Natural resources:oil, petroleum, timber, small unexploited deposits of gold,manganese, uranium, titanium, iron ore
Land use:arable land: 4.63%permanent crops: 3.57%other: 91.8% (2001)
Irrigated land:NA sq km
Natural hazards:violent windstorms, flash floods
Environment - current issues:tap water is not potable; deforestation
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: insular and continental regions rather widely separated
People Equatorial Guinea
Population:523,051 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 42% (male 110,268; female 109,222)15-64 years: 54.3% (male 136,370; female 147,431)65 years and over: 3.8% (male 8,745; female 11,015) (2004 est.)
Median age:total: 18.7 yearsmale: 18.1 yearsfemale: 19.4 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:2.43% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:36.56 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:12.27 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 87.08 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 80.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)male: 93.27 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 55.15 yearsmale: 53 yearsfemale: 57.36 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:4.68 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:3.4% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:5,900 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:370 (2001 est.)
Major infectious diseases:typhoid fever, malariaoverall degree of risk: very high (2004)
Nationality:noun: Equatorial Guinean(s) or Equatoguinean(s)adjective: Equatorial Guinean or Equatoguinean
Ethnic groups:Bioko (primarily Bubi, some Fernandinos), Rio Muni (primarilyFang), Europeans less than 1,000, mostly Spanish
Religions:nominally Christian and predominantly Roman Catholic, paganpractices
Languages:Spanish (official), French (official), pidgin English, Fang, Bubi,Ibo
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 85.7%male: 93.3%female: 78.4% (2003 est.)
Government Equatorial Guinea
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Equatorial Guineaconventional short form: Equatorial Guinealocal short form: Guinea Ecuatoriallocal long form: Republica de Guinea Ecuatorialformer: Spanish Guinea
Government type:republic
Capital:Malabo
Administrative divisions:7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Annobon, BiokoNorte, Bioko Sur, Centro Sur, Kie-Ntem, Litoral, Wele-Nzas
Independence:12 October 1968 (from Spain)
National holiday:Independence Day, 12 October (1968)
Constitution:approved by national referendum 17 November 1991; amended January1995
Legal system:partly based on Spanish civil law and tribal custom
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal adult
Executive branch:chief of state: President Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMAMBASOGO (since 3 August 1979 when he seized power in a military coup)elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;election last held 15 December 2002 (next to be held NA December2009); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by thepresidentelection results: Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO reelected president;percent of vote - Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO 97.1%, CelestinoBonifacio BACALE 2.2%; elections marred by widespread fraudcabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the presidenthead of government: Prime Minister Miguel Abia BITEO BORICO (since14 June 2004); First Deputy Prime Minister Miguel OYONO NDONG (sinceNA January 1998); Deputy Prime Minister Demetrio Elo NDONG NZE FUMU(since NA January 1998)
Legislative branch:unicameral House of People's Representatives or Camara deRepresentantes del Pueblo (80 seats; members directly elected bypopular vote to serve five-year terms)elections: last held 7 March 1999 (next to be held 24 April 2004)election results: percent of vote by party - PDGE 80%, UP 6%, CPDS5%; seats by party - PDGE 75, UP 4 and CPDS 1note: Parliament has little power since the constitution vests allexecutive authority in the president
Judicial branch:Supreme Tribunal
Political parties and leaders:Convergence Party for Social Democracy or CPDS [Placido MIKOAbogo]; Democratic Party for Equatorial Guinea or PDGE (rulingparty) [Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO]; Party for Progress ofEquatorial Guinea or PPGE [Severo MOTO]; Popular Action ofEquatorial Guinea or APGE [Miguel Esono EMAN]; Popular Union or UP[Andres Moises Bda ADA]; Progressive Democratic Alliance or ADP[Victorino Bolekia BONAY]; Union of Independent Democrats of UDI[Daniel OYONO]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM,IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM,OAS (observer), OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO,WToO, WTrO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Teodoro Biyogo NSUEchancery: 2020 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009FAX: [1] (202) 518-5252telephone: [1] (202) 518-5700
Diplomatic representation from the US:the US does not have an embassy in Equatorial Guinea (embassyclosed September 1995); the US ambassador to Cameroon is accreditedto Equatorial Guinea; the US State Department is considering openinga Consulate Agency in Malabo
Flag description:three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with ablue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side and the coat of armscentered in the white band; the coat of arms has six yellowsix-pointed stars (representing the mainland and five offshoreislands) above a gray shield bearing a silk-cotton tree and belowwhich is a scroll with the motto UNIDAD, PAZ, JUSTICIA (Unity,Peace, Justice)
Economy Equatorial Guinea
Economy - overview:The discovery and exploitation of large oil reserves havecontributed to dramatic economic growth in recent years. Forestry,farming, and fishing are also major components of GDP. Subsistencefarming predominates. Although pre-independence Equatorial Guineacounted on cocoa production for hard currency earnings, the neglectof the rural economy under successive regimes has diminishedpotential for agriculture-led growth (the government has stated itsintention to reinvest some oil revenue into agriculture). A numberof aid programs sponsored by the World Bank and the IMF have beencut off since 1993 because of corruption and mismanagement. Nolonger eligible for concessional financing because of large oilrevenues, the government has been unsuccessfully trying to agree ona "shadow" fiscal management program with the World Bank and IMF.Businesses, for the most part, are owned by government officials andtheir family members. Undeveloped natural resources includetitanium, iron ore, manganese, uranium, and alluvial gold. Growthwill remain strong in 2004, led by oil.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $1.27 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:20% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $2,700 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 20% industry: 60% services: 2.4% (2003 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):63.6% of GDP (2003)
Population below poverty line:NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NAhighest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):6% (2003 est.)
Labor force:NA (October 2000)
Unemployment rate:30% (1998 est.)
Budget:revenues: $708.5 millionexpenditures: $317.6 million, including capital expenditures of NA(2003 est.)
Agriculture - products: coffee, cocoa, rice, yams, cassava (tapioca), bananas, palm oil nuts; livestock; timber
Industries:petroleum, fishing, sawmilling, natural gas
Industrial production growth rate:30% (2002 est.)
Electricity - production:23.56 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:21.91 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:181,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:2,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:563.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:20 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:20 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:68.53 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance:$-1.168 billion (2003)
Exports:$2.1 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities:petroleum, methanol, timber, cocoa
Exports - partners:US 33.6%, Spain 25.8%, China 14.4%, Canada 11.8%, Italy 6.4% (2003)
Imports:$1.371 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities:petroleum sector equipment, other equipment
Imports - partners:US 30.6%, UK 16%, France 15.1%, Cote d'Ivoire 11.9%, Spain 8.1%,Norway 5.9%, Italy 5.3% (2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:$206 million (2003)
Debt - external:$248 million (2000 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$33.8 million (1995)
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:1 January - 31 December
Communications Equatorial Guinea
Telephones - main lines in use:9,600 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular:41,500 (2003)
Telephone system:general assessment: poor system with adequate government servicesdomestic: NAinternational: country code - 240; international communications fromBata and Malabo to African and European countries; satellite earthstation - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 5 (2002)
Radios:180,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:1 (2002)
Televisions:4,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.gq
Internet hosts:3 (2004)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1 (2002)
Internet users:1,800 (2002)
Transportation Equatorial Guinea
Highways:total: 2,880 km (1999 est.)
Pipelines:condensate 37 km; gas 39 km; liquid natural gas 4 km; oil 24 km(2004)
Ports and harbors:Bata, Luba, Malabo
Merchant marine:total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,556 GRT/9,704 DWTby type: cargo 2, passenger/cargo 1registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports:3 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 32,438 to 3,047 m: 11,524 to 2,437 m: 1less than 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 1under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Military Equatorial Guinea
Military branches:Army, Navy, Air Force, Rapid Intervention Force
Military manpower - military age and obligation:18 years of age (est.) (2004)
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 120,463 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 61,084 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$75.1 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:2.5% (2003)
Transnational Issues Equatorial Guinea
Disputes - international:in 2002, ICJ ruled on an equidistance settlement ofCameroon-Equatorial Guinea-Nigeria maritime boundary in the Gulf ofGuinea, but a dispute between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon over anisland at the mouth of the Ntem River, imprecisely definedcoordinates in the ICJ decision, and the unresolved Bakasiallocation contribute to the delay in implementation; creation of amaritime boundary in hydrocarbon-rich Corisco Bay with Gabon ishampered by dispute over Mbane Island, administered and occupied byGabon since the 1970s
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
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@Eritrea
Introduction Eritrea
Background:Eritrea was awarded to Ethiopia in 1952 as part of a federation.Ethiopia's annexation of Eritrea as a province 10 years latersparked a 30-year struggle for independence that ended in 1991 withEritrean rebels defeating governmental forces; independence wasoverwhelmingly approved in a 1993 referendum. A two-and-a-half-yearborder war with Ethiopia that erupted in 1998 ended under UNauspices on 12 December 2000. Eritrea currently hosts a UNpeacekeeping operation that is monitoring a 25 km-wide TemporarySecurity Zone on the border with Ethiopia. An internationalcommission, organized to resolve the border dispute, posted itsfindings in 2002 but final demarcation is on hold due to Ethiopianobjections.
Geography Eritrea
Location:Eastern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Djibouti and Sudan
Geographic coordinates:15 00 N, 39 00 E
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 121,320 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmland: 121,320 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly larger than Pennsylvania
Land boundaries:total: 1,626 kmborder countries: Djibouti 109 km, Ethiopia 912 km, Sudan 605 km
Coastline:2,234 km total; mainland on Red Sea 1,151 km, islands in Red Sea1,083 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate:hot, dry desert strip along Red Sea coast; cooler and wetter in thecentral highlands (up to 61 cm of rainfall annually); semiarid inwestern hills and lowlands; rainfall heaviest during June-Septemberexcept in coastal desert
Terrain:dominated by extension of Ethiopian north-south trending highlands,descending on the east to a coastal desert plain, on the northwestto hilly terrain and on the southwest to flat-to-rolling plains
Elevation extremes:lowest point: near Kulul within the Denakil depression -75 mhighest point: Soira 3,018 m
Natural resources:gold, potash, zinc, copper, salt, possibly oil and natural gas, fish
Land use: arable land: 4.95% permanent crops: 0.03% other: 95.02% (2001)
Irrigated land:220 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:frequent droughts; locust swarms
Environment - current issues:deforestation; desertification; soil erosion; overgrazing; loss ofinfrastructure from civil warfare
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, EndangeredSpeciessigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:strategic geopolitical position along world's busiest shippinglanes; Eritrea retained the entire coastline of Ethiopia along theRed Sea upon de jure independence from Ethiopia on 24 May 1993
People Eritrea
Population:4,447,307 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 44.8% (male 998,404; female 993,349)15-64 years: 51.9% (male 1,140,892; female 1,166,481)65 years and over: 3.3% (male 72,776; female 75,405) (2004 est.)
Median age:total: 17.5 yearsmale: 17.3 yearsfemale: 17.7 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:2.57% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:39.03 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:13.36 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:0 migrant(s)/1,000 populationnote: UNHCR began repatriating about 150,000 Eritrean refugees fromSudan in 2001 following the restoration of diplomatic relationsbetween the two countries in 2000 (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 75.59 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 67.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)male: 83.03 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 52.7 yearsmale: 51.32 yearsfemale: 54.12 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:5.67 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:2.7% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:60,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:6,300 (2003 est.)
Nationality:noun: Eritrean(s)adjective: Eritrean
Ethnic groups:ethnic Tigrinya 50%, Tigre and Kunama 40%, Afar 4%, Saho (Red Seacoast dwellers) 3%, other 3%
Religions:Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant
Languages:Afar, Arabic, Tigre and Kunama, Tigrinya, other Cushitic languages
Literacy: definition: NA total population: 58.6% male: 69.9% female: 47.6% (2003 est.)
Government Eritrea
Country name:conventional long form: State of Eritreaconventional short form: Eritrealocal long form: Hagere Ertraformer: Eritrea Autonomous Region in Ethiopialocal short form: Ertra
Government type:transitional governmentnote: following a successful referendum on independence for theAutonomous Region of Eritrea on 23-25 April 1993, a NationalAssembly, composed entirely of the People's Front for Democracy andJustice or PFDJ, was established as a transitional legislature; aConstitutional Commission was also established to draft aconstitution; ISAIAS Afworki was elected president by thetransitional legislature; the constitution, ratified in May 1997,did not enter into effect, pending parliamentary and presidentialelections; parliamentary elections had been scheduled in December2001, but were postponed indefinitely; currently the sole legalparty is the People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ)
Capital:Asmara (formerly Asmera)
Administrative divisions:6 regions (zobatat, singular - zoba); Anseba, Debub, DebubawiK'eyih Bahri, Gash Barka, Ma'akel, Semenawi Keyih Bahri
Independence:24 May 1993 (from Ethiopia)
National holiday:Independence Day, 24 May (1993)
Constitution:the transitional constitution, decreed on 19 May 1993, was replacedby a new constitution adopted on 23 May 1997, but not yet implemented
Legal system:primary basis is the Ethiopian legal code of 1957, with revisions;new civil, commercial, and penal codes have not yet beenpromulgated; also relies on customary and post-independence-enactedlaws and, for civil cases involving Muslims, Sharia law
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June 1993); note- the president is both the chief of state and head of governmentand is head of the State Council and National Assemblyhead of government: President ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June 1993);note - the president is both the chief of state and head ofgovernment and is head of the State Council and National Assemblycabinet: State Council is the collective executive authority;members appointed by the presidentelections: president elected by the National Assembly; election lastheld 8 June 1993 (next election date uncertain as the NationalAssembly did not hold a presidential election in December 2001 asanticipated)election results: ISAIAS Afworki elected president; percent ofNational Assembly vote - ISAIAS Afworki 95%
Legislative branch:unicameral National Assembly (150 seats; term limits notestablished)elections: in May 1997, following the adoption of the newconstitution, 75 members of the PFDJ Central Committee (the oldCentral Committee of the EPLF), 60 members of the 527-memberConstituent Assembly, that had been established in 1997 to discussand ratify the new constitution, and 15 representatives of Eritreansliving abroad were formed into a Transitional National Assembly toserve as the country's legislative body until countrywide electionsto a National Assembly were held; although only 75 of 150 members ofthe Transitional National Assembly were elected, the constitutionstipulates that once past the transition stage, all members of theNational Assembly will be elected by secret ballot of all eligiblevoters; National Assembly elections scheduled for December 2001 werepostponed indefinitely
Judicial branch:High Court - regional, subregional, and village courts; also havemilitary and special courts
Political parties and leaders: People's Front for Democracy and Justice or PFDJ, the only party recognized by the government [ISAIAS Afworki]; note - a National Assembly committee drafted a law on political parties in January 2001, but the full National Assembly has not yet debated or voted on it
Political pressure groups and leaders: Eritrean Islamic Jihad or EIJ [leader NA] (also including Eritrean Islamic Jihad Movement or EIJM (also known as the Abu Sihel Movement) [leader NA]); Eritrean Islamic Salvation or EIS (also known as the Arafa Movement) [leader NA]; Eritrean Liberation Front or ELF [ABDULLAH Muhammed]; Eritrean National Alliance or ENA (a coalition including EIJ, EIS, ELF, and a number of ELF factions) [HERUY Tedla Biru]; Eritrean Public Forum or EPF [ARADOM Iyob]
International organization participation:ACP, AfDB, AU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory),ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (observer), IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO,Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN,UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador GIRMA Asmeromtelephone: [1] (202) 319-1991consulate(s) general: Oakland (California)FAX: [1] (202) 319-1304chancery: 1708 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Scott H. DELISIembassy: Franklin D. Roosevelt Street, Asmaramailing address: P. O. Box 211, Asmaratelephone: [291] (1) 120004FAX: [291] (1) 127584
Flag description:red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) dividing the flaginto two right triangles; the upper triangle is green, the lower oneis blue; a gold wreath encircling a gold olive branch is centered onthe hoist side of the red triangle
Economy Eritrea
Economy - overview:Since independence from Ethiopia on 24 May 1993, Eritrea has facedthe economic problems of a small, desperately poor country. Like theeconomies of many African nations, the economy is largely based onsubsistence agriculture, with 80% of the population involved infarming and herding. The Ethiopian-Eritrea war in 1998-2000 severelyhurt Eritrea's economy. GDP growth fell to zero in 1999 and to-12.1% in 2000. The May 2000 Ethiopian offensive into northernEritrea caused some $600 million in property damage and loss,including losses of $225 million in livestock and 55,000 homes. Theattack prevented planting of crops in Eritrea's most productiveregion, causing food production to drop by 62%. Even during the war,Eritrea developed its transportation infrastructure, asphalting newroads, improving its ports, and repairing war damaged roads andbridges. Since the war ended, the government has maintained a firmgrip on the economy, expanding the use of the military andparty-owned businesses to complete Eritrea's development agenda.Erratic rainfall and the delayed demobilization of agriculturalistsfrom the military kept cereal production well below normal, holdingdown growth in 2002. Eritrea's economic future depends upon itsability to master social problems such as illiteracy, unemployment,and low skills, and to open its economy to private enterprise so thediaspora's money and expertise can foster economic growth.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $3.3 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:2% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $700 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 12.4% industry: 25.3% services: 62.4% (2003 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):26.3% of GDP (2003)
Population below poverty line:53% (1993/94)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NAhighest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):12.3% (2003)
Labor force:NA (1999)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 80%, industry and services 20%
Unemployment rate:NA (2003 est.)
Budget:revenues: $235.7 millionexpenditures: $375 million, including capital expenditures of $NA(2003 est.)
Agriculture - products: sorghum, lentils, vegetables, corn, cotton, tobacco, coffee, sisal; livestock, goats; fish
Industries:food processing, beverages, clothing and textiles
Industrial production growth rate:NA
Electricity - production:220.5 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:205.1 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh NA kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh NA kWh (2001)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:6,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Current account balance:$-159 million (2003)
Exports:$56 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities:livestock, sorghum, textiles, food, small manufactures (2000)
Exports - partners:Malaysia 65.1%, Italy 10.4%, France 4.4% (2003)
Imports:$600 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery, petroleum products, food, manufactured goods (2000)
Imports - partners:US 39.7%, Italy 19.1%, Turkey 6.8%, Russia 5.4%, France 4.7% (2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:$28 million (2003)
Debt - external:$311 million (2000 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$77 million (1999)
Currency:nakfa (ERN)
Currency code:ERN
Exchange rates:nakfa (ERN) per US dollar - NA (2003), 13.9582 (2002), 11.3095(2001), 9.5 (2000), 7.6 (1999)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Eritrea
Telephones - main lines in use:38,100 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular:NA
Telephone system:general assessment: inadequatedomestic: very inadequate; most telephones are in Asmara; governmentis seeking international tenders to improve the system (2002)international: country code - 291; note - international connectionsexist
Radio broadcast stations:AM 2, FM NA, shortwave 2 (2000)
Radios:345,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:1 (2000)
Televisions:1,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.er
Internet hosts:1,047 (2004)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):5 (2001)
Internet users:9,500 (2003)
Transportation Eritrea
Railways:total: 306 kmnarrow gauge: 306 km 0.950-m gaugenote: railway is being rebuilt; 117 km open (2003)
Highways:total: 4,010 kmpaved: 874 kmunpaved: 3,136 km (1999 est.)
Ports and harbors:Assab (Aseb), Massawa (Mits'iwa)
Merchant marine:total: 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 16,069 GRT/19,549 DWTregistered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.)by type: bulk 1, cargo 1, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 1, rollon/roll off 1
Airports:18 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 13 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Military Eritrea
Military branches:Army, Navy, Air Force
Military manpower - military age and obligation:18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service;conscript service obligation - 16 months (2004)
Military manpower - fit for military service:NA (2004)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$77.9 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:11.8% (2003)
Transnational Issues Eritrea
Disputes - international:Eritrea and Ethiopia agreed to abide by 2002 Ethiopia-EritreaBorder Commission's (EEBC) delimitation decision, but demarcationhas been delayed, despite intense international intervention, byEthiopian insistence that the decision ignored "human geography,"made technical errors in the delimitation, and incorrectly awardedBadme, the focus of the 1998-2000 war, and other areas to Eritreaand Eritrea's insistence on not deviating from the commission'sdecision; UN Peacekeeping Mission to Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE)continues to monitor a 25km-wide Temporary Security Zone in Eritreauntil the demarcation; Sudan accuses Eritrea of supporting Sudaneserebel groups; Eritrea protests Yemeni fishing around the HanishIslands awarded to Eritrea by the ICJ in 1999
Refugees and internally displaced persons:IDPs: 59,000 (border war with Ethiopia from 1998-2000; most IDPsare near the central border region) (2004)
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
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@Estonia
Introduction Estonia
Background:After centuries of Danish, Swedish, German, and Russian rule,Estonia attained independence in 1918. Forcibly incorporated intothe USSR in 1940, it regained its freedom in 1991, with the collapseof the Soviet Union. Since the last Russian troops left in 1994,Estonia has been free to promote economic and political ties withWestern Europe. It joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.
Geography Estonia
Location:Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland,between Latvia and Russia
Geographic coordinates:59 00 N, 26 00 E
Map references:Europe
Area:total: 45,226 sq kmnote: includes 1,520 islands in the Baltic Seawater: 2,015 sq kmland: 43,211 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than New Hampshire and Vermont combined
Land boundaries: total: 633 km border countries: Latvia 339 km, Russia 294 km
Coastline:3,794 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 12 nmexclusive economic zone: limits fixed in coordination withneighboring states
Climate:maritime, wet, moderate winters, cool summers
Terrain:marshy, lowlands; flat in the north, hilly in the south
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 mhighest point: Suur Munamagi 318 m
Natural resources:oil shale, peat, phosphorite, clay, limestone, sand, dolomite,arable land, sea mud
Land use: arable land: 16.04% permanent crops: 0.45% other: 83.51% (2001)
Irrigated land:40 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:sometimes flooding occurs in the spring
Environment - current issues:air polluted with sulfur dioxide from oil-shale burning powerplants in northeast; however, the amount of pollutants emitted tothe air have fallen steadily, the emissions of 2000 were 80% lessthan in 1980; the amount of unpurified wastewater discharged towater bodies in 2000 was one twentieth the level of 1980; inconnection with the start-up of new water purification plants, thepollution load of wastewater decreased; Estonia has more than 1,400natural and manmade lakes, the smaller of which in agriculturalareas need to be monitored; coastal seawater is polluted in certainlocations
Environment - international agreements:party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, AirPollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ship Pollution,Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:the mainland terrain is flat, boggy, and partly wooded; offshorelie more than 1,500 islands
People Estonia
Population:1,341,664 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 16% (male 110,452; female 104,363)15-64 years: 67.5% (male 431,493; female 474,255)65 years and over: 16.5% (male 72,819; female 148,282) (2004 est.)
Median age:total: 38.8 yearsmale: 35.1 yearsfemale: 42.1 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:-0.66% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:9.79 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:13.27 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:-3.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.06 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.49 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.85 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 8.08 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 6.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)male: 9.32 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 71.38 yearsmale: 65.78 yearsfemale: 77.33 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.39 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:7,800 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:less than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality:noun: Estonian(s)adjective: Estonian
Ethnic groups:Estonian 65.3%, Russian 28.1%, Ukrainian 2.5%, Belarusian 1.5%,Finn 1%, other 1.6% (1998)
Religions:Evangelical Lutheran, Russian Orthodox, Estonian Orthodox, Baptist,Methodist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Wordof Life, Jewish
Languages:Estonian (official), Russian, Ukrainian, Finnish, other
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 99.8%male: 99.8%female: 99.8% (2003 est.)
Government Estonia
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Estoniaconventional short form: Estonialocal short form: Eestiformer: Estonian Soviet Socialist Republiclocal long form: Eesti Vabariik
Government type:parliamentary republic
Capital:Tallinn
Administrative divisions:15 counties (maakonnad, singular - maakond): Harjumaa (Tallinn),Hiiumaa (Kardla), Ida-Virumaa (Johvi), Jarvamaa (Paide), Jogevamaa(Jogeva), Laanemaa (Haapsalu), Laane-Virumaa (Rakvere), Parnumaa(Parnu), Polvamaa (Polva), Raplamaa (Rapla), Saaremaa (Kuressaare),Tartumaa (Tartu), Valgamaa (Valga), Viljandimaa (Viljandi), Vorumaa(Voru)note: counties have the administrative center name following inparentheses
Independence:20 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday:Independence Day, 24 February (1918); note - 24 February 1918 isthe date Estonia declared its independence from Soviet Russia; 20August 1991 is the date it declared its independence from the SovietUnion
Constitution:adopted 28 June 1992
Legal system:based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal for all Estonian citizens
Executive branch:chief of state: President Arnold RUUTEL (since 8 October 2001)head of government: Prime Minister Juhan PARTS (since 10 April 2003)cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister,approved by Parliamentelection results: Arnold RUUTEL elected president on 21 September2001 by a 367-member electoral assembly that convened followingParliament's failure in August to elect then-President MERI'ssuccessor; on the second ballot of voting, RUUTEL received 186 votesto Parliament Speaker Toomas SAVI's 155; the remaining 26 ballotswere either left blank or invalidelections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term; ifhe or she does not secure two-thirds of the votes after three roundsof balloting in the Parliament, then an electoral assembly (made upof Parliament plus members of local governments) elects thepresident, choosing between the two candidates with the largestpercentage of votes; election last held 21 September 2001 (next tobe held in the fall of 2006); prime minister nominated by thepresident and approved by Parliament
Legislative branch:unicameral Parliament or Riigikogu (101 seats; members are electedby popular vote to serve four-year terms)election results: percent of vote by party - Center Party 25.4%, ResPublica 24.6%, Reform Party 17.7%, Estonian People's Union 13%, ProPatria Union (Fatherland League) 7.3% People's Party Moodukad 7%;seats by party - Center Party 28, Res Publica 28, Reform Party 19,Estonian People's Union 13, Pro Patria Union 7, People's PartyMoodukad 6elections: last held 2 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2007)
Judicial branch:National Court (chairman appointed by Parliament for life)
Political parties and leaders:Center Party of Estonia (Keskerakond) [Edgar SAVISAAR, chairman];Estonian People's Union (Rahvaliit) [Villu REILJAN, chairman];Estonian Reform Party (Reformierakond) [Andrus ANSIP]; EstonianUnited Russian People's Party or EUVRP [Yevgeniy TOMBERG, chairman];Pro Patria Union (Isamaaliit) [Tunne KELAM, chairman]; Res Publica[Juhan PARTS, chairman]; Social Democratic Party (formerly People'sParty Moodukad or Moderates) [Ivari PADAR, chairman]; SocialLiberals (group of 8 parliamentarians, former Center Party members)[Peeter Kreitzberg]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member),FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NIB, NSG,OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNTSO,UPU, WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Juri LUIKchancery: 2131 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008consulate(s) general: New YorkFAX: [1] (202) 588-0108telephone: [1] (202) 588-0101
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Aldona Zofia WOSembassy: Kentmanni 20, 15099 Tallinnmailing address: use embassy street addresstelephone: [372] 668-8100FAX: [372] 668-8134
Flag description:pre-1940 flag restored by Supreme Soviet in May 1990 - three equalhorizontal bands of blue (top), black, and white
Economy Estonia
Economy - overview:Estonia, as a new member of the World Trade Organization, issteadily moving toward a modern market economy with increasing tiesto the West, including the pegging of its currency to the euro. Theeconomy benefits from strong electronics and telecommunicationssectors. Estonia has been invited to join the European Union andwill do so in May 2004. The economy is greatly influenced bydevelopments in Finland, Sweden, Russia, and Germany, four majortrading partners. The high current account deficit remains aconcern. However, the state budget enjoyed a surplus of $130 millionin 2003.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $17.35 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:4.7% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $12,300 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4.9% industry: 30.3% services: 64.8% (2003)
Investment (gross fixed):30.2% of GDP (2003)
Population below poverty line:NA (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: 3%highest 10%: 29.8% (1998)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:37 (1999)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):1.3% (2003 est.)
Labor force:654,000 (2003 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 11%, industry 20%, services 69% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate:10.1% (2003)
Budget:revenues: $3.806 billionexpenditures: $3.648 billion, including capital expenditures of NA(2003 est.)
Public debt:7.4% of GDP (2003)
Agriculture - products:potatoes, vegetables; livestock and dairy products; fish
Industries:engineering, electronics, wood and wood products, textile;information technology, telecommunications
Industrial production growth rate:5% (2000 est.)
Electricity - production:7.937 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:6.192 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:1.19 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:5,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:24,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Natural gas - production:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:1.27 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:1.27 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Current account balance:$-1.15 billion (2003)
Exports:$4.075 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities:machinery and equipment 33%, wood and paper 15%, textiles 14%, foodproducts 8%, furniture 7%, metals, chemical products (2001)
Exports - partners:Finland 21.9%, Sweden 12.5%, Russia 11.4%, Germany 8.4%, Latvia7.4%, Lithuania 4% (2003)
Imports:$5.535 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery and equipment 33.5%, chemical products 11.6%, textiles10.3%, foodstuffs 9.4%, transportation equipment 8.9% (2001)
Imports - partners:Finland 15.9%, Germany 11.1%, Russia 10.2%, Sweden 7.7%, Ukraine4.3%, China 4.2%, Japan 4.1% (2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:$1.377 billion (2003)
Debt - external:$7.002 billion (2003 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$108 million (2000)
Currency:Estonian kroon (EEK)
Currency code:EEK
Exchange rates:krooni per US dollar - 13.8564 (2003), 16.6118 (2002), 17.4781(2001), 16.9686 (2000), 14.6776 (1999)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Estonia
Telephones - main lines in use:475,000 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:881,000 (2002)
Telephone system:general assessment: foreign investment in the form of jointbusiness ventures greatly improved telephone service; substantialfiber-optic cable systems carry telephone, TV, and radio traffic inthe digital mode; Internet services are available throughout most ofthe country - only about 11,000 subscriber requests were unfilled bySeptember 2000domestic: a wide range of high quality voice, data, and Internetservices is available throughout the countryinternational: country code - 372; fiber-optic cables to Finland,Sweden, Latvia, and Russia provide worldwide packet-switchedservice; two international switches are located in Tallinn (2001)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 0, FM 98, shortwave 0 (2001)
Radios:1.01 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:3 (2001)
Televisions:605,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.ee
Internet hosts:82,142 (2004)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):38 (2001)
Internet users:444,000 (2002)
Transportation Estonia
Railways:total: 958 kmbroad gauge: 958 km 1.520-m/1.524-m gauge (132 km electrified)note: gauge being increased from 1.520-m to 1.524-m to reduce wearon wheels and rail as lines are modernized (2003)
Highways:total: 51,411 kmpaved: 10,334 km (including 94 km of expressways)unpaved: 41,077 km (2000)
Waterways:500 km (2003)
Pipelines:gas 859 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:Haapsalu, Kunda, Muuga, Paldiski, Parnu, Tallinn
Merchant marine:total: 32 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 212,998 GRT/177,488 DWTby type: bulk 2, cargo 12, container 4, petroleum tanker 2, rollon/roll off 7, short-sea/passenger 5foreign-owned: Netherlands 1registered in other countries: 45 (2004 est.)
Airports:29 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 14over 3,047 m: 12,438 to 3,047 m: 81,524 to 2,437 m: 1914 to 1,523 m: 3under 914 m: 1 (2003 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 15over 3,047 m: 12,438 to 3,047 m: 11,524 to 2,437 m: 3914 to 1,523 m: 4under 914 m: 6 (2003 est.)
Military Estonia
Military branches:Estonia Defense Forces (including Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force),Republic Security Forces (internal and border troops), VolunteerDefense League (Kaitseliit), Maritime Border Guard, Coast Guardnote: Border Guards and Ministry of Internal Affairs become part ofthe Estonian Defense Forces in wartime; the Coast Guard issubordinate to the Ministry of Defense in peacetime and the EstonianNavy in wartime
Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service, with 11-month service obligation; Estonia has committed to retaining conscription for men and women up to 2010; 17 years of age for volunteers (2004)
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 326,803 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 257,386 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:males: 10,884 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$155 million (2002 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:2% (2002 est.)
Transnational Issues Estonia
Disputes - international:Russia continues to reject signing and ratifying the joint December1996 technical border agreement with Estonia
Illicit drugs:transshipment point for opiates and cannabis from Southwest Asiaand the Caucasus via Russia, cocaine from Latin America to WesternEurope and Scandinavia, and synthetic drugs from Western Europe toScandinavia; increasing domestic drug abuse problem; possibleprecursor manufacturing and/or trafficking; potential moneylaundering related to organized crime and drug trafficking is aconcern as is possible use of the gambling sector to launder funds
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
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@Ethiopia
Introduction Ethiopia
Background:Unique among African countries, the ancient Ethiopian monarchymaintained its freedom from colonial rule, one exception being theItalian occupation of 1936-41. In 1974 a military junta, the Derg,deposed Emperor Haile SELASSIE (who had ruled since 1930) andestablished a socialist state. Torn by bloody coups, uprisings,wide-scale drought, and massive refugee problems, the regime wasfinally toppled by a coalition of rebel forces, the EthiopianPeople's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), in 1991. Aconstitution was adopted in 1994 and Ethiopia's first multipartyelections were held in 1995. A two and a half year border war withEritrea ended with a peace treaty on 12 December 2000. Finaldemarcation of the boundary is currently on hold due to Ethiopianobjections to an international commission's finding requiring it tosurrender sensitive territory.
Geography Ethiopia
Location:Eastern Africa, west of Somalia
Geographic coordinates:8 00 N, 38 00 E
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 1,127,127 sq kmwater: 7,444 sq kmland: 1,119,683 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Land boundaries:total: 5,328 kmborder countries: Djibouti 349 km, Eritrea 912 km, Kenya 861 km,Somalia 1,600 km, Sudan 1,606 km
Coastline:0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:none (landlocked)
Climate:tropical monsoon with wide topographic-induced variation
Terrain:high plateau with central mountain range divided by Great RiftValley
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Denakil Depression -125 mhighest point: Ras Dejen 4,620 m
Natural resources:small reserves of gold, platinum, copper, potash, natural gas,hydropower
Land use: arable land: 10.71% permanent crops: 0.75% other: 88.54% (2001)
Irrigated land:1,900 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:geologically active Great Rift Valley susceptible to earthquakes,volcanic eruptions; frequent droughts
Environment - current issues:deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; watershortages in some areas from water-intensive farming and poormanagement