Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Bayney KARRANchancery: 2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008consulate(s) general: New YorkFAX: [1] (202) 232-1297telephone: [1] (202) 265-6900
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Roland BULLENembassy: 100 Young and Duke Streets, Kingston, Georgetownmailing address: P. O. Box 10507, Georgetowntelephone: [592] 225-4900 through 4909FAX: [592] 225-8497
Flag description:green, with a red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side)superimposed on a long, yellow arrowhead; there is a narrow, blackborder between the red and yellow, and a narrow, white borderbetween the yellow and the green
Economy Guyana
Economy - overview:The Guyanese economy exhibited moderate economic growth in 2001-02,based on expansion in the agricultural and mining sectors, a morefavorable atmosphere for business initiatives, a more realisticexchange rate, fairly low inflation, and the continued support ofinternational organizations. Growth then slowed in 2003. Chronicproblems include a shortage of skilled labor and a deficientinfrastructure. The government is juggling a sizable external debtagainst the urgent need for expanded public investment. The bauxitemining sector should benefit in the near term by restructuring andpartial privatization.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $2.797 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:0.5% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $4,000 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 37.2% industry: 22.7% services: 40.1% (2003 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):38.5% of GDP (2003)
Population below poverty line:NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NAhighest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):5.7% (2003 est.)
Labor force:418,000 (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA
Unemployment rate:9.1% (understated) (2000)
Budget:revenues: $263.4 millionexpenditures: $326.7 million, including capital expenditures of$93.4 million (2003)
Agriculture - products: sugar, rice, wheat, vegetable oils; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; fish (shrimp)
Industries:bauxite, sugar, rice milling, timber, textiles, gold mining
Industrial production growth rate:7.1% (1997 est.)
Electricity - production:852 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:792.4 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:11,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Current account balance:$-158 million (2003)
Exports:$512 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities:sugar, gold, bauxite/alumina, rice, shrimp, molasses, rum, timber
Exports - partners:Canada 23.2%, US 21.8%, UK 13.5%, Portugal 6.7%, Belgium 6.5%,Jamaica 6.1% (2003)
Imports:$612 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities:manufactures, machinery, petroleum, food
Imports - partners:US 22.6%, Trinidad and Tobago 19.2%, Italy 11.2%, UK 7.2%, Cuba5.2% (2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:$257 million (2003)
Debt - external:$1.2 billion (2002)
Economic aid - recipient:$84 million (1995), Heavily Indebted Poor Country Initiative (HIPC)$253 million (1997) (2000 est.)
Currency:Guyanese dollar (GYD)
Currency code:GYD
Exchange rates:Guyanese dollars per US dollar - NA (2003), 190.665 (2002), 187.321(2001), 182.43 (2000), 177.995 (1999)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Guyana
Telephones - main lines in use:80,400 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:87,300 (2002)
Telephone system:general assessment: fair system for long-distance callingdomestic: microwave radio relay network for trunk linesinternational: country code - 592; tropospheric scatter to Trinidad;satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 3, FM 3, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios:420,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 3 (one public station; two private stations which relay US satellite services) (1997)
Televisions:46,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.gy
Internet hosts:613 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):3 (2000)
Internet users:125,000 (2002)
Transportation Guyana
Railways:total: 187 kmstandard gauge: 139 km 1.435-m gaugenote: all dedicated to ore transport (2001 est.)narrow gauge: 48 km 0.914-m gauge
Highways:total: 7,970 kmpaved: 590 kmunpaved: 7,380 km (1999 est.)
Waterways:1,077 kmnote: Berbice, Demerara, and Essequibo rivers are navigable byoceangoing vessels for 150 km, 100 km, and 80 km respectively (2004)
Ports and harbors:Bartica, Georgetown, Linden, New Amsterdam, Parika
Merchant marine:total: 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 7,475 GRT/8,758 DWTforeign-owned: Barbados 1, Panama 1registered in other countries: 8 (2004 est.)by type: cargo 3, container 1, refrigerated cargo 1
Airports:49 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 81,524 to 2,437 m: 3under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 41 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 32 (2004 est.)
Military Guyana
Military branches:Guyana Defense Force: Ground Forces, Coast Guard, Air Corps; GuyanaPeople's Militia
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 209,545 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 157,264 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$6.5 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:0.8% (2003)
Transnational Issues Guyana
Disputes - international:all of the area west of the Essequibo (river) is claimed byVenezuela preventing any discussion of a maritime boundary; Guyanahas expressed its intention to join Barbados in asserting claimsbefore UNCLOS that Trinidad and Tobago's maritime boundary withVenezuela extends into their waters; Suriname claims a triangle ofland between the New and Kutari/Koetari rivers in a historic disputeover the headwaters of the Courantyne; Guyana seeks UNCLOSarbitration to resolve the long-standing dispute with Suriname overthe axis of the territorial sea boundary in potentially oil-richwaters
Illicit drugs:transshipment point for narcotics from South America - primarilyVenezuela - to Europe and the US; producer of cannabis
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
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@Haiti
Introduction Haiti
Background:The native Arawak Amerindians - who inhabited the island ofHispaniola when it was discovered by Columbus in 1492 - werevirtually annihilated by Spanish settlers within 25 years. In theearly 17th century, the French established a presence on Hispaniola,and in 1697, Spain ceded to the French the western third of theisland - Haiti. The French colony, based on forestry andsugar-related industries, became one of the wealthiest in theCaribbean, but only through the heavy importation of African slavesand considerable environmental degradation. In the late 18thcentury, Haiti's nearly half million slaves revolted under ToussaintL'OUVERTURE and after a prolonged struggle, became the first blackrepublic to declare its independence in 1804. Haiti has been plaguedby political violence for most of its history. It is the poorestcountry in the Western Hemisphere.
Geography Haiti
Location:Caribbean, western one-third of the island of Hispaniola, betweenthe Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of theDominican Republic
Geographic coordinates:19 00 N, 72 25 W
Map references:Central America and the Caribbean
Area:total: 27,750 sq kmland: 27,560 sq kmwater: 190 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries: total: 360 km border countries: Dominican Republic 360 km
Coastline: 1,771 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: to depth of exploitation contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:tropical; semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade winds
Terrain:mostly rough and mountainous
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Chaine de la Selle 2,680 m
Natural resources: bauxite, copper, calcium carbonate, gold, marble, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 28.3% permanent crops: 11.61% other: 60.09% (2001)
Irrigated land:750 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severestorms from June to October; occasional flooding and earthquakes;periodic droughts
Environment - current issues:extensive deforestation (much of the remaining forested land isbeing cleared for agriculture and used as fuel); soil erosion;inadequate supplies of potable water
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of theSea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protectionsigned, but not ratified: Hazardous Wastes
Geography - note:shares island of Hispaniola with Dominican Republic (westernone-third is Haiti, eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic)
People Haiti
Population:7,656,166note: 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: 42.2% (male 1,646,216; female 1,583,294)15-64 years: 54.1% (male 2,018,914; female 2,124,287)65 years and over: 3.7% (male 133,241; female 150,214) (2004 est.)
Median age:total: 18.1 yearsmale: 17.6 yearsfemale: 18.7 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:1.71% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:33.76 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:13.21 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:-3.4 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: 0.95 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 74.38 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 68.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)male: 79.83 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 51.78 yearsmale: 50.52 yearsfemale: 53.12 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:4.76 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:5.6% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:280,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:24,000 (2003 est.)
Nationality: noun: Haitian(s) adjective: Haitian
Ethnic groups:black 95%, mulatto and white 5%
Religions:Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant 16% (Baptist 10%, Pentecostal 4%,Adventist 1%, other 1%), none 1%, other 3% (1982)note: roughly half of the population practices Voodoo
Languages:French (official), Creole (official)
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 52.9%male: 54.8%female: 51.2% (2003 est.)
Government Haiti
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Haiticonventional short form: Haitilocal short form: Haitilocal long form: Republique d'Haiti
Government type:elected government
Capital:Port-au-Prince
Administrative divisions:9 departments (departements, singular - departement); Artibonite,Centre, Grand 'Anse, Nord, Nord-Est, Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Est
Independence:1 January 1804 (from France)
National holiday:Independence Day, 1 January (1804)
Constitution:approved March 1987; suspended June 1988 with most articlesreinstated March 1989; in October 1991 government claimed to beobserving the constitution; returned to constitutional rule inOctober 1994
Legal system:based on Roman civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: Interim President Boniface ALEXANDRE (since 29February 2004)note: Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE resigned as president on 29 February2004; ALEXANDRE, as Chief of the Supreme Court, constitutionallysucceeded Aristidehead of government: Interim Prime Minister Gerald LATORTUE (since 12March 2004), chosen by extraconstitutional Council of EminentPersons representing cross-section of political and civic interestscabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation withthe presidentelection results: Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE elected president; percentof vote - Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE 92%elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;election last held 26 November 2000 (next to be held in November2005); prime minister appointed by the president, ratified by theNational Assembly
Legislative branch:bicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale consists of theSenate (27 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-yearterms; one-third elected every two years) and the Chamber ofDeputies (83 seats; members are elected by popular vote to servefour-year terms); note - the National Assembly stopped functioningin January 2004 when the terms of all Deputies and two-thirds ofsitting Senators expired; no replacements have been elected; thePrime Minister is currently ruling by decreeelection results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats byparty - FL 26, independent 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of voteby party - NA%; seats by party - FL 73, MOCHRENA 3, PLB 2, OPL 1,vacant 1, other minor parties and independents 3elections: Senate - last held for two-thirds of seats 21 May 2000with runoffs on 9 July boycotted by the opposition; seven seatsstill disputed; election for remaining one-third held on 26 November2000 (next to be held in 2004); Chamber of Deputies - last held 21May 2000 with runoffs on 30 July boycotted by the opposition; onevacant seat rerun 26 November 2000 (next to be held in November 2005)
Judicial branch:Supreme Court or Cour de Cassation
Political parties and leaders:Alliance for the Liberation and Advancement of Haiti or ALAH[Reynold GEORGES]; Assembly of Progressive National Democrats orRDNP [Leslie MANIGAT]; Convention for Democratic Unity or KID[leader Evans PAUL]; Democratic Convergence (opposition coalitioncomposed of KID, KONAKOM, OPL, PANPRA, RNDP, MIDH, and MOCHRENA)[Evans PAUL, Victor BENOIT, Edgard LEBLANC, Serge GILLES, LeslieMANIGAT, Marc BAZIN, Luc MESADIEU]; Democratic Movement for theLiberation of Haiti or MODELH [Francois LATORTUE]; Grand CenterRight Front coalition (composed of MDN, MRN, and PDCH) [Hubert deRONCERAY, Jean BUTEAU, Osner FEVRY and Marie-Denise CLAUDE]; HaitianChristian Democratic Party or PDCH [Osner FEVRY and Marie-DeniseCLAUDE]; Haitian Democratic Party or PADEMH [Clark PARENT]; HaitianDemocratic and Reform Movement or MODEREH [Dany TOUSSAINT and PierreSoncon PRINCE]; Heads Together [Dr. Gerard BLOT]; Lavalas Family orFL [Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE]; Liberal Party of Haiti or PLH [MichaelMADSEN]; Mobilization for National Development or MDN [Hubert DERONCERAY]; Movement for National Reconstruction or MRN [JeanBUTEAU]; Movement for the Installation of Democracy in Haiti or MIDH[Marc BAZIN]; National Front for the Reconstruction of Haiti or FRON[Guy PHILIPPE and Winter ETIENNE]; National Progressive DemocraticParty or PNDPH [Turneb DELPE]; New Christian Movement for a NewHaiti or MOCHRENA [Luc MESADIEU]; Popular Party for the Renewal ofHaiti, or Generation 2000 [Claude ROMAIN and Daniel SUPPLICE];Struggling People's Organization or OPL [Edgard LEBLANC]
Political pressure groups and leaders:Autonomous Organizations of Haitian Workers or CATH [FignoleST-CYR]; Confederation of Haitian Workers or CTH; Federation ofWorkers Trade Unions or FOS; Group of 184 Civil SocietyOrganization, or G-184 [Andy APAID]; National Popular Assembly orAPN; Papaye Peasants Movement or MPP [Chavannes JEAN-BAPTISTE];Popular Organizations Gathering Power or PROP; Roman Catholic Church
International organization participation:ACCT, ACP, Caricom, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, MIGA, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), PCA, UN,UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Charge d'Affaires Raymond JOSEPH (as of November2004)chancery: 2311 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York, and San Juan(Puerto Rico)FAX: [1] (202) 745-7215telephone: [1] (202) 332-4090
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador James B. FOLEY embassy: 5 Harry S Truman Boulevard, Port-au-Prince mailing address: P. O. Box 1761, Port-au-Prince telephone: [509] 222-0354, 222-0269, 222-0200, 222-0327 FAX: [509] 223-1641 or 222-0200 ext 460
Flag description:two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a centeredwhite rectangle bearing the coat of arms, which contains a palm treeflanked by flags and two cannons above a scroll bearing the mottoL'UNION FAIT LA FORCE (Union Makes Strength)
Economy Haiti
Economy - overview:In this poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, 80% of thepopulation lives in abject poverty. Two-thirds of all Haitiansdepend on the agriculture sector, which consists mainly ofsmall-scale subsistence farming. Following legislative elections inMay 2000, fraught with irregularities, international donors -including the US and EU - suspended almost all aid to Haiti. Theeconomy shrank an estimated 1.2% in 2001 and an estimated 0.9% in2002. Suspended aid and loan disbursements totaled more than $500million at the start of 2003. Haiti also suffers from rampantinflation, a lack of investment, and a severe trade deficit. Theresumption of aid flows from all donors will alleviate but not endthe nation's bitter economic problems. Extensive civil strife inearly 2004, marked by the flight of President ARISTIDE, furtherimpoverished Haiti.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $12.3 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:0% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $1,600 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 30% industry: 20% services: 50% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line:80% (2003 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NAhighest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):37.8% (2003 est.)
Labor force: 3.6 million note: shortage of skilled labor, unskilled labor abundant (1995)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 66%, industry 9%, services 25%
Unemployment rate:widespread unemployment and underemployment; more than two-thirdsof the labor force do not have formal jobs (2002 est.)
Budget:revenues: $231.6 millionexpenditures: $366.7 million, including capital expenditures of NA(2003 est.)
Agriculture - products:coffee, mangoes, sugarcane, rice, corn, sorghum, wood
Industries:sugar refining, flour milling, textiles, cement, light assemblyindustries based on imported parts
Industrial production growth rate:NA
Electricity - production:580 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:539.4 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:11,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Current account balance:$-48 million (2003)
Exports:$321 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities:manufactures, coffee, oils, cocoa
Exports - partners:US 83.8%, Dominican Republic 6.5%, Canada 3.2% (2003)
Imports:$1.028 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities:food, manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, fuels,raw materials
Imports - partners:US 53.5%, Dominican Republic 5.9%, Colombia 2.9% (2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:$73 million (2003)
Debt - external:$1.2 billion (1999)
Economic aid - recipient:$120 million (FY02)
Currency:gourde (HTG)
Currency code:HTG
Exchange rates:gourdes per US dollar - 40.5 (2003), 29.2505 (2002), 24.4291(2001), 21.1707 (2000), 16.9379 (1999)
Fiscal year:1 October - 30 September
Communications Haiti
Telephones - main lines in use:130,000 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:140,000 (2002)
Telephone system:general assessment: domestic facilities barely adequate;international facilities slightly betterdomestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay trunk serviceinternational: country code - 509; satellite earth station - 1Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 41, FM 26, shortwave 0 (1999)
Radios:415,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:2 (plus a cable TV service) (1997)
Televisions:38,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.ht
Internet hosts:NA
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):3 (2000)
Internet users:80,000 (2002)
Transportation Haiti
Highways: total: 4,160 km paved: 1,011 km unpaved: 3,149 km (1999 est.)
Ports and harbors:Cap-Haitien, Gonaives, Jacmel, Jeremie, Les Cayes, Miragoane,Port-au-Prince, Port-de-Paix, Saint-Marc
Merchant marine:none
Airports:12 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 42,438 to 3,047 m: 1914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 9914 to 1,523 m: 4under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)
Military Haiti
Military branches:Haitian National Police (HNP)note: the regular Haitian Army, Navy, and Air Force have beendemobilized but still exist on paper until or unless they areconstitutionally abolished
Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary recruitment into the police force (2001)
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 1,792,112 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 975,341 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:males: 97,429 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$25.8 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:0.9% (2003)
Transnational Issues Haiti
Disputes - international:despite efforts to control illegal migration, Haitians fleeingeconomic privation and civil unrest continue to cross into DominicanRepublic and to sail to neighboring countries; Haiti claimsUS-administered Navassa Island
Illicit drugs:major Caribbean transshipment point for cocaine en route to the USand Europe; substantial money-laundering activity; Colombiannarcotics traffickers favor Haiti for illicit financialtransactions; pervasive corruption
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
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@Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Introduction Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Background:These uninhabited, barren, sub-Antarctic islands were transferredfrom the UK to Australia in 1947. Populated by large numbers of sealand bird species, the islands have been designated a nature preserve.
Geography Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Location:islands in the Indian Ocean, about two-thirds of the way fromMadagascar to Antarctica
Geographic coordinates:53 06 S, 72 31 E
Map references:Antarctic Region
Area:total: 412 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmland: 412 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly more than two times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:101.9 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate:antarctic
Terrain:Heard Island - 80% ice-covered, bleak and mountainous, dominated bya large massif (Big Ben) and an active volcano (Mawson Peak);McDonald Islands - small and rocky
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Mawson Peak, on Big Ben 2,745 m
Natural resources: fish
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)
Irrigated land:0 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:Mawson Peak, an active volcano, is on Heard Island
Environment - current issues:NA
People Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Population: uninhabited (July 2004 est.)
Government Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Country name:conventional long form: Territory of Heard Island and McDonaldIslandsconventional short form: Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Dependency status:territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by theAustralian Antarctic Division of the Department of the Environmentand Heritage
Legal system:the laws of Australia, where applicable, apply
Diplomatic representation in the US:none (territory of Australia)
Diplomatic representation from the US:none (territory of Australia)
Flag description:the flag of Australia is used
Economy Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Economy - overview:No indigenous economic activity, but the Australian Governmentallows limited fishing around the islands.
Communications Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Internet country code: .hm
Transportation Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only
Military Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Military - note:defense is the responsibility of Australia; Australia conductsfisheries patrols
Transnational Issues Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
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@Holy See (Vatican City)
Introduction Holy See (Vatican City)
Background:Popes in their secular role ruled portions of the Italian peninsulafor more than a thousand years until the mid 19th century, when manyof the Papal States were seized by the newly united Kingdom ofItaly. In 1870, the pope's holdings were further circumscribed whenRome itself was annexed. Disputes between a series of "prisoner"popes and Italy were resolved in 1929 by three Lateran Treaties,which established the independent state of Vatican City and grantedRoman Catholicism special status in Italy. In 1984, a concordatbetween the Holy See and Italy modified certain of the earliertreaty provisions, including the primacy of Roman Catholicism as theItalian state religion. Present concerns of the Holy See includereligious freedom, international development, the Middle East,terrorism, the failing health of Pope JOHN PAUL II, interreligiousdialogue and reconciliation, and the application of church doctrinein an era of rapid change and globalization. About 1 billion peopleworldwide profess the Catholic faith.
Geography Holy See (Vatican City)
Location:Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy)
Geographic coordinates:41 54 N, 12 27 E
Map references:Europe
Area:total: 0.44 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmland: 0.44 sq km
Area - comparative:about 0.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries: total: 3.2 km border countries: Italy 3.2 km
Coastline:0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:none (landlocked)
Climate:temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to mid-May) with hot, drysummers (May to September)
Terrain:low hill
Elevation extremes: lowest point: unnamed location 19 m highest point: unnamed location 75 m
Natural resources: none
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (urban area) (2001)
Irrigated land:0 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:NA
Environment - current issues:NA
Environment - international agreements:party to: none of the selected agreementssigned, but not ratified: Air Pollution, Environmental Modification
Geography - note:urban; landlocked; enclave in Rome, Italy; world's smallest state;outside the Vatican City, 13 buildings in Rome and Castel Gandolfo(the pope's summer residence) enjoy extraterritorial rights
People Holy See (Vatican City)
Population:921 (July 2004 est.)
Population growth rate:0.01% (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:NA
Nationality:noun: noneadjective: none
Ethnic groups:Italians, Swiss, other
Religions:Roman Catholic
Languages:Italian, Latin, French, various other languages
Literacy: definition: NA total population: 100% male: NA female: NA
Government Holy See (Vatican City)
Country name:conventional long form: The Holy See (State of the Vatican City)conventional short form: Holy See (Vatican City)local short form: Santa Sede (Citta del Vaticano)local long form: Santa Sede (Stato della Citta del Vaticano)
Government type:ecclesiastical
Capital:Vatican City
Administrative divisions:none
Independence:11 February 1929 (from Italy); note - the three treaties signedwith Italy on 11 February 1929 acknowledged, among other things, thefull sovereignty of the Vatican and established its territorialextent; however, the origin of the Papal States, which over theyears have varied considerably in extent, may be traced back to the8th century
National holiday:Coronation Day of Pope JOHN PAUL II, 22 October (1978)
Constitution:new Fundamental Law promulgated by Pope John Paul II on 26 November2000, effective 22 February 2001 (replaces the first Fundamental Lawof 1929)
Legal system:based on Code of Canon Law and revisions to it
Suffrage:limited to cardinals less than 80 years old
Executive branch:chief of state: Pope JOHN PAUL II (since 16 October 1978)head of government: Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo SODANO (since1 December 1990)cabinet: Pontifical Commission appointed by the popeelections: pope elected for life by the College of Cardinals;election last held 16 October 1978 (next to be held after the deathof the current pope); secretary of state appointed by the popeelection results: Karol WOJTYLA elected pope
Legislative branch:unicameral Pontifical Commission
Judicial branch:there are three tribunals responsible for civil and criminalmatters within Vatican City; three other tribunals rule on issuespertaining to the Holy Seenote: judicial duties were established by the Motu Proprio of PiusXII on 1 May 1946
Political parties and leaders:none
Political pressure groups and leaders:none (exclusive of influence exercised by church officers)
International organization participation:CE (observer), IAEA, ICFTU, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM (guest), OAS(observer), OPCW, OSCE, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNHCR, UPU, WIPO,WToO (observer), WTrO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Gabriel MONTALVO telephone: [1] (202) 333-7121 FAX: [1] (202) 337-4036 chancery: 3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant) embassy: Villa Domiziana, Via delle Terme Deciane 26, 00153 Rome mailing address: PSC 59, Box 66, APO AE 09624 telephone: [39] (06) 4674-3428 FAX: [39] (06) 575-8346
Flag description:two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side) and white with thecrossed keys of Saint Peter and the papal miter centered in thewhite band
Economy Holy See (Vatican City)
Economy - overview:This unique, noncommercial economy is supported financially by anannual contribution from Roman Catholic dioceses throughout theworld, as well as by special collections (known as Peter's Pence);the sale of postage stamps, coins, medals, and tourist mementos;fees for admission to museums; and the sale of publications.Investments and real estate income also account for a sizableportion of revenue. The incomes and living standards of lay workersare comparable to those of counterparts who work in the city of Rome.
Population below poverty line:NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NAhighest 10%: NA
Labor force:NA
Labor force - by occupation:essentially services with a small amount of industry; note -dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards, and 3,000 lay workers liveoutside the Vatican
Budget:revenues: $245.2 millionexpenditures: $260.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA(2002)
Industries:printing; production of coins, medals, postage stamps, a smallamount of mosaics and staff uniforms; worldwide banking andfinancial activities
Electricity - production:NA kWh
Electricity - consumption:NA kWh
Electricity - exports:0 kWh
Electricity - imports:NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy
Economic aid - recipient:none
Currency:euro (EUR)
Currency code:EUR
Exchange rates:euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003),1.1324 (2002), 1.1175 (2001),1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Holy See (Vatican City)
Telephones - main lines in use:NA
Telephones - mobile cellular:NA
Telephone system:general assessment: automatic exchangedomestic: tied into Italian systeminternational: country code - 39; uses Italian system
Radio broadcast stations:AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios:NA
Television broadcast stations:1 (1996)
Televisions:NA
Internet country code:.va
Internet hosts:9 (2004)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):NA
Internet users:NA
Transportation Holy See (Vatican City)
Highways:none; all city streets
Ports and harbors:none
Airports:none (2003 est.)
Military Holy See (Vatican City)
Military branches:Swiss Guards Corps (Corpo della Guardia Svizzera)
Military - note:defense is the responsibility of Italy; Swiss Papal Guards areposted at entrances to the Vatican City to provide security andprotect the Pope
Transnational Issues Holy See (Vatican City)
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
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@Honduras
Introduction Honduras
Background:Part of Spain's vast empire in the New World, Honduras became anindependent nation in 1821. After two and one-half decades of mostlymilitary rule, a freely elected civilian government came to power in1982. During the 1980s, Honduras proved a haven for anti-Sandinistacontras fighting the Marxist Nicaraguan Government and an ally toSalvadoran Government forces fighting against leftist guerrillas.The country was devastated by Hurricane Mitch in 1998, which killedabout 5,600 people and caused approximately $2 billion in damage.
Geography Honduras
Location:Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala andNicaragua and bordering the Gulf of Fonseca (North Pacific Ocean),between El Salvador and Nicaragua
Geographic coordinates:15 00 N, 86 30 W
Map references:Central America and the Caribbean
Area:total: 112,090 sq kmland: 111,890 sq kmwater: 200 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly larger than Tennessee
Land boundaries:total: 1,520 kmborder countries: Guatemala 256 km, El Salvador 342 km, Nicaragua922 km
Coastline:820 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: natural extension of territory or to 200 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:subtropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains
Terrain:mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 mhighest point: Cerro Las Minas 2,870 m
Natural resources:timber, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron ore, antimony, coal,fish, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 9.55% permanent crops: 3.22% other: 87.23% (2001)
Irrigated land:760 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:frequent, but generally mild, earthquakes; extremely susceptible todamaging hurricanes and floods along the Caribbean coast
Environment - current issues:urban population expanding; deforestation results from logging andthe clearing of land for agricultural purposes; further landdegradation and soil erosion hastened by uncontrolled developmentand improper land use practices such as farming of marginal lands;mining activities polluting Lago de Yojoa (the country's largestsource of fresh water), as well as several rivers and streams, withheavy metals
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Lawof the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:has only a short Pacific coast but a long Caribbean shoreline,including the virtually uninhabited eastern Mosquito Coast
People Honduras
Population:6,823,568note: 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: 41.2% (male 1,434,555; female 1,376,216)15-64 years: 55.1% (male 1,866,219; female 1,896,027)65 years and over: 3.7% (male 118,404; female 132,147) (2004 est.)
Median age:total: 19 yearsmale: 18.6 yearsfemale: 19.4 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:2.24% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:31.04 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:6.64 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:-1.99 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: 0.98 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 29.64 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 25.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)male: 33.22 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 66.15 yearsmale: 64.99 yearsfemale: 67.37 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:3.97 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:1.8% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:63,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:4,100 (2003 est.)
Nationality:noun: Honduran(s)adjective: Honduran
Ethnic groups:mestizo (mixed Amerindian and European) 90%, Amerindian 7%, black2%, white 1%
Religions:Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant minority
Languages:Spanish, Amerindian dialects
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 76.2%male: 76.1%female: 76.3% (2003 est.)
Government Honduras
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Hondurasconventional short form: Honduraslocal short form: Honduraslocal long form: Republica de Honduras
Government type:democratic constitutional republic
Capital:Tegucigalpa
Administrative divisions:18 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Atlantida,Choluteca, Colon, Comayagua, Copan, Cortes, El Paraiso, FranciscoMorazan, Gracias a Dios, Intibuca, Islas de la Bahia, La Paz,Lempira, Ocotepeque, Olancho, Santa Barbara, Valle, Yoro
Independence:15 September 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday:Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Constitution:11 January 1982, effective 20 January 1982; amended 1995
Legal system:rooted in Roman and Spanish civil law with increasing influence ofEnglish common law; recent judicial reforms include abandoningNapoleonic legal codes in favor of the oral adversarial system;accepts ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:chief of state: President Ricardo (Joest) MADURO (since 27 January2002); First Vice President Vicente WILLIAMS Agasse (since 27January 2002); Second Vice President Armida Villela Maria DE LOPEZContreras (since 27 January 2002); Third Vice President Alberto DIAZLobo (since 27 January 2002); note - the president is both the chiefof state and head of governmenthead of government: President Ricardo (Joest) MADURO (since 27January 2002); First Vice President Vicente WILLIAMS Agasse (since27 January 2002); Second Vice President Armida Villela Maria DELOPEZ Contreras (since 27 January 2002); Third Vice PresidentAlberto DIAZ Lobo (since 27 January 2002); note - the president isboth the chief of state and head of governmentcabinet: Cabinet appointed by presidentelections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;election last held 25 November 2001 (next to be held 27 November2005)election results: Ricardo (Joest) MADURO (PN) elected president -52.2%, Raphael PINEDA Ponce (PL) 44.3%, others 3.5%
Legislative branch:unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (128 seats;members are elected proportionally to the number of votes theirparty's presidential candidate receives to serve four-year terms)elections: last held 25 November 2001 (next to be held 27 November2005)election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -PN 61, PL 55, PUD 5, PDC 4, PINU-SD 3
Judicial branch:Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges areelected for seven-year terms by the National Congress)
Political parties and leaders:Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Juan Ramon VELAZQUEZ Nassar];Democratic Unification Party or PUD [Matias FUNES]; Liberal Party orPL [Roberto MICHELETTI Bain]; National Innovation and UnityParty-Social Democratic Party or PINU-SD [Olban F. VALLADARES];National Party of Honduras or PN [Jose Celin DISCUA Elvir]; UnitedConfederation of Honduran Workers or CUTH
Political pressure groups and leaders:Committee for the Defense of Human Rights in Honduras or CODEH;Confederation of Honduran Workers or CTH; Coordinating Committee ofPopular Organizations or CCOP; General Workers Confederation or CGT;Honduran Council of Private Enterprise or COHEP; NationalAssociation of Honduran Campesinos or ANACH; National Union ofCampesinos or UNC; Popular Bloc or BP; United Federation of HonduranWorkers or FUTH
International organization participation:ABEDA, BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO(subscriber), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, NAM, OAS,OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mario Miguel CANAHUATI honorary consulate(s): Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Jacksonville consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Phoenix, San Francisco FAX: [1] (202) 966-9751 telephone: [1] (202) 966-7702 chancery: Suite 4-M, 3007 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Larry Leon PALMER embassy: Avenida La Paz, Apartado Postal No. 3453, Tegucigalpa mailing address: American Embassy, APO AA 34022, Tegucigalpa telephone: [504] 238-5114, 236-9320 FAX: [504] 236-9037
Flag description:three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue withfive blue, five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern centered inthe white band; the stars represent the members of the formerFederal Republic of Central America - Costa Rica, El Salvador,Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua; similar to the flag of ElSalvador, which features a round emblem encircled by the wordsREPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in the whiteband; also similar to the flag of Nicaragua, which features atriangle encircled by the word REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on top andAMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom, centered in the white band
Economy Honduras
Economy - overview:Honduras, one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemispherewith an extraordinarily unequal distribution of income and massiveunemployment, is banking on expanded trade privileges under theEnhanced Caribbean Basin Initiative and on debt relief under theHeavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. While the countryhas met most of its macroeconomic targets, it has failed to meet theIMF's goals to liberalize its energy and telecommunications sectors.Growth remains dependent on the status of the US economy, its majortrading partner, on commodity prices, particularly coffee, and onreduction of the high crime rate.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $17.55 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:3% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $2,600 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 12.8% industry: 31.9% services: 55.3% (2003 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):24% of GDP (2003)
Population below poverty line:53% (1993 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.6% highest 10%: 42.7% (1998)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:56.3 (1998)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):7.7% (2003 est.)
Labor force:2.41 million (2003 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 34%, industry 21%, services 45% (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate:27.5% (2003 est.)
Budget:revenues: $1.342 billionexpenditures: $1.744 billion, including capital expenditures of $106million (2003)
Public debt:57.8% of GDP (2003)
Agriculture - products:bananas, coffee, citrus; beef; timber; shrimp
Industries:sugar, coffee, textiles, clothing, wood products
Industrial production growth rate:7.7% (2003 est.)
Electricity - production:3.778 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:3.822 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:308 million kWh (2001)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:29,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)