Geography Dominica
Location:Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North AtlanticOcean, about one-half of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad andTobago
Geographic coordinates:15 25 N, 61 20 W
Map references:Central America and the Caribbean
Area:total: 754 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmland: 754 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:148 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm
Climate:tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall
Terrain:rugged mountains of volcanic origin
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Morne Diablatins 1,447 m
Natural resources: timber, hydropower, arable land
Land use: arable land: 6.67% permanent crops: 20% other: 73.33% (2001)
Irrigated land:NA sq km
Natural hazards:flash floods are a constant threat; destructive hurricanes can beexpected during the late summer months
Environment - current issues:NA
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, EndangeredSpecies, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of theSea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whalingsigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:known as "The Nature Island of the Caribbean" due to itsspectacular, lush, and varied flora and fauna, which are protectedby an extensive natural park system; the most mountainous of theLesser Antilles, its volcanic peaks are cones of lava craters andinclude Boiling Lake, the second-largest, thermally active lake inthe world
People Dominica
Population:69,278 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 27.3% (male 9,563; female 9,349)15-64 years: 64.8% (male 23,097; female 21,804)65 years and over: 7.9% (male 2,209; female 3,256) (2004 est.)
Median age:total: 29 yearsmale: 28.7 yearsfemale: 29.4 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:-0.45% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:16.25 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:6.9 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:-13.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 14.75 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 9.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)male: 19.49 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 74.38 yearsmale: 71.48 yearsfemale: 77.43 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.98 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:NA
Nationality: noun: Dominican(s) adjective: Dominican
Ethnic groups:black, mixed black and European, European, Syrian, Carib Amerindian
Religions:Roman Catholic 77%, Protestant 15% (Methodist 5%, Pentecostal 3%,Seventh-Day Adventist 3%, Baptist 2%, other 2%), none 2%, other 6%
Languages:English (official), French patois
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over has ever attended schooltotal population: 94%male: 94%female: 94% (2003 est.)
Government Dominica
Country name:conventional long form: Commonwealth of Dominicaconventional short form: Dominica
Government type:parliamentary democracy; republic within the Commonwealth
Capital:Roseau
Administrative divisions:10 parishes; Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John,Saint Joseph, Saint Luke, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick, Saint Paul,Saint Peter
Independence:3 November 1978 (from UK)
National holiday:Independence Day, 3 November (1978)
Constitution:3 November 1978
Legal system:based on English common law
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Nicholas J. O. LIVERPOOL (since October2003)elections: president elected by the House of Assembly for afive-year term; election last held 1 October 2003 (next to be heldNA October 2008); prime minister appointed by the presidentelection results: Nicholas LIVERPOOL elected president; percent oflegislative vote - NAcabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of theprime ministerhead of government: Prime Minister Roosevelt SKERRIT (since 8January 2004); note - assumed post after death of Prime MinisterPierre CHARLES
Legislative branch:unicameral House of Assembly (30 seats, 9 appointed senators, 21elected by popular vote; members serve five-year terms)elections: last held 31 January 2000 (next to be held by 17 July2005); note - tradition dictates that the election will be heldwithin five years of the last election, but technically it is fiveyears from the first seating of parliament (17 April 2000) plus a 90day grace periodelection results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -DLP 10, UWP 9, DFP 2
Judicial branch:Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of the Court of Appealand the High Court (located in Saint Lucia; one of the six judgesmust reside in Dominica and preside over the Court of SummaryJurisdiction)
Political parties and leaders:Dominica Freedom Party or DFP [Charles SAVARIN]; Dominica LaborParty or DLP [Roosevelt SKERRIT]; United Workers Party or UWP[Edison JAMES]
Political pressure groups and leaders:Dominica Liberation Movement or DLM (a small leftist party)
International organization participation:ACCT, ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO(subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW,UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Swinburne LESTRADE chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 364-6781 consulate(s) general: New York FAX: [1] (202) 364-6791
Diplomatic representation from the US:the US does not have an embassy in Dominica; the US Ambassador toBarbados, Ambassador Mary E. KRAMER, is accredited to Dominica
Flag description:green, with a centered cross of three equal bands - the verticalpart is yellow (hoist side), black, and white and the horizontalpart is yellow (top), black, and white; superimposed in the centerof the cross is a red disk bearing a sisserou parrot encircled by 10green, five-pointed stars edged in yellow; the 10 stars representthe 10 administrative divisions (parishes)
Economy Dominica
Economy - overview:The Dominican economy depends on agriculture, primarily bananas,and remains highly vulnerable to climatic conditions andinternational economic developments. Production of bananas droppedprecipitously in 2003, a major reason for the 1% decline in GDP.Tourism increased in 2003 as the government sought to promoteDominica as an "ecotourism" destination. Development of the tourismindustry remains difficult, however, because of the ruggedcoastline, lack of beaches, and the absence of an internationalairport. The government began a comprehensive restructuring of theeconomy in 2003 - including elimination of price controls,privatization of the state banana company, and tax increases - toaddress Dominica's economic crisis and to meet IMF targets. In orderto diversify the island's production base the government isattempting to develop an offshore financial sector and is planningto construct an oil refinery on the eastern part of the island.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $380 million (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:-1% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $5,400 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 18% industry: 24% services: 58% (2002 est.)
Population below poverty line:30% (2002 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NAhighest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):1% (2001 est.)
Labor force:25,000 (1999 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 40%, industry and commerce 32%, services 28%
Unemployment rate:23% (2000 est.)
Budget:revenues: $73.9 millionexpenditures: $84.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA(2001)
Agriculture - products: bananas, citrus, mangoes, root crops, coconuts, cocoa; forest and fishery potential not exploited
Industries:soap, coconut oil, tourism, copra, furniture, cement blocks, shoes
Industrial production growth rate:-10% (1997 est.)
Electricity - production:72.41 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:67.35 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:600 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Exports:$39 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities:bananas, soap, bay oil, vegetables, grapefruit, oranges
Exports - partners:UK 20%, Jamaica 18.5%, Antigua and Barbuda 7.7%, US 7.7%, Guyana6.2%, Japan 6.2%, Trinidad and Tobago 4.6% (2003)
Imports:$98.2 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities:manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, food, chemicals
Imports - partners:US 18.5%, China 18%, Trinidad and Tobago 14.6%, Japan 6.3%, SouthKorea 5.4%, UK 5.4% (2003)
Debt - external:$161.5 million (2001)
Economic aid - recipient:$22.8 million (2003 est.)
Currency:East Caribbean dollar (XCD)
Currency code:XCD
Exchange rates:East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002), 2.7(2001), 2.7 (2000), 2.7 (1999)
Fiscal year:1 July - 30 June
Communications Dominica
Telephones - main lines in use:23,700 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:9,400 (2002)
Telephone system:general 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
Radio broadcast stations:AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 0 (2004)
Radios:46,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:1 (2004)
Televisions:6,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.dm
Internet hosts:681 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):16 (2000)
Internet users:12,500 (2002)
Transportation Dominica
Highways: total: 780 km paved: 393 km unpaved: 387 km (1999 est.)
Ports and harbors:Portsmouth, Roseau
Merchant marine:total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 13,771 GRT/19,736 DWTby type: cargo 3, container 2, petroleum tanker 1foreign-owned: Bahamas 1, Cyprus 1, Estonia 1, Greece 1, Panama 1,Singapore 1 (2004 est.)
Airports:2 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Military Dominica
Military branches:no regular military forces; Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force(including Coast Guard)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:NA
Transnational Issues Dominica
Disputes - international:joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that AvesIsland sustains human habitation, a criterion under UNCLOS, whichpermits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a largeportion of the Caribbean Sea
Illicit drugs:transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe;minor cannabis producer; anti-money-laundering enforcement is weak,making the country particularly vulnerable to money laundering
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
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@Dominican Republic
Introduction Dominican Republic
Background:Explored and claimed by Columbus on his first voyage in 1492, theisland of Hispaniola became a springboard for Spanish conquest ofthe Caribbean and the American mainland. In 1697, Spain recognizedFrench dominion over the western third of the island, which in 1804became Haiti. The remainder of the island, by then known as SantoDomingo, sought to gain its own independence in 1821, but wasconquered and ruled by the Haitians for 22 years; it finallyattained independence as the Dominican Republic in 1844. In 1861,the Dominicans voluntarily returned to the Spanish Empire, but twoyears later they launched a war that restored independence in 1865.A legacy of unsettled, mostly non-representative, rule for much ofits subsequent history was brought to an end in 1966 when JoaquinBALAGUER became president. He maintained a tight grip on power formost of the next 30 years when international reaction to flawedelections forced him to curtail his term in 1996. Since then,regular competitive elections have been held in which oppositioncandidates have won the presidency. The Dominican economy has hadone of the fastest growth rates in the hemisphere over the pastdecade.
Geography Dominican Republic
Location:Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, betweenthe Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Haiti
Geographic coordinates:19 00 N, 70 40 W
Map references:Central America and the Caribbean
Area:total: 48,730 sq kmland: 48,380 sq kmwater: 350 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly more than twice the size of New Hampshire
Land boundaries: total: 360 km border countries: Haiti 360 km
Coastline:1,288 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 6 nmcontinental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margincontiguous zone: 24 nmexclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation; seasonalvariation in rainfall
Terrain:rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys interspersed
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Lago Enriquillo -46 m highest point: Pico Duarte 3,175 m
Natural resources:nickel, bauxite, gold, silver
Land use:arable land: 22.65%permanent crops: 10.33%other: 67.02% (2001)
Irrigated land:2,590 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severestorms from June to October; occasional flooding; periodic droughts
Environment - current issues:water shortages; soil eroding into the sea damages coral reefs;deforestation
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,Ship Pollutionsigned, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note:shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti
People Dominican Republic
Population:8,833,634 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 33.3% (male 1,502,062; female 1,435,135)15-64 years: 61.4% (male 2,767,880; female 2,658,861)65 years and over: 5.3% (male 219,230; female 250,466) (2004 est.)
Median age:total: 23.7 yearsmale: 23.5 yearsfemale: 23.9 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:1.33% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:23.6 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:7.1 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:-3.22 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: 1.04 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 33.28 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 30.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)male: 35.75 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 67.63 yearsmale: 65.98 yearsfemale: 69.35 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:2.89 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:1.7% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:88,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:7,900 (2003 est.)
Nationality: noun: Dominican(s) adjective: Dominican
Ethnic groups:white 16%, black 11%, mixed 73%
Religions:Roman Catholic 95%
Languages:Spanish
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 84.7%male: 84.6%female: 84.8% (2003 est.)
Government Dominican Republic
Country name:conventional long form: Dominican Republicconventional short form: The Dominicanlocal long form: Republica Dominicanalocal short form: La Dominicana
Government type:representative democracy
Capital:Santo Domingo
Administrative divisions:31 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 district*(distrito); Azua, Baoruco, Barahona, Dajabon, Distrito Nacional*,Duarte, Elias Pina, El Seibo, Espaillat, Hato Mayor, Independencia,La Altagracia, La Romana, La Vega, Maria Trinidad Sanchez, MonsenorNouel, Monte Cristi, Monte Plata, Pedernales, Peravia, Puerto Plata,Salcedo, Samana, Sanchez Ramirez, San Cristobal, San Jose de Ocoa,San Juan, San Pedro de Macoris, Santiago, Santiago Rodriguez, SantoDomingo, Valverde
Independence:27 February 1844 (from Haiti)
National holiday:Independence Day, 27 February (1844)
Constitution:28 November 1966, amended 25 July 2002
Legal system:based on French civil codes; undergoing modification in 2004towards an accusatory system
Suffrage:18 years of age, universal and compulsory; married personsregardless of agenote: members of the armed forces and national police cannot vote
Executive branch:chief of state: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16 August2004); Vice President Rafael ALBURQUERQUE de Castro (since 16 August2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head ofgovernmenthead of government: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16August 2004); Vice President Rafael ALBURQUERQUE de Castro (since 16August 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state andhead of governmentcabinet: Cabinet nominated by the presidentelections: president and vice president elected on the same ticketby popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 16 May 2004(next to be held in May 2008)election results: Leonel FERNANDEZ elected president; percent ofvote - Leonel FERNANDEZ (PLD) 57.1%, Rafael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez(PRD) 33.7%, Eduardo ESTRELLA (PRSC) 8.7%
Legislative branch:bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of theSenate or Senado (32 seats; members are elected by popular vote toserve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara deDiputados (150 seats; members are elected by popular vote to servefour-year terms)elections: Senate - last held 16 May 2002 (next to be held NA May2006); Chamber of Deputies - last held 16 May 2002 (next to be heldNA May 2006)election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats byparty - PRD 29, PLD 2, PRSC 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of voteby party - NA; seats by party - PRD 73, PLD 41, PRSC 36
Judicial branch:Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are appointed by a theNational Judicial Council comprised of the President, the leaders ofboth chambers of congress, the President of the Supreme Court, andan opposition or non-governing party member)
Political parties and leaders:Dominican Liberation Party or PLD [Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna];Dominican Revolutionary Party or PRD [Vicente Sanchez BARET]; SocialChristian Reformist Party or PRSC [Enrique ATUN]
Political pressure groups and leaders:Collective of Popular Organizations or COP; Citizen ParticipationGroup (Participacion Ciudadania); Foundation forInstitution-Building (FINJUS)
International organization participation:ACP, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU,ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS,OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOCI,UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Flavio Dario Espinal JACOBO consulate(s): Mobile consulate(s) general: Chicago, Mayaguez (Puerto Rico), Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Juan (Puerto Rico) FAX: [1] (202) 265-8057 telephone: [1] (202) 332-6280 chancery: 1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Hans H. HERTELL embassy: corner of Calle Cesar Nicolas Penson and Calle Leopoldo Navarro, Santo Domingo mailing address: Unit 5500, APO AA 34041-5500 telephone: [1] (809) 221-2171 FAX: [1] (809) 686-7437
Flag description:a centered white cross that extends to the edges divides the flaginto four rectangles - the top ones are blue (hoist side) and red,and the bottom ones are red (hoist side) and blue; a small coat ofarms featuring a shield supported by an olive branch (left) and apalm branch (right) is at the center of the cross; above the shielda blue ribbon displays the motto, DIOS, PATRIA, LIBERTAD (God,Fatherland, Liberty), and below the shield, REPUBLICA DOMINICANAappears on a red ribbon
Economy Dominican Republic
Economy - overview:The Dominican Republic is a Caribbean representative democracywhich enjoyed GDP growth of more than 7% in 1998-2000. Growthsubsequently plummeted as part of the global economic slowdown.Although the country has long been viewed primarily as an exporterof sugar, coffee, and tobacco, in recent years the service sectorhas overtaken agriculture as the economy's largest employer, due togrowth in tourism and free trade zones. The country suffers frommarked income inequality; the poorest half of the populationreceives less than one-fifth of GNP, while the richest 10% enjoysnearly 40% of national income. Growth turned negative in 2003 withreduced tourism, a major bank fraud, and limited growth in the USeconomy, the source of 87% of export revenues. Resumption of a badlyneeded IMF loan was slowed due to government repurchase ofelectrical power plants.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $52.71 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:-0.7% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $6,000 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 10.7% industry: 31.5% services: 57.8% (2003)
Investment (gross fixed):19.9% of GDP (2003)
Population below poverty line:25%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.1% highest 10%: 37.9% (1998)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:47.4 (1998)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):27.5% (2003 est.)
Labor force:2.3 million - 2.6 million (2000 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 17%, industry 24.3%, services and government 58.7% (1998 est.)
Unemployment rate:16.5% (2003 est.)
Budget:revenues: $2.601 billionexpenditures: $3.353 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.1billion (2003 est.)
Public debt:59.4% of GDP (2003)
Agriculture - products:sugarcane, coffee, cotton, cocoa, tobacco, rice, beans, potatoes,corn, bananas; cattle, pigs, dairy products, beef, eggs
Industries:tourism, sugar processing, ferronickel and gold mining, textiles,cement, tobacco
Industrial production growth rate:2% (2001 est.)
Electricity - production:9.186 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:8.543 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:129,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Current account balance:$867 million (2003)
Exports:$5.524 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities:ferronickel, sugar, gold, silver, coffee, cocoa, tobacco, meats,consumer goods
Exports - partners:US 83.8%, Canada 1.5%, Haiti 1.5% (2003)
Imports:$7.911 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities:foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics, chemicals andpharmaceuticals
Imports - partners:US 52.1%, Venezuela 11.9%, Mexico 4.7%, Colombia 4.2% (2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:$261 million (2003)
Debt - external:$6.567 billion (2003 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$239.6 million (1995)
Currency:Dominican peso (DOP)
Currency code:DOP
Exchange rates:Dominican pesos per US dollar - 30.8307 (2003), 18.6098 (2002),16.9516 (2001), 16.415 (2000), 16.0331 (1999)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Dominican Republic
Telephones - main lines in use:901,800 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular:2,120,400 (2003)
Telephone system:general 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)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 120, FM 56, shortwave 4 (1998)
Radios:1.44 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:25 (2003)
Televisions:770,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.do
Internet hosts:64,197 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):24 (2000)
Internet users:500,000 (2003)
Transportation Dominican Republic
Railways:total: 1,743 kmstandard gauge: 375 km 1.435-m gaugenote: additional 1,226 km operated by sugar companies in 1.076-m,0.889-m, and 0.762-m gauges (2003)narrow gauge: 142 km 0.762-m gauge
Highways:total: 12,600 kmpaved: 6,224 kmunpaved: 6,376 km (1999)
Ports and harbors:Barahona, La Romana, Manzanillo, Puerto Plata, San Pedro deMacoris, Santo Domingo
Merchant marine:total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 11,230 GRT/17,011 DWTby type: cargo 1, petroleum tanker 2registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.)foreign-owned: Pakistan 1, Singapore 1
Airports:31 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 13 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 18 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)
Military Dominican Republic
Military branches:Army, Navy, Air Force
Military manpower - military age and obligation:18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 2,354,800 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 1,474,978 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:males: 90,434 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$180 million (1998)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:1.1% (1998)
Transnational Issues Dominican Republic
Disputes - international:despite efforts to control illegal migration, destitute Haitiansfleeing poverty and violence continue to cross into the DominicanRepublic; illegal migration of Dominicans and other nationals acrossthe Mona Passage to Puerto Rico has increased in the last year
Illicit drugs:transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the USand Europe; has become a transshipment point for ecstasy from theNetherlands and Belgium destined for US and Canada; substantialmoney-laundering activity; Colombian narcotics traffickers favor theDominican Republic for illicit financial transactions
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
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@East Timor
Introduction East Timor
Background:The Portuguese began to trade with the island of Timor in the early16th century and colonized it in mid-century. Skirmishing with theDutch in the region eventually resulted in an 1859 treaty in whichPortugal ceded the western portion of the island. Imperial Japanoccupied East Timor during 1942-1945, but Portugal resumed colonialauthority after the Japanese defeat in World War II. East Timordeclared itself independent from Portugal on 28 November 1975 andwas invaded and occupied by Indonesian forces nine days later. Itwas incorporated into Indonesia in July 1976 as the province of EastTimor. An unsuccessful campaign of pacification followed over thenext two decades, during which an estimated 100,000 to 250,000individuals lost their lives. On 30 August 1999, in a UN-supervisedpopular referendum, an overwhelming majority of the people of EastTimor voted for independence from Indonesia. Between the referendumand the arrival of a multinational peacekeeping force in lateSeptember 1999, anti-independence Timorese militias - organized andsupported by the Indonesian military - commenced a large-scale,scorched-earth campaign of retribution. The militias killedapproximately 1,300 Timorese and forcibly pushed 300,000 people intoWest Timor as refugees. The majority of the country'sinfrastructure, including homes, irrigation systems, water supplysystems, and schools, and nearly 100% of the country's electricalgrid were destroyed. On 20 September 1999 the Australian-ledpeacekeeping troops of the International Force for East Timor(INTERFET) deployed to the country and brought the violence to anend. On 20 May 2002, East Timor was internationally recognized as anindependent state.
Geography East Timor
Location:Southeastern Asia, northwest of Australia in the Lesser SundaIslands at the eastern end of the Indonesian archipelago; note -East Timor includes the eastern half of the island of Timor, theOecussi (Ambeno) region on the northwest portion of the island ofTimor, and the islands of Pulau Atauro and Pulau Jaco
Geographic coordinates:8 50 S, 125 55 E
Map references:Southeast Asia
Area:total: 15,007 sq kmland: NA sq kmwater: NA sq km
Area - comparative:slightly larger than Connecticut
Land boundaries: total: 228 km border countries: Indonesia 228 km
Coastline: 706 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: NA nm extended fishing zone: NA nm exclusive economic zone: NA nm continental shelf: NA nm exclusive fishing zone: NA nm
Climate:tropical; hot, humid; distinct rainy and dry seasons
Terrain:mountainous
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Timor Sea, Savu Sea, and Banda Sea 0 m highest point: Foho Tatamailau 2,963 m
Natural resources: gold, petroleum, natural gas, manganese, marble
Land use: arable land: 4.71% other: 94.62% (2001) permanent crops: 0.67%
Irrigated land:1,065 sq km (est.)
Natural hazards:floods and landslides are common; earthquakes, tsunamis, tropicalcyclones
Environment - current issues:widespread use of slash and burn agriculture has led todeforestation and soil erosion
Environment - international agreements:NA
Geography - note:Timor comes from the Malay word for "East;" the island of Timor ispart of the Malay Archipelago and is the largest and easternmost ofthe Lesser Sunda Islands
People East Timor
Population: 1,019,252 note: other estimates range as low as 800,000 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 37.8% (male 196,007; female 189,584)15-64 years: 59.2% (male 308,254; female 295,584)65 years and over: 2.9% (male 14,663; female 15,160) (2004 est.)
Median age:total: 20 yearsmale: 20.1 yearsfemale: 19.9 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:2.11% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:27.46 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:6.36 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: 1.03 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 48.86 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 42.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)male: 55.34 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 65.56 yearsmale: 63.31 yearsfemale: 67.92 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:3.7 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:NA
Nationality:noun: Timoreseadjective: Timorese
Ethnic groups:Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian), Papuan, small Chinese minority
Religions:Roman Catholic 90%, Muslim 4%, Protestant 3%, Hindu 0.5%, Buddhist,Animist (1992 est.)
Languages:Tetum (official), Portuguese (official), Indonesian, Englishnote: there are about 16 indigenous languages; Tetum, Galole,Mambae, and Kemak are spoken by significant numbers of people
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 58.6% (2002)
Government East Timor
Country name:conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Timor-Lesteconventional short form: East Timorlocal short form: Timor Lorosa'e [Tetum]; Timor-Leste [Portuguese]former: Portuguese Timorlocal long form: Republika Demokratika Timor Lorosa'e [Tetum];Republica Democratica de Timor-Leste [Portuguese]
Government type:Republic
Capital:Dili
Administrative divisions:13 administrative districts; Aileu, Ainaro, Baucau, Bobonaro(Maliana), Cova-Lima (Suai), Dili, Ermera, Lautem (Los Palos),Liquica, Manatuto, Manufahi (Same), Oecussi (Ambeno), Viqueque
Independence:28 November 1975 (date of proclamation of independence fromPortugal); note - 20 May 2002 is the official date of internationalrecognition of East Timor's independence from Indonesia
National holiday:Independence Day, 28 November (1975)
Constitution:22 March 2002 (based on the Portuguese model)
Legal system:UN-drafted legal system based on Indonesian law remains in placebut will be replaced by civil and penal codes based on Portugueselaw (2004)
Suffrage:17 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO (since 20 May2002); note - the president plays a largely symbolic role but isable to veto some legislation; he formerly used the name JoseAlexandre GUSMAOhead of government: Prime Minister Mari Bin Amude ALKATIRI (since 20May 2002)cabinet: Council of Ministerselections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;election last held 14 April 2002 (next to be held NA April 2007);after the first legislative elections, the leader of the majorityparty was appointed prime minister by the president, suggesting aprecedent for the futureelection results: Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO elected president; percentof vote - Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO 82.7%, Francisco Xavier do AMARAL17.3%
Legislative branch:unicameral National Parliament (number of seats can vary, minimumrequirement of 52 and a maximum of 65 seats; members elected bypopular vote to serve five-year terms); note - for its first term ofoffice, the National Parliament is comprised of 88 members on anexceptional basiselections: (next to be held August 2006); direct elections fornational parliament were never held; elected delegates to thenational convention named themselves legislators instead of havingelections; hence the exceptional numbers for this term of thenational parliament.election results: percent of vote by party - FRETILIN 57.37%, PD8.72%, PSD 8.18%, ASDT 7.84%, UDT 2.36%, PNT 2.21%, KOTA 2.13%, PPT2.01%, PDC 1.98%, PST 1.78%, independents/other 5.42%; seats byparty - FRETILIN 55, PD 7, PSD 6, ASDT 6, PDC 2, UDT 2, KOTA 2, PNT2, PPT 2, UDC/PDC 1, PST 1, PL 1, independent 1
Judicial branch:Supreme Court of Justice - constitution calls for one judge to beappointed by National Parliament and rest appointed by SuperiorCouncil for Judiciary; note - until Supreme Court is established,Court of Appeals is highest court
Political parties and leaders:Associacao Social-Democrata Timorense or ASDT [Francisco Xavier doAMARAL]; Christian Democratic Party of Timor or PDC [AntonioXIMENES]; Christian Democratic Union of Timor or UDC [Vicente daSilva GUTERRES]; Democratic Party or PD [Fernando de ARAUJO];Liberal Party or PL [leader NA]; Maubere Democratic Party or PDM[leader NA]; People's Party of Timor or PPT [Jacob XAVIER];Revolutionary Front of Independent East Timor or FRETILIN [Lu OLO];Social Democrat Party of East Timor or PSD [Mario CARRASCALAO];Socialist Party of Timor or PST [leader Avelino COELHO]; Sons of theMountain Warriors (also known as Association of Timorese Heroes) orKOTA [Clementino dos Reis AMARAL]; Timor Democratic Union or UDT[Joao CARRASCALAO]; Timor Labor Party or PTT [Paulo Freitas DASILVA]; Timorese Nationalist Party or PNT [Abilio ARAUJO]; TimoresePopular Democratic Association or APODETI [Frederico Almeida-SantosDA COSTA]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Popular Council for the Defense of the Democratic Republic of East Timor or CPD-RDTL [leader Antonio-Aitahan MATAK] is largest political pressure group; it rejects current government and claims to be rightful government; Kolimau 2000 [leader Dr. Bruno MAGALHAES] is another opposition group; dissatisfied veterans of struggle against Indonesia, led by one-time government advisor Cornelio GAMA (also known as L-7), also play an important role in pressuring government
International organization participation:ACP, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICCt, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (observer),ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, MIGA, OPCW, PIF (observer), UN, UNESCO,UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Jose Luis GUTERRESconsulate(s) general: New York (the ambassador resides in New York)(2004)FAX: 202 965-1517telephone: 202 965-1515chancery: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue, Washington, DC 20007
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Grover Joseph REESembassy: Avenida de Portugal, Praia dos Conqueiros, Dilimailing address: Department of State, 8250 Dili Place, Washington,DC 20521-8250telephone: (670) 332-4684FAX: (670) 331-3206
Flag description:red, with a black isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side)superimposed on a slightly longer yellow arrowhead that extends tothe center of the flag; there is a white star in the center of theblack triangle
Economy East Timor
Economy - overview:In late 1999, about 70% of the economic infrastructure of EastTimor was laid waste by Indonesian troops and anti-independencemilitias, and 260,000 people fled westward. Over the next threeyears, however, a massive international program, manned by 5,000peacekeepers (8,000 at peak) and 1,300 police officers, led tosubstantial reconstruction in both urban and rural areas. Bymid-2002, all but about 50,000 of the refugees had returned. Growthwas held back in 2003 by extensive drought and the gradual windingdown of the international presence. The country faces greatchallenges in continuing the rebuilding of infrastructure,strengthening the infant civil administration, and generating jobsfor young people entering the workforce. One promising long-termproject is the planned development of oil and gas resources innearby waters, but the government faces a substantial financing gapover the next several years before these revenues start flowing intostate coffers.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $440 million (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:-3% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $500 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 25.4% industry: 17.2% services: 57.4% (2001)
Population below poverty line:42% (2003 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NAhighest 10%: NA
Distribution of family income - Gini index:38 (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):8% NA (2003 est.)
Labor force:NA
Labor force - by occupation:NA
Unemployment rate:50% (including underemployment) (1992 est.)
Budget:revenues: $36 millionexpenditures: $97 million, including capital expenditures of NA(2003 est.)
Agriculture - products: coffee, rice, maize, cassava, sweet potatoes, soybeans, cabbage, mangoes, bananas, vanilla
Industries:printing, soap manufacturing, handicrafts, woven cloth
Industrial production growth rate:8.5%
Electricity - production:NA kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:NA kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2001)
Exports:$8 million (2001 est.)
Exports - commodities:coffee, sandalwood, marble; note - the potential for oil andvanilla exports
Exports - partners:NA
Imports:$237 million (2001 est.)
Imports - commodities:mainly food (2001)
Imports - partners:NA
Debt - external:NA
Economic aid - recipient:$2.2 billion (1999-2002 est.)
Currency:US dollar (USD)
Currency code:USD
Exchange rates:the US dollar is the legal tender
Fiscal year:1 July - 30 June
Communications East Timor
Telephones - main lines in use:NA
Telephones - mobile cellular:NA
Telephone system:NA
Radio broadcast stations:AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA
Radios:NA
Television broadcast stations:NA
Televisions:NA
Internet country code:.tp
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):NA
Internet users:NA
Transportation East Timor
Highways: total: 3,800 km paved: 428 km unpaved: 3,372 km (1995)
Ports and harbors:NA
Merchant marine:none
Airports:8 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 32,438 to 3,047 m: 11,524 to 2,437 m: 1914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 5914 to 1,523 m: 3under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Heliports:1 (2003 est.)
Military East Timor
Military branches:East Timor Defense Force (Forcas de Defesa de Timor-L'este, FDTL):Army, Navy
Military manpower - military age and obligation:18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)
Military manpower - availability:NA (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:NA (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:NA (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$4.4 million (FY03)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:NA
Transnational Issues East Timor
Disputes - international:East Timor-Indonesia Boundary Committee continues to meet, survey,and delimit the land boundary, but several sections of the boundaryespecially around the Oekussi enclave remain unresolved; Indonesiaand East Timor contest the sovereignty of the uninhabited coralisland of Palau Batek/Fatu Sinai, which may delay decision on thenorthern maritime boundaries; numbers of East Timor refugees inIndonesia refuse repatriation; East Timor and Australia continue todisagree over the delimitation of a permanent maritime boundary andover the sharing of petroleum resources that fall outside the JointPetroleum Development Area covered by the 2002 Timor Sea Treaty
Illicit drugs:NA
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
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@Ecuador
Introduction Ecuador
Background:The "Republic of the Equator" was one of three countries thatemerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others beingColombia and Venezuela). Between 1904 and 1942, Ecuador lostterritories in a series of conflicts with its neighbors. A borderwar with Peru that flared in 1995 was resolved in 1999. AlthoughEcuador marked 25 years of civilian governance in 2004, the periodhas been marred by political instability. Nine presidents havegoverned Ecuador since 1996.
Geography Ecuador
Location:Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator,between Colombia and Peru
Geographic coordinates:2 00 S, 77 30 W
Map references:South America
Area:total: 283,560 sq kmnote: includes Galapagos Islandswater: 6,720 sq kmland: 276,840 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than Nevada
Land boundaries: total: 2,010 km border countries: Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km
Coastline: 2,237 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 200 nmcontinental shelf: 100 nm from 2,500 meter isobath
Climate:tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher elevations;tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands
Terrain:coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands (sierra), andflat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente)
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 mhighest point: Chimborazo 6,267 m
Natural resources:petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 5.85% permanent crops: 4.93% other: 89.22% (2001)
Irrigated land:8,650 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; floods;periodic droughts
Environment - current issues:deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution;pollution from oil production wastes in ecologically sensitive areasof the Amazon Basin and Galapagos Islands
Environment - international agreements:party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty,Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone LayerProtection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world
People Ecuador
Population:13,212,742 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 33.9% (male 2,285,775; female 2,199,356)15-64 years: 61.2% (male 4,020,873; female 4,062,672)65 years and over: 4.9% (male 302,129; female 341,937) (2004 est.)
Median age:total: 23 yearsmale: 22.5 yearsfemale: 23.5 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:1.03% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:23.18 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:4.26 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:-8.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 24.49 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 19.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)male: 29.34 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 76.01 yearsmale: 73.15 yearsfemale: 79 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:2.78 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:0.3% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:21,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:1,700 (2003 est.)
Nationality:noun: Ecuadorian(s)adjective: Ecuadorian