Exports:$632 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities:coffee, shrimp and lobster, cotton, tobacco, bananas, beef, sugar,gold
Exports - partners:US 35.9%, El Salvador 17.2%, Costa Rica 8.1%, Honduras 7.3%, Mexico4.6%, Guatemala 4.3% (2003)
Imports:$1.658 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery and equipment, raw materials, petroleum products,consumer goods
Imports - partners:US 24.9%, Venezuela 9.7%, Costa Rica 9%, Mexico 8.4%, Guatemala7.3%, El Salvador 4.9%, Japan 4.3% (2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:$502 million (2003)
Debt - external:$5.833 billion (2003 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:Substantial foreign support (2001)
Currency:gold cordoba (NIO)
Currency code:NIO
Exchange rates:gold cordobas per US dollar - 14.2513 (2003), 14.2513 (2002),13.3719 (2001), 12.6844 (2000), 11.8092 (1999)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Nicaragua
Telephones - main lines in use:171,600 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:202,800 (2002)
Telephone system:general assessment: inadequate system being upgraded by foreigninvestmentdomestic: low-capacity microwave radio relay and wire system beingexpanded; connected to Central American Microwave Systeminternational: country code - 505; satellite earth stations - 1Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) and 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 63, FM 32, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios:1.24 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:3 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (1997)
Televisions:320,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.ni
Internet hosts:7,094 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):3 (2000)
Internet users:90,000 (2002)
Transportation Nicaragua
Railways: total: 6 km narrow gauge: 6 km 1.067-m gauge (2003)
Highways: total: 19,032 km paved: 2,094 km unpaved: 16,938 km (2000)
Waterways:2,220 km (including lakes Managua and Nicaragua) (1997)
Pipelines:oil 54 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:Bluefields, Corinto, El Bluff, Puerto Cabezas, Puerto Sandino,Rama, San Juan del Sur
Merchant marine:none
Airports:176 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 165 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 141 (2004 est.)
Military Nicaragua
Military branches:Army (includes Navy), Navy
Military manpower - military age and obligation:17 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 1,399,356 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 858,022 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:males: 61,869 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$30.8 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:1.2% (2003)
Transnational Issues Nicaragua
Disputes - international:territorial disputes with Colombia over the Archipelago de SanAndres y Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank region; the 1992 ICJruling for El Salvador and Honduras advised a tripartite resolutionto establish a maritime boundary in the Gulf of Fonseca, whichconsiders Honduran access to the Pacific; legal dispute overnavigational rights of San Juan River on border with Costa Rica
Illicit drugs:transshipment point for cocaine destined for the US andtransshipment point for arms-for-drugs dealing
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
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@Niger
Introduction Niger
Background:Not until 1993, 33 years after independence from France, did Nigerhold its first free and open elections. A 1995 peace accord ended afive-year Tuareg insurgency in the north. Coups in 1996 and 1999were followed by the creation of a National Reconciliation Councilthat effected a transition to civilian rule by December 1999. Nigeris one of the poorest countries in the world with minimal governmentservices and insufficient funds to develop its resource base. Thelargely agrarian and subsistence-based economy is frequentlydisrupted by extended droughts common to the Sahel region of Africa.
Geography Niger
Location:Western Africa, southeast of Algeria
Geographic coordinates:16 00 N, 8 00 E
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 1.267 million sq kmwater: 300 sq kmland: 1,266,700 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Land boundaries:total: 5,697 kmborder countries: Algeria 956 km, Benin 266 km, Burkina Faso 628 km,Chad 1,175 km, Libya 354 km, Mali 821 km, Nigeria 1,497 km
Coastline:0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:none (landlocked)
Climate:desert; mostly hot, dry, dusty; tropical in extreme south
Terrain:predominately desert plains and sand dunes; flat to rolling plainsin south; hills in north
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Niger River 200 mhighest point: Mont Bagzane 2,022 m
Natural resources:uranium, coal, iron ore, tin, phosphates, gold, petroleum
Land use: arable land: 3.54% permanent crops: 0.01% other: 96.45% (2001)
Irrigated land:660 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:recurring droughts
Environment - current issues:overgrazing; soil erosion; deforestation; desertification; wildlifepopulations (such as elephant, hippopotamus, giraffe, and lion)threatened because of poaching and habitat destruction
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, EndangeredSpecies, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone LayerProtection, Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of theSea
Geography - note:landlocked; one of the hottest countries in the world: northernfour-fifths is desert, southern one-fifth is savanna, suitable forlivestock and limited agriculture
People Niger
Population:11,360,538 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 47.5% (male 2,749,039; female 2,643,479)15-64 years: 50.4% (male 2,799,125; female 2,925,133)65 years and over: 2.1% (male 128,101; female 115,661) (2004 est.)
Median age:total: 16.2 yearsmale: 15.7 yearsfemale: 16.7 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:2.67% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:48.91 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:21.51 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:-0.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female65 years and over: 1.11 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 122.66 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 118.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)male: 126.96 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 42.18 yearsmale: 42.38 yearsfemale: 41.97 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:6.83 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:1.2% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:70,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:4,800 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:typhoid fever, malariaoverall degree of risk: very high (2004)
Nationality:noun: Nigerien(s)adjective: Nigerien
Ethnic groups:Hausa 56%, Djerma 22%, Fula 8.5%, Tuareg 8%, Beri Beri (Kanouri)4.3%, Arab, Toubou, and Gourmantche 1.2%, about 1,200 Frenchexpatriates
Religions:Muslim 80%, remainder indigenous beliefs and Christian
Languages:French (official), Hausa, Djerma
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 17.6%male: 25.8%female: 9.7% (2003 est.)
Government Niger
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Nigerconventional short form: Nigerlocal short form: Nigerlocal long form: Republique du Niger
Government type:republic
Capital:Niamey
Administrative divisions:7 departments (departements, singular - departement) and 1 capitaldistrict* (capitale district); Agadez, Diffa, Dosso, Maradi,Niamey*, Tahoua, Tillaberi, Zinder
Independence:3 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday:Republic Day, 18 December (1958)
Constitution:a new constitution was adopted 18 July 1999
Legal system:based on French civil law system and customary law; has notaccepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President TANDJA Mamadou (since 22 December 1999);note - the president is both chief of state and head of governmenthead of government: President TANDJA Mamadou (since 22 December1999); note - the president is both chief of state and head ofgovernment; Prime Minister Hama AMADOU (since 31 December 1999) wasappointed by the president and shares some executiveresponsibilities with the presidentcabinet: 23-member Cabinet appointed by the presidentelections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;second round last held 4 December 2004 (next to be held December2009); prime minister appointed by the presidentelection results: TANDJA Mamadou reelected president; percent ofvote - TANDJA Mamadou 65.5%, Mahamadou ISSOUFOU 34.5%
Legislative branch:unicameral National Assembly (113 seats; note - expanded from 83seats; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms)elections: last held 4 December 2004 (next to be held December 2009)election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -MNSD 47, CDS 22, PNDS 17, Social Democratic Rally 7 RDP 6i ANDP 5,Party for Socialism and Democarcy in Niger 1, other 8
Judicial branch:State Court or Cour d'Etat; Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel
Political parties and leaders:Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ANDP [leader NA]; DemocraticRally of the People-Jama'a or RDP-Jama'a [Hamid ALGABID]; Democraticand Social Convention-Rahama or CDS-Rahama [Mahamane OUSMANE];National Movement for a Developing Society-Nassara or MNSD-Nassara[Mamadou TANDJA, chairman]; Nigerien Alliance for Democracy andSocial Progress-Zaman Lahiya or ANDPS-Zaman Lahiya [Moumouni AdamouDJERMAKOYE]; Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism-Tarayya orPNDS-Tarayya [Mahamadou ISSOUFOU]; Party for Socialism and Democracyin Niger [leader NA]; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP[leader NA]; Union of Democratic Patriots and Progressives-Chamouaor UPDP-Chamoua [Professor Andre' SALIFOU, chairman]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MONUC, NAM, OIC, ONUB,OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WADB (regional),WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph DIATTA FAX: [1] (202)483-3169 telephone: [1] (202) 483-4224 through 4227 chancery: 2204 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Gail Dennise Thomas MATHIEU embassy: Rue Des Ambassades, Niamey mailing address: B. P. 11201, Niamey telephone: [227] 72 26 61 through 72 26 64 FAX: [227] 73 31 67, 72-31-46
Flag description:three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and green witha small orange disk (representing the sun) centered in the whiteband; similar to the flag of India, which has a blue spoked wheelcentered in the white band
Economy Niger
Economy - overview:Niger is a poor, landlocked Sub-Saharan nation, whose economycenters on subsistence agriculture, animal husbandry, and reexporttrade, and increasingly less on uranium, because of declining worlddemand. The 50% devaluation of the West African franc in January1994 boosted exports of livestock, cowpeas, onions, and the productsof Niger's small cotton industry. The government relies on bilateraland multilateral aid - which was suspended following the April 1999coup d'etat - for operating expenses and public investment. In2000-01, the World Bank approved a structural adjustment loan of$105 million to help support fiscal reforms. However, reforms couldprove difficult given the government's bleak financial situation.The IMF approved a $73 million poverty reduction and growth facilityfor Niger in 2000 and announced $115 million in debt relief underthe Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. Furtherdisbursements of aid occurred in 2002. Future growth may besustained by exploitation of oil, gold, coal, and other mineralresources.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $9.062 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:3.8% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $800 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 39% industry: 17% services: 44% (2001)
Population below poverty line: 63% (1993 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.8% highest 10%: 35.4% (1995)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:50.5 (1995)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):3% (2002 est.)
Labor force:70,000 receive regular wages or salaries (2002 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 90%, industry and commerce 6%, government 4%
Unemployment rate:NA (2002 est.)
Budget:revenues: $320 million - including $134 million from foreign sourcesexpenditures: $320 million, including capital expenditures of $178million (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products:cowpeas, cotton, peanuts, millet, sorghum, cassava (tapioca), rice;cattle, sheep, goats, camels, donkeys, horses, poultry
Industries:uranium mining, cement, brick, textiles, food processing,chemicals, slaughterhouses
Industrial production growth rate:NA (2001 est.)
Electricity - production:242 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:325.1 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:100 million kWh (2001)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:5,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Exports:$280 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities:uranium ore, livestock, cowpeas, onions
Exports - partners:France 42.2%, Nigeria 28.9%, Japan 17.2%, Spain 4.4% (2003)
Imports:$400 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities:foodstuffs, machinery, vehicles and parts, petroleum, cereals
Imports - partners:France 16.4%, Cote d'Ivoire 13.8%, China 10.5%, Nigeria 7.7%, US5.5%, Japan 4.9% (2003)
Debt - external:$1.6 billion (1999 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$341 million (1997)
Currency:Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsibleauthority is the Central Bank of the West African States
Currency code:XOF
Exchange rates:Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 581.2(2003), 696.988 (2002), 733.039 (2001), 711.976 (2000), 615.699(1999)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Niger
Telephones - main lines in use:22,400 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:24,000 (2003)
Telephone system:general assessment: small system of wire, radio telephonecommunications, and microwave radio relay links concentrated in thesouthwestern area of Nigerdomestic: wire, radiotelephone communications, and microwave radiorelay; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations and 1 plannedinternational: country code - 227; satellite earth stations - 2Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 5, FM 6, shortwave 4 (2001)
Radios:680,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:3 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (2002)
Televisions:125,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.ne
Internet hosts:134 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1 (2002)
Internet users:15,000 (2002)
Transportation Niger
Highways:total: 10,100 kmpaved: 798 kmunpaved: 9,302 km (1999 est.)
Waterways:300 kmnote: Niger River is navigable to Gaya between September and March(2004)
Ports and harbors:none
Airports:27 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 92,438 to 3,047 m: 21,524 to 2,437 m: 6under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 181,524 to 2,437 m: 2914 to 1,523 m: 14under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Military Niger
Military branches:Army, Air Force, National Intervention and Security Force
Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 2 years (2004)
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 2,460,637 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 1,333,027 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:males: 122,363 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$21.7 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:1.1% (2003)
Transnational Issues Niger
Disputes - international:Libya claims about 25,000 sq km in a currently dormant dispute;much of Benin-Niger boundary, including tripoint with Nigeria,remains undemarcated, and ICJ ad hoc judges have been selected torule on disputed Niger and Mekrou River islands; Lake ChadCommission continues to urge signatories Cameroon, Chad, Niger, andNigeria to ratify delimitation treaty over the lake region, whichremains the site of armed clashes among local populations andmilitias
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
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@Nigeria
Introduction Nigeria
Background:Following nearly 16 years of military rule, a new constitution wasadopted in 1999, and a peaceful transition to civilian governmentwas completed. The president faces the daunting task of rebuilding apetroleum-based economy, whose revenues have been squandered throughcorruption and mismanagement, and institutionalizing democracy. Inaddition, the OBASANJO administration must defuse longstandingethnic and religious tensions, if it is to build a sound foundationfor economic growth and political stability. Despite someirregularities, the April 2003 elections marked the first civiliantransfer of power in Nigeria's history.
Geography Nigeria
Location:Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Benin andCameroon
Geographic coordinates:10 00 N, 8 00 E
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 923,768 sq kmwater: 13,000 sq kmland: 910,768 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly more than twice the size of California
Land boundaries:total: 4,047 kmborder countries: Benin 773 km, Cameroon 1,690 km, Chad 87 km, Niger1,497 km
Coastline:853 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate:varies; equatorial in south, tropical in center, arid in north
Terrain:southern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus; mountainsin southeast, plains in north
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 mhighest point: Chappal Waddi 2,419 m
Natural resources:natural gas, petroleum, tin, columbite, iron ore, coal, limestone,lead, zinc, arable land
Land use: arable land: 31.29% permanent crops: 2.96% other: 65.75% (2001)
Irrigated land:2,330 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:periodic droughts; flooding
Environment - current issues:soil degradation; rapid deforestation; urban air and waterpollution; desertification; oil pollution - water, air, and soil;has suffered serious damage from oil spills; loss of arable land;rapid urbanization
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, EndangeredSpecies, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, MarineLife Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:the Niger enters the country in the northwest and flows southwardthrough tropical rain forests and swamps to its delta in the Gulf ofGuinea
People Nigeria
Population:137,253,133note: 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: 43.4% (male 29,985,427; female 29,637,684)15-64 years: 53.7% (male 37,502,756; female 36,205,442)65 years and over: 2.9% (male 1,944,260; female 1,977,564) (2004est.)
Median age: total: 18.1 years male: 18.2 years female: 17.9 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:2.45% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:38.24 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:13.99 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:0.26 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: 1.04 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 70.49 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 67.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)male: 73.55 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 50.49 yearsmale: 50.35 yearsfemale: 50.63 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:5.32 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:5.4% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:3.6 million (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:310,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:typhoid fever, malaria, Lassa feveroverall degree of risk: very high (2004)
Nationality:noun: Nigerian(s)adjective: Nigerian
Ethnic groups:Nigeria, which is Africa's most populous country, is composed ofmore than 250 ethnic groups; the following are the most populous andpolitically influential: Hausa and Fulani 29%, Yoruba 21%, Igbo(Ibo) 18%, Ijaw 10%, Kanuri 4%, Ibibio 3.5%, Tiv 2.5%
Religions:Muslim 50%, Christian 40%, indigenous beliefs 10%
Languages:English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo (Ibo), Fulani
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 68%male: 75.7%female: 60.6% (2003 est.)
Government Nigeria
Country name:conventional long form: Federal Republic of Nigeriaconventional short form: Nigeria
Government type:republic transitioning from military to civilian rule
Capital:Abuja; note - on 12 December 1991 the capital was officiallytransferred from Lagos to Abuja; most federal government officeshave now made the move to Abuja
Administrative divisions:36 states and 1 territory*; Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra,Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo,Ekiti, Enugu, Federal Capital Territory*, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa,Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nassarawa, Niger,Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara
Independence:1 October 1960 (from UK)
National holiday:Independence Day (National Day), 1 October (1960)
Constitution:new constitution adopted May 1999
Legal system:based on English common law, Islamic Shariah law (only in somenorthern states), and traditional law
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Olusegun OBASANJO (since 29 May 1999);note - the president is both the chief of state and head ofgovernmenthead of government: President Olusegun OBASANJO (since 29 May 1999);note - the president is both the chief of state and head ofgovernmentcabinet: Federal Executive Councilelections: president is elected by popular vote for no more than twofour-year terms; election last held 19 April 2003 (next to be heldNA 2007)election results: Olusegun OBASANJO elected president; percent ofvote - Olusegun OBASANJO (PDP) 61.9%, Muhammadu BUHARI (ANPP) 31.2%,Chukwuemeka Odumegwu OJUKWU (APGA) 3.3%, other 3.6%
Legislative branch:bicameral National Assembly consists of Senate (107 seats, memberselected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and House ofRepresentatives (346 seats, members elected by popular vote to servefour-year terms)elections: Senate - last held 12 April 2003 (next to be held NA2007); House of Representatives - last held 12 April 2003 (next tobe held NA 2007)election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PDP 53.6%,ANPP 27.9%, AD 9.7%; seats by party - PDP 73, ANPP 28, AD 6; Houseof Representatives - percent of vote by party - PDP 54.5%, ANPP27.4%, AD 9.3%, other 8.8%; seats by party - PDP 213, ANPP 95, AD31, other 7; note - two constituencies are not reported
Judicial branch:Supreme Court (judges appointed by the President); Federal Court ofAppeal (judges are appointed by the federal government on the adviceof the Advisory Judicial Committee)
Political parties and leaders:Alliance for Democracy or AD [Alhaji Adamu ABDULKADIR]; All NigeriaPeoples' Party or ANPP [Don ETIEBET]; All Progressives GrandAlliance or APGA [Chekwas OKORIE]; National Democratic Party or NDP[Aliyu Habu FARI]; Peoples Democratic Party or PDP [Audu OGBEH];Peoples Redemption Party or PRP [Abdulkadir Balarabe MUSA]; PeoplesSalvation Party or PSP [Lawal MAITURARE]; United Nigeria PeoplesParty or UNPP [Saleh JAMBO]
Political pressure groups and leaders:Nigerian Labor Congress or NLC [Adams OSHIOMOLE]
International organization participation:ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC, ONUB,OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR,UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Jibril Muhammad AMINUconsulate(s) general: Atlanta and New YorkFAX: [1] (202) 775-1385telephone: [1] (202) 986-8400chancery: 3519 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Howard Franklin JETERembassy: 7 Mambilla Drive, Abujamailing address: P. O. Box 554, Lagostelephone: [234] (9) 523-0916/0906/5857/2235/2205FAX: [234] (9) 523-0353
Flag description:three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and green
Economy Nigeria
Economy - overview:Oil-rich Nigeria, long hobbled by political instability,corruption, inadequate infrastructure, and poor macroeconomicmanagement, is undertaking some reforms under the new civilianadministration. Nigeria's former military rulers failed to diversifythe economy away from overdependence on the capital-intensive oilsector, which provides 20% of GDP, 95% of foreign exchange earnings,and about 65% of budgetary revenues. The largely subsistenceagricultural sector has failed to keep up with rapid populationgrowth - Nigeria is Africa's most populous country - and thecountry, once a large net exporter of food, now must import food.Following the signing of an IMF stand-by agreement in August 2000,Nigeria received a debt-restructuring deal from the Paris Club and a$1 billion credit from the IMF, both contingent on economic reforms.Nigeria pulled out of its IMF program in April 2002, after failingto meet spending and exchange rate targets, making it ineligible foradditional debt forgiveness from the Paris Club. The government haslacked the political will to implement the market-oriented reformsurged by the IMF, such as to modernize the banking system, to curbinflation by blocking excessive wage demands, and to resolveregional disputes over the distribution of earnings from the oilindustry. During 2003, however, the government deregulated fuelprices and announced the privatization of the country's four oilrefineries. GDP growth probably will rise marginally in 2004, led byoil and natural gas exports.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $114.8 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:7.1% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $900 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 30.8% industry: 43.8% services: 25.4% (2003 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):27.7% of GDP (2003)
Population below poverty line:60% (2000 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.6% highest 10%: 40.8% (1996-97)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:50.6 (1996-97)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):13.8% (2003 est.)
Labor force:54.36 million (2003 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 70%, industry 10%, services 20% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate:NA (2003 est.)
Budget:revenues: $8.026 billionexpenditures: $11.09 billion, including capital expenditures of NA(2003 est.)
Public debt:28.6% of GDP (2003)
Agriculture - products:cocoa, peanuts, palm oil, corn, rice, sorghum, millet, cassava(tapioca), yams, rubber; cattle, sheep, goats, pigs; timber; fish
Industries:crude oil, coal, tin, columbite, palm oil, peanuts, cotton, rubber,wood, hides and skins, textiles, cement and other constructionmaterials, food products, footwear, chemicals, fertilizer, printing,ceramics, steel
Industrial production growth rate:2.3% (2003 est.)
Electricity - production:15.67 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:14.55 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:20 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:2.256 million bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:275,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:27 billion bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:15.68 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:7.85 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:7.83 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:4.007 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance:$1.439 billion (2003)
Exports:$21.8 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities:petroleum and petroleum products 95%, cocoa, rubber
Exports - partners:US 38.3%, India 9.9%, Brazil 6.8%, Spain 6.2%, France 5.6%, Japan4% (2003)
Imports:$14.54 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery, chemicals, transport equipment, manufactured goods, foodand live animals
Imports - partners:US 15.6%, UK 9.6%, Germany 7.3%, China 7.2%, Italy 4.3% (2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:$7.128 billion (2003)
Debt - external:$31.07 billion (2003 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:IMF $250 million (1998)
Currency:naira (NGN)
Currency code:NGN
Exchange rates:nairas per US dollar - 129.222 (2003), 120.578 (2002), 111.231(2001), 101.697 (2000), 92.3381 (1999)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Nigeria
Telephones - main lines in use:853,100 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular:3,149,500 (2003)
Telephone system:general assessment: an inadequate system, further limited by poormaintenance; major expansion is required and a start has been madedomestic: intercity traffic is carried by coaxial cable, microwaveradio relay, a domestic communications satellite system with 19earth stations, and a coastal submarine cable; mobile cellularfacilities and the Internet are availableinternational: country code - 234; satellite earth stations - 3Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); fiber opticsubmarine cable (SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia
Radio broadcast stations:AM 83, FM 36, shortwave 11 (2001)
Radios:23.5 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 3 (the government controls 2 of the broadcasting stations and 15 repeater stations) (2002)
Televisions:6.9 million (1997)
Internet country code:.ng
Internet hosts:1,142 (2004)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):11 (2000)
Internet users:750,000 (2003)
Transportation Nigeria
Railways:total: 3,557 kmnarrow gauge: 3,505 km 1.067-m gaugestandard gauge: 52 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)
Highways:total: 194,394 kmpaved: 60,068 km (including 1,194 km of expressways)unpaved: 134,326 km (1999 est.)
Waterways:8,600 km (Niger and Benue rivers and smaller rivers and creeks)(2004)
Pipelines:condensate 105 km; gas 1,896 km; oil 3,638 km; refined products3,626 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:Calabar, Lagos, Onne, Port Harcourt, Sapele, Warri
Merchant marine:total: 45 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 327,808 GRT/608,076 DWTby type: cargo 7, chemical tanker 5, petroleum tanker 30,refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1, specialized tanker 1registered in other countries: 26 (2004 est.)foreign-owned: Norway 2, Pakistan 1, Togo 1, United States 1
Airports:70 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 36 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 34 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 18 (2004 est.)
Heliports: 1 (2003 est.)
Military Nigeria
Military branches:Army, Navy, Air Force
Military manpower - military age and obligation:18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 32,665,407 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 18,763,229 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:males: 1,452,231 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$469.8 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:0.9% (2003)
Transnational Issues Nigeria
Disputes - international:ICJ ruled in 2002 on the entire Cameroon-Nigeria land and maritimeboundary but the parties formed a Joint Border Commission to resolvedifferences bilaterally and have commenced with demarcation inless-contested sections of the boundary, starting in Lake Chad inthe north; Nigeria initially rejected cession of the BakasiPeninsula; the ICJ ruled on an equidistance settlement ofCameroon-Equatorial Guinea-Nigeria maritime boundary in the Gulf ofGuinea, but imprecisely defined coordinates in the ICJ decision, theunresolved Bakasi allocation, and a sovereignty dispute betweenEquatorial Guinea and Cameroon over an island at the mouth of theNtem River all contribute to the delay in implementation; severalvillages along the Okpara River are in dispute with Benin; Lake ChadCommission continues to urge signatories Cameroon, Chad, Niger, andNigeria to ratify delimitation treaty over lake region, whichremains the site of armed clashes among local populations andmilitias
Refugees and internally displaced persons:IDPs: 250,000 (communal violence between Christians and Muslimssince President Obasanjo's election in 1999) (2004)
Illicit drugs:a transit point for heroin and cocaine intended for European, EastAsian, and North American markets; safehaven for Nigeriannarcotraffickers operating worldwide; major money-laundering center;massive corruption and criminal activity, remains on FinancialAction Task Force Non-Cooperative Countries and Territories List forcontinued failure to address deficiencies in money-launderingcontrol regime
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
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@Niue
Introduction Niue
Background:Niue's remoteness, as well as cultural and linguistic differencesbetween its Polynesian inhabitants and those of the rest of the CookIslands, have caused it to be separately administered. Thepopulation of the island continues to drop (from a peak of 5,200 in1966 to about 2,100 in 2004), with substantial emigration to NewZealand, 2,400 km to the southwest.
Geography Niue
Location:Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Tonga
Geographic coordinates:19 02 S, 169 52 W
Map references:Oceania
Area:total: 260 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmland: 260 sq km
Area - comparative:1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:64 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:tropical; modified by southeast trade winds
Terrain:steep limestone cliffs along coast, central plateau
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location near Mutalau settlement 68 m
Natural resources:fish, arable land
Land use:arable land: 15.38%permanent crops: 11.54%other: 73.08% (2001)
Irrigated land:NA sq km
Natural hazards:typhoons
Environment - current issues: increasing attention to conservationist practices to counter loss of soil fertility from traditional slash and burn agriculture
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note: one of world's largest coral islands
People Niue
Population: 2,156 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:0.01% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:NA births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:NA deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:NA (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: NAmale: NAfemale: NA (2004 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: NA yearsmale: NA yearsfemale: NA years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:NA 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: Niuean(s)adjective: Niuean
Ethnic groups:Polynesian (with some 200 Europeans, Samoans, and Tongans)
Religions:Ekalesia Niue (Niuean Church - a Protestant church closely relatedto the London Missionary Society) 75%, Latter-Day Saints 10%, other15% (mostly Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witnesses, Seventh-DayAdventist)
Languages:Niuean, a Polynesian language closely related to Tongan and Samoan;English
Literacy: definition: NA total population: 95% male: NA female: NA
Government Niue
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Niue former: Savage Island
Dependency status:self-governing in free association with New Zealand since 1974;Niue fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retainsresponsibility for external affairs and defense; however, theseresponsibilities confer no rights of control and are only exercisedat the request of the Government of Niue
Government type:self-governing parliamentary democracy
Capital:Alofi
Administrative divisions:none; note - there are no first-order administrative divisions asdefined by the US Government, but there are 14 villages at thesecond order
Independence:on 19 October 1974, Niue became a self-governing parliamentarygovernment in free association with New Zealand
National holiday:Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereigntyover New Zealand), 6 February (1840)
Constitution:19 October 1974 (Niue Constitution Act)
Legal system:English common lawnote: Niue is self-governing, with the power to make its own laws
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); the UKand New Zealand are represented by New Zealand High CommissionerJohn BRYAN (since NA May 2000)election results: Young VIVIAN elected premier; percent ofLegislative Assembly vote - Young VIVIAN (NPP) 70%, HunukitamaHUNUKI (AI) 30%elections: the monarch is hereditary; premier elected by theLegislative Assembly for a three-year term; election last held 1 May2002 (next to be held NA May 2005)head of government: Premier Young VIVIAN (since 1 May 2002)cabinet: Cabinet consists of the premier and three ministers
Legislative branch:unicameral Legislative Assembly (20 seats; members elected bypopular vote to serve three-year terms; six elected from a commonroll and 14 are village representatives)election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -NPP 9, independents 11; note - all 20 seats were reelectedelections: last held 21 March 2002 (next to be held NA March 2005)
Judicial branch:Supreme Court of New Zealand; High Court of Niue
Political parties and leaders:Niue People's Action Party or NPP [Young VIVIAN]; Alliance ofIndependents or AI [leader NA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:ACP, FAO, PIF, Sparteca, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US:none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand)
Diplomatic representation from the US:none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand)
Flag description:yellow with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant;the flag of the UK bears five yellow five-pointed stars - a largeone on a blue disk in the center and a smaller one on each arm ofthe bold red cross
Economy Niue
Economy - overview:The economy suffers from the typical Pacific island problems ofgeographic isolation, few resources, and a small population.Government expenditures regularly exceed revenues, and the shortfallis made up by critically needed grants from New Zealand that areused to pay wages to public employees. Niue has cut governmentexpenditures by reducing the public service by almost half. Theagricultural sector consists mainly of subsistence gardening,although some cash crops are grown for export. Industry consistsprimarily of small factories to process passion fruit, lime oil,honey, and coconut cream. The sale of postage stamps to foreigncollectors is an important source of revenue. The island in recentyears has suffered a serious loss of population because of migrationof Niueans to New Zealand. Efforts to increase GDP include thepromotion of tourism and a financial services industry, althoughPremier LAKATANI announced in February 2002 that Niue will shut downthe offshore banking industry. Economic aid from New Zealand in 2002was about $2.6 million.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $7.6 million (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:-0.3% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $3,600 (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:agriculture: NAindustry: NAservices: 55%
Population below poverty line:NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NAhighest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):1% (1995)
Labor force:NA (1998 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:most work on family plantations; paid work exists only ingovernment service, small industry, and the Niue Development Board
Unemployment rate:NA (March 1999)
Budget:revenues: NAexpenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA
Agriculture - products:coconuts, passion fruit, honey, limes, taro, yams, cassava(tapioca), sweet potatoes; pigs, poultry, beef cattle
Industries:tourism, handicrafts, food processing
Industrial production growth rate:NA
Electricity - production:3 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:2.79 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:20 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Exports:$137,200 (1999)
Exports - commodities:canned coconut cream, copra, honey, vanilla, passion fruitproducts, pawpaws, root crops, limes, footballs, stamps, handicrafts
Exports - partners:New Zealand mainly, Fiji, Cook Islands, Australia (2000)
Imports:$2.38 million (1999)
Imports - commodities:food, live animals, manufactured goods, machinery, fuels,lubricants, chemicals, drugs
Imports - partners:New Zealand mainly, Fiji, Japan, Samoa, Australia, US (2000)
Debt - external:$418,000 (2002 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$2.6 million from New Zealand (2002)
Currency:New Zealand dollar (NZD)
Currency code:NZD
Exchange rates:New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.7229 (2003), 2.1620 (2002),2.3776 (2001), 2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999)
Fiscal year:1 April - 31 March
Communications Niue
Telephones - main lines in use:1,100 est (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:400 (2002)
Telephone system:domestic: single-line telephone system connects all villages onislandinternational: country code - 683
Radio broadcast stations:AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios:1,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:1 (1997)
Televisions:NA
Internet country code:.nu
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1 (2000)
Internet users:NA
Transportation Niue
Highways: total: 234 km paved: 86 km unpaved: 148 km (2001)
Ports and harbors:none; offshore anchorage only
Merchant marine:none
Airports:1 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Military Niue
Military branches:no regular indigenous military forces; Police Force
Military - note:defense is the responsibility of New Zealand