budget:revenues: $2.339 billionexpenditures: $2.749 billion, including capital expenditures of $420million (2003 est.)
Public debt:82.5% of GDP (2003)
Agriculture - products:coffee, cocoa beans, bananas, palm kernels, corn, rice, manioc(tapioca), sweet potatoes, sugar, cotton, rubber; timber
Industries:foodstuffs, beverages; wood products, oil refining, truck and busassembly, textiles, fertilizer, building materials, electricity
Industrial production growth rate:15% (1998 est.)
Electricity - production:4.605 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:2.983 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:1.3 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:11,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:32,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:50 million bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:1.35 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:1.35 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:14.87 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance:$501 million (2003)
Exports:$5.299 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities:cocoa, coffee, timber, petroleum, cotton, bananas, pineapples, palmoil, fish
Exports - partners:France 19.1%, Netherlands 17.7%, US 7.1%, Spain 5.6% (2003)
Imports:$2.781 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities:fuel, capital equipment, foodstuffs
Imports - partners:France 32.7%, Nigeria 14.4%, UK 7% (2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:$2.005 billion (2003)
Debt - external:$11.85 billion (2003 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:ODA, $1 billion (1996 est.)
Currency:Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsibleauthority is the Central Bank of the West African States
Currency code:XOF
Exchange rates:Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 581.2(2003), 696.988 (2002), 733.039 (2001), 711.976 (2000), 615.699(1999)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Cote d'Ivoire
Telephones - main lines in use:328,000 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular:1.236 million (2003)
Telephone system:general assessment: well developed by African standards butoperating 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)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 3 (1998)
Radios:2.26 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:14 (1999)
Televisions:1.09 million (2000)
Internet country code:.ci
Internet hosts:3,795 (2004)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):5 (2001)
Internet users:90,000 (2002)
Transportation Cote d'Ivoire
Railways:total: 660 kmnarrow gauge: 660 km 1.000-meter gaugenote: an additional 622 km of this railroad extends into BurkinaFaso (2003)
Highways:total: 50,400 kmpaved: 4,889 kmunpaved: 45,511 km (1999 est.)
Waterways:980 km (navigable rivers, canals, and numerous coastal lagoons)(2003)
Pipelines:condensate 107 km; gas 223 km; oil 104 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:Abidjan, Aboisso, Dabou, San-Pedro
Airports:37 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 7over 3,047 m: 12,438 to 3,047 m: 21,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 301,524 to 2,437 m: 7914 to 1,523 m: 15under 914 m: 8 (2004 est.)
Military Cote d'Ivoire
Military branches:Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary Gendarmerie, Republican Guard(includes Presidential Guard)
Military manpower - military age and obligation:18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service;conscript service obligation - 18 months (2004)
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 4,135,309 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 2,164,014 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:males: 204,434 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$173.6 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:1.2% (2003)
Transnational Issues Cote d'Ivoire
Disputes - international:continuing rebel fighting extends to neighboring states and haskept out foreign workers from nearby countries; the IvorianGovernment accuses Burkina Faso and Liberia of supporting Ivorianrebels
Refugees and internally displaced persons:refugees (country of origin): 71,711 (Liberia)IDPs: 500,000 (2002 coup; most IDPs are in western regions) (2004)
Illicit drugs:illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for local consumption;transshipment point for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin toEurope and occasionally to the US, and for Latin American cocainedestined for Europe and South Africa; while rampant corruption andinadequate supervision leave the banking system vulnerable to moneylaundering, the lack of a developed financial system limits thecountry's utility as a major money-laundering center
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
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@Croatia
Introduction Croatia
Background:The lands that today comprise Croatia were part of theAustro-Hungarian Empire until the close of World War I. In 1918, theCroats, Serbs, and Slovenes formed a kingdom known after 1929 asYugoslavia. Following World War II, Yugoslavia became a federalindependent Communist state under the strong hand of Marshal TITO.Although Croatia declared its independence from Yugoslavia in 1991,it took four years of sporadic, but often bitter, fighting beforeoccupying Serb armies were mostly cleared from Croatian lands. UnderUN supervision, the last Serb-held enclave in eastern Slavonia wasreturned to Croatia in 1998.
Geography Croatia
Location:Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea, between Bosnia andHerzegovina and Slovenia
Geographic coordinates:45 10 N, 15 30 E
Map references:Europe
Area:total: 56,542 sq kmwater: 128 sq kmland: 56,414 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than West Virginia
Land boundaries:total: 2,197 kmborder countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina 932 km, Hungary 329 km,Serbia and Montenegro (north) 241 km, Serbia and Montenegro (south)25 km, Slovenia 670 km
Coastline:5,835 km (mainland 1,777 km, islands 4,058 km)
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 12 nmcontinental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate:Mediterranean and continental; continental climate predominant withhot summers and cold winters; mild winters, dry summers along coast
Terrain:geographically diverse; flat plains along Hungarian border, lowmountains and highlands near Adriatic coastline and islands
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 mhighest point: Dinara 1,830 m
Natural resources:oil, some coal, bauxite, low-grade iron ore, calcium, gypsum,natural asphalt, silica, mica, clays, salt, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 26.09% permanent crops: 2.27% other: 71.65% (2001)
Irrigated land:30 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:destructive earthquakes
Environment - current issues: air pollution (from metallurgical plants) and resulting acid rain is damaging the forests; coastal pollution from industrial and domestic waste; landmine removal and reconstruction of infrastructure consequent to 1992-95 civil strife
Environment - international agreements:party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Biodiversity,Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, HazardousWastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, ShipPollution, Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent OrganicPollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography - note:controls most land routes from Western Europe to Aegean Sea andTurkish Straits
People Croatia
Population:4,496,869 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 16.6% (male 383,729; female 364,287)15-64 years: 67% (male 1,497,525; female 1,515,956)65 years and over: 16.4% (male 277,616; female 457,756) (2004 est.)
Median age:total: 39.7 yearsmale: 37.7 yearsfemale: 41.5 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:-0.02% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:9.51 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:11.3 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:1.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.06 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 6.96 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 6.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)male: 7.03 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 74.14 yearsmale: 70.21 yearsfemale: 78.29 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.39 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:200 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:less than 10 (2001 est.)
Nationality:noun: Croat(s), Croatian(s)adjective: Croatian
Ethnic groups:Croat 89.6%, Serb 4.5%, Bosniak 0.5%, Hungarian 0.4%, Slovene 0.3%,Czech 0.2%, Roma 0.2%, Albanian 0.1%, Montenegrin 0.1%, others 4.1%(2001)
Religions:Roman Catholic 87.8%, Orthodox 4.4%, Muslim 1.3%, Protestant 0.3%,others and unknown 6.2% (2001)
Languages:Croatian 96%, other 4% (including Italian, Hungarian, Czech,Slovak, and German)
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 98.5%male: 99.4%female: 97.8% (2003 est.)
Government Croatia
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Croatiaconventional short form: Croatialocal short form: Hrvatskaformer: People's Republic of Croatia, Socialist Republic of Croatialocal long form: Republika Hrvatska
Government type:presidential/parliamentary democracy
Capital:Zagreb
Administrative divisions:20 counties (zupanije, zupanija - singular) and 1 city* (grad -singular); Bjelovarsko-Bilogorska Zupanija, Brodsko-PosavskaZupanija, Dubrovacko-Neretvanska Zupanija, Istarska Zupanija,Karlovacka Zupanija, Koprivnicko-Krizevacka Zupanija,Krapinsko-Zagorska Zupanija, Licko-Senjska Zupanija, MedimurskaZupanija, Osjecko-Baranjska Zupanija, Pozesko-Slavonska Zupanija,Primorsko-Goranska Zupanija, Sibensko-Kninska Zupanija,Sisacko-Moslavacka Zupanija, Splitsko-Dalmatinska Zupanija,Varazdinska Zupanija, Viroviticko-Podravska Zupanija,Vukovarsko-Srijemska Zupanija, Zadarska Zupanija, Zagreb*,Zagrebacka Zupanija
Independence:25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)
National holiday:Statehood Day, 25 June (1991)
Constitution:adopted on 22 December 1990; revised 2000, 2001
Legal system:based on civil law system
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed)
Executive branch:chief of state: President Stjepan (Stipe) MESIC (since 18 February2000)head of government: Prime Minister Ivo SANADER (since 9 December2003); Deputy Prime Ministers Jadranka KOSOR (since 23 December2003) and Andrija HEBRANG (since 23 December 2003)cabinet: Council of Ministers named by the prime minister andapproved by the parliamentary Assemblyelections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;election last held 16 January 2005 (next to be held January 2010);prime minister nominated by the president in line with the balanceof power in the Assemblyelection results: Stjepan MESIC reelected president; percent of vote- Stjepan MESIC (HNS) 66%, Jadranka KOSOR (HDZ) 34%
Legislative branch:unicameral Assembly or Sabor (152 seats; note - one seat was addedin the November 2003 parliamentary elections; members elected fromparty lists by popular vote to serve four-year terms)elections: Assembly - last held 23 November 2003 (next to be held in2007)note: minority government coalition - HDZ, DC, HSLS, HSU, SDSSelection results: Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; numberof seats by party - HDZ 66, SDP 34, HSS 10, HNS 10, HSP 8, IDS 4,Libra 3, HSU 3, SDSS 3, other 11
Judicial branch:Supreme Court; Constitutional Court; judges for both courtsappointed for eight-year terms by the Judicial Council of theRepublic, which is elected by the Assembly
Political parties and leaders:Croatian Bloc or HB [Ivic PASALIC]; Croatian Christian DemocraticUnion or HKDU [Anto KOVACEVIC]; Croatian Democratic Union or HDZ[Ivo SANADER]; Croatian Party of Rights or HSP [Anto DJAPIC];Croatian Peasant Party or HSS [Zlatko TOMCIC]; Croatian PensionerParty or HSU [Vladimir JORDAN]; Croatian People's Party or HNS[Vesna PUSIC]; Croatian Social Liberal Party or HSLS [Ivan CEHOK];Croatian True Revival Party or HIP [Miroslav TUDJMAN]; DemocraticCentre or DC [Vesna SKARE-OZBOLT]; Independent Democratic Serb Partyor SDSS [Vojislav STRANIMIROVIC]; Istrian Democratic Assembly or IDS[Ivan JAKOVCIC]; Liberal Party or LS [Zlatko BENASIC]; Party ofLiberal Democrats or Libra [Jozo RADOS]; Social Democratic Party ofCroatia or SDP [Ivica RACAN]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:ABEDA, BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NAM(observer), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAMSIL,UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMOGIP, UNOCI, UPU,WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Neven JURICAchancery: 2343 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New YorkFAX: [1] (202) 588-8936telephone: [1] (202) 588-5899
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Ralph FRANKembassy: 2 Thomas Jefferson, 10010 Zagrebmailing address: use street addresstelephone: [385] (1) 661-2200FAX: [385] (1) 661-2373
Flag description:red, white, and blue horizontal bands with Croatian coat of arms(red and white checkered)
Economy Croatia
Economy - overview:Before the dissolution of Yugoslavia, the Republic of Croatia,after Slovenia, was the most prosperous and industrialized area,with a per capita output perhaps one-third above the Yugoslavaverage. The economy emerged from a mild recession in 2000 withtourism, banking, and public investments leading the way.Unemployment remains high, at over 13 percent, with structuralfactors slowing its decline. While macroeconomic stabilization haslargely been achieved, structural reforms lag because of deepresistance on the part of the public and lack of strong support frompoliticians. Growth, while impressively over 4% for the last severalyears, has been achieved through high fiscal and current accountdeficits. The government is gradually reducing a heavy back log ofcivil cases, many involving land tenure. The EU accession processshould accelerate fiscal and structural reform.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $47.05 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:4.3% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $10,600 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 7.9% industry: 30% services: 62.1% (2003 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):27.7% of GDP (2003)
Population below poverty line:NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.7% highest 10%: 23.3% (1998)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:29 (1998)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):1.8% (2003 est.)
Labor force:1.69 million (2003)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 13.2%, industry 25.4%, services 46.4% (2002)
Unemployment rate:19.5% (2003)