Irrigated land:65,000 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:tsunamis along the Pacific coast, volcanoes and destructiveearthquakes in the center and south, and hurricanes on the Pacific,Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean coasts
Environment - current issues:scarcity of hazardous waste disposal facilities; rural to urbanmigration; natural fresh water resources scarce and polluted innorth, inaccessible and poor quality in center and extremesoutheast; raw sewage and industrial effluents polluting rivers inurban areas; deforestation; widespread erosion; desertification;deteriorating agricultural lands; serious air and water pollution inthe national capital and urban centers along US-Mexico border; landsubsidence in Valley of Mexico caused by groundwater depletionnote: the government considers the lack of clean water anddeforestation national security issues
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Lawof the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone LayerProtection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whalingsigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:strategic location on southern border of US; corn (maize), one ofthe world's major grain crops, is thought to have originated inMexico
People Mexico
Population:104,959,594 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 31.6% (male 16,913,290; female 16,228,552)15-64 years: 62.9% (male 31,975,391; female 34,090,440)65 years and over: 5.5% (male 2,618,713; female 3,133,208) (2004est.)
Median age: total: 24.6 years male: 23.7 years female: 25.5 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:1.18% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:21.44 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:4.73 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:-4.87 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: 0.94 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 21.69 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 19.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)male: 23.63 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 74.94 yearsmale: 72.18 yearsfemale: 77.83 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:2.49 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:0.3% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:160,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:5,000 (2003 est.)
Nationality:noun: Mexican(s)adjective: Mexican
Ethnic groups:mestizo (Amerindian-Spanish) 60%, Amerindian or predominantlyAmerindian 30%, white 9%, other 1%
Religions:nominally Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 6%, other 5%
Languages:Spanish, various Mayan, Nahuatl, and other regional indigenouslanguages
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 92.2%male: 94%female: 90.5% (2003 est.)
Government Mexico
Country name:conventional long form: United Mexican Statesconventional short form: Mexicolocal short form: Mexicolocal long form: Estados Unidos Mexicanos
Government type:federal republic
Capital:Mexico (Distrito Federal)
Administrative divisions:31 states (estados, singular - estado) and 1 federal district*(distrito federal); Aguascalientes, Baja California, Baja CaliforniaSur, Campeche, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila de Zaragoza, Colima,Distrito Federal*, Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco,Mexico, Michoacan de Ocampo, Morelos, Nayarit, Nuevo Leon, Oaxaca,Puebla, Queretaro de Arteaga, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosi,Sinaloa, Sonora, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Tlaxcala, Veracruz-Llave,Yucatan, Zacatecas
Independence:16 September 1810 (from Spain)
National holiday:Independence Day, 16 September (1810)
Constitution:5 February 1917
Legal system:mixture of US constitutional theory and civil law system; judicialreview of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,with reservations
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal and compulsory (but not enforced)
Executive branch:chief of state: President Vicente FOX Quesada (since 1 December2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head ofgovernmentelection results: Vicente FOX Quesada elected president; percent ofvote - Vicente FOX Quesada (PAN) 42.52%, Francisco LABASTIDA Ochoa(PRI) 36.1%, Cuauhtemoc CARDENAS Solorzano (PRD) 16.64%, other 4.74%elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;election last held 2 July 2000 (next to be held 2 July 2006)cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president; note - appointment ofattorney general requires consent of the Senatehead of government: President Vicente FOX Quesada (since 1 December2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head ofgovernment
Legislative branch:bicameral National Congress or Congreso de la Union consists of theSenate or Camara de Senadores (128 seats; 96 are elected by popularvote to serve six-year terms, and 32 are allocated on the basis ofeach party's popular vote) and the Federal Chamber of Deputies orCamara Federal de Diputados (500 seats; 300 members are directlyelected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; remaining 200members are allocated on the basis of each party's popular vote,also for three-year terms)election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats byparty - PRI 60, PAN 46, PRD 16, PVEM 5, unassigned 1; Chamber ofDeputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PRI 222,PAN 151, PRD 95, PVEM 17, PT 6, CD 5, unassigned 4; note - specialelections were held in December 2003; the PRI and the PRD each wonone seat and were each assigned one additional proportionalrepresentation seatelections: Senate - last held 2 July 2000 for all of the seats (nextto be held 2 July 2006); Chamber of Deputies - last held 6 July 2003(next to be held 2 July 2006)
Judicial branch:Supreme Court of Justice or Suprema Corte de Justicia Nacional(justices or ministros are appointed by the president with consentof the Senate)
Political parties and leaders:Convergence for Democracy or CD [Dante DELGADO Ranauro];Institutional Revolutionary Party or PRI [Roberto MADRAZO Pintado];Mexican Green Ecological Party or PVEM [Jorge Emilio GONZALEZMartinez]; National Action Party or PAN [Luis Felipe BRAVO Mena];Party of the Democratic Revolution or PRD [Leonel GODOY]; WorkersParty or PT [Alberto ANAYA Gutierrez]
Political pressure groups and leaders:Confederation of Employers of the Mexican Republic or COPARMEX;Confederation of Industrial Chambers or CONCAMIN; Confederation ofMexican Workers or CTM; Confederation of National Chambers ofCommerce or CONCANACO; Coordinator for Foreign Trade BusinessOrganizations or COECE; Federation of Unions Providing Goods andServices or FESEBES; National Chamber of Transformation Industriesor CANACINTRA; National Peasant Confederation or CNC; National Unionof Workers or UNT; Regional Confederation of Mexican Workers orCROM; Revolutionary Confederation of Workers and Peasants or CROC;Roman Catholic Church
International organization participation:APEC, BCIE, BIS, CDB, CE (observer), EBRD, FAO, G-3, G-6, G-15,G-19, G-24, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU,ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM (observer), NEA, OAS, OECD, OPANAL, OPCW,PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMOVIC, UPU,WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Carlos Alberto de ICAZAGonzalezFAX: [1] (202) 728-1698consulate(s): Albuquerque, Brownsville (Texas), Calexico(California), Del Rio (Texas), Detroit, Douglas (Arizona), EaglePass (Texas), Fresno (California), Indianapolis (Indiana), KansasCity (Missouri), Las Vegas, McAllen (Texas), Omaha, Orlando, Oxnard(California), Philadelphia, Portland (Oregon), Presidio (Texas),Raleigh, Salt Lake City, San Bernardino, Santa Ana (California),Seattle, Tucson, Yuma (Arizona)consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas,Denver, El Paso, Houston, Laredo (Texas), Los Angeles, Miami, NewOrleans, New York, Nogales (Arizona), Phoenix, Sacramento, SanAntonio, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, San Juan (Puerto Rico)chancery: 1911 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20006telephone: [1] (202) 728-1600
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Antonio O. GARZAembassy: Paseo de la Reforma 305, Colonia Cuauhtemoc, 06500 Mexico,Distrito Federalmailing address: P. O. Box 9000, Brownsville, TX 78520-0900telephone: [52] (55) 5080-2000FAX: [52] (55) 5525-5040consulate(s) general: Ciudad Juarez, Guadalajara, Monterrey, Tijuanaconsulate(s): Hermosillo, Matamoros, Merida, Nogales, Nuevo, Laredo
Flag description:three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red;the coat of arms (an eagle perched on a cactus with a snake in itsbeak) is centered in the white band
Economy Mexico
Economy - overview:Mexico has a free market economy with a mixture of modern andoutmoded industry and agriculture, increasingly dominated by theprivate sector. Recent administrations have expanded competition inseaports, railroads, telecommunications, electricity generation,natural gas distribution, and airports. Per capita income isone-fourth that of the US; income distribution remains highlyunequal. Trade with the US and Canada has tripled since theimplementation of NAFTA in 1994. Real GDP growth was a weak -0.3% in2001, 0.9% in 2002, and 1.2% in 2003, with the US slowdown theprincipal cause. Mexico implemented free trade agreements withGuatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and the European Free Trade Areain 2001, putting more than 90% of trade under free trade agreements.The government is cognizant of the need to upgrade infrastructure,modernize the tax system and labor laws, and provide incentives toinvest in the energy sector, but progress is slow.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $941.2 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:1.3% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $9,000 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4% industry: 26.4% services: 69.6% (2003 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):19.3% of GDP (2003)
Population below poverty line:40% (2003 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.6% highest 10%: 35.6% (2002)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:53.1 (1998)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):4.5% (2003 est.)
Labor force:34.11 million (2003)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 18%, industry 24%, services 58% (2003)
Unemployment rate:3.3% plus underemployment of perhaps 25% (2003)
Budget:revenues: $148.3 billionexpenditures: $152.4 billion, including capital expenditures of NA(2003 est.)
Public debt:23.1% of GDP (2003)
Agriculture - products:corn, wheat, soybeans, rice, beans, cotton, coffee, fruit,tomatoes; beef, poultry, dairy products; wood products
Industries:food and beverages, tobacco, chemicals, iron and steel, petroleum,mining, textiles, clothing, motor vehicles, consumer durables,tourism
Industrial production growth rate:-0.7% (2003 est.)
Electricity - production:198.6 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:186.7 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:77 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:2.068 billion kWh (2001)
Oil - production:3.59 million bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:1.507 million bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:1.881 million bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports:374,700 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:15.11 billion bbl (1 January 2003)
Natural gas - production:36.87 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:38.84 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:254 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:2.967 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:969.2 billion cu m (1 January 2003)
Current account balance:$-9.15 billion (2003)
Exports:$164.8 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities:manufactured goods, oil and oil products, silver, fruits,vegetables, coffee, cotton
Exports - partners:US 87.6%, Canada 1.8%, Germany 1.2% (2003)
Imports:$168.9 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities:metalworking machines, steel mill products, agricultural machinery,electrical equipment, car parts for assembly, repair parts for motorvehicles, aircraft, and aircraft parts
Imports - partners:US 61.8%, China 5.5%, Japan 4.5% (2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:$59.02 billion (2003)
Debt - external:$159.8 billion (2003 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$1.166 billion (1995)
Currency:Mexican peso (MXN)
Currency code:MXN
Exchange rates:Mexican pesos per US dollar - 10.789 (2003), 9.656 (2002), 9.3423(2001), 9.4556 (2000), 9.5604 (1999)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Mexico
Telephones - main lines in use:15,958,700 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular:28.125 million (2003)
Telephone system:general assessment: low telephone density with about 15.2 mainlines per 100 persons; privatized in December 1990; the opening tocompetition in January 1997 improved prospects for development, butTelemex remains dominantdomestic: adequate telephone service for business and government,but the population is poorly served; mobile subscribers faroutnumber fixed-line subscribers; domestic satellite system with 120earth stations; extensive microwave radio relay network;considerable use of fiber-optic cable and coaxial cableinternational: country code - 52; satellite earth stations - 32Intelsat, 2 Solidaridad (giving Mexico improved access to SouthAmerica, Central America, and much of the US as well as enhancingdomestic communications), numerous Inmarsat mobile earth stations;linked to Central American Microwave System of trunk connections;high capacity Columbus-2 fiber-optic submarine cable with access tothe US, Virgin Islands, Canary Islands, Morocco, Spain, and Italy(1997)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 850, FM 545, shortwave 15 (2003)
Radios:31 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:236 (plus repeaters) (1997)
Televisions:25.6 million (1997)
Internet country code:.mx
Internet hosts:1,333,406 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):51 (2000)
Internet users:10.033 million (2002)
Transportation Mexico
Railways: total: 19,510 km standard gauge: 19,510 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)
Highways:total: 329,532 kmpaved: 108,087 km (including 6,429 km of expressways)unpaved: 221,445 km (1999 est.)
Waterways:2,900 kmnote: navigable rivers and coastal canals (2004)
Pipelines:crude oil 28,200 km; petroleum products 10,150 km; natural gas13,254 km; petrochemical 1,400 km (2003)
Ports and harbors:Acapulco, Altamira, Bahias de Huatulco, Cabo San Lucas,Coatzacoalcos, Dos Bocas, Ensenada, Guaymas, Lazaro Cardenas,Manzanillo, Mazatlan, Puerto Progreso, Puerto Madero, PuertoVallarta, Salina Cruz, Tampico, Topolobampo, Tuxpan, Veracruz (2003)
Merchant marine:total: 50 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 649,389 GRT/942,766 DWTby type: bulk 1, cargo 3, chemical tanker 3, combination ore/oil 1,liquefied gas 5, petroleum tanker 25, roll on/roll off 9,short-sea/passenger 3foreign-owned: Denmark 1, Germany 1, Greece 1, Marshall Islands 1,Netherlands 2registered in other countries: 13 (2004 est.)
Airports:1,827 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 233over 3,047 m: 122,438 to 3,047 m: 28914 to 1,523 m: 80under 914 m: 29 (2004 est.)1,524 to 2,437 m: 84
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 1,600under 914 m: 1,075 (2004 est.)over 3,047 m: 12,438 to 3,047 m: 1914 to 1,523 m: 4541,524 to 2,437 m: 69
Heliports:2 (2003 est.)
Military Mexico
Military branches:National Defense Secretariat (Sedena) (including Army and AirForce), Navy Secretariat (including Naval Air and Marines)
Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service, conscript service obligation - 12 months; 16 years of age with consent for voluntary enlistment (2004)
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 27,374,153 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 19,755,614 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:males: 1,055,368 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$5,168.3 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:0.9% (2003)
Transnational Issues Mexico
Disputes - international:prolonged drought, population growth, and outmoded practices andinfrastructure in the border region have strained water-sharingarrangements with the US; nationals from Central America slip intoMexico seeking work or transit into the US; undocumented Mexicannationals continue to enter the United States
Refugees and internally displaced persons:IDPs: 12,000 (government's quashing of Zapatero uprising in 1994 ineastern Chiapas Region) (2004)
Illicit drugs:illicit cultivation of opium poppy (cultivation in 2001 - 4,400hectares; potential heroin production - 7 metric tons) and ofcannabis (in 2001 - 4,100 hectares); government eradication effortshave been key in keeping illicit crop levels low; major supplier ofheroin and largest foreign supplier of marijuana and methamphetamineto the US market; continues as the primary transshipment country forUS-bound cocaine from South America, accounting for about 70 percentof estimated annual cocaine movement to the US; major drugsyndicates control majority of drug trafficking throughout thecountry; producer and distributor of ecstasy; significantmoney-laundering center
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
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@Micronesia, Federated States of
Introduction Micronesia, Federated States of
Background:In 1979 the Federated States of Micronesia, a UN Trust Territoryunder US administration, adopted a constitution. In 1986independence was attained under a Compact of Free Association withthe US, which was amended and renewed in 2003. Present concernsinclude large-scale unemployment, overfishing, and overdependence onUS aid.
Geography Micronesia, Federated States of
Location:Oceania, island group in the North Pacific Ocean, aboutthree-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Indonesia
Geographic coordinates:6 55 N, 158 15 E
Map references:Oceania
Area:total: 702 sq kmnote: includes Pohnpei (Ponape), Chuuk (Truk) Islands, Yap Islands,and Kosrae (Kosaie)water: 0 sq km (fresh water only)land: 702 sq km
Area - comparative:four times the size of Washington, DC (land area only)
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:6,112 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 12 nmexclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:tropical; heavy year-round rainfall, especially in the easternislands; located on southern edge of the typhoon belt withoccasionally severe damage
Terrain:islands vary geologically from high mountainous islands to low,coral atolls; volcanic outcroppings on Pohnpei, Kosrae, and Chuuk
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 mhighest point: Dolohmwar (Totolom) 791 m
Natural resources:forests, marine products, deep-seabed minerals
Land use:arable land: 5.71%permanent crops: 45.71%other: 48.58% (2001)
Irrigated land:NA sq km
Natural hazards:typhoons (June to December)
Environment - current issues:overfishing, climate change, pollution
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, OzoneLayer Protectionsigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:four major island groups totaling 607 islands
People Micronesia, Federated States of
Population:108,155 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 37.7% (male 20,830; female 19,993)15-64 years: 59.2% (male 32,055; female 31,927)65 years and over: 3.1% (male 1,505; female 1,845) (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:-0.02% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:25.8 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:4.97 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:-20.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:1.05 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 31.28 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 34.45 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 27.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 69.44 yearsmale: 67.68 yearsfemale: 71.29 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:3.37 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: Micronesian(s) adjective: Micronesian; Chuukese, Kosraen(s), Pohnpeian(s), Yapese
Ethnic groups:nine ethnic Micronesian and Polynesian groups
Religions:Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 47%
Languages:English (official and common language), Trukese, Pohnpeian, Yapese,Kosrean, Ulithian, Woleaian, Nukuoro, Kapingamarangi
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 89%male: 91%female: 88% (1980 est.)
Government Micronesia, Federated States of
Country name:conventional long form: Federated States of Micronesiaconventional short form: noneabbreviation: FSMformer: Ponape, Truk, and Yap Districts (Trust Territory of thePacific Islands)
Government type:constitutional government in free association with the US; theCompact of Free Association entered into force 3 November 1986 andthe Amended Compact entered into force May 2004
Capital:Palikir
Administrative divisions:4 states; Chuuk (Truk), Kosrae (Kosaie), Pohnpei (Ponape), Yap
Independence:3 November 1986 (from the US-administered UN Trusteeship)
National holiday:Constitution Day, 10 May (1979)
Constitution:10 May 1979
Legal system:based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature,municipal, common, and customary laws
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Joseph J. URUSEMAL (since 11 May 2003);Vice President Redley KILLION (11 May 2003); note - the president isboth the chief of state and head of governmenthead of government: President Joseph J. URUSEMAL (since 11 May2003); Vice President Redley KILLION (11 May 2003); note - thepresident is both the chief of state and head of governmentcabinet: Cabinetelections: president and vice president elected by Congress fromamong the four senators at large for four-year terms; election lastheld 11 May 2003 (next to be held NA May 2007); note - a proposedconstitutional amendment to establish popular elections forpresident and vice president failedelection results: Joseph J. URUSEMAL elected president; percent ofCongress vote - NA; Redley KILLION elected vice president; percentof Congress vote - NA
Legislative branch:unicameral Congress (14 seats; four - one elected from each stateto serve four-year terms and 10 - elected from single-memberdistricts delineated by population to serve two-year terms; memberselected by popular vote)elections: elections for four-year term seats last held 4 March 2003(next to be held NA March 2007); elections for two-year term seatslast held 4 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2005)election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 14
Judicial branch:Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:no formal parties
International organization participation:ACP, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC, ITU,MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jesse Bibiano MAREHALAU telephone: [1] (202) 223-4383 consulate(s) general: Honolulu and Tamuning (Guam) FAX: [1] (202) 223-4391 chancery: 1725 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Suzanne K. HALE embassy: 101 Upper Pics Road, Kolonia mailing address: P. O. Box 1286, Kolonia, Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia 96941 telephone: [691] 320-2187 FAX: [691] 320-2186
Flag description:light blue with four white five-pointed stars centered; the starsare arranged in a diamond pattern
Economy Micronesia, Federated States of
Economy - overview:Economic activity consists primarily of subsistence farming andfishing. The islands have few mineral deposits worth exploiting,except for high-grade phosphate. The potential for a touristindustry exists, but the remote location, a lack of adequatefacilities, and limited air connections hinder development. InNovember 2002, the country experienced a further reduction in futurerevenues from the Compact of Free Association - the agreement withthe US in which Micronesia received $1.3 billion in financial andtechnical assistance over a 15-year period until 2001. The country'smedium-term economic outlook appears fragile due not only to thereduction in US assistance but also to the slow growth of theprivate sector. Geographical isolation and a poorly developedinfrastructure remain major impediments to long-term growth.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $277 millionnote: GDP is supplemented by grant aid, averaging perhaps $100million annually (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:1% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $2,000 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 50% industry: 4% services: 46% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line:26.7%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NAhighest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):1% (2002 est.)
Labor force:NA (2000 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:two-thirds are government employees
Unemployment rate:16% (1999 est.)
Budget:revenues: $161 million ($69 million less grants)expenditures: $160 million, including capital expenditures of NA(1998 est.)
Agriculture - products:black pepper, tropical fruits and vegetables, coconuts, cassava(tapioca), betel nuts, sweet potatoes; pigs, chickens
Industries:tourism, construction, fish processing, specialized aquaculture,craft items from shell, wood, and pearls
Industrial production growth rate:NA
Electricity - production:NA kWh
Electricity - consumption:NA kWh
Exports:$22 million (f.o.b.) (FY99/00 est.)
Exports - commodities:fish, garments, bananas, black pepper
Exports - partners:Japan, US, Guam (2000)
Imports:$149 million f.o.b. (FY99/00 est.)
Imports - commodities:food, manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, beverages
Imports - partners:US, Australia, Japan (2000)
Debt - external:$53.1 million (FY02/03 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:under terms of the Compact of Free Association, the US pledged $1.3billion in grant aid during the period 1986-2001
Currency:US dollar (USD)
Currency code:USD
Exchange rates:the US dollar is used
Fiscal year:1 October - 30 September
Communications Micronesia, Federated States of
Telephones - main lines in use:10,100 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular:1,800 (2002)
Telephone system:general assessment: adequate systemdomestic: islands interconnected by shortwave radiotelephone (usedmostly for government purposes), satellite (Intelsat) groundstations, and some coaxial and fiber-optic cable; cellular serviceavailable on Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yapinternational: country code - 691; satellite earth stations - 5Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2002)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 5, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)
Radios:9,400 (1996)
Television broadcast stations:3; note - cable TV also available (2004)
Televisions:2,800 (1999)
Internet country code:.fm
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1 (2000)
Internet users:6,000 (2002)
Transportation Micronesia, Federated States of
Highways: total: 240 km paved: 42 km unpaved: 198 km (1999 est.)
Ports and harbors:Colonia (Yap), Kolonia (Pohnpei), Lele, Moen
Merchant marine:none (2004 est.)
Airports:6 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 61,524 to 2,437 m: 4914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Military Micronesia, Federated States of
Military - note:Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) is a sovereign, self-governingstate in free association with the US; FSM is totally dependent onthe US for its defense
Transnational Issues Micronesia, Federated States of
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
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@Midway Islands
Introduction Midway Islands
Background:The US took formal possession of the islands in 1867. The laying ofthe trans-Pacific cable, which passed through the islands, broughtthe first residents in 1903. Between 1935 and 1947, Midway was usedas a refueling stop for trans-Pacific flights. The US naval victoryover a Japanese fleet off Midway in 1942 was one of the turningpoints of World War II. The islands continued to serve as a navalstation until closed in 1993. Today the islands are a nationalwildlife refuge. From 1996 to 2001 the refuge was open to thepublic; it is now temporarily closed.
Geography Midway Islands
Location:Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-third of theway from Honolulu to Tokyo
Geographic coordinates:28 13 N, 177 22 W
Map references:Oceania
Area:total: 6.2 sq kmnote: includes Eastern Island, Sand Island, and Spit Islandwater: 0 sq kmland: 6.2 sq km
Area - comparative:about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:15 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:subtropical; moderated by prevailing easterly winds
Terrain:low, nearly level
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 13 m
Natural resources: wildlife, terrestrial and aquatic
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)
Irrigated land:0 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:NA
Environment - current issues:NA
Geography - note:a coral atoll managed as a national wildlife refuge and open to thepublic for wildlife-related recreation in the form of wildlifeobservation and photography, sport fishing, snorkeling, and scubadiving; the refuge is temporarily closed for reorganization atpresent (2004)
People Midway Islands
Population:no indigenous inhabitants; approximately 40 people make up thestaff of US Fish and Wildlife Service and their services contractorliving at the atoll (July 2004 est.)
Government Midway Islands
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Midway Islands
Dependency status:unincorporated territory of the US; formerly administered fromWashington, DC, by the US Navy, under Naval Facilities EngineeringCommand, Pacific Division; this facility has been operationallyclosed since 10 September 1993; on 31 October 1996, through apresidential executive order, the jurisdiction and control of theatoll was transferred to the Fish and Wildlife Service of the USDepartment of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refugesystem
Legal system:the laws of the US, where applicable, apply
Flag description:the flag of the US is used
Economy Midway Islands
Economy - overview:The economy is based on providing support services for the nationalwildlife refuge activities located on the islands. All food andmanufactured goods must be imported.
Transportation Midway Islands
Highways: total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km
Ports and harbors:Sand Island
Airports:3 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 21,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 1914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Transportation - note:airfield serves as an emergency landing site for commercialaircraft crossing the Pacific Ocean
Military Midway Islands
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US
Transnational Issues Midway Islands
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
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@Moldova
Introduction Moldova
Background:Formerly part of Romania, Moldova was incorporated into the SovietUnion at the close of World War II. Although independent from theUSSR since 1991, Russian forces have remained on Moldovan territoryeast of the Dniester River supporting the Slavic majoritypopulation, mostly Ukrainians and Russians, who have proclaimed a"Transnistria" republic. The poorest nation in Europe, Moldovabecame the first former Soviet state to elect a Communist as itspresident in 2001.
Geography Moldova
Location:Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania
Geographic coordinates:47 00 N, 29 00 E
Map references:Europe
Area:total: 33,843 sq kmwater: 472 sq kmland: 33,371 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly larger than Maryland
Land boundaries: total: 1,389 km border countries: Romania 450 km, Ukraine 939 km
Coastline:0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:none (landlocked)
Climate:moderate winters, warm summers
Terrain:rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Dniester River 2 m highest point: Dealul Balanesti 430 m
Natural resources: lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, arable land, limestone
Land use: arable land: 55.3% permanent crops: 10.79% other: 33.91% (2001)
Irrigated land:3,070 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:landslides (57 cases in 1998)
Environment - current issues: heavy use of agricultural chemicals, including banned pesticides such as DDT, has contaminated soil and groundwater; extensive soil erosion from poor farming methods
Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants
Geography - note:landlocked; well endowed with various sedimentary rocks andminerals including sand, gravel, gypsum, and limestone
People Moldova
Population:4,446,455 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 20.6% (male 466,485; female 449,645)15-64 years: 69.1% (male 1,478,220; female 1,595,695)65 years and over: 10.3% (male 169,026; female 287,384) (2004 est.)
Median age:total: 32.1 yearsmale: 29.9 yearsfemale: 34.3 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:0.18% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:14.81 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:12.76 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:-0.26 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: 0.93 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 41 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 37.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)male: 43.96 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 65.03 yearsmale: 60.88 yearsfemale: 69.39 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.78 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:0.2% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:5,500 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:less than 300 (2001 est.)
Nationality:noun: Moldovan(s)adjective: Moldovan
Ethnic groups:Moldovan/Romanian 64.5%, Ukrainian 13.8%, Russian 13%, Jewish 1.5%,Bulgarian 2%, Gagauz and other 5.2% (1989 est.)note: internal disputes with ethnic Slavs in the Transnistrian region
Religions:Eastern Orthodox 98%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist and other 0.5% (2000)
Languages:Moldovan (official, virtually the same as the Romanian language),Russian, Gagauz (a Turkish dialect)
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 99.1%male: 99.6%female: 98.7% (2003 est.)
Government Moldova
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Moldovaconventional short form: Moldovalocal long form: Republica Moldovaformer: Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic; Moldovan SovietSocialist Republiclocal short form: none
Government type:republic
Capital:Chisinau
Administrative divisions:32 raions (raioane, singular - raionul), 3 municipalities(municipiul), 1 autonomous territorial unit (unitatea teritorialaautonoma), and 1 territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala): counties: Anenii Noi, Basarabeasca, Briceni, Cahul, Cantemir,Calarasi, Causeni, Cimislia, Criuleni, Donduseni, Drochia, Dubasari,Edinet, Falesti, Floresti, Glodeni, Hincesti, Ialoveni, Leova,Nisporeni, Ocnita, Orhei, Rezina, Riscani, Singerei, Soldanesti,Soroca, Stefan-Voda, Straseni, Taraclia, Telenesti, Ungheni: municipalities: Balti, Bender, Chisinau: territorial unit: Stinga Nistrului: autonomous territorial unit: Gagauzia
Independence:27 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday:Independence Day, 27 August (1991)
Constitution:new constitution adopted 28 July 1994; replaces old Sovietconstitution of 1979
Legal system:based on civil law system; Constitutional Court reviews legality oflegislative acts and governmental decisions of resolution; it isunclear if Moldova accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction but acceptsmany UN and Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe(OSCE) documents
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Vladimir VORONIN (since 4 April 2001)elections: president elected by Parliament for a four-year term;election last held 4 April 2001 (next to be held NA 2005); note -presidential elections were scheduled for December 2000, but in July2000, Parliament canceled direct, popular elections; Parliament'sfailure to choose a new president in December 2000 led to earlyparliamentary elections in February 2001; prime minister designatedby the president, upon consultation with Parliament; note - within15 days from designation, the prime minister-designate must requesta vote of confidence from the Parliament regarding his/her workprogram and entire cabinet; prime minister designated 15 April 2001,cabinet received a vote of confidence 19 April 2001election results: Vladimir VORONIN elected president; parliamentaryvotes - Vladimir VORONIN 71, Dumitru BRAGHIS 15, Valerian CRISTEA 3;Vasile TARLEV designated prime minister; parliamentary votes ofconfidence - 75 of 101cabinet: selected by president, subject to approval of Parliamenthead of government: Prime Minister Vasile TARLEV (since 15 April2001), First Deputy Prime Minister Vasile IOVV (since 29 January2002)
Legislative branch:unicameral Parliament or Parlamentul (101 seats; parties andelectoral blocs elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)elections: last held 25 February 2001 (next to be held NA 2005)election results: percent of vote by party - PCRM 50.1%, BraghisAlliance (now Our Moldova Alliance) 13.4%, PPCD 8.2%, other parties28.3%; seats by party - PCRM 71, Braghis Alliance (now Our MoldovaAlliance) 19, PPCD 11
Judicial branch:Supreme Court; Constitutional Court (the sole authority forconstitutional judicature)
Political parties and leaders:Democratic Modova Bloc [Serafim URECHEANU] includes: DemocraticParty [Dumitru DIACOV], Our Moldova Alliance [Dumitru BRAGHIS,Serafim URECHEANU], Social Liberal Party [Oleg SEREBRIAN]; CommunistParty of the Republic of Moldova or PCRM [Vladimir VORONIN, firstchairman]; Popular Christian Democratic Party or PPCD [Iurie ROSCA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:ACCT, BSEC, CE, CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GUUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, OPCW, OSCE, PFP,UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO,WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mihail MANOLI FAX: [1] (202) 667-1204 telephone: [1] (202) 667-1130 chancery: 2101 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Heather M. HODGES embassy: 103 Mateevici Street, Chisinau MD-2009 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [373] (22) 408-300 FAX: [373] (22) 23-30-44
Flag description:same color scheme as Romania - three equal vertical bands of blue(hoist side), yellow, and red; emblem in center of flag is of aRoman eagle of gold outlined in black with a red beak and talonscarrying a yellow cross in its beak and a green olive branch in itsright talons and a yellow scepter in its left talons; on its breastis a shield divided horizontally red over blue with a stylized oxhead, star, rose, and crescent all in black-outlined yellow
Economy Moldova
Economy - overview:Moldova remains the poorest country in Europe despite recentprogress from its small economic base. It enjoys a favorable climateand good farmland but has no major mineral deposits. As a result,the economy depends heavily on agriculture, featuring fruits,vegetables, wine, and tobacco. Moldova must import almost all of itsenergy supplies from Russia. Energy shortages contributed to sharpproduction declines after the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991.As part of an ambitious reform effort, Moldova introduced aconvertible currency, freed prices, stopped issuing preferentialcredits to state enterprises, backed steady land privatization,removed export controls, and freed interest rates. The governmententered into agreements with the World Bank and the IMF to promotegrowth and reduce poverty. The economy returned to positive growth,of 2.1% in 2000, 6.1% in 2001, 7.2% in 2002, and 6.3% in 2003.Further reforms will come slowly because of strong political forcesbacking government controls. The economy remains vulnerable tohigher fuel prices, poor agricultural weather, and the skepticism offoreign investors.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $7.792 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:6.3% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $1,800 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 21% industry: 27% services: 52% (2003)
Investment (gross fixed):17.2% of GDP (2003)
Population below poverty line:80% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.2% highest 10%: 30.7% (1997)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:40.6 (1997)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):11.6% (2003 est.)
Labor force:1.383 million (2003)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 40%, industry 14%, services 46% (1998)
Unemployment rate:8% (roughly 25% of working age Moldovans are employed abroad) (2002est.)
Budget:revenues: $474.8 millionexpenditures: $443.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA(2003 est.)
Public debt:88.4% of GDP (2003)
Agriculture - products:vegetables, fruits, wine, grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed,tobacco; beef, milk
Industries:food processing, agricultural machinery, foundry equipment,refrigerators and freezers, washing machines, hosiery, sugar,vegetable oil, shoes, textiles
Industrial production growth rate:17% (2003 est.)
Electricity - production:3.394 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:3.216 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:60 million kWh (2001)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:24,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Natural gas - production:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:2.05 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:2.05 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Current account balance:$-135 million (2003)
Exports:$790 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities:foodstuffs, textiles, machinery
Exports - partners:Russia 39%, Romania 11.4%, Italy 10.4%, Germany 7.1%, Ukraine 7.1%,Belarus 5.2%, US 4.3% (2003)
Imports:$1.34 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities:mineral products and fuel 32%, machinery and equipment, chemicals,textiles (2000)
Imports - partners:Ukraine 22%, Russia 13%, Germany 9.7%, Italy 8.3%, Romania 7% (2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:$302.3 million (2003)
Debt - external:$1.515 billion (2003)
Economic aid - recipient:$100 million (2000)
Currency:Moldovan leu (MDL)
Currency code:MDL
Exchange rates:lei per US dollar - 13.9449 (2003), 13.5705 (2002), 12.8651 (2001),12.4342 (2000), 10.5158 (1999)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Moldova
Telephones - main lines in use:706,900 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:338,200 (2002)
Telephone system:general assessment: inadequate, outmoded, poor service outsideChisinau; some effort to modernize is under waydomestic: new subscribers face long wait for service; mobilecellular telephone service being introducedinternational: country code - 373; service through Romania andRussia via landline; satellite earth stations - Intelsat, Eutelsat,and Intersputnik
Radio broadcast stations:AM 7, FM 50, shortwave 3 (1998)
Radios:3.22 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:1 (plus 30 repeaters) (1995)
Televisions:1.26 million (1997)
Internet country code:.md
Internet hosts:11,984 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):2 (1999)
Internet users:150,000 (2002)
Transportation Moldova
Railways:total: 1,138 kmbroad gauge: 1,124 km 1.520-m gaugestandard gauge: 14 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)
Highways:total: 12,657 kmpaved: 11,012 kmunpaved: 1,645 km (1999)
Waterways:424 km (2004)
Pipelines:gas 606 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:none
Merchant marine:total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,636 GRT/1,088 DWTforeign-owned: 2 Russia 1registered in other countries: 4by type: cargo 1
Airports:24 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 6over 3,047 m: 12,438 to 3,047 m: 21,524 to 2,437 m: 2under 914 m: 1 (2003 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 182,438 to 3,047 m: 21,524 to 2,437 m: 1914 to 1,523 m: 4under 914 m: 11 (2003 est.)
Military Moldova