Judicial branch:Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Constitutional Court; Courts ofAppeal (there are three in separate locations); Tribunals of FirstInstance (17 at the province level and 123 small local tribunals)
Political parties and leaders:the three national, mainstream, governing parties are: Unity forNational Progress or UPRONA [Jean-Baptiste MANWANGARI, secretarygeneral]; Burundi Democratic Front or FRODEBU [Jean MINANI,president]; National Council for the Defense of Democracy, Front forthe Defense of Democracy of CNDD-FDD [Pierre NKURUNZIZA, president]note: a multiparty system was introduced after 1998, included are:National Resistance Movement for the Rehabilitation of the Citizenor MRC-Rurenzangemero [Epitace BANYAGANAKANDI]; Party for NationalRedress or PARENA [Jean-Baptiste BAGAZA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:loosely organized Hutu and Tutsi militias, often affiliated withHutu and Tutsi extremist parties or subordinate to governmentsecurity forces
International organization participation:ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM(observer), ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Antoine NTAMOBWAchancery: Suite 212, 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007telephone: [1] (202) 342-2574FAX: [1] (202) 342-2578
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador James Howard YELLINembassy: Avenue des Etats-Unis, Bujumburamailing address: B. P. 1720, Bujumburatelephone: [257] 223454FAX: [257] 222926
Flag description:divided by a white diagonal cross into red panels (top and bottom)and green panels (hoist side and outer side) with a white disksuperimposed at the center bearing three red six-pointed starsoutlined in green arranged in a triangular design (one star above,two stars below)
Economy Burundi
Economy - overview:Burundi is a landlocked, resource-poor country with anunderdeveloped manufacturing sector. The economy is predominantlyagricultural with roughly 90% of the population dependent onsubsistence agriculture. Economic growth depends on coffee and teaexports, which account for 90% of foreign exchange earnings. Theability to pay for imports, therefore, rests primarily on weatherconditions and international coffee and tea prices. The Tutsiminority, 14% of the population, dominates the government and thecoffee trade at the expense of the Hutu majority, 85% of thepopulation. Since October 1993 an ethnic-based war has resulted inmore than 200,000 deaths, forced 450,000 refugees into Tanzania, anddisplaced 140,000 others internally. Doubts about the prospects forsustainable peace continue to impede development. Only one in twochildren go to school, and approximately one in ten adults hasHIV/AIDS. Food, medicine, and electricity remain in short supply.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$4.001 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:3% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $600 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 48.1% industry: 19% services: 32.9% (2004 est.)
Labor force:2.99 million (2002)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 93.6%, industry 2.3%, services 4.1% (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate:NA
Population below poverty line:68% (2002 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.8% highest 10%: 32.9% (1998)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:42.5 (1998)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):8.5% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):10.7% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget:revenues: $152.5 millionexpenditures: $187.7 million, including capital expenditures of NA(2004 est.)
Agriculture - products:coffee, cotton, tea, corn, sorghum, sweet potatoes, bananas, manioc(tapioca); beef, milk, hides
Industries:light consumer goods such as blankets, shoes, soap; assembly ofimported components; public works construction; food processing
Industrial production growth rate:18% (2001)
Electricity - production:132 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0.6% hydro: 99.4% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:137.8 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:15 million kWh; note - supplied by the Democratic Republic of theCongo (2002)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:2,750 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA
Oil - imports:NA
Current account balance:$-59.5 million (2004 est.)
Exports:$31.84 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:coffee, tea, sugar, cotton, hides
Exports - partners:Germany 19.6%, Belgium 8.2%, Pakistan 6.7%, US 5.6%, Rwanda 5.6%,Thailand 5.4% (2004)
Imports:$138.2 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:capital goods, petroleum products, foodstuffs
Imports - partners:Kenya 13.7%, Tanzania 11.2%, US 8.9%, Belgium 8.5%, France 8.4%,Italy 6%, Uganda 5.6%, Japan 4.6%, Germany 4.5% (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$76.89 million (2004 est.)
Debt - external:$1.133 billion (2002)
Economic aid - recipient:$92.7 million (2000)
Currency (code):Burundi franc (BIF)
Currency code:BIF
Exchange rates:Burundi francs per US dollar - 1,100.91 (2004), 1,082.62 (2003),930.75 (2002), 830.35 (2001), 720.67 (2000)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Burundi
Telephones - main lines in use:23,900 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular:64,000 (2003)
Telephone system:general assessment: primitive systemdomestic: sparse system of open-wire, radiotelephone communications,and low-capacity microwave radio relayinternational: country code - 257; satellite earth station - 1Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)
Radios:440,000 (2001)
Television broadcast stations:1 (2001)
Televisions:25,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.bi
Internet hosts:22 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1 (2000)
Internet users:14,000 (2003)
Transportation Burundi
Highways: total: 14,480 km paved: 1,028 km unpaved: 13,452 km (1999 est.)
Waterways:mainly on Lake Tanganyika (2004)
Ports and harbors:Bujumbura
Airports:8 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 1over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 7914 to 1,523 m: 4under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)
Military Burundi
Military branches:National Defense Force (Forces de Defense Nationales, FDN): Army(includes Naval Detachment and Air Wing), National Gendarmerie (2005)
Military service age and obligation:16 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service (2001)
Manpower available for military service:males age 16-49: 1,379,793 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 16-49: 693,956 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males: 84,597 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$38.7 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:6% (2004)
Transnational Issues Burundi
Disputes - international:Tutsi, Hutu, other conflicting ethnic groups, associated politicalrebels, armed gangs, and various government forces continue fightingin the Great Lakes region, transcending the boundaries of Burundi,Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda in an effort togain control over populated and natural resource areas; governmentheads pledge to end conflict, but localized violence continuesdespite the presence of about 6,000 peacekeepers from the UNOperation in Burundi (ONUB) since 2004; although some 150,000Burundian refugees have been repatriated, as of February 2005,Burundian refugees still reside in camps in western Tanzania as wellas the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Refugees and internally displaced persons:refugees (country of origin): 60,288 (Democratic Republic of theCongo)IDPs: 140,000 (armed conflict between government and rebels; mostIDPs in northern and western Burundi) (2004)
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Cambodia
Introduction Cambodia
Background:Most Cambodians consider themselves to be Khmers, whose AngkorEmpire extended over much of Southeast Asia and reached its zenithbetween the 10th and 13th centuries. Subsequently, attacks by theThai and Cham (from present-day Vietnam) weakened the empireushering in a long period of decline. In 1863, the king of Cambodiaplaced the country under French protection; it became part of FrenchIndochina in 1887. Following Japanese occupation in World War II,Cambodia became independent within the French Union in 1949 andfully independent in 1953. After a five-year struggle, CommunistKhmer Rouge forces captured Phnom Penh in April 1975 and ordered theevacuation of all cities and towns; at least 1.5 million Cambodiansdied from execution, enforced hardships, or starvation during theKhmer Rouge regime under POL POT. A December 1978 Vietnameseinvasion drove the Khmer Rouge into the countryside, led to a10-year Vietnamese occupation, and touched off almost 13 years ofcivil war. The 1991 Paris Peace Accords mandated democraticelections and a ceasefire, which was not fully respected by theKhmer Rouge. UN-sponsored elections in 1993 helped restore somesemblance of normalcy and the final elements of the Khmer Rougesurrendered in early 1999. Factional fighting in 1997 ended thefirst coalition government, but a second round of national electionsin 1998 led to the formation of another coalition government andrenewed political stability. The July 2003 elections were relativelypeaceful, but it took one year of negotiations between contendingpolitical parties before a coalition government was formed.Nation-wide local elections are scheduled for 2007 and nationalelections for 2008.
Geography Cambodia
Location:Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, betweenThailand, Vietnam, and Laos
Geographic coordinates:13 00 N, 105 00 E
Map references:Southeast Asia
Area:total: 181,040 sq kmland: 176,520 sq kmwater: 4,520 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than Oklahoma
Land boundaries: total: 2,572 km border countries: Laos 541 km, Thailand 803 km, Vietnam 1,228 km
Coastline: 443 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm
Climate:tropical; rainy, monsoon season (May to November); dry season(December to April); little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain:mostly low, flat plains; mountains in southwest and north
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 mhighest point: Phnum Aoral 1,810 m
Natural resources:oil and gas, timber, gemstones, some iron ore, manganese,phosphates, hydropower potential
Land use: arable land: 20.96% permanent crops: 0.61% other: 78.43% (2001)
Irrigated land:2,700 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:monsoonal rains (June to November); flooding; occasional droughts
Environment - current issues:illegal logging activities throughout the country and strip miningfor gems in the western region along the border with Thailand haveresulted in habitat loss and declining biodiversity (in particular,destruction of mangrove swamps threatens natural fisheries); soilerosion; in rural areas, most of the population does not have accessto potable water; declining fish stocks because of illegal fishingand overfishing
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,Tropical Timber 94, Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note:a land of paddies and forests dominated by the Mekong River andTonle Sap
People Cambodia
Population:13,607,069note: estimates for this country take into account the effects ofexcess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower lifeexpectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lowerpopulation growth rates, and changes in the distribution ofpopulation by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July2005 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 37.3% (male 2,559,734/female 2,510,235)15-64 years: 59.7% (male 3,887,642/female 4,232,313)65 years and over: 3.1% (male 150,862/female 266,283) (2005 est.)
Median age:total: 19.91 yearsmale: 19.16 yearsfemale: 20.79 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:1.81% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:27.08 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:8.97 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.57 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 71.48 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 80.13 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 62.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 58.92 yearsmale: 56.98 yearsfemale: 60.95 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:3.44 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:2.6% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:170,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:15,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and Japanese encephalitis are high risks in some locations (2004)
Nationality: noun: Cambodian(s) adjective: Cambodian
Ethnic groups:Khmer 90%, Vietnamese 5%, Chinese 1%, other 4%
Religions:Theravada Buddhist 95%, other 5%
Languages:Khmer (official) 95%, French, English
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 73.6%male: 84.7%female: 64.1% (2004 est.)
Government Cambodia
Country name:conventional long form: Kingdom of Cambodiaconventional short form: Cambodialocal long form: Preahreacheanacha Kampuchea (phonetic pronunciation)local short form: Kampucheaformer: Kingdom of Cambodia, Khmer Republic, Democratic Kampuchea,People's Republic of Kampuchea, State of Cambodia
Government type:multiparty democracy under a constitutional monarchy established inSeptember 1993
Capital:Phnom Penh
Administrative divisions:20 provinces (khaitt, singular and plural) and 4 municipalities(krong, singular and plural): provinces: Banteay Mean Chey, Batdambang, Kampong Cham, KampongChhnang, Kampong Spoe, Kampong Thum, Kampot, Kandal, Koh Kong,Kracheh, Mondol Kiri, Otdar Mean Chey, Pouthisat, Preah Vihear, PreyVeng, Rotanakir, Siem Reab, Stoeng Treng, Svay Rieng, Takao: municipalities: Keb, Pailin, Phnom Penh, Preah Seihanu
Independence:9 November 1953 (from France)
National holiday:Independence Day, 9 November (1953)
Constitution:promulgated 21 September 1993
Legal system:primarily a civil law mixture of French-influenced codes from theUnited Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) period,royal decrees, and acts of the legislature, with influences ofcustomary law and remnants of communist legal theory; increasinginfluence of common law in recent years
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: King Norodom SIHAMONI (since 29 October 2004)head of government: Prime Minister HUN SEN (since 14 January 1985)and Deputy Prime Ministers SAR KHENG (since 3 February 1992),Norodom SIRIVUDH, SOK AN, LU LAY SRENG, TEA BANH, HOR NAMHONG, NHEKBUNCHHAY (since 16 July 2004)cabinet: Council of Ministers in theory appointed by the monarch; inpractice named by the prime ministerelections: none; the monarch is chosen by a Royal Throne Council;following legislative elections, a member of the majority party ormajority coalition is named prime minister by the Chairman of theNational Assembly and appointed by the king
Legislative branch:bicameral, consists of the National Assembly (123 seats; memberselected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the Senate (61seats; two members appointed by the monarch, two elected by theNational Assembly, and 57 elected by "functional constituencies";members serve five-year terms)elections: National Assembly - last held 27 July 2003 (next to beheld in July 2008); Senate - last held 2 March 1999 (scheduled to beheld in 2004 but delayed)election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - CPP47%, SRP 22%, FUNCINPEC 21%, other 10%; seats by party - CPP 73,FUNCINPEC 26, SRP 24; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seatsby party - CPP 31, FUNCINPEC 21, SRP 7, other 2 (July 2003)
Judicial branch:Supreme Council of the Magistracy (provided for in the constitutionand formed in December 1997); Supreme Court (and lower courts)exercises judicial authority
Political parties and leaders:Cambodian Pracheachon Party (Cambodian People's Party) or CPP [CHEASIM]; National United Front for an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful,and Cooperative Cambodia or FUNCINPEC [Prince NORODOM Ranariddh];Sam Rangsi Party or SRP [SAM RANGSI]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:ACCT, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO(subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW (signatory), PCA, UN, UNCTAD,UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador EK SEREYWATHchancery: 4530 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011telephone: [1] (202) 726-7742FAX: [1] (202) 726-8381
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph A. MUSSOMELI embassy: 27 EO Street 240, Phnom Penh mailing address: Box P, APO AP 96546 telephone: [855] (23) 216-436/438 FAX: [855] (23) 216-437/811
Flag description:three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (double width), and bluewith a white three-towered temple representing Angkor Wat outlinedin black in the center of the red band; only national flag toincorporate a building in its design
Economy Cambodia
Economy - overview:Cambodia's economy slowed dramatically in 1997 and 1998 due to theregional economic crisis, civil violence, and political infighting,and foreign investment and tourism decreased. In 1999, the firstfull year of peace in 30 years, the government made progress oneconomic reforms. Growth resumed and remained about 5% from 2000 to2004. Economic growth has been largely driven by expansion in thegarment sector and tourism, but is expected to fall in 2005 asgrowth in the garment sector stalls. Clothing exports were fosteredby a US-Cambodian Bilateral Textile Agreement signed in 1999 whichgave Cambodia a guaranteed quota of US textile imports andestablished a bonus for improving working conditions and enforcingCambodian labor laws and international labor standards in theindustry. With the January 2005 expiration of a WTO Agreement onTextiles and Clothing, Cambodia-based textile producers are indirect competition with lower priced producing countries such asChina and India. Faced with the possibility that over the next fiveyears Cambodia may lose orders and some of the 250,000 well-paidjobs the industry provides, Cambodia has committed itself to apolicy of continued support for high labor standards in an attemptto maintain favor with buyers. Tourism growth remains strong, witharrivals up 15% in 2004. The long-term development of the economyafter decades of war remains a daunting challenge. The populationlacks education and productive skills, particularly in thepoverty-ridden countryside, which suffers from an almost total lackof basic infrastructure. Fully 75% of the population remains engagedin subsistence farming. Fear of renewed political instability and adysfunctional legal system coupled with extensive governmentcorruption discourage foreign investment. The Cambodian governmentcontinues to work with bilateral and multilateral donors to addressthe country's many pressing needs. In December 2004, official donorspledged $504 million in aid for 2005 on the condition that theCambodian government begins taking steps to address rampantcorruption. The next donor pledging session is scheduled forDecember 2005. The major economic challenge for Cambodia over thenext decade will be fashioning an economic environment in which theprivate sector can create enough jobs to handle Cambodia'sdemographic imbalance. More than 50% of the population is 20 yearsor younger.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$26.99 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:5.4% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $2,000 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 35% industry: 30% services: 35% (2004 est.)
Labor force:7 million (2003 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 75% (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate:2.5% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line:40% (2004 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 33.8% (1997)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:40 (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):3.1% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):20.9% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget:revenues: $548.2 millionexpenditures: $836.7 million, including capital expenditures of $291million of which 75% was financed by external assistance (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products:rice, rubber, corn, vegetables, cashews, tapioca
Industries:tourism, garments, rice milling, fishing, wood and wood products,rubber, cement, gem mining, textiles
Industrial production growth rate:22% (2002 est.)
Electricity - production:122 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 65% hydro: 35% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:100.6 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2002)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:7,200 bbl/day (2002 est.)
Oil - exports:NA
Oil - imports:NA
Current account balance:$-316.2 million (2004 est.)
Exports:$2.311 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:Clothing, timber, rubber, rice, fish, tobacco, footwear
Exports - partners:US 55.9%, Germany 11.7%, UK 6.9%, Vietnam 4.4%, Canada 4.2% (2004)
Imports:$3.129 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:petroleum products, cigarettes, gold, construction materials,machinery, motor vehicles, pharmaceutical products
Imports - partners:Thailand 22.5%, Hong Kong 14.1%, China 13.6%, Vietnam 10.9%,Singapore 10.8%, Taiwan 8.4% (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$997.5 million (2004 est.)
Debt - external:$2.4 billion (2002 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $504 million pledged in grants and concessional loans for 2005 by international donors
Currency (code):riel (KHR)
Currency code:KHR
Exchange rates:riels per US dollar - 4,016.25 (2004), 3,973.33 (2003), 3,912.08(2002), 3,916.33 (2001), 3,840.75 (2000)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Cambodia
Telephones - main lines in use:35,400 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:380,000 (2002)
Telephone system:general assessment: adequate landline and/or cellular service inPhnom Penh and other provincial cities; mobile phone coverage israpidly expanding in rural areasdomestic: NAinternational: country code - 855; adequate but expensive landlineand cellular service available to all countries from Phnom Penh andmajor provincial cities; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik(Indian Ocean region)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 2, FM 17, (2003)
Radios:1.34 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:7 (2003)
Televisions:94,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.kh
Internet hosts:818 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):2 (2000)
Internet users:30,000 (2002)
Transportation Cambodia
Railways: total: 602 km narrow gauge: 602 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)
Highways: total: 12,323 km paved: 1,996 km unpaved: 10,327 km (2000 est)
Waterways:2,400 km (mainly on Mekong River) (2004)
Ports and harbors:Phnom Penh
Merchant marine:total: 479 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,913,910 GRT/2,713,967 DWTby type: bulk carrier 34, cargo 396, chemical tanker 9, container 6,livestock carrier 3, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 11,refrigerated cargo 11, roll on/roll off 5, specialized tanker 1foreign-owned: 193 (Canada 4, China 39, China 2, Cyprus 4, Egypt 5,Estonia 2, France 1, Germany 1, Greece 6, Honduras 1, Hong Kong 3,Indonesia 1, Isle of Man 1, Israel 1, Italy 1, Japan 1, Lebanon 1,Nigeria 2, Norway 1, Russia 58, Singapore 5, South Korea 23, Syria8, Turkey 7, Ukraine 6, UAE 1, United States 7, Yemen 1) (2005)
Airports:20 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 62,438 to 3,047 m: 21,524 to 2,437 m: 2914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 141,524 to 2,437 m: 2914 to 1,523 m: 11under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Heliports:2 (2004 est.)
Military Cambodia
Military branches:Royal Cambodian Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force
Military service age and obligation: 18-30 years of age for compulsory military service for all males; conscription law passed September 2004; service obligation is 18 months (September 2004)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 2,981,823 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 1,844,144 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males: 175,305 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$112 million (FY01 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:3% (FY01 est.)
Transnational Issues Cambodia
Disputes - international:Southeast Asian states have enhanced border surveillance to checkthe spread of avian flu; Cambodia and Thailand dispute sections ofboundary with missing boundary markers and Thai encroachments intoCambodian territory; maritime boundary with Vietnam is hampered byunresolved dispute over offshore islands; Cambodia accuses Thailandof obstructing access to Preah Vihear temple ruins awarded toCambodia by ICJ decision in 1962; in 2004 Cambodian-Laotian andLaotian-Vietnamese boundary commissions reerect missing markerscompleting most of their demarcations
Illicit drugs:narcotics-related corruption reportedly involving some in thegovernment, military, and police; possible small-scale opium,heroin, and amphetamine production; large producer of cannabis forthe international market; vulnerable to money laundering due to itscash-based economy and porous borders
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Cameroon
Introduction Cameroon
Background:The former French Cameroon and part of British Cameroon merged in1961 to form the present country. Cameroon has generally enjoyedstability, which has permitted the development of agriculture,roads, and railways, as well as a petroleum industry. Despitemovement toward democratic reform, political power remains firmly inthe hands of an ethnic oligarchy.
Geography Cameroon
Location:Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between EquatorialGuinea and Nigeria
Geographic coordinates:6 00 N, 12 00 E
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 475,440 sq kmland: 469,440 sq kmwater: 6,000 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly larger than California
Land boundaries:total: 4,591 kmborder countries: Central African Republic 797 km, Chad 1,094 km,Republic of the Congo 523 km, Equatorial Guinea 189 km, Gabon 298km, Nigeria 1,690 km
Coastline:402 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 50 nm
Climate:varies with terrain, from tropical along coast to semiarid and hotin north
Terrain:diverse, with coastal plain in southwest, dissected plateau incenter, mountains in west, plains in north
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 mhighest point: Fako (on Mount Cameroon) 4,095 m
Natural resources:petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 12.81% permanent crops: 2.58% other: 84.61% (2001)
Irrigated land:330 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:volcanic activity with periodic releases of poisonous gases fromLake Nyos and Lake Monoun volcanoes
Environment - current issues:waterborne diseases are prevalent; deforestation; overgrazing;desertification; poaching; overfishing
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Lawof the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, TropicalTimber 94signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa; throughout thecountry there are areas of thermal springs and indications ofcurrent or prior volcanic activity; Mount Cameroon, the highestmountain in Sub-Saharan west Africa, is an active volcano
People Cameroon
Population:16,380,005note: 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 (July2005 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 41.7% (male 3,457,180/female 3,375,668)15-64 years: 55% (male 4,537,281/female 4,477,163)65 years and over: 3.3% (male 239,634/female 293,079) (2005 est.)
Median age:total: 18.6 yearsmale: 18.45 yearsfemale: 18.76 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:1.93% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:34.67 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:15.4 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 68.26 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 72.14 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 64.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 50.89 yearsmale: 50.71 yearsfemale: 51.08 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:4.47 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:6.9% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:560,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:49,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:degree of risk: very highfood or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, andtyphoid fevervectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever are high risks insome locationswater contact disease: schistosomiasisrespiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2004)
Nationality:noun: Cameroonian(s)adjective: Cameroonian
Ethnic groups:Cameroon Highlanders 31%, Equatorial Bantu 19%, Kirdi 11%, Fulani10%, Northwestern Bantu 8%, Eastern Nigritic 7%, other African 13%,non-African less than 1%
Religions:indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20%
Languages:24 major African language groups, English (official), French(official)
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 79%male: 84.7%female: 73.4% (2003 est.)
Government Cameroon
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Cameroonconventional short form: Cameroonformer: French Cameroon
Government type:unitary republic; multiparty presidential regime (oppositionparties legalized in 1990)note: preponderance of power remains with the president
Capital:Yaounde
Administrative divisions:10 provinces; Adamaoua, Centre, Est, Extreme-Nord, Littoral, Nord,Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Ouest
Independence:1 January 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)
National holiday:Republic Day (National Day), 20 May (1972)
Constitution:20 May 1972 approved by referendum, 2 June 1972 formally adopted;revised January 1996
Legal system:based on French civil law system, with common law influence; hasnot accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:20 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982)head of government: Prime Minister Ephraim INONI (since 8 Dec 2004)cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from proposals submittedby the prime ministerelections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;election last held 11 October 2004 (next to be held NA October2011); prime minister appointed by the presidentelection results: President Paul BIYA reelected; percent of vote -Paul BIYA 70.9%, John FRU NDI 17.4%, Adamou Ndam NJOYA 4.5%, GargaHaman ADJI 3.7%
Legislative branch:unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (180 seats;members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms;note - the president can either lengthen or shorten the term of thelegislature)elections: last held 23 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007)election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -RDCP 133, SDF 21, UDC 5, other 21note: the constitution calls for an upper chamber for thelegislature, to be called a Senate, but it has yet to be established
Judicial branch:Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); High Courtof Justice (consists of 9 judges and 6 substitute judges, elected bythe National Assembly)
Political parties and leaders:Cameroonian Democratic Union or UDC [Adamou NDAM NJOYA]; DemocraticRally of the Cameroon People or RDCP [Paul BIYA]; Movement for theDefense of the Republic or MDR [Dakole DAISSALA]; Movement for theLiberation and Development of Cameroon or MLDC [leader MarcelYONDO]; Movement for the Youth of Cameroon or MYC [Dieudonne TINA];National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP [Maigari BELLOBOUBA]; Social Democratic Front or SDF [John FRU NDI]; Union ofCameroonian Populations or UPC [Augustin Frederic KODOCK]
Political pressure groups and leaders:Southern Cameroon National Council [Ayamba Ette OTUN]; Human RightsDefense Group [Albert MUKONG, president]
International organization participation:ABEDA, ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, C, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA,IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC,OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Jerome MENDOUGAchancery: 2349 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008telephone: [1] (202) 265-8790FAX: [1] (202) 387-3826
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador George McDade STAPLESembassy: Rue Nachtigal, Yaoundemailing address: P. O. Box 817, Yaounde; pouch: American Embassy,Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2520telephone: [237] 223-05-12, 222-25-89, 222-17-94, 223-40-14FAX: [237] 223-07-53branch office(s): Douala
Flag description:three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), red, and yellowwith a yellow five-pointed star centered in the red band; uses thepopular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
Economy Cameroon
Economy - overview:Because of its oil resources and favorable agricultural conditions,Cameroon has one of the best-endowed primary commodity economies insub-Saharan Africa. Still, it faces many of the serious problemsfacing other underdeveloped countries, such as a top-heavy civilservice and a generally unfavorable climate for business enterprise.Since 1990, the government has embarked on various IMF and WorldBank programs designed to spur business investment, increaseefficiency in agriculture, improve trade, and recapitalize thenation's banks. In June 2000, the government completed anIMF-sponsored, three-year structural adjustment program; however,the IMF is pressing for more reforms, including increased budgettransparency, privatization, and poverty reduction programs.International oil and cocoa prices have considerable impact on theeconomy.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$30.17 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:4.9% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 43.7% industry: 20.1% services: 36.2% (2004 est.)
Labor force:6.68 million (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 70%, industry and commerce 13%, other 17%
Unemployment rate:30% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line:48% (2000 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.9% highest 10%: 36.6% (1996)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:47.7 (1996)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):1% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):16.1% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget:revenues: $2.493 billionexpenditures: $2.248 billion, including capital expenditures of NA(2004 est.)
Public debt:69.1% of GDP (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products:coffee, cocoa, cotton, rubber, bananas, oilseed, grains, rootstarches; livestock; timber
Industries:petroleum production and refining, aluminum production, foodprocessing, light consumer goods, textiles, lumber, ship repair
Industrial production growth rate:4.2% (1999 est.)
Electricity - production:3.571 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 2.7% hydro: 97.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:3.321 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2002)
Oil - production:94,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption:22,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA
Oil - imports:NA
Oil - proved reserves:80 million bbl (2004 est.)
Natural gas - production:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:55.22 billion cu m (2004)
Current account balance:$-149.1 million (2004 est.)
Exports:$2.445 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:crude oil and petroleum products, lumber, cocoa beans, aluminum,coffee, cotton
Exports - partners:Spain 15.2%, Italy 12.3%, UK 10.2%, France 9.2%, US 8.8%, SouthKorea 7.1%, Netherlands 4.3% (2004)
Imports:$1.979 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery, electrical equipment, transport equipment, fuel, food
Imports - partners:France 28.2%, Nigeria 9.9%, Belgium 7.6%, US 4.9%, China 4.8%,Germany 4.6%, Italy 4.1% (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$687.5 million (2004 est.)
Debt - external:$8.46 billion (2004 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:on 23 January 2001, the Paris Club agreed to reduce Cameroon's debtof $1.3 billion by $900 million; debt relief now totals $1.26 billion
Currency (code):Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsibleauthority is the Bank of the Central African States
Currency code:XAF
Exchange rates:Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 528.29(2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000)
Fiscal year:1 July - 30 June
Communications Cameroon
Telephones - main lines in use:110,900 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:1.077 million (2003)
Telephone system:general assessment: available only to business and governmentdomestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatterinternational: country code - 237; satellite earth stations - 2Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC)provides connectivity to Europe and Asia
Radio broadcast stations:AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 3 (2002)
Radios:2.27 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:1 (2002)
Televisions:450,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.cm
Internet hosts:479 (2004)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1 (2002)
Internet users: 60,000 (2002) note: Cameroon also had more than 100 cyber-cafes in 2001
Transportation Cameroon
Railways: total: 1,008 km narrow gauge: 1,008 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)
Highways: total: 34,300 km paved: 4,288 km unpaved: 30,012 km (1999 est.)
Waterways:navigation mainly on Benue River; limited during rainy season (2004)
Pipelines:gas 90 km; liquid petroleum gas 9 km; oil 1,120 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:Douala, Limboh Terminal
Merchant marine:total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 169,593 GRT/357,023 DWTby type: petroleum tanker 1 (2005)
Airports:47 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 11 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 36 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 20 under 914 m: 9 (2004 est.)
Military Cameroon
Military branches:Cameroon Armed Forces: Army, Navy (includes Naval Infantry), AirForce
Military service age and obligation:18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription(1999)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 3,410,440 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 1,720,385 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males: 188,662 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$221.1 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:1.6% (2004)
Transnational Issues Cameroon
Disputes - international:ICJ ruled in 2002 on the entire Cameroon-Nigeria land and maritimeboundary but the parties formed a Joint Border Commission, whichcontinues to meet regularly to resolve differences bilaterally andhave commenced with demarcation in less-contested sections of theboundary, starting in Lake Chad in the north; implementation of theICJ ruling on the Cameroon-Equatorial Guinea-Nigeria maritimeboundary in the Gulf of Guinea is impeded by imprecisely definedcoordinates, the unresolved Bakassi allocation, and a sovereigntydispute between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon over an island at themouth of the Ntem River; Nigeria initially rejected cession of theBakasi Peninsula, then agreed, but has yet to withdraw its forceswhile much of the indigenous population opposes cession; onlyNigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission'sadmonition to ratify the delimitation treaty which also includesChad and Niger
Refugees and internally displaced persons:refugees (country of origin): 39,261 (Chad) 16,983 (Nigeria) 9,634(Cote d'Ivoire) (2004)
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Canada
Introduction Canada
Background:A land of vast distances and rich natural resources, Canada becamea self-governing dominion in 1867 while retaining ties to theBritish crown. Economically and technologically the nation hasdeveloped in parallel with the US, its neighbor to the south acrossan unfortified border. Canada's paramount political problem ismeeting public demands for quality improvements in health care andeducation services after a decade of budget cuts. The issue ofreconciling Quebec's francophone heritage with the majorityanglophone Canadian population has moved to the back burner inrecent years; support for separatism abated after the Quebecgovernment's referendum on independence failed to pass in October of1995.
Geography Canada
Location:Northern North America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean on theeast, North Pacific Ocean on the west, and the Arctic Ocean on thenorth, north of the conterminous US
Geographic coordinates:60 00 N, 95 00 W
Map references:North America
Area:total: 9,984,670 sq kmland: 9,093,507 sq kmwater: 891,163 sq km
Area - comparative:somewhat larger than the US
Land boundaries: total: 8,893 km border countries: US 8,893 km (includes 2,477 km with Alaska)
Coastline: 202,080 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Climate:varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north
Terrain:mostly plains with mountains in west and lowlands in southeast
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 mhighest point: Mount Logan 5,959 m
Natural resources:iron ore, nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, molybdenum, potash,diamonds, silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal, petroleum, naturalgas, hydropower
Land use:arable land: 4.96%permanent crops: 0.02%other: 95.02% (2001)
Irrigated land:7,200 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:continuous permafrost in north is a serious obstacle todevelopment; cyclonic storms form east of the Rocky Mountains, aresult of the mixing of air masses from the Arctic, Pacific, andNorth American interior, and produce most of the country's rain andsnow east of the mountains
Environment - current issues:air pollution and resulting acid rain severely affecting lakes anddamaging forests; metal smelting, coal-burning utilities, andvehicle emissions impacting on agricultural and forest productivity;ocean waters becoming contaminated due to agricultural, industrial,mining, and forestry activities
Environment - international agreements:party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, AirPollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, AntarcticTreaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone LayerProtection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note:second-largest country in world (after Russia); strategic locationbetween Russia and US via north polar route; approximately 90% ofthe population is concentrated within 160 km of the US border
People Canada
Population:32,805,041 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 17.9% (male 3,016,032/female 2,869,244)15-64 years: 68.9% (male 11,357,425/female 11,244,356)65 years and over: 13.2% (male 1,842,496/female 2,475,488) (2005est.)
Median age: total: 38.54 years male: 37.54 years female: 39.56 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:0.9% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:10.84 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:7.73 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:5.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 4.75 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 5.21 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 4.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 80.1 yearsmale: 76.73 yearsfemale: 83.63 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.61 children born/woman (2005 est.)