Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 3914 to 1,523 m: 2under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Military Lebanon
Military branches:Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF; includes Army, Navy, and Air Force)
Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18-30 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 12 months (2004)
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 1,049,097 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 643,050 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$541 million (2002)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:4.8% (FY99)
Transnational Issues Lebanon
Disputes - international:Syrian troops in central and eastern Lebanon since October 1976;Lebanese Government claims Shab'a Farms area of Israeli-occupiedGolan Heights
Refugees and internally displaced persons:refugees (country of origin): 394,532 (Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA))IDPs: 300,000 (1975-1990 civil war, Israeli invasions) (2004)
Illicit drugs:cannabis cultivation dramatically reduced to 2,500 hectares in2002; opium poppy cultivation minimal; small amounts of LatinAmerican cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin transit country on wayto European markets and for Middle Eastern consumption
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
======================================================================
@Lesotho
Introduction Lesotho
Background:Basutoland was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon independencefrom the UK in 1966. King MOSHOESHOE was exiled in 1990.Constitutional government was restored in 1993 after 23 years ofmilitary rule. In 1998, violent protests and a military mutinyfollowing a contentious election prompted a brief but bloody SouthAfrican military intervention. Constitutional reforms have sincerestored political stability; peaceful parliamentary elections wereheld in 2002.
Geography Lesotho
Location:Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa
Geographic coordinates:29 30 S, 28 30 E
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 30,355 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmland: 30,355 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries: total: 909 km border countries: South Africa 909 km
Coastline:0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:none (landlocked)
Climate:temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers
Terrain:mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains
Elevation extremes:lowest point: junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 mhighest point: Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m
Natural resources:water, agricultural and grazing land, some diamonds and otherminerals
Land use: arable land: 10.87% permanent crops: 0.13% other: 89% (2001)
Irrigated land:10 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:periodic droughts
Environment - current issues:population pressure forcing settlement in marginal areas results inovergrazing, severe soil erosion, and soil exhaustion;desertification; Highlands Water Project controls, stores, andredirects water to South Africa
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protectionsigned, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note:landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous,more than 80% of the country is 1,800 meters above sea level
People Lesotho
Population:1,865,040note: 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: 37.3% (male 350,288; female 345,815)15-64 years: 57.2% (male 521,434; female 545,183)65 years and over: 5.5% (male 41,903; female 60,417) (2004 est.)
Median age:total: 20 yearsmale: 19.5 yearsfemale: 20.6 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:0.14% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:26.91 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:24.79 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:-0.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 85.22 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 80.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)male: 90.19 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 36.81 yearsmale: 36.81 yearsfemale: 36.81 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:3.44 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:28.9% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:320,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:29,000 (2003 est.)
Nationality:noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)adjective: Basotho
Ethnic groups:Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%,
Religions:Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20%
Languages:Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 84.8%male: 74.5%female: 94.5% (2003 est.)
Government Lesotho
Country name:conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesothoconventional short form: Lesothoformer: Basutoland
Government type:parliamentary constitutional monarchy
Capital:Maseru
Administrative divisions:10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru,Mohale's Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka
Independence:4 October 1966 (from UK)
National holiday:Independence Day, 4 October (1966)
Constitution:2 April 1993
Legal system:based on English common law and Roman-Dutch law; judicial review oflegislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal; has not acceptedcompulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: King LETSIE III (since 7 February 1996); note -King LETSIE III formerly occupied the throne from November 1990 toFebruary 1995, while his father was in exilehead of government: Prime Minister Pakalitha MOSISILI (since 23 May1998)cabinet: Cabinetelections: none; according to the constitution, the leader of themajority party in the Assembly automatically becomes prime minister;the monarch is hereditary, but, under the terms of the constitution,which came into effect after the March 1993 election, the monarch isa "living symbol of national unity" with no executive or legislativepowers; under traditional law the college of chiefs has the power todetermine who is next in the line of succession, who shall serve asregent in the event that the successor is not of mature age, and mayeven depose the monarch
Legislative branch:bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (33 members - 22principal chiefs and 11 other members appointed by the ruling party)and the Assembly (120 seats, 80 by direct popular vote and 40 byproportional vote; members elected by popular vote for five-yearterms); note - number of seats in the Assembly rose from 80 to 120in the May 2002 electionelections: last held 25 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2007)election results: percent of vote by party - LCD 54%, BNP 21%, LPC7%, other 18%; seats by party - LCD 76, BNP 21, LPC 5, other 18
Judicial branch:High Court (chief justice appointed by the monarch); Court ofAppeal; Magistrate's Court; customary or traditional court
Political parties and leaders:Basotho Congress Party or BCP [Tseliso MAKHAKHE]; Basotho NationalParty or BNP [Maj. Gen. Justine Metsing LEKHANYA]; Lesotho Congressfor Democracy or LCD [Phebe MOTEBANO, chairwoman; PakalithaMOSISILI, leader] - the governing party; Lesotho People's Congressor LPC [Kelebone MAOPE]; United Democratic Party or UDP [CharlesMOFELI]; Marematlou Freedom Party or MFP and Setlamo Alliance[Vincent MALEBO]; Progressive National Party or PNP [Chief PeeteNkoebe PEETE]; Sefate Democratic Party or SDP [Bofihla NKUEBE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIGA,NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCO,WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Molelekeng E. RAPOLAKIFAX: [1] (202) 234-6815telephone: [1] (202) 797-5533 through 5536chancery: 2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Robert G. LOFTIS embassy: 254 Kingsway, Maseru West (Consular Section) mailing address: P. O. Box 333, Maseru 100, Lesotho telephone: [266] 312666 FAX: [266] 310116
Flag description:divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner; the upper halfis white, bearing the brown silhouette of a large shield withcrossed spear and club; the lower half is a diagonal blue band witha green triangle in the corner
Economy Lesotho
Economy - overview:Small, landlocked, and mountainous, Lesotho relies on remittancesfrom miners employed in South Africa and customs duties from theSouthern Africa Customs Union for the majority of governmentrevenue, but the government has strengthened its tax system toreduce dependency on customs duties. Completion of a majorhydropower facility in January 1998 now permits the sale of water toSouth Africa, also generating royalties for Lesotho. As the numberof mineworkers has declined steadily over the past several years, asmall manufacturing base has developed based on farm products thatsupport the milling, canning, leather, and jute industries and arapidly growing apparel-assembly sector. The economy is stillprimarily based on subsistence agriculture, especially livestock,although drought has decreased agricultural activity. The extremeinequality in the distribution of income remains a major drawback.Lesotho has signed an Interim Poverty Reduction and Growth Facilitywith the IMF.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $5.583 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:4% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $3,000 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 15.3% industry: 43.3% services: 41.4% (2003)
Investment (gross fixed):34.1% of GDP (2003)
Population below poverty line:49% (1999)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.9% highest 10%: 43.4%
Distribution of family income - Gini index:56 (1986-87)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):6.1% (2003 est.)
Labor force:838,000 (2000)
Labor force - by occupation: 86% of resident population engaged in subsistence agriculture; roughly 35% of the active male wage earners work in South Africa
Unemployment rate:45% (2002)
Budget:revenues: $625.4 millionexpenditures: $675.2 million, including capital expenditures of $15million (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products:corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock
Industries:food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts;construction; tourism
Industrial production growth rate:15.5% (1999)
Electricity - production:0 kWh NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2001)
Electricity - consumption:40 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:40 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2001)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:1,500 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Current account balance:$-112 million (2003)
Exports:$450 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities:manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool andmohair, food and live animals (2000)
Exports - partners:US 97.6%, Canada 1.5%, France 0.5% (2003)
Imports:$661 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities:food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleumproducts (2000)
Imports - partners:Hong Kong 36.6%, Taiwan 36.2%, China 12%, Germany 9.9% (2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:$460 million (2003)
Debt - external:$735 million (2002)
Economic aid - donor:ODA $4.4 million
Economic aid - recipient:$41.5 million (2000)
Currency:loti (LSL); South African rand (ZAR)
Currency code:LSL; ZAR
Exchange rates:maloti per US dollar - 7.5648 (2003), 10.5407 (2002), 8.6092(2001), 6.9398 (2000), 6.1095 (1999)
Fiscal year:1 April - 31 March
Communications Lesotho
Telephones - main lines in use:28,600 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:92,000 (2002)
Telephone system:general assessment: rudimentary systemdomestic: consists of a few landlines, a small microwave radio relaysystem, and a minor radiotelephone communication system; a cellularmobile telephone system is growinginternational: country code - 266; satellite earth station - 1Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios:NA (2002)
Television broadcast stations:1 (2000)
Televisions:NA
Internet country code:.ls
Internet hosts:119 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1 (2000)
Internet users:21,000 (2002)
Transportation Lesotho
Highways: total: 5,940 km paved: 1,087 km unpaved: 4,853 km (1999)
Ports and harbors:none
Airports:28 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 25 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)
Military Lesotho
Military branches:Lesotho Defense Force (LDF; with Army and Air Wing)
Military manpower - military age and obligation:18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 465,827 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 253,974 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$32.5 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:2.6% (2003)
Military - note:the Lesotho Government in 1999 began an open debate on the futurestructure, size, and role of the armed forces, especiallyconsidering the Lesotho Defense Force's (LDF) history of interveningin political affairs
Transnational Issues Lesotho
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
======================================================================
@Liberia
Introduction Liberia
Background:In August 2003, a comprehensive peace agreement ended 14 years ofcivil war and prompted the resignation of former president CharlesTAYLOR, who was exiled to Nigeria. The National TransitionalGovernment of Liberia (NTGL) - which is composed of rebel,government, and civil society groups - assumed control in October2003. Chairman Gyude BRYANT, who was given a two-year mandate tooversee efforts to rebuild Liberia, heads the new government. TheUnited Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), which maintains a strongpresence throughout the country, completed a disarmament program forformer combatants in late 2004, but the security situation is stillvolatile and the process of rebuilding the social and economicstructure of this war-torn country remains sluggish.
Geography Liberia
Location:Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Coted'Ivoire and Sierra Leone
Geographic coordinates:6 30 N, 9 30 W
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 111,370 sq kmwater: 15,050 sq kmland: 96,320 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly larger than Tennessee
Land boundaries:total: 1,585 kmborder countries: Guinea 563 km, Cote d'Ivoire 716 km, Sierra Leone306 km
Coastline:579 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 200 nm
Climate:tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to coldnights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers
Terrain:mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling plateau andlow mountains in northeast
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 mhighest point: Mount Wuteve 1,380 m
Natural resources:iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 3.95% permanent crops: 2.28% other: 93.77% (2001)
Irrigated land:30 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to March)
Environment - current issues: tropical rain forest deforestation; soil erosion; loss of biodiversity; pollution of coastal waters from oil residue and raw sewage
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94 signed, but not ratified: Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note:facing the Atlantic Ocean, the coastline is characterized bylagoons, mangrove swamps, and river-deposited sandbars; the inlandgrassy plateau supports limited agriculture
People Liberia
Population:3,390,635 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 43.4% (male 742,508; female 730,677)15-64 years: 52.9% (male 875,951; female 918,570)65 years and over: 3.6% (male 61,867; female 61,062) (2004 est.)
Median age:total: 18.1 yearsmale: 17.7 yearsfemale: 18.4 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:2.7% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:44.81 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:17.86 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:0 migrant(s)/1,000 populationnote: at least 200,000 Liberian refugees are in surroundingcountries; the uncertain security situation has hindered theirability to return (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 130.51 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 123.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)male: 137.32 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 47.93 yearsmale: 46.9 yearsfemale: 48.99 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:6.16 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:5.9% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:100,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:7,200 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:typhoid fever, malaria, yellow fever, Lassa fever, schistosomiasisoverall degree of risk: very high (2004)
Nationality:noun: Liberian(s)adjective: Liberian
Ethnic groups:indigenous African tribes 95% (including Kpelle, Bassa, Gio, Kru,Grebo, Mano, Krahn, Gola, Gbandi, Loma, Kissi, Vai, Dei, Bella,Mandingo, and Mende), Americo-Liberians 2.5% (descendants ofimmigrants from the US who had been slaves), Congo People 2.5%(descendants of immigrants from the Caribbean who had been slaves)
Religions:indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20%
Languages:English 20% (official), some 20 ethnic group languages, of which afew can be written and are used in correspondence
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 57.5%male: 73.3%female: 41.6%note: (2003 est.)
Government Liberia
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Liberiaconventional short form: Liberia
Government type:republic
Capital:Monrovia
Administrative divisions:15 counties; Bomi, Bong, Gbarpolu, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount,Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado, Nimba,River Cess, River Gee, Sinoe
Independence:26 July 1847
National holiday:Independence Day, 26 July (1847)
Constitution:6 January 1986
Legal system:dual system of statutory law based on Anglo-American common law forthe modern sector and customary law based on unwritten tribalpractices for indigenous sector
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: Chairman Gyude BRYANT (since 14 October 2003); note- this is an interim position until presidential elections in 2005;the chairman is both the chief of state and head of governmenthead of government: Chairman Gyude BRYANT (since 14 October 2003);note - this is an interim position until presidential elections in2005; the chairman is both the chief of state and head of governmentcabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president and confirmed by theSenate; note - current cabinet positions are divided among groupsparticipating in the Liberian peace processelections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term(renewable); election last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held NAOctober 2005)note:: a UN-brokered cease-fire among warring factions and theLiberian government resulted in the August 2003 resignation offormer president Charles TAYLOR; a jointly agreed upon replacement,Chairman Gyude BRYANT, assumed office as head of the NationalTransitional Government on 14 October 2003election results: Charles Ghankay TAYLOR elected president; percentof vote - Charles Ghankay TAYLOR (NPP) 75.3%, Ellen Johnson SIRLEAF(UP) 9.6%, Alhaji KROMAH (ALCOP) 4%, other 11.1%; note - Taylorstepped down in August 2003
Legislative branch:bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (26 seats;members elected by popular vote to serve nine-year terms) and theHouse of Representatives (64 seats; members elected by popular voteto serve six-year terms)election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats byparty - NPP 21, UP 3, ALCOP 2; House of Representatives - percent ofvote by party - NA; seats by party - NPP 49, UP 7, ALCOP 3, Allianceof Political Parties 2, UPP 2, LPP 1elections: Senate - last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held NA2006); House of Representatives - last held 19 July 1997 (next to beheld NA October 2005)
Judicial branch:Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:Alliance of Political Parties (a coalition of LAP and LUP) [leaderNA]; All Liberia Coalition Party or ALCOP [Peter KERBAY]; LiberianAction Party or LAP [C. Gyude BRYANT]; Liberian People's Party orLPP [Koffa NAGBE]; Liberia Unification Party or LUP [leader NA];National Patriotic Party or NPP [Cyril ALLEN] - governing party;United People's Party or UPP [Wesley JOHNSON]; Unity Party or UP[Charles CLARKE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU,NAM, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO,WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Aaron B.KOLLIEchancery: 5201 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011consulate(s) general: New YorkFAX: [1] (202) 723-0436telephone: [1] (202) 723-0437
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador John William BLANEY IIIembassy: 111 United Nations Drive, P. O. Box 10-0098, Mamba Point,1000 Monrovia, 10 Liberiamailing address: use embassy street addresstelephone: [231] 226-370 through 226-380FAX: [231] 226-148
Flag description:11 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternatingwith white; there is a white five-pointed star on a blue square inthe upper hoist-side corner; the design was based on the US flag
Economy Liberia
Economy - overview:Civil war and misgovernment have destroyed much of Liberia'seconomy, especially the infrastructure in and around Monrovia. Manybusinessmen have fled the country, taking capital and expertise withthem. Some have returned, many will not. Richly endowed with water,mineral resources, forests, and a climate favorable to agriculture,Liberia had been a producer and exporter of basic products -primarily raw timber and rubber. Local manufacturing, mainly foreignowned, had been small in scope. The departure of the formerpresident, Charles TAYLOR, to Nigeria in August 2003, theestablishment of the all-inclusive National Transition Government ofLiberia (NTGL), and the arrival of a UN mission are all encouragingsigns that the political crisis is coming to an end. The restorationof infrastructure and the raising of incomes in this ravaged economydepend on the implementation of sound macro- and micro-economicpolicies, including the encouragement of foreign investment, andgenerous support from donor countries.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $3.261 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:3% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $1,000 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 76.9% industry: 5.4% services: 17.7% (2002 est.)
Population below poverty line:80%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NAhighest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):15% (2003 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 70%, industry 8%, services 22% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate:85% (2003 est.)
Budget:revenues: $85.4 millionexpenditures: $90.5 million, including capital expenditures of NA(2000 est.)
Agriculture - products: rubber, coffee, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, sugarcane, bananas; sheep, goats; timber
Industries:rubber processing, palm oil processing, timber, diamonds
Industrial production growth rate:NA
Electricity - production:468.8 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:435.9 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:3,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Exports:$1.079 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities:rubber, timber, iron, diamonds, cocoa, coffee
Exports - partners:Germany 43.3%, Poland 10.9%, Greece 9.1%, US 6%, France 5.5%,Thailand 4.9%, China 4.1% (2003)
Imports:$5.051 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities:fuels, chemicals, machinery, transportation equipment, manufacturedgoods; foodstuffs
Imports - partners:South Korea 39.2%, Japan 16.2%, Singapore 12.4%, Germany 9.9%,Spain 4.1% (2003)
Debt - external:$2.1 billion (2000 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$94 million (1999)
Currency:Liberian dollar (LRD)
Currency code:LRD
Exchange rates:Liberian dollars per US dollar - NA (2003), 61.7542 (2002), 48.5833(2001), 40.9525 (2000), 41.9025 (1999)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Liberia
Telephones - main lines in use:7,000 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular:2,000 (2001)
Telephone system:general assessment: telephone and telegraph service via microwaveradio relay network; main center is Monroviadomestic: NAinternational: country code - 231; satellite earth station - 1Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 0, FM 7, shortwave 2 (2001)
Radios:790,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:1 (plus four low-power repeaters) (2001)
Televisions:70,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.lr
Internet hosts:14 (2004)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):2 (2001)
Internet users:1,000 (2002)
Transportation Liberia
Railways:total: 490 kmstandard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gaugenarrow gauge: 145 km 1.067-m gaugenote: none of the railways are in operation (2003)
Highways:total: 10,600 kmpaved: 657 kmunpaved: 9,943 km (1999 est.)
Ports and harbors:Buchanan, Greenville, Harper, Monrovia, Robertsport
Merchant marine:total: 1,449 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 50,555,752 GRT/79,125,329 DWTregistered in other countries: 35 (2004 est.)foreign-owned: Argentina 9, Australia 3, Austria 16, Belgium 8,Bermuda 1, Brazil 5, Chile 7, China 40, Croatia 11, Cyprus 4,Denmark 4, Estonia 1, France 3, Germany 510, Greece 142, Hong Kong56, Iceland 1, India 3, Indonesia 1, Israel 4, Italy 8, Japan 81,South Korea 7, Latvia 22, Isle of Man 5, Mexico 1, Monaco 59,Netherlands 11, Nigeria 2, Norway 54, Panama 1, Poland 2, Portugal6, Russia 68, Saudi Arabia 23, Singapore 43, Slovenia 1, Spain 1,Sri Lanka 1, Sweden 9, Switzerland 7, Taiwan 36, Turkey 3, Ukraine3, United Kingdom 36, United States 95, Uruguay 3by type: bulk 278, cargo 67, chemical tanker 161, combination bulk10, combination ore/oil 20, container 388, liquefied gas 77,multi-functional large load carrier 3, passenger 3, petroleum tanker317, refrigerated cargo 62, roll on/roll off 14, short-sea/passenger3, specialized tanker 13, vehicle carrier 33
Airports:53 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 51 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 38 (2004 est.)
Military Liberia
Military branches:Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL): Army, Navy, Air Force
Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2001)
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 752,943 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 406,293 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$10 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:1.3% (2003)
Transnational Issues Liberia
Disputes - international:domestic fighting among disparate rebel groups, warlords, and youthgangs in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone have createdinsurgencies, street violence, looting, arms trafficking, and ethnicconflicts and refugees in border areas; the Cote d'Ivoire Governmentaccuses Liberia of supporting Ivorian rebels
Refugees and internally displaced persons:refugees (country of origin): 13,941 (Sierra Leone), 38,325 (Coted'Ivoire)IDPs: 500,000 (civil war from 1990-2004; IDP resettlement began inNovember 2004) (2004)
Illicit drugs:transshipment point for Southeast and Southwest Asian heroin andSouth American cocaine for the European and US markets; corruption,criminal activity, arms-dealing, and diamond trade providesignificant potential for money laundering, but the lack ofwell-developed financial system limits the country's utility as amajor money-laundering center
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
======================================================================
@Libya
Introduction Libya
Background:From the earliest days of his rule following his 1969 militarycoup, Col. Muammar Abu Minyar al-QADHAFI has espoused his ownpolitical system, the Third Universal Theory. The system is acombination of socialism and Islam derived in part from tribalpractices and is supposed to be implemented by the Libyan peoplethemselves in a unique form of "direct democracy." QADHAFI hasalways seen himself as a revolutionary and visionary leader. He usedoil funds during the 1970s and 1980s to promote his ideology outsideLibya, supporting subversives and terrorists abroad to hasten theend of Marxism and capitalism. In addition, beginning in 1973, heengaged in military operations in northern Chad's Aozou Strip - togain access to minerals and to use as a base of influence in Chadianpolitics - but was forced to retreat in 1987. UN sanctions in 1992isolated QADHAFI politically following the downing of Pan AM Flight103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. Libyan support for terrorism appearsto have decreased after the sanction imposition. During the 1990s,QADHAFI also began to rebuild his relationships with Europe. UNsanctions were suspended in April 1999 and finally lifted inSeptember 2003 after Libya resolved the Lockerbie case. In December2003, Libya announced that it had agreed to reveal and end itsprograms to develop weapons of mass destruction, and QADHAFI hasmade significant strides in normalizing relations with westernnations since then. He has received various Western European leadersas well as many working-level and commercial delegations, and madehis first trip to Western Europe in 15 years when he traveled toBrussels in April 2004. QADHAFI also finally resolved in 2004several outstanding cases against his government for terroristactivities in the 1980s by paying compensation to the families ofvictims of the UTA and La Belle disco bombings.
Geography Libya
Location:Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt andTunisia
Geographic coordinates:25 00 N, 17 00 E
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 1,759,540 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmland: 1,759,540 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly larger than Alaska
Land boundaries:total: 4,348 kmborder countries: Algeria 982 km, Chad 1,055 km, Egypt 1,115 km,Niger 354 km, Sudan 383 km, Tunisia 459 km
Coastline:1,770 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 12 nmnote: Gulf of Sidra closing line - 32 degrees, 30 minutes north
Climate:Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior
Terrain:mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Sabkhat Ghuzayyil -47 m highest point: Bikku Bitti 2,267 m
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, gypsum
Land use: arable land: 1.03% permanent crops: 0.19% other: 98.78% (2001)
Irrigated land:4,700 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to fourdays in spring and fall; dust storms, sandstorms
Environment - current issues:desertification; very limited natural fresh water resources; theGreat Manmade River Project, the largest water development scheme inthe world, is being built to bring water from large aquifers underthe Sahara to coastal cities
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note: more than 90% of the country is desert or semidesert
People Libya
Population: 5,631,585 note: includes 166,510 non-nationals (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 34.2% (male 983,050; female 941,603)15-64 years: 61.7% (male 1,794,396; female 1,679,828)65 years and over: 4.1% (male 113,391; female 119,317) (2004 est.)
Median age:total: 22.4 yearsmale: 22.5 yearsfemale: 22.2 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:2.37% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:27.17 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:3.48 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: 1.04 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 25.7 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 23.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)male: 28.04 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 76.28 yearsmale: 74.1 yearsfemale: 78.58 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:3.42 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:0.2% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:7,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:NA
Nationality:noun: Libyan(s)adjective: Libyan
Ethnic groups:Berber and Arab 97%, Greeks, Maltese, Italians, Egyptians,Pakistanis, Turks, Indians, Tunisians
Religions:Sunni Muslim 97%
Languages:Arabic, Italian, English, all are widely understood in the majorcities
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 82.6%male: 92.4%female: 72% (2003 est.)
Government Libya
Country name:conventional long form: Great Socialist People's Libyan ArabJamahiriyaconventional short form: Libyalocal short form: nonelocal long form: Al Jumahiriyah al Arabiyah al Libiyah ash Shabiyahal Ishtirakiyah al Uzma
Government type:Jamahiriya (a state of the masses) in theory, governed by thepopulace through local councils; in fact, a military dictatorship
Capital:Tripoli
Administrative divisions:25 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ajdabiya, Al'Aziziyah, Al Fatih, Al Jabal al Akhdar, Al Jufrah, Al Khums, AlKufrah, An Nuqat al Khams, Ash Shati', Awbari, Az Zawiyah, Banghazi,Darnah, Ghadamis, Gharyan, Misratah, Murzuq, Sabha, Sawfajjin, Surt,Tarabulus, Tarhunah, Tubruq, Yafran, Zlitan; note - the 25municipalities may have been replaced by 13 regions
Independence:24 December 1951 (from Italy)
National holiday:Revolution Day, 1 September (1969)
Constitution:11 December 1969, amended 2 March 1977
Legal system:based on Italian civil law system and Islamic law; separatereligious courts; no constitutional provision for judicial review oflegislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:chief of state: Revolutionary Leader Col. Muammar Abu Minyaral-QADHAFI (since 1 September 1969); note - holds no official title,but is de facto chief of stateelections: national elections are indirect through a hierarchy ofpeople's committees; head of government elected by the GeneralPeople's Congress; election last held 2 March 2000 (next to be heldNA)election results: NAcabinet: General People's Committee established by the GeneralPeople's Congresshead of government: Secretary of the General People's Committee(Prime Minister) Shukri Muhammad GHANIM (since 14 June 2003)
Legislative branch:unicameral General People's Congress (NA seats; members electedindirectly through a hierarchy of people's committees)
Judicial branch:Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:none
Political pressure groups and leaders:various Arab nationalist movements with almost negligiblememberships may be functioning clandestinely, as well as someIslamic elements; an anti-QADHAFI Libyan exile movement exists,primarily based in London, but has little influence
International organization participation:ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN,UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO(observer), WToO
Diplomatic representation in the US:Libya does not have an embassy in the US but maintains an interestsection under the protective power of the United Arab EmiratesEmbassy in the US
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US suspended all embassy activities in Tripoli in May 1980, resumed embassy activities in February 2004 under the protective power of the US interests section of the Belgian Embassy in Tripoli, then opened a Liaison Office in Tripoli in June 2004
Flag description:plain green; green is the traditional color of Islam (the statereligion)
Economy Libya
Economy - overview:The Libyan economy depends primarily upon revenues from the oilsector, which contribute practically all export earnings and aboutone-quarter of GDP. These oil revenues and a small population giveLibya one of the highest per capita GDPs in Africa, but little ofthis income flows down to the lower orders of society. Libyanofficials in the past three years have made progress on economicreforms as part of a broader campaign to reintegrate the countryinto the international fold. This effort picked up steam after UNsanctions were lifted in September 2003 and as Libya announced inDecember 2003 that it would abandon programs to build weapons ofmass destruction. Libya faces a long road ahead in liberalizing thesocialist-oriented economy, but initial steps - including applyingfor WTO membership, reducing some subsidies, and announcing plansfor privatization - are laying the groundwork for a transition to amore market-based economy. The non-oil manufacturing andconstruction sectors, which account for about 20% of GDP, haveexpanded from processing mostly agricultural products to include theproduction of petrochemicals, iron, steel, and aluminum. Climaticconditions and poor soils severely limit agricultural output, andLibya imports about 75% of its food.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $35 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:3.2% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $6,400 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 8.6% industry: 46.1% services: 45.3% (2003 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):15% of GDP (2003)
Population below poverty line:NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NAhighest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):2.8% (2003 est.)
Labor force:1.51 million (2003 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 17%, industry 29%, services 54% (1997 est.)
Unemployment rate:30% (2001)
Budget:revenues: $10.28 billionexpenditures: $7.86 billion, including capital expenditures of NA(2003 est.)
Public debt:16.6% of GDP (2003)
Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, olives, dates, citrus, vegetables, peanuts, soybeans; cattle
Industries:petroleum, food processing, textiles, handicrafts, cement
Industrial production growth rate:NA
Electricity - production:20.18 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:18.77 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:1.429 million bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:216,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:29.75 billion bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:6.18 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:5.41 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:770 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:1.321 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance:$6.641 billion (2003)
Exports:$14.32 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities:crude oil, refined petroleum products (1999)
Exports - partners:Italy 38.8%, Spain 13.4%, Germany 13.4%, Turkey 7.1%, France 6.1%(2003)
Imports:$6.282 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery, transport equipment, food, manufactured goods (1999)
Imports - partners:Italy 27.8%, Germany 10.5%, Tunisia 7.6%, UK 7.1%, France 6%,Turkey 4.6% (2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:$19.78 billion (2003)
Debt - external:$4.194 billion (2003 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$15 million (2000)
Currency:Libyan dinar (LYD)
Currency code:LYD
Exchange rates:Libyan dinars per US dollar - 1.2929 (2003), 1.2707 (2002), 0.6051(2001), 0.4994 (2000), 0.3936 (1999)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Libya
Telephones - main lines in use:750,000 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular:100,000 (2003)
Telephone system:general assessment: telecommunications system is being modernized;mobile cellular telephone system became operational in 1996domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, cellular,tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite system with 14 earthstationsinternational: country code - 218; satellite earth stations - 4Intelsat, NA Arabsat, and NA Intersputnik; submarine cables toFrance and Italy; microwave radio relay to Tunisia and Egypt;tropospheric scatter to Greece; participant in Medarabtel (1999)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 16, FM 3, shortwave 3 (2002)
Radios:1.35 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:12 (plus one low-power repeater) (1999)
Televisions:730,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.ly
Internet hosts:67 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1 (2002)
Internet users:160,000 (2003)
Transportation Libya
Railways:0 kmnote: Libya is working on 7 lines totaling 2,757 km of 1.435-m gaugetrack; it hopes to open a 191 km line by the end of 2004 (2003)
Highways:total: 83,200 kmpaved: 47,590 kmunpaved: 35,610 km (1999 est.)
Pipelines:condensate 225 km; gas 3,611 km; oil 7,252 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:Al Khums, Banghazi, Darnah, Marsa al Burayqah, Misratah, Ra'sLanuf, Tobruk, Tripoli, Zuwarah
Merchant marine:total: 20 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 129,627 GRT/105,110 DWTby type: cargo 8, liquefied gas 3, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/rolloff 4, short-sea/passenger 4foreign-owned: Algeria 1, Kuwait 1 (2004 est.)
Airports:140 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 59over 3,047 m: 232,438 to 3,047 m: 6914 to 1,523 m: 5under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)1,524 to 2,437 m: 23
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 80under 914 m: 18 (2004 est.)over 3,047 m: 52,438 to 3,047 m: 2914 to 1,523 m: 411,524 to 2,437 m: 14
Heliports:1 (2003 est.)
Military Libya
Military branches:Armed Peoples on Duty (Army), Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Command
Military manpower - military age and obligation:17 years of age (2004 est.)
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 1,588,533 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 938,196 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:males: 61,828 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$1.3 billion (FY99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:3.9% (FY99)
Transnational Issues Libya
Disputes - international:Libya has claimed more than 32,000 sq km in southeastern Algeriaand about 25,000 sq km in Niger in currently dormant disputes;various Chadian rebels from the Aozou region reside in southern Libya
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
======================================================================
@Liechtenstein
Introduction Liechtenstein
Background:The Principality of Liechtenstein was established within the HolyRoman Empire in 1719; it became a sovereign state in 1806. Until theend of World War I, it was closely tied to Austria, but the economicdevastation caused by that conflict forced Liechtenstein to enterinto a customs and monetary union with Switzerland. Since World WarII (in which Liechtenstein remained neutral), the country's lowtaxes have spurred outstanding economic growth. Shortcomings inbanking regulatory oversight have resulted in concerns about the useof the financial institutions for money laundering. Liechtensteinhas, however, implemented new anti-money-laundering legislation andrecently concluded a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty with the US.