Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate:varies from tropical along coast to arid in interior
Terrain:low plains rise to central highlands bisected by Great Rift Valley;fertile plateau in west
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 mhighest point: Mount Kenya 5,199 m
Natural resources:gold, limestone, soda ash, salt, rubies, fluorspar, garnets,wildlife, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 8.08% permanent crops: 0.98% other: 90.94% (2001)
Irrigated land:670 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:recurring drought; flooding during rainy seasons
Environment - current issues: water pollution from urban and industrial wastes; degradation of water quality from increased use of pesticides and fertilizers; water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; poaching
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, EndangeredSpecies, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, MarineLife Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands,Whalingsigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:the Kenyan Highlands comprise one of the most successfulagricultural production regions in Africa; glaciers are found onMount Kenya, Africa's second highest peak; unique physiographysupports abundant and varied wildlife of scientific and economicvalue
People Kenya
Population:32,021,856note: 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: 40.6% (male 6,575,409; female 6,430,218)15-64 years: 56.5% (male 9,126,847; female 8,962,905)65 years and over: 2.9% (male 399,050; female 527,427) (2004 est.)
Median age:total: 18.6 yearsfemale: 18.7 years (2004 est.)male: 18.5 years
Population growth rate:1.14% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:27.82 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:16.31 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:-0.1 migrant(s)/1,000 populationnote: according to UNHCR, by the end of 2001 Kenya was host to220,000 refugees from neighboring countries, including: Somalia145,000 and Sudan 68,000 (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 62.62 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 59.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)male: 65.55 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 44.94 yearsmale: 44.79 yearsfemale: 45.1 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:3.31 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:6.7% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:1.2 million (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:150,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:typhoid fever, malaria, schistosomiasisoverall degree of risk: very high (2004)
Nationality:noun: Kenyan(s)adjective: Kenyan
Ethnic groups:Kikuyu 22%, Luhya 14%, Luo 13%, Kalenjin 12%, Kamba 11%, Kisii 6%,Meru 6%, other African 15%, non-African (Asian, European, and Arab)1%
Religions:Protestant 45%, Roman Catholic 33%, indigenous beliefs 10%, Muslim10%, other 2%note: a large majority of Kenyans are Christian, but estimates forthe percentage of the population that adheres to Islam or indigenousbeliefs vary widely
Languages:English (official), Kiswahili (official), numerous indigenouslanguages
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 85.1%male: 90.6%female: 79.7% (2003 est.)
Government Kenya
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Kenyaconventional short form: Kenyaformer: British East Africa
Government type:republic
Capital:Nairobi
Administrative divisions:7 provinces and 1 area*; Central, Coast, Eastern, Nairobi Area*,North Eastern, Nyanza, Rift Valley, Western
Independence:12 December 1963 (from UK)
National holiday:Independence Day, 12 December (1963)
Constitution:12 December 1963, amended as a republic 1964; reissued withamendments 1979, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1997, and 2001
Legal system:based on Kenyan statutory law, Kenyan and English common law,tribal law, and Islamic law; judicial review in High Court; acceptscompulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations; constitutionalamendment of 1982 making Kenya a de jure one-party state repealed in1991
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Mwai KIBAKI (since 30 December 2002) andVice President Moody AWORI (since 25 September 2003); note - thepresident is both the chief of state and head of governmenthead of government: President Mwai KIBAKI (since 30 December 2002)and Vice President Moody AWORI (since 25 September 2003); note - thepresident is both the chief of state and head of governmentcabinet: Cabinet appointed by the presidentelections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;in addition to receiving the largest number of votes in absoluteterms, the presidential candidate must also win 25% or more of thevote in at least five of Kenya's seven provinces and one area toavoid a runoff; election last held 27 December 2002 (next to be heldNA December 2007); vice president appointed by the presidentelection results: President Mwai KIBAKI elected; percent of vote -Mwai KIBAKI 63%, Uhuru KENYATTA 30%
Legislative branch:unicameral National Assembly or Bunge (224 seats; 210 memberselected by popular vote to serve five-year terms, 12 so-called"nominated" members who are appointed by the president but selectedby the parties in proportion to their parliamentary vote totals, 2ex-officio members)elections: last held 27 December 2002 (next to be held by early 2007)election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -NARC 125, KANU 64, FORD-P 14, other 7; ex-officio 2; seats appointedby the president - NARC 7, KANU 4, FORD-P 1
Judicial branch:Court of Appeal (chief justice is appointed by the president); HighCourt
Political parties and leaders:Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-People or FORD-People[Kimaniwa NYOIKE, chairman]; Kenya African National Union or KANU[Uhuru KENYATTA]; National Rainbow Coalition or NARC [Mwai KIBAKI] -the governing party
Political pressure groups and leaders:human rights groups; labor unions; Muslim organizations; NationalConvention Executive Council or NCEC, a proreform coalition ofpolitical parties and nongovernment organizations [Kivutha KIBWANA];Protestant National Council of Churches of Kenya or NCCK [MutavaMUSYIMI]; Roman Catholic and other Christian churches; SupremeCouncil of Kenya Muslims or SUPKEM [Shaykh Abdul Gafur al-BUSAIDY]
International organization participation:ACP, AfDB, AU, C, EADB, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF,IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, ONUB,OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK,UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Leonard NGAITHEconsulate(s) general: Los AngelesFAX: [1] (202) 462-3829telephone: [1] (202) 387-6101chancery: 2249 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador William M. BELLAMY embassy: US Embassy, United Nations Ave., Gigiti; P. O. Box 606 Village Market Nairobi mailing address: Box 21A, Unit 64100, APO AE 09831 telephone: [254] (2) 537-800 FAX: [254] (2) 537-810
Flag description:three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green; thered band is edged in white; a large warrior's shield coveringcrossed spears is superimposed at the center
Economy Kenya
Economy - overview:The regional hub for trade and finance in East Africa, Kenya hasbeen hampered by corruption, notably in the judicial system, and byreliance upon several primary goods whose prices have remained low.In 1997, the IMF suspended Kenya's Enhanced Structural AdjustmentProgram due to the government's failure to maintain reforms and curbcorruption. A severe drought from 1999 to 2000 compounded Kenya'sproblems, causing water and energy rationing and reducingagricultural output. As a result, GDP contracted by 0.2% in 2000.The IMF, which had resumed loans in 2000 to help Kenya through thedrought, again halted lending in 2001 when the government failed toinstitute several anticorruption measures. Despite the return ofstrong rains in 2001, weak commodity prices, endemic corruption, andlow investment limited Kenya's economic growth to 1.2%. Growthlagged at 1.1% in 2002 because of erratic rains, low investorconfidence, meager donor support, and political infighting up to theelections. In the key 27 December 2002 elections, Daniel Arap MOI's24-year-old reign ended, and a new opposition government took on theformidable economic problems facing the nation. In 2003, progresswas made in rooting out corruption, and encouraging donor support,with GDP growth edging up to 1.7%.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $33.03 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:1.5% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $1,000 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 19.7% industry: 18.6% services: 61.8% (2003 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):14.3% of GDP (2003)
Population below poverty line:50% (2000 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: 2%highest 10%: 37.2% (2000)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:44.9 (1997)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):9.8% (2003 est.)
Labor force:11.45 million (2003 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 75% (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate:40% (2001 est.)
Budget:revenues: $2.761 billionexpenditures: $3.406 billion, including capital expenditures of NA(2003 est.)
Public debt:62.9% of GDP (2003)
Agriculture - products:tea, coffee, corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruit, vegetables; dairyproducts, beef, pork, poultry, eggs
Industries:small-scale consumer goods (plastic, furniture, batteries,textiles, soap, cigarettes, flour), agricultural productsprocessing; oil refining, cement; tourism
Industrial production growth rate:2% (2003 est.)
Electricity - production:4.033 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:3.981 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:230 million kWh (2001)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:57,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Current account balance:$-306 million (2003)
Exports:$2.514 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities:tea, horticultural products, coffee, petroleum products, fish,cement
Exports - partners:Uganda 12.7%, UK 12.5%, US 9.4%, Netherlands 8.5%, Pakistan 5%,Egypt 4.6%, Tanzania 4.3% (2003)
Imports:$3.705 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum products, motorvehicles, iron and steel, resins and plastics
Imports - partners:UAE 13.2%, Saudi Arabia 9.6%, South Africa 8.6%, UK 7.4%, China6.3%, US 5.1%, India 5.1%, Japan 4.9%, Germany 4.2% (2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:$1.455 billion (2003)
Debt - external:$5.916 billion (2003 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$453 million (1997)
Currency:Kenyan shilling (KES)
Currency code:KES
Exchange rates:Kenyan shillings per US dollar - 75.9356 (2003), 78.7491 (2002),78.5632 (2001), 76.1755 (2000), 70.3262 (1999)
Fiscal year:1 July - 30 June
Communications Kenya
Telephones - main lines in use:328,400 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular:1,590,800 (2003)
Telephone system:general assessment: unreliable; little attempt to modernize exceptfor service to businessdomestic: trunks are primarily microwave radio relay; business datacommonly transferred by a very small aperture terminal (VSAT) systeminternational: country code - 254; satellite earth stations - 4Intelsat
Radio broadcast stations:AM 24, FM 18, shortwave 6 (2001)
Radios:3.07 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:8 (2002)
Televisions:730,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.ke
Internet hosts:8,325 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):65 (2001)
Internet users:400,000 (2002)
Transportation Kenya
Railways: total: 2,778 km narrow gauge: 2,778 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)
Highways: total: 63,942 km paved: 7,737 km unpaved: 56,205 km (2000)
Waterways:part of Lake Victoria system is within boundaries of Kenya (2004)
Pipelines:refined products 752 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:Kisumu, Lamu, Mombasa
Merchant marine:total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,049 GRT/7,082 DWTregistered in other countries: 9 (2004 est.)by type: petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 2
Airports:221 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 15 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 206 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 110 under 914 m: 84 (2004 est.)
Military Kenya
Military branches:Army, Navy, Air Force
Military manpower - military age and obligation:18 years of age (est.) (2004)
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 8,313,051 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 5,150,405 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$231 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:1.8% (2003)
Transnational Issues Kenya
Disputes - international:Kenya's administrative boundary still extends into the Sudan,creating the "Ilemi Triangle"; Kenya has acted as an importantmediator in Sudan's north-south civil war; Kenya and Uganda areworking together to stem cattle rustling and violence by Lord'sResistance Army along the border
Refugees and internally displaced persons:refugees (country of origin): 154,272 (Somalia), 11,139 (Ethiopia),63,197 (Sudan)IDPs: 350,000 (KANU attacks on opposition tribal groups in 1990s)(2004)
Illicit drugs:widespread harvesting of small plots of marijuana; transit countryfor South Asian heroin destined for Europe and North America; Indianmethaqualone also transits on way to South Africa; significantpotential for money-laundering activity given the country's statusas a regional financial center, massive corruption, and relativelyhigh levels of narcotics-associated activities
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
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@Kingman Reef
Introduction Kingman Reef
Background:The US annexed the reef in 1922. Its sheltered lagoon served as away station for flying boats on Hawaii-to-American Samoa flightsduring the late 1930s. There are no terrestrial plants on the reef,which is frequently awash, but it does support abundant and diversemarine fauna and flora. In 2001, the waters surrounding the reef outto 12 nm around the reef were designated a US National WildlifeRefuge.
Geography Kingman Reef
Location:Oceania, reef in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way betweenHawaii and American Samoa
Geographic coordinates:6 24 N, 162 24 W
Map references:Oceania
Area:total: 1 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmland: 1 sq km
Area - comparative:about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:3 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:tropical; moderated by prevailing winds
Terrain:low and nearly level
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 1 m
Natural resources: terrestrial and aquatic wildlife
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)
Irrigated land:0 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:wet or awash most of the time, maximum elevation of about 1 metermakes Kingman Reef a maritime hazard
Environment - current issues:none
Geography - note:barren coral atoll with deep interior lagoon; closed to the public
People Kingman Reef
Population: uninhabited (July 2004 est.)
Government Kingman Reef
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Kingman Reef
Dependency status:unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington,DC, by the US Fish and Wildlife Service of the Department of theInteriornote: on 1 September 2000, the Department of the Interior acceptedrestoration of its administrative jurisdiction over Kingman Reeffrom the Department of the Navy; Executive Order 3223 signed 18January 2001 established Kingman Reef National Wildlife Refuge to beadministered by the Director, US Fish and Wildlife Service; thisrefuge is managed to protect the terrestrial and aquatic wildlife ofKingman Reef out to the 12-nautical-mile territorial sea limit
Legal system:the laws of the US, where applicable, apply
Flag description:the flag of the US is used
Economy Kingman Reef
Economy - overview: no economic activity
Transportation Kingman Reef
Ports and harbors:none; offshore anchorage only
Airports:lagoon was used as a halfway station between Hawaii and AmericanSamoa by Pan American Airways for flying boats in 1937 and 1938(2003 est.)
Military Kingman Reef
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US
Transnational Issues Kingman Reef
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
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@Kiribati
Introduction Kiribati
Background:The Gilbert Islands were granted self-rule by the UK in 1971 andcomplete independence in 1979 under the new name of Kiribati. The USrelinquished all claims to the sparsely inhabited Phoenix and LineIsland groups in a 1979 treaty of friendship with Kiribati.
Geography Kiribati
Location:Oceania, group of 33 coral atolls in the Pacific Ocean, straddlingthe equator; the capital Tarawa is about one-half of the way fromHawaii to Australia; note - on 1 January 1995, Kiribati proclaimedthat all of its territory lies in the same time zone as its GilbertIslands group (GMT +12) even though the Phoenix Islands and the LineIslands under its jurisdiction lie on the other side of theInternational Date Line
Geographic coordinates:1 25 N, 173 00 E
Map references:Oceania
Area:total: 811 sq kmnote: includes three island groups - Gilbert Islands, Line Islands,Phoenix Islandswater: 0 sq kmland: 811 sq km
Area - comparative:four times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:1,143 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:tropical; marine, hot and humid, moderated by trade winds
Terrain:mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive reefs
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Banaba 81 m
Natural resources: phosphate (production discontinued in 1979)
Land use: arable land: 2.74% permanent crops: 50.68% other: 46.58% (2001)
Irrigated land:NA sq km
Natural hazards:typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March;occasional tornadoes; low level of some of the islands make themvery sensitive to changes in sea level
Environment - current issues:heavy pollution in lagoon of south Tarawa atoll due to heavymigration mixed with traditional practices such as lagoon latrinesand open-pit dumping; ground water at risk
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, MarineDumping, Ozone Layer Protectionsigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:21 of the 33 islands are inhabited; Banaba (Ocean Island) inKiribati is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in thePacific Ocean - the others are Makatea in French Polynesia, and Nauru
People Kiribati
Population:100,798 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 39.3% (male 20,087; female 19,566)15-64 years: 57.3% (male 28,523; female 29,280)65 years and over: 3.3% (male 1,434; female 1,908) (2004 est.)
Median age:total: 19.8 yearsmale: 19.4 yearsfemale: 20.3 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:2.25% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:30.99 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:8.49 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 49.9 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 44.49 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)male: 55.04 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 61.32 yearsmale: 58.34 yearsfemale: 64.44 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:4.24 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: I-Kiribati (singular and plural)adjective: I-Kiribati
Ethnic groups:predominantly Micronesian with some Polynesian
Religions:Roman Catholic 52%, Protestant (Congregational) 40%, someSeventh-Day Adventist, Muslim, Baha'i, Latter-day Saints, and Churchof God (1999)
Languages:I-Kiribati, English (official)
Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA male: NA female: NA
Government Kiribati
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Kiribaticonventional short form: Kiribatiformer: Gilbert Islandsnote: pronounced keer-ree-bahss
Government type:republic
Capital:Tarawa
Administrative divisions:3 units; Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands; note - inaddition, there are 6 districts (Banaba, Central Gilberts, LineIslands, Northern Gilberts, Southern Gilberts, Tarawa) and 21 islandcouncils - one for each of the inhabited islands (Abaiang, Abemama,Aranuka, Arorae, Banaba, Beru, Butaritari, Kanton, Kiritimati,Kuria, Maiana, Makin, Marakei, Nikunau, Nonouti, Onotoa, Tabiteuea,Tabuaeran, Tamana, Tarawa, Teraina)
Independence:12 July 1979 (from UK)
National holiday:Independence Day, 12 July (1979)
Constitution:12 July 1979
Legal system:NA
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Anote TONG (since 10 July 2003); VicePresident Teima ONORIO; note - the president is both the chief ofstate and head of governmentelections: the House of Parliament chooses the presidentialcandidates from among their members and then those candidatescompete in a general election; president is elected by popular votefor a four-year term; election last held 4 July 2003 (next to beheld not later than July 2007); vice president appointed by thepresidentelection results: Anote TONG 47.4%, Harry TONG 43.5%, Banuera BERINA9.1%cabinet: 12-member Cabinet appointed by the president from among themembers of the House of Parliamenthead of government: President Anote TONG (since 10 July 2003); VicePresident Teima ONORIO; note - the president is both the chief ofstate and head of government
Legislative branch:unicameral House of Parliament or Maneaba Ni Maungatabu (42 seats;39 elected by popular vote, one ex officio member - the attorneygeneral, one appointed to represent Banaba, and one other; membersserve four-year terms)elections: first round elections last held 29 November 2002; secondround elections held 6 December 2002 (next to be held by November2006)election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -BTK 17, MTM 16, independents 7, other 2 (includes attorney general)note: new legislative elections were held in two rounds - the firstround on 9 May 2003 and the second round on 14 May 2003
Judicial branch:Court of Appeal; High Court; 26 Magistrates' courts; judges at alllevels are appointed by the president
Political parties and leaders:Boutokaan Te Koaua Party or BTK [Taberannang TIMEON]; Maneaban TeMauri Party or MTM [Teburoro TITO]; Maurin Kiribati Pati or MKP[leader NA]; National Progressive Party or NPP [Dr. Harry TONG]note: there is no tradition of formally organized political partiesin Kiribati; they more closely resemble factions or interest groupsbecause they have no party headquarters, formal platforms, or partystructures
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US:Kiribati does not have an embassy in the US; there is an honoraryconsulate in Honolulu
Diplomatic representation from the US:the US does not have an embassy in Kiribati; the ambassador to Fijiis accredited to Kiribati
Flag description:the upper half is red with a yellow frigate bird flying over ayellow rising sun, and the lower half is blue with three horizontalwavy white stripes to represent the ocean
Economy Kiribati
Economy - overview:A remote country of 33 scattered coral atolls, Kiribati has fewnatural resources. Commercially viable phosphate deposits wereexhausted at the time of independence from the UK in 1979. Copra andfish now represent the bulk of production and exports. The economyhas fluctuated widely in recent years. Economic development isconstrained by a shortage of skilled workers, weak infrastructure,and remoteness from international markets. Tourism provides morethan one-fifth of GDP. The financial sector is at an early stage ofdevelopment as is the expansion of private sector initiatives.Foreign financial aid from UK, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, andChina equals 25%-50% of GDP. Remittances from workers abroad accountfor more than $5 million each year.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $79 million - supplemented by a nearlyequal amount from external sources (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:1.5% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $800 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:agriculture: 30%industry: 7%services: 63% (1998 est.)
Population below poverty line:NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NAhighest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):2.5% (2001 est.)
Labor force:7,870 economically active, not including subsistence farmers (2001est.)
Unemployment rate:2%; underemployment 70% (1992 est.)
Budget:revenues: $28.4 millionexpenditures: $37.2 million, including capital expenditures of NA(2000 est.)
Agriculture - products:copra, taro, breadfruit, sweet potatoes, vegetables; fish
Industries:fishing, handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate:0.7% (1991 est.)
Electricity - production:7 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:6.51 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:190 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Exports:$35 million f.o.b. (2002)
Exports - commodities:copra 62%, coconuts, seaweed, fish
Exports - partners:Japan 75%, Australia 8.3%, US 8.3%, Philippines 4.2%, Thailand 4.2%(2003)
Imports:$83 million c.i.f. (2002)
Imports - commodities:foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, miscellaneous manufacturedgoods, fuel
Imports - partners:Australia 41.7%, Fiji 26.7%, New Zealand 8.9%, Japan 5.9%, US 4%(2003)
Debt - external:$10 million (1999 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$15.5 million largely from UK and Japan (2001 est.)
Currency:Australian dollar (AUD)
Currency code:AUD
Exchange rates:Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002),1.9334 (2001), 1.7248 (2000), 1.55 (1999)
Fiscal year:NA
Communications Kiribati
Telephones - main lines in use:4,500 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:500 (2002)
Telephone system:general assessment: NAdomestic: NAinternational: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)note: country code - 686; Kiribati is being linked to the PacificOcean Cooperative Telecommunications Network, which should improvetelephone service
Radio broadcast stations:AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1note: the shortwave station may be inactive (2002)
Radios:17,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:1 (not reported to be active) (2002)
Televisions:1,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.ki
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1 (2000)
Internet users:2,000 (2002)
Transportation Kiribati
Highways: total: 670 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (1999 est.)
Waterways:5 km (small network of canals in Line Islands) (2003)
Ports and harbors:Banaba, Betio, English Harbour, Kanton
Merchant marine:total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,291 GRT/1,295 DWTby type: passenger 1 (2004 est.)
Airports:20 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 17 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)
Military Kiribati
Military branches:no regular military forces; Police Force (carries out lawenforcement functions and paramilitary duties; small police postsare on all islands)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:NA
Military - note:Kiribati does not have military forces; defense assistance isprovided by Australia and NZ
Transnational Issues Kiribati
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
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@Korea, North
Introduction Korea, North
Background:An independent kingdom under Chinese suzerainty for most of thepast millennium, Korea was occupied by Japan in 1905 following theRusso-Japanese War; five years later, Japan formally annexed theentire peninsula. Following World War II, Korea was split, with thenorthern half coming under Soviet-sponsored Communist domination.After failing in the Korean War (1950-53) to conquer the US-backedrepublic in the southern portion by force, North Korea under itsfounder President KIM Il Sung adopted a policy of ostensiblediplomatic and economic "self-reliance" as a check against excessiveSoviet or Communist Chinese influence and molded political,economic, and military policies around the core ideologicalobjective of eventual unification of Korea under Pyongyang'scontrol. KIM's son, the current ruler KIM Jong Il, was officiallydesignated as KIM's future successor in 1980 and assumed a growingpolitical and managerial role until his father's death in 1994, whenhe assumed full power without opposition. After decades of economicmismanagement and resource misallocation, the North since themid-1990s has relied heavily on international food aid to feed itspopulation while continuing to expend resources to maintain an armyof about 1 million. North Korea's long-range missile development andresearch into nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons and massiveconventional armed forces are of major concern to the internationalcommunity. In December 2002, following revelations it was pursuing anuclear weapons program based on enriched uranium in violation of a1994 agreement with the United States to freeze and ultimatelydismantle its existing plutonium-based program, North Korea expelledmonitors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and inJanuary 2003 declared its withdrawal from the internationalNon-Proliferation Treaty. In mid-2003 Pyongyang announced it hadcompleted the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel rods (to extractweapons-grade plutonium) and was developing a "nuclear deterrent."Since August 2003 North Korea has participated in six-party talkswith the United States, China, South Korea, Japan, and Russia toresolve the stalemate over its nuclear programs.
Geography Korea, North
Location:Eastern Asia, northern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering theKorea Bay and the Sea of Japan, between China and South Korea
Geographic coordinates:40 00 N, 127 00 E
Map references:Asia
Area:total: 120,540 sq kmwater: 130 sq kmland: 120,410 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than Mississippi
Land boundaries: total: 1,673 km border countries: China 1,416 km, South Korea 238 km, Russia 19 km
Coastline:2,495 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 12 nmexclusive economic zone: 200 nmnote: military boundary line 50 nm in the Sea of Japan and theexclusive economic zone limit in the Yellow Sea where all foreignvessels and aircraft without permission are banned
Climate:temperate with rainfall concentrated in summer
Terrain:mostly hills and mountains separated by deep, narrow valleys;coastal plains wide in west, discontinuous in east
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 mhighest point: Paektu-san 2,744 m
Natural resources:coal, lead, tungsten, zinc, graphite, magnesite, iron ore, copper,gold, pyrites, salt, fluorspar, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 20.76% permanent crops: 2.49% other: 76.75% (2001)
Irrigated land:14,600 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding; occasionaltyphoons during the early fall
Environment - current issues:water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water; water-bornedisease; deforestation; soil erosion and degradation
Environment - international agreements:party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollutionsigned, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note:strategic location bordering China, South Korea, and Russia;mountainous interior is isolated and sparsely populated
People Korea, North
Population:22,697,553 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 24.6% (male 2,836,991; female 2,755,127)15-64 years: 67.8% (male 7,575,590; female 7,812,878)65 years and over: 7.6% (male 583,463; female 1,133,504) (2004 est.)
Median age:total: 31.4 yearsmale: 30.2 yearsfemale: 32.6 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:0.98% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:16.77 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:6.99 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.52 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 24.84 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 23 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)male: 26.59 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 71.08 yearsmale: 68.38 yearsfemale: 73.92 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:2.2 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: Korean(s)adjective: Korean
Ethnic groups:racially homogeneous; there is a small Chinese community and a fewethnic Japanese
Religions:traditionally Buddhist and Confucianist, some Christian andsyncretic Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way)note: autonomous religious activities now almost nonexistent;government-sponsored religious groups exist to provide illusion ofreligious freedom
Languages:Korean
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 99%male: 99%female: 99%
Government Korea, North
Country name:conventional long form: Democratic People's Republic of Koreaconventional short form: North Korealocal short form: nonelocal long form: Choson-minjujuui-inmin-konghwaguknote: the North Koreans generally use the term "Choson" to refer totheir countryabbreviation: DPRK
Government type:Communist state one-man dictatorship
Capital:Pyongyang
Administrative divisions:9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 4 municipalities (si,singular and plural): provinces: Chagang-do (Chagang), Hamgyong-bukto (North Hamgyong),Hamgyong-namdo (South Hamgyong), Hwanghae-bukto (North Hwanghae),Hwanghae-namdo (South Hwanghae), Kangwon-do (Kangwon),P'yongan-bukto (North P'yongan), P'yongan-namdo (South P'yongan),Yanggang-do (Yanggang): municipalites: Kaesong-si (Kaesong), Najin Sonbong-si (Najin),Namp'o-si (Namp'o), P'yongyang-si (Pyongyang)
Independence:15 August 1945 (from Japan)
National holiday:Founding of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), 9September (1948)
Constitution:adopted 1948, completely revised 27 December 1972, revised again inApril 1992 and September 1998
Legal system:based on German civil law system with Japanese influences andCommunist legal theory; no judicial review of legislative acts; hasnot accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:17 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: KIM Jong Il (since July 1994); note - on 3September 2003, rubberstamp Supreme People's Assembly (SPA)reelected KIM Jong Il Chairman of the National Defense Commission, aposition accorded nation's "highest administrative authority"; SPAreelected KIM Yong Nam President of its Presidium also withresponsibility of representing state and receiving diplomaticcredentials; SPA appointed PAK Pong Ju Premierelection results: KIM Jong Il and KIM Yong Nam were only nomineesfor positions and ran unopposedhead of government: Premier PAK Pong Ju (since 3 September 2003);Vice Premiers KWAK Pom Gi (since 5 September 1998), JON Sung Hun(since 3 September 2003), RO Tu Chol (since 3 September 2003)cabinet: Cabinet (Naegak), members, except for the Minister ofPeople's Armed Forces, are appointed by the SPAelections: election last held in September 2003 (next to be held inSeptember 2008)
Legislative branch:unicameral Supreme People's Assembly or Ch'oego Inmin Hoeui (687seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -NA; the KWP approves a list of candidates who are elected withoutopposition; some seats are held by minor partieselections: last held 3 August 2003 (next to be held in August 2008)
Judicial branch:Central Court (judges are elected by the Supreme People's Assembly)
Political parties and leaders: major party - Korean Workers' Party or KWP [KIM Jong Il, general secretary]; minor parties - Chondoist Chongu Party [RYU Mi Yong, chairwoman] (under KWP control); Social Democratic Party [KIM Yong Dae, chairman] (under KWP control)
Political pressure groups and leaders:none
International organization participation:ARF, FAO, G-77, ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, IMO, IOC, ISO, ITU,NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO
Diplomatic representation in the US:none; North Korea has a Permanent Mission to the UN in New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:none (Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang represents the US as consularprotecting power)
Flag description:three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width), and blue;the red band is edged in white; on the hoist side of the red band isa white disk with a red five-pointed star
Economy Korea, North
Economy - overview:North Korea, one of the world's most centrally planned and isolatedeconomies, faces desperate economic conditions. Industrial capitalstock is nearly beyond repair as a result of years ofunderinvestment and spare parts shortages. Industrial and poweroutput have declined in parallel. The nation has suffered its tenthyear of food shortages because of a lack of arable land, collectivefarming, weather-related problems, and chronic shortages offertilizer and fuel. Massive international food aid deliveries haveallowed the regime to escape mass starvation since 1995-96, but thepopulation remains the victim of prolonged malnutrition anddeteriorating living conditions. Large-scale military spending eatsup resources needed for investment and civilian consumption. In2003, heightened political tensions with key donor countries andgeneral donor fatigue threatened the flow of desperately needed foodaid and fuel aid as well. Black market prices continued to risefollowing the increase in official prices and wages in the summer of2002, leaving some vulnerable groups, such as the elderly andunemployed, less able to buy goods. The regime, however, relaxedrestrictions on farmers' market activities in spring 2003, leadingto an expansion of market activity.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $29.58 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:1% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $1,300 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:agriculture: 30.2%industry: 33.8%services: 36% (2002 est.)
Population below poverty line:NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NAhighest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):NA (2003 est.)
Labor force:9.6 million
Labor force - by occupation:agricultural 36%, nonagricultural 64%
Unemployment rate:NA (2003)
Budget: revenues: NA expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA
Agriculture - products:rice, corn, potatoes, soybeans, pulses; cattle, pigs, pork, eggs
Industries:military products; machine building, electric power, chemicals;mining (coal, iron ore, magnesite, graphite, copper, zinc, lead, andprecious metals), metallurgy; textiles, food processing; tourism
Industrial production growth rate:NA
Electricity - production:30.01 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:27.91 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:85,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Exports:$1.044 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities:minerals, metallurgical products, manufactures (includingarmaments); textiles and fishery products
Exports - partners:South Korea 28.5%, China 28.4%, Japan 24.7% (2002)
Imports:$2.042 billion c.i.f. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities:petroleum, coking coal, machinery and equipment; textiles, grain
Imports - partners:China 39.7%, Thailand 14.6%, Japan 11.2%, Germany 7.6%, South Korea6.2% (2002)
Debt - external:$12 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$NA; note - over $133 million in food aid through the World FoodProgram in 2003 plus additional aid from bilateral donors andnon-governmental organizations
Currency:North Korean won (KPW)
Currency code:KPW
Exchange rates:official: North Korean won per US dollar - 150 (December 2002),2.15 (December 2001), 2.15 (May 1994), 2.13 (May 1992), 2.14(September 1991), 2.1 (January 1990); market: North Korean won perUS dollar - 300-600 (December 2002), 200 (December 2001)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Korea, North
Telephones - main lines in use:1.1 million (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular:NA
Telephone system:general assessment: NAdomestic: NAinternational: country code - 850; satellite earth stations - 1Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Russian (Indian Ocean region); otherinternational connections through Moscow and Beijing
Radio broadcast stations:AM 16, FM 14, shortwave 12 (1999)
Radios:3.36 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:38 (1999)
Televisions:1.2 million (1997)
Internet country code:.kp
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1 (2000)
Internet users:NA
Transportation Korea, North
Railways: total: 5,214 km standard gauge: 5,214 km 1.435-m gauge (3,500 km electrified) (2003)
Highways: total: 31,200 km paved: 1,997 km unpaved: 29,203 km (1999 est.)
Waterways: 2,250 km note: most navigable only by small craft (2004)
Pipelines:oil 154 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:Ch'ongjin, Haeju, Hungnam (Hamhung), Kimch'aek, Kosong, Najin,Namp'o, Sinuiju, Songnim, Sonbong (formerly Unggi), Ungsang, Wonsan
Merchant marine:total: 203 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 921,577 GRT/1,339,929 DWTby type: bulk 6, cargo 166, combination bulk 2, container 3,liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 3, multi-functional large loadcarrier 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 11, refrigeratedcargo 6, roll on/roll off 2, short-sea/passenger 1registered in other countries: 4 (2004 est.)foreign-owned: Albania 1, Belize 1, Bolivia 1, Cambodia 3, Cyprus 1,Egypt 3, Germany 1, Greece 4, Italy 1, Lebanon 2, Marshall Islands1, Pakistan 1, Portugal 1, Romania 8, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Syria9, Tanzania 1, Tunisia 1, Turkey 5, Ukraine 2, United States 3
Airports:78 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 35 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 23 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 3 (2003 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 432,438 to 3,047 m: 11,524 to 2,437 m: 20under 914 m: 8 (2003 est.)914 to 1,523 m: 14
Heliports:19 (2003 est.)
Military Korea, North
Military branches:Korean People's Army (includes Army, Navy, Air Force), CivilSecurity Forces
Military manpower - military age and obligation:17 years of age (2004 est.)
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 6,181,038 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 3,694,855 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:males: 189,014 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$5,217.4 million (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:22.9% (2003)