This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
======================================================================
@Guernsey
Introduction Guernsey
Background:The island of Guernsey and the other Channel Islands represent thelast remnants of the medieval Dukedom of Normandy, which held swayin both France and England. The islands were the only British soiloccupied by German troops in World War II.
Geography Guernsey
Location:Western Europe, islands in the English Channel, northwest of France
Geographic coordinates:49 28 N, 2 35 W
Map references:Europe
Area:total: 78 sq kmnote: includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some othersmaller islandswater: 0 sq kmland: 78 sq km
Area - comparative:about one-half the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:50 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 3 nmexclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
Climate:temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of days areovercast
Terrain:mostly level with low hills in southwest
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Sark 114 m
Natural resources: cropland
Land use: arable land: NA permanent crops: NA other: NA (2001)
Irrigated land:NA sq km
Natural hazards:NA
Environment - current issues:NA
Geography - note:large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port
People Guernsey
Population:65,031 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 15.6% (male 5,161; female 5,013)15-64 years: 66.7% (male 21,497; female 21,897)65 years and over: 17.6% (male 4,812; female 6,651) (2004 est.)
Median age:total: 40.6 yearsmale: 39.6 yearsfemale: 41.5 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:0.31% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:9.16 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:9.87 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:3.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 4.78 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 4.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)male: 5.35 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 80.17 yearsmale: 77.17 yearsfemale: 83.27 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.38 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: Channel Islander(s)adjective: Channel Islander
Ethnic groups:UK and Norman-French descent with small percentages from otherEuropean countries
Religions:Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational,Methodist
Languages:English, French, Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts
Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA male: NA female: NA
Government Guernsey
Country name:conventional long form: Bailiwick of Guernseyconventional short form: Guernsey
Dependency status:British crown dependency
Government type:NA
Capital:Saint Peter Port
Administrative divisions:none (British crown dependency); there are no first-orderadministrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but thereare 10 parishes including Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson, Vale,Castel, Saint Saviour, Saint Pierre du Bois, Torteval, Forest, SaintMartin, Saint Andrew
Independence:none (British crown dependency)
National holiday:Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)
Constitution:unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice
Legal system:English law and local statute; justice is administered by the RoyalCourt
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),represented by Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief Lt. Gen.Sir John FOLEY (since NA 2000)election results: Laurie MORGAN elected chief minister, percent ofvote of the States of Deliberation NAelections: the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointedby the monarch; chief minister is elected by States of Delibertionhead of government: Chief Minister Laurie MORGAN (since 1 May 2004)cabinet: Policy Council elected by the States of Deliberation
Legislative branch:unicameral States of Deliberation (45 seats; members are elected bypopular vote for 4 years); note - Alderney and Sark have their ownparliamentselections: last held 21 April 2004 (next to be held NA 2008)election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - all independents
Judicial branch:Royal Court
Political parties and leaders:none; all independents
Political pressure groups and leaders:none
International organization participation:UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US:none (British crown dependency)
Diplomatic representation from the US:none (British crown dependency)
Flag description:white with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England)extending to the edges of the flag and a yellow equal-armed cross ofWilliam the Conqueror superimposed on the Saint George cross
Economy Guernsey
Economy - overview:Financial services - banking, fund management, insurance, etc. -account for about 55% of total income in this tiny Channel Islandeconomy. Tourism, manufacturing, and horticulture, mainly tomatoesand cut flowers, have been declining. Light tax and death dutiesmake Guernsey a popular tax haven. The evolving economic integrationof the EU nations is changing the environment under which Guernseyoperates.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $1.3 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:5.7% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $20,000 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:agriculture: 3%industry: 10%services: 87% (2000)
Population below poverty line:NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NAhighest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):4% (2000 est.)
Labor force:31,320 (2000)
Unemployment rate:0.5% (1999 est.)
Budget:revenues: $381.3 millionexpenditures: $368.8 million, including capital expenditures of NA(2000 est.)
Agriculture - products:tomatoes, greenhouse flowers, sweet peppers, eggplant, fruit;Guernsey cattle
Industries:tourism, banking
Industrial production growth rate:NA
Electricity - production:NA kWh
Electricity - consumption:NA kWh
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2002)
Exports:NA
Exports - commodities:tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, othervegetables
Exports - partners:UK (regarded as internal trade)
Imports:NA
Imports - commodities:coal, gasoline, oil, machinery and equipment
Imports - partners:UK (regarded as internal trade)
Debt - external:NA
Economic aid - recipient:NA
Currency:British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Guernsey pound
Currency code:GBP
Exchange rates:Guernsey pounds per US dollar - 0.6661 (2002), 0.6944 (2001),0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998); note - the Guernseypound is at par with the British pound
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Guernsey
Telephones - main lines in use:55,000 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular:31,500 (2001)
Telephone system:general assessment: NAdomestic: NAinternational: 1 submarine cable
Radio broadcast stations:AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios:NA
Television broadcast stations:1 (1997)
Televisions:NA
Internet country code:.gg
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):NA
Internet users:NA
Transportation Guernsey
Highways: total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km
Ports and harbors:Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson
Merchant marine:none
Airports:2 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Military Guernsey
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues Guernsey
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
======================================================================
@Guinea
Introduction Guinea
Background:Guinea has had only two presidents since gaining its independencefrom France in 1958. Lansana CONTE came to power in 1984, when themilitary seized the government after the death of the firstpresident Sekou TOURE. Guinea did not hold democratic electionsuntil 1993 when Gen. CONTE (head of the military government) waselected president of the civilian government. He was reelected in1998 and again in 2003. Unrest in Sierra Leone and Liberia hasspilled over into Guinea on several occasions over the past decade,threatening stability and creating humanitarian emergencies.
Geography Guinea
Location:Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, betweenGuinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone
Geographic coordinates:11 00 N, 10 00 W
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 245,857 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmland: 245,857 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than Oregon
Land boundaries: total: 3,399 km border countries: Cote d'Ivoire 610 km, Guinea-Bissau 386 km, Liberia 563 km, Mali 858 km, Senegal 330 km, Sierra Leone 652 km
Coastline: 320 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June toNovember) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May)with northeasterly harmattan winds
Terrain:generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Nimba 1,752 m
Natural resources: bauxite, iron ore, diamonds, gold, uranium, hydropower, fish
Land use: arable land: 3.63% permanent crops: 2.58% other: 93.79% (2001)
Irrigated land:950 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dryseason
Environment - current issues:deforestation; inadequate supplies of potable water;desertification; soil contamination and erosion; overfishing,overpopulation in forest region; poor mining practices have led toenvironmental damage
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Lawof the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whalingsigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:the Niger and its important tributary the Milo have their sourcesin the Guinean highlands
People Guinea
Population:9,246,462 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 44.4% (male 2,075,652; female 2,032,936)15-64 years: 52.4% (male 2,417,440; female 2,428,085)65 years and over: 3.2% (male 127,654; female 164,695) (2004 est.)
Median age:total: 17.7 yearsmale: 17.4 yearsfemale: 17.9 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:2.37% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:42.26 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:15.53 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:-3.06 migrant(s)/1,000 populationnote: as a result of conflict in neighboring countries, Guinea ishost to approximately 150,000 Liberian and Sierra Leonean refugees(2004 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 91.82 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 86.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)male: 97.3 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 49.7 yearsmale: 48.45 yearsfemale: 50.99 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:5.87 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:3.2% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:140,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:9,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:typhoid fever, malaria, yellow fever, schistosomiasisoverall degree of risk: very high (2004)
Nationality:noun: Guinean(s)adjective: Guinean
Ethnic groups:Peuhl 40%, Malinke 30%, Soussou 20%, smaller ethnic groups 10%
Religions:Muslim 85%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 7%
Languages:French (official), each ethnic group has its own language
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 35.9%male: 49.9%female: 21.9% (1995 est.)
Government Guinea
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Guineaconventional short form: Guinealocal short form: Guineeformer: French Guinealocal long form: Republique de Guinee
Government type:republic
Capital:Conakry
Administrative divisions:33 prefectures and 1 special zone (zone special)*; Beyla, Boffa,Boke, Conakry*, Coyah, Dabola, Dalaba, Dinguiraye, Dubreka, Faranah,Forecariah, Fria, Gaoual, Gueckedou, Kankan, Kerouane, Kindia,Kissidougou, Koubia, Koundara, Kouroussa, Labe, Lelouma, Lola,Macenta, Mali, Mamou, Mandiana, Nzerekore, Pita, Siguiri, Telimele,Tougue, Yomou
Independence:2 October 1958 (from France)
National holiday:Independence Day, 2 October (1958)
Constitution:23 December 1990 (Loi Fundamentale)
Legal system:based on French civil law system, customary law, and decree; legalcodes currently being revised; has not accepted compulsory ICJjurisdiction
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Lansana CONTE (head of militarygovernment since 5 April 1984, elected president 19 December 1993)head of government: Prime Minister Cellou Dalein DIALLO (since 9December 2004)cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the presidentelections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;candidate must receive a majority of the votes cast to be electedpresident; election last held 21 December 2003 (next to be held NADecember 2008); the prime minister is appointed by the presidentelection results: Lansana CONTE reelected president; percent of vote- Lansana CONTE (PUP) 95.3%, Mamadou Boye BARRY (UPR) 4.6%
Legislative branch:unicameral People's National Assembly or Assemblee NationalePopulaire (114 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote toserve five-year terms)elections: last held 30 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007)election results: percent of vote by party - PUP 61.6%, UPR 26.6%,other 11.8%; seats by party - PUP 85, UPR 20, other 9
Judicial branch:Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel
Political parties and leaders:Democratic Party of Guinea-African Democratic Rally or PDG-RDA [ElHadj Ismael Mohamed Gassim GUSHEIN]; National Union for Progress orUPN [Mamadou Bhoye BARRY]; Party for Unity and Progress or PUP[Lansana CONTE] - the governing party; People's Party of Guinea orPPG [Pascal TOLNO]; Rally for the Guinean People or RPG [AlphaCONDE]; Union for Progress and Renewal or UPR [Siradiou DIALLO];Union for Progress of Guinea or UPG [Jean-Marie DORE,secretary-general]; Union of Republican Forces or UFR [Sidya TOURE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN,UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Rafiou Alpha Oumar BARRY FAX: [1] (202) 478-3010 telephone: [1] (202) 986-4300 chancery: 2112 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Barrie R. WALKLEY embassy: Rue Ka 038, Conakry mailing address: B. P. 603, Conakry telephone: [224] 41 15 20, 41 15 21, 41 15 23 FAX: [224] 41 15 22
Flag description:three equal vertical bands of red (hoist side), yellow, and green;uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
Economy Guinea
Economy - overview:Guinea possesses major mineral, hydropower, and agriculturalresources, yet remains an underdeveloped nation. The countrypossesses over 30% of the world's bauxite reserves and is thesecond-largest bauxite producer. The mining sector accounted forabout 75% of exports in 1999. Long-run improvements in governmentfiscal arrangements, literacy, and the legal framework are needed ifthe country is to move out of poverty. Fighting along the SierraLeonean and Liberian borders, as well as refugee movements, havecaused major economic disruptions, including a loss in investorconfidence. Foreign mining companies have reduced expatriate staff,while panic buying has created food shortages and inflation in localmarkets. Guinea is not receiving multilateral aid. The IMF and WorldBank cut off most assistance in 2003. Growth should strengthen in2004, however, because of a slowly improving security situation andincreased investor confidence.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $19.02 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:3% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $2,100 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 24.9% industry: 38.2% services: 36.9% (2003 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):21.2% of GDP (2003)
Population below poverty line:40% (2003 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 32% (1994)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:40.3 (1994)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):14.8% (2003 est.)
Labor force:3 million (1999)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 80%, industry and services 20% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate:NA (2002 est.)
Budget:revenues: $410.7 millionexpenditures: $708.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NAmillion (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products:rice, coffee, pineapples, palm kernels, cassava (tapioca), bananas,sweet potatoes; cattle, sheep, goats; timber
Industries:bauxite, gold, diamonds; alumina refining; light manufacturing andagricultural processing industries
Industrial production growth rate:3.2% (1994)
Electricity - production:790.6 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:735.2 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:8,600 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Current account balance:$-252 million (2003)
Exports:$726 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities:bauxite, alumina, gold, diamonds, coffee, fish, agriculturalproducts
Exports - partners:South Korea 14.8%, Spain 10.7%, US 10.1%, France 9.2%, Russia 9%,Ireland 7.9%, Belgium 6.4%, Germany 5.6%, Ukraine 5.3% (2003)
Imports:$646 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities:petroleum products, metals, machinery, transport equipment,textiles, grain and other foodstuffs
Imports - partners:France 16.8%, China 9.3%, Belgium 7.1%, Italy 6.6%, Netherlands5.4%, UK 5.4%, Cote d'Ivoire 4.8%, US 4.5% (2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:$191 million (2003)
Debt - external:$3.25 billion (2001 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$359.2 million (1998)
Currency:Guinean franc (GNF)
Currency code:GNF
Exchange rates:Guinean francs per US dollar - NA (2003), 1,975.84 (2002), 1,950.56(2001), 1,746.87 (2000), 1,387.4 (1999)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Guinea
Telephones - main lines in use:26,200 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular:111,500 (2003)
Telephone system:general assessment: poor to fair system of open-wire lines, smallradiotelephone communication stations, and new microwave radio relaysystemdomestic: microwave radio relay and radiotelephone communicationinternational: country code - 224; satellite earth station - 1Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 4 (one station is inactive), FM 1 (plus 7 repeaters), shortwave3 (2001)
Radios:357,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:6 low-power stations (2001)
Televisions:85,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.gn
Internet hosts:380 (2004)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):4 (2001)
Internet users:40,000 (2003)
Transportation Guinea
Railways:total: 837 kmstandard gauge: 175 km 1.435-m gaugenarrow gauge: 662 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)
Highways:total: 30,500 kmpaved: 5,033 kmunpaved: 25,467 km (1999 est.)
Waterways:1,295 km (navigable by shallow-draft native craft) (2003)
Ports and harbors:Boke, Conakry, Kamsar
Merchant marine:total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,344 GRT/5,003 DWTby type: cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1foreign-owned: Iraq 1 (2003 est.)
Airports:16 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 5over 3,047 m: 12,438 to 3,047 m: 11,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 111,524 to 2,437 m: 6914 to 1,523 m: 3under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Military Guinea
Military branches:Army, Navy, Air Force, Republican Guard, Presidential Guard,National Gendarmerie, General Directorate of National Police
Military manpower - military age and obligation:18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript serviceobligation - 2 years (2004)
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 2,108,948 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 1,064,965 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$58.5 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:1.7% (2003)
Transnational Issues Guinea
Disputes - international:domestic fighting among disparate rebel groups in Guinea, domesticfighting among disparate rebel groups, warlords, and youth gangs inGuinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone have created insurgencies, streetviolence, looting, arms trafficking, ethnic conflicts skirmishes,deaths, and refugees in border areas; in 2003, Guinea and SierraLeone established a boundary commission to resolve a dispute overthe town of Yenga
Refugees and internally displaced persons:refugees (country of origin): 133,175 (Liberia), 13,633 (SierraLeone), 7,064 (Cote d'Ivoire)IDPs: 100,000 (cross-border incursions from Liberia, Sierra Leone,Cote d'Ivoire) (2004)
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
======================================================================
@Guinea-Bissau
Introduction Guinea-Bissau
Background:Since independence from Portugal in 1974, Guinea-Bissau hasexperienced considerable upheaval. The founding government consistedof a single party system and command economy. In 1980, a militarycoup established Joao VIEIRA as president and a path to a marketeconomy and multiparty system was implemented. A number of coupattempts through the 1980s and early 1990s failed to unseat him andin 1994 he was elected president in the country's first freeelections. A military coup attempt and civil war in 1998 eventuallyled to VIERA's ouster in 1999. In February 2000, an interimgovernment turned over power when opposition leader Kumba YALA tookoffice following two rounds of transparent presidential elections.YALA was ousted in a bloodless coup in September 2003, and HenriqueROSA was sworn in as President. Guinea-Bissau's transition back todemocracy will be complicated by its crippled economy, devastated inthe civil war.
Geography Guinea-Bissau
Location:Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guineaand Senegal
Geographic coordinates:12 00 N, 15 00 W
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 36,120 sq kmwater: 8,120 sq kmland: 28,000 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly less than three times the size of Connecticut
Land boundaries: total: 724 km border countries: Guinea 386 km, Senegal 338 km
Coastline: 350 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:tropical; generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season(June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December toMay) with northeasterly harmattan winds
Terrain:mostly low coastal plain rising to savanna in east
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 mhighest point: unnamed location in the northeast corner of thecountry 300 m
Natural resources:fish, timber, phosphates, bauxite, unexploited deposits of petroleum
Land use: arable land: 10.67% permanent crops: 8.82% other: 80.51% (2001)
Irrigated land:170 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dryseason; brush fires
Environment - current issues:deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; overfishing
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, EndangeredSpecies, Law of the Sea, Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:this small country is swampy along its western coast and low-lyingfurther inland
People Guinea-Bissau
Population:1,388,363 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 41.7% (male 288,760; female 289,975)15-64 years: 55.4% (male 367,728; female 400,996)65 years and over: 2.9% (male 17,570; female 23,334) (2004 est.)
Median age:total: 18.9 yearsmale: 18.3 yearsfemale: 19.5 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:1.99% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:38.03 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:16.57 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:-1.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 108.72 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 97.74 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)male: 119.37 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 46.98 yearsmale: 45.09 yearsfemale: 48.92 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:5 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:10% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:17,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:1,200 (2001 est.)
Major infectious diseases:typhoid fever, malaria, yellow fever, schistosomiasisoverall degree of risk: very high (2004)
Nationality:noun: Guinean(s)adjective: Guinean
Ethnic groups:African 99% (Balanta 30%, Fula 20%, Manjaca 14%, Mandinga 13%,Papel 7%), European and mulatto less than 1%
Religions:indigenous beliefs 50%, Muslim 45%, Christian 5%
Languages:Portuguese (official), Crioulo, African languages
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 42.4%male: 58.1%female: 27.4% (2003 est.)
Government Guinea-Bissau
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Guinea-Bissauconventional short form: Guinea-Bissaulocal short form: Guine-Bissaulocal long form: Republica da Guine-Bissauformer: Portuguese Guinea
Government type:republic, multiparty since mid-1991
Capital:Bissau
Administrative divisions:9 regions (regioes, singular - regiao); Bafata, Biombo, Bissau,Bolama, Cacheu, Gabu, Oio, Quinara, Tombali; note - Bolama may havebeen renamed Bolama/Bijagos
Independence:24 September 1973 (unilaterally declared by Guinea-Bissau); 10September 1974 (recognized by Portugal)
National holiday:Independence Day, 24 September (1973)
Constitution:16 May 1984, amended 4 May 1991, 4 December 1991, 26 February 1993,9 June 1993, and 1996
Legal system:NA
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Henrique ROSA (interim; since 28September 2003); note - a September 2003 coup overthrew the electedgovernment of Kumba YALA; General Verissimo Correia SEABRA served asinterim president from 14 to 28 September 2003elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;election last held 28 November 1999 and 16 January 2000 (next to beheld NA 2004); prime minister appointed by the president afterconsultation with party leaders in the legislaturenote: a bloodless coup led to the dissolution of the electedgovernment of Kumba YALA in September 2003; General VerissimoCorreia SEABRA served as interim president from 14 September 2003until stepping aside on 28 September 2003 with the establishment ofa caretaker governmentelection results: Kumba YALA elected president; percent of vote,second ballot - Kumba YALA (PRS) 72%, Malan Bacai SANHA (PAIGC) 28%cabinet: NAhead of government: Prime Minister Carlos GOMES Junior (since 9 May2004)
Legislative branch:unicameral National People's Assembly or Assembleia NacionalPopular (100 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve amaximum of four years); note - President YALA dissolved the NationalPeople's Assembly in November 2002, elections for a new legislaturewere scheduled to fall in February 2003 but were then postponed toApril, then July, then September, and were last scheduled to occurin March 2004elections: last held 28 March 2004 (next to be held NA 2009)election results: percent of vote by party - PAIGC 31.5%, PRS 24.8%,PUSD 16.1%, UE 4.1%, APU 1.3%, 13 other parties 22.2% ; seats byparty - PAIGC 45, PRS 35, PUSD 17, UE 2, APU 1
Judicial branch:Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal da Justica (consists of ninejustices who are appointed by the president and serve at hispleasure; final court of appeals in criminal and civil cases);Regional Courts (one in each of nine regions; first court of appealsfor Sectoral Court decisions; hear all felony cases and civil casesvalued at over $1,000); 24 Sectoral Courts (judges are notnecessarily trained lawyers; they hear civil cases under $1,000 andmisdemeanor criminal cases)
Political parties and leaders:African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verdeor PAIGC [Carlos GOMES Junior]; Front for the Liberation andIndependence of Guinea or FLING [Francois MENDY]; Guinea-BissauResistance-Ba Fata Movement or RGB-MB [Helder Vaz LOPES]; GuineanCivic Forum or FCG [Antonieta Rosa GOMES]; International League forEcological Protection or LIPE [Alhaje Bubacar DJALO, president];National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP [Abubacer BALDE,secretary general]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [VictorMANDINGA]; Social Renovation Party or PRS [Kumba YALA]; Union forChange or UM [Jorge MANDINGA, president, Dr. Anne SAAD, secretarygeneral]; United Platform or UP [coalition formed by PCD, FDS,FLING, and RGB-MB]; United Social Democratic Party or PUSD[Francisco Jose FADUL]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD,UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires HenriqueAdriano DA SILVAchancery: 1511 K Street NW, Suite 519, Washington, DC 20005FAX: [1] (202) 347-3954telephone: [1] (202) 347-3950
Diplomatic representation from the US:the US Embassy suspended operations on 14 June 1998 in the midst ofviolent conflict between forces loyal to then President VIEIRA andmilitary-led junta; US embassy Dakar is responsible for coveringGuinea-Bissau: telephone - [221] 823-4296; FAX - [221] 822-5903
Flag description:two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and green with avertical red band on the hoist side; there is a black five-pointedstar centered in the red band; uses the popular pan-African colorsof Ethiopia
Economy Guinea-Bissau
Economy - overview:One of the 10 poorest countries in the world, Guinea-Bissau dependsmainly on farming and fishing. Cashew crops have increasedremarkably in recent years, and the country now ranks sixth incashew production. Guinea-Bissau exports fish and seafood along withsmall amounts of peanuts, palm kernels, and timber. Rice is themajor crop and staple food. However, intermittent fighting betweenSenegalese-backed government troops and a military junta destroyedmuch of the country's infrastructure and caused widespread damage tothe economy in 1998; the civil war led to a 28% drop in GDP thatyear, with partial recovery in 1999-2002. Before the war, tradereform and price liberalization were the most successful part of thecountry's structural adjustment program under IMF sponsorship. Thetightening of monetary policy and the development of the privatesector had also begun to reinvigorate the economy. Because of highcosts, the development of petroleum, phosphate, and other mineralresources is not a near-term prospect. However, unexploited offshoreoil reserves could provide much-needed revenue in the long run. Theinequality of income distribution is one of the most extreme in theworld. The government and international donors continue to work outplans to forward economic development from a lamentably low base.Government drift and indecision, however, have resulted in lowgrowth in 2002-03 and dim prospects for 2004.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $1.063 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:-7% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $800 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:agriculture: 62%industry: 12%services: 26% (1999 est.)
Population below poverty line:NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.5% highest 10%: 42.4% (1991)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):4% (2002 est.)
Labor force:480,000 (1999)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 82% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate:NA (1998)
Budget:revenues: NAexpenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA
Agriculture - products:rice, corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), cashew nuts, peanuts, palmkernels, cotton; timber; fish
Industries:agricultural products processing, beer, soft drinks
Industrial production growth rate:2.6% (1997 est.)
Electricity - production:55 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:51.15 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:2,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Exports:$54 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities:cashew nuts, shrimp, peanuts, palm kernels, sawn lumber
Exports - partners:India 76.8%, Nigeria 12.1%, Italy 5.1% (2003)
Imports:$104 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities:foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products
Imports - partners:Senegal 18.1%, India 14.6%, Portugal 14.6%, China 9.7%, Italy 9%,Spain 4.9% (2003)
Debt - external:$941.5 million (2000 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$115.4 million (1995)
Currency:Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsibleauthority is the Central Bank of the West African States; previouslythe Guinea-Bissau peso (GWP) was used
Currency code:XOF; GWP
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)note: as of 1 May 1997, Guinea-Bissau adopted the XOF franc as thenational currency; since 1 January 1999, the XOF franc is pegged tothe euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF francs per euro
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Guinea-Bissau
Telephones - main lines in use:10,600 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular:1,300 (2003)
Telephone system:general assessment: small systemdomestic: combination of microwave radio relay, open-wire lines,radiotelephone, and cellular communicationsinternational: country code - 245
Radio broadcast stations:AM 1 (transmitter out of service), FM 4, shortwave 0 (2002)
Radios:49,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:NA (1997)
Televisions:NA
Internet country code:.gw
Internet hosts:2 (2004)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):2 (2002)
Internet users:19,000 (2003)
Transportation Guinea-Bissau
Highways: total: 4,400 km paved: 453 km unpaved: 3,947 km (1999 est.)
Waterways:4 largest rivers are navigable for some distance; many inlets andcreeks give shallow-water access to much of interior (2004)
Ports and harbors:Bissau, Buba, Cacheu, Farim
Merchant marine:none
Airports:28 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 3over 3,047 m: 11,524 to 2,437 m: 1914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 251,524 to 2,437 m: 1914 to 1,523 m: 4under 914 m: 20 (2004 est.)
Military Guinea-Bissau
Military branches:People's Revolutionary Armed Force (FARP; includes Army, Navy, andAir Force), paramilitary force
Military manpower - military age and obligation:18 years of age for compulsory military service (2001)
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 326,864 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 185,801 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$8.4 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:2.8% (2003)
Transnational Issues Guinea-Bissau
Disputes - international:attempts to stem refugees and cross-border raids, arms smuggling,and political instability from a separatist movement in Senegal'sCasamance region
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
======================================================================
@Guyana
Introduction Guyana
Background:Originally a Dutch colony in the 17th century, by 1815 Guyana hadbecome a British possession. The abolition of slavery led to blacksettlement of urban areas and the importation of indentured servantsfrom India to work the sugar plantations. This ethnocultural dividehas persisted and has led to turbulent politics. Guyana achievedindependence from the UK in 1966, but until the early 1990s it wasruled mostly by socialist-oriented governments. In 1992, CheddiJAGAN was elected president, in what is considered the country'sfirst free and fair election since independence. Upon his death fiveyears later, he was succeeded by his wife Janet, who resigned in1999 due to poor health. Her successor, Bharrat JAGDEO, wasreelected in 2001.
Geography Guyana
Location:Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, betweenSuriname and Venezuela
Geographic coordinates:5 00 N, 59 00 W
Map references:South America
Area:total: 214,970 sq kmwater: 18,120 sq kmland: 196,850 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than Idaho
Land boundaries: total: 2,462 km border countries: Brazil 1,119 km, Suriname 600 km, Venezuela 743 km
Coastline:459 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 12 nmexclusive economic zone: 200 nmcontinental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continentalmargin
Climate:tropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two rainyseasons (May to mid-August, mid-November to mid-January)
Terrain:mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Roraima 2,835 m
Natural resources: bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish
Land use: arable land: 2.44% permanent crops: 0.15% other: 97.41% (2001)
Irrigated land:1,500 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:flash floods are a constant threat during rainy seasons
Environment - current issues:water pollution from sewage and agricultural and industrialchemicals; deforestation
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Lawof the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber83, Tropical Timber 94signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:the third-smallest country in South America after Suriname andUruguay; substantial portions of its western and eastern territoriesare claimed by Venezuela and Suriname respectively
People Guyana
Population:705,803note: 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: 26.5% (male 95,431; female 91,806)15-64 years: 68.3% (male 243,224; female 239,047)65 years and over: 5.1% (male 16,000; female 20,295) (2004 est.)
Median age:total: 26.2 yearsmale: 25.6 yearsfemale: 26.8 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:0.61% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:17.85 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:9.71 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:-2.07 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: 1.02 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 37.22 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 32.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)male: 41.28 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 62.43 yearsmale: 60.12 yearsfemale: 64.84 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:2.06 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:2.5% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:11,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:1,100 (2003 est.)
Nationality:noun: Guyanese (singular and plural)adjective: Guyanese
Ethnic groups:East Indian 50%, black 36%, Amerindian 7%, white, Chinese, andmixed 7%
Religions:Christian 50%, Hindu 35%, Muslim 10%, other 5%
Languages:English, Amerindian dialects, Creole, Hindi, Urdu
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over has ever attended schooltotal population: 98.8%male: 99.1%female: 98.5% (2003 est.)
Government Guyana
Country name:conventional long form: Co-operative Republic of Guyanaconventional short form: Guyanaformer: British Guiana
Government type:republic within the Commonwealth
Capital:Georgetown
Administrative divisions:10 regions; Barima-Waini, Cuyuni-Mazaruni, Demerara-Mahaica, EastBerbice-Corentyne, Essequibo Islands-West Demerara, Mahaica-Berbice,Pomeroon-Supenaam, Potaro-Siparuni, Upper Demerara-Berbice, UpperTakutu-Upper Essequibo
Independence:26 May 1966 (from UK)
National holiday:Republic Day, 23 February (1970)
Constitution:6 October 1980
Legal system:based on English common law with certain admixtures of Roman-Dutchlaw; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Bharrat JAGDEO (since 11 August 1999);note - assumed presidency after resignation of President Janet JAGANhead of government: Prime Minister Samuel HINDS (since NA December1997)cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president,responsible to the legislatureelections: president elected by the majority party in the NationalAssembly following legislative elections, which must be held atleast every five years; elections last held 19 March 2001 (next tobe held by March 2006); prime minister appointed by the presidentelection results: President Bharrat JAGDEO reelected; percent oflegislative vote - NA
Legislative branch:unicameral National Assembly (68 seats, 65 elected by popular vote,1 elected Speaker of the National Assembly, and 2 nonvoting membersappointed by the president; members serve five-year terms)elections: last held 19 March 2001 (next to be held NA March 2006)election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -PPP/C 34, PNC 27, GAP and WPA 2, ROAR 1, TUF 1
Judicial branch:Supreme Court of Judicature; Judicial Court of Appeal; High Court
Political parties and leaders:Alliance for Guyana or AFG (includes Guyana Labor Party or GLP andWorking People's Alliance or WPA) [Rupert ROOPNARAINE]; GuyanaAction Party or GAP [Paul HARDY]; Guyana Labor Party or GLP [leaderNA]; People's National Congress or PNC/R [Robert Herman OrlandoCORBIN]; People's Progressive Party/Civic or PPP/C [Bharrat JAGDEO];Rise, Organize, and Rebuild or ROAR [Ravi DEV]; The United Force orTUF [Manzoor NADIR]; Working People's Alliance or WPA [RupertROOPNARAINE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:Civil Liberties Action Committee or CLAC; Guyana Council of IndianOrganizations or GCIO; Trades Union Congress or TUCnote: the GCIO and the CLAC are small and active but not wellorganized
International organization participation:ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO(subscriber), ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG,UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO