Transnational Issues Eritrea
Disputes - international:Eritrea and Ethiopia agreed to abide by 2002 Ethiopia-EritreaBoundary Commission's (EEBC) delimitation decision, but despiteinternational intervention, mutual animosities, accusations andarmed posturing prevail, preventing demarcation; Ethiopia refuses towithdraw to the delimited boundary until technical errors made bythe EEBC that ignored "human geography" are addressed, including theaward of Badme, the focus of the 1998-2000 war; Eritrea insists thatthe EEBC decision be implemented immediately without modifications;since 2000, the UN Peacekeeping Mission to Ethiopia and Eritrea(UNMEE) monitors the 25km-wide Temporary Security Zone in Eritreauntil the demarcation; Sudan accuses Eritrea of supporting Sudaneserebel groups; Eritrea protests Yemeni fishing around the HanishIslands awarded to Eritrea by the ICJ in 1999
Refugees and internally displaced persons:IDPs: 59,000 (border war with Ethiopia from 1998-2000; most IDPsare near the central border region) (2004)
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@Estonia
Introduction Estonia
Background:After centuries of Danish, Swedish, German, and Russian rule,Estonia attained independence in 1918. Forcibly incorporated intothe USSR in 1940, it regained its freedom in 1991, with the collapseof the Soviet Union. Since the last Russian troops left in 1994,Estonia has been free to promote economic and political ties withWestern Europe. It joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.
Geography Estonia
Location:Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland,between Latvia and Russia
Geographic coordinates:59 00 N, 26 00 E
Map references:Europe
Area:total: 45,226 sq kmland: 43,211 sq kmwater: 2,015 sq kmnote: includes 1,520 islands in the Baltic Sea
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than New Hampshire and Vermont combined
Land boundaries: total: 633 km border countries: Latvia 339 km, Russia 294 km
Coastline:3,794 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 12 nmexclusive economic zone: limits fixed in coordination withneighboring states
Climate:maritime, wet, moderate winters, cool summers
Terrain:marshy, lowlands; flat in the north, hilly in the south
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 mhighest point: Suur Munamagi 318 m
Natural resources:oil shale, peat, phosphorite, clay, limestone, sand, dolomite,arable land, sea mud
Land use: arable land: 16.04% permanent crops: 0.45% other: 83.51% (2001)
Irrigated land:40 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:sometimes flooding occurs in the spring
Environment - current issues:air polluted with sulfur dioxide from oil-shale burning powerplants in northeast; however, the amount of pollutants emitted tothe air have fallen steadily, the emissions of 2000 were 80% lessthan in 1980; the amount of unpurified wastewater discharged towater bodies in 2000 was one twentieth the level of 1980; inconnection with the start-up of new water purification plants, thepollution load of wastewater decreased; Estonia has more than 1,400natural and manmade lakes, the smaller of which in agriculturalareas need to be monitored; coastal seawater is polluted in certainlocations
Environment - international agreements:party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, AirPollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ship Pollution,Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:the mainland terrain is flat, boggy, and partly wooded; offshorelie more than 1,500 islands
People Estonia
Population:1,332,893 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 15.5% (male 106,300/female 100,446)15-64 years: 67.7% (male 429,843/female 472,034)65 years and over: 16.8% (male 74,037/female 150,233) (2005 est.)
Median age:total: 39.06 yearsmale: 35.52 yearsfemale: 42.35 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:-0.65% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:9.91 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:13.21 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:-3.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.06 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.49 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.84 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 7.87 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 9.06 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 6.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 71.77 yearsmale: 66.28 yearsfemale: 77.6 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.39 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:1.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:7,800 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:less than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality:noun: Estonian(s)adjective: Estonian
Ethnic groups:Estonian 67.9%, Russian 25.6%, Ukrainian 2.1%, Belarusian 1.3%,Finn 0.9%, other 2.2% (2000 census)
Religions:Evangelical Lutheran 13.6%, Orthodox 12.8%, other Christian(including Methodist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic,Pentecostal) 1.4%, unaffiliated 34.1%, other and unspecified 32%,none 6.1% (2000 census)
Languages:Estonian (official) 67.3%, Russian 29.7%, other 2.3%, unknown 0.7%(2000 census)
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 99.8%male: 99.8%female: 99.8% (2003 est.)
Government Estonia
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Estoniaconventional short form: Estonialocal long form: Eesti Vabariiklocal short form: Eestiformer: Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic
Government type:parliamentary republic
Capital:Tallinn
Administrative divisions:15 counties (maakonnad, singular - maakond): Harjumaa (Tallinn),Hiiumaa (Kardla), Ida-Virumaa (Johvi), Jarvamaa (Paide), Jogevamaa(Jogeva), Laanemaa (Haapsalu), Laane-Virumaa (Rakvere), Parnumaa(Parnu), Polvamaa (Polva), Raplamaa (Rapla), Saaremaa (Kuressaare),Tartumaa (Tartu), Valgamaa (Valga), Viljandimaa (Viljandi), Vorumaa(Voru)note: counties have the administrative center name following inparentheses
Independence:20 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday:Independence Day, 24 February (1918); note - 24 February 1918 isthe date Estonia declared its independence from Soviet Russia; 20August 1991 is the date it declared its independence from the SovietUnion
Constitution:adopted 28 June 1992
Legal system:based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal for all Estonian citizens
Executive branch:chief of state: President Arnold RUUTEL (since 8 October 2001)head of government: Prime Minister Andrus ANSIP (since 12 April 2005)cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister,approved by Parliamentelections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term; ifa candidate does not secure two-thirds of the votes after threerounds of balloting in the Parliament, then an electoral assembly(made up of Parliament plus members of local governments) elects thepresident, choosing between the two candidates with the largestpercentage of votes; election last held 21 September 2001 (next tobe held in the fall of 2006); prime minister nominated by thepresident and approved by Parliamentelection results: Arnold RUUTEL elected president on 21 September2001 by a 367-member electoral assembly that convened followingParliament's failure in August to elect then-President MERI'ssuccessor; on the second ballot of voting, RUUTEL received 186 votesto Parliament Speaker Toomas SAVI's 155; the remaining 26 ballotswere either left blank or invalid
Legislative branch:unicameral Parliament or Riigikogu (101 seats; members are electedby popular vote to serve four-year terms)elections: last held 2 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2007)election results: percent of vote by party - Center Party 25.4%, ResPublica 24.6%, Reform Party 17.7%, Estonian People's Union 13%, ProPatria Union (Fatherland League) 7.3% People's Party Moodukad 7%;seats by party - Center Party 28, Res Publica 28, Reform Party 19,Estonian People's Union 13, Pro Patria Union 7, People's PartyMoodukad 6
Judicial branch:National Court (chairman appointed by Parliament for life)
Political parties and leaders:Center Party of Estonia (Keskerakond) [Edgar SAVISAAR, chairman];Estonian People's Union (Rahvaliit) [Villu REILJAN, chairman];Estonian Reform Party (Reformierakond) [Andrus ANSIP]; EstonianUnited Russian People's Party or EUVRP [Yevgeniy TOMBERG, chairman];Pro Patria Union (Isamaaliit) [Tunne KELAM, chairman]; Res Publica[Juhan PARTS, chairman]; Social Democratic Party (formerly People'sParty Moodukad or Moderates) [Ivari PADAR, chairman]; SocialLiberals (group of 8 parliamentarians, former Center Party members)[Peeter Kreitzberg]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member),FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NATO, NIB,NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNTSO,UPU, WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Juri LUIKchancery: 2131 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008telephone: [1] (202) 588-0101FAX: [1] (202) 588-0108consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Aldona Zofia WOSembassy: Kentmanni 20, 15099 Tallinnmailing address: use embassy street addresstelephone: [372] 668-8100FAX: [372] 668-8134
Flag description:pre-1940 flag restored by Supreme Soviet in May 1990 - three equalhorizontal bands of blue (top), black, and white
Economy Estonia
Economy - overview:Estonia, as a new member of the World Trade Organization and theEuropean Union, has transitioned effectively to a modern marketeconomy with strong ties to the West, including the pegging of itscurrency to the euro. The economy benefits from strong electronicsand telecommunications sectors and is greatly influenced bydevelopments in Finland, Sweden, and Germany, three major tradingpartners. The current account deficit remains high; however, thestate budget enjoyed a surplus of $130 million in 2003.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$19.23 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:6% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $14,300 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4.1% industry: 28.9% services: 67% (2004 est.)
Labor force:660,000 (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 11%, industry 20%, services 69% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate:9.6% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:NA (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: 3%highest 10%: 29.8% (1998)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:37 (1999)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):3% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):28.2% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget:revenues: $4.622 billionexpenditures: $4.601 billion, including capital expenditures of NA(2004 est.)
Public debt:5.4% of GDP (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products:potatoes, vegetables; livestock and dairy products; fish
Industries:engineering, electronics, wood and wood products, textile;information technology, telecommunications
Industrial production growth rate:5% (2000 est.)
Electricity - production:8.301 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.8% hydro: 0.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0.2% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:6.358 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports:1.562 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:200 million kWh (2002)
Oil - production:5,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:24,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA
Oil - imports:NA
Natural gas - production:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:1.27 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:1.27 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Current account balance:$-1.169 billion (2004 est.)
Exports:$5.701 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:machinery and equipment 33%, wood and paper 15%, textiles 14%, foodproducts 8%, furniture 7%, metals, chemical products (2001)
Exports - partners:Finland 23.1%, Sweden 15.3%, Germany 8.4%, Latvia 7.9%, Russia5.7%, Lithuania 4.4% (2004)
Imports:$7.318 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery and equipment 33.5%, chemical products 11.6%, textiles10.3%, foodstuffs 9.4%, transportation equipment 8.9% (2001)
Imports - partners:Finland 22.1%, Germany 12.9%, Sweden 9.7%, Russia 9.2%, Lithuania5.3%, Latvia 4.7% (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$1.503 billion (2004 est.)
Debt - external:$8.373 billion (2004 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$108 million (2000)
Currency (code):Estonian kroon (EEK)
Currency code:EEK
Exchange rates:krooni per US dollar - 12.596 (2004), 13.856 (2003), 16.612 (2002),17.478 (2001), 16.969 (2000)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Estonia
Telephones - main lines in use:475,000 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:881,000 (2002)
Telephone system:general assessment: foreign investment in the form of jointbusiness ventures greatly improved telephone service; substantialfiber-optic cable systems carry telephone, TV, and radio traffic inthe digital mode; Internet services are available throughout most ofthe country - only about 11,000 subscriber requests were unfilled bySeptember 2000domestic: a wide range of high quality voice, data, and Internetservices is available throughout the countryinternational: country code - 372; fiber-optic cables to Finland,Sweden, Latvia, and Russia provide worldwide packet-switchedservice; two international switches are located in Tallinn (2001)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 0, FM 98, shortwave 0 (2001)
Radios:1.01 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:3 (2001)
Televisions:605,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.ee
Internet hosts:82,142 (2004)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):38 (2001)
Internet users:444,000 (2002)
Transportation Estonia
Railways: total: 958 km broad gauge: 958 km 1.520-m/1.524-m gauge (132 km electrified) (2004)
Highways:total: 55,944 kmpaved: 13,874 km (including 99 km of expressways)unpaved: 42,070 km (2002)
Waterways:500 km (2003)
Pipelines:gas 859 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:Kopli, Kuivastu, Muuga, Tallinn, Virtsu
Merchant marine:total: 43 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 212,998 GRT/177,488 DWTby type: cargo 17, passenger/cargo 20, petroleum tanker 2, rollon/roll off 4foreign-owned: 6 (Norway 6)registered in other countries: 51 (2005)
Airports:29 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 14over 3,047 m: 12,438 to 3,047 m: 81,524 to 2,437 m: 1914 to 1,523 m: 3under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 15over 3,047 m: 12,438 to 3,047 m: 11,524 to 2,437 m: 3914 to 1,523 m: 4under 914 m: 6 (2004 est.)
Military Estonia
Military branches:Estonian Defense Forces: Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force and AirDefense Staff, Republic Security Forces (internal and bordertroops), Volunteer Defense League (Kaitseliit), Maritime BorderGuard, Coast Guardnote: Border Guards and Ministry of Internal Affairs become part ofthe Estonian Defense Forces in wartime; the Coast Guard issubordinate to the Ministry of Defense in peacetime and the EstonianNavy in wartime
Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service, with 11-month service obligation; Estonia has committed to retaining conscription for men and women up to 2010; 17 years of age for volunteers (2004)
Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 291,696 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 200,382 (2005 est.) : note - in 2004, 51% of the young men called up for service were determined to be unfit; main obstacles to conscription were psychiatric and behavioral
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males: 11,146 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$155 million (2002 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:2% (2002 est.)
Transnational Issues Estonia
Disputes - international:in 1996, the Estonia-Russia technical border agreement wasinitialed but both states have been hesitant to sign and ratify it,with Russia asserting that Estonia needs to better assimilateRussian-speakers and Estonian groups pressing for realignment of theboundary based more closely on the 1920 Tartu Peace Treaty thatwould bring the now divided ethnic Setu people and parts of theNarva region within Estonia; as a member state that forms part ofthe EU's external border, Estonia must implement the strict Schengenborder rules
Illicit drugs:transshipment point for opiates and cannabis from Southwest Asiaand the Caucasus via Russia, cocaine from Latin America to WesternEurope and Scandinavia, and synthetic drugs from Western Europe toScandinavia; increasing domestic drug abuse problem; possibleprecursor manufacturing and/or trafficking; potential moneylaundering related to organized crime and drug trafficking is aconcern as is possible use of the gambling sector to launder funds
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@Ethiopia
Introduction Ethiopia
Background:Unique among African countries, the ancient Ethiopian monarchymaintained its freedom from colonial rule, with the exception of the1936-41 Italian occupation during World War II. In 1974 a militaryjunta, the Derg, deposed Emperor Haile SELASSIE (who had ruled since1930) and established a socialist state. Torn by bloody coups,uprisings, wide-scale drought, and massive refugee problems, theregime was finally toppled in 1991 by a coalition of rebel forces,the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). Aconstitution was adopted in 1994 and Ethiopia's first multipartyelections were held in 1995. A two and a half year border war withEritrea ended with a peace treaty on 12 December 2000. Finaldemarcation of the boundary is currently on hold due to Ethiopianobjections to an international commission's finding requiring it tosurrender sensitive territory.
Geography Ethiopia
Location:Eastern Africa, west of Somalia
Geographic coordinates:8 00 N, 38 00 E
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 1,127,127 sq kmland: 1,119,683 sq kmwater: 7,444 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Land boundaries:total: 5,328 kmborder countries: Djibouti 349 km, Eritrea 912 km, Kenya 861 km,Somalia 1,600 km, Sudan 1,606 km
Coastline:0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:none (landlocked)
Climate:tropical monsoon with wide topographic-induced variation
Terrain:high plateau with central mountain range divided by Great RiftValley
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Denakil Depression -125 mhighest point: Ras Dejen 4,620 m
Natural resources:small reserves of gold, platinum, copper, potash, natural gas,hydropower
Land use: arable land: 10.71% permanent crops: 0.75% other: 88.54% (2001)
Irrigated land:1,900 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:geologically active Great Rift Valley susceptible to earthquakes,volcanic eruptions; frequent droughts
Environment - current issues:deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; watershortages in some areas from water-intensive farming and poormanagement
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, EndangeredSpecies, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protectionsigned, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea
Geography - note:landlocked - entire coastline along the Red Sea was lost with thede jure independence of Eritrea on 24 May 1993; the Blue Nile, thechief headstream of the Nile by water volume, rises in T'ana Hayk(Lake Tana) in northwest Ethiopia; three major crops are believed tohave originated in Ethiopia: coffee, grain sorghum, and castor bean
People Ethiopia
Population:73,053,286note: 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: 43.9% (male 16,082,504/female 15,999,602)15-64 years: 53.4% (male 19,452,737/female 19,525,746)65 years and over: 2.7% (male 905,648/female 1,087,049) (2005 est.)
Median age:total: 17.75 yearsmale: 17.64 yearsfemale: 17.85 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:2.36% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:38.61 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:15.06 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:0 migrant(s)/1,000 populationnote: repatriation of Ethiopians who fled to Sudan for refuge fromwar and famine in earlier years is expected to continue for severalyears; some Sudanese and Somali refugees, who fled to Ethiopia fromthe fighting or famine in their own countries, continue to return totheir homes (2005 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 95.32 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 105.3 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 85.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 48.83 yearsmale: 47.67 yearsfemale: 50.03 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:5.33 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:4.4% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:1.5 million (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:120,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, typhoid fever, and hepatitis E vectorborne diseases: malaria and cutaneous leishmaniasis are high risks in some locations respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis animal contact disease: rabies water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2004)
Nationality:noun: Ethiopian(s)adjective: Ethiopian
Ethnic groups:Oromo 40%, Amhara and Tigre 32%, Sidamo 9%, Shankella 6%, Somali6%, Afar 4%, Gurage 2%, other 1%
Religions:Muslim 45%-50%, Ethiopian Orthodox 35%-40%, animist 12%, other 3%-8%
Languages:Amharic, Tigrinya, Oromigna, Guaragigna, Somali, Arabic, otherlocal languages, English (major foreign language taught in schools)
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 42.7%male: 50.3%female: 35.1% (2003 est.)
Government Ethiopia
Country name:conventional long form: Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopiaconventional short form: Ethiopialocal long form: Ityop'iya Federalawi Demokrasiyawi Ripebliklocal short form: Ityop'iyaformer: Abyssinia, Italian East Africaabbreviation: FDRE
Government type:federal republic
Capital:Addis Ababa
Administrative divisions:9 ethnically-based states (kililoch, singular - kilil) and 2self-governing administrations* (astedaderoch, singular -astedader); Adis Abeba* (Addis Ababa), Afar, Amara (Amhara),Binshangul Gumuz, Dire Dawa*, Gambela Hizboch (Gambela Peoples),Hareri Hizb (Harari People), Oromiya (Oromia), Sumale (Somali),Tigray, Ye Debub Biheroch Bihereseboch na Hizboch (Southern Nations,Nationalities and Peoples)
Independence:oldest independent country in Africa and one of the oldest in theworld - at least 2,000 years
National holiday:National Day (defeat of MENGISTU regime), 28 May (1991)
Constitution:ratified December 1994, effective 22 August 1995
Legal system:currently transitional mix of national and regional courts
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President GIRMA Woldegiorgis (since 8 October 2001)head of government: Prime Minister MELES Zenawi (since NA August1995)cabinet: Council of Ministers as provided for in the December 1994constitution; ministers are selected by the prime minister andapproved by the House of People's Representativeselections: president elected by the House of People'sRepresentatives for a six-year term; election last held 8 October2001 (next to be held October 2007); prime minister designated bythe party in power following legislative electionselection results: GIRMA Woldegiorgis elected president; percent ofvote by the House of People's Representatives - 100%
Legislative branch:bicameral Parliament consists of the House of Federation or upperchamber (108 seats; members are chosen by state assemblies to servefive-year terms) and the House of People's Representatives or lowerchamber (548 seats; members are directly elected by popular votefrom single-member districts to serve five-year terms)elections: last held 15 May 2005 (next to be held NA 2010)election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats by party - OPDO 177,ANDM 134, TPLF 38, WGGPDO 27, EPRDF 19, SPDO 18, GNDM 15, KSPDO 10,ANDP 8, GPRDF 7, SOPDM 7, BGPDUF 6, BMPDO 5, KAT 4, other regionalpolitical groupings 22, independents 8; note - 43 seats unconfirmednote: irregularities and violence at some polling stationsnecessitated the rescheduling of voting in certain constituencies;voting postponed in Somali regional state because of severe drought
Judicial branch:Federal Supreme Court (the president and vice president of theFederal Supreme Court are recommended by the prime minister andappointed by the House of People's Representatives; for otherfederal judges, the prime minister submits to the House of People'sRepresentatives for appointment candidates selected by the FederalJudicial Administrative Council)
Political parties and leaders:Afar National Democratic Party or ANDP [leader NA]; BenishangulGumuz People's Democratic Unity Front or BGPDUF [Mulualem BESSE];Coalition for Unity and Democracy or CUD [HAILU Shawil]; EthiopianPeople's Revolutionary Democratic Front or EPRDF [MELES Zenawi] (analliance of ANDM, OPDO, SEPDF, and TPLF); Gurage Nationalities'Democratic Movement or GNDM [leader NA]; United Ethopian DemocraticForces or UEDF [MERARA Gudina]; dozens of small parties
Political pressure groups and leaders:Afar Revolutionary Democratic Union Front or ARDUF [leader NA];Council of Alternative Forces for Peace and Democracy in Ethiopia orCAFPDE [BEYANE Petros]; Southern Ethiopia People's DemocraticCoalition or SEPDC [BEYANE Petros]
International organization participation:ACP, AfDB, AU, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO,ITU, MIGA, NAM, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,UNMIL, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador KASSAHUN Ayele chancery: 3506 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 364-1200 FAX: [1] (202) 686-9551 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles consulate(s): New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Aurelia A. BRAZEAL embassy: Entoto Street, Addis Ababa mailing address: P. O. Box 1014, Addis Ababa telephone: [251] (1) 550666 FAX: [251] (1) 551328
Flag description:three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and red with ayellow pentagram and single yellow rays emanating from the anglesbetween the points on a light blue disk centered on the three bands;Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa, and the threemain colors of her flag were so often adopted by other Africancountries upon independence that they became known as thepan-African colors
Economy Ethiopia
Economy - overview:Ethiopia's poverty-stricken economy is based on agriculture,accounting for half of GDP, 60% of exports, and 80% of totalemployment. The agricultural sector suffers from frequent droughtand poor cultivation practices. Coffee is critical to the Ethiopianeconomy with exports of some $156 million in 2002, but historicallylow prices have seen many farmers switching to qat to supplementincome. The war with Eritrea in 1998-2000 and recurrent drought havebuffeted the economy, in particular coffee production. In November2001, Ethiopia qualified for debt relief from the Highly IndebtedPoor Countries (HIPC) initiative. Under Ethiopia's land tenuresystem, the government owns all land and provides long-term leasesto the tenants; the system continues to hamper growth in theindustrial sector as entrepreneurs are unable to use land ascollateral for loans. Drought struck again late in 2002, leading toa 2% decline in GDP in 2003. Normal weather patterns late in 2003helped agricultural and GDP growth recover in 2004.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$54.89 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:11.6% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $800 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:agriculture: 47%industry: 12.4%services: 40.6% (2004 est.)
Labor force:NA (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture and animal husbandry 80%, industry and construction 8%,government and services 12% (1985)
Unemployment rate:NA (2002)
Population below poverty line:50% (2004 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: 3%highest 10%: 33.7% (1995)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:40 (1995)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):2.4% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):17.8% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget:revenues: $1.887 billionexpenditures: $2.388 billion, including capital expenditures of $788million (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products:cereals, pulses, coffee, oilseed, sugarcane, potatoes, qat; hides,cattle, sheep, goats
Industries:food processing, beverages, textiles, chemicals, metals processing,cement
Industrial production growth rate:6.7% (2001 est.)
Electricity - production:2.149 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 1.3% hydro: 97.6% nuclear: 0% other: 1.2% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:1.998 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2002)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:23,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA
Oil - imports:NA
Oil - proved reserves:214,000 bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - proved reserves:12.46 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance:$-464.4 million (2004 est.)
Exports:$562.8 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:coffee, qat, gold, leather products, live animals, oilseeds
Exports - partners:Djibouti 13.3%, Germany 10%, Japan 8.4%, Saudi Arabia 5.6%, US5.2%, UAE 5%, Italy 4.6% (2004)
Imports:$2.104 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:food and live animals, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals,machinery, motor vehicles, cereals, textiles
Imports - partners:Saudi Arabia 25.3%, US 15.8%, China 6.6% (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$923.1 million (2004 est.)
Debt - external:$2.9 billion (2001 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$308 million (FY00/01)
Currency (code):birr (ETB)
Currency code:ETB
Exchange rates:birr per US dollar - 8.68 (2004), 8.5997 (2003), 8.5678 (2002),8.4575 (2001), 8.2173 (2000)note: since 24 October 2001 exchange rates are determined on a dailybasis via interbank transactions regulated by the Central Bank
Fiscal year:8 July - 7 July
Communications Ethiopia
Telephones - main lines in use:435,000 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular:97,800 (2003)
Telephone system:general assessment: adequate for government usedomestic: open-wire; microwave radio relay; radio communication inthe HF, VHF, and UHF frequencies; two domestic satellites providethe national trunk serviceinternational: country code - 251; open-wire to Sudan and Djibouti;microwave radio relay to Kenya and Djibouti; satellite earthstations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 8, FM 0, shortwave 1 (2001)
Radios:15.2 million (2002)
Television broadcast stations:1 plus 24 repeaters (2002)
Televisions:682,000 (2002)
Internet country code:.et
Internet hosts:9 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1 (2002)
Internet users:75,000 (2003)
Transportation Ethiopia
Railways:total: 681 km (Ethiopian segment of the Addis Ababa-Djiboutirailroad)narrow gauge: 681 km 1.000-m gaugenote: railway under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia (2004)
Highways:total: 33,297 kmpaved: 3,996 kmunpaved: 29,301 km (2002)
Ports and harbors:Ethiopia is landlocked and has used ports of Assab and Massawa inEritrea and port of Djibouti
Merchant marine:total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 81,933 GRT/101,287 DWTby type: cargo 6, roll on/roll off 2 (2005)
Airports:83 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 14 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 69 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 27 under 914 m: 23 (2004 est.)
Military Ethiopia
Military branches:Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF): Ground Forces, Air Forcenote: Ethiopia is landlocked and has no navy; following thesecession of Eritrea, Ethiopian naval facilities remained inEritrean possession (2003)
Military service age and obligation:18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service (2001)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 14,568,277 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 8,072,755 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males: 803,777 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$337.1 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:4.6% (2004)
Transnational Issues Ethiopia
Disputes - international:Eritrea and Ethiopia agreed to abide by the 2002 Eritrea-EthiopiaBoundary Commission's (EEBC) delimitation decision, but despiteinternational intervention, mutual animosities, accusations andarmed posturing prevail, preventing demarcation; Ethiopia refuses towithdraw to the delimited boundary until technical errors made bythe EEBC that ignored "human geography" are addressed, including theaward of Badme, the focus of the 1998-2000 war; Eritrea insists thatthe EEBC decision be implemented immediately without modifications;Ethiopia has only an administrative line and no international borderwith the Oromo region of southern Somalia where it maintainsalliances with local clans in opposition to the unrecognized SomaliInterim Government in Mogadishu; "Somaliland" secessionists provideport facilities and trade ties to landlocked Ethiopia; the UNHCRexpects most of the remaining 23,000 Somali refugees in Ethiopia tobe repatriated in 2005; efforts to demarcate the porous boundarywith Sudan have been delayed by civil war
Refugees and internally displaced persons:refugees (country of origin): 93,032 (Sudan) 23,578 (Somalia)IDPs: 132,000 (border war with Eritrea from 1998-2000 and ethnicclashes in Gambela; most IDPs are in Tigray and Gambela Provinces)(2004)
Illicit drugs:Transit hub for heroin originating in Southwest and Southeast Asiaand destined for Europe and North America as well as cocainedestined for markets in southern Africa; cultivates qat (khat) forlocal use and regional export, principally to Djibouti and Somalia(legal in all three countries); the lack of a well-developedfinancial system limits the country's utility as a money-launderingcenter
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Europa Island
Introduction Europa Island
Background:A French possession since 1897, the island is heavily wooded; it isthe site of a small military garrison that staffs a weather station.
Geography Europa Island
Location:Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about half waybetween southern Madagascar and southern Mozambique
Geographic coordinates:22 20 S, 40 22 E
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 28 sq kmland: 28 sq kmwater: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:about 0.16 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:22.2 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:tropical
Terrain:low and flat
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 mhighest point: unnamed location 24 m
Natural resources:NEGL
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (mangrove forests and woodlands) (2001)
Irrigated land:0 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:NA
Environment - current issues:NA
Geography - note:wildlife sanctuary
People Europa Island
Population:no indigenous inhabitantsnote: there is a small French military garrison and a fewmeteorologists; visited by scientists (July 2005 est.)
Government Europa Island
Country name:conventional long form: noneconventional short form: Europa Islandlocal long form: nonelocal short form: Ile Europa
Dependency status:possession of France; administered by the Administrateur Superieurof the French Southern and Antarctic Lands
Legal system:the laws of France, where applicable, apply
Flag description:the flag of France is used
Economy Europa Island
Economy - overview:no economic activity
Industries:none
Communications Europa Island
Communications - note: 1 meteorological station
Transportation Europa Island
Ports and harbors:none; offshore anchorage only
Airports:1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 1914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Military Europa Island
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues Europa Island
Disputes - international: claimed by Madagascar
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@European Union
Introduction European Union
Preliminary statement:The evolution of the European Union (EU) from a regional economicagreement among six neighboring states in 1951 to today'ssupranational organization of 25 countries across the Europeancontinent stands as an unprecedented phenomenon in the annals ofhistory. Dynastic unions for territorial consolidation were long thenorm in Europe. On a few occasions even country-level unions werearranged - the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and theAustro-Hungarian Empire were examples - but for such a large numberof nation-states to cede some of their sovereignty to an overarchingentity is truly unique. Although the EU is not a federation in thestrict sense, it is far more than a free-trade association such asASEAN, NAFTA, or Mercosur, and it has many of the attributesassociated with independent nations: its own flag, anthem, foundingdate, and currency, as well as an incipient common foreign andsecurity policy in its dealings with other nations. In the future,many of these nation-like characteristics are likely to be expanded.Thus, inclusion of basic intelligence on the EU has been deemedappropriate as a new, separate entity in The World Factbook.However, because of the EU's special status, this description isplaced after the regular country entries.
Background: Following the two devastating World Wars of the first half of the 20th century, a number of European leaders in the late 1940s became convinced that the only way to establish a lasting peace was to unite the two chief belligerent nations - France and Germany - both economically and politically. In 1950, the French Foreign Minister Robert SCHUMAN proposed an eventual union of all Europe, the first step of which would be the integration of the coal and steel industries of Western Europe. The following year the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) was set up when six members, Belgium, France, West Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands, signed the Treaty of Paris. The ECSC was so successful that within a few years the decision was made to integrate other parts of the countries' economies. In 1957, the Treaties of Rome created the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom), and the six member states undertook to eliminate trade barriers among themselves by forming a common market. In 1967, the institutions of all three communities were formally merged into the European Community (EC), creating a single Commission, a single Council of Ministers, and the European Parliament. Members of the European Parliament were initially selected by national parliaments, but in 1979 the first direct elections were undertaken and they have been held every five years since. In 1973, the first enlargement of the EC took place with the addition of Denmark, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. The 1980s saw further membership expansion with Greece joining in 1981 and Spain and Portugal in 1986. The 1992 Treaty of Maastricht laid the basis for further forms of cooperation in foreign and defense policy, in judicial and internal affairs, and in the creation of an economic and monetary union - including a common currency. This further integration created the European Union (EU). In 1995, Austria, Finland, and Sweden joined the EU, raising the membership total to 15. A new currency, the euro, was launched in world money markets on 1 January 1999; it become the unit of exchange for all of the EU states except the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Denmark. In 2002, citizens of the 12 euro-area countries began using the euro banknotes and coins. Ten new countries joined the EU in 2004 - Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia - bringing the current membership to 25. In order to ensure that the EU can continue to function efficiently with an expanded membership, the 2003 Treaty of Nice set forth rules streamlining the size and procedures of EU institutions. An EU Constitutional Treaty, signed in Rome on 29 October 2004, gave member states two years to ratify the document before it was scheduled to take effect on 1 November 2006. Referenda held in France and the Netherlands in May-June 2005 that rejected the constitution suspended the ratification effort. Despite the expansion of membership and functions, "Eurosceptics" in various countries have raised questions about the erosion of national cultures and the imposition of a flood of regulations from the EU capital in Brussels. Failure by all member states to ratify the constitution or the inability of newcomer countries to meet euro currency standards might force a loosening of some EU agreements and perhaps lead to several levels of EU participation. These "tiers" might eventually range from an "inner" core of politically integrated countries to a looser "outer" economic association of members.
Geography European Union
Location:Europe between Belarus, Ukraine, Russia, southeastern Europe, andthe North Atlantic Ocean
Map references:Europe
Area:total: 3,976,372 sq km
Area - comparative:less than one-half the size of the US
Land boundaries:total: 11,214.8 kmborder countries: Albania 282 km, Andorra 120.3 km, Belarus 1,050km, Bulgaria 494 km, Croatia 999 km, Holy See 3.2 km, Liechtenstein34.9 km, Macedonia 246 km, Monaco 4.4 km, Norway 2,348 km, Romania443 km, Russia 2,257 km, San Marino 39 km, Serbia and Montenegro 151km, Switzerland 1,811 km, Turkey 206 km, Ukraine 726 kmnote: data for European Continent only
Coastline:65,413.9 km
Maritime claims:NA
Climate:cold temperate; potentially subarctic in the north to temperate;mild wet winters; hot dry summers in the south
Terrain:fairly flat along the Baltic and Atlantic coast; mountainous in thecentral and southern areas
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Lammefjord, Denmark -7 m; Zuidplaspolder, Netherlands-7 mhighest point: Mount Blanc, France/Italy 4,807 m
Natural resources:iron ore, arable land, natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, lead,zinc, hydropower, uranium, potash, fish
Land use: arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% other: NA%
Irrigated land:115,807 sq km
Natural hazards:flooding along coasts; avalanches in mountainous area; earthquakesin the south; volcanic eruptions in Italy; periodic droughts inSpain; ice floes in the Baltic
Environment - current issues:NA
Environment - international agreements:party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, AirPollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94,Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change,Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes,Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 82, TropicalTimber 94signed but not ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds
People European Union
Population:456,953,258 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 16.03% (male 37,608,010/female 35,632,351)15-64 years: 67.17% (male 154,439,536/female 152,479,619)65 years and over: 16.81% (male 31,515,921/female 45,277,821) (2005est.)
Median age:NA
Population growth rate:0.15% (July 2005 est.)
Birth rate:10 births/1,000 population (July 2005 est.)
Death rate:10.1 deaths/1,000 population (July 2005 est.)
Net migration rate:1.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (July 2005 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: NAunder 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female65 years and older: 0.69 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.96 male(s)/female (July 2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 5.1 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 5.6 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 4.5 deaths/1,000 live births (July 2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 78.3 yearsmale: 75.1 yearsfemale: 81.6 years (July 2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.47 children born/woman (July 2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:NA%
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:NA
Religions:Roman Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, Muslim, Jewish
Languages:Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German,Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish,Portuguese, Slovak, Slovene, Spanish, Swedish; note - only officiallanguages are listed; Irish (Gaelic) will become the twenty-firstlanguage on 1 January 2007
Government European Union
Union name:conventional long form: European Unionabbreviation: EU
Political structure:a hybrid intergovernmental and supranational organization
Capital:Brussels, Belgiumnote: the Council of the European Union meets in Brussels, theEuropean Parliament meets in Strasbourg, France, and the Court ofJustice of the European Communities meets in Luxembourg
Member states:25 countries: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy,Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal,Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, UK; note - Canary Islands(Spain), Azores and Madeira (Portugal), and French Guyana,Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Reunion (France) are sometimes listedseparately even though they are legally a part of Spain, Portugal,and France; candidate countries: Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania, Turkey
Independence:7 February 1992 (Maastricht Treaty signed establishing the EU); 1November 1993 (Maastricht Treaty entered into force)
National holiday:Europe Day 9 May (1950); note - a Union-wide holiday, the day thatRobert Schuman proposed the creation of an organized Europe
Constitution:based on a series of treaties: the Treaty of Paris, which set upthe European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) in 1951; the Treatiesof Rome, which set up the European Economic Community (EEC) and theEuropean Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) in 1957; the SingleEuropean Act in 1986; the Treaty on European Union (Maastricht) in1992; the Treaty of Amsterdam in 1997; and the Treaty of Nice in2001; note - a new draft Constitutional Treaty, signed on 29 October2004 in Rome, gave member states two years for ratification eitherby parliamentary vote or national referendum before it was scheduledto take effect on 1 November 2006; defeat in French and Dutchreferenda in May-June 2005 caused a suspension of the ratificationprocess
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal